TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS FOR BIOWEAPONS AND BIOTERRORIST THREAT DETECTION AND WARNINGS

TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS - BIOLOGICAL TERRORISM DETECTION AND WARNINGS

In 2004, as Wyatt Technology (WTC) began to consider the spin-off of the Wyatt-Lorenz entity, the Federal Government through the Department of Defense issued a solicitation for small businesses to develop a BW detector based on laser scattering from individual threat particles.

Issued under the auspices of the Army, the Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program touched directly on the Company’s earlier area of expertise. As WTC had already devoted many years to the study of this approach and had focused entirely during the previous decade on the commercialization of its products and wanted to avoid Federal contracts, an early decision was made not to bid. It was felt that the execution of such this relatively small Phase I contract (<$100,000) would encumber the Company’s progress in completing its earlier spin-off offering and might jeopardize its key patent programs should there be some inventions developed during the contract. Nevertheless, here was an opportunity to get a good reading of the Government’s judgment of the MALS technology. Thus an unusual proposal was submitted that described how the MALS system would be developed with a final delivery to the Government of a complete detector. The Government did not fund the proposal because it lacked the required development stage descriptions as well as plans for the future commercialization of the devices.

Nevertheless, the debriefings associated with the review process presented an unprejudiced and unprecedented review of the technology and its planned implementation by Wyatt-Lorenz. Department of Defense reviewers included the following comments, among others, on the technology proposed:

Criterion 1.  Soundness, technical merit, and innovation of the proposed approach and its incremental progress toward topic or subtopic solution.

“…The company and PI have an outstanding understanding of the problem of identification of aerosols using multiple scattering.  Wyatt is one of the pioneers of this type of research. …”

“…This is an excellent hardware proposal.  Wyatt Technology will develop a breadboard scattering system that will measure angle-dependent and polarization-dependent scattered light at 24 discrete angles. …”

“…Use of 80 angular polarization scattering measurements enhances the possibility of successfully detecting and identifying Biological Aerosols (BA).  The argument for rejecting the use of CCD arrays and using discrete detectors is well made.  The scattering measurements are not confined to a single plane, thus adding additional angular scattering information.  WTC has an aggressive program in place to develop their technology for detection of BA.  The use of a central processing facility that can also control the operation of the detectors is a solid approach for managing the overall system.…”

“…An excellent hardware proposal that shows outstanding understanding of the problem of identification of aerosols using multiple scattering.  Wyatt Technology will develop a breadboard scattering system that will measure angle-dependent and polarization-dependent scattered light at multiple discrete angles.  The use of the resulting 80 angular polarization scattering measurements enhances the possibility of successfully detecting and identifying Biological Aerosols (BA).  The argument for rejecting the use of CCD arrays and using discrete detectors is well made.  The scattering measurements are not confined to a single plane, thus adding additional angular scattering information. The use of a central processing facility that can also control the operation of the detectors is a solid approach for managing the overall system.…”

Criterion 2. Qualifications of the proposed/key investigators, supporting staff, and consultants.  Qualifications include not only the ability to perform the research and development, but also the ability to commercialize the results.

“…Outstanding. The company is a pioneer in the discipline.…”

“…The key investigators and facilities are excellent.  Dr Wyatt (the lead investigator) is clearly an expert in this field.  Wyatt Technology has a long history of optically-based aerosol detection instrumentation design.…”

“…Very strong qualifications in the area of light scattering and instrument development from BA. …”

“…Outstanding. Wyatt is a pioneer in the discipline and is clearly an expert in this field.  Wyatt Technology has a long history of optically-based aerosol detection instrumentation design.  The group has very strong qualifications in the area of light scattering and instrument development from BA detection.…”