DoD SBIR 2021.1

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Network Command, Control and Communications

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems; Human Systems

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate a cost-effective system that provides an ultra-low latency mixed reality environment for end-to-end real-time collaboration between two geographically separated teams.

DESCRIPTION:  To provide increased situational awareness and decision-making capability, there is a desire to create an environment where the senior leaders and decision makers can have face-to-face collaborations in a virtual environment while sharing real-time critical information. The initial intended application is in the collaboration between senior leaders and remote ground control stations for unmanned systems operations. 

Science fiction has presented examples of holo-decks where a person can become immersed in a virtual environment. Real world experiments have created advanced Cave Automatic Virtual Environments (CAVEs) which provide an immersive experience but, in the past, due to size, cost, and complexity they were not viable options for operational use. Mixed reality (MR) where real and virtual worlds are merged is rapidly advancing and entering the consumer markets.

The solution should provide the ability for the senior leader to enter an environment where they feel that they are in the remote operations center and can interact with the remote team as if they were in the same room. This includes but is not limited to viewing and interacting with individuals, sensor feeds, air vehicle status, GIS data, etc. The solution should provide an ultra-low latency interface to reduce or eliminate the risk of virtual reality sickness and well as other off-putting side effects of virtual and mixed reality use.

The solution could be, but not limited to, a device that can be worn, entered, sat in, or sat in front of, to immerse and engage with users and data. The solution must be capable to transmit and display classified data. The solutions could have a permanent install system capable of meeting all the needs with a portable version transportable onboard aircraft and set-up in remote areas of the globe.

PHASE I: Determine, insofar as possible, the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of the concept. Include a plan to demonstrate an innovative environment where senior leaders and decision makers can virtually collaborate face-to-face while sharing real-time critical information. Initially, this would involve leadership and unmanned systems operation remote ground control stations. 

PHASE II: The contractor will develop, install, integrate and demonstrate an affordable prototype system capable of ultra-low latency mixed reality environment for end-to-end real-time collaboration between two geographically separated teams.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Several government agencies (military and civil) require this capability to provide real-time collaboration in a mixed reality environment. Commercial interest in such a system for collaboration and data sharing is also anticipated.

REFERENCES:

1. Ladwig P., Geiger C. (2019) A Literature Review on Collaboration in Mixed Reality. In: Auer M., Langmann R. (eds) Smart Industry & Smart Education. REV 2018. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 47. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95678-7_65.
2. Manjrekar, S., Sandilya, S., Bhosale, D., Kanchi, S., Pitkar, A., & Gondhalekar, M. CAVE: An Emerging Immersive Technology-A Review.

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Biotechnology

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Bio Medical

ITAR: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate radical improvements to warfighter cognitive and physical performance through advancements in physiology, nutrition, neuroscience, and engineering. The effects should last for a short time period, i.e., 2-3 days, and be reversible with no long-term effects.

DESCRIPTION: “New advances in physiology, nutrition, neuroscience, and engineering now offer a significant potential to prevent (or reduce) the degradation of a warfighters cognitive and physical capabilities during conflict and substantially increase the performance of both combat personnel and the larger systems of which they are part” [1].

Warfighters are exposed to, and engage in, environments and activities where degradation of cognitive and physical performance can have grave consequences. Conversely, advantages in speed, strength, surprise, and aggression will help achieve dominance against the enemy.

This topic solicits solutions radically improving and providing advantages to speed, strength, surprise, and aggression for warfighters through physiology, nutrition, neuroscience, and engineering. The topic is interested in big gains in capability versus minor improvements. These areas of interest include but are not limited to the following examples:

• Methods to unlock increased human potential to provide increased endurance.
• New and emerging trends in nutrition and supplementation increasing physical and cognitive performance.
• “Soft-Exo Skeletons” powered clothing to reduce fatigue and provide additional capabilities. 
• New equipment and concepts radically improving warfighter performance.

The solution’s effects, if supplementation or stimulation based, should last for a short time period, i.e., 2-3 days, and be reversible with no long-term effects. 

Any Human Subjects Research (HSR) must be conducted within the applicable guidelines associated with DoD funded research. Title 32, Code of Federal Regulations Part 219, “Protection of Human Subjects”, and DoD Instruction 3216.02, “Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical Standards in DoD Supported Research”. It is strongly recommended if proposing HSR, the work be conducted late in the Direct to Phase II performance period to provide sufficient time to prepare and submit human use approval documentation to the Institutional Review Board.

PHASE I: Determine, insofar as possible, the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of the concept. Include a plan to demonstrate a “big gain” solution radically improving and providing advantages to speed, strength, surprise, and aggression for warfighters through physiology, nutrition, neuroscience, and engineering.

PHASE II: The contractor will develop, build, integrate, and demonstrate the proposed solution for cognitive or physical performance improvement or degradation reduction, as well as testing and approval of proposed supplement or augmentation.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Several Government agencies, both military and civil, require this capability to improve human performance through physiology, nutrition, neuroscience, and engineering. This technology will have wide ranging application to all services and Government agencies involved in dismounted operations.

REFERENCES:

1. Lewis, M. D., & Bailes, J. (2011). Neuroprotection for the warrior: dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids. Military medicine, 176(10), 1120-1127. ;
2. Lovalekar, M., Sharp, M. A., Billing, D. C., Drain, J. R., Nindl, B. C., & Zambraski, E. J. (2018). International consensus on military research priorities and gaps—Survey results from the 4th International Congress on Soldiers’ Physical Performance. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(11), 1125-1130.

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Space

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platforms

ITAR: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and apply a capability for rapid design of space missions / satellites leveraging new and evolving space services, commodity components, and emerging technologies.

DESCRIPTION:  In the last several years, new developments in space access, small satellites and components, and software and communications, combined with the investment of risk capital and other funding, have produced new space services capabilities.  These new services and the infrastructure enabling them have, in turn, created a fast-changing environment for further development. Mission planning and design now takes place in this dynamic context.  The Air Force continues to deliver traditional capabilities but could do so more effectively and by wholly different approaches through exploiting and repurposing rapidly emerging space systems, services, components, and supporting infrastructure.

In previous generations, Air Force missions have been planned over extended time periods, assuming the availability of certain Government assets, products, and supporting services, with the Government funding new developments that were required.  Techniques for analyzing missions and performing trades were created and honed with each new application.  Now, mission planners are presented with a fast-changing array of commercial services and unconventional mixes of commercially driven and Government-driven capabilities including new technology and software-defined systems, commodity spacecraft components, small satellite buses, and launch and ground systems services. The environment is dynamic, choices are greater, and mission development, including rapid progression from concept to systems requirements to preliminary design, should adapt as well.

Given a set of needs and goals in a broad space-related area, the Air Force will benefit from a rapid capability to interpret needs and opportunities, structure candidate mission architectures, assess available and emerging services and technologies that may be relevant to solutions, and proceed systematically through trades to arrive at multiple feasible approaches for satellite and system designs.  These in turn can be considered with respect to cost, schedule, and risk, and the likelihood and degree of meeting goals.  In most cases, the mission and satellite development capability will rapidly access and combine insight from multiple sources and companies.

Overlaps in different space-related domains have blurred the lines of simpler, focused mission development.  Communications now involves geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), and low earth orbit (LEO) over multiple wavelengths, with different antenna types and more use of relays.  Satellites have greater on-board processing, increased potential for coordinated operation, more options for deployed subsystems and in-space changes.  Launch services are lower cost, more frequent and agile, with emerging options for orbit insertions and transfers.  Payloads are more programmable, adaptable and compact.  In addition, information management for space systems increasingly leverages software-defined systems and the cloud, from data management to scheduling and operations.

Mission and satellite design should keep pace with and help manage the complexity brought by these fast-evolving developments.  It is envisioned this will involve model-based design processes, techniques and methodologies to develop conceptual designs that include expedient leveraging of the best new commercially-available and open source tools.  A robust but flexible approach accessing knowledge across organizations will take appropriate advantage of software-driven automation and optimization.

PHASE I: Determine, insofar as possible, the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of the concept. Include a plan to demonstrate a rapid capability to interpret needs and opportunities, structure candidate mission architectures, assess available and emerging services and technologies potentially relevant to solutions.  The firm would then proceed systematically through trades to arrive at multiple feasible approaches for satellite and system designs to be considered in terms of cost, schedule, risk, and the ability to fully meet goals. 

PHASE II: Develop and enhance the rapid space mission and satellite design capability, and demonstrate the utility in several Air Force need areas for missions that are at different stages of conceptual maturity, including where conceptual development has not yet begun.  Provide intermediate products to be assessed by planning teams, summarizing information capturing sensitivity of mission-level outcomes, including schedule, cost and risk, to key architecture and implementation decisions. Carry at least one mission through to system and satellite design and development, working with other performers to rapidly assess mission-level impacts of spacecraft, payload, operations, data processing, and other elements. 

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the technologies developed in Phase II for potential Government and commercial applications. Government applications include rapid concept development and maturation for emerging military space missions. There are potential commercial applications to space system design, and evaluation and assessment of new business ventures.

REFERENCES:

1. Martin, Gary, (2016) NewSpace: The Emerging Commercial Space Industry, https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20160001188.pdf ;
2. Datta, Anusuya, (2017) The NewSpace Revolution: The emerging commercial space industry and new technologies, https://www.geospatialworld.net/article/emerging-commercial-space-industry-new-technologies/ ;
3. Malaek, Seyed. (2018). A Generic Method for Sizing Satellites Conceptual Design and Rapid Sizing Based on “Design for Performance” Strategy. IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine ;
4. Jones, Melissa & Chase, James. (2008). Conceptual Design Methods and the Application of a Tradespace Modeling Tool for Deep Space Missions. IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings. 1 – 15

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: To develop a personal sampling device that allows novice users to accurately measure and document intermediate-level impulse noise and sub-concussive blast exposures experienced by Service Members in realistic operational environments.

DESCRIPTION: Recently there has been a great deal of concern in the US military about the potential cumulative health effects of repeated exposures to sub-concussive blasts. There is a short-term need to collect information about the frequency and intensity of blast exposures that Service Members are being exposed to when they conduct operational training using high-powered weapon systems and other military equipment. There is also a long-term need to develop enduring monitoring systems that can be used to measure all blast and impulse noise exposures a Service Member experiences over the entirety of his or her military career.

Current impulse-noise measurement systems to measure personal exposures are not well-suited to meet these needs. Typically, impulse noise assessments are conducted on individual weapon systems prior to the fielding of that system. These measurements use laboratory grade equipment that is neither compact enough nor durable enough to be used for exposure measurements during field training events. Additionally, this sort of evaluation may not address real world use scenarios where personnel maneuver around the weapon system during firing according to changes in the tactical environment. Changes in position can significantly change noise exposure. Additionally, evaluations of the individual system rarely, if ever, take into account exposure to multiple noise sources concurrently.

Most current technology for measuring long-term exposures to acoustic noise are focused on continuous noises, like the sounds generated by engines or machinery. This type of noise can be measured with noise dosimeters, which are relatively inexpensive, compact, lightweight, and durable enough to be attached to a Service Member’s uniform and left in place for an entire multiday training exercise.

High-level blast exposures that are potentially concussive (i.e. > 180 dB) are more difficult to measure, but the DoD has made a huge investment in the development of wearable blast gauges that can be attached to the helmet or uniform of a Service Member and maintain a count of the number of exposures that occur over a period lasting multiple weeks or even months.

The current gap in measurement systems is in the intermediate range of impulse noises with peak levels between 140 and 180 dB. These impulses are intense enough to saturate the microphones of conventional noise dosimeters, which are unreliable for measuring peak levels above 140 dB. But those levels are not high enough to trigger most current blast gauges, which cannot register impulse noises below 170 dB. A further complication is that Service Members may potentially be exposed to hundreds or even thousands of mid-level impulse noises in a single training session This means that a mid-level impulse noise monitoring system will require much more sophisticated data handling than a blast gauge that may only need to record the five loudest exposures in a two month period.  

At present, mid-level impulse noise exposures can only be recorded with relatively fragile and expensive test measurement equipment that has to be set up and analyzed by expert personnel, who are often researchers rather than occupational hygienists or safety personnel. The immediate need is a test measurement system that is---

a) Portable and rugged enough to be worn on the body by a Service Members in operational training environments;

b) At a minimum, capable of measuring impulses in the range from 140 dB to 174 dB, with a desired dynamic range from 120 dB to 184 dB.  

c) Capable of providing an immediate report of the number and intensity of the impulse noise exposures experienced by a Service Member over a single 8-12 hour training exercise;

d) Simple enough to be used by safety personnel who do not have specific expertise in impulse noise exposure.

PHASE I: The contractor will develop and demonstrate a prototype system that is---

a) Rugged and compact enough to be worn on the body during operational training. Mechanical characteristics of acceptable field-tested noise dosimeters are listed below.

1. Dimensions: 5 in. x 2.7 in. x 1.5 in

2. Weight: 14 oz

b) Capable of recording all impulse noise events in the range from 140 dB (minimum-182 dB. Data and settings should be stored in nonvolatile memory.

c) Capable of running continuously for a minimum of an 8 hour period.

d) Capable of downloading data and generating a report to include:

1. The number of impulses

2. The magnitude of each impulse

3. The A and B durations of each impulse

The prototype system should be compared to laboratory grade impulse noise equipment when exposed to controlled impulsive noises from sources such as cold gas shock tubes, arc gap generators, or small arms fired from fixed positions.   Ideally, the prototype system should be able to match the gold-standard systems within +/- 2 dB for impulses within the dynamic range of the system.

PHASE II: The contractor will build and deliver 10 prototype systems meeting the Phase I specifications.   These prototypes will be evaluated by occupational hygiene professionals to assess their usability and suitability for impulse noise monitoring. Prototypes at this stage should be usable during military training operations by personnel who do not have specific expertise in impulse noise exposure. Criteria evaluated will include size, weight, durability, and user friendliness (both in affixing the system to personnel for monitoring and in downloading/reviewing the resulting exposure data).

In addition to the 10 prototypes, the contractor will provide advanced software which generates a report that includes the following risk analyses, in accordance with requirements laid out in MIL-STD-1474E. The report should include Phase I (d) and,

1. AHAAH unwarned (the warned reflex has been widely repudiated as not reliably protective);

2. LAeq 8 Hr; and,

3. LAeq 100 ms

This software should be evaluated by occupational hygienists and safety personnel without impulse noise measurement experience, and will be judged based on user friendliness in downloading, reviewing, and organizing the resulting data.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In Phase III, the contractor will focus on manufacturing, sustaining, and refining the noise dosimeter and software systems. Both the Army and Navy Public Health Centers have requirements to monitor occupational noise exposure and have hearing conservation programs that focus on noise hazard identification, hearing protection, and monitoring audiometry. Thus, these intermediate-level impulse noise dosimeters and its associated software systems would be well suited for Government use. These Public Health Centers, as well as installation safety and occupational hygienists, are examples of potential government customers that are interested in acquiring this type of technology. Additional customers for these products may include police departments to monitor for noise exposure during firearms training, and other occupational hygienists and safety professionals which monitor processes with impact or impulse noise such as mining, hammer forging in manufacturing sector, and jackhammering and pneumatic nail gun use the construction industry as examples.

REFERENCES:

1. Meinke, D., Flamme, G., Murphy, W., Finan, D., Stewart, M., Tasko, S., and Lankford, J.  Measuring Gunshots with Commercial Sound Level Meters.  2016.  Presented at the National Hearing Conservation Association Conference.
2. Smalt, C.  Acoustic Measurements for Low Level Blast and Auditory Injury.  2020.
3. Department of Defense (US). MIL-STD-1474E—Design criteria standard noise limits. 2015 Apr 15.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: To develop a preventive technology to reduce the risk of brain injury from blast that is relevant to operational and/or training settings. The technology developed should be portable, light-weight and have low footprint without additional burden/impedance to Warfighter operations/duties and comfort. The end-product should be easily worn/carried by the Warfighter and the device can be an active or passive system in nature.

DESCRIPTION: Injury to brain from blast related trauma has been a critical problem for Warfighter brain health and performance (e.g. traumatic brain injury). Although the current personal protective equipment, up to an extent, is designed to protect against shrapnel and projectiles from explosive events and low caliber ammunition, there is still risk stemming from the blast overexposure and technologies that provide protection/prevention against blast are highly desirable. The need to accelerate and develop these types of technologies, which can work as an either active/passive systems, has been further realized from the numerous traumatic brain injuries experienced by US forces following recent bombing of Ain al-Asad air base attack by adversaries (Military times, Feb 10, 2020). There is a likelihood that these issues could be further complicated due the new requirement of Maneuverability Center of Excellence to develop lighter weight personnel protective equipment to meet the demands of the Warfighter in future multi-domain operations 2028 (MDO). Unfortunately, there are no preventative technologies to reduce the risk of Warfighters’ brain health during combat and training operations. (Pratt NJ., 2017; Review of Department of Defense Test Protocols for Combat Helmets, 2014). Potentially injurious mechanical forces of blast include, but are not limited to, overpressure, accelerative forces, and impact forces on the subject from dislodging. Technologies that can mitigate the risk of injury by triggering preventive mechanisms from these forces associated with blast such as overpressure and/or impact are highly desired. Blast overpressure is in the order of nanoseconds for initial peak rise time with a total event time-scale less than 5-6 milliseconds for improvised explosive device (IED). This is a near instantaneous environmental exposures, thus any innovative technology should quickly respond to mitigate injury. Non-invasive innovative technologies that can either protect the brain by reducing the loading forces of blast or biologically insulating the brain from overpressure/accelerative forces for impact (secondary/tertiary blast) are highly desirable. The medical system or technology is highly desirable to integrate on to the Warfighter without compromising the performance of the individual and the other technologies/systems (e.g. GPS or communication equipment) carried by the Warfighter. The medical system or technology should be non-invasive, safe, wearable, non-pharmaceutical/nutraceutical, portable, light-weight, and user-friendly that can trigger physiological responses to make brain less susceptible to injury from the mechanical forces of blast. The medical system or protective technology is desired (but not required in Phase I) to perform well under field rugged conditions such as extreme temperatures, humidity and dust/wet conditions. Overall, this topic desires to develop/identify a technology and/or a medical system to mitigate the risk of blast related traumatic brain injury that can be accelerated towards fieldable use.

PHASE I: To develop/demonstrate the feasibility of the prototype under limited blast loading conditions (e.g. overpressure) to identify viable functionalities (activation/trigger of sensing systems) of the prototype. Blast loading conditions simulation should replicate ecologically valid “free-field” blast exposures from an IED-like blast exposure. WRAIR has an advanced blast simulator and the performer may coordinate with WRAIR to leverage blast simulation capabilities for prototype feasibility demonstration. A demonstration will be achieved by subjecting the prototypes to dynamic loading of blast overpressure exposure at different pressures (e.g. 4psi – 24 psi in steps of 4psi). At the end of the phase, a working prototype/device should demonstrate the feasibility/application of the system by providing a road-map or experimental plan for pre-clinical testing to test the efficacy of the system in laboratory setting. No animal and/or human studies are required during this phase.

PHASE II: An iterative process can be used to develop a prototype by sensing blast or blunt trauma and activating of the medical/preventive system against a biological organism (e.g. use of animal models). Blast and animal research capabilities at WRAIR may be leveraged to test the efficacy of the prototype. Consideration should be given to large animal models for prototype testing that may include pig, sheep, or non-human primates. Prototype should not significantly burden the soldier with weight and should be comfortable to wear. Prototype should be easy to use and operate. In addition, it should not interfere with any communication system used by the Warfighter. The efficacy of the technology requires testing in a pre-clinical setting against a wide range of blast overpressures (primary blast) and/or blast overpressure + impact scenario (tertiary blast). The technology should demonstrate protective-ness against blast related traumatic injury under the testing conditions in the laboratory. The prototype effectiveness can be shown through the assessment of injury reduction (e.g. reduction in brain hemorrhage, lesions, axonal injury and/or inflammation). Technology should also demonstrate that the prototype (s) can withstand the field rugged conditions such as extreme temperature, humidity and/or dry/wet environments in the laboratory. At the end of this phase, the prototype should demonstrate a clear path to show efficacy in pre-clinical testing and future readiness for testing in scaled human conditions to show the protectiveness of the product. An FDA regulatory plan will be provided during Phase II to illustrate the technology’s pathway as a medical device to protect against blast related traumatic brain injuries.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The performer should refine and implement their regulatory strategy for obtaining FDA approval (if necessary) based on the initial feedback from FDA (if necessary). The prototypes developed should provide protective efficacy and operational viability on Warfighters in the blast conditions where blast-induced performance deficits are expected/identified (e.g. breaching training) or conduct clinical trials to conclusive demonstrate protective capabilities of the product. The performer may coordinate with WRAIR/USAMRDC/USAMMDA for this objective for advanced development. The performer can seek additional funding from other government sources and/or private investors to commercialize the project. Plans for large-scale production, licensing and process for rapid deployment of devices without compromising the efficiency of the product are sought through the funding from government sources and/or private organizations. This technology can be used to prevent impact TBI that can occur in civilian populations such as sports concussive, blast exposure in law enforcement personnel, and bicycle/motorcycle accidents.

REFERENCES:

1. Prat NJ, Daban JL, Voiglio EJ, Rongieras F. Wound ballistics and blast injuries. J Visc Surg. 154:S9-S12. (2017)
2. Review of Department of Defense Test Protocols for Combat Helmets, Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US), ISBN-13: 978-0-309-29866-7, (2014).
3. Military Times. 109 US troops diagnosed with TBI after Iran missile barrage says Pentagon in latest update. Feb 12, 2020.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this SBIR is to develop a computational model of the human lung as it responds to underwater blast insult in order to predict injury in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel exposed to underwater explosion (UNDEX). To meet this objective, a finite element model (FEM) that accepts UNDEX metrics and outputs lung physiological response and/or injury from the blast insult will be developed. Development of the underwater blast lung model will improve existing injury predictions and provide actionable injury assessment to mission planners as they evaluate operational risk management.

DESCRIPTION: FEM is a valuable tool in a number of industries (e.g. automobile) for predicting human injury to a variety of traumas. The Department of Defense (DoD) has sponsored the development of computational models that predict how the human body will respond to in-air blast insult. The focus of this SBIR is to identify a software modeling approach that can characterize the physiological response of human lungs to underwater blast insult. The model must be able to compensate for the lungs being under hydrostatic pressure (up to 200 ft seawater) for divers operating on scuba equipment.  In addition, the interactions between the blast wave and lung response with the surrounding bone, muscle, and tissue in and around the thoracic cavity needs to be incorporated into the model. As divers may be using different gas mixes other than air (e.g. heliox, tri-mix), incorporation of this variable would be highly valuable, but is not mandatory. This model will provide predictive physiological responses to underwater blast to improve risk modeling for establishing safe standoff distances for EOD divers working around explosives.

The software models developed by this SBIR can be marketed for use by the DoD and other communities, who have divers working with explosives or other impulsive noise sources (e.g. seismic airguns, pile driving, underwater construction tools). Early adopters of the software modeling products from this SBIR may include surface and undersea warfare operators and undersea construction and salvage crews. In addition, these models would also be valuable to environmental protection groups within the DoD as well as industry for use in predicting injury to marine mammals and other aquatic life. Companies have had success being able to commercialize high fidelity human anatomy models for the scientific community.

PHASE I: In Phase I, researchers will identify the physical modelling requirements and physics that must be solved related to the properties of the model. Researchers will identify an appropriate code base that is suitable for solving the response physics. A simple model (e.g. lung-sized sphere) will be created that responds appropriately to the underwater blast physical properties. Model outputs shall be validated against theoretical predictions or experimental data. The physiological variables that will need to be incorporated into the model to transition from the simple spherical model to an anatomically correct version of the model shall be characterized. The performance and capabilities of the final model for Phase I will be demonstrated. Finally, researchers will identify the recommended approaches that will be used in Phase II. These approaches will be identified in consultation with the COR and subject matter experts.

PHASE II: In Phase II, the model will be made more complex by transitioning to an anatomically-correct lung shape and incorporating specific tissue and material properties of the lungs and surrounding tissues. Specifically, an upper torso model shall be created that incorporates bone, soft tissue, lungs, and diaphragm at sizes accurate to a 50th percentile male. As with Phase I, this model should respond appropriately to the UNDEX physical properties. The model outputs shall be compared to experimental data from physical models to be provided by the COR. Each of the tissue layers should show a response to the underwater blast insult. However, the interactions between tissues, being much more complex can be planned for Phase III.  The Phase II model and data will be demonstrated and delivered to the COR for further evaluation and analysis.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS:  In Phase III, a complete underwater blast lung and thorax computational model will be developed.  This will include high fidelity anatomical structures as well as the interactions between all structures (e.g. lungs interaction with rib cage; diaphragm interaction with lungs). The model should be able to respond to a variety of UNDEX scenarios including explosives with different charge weight, explosive type, and location of explosive relative to lungs in water column. Also, the model should incorporate lungs at different depths and orientations in water column, as well as with the lungs at different inflation volumes (e.g. due to inhalation/exhalation). The Completed model and data will be delivered to the sponsor for further evaluation and analysis. Additional Phase III follow-on work may include extending the modeling techniques to marine mammals or diving birds.

This model will provide immediate value for DoD entities such as Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head and the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, who support the development of safe standoff requirements for divers operating around underwater explosives. The Army Simulation and Training Technology Center (STTC) could potentially want to integrate this model into their simulation platforms. Additional non-DoD customers that this model could be marketed to would be industries that employ divers for explosive work, construction, and other infrastructures in which divers are subjected to high energy underwater sources such as explosives, pile driving, or seismics. Numerous companies have developed high fidelity human models that are available for commercial use (e.g. Zygote, Biodigital, 3D4Medical). There is a strong potential of interest from academia and scientific institutes for evaluating effects on animal models (i.e. diving birds, marine mammals). Joint Program Committee (JPC)-1 has also expressed an interest in tracking the model’s development towards a completed product to evaluate its potential as a training component [5].

REFERENCES:

1. Richmond, D. R., Yelverton, J. T., & Fletcher, E. R. (1973). Far-field Underwater-Blast Injuries Produced by Small Charges. Lovelace Foundation for Medical Education and Research,
2. Cudahy, E. A. & Parvin, S. J. (2001). The Effects of Underwater Blast on Divers. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, Report 1218, Groton, CT, USA.
3. Lance RM, Capehart B, Kadro O, & Bass CR (2015) Human Injury Criteria for Underwater Blasts. PLoS ONE 10(11): e0143485.
4. Chanda, A., & Callaway, C. (2018). Computational modeling of blast induced whole-body injury: A review. Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology, 42(2), 88-104.
5. Personal communication with Joint Program Committee (JPC) -1, 2 October 2020.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate technology for automatic association of environmental conditions and activities with chemical and physical exposures based on feedback from body worn and area monitors to augment health risk assessments.

DESCRIPTION: The collection of context-sensitive metadata during health risk assessments is critical to understand the circumstances that are associated with exposures and health outcomes. In a traditional occupational environment, an industrial hygienist or technician manually observes and logs events and work activities that are associated with exposure levels of concern. By automating the identification of activity and environmental conditions using feedback from body worn and area sensor systems and leveraging the internet-of things, the industrial hygienist can more readily provide specific feedback to workers to mitigate potentially hazardous exposure conditions. Further, context-sensitive data can be used to augment existing DoD environmental and biomonitoring programs, such as the Joint Health Risk Management (JHRM) program and the Army’s Health Readiness and Performance System (HRAPS). Activity data of interest include specific information about operational tasks, including operation of specific machinery in a maintenance shop, or various actions associated with flight line maintenance, such as pre-flight checks and refueling actions. Environmental data of interest include information such as indoors versus outdoors, local ventilation conditions and weather. Chemical and physical exposures of interest include particulate matter, total volatile organic compounds, ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, noise, and heat/cold stress. The algorithm and integration hardware should be designed to incorporate data from commercial off-the-shelf sensors, such as MultiRAE gas monitors (present at most military bases), standard noise dosimeters, weather monitors, smart wearable technologies (e.g. smart watches, smartphones), as well as next generation sensor technologies currently in development. The final algorithm and associated integration hardware must store logged data locally, incorporate a user-interface, and operate for at least 10 hours on battery power. The device will also incorporate user-configurable alarm settings and an option for the user to provide feedback to the device regarding notable activities. The data should be exportable in formats compatible with DoD environmental and biomonitoring programs.

PHASE I: During the phase I effort, a prototype system will be developed to demonstrate the technical feasibility for an algorithm and interface for context-sensitive environmental monitoring. The algorithm and associated integration hardware will be demonstrated for its ability to automatically identify maintenance-related tasks, such as painting, stripping, and sanding, completed in a controlled environment (e.g. laboratory or shop), as well as simple environmental conditions, such as indoors versus outdoors and location. An interface will be designed where the worker being monitored can provide feedback to train the algorithm and contextual information can be provided back to worker.

PHASE II: During the phase II effort, a robust system will be demonstrated that is capable of automatically and accurately identifying specific work tasks, such as welding, drilling, sanding, stripping, and painting, as well as basic environmental conditions, in a military field environment. The government will provide parameters for metadata needed. The 711th Human Performance Wing will test the prototype independently during this effort and provide feedback back to the small business in order to accelerate the development of a product that is practical to transition to an operational environment.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The context-sensitive sensor system should demonstrate connectivity with DoD programs, such as the Army’s Health Readiness and Performance System (HRAPS), Joint Health Risk Management (JHRM) program, and other comparable systems. In addition to providing value to the DoD, context-sensitive technology capable of automatically associating environmental conditions and activities with chemical and physical exposures would be valuable to industrial hygienists working in construction, manufacturing, and maintenance industries where workplace exposures require consistent monitoring to ensure health and safety of workers. The final product will be relevant for research applications where activities and locations linked with exposure levels could be associated with epigenetic markers or chronic health outcomes, such as noise-induced hearing loss, heart disease, and cancer.

REFERENCES:

1. Fung AG, Rajapakse MY, McCartney MM, Falcon AK, Fabia FM, Kenyon NJ, Davis CE. 2019. Wearable environmental monitor to quantify personal ambient volatile organic compound exposures. ACS Sensors 4(5): 1358-1364.
2. Yang K, Ahn CR, Vuran MC, Kim H. 2017. Collective sensing of workers’ gait patterns to identify fall hazards in construction. Automation in Construction 82: 166-178.
3. Yang L, Li W, Ghandehari M, Fortino G. 2018. People-centric cognitive internet of things for the quantitative analysis of environmental exposure. IEEE Internet of Things Journal 5(4): 2353-2366.
4. https://safety.honeywell.com/en-us/products/by-category/gas-flame-detection/portables/multirae-pro
5. https://www.mtec-sc.org/mtec-current-projects/hraps/
6. https://www.fedhealthit.com/2019/11/press-release-lmi-selected-to-develop-the-joint-health-risk-management-enhanced-capability-demonstration/

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR); Directed Energy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical; Sensors

OBJECTIVE: Develop a low cost, low weight, small size wearable radio frequency (RF) weapon exposure detector.

DESCRIPTION: Directed energy weapons, including radio frequency (RF) weapons, are a growing threat on the battlefield. Determinants of RF weapon antipersonnel effects are multifactorial and RF injuries will be situation dependent and very hard to predict.  Without known patterns of RF injury to guide diagnosis, it will be difficult to differentiate RF injury from other common sources of illness and injury such as heat stroke. This ambiguous symptomology is aggravated by the transient nature of RF energy.  Without a sensor it is possible that no residual evidence of RF attack will be available.  A wearable RF detector to signal and document exposure to injurious levels of RF energy will allow personnel to take timely and appropriate protective measures, enable confident diagnoses of RF exposure injury, and serve as a critical intelligence resource for defining current battlefield threats.  However, to be useful, the wearable RF weapon exposure detector must, in order of importance, have an extremely small footprint in terms of space, weight and power (SWaP), be very low cost, have a very low false positive rate, and be easy to interpret.  The topic does not seek a replacement for sophisticated instruments used for measuring occupational hazards. This RF detector concept is analogous to passive M8 and M9 paper used in the detection of chemical weapon hazards.

PHASE I: Analyze RF bioeffects in relation to common US and ally military RF equipment and potential enemy weapon system emission levels and frequencies.  The spectrum of interest includes IEEE UHF through Ka bands. Determine optimal detector threshold sensitivity for signaling immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) exposure while minimizing false positives. Because irradiance levels needed to injure personnel are orders of magnitude higher than required to damage electronics, designing a broad band absorber with appropriate response characteristic will require substantial innovation.   Integration of an antenna into an affordable system which will survive in the extreme irradiance environment is a significant challenge, therefore the offeror may need to identify novel broad band RF detection materials and alarm/signaling mechanisms.  Design a low cost, low SWaP, low false positive, easily readable, wearable RF weapon exposure detector that can widely distributed on the battlefield.  An unobtrusive wearable detector would be smaller than a M4 magazine pouch and attach to a tactical vest by the Pouch Attachment Ladder System/MOLLE mount.  High cost, high complexity sensors are not desired for this solicitation.

PHASE II: Develop and test sensor components. Model expected system performance from component testing. Integrate components into breadboard/brassboard level prototype and compare measured performance against modeled predictions.  Review non-open source information regarding military RF systems and RF bioeffects provided by government. Refine design and build production representative prototypes and validate detection performance in laboratory environment. Provide prototypes for operational utility evaluations. Conduct environmental testing.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If there is a proliferation of RF weapons, it is expected that a Wearable RF Weapon Detector will be generally useful for a wide variety of military operations.  In Phase III the contractor will work with a program office, such as the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency’s Advanced Development Office or PEO Soldiers’ Program Manager for Soldier Survivability to finalize the detector as a military product.    Desired end state would be to establish the Wearable RF Weapon Detector as a standard military equipment supply item distributed through Defense Logistics Agency.   Additional commercial applications include medical, industrial, manufacturing, and test facilities in which personnel may be inadvertently exposed to high power RF sources.

REFERENCES:

1. Vecchia, P. et al. Exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields, biological effects and health consequences (100 kHz – 300 GHz).  International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, 2009, ISBN 978-3-934994-10-2
2. Alim Fatah et al. Guide for the Selection of Chemical Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders. Guide 100-06, Department of Homeland Security, January 2007

https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=911302

3. S. K¨uhn, W. Jennings, A. Christ, and N. Kuster. Assessment of Induced Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in Various Anatomical Human Body Models. Physics in Medicine and Biology, 54: 875–890, January 2009
4. Roach, W. Radio Frequency Radiation Dosimetry Handbook (Fifth Edition). Air Force Research Lab, Jul 2009.  https://apps.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA536009

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: Develop a portable, customizable, computerized dynamic balance and measurement system that allows programmable levels of instability to deliver accurate Sensory Organization Tests in clinic, home, or field environments.

DESCRIPTION: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and musculoskeletal injuries (MSKI) account for a significant proportion of limited duty days and nondeployable classification in military service members1,2. TBI and MSKI both cause short-term disability, but can have lasting consequences such as loss of strength and motor control, chronic pain, cognitive deficits, and permanent neurological damage. Postural stability is the ability to control center of mass (COM) in relation to an individual’s base of support and requires integration of an individual’s visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems. Balance training is used to improve postural stability after injury and must target all three systems for optimal effectiveness. Currently, the most common form of balance testing and training in clinics uses a balance board or stability ball to create an unstable surface to train the somatosensory system. More recent efforts have engaged the visual system by integrating virtual reality (VR) with static force measurement platforms to assess COM motion in various VR environments. While integrated VR systems have expanded the types of visual and vestibular perturbations available, use of a static force platform means the motor control system is not challenged or perturbed in a controlled manor. Systems with dynamic platforms would be beneficial for assessment and rehabilitation from vestibular and musculoskeletal injuries.

More traditional balance testing systems incorporate programmable moving platforms capable of perturbing and measuring COM movement (e.g. computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) systems) in a systematic and measurable way. Their ability to concurrently or independently manipulate the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems make them an invaluable tool for delivering an objective Sensory Organization Test (SOT), which can help the clinician to determine if therapy is needed and which sensory system to focus on. Indeed, a large amount of normative and clinical SOT data exists for military personnel across various branches5. Though considered the gold standard for vestibular physical therapy assessments, the utility of current CDP systems are undermined because of their large size, high cost, and limited functionality (i.e. pre-programmed tests for evaluation only, not modifiable for targeted training), and thus are usually found only in large medical centers and specialty clinics.

The goal of this SBIR is to develop a product that maintains the strengths of traditional CDP systems, but that takes advantage of the developments in portable balance measurement devices and portable display technology (e.g. VR), thereby creating a lower cost and portable balance assessment and training system. Currently, there are no commercially available portable platforms that combine COM measurements with computerized dynamic control of platform stability; these are essential for conducting SOTs and targeted training. The development of such a platform in conjunction with VR, or similar technology, can be used to not only provide balance perturbations seen in SOTs (i.e. a sway referenced support surface) but also provide graded training that can be used during post-TBI rehabilitation or to mimic a specific dynamic environment for physical training purposes. The purpose of this SBIR is to create a portable, computerized dynamic balance and measurement system.

PHASE I: In Phase I, the performer will first define specifications for the device that must be met to deliver physical perturbations used in standard SOTs. This includes the platform’s maximum/minimum tilt angles, speed of tilt changes, speed at which data must be streamed (input and output frequencies), platform weight limits, and COM measurement accuracy. The mechanism (e.g.  springs, balls, actuators) of inducing instability at various tilt levels should be established. Although no defined standards need to be met for the following aspects of the system, specifications such as platform translation, and the number and increment of instability levels should be pre-determined by the performer.

To be effective, the device should be able to:

1) Be portable (weight, size) such that only a power source, computer, and VR headset (or similar portable display system) is required for additional setup.

2) Include a portable platform capable of controllable tilt in at least two axes (minimum ± 20⁰ in each axes). 

3) Provide controllable instability (or fluctuation) at all levels of tilt.

4) Collect and stream accurate and reliable COM and platform movement data to a computer.

5) Stream platform data to a development platform (e.g. Unity), for integration within custom gaming applications.

6) Integrate with software, capable of controlling the platform’s movement and instability levels and collecting data. 

7) Allow for easy administration of the SOT and instant test results to the clinician.

An initial proof-of-concept design will be developed to demonstrate that the product is able to meet minimum functional capability. The design will include the device’s basic architecture and components. While creating this proof-of-concept design, the performer must keep in mind the potential customer’s settings. The technology should be designed for use, at minimum, in a research or clinical setting (i.e. require minimal setup and an easy software user-interface), with potential setup capacity for in-home therapy or field-based setups. Additionally, the dynamic response of the proposed device should be mathematically outlined and numerically simulated, showing the limits and expected response of the device in terms of user mass, platform acceleration, and deflection angle. A working prototype of the physical design is preferred to demonstrate eventual full system capabilities.

Together, Phase I deliverables include:

1) Design and use specifications that the proposed device should meet.

2) CAD model and system integration diagrams of proposed device.

3) Mathematical representation and numerical simulations demonstrating ability to provide varying levels of tilt and instability in different use cases (e.g. body mass of user) including those of the SOT testing conditions.

PHASE II: In Phase II, the performer will construct and test a prototype balance training system based on requirements from the original solicitation and specifications identified in Phase I. The performer must validate the accuracy and precision of COM measurements, tilt angles, and instability levels under varying conditions (e.g. amount of platform instability, user mass, etc). As stated above, traditional CDP systems are not portable and typically require a dedicated space of ~25-30 ft2. One of the improvements of the current development is that it should only require a power source, computer, and a flat surface ~4-9 ft2. As such, the performer will demonstrate that the system is portable and can be used in a variety of settings, while providing accurate measurements. An initial FDA regulatory plan should be provided if applicable. Finally, in Phase II, the performer will also develop the software that accompanies the physical device. The software should be capable of defining and controlling tilt angles and instability levels. It should also provide real-time visualization of COM movement and platform tilt angles.

A software application should be designed to showcase the system’s ability to stream COM movement and tilt angles for integration with a virtual environment within acceptable delay times. An application should also be designed that will deliver the SOT, collect accurate COM information, and provide composite measurement results as well as individual scores for each of the SOT conditions.

Phase II deliverables include:

1. The physical working prototype balance platform capable of varying levels of tilt and instability.

2. Instruction manual for setup and usage.

3. Accompanying software that allows the user to connect a computer (wired or wirelessly) for data streaming and visualization.

4. Demonstrative software application, compatible with gaming/development platforms that support major VR devices in the current market.

5. Software infrastructure (SDK) that can be used to stream data into custom VR applications.

6. Specifications document that details limitations of the device (e.g. user weight, tilt levels, life-time, etc.).

7. Application that delivers the SOT and provides composite and individual condition scores.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The expected Phase II end-product is a well-designed, portable balance training and testing system for use in research or clinical settings that is able to deliver the SOT with the same standards of commercially available dynamic posturography systems. To move this SBIR work towards operational- and commercial-readiness, Phase III efforts should focus on validating the device’s repeatability and reliability against current devices used for SOT in targeted populations and further development for clinical use (production, delivery/setup, software, durability). This will support future commercialization efforts in both military and civilian markets. It is anticipated that DoD customers will include clinical rehabilitation settings that address TBI diagnosis and symptom treatment (vestibular dysfunction, dizziness, oculomotor system dysfunction) and clinics for MSKI injuries (chronic ankle instability, knee/ankle injury, ligament injury). Key customers may include facilities that currently own CDP systems, including large military treatment facilities (e.g. Naval Medical Center San Diego, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center), Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals (e.g. Palo Alto, Minneapolis, Seattle), and academic universities (e.g. University of Wisconsin system, University of California System, University of Pittsburgh). Additionally, a portable and lower-cost system would enable medical facilities to purchase and use more than one balance system in different clinics. It would also enable access to objective assessment and rehabilitation tools at military clinics (e.g. Twentynine Palms) and civilian outpatient clinics.  A successful device could also have implications for use in deployed settings if ruggedized. Commercial markets that could benefit from this novel product would include: private rehabilitation centers, sports training centers, and research organizations.

REFERENCES:

1. Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC). Cognitive Rehabilitation for Service Members and Veterans Following Mild to Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury. https://dvbic.dcoe.mil/system/files/resources/2688.1.1.2_CogRehab_CR_508.pdf; accessed 27 JUL 20.
2. Molloy, Joseph M., Timothy L. Pendergrass, Ian E. Lee, Michelle C. Chervak, Keith G. Hauret, and Daniel I. Rhon. "Musculoskeletal injuries and United States Army readiness Part I: overview of injuries and their strategic impact." Military medicine (2020).
3. Filipa, Alyson, Robyn Byrnes, Mark V. Paterno, Gregory D. Myer, and Timothy E. Hewett. "Neuromuscular training improves performance on the star excursion balance test in young female athletes." Journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy 40, no. 9 (2010): 551-558.
4. Zech, Astrid, Markus Hübscher, Lutz Vogt, Winfried Banzer, Frank Hänsel, and Klaus Pfeifer. "Balance training for neuromuscular control and performance enhancement: a systematic review." Journal of athletic training 45, no. 4 (2010): 392-403.
5. Pletcher, Erin R., Valerie J. Williams, John P. Abt, Paul M. Morgan, Jeffrey J. Parr, Meleesa F. Wohleber, Mita Lovalekar, and Timothy C. Sell. "Normative data for the NeuroCom sensory organization test in US military special operations forces." Journal of athletic training 52, no. 2 (2017): 129-136.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: To provide a radioprotector medical countermeasure (MCM) to the Joint Force with effective prophylactics to recover from and survive Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) resulting from ionizing radiation exposure. In concert with resuscitative intervention and supportive care, MCMs would improve survival and reduce recovery times for the individual contributing to a higher level of unit readiness.

DESCRIPTION: The current Joint Force requires Medical Counter Measures (MCMs) against threats to sustain the full range of military operations.  The Joint Force must effectively protect the maximum number of personnel against the greatest number of hazards as far forward as possible, and sustain the casualty from the point of exposure to the point of definitive care.  These MCMs will be administered at the lowest echelon of health care possible.  They will work in concert with other medical products to lessen performance degradation and increase survival for the individual contributing to a higher level of unit readiness.

The Department of Defense requires MCMs for Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) that are safe and effective prophylaxes and therapeutics.  To be effective, any prophylaxes must be available to Joint Force personnel prior to ionizing radiation (IR) exposure. It will reduce the likelihood of developing severe adverse health effects associated with ARS to increase survival. Prophylaxes would be administered to the Joint Force prior to operating in a known, high risk Ionizing Radiation (IR) environment.

ARS encompasses a spectrum of pathophysiologic changes caused by exposure to high doses of penetrating radiation in a relatively short time period. Injuries sustained depend on the dose and extent of radiation exposure (e.g., whole- or partial-body). Radiation exposures exceeding 2 Gray (Gy) in adults can result in the depletion of hematopoietic stem cells and cellular progenitors in the bone marrow, which may lead to severe neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and death from infection or hemorrhage. Higher radiation doses can cause gastrointestinal (GI) complications, including mucosal barrier breakdown, bacterial translocation, and loss of GI structural integrity, which can lead to rapid death. Individuals who survive ARS may suffer from the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE), which can include pulmonary, renal, cardiovascular, immunological, and cutaneous complications occurring weeks to months after radiation exposure.

There are three FDA-approved post-exposure therapeutic drugs to treat the hematopoietic subsyndrome of ARS.  There are no FDA-approved prophylactic MCMs for IR exposures resulting in ARS.  Future pharmaceuticals will be used in concert with the most appropriate and cost effective mix of existing protocols for treating radiation injuries and could be used at any role of care.  Together, future pharmaceuticals and existing medical management protocols (e.g., supportive care, antioxidants, antiemetics, antibiotics, colony stimulating factors, blood/bone marrow transplants, isolation) will provide the means to effectively treat the maximum number of personnel.

For the purpose of this effort, the terms “MCM(s)” and “drug(s)” will include drugs, biologics, and cellular therapies. The objective of a prophylactic MCM is to reduce the likelihood of developing severe adverse health effects associated with ARS to increase survival. The prophylactic MCM must work in concert with other medical products to lessen performance degradation and increase survival for an individual contributing to a higher level of unit readiness. A prophylactic MCM will need to be given pre-exposure, pre-symptomatic and be administered at the lowest echelon of heath care possible to the Joint Force (age range of 18 - 62 years) prior to operating in a known, high risk irradiated environment. To achieve this effect the method of administration must be tailored to optimize ease of administration in an operational environment.

PHASE I: Offerors must propose proof-of-concept experiments to demonstrate the efficacy of proposed ARS prophylactic MCM against a relevant susceptible cell populations such as hematopoietic progenitors. Demonstration of efficacy in some form of an in vivo model is also acceptable, but not required for Phase I. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, drugs, but can include biologics or cellular therapies.  Exit criteria for successful completion of Phase I research would be the demonstration of efficacy at the LD70/30 or greater radiation dose levels.  The LD70/30 represents a radiation dose that would result in 70% mortality over 30 days in vehicle treated mice. Information garnered from Phase I experiments may be more qualitative than quantitative.

PHASE II: With successful completion of Phase I experiments, Phase II would further evaluate the medical countermeasure (MCM) in a small animal study.  A Phase II effort will test effective prophylactic ARS MCMs at the LD70/30 dose level or greater in an appropriate animal model.  In these studies, the MCM would be administered to animals prior to radiation exposure.  The animal model should be of sufficient size and scope to demonstrate a statistically significant increase in survival in animals receiving the MCM. The SBIR Phase II studies shall include experiments of a manner that facilitates the collection of non-clinical GLP pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data. The PK and PD information will be of paramount importance to inform subsequent Phase III studies.  Optimized formulation studies involving development of a preparation of the drug should be conducted during this phase II effort.  Responders to this SBIR should provide a test plan for in vivo evaluation prior to the start of Phase II studies. An initial FDA regulatory plan will be provided in Phase II.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III studies would further refine the animal model and the compound/drug dosing regimen. The goal would be to work toward FDA approval of a MCM for one or more radioprotector MCMs against ARS. The studies in Phase III should support FDA approval/ licensure to include entry into clinical studies, cGMP manufacturing scale up, and pivotal efficacy studies. FDA licensure/approval is not necessary for the project to be deemed successful. One means for the offeror to document progress is through a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) of the technology using the harmonized Quantitative Technology Readiness Level (QTRL) guidance document as described by the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE). A second means for demonstrating success is the establishment of funding and partnering with commercial companies (if necessary) to facilitate bringing the product to market, as resulting products may be applicable to various medical (e.g. oncology) or technical fields.  A third potential course for Phase III development would be potential transition to advanced product development by JPEO-CBRND, subject to JPEO funding priorities at the time of transition.

Successful radioprotector MCM products directed against ARS will clearly have use by other government agencies, hospitals/ emergency departments, first responders, and others providing responses to nuclear and radiation dispersal incidents.

REFERENCES:

1. Rosen E, Day R and Singh V. New Approaches to Radiation Protection. Frontiers in Oncology, Vol 4, Issue 381, 2014.
2. Singh V, Newman V, Berg A and MacVittie T. Animal Models for Acute Radiation Syndrome Drug Discovery. Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, Vol 10, Issue 5, 2015.
3. Joint Project Manager Medical Countermeasure Systems Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Medical Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Countermeasure Developmental Studies. Attachment 1 Public Health Emergency Medical Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) Harmonized Q-TRL List for Medical MCMs, MCS-BAA14-01, December 2013.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: Development of a small molecule, antibacterial drug candidate for the treatment of service members in the Military Health System infected by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa to include in vitro and in vivo efficacy in models of wounds, burns, sepsis and/or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

DESCRIPTION: Successful treatment and recovery of service members/warfighters wounded in the line of duty is frequently complicated by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. In the best medical evacuation systems spanning the past 18 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. troops injured in combat and moved to higher echelons of care were still at a high risk of developing post-injury infections. Wound infections can develop days following injury and are largely attributed to Gram-negative organisms acquired in the hospital setting (1).  Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most frequent causes of wound infections and can result in significant morbidity and mortality. A 2017 surveillance summary of P. aeruginosa infections in military treatment facilities reported 47.9% of P. aeruginosa infections were healthcare-associated cases and that none of the strains tested displayed 100% susceptibility to any antibiotic tested (2).

Moreover, in the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era, patients on mechanical ventilation due to the disease can become coinfected with hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa strains leading to ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). VAP is estimated to occur in 9-27% of all mechanically-ventilated patients (3), and colonization by hospital-acquired MDR strains carries a mortality rate up to 60% (4). Given the morbidity and mortality rates associated with drug-resistant infections of P. aeruginosa the desired output of this project will be a novel chemical matter prototype for further preclinical development, with utility to treat antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa in wounds, traumatic injury, sepsis and/or VAP.

The development of an oral, injectable, and/or topical, small molecule therapeutic agent for the treatment of MDR P. aeruginosa infections in service members will provide a valuable therapeutic addition to the current standard-of-care in the Military Health System.  The desired product will have efficacy against clinically-relevant, MDR strains of P. aeruginosa.  The product will demonstrate effectiveness in in vivo bacterial infection models (e.g., thigh, wound, pneumonia, burn, trauma, sepsis). Activity against P. aeruginosa biofilms and/or antibacterial coverage of other priority pathogens such as Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae is desirable, but not required.  Corresponding in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicity profiles must be both developmentally and clinically acceptable for oral, injectable, and/or topical administration.  Prototype compounds may include small molecules, peptidomimetics (both up to MW 1000), or peptides (up to MW 2000).  We will not accept proposals for antibody, bacteriophage, nor vaccine solutions.

PHASE I: Phase I will center on defining a set of small molecules that are effective at inhibiting in vitro growth of MDR P. aeruginosa strains at low toxicity. The awardee should be able to demonstrate that the selected molecules perform similarly or better in vitro to current standard of care antibiotics in the treatment of MDR P. aeruginosa infections. Required Phase I deliverables will include 1) a practical chemical synthesis of small molecule antibiotic candidate compounds amenable to scale-up; 2) demonstration of in vitro efficacy against military-relevant, MDR strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to include minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs); and 3) assessment of in vitro toxicity in relevant cell lines.

PHASE II: Required Phase II deliverables will include 1) demonstration of in vivo efficacy equivalent or superior to current standard-of-care against military-relevant, MDR strains of P. aeruginosa in validated, clinically-relevant models of wounds, burns, sepsis and/or VAP. In vivo models must include at least one clinically-relevant, higher order animal species model of wounds, pneumonia, burns and/or sepsis for one of the small molecule solutions which successfully completed Phase I of this SBIR. Porcine models of wound infection, sepsis (peritonitis or intravascular infusion of live bacteria), and/or VAP is preferable, but any clinically-relevant models of these indications would be acceptable; 2) demonstration of safe and clinically-acceptable in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profiles; 3) demonstration of an acceptable resistance profile following standard protocols; 4) demonstration of safety in acute toxicity and safety pharmacology assessments in a rodent species (non-Good Laboratory Practices [GLP]); 5) a plan for declaration as a preclinical candidate in order to proceed toward the assembly of an investigational new drug (IND) submission package in Phase III; 6) development of a safe, scalable, reproducible synthesis of the small molecule antibiotic candidate compound; and 7) development of a safe and clinically-acceptable formulation for the intended route of administration of said small molecule solution. An initial FDA regulatory plan should be submitted during Phase II.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The vision or end state for this product is FDA approval as a small molecule therapeutic agent for the treatment of patients with wounds and/or burns infected with MDR P. aeruginosa.  Additionally, the product may also or alternatively be approved for the treatment of VAP and/or sepsis.  Phase III will require the completion of a preclinical data package, to include preclinical toxicity assessment in a higher order species following Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), for inclusion in an investigational new drug (IND) submission to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to commence clinical trials.  A possible funding source for these studies and early clinical trials is the Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program (JWMRP) through the Joint Program Committee-2 (JPC-2) under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which offers focused support for early clinical testing of medical solutions.  The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is an additional potential funding source as its focus is mainly on countermeasures for public health threats.  A viable commercial technology transfer partner would be required to complete the full FDA-approval process.  Potential commercial applications for this product include analogous applications, as mentioned above, in public, medical treatment facilities, as well as potential Gram-negative biothreat indications.

REFERENCES:

1. Aronson et al. In Harm's Way: Infections in Deployed American Military Forces, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 43, Issue 8, 15 October 2006, Pages 1045–1051.
2. Spencer and Chukwuma (2018) Annual Surveillance Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in the Military Health System (MHS), 2017. NMCPHC-EDC-TR-379-2018, Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, Portsmouth, VA.
3. “Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Hospital-acquired, Ventilator-associated, and Healthcare-associated Pneumonia.” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 171(4), pp.388-416
4. Povoa et al. COVID-19: An Alert to Ventilator-Associated Bacterial Pneumonia, Infectious Disease Therapy, [published online ahead of print 2020 May 30].

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: To develop a lightweight device that generates medical grade oxygen for deployed medical facilities and personnel.

DESCRIPTION: The ability to deliver oxygen to patients requiring supplemental oxygen is an essential capability for deployed medical facilities that provide treatment primarily to combat casualties who incur traumatic injuries. The Army based its current oxygen generating capabilities on the American College of Surgeons trauma treatment guidelines, which recommended that all trauma patients receive oxygen at a rate of at least 10 liters per minute (L/m).1 To meet this high demand for oxygen, the Army developed its current centralized oxygen generating and distribution system that is extremely heavy, maintenance intensive and requires large dedicated generators to operate. These characteristics limit the organizations’ mobility to support combat operations, and are incompatible with the austere, far-forward battlefield anticipated in multi-domain operations. Multiple studies strongly suggest that the actual oxygen requirements for trauma patients is much less that the 15 L/m previously recommended; they indicate that the majority of trauma patients may not need any supplemental oxygen to sustain adequate blood oxygen levels,2,3 and patients with TBI may be significantly harmed by hyperoxia.4 Therefore, the Army plans to replace the current centralized oxygen production and delivery system with a system of individual oxygen generators that are distributed to individual patients throughout the facility. These devices would be lightweight devices that produce oxygen at a variable rate up to 5-6 L/m and would operate on standard 110/220 VAC power with an internal battery back-up that would enable the device to operate up to 4 hours without external power. The outflow of oxygen from two of these devices could be merged (stackable) to provide higher flows of oxygen for the 12-15% of trauma casualties and other patients whose oxygen requirements are above 6 L/m.5

PHASE I: Phase I will consist of designing schematics and diagrams along with limited testing of a prototype for a lightweight oxygen generating device that will produce a 90-95% purity medical grade oxygen at a continuous, variable rate of up to 6 L/m from ambient air. The device will be designed to operate effectively in a deployed setting that will include static, dismounted medical units as well as medical transport vehicles (ground and rotary-wing ambulances). Specific emphasis will be placed on portability, reliability, and design for the particular challenges of the battlefield environment (to include no- or low-light, loud or noise-discipline conditions, cramped space, extreme temperature environments, elevation, etc.) and use by all providers to include the combat medic. While the size, weight, power, and performance constraints will not be as rigid for a Phase I prototype, the ultimate goals for Phase II should be considered and attainable. Long-term need for stacking capability will be considered. Though water has been shown a viable feedstock for oxygen generation, water of adequate purity is a logistical constraint in the prolonged field care environment. However, possible alternative non-liquid feedstocks to transiently supplement the fundamental oxygen delivery capacity of the device are not excluded nor required (any hazardous byproducts must be mitigated). An argument for the approach chosen, to include recognized open questions in the literature, will be included.

PHASE II: This phase will consist of further development of a portable oxygen generating device demonstrating its utility, and validating the prototype(s) through relevant testing. During the first year, the prototype(s) will be tested in simulated environments (>40oC, <0oC, humidity > 90%, 10,000 ft elevation) in order to determine practical viability. The second year will involve refinement and more rigorous testing of the chosen design in contractor-arranged laboratory studies to determine purity of the oxygen produced and accuracy of flow rates. Testing and refinement will involve the device’s adherence to battlefield constraints; the device must be portable, lightweight (~2 kg), self-contained, have low power requirements (i.e. can operate continuously for 4 hours on a single battery), quiet (<45db), have stacking capability, and perform to all needed parameters concurrently. The phase II commercialization plans should include a regulatory plan for FDA clearance. The contractor would ideally identify appropriate potential commercialization partners (manufacturing, marketing, etc.) to facilitate technology transition.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed under this SBIR effort will have applicability to both civilian and military emergency medicine; for military application the contractor will coordinate with the US Army Medical Material Development Activity (USAMMDA) Warfighter Expeditionary Medicine and Treatment Office to maximize capability gap mitigation. Phase III will consist of finalizing the device design  and delivering manufactured devices (in their final form) for military-relevant testing such as airworthiness/performance testing (e.g. Joint Enroute Care Equipment Test Standards [JECETS], AR 70-62) and FDA-related testing (e.g. oxygen purity, accuracy of flow rates, etc.) under design freeze. The device will be functional for use by medics, physician assistants, nurses, and physicians in far forward environments (roles 1-3 of care and ambulances). Phase III will also include developing and finalizing training methods and protocols for the new device. In addition, the regulatory package should be in its final form ready for submission to the FDA, including all relevant test data.

REFERENCES:

1. American College of Surgeons, and Committee on Trauma. Advanced Trauma Life Support: Student Course Manual. 2018.
2. Stockinger ZT, McSwain Jr NE. Prehospital supplemental oxygen in trauma patients: its efficacy and implications for military medical care. Military medicine. 2004 Aug 1;169(8):609-12.
3. Douin DJ, Schauer SG, Anderson EL, Jones J, DeSanto K, Cunningham CW, Bebarta VS, Ginde AA. Systematic review of oxygenation and clinical outcomes to inform oxygen targets in critically ill trauma patients. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2019 Oct 1;87(4):961-77.
4. Davis DP, Meade Jr W, Sise MJ, Kennedy F, Simon F, Tominaga G, Steele J, Coimbra R. Both hypoxemia and extreme hyperoxemia may be detrimental in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. J Neurotrauma. 2009 Dec 1;26(12):2217-23.
5. McMullan J, Hart KW, Barczak C, Lindsell CJ, Branson R. Supplemental oxygen requirements of critically injured adults: an observational trial. Military medicine. 2016 Aug 1;181(8):767-72.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: Development of a platform for DNA-encoded monoclonal antibody delivery in large animal models of HIV infection and a prototype delivery device for use in humans.

DESCRIPTION: U.S. military personnel are exposed to and impacted by the diverse global HIV epidemic. Despite advances in non-vaccine prevention, the US military experiences a steady epidemic of approximately 350 new HIV infection every year. Effective prevention and therapeutic modalities are of utmost importance in combatting HIV/AIDS in the DoD. The US Military HIV research program (MHRP) is engaged in collaborative research with multiple academic, corporate, and governmental partnerships to develop and test immunologic approaches to prevention and therapy.

Monoclonal antibodies have great potential for use in prevention and treatment for many infectious diseases including HIV. However, current approaches to monoclonal antibody delivery are limited by price and durability of effect. MHRP seeks to develop innovative ways by which broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can be delivered to overcome these challenges. Delivery of gene encoded mAbs by electroporation (EP) is a potential approach. EP has been used in basic research for the past 25 years to aid in the transfer of DNA into cells in vitro. EP in vivo enhances transfer of DNA vaccines and therapeutic plasmids to the skin, muscle, tumors, and other tissues resulting in high levels of expression. EP delivery of vaccines has been demonstrated to induce immune responses in numerous pre-clinical animal models and in human clinical trials for many different infectious diseases and cancer. Delivery of gene-encoded antibodies differs from these active vaccination approaches in that it seeks to minimize immune response to mAb delivery. The method of delivery by using EP technologies and a device capable of delivering selected mAbs will be the desired end product for this effort.

PHASE I: The awardee will demonstrate the scientific, technical, commercial merit and feasibility of a platform technology that relies on delivery of DNA-encoded mAbs. Research could be built upon similar existing technology for other products such as DNA vaccines and therapeutic plasmids.  Phase I will focus on technology conceptualization of DNA-encoded mAbs including performance parameters. The performer will develop rapid methods of delivery of DNA-encoded mAbs. These methods may include the administration of DNA via an intramuscular injection followed by very short electrical pulses (electroporation or EP) that enable the efficient uptake of the DNA by the muscle cells, leading to much higher levels of expression of the delivered genes than with an injection alone.  MAb-encoding DNA should be delivered in a way that minimizes tissue perturbation, avoiding any immune responses and enabling stable, long-term gene expression. Upon completion of Phase I the awardee will have developed, demonstrated and validated the delivery method for DNA-encoded mAbs.

PHASE II: After successful completion of the Phase I, the awardee will focus on finalizing and refining delivery method and use the results from Phase I studies to optimize the capability of gene encoded mAb technology in small and large animal models. Phase II efforts will focus on developing methods for manufacture of the delivery device for clinical use. The awardee will develop and optimize large animal model for the evaluation of DNA/EP as their musculature permits the evaluation of a human-sized prototype EP device, their larger size and proportionally increased blood volume better mimics what would be observed in humans in terms of dilutional effects of muscle cell-produced mAb. Further the studies should be conducted to demonstrate proof-of-concept that therapeutically relevant serum mAb levels can be achieved in animal models with large blood volumes using human-sized prototype of EP devices.  The awardee will then design a prototype device that will be easy to use in delivering mAbs in clinical settings and/or field testing and ready for transition to manufacturing. The prototype specifications will be defined based on feedback from large animal data to meet the requirements of the delivery system in humans. An initial FDA regulatory plan should be submitted at this stage if appropriate to the product development effort.

Upon completion of Phase II of this project, the awardee will be able:

(1) to develop, optimize and manufacture the desired EP device prototype for mAb gene transfer based on Phase I modeling and design. Conduct life cycle and environmental testing with the prototype.

(2) to develop processes and demonstrate feasibility of a large scale manufacturing of the EP device that can be ready for a future proof-of-concept clinical trial in human volunteers.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The expected Phase II end-state is qualified, easy to use device to deliver clinically relevant mAbs of interest. The awardee is expected to obtain funding from non-SBIR/STTR government sources and/or the private sector to develop or transition the prototype into a viable FDA-regulated product or service for sale in the military or private sector markets.  The performer will provide data package plan required for application to the FDA after successful large field testing of the assay prototype.

For HIV applications, the technology and/or product generated from the Phase III SBIR may be integrated in MHRP’s objective of developing broad spectrum and potent mAbs for prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. A potential method of transition for this product will be through the Army futures command following the decision gate process which includes a technology transfer agreement with U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA). In addition, civilian commercialization of this product is likely to include GLP production and GMP manufacture and distribution.

The end-state for this product is a commercially viable technology that will be incorporated into the Army’s strategy of developing countermeasures against HIV/AIDS.

REFERENCES:

1. Neumann E, et al. Gene transfer into mouse lyoma cells by electroporation in high electric fields. EMBO J. 1982;1:841–845
2. Cemazar M., and , Sersa G. Electrotransfer of therapeutic molecules into tissues. Curr Opin Mol Ther. 2007;9:554–562.
3. Patel A, et al. In vivo delivery of synthetic human DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies protect against Ebolavirus infection in a mouse model. Cell Reports, Volume 25, Issue 7, 13 November 2018, Pages 1982-1993.e4

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: To develop a container or container system for transporting blood to and throughout the battlefield.

DESCRIPTION: Traumatic hemorrhage remains the leading cause of combat deaths, and rapid resuscitation with blood and/or blood products is necessary to restore volume, maintain hemostasis, and prevent coagulopathy and other morbidities.[1-3] Therefore, blood and blood products must be present at or near the battlefront.[4-7] To facilitate this rapid deployment of blood, inventories must be bolstered through transportation of blood and blood products from donation centers to forward locations. This need is not limited to theaters of war; maintaining blood bank inventories around the globe is critical, but as biologics, these products must be transported with proper cold chain maintenance in containers that can withstand arduous journeys and austere environments and can minimize breakage of storage bags for peak logistical efficiency.[8-11]

There are multiple points of potential failure: for instance, after a donation at a blood drive, blood must be packaged and transported to the blood bank where it is required to be tested, processed, and stored until laboratory results are obtained. Then, the blood must be inventoried, packaged, and sent to distribution. It must be maintained cold during shipment overseas (potentially with multiple stops) before receipt and storage at local facilities. Additionally, it must be maintained cold for in-country ground and air shipping to Role of Care 2 or 3 facilities (see [12] for descriptions of Army Roles of Care), at which it must be stored until used or until packaged for carrying by a medic prior to a high risk mission (Role of Care 1). At each step, temperature control is critical if blood is to remain in compliance with established standards; very little variance is allowed. Thus, along with the capability of maintaining these temperatures, a careful record demonstrating the unbroken cold chain is required. Development of a standardized low- or no-power advanced transportation container or container system for blood and blood products that will maintain the cold chain with confirmation and minimize breakage and waste is of critical importance. Specific emphasis should be placed on the following parameters: scalability for different Roles of Care, minimizing weight for each step of the transport process; stackability for usage on military aircraft; ruggedness and reusability justified by the relative cost; integrating or easily used temperature monitoring; size appropriate for required capacity (e.g., two 500 ml whole blood units for medic, 20-40 units at Role of Care 2); minimized power requirements; potential for integration into air, sea, and land vehicles including unmanned aerial systems; and cost must be reasonable versus current operational standards.

PHASE I: Phase I will consist of designing schematics and diagrams along with limited testing of technology to be used for a low- or no-power advanced transportation container or container system for blood and blood products, to include techniques for maintaining temperature over lengthy travel times (10+ days), descriptions for monitoring temperature with notification of excursions, and designs for protecting products from breakage. The device will be designed such that usage can be standardized across a variety of environmental factors. Specific emphasis will be placed on weight, stackability, ruggedness, temperature monitoring capability, capacity, power requirements, potential integration into vehicles including unmanned aerial systems, and cost. An argument for the approach chosen will be included.

PHASE II: This phase will consist of further developing the low- or no-power advanced transportation container or container system for blood and blood products, demonstrating its utility, and validating the prototype(s) through relevant testing. During the first year, the prototype(s) should be demonstrated by the proposer in simulated temperature-controlled and vibration stress-controlled environments and/or in transportation to mimic expectations to determine practical viability. The second year will involve refinement and more rigorous testing of the chosen designs in simulated field tests. Testing and refinement will involve the devices’ functionality within battlefield constraints; the devices must be portable, lightweight if intended for medic kit, stackable if intended for shipping, self-contained, have low or no power requirements, compatible with vehicles including unmanned aerial systems, and have planned production costs that are justifiable against current standards. The phase II commercialization plans should include a regulatory plan for FDA clearance if required.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed under this SBIR effort will have applicability to both civilian and military emergency medicine. Phase III will consist of finalizing the device design(s) and delivering manufactured devices (in their final form) for military-relevant testing (e.g. environmental, operational, etc.) and FDA-related testing (e.g. blood impact, validation, etc.). The device will be functional for use by blood bank personnel, logisticians, medics, physician assistants, nurses, and physicians in far forward environments (roles 1 and 2 of care). Phase III will also include developing and finalizing training methods and protocols for the new device(s). In addition, the regulatory package should be ready for submission to the FDA, including all relevant test data. The contractor should begin establishing relationships with appropriate commercialization partners (manufacturing, marketing, etc.) to facilitate technology transition.

REFERENCES:

1. Bogert JN, Harvin JA, Cotton BA. Damage Control Resuscitation. J Intens Care Med. 2016;31(3):177-86.
2. Zhu CS, Pokorny DM, Eastridge BJ, et al. Give the trauma patient what they bleed, when and where they need it: establishing a comprehensive regional system of resuscitation based on patient need utilizing cold-stored, low-titer O+ whole blood. Transfusion. 2019;59(S2):1429-38.
3. Spinella PC, Pidcoke HF, Strandenes G, et al. Whole blood for hemostatic resuscitation of major bleeding. Transfusion. 2016;56 Suppl 2:S190-202.
4. Spinella PC, Cap AP. Prehospital hemostatic resuscitation to achieve zero preventable deaths after traumatic injury. Curr Opin Hematol. 2017;24(6):529-35.
5. Shackelford SA, Del Junco DJ, Powell-Dunford N, et al. Association of Prehospital Blood Product Transfusion During Medical Evacuation of Combat Casualties in Afghanistan With Acute and 30-Day Survival. JAMA. 2017;318(16):1581-91.
6. Daniel Y, Sailliol A, Pouget T, et al. Whole blood transfusion closest to the point-of-injury during French remote military operations. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2017;82(6):1138-46.
7. Nadler R, Mozer-Glassberg Y, Gaines B, et al. The IDF Experience with Freeze Dried Plasma For The Resuscitation of Traumatized Pediatric Patients. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2019.
8. Spinella PC, Cap AP. Whole blood: back to the future. Curr Opin Hematol. 2016;23(6):536-42.
9. Vaught JB. Blood collection, shipment, processing, and storage. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006;15(9):1582-4.
10. Gillio-Meina C, Cepinskas G, Cecchini EL, et al. Translational research in pediatrics II: blood collection, processing, shipping, and storage. Pediatrics. 2013;131(4):754-66.
11. Thomas S. Platelets: handle with care. Transfus Med. 2016;26(5):330-8.
12. Chapter 2: Roles of Medical Care (United States). In Emergency War Surgery, 5th United States Ed., Cubano MA, Butler FK, eds. Office of the Surgeon General, Borden Institute: Fort Sam Houston, TX. Accessed August 25, 2020 at https://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/Portlet.aspx?ID=cb88853d-5b33-4b3f-968c-2cd95f7b7809

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: Design and build a non-contact Laser Ultrasound (ncLUS) imaging scanner in the form of a stand-alone lightweight handheld device. The acquired images are to be displayed in real- time using a handheld screen, archived and accessible for reviewing on demand in retrospective analyses.

DESCRIPTION: Ultrasound (US) imaging is a real-time medical imaging technique developed in the 1960’s that involves the transmission and reception of high frequency (2-15MHz) sound waves (i.e. acoustic waves) via a piezoelectric transducer located in the US probe that is moved while in contact with the patient skin. US is able to show location and movement of internal organs and blood flow through vessels in the human body by using the amplitudes and travel times of the received reflected sound waves that are reconstructed into an image. This original ‘conventional Ultrasound (US)’ approach is limited by the attenuation of the acoustic waves by air. To yield acceptable image results, conventional US requires a coupling medium (gel/water) added between the US probe and the patient skin.

Laser Ultrasound (LUS) employs a completely different signal acquisition technology, with advantages for the battlefield, compared to conventional US. LUS uses the light of two low powered lasers transmitted through air to measure acoustic vibrations. It supports rapid use as it only needs to be moved above the patient, with no connecting medium required, no physical contact. This is advantageous in cases where skin contact is prohibited due to burns or, e.g. blast debris wounds. In contrast, conventional US requires contact of a probe with the patient surface accompanied by a contact medium.

ncLUS has recently been demonstrated by Zhang et.al. [1] who acquired in vivo human ultrasound images in a laboratory setting using experimental table-top optics. Zhang et.al. used 1540 nm pulsed source laser to deliver the optical pulses to excite acoustic waves on the tissue surface, and a 1550 nm continuous wave (CW) laser Doppler Vibrometer to measure returning acoustic vibrations on the tissue surface, 1m distant. The optical source for the reported LUS system minimizes tissue penetration, specifically to convert optical energy to acoustic energy at the tissue surface. LUS uses very low power laser light and does not use ionizing radiation, so it is very safe, and safe for eyes.

With an appropriate optical design and interferometry, any exposed tissue surfaces can become viable acoustic sources and detectors. Employing skin surface photoacoustic sources in combination with laser interferometric detection (i.e. an optical detector) generates image features in human studies shown by Zhang et.al. to be comparable to images acquired with a conventional US commercial imaging system.

This project involves redesigning the ncLUS to have a compact, lightweight, portable format; a shirt- pocket-size handheld imaging scanner similar in size to a cellular phone, with visualization via a wired or wireless handheld screen. The back of the device would contain the scanning lasers. Sides of the device would have connected components, either hinged to flip down, or telescoping. These would assist operating the ncLUS to stand off the body surface as it is moved over the body surface. This project will necessitate innovative engineering. In this physical format, ncLUS can become a powerful asset to evaluate trauma and plan optimal treatment in cases of internal injury. Secondly, the ncLUS can provide a useful training device [2].

US, of all medical imaging modalities, has favorable use advantages which include: its reliance on non-ionizing radiation; its real-time cine imaging capability; and, its ability to be built into portable systems having simple power needs (e.g. [3]). ncLUS’s unique additional advantages are: no patient contact; potential for miniaturization; potential for fabrication using low cost solid state electronics; and, no requirement for probes and gels whose use and availability at the POI may be problematic. US trauma imaging includes several standard US examination techniques: Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examination - to screen for blood around the heart or abdominal organs; and, extended FAST (eFAST) - to detect pneumothorax, hemothorax, pleural effusion, or a foreign object. Military use [4] of portable conventional US (i.e. probe with US transducer, processor and screen, gels) in the field currently includes identifying blood in the abdomen, finding fractures, skin infections, and collapsed lungs.

PHASE I: The main goal of Phase I is a feasibility study in the development of a handheld ncLUS scanning device. Initially, to prove feasibility, a physical, electronics, optical and circuit design of the final handheld ncLUS product should be completed as the first deliverable. The electronic and circuit designs should include commercially available electronic, computer and optical components, or components that can be fabricated easily and without extraordinary expense.

The physical design of the ncLUS must have a form factor of approximately the width and height of a cell-phone, but may be slightly thicker. It should fit in a shirt breast pocket. Weight should be minimized. The physical design should also include fold-out sides or similar simple, easy to manipulate mechanism in order to provide the key separation between the handheld ncLUS and the body of the subject being scanned. The ncLUS should be designed to operate by battery for a minimum of one hour prior to battery recharging. The scanning device should contain an Android computer capable of performing the computations that reconstruct an image in near-real-time, i.e.>5 updates per second, from the acquired laser signals. This computer should also be able to transmit the images wirelessly or by wire to an external device for display, or use the native screen. Storage of images for replay and archiving should be accomplished using the device, and perhaps an external computer. Innovation is encouraged in each design aspect to create a lighter, more rugged, longer charged device. A second deliverable is a CAD computer model of the scanner, accompanied by a physical mock-up of the scanning device. A third deliverable is a description of the image acquisition and reconstruction methodology. This is necessary because of the innovative role of lasers in signal acquisition. A detailed software schematic must be produced to indicate the real- time computational path leading from the acquired laser signals as they are converted to greyscale image, and as the image is displayed. Specific existing software, or a plan to program new software, must be identified that can accomplish each step involved in the software path. All image data must be compliant with DICOM standards.

PHASE II: The overall objective of Phase II is to produce a fully operational prototype handheld ncLUS scanner in the specified form factor that can acquire human images in tests, archive and display the images on external devices, retrieve the images from the archive and redisplay them. The first goal of Phase II is to produce prototype hardware based on the electronics and optical design of Phase I. The emphasis should be focused on hardware integration and operation during this stage. This task will produce the first deliverable, a 2x or 4x size prototype of the ncLUS that acquires laser signals that can be observed on an oscilloscope. The prototype should initially adhere to the Phase I design except for its physical size. Testing of improvements and changes is then encouraged in order to take advantage of the state-of-the-art in electronics, computers, and optics. The signals should be acquired from an inanimate phantom at this early stage.

The next aim is to expand the emphasis to the programming and testing of software for the scanner. The aim of this stage is to produce a second deliverable that is a modified form of the first deliverable, except replete with fully operational software for the acquisition of laser signals, reconstruction of the greyscale images, and transmission of the images to an external handheld computer. Innovation in the transmission, storage and display of images is encouraged. All image data must be compliant with DICOM standards. This system and software should be tested extensively with inanimate phantoms. Power deposition must be demonstrated to not exceed FDA guidelines.  Modifications to the electronics, optics and/or acquisition function should be made at this point. Next, the focus should shift to the production of a fully functional prototype ncLUS scanner in the desired form factor, complete with the computer software needed to perform signal acquisition and all functions for display, archiving and retrieving the acquired images. This scanner should be demonstrated to acquire human images, under an IRB-approved research protocol. One fully functional prototype will constitute the third deliverable, accompanied by validation test reports and other relevant reports and designs. Provide an FDA regulatory plan to illustrate the pathway to clearance.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop training software, sample input and manuals for the system. Due to the device’s small size and likely modest price, the main target for the product is the mass commercial market, i.e. primary care physicians, clinics, and EMT use. The contractor should refine and implement their regulatory strategy for obtaining FDA approval of their technology for use as an US device based on their initial FDA feedback. This phase should culminate in submission to the FDA of the developed technology for approval. In conjunction with FDA submission, the contractor should develop scaled up manufacturing of the technology that follows FDA quality regulations. In addition, the work may result in technology transition to an Acquisition Program managed by the Service Product Developers. The contractor can also propose use to the Services. Utility would be enhanced if the device was easily able to transmit images from phone internet application(s), enabling teleradiology and potentially integrate with artificial intelligence. The ability to provide a non-contact ultrasound device to the battlefield space will enable better visualization of injuries without the need to remove clothing and protective gear before it's necessary to treat.

REFERENCES:

1. X. Zhang, J.R. Fincke, C.M. Wynn, M.R. Johnson, R.W. Haupt, B.W. Anthony, Full noncontact laser ultrasound: first human data, Light: Science & Applications (2019) 8:119.
2. DC Hile, AR Morgan, BT Laselle, JD Bothwell, Is Point-of-Care Ultrasound Accurate and Useful in the Hands of Military Medical Technicians? A Review of the Literature, Military Medicine, 177, 8:983, 2012
3. Medgadget Eds., Butterfly Network Expands Applications for Smartphone-Connected Ultrasound: Interview, Medgadget Nov 14, 2019.
4. J.D. Crisp, Portable Ultrasound Empowers Special Forces Medics, Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 10, Edition 1 / Winter 10, pp.59-62 (2017).

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical

OBJECTIVE: Design and build a Terahertz (THz) medical imager in the form of a small, flexible, layered rectangular blanket, with internal functional components, that can be wrapped around the torso of a wounded patient and provide images of internal anatomy.

DESCRIPTION: THz radiation has a potentially game-changing role in military medical imaging because emerging technology offers the possibility to create portable, lightweight flexible THz imagers.

THz radiation has frequencies in the range 0.3-30 THz (1 THz = 1012 Hz), with wavelengths in the range 1 mm (below microwave) to 0.1 mm (above infrared). THz waves can penetrate clothing, among other solid objects, and are now used in some airports to scan passengers and detect dangerous items. THz radiation is an advantageous electromagnetic frequency band for medical imaging due to its low probability of causing tissue damage, since low energy THz photons are non- ionizing and are strongly absorbed by water. THz radiation can produce extremely high resolution images, and is able to image subtle tissue differences due to its high sensitivity to water content.

Previously, technical issues prevented construction of practical THz medical imagers. Recently, though, several critical technology advances in THz transmitters and detectors have appeared in the literature. These advances include flexible terahertz detectors using nanotube [1] and graphene [2] and nanowire technologies [3], and a flexible terahertz transmitter [4] using nanoscale technology. In combination, these technologies make it possible to design a flexible, lightweight, portable THz medical imager.

One can envision that such an imager can be easily carried and used in many situations to provide imaging capability [5,6]. The THz imager may provide medical images that can reveal acute traumatic injury, e.g. organ damage, internal bleeding, imbedded objects. THz imaging methodology challenges still exist. Scientists have devised a number of methods to extract biomedical information using different forms of THz imaging, as reviewed in [6]. THz phase contrast imaging seems the most successful [6] for biomedical imaging since it offers information about interior density, while absorption techniques are limited to surface imaging due to the strong water absorption of THz waves.

This project involves designing a THz imager in the form of a lightweight flexible blanket-like cover composed of a ‘sandwich’ of fabric or flexible plastic, and transmitter and detector components.

Imaginative design is encouraged, to minimize weight, increase signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and guarantee robustness in demanding conditions. The imager is to be sized 60 cm long x 100 cm wide to wrap and provide medical images from the torso, showing internal organs. Smaller prototypes can be used in testing. Image reconstruction and display should occur on a handheld computer or IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System) goggles. The THz imager has value in primary care, trauma care, and image-guided interventions. This project involves much innovation and state-of- the-art science, but the THz imager product has the potential to open up a new field and business in medical imaging. Military applications of the imager for trauma care also exist, presenting special challenges particularly in the rapid assessment of internal injuries and hemorrhage, and medical monitoring.

PHASE I: The main goal of Phase I is a feasibility study in the development of a flexible THz imaging device. To prove feasibility, a physical, electronics, and circuit design of the flexible THz imager product should be completed as the first deliverable. The electronic and circuit designs should include the latest in scientific components for THz transmitter and detector.  It must be shown in the feasibility study that the THz imager can be fabricated. Battery power should accommodate two hours of use prior to recharging and comply with Army field battery usage. An added benefit would come from the computer simulation of the first deliverable showing expected operation. Subcontractor(s) should be identified and give written proof of abilities and cooperation if component construction is out-sourced. The second deliverable is the physical design of the imager. The physical design of the THz imager must accommodate the scientific and technical elements identified in the first deliverable. Component costs may limit the size of the demonstration product. The THz imager must be a lightweight flexible blanket-like cover composed of, for example, a ‘sandwich’ of transmitter and detector components sealed within a rugged flexible plastic or synthetic fabric cover. It must have a disposable sterilized cover or be able to be easily cleaned and sterilized. A good example is a flexible MRI receiver coil. Imaginative design and fabrication ideas are encouraged. The imager must be able to operate under normal environmental conditions but it would be an added plus if the product could be designed to operate under extreme temperature conditions experienced by the military (see [7]). The third deliverable is the technical design of the data acquisition – that is, the data acquisition methodology, image reconstruction, filtering options, display, image transmission and archiving using DICOM format. The imaging methodology must be robust and efficient, e.g. THz phase contract imaging that can acquire and display internal anatomy, i.e. organs, tissue and vessels. The imaging methodology must be designed for power deposition within FDA guidelines. Subsequent signal processing steps must be identified or designed. Image reconstruction, filtering, and display should occur on an Android handheld computer or IVAS goggles. The handheld computer must be capable of performing the image reconstruction computations at a rate of approximately 1 image per second or faster if possible, from the acquired data. This computer should also be able to transmit the images by wire or wirelessly to an external device.

PHASE II: The overall objective of Phase II is to produce a fully operational prototype of the flexible THz imager, scaled in size, that can acquire in vivo human images in tests, archive and display the images on external devices, retrieve the images from the archive and redisplay them.. Experimental proof of power deposition will be required to show compliance with FDA guidelines. The first goal of Phase II is to produce scaled prototype imager hardware based on the design of Phase I. The emphasis should be focused on hardware integration and operation during this stage. This task will produce the first deliverable, a prototype of the THz imager that acquires signals from an inanimate phantom that can be observed on an oscilloscope. Testing of improvements and changes is then encouraged in order to take advantage of the state-of-the-art in electronics, computers and other components of the prototype. Next the focus should be expanded to the programming and testing of software for the imager operation, data acquisition and image reconstruction. Produce a second deliverable that is a modified form of the first deliverable, except replete with fully operational software for transmission, detection, and reconstruction of 2D projection greyscale images, and, if possible, 3D tomographic image data (i.e. signals containing depth information). Demonstrate transmission of the images to an external handheld computer and IVAS. The third and final deliverable is the (perhaps modified) prototype THz imager, with handheld computer and all software needed for operation, used to acquire in vivo images from a human limb and torso. Images should be acquired under an IRB-approved research protocol. The fully functional prototype should be accompanied by validation test reports and other relevant reports and designs. Document and deliver a proposed regulatory strategy. Initiate pre-submission discussions with the FDA regarding approval for use. Deliver an FDA proposed regulatory strategy, and a manufacturability plan.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop software, sample input and manuals for the imager so that it can be disseminated to medical professionals and training provided for its use. Due to the imager’s flexibility, portability and (likely) ease of use, private sector commercial potential can be initially directed at facilities and medical professionals lacking available standard Radiology modalities. The contractor should refine and implement their regulatory strategy for obtaining FDA approval of their technology for use as medical imaging device based on their initial FDA feedback. This phase should culminate in submission to the FDA of the developed technology for approval. In conjunction with FDA submission, the contractor should develop scaled up manufacturing of the technology that follows FDA quality regulations. In addition, the work may result in technology transition to an Acquisition Program managed by the Service Product Developers. The contractor can also propose use to the Services. Utility would be enhanced if the device was easily able to transmit images from phone internet application(s), enabling teleradiology.

REFERENCES:

1. D. Suzuki, S. Oda, Y. Kawano, A flexible and wearable terahertz scanner, Nature Photonics, 10, 809-813 (2016).
2. X. Yang, A. Vorobiev, A. Generalov, M. A. Andersson, J. Stake, A flexible graphene terahertz detector, Appl. Phys. Lett. 111, 021102 (2017);
3. K. Peng, D. Jevtics, F. Zhang, S. Sterzl, D.A. Damry, M.U. Rothmann, B. Guilhabert, M.J. Strain, H.H. Tan, L.M. Herz, L. Fu, M.D. Dawson, A. Hurtado, C. Jagadis, M.B. Johnston, Three-dimensional cross-nanowire networks recover full terahertz state, Science 368, 510-513 (2020).
4. M. Samizadeh Nikoo, A. Jafari, N. Perera, M. Zhu, G.Santoruvo, E. Matioli, Nanoplasma- enabled picosecond switches for ultrafast electronics, Nature, 579, 7800, 534-539, Mar 25 2020.
5. M. Jacoby, Medical Imaging Turns to Oft-Neglected Part of Light Spectrum, Chemical & Engineering News 93(44), 10-14 (2015).
6. M. Wan, J. Healy, J.T. Sheridan, Terahertz phase imaging and biomedical applications. Optics and Laser Technology 122, 1-12 (2020).
7. Department of Defense Test Method Standard: Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests (15-APR-2015) MIL-STD-810G.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground Sea; Materials

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Due to thermal, physical, chemical and oxidative stressors, in-service lubricants may undergo a variety of changes, possibly causing it to exceed specification limits and negatively impacting lubrication performance for various engine applications.    

Although this may be typical for in-service lubricating oils, we are starting to see a slight uptick in recently procured lubricating oil going off-spec, while in Storage tanks (during a duration of 6 months or less). Physical test properties, such as Foaming Characteristics (ASTM D892), Demulsibility (ASTM D1401), Appearance (ASTM D4176), and Moisture Content (ASTM D6304) are valuable quality measures that are impacted by additive packages.       

In an effort to understand, screen, prevent and/or mitigate premature degradation of lubricating oil, there is interest in studying lubricating oil additive packages, its effectiveness and impact on oil properties (i.e., foaming, demulsibility, moisture content, etc.), and an initiative to determine if there are causal analysis steps the end user can implement to bring LTL products back on-spec.           

The overall goal of this study is to prevent product replacement. The interim goal is to build a “fingerprinting” profile database on the MIL-PRF-17331 commodity for future characterization of the LTL lubricating oil.

DESCRIPTION: The goal of this study will be two-fold:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1  Monitor lubricating oil physical test properties, per its relevant specification (i.e., MIL-PRF-17331), as a function of shelf-life time, contaminant intrusion, and additive concentration.

2. Build a lubricating oil Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) library, to monitor and screen lubricating oil conditions, and to establish correlative data between IR spectra and physical test properties.  

·  Specification:  MIL-PRF-17331, Steam Turbine Lubricating Oil

         o Test Plan

                  ¨  Lab Participation (i.e., Quality Test Labs, R&D Lab, JOAP Lab, etc.)

                  ¨  Data Repository (i.e., historical data, Refinery data, spectroscopy library creation, etc.)

                  ¨  Instrumentation Info (i.e., Type, Model, etc.)

                  ¨  Test Methods (TM)

       o Sample Plan (on select Batches/Lots)

                  ¨  Refinery Retain Sample

                  ¨  Truck Retain Sample

                  ¨  Tank Receipt Sample

                  ¨  Tank Storage Sample (1-month, 3-month, or 6-month)

                  ¨  In-Service Lube Sample (Used Oil sample -NAVSEA, JOAP)

PHASE I: The intent of PHASE I is to establish a baseline with the Refinery Retain Sample.  Measure and correlate the physiochemical properties and spectroscopy properties (as a function of time and/or sample location) of the Refinery Sample from production to end use (ideally).

·  Plan

         o   Correlation Study, Plan A:

                  ¨  Refinery data vs Lab test data

• • • Refinery provide additive package data. Check mfr. proprietary  restrictions
    • SBIR Test Lab(s) provide physiochemical properties of the finished lube &  additive concentration via spectroscopy (IR, MS, etc.)

         o  Correlation Study, Plan B:

              Test data

• SBIR Test Lab(s) provide physiochemical properties of the finished lube & additive concentration via spectroscopy (IR, MS, etc.)
• Sample Batch/Lot (Traceability, Sample Location)
• Refinery sample, Truck Retain, Tank Receipt, Tank Storage (In-Service Lube, if traceable from production to end use)

         o  Additives to Monitor (examples)              o  Physiochemical Properties (examples)

             ¨ Oxidation Inhibitors                                          ¨ Foaming

             ¨ Anti-foam agents                                                ¨ Demulsibility

             ¨ Anti-wear agents                                                ¨  Total Acid Number (TAN) 

             ¨ Viscosity Index improvers                              ¨  Total Base Number

 

PROJECT DURATION and COST:

PHASE I: NTE 12 Months $150K- Base NTE $100K base 6-9 Months, - Option 1 NTE $50K base 3-6 Months

PHASE II: – NTE 24 Months $1.6M - Base 12-18 months, $1M Option 6 Months NTE $.6M

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The phase one period of performance is not to exceed 12 months total.  Options are not automatic.  Approval is at the discretion of the DLA SBIP Program Manager.  The decision is based on Project Performance, Priorities of the Agency, and/or the availability of funding.

PHASE II: The Phase II proposal is optional for the Phase I awardee.  Phase II selections are based on Phase I performance, Priorities of the Agency and available funding.

The intent of Phase II is to build a lubricating oil Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) library, to monitor and screen lubricating oil conditions, and to establish correlative data between IR spectra and physical test properties.  

The expectation of Phase II is the development of a working lab prototype (TRL 6) and a demonstration of your proposed solution.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: No specific funding is associated with Phase III.  The successful awardee must plan to deliver a fully functional product to DLA Energy and NAVAIR

COMMERCIALIZATION: The firm will pursue commercialization of the various technologies and processes developed in prior phases through participation in future DLA procurement actions on items identified but not limited to this BAA.

REFERENCES:

Product Specification: 

MIL-PRF-17331L(SH):  LUBRICATING OIL, STEAM TURBINE AND GEAR, MODERATE SERVICE

• Applicable product grade:   Industrial Oil, Steam Turbine (LTL)

Applicable Test Methods: 

• ASTM D892 - Foaming Characteristics of Lubricating Oils
• ASTM D1401 - Water Separability of Petroleum Oils and Synthetic Fluids
• ASTM D4176 - Free Water and Particulate Contamination in Distillate Fuels

                   (Visual Inspection Procedures)

• ASTM D6304 - Determination of Water in Petroleum Products, Lubricating

                  Oils, and Additives by Coulometric Karl Fischer Titration

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and promote solutions and alternatives to single use plastic packaging.   With the European Union (EU) enacting a ban on the import of items with plastic packaging, alternatives materials need to be identified and tested.

DESCRIPTION: Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Troop Support (TS) Subsistence topic of interest is research focused on finding alternatives to single use plastic packaging for military customers Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS).   Disposal of single use plastics packaging as well as the amount of waste generated by this packaging is a major aspect leading to the EU taking action.   This research project shall involve identifying alternative packaging:

1. That is environmentally friendly upon disposal

2. Preserves the shelf-life of the item(s) in the packaging

3. Provides security against tampering or altering the product in the packaging

4. Reduces the US environmental footprint in OCONUS by decreasing the amount of single use packaging in landfills

PROJECT DURATION and COST:

PHASE I: NTE 12 Months $150K- Base NTE $100K base 6-9 Months, - Option 1 NTE $50K base 3-6 Months

PHASE II: – NTE 24 Months $1.6M - Base 12-18 months, $1M Option 6 Months NTE $.6M

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The phase one period of performance is not to exceed 12 months total.  Options are not automatic.  Approval is at the discretion of the DLA SBIP Program Manager.  The decision is based on Project Performance, Priorities of the Agency, and/or the availability of funding.

PHASE I: The research and development goals of Phase 1 are to provide Small Business eligible Research and Development firms the opportunity to successfully demonstrate how environmentally friendly packaging or natural alternatives can reduce costs to DLA.   The Vendor should identify and propose new types of environmentally friendly packaging.  The Vendor should also propose how the packaging will preserve and protect the food product as well as how the qualities of the materials will not contribute to landfills or harm the environment upon disposal.

At the end of Phase I, a final report defining the proof of concept is required.

PHASE II: Based on the research and development results of Phase 1, the goals of Phase 2 will emphasize the testing and evaluation of various packaging alternatives.  The testing and evaluation may occur at a location in the Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) with an emphasis on the issues faced in OCONUS with regard to the ban established by the European Union (EU).  Testing locations will be mutually agreed upon by DLA Troop Support Subsistence, DLA Troop Support Europe & Africa (E&A) and the vendor.

The Vendor should discuss research and development efforts of Phase I and Phase 2 in the technical proposal as well as the proposed cost in Phase II.

The expectation of Phase II is the development of a working lab prototype (TRL 6) and a demonstration of your proposed solution.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: At this time, no specific funding is associated with Phase 3.  Develop a plan for moving the prototype into an operational environment.  Progress documents from Phase 1 and Phase 2 should result in a vendor’s qualification as an approved source of alternative packaging in future procurements.   

COMMERCIALIZATION:   The vendor will pursue commercialization of the various processes and technologies associated with the alternative packaging methods identified and/or developed during earlier phases as well as potential commercial sales of any parts or other items

REFERENCES:

1. Department of Defense Food Service Program (DFSP). https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/133810m.pdf?ver=2019-08-26-085742-383. December 2, 2014.
2. Defense Material Disposition: Disposal guidance & Procedures. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/416021_vol1.pdf?ver=2019-10-02-080613-750. October 22, 2015.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items.  Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country (ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement.  Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution with a state-of-the-art capability that operates within the DLA Distribution Warehouse environment. The warehouse AI system may use various sensors (e.g., Internet of Things (IoT)) where applicable. It should minimize the need for infrastructure modifications to enable an artificial intelligence system within the warehouse environment. The goal of this objective is for the vendor to develop a capability for a warehouse AI system that addresses the requirements for integration with a Warehouse Management System (WMS) and a Warehouse Execution System (WES) as specific warehouse infrastructures dictate. This capability will provide for the seamless execution of AI and interactions with Smart Warehouse systems such as 5G Networks, IoT Sensors, Blockchain technology, Quantum Computers, and Machine Learning (ML).

The state-of-the-art AI solution must integrate into the existing warehouse communications systems to communicate with WES systems when installed. This integration allows Autonomous Guided Vehicles, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), Robotic Arms, IoT Sensors to receive tasking in an automated fashion to operate frequently and report success or failure at tasking. In support of routine warehouse operations, this research seeks to identify and test AI technology that can be used uninterruptedly and continuously within the DLA Distribution Warehouse environment. This research effort addresses DLA identified cybersecurity requirements through the test and evaluation of government security controls. It leverages current technologies in the AI industry. This research project will operate in locations at designated DLA Distribution Centers in the United States.

DESCRIPTION: Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Distribution Modernization Program (DMP) topics of interest are research focused on a Continental United States-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution in support of the routine warehouse operations. This research project will involve the use of Commercial/Industry AI technology that can meet the demands of warehouse operations, can be integrated with autonomous warehouse vehicles, robots, and warehouse communications, and be integrated with warehouse navigation systems, 5G Networks, IoT Sensors, Quantum Computing architecture, and warehouse based Machine Learning (ML) that:

1. Support a joint effort between DLA Research and Development (R&D) and DLA J4 Distribution Headquarters to conduct research and test a warehouse AI system that works with various autonomous platforms, 5G Networks, IoT Sensors, Quantum Computing systems, and ML applications during warehouse operations.

2. Significantly addresses the AI capabilities of AI within a distribution warehouse operations environment.

3. Features an AI system able to implement high precision data for regular use in warehouse operations.

4. Can be integrated into warehouse communications systems such as a WMS or a WES to receive tasking and report status.

5. Demonstrates a state-of-the-art operational capability when operating within the distribution warehouse environment through the application of AI technology and facilitates a robust communications network technology used in a working environment shared with warehouse workers.

6. It is a reliable and robust technology solution that allows DLA Distribution Warehouses to perform automated tasks without significantly lower operating speeds per existing industry trends.

7. Demonstrates compatibility with a Government data cloud environment to store and retrieve warehouse-generated data without relying on a separate commercial data cloud environment to navigate successfully.

8. Conclusively demonstrates the use of new AI technology and concepts for application and integration in the distribution and delivery of material and goods during representative distribution warehouse operations in an innovative way.

PROJECT DURATION and COST:

PHASE I: NTE 12 Months $150K- Base NTE $100K base 6-9 Months, - Option 1 NTE $50K base 3-6 Months

PHASE II: – NTE 24 Months $1.6M - Base 12-18 months, $1M Option 6 Months NTE $.6M

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The phase one period of performance is not to exceed 12 months total.  Options are not automatic.  Approval is at the discretion of the DLA SBIP Program Manager.  The decision is based on Project Performance, Priorities of the Agency, and/or the availability of funding.

PHASE I: Perform a design study to determine how to use artificial intelligence to optimize DLA Distribution Warehouse operations, sustainment, and logistics support. Deliver a final design of AI's capabilities, a simulation model of DLA Distribution assets, and a demonstration of an AI-infused model capable of making intelligent trade-off decisions to meet specified PM requirements. A successful design will optimize support, minimize DLA Distribution Warehouse system downtime, and maximize system availability, using logistics inputs (component failure rates, shipping times, repair times, maintenance man-hours, and warehouse staffing).

The research and development goals of Phase I provide Small Business eligible Research and Development firms the opportunity to successfully demonstrate how their proposed warehouse AI concept of operations (CONOPS) improves the distribution of goods and materials within the DLA distribution enterprise and effectively lessens the time to provide needed supplies to the Warfighter. The selected vendor will conduct a feasibility study to:

1. Address the requirements described above in the Description Section for warehouse AI operations.

2. Identify capability gap(s) and the requirement for DLA to use AI in the DLA Distribution Operations environment.

3. Develop the vendor's Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to utilize warehouse AI and describe clearly how the requirements develop from it.

Note: During Phase I of the SBIR, testing is not required.

The vendor must create a CONOPS for Warehouse AI in support of both routine and wartime distribution warehouse operations. The concept of operations will cover the utilization of artificial intelligence within distribution warehouses during routine procedures, describing precisely all operational requirements as part of this process. This artificial intelligence requirement intends to operate inside distribution warehouses successfully.

The deliverables for this project include a final report, including a cost breakdown of courses of action.

PHASE II: Based on the research and the concept of operations developed during Phase I, the research and development goals of Phase II emphasizes the execution of the Warehouse AI system following the typical DLA Distribution Warehouse concept of operations for materiel handling. During Phase II, the vendor will:

1. Address the specific user requirements, functional requirements, and system requirements as defined and provided by DLA.

2. Develop a prototype Warehouse AI system for Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E) and Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E).

3. Implement government cybersecurity controls in the prototype design and secure all necessary cybersecurity certifications to operate the equipment in the DLA warehouse environment with DOD cloud connections.

4. Design the prototype equal to the technology maturity of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9 after Phase II.

5. Deliver a final Distribution Warehouse AI prototype system to DLA capable of successfully executing the operational concepts established in the Phase I CONOPS.

The DLA Warehouse Artificial Intelligence system will operate across the United States at various DLA Distribution Center sites mutually agreed upon between DLA R&D and DLA Distribution HQ. This project's deliverables include a final report, including a cost breakdown of courses of action (COAs).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: PHASE III: Dual Use Applications: At this point, there is no specific funding associated with Phase III. During Phase I and Phase II, the progress made should result in a vendor's qualification as an approved source for a Warehouse Artificial Intelligence system and support participation in future procurements.

COMMERCIALIZATION:  The manufacturer will pursue the commercialization of the Warehouse Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and designs developed to apply to the warehouse environment. The processes developed in preliminary phases and potential commercial sales of manufactured mechanical parts or other items. The first path for commercial use will be at DLA's twenty-six Distribution Centers and twenty Disposition Centers. When fielded, DLA estimates 20 - 26 units, but the number of units could be more.

REFERENCES:

1. Alex Krizhevsky and Geoffrey Hinton. Learning multiple layers of features from tiny images. 2009.
2. Andrew G Howard, Menglong Zhu, Bo Chen, Dmitry Kalenichenko, Weijun Wang, Tobias Weyand, Marco Andreetto, and Hartwig Adam. Mobilenets: Efficient convolutional neural networks for mobile vision applications. arXiv preprint arXiv:1704.04861, 2017.
3. Chunyuan Li, Heerad Farkhoor, Rosanne Liu, and Jason Yosinski. Measuring the intrinsic dimension of objective landscapes. Proceedings of ICLR, 2018.
4. Devansh Arpit, Stanisław Jastrz˛ebski, Nicolas Ballas, David Krueger, Emmanuel Bengio, Maxinder S Kanwal, Tegan Maharaj, Asja Fischer, Aaron Courville, Yoshua Bengio, et al. A closer look at memorization in deep networks. In International Conference on Machine Learning, pp. 233–242, 2017.
5. Kaiming He, Xiangyu Zhang, Shaoqing Ren, and Jian Sun. Deep residual learning for image recognition. In Proceedings of the IEEE conference on computer vision and pattern recognition, pp. 770–778, 2016.
6. Min, Hokey. (2010). International Journal of Logistics 13(1):13-39, “Artificial intelligence in supply chain management: Theory and applications.” February 2010. DOI: 10.1080/13675560902736537
7. Misha Denil, Babak Shakibi, Laurent Dinh, Nando De Freitas, et al. Predicting parameters in deep learning. In Advances in neural information processing systems, pp. 2148–2156, 2013.
8. Rosienkiewicz, Maria. (2013). "Artificial Intelligence Methods in Spare Parts Demand Forecasting. Logistics and Transport." 2013.
9. Song Han, Jeff Pool, John Tran, and William Dally. Learning both weights and connections for efficient neural network. In Advances in neural information processing systems, pp. 1135–1143, 2015.
10. Yann LeCun, Léon Bottou, Yoshua Bengio, and Patrick Haffner. Gradient-based learning applied to document recognition. Proceedings of the IEEE, 86(11):2278–2324, 1998.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Nuclear, and General Warfighting Requirements (GWR)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials

OBJECTIVE: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) seeks technologies and processes in Additive Manufacturing (AM) to enhance recycling and reuse of powders, test specimens, and scrap materials to produce additional material feedstock domestically.  All the areas of recycling and manufacturing technologies provide potential avenues toward achieving breakthrough advances. Proposed efforts funded under this topic may encompass any specific discrete-parts or materials recycling, manufacturing, or processing technology at any level resulting in a unit cost reduction, availability of feedstock material, and reduced environmental impact from the manufacturing of products.

Research and Development efforts selected under this topic shall demonstrate and involve a degree of risk where the technical feasibility of the proposed work has not been fully established.  Further, proposed efforts must be judged to be at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or less, but greater than TRL 3 to receive funding consideration.

TRL 3.  (Analytical and Experimental Critical Function and/or Characteristic Proof of Concept)

TRL 6.  (System/Subsystem Model or Prototype Demonstration in a Relevant Environment)

DESCRIPTION: The DLA Research & Development (R&D) is looking to develop the capability to recycle and recover AM powder, test specimens, and scrap materials produced during the part manufactruing process throughout the Department of Defense (DoD) facilities and domestic manufacturers. As AM continues to mature and the demand for AM powder increases, new innovative ways to collect and recycle scrap metal/powder into a useable AM grade powder as well as recycling AM powder not utilized in the build process are needed to reduce the production unit cost and secure feedstock supply.  The goal is to identify and recover AM powder, at a suitable purity level, suitable to be reused and in a form that it could be reintroduced into manufacturing at a later point in time. Developing an economically viable, environmentally friendly process for recycling of AM powders from the existing manufacturing process could facilitate the establishment of a viable, competitive domestic supply chain.  If this produces a viable reclamation methodology and sustainable process it may lead to follow-on efforts at the discretion of the US Government. The R&D tasks include identifying potential additional feedstock sources in the existing DoD supply chain and developing processes for AM recycling. The process should be amenable to the scale of operation required in AM manufacturing, and will improve the economics of AM powders from recovered material for reuse, rather than depend on costly foreign reliance.

PROJECT DURATION and COST:

PHASE I: NTE 12 Months $150K- Base NTE $100K base 6-9 Months, - Option 1 NTE $50K base 3-6 Months

PHASE II: – NTE 24 Months $1.6M - Base 12-18 months, $1M Option 6 Months NTE $.6M

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The phase one period of performance is not to exceed 12 months total.  Options are not automatic.  Approval is at the discretion of the DLA SBIP Program Manager.  The decision is based on Project Performance, Priorities of the Agency, and/or the availability of funding.

PHASE I: Determine, insofar as possible, the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of the concept.  Include a plan to demonstrate the innovative recycling process and address implementation approaches for near term insertion into the manufacture of Department of Defense (DoD) systems, subsystems, components, or parts.

PHASE II: Develop applicable and feasible process demonstration for the approach described, and demonstrate a degree of commercial viability.  Validate the feasibility of the innovative process by demonstrating its use in the production, testing, and integration of items for DLA and DoD.  Validation would include, but not be limited to, prototype quantities, data analysis, laboratory tests, system simulations, operation in test-beds, or operation in a demonstration system.  A partnership with a current or potential supplier to DoD, DLA, OEM, or other suitable partner is highly desirable.  Identify commercial benefit or application opportunities of the innovation.  Innovative processes should be developed with the intent to readily transition to production in support of DoD and its supply chains.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Technology transition via successful demonstration of a new process technology.  This demonstration should show near-term application to one or more Department of Defense systems, subsystems, or components.  This demonstration should also verify the potential for enhancement of quality, reliability, performance and/or reduction of unit cost or total ownership cost of the proposed subject.  Private Sector Commercial Potential: Material manufacturing improvements, including development of domestic manufacturing capabilities, have a direct applicability to all defense system technologies.  Material manufacturing technologies, processes, and systems have wide applicability to the defense industry including air, ground, sea, and weapons technologies.  Competitive material manufacturing improvements should have leverage into private sector industries as well as civilian sector relevance.  Many of the technologies under this topic would be directly applicable to other DoD agencies, NASA, and any commercial manufacturing venue.  Advanced technologies for material manufacturing would directly improve production in the commercial sector resulting in reduced cost and improved productivity.

REFERENCES:

1. EMERGENT III Research & Development Broad Agency Announcement (BAA0002-20)

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Microelectronics

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics

OBJECTIVE: To develop a BiCMOS platform utilizing SiC wafer to achieve high temperature operation and high voltage/power integration.

DESCRIPTION: As a result of almost four decades long investment on SiC technology by DoD and technical breakthroughs achieved by private sectors, affordable high-voltage SiC MOSFETs debut in the market recently [1][2]. The 650+V SiC MOSFETs become popular switching devices in data center, renewable energy, and even electric vehicle applications thanks to excellent energy efficiency and reduction in the power conversion system size and weight.

While discrete SiC power devices are successfully commercialized, separate efforts to develop SiC integrated circuits (ICs), that can be used in high temperature and high radiation environments, have continued for a decade. Those ICs were mostly based on non-CMOS, (i.e. bipolar transistor [3], MESFET [4] and JFET [5][6]) due to many technical barriers in SiC CMOS technology such as low channel mobility, uneven performance of NMOS vs. PMOS, forming resistive ohmic contacts, and gate oxide reliability.

More recently, advantages such as convenient digital circuit design using standard libraries and low power consumption of CMOS configuration drive big corporations [7][8] and small businesses [9][10] to jump into the SiC CMOS IC development competition. Despite these aspirations and effort, decent SiC CMOS technology development will not be easy to overcome the fundamental material properties of SiC including high gate oxide/SiC interface states.  

The goal of this solicitation is to develop and demonstrate a SiC BiCMOS platform that can be applied up to 300°C ambient temperature. Base materials for this solicitation include, but are not limited to bulk or epitaxial SiC wafer, Si/SiC direct bonding (Si/SiC DB) wafer, or Si-epitaxial grown on SiC substrate (Si-epi/SiC) wafer.

PHASE I: Perform a Feasibility Study that addresses the gate oxide related parameters such as channel mobility, gate tunneling current, time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB), bias temperature instability (BTI), and yield (extrinsic failure rate). Key parameters related to the gate oxide should meet requirements as below.  

- NMOSFET channel mobility > 50 cm²/V·s

- PMOSFET channel mobility > 10 cm²/V·s

- Threshold voltage shift (for NMOSFET and PMOSFET) < ±500 mV at bias-temperature stress during mean time to failure

When Si/SiC DB or Si-epi/SiC wafers are used, Si/SiC interface and across-wafer uniformity should be characterized by various imaging tools and spectroscopy. All junction combinations between (n and p-type) Si and (n and p-type) SiC have to be characterized electrically to monitor the ohmic and p-n junction behavior. Key parameters related to SiC/Si interface should meet requirements as below.

- Void free and continuous SiC/Si interface throughout entire wafer

- Bonding interface thickness (thickness of SiO₂, amorphous Si or carbon rich region) < 10 nm

- Bonding interface state density < 1x10¹²  eV^-1cm^-2

If those key parameters are not met the requirements, detailed plans for improvement of those reliability and performance parameters during phase II must be proposed.

PHASE II: Prototype deliveries of phase II are development of wafer fabrication process and Process Design Kit (PDK). Based on the process, statistical data of critical parameters and reliability (mostly gate oxide related) data for technology qualification are to be reported. For CMOS transistors and high-voltage LDMOS, BSIM (or BSIM equivalent or modified BSIM) models incorporating statistical data shall be included in the PDK.

During the first year of phase II, TCAD simulations on n-channel and p-channel LDMOS (45V, 120V, and 650V) and other active and passive devices are necessary to define device architecture, dimension, and doping profile. Wafer processing modules (gate/field oxidation, isotropic/anisotropic etch, implant, activation/annealing, and contact/interconnect/pad metallization) on SiC or Si/SiC wafer should be developed. When SiC bulk or epitaxial wafer is used, process development should be carried out including efforts to improve gate oxide integrity, PMOS transconductance, source/drain/body ohmic contacts, and passive components temperature dependency. When Si/SiC wafer is used, wafer bonding or Si epitaxial processes, which can reproduce Si/SiC wafers, must be identified. All the process modules should be matured and stabilized. 

During the second year of phase II, all BiCMOS platform device components, which comprise of core logic CMOS transistors, analog MOSFETs (for current mirrors, differential pairs, etc), bipolar transistors, passives (diffusion and poly resistors, gate oxide or MIM capacitors), and high-voltage (45V, 120V, and 650V) LDMOSs are to be fabricated on a single die, and characterized at temperature range over -55C to 300C. Performance of those devices are to be improved/optimized though multiple test vehicles.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Continuous efforts may be needed to further stabilize the process flow which ensures product reliability to embody strong business case. Variations of the baseline flow are to be developed, for example, different technology nodes, gate oxide thickness, and LDMOS voltage ratings. The BiCMOS platforms could be utilized for smart power IC production, second source manufacturing or licensing.

SiC wafer platform is advantageous for high-temperature and radiation hardened ICs (when semi-insulating SiC substrates are used). On the other hand, Si/SiC wafer platform allows hybrid integration of high density Si CMOS logic and SiC high-voltage power devices. The platform could take advantage of Si/SiC heterojunction properties to enhancing LDMOS performance [11][12].

Those platforms are highly attractive to NASA’s space programs, Air Force’s aircrafts, Army’s combat electric vehicles and nuclear facilities where harsh environment electronics are required. Analog Devices’ AD8229 and ADXL206 are notable commercialized Si based products available in the market targeting oil/gas drilling, aerospace, and geothermal applications under 200°C ambient temperature. Many defense and civilian industries are anticipating SiC IC products that can operate above the Si temperature limit.

The Si/SiC DB wafer has not been commercialized simply due to lack of demand. If the Si/SiC platform development is successful, it would create demand for Si/SiC DB wafers as a base material for the BiCMOS IC production. Therefore, Si/SiC wafer manufacturing business will be a promising derivative from the platform development.

Potential Value to DoD: Because weapon systems operate under unexpected theatrical conditions, the systems have to be small, light, and energy efficient to meet size/weight/power (SWaP) goal of DoD. SiC BiCMOS ICs help to achieve the goals by making electronic modules simple, highly functional, and intelligent.  

REFERENCES:

1. “Silicon Carbide CoolSiC™ MOSFETs,” https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/power/mosfet/silicon-carbide/
2. “Announcing the Wolfspeed 650V Series of SiC MOSFETs,” https://www.wolfspeed.com/knowledge-center/article/announcing-the-wolfspeed-650v-series-of-sic-mosfets?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=650V&gclid=Cj0KCQjwupD4BRD4ARIsABJMmZ_YAs2Xr8X0N4713cHWDjofl4GJZu7bfk_2l-ub1sYI-yHFofrf4oEaAuuaEALw_wcB
3. Shakti Singh, “Bipolar Integrated Circuits in 4H-SiC,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 2011
4. Viorel Banu, “High Temperature-Low Temperature Coefficient Analog Voltage Reference Integrated Circuit Implemented with SiC MESFETs,” ESSCIRC, 2013
5. Kuang Sheng, “Demonstration of the first SiC power integrated circuit,” Solid State Electronics, 2008
6. Philip G. Neudeck, “Demonstration of 4H-SiC Digital Integrated Circuits Above 800 °C,” IEEE Electron Device Letters, 2017
7. N. Ericson, “A 4H Silicon Carbide Gate Buffer for Integrated Power Systems,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 2014
8. “Raytheon explores pioneering power systems for future aircraft,” https://www.raytheon.com/sites/default/files/rtnwcm/groups/gallery/documents/digitalasset/rtn_197809.pdf
9. “Integrated On-Chip Power for Harsh Environments,” https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/1671115
10. “Monolithically Integrated Rad-Hard SiC Gate Driver for 1200 V DMOSFETs,” https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/1426219
11. Baoxing Duan, “Si/SiC heterojunction lateral double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor with breakdown point transfer (BPT) terminal technology,” Micro & Nano Letters, 2019
12. Qi Li, “Novel SiC/Si heterojunction LDMOS with electric field modulation effect by reversed L-shaped field plate,” Results in Physics, 2020

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Microelectronics

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace, Electronics, Sensors

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE:  Develop a tool for automated, procedural planar serial sectioning of semiconductor microelectronic devices.

DESCRIPTION: Serial sectioning Integrated Circuits (ICs) to perform Failure Analysis (FA), Fault Isolation (FI), Reverse Engineering (RE), and Design Validation (DV) is time-consuming and repetitive work that is well suited for human-robot collaboration and robotic automation. Frontside, backside, and crosswise serial sectioning of IC samples often requires operators to maintain a serial sectioning precision to within less than twenty nanometers for multiple hours or days, often leading to operator fatigue and error. The wet chemistry, polishing slurries and pressurized nitrogen flows involved in serial sectioning do not easily lend themselves to bench-top systems. A larger, human-scale processing space oriented around an extended robotic arm with the ability to transition samples between acid baths of etchant, colloidal silica polishing slurries, liquid-soaked cleaning pads, sonicating baths of cleaning solvents, and compressed nitrogen gasses for drying samples is a realistic approach to both automating these processes and to minimizing the cost of maintaining equipment. The physical separation between each serial sectioning process that a robotic arm affords will prevent cross-contamination of materials, allow ease of access for preventative maintenance and routine equipment cleaning, and prevent liquids and corrosives from damaging mechanical and electrical equipment. A robotic arm also allows for the possibility of automatically inserting samples into a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) after each successive serial sectioning step. Current technology is limited to automatic frontside, backside, and crosswise serial sectioning to within accuracies of approximately one micron. Defense Microelectronics Activity needs the capability to do this to within tens of nanometers. While humans are able to perform all three of these processes, repeatability between sample preparation is often inconsistent, and both the great length of time it takes to perform coupled with limited numbers of personnel makes it impossible to validate the designs of and perform failure analysis on the large quantity of microelectronics employed by DoD. It is critical to national security and to the work being done by multiple DoD initiatives across different agencies that these processes become automated in the near future.

PHASE I:  Feasibility study of automatic serial sectioning an IC to an arbitrary metal layer in a planar manner that results in all vias being present, along with a relatively uniform interlayer dielectric material (ILD), and all metal lines beneath it. Having all three of these present in a single image: vias, the ILD to hold the vias in place, and the metal lines beneath the ILD is the first preliminary benchmark of the automatic serial sectioning system. The following requirements should be met:

1) Material removal with an accuracy of less one-hundred nanometers across a one square centimeter IC with reference to the initial planar surface of the IC, or less than 0.0006° tilt.

2) Highly perpendicular crosswise serial sectioning to within 90°±0.0006°.

3) Serial-sectioning to a target location with accuracy of less than a micron. 

4) Microscope images should be taken while serial-sectioning. All vias and metal lines of the layer of interest should be present at time of imaging, and the microscope should be capable of imaging these vias and metal lines up to 500x magnification.

5) A study should be done on how to make all equipment and machinery self-contained, requiring no external plumbing, drainage, or ventilation. Details should be provided on how this will be achieved in Phase II.   

6) Detailed recipes, stating rates or times taken to serial section, and clean IC samples should be provided. All equipment, chemicals, materials, and supplies employed in the process should be stated. 

7) DMEA users of the tool should have the full ability to program the machine to suit their needs. The software should include flexibility to modify serial sectioning recipes and parameters.

8) Detailed plans of all mechanical parts designed for this contract should be furnished to DMEA in original digital format.

Deliver a feasibility report of research and innovation, including a list of possible components, a storyboard of software that will control the tool and a program plan for system development. If any of the above restraints cannot be adhered to, the report must include relevant research and rationale. If adhering to the above constraints is possible, but not financially feasible, the report must include relevant research and rationale.

PHASE II: Based on the aforementioned study and applicable innovation,

1) Produce a fully functioning self-contained prototype that adheres to all the constraints listed in Phase I.

2) Test the prototype and deliver along with at least (3) samples for each application, for a total of (9) samples. The applications are: Frontside, backside, and crosswise serial sectioning. The samples should all be the same device (to be determined during Phase I) and should show the process repeatability between both samples.

3) Deliver a complete Bill of Materials (BOM), including all part numbers used, manufacturers, quantities, technical datasheets, facility requirements, and deliver CAD files and digital designs of all mechanical parts designed for this SBIR.

4) Provide multiple images showing individual IC metal layers, along with ILD, and all vias intact showing that the process is repeatable. For example, only seven of these types of images for a seven metal layer device are required to obtain all data of the entire integrated circuit design layout. Due to time constraints, this requirement is not mandatory, although this is one of the intended purposes of the equipment. It will do a great service to the reputed capability of the system if it demonstrates that it can validate the design of an entire IC by frontside serial sectioning.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: There may be opportunities for further development of this system for use in a specific military or commercial application.  During a Phase III program, offerors may refine the performance of the design and produce pre-production quantities for evaluation by the Government.

The Robotic Microelectronic Planar Serial Sectioning would be applicable to both commercial and government semiconductor device research and FA. Government applications include FA, FI, DV and RE of semiconductors. Commercial applications include FA and FI of semiconductors.

Potential Value to DoD: High throughput serial sectioning of integrated circuits for the purposes of failure analysis, fault isolation, reverse engineering, design validation and counterfeit inspection is critical to national security. Given the sheer quantity of microelectronics employed by DoD, automation is a realistic approach to performing these tasks at scale.

REFERENCES:  

1. Kimura, A., Scholl, J., Schaffranek, J., Sutter, M., Elliott, A, Strizich, M. & David, G., A Decomposition Workflow for Integrated Circuit Verification and Validation, J Hardw Syst Secur (2020) 1-10.
2. Uchic, M., Groeber, M., Shah, M., Callahan, P., Shiveley, A., Scott, M., Chapman, M. and Spowart, J., An automated multi-modal serial sectioning system for characterization of grain-scale microstructures in engineering materials, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on 3D Materials Science (2012) 195-202.
3. Horstmann, H., Körber, C., Sätzler, K., Aydin, D., & Kuner, T., Serial section scanning electron microscopy (S 3 EM) on silicon wafers for ultra-structural volume imaging of cells and tissues, PloS one (2012), 7(4) e35172.
4. Zankel, A., Wagner, J. and Poelt, P., Serial sectioning methods for 3D investigations in materials science. Micron 62 (2014) 66-78.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Autonomy; Directed energy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Weapons

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a suite of compact multi-weapon system payloads that deliver scalable Intermediate Force Capability (IFC) effects combined with other military effects for: applicability and effectiveness in multiple domains; synergistic value of integrating the various IFC effects with other multi-use military capabilities in a common architecture, such as Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR); secure communications; and automated fire control systems, all integrated aboard small manned and unmanned systems (UxS) platforms. Platforms include small tactical vehicles/vessels and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for both urban and austere terrains, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for both counter-air and ground support operations, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for both the littorals and open water operations, and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

DESCRIPTION: This SBIR topic seeks to develop a suite of more compact and lightweight long range non-lethal counter-personnel and counter-materiel payloads for integration on small tactical vehicles/platforms and UxS. These IFC payloads will support a variety of stabilization operations, gray zone warfare, and regular and irregular warfare missions across the full Range of Military Operations (ROMO) [Refs 1,2]. These non-lethal (NL)/IFC payloads with enhanced system performance seek to mitigate codified joint non-lethal weapon capability-gaps. There is Service transition interest in these NL/IFC payloads in both the Maritime (U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard) and Ground (U.S. Army and USMC) domains as each Service currently desires IFCs via small/lightweight low-cost systems that can project/provide long-range IFCs. These desired effects across the full breadth of the ROMO must be accomplished with integration of these small NL/IFC payloads on tactical manned and unmanned platforms with significant reduced overall system size, weight, power consumption, thermal cooling (-55 degrees C to 125 degrees C) and lower system costs (SWAP/C2) [Ref 5]. Existing IFCs have known range and overall system size and weight limitations, i.e., the current COTS solutions only mitigate a very small portion of the codified Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) approved counter-personnel and counter-materiel capability-gap. This topic supports future long range compact and lightweight IFC to provide long range hail and warn, non-lethal counter-personnel tasks: such as deny access, move, suppress, and disable individuals and non-lethal counter-materiel tasks: such as stop/disable vehicles, vessels and aircraft. 

These new innovative compact/lightweight IFC payloads include existing, both commercial off the shelf (COTS) and developmental, NL weapon technologies/stimuli such as: (1) dazzling lasers, (2) 12 gauge/40mm non-lethal munitions (blunt impact, flashbang, riot control agents, human electro-muscular incapacitation, malodorant) with associated munition launching/targeting and fire control systems; (3) long range acoustic hailing devices, and (4) directed energy (DE) weapons such as counter-electronics (e.g., high power microwave weapons) and Active Denial Technologies (ADT). These new innovative payloads shall also include new/novel non-lethal payloads with innovative human effects and new non-lethal stimuli such as optogenics modulation of high magnetic fields and other new non-lethal stimuli that provide long range IFCs such as: (1) long range hail and warn capabilities; (2) area denial – deny access capabilities; (3) human target suppression; (4) ability to move individuals and/or groups of individuals from open and confined spaces; and (5) ability to non-lethally incapacitate/disable threat human/material targets. 

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on Phase II of this project as set forth by DCSA and MCSC in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Develop a wide variety of non-lethal stimuli for integration on a small tactical vehicle/platform and small UxSs, ensuring that each payload will have a minimal cost (of $10’s of thousands of dollars vice payloads that cost > $1M) and weigh less than 50-100 lbs and with a compact form-fit of < 3 cu ft. 

Demonstrate the feasibility/effectiveness of these novel Non-Lethal/IFC payloads with existing non-lethal weapon effectiveness models and against real counter-material targets such as against relevant threat vehicle and vessel engine targets. Collect weapon effectiveness data at range, e.g., Radio Frequency (RF) Target Susceptibility data corresponding to a Radio Frequency (RF) - High Power Microwave (HPM) payload’s waveform against a broad relevant set of targets (e.g., threat vehicle and vessel engine) and human effects and weapon effectiveness data for non-lethal counter-personnel payloads. Demonstrate individual NL/IFC payload weapon effectiveness and performance data as well as this same type of data for a “combined effect” suite of NL/IFC Payloads. Demonstrate meeting JNLWD/JIFCO/Marine Corps needs and establish that the NL/IFC payloads weapon concept can be employed throughout the Joint Services. Establish weapon concept feasibility/effectiveness by rigorous NL/IFC individual and combined effects testing against both threat personnel and counter-materiel targets. Phase I will not require human subject or animal subject testing. Provide a Phase II development plan with performance goals and key technical milestones that addresses technical risk reduction and defines the development of a suite of compact/lightweight/low-cost Phase II non-lethal/IFC payloads integrated to small manned and unmanned systems.

PHASE II: Develop a suite of optimized (size/weight/cost) Non-Lethal/IFC payloads integrated to small manned systems and UxSs. Evaluate the prototype NL/IFC payloads via rigorous counter-personnel and counter-materiel target testing at both the contractor’s facilities and at DoD laboratories such as the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Dahlgren Division (NSWC- Dahlgren) test ranges. The JNLWD-JIFCO maintains a set of counter-personnel human effects and weapon effectiveness models and a full set of counter-personnel and counter-material test targets at various DoD labs. Deliver the suite of NL/IFC payloads for manned and unmanned systems to Government lab facilities to be independently assessed and evaluated, with minimal cost to the performer, to determine the weapon’s capability in meeting the performance goals defined in the Phase II development plan and the Marine Corps requirements for a suite of non-lethal/IFC payloads. Demonstrate system performance through the evaluation of the NL/IFC payload’s ability to meet known non-lethal counter-personnel and counter-materiel capability-gaps. Confirm and verify modeling and analytical methods developed in Phase I to include measuring the required full range of parameters including numerous deployment cycles. Use evaluation results to refine the prototype into an initial design that will meet the JIFCO/JNLWD/Marine Corps non-lethal/IFC payload requirements. Prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Joint Service use. 

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the JIFCO/JNLWD/Marine Corps in transitioning the technology for Joint Service use. Develop this suite of next-generation NL/IFC payloads as integrated on GOTS manned and unmanned systems. Evaluate these weapons to determine their effectiveness in operationally relevant environments, e.g., Limited Military User Assessments (LMUAs) held by various Services. Support the JIFCO/JNLWD/Marine Corps for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Joint Service use. 

A suite of compact, lightweight, low-cost long range non-lethal intermediate force capability payloads have significant commercial applications beyond the DoD including other government agencies such as the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to include Customs and Border Protection, which have actively been researching these type of non-lethal counter-personnel and counter-materiel effects. Local civilian law enforcement has these specific type of missions to support both counter-personnel and counter-materiel missions for law enforcement as well as to mitigate terrorist acts. Currently overall system size, weight, and cost have hindered the use of these systems by these agencies. This SBIR topic specifically addresses overall system size, weight, power consumption, thermal cooling, and overall system cost all while drastically improving NL/IFC weapon performance.

REFERENCES:

1. Leimbach, Wendell. “The Commandant’s Guidance for the DoD Non-Lethal Weapons Program.” Marine Corps Gazette, May 2020. https://www.jnlwp.defense.gov/Press-Room /In-The-News/Acticle/2213225/the-commandants-guidance-for-the-dod-non-lethl-weapons-program/  
2. Berger, David H. “Executive Agent’s Planning Guidance 2020 – Intermediate Force Capabilities – Bridging the Gap Between Presence and Lethality.” U.S. Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program, March 2020. https://mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/DoD-NLW-EA-Planning-Guidance-March-2020.pdf  
3. Klein, David. “Unmanned Systems & Robotics in the FY2019 Defense Budget.” https://www.auvsi.org/%E2%80%8Bunmanned-systems-and-robotics-fy2019-defense-budget  
4. “Demand for unmanned surface vehicles driven by non-lethal assignments.” GlobalData Plc 2020, John Carpenter House, John Carpenter Street, London, EC4Y OAN, UK, 24 Feb 2020. https://www.globaldata.com/demnd-for-unmanned-surface-vehicles-driven-by-non-lethal-assignments/  
5. “MIL-STD-810G, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TEST METHOD STANDARD: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING CONSIDERATIONS AND LABORATORY TESTS” October 31, 2008. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810G_12306/

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Autonomy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Biomedical

OBJECTIVE: Reduce the workload on medical personnel through the development of a system that can provide automated real-time supply ordering, tracking, and monitoring capabilities to integrate into existing USMC medical logistics systems (e.g., Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support, DMLSS) and their operational parameters, DoD enterprise digital medical logistics systems, and medical common operating picture (MedCOP) management systems in order to allow demand-based just in time push/pull logistical resupply of medical consumables and supporting products.

DESCRIPTION: The USMC has a need for as-needed, just-in-time custom medical resupply. Current Authorized Medical Allowance List (AMAL) logistical resupply is handled through the push or pull of large resupply or consumable blocks consisting of 1-5 pallets of environmentally ruggedized cases (e.g., AMAL 636, Battalion Aid Supplies). These resupply blocks are a “one size fits all” approach based upon the projected needs for a fixed number of patients per a fixed time period and do not take into account the actual consumption rates of specific medical products. This approach drastically increases the logistical footprint and cannot flexibly adjust to specific needs as driven by operational use. 

Advances in wireless information technology are bringing the Navy Medical Corpsmen new ways to monitor and track patients in the theater (e.g., the USAF Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL’s) Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit or BATDOK, and Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory’s (MCWL’s) prototype concept, Medical Common Operating Picture (MedCOP). Advances in automated and expeditionary Unmanned Systems (UxS) could be applied as new methods of “small-payload on the spot” delivery of critical medical resupply items, such as blood products or medical consumables (e.g., drugs, bandages, IV lines) to Navy Corpsmen. These technologies, when combined with supply tracking technologies such as RFID, offer the potential for the real-time tracking of medical consumable use rates and for automated Push-Pull resupply requests for medical consumables. For example, the consumption of intravenous needle/tubing kits in response to battlefield casualties can be automated to keep track of the number of kits on hand at a field medical facility and automatically send a demand signal for additional kits once a critical threshold is reached. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms can hypothetically be developed that can predict future resupply needs based upon operational tempo and tracked casualty types. Such a predictive algorithm could automatically send demand signals in advance of casualty arrival at a field medical facility. 

A Just-in-Time Medical Logistical Resupply System (JITMEDLOG) relieves the Navy Medical Corpsmen from the necessity to actively track consumable use rates by automatically tracking usage and automatically initiating critical resupply via unmanned vehicles (UxV) or other expeditionary means. It offers the ability for custom delivery of needed medical supplies while avoiding waste and oversupply. JITMEDLOG further allows for a smaller initial deployment footprint, reducing the upfront logistical burden and allowing for the deployment of more mobile and expeditionary medical teams, which will be critical under Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO). 

The proposed system must address the following requirements, at a minimum:

• The USMC seeks the development of new algorithms and architecture integration to add Just-In-Time Medical Logistical tracking technology and predictive algorithms to the Project Phoenix architecture (e.g., BATDOK, MedCOP).

• The JITMEDLOG shall integrate with BATDOK and the prototype MedCOP architecture.

• The JITMEDLOG shall integrate with existing DoD medical logistics systems (e.g., DMLSS).

• The JITMEDLOG shall be compatible with UAS critical resupply systems. Any JITMEDLOG hardware supporting this architecture shall comply with MIL-STD-810x standards for use in all operational environments to which the USMC deploys.

• The JITMEDLOG shall be designed for use by any Navy Medical Corpsman, regardless of Navy Enlisted/Officer Code or specialty, and include new user training and operator and maintainer manuals.

• System transactions shall be timestamped.

• The system shall be accessible to all Expeditionary Medical and Tactical C2 nodes on the network.

• The system architecture shall provide location and inventory of Class VIII supplies.

• The system architecture shall provide the ability to send/receive forms.

• User interfaces shall provide the ability to copy and paste information within various user screens/forms. • The system shall create a network sharable list of all consumables.

• The system shall create a network sharable list of blood supply.

• The system shall create a network sharable list of equipment.

• The system shall automatically pull information from designated sensors or databases relevant for the display.

• The system shall allow the user to enter information relevant to the display.

• The system shall minimize data sets when possible through packet size and compression to leverage narrow bandwidth.

• The system shall be capable of operation in an A2AD environment in mind.

PHASE I: Develop a concept for an architecture for a Just-in-Time Medical Logistical Resupply System (JITMEDLOG) that meets the requirements described above. Demonstrate the feasibility of the concepts in meeting Marine Corps needs. Establish that the concepts can be developed into a useful product (software and hardware) for the Marine Corps. Prove feasibility through material testing and analytical modeling, as appropriate. Provide a Phase II development plan with performance goals and key technical milestones, and addresses technical risk reduction.

PHASE II: Develop a scaled prototype. Evaluate the prototype to determine its capability in meeting the performance goals defined in the Phase II development plan and the Marine Corps requirements for the Just-in-Time Medical Logistical Resupply system. Demonstrate system performance through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required range of parameters, including numerous deployment cycles. Use evaluation results to refine the prototype into an design that meets Marine Corps requirements. Prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Marine Corps use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Marine Corps in transitioning the technology for Marine Corps use. Develop the Just-in-Time Medical Logistical Resupply system for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. Develop commercial operator and maintainer manuals and user new equipment training programs to support the system’s operations and maintenance in the field environment. Support the Marine Corps for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Marine Corps use. 

JITMEDLOG technology has potential for use with commercial and non-governmental organization in remote areas such as interior Africa, remote parts of Alaska or Canada, the Amazon basin, or other places lacking in infrastructure. Such technology can be used for disaster relief or pandemic response and can support remote hospitals and other medical facilities, vaccination efforts, or even non-medical applications such as critical equipment or food/water deliveries.

REFERENCES:

1. “MIL-STD810H. Department of Defense Test Method Standard. 31 Jan 2019.” http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/  
2. "Zipline." 7 Jul 2020. https://flyzipline.com/  
3. Bedi, Shireen. “BATDOK improves, tailors to deployed medics.” Military Health System, 7 Jul 2020. https://health.mil/News/Articles/2019/06/07/BATDOK-improves-tailors-to-deployed-medics  
4. “Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support.” Military Health System, 7 Jul 2020. https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Technology/Defense-Medical-Logistics/Defense-Medical-Logistics-Standard-Support

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Human Systems; Information Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop a solution, consisting of hardware and software, to detect and locate ground faults in a high-resistance, wye grounded, pulsed power system in real time.

DESCRIPTION: An existing system will benefit from increased ability to detect and locate ground faults. Although, solutions will ultimately integrate with equipment already available in said system’s current health monitoring infrastructure, it is understood that new software and (in all likelihood) additional hardware will be needed to achieve the objective. 

Ground faults occur due to insulation breakdown. A high-resistance, wye grounded, electrical power system is tolerant of one ground fault on any phase, but not multiple ground faults in different locations on the same phase. Since the existing system does not indicate when a first line-to-ground fault occurs, cables are regularly inspected using an insulation resistance tester. Although this process enables manual detection of ground faults, determining location for corrective action is more difficult. A less arduous, real time solution will assure that all ground faults are being detected and reported within milliseconds of occurring, which will increase overall safety of the system. The goal is to detect and locate the first ground fault virtually immediately, and correct it as soon as possible, so that there is never an instance in which two ground faults occur in different locations on the same phase. 

Insulation breakdown in a particular location may result in a single line-to-ground fault. This line-to-ground fault causes very low fault currents, on the order of .01% of load current, and must be detected, located, and isolated before another ground fault occurs on the same phase. Shipboard ground faults can be located anywhere in runs of several hundred feet of hard-to-reach cable. Fault currents are in the milliamp (mA) range in a system that nominally carries several kiloamps (kAs). Thus, solutions must reliably and accurately detect and locate ground faults that generate signals orders of magnitude smaller than operational currents, which may be alternating or direct (AC/DC) depending on cable section. Operating voltage levels are also in the kV range. 

Insulation breakdown in a second location may result in undesired large current flow between the two fault locations, resulting in catastrophic damage to the power system, its equipment, and possibly other high-power equipment. 

The solution must be capable of detecting ground faults of 10,000 Ohms or less. False negatives should not occur below the 10,000-Ohm threshold, and false positives should be minimized as searching for non-existent cable faults would prove burdensome and decrease confidence in the detection system. A false positive rate of 1% or below is considered appropriate at this time, but an official requirement has not yet been established. Measuring the exact resistance value (in Ohms) of the fault is not as vital as simply identifying that a ground fault is present, so accuracy, resolution, and sensitivity of the measurement are not defined at this time. Location should be determined with reasonable accuracy and resolution (e.g., ±10s of feet) to decrease mean time to repair (MTTR). Solutions that significantly narrow down location of faults are preferred, since they will decrease the time required to find and fix the damaged cable. 

In summary, an innovative approach is needed to indicate the presence and location of an active ground fault in real time, so that it can be remedied before a second ground fault occurs. Additional capability may include prognostics that detect/predict the formation of ground faults before they occur.

PHASE I: Develop a concept for detecting and locating ground faults with minimal impact to existing power architecture. Validate the concept and demonstrate feasibility utilizing modeling and simulation and other software/hardware tools. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype to validate/verify the technological approach. Demonstrate that a line-to-ground fault on a single phase, or formation of said fault, can be detected and located by the prototype system. The goal is to detect, locate, and correct the first fault before a second occurs in a different location on the same phase; therefore, a safe method for insertion of faults at known locations may be required for testing. 

Determine if the solution will be effective at the voltage and current levels required. Fault detection and location results will be verified against requirements to confirm that the technology can reliably sense faults and estimate their position(s). Include preliminary calculation of false positive and false negative rates using the prototype system. Accuracy, resolution, sensitivity and other metrics will be assessed as deemed necessary. 

Consider human factors, including how to best illustrate the presence and location of faults on a display so that maintainers understand where to go to resolve the issue. The graphical user interface should be easy to read, interact with, and understand. Validate that faults are indicated in an acceptable manner that may be integrated into existing systems.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate solution at NAWCAD Lakehurst test site using a representative model that meets actual power requirements. Conduct extensive testing that includes all viable fault modes and locations, i.e., test ground faults in pertinent cable sections as detailed by SMEs (Subject Matter Experts). After detecting faults, use a secondary method (e.g., insulation resistance tester) to determine actual fault location and calculate percent error/accuracy of location measurement. If a fault is not present near the location specified within a certain distance threshold, it must be recorded as a false positive. Additionally, regular insulation resistance testing must continue to determine if any ground faults are going undetected. If so, these must be recorded as false negatives. Integrated Product Team (IPT) will determine accuracy and resolution requirements necessary for transition. 

This SBIR topic may benefit private sector companies working with high-power electricity in the energy, industrial and transportation sectors. This may include power generation, transmission and distribution, including both AC and DC (e.g., photovoltaic) applications, large manufacturing/industrial plant operations, and high-power railroad applications. Any commercial application that utilizes high power and experiences relatively low-fault currents, in comparison to operational currents, may benefit.

REFERENCES:

1. “MIL-STD-1399 (Section 300) Part 1, Department of Defense Interface Standard, Section 300, Part 1, Low Voltage Electric Power, Alternating Current (25-Sept-2018).” Department of Defense. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-1300-1399/MIL-STD-1399-SECT-300_PART-1_55833/  
2. “MIL-STD-461G, Department of Defense Interface Standard: Requirements for the Control of Electromagnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and Equipment (11-Dec-2015).” Department of Defense. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0300-0499/MIL-STD-461G_53571/  
3. “MIL-STD-810H, Department of Defense Test Method standard: Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests.” Department of Defense. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/  
4. “MIL-DTL-901E, Detail specification: Shock Tests, H. I. (High-impact) Shipboard Machinery, Equipment, and Systems, Requirements for (20-Jun-2017).” Department of Defense. http://everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-DTL/MIL-DTL-901E_55988/  
5. “MIL-STD-167/1A, Department of Defense Test Method Standard: Mechanical Vibrations of Shipboard Equipment (Type I-environmental and Type II-internally excited) (02-Nov-2005).” Department of Defense. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0100-0299/MIL-STD-167-1A_22418/  
6. “User Interface Design Basics.” Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. (n.d.). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/user-interface-design.html

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems

OBJECTIVE: Optimally design and develop an innovative, affordable body armor release capability for Rotary Wing Naval Air Crew.

DESCRIPTION: Combat rotorcraft operators strongly desire the capability to jettison negatively buoyant hard plates from their body armor in water survival situations without jettisoning their entire survival vest, especially in the event flotation fails to inflate. Hard plates are worn inside the vest and under gear, and usually load from the bottom which is then secured with hook/loop tape. Typical quick-release designs are gravity-based and rely upon the survivor to find and pull a strap to open the bottom. These gravity-based designs have been found to require multiple pulls and re-gripping the pull strap at ever higher positions to open the bottom. The hard plate’s downward drop is also resisted by the specific gravity of water, as well as frictional resistance from the tight, compressive fit of a heavy vest load. Pin-and-cable quick-releases in typical “maritime” or “marine” vests are an improvement over pull-strap with hook-and-loop designs, but often require complicated rigging and careful donning, which are not often compatible with rapid launch operations. Automatic quick-release mechanisms may work but can pose other hazards; an automatically released plate in a submerged aircraft will contribute to the debris field through which survivors must swim (crews can number up to 40 individuals). An automatic system can also rob the surfacing survivor of his ballistic protection in what may well be a combat environment.

Additionally, it is important that the hard plate release design avoid imposing additional dressed weight and bulk to the already burdened operator. In terms of dry weight, Crew Chiefs dressed in the summer combat configuration carry 52-60 additional pounds; most of it is carried on the front torso. The gear and armor load adds 3-6 inches to the front profile. Possible sources of confusion in an emergency are the round-beaded handle for flotation actuation, and the lozenge-beaded handle that releases the fall-arrest tether. These two releases are located near one another on the upper right and left chest. Although not required, it is highly recommended to work in coordination with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to ensure proper design and to facilitate transition of the final technology.

Aircrew need a hard plate release that, with commanded action and when retrofitted to existing vests that incorporate the ineffective gravity-based quick release, enable the below metrics.

a. releases a single hard plate with a single motion, only requiring one gloved left or right hand by a typical male or female, blind-folded operator;

b. releases respective sizes of Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI)-cut, “shooter’s cut”, and “swimmer’s cut” hard plate forms;

c. does not appreciably increase the weight and bulk burden of the armored vest system;

d. operates in windy or calm air and in turbulent or calm water conditions;

e. operates at a submerged depth of less than or equal to 30 feet;

f. operates in cold water (32 degrees F) through the range of freshwater and seawater salinities;

g. operates in chlorinated swimming pool water;

h. operates reliably in cold and hot ambient air;

i. separates the plate from the vest within 2 seconds of actuation;

j. resists inadvertent actuation while: traversing ship ladders/hatches, operating within 120 knot rotor outwash, conducting pre-flight inspections and boarding aircraft, flying routine missions, flying combat missions, and egressing aircraft in routine or emergency situations;

k. does not create hazards (injury, foreign object debris, snag/trip, static discharge) in any mission or survival operations to include survivable vertical crash loads (those less than or equal to 5Gs);

l. does not interfere with vest or vest gear, inflatable flotation, seat harnesses, fall arrest tethers, helmets or head-mounted gear, communication cords and devices, clothing or other body-mounted gear;

m. does not impede water survival or land survival procedures to include raft boarding and hoisting;

n. does not contribute to wearer’s burn injury hazard;

o. does not give away wearer’s position in covert day or night operations;

p. is resistant to naval aviation environments (salt spray, humidity, drop impact, exposure to petroleum/oil/lubricant contaminants; exposure to sun);

q. has an obvious visual indicator for correct rigging.

Note: NAVAIR will provide Phase I performers with the appropriate guidance required for human research protocols so that they have the information to use while preparing their Phase II Initial Proposal. Institutional Review Board (IRB) determination as well as processing, submission, and review of all paperwork required for human subject use can be a lengthy process. As such, no human research will be allowed until Phase II and work will not be authorized until approval has been obtained, typically as an option to be exercised during Phase II.

Note: Any textile components used to develop the resulting material must be entirely manufactured in the United States of constituents wholly grown and/or produced in the United States.

PHASE I: Develop a plate release and demonstrate feasibility for retrofit and operation in any military approved commercial vest that incorporates a typical gravity-based quick release design. Resulting concepts should include a background section with explanatory figures describing the basic principles of the proposed technology concept, and publications or other references that outline the application being considered. Provide a 3-tiered work breakdown structure with a Gantt chart of Phase I design activities, and include make/break criteria and events. Submit Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) that will be tracked throughout Phases I-III for Government review and approval and include at a minimum: dry weight, bulk/profile, time from actuation to plate separation (from vest structure) while submerged in swimming pool water, human-operated reliability, and maintainer mean time to rig, inspect, and certify mechanism “safe-for-flight”. Provide experimental work that shows the technology concept will quickly release hard plates in air and in water by an operator with a single hand and a single action. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

Note: Please refer to the statement included in the Description above regarding human research protocol for Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and validate the plate release technology by incorporating it into a Government-identified vest system design. Provide a detailed, 3-tiered work breakdown structure with a Gantt chart of Phase III activities that include make/break criteria and events, perform required quality assurance testing utilizing approved quality assurance measures, and track performance against agreed upon TPMs throughout Phase II. During the Phase II Option, perform testing of the technology in the form of a system level demonstration while incorporated in multiple size small and size x-large armored vests in a swimming pool. Include, in this non-exclusive list of desired Phase II deliverables, raw data, photography and/or video recording, data recording sheets, documentation of test devices (manufacturer, model, serial, accuracy, calibration status, etc.), test reports, draft engineering drawings, an interface control document, and a performance specification.

Note: Please refer to the statement included in the Description above regarding human research protocol for Phase II.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize the developed armor plate release technology and provide a technical data package to include a performance specification, interface control document, and engineering drawings in accordance with military standards. Develop and assist with required qualification testing and training. Finalize all testing. Document the quality assurance test program in accordance with industry best practices. Transition the technology to the Fleet as a retrofit, and to new procurements as required.

This topic may benefit the private sector in recreational equipment for which quick divestment of structure-mounted or body-mounted gear carriers are desirable or required for safety. Examples may include boat deck go-bags, back-packs, tool vests for workers at height, and tool vests for oil rig workers.

REFERENCES:

1. Kovach, G. “Deadly Osprey crash spurred safety changes.” The San Diego Tribune, June 30, 2015. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sdut-osprey-crash-at-sea-command-investigation-2015jun30-story.html  
2. Quinn, R. “Beach Marine one of four killed in Iraq copter crash.” The Virginian Pilot, December 7, 2006. https://www.pilotonline.com/military/article_57e53572-0cf4-5301-a6d0-2901302a4bb5.html

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Battlespace Environments; Weapons

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a packaged, high-throughput, non-mechanical beam steering device that is able to maintain stable operation with multiple-wavelength laser sources in the midwave infrared (MWIR) band with high beam quality, efficiency, and power on target.

DESCRIPTION: Non-mechanical beam steering (NMBS) has numerous advantages over conventional mechanical gimbals, including high point-to-point steering speeds, low size, weight, and power consumption, and low operating costs. To date, NMBS devices have primarily been developed and matured in the short-wave and near-infrared bands. Recent advances in refractive NMBS technology have resulted in MWIR-compatible liquid crystal-based refractive devices [Refs 1, 2], but they have primarily been demonstrated at the laboratory scale and require additional development for Department of Defense (DoD) applications. Of particular interest is development of robust packaging for refractive NMBS devices that combines the steering head, associated optical components, and thermal management in a compact package that is able to operate from room temperature to beyond 55 degrees C, using the latest MIL-STD 810 for thermal testing. Additional considerations include optical optimization of refractive NMBS devices to improve throughput performance and steering magnitude.

Driven by DoD application requirements, the Navy seeks development of technologies capable of continuously steering a beam across the field of regard (FOR) without blind spots. Steerers should satisfy specifications including, but not limited to:

• point-to-point steering speed: Threshold of 1 kHz (1 ms point-to-point transition time) across >75% of the FOR, Objective of 10 kHz (100 µs point-to-point transition time) for >75% of the FOR;
• angular steering range: Threshold of 15° horizontally by 2° vertically, Objective of 30° horizontally by 5° vertically;
• throughput: Threshold of 30%, Objective of 50%; and
• power-on-target: Threshold of >1 W, Objective of >10 W;
• beam quality: Threshold of M2 <5, Objective of M2<1.5;
• aperture: Threshold of 2 mm, Objective of 1 cm;
• total packaged beam steerer volume (including associated coupling optics and thermal management): Threshold of <50 cm3, Objective of <10cm3; and
• electrical power consumption of the steerer head and associated thermal management while under active illumination: Threshold <10 W, Objective <1 W.

While it is desired that the full angular steering range be accessible without any wavelength-based steering effects, solutions that incorporate wavelength-tuning methods may be considered. The steerer must be capable of transitioning between any arbitrary points within the FOR and holding position at any arbitrary point; the primary operation mode necessary to achieve threshold and objective specifications should not be a continuous raster scan. The designed device must be able to accommodate coupling and steering of multiple laser lines, individually, but in a single device, between 2-5µm with high efficiency.

The design should reasonably expect to achieve a manufacturing readiness level (MRL) of 5 within 3 years and MRL 7 within 5 years of beginning work on this NMBS device.

PHASE I: Design, develop, and demonstrate feasibility of refractive NMBS waveguides for improved optical performance, to include designs for improved steering while minimizing total optical path length. Designs for packaging of such a device should also be considered, taking into account thermal management and optical coupling of remoted lasers. An assessment of whether the proposed technology functions in reverse, as a scannable receiving optic, should be included. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II. A schedule and explanation of the manufacturing readiness level shall be included in the Phase I final report.

PHASE II: Develop a packaged NMBS prototype device from the proposed design. Demonstrate that it is capable of maintaining stable operating temperature while meeting radiant power and M2 requirements. Include, in this demonstration, provisions to steer, either simultaneously or in rapid sequence, multiple wavelengths in the MWIR band. Ensure that volume and electrical power requirements apply to the prototype device.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Perform final testing the packaged NMBS device in a relevant environment, to include appropriate integration as applicable to the specific Navy platform. Transition and integrate to an airborne platform of interest chosen in consultation with PMA-272.

This technology is beneficial for medical diagnostics, chemical sensing, and other applications that utilize mid-infrared spectroscopy. Additionally, non-traditional beam steering may have lidar applications if the technology transitions the wavelength used in the lidar system.

REFERENCES:

1. Frantz, J.A.; Myers, J.D.; Bekele, R.Y.; Spillmann, C.M.; Naciri, J.; Kolacz, J.; Gotjen, H.G.; Nguyen, V.Q.; McClain, C.C.; Shaw, L.B. and Sanghera, J.S. “A chip-based non-mechanical beam steerer in the midwave infrared.” Journal of the Optical Society of America B, 35(12), 2018, pp. C29-C37. https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.35.000C29  
2. Myers, J.D.; Frantz, J.A.; Spillmann, C.M.; Bekele, R.Y.; Kolacz, J.; Gotjen, H.; Naciri, J.; Shaw, B. and Sanghera, J.S. “Refractive waveguide non-mechanical beam steering (NMBS) in the MWIR [Paper presentation].” Proceedings of SPIE OPTO 10539, Photonic Instrumentation Engineering V, San Francisco, CA, United States, January 27-February 1 2018. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2290379

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Materials / Processes; Weapons

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop efficient near-throat controlled cooling technologies that would improve solid fuel performance by enhancing condensation of gaseous metal suboxides.

DESCRIPTION: Typically, solid rocket fuel is packed in a tubular motor case and consists of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) mixed with fuel additives in the form of metal powders, such as aluminum or boron. Upon deployment of a missile, the available fuel is ignited; and the combustion pressure that develops is funneled through the nozzle assembly. The throat, a critical component of the nozzle, is located near the exhaust end of the motor case. The nozzle diameter is intentionally reduced here in order to alter the flow and maximize performance.

The science of combustion of a solid fuel system is highly complex and it is believed that complete combustion of metal additives could dramatically increase performance [Ref 1]. A substantial part of combustion energy is released during condensation of the gaseous metal suboxides. A significant portion of this energy can be emitted as a flux of light. It could constitute more than 50% of the overall energy produced during the combustion of metals [Ref 4]. This energy should be dissipated from the condensation zone in order to enhance condensation. The thermal conductivity [Ref 5] and jetness of the nozzle are major parameters that control the rate of energy dissipation.

The condensation of metal suboxides occurs concurrently with the exhaust gas expansion in the nozzle. As such, the latter should be thoughtfully designed in order to:

(a) enable the most favorable conditions for condensation of gaseous metal suboxides into its condensed oxide form,

(b) accommodate the majority of condensation energy, and

(c) withstand a radiative heat flux of high intensity formed as a result of a localized light emission subsequent to condensation of gaseous metal suboxides.

This SBIR topic seeks to design and develop efficient near-throat controlled cooling technologies that enhances heat removal, and therefore enhances condensation of gaseous metal suboxides. The manufacturing materials of the nozzle assembly must be able to withstand temperatures of combustion gasses on the order of 3000 K, high-radiative heat fluxes (greater than 10 MW/m2 [Ref 8]) caused by intense emissions of light, erosion, stress, thermal shock [Refs 2, 3], and other factors involved in the operation of a solid fuel rocket engine. The legacy materials are mostly based on specialty carbons, such as a carbon-carbon composite, or isostatically molded graphite [Refs 6, 7]. The proposed solution must meet all of the properties of the standard carbon materials to include, but not be limited to, to withstand erosion, stress, and thermal shock. Additionally, the throat insert must have controlled material properties such as thermal conductivity and jetness, so that it can remove heat from the condensing gas and from associated light emission at an ultrahigh rate, at least 10% more efficiently than the traditional materials.

PHASE I: Design and develop a numeric model for the purpose of tuning the throat nozzle assembly’s material properties to induce a more efficient condensation near the throat. Initial prefeasibility studies with newly fabricated materials should be undertaken at the bench scale level. Deliver a prefeasibility report that outlines the results from the model and the delineation of nozzle assembly properties, which should at the very least, meet the performance characteristics of existing standard throat nozzle assembly materials at the end of Phase I. Outline a plan for improvement of material properties. Include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Demonstrate that the new materials will be at least 10% more efficient at withdrawing heat from condensing gases and light emission sources. Qualitative modeling will be used to estimate exactly how the prototype parts would benefit the thrust. All other physical and chemical properties of throat assembly will be at the same performance level as standard throat assembly materials. Perform testing to validate the technology can withstand stress, shock, and erosion.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize and mature the technology for transition and integration into surface-to-air and air-to-surface munitions, mobile targets, and space vehicle programs. Solid rocket fuel engines are heavily employed by various branches of the U.S. Navy, other branches of the DoD, and NASA to include commercial space exploration missions. Other applications include, but are not limited to, industrial uses for high-density electrically conductive graphite used in refractories, reactor components, and specialty liners for chemical vessels. Another application would be in industrial burners and in the design of exhaust of elevated temperature combustion engines, to include automotive applications.

REFERENCES:

1. Balas, S. and Natan, B. “Boron oxide condensation in a hydrocarbon-boron gel fuel ramjet.” American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., Journal of Propulsion and Power, 32(4), February 24, 2016, pp. 967-974. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B35928  
2. Essel, J.T.; Acharya, R.; Sabourin, J. L.; Zhang, B.; Kuo, K. K. and Yetter, R. A. “High-temperature behavior of graphite under laser irradiation.” International Journal of Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion, 9(3), January 2010, pp. 205-218. https://doi.org/10.1615/IntJEnergeticMaterialsChemProp.v9.i3.20  
3. Thakre, P.; Rawat, R.; Clayton, R. and Yang, V. “Mechanical erosion of graphite nozzle in solid-propellant rocket motor.” American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., Journal of Propulsion and Power, 29(3), May 7, 2013, pp. 593-601. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B34630  
4. Altman, I.S.; Pikhitsa, P.V. and Choi, M. “Key effects in nanoparticle formation by combustion techniques.” Springer, Dordrecht, Gas Phase Nanoparticle Synthesis, January 2004, pp. 43-67. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2444-3_3  
5. Altman, Igor. “On energy accommodation coefficient of gas molecules on metal surface at high temperatures.” Elsevier B.V., Surface Science, August 2020, p. 698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susc.2020.121609   
6. “Technical Data Sheet CGW™ Graphite.” GrafTech International Holdings, Inc., 2011.
7. Albers, T.; Miller, D.J.; Lewis, I.C.; and Ball, D.R. “Low CTE Highly Isotropic Graphite (U. S. Patent 7,658,902 B2).” https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=7658902&idkey=NONE&homeurl=http%3A%252F%252Fpatft.uspto.gov%252Fnetahtml%252FPTO%252Fpatimg.htm  
8. Cross, P.G. “Radiative heat transfer in solid rocket nozzles.” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets 57(2), October 2018, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.A34598

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace Environments; Electronics; Materials / Processes

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Design, build, and demonstrate on-chip hyperspectral focal plane array, with integration of dynamically tunable metamaterial lens to perform and produce 2D spatial images with a single exposure at a few selected wavelength bands instead of 1D spatial and all spectral band images.

DESCRIPTION: Hyperspectral imagery (HSI) provides the means to detect targets smaller than the size of a pixel using spectral unmixing techniques. HSI contains hundreds of bands of spectral information per pixel. HSI is traditionally performed using a dispersive (prism or grating) reimaging system with a slit and focal plane array (FPA) at the conjugate image planes. Current HSI state-of-the-art detectors are based on various photon-to-electron conversion principles that, at best, have quantum efficiencies (QE) of 40 percent in the blue spectrum. Since the conversion process is substantially less than unity, additional laser power is required from the transmitter to make up for the loss of signal on the detector. If a photo detector type material with near unity QE could be used, the HSI system performance would dramatically increase with no additional laser power. The very high efficiency of metamaterial photodetectors will dramatically increase the electrical power available for electric small Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV). Improvements in photo detection efficiencies are sought to advance the tactical capabilities of HSI systems used on UAVs.

Optical metamaterials with negative refractive index behavior have extraordinary promise in HSI applications. Unlike a conventional lens, a negative refractive index implies that when a material refracts an incoming light ray, the refracted ray will be deviated at a negative angle to the normal according to Snell's law. This seemingly trivial observation has profound consequences: focusing can be accomplished by a slab of material instead of a conventionally-shaped lens. More subtly, lenses made from negative index metamaterials (NIMs) can be much more compact than curved optical lenses such as cylindrical and aspheric lenses, since wave vector components along the optical axis can be used for imaging. In conventional optics, these components typically decay at distances very close to the lens surface (the near field), and account for a loss of imaging information, and ultimately, resolution. For a NIM, that decaying evanescent wave instead grows, allowing near-field resolution to extend into the far field. Furthermore, a negative index implies that the phase of a wave decreases, rather than advances, through the metamaterial NIM. A material with n = -1 can be considered to reverse the effect of propagation through an equivalent thickness of a vacuum. Consequently, NIMs have a potential advantage to form highly efficient low reflectance surfaces by exactly canceling the scattering properties of other materials. If the NIM is isotropic, then these effects occur regardless of the direction of the incident wave. 

NIMs require negative values of both the electrical permittivity (e) and magnetic permeability (µ). Negative permittivity is common in metals at optical frequencies, but negative permeability does not occur naturally; therefore, the construction of metamaterials involves engineering an effective negative permeability using nonmagnetic materials. This can be done by including electromagnetically resonant structures. Optical-frequency resonators are much smaller in scale (< 1 mm), have been recently made with advanced lithographic procedures, and have shown negative index behavior in the visible and near-infrared spectrum. Still, these NIMs are not isotropic as the features are planar, and the index varies with orientation. Additionally, most of them have large optical losses due to the materials that comprise them. 

A quick examination of NIM literature reveals that in most cases where a metamaterial lens would be used to create images, the refractive index should be independent of direction of the incoming radiation. Yet, the properties of most NIMs reported in the literature are not randomly dispersed inclusions, are not dependent on random orientation of crystal grains, and are not inherently isotropic in three dimensions. 

The primary challenge in NIMs is advancing the diffraction limit in Near Field capabilities to identify a threshold to separate targets from clutter in hyperspectral data idiosyncrasies. Hence, NIM designs need to provide larger phase shifts and reduce aberrations to enable tuning the focal length with adjustable sequential metamaterial lens structures, resulting in low far-field resolution of features beyond the diffraction limit in the visible spectrum. Highly viable/manufacturable single and sequential metamaterial lens designs addressing the 3-12 µm spectral range with a focus on 3-5 and 8-12 microns are a possible solution. 

NIM lens system parameters for trade analysis are:

(a) Operational spectral range @ 3-12 microns;

(b) Smallest Spectral sampling step @ 1 nm;

(c) Spectral resolution @ full-width half maximum (FWHM) @ 7–10 nm;

(d) Spectral Stability @ < 1 nm;

(e) Wavelength switching speed @ < 2 ms;

(f ) Incidence angle to the Fabry-Perot Cavity @ < 5° (max < 7°);

(g) Average spectral transmission @ > 0.2;

(h) Image size @ 480 x 750;

(i) Dynamic range @ 10 bit;

(j) F-number range of the optics @ 4.0 – 16.0;

(k) Focal length @ 8–25 mm;

(l) Field of View (FOV) @ 20° x 30°;

(m) Object distance @ 0.05 m – Infinity;

(n) Operational quantum efficiency @ >100% in the 3-12 microns spectral band;

(o) Noise factor @ < 1.1;

(p) Bandwidth @ > 100 MHz;

(q) Fast response speed@ (rise time tr < 68 µs);

(r) Uniform optical quality in terms of refractive index and extinction co-efficient;

(s) Root Mean Square (RMS) errors below 1×10-3 refractive index units (RIU)

(t) Weight @ < 350 g;

(u) Thickness @ 0.2 to 0.5 mm (ultrathin with < wavelength (lambda) divided by 8 surface flatness);

(v) Active areas on the order of 1 to 2 inches in diameter; and

(w) Focusing performance for oblique incidence with an incident angle up to 15 degrees.

PHASE I: Conduct research and experiments to determine potential NIMs for HSI NIM lens and select optimum technical approach using the system parameters for trade. Develop preliminary design and perform detailed analysis for on-chip hyperspectral focal plane arrays, with integration of dynamically tunable NIM lens to allow for spectral reconstruction with a single photodetector; and to be directly integrated with arbitrarily-sized read-out integrated circuits (ROICs) for real-time HSI in-pixel image processing. Preliminary design should also include an integrated/embedded metamaterial structure that can be easily subjected to change in temperature or to stress loads while interrogated by electromagnetic fields. Through experimentation, identify NIM technical risk elements in the HSI metamaterial lens and provide viable risk mitigation strategies. The Phase I effort will include on-chip hyperspectral focal plane arrays, with integration of dynamically tunable NIM lens prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Refine the design based on outcomes of simulated data, boot strap error analysis, tests and customer feedback in Phase I. Develop, demonstrate, and validate an HSI metamaterial lens prototype in the lab, chamber, and/or field. Demonstrate and validate the prototype system with all of the parameters identified in Phase I. Prepare a report that summarizes the experimental evaluation and validation of the performance characteristics of the developed system.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete prototype hardware that will cover operational spectral range@ 300 – 1200 nm. Fully develop and transition the technology and methodology based on the research and development results developed during Phase II for DOD applications in the areas of UAVs detection and identification, and other anomaly surveillance and reconnaissance applications. 

This SBIR topic has direct relevance to commercial private sector airborne remote sensing companies engaged in environmental monitoring, agriculture assessments and exploration of natural resources due to the system’s compact form factor, flexible flight profiles and precision identification, and change/anomaly detection. 

Lower cost hyperspectral sensors for agriculture, land use, search/rescue, and homeland security could employ this technology. The use of low-cost solution-based metamaterials and their ability to be directly integrated with arbitrarily-sized ROICs results in HSI cameras that can be produced at a small fraction of the cost of traditional camera systems.

REFERENCES:

1. Aieta, F.; Genevet, P.; Kats, M.A.; Yu, N.; Blanchard, R.; Gaburro, Z. and Capasso, F. “Aberration-Free Ultrathin Flat Lenses and Axicons at Telecom Wavelengths Based on Plasmonic Metasurfaces.” American Chemical Society, Nano Letters, 12(9), August 15, 2012, pp. 4932-4936. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl302516v  
2. Aieta, F. Kats, M.A.; Genevet, P. and Capasso, F. “Multiwavelength achromatic metasurfaces by dispersive phase compensation.” Science, 347(6228), March 20, 2015, pp. 1342-1345. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa2494  
3. Capasso, F. “Nanophotonics based on metasurfaces.” OSA Technical Digest, Metamaterials & Metasurfaces SW3I.1, CLEO: Science and Innovations 2015, San Jose, CA, United States, May 10-15, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1364/CLEO_SI.2015.SW3I.1  
4. West, P.R.; Stewart, J.L.; Kildishev, A.V.; Shalaev, V.M.; Shkunov, V.; Strohkendl, F.; Zakharenkov, Y.; Dodds, R.K. and Byren, R. “All-dielectric subwavelength metasurface focusing lens.” Optics Express, 22(21), October 2014, pp. 26212-26221. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.22.026212  
5. Zhang, X. and Liu, Z. “Superlenses to overcome the diffraction limit.” Nature Materials, 7, June 2008, pp. 435-441. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2141  
6. Jacob, Z.; Alekseyev, L.V. and Narimanov, E. “Optical hyperlens: Far-field imaging beyond the diffraction limit.” Optics Express, 14(18), 2006, pp. 8247-8256. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.14.008247  
7. Takahashi, S.; Chang, C.H.; Yang, S.Y. and Barbastathis, G. “Design and fabrication of dielectric nanostructured Luneburg lens in optical frequencies.” IEEE, 2010 International Conference on Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics, August 2010, pp. 179-180. https://doi.org/10.1109/OMEMS.2010.5672127  
8. Takahashi, S. “Design and fabrication of micro- and nano-dielectric structures for imaging and focusing at optical frequencies (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/67602

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Materials / Processes

OBJECTIVE: Design, develop, and validate an analytical tool to accurately predict the local transient thermal and mechanical boundary conditions during the processing of composite parts within an autoclave.

DESCRIPTION: Autoclaves are widely used to process and cure high quality parts for composite structural components used on aircraft. This high quality is possible due to the autoclave’s high internal pressures and ability to apply high temperatures in excess of 350°F such that the intended resin systems can cure. When these assumed conditions are not met, defects such as porosity and poor fiber consolidation occur [Ref 5]. Autoclave systems are designed with these conditions in mind, but since part thickness, tool geometry, and part location can vary from run to run, the local conditions cannot be guaranteed. The conditions within are driven by the capabilities of the autoclave: air temperature, air flow and physical part geometry interaction with the tooling surface and vacuum bagging [Ref 6]. This environment is thus governed by a variety of physical interactions and requires a multiphysics modeling tool to accurately capture the boundary conditions experienced by the composite parts.

Modeling and simulation to predict composite part quality within an autoclave requires a coupling of the local boundary conditions with the mechanics and chemistry going on within the composite. The temperature of the part at the bag as well as the tooling surface is critical to couple with the cure kinetic models [Ref 4]. Boundary conditions are usually assumed in simple models where the air temperature throughout the autoclave is believed homogenous and the part is experiencing perfect hydrostatic pressure regardless of location or tool geometry. Without accurate boundary conditions, anticipating defects or reducing internal stresses and spring-back is very difficult to predict accurately [Ref 1]. Current modeling capabilities often utilize simplistic two-dimensional models or assumed boundary conditions [Ref 7]. The means to expand that to more complex three dimensions are commercially available but limited. Accurate modeling of the environment within the autoclave can be computationally expensive and require responsive software simulation integration to capture multi-physics interactions [Ref 2]. Hybrid models utilize a variety of physics including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and heat transfer which then feed into the boundary conditions for cure kinetic models. These models also require experimental validation from actual autoclave runs which can be difficult since each commercial autoclave system is unique [Ref 10]. This is where data fusion from in-situ monitoring can be used not only to validate but to tune a model for predicting boundary conditions. The goal of this SBIR topic is to provide a means to integrate both modeling capabilities as either a single tool or an add-on to existing software. This software tool will have validation from real-life autoclave runs and the means to be adapted to various autoclave systems per the user’s need.

Many of the current methods for running parts in an autoclave come from simple models, best practices and extensive thermal surveys to confirm that the material has cured as intended. Autoclave runs completed in early acceptance testing feature parts that are outfitted with a multitude of sensors to measure temperatures throughout the part and tool. The temperature and pressure cycle is then adjusted until the desired cure profile is achieved throughout the part. Temperature ramp rates and early cycle dwell periods are critical to removing volatiles from the liquid resin and facilitating flow. Final cure temperatures and duration confirm that the resin has solidified and reached complete cure at every location in the composite part. Design engineers must intelligently place multiple tooling and parts within the autoclave such that the air flow is not blocked [Ref 3]. Any great change to this process must be preceded with another thermal survey and part inspection teardown. Having a multiphysics software tool capable of modeling the system’s boundaries would reduce the amount of expensive autoclave runs needed to start production. It can also provide production lead time flexibility since the operator can intelligently position multiple parts within the autoclave and still achieve the correct cure profile for each. When there are indications from Non Destructive Inspection (NDI), the software can then be run to assess problem areas within the cure as well as provide the operator feedback that the autoclave may be out of its designed thermal and pressure specification. The benefits of this software tool will allow engineers faster entry into production, gain flexibility in production stream through curing various part combinations and more rapidly assess problems that would later manifest themselves as part defects. Software simulations tools will reduce the number of test runs required for opening up a new composite part production run. They will also enable greater production scheduling freedom through process modeling of part layouts within autoclaves, which will make production more adaptive and save scheduling time and thus cost.

PHASE I: Propose a concept of a multiphysics tool that can address the local non-uniform transient thermal and mechanical boundary conditions accounting for conditions within an autoclave. Demonstrate the concept and quantify the effects of non-uniform environmental conditions via a numerical simulation of airflow temperature, pressure and heat transfer for a simple composite part during autoclave processing.

PHASE II: Enhance and develop the proposed concept prototype tool to address the manufacturing of composite parts containing inserts, complex curvatures, and thick laminates exceeding 1.5 inches in thickness. Validate the prototype tool by comparing simulation results to a live autoclave run containing a variety of composite parts and tooling with select geometries. Capture transient thermal and pressure distributions through in-situ monitoring to be then compared to simulation results. Demonstrate the ability to use this prototype tool coupled with a cure kinetics model for a chosen material system. Verify that this prototype tool can be used on a variety of autoclave systems and part/tool load-outs. Provide the developed prototype software tool for the Navy to use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Transition this software tool to the program and production. Optimize this tool for difficult-to-process parts and layouts that have historically hindered production due to defects and warpage from incorrect autoclave heating.

The product outcome of this SBIR topic has extensive applications for companies producing autoclaved composite parts as well as other industrial processes that require the controlled enclosed heating and pressurization of a product. Software simulations tools will reduce the number of test runs required for opening up a new composite part production run. They will also enable greater production scheduling freedom through process modeling of part layouts within autoclaves. This will make production more adaptive and save scheduling time and thus cost. Secondary applications extend to any enclosed processing of a product using convective heating and external pressure. This includes, but is not limited to, heat treatment of metal, ceramic, and glass products as well as baked goods.

REFERENCES:

1. Baran, I.; Cinar, K.; Ersoy, N.; Akkerman, R. and Hattel, J. “A review on the mechanical modeling of composite manufacturing processes.” Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering, 24(2), January 20, 2016, pp. 365-395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11831-016-9167-2  
2. Dumont, F.; Fröhlingsdorf, W. and & Weimer, C. “Virtual autoclave implementation for improved composite part quality and productivity.” CEAS Aeronautical Journal, 4(3), September 2013, pp. 277-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-013-0072-1  
3. Maffezzoli, A. and Grieco, A. “Optimization of parts placement in autoclave processing of composites.” Applied Composite Materials, 20(3), June 2013, pp. 233-248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-012-9265-8  
4. Mesogitis, T.; Skordos, A. and Long, A. “Stochastic simulation of the influence of cure kinetics uncertainty on composites cure.” Composites Science and Technology, 110, April 6, 2015, pp. 145-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2015.02.009  
5. Potter, K. “Understanding the origins of defects and variability in composites manufacture [Paper presentation].” Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Composite Materials. Edinburg, United Kingdom, July 27-31, 2009. http://www.iccm-central.org/Proceedings/ICCM17proceedings/papers/P1.5%20Potter.pdf
6. Potter, K.; Campbell, M.; Langer, C. and Wisnon, M. “The generation of geometrical deformations due to tool/part interaction in the manufacture of composite components.” Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 36(2), February 2005, pp. 301-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-835X(04)00150-2  
7. Sreekantamurthy, T.; Hudson, T.B.; Hou, T.-H. and Grimsley, B.W. “Composite Cure Process Modeling and Simulations using COMPRO (Registered Trademark) and Validation of Residual Strains using Fiber Optic Sensors [Paper presentation].” 31st Technical Conference of the American Society for Composites (ASC), Williamsburg, VA, United States, September 19-22, 2016. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20160012030  
8. Svanberg, J. and Holmberg, J. “Prediction of shape distortions, Part I: FE-implementation of a path dependent constitutive model.” Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 35(6), June 2004, pp. 711-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2004.02.005    
9. Svanberg, J. and Holmberg, J. “Prediction of shape distortions. Part II. Experimental validation and analysis of boundary conditions.” Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 35(6), June 2004, pp. 723-734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2004.02.006  
10. Weber, T.; Arent, J.-C.; Munch, L.; Duhovic, M. and Balvers, J. “A fast method for the generation of boundary conditions for thermal autoclave simulation.” Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 88, September 2016, pp. 216-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2016.05.036

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Cybersecurity; General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Battlespace Environments; Electronics

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Research and address the holistic cyber threat posed by the transfer of aeronautical data to Navy and United States Marine Corps (USMC) aircraft by taking physical avionics data inputs to the aircraft and developing solutions to harden those input channels, protecting the data from malicious tampering and errant corruption.

DESCRIPTION: Critical aeronautical data is transferred into avionics systems to provide pilot guidance or other information used to influence pilot decisions in the cockpit. This aeronautical data may include the navigation database, vertical obstruction database, flight plans, world magnetic model, maps, and imagery. To prevent malicious tampering of this data, cyber protection needs to be implemented on all physical avionics data inputs in these airborne systems. Currently, minimal cyber-safe mechanisms are offered and only provide protection against errant corruption. No complete cyber protection set exists for the physical avionics data inputs creating a multitude of threat surfaces to be addressed. The Navy must fully identify all threat surfaces and begin to prototype protections against those threats. The following are examples of physical data threat surfaces (but by no means intended to be a complete list): 

Corrupt/Invalid Source –involves the data validity of the data sourced by the data provider (Government, industry, or open-sourced); could be a result of any other type of threat surface. 

Errant Corruption –a non-intentional data corruption introduced by human or computer error; also the most easily identified by mechanisms such as Cyclical Redundancy Checks (CRCs). 

Proposed approaches should include, but not be limited to, a white hat analysis of all physical avionics data inputs to all Navy and USMC aircraft. For each physical avionics data input this research should identify the data flow which includes data source, transitional systems (e.g., tablet, Navy/Marine Corps Internet (NMCI), Joint Mission Planning Software (JMPS), maintenance computer), and end use. For each data flow, perform a human factors assessment to determine if the pilot decision making based on operational conditions (e.g., instrument flight rules (IFR) vs visual flight rules (VFR), approach vs cross country) and alteration of data inputs can be altered. Potential mitigation strategies should be identified for each physical avionics data input. These mitigation strategies could be process, software, or hardware solutions depending on the scenario. An evaluation of current protections, postulate new or enhanced cyber protections, and perform experimentation to determine if protections are sufficient to mitigate risk should be performed. All postulated solutions should focus on performance of the solution to prevent unnecessary burden on the aircrew that could prevent them from attaining mission success. 

Utilizing the white hat analysis, firms should develop prototype solutions for the two platforms with the largest threat surface in order to provide a formal design, implementation, and formal qualification testing of protection strategies for the data chain from source to end use. Prototype solutions in this context could be hardware, software, and/or procedural guidance. To validate the initial threat surface analysis and protections implemented provide sufficient protections to avert any corrupt/invalid source, errant corruption, Denial of Service (DoS), or spoofing/hacking attack types, potential technologies will participate in a focused ethical hacking event (or Hack-a-thon). A successful demonstration of the prototype solutions would be the prevention of all attempts to infiltrate the system and successful identification and notification of operators of hazardously misleading information that would affect decisions within the cockpit. 

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Determine feasibility of proposed approach by performing a white hat analysis of all physical avionics data inputs to all Navy aircraft. Provide a summary of the white hat analysis, a listing of all threat surfaces, the affected aircraft, mitigation strategies, and residual risk while also identifying gaps where analysis was non-deterministic. In the Phase I option, if exercised, develop a threat brief deployable to each platform and a Business Case Analysis (BCA). The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate prototyping solutions for the two platforms with the largest threat surface. Provide a formal design, implementation, and formal qualification testing of protection strategies for the data chain from source to end use. Prototype solutions in this context could be hardware, software, and/or procedural guidance. 

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize prototype solutions and validate at a focused ethical hacking event (or Hack-A-Thon). Proofing of threat patches, if high priority topics are discovered, additional or iterative hacking events may occur to ensure completion of targeted topics (i.e., fly-fix). Transition and integrate the deployment of cyber protection strategies to naval platforms or Programs of Record. 

The outcome of this topic will result in a packaged set of methodologies to protect data in transit from off-aircraft maintenance stations to on-aircraft usage to protect against both errant and malicious corruptions. Those methodologies could in turn be documented and shared with the private sector for use on Navy projects. Both the commercial sector (such as GE, Jacobs, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, L3Harris) and other DoD services could benefit from a deployed base cyber protection suite of tools. Software, hardware, and procedural solutions would need to remain portable to multiple environments to support reuse of tools and methodologies.

REFERENCES:

1. “DO-200B, Standards for Processing Aeronautical Data. Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics.” June 18, 2015. https://my.rtca.org/nc__store?search=DO-200B  
2. “DO-201B, User Requirements for Navigation Data. Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics.” December 13, 2018. https://my.rtca.org/nc__store?search=DO-201B

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace Environments; Human Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative and cost-effective Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System that can provide ready relevant training and encourage student participation through gamification of learning arcade style activities, with integrated student and class metrics that can increase training efficiency can address that need. This capability will provide a level of training fidelity that the community has not experienced while reducing training time and cost.

DESCRIPTION: Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources. Those resources include networks, servers, storage, applications, and services. These resources can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. Available on-demand, cloud environments are scalable and allow agencies to provision resources as required.

This SBIR topic seeks to investigate a Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System that leverages ready relevant learning and game theory. The system should allow remote access to a wide range of exercises and resources for students, instructors, and management. Consistent with the Cloud First policy, agencies will use cloud infrastructure when planning new mission and support applications. Additionally, agencies will consolidate existing applications to help reduce training time. In addition, one of the focus areas is improving training quality.

Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) is about driving fundamental changes into our approach to Sailor training. The goal of RRL is to provide the right training at the right time in the right way. To accomplish this, the Navy will modernize training to maximize impact and relevance, and accelerate processes for delivering new training to the Fleet. In order to improve Sailor performance and enhance mission readiness, the Navy’s industrial-era, conveyer-belt training model will transform into a modern version. The modern version will contain content that meets Fleet-validated learning needs [Ref 7].

Gamification [Ref 5] is the process of defining the elements that make games fun and motivate players to continue playing while using those same elements in a non-game scenario to influence behavior [Ref 4]. For an educational scenario, some examples of gamification of desired student behavior include attending class, focusing on meaningful learning tasks, and taking initiative [Ref 6].

Some elements of games that may be used to motivate learners and facilitate learning include, but are not limited to:

(a) progress mechanics (points/badges/leaderboards);

(b) narrative and characters;

(c) player control;

(d) immediate feedback;

(e) opportunities for collaborative problem solving;

(f) scaffolded learning with increasing challenges;

(g) opportunities for mastery, and leveling up; and

(h) social connection.

The Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System should consist of networked Tower and Radar Trainer, and a Part-task computer-based trainer that has access to training modules on the cloud. More specifically, this effort seeks to investigate a Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System allowing remote access to a wide range of exercises and resources for students, instructors, and management. The system should have the ability to remotely observe the simulator from anywhere in the world via the internet providing users the ability to simulate, simultaneously, operations of multiple Air Traffic Control (ATC) facilities such as multiple ATC approach control radars and multiple ATC towers operating in one given airspace. This ability should allow tower and radar controllers to simultaneously train using the same aircraft, handoffs, etc. to allow for a more realistic training scenario. Interactive development tools that allow for quick and easy creation of accurate scenarios can be immediately deployed to the cloud and used in full simulators and part-task trainers in all locations. Ready Relevant training via flexible part-task trainers that can be adapted to any curriculum aspect to provide targeted in-class training and off-class self-training reinforcement in all stages of student development for immediate implementation via the cloud trainer shall encourage student participation through gamification of learning arcade style activities with competitive scoreboards. If accessible via Department of the Navy (DON) networks, the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), the Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) Navy Enterprise Network (ONE-Net), and the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN), comprehensive class, student, and exercise management tools, exercises and databases can be shared with all sites. The system should be able to quickly and easily identify problem topics for individuals and the whole class to effectively target instruction and deploy ATC training software across the enterprise.

PHASE I: Identify and demonstrate feasibility of a Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System that leverages RRL and game theory; and simulates, simultaneously, operations of multiple Air Traffic Control (ATC) facilities such as multiple ATC approach control radars and multiple ATC towers, operating in one given airspace. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate a functional Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System prototype with the ability to communicate via DON networks, the NMCI, the ONE-Net and the MCEN. The prototype of the software technology that considers and adheres to Risk Management Framework guidelines to support cyber-security compliance in a lab or live environment. Install, integrate, test, train, validate, and deliver the Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System prototype.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Obtain management framework certification for an authority to operate within operational/training systems. Finalize, refine, and integrate the Cloud Based Air Traffic Control Training System and instructional tools within the training system environment. Transition the technology to a Naval Air Station via a Program Office. Examples of commercial industries that could benefit from this cloud based training include commercial airlines and corporate training. This SBIR topic provides benefits to the private sector by opening up a Navy use case for cloud based training. Although cloud based training has been used outside of the DoD, leveraging cloud based training for the DoD will add additional challenges because of network limitations and cyber security requirements. This solution can be used in the defense industry as the foundation for all future cloud based trainers.

REFERENCES:

1. Kent, S. “From cloud first to cloud smart.” Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, 2019. https://cloud.cio.gov/strategy/#procurement  
2. “Cloud smart strategy.” United States Department of the Interior. (n.d.) https://www.doi.gov/cloud/strategy  
3. Bielby, K. “Cloud first gets smart upgrade to remove cyber policy barriers, says OMB.” Homeland Security Today.US, September 24, 2018. https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/cybersecurity/cloud-first-gets-smart-upgrade-to-remove-cyber-policy-barriers-says-omb/  
4. Deterding, S.; Dixon, D.; Khaled, R. and Nacke, L. “From game design elements to gamefulness: defining 'gamification' [Paper presentation].” The 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference, Tampere, Finland, September 28-30, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.2181040  
5. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamification   
6. Borys, M. and Laskowski, M. “Implementing game elements into didactic process: A case study (Conference session).” 2013 Management, Knowledge and Learning International Conference (MakeLearn), Zadar, Croatia, June 19-21, 2013. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260060814_Implementing_game_elements_into_didactic_process_a_case_study  
7. Davidson, P.S. “Vision and guidance for ready relevant learning: Improving sailor performance and enhancing mission readiness.” United States Fleet Forces Command, August 2017. https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/rrl/documents/Vision-and-Guidance.pdf

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace Environments

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop ping strategies, in a simulation environment, that provide optimized performance for multistatic active sonar fields with a target that actively seeks to evade detection by the sonar field.

DESCRIPTION: One of the challenging components for developing new sonar systems and improvements to them is collecting data so that the system is mature with robust performance in a wide variety of acoustic environments.  Execution of data gathering events requires large investments funding Navy personnel and assets. In order to reduce costs while developing a system, the Navy seeks to employ models and simulations to the maximum extent possible reducing the need for a large number of data gathering events.

This SBIR topic seeks to develop foremost ping strategies and signal and information processing techniques to optimize search performance that can be validated against a realistic target motion model in a simulation environment.  Development of the target motion model is required and that model should include techniques for the target to avoid detection when located in a multistatic active coherent (MSAC) wide area search field.  Real-world parameters such as the sound speed profile and bathymetry will be provided. A reactive target model that seeks to evade an active multistatic field and remain undetected will enable more meaningful simulation results of the ping strategies under evaluation and will better demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed changes.  Historical approaches to the detection problem [Ref 7] focus on reconciling the sonar equation. The Navy seeks to develop ping strategies that leverage signal and information processing or other techniques in addition to just reconciling the sonar equation that will improve the probability of detection and show an improvement against a reactive target model that is able to maneuver, change speed, and change depth. Because the target has mass  (i.e., the size of a manned platform), instantaneous changes in speed or direction should not be considered in the target motion model.

Work produced in Phase II may be classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly known as Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Demonstrate the feasibility of ping strategies for a notional multistatic sonar system, which improves performance against an optimized reactive target model. Show that these new strategies improve performance versus a random ping schedule. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and implement ping strategies for a simulated MSAC field with a reactive target including broadband and narrowband waveforms, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) pinging, and high-duty cycle (HDC) pinging. Demonstrate that new ping strategies can successfully detect a reactive target 25% more often than simple ping schedules.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize and implement the capability as part of an operational sonar system. Transition of this capability should utilize the Advanced Product Builds (APB) process. The search techniques developed under this effort have application across the Navy for sonar, radar, electro-optic, and other sensor devices.

The searching or tracking of mobile targets where the sensors are stationary would benefit from this capability (i.e., tracking assets in an urban battlefield). A potential commercial application would be to the gaming industry especially if the object of the game was to avoid detection or capture.

REFERENCES:

1. Jackson, P. “Introduction to Expert Systems (3rd ed.).” Addison Wesley, 1998. ISBN 978-0-201-87686-4. http://www.pearsoned.co.uk  
2. Pike, J. and Sherman, R. “Run Silent, Run Deep.” Federation of American Scientists, December 8, 1998. https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/deep.htm  
3. Gilliam, C.; Angley, D.; Williams, S.; Ristic, B.; Moran, B.; Fletcher, F. and Simakov, Sergey. “Covariance Cost Functions for Scheduling Multistatic Sonobuoy Fields [Paper presentation].” International Conference on Information Fusion, Cambridge, UK, July 10-13, 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325597536_Covariance_Cost_Functions_for_Scheduling_Multistatic_Sonobuoy_Fields  
4. Kaelbling, L.P.; Littman, M.L. and Moore, A.W. “Reinforcement Learning: A Survey.” Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 4, May 1, 1996, pp. 237-285. https://doi.org/10.1613/jair.301  
5. François-Lavet, V.; Henderson, P.; Islam, R.; Bellemare, M.. and Pineau, J. “An Introduction to Deep Reinforcement Learning.” Foundations and Trends in Machine Learning, 11(3–4), December 20, 2018, pp. 219-354. https://doi.org/10.1561/2200000071  
6. DoD 5220.00-M: National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual. Department of Defense, February 28, 2006. https://www.esd.whs.mil/portals/54/documents/dd/issuances/dodm/522022m.pdf  
7. Urick, R.J. “Principles of Underwater Sound (3rd ed.).” Peninsula, 2013. ISBN 9780932146625. https://peninsulapublishing.com/product/principles/

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Battlespace Environments; Electronics

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a miniature, low-cost, high-performance inertial navigation system based on novel micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope technology for improved performance and Space, Weight, Power, and Cooling (SWaP-C).

DESCRIPTION: The Department of the Navy (DON) has emphasized the need for aerial platforms to have GPS-independent position, navigation, and timing capability. In order to satisfy the position and navigational capability goals, more advanced inertial navigation systems (INS) are needed. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) based on MEM technology could be the key to obtaining this sought after INS capability. MEMS gyroscopes are gaining increased usage in commercial and military applications because of their low size, weight, and power characteristics; MEMS-based IMUs that are shock/vibration resistant have the potential to provide accurate GPS-independent position and navigation data. Recent advances in the construction of MEMS devices have made it possible to manufacture small and light IMUs. Improvements in MEM gyroscope technology include characteristics such as bias drift prediction, micro-capacitance sensing, structure-borne noise and vibration analysis, quality factor optimization, bandwidth expansion, data compensation, quadrature error correction, and ease of fabrication. The availability of new MEMS, such as the Double U-beam vibration ring gyroscope (DUVRG), have the potential to improve unaided INS performance while retaining the ability to operate in the harsh environments common to Navy aviation platforms. A number of DUVRG structures can be combined into a small area, with opposing temperature and noise sensitivities to offset errors, and their outputs averaged for improved drift rates. The Navy seeks vibration and shock resistant tactical grade IMU for inertial navigation that are less than 3 in³, (volume), 100g (weight), and 2.3W (power) with position/angle/angle rate errors of 0.2m/0.1°/.005° per hour or less. This SBIR topic seeks vibration and shock [Ref 1] resistant tactical grade IMU for inertial navigation that are less than 3 in3, (volume), 100g (weight), and 2.3W (power) with position/angle/angle rate errors of 0.2m/0.1°/.005° per hour or less.

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility of the MEM gyroscope technology, including the use of DUVRGs in the design of a robust INS with state-of-the-art unaided drift characteristics. Determine how much improvement in position, pointing, roll and pitch accuracy can be obtained using advanced MEM gyroscope technology, and begin designing a DURVG-based (or other innovative MEM gyroscope) INS using modeling and/or analysis. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate, and validate a DUVRG-based or other innovative MEM gyroscope-based INS prototype. Perform bench level tests to verify the performance of prototype. Assess performance in a representative environment using MIL-STD-810 [Ref 1].

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete development of a MEM gyroscope-based INS prototype and demonstrate performance in an actual, operational environment. Integrate and transition to Navy hosting platforms. This technology would benefit any organization (i.e., space launch vehicles, commercial driver less vehicles, Merchant Marine vessels, and civilian aircraft) seeking a means of long term navigation without GPS.

REFERENCES:

1. “MIL-STD-810H, Department of Defense Test Method Standard: Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests (January 31, 2019).” Department of Defense. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL_STD_810H_55998/  
2. Gallacher, B.J. “Principles of a micro-rate integrating ring gyroscope.” IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 48(1), 2012, pp. 658-672. https://doi.org/10.1109/TAES.2012.6129662  
3. Cao, H.; Liu, Y.; Kou, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Shao, X.; Gao, J.; Huang, K.; Shi, Y.; Tang, J.; Shen, C. and Liu, J. “Design, fabrication and experiment of double U-beam MEMS vibration ring gyroscope.” Micromachines, 10(3), 186, 2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10030186  
4. Mayberry, C.L. “Interface circuits for readout and control of a micro-hemispherical resonating gyroscope (Doctoral dissertation, Georgia Institute of Technology).” https://smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/handle/1853/53116/MAYBERRY-THESIS-2014.pdf  
5. Kou, Z.; Liu, J.; Cao, H.; Feng, H.; Ren, J.; Kang, Q. and Shi, Y. “Design and fabrication of a novel MEMS vibrating ring gyroscope [Paper presentation].” 2017 IEEE 3rd Information Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Conference (ITOEC), Chongqing, China, October 3-5, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITOEC.2017.8122396  
6. Xia, D.; Yu, C. and Kong, L. “The development of micromachined gyroscope structure and circuitry technology.” Sensors, 14(1), January 14, 2014, pp. 1394-1473. https://doi.org/10.3390/s140101394

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Biomedical; Human Systems

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a thermoregulatory control device to be worn in conjunction with maintainer, flight deck crew, and rotary-wing aircrew helmets to prevent overheating in hot climates and support continued mission operation without degradation in human performance for up to twelve hours.

DESCRIPTION: Helmet systems have been developed to improve hearing and head protection in extremely loud environments [Refs 1-2]. Most of these helmets are unvented and some have an edge roll seal around the face and neck to improve hearing protection. Consequently, these features also create the potential for increased risk of overheating while wearing the helmet, especially in hot environments, over a 12-hour work period [Refs 3-4].

The Department of the Navy (DoN) seeks thermoregulatory control devices to be worn in conjunction with maintainer, flight deck crew, and rotary-wing aircrew helmets. The proposed technology must prevent the potential overheating of maintainers, flight deck crew, and rotary-wing aircrew for up to 12 hours [Refs 5-7]. Cooling devices may be head, neck, or body mounted and worn in, or under, the current helmet system or clothing. The technology must not interfere with mission operation, nor should it cause a decline in human performance or hearing protection over a 12-hour period. Technologies must be portable, lightweight, and should integrate with current helmets or personal protective equipment without disruptions to the edge roll or shell of the helmet, which would degrade current levels of hearing protection. In addition, added weight on the head should not significantly change the center of mass so as to lead to discomfort or decreased performance, nor should the technology force the head into a forward pitch position. The desired system may include, but is not limited to, passive and active, evaporative, conductive, or convective cooling. The technology should have minimal components and no risk of accidental detachment during mission operations. The cooling must not introduce health or safety risks to the warfighter or the environment. Both a one-size-fits-all approach, as well as, specific solutions for each application will be considered.

Although not required, it is highly recommended to work in coordination with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to ensure proper design and to facilitate transition of the final technology [Refs 1-2].

NAVAIR will provide Phase I performers with the appropriate guidance required for human research protocols so that they have the information to use while preparing their Phase II Initial Proposal. Institutional Review Board (IRB) determination as well as processing, submission, and review of all paperwork required for human subject use can be a lengthy process. As such, no human research will be allowed until Phase II and work will not be authorized until approval has been obtained, typically as an option to be exercised during Phase II.

PHASE I: Develop approaches to an innovative cooling solution that does not compromise hearing or head protection. Demonstrate proof of concept through test fixture testing and modeling. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

Note: Please refer to the statement included in the Description above regarding human research protocol for Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and produce a prototype thermoregulatory device based on the design developed in Phase I. Perform subject testing to evaluate performance in work-representative scenarios. Develop life-cycle costs and supportability estimates.

Note: Please refer to the statement included in the Description above regarding human research protocol for Phase II.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop an optimized solution, finalize testing efforts, and assist in transitioning the technology to the fleet. Provide the Navy with all mechanical and electrical drawings associated with production representative solutions.

Developed technology could be used commercially in the utilities sector, sports industry, or any instance in which helmeted personnel require cooling solutions to maintain a sustained activity level.

REFERENCES:

1. Navy SBIR (2004.3). Advanced Helmet for Maintainer Head and Hearing Protection. https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/1515545  
2. “Gentex Aircrew Rotary Wing Helmet Systems.” Gentex Corporation (2020, June 12). https://www.gentexcorp.com/  
3. Rodahl K., Guthe T. and Morrison, J.B. (ed). “Physiological limitations of human performance in hot environments, with particular reference to work in heat-exposed industry.” Taylor & Francis, Environmental Ergonomics—Sustaining Human Performance in Harsh Environments, 37, February 1, 1988,, pp. 22-69. ISBN-10: 0850664004. https://www.amazon.com/Environmental-Ergonomics-Igor-B-Mekjavic/dp/0850664004  
4. Tharion, W.J.; Goetz, V. and Yokota, M. “Estimated metabolic heat production of helicopter aircrew members during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.” No. T12-03. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, January 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277753739_Estimated_Metabolic_Heat_Production_of_Helicopter_Aircrew_Members_during_Operations_in_Iraq_and_Afghanistan  
5. “Chapter 3: Prevention of heat and cold stress injuries (ashore, afloat, and ground forces).” Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine (NAVMED P-5010-3).”, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Washington, DC, February 12, 2009. http://www.navybmr.com/study%20material/NAVMED%20P-5010/5010-3.pdf  
6. “Chapter B2: Heat stress.” Navy Safety and Occupational Health Program Manual for Forces Afloat. (OPNAVINST 5100.19F). Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, May 5, 2019. https://www.secnav.navy.mil/doni/Directives/05000%20General%20Management%20Security%20and%20Safety%20Services/05-100%20Safety%20and%20Occupational%20Health%20Services/5100.19F.pdf  
7. “Chapter 8: Thermal Stress Program.” Safety and Environmental Health Manual. (COMDTINST M5100.47), February 27, 2019. https://media.defense.gov/2019/Mar/01/2002094847/-1/-1/0/CIM_5100_47C.PDF

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms

OBJECTIVE: Develop a scalable, real-time, predictive, and adaptive model-based test frame control system that increases load cycling frequency while maintaining load accuracy for high speed dynamic rotary wing airframe testing.

DESCRIPTION: Full-scale fatigue testing is required for all new aircraft designs. While all aircraft are subjected to this testing, rotary wing aircraft often prove to be much more difficult to evaluate because of the high cycle counts that helicopter airframes experience. Currently, the limitations of structural testing control systems require full-scale fatigue tests to be performed at frequencies much lower than those generally experienced on rotary wing aircraft. Full-scale fatigue testing on rotary wing aircraft is typically limited to a low cycle fatigue test, where Ground-Air-Ground cycles and simplified maneuver loads are applied to the airframe. Truncation and/or equivalent damage methods are used to reduce the cycle count in order to perform a test within a reasonable time period. However, there is evidence that shows that equivalent damage methods, which remove high frequency load components at high mean stress loads, can produce unconservative crack growth rates. The crack growth rates are slower than what would be accumulated on an in-service aircraft, which creates a risk of not being able to find premature cracking at a representative time, or even at all during the full-scale fatigue test. Since pure cycle count reduction cannot produce test results that are consistent with real fleet usage, increasing testing speed is required to be able to incorporate more loading cycles without significantly prolonging a test effort. 

Current technology used in full-scale fatigue testing is limited to load cycle speeds of approximately 2 Hz, and most tests are practically slow enough to be considered quasi-static. At speeds this low, full-scale fatigue tests would take over 200 years to complete if all vibratory load content were to be included. The control system generally used for this testing is a reactive-style feedback loop that requires a load to be applied, usually by means of hydraulic servo-cylinders, and the system response to be read by sensors, such as strain gauges and load cells. Gains in the feedback loop are adjusted to provide satisfactory tracking between the target and measured loads or strains. While these reactive methods are adequate for quasi-static tests, they become insufficient as the frequency and speed of the test increases due to complexities caused by large airframe displacements, airframe inertial effects, actuator cross coupling, and phase lag caused by system response times. If these issues are unaddressed, the load cycling rate in a test will have to remain low in order for loads to be applied accurately. Accurate loads are required to attain representative test results to ultimately make a correct assessment of the actual life of the airframe, as well to catch and predict early cracking that might occur in the fleet. 

This SBIR topic seeks a model-based, or “model-in-the-loop”, control system for full-scale aircraft fatigue testing that can achieve higher cycling rates and faster test speeds compared to those achievable by current reactive control systems (0.5 Hz – 2 Hz). The control-system should be able to predict and generate the signals required for load application based on sensor data (including strain gauge bridges, load cells, displacement transducers) and a representative model of the system. This model could include the test article, fixtures, actuators, hydraulic valves and supply system, and sensors located on the test article or on the actuators. A peak loading frequency of at least 10 Hz is desired in order to match the primary loading frequencies on rotary-wing platforms. The control system should be capable of controlling high speed actuators that can achieve speeds in excess of 100 in/s in order to meet or exceed the frequency requirement while still being able to achieve displacements that may be several inches in magnitude. The controller should be able to simulate the test system in real time, use the model to predict required actuation signals, adapt the model and parameters to account for nonlinearities and uncertainties, and be scalable to handle multiple degrees of freedom with coupled actuations with potential for 15 or more actuators. 

Commercial and naval aircraft both face similar requirements for full scale fatigue testing. Improvements to testing speed while maintaining required loads and displacements would improve both cost and schedule for acquisitions and validation of new platforms. This technology could also improve dynamic testing in automotive applications, as well as for other ground-based military vehicles.

PHASE I: Determine feasibility of a real-time, predictive, and adaptive control system using a simplified test setup that leverages models of the test system in order to increase variable amplitude load accuracy at higher frequencies. Develop a plan for expanding the Phase I work into a prototype system that can be demonstrated on a simplified test article capable of increased test speeds and controlling multiple actuators.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate a prototype model-based control system based on the Phase I approach by integrating the controller into a test that applies representative loads onto simplified test article that is representative of an airframe structure in order to show increased control system performance (i.e., speed and accuracy) against a traditional control system. Demonstrate the ability to handle the coupling of multiple actuators as seen in a full scale fatigue test.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop and demonstrate a modular and scalable model-based control system on a full scale fatigue test specimen using multiple actuators and combined vibratory/maneuver loading. Verify that the system can apply vibratory loads accurately at load cycling rates of 10 Hz or higher. 

Because commercial and naval aircraft both face similar requirements for full scale fatigue testing, improvements to testing speed while maintaining required loads and displacements would improve both cost and schedule for acquisitions and validation of new platforms. This technology could also improve dynamic testing in automotive applications and for other ground-based military vehicles.

REFERENCES:

1. Plummer, A.R. “Model-in-the-Loop Testing.” Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part I: Journal of Systems and Control Engineering, 220(3), 2006, pp. 183-199. https://doi.org/10.1243/09596518JSCE207  
2. Hewitt, R.L. and Albright, F.J. “Computer modeling and simulation in a full-scale aircraft structural test laboratory.” ASTM International, Applications of Automation Technology to Fatigue and Fracture Testing and Analysis: Third Volume, 1997, pp. 32-33. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP11542S  
3. Mare, J.-C. “Dynamic loading systems for ground testing of high speed aerospace actuators.” Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 78(4), July 1, 2006, pp. 275-282. https://doi.org/10.1108/17488840610675546  
4. Plummer, A.R. “Control techniques for structural testing: a review.” Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part I: Journal of Systems and Control Engineering, 221(2), March 2007, pp. 139-169. https://doi.org/10.1243/09596518JSCE295  
5. Cornelis, B.; Toso, A.; Verpoest, W. and Peeters, B. “Adaptive modelling for improved control in durability test rigs [Paper presentation].” Proceedings of the 20th International Congress on Sound and Vibration (ICSV 20), Bangkok, Thailand, July 7-11, 2013, pp. 507-516. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258440444_Adaptive_Modelling_for_improved_control_in_durability_test_rigs  
6. Sarhadi, P. and Yousefpour, S. “State of the art: hardware in the loop modeling and simulation with its applications in design, development and implementation of system and control software.” International Journal of Dynamics and Control, 3(4), June 10, 2014, pp. 470-479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40435-014-0108-3  
7. Hu, J. and Plummer, A.R. “Compensator design for model-in-the-loop testing [Paper presentation].” 2016 UKACC 11th International Conference on Control (CONTROL), Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, August 31-September 1, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1109/CONTROL.2016.7737633

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop long-wave infrared transceiver components with high-data rate and low-bit error rate for use in free-space optical communications in adverse weather conditions.

DESCRIPTION: Free-space optical (FSO) communication links provide high-data rate, low latency, secure wireless, mobile communication that are difficult to jam or intercept and do not require spectrum management. FSO communication is an especially compelling alternative to a radio-frequency (RF) link with external RF Interference (RFI) in a RF-denied environment. Most current proposed or deployed FSO systems are in the short wave Infrared (SWIR) regime at around 1.55 micrometers due to ubiquity of the laser and optical components customized for fiber optical communications. Exceptionally high data rates at this wavelength range are possible when atmospheric effects are not present [Ref 1], and laser-based FSO communication is the leading solution for interconnecting new constellations of low-earth-orbit satellites. Terrestrial FSO links have seen some success, but link budget in the SWIR regime is often limited by optical obscurants such as haze, fog, clouds, atmospheric absorption, and turbulence presence in the atmosphere. SWIR links with stabilized telescopes have been demonstrated to achieve gigabit per second (Gb/s) communication between naval vessels in ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore configurations at ranges of 12 and 45 kilometers (km) [Ref 2], despite the link limitation to 1 km when the visibility was impaired by heavy fog. For FSO laser communications systems operating in the SWIR bands, including 1300 nm and 1550 nm, the photonic wavelength is comparable to the size of aerosols that scatter and attenuate the laser beam propagation in the channel.

Recent analysis has shown that operation in a more optimal long wave infrared (LWIR) wavelength range accessible from monolithic sources only via Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) enables dramatically lower attenuation from a variety of atmospheric effects [Ref 3]. The attenuation due to the presence of optical obscurants, such as fog, haze, and maritime aerosols for 10-micrometer (µm) wavelength transmission, is strikingly over 300 times lower than that at 1550 nm. Furthermore, LWIR FSO communication link at 10 µm wavelength have much reduced Rayleigh scattering compared to the 1.55 µm counterpart. At the same time, the fast carrier dynamics of QCLs make high-speed direct modulation possible [Ref 4], thereby also reducing transmitter complexity.

The main goal of this SBIR topic is to develop the LWIR transceiver, including the laser for the transmitter and detector for the receiver to leverage the unique LWIR atmospheric transmission window that is more transparent than other wavelengths in adverse weather conditions. The adverse weather condition is defined as the atmospheric conditions where a 1.55 µm FSO link would suffer > 25dB attenuation due to multiple scattering caused by various hydrometeor types such as haze, clouds, fogs, and aerosols such as dusts, smoke, and pollens [Ref 1]. Current Fabry-Perot (FP) QCLs emitting in the 10-micron regime provide less than 1W single-facet continuous wave (CW) power with less than 5% efficiency [Ref 5]. Large QCLs have modulation bandwidths that are limited by the large device capacitance. Commercial distributed feedback (DFB) QCLs in this wavelength range emit less than 100 milliwatts, potentially limiting the FSO link budget. Innovative QCL designs are needed to increase the QCL room temperature CW output power while maintaining beam quality (M^2 < 1.5) and high reliability for the LWIR FSO system.

The Threshold and Objective parameters of QCL, detectors, and the transceivers are as follows:

• QCL CW max power: Threshold of 250 mW, Objective of 1000 mW
• QCL wavelength: Threshold of 8.5-12 micron, Objective of 9.5-11.5 micron
• QCL linewidth: Threshold of 10 nm, Objective of < 2 nm
• Detector detectivity: Threshold of D* 2.25E9 cm* SQRT(Hz)/W, Objective of 5E9 cm* SQRT(Hz)/W
• Detector quantum efficiency: Threshold of 10%, Objective of 50%
• Data rate (worse case conditions): Threshold of 1 Gb/s, Objective of 10 Gb/s
• Data rate (clear conditions): Threshold of 10 Gb/s, Objective of 40 Gb/s
• Average transmitter power: Threshold of 125 mW, Objective of 500 mW
• Receiver sensitivity at 1E-12 bit error rate (BER): Threshold of -18 dBm, Objective of -25 dBm
• Receiver saturation: Threshold of 1 mW, Objective of 10 mW

Cost-effective FSO links must function with devices’ temperatures near ambient (25 degrees C) to minimize cooling system cost, size, and power. At these temperatures, thermally induced dark current unacceptably limits detectivity of conventional LWIR photodetectors needed for the receiver side of the FSO link. Reducing detector volume reduces the dark current, but also the area and responsivity. Recent research has shown that metal and dielectric resonators can enhance the collection area and responsivity, enabling high detectivity in the LWIR near room temperature [Ref 6]. High detectivity has been demonstrated in devices based on both inter-band and inter-subband absorption, but innovative designs are certainly required to achieve both high speed and high receiver sensitivity simultaneously. 

FSO links based on LWIR QCLs and detectors operating at wavelengths optimized for highest system level performance will enable secure, mobile, naval communications in RF congested and denied environments. With the successful development of these critical LWIR components, a cost-effective and low space, weight, and power (SWaP) digital communication link that supports encryption with effective range over 100 km will be the objective of future development.

PHASE I: Design, develop, and demonstrate LWIR lasers and detectors needed for 10 Gb/s transmission for the adverse weather conditions [Ref 1]. The design should include plans for growth, fabrication, packaging processes, and a monolithic QCL transmitter emitting in the 10-micron wavelength region capable of 1W single facet CW operation and direct modulation bandwidth > 5 GHz. Detectors should have commensurate performance to enable the 10 Gb/s link. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate, and validate a prototype FSO link operating in the 10-micron region with at least 10 Gb/s data rate and BER of 1E-12 with 1 W average, single-spatial-mode transmitter launch power for the adverse weather conditions. Perform testing to explore the limits of operational speed and distance. Provide a production cost model.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize development of the prototype based on Phase II results for transition and integration into a Navy operational test asset. Conduct risk management and mitigation. 

Telecommunications and local, urban communications (communication nodes – line of sight) would benefit from this technology due to its high bandwidth capability even in adverse weather conditions.

REFERENCES:

1. Rensch, D.B. and Long, R.K. “Comparative studies of extinction and backscattering by aerosols, fog, and rain at 10.6 µm and 0.63 µm.” Applied Optics, 9(7), 1970, pp. 1563-1573. https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.9.001563  
2. Corrigan, P.; Martini, R.; Whittaker, E.A. and Bethea, C. “Quantum cascade lasers and the Kruse model in free space optical communication.” Optical Society of America, Optics Express, 17(6), 2009, pp. 4355-4359. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.17.004355  
3. Bai, Y.; Bandyopadhyay, N.; Tsao, S.; Slivken, S. and Razeghi, M. “Room temperature quantum cascade lasers with 27% wall plug efficiency.” Applied Physics Letters, 98, 181102, May 2, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3586773  
4. Lee, B.G.; Belkin, M.A.; Audet, R.; MacArthur, J.; Diehl, L.; Pflüegl, C.; Capasso, F., Oakley, D.C.; Chapman, D.; Napoleone, A.; Bour, D.; Corzine, S.; Höefler, G. and Faist, J. “Widely tunable single-mode quantum cascade laser source for mid-infrared spectroscopy.” Applied Physics Letters, 91(23), December 3, 2007, pp. 231101-1–231101-3. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2816909  
5. Hofstetter, D.; Graf, M.; Aellen, T.; Faist, J.; Hvozdara, L. and Blaser, S. “23GHz operation of a room temperature photovoltaic quantum cascade detector at 5.35µm.” Applied Physics Letters, 89(6), August 10, 2006, pp. 061119-1–061119-3. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2269408  
6. Palaferri, D.; Todorov, Y.; Bigioli, A.; Mottaghizadeh, A.; Gacemi, D.; Calabrese, A.; Vasanelli, A.; Li, L.; Davies, A.G.; Linfield, E.H.; Kapsalidis, F.; Beck, M.; Faist, J. and Sirtori, C. “Room-temperature nine-µm-wavelength photodetectors and GHz-frequency heterodyne receivers.” Nature, 556, March 26, 2018, pp. 85–88. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature25790  
7. Rodriguez, E.; Mottaghizadeh, A.; Gacemi, D.; Palaferri, D.; Asghari, Z.; Jeannin, M.; Vasanelli, A.; Bigioli, A.; Todorov, Y.; Beck, M.; Faist, J.; Wang, Q.J. and Sitori, C. “Room-Temperature, Wide-Band, Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector for Microwave Optical Links at 4.9 µm Wavelength.” ACS Photonics, 5(9), 2018, pp. 3689-3694. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.8b00704

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a lightweight, high-performance, thermal protection system for hypersonic aerial vehicles operating in hypersonic flight environments.

DESCRIPTION: Hypersonic aerial vehicles have more aerodynamic shapes with sharp leading edges to improve performance. When a vehicle is travelling through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds of Mach 5 or higher, it encounters intense friction with the surrounding air. The nose cone and the leading edges of the flight vehicle will experience extremely high temperatures up to 3000 to 5000 degrees Fahrenheit (F). The extreme temperature of the leading edge caused by the kinetic heating is inversely proportional to the square root of its radius of curvature [Ref 1]. Therefore, the more aerodynamic the shape of the vehicle, the higher the temperatures of the leading edges.

Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) materials, such as Hafnium carbide and Tantalum carbide [Ref 2], have extremely high melting points and high resistance to oxygen-induced ablation. Additionally, active research has been performed to develop these types of ceramics materials with mechanically and thermally robust structural and coating materials for hypersonic vehicles. Besides the thermal challenges of hypersonic vehicle exteriors, the extreme heat from the high-temperature external surfaces transported to the interior of the vehicle can impact performance and reliability of the internal systems, avionics and payloads.

This SBIR topic seeks to address the vehicle’s interior high-temperature challenges by developing and creating a lightweight, high-performance, materials and cooling system to insulate the exterior high temperature from the interior of the hypersonic vehicle. Any innovative passive or active thermal protection solution will be considered as long as it will maintain the internal ambient temperature of a hypersonic aerial vehicle at no more than 110 °F and the total weight is no more than 15% of the hypersonic aerial vehicle when empty [Ref 3]. The final hypersonic aerial vehicle shape and form will be determined at the beginning of the Phase I.

PHASE I: Design, develop, and demonstrate feasibility of the proposed lightweight thermal protection system for the hypersonic aerial vehicles. Conduct analytical and experimental models of the design. Determine any technical risks of the design and provide risk mitigation strategy. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Fully develop and optimize the approach developed in Phase I. Validate the lightweight thermal protection system’s performance via testing in a relevant representative hypersonic environment. Demonstrate that the lightweight thermal protection system can meet the performance requirements stated in the Description in a high-fidelity simulated aerothermodynamics heating for hypersonic flight environments [Ref 4].

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize development, based on Phase II results, for transition and integration of the product into a hypersonic vehicle candidate airframe. Conduct flight test units for fielding on Navy experimental flight tests.

This system could be applied to any commercial air vehicle, which must fly at high supersonic-to-hypersonic speeds (space access and recoverable vehicles). In addition, any low cost, high-temperature materials capable of surviving in a high-supersonic-flight environment would have diverse application in other industries that have components exposed to high temperatures, such as automotive engines, industrial processes, aircraft engines, airliner fuselages, industrial furnaces and confined electronics. Finally, the product could also be used as a cryogenic insulation for liquid natural gas fuel storage tanks or other kinds of cryogenic liquids.

REFERENCES:

1. Lewis, M.J. “Sharp Leading Edge Hypersonic Vehicles in the Air and Beyond.” SAE International, SAE 1999 Transactions, 108, October 19, 1999, pp. 841-851. https://doi.org/10.4271/1999-01-5514  
2. Cedillos-Barraza, O.; Manara, D.; Boboridis, K.; Watkins, T.; Grasso, S.; Jayaseelan, D.D.; Konings, R.J.M.; Reece, M.J. and Lee, W. E. “Investigating the highest melting temperature materials: A laser melting study of the TaC-HfC system.” Scientific Reports, 6, 37962, December 1, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37962  
3. “High-Speed Strike Weapon To Build On X-51 Flight" Archived January 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Aviation Week, 20 May 2013.
4. Mueschke, N. (n.d.). “Hypersonic Flight Test.” Southwest Research Institute. https://www.swri.org/industry/hypersonics-research/hypersonic-flight-test

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace Environments

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop improvements for active sonar search detection, classification, and localization performance by using or adding non-acoustic sensors to sonobuoys.

DESCRIPTION: Air ASW multistatic active sonar detection, classification, and localization (DCL) performance relies on advanced processing algorithms to exploit transmitted and received sonobuoy signals. The uncertainty surrounding these signals place fundamental limits on system performance and mission success.

The Navy seeks to upgrade or add non-acoustic sensing hardware to sonobuoys which will measurably improve DCL or tracking performance for active sonar (threshold 10% improvement over a sonobuoy without the capability, objective 25% improvement), particularly for scenarios where GPS is not available. An ideal solution will be low cost (adding less than $50.00 to the cost of a production sonobuoy), fit within the existing sonobuoy size (i.e., cylinder of diameter 4 7/8 inches, length 36 inches), weight (i.e., not cause a sonobuoy to exceed a maximum of 39 lbs) and power (SWaP) constraints (ideally a sensor requiring less than 12 volts and 25 milliamps), and be capable of improving several performance metrics. 

Proposed solutions should identify the sonobuoy(s) to be upgraded, the performance metrics expected to benefit from the proposed sensor hardware improvements, and quantify the expected improvement through simulation and/or experiments. Sonobuoy improvements may consider adding transducers and/or replacing existing ones. Examples of such include, but are not limited to, buoy localization performance could potentially be improved by adding/replacing sensors to increase accuracy of time-of-flight and/or bearing measurements. Temperature and/or salinity sensors could be added to provide a partial sound speed profile for individual buoys. Sensors such as inertial measurement units (IMU), gyroscopes, and accelerometers could be used for motion compensation.

Work produced in Phase II may be classified. Note: If the work is classified then, the prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility of the proposed concept through analysis, simulation, and real-world measurements where possible. Analysis should include estimating the bounds of performance for the proposed method, and potential impacts to the existing sonar system operation. Conduct trade-offs of SWaP versus performance improvements for different sensing strategies. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Refine the concept and develop prototype sonobuoys with improved sensing. Evaluate the improvements using at sea experiments. Develop processing software for using the new sensors either aboard an aircraft or embedded in the sonobuoy.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize and implement the capability into a sonobuoy that can be deployed in an open ocean environment during a data gathering event conducted by the Navy. Analyze the data collected in this real-world environment event and verify that the realized gains in performance matched the expected gains.

The technology developed under this effort has application across the Navy for sonar, radar, electro-optic, magnetic anomaly detection and other sensor devices. Any commercial application that uses sensors whose positions need to be known with more precision would benefit from this effort. A possible commercial application could include improved sensor positions during medical imaging procedures.

REFERENCES:

1. Reynolds, S.A.; Flatté, S.M.; Dashen, R.; Buehler, B. and Maciejewski, P. “AFAR measurements of acoustic mutual coherence functions of time and frequency.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 77(5), May 1985, pp. 1723-1731. https://asa.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1121/1.391921  
2. Kirk, J.C. “Motion compensation for synthetic Aperture Radar.” IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, AES-11(3), May 1975, pp. 338-348. https://doi.org/10.1109/TAES.1975.308083  
3. Hayes, M.P. and Gough, P.T. “Synthetic aperture sonar: A review of current status.” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 34(3), July 2009, pp. 207-224. https://doi.org/10.1109/JOE.2009.2020853  
4. “DoD 5220.22-M National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (Incorporating Change 2, May 18, 2016).” Department of Defense. https://www.esd.whs.mil/portals/54/documents/dd/issuances/dodm/522022m.pdf

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a non-traditional airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) system capable of detecting modern quiet submarine targets from high altitude aircraft.

DESCRIPTION: Detection of operational modern-day submarines is becoming increasingly complex due to advances in submarine technologies. Acoustic signature detection is the traditional method in use today. For fixed-wing aircraft, those systems employ expendable sensors - sonobuoys - to enable detection of the submarine’s acoustic signals. The Navy would like to explore alternate, non-traditional concepts that overcome the detection limitation, in order to expand the tools available to operating forces and develop potentially more robust systems. 

The principal fixed-wing ASW aircraft in operation today is the P-8 Poseidon. Any new approaches to airborne ASW will eventually require compatibility with that airframe. Also, the acoustic sensors used today are expendable devices. Testing will include hardware in-the-loop or laboratory modeling. Finally, any new approaches should not be considered a replacement for existing systems but as a supplement to expand airborne surveillance capabilities to detect those submarines, surfaced or submerged, with enhanced covert technology.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), formerly the Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Develop and demonstrate feasibility of a non-traditional concept for an airborne ASW system that detects targets through exploitation of novel target/environment interactions. Consider the operating platform’s capabilities and limitations for guidance for the overall and ultimate system proposed. Provide sufficient detail to identify the concept (e.g., history, components, effects, hardware). The Phase I effort will also include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Identify critical technology areas requiring validating experimental data. Working with the Navy, define testable hypotheses and identify test equipment and geometries necessary to collect the critical data, which could also involve analysis of any existing data, building software/hardware fabrication, and potential laboratory experimental measurements. Demonstrate the prototype system and perform analysis as applicable.

Work in Phase II may become classified. Please see note in Description paragraph.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete final testing and perform necessary integration and transition for use in ASW and countermine warfare, counter surveillance, and monitoring operations with appropriate current platforms and agencies, and future combat systems under development. Commercially this product could be used to enable remote environmental monitoring such as in oil, gas and mineral industries, and in geophysical survey, facilities, and vital infrastructure assets.

REFERENCES:

1. Moser, P. “Gravitational Detection of Submarines.” Warminster, Naval Air Development Center, 1989. http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/1012150.pdf  
2. Skolnik, M. “A Review of NIDAR.” Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC, 1975. http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/b228588.pdf  
3. Stefanick, T. “The Nonacoustic Detection of Submarines.” Scientific American, 1988, pp. 41-47. http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v258/n3/pdf/scientificamerican0388-41.pdf   
4. Wren, G. and & May, D. “Detection of Submerged Vessels Using Remote Sensing Techniques.” Australian Defence Force Journal, 1997, pp. 10-15. https://fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/slbm/detection.pdf  
5. Godin, O.A. “Anomalous transparency of water-air interface for low-frequency sound.” Physical Review Letters, 97(16), 164301, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.164301

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Materials / Processes; Weapons

OBJECTIVE: Develop a data-driven computational framework to enable prediction of material aging for designing a new/replacement composite component or its repair, assessing airworthiness of such a component during its lifetime and for assessing life extension.

DESCRIPTION: A building block approach is typically used in the design of composite material systems and their qualification and certification (Q&C). Knowledge gained by employing analytical models, along with tests at the coupon level, is employed in developing the next level design of structural elements. Similarly, the knowledge gained at the structural elements through computational models and testing enable the development of subcomponents and components [Ref 1]. 

Composite structures are typically designed to operate at much lower stress levels than their maximum strength and most of the loads are below fatigue threshold. However, history has shown widespread damage to occur towards the end of the designed life. This could very well be due to degradations in the metallic structures with which the composite parts interface in an aging aircraft. It could also be due to the accumulations of in-service overloads, such as flying over the rated G limits or impact loads caused by severe landings, both resulting in flaws that grow with further usage. These reveal the uncertainties and shortcomings of the current design and Q&C’s approach in meeting the damage tolerance design requirements, as included in the Joint Services Specification Guide, JSSG2006 [Ref 2]. 

A novel, computationally efficient framework is sought to accurately assess the structural integrity of individual airframe subjected to realistic flight usage and operating environments [Refs 3, 4, 5]. It should be capable of integrating various aircraft data ranging from flight state parameter history, available Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) sensors (e.g., strain gages, acoustic and/or fiber optic sensors) to airframe configuration, and maintenance and repairs [Refs 5, 6]. 

The framework should account for, but not be limited to,:

(a) realistic flight history data of flight conditions;

(b) the gaps in the data;

(c) mission specific loading and environmental variability; and,

(d) identifying potential multiphysics trade-offs to enable accelerated testing.

 

Some of the composite material systems of Navy’s interest are glass fiber reinforced plastic and graphite-epoxy resin systems such as IM7/ 8552, AS4/3501-6, AS4/ IM977-3, and IM7/977-3.

PHASE I: Explore the feasibility of developing a framework for data-driven multiphysics algorithms for predicting the damage tolerance requirements of JSSG2006 for composites, as described above. Include the methodology for testing in-service loading and environmental conditions [Refs 9,10] for validation of the algorithms. Further, include the mechanism for filling gaps in the data for prediction of the airworthiness of composite components. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop the framework and demonstrate it for the platform chosen by the Navy by utilizing realistic flight history data for predicting damage tolerance of the component with specific issues identified by the Navy. Validate the multiphysics-based algorithms using appropriate tests simulating the in-service loading environment and for different blocks in the building block approach.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Apply the framework to the Navy selected platforms by integrating it with the data available from Structural Health Monitoring sensors, if any, and databases providing aircraft history of maintenance, repairs, and structural upgrades. Commercial passenger and cargo airlines could potentially benefit from this technology.

REFERENCES:

1. “MIL-HDBK-17-1F, Composite Materials Handbook: Vol. I. Polymer Matrix Composites Guidelines for Characterization of Structural Materials”. U.S. Department of Defense, June 17, 2002. http://everyspec.com/MIL-HDBK/MIL-HDBK-0001-0099/MIL_HDBK_17_1F_237/  
2. “Department of Defense Joint Service Specification Guide: Aircraft Structures (JSSG-2006). U.S. Department of Defense, October 30, 1998.. http://everyspec.com/USAF/USAF-General/JSSG-2006_10206/  
3. Cortial, J.; Farhat, C.; Guibas, L.J. and Rajashekhar, M. “Compressed sensing and time-parallel reduced-order modeling for structural health monitoring using a DDDAS.” Computational science 7th international conference, Beijing, China, May 27-30, 2007, Proceedings, Part I–ICCS 2007: Lecture notes in computer science, Vol. 4487, pp. 1171-1179. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72584-8_153  
4. Amsallem, D.; Farhat, C. and Lieu, T. “Aeroelastic analysis of F-16 and F-18/A configurations using adapted CFD-based reduced-order models [Paper presentation].” 48th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Honolulu, HI, United States, April 23-26, 2007. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2007-2364  
5. Michopoulos J.; Tsompanopoulou P.; Houstis E.; Farhat C.; Lesoinne M.; Rice J. and Joshi A. “On a data-driven environment for multiphysics applications.” Future generation computer systems, 21(6), June 2005, pp. 953–968. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2003.12.023  
6. Molent, L. and Aktepe, B. “Review of fatigue monitoring of agile military aircraft.” Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials & Structures, 23(9), September 2005, pp. 767-785. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1460-2695.2000.00330.x  
7. Michopoulos, J.; Hermanson, J. and Iliopoulos, A. “Advances on the constitutive characterization of composites via multiaxial robotic testing and design optimization.” Advances in computers and information in engineering research, Vol. 1, 2014, pp. 73–95. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.860328_ch4  
8. Seneviratne, W.; Tomblin, J. and Kittur, M. “Durability and residual strength of adhesively-bonded composite joints: The case of F/A-18 A–D wing root stepped-lap joint.” Woodhead Publishing, Fatigue and Fracture of Adhesively-Bonded Composite Joints, 2015, pp. 289-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-85709-806-1.00010-0  
9. MIL-HDBK-530-1, Department Of Defense Handbook: “Aircraft Uage and Service Loads Statistics,” Volume 1, Criteria and Methodology, 01 July 2019.
10. Nickerson, W.; Amiri, M. and Iyyer, N. "Building environmental history for Naval aircraft." Corrosion Reviews 37, No. 5, 2019, pp. 367-375

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Electronics; Weapons

OBJECTIVE: Design, develop, and demonstrate an innovative digital firing device that will be used as a form, fit, and function interchangeable replacement for the airborne rocket launcher.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy is currently using an intervalometer, which fits inside launchers such as the LAU-68 or LAU-131. The device allows pilots to fire individual rocket tubes in sequential order or ripple-fire an entire launcher within seconds. With limited space, the current design seeks enhancement of power, while accounting for the controlling voltage losses due to ambient circuit resistance to ensure sufficient firing current. The only time power is applied to the circuit is when the pilot pulls the trigger. The desired design needs to use innovative circuit designs to overcome the lack of power needed to maintain the current firing state of the intervalometer when the trigger is released. The lack of power can be overcome by storing information during the power cycle or by other means such as, but not limited to, energy harvesting to provide supplemental power.

The Navy would like to steer away from the current analog device and move to something digital. The Navy is looking for a form, fit, and function innovative replacement that can be used interchangeably with the existing intervalometer and launchers, except that the functionality is expected to be achieved via a digital circuit board design (vice the current analog design). The device should be roughly the size of a small (roughly 8”L x 2”W x 2”H) handheld flashlight. The current device uses a rotating dial, but another means of allowing user input (LOAD/ARM, rocket selection) may be used such as, but not limited to, rotary encoders.

General operation of the intervalometer should provide rocket firing current outputs including, but not limited to,:

a) input power of 20.0 to 31.5 volts direct current (Vdc), otherwise, in accordance with the dc normal operation characteristics of MIL-STD-704 [Ref 1], is supplied through a 5.0 ohm ±10 percent resistor;

b) control and apply rocket firing current to output pins sequentially;

c) each rocket firing output pins should be tested using a 4 ohm ±10 percent resistor;

d) rocket firing current pulse measured at each pin should be not less than 1.5 amperes (amps), with the load specified for not less than 10 milliseconds (ms).

e) interruptions of this power, as a result of any type of contact bounce or switch chatter of 4.0 +/- 0.4 ms duration, should not interfere with the performance of the intervalometer;

f) the single and ripple modes are controlled by an electrical switch located on the launcher structure; and

g) interface with the single/ripple switch and identify firing mode prior to operation.

The operation of the digital firing device should be defined in two modes: single mode operation and ripple mode operation. In single mode operation, the intervalometer should apply rocket firing current to only one output pin in sequence with each application of power, and be capable of not less than 12 firings per second. In ripple mode operation the intervalometer ripple rate should be self-generating in such a manner as to apply rocket firing current to output pins in sequential order. The overall firing time in the ripple mode should fire rockets with a minimum delay of 5 ms and a maximum delay of 30 ms with at least a 10 ms dwell time and an output between firing pulses of a minimum 35 ms and a maximum of 45 ms.

Setting the intervalometer to the LOAD position should internally ground all output circuits and prevent the intervalometer from being electrically sequenced upon the application of power. The internal grounding should be accomplished by means of the ground circuit. Upon completion of the last rocket firing, the intervalometer output should sequence to the LOAD position and not sequence any further (i.e., should not return to first rocket) upon the application of power. The arm circuit should provide the ground circuit to all outputs, but should also allow for electrical sequencing upon the application of power. The intervalometer should be manually switched from the LOAD position to the ARM position to provide positive arming of the intervalometer. 

The intervalometer should provide a grounding circuit through the intervalometer to ensure safety during loading and preparation. The ground circuit should ground all output pins when the intervalometer is in the LOAD or ARM position. As the intervalometer is electrically advancing through its sequence, the ground circuit should ground each output pin except those being fired. The ground circuit should ground the output pin with a resistance of not greater than 0.1 ohm. If the intervalometer is manually advanced through firing positions to the LOAD or ARM position, all output pins should remain grounded.

The intervalometer should have a settable firing sequence to maintain launcher center of gravity during firing. In the event of a short circuit to ground or an open circuit on the output pins during rocket firing current application, the intervalometer should be fault tolerant and be capable of continuing operation without damage.

PHASE I: Design, develop, and determine feasibility of a proof of concept for the digital firing device. Ensure to account for tube slipping, handling, and manufacturing plans. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype digital firing device, and demonstrate its application in a test rocket launcher (provided as Government furnished equipment (GFE)). If available, demonstrate the capability on existing platform and/or platform representative examples.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Perform final development and testing to include conformance testing to applicable MIL-STDs [Refs 1, 2]. Support final system application testing onboard aircraft with full system test, in coordination with NAVAIR Test and Evaluation.

The intervalometer has a potential commercial use in the fireworks industry to sequence the launching of multiple fireworks with a determined time interval. In addition to this commercial use, these intervalometer can be sold to foreign militaries.

REFERENCES:

1. “MIL-STD-704F w/CHANGE 1: Department of Defense interface standard: aircraft electric power characteristics.” Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, December 5, 2016. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0700-0799/MIL-STD-704F_CHG-1_55461/  
2. “MIL-STD-3018 w/CHANGE 2: Department of Defense standard practice parts management. Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, June 2, 2015. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-3000-9999/MIL-STD-3018_CHG-2_52157/

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics

OBJECTIVE: Develop midinfrared light emitting diodes (LEDs) with optical cavities electromagnetically engineered at a subwavelength scale to enhance wall-plug efficiency and brightness of devices beyond the current state-of-the-art technology and to demonstrate multipixel mid-infrared LED arrays.

DESCRIPTION: Efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operating in the midinfrared spectral range, that includes both mid-wave infrared (MWIR) (3-5 micron) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) (8-12 micron) wavelength regions, are highly desired for the use in systems for infrared scene projection (IRSP), chemical sensing, and spectroscopy. Hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing of infrared (IR) guided weapons necessitates infrared imagery to provide target signatures with high fidelity in a simulated environment with sufficient brightness. The capability to engage IR weapon and aircraft sensors and seekers with high-brightness, high-definition imagery of targets and backgrounds in HITL simulation is essential in the test and evaluation of the systems, such as threat detection and missile warning systems. Current IR scene projectors based on resistive emitter array technology have performance shortcomings such as low output radiance, slow frame rates, and small frame size. Compared to thermal sources, midinfrared LEDs can offer substantially higher radiance, modulation speeds, and significantly larger frame size over existing technologies. However, current devices are still highly inefficient. External wall-plug efficiency of state-of-the-art MWIR LEDs is currently below 0.5% at room temperature [Refs 1, 2] and that of LWIR LEDs is at least one order of magnitude lower [Ref 3].

Low wall-plug efficiency leads to low brightness of MWIR and LWIR LED systems. Low efficiency and brightness of midinfrared LEDs primarily result from a combination of low internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of light generation and low light extraction efficiency. IQE is limited by rapid non-radiative carrier recombination, which is dominated by strong Auger recombination at high pump currents [Ref 4]. As a result, IQE is estimated to be approximately 10% in the state-of-the-art MWIR LEDs operating around 3 microns [Ref 2] and drops quickly at longer wavelengths. For LWIR LEDs, IQE is well below 1% [Ref 4]. Furthermore, mid-infrared LEDs suffer from low extraction efficiency at 2% resulting from a narrow total internal reflection cone in LED materials [Ref 1, 2]. Parasitic voltage drops in the semiconductor heterostructure also have a negative effect on the midinfrared LED efficiency, although this factor has relatively minor effect compared to the two factors mentioned above [Refs 2, 3].

Electromagnetic engineering of LED optical cavities at a subwavelength scale can dramatically enhance light emission in the near- and far-infrared bands [Refs 5, 6, 7]. Subwavelength LED cavities can produce strong Purcell enhancement of spontaneous emission rates, which leads to drastic improvements in IQE, and enables optimal radiative emission rates of the photons in the cavity mode to free space, which improves output efficiency [Refs 5, 6, 7].

This SBIR topic seeks to investigate if similar approaches may dramatically enhance midinfrared LED efficiency and to demonstrate high-performance midinfrared LED arrays based on this technology. Proposed approaches should design, fabricate, and characterize midinfrared LEDs with optical cavities electromagnetically engineered at a subwavelength scale to enhance wall-plug efficiency and brightness of devices beyond the current state of the art. The threshold and final objective wall-plug efficiencies of this MWIR LED arrays are 10% and 15%, respectively. Multipixel LED arrays based on this technology for high-fidelity, HITL testing should be demonstrated.

PHASE I: Design, develop, and demonstrate the feasibility of brightness and wall-plug efficiency enhancement of midinfrared LEDs using subwavelength optical cavity structuring to enhance spontaneous light emission rates into the LED material and out-coupling rates of light from the LED material to free space. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed in Phase II.

PHASE II: Fabricate and characterize a single element midinfrared LED prototype, with wall-plug efficiency at room temperature. Based on the new LED geometry, demonstrate feasibility of fabricating multipixel LED arrays. Fabricate and completely characterize the prototype with a 64x64 pixel addressable LED array. Prepare a report that summarizes the experimental evaluation and validation of performance characteristics of the developed system.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Fully develop and transition a 512x512 pixel addressable LED array-based dynamic IR scene projector per specifications based on the research and development of results developed during Phase II for DoD applications.

This type of high brightness, high-fidelity infrared scene projectors can be used as HITL testing of thermal imaging cameras used by firefighters. In direct projection, images are projected directly into the camera; in indirect projection, images are projected onto a diffuse screen, which is then viewed by the camera. These high performance LED-based scene projectors can also be used in virtual reality for testing of IR search, track and rescue operations systems, and calibration for any spectrally sensitive IR remote sensing instrument.

REFERENCES:

1. Meyer, R.J.; Bewley, W.W.; Merritt, C.D.; Kim, M.; Kim, C.S.; Warren, M.V.; Canedy, C.L. and Vurgaftman, I. “Mid-infrared interband cascade light-emitting devices with improved radiance [Paper presentation].” Proceedings of the SPIE OPTO: Quantum Sensing and Nano Electronics and Photonics XV, San Francisco, CA, United States, 10540, 1054009-1, January 27-February 1, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2288009  
2. Ermolaev, M.; Lin, Y.; Shterengas, L.; Hosoda, T.; Kipshidze, G.; Suchalkin, S. and Belenky, G. “GaSb-Based Type-I Quantum Well 3–3.5-µm Cascade Light Emitting Diodes.” IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 30(9), May 1, 2018, pp. 869-872. https://doi.org/10.1109/LPT.2018.2822621  
3. Das, N.C.; Bradshaw, J.; Towner, F. and Leavitt, R. “Long-wave (10 µm) infrared light emitting diode device performance.” Solid-State Electonics, 52(11), November 2008, pp. 1821-1824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sse.2008.09.003  
4. Krier, A. “Physics and technology of mid-infrared light emitting diodes.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 359(1780), March 15, 2001, pp. 599-618. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2000.0745  
5. Hoang, T.B.; Akselrod, G.M.; Argyropoulos, C.; Huang, J.; Smith, D.R. and Mikkelsen, M.H. “Ultrafast spontaneous emission source using plasmonic nanoantennas.” Nature Communications, 6, 7788, July 27, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8788  
6. Akselrod, G.M.; Argyropoulos, C.; Hoang, T.B.; Ciracì, C.; Fang, C.; Huang, J.; Smith, D.R. and Mikkelsen, M.H. “Probing the mechanisms of large Purcell enhancement in plasmonic nanoantennas.” Nature Photonics, 8, October 14, 2014, pp. 835-840. https://www.nature.com/articles/nphoton.2014.228  
7. Madeo, J.; Todorov, Y.; Gilman, A.; Frucci, G.; Li, L.H.; Davies, A.G.; Linfield, E.H.; Sirtori, C. and Dani, K.M. “Patch antenna microcavity terahertz sources with enhanced emission.” Applied Physics Letters, 109(14), 141103, October 4, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4963891

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Directed energy; Quantum Science

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop high-performance large output aperture mid-wave infrared (MWIR) Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) with a large laser catastrophic optical damage threshold, thereby eliminating QCL failures due to the optical facet damage.

DESCRIPTION: Reliable Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) capable of delivering 10 Watts continuous wave (CW) optical power [Ref 1] with high efficiency are of great interest to the Navy for various naval applications. Current generation devices with continuous wave (CW) output power over 3 Watts generally have a poor long-term reliability. Post-mortem analysis of failed high-power QCLs typically shows catastrophic output facet damage. The damage is strongly correlated with the peak optical intensity at the output facet. A game-changing solution is needed to enable the high-performance QCLs to have long-term reliability and meet/exceed the MILSPEC requirements [Ref 2].

An effective, innovative approach to solving the laser optical damage problem is to reduce optical power density at the output laser facet. For a fixed output power level, this can be attained by judiciously increasing the output aperture size without affecting the diffraction-limited beam quality. This can be achieved by employing a second-order distributed feedback (DFB) configuration where optical output is collected from either the surface or the substrate side of the device, as opposed to the edge of the laser. In this case the output aperture is three orders of magnitude larger than that for edge-emitting QCLs, thereby improving the catastrophic optical damage threshold by more than 1,000 fold. An additional advantage of second order DFB QCLs is that they can be pre-screened on the wafer-level, leading to labor and material saving cost benefits associated with cleaving and testing substandard edge-emitting QCL devices. Also, packaging of surface-emitting devices on submounts is less demanding due to their increased alignment tolerance. Therefore, QCLs with large output aperture and reduced optical power density can provide a significant reduction in price per watt for high power CW QCLs.

Although second order DFB QCLs were demonstrated over a decade ago, their performance significantly lags that for Fabry-Perot devices [Refs 3, 4]. In most explored DFB configurations, the grating interacts with the guided mode along the entire laser cavity. This unavoidably leads to additional optical losses, increasing laser threshold and reducing slope efficiency. This is especially detrimental to CW QCL operation.

This SBIR topic seeks the development of a novel QCL configuration that effectively leverages improvements in CW power and efficiency achieved for state-of-the-art Fabry-Perot QCLs, while at the same time offering the unparalleled reliability advantage due to a significant increase in output aperture size. The final device configuration should be compatible with a large-throughput, low-cost production, and therefore should not involve epi-growth interruptions. The specifications of the CW QCLs should have a large output aperture size no smaller than 1 millimeter(mm) x 10 micrometers (µm), CW efficiency higher than 20% and output power level higher than 20 Watts delivered in a nearly diffraction-limited beam with M2 < 1.5.

PHASE I: Design, document, and demonstrate feasibility of high performance CW QCLs with a large output aperture size (no smaller than 1mm x 10µm). Demonstrate, using numerical modeling, that projected CW efficiency exceeds 20% and output power level exceeds 20W delivered in a nearly diffraction limited beam with M2 < 1.5. Ensure that the approach shows that projected fabrication cost for new devices does not exceed that for state-of-the-art commercial buried heterojunction QCLs. In the Phase I Option, if exercised, carry out proof-of-concept experiments. The approach should show that projected fabrication cost for new devices, does not exceed that for state-of-the-art commercial buried heterojunction QCLs. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed in Phase II.

PHASE II: Construct, develop, and demonstrate the prototype devices based on the design from Phase I. Test and continually improve QCL performance while demonstrating CW efficiency and power to meet topic requirements. Demonstrate that the QCL devices can operate at full power for over 10,000 hours.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Fully develop, fabricate, test, and transition the technology based on the design and demonstration results developed during Phase II for DoD applications in the areas of Directed Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM), advanced chemicals sensors, and Laser Detection and Ranging (LIDAR). The commercial sector can benefit from this crucial, game-changing-technology development in the areas of detection of toxic gas environmental monitoring, noninvasive health monitoring and sensing, and industrial manufacturing processing.

REFERENCES:

1. Bai, Y.; Bandyopadhyay, N.; Tsao, S.; Slivken, S. and Razeghi, M. “Room temperature quantum cascade lasers with 27% wall plug efficiency.” Applied Physics Letters, 98, 181102, May 2, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3586773  
2. “MIL-STD-810H, Department of Defense test method standard: environmental engineering considerations and laboratory tests.” Department of Defense, January 31, 2019. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/  
3. Bai, Y.; Tsao, S.; Bandyopadhayay, N.; Slivken, S.; Lu, Q.; Caffey, D.; Pushkarsky, M.; Day, T. and Razeghi, M. “High power, continuous wave, quantum cascade ring laser.” Applied Physics Letters, 99(26), 261104, December 28, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3672049  
4. Boyle, C.; Sigler, C.; Kirch, J.; Lindberg, D.; Earles, T.; Botez, D. and Mawst, L. “High-power, surface-emitting quantum cascade laser operating in a symmetric grating mode.” Applied Physics Letters, 108(12), 121107, March 24, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4944846

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements; Machine Learning/AI

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a collaborative workspace to integrate the disparate locations where mission planning occurs, and to facilitate the mission planning process within the ready room while maintaining operational security.

DESCRIPTION: In order to greatly improve capability in mission planning, the Next-Generation Navy Mission Planning System (NGNMPS) is tasked to facilitate collaborative mission planning across ready rooms and planning cells both in close proximity and, when applicable, across ready rooms and planning cells that are distant from one another. Unfortunately, the current mission planning process utilizes a single laptop computer that will not suffice for the collaborative mission planning vision. With new technological tools such as tablets, smart boards, and digital touch screen tables, it is necessary to leverage these capabilities to improve the mission planning process. Technical approaches should identify potential solutions to achieve the integration and transfer of unclassified and classified (i.e., Secret) mission planning data. This effort will require a highly innovative approach to develop a solution that is sufficiently secure to meet National Security Agency (NSA) requirements for highly classified communications. Various levels of Emissions Control (EMCON) should be considered in the solution. Evaluations will be based on the ability for a solution to provide connectivity across various hardware (e.g., laptops, tablets, smart boards) from disparate shipboard locations (or even land-to-ship communications, if possible) while maintaining NSA requirements for secure communications in support of air operations mission planning.

Current mission planning processes include calculating or planning data in one location, and then transmitting the information, whether by phone or by hand, to the mission planning lead where it is hand-entered into the current mission planning system. This relay of information can occur over and over again, leading to human errors in communication and increased opportunities for typographical error. The first goal of this project is to integrate the disparate locations where mission planning occurs. This solution will require an innovative solution to move data from the location where it is entered and transmit the data to all mission planning components while maintaining operational security.

A secondary goal of this project is to facilitate the mission planning process within the ready room. The current use of obsolete technology for mission planning, mission briefing, and mission rehearsal are time-intensive, redundant, and prone to human error. Utilizing current state-of-the-art technologies for mission planning will greatly improve the mission planning process. . Some of the tools used require time-intensive processes like formatting slides, editing screenshots, and other redundant actions that could be eliminated with improved mission planning and briefing hardware. This second goal should leverage current state-of-the-art technologies including, but not limited to, tablets, smart boards, augmented or virtual reality (AR/VR) devices, and digital touch screen tables. Connectivity between these devices should consider security and space available on shipboard operations. Finally, working closely with the Strike Planning and Execution Systems Program Management Office (PMA-281), Naval Information Warfare Center – Pacific (NIWCPAC), and the NGNMPS development team, the performers on this project should understand and implement the software and user-experience considerations provided by NGNMPS program management.

To achieve these goals, performers should consider innovative solutions including data fusion or other data consolidation techniques to reduce large amounts of spreadsheet data into smaller, more easily understood formats for briefing. Cognitive psychology, human perception, user interface, and human information processing should be considered when proposing a solution to this topic.

Work produced in Phase II may be classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly known as Defense Security Service (DSS). Since this project will ultimately integrated into the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES), the selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Assess briefing spaces, shipboard and otherwise, to identify the current state of the mission planning environment and mission planning processes. Consider communication with mission planners to determine which technological tools would be most utilized in a mission planning environment should also be considered. During Phase I Option, if exercised, perform user interviews that the Government will facilitate and support. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a hardware solution prototype to resolve security considerations and further develop the data reduction solution. Conduct continuous user evaluations facilitated and supported by the Government. Compile user feedback. Further refine the solution regularly. Perform software integration (React | Redux) and testing with NGNMPS. Continuous user evaluations and feedback will be conducted throughout Phase II. Government will facilitate and support user evaluations for performers. Final delivery should include a collaborative workspace that can provide efficient data management (i.e., multiple locations of data entry transmit to one central mission planning hub) and visualization for mission planning using the NGNMPS. Participate in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) process for NGNMPS throughout this phase.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate the software tool into NGNMPS. Conduct security validation and final user evaluations.

The ability to efficiently plan a mission is applicable to other efforts such as fighting wildfires or medical system coordination during a global pandemic. Multiple firefighting agencies must coordinate personnel, assets, and map data during crisis situations. For medical system coordination, similar information must be coordinated within and across hospitals, insurance agencies, and Government. Data visualization that facilitates quick information processing from users will facilitate decision making and quick deployment of solutions. This rapid information presentation and processing capability can improve decision making timeliness across sectors such as sports, medicine, and emergency response.

REFERENCES:

1. Forlines, C.; Wigdor, D.; Shen, C. and Balakrishnan, R. “Direct-touch vs. mouse input for tabletop displays.” Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, April 2007, pp. 647-656. https://www.merl.com/publications/docs/TR2007-053.pdf  
2. Henderson, J.M. “Human gaze control during real-world scene perception.” Trends in cognitive sciences, 7(11), 2003, pp. 498-504. http://jhenderson.org/vclab/PDF_Pubs/Henderson_TICS_2003.pdf  
3. Romero, D.; Bernus, P.; Noran, O.; Stahre, J. and Fast-Berglund, A. “The operator 4.0: human cyber-physical systems & adaptive automation towards human-automation symbiosis work systems.” IFIP international conference on advances in production management systems, September 016, pp. 677-686. https://hal.inria.fr/hal-01615707/document  
4. Neisser, U. “Cognitive Psychology: Classic Edition.” Psychology Press, 2014. https://www.biblio.com/book/cognitive-psychology-psychology-press-routledge-classic/d/1332828530?  
5. Seyed, T.; Burns, C.; Costa Sousa, M. and Maurer, F. “From small screens to big displays: understanding interaction in multi-display environments.” Proceedings of the companion publication of the 2013 International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces Companion, March 2013, pp. 33-36. http://aseold.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/uploads/Publications/2013/p33-seyed.pdf

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials / Processes; Weapons

OBJECTIVE: Develop a strong, lightweight, lowest price, technically acceptable sunshade capable of blocking 70% of solar radiation and attain Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA) authorization for use with the A/E32K-11 Munitions Lifting Assembly (MLA).

DESCRIPTION: The United States Marine Corps (USMC) requires the assembly of munitions in forward operational areas. The following descriptions are detailed in two parts: description of the fielded MLA system followed by the required performance of the Sunshade Cover. The solution desired through this effort is for the Sunshade Cover, but details of the MLA are necessary for developing the solution.

In an effort to satisfy the USMC requirements, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) procured the A/E32K-11 MLA; a replacement to the legacy A/E32K-3 Munitions Assembly Conveyor, and similar to the A/E32K-9 Munitions Assembly Conveyor II used by the United States Air Force [Ref 1]. The MLA provides a mobile capability for rapid assembly/disassembly of conventional munitions and a means to load/unload them from/onto munitions trailers. The system can be assembled/disassembled in a day, can be packed into three storage containers, and is C-130 transportable, making it capable of expeditionary missions. The system consists of roller conveyors, two A-frame gantries (each with a pneumatic hoist), four rail conveyors with associated munitions cradles, an Interface Control Board (ICB), and a lighting system. The rail conveyors each measure 10 ft (3 m) in length and are assembled end to end to create a 40 ft (12 m) munition assembly line. The two gantries are positioned at either end of the rail conveyor assembly for lifting bulk munitions from incoming pallets and removing assembled munitions from the rail conveyor to a munitions transport vehicle/trailer. The MLA also incorporates a grounding system comprised of a ground rod conforming to (CID) A-A-55804, Type III, Class B; and ground straps connecting the conveyors, gantries, ICB, etc. [Ref 3].

The MLA requires a durable Sunshade Cover approved for use on the system by NOSSA – the technical authority pertaining to ordnance safety and the NAVSEA OP 5 Ammunition and Explosives Safety Ashore [Ref 5]. Design requirements include, but are not limited to, use of a static dissipative (surface resistivity between 10⁵ Ω/sq and <10⁹ Ω/sq) or conductive (surface resistivity <10⁵ Ω/sq)  material capable of discharging to ground. The static dissipative properties of the material used should not be met by use of topically applied treatment; that is, sprayed on the material. The material’s static dissipative properties must remain stable with long-term UV exposure and under varying humidity conditions. If the Sunshade Cover consists of multiple layers, the layers must be electrically integrated such that the surface resistivity measured with one probe on the outside of the material, and the second on the inside of the material, will yield the same results as if both were on the outside of the material. The Sunshade Cover design must not allow point-discharging and/or must bleed off any accumulated charges in a manner that will reduce the buildup of sufficient charge for electrostatic spark discharge (ESD).

The MLA Sunshade Cover must span the width of the two gantries, about 33 ft (10 m), and provide adequate protection from the sun to operators working in the rail conveyor area. The Sunshade Cover must not hinder the MLA system’s stability or operational capability, including the operator’s ability to assemble munitions without Sunshade Cover interference. The Sunshade Cover can, but is not required to, be attached to the MLA and must be capable of easy deployment/storage while the MLA structure remains standing about 16 ft in height (5 m). The Sunshade Cover should block at least 70% of solar radiation and be able to withstand the following environmental conditions:

(a) low Temperature Operating Life (LTOL) with temperatures of -25 °F (-32 °C);

(b) low temperature storage with temperatures of -65 °F (-54 °C);

(c) high Temperature Operating Life (HTOP) with temperatures of 140 °F (60 °C) with a solar load;

(d) high temperature storage with temperatures of 180 °F (82 °C);

(e) 3% to 95% Relative Humidity (RH) (Ref 2);

(f) rain, and/or blowing rain, falling at a rate of 2 in./h (5 cm/h) in winds of 40 mph (64 km/h);

(g) blowing dust in concentrations of 0.3 g/ft³ +/­ 0.2 g/ft³ in winds of 35 mph (56 km/h); blowing sand in concentrations of 0.0623 g/ft³ +/­ 0.015 g/ft³ in winds of 35 mph (56 km/h);

(h) ice, freezing rain, and/or water delivery with a rate of 25 mm/h with a droplet size of 1.0 mm–1.5 mm; and

(i) salt fog for at least 96 hours [Ref 4].

The components comprising the MLA sunshade system should have a minimal footprint when not in use to enable storage in the MLA systems existing storage containers or a small standalone storage container. Material should be shown to resist fungus growth or deterioration. The Sunshade Cover must be field repairable to the greatest extent possible. Periodic maintenance and testing requirements must be minimal to none.

PHASE I: Develop a design for a sunshade cover. Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept in meeting the requirements through analysis and lab demonstrations. Provide one or multiple conceptual designs of an A/E32K-11 MLA Sunshade Cover. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Design and develop a prototype sunshade cover for the A/E32K-11 MLA. Demonstrate use and wear over time to determine any degradation. Provide an estimate of per-unit cost with backup cost data, including parts/manufacturing. Provide a top-level failure analysis and service life estimate. Demonstrate the static dissipative or conductive nature of material using best industry practices. Facilitate and receive NOSSA approval for use of prototype with A/E32K-11 MLA system. Demonstrate that the use of the prototype does not negatively impact use of the A/E32K-11 MLA system. Provide a top-level assessment of whether the cover would pass requirements detailed in Reference 3, and when tested in accordance with the following information: (a) HTOL in 505.7 solar radiation with (procedure) I (cycling and heating effects) of 140 °F (60 °C) ambient air, (b) high temperature storage in 501.7 solar radiation with (procedure) I (storage) of 180 °F (82 °C) maximum; (c) LTOL in 502.7 solar radiation with (procedure) II (operational) in -25 °F (-32 °C) minimum; (d) low temperature (storage) in 502.7 solar radiation with (procedure) I (storage) in -65 °F (-54 °C) minimum; (e) rain in 506.6 solar radiation with (procedure) I (rain and blowing rain); (f) icing/freezing rain in 521.4 solar radiation with (procedure) I glazed ice of 13 mm thick; (g) humidity in 507.6 solar radiation; (h) sand and dust in 510.7 solar radiation with (procedure) I (blowing dust) and (procedure) II (blowing sand) in Air Velocity of 35 mph (56 km/h); and (i) salt fog for 96 Hours [Ref 4].

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Transition the MLA sunshade for use on the A/E32K-11 MLA. Support United States Government testing and fielding of developed solution. The technology could be used for improved solar protection and material coverage in dusty/explosive environments (e.g., mining, refineries, oil rigs).

REFERENCES:

1. Rowe, C. “MEOC and AAMOC students assemble munitions lifting assembly during WTI 2-18. DVIDS.” Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, March 14, 2018. https://www.dvidshub.net/image/4236612/meoc-and-aamoc-students-assemble-munitions-lifting-assembly-during-wti-2-18  
2. “MIL-STD-810H, Department of Defense test method standard: environmental engineering considerations and laboratory tests.” Department of Defense, January 31, 2019. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL_STD_810H_55998/  
3. “Commercial item description (CID) rods, ground (with attachments) A-A-55804, (Type III, Class B.).” Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Richmond, May 30, 2002. http://everyspec.com/COMML_ITEM_DESC/A-A-55000_A-A-55999/A-A-55804A_42558/  
4. “ASTM B117-19 Standard Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus.” ASTM International, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1520/B0117-19  
5. NAVSEA OP 5 VOLUME 3. AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES SAFETY ASHORE FOR CONTINGENCIES, COMBAT OPERATIONS, MILITARY OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WAR, AND ASSOCIATED TRAINING.

Additional information: Request can be made to Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division Detachment Picatinny, G13 Naval PHST Division Bldg. 458, Whittemore Ave. Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000: POC: Martin F. Orozco, ihdiv.estm@navy.mil, 973-724-5925 OR Explosives Safety Technical Manuals (ESTM) data is also available on the secure Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA) website at: https://nossa.dc3n.navy.mil/nrws3/Home.aspx. You must register for access to the website in order to view the electronic library.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace Environments; Information Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative analysis process to assess/grade various communications technology improvements against operational mission effect chains and outcomes.

DESCRIPTION: The communications complexities in today’s battlespace continue to increase at an exponential rate. The Joint force is anticipating and entering an era where our tactical and operational communications dominance is in question and considers the peer/near-peer environment where the potential enemy can interrupt and impede our military operations. Looking to 2030, analysts and military professionals can no longer assume an unfettered technological advantage in the battlefield or established Joint Operational Area (JOA). Given these assumptions, the services have embarked on a variety of advance solutions needed to achieve success in the communications battlefield today’s, near-term, and future operating environments. The central theme to future improvements is a force that leverages several key concepts such as agile communications, single source networking, app services, and ultimately, a seamless Joint All Domain Command and Control Combat Cloud.

Crucial in meeting the Joint forces demands of the future is gaining an understanding of the trade space; specifically, looking at the various products and concepts over the intervening years that are intended to help inform and guide service programmatic decision makers to the 2030 timeframe. Numerous developmental efforts such as agile communications, software defined radios, mobile Ad hoc networking, and emerging free space optical communications (FSOC) represent new innovation and in some cases center on refinements of existing capability.

Given the wide array of new innovation, an assessment process is needed in which to ascertain the trade space to overall risk, and with the ability to attain needed capabilities in which to engage and win in all warfighting domains. Typical individual communications research products tend to focus on a given set of metrics such as latency, jitter, link closures, bandwidth usage, and other detailed performance metrics. While detailed measure of performance (MOP) research and analysis is important, there is a significant gap presented to the decision maker, this gap centers on the ability to understand exactly what the trade space is with regard to attaining a desired operational mission F2T2EA (Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess) effect, or the ability of a system, or system-of-systems, to successfully execute mission effects chains. The operational mission analysis effects chain analysis would serve to further the overall development of emerging capabilities such as:

(a) Manned-Unmanned Directional Mesh Enhanced Tactical Airborne Networks. This capability would support missions such as battlespace awareness, target development, intelligence preparation of battlefield, assault support approach and retirement lanes, landing zone evaluation, flank and rear area security, and Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP). The application of the operational mission effects analysis would provide the ability to assess the effects of the Directional Mesh Enhanced Tactical Airborne Networks in quantifiable metrics which would include overall mission accomplishment assessments, risks and the ability to compress engagement–recovery timelines; and

(b) Analysis of communications and networking solutions in support of Agile Communications architectures focusing on the secure cloud computing environment and impacts to warfare execution based on transactional information flow to and from permissive, contested, and anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) environments.

It is not enough to simply store raw data within the Tactical Combat Cloud-based infrastructure, such as the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) or Apache Accumulo, because this does not provide a common data model that can be shared across a Multi-Domain Secure Lake architecture that meets the Data Sharing Authoritative Guidance for Enterprise Knowledge Base.

An alternative is a data management strategy and a work flow that recognizes the strengths of the focal plane gate arrays (FPGA)s at the edge with the task of providing specific data to the Tactical Combat Cloud. In turn, the Tactical Combat Cloud recognizes the role of the FPGA and graphics processor unit (GPU) at the edge in a Parent Child relationship. As a child of the cloud, a sensor will respond to tasking low level tasking in support of the overall data objective. The sensor will collect both the locally required (tactical) data as well as the data needed to complete the overall picture of the Tactical Combat Cloud object. The aggregate of sensors via a data normalization strategy will provide the machine to machine analytic to provide the human with a machine enabled decision.

The intent of conducting operation analysis is to provide quantitative data to the various proposed communications and networking solutions as presented. The results are focused on the operational effectiveness and benefit to the warfighter, to include tactical, operational and strategic level of warfare planning and execution. The analysis will aid in identifying:

(a) the relevance and outcomes of proposed capabilities needed to enable modernization in the near-term and future timeframes when differing information sources, in both content and format are in use and differing information consumers across contexts to which information ought to be transmitted;

(b) an operational assessment of communications and networking system shortfalls (gaps) such as missing, unreliable, and stale data; and multiple diverse input data/video streams use;

(c) impacts of current, near-term, and future capabilities versus advancing threat capabilities;

(d) a rapid and repeatable process that measures the operational impact of various proposed communications and networking solutions in geospatial and temporal relationships that are not permanent;

(e) a probabilistic interpretation of the unlimited range of actual specific outputs of sensors and analytics to produce meaningful information management decisions and judgements; and

(f) quality of Service (QoS)

• Frequency of information updates: the rate at which updated values are sent or received.

• Priority of data delivery: the priority used by the underlying transport to deliver the data.

• Reliability of data delivery: whether missed deliveries will be retried.

• Parameters for filtering by data receivers: to determine which data values are accepted and which are rejected.

• Duration of data validity: the specification of an expiration time for data to avoid delivering “stale” data. • Depth of the ‘history’ included in updates: how many prior updates will be available at any time, e.g., ‘only the most recent update,’ ‘the last n updates,’ or ‘all prior updates’.

Assumptions:

(a) an IP-routable network is assumed to exist, and be self-managing and self-healing;

(b) when and where one exists, the local Tactical Operations Center/Forward Operating Base (TOC/FOB) is assumed to be linked to the Global Information Grid/Joint Information Environment (GIG/JIE) with reliable, high-bandwidth connections. Further, it is assumed to have sufficient compute capacity to operate as a local Cloud, offering services to the tactical edge networks (TENs) linked to it;

(c) operational units are hosting the tactical network within which that warfighter operates. It is further assumed that this tactical network may have attached sensors producing data that would typically be forwarded to the TOC/FOB for data enrichment. If, however, the tactical unit is temporarily disconnected from the TOC/FOB, then it is assumed that there is a local tactical processing gateway (TGW) serving the tactical unit that will offer backup services (appropriate for the compute platform available on the gateway), minimally, performing sensor data enrichment (such as tagging it with the current "team" and "mission") in support of VoI analysis (see below). Note, however, that the proposed architecture allows for a fully distributed gateway meaning that any participating node within the TEN could potentially “become” the TGW if required due to failure or destruction (albeit with potentially more constrained performance); and

(d) processing power at the tactical node level (individual warfighter) will be extremely limited, due to Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) rations. Management of the tactical data flow will be managed by one or more TGW nodes at the unit level that can support the additional processing load, such as a vehicle, which connects the TEN to the TOC/FOB network.

PHASE I: Develop an initial concept design to assess/grade various communications technology improvements against operational mission effect chains and outcomes to include requirements analysis and scenario development. Demonstrate that the proposed concept(s) is/are able to provide data distribution and information sharing within a battlespace, where each authorized user, platform, or node transparently contributes and received essential information and is able to utilize it across the full range of military operations among ad hoc and mesh networks. If the Phase I Option is exercised and if appropriate, include data ingress/egress and transformation/subscription services to validate processes, verify processes functionality, and assess processes readiness to conduct trade space analysis versus mission outcomes. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype based on the Phase I design; and demonstrate in a realistic data-to-decision mesh network tactical cloud environment. Propose, test and validate mitigations for any technical issues that are discovered during the testing and assessment. In the first Phase II Option, if exercised, augment in response to events/attacks with a proof-of-concept featuring automation of processes. In the second Phase II option, if exercised, fabricate the prototype using these automated processes and an aggregate of data consistent with these use cases, reflecting system operation over a sufficient period of time on which proposed learning processes can operate. The prototype system should be capable of running level 1 (data resolution) and level 2 (interference) fusion algorithms across geographically separate cloud nodes, each holding different data sources, some streaming; and be able to maintain data models and inferences about behavior while allowing machine learning from a distributed cloud architecture.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Assess the prototype performance as part of a technology readiness level 6 or higher demonstration to support transition. Prototype should be capable of producing an application or set of applications that are capable of being generalized to N number of cloud nodes with relevance to Navy and Marine Corps use cases. The Phase III product(s) should be capable of running on program of record cloud systems such as DCGS-N using existing services to run against operational data. Realize the objective should be a concentration of operational relevance and transition. Propose commercial variants of the aerial layer network cloud philosophy.

The use of cloud architectures is becoming prevalent in both the DoD and private sector. Law enforcement and news services are private sectors that have a need to move beyond capabilities that enable data discovery in distributed clouds to systems that can implement complex data fusion algorithms. Data stored in clouds are already being used by these sectors to assess trends and discover events and activities of interest.

REFERENCES:

1. Tu, X. “Management of dynamic airborne network using cloud computing [Conference Session].” 2012 IEEE/AIAA 31st Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), Williamsburg, VA, United States, October 14-18, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1109/DASC.2012.6383025  
2. Law, E. “Cloud computing @ JPL science data systems. [Conference session].” Ground System Architectures Workshop (GSAW) 2011 Cloud Computing Workshop. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States, March 2, 2011. https://gsaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2011s12f_law.pdf  
3. Marks, E.A. and Lozano, B. “Executive's guide to cloud computing.” Wiley, May 2010. ISBN: 978-0-470-52172-4. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1859444
4. “D Cloud Way Forward.” http://iase.disa.mil/Documents/dodciomemo_w-attachment_cloudwayforwardreport-20141106.pdf (Note: Access to this document requires a CAC.)
5. Dempsey, M.E. “Joint concept for command and control of the joint aerial layer network”. Joint Chiefs of Staff, March 20, 2015. https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/concepts/joint_concept_aerial_layer_network.pdf?ver=2017-12-28-162026-103  
6. McGirr, S.C. “Building a Single Integrated Picture Over Networks [Paper presentation].” MSS National Symposium on Sensor and Data Fusion, McLean, VA, June 6-8, 2006. https://mssconferences.org/public/meetings/meetinglist.aspx (Note: Access requires account set up.)
7. D’Andrea, E.; Ducange, P.; Lazzerini, B. and Marcelloni, F. “Real-Time Detection of Traffic from Twitter Stream Analysis.” IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 16(4), August 2015, pp. 2269-2283. https://doi.org/10.1109/TITS.2015.2404431

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Materials / Processes; Weapons

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Determine a form of boron or a boron-based chemical pathway that leads to implementation of boron in energetic compounds, especially fuels (solid and liquid).

DESCRIPTION: Boron combustion tends to form species that are energetic dead-ends (the principal offender in this tendency is H-O-B-O). The use of a small amount of fluorine will tend to interrupt this result by breaking down the ceramic micro-encapsulation that molten boron exhibits. Current work to use boron in solid motors employs this technique, but the results depend on the application and test configuration. One potential reason for this is that this technique uses metallic (bulk) boron as a fuel, with the thermodynamic necessity of melting and evaporating the fuel prior to combustion. 

Previous energetics work with boron indicated a necessity to incorporate the boron into potentially unstable compounds, the process of which increased the cost of the feedstock, and raised the likelihood of creating hazardous scenarios in the employment of the compound. Recent developments in the formation of boron allotropes have the potential to both lower feedstock cost and eliminate the need to use hazardous boron-bearing compounds.

A possible alternate combustion pathway begins with another form of boron, either as a compound that yields boron during combustion of another fuel, or an allotrope of boron that features an oxidizing element already attached to it in the desired ratio. Ideally, the attachment of oxidizing species to a boron allotrope would also yield the desired properties that would allow the compound to be successfully employed in a solid motor grain or in a petrochemical liquid suspension or solution. 

This topic seeks to survey boron compounds and combustion pathways that enable complete boron combustion (to B2O3 or other oxidized species) in both solid fuel and liquid fuel uses. Solutions can be considered in both solid and liquid forms. Compound characterization will be completed using:

a. Liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LCMS) to identify chemical species;

b. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GCMS) to identify chemical species;

c. Calorimetry to gauge the energetic potential;

d. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to characterize atomic arrangement of fuel species;

e. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR to characterize the evolved combustion species;

f. Laser ablation of a solid casting to characterize the evolved combustion species;

g. Combustors set to detect increased in thrust over neat-fuel combustion.

Tailoring the properties of the proposed materials will be undertaken after the determination of the material properties is made and an understanding of the needed property amendments can be described. When a suitable compound is achieved, the material will be tested in both solid and liquid forms. Laser ablation of a solid casting to characterize the evolved combustion species (captured as gases that are analyzed via GCMS) as well as calorimetry will provide the necessary data to evaluate the proposed use in a solid motor grain. Liquid combustion will be similarly sampled, using a calorimeter, a small-scale afterburner, and in a research-scale RDE. The combustors will provide the combustion gases to be analyzed by GCMS. Additionally, the combustors will be set to detect increases in thrust over neat-fuel combustion.

Work produced in Phase II may be classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA), formerly the Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Survey boron compounds and combustion pathways that enable complete boron combustion (to B2O3 or other oxidized species) in both solid fuel and liquid fuel uses. Select the most promising compounds and pathways for further development in Phase II. Determine the technical feasibility of boron or a boron-based chemical pathway that leads to implementation of boron in energetic materials in a solid matrix (such as HTPB, or PBAN) for use in solid rocket motors, and in a hydrocarbon fuel (such as JP-10). Consideration of the materials for use in an afterburner or rotating detonation engine while also ensuring material characterization by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to ensure full understanding of the material composition. Additional material characterization should include calorimetry to discover the energetic potential of the material, liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LMCS) to characterize the compound properties in a liquid or suspended state, and gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) to characterize the compound properties in a gaseous state (pre-combusted or combusted). These characterizations should result in understanding the boron-compound’s composition, structure, bond energies, energy-release potential, reaction pathways, combustion precursors, and combustion products.

If exercised, the Phase I Option will include tailoring the properties of the proposed materials so that they can be eventually tested in both solid and liquid forms. As new materials, there are no relevant MILSPECs pertaining to their performance testing; however, the materials will fall under the energetic materials testing SOP requirements at NAWCWD China Lake.

PHASE II: Based on Phase I work, continue to develop and validate selected material by modeling of the combustion of the materials to provide predictive results for small-scale testing to be scaled up for larger combustors/larger solid motor grains, while identifying and testing cost-reduction techniques for feedstock and compound production. Successful test results in full scale representative hardware will be documented, as appropriate, and will lead to Phase III.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: A flying demonstrator will summarize progress to date and will collect data that will be of interest to mission requirements generators and technology stakeholders. An inexpensive flight platform will be selected for testing, a flight test will be executed, and the resulting data will be documented. Insertion of the technology into a Program of Record will be sought within PEO U&W. Production of the materials and techniques to obtain them will be pushed to full-scale, to allow economic production of the needed precursors, and finished fuels.

This technology has the potential to create commercial opportunity in supersonic and hypersonic transport, as well as for the space-launch industry.

REFERENCES:

1. Lee, M. W., Jr. (2016, December 02). Catalyst-free polyhydroboration of dodecaborate yields highly photoluminescent ionic polyarylated clusters. Angewandte Chemie, 56(1), 138-142. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201608249  
2. Lee, M. W., Farha, O. K., Hawthorne, M. F., & Hansch, C. H. (2007, April 12). Alkoxy derivatives of dodecaborate: discrete nanomolecular ions with tunable pseudometallic properties. Angewandte Chemie, 46(17), 3018-3022. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200605126  
3. Goswami, L. N., Chakravarty, S., Lee, M. W., Jalisatgi, S. S., & Hawthorne, M. F. (2011, April 8). Extensions of the icosahedral closomer structure by using azide-alkyne click reactions. Angewandte Chemie, 50(20), 4689-4691. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201101066

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms

OBJECTIVE: Develop an ultra-lightweight carbon-based nanostructure composite shielding material capable of replacing metal shielding for naval electronic and avionics equipment for counter electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic pulse (EMI/EMP) defense.

DESCRIPTION: Recently, various functional nanocomposites are emerging as a new class of EMI/EMP shielding materials with light weight and high functionality. For instance, polymer matrices embedded with carbon-based conductive materials have been demonstrated to attain excellent shielding performance.

It is the objective of this program to develop an ultra-lightweight EMI/EMP shielding material, based on the most state-of-the-art graphene composite, that will form a protective shield for naval avionics and other electronic systems against EMI/EMP threats. The graphene composite should be integrated with lightweight polymer to form conformal shield material that can conform to any shapes and sizes of packaging. The conformal composite should have shielding effectiveness of more than 70 dB across the wide frequency range from 500 MHz to 100 GHz for the completely shielded sensitive electronics/avionics. The electrical conductivity of the graphene composite should be higher than 3000S/cm. The weight of the graphene-based shielding composite should weigh no more than 10% of an aluminum shield with equivalent EM shielding performance.

PHASE I: Develop a shielding material composite and fabrication method that meets shielding protection requirements. Use the proposed fabrication method to fabricate a sample of no smaller than 6 x 6 inches in size with appropriate thickness that will meet the shielding protection requirements. Demonstrate the feasibility of the material design via experimentally characterizing the electromagnetic performance of the sample relative to the metal analog in terms of shielding effectiveness over the frequency range from 500 MHz to 100 GHz, in accordance with the MIL-STD requirements [Refs 5, 6, 7, 8]. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate and validate a three-dimensional (3-D) enclosure prototype for EMI/EMP shielding protection for naval avionics and electronics. The enclosure prototype dimension should be12x24x6 inches. Perform reliability testing of the prototype enclosure in accordance with MIL-STD 810 [Ref 8] and report the test results. Deliver one prototype for independent testing.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize and elevate the EMI/EMP shielding material system. Perform system prototype demonstration in a field environment. Transition the shielding materials to various naval applications such as manned and unmanned air vehicles, radio communication systems, air defense systems, and all avionics and electronics that are vulnerable to EMI/EMP disruptions.

Commercial avionics and electronics can benefit from improved ultra-lightweight shielding of EMI/EMP. Broad and beneficial shielding applications of this type of innovative shielding materials such as any wearable and mobile electronic devices, portable computers, cellular phones, smart watches, and portable/wearable medical devices are envisioned.

REFERENCES:

1. Pereira, V. and Kunkolienkar, G.R. “EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) weapon technology along with EMP shielding & detection methodology [Paper presentation].” Conference Proceedings of the 2013 Fourth International Conference on Computing, Communications and Networking Technologies (ICCCNT), Tiruchengode, India, July 4-6, 2013, pp. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCCNT.2013.6726651   
2. Altun, M.; Karteri, I. and Günes, M. “A study on EMI shielding effectiveness of graphene based structures [Paper presentation].” 2017 International Artificial Intelligence and Data Processing Symposium (IDAP 2017), Malatya, Turkey, September 16-17, 2017, pp. 27-31.https://doi.org/10.1109/IDAP.2017.8090166  
3. Ismach, A.; Druzgalski, C.; Penwell, S.; Schwartzberg, A.; Zheng, M.; Javey, A.; Bokor, J. and Zhang, Y. “Direct chemical vapor deposition of graphene on dielectric surfaces.” Nano letters, 10(5), 2010, pp. 1542-1548. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl9037714  
4. Hu, G.; Kang, J.; , Ng, L., Zhu, X.; Howe, R.; Jones, C.G.; Hersam, M.C. and Hasan, T. “Functional inks and printing of two-dimensional materials.” Chemical Society Reviews, 47(9), 2018, pp. 3265-3300. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8cs00084k  
5. “MIL-STD-461G, Department of Defense interface standard: requirements for the control of electromagnetic interference characteristics of subsystems and equipment.” Department of Defense, December 11, 2015. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0300-0499/MIL-STD-461G_53571/  
6. “MIL-STD-464C, Department of Defense interface standard: electromagnetic environmental effects, requirements for systems.” Department of Defense, December 1, 2010. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0300-0499/MIL-STD-464C_28312/  
7. “MIL-STD-2169C, Department of Defense interface standard: high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (hemp) environment.” Department of Defense, March 31, 2020. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-2000-2999/MIL-STD-2169C_NOTICE-1_56140/  
8. “MIL-STD-810H, Department of Defense test method standard: environmental engineering considerations and laboratory tests.” Department of Defense, January 31, 2019. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platforms; Battlespace Environments; Electronics

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate printed-microstrip antenna size reduction through substrate permeability for improved size, weight, and power (SWaP), bandwidth performance, phased array architecture, improved low observability and probability of detection characteristics.

DESCRIPTION: The limits of microstrip antenna miniaturization are reached as permittivity values approach low double digits; at which point the antenna becomes too inefficient a radiator for practical use in an airborne communication system. Appreciable reductions in microstrip antenna size can be gained through an increase in the permeability of the printed antenna’s substrate [Refs 1, 3, 5, 6]. When compared to traditional permittivity (only) increases, a combination of standard permittivity increases with novel permeability increases could result in comparable size reduction and better Radio Frequency (RF) performance [Refs 1, 3, 6]. The permittivity of printed antenna substrates is often increased to decrease antenna size, sacrificing antenna efficiency resulting in poorer RF performance and heat generation [Refs 2, 4, 6]. Permeability can also be increased to reduce size while counterbalancing the effect of permittivity increases on the antenna’s characteristic impedance, resulting in a better performing, more efficient, miniaturized antenna that operates over a wider bandwidth [Refs 1, 3, 6]. Smaller conformal printed antennas can be integrated while minimizing impact to the aerodynamic characteristics of the hosting aircraft. Smaller antennas that have undergone a 50% reduction in size due to magnetic properties are sought. In addition, miniaturized conformal antennas can be integrated while minimizing negative impacts to the Radar Cross Section of an aircraft, when compared to common antennas. Aircraft with smaller conformal antennas operating from the Aircraft Carrier (Nuclear Propulsion) (CVN) could potentially have better Low Observable/Low Probability of Detection (LO/LPD) profiles than their standard counterparts, decreasing the likelihood of CVN detection.

PHASE I: Develop an initial conceptual design for a conformal microstrip patch antenna that has been reduced in size by 50% solely as a result of the substrate material's electromagnetic permeability characteristics while minimizing loss so that loss is comparable with practical printed antennas miniaturized through other means. Perform modeling and simulation in order to provide a conceptual design trade study for the antenna and its substrate. The Phase I Option period, if exercised, must include developing an initial antenna design that includes a plan for substrate fabrication, antenna feed design, and anticipated prototype antenna fabrication cost. Any microstrip antenna shape can be considered, as well as any permittivity characteristic for the substrate as long as a 50% reduction in size due to magnetic properties can be demonstrated. The design must also demonstrate improved antenna efficiency and frequency bandwidth for the prototype antenna over traditional antennas of equivalent size that have been miniaturized solely through increased permittivity. The Phase I effort must design, develop, and deliver a model of the antenna radiation pattern, impedance, efficiency, and explanation of antenna miniaturization attributes. The Phase I effort must include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype based on the Phase I design. Test antenna prototype to validate maturity and expected/modeled performance. Characterize initial prototype's performance, identify any deviations from modeled performance and cause(s) for deviation, and produce improved design to address deviations and deficiencies. The Phase II Option period, if exercised, must produce an improved prototype; it must characterize improved prototype's performance; and identify any deviations from expected performance and cause(s) for deviation.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete development of the miniaturized antenna, demonstrate performance in an operationally relevant environment. Miniaturized conformal antennas would find use on any commercial aircraft or space vehicle desiring to save weight while achieving the same or better communication system performance experienced with legacy antenna options.

REFERENCES:

1. Hansen, R.C. and Burke, M. “Antennas with magneto-dielectrics.” MicroWave and Optical Technology Letters, 26(2), July 20, 2020, pp. 75-78. https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-2760(20000720)26:23.0.CO;2-W  
2. Niamien, C.; Collardey, S.; Tarot, A.-C. and Mahdjoubi, K. “Revisiting the Q factor of PIFA antennas for dielectric and magnetic media [Paper presentation].” Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic Materials in Microwave and Optics—Metamaterials 2008, Pamplona, Spain. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281804229_Revisiting_the_Q-factor_of_PIFA_antennas_for_dielectric_and_magnetic_media  
3. Niamien, C.; Collardey, S. and Mahdjoubi K. “Printed antennas over lossy magneto-dielectric substrates [Paper presentation].” Proceedings of the Fourth European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), Barcelona, Spain, April 12-16, 2010. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224153919_Printed_antennas_over_lossy_magneto-dielectric_substrates  
4. Huang, Y.P. and Zhang, X.Z. “Effect of magneto-dielectric material in different antenna structures [Paper presentation].” 2011 Asia–Pacific Microwave Conference Proceedings (APMC 2011), Melbourne, Australia, December 5-8, 2011, pp. 1039-1042. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6173932  
5. Rialet, D.; Sharaiha, A.; Tarot, A.-C. and Delaveaud, C. “Estimation of the effective medium for planar microstrip antennas on a dielectric and magnetic truncated substrate.” IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, 11, November 20, 2012, pp. 1410-1413. https://doi.org/10.1109/LAWP.2012.2229100

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Autonomy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground / Sea Vehicles

OBJECTIVE: Recovery and Handling of Group 3 through Group 5 fixed wing UAVs from ships other than an aircraft carrier to significantly increase lethality, project force, and increase the coverage of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets.

DESCRIPTION: The USAF’s XQ-58A Valkyrie drone aircraft is the primary fixed wing Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) planned for integration into Navy ships smaller than aircraft carriers. This SBIR topic complements a previous NAVAIR topic N202-109 entitled “Launch System for Group 3-5 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Land-and Sea-Based Operations.” In order to reduce costs, the XQ-58A was not designed to be outfitted with landing gear. The Air Force instead uses rocket assist to launch the drone and deploys an on board parachute for recovery. The Navy under this topic is seeking an innovative approach that does not mandate the use of a parachute in order to recover the XQ-58A. Additionally, this topic needs to address the recovery of group 3 through 5 UAVSs that are outfitted with their own landing gear and equipped with a tail hook.

Operation of Group 3 through Group 5 (Group 3-5) fixed wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from ships other than aircraft carriers with a UAV Capture and Handling System must be capable of decelerating a fixed wing jet-powered UAV, with a wingspan of 30 feet and weight up to 6000 pounds, down from speeds up to 160 Knots Indicated Air Speed (KIAS). The placement of system components must reside, to the maximum extent possible, within the hull of the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) class of ships. Coordination with both Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) will be critical to understanding the available space(s) aboard ship for system placement to minimize mission impact of other functions of the ship, as well as any weight and power restrictions.

The Recovery and Handling System must be designed to not interfere with normal topside flight deck operations of the ESB and accommodate Group 3-5 UAVs with or without landing gear including the Air Force XQ-58A Valkyrie. It must also be reconfigurable such that it can be transported to conduct both ground-based operations and shipboard operations aboard an ESB. Should features of the system exceed available onboard space, a stowable sponson assembly can be envisioned to extend from either side of the ESB, serving as the UAV “runway” and interfacing directly with the capture and handling technology. The sponson may extend as far as 79 feet from the ESB and is limited to a length of 300 feet. Any design solution relying on a sponson must address impact on the ship’s performance, both pier-side and at sea, and may not interfere with basic ship or flight deck operations. Ship attitude during UAV recovery should be at a fixed bearing to optimize wind conditions and ship speed up to 15 knots as required.

The UAV Recovery and Handling System must be simple enough in design to allow for sustained operations at high sortie generation rates with a goal of a UAV capture every two minutes. The system must demonstrate high reliability with minimal maintenance down time for 24 hour/7 day surge periods. It is desired that routine maintenance should be accomplished in stride with operations. Details of the Recovery and Handling System need to include all the necessary subsystems and interface components required for installation aboard the ESB. The system must also adhere to all applicable environmental standards of the latest version of MIL-STD-810 such as shock, vibration, electromagnetic interference/emission, etc.

PHASE I: Develop a concept design to meet the objectives in the Description. Through modeling and simulation, demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting Navy needs and establish that the concept can be developed into a useful product for the Navy. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I efforts and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), develop and deliver a prototype. Demonstrate a 1/8 scale prototype of the Launch System using a 100-pound UAV provided by the Government, conduct a ground demonstration of the prototype Recovery and Handling System. If the land-based testing is determined to be successful, a full-scale design suitable for at-sea testing will be developed during the options of the Phase II effort. This prototype development will involve multiple ship check visits to an ESB Class ship on either the east or west coast of the United States. One full-scale prototype will be constructed for both the land-based and at-sea testing. After successful full-scale land based testing, at-sea testing will follow in further development.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The technology being developed in this proposed NAVSEA SBIR topic as well as NAVAIR SBIR N202-109 are being planned for installation aboard a ESB to enable operation of fixed wing UAVs with or without landing gear ranging in size from Group 3 through 5. In addition to being able to operate these fixed wing UAVs from ships the Marine Corps have expressed interest in having this same technology packaged in kit form, so it could be transported via ground vehicles in the field to remote areas including islands and readily assembled by troops operating in the field to enhance air domination as the USMC seek to engage our enemies in their own backyard. This type of technology could be useful for commercial UAV delivery systems in cities.

The growing industry of aerial consumer package delivery could be profoundly impacted by advances in UAV capabilities.

REFERENCES:

1. Shugart T. Commander, “Build all-UAV Carriers”, USNI Proceedings Vol. 143/9/1,375 (September 2017). https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2017/september/build-all-uav-carriers  
2. Defense Industry Daily, “EMALS/ AAG: Electro-Magnetic Launch & Recovery for Carriers”, March 2019. https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/emals-electro-magnetic-launch-for-carriers-05220/  
3. Penn State Department of Geography, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, “Classification of the Unmanned Aerial Systems”, https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog892/node/5  
4. MIL-STD-810H, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TEST METHOD STANDARD: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING CONSIDERATIONS AND LABORATORY TESTS (31-JAN-2019) http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Directed energy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Weapons

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a Kilowatt (kW) class Continuous Wave (CW) and Pulse laser hardened optical system for submarines.

DESCRIPTION: Submarines may be subject to high power laser beams, which may damage optics and sensors in beam directors and periscopes. The Navy is seeking a technology that would allow laser hardening of vulnerable optical components in beam directors, periscopes, or other optical system without compromising their functional capabilities such as imaging, and directing a high-energy laser beam with no losses or wave front distortion. The radiation hardening system will integrate into submarine optical systems to include at minimum beam directors, periscopes, and imaging systems. Commercial optics employ thin films whose primary purpose is not the scope of this SBIR topic.

The Navy is seeking a design to be developed employing technology based on 4th generation transparent materials. In general, the current thin film based technology, thin enough not to generate substantial heating within the film when exposed to the high-power laser beams, while still having high optically nonlinear response to the influence of high power CW (continuous wave) or pulsed laser beams of relevant wavelengths will be considered. Due to 100’s kW class CW laser power at 1 or 1.5 µm laser wavelength and picosecond laser pulse of greater than 10 mJ per pulse, the material response shall not be accompanied with increased absorption as for example two-photon absorption per pulsed beams. The blocking of the high-power beams shall rather be a result of beam deflection away from the vulnerable optics into, for example, a radiation dump. Such photo-triggered diffraction gratings should diffract over 99% of radiation and have an aperture up to 12” in size. The proposed materials damage threshold shall be greater than 100’s MW for CW and greater than gigawatts for pulse lasers at 1 and 1.5 µm wavelength. Prototypes will be tested at a Navy lab in order to test, evaluate, and validate the specifications identified above.

Passive approaches will be considered, provided they are capable of rejecting high-power beams with an efficiency of rejecting greater than 80% of the optical power with only 20 degrees C of additional increase in the substrate temperature. Thin film photonic bandgaps, passive or photo-responsive seem particularly promising for this purpose.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. Owned and Operated with no Foreign Influence as defined by DOD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this contract as set forth by DCSA and NAVSEA in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advance phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Provide a concept to solve the Navy’s problem based on the requirements in the Description, and demonstrate the feasibility of that concept. Develop a concept for laser hardening and perform a trade study for submarine applications. Demonstrate feasibility through modeling and simulation. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype system for HEL kW class direct high energy laser testing and evaluation based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW). Develop the required technology into a prototype device and demonstrate that it meets the requirements in the Description. Test and refine the prototype into a technology that the Navy can use. Deliver the prototype laser hardened optical system, around 12 inch in diameter for kW class test and evaluation by U.S. NAVY.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support transitioning the technology for Navy use. Identify the final prototype product for transition into NAVSEA undersea platform and plan for the transition to Phase III, to include validation, testing, and HEL testing for Navy use. This technology has potential commercial transition to other applications such as industrial material processing window (welding, cutting, soldering, marking, cleaning, etc.) and fundamental research window.

REFERENCES:

1. S.R. Nersisyan, N.V. Tabiryan, D.M. Steeves, B. Kimball, Optical Axis Gratings in Liquid Crystals and their use for Polarization insensitive optical switching, Journal of Nonlinear Optical Physics & Materials, 18 (1), 1–47, 2009. https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0218863509004555  
2. S. V. Serak, N.V. Tabiryan, T. J. Bunning, Nonlinear transmission of photosensitive cholesteric liquid crystals due to spectral bandwidth auto-tuning or restoration, J. Nonlinear Optical Physics & Materials, 16 (4), 471-483, 2007. https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0218863507003895  
3. N. Tabiryan, D. Roberts, D. Steeves, and B. Kimball, “4G Optics: New Technology Extends Limits to the Extremes,” Photonics Spectra, March, 2017, pp. 46-50. https://www.photonics.com/Articles/New_4G_Optics_Technology_Extends_Limits_to_the/a61612  
4. N.V. Tabiryan, S.R. Nersisyan, D.M. Steeves and B.R. Kimball, The Promise of Diffractive Waveplates, Optics and Photonics News, 21 (3), 41-45, 2010. https://www.osapublishing.org/opn/abstract.cfm?uri=opn-21-3-40

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Directed energy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace Environments

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop an advanced detection and targeting control for High Energy Laser (HEL) operating in the complex marine environments where the proposed RAMAN metrological sensor will also improve the submarine imaging and Radio Frequency (RF) detection.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy seeks technologies that are oriented toward a deeper experimental and theoretical understanding of maritime turbulence and laser light propagation in the marine boundary. Ocean evaporation is occurring within a very thin molecular layer at the surface. However, there are indications that turbulent structures in the ocean and atmospheric mixing layers play a critical role in determining the water vapor flux. The current measurement techniques, such as Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), are limited to resolutions of 1 micro meter or greater and fall short of the required sub micrometer level resolution. A new type of spectral imaging modality and instrumentation is required that will increase our understanding of ocean evaporation and lead to better tools for measuring and modeling the near-marine boundary layer for optical and radio frequency Naval applications. This generalized understanding will significantly enhance beam optic directors, adaptive optics, and other turbulence mitigating techniques to enhance the reach and effectiveness of communication as well as defensive and offensive laser light engagement in the marine boundary layer.

The overall objectives of this STTR topic are to: 1) develop a system capable of measuring atmospheric turbulence near the ocean surface (0 to 60 feet); 2) develop models that can predict turbulent effects given a set of atmospheric and marine surface conditions, such as surface temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, wave, fog, etc., that can affect marine wave boundary layer atmosphere; and 3) develop a metrological instrument based on RAMAN light detection and ranging (LIDAR). A RAMAN metrology system should be capable of accepting RAMAN signals from lasers operating in three octaves from the Near-Infrared (NIR) (~1 um), Visible (~500nm), to the Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) (~250nm). The multi-band RAMAN metrology system’s simultaneous backscattering analysis of three wavelength intensity measurement ratio would be able to validate atmospheric Rayleigh and Mie scattering models. The system would be used to adapt existing atmospheric models or creating new physics-based models of the marine boundary layer. The RAMAN spectrometer must be able to collect data at a repetition rate of at least 1 kHz in all three wavelength ranges. The metrology system technology should be compatible with a marine operating environment in accordance with MIL-STD-810H and capable of integration into a submarine sail or mast. This form factor capable of fitting within a 12 inch cubed volume would facilitate widespread deployment as a metrological tool for marine wave boundary atmospheric characterization. The RAMAN metrology system (multiband source, detector and software for analysis) is also the part of High Energy Laser (HEL) closed loop circuit to control the HEL beam on target. The proposed 3-band picosecond RAMAN laser shall be able to integrate into HEL systems for target ranging and detection. In this configuration, the system has the potential to enhance substantially Navy capabilities for deployed high power lasers operating in the marine environment. In this effort the proposer should use Open Model Based Engineering (MBEE) for the development of software, hardware and documents.

Testing and evaluation will occur at a Navy laboratory and will measure the effectiveness of the RAMAN metrology system to accept three synchronized laser pulses in the ultra violet (UV), visible (VIS), and infrared (IR) spectral bands. The laser pulse will have a temporal pulse width between 5 ps and 1 ns and a pulse repetition rate between 1 kHz and 5 kHz, and a stable, narrow laser bandwidth of a few wavenumbers or less sufficient to distinguish RAMAN lines. The RAMAN metrology system (multiband source and detector) should have a resolution of a few wavenumbers in each spectral region. The company shall acquire mJ per pico second multiband source for the compact RAMAN System development. The Government may also furnish a 3-band mJ per band pico source as a second source to the company for integration and comparison studies into compact RAMAN System. Both software and hardware of the integrated RAMAN system (source and detector) are to be delivered to Navy.

PHASE I: Develop a concept for a RAMAN metrology system based on Model Based Engineering (MBE) as outlined in the Description. Demonstrate the feasibility of that concept through architecture modeling, simulation, and theoretical calculation. Ensure that the RAMAN metrology system is capable of producing the required spectral resolution in each of the wavelength bands at the predicted repetition rate. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a RAMAN metrology prototype solution based on MBE.

PHASE II: Develop and deliver a prototype of a 3-band RAMAN metrology system based on the concept developed in Phase I and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW). Integrate the RAMAN metrology system with the 3-band laser source, detector and software for analysis. Work with the Navy for the evaluation of performance and further characterization for the purpose of RAMAN back scattering to characterize atmospheric temperature, pressure, and humidity. Support the Navy for validation and additional testing to be qualified and certified for Navy use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Navy in transitioning the technology to Navy submarine platforms as a metrological tool for marine wave boundary data collection. This technology can improve a commercial ship’s localized weather prediction and update the weather software for safe operation. Additionally, improved LIDAR detection for range at day, night, and all-weather conditions is beneficial for both commercial and DoD applications. The RAMAN metrology system could also find applications in trace gas and pollution monitoring.

REFERENCES:

1. Wasiczko Thomas, Linda M., Moore, Christopher I.; Burris, Harris R.; Suite, Michele; Smith Jr., Walter Reed and Rabinovich, William. “NRL's Research at the Lasercomm Test Facility: Characterization of the Maritime Atmosphere and Initial Results in Analog AM Lasercomm.” Proc. SPIE, 6951, Atmospheric Propagation V, 69510S, April 18, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.783791  
2. Whiteman, David N. "Examination of the traditional RAMAN lidar technique. I. Evaluating the temperature-dependent lidar equations." Appl. Opt. 42, 2003, pp. 2571-2592. https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.42.002571  
3. Whiteman, David N. "Examination of the traditional RAMAN lidar technique. II. Evaluating the ratios for water vapor and aerosols." Appl. Opt. 42, 2003, pp. 2593-2608. https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.42.002593  
4. Deng, Chunhua; Brooks, Sarah D.; Vidaurre, German and Thornton, Daniel C. O. “Using RAMAN Microspectroscopy to Determine Chemical Composition and Mixing State of Airborne Marine Aerosols over the Pacific Ocean.” Aerosol Science and Technology, 48:2, 2014, pp. 193-206. DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2013.867297 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02786826.2013.867297  
5. “Department of Defense Test Method Standard Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests”, Department of Defense, Serial Number MIL-STD-810H w/Change 1, 15 Apr 2014 https://www.navysbir.com/n21_1/N211-031-REFERENCE-5-MIL-STD-810G.pdf

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Autonomy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground / Sea Vehicles

OBJECTIVE: Develop a modular Launch and Recovery system for On-Board Handling and Servicing of Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) that can be used on amphibious platforms.

DESCRIPTION: Current Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) recovery systems are designed for the LCS Classes or Shore based operations, and not easily transferrable to other Ship Classes. The Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) with a length of 85 feet, weight of 180,000 pounds and height and width of 8.5 feet would provide a physical challenge to deploy from any Navy ship. These systems are specially designed to capture an Unmanned Vehicle (up to the Large Diameter size) and bring it onboard an LCS using the Twin Boom Extensible Crane (TBEC) on the Independence Class or Launch Recovery Handling System (LRHS) on the Freedom Class. The TBEC and LRHS are specialized systems with unique design features that are not found on other platforms throughout the fleet. Since the original design for the launch & recovery systems were tailored to the LCS variants, they do not integrate easily on other Ship Classes where conventional launch and recovery procedures are used. Current launch and recovery requirements drive the Navy to develop unique solutions that are not cross compatible with other USVs, UUVs, and XLUUVs. The technology to be developed in this effort will provide NAVSEA with a common launch and recovery capability deployed on LCS, L-class, and Shore-based platforms to launch and recover vehicles in the NAVSEA UxV portfolio. The developed launch and recovery system must not require structural modifications to the ship, must operate in Sea State 3 and the design should not impede stern gate actuation, ballasting, or other critical ship operations. A preferred system would be modular, adaptable and scalable to support smaller future unmanned systems. 

The LPD 17 Class ships mission is to transport troops and equipment for amphibious operations and land them in the assault area by means of embarked Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), conventional landing craft, or Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV). Each LPD 17 Class ship encompasses more than 22,000 square feet of vehicle storage space and 28,000 cubic feet of cargo storage. Vehicle storage space is provided through a well deck design. The LPD 17 Class well deck is 188 feet long and approximately 50 feet wide at mid well, increasing to 59 feet at the sill, or stern of the ship. Clearance above the well deck is 31 feet. The ship is able to ballast down to flood the well deck with 9 feet of seawater at the sill and 4.5 feet at the forward portion of the well during wet well operations and landing craft maneuvers.

PHASE I: Develop a concept for a modular Launch and Recovery system for On-Board Handling and Servicing of the current Navy XLUUV that can be used on an LPD 17 class of ship. The Navy will provide dimension and movement specifications for both the unmanned system, and the ship locations in which the modular Launch and Recovery system for On-Board Handling and Servicing would reside. Companies will demonstrate feasibility of their designs through modelling and draft concepts of operation. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I efforts and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), develop and deliver a prototype modular Launch and Recovery system for On-Board Handling and Servicing of the Navy XLUUV on the LPD 17 class of ship. This prototype development will involve multiple ship check visits to a LPD 17 Class ship on either the east or west coast of the United States. The prototype will first be evaluated on land at both the company’s facility and the location where the XLUUV is stored to determine the system’s capability in meeting the performance goals defined in Phase II SOW. If the land-based testing is determined to be successful, at-sea testing will be accomplished at the end of the Phase II effort with the XLUUV and the company’s prototype modular Launch and Recovery system for On-Board Handling and Servicing. The at-sea testing will involve the company’s system demonstrating movement of the XLUUV from a stowage location on the vehicle deck to the well deck, and then launching and recovering the XLUUV. One overall prototype can be used for both the land-based and at-sea testing. Validation and qualification of the final company product will be achieved during Phase II. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Upon successful completion of Phase II, the company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology to Navy use. The company will refine the design of the final modular launch and recovery system that can be used for the XLUUV, but also adapted to other Navy unmanned systems. The company will support the Navy for test and validation in accordance with Navy regulations and requirements. Following testing and validation the end design is expected to first be deployed on the LPD 17 Class, and capable of being utilized across all Navy amphibious platforms with well decks. This technology will help the Navy meet critical needs of increased warfighting capability for L-Class ships and expand the Amphibious Warfare Mission Area(s).

REFERENCES:

1. O’Rourke, Ronald. “Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress.” Congressional Research Service. March 30, 2020. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/R45757.pdf  
2. 2. Mayfield, Mandy. “Navy Seeking New Technology For Unmanned Boats, Subs.” National Defense Magazine. October 18, 2019 https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2019/10/18/navy-seeking-new-technology-for-unmanned-boats-subs

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Networked C3

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground / Sea Vehicles

OBJECTIVE: Develop a solution that can wirelessly monitor and transmit shipboard machinery data to provide an easy means of collecting data on an operational platform to enhance machinery health monitoring.

DESCRIPTION: The U.S. Navy does not currently employ autonomous continuous based machinery monitoring and predictive maintenance systems aboard fleet platforms – current methods although broadly effective may be infrequent, labor intensive, prone to measurement error and may delay actionable information to decision makers. Current methodologies in the submarine fleet, for example, employ periodic, hand-held, wired machinery vibration measurements to provide predictions of machinery failure.

The Navy is thus seeking a broad range of emerging technologies that take advantage of commercial advances in sensor development, Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics as applied to machinery data to develop digital twins that allow for Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) of assets. Monitoring the current and expected future states of these systems will allow the Navy to more effectively maintain their platforms through an increased awareness of system health. Furthermore, maintenance planning is better served by an increased awareness of remaining useful life of components. By analyzing the optimal mix of resilient design and onboard/forward deployed spares, this solution supports On Time Delivery by maintaining the right parts where they are most needed to support the mission, ultimately reducing life cycle costs of the program sustainment activities.

Of specific interest, the Navy is interested in the use of wireless sensing technologies that can simultaneously collect and transit machinery vibration (0 – 6000 Hz) and power data (current and voltage TBD) that are in conformance with naval platform operational restrictions. Although this technology has been demonstrated in academia, there is no commercial application of such technology aboard current Navy platforms.

Use of wireless sensing technologies will provide an easier means of collecting and storing data from a broader range of sensors when compared to similar wired solutions. The small business should develop a combination of software (sensor proprietary if necessary; COTS telemetry infrastructure) and hardware that would allow for collection of data from shipboard machinery and wirelessly transmit this data to an onboard storage or display device. 

The solution should allow for a minimum of two simultaneous sensing modalities – mechanical vibration and machinery power attributes – to support monitoring of machinery health. Additional sensing modalities could include temperature, pressure, or acoustics depending on the type of machinery monitored. The developed sensor should be able to obtain power at its installed location source and should not require cabling to a remote power source. Solutions that do not require human intervention, i.e., replacement of batteries, are preferred but not required. The solution could, but is not required to, be applicable to either manned or unmanned platform. However, the solution will be required to communicate data securely from the sensor to the storage medium on board the submarine.

While the solution provided by the company will be used to support the development of digital twins for Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM), CBM solutions are not required to be provided as a deliverable. Rather the vendor should focus on developing a modular infrastructure that allows for secure communication between the sensor and storage location. These communication protocols will be platform dependent but include considerations such as physical access controls, power management and environmental controls and strategic/local command security protocol procedures. Size, weight and power should be constrained to not interfere with machinery operation and to operate autonomously in excess of two weeks without maintenance (e.g., battery replacement).

The Phase II effort is anticipated to include testing by the small business in an operationally relevant environment with final testing by the Navy (Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division) in a laboratory or at-sea environment as appropriate. The product will be validated, tested, qualified, and certified for Navy use across a wide range of conditions (e.g., machine operating parameters, ship depth, sea water temperature, etc.) as applicable for the relevant class of problem.

Depending on the scope of the proposal, the Phase II effort may require secure access, and NAVSEA will process the DD254 to support the contractor for personnel and facility certification for secure access. The Phase I effort will not require access to classified information. If need be, data of the same level of complexity as secured data will be provided to support Phase I or Phase II work.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. Owned and Operated with no Foreign Influence as defined by DOD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this contract as set forth by DCSA and NAVSEA in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advance phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Develop a concept to solve the Navy’s problem and then demonstrate the feasibility of that concept. The expected product will be a combination of hardware and software. Feasibility should be demonstrated by a laboratory bench test or a limited scale field experiment. As an example, a vendor might propose a demonstration of one modality of data being collected on a representative asset in the lab and transmitted securely to a storage device and/or display. The vendor is expected to propose concept feasibility testing as part of their proposals. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and deliver a prototype system for testing and evaluation based on the results of Phase I work and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW). The prototype system will vary based on the awardee’s proposed approach, but it may include hardware and software. The test and evaluation hardware may be a commercial system (e.g., a commercially available vent fan), a Navy-provided system (e.g., a main seawater pump), or a combination of commercial and Navy-provided systems (e.g., an integrated life support system). The prototype will be evaluated in a Navy lab or at-sea environment. The Navy may opt to choose a surrogate platform for at-sea testing based on availability of assets. Additional laboratory testing, modeling, or analytical methods may also be appropriate depending on the company’s proposed approach. In general, two prototype articles should be provided to the Government for testing, at least three months prior to the end of Phase II. A Phase III development plan will be required at the end of Phase II.

It is probable that the work under this effort and any follow-on efforts could be classified (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Navy in transitioning the technology to Navy use. The final product will be software integrated with Navy-provided hardware, or software integrated with company-provided hardware. The Navy expects the vendor to support transition to Phase III through system integration, testing support, software and hardware documentation, and limited hardware production if applicable. Possible platforms where the technology will be used include current and future submarine platforms. The technology must meet critical Navy requirements in terms of secure communications between the source and the storage medium onboard the platform. These may be related to WLAN security (encryption, authentication), Electromagnetic Interference (EM), radiological and hazardous material constraints, limits on total radiated power and other relevant requirements in effect at such time. In Phase III, the product will be validated, tested, qualified, and certified for Navy use in at-sea trials across a wide range of conditions as applicable for the relevant class of problem. Additional software testing will likely also be required to ensure that all applicable conditions can be tested even if they do not occur during at-sea test periods.

These solutions have potential for use on other undersea platforms such as Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs) as well as a wide range of surface platforms.

REFERENCES:

1. Green, D.; Lindahl, P.; Leeb, S.; Kane, T.; Kidwell, S., Donnal, J., “Dashboard: Nonintrusive Electromechanical Fault Detection and Diagnostics.” Proc. IEEE International Automatic Testing Conference, Aug 2019, 1-7. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8961062  
2. Hodge, V.J.; O’Keefe, S.; Weeks, M.; Moulds, A., “Wireless Sensor Networks for Condition Monitoring in the Railway Industry”, IEEE Trans on Intelligent Transportation Systems, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2015, 1088-1106 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6963375  
3. Hou, L.; Bergmann, N.W., “Novel Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks for Machine Condition Monitoring and Fault Diagnostics”, IEEE Trans on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 61, No. 10, 2012, 2787-2798 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6215047  
4. Huchel, L.; Helsen, J.; Lindahl, P.; Leeb, S.B., 2019, “Diagnostics for Periodically Excited Actuators”, IEEE Trans on Instrumentation and Measurement, in-press, DOI 10.1109/TIM.2019.2947971 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8876701  
5. Moon, J.; Donnal, J.; Paris, J.; Leeb, S.B., “VAMPIRE: A Magnetically Self-Powered Sensor Node Capable of Wireless Transmission”, Proc. of 28th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, 2019, 3151-3159 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6520751

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): General Warfighting Requirements

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground / Sea Vehicles

OBJECTIVE: To provide passive atmospheric contaminant scrubbing technologies to reduce and/or eliminate gas contaminants from 1 to 6 atmospheres absolute (ata).

DESCRIPTION: When a DISabled SUBmarine (DISSUB) event occurs, several dangerous and potentially lethal atmospheric contaminants can be introduced from fire, battery malfunctions, and other potential sources. These contaminants, if not appropriately managed or removed, can limit the time DISSUB survivors can await rescue. At this time, the submarine force has limited means of removing dangerous atmospheric contaminants, beyond Carbon Dioxide (CO2), from the DISSUB atmosphere when the internal compartment is either pressurized or there is insufficient available power to utilize other scrubbing technologies. Currently there is no known commercially available technology to passively scrub these contaminants.

The concept of operations (CONOPS) for a DISSUB rescue begin with a senior onboard survivor measuring and monitoring specific atmospheric containments via the USN DISSUB Guard Books. These guard books provide the procedures necessary to support DISSUB survivors in awaiting rescue by rescue forces for a minimum of seven days after the DISSUB event. Additionally, the Guard Books enable the survivors to determine when the atmosphere has been contaminated to a point that it is no longer safe to wait for rescue and therefore escape is required. While awaiting rescue is the preferred method for survivors, the inability to lower or eliminate specific hazardous contaminants may require survivors to attempt escape. Oxygen (O2) is added to and CO2 is removed from the internal compartment atmosphere passively via Chlorite candles and Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) scrubber curtains, respectively. However, there are an additional seven constituents that have been identified by medical personnel as being dangerous to DISSUB survivors when subjected to prolonged exposure to elevated levels. These constituents are defined as the Submarine Escape Action Limit (SEAL) gases and are Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN), Ammonia (NH3), Chlorine (Cl2), Hydrogen Chloride (HCl), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).

The program office desires the development of a technology that can provide the ability to passively lower and/or eliminate the 7 SEAL gases identified from a DISSUB internal compartment. In the event of a DISSUB, it is anticipated that the submarine will not have sufficient available power to support an active system. Additionally, the use of a passive system will reduce the production of Carbon Dioxide that would result from survivors using a manually operated system. Due to onboard constraints, the solution(s) should minimize the footprint of the equipment and maintenance requirements. Additionally, to reduce survivor physical stressors and CO2 generation, the solutions(s) should minimize human system operations while also remaining cognizant of the limited power that may be available. Note that stand-alone battery power for the equipment is acceptable, but the use of Lithium Ion (LIO) batteries is not. Due to internal compartment space constraints, the proposed solution should minimize, as much as practical, the footprint of any required installed equipment as well as maintenance and lifecycle cost requirements.

In terms of technology development efforts, the threshold is the ability to reduce contaminant levels below SEAL 2 levels as quickly as possible and maintain the contaminant levels below SEAL 2 levels for a minimum of seven days. The SEAL 2 levels are CO 150ppm, HCN 15 ppm, NH3 125 ppm, Cl2 2.5ppm, HCl 35 ppm, SO2 30 ppm, and NO2 10 ppm. The objective is the ability to reduce and maintain contaminant levels at or below SEAL 1 levels for a minimum of seven days (CO 125ppm; HCN 10 ppm; NH3 75 ppm; Cl2 1 ppm; HC1 20 ppm; SO2 20 ppm; CO2 5 ppm). Testing will be conducted via bench-test in a simulated environment comparable to the anticipated operational environment at NSWC Philadelphia.

In addition to being a safety and duty of care issue, continued advancement and modernization of the USN Submarine Escape and Rescue Program is considered an Assistant Secretary of the Navy core field in support of the larger Undersea Warfare, and directly aligns to both the National Defense Strategy and the Submarine Commander's Intent by defending the homeland; enabling interagency counterparts to advance U.S. influence and national security interests; ensuring USN submarine warfighting readiness and survivability; and strengthening alliances and attracting new partners. The latter was highlighted in the geopolitical outcome following the USN Submarine Escape and Rescue response to the ARA SAN JUAN incident in November 2017.

PHASE I: Develop a conceptual solution that defines the methods and identify the major components required to meet the requirements in the description. Feasibility will be determined by identifying the catalyst required and scientific calculations and modeling to support required contaminant reduction catalyst technologies. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include refinement of the proposed solution to support Phase II prototype development and the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.

PHASE II: Based on the results of the Phase I and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), refine, as necessary, the design to build and deliver one prototype for test. Testing will be conducted via bench-test in a simulated environment comparable to the anticipated operational environment at NSWC Philadelphia.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Beyond the ability to provide atmospheric containment removal technology to support the Submarine Escape and Rescue program, this technology could also provide benefits to all confined space emergency applications. In additional to the USN and Department of Defense (DoD), PMS391 collaboration initiatives and established Memorandum of Agreements with non-DoD federal and state emergency management organizations – to include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration (DoL-MSHA), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and National Aviation and Space Administration(NASA) – can be leveraged to address similar technology needs and requirements. Upon successful prototype testing, the technology is anticipated to be transitioned via backfit installation onboard in-service submarines and implemented as part of new construction for the USS COLUMBIA class and the future SSN(X) class of submarines.

REFERENCES:

1. "Central Atmosphere Monitoring System." U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. 28 November 2018. https://www.nrl.navy.mil/accomplishments/materials/atmosphere-monitoring/.  
2. "Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor." NASA. 11 April 2018. 28 November 2018. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/35.html.  
3. “SSN 774 Class Guard Book, Disabled Submarine Survival Guide, FWD Escape Trunk (Lockout Trunk).” Naval Sea Systems Command, S9594-AP-SAR-G10, 0910-LP-018-5820, Revision 00, 27 April 2006; Change 1, ACN 2/B of 7 Feb 2019; Distribution Statement A: Approved for Public Release, Distribution is Unlimited.

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Directed energy

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Weapons

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a compact battery power, efficient uncooled kW class laser system capable of producing > 5 kW output at high atmosphere transparency wavelength.

DESCRIPTION: Compact battery power uncooled kilo-watt (kW) class high energy laser (HEL) prototype systems have been deployed in a variety of platforms as laser weapons to destroy targets and threats. However, high cooling capacity chillers have to be used to dissipate the heat generated by the laser medium and pump sources of these kW-class HEL systems. The size, weight, and power (SWaP) of a HEL system is thus deteriorated by the demand of the cooling chillers on the available SWaP, which also constrains the deployment of such kW-class HEL systems in small, airborne, or unmanned weapon platforms. The DoD has a great demand for compact and robust uncooled kW-class laser system for a variety of applications. Industry will benefit as well from the reduced SWaP requirement of the technology in applications where lasers are used to cut, weld, or ablate material. This project aims to develop kW-class HEL laser sources with improved SWaP and other specifications using innovative laser technology. The Navy is looking for a kW-level laser prototype device with following specifications to be developed; Wavelength: High atmosphere transparency; Average Power Output Threshold: 3 kW (Objective: 5 kW); HEL spectrum wavelength shall be around 1 um, laser beam quality (M2) Threshold: < 1.5); Weight Threshold: 40 lbs (Objective 20 lb); Volume Threshold: 10 inch3 (Objective < 5 inch3); Air cooled compact HEL prototyped system. At present uncooled compact battery power kW class HEL system is not commercially available.

The initial prototype compact 5 kw uncooled battery power HEL system shall be evaluated at a Navy facility to understand the HEL performance and beam quality. During this test and evaluation period Navy will also evaluate the duration of the operation and the system wavelength shifts as system temperature increase. Cycle should be 5 minutes operation at full power and 5 minutes cool down. Maximum surrounding temperature equivalent to eastern summer time (80 to 85 degrees F).

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. Owned and Operated with no Foreign Influence as defined by DOD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been be implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this contract as set forth by DCSA and NAVSEA in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advance phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Develop a concept for the design of the architecture for a compact ~5 kW-class HEL prototype system that does not require an active cooling system (air cooled). Additionally, the vendor will demonstrate the feasibility of the concept and power scalability of an air cooled HEL prototype system and provide the prototype design of a 5-kW prototype HEL system to NAVY. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype system in Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop and deliver a prototype air cooled approximately 5kw HEL with good beam quality (M2< 2) system for testing and evaluation based on the results of Phase I at NAVY lab. The initial prototype compact 5 kw uncooled battery power HEL system shall be evaluated at Navy facility to understand the HEL performance and beam quality. During this test and evaluation period Navy will also evaluate the duration of the operation and the system wavelength shifts as system temperature increase. Optimize the design and scaling the Phase I laser concept to prototype a compact uncooled battery power laser system capable of producing > 5 kW output power at high atmosphere transparency wavelength that meets the requirements in the Description.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Navy in transitioning the technology to Navy use. This support is expected to be in the form of fully developing and transitioning the kW-class laser system for DoD HEL weapon systems. This technology has potential commercial transition to other applications such as industrial material processing (welding, cutting, soldering, marking, cleaning, etc.) and fundamental research.

REFERENCES:

1. Y. Jeong, J. K. Sahu, D. N. Payne, and J. Nilsson, "Ytterbium-doped large-core fiber laser with 1.36 kW continuous-wave output power," Opt. Express 12, 6088-6092 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1364/OPEX.12.006088  
2. 2. W. Shi, Q. Fang, X. Zhu, R. A. Norwood, and N. Peyghambarian, “Fiber lasers and their applications,” Appl. Opt. 53, 6554-6568 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.53.006554   
3. V. Gapontsev, D. Gapontsev, N. Platonov, and O. Shkurikhin, “2 kW CW ytterbium fiber laser with record diffraction-limited brightness,” in Proceedings of the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe, (Optical Society of America, 2005). https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1568286/citations#citations  
4. J. Zhang, V. Fromzel, and M. Dubinskii, “Resonantly cladding-pumped Yb-free Er-doped LMA fiber laser with record high power and efficiency,” Opt. Express 19, 5574-5578 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.005574  
5. T. Ehrenreich, R. Leveille, I. Majid, K. Tankala, G. Rines, and P. F. Moulton, “1-kW, all-glass Tm:fiber laser”, in Fiber Lasers VII: Technology, Systems, and Applications (2010) (Session 16: Late breaking news). http://www.qpeak.com/sites/psicorp.com/files/articles/PW%202010%201kW%20Tm_fiber%20laser.pdf