(Nasdaq: VSEC)
The Life Assessment Detector System (LADS), a microwave Doppler movement measuring device, can detect human body surface motion, including heartbeat and respiration, at ranges up to 135 feet (41.15 meters). The primary function of the LADS is to provide a reliable method by which medical and emergency personnel can locate personnel buried in building collapses or injured on the military battlefield. LADS can detect such signs of life as movement, heartbeat, or respiration.
Originally designed to detect heartbeat and respiration of military personnel wearing chemical-biological warfare protective overgarments, the LADS has been restructured, greatly increasing its operational range and providing a means for eliminating "nuisance alarms" which could mimic human life signs, such as fans, wind drafts, or swaying trees. This is accomplished through neural network technology, which "trains" the system to recognize human motion and heartbeat/respiration functions. If these functions are not detected, the reasonable assumption is that there are no survivors. Operating under such an assumption, the rescue team can now proceed without fear of further loss of life; i.e., rescue and medical personnel and equipment can be deployed more effectively and efficiently.
The LADS consists of a sensor module, a neural network module, and a control/monitor module. The sensor module is an x-band (10 GHz) microwave transceiver with a nominal output power of 15 milliwatts, operating in the continuous wave (CW) mode. The neural network module device can store many complex patterns such as visual waveforms and speech templates, and can easily compare input patterns to previously "trained" or stored patterns. The control/monitor module provides the LADS' instrument controls, such as on-off switches, circuit breakers, and battery condition, as well as motion, heartbeat waveform, pulse strength, and pulse rate displays.
LADS provides life assessment capabilities for people who are: