ExDtect identifies traces of explosives to protect against terror attacks

A laser device designed to detect even tiny traces of explosive material could soon be used to protect crowded spaces such as airport terminals, sports stadiums and concert halls from terrorist attack.

The device, developed by researchers at Loughborough University, can scan large numbers of people as they enter a building, for example, to spot anyone who has been in contact with explosives.

The ExDtect system, developed by Prof John Tyrer of the university’s Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, uses a set of pulsed ultraviolet lasers to remotely scan people, luggage, cargo or vehicles for traces of a wide range of explosives.

As the ultraviolet lasers illuminate a target, they are designed to specifically excite any explosive materials present, causing them to glow, said Tyrer. “The explosives glow in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, so we have detectors that are designed to work in a region where our eyes don’t,” he said.