Radiation Detection to Go

Radiation Detection to Go

A Sandia National Laboratories team completed acceptance testing on an enormous mobile scanner that makes smuggling radiological materials more difficult, the eighth such unit that Sandia has deployed worldwide.

Radiation Detection to GoThe Mobile Radiation Detection and Identification System (MRDIS) enables the scanning of containers that are in transit from one cargo ship to another.

“Typical radiation detectors are fixed at port entrances and exits, so they aren’t able to scan transshipped containers,” said Greg Stihel of Sandia’s Systems & Mission Assurance Department. “This makes transshipment containers an enticing option for those who might want to smuggle radioactive materials into a country for terrorist activities, such as making dirty bombs. In 2006, National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA] recognized the need to also scan cargo that is taken off a ship and, in a short period of time, put on a second ship.”

Port security is a major international concern, but port operators and shippers require a balance between security and shipment delays that hurt their bottom line.

“If the system creates time delays that cost shippers and port operators money, the detectors won’t get used,” Stihel said.

Directed by NNSA’s Second Line of Defense (SLD) program, Sandia engineers developed the idea for MRDIS to meet the need for a technology that could scan transshipped containers quickly. Two MRDIS prototypes were developed in 2006 and were field tested in Oman. Engineers analyzed how accurately and quickly MRDIS scanned cargo and worked with port operators to refine the process.

Inspectors can move MRDIS to active quays, so containers can pass through the MRDIS on the way to another vessel in the port.

After the prototypes proved their worth, NNSA ordered 12 MRDIS, which Stihel termed a “tremendous” investment in the idea. Two years later, the first production unit of the second-generation MRDIS was complete.

Engineers then created a detailed set of requirements for subsequent models, allowing the project to move forward quickly.

The work was done in partnership with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Cincinnati firm DRS Technologies.

Not like driving a tractor trailer

To date, eight MRDIS units have been deployed worldwide. The first set of four went to Panama in November 2012. The four in Oman arrived last summer and completed final acceptance testing in late March.

Stihel said that driving MRDIS “feels strange because it’s so big, and because the operator sits sideways, facing the trucks going through the center. The MRDIS is big enough for a truck carrying shipping containers to pass through, so it’s not like driving just a tractor trailer truck.”

Rodney Wilson, who directs Sandia’s Nonproliferation and Cooperative Threat Reduction Center, observed field testing and drove the MRDIS during a visit to Oman in late March.

“It is not as intuitive as you think. Imagine being in the back seat of your car, on the passenger side, facing in, and trying to drive the car using joy sticks to turn and go forward and back, all while staring at a computer screen. Oh, and you are also 15 feet off the ground,” Wilson said.

Use at ‘pinch points’

Stihel said that each MRDIS can work independently or as part of a team, depending on the port’s needs. Each MRDIS can also feed data into a central system or collect data on its own. The ports in Oman and Panama are using three MRDIS units as primary scanners, with a fourth MRDIS that has more sophisticated detection equipment serving as a secondary scanner.

MRDIS will begin scanning cargo at two international airports by next year, and MRDIS-like platforms could be used at any location with “pinch points” through which traffic passes.

The work was funded by NNSA’s International Material Protection & Cooperation Office under SLD, which installs radiation detection equipment at land border crossings, airports, seaports and international checkpoints worldwide.

Nearly 90 percent of imported and exported goods travel the globe in shipping containers. Roughly 500 million containers travel the sea each year.

Featured

  • Freedom of Choice

    In today's security landscape, we are witnessing a fundamental transformation in how organizations manage digital evidence. Law enforcement agencies, campus security teams, and large facility operators face increasingly complex challenges with expanding video data, tightening budget constraints and inflexible systems that limit innovation. Read Now

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • Midtown Manhattan Shooting Kills 4, Including NYPD Officer

    Four people were killed, including a NYPD officer, in a midtown Manhattan shooting on Monday. That’s according to CNN. Read Now

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.