Spectroscopy without borders: Portable technology empowering global solutions

Portable spectroscopic technologies are increasingly transforming analytical science by enabling reliable, on-site data acquisition in fields ranging from agriculture and food quality control to medicine, forensics, energy, and even astrophysics. This article presents an overview of the opportunities and challenges arising from the miniaturization of near-infrared (NIR) and Raman devices, highlights selected applications, and outlines the global vision of “spectroscopy without borders.” By bridging the gap between benchtop accuracy and field accessibility, portable instruments empower researchers and practitioners to address urgent societal challenges, particularly in the context of global population growth, food security, and sustainability. This contribution is based on an invited plenary lecture presented at the XLIV—Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale—CSI conference in Ulm, Germany, July 27–31, 2025.