Award Data

The cost and limited lifespan of strain gages for stress and vibration surveys has driven researchers to find alternate means of investigating airfoil stress and vibration. Systems based on optical sensors have been reported in the literature since the mid 1960's. These systems have been limited to test cell use and relatively complex, thus preventing their widespread application. One recently d ...

The project utilizes artificial intelligence techniques, including neural networks and genetic search to address mission planning and route calculation needs for cruise missiles. The project will employ parallel computing techniques consistent with MIMD computer architectures.

Low Cost Course Correction Technology (LCCCT) can improve the accuracy and dispersion of gun launched projectiles, mortars and rockets. Based on microthrusters that provide altitude control and pointing, LCCCT can compensate for system errors, changing the trajectory in-flight. Laserlith Corporation, in collaboration with Dr. Jan Puszynski and his research group, will develop a microthruster based ...

A major barrier to the widespread adoption of wireless sensors for structural health monitoring is the requirement to power the network of wireless nodes. Batteries have a limited lifespan, adding significant size, weight, and costs to the wireless sensor network,and may represent a long term environmental problem. Battery maintenance can be eliminated by harvesting energy from the environment. Fo ...

Structural monitoring of Navy aircraft is of critical importance as the fleet ages. One critical area includes the control surfaces, which are subject to intense, dynamic buffet loading which can lead to structural cracking. The highly transient nature of buffet loading makes it difficult to measure using conventional sensors. We propose to solve this problem by combining a network of time-synchro ...

Embedded usage tracking of helicopter rotating components, combined with active radio frequency identification (RFID) has the potential to reduce maintenance costs, reduce weight, maximize structural life, & enhance safety. Energy harvesting used with advanced, micro-power wireless sensing electronics, enables the realization of truly autonomous sensing and recording. The objective of this SBIR ...

QuantaSpec is a world leader in FTIR spectroscopy applied research. The purpose of this project is to develop and validate methods for the rapid automated detection and identification of Plasmodia in thin film blood smears using FTIR micro spectroscopy. Infrared micro spectroscopy can be used to detect even a single infected red blood cell and is not fooled by artifacts that confound visual micr ...

The overload of electronic equipment presents a liability for warfighters, with batteries greatly adding to equipment weight and cost. The objective of this research project is to continue development of autonomous power management circuits that will lighten the load for warfighters by extending battery life in military notebooks and radios. In Phase I, Packet Digital demonstrated a 28% reduction ...