StreetLab Mobile identifies dangerous chemicals on the scene

from Health and Wellbeing (368 articles)

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GE Security's portable StreetLab Mobile

June 3, 2008 GE Security has introduced StreetLab Mobile, a handheld device that can identify the chemical makeup of unknown substances in liquid, powder and solid forms. The point-and-shoot unit will soon incorporate biological identification capabilities – making it the first combined chem-bio detector on the market.

StreetLab Mobile can presently identify over one thousand potentially dangerous chemicals, including formaldehyde, liquid and solid explosives, and Cresol and Benzene. The unit also incorporates extended-range wireless technology, which allows first responders to quickly communicate results to remote command centers.

The device uses Raman Spectroscopy to identify the materials, a technique which involves analyzing the displacement of photons caused by the introduction of a laser. By studying the vibrational information, scientists can determine the fingerprints of specific molecules, giving an accurate verdict on the nature of the substance, and consuming little-to-none of the sample in the process.

"With the introduction of StreetLab Mobile, GE Security now offers emergency responders a handheld solution that can deliver fast, accurate identification results straight from the hot zone for a growing library of substances," said Dennis Cooke, president and CEO, GE Security's Homeland Protection business. "StreetLab Mobile was developed based on significant input from first responders and is designed to help them better protect their communities."