Award Data

This proposal describes the development of an instrument based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the detection of lead in paint and soil that will have both military and commercial applications. The Phase I instrument will be similar to multi-species, portable LIBS instruments built by Dr. David Cremers at Los Alamos National Laboratory that utilize a spectrograph/charge coupled ...

The 3D-Flow Processor system is a new concept in very fast, real-time system architectures. The throughput of this system can reach up to 100 millin frames/sec, yet unlike currently available systems of comparable speed, it is fully programmable and extremely flexible. Algorithms for processing information from the input of multiple sensor can easily be implemented on a 3D-Flow system to achiev ...

This proposal is directed at creating discontinuous unidirectional composite from continuous unidirectional prepreg. The process, Selectively-Discontinuous-Fiber (SDF), introduces micro-cuts in preimpregnated unidirectional materials at specified locations. This process will allow unidirectional composite prepreg to be used for the fabrication of complex-compound components that have be ...

Current fire fighting training methods are possibly lacking maximum effectiveness due to increasing safety and environmental regulation. Additionally, performance measurement in large classes becomes difficult unless trainees have identical training scenarios and evaluations. This proposal details the analysis of current training methods and subsequent emulation of them using virtual reality (VR ...

The ultimate purpose of the proposed R&D is to develop and demonstrate an innovative software development environment which supports the engineering, analysis, development, test, maintenance, and reuse of software for embedded, heterogeneous, real-time systems. The proposed approach is innovative in two respects: (1) it is based on the integration of two best-of-breed environments, ObjecTime/ROOM ...

The AES International Corporation (AESI) of College Station, Texas, in concert with Texas A&M University personnel, can build an airborne ground-penetrating radar system to detect land mines from an Unmanned Airborne Vehicle (UAV). The radar itself will be a totally new and fully airworthy flight demonstration unit, the principles and characteristics of which will be conceptually similar to two p ...

AMI utilizes a technique known as the "ribbon wind" approach to manufacture infrared fiber image bundles. The ribbon wind approach provides a unique opportunity to manufacture relatively low cost, large format, medium resolution infrared fiberoptic image bundles for industrial, commercial and military applications. Indeed, this approach has been applied successfully by numerous fiberoptic manufa ...

An open problem confronting Uninhabited Tactical Aircraft (UTA) is the control concept for their successful operation in combat. Unlike reconnaissance UAVs, it will not be practical to operate UTAs with fully pre-programmed missions nor will it be possible to continuosly fly with them from remote cockpits. A new control paradigm is needed. One that supports a full range of intervention from dir ...

We propose to apply a non-intrusive embedded acoustic sensor concept, which has been used successfully in reentry vehicle aerodynamics applications for detecting exterior flow conditions to penetrator munitions for detecting various media and buried structures during penetration. This effort includes: review of existing data and literature to choose promising signal characteristics for media and ...

The objective of the Phase I effort is to demonstrate an experimental/numerical technique for formulating penetration equations and identifying pertinent material parameters to be used in those equations. Although penetration equations for isotropic metals are well developed, such equations are not readily applicable to anisotropic laminated composites, because composite failure is dominated by br ...