SBIR Phase I: Use of In-situ Shallow Subsurface Spectroscopy for the Detection of Clandestine Human Burials

SBIR 第一阶段：使用原位浅层地下光谱检测秘密人类埋葬物

• 批准号: 1953818
• 负责人: David Perry
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: S4 MOBILE LABORATORIES LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-02-01 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1953818&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Use; situ; Shallow

The broader impact of this SBIR Phase I project is to improve success rates for law enforcement, military, and other agencies searching for clandestine human burials. There are currently 18,000 missing civilians in the United States that authorities assume are buried in clandestine graves. There are also 81,900 fallen U.S. soldiers overseas in unknown graves. Despite considerable efforts, the current recovery rate of these searches is 3% annually. The innovation proposed in this project will significantly improve success rates and allow larger searches to be conducted more efficiently and at a lower cost. The technology uses a spectroscopic probe that is pushed into the ground to detect the presence of human remains with 99% accuracy even after the body has been buried for decades. It improves on the current use of cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar. This project will create U.S. jobs not only in the field unit manufacturing, but in service sectors associated with forensic work. This project strongly aligns with forensic agency mission statements (i.e., Department of POW/MIA Accounting Agency) and supports the SBIR mission and program goals. The societal impact will be greatest for the families of victims who wait daily for news about their loved ones. This SBIR Phase I project will allow location of clandestine human burials by detecting the presence of human body decomposition products (fatty acids) in situ in the soil. Detection is done in real time by using a mobile robotic survey unit employing a near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic probe system. The spectral peaks characteristic of the adipocere formed during human cadaver decomposition are distinct and can be discriminated from the background soil chemistry. Sophisticated software algorithms are used to analyze the chemical composition of the soil under a wide range of soil types, weather conditions, and other environmental factors. Data are constantly accumulated in a specialized knowledge base capable of handling spatial recognition, calibration of sensors, and the analysis of spectra employing machine-learning protocols. The goal of the SBIR Phase I is to engineer the original prototype to the specific needs of forensic case-work. This involves miniaturizing and customizing the spectroscopic probe system, the on-board spectrometers and computer, and improving the data analysis software. The deliverable is a completed set of blueprints for a second-generation prototype to be used in forensic field tests.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

SBIR 第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是提高执法、军事和其他机构寻找秘密人类墓葬的成功率。 目前美国有 18,000 名失踪平民，当局推测这些平民被埋在秘密坟墓中。 海外还有81,900名阵亡美国士兵，埋葬在不知名的坟墓中。 尽管付出了巨大的努力，目前这些搜索的恢复率为每年 3%。 该项目提出的创新将显着提高成功率，并允许更有效、以更低的成本进行更大规模的搜索。该技术使用被推入地下的光谱探头来检测人体遗骸的存在，即使在尸体被埋了几十年之后，准确率仍高达 99%。 它改进了目前使用的寻尸犬和探地雷达。 该项目不仅将为美国现场单位制造创造就业机会，而且还将为与法医工作相关的服务部门创造就业机会。 该项目与法证机构的使命宣言（即 POW/MIA 会计机构部门）高度一致，并支持 SBIR 使命和计划目标。 对于每天等待亲人消息的受害者家属来说，社会影响最大。 SBIR 第一阶段项目将通过检测土壤中是否存在人体分解产物（脂肪酸）来确定秘密人类埋葬地点。 通过使用采用近红外 (NIR) 光谱探头系统的移动机器人测量装置实时完成检测。人类尸体分解过程中形成的脂肪蜡的光谱峰特征是明显的，可以与背景土壤化学成分区分开来。复杂的软件算法用于分析各种土壤类型、天气条件和其他环境因素下土壤的化学成分。 数据不断积累在专门的知识库中，该知识库能够处理空间识别、传感器校准以及采用机器学习协议的光谱分析。 SBIR 第一阶段的目标是根据法医案件工作的特定需求设计原始原型。这涉及光谱探头系统、机载光谱仪和计算机的小型化和定制，以及数据分析软件的改进。该交付成果是用于法医现场测试的第二代原型的完整蓝图。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。