Getting Rid of Land Mines from Cape Cod

• John & Gail Bangert
• Paul & Carolyn Hebert
  

http://ballsnobombs.blogspot.com

Instead of taking the rats to the minefield, REST brings the scent from the mines to the rats. Rats trained to detect the explosives on field samples, can help to reduce the minefields to its actual boundaries.
Demining organizations are spending most of their effort in searching for mines where there are actually none. The REST technology is an effective tool which helps to determine which areas are free of explosives, thereby opening up major parts of the suspected minefields. The REST technology is currently in use for road clearance. A sampling team, walking in the safe lanes provided by Casspir vehicles, takes samples of every 100 meter road stretch. Their backpack pumps draw the air and dust from above the road surface through a filter, which is designed to collect the explosives emanating from the mines and UXO. Trained rats systematically evaluate these filters in a laboratory setting, and will indicate the occurrence of explosive traces on the filters. A positive indication results in a highly suspected road stretch, which is earmarked by the demining company for thorough follow up. Due to the high potential for increased efficiency and relative cost savings, APOPO puts a lot of emphasis on the optimization and documentation of this technology. Every day, about 30 rats evaluate filters coming from APOPO’s experimental REST fields. The analysis of these results shows major influences of climatic conditions, sampling procedures and filter type. A careful selection of the right circumstances combined with appropriate procedures will optimize the accuracy of the technique. Combined with other technologies, the REST technology can provide fast opening of roads in post war countries for the delivery of emergency relief.