Final Report Summary - OPTIX (OPTICAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES)
Executive Summary:
Terrorism is a real and growing threat in the world, and more than 60% of the terrorist attacks are carried out by the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). The need of new security tools is a fact; OPTIX project provides a new tool for IED detection form a safe distance. OPTIX system is a transportable system that consists of laser based technologies, LIBS and Raman spectroscopies. Furthermore, research on IR spectroscopy has been done in the project framework. OPTIX is capable to detect traces and bulk amounts of explosives, in solid and liquids in certain conditions.
The use of Raman and LIBS techniques can be alternative or simultaneous. The OPTIX prototype is focussed for the detection of explosives on visible surfaces or when the IED is hidden in a transparent object. Furthermore, during the execution of the project, it has been tested that Raman technology is capable of detecting explosives inside opaque containers.
OPTIX system can perform at a standoff distance of 20 meter.
The working principles of are the following:
LIBS, atomic emission spectroscopy. High energy laser is focused on the sample’s surface, creating plasma. Emissions when the plasma cools down are captured and analysed.
Raman technology is molecular spectroscopy. Laser radiation on the surface of a sample produces an energy transfer affecting the vibrational states of the molecules. Light is scattered with different wavelengths depending on the molecular structure of the material.
IR technique is molecular spectroscopy. After fragmentation of the molecules with a high energy laser pulse, absorption in the IR region of the released NO and NO2 groups are measured, the ratio determining the explosive nature of the sample.
The three techniques share common equipment, optics and laser , which helps the integration in a single platform:
Laser: A compact high energy laser providing 532 nm, 1064 nm and tunable IR outputs in the range from 5,2 to 6,3 μm.
Optics: The laser has to be focused on the sample with the necessary energy density for each technology. Emissions from the distant sample in the spectral range from 350 to 950 nm and 5,2 to 6,3 μm are collected. The three technologies will share most of the optical elements.
Spectrometry: A new ultra sensitive spectrometer has been developed for Raman and increased timing precision has been implemented on a CCD based spectrometer for LIBS.
All the spectra generated by each technique are analysed by chemometrics module. New algorithms for spectral information extraction for the spectroscopies has been developed to increase reliability of the system.
OPTIX (Optical Technologies for the Identification of explosives) is a project funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). OPTIX consortium is composed of a balanced set of technological and industrial partners, from big industry to
3
SMEs, from universities to research organisation, and topped with a best-in-class end user. The geographical distribution of OPTIX covers 6 EU Members States.
Project Context and Objectives:
Context
Terrorism, as evidenced by tragic events at Madrid 2004, London 2005 and New York 2001, is a real and growing threat to Europe and the world, and attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) appear in the news almost every day. In fact, near 60% of the terrorist attacks are carried out by the use of such explosive devices.
Figure 1. Evolution of terrorist attacks in the last years. Bombing attacks percentage.
.
Security forces demand new tools to fight against this threat and due to the growth of terrorist attacks using explosives, the industry is making a big effort in the last few years to provide such tools. Every year a number of new products to detect and identify concealed explosives reach the market but the usefulness and deployment of these products is limited and restricted to some specific applications (airports and checkpoint applications for example), because these new systems do not meet the full operational capabilities demanded by the end users such as:
Standoff detection and identification of explosives.
Detection of very small or trace amounts of explosive material.
4
Fast and reliable (very low false alarm rates) detection and identification of
explosives.
Large operational availability.
High degree of automation possible and therefore ability to be operated by unskilled personnel
Short deployment time
Adaptability to variable environmental conditions
Adaptability to new threats such as (new explosives).
Probably the most demanded by the end users is the capability for standoff detection and identification of explosives, in order to be able to anticipate the threat from a safe distance and to avoid entering into the lethality area of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Such standoff detection capability is also very demanded for intelligence operations to identify materials, people or places involved in the preparation and transportation of explosives.
For any method to be widely applicable for standoff explosives detection, it has to fulfil the highly set requirements for explosives trace detection; to provide a high degree of species selectivity as well as detection sensitivity. To be applicable in scenarios where detection of conventional explosives and home-made explosives (HMEs) are of essence, a wide threat substance repertoire as well as sensitivity to match the trace amounts available in the vicinity of a concealed IED is required.
On the other hand, particle trace residues are sometimes described as the amount of residues left in e.g. a fingerprint after handling of explosives. In this context, the weight of the residues as well as the particle size distribution are relevant measurements. The approach of considering discrete particles as left on a surface after handling an explosive would in many cases be the more relevant approach when evaluating detection performance, as it resembles the residues that are typically targeted in trace detection – secondary transfer of explosive residues.
Figure 2. The terrorist timeline.
The figure below shows the concept of use of the OPTIX system. The scenario depicted below is just one of the many possible situations where OPTIX can be deployed, but other scenarios like check point for cars, preventive search in buildings must be also considered.
5
Figure 3. Concept of use of OPTIX.
Objectives
As stated before, OPTIX project addresses an important challenge of the European security stakeholders, as it is the contribution to the security of the European citizens by combating the activities of terrorism: OPTIX project will provide the end users (security forces mainly) with improved capabilities for the standoff detection and identification of explosives.
Therefore, the general objective of the project is to contribute to increase the security of the European citizens by the development of a transportable system for the standoff detection and identification of explosives in real scenarios at distances of around 20 m (sensor to target), using alternative or simultaneous analysis of three different complementary optical technologies (LIBS, RAMAN, IR).
The desired characteristics of the system were be the following:
Standoff distance of at least 20 m.
Capability for the detection of explosives in bulk, trace amounts and even liquids in certain conditions.
Very fast detection and identification of explosives (from immediate detection to less than 60 secs detection, depending on the technologies involved)
Very high reliability due to the combination of complementary optical technologies
Very low false alarm rate (false positives)
Very low false negatives rate (misses)
Very high specificity for the identification of explosives.
Large operational availability of the system:
6
Capability for operation in different real scenarios: Day and night, indoor and outdoor, dry and wet environments.
Portability of the system and remote operation of the system using wireless technology.
Fully automated decision system (no operator dependence).
Easy adaptability for the detection of new explosives.
The specific objectives leading to the achievement of the general objective of the project were the following:
To develop beyond the state of the art three laser based technologies (core technologies), LIBS, RAMAN, IR, focusing on their potential for cross integration with the others, and devoted to the standoff detection and identification of explosives.
To develop the enabling technologies (laser, spectrometry, optics, data analysis and fusion ) that support the application of the core technologies to the standoff detection and identification of explosives, again focusing on the integration concept and hardware compatibility
To achieve the integration of all previously developed technologies (core, technologies and enabling technologies) onto a single platform.
To make the assessment of the new detection system by the execution of a thorough testing and evaluation program
To perform demonstrations of the developed system to the end users involved in the project and to additional stakeholders as needed
To elaborate a technological and application roadmap for further research needs.
Project Results:
See atached Pdf file
Potential Impact:
See atached Pdf file
List of Websites:
www.fp7-optix.eu
For complete list of publication and dissemination activities see attached pdf file
Terrorism is a real and growing threat in the world, and more than 60% of the terrorist attacks are carried out by the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). The need of new security tools is a fact; OPTIX project provides a new tool for IED detection form a safe distance. OPTIX system is a transportable system that consists of laser based technologies, LIBS and Raman spectroscopies. Furthermore, research on IR spectroscopy has been done in the project framework. OPTIX is capable to detect traces and bulk amounts of explosives, in solid and liquids in certain conditions.
The use of Raman and LIBS techniques can be alternative or simultaneous. The OPTIX prototype is focussed for the detection of explosives on visible surfaces or when the IED is hidden in a transparent object. Furthermore, during the execution of the project, it has been tested that Raman technology is capable of detecting explosives inside opaque containers.
OPTIX system can perform at a standoff distance of 20 meter.
The working principles of are the following:
LIBS, atomic emission spectroscopy. High energy laser is focused on the sample’s surface, creating plasma. Emissions when the plasma cools down are captured and analysed.
Raman technology is molecular spectroscopy. Laser radiation on the surface of a sample produces an energy transfer affecting the vibrational states of the molecules. Light is scattered with different wavelengths depending on the molecular structure of the material.
IR technique is molecular spectroscopy. After fragmentation of the molecules with a high energy laser pulse, absorption in the IR region of the released NO and NO2 groups are measured, the ratio determining the explosive nature of the sample.
The three techniques share common equipment, optics and laser , which helps the integration in a single platform:
Laser: A compact high energy laser providing 532 nm, 1064 nm and tunable IR outputs in the range from 5,2 to 6,3 μm.
Optics: The laser has to be focused on the sample with the necessary energy density for each technology. Emissions from the distant sample in the spectral range from 350 to 950 nm and 5,2 to 6,3 μm are collected. The three technologies will share most of the optical elements.
Spectrometry: A new ultra sensitive spectrometer has been developed for Raman and increased timing precision has been implemented on a CCD based spectrometer for LIBS.
All the spectra generated by each technique are analysed by chemometrics module. New algorithms for spectral information extraction for the spectroscopies has been developed to increase reliability of the system.
OPTIX (Optical Technologies for the Identification of explosives) is a project funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). OPTIX consortium is composed of a balanced set of technological and industrial partners, from big industry to
3
SMEs, from universities to research organisation, and topped with a best-in-class end user. The geographical distribution of OPTIX covers 6 EU Members States.
Project Context and Objectives:
Context
Terrorism, as evidenced by tragic events at Madrid 2004, London 2005 and New York 2001, is a real and growing threat to Europe and the world, and attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) appear in the news almost every day. In fact, near 60% of the terrorist attacks are carried out by the use of such explosive devices.
Figure 1. Evolution of terrorist attacks in the last years. Bombing attacks percentage.
.
Security forces demand new tools to fight against this threat and due to the growth of terrorist attacks using explosives, the industry is making a big effort in the last few years to provide such tools. Every year a number of new products to detect and identify concealed explosives reach the market but the usefulness and deployment of these products is limited and restricted to some specific applications (airports and checkpoint applications for example), because these new systems do not meet the full operational capabilities demanded by the end users such as:
Standoff detection and identification of explosives.
Detection of very small or trace amounts of explosive material.
4
Fast and reliable (very low false alarm rates) detection and identification of
explosives.
Large operational availability.
High degree of automation possible and therefore ability to be operated by unskilled personnel
Short deployment time
Adaptability to variable environmental conditions
Adaptability to new threats such as (new explosives).
Probably the most demanded by the end users is the capability for standoff detection and identification of explosives, in order to be able to anticipate the threat from a safe distance and to avoid entering into the lethality area of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Such standoff detection capability is also very demanded for intelligence operations to identify materials, people or places involved in the preparation and transportation of explosives.
For any method to be widely applicable for standoff explosives detection, it has to fulfil the highly set requirements for explosives trace detection; to provide a high degree of species selectivity as well as detection sensitivity. To be applicable in scenarios where detection of conventional explosives and home-made explosives (HMEs) are of essence, a wide threat substance repertoire as well as sensitivity to match the trace amounts available in the vicinity of a concealed IED is required.
On the other hand, particle trace residues are sometimes described as the amount of residues left in e.g. a fingerprint after handling of explosives. In this context, the weight of the residues as well as the particle size distribution are relevant measurements. The approach of considering discrete particles as left on a surface after handling an explosive would in many cases be the more relevant approach when evaluating detection performance, as it resembles the residues that are typically targeted in trace detection – secondary transfer of explosive residues.
Figure 2. The terrorist timeline.
The figure below shows the concept of use of the OPTIX system. The scenario depicted below is just one of the many possible situations where OPTIX can be deployed, but other scenarios like check point for cars, preventive search in buildings must be also considered.
5
Figure 3. Concept of use of OPTIX.
Objectives
As stated before, OPTIX project addresses an important challenge of the European security stakeholders, as it is the contribution to the security of the European citizens by combating the activities of terrorism: OPTIX project will provide the end users (security forces mainly) with improved capabilities for the standoff detection and identification of explosives.
Therefore, the general objective of the project is to contribute to increase the security of the European citizens by the development of a transportable system for the standoff detection and identification of explosives in real scenarios at distances of around 20 m (sensor to target), using alternative or simultaneous analysis of three different complementary optical technologies (LIBS, RAMAN, IR).
The desired characteristics of the system were be the following:
Standoff distance of at least 20 m.
Capability for the detection of explosives in bulk, trace amounts and even liquids in certain conditions.
Very fast detection and identification of explosives (from immediate detection to less than 60 secs detection, depending on the technologies involved)
Very high reliability due to the combination of complementary optical technologies
Very low false alarm rate (false positives)
Very low false negatives rate (misses)
Very high specificity for the identification of explosives.
Large operational availability of the system:
6
Capability for operation in different real scenarios: Day and night, indoor and outdoor, dry and wet environments.
Portability of the system and remote operation of the system using wireless technology.
Fully automated decision system (no operator dependence).
Easy adaptability for the detection of new explosives.
The specific objectives leading to the achievement of the general objective of the project were the following:
To develop beyond the state of the art three laser based technologies (core technologies), LIBS, RAMAN, IR, focusing on their potential for cross integration with the others, and devoted to the standoff detection and identification of explosives.
To develop the enabling technologies (laser, spectrometry, optics, data analysis and fusion ) that support the application of the core technologies to the standoff detection and identification of explosives, again focusing on the integration concept and hardware compatibility
To achieve the integration of all previously developed technologies (core, technologies and enabling technologies) onto a single platform.
To make the assessment of the new detection system by the execution of a thorough testing and evaluation program
To perform demonstrations of the developed system to the end users involved in the project and to additional stakeholders as needed
To elaborate a technological and application roadmap for further research needs.
Project Results:
See atached Pdf file
Potential Impact:
See atached Pdf file
List of Websites:
www.fp7-optix.eu
For complete list of publication and dissemination activities see attached pdf file
