GE Security to Supply Next-Gen Chemical-Biological Identifier to First Responders

GE Security, a business of GE Enterprise Solutions, announced its recently introduced StreetLab Mobile device will soon be capable of identifying biological as well as chemical substances.
The biological identification upgrade will be available in the fourth quarter, the company said.

StreetLab Mobile is a portable handheld device that reliably identifies a broad range of substances in liquid, powder and solid forms. Using Raman spectroscopy for data capture and analysis, StreetLab Mobile consumes little or no substance sample and makes it easy for the operator to understand and share results. The handheld unit uses extended-range wireless technology to allow first responders to deliver accurate results from the field to tactical commanders at remote command centers.

"By adding biological identification to StreetLab Mobile, we are offering first responders a solution that delivers fast and accurate results at the point of contact," said Dennis Cooke, president and CEO, GE Security's Homeland Protection business. "With StreetLab Mobile, first responders can be even better equipped to handle unknown substance situations while working to protect their communities."

"First responders need convenient, easy-to-use, real time identification capabilities at hand on the scene when dealing with chemical and biological emergencies," said Frost & Sullivan industry analyst David Fishering. "StreetLab Mobile can be on the scene with first responders giving them the information they can use to assess, react and respond to an emergency in a matter of seconds."

The StreetLab Mobile chem-bio device will be available for customer orders in the fourth quarter and customers with current chemical-only StreetLab Mobile units will soon be able to easily upgrade to the dual mode version.

With the addition of biological detection, StreetLab Mobile will be immediately capable of identifying nearly a thousand potentially dangerous chemical substances as well as a growing library of biological agents, initially including Anthrax and E. coli. In addition, the device can identify toxic industrial substances such as formaldehyde and liquid and solid explosives, as well as the chemical components of common explosives. It can also identify substances such as Cresol and Benzene, exposure to which can have serious health consequences.

Utilizing Raman spectroscopy, StreetLab Mobile identifies substances based on their molecular structure. Raman technology works by analyzing the interactions of light with the sample's chemical bonds, allowing a sample to be analyzed without being consumed or destroyed in most cases.

GE Security, an indirect subsidiary of the General Electric Company, is a supplier of security and life safety technologies.