The INTERCEPT is a full-body X-ray security screening system purpose-built for correctional facilities, customs checkpoints, and other high-security environments where contraband concealed under clothing or within body cavities must be detected reliably and quickly. Unlike conventional moving-belt scanners that require the subject to walk through a rotating gantry — introducing motion artifacts and image distortion — the INTERCEPT keeps the subject stationary while a motorized C-arm travels vertically from below the feet to above the head. This patented architecture produces geometrically accurate images and is protected under multiple U.S. patents.

Why does vertical scanning produce better images than moving-belt systems?

In a conventional scanner, the subject walks or is conveyed through a stationary beam while the detector array rotates. This creates two sources of image degradation: the subject's natural sway and the geometric distortion of an angled beam path through the body — typically ~16 inches of tissue at an oblique angle. The INTERCEPT's back-to-front horizontal beam passes through approximately 11 inches of tissue along the shortest path, and because the subject is stationary, there is no motion blur. The result is a distortion-free image with 16 million gray scale levels, viewed through three selectable filters — high-resolution, three-dimensional, and detail — that help operators distinguish actual contraband from anatomical features and reduce false positives.

What can it detect that a metal detector or backscatter scanner cannot?

The INTERCEPT is a transmission X-ray system, not a backscatter surface imager or a metal detector. It sees through clothing and soft tissue to reveal objects concealed within body cavities — drugs, weapons, cell phones, SIM cards, and other contraband — regardless of whether the object is metallic, plastic, ceramic, or organic. An optional Mask Setting blurs facial features and genital areas in compliance with the U.S. Prison Rape Elimination Act, and a built-in photo ID camera fuses the subject's portrait with the scan image for evidentiary chain-of-custody documentation.

What is the radiation dose and how often can someone be scanned?

At the standard general-use setting of 0.25 µSv (25 µRem), a single INTERCEPT scan delivers less than 1% of the dose from a medical chest X-ray and roughly equivalent to the natural background radiation received in 15 minutes at sea level. This allows daily screening of up to 1,000 scans per year per individual. For higher-detail limited-use scans at 4.0 or 8.0 µSv, weekly screening is permitted. The safety exclusion zone is identical to the scanner's own footprint — 34″ × 72″ — the smallest in the industry, because the beam is fully contained within the C-arm enclosure. No external shielding, floor anchoring, or dedicated electrical circuit is required; the INTERCEPT plugs into a standard 110 V / 15 A outlet and can be moved through a 35″ doorway on built-in casters.