Amid the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, a group representing visually impaired people in Fukushima Prefecture has developed a "talking Geiger" radiation detector that reads out results.
Measuring 12.5 cm long, 5.5 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick, the detector, named Geiger Fukushima, was jointly developed by the Fukushima Prefectural Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Sanwa Manufacturing Co., a Yokohama-based lighting equipment maker, and Tele Japan Co., a sales agent of radiation-related devices in the city of Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture.
The meter can measure up to 443 microsieverts per hour, the association based in the city of Fukushima said.
The association will accept orders for the detectors, which cost ¥50,000, starting Jan. 5.
The nuclear crisis has prompted many companies, from small to big businesses, to develop radiation measuring devices for various purposes.
Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a portable gamma camera that can show "hot spots" with high radiation levels on the screen of a personal computer hooked up to it.
Toshiba will start demonstration experiments jointly with the Fukushima Municipal Government later this month.
