A device (44, 60) for evaluating a status of a first material enclosed by a second material, comprising: a. a housing (56, 64) mechanically attached to a first supporting structure; b. an electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) having a feeding end and a launching end, wherein said feeding end includes a feeding mechanism configured to excite an electromagnetic wave able to propagate through said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80), wherein said launching end is configured to transmit said electromagnetic wave to a region external to said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) and is physically structured to reduce a plurality of reflections and to reduce a ringing of said electromagnetic wave propagating through said launching end by a sufficient extent so as to enable detection of an electromagnetic wave of interest reflected from a presence of said first material within said second material, wherein said launching end of said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) has at least one smooth edge, and wherein said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) is adapted to delay receipt of said electromagnetic wave of interest reflected from said presence of said first material within said second material by a time period sufficient to distinguish between said reflected electromagnetic wave of interest and a spurious electromagnetic wave reflected from a discontinuity of said second material; and c. a feeding transition section, wherein said feeding end adapts a radiofrequency signal from and to said electromagnetic wave, and wherein said feeding end is configured to reduce a plurality of reflections of said excited electromagnetic wave at said feeding end by a sufficient extent so as to reduce a level of clutter otherwise present in said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80), wherein said feeding transition section is configured to be an element selected from the group consisting of a section integrated with a computer-based processor and a section electrically connected to a radiofrequency transmission line, wherein a physical length of said radiofrequency transmission line is selected such that a propagation time of said electromagnetic wave propagating throughout said length of said radiofrequency transmission line is larger than a propagation time of said electromagnetic wave propagating throughout said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) plus a propagation time of said electromagnetic wave propagating through said second material, in order to obtain said delayed receipt of said electromagnetic wave of interest; wherein said housing (56, 64) mounts said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) and said feeding transition section. a. a housing (56, 64) mechanically attached to a first supporting structure; b. an electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) having a feeding end and a launching end, wherein said feeding end includes a feeding mechanism configured to excite an electromagnetic wave able to propagate through said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80), wherein said launching end is configured to transmit said electromagnetic wave to a region external to said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) and is physically structured to reduce a plurality of reflections and to reduce a ringing of said electromagnetic wave propagating through said launching end by a sufficient extent so as to enable detection of an electromagnetic wave of interest reflected from a presence of said first material within said second material, wherein said launching end of said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) has at least one smooth edge, and wherein said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) is adapted to delay receipt of said electromagnetic wave of interest reflected from said presence of said first material within said second material by a time period sufficient to distinguish between said reflected electromagnetic wave of interest and a spurious electromagnetic wave reflected from a discontinuity of said second material; and c. a feeding transition section, wherein said feeding end adapts a radiofrequency signal from and to said electromagnetic wave, and wherein said feeding end is configured to reduce a plurality of reflections of said excited electromagnetic wave at said feeding end by a sufficient extent so as to reduce a level of clutter otherwise present in said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80), wherein said feeding transition section is configured to be an element selected from the group consisting of a section integrated with a computer-based processor and a section electrically connected to a radiofrequency transmission line, wherein a physical length of said radiofrequency transmission line is selected such that a propagation time of said electromagnetic wave propagating throughout said length of said radiofrequency transmission line is larger than a propagation time of said electromagnetic wave propagating throughout said electromagnetic wave launcher (50, 55, 62, 80) plus a propagation time of said electromagnetic wave propagating through said second material, in order to obtain said delayed receipt of said electromagnetic wave of interest;