Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/C520351/1
Title:	Dynamic 3D imaging for X-ray security screening: Crime feasibility study
Principal Investigator:	Evans, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	3D X-Ray Ltd Department of Homeland Security Police Scientific Development Branch
Department:	Computing & Mathematics
Organisation:	Nottingham Trent University
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	04 July 2005	Ends:	03 September 2006	Value (£):	60,731
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Image & Vision Computing
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
During the 1970's and 1980's the main threat posed to the travelling public using airlines was that of hijacking. The X-ray screening of carry-on luggage was generally perceived as addressing this problem. However, in December 1988 the bombing of Pan American flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, along with other previous bombings, radically changed this situation. Since September 2001, the increasing frequency of terrorist attacks across the world has highlighted the need for fully optimised screening techniques. The screening of hold baggage and carry-on baggage is critical for the provision safe air travel.Poor quality X-ray images pose serious problems for the security operators manning X-ray scanners at places such as airports. The operators search for the weapons of terrorism such as guns, knives or explosive devices in images containing the clutter of everyday items. It is a demanding and stressful job involving a complex visual task. Operators examine 200-300 passenger bags in a 20 minute shift. This means they only have a few seconds to make a decision. The job is particularly difficult because items appear as shadows in standard X-ray transmission images with no cues to their true position in depth. The same item will appear very different if its orientation is changed. Threat items can even be packed in ways to make them more difficult to spot.A team of researchers at the Nottingham Trent University is investigating a new approach to provide the X-ray machine operators with enhanced ways of interrogating complex X-ray imagery. In collaboration with scientists based at the Home Office Science and Technology Group at Sandridge near St Albans and the US Department of Homeland Security, the team are developing a 3D X-ray scanner that will provide video type image sequences of rotating objects in the display. The sequences are designed to exhibit kinetic depth in which contours and lines change their length and direction simultaneously. The resultant imagery provides the observer with hitherto unseen information concerning the actual contents of the objects being inspected through a powerful and compelling sensation of three-dimensional structure. The object is imaged from a large range of angles making it almost impossible to fool the system. In fact, visual psychologists originally investigated kinetic depth in the early 1950's to study the human visual system; now it looks set to be applied in the world of aviation security screening.Innovative engineering utilises a single stationary X-ray source together with a static arrangement of sensors to capture the raw image data. The luggage is moved on a conveyor belt through a normal X-ray machine inspection tunnel. However, the key to developing a practical 3D scanner now relies upon the research and development of advanced video processing techniques to reduce the total number of X-ray sensors required. This requires that the colour encoded images which indicate the type of material the X-ray beam has penetrated on its way to the sensor are carefully processed and ultimately combined with synthetic images created in software. If this can be achieved a new 3D scanner technology can be commercially realised. More futuristically, the implications for the success of this approach are far reaching in that the technique may well have the potential to improve the high energy X-ray screening of freight and/or vehicles as well as medical and industrial applications utilising other transmission imaging modalities. There is wide spread agreement among researchers in the security field that the biggest breakthroughs in improving security will depend on improving ways of processing data quickly and accurately and presenting it so that it can be easily interpreted.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.ntu.ac.uk