Bruker Daltonics Announces New Options for Its RAID(TM)-AFM Autonomous Facility Monitor for Chemical Agents and Toxic Chemicals
At the 9th International CBW Protection Symposium, the Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear (CBRN) detection business of Bruker Daltonics today announces significant new options and capabilities for its RAID-AFM Automated Facility Monitor.
The RAID-AFM product line is designed to monitor large buildings, facilities and key infrastructure for accidents or attacks involving toxic industrial chemicals (TIC) or chemical warfare agents (CWA). The RAID-AFM is of particular value in large buildings, such as government, financial centers, hotels, etc., with targeted deployment in building lobbies and air intake locations. The fixed-site autonomous RAID-AFM is complemented by Bruker’s handheld RAID-M chemical detectors for facility walk-throughs and problem localization.
Bruker Daltonics’ RAID™-AFM is based on the Company’s successful line of RAID™ ion mobility spectrometers (IMS) that feature excellent detection capabilities and sensitivity, combined with superior false positive rejection compared to other commercial IMS systems or technologies. The RAID-AFM can detect and identify up to 20 chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals with short response times at IDLH (Immediate Danger to Live and Health) levels. It is designed to monitor critical infrastructure and larger buildings on a continuous basis 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year, without operator intervention and with minimal annual service requirements. The RAID-AFM represents state-of-the-art technology to protect key facilities from chemical accidents or potential terrorist attacks using weapons of mass destruction. This new stationary detector meets the evolving demand for a small, affordable instrument that is compatible with other typical building infrastructure, along with web-based diagnostics and control capabilities.
New options introduced here include:
The RAID-AFM is now available optionally as a bi-functional fully integrated NC (nuclear & chemical) system that can also detect radiological and nuclear threats, including potential attacks using so-called dirty bombs (conventional explosives with radioactive material), in addition to TIC and CWA chemical detection. This combined NC-capability makes the RAID-AFM unique and particularly convenient for many installations.
The RAID-AFM now is offered also with an optional non-radioactive ionization source, so there are no license requirements for radioactive sources whatsoever in any jurisdiction or country. In many countries, the RAID-AFM with its standard very low activity ion source is exempt from radiation safety requirements and requires no registration, record keeping or special disposal even in its standard version. In other countries, even the standard very low activity source does require additional administrative steps, and a non-radioactive source is more convenient.
Dr. Norbert Kloepper, R&D Manager for CBRN Detection at Bruker Daltonics, commented: “After the launch of the standard RAID-AFM a year ago, the new combined NC-version and the non-radioactive source option are logical next steps to further enhance the capabilities and ease-of-deployment of this product line for homeland security applications. We appreciate the positive customer feedback that we have received so far, and believe these new capabilities will be well received by our international customer base.”
Bruker Daltonics will exhibit at the 9th International Symposium on Protection against Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents in Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 22-25, 2007.
ABOUT BRUKER BIOSCIENCES (NASDAQ: BRKR)
Bruker BioSciences Corporation, headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, is the publicly traded parent company of Bruker Daltonics Inc., Bruker AXS Inc. and Bruker Optics Inc. For more information, please visit www.bruker-biosciences.com
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to our reorganization strategies, risks related to the integration of businesses we have acquired or may acquire in the future, technological approaches, product development, market acceptance, cost and pricing of our products, changes in governmental regulations, capital spending and government funding policies, FDA and other regulatory approvals to the extent applicable, competition, the intellectual property of others, patent protection and litigation. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in our filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and, our current reports on Form 8-K. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.