Personal chemical warfare agent (CWA) detector

It might be handy to have one of these in the cupboard for a rainy day – or a really smoggy day if the smog, heaven forbid, should ever contain chemical warfare agent. The ChemRAE is a portable chemical warfare agent (CWA) detector available as stand-alone or as a wireless component of the AreaRAE rapid deployment hazardous environment detection platform produced by RAE Systems

The ChemRAE is a new offering from RAE Systems and is the result of collaboration with Environics of Finland. It is based on open-loop ion mobility spectroscopy ("IMS") that gives users the ability to see unseen CWA threats in 30 seconds or less. It provides differentiation between nerve, blister, blood and toxic chemicals.

The user display provides the operator with battery life indicator, agent class, agent concentration level, alarm volume level, date and time. ChemRAE stores a historical log of events including agent alarm information. When used in an AreaRAE wireless network, the ChemRAE's data is also logged on the ProRAE Remote base station. The ChemRAE is small enough to be used as a personal detector, as a monitor for surveying contaminated areas, or as a fixed installation detector. It provides continuous operation without the need for expendable desiccant cartridges, unlike other IMS systems. The ChemRAE has a low cost of ownership with no expendables.

Smith's APD-2000 is designed to detect weapons of mass destruction including nerve and blister agents, pepper spray and mace. Like the ChemRAE, it also uses IMS technology to detect chemical weapons of mass destruction. BAE Systems' ChemSentry 150C chemical detector is the ideal tool for a broad range of applications. It uses surface acoustic wave ("SAW") and electro-chemical cell technology to simultaneously sample for the presence of blood, blister, and nerve chemical vapors.