A Random Sample of AIHce 2007 Product Innovations
Among the sea of mainstay products and instruments on display at the 2007 American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo (AIHce), some manufacturers had a few surprises up their sleeves for attendees.
ThermoFisher Scientific Inc. announced the creation of it new pDR-1500 low-profile, high-performance personal aerosol monitoring instrument designed to meet a broad range of applications, including site remediation and health effects studies. Despite its impressive, long list of capabilities, perhaps more significant was the news that the company is poised to soon provide pay-by-the-minute wireless data support services for all of its monitoring devices. Jim Morton, National Sales Manager, said this new service offering coincides with the company's push toward wireless monitoring and all-in-one seamless integration. Also, it will help to lower clients' costs and simplify maintaining monitor compliance.
After three years of product research and development, Industrial Scientific proudly displayed its iBrid™ MX6, the world's first full-color display gas monitor. Marketing Director Kay F. Mangieri said the product's long development was due in large part to the creation of a full-color LCD display screen that doesn't produce a spark, which until now was the main hurdle of keeping such monitors intrinsically safe. Some advantages of the display include the ability for the user to read datalog trends and readings directly from the instrument rather than having to first upload the data to a computer. The color display also allows the device to clearly differentiate real-time readings and make them more noticeable to the user by showing alarm-level readings in bright red.
Philadelphia-based PathCon® Laboratories (PathCon), an expert in pathogen control, announced some giant steps it has taken forward in addressing possible outbreaks, such as avian influenza. Founded by former CDC scientists in 1986, the company says it saw a need to combat flaws contained in current PCR assays being conducted by "start-up" laboratories and developed the PathCon ExpressID™--a real-time qPCR testing for environmental microorganisms. "Rather than adopt older available technology, we started from scratch utilizing the most state-of-the-art methods and have improved the reliability of results…," said Brian Shelton, PathCon president and CEO.
ExpressID is fully automated and uses customized robotics to produce precise results with a fast turnaround time, sometimes within four hours. In addition, PathCon has created a high-level outbreak investigation and consulting team of several key industry leaders, including J. Donald, M.D., D.T.P.H.; Ruth Berkelman, M.D.; and W. Dana Flanders, M.D., D.Sc., M.P.H.
In addition to its extensive selection of eye, face, and head protection, MSA displayed its new stylish Easy-Flex Eyewear featuring full-frame flexibility, comfort, and a secure fit design for a variety of faces. The eyewear meets the ANSI Z87.1-2003 (high-impact) eye protection standard for industrial eyewear and provides 99.9 percent protection against harmful UV.
DuPont displayed its New ProShield® limited use apparel for dry, non-hazardous applications where comfort, breathability, and cost effectiveness are important. Made using DuPont proprietary Advanced Composite Technology, the apparel's fabric has been optimized for comfort, softness, and breathablity and was applied to a roomy garment design that features an elastic waist and storm flap to provide a greater range of mobility. Typical applications are food processing, general maintenance, janitorial, visitor garments, hospitals, and situations where you want to avoid nuisance contamination.
In an effort to attract more student enrollment, the Academy for Automotive and Mechanical Engineering at West Philadelphia High School displayed the Hybrid Attack, a fast and highly fuel-efficient hybrid sports car. The car was developed in the summer of 2002 in an effort to create an alternative to the bland, box-styled hybrid vehicles available at the time. The vehicle won first place for alternative fuel vehicles in its debut at the 2005 Tour de Sol and was the event's winner the following year.