Comparison of Landmine Detection Methods

Mine detection with new level of safety, accuracy and speed:

- Landmines are detected from a safe distance.
- New low level of personnel injury risk.
- The devices are light and small enough to be hand carried.
- Meets the United Nations standards for humanitarian demining.
- Has new low level of false positives, it is more accurate and detection work are completed more quickly.

Better data: Computerized map of landmines and other anti-personnel (AP) and improvised explosive devices (IED).

Research & Development: Considerable R&D resources have been invested into developing this device.

In 2000, a research report discussed the technology needs for humanitarian mine detection and proposed complicated safe detection techniques. This is elegantly answered in 2005 with the Greatcore remote landmine detector.

Greatcore GDM1 Portable remote landmine detector by Greatcore

Risk Comparison of Landmine Detection Methods

Summary

The United Nations has specified a mine clearance standard of 99.6% for humanitarian demining. Currently the only way to achieve this is with manual demining methods. Although we present the breadth of available detection methods below, only the Greatcore remote detector, conventional manual landmine detector and remote unmanned vehicles can possibly meet or exceed this standard. The advantages of the Greatcore GDM1 method are analyzed below.

Descriptions of other landmine detection methods

Manual detection with metal landmine detector

The typical first step in manual demining is to scan the area with metal detectors, which are sensitive enough to pick up most mines but which also yield about one thousand false positives for every mine, and cannot detect landmines with very low metal content. Areas where metal is detected are carefully probed at close proximity to determine if a mine is present, and must continue until the object that set off the metal detector is found. Technologies that improve safety include large, pillow-like pads strapped to the bottoms of shoes that distribute weight and dull the impact of footsteps, as very slight disturbances of the ground can tip off old, unstable, or intentionally sensitive mine triggers. Safety requires that procedures are followed rigorously. Only one out of 1,000 detections by this method turns out to be landmines. The rest are either metal fragments or ground minerals.

Other manual landmine detection methods

These typical methods are not amenable to zero risk tolerance for human injuries.

Use of animals for mine detection

- Dogs

Several countries have trained dogs to smell explosive chemicals like TNT in landmines.

- Rodents

Specifically, Gambian giant poached rats have been trained to smell landmines, and yet are small and light enough not to set them off. Further experiments hace also guided certain rats into virtually unreachable areas by using electrode to guide them.

- Marine mammals

Sea lions and dolphins are known to have been trained by The U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program to detect seamines.

Use of Plants for landmine detection

Landmines release nitrous oxide that turn these plants turn red. The best studied is the specie mustard Arabidopsis thaliana which has been genetically manipulated for this purpose. However, nitrous oxide can also be released by denitrifying bacteria, resulting in the risk of false positives. Researchers are addressing this problem by making the plant less sensitive. In theory , these plants could either be sown from aircraft or by people walking through demined corridors in minefields. No studies have yet been conducted with actual landmines, though successful studies have been done in greenhouse environment.

Note: In September 2008, the Danish firm, Aresa Biodetection that had been primarily behind the research and promotion of this methodology announced that it had discontinued the work behind this project.

Use of Bacteria for landmine detection

Scientists have genetically engineered a strain of bacteria to fluoresce under ultraviolet light in the presence of TNT. In tests, the bacteria successfully detected mines when sprayed over simulated minefields. successfully located mines. This method has been found to produce relatively quick results, and could be used over different terrain. Even small amounts of TNT are detected but there are some false positives near plants and water drainage. However, Unfortunately, no strain of bacteria is capable of detecting RDX, another common explosive. They also may not be visible under desert conditions. Newly-laid and well-engineered mines may escape detection under this method due to insufficient corrosion.

Nuclear detection for landmine detection

The concept of detecting explosives through elemental analysis by neutrons to detect nitrogen has been proposed. Majority of explosives are nitrogen rich. The focus has mainly been directed at airport security and hostile trucks although its use for landmine detection has been suggested.

Landmine sensing vehicles for detection

Various types of unmanned vehicles have been considered for landmine detection and clearance on the premise that they keep human beings out of harm's way. The larger landmine sensing vehicles are more appropriate for peace-keeping and military use to clear landmine-free paths. Lower cost robotic vehicles are being developed with wider humanitarian deployment in mind. They are programmed to move in all directions, scanning for the existence of landmines. If any landmine is found, the ULSV sends the information using a FM transmitter interfaced to it. The vehicle is operated with battery power. At the base station a mini-computer receives information about the location and distance of the mine.

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