Award Data

The proposed SBIR research (Phase I and II) is devoted to developing a laser-based acousto-ultrasonic system for inspection of sealed containers. The system represents a promising technology for improving safety management in anti-terrorism and treaty compliance operations. The system will use a pulsed laser to excite the container and a laser Doppler vibrometer for long stand-off vibratory (ult ...

Diode-Pumped Alkali Laser Systems (DPALS) have great potential for missile defense and other applications. These systems require a uniform, steady, flowing mixture of helium and rubidium vapor at elevated pressure and temperature. Significant challenges exist because rubidium is a very reactive material. In response, our team proposes to develop a contamination-free, all-metal, hermetic, circul ...

Next generation aircraft systems will include weapons, sensors and actuators requiring large amplitude pulse power capability which will exceed the continuous power delivery capacity of most aircraft. Compact, lightweight and efficient power conversion and thermal management systems are required to provide a suitable interface between the aircraft power supply and these pulse power loads. We will ...

To accelerate advances in cognitive science, and to facilitate the invention of novel brain-centered technologies, tremendous benefit would be gained by expanding the accessibility of Electroencephalography (EEG) to non-traditional users. A key driver for expanding accessibility is lowering cost while improving ease of use. Recently released systems have lowered cost, but at the expense of reduc ...

Despite over 100 years of research, decompression illness (DCI) remains the mission-limiting factor in the design and execution of combat dives. Divers may spend over an hour decompressing after spending as little as ten minutes at the target depth. While decompressing, the diver is limited in vertical mobility, making him susceptible to detection and threatening his survivability. Current stra ...

Chemical, biological, or toxin attacks in military and civilian settings are a serious and growing concern. Standard first aid for exposure to many chemical warfare agents and toxins includes the immediate administration of relevant antidotes using an autoinjector. When an attack occurs, prefilled autoinjectors must be immediately available and thus highly portable, and they must be suitable for ...

To address the issue of heat transfer from the rocket motor nozzle exit cone into the metal support housing MSI proposes to apply a well-developed, highly insulating interlayer material, quartz polysiloxane Qz/Ps, between the exit cone surface and the metal substructure surface to maintain that surface below 150 degrees F. MSI has tested this material for fabrication of a number of high performan ...

Soldiers recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or relearning how to walk on a prosthetic lower limb often struggle with their balance. Of patients recovering from acute blast-induced mTBI, almost all (90%) report unsteadiness. These balance deficits affect ability to return to duty and ultimately quality of life. Recent research has shown that improvements can be made in upright st ...

Effective Army-scale mobility predictions in austere environments require knowledge of soil strength conditions at high spatial resolution (100 m or less). The Army"s knowledge of the battlespace is greatly hindered because available weather-scale near-surface soil moisture data, a primary indicator of soil strength, is limited by its coarse spatial resolution (1-25 km). Moreover, there are no a ...

Small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are a critical element in current military operations, and their use will increase substantially in the future. The propulsion system is a key design constraint in any UAS, and current small gas turbines for these vehicles are limited by the conventional oil-lubricated rolling element bearings used to suspend their high-speed rotating assemblies. Foil bearings ...