Explosives detectionValley Forge, Livermore agree on explosive detection patents

Last Thursday Valley Forge Composite Technologies, Inc. announced that it had just reached an agreement with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for several key technological advances in hidden explosive detection.

The two organizations executed an exclusive license for multiple patents for their work under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) project.

The goal of the project was to develop, miniaturize, and automate the accelerator-detector complex for high efficiency detection of hidden explosives. In addition, they sought to develop software to run the explosives detection system and acquire and process data. Work was also done to evaluate the signatures produced by the explosives detection system and evaluate its ability to detect explosives in checked baggage.

Working in conjunction with Russia’s Lebedev Physical Research Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Department of Energy, Valley Forge has developed a gamma-based baggage and container screening system that it has dubbed THOR-LVX.

In a press release, Valley Forge stated that its technology can help enhance U.S. border and transportation security by quickly and accurately detecting a variety of contraband substances ranging from explosives to narcotics and nuclear materials for maritime and air cargo as well as border control.

The company anticipates that the Transportation Security Agency will be the primary purchaser of its new explosives detection technology and that it will first be deployed at U.S. airports and then internationally. Future deployments will likely be at ports for container screening followed by overnight shipping companies.

Valley Forge is based in Covington, Kentucky and specializes in the development of explosives detection technology and screening equipment.