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TSA To Debut New Airport Scanner, But No Plans For LAX Upgrade

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A new and reportedly non-blush-inducing airport security scanner could be coming to an airport near you — just not to the nation's third-busiest travel hub.

The Transportation Security Administration on Wednesday unveiled new software for airport body scans that could make those controversial airport scanners less intrusive.

"[The device] essentially makes a cookie-cutter image for every passenger that comes through that's viewable at the security checkpoint," said the TSA's Nico Melendez.

Melendez said the automated target recognition software allows security agents to spot any "threat item" on a person without actually seeing the image of the person.

But as KNX 1070's Charles Feldman reports, passengers traveling through Los Angeles International Airport aren't likely to see the new devices anytime soon.

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While other local airports may soon see upgrades to the millimeter wave imaging scanners in the near future, LAX will not benefit from the software upgrade because the technology utilizes an entirely different kind of scanner.

"We don't have the software available yet for the backscatter machine," said Melendez. "Hopefully, we will be able to announce that soon, but right now we don't have an announcement for LAX."

Ontario and Palm Springs airports are slated to receive the new software upgrades in coming weeks.

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