SMITHS-DETECTION
17.2.2021 09:02:11 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, today reports that its BioFlash® Biological Identifier is capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 in the air following tests conducted by the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).
The tests were performed using live SARS-CoV-2 virus in a Biosafety Level 3 containment area at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The SARS-CoV-2 CANARY biosensor used in the BioFlash device demonstrated that it can quickly detect and identify the presence of low levels of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2.
The BioFlash® Biological Identifier is powered by CANARY® technology (a cell-based biosensor) and is combined with proprietary aerosol-collection techniques to provide rapid, sensitive and specific identification of biological-threat agents including viruses, toxins and bacteria.
“We are working incredibly hard to provide a tool that will support the ongoing fight against the coronavirus,” said Roland Carter, President, Smiths Detection. “BioFlash is an effective and trusted environmental monitoring tool. These test results provide valuable data in understanding the spread of COVID-19 and help protect people in indoor environments such as hospitals, schools and commercial buildings.”
USAMRIID confirmed that Smiths Detection’s BioFlash can detect down to an estimated 6,000 airborne infectious particles of the SARS-CoV-2 virus within a controlled environment. This compares to as many as one million particles emitted in a single sneeze by a person infected with SARS-CoV-2. The test results also indicate no cross-reactivity with influenza and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), an important consideration for environmental monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Further testing and research is underway at a number of US universities to collect more data on how the detection technology can help prevent outbreaks and guide both public and private organizations in COVID-19 mitigation strategies.
###
About BioFlash Biological Identifier
The BioFlash ® Biological Identifier is a bio-aerosol collection and identification system that provides rapid, sensitive and specific identification of various pathogens including viruses, toxins and bacteria. The BioFlash has been commercially available for over 10 years and is currently used by US government and commercial clients for a number of applications.
About Smiths Detection
Smiths Detection, part of Smiths Group, is a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for aviation, ports and borders, defence and urban security markets. Our experience and history across more than 40 years at the frontline enables us to deliver the solutions needed to protect society from the threat and illegal passage of explosives, prohibited weapons, contraband, toxic chemicals and narcotics.
Our goal is simple – to provide security, peace of mind and freedom of movement upon which the world depends.
For more information visit http://www.smithsdetection.com/
About the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases:
For over 50 years, USAMRIID has provided leading-edge medical capabilities to deter and defend against current and emerging biological threat agents. The Institute is the only laboratory in the Department of Defense equipped to safely study highly hazardous viruses requiring maximum containment at Biosafety Level 4. Research conducted at USAMRIID leads to medical solutions – vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, information, and training programmes – that benefit both military personnel and civilians. Established in 1969, the Institute plays a key role as the lead military medical research laboratory for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. USAMRIID is a subordinate laboratory of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. For more information, visit www.usamriid.army.mil
[The information contained in this press release does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.]
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210217005084/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Vedanta Ltd Doubles Zinc Capacity in South Africa with US$ 600 Mn investment19.10.2026 19:19:00 CEST | Press release
Vedanta Limited doubled its annual zinc production capacity to 500,000 tonnes1in South Africa through an investment of nearly US$ 600 Mn at Gamsberg (Phase II) at Vedanta Zinc International (VZI). Gamsberg has one of the world’s most significant zinc deposits and is VZI’s flagship zinc mine. Inaugurated by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Vedanta Limited Director Priya Agarwal-Hebbar, this expansion marks one of the decade’s largest mining investments in South Africa. It advances Vedanta Limited’s position as the world’s largest2 zinc producer, with a vision of achieving 3 million tonnes of annual production across India and South Africa. Of this, 2 million tonnes are targeted from its subsidiary, Hindustan Zinc Limited the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, while Vedanta Zinc International business aims to contribute 1 million tonnes annually. This expansion strengthens the ZAR 21 Bn (nearly US$ 1.5 Bn) investment commitment Vedanta made at the 2018 South Africa Inve
Unlocking Digital Gold’s US$700bn Opportunity19.10.2026 18:00:00 CEST | Press release
The digital gold market, worth US$45–55bn today, could unlock up to US$700bn in latent demand, according to new research from World Gold Council and Boston Consulting Group. The report points to substantial untapped appetite among retail investors, with nearly nine in ten surveyed saying they would consider digital gold under the right conditions. The US$700bn opportunity represents the report’s estimate of total latent demand that could be released if today’s barriers to adoption were removed, rather than a near-term forecast. The report’s five-year base case sees digital gold growing by around 27% a year to US$160–170bn by 2031. That could rise to US$270–280bn over the same time if more barriers fall faster. Momentum is already building as financial markets undergo a broader digital transformation, bringing tokenised investment products increasingly into the mainstream. Tokenised gold, one segment of the digital gold market alongside vaulted digital gold, has grown fivefold in value
Roquette Brings Broad Portfolio of Excipient Solutions and Technical Expertise to AAPS PharmSci 360 202619.10.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients, excipients and pharmaceutical solutions, will showcase its expansive portfolio of excipients, capsules, coatings, and biopharma solutions at AAPS PharmSci 360 2026. The conference and trade show will take place October 26-28 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. At Booth 1100 in the exhibit hall, Roquette’s Health & Pharma Solutions team will share their expertise across controlled-release technologies, hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrins, and sustainable formulation approaches, alongside a comprehensive portfolio of innovative solutions designed to address the evolving needs of pharmaceutical developers. “AAPS PharmSci 360 is a key opportunity to share our latest innovations, as well as highlight the breadth and depth of our scientific know-how that helps our customers solve complex formulation challenges,” said Peter Freed, Head of Technical Service & Development North America for Roquette’s Health & Pharma Solutions Business Unit. “From a
TestGorilla Survey: Recruiters are Faster with AI, but Not More Confident They’re Finding the Right Candidates19.10.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
TestGorilla survey of 1,428 US talent professionalsshows nearly two in three now spend an hour or more manually checking candidates identified by AI AI made finding candidates faster for 72% of US recruiters over the last 12 months, according to TestGorilla's Recruiting in 2026 report, a survey of 1,428 US talent professionals. That speed, however, did not make them any more confident they had found the right person. In fact, of the recruiters that claim AI has made them faster, a third reported no gain in confidence at all, and 18% say their confidence in the match actually fell. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261019723138/en/ Recruiters report gains in speed from AI but not in certainty - TestGorilla’s Recruiting in the AI era 2026 report Recruiters are making up the difference themselves, by hand. Of those recruiters, 67% now spend an hour or more manually checking a single candidate before they trust that
Fortanix Announces Confidential AI for Enterprise Grade Kubernetes Workloads on CNCF® Confidential Containers (CoCo)19.10.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
Industry leaders including NVIDIA, Alpha Compute, AMD, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Deepgram, Dell Technologies, Eleven Labs, Fujitsu, Gnani, H2O.ai, HPE, Intel, Klique, Personal AI, Rafay, Red Hat, Resemble AI, Spectro Cloud, Supermicro, Technology Innovation Institute (TII), TELUS and VAST Data support the advancement of secure enterprise AI adoption, enabling enterprises to run frontier AI models, AI agents and AI applications on Kubernetes Fortanix® Inc., a global leader in data and AI security and pioneer of Confidential Computing, today announced support for CNCF Confidential Containers (CoCo) in Fortanix Confidential AI, enabling organizations to run AI workloads on Kubernetes inside hardware-based Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), on confidential CPUs and GPUs. Enterprises keep the speed and agility of containers while protecting sensitive data, AI models, agents, and applications in use, so they can support their regulatory compliance efforts, scale AI across the business, and ado
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom