Inspector Raman^TM provides a real-time crime scene investigation laboratory that fits in your hand. The technology centers around a fingerprint spectroscopic technique called Raman spectroscopy. Crime scene investigators familiar with Raman envision large expensive instruments and difficult data interpretation. Delta Nu developed the Inspector Raman^TM on-site investigator to create a new genre of forensic instrumentation.

Inspector Raman^TM is capable of identifying virtually all chemical materials. This includes drugs, the materials used to make drugs, fibers, plastics, explosives, and more. It can identify these through glass, plastic containers, or in the open. The device is coupled with a digital camera to record the crime scene and the specific sample being measured. A typical investigation begins with visual recording of the scene and samples. Then samples of interest can be chemically identified on site with the hand-held Raman measurement system. The chemical data and the photographs are sent via a wireless communication system to a pocket PC that is attached to the system. The crime scene investigator can input factual data about the location in the familiar MS Word format. All of this information is bundled into a file that represents the crime scene. The portable device can then download all of the information to a desktop PC for permanent storage and preparation for litigation. This process eliminates change of custody that occurs when samples are removed from the scene.

The system is battery powered for hours of use before recharging is needed. The wireless transmission allows the data collection to be performed remotely from the actual measuring device. This is particularly useful when repetitive analysis is desired such as customs inspection of passports or when danger exists as in explosives identification. The remote pocket PC contains libraries and algorithms to convert complicated Raman spectra into a simple list of materials present in a sample. For example, a white powder can be photographed, identified as a mixture of methamphetamine and sugar, and a case report written in less than a minute. All at the crime scene!! If further forensic analysis is needed, the sample can be collected and sent to a lab.

Raman spectroscopy is called a fingerprint technique as each molecule has a different spectrum. The plot of 4 drugs is shown to illustrate this feature of Raman spectroscopy. The large number of spectral features and their variation in height make it very easy to build libraries to identify 1000's of chemicals. Plastics, explosives, inks, and drugs are easily identified in a couple of seconds. The Raman measurement uses a laser that penetrates glass or plastic containers to provide nondestructive analysis. Nondestructive analysis on-site allows redundant analyses to be performed at the lab.

Chain of custody is maintained by a file system that bundles all of this information into a single .csi file. The .csi (Crime Scene Investigation) file is encrypted with a time and date stamp and contains all photographs, the actual Raman spectrum, its library matches, and any information that the investigator desires to include in the case. The above figure shows the three data types gathered by the Inspector RamanTM and production of a bundled file. These files can be downloaded to desktop PC for storage and preparation of poster size presentation for court room proceeding.


Product Highlights

The World First Handheld Raman Spectrometry System

Inspector Raman^TM Spectrometer

• The World's Smallest Raman Spectrometer
• The First Battery Powered Handheld Raman Spectrometer
• Under 5 Pounds
• Fully Functional Raman Spectrometer
• Obtain Spectra and Search Library in under 5 Seconds
• Portable, Powerful, Lab Accuracy in the Field
• Wireless Connectivity (WiFi/802.11b)
• Case File Database using Microsoft SQL Server CE
• Case File Encryption using Public Key Encryption
• Wireless Security via 128 bit WEP2
• Digital Imaging of Sample using Integrated Camera
• Forensic Libraries on SD Flash ROM

Automatic Forensic Library Searching

• Drugs
• Explosives
• Chemicals
• Create User Managed Libraries

Toshiba e750 PDA

• Intel® PXA255 400 MhZ
• 64 MB RAM
• 32 MB NAND Flash ROM
• Microsoft Pocket PC 2003 Operating System

FlyCAM 1.3 MegaPixel Digital Camera with Integrated Flash

• Store Digital Images of Sample up to 1024 X 1280 Pixels