Award Data

Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion (SPDC) is currently an active research area in quantum communications (QC) to develop entangled single photon sources. However, the bandwidth of current SPDC sources is too broad for many applications. NIST researchers have modeled a solution to this problem that reduces the bandwidth by >50. We propose to fabricate a prototype of the NIST device by developin ...

High Precision Devices, Inc. (HPD) proposes to continue and complete development of the 25 kW Flowing Water Optical Power Meter for Laser Measurements begun under a Phase I SBIR award. In the proposed Phase II work described, HPD will complete mechanical and electrical subsystems, apply a ceramic carbon nanotube coating to the internal surfaces of the optical head, complete development of control ...

Accurate quantitative characterization of materials is crucial for a wide range of industrial and research applications. New transmission scanning electron microscopy (t-SEM) methods have the potential for high-resolution imaging similar to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with a less expensive, more widely available SEM system. In Phase I, RadiaBeam Technologies demonstrated the feasibility ...

Robotic actuators exceed human speed, accuracy, and strength, but human hands are regarded as the ultimate in dexterity. We propose this is due absent human-like tactile sensing and intelligent reflexive behaviors in robots. We’ve created multimodal compliant tactile sensors that mimic the sensory ability of the human fingertip and algorithms that fill this absence. In this research we will inte ...

NorthWest Research Associates proposes to develop a prototype system to forecast solar flares for NOAA/Space Weather Prediction Center. Many activities and technological systems prevalent in today’s society—air traffic control and air travel, the power grids, communications, deep-water drilling operations, human spaceflight—are vulnerable to the effects of flares from our Sun, which can sud ...

A preliminary design of a mobile receiver system for intra-cloud lightning detection, mapping, and tracking was completed and analyzed during the Phase I program. The direction-finding (DF) receiver design is small enough for use on small UAVs and utilizes the full VHF spectrum. The lightning Mapping Unmanned Sensor (LITMUS) design will be finalized, fabricated, assembled, and demonstrated durin ...

We propose to develop a system that can automatically detect, track, measure, and classify fish seen in video collected by stationary underwater cameras. Our approach makes use of a novel method for detecting motion that can mitigate false alarms due to swaying underwater vegetation. We propose a novel technique for tracking the fish in three spatial dimensions allowing for improved knowledge of ...

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This is a Phase 2 proposal to develop an instrument to simultaneously measure particle size, velocity, and concentration in applications characterized by a large size range and high particle concentration. The instrument will be based on the Pulse Displacement Technique whose feasibility was demonstrated during Phase 1. Experiments performed during Phase 1 demonstrated a high accuracy in meas ...

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