Portable Underwater Imager for the Inspection of Limpet Mines and IEDs

In phase I of the SBIR program LEEOAT Company will develop, fabricate and demonstrate a handheld underwater real-time imaging system for the identification and mapping of the internal components located under the skin of limpet mines and IEDs, in order to allow awareness of the threats and safe neutralization. The handheld underwater imager will allow nonintrusive detailed imaging of the internal components and wiring of these ad-hoc assembled mines, to support their safe neutralization. LEEOAT Company will reduce the innovation to practice by demonstrating detailed imaging of the internal components of"inert"limpet mines. The portable imager could also be installed on an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), to allow remote inspection. LEEOAT Company will simulate the device, and demonstrate its benefit for underwater nonintrusive inspection of limpet mines and IEDs. Finally, we will estimate the cost/effort for the fabrication and testing of a fieldable prototype to be executed in phase II of the SBIR program.