NIRLab

The NIRLab system enables rapid field analysis of selected drugs, including rapid quantitative analysis directly in the field. The analysis is simple and very fast and requires no chemicals or other reagents. It can be performed by a normally trained operator, with training taking approximately 15 minutes. NIRLab is a comprehensive system based on cloud-based solutions and is designed to support the operation of multiple instruments in the field. Combined with the unique NIRLIGHT spectrometer hardware, NIRLab ensures that all instruments always perform analyses consistently. At any given time, all spectrometers operate using the latest algorithms and the same library version. This is also made possible by the unique manufacturing reproducibility of the NIRLIGHT spectrometers. All spectrometers produce consistent results, including in quantitative analysis mode. Data can be stored in the organization’s central cloud storage, where it can be further processed and managed, including report generation, data management, and export. Additional analyses can also be performed, such as tracking and mapping. The entire system is fully localized into Czech.

The NIRLab system is built on three fundamental pillars:

1. Unique hardware from VIAVI (Santa Rosa, California, USA) – NIRLIGHT spectrometers
2. NIRLab Cloud cloud services (software and secure hardware)
3. End-user applications for mobile phones and tablets (NIRLab App) and a desktop application for PCs and tablets (NIRLab Desktop App)

1. A handheld NIR spectrometer measures the sample spectrum within a few seconds, and the spectrum is then sent to NIRLab Cloud via the mobile application (mobile phone or tablet).

2. NIRLab Cloud identifies the sample and performs qualitative analysis (for example, determining whether a cannabis sample is of the THC or CBD type, identifying cutting agents in heroin or cocaine, and identifying more than 400 other substances, including NPS) as well as quantitative analysis (if a quantitative model is available for the substance in question). At present, quantitative analysis has been fully validated for heroin, cocaine, cannabis and cannabis products, MDMA, amphetamine, and methamphetamine, while a number of other substances are currently undergoing model optimization (e.g., kratom). Quantitative models are continuously refined. For example, cannabis presents a wide range of varieties and significant variability among real-world samples, so accuracy continues to improve over time. The entire system uses artificial intelligence and machine learning principles, meaning that the models are continuously improved as the number of analyzed samples increases. With global deployment, this is gradually resulting in a highly robust solution.

3. The analysis results from NIRLab Cloud are sent back to the mobile phone/tablet and displayed in the NIRLab Mobile App. An example of the analysis output for a cocaine sample is shown in the figure. Three repeated analyses of a single cocaine sample are shown (due to the inhomogeneity of real-world samples, performing multiple analyses of a single sample is recommended). Thanks to the high analysis speed, it is easy to perform a larger number of analyses and obtain a result that represents the average composition of the entire seized quantity of the substance. The resulting concentration is given in %, while the error is expressed as a relative percentage for heroin, cocaine, and MDMA. In this case, the absolute error for the determined content of 43.1% cocaine (HCl) is approximately 3.8%. For cannabis, the resulting error is reported directly as an absolute error in %. Up to this point, the data transmitted between the spectrometer, the cloud-based solution, and the mobile application are anonymized and very small in volume (spectral data only). The user can choose to store the results, including location information, in a secure cloud database created for their organization. The NIRLab Mobile App offers a range of additional features. Users can instantly browse the current list of substances available in the database, including additional information; view analysis results; add comments or photographs to the results (all of which are automatically included in the report); and generate reports in PDF format and share them immediately.

4. The NIRLab Desktop App is designed for viewing and working with data stored in the cloud application. It can be accessed from any device with a web browser and an internet connection. This means it can also be used on the same tablet on which the field measurement application, NIRLab Mobile App, is installed. The application offers two service levels: Premium and Gold. The Premium service allows users to view stored data; the software automatically calculates averages when multiple measurements are performed on a single sample; more detailed analysis information is displayed; and data can be exported and reports printed. The Gold service provides advanced data analysis capabilities, including trend analysis, plotting records on maps, and spectral similarity analysis of samples (tracing), among other features.