Detection of Explosive Materials
First Claim
1. A system for detecting a target material, the system comprising:
- a sample gathering unit configured to obtain a portion of the target material to be tested;
a sample holding unit having a first end configured to attach to the sample gathering unit and form a housing that retains at least the obtained portion of the target material; and
a reagent holding unit attached to a second end of the sample holding unit, wherein the reagent holding unit is configured to introduce the reagent into the formed housing to mix with the obtained target material and start a chemical reaction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Among other things, methods and systems are described for detecting chemicals including explosive materials. For example, a system for detecting materials includes a sample gathering unit designed to obtain a portion of a target material to be tested. In addition, the system includes a sample holding unit that has a first end designed to attach to the sample gathering unit and form a housing that retains at least the obtained portion of the target material. Further, a reagent holding unit is included and designed to attach to a second end of the sample holding unit. The reagent holding unit is designed to introduce the reagent into the formed housing to mix with the obtained target material and start a chemical reaction.
26 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for detecting a target material, the system comprising:
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a sample gathering unit configured to obtain a portion of the target material to be tested; a sample holding unit having a first end configured to attach to the sample gathering unit and form a housing that retains at least the obtained portion of the target material; and a reagent holding unit attached to a second end of the sample holding unit, wherein the reagent holding unit is configured to introduce the reagent into the formed housing to mix with the obtained target material and start a chemical reaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting a material, the method comprising:
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obtaining a sample of a target material to be tested; sealing the obtained sample of the target material in a detection unit; introducing a reagent into the detection unit to mix with the target material, wherein the reagent is configured to start a chemical reaction and generate a product when mixed with an explosive material; measuring an electrochemical signal associated with the mixture of reagent and the target material; and processing the measured electrochemical signal to generate an output that indicates a presence or absence of a chemical reaction between the target material land the reagent. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for testing a target material, the system comprising:
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a sample gathering unit configured to obtain a portion of the target material to be tested; a sample holding unit having a first end configured to attach to the sample gathering unit and form a housing that retains at least the obtained portion of the target material; and a reagent holding unit attached to a second end of the sample holding unit, wherein the reagent holding unit is configured to introduce the reagent into the formed housing to mix with the obtained target material and start a chemical reaction. an electrochemical sensor unit configured to interface with contents of the formed housing; a reader configured to interface with the conductive sensor unit to detect an electrical signal associated with the contents of the formed housing; and a processor configured to process the detected electrical signal to generate an output signal indicative of a presence of an explosive material in the target material, wherein the processing comprises; generating a voltammetric signal profile that includes a relationship between currents measured and potentials applied; comparing the generated signal profile against a known signal profile of an explosive material. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A microelectrode sensing device, comprising:
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a substrate; an array of microelectrode sensors formed on the substrate, each microelectrode sensor comprising one or more conductive layers, that at least partially conducts electricity, formed above the substrate and patterned to comprise at least a working electrode and a reference electrode to measure electrical activities associated with a chemical reaction between a target material and a reagent; and a reading unit configured to interface the one or more conductive layers, wherein the reading unit detects the measured electrical activities.
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23. A method of testing a target material comprising:
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obtaining a portion of the target material; irradiating the obtained portion of the target material; sealing the irradiated sample of the target material in a detection unit; in response to sealing the irradiated sample of the target material in a detection unit, automatically introducing a reagent into the detection unit to mix with the target material, wherein the reagent is configured to start a chemical reaction and generate a product when mixed with an explosive material; measuring an electrochemical signal associated with the mixture of reagent and the target material; and processing the measured electrochemical signal to generate an output that indicates a presence or absence of a chemical reaction between the target material land the reagent.
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24. A compute program product, embodied on a tangible computer readable-medium, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform apparatus comprising:
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obtain an electrical signal associated with a reaction between a target material and a reagent; processing the obtained electrical signal to identify a presence of an explosive material in the target material; and based on the processing, generating an output signal, wherein the generated output signal comprises at least one of a visual indication of the presence of an explosive material in the target material; and an audio indication of the presence of an explosive material in the target material.
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25. A method comprising
providing a removable sample gathering unit configured to obtain a portion of a target material; -
providing a sample holding unit configured to form a housing that retains at least the obtained portion of the target material, wherein the removable sample gathering unit includes a receptor for receiving the removable sample unit; providing a reagent holding unit configured to retain a reagent, interface with the sample holding unit, and introduces the retained reagent into the formed housing of the sample holding unit when the sample holding unit receives the removable sample gathering unit; measuring an electrical signal associated with contents of the formed housing of the sample holding unit; and processing the measured electrical signal to detect a presence of an explosive material in the target material.
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Specification