GeigerCounter.com Posts

 

The “Nano” kit for the general public is about to launch.  The bGeigie, an abbreviation for  Bento Geiger Counter, was named in Japan.   The original was about the size of a Bento Lunch Box.  The first box had an Inspector Alert by IMI-International Medcom in it, and it was strapped to the side of a car and driven into Fukushima Prefecture after the meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi.  The data collected by that and subsequent expeditions were shared with the world on maps developed by nonprofit Safecast.  Safecast developed some open source electronics,added an Arduino board to collect data, a GPS receiver, a data logger with micro SD card, a Medcom iRover board for high voltage and signal processing, and they miniaturized it.

I have designed and built my own instruments for many years, and contributed to the design of 2 geiger counter kits that were pretty cool.  I have to say that Safecast has done a brilliant job on this instrument.  In my opinion it’s not only the coolest Geiger Counter kit ever, but perhaps one of the coolest DIY kits ever. What it will do:

• Display radiation data on an OLED display in uSv/hr or CPM
• Display and log time and position from onboard GPS receiver
• Combine radiation data with time/date/gps to create a detailed log
• Interface to an iPhone app developed by Safecast to share data

You can also share collected data on Safecast Maps using a user friendly API.  That data can then be viewed by you, your community and the world.   This makes you an official “Safecaster” and you will be part of a global movement to create and share “open” data.  Since the whole project is open source, you can also contribute your own ideas or modify the code to get it to do things in different ways.

When you buy this kit, a portion of the proceeds will go to nonprofit Safecast to help them build their global sensor network.  It is being offered at an amazing low introductory price.  Support materials will be available on a website.  Phone support cannot be offered at the low introductory price of $450, so the kit builder is responsible for troubleshooting the device if there are any assembly problems.

If you are an experienced kit builder you should have no problems.  If you are new to electronics you will need to learn to solder and read basic instructions.  You may want a teacher or mentor to help you.  As part of classroom  activities with appropriate learning materials (not provided with kit) you can learn a lot about basic science, physics, electronics, software, statistics, and computer science.

The kit features a highly sensitive 2 inch Pancake Geiger Mueller detector, which will detect alpha, beta and gamma and x-radiation.

Purchaser must be at least 18 years of age.  Caution is advised in assembly and handling as there is a 500 volt high voltage assembly within the instrument.

To preorder the bGeigie Nano Kit, fill out this form or contact IMI – International Medcom.

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What is a bGeigie Nano you might ask?   It is a Geiger Counter and more.   It is the smaller and younger sibling, so to speak, of the original bGeigie developed by Safecast to respond to the Fukushima Daiichi meltdowns, and the lack of radiation data during the event.  The original bGeigie was about the size of a Japanese bento box, and and was given the name as an abbreviation of “Bento Sized Geiger Counter” by Safecast Japan Director Pieter Franken.   Pieter and his talented international team went on to develop the concept and technology.  It is one powerful component of a radiation mapping system that was created for the Fukushima situation, and adapted to become a global project.   The bGeigie Nano is just now becoming available to the public as a do-it-yourself kit.   It includes a GPS receiver, micro SD card, data logger, Arduino microcontroller, OLED display, and Pancake Geiger Mueller detetor with mica window.  This powerful combination of features in one water proof package will allow you to characterize your neighborhood, home and work environment, and publish it to maps that others can view.  The Nano must be removed from the waterproof case to take advantage of the Pancake detectorʻs alpha and beta radiation sensitivity.

When I first strapped the instrument to the side of my car I remembered Pieter driving North from Tokyo into Fukushima during the incident when there was no data available on the ground there.   As the maps he and other Safecast volunteers created got published, we began to get the first pictures of what happened, where the plume went.  Eventually data was released by Japan and US governments that collaborated the data Safecast collected.   Now governments, universities,  businesses, entrepreneurs are looking at Safecast as a case study on how things can be deployed rapidly when people work together using the powerful tools we have in the internet, open source hardware and software innovations, and lean start-up principals.

People who purchase, build and deploy the powerful bGeigie Nano kit will get to:

1. Be part of a large international open source project for sharing radiation and other environmental data.
2. Learn about the power and practical benefits of open source, open data, rapid deployment technologies
3. Contribute to our collective knowledge base about radiation on Planet Earth
4. Learn some physics and electronics
5. Support Safecast (a portion of kit sales proceeds will benefit the organization)
6. Help keep your community safe

Hereʻs data I collected recently in the San Francisco Bay Area:

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It was as easy as strapping the bGeigie Nano to the side of my car, turning it on and driving.

For information on getting your own bGeigie Nano kit, contact International Medcom, http://www.medcom.com

More information coming soon!

 

 

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