Sandia's SMART radiation sensor, incorporated into this cart, detects nuclear materials inside of shipping containers.
Contact
Related links
Field tests at selected domestic ports are confirming the value of Sandia’s SMART (Sensor for Measurement and Analysis of Radiation Transients) radiation detection system, which can detect and identify radiological isotopes within shipping containers.
Incorporating Sandia’s proprietary auto-isotope identification software, FitToDB, SMART:
A video camera simultaneously captures an image of the person or vehicle carrying the radioactive material.
Sandia has created a licensing agreement with Thermo Electron Corporation that allows the company to use FitToDB in commercial units. Thermo Electron was awarded a Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) contract in early 2005 to build and test three prototypes of radiological sensors using this Sandia’s software.
Today’s systems don’t provide a practical solution for detecting some shielded materials. To fill this gap, Sandia is advancing work on a miniaturized neutron generator that can be easily transported as needed. This generator will broadcast neutrons into containers to induce fission in any fissionable material within. In turn, the fission emits neutrons and gamma rays—highly penetrating radiations that can be detected outside the container.
This advanced concept offers several advantages over existing neutron generators. Use of an Americium Beryllium (AmBe) neutron source that can be switched on and off ensures greater safety and utility and eliminates the need for bulky shielding. We’ve further improved portability by meeting power needs by using six AA batteries, rather than a large power source. Sandia’s generator will also be relatively inexpensive, simple to use, and easy to combine with detectors to sense the fission-induced radiation.