Spectral Sensing of Bio-Aerosols (SSBA)

A critical component of an effective biological warfare (BW) defense is real-time, pre-exposure detection, discrimination, and identification of the full spectrum of threats: spore, bacteria, virus, and toxin. The Spectral Sensing of Bio-Aerosol program will develop sensors to address the urgent need for Biological Weapons Agent trigger sensors and detect-to-warn sensors with fast response times and significantly improved false alarm rates. The goal of this program is to develop point detection sensors with response times of less than one minute and with at least a one order of magnitude reduction in false alarm rate relative to current sensors.