Rap.ID has been nominated for the Innovation Award of the German Economy in the start-up category, for its novel particle explorer.
The innovative measurement system not only identifies particles, but even distinguishes individual microbes.
As Markus Lankers, head of research and technology at Rap.ID, pointed out: "it is the sensitivity and specifity as a result of the fully-automated distinction between individual germs that makes our Particle Explorer truly unique".
"Within seconds, any layman could now assess the potential risk of a germ.
"The sensitivity and speed of the method are unequalled".
Until now, even leading-edge measurement technology took at least four to 12 hours to distinguish, for example, a life-threatening pathogen from a harmless bacterium.
By abandoning one duplication step, the Particle Explorer reduces this period to three minutes.
The time saved in this way can be invested in proper therapy and countermeasures.
And that is only one of many examples of how precious time is won through using this innovative technology.
Ever since prototype development in 1999, the basic concept of the Particle Explorer - fully-automated identification of microparticles using image recognition combined with micro-Raman spectroscopy - has been refined further.
"Since the start of our marketing activities for the Liquid Particle Explorer in 2003, we have been able to sell no less than ten particle minimisation and quality assurance systems to the pharmaceutical and medical industries," explained Oliver Valet, head of marketing and distribution at Rap.ID.
"To me, the fact that, shortly before the beginning of the year, we had already received the third order for a Liquid Particle Explorer from the United States surely indicates a global breakthrough for our still young basic technology".
The outstanding novelty of this technology lies in the automatic recognition and spectroscopy of living microbes and the creation of Raman spectra of each individual microbe.
The technology was developed in the course of the Joint Research Project OMIB, as part of the BMBF/VDI sponsored research focus on biophotonics, and is the result of the combined efforts of the universities of Jena (Institute of Physical Chemistry, working group Popp) and Freiburg (Technical Informatics), the Stuttgart Fraunhofer Institute (Department for Cleanroom and Micro Production), and the companies Kayser Threde, Schering and Rap.ID.
The technology already includes all the information necessary for exact identification of the microbe to the level of strain.
Laboratory tests of E coli DSM 423 and 498, eg, show correct identification rates of 95%.
In no time, this highly successful co-operation resulted in two prototypes, one of which has already been sold to a pilot customer.
