Sniffex

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Please improve this article if you can. (December 2007)

Sniffex is a now debunked, portable explosive detection system produced by Homeland Safety International.

An article in the Dallas Morning News[1]suggests that Sniffex is a dowsing rod and states that "In a test by the U.S. Navy, Sniffex didn't register when two trucks passed within 20 feet, hauling a half ton of explosives." and "The Navy's counterterrorism technology task force tested Sniffex. The team found that the device was correct only 23 percent of the time and "performed no better than random chance." 'The Sniffex handheld explosives detector does not work,' the report concluded. 'There was absolutely no indication the device met any single vendor claim.' "

Although high performance is claimed in advertising for Sniffex, such claims have not been verified by objective double blind testing.[2] Although the tests were conducted at a public meeting [3] by the president of the company, Sniffex did not detect test explosives when the user did not know in advance where they were located.

The Sniffex device must not be confused with SniffEx, a prize-winning sensor developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL).[4] That sensor was originally called "Sniffex" until Homeland Safety International enforced its trademark and asked ORNL to stop using the name.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Irving-based firm's device, stock trades under scrutiny-- Dallas Morning News, 01:02 AM CDT on Monday, April 16, 2007
  2. ^ Sniffex fails a double blind test at a public demonstration (includes video clips)
  3. ^ Seventh Annual Tourism Safety & Security Conference, Anaheim, CA, 4/2006
  4. ^ ORNL inventions win three 'Research and Development 100s
  5. ^ "Sniffex fails a double blind test at a public demonstration" (includes a video clip in which company president confirms this)

[edit] External links