The GICHD Innovation Conference 2025

How can mine action organizations turn data into better decisions? This session shows how operational analysis and smarter information management can drive impact, harnessing digital innovations while tackling challenges like data quality and interoperability.

This session will discuss strategies to improve and sustain prosthetic access for explosive ordnance accident survivors, focusing on affordability, long-term care, and innovative technologies like 3D-printed limbs and remote rehabilitation tools.   

Can demining accidents during manual signal excavation be reduced through efficient and effective robotic means? This session shares field experience and engineering innovation on mechanization and semi-automation, exploring how solutions can be advanced while staying affordable, adaptable, and sustainable. 

Subsurface detection remains one of the central challenges in the sector. Complexity in signal interpretation, different soil conditions, and testing standards still limit its use in mine action. Recent field trials of magnetometry, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems have provided opportunities to evaluate the maturity and applicability of these sensors, and to discuss the key bottlenecks for their further development and potential adoption.

Existing and emerging technologies have made strides in addressing the challenges of subsurface detection. This session will showcase results from recent research, exploring how such technologies can open new avenues of approach for field applications.

From advanced sensors to novel field applications, new approaches to detecting explosive substances are rapidly evolving. This session looks at emerging methods and examines both their potential impact and the challenges of moving such technologies from the lab into mine action operations. 

As explosive ordnance risks rise in emergencies, timely data collection and analysis for context-specific messaging is vital to protect civilians. This session explores how open-source intelligence (OSINT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are beginning to be applied across the Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) and Conflict Preparedness and Protection (CPP) project cycle. The objective is to identify partnerships that can help scale and sustain these emerging tools to enhance preparedness and protection of civilians.  

Operational logistics take up to 40% of operational budgets and a proportional time of field managers. From accommodation and basic services to transport and spare parts, this session explores how mine action can elevate such challenges and leverage existing innovative practices within the broader humanitarian sector to improve operational efficiency. 

Innovation is only effective when it is understood by national authorities and is fit within national systems. This session explores how adapting standards, strengthening coordination, and aligning with operational realities can turn pilot technologies into sustained, impactful solutions.