[warren-g]

Not that I'm condoning the machines, and perhaps I'm missing something, but...

Couldn't this "vulnerability" be fixed if they took two scans? Take one of front/back (current approach) and then ask the person to turn 90 degrees and take another scan? to see the sides?

[replax]

Yes it could.

The problem with that is, that it a) doubles the amount of time needed to scan one person and b) doubles the duration of exposure to radiation.

therefore, we'd be better of with metal detectors. Aside from that, the TSA would have to explain, that body scanners are useless without scanning twice and we therefore need to expose you to the double amount of radiation...

[toomuchtodo]

Doesn't the current scan take 3-5 seconds, and then you have a wait upwards of 20-30 seconds to get the "all clear" from the TSA agent in front of you who was radioed from the agent viewing the body scanner image? Ridiculous.

[evan_]

If I had to turn 90° I would hide contraband in the loose sleeves of my shirt, and I would hold my arms forward slightly, so that when I was turned perpendicular with the beams, the contraband was forward of my center of mass.