Award Data

Aerodyne Research, Inc. (ARI) and The University of Massachusetts at Amherst will collaborate to develop a novel technique for efficient mass spectrometric analysis of high molecular weight analytes such as proteins and polymers. Laser desorption and ionization with minimal analyte fragmentaton will be carried out on metal nanoparticle substrates in a particle beam sampled by Aerodyne’s proprie ...

Agiltron and the University of Massachusetts Lowell will develop a transformational terahertz (THz) imager based on Agiltron’s established optical readout photomechanical imaging technology. The photomechanical imager contains a MEMS-based focal plane array that transduces THz radiation into a visible signal for capture by a high-performance CCD imager. By leveraging the advances made in the fie ...

A stand-off mid-IR based system offers great promise for the detection of chemical, biological or explosive (CBE) agents. Such a system has yet to be realized due mostly to broad spectral features and interfering substances. In this proposal we will demonstrate the feasibility of a system that collects laser induced thermal emission (LITE) from a substance and identifies it as known CBE agent with ...

We propose to develop a combination Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering and Shear-Force Microscopy (TERS-SFM) instrument to study the composition and morphology of nanoparticles, surfaces, and biofilms on any substrate material. The instrument developed during Phase I will rely upon Scanning Tunneling Microscopy combined with TERS (TERS-STM) to test the effects of various excitation wavelengths and tip ...

Multi-modal (including spatial, spectral and polarimetric) photodetectors and focal plane arrays (FPA) can dramatically enhance the target detection, tracking and identification capability of a battle field sensing system. Most existing multi-spectral polarimetric sensing systems employ dispersive optics (gratings or prisms), or external polarizer technologies to obtain spectral and polarimetric c ...

The human auditory system out-performs all current machine-based systems for analyzing and interpreting real world acoustic environments. Central to that human performance is the method of auditory scene analysis used by listeners and the mechanisms that allow creation of auditory objects. BioMimetic Systems has implemented real-time biomimetic algorithms in embedded hardware based on the ‘whatâ ...

The Army has a clear need for a small unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) capable of autonomously accompanying a single soldier or vehicle. Such a UGV would help solve both logistical problems of soldiers needing to transport more equipment and supplies than they can carry in a backpack, and tactical problems of scouting unsafe areas. Multiple designs for such UGVs exist; however, they require active re ...

In this proposal, DCM Research Resources (DCM), LLC, and Syracuse University propose a highly innovative distributed pattern detection and classification approach, called Compressive Sensing aided Sequential Pattern Detection and Classification (CSASPDC) in Distributed Sensor Network. Our goal is to develop sophisticated approaches that can effectively detect or classify very weak distributed patt ...

The effective de novo prediction of linear and nonlinear optical properties of materials would be a great resource for developers of military and commercial optical devices. Of particular military interest are multiphoton processes that can be optimized for laser protection as well as for improving photovoltaic efficiencies above the Shockley–Queisser limit, for photodynamic therapy and for opti ...

Covariance realism and consistency are critical to precision tracking and long-term orbit prediction of resident space objects (RSOs). This proposal tackles the key challenges that would yield realistic state estimation error covariance measures for tracking RSOs with relevant covariance consistency metrics. The anticipated result is a proposed estimation architecture that provides state estimatio ...