Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a test facility to evaluate sensors used for the detection of land mines. A unique automated system measures the response of individual electromagnetic induction sensors or arrays of sensors to land mines buried at many different angles. The sensors emit magnetic fields and then detect the response from the electric currents that are emitted when the fields interact with a metallic object. Advanced sensors are needed to differentiate between actual land mines and harmless buried metal objects such as bottle tops or nails. Prof. Waymond Scott and Gregg Larson, a senior research engineer, at Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff School of Engineering constructed the facility with funding from the U.S. Army. The detection system collects measurements from typical metallic targets and then plots response curves, which are a function of the metal content and structure of the target thus allowing researchers to distinguish land mines from harmless objects. Test results have indicated that the angle at which an object is buried does not change test results.Further details can be found at the Georgia Tech website.
EM Induction Sensors vs. Land Mines
