Could your technology help reveal hidden objects concealed in walls, ceilings and floors?
This is the focus of the latest funded challenge launched by HMGCC Co-Creation, which is seeking imaging technologies able to prevent unwanted surveillance.
The tech solution should be able to uncover covert devices in the periphery of rooms, but without damaging walls.
The team is particularly interested in non-ionising radiation imaging techniques, such as portable terahertz or millimetre-wave systems. Successful solutions should aim to achieve a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 demonstrator within 12 weeks.
HMGCC Co-Creation will provide funding for time, materials, overheads and other indirect expenses for successful applicants.
Technology themes
Antennas, applied research, data science and engineering, electronic engineering, electro-optic, non-destructive testing, quantum technologies, radio frequency science and engineering, software development.
Who can apply?
This challenge is open to sole innovators, industry, academic and research organisations of all types and sizes. There is no requirement for security clearances.
Solution providers or direct collaboration from countries listed by the UK government under trade sanctions and/or arms embargoes are not eligible for HMGCC Co-Creation challenges.
Challenge details and example
Protecting sensitive locations from surveillance is an important national security requirement. Security professionals use a range of techniques to identify hidden devices that could be used to capture conversations, images or communications.
One method is to inspect walls, ceilings and floors for hidden equipment without damaging the building. Existing approaches, such as x-ray imaging, can be effective but are often large, heavy and require additional safety controls due to their use of ionising radiation.
This challenge seeks alternative approaches that can provide useful imaging capability whilst being more portable and easier to deploy.
Existing non-destructive imaging techniques each have limitations.
X-ray systems can provide detailed images through many materials but are often bulky and require additional safety measures.
Terahertz and millimetre-wave technologies use non-ionising radiation and have demonstrated success in applications such as airport security screening. However, current systems often face challenges including limited penetration depth, reduced performance in some environmental conditions, and difficulties achieving both portability and high image quality.
There remains a need for a portable imaging system that can provide useful images within walls, ceilings and floors whilst remaining practical for operational use.
Ricky is a security professional responsible for protecting VIPs during overseas travel.
On one mission, his team is supporting a high-profile person who needs to have discreet meetings but has previously been the target of technical surveillance.
Before a sensitive meeting takes place, Ricky must ensure the temporary office being used has not been compromised by hidden surveillance devices.
His team deploys multiple systems capable of examining walls, ceilings and floors for concealed objects. Each have their trade-offs, some are quick and easy to use, others take more preparation but are more effective.
Future developments should aim to create a system which can provide images of devices within walls, but poses minimised health hazards while being small in size and weight, and more portable.
Project scope
This challenge seeks a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 – technology basic validation in a relevant environment, in this 12 week project.
Not required:
- Must be something that can be developed to a weight of less than 20 kg and less than 0.3 cubic metres.
- Must come with a display and a user interface suitable for a technical user.
- Must be able to produce images from penetrating a standard plasterboard wall.
- Imager must use non-ionising radiation.
- Must work from a single-phase power supply or battery.
- Work towards a device that can be transported on a commercial flight.
- Work towards a weight of less than 10 Kg.
- Should produce images from penetrating tens of centimetres through a standard plasterboard or wooden walls.
- A stretch target is proof of concept of penetration through a few centimetres of concrete.
- Imaging process should not require access to both sides of a wall.
- The end use case would be within a small to medium sized room.
- A standalone horizon scan.
- A paper report on its own, there must be some prototyping element to this project.
Dates
Competition opens: Monday 10 August 2026
Briefing call: 10:00am, Thursday 20 August 2026, Briefing call link
Clarifying questions deadline: Friday 21 August 2026
Clarifying questions published: Friday 28 August 2026
Competition closes: Thursday 17 September 2026
Applicants notified: Friday 25 September 2026
Pitch day: Thursday 1 October 2026
Pitch day outcome: Monday 5 October 2026
Commercial onboarding begins: Friday 9 October 2026 (the successful solution provider will be expected to have availability for a one-hour onboarding call via MS Teams on this date to begin the onboarding/contractual process)
Target project kick-off: November 2026
