James A. Genovese, team leader for theInnovative Development and EngineeringAcquisitions Team at Edgewood ChemicalBiological Center (ECBC), has invented theAutomated Decision-Aid System forHazardous Incidents (ADASHI). Thiscomputer-based technologyimproves the ability of localemergency responders to quicklyidentify, contain and mitigatethe effects of chemical andbiological incidents.Unlike other training andresponse-support solutions onthe market, ADASHI integratesall disparate technical functionsrequired to manage a hazardincident, from assessment tocasualty estimation criteria tomitigation, and combines themwith decision criteria. Because itis icon-based, users can easilyreport what they observe at the scene andquickly receive critical information to helpthem make what could be life-saving decisions.Mr. Genovese began working on the concepton his own time. By 2000 it was sufficientlydeveloped for the Army to file the first of three patents to date. OptiMetrics, Inc. of AnnArbor, Michigan, became interested inADASHI early on; some of its scientists whowere working with Mr. Genovese on otherprojects occasionally participated in itsdevelopment. The company was granted anexclusive license for thetechnology on January 28,2002. A few months later,ECBC and OptiMetrics signeda CRADA to conductcollaborative research anddevelopment with the intent ofgetting ADASHI to market asquickly as possible.Given the scope of thetechnology, full developmentwill take years; however,OptiMetrics created acommercialization schedule bywhich it will market modulesof the technology duringdevelopment. Two ADASHI software productsare currently on the market, and a third wasscheduled for release in February 2005.