According to the report, current levels of funding are insufficient. In 2002, the United States invested only $2.7 million for research and development on hand-held detectors for humanitarian de-mining.
Landmines claimed between 150 and 300 victims per month in Afghanistan during 2000, half of them children. Earlier this year a U.S. soldier was injured clearing landmines in Afghanistan, one of the world's most heavily mined countries.
Landmines claimed between 150 and 300 victims per month in Afghanistan during 2000, half of them children. Earlier this year a U.S. soldier was injured clearing landmines in Afghanistan, one of the world's most heavily mined countries.
"There is a desperate need for better landmine detection equipment," said Jacqueline MacDonald, a RAND engineer and co-author of the report. "Technology is available to create better tools to remove landmines, but nothing will be developed unless there is investment in a well-organized, focused research program."
Researchers said today's landmine detection equipment is primitive, relying on technology that results in a high number of false alarms. Detectors used today operate via a technology that is unable to discriminate landmines from other metallic materials—by far the greatest limitation of the process.
Researchers said today's landmine detection equipment is primitive, relying on technology that results in a high number of false alarms. Detectors used today operate via a technology that is unable to discriminate landmines from other metallic materials—by far the greatest limitation of the process.
For example, during humanitarian de-mining efforts in Cambodia from 1992 to 1998, only 90,000 of the 200 million items detected were anti-personnel mines or explosives.
After a time-consuming vegetation clearing process, buried metal items are detected by moving handheld mine detectors in a sweeping motion, followed by a lengthy and dangerous manual excavation. The arduous nature of de-mining creates worker fatigue that frequently results in human error. Missed mines are the second leading cause of worker injury among de-mining personnel in the field, accounting for more than one-quarter of accidents.
After a time-consuming vegetation clearing process, buried metal items are detected by moving handheld mine detectors in a sweeping motion, followed by a lengthy and dangerous manual excavation. The arduous nature of de-mining creates worker fatigue that frequently results in human error. Missed mines are the second leading cause of worker injury among de-mining personnel in the field, accounting for more than one-quarter of accidents.