How do you identify potentially toxic substances inside closed containers? This problem, a pressing concern of UN chemical weapons inspectors, has now been solved.
The answer is the swept frequency acoustic interferometer (SFAI). Invented at Los Alamos National Laboratory by physicist Dipen Sinha and his Ultrasonic Application Team, it's a 6-pound handheld device that can analyze the contents of almost any container at the push of a button.
The SFAI works by sending sound waves through the target container and recording the speed of travel and rate of absorption over a wide range of frequencies. This data -– there's a unique signature for each substance -– is identified by an onboard computer with a database of 110 toxic and industrial liquids.
The US Department of Defense funded development of the SFAI, but it's brimming with dual-use applications. Besides identifying common chemical warfare agents, the device can detect spoilage, gauge gasoline octane ratings, and even determine bone density for conditions like osteoporosis.
The SFAI will cost an estimated US$15,000 per unit once it's in production. So while it's sure to be in the hands of weapons inspectors before long, don't count on using it to figure out what's in the back of your fridge.
This article originally appeared in the April issue of Wired magazine.
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