WAKEFIELD, Mass., Sept. 30 --Implant Sciences Corp., which develops products for radiation oncology and explosive and toxic substance detection devices, has been selected by the US Army to receive a Phase II contract of up to $780,000 for its continued development of a portable land-mine detection device using the company's laser ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) technology.
Implant Sciences was awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Contract to develop the device, for approximately $70,000, in December. The company said feasibility tests performed during the Phase I contract demonstrated the device's ability to sniff explosive residue in typical soil samples without physical contact with the soil.
Implant Sciences has received approximately $50,000 advance funding to maintain development of the portable landmine device. The final Phase II contract is anticipated to be awarded after Oct. 1.
Anthony J. Armini, PhD, CEO of Implant Sciences, said, "We believe the widespread use of land mines and similar devices against our troops in combat conditions give this project a particular urgency. We believe that the application of our laser IMS technology to land-mine detection will result in a system that will dramatically increase the accuracy of mine detection."
He said current land mine detection technology, which is based primarily on metal detection, is prohibitively time-consuming, inaccurate and "treacherous for the end user."
The company said an estimated 120 million mines are buried worldwide.
For more information, visit: www.implantsciences.com