JHU APL 2002-7 (robotic mine detector)

[Dennis O'Shea]

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Laurel, Md. 20723
Media Contact: Ben Walker
Phone: 240-228-6792 or 443-778-6792
E-mail: ben.walker@jhuapl.edu
May 6, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JOHNS HOPKINS APL BUILDING A BETTER MINE DETECTOR;
Low-cost, Portable, Robotic System Has High Detection Rate

Several thousand people -- many of them children -- are killed each year by 
the estimated 110 million land mines that lie hidden in 68 countries 
throughout the world. Humanitarian mine-clearing operations are costly and 
-- because they employ handheld detectors -- are dangerous and often deadly.

Physicist Carl Nelson of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics 
Laboratory (APL), Laurel, Md., is developing a low-cost mine detector that 
one person can backpack to a suspected minefield and then operate either 
autonomously or by remote control.

"Today's mine detectors are just metal detectors and give between 100 - 
1,000 false-positive returns for every real land mine," says Nelson. "Our 
Mine Rover significantly reduces the number of false alarms due to metal 
clutter in the environment."

Equipped with an advanced electromagnetic induction sensor developed in 
conjunction with the U. S. Army, along with a sophisticated classification 
algorithm, the Mine Rover detects suspected mines -- even ones that are 
mostly plastic -- and marks their location, thus removing the threat to the 
operator.

The Mine Rover's compact size is due to the sensor being an integral part 
of its structure -- in contrast with other mine detecting robot systems 
that are just a robot with an attached metal detector. APL's robot is 
scalable and can carry chemical and biological agent detectors, television 
cameras, and/or devices to neutralize the mines. Infrared sensors and 
ground-penetrating radars could also be added to the robot for improved 
mine detection capability. Another plus, Nelson says, is that many of the 
basic parts can be built in developing countries, where mine threats are 
the greatest.

Nelson says the Mine Rover has passed all proof-of-concept tests and is now 
ready for the next step: an advanced technology prototype for full field 
test demonstration.

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The Applied Physics Laboratory, a division of The Johns Hopkins University, 
meets critical national challenges through the innovative application of 
science and technology. For information, visit <http://www.jhuapl.edu>.