Frequently asked questions.
AccuSense is a laboratory-quality chemical recognition system that provides concentration levels of multiple chemicals simultaneously in a field-portable or fixed-position scenario.
AccuSense was designed to meet first responder requirements for an accurate, field-portable, easy-to-use chemical detection device. It also satisfies requirements for continuous monitoring industrial applications.
AccuSense is intended for a variety of scenarios. The most common is a multiple-unit deployment around a known chemical release — units are set in and around the anticipated hot zone, run for any period of time, and information is transmitted wirelessly back to a command post to define hot and cold zones and set a perimeter for public and worker safety. Multiple AccuSense units can also be placed in an industrial setting and run continuously to monitor concentrations and inform worker-safety decisions.
Dual-Hyphenated Gas Chromatography (DHGC) for separation of chemicals and a thermal detection system for chemical identification.
DHGC is a unique form of gas chromatography that utilizes two columns to perform separation of polar and non-polar chemicals.
AccuSense detects a wide variety of organic and inorganic Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) such as hydrogen chloride, sulfur dioxide, ethylene oxide, phosgene, and many more.
AccuSense does not utilize a published comparison database such as the NIST Mass Spectral Library used in GC/MS devices. Instead, AccuSense utilizes proprietary neural network algorithms that operate similar to a fingerprint identification system.
Due to the separation capabilities in DHGC technology and the neural network algorithms that are the backbone of identification, AccuSense is essentially blind to environmental confusers and will not report false positives or false negatives in their presence.
Detection limits vary chemical to chemical, but in general are in the low parts-per-million (ppm) range, with the ability to detect all chemicals within the database below their respective Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) level. Advanced Dynamic Range Shifting also supports accurate reporting from approximately 100 ppb to 10,000 ppm depending on configuration and chemical.
At the laptop PC level, the user is notified of chemicals that are detected and their concentration levels relative to IDLH. A color-coded representation on a sliding bar scale along with visual flashing notifies the user when a detected concentration is dangerous. At the unit itself, visual LEDs notify the user of the hazard level (High, Medium, Low).
The housing of the AccuSense device is made of A356 aluminum, which allows for easy decontamination after operation in the hot zone and operation in a wide variety of environments.