Award Data

"The U.S. Army is conducting extensive research involving the development of innovative algorithms for detecting and classifying high-value military targets using LADAR sensors. Many of these designs employ a model-based approach in which targets,background, and target/background interactions are modeled. A central tenet of this approach is that the large number of target, sensor, and background ...

"This Phase II proposal uses multi-axis fiber grating strain sensors to characterize strain fields interior to complex composite materials. Advantages of this approach include the ability to measure transverse strain, transverse strain gradients and axialstrain simultaneously at multiple points along a single fiber line. Models and software will be developed to complement a data base generated t ...

"Single and multi-axis fiber grating strain sensors were used to detect damage in a Phase I composite cryogenic tank. Acoustic signatures were collected from multiple fiber grating sensors during impact. Multi-dimensional strain field measures were usedto measure damage remotely through three cryogenic cycles. The first cycle occurred prior to impact and the second and third after two subsequen ...

"Single and multi-axis fiber grating strain sensors were used to detect delaminations and cut tow damage sites in composite motor casings during Phase I of this program. Acoustic signatures were collected from multiple fiber grating sensors during impactand pressure cycling of the Phase I test article. Multi-dimensional strain field measures were used to measure damage remotely. The Phase II ef ...

"Blue Road Research intends to extend the use of both high reflectivity, wavelength multiplexed grating sensors and low reflectivity, interferometrically multiplexed grating sensors to measure multi-dimensional strain fields in bonded joints in aerospacestructures, and use this strain field information to monitor structural integrity over the vehicle lifetime. In addition, Blue Road Research in ...

"Future space-based radar systems (SBRS) are expected to be critical to defense intelligence and modern battlefield analysis. SBRS design concepts involve thermal control issues exacerbated by low thermal mass, high radiative losses, and pressure to meetdesign areal densities of 4 to 6 kg/m2. To address these issues Eclipse Energy Systems, Inc. has developed prototype designs for electrochromic de ...

"Colored Petri Nets (CPNs) are now accepted as a powerful and general graphical language for designing complex systems. Several CPN editors, including Modasco's VSO Design, are now available or in development. However, these tools do not restrict the modelarchitect to realistic designs that satisfy the system's physical and functional requirements. Recent investigations by Modasco indicate that VS ...

"Compact Ultra-Wideband (UWB) antennas with broad bandwidth could be of great use in a variety of space-based applications, including radar, communications, and surveillance. The challenge is to deploy a lightweight UWB antenna that is stowable in a smallvolume, that is automatically deployable, and that will be resistant to the harsh space environment. To overcome these challenges we propose an U ...

"Current radar absorbing materials (RAMs) are heavy and require hazardous materials for processing. Development of a lighter weight binder with a suitable morphology, combined with environmentally friendly solvents to produce RAMs would offer significantadvantages in manufacturing and in the field. As in any functional filled polymer, interaction between the different components is a must. The pre ...

"This Phase II SBIR research effort addresses several approaches aimed at minimizing lattice constant and thermal expansion mismatches during heteroepitaxial growth of thick (~ several microns) films on Si substrates. A major focus of the research effortwould be one valuation of sub-50-nm linewidth deeply etched one and two dimensional sub-micrometer periodic structures as compliant buffer layers ...