Award Data

Structural state awareness can be vitally important to a wide variety of both commercial and military systems, including buildings, bridges, vehicles and advanced sensors. Equipment required to provide this telemetry has typically been large and heavy making it difficult to incorporate into the desired environment. The use of a strain and temperature sensing technique based in fiber optics can p ...

ACTA Incorporated and Sandia National Laboratories propose a seven month STTR Phase I project to demonstrate the feasibility of developing an automated simulation of aircraft structural joints in structural analysis models. The technical approach includes an expert system executive to create detailed models of abstracted joint components including interfacing structural components, fasteners and ...

Our long-term objective of this project is to develop an integrated system that is capable of categorizing and managing injured combatants in the field of combat trauma care. In this STTR, however, we focus on developing suitable imaging systems that can triage the combatants who are salvageable, assess their immediate potential head and spine injury and determine those with unstable spine injuri ...

Characteristic modes are proposed to optimize placement of vehicular antennas in the HF through lower UHF bands (2MHz to 450MHz). Characteristic modes provide physical insight into the currents induced on the vehicle and provide for placement of the antenna to excite desirable mode with increased efficiency. Computation of characteristic modes for arbitrary shaped platforms is documented in the l ...

Experimental and computational studies have indicated the benefits of fish swimming propulsion for efficiency and fast maneuvering capability. The biological paradigm of using unsteady body motion to generate and manipulate flow vorticity for desired hydrodynamic thrust marks a shift from the quasi-steady treatments used in practice for the engineering of vehicle hydrodynamics. A key component to ...

AVID LLC and Profs. Neu, Philen, and Stilwell of Virginia Tech propose development of an artificial fish using Flexible Matrix Composite actuator technology for propulsion and control. This innovative approach to fin actuation uses structurally integrated hydraulic actuators to avoid the losses associated with conventional means of driving bioinspired propulsors, and more closely match the except ...

This Phase I STTR project will develop an innovative aerosol-based decontamination product effective against common nosocomial organisms. Nosocomial transmission of multi-drug-resistant microorganisms is an increasing concern at military and civilian healthcare facilities. The proposed project focuses on the development of an easily dispersed, nontoxic product capable of providing the rapid decont ...

The objective of this project is to develop a man wearable auditory analyzer system that can improve the situational awareness, listening capability and communication of a soldier operating in an urban environment. This will be developed through three main technologies: 1. A data collection system consisting of a microphone array embedded on a soldier. Array characterization and diffraction compen ...

This STTR Phase I project is designed to develop a novel process for fabricating a nano-grained ceramic material for infrared windows. The proposed STTR builds upon our previous Phase I (Navy) SBIR experience to minimize risks and maximize the likelihood of success. This proposed work will utilize an innovative method to fabricate nanocrystalline alumina infrared window materials with significantl ...

The enhanced capability point bio and chem sensor is based respectively on the recently discovered phenomenology of biological aerosol differential backscatter in the long wave infrared proven in field trials with a standoff sensor and on differential absorption. The novel point sensor will use compact, wavelength agile transmitters, including quantum cascade lasers and/or miniature CO2 lasers ope ...