Award Data

Utilizing recently available exceptional mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2) acousto-optic material having the largest known optical filter figure of merit, we propose to develop a state-of-the-art high speed and wide-bandwidth long-wavelength acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). The proposed device has the desirable performance attributes of wide operating wavelength range, low optical loss, low power c ...

This proposal addresses a novel photonic approach to the high performance IR scene generator. The revolutionary design has intrinsic advantages of broadband, high apparent temperature, compactness, high spatial resolution, low background temperature and noise, high reliability, and low cost, as compared with the competitive approaches. The device design overcomes the major shortcomings of the curr ...

We propose to develop algorithms to manage multiple networked sensors embedded in a system with significant latencies. Sources of latency can include limited bandwidth in communication channels; limited capabilities for processing collected data, especially imagery; and data collection times. Latencies must be accounted for by the sensor manager so that it can appropriately hedge. By using sens ...

A boost-phase intercept (BPI) system aims to destroy attacking intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) while the booster rockets are still burning and before they have deployed mid-course decoys or released their munitions. Detection and tracking of the incoming missile under changing atmospheric conditions is a significant challenge for the BPI system. Including a dual-band mid-wave infrared ...

Object discrimination is one of the most important functions in ballistic missile defense since successful engagement and intercept of the warhead requires timely discrimination of lethal objects from decoys and other non-lethal objects. Multiple sensors exploiting diversity in phenomenology and viewing geometry can provide better discrimination information than a single sensor but exploiting this ...

For this Phase I SBIR, we propose to design, fabricate, and test a colloid thruster integrated with an on/off microvalve. The design leverages Busek's accumulated expertise in colloid thruster development, gained through NASA's ST7 project, toward developing a general-purpose, flexible, and miniaturized micropropulsion system. Busek has already demonstrated a flight-viable colloid thruster arc ...

This research and development effort will produce two empirically-derived Web-based applications designed to build school and teacher capacity to improve student literacy in middle schools and high schools: 1)a School-Wide Literacy Audit and Planning Process incorporating research-based indicators of school practices that support literacy development; and 2)a Content- Area Literacy Professional De ...

Missile defense takes place in an unpredictable, real-time environment and thus requires an adaptive approach to optimization that dynamically allocates sensors and their supporting resources in response to changing goals and constraints. Here, we propose a system for Sensor Network Optimization using Multi-Agent Negotiation (SNOMAN) to meet the challenge of this real-time resource allocation prob ...

In this program, EIC proposes to develop ultralight space qualified "dye sensitized" solar cells (DSSCs) that will have even higher specific power as well as potentially being much less expensive to manufacture than the inorganic thin film alternatives. The cells will have a novel design and will contain new materials enabling: 1) solid state, nonvolatile construction, 2) radiation stable componen ...

The proposed research will create and evaluate a coordinated program of curriculum, equipment, software, and instruction that makes hand-on, lab-based, science content accessible through distance learning. The program is designed for in-service teachers to become highly qualified in science content areas, such as physics. Teachers registering for an online course can do labs because they will rece ...