Award Data

We apply the theory of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) to the design of guidance algorithms for controlling the motion of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with on-board sensors for tracking multiple ground targets. While POMDPs are intractable to optimize exactly, principled approximation methods can be devised based on Bellman’s principle. We introduce a new approximation ...

The growing complexity of future military systems demands the development of high-performance nonlinear control algorithms. The goal of this proposal is to develop a specially designed software/hardware architecture to enable real-time autonomous closed-loop control of nonlinear high-dimensional dynamical systems. Following the recent success of pseudospectral (PS) computational control methods in ...

Quantitative predictions of reactive flow dynamics from large-scale simulations of Liquid Rocket Engines (LRE) appear to be model dependent. Relationships and coupling among the dominant mechanisms most responsible for destabilization are obscured by the complexities of the model and subtle consequences of inherent ad hoc approximations not supported by mathematical rationale. The reliability of ...

This Phase I STTR proposal will demonstrate nanostructured “metal-black” coatings to enhance absorption by thin film solar cells. The problem is that silicon has low absorption due to its indirect gap. The opportunity is that nano-scale metallic scattering centers increase the effective optical path length and enhance the solar electric-field strength in thin-film solar cells, leading to more ...

Recent years have seen a shift in threats to US national security. Today increasing focus for national security is management of terrorist activities. Deliberately exposing a civilian population to chemicals and explosives to cause harm represents a looming terrorist threat. Early detection and identification is a difficult but essential element to minimizing the threat. The Seacoast Science/U ...

Two-dimensional (2D) visualization techniques have limit capacity to achieve understanding of full dimensionality of the battlefield. Rewritable 3D holographic storage is promising for updatable 3D display applications. In Phase I, New Span Opto-Technology has demonstrated novel concepts of both holographic recording technique and recording material system without the use of high voltage. We have ...

ABSTRACT: EDEN PARK ILLUMINATION, INC. and the University of Illinois have formed a team to pursue the demonstration and commercialization of large arrays of microcavity plasmas capable of producing white light panels with luminous efficacies above 30 lumens/W. This proposed project will demonstrate the ability of arrays of microplasmas to yield flat lamps of high efficiency, luminance, and col ...

ABSTRACT: Remote sensing of surface vibration is an important modality of measures and signals intelligence (MASINT) with a wide range of military applications including target discrimination, clutter rejection, analysis of engine signatures, and seismic detection of buried threats. Other applications of remote vibrometry include remote acoustic sensing, aerial sonar, structural damage assessmen ...

ABSTRACT: Toyon Research Corporation and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) are proposing development and feasibility demonstration of advanced algorithms for the detection of vibration signatures in scattered light. The algorithms are being developed for applications including space-based electro-optical (EO)/infrared (IR) sensing at high frame rates and extremely low signal-to-n ...

ABSTRACT: To address the Air Force"s need for a novel advanced imaging sensor concept that samples all of the information in the radiation field, taking inspiration from biological systems, Luminit proposes to develop a new Biomimetic Integrated Optical Sensor (BIOS) system. The system will be based on the unique integration of a wide field-of-view (FOV) miniature staring multi-aperture compound ...