Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced a new approach to chemical imaging that will bring greater clarity and unprecedented speed to pharmaceutical, biomedical, food, and materials science.

The Agilent 8700 Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) chemical imaging system represents a breakthrough in both chemical imaging and spectral analysis.

“This ‘walk-up’ solution provides high-definition chemical imaging more rapidly and accurately than ever, to aid in analyzing the composition of tablets, laminates, tissues, polymers, and fibers,” said Phil Binns, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Spectroscopy division. “With this information, scientists can analyze more samples and in greater detail in minutes instead of hours”.

Binns noted that the new system would have a significant impact on pharmaceutical laboratories in particular “scientists will be able to make more informed decisions—in less time—in product formulation development and trouble-shooting.”

Using the 8700 LDIR, scientists can obtain actionable information about active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients, polymorphs, salts, and defects to enable users to quickly identify and resolve issues experienced during drug development. Simply put, the 8700 has the potential to enable labs to bring pharmaceutical products to market faster and with greater confidence in their formulations.

The 8700 LDIR combines unique Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) technology with rapid scanning optics and intuitive Agilent Clarity software. Importantly, the system produces images free from laser coherence artifacts to provide high definition images of large areas.

The 8700 LDIR system’s compact size, lack of liquid nitrogen, and automated operation make high-definition chemical imaging accessible to operators of all levels. Now users can minimize time spent on sample analysis and data review, which leads to increased productivity. Simple load-and-go methods also save time and make it ideal for walk-up use in both commercial and academic settings.