Award Data

The harsh environment posed by hypersonic flight makes antenna design challenging due to extreme temperature exposure coupled with often competing mechanical/aero and RF performance requirements. FIRST RF proposes an advancement to its numerous conformal antenna technologies utilizing additive manufacturing of dielectric materials. This approach will decouple the competing RF and mechanical requir ...

There is a need for a lightweight, high-performance, insulation to protect the internal systems in hypersonic vehicles. A passive thermal protection system (TPS) design would be simple and reliable. As designs evolve, there is a need for TPS insulation materials that can be additively manufactured. Our Phase I approach will additively manufacture pre-ceramic scaffolds that are used to create low d ...

Estes Energetics and Battelle Memorial Institute will apply a fast, affordable manufacturing technology—proven to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) 4—that manufactures a layer of carbon-carbon directly on composite structures without requiring use of an autoclave or densification process holds, resulting in reduced manufacturing time while improving com ...

We propose to develop Para-DEVS, an extension of the existing modeling and simulation (M&S) environment overcome two major hurdles that must be overcome to implement paratemporal simulation techniques for application to execution of large stochastic models. We propose to develop techniques to achieve scalability, the ability to overcome the combinatorial explosion of branching arising from multipl ...

Seed Innovations (Seed) and the University of Colorado at Denver (CU Denver) apply our combined experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, model interpretation and human-machine teaming to research and develop a prototype Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) explainability platform. This prototype solution, named ‘Reveal’, seeks to empower decision-makers by providing them with mean ...

In the proposed effort, we will develop the fundamental building blocks to develop a high performance, low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) ultrashort pulse Femtosecond Direct Diode Laser System (fsDDLS) capable of generating and sustaining filaments/plasma channels in the atmosphere ahead of a vehicle in hypersonic flight to reduce drag, heating, and displace shock. Approved for Public Release | 22 ...

Intelligent detection and imaging technology hold considerable value for Department of Defense to attain situational awareness and advantage over opposing forces, and for aid in navigating potentially dangerous marine and terrestrial environments. Technologies obtain intelligence on underwater threats and can gather intelligence on approaching surface threats. Current sensor technologies require a ...

Alphacore and Vanderbilt University will develop innovative, cost effective methodology and solutions for radiation testing of microelectronics, to evaluate and distinguish between radiation effects from a persistent beta environment and a persistent gamma environment, and determine the circumstances where testing for one environment is sufficient to show survivability in the other, or in a combin ...

We will investigate the radiation effects on microelectronics due to gamma-rays and beta-rays and compare the effects on electrical and material properties between the two radiation types to formulate a quantitative mapping of radiation types (gamma and beta) and effects. The purpose is to: 1) Develop an overall physics-based strategy; 2) Define the experimental design, guided by analytical calcul ...

DEVS-NNtakes two complementary approaches to reduce the amount of data that must be collected for artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML): 1. Use existing knowledge (in the form of a Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) simulation model created by subject matter experts) to reduce the “work” a neural network (NN) has to do. The DEVS simulation model gets close to the correct out ...