Instrumented Prodder : Preliminary Results of the Technology Demonstrator Evaluation

A prodder for mine detection has been enhanced with sensors and electronics in order to provide the operator with information on the force exerted during the prodding operation and on the type of material that is in contact with the tip of the prodder. The performance of a technology demonstrator version of this Instrumented Prodder is tested under laboratory conditions, as a start of a product development path. For these tests seven different types of objects (inert PMN mines and minelike objects from stone, PVC, wood and metal) were buried in test lanes with six soil types with different hardness and moisture content. The Instrumented Prodder was inserted into the soil in such a way that it was possible to adjust the exerted force. From the test results it is concluded that material identification of buried objects by an instrumented prodder is feasible. The low reliability of the material identification feature of the technologt demonstrator as found in the tests is likely due to incorrect measurement of the contact force between the prodder's tip and the buried object.