Thursday, July 11, 2013

DoD Bring New, Cost Saving, Technologies to First Responders

Seeking Alternative Energy Options
The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., evaluated the 3M Clean Trace Surface ATP technology, which met the criteria scientists were looking for: simple, compact and cost-efficient. The device tests for the presence of adenosine triphosphate, which can indicate the presence of a biological agent. (Photo courtesy of Trafalgar Scientific)

First responders occasionally come across suspicious powders, requiring them to have technology on hand to screen samples and identify whether or not they are a chemical or biological agent.

Current technology performs a test to determine whether or not protein exists on the sample, an indication that the sample is live, or active. With this technology, specificity is low, false positives are common and the cost is very high: one test costs $26.

Researchers at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, or ECBC, are seeking alternate technology that is more effective and lower in cost.

Originally funded by Section 219 funds, an ECBC effort designed to encourage innovative applied research, with additional funding from the Department of Homeland Security, the team evaluated existing technology to find a device that was close to field ready and determine what it would take to get it into the hands of a soldier or a first responder. read more>>>


No comments: