908 Devices secures patents for miniature mass spectrometer development

908 Devices, a start-up company founded in 2012 in Boston, MA, has secured the exclusive licence to a series of patents that cover key aspects of micro-scale mass spectrometry including ionization, ion traps and detection schemes. Backed by $8.1 million in venture capital funding, the company hopes to have new products on the market by early 2013.

The co-founder and vice president of 908 devices, Chris Petty declared “We’re miniaturizing mass spectrometry. We’ve kept it under wraps until now, operating in stealth mode, because we’ve got some pretty unusual technology." Initially, the miniaturised mass spectrometers will be about the size of a computer notebook but later versions will fit into the palm of the hand. Petty predicts that the new technology will be used first by the military or emergency first responders.

Image: courtesy 908 Devices