• Insider threats in Afghanistan increase need for explosive detectors

    In Afghanistan suicide bombers are increasingly disguising themselves as friendly forces to successfully infiltrate secure allied bases and wreak havoc; April has been a deadly month for allied troops in Afghanistan with at least four attacks taking place where suicide bombers disguised themselves as police officers or members of the army; to protect against this threat, Thermal Matrix specializes in person-borne improvised explosive device (PBIED) detection devices; the firm has been working with the U.S military for the past several years to develop the Thermal Matrix ACT system which is capable of detecting suicide bombers from long distances; the system uses infrared imagery to analyze the heat signature of approaching individuals to determine if they are carrying any explosives

  • China unveils first nuclear detection robot

    Earlier this month, China unveiled its first unmanned remotely operated robot that can help emergency responders operate in areas that have been contaminated with radiation, poisonous gases, or other dangerous chemical substances; the robot is outfitted with a slew of sensors that allow it to take samples, measure radiation levels, and analyze chemical and biological substances; the robot is particularly suited to operating in highly radioactive environments as it is equipped with a camera that is resistant to radiation and a nuclear detector that measures the amount of radiation in an area and draws a graph to help workers find the source of radiation

  • British company purchases American IED detection firm for $90M

    Last week the British defense firm Chemring finalized a deal to purchase Detection Systems, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, for $90 million; North Carolina based Detection Systems specializes in improvised explosive devices (IED) sensor systems; Detection Systems currently supplies the U.S. military with vehicle mounted IED detectors; the acquisition helps to enhance Chemring’s existing IED detection capabilities and provides growth opportunities for its chemical and biological detection programs; the purchase will not be finalized until the U.S. government reviews the proposal