Award Data

Contractor will develop innovative concepts and techniques to develop target recognition approaches focused on cognitive synthesis of current and emerging sensor data sources.(Approved for Public Release 15-MDA-8482 (17 November 15))

Current focal plane array (FPA) technologies for imaging in low-light conditions in the short wave infrared (SWIR) are limited by poor quantum efficiency and/or poor noise characteristics. To address this need, a new SWIR-sensitive linear-mode avalanche photodiode detector array, will be optimized for low-light imaging, fabricated, and demonstrated. Unlike existing SWIRavalanche photodiodes (APDs) ...

Vadum will develop a handheld Multi-Modal Galvanic Corrosion Sensor (MMGCS) to detect hidden corrosion, such as under paint, in missile, aircraft, and ship structures before it can be detected by traditional non-destructive testingand visual methods. The sensor head ensures optimal alignment of transmit and receive antennas for non-contacting near-field measurements. The transceiver can sweep the ...

A 1280 x 1024, 12-micron-pitch format radiation-hardened dual-band digital infrared readout integrated circuit (ROIC) will be developed. The features of the reconfigurable adaptive detector integrated circuit (RadIC) include: low-noise in-pixel amplifiers, in-pixel analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), extended > 22-bit dynamic range with temporal-photon flux-rate encoding, high-rate readout, and as ...

Motivated by a real operational need to tackle threats posed by the onslaught of constantly evolving exploits and malware, this proposal describes techniques for dynamically analyzing malicious documents and malware that addresses weaknesses in the status quo by (i) focusing on memory-oriented artifacts without the use of traditional sandbox hooks, while at the same time (ii) providing operators ...

A robust system level design process will be used to identify the design of transparent tapered resistive (TTR) elements, including the materials, fabrication processes, and lifecycle costs. The transparent tapered resistive film will be designed to provides a tapered resistive layer across the film while remaining transparent in the visual and near-infrared optical bands for use in radio-frequenc ...

A DNA sequencer for biometric applications will be developed. The system will enable rapid and low-cost identification of individuals and kinship verification using a self-contained and portable device. All process steps from DNA extraction to DNA sequencing will be automatically performed within the disposable single-use cartridge. This high-level of functional integration is made possible by Adv ...

Thermal protection materials for ballistic missile kill vehicles must retain strength and stiffness at temperatures around 1500-2000oC in an oxygen rich environment, and isolate payload electronics from excessive heating. Weight is a concern, since lighter weight translates to higher velocity and kinetic energy. Further, the TPS materials must have a long service life, including the ability to w ...

The recent emergence of the Silicon Drift detector (SDD), for use in energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS), has made possible x-ray event streams with count rates as high as 1-10 Mcps. A problem with existing digital signal processing, as applied to SDDs, is the significant presence of coincidence peaks above the x-ray background. These coincidence peaks occur with amplitudes comparable to lo ...

Development of configurable analog array architectures that meet a wide range MDA system application. Development and implementation of radiation hard by design techniques for analog circuits at the physical layout and circuit design levels.