Award Data

The proposed Phase II STTR program will implement forward-error correction and other processing, as well as coherent transceiver operation, in order to improve the performance of underwater communications systems. Significant reduction in the bit-error rate will be demonstrated under both shot-noise and ambient-noise limited conditions.

ANP Technologies proposes to integrate a commercially available air sample concentrator from ICx MesoSystems with our automated detection instrument that uses the NIDS® multiplexed assays and NIDS® Auto-Reader (AR) device. A trigger device may also be incorporated into the final system, which might better enable the system to serve as a remote monitor of air streams. The proposed effort will b ...

FPGAs have attracted a great deal of attention over the past decade because of their performance, scalability, and cost relative to traditional hardware platforms. However, one of the most significant disadvantages of FPGAs is based on the underlying architecture on which they are built. Specifically, routing delay through the chip is one of the largest bottlenecks in developing FPGA-based appli ...

The thermal shock resistance of current mid-infrared window and dome materials is insufficient for some high speed flight application due to their relatively large thermal expansion. Leveraging our extensive experience on infrared materials, L2 Tech, Inc and University of California-Santa Cruz propose to develop a new glass ceramic material with high mid-infrared transmission and low emissivity at ...

This proposal seeks to develop advanced Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) with ultrahigh loading of carbon nanotubes through a fundamental understanding and overcoming of impediments to their manufacture. On the base of theoretical analysis and experimental investigation of the main obstacles to achieving ultrahigh CNT loading, known from literature and MER’s practice in the area, we intend to cr ...

This Phase II STTR ARMY project proposes the refinement and scale-up of advanced processes to mix solutions of low melting temperature sublimable solid eutectic materials with metal nanoflake powders and then solidify these slurries into a desired shape compact. The main project goals are to accomplish good metal nanoflake powder deagglomeration in the liquid eutectic phase, to attain good densifi ...

Based on Phase I results that have shown the feasibility of creating exceptionally strong polymer matrix composites (PMCs) reinforced by MER’s as-produced double walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs), the Phase II program will be focused on optimizing the chemical vapor deposition synthesis of DWNTs, modifying the surface of nanotubes for chemical compatibility with a particular polymer matrix and opt ...

Ionic polymers are ionically conductive organic salts with excellent thermal and chemical stability, useful for their large specific capacitances across a wide operational temperature range. In this program, MER Corporation and Arizona State University propose the fuel cell use of electroactive solid state ionic polymers that conduct protons across an even wider temperature range from subzero to < ...

To develop a low-weight soldier acoustic sensor system that takes outside audio, extracts relevant acoustic information, and provides graphics and/or audio for use on a Soldier’s display to provide alerts (personnel, vehicles, weapons fires, etc). These alerts include identity, approximate range and azimuth for each alert source, along with a confidence value. This system will be implemented u ...

SMI in partnership with Stanford University will perform research to develop and apply new methods to analyse and predict stability and performance of a distrubuted control for a gas turbine engine.