SMITHS-DETECTION
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
Outpost24 Acquires Infinipoint to Power Its Entry into the Zero Trust Workforce Access Market9.12.2025 08:00:00 CET | Press release
The strategic acquisition strengthens market leadership by unifying user identity with device trust, eliminating security blind spots. Outpost24, a leader in exposure management and identity security, today announced the acquisition of Infinipoint, a specialist in device identity, posture validation, and secure workforce access. The acquisition marks Outpost24’s entry into the Zero Trust Workforce Access market and enhances its identity security division, Specops, by laying the foundation for a unified approach that evaluates both the user and the device before access is granted. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251208750630/en/ Ido Erlichman, Chief Executive Officer of Outpost24. As organizations advance their Zero Trust strategies, authentication alone is no longer enough. MFA and SSO confirm who the user is, but they do not validate the security of the device being used. In hybrid environments where employee
VSO Submits VCP v1.0 to Nineteen Regulatory Authorities Across Thirteen Jurisdictions and Completes First Integrated Evaluation in a Production-Like Environment9.12.2025 08:00:00 CET | Press release
The VeritasChain Standards Organization (VSO) announced today that it has submitted the VeritasChain Protocol (VCP) v1.0 to nineteen regulatory authorities across thirteen jurisdictions, including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Singapore, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates (DIFC), Australia, India, South Korea, Switzerland, Brazil, Liechtenstein, and Saudi Arabia. The submissions present VCP v1.0 as a cryptographic audit framework designed to address emerging supervisory requirements under the EU AI Act Article 12 for logging and traceability, and MiFID II / RTS 25 for timestamp integrity and event ordering in AI-driven and algorithmic trading systems. VSO also confirmed the first completed integration of VCP v1.0 within a controlled, production-like evaluation environment operating under its Early Access Program. The environment successfully generated cryptographically linked event chains, immutable hashing, and verifiable proofs using RFC-aligned structures, demonstr
ENGIE and NHOA Energy Expand Their Partnership in Belgium to Build a New 320 MWh Battery Energy Storage System9.12.2025 08:00:00 CET | Press release
The project strengthens the strategic partnership with ENGIE and reinforces NHOA Energy’s long-term commitment to the Benelux markets NHOA Energy, global provider of utility-scale energy storage systems, has been awarded by ENGIE the contracts for the Supply, Commissioning and the Long-Term Service of a new 80 MW / 320 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to be installed at the site of ENGIE’s Drogenbos power station, near Brussels. The Drogenbos BESS represents ENGIE’s third large-scale battery asset in Belgium and was selected in the country’s fifth Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM) auction, securing a 15-year contract starting in November 2027. Designed to deliver essential flexibility services to the Belgian grid, enabling greater integration of renewable energy and supporting grid stability at national level, the BESS will be based on NHOA Energy’s NHEXUS platform, including 88 battery containers capable of providing up to 4 hours of discharge, corresponding to the average
2025 Sees Double-digit Increase in Tourists' Spending via Alipay+ in South Korea as Travellers Seek More Local Experiences9.12.2025 07:55:00 CET | Press release
- Total number of Alipay+ QR code payment transactions in South Korea increased 18%, with total payment volume (TPV) growing 16% year-on-year - Beauty clinic, transportation and F&B are some of the fastest-growing categories in spending with Alipay+ Alipay+, Ant International’s global wallet gateway services, revealed an 18% increase in Alipay+-supported QR code payment transactions, with total payment volume (TPV) growing 16% year-on-year in South Korea, as more tourists use Alipay+ partner wallets and bank apps to make digital payments for a range of services, from beauty clinic treatments and transportation to night market food stalls. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251208351936/en/ Weixiao Jiang, General Manager North Asia and North America, Alipay+, Ant International South Korea is among the top destinations for tourists from regions such as Southeast Asia and the Chinese mainland, with the greatest numb
Interactive Brokers Expands Market Access with United Arab Emirates Equities9.12.2025 07:00:00 CET | Press release
Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global electronic broker, today announced the introduction of United Arab Emirates (UAE) equities through two leading exchanges in one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions. Clients of Interactive Brokers worldwide can now access the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). This enables investors in the region to trade both local and international markets from a single platform while investors worldwide can build diversified portfolios across asset classes and geographies, including countries in the growing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Interactive Brokers serves a global client base and is uniquely equipped to advance the financial goals of individual and institutional investors worldwide, including those in the Middle East. Adding UAE stocks further expands Interactive Brokers’ market access and enhances the investment opportunities available to local and global investors. Interactive Broker
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