Need for an Integrated Approach for Land Mine Detection Research "easyMine"

Abstract

We're scientists at the German Aerospace Center (comparable to NASA in U.S.A.), and we're working there since 20 years. Two years ago we were confronted with landmine detection research during our work in the form of a presentation and discussiions with colleagues. We were surprised about the absence of new technologies in the real work of demnining and we started to look deeper into the problem. It wasn't understandable to us that it should be possible to find water deep in Mars million of kilometres away, but that there is no solution for the landmine problem on Earth. The physical principies are the same. We talked to scientists, engineers and deminers in the field. Our investigations resulted in the project "easyMine" which we try to set up together with colleagues and deminers. We also learned in our investigations, that the technological part of the landmine problem is highly connected to the socio-economic part, which also has to be taken into account in research. So we want to contribute to the solution of the landmine problem by using an integrated and systematic approach and to provide the knowledge and the support to the people who really need it. We would like to use the opportunity to explain to you the problem of landmine detection research and the conclusions for solution from our point of view. We'd like to introduce to you the project "easyMine" (rEAlistic and SYstematic landMINE detection and application) for landmine detection.