Award Data

Hydropower is now increasingly operated outside of original design conditions due to changing water availability and environmental induced operating parameters. Fifty percent of operational hydroelectric dams in the United States are 50 years or older and nearly all were designed to operate steadily as a primary base load resource. Compounding these issues is the increasing prevalence of intermitt ...

The primary objectives of this Phase II project are to 1) validate performance of the prototype resequencing pathogen microarray application for detection and identification of selected food-borne pathogens, including varieties of viruses, bacteria and eukaryotic agents; 2) iterate and port the prototype application to a more practical, "market-friendly" product form factor that requires less expe ...

The "KickinKitchen.TV" project combines: technology, education and research strategies to address the USDA challenge area of improving nutritional health and reducing childhood obesity. This study involves the following partners: racially diverse, urban public schools, KidsCOOK Productions, an independent production company committed to addressing childhood obesity risk through its digital educati ...

The DSOM system realized in a Phase II effort will provide a modular, compact and reconfigurable system with the ability to provide unique and new information about the scene of interest (e.g. temporal and height information) when compared with traditional SAR sensors. When compared with other imaging technologies, DSOM has the important advantages of being operable through cloud cover and at nigh ...

Since wild fish stocks began their drastic decline in the early 1990s, the aquaculture sector is the fastest growing food sector in the world. Production from U.S. marine aquaculture accounts for only 1.5 percent of the domestic seafood supply, leaving an enormous growth potential for the production of safe, high-quality seafood that is farmed under federal and state environmental standards. Howev ...

Phase I research determined it was feasible to proceed with a comprehensive technology-enhanced training monitoring, communication, and feedback system for agency trainers and care providers in Adult Family/Foster Care Programs in rural communities. Phase II will develop, test, and assess the marketability of components/prototype System in Phase I states (Idaho, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Virginia) ...

The purpose of this SBIR Phase I effort is to prove the feasibility of kelp meal (latissima or "sugar kelp") as a viable, cost-effective and nutritious additive for low-moisture foods (specifically bread). Once commercialized, the manufacture and distribution of VitaminSea's kelp meal product will support local suppliers and the Maine seaweed industry.

APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE TREE IS EITHER BURNED OR TREATED ASA WASTE PROBLEM. A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF THE TREE CAN BE UTILIZED THROUGH IMPROVED OR NEW TECHNIQUES OF COMMINUTION SO THAT NEW OR IMPROVED RECONSTITUTED PRODUCTS CAN BE MADE. THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP AN IMPROVED TECHNIQUE OF COMMINUTION WHICH CAN BE USED TO EFFECTIVELY DEFIBRATE AND FRACTIONATE WOODY BIOMASS INTO ITS VAR ...

USDA secretary, Tom Vilsack recently urged the Forest Service to "develop new markets" for forest by-products, which encourage healthy timber management. Small-diameter round timber is an abundant by-product of healthy timber management and could serve emerging green commercial markets if technical barriers, specifically round timber "connections", can be solved. Whole Trees Architecture and Const ...

In recent years, consumer's concerns over hen well-being in conventional small wire cages (called battery cages) has resulted in some of the poultry farms to switch to cage-free housing where hens have freedom to walk around spread their wings, and lay their eggs in real nest boxes. This push towards cage-free egg production was further magnified in 2015 when many of the large fast food, resta ...