MINDS would be used to scan moving vehicles, luggage, cargo vessels, and the like for specific nuclear signatures associated with materials employed in radiological weapons. The system could be employed at workplace entrances, post offices, tollbooths, airports, and commercial shipping ports, as well as in police cruisers, to detect the transportation of unauthorized nuclear materials.

"We are very pleased that technology we have developed through our fusion research at PPPL can also make an important contribution to Homeland Security. This is a very good example of the kind of cooperation that can be most effective for the nation," said PPPL Director Rob Goldston.

A team of PPPL researchers led by Charles Gentile designed a prototype system and InSitech, through the licensing agreement signed March 28, has certain rights to the commercial development, manufacture, use, and sale of the product.

InSitech is a not-for-profit organization working for the U.S. Army to bring government-developed technology to market. InSitech's Chief Executive Officer Timothy N. Teen said, "We enjoy our relationship with the Princeton-PPPL team and are proud of our involvement with MINDS."

While InSitech proceeds with commercialization of the product, PPPL will continue to develop the library for MINDS, collecting data for radionuclides. The MINDS system is configured to employ a lap-top computer and can also be used with other types of processors for the storage of radionuclide databases.

For further information, contact:

Anthony R. DeMeo
Head, Information Services
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
ademeo@pppl.gov