Award Data

This Phase 1 SBIR project will establish the technical and commercial benefits of using previous task executions to augment model-based route planning for military applications. On this project, we will integrate a prototype route planner using ``Implicit Semantic Knowledge'' (ISK) derived from previous executions, with an existing model-based route planner, called ``Ground Guidance.'' Model-bas ...

The extraction of dilute concentrations of alcohol from water is one that is widespread through industry and environmental clean-up. It is presently separated by distillation processes, where possible, a technique which is energy intensive and has impacts on product cost and the environment through the use of fossil fuels to supply the energy needed. This problem has a enormous impact on the cost ...

The proposed multi-spectral IFF beacon will use 40 to 50 % effient high power laser diodes at 863, 1064, and 1550 nm wavelengths. Thermal emitters including diamond-like carbon thin films, photonic crystals, and quantum cascade lasers will be characterized and compared. Finally a model to predict the detection range of IFF beacons will be developed using proprietary emitter power and atmospheric ...

Diffraction LTD will develop a multi-spectral battery powered combat ID beacon. Key emitter technologies will include vacuum encapsulated photonic crystals in the MWIR and LWIR spectral bands. In Phase 1, a complete optical, electrical, and mechanical design of the beacon will be produced. A model taking into account emitter characteristics, atmospheric transmission, ambient lighting, and vario ...

Real-time compensation techniques investigated in this effort can improve the precision and accuracy of Superconducting Analog to Digital Converters. Converters of interest include Sigma-Delta (BP and Wide/Base Band), Flash and Time-Interleaved Flash architectures. Compensation techniques utilize information beyond current real time samples, either from calibration operation or domain-specific inf ...

For IR sensors, the sensing detector and readout circuitry (ROIC) are commonly joined on a pixel by pixel level in a process referred to as Hybridization. Hybridization requires bonding an ROIC die and a detector die on a pixel level, where the total number of pixels required to bond and form interconnects ranges from 1,000,000 to 16,000,000 individual pixels. The material of choice for Hybridi ...

ATEI’s unique partnership with the University of Minnesota plans to exploits applied and fundamental research, respectively, to achieve unprecedented levels of integration for highly complex RF microwave, mm-wave and analog/digital/mixed-signal modules using Silicon Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology to support emerging DoD-critical applications such as wafer-scale phase a ...

Northern Technologies International Corporation (NTIC), MN, in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI, plans to formulate and engineer chemically modified, marine biodegradable, biofiber-based, non-plastic waste bags. These bags will be high strength, lightweight, processable with the Navy equipment and marine biodegradable as per ASTM standard D7081. NTIC will specif ...

Embedded usage tracking of helicopter rotating components, combined with active radio frequency identification (RFID) has the potential to reduce maintenance costs, reduce weight, maximize structural life, & enhance safety. Energy harvesting used with advanced, micro-power wireless sensing electronics, enables the realization of truly autonomous sensing and recording. The objective of this SBIR ...

Structural health monitoring (SHM) of large structures such as Navy ships requires an in depth knowledge of operational loads and how these loads may change over time. A network of low cost, wireless strain sensors can provide this information. During Phase I, we will demonstrate a highly synchronized, scalable network of energy harvesting wireless strain sensors. By converting ambient cyclic stra ...