Lumi™ Drug Scan, co-designed by PHF Science and New Zealand Police, is a pioneering frontline technology that lets police immediately identify illicit drugs like methamphetamine. After launching in 2022, Lumi technology won the prestigious 2023 Excellence in Forensic Science Award at the World Police Summit. 

Analysing samples with Lumi is as simple as placing the suspected illicit drug item onto the Lumi Nano handheld device. Samples can be analysed in seconds; the results are then directly transferred to the Lumi analysis app on the officer’s mobile phone. This process allows the officer to test the unknown sample whilst it is still in its packaging, making it safer to use and ensuring the sample isn’t compromised by outside tampering.

Behind the scenes, the Lumi technology harnesses unique algorithms that are trained to recognise identifying chemical features of illicit drugs. These algorithms have been developed by PHF Science’s data scientists from an extensive library that comprises over 1 million scans of illicit drugs, cutting agents and pharmaceuticals analysed in our forensic laboratories. The real-time results support law enforcement officers' evidence-informed decisions when drug samples are located. Lumi results are also compiled in a dashboard which shows regional drug-use trends. 

At its core, Lumi Drug Scan helps keep frontline officers safe when screening suspected illicit substances on scene and supports harm reduction in our communities. Its success is thanks to PHF Science’s multi-disciplinary forensic science team, who have created a world-leading system to analyse illicit drugs.