BECKLEY - An invention by a professor at Mountain State University in Beckley will be featured on an upcoming episode of "CSI: NY," the popular CBS crime drama that follows a team of forensic investigators as they solve cases using high-tech science.

David Weaver patented the Fuma-Dome, a device that lets investigators find fingerprints on surfaces they can't take to a lab.

The invention will be used on the May 14 episode of "CSI: NY," titled "Taxi."

"Any crime scene where this is used, investigators will be able to shine a [black light] on the prints and see them at a great distance," Weaver said.

The Fuma-Dome makes fingerprints stand out by releasing a vapor of, essentially, Super Glue and fluorescent dye into the air. The dome on the device confines the vapors. When investigators place the dome over an area where there are fingerprints, the glue attaches to them and hardens to plastic.

After that, investigators shine a black light on the prints and can see them clearly.

It's not the first invention of Weaver's to be used on the popular crime drama.

The "vapor wand," which also detects fingerprints using white glue vapors, has been used on the show numerous times. Weaver invented it in the early 1990s.

It's now standard equipment for forensic investigators when they go to a crime scene, said Steve King, supervisor of the latent print section of the State Police forensic lab.

BECKLEY - An invention by a professor at Mountain State University in Beckley will be featured on an upcoming episode of "CSI: NY," the popular CBS crime drama that follows a team of forensic investigators as they solve cases using high-tech science.

David Weaver patented the Fuma-Dome, a device that lets investigators find fingerprints on surfaces they can't take to a lab.

The invention will be used on the May 14 episode of "CSI: NY," titled "Taxi."

"Any crime scene where this is used, investigators will be able to shine a [black light] on the prints and see them at a great distance," Weaver said.

The Fuma-Dome makes fingerprints stand out by releasing a vapor of, essentially, Super Glue and fluorescent dye into the air. The dome on the device confines the vapors. When investigators place the dome over an area where there are fingerprints, the glue attaches to them and hardens to plastic.

After that, investigators shine a black light on the prints and can see them clearly.

It's not the first invention of Weaver's to be used on the popular crime drama.

The "vapor wand," which also detects fingerprints using white glue vapors, has been used on the show numerous times. Weaver invented it in the early 1990s.

It's now standard equipment for forensic investigators when they go to a crime scene, said Steve King, supervisor of the latent print section of the State Police forensic lab.

"Super Glue fuming has been around in a laboratory setting since the '80s," King said. "What he did was take a traditional laboratory technology and made it available to field officers.... When that came along it allowed crime scene investigators to use it on areas that are not able to be transported to the lab."

Fingerprints are 98 percent water and 2 percent solids. The glue vapors attach to the solid parts of the fingerprint and make them permanent. The vapor doesn't attach to other surfaces because of its chemical makeup, he said.

The Fuma-Dome is essentially an improvement on the Vapor Wand. The dome concentrates the vapors, and the dye mixed with the glue makes the fingerprints stand out better.

Weaver said it took a long time to find just the right dye to use with the glue.

"We did over 800 tests," he said. "Most dyes are heavier than Super Glue and wouldn't attach to it. ... It's like trying to pick up a brick with a helium balloon."

Weaver said the fluorescent dye can also be used in larger settings - a whole house can be filled with it to find fingerprints.

Weaver said he used that technique with the white Super Glue vapors while investigating a murder in Anchorage, Alaska.

"We fumed the entire house before anything was moved," he said. "We found fingerprints to [the killer], but the case never went to trial."

To contact staff writer Gary Harki, use e-mail or call 348-5163.