Battelle upgrading biological threat detector.

• Author: Tadjdeh, Yasmin
• Position: Global Defense

* Battelle is upgrading a compact system that can quickly detect and identify chemical and biological warfare agents.

The device--which is called the resource effective bio identification system, or REBS--was released in 2014 and offered customers such as the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security the ability to identify hundreds of pathogens in less than 30 minutes.

Now, the company plans to release an upgraded version that offers more functionality, said Matt Shaw, vice president and general manager of Battelle's chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives defense business unit.

"We are making some improvements," he said. "We're looking at the future and making it more reliable."

When REBS was first released, it was developed as an aerosol identification system, Shaw said. The new version will include a way to analyze liquids. The company also plans to upgrade a laser on the system to make it more ruggedized.

Chris Gunther, director of business development for CBRNE defense at Battelle, said the company was also working to reduce the system's cost.

"A lot of our focus has just been on providing a product that can be manufactured in a simpler, cheaper fashion," he said. "That doesn't really change its performance but helps either drive its cost down or improves overall life-cycle affordability."

The system can detect a variety of pathogens including anthrax. Its software...