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STARR: Shortwave-targeted agile Raman robot for the detection and identification of emplaced explosives
Abstract
In order to combat the threat of emplaced explosives (land mines, etc.), ChemImage Sensor Systems (CISS) has developed a multi-sensor, robot mounted sensor capable of identification and confirmation of potential threats. The system, known as STARR (Shortwave-infrared Targeted Agile Raman Robot), utilizes shortwave infrared spectroscopy for the identification of potential threats, combined with a visible short-range standoff Raman hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system for material confirmation. The entire system is mounted onto a Talon UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle), giving the sensor an increased area search rate and reducing the risk of injury to the operator. The Raman HSI system utilizes a fiber array spectral translator (FAST) for the acquisition of high quality Raman chemical images, allowing for increased sensitivity and improved specificity. An overview of the design and operation of the system will be presented, along with initial detection results of the fusion sensor.
... Discrimination among similar explosives imaged in handprint residues has been achieved [77,78]. A dual SWIR and Raman hyperspectral imager on an unmanned ground vehicle was revealed to enhance explosive discrimination by coupling both methods [79]. A supercontinuum extending from 1300-4300 nm was used to measure diffuse reflectance spectra of several HE over a range extending from SWIR to MWIR [80]. ...
... Raman imaging can be performed in several ways, often combined with stand-off detection. A fiber array can transform the image into a linear stripe along the spectrometer slit, which enables hyperspectral image reconstruction in software [79]. The spectrometer can be replaced with a scanning liquid crystal filter [124,126] or Fabry-Perot interferometer [112] to enable two-dimensional imaging with spectra acquired over many pulses. ...
The number and capability of explosives detection and analysis methods have increased dramatically since publication of the Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry special issue devoted to Explosives Analysis [Moore DS, Goodpaster JV, Anal Bioanal Chem 395:245-246, 2009]. Here we review and critically evaluate the latest (the past five years) important advances in explosives detection, with details of the improvements over previous methods, and suggest possible avenues towards further advances in, e.g., stand-off distance, detection limit, selectivity, and penetration through camouflage or packaging. The review consists of two parts. Part I discussed methods based on animals, chemicals (including colorimetry, molecularly imprinted polymers, electrochemistry, and immunochemistry), ions (both ion-mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry), and mechanical devices. This part, Part II, will review methods based on photons, from very energetic photons including X-rays and gamma rays down to the terahertz range, and neutrons.
... This configuration allows the individual fibers to be spatially resolved at the detector, yielding spatially resolved spectra in a single acquisition. The location of each fiber within the FAST bundle is mapped and along with the acquired spectra for each fiber, the hyperspectral image is recovered after post-processing to show the area being investigated at a specific wavenumber [8] (Figure 2). Figure 3 shows the schematic for the wide-field deep UV Raman imaging system, combining the SHS with the FAST fiber bundle, in a standoff configuration. In this design, the light is collected by a telescope and focused onto the FAST fiber bundle. ...
... To meet the needs of EOD technicians, CISS developed a multi-hyperspectral sensor system called STARR [9] (Shortwave-Targeted, Agile Raman Robot) (shown in Figure 4). The SWIR HSI offers wide-area surveillance and autonomous, real-time threat identification of surface residues while the Raman HSI system is used to make highspecificity confirmation measurements of the SWIR-identified threat. ...
ChemImage has developed a SWIR Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) sensor which uses hyperspectral imaging for wide area surveillance and standoff detection of surface residues. Existing detection technologies often require close proximity for sensing or detecting, endangering operators and costly equipment. Furthermore, most of the existing sensors do not support autonomous, real-time, mobile platform based detection of threats.
The SWIR HSI sensor provides real-time standoff detection of surface residues. The SWIR HSI sensor provides wide area surveillance and HSI capability enabled by liquid crystal tunable filter technology. Easy-to-use detection software with a simple, intuitive user interface produces automated alarms and real-time display of threat and type. The system has potential to be used for the detection of variety of threats including chemicals and illicit drug substances and allows for easy updates in the field for detection of new hazardous materials.
SWIR HSI technology could be used by law enforcement for standoff screening of suspicious locations and vehicles in pursuit of illegal labs or combat engineers to support route-clearance applications- ultimately to save the lives of soldiers and civilians.
In this paper, results from a SWIR HSI sensor, which include detection of various materials in bulk form, as well as residue amounts on vehicles, people and other surfaces, will be discussed.
... To meet the needs of EOD technicians, CISS developed a multi-hyperspectral sensor system called STARR [9] (Shortwave-Targeted, Agile Raman Robot) (shown in Figure 4). The SWIR HSI offers wide-area surveillance and autonomous, real-time threat identification of surface residues while the Raman HSI system is used to make highspecificity confirmation measurements of the SWIR-identified threat. ...
Passive, standoff detection of chemical, explosive and narcotic threats employing widefield, shortwave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) continues to gain acceptance in defense and security fields. A robust and user-friendly portable platform with such capabilities increases the effectiveness of locating and identifying threats while reducing risks to personnel. In 2013 ChemImage Sensor Systems (CISS) introduced Aperio, a handheld sensor, using real-time SWIR HSI for wide area surveillance and standoff detection of explosives, chemical threats, and narcotics. That SWIR HSI system employed a liquid-crystal tunable filter for real-time automated detection and display of threats. In these proceedings, we report on a next generation device called VeroVision™, which incorporates an improved optical design that enhances detection performance at greater standoff distances with increased sensitivity and detection speed. A tripod mounted sensor head unit (SHU) with an optional motorized pan-tilt unit (PTU) is available for precision pointing and sensor stabilization. This option supports longer standoff range applications which are often seen at checkpoint vehicle inspection where speed and precision is necessary. Basic software has been extended to include advanced algorithms providing multi-target display functionality, automatic threshold determination, and an automated detection recipe capability for expanding the library as new threats emerge. In these proceedings, we report on the improvements associated with the next generation portable widefield SWIR HSI sensor, VeroVision™. Test data collected during development are presented in this report which supports the targeted applications for use of VeroVision™ for screening residue and bulk levels of explosive and drugs on vehicles and personnel at checkpoints as well as various applications for other secure areas. Additionally, we highlight a forensic application of the technology for assisting forensic investigators in locating bone remains in a cluttered background environment.
Handheld Raman systems have become powerful analytical tools for the detection and identification of hazardous chemical materials that are now commonly used by both the civilian and military communities. Due to the availability of compact lasers and sensitive detectors, systems typically operate at 785 nm. However, the Raman return at this wavelength can still be obscured by fluorescent impurities in the targeted materials or their matrices. To potentially mitigate this shortcoming, a prototype dual-wavelength Raman incorporating both 785-and 1064-nm excitations was developed and assessed at the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center. The results of that evaluation are discussed here. © 2016 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a valuable tool for the investigation and analysis of targets in complex background with a high degree of autonomy. HSI is beneficial for the detection of threat materials on environmental surfaces, where the concentration of the target of interest is often very low and is typically found within complex scenery. Two HSI techniques that have proven to be valuable are Raman and shortwave infrared (SWIR) HSI. Unfortunately, current generation HSI systems have numerous size, weight, and power (SWaP) limitations that make their potential integration onto a handheld or field portable platform difficult. The systems that are field-portable do so by sacrificing system performance, typically by providing an inefficient area search rate, requiring close proximity to the target for screening, and/or eliminating the potential to conduct real-time measurements. To address these shortcomings, ChemImage Sensor Systems (CISS) is developing a variety of wide-field hyperspectral imaging systems. Raman HSI sensors are being developed to overcome two obstacles present in standard Raman detection systems: slow area search rate (due to small laser spot sizes) and lack of eye-safety. SWIR HSI sensors have been integrated into mobile, robot based platforms and handheld variants for the detection of explosives and chemical warfare agents (CWAs). In addition, the fusion of these two technologies into a single system has shown the feasibility of using both techniques concurrently to provide higher probability of detection and lower false alarm rates. This paper will provide background on Raman and SWIR HSI, discuss the applications for these techniques, and provide an overview of novel CISS HSI sensors focused on sensor design and detection results.
Raman spectroscopy is a valuable tool for the investigation and analysis of explosive and biological analytes because it provides a unique molecular fingerprint that allows for unambiguous target identification. Raman can be advantageous when utilized with deep UV excitation, but typical deep UV Raman systems have numerous limitations that hinder their performance and make their potential integration onto a field portable platform difficult. These systems typically offer very low throughput, are physically large and heavy, and can only probe an area the size of a tightly focused laser, severely diminishing the ability of the system to investigate large areas efficiently. The majority of these limitations are directly related to a system’s spectrometer, which is typically dispersive grating based and requires a very narrow slit width and long focal length optics to achieve high spectral resolution. To address these shortcomings, ChemImage Sensor Systems (CISS), teaming with the University of South Carolina, are developing a revolutionary wide-field Raman hyperspectral imaging system capable of providing wide-area, high resolution measurements with greatly increased throughput in a small form factor, which would revolutionize the way Raman is conducted and applied. The innovation couples a spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS), a novel slit-less spectrometer that operates similar to Michelson interferometer, with a fiber array spectral translator (FAST) fiber array, a two-dimensional imaging fiber for hyperspectral imagery. This combination of technologies creates a novel wide-field, high throughput Raman hyperspectral imager capable of yielding very high spectral resolution measurements using defocused excitation, giving the system a greater area coverage and faster search rate than traditional Raman systems. This paper will focus on the need for an innovative UV Raman system, provide an overview of spatial heterodyne Raman spectroscopy, and discuss the development of the system.
Current practice for the detection of chemical, biological and explosive (CBE) agent contamination on environmental surfaces requires a human to don protective gear, manually take a sample and then package it for subsequent laboratory analysis. Ground robotics now provides an operator-safe way to make these critical measurements. We describe the development of a robot-deployed surface detection system for CBE agents that does not require the use of antibodies or DNA primers. The detector is based on Raman spectroscopy, a reagentless technique that has the ability to simultaneously identify multiple chemical and biological hazards. Preliminary testing showed the ability to identify CBE simulants in 10 minutes or less. In an operator-blind study, this detector was able to correctly identify the presence of trace explosive on weathered automobile body panels. This detector was successfully integrated on a highly agile robot platform capable of both high speed and rough terrain operation. The detector is mounted to the end of five-axis arm that allows precise interrogation of the environmental surfaces. The robot, arm and Raman detector are JAUS compliant, and are controlled via a radio link from a single operator control unit. Results from the integration testing and from limited field trials are presented.
Foster-Miller's unmanned ground vehicle, TALON, was originally developed under DARPA's Tactical Mobile Robotics (TMR) program. TALON has evolved over the years and has proven to be a robust, mobile, universal platform. As a result of the advances made in the evolution of TALON, new and far-reaching opportunities have been realized for unmanned ground vehicles. In recent conflicts such as in Afghanistan and Iraq, unmanned systems have played an important role and have extended the reach and capabilities of the War fighter. Technological advances have transformed unmanned vehicles in to useful tools and in some cases are used in lieu of sending in a soldier. Unmanned ground vehicles have seen recent and persistent success, as shown in theater, in the explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) and improvised ordinance disposal (IED) missions. Foster-Miller's TALON has experienced over ten thousand EOD and IED missions in Iraq alone. The success of the unmanned system has resulted in the doctrine "Send the robot in first". Foster-Miller has taken the role of the unmanned vehicle in yet another direction. Foster-Miller has transformed the TALON from a "practical" to "tactical" system. Through the combined efforts of Foster-Miller and the US Army, TALON has been involved in a weaponization program. To date, Foster-Miller has outfitted the TALON with 11 systems. As one can see, the unmanned ground vehicle is much more than a mobility platform.
Optical standoff detection of hazardous materials has been developed that combines hyperspectral IR imaging, Raman imaging and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy. Sensor characteristics will be presented.
Eye-Safe Standoff Fusion Detection of CBE Threats
- M P Nelson
- P J Treado
- S Mitts