Portable CBRN Control System

C.B.R.N.

Chemical, Biological, Radiation, or Nuclear disaster response

Portable and Rugged to Protect Military Medical Personnel
As a non-traditional military supplier, we improved the previous generation of mechanical dials and switches in a heavy metal box to include a much smaller and portable size. Reliability in the field was also an issue in previous generations. But this product now contains easy to set and read digital displays in a light-weight total package that still meets the rugged MIL-STD-461 on radiated emissions (a high-level military standard to minimize radiated electronic noise).

DE Design Works provided a turn-key system design to the prime contractor, and continues to execute highly-tested, low-volume production in-house as needed.

Our Responsibilities:

  • Complete project design overhaul of mechanical, firmware, & electronics design
  • Turn-key assembly and testing of finished product
  • MIL-SPEC compliance and certification
  • Low volume production manufacturing
  • 100% validation and calibration testing box-build

Customer:
Prime contractor is a manufacturer of mobile isolation tents for U.S. Military and Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Our Process

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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the core engineering challenge in designing the portable CBRN control system?

The primary challenge was integrating multiple heterogeneous CBRN sensor interfaces — each with different communication protocols, data formats, and update rates — into a single portable device with a unified, intuitive operator interface, while meeting MIL-STD-810 environmental requirements and operating on a mission-length battery charge. The firmware had to manage real-time sensor polling, GPS position logging, data encryption, and radio communication simultaneously with no single-point-of-failure in the data pipeline.

How does the CBRN control system communicate sensor data in field operations?

The system uses a layered communication architecture: locally, sensor modules connect to the control unit via ruggedized wired interfaces (RS-232, USB, or proprietary military connectors depending on sensor type). For field reporting, the system transmits encrypted sensor readings and GPS coordinates over a tactical radio link to a command and control (C2) system. All transmitted data is encrypted using AES-256 before transmission, with key management implemented in hardware-backed secure storage.

How was the CBRN control system ruggedized for field deployment?

Ruggedization was addressed at multiple levels: the PCB was conformally coated to resist moisture and corrosion, all connectors are MIL-SPEC rated for vibration and water ingress, the enclosure is designed to MIL-STD-810H methods for shock, vibration, humidity, salt fog, and temperature extremes (-40°C to +70°C operating). The display is readable in direct sunlight (1000+ nit brightness) and operable with gloved hands. The battery system includes over-temperature and over-discharge protection to ensure safe operation in combat environments.

What display and user interface technology was used in the portable CBRN device?

The system uses a high-brightness sunlight-readable LCD with a resistive touchscreen operable with CBRN protective gloves. The GUI was designed with human factors for high-stress operational scenarios: large touch targets, color-coded threat level indicators, minimal menu depth, and audio-tactile alerts for hands-free operation awareness. Embedded Linux with a Qt-based UI framework was selected for its flexibility, deterministic rendering performance, and long-term support lifecycle.

What electronics certifications were required for the defense CBRN system?

The CBRN control system required MIL-STD-810H environmental qualification (shock, vibration, temperature, humidity), MIL-STD-461G EMI/EMC compliance, and TEMPEST evaluation for radiated emissions from the display and compute subsystem. Export compliance was addressed under ITAR, requiring all design documentation, source code, and manufacturing data to be controlled on US-person-only systems. DE Design Works maintained a fully ITAR-compliant design and documentation process throughout the program.