Integration of Inertial Measurement Data for Improved Localization and Tracking of Radiation Sources

The work proposed will develop and implement commercially viable gradient detection methods and algorithms for localizing radiation sources using a single non‐directional detector. Exploitation of gradients introduced by source‐to‐detector distance – through natural or deliberate motion – and those introduced by body‐shielding will allow for enhanced localization and tracking of sources in a pedestrian‐based search scenario. Appropriate available technologies for position determination (COTS MEMs‐based IMUs) will be selected and integrated into pre‐production spectroscopic radiation detection platforms. Algorithms to extract relative positioning from IMU data will be developed and implemented, and existing advanced Bayesian inference algorithms will be updated to utilize relative position data. The goal of the Phase II program is to provide fully integrated and tested pre‐production radiation detectors with the improved search capability for further evaluation and CONOPs development. These pre‐production devices will demonstrate the commercial viability of the enhanced search algorithms within a networked system of commercial radiation detectors.