Our mission
Improving indoor air quality
We are a team of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, and healthy home enthusiasts.
Established in 2008, DetectionTek was born from a recognition that indoor air quality testing needs to use more objective, real-time technology capable of sampling large areas.
- We're a Boulder, CO company.Yes, consistently recognized as one of the healthiest towns in America! We believe you can only run so many marathons and eat so many kale salads before you also examine the indoor air you are breathing.
Where do we come from?
InstaScope technology was originally developed by the UK Ministry of Defense to detect anthrax. Our company has licensed and improved upon this optical particle recognition technology. Working closely with some of the world’s leading research scientists, we developed InstaScope to become the first technology of its kind for real-time bioaerosol testing for industrial hygiene.
It's been a long road to the InstaScope V4
Decades of research spanning multiple continents costing millions of dollars (and British pounds) led to it.
WIBS research begins
The UK's Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) awards the University of Hertfordshire (UH) a contract to research using xenon in UV-excited particle fluorescence. This resulted in the first WIBS prototype that monitored the fluorescence of ensembles of aerosol particles in an ambient environment.
WIBS: single particles identified
DSTL awards UH another contract, which results in WIBS2, which can detect individual particles. The first WIBS patents are filed.
WIBS: particle sizing and shaping added
Another DSTL contract results in spatial light scattering capabilities, which enables WIBS2 to measure particle size and shape simultaneously with fluorescence, greatly enhancing particle discrimination.
DetectionTek is founded.
DetectionTek is founded and begins experimenting with adapting WIBS technology for industrial hygiene and mold detection.
DetectionTek's V2 debuts
The first V2 is delivered to research facilities and the restoration industry.
DetectionTek releases V3
Smaller, more accurate and with new software, the V3 is released to a warm reception.
InstaScope used in disaster relief
InstaScope is used by IAQ inspections in the Bahamas in hurricane relief efforts.
InstaScope used in large peer-reviewed student health study.
InstaScope is used in groundbreaking study linking IAQ and student absences.
InstaScope pivots to V4
Production for V3 stops and a new era of R&D for the V4 begins.
InstaScope ships first V4
The first V4 — more mobile and compact than ever with improved software and electronics — ships to Kentucky.
InstaScope goes international first V4
InstaScope is now in 30+ US states and 4 countries, and growing.