TAMPA, FLA.—Patricia L. Roberts, president of Global PBS, Inc., has been issued a U.S. Patent for a Polymodal Biological Detection System. Besides improving targeted pest detection, it greatly enhances pesticide reduction efforts. A Gainesville, Fla., USDA entomologist is coordinating with scientists and engineers at North Carolina State University on developing Global PBS’ prototype bed bug sensor for the hospitality industry.
Global PBS is also planning a rodent sensor for food storage and kitchen areas. Future considerations include mole crickets and grub detection for the turfgrass industry, and spittlebugs, coffee borers, and pine beetles for forestry and agriculture. Many other applications of the technology are on the horizon. Roberts says she is most proud of the system’s “green” technology.
“A huge benefit of the sensor system is that it will offer opportunities for more prudent use of pesticides,” Roberts says. “Imagine the day when pest management professionals only have to treat areas where the system identified the presence of a targeted pest. Today we dump countless tons of poisons into our environment on the chance that we might eliminate a pest of interest. Our hope is to see pesticide reductions in the 90 percent range for the industries that we serve.”
Global PBS plans to market its new technology through strategic partnerships with industry leaders. Automatic notification to local pest management professional (PMPs) by the system replaces costly and inefficient manual labor methods of reporting harmful pests. Other industries have expressed interest in the biological detection technology. Agricultural and medical applications have already been discussed. Global PBS also envisions possibilities in the security industry.
Go to Global PBS.
