Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system for collecting biological samples from air including a collection assembly to store at least one biological sample and a separator to remove selected particles from the air prior to entry into the collection assembly. In one embodiment, the selected particles are magnetic and the separator includes at least one magnet to attract the particles from the air.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting bio-hazardous particulates in mail handling systems includes an air intake hood 20 that connects to a biohazard sensing suite 24 which, in turn, connects through an outlet duct 26 to a filter, adsorber, or scrubber 28 that removes any bio-hazardous material prior to exhausting the air. An air mover 30 is located in the outlet duct 26 and moves the air into the air intake hood 20 into the biohazard sensing suite 24. The biohazard sensing suite 24 detects the presence of any undesired bio-hazardous material.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting hazardous materials inside containers includes an air distribution plate 20 that defines an air plenum AP with a series of openings 22 that function to distribute a flow of air. An air input port 26 and an air output port 28 are provided to allow connection to an air recirculation and sensor system 30 including an air mover 32 having an inlet duct 34 that is selectively connectable to the air outlet port 28 and an outlet duct 36 that is selectively connectable to the air inlet port 26 of the semi-trailer 10. Upon the creation of a recirculation air flow, the air recirculation and sensor system 30 functions to detect the presence of hazardous materials with in the containment.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting contaminants in or on objects, having a movably mounted container for holding objects and having a plurality of perforations and an entrance opening through which objects may be placed into the container. A housing encloses the container and forms a barrier to ambient air. There is a sealable opening for inserting and removing objects from the container. A drive assembly moves the container within the housing to move objects therein for emitting particles which are in or on such object. There is an air stream for moving air through the housing and container to entrain any emitted particles into the air stream and a sensor for sensing contaminants in the air stream and providing a signal when a contaminant is sensed. The container can be a rotatable cage or a vibrating box. In the method, there is a chamber provided which may be sealed with respect to ambient air to create an enclosed atmosphere.

Abstract: An adaptive escape routing system for use in buildings and building complexes in which a plurality of detectors or detector suites are situated throughout the building or building complex and provide information to a central controller as to the release of toxic, injurious, and/or agents, such as nuclear, biological, or chemical agents, in any form (including gaseous, vaporous, or particulate form). The controller, upon detection of an active sensor, commands exit and, optionally, no exit signage to designate safe exit/escape routes.

Abstract: A method and system for expelling test sample-volumes from luggage/packages includes, in one form, a set of superposed or otherwise cooperating belt conveyor (16, 24) and a cooperating biohazard detection system (14). Luggage articles (L) or packages to be inspected are moved by the belt conveyor (18) and subject to a momentary compressive force to reduce the internal volume of the luggage article or package sufficient to expel some of the interior air within the luggage article or package. The biohazard detection system (14) samples some of the air expelled from the interior of the luggage article (L) and subjects that air sample to various test of undesired or prohibited materials.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting contaminants in or on objects, having a movably mounted container for holding objects and having a plurality of perforations and an entrance opening through which objects may be placed into the container. A housing encloses the container and forms a barrier to ambient air. There is a sealable opening for inserting and removing objects from the container. A drive assembly moves the container within the housing to move objects therein for emitting particles which are in or on such object. There is an air stream for moving air through the housing and container to entrain any emitted particles into the air stream and a sensor for sensing contaminants in the air stream and providing a signal when a contaminant is sensed. The container can be a rotatable cage or a vibrating box. In the method, there is a chamber provided which may be sealed with respect to ambient air to create an enclosed atmosphere.

Abstract: An adaptive escape routing system for use in buildings and building complexes in which a plurality of detectors or detector suites are situated throughout the building or building complex and provide information to a central controller as to the release of toxic, injurious, and/or agents, such as nuclear, biological, or chemical agents, in any form (including gaseous, vaporous, or particulate form). The controller, upon detection of an active sensor, commands exit and, optionally, no exit signage to designate safe exit/escape routes.

Abstract: A system and method for neutralizing hazardous materials in mail and the like, which includes a container having an enclosed chamber for containing mail, and an air stream in the chamber. There are air input and output ports for accepting a flow of air for distribution within the container and for directing the flow of air therefrom. There is a hazardous materials detection system for detecting the presence of one or more hazardous materials in the air flow, and a system for introducing into the chamber, a neutralizing agent that neutralizes, one or more targeted hazardous material. There is an arrangement for purging the neutralizing agent from the enclosed chamber.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting bio-hazardous particulates in mail handling systems includes an air intake hood 20 that connects to a biohazard sensing suite 24 which, in turn, connects through an outlet duct 26 to a filter, adsorber, or scrubber 28 that removes any bio-hazardous material prior to exhausting the air. An air mover 30 is located in the outlet duct 26 and moves the air into the air intake hood 20 into the biohazard sensing suite 24. The biohazard sensing suite 24 detects the presence of any undesired bio-hazardous material.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting hazardous materials inside containers includes an air distribution plate 20 that defines an air plenum AP with a series of openings 22 that function to distribute a flow of air. An air input port 26 and an air output port 28 are provided to allow connection to an air recirculation and sensor system 30 including an air mover 32 having an inlet duct 34 that is selectively connectable to the air outlet port 28 and an outlet duct 36 that is selectively connectable to the air inlet port 26 of the semi-trailer 10. Upon the creation of a recirculation air flow, the air recirculation and sensor system 30 functions to detect the presence of hazardous materials with in the containment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus or system for de-contaminating and/or sanitizing mail in which a quantity of mail is placed into a confined chamber and the atmosphere in the chamber is evacuated to provide a sub-atmospheric pressure. The chamber is filled with an active gas that deactivates or degrades targeted bio-hazardous materials, and, after a pre-selected perio of time, the gas is evacuated from the confined chamber.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer includes a housing with a flow channel, an air pump to force air through the flow channel, a heater at an inlet end of the flow channel, and an ionization source that ionizes the air after it is heated. The heated, ionized air passes through an electric field produced by a field source and a plurality of sensor elements located within in the wall of the flow channel in the measurement region of the electric field. The sensor elements include a plurality of sensor electrodes in one wall of the flow channel. Ion currents to the sensor electrodes are measured by an integrated high-sensitivity readout circuit array, permitting the sensor electrodes to be quite small. The sensor electrodes may be arranged in one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrays.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for screening an object for the presence of an explosive, chemical warfare agent, biological warfare agent, drug, metal, weapon, and/or radioactive material. The apparatus includes a portal through which the object is arranged to pass, the portal including a housing equipped with an ion mobility spectrometer and a surface acoustic wave device for detecting explosives, drugs and chemical warfare agents. In another embodiment the housing is equipped with a biological warfare agent detector, chemical warfare agent detector, metal detector, x-ray system, and/or radiation detector.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer includes a housing with a flow channel, an air pump to force air through the flow channel, a heater at an inlet end of the flow channel, and an ionization source that ionizes the air after it is heated. The heated, ionized air passes through an electric field produced by a field source and a plurality of sensor elements located within in the wall of the flow channel in the measurement region of the electric field. The sensor elements include a plurality of sensor electrodes in one wall of the flow channel. Ion currents to the sensor electrodes are measured by an integrated high-sensitivity readout circuit array, permitting the sensor electrodes to be quite small. The sensor electrodes may be arranged in one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrays.

Abstract: A method and system for expelling test sample-volumes from luggage/packages includes, in one form, a set of superposed or otherwise cooperating belt conveyor (16, 24) and a cooperating biohazard detection system (14). Luggage articles (L) or packages to be inspected are moved by the belt conveyor (18) and subject to a momentary compressive force to reduce the internal volume of the luggage article or package sufficient to expel some of the interior air within the luggage article or package. The biohazard detection system (14) samples some of the air expelled from the interior of the luggage article (L) and subjects that air sample to various test of undesired or prohibited materials.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for screening an object for the presence of an explosive, chemical warfare agent, biological warfare agent, drug, metal, weapon, and/or radioactive material. The apparatus includes a portal through which the object is arranged to pass, the portal including a housing equipped with an ion mobility spectrometer and a surface acoustic wave device for detecting explosives, drugs and chemical warfare agents. In another embodiment the housing is equipped with a biological warfare agent detector, chemical warfare agent detector, metal detector, x-ray system, and/or radiation detector.

Abstract: In a surface acoustic wave sensor mounted within a body, the sensor having a surface acoustic wave array detector and a micro-fabricated sample preconcentrator exposed on a surface of the body, an apparatus for collecting air for the sensor, comprising a housing operatively arranged to mount atop the body, the housing including a multi-stage channel having an inlet and an outlet, the channel having a first stage having a first height and width proximate the inlet, a second stage having a second lower height and width proximate the micro-fabricated sample preconcentrator, a third stage having a still lower third height and width proximate the surface acoustic wave array detector, and a fourth stage having a fourth height and width proximate the outlet, where the fourth height and width are substantially the same as the first height and width.

Abstract: An improved biological probe is disclosed that employs a plurality of groups of modified single-stranded DNA attached to a single electrode. Using a plurality of such groups increases the inherent sensitivity of the probe by providing additional hybridization location sites and also serves to improve performance by diminishing steric hindrance caused by the crowding and tangling of the long single-stranded oligionucleotide molecules. The modification of the oligionucleotides involves the attachment of electron donor and acceptor moieties that alters the electrochemical properties of the hybridized molecules. The selected groups of modified oligionucleotides are complementary to unique characteristic sequences of the target DNA or RNA. A sample that containing oligionucleotides of a target biological agent is brought into contact with the probe and complementary portions of the molecules will hybridize with the oligionucleotides attached to the probe.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting contaminants in or on objects, having a movably mounted container for holding objects and having a plurality of perforations and an entrance opening through which objects may be placed into the container. A housing encloses the container and forms a barrier to ambient air. There is a sealable opening for inserting and removing objects from the container. A drive assembly moves the container within the housing to move objects therein for emitting particles which are in or on such object. There is an air stream for moving air through the housing and container to entrain any emitted particles into the air stream and a sensor for sensing contaminants in the air stream and providing a signal when a contaminant is sensed. The container can be a rotatable cage or a vibrating box. In the method, there is a chamber provided which may be sealed with respect to ambient air to create an enclosed atmosphere.