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Meeting Purpose
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The detection and neutralization of unexploded ordnance (UXO) has been
of major concern for very many decades; at least since the First World
War. UXO continues to be the subject of intensive research in many
fields of science, including mathematics, signal processing (mainly radar
and sonar) and chemistry. While today's headlines emphasize the mayhem
resulting from the placement of improvised explosive devices (IEDs),
humanitarian landmine clearing continues to draw significant global
attention as well. In many countries of the world, landmines threaten the
population and hinder reconstruction and fast, efficient utilization of
large areas of the mined land in the aftermath of military conflicts.
Current estimates state that there are about 100 million unexploded mines
in more than 60 countries, and that roughly 30 thousand people per year,
a large percentage of whom are innocent civilians, are killed or maimed
globally. Moreover, the injury rate among those searching for and
attempting to disarm mines, even outside war zones, is as high as one
casualty per one hundred mines.
The combination of basic ideas in mathematics, radar, sonar, and chemistry
with ongoing improvements in hardware and computation, as well as very new
advances in multisensor data fusion, offers the promise of more
sophisticated and accurate UXO detection and identification capabilities
than currently exist. Coupled with the dramatic rise in the need for
surveillance in innumerable aspects of our daily lives, brought about by
hostile acts deemed unimaginable only a few short years ago, the time is
ripe for scientists in these usually diverse fields to join together in a
concerted effort to combat both the new brands of terrorism and the
long-standing existence of UXOs throughout the world. We envisage this ASI
as one important step. |
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To encompass the diverse nature of the subject and the varied backgrounds
of the anticipated participants, the ASI will involve two broadly defined
but interrelated areas:
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I. Mathematical, computer science, chemical and signal processing
technologies for automatic detection and identification;
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II. Robotic and other methods for safe neutralization and removal of
UXOs.
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A deep understanding of these topics, and of their interdependency, is
clearly crucial to meet the challenges resulting from both the widespread
existence of UXOs and the increasing sophistication of those who wish to do
us harm. The list of fully committed principal speakers includes many of
the world's leading experts in these areas.
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The ASI will bring together world leaders from academia, Government and
industry, with extensive multidisciplinary backgrounds evidenced by their
research and participation in numerous workshops and conferences. This
will create an interactive forum for initiating new and intensifying
existing efforts aimed at furthering the required interdisciplinary
approach to the automatic identification and mitigation of UXOs.
The forum will provide opportunities for young scientists and engineers
to learn more about these problem areas, and the vital role played by new
mathematical and scientific insights, from the recognized experts in this
crucial and growing area of both pure and applied science. An ancillary
benefit will be the advancement of detection and identification
capabilities for natural threats such as disease, natural disasters, and
environmental change.
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The directors will ensure that the talks are designed to address an
audience consisting of a broad spectrum of scientists, engineers,
and mathematicians involved in these fields. Participants will have
the opportunity to interact with those individuals who have been on
the forefront of the ongoing intense work in UXO detection and
mitigation, to learn firsthand the details and subtleties of this
important and exciting area, and to hear these experts discuss in
accessible terms their contributions and ideas for future research.
Furthermore, the team-authored textbook to be written by the lecturers
will offer these insights to those unable to attend.
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