IIT Bombay incubated start-up launches world's first microsensor-based explosive detector

The device has been developed for the first time in the world using a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), with its core technology being protected by patents in the US, Europe and India.

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay incubated startup NanoSniff Technologies has developed the world's first micro-sensor-based explosive trace detector (ETD) which will be marketed by IIT Delhi-incubated startup Vehant Technologies.

The device has been developed for the first time in the world using a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), with its core technology being protected by patents in the US, Europe and India. It will be branded and marketed as 'NanoSniffer'.

The device which is fully made in India in terms of R&D and manufacturing can detect explosives in less than 10 seconds and it will also identify and categorize explosives into different classes. It detects all classes of military, conventional and homemade explosives.

NanoSniffer provides trace detection of nano-gram quantities of explosives and can accurately detect a wide range of military, commercial and homemade explosives threats. Further analysis of the algorithms also helps in categorization of explosives into the appropriate class. According to Kapil Bardeja, CEO of Vehant Technologies and Director, Nanosniff technologies, the device has been priced at Rs 10 lakh, one-third of the existing similar devices by global peers.

"So far, all the other existing explosive detector devices were global. This is the first time that an Indian player has forayed in the segment. While NanoSniff will manufacture the sensor in-house, the electronic part of the device will be manufactured by an electronics manufacturer that we have roped in. Vehant will market the product," said Bardeja.

Initially, the manufacturing capacity will be about 50 units per month. The device is undergoing a security testing process for Europe with both the startups looking at an international foray into European markets first, followed by the US.

Launching the product virtually, union minister for education Ramesh Pokhriyal said that the affordable device will reduce the country's dependency on imported explosive trace detector devices, apart from encouraging other institutions, startups and medium-scale industries to research and develop products indigenously.

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