Award Data

In most critical software systems, a state that is partially visible through values passed across interfaces contains information that could determine the health of the software system, and whether a failure is likely in the future. Some of this information behaves in a continuous fashion, e.g., the available memory or disk space is easily interpreted to monitor system health. Other values are nom ...

Leveraging Agiltron’s industrial leading developments for optical measurement of motion in MEMS devices, we propose to use electro-optical sensors for measuring the displacement and gap in the NIST micro-rheometer. No electrical connections are required to the moving parts. All electronics and optics are removed from the chip so that it is inexpensive and disposable. A fixed, simple micro-fluidi ...

We propose a high performance library of signal processing tools that incorporate a newly developed technique known as fluctuation enhanced sensing (FES) to enhance the novel microsensor developed at NIST. Our goal is to improve the performance of the NIST sensor from two angles. One is to apply our existing proven algorithms to the NIST data. The other one is to incorporate advanced FES concept t ...

Currently, there are over 10,000 MRI scanners used in the US alone. US citizens today are mobile and many times medical treatments may require MRI scans from several different facilities. Images from MRI scanners can also drift over time. There is a tremendous need for all medical imaging scanners to be on the same level. Sigma-K will develop the commercialization of the ISMRM/NIST MRI Calibration ...

Single chirality of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is critical for their superb mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties. All known methods for producing nanotubes give mixtures of tubes with different chiralities. Physical separation of SWCNT by chirality is thus an enabling step for many potential applications and fundamental studies. The existing anion exchange resins are ...

RoadNarrows proposes a novel architecture to be implemented in a 6DOF vision system with applications in autonomous robotics. The system will report objects of interest along with location and pose information to a supervising computer. This system will be built around an advanced 3D vision platform that can deliver multiple video streams and 3D spatial measurements. The sensors will deliver high- ...

Optical Physics Company is proposing to implement an interferometric angle sensor for the purpose of determining the relative angle between the two diffracting crystals. Two approaches can be pursued, namely (1) the dual grating interferometer, and (2) the angle interferometer. The estimated cost of materials for building the angle sensor in quantity ranges between $2K and $12K. The expected accur ...

Nanometrology International, Inc. (NMI) proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of 3-dimensional (3D) characterization of nanoscale objects using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) with a measurement uncertainty of less than 0.7 nm. To accomplish this task, we propose a novel method of 3D tip characterization and use of an innovative surface reconstruction algorithm recently introduced by NIST and th ...

Using a new concept for humidity control, based on a proprietary saturated air source, MAC will develop a design for an environmental chamber for use with NIST’s SPHERE UV source, in weathering or other UV degradation studies. The chamber will interface to the exit port of the SPHERE, maintaining the material coupons, mounted in a standardized sample holder, at a programmed temperature and relat ...

AMT Nano, LLC has developed innovative technology for achieving a versatile microrobot platform. The innovation relies on a unique micromolding process, which is low-cost and high-throughput, and high precison. The process achieves versatility by generating deterministic freeform shapes in polymers and nanocomposites. Several perceived benefits accompany the micromolding process. Due to the three- ...