Award Data

The Bottom Feeder project is designed to prove out the research done in Phase I using a prototype platform. The prototype will be a full size version of the platform designed during Phase I. The Phase I platform was designed to work in two operational configurations, a highly efficient mode and a highly maneuverable mode, with the ability to switch between them while submerged. The platform is equ ...

All fruits and vegetables generate ethylene.Even low concentrations of ethylene accelerate fruitripening.A process that removes ethylene as it is generated can play a central role in maintainingthe freshness of fruits and vegetables.Hence much effort and significant cost normally go into thecontrol of the atmosphere and temperature to which these fruits and vegetables are exposed largelyto reduce ...

Aquaculture expansion is a global imperative to address food security. Slow maturation of highlydesirable marine carnivorous finfish species is a major hindrance in the pursuit of geneticimprovement through selective breeding. Female Seriola (yellowtail) take four years to reachmaturity.The goal of this work is to identify methods of inducing precocious puberty in juvenile S.rivoliana.Phase I incl ...

The economic recovery and development of rural America is lagging that of its metropolitancounterparts.While metropolitan areas fully replaced the job losses from the 2008-2009 GreatRecession by the third quarter of 2013 rural America has yet to replace those job losses fullyfive years later.While many of the economic forces are beyond the control of ruralcommunities (globalization natural resourc ...

The proposed project aims to promote and improve the sustainability and profitability of small andmid-size farms which constitute the vast majority of farms in the USA.Farm operators may need a continuous supply of custom-made components and spare parts forexisting machinery.Components and spare parts could be difficult or expensive to procure or notavailable for old machinery still in operations. ...

This proposed project will enable commercialization and widespread adoption of an innovativeirrigation management tool that addresses three fundamental goals of the SBIR program; (i)improving the efficiency of water and energy use; (ii) increasing the profitability of small irrigatedfarms through better planning and risk management; and (iii) utilizing renewable energy moreeffectively.A panel of n ...

his project will result in the development of a thriving commercial breadfruit ('ulu) industry inHawai'i that will serve as an example to emergent agricultural industries focused on highlyseasonal crops. We address key industry gaps by leveraging the pioneering work of small businessapplicant Hawai'i 'Ulu Producers Cooperative (HUPC) the State of Hawai'i's foremost breadfruitfarmer organization. H ...

Inexperienced swimmers are often unaware of the presence of treacherous rip currents and this leads to many drowning deaths each year. Even when signs are posted, the public probably does not clearly understand the danger. It would be more informative if the public were ale to maps of the location, speed, and direction of coastal currents. Ocean safety officials are using various methods to inform ...

Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are those sticky materials that can stick to various substrates under light pressure at room temperature. PSAs are widely used for production of tapes such as duct tape and package tapes, labels, stamps, post-it® notes and many other products. At present, PSAs are mainly derived from petrochemical-based polymers such as polyacrylates. Petrochemicals are not ren ...

Small and mid-size farms that produce herbal supplements are under new, stringent FDA regulatory and safety requirements because of a change in definition from "food product" to "dietary supplement." This status change has made these farms subject to FDA Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations that are difficult and very expensive to implement. During a three-year period, federal in ...