Block MEMS LLC announced that it has received an Army Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II enhancement contract for its LaserScan analyzer. The award will allow Block MEMS to enhance the LaserScan’s capabilities through the development of novel chemical recognition algorithms. The algorithms will enable the system to detect liquid and solid chemical warfare agents and other emerging chemical threats from a standoff distance on a variety of substances, said Petros Kotidis, CEO of Block MEMS. LaserScan is a next-generation spectrometer that incorporates widely tunable mid-IR quantum cascade lasers. It detects and measures substances on surfaces from a standoff distance of 6 in. to 2 ft. It can identify bulk materials and detects submicron films based on their mid-IR absorption characteristics. Applications include detection of the following: explosive materials, traditional and nontraditional chemical agents, biological agents and toxic industrial chemicals. The LaserScan can analyze gases and liquids, and it can be outfitted to function as an IR microscope. This award follows Block’s previous Phase II award for the analyzer’s commercialization pilot program. Block MEMS, which is affiliated with Block Engineering through common ownership, is an engineering and development company that focuses on the R&D of quantum cascade lasers and FTIR spectrometers for the military and government. For more information, visit: www.blockeng.com