The Company
Smiths Detection-Pasadena, formerly Cyrano Sciences, Inc., is focused on providing chemical and biological sensors and software solutions for the defense, homeland security, industrial and commercial markets. These solutions allow customers to protect and monitor their people, products, or facilities locally or globally with an end-to-end "train of awareness" that combines detection, interpretation and action. Since its inception, Smiths Detection-Pasadena has directed its efforts on one common objective: the creation of low cost, low power chemical and biological sensors and sensor systems which are capable of capturing data, interpreting the data and providing real time notification and suggested actions wherever and whenever this information is needed. Based in Pasadena, California, Smiths Detection-Pasadena is located close to the origins of its proprietary chemical sensor technology, the California Institute of Technology. Our initial focus was the commercialization of the core technology that was licensed from Caltech, involving a multidisciplinary approach across many scientific fields. With the launch of the first product, Cyranose® 320 in the 3Q 2000, Smiths Detection-Pasadena has evolved into a comprehensive organization prepared to capitalize on it's ability to digitize smell. Smiths Detection-Pasadena has established a highly talented multidisciplinary team of professionals. As our products decrease in size Smiths Detection-Pasadena aims to grow and to extend into international markets to create a global company whose products improve the quality of life for our customers' customers. To date the company has received over $46 million in venture capital financing from Apple Tree Partners, J&J Development Corporation, Marquette Venture Partners, Oak Investment Partners and Rustic Canyon Group and private investment from Welch Allyn. Cyrano Sciences was aqcuired by Smiths Detection in March 2004 and has been renamed Smiths Detection-Pasadena. The Products Smiths Detection-Pasadena's product platforms include hand-held devices, low cost distributed sensors and sensing networks, and integrated detection and notification systems. Each of these product platforms relies on Smiths Detection-Pasadena's core competencies of array based chemical sensing, data interpretation, and system integration. The company is poised to lead the digital "smell" revolution with the 3Q 2000 launch of the handheld Cyranose® 320 into the food and beverage market providing a unique method to rapidly assess quality at the site of production. This unique product is small (10x20x5cm), lightweight (less than 1kg) and has huge processing power and memory for on board data analysis. Following this, a succession of products will pave the way into smaller and smaller devices for more widespread application. Smiths Detection-Pasadena will market Nose-ChipsTM that will enable a variety of high-volume applications, from low cost chemical and biological detectors to smart room-air monitors to appliances able to detect food preparedness and spoilage. These Nose-ChipTM based chemical sensing web appliances will have less on-board information processing capability at a far lower price point. The Technology Smiths Detection-Pasadena is the worldwide exclusive licensee of the patented Polymer Composite Sensor (PCS) technology, developed by Professors Rodney Goodman, Robert Grubbs and Nathan Lewis at the California Institute of Technology. Smiths Detection-Pasadena's PCS Technology involves an array of polymer composite sensors composed of different polymers filled with conductive particles. When these sensors come in contact with a vapor, the polymer expands like a sponge, changing the resistance of the composite. This change in resistance is transmitted to a processor, and the pattern of change of the sensor array is used to determine the vapor sensed. Smiths Detection-Pasadena has also invested in the development of appropriate pattern matching algorithms to enhance the pattern-matching efficacy. Smiths Detection-Pasadena has an extensive patent portfolio, with over 30 applications and 21 issued patents, based on sensor array technology, algorithms, instruments, chips, medical diagnostics, and the communication of digital sensory information over the Internet. |
