The humanitarian mine action sector has been established and developed in the relatively few years since 1989. The use of mechanical means in humanitarian mine clearance has gotten increasing attention, in particular since the mid-1990 s, as one technical means to increase the overall effectiveness of mine clearance. However, even after over a decade of humanitarian mine action, there still appears to be no consensus on what machines are appropriate, on what an appropriate machine must do, or even on the most appropriate ways to integrate machines into demining. This report is the result of numerous interviews and incountry field visits. The reporter observed field operations and collected information from as many individuals, agencies and institutions as possible who were actively involved in research, design, development, manufacture, improvisation and field-use of machines for mine clearance.
Today there is an obvious momentum that is developing with regard to machine technology.
The development of new designs and technologies is strong and is probably only at an early stage. Advances have no doubt continued since the end of the research period of this report. Clear lessons are being learned and essential principles are becoming established among those directly involved in machine use. It is these lessons and principles that this report sought to define and will seek to elaborate on in the main text. In the present overall context of humanitarian demining, where the emphasis is ever more focused on cost efficiency, safety and speed,the objective of this presentation is simple.