Hands-off sampler gun detects deadly chemicals

Computer scientists have developed a portable evidence-gathering tool that investigators can use at a crime scene for collecting chemical or biological samples.

“Traditional ways of gathering harmful chemicals use many gadgets,” said computer scientist Torsten Staab, of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, USA.

“The hands-off sampler gun puts several technologies into one easy-to-use device.”

Mr Staab added: “The hands-off sampler gun has a cotton pad that grabs chemicals to eliminate direct contact with anything harmful. A GPS system tracks the location of a chemical and the investigator. It also includes a camera that snaps pictures for evidence and a voice recorder and writing pad to take digital notes.

“The all-in-one device is important to identify a chemical and its risk factor and make sure everything is safe for everyone.”

America is no stranger to deadly chemicals; the country experienced an anthrax scare that contaminated a number of buildings in October, 2001.

“Whether it’s a murder, a break-in, or an anthrax scare, investigators trying to solve a crime are burdened with collecting delicate, sometimes toxic, evidence,” said Mr Staab.

If harmful chemicals are present at a crime scene, investigators entering premises face the risk of contamination. The hands-off sampler gun device eliminates the risk of collecting toxic materials.

Mr Staab said: “You don’t get exposed yourself to a potential agent such as anthrax, and you`re also not contaminating the sample media. Once the sample has been collected, the investigator can testify in court that it was collected properly.”

He added that the device will automate the otherwise expensive and time-consuming process of maintaining a proper chain of custody for forensic evidence collected at crime scenes.

“It will help keep evidence from being mishandled and ensure more credible evidence for jurors,” he said.

“The investigator will have proof to back up his or her testimony, because an onboard 3D accelerometer – a type of sensor that detects force – records the sampling pattern, which proves that the sample was blotted, wiped or scraped properly.

“A force detector measures and records the pressure the investigator applies and compares it to the force necessary for proper collection of, for example, harmful chemicals and other evidence typed.

Mr Staab said the device is not limited to collection of harmful chemicals. “It’s actually independent of the type of sample you are collecting and/or tracking. For example, you could use it at a crime scene to collect and track DNA samples or, for example, to gather environmental soil/ water/gas samples.”

As well as recording a sample’s location, the gun also measures the ambient temperature and takes a digital picture of the sample being collected. “All this information can be easily downloaded to a desktop computer through standard interfaces,” said Mr Staab.

The sampler gun could also be made useful for collecting evidence like bloodstains at crimes scenes. “We have all the information at the end, electronically. It could be wirelessly transmitted from the field to the laboratory,” added Mr Staab.

The FBI said it plans to field test the device with its Hazardous Response Unit early next year.

Interested parties should contact michaele@lanl.gov