D.S.I.R. looking to sell spectrometer

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 25

D.S.I.R. looking to sell spectrometer

PA Wellington The D.S.I.R. will internationally market a device which has already had an impressive field trial on the space shuttle. The director of the department’s Information Technology Division, Dr Peter Ellis, will visit Australia in search of buyers for the eight-channel spectrometer, which has been developed at the D.S.LR.’s Gracefield laboratories over the past five years. Dr Ellis said the D.S.I.R. was gearing up for limited production runs at its Gracefield laboratories — the first batch of 20 spectrometers was almost completed. The device, used for measuring different types of light across the spectrum, could have governmental and educational applications around th© world, as well as potential

for use in industrial, agricultural, biological, and fishing industries, he said. “We are aiming to produce the world’s best field instrument of its kind and this is in line with means which already exist whereby satellites can measure the earth’s spectrum.” The spectrometer, which will sell for about $2500, can be used from helicopters, aircraft, at sea, or on land. It can, for example, be used to detect the presence of chlorophyl and plankton in the oceans — and thus point to the likelihood of other fish in the area. It can also be used to detect the presence of minerals on land, and assess different agricultural crops. Dr Ellis said it had even been used to assess paint quality on finished

surfaces, and the fat content of meat. Interest has been expressed from Australia and a man at the Stanford University in California is keen to act as the D.S.LR.’s agent for marketing it in the United States and Japan. Asked for an assessment of the potential value of international marketing of the device, Dr Ellis said it would be “in the millions”, especially as further versions were developed to meet specific requests from potential customers. The version now being marketed is a Mark 11, type of the original spectrometer, incorporating many modifications which were suggested after the D.S.I.R. and Auckland’s Delphi Industries, Ltd, developed the original version.