TECHNOLOGY

The project is focused on designing and developing a fully operational system for detection and identification of RN materials with the added value of improved situational awareness and safety of the on-sitepersonnel and dispatch teams.

HARDWARE COMPONENTS

Sensor Integration Unit (SIU) – A modular device supporting wireless connection and comprising 3 sensors (Geiger counter, Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector, gas sensor) allowing the SIU to identify the agent and the radiation dose rate. Each unit is adapted to both stationary and mobile (person-worn or mounted on unmanned ground vehicles called UGVs) operation, which allows tocreate a tight-knit network able to monitor any given area thoroughly and reliably. As a result of a consultation with the potential-end users, each unit will be powered by a non-proprietary, easily replaceable power source, which can be replaced with off-the-shelf batteries.

UGV Swarm – A novel solution in terms of situational awareness in a form of three unmanned ground vehicles of which: 1) are controlled remotely by a qualified operator and 2) are moving autonomously in relation to the remotely controlled one and constantly adjusting their movement in order to scan a larger area in a much shorter time. Each UGV will be equipped with an SIU and a navigation unit with a positioning module, which would allow for unmanned probing of the environment, which is especially useful when there is a suspicion of high radiation dose rates in the area of interest (AOI)/ incident zone.

Navigation Unit – A tracking module that is based on both inertial and GNSS sensors developed to allow for determining precise location and navigation of the on-site personnel and EU-RADION assets. A tool that will significantly increase the real capabilities of dispatch teams and operators directly translating to improved efficiency and safety of the operation.

SOFTWARE COMPONENTS

Unified Data Model – Developed on the solutions from the EU-SENSE project in order to provide interoperability and scalability of the network system. The proposed standard is based on XML files allowing for network configuration flexibility and is necessary for the initial setup of the entire network.

Tactical Command Tool (TCT) – The highest layer of the system serving as an intuitive user interface and integrating data from measurement and computational components. It will display a map display of the area of interest with georeferenced information of the system components, estimated hazard and source areas, offer means of commanding of the system elements along with a display of their technical status.

Dispersion Modelling – A novel technological solution able to handle complex geometry along with particle-inherent properties (density, spatial dimensions, static forces) in order to perform deposition simulations beyond standard modelling tools. It will allow for improved source estimation by application of adjoint dispersion models and the method of regularisation, with adaptation of parameter selection methods not yet used in these type of applications, e.g. Unbiased Predictive Risk Estimation, Generalised Cross-Validation and Discrepancy Principle.