Humanitarian demining: Difficulties, needs and the prospect of technology

Humanitarian demining is a critical first step for reconstruction of post-conflict countries and it requires that the entire land area to be free of mines and hence it is necessary to locates and removes reliably and safely every single mine, and UXO from targeted ground. The problem associated with humanitarian demining is characterized by an enormous variability in the nature of explosive ordnance to be removed, climate diversity, and in the type of terrain and vegetation. Current demining is a dangerous, time consuming, and costly process. To increase mine clearance daily performance by improving productivity and accuracy, and to increase safety of demining operations and personnel, there is a need for an efficient, reliable and cost effective humanitarian mine action equipment with flexible and modular mechanisms with adaptable mobility and equipped with some level of decision making capabilities. Technologies to be developed should take into account the facts that many of the demining operators will have had minimal formal education and that the countries where the equipment is to be used have poor technological infrastructure for equipment maintenance, operation, and deployment. In addition, it is necessary to overcome the constrain on the resources by developing innovative, cost effective and practical technology inspired by locality and real minefield needs to help in speeding up the demining process and enhance accuracy, productivity, operation and personnel safety, achieve a higher quality of the service, and contribute to local economy.