Automated Sequential Search for Weak Radiation Sources

We demonstrate the principle of a bidirectional interaction between the perception model that describes the environment, and the sensor data collection that shapes the model, through the first automated scheme for sequential nuclear search. The objective is to detect and localize a weak radioactive point source, with consideration to the time spent for the search. Numerical simulations verify that desired false positive and false negative rates can be achieved using the control algorithm developed for deployment on prototype system. The simulation results are also consistent with previous theoretical, discrete simulation of the sequential search strategy that our continuous search control algorithm is based on