Award Data

The Phraselator, a handheld automatic translation device, currently uses a cardioic microphone as an input for automatic speech recognition (ASR). This microphone is highly vulnerable to performance degradation in typical noisy military environments and,thus, there is a need for an improved transducer for this application. We propose to develop a new directional microphone that is immune to extr ...

As the unmanned exploration of Mars and Venus becomes more of a focus area at NASA, inflatable, rigidizable wings will become an enabling technology. The successful development of this type of wing will also have significant military applications. The utility of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the military has been dramatically demonstrated in the conflict in Afghanistan. Rigidization of infla ...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a prepreg material that, while maintaining the advantages of a powder towpreg system, will eliminate the use of high price, finely ground powders. By generating fine particles in situ using aerosol formation from molten polymers two steps will be eliminated from the manufacturing process -- powder grinding and powder sin ...

Crested multi-layer tunnel barriers have been proposed, which offer a revolutionary solution to overcome density to speed trade-offs characteristic of present data storage technologies. Practical implementation of the proposed technology will involve useof thin film materials that are readily manufacturable and CMOS-compatible. A critical need exists for experimental verification of the theoreti ...

The SAE smoke number has been an important measurement for prevention of black, sooty plumes in military and commercial aviation. The current method, however, requires the use of a complex extraction system to bring engine exhaust through a filter paper,and then requires a person to remove the soot covered filter and perform a measurement in an optical reflectometer to determine the smoke number. ...

Both pyrolysis and incineration steps have been considered as the key solid waste processing step for a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). Pyrolysis is more amenable to handling mixed solid waste streams in a microgravity environment, but produces a more complex product stream. Incineration produces a simpler product stream, but the incineration of mixed solids is a complex unit op ...

The NASA objective of expanding the human experience into the far reaches of space will require the development of regenerable life support systems. On-board carbon dioxide (CO2) removal units play a key role in such systems ensuring high quality cabin air for crew members. Similar but more compact units are needed for extravehicular activities (space suit). The overall objective is to develop a C ...

In this research project, Advanced Fuel Research, Inc., addresses two important environmental problems: (1) removal and recovery of mercury from combustion/incineration flue gas, and (2) reprocessing of waste tires into value-added products. Coal combustion and incineration of municipal and hazardous wastes results in air pollution due to emissions of trace amounts of heavy metals. Because of t ...

Advanced Fuel Research, Inc. (AFR) has developed a technology to provide radiation shielding, while simultaneously increasing the capacity of hydrogen storage tanks. This technology uses carbon foam filler with a complex pore structure (?microporosity?). The tank with the filler has, counter-intuitively, more capacity to store hydrogen than an otherwise empty tank. This technology increases hydrog ...

Micromachined deformable mirrors are being commercialized by the contractor and applied to DOD related projects due to their light weight, fast response, small size, and inexpensive fabrication costs. During Phase II, the contractor and university teamwill demonstrate a novel projection system incorporating a micromachined deformable mirror, and develop a complete adaptive optics system based upo ...