Award Data

The pressing need exists within industry to accurately measure high aspect ratio microscale structures. For example, diesel injector nozzles are manufactured with microscale holes ranging from 50-200 micrometers in diameter and 3-5 mm depths. One fundamental challenge is to nondestrucvely measure these features in order to validate models, enhance manufacturing processes, and reduce fuel emissions ...

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) cost the U.S. economy ~$50 million per year. Early detection of blooms and a rapid response by state and federal resource managers are the most effective ways to mitigate the impacts of HABs. However, methods for detecting HAB species and their toxins are laborious, time-consuming and require expensive equipment. To overcome these problems, Lynntech proposes to build ...

Manning Applied Technology proposes to develop a handheld infrared spectrometer, ideally suited to detection of airborne chemical agents at and below permissible exposure limits. This approach offers unmatched sensitivity and specificity for detection of all types of chemical vapors. The instrument is modular, rugged, compact and highly sensitive. Volume pricing will be less than $1000 each. ...

Solar panels and bio-optical sensors play a significant role in a number of applications that are of importance to NOAA. Many of these instruments require a high transmission of radiation into the device for it to work properly. Typically, these devices have a coverglass affixed over the active part of the device to protect the sensor or panel from harsh conditions. A problem that presently exi ...

Vesicants have been used as chemical warfare agents since World War I and are still considered a major class of chemical threat agents both for the military and for homeland security. There are four different vesicating agents: impure sulfur mustard, distilled sulfur mustard, phosgene oxime, and lewisite. Among them, mustard is the most important militarily. The organs most commonly affected by ...

his proposal focuses on developing Distributed Automatic Reconfigurable Trasponder (DART) system that is capable of achieving distributed multi-nodal voice/data communication for firefighters. Specifically, Williams-Pyro, Inc. proposes to develop an enhanced prototype of distributed Automated Reconfigurable Intelligent Radios, which consists of a series of distributed nodes that will relay voice t ...

The importance of DNA/RNA-based assays for detection of diseases, genome sequencing, forensics, and environmental control is continually increasing. High cost and complexity of current instrumentation for DNA/RNA sequencing prohibits their use in the fieldor at the point-of-care. Increasing knowledge in gene functions, gene expression and pharmacogenetics calls for new methods for rapid assessment ...

There is a critical need for the detection and identification of toxic industrial materials (TIM). This proposal concerns the development of an array-based chemical sensor that has a real time response, is highly sensitive and inexpensive, and requires aminimal attendance and maintenance. The array-based sensor will be composed of incrementally diverse conducting polymers. They are formed by a new ...

N/A

MCNC PROPOSES A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND EVALUATION OF THREE PROMISING APPROACHES TO THE FABRICATION OF SURFACE TEST STRUCTURES ON SILICON. SURFACE FEATURES ON THE FIRST STRUCTURE WILL BE PRODUCED BY CONTROLLABLY ETCHING THERMALLYGROWN OXIDES. FEATURES ON THE SECOND WILL BE MADE BY ETCHING PIEZOELECTRIC THIN FILMS. USING THE PIEZOELECTRIC FILM AS PART OF A CAPACITOR, STEP-HEIGHT CAN BE VARIED AND PRO ...