Chemical or biological attack detection and mitigation system

• Main Authors: CURTNER, KEITH L, KREICHAUF, RUTH D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.11.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ALARM SYSTEMS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; PHYSICS; SIGNALLING; SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TESTING

Systems and methods for monitoring buildings to detect harmful chemical or biological agents. Self-propelled harmful agent detectors (100) are provided that can propel themselves using motors (118) and self-contained power sources (120). On-board harmful agent sensors (104) can detect the presence of harmful agents and transmit information (114) for reception by a receiving unit (306). Some sensors can identify the type of agent and transmit the agent type. Some detectors can measure the intensity or concentration of the harmful agent presence and transmit that intensity. Some systems include locating devices for determining positions of the roaming detectors (100), as well as mapping software to map the location of the individual moving detectors (100). Systems may include software for plotting the relative concentrations of agents detected to locate the origination of the source within the building. The moving detectors (100) can have motors (118) coupled to wheels (116), tracks (139), capstans (182), pulleys (226) and winches to move the devices (100, 130, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240) along floors, air ducts, and suspended or hanging wires (181, 232, 234).