Award Data

Terrorist use of radioactive nuclear materials via nuclear and/or radiological dispersion devices (dirty bombs) is a serious threat. Therefore, it is crucial to detect proliferation of nuclear material. Critical challenges include: (a) high sensitivity detection of signature emissions from radioactive isotopes, and (b) cost-effectiveness for deployment of sensor networks across large storage facil ...

For effective protection against radiated threats, it is important to understand not only the physics of the threats, but also to quantify the effects they have on mission-critical electrical systems. Radiated vulnerability and susceptibility testing requires delivery of high peak power and peak electric fields to distant targets. The most practical solution to simulate such environments on large ...

The goal of this workis to establish a radiation-aware capability in a commercial EDA design flow that will enable first-pass success in radiation resiliency for DoD ASIC designs in much the same way that existing EDA design suites ensure first pass functionality and performance success of complex ASICs destined for commercial applications.Such an integrated capability does not presently exist.The ...

We propose to investigate, in collaboration with MGH Voice Center and Altec, Inc., application of surface electromyography (sEMG) to assessing cognitive workload, strain, and overload. Specifically, sEMG sensors placed on the face and neck will detect emotional/motor responses to workload strain. The proposed effort will build on the substantial sEMG experience of our partner, MGH (including resea ...

The solution of systems of both linear and non-linear partial differential equations (PDE) is important to many scientific problems, such as magnetohydrodynamic and non-linear acoustics. Application areas include computational electromagnetics, fusion en...

At the completion of the research and development effort a Li-foil multi-wire proportional counter (MWPC) neutron detector with more than 625-cm2 of active area will be included in a portable radiation detection system. The system is expected to outperform the standards set by the ANSI N42.53 standards, and gamma-ray rejection ratio (GRR) of 1.0x10-8 or better. A gamma-ray spectrometer for isotope ...

The ongoing SAFARE STTR Phase II effort is focused on improving essential components for the high-energy coherently combined, fiber-based phased-array laser weapon system prototypes developed under the DARPA Excalibur program and significantly reduce system size, weight and required electrical power (SWaP). Fiber-array based laser weapons technology promises high power efficiency and reduced SWaP, ...

We propose to mature LG-X glider technology by manufacturing full-scaled prototypes and characterizing them in land-based flight-testing by using commercial aircraft to drop the gliders. Validated components such as the landing parachute, folding wing mechanism, and autopilot control system will undergo integrated flight-testing. Logistic Gliders will provide a considerable cost share to support ...

Obtaining situational awareness in tactical operations often involves high risk to personnel and/or equipment. The ELASTIC concept is to overcome this problem through the use of very low-cost, yet sophisticated, rapidly-deployable imaging sensors. Features of our proposed concept include use of highly portable equipment and support of a range of operational scenarios. Both of these features are ma ...

It is desirable to make focal plane arrays (or imaging arrays) with reduced pitch; doing so enables smaller, cheaper and lighter camera systems that provide the same image resolution. Currently, the lower limit on pitch is set by electron/hole diffusion and light diffraction that results in crosstalk between neighboring pixels. Since electron hole pairs generated outside the depletion layer can ...