A new kind of machine could soon be coming to your local gym - one that requires you to stand perfectly still. In 30 motionless seconds, the machine locates and measures your body fat. It could then tell you exactly where you could do with losing a few pounds and even advise you on exercises for your problem areas. If the body fat scanner turns out to be accurate enough, its makers hope it could one day help doctors spot disease. The scanner works by simultaneously building up an accurate 3D image of the body, while measuring the body's effect on an electromagnetic field. Combining the two measurements allows the researchers to work out the distribution of fat and water within. Neither method is new on its own, says Henri Tapp, at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich in the UK. "The smart thing is that we've put them in one machine." NewScientist.com