We will conduct a study to explore current diagnostic imaging technologies, a search for novel technologies, or combinations of known technologies in innovative and novel packaging that can potentially meet the sophisticated diagnostic imaging needs of the bomb technician. We will analyze novel and futuristic potential techniques to provide decision making via a ranking of the impact and effectiveness of the candidates for providing a technical solution to the current strategic and technological dilemma. Each potential technology will be examined for the difficulties anticipated in order to fully develop each approach; and an estimate will be made of technological and cost-effectiveness for each, in order that a decision can be made whether or not to pursue any of the technologies into a prototype phase - -as the long-term goal is to provide possible working alternative solutions to the problem of imaging an IED in one pass. We believe we have an innovative and novel solution for IED analysis. We propose to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a laser-based, phased-array ultrasound technology to image the contents of IEDs, combined with Lased-induced Breakdown spectroscopy to characterize the surface of the IED and any trace chemical components left on that surface
