Gold Award

Veritide’s Ceeker is the recipient of this year’s IBO Gold Design Award for portable instrumentation. The optical-based spore detection system was built with the New Zealand industrial design firm 4ormfunction. It weighs 2.1 kg (4.6 lb), measures 25 x 13 x 26.5 cm (10 x 5.25 x 10.5 in) and costs around $25,000.

Because the system is designed for use by first responders, its shape and user interface were made simple and clean. For example, a one-button keypad initiates testing. This rugged system’s wide and bottom-heavy base provides a minimal footprint and assures that it cannot be easily knocked over while in the field. The soft, curved shape of the system’s body makes for a steady grip and increases end-user appeal.

According to Dr. Lou Reinisch, professor and head of the Department of Physical and Earth Sciences at Jacksonville State University and inventor of the Ceeker’s technology, everything from the product’s battery life (which runs for one hour continuously; the average time that a haz-mat team’s air supply lasts) to the way that analysis is performed with the system is designed for an inexperienced user. The black section of system that covers its bottom, called the mat, detaches and a small device, called the spatula, can be removed from it. This spatula is pressed against a sample and placed back onto the Ceeker’s mat. The Ceeker is then sealed back together and analysis is performed. “We did not want to have a typical piece of scientific equipment where the sample is inserted into a slot and measured. The slot is complicated, requires motors and mechanics, and is difficult to decontaminate,” said Dr. Reinisch. The Ceeker is designed to be foolproof: the mat and spatula, once detached, fit back into the system in only one direction.

Dr. Reinisch described the importance of having an industrial design firm involved in the process of designing the Ceeker, especially in tailoring the system’s requirements to its end-user market. “[4ormfunction] spent days handling components with several layers of protective gloves to make certain this all works easily for a haz-mat team or a first responder fully suited up.”

Silver Award

IBO’s 2009 Silver Design Award for portable instruments goes to Spectro’s FluidScan, a portable IR spectrometer for lubricant testing. Lightweight at 1.8 kg (4 lb) and compact, with dimensions of 17 x 14 x 9 cm (6.5 x 5.5 x 3.5 in), this durable handheld instrument is made for point-of-use detection, such as on the factory floor. It is self-calibrating, and can run for up to eight hours on three AA batteries.

A unique feature of the FluidScan is the hand straps. They enable a user to firmly and safely hold the system with one hand and interact with the system with their other hand, allowing for comfortable and flexible use without having to set the system down.

Also, unlike similar systems, the FluidScan utilizes a flip-top sample cell, which slides out of the instrument’s head. The cell flips open into two halves, where the sample is placed. After closing, the stage is slid back into the system for analysis.

Bronze Award

IBO’s 2009 Bronze Design Award for portable instruments goes to the XOS SINDIE On-The-Go (OTG). This portable sulfur testing system analyzes fuels using monochromatic wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. It is designed for use in the field or the lab, but must be plugged into an electrical socket for use. The rugged system’s polyamide screen allows for safe use in industrial settings. The system weighs 8.16 kg (18 lb) and its dimensions are 29.2 x 34.2 x 20.32 cm (11.5 x 13.5 x 8 in).

The OTG’s rectangular case looks sturdy and its curved edges make for a more appealing, less boxy look. The system’s touch screen, sunken into the left side of its face, provides a dynamic contrast to the system’s shape. In addition, the screen is angled upwards, for easier viewing by researchers. The sample-input cap is as tall the case’s handle, preserving the system’s shape by not adding bulk. Samples are pipetted into standardized ACCU-CELL cups, which are then attached to the bottom of the unscrewed cap. Analysis is performed after the lid is screwed back into the case.