US Army mine detectors to 'see' buried bombs

The US Army is developing a new technology that visually alerts soldiers to hidden IEDs in the ground rather than just providing them with an audible notification while using mine detector equipment.

Known as real-time spatial location tracking, the technology can display sensor images of buried bombs on either a tablet or head-up display attached to a handheld detector.  When a soldier sweeps with the device, a coloured representation of the area showing up metallic objects appears on the screen.

With the device's position location capabilities, information about where a soldier has swept and what was found there can be passed on in real-time to observers in other locations. The current handheld minesweeping technology requires users to mark potential threats with sticks or other markers.

The system also monitors how a soldier swings the mine detector, to ensure they are not fatigued in such a way that it may cause them to miss a hidden object.

As the device tracks sweeping patterns, it could also serve as a training tool for soldiers who are taught to sweep at certain speeds and distances with metal detectors. Mine detection UGVs could also be equipped with the technology to capture and send back imagery to soldiers in a nearby vehicle