Federal officials unveiled new, less intrusive security scanning software at Miami International Airport on Tuesday.
Unlike the current controversial machines, which take an in-depth X-ray picture of a passenger's body to detect foreign items, the new imaging machines use a generic body type that doesn't give an unflattering view of the passenger, Transportation Security Administration Federal Security Director Mark Hatfield said.
"We have dramatically reduced the privacy protections and I think passengers will find that we have de-mystified the whole process," he said.
But the machines are designed for much more than protecting image-conscious passengers.
The new technology also allows transportation security officials to detect non-metal threats, like explosives, hidden under a passenger's clothing.
If a suspicious object is detected, the machine will display an indicator on the body part of the generic image where the security screener should check.
Hatfield said that while the pat downs won't be going away, the new software will make the need for them less frequent.
That was welcome news for Marthe Mulders, who was flying out of MIA on Tuesday.
"They will be able to check you without seeing your private parts. I think that’s OK," she said. "If the safety is better for the passengers, then it's OK."
MIA will get 13 new machines with the software in the middle of September.
