Cobalt’s Resolve, a ground-breaking new handheld system that identifies hazardous materials - including explosives and CWAs - through sealed opaque containers, is being demonstrated at DSEI, London from 4-11th September 2017.

This will be Cobalt’s first time at both these major international defence and security events, and there will be hands-on Resolve demonstrations at both locations. Resolve was launched in 2016 for applications in hazmat incident management, military search and EOD, first response, law enforcement, and screening at ports & borders. The system uses Cobalt’s proprietary spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) technology to detect and identify chemicals through opaque barriers such as thick coloured plastics, dark glass, paper, card, sacks and fabric. Measured spectra are accurately matched to comprehensive on-board spectral libraries and the system identifies materials including; explosives and precursors, hazardous and toxic materials, CWAs, narcotics and new psychoactive substances, plus thousands of benign chemicals.

Resolve is the world’s only handheld Raman system for true through-barrier identification of hazardous or contraband materials. Resolve rapidly detects and identifies materials from comprehensive libraries, with Cobalt’s unique handheld SORS technology enabling positive identification through a wide range of sealed non-metallic containers, barriers and packaging.

Resolve differs from conventional handheld Raman ID systems, which are typically limited to line-of-sight measurements. Resolve operates in three principal modes:

- Through-barrier - Detects through non-metallic, sealed containers such as coloured and opaque plastics, glass, paper, wrapping, sacks and fabrics
- Surface scan - Line-of-sight measurements, similar to conventional Raman ID systems
- Vial holder - Quickly identifies materials contained within glass vials in a custom holder

Resolve is already deployed worldwide - in military applications as well as in hazmat response, policing and customs screening. The system was named as one of the top new products at Pittcon 2016 by Instrument Business Outlook and was a finalist in the 2016 R&D 100 Awards.