A decade of development

Alex Smyth began his PhD investigating the detection and recovery of fingermarks from post-blast IED fragments. Collaborating with the FBI, ATF, and multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies, he conducted a series of controlled test blasts during his university years.

The research achieved benchmark results within the forensic community and laid the scientific foundation for the technology that followed. Alex extended the research to look at traditional forensic evidence, such as latent fingerprints, body fluids, trace DNA and drugs & explosives.

The first BlindSite prototype represented a major step forward, consolidating four years of research into a single device. It demonstrated the ability to visualise forensic evidence in complex environments, such as post -blast IED fragments.

While the core capability was proven, the next challenge evolved: refining the technology to make it lighter, practical, and field-ready, without sacrificing the performance or underlying innovation.

The next step was clear: establishing a company with a defined identity and purpose to keep advancing our product development journey.

As a single-person company, securing funding to sustain and expand was critical. Alex successfully secured two Innovate UK grants (ICURe and Smart) and early-stage private investment. Thanks to this, Smytec was officially up and running, creating the structure needed to turn his vision into real-world application.

Extensive in-house testing during this period also helped define initial market segments, enabling early demonstrations and collection of valuable feedback from the forensic community.

2021 marked a pivotal year from Smytec. The first three additional team members were hired to support Alex, beginning with Hannah, followed by Paul, and Rob later in the year.

Despite COVID-19, development did not slow. Iterations continued leading to a smaller prototype. While this version marked meaningful progress, it was still not as portable as desired.

BlindSite became fully handheld in 2022, giving us the confidence to begin showcasing our technology at local and international tradeshows.

As a young startup, these early demonstrations allowed us to engage and identify potential end users even for our prototype version, building trust while continuing to adjust our final commercial design.

Consistency and discipline paid off with Smytec being a recipient of the Security Innovation Award at the Security & Policing event, hosted by the UK Home Office and ADS. This recognition was just a reward for all those years of focused development, spanning a decade to this point

BlindSite officially entered the market, transitioning to full commercial deployment. Partnerships began to flourish as a natural outcome from the strong relationships built during the past years, enabling international sales and transforming how forensic evidence was being recovered.

The U.S, where early testing started, has always felt like our second home, which is why Smytec Inc. also became a strategic step in our journey, supporting expansion and collaboration.

Successful global deliveries expanded BlindSite’s presence across six continents, strengthening industry recognition and trust.

End-user confidence and third-party validation have positioned BlindSite as a leading evidence visualisation solution within the market. Working closely with government partners, we continue the development of technology tailored to real-world challenges.