Toshiba Develops Portable Gamma Camera for Visualizing Radiation Hot Spots

Reprinted by courtesy of TOSHIBA CORPORATION
(C)Copyright TOSHIBA CORPORATION 2012

Toshiba Corp., an electrical equipment manufacturer headquartered in Japan, announced on December 13, 2011, that it has developed a portable gamma camera that uses range of colors in to display gamma radiation levels.

Using a signal processor, the camera overlaps measurements of gamma rays taken with a radiation sensor with visual images taken with a video camera to make radiation visible. Red is used to indicate high levels of radiation. As radiation decreases, the color changes to yellow, green, and then blue. This system allows invisible radiation to be identified through color.

Radiation emitted within a given geographical area is not uniform but varies by location. So-called 'hot spots,' where radiation levels are high, previously took considerable time to identify using a radiation-measuring device. Toshiba's new device uses a visible color spectrum to indicate different radiation levels, and it can also measure a wide area of radiation in a short time, which makes it easier to identify hot spots. This capability makes for not only efficient decontamination work but also confirmation of decreased radiation levels through photos taken after decontamination. Its small size and light weight, at 9.8 kilograms, also makes the camera easy to carry, permitting use in various places whether indoors or outdoors.

In January, Toshiba conducted verification tests the device with Fukushima City. Thereafter, the company will start activities to pitch it to central and local governments.

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Posted: 2012/03/27 06:00:15 AM