Award Data

There is an increasing demand for systems with more autonomous operations interacting with other autonomous and human-based systems. What is needed is an architecture bundled with developer tools for the creation of intelligent real-time control systems that marry the talents of modern control theory, software technology, sensory processing, and semantic knowledge representations. It would be a st ...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will study effective models for carrying out assessments employing challenging puzzle-like questions that incorporate distractor analyses in which meaning is assigned to complex responses. Such distractor analyses apply where there is the possibility that the test taker can give alternative correct, partially correct, and incorrect an ...

THE DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING (DSP) INDUSTRY SUPPLIES ESSENTIAL TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY TO A HOST OF DEFENSE AND CIVILIAN END-USERS. DSP PRODUCTS ARE FOUND IN MANY FIELDS INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS, AUDIO, VIDEO, AUTOMATION, GEOPHYSICAL, MEDICAL, AND RADAR/SONAR APPLICATIONS. HOWEVER, MANY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PROBLEMS CANNOT BE SERVEDBY THIS INDUSTRY DUE TO CURRENT COMPUTATIONAL LIMITATIONS OFDSP HARD ...

WHILE THE NATION'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING CONTINUES TO BECOME INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT ON THE NATION'S ELECTRIC ENERGY SYSTEMS, CONTINUED RELIABLE PERFORMANCE OF THOSE SYSTEMS MUST BE MAINTAINED DESPITE INCREASING FINANCIAL AND OPERATING CONSTRAINTS. THE TASK OF MAINTAINING ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF RELIABILITY IS MADE INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT BY THE LACK OF ANALYTICAL TOOLS FOR RELIABILITY EVALUAT ...

SECURITY CONTROL OF POWER SYSTEMS INVOLVES THE MONITORING OFTHE SYSTEM STATE, THE EVALUATION OF SYSTEM VULNERABILITY TO POTENTIAL DISTURBANCES, AND CONTROL ACTION CALCULATED TO CONSTRAIN THAT VULNERABILITY TO AN ACCEPTABLE LOW VALUE. BECAUSE OF THE PERVASIVE UNCERTAINTIES IN THIS PROBLEM, SECURITY CONTROL IN PRACTICE HAS BEEN RESTRICTED TO EMPIRICAL, SOMETIMES INTUITIVE PROCEDURES, SUPPORTED AT BE ...

CONVENTIONAL GAS-FIRED COOKING RANGES HAVE LOW OVERALL THERMAL COOKING EFFICIENCY, WASTING APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE COMBUSTION ENERGY. FURTHER, COOKING IMPLEMENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR SOURCE OF THE INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS NO2 AND CO. THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSEDHEREIN IS TO CONSTRUCT A WORKING PROTOTYPE OF A CATALYTIC INFRARED GAS BURNER SUITABLE FOR COMMERCIAL AND DOMESTIC COOKI ...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project addresses the manufacturing and testing of an agricultural byproduct (biomass) as a high performance cement (HPC) for highway applications. There are several benefits of using this processed byproduct, such as significantly increasing the compressive strength, reducing heat of hydration to prevent concrete cracking, and enhan ...

RESEARCH ON AN ALTERNATE MATERIAL, ANHYDRITE CALCIUM SULFATE, FOR USE AS CULTCH IN CONSTRUCTING SEED BEDS AND ARTIFICIAL OYSTER REEFS IS HEREIN PROPOSED. GIVEN THE FACTS THAT OYSTER PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES HAS DECLINED GREATLY SINCE 1908 AND THAT NATURAL OYSTERSHELL IS SCARCE AND EXPENSIVE, MOTIVATION FOR USE OF THIS ALTERNATE MATERIAL AS CULTCH INCLUDES ITS CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION, LOW COST ...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development of electronic nose signal processing and dynamic pattern recognition systems specifically tuned to the properties of odors. This advanced e-nose signal processing toolbox should improve current selectivity by an order of magnitude. A prototype exhaled-breath propofol (anesthetic) monitor for use in measuring ...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will evaluate the use of electronic pills for medication compliance monitoring. Medication compliance monitoring is critical in (among other areas) pharmaceutical clinical trials, geriatrics, and mental health/addiction medicine. This Phase I project will study the application of in vivo monitoring electronics to medication compliance. ...