IARPA Selects Four Industry Teams for Sorbent-Based Chemical Sampling, Filtering Program

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency has chosen four industry teams to develop sorbent-based systems to collect and filter chemicals.

Teams led by Leidos, Akita Innovations, Physical Sciences and Xilectric secured research contracts to explore new chemical sampling and filtering systems through the Ithildin program, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Thursday.

The program seeks to increase the functionality of sorbent materials in clutter material rejection, selective chemical sorption, chemical capture indication and temporal fidelity processes.

"The goal of the Ithildin program is to make the sorbent itself “smart”, improving efficiency and capability by shifting functionality from the sampler system or filter to the level of the basic chemical interactions between sorbent and sorbate," said Kristy DeWitt, a program manager at IARPA.

An advisory panel composed of representatives from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center and the Naval Research Laboratory will provide advice on test and evaluation matters.

IARPA expects the program to conclude by February 2020.