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A Propulsion-Enabled Control System for Precise Submarine Maneuvering

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Navy 		Award ID:
 Program Year/Program:
2011 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
N092-139-0375 		Solicitation Year:
2009 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N092-139 		Solicitation Number:
2009.2
Small Business Information
Impact Technologies, LLC
200 Canal View Blvd Rochester, NY -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 2
Fiscal Year: 2011
Title: A Propulsion-Enabled Control System for Precise Submarine Maneuvering
Agency / Branch: DOD / NAVY
Contract: N00024-11-C-4154
Award Amount: $749,957.00
 

Abstract:

U.S. Navy submarines are equipped with an increasing number of actuators, including azimuth thrusters, that can enable an unprecedented level of maneuverability with a properly designed and executed control system. In this Phase II effort, Impact Technologies has teamed with L-3 Communications and Virginia Tech to continue development of an automated submarine propulsion-enhanced control (ASPEC) system to achieve highly-precise control for autonomous execution of course-keeping, mooring/unmooring, mine avoidance, and collision avoidance. The retrofit control system features an energy-shaping control system with Lyapunov stability guarantees, a nonlinear optimal control allocation scheme to ensure fault-tolerant operation, and a safety-preserving guidance system. A detailed design and integration effort will be undertaken in Phase II which will emphasize integration with existing voyage management systems (VMS). Planned simulation studies will extend Phase I results by assessing maneuverability amidst realistic sea disturbances, providing opportunities to demonstrate and quantify vehicle safety in various operating modes (e.g. station-keeping and course-following). The effort will culminate in representative field trials conducted on a mature scaled, autonomous submarine platform developed by Virginia Tech. The muli-phased effort will provide strong opportunities to demonstrate the technology to stakeholders and ensure widespread adoption of the commercialized product on board submarines and similarly-outfitted Navy vessels.

Principal Investigator:

Jonathan DeCastro
Principal Investigator
(585) 424-1990
jonathan.decastro@impact-tek.com

Business Contact:

Mark Redding
President
(585) 424-1990
mark.redding@impact-tek.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

Impact Technologies, LLC
200 Canal View Blvd Rochester, NY -

EIN/Tax ID: 161567136
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No