Award Data

To further advance the characterization and utility of microcantilevers, next generation optical detectors with higher frequency response, improved displacement resolution and lower noise for weak signal detection are needed. Consequently, Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. (RMD) will develop a turnkey optical detector module for use in characterizing the displacement and resonant frequencies of m ...

Current research tools to understand tumor cell migration and metastases are limited to linear gradients or constant flow across cells skewing results. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology developed a tool called the microfluidic palette which exposes cells to chemical stimuli in a static environment overcoming the limitations above. Several improvements are necessary ...

In Phase 1, TIAX developed and demonstrated a residential energy monitoring system (R-EMS) with potential national energy savings of $20 billion annually. Based on user requirements and well-established systems engineering methodology, TIAX’s R-EMS solution is inexpensive, easy to install and operate, and is supportive of intuitive decision making about energy usage. In Phase 2, TIAX will extend ...

Microalgae are a promising feedstock for biofuels because of their high oil content, excellent CO2 capture, and ability to use brackish water and non-arable land. The extraction of oil from algae represents a challenging cost barrier to commercial biofuel production. Conventional technologies for algal oil extraction are energy-inefficient, cost-intensive, or non scalable, leading to barriers for ...

This NIST Phase 1 SBIR effort will demonstrate the feasibility of low noise single photon up conversion using KTiOPO4 (KTP) or LiNbO3 (LN) or Stoichiometric LiTaO3 (SLT) periodically poled waveguides and an 1800nm pump for a high efficiency single photon detector. The key innovation is using low noise periodically poled waveguides with a long wavelength (1800nm) pump leading to higher efficiency s ...

NOAA supports over 25,000 underwater dive programs per year. To increase the duration and depth of these dives, the use of closed circuit mixed gas rebreathers (CCRs) is being considered. As there currently are no sensors to detect CO2 levels in the breathing gas, Giner, Inc. proposes to develop an electrochemical CO2 sensor for CCR use. The technical innovation will be to develop a reversible ...

The work proposed will provide a demonstration of feasibility and specific design recommendations for building an elevated-temperature resonating crystal balance with nanogram sensitivity. The approach will build upon existing technology commercialized by Masscal for operating a QCM in a temperature-controlled calorimeter. Precise temperature control and new types of crystal sensors will be used t ...

This proposal addresses the NGA SBIR program objective to develop and demonstrate GPS receiver improvements for ground users to provide significant “high-sensitivity” signal tracking performance over conventional military GPS receivers. The proposed system consists of (i) the Mayflower “NavAssure” SAASM GPS receiver; and (ii) receiver software signal processing enhancements, in order to m ...

This SBIR project aims to develop a new class of low-field magnetic sensors based on magnetic tunnel junctions with magnesium oxide (MgO) tunnel barriers. The phase 1 effort aims to maximize the high-frequency sensitivity of the MgO-MTJ sensor devices by optimizing the magnetic characteristics of the free electrode. By using new and novel combinations of magnetic materials, in conjunction with pro ...

This proposal describes the development of compact radiometer receiver modules intended for use in hurricane wind speed imaging radiometers and low cost single beam ocean wind speed sensors. The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRad), currently under development by a team of government, university and industrial partners, will require ten high performance receiver channels, which must be compact an ...