Chemist Inventor 'Sniffs' His Way to Prestigious US$500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize

“Fido doesn’t have the computational power or the agility of a dog, but it has a similar sensitivity for certain things,” Swager said. “Within some classes of chemicals, it can actually smell as well as a dog, which is important.” Dogs also need trainers, can act unpredictably in unfamiliar environments, and can intimidate people, which Swager cites as other advantages of Fido.

Currently, American soldiers in Iraq are using Fido devices in two ways – either attached to a robotic platform for deployment to hard-to-reach and dangerous areas, or as a portable, hand-held monitor to analyze people, clothing and automobiles.

In 2005, Fido earned the U.S. Army Greatest Invention Award. General (Retired) Paul J. Kern, the former U.S. Army senior military advisor in Research, Development and Acquisition, wrote in a nomination letter for Swager, “It is not realistic to put a number on how many attacks have been prevented by early detection of bomb makers and IED’s, but one could easily estimate that hundreds of individuals have avoided serious injury or death as a result of Swager’s chemical inventions.”

In addition to its use in Iraq, Fido has also been tested domestically. The National Park Police used hand-held units to screen bags on the Washington D.C. Mall during the July 4 celebration in 2006. Swager envisions the device also having applications in airports and building security.

A Range of Inventions

In addition to their use in explosives detection, Swager’s molecular wire sensors have many other possible applications, from detecting environmental pollutants to early-stage cancer cells.

Some of his other inventions include lasing sensors that could someday improve building security; near-infrared optical imaging agents that may enable simpler techniques for screening and diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease; as well as molecules with high-free volume that could improve the manufacture of semiconductors and liquid crystal displays.

An Example for Others

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