Owlstone to customize FAIMS-based chemical detector for military

Published 1 November 2007

Subsidiary of Advance Nanotech receives incremental $3.7 million contract from Pentagon to miniaturize its chemical detector

Saddle Brook, New Jersey-based Owlstone Nanotech, a subsidiary Advance Nanotech, has been awarded an incremental $3.7 million contract by an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense to provide micro-miniature products and related services for detection of chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, and trace explosive vapors. The three-year contract begins current fourth quarter 2007. Owlstone will develop, design and fabricate a customized variant of its miniaturized chemical detector using Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS). This customized version of the sensor will be designed to detect substances at very low levels and reduce false alarms (which, the company adds, “are typically associated with competing technologies”). Initially, Owlstone will conduct live agent testing and develop enhanced algorithms, exploiting the increased amount of data provided by the Owlstone sensor. Efforts will also include the development of micro- miniature elements which will enable the sensor to operate without the need for complex, power-hungry ancillary systems (pneumatics and electronics). The final stage of the contract will be the delivery of a sensor module capable of being integrated into existing sensor packages in order to augment their capabilities.