The 3rd DTIF Workshop
The latest Demining
Technology Information Forum (DTIF) workshop focused on the use of
ground penetrating radar (GPR) in humanitarian demining. Participants
were able to share knowledge and formulate plans for the future of GPR
in demining efforts.
by Stewart Myles,
CCMAT
The primary aim of DTIF is to provide the
research and development (R&D)
community with an opportunity to exchange information and ideas on
technology for mine action. This is accomplished through workshops and
an online journal (http://maic.jmu.edu/dtif). The 3rd DTIF workshop, GPR
in Support of Humanitarian Demining, was held at the European
Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy, on 23–24
September 2002.
In selecting GPR as the topic, the organizers
were aware of the successful outcome of the International Pilot
Project for Technology Cooperation (IPPTC) on metal detectors. They
intended that this workshop serve as a first step in promoting
international collaboration to accelerate deployment of mature GPR
systems to the field. Through a series of presentations and
facilitated discussion, the participants were asked to assess the
state of development of GPR, assess lessons learned from the testing
and use of GPR systems in the field, and produce recommendations for
future work.
Presentations were made on field trials of
several GPR systems that are in an advanced development stage. These
included handheld systems developed at ERA Technology (MINETECT) and
QuinetiQ and the LOTUS vehicle-mounted system. Papers were presented
describing basic R&D on new antenna configurations, signal-processing
software, and the effect of soil characteristics and surface
roughness. The perspective of the technology user was provided by
Vernon Joynt and Kaj Hoerberg who described their experience with
vehicle-mounted GPR systems looking for AT mines on roads in Africa
and the Balkans. All of the presentations are available of the DTIF
website (http://maic.jmu.edu/dtif).
Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Work
There was a consensus that GPR development in several countries had
passed beyond the research phase and that there was a need to get the
more advanced systems (GPR/metal detector combinations) into the
minefield for evaluation by the demining community. In anticipation of
an end-user trial, suitable test sites in mine-affected countries need
to be identified. The characteristics of these test sites must be
defined by developers and users, and the workshop participants made a
good start on this task. It was felt that someone, such as members of
the International Test and Evaluation Program (ITEP), should be asked
to develop standard test protocols for an end-user trial.
The workshop participants also recognized the
requirement for test sites, such as those at the JRC, where
developmental GPR systems and improvements, such as new antennas and
signal-processing software, can be investigated under controlled
conditions. However, they were agreed that soil types and other
conditions at these sites should be representative of conditions in a
real minefield. They also stipulated that, if real mines (detonator
replaced) cannot be used, adequate mine surrogates must be identified
or developed. Characteristics of the test site must be documented with
some form of quality control in place (updated ground truth).
The need to take soil properties into account
when testing any GPR or metal detector system was universally agreed
upon by participants at this workshop and has been a concern at many
other gatherings of scientists interested in technologies for mine
detection. Participants proposed that the existing data be gathered
together and a serious effort be made to collect additional data. The
ultimate goal is to prepare a global soil database (possibly in the
form of a map), making use of existing soil maps and databases created
for reasons other than mine action. They recognized that this is a
very ambitious undertaking and suggested collaboration under an
international program such as ITEP.
The 3rd DTIF workshop can be considered a
success because it gave many of those working on GPR systems a chance
to exchange information and generate ideas for future work that will
be passed to an organisation with a mandate to act on them. Contact
information was provided to the participants so that this valuable
interaction can continue. As always, the JRC was a generous host and
excellent facilitator. Thanks are due to Mr. John Dean and Dr. Alois
Sieber for their organizing effort.
Contact Information
Stewart Myles
CCMAT Consultant
1236 Parkview Dr. NE
Medicine Hat
Alberta T1C1N9
Canada
Tel: 403-580-8218
Fax: 403-527-4758
E-mail: myles@telusplanet.net
Website: http://www.ccmat.gc.ca |
