Measuring ionizing radiation with a mobile device

Matthias Michelsburg; Thomas Fehrenbach; Fernando Puente León

doi:10.1117/12.908757

9 February 2012 Measuring ionizing radiation with a mobile device

Matthias Michelsburg, Thomas Fehrenbach, Fernando Puente León

Proceedings Volume 8304, Multimedia on Mobile Devices 2012; and Multimedia Content Access: Algorithms and Systems VI; 83040A (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.908757
Event: IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging, 2012, Burlingame, California, United States

Abstract

In cases of nuclear disasters it is desirable to know one's personal exposure to radioactivity and the related health risk. Usually, Geiger-Mueller tubes are used to assess the situation. Equipping everyone with such a device in a short period of time is very expensive. We propose a method to detect ionizing radiation using the integrated camera of a mobile consumer device, e.g., a cell phone. In emergency cases, millions of existing mobile devices could then be used to monitor the exposure of its owners. In combination with internet access and GPS, measured data can be collected by a central server to get an overview of the situation. During a measurement, the CMOS sensor of a mobile device is shielded from surrounding light by an attachment in front of the lens or an internal shutter. The high-energy radiation produces free electrons on the sensor chip resulting in an image signal. By image analysis by means of the mobile device, signal components due to incident ionizing radiation are separated from the sensor noise. With radioactive sources present significant increases in detected pixels can be seen. Furthermore, the cell phone application can make a preliminary estimate on the collected dose of an individual and the associated health risks.

Citation Download Citation

Matthias Michelsburg, Thomas Fehrenbach, and Fernando Puente León "Measuring ionizing radiation with a mobile device", Proc. SPIE 8304, Multimedia on Mobile Devices 2012; and Multimedia Content Access: Algorithms and Systems VI, 83040A (9 February 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.908757

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