Forensics

Who is Behind the Wall?

At a time when military forces are preparing for an era of urban warfare, a new technology could fulfil an important capability gap for armed forces. Iceni Labs has been developing a new handheld ultra-wide-band radar designed to help troops detect the movement, position, and breathing rates of people behind walls and doors.

As a non-contact vital signs monitoring device, SafeScan introduces a robust, reliable and safe, breathing movement and heart rate monitoring through a variety of barriers, for use in multiple sectors. A medical version of the system is currently undergoing clinical trials at the UK Royal Papworth Hospital to provide further validation of its ability to accurately detect respiration rate changes. The first medical device will be launched in 2019, according to the company website.

The company announced earlier this month that it had secured a $324,672 contract with the UK Ministry of Defense for a SafeScan pilot project.

Commercial director Alexander Giles told janes.com about the company’s plans to test the radar system in the UK, as well as the company’s efforts to roll out the technology in Canada, France, and the US. He said this was an opportunity to further develop the technology in partnership with potential end users to ensure it delivers exactly what they need.