Block Engineering Press Releases
Below is a list of past press releases issued by Block.
Block MEMS Receives Contract from IARPA to Detect Aerosolized Chemical Threats
Southborough, Massachusetts – May 30, 2024
Block MEMS, LLC, a leading supplier of laser-based chemical detection systems, has been a awarded a Phase 1 contract under the Pursuing Intelligent Complex Aerosols for Rapid Detection (PICARD) program funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA).
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Block Engineering Introduces Next Generation of Mid-Infrared Quantum Cascade Lasers
Southborough, Massachusetts – October 10, 2023
Block Engineering, a manufacturer of mid-infrared lasers and chemical detection systems, has released its next generation of compact quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). The new QCLs offer a six-fold increase in laser power.
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Block MEMS Awarded $2.2 Million Contract to Supply Advanced Spectrometer for the U.S. Navy
Southborough, Massachusetts – March 21, 2023
Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been awarded a $2.2 million contract by Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) to further develop and supply an advanced spectrometer using Block's proprietary Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs).
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Smiths Detection and Block MEMS Team to Develop Non-Contact Chemical Detection Device for US Department of Defense
Southborough, Massachusetts – August 9, 2022
Smiths Detection Inc. alongside Block MEMS, LLC (Block) have been selected by The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Defense to develop a Proximate Chemical Agent Detector (PCAD) capable of non-contact detection of solid and liquid threats.
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Block MEMS Awarded $2.6 Million Contract to Detect Vehicle-Borne Explosives
Southborough, Massachusetts – October 26, 2021
Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been awarded a $2.6 million contract in support of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to detect Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs).
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Block MEMS Receives Tibbetts Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration
Southborough, Massachusetts – January 20, 2021
Block MEMS, a developer of chemical detection products for safety and security, recently was honored by the Small Business Administration (SBA) with a Tibbetts Award for technological achievements and commercial success involving its laser-based chemical detection systems.
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Block MEMS Awarded $1.7 Million DHS-CWMD Contract to Detect Chemical Threats on Shipped Parcels
Southborough, Massachusetts – August 12, 2020
Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been awarded a contract by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) for on-the-move standoff detection of trace quantities of drugs such as fentanyl, explosives, chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic chemicals on parcels shipped to and within the United States.
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Block MEMS Awarded Phase III of $15.1 Million IARPA Contract to Detect Explosives, Drugs and other Threats
Southborough, Massachusetts – January 28, 2020
Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been selected for Phase III of an Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) program for the standoff detection of trace and bulk quantities of drugs such as fentanyl, explosives, chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic chemicals.
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Block Engineering's LaserWarn Wins Prestigious MILIPOL Innovation Award
Southborough, Massachusetts – November 21, 2019
Block Engineering, LLC has won the prestigious MILIPOL 2019 Innovation Award in the category of Crisis Management. The award was given to Block for its new LaserWarn early warning hazardous gas and chemical detection system.
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Block MEMS Wins $3.5M DARPA Contract to Protect Urban Environments Against Chemical Threats
Southborough, Massachusetts – July 30, 2019
Block MEMS, a leading developer of Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) based infrared detection systems, has been awarded a $3.5M contract from the Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA), as part of the SIGMA+ Program.
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Block Engineering's LaserWarn Environmental Gas Monitor Wins Prism Award
Marlborough, Massachusetts – February 8, 2018
Block Engineering, LLC (Block) has won the SPIE 2018 Best Product Prism Award for Environmental Monitoring. The award was given to Block for its LaserWarn™ Analyzer based on next generation quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). The prize was announced on January 31st, 2018 at a black-tie gala in San Francisco, held during SPIE's Photonics West Conference, the largest event in the field.
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Block MEMS Awarded Phase II of $10.7 Million IARPA Contract to Detect Explosives and other Threats
Marlborough, Massachusetts – January 8, 2018
Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been awarded Phase II of the Intelligence Advanced Research Programs Activity (IARPA) Program for the standoff detection of explosives and toxic chemical threats. Block was chosen for Phase II in a competitive down-selection process.
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Block MEMS Selected to Participate in the JE-RDAP $8 billion Government Contract for Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, and Explosives Related R&D and Acquisition Program
Marlborough, Massachusetts – December 20, 2017
Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been selected to participate in an $8,276,161,000 contract for Joint Enterprise Research, Development, Acquisition, Production and Procurement (JE-RDAP) program to support research and development of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives defense systems, capabilities, equipment, supplies and material.
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Block MEMS Wins $9.8M Government Contract for Standoff Detection of Chemical Threats
Marlborough, Massachusetts – July 6, 2016
Block MEMS, a leading developer of Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) based infrared detection systems, has been awarded a $9.8M contract from the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) to develop a system that can detect trace quantities of chemicals at standoff distances of at least 100 ft.
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