A new Israeli technology that can “see through walls” at long-range is slated to be unveiled for the first time at a military expo in Paris next week.
Camero-Tech, part of the SK Group, is an Israeli firm that specializes in pulse-based UWB (ultra-wideband) “through-wall-imaging” solutions.
Its latest invention is Xaver™ LR40 (XLR40), a portable system that can detect live objects hidden behind walls from over 50 meters (roughly 164 feet) away. The XLR40, which the company says is lightweight, can accurately pinpoint the presence and number of objects moving behind walls in real-time.
“The uniqueness of the XLR40 is the fact that we can now do it from a much longer range than before, [longer] than any other existing system in the world,” Ilan Abramovich, VP of business development, sales and marketing at Camero-Tech, told The Media Line.
The technology is particularly helpful in standoff situations or covert operations where a tactical team needs to remain at a safe distance from a target. It is also relevant for search-and-rescue operations.
Camero-Tech will be presenting its new system at Milipol in Paris, a biennial homeland security and safety expo that will be taking place October 19-22.
The XLR40 is part of a family of new portable imaging systems recently commercialized by Camero-Tech. Another system being sold – the XLR80 – is larger and even more powerful than the XLR40 and can detect living objects from over 100 meters (328 feet) away.
“All of our radars are based on radio signals in the ultra-wideband range,” Abramovich said. “This means that we are sending continuous pulses and each one is in a wide band of frequencies. In this sense, we can actually penetrate through multiple material walls.”
The goal is to provide ground forces in hostile environments with an operational advantage. In fact, the system is so sensitive that it can even detect the minutest of movements, such as breathing.
Like other UWB imaging systems, the only material the technology cannot see through is solid metal.
“It’s known that any radio signal cannot go through solid metal; this is a physical phenomenon known as a Faraday cage,” he explained. “On the other hand, if you have reinforced concrete where you have rebar, metal net or mesh – we can even penetrate through the small holes in between the metal wires.”
More than 1,000 exhibitors from 55 countries will be participating in Milipol, including Israeli defense firms Elbit Systems and Rafael. The event generally draws over 30,000 attendees from around the world.
“We are proud to introduce the XLR40 system for the first time, which joins our family of long-range systems,” Amir Beeri, CEO of Camero, said in a statement that was shared with The Media Line. “There are many potential uses for XLR systems: they can, for instance, be placed inside a designated vehicle that can quickly move from place to place; hidden behind a camouflage net during covert missions; or placed in apartments or rooftops near a target location.”