Shipping Container Remote Sensing

Each year, more than sixteen million shipping containers arrive in the US via truck, rail, or container ships. Current inspection regimes rely on cumbersome and expensive procedures such as manual inspection and/or x-ray, gamma ray, and radiation detection technology to determine the risk posed by each container. Rarely can more than a small percentage of the total number of containers arriving at US ports of entry, be adequately inspected. However, any un-inspected container can pose a significant risk to national security. Therefore, the end purpose of this project and the justification for funding is to design and prove the technical viability of a network of miniature distributed wireless chemical and explosive sensors capable of detecting threat agents in shipping containers and vulnerable and difficult to secure locations. Avaak’s proposed end system (Phase III) consists of autonomous, low cost, and integrated miniature color video sensors (platforms) equipped with highly sensitive porous silicon sensors, wireless communications capabilities, and software that processes and communicates alarm conditions to a remote hub or control center.