BioAgent Detection and Identification System for the Dept. of Homeland Security

MicroFluidic Systems Inc.(MFSI) and Quantum Magnetics, a subsidiary of InVision Technologies, Inc., have announced that they have signed a cooperation agreement to develop and produce an automated system to identify air-borne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins.

MFSI has been awarded a prime contract by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) to develop a Bioagent Autonomous Networked Detector (BAND) system.

The HSARPA program is intended to improve upon technology currently deployed in the DHS BioWatch system at lower acquisition and operating cost, to allow wide deployment in urban areas for detection of potential biological threats. Quantum Magnetics will serve as a subcontractor on this contract.

Quantum Magnetics will be responsible for design and development of the wireless networking of the MFSI BAND system. InVision will assist MFSI and Quantum Magnetics in product design for manufacturability and commercial deployment.

MicroFluidic Systems Inc. is focused on the development of automated microfluidic systems for biological assays and have been involved with the development of automated DNA-based pathogen detection systems and microfluidics for the US Government and commercial markets for over 10 years, including the world's first miniaturized, portable, battery-operated, real-time, polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR)-based detection system.