Award Data

Anaerobic digesters are capable of producing methane-rich biogas from animal manure and also offer the advantages of controlling odors, reducing pathogens, and minimizing the environmental impact of the waste. The biogas produced from anaerobic digesters is a renewable, distributed source of energy that can be used to generate electricity to offset power consumption on farms. Unfortunately, biogas ...

In this Phase I SBIR proposal, SandBox Semiconductor™ proposes to develop an Advanced Manufacturing and Material Measurements software tool called Weave ™ for accelerating and automating SEM image analysis for the semiconductor industry. During the development of a new manufacturing process line for a semiconductor device, tens of thousands of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images are take ...

The development of a greatly enhanced receiver for the WWVB signal is targeted, as well as possible modifications in the transmitted signal, which would both offer significant improvements in its effective coverage. This is to be achieved while allowing the replacement of the bulky, expensive, ferrite-based antenna, commonly used in the receiver, with a novel lower-cost antenna. Furthermore, the p ...

There is compelling value to feeding live algae in fish hatcheries as the current survival rate oflarvae fed frozen paste is relatively low resulting in higher costs.However the complexity andcosts of existing photo-bioreactors and the logistical costs of shipping live material over distancesare barriers to the widespread deployment of live algae as feed.Culture BioSystems has successfully grown a ...

A shift from conventional petrochemical feedstocks towards biomass-based feedstocks is of both environmental and economical importance for the future production of commodity chemicals. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a versatile biomass-derived platform compound that can be used to synthesize a broad range of chemicals currently derived from petroleum, such as furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDA). A ...

Highly pathogenic alphaviruses like VEEV/EEV/WWEEV cause encephalitis in humans and equids. These infections are endemic in wide regions of the developing world. Translational research regarding these pathogens is focused on developing new strategies to detect, treat and ideally protect humans and animals from these infections. Gene-encoded antibodies against alphavirus E1/E2 surface proteins will ...

Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei are highly pathogenic Gram - negative bacteria and the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively. These infections, which occur in humans and other animals, are endemic is wide regions of the developing world. This Phase II SBIR project will build on the success of our Phase I work, which established methods for generating monoclon ...

Pectin is, after cellulose, the second most abundant polymer on earth; but its level of utilization in industrial products is very low. High molecular weight pectin is used in food products where it suffers from stagnant markets and high production costs due to the use of organic solvents, low concentration of extracted pectin and generation of soluble sugar streams which burden the waste treatmen ...

We have developed a bioinspired nanoparticle technology using the coat protein (CP) assemblies ofTobacco mild green mosaic tobamovirus (TMGMV) to deliver nematicides to roots reduce dosageand improve soil mobility efficacy and safety. The CP's zwitterionic nature allows the loading andrelease of nematicides. The TMGMV-delivered nematicides (TDN) are efficacious againstCaenorhabditis elegans in liq ...

Hatchery production is one of the largest costs and restraints to fin fish aquaculture andspawning aids are ranked as a high priority drug required by the aquaculture industry.Exogenous hormone administration has been developed to induce maturation and obtainfertilized eggs.While the GnRH hormone and slow-release vehicle are not new theircombination into a commercialized product that can work be u ...