Award Data

In this proposal, AlphaSense, Inc. (AI) and the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) detail the development of RF front end based on MEMS components for miniaturized digital EVA radio. Key innovations of our approach include: a) the use of a novel parallel receiver front end architecture based on MEMS components, b) a novel design of a high Q mixer-filter for RF mixing and IF filtering, and c) the imp ...

City planners and engineers need detailed assessments of public rights-of-way to evaluate existing conditions, determine compliance with draft accessibility guidelines, and plan reconstruction projects. Current assessment methods are inadequate and inefficient due to the time and resources required. This project will develop an automated public rights-of-way assessment process and the measuremen ...

Many large-scale numerical simulations can be broken down into common mathematical routines. While the applications may differ, the need to perform functions such as matrix solves, Fourier transforms, or eigenvalue analysis routinely arise. Consequently, targeting fast, efficient implementations of these methods will benefit a large number of applications. Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are e ...

We propose an improved cathode based on our novel theory of the role of scandium oxide in enhancing emission in tungsten impregnate cathodes. Recent results have demonstrated the efficacy of nano-particle scandium oxide, but a detailed theory on mechanism has been lacking. Our theory explains published data and point to an optimized cathode which we here propose to build and test at our facility ...

The two most frequently used field rail welding processes, thermite and flash-butt, have limitations. The thermite process, though less expensive and more portable, sometimes produces welds with inclusions which can limit short term quality and long term fatigue life. Flash-butt, which produces a very high quality weld, is not as portable as thermite. SBIR solicitation 10.1 FR5 requires a new w ...

State of the art Radiation Hardened by Design (RHBD) techniques do not account for wide temperature variations in BiCMOS process. Silicon-Germanium BiCMOS process offer inherent advantages for operation in radiation environments where single event transient and total iodization dose effects on the circuit are important. Recent access to libraries of wide temperature and RHBD BiCMOS designs provid ...

Ultrastable, narrow linewidth, high reliability MOPA sources are needed for high performance LIDARs in NASA for, wind speed measurement, surface topography and earth and planetary atmosphere composition measurements. Princeton Optronics is developing a MOPA laser source for these applications. Phase I experiments concluded that the optimum approach will use a DPSS microchip laser with the SOA. Th ...

Recovery of water from brine is critically important for future manned space exploration. Resupply of water is prohibitively costly for such extended missions. Water reclamation processes typically recover 90-95% of the water present in wastewater formed by combining urine, hygiene water, and humidity condensate with the remaining concentrated in brine. This concentrated brine contains a signif ...

The use of combinatorial methods is proposed to rapidly screen catalyst formulations for the advanced development of aqueous phase oxidation catalysts with greater activity than current catalysts at temperatures less than 100„aC and low pressure. To accomplish this goal, a large catalyst library will be prepared using seven noble metals at two concentrations on three supports. With a maximum of ...

NASA needs high stability laser source of 1W output power for Lidar applications. Princeton Optronics has developed ultra-stable, narrow linewidth diode pumped solid state lasers using stable packaging and high performance locker. We have also developed high power Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) semiconductor laser sources. We propose to develop a high reliability master oscillator ...