Z Backscatter Van Used To Scan For Car Bombs, Drugs And People In Hiding

X-ray machines are finding their way into a lot of different areas. While it used to be that you'd expect to be scanned by a machine at your doctor's office or the airport, that's not the case anymore. Not surprising, considering the way we embrace being mobile. The Z Backscatter Van (ZBV) is the creation of American Science & Engineering (AS&E), and it's designed specifically to be able to scan things out in the real world. But, questions are already being raised.

The idea behind the ZBV is pretty simple: to scan for contraband. The van would be able to find people hiding in buildings, drugs, or even car bombs. Because of the power and mobile nature of the vans, the Department of Homeland Security and the United States military are starting to buy up quite a few of the vehicles, planning to utilize them in all sorts of areas.

According to AS&E, the vans can scan through a vehicle in about 15 seconds. Furthermore, the equipment within the vehicle can be operated remotely from up to 1,500 feet away. Considering the plain-looking aesthetics of the vehicle, law enforcement and government agencies could certainly place it wherever they want, without fear of being noticed.

Of course, issues of privacy are being voiced already. Considering the overall effectiveness of the truck, and the fact that it can seemingly scan through most everything (including some buildings and, yes, clothes) to find whatever it is the operator is looking for, people are raising their voices to the fact that their overall privacy is potentially being violated. Still, others are questioning how much radiation a truck of this size, with the equipment inside, is releasing on a daily basis.

[via Fox News]