Award Data

Viable Gear will provide proof-of-concept for a seaweed-based bioplastic to be used in manufacturing a compostable biotwine for marine equipment, designed to replace petroleum-based plastics. This addresses NOM-SBIR research topic area 9.3, The Changing Ocean - specifically to "support increased protection and restoration of marine and coastal habitats to enhance vital ecosystems", by helping decr ...

The long endurance “StratoSonde” lighter-than-air, uncrewed system combines a low-cost, 5day endurance StratoSonde supports up to 10 micro-dropsondes, which when released from the HAB, descend safely through the entire atmospheric column under a ribbon drogue while reporting observations directly back to the HAB. This project will assess the feasibility of integrating a disposable miniature ae ...

The marine microalgae Chrypthecodinium conhii (C. cohnii) contains high levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and DHA synthase enzymes (DSe). Finfish have shown de novo synthesis of DHA when fed a C. cohnii product, KoniSap™, developed by FPN LLC. KoniSap™ is unique to the aqua-feed market as it is produced under low temperature and inert gas to prevent lipid oxidation and avoid enzyme denatura ...

Demand for seaweed products has dramatically increased in the U.S.; however, domestic production from both wild harvests and aquaculture operations only supplies 1% of this demand. To meet demand, expansion of seaweed aquaculture is crucial to protect wild populations from extinction by overharvesting, which impacts entire marine ecosystems. Currently, U.S. kelp aquaculture methods rely on wild ha ...

There is a growing need for a single source of truth data about intertidal zones that can used by lawmakers, resource managers, conservationists, engineers, pharmaceutical and food manufacturers, farmers and fishers, and scientists for better environmental planning and protection, particularly for the land-sea interface. Our Phase II research will solve this challenge by developing a data analytic ...

There is a clear need to improve weather forecasting accuracy. The greatest contributions to forecast uncertainty is a lack of meteorological observations over remote areas and areas experiencing pronounced convective activity. StratoSolutions’ new high-altitude balloon (HAB) platform with mini-dropsonde is a disruptive new uncrewed meteorological observation data source able to collect data at ...

This SBIR effort proposes using live and continuous monitoring of metal tanks, pressure vessels, and pipelines using carbon nanomaterial-based sensing skins to detect excessive physical strains, cracks, and to inspect impact damage. The proposed research and development work leverages 15+ years of fundamental research. The key objective is to advance the TRL level and the scalability of carbon nan ...

Across the nation, school buses drive our kids to and from school, in rural, suburban, and large cities – all having the same problem: safely transporting school children. This proposal calls out (1) there is no school bus V2X solution that exists in any meaningful scalable way today (2) there is no readily available solution to solve for school children being struck during evening hours when vi ...

Over the past decade, private industry has shown a growing interest in the development of autonomous Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs). A successful autonomous CMV system will require that the vehicles meet both technological requirements and existing regulatory requirements for traditional CMVs. While some regulations are passive, others require drivers to take actions. Of note is the requirement ...

The marine microalgae Crypthecodinium cohnii (C. cohnii) contains high levels of DHA and DHA synthase enzyme (DSe) both of which may provide nutritional benefits to finfish for human consumption. Field Phyto-Nutrients LLC has developed a process for algae-based feed preparation where the algae is dried under low temperature (