Award Data

The Usability Evaluation and Management (USEMAN) system is an automated tool to support the planning and conduct of usability evaluations of the user-computer interface. USEMAN is designed to enhance the thoroughness, effectiveness and efficiency in the identification of evaluation requirements. Through its five component architecture, USEMAN (a) supports generation of a usability test plan, (b) p ...

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 ...

A Neutron detection device is an indispensable tool for power, medical, and defense applications. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear weapons is a serious threat in today`s world. Low cost, low power, high performance, rugged and portable neutron detection devices are highly desirable for these applications. Agiltron proposes an unprecedented fabrication and integration ap ...

Decision makers responding to homeland security incidents must rapidly integrate and manage dynamic, time-sensitive information from many heterogeneous and multimodal information sources. Responders access this information through numerous software applications, all while attempting to collaborate in real-time. Based on the results of our Phase I design effort, we propose to develop and evaluate a ...

The proposed work details a molecular recognition based explosives pre-concentration and sampling system which can be coupled to a wide variety of current and future commercially available sensors. The system works by initially isolating and concentrating specific explosives from a sample stream through a novel, robust and tunable molecular recognition system. The concentrated molecules are rele ...

Based on the successful Phase I effort, Fractal Systems Inc proposes to continue the development of lithium ion batteries with significantly improved energy density, charge retention and cycle life compared to existing Li-Ion technologies through the use of improved active materials for powering electronic equipment used by Homeland Security, and the military and commercial sectors. These cells co ...

In the proposed program, we plan to investigate novel semiconductor neutron detectors based on the wide bandgap lithium containing compositions LiGaSe2, LiGaTe2, LiInS2, and LiInSe2. The goal of the program is to produce detector quality crystals and to demonstrate efficient thermal neutron detection, with the possibility of providing neutron gamma discrimination. We will examine the synthesis and ...

Neutron detection is one of the methods used in revealing illicit nuclear materials. Currently, there is an ongoing search for new and better neutron detectors prompted by anticipated shortages of He-3 that is used in many of the current detection systems. This effort proposes and investigation and development of a new thermal neutron and gamma scintillator. The scintillator belongs to already pro ...

The objective of this topic is to develop an affordable directional acoustic sensor that can be employed with a UGS unit to track targets of interest. The proposed approach is to use an array of three microphones to generate accurate estimates of bearing (azimuth and elevation) of different types of acoustic sources, including aircraft, ground vehicles, and personnel. The proposal includes a novel ...

Wipe sampling provides a convenient method for determining if a surface is contaminated by chemical warfare agents (CWAs). In wipe sampling, a pad is wetted with solvent and wiped over the surface of interest. The pad is then extracted and the extract is analyzed for the presence of the contaminant. Many of the surfaces that are sampled in an emergency response, cleanup or clearance scenario are p ...