West Lafayette (IN) – Move over Jack Bauer, here comes something better.  Researchers at the University of Purdue have transformed the everyday cell phone into a radiation detector capable of finding “dirty” bombs and suitcase nukes.  Professors Ephraim Fischbach and Jere Jenkins say the extra circuitry won’t add too much bulk and hope a nationwide network of millions of phones will eventually be deployed.

Fischbach and Jenkins have implanted solid-state radiation detectors into test phones.  These phones can then upload results to a central network where computers can pinpoint unwanted radiation sources.  For example, someone walking with a suitcase-sized nuclear device will set off detector phones as he travels.  From there, authorities could correlate GPS data from the phones to determine the approximate location, direction of travel and the magnitude of the threat.

According to Fischbach, the sensors are very sensitive and can detect extremely weak radiation sources from 15 feet away.  This was demonstrated back in November when researchers played a nice game of hide and seek the “nuke” around campus.  Fischbach adds that it would be unfeasible for terrorists to completely shield a device against detection because the resulting package would simply weigh too much.

Fischbach says the system could be tuned to ignore radioactive signals coming from common sources like hospitals and certain foods (bananas contain a radioactive isotope of potassium).

So far the University of Purdue has patented the technology and are looking to commercialize the system in the near future.

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