Santa Clara SafeView's full-body searches now used on Israeli border

There's a Santa Clara company called SafeView that we wrote about a few years ago that "sees under clothes."

It scans your body with millimeter wave technology and creates a 3-D image to reveal any hidden items. The computer images are powerful enough to show face-blushing details, but SafeView provides options to restore privacy, blurring certain areas with snowflake patterns, or blank them out entirely. At the time of our first writing about this in 2004, we suggested the VC investment in SafeView could possibly help protect our borders and planes against terrorists.

Our story mentioned the company's backers and ties to the Bush Administration.

Turns out, its technology is being used at the tense border crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, according to word we get from a friend, who personally experienced the scan. "They are quite surreal, as you step into a tubal portal where a clear shield spins around you and can apparently see even a tissue in your pocket," he says. Check out the image here. Imagine stepping into that chamber.

Our friend said there's concern being raised there about what health impact there may be on repeatedly using these things. "We're still trying to get answers," he said. We also called the company week before last to double check these health issues, but never heard back.

Still, in 2004, when we talked with chief executive Rick Howe, he said the scanner is called ''SafeView'' because it doesn't use ionizing radiation, which is considered more harmful. More recently, he also sent a written answer (see here; downloads file), which will have to suffice for now.

The scanners are up and running at existing border crossings. The Erez Crossing between Israel and Gaza has been the repeated target of attacks, including a bombing that killed several members of a US diplomatic delegation several years ago. Israel is in the process of building a new terminal there.

Since the $16M funding we mentioned in our 2004 story, the company raised more cash last year -- $6 million from Novak Biddle Venture Partners, DFJ, Paladin and others.

It is just one more reminder of how Silicon Valley is contributing the swords and shields in areas of unrest abroad. As mentioned last week, in the context of Savi's supply of RFID tech to the Iraqi campaign (scroll down), we tend not to talk or think much about this stuff.