iPhone App For the Revolution: Land Mine Locator

**Phillip Swanson** · 05-09-2011, 10:13 PM

I'm not sure this in the App Store or Cydia yet, but Harvard researchers are developing smartphone applications to assist in the detecting of landmines.

In 2008 nearly 5,000 people died because of landmines despite 500,000 landmines being properly removed. To help curb these statistics Harvard researchers are developing the pattern enhancement tool for assisting land mine sensing or PETALS. Land mine detection technology hasn't changed much in the last 50 years. It still involves a metal detector and manually disabling the mine. Technicians essentailly wait till the detector beeps because something metal is underneath and then attempt to determine if it is in fact a mine. The main problem with this technique, there is a ton of metal %^&* in the ground to give false detections.

Harvard researchers aim to solve this problem with PETALS. The application receives data from the metal detector and creates a visualization of the spatial pattern below. This reduces judgement calls and guessing for technicians and mine locating novices alike. Ideally the application makes landmine locating much more efficient and safe. Then again thats like saying we've developed technology to make bull-riding more efficient and safe. There is always going to be a level of inherent danger.

Source: PETALS

**mmaboi21** · 05-09-2011, 10:21 PM

5000 people!?! That's a lot for mines..

Not sure how this will play out but we shall see

**Mrteacup** · 05-09-2011, 10:33 PM

Hmmm don't know if I need this in Utah

**piston597** · 05-09-2011, 10:35 PM

That's completely idiotic! Why would I bring my iPhone to a landmine?! It might get hurt!

**Kewlk1d** · 05-09-2011, 10:51 PM

It seems like they would make an individual device for this instead making an app, I doubt many people bring iPhones to minefields

**tjb5099** · 05-09-2011, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by piston597

That's completely idiotic! Why would I bring my iPhone to a landmine?! It might get hurt!

Quoted for truth

~Tim

**lucas70374** · 05-09-2011, 11:59 PM

I with above don't want my iPhone to get hurt

**Wesss** · 05-10-2011, 12:12 AM

Sooner or later the iPhone is going to be able to give impressive blowjobs.

**cowburnator** · 05-10-2011, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by Wesss

Sooner or later the iPhone is going to be able to give impressive blowjobs.

Can't wait!!!

**DeathDude** · 05-10-2011, 12:37 AM

I really could use this!
Landmines are a constant pest of my daily life.

**GellBrake'rrrr** · 05-10-2011, 12:39 AM

Oh, how technology presses on...... Sometimes for the best, and sometimes for "whatever seems interesting".....

**bigliquid530** · 05-10-2011, 02:39 AM

I dont think I would trust a phone to help detect a land mine

**Jahooba** · 05-10-2011, 05:03 AM

This app is probably going to cost an arm and a leg

**luketinsley** · 05-10-2011, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by bigliquid530

I dont think I would trust a phone to help detect a land mine

It's not detecting the mine, all it's doing is turning what the metal detector sees into an image on your phone to help the user determine if it's a mine. Genius if you ask me

**coolguy742** · 05-10-2011, 06:18 AM

That's awesome! Too bad there are no land mines in Oklahoma lol.

Sent from my iPod touch using ModMyi

**coolguy742** · 05-10-2011, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by Jahooba

This app is probably going to cost an arm and a leg

XP

Sent from my iPod touch using ModMyi

**andypropaganda** · 05-10-2011, 07:53 AM

Okay, so how about this... Why the F$@& are they not just using robots yet? Hey, here's an app that makes it safer. We could make it 100% safe, but that might cost money and your life is dispensable, sorry. Seriously, when the hell are we going to start making sense. We make robots to replace workers in a factory because it's more efficient, but not to remove landlines and save lives. Why don't we just hand the world over to the machines and start drinking the kool-aid? People are definitely their own downfall.

**alexevo** · 05-10-2011, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by luketinsley

It's not detecting the mine, all it's doing is turning what the metal detector sees into an image on your phone to help the user determine if it's a mine. Genius if you ask me

haha thanks for clarifying that. the first thing I thought was "hmm...detecting an explosive device with a device that emits/receives RF signals...I don't know if that's a good idea."

**Giorgio79** · 05-10-2011, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by piston597

That's completely idiotic! Why would I bring my iPhone to a landmine?! It might get hurt!

Hahaha

**Cdaniels0** · 05-10-2011, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by DeathDude

I really could use this!
Landmines are a constant pest of my daily life.

Lol

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