Award Data

Our goal in this SBIR project is to develop a lightweight, low-power, inexpensive hyperspectral spectro-polarimetric imaging sensor for wide area standoff detection of chemical agents. The imaging system will employ an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) that operates in the LWIR wavelength range. The sensor will have polarimetric imaging capabilities which, adds a valuable signature feature to im ...

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 ...

For standoff chemical identification applications, the longwave infrared has several key lines for spectral discrimination. Unfortunately, most hyperspectral systems are quite large and fragile, making them unwieldy. Nanohmics proposes to demonstrate a chip-scale longwave infrared hyperspectral imaging technology. The weight and packaging volume will be dominated by the fore-optics instead of the ...

This effort will expand the universe of direct energy enhancers across a wider spectrum of RF parameters to produce optimal decontamination at even lower cost. During the course of the Phase II investigation proposed here, initial work will be carried out on the determination of the fundamental mechanism of decontamination of biological materials with an eye toward expanding applicability to chemi ...

Current field sterilizers are large, power-intensive systems that present a logistical burden to forward-deployed resuscitative surgical facilities. There is a need for a low-cost, person-transportable medical sterilizer capable of sterilizing small surgical tools and trays in a Role 1-2 tactical environment. This Phase I SBIR will design and test a breadboard sterilization system that demonstrate ...

RDRTec with Raytheon as a subcontractor and transition partner proposes to design, develop, and demonstrate feasibility of enhanced approaches to unmanned aircraft weather avoidance using a combination of organic weather radar and electro-optics. The goal of this effort is to provide increased safety against weather hazards while minimizing unnecessary deviations by using visual cues and measurabl ...

Next-generation infrared (IR) seekers will have an aerodynamically-engineered nose cone geometry with a significantly higher degree of curvature compared to conventional hemispherical domes. To prevent unwanted specular + diffuse reflections that obscure the IR focal plane array, the interior of the dome should ideally be treated with an anti-reflective (AR) layer that suppresses stray light refle ...

In this SBIR program, Omega Optics, University of Texas, Austin and Adtech Photonics propose a complete monolithic epitaxial device, with no wafer bonding, for surface emitting 2D non-mechanical optical beam steering at 4.6 micron wavelength. Two methods will be investigated: first, with slant etch normal emitters for azimuthal and elevation steering at a single wavelength using thermal phase shif ...

TransWave Photonics, LLC in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin, proposes to demonstrate a mid-infrared 2-dimensional beam-steering photonic integrated circuit (PIC) with a passive InGaAs/InP platform where high performance mid infrared quantum cascade laser sources, low-loss InGaAs waveguides, and beam steering photonic elements are monolithically integrated. Low mid-infrared opt ...

Development of an efficient device capable of concentrating ultrafine radioactive particulate aerosols is essential to the detection of nuclear detonations using a Radionuclide Aerosol Sampler and Analyzer (RASA) system as well as U.S. Navy’s development of a fast acting naval radiation detection system. We propose to develop an efficient device for ultrafine particulate aerosol concentration an ...