Pathways to Achieve CB Countermeasures

Conceiving a new technology is only the first step. As an example, the concept of a laboratory-on-a-chip has been slowly evolving - in some ways more slowly than expected - over the past 10 years. The slow pace has been attributed to the lack of a driving application, meaning one with an undeniable payoff that would focus the necessary resources and innovation. Examples of driving applications and the necessary underlying capabilities are discussed here for CB countermeasures. 

Biomimetic sensing and rapid molecular identification and characterization are not revolutionary concepts. They are as much a desirable attribute today as they will be in the future. To be most effective, research on these core capabilities should 

The following concepts summarize the focus for research and technology development for detection and diagnostics of CB agents across all of the potential world futures. 

A potential apphcation to drive technology development is a point detector simultaneously capable of sensitive and selective detection and identification of both chemical and biological agents. Technical problems in building such a device include the following  

Nanostructured adsorbents could play an important role in sample concentrators. The high surface are of nanostructures would provide ample opportunity for improved adsorption. Equally important, properly designed porosity could minimize the transport time intervals of desorbed entities. Nanostructures have been demonstrated to penetrate a highly concentrated plug of a sample agent in a short time span. Nanoscale porosity might also play a role in separation processes in sensor systems. 

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