Award Data

Closed circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA, rebreather systems) where exhaled CO2 is removed and con-sumed oxygen replaced, offer much longer working times on a single gas charge than open circuit ones (SCBA). This is achieved through the use of high pressure compressed oxygen. When CCBA units are used in conflict areas this requires the regular delivery of hazardous cargo (high pressure oxygen, 3 ...

Currently, the U.S. Military encounters many scenarios where soldiers must enter hazardous areas, yet still maintain isolation from chemical and biological contaminants as well as hazardous materials. This requires the soldiers"respiratory tract be isolated from encountering these contaminants. To accomplish this, the soldiers wear protective suits and/or masks which include a respiratory isolatio ...

Attaining rapid transportation of samples 50-1000 miles in an austere environment requires air transportation. Past applications have included UAV"s which transport the sample to selected location and drop the sample via guided parachute These systems can be quite accurate but they are expensive and relatively large. Balloons are an attractive alternative. They are inexpensive, compact and can be ...

We will continue developing a plasmonic metamaterial with strong absorption within a narrow band that is dynamically tunable over the 8-10 micron range. A metamaterial consisting of one or more bi-layers of thin metal and dielectric films will trap, concentrate and absorb a narrow frequency band while strongly reflecting out-of-band light. Tuning the frequency of the absorption band may be achiev ...

Nerve agents (NA) such as sarin, soman, tabun or VX are organophosphate compounds similar to those used as pesticides but with much higher toxicity that can cause death within minutes. Use of NA weapons of mass destruction has become a real threat since the Iraq–Iran war in the 1980s and the sarin attacks against civilians in Japan in 1994 and 1995. Nerve agents are relatively simple and inexpen ...

Shelter enclosures for military working dogs in the event of a CB attack is a technology gap identified by the Joint Requirements Office. Important parameters to consider in the design of protective enclosures include low weight and size to minimize transport requirements; rapid setup; and accommodation of canine physiological and psychological comfort needs while providing protection against CB ...

The project proposed here will develop a polymer based pre-concentrator integrated with a novel membrane inlet for a mass spectrometer. By using an integrated solution, the dead volume of the pre-concentrator can be minimized, thus increasing the pre-concentration gain (projected to be > 17000 with gas flows of 1 l/min containing analyte to 40 pg/l) well beyond that of solid sorbent tubes. Also, t ...

The physiological health of soldiers is at risk due to potential biological agent exposure. Many of these agents are protein-based and can cause alterations in cellular proteins. The ability to rapidly monitor, detect, and analyze proteins will enable earlier identification of exposure and result in quicker intervention potentially saving many lives. A key step in analysis of protein mixtures is p ...

First responders play very important roles in the protection of people and their properties, as well as in homeland security and national defense. Various kinds of protective suits, masks, gloves and boots are available for use as protection from the various hazardous conditions they may face. A GC/MS based method, ASTM F739-07, is commonly used to determine the duration during which a protectiv ...