Block Engineering develops and sells high performance FTIR spectrometers to military, government, and commercial and industrial customers. The firm's products are installed in and around Washington DC to protect critical infrastructure from chemical terrorist attacks. They are also used by government agencies to remotely survey areas and protect personnel from chemical warfare agents. In 2004, the company leveraged its expertise in spectroscopy to develop next generation Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) spectrometers and low cost, miniaturized MEMS-based FTIRs. Following several government development contracts exceeding $16 million dollars, Block developed a family of QCL-based spectrometers and continues to advance its MEMS-based FTIR. Block's Mobile Chemical Agent Detector (MCAD) system, a fixed site, passive FTIR spectrometer offered in partnership with Northrop Grumman Corp., and PORTHOSâ¢, a portable, passive FTIR spectrometer system, remotely detect chemical threats as far as 3 miles and protect against chemical warfare agents and weapons of mass destruction. Following the success of those products, Block has applied its extensive knowledge of spectroscopy and chemical detection towards the commercialization of its high performance QCL based spectrometers, such as the LaserScan⢠Analyzer. In addition, Block is developing a revolutionary MEMS-based, miniaturized spectrometer, the ChemPenâ¢, which is a low cost, FTIR chemical gas detector the size of a fountain pen. Block Engineering, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Bio-Rad Laboratories,
