MicroNIR OnSite-W mobile NIR spectrometry module with NIRLAB software

platform
NIRLAB enables rapid field analysis of selected drugs, including rapid quantitative analysis in the field.
The analysis is simple, very fast and does not need any chemicals etc. The analysis can be carried out
by a routinely trained worker (training time approx. 1 hour). But that is not all, NIRLAB is a
comprehensive system that offers much more possibilities. The entire system is built on cloud-based
solutions and it is assumed that a larger number of instruments are working in the field. NIRLAB in
conjunction with the unique HW of the microNIR spectrometers ensures that all instruments always
analyse the same (always working with the latest algorithms and the same library version at any given
time). This is also possible due to the unique reproducibility of microNIR spectrometer production, all
spectrometers work the same even in quantitative analysis mode. Data can be stored in the central
cloud storage of the organization and can be further manipulated (printing of reports, data
management, export) or superstructure analyses (tracing, mapping, ...).

How does it work?

The NIRLab system is built on three cornerstones.

1. Unique hardware from VIAVI (Santa Rosa, California, USA) - NIR spectrometers, MicroNIR OnSite
W
2. On NIRLAB Cloud services (software and secure HW)
3. On the mobile and tablet end-user applications (NIRLAB App) and the desktop application for PC
and tablets (NIRLAB Desktop App).
The whole analysis is done automatically in the following steps.

1. The handheld NIR spectrometer measures the spectrum of the sample within a few seconds,
which is sent to the NIRLAB Cloud via a mobile app (mobile phone, tablet).

2. NIRLAB Cloud performs sample identification based on spectrum matching, and for some sample
types, additional qualitative analysis (e.g., determining if the sample is THC or CBD type marijuana,
identifying diluents in heroin or cocaine, ...) and quantitative analysis (if a quantitative model is
available for the substance). Currently, the quantitative
analysis of heroin, cocaine and marijuana is fully validated,
and the MDMA and Methamphetamine analyses are also
functional. The quantitative analysis of Ketamine and
Amphetamine is under development and will be available by
the end of 2021.
3. Analysis results from the NIRLAB cloud are sent back to the
mobile phone/tablet and displayed in the NIRLAB Mobile
App. An example of cocaine sample analysis output is shown
in the figure. There are three repetitions of the analysis of a
single cocaine sample, due to the inhomogeneity of real
samples it is recommended to perform multiple analyses from
a single sample. Due to the high speed of the analysis, it is easy
to perform a larger number of analyses and obtain a result
that represents the average composition of the entire amount
of substance retained. The resulting concentration is given in
% and the error in relative percentages for heroin, cocaine,
methamphetamine and MDMA. Thus, in this case, the
absolute error for the determined 43.1% cocaine (HCl)
content is approximately 3.8%. In the case of marijuana, the
resulting error in THC and CBD content is also reported as an
absolute error in %.
 The data sent between the spectrometer, the cloud solution and the mobile app is anonymized
and very small up to this point (spectral data only). The user can now save the data at the touch
of a button and the results, including the location, are stored in a protected cloud database that
is created for their organization.

4. The NIRLAB Desktop App is designed for viewing and working with data stored in the cloud
application and can be opened in any device with a web browser and internet connection. For
example, on the same tablet where the NIRLAB Mobile App for field measurements is located.
This app offers two levels of service, Premium and Gold. Within the Premium service, it is possible
to view stored data, the program automatically calculates averages when analysing multiple sites
from a single sample, more detailed analysis information is displayed, data can be exported and
reports can be printed. The Gold service allows for advanced data analysis (trends, map entries,
spectral similarity analyses - tracing, etc.).

The NIRLAB system was developed in Switzerland at the University of Lausanne (Institute of Criminal
Sciences) and in cooperation with the Swiss police, who have already started using the NIRLAB system.
It is the result of several years of development and quite high investments. NIRLAB is a complementary
technique to the Raman spectrometers already in use - it can identify samples that are problematic for
Raman spectrometry (heroin, some street cocaine samples - determination of all diluents, some
MDMA tablets) and in addition provides analysis of cannabis samples (determination of plant type
based on cluster analysis - THC, CBD type) and quantitative analysis (THC/CBD, cocaine, heroin, MDMA,
METH, ....).