We propose a Marine Asset Tag Tracking System (MATTS) using a breakthrough wireless tracking technology called near field electromagnetic ranging (NFER¿). The primary objective of Phase I is to validate that NFER¿ technology is the best RF solution for tracking containers on ships and in… More

Q-Track Corporation (Q-Track) will design and explore the feasibility of a Location Aware Combat ID (LACID) system using a recent wireless breakthrough known as Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFERT) to provide situational awareness of friendly dismounted soldiers and vehicle platforms. The… More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to transform the real time location system (RTLS) industry by bringing to fruition a simple, inexpensive, yet highly accurate location awareness technology called Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER). The proposed research will… More

The operational objective of this project is better situational awareness for blue forces engaged in MOUT. In Phase I of this SBIR effort, the Q-Track Corporation and its subcontractor, SAIC, established the feasibility of using Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER) to track soldiers in… More

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II research project seeks to transform the Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) industry by bringing to fruition a simple, inexpensive, yet highly accurate approach to location awareness: Near-Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER) technology. RTLS is… More

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to provide relief to growing healthcare costs by using IT to reduce the cost of inventory management. Initially, high value medical equipment would be tracked. The IT market to track people and supplies in hospitals is predicted to… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mining is as dangerous as it is critical to our nation's economic well-being. The proposed research aims to significantly enhance workplace safety for miners by providing a real time wireless tracking and monitoring sys tem (TAMS). A TAMS device will be worn by… More

Antenna performance (gain) is proportional to antenna size. Q-Track proposes a combined vertical polarization (V-pol) and horizontal polarization (H-pol) ultrawideband (UWB) antenna element with bandwidth capable of covering the entire 6-28MHz bandwidth. This element will have a height of… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project is directed towards providing engineering controls to provide a safer work environment in nuclear power plants. The engineering control combines a recent breakthrough in indoor wireless tracking known as Ne ar-Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER.)… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Recent tragedies at the Sago Mine, the Aracoma Alma Mine No. 1, and the Darby Mine No. 1 have focused renewed attention on an old problem: situational awareness in mine emergencies. Improved communication is a partial, but not complete, solution to the problem.… More

In Phase I, Q-Track assessed the feasibility of a variety of element and array designs for an Over-the-Horizon (OTH) radar array. Q-Track identified a capacitively coupled, connected curtain array as being most promising for the OTH radar application. This array can be implemented with relatively… More

Q-Track Corporation will develop a multipole synthesis procedure for designing directive, electrically small antennas (ESAs). Starting from a desired pattern function, this procedure will enable Q-Track to derive an appropriate configuration of dipole, quadrupole, octopole, and higher order antenna… More

Q-Track has identified the AM broadcast band as the most promising choice for a signal-of-opportunity to improve navigation in GPS denied areas. We propose an asynchronous time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) architecture using classical direction finding (DF) to resolve the integer ambiguity in phase… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Radiation exposure of nuclear workers is not only a serious health and safety issue, but also imposes substantial costs on nuclear utilities. Precise knowledge of the radiation environment within a nuclear facility is e ssential to minimizing personnel exposure.… More

The problem of accurate, reliable location in GPS denied areas is acute especially in the context of tunnel interdiction efforts at the US borders. Conventional technologies such as LORAN or inertial guidance methods are ill suited to the problems encountered in an underground environment. QTrack… More

This proposed effort will develop an innovative technique to increase the accuracy of over the horizon radar (OTHR). Q-Track proposes to exploit thousands of amateur and military radio links (such as the ALE network) to observe drift in ionosphere conditions. These observations will provide… More

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to implement a software-defined radio digital receiver design for use in Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) employing Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER) technology. NFER RTLS has demonstrated industry leading wireless… More

Increasingly, clandestine tunnels under our southern and northern borders continue to be a problem for illicit smuggling operations. The Q-Track Geospatial Underground Tracking System (GUTS) provides real time positioning of robotic equipment and first responder personnel operating in a GPS and… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In 2010, Q-Track undertook an internal RandD project to begin developing a Firefighter Location And Rescue Equipment (FLARE) system with advice and input from the Huntsville Fire Department. On August 3, we participatedin a firefighter rescue exercise at the 2010… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): According to the Department of Labor, correctional officers are the second most frequent victims of violent crime. The difference between a simple assault and severe injuries often depends on how quickly fellow officerscan rescue the officer under duress. This… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed effort aims to exploit advances in a new wireless tracking technology Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging (NFER) to improve the quality and efficiency of health care for residents of nursing homes. Our System, Locating the Elderly Overseen by Nurses… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed effort aims to develop a comprehensive wireless tracking and monitoring system for residents of Long Term Care facilities. The commercial product ElderAlertTM extends Q-Track's real-time location system totrack residents, caregivers, and medical… More

Automated milking systems make dairy operations more efficient and less stressful for animals and farmers alike. However when a problem occurs, a suspect animal must be found and diagnosed quickly. This effort aims to evaluate the feasibility of a Q-Track Milk Operations Optimization (Q-MOO) system.… More

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to implement a Robust Emergency Data (RED) Link. Recent breakthroughs in wireless communication collectively referred to as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology exploit multiple "dimensions" in space,… More