The technology in full-body scanners helps in seeing an alternate wavelength image.

Body scanners should be made mandatory at all major airports within a year, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security said on Thursday.

It also said that body scanners will be made compulsory at all the other airports in two years.

A full-body scanner is a device used to scan an individual's body for security screening without making any physical contact. The development assumes significance as the current equipment at airports cannot detect non-metallic explosives.

The technology in full-body scanners helps in seeing an alternate wavelength image of a person's body to detect any suspicious items. Unlike metal detectors, full-body scanners can detect non-metal objects, which became an increasing concern after various airliner bombing attempts in the 2000s.