Mine Clearance in Vietnam James Harland School of Computer Science & IT RMIT University [email protected] 12 th November, 2010.

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

James Harland

School of Computer Science & IT

RMIT University

[email protected]

12th November, 2010

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam 12th November, 2010

Where is this building?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Why?

12th November, 2010

42,000 people killed by landmines in the past 35 years

In one district, 300 children killed and 58 blinded or lost limbs

65-70 million landmines worldwide

RMIT is the first and so far only `foreign’ university in Vietnam

Robots are getting better all the time …

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Why?

12th November, 2010

Which person would you rather be?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

iRobot

12th November, 2010

Domestic robots

Military robots

CTO is Rodney Brooks

Australian office (in Sydney)

“Send us a proposal”

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

GSW (via Elaine Saunders & Sarah

Dods)

12th November, 2010

Consulting campany based in Germany

‘Swords to ploughshare’ brief (ie convert military technologies to civilian uses)

Looking for projects in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam

Looking for a research partner

Two main projects: Bushfire control Landmine clearance

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

GSW Mine detection

12th November, 2010

Bacterium developed to detect mines

After release, finds mines and glows

Developed for desert environments

Mines can’t be too deeply buried

Will require modification to work in humid climates like Vietnam

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

GSW Mine clearance

12th November, 2010

Laser used to burn hole in the side of the mine

Pressure is released, and mine burns without exploding

Developed for desert environments

Mines can’t be too deeply buried

Unclear how well this will work in Vietnamese jungle with long-buried mines

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Lots of other ideas & players

12th November, 2010

Serge Demidenko, Professor and Head of Centre of Technology at RMIT Vietnam

Serge Stinckwich, of IRD in Hanoi

BOMICEN, Vietnamese government demining centre

James Trevelyan, of UWA in Perth

Norbert Burman from DSTO Adelaide

Various non-profit groups

US Vietnam Veterans

…

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Plan of action

12th November, 2010

1. Map minefields

2. Detect Mines

3. Clear Mines

4. Export process

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Map minefields

12th November, 2010

US Veterans did a detailed survey in July, 2009

Transform this into an electronic map

Incorporate old maps and stories from locals

Terrain?

Shows what RMIT can do

Will act as an `organising tool’ for the later parts

iPhone app available for users to get local information

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Detect mines

12th November, 2010

GSW bacterium requires research

Dervish robot?

Other robots

Radar?

UAVs?

Effect of 35-40 years since mines were laid

What kinds of mines were laid?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Clear mines

12th November, 2010

GSW laser requires research

Dervish robot?

Other robots

Training in new technologies for clearance teams

Field trials and interactions with other organisations

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

Export process

12th November, 2010

Lots more mines in Laos and Cambodia, and …

RMIT Vietnam could become a regional centre for mine clearance technologies

Train clearance teams in up-to-date technologies

Maintenance base for robots?

Research base for robots and other technologies?

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

First steps

12th November, 2010

Obtain report from US Vietnam Veterans about the location of minefields

Investigate appropriate technology for electronic version of this information

Establish contact with BOMICEN

Discuss minefields of Vietnam with Norbert Burman, from DSTO Adelaide

Research which groups are active in mine clearance in Vietnam (Peace Trees Vietnam, Vietnam Veterans' Mine Clearing Team, Mines Advisory Group, …)

Investigate potential links with University of Edinburgh

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

The `Edinburgh Connection’ …

12th November, 2010

James Harland: PhD from University of Edinburgh

Don Sannella: PhD and Professor at University of Edinburgh (James’s supervisor)

Programmed the Dervish mine clearance robot

Stephen Salter: Professor at University of Edinburgh

Developed the Dervish mine clearance robot

Alistair Elfick: Research at University of EdinburghDeveloped the bacterium used by GSW

Mine Clearance in Vietnam

More Information

12th November, 2010

Overview: http://goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au/~jah/mines.html

More details: http://goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au/~jah/Mines(login required; email me for the login name and password)