Virtual Source Training Toolkit

Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop a Virtual Source Training Toolkit that will reduce the cost of training personnel to detect and localize a radiological source. The toolkit will be able to simulate the response of a handheld radiation detector to a virtual source using a COTS smart device and Bluetooth beacon network. The toolkit will include easy-to-use interfaces to guide the training supervisor in instrumenting the exercise area and reviewing source detection and localization results to demonstrate best practices. Localization of the virtual detector is performed using a data fusion algorithm to fuse beacon range estimates and smart phone IMU and magnetometer measurements. A radiation propagation algorithm is used to simulate the absorption and scattering of radiation through building materials between the virtual source and detector. The smart device can be configured to emulate a specific radiation detector model including detector response function, emulated embedded analysis algorithms, and emulated user interface displays. When actual radiation detectors are available, the toolkit will be able to receive spectra over a Bluetooth connection using an open architecture for the purpose of injecting the virtual source into real background measurements. PSI will work with the subcontractor, FLIR Systems Inc., and other handheld radiation detector vendors to license the toolkit technology for use in product training programs.