Award Data

Nano Terra and the El-Shafei group (North Carolina State University) propose to demonstrate, optimize and expand a universal platform for textile functionalization. The approach is one developed in the El-Shafei group that has already been explored for its utility in cotton, nylon-cotton blends and polypropylene. The functionalization method imparts a high-level of flame retardancy (without haloge ...

On this effort Toyon Research Corp. and The Pennsylvania State University are developing deep learning-based algorithms for object recognition and new class discovery in look-down infrared (IR) imagery. Our approach involves the development of a hybrid classifier that exploits both transfer learning and semi-supervised paradigms in order to maintain good generalization accuracy, especially when li ...

PS-MS is a simple and powerful method for rapid ambient sample preparation. However, its simplicity also means separation of undesirable components (particulates and molecular interferents) is not possible. Furthermore, samples must be collected by other means (e.g., dried blood spot cards) and placed on the ticket in liquid form before analysis. Although the technique is sensitive (nanograms to t ...

Face recognition performance using deep learning has seen dramatic improvements in recent years. This improvement has been fueled in part by the curation of large labeled training datasets with millions of images of hundreds of thousands of subjects.This results in effective generalization for matching over pose, illumination, expression and age variation, however these datasets have traditionally ...

In the setting of altitude-induced hypoxia, operator cognitive capacity degrades and can compromise both individual and team performance. This degradation is linked to falling brain energy (ATP) levels and an increased reliance on anaerobic energy production from glucose. Ketone bodies are the evolutionary alternative substrate to glucose for brain metabolic requirements; previous studies have sho ...

Special Operations Forces (SOF) are an integral aspect of the US military. SOF operators are among the most elite and highly qualified individuals in the U.S. military. As such, extraordinary physical and mental demands are placed upon them to excel in extreme environments for extended periods of time. This unrelenting cycle of combat deployments and intense pre-deployment training shortens the fu ...

Historically, the monitoring and detection of biological threats has been carried out via the deployment of high sensitivity / high complexity monitoring nodes to insure high probability of detection and low false alarm rate. Unfortunately, this detection strategy has inherent limits with respect to coverage and response due to its high deployment/support costs, mandating a new approach to environ ...

Physical Sciences Inc. in cooperation with University of Notre Dame proposes to develop a method for the persistent surveillance and detection of aerosolized biological warfare agents using a distributed point bioaerosol detector network, local meteorological sensors, existing infrared surveillance cameras, and crowdsourced georeferenced network traffic and phrase monitoring. The proposed technolo ...

Novel photonic structures, such as periodic metal-dielectric photonic bandgap structures (MDPBG) have the potential to revolutionize the field of optical windows. The large mismatch in the permittivities of the metal and dielectric creates resonant tunneling, which allows for high transmission in regions where metals are typically opaque. This property makes MDPBGs very attractive for screening or ...

Current scene projection hardware is challenged to simultaneously meet the requirements for high peak temperature (> 2000K), high resolution (> 1Kx1K), response time < 1 ms, cryogenic and temporally uniform photon flux. MEMS, Resistor arrays, liquid crystals, and photonic crystals all suffer in one or more areas. MEMS suffer from flicker and low dynamic range. Resistor arrays suffer from low frame ...