EyeMarker Systems is developing an ocular imaging device that can determine if a person has been exposed to certain toxic agents (botulinum, nerve agents, cyanide) in less than two minutes.
The company has been bankrolled by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which you may know for the part it played in developing high-energy laser technology for space-based missile defense during the 1980’s.
EyeMarker’s device non-invasively identifies toxic agents by looking for specific biomarkers in the eye. Since the eyes are directly connected to multiple physiological systems in the body the device can also take into account the extent of exposure.
Test results require no human interpretation, increasing throughput and making the device ideal for less than ideal situations (e.g. terrorist attacks). Rapid test results facilitate faster intervention for those in need.
EyeMarker has developed a prototype of the device which is portable and handheld. The company will initially market the device to the military, emergency response, homeland security and clinical medicine markets.