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Workshop on anti-personnel mines detection and removal
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Lausanne, Switzerland, Friday June 30, Saturday July 1
Conference topics
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TNT molecules sensors (biosensor, temperature sensors, antibodies)
Buried objects sensors (ultrasound, thermal imaging, impulse radar)
Other mechanisms for detecting mines (prodding, plant coloration)
Autonomous and semi-autonomous robots
Sensor fusion, filtering, data contrast enhancement
Program committee
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Dr. P. Beuthner, Deutsche Aerospace, Ulm
Prof. M. Göpel, Inst Physikalische Chemie, Uni Tübingen
Dr. A. Grisel, MicroSens, Neuchâtel
Dr. Chr. Gerber, IBM Rüschlikon
Dr. H. Lok, Defense Research Establishment, Linköping
Dr. Chr. Pichot, CNRS Valbonne
Dr. A. Sieber, Joint Research Center, Ispra
Prof H. Vogel, Chimie physique, EPFL
Local organization
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Prof J.D. Nicoud, LAMI, EPFL, CH-1015 Lasanne, Fax +41 21 693-2642
Objectives of the workshop
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About one hundred million of anti-personnel mines are buried in the
ground of forty countries. They kill or maim 800 civilians per month
and prevent the return to farming of vast areas of land. Demining
activities, performed by hand, are supported by several humanitarian
organizations, at an estimated cost of US$800 per mine found.
Modern anti-personnel mines include only a very small amount of metal.
They contain 10 to 200g of TNT, RDX, PETN, etc. They have been
carefully buried or dispersed by helicopters and stay active for ten
or more years. Vegetation, winds and water displace and cover them.
Prodding the ground is presently the only reliable method for being
sure to remove all the mines in a given area. Dogs have been used
with success, but they are very expensive and quickly get tired. They
however prove the efficiency of good odor detectors.
Besides the many ways of detecting individual molecules of nitrous
components (antibodies, biosensors, temperature reactions, gas
chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry), other solutions are
possible: X-ray tomography, synthetic aperture radars, impulse radars,
thermal imaging, neutron activation. Indirect effects such as TNT
action on some plant coloration or growth have to be explored.
Adequate processing and sensor fusion will be required in most cases
for improving the significance and reliability of the data.
The main purpose of the workshop will be to provide a forum of
exchange between researchers, allowing for the comparison of the
performance and cost of the proposed solutions. Developing an
efficient set of sensors, vehicles and processing facilities, is the
short term objective the Minerat Association plans to support with
adequate funding.
Preliminary Programme
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FRIDAY JUNE 30
9h30 Registration, coffee
10h00 Opening
Session 1 - Mining and demining
10h10 Moore's Law in the Minefield - J. Walker, Megalon,
Switzerland
10h35 Humanitarian Mine Clearence Equipment Requirements -
J.A. Craib, Baric Consultants, Sandwich, UK
11h00 Mine Countermeasures for Humanitarian Mine Clearance -
G. Lucas, Bactec Intnl, Rochester, UK
11h30 Humanitarian, military and scientific interests in
demining
Panel with G. Cauderey (CICR Geneva), H.Hambric
(US Dept of Defense Fort Belvoir),
D. von der Weid (Antenna Geneva)
12h30 Lunch
Session 2 - Sensors I
14h00 Mine Detection and Demining from an Operator's
Perspective -
J.A. Craib, Baric Consultants, Sandwich, UK
14h30 Detection of Buried Landmines using Ground
Penetrating Radar and a Metal Detector -
first Results of Field Experiments -
M. Fritzsche et al., Daimler-Benz AG, Ulm, Germany
15h00 A Multi-Sensor System for Demining -
R. Garriott et al., GDE Systems, San Diego
15h30 Coffee break
Session 3 - Demining robots
16h00 Pemex-B, a Low Cost Robot for Searching
Anti-Personnel Mines -
J.D. Nicoud et al., LAMI-EPFL, Lausanne
16h30 Requirements for Robotics in Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Operations
in Tropical and Desert Areas - G. Velez et al.,
ACSA, Meyreuil, France
17h00 Requirements for robots and sensors
Panel discussion
18h30 Demo of the Pemex-BE on the lake side,
followed by an informal dinner
SATURDAY JULY 1ST
Session 4 - Sensors II
9h30 ODIS: Ordnance Detection and Identification
System -
C. Borgwardt, Dornier GmbH, Friedrischafen,
Germany
10h00 Smart Sensor Modules for Operator Assistance of
Teleoperated Mobile Robots -
J. Dahlkemper et al., Fraunhofer-Inst. for
Manufacturing Eng. and Automation (IPA),
Stuttgart, Germany
10h30 State of Knowledge in Europe on Detecting
Anti-personnel Mines -
A.J. Sieber, EC Joint Research
Centre, Ispra, Italy
11h00 Chemical and bio sensors
Panel with H. Vogel (EPFL), A. Grisel
(Microsens Neuchâtel), ...
12h Lunch
Session 5 - GPR Sensors
13h30 Landmine Detection and Imaging using
Micropower Impulse Radar -
S.G. Azevedo et al., Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Ca USA
14h00 Ground Probing Radar - a Technology ready
for Mine Detection Equipment
Development - R.J. Chignell, EMRAD Ltd,
Godalming, UK
14h30 Design Challenges for ultra Wideband Radar
for AP Mine Detection -
D.J. Daniels, ERA Technology Ltd, Leatherhead, UK
15h00 Microwave Diffraction Tomography of Buried
Objects - C. Pichot et al.,
Universiti de Nice-Sophia Antipolis,
Valbonne, France
15h30 Plans for action
Panel discussion
16h30 Closing
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Organization: Prof J.D. Nicoud, LAMI-EPFL,
E-mail nicoud@di.epfl.ch
Secretariat: Monique Dubois, LAMI-EPFL,
CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Tel +41 21 693-6635, Fax +41 21 693-5263
E-mail dubois@di.epfl.ch