Award Data

Military and commercial aircraft operators are moving toward predictive maintenance to minimize costs while maximizing asset availability and safety. Key technological prerequisites for this new approach are the ability to monitor the condition of critical components, and the ability to accurately forecast their remaining useful life. Phase I of this project clearly demonstrated the feasibility of ...

Touchstone Research Laboratory has developed a novel material, CFOAMr. The primary enabling carbon foam characteristic is that the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) values are comparable to carbon fiber polymer matrix systems in manufacturing advanced composites. Other advantages of carbon foam-based tools are low mass, reduced energy, easy modifications, unmatched repair capabilities, and r ...

In an information warfare scenario, the enemy will deploy an attack that has never been seen before. This attack will completely debilitate both defensive and offensive software capabilities. We have designed and developed a system that will defend against such attacks. The project's major innovation has been a comprehensive approach for tolerating security violations in mission/safety critical ...

"In Phase I, we conducted exploratory research into hybrid locomotive modalities toward achieving the Compliant Surface Robotics (CSR) goals. We researched technologies and designs that would enable a wheeled vehicle to be integrally designed with activelycontrolled articulated structures to develop a "morphable" vehicle, with over-determined legs, wheels and other motive actuator-articulated str ...

"The Army has indicated significant need for lightweight, heavy fuel engines for use in a wide variety of battlefield missions. The Catalytic Ignition System (SmartPlugTM) developed and patented by Automotive Resources, Inc. (ARI) promises to fulfill theArmy's "One Fuel Forward" requirement without the need for replacing the gasoline engine with a new engine design. ARI had demonstrated the abilit ...

Vartech proposes a technically aggressive program for direct manufacture of titanium and titanium alloys at very low cost and high energy efficiency. The Phase II program will: (a) optimize the process, (b) prepare both "inexpensive" bulk titanium alloys,and high performance alloys, and (c ) apply the titanium alloys produced to BMDO/DOD and commercial systems. A vertical furnace reactor will be ...

A newly developed "coal-based" porous graphite material has been recently produced. This development is a direct result of Touchstone Research Laboratory's Phase I funding to develop enhanced-strength carbon foam heat-exchanger materials for aerospace applications since low density carbon foams cannot endure high bleed air pressures in aerospace pre-coolers and heat exchangers. The newly develope ...

Development of an Optimal Bioaerosol Sampler with enhanced optical triggering capability is proposed, following a highly successful Phase I effort that clearly demonstrated feasibility. The threat of a bioaerosol attack can be partially mitigated by deployment of a cost-effective sensor network. High priority programs, such as BioWatch and Portal Shield will benefit from a sensor compliant to Join ...

Based on multiple technology platforms, innovative nanomaterials with much improved magnetodielectric properties have been developed in the Phase I program. Following Edison’s model of product and process development for technology innovations, Phase-II will pursue further incremental improvement in material properties upon the concept-proving material platforms to achieve high and matched die ...

Based on multiple technology platforms and theoretical analyses, in the Phase I program we have demonstrated the feasibility that RF polymers with desirable high frequency properties can be achieved. Following Edison¡¯s model of product and process development for technology innovations, Phase-II will pursue further incremental improvement in material properties upon the concept-proving materi ...