Ultraviolet Raman Explosives Detection System

To address the Army’s need for a portable and fast surface contaminant detection device, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to further advance the development of the new Ultraviolet Raman Explosives Detection (UVRED) system based on a novel combination of deep-UV imaging spectroscopy into a compact design suitable for remote operation. The hyperspectral imaging techniques adapted for Raman imaging enable the UVRED system to quickly detect explosives residue on a 4‑cm^2 area at a distance of >1 m. This system offers scan times of <30 s, making it suitable for near-real-time detection of trace chemical signatures in the field. Benefits of the hyperspectral imaging ensure that UVRED devices will reliably detect sample particles at low areal densities while the custom-developed sample classification algorithms accurately determine the specific analyte of interest and generate an alert for a remote operator. Advancing the design successfully demonstrated in Phase II, in this Sequential Phase II project, Intellisense will further enhance and upgrade the UVRED system to achieve a Portable UV Raman Imaging Spectrometer meeting topic requirements (scan speed, scan area, stand-off, analyte concentration) that is suitable for use in an on-the-move configuration. The Sequential Phase II will prepare UVRED for transition to the Army for integration with the Army’s Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) Sensor Suite Unit (SSU) program.