Award Data

Despite excellent recent progress in path planning, current state-of-the-art planners are still incapable of operating robustly in environments that are both cluttered and highly dynamic. The challenge is two-fold. First, predicting the trajectories of dynamic obstacles (i.e., cars, humans, aircraft) is very noisy. As a result, to achieve robust execution, perception modules need to provide a rich ...

NanoGripTech LLC proposes to develop repeatable skin adhesives using technology inspired by the feet of geckos and insects. These adhesives will be integrated into full facemask respirators to reduce or replace head harness straps, which are currently used to hold the facemasks in place. Expected benefits are improved fit, resistance to shifting, improved sealing, and reduced discomfort and tiss ...

Kyma Technologies, a leading supplier of low defect density GaN substrates, is teamed together with the three subcontractors at Princeton University, Lehigh University and Purdue University where some of the best lattice-matched quaternary (In,Ga,Al)N or ternary structures in the world have been produced, to propose the development of the world¡¦s first high-performance III-N quantum cascade las ...

Being proposed is a way to integrate the inputs from multiple sensors and different types of sensors to produce a map of the chemical threat. This technique weights every input based on type of sensor, minimum detectable level, health and status of each instrument, and time and position errors. The Sensor Netting Algorithm (SNA) will be based on tomography with weighting factors. The output wil ...

This proposal describes how a very low cost hyperspectral imager can be built. The key to the low cost is the use of a commercially available thermal camera based on an uncooled microbolometer as the detecting element. An interferometer is placed in front of the camera to produce the spectrum. Each frame of the camera captures one point of the interferogram, producing a hyperspectral image at 8 ...

Solid State Scientific Corporation (SSSC) is pleased to propose a Phase II SBIR program to develop a unique multi-spectral imaging sensor prototype The proposed spectral sensor will be lightweight, portable, low-power and rugged with simultaneous imaging of all the spatially registered spectral bands. The optical system which is less than 1 inch in volume will provide a sensor field of view of app ...

In this SBIR Phase II program, Strategic Polymer Sciences, Inc., teaming up with Prof. Qiming Zhang at Penn State, will further optimize the class of polar-fluoropolymers to meet the operation requirement for the heat pumps used for the microclimate cooling systems for soldier in the battlefield. We will investigate a novel design of a solid-state heat pump which exploits both giant electrocaloric ...

DNA microarray technology, in combination with statistical and predictive modeling tools, could be used to evaluate thousands of genes against distinct gene expression patterns induced by chemical/biological agents to provide early identification and speed therapeutic intervention. The overall objective of this Phase II effort is to leverage existing public domain resources and commercial tools t ...

By continuing teaming up with one of the most reputable university teams in THz science and technology, ArkLight proposes to carry out the tasks set for a Phase-II program following our success in Phase I. We are aimed at the further development of novel spectrometers to analyze chemicals in the vapor phase based on accurate measurements of the emission and absorption spectra due to the molecular ...

A tethered rapelling robot system, dubbed SPIDAR, will be built and tested, capable of use in collapsed urban environments for civil-defense and search-and-rescue and reconnaissance applications. The design is based on a modular and payload/marsupial-capable design optimized for use in environments considered for a variety of applications. The project will design, build and test a rugged prototype ...