CZECH REPUBLIC: New scanner wins EU research award

A new explosives scanner, quick to use and able to probe tiny cracks, has won a European research award. The technology has been developed in a EUR760,000 (US$1.9 million) project by the Czech Republic Academy of Sciences, the Slovak Technical University, Bratislava, Czech high-tech company RS Dynamics with Spanish engineering company SENER Ingenieria y Sistemas.

It received the Lynx award for outstanding technological achievement from EU research network EUREKA. The sniffer can detect microscopic traces of explosives on luggage, clothes, laptops, mobile phones, banknotes or identity cards.

The major advance is a needle probe that detects explosives materials in cracks, corners and creases of objects which larger probes may struggle to interrogate. Also, the system is quick: the needle is inserted into a scanner providing a reading in one second and does not require separate cleaning before being reused.

A European Commission note said: "It is these design aspects which make the sniffer ideal for use in places like airports and train stations, where security personnel need to check a constant flow of people and luggage in a limited amount of time."

The EUR33,000 device can also be remotely controlled and runs on both Windows and Linux.

See www.eureka.be


monica.dobie@uw-news.com