Freight News, Road, Sea

Fewer Nuisance Alarms at Ports Thanks to Symetrica’s Latest Technology

[ November 3, 2015   //   Gary G Burrows ]

Symetrica has unveiled a new radiation detection and identification technique that will reduce the incidence of nuisance alarms from radiation portal monitors (RPMs) used to screen vehicles and cargo at ports and borders. The patented solution, which was announced at the World Customs Organization Technology & Innovation Forum in Rotterdam, significantly improves the ability of the large-volume PVT (polyvinyl-toluene) detectors deployed in RPMs to discriminate between threat sources and naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM).

Symetrica’s approach to improving the performance of PVT-based portal systems combines an optimized detector design with advanced spectroscopic analysis algorithms. By allowing portal-scale detectors to reliably classify containerized NORM and better detect the presence of threat sources – both in isolation and in the presence of NORM – the solution can reduce the number of nuisance alarms and subsequent referrals to secondary screening facilities.

To enhance the PVT detection technology Symetrica has developed a unique spectroscopic-PVT detector with a continuously operational proprietary stabilization and health monitoring system that is unaffected by rapid background changes or sources transiting the portal.

Advanced spectroscopic analysis comprises de-convolution-based spectrum processing techniques that enhance effective resolution by reconstructing the most likely incident spectrum and isotope identification algorithms tuned to use these ‘enhanced’ spectra. While similar techniques have been successfully used by Symetrica in Homeland Security applications with crystal scintillators they have never before been applied to large-volume PVT detectors for RPMs.

Effectiveness of the Symetrica solution has been demonstrated in a number of field tests, including an installation at the Port of Antwerp where deployment of a primary screening PVT RPM reduced nuisance alarms by 84%.

Tags: Symetrica