A miniature RFID sensor for biological warfare agents (BWAs) detection

The current program aims to develop a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor system to identify fermentors used for BWAs growth. BWAs may have many very different molecular structures/ mutations, but one antibody is only efficient for one type of BWA. Instead of have one sensor detecting each type of Anthrax, We plan to design molecular taggants such as DNA aptamers and Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) to detect the BWAs byproduct, which are present in the growth media and have fewer variations in molecular structures, to assess whether a fermentor is used for BWAs production. During this Phase II project, we will design, fabricate, and characterize a novel miniature RFID sensor for detection in liquid solution. We will also develop a compact and portable RFID reader that allows interrogation of the RFID sensor from a safe stand-off distance clandestinely. Intelligent Automation, Inc. will team up with University of California, Davis, to conduct this research. The proposed BWAs sensor system is critical to enable military and homeland security personnel to identify potential bioterrorism attacks and take timely actions to mitigate dangers. BENEFIT: The outcome of this research is coupled to a very clear commercialization path. The final product of this project is a compact, portable, low-cost RFID system, which can be used for a large variety of applications. The RFID will give the Air Force the capability to locate, track, and engage BWAs behind walls and inside of containers. It can also be used by military personnel to continuously monitor camps and other properties to quickly identify and take actions to mitigate dangers caused by BWA attacks. For civilian applications, it can be used to in areas spanning from identifying objects in warehousing, supply-chain management, service logistics, control, and other automation processes. This device may also be used by law enforcement officers to find and track illegal drugs and illicit materials.