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| Saturday, 5 July 2003 |
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by Panduka Senanayake Rats and pigs and Sri Lankan technology that went into develop the Red Weevil detection system (which freed the Sri Lankan coconut trees from the Weevil) may help in developing a safe and cost-effective method to detect and remove landmines in third world countries. At a presentation yesterday at the UNDP Mine Action Programme, Thrishantha Nanayakkara, a Senior Lecturer at the Moratuwa University explained how the Industrial Automation Research Centre of the University aimed to harness the Olfactory system of rats and pigs to design and implement a cost-effective robotic platform for landmine detection and removal. Nanayakkara, who returned to the island recently from the Johns Hopkins University, USA was confident of success following recent visits to Jaffna where he had gained first-hand knowledge about mine clearing operations engaged in by the Sri Lanka Army and NGOs comprising RONCO, TRO and HALO. He and his fellow researchers aim to improve the signal pattern used by metal detectors and isolate the signal segment coming from explosive devices in order to separate the mines from other metal objects. Rats and pigs who have a highly advanced Olfactory system would be trained to identify and pinpoint the explosive devices with the aid of a mobile robotic platform which would then send a signal to a remote station manned by a human who would be able to take the action necessary with regard to the explosive device. |
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