Our Technology
Zeteo Tech now offers analytical testing services in addition to research and development services associated with the use of our digitalMALDI® mass spectrometers and systems. In addition to our core digitalMALDI® aerosol time-to-flight mass spectrometer capabilities, our state-of-art laboratory includes Axima® and Bruker Microflex LRF MALDI-TOF instruments and Orbritrap® mass spectometers with electrospray ionization and a nano LC sample injection systems.
Zeteo Tech has licensed its digitalMALDI® techology to BioFlyte, Inc. for commercial production of fieldable mass spectrometers and other products.
How Does MALDI Work?
MALDI mass spectrometry uses a matrix chemical, which is coated onto or mixed with to the bioaerosol. An ultraviolet laser pulse is used to desorb and ionize the high molecular weight, non-volatile biomarkers in the bioaerosol. The vapor phase ions are then accelerated to the detector, and the heavy ions arrive after the smaller, lighter ions. Thus, the time-of-flight can be related directly to the ion mass. The acronym MALDI is used to name this ionization process: matrix-¬assisted, laser desorption and ionization, or MALDI. MALDI mass spectrometry for biomarker identification was pioneered in late 1980s as is now used world-wide as the gold standard in clinical laboratories for bacterial identification.
A major challenge with MALDI mass spectrometry arises when the sample to be analyzed is cluttered with a high density of background microbes and biochemicals. In other words, a large amount of clutter in a sample will make it more challenging to determine if a smaller quantity of a specific biomarker is present in the sample. Clinical laboratories use MALDI for bacterial identification, and these labs eliminate the clutter problem by growing up a culture from each clinical sample. They then analyze what has grown in the culture. The culture step is very slow, but results in a sample that is highly enriched with the target biomarkers, and conversely, largely devoid of “clutter”.
The digitalMALDI® Difference
Zeteo Tech’s digitalMALDI® technology pushes MALDI technology to a whole new level for speed, sensitivity and specificity. Our digitalMALDI® mass spectrometers obtain biomarker measurements from individual particles in the bioaerosol. Aided by proprietary digitalMALDI™ single particle at-a-time sample processing, instruments, we are able to complete a biomarker-specific molecular-level identification with as few 10 particles. We can achieve this remarkable sensitivity with a combination of proprietary bioaerosol processing and mass spectrometry advances that enable us to obtain measurements from very small, decluttered “digital” samples. For bacterial analyses, no culturing is needed. As an added benefit, our digitalMALDI® systems can detect non-culturable bacteria as well as viruses- something that can’t be done with other MALDI instruments. Our ground-breaking advances in sample decluttering, achieved by discretizing the sample in time, have resulted in the digitalMALDI® platform: exceptionally fast, sensitive and specific. digitalMALDI® instruments and methods may be used to identify chemicals and microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, viruses or fungi, in aerosol analytes, biological, chemical, industrial and food samples.
Application Development
Zeteo Tech is developing commercial applications for the digitalMALDI® technology. Present applications include analysis of breath aerosol for infection disease and detection of airborne bio-threat agents within critical infrastructure. Are you interested in exploring a new application through a joint development project? Contact us discuss to your application.
Ear Pro – Canine Hearing Protection
If you’ve ever been to a dog kennel or animal shelter, you know it’s often a deafening cacophony of barking. For the dogs living there, it can literally cause Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Dog hearing protection can help avoid that.
Especially for working dogs such as military, police, search and rescue, and service animals, a dog’s hearing is essential for both the dog and the handler’s safety. Working dogs need to be able to take in their surroundings and hear commands, but when dogs suffer from NIHL they can’t do this as well putting everyone in danger. Similar to humans, dogs can get NIHL from any form of prolonged loud noise like truck or helicopter transportation, gunfire, or even a loud nearby construction site.
That’s why Rex Specs partnered with Zeteo Tech, and Dr. Peter M. Skip Scheifele, PhD – a leading animal audiologist in the United States – to help create dog hearing protection for the military, active working dogs, and your everyday adventure pup. To answer all your dog hearing questions, we talked to Dr. Scheifele directly. Here’s what he had to say.
How Does Canine Hearing Protection Work?
The hearing protection device for the dog works similarly to hearing protection devices for humans. The ear pro covers the ears, and is more or less impervious to whatever sounds are outside of the hearing protection. The technical, stretchy fabric and acoustic foam that the device is made of helps keep the ear pro tight to the dog’s head forming a good seal around the ear. In audiology we use the term attenuated, or dumbed down, even eliminated to describe what happens to sound when it tries to pass through sound blocking materials. The goal of the hearing protection is to attenuate as much noise as possible – reducing stereocilia fatigue, reducing noise induced hearing loss.
How to Purchase:
Canine Hearing Protection is available for sale through Rex Specs K9
In Development – Zeteo Electromagnetically Catalyzed Decontamination (EMCAT)
Zeteo Tech is developing an electromagnetic catalyzed decontamination (EMCAT) system that can be used to clean areas contaminated by viruses and bacteria. The EMCAT system uses directed energy and benign chemicals to produce biocidal effects on surfaces. The system:
- Eliminates the need for corrosive materials
- Decontaminates surfaces with less than a minute of exposure to directed energy
- Works on porous materials
- Is compatible with robotic operation
- Effectively kills 99.9999% of bacterial spores
- Effectively kills 99.999% of mold spores
- Completely inactivates viruses that are 7 to 10 times harder to inactivate than the SARS-Coronavirus-2 virus
Contact us to learn more.
In-Vehicle Occupant Detection System
Overview
Vehicle-related tragedies are often the result of preventable behaviors like drowsy driving, distracted driving, and leaving children unattended in cars. Given the avoidable nature of these incidents, the U.S. Department of Transportation is funding the development of Zeteo Tech’s In-Vehicle Occupant Detection System, capable of monitoring the interior of a passenger vehicle and responding to potentially dangerous situations.
Our approach combines a front camera module to focus on driver and passenger behavior, and a rear camera module and array of environmental sensors to detect unattended children or pets in the rear seats. This information about the passenger safety status is processed by an intelligent algorithm, which assesses the situation and responds with alarms or countermeasures as appropriate.
Our two primary markets are school and public transit buses, and self-driving and assisted-driving vehicles, with the potential to expand into the general automotive space.
