In an attempt to quell the uproar about the use of full-body scanners in US airports, the Transport Security Administration has announced the testing of new software which does not reproduce an image of a person’s body. Instead, there is just a generic outline of a person on which a highlight will appear if a threat is detected.

The software is currently being tested at Ronald Reagan National airport in Washington and McCarran International in Las Vegas, and is due to be tested at Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta. John Pistole, the TSA’s administrator, said he felt the new software addressed all the issues raised since scanners were introduced to airports across the country in 2007.

Civil liberty groups, as well as airline passengers, have complained that creating full body images is an invasion of privacy. Currently, those refusing to pass through a scanner are subjected to a full body pat down, something many travellers also feel is invasive.

According to Pistole, the new software is still in its testing phase. The TSA has been working with the manufacturer to make sure it is capable of detecting all potential threats. At present, the software is compatible with around half of the 500 scanners in airports across the US.

The TSA has said that it would like to double the number of airport scanners, but this would involve Congress agreeing to include a large outlay from the federal budget. The TSA’s desire for more scanners comes after the 2009 Christmas Day alleged attempt to blow up an airline by a man with explosives in his underwear.