Technology originally developed
by Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists for explosives
and narcotics detection has been produced by industry and is
now being purchased by the U.S. Navy for the protection of U.S.
forces overseas.
The technology is based on nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR).
Dr. Allen Garroway and his colleagues in NRL's Chemistry Division
pioneered the practical use of NQR for explosives and narcotics
detection. These scientists developed and patented specialized
NQR, magnetic resonance techniques similar to magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) used in hospitals. Unlike MRI, no magnets are required.
In NQR, a radio frequency pulse "interrogates" the
specimen. The return signal, at a frequency somewhat above the
conventional AM radio band, indicates the presence of explosives
or narcotics.
This technology was exclusively licensed to Quantum Magnetics,
Inc. San Diego, CA in 1993. Using this NRL-licensed technology,
Quantum Magnetics demonstrated an NQR explosive detection system
at the United Kingdom airports of Manchester and London-Heathrow
and at airports in Los Angeles, CA, and Atlanta, GA .
The scanner is highly sensitive in its ability to screen postal
packages, briefcases, and other small baggage for the presence
of explosives and illegal drugs. In laboratory settings, NQR
was found to improve the selectivity, sensitivity and spatial
localization over conventional detection systems, allowing small
quantities of explosives and narcotics to be detected against
a background of more benign materials.
Recently, the U.S. Navy purchased
an NQR inspection system for examining mail at U.S. Navy facilities
overseas. The Navy will deploy the system at an international
location and will evaluate its performance as it scans mail for
explosives.
In recognition for his work, Dr. Garroway was presented the 1996
Federal Laboratory Consortium's "Excellence in Technology
Transfer Award." In 1995, NRL and Quantum Magnetics, Inc.
were named recipients of an "R&D 100 Award" from
R&D Magazine for the NQR package scanner. The award, which
the Chicago Tribune has called "the Oscars of Inventions,"
recognizes the 100 most technologically significant new products
of the year.
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is the Navy's full-spectrum corporate laboratory, conducting a broadly based multidisciplinary program of scientific research and advanced technological development. The Laboratory, with a total complement of nearly 2,500 personnel, is located in southwest Washington, D.C., with other major sites at the Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Monterey, Calif. NRL has served the Navy and the nation for over 85 years and continues to meet the complex technological challenges of today's world. For more information, visit the NRL homepage or join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
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