SubscribeBattlefield Detection of Biological Warfare Agents: ASAS Technology is currently deployed in the British Armed Forces' Prototype Biological Detection System (PBDS) as a non-specific, real-time sensor in an integrated system. Biral's sensors are also a key element of the upgraded Integrated Biological detection System (IBDS) and the latest Integrated Sensor Management System (ISMS).
ASAS BIODETECTION TECHNOLOGY
Biral's unique ASAS Technology (Aerosol Size And Shape) was originally an invention from the University of Hertfordshire and Dstl Porton Down (UK MoD). Biral then commercialised the device into a robust reliable product. Airborne particle populations are optically analysed in real-time using laser scattering. The ambient aerosol is physically characterised in terms of size, shape and concentration to generate its characteristic signature. Since biological agents normally have their own representative size and shape, they are distinct from general background particles. Neural network software monitors the aerosol background for certain systematic changes that would indicate an event.
ASAS Technology has been demonstrated to be very effective in its ability to discriminate simulants from fuel oils, such as diesel and aviation fuel, which are problematic interferant materials for fluorescence-only techniques.
NEXT GENERATION "VeroTect" SENSOR –ASAS TECHNOLOGY WITH FLUORESCENCE CHARACTERISATION
To date, three ASAS product lines have now been manufactured by Biral - all successfully applied to either military or civil-defence bio detection. Now Biral has further enhanced ASAS Technology for next-generation sensors. The new "VeroTect" sensors are true generic bio aerosol triggers and combine ASAS characterisation with fluorescence measurements. VeroTect operates in real time and offer a low cost alternative to wet chemistry techniques which require expensive consumables.
Spectral analysis of fluorescence is known to be a very powerful tool when distinguishing between biological aerosols and non-biological aerosols. However, existing 'fluorescence-only' detectors continue to have problems separating the target from common interfering aerosols with similar fluorescence profiles. Significantly, Biral's new technology bridges the two military real-time sensor philosophies used by the US and the UK to this point (the US uses detectors that characterise size, fluorescence and concentration whilst the UK uses size, shape and concentration as the key parameters).
The new VeroTect sensor increases the number of independent particle parameters measured giving additional information to distinguish interferant material from the threat. Consequently, false alarm rates are greatly reduced. Furthermore, the extra information strengthens the sensor's ability to identify bacteriological threats from other background aerosols.
As testament to its pedigree, VeroTect has been selected as the biosensor for the UK MOD's Integrated Sensor Management System (ISMS) and was formally launched at the DSEi Exhibition in September 2005.
Biral
P O Box 2
Portishead
Bristol
BS20 7JB
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1275 847 787
Fax: +44 (0) 1275 847 303
E-mail: biodetection@biral.com
Website: www.biral.com
