Award Data

The problem this proposal seeks to remedy has positive and profound ramifications for the advancement of aquaculture. The aquaculture industry lags in genetically based selective breeding programs when compared to terrestrial commercial crops. This perpetuates our nation’s $11 billion dollar seafood deficit, puts U.S. aquaculture entrepreneurs at a disadvantage for success, and increases risk fo ...

We proposed to test, design, and modify an existing ‘X-Array’ tetrahedral (3-D) hydrophone array prototype and design with the ultimate goal of developing a production prototype called the ‘X-3D Array’. We will analyze field data collected previously from the first prototype, conduct hydrodynamic modeling of the array design, and research possible torque imbalances in the tow-cable, and us ...

It is now recognized that the pH of the world’s oceans is becoming more acidic as a consequence of increasing atmospheric CO2. This process, termed “ocean acidification” (OA) will affect the aquaculture of marine shellfish. In order to maintain current levels of commercial mollusk production, the identification and commercialization of resilient shellfish strains will be required. Emerging e ...

The nBeacon system will push localized, timely, relevant NOAA data products to public users’ smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices in a convenient, unobtrusive, accessible, easily understandable format. In essence, the nBeacon system will provide a new distribution channel for NOAA data products and services to the general public.

The bloom-forming algae Karenia brevis produces neurotoxins known as brevetoxins (PbTx) that can cause illness in humans and marine wildlife. During K. brevis blooms, also known as red tides, elevated levels of brevetoxins have been linked to massive bird, fish, and marine mammal kills. In addition, human consumption of brevetoxin contaminated shellfish leads to neurotoxic shellfish poisoning. The ...

Toyon proposes development of a system which performs automated analysis of images for fish population monitoring and fishing regulation enforcement application. The proposed system is capable of processing images collected from autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), as well as images collected using electronic monitoring (EM) cameras used to observe fish catc ...

A flexible, lower cost approach to the rapid manufacture of high power electric propulsion components is desirable. Today's near-net fabrication technologies are extremely limited in terms of design flexibility due to reduction-based fabrication approaches. While modern additive manufacturing approaches show great promise, these still require significant development for use with higher temperature ...

This SBIR Phase I effort seeks to exploit some of the tremendous benefits that could be attained from a revolutionary new approach to grain refinement in bulk metals. Specifically, preforms of high temperature Ni-base superalloys will be produced in this work with fine grain (FG) to ultra fine grain (UFG) micro-/nano-structures for higher strength. Despite their excellent corrosion resistance an ...

This SBIR Phase I effort will demonstrate and scale up an innovative manufacturing process that yields aerospace grade shape memory alloy (SMA) solids and periodic cellular structures. Bulk-sized SMA components and structures are extremely difficult to fabricate as castings due to the compositional sensitivity of these alloys. Remelting also leads to brittleness from the presence of deleterious ...

We have invented a new class of robotics, called `Pneubotics', that rival current manipulators in payload and reach at 1/10th the weight. Our technology leverages insights into lightweight materials and mass manufacturing to create robots that derive power, structure, and movement from pressurized air. As a result, drive trains, motors, bearings, shafts, sliding surfaces, and excess structural mat ...