Award Data

Existing methods to provide cable orientation and array element localization in the Navy’s fixed and towed array systems and tethered unmanned vehicles rely on devices embedded in the cable itself, such as hydrophones, magnetic heading and orientation sensors, and accelerometers. These traditional sensors have power, weight, space, and EMI budgets within the cable that require design compromises ...

This proposal addresses key open challenges identified during the LAGR program for the practical use of adaptive, vision-based robot navigation in commercial settings. First, the adaptive vision system learns quickly, but forgets as quickly. This will be addressed by using an ensemble of "expert" classifiers, each of which specializes for a particular environment and can be quickly activated when ...

Results of the Phase I work showed that an advanced, compact Point Sensor can be built with good sensitivity for detection of both biological agents and chemical aerosol and vapor agents. This will be the first point sensor capable of this dual role. The

Frequency Agile Laser sensor has shown great promise in standoff detection of chemical and biological agents in the long wave infrared (LWIR) portion of the spectrum through several field trials in recent years. The fact that it is now possible to perform

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 ...

Altex, a small business entity, and Pennsylvania State University (PSU), a research institution, have teamed up under this STTR program to develop the Low Cost High Durability reactor that reduces the cost of logistic fuel reforming by an order of magnitude. LCHD uses the PSU’s novel low cost catalyst and an Altex innovative reactor design with low manufacturing cost. Under the proposed program ...

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 ...

The overall goal of this proposed Army STTR is to demonstrate low-cost, non-destructive methodologies for non-agglomerating drying of anisotropic nanomaterials. NanoSonic and Virginia Tech will work in tandem to demonstrate novel approaches involving both high performance coatings and CO2 processing that facilitate gentle, simultaneous drying and exfoliation of nanoparticles, preventing agglomera ...

An eye-safe optically pumped laser based on a gas-filled hollow optical fiber will be demonstrated to lase at both near infrared (IR) and mid IR wavelengths. These lasers will be the first in a new class of IR lasers, based on the combination of hollow-f

The main objective of the proposed Phase II project is to leverage the technology of THz generation in resonantly-pumped quasi-phase-matched (QPM) GaAs structures, jointly developed by Stanford University and Microtech Instruments, Inc., and create a compact and power-efficient commercial THz source with a mW-level average power. This source will be continuously or step-tunable in the 0.5-3 THz ra ...