Award Data

The goal of this proposal is to create the software Weave™ to automate the extraction of critical dimensions (CDs) from scanning electron microscope (SEM) images for the microelectronics industry. Current best practices for extraction of CDs are that personnel analyze the images one by one, which is tedious, prone to human bias, time-consuming and expensive. Successful implementation of Weave™ ...

This Phase 2 project targets the completion of the development of an improved system for the broadcasting of the WWVB signal, as a direct continuation of the Phase 1 project, which successfully validated the proposed approach through a feasibility study and analyses. Objectives of this project include the design of the new modulation scheme and protocol, the development of a new time-code generato ...

Additive Manufacturing Innovations LLC (AM-Innov) in collaboration with Clarkson University and Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) proposes a new optical imaging system to characterize microscopic deformation of materials. The system, named as a Mechanical Testing at Microscale system (MT@micro), uses a micro-tensile testing device to mechanically load the specimen uniaxially and an optical imaging p ...

In response to NOAA-OAR-OAR TPO-2019-2005899 topic 9.5.01 , Kitware proposes a compact data collection and processing payload that can be hosted from small unmanned aircraft systems to support autonomous beyond line of sight missions. This innovative payload will manage collections from onboard sensors with optimizations collection paradigms. It will produce curated, geo-registered data archives, ...

Texas Research Institute Austin (TRI Austin) will develop a fast acting, strong, tough, adhesive that will bond underwater without extensive surface preparations. TRI Austin will formulate the adhesive to optimize setup time, establish charge weight for the adhesive to reduce adhesive underwater preparation time, and develop the procedures for using the adhesive to bond coral to reef substrates. A ...

Oscilla Power, Inc. (OPI) is developing a utility-scale wave energy harvester that is enabled by low cost and readily-available magnetostrictive alloys. T his device, which utilizes no moving parts, has the potential to deliver predictable quantities of electric power to coastal utilities, industrial users, and remote facilities at costs competitive with coal or gas. The Phase I project demonstra ...

Nanometrology International, Inc. (NMI) proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of 3-dimensional (3D) characterization of nanoscale objects using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) with a measurement uncertainty of less than 0.7 nm. To accomplish this task, we propose a novel method of 3D tip characterization and use of an innovative surface reconstruction algorithm recently introduced by NIST and th ...

Nanohmics, Inc. proposes to develop the most sensitive antibody and/or DNA aptamer‐quantum dot (Qdot)‐based lateral flow (LF) test strips possible for detection of harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins in fresh or saltwater and seafood rinsates. Although commercial colloidal gold‐LF test strips for some HABs and anti‐HAB toxin aptamer DNA sequences already exist, Nanohmics’ innovation of inco ...

Ciguatera fish poisoning is an illness suffered by > 50,000 people yearly after consumption of fish containing ciguatoxins (CTXs) or exposure to a harmful algae bloom (HAB). Manufacturing of critical reagents to develop assays to detect ciguatoxin have been elusive due to the constraints in production of viable amounts of the toxin. Thankfully, a significant amount of work has been done to demonst ...

Species substitution with a product of lesser value has become an increasing problem within the seafood industry. Increased international trade, rising consumption rates, and high profit incentives have all contributed to the intentional mislabeling of seafood. While whole, unprocessed fish can generally be identified by their morphological features, processing of seafood makes identification chal ...