The food pyramid we studied during school time is not the same anymore. With pesticides and soil pollution, the food be it vegetables or meat, is highly contaminated now. The increasing number of nuclear power plants around the world may ensure safety for the wired boundaries but for the people living within these limits, these are deadly hazards. The power plants also dispose the contaminated water in ocean and rivers which is then used to grow plants and vegetables.
So, what you do when you don’t even know that if whatever you are eating or feeding to your young ones is edible or not. Well, in such case, you have two choices. Either you turn blind to it or try Radium.
Radium is the state-of-the-art Geiger counter (dosimeter) that sheds the bulky image of tech equipment. It is affordable and easy to use. Very unlike the black boxes that have been used as radioactive devices till now in nuclear reactors and submarines, it just fits in your hand. The device operates itself as a standalone device and can connect over Bluetooth. It is developer-friendly and if you are one, you can find out several ways to use it better. The team offers free apps for Android, iOS and Windows and can record wirelessly. It also supports features like SMS / e-mail notifications, data export and geotagging.
The best part is that the creators have claimed that the device can be optimized for drone, robots and third-party hardware. It utilizes advanced pancake tube that can detect radiation consisting Alpha, Gamma and Beta rays. The interchangeable caps on the tube protect the device from the direct radiation. The tube also does a timed count and is capable to detect the radioactive levels over the time.
The target segment for Radium can be home makers who want to ensure that nothing detrimental goes into the mouth of their family. Not just this, nowadays when recycled materials have become the trend, you never know if the recycled plastic lunchbox, you are packing your kids’ lunch in, is safe for them or not. It is to be noted that detection radioactivity in food has been a controversial topic but the creators have claimed that the pancake tube used in Radium can effectively use a timed count for food products too.
Moreover, the research facilities, which cannot afford the over-the-top black boxes, can use this pocket-friendly version too.
The Radium board and LCD display is detachable and can be attached to any hardware. It is capable to transfer the series radiation data via a serial port or Bluetooth.
Availability and Price of Radium
The device is on Kickstarter to raise funds. For €199 or more, you will get Radium device. €219 or more will get you a DevKit version of Radium BAREBONE inclusive of Radium board and tube. Backing the product with €249 or more will give you the standard Radium unit but no microUSB unit. To get the entire package, you need to pledge €314 or more. For €1,419, you will meet the team and have the chance to dine with them. Other goodies include five-star stay in Amsterdam and so on.
The estimated shipping date is June 2015. Upon completion of the project, the backers will get to select a multi-radiation detector Radium or Gamma-rays detector Radium.
However, my question is, we all know what is happening around us but using a device like Radium to check for radiation around, won’t be robbing us of our freedom and make us extra susceptible?