Single-board computer based control system for a portable Raman device with integrated chemical identification

We report the development of a battery-powered portable chemical identification device for field use consisting of an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF)-based Raman spectrometer with integrated data processing and analysis software. The various components and custom circuitry are integrated into a self-contained instrument by control software that runs on an embedded single-board computer (SBC), which communicates with the various instrument modules through a 48-line bidirectional TTL bus. The user interacts with the instrument via a touch-sensitive liquid crystal display unit (LCD) that provides soft buttons for user control as well as visual feedback (e.g., spectral plots, stored data, instrument settings, etc.) from the instrument. The control software manages all operational aspects of the instrument with the exception of the power management module that is run by embedded firmware. The SBC-based software includes both automated and manual library searching capabilities, permitting rapid identification of samples in the field. The use of the SBC in tandem with the LCD touchscreen for interfacing and control provides the instrument with a great deal of flexibility as its function can be customized to specific users or tasks via software modifications alone. The instrument, as currently configured, can be operated as a research-grade Raman spectrometer for scientific applications and as a “black-box” chemical identification system for field use. The instrument can acquire 198-point spectra over a spectral range of 238–1620 cm−1, perform a library search, and display the results in less than 14 s. The operating modes of the instrument are demonstrated illustrating the utility and flexibility afforded the system by the SBC–LCD control module.