Peabody, Mass., September 30, 2005 – JEOL USA today announced that the United States Patent Office has awarded patent number 6,949,741, dated September 27, 2005, to JEOL USA, Inc. for the DART™ Direct Analysis in Real Time atmospheric pressure ion source.
The DART, commercially introduced in February 2005 for the JEOL AccuTOF™ mass spectrometer, was co-developed by Dr. Robert Cody of JEOL USA and Dr. James Laramee, a former consultant, now with EAI Corporation (a GEO-CENTERS, Inc. company). The two scientists discovered a means of enabling direct detection of chemicals on surfaces, in liquids, and in gases.
DART technology can eliminate or reduce sample preparation and complements existing LC or GC analytical techniques. DART is unique in that samples are analyzed in open air, using no radioactive components, solvent sprays, exposed high voltage, or vacuum to alter the sample state.
Since its introduction, DART has gained wide acceptance for forensics, pharmaceuticals, and homeland security applications. The DART was selected by R&D Magazine as one of the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace in 2005. In addition to the R&D 100 Award, the DART won the Pittcon Editors’ Gold Award at the February tradeshow for analytical instruments. The DART patent is exclusively licensed to IonSense, Inc. of Peabody, Massachusetts.