TOVA™ Open-Path Chemical Detection System for Fixed Security

Existing chemical sensors for fixed security applications require sampling of air. Therefore they cover only small areas, are often slow to detect and recover and are susceptible to contamination by high concentrations of threats and inteferants. The TOVA™ sensor (TS) provides a non-contact, open path IR detection with a line of sight (LOS) of up to 100 m. This long non-contact LOS affords maintenance free and wide area coverage together with fast and sensitive detection of most threat chemicals (TICs and CWAs). The database of the TS is updatable either by remote operation or locally and can include multiple threats and interferants. The wireless communication of the TS allows monitoring and control through the Internet, delivery of alarms to handheld devices or to central controllers. Long-term installations, some exceeding 17 months of continuous operation, demonstrated maintenance-free and low rate of false alarms operations. Current installations include a defense chemical distribution facility, a large metropolitan subway station and a carbonated beverage company. Pending installations include a U.S. Government facility and a transportation station in a major metropolitan area. The TS can be integrated with an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) to provide orthogonal detection and further validation. Recommended applications include building ventilation systems, transportation facilities (subways, airports), perimeter protection, environmental monitoring. The sensor is being manufactured commercially by an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer. Additional information is available at http://www.avirsensors.com.