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A Robotically-Deployed, High-Performance, Radiation Imaging Device for Characterization of Difficult-to-Access Locations--Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc., 44 Hunt Street, Watertown, MA  02472-4699; 617-926-1167

Dr. Mitchell Woodring, Principal Investigator

Dr. Gerald Entine, Business Official

DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-00ER83087

Amount:  $100,000

 

The DOE has great difficulty making accurate measurements of radionuclide contamination and distribution in areas and sites where decontamination and decommissioning is occurring.  Increasing measurement accuracy, increasing measurement speed, reducing worker exposure, enabling measurement enabling measurements previously not possible, reducing costs for D&D work, and freeing up uncontaminated equipment are addressed though the proposed system.  RMD proposes to carry out the research necessary to develop a robot-based radiation mapping device for employment into difficult-to-access areas found at the DOE sites carrying out decontamination and decommissioning activities.  Through Phase I and Phase II work, we will develop a spectroscope imager suitable for use in identifying and locating radioactive waste and radiation contaminated material.  The proposed detector will be based upon exciting recent developments in radiation imager technology at RMD and the research proposed here.  The broader goals of Phase I research will be identification of the system requirements, system role identification and the development of the radiation-imaging-system portion of the system.  The core of Phase I work will be centered around the development of a specialized radiation detector/sensor head for use on a robotic platform and in the hostile environments expected at DOE remediation sites.

 

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:  The proposed device could be adapted for many applications, since a robotically-based instrument to image radioactive sources could be used any place where such sources are used on a routine base.  This includes nuclear research facilities, hospitals and clinics, nuclear power generation plants, nuclear fuel production facilities, industrial testing sites, airports, border crossings, and military facilities.