More than 100 years ago, scientists invented the mobile camera to take pictures anywhere. More than 30 years ago, engineering scientists invented the cell phone to make phone calls at any location. Now it is time to invent Mobile Material Detector to determine MAteRIaliEn of any surface as well as inside an object at any place.

All of these inventions are based on technological advances that make it possible to move from electronic components to integrated circuits to a complete system. Compared to bulky and static material detectors available today, a Mobile Material Detector enables numerous new applications: to locate autonomous fire sources and unconscious people in smoky, burning buildings (see Figure 19), to reliably detect cables and objects inside walls, or, more generally, to systematically generate material maps to find and classify objects in any environment, for example. MARIE's chosen lower measurement frequency of 250 GHz corresponds to the current state of research for compact mobile transmitters and receivers; the targeted upper measurement frequency is 4 THz in order to be able to identify a variety of materials based on their specific absorption lines.

More information: SFB / TRR 196 MARIE

Contact: Andreas Stöhr