COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF CONTRABAND MATERIAL DETECTION TECHNOLOGY
Wagih H. Makky - International Advanced Studies Institute, Greenville, DE, USA
ABSTRACT The problem of detecting concealed contraband materials is fundamentally a nondestructive non-intrusive inspection problem. Although non-destructive inspection technology is old, the problem of detecting hidden contraband materials such as explosives/bombs or drugs necessitated new approaches. It proved to be an extremely complicated and difficult problem. This is basically due to the unknown nature of the background within which contraband materials are hidden. There are several approaches to developing detection systems that can offer some solutions. The design and development of such systems depend on the specific application and the local environment. For example, devices that are designed to inspect cargo will differ from those designed to inspect small parcels or passengers' luggage. Some applications demand mobility while others require fixed inspection stations. In other words, while the underlying scientific principles are the same, the engineering development will be markedly different for different applications. Consequently, a new specialized industry has been created to develop and deploy systems that can automatically detect concealed explosives/drugs. It is clear that the field of hidden explosives/bomb detection is the subject of major international interest. It is experiencing a renaissance and many resources are being dedicated to it. The worldwide market for explosives detection systems is presently very large.
Publication Source: NDTISS '99 - International Symposium on NDT Contribution to the Infrastructure Safety Systems, Nov 1999 in Tores Brazil.
Publisher: Center of Tecnology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) - [Homepage]
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