Visualant is a Seattle-based provider of chromatic-based identification and diagnostic solutions for which the company recently received an eighth patent. Leveraging its Spectral Pattern Matching™ (SPM) technology, Visualant is pioneering the use of structured light and validating its position as a photonics innovator.
While Visualant participates in the photonics sector with multi-billion dollar companies like IPG Photonics Corp. (NASDAQ:IPGP), the company enjoys minimal competition when it comes to product application in the public space. IPG Photonics’ business, for example, centers on the use of high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers for use primarily in materials processing. Another heavy-hitting photonics player is Coherent, Inc. (NASDAQ: COHN), which uses its photonics-based solutions for microelectronics, scientific research and government programs, original equipment manufacturer components and instrumentation, and materials processing markets.
Visualant has a different focus. Its patented, award-winning SPM technology works by directing structured light onto a substance or material, through a liquid or gas, or off a surface, to capture a unique ChromaID™. This ChromaID can be used to identify, detect, or diagnosis markers invisible to the human eye, enabling analyses that could only previously be performed by large and expensive lab-based tests.
ChromaID is so accurate that it can differentiate between Aspirin and generic-grade aspirin, different milk types, or even distinguish Stoli vodka vs. Smirnoff. This capability makes the technology applicable for a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, paint, security, food safety, medical diagnostics, cosmetics and environmental, for a variety of uses that include authenticating pharmaceuticals, access cards, currency liquids and foods; diagnosing water purity, impurities in aviation jet fuel, soil composition; and a multitude of medical, environmental and agricultural diagnostics.
ChromaID also reads and records visible and invisible chromatic markers from virtually any material – profile scan stored in database. Discovery scans are stored in a database and matched to original to identify, authenticate or diagnose, such as for use in crime scene analysis, process control, law enforcement and homeland security, and the identification of substances.
As an example of practical application in food products, Visualant recently signed a one-year option agreement with Benemilk Ltd, a joint venture of Raisio plc and Intellectual Ventures (IV), under which Benemilk has the right to evaluate ChromaID for quality assurance or quality control tests performed in connection with the production of dairy products and to exclusively license such technology on a worldwide basis.
Visualant’s latest (eight) patent further validates the company’s intellectual property, company CEO and founder Ron Erickson recently stated in a news release, and solidifies Visualant’s patent portfolio as a continuation of the original series of patents filed by the company on the ChromaID technology beginning in 2007.
This patent covers the application of the ChromaID technology in the fields of manufacturing, process quality control, authentication of financial and identity documents, use with biological tissues related to diagnosis and security, as well as the deterioration of manufactured materials and monitoring of liquids, fuels and lubricants. It also protects methods for networking the functioning of the ChromaID technology for database building and access for comparing data acquired by one ChromaID device with those collected by other devices.
The company has several additional patents pending and said it plans to file new patents to extend the reach of its foundational ChromaID technology.
For more information, visit www.visualant.net
