British scientists have developed a camera that can look beneath a person's clothes for weapons, drugs and explosives and detect them up to 80 feet away, reports Times Online.

The Oxfordshire-based company ThruVision's T5000 camera was built on technology developed by the European Space Agency, but does not require a person to walk through the typical airport scanner. Its maker says it does not show anatomical details and doesn't expose subjects to radiation as typical X-ray scanners do.

Reuters explains that the camera operates on terahertz frequencies, between infrared and microwaves on the electromagnetic spectrum. The camera scans the T-rays naturally emitted by human bodies and uses software to check for non-emitting materials such as metal, plastic or ceramics.

BBC News carries a photo showing how the image would look on the computer screen. The company says the camera could be used at airports, rail stations and at major events.