Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor for Rapid Multiplexed Biothreat Detection

Physical Sciences Inc. in collaboration with Boston University, will develop a compact and fieldable diagnostic sensor for the rapid multiplexed detection and identification of biological threats. The proposed platform is versatile and can simultaneously detect bacterial, viral and toxin threats in diverse environmental samples. The technology will provide highly sensitive and specific detection in less than 1 hr., with greater than 90 percent precision and accuracy. The sensor requires no specialized material or reagent storage and will fill a critical unmet need in biological defense by providing fast and accurate detection with exquisite sensitivity in a compact, ruggedized package. The Phase I effort will demonstrate concept feasibility with functional testing on a breadboard sensor in a laboratory environment. Test results and modeling will be used to generate a conceptual design for a fieldable Phase II prototype.