KEYWORDS: Radar, Antennas, Land mines, General packet radio service, Signal processing, Digital signal processing, Improvised explosive devices, Sensors, Metals, Improvised explosive device detection
This paper describes a vehicle mounted 8-channel radar system suitable for buried landmine and IED detection. The
system is designed to find Anti Tank (AT) landmines and buried Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The radar uses
field-proven ground penetrating radar sub-system modules and is scalable to 16, 32 or 64 channels, for covering greater
swathe widths and for providing higher cross track resolution. This offers the capability of detecting smaller targets
down to a minimum dimension of 100mm. The current rate of advance of the technology demonstrator is 10 kph; this
can be increased to 20 kph where required. The data output is triggered via shaft encoder or via GPS and, for each
forward increment; the data output is variable from a single byte per channel through to the 512 samples per channel.
Trials using an autonomous vehicle, combined with a COFDM wireless link for data and telemetry back to a base
station, have proven successful and the system architecture is described in this paper. The GPR array can be used as a
standalone sensor or can be integrated with off-the-shelf software and a metal detection array.
KEYWORDS: Radar, General packet radio service, Antennas, Land mines, Signal attenuation, Dielectrics, Mining, Target detection, Near field, Wave propagation
GPR has achieved success against buried landmines in certain realisations such as handheld operation. There
are however fundamental limitations in terms of propagation parameters, proximity to the ground surface,
ground topography and bandwidth of operation. This paper discusses these limitations with reference to stand
off landmine detection and with reference to published results establishes basic operating parameters within
which GPR can operate successfully.
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Metals, General packet radio service, Radar, Target detection, Signal processing, Magnetism, Land mines, Digital signal processing, Mining
The UK Department for International Development (DfID), in collaboration with the German Foreign Ministry
(Auswärtiges Amt), contracted ERA Technology to carry out extensive field trials in Cambodia, Bosnia and Angola of
an advanced technology, dual sensor, and hand-held landmine detector system called MINEHOUNDTM. This detector
combines a metal detector with a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). As a result of extremely successful trials
MINEHOUNDTM was developed as a product by ERA Technology and Vallon GmbH and has been available for sale
since late 2006. This paper describes the transition to production of the detector.
Buried and surface laid landmines may be imaged by IR cameras. This paper considers some of the issues involved with
processing images from trials and examines the pre processing and image recognitions algorithms for buried and surface
laid mines.
KEYWORDS: Sensors, General packet radio service, Land mines, Mining, Metals, Roads, Product engineering, Ground penetrating radar, Standards development
This paper describes the trials of the MINEHOUNDTM dual sensor, land mine detector carried out in Cambodia, Bosnia and Angola. MINEHOUNDTM has been developed for use in humanitarian demining as a means of improving the efficiency of clearance operations. The trials were sponsored by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). ERA Technology Ltd conducted the trials, which were monitored by staff drawn from the countries participating in the International Test and Evaluation Programme (ITEP) for humanitarian de-mining. Experienced deminers from the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA) used the pre-production units in live minefields. The objectives of the trial were: 1. To record information on the performance of MINEHOUNDTM when used in a live minefield. 2. To determine the reduction in False Alarm Rate (FAR) that could be achieved using a dual sensor mine detector. The trials were conducted in three mine-affected countries for a period of eight weeks per country; the programme of trials ran from July 2005 to December 2005, with an additional smaller trial in late February 2006. The results of the trials showed that MINEHOUNDTM achieved 100% detection of the mines encountered and an improvement in FAR of better than 5:1 compared with a basic metal detector. The trials enabled optimisation of the production design and clearly demonstrated that new technology can be brought to humanitarian clearance operations in a safe and controlled manner. As a result of the highly successful trials, Vallon and ERA will produce the MINEHOUNDTM (Type number VMR1) starting in Q3 of 2006.
KEYWORDS: General packet radio service, Sensors, Signal processing, Digital signal processing, Metals, Radar, Mining, Land mines, Process control, Detector development
This paper describes the further engineering development and performance of the MINEHOUND affordable humanitarian mine detector, sponsored by the UK Department for International Development and developed by ERA Technology. Using a radically different patented approach from conventional ground penetrating radar (GPR) designs, in terms of the man machine interface, MINEHOUND offers simplicity of use and affordability, both key factors in humanitarian demining operations. Trials were carried out during the period 2002-2004 and have been reported at SPIE 2002 and SPIE 2004. MINEHOUND has the capability of detecting completely non-metallic mines and offers an affordable solution to hand held mine detection. The GPR is a time-domain radar transmitting 1ns duration impulses at a repetition frequency of 1MHz. The GPR transmitter- receiver and associated control and signal processing is mounted on a compact purpose designed printed circuit board 220mm by 100mm. A dedicated state of the art “Blackfin” DSP processor is used to provide all control and signal processing functions. Trials of batches of MINEHOUND are planned for 2005 in the Cambodia and Angola as well as the Balkans.
In support of the International Test and Evaluation Programme for landmine detection techniques and procedures, an advisory report on the set-up of an ideal landmine test site has been prepared and submitted. This paper reviews the report and highlights the tests and site requirements that will need to be considered when testing GPR technology. The emphasis of the proposed procedures and test sites will be to evaluate the field performance of GPR systems in a realistic variety of situations and to obtain a measure of the bounds of detector performance.
This paper describes the further development of a patented, novel, low cost, microwave search detector using noise radar technology operating in the 27-40GHz range of frequencies, initially reported in SPIE 2004. Initial experiments have shown that plastic explosives, ceramics and plastic material hidden on the body can be detected with the system. This paper considers the basic physics of the technique and reports on the development of a initial prototype system for hand search of suspects and addresses the work carried out on optimisation of PD and FAR. The radar uses a novel lens system and the design and modelling of this for optimum depth of field of focus will be reported.
This paper describes a polarised Short Wavelength Infra-Red (SWIR) system using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology, which was assessed against a variety of tripwires and backgrounds during night and day trials as part of a DSTL (UK) programme. The system comprises a polarised SWIR illuminator and cameras fitted with SWIR filters and polarisers. Various image-processing techniques were developed and evaluated including Stoke's S1 parameter, the Radon Transform and a novel and robust feature detector. Within the limits of the optical system, a tripwire recognition capability in vegetation was achieved that approached that of a human.
This paper describes the further development of the MINETECT affordable humanitarian mine detector produced by ERA Technology with sponsorship from the UK Department for International Development. Using a radically different patented approach from conventional ground penetrating radar (GPR) designs in terms of the man machine interface, MINETECT offers simplicity of use and affordability, both key factors in humanitarian demining operations. Following trials in 2002 and reported at SPIE 2002, further development work including research on classifying mines, based on data from planned trials in the United Kingdom, is presented. MINETECT has the capability of detecting completely non-metallic mines and offers a considerable improvement in hand-held mine detection.
Initial experiments have shown that plastic explosives and plastic material hidden on the body can be detected with a microwave noise radar system. This paper considers the basic physics of the technique and reports on the development of an initial prototype system for hand search of suspects and addresses the work carried out on optimising the Probability of Detection (PD) and False Alarm Rate (FAR).
This paper describes the development of an affordable mine detector, MINETECT, specifically designed for humanitarian use. The project was sponsored by the UK Department for International Development and was developed by ERA Technology. Using a radically different approach from conventional GPR designs, in terms of the man machine interface, MINETECT offers simplicity of use and affordability, both key factors in humanitarian demining operations. The ground penetrating radar employs novel operator audio interface techniques embodied in European patent number 99306164.7. This paper describes the design concept, summarises the trials carried out and provides the conclusions as to requirements for GPR performance. Further development work, after trials in the terrain of Southern Lebanon, showed that mine classification is feasible with the GPR technology.
This paper describes scene simulation in passive millimeter wave imaging. The appearance of flat metal and plastic objects is simulated, as viewed from a grazing incidence angle, using a passive millimeter wave imager. The assumptions and essential physics behind the simulation are reviewed. The simulations are made in the atmospheric window at 90 GHz. Experimental data taken at 35 GHz is presented for comparison. It is demonstrated that metal objects have generally low radiation temperatures in relation to their environments. Plastics on the other hand can have higher or lower radiation temperatures than their backgrounds, dependent on the polarization, the type of earth, its condition and the amount of water present. In the cases demonstrated in this paper the simulations agree well the experimental data.
Uncleared landmines and unexploded ordnance remain a major humanitarian and economic threat in over 60 countries. It is estimated that world wide over US 60 million was spent on mien clearance in 1999. Most of this funding is provided by government aid, often channeled via the UN or European Community. The minefield threat is very varied, with many different types of mien, UXO, terrain and climate type. To cope with this variety a range of demining techniques are used: mechanical techniques such as flails are used for vegetation clearance, however the majority of demining work is still carried out by manual deminers using metal detectors and prodders. Over the last 5 years there has been considerable interest within the scientific and engineering communities in the application of advanced technologies to improve the safety and efficiency of this work. Nevertheless few new products have been introduced into, and accepted by, the demining community. Despite the high political profile of the landmine problem very little e hard dat is available on the real characteristics of the demining equipment market. As part of a European Union supported program to evacuate a multi-sensor handheld mien detector concept, Thales and ERA Technology Ltd have carried out an in-depth assessment of this market. This paper describes the cost- benefits that could accrue to the demining community associated with use of advanced equipment under appropriate conditions and the equipment requirements that result. The dynamics of the demining equipment market and the barriers to entry are discussed.
KEYWORDS: Antennas, Radar, General packet radio service, Mining, Metals, Image processing, Land mines, Signal attenuation, Signal detection, Target detection
Much attention is being given to the challenge of detecting buried non-metallic mines and National and International programs are underway to develop more effective detection and clearance systems. Conventional metal detectors respond to the metal content of a mine, hence the minimum metal or plastic mine remains largely undetectable by current technology, particularly in areas where battlefield debris and shrapnel cause a high false alarm rate. Ground Probing Radar (GPR) offers useful performance improvements in these situations and used in conjunction with metal detector arrays can result in an improved fused performance in terms of increased signal to clutter ratio. This paper considers several aspects of the performance of GPR systems, in particular the antenna elements and arrays of antennas. Examples of the radar images of mines and the factors that influence image quality are presented.
Mine detection using active radar systems is the subject of a number of research programs both in the US and in Europe. This paper considers the environmental and operational drivers that influence the design of such radar systems. The prime system architectures are time domain and frequency domain configurations and each has its merits. The majority of the ground probing radars used at present are time-domain ultra- wideband radars and their characteristics are well established, while a smaller proportion of radars operate in the frequency domain, using FMCW, stepped frequency or noise modulation. The complexity and cost of the latter type of radar is at present greater than the time-domain radars but theoretically offers a better dynamic range. This paper considers the characteristics of these generic radar systems and the factors that need to be considered in system design. The performance of the antenna significantly affects the overall system and the paper qualitatively discusses this aspect. For GPR, an important technical challenge is associated with achieving a well-defined antenna footprint to maximize the signal to clutter ratio and consideration will be given, in the paper, to time domain array antennas for mine detection. The results of studies carried out during EU funded programs will be reported in this paper. The radar image of the mine depends not only on its construction and on geometry but also on the local environment, hence prior assumptions about the radar spatial signature of the mine may be ill- founded.
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