The U.S. Transportation Security Administration announced Friday that it
will remove body-imaging machines that display what some critics have described
as naked images of passengers. "Due
to its inability to deploy non-imaging Automated Target Recognition software by
the congressionally mandated June 2013 deadline, TSA has terminated its
contract with Rapiscan," the division of OSI Systems that provides the
technology, according to a TSA statement.
TSA added that "by June
2013 travelers will only see machines which have ATR that allow for faster
throughput. This means faster lanes for the traveler and enhanced security. As
always, use of this technology is optional."
OSI Systems in
a statement confirmed that the Rapiscan machines "would
not be ready to meet the next level of ATR software by the congressionally
mandated June 2013 deadline."
TSA assistant administrator for
acquisitions Karen Shelton Waters told Bloomberg News that the agency in 2012 removed
76 Rapiscan machines and will remove the remaining 174. She further indicated
that TSA will use 60 body scanners manufactured by L-3 Communications Holdings.