Preface
American Science and Engineering, Inc.
Preface-viii
MINI
Z
Operator Manual 342-9000-1 Rev. A ECCN EAR99
revealing images of the screened individual. The privacy-filtered image shows an outline of the pas-
senger and outlines any potential threats on the person.
Customers
Customers of AS&E include leading governmental agencies, border authorities, military bases, air-
ports, and corporations worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Depart-
ment of Defense, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, NATO, Royal Thai
Police, HM Revenue & Customs (U.K.), and Hong Kong Customs.
To date AS&E has sold over 3,600 parcel, personnel, and portable inspection systems and more than
1,000 cargo and vehicle inspection systems. Our Z Backscatter Van (ZBV) is the largest selling cargo
and vehicle inspection system in the world with over 140 customers in 67 countries.
Company History
AS&E has a strong and storied history of scientific innovation, particularly in the field of X-Ray tech-
nology. Formed in 1958, AS&E began as a developer of scientific instruments and applications for
NASA. In 1959, Dr. Riccardo Giacconi joined AS&E and created an X-Ray astronomy team. In the
coming decades, Dr. Giacconi's team made a succession of pioneering discoveries and developments in
the field of X-Ray technology, including the discovery of the first known X-Ray source outside the
solar system (1962), the first successful soft X-Ray photograph of the sun (1965), the launch of the
first satellite dedicated completely to X-Ray astronomy (1970), and the launch of the Einstein Obser-
vatory, the world's largest X-Ray telescope (1978). Dr. Giacconi's pioneering work at AS&E later
earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics.
In subsequent years, AS&E also developed innovative technologies in the fields of defense, education,
medicine, non-destructive testing, and security. Additional AS&E technological achievements include:
development of low energy, high resolution Computed Tomography (CT) scanning of the human body,
derivatives of which are used today in medical scanning systems worldwide; as well as development of
the first practical rail car inspection system used by the U.S. Government to scan rail cars leaving Rus-
sian missile factories, to confirm compliance with the 1972 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
AS&E also designed and implemented high-resolution non-destructive testing systems to inspect alu-
minum welds on the U.S. Space Station.
Today, AS&E X-Ray systems offer the most advanced technologies available to detect threats and con-
traband. Governments and businesses around the globe count on AS&E detection systems to combat
terrorism and trade fraud.
