Early Warning for the Unexpected – A New System for CBRN Threat Monitoring
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 3:40 PM to 4:00 PM · 20 min. (America/Chicago)
Room 305
Oral
Environment & Energy
Information
This work presents the development and evaluation of a modular, multipurpose sensor system designed for the detection, identification, and monitoring of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. The system integrates heterogeneous sensor technologies into a unified platform, allowing for enhanced operational capabilities and increased situational awareness for first responders and decision-makers in urban environments.
The ability to detect and monitor CBRN hazards is a critical component of civil protection and public safety, especially in the context of evolving security threats, industrial incidents, and climate-induced risks. Current systems often rely on single-technology detectors or exhibit high false alarm rates, delayed responses or limited integration across multiple systems or organisations.
Within the EU-funded research project CHIMERA (Grant Agreement No. 101121342), a system is being designed to address all CBRN domains through modular and flexible sensor nodes. Chemical threats are detected using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and flame photometric detectors (FPD). Radiological and nuclear hazards are covered via Geiger-Müller counters and high-resolution spectrometers for dose rate measurement. Biological agents are monitored using biosensors based on laser-induced fluorescence. All components are connected to a microcomputer-based architecture that supports local signal processing and real-time data fusion.
Compared to existing standalone devices, the CHIMERA system offers increased flexibility, improved detection confidence, faster situational awareness, and better cross-agency integration.
While the system is still under development, initial results indicate significant potential to strengthen the resilience to CBRN incidents through a scalable, user-oriented monitoring solution. Current progress and selected examples from all four threat domains will be presented to demonstrate system performance and practical relevance.
The ability to detect and monitor CBRN hazards is a critical component of civil protection and public safety, especially in the context of evolving security threats, industrial incidents, and climate-induced risks. Current systems often rely on single-technology detectors or exhibit high false alarm rates, delayed responses or limited integration across multiple systems or organisations.
Within the EU-funded research project CHIMERA (Grant Agreement No. 101121342), a system is being designed to address all CBRN domains through modular and flexible sensor nodes. Chemical threats are detected using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and flame photometric detectors (FPD). Radiological and nuclear hazards are covered via Geiger-Müller counters and high-resolution spectrometers for dose rate measurement. Biological agents are monitored using biosensors based on laser-induced fluorescence. All components are connected to a microcomputer-based architecture that supports local signal processing and real-time data fusion.
Compared to existing standalone devices, the CHIMERA system offers increased flexibility, improved detection confidence, faster situational awareness, and better cross-agency integration.
While the system is still under development, initial results indicate significant potential to strengthen the resilience to CBRN incidents through a scalable, user-oriented monitoring solution. Current progress and selected examples from all four threat domains will be presented to demonstrate system performance and practical relevance.
Day of Week
Tuesday
Session or Presentation
Presentation
Session Number
OR-12-04
Application
Forensics/Homeland Security
Methodology
Data Analysis
Primary Focus
Methodology
Morning or Afternoon
Afternoon
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