Terahertz | Futurismic

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Transparent society redux: Camera ’sees’ through clothing

Tomas Martin @ 10-03-2008

In fortuitous timing to fit in with Paul’s story earlier today on David Brin’s ‘Transparent Society’, it emerges there may be a new technology that may take that definition a little too literally. BBC News reports that ‘ThruVision’, a camera utilising terahertz rays to ’see’ concealed objects. Normal security cameras use X-rays to probe a person but as everything emits different levels of terahertz rays normally, the system is passive, simply observing the body’s glow.

“If I were to look at you in terahertz you would appear to glow like a light bulb and different objects glow less brightly or more brightly,” said the firm’s spokesperson. “You see a silhouette of the form but you don’t see surface anatomical effects. In addition, the system does not involve any of the “harmful radiation associated with traditional X-ray security screening.”

[story and image via BBC News]