R&D 100 winner of the day: TRIPWIRE

Nuclear energy is poised to reduce the world’s carbon footprint. TRIPWIRE from Idaho National Laboratory’s approach to managing and mitigating radiological risk is vital to building public trust in nuclear energy as a sustainable, low-carbon power source for a clean energy future. The radiation-monitoring system enables the safe, secure, and cost-effective long-term storage of nuclear material — any material that emits gamma radiation. It uses ruggedized scintillating fibers, the size of a pencil lead, to provide continuous, real-time monitoring of radiation levels over large areas at a fraction of the cost of conventional solutions. TRIPWIRE’s advanced methods leverage low-cost and readily available optical fibers to significantly reduce personnel exposure to potentially dangerous radiation and maintenance costs of long-term nuclear storage facilities. TRIPWIRE also has applications beyond repositories, including monitoring the natural background radiation along oil and gas pipelines, monitoring radiation at ports of entry for national security, and perimeter awareness for emergency response.