In the high-stakes world of forensic science, speed and accuracy are paramount. For firefighters, hazmat teams, police groups, and government agencies, every second counts when identifying substances, analyzing evidence, and making critical decisions that impact public safety. The adoption of advanced Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is revolutionizing the field, offering rapid, on-site analysis capabilities that were previously confined to the laboratory.
Dr. Christopher D. Brown, co-founder and chief product officer of 908 Devices—a company specializing in advanced chemical detection and analysis tools—discusses how these innovations are reshaping forensic investigations, enabling teams to make quicker, more confident decisions. From developing portable FTIR units to advancing gas and vapor analysis, Dr. Brown provides insights into how these technologies address current challenges and set new standards for the future.
FTIR addresses key challenges in the field of forensics
FTIR technology has a long history in forensics applications. “It’s regarded as one of the three pinnacle techniques for forensics identification,” explains Dr. Brown. “Those three are mass spectrometry, FTIR/Raman, and NMR. Many regulating best practice guidelines for forensic entities require at least one of those to support the forensic identification of materials.”
One key challenge in forensics applications is conducting accurate analyses in the field. In situ testing with rapid results provides obvious benefits, especially in an emergent situation, but this has been historically difficult to achieve. “In the early 2000s, several companies developed a fieldable FTIR, a small FTIR that could be taken out on scene,” recalls Dr. Brown. “As you can imagine, having that capability in the field in real time changes the pace of what you can achieve in terms of rapid characterization and analysis, particularly when something scary is happening. This really started changing the concept of operations for a lot of field forensics teams and hazardous material response teams.”
Dr. Brown notes that technological advancements have rapidly progressed to the point where portable FTIR devices are now standard equipment for many forensic teams. However, despite the significant benefits of field testing, further optimization in terms of accuracy and speed is still needed. Companies such as Red Wave Technology (now part of 908 Devices) are at the forefront of these efforts. Dr. Brown highlights one of 908 Devices’ latest innovations—a product capable of identifying 20,000 materials in under a minute—demonstrating the strides being made in enhancing both the efficiency and precision of on-site forensic analysis.
While portable technology for solid and liquid analysis has improved significantly, analyzing gaseous samples still presents distinct challenges. Until recently, teams relied heavily on simple sensors to perform in-field detection of a single gas. But the latest product in this field can analyze more than 5,000 gasses and vapors. Dr. Brown illustrates the value of this capability in scenarios where an odor of concern is detected. “It may be absolutely nothing and teams can go out and calm everybody down. But in other circumstances, it could be of significant concern. Having the ability to perform a broad investigation within minutes, using lab-grade technology, has a huge impact on the timelines these teams can work on. It provides them with the confidence to make quick decisions in the field.”
Portable FTIR advances involve more than miniaturization
An additional challenge in designing portable technology is reducing size without compromising functionality. “But making it small isn't good enough in its own right,” advises Dr. Brown. “Once it's small and carried around by hand, it’s prone to damage. It will be dropped and exposed to harsh temperatures, issues that don’t apply to lab systems.” He explains that careful engineering is required to improve temperature resilience and ensure shock and vibration isolation.
Usability is another critical aspect to consider. As Dr. Brown explains, traditional FTIR systems are set up for scientists, with an array of buttons (and accompanying choices to make). “But to enable on-scene, field applications of the technology, these systems essentially have to run themselves,” says Dr. Brown. “So the tools are set up to be answer boxes rather than a typical laboratory analytical tool. Using the devices looks easy, but there's a lot happening under the hood to make them feel that simple.”
Supporting usability also demands inventive approaches, especially when it comes to software components. “There's a lot of built-in automation and intelligence in the system, doing the job that a scientist would do in the lab—choosing settings, optimizing acquisition, and making a decision, all based on the data it's seeing,” explains Dr. Brown. He elaborates that the data analysis component can be particularly tricky. “For example, for a gaseous sample, if you look at what's present in a room, there’s nitrogen, oxygen, a range of trace normal gasses, VOCs coming from carpets and paints, and more. When you think about the part per million level in a typical room, there's a lot going on. It’s very challenging to be able to cut through the complexity and determine the important components that are present.”
Advances in FTIR are set to continue
As we look to the future, Dr. Brown sees a continuous push to lower detection limits. “That’s something the segment as a whole is working toward,” he advises. Dr. Brown notes that continued advancements in the automation of data interpretation are also important, particularly as it relates to quantitation and complex environments. He adds further miniaturization is also always of interest to the community.
Dr. Brown notes that scaling down systems can sometimes require trade-offs in sensitivity and performance, requiring significant ingenuity as miniaturization progresses. He also reminds us that the forensic landscape is constantly changing. “Some of the highest profile forensic problems of today are not really the forensic problems of 15 years ago,” says Dr. Brown, citing the current fentanyl crisis as an example of a more recent challenge that wasn’t a significant problem 10–15 years ago.
Conclusion
Advancements in FTIR technology are transforming the field of forensic science. The evolution from bulky, lab-based systems to portable, field-ready devices is giving forensic teams unprecedented speed, accuracy, and confidence. These innovations are not only enhancing on-site substance identification and analysis but are also streamlining decision-making in critical moments.
As FTIR technology advances with ongoing improvements in miniaturization, automation, and sensitivity, it is well-positioned to address the ever-changing challenges of the forensic landscape, ensuring that teams are equipped to meet future demands.
Interviewee
Dr. Christopher D. Brown is a co-founder and Chief Product Officer of 908 Devices Inc., having previously served as CTO since founding. He is an expert in chemical analysis technologies, including mass spectrometry and Raman/FTIR, microfluidics, and analytics and machine learning capabilities. Dr. Brown has published some 150 papers and presentations, and more than 50 granted/pending patents.
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