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Canadian teleoperated landmine detection systems. Part I: The improved landmine detection project

Authors:
  • McFysics Consulting

Abstract

The system developed under the Improved Landmine Detector Project is a teleoperated, multi-sensor, vehicle-mounted mine detector for low metal content and non-metallic mines to meet the Canadian requirements for rear area mine clearance in combat situations and peace-keeping on roads and tracks. The system consists of a purpose-built teleoperated vehicle carrying a forward looking infrared imager, a 3 m wide, down-looking highly sensitive electro-magnetic induction detector and a 3 m wide down-looking ground probing radar, which all scan the ground in front of the vehicle. Scanning sensor information is combined using a suite of navigation sensors and custom designed navigation, spatial correspondence and data fusion algorithms. Suspicious targets are then confirmed by a thermal neutron analysis detector. Key to the success of the system is the combination of sensor information, which requires coordinated communication between the sensors and navigation system and well designed sensor co-registration, spatial correspondence and data fusion methodologies. The advanced development model was completed in October 1997. Results are presented from Canadian and independent US trials in summer 1998. Four production units, based on the prototype technology, were delivered to the Canadian Forces in 2002, making the system the first militarily fielded, teleoperated, multi-sensor vehicle-mounted mine detector.
... The team of DRDC started in 1997 a project testing the combination of various detection technologies called Improved Landmine Detector Project ILDP. Since a single detection technique will not be able to detect all types of landmines in all conditions, the fusion of various techniques can be more effective [29], [30]. The authors tested a small teleoperated vehicle carrying four types of detectors: Forward Looking Infrared imager, down looking electromagnetic induction detector, down-looking Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and finally a thermal neutron activation detector used as confirmatory detector of suspected targets. ...
...  Nuclear imaging is used for confirmation. 29  High mobility platform helps in moving the sensor payload. ...
Thesis
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This PhD thesis aims at investigating the possibility to detect landmines using hyperspectral imaging. Using this technology, we are able to acquire at each pixel of the image spectral data in hundreds of wavelengths. So, at each pixel we obtain a reflectance spectrum that is used as fingerprint to identify the materials in each pixel, and mainly in our project help us to detect the presence of landmines.This technology has advantages over the actually used techniques: • It is safer because it limits the need of humans in the searching process and gives the opportunity to the demining team to detect the mines while they are in a safe region. • It is faster. A larger area could be cleared in a single day by comparison with demining techniques • This technique can be used to detect at the same time objects other than mines such oil or minerals.
... The use of neutrons for detection and characterization of explosives has been extensively studied [1][2][3] especially for their detection in vehicles [4], air cargo [5] and for humanitarian demining [6][7][8]. In an Explosives Detection System (EDS) based on thermal neutron activation (TNA), a neutron source is used to activate an unknown sample to detect the scattered neutron and gamma signals which are used as signatures for material identification as well as to estimate the quantity of a concealed explosive. ...
Conference Paper
Design optimization issues crucial to an EDS based on TNA relate to (i) the moderation of fast source neutrons, since the radiation capture (n,𝛾) reaction varies inversely with neutron energy, and (ii) the selection and optimal placement of moderators for enhanced BF3 detector efficiency as well as the radiation shielding. These issues are addressed in this paper by carrying out a simulation of an EDS with MCNP5 and discussing alternative optimization methods based on a variational formulation in a two-group formulation and on Monte Carlo (MC) perturbation theory based on derivative sampling. Simulation is carried out for an EDS, with a californium 252Cf source, to obtain estimates of the (n,𝛾) reactions, in a soil with a concealed explosive, and B (n,𝛼) reaction rates in BF3 detectors. This analysis extends existing work in the literature by modeling the source cavity to obtain an optimal source configuration so that, by minimizing direct source contribution to the detectors, a good signal (from a concealed explosive)-to-noise ratio (SNR) may be achieved.
... The use of neutrons for detection and characterization of explosives has been extensively studied [1][2][3] especially for their detection in vehicles [4], air cargo [5] and for humanitarian demining [6][7][8]. In an Explosives Detection System (EDS) based on thermal neutron activation (TNA), a neutron source is used to activate an unknown sample to detect the scattered neutron and gamma signals which are used as signatures for material identification as well as to estimate the quantity of a concealed explosive. ...
... Our research, with Bubble Technology Industries (BTI, Chalk River, Canada), has led to the development of a thermal neutron analysis (TNA) sensor as part of a tele-operated vehiclemounted multi-sensor large-landmine detector. 2 The technique confirms the presence of nitrogenous explosives by measuring characteristic capture gamma rays following absorption of thermal neutrons. Four multi-sensor systems with TNA were put into service with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan in 2002, making them the first militarily fielded TNA sensors and confirmation sensors for landmines. ...
... The process consists of identifying mine fields and reducing the suspected area by discriminating individual landmine-like object from clutter (e.g., bushes, rocks, petrified wood and animal burrows) in the suspected regions, and of the actual landmine clearance. Among the technologies for landmine detection (e.g. using metal detector, ground penetrating radar, chemical, and acoustic and optical sensors [1,2,3,4,5], the methods based on infrared (IR) sensors have drawn many interests [6,7,8,9]. ...
Chapter
This chapter primarily addresses the problems of landmine field detection through the use of low-resolution infrared (IR) images captured from airborne or vehicle-borne passive IR cameras. We describe a scale-space-based scheme for detecting landmine candidates, as indications of landmine fields. The scheme contains two parts: in the first part, a multi-scale detector, using a special type of isotropic bandpass filter, is employed. In the second part, refinement of landmine candidates is performed through a post-processing scheme that seeks maximum consensus of corresponding landmine candidates over image frames. The chapter also briefly addresses the problems of landmine detection from high-resolution IR images measured at close distances to ground surfaces. A detector based on the thermal contrast model is described. Experiments were conducted on several IR image sequences measured from airborne and vehicle-borne cameras, and on IR images measured at close distances to ground surfaces, where some results are included. Our experiments on these methods have shown that landmine signatures have been significantly enhanced after the processing, and automatic detection results are reasonably good. These methods may therefore be potentially employed for assisting humanitarian de-mining work.
Book
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Hyperspectral Satellites and System Design is the first book on this subject. It provides a systematic analysis and detailed design of the entire development process of hyperspectral satellites. Derived from the author’s 25-year firsthand experience as a technical lead of space missions at the Canadian Space Agency, the book offers engineers, scientists and decision-makers detailed knowledge, know-how and guidelines on hyperspectral satellite system design, trade-offs, performance modeling and simulation, optimization from component to system level, subsystem design and implementation strategies. This information will help reduce the risk, shorten the development period and lower the cost of hyperspectral satellite missions. Hyperspectral Satellites and System Design is a must-have reference for professionals in developing hyperspectral satellites and in data applications. It is also an excellent introductory book for early practitioners and students who want to learn more about hyperspectral satellites and their applications.
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Article
Hyperspectral imaging is a trending technique in remote sensing that finds its application in many different areas, such as agriculture, mapping, target detection, food quality monitoring, etc. This technique gives the ability to remotely identify the composition of each pixel of the image. Therefore, it is a natural candidate for the purpose of landmine detection, thanks to its inherent safety and fast response time. In this paper, we will present the results of several studies that employed hyperspectral imaging for the purpose of landmine detection, discussing the different signal processing techniques used in this framework for hyperspectral image processing and target detection. Our purpose is to highlight the progresses attained in the detection of landmines using hyperspectral imaging and to identify possible perspectives for future work, in order to achieve a better detection in real-time operation mode.
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The Improved Landmine Detector Concept Project was initiated in Autumn 1994 to develop a prototype vehicle mounted mine detector for low metal content and nonmetallic mines for a peacekeeping role on roads. The system will consist of a teleoperated vehicle carrying a highly sensitive electromagnetic induction (EMI) detector, an infrared imager (IR), ground probing radar (GPR), and a thermal neutron activation (TNA) detector for confirmation. The IR, EMI and TNA detectors have been under test since 1995 and the GPR will be received in June 1996. Results of performance trials of the individual detectors are discussed. Various design configurations and their tradeoffs are discussed. Fusion of data from the detectors to reduce false alarm rate and increase probability of detection, a key element to the success of the system, is discussed. An advanced development model of the system is expected to be complete by Spring 1997.
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In order to detect and locate buried landmines for peacekeeping, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND), under the Improved Landmine Detection Project, is developing a vehicle-mounted, two-phase mine detection system. The first phase constitutes a suite of detectors used to indicate the possibility of a mine at a particular location (to ±30 cm in accuracy). In the second phase a Thermal Neutron Activation (TNA) system is used to confirm the presence of explosives via detection of the 10.83 MeV gamma-ray associated with nitrogen decay. The TNA system developed for this uses a 100 μg252Cf neutron source surrounded by four 3″×3″ NaI(Tl) detectors. Combining the use of state-of-the art radiation transport codes for design, judicious choice of specialized shielding materials and development of high-rate, fast-pulse processing electronics, has led to a system which can; (i) confirm the presence of all surface- or lightly-buried anti-tank mines in a few seconds to a minute (depending on mass of explosive), (ii) confirm the presence of anti-tank mines down to 20 cm depth in less than 5 minutes, (iii) confirm the presence of large (>100 g nitrogen) anti-personnel mines in less than five minutes, (iv) operate in adverse climatic conditions. These results have been verified in field trials and the system is due to be fielded in 1999.
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A DT neutron generator has been integrated into the Canadian Improved Landmine Detection Program's Thermal Neutron Activation sensor. The generator has been redesigned from a commercial version, and the moderator structure around the generator has been completely redesigned. These developments allow the DT generator and its moderator structure to be placed interchangeably into the location currently occupied by a 252Cf source and its moderator structure. Experimental and calculational studies have helped to define the optimal operating parameters for the neutron generator in this application. Performance comparisons between the old californium-based system and the new DT-generator-based system have demonstrated that the new system out-performs the old in all tested scenarios, particularly when the mine is deeply buried or when the source is not directly over the explosive. This is in excellent agreement with calculations performed in the design phase of this system. Combined with the myriad other benefits associated with DT generators over isotopic sources, these results demonstrate the desirability of using a DT generator in a TNA land mine detection system.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.