The world was hit by scores of suicide bombers during last year, and this number is set to increase in the following years as militancy and extremism are fueled by more interventionist wars in the Middle East. Most of the security apparatus here and abroad have focused on the use of sophisticated metal detectors and a beefed up personnel presence. But, many bombers have started targeting crowds instead of security and military installations and we cannot apply this crude tactic on the pubic. A new startup named R3 Technologies has developed a device that he claims can detect and neutralize a suicide bomber from a distance. It can detect explosives and shrapnels that are extensively used in the making of suicide vests around the world.
Enter CBD-100, a portable security device of the size of a cereal box that can help detect a probable suicide bomber from about 9 feet. It is mounted on a tripod and weighs almost 6 Kg, so it is easy enough to transport from one place to another. The heart of its detection is a spread spectrum, stepped continuous wave radar that bounces its waves off incoming people from all directions. It then analyzes the signals to find out the kind of metal the person is wearing. The CBD-100 can accurately pick up nails, ceramic, ball bearings and other kinds of anti-personnel shrapnels that suicide bombers now use.
If a person isn’t carrying anything dangerous, the wave returns with the same polarity as it was transmitted according to Robby Roberson of R3 Technologies. His company made this handy device in collaboration with scientists at Sandia and Los Alamos laboratories. Any threat will supposedly alter the signal incident on the person and come back showing the kind of goods he is carrying. The company has expanded its capability to include non-metallic explosives and hardware as well. In its current configuration, it can do a lot good for protecting diplomatic enclosures, border crossings, and military compounds, but due to its lightweight nature, it can be deployed to save the public lives at various events.
The range is still a concern for Roberson and his team. The team is working to increase it and also deliberating on how to check people while they are moving through the beam field. A range of 100 hundred meters is the target right now, and it will make it very effective for areas that are suffering from these kinds of attacks. It has already garnered interest from countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Kuwait and Singapore. A hefty 50,000 $ price will also need to be reconsidered by the company to make a sizable number of sales.