The proposed SBIR research (Phase I and II) is devoted to developing a laser-based acousto-ultrasonic system for inspection of sealed containers. The system represents a promising technology for improving safety management in anti-terrorism and treaty compliance operations. The system will use a pulsed laser to excite the container and a laser Doppler vibrometer for long stand-off vibratory (ultrasonic) signal detection. The detected signals will then be sent through an attached expert system, where the wave pattern will be recognized based on criteria established through both experimental data collection and numerical simulation. The inspection system may be used by explosive ordinance disposal teams or security personnel, such as TSA officers at traffic control points, to identify the contents of sealed containers as dangerous or hazardous without having to open the vessel or use a radioactive source like a Polarized Inelastic Neutron Scattering (PINS) device. The system also has a field-upgradable reference library to treat and remember the new materials encountered. The Phase I effort will concentrate on the feasibility study, which is divided into six tasks: specimen preparation, instrumentation development, finite element simulation, interrogation data collection and criteria development, feasibility demonstration, and report and Phase II proposal.
Keywords: Laser Vibrometer, Acoustic Response, Pattern Recognition, Artificial Intelligence, Sealed Container, Hazardous Materials, Explosives, Field-Upgradable
