Vibration-enhanced underground sensing

Josh Wetherington; Glen Garner; Thomas Ketterl; Shaun Gidcumb; Michael B. Steer; James F. Harvey

doi:10.1117/12.2557528

24 April 2020 Vibration-enhanced underground sensing

Josh Wetherington, Glen Garner, Thomas Ketterl, Shaun Gidcumb, Michael B. Steer, James F. Harvey

Proceedings Volume 11418, Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects, and Obscured Targets XXV; 114180G (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2557528
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2020, Online Only

Abstract

Modern landmine detection capability struggles to discriminate between dangerous targets and harmless clutter, which increases the risk and time required for mine-clearing operations. To reduce risk to the warfighter, Vadum is developing the Vibration-ENhanced Underground Sensing (VENUS) system for improved landmine identification capability. The novel sensor uses an electromagnetic stimulus to induce mechanical vibrations in buried targets that are detectable using a sensitive RF vibrometer. Landmines produce unique phenomenological responses to the stimulus as a result of specific structural features that distinguish targets from other metal clutter. This physics-based approach enables discrimination even for low-metal-content (LMC) antipersonnel mines. In this paper, a high-level system architecture and test results from the VENUS hardware prototype are presented. A high dynamic range RF vibrometer design enables extraction of small vibration-modulated signals less than 200 Hz from the RF carrier. Distinct vibrational responses collected by the hardware prototype are shown for several buried inert antipersonnel landmines to demonstrate feasibility at up to two inches of burial depth. System capability tradeoffs are discussed and compared to the state-of-the-art including sensitivity, detection depth, discrimination capability, and achievable size, weight, and power (SWAP).

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Josh Wetherington, Glen Garner, Thomas Ketterl, Shaun Gidcumb, Michael B. Steer, and James F. Harvey "Vibration-enhanced underground sensing", Proc. SPIE 11418, Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects, and Obscured Targets XXV, 114180G (24 April 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2557528

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