Ray gun detects illicit drugs
A new detector will soon be available that can detect whether methamphetamine (commonly known as crystal meth) is present at a crime scene.
A new detector will soon be available that can detect whether methamphetamine (commonly known as crystal meth) is present at a crime scene.
The detector looks like a Taser gun and uses a laser light to detect the drug. It could also be used by traffic police if they suspect a driver is under the influence of the drug.
The guns laser scans a UV beam across the surface that is suspected of containing any meth molecules. If there are any present, these are sensed by photodiodes in the gun. The gun is manufactured by CDEX who have recently filed for a patent on the device. The prototype detector is now in trials in the US, with CDEX expecting to go into production in early 2007.
