Handheld spectrometer including wireless capabilities

A system for collecting and analyzing energy spectrum data used to identify a composition of a sample material, said system comprising:

• at least one handheld instrument comprising a processor, an X-ray source, a detector, an input device, and a wireless transmitter, said at least one handheld instrument configured to:
• receive geographical location information corresponding to a location of said at least one handheld instrument,
• obtain sample energy spectrum data associated with the sample material by projecting a primary beam of radiation from said X-ray source toward the sample material, collecting secondary radiation emitted from the sample material, and generating the sample energy spectrum data based on the collected secondary radiation, and
• process the sample energy spectrum data;
• and
• a computer located remotely from said at least one handheld instrument, said computer communicatively coupled to said at least one handheld instrument.

A handheld instrument for collecting and analyzing spectrum data to identify a composition of a sample material, said handheld instrument comprising:

• a processor;
• an X-ray source within said handheld instrument, coupled to said processor, and configured to project a primary beam of radiation toward the sample material;
• an energy dispersive detector coupled to said processor, said detector configured to collect secondary radiation emitted from the sample material and provide a detector signal to readout electronics which determine an energy dispersive spectrum of the collected secondary radiation;
• a position indicating apparatus coupled to said processor and configured to provide geographical location information corresponding to a location of the sample material;
• and a wireless transmitter coupled to said processor, said transmitter configured to transmit data to at least one remote computer, the transmitted data corresponding to at least one of the energy dispersive spectrum and the geographical location of the sample material.