Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Heartbeat Detector® from Geospace Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: GEOS) will receive the 2026 Impact Award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) for their enduring partnership to foster global security.
The Impact Award recognizes federal laboratories whose technology transfer efforts have made a tangible lasting impact on the populace or marketplace ranging from a local to a global scale. The Heartbeat Detector represented a technology breakthrough to address critical challenges in security and public safety. Since its development in 19XX, this innovation has had a measurable impact with its use in more than 20 countries. As a reliable tool for detecting human presence in vehicles, cargo or confined spaces, the Heartbeat Detector supports border security, correctional facility security and helps combat human trafficking.
In response to evolving operational requirements in the field, Geospace reengineered the Heartbeat Detector with a streamlined form factor, achieving an impressive 80% reduction in weight and 75% reduction in overall size compared to prior versions. Still leveraging the same trusted sensor technology and detection algorithms proven highly effective in finding hidden humans, the new compact design preserves performance while expanding deployment flexibility and efficiency. These improvements significantly enhance portability and ease of deployment to make rapid screening at border checkpoints, ports of entry and high-traffic inspection zones more efficient. With this lighter, more versatile design, border agencies can integrate the device into existing procedures with fewer logistical requirements, enabling faster, more frequent vehicle screening without sacrificing accuracy or reliability.
Jennifer T. Caldwell, PhD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Colin Frazier, Director of Security at Geospace Technologies will officially receive the FLC Impact Award on Wednesday, May 13, at the FLC National meeting in Seattle.
About the FLC
The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is a formally chartered, nationwide network of more than 300 federal laboratories, agencies, and research centers that foster commercialization best practice strategies and opportunities for accelerating federal technologies from out of the labs and into the marketplace. To learn more, visit www.federallabs.org.






