Implant Sciences Corporation, Wakefield, Mass., a developer of advanced explosives detection products and technology, has announced the award of a six month $100,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science & Technology Directorate in Washington, DC for the development of a handheld trace explosives sampler. The Company plans to use its proprietary vortex collection technology in the development of this handheld sampling device to augment the process of collecting the samples used in detecting and identifying a range of explosives materials. The contract management will be administered by the Department of Interior (DOI) Acquisition Services Directorate, National Business Center.

Among the potential applications of the sampling process is explosives detection for a wide range of objects such as carry-on luggage, parcels, packages and cargo. In addition, multiple handheld sampling units could be deployed in concert with a centralized trace explosives detection system to improve the efficiency and volume of articles screened.

Source: Implant Sciences Corporation