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News Release from: Royal Holloway
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 25 July 2003
Psychologist develops 3D X-ray security
scanning
A new spinoff company created by a Royal Holloway psychologist is set to revolutionise X-ray security scanning.
A new spinoff company created by a Royal Holloway psychologist is set to revolutionise X-ray security scanning, a field of technology that moved centre-stage after the events of 11th September 2001 HolViz is using cutting-edge vision processing techniques to develop neuromorphic principles of X-ray scanning in 3D, a giant leap forward from flat transmission images produced by conventional X-ray scanners
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 28 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The novel technology for X-ray security scanning is based on principles of neuronal information processing, and will generate 3D representations, using motion parallax to reconstruct depth.
Potentially, it will allow the operator to move the virtual camera inside containers, to rotate objects and take different viewpoints and to isolate objects for closer inspection.
The new technology is believed to have enormous social benefits, especially with huge demand in global air travel and the rising fear of terrorism.
The technology has great potential in areas such as small-scale baggage scanning, airport security, public space security, mailrooms, low-cost forensic inspection and large-scale freight scanning.
HolViz, formed by Johannes Zanker, Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, at Royal Holloway, University of London initially won funding from the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) to carry out a feasibility study of this new technology, and now receives further support from the Park seed fund to develop the business side of this project.
The combined funding from NESTA and Park will enable HolViz to develop the technology to a stage where it will be ready for prototyping.
NESTA awarded HolViz GBP 60,000 for its feasibility study, a sum to which the PARK seed fund added GBP 15,000 to enable an application to the DTI Smart scheme.
Prof Zanker said: "The funding from NESTA and Park is critical in the bid to get this new technology to market, enabling us to push at doors for the further investment we need".
Prof Zanker aims to have the new device ready for manufacture by 2006.
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