Tech: Back-scatter X-ray makes fine details visible

[dracodraconis]

Swiss researchers have developed an new approach to capturing an X-ray of an object that results in much finer resolution and being able to better distinguish among types of material. The approach involves taking four X-ray images with a silicon filter at different angles to capture X-rays that are scattered by the surface. The images are then combined to generate a more detailed image (like the one shown on the right) than is possible using the traditional approach, albeit at the cost of quadrupling X-ray exposure. The approach can be used in airport security where, for example, some kinds of cheese are indistinguishable from semtex. Using this new approach the cheese and explosive can be clearly seen as different.

Comments

[siderea]

I'm confused. Is there either cheese or semtex in that fish?

[dracodraconis.livejournal.com]

You have to click on the image and go down to the bottom of the article where they have a picture with cheese beside semtex. I chose the fish image because it showed the fine resolution of the X-ray system.

[siderea]

AHH!!! Sorry, should have read the article.