Award Data

There are many products that can identify chemical weapons. They range in complexity from simple colorimetric chemical test strips or gas tubes, to more complex multi-step test kits, to intricate arrays of gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers. None of the products is specifically designed to illustrate the presence of chemicals on surfaces or have use as a decontamination assurance method. ...

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 ...

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. ...

The current state of the art of in silico drug discovery or computer aided drug discovery relies almost exclusively on molecular mechanics force fields, such as AMBER and CHARMM, and empirical potentials. It is well known that while these approaches are excellent for certain applications, they have thus far proven less then satisfactory for thorough understanding the interactions of enzyme-inhibi ...

ChemImage Corp. and ITT are proposing to demonstrate the feasibility of detecting and identifying chemical and biological threats using UV Raman Chemical Imaging techniques from a stand-off distance of 1 meter and against complex stationary backgroundmaterials such as asphalt and soil as commonly encountered by fielded military and homeland security personnel. The use of a standoff surface detect ...

A smart machine tool must be able to monitor its condition and report problems. Every CNC machine should provide an alarm for tool condition problems, including tool wear, much as every automobile has a low oil indicator. Tool wear is particularly important for unattended machining as a worn tool can ruin a part. All current tool condition systems operate "blind" without direct information on curr ...

Every new engineering design task involves several stages, including conceptualization, synthesis, evaluation, embodiment, and detailed design followed by prototyping and redesign. Recognizing that new design ideas often arise by reusing and adapting prior design ideas through direct recall and analogy, we will undertake research aimed at developing representation and indexing schemes for large c ...

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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 ...

INADEQUATE STARTER FEEDS SEVERELY HOLD BACK NEW AQUACULTURE ENTERPRISES SUCH AS PRESENT ATTEMPTS TO RAISE FISHES WHOSE LARVAE DEVELOP FROM SMALL EGGS AND HAVE VERY "DIFFICULT" FOOD REQUIREMENTS. INERT LARVAL FEEDS HAVE NOT SUCCESSFULLYELIMINATED THE STRICT DEPENDENCY ON NATURAL FORAGE DURING THE CRITICAL POST-LARVAL STAGE AFTER YOLK ABSORPTION AND BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGESTIVE SYSTEM WITH ...