Microwave imaging excavator

MIcrowave Imaging eXcavator (MIIX) is based on transmitting and receiving antennas mounted within a cylindrical auger, a stepped frequency CW transmitter/receiver, and an artificial neural network (ANN) imaging processor, all controlled by a small computer. A mobile version of this experimental system, could play a major role in the identification, excavation and removal of buried land mines. Stepped frequency CW microwave signals reflected from objects within the view of the transmit and receive antennas are used as inputs to the ANN. This paper briefly describes the design of broad RF bandwidth cylindrical waveguide antennas that are mounted in the opposite spades of a dual spaded auger, the training patterns used for ANN land mine imaging and experimental images of buried objects.