A Call for Outlines: A Better Way of Detection for Humanitarian Demining

Closing date: 16:00 on 25 March 2013
Issue Date: 08 Jan 2013
Call Status: Current
Category: Invitation for proposals
Related theme: Engineering

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Find A Better Way (FABW) have partnered to fund one or more research projects focused on new ways of detecting landmines. EPSRC and FABW are launching a Call for Outlines for those wishing to submit Full Proposals for projects ranging from one to four years in duration, to address research challenges in the area of landmine detection.

It is expected that many academic disciplines will have research ideas to contribute to this call. In the order of £1 million is available, with that funding being made available directly from FABW.
Background

Find A Better Way is a charity founded by Sir Bobby Charlton to improve the lives of individuals and communities affected by landmines. Uniquely the charity aims to develop technology to accelerate the detection and safe removal of landmines globally.

According to the United Nations, it has been estimated that there are more than 110 million landmines scattered in 70 countries and that it would take more than 1100 years and cost more than $33 billion to clear them using the current technologies.

This Call seeks Outlines that will lead to high quality research proposals which draw upon expertise across all disciplines and which will lead to the development - within a seven-year timescale - of new technologies able to make the process of detecting and locating landmines for humanitarian clearance faster, cheaper and safer.

Our intention is for this Call to elicit proposals which could develop new technologies and/or stimulate interest from investigators who can contribute novel expertise and vision to these challenges. To support this intention, FABW have currently committed in the order of £1 million for this call and hope to review this figure upwards subject to the response.

EPSRC's contribution to this call is to offer advice and contacts using its understanding of relevant parts of the UK's research portfolio, and to ensure the research supported is of the highest quality via the peer review process, described below. As all funding for the successful projects comes from FABW, grants will be awarded under FABW terms and conditions rather than EPSRC's.

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