Radar imaging technology that can ‘see’ through walls has won the 2011 DSTO Eureka Prize.
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel Warren Snowdon presented the $10,000 prize to Professor Salim Bouzerdoum from the University of Wollongong at the Australian Museum Eureka Prize awards function in Sydney last week.
Supported by the Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DSTO ), the Eureka Prize recognises outstanding science in support of Defence or national security. The proposed imaging system has significant potential to benefit Defence as well as law enforcement, security and counter-terrorism agencies.
Another breakthrough is the system’s ability to focus on the target or action behind the wall by reducing surface reflections and removing background clutter (such as furniture or stationery objects) from the received signal.
Given further development, the technology will result in a low-cost, portable system to provide high-resolution 3-D imaging in real time.
This work has the potential to play a vital role in protecting Australia from terrorism and crime while assisting authorities in times of national disasters.