Award Data

We propose to develop a cold-atom gravity gradiometer for nonintrusive, passive detection of shielded special nuclear material (SNM) inside a human occupied vehicle. Both SNM and SNM shielding consist of high-Z materials that are substantially denser than background. Previous theoretical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of gravity tomography for identification of shielded SNM. The propose ...

Computer simulations have the potential to improve the development x-ray-based explosive detection equipment. Despite the number of available simulation tools, no existing tool meets the needs of the explosive detection community. This is due to (1) the flexibility required to model the range of objects, physical processes, and system geometries used in explosive detection, and (2) the usability ...

Grid-tied energy storage systems provide stabilization to the electric grid that is necessary to accommodate the growing percentage of electricity generated by intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Existing conversion systems between the storage media and the utility lines are large, costly and only 95%-98% energy efficient. In this ARPA-E project, Opcondys, Inc. will build ...

To meet the grand challenges of climate change and energy independence we must replace fossil fuels with solar, wind, and storage. The sodium metal halide (NaMx) battery is a uniquely attractive solution for next-generation grid storage. The raw storage materials in the NaMx iron chemistry are table salt (NaCl) and iron, two of the most abundant and lowest-cost materials. In addition, the NaMx bat ...

The ubiquity of image sensors for data collection creates a glut of data, which leads to bottlenecks in the processing capabilities of modern systems. In order to process this data, meticulously labeled datasets are required and that must be reviewed by humans in order to guarantee state-of-the-art performance. In this effort we endeavor to create a system that can automatically exploit salient in ...

In the pattern of life problem space, data is often represented via mathematical graphs, in which a variety of algorithms may be employed to conduct semi-autonomous analysis. While successful empirical application of graph-domain algorithms on ABI problems has been achieved, most of these algorithms require a tuning parameter, which is often set heuristically in real-world scenarios. Arete has dev ...

To address the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) requirements and strategic intent, Karagozian and Case, Inc. (K&C) proposes to develop a SECURITY MITIGATION ASSESMENT OF RISKS AND THREATS (SMART) software application for SOFT TARGETS AND CROWDED PLACES (ST-CP) which leverages advanced Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping softwa ...

To address the DHS Vehicle Infectious Disease Protection (VIDP) requirements, Karagozian and Case, Inc. (K&C) proposes to develop a VIDP Conversion Kit (VCK) which includes: 1) all parts needed to convert a vehicle, 2) detailed installation instructions, and 3) operation manual. A kitted solution is a cost-effective approach which allows K&C or DHS to hire local shops to perform the required vehic ...

Mass spectrometers necessitate a partial pressure zone to allow for the process of mass characterization of the analyte under consideration. The reasons for transforming neutral molecules into charged ions include (1) the ability to control the trajectories and destinations of charged species by appropriate combinations of electric and magnetic fields and (2) detectability that is generally much g ...

To detect and identify vapors of contraband currency, not to mention a selection mode for explosives, narcotics, chemical warfare agents, biological threats or other analyte species at trace levels in air, is an important problem with many ramifications. One widely used approach is based on transforming the molecules of those species into gas phase ions, which are then characterized by measurement ...