Award Data

Development of a reflection control and direction device (RCDD) is proposed. This innovative device will progress the state of the art for propulsion of solar sails used to fly space weather monitoring sensors to sub-LaGrange point orbits for earlier warning times of impending destructive space weather events. A reflection control device (RCD) utilizes polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) mater ...

NextGen Federal Systems (NextGen), a Small Business Concern (SBC), is excited to propose a powerful software package, coupled database, and a machine-learning (ML) workflow to support streamlined evaluation and research-to-operations (R2O) of space weather ML models and techniques. In response to the NOAA Effect of Space Weather subtopic (NOAA SBIR 9.5), we propose the Machine Intelligence for Spa ...

Drought is responsible for $327.7B in economic loss since 1980 in the United States and typically precedes, cooccurs, or initiates other hazards like wildfires or prolonged periods of intense heat. The compounding or cascading of these hazards routinely threatens the wellbeing and stability of communities. The economic impact from drought can be especially harsh when the drought begins rapidly in ...

Actoprobe LLC proposes development of a novel class of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) active optical probes with dramatically increased sensitivity and spatial resolution for Near-Field Optical Nanospectroscopy and Nanoscopy. The innovation is accomplished by integrating a diode laser source and a photodetector into a silicon AFM probe in such a way that both the AFM tip and detector are inside the ...

Narratives organize and motivate social networks, enabling them to process and interpret complex events and take individual and collective action in response. However, while past work on narrative extraction and analysis provides useful ‘snapshots’ of a narrative at a given point in time, it generally fails to 1) distinguish over-arching, foundational narratives from concrete, focal events tha ...

Photon-X and Pilot AI will assess the feasibility of building a rangefinder that uses object shapes and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to better detect objects and estimate their range. The project will combine novel shape-sensing imaging technology with edge-optimized AI algorithms that can run on a small, battery-powered device. The key tasks of the project will be: Validate that a computer vision ...

Asymmetric proposes to develop software and firmware to optimize data exfil throughout Whisper devices. This includes making the Whisper system have additional, tuneable capabilities to increase LPI/LPD characteristics. The current methods utilized by Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel to maintain secure, covert and reliable data transmission in hostile environments is difficult and mission ...

Modern lithium ion batteries are known for their poor safety performance, with many reports of battery failure and fire having been reported. One of the major causes of battery fire is from the use of flammable solvents, such as organic carbonates, as the electrolyte. These hazards have long limited the usage of batteries in dangerous conditions, such as on the battlefield. To combat this issue, t ...

When engaging targets at long distance, time matters: enemies may only be visible for a few seconds at a time and snipers need the ability to deliver accurate, lethal fire in those fleeting seconds. The LA-24/PEQ Precision Aiming Laser (PAL) system is a game changing piece of technology that runs the industry-leading Applied Ballistics (AB) solver directly onboard, providing a sniper with a firing ...

IERUS proposes the development of a SATCOM OTM terminal capable of multi-beam operation which will reduce - or eliminate - gaps in communication switchovers during satellite transitions. This proposed system consists of a 3D-printed lens acting as a passive beamformer, reconfigurable array for wideband frequency coverage, and a switched beam steering network. The combination of these subsystems re ...