Soldiers and first responders who require rapid identification of unknown airborne chemical agents have another tool in their respective arsenals. A portable Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy device is now available from Ahura Scientific of Wilmington, Mass.
Called the TruDefender FT, the 3-pound detector, which can fit in a cargo pocket, does its job quickly, the company says.
“Timely and accurate substance identification in the field is critical,” says Matthew Farr, a homeland security analyst at Frost & Sullivan, a marketing intelligence firm.
The rugged, handheld and user friendly device has the potential to revolutionize the way first responders identify and analyze substances in the field, which greatly improves their decision making capabilities, Farr says.