Scientific Director: Dr Ing.Marco Balsi
Activity
The main aim of the Humanitarian Demining Laboratory (HDL) is to develop new anti-personnel mine detection devices, for humanitarian demining. Experimental activity is being carried out on a promising original active thermal technology based on localized heating and sensing. At the same time, simulations, feasibility studies, and experiments are starting on vibrometric/acoustic and GPR techniques, with the aim of developing a multi-sensor platform employing data fusion and collaborating robotic agents. An experimental facility has been realized in the lab for this purpose. A computer-controlled cart can move over a 2.6m^3 sand box, holding a heater and instrumentation. In the sand box, two accurate TS-50 low-metal-content mine surrogates are hidden, together with other objects, of different materials. An outdoor “minefield” has also been recently realized
HDL is funded by Cisterna di Latina Local Council and Tecnologie Solidali Onlus
The Laboratory puts together interdisciplinary competence in physics and engineering, that are necessary for exploring new physical principles and devising systems for buried mine detection, using different physcal properties of different materials (in particular soil, explosive matter, and other parts of exploding devices).
At the moment, research is being carried out in thermal, electromagnetic (radar), acoustic/vibrometric systems), through analytic study, simulations and experiments, and interacting with the international research community.
The Laboratory has obtained original results and realized publications on relevant journals and international conferences.
In addition to the research activity the HDL encourages information and awareness campaign about the landimine and ERW problem. In order to fit the aim, HDL promotes meeting with researchers, students, and anyone else interested in the activities of the Laboratory.