Award Data

Human biases and routines, capabilities, and limitations strongly influence overall mission effectiveness; whether during real operations or simulations using models of humans. Many missions and environments challenge human capabilities (e.g., combat stress, waiting, fatigue from long hours or lengthy tour of duty). Knowledge is needed on cultural differences that may affect human effectiveness ...

Information overload and cluttered user interfaces cause decreased situational awareness and lowered performance of the human operators. Irrelevant data increases searching times for tasks requiring the identification of threats, causing delayed decisions. Cognitive burden on the user increases as displays become more cluttered, which results in increased operator stress leading to poorer decisi ...

There is an increasing demand for systems with more autonomous operations interacting with other autonomous and human-based systems. What is needed is an architecture bundled with developer tools for the creation of intelligent real-time control systems that marry the talents of modern control theory, software technology, sensory processing, and semantic knowledge representations. It would be a st ...

This proposal addresses the development and use of lightweight, low thermal-capacity reformable tooling materials for high-temperature composite processing evaluation, parts prototyping, trial production and full-rate production of PMC engine components. The weight-saving promise of high-temperature polymer matrix composites (PMCs) for engine components is offset by the very high costs of parts m ...

The concept of a plug-and-play (PnP) deployable structure intended for configuration, verification and check-out, and deployment presents large challenges in meeting short duration cycling requirements. Specifically, state awareness technologies (e.g., embedded sensing arrays) must be designed and implemented such that transmission of relevant information (e.g., load, vibration, etc.) is permitted ...

This project will investigate candidate space-time coding schemes to be incorporated in a multiple-input multiple output two-way communication system that operates within an urban warfare environment. The main objective is to increase channel capacity to achieve high-quality video transmission using narrow signal bandwidths, typically deployed for voice channels. The investigation will determine t ...

Advancements in subminiature earphone drivers will provide needed improvements in active noise reduction (ANR) earplug attenuation magnitudes and bandwidth. Prior investigations have illustrated a need for improvements in frequency response, sound power output, geometrical configurations, and ease of manufacturing for drivers that are optimized for military ANR earplug applications. This Phase I ...

Improved characterization of the dominant paths of bone conducted sound transmission caused by external acoustic excitation for a person wearing a plug/earmuff combination is urgently needed for development of effective hearing protection in extremely high noise fields. This two phase program will achieve this ambitious goal through the extensive use of computer simulation techniques which are su ...

The recycling of composites on a large scale is an unsolved problem. Currently, the material is either ground up into near-worthless fillers, incinerated, or digested using environmentally questionable technology. Adherent Technologies, Inc. has developed a number of technologies to reclaim valuable carbon fiber and other raw materials from these composites in a potentially economically feasible ...

Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT), in partnership with the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR), is developing a high performance metal hydride heat storage and dissipation technology for high power lasers. The proposed technology incorporates heat pipes for passive acquisition and dissipation of high heat flux heat loads and metal hydrides for storage of the heat loads during the laser operati ...