Research Markets

The need for a "Personal Spectrometer" has been growing in both the Analytical Laboratory as well as in the Education markets. Scientists, students and educators are looking for portable, handheld and low-cost devices that could house several types of spectrometers. MEMS-based technologies will enable such "personal spectrometers" and Block is very well positioned to become the "technology-of-choice", especially when it comes to sophisticated measurements, such as FTIR spectroscopy.

In those industries, based on our technologies and products:

• Scientists use "personal spectrometers" to conduct multiple bench-scale experiments and expedite their research
• Probe-based, miniature sensors are embedded in beakers and small-scale vessels to monitor chemical reactions Universities use small, low-cost spectrometers to teach students about the features and benefits of chemical analysis, e.g. spectroscopy
• Graduate students, professors with limited budgets use low-cost, but yet high performance devices for chemical analysis
• Forensic labs use series of devices for chemical analysis of substances and quicker turnaround of results
• Scientists use devices with multiple measurement modalities, miniaturized in small packages, such as IR, Raman, NIR spectroscopy, for early results