Researchers have developed an inexpensive and portable device which is smaller than a golf ball and can detect radiation, its type and intensity, and whether or not it poses a health risk.
Nuclear engineers at Oregon State University developed the device in part due to public demand following the nuclear incident in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011, when many regional residents were unsure what level of radiation they were being exposed to and whether their homes, food, environment and drinking water were safe.
Devices that could provide that type of information were costly and not readily available to the general public, and experts realised there was a demand for improved systems that could provide convenient, accurate information at a low cost.
The new system, called 'MiniSpec', should eventually be available for less than USD 150, researchers said.
"With a device such as this, people will be better able to understand and examine the environment in which they live," said Abi Farsoni, an associate professor of nuclear engineering in the OSU College of Engineering.
"Radiation is a natural part of our lives that many people don't understand, but in some cases there's also a need to measure it accurately in case something could be a health concern. This technology will accomplish both those goals," Farsoni said.
The system is a miniaturised gamma ray spectrometer, which means it can measure not only the intensity of radiation but also identify the type of radionuclide that is creating it.
Such a system is far more sophisticated than old-fashioned "Geiger counters" that provide only minimal information about the presence and level of radioactivity.
"The incident at Fukushima made us realise that many people wanted, but were not able to afford, a simple technology to tell them if their environment, food or water was safe," Farsoni said.
"This portable system, smaller than a golf ball, can do that, and it will also have wireless connectivity so it could be used remotely, or connected to the Internet," Farsoni said.
Various models may be developed for different needs, researchers said, one of which might be the ability to measure radon gas and check homes with possible concerns for that type of radiation exposure, which can sometimes come from soils, rocks, concrete walls or foundations.
