Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction or RASCO (sometimes RASCargO or -in the UK- REST (Remote Explosives Scent Tracing)RASCargO www.ictseurope.com, accessed 8 March 2021 is a technology for transport security.
Function The system allows explosives to be detected in the context of transport facilities, specifically within any closed volume being transported, typically transport containers.
Summary of technique Samples of air from within a container are remotely collected and presented to a suitably trained 'sniffer dog', which will provide an alert if it senses the presence of target material, e.g. explosives.
History The approach was developed by the Transport Security Division of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (TRANSEC) for the UK government in the late 1990s.Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction Published in: Proceedings IEEE 35th Annual 2001 International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology, accessed 8 March 2021 DOI: 10.1109/CCST.2001.962819 The company 'Kent K9 Detection Services' offers a RASCO system,Kent K9 Detection Services Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction www.kentk9.co.uk, accessed 9 March 2021 and an evolved version is fielded by Chilport for remote air sampling, known as VODS and described as 'an approved variant of the RASCO System'.Remote Air Sampling www.chilport.co.uk, accessed 9 March 2021 Towards assessing best practice, the US Coastguard reviewed the system and wrote a brief summary report in 2006.Best Practice: Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction May 2006 www.dco.uscg.mil, accessed 9 March 2021 DHL mentions its use,The journey of an International parcel See 'Clearing customs' send.dhlparcel.co.uk, accessed 9 March 2021 and in 'Air Cargo World' it is described as a specifically UK and European approach to security.Brandon Fried Every dog has its day 24 June 2014 aircargoworld.com, accessed 9 March 2021
References
Vapour and Trace Detection of Explosives for Anti-Terrorism Purposes: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, held in Moscow, Russia, 19-20 March 2003: 167 (Nato Science Series II:) Paperback – 27 May 2008 (M. Krausa) page 148
External links DiagNose 'RASCargO'