Full-Body Airport Scanners Downsizing For Doctors/Dentists

An anonymous reader writes "Cheap handheld terahertz scanners that do the same thing as those big bulky full-body scanners at the airport could be in your doctor's and dentist's office soon. The Semiconductor Research Corp. has successfully sponsored chip maker Texas Instruments in making cheap CMOS chips that do the same thing as those refrigerator sized full-body scanners at the airport. The resulting handheld versions can be tuned to look inside your teeth in the dentist chair and under you skin at the doctor's office. The best part is that terahertz rays are completely safe, unlike the X-rays used today by dentists and doctors which can cause cancer. Count me in!"

hell yeah!

[sribe]

If I were a dentist, I'd certainly want to know if you're packing heat before I start subjecting you to excruciating pain ;-)

Bah! I preffer the good old days!

[hedgemage]

I don't want these fancy new scanners in my dentist's office! What's wrong with having the hygenist run me through the metal detector prior to performing an enhanced patdown?

Re:Bah! I preffer the good old days!

[antifoidulus]

Guess it depends on how cute your hygienist is.

Re:2 million years of evolution

[cruff]

You are probably familiar with the usual laser safety warning:
Do not look into the laser with your remaining eye.
Obviously light in that wavelength range is problematic.

Re:2 million years of evolution

[cheater512]

We need to petition to get these wavelengths banned. These crazy scientists with their fancy lasers that use these dangerous frequencies must be stopped!

Mock-up

[Monkier]

Here's a quick mock-up of how it will look: http://i.imgur.com/2aA3Z.jpg [imgur.com]

Re:"completely safe"

[viperidaenz]

It's pretty safe and has been tested over a very long time period. They've even given certain THz frequencies their own names.
440THz is sometimes called "red"
560THz is sometimes called "green"
640THz is sometimes called "blue"

Is it safe?

[careysb]

ZAPHOD: It’s a carbon copy of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal - or I’m a Vogon’s Grandmother! ARTHUR: The Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal! Is it safe? [Sound of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal salivating] FORD: Oh Yes! It’s perfectly safe - it’s just us who are in trouble.

Re:2 million years of evolution

[serbanp]

This is slashdot, after all. Most youngsters are already avoiding this harmful radiation by hiding in their mother's basement...

Re:Communist

[anon208]

I was with you up to green, but red is a menace! It's a RED menace.

Re:"completely safe"

[Nkwe]

It's pretty safe and has been tested over a very long time period. They've even given certain THz frequencies their own names.
440THz is sometimes called "red"
560THz is sometimes called "green"
640THz is sometimes called "blue"

And they stopped there because 640 THz should be enough for everybody.

Re:X-rays

[flyingfsck]

Most of those things only cause cancer in California.

Re:2 million years of evolution

[Frisno]

The dentist will allow you to opt out, in favour for a traditional cavity search.