ROBOTIC SYSTEMS for DEPLOYING SENSORS to DETECT CONTRABAND in CARGO

We find all known contraband detection sensors and instruments to be in some important way imperfect. However, we find that some instruments that use penetrating radiation backscattering for bulk solids detection are viable in the hands of an expert operator/inspector. With this perspective we present a scenario for a staged program to expand and enhance existing detection capability: (1) deploying existing penetrating radiation backscattering instruments via robotic machines; (2) optimizing instrument sensitivities for deployment by robotic machines; (3) augmenting the penetrating radiation backscattering approaches with complementary sensing technologies; (4) providing a pictureand graphics-oriented human interface; (5) providing database and statistical tools to assist decision making. To illustrate concretely how this system concept might be implemented we describe the suction-cup-footed, eddy-currentand vision-sensor-carrying robot we are building and evaluating for attacking the problem of inspecting passenger aircraft for pressurization-depressurization induced radial cracks around rivets and corrosion induced delamination of lap joints.