Agilent Technologies Acquires Raman Spectroscopy Innovator, Cobalt Light Systems

 

 

Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced it has acquired Oxfordshire, U.K.-based Cobalt Light Systems, a provider of highly differentiated Raman spectroscopic instruments for the public safety, pharmaceutical industry and applied markets.

 

Cobalt’s innovative suite of benchtop and handheld/portable Raman spectroscopic instruments are based on proprietary technologies that enable through-barrier identification of chemicals and materials. Traditional solutions based on conventional spectroscopy have limited capacities for detection of materials through sealed, non-transparent containers and are constrained to near-surface identification of materials such as pharma tablet coatings and containers. By enabling measurement through opaque barriers and surfaces, Cobalt’s solutions can analyze whole tablets or inside sealed containers reducing the need for quarantines and time-consuming sample processing and testing in security, pharmaceutical QC and hazardous chemical ID. The result is significant time, cost, and resource savings for customers as well as increased safety for certain market segments such as first responders or air passengers.

 

Cobalt’s customers include more than 75 airports across Europe and Asia-Pacific, including eight of the 10 largest European airports, with over 500 devices deployed at airport checkpoints. Recently, Cobalt has entered the hazardous substances market with its handheld platform.