Fostered by growing concerns about airport security, terrorism and drug smuggling, sales of Ion Track Instruments' ITEMISER^® contraband detector have markedly increased over the past year. The ITEMISER^® is a revolutionary advance in detection and identification of trace substances such as narcotics and explosives. The entire system, consisting of a sophisticated test instrument, a Quatech PCMCIA data acquisition card, and an embedded computer, is enclosed in a unit the size of a large breadbox. The ITEMISER^® is unique in the industry, providing highly accurate analysis via a compact, easy to use unit that can be deployed in security sensitive area such as airports, military bases, and border crossings. Designed to address security concerns, while also addressing the public's demand for hassle-free travel, on-time arrivals and departures at airports, and smooth border crossings, the ITEMISER^® systems provide the functionality and accuracy required to alert authorities to potential threats by using minimally invasive tests that marginally impact a traveler's schedule. (Samples are collected by swiping a filter over suspect surfaces such as a suitcase, briefcase, or vehicle.)

The ITEMISER^® is a complete unit that combines a test instrument with an embedded computer, providing the ability to analyze, control, monitor, chart, print and save archived data. Quatech's DAQP-16 PCMCIA data acquisition card is the primary interface between the embedded computer and Ion Track's patented Ion Trap Mobility Spectrometer (ITMS^®). The entire system is completely enclosed in an 18.5" x 21" x 14.5" unit and is often deployed in hostile environments where operating temperatures can exceed 50 to 60 degrees Celsius, which pushes the operational limits of average data acquisition equipment. Quatech's standard DAQP-16 provides 8 DE or 16 SE 16-bit analog input channels with 100 kS/s sampling, and 4K Data and Scan FIFOs. By making some small circuitry modifications to the DAQP-16, Quatech was able to provide Ion Track with a card that consistently functions well at the top of its specified temperature range, and one that can easily accommodate the operating temperatures required. In addition, the DAQP-16 provides other unique features key to the ITEMISER^® system. "When we changed from a DOS version of our ITEMISER^® to a WINDOWS version we needed a board with at least a 2K FIFO and the ability to hardware trigger the burst acquisition," says Gerry Dukelow, Ion Track's Production Manager on the ITEMISER^® project, "the Quatech DAQP-16 supplied both."

"We were pleased with the opportunity to use our data acquisition expertise to help Ion Track perfect their truly unique system" says Steve Runkel Quatech's president and CEO. " We not only produced a data acquisition card to their specifications, we also carefully studied the entire ITEMISER^® system and designed an exceptionally rigorous test procedure to ensure the DAQP-16's longevity in the field, and to provide Ion Track and their customers with the quality assurances they demanded." For more information about the ITEMISER system, contact Ion Track Instruments at 978-658-3767, email sales@iontrack.com or visit their website at www.iontrack.com. For more information about the DAQP-16 and other Quatech PCMCIA data acquisition systems, contact Quatech at 1-800-553-1170, email sales@quatech.com or visit their website at www.quatech.com.

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IonTrack's ITEMISER system