Chemical warfare warning system to use FTIR spectrometer

Chemical warfare warning system to use FTIR spectrometer

The US Army has awarded Block Engineering (Marlborough, MA) a $450,000 contract for FY1996 development of the Improved Lightweight Standoff Chemical Agent Detection Sensor (I-LSCADS). The device is designed for countering chemical-warfare threats and for treaty verification. Under the contract, the company will test signal-processing hardware and software improvements in two existing units, leading to a competitive procurement by the service next year.

The I-LSCADS sensor is a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer based on a Michelson interferometer. A mercury cadmium telluride detector in the spectrometer is optimized for wavelengths between 7 and 13 µm. The portable sensor measures 6 ¥ 7 ¥ 10 in., weighs less than 13 lb, and consumes less than 25 W of power. With a range of 5 km, I-LSCADS will be used for mobile stand-off detection and is designed for platforms including ground vehicles, ships, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Block also sees future civilian applications such as remote monitoring of Superfund clean-up sites and factory stacks.