Lockheed Martin engineers eye hand-held mine detector

Scientists at the Lockheed Martin Infrared Imaging Systems division in Lexington, Mass., are designing a high-resolution acoustical imaging system called SonoCam that has the potential to distinguish mines from mine-like objects at sea even in the murkiest waters. SonoCam will be a small battery-operated hand-held unit with an acoustical lens that can produce real-time 3D images. Not only does the device have military applications such as mine hunting at sea, but it also may lend itself to medical imaging, Lockheed Martin officials say. SonoCam, which company officials say produces a better image than most of today`s medical ultrasound systems, operates much like other imaging cameras. It uses reflected energy from an object to create pictures. But SonoCam uses sound waves instead of light as the energy source. — J.K.