Operator Mesin X-ray

Skills and Competencies Required

• Visual Search: the ability to examine a visual scene (in
this case an X-ray image), considering both the time
limit and the entire scene.
• Figure-ground segregation: the ability to distinguish
distinct objects from background clutter, using cues
such as edge demarcations and different colors.
• Mental Rotation: the ability to recognize objects
positioned in different orientations.
• Spatial Imagination: the ability to mentally visualize
rearrangements or recombination of separate elements
to form a three-dimensional object.
• Attentiveness: the ability to focus and maintain attention.
• Concentration: the ability to filter out irrelevant external
stimuli such as noise or constant movement in the
screening areas and to focus one's direct cognitive
abilities on a primary task.
• Retention: the ability to acquire knowledge and skills at a
certain level and maintain them at that level over time.
• Memory: the ability to internally reference an image or
situation based on previous visual presentations or
external references.
• Some newer X-ray devices can show
six different colors on the screen,
which makes it easier to distinguish
between the different materials
used:
1. The color brown appears only when organic materials
are present (Zeff = 0-8), thus making it possible to
distinguish military explosives such as C-4, TNT, or
Semtex, from other slightly inorganic materials which
will appear orange, as in the three-color system. This
reduces the number of false alarms during screenings.
2. The color orange (Zeff = 8-10) also distinguishes drugs
and fertilizers from other organic materials.
3. The color yellow (Zeff = 10-12) appears only when glass
is present. It allows the screener to identify bottles of
alcohol or suspicious liquids.
4. The color green (Zeff = 12-17) makes it possible to
discern IEDs, composed of electronic circuits,
and/or detonators.
5. The color blue (Zeff = 17-29) is used to detect heavy
metals such as iron or steel, i.e., the main
components of firearms or knives.
6. The color violet (Zeff = 29+) appears when dense
metals are present; this includes precious materials
such as gold, silver, or platinum. The separation into
distinct colors of these materials helps to detect
illegal trafficking of precious metals.
• The color black, in both three and six color
systems, appears when materials
impenetrable by X-rays are present, such as
crystal. These opaque materials can be used to
hide dangerous or contraband objects in
luggage.
 Tips and Tricks
1. Concentration and speed are key in this test; you must
stay focused because you have only 15 seconds per
image. Thus, losing concentration will cause you to lose
precious time that you need in order to determine
whether or not an object is located in each given image.
2. The objects appearing in the different categories may
appear in different forms and may not necessarily
correspond to the examples given at the beginning of
each category. For example, the edged weapons may
contain objects of all types, as explained earlier on this
page.
3. Angles and positions of objects in X-ray images may change, so it is
important to look for objects in the image all the while keeping in
mind that they may appear in different configurations.
4. In some X-ray images, it may be difficult to distinguish the edges of
different objects. In this case, focus on the colors and try to
distinguish between the differences in intensity and shades.
5. If you cannot find the object you are looking for in the image and
you reach the time limit, we recommend that you choose to
answer claiming that the object is not there and press "3", rather
than not answering at all. This is because wrong answers do not
take away points; you have nothing to lose by guessing. The time
limit and stress may cause you to decide that an object is in a
picture without having seen it. We recommend that you choose
answer "1" only if you have successfully viewed the required
object. 
6. To effectively scan for an object, divide the
image into several parts. For example, you
can divide the image into four parts (image
a), divide it into several vertical parts (b) or
horizontal parts (c) that you will study one by
one. It is up to you to find the method that
suits you best.
• Angles: Each object can appear from different angles or
viewpoints. Some views, for example from the front, are easy
to recognize, while others make the task much more complex.
• Materials: In order to make forbidden objects indetectable
when passing through X-ray machines, terrorists can use
weapons made of different materials than the original ones,
which makes them much more difficult to detect by
screening.
• Shape: Some objects may appear in different shapes that are
difficult to detect, especially if they are objects that you do
not come across often in your daily life.
• Mental rotation: Objects in X-ray images may be presented
upside down or sideways, making them more difficult to
detect at first glance. It is important to know how to mentally
rotate objects in order to discern them in the X-ray images.
• Overcrowding: In half-empty luggage, prohibited items are
easily detected. However, the more a suitcase or bag is filled
with various objects, the harder it becomes to distinguish
potentially dangerous items.
• Overlapping: As with clutter, illegal objects underneath other
objects become much more difficult to discern, both in shape
and color. 
• Slide: The slide of a gun is the upper part that covers the chamber, the
mechanical parts that trigger the shot and those that manage the
movement of the ammunition in the weapon. It can cover all or part of
the barrel, depending on the weapon model. This part is the densest
part of the weapon and consequently its color is generally the darkest
(blue because it is made of steel or heavy metal).
• Trigger: The trigger is the mechanical element of a firearm that allows
firing shots. It can be made of different metals or materials and thus
may appear in different colors. Moreover, it can be hidden from
different angles or points of view, complicating detection of the firearm.
• Grip: The grip is the handle of the weapon. It is also the part in which
the magazine is inserted in a pistol. It can be made of different
materials and thus appear in different colors on X-ray image.
• Barrel: The barrel is the straight shooting tube, usually made of high-
strength metal. It can be entirely/partially covered by the slide, as in the
case of a pistol. In conventional firearms it will always appear in blue in
the X-ray images.
• Magazine: The magazine is a part found only in pistols. It will always
include a spring; this is necessary in order to create enough pressure to
shoot the bullets. This spring appears in X-ray images and can be used
to detect the presence of a gun in an image.
• Cylinder: The cylinder is a part found only in revolvers. It is the rotating
part containing multiple chambers into which ammunition is inserted. 
• Cartridge: A cartridge is a type of pre-assembled ammunition for
firearms. It consists of a propellant charge (usually black powder or
smokeless powder) and a projectile (bullet). 
ifferent Angles and Points of View: Pistols

• Slide forward without magazine and without

bullets:
• Top/bottom view:
• Slide back without magazine and without
bullets:
• Slide forward with magazine and bullets:
• Slide forward with magazine but without
bullets:
• Gun disassembled:
• Magazine or cartridge only with bullets:
Real, Non-Conventional, and Toy Weapons
 Explosives
• Explosives are, along with firearms, one of the
greatest threats used by terrorists to achieve
mass casualties. Explosives can appear in
many forms, including grenades, military
explosives, improvised explosive devices
(IEDs), pipe bombs, and liquids.
 Grenades
• hand grenade is a small explosive device designed to
be thrown by hand and then explode after a brief
time. They come in different forms and contents:
some are explosive, some are incendiary (produce
intense heat due to a chemical reaction with the
white phosphorus inside), and some emit smoke or
gas. However, the grenade most commonly used by
terrorists is the fragmentation grenade, an anti-
personnel weapon designed to explode after a
certain time limit (usually a few seconds).
• Body: contains filler and, in certain grenades, also provides
fragmentation.
• Filler: the chemical or explosive in the grenade that determines
the type of grenade and its characteristics. For example, a Comp-
B grenade contains a mixture of RDX and TNT, both organic
materials.
• Fuse assembly: makes the grenade work by igniting or detonating
the charge. It also includes a timer that allows the grenade to
explode after several seconds.
• Safety pin and clip: the safety clip prevents the pin from being
pulled out by accident, while the clip prevents the safety lever
from moving and engaging the detonator.
IED – Improvised Explosive Device
• IEDs – Improvised Explosive Devices, are explosives improvised by
terrorists for the purpose of committing attacks. Unlike the stereotypical
stick of dynamite attached to an alarm clock used as a counter, IEDs can
appear in many different shapes, making them extremely difficult to
detect. The materials used can often be molded into any number of
different shapes and objects and even be prepared into thin sheets that
can be slipped into the linings of suitcases. In addition, the densities, and
other characteristics of IEDs can make them appear similar to other
harmless organic materials such as leather, plastic, textiles, or food. As
technology advances, IEDs are becoming more complex and difficult to
detect, constantly changing and evolving. Even the smallest IEDs can
have enormous destructive power, especially when detonated in the
pressurized cabin of a high-flying aircraft.
 Explosive
• Explosive materials are chemical compounds or mixtures
that react to a stimulus (heat, friction, ignition, etc.) by
undergoing dramatic chemical decomposition. This
reaction may be an explosion, a fire, or may produce a lot
of heat and gas in a very short time, thus releasing large
amounts of energy. The pressure and energy released can
be used to spread shrapnel, pieces of metal, or other
objects being pushed out of the explosive, with the
intention of injuring or killing nearby people and causing
considerable damage. Explosive charges can be military,
commercial, homemade, or combinations.
 Energy Supplier
• All IEDs require power, most often from regular or electronic
device batteries, and usually require several batteries connected
together, as with most electronic devices today. Batteries or cells
are usually filled with carbon, with a metallic shell, and therefore
appear blue or green (although carbon is an organic material).
The presence of batteries in different objects that are not
supposed to contain them should arouse your suspicion when
inspecting X-ray images, as well as the presence of too many
batteries, or a battery of a non-typical shape or size (e.g., round
batteries in a computer). In addition, you must pay attention to
batteries with pieces of solder attaching, messy wiring, and
other such items, when observing X-ray images.
 Detonator (Initiator)
The detonator initiates the explosion process, creating a tiny
explosion in its center. The detonator can be commercial,
military, or improvised. It usually consists of a small pipe,
made of copper, glass, or aluminum, closed on one side. Its
structure is usually very delicate, containing a very small
amount of explosive material in the center. Because of their
small size and low density, detonators can be difficult to spot
on X-ray images. They can be distinguished by detecting the
presence of small parallel wires ending suddenly, or by
detecting an opaque area in the center of the detonator, due
to the presence of lead azide (inorganic compound), which
can be thought of as a "signature", betraying the presence of
a detonator.
 Switch
There are several kinds of switches: anti-handling
switches, which are designed to be activated if the
IED is handled, lifted, or opened; delay switches,
which time the explosion by clockwork, digital,
thermal, chemical/electrochemical mechanisms;
and remote-control switches, which allow the IED
to be detonated remotely. They can appear in the
form of complex electronic components,
telephones, watches, or even simple circular
metallic cables crossing each other.
 Wiring
Wiring is necessary to connect the various components of an
IED. Terrorists often use cables of different lengths, without
regard to the appearance of the object, and the quality of the
cabling may be inconsistent with the quality of the item. In
addition, there may be an excessive amount of wiring relative
to the size of the object and the wires may even protrude.
You should look out for all of these details when looking for
IEDs in X-ray images.
 Timer
• A watch or alarm clock is often used as a time-
delay detonation method in IEDs. The hands
of the watch are used to complete an
electrical circuit to detonate the explosive.
However, some terrorists also use digital and
electronic timers.
 Colors
• Depending on the nature of an IED, it may
appear in different colors in the X-ray systems,
usually orange or green, depending on the
chemical components and their atomic
number (Zeff). As a general rule, military and
commercial explosives appear orange, whilst
homemade IEDs tend to appear green.
Military Explosives
Among the commercial explosives, most commonly
used is Ammonium Nitrate (orange), often mixed with
Aluminum Powder (green)
When these are mixed, the products can appear as a mixture of
orange and green colors, called AN/AL. The higher the aluminum
concentration in the mixture, the greener it will appear.
Explosives composed of inorganic materials, such as Potassium Chlorate or
Potassium Nitrate, appear in green. These mixtures are used increasingly by
terrorists and therefore it is important to know how to recognize them as
well.
Another type of inorganic explosive that
appears in green is Poor mans C-4:
Wiring used for IED's can also appear in either orange or green.
Detonator wires usually contain PETN or RDX (military
explosives) and will therefore appear orange, whereas time-
delayed detonator wires or amateur trigger wires usually contain
black powder that appears green in the X-ray images.
Explosives can also be part of the IED's used by terrorists. Water
has a higher density than explosive liquids such as diesel and
therefore appears darker in X-ray images:
• Another type of commonly used IEDs is called Pipe
Bombs. These are built of pipes containing explosive
materials, such as black powder (green under X-ray)
or smokeless powder (orange under X-ray). The
pipes can also be made out of various materials, for
example PVC or metal (blue under X-ray). Most X-ray
systems will not necessarily be able to detect the
explosive in the pipe, so it is important to be able to
recognize the shape of the pipe as well as the
different colors in which it may appear.
Example of a pipe bomb in a baggage: