Red Lotus Technologies is in the process of putting the finishing touches on a landmine sensing device that uses a smartphone to determine what is under the ground. The technology is called PETALS (Pattern Enhancement Tool for Assisting Landmine Sensing). The device pairs an acoustic sensor with a smartphone and uses the phone’s processor to determine what is lying under the soil and display it on the phone’s screen. If everything works out, it could cut equipment cost, as it cuts two fairly expensive components (the display and the processor) out of the build. At present, Red Lotus Technologies is in the process of pitching their tool. The company plans to field-test the equipment in with the Landmine Relief Fund in Cambodia — if things go smoothly then they could be on the market as early as next year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=m8sfjDa7HCQ
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Smartphone-powered mine detectors readied for field-testing in Cambodia [Engadget.com]
