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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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