Setup of the portable scanning system: a smartphone positioned above an LED-lit chamber for consistent film image capture.
Image Credit: Bantan et al., 2026, Radiation Measurements
(CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary
The Core Concept: A low-cost, portable system that combines a smartphone, a battery-powered light box, and radiochromic film to provide immediate, on-site measurement of radiation exposure during emergencies.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Unlike traditional dosimetry which requires expensive laboratory equipment, this system uses Gafchromic EBT4 film that changes color instantly upon exposure to radiation. The film is placed in a portable LED-lit scanner, and a smartphone camera captures an image; the cyan color channel intensity is then analyzed to quantify the radiation dose.
Origin/History: Published in Radiation Measurements in January 2026 (online date suggested by access context) or late 2025 (DOI reference), developed by Hassna Bantan and Professor Hiroshi Yasuda at Hiroshima University's Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Gafchromic EBT4 Film: A specialized film that visually indicates radiation exposure through color change.
- Portable Scanner: A foldable, battery-powered LED chamber used to backlight the film for consistent imaging.
- Smartphone Image Processing: Utilization of consumer smartphone cameras (e.g., Samsung, iPhone) to capture the film's color change, focusing on cyan channel data for analysis.
Branch of Science: Radiation Physics, Health Physics, and Emergency Medicine.
Future Application: Personal radiation preparedness for mass-casualty events, allowing individuals to perform voluntary on-site dose assessments in areas with damaged infrastructure or limited access to professional medical equipment.
Why It Matters: Provides a universal, cost-effective (under USD $70) solution for rapid triage and medical decision-making following nuclear or radiological incidents, potentially saving lives by identifying high-dose exposures (up to 10 Gray) quickly.
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| Graph showing the relationship between X-ray dosage and cyan color intensity as measured by different smartphone models. The results demonstrate consistent performance across devices, particularly for detecting high doses. Image Credit: Bantan et al., 2026, Radiation Measurements (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) |
Prompt, individual-based dose assessment is essential to protect people from the negative consequences of radiation exposure after large-scale nuclear or radiological incidents. However, traditional dosimetry methods often require expensive equipment or complex laboratory analysis. Now, researchers at Hiroshima University have developed a cost-effective, portable dosimetry system that can provide immediate on-site readings using radiochromic film and a smartphone.
The study, published in Radiation Measurements, demonstrates a practical solution for personal preparedness in mass-casualty events. The system combines a small piece of Gafchromic EBT4 film with a foldable, battery-powered portable scanner and a smartphone camera.
"To protect people in the event of a severe radiological or nuclear accident, voluntary on-site dose assessments and prompt decisions regarding medical actions must be performed immediately," says study corresponding author Hiroshi Yasuda, a professor at Hiroshima University’s Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine. "Simplicity, universality, and cost-effectiveness are critical factors for these emergency measures."
The EBT4 film is designed to change color instantly when exposed to radiation, a change that can be detected by the naked eye. By placing the film in a portable scanner and capturing an image with a smartphone, users can quantify relatively high radiation doses—up to 10 Gray—using mobile image-processing applications. To put this into perspective, a 10 Gray dose to the skin is high enough to cause permanent hair loss.
The research team tested the system using various smartphone models, including Samsung and iPhone devices. Their analysis showed that the cyan color channel in digital images provided the most consistent and reliable dose-response data. While professional desktop scanners offer higher precision, this smartphone-based approach provides an adequate solution that is highly portable and costs less than USD$70.
"Our goal was to design a system that works even under the worst-case accident scenarios, such as after a natural disaster where infrastructure might be damaged," Yasuda adds. The team is now working to standardize the protocols and ensure the system remains reliable under diverse environmental conditions.
Published in journal: Radiation Measurements
Title: Low-cost system turns smartphones into emergency radiation detectors
Authors: Hassna Bantan, and, Hiroshi Yasuda
Source/Credit: Hiroshima University
Reference Number: tech012726_01