AccuSense Chemical Recognition System

Transcription

1 2681 Parleys Way Suite 201 Salt Lake City, UT AccuSense Chemical Recognition System Sep 2010

2 Table of Contents AccuSense Overview 3 SEER AccuSense Origins and Background 10 AccuSense Chemical Detection Capabilities 13 AccuSense Value Proposition / Competitive Information 18 AccuSense Features / Functions / Specifications 23 AccuSense Chemical Signature Database(s) 30 AccuSense Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 34 SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 2

3 AccuSense Overview The AccuSense Chemical Recognition System (AccuSense) by SEER Technology, Inc. (SEER) was developed to satisfy first responder requirements for a small, reliable, and portable chemical detection system. AccuSense will detect, identify, monitor, and accurately display concentration levels of multiple Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) simultaneously on a user friendly interface. The detection capabilities and interface are designed to alert the user when an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) situation arises. AccuSense provides quick results (3 min analysis cycle) and requires no consumables, which limits human interaction with the device during monitoring, response, and/or cleanup. AccuSense provides more detailed information than ever before about a chemical release situation, making it the ideal solution for first responders in diverse deployment scenarios. Chemical detection today is typically conducted in one of two ways: in a laboratory or in the field. Laboratory instruments usually consist of large, bench top devices that often combine two or more detection technologies. While very accurate, these lab instruments have several drawbacks. First, they are too large and cumbersome for use in field applications. Secondly, if one wished to obtain information about a chemical release or hazardous situation, a sample would need to be collected at the area of concern, preserved, transported to the laboratory, and subjected to the analysis process. As such, no real time monitoring information is provided and the potential for improper response actions at the site are heightened. Furthermore, laboratory environment instruments are expensive due to the cost of procurement and assembly and often require personnel with highly technical backgrounds to operate the equipment properly. Chemical detection in the field is currently performed through the use of various technologies that are often very specialized in their detection capabilities. The most common technology currently utilized in field instruments is Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS), a detection technology that has been in existence for approximately years. Although widely used, IMS has serious flaws that make it less than ideal for real world deployments in the field. For instance, if multiple chemicals are present in an air stream, say chlorine and sulfur dioxide, an IMS based detector in a chlorine and sulfur dioxide environment will not be able to detect both. The reason is the sulfur dioxide would acquire the charge on the chlorine gas thus rendering it invisible. This is not a mis identification of the chlorine but rather a masking of the chlorine by the sulfur dioxide. This is a basic limitation of the IMS technology. The result of this technology limitation is that the detection capabilities of current IMS detectors are very specialized. Often times, the user is required to switch to a certain detection mode based upon the suspected chemical(s) of interest, leading to a dependency on the user for proper mode of collection. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 3

4 Furthermore, IMS based detectors often do not have the capability to display concentrations levels of the chemicals present and are poor at distinguishing between chemical mixtures. The limitations in current field detection technology have led to first responders arriving on a scene needing to know precisely what they are looking for. Assuming they know the chemical that has been released, they then utilize detectors to determine if that chemical is still present. But how do they know what concentration of the chemical is present and whether or not exposure to IDLH levels of that chemical has occurred? What if additional chemicals are present at the release site? How do they respond when a detector does not have the ability to identify multiple chemicals simultaneously? The answers to these questions can be found with the deployment of AccuSense. The goal in designing AccuSense was to engineer a solution that quickly provided the accuracy of a lab instrument, was field portable, and had the ability to detect multiple chemicals simultaneously. In addition, the system needed to be easy for an everyday operator to use and interpret the given data without any previous knowledge about chemical detection. An additional feature that separates the AccuSense system from its competition is the elimination of consumables. In competitive GC systems there is a need for a reference gas to accompany the design. This reference channel is compared to the analytical channel. Typically, canisters of helium, argon, or some other inert gas are used for the reference side of the system. This requires the necessary change out of air canisters during continuous operations in the field and hence additional human interaction in the potential hot zone. Additionally, there is the added cost of continually replacing the reference gas canisters during operations time and time again. AccuSense is no different from other GC systems in that a reference channel is needed for its operation; the SEER way around the use of consumables comes in the implementation of conditioned ambient air as the elute gas source. The use of ambient air as the elute gas removes the need for gas canisters or other consumable materials that add weight, logistic complexity, and cost to the system. The AccuSense Chemical Recognition System from SEER performs chemical signature identification based on a database comparison schema similar to a fingerprint identification process. SEER uses a Cray supercomputer to process a series of very complex algorithms that provide the capability to distinctly separate multiple chemicals unique chemical signatures that overlay each other in less strenuous analyses. The chemical signatures created by the Cray are loaded into a software database package that is installed on a SEER provided laptop PC and delivered to the customer. During operation, a complex chemical signature is acquired by the AccuSense, matched to the chemical signature database and displayed via an intuitive user interface on the computer screen. AccuSense has the capability to ignore or disregard signatures presented by environmental confusers (dust, diesel fumes, etc.), which therefore enables AccuSense not to be confused when identifying and quantifying the various chemicals found in samples. Confusers in this case are generally those items that will cause an IMS to malfunction and provide erroneous results. AccuSense was designed to eliminate these confusers from masking the true results. This makes the AccuSense more useful and effective in dirty or tainted environments and leads to a chemical signature database comparison schema backbone with extremely low levels of false positives. Additionally, SEER has developed a proprietary AccuSense Membrane Front End Filter. The goal of the front end filter is to transfer chemicals from a dirty gas stream to a clean gas stream that can be sampled by the Accusense. The dirty gas stream may contain particulates such as dust, dirt, liquid, fibers, etc. The front end filter utilizes a silicone membrane to accomplish this task, while a high flow rate on the dirty side cleans the membrane surface. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 4

5 There are a few factors SEER addresses in the design that include removing or releasing chemicals from mixtures, especially mixtures of water. To accomplish this, SEER reduces the relative humidity at the membrane surface by heating the membrane. The silicone membrane has a variable chemical permeation. The permeation is most directly affected by the temperature of the membrane. In the chemical detection business, it is very important to correctly identify the chemicals and their concentration levels and at the same time avoid any false positives. A false positive would be a case where a device indicated a chemical was present when, in fact, it was not. SEER has created a unique state of the art chemical separation and classification algorithm based partly on an artificial neural network algorithm. Because the neural network is trained only on known valid chemical signatures (and mixes) that are validated against an Agilent Mass Spectrometer, it is inherently robust with respect to false positives. An additional design goal for AccuSense was to develop a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that would enable operation and monitoring without the need for highly trained technical operators. The AccuSense GUI presents a clear, understandable view of what the device is seeing. It lists the chemicals identified along with their concentration levels on a color coded sliding bar scale with a GREEN, YELLOW, RED color scheme to indicate where the concentration levels fall in relationship to the NIOSH IDLH guidelines. If the bar for a particular chemical identified is GREEN, then there is NO Immediate Danger to Life and Health, if it is YELLOW, the situation should be monitored more closely and if it is RED, there is an immediate problem and appropriate remediation efforts should be taken quickly. To provide timely information to the operator, portions of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards can be accessed via the AccuSense GUI, where the operator can drill down into the manual for more information specific to the circumstances. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 5

6 The deployment scenarios for AccuSense are broad: anywhere there is the potential for a chemical release. AccuSense will tell the user when there is a problem relative to IDLH and when it is safe to enter an area after cleanup. Whether it be for a HAZMAT first responder, an industrial setting where hazardous chemicals are stored, used, and/or manufactured, integration into an HVAC system for protecting a building or facility, or a variety of other situations where monitoring is necessary for the overall protection of people, AccuSense is the correct choice. Its accuracy, portability, ease of use, and ability to detect multiple chemicals simultaneously and display their respective concentrations in an easy to use format are second to none in the world of chemical detection. AccuSense completed a field test and evaluation with the Department of Justice National Institute of Justice Center of Excellence for Sensors and Surveillance in late The NIJ COE report, of which we received a draft copy today, states things pretty well: Of all the 207 units listed in the guide ( Guide for the Selection of Chemical Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders ) only the AccuSense has all of the following important attributes: May be configured to detect all of the TICs listed Indicates detection and concentration levels of multiple TICs simultaneously o (16 from each air sample) The operator does not need to determine what chemical to test for Requires no consumables The only GC system to operate without a reference gas supplied Operates continuously without operator interaction o (Hours, days, weeks, months) Operates as: handheld portable, handheld stationary, vehicle mounted or fixed site system (configurable) Requires minimal training Detects at one tenth IDLH for all detectable chemicals Does not require operator calibration Measurements are validated against an Agilent Mass Spectrometer SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 6

7 Specific AccuSense advantages over other detection technologies and products The AccuSense will identify up to 32 chemicals simultaneously with the concentration levels of those chemicals from a single sample. The probability of ever encountering up to 32 chemicals in a mix is near zero. SEER scientists say that they can think of no situations where more than 6 8 chemicals would ever be found in a real life sample. Concentration levels can now be detected into the multiple parts per billion (ppb) range, although the specified sensitivity is 1 PPM. The first version of AccuSense is a Toxic industrial Chemicals (TICs) version. The first version of AccuSense will not do CWAs and Explosives and Drugs. We will not operate at 180 F. We will not detect 10,000 chemicals simultaneously, and we are not saying we can do these things. Claims like this are a problem that still occurs in the area of chemical detection. It stems from a question that often comes up namely, what chemicals can AccuSense detect? It turns out this is a completely irrelevant question. The reason is that AccuSense can detect chemicals and have no idea of what the chemicals are. In fact, AccuSense can detect many chemicals, in that it sees a signature from all chemicals it detects, but unless they match up to a chemical signature in our AccuSense database, they are unknown and cannot be identified without a lot more follow on activity in the lab. The real question is, can AccuSense identify what the chemical is? This is a much more difficult problem, and AccuSense addresses this problem better than any portable device on the market. The AccuSense Dual Hyphenated GC technology gives AccuSense superior chemical footprint separation by running first through the polar GC and then running the output from the 1 st GC through the 2d Nonpolar GC. In addition to this clear separation, the Neural Net analysis of the 500+ data points gathered for each chemical signature looks at those data points in a two dimensional perspective, thus significantly decreasing the possibility of one chemical signature being the same as the 2d chemical. The combination of these two capabilities significantly reduces the likelihood that interferents (environmental confusers) will be able to hinder our capability to separate out different chemical signatures. In the case of interferents (environmental confusers), AccuSense will recognize them for what they are, but since they are not everything we are looking for and able to separate, they do not hinder our ability to recognize the other chemicals in the mix. This same double separation capability also leads to extremely low false positive and /or false negative findings. In addition there is an issue of masking with other systems specifically IMS systems. These systems can see many chemicals. The only problem is that in the presence of multiple chemicals, one chemical will almost always mask other chemicals present at the same time. The AccuSense was designed to identify the different chemicals and perform this identification while several other chemicals are present at the same time. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 7

8 IMS solutions have been around for decades and the only new improvements involve doubling up IMS systems and adding other kinds of detectors to the same device, but which still do not fix the basic problems of IMS based systems. They are easily confused by interferents They cannot distinguish between high proton affinity elements and lower proton affinity elements, so they can completely miss deadly chemicals (like Cl2) that might be present in a sample if they had lower proton affinity, while recognizing and identifying a relatively harmless chemical with a high proton affinity (like SO2). Often they cannot provide concentration levels of chemicals they can detect, so you don t really know for sure if your situation is dangerous or not Because they cannot identify all chemicals present, what if there are deadly chemicals present that they miss? How could you ever feel confident that you are safe using limited capability equipment like that? The first version of AccuSense can detect chemicals based primarily on the boiling points of the chemicals. The range we have chosen to implement in the first version encompasses a significant number of TICs chemicals, thus we have designated it as the AccuSense TICs device. The AccuSense can be configured to deal with chemicals with other ranges of boiling points, and thus this core AccuSense technology can be modified in the future to focus on CWAs, Explosives, Drugs, etc. The AccuSense TICS unit ships with a core TICs library of 21 of the most deadly and easily obtainable TICs as identified on various lists composed by various companies and agencies. That core 21 chemical signature database is customizable by customers with other TICs/TIMs within the range showed later in this document, that could be added to the chemical signature database before leaving the factory, or by field upgrade through a download from a secure Internet site. Chemical signature databases are available in increments of 32 signatures. However, should the need arise; AccuSense has the capability of transparently to the user, serially searching multiple chemical signature databases. So if a chemical is not identified from the first database searched, the AccuSense will continue searching through any other databases present looking for a match all transparent to the user, so in effect, AccuSense has the capability of identifying hundreds of chemicals with a single AccuSense. The AccuSense requires a couple of hours of training of a relatively non technical person to put it into effective operation. After that training, there is very little human intervention required turn the device on, let it warm up for 10 minutes and it will automatically capture new samples from the ambient air and provide analysis results in a very user friendly fashion, every three minutes as long as it has power. It requires no consumables, no calibration (although calibration kits can be ordered as an optional feature), no scientists, and will visually and audibly alert the user to any problems or dangerous situations based on Immediate Danger to Life and Health guidelines that it detects. It will even provide guidance on what remediation activities to execute through its drilldown capability to the online version of the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, which is part of the AccuSense standard user interface. Another distinguishing feature of AccuSense is that it is truly a lab capability device offered in a handheld portable device. It is both a fixed position continuous monitoring device and a point detection device SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 8

9 AccuSense Highlights Detection and identification of up to 32 chemicals simultaneously with one portable device Comprehensive field upgradeable chemical database of TICs Accuracy from 1 PPM into PPB range, chemical dependent Very low rate of false positives / false negatives Operates on a 3 minute sample cycle with limited human interaction Continuous operation and/or point detection capabilities Does not require consumables User friendly GUI eliminates the need for highly technical operators Example Solution Requirements Favoring AccuSense Implementation Solution must provide identification and concentration levels of chemicals detected Solution must be able to simultaneously identify numerous chemicals and their concentration levels from a sample Solution must provide ability to add/update chemical signatures to the database Solution must run largely unattended (dependant on power availability) Solution must run continuously, with very little down time Solution must provide stand off (remote) operational monitoring and alarm capability with a user friendly interface that does not require highly technical operators Solution must operate 24x7 with no consumables, i.e., elute gas canisters or cartridges, sample bags, injectors, filter replacements, etc. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 9

10 SEER AccuSense Origins and Background Having no detector is better than having a poor detector Gary Bodily, SEER Technology, Chief Technology Officer This is the conclusion Gary Bodily reached after a fifteen year career at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground where he was dedicated to the mission of conducting testing, training and operations assessments following the highest scientific and technical standards. Gary s experience at Dugway proved to him that the state of technology chemical detectors available to him provided information that was incomplete to the point that decisions made based on this information ran a high probability of being wrong. To Gary this was unacceptable for key tools in a keeping the population safe mission. Gary s experience was that detectors designed to detect a pre determined chemical set only provided decision makers with a binary data set yes or no a gas had been detected and even this data set had a high probability of being inaccurate. The key information of what had been detected and how much was in the atmosphere was not available to him. For Gary, not providing information about all of the chemicals present is of little value and can potentially exacerbate a dangerous situation. The paradigm needed to be shifted from asking the question: Is there X in the air? to making the statement: The air contains A, B, C X, Y, Z at these concentrations. To achieve this objective, Gary envisioned a broad spectrum detector that was designed to be a non biased estimator of chemical composition. With accurate identification of multiple chemicals and by providing the concentrations of those chemicals at low detection limits, a high value response decision could be made. In 2005, realizing that the private sector offered the best opportunity to achieve his vision, Gary left Dugway and teamed with fellow chemical detection and analysis expert Neil Arnold and businessman Lance King to found the company that would become SEER Technology in In 2008, Kurt Dobson, an IEEE Engineer of the Year in 1997/1998, and Dr. David Dobson, winner of the Felix Klein prize from the European Mathematical Society in 2000, joined SEER to develop the neural network algorithms for processing chemical spectra data that proved key to productizing the AccuSense Chemical Recognition System. Fred Gallander, CEO, also joined the company in 2008, providing invaluable capital and the experienced business leadership acumen required to bringing products to market. Design parameters for AccuSense included: Un biased detection, identification and analysis capability across families of chemical compounds, i.e., Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) Highly accurate analysis with results presented in a time frame and a context that maximized the value of information A portable form factor that could be deployed as a simple to use field utility device A flexible hardware and software architecture to respond to the differing requirements of the end user community SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 10

11 AccuSense Chemical Recognition System Gas chromatography was identified as the only chemical analysis technology capable of meeting these parameters. The challenge was turning what was almost exclusively a laboratory device into a field utility device. To do this, the design team developed proprietary solutions in the following six key areas: Technology SEER solution: Dual Hyphenated Gas Chromatography (DHGC) chemical separation technology that implements a patented GC winding methodology and provides 2 Dimensional analysis of gases Benefit: Maximizes chemical separation to minimize false positives and allows for implementation in a small, lightweight, low cost package GC Valves Elute Gas SEER solution: Eliminate typical GC valves by designing a patented manifold that prepares samples for analysis without bulky and expensive valves and eliminates moving parts along the analytical path Benefit: Major cost reduction with no performance impact SEER solution: Eliminate the need for a consumable elute gas by enabling the use of ambient air for this function Benefit: Remote fixed continuous monitoring without the need for human interaction with the device SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 11

12 Sensors SEER solution: A patented thermal sensor for chemical identification after separation portion has been completed Benefit: Enables a broad spectrum of chemicals to be analyzed while maximizing the accuracy of the DHGC separation system Analysis Integrity Context SEER solution: Proprietary algorithms implemented using neural network technology to deconvolute detector response from input Benefit: The mathematical characterization of chemical compositions as 3D pictures significantly reduces false positives and negatives and enables the creation of unique, high integrity chemical signatures for identification and quantification of detected compounds SEER Solution: Integrated communications capability to transmit AccuSense data to a remote PC monitor hosting the AccuSense Graphical User Interface (GUI) that displays analysis results in a format that is of high value to the end user Benefit: Availability of high value information in easy to read graphical format, separate from the detection process, enables remote monitoring and enhances usability (No PhD required) and deployment options The first release of AccuSense addresses Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) chemical detection applications and implements a chemical signature database based on the most readily available and hazardous to human health TICs. The chemical detection paradigm has shifted; no more does chemical detection mean linear observation against a predetermined data set. AccuSense brings end users high value decision information generated by multi dimensional analysis of chemical composition against a database of high integrity chemical signatures. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 12

13 AccuSense Chemical Detection Capabilities The value of a detection event is determined by the capability to identify the detected compound(s), measure their concentration levels, and display this data in a context meaningful to the end user in a short time frame and with a high level of accuracy. AccuSense Detection Technology In the chemical detection world today, detectors can be classified into one of the following categories: 0 Dimensional A detector can detect if chemicals are present, but cannot identify which chemicals are present 1 Dimensional A detector can detect, identify and provide concentration information for a particular chemical 2 Dimensional A detector can detect, identify and provide concentration information for multiple chemicals The following is a real world analogy of the problem at hand: In a room full of people you are tasked with finding Ted. You are told that he is 6 3 tall. You look around the room and you see that there are 3 people that you estimate are 6 3 tall, however, with this limited description information, you cannot tell with certainty which one is Ted. You then receive another piece of information. Ted has black hair. You search again, but you find that 2 of the 6 3 gentlemen have black hair. It is easy to see that the more information that is provided about Ted, the easier it is to separate him from others in the room. Additional information leads to better separation capability and therefore increased certainty in identifying the person (or chemical) of interest. The problem of separating different chemicals to obtain a unique signature, or graphical representation of those chemicals, with a maximum degree of certainty is similar: To identify 2 or more chemicals with 1 common nearly identical parameter is easy To identify 2 or more chemicals with 2 common nearly identical parameters is very difficult To identify 2 or more chemicals with 3 common nearly identical parameters is incredibly difficult SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 13

14 AccuSense is a 2 Dimensional Detector AccuSense utilizes Dual Hyphenated Gas Chromatography (DHGC) technology to obtain a more effective separation of chemicals and hence performs its data analysis on two independent parameters (Polar vs. Non Polar). Additionally, a third parameter is currently in the research and development phase. Parameter 1 Polarity o While this is often a good initial separation technique, it is sometimes not enough, as, for example, Acetone and Phosgene have very similar dipole moments of 2.91D and 1.17D, respectively Parameter 2 Boiling Point o By obtaining additional information from a second parameter (boiling point), Acetone (133 F) and Phosgene (47 F) are more easily separated Parameter 3 Pre Concentrator Packing Material o Still in R&D, but very feasible with AccuSense architecture Upon gathering hundreds of data points related to the parameters listed above, proprietary neural network algorithms analyze matrices of these data points and develop unique chemical signatures for each chemical. By taking the two independent variables and creating a third dependent variable, the AccuSense Signature is created. The more unique the parameters for a particular chemical are, the easier it is for detection, identification, and quantification of that chemical. The 3D mathematical representation of the chemical signature for Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), which is done through the utilization of MATLAB software on a Cray supercomputer at SEER offices, is shown below: 3D Representation of MEK SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 14

15 These chemical signatures are collected with known chemicals at known concentrations at the SEER laboratory facility, run through the neural network training process, and are ultimately stored on the AccuSense PC in the chemical signature database. Chemical signature database updates will occur on a quarterly basis and will not require hardware updates. AccuSense Chemical Signature Database There is a theoretical limit of 32 chemical signatures per AccuSense database, but multiple databases can be loaded and searched in a fashion that is transparent to the user. There may be additional variables such as storage, processing, and communications limitations that could be a factor when running multiple units and searching multiple serial databases. Note also that each version of the AccuSense is designed with internal hardware to detect and identify chemicals that fall within certain physical properties, i.e., within a range of boiling points. A single AccuSense device will never detect and identify ALL chemicals, rather a single AccuSense will detect and identify many chemicals with certain or similar properties and another version of AccuSense will detect and identify many chemicals with other differing characteristics. Due to its ability to detect, identify, and quantify organic and inorganic chemicals, AccuSense is a broad spectrum Chemical Recognition System, but not a single solution for all chemicals. The initial production version of AccuSense is geared towards the detection of Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs). SEER chose 21 of the most readily available and hazardous TICs, eight of which are included on the High Hazard TICs list according to the NATO International Task Force 25 (ITF 25), which ranked chemicals according to their hazard index and potential use as chemical weapons. Why did SEER choose only 21? We had to start somewhere. SEER has presented the AccuSense Chemical Recognition System in front of many diverse audiences across multiple applications, none of whom could identify the number or which specific list of chemicals that would satisfy their applications. SEER is currently conducting a field survey of what chemicals, dangerous or otherwise, have been most typically encountered during HAZMAT responses over the past 3 years. Upon compilation of the list, signatures will be gathered for additional chemicals to be incorporated into the AccuSense chemical signature library. Chemicals that the AccuSense Architecture Cannot Detect The AccuSense gas columns (GCs) use conditioned ambient air as an elute gas source. This proprietary technology eliminates the need for consumables and enables AccuSense to be deployed in a fixed network where it can function without human intervention. Since the surrounding atmosphere serves as the elute gas, however, this means that fixed gases such as nitrogen (N 2 ), oxygen (O 2 ), and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) will not be part of the universe of chemical gases detected by the AccuSense unit. Resistance to Typical Environmental Confusers Due to the separation capability inherent to the DHGC technology, environmental confusers that are typically a nuisance to users of competitive products using out of date technology are insignificant to AccuSense. Often times, common household substances such as Windex or commonly introduced fumes such as diesel exhaust cause detectors to alarm with false positives. The money spent on unnecessary response due to a false positive reading can be devastating. With that in mind, SEER engineers devised a way to separate chemicals efficiently and only look at the chemicals of interest in the background neural network algorithms. This way, if an environmental confuser is present along with chemical(s) of interest, the confuser signature is essentially thrown away and only the chemical(s) of interest are displayed to the user. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 15

16 The AccuSense Graphical User Interface (GUI) The AccuSense GUI is yet another differentiator that helps AccuSense stand out from other chemical detection systems. AccuSense is a very sophisticated lab quality piece of equipment that just happens to be portable and field deployable. This would not be very useful if you had to drag a Ph.D. around with the device to interpret the results. A representation of the AccuSense GUI Unit Reports tab is shown below: AccuSense Graphical User Interface Unit Reports Tab SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 16

17 AccuSense presents analysis information in a clear, concise, and understandable fashion. Features of the software include: Unit Health Status continually monitors variables of individual units and warns user if out of specification Chemical Concentration Display displays chemical concentration levels and automatically ranks the chemicals detected based upon their hazard level Sliding Bar Scale visually represents the concentrations of chemicals detected relative to published Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) values Color Coded Data Sets and Unit Names allow the user to quickly identify when a device or particular data set is of concern NIOSH Pocket Guide Drill Down automatically links the user to the Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards and provides additional information related to personal protection equipment, chemical and physical properties, etc. Like the AccuSense hardware platform, the GUI software architecture is flexible and easy to modify to enhance its usefulness in other detection applications such as Time Weighted Average (TWA) or any other notification level of interest. The AccuSense was built with the end user field personnel in mind and the GUI was designed for that audience as well with accurate and useful information presented in a clear and concise manner. What can AccuSense do for me? AccuSense Signatures enable a chemical detection paradigm shift from Is there X in the air? to The air contains A, B, C X, Y, Z at these concentrations. AccuSense brings end users high value decision information generated by multi dimensional analysis of chemical composition against a universal database of high integrity AccuSense Signatures. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 17

18 AccuSense Value Proposition / Competitive Information What is valuable to the chemical detection mission? Time is valuable Information is valuable Making the right decision is valuable Providing high value information in real time in a meaningful context that supports making the right decision is the value proposition presented by AccuSense. The present detection technology status quo does not provide timely, high value information. No matter the application, Hazmat, Occupational Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Health & Safety, military or civilian first responder, when the mission is population safe the need is for high value information. AccuSense technology removes the barriers to timely high value information enabling decisions that can save lives. The Low Information Environment The present linear detection model asks, Is there chemical X Y Z in the air? resulting in a low information environment for responding officer. This model leaves unanswered questions such as: I see that X is in the air and no Y or Z are there chemicals A B C present that I do not see? When chemicals X and Y are similar in nature and I identify X, is there also Y present that I do not see due to masking? Are environmental confusers present so that I see nothing or make wrong chemical signature identification? Am I getting a false negative or a false positive? Am I certain about what I am seeing? Am I seeing this information in a time frame that enables a high value decision? These are the low information environments that many practitioners now work in when they are deployed. Moving To a High Information Environment How do we move to a high information environment? How does the gap between low and high information environments get filled? One word: Separation The barrier to a detection model that says The air contains A, B, C X, Y, Z at these concentrations is the separation of chemical spectra. SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 18

19 With never before obtainable separation of chemical spectra we go from the world of fuzzy to the world of clear and we go from low confidence to high confidence. If we can be certain of what we are seeing, then we can: Create a methodology for defining chemical signature databases Be certain that we are seeing ALL the chemicals present that are included in the chemical signature database Eliminate any confusion from environmental confusers Be certain of what we are seeing, no false results Operate in real time sampling time frames (3 minute sample cycles) Detect Identify Quantify multiple chemicals from the same sample The AccuSense Solution to Separation AccuSense is a new generation of detection technology that breaks through the chemical separation barrier. The AccuSense architecture combines dual hyphenated gas chromatography (DHGC) hardware, thermal detection technology, and neural network software algorithms to build a 3 Dimensional view of a chemical signature, which is unlike any current field portable gas/vapor analyzer on the market today. Dimension #1: o Polarized GC Colum #1 What am I seeing? Dimension #2: o Non Polarized Colum #2 Confirm what I am seeing and show me what I might have missed from the polarized view Dimension #3: o A mathematical signature definition Confirm what I am seeing against a database of known signature definitions AccuSense Signature Acquisition External Source SEER Lab Source FTP Chemical Spectra AccuSense Signature Database Agilent Mass Spectrometer SEER Neural Network FTP AccuSense Signatures Confirm Chemical Spectra Mathematical Separation & Definition SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 19

20 The AccuSense Signature The How for Identification and Measurement Transforming Gas Chromatography from a laboratory science to a field utility device is a remarkable technical accomplishment in itself. However, it is the creation of an artificial intelligence based methodology using neural network science to generate definitions of chemical spectra that enables the third dimension in the separation, faultless identification and accurate measurement of chemical concentrations. Upon gathering hundreds of data points related to the parameters listed above, proprietary neural network algorithms analyze matrices of these data points and develop unique chemical signatures for each chemical. By taking the two independent variables and creating a third dependent variable, the AccuSense Signature is created. The more unique the parameters for a particular chemical are, the easier it is for detection, identification, and quantification of that chemical. The 3D mathematical representation of the chemical signature for Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), which is done through the utilization of MATLAB software on a Cray supercomputer at SEER offices, is shown below: 3D Representation of MEK To create this picture a baseline is established using an Agilent mass spectrometer and applying dilution standards for samples. From this baseline the neural network is trained to create the 3D Signature (picture). SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 20

21 The AccuSense Signature database resides on the AccuSense PC monitor. Having completed the 2 dimensional separation in the AccuSense instrument, chemical spectra are communicated to the PC monitor where they are compared against the AccuSense Signature database. A match equals identification and variations within this match represent quantification a measurement of concentration. Gaseous Chemical Detection Information Gap Filled by AccuSense Information Type Is there a chemical gas in the atmosphere What is it What is the concentration level What harm may that concentration level cause to a human? Repeated for every chemical in the database in a single sample cycle Information Quality Complete Timely Certain Information Value High IDLH Context Value High Confidence Value High Decision Value Product Comparison Matrix based on Dimensionality: Technology Manufacturer Product Example # of Dimensions PID Photovac, Inc 2020gasPRO 0 FP Proengin SA AP2C 0 IMS Smiths Detection LCD PID/EC RAE Systems, Inc AreaRAE 1 FTIR Smiths Detection GasID 1 GC/MS Inficon HapSite ER 2 DHGC SEER Technology AccuSense 2 SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 21

22 A different look at Chemical Detection Systems: Chemical Detection System Comparison Matrix Detection Technology SEER Technology AccuSense Gas ID HAPSITE ER AreaRae Steel DHGC w/thermal Detection Smiths Inficon RAE Systems ICx MSA FTIR GC/MS PID and Electrochemical Sensors ChemSense 600 MS/MS SafeSite MTX PID, Electro Chemical Sensors, and SAW Detector Dimensionality Displays Concentrations of Chemicals X X X X X Displays Concentrations of Multiple Chemicals X X X Organic AND Inorganic Chemicals Detected X X X Resistant to Confuser Chemicals X X X Neural Network Data Analysis No Consumables X X Point Detection AND Fixed-Site X X X X Upgradeable Chemical Database X Light Training Burden X X X X Minimal Maintenance Required Wireless Communications X X X X Battery Life 16-Hrs Customers OPERATIONAL USABILITY ANALYTICAL X Government, HAZMAT, Law Enforcement, Petrochemical, Domestic & International HAZMAT, Law Enforcement, Military Military, HAZMAT, Government Petrochemical, HAZMAT, Government Building and facility monitoring HAZMAT, Government, Petrochemical DHGC = Dual Hyphenated Gas Chromatography FTIR = Fourier Transform Infrared PID= Photoionization MS = Mass Spectrometry SAW = Surface Acoustic Wave RDK = Rapid Deployment Kit SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 22

23 AccuSense Features / Functions / Specifications AccuSense Specifications Summary AccuSense Chemical Recognition System Technology Detection Sensitivity Sample Collection Method Sampling/Analysis Time Elute Gas External Power Supply Internal Battery Life Dual-Hyphenated Gas Chromatography (DHGC) 1 PPM into PPB (chemical dependent) Internal Oscillating Micropumps Results automatically displayed every 3 minutes Internally Conditioned Ambient Air Power V (47-63 Hz) 8 Hour (Rechargeable) + Spare 8 Hour Battery Option Physical Properties (Not Including Required Laptop PC) Size 17" x 4.5" x 11" (L x W x H) Weight 23 lbs (10.4 kg) Field-Portable 30 lbs (13.6 kg) Stationary w/ac Power Operating Temperature -5 to 122 F (-20 to 50 C) Communications Ethernet (802.3) Serial Wireless Chemical Databases RJ45 10/100 Base-T RS232 / RS422 / RS485 Multiple Data Channel Radio Configurations Optional Features Core 21 TICs Chemical Signature Database Customized Chemical Signature Libraries SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 23

24 COMMODITY: AccuSense Chemical Recognition System MODEL: AC5 TIC General Description and Features of Product o Perform chemical analysis on ambient air o No solid, liquid or powder detection capability o Detect, identify, and provide quantitative concentration information for Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) o Provide the information in (b) without the outside or manual collection of samples by the operator o Ability to present the information in (b) for multiple chemicals simultaneously o Ability to be deployed in a fixed position AND field portable format for diverse implementation scenarios o Ability to be powered on with the push of one button o Ability to run continuously without operator intervention o Does NOT require the use of consumables for continuous operation o Provide battery powered operation for a minimum of 8 hours continuous operation o Provide wireless, Ethernet, and serial communication capabilities o Easily carried by hand by a user with large, cumbersome gloves o Constructed of a material that allows for easy decontamination after exposure to hazardous airborne chemicals o Stores data in a format that can be accessed at a later date and provide for the operational characteristics of the device to be validated o Up to five (5) years of warranty, maintenance, and support (fee based) available Components Included o AccuSense Chemical Recognition System module o AccuSense power module w/location specific power cord o Panasonic CF 52 Toughbook Controller w/power adaptor and pre loaded Chemical Recognition Software package o MicroHard Master Radio w/antennas and power supply o Ethernet cables o Quick Start Guide o Operator s Manual o Standard Warranty 1 Year Product Specifications o Utilize Gas Chromatography technology o Perform a polar and a non polar state separation o Utilizes columns 3 meters (m) in length o Regulates temperature over GC columns to 35 C o Utilizes a pre concentrator/desorber system o Ability to be warmed up, calibrated, and ready for operation within 10 minutes of start in typical ambient conditions o Ability to auto calibrate and auto tune o Operates with an inlet flow rate of at least 175 ml/min o Analysis cycle time: 3 minutes o Operational Temperature Requirements (ambient): 5 to +122 F ( 20 to +50 C) SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 24

25 o o o o o o o o Physical Requirements: Dimensions: 17 x 4.5 x 11 (L x W x H) Weight: Less than 30 lbs Color: Aluminum Surface Treatment: 8625C Type II Class 1 Anodized Material: A356 Aluminum Power Requirements: VAC included in bottom power module Country specific power cords included in bottom power module Battery Requirements Primary battery included in top module Internal rechargeable Li Ion Polymer Minimum 8 hours continuous operation capability Backup 8 hour battery included in bottom power module Detection Sensitivity Requirements: Provide user with information pertinent to published Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) values General chemical sensitivities to 1 part per million (ppm) Chemical Database Requirements: Contain a minimum of 21 TICs, at least 8 of which shall be listed on the International Task Force (ITF) 25 High Priority list Contain organic and inorganic compounds Database is field upgradeable with no hardware changes Communications Requirements: RJ45 10/100 Base T Ethernet capabilities RS 232, RS 422, and RS 485 Serial capabilities 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz wireless radio capabilities Units are individually IP addressable Up to 8 AccuSense devices may be controlled remotely by a single NAViSEER Controller (Panasonic Toughbook PC) Data Files: Data files are in.asw format, a SEER proprietary format, not accessible by the customer Each sample analysis data file is approximately 1MB in size SEER will work directly with customers on a fee basis to develop central storage server schemas for offloading data from the AccuSense Controller to the central storage server All sample data files are time stamped and AccuSense serial number or name stamped to indicate which AccuSense received and processed the sample Metadata indicating the health of the AccuSense device while collecting the sample, in addition to the raw sample data associated with each specific sample is included in each sample data file User Interface Requirements Intuitive for operation by minimally trained users Ability to operate up to 8 units simultaneously from one laptop PC Display concentration levels of chemicals relative to published IDLH values and alert the user when approaching a potentially hazardous environment SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 25

26 Ability to auto reference the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards Display battery life indicator for each unit monitored Display communication connectivity information for each unit monitored Provide sufficient data storage to allow for post incident validation of collected data Time Requirements Start Up Time: 10 minutes from cold start within operational temperatures specified in other Sections of this document. o Should the unit be stored in temperatures outside those of specified operational ambient, but within those listed in other Section of this document, start up time shall not exceed 30 minutes. o Should the unit be stored in temperatures outside those listed in Section of this document, no operational specifications are valid. Continuous Operation Time (AC Power): 30 days (720 hrs) Continuous Operation Time (Battery Power): 8 hours Data Analysis Cycle Time: 3 minutes Data Transfer Time (Ethernet): 15 seconds or less Data Transfer Time (Wireless): 30 seconds or less Communications Requirements o Serial: RS 232, RS 422, and RS 485 communications, however, should these communications platforms be necessary for a customer, the exterior housing must be altered to provide access to these ports. o Ethernet: Direct Ethernet hookup on the exterior of the case using RJ45 10/100 Base T protocols. o Wireless: 900 MHz wireless communication ability for domestic applications and 2.4 GHz for applicable international markets. The wireless communications platform chosen must address the market need for significant penetration capabilities in order to relay the information collected in the field back to a command center or centrally located PC. o Recommended Bandwidth: 19.2 Kbps or greater SEER Technology AccuSense Chemical Recognition System 26