[efiftythree]

I think their premise is that a device which has been converted to a bomb large enough to cause total destruction of its target would have had the majority of its components removed thus rendering it non-functional. Following that "logic" a device which powers on has a much lower chance of being an explosive device.

[Osiris]

That doesn't make sense. A simple x-ray would show that the internal components have been removed.

[MBCook]

I believe the problem is that plastic explosives and a trigger mechanism look very similar to the cells and relegation circuitry in a NiMH or LiIon battery so an X-Ray can't really distinguish them.

What does this do to people with extra batteries? Do they all have to be charged? Would you have to put them in your phone/laptop to prove it?

[elithrar]

> What does this do to people with extra batteries? Do they all have to be charged? Would you have to put them in your phone/laptop to prove it?

What about modern laptops that have multiple discrete batteries (i.e. modern Macs) - I would guess that you could remove 2-3 of the 4-5 packs and still have a "functioning" laptop, albeit with a much shorter uptime.

[MBCook]

I would assume it's an effort/sophistication thing, just raising the minimum bar to weed out/discourage people and lessen the number of attempts in total.

[efiftythree]

I'm certainly not trying to imply that it does. The TSA themselves have been attempting to use the excuse that their scans, x-ray or otherwise, are somehow incapable of detecting the difference between a real device and a modified one. I for one, having see many of these x-ray screens during travel, believe that is some kind of nonsense.

That said I think a possible interesting question to ask is whether or not a scanning system could be implemented that is able to determine whether a devices internal components have been modified based on scans provided my OEM's.

edit: spelling.

[chrismcb]

Because a raspberry pi is SOOO large...