Rigaku Launches Fourth Generation Handheld 1064 nm Raman Analyzer for Chemical Threat Analysis at IAFC HAZMAT 2025
Wilmington, Mass., United States:
Rigaku Analytical Devices, a division under Rigaku Holdings Corporation (headquarters: Akishima, Tokyo; President and CEO: Jun Kawakami), announces the launch of its fourth generation 1064 nm Raman analyzers – the Icon series, featuring enhancements in chemical threat analysis for safety and security applications. The first in the series, the Icon-X, will be showcased at The International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference (HAZMAT), hosted by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), in Baltimore, MD USA from June 13-14, 2025. From June 13 onward, we will begin rolling out global sales.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250612450341/en/
Icon-X Image
The Icon-X is the first 1064 nm Raman analyzer to provide standoff chemical analysis allowing users to analyze potentially dangerous substances from a safe distance. This is critical for military, first responders, EOD, and border protection teams who could potentially be exposed to explosive threats, such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), homemade explosives (HMEs), and chemical threats. This new, optional feature also reduces the need for time-consuming sample collection, while allowing responders to assess hazards without disrupting the scene.
In addition to the new standoff capability, the Icon-X contains an on-board, comprehensive library of chemical warfare agents (CWAs), explosives, narcotics, toxic industrial chemicals, precursors, cutting agents, and more. The Icon-X features a more ergonomic form factor, with improvements in all areas over previous generations, including: Use of the latest technology for enhanced processing
Illuminated keypad and larger, more responsive touchscreen for easier use
Optional GPS ability to mark critical scan data for fleet management and sensitive site exploitation
Upgraded 13MP camera with LED flash for more clear images
Meets the MIL-STD-810H standard for durability, passing tests for shock, pressure, and extreme temperatures. It also has IP68 certification, making it fully dustproof and waterproof—ideal for tough environments and decontamination use
New accessories to expand applications, such as a ball probe to scan inside a deep container
As criminal networks become more sophisticated with easier access to chemicals and dangerous recipes, the need for first responders to have cutting-edge technology has never been more critical. Based on the success of Rigaku's previous generations of handheld 1064 nm Raman technology, the Icon series provides users with reliable results, allowing them to respond faster, while keeping them safe from exposure. The utilization of 1064 nm Raman technology means users can scan through translucent packaging and identify dirty or mixed substances without fluorescence issues, a common issue for older Raman technology.
'While developing the Icon Series, we considered the years of feedback received from our global network of 1064 nm Raman users and partners,' said Dr. Michael Hargreaves, Vice President of Science & Technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices. 'This allowed us to take a proven, field-accessible technology to the next level, and really expand the capabilities of handheld Raman spectroscopy. '
The Rigaku Icon-X will be demonstrated in booth #314 at the IAFC Hazmat Show in Baltimore, MD USA from June 13-14, 2025.
The Rigaku Icon-X joins the award-winning 1064 nm fleet of Rigaku CQL analyzers and is supported by Rigaku's global sales and distribution channels. For more information on the Icon-X, please visit: www.rigakuanalytical.com.
About the Rigaku Group
Since its establishment in 1951, the engineering professionals of the Rigaku group have been dedicated to benefiting society with leading-edge technologies, notably including its core fields of X-ray and thermal analysis. With a market presence in over 90 countries and some 2,000 employees from 9 global operations, Rigaku is a solution partner in industry and research analysis institutes. Our overseas sales ratio has reached approximately 70% while sustaining an exceptionally high market share in Japan. Together with our customers, we continue to develop and grow. As applications expand from semiconductors, electronic materials, batteries, environment, resources, energy, life science to other high-tech fields, Rigaku realizes innovations 'To Improve Our World by Powering New Perspectives.'
For details, please visit rigaku-holdings.com/english
About Rigaku Analytical Devices
Rigaku Analytical Devices is a pioneer in handheld 1064 nm Raman spectroscopy. Our products are trusted by law enforcement departments, government agencies, and security specialists to identify chemical threats. The pharmaceutical manufacturing sector relies on us for quality control. At Rigaku, we are focused on supporting our clients with our global expertise and developing innovative solutions that perform optimally, mitigate new chemical threats, and are always reliable and cost effective. Our rugged products deliver unparalleled accuracy and support for rapid lab-quality results any time, any place. For more information: http://www.rigakuanalytical.com/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250612450341/en/
Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman admits what you learn during college may not matter—it's this skill that can help Gen Z land entry-level jobs
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman says what young people learn in college isn't the most important thing in landing a job. Being able to leverage AI tools, tackle new labor market challenges, and leverage connections is more essential for Gen Z seeking employment—and his advice echoes that of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The stable career path of going to college and landing a cushy six-figure office role is being disrupted by AI. Now, LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman admits to rising college graduates that it may not even matter whether you majored in computer science or art history—connections and flexibility are the new hot commodities. 'What you should take forward from your college degree isn't necessarily the thing you learned in X-101,' Hoffman said in a recent video on his YouTube channel. 'It isn't specific degrees, specific courses, [or] even necessarily specific skills that are relevant to you.' Rather, the tech entrepreneur believes that being nimble in today's job market is a massive asset: 'It's your capacity to say, 'Hey, here is the new tool set, here's the new challenge.' That is actually what the future work's going to look like. One thing is to not focus on the degree, but to focus on how you learn and to be continually learning,' Hoffman said. 'The other part of college that's super important, that you should not forget, is that life is a team sport, not just an individual sport,' he continued. 'You can help each other.' Young job-seekers who effectively navigate the new world of work—by leveraging connections, constantly learning, and mastering AI—will have the upper hand, Hoffman concluded. And unfortunately for those saddled with debt, getting a college degree isn't the only way to develop these traits. There's no question that many Gen Zers have already had a rough start in their careers—graduating into a post-COVID way of work, with AI agents being positioned as their new coworkers. Some employers have even branded the generation as lazy and unorganized, but Hoffman thinks Gen Z has one advantage that hiring managers go crazy for. The LinkedIn cofounder said young people are part of 'generation AI': As digital natives who grew up with advanced technology at their fingertips, they are in the best position to leverage that skill. It may be Gen Z's ticket to landing a job. 'Bringing the fact that you have AI in your tool set is one of the things that makes you enormously attractive,' the 57-year-old billionaire said. It's why, despite all the noise around AI threatening to steal entry-level roles, the technology may be Gen Z's best weapon to find work. In the past month, both OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and LinkedIn chief economic opportunity officer Aneesh Raman have waved the warning flag that AI could rival junior employees. Hoffman agreed that AI may make the job search worse for young people—but recommended that Gen Z job searchers use the technology to create their own opportunities. 'AI is changing the [job] landscape, [and] may make entry-level jobs harder to get, may make employers uncertain about who they're looking for and employing,' Hoffman continued. 'Then you say, 'Well, okay, how do I use the current circumstances, the disruption, to make this better? How do I use AI to identify what possible new opportunities might be?'' Gen Z grew up thinking that doing well in college will score you a high-paying role after graduation—but that career trajectory is no longer a promise. Even Dario Amodei, CEO of AI company Anthropic, predicted that AI could eliminate roughly 50% of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the coming years. Instead of burying their heads in the sand, young people can redirect their strategy to be a hot hiring commodity, leaders say. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been particularly outspoken on the issue; he's a huge proponent of the idea that being an AI user is a protective quality in job market disruption. 'Every job will be affected, and immediately. It is unquestionable,' Huang said at the Milken Institute's Global Conference in May. 'You're not going to lose your job to an AI, but you're going to lose your job to someone who uses AI.' This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
German fusion energy firm Proxima Fusion secures $150m financing
European fusion energy company Proxima Fusion has closed a €130m ($150m) Series A financing round, bringing its total funding to more than €185m in private and public capital. The Series A round, the largest private fusion investment in Europe to date, was jointly led by Cherry Ventures and Balderton Capital, with substantial contributions from a consortium of investors including UVC Partners, DeepTech & Climate Fonds, Elaia Partners, Visionaries Tomorrow and redalpine. redalpine led Proxima Fusion's seed round in 2024, just one year earlier. Proxima Fusion CEO and co-founder Francesco Sciortino stated: "Fusion has become a real, strategic opportunity to shift global energy dependence from natural resources to technological leadership. Proxima is perfectly positioned to harness that momentum by uniting a spectacular engineering and manufacturing team with world-leading research institutions, accelerating the path toward bringing the first European fusion power plant online in the next decade." This influx of capital bolsters Proxima's mission to pioneer commercial fusion energy, a move supported by the European Union and national governments including Germany, the UK, France and Italy, who view fusion as critical for achieving energy independence and sustainable economic growth. Cherry Ventures founding partner Filip Dames stated: 'We back founders solving humanity's hardest problems — and few are bigger than clean, limitless energy." "Proxima Fusion combines Europe's scientific edge with commercial ambition, turning world-class research into one of the most promising fusion ventures globally. This is deep tech at its best, and a bold signal that Europe can lead on the world stage.' Established in April 2023 as a spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP), Proxima Fusion maintains a strong public-private partnership with IPP. The company's approach to engineering is driven by simulations, utilising advanced computing and high-temperature superconducting (HTS) technologies. These strategies build upon the IPP's Wendelstein 7-X stellarator experiment's results. In early 2025 Proxima Fusion, alongside IPP, KIT and other partners, unveiled Stellaris — a stellarator concept that integrates physics, engineering and maintenance. The fresh investment will enable Proxima Fusion to complete its Stellarator Model Coil (SMC) by 2027, a crucial step in validating HTS technology for stellarators and promoting European HTS innovation. The company is finalising the location for Alpha, its demonstration stellarator, and is in discussions with several European governments. Alpha, expected to commence operations in 2031, will be pivotal for demonstrating net energy gain (Q>1) and advancing towards the first-of-its-kind fusion power plant. Proxima Fusion is also expanding its team, which currently exceeds 80 members, across three locations: its Munich headquarters, the Paul Scherrer Institute near Zurich and the Culham fusion campus near Oxford. "German fusion energy firm Proxima Fusion secures $150m financing" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Tom's Guide
16 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I flew to Europe to test the new Fujifilm X-E5 — it took my photography to a whole new level
Taking pictures has been one of my favorite hobbies since I was young. Getting out and about with a camera to capture what I see is my idea of a great day. So when Fujifilm invited me to test out the newly announced X-E5 camera in Valencia, Spain (famed for its architecture) how could I say no? The X-E5 is the new and improved iteration of the Fujifilm X-E4 which was discontinued over two years ago. It was a fan favorite but had its drawbacks including lack of image stabilization and weather sealing, and the ageing X-Processor 4, which lacked advanced AF algorithms. But with the X-E5 Fujifilm has listened to the community and given fans everything they've been asking for… apart from weather proofing, but I'll let it slide. Oh, and there's the little matter of price (it's hella steep), but more on that later. Admittedly, I am new to Fujifilm cameras. While I know they're some of the best mirrorless cameras, and I have always admired the film reproduction and ease of use Fujifilms offer, my trusty Sony a6100 never lets me down… but I think the X-E5 might just take its place. Fujifilm X-T50: $1,399 @ AmazonCant wait until August? I'd recommend the Fujifilm X-T50. It features the same 40.2MP sensor and processor as the X-E5, plus a film simulation dial. It has more ergonmic handling than the X-E5, but still has bags of retro charm. I am pretty new to street photography. Being from a town surrounded by beaches and lakes, landscape photography has always been my go-to. But the Fujifilm X-E5 camera made the whole experience so easy. The combination of five-axis image stabilization and the latest AF algorithms from Fuji's X-Processor 5 meant that I was almost guaranteed a perfect shot regardless of the scenario or lighting conditions. Whether it was getting quick snaps of tourists meandering the tall city walls or of the cascading architecture, the X-E5 made it easy to capture stills without worrying about shake or out of focus images. The X-E5 features subject detection for humans and lots of other subjects, so it was super easy to nail focus. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Fujifilm is known for its cameras being super user friendly and tactile. But the X-E5 takes it to a whole new level. Fuji has loaded the X-E5 with new features to improve the experience of using the camera and bring focus to the enjoyment of photography. My favourite new feature is the Surround View function, which allowed me to alter the aspect ratio of the image and have a semi-transparent framing on the peripheries of the EVF so I could see what was happening outside of the frame — simulating one of the key benefits of an optical viewfinder. This meant I was able to position my shot according to what was happening around my frame — like when I took this still of a motorcyclist, I was able to time the shot perfectly as I could see them coming into frame. It's a Fuji, so we can't ignore the film simulations, and the X-E5 now houses a handy dial above the LCD screen for quick effect selection, similar to the dial on the Fujifilm X-T50. There are plenty of settings to choose from and even an option to save three preset recipes that best suit your style, or even the vibe of the place you are shooting. By simply turning the dial I was able to cycle through the presets to get the best one really quickly, but I could also use the LCD touch screen to select the effects. My favorites for the bright sunlight of Valencia were Velvia and Classic Chrome, but I spent a lot of time in Acros, which complemented the bright sunlight and strong contrast. The easy-to-use nature of the camera and the film simulation options makes the X-E5 perfect for anyone interested in the retro style of film photography — Let's be honest, film photography is a commitment in both time and money, so Fujifilm's profiles are always a good place to start. The Fujifilm X-100VI was loved by Instagram users everywhere, but its lack of interchangeable lenses might not be for everyone — it can prove quite limiting if you want to expand your creative options. That's where the X-E5 comes in. It has the 40.2MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor and X-processor 5 image processor, just like the X-100VI, plus an extra stop of IBIS, taking it to 7 stops. It handles very similarly, and is ideal for people who love the Fuji street camera style and handling, but want to switch lenses. And on the topic of lenses, for the launch of this new camera, Fujifilm is also releasing a new pancake kit lens: the XF 23mm F2.8 R WR, which replaces the 27mm pancake kit lens available with the X-E4. Super compact, but beautifully sharp, the 23mm is nice and wide for scenic shots, but has a minimum focal distance of 20mm making it perfect for detailed shots as well. The lens will be available for purchase as part of the camera kit in early August, but won't be available for purchase on its own until November. The Fujifilm X-E5 is the camera perfect for street photographers who want the look of film but the freedom of digital — especially those who value handling and purity of shooting experience. It's also great for newcomers to photography, who are aiming for a retro film look but don't want to fork out a ton of cash on rolls of film before getting the technique and framing down. That being said, it is quite the investment. $1,899 (with the lens, but if you're a newbie you'll need it) is a big ask. Considering the previous models of the X-E series have been somewhat affordable, it does feel like a bit of a jump. But unfortunately, like with most things, the pricing has been affected by the U.S. tariffs. If you want to conserve cash you can spring for the X-T50 instead which, internally, is effectively the same camera. Personally, I love the X-E5. It is one of the easiest I have used and with all of the film simulation options I was able to get creative in any setting. It is of course a very different style of camera to my usual Sony a6100, but I do think it will have me switching over to Fuji for all of my travel photography in the future.
