Smiths Detection Announces University of Maryland, Baltimore County Successfully Deploys BioFlash for Airborne Detection of SARS-CoV-2
13.4.2021 14:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, today announces that its BioFlash® Biological Identifier has been successfully used by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) to identify airborne SARS-CoV-2 inside their campus in real-time at the point of testing.
As part of their mitigation strategy for COVID-19, UMBC’s Environmental Safety and Health (ESH) team have been using BioFlash across the campus. In one instance, the airborne detector was deployed to help the campus community safely re-enter a research facility after a person working there tested positive. After multiple tests performed on the BioFlash ruled-out the presence of airborne SARS-CoV-2, the ESH team deemed the facility contamination-free, allowing staff and students to safely return and research to continue without significant pause.
In a separate instance, in a collaborative effort with the UMBC Sports Medicine Department, a test conducted in a team locker room resulted in a positive environmental detection on the BioFlash. This detection ultimately led UMBC to test all people present for COVID-19, identifying three infected individuals. This helped prevent further spread of the virus.
“We are delighted to see what we believe is a world-first for our technology. BioFlash, with its real-time results capability, has been used by UMBC in a real-world setting to successfully confirm the presence or absence of COVID-19 in the air and inform health and safety protocols,” said Smiths Detection President Roland Carter. “We have been working incredibly hard to provide a tool that will support the ongoing fight against COVID-19, and these applications demonstrate the role BioFlash can play in virus mitigation strategies.”
“The BioFlash system has helped us to prevent the spread of the virus in our on-campus community. We are also pleased that this tool to protect the health and safety of people on our campus is easy to use and environmentally friendly,” said Lynne Schaefer, UMBC Vice President for Administration and Finance. “We will be using this solution as part of a larger mitigation strategy, alongside other important tools like sanitation, masks, regular testing, physical distancing, and symptom monitoring.”
BioFlash works by collecting and analysing air samples using sensitive, selective and rapid detection technology to identify the presence of dangerous pathogens onsite without the need to involve a laboratory. Following successful internal testing, Smiths Detection has been engaged in various external studies to further verify the SARS-CoV-2 detection capability, including working with the USAMRIID, which verified that BioFlash could identify SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory setting.
The BioFlash Biological Identifier is available now.
ENDS
About BioFlash Biological Identifier
The BioFlash® Biological Identifier is a bio-aerosol collection and identification system that provides rapid, sensitive and specific identification of various pathogens including viruses, toxins and bacteria. The BioFlash has been commercially available for over 10 years and is currently used by US government and commercial clients for a number of applications.
About Smiths Detection
Smiths Detection, part of Smiths Group, is a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies for aviation, ports and borders, defence and urban security markets. Our experience and history across more than 40 years at the frontline enables us to deliver the solutions needed to protect society from the threat and illegal passage of explosives, prohibited weapons, contraband, toxic chemicals and narcotics.
For more information visit http://www.smithsdetection.com/
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210413005091/en/
Contact information
FTI Consulting:
Tom Hufton/Georgina Reeves
sc.smithsdetection@fticonsulting.com
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
Smiths Detection:
Sophie Mills
Communications Manager
sophie.mills@smithsdetection.com
+ 44 (0)7384236474
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Helical Fusion Launches Helix Program “Official Partners” to Build Japan’s Industrial Coalition for Commercial Fusion Energy28.4.2026 06:00:00 EEST | Press release
Helical Fusion Co., Ltd., a fusion energy company developing a Helical stellarator power plant, today announced the launch of Helix Program Official Partners, a new strategic partnership framework designed to bring together long-term industrial collaborators committed to advancing fusion from laboratory progress to real-world fusion power deployment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260427596284/en/ Helical Fusion’s Integrated Demonstration Device, “Helix HARUKA,” currently under construction (photographed at the company’s dedicated workspace within the National Institute for Fusion Science in Gifu, Japan) The Helix Program is Helical Fusion’s core initiative to realize commercially viable fusion energy in the 2030s. Rather than starting from a reactor concept alone, the program works backward from the three essential requirements for commercial fusion power: net electricity, continuous operation, and high main
Investor Supporting Japan’s Entertainment Industry, Yoshihiro Shimamura, to Visit France Workshop to be Held During the Cannes Film Festival28.4.2026 05:00:00 EEST | Press release
Shimamura Yoshihiro Film Planning Inc. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; CEO: Yoshihiro Shimamura), a company engaged in film production and investment, will host a workshop in France during this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as part of its commitment to further advancing the entertainment industry. The company invests in leading entertainment-related businesses in Japan and places strong emphasis on long-term value creation. It identifies the cultural and entertainment sectors as high-growth areas and is actively involved in international co-productions as a core part of its film production activities. As a recent investment, the company acquired 2,000,000 shares of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc.—a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate known for producing content enjoyed across generations—and became a major shareholder (as of March 25, 2026). Through such investments, the company aims to support the global expansion of Japanese entertainment while exploring synergies with its own interna
Alsym Energy Announces Na-Series Battery Success Developed With Physics-Informed AI Platform27.4.2026 22:25:00 EEST | Press release
Alsym Energy, a pioneer in non-flammable, high-performance sodium-ion batteries, today announced details of the proprietary physics-informed AI platform used to develop the company’s recently launched Na-Series sodium-ion batteries. By integrating fundamental physics models with AI, autonomous testing and proprietary molecular diagnostics in a closed-loop system, Alsym is accelerating the design of safer, inexpensive, commercialized batteries through all phases of the development cycle. As global demand for electricity surges, the limitations of lithium-ion batteries have become increasingly apparent, particularly around safety and supply chain constraints. Lithium-ion chemistry presents inherent challenges, including flammability and reliance on constrained global supply chains—issues that become more acute in large-scale energy storage, where higher energy densities considerably increase fire risks, and growing demand across sectors further strains the supply chain and imperils energ
Backed by Investments Exceeding $1 Billion, PCI Pharma Services Announces Major Expansion of US Sterile Fill-Finish and Drug-Device Delivery Combination Capabilities27.4.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
PCI Pharma Services (“PCI”) – a world-leading integrated global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focused on innovative biologic and small molecule therapies – announced a series of major infrastructure investments that substantially deepen its sterile fill-finish and advanced drug delivery capabilities. As pharma manufacturers and their development partners increasingly prioritize US supply chain resilience, PCI’s latest investments come as part of a broader commitment exceeding $1 billion across the CDMO’s US and European operations, reinforcing its ability to provide seamless support for drug product development and manufacturing, clinical trial supply and drug-device combination assembly from clinical stages through commercial launch – all underpinned by global capacity, technical expertise, deep scientific knowledge, and an industry-leading quality and regulatory track record. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.
Pure Lithium Appoints Renowned Battery Expert Dr. Yuan Gao to Board of Directors27.4.2026 16:53:00 EEST | Press release
Pure Lithium Corporation, a vertically integrated lithium metal battery technology company, is pleased to announce that world-renowned inventor and battery expert Dr. Yuan Gao has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Dr. Gao has been an invaluable member of Pure Lithium’s Scientific Advisory Board since October of 2023. "We are thrilled to have Dr. Gao join our board as we focus on rapidly scaling our technology in the most capital efficient manner possible,” said Pure Lithium Founder, Chairman and CEO Emilie Bodoin. “Dr. Gao is a brilliant scientist who also has deep commercial expertise, a rare combination. He is also unique in the industry because his experience spans the entire battery materials value chain, including all of Pure Lithium’s verticals. His insights over the years have been critical in advancing our technology, and his experience as a director of public companies will strengthen our board.” Dr. Gao commented: “I am thrilled to join the board of Pure Lithium Corpor
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom