--- title: "Subscribers" description: "CBRNe World provides those tasked with defending against CBRN and IED threats with the essential practical, scientific and political information. Access the current and previous issues of the magazine by registering as a member." url: "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers?start=715" date: "2026-07-31T07:11:30+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/57/VIPER-Type-4.-jpg-5783ac7f.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1854:opec-cbrne-anti-viral-ppe-coverall-offers-comprehensive-covid-19-protection&catid=12) ## [OPEC CBRNe anti-viral PPE coverall offers comprehensive covid-19 protection](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1854:opec-cbrne-anti-viral-ppe-coverall-offers-comprehensive-covid-19-protection&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 01 February 2021. Specialist UK based CBRNe garment manufacturer, OPEC CBRNe, has today released a new antiviral PPE coverall, which is targeted for COVID-19 protection. The all-in-one garment, known as the [Viper-Type 4](https://opeccbrne.com/product/viper-type-4-coverall-antiviral/), is a reusable coverall offering protection against contaminated liquids, aerosol particulates, blood and blood borne pathogens, and viruses such as COVID-19. This highly protective lightweight garment supplies full body protection, while retaining comfort and breathability for wearers. “The Viper-Type 4 has been designed for people working in high viral risk environments, such as healthcare, police, security and military personnel, providing maximum full-day protection to front line workers at risk of exposure from COVID-19,” said OPEC CBRNe General Manager, Chris Jackson. “Our goal in creating this innovative product is to give people in high-risk environments the reassurance of safety,” he said. “At the same time, people can wear the garment with confidence, knowing that it is light, comfortable and highly durable.” The coverall is purpose-designed to be launderable for a confirmed 30 washes to reduce environmental impact in comparison to disposable systems. “As a consequence of the pandemic, there are currently thousands of tonnes of single use plastic PPE languishing in landfill globally, which will impact the environment for centuries to come. Creation of a launderable PPE product provides users with an environmentally responsive alternative.” “The unwelcome arrival of COVID-19 means we are collectively living in an era of innovation to reduce the pandemic’s global impact. The development of the Viper-Type 4 is our contribution to this space, enabling front line personnel to safely perform their duties.” “With the approval of the CE mark and UK equivalent CA (Conformity Assessed) mark expected in April 2021, we are gearing up for distribution on a global basis.” Unlike single use PPE, the low cost Viper-Type 4 offers all important breathability, which means the garment can absorb and release moisture, preventing overheating and excessive sweating. As a supplier of suits for military and first responders that provide chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection, including the Kestrel CBRN garment for the Australian Defence Force, OPEC CBRNe is well qualified to diversify into the antiviral garment market. The Viper-Type 4 is compatible with a range of accessories and can be used either as a standalone garment or overgarment. It is accredited as a ‘Type 4’ under ISO EN14126:2003 and ISO16604 performance requirements, and ASTM F1671 bacteriophage challenge benchmarks. [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) ## [Questions asked about Chinese firm Nuctech’s role in border controls](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1853:questions-asked-about-chinese-firm-nuctech-s-role-in-border-controls&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 01 February 2021. From [Dutch News.nl](https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/02/questions-asked-about-chinese-firm-nutechs-role-in-border-controls-fd/) Questions are being asked in the Netherlands and Europe about the use of scanners made by Chinese company Nuctech to check goods arriving at Rotterdam port, at airports and in distribution centres, the Financieele Dagblad said on Monday. Lithuania’s government has said the company should not be allowed to install equipment at Lithuania’s three international airports because of data security is sues and Canada and the US have already taken that decision, the paper reported. Various arms of the Dutch customs department use Nuctech scanners to check baggage and packages, as well as containers and lorries arriving or leaving the EU, the paper said. However, according to the customs service, the scanners are stand alone and do not present a risk because they are linked to a closed data network. Nuctech is part-owned by the Chinese government and has its European headquarters in Rotterdam. ‘You are installing a vulnerability at the level of national security,’ security and crisis management advisor Glenn Schoen told the FD. ‘Suppose that a kill switch could be built in and that at some point we are involved in a trade war with China. If the country turns off all the scanners, we will have problems for months.’ However, Robert Bos, director of Nuctech Europe, told the FD the company has been working with governments in Europe for 17 years. ‘Our products meet strict European requirements,’ he said. ‘There has never been an incident with data or technology.’ CDA MEP Tom Berendsen said that questions would be raised in parliament. ‘This is a Chinese state-controlled company which is involved in strategic parts of our border security,’ he told the paper. ‘We should not be naive about China’s wish to expand its global influence.’ ## [Former high court judge to preside over Dawn Sturgess inquest](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1852:former-high-court-judge-to-preside-over-dawn-sturgess-inquest&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 29 January 2021. According to an article in The Guardian, retired high court judge Lady Heather Hallett is to take over the inquest of Dawn Sturgess, after her family successfully challenged the way in which a local coroner had planned to limit the scope of the inquest The original Wiltshire and Swindon coroner asserted that Sturgess’s death was too remote from the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal to allow the scope of her inquest to widen, and look at the possible role of Moscow. Sturgess’s family were unhappy with this limitation being placed on the inquest and launched a judicial review, their lawyers argued that it was “inconceivable” that the men responsible operated in “a bubble”, and claimed the operation must have been authorised by the Russian state – possibly right up to Putin. This is not the first time Lady Hallett has acted as Coroner for the purpose of inquest, she previously presided over the inquests into the deaths of the 52 victims of the 2005 London bombings. [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/03/FLIR-Corporate-Logo---Black-03139d15.png)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1851:flir-systems-receives-30-1m-contract-increase-from-us-army-for-sustainment-efforts-on-mtrs-inc-ii-and-crs-h-programs&catid=12) ## [ FLIR Systems Receives $30.1M Contract Increase from US Army for Sustainment Efforts on MTRS Inc. II and CRS-H Programs](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1851:flir-systems-receives-30-1m-contract-increase-from-us-army-for-sustainment-efforts-on-mtrs-inc-ii-and-crs-h-programs&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 28 January 2021. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced it has received an additional $30.1 million contract from the United States (U.S.) Army for sustainment efforts tied in part to the service’s Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) and Common Robotic System-Heavy (CRS-H) ground robot programs. The award raises the maximum value on the company’s existing Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to $88 million, covering maintenance, parts and overall sustainment support for the entire FLIR unmanned ground systems family of small, medium and large robots used by the Army. “We’re proud to be supporting the U.S. Army on two vital programs of record designed to confront a new generation of threats on the battlefield,” said Tom Frost, VP for Unmanned Ground Systems in the Unmanned and Integrated Solutions business at FLIR. “From the Kobra™ and Centaur® platforms to our smaller PackBot® and FirstLook® robots, we are well positioned to provide high-quality, cost-effective sustainment efforts over these systems’ lifespan and deliver lifesaving robotic technology to America’s warfighters.” In 2019, the Army selected the FLIR Kobra robot as its CRS-H platform. The five-year production contract is worth up to $109 million to build upwards of 350 unmanned ground vehicles. In November, the Army announced it had begun fielding CRS-H. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams will use the system to perform a range of missions, such as disarming vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and other heavy-duty jobs. Modular payloads can be added for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) detection and other tasks. In 2017, the Army selected the medium-sized Centaur robot as its MTRS Inc. II solution. FLIR is delivering systems under that multi-year program of record, valued at more than $150 million upon award, including options. Since then, other U.S. military branches have opted to deploy Centaur as well. Over the last year, FLIR has announced multiple orders totaling nearly $100 million for more than 750 Centaur unmanned ground systems from the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. In addition to its use for bomb disposal efforts, Centaur operators can quickly attach different sensors and payloads to the robot to address other missions, including CBRN threats. For more on FLIR Unmanned Ground Systems platforms, visit [www.flir.com/UIS/UGS](http://www.flir.com/UIS/UGS) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/apple-1834328_640.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1850:tickets-for-first-2-workshops-now-live&catid=12) ## [Tickets for first 3 CBRNe World workshops now live](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1850:tickets-for-first-2-workshops-now-live&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 27 January 2021. Tickets for our first 2 workshops are now availalable to purchase on EventBrite, i dream of ANFO, and Future of Syria. [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Event](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/event) [Read more …Tickets for first 3 CBRNe World workshops now live](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1850:tickets-for-first-2-workshops-now-live&catid=12) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/events/sponsor_logos/908DEVICES_logo_re-work_FINAL.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1849:ohio-attorney-general-agencies-deploy-908-devices-handheld-mass-spec-device-to-aid-law-enforcement-cases-involving-illicit-drugs&catid=12) ## [Ohio Attorney General Agencies Deploy 908 Devices Handheld Mass Spec Device to Aid Law Enforcement Cases Involving Illicit Drugs](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1849:ohio-attorney-general-agencies-deploy-908-devices-handheld-mass-spec-device-to-aid-law-enforcement-cases-involving-illicit-drugs&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 26 January 2021. [908 Devices](https://908devices.com/), a pioneer of purpose-built handheld and desktop mass spec devices for chemical and biomolecular analysis, today announced the critical role of its MX908 – a handheld, battery-powered, mass spectrometry device – for the Ohio Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC). The MX908 provides reliable investigative information in the field with rapid analysis of suspected narcotics and limits officer exposure risk to the dangers of synthetic opioids. “The MX908 devices are a breakthrough in narcotics investigations,” said BCI Superintendent Joe Morbitzer. “We have been able to deploy the devices statewide to assist task forces and agencies in investigations. Not only do the devices provide instant preliminary results but, more importantly, reduces the risk of exposure to our staff.” “When just a speck of fentanyl can cause an overdose or death, equipping our task force officers with a device that can safely field test and identify deadly narcotics is a lifesaver,” said OOCIC Executive Director Rocky Nelson. “These devices give our task forces the latest technology to stay one step ahead of the bad guys and keep drugs out of our communities.” Ohio is often referenced as ‘ground zero’ for the nation’s opioid crisis, having among the highest rates of drug overdose deaths involving opioids in the U.S. The last few years have seen the emergence of carfentanyl, a synthetic opioid 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, further increasing the threat to communities and law enforcement. The [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm) estimates that the U.S. will suffer more than 75,500 drug-related deaths in 2020 alone, which would set a record for a second year in a row. “The device is a game-changer, giving us instant information for investigations, and reduces our exposure to fentanyl,” said Special Agent Supervisor Mick Gyurko of BCI. MX908 provides investigators the ability to quickly and reliably detect and identify a broad range of fentanyls, opioids and amphetamines with high confidence, and at trace levels, which drastically minimize exposure to risk. The data-based evidence also allows officers to move forward with charges that were not previously possible with other field techniques. “We are thrilled to assist the Ohio BCI and OOCIC in making informed and safe decisions during active narcotics investigations,” said John Kenneweg, Vice President at 908 Devices. “We understand the complexity and potency of street drugs in Ohio and are honored to equip their force with the best devices for identifying these hazardous substances in real-time and helping their team in decreasing drug crime rates across the state.” BCI and OOCIC currently have multiple MX908 devices deployed for field testing of narcotics. Both agencies have leveraged the device to help with ongoing investigations. Initial fielding has been promising, and the agency will continue to deploy additional MX908 devices pending available grant funding. [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/eb/Epishuttle---DRF-Luftrettung-eb30e94b.png)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1848:busy-year-for-german-drf-luftrettung-with-massive-demand-for-safe-corona-transport&catid=12) ## [Busy year for German DRF Luftrettung with massive demand for safe corona transport](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1848:busy-year-for-german-drf-luftrettung-with-massive-demand-for-safe-corona-transport&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 26 January 2021. Last year DRF Luftrettung performed 662 coronavirus missions, with 330 patients transported by air. Their EpiShuttles play an important role in their comprehensive hygiene concept and are investments in the safety and health of both patients and crew. 2020 turned out exceptionally busy for German DRF Luftrettung, one of the largest air rescue organizations in Europe. To be able to meet the high demand and challenging flights, it was crucial to develop systems and routines to protect both crewmembers and patients further. \- By using the EpiShuttle isolation stretcher, all crewmembers are optimally protected during these intensive care transports, which often last several hours. Also, the strain of wearing tight-fitting, personal protective clothing is significantly reduced, says Dr. Jörg Braun, Head of the Medicine Department at DRF Luftrettung. Before Christmas DRF Luftfrettung and Luxembourg Air Rescue were awarded the Adenauer-de Gaulle prize for their ‘[outstanding contribution to Franco-German solidarity](https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/roth-adenauer-de-gaulle-prize/2427454)’ in the pandemic. The two air rescue services performed the majority of helicopter transports of French patients to hospitals in Germany and back again. The cross-border cooperation has been critical to save lives in times of corona virus hot spots and limited capacity of intensive care units. \- Using the EpiShuttle, the medical crew can concentrate fully on the medical monitoring and care of the patient. In this way, we fly patients quickly, safe and optimally monitored to a hospital with a free intensive care bed with ventilation, says Dr. Jörg Braun, Head of the Medicine Department at DRF Luftrettung. Even before the pandemic, DRF Luftrettung was testing the EpiShuttle for transportation of patients with infectious diseases as meningococci, measles, tuberculosis and influenza. Now DRF Luftrettung has 12 EpiShuttles in use. With high infection rates in the German state of Saxony, they recently equipped their station in Bautzen with their newest EpiShuttle. \- Collaborating with professional partners like DRF, who share their first-hand experience with the EpiShuttle in use, gives us great input on further research and development. We are also happy to see how DRF Luftrettung is designing and developing own tools for their specific needs, like the [ground plate for mounting the EpiShuttle in their helicopters](https://verticalmag.com/press-releases/drf-luftrettung-develops-multifunctional-ground-plate-for-isolation-stretchers/). From Oslo we are glad to see how their work is appreciated, as with the Adenauer-de Gaulle prize, says Ellen Cathrine Andersen, CEO in EpiGuard. [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/0b/MSCoE_patch-0bf32b69.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1847:dry-decontaminate-for-patient-casualty-decontamination-technology-call&catid=12) ## [Dry Decontaminate for Patient/Casualty Decontamination Technology Call](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1847:dry-decontaminate-for-patient-casualty-decontamination-technology-call&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 25 January 2021. Do you have dry decontamination technology capabilities that you think could help the US Army? [Then take a look at this latest call for technology](https://beta.sam.gov/opp/84128dbed75f498d87ced2ac8fa270ae/view?sort=-modifiedDate&index=opps&is_active=1&page=1) The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence (MSCoE) Homeland Defense Civil Support Office (HDCSO) is seeking dry (waterless/limited water) decontamination technology capabilities from industry and government sources. [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Decontamination](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/decontamination) [Read more …Dry Decontaminate for Patient/Casualty Decontamination Technology Call](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1847:dry-decontaminate-for-patient-casualty-decontamination-technology-call&catid=12) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/2e/EDA-2edd6b5f.png)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1846:cbrn-saas-project-enters-operational-phase&catid=12) ## [CBRN SaaS project enters operational phase](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1846:cbrn-saas-project-enters-operational-phase&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 25 January 2021. EDA’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological Nuclear Surveillance as Service (CBRN SaaS) project entered its operational phase today when representatives of the 12 industry members of the consortium in charge of implementing it met for the first time, albeit only remotely due to the Covid pandemic. The aim of the Austrian-lead project, initially launched as a PESCO project but then handed over for the first phase to EDA for practical implementation, is to develop a rapidly deployable 24/7 chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear surveillance capability. The main expected output of the EDA Cat B project will be a technical demonstrator of an operational plugin module built on unmanned ground and aerial systems equipped with a variety of sensors to deliver real time CBRN surveillance, detection and incident data to create a recognized CBRN picture for both civilian and military purposes. The new equipment will represent a major enhancement of participating Member States’ defence capabilities and potentially also benefit future CSDP missions and operations, as well as NATO and UN operations. #### **A project open to all EDA Member States** Besides Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia are also participating in this PESCO project. However, since CBRN SaaS has been established as an Agency ad hoc project in the meantime it is now also open to other EDA Member States countries. After the project arrangement between EDA and the four participating Member States became effective on 12 December 2019, the project contract was signed on 19 November 2020 by EDA, on behalf of the contributing Member States, and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), on behalf of the consortium. This was followed by an official kick-off meeting between EDA and AIT last December. #### **Technical demonstrator by spring 2023** In the meantime, the consortium leader (AIT) conducted extensive negotiations with the defence industries of the four contributing Member States to form the consortium. The particular challenge in uniting the different companies was to meet the demanding capability requirements set before. Now that the consortium is complete (see list below), the practical work to develop a technological demonstrator can start. Based on different work packages that have been defined and assigned to the various individual companies, the objective is now to have a fully functional technical demonstrator available by spring 2023. Afterwards, in the course of 2023, it will be tested in each of the contributing Member States under various realistic scenarios. The CBRN SaaS Cat. B project is scheduled to be fully completed by 1 December 2023. #### **Consortium** The following companies are co-contractors in the CBRN SaaS industry consortium. **Austria:** - AlT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH – Consortium Leader - Rosenbauer International AG - CNS-Solutions & Support GmbH - Schiebel Elektronische Geräte GmbH - MUSE Electronics GmbH **Croatia:** - DOK-ING d.o.o **Hungary:** - GAMMA Technical Corporation - BHE Bonn Hungary Electronics Ltd. **Slovenia**: - C-Astral d.o.o - lOS Institute for Environmental Protection and Sensors d.o.o - MIL SISTEMIKA d.o.o - OneDrone d.o.o [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/events/sponsor_logos/bertin-instruments-COULEUR_vectorised_sans_baseline.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1837:bec-sars-cov-2-detects-uk-and-south-african-variants&catid=12) ## [BEC SARS-CoV-2 detects UK and South African variants](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1837:bec-sars-cov-2-detects-uk-and-south-african-variants&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 20 January 2021. In collaboration with Pasteur Institute, Bertin Technologies and Enalees validated the test's ability to detect the UK and South African variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Now CE-IVD certified, this ultra-rapid diagnostic kit developed in France can therefore be widely used. The emergence of the more contagious variants of the virus does not slow down the production of the BEC SARS-CoV-2 kit. An *in-silico* analysis conducted by the Pasteur Institute followed by an experimental validation carried out on January 11, 2021 on the UK variant confirmed the test’s capability in detecting both the UK and South African variants of SARS-CoV-2. This field-deployable test, which offers a rapid & simple diagnostic solution with results in less than 30 minutes, enables quick identification and containment of contamination. Certified by the French Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory infection viruses several months prior, the BEC SARS-CoV-2 kit is now CE-IVD marked. This European certification thus extends its use beyond France. Karine Bizet, Operational Manager of Healthcare, Biotech & CBRN activities at Bertin Technologies states: *Bertin Technologies succeeded in obtaining the CE-IVD marking of the kit within a very short time, and its use can thus be extended to a greater number of screening facilities.* Developed and manufactured in France, the kit is marketed to businesses and communities. Olivier Varet, Deputy Director of the Life Sciences business line at Bertin Technologies, emphasizes: *Bertin Technologies has reached a production rate on the BEC SARS-CoV-2 kit that meets the current demand of our customers. This production, carried out in the Paris region, which relies on the skills of our internal laboratory and the support of Enalees, responds to the major challenge of the availability of efficient and rapid screening kits.* Since the BEC SARS-CoV-2 test is designed in part with procedural knowledge of Enalees, Laurent Thiery, President of Enalees adds: *A high-speed manufacturing platform for rapid PCR tests developed with the support of the Paris region will soon allow Enalees to further aid the production of these tests.* [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/events/sponsor_logos/bertin-instruments-COULEUR_vectorised_sans_baseline.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1836:bertin-tests-a-new-generation-of-chemical-detection-systems&catid=12) ## [Bertin tests a new generation of chemical detection systems](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1836:bertin-tests-a-new-generation-of-chemical-detection-systems&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 14 January 2021. **Late 2020, Bertin Instruments’ teams went to Brno, in Czech Republic, to visit the accredited test center Vojenský výzkumný ústav (Military Research Institute) in order to evaluate the performances of newly-developed equipment for chemical gas detection.** [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne) [Read more …Bertin tests a new generation of chemical detection systems](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1836:bertin-tests-a-new-generation-of-chemical-detection-systems&catid=12) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/44/Merlin-Robot-448245d3.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1835:state-of-the-art-robot-seeks-out-chemical-agents&catid=12) ## [State-of-the-art robot seeks out chemical agents](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1835:state-of-the-art-robot-seeks-out-chemical-agents&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 14 January 2021. From:Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Home Office, and Ministry of Defence Dstl, the science inside UK defence and security, has developed a prototype robot so that humans and machines can now share the burden of detecting and report dangerous chemicals over large areas. [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [UGV](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/ugv) [Read more …State-of-the-art robot seeks out chemical agents](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1835:state-of-the-art-robot-seeks-out-chemical-agents&catid=12) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/events/sponsor_logos/Kromek_Logo_Strapline_Pos.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1834:kromek-receives-innovate-uk-funding-to-advance-biological-threat-detection-solution&catid=12) ## [Kromek receives Innovate UK funding to advance Biological-Threat Detection solution](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1834:kromek-receives-innovate-uk-funding-to-advance-biological-threat-detection-solution&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 13 January 2021. Kromek (AIM: KMK), a worldwide supplier of detection technology focusing on the medical, security screening and nuclear markets, announces that it has commenced a £1.25m programme funded by Innovate UK to customise its biological threat-detection solution for the automated detection of all airborne viruses, including COVID-19, to support end-use cases. The Group’s solution is designed to be deployed in high footfall locations, such as airports, hospitals, retail outlets and entertainment venues. The base technology, which is fully developed, samples the air in-situ to detect and analyse airborne pathogens using DNA sequencing. In response to the pandemic, the initial focus is on productising the technology to develop a system that will rapidly test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It will run automatically and the results will not require analysis by trained individuals or specialist laboratories. By detecting the virus in the air in real time, rather than solely relying on the testing of individuals or development of symptoms in individuals, the system will enable earlier identification of potential infection exposure to help reduce transmission. It will also support facilities management such as by enabling site operators to know what level of ventilation is required from the HVAC system or when decontamination is necessary. In addition, the system will have the capability to test for a wide spectrum of viruses, including mutations of SARS-CoV-2. This will support the development of a bio-resilience solution against the spread of new strains of COVID-19 or other novel viruses that could result in future pandemics. Kromek is engaging with potential customers for the COVID-19 detection system to develop deployment models and identify how it can best fit their needs. The Group will provide any necessary customisation of the system ahead of piloting by those user groups. The Group expects the first pilots with potential users to commence by the end of this financial year and anticipates commercial deployment in 2021/22. The funding has been awarded under an 18-month programme of UK Research and Innovation (“UKRI”), which is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy that brings together the UK’s seven research councils, Innovate UK and Research England. The programme seeks to support the development of solutions to address and mitigate the health, social, economic, cultural and environmental impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. **Dr Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek, said:** *“We are very pleased to have received backing from UKRI and Innovate UK to progress the deployment of our solution for the detection of airborne COVID-19. Our system can augment the government’s Test and Trace system by enabling early identification of potential exposure to the virus while supporting the safe return of visitors to public spaces like mass transport, retail outlets and entertainment venues. We also believe that the continuous monitoring with our system, which can test for a wide spectrum of viruses as well as mutations of COVID-19, has significant potential for protecting against the outbreak of pandemics in the future.”* [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "News", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Subscribers", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers" } ] } ```