ECBC Launches Formal Collaboration with General Dynamics Armament and
Technical Products
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army Edgewood
Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), the premier national resource for chemical
and biological defense, announced the establishment of a Patent License
Agreement (PLA) and a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
with General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products -- a leading producer of
biological and chemical detection systems for military and commercial
applications -- during a signing ceremony Monday, Nov. 9.
The agreements will pave the way for collaboration between the federal
government and industry to further develop and commercialize a low-cost,
low-power, lightweight technology that utilizes semiconductor ultraviolet
optical sources for reagentless detection of biological aerosols called the
Tactical Biological Detector (TAC-BIO).
"The commercialization of the TAC-BIO will make the device widely available to
detect biological warfare threat agents to protect warfighters on the
battlefield, first responders and civilians at home," said ECBC Technical
Director Rick Decker during the ceremony held in the Center's Berger
Auditorium. "Collaboration between ECBC and General Dynamics will get this
government-created innovation to the end-user much faster than we can using
traditional means."
The TAC-BIO was invented by a team of scientists and engineers led by David
Sickenberger, ECBC's Research & Technology Directorate.
"When we initially began the TAC-BIO program seven years ago, the goal was to
exploit semiconductor ultraviolet optical sources being developed by the
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency as the enabling means of achieving a
revolutionary new bio detection device that required no consumables and
maintained a credible core detection capability," said Sickenberger. "Today,
we have achieved these goals and created a prototype that is ready for
transition to the industrial sector."
The PLA and CRADA between ECBC and General Dynamics leverage the strengths of
both organizations across a range of disciplines and present a valuable
opportunity for ECBC to apply its patents to the development of a
mass-producible, handheld device for public consumption.
"On behalf of General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, we look
forward to our partnership with ECBC and believe that this collaboration fully
embodies the spirit and intent of the U.S. legislation and Department of
Defense directives for technology transfer," said General Dynamics Armament
and Technical Products Detection Programs Director Brian Kenney.
Over the next two to three years ECBC and GDATP will mutually continue to
support research and development efforts of the TAC-BIO to bring the
technology to commercialization. To show its dedication to the program,
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has committed a significant
investment in internal research and development for the detector.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, located in Charlotte, N.C.,
provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial
applications. The company designs, develops and produces high-performance
weapon and armament systems, defensive armor, countermeasure systems and
aerospace composite solutions, as well as off-road axle and suspension
systems. It is also a leading U.S. producer of biological and chemical
detection systems. More information about General Dynamics Armament and
Technical Products can be found on the Internet at www.gdatp.com.
ECBC is the Army's principal research and development center for chemical and
biological defense technology, engineering and field operations. ECBC has
achieved major technological advances for the warfighter and for our national
defense, with a long and distinguished history of providing the Armed Forces
with quality systems and outstanding customer service. ECBC is a US Army
Research, Development and Engineering Command laboratory located at the
Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. For more information about
the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, please visit our Web site at
http://www.ecbc.army.mil or call (410) 436-3610.
SOURCE Edgewood Chemical Biological Center
Don Kennedy for Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, +1-410-436-3610
