Search Results (29)

Landmines remain a significant hazard in contemporary warfare and post-conflict areas, jeopardizing the safety of both civilians and military personnel. This work suggests “Defence Pal,” a cost-effective and portable robotic prototype for landmine detection and environmental monitoring. Its primary objective is to minimize human risk while improving detection speed and accuracy. The system consists of a wireless-controlled vehicle equipped with a metal detector, gas sensors, and obstacle avoidance features, enabling real-time terrain surveillance while ensuring operator safety. Built with components including a Flysky FS-i6 transmitter and receiver, the prototype was tested under hazardous conditions. It demonstrated reliable detection of buried metallic objects and dangerous gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. The autonomous response system halts the robot and activates visual and auditory alarms upon detecting threats. Our experiments achieved average detection accuracies of 83% for metallic objects and 87% for hazardous gases, validating their performance. These results highlight the practicality and effectiveness of Defence Pal compared to conventional manual detection methods. The results confirm that Defence Pal is a practical, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to traditional manual detection methods for improving landmine identification and environmental hazard monitoring. Therefore, the novelty of this work lies in a low-cost dual-sensing prototype that enables simultaneous detection of gas and metal, providing a practical alternative to conventional single-target, high-cost systems. Full article

HgCdSe has recently been proposed as a potential alternative material to HgCdTe for fabricating high-performance infrared detectors. This work presents a study on the growth of high-crystalline-quality HgCdSe materials on GaSb (211)B substrates via molecular beam epitaxy and demonstration of the first prototype HgCdSe-based mid-wave infrared detectors. By optimizing the MBE growth parameters, and especially the thermal cleaning process of the GaSb substrate surface prior to epitaxial growth, high-quality HgCdSe material was achieved with a record XRD full width at half maximum of ~65 arcsec. At a temperature of 77 K, the mid-wave infrared HgCdSe n-type material demonstrated a minority carrier lifetime of ~1.19 µs, background electron concentration of ~2.2 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³, and electron mobility of ~1.6 × 10⁴ cm²/Vs. The fabricated mid-wave infrared HgCdSe photoconductor presented a cut-off wavelength of 4.2 µm, a peak responsivity of ~40 V/W, and a peak detectivity of ~1.2 × 10⁹ cmHz^1/2/W at 77 K. Due to the relatively high background electron concentration, the detector performance is lower than that of state-of-the-art low-doped HgCdTe counterparts. However, these preliminary results indicate the great potential of HgCdSe materials for achieving next-generation IR detectors on large-area substrates with features of lower cost and larger array format size. Full article

In this paper, the prototype of a gas detector based on the electrical response of MgSb₂O₆ oxide at 400 °C and with a concentration of 560 ppm was designed, simulated, and fabricated. This design considers a PIC18F4550 microcontroller and a response time of 3 s for the sensor. It is worth noting that the response system can be reduced in concordance with the mathematical model of the sensor’s electrical response. The proposed device is capable of detecting one to three gases: O₂, C₃H₈, and CO₂. The configuration is achieved through three switches. In programming the prototype, factors such as the gas sensor signals, device configuration, corrective gas signals, and indicator signals were carefully considered. The characteristic of the gas detector is an operational temperature of 400 °C, which is ideal for industrial processing. This can be configured to detect a single gas or all three of them $\left({\mathrm{O}}_2,{\mathrm{C}}_3{\mathrm{H}}_8,\mathrm{a}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{d} {\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}}_2\right)$. Each gas type has its corresponding corrective signal and an indicator-led diode. The operation concentration is 560 ppm, the device is scalable, and its programming can be extended to cover industrial networks. Full article

(1) Background: The imaging energy range of a typical Compton camera is limited due to the fact that scattered gamma photons are seldom fully absorbed when the incident energies are above 3 MeV. Further improving the upper energy limit of gamma-ray imaging has important application significance in the active interrogation of special nuclear materials and chemical warfare agents, as well as range verification of proton therapy. (2) Methods: To realize gamma-ray imaging in a wide energy range of 0.3~7 MeV, a principle prototype, named a portable three-layer Compton camera, is developed using the scintillation detector that consists of an silicon photomultiplier array coupled with a Gd₃Al₂Ga₃O₁₂:Ce pixelated scintillator array. Implemented in a list-mode maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm, a far-field energy-domain imaging method based on the two interaction events is applied to estimate the initial energy and spatial distribution of gamma-ray sources. The simulation model of the detectors is established based on the Monte Carlo simulation toolkit Geant4. The reconstructed images of a ¹³³Ba, a ¹³⁷Cs and a ⁶⁰Co point-like sources have been successfully obtained with our prototype in laboratory tests and compared with simulation studies. (3) Results: The proportion of effective imaging events accounts for about 2%, which allows our prototype to realize the reconstruction of the distribution of a 0.05 μSv/h ¹³⁷Cs source in 10 s. The angular resolution for resolving two ¹³⁷Cs point-like sources is 15°. Additional simulated imaging of the 6.13 MeV gamma-rays from 14.1 MeV neutron scattering with water preliminarily demonstrates the imaging capability for high incident energy. (4) Conclusions: We conclude that the prototype has a good imaging performance in a wide energy range (0.3~7 MeV), which shows potential in several MeV gamma-ray imaging applications. Full article

The facile real-time monitoring of methyl content in fermented beverages is of fundamental significance in the alcohol and restaurant industry, since as little as 4 mL of methanol entering the blood may cause intoxication or blindness. So far, the practical applicability of available methanol sensors, including the piezoresonance analogs, is somewhat limited to laboratory use due to the complexity and bulkiness of the measuring equipment involving multistep procedures. This article introduces a hydrophobic metal–phenolic film-coated quartz crystal microbalance (MPF-QCM) as a novel streamlined detector of methanol in alcoholic drinks. Unlike other QCM-based alcohol sensors, our device operates under saturated vapor pressure conditions, permitting rapid detection of methyl fractions up to seven times below the tolerable levels in spirits (e.g., whisky) while effectively suppressing the cross-sensitivity to interfering chemical compounds such as water, petroleum ether or ammonium hydroxide. Furthermore, the good surface adhesion of metal–phenolic complexes endows the MPF-QCM with superior long-term stability, contributing to the repeatable and reversible physical sorption of the target analytes. These features, combined with the lack of mass flow controllers, valves and connecting pipes delivering the gas mixture, outline the likelihood for future design of a portable MPF-QCM prototype suitable to point-of-use analysis in drinking establishments. Full article

Scintillation crystals Gd₃Al₂Ga₃O₁₂ (GAGG) are an excellent candidate for application in ionizing-radiation detectors because of their high radiation resistance, density and light yield. These crystals can be used in combination with lead tungstate (PbWO₄ or PWO) crystals for the development of a new generation of electromagnetic calorimeter with advanced spatial and energy resolutions in a broad energy range. PWO crystals enable the accurate detection of high-energy photons, while GAGG crystals provide the possibility of precisely measuring photon energies, down to a few MeV. Different options for a composite electromagnetic calorimeter based on PWO and GAGG crystals are considered to optimize spatial and energy resolutions in a broad energy range (from 1 MeV to 100 GeV). In particular, different lengths of the GAGG section of the calorimeter are considered, from 0.5 to 10 cm. The separation of signals from photons and hadrons is also taken into consideration through the study of shower shape in the calorimeter. The optimization is based on Geant4 simulations, considering light collection as well as the use of different photodetectors and electronic noise. Simulations are verified with light yield measurements of GAGG samples obtained using radioactive sources and test beam measurements of the prototype of the PWO-based Photon Spectrometer of the ALICE experiment at CERN. Full article

This paper reports on a compact, portable, and selective chemical sensor for hazardous vapors at trace levels, which is under development and validation within the EU project H2020 “RISEN”. Starting from the prototype developed for a previous EU project, here, we implemented an updated two-stage purge and trap vapor pre-concentration system, a more compact MEMS- based fast gas-chromatographic separation module (Compact-GC), a new miniaturized quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) detector, and a new compact laser source. The system provides two-dimensional selectivity combining GC retention time and QEPAS spectral information and was specifically designed to be rugged, portable, suitable for on-site analysis of a crime scene, with accurate response in few minutes and in the presence of strong chemical background. The main upgrades of the sensor components and functional modules will be presented in detail, and test results with VOCs, simulants of hazardous chemical agents, and drug precursors will be reported and discussed. Full article

An optical sensor employing tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy with wavelength modulation and 2f harmonic detection was designed, prototyped, and tested for applications in quantifying methane emissions from vent sources in the oil and gas sector. The methane absorption line at 6026.23 cm^–1 (1659.41 nm) was used to measure both flow velocity and methane volume fraction, enabling direct measurement of the methane emission rate. Two configurations of the sensor were designed, tested, and compared; the first used a fully fiber-coupled cell with multimode fibers to re-collimate the laser beams, while the second used directly irradiated photodetectors protected by Zener barriers. Importantly, both configurations were designed to enable measurements within regulated Class I / Zone 0 hazardous locations, in which explosive gases are expected during normal operations. Controlled flows with methane volume fractions of 0 to 100% and a velocity range of 0 to 4 m/s were used to characterize sensor performance at a 1 Hz sampling rate. The measurement error in the methane volume fraction was less than 10,000 ppm (1%) across the studied range for both configurations. The short-term velocity measurement error with pure methane was <0.3 m/s with a standard deviation of 0.14 m/s for the fiber-coupled configuration and <0.15 m/s with a standard deviation of 0.07 m/s for the directly irradiated detector configuration. However, modal noise in the multimode fibers of the first configuration contributed to an unstable performance that was highly sensitive to mechanical disturbances. The second configuration showed good potential for an industrial sensor, successfully quantifying methane flow rates up to 11 kg/h within ±2.1 kg/h at 95% confidence over a range of methane fractions from 25–100%, and as low as ±0.85 kg/h in scenarios where the source methane fraction is initially unknown within this range and otherwise invariant. Full article

For the sake of the increasing demand of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, there are more concerns on the safety of hydrogen refueling stations. As one of the key pieces of equipment, the hydrogen dispenser has drawn attention on this aspect since it involves massive manual operations and may be bothered by a high probability of failure. In this paper, a numerical study is conducted to simulate the possible leakage events of the hydrogen dispenser based on a prototype in China whose working pressure is 70 MPa. The leakage accident is analyzed with respect to leakage sizes, leak directions, and the time to stop the leakage. It is found that, due to the large mass flow rate under such high pressure, the leak direction and the layout of the components inside the dispenser become insignificant, and the ignitable clouds will form inside the dispenser in less than 1 s if there is a leakage of 1% size of the main tube. The ignitable clouds will form near the vent holes outside the dispenser, which may dissipate quickly if the leakage is stopped. On the other hand, the gas inside the dispenser will remain ignitable for a long time, which asks for a design with no possible ignition source inside. The results can be useful in optimizing the design of the dispenser, regarding the reaction time and sensitivity requirements of the leakage detector, the size and amount of vent holes, etc. Full article

Quality Assurance (QA) in hadron therapy is crucial to ensure safe and accurate dose delivery to patients. This can be achieved with fast, reliable and high-resolution detectors. In this paper, we present a novel solution that combines a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) and a highly pixelated readout based on a matrix of organic photodiodes fabricated on top of an oxide-based thin-film transistor backplane. The first LaGEMPix prototype with an active area of 60 × 80 mm² was developed and characterized using low energy X-rays. The detector comprises a drift gap of 3.5 mm, a triple-GEM stack for electron amplification, and a readout featuring 480 × 640 pixels at a 126 µm pitch. Here, we describe the measurements and results in terms of spatial resolution for various experimental configurations. A comparison with GAFCHROMIC^® films and the GEMPix detector used in the charge readout mode was performed to better understand the contribution to the spatial resolution from both the electron diffusion and the isotropic emission of photons. The measurements were compared to Monte Carlo simulations, using the FLUKA code. The simulation predictions are in good agreement with the GEMPix results. Future plans with respect to applications in hadron therapy are discussed. Full article

The CYGNO project aims at developing a high resolution Time Projection Chamber with optical readout for directional dark matter searches and solar neutrino spectroscopy. Peculiar CYGNO’s features are the 3D tracking capability provided by the combination of photomultipliers and scientific CMOS camera signals, combined with a helium-fluorine-based gas mixture at atmospheric pressure amplified by gas electron multipliers structures. In this paper, the performances achieved with CYGNO prototypes and the prospects for the upcoming underground installation at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of a 50-L detector in fall 2021 will be discussed, together with the plans for a 1-m${}^3$ experiment. The synergy with the ERC consolidator, grant project INITIUM, aimed at realising negative ion drift operation within the CYGNO 3D optical approach, will be further illustrated. Full article

This work reports the latest observations on the behavior of two Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC) under wide high-luminosity exposures, which motivate the development and in-beam test of the sealed MRPC prototype assembled with low-resistive glass. The operation currently being monitored, together with previous simulation results, shows the impact of gas pollution caused by avalanches in gas gaps, and the necessity to shrink the gas-streaming volume. With the lateral edge of the detector sealed by a 3D-printed frame, a reduced gas-streaming volume of ~170 mL has been achieved for a direct gas flow to the active area. A high-rate test of the sealed MRPC prototype shows that, ensuring a 97% efficiency and 70 ps time resolution, the sealed design results in a stable operation current behavior at a counting rate of 3–5 kHz/cm². The sealed MRPC will become a potential solution for future high luminosity applications. Full article

Deep-UV absorption spectrometry for detection of toxic airborne gases, for instance, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX) has drawn considerable attention owing to its high sensitivity and reliability. However, the development of a deep-UV absorbance detector having good sensitivity, portability, and a low-volume gas cell with applicability for a micro Gas Chromatography (μGC) is challenging. Herein we present a novel, self-referenced, and portable deep-UV absorbance detector with a microliter (275 μL) gas cell having minimal dead volume. It has excellent compatibility with μGC for detection of individual BTEX components in a mixed sample at a sub-ppm level. The design consists of the latest, portable, and cost-effective optical and electronic components, i.e., deep-UV LED, hollow-core waveguide, and photodiodes. The detector directly measures the absorbance values in volts using an integrated circuit with a log-ratio amplifier. The prototype was tested with direct injection of toluene-N₂ (1.5 ppm to 50 ppm) and good linearity (R² = 0.99) with a limit of detection of 196 ppb was obtained. The absorbance detector with μGC setup was tested with a BTEX mixture in N₂ at different GC column temperatures. All the BTEX species were sequentially separated and detected with an individual peak for a concentration range of 2.5 ppm to 10 ppm. Full article

Honeybee workers have a specific smell depending on the age of workers and the biological status of the colony. Laboratory tests were carried out at the Department of Apiculture at UWM Olsztyn, using gas sensors installed in two twin prototype multi-sensor detectors. The study aimed to compare the responses of sensors to the odor of old worker bees (3–6 weeks old), young ones (0–1 days old), and those from long-term queenless colonies. From the experimental colonies, 10 samples of 100 workers were taken for each group and placed successively in the research chambers for the duration of the study. Old workers came from outer nest combs, young workers from hatching out brood in an incubator, and laying worker bees from long-term queenless colonies from brood combs (with laying worker bee’s eggs, humped brood, and drones). Each probe was measured for 10 min, and then immediately for another 10 min ambient air was given to regenerate sensors. The results were analyzed using 10 different classifiers. Research has shown that the devices can distinguish between the biological status of bees. The effectiveness of distinguishing between classes, determined by the parameters of accuracy balanced and true positive rate, of 0.763 and 0.742 in the case of the best euclidean.1nn classifier, may be satisfactory in the context of practical beekeeping. Depending on the environment accompanying the tested objects (a type of insert in the test chamber), the introduction of other classifiers as well as baseline correction methods may be considered, while the selection of the appropriate classifier for the task may be of great importance for the effectiveness of the classification. Full article

We present studies of proton fluxes in the T10 beamline at CERN. A prototype high pressure gas time projection chamber (TPC) was exposed to the beam of protons and other particles, using the 0.8 GeV/c momentum setting in T10, in order to make cross section measurements of low energy protons in argon. To explore the energy region comparable to hadrons produced by GeV-scale neutrino interactions at oscillation experiments, i.e., near 0.1 GeV of kinetic energy, methods of moderating the T10 beam were employed: the dual technique of moderating the beam with acrylic blocks and measuring scattered protons off the beam axis was used to decrease the kinetic energy of incident protons, as well as change the proton/minimum ionising particle (MIP) composition of the incident flux. Measurements of the beam properties were made using time of flight systems upstream and downstream of the TPC. The kinetic energy of protons reaching the TPC was successfully changed from ∼0.3 GeV without moderator blocks to less than 0.1 GeV with four moderator blocks (40 cm path length). The flux of both protons and MIPs off the beam axis was increased. The ratio of protons to MIPs vary as a function of the off-axis angle allowing for possible optimisation of the detector to select the type of required particles. Simulation informed by the time of flight measurements show that with four moderator blocks placed in the beamline, (5.6 ± 0.1) protons with energies below 0.1 GeV per spill traversed the active TPC region. Measurements of the beam composition and energy are presented. Full article