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BYU Scientist Develops Chemical Sensor
A Working with his brother following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, BYU scientist Milton Lee aimed to create a chemical detector that emergency responders and military personnel could use while clothed in heavy protective suits. The resulting device is the Guardion-7, a 28-pound, briefcase-sized unit that can identify potential chemical agents with high accuracy, even in extreme climates. Operated using three black buttons and a large on-off switch, the machine produces none of the false-positive readings found in current sensors. “When you're in a battlefield environment where decision-making is critical, you’d like to know exactly what you're dealing with,” Lee said. “We knew there was a need for a smart detector. Other detectors aren’t definitive enough so you can go into a courtroom and say, here is the data and this was the chemical.” The machine’s detection capabilities have been successfully tested at the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency certified the its accuracy in February. U.S. Defense Department agencies and contractors gave $5 million in grants to develop the device, which costs $55,000 per unit, according to Douglas Later, president of Torion Technologies Inc. While advertising for the machine is showcasing its portability, its developers plan to continue efforts to make the device smaller and lighter (Tad Walch, Deseret Morning News, March 21).
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