MRead provides confirmatory explosive and drug detection technology that moves beyond traditional metal-detector anomaly screening to identify specific threat molecules. Its handheld magnetic resonance sensors help mine-clearance teams, border security forces, and military units distinguish real hazards from clutter, accelerating land release while improving operator safety. The technology has been successfully tested detecting No.8 and R2M2 landmines in an Angolan minefield.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Traditional mine clearance and security screening rely on anomaly detectors that flag all metal objects, producing high false-positive rates and forcing operators to investigate harmless clutter. This slows land release, creates delays at checkpoints, and leaves forces vulnerable when low-metal or no-metal threats go undetected.
Solution
MRead provides confirmatory explosive and drug detection technology using magnetic resonance (MR) sensing to verify the presence of specific threat molecules rather than merely detecting anomalies. Their portable handheld sensors complement existing metal detectors, letting operators confirm whether a flagged item contains explosive material before committing to a full investigation. The technology delivers laboratory-grade accuracy in open-field environments, enabling deminers to bypass non-threat clutter, border agents to screen without false-alarm delays, and military forces to maintain operational tempo while verifying concealed threats.
Target Audience
Primary customers are humanitarian mine-clearance organizations, border security agencies, critical infrastructure protection teams, and military units requiring reliable confirmatory threat identification in complex field environments.
Features
- Handheld, portable MR sensor capable of detecting explosive molecules such as RDX in field conditions
- Open-geometry antenna design that functions effectively in radio-frequency noisy environments
- Confirmatory detection of both explosives and drugs, moving beyond metal-based anomaly screening
- Successfully demonstrated detecting No.8 and R2M2 landmines in an Angolan minefield
- Technology originally developed by CSIRO over a 15-year R&D program spanning mineral analysis and security applications