Actively Excited Bio-Taggant Sensor

ABSTRACT: In the new global theater of war, there is a critical and highly urgent need to reliably detect, identify, and track high priority targets such as those related to terrorist networks and Chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear/Explosive (CBRNE) threats. The specialized bio-taggants being developed by the Air Force could provide a transformational technology to help detect and covertly track such important assets. In the proposed Phase II effort TIAX will develop and demonstrate a prototype sensor system for detecting, identifying and tracking objects coated with these bio-taggants from long operating ranges. We have already shown the technical feasibility of our detection approach during the Phase I effort. We will carry out this effort in close conjunction with the bio-taggant development and signature characterization efforts of the Air Force. Our approach will significantly accelerate the development process, while also reducing the development costs dramatically. This technology can serve a variety of unmet Tagging, Tracking and Locating (TTL) needs, and has a vast number of potential applications in US military, homeland security, and civilian/commercial markets. BENEFIT: The proposed effort will develop sensor systems that will address a critical and highly urgent need to reliably Tag, Track and Locate (TTL) a large number of assets (routes, places, materiel and people) in a variety of use scenarios in support of a range of military and homeland security markets. The technology has a very high potential for dual use commercialization. In addition to a large number of US military and homeland security applications, this technology has numerous other potential civilian/commercial applications, e.g., in law enforcement, material handling, retail security.