3D Radioactive Scanning System (3D-RSS)

Radiation detection provides a crucial component of societally-important applications such as homeland security and nuclear decommissioning. Of the different classes of ionising radiation, gamma radiation is usually the most important as it is the most penetrating. The demands of gamma ray detection in security and decommissioning applications follow three steps: quantify the dose of radiation at the point of measurement, identify the origin of the radiation i.e. which isotope(s) are responsible and locate the source in the surrounding space.

The latter is usually the most challenging, especially as it may be highly time consuming and labour intensive, or is unsuitable because the dose is too high for a human operator to be able to work in that space.

In this project, planar gamma-ray detectors developed by the nuclear physics group at the University of York will be integrated into a modular system arising from the involvement of the Department of Electronic Engineering at York in the InFuse project to develop modular robotics for space applications. Once these systems are integrated, a powerful system will exist for locating radioactive sources in the field.

The project will provide two demonstrations: one with three planar detector heads rotating on tripods positioned around a room. These detectors can be used to localise the position of a radioactive source(s) within the room. In a second demonstration, the planar detector modules will be integrated into a robot which can move around a space to locate radioactive sources.

The demonstrations will be videoed and a range of publicity materials will be developed. These will be used by an STFC-funded Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation to engage with relevant industrial partners and to attract interest to further development of the project outcomes by advertising at relevant trade fairs.