NASA 2003 SBIR Phase 1 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
International Electronic Machines Corporation (IEM)
60 Fourth Avenue
Albany ,NY 12202 - 1924
(518) 449 - 5504

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Zack F Mian
zack786@nycap.rr.com
60 Fourth Avenue
Albany ,NY  12202 -1924
(518) 449 - 5504
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
International Electronic Machines (IEM) Corp., a leader in multisensor monitoring solutions, proposes the design (in Phase I) and creation (in Phase II) of the Reactive In-flight Multisensor Security System (RIMSS). RIMSS would be an extremely affordable (less than $5,000) system which would improve safety and security within an aircraft by detecting abnormal events (including but not limited to unusual passenger or crew activities, losses of pressure, deviations from flight plan, movement or fire in cargo areas, and so on), automatically alerting the crew to these events, and recording the entire event. This will be accomplished through the combination of proprietary and innovative imaging hardware, acoustic monitoring, IEM?s unique and proprietary event and object detection, tracking, and identification software. RIMSS would continue to function even in the event of power loss through a unique backup system, and would be able to transmit data securely to designated ground stations. The imaging portion of the system will work in all lighting conditions and the entire system will be rugged and able to endure for many years of reliable service. RIMSS is made possible through IEM?s extensive experience in all relevant fields, including imaging, 360? vision systems, acoustic /visual target detection, and many others.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The RIMSS system and its components offer significant opportunity in the field of air safety and security (military and commercial aircraft). They can assist in the detection and/or prevention of violent behavior by passengers (terrorist or air-rage), early warning of situations such as shifting cargo or fires in cargo areas, and with the audio subsystem's signal recognition and beamforming capabilities offers significant ability to localize sounds which signal mechanical anomalies.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Similar applications of security and safety exist in other transportation areas -- maritime (cruise ships, military vessels), railroads (passenger and possibly freight), etc. Spinoffs or adaptations of the specific elements of RIMSS, such as the neural-network based behavior recognition and IEM?s AED algorithm, have wider applicability in any security or surveillance monitoring application, yielding a considerable market opportunity amongst the over 300,000 local, state, and federal personnel authorized to make arrests and the organizations to which these personnel belong, and another in static security arenas -- military bases, shopping centers, commercial installations, etc.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Spire Corp
One Patriots Park
Bedford ,MA 01730 - 2396
(781) 275 - 6000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kurt J. Linden
klinden@spirecorp.com
One Patriots Park
Bedford ,MA  01730 -2396
(781) 275 - 6000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Phase I SBIR proposal is aimed at developing a non-invasive, optical method for monitoring the state of consciousness of crew members in operational environments. Utilizing differences in wavelength-dependent optical absorption between oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, pulsed laser diodes of selected wavelengths and symmetrically-placed photodetectors will be used to monitor the scattered light signals. Changes between these light signals and those established by prior baseline measurements will be monitored and interpreted using appropriate algorithms. Continuous monitoring of the mental state of personnel engaged in critical activities could provide a means of protection against human performance lapses resulting from unforeseen circumstances. Operational crew members are often subject to stress, increasing the possibility of operator mistakes or oversight. If a deterioration of the state of consciousness of an individual can be detected before that individual?s performance is affected, serious accidents or lapses in operator performance could be avoided. Phase I will establish feasibility, and Phase II will produce and evaluate a prototype monitoring instrument.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications specifically revolve around real-time, non-invasive monitoring of crew performance and state of mental consciousness. This is of major importance to mission safety and performance. Brain activity measurements, as determined by direct measurement of cerebral blood oxygenation, are expected to directly monitor crew health, stress level, state of duress, and general performance. The proposed cerebral oximetry method holds the potential for providing a reliable, low-cost, supplemental method of crew health monitoring.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The benefits of the proposed technology are expected to be of great importance to the government, industry, transportation and medical sectors of the economy. In the transportation area, operational crew members are often subject to stress, increasing the possibility of operator mistakes or oversight. If a deterioration of the state of consciousness of an individual can be detected before that individual?s performance is affected, serious accidents or lapses in operator performance could be avoided. Similar benefits are expected for other public industries such as in the medical and military sectors, where crew performance is critical.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Scientific Systems Co Inc
500 West Cummings Park Suite 3000
Woburn ,MA 01801 - 6580
(781) 933 - 5355

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jovan D Boskovic
jovan@ssci.com
500 West Cummings Park Suite 3000
Woburn ,MA  01801 -6580
(781) 933 - 5355
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The main objective of the proposed work is to design and develop a multi-layer intelligent Loss-of-control Prevention System (LPS) for flight
control applications. The proposed LPS consists of several interconnected modules: (i) FDIR module that detects and identifies the failure; (ii) Achievable Dynamic Performance (ADP) calculation module that calculates the maximum performance that can be achieved with the control authority available after failure; (iii) System's Variables Prediction (SVP) module
that calculates the relevant variables of the system over a prediction horizon to predict if the system will enter an Unsafe Mode Set (UMS); and (iv) Command Limiting System (CLS) that recalculates the new command constraints and corresponding commands that prevent entering the UMS.
In Phase I the emphasis will be on the loss-of-control due to the
hard-over failures of the critical flight control effectors. We
plan to demonstrate through computer simulations that the proposed
LPS will effectively prevent the loss of control and assure the
avoidance of unsafe modes of operation. Boeing Phantom Works (Mr. James Urnes, Sr.) will provide technical and commercialization support throughout the project.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
One of main directions of NASA is to improve flight safety in the 21st century. A system that prevents the loss of control in critical flight regimes is an important contribution toward that goal, and will result in numerous commercial applications. An effective LPS will also be very beneficial for NASA programs involving hypersonic and re-entry vehicles
that operate in regimes where the danger of the loss of control is highly pronounced.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed LPS will have an immediate application in commercial aviation since it would substantially improve flight safety in critical flight regimes. The problem of loss-of-control handling in the case of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) is even more pronounced since it involves a human operator. Effective decision-making aids in this context would substantially improve the flight safety and prevent collisions and unnecessary loss of the vehicle.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
NTI, Inc.
5200 Springfield Pike, Suite 119
Dayton ,OH 45431 - 1265
(937) 253 - 4110

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert L Shaw
fciassoc@aol.com
5200 Springfield Pike, Suite 119
Dayton ,OH  45431 -1265
(937) 253 - 4110
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The objective of this proposed Phase I SBIR effort is to develop and assess the feasibility of an innovative new flight instrument proposed to replace the traditional Turn Coordinator (or Turn-and-Slip Indicator) currently found in most general aviation (GA) aircraft. The primary innovation is the inclusion of climb-dive information and gyroscopic heading, in addition to the turn-rate information now available, in one low-cost display. In essence, this new ?r-Gamma? display concept will ?fuse? flight information on one display that the pilot must now gather and correlate from among five separate indicators whenever the aircraft experiences loss of the Attitude Indicator (AI) and the Heading Indicator (HI) due to vacuum system or gauge failure. The innovative technology that makes this concept feasible and affordable, with a projected cost similar to that of today?s Turn Coordinator, is derived from a technique called ?Air-Data Tracking,? recently developed and flight tested by our firm under an SBIR contract that involved tracking the flightpath of a small USAF sensor vehicle. We firmly believe this concept has the potential to improve significantly the safety of emergency ?partial-panel? flight operations in GA aircraft.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed r-Gamma system might serve as a substitute for gyroscopic attitude indicators in any atmospheric application.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial application of the proposed r-Gamma system is to serve as an improved substitute for the Turn Coordinator currently found in virtually all GA aircraft. The r-Gamma instrument will provide substantial additional functionality and greatly improved safety for GA aircraft, and at price comparable to that of the Turn Coordinator and substantially below that of available alternatives. It is currently reported that there are roughly 200,000 GA aircraft registered in the U.S. alone. The nearly 70% of those are light single-engine aircraft, probably equipped with conventional Turn Coordinators or equivalent are potential candidates for the r-Gamma system.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
TERRAMETRICS, INC.
PO Box 270101
Littleton ,CO 80127 - 0002
(303) 979 - 5255

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Gregory A. Baxes
gbaxes@terrametrics.com
PO Box 270101
Littleton ,CO  80127 -0002
(303) 979 - 5255
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
TerraMetrics proposes an SBIR Phase I R/R&D effort to develop a key 3D terrain-rendering technology that provides the basis for successful commercial deployment of flight-qualified Synthetic Vision (SV) systems. The proposed innovation exploits the use of an encoded terrain data storage format coupled with real-time, terrain-block processing that inherently provides true, display-limited rendering accuracy and deterministic frame rates, eliminates "vertex-popping" artifacts, and supports a spherical rendering model as well as lightweight computer and data storage platform requirements. Significant preceding computer graphics research has targeted terrain rendering, but the focus has been on non-rigorous, ground-based visualization/simulation (VisSim) and gaming applications. The accuracy and performance demands of a flight-deployable, SVS terrain-rendering environment have not been adequately addressed to date, due to minimal commercial demand. The proposed innovation provides a flight-qualifiable, SV avionics 3D terrain-rendering solution to NASA?s Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) and downstream SV commercial embodiments.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
1) NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) research and development

2) Out-the-window displays for windowless spacecraft

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
1) Flight-based Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) for
a) Commercial aircraft,
b) Business aircraft,
c) Military aircraft and rotorcraft,
c) General Aviation aircraft, and
d) Special-purpose aircraft applications such as aerial firefighting, search and rescue, remote sensing data collection, and reconnaissance

2) Ground-based Visualization/Simulation systems on lightweight platforms, GIS, gaming

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Artium Technologies
150 Iowa Street, Suite 202
Sunnyvale ,CA 94086 - 6184
(408) 737 - 2364

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
William D Bachalo
wbachalo@aol.com
150 Iowa Street, Suite 202
Sunnyvale ,CA  94086 -6184
(650) 941 - 4233
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Icing environments are of great concern in commercial and military aviation. An aircraft-based, imaging probe is being proposed for the reliable and accurate measurement of liquid water content (LWC) and droplet size distributions in environments variously referred to as freezing rain, freezing drizzle, supercooled drizzle drops, and supercooled large drops (SLD). The innovative aspect of the proposed probe is the use of multiple laser beams (of differing wavelengths) to create high quality shadows of individual particles (droplets and ice crystals) on a 2-d CCD array. Conventional aircraft-based probes such as the OAP suffer from measurement uncertainties arising from the detection of droplets that are out-of-focus. The use of multiple intersecting laser beams will also minimize the background noise created by other particles that may be present along the laser beam path but outside of the measurement volume. Finally, the incorporation of a means for differentiating between ice-crystals and droplets, while counting and measuring both, allows computation of water content in both liquid and solid phases. These innovations, and the other features of the probe to be discussed later, directly address the need for aircraft-based icing monitoring systems that NASA has identified in topic A1.02 of the 2003 SBIR solicitation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are wide ranges of applications for an instrument that can characterize sprays and droplet fields over a wide size range. The immediate goal of producing a probe for measuring icing clouds and other cloud drop size distributions is of immediate interest to NASA and other agencies involved in cloud physics and icing research. We have been approached by NCAR and other commercial groups requesting us to develop such a probe for cloud and atmospheric studies. The obsolescence of the PMS probes has left a market opportunity for new probes based on advanced technology.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are also significant applications requiring an imaging probe for process evaluation and control. For example, in spray drying, the usual light scattering methods fail because the drops are not transparent or homogeneous. In such cases, an imaging system is the best method to use since it is not affected by the peculiarities of the droplet material. Another area deals with research in fire suppression systems used in commercial buildings. A system is needed to characterize sprays from sprinklers and to help develop these systems. No system exists for these applications whereas the number of spray drying processes including food processing, drug manufacturing, and other industrial processes is enormous. One of the complaints about the PDI method is that it cannot cover the entire drop size range in many sprays and that the larger nonspherical drops can produce significant measurement error. The integration of a second method will expand the areas of application of this important diagnostic.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nastec, Inc.
1801 East 9th Street #1111
Cleveland ,OH 44114 - 3103
(216) 696 - 5157

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Richard   Klein
batdar@aol.com
1801 East 9th Street #1111
Cleveland ,OH  44114 -3103
(216) 696 - 5157
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
It is proposed to develop an accurate, in-service transmission life-estimation system for the prediction of remaining component and system life for a helicopter transmission system. Once proven in the helicopter environment, this life-estimation system will be of use to a wide variety of airborne and land-based transmission systems. Its use will improve the safety and reduce the maintenance costs of the monitored systems.
The transmission-life estimating system will include three separate algorithms: an in-flight service monitoring algorithm, a pre-flight and post-flight transmission analysis algorithm, and a component-life tallying algorithm. The in-flight service monitor will treat the transmission as a whole in response to sampling data of mast torque and speed. The transmission analysis algorithm will determine the transmission's operating parameters from those of its components. It also will determine the life and reliability of the individual components based on the service monitoring algorithm's output. The component-life algorithm will accumulate life and reliability tables.
The Phase I effort will develop the life-monitoring and supporting life-estimation and reliability algorithms. In the Phase II effort, the full life-estimating system will be assembled and tested with a helicopter main-rotor transmission.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The work is in support of NASA's long-range goals. It impacts every aspect of mechanical drive systems operation and development. The successful completion of this project can improve aviation safety, reliability, and mitigation of failures. It will affect cost-effective design and manufacturing for new production engines and can reduce life cycle and maintenance costs.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The cost-effective, reliable use of expensive aerospace and land-based power-transmission systems can be extended with more accurate knowledge of the remaining component and system fatigue lives. By improving the in-service life estimation associated with these devices, longer reliable service lives can be obtained. The high costs associated with surprise failures and unscheduled emergency maintenance procedures can be reduced substantially with the use of an in-service life estimator such as the one proposed herein.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
INNOSENSE LLC
25970 Eshelman Avenue
Lomita ,CA 90717 - 3223
(310) 530 - 4974

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kisholoy    Goswami
kisholoy.goswami@innosense.us
25970 Eshelman Avenue
Lomita ,CA  90717 -3223
(310) 530 - 4974
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The tasks of this Phase I proposal are designed to establish the feasibility of an optical sensor for real-time, in situ monitoring of the ullage environment of an aircraft fuel tank. This all-optical fuel tank ullage sensor (FTUS) will be unaffected by fuel splashing and sulfur deposits on the sensor. By combining an innovative oxygen and temperature sensor, this project will enable NASA to offer technologies to monitor the performance of OBIGGS (on-board inert gas generating system). In commercial application, it is imperative that an on-board sensor is in place to identify if OBIGGS, which is safety related, is malfunctioning. FTUS represents a platform technology, which can be used across NASA enterprises, where sensitive monitoring of the ambient environment is required. By using single mode optical fiber in the design, ISL will address size, weight, and cost concerns of the aircraft industry. Tasks are proposed to demonstrate the sensor?s ultrahigh sensitivity and immunity to fuel splashes and deposits of sulfur compounds. To assure success, ISL has assembled a project team having a cumulative 60 person-years of experience in the development of opto-chemical sensors.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The oxygen and temperature sensor developed under this project can be used across all NASA enterprises where such measurements in air are needed. The lifetime-based measurement technique will minimize calibration needs and reduce crew time. These sensors can also be used in combustion studies under microgravity. The sensor platform is amenable to constructing a variety of devices for biomedical, materials processing, and environmental applications in space and on the surface of celestial bodies. These systems will find immediate applications in the International Space Station monitoring the environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
FTUS will find applications in both new and retrofit of commercial aircrafts. The miniaturization and multianalyte capabilities of these sensors also make them very attractive for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to process control. The sensor market for these applications is growing at nearly 12% per year from $253 million in 1998. Upon repackaging, the device will have immediate applications in a variety of civilian emergency response and occupational environment monitoring or related research facilities.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Epoch Engineering Inc
814 West Diamond Avenue, Suite 325
Gaithersburg ,MD 20878 - 1146
(301) 670 - 6600

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Martin   Karchnak
martyk@epochengineering.com
814 W. Diamond Avenue, Suite 325
Gaithersburg ,MD  20878 -1146
(301) 670 - 6600
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Acoustic Emissions (AE) are associated with physical events, such as thermal activity, dielectric breakdown, discharge inception, as well as crack nucleation and growth. Previous empirical experiments have demonstrated that the unprecedented quality of AE measurements available with the Research and Development configuration of a Robust Laser Interferometer (RLI) developed by Epoch Engineering, Inc., provides measurement of AE that enables early recognition of information of interest. Examples include the AE alertment that pre-fire conditions exist, adn AE alertment of mechanical system component failure inception and/or fault development. This effort is structured i.) to conduct empirical experiments that demonstrate the presence of Acoustic Emissions when e.g., electrical equipment problems develop, and ii.) to develop sufficient knowledge to establish the basis for pursuing an AE electrical systems' health monitoring functional capability. Quantitative information is developed relative to RLI electrical system AE measurement capabilities. Configuration(s) developed include identification of hardware and software for the proposed Phase II/follow demonstrations.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Once developed, a new electrical system AE monitoring capability could be employed to provide electrical system protection monitoring for aircraft, marine vessels and high value and/or critical assets. Sucess of this effort would lead to a reduction in lives lost, injuries and property loss.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Once developed, a new electrical system AE monitoring capability could be employed to provide electrical system protection monitoring for aircraft, marine vessels and high value and/or critical assets. Sucess of this effort would lead to a reduction in lives lost, injuries and property loss.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Systems Technology Inc
13766 South Hawthorne Blvd
Hawthorne ,CA 90250 - 7083
(310) 679 - 2281

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David H Klyde
dklyde@systemstech.com
13766 S Hawthirne Blvd
Hawthorne ,CA  90250 -7083
(310) 679 - 2281
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Improvements to aviation safety will be made by the development and validation of means to alleviate, alert, and inhibit loss of control associated with unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions. These unfavorable interactions are caused in part by deficiencies, called ?dynamic distortion,? in the manual flight control system. Many sources of dynamic distortion such as friction, preload, and backlash have been reduced or eliminated in modern aircraft by improved hydraulic systems and by the replacement of mechanical linkages with fly-by-wire systems. Other sources of dynamic distortion remain, such as rate and position limits, power reductions, jammed effectors and mis-rigging. In older systems with mechanical linkages the pilot was at least aware that distortion was occurring, whereas in many modern, powered systems these cues are missing. An innovative concept is proposed whereby the pilot is provided with manipulator tactile cues when dynamic distortion occurs. These cues are hypothesized to improve aircraft safety by reducing the likelihood of unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions. This improvement will be demonstrated in Phase I, first by modeling and simulation and then by conducting a PC-based manned simulator experiment. In Phase II the concept will be further developed and then validated with a flight test experiment.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Improved aviation safety is a major objective of NASA. This work will contribute towards this goal in two ways. First, improvements to modern manual flight control systems will be developed that will significantly reduce the likelihood of unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions. These improvements will be available to NASA for their fleet of aircraft and for new NASA vehicles entering flight test. Second, this work will validate an important but largely unrecognized cause of decreased flight safety ? the lack of pilot cues that tell the pilot when the flight control system is acting in a deficient manner.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The same improvements to modern manual flight control systems will be available for commercial and military flight control systems. The continuing record of unfavorable pilot-vehicle coupling provides evidence of the need for improvements such as this. Licensing agreements are a potential way to commercialize these developments. The concept of dynamic distortion applies to any powered manual control system, including ground vehicle manual control systems. Power steering is a mature application, which works in part because direct links provide dynamic distortion cues, but new concepts in ground vehicle control are being developed that can benefit from this work.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Intelligent Inference Systems Corp
NASA Research Park, MS: 566-106C
Moffett Field ,CA 94035 - 0000
(650) 944 - 7518

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Hamid R Berenji
berenji@iiscorp.com
NASA Research Park, MS: 566-106C
Moffett Field ,CA  94035 -0000
(650) 944 - 7518
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A prognostic system needs to separate nominal component behavior from the faulty ones even in the cases when those behaviors are similar. Advanced pattern recognition techniques are required to separate nominal and faulty input-output component data vectors in a complex high-dimensional space.

We propose to develop the Multi-agent Prognostic Health and Usage Monitoring (Multi-PHUM) and test it in a subsection of an aerospace vehicle. MULTI-PHUM is hierarchical with the lower levels performing ordinary diagnostics and prognostics using graph-based fault diagnosis technique to place alarms on safety-critical components and handle situations with multiple faults. At the intermediate level of hierarchy, MULTI-PHUM uses neural network techniques such as the Extended Auto Associative Neural Networks (E-AANN) to detect the faults not detected by lower level graph-based method. Yet at a higher level of hierarchy, MULTI-PHUM performs advanced rule-based pattern recognition for abnormalities in the system not detected by lower levels. The essence of MULTI-PHUM is based on the latest tools in the information age and hence has a strong commercial potential for the management of other systems that have to economically maintain healthy fleets such as airline systems with many aircrafts or future swarms of UAVs.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Many NASA space systems are life critical. Due to its prognostics capability, Multi-PHUM as proposed here can be extremely useful in creating and maintaining a safe aerospace vehicles. Results of this work can become available to be used in some of NASA's big contracts such as the contracts to Boeing or Lockheed.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)

The current Original Equipment Manufacturing companies (OEMs) suffer significantly from disconnects that exist between the equipment designers, manufacturers, and equipment testers. IIS Corp plans to aggressively commercialize the results of this SBIR work by developing alignments with companies that are involved in providing software support to OEMs. In particular, we will team up with Sigma Quest Inc. of Santa Clara in commercializing the results of this SBIR to OEM companies such as Selectrons.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Comet Technology Corporation
1796 Stonebridge Drive North
Ann Arbor ,MI 48108 - 8593
(734) 998 - 0126

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Satha   Raveendra
t.raveendra@netzero.net
1796 Stonebridge Drive North
Ann Arbor ,MI  48108 -8593
(734) 998 - 0126
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Evaluation and enhancement of the acoustical performance of turbomachinery requires knowledge of the acoustic sources. However, the noise generation mechanisms associated with turbomachinery are complex and as result it is not easy to identify these noise sources. The development of an integrated experimental/numerical technique that is based on holography and is applicable for the identification and ranking of complex noise sources is proposed. A new technique based on potential integral equations will be developed to rapidly evaluate the noise sources of complex structures. Generalized acoustical holography that is applicable for arbitrary geometry is extended by incorporating aeroacoustic noise sources in the presence of mean flow.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Applicable for the identification and ranking of complex noise sources associated with turbomachinery, including engine, fan and compressor noise sources. Also applicable to the identification of vibrational noise sources.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Applicable for the identification of ranking of aeroacoustic noise sources associated with fans and similar products that are used in industries such as automotive and consumer products.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Makel Engineering,Inc.
1585 Marauder Street
Chico ,CA 95973 - 9064
(530) 895 - 2770

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Benjamin   Ward
bward@makelengineering.com
1585 Marauder Street
Chico ,CA  95973 -9064
(530) 895 - 2771
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Makel Engineering Incorporated (MEI) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) propose to develop a MEMS based, minature solid state sulfur oxide sensor for use in emission measurements. The result of this effort will be a compact, robust means of SOx monitoring in high temperature gas emission streams has not been developed previously. The proposed system is based on previous research on advanced micro-machined gas detection sensors developed for sensitivity to other gaseous components (e.g. CO2, O2, NOx).

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed sensor will provide improved emission monitoring capability with a small, low power, robust sensor system. This will enable a cost effective method to instrument ground test facilities and vehicles and has the potential to be integrated into vehicle exhaust systems. Additionally, health monitoring of personnel on the ground and in the crew cabin can be improved with the ability to monitor SOx compounds.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed SOx sensor has direct applications in monitoring large diesel IC engines, gas turbines, refineries, and power plants which must reduce their levels of sulfur emissions. The potential to integrate these sensors in multiple locations and their low power requirements and small size make them very attractive for these monitoring activities.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
NexTech Materials, Ltd.
404 Enterprise Dr.
Lewis Center ,OH 43035 - 9423
(614) 842 - 6606

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Edward  M. Sabolsky
sabolsky@nextechmaterials.com
404 Enterprise Dr.
Lewis Center ,OH  43035 -9423
(614) 842 - 6606
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
As solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) approach commercialization, interest in broader applications of this technology is mounting. While the first commercialized systems are being designed to provide 3-5 kW in stationary and automotive auxiliary power unit (APU) applications, aerospace and military users are considering integrating SOFCs into larger, airborne systems with considerable commercial payback. SOFCs are aligned to displace inefficient, noisy, and polluting technologies such as diesel generators that will provide both economic and environmental motivation to prospective users. NexTech Materials will develop a solid oxide fuel cells that demonstrate high power density, targeting 2W/cm2, a level of performance that will enable the compact, lightweight systems required for aerospace applications to become a reality. Such high power density SOFCs will provide the bridge from stationary residential power systems to airborne auxiliary power units. The fuel cells that result from these applications will lead the way to efficient and clean aircraft. This Phase I work will focus on processing and evaluating highly conductive electrolyte and electrode materials and the incorporation of these materials into high power density, SOFC cells suitable for commercial stack fabrication in Phase II.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technology developed in this program will provide high performance SOFC materials and systems for airborne power systems. The materials developed in this program can be used in power systems ranging from commuter planes to auxiliary power units for large commercial airliners, and are particularly well suited to ?more electric? designs. Such power systems will directly reduce fuel use and pollution resulting from aircraft in the United States. In addition, the incorporation of such high power density cells into regenerative fuel cell designs would enhance the available power for high-altitude aircraft and airships.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The high power density materials and designs resulting from this program will find wide applicability in as compact power supplies for military and commercial users. Military applications, where highly mobile dense power sources are required to displace heavy and bulky battery systems are numerous, include radios, sensing and imaging equipment and heads-up displays for dismounted soldiers. Such compact power systems could power autonomous vehicles for military and commercial surveillance vehicles. Commercially, high power density SOFCs would be desirable for portable generators where lighter, smaller systems would provide easy transportation.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
HYPER TECH RESEARCH INC.
110 E. Canal St.
Troy ,OH 45373 - 3581
(937) 332 - 0348

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Michael   Tomsic
tomsic@voyager.net
110 E. Canal St.
Troy ,OH  45373 -3581
(937) 332 - 0348
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
For electric propulsion systems for large aircraft it is desirable to have very light weight electric motors. Cryogenic motors offer much lighter weight than conventional iron room temperature motors. Superconducting cryogenic motors can offer much more lighter weight motors than just cryogenically cooled copper motors. Magnesium diboride, a light-weight superconductor wire, cooled in the available liquid hydrogen fuel, is the ideal candidate coil material for large aircraft motors. During the Phase I we will demonstrate using this new wire in coil forms that will show feasibility of fabricating exciter, rotor and stator coils in a Phase II motor demonstration.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Besides large aircraft motors, magnesium diboride superconductors can benefit NASA applications for superconducting ADR coils, transformers, inductors, magnetic bearings, actuators, MHD magnets, and other potential power conditioning applications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercialization of magnesium diboride superconducting wires will allow less expensive and more open MRI systems for medical use, and lower cost and more efficient systems for power utility applications such as transformers, reactors, motors, generators, fault current limiters, and SMES.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Zona Technology Inc
7430 E. Stetson Drive, Suite 205
Scottsdale ,AZ 85251 - 3540
(480) 945 - 9988

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Xiaowei   Gao
gao@zonatech.com
7430 E. Stetson Drive Suite 205
Scottsdale ,AZ  85251 -3540
(480) 945 - 9988
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ZONA proposes to investigate a novel family of algorithms designed to solve the boundary condition identification problem (BCIP) to extract accurate multi-dimensional heat transfer coefficient maps that are required for the design of advanced/revolutionary turbomachinery components. ZONA will develop, implement, and verify FILM-ID a general-purpose package based on a Boundary Element Method (BEM) inverse algorithm for accurate retrieval of multi-dimensional film coefficient distributions (h) using either transient or steady temperature inputs. This method can be used with broad-band or narrow-band thermochromic crystal or laser induced fluorescence thermal imaging techniques and incorporates a new technique which provides robustness to input temperature uncertainties. The proposed method is flexible and easy to implement for examination of arbitrarily complex geometries encountered in turbomachinery as it requires only surface mesh.

Phase I will focus on: (1) establishing the importance of the multi-dimensional modeling of the inverse boundary identification problem, (2) developing analytical methods for narrow-band thermochromic liquid crystal, and (3) fine-tuning the regularization process. Phase II will focus on code development, extensive verification, extension to 3-D modeling, and development of user-friendly interfaces and help manuals. It is anticipated that the proposed method will replace the conventional 1-D method for heat transfer coefficient retrieval.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed tool will impact the turbomachinery design and test facilities at NASA for whom an accurate prediction of the film coefficient distributions over advanced turbine blade designs and other components is crucial in the determination of the system efficiency and capacity. In addition, an accurate prediction of the temperature field over such components will provide with a realistic thermal stress distribution, vital in the advanced mechanical design of turbomachinery systems. A user-friendly Windows-driven package, FILM-ID, will be produced. Graphical interfaces will be provided for display of input data, boundary conditions, and resulting h maps (steady and transient).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
FILM-ID will be of immediate use for the power generation and aircraft engine industries towards which distribution and sale will be targeted. In addition, heat transfer R&D labs will be targeted. The commercialization potential of FILM-ID not only finds its place in industry where novel heat transfer design processes are undertaken but also in academics as it can serve its purpose as a learning tool for experimental convective heat transfer and inverse problem methods in heat transfer. Although the main customer-base has been identified, a marketing study will be undertaken in Phase II to expand the prospective customer base.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
TDA Research, Inc.
12345 West 52nd Ave
Wheat Ridge ,CO 80033 - 1916
(303) 422 - 7819

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. David T. Wickham
wickham@tda.com
12345 W. 52nd Ave.
Wheat Ridge ,CO  80033 -1916
(303) 940 - 2350
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Currently the United States space program is recognized as the world leader in providing access to space. However, in order to maintain this position, it will be necessary to reduce the very high cost of reaching low Earth orbit by using single stage or two stage to orbit vehicles. Some components of these vehicles have exceptionally high heat loads and require additional cooling capacity, which can be accommodated by utilizing the additional fuel heat sink capacity available from endothermic cracking reactions. Unfortunately, cracking reactions lead to coke deposition in the heat exchanger, which can be a potentially serious problem if it is allowed to accumulate. Therefore in this Phase I proposal, TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) will develop methods to remove the coke from the heat exchanger flow path. Previously, several different coke formation mechanisms were though to occur during cracking and the selection of an appropriate method to remove the coke would depend on the mechanism responsible. However, as a result of previous work, we have identified the mechanism primarily responsible for coke deposition with JP-7 and JP-8. Thus, the methods we develop in this SBIR Phase I proposal have a high probability of success.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The most immediate application of this technology for NASA would be in the removal of carbon deposits from fuel flow paths in vehicles that require a substantial amount of cooling from the fuel. Coke deposits will reduce the heat transfer and inhibit fuel flow, both of which can lead to total failure of the unit. Since coke deposition accompanies the cracking reactions required to provide the necessary cooling, methods to remove coke are critical to the continued development of reusable launch vehicles.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Our technology would find substantial commercial use in removing hydrocarbons and other compound from high precision components such as semiconductors, magnetic disks, medical devices, optics, flight hardware, etc. Because of the current limitations in the use of chlorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons, alternative methods using more environmentally and less toxic compounds are of current interest. Because the goal of our project will be to identify conditions and solvents that are more effective for high molecular weight compounds, it will lead to significant improvements over cleaning methods currently used.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
34 Lexington Avenue
Ewing ,NJ 08618 - 2302
(609) 538 - 0444

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Todd R. Quackenbush
todd@continuum-dynamics.com
34 Lexington Avenue
Ewing ,NJ  08618 -2302
(609) 538 - 0444
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Enabling a new generation of high speed civil aircraft will require breakthrough developments in propulsion design, including novel techniques to optimize inlet performance across a wide speed range. Maximizing propulsive performance while minimizing weight and mechanical complexity is a key goal for such systems, and rapidly maturing smart materials technology can enable adaptive control of inlet geometry to allow in-flight optimization of engine flows. This proposal will build on established device technology using high strength Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators and will initiate development of adaptive inlets for high speed applications. Leveraging prior work in design and testing of SMA devices in challenging aerospace and marine applications will allow a jump start in development a family of actuation and flow control devices suitable for use in practical flight applications. Actuation systems employing a combination of high temperature SMA alloys and active heat control systems will be developed, along with complementary analysis and design tools for aero/thermo analysis of integrated actuators. The modeling and benchtop testing work proposed for Phase I will lay the groundwork for testing in representative high speed conditions in Phase II.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
By providing highly innovative concepts for propulsion system components for advanced high-speed aerospace vehicles, the proposed effort will directly support a wide range of broad NASA goals including enabling of high Mach point to point travel and global cruise capability for civil aircraft. The chief technical output of the effort will be enabling technology for a variable geometry, supersonic, mixed compression inlet to help meet functional airflow needs of high Mach number propulsion. In addition, the integrated aero/thermo/elastic models of actuator performance to be developed will assist the development of concurrent engineering tools for analysis and design of propulsion systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A successful Phase I/Phase II effort will open the door to prototype testing and eventual implementation of flight-qualified SMA adaptive inlet hardware. The most direct beneficiary would be candidate high speed civil vehicles that could incorporate high-force, all-electric inlet control systems in dramatically more efficient power plants. Successful implementation in this application would also lead to spinoff developments in a number of actuation tasks, including aerodynamic controls and thrust vectoring as well as steering and outflow redirection for marine propulsion that would directly benefit both civil and military systems.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
CFD Research Corp
215 Wynn Dr.
Huntsville ,AL 35805 - 1926
(256) 726 - 4800

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Essam F. Sheta
jls@cfdrc.com
215 Wynn Dr.
Huntsville ,AL  35805 -1926
(256) 726 - 4800
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An integrated framework is proposed for efficient prediction of rotorcraft and airframe noise. A novel wavelet-based multiresolution technique and high-order accurate WENO scheme is proposed for efficient capturing of noise sources and unsteady flowfield. A wavelet compression is used to store the flowfield as a multi-level representation in functional space. The primary solution progresses using a coarse grid. The regularity of the flow field data is used to identify regions of steep variation. These regions are selectively solved recursively in the finer grid-levels and accurate information is injected into the coarse grids to correctly represent all flow features.

In Phase I, a three-dimensional wavelet-based multiresolution algorithm, and an acoustic analogy module based on the Kirchhoff-Ffowcs Williams and Hawking methodology will be developed. The feasibility of the proposed technology will be demonstrated by prediction of three-dimensional noise source and acoustic waves of vortex-blade interaction problems. The proposed technology will provide 2-3 orders-of-magnitude reductions in CPU requirements over existing techniques. In Phase II, the wavelet compression methodology will be integrated into a high-fidelity CFD module. An efficient data structure will be developed to store and update the multiresolution data. The modules will be coupled with a nonlinear finite-element structure dynamic module for noise prediction of flexible structures.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed framework will provide 2-3 orders-of-magnitude reductions in computational time for high-order accurate noise prediction and wake capturing. The framework will be directly applicable to several NASA's multidisciplinary noise and vibrations applications such as prediction of noise mechanisms and propagation for rotorcraft, propellers, and other airframes, and for analysis of wake/frame interaction induced noise and vibrations. The framework could also be used for other NASA's commercial applications such as flutter and buffet analysis of helicopter, fighter aircraft, nonlinear lift systems, analysis of active twist rotors.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed technology provides a viable tool for several commercial applications such as wing-trailing vortex dynamics of large civil aircraft, analysis of noise generated by landing gears of civil aircraft. The multiresolution technology is also applicable to a wide range of applications that involve embedded flow features requiring high resolutions. Such applications include Turbomachinery, Cavitation, Biomedical, Electronic Cooling, and many others.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
QorTek Inc
2400 Reach Road, Suite 204
Williamsport ,PA 17701 - 4183
(570) 322 - 2700

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ross W. Bird
rbird@qortek.com
2400 Reach Road, Suite 204
Williamsport ,PA  17701 -4183
(570) 322 - 2700
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The purpose of the research into ?Compliant Actuator? design will be to demonstrate to prototype level a low profile fully integrated control mechanism. This mechanism will be the first of its kind in that it enables independent multifunctionally integrated control including all i/o, processing, control and power functions in a single compliant package that uses a active piezoceramic substrate. A compliant actuator can integrate a choice of piezoceramic actuators including piezoceramic wafers, MFC?s, NASA Flex-Pak or QorTek?s Thunder bimorphs etc. as its substrate/activation component as to yield a wide variety wideband controlled actuation systems with high s/n ratio. Used as a strain actuator, it extends with internal applied voltage while bonded to the surface of a structure. Used as a bimorph actuator, it bends with applied voltage while clamped firmly at one end in response to the internal thin film sensor measurements

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Within NASA the proposed technology would have direct application to programs as diverse as large area boom assemblies such as solar sail or antenna to aircraft tail control or surface morphing. Through the new proposed integration and manufacture process, ?Compliant Actuators? will provide a more reliable system by eliminating the external wiring and interface connections and replacing these with low risk trace interconnects. Such actuators are of substantial interest since they can be embedded in or attached to the surface of a flexible structure for distributed deflection, surface vibration damping, active twist, and acoustic control of curved and flat panels.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Even the latest piezoelectric commercially available packages must add-on additional external power, sensing, processing, and control components in order to function. Moreover, the device specific manufacture approach of such products is not amenable to migration to other piezoelectric designs and devices. The proposed technology is easily copied over to many device geometries, materials, and designs. This advance will enable easy integration of piezoelectrics into a wide variety of volume-manufactured products.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Comet Technology Corporation
1796 Stonebridge Drive North
Ann Arbor ,MI 48108 - 8593
(734) 998 - 0126

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Satha T Raveendra
t.raveendra@netzero.net
1796 Stonebridge Drive North
Ann Arbor ,MI  48108 -8593
(734) 998 - 0126
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Prediction and enhancement of vehicle interior noise due to high frequency excitation, based on computer simulation, allows the application of the technology at the early stage of design process thereby improving the quality and reducing the cost. Traditionally, Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) has been used for this purpose. Modeling of SEA is rather complex and requires high level of analyst expertise as well as occasional testing of the product's components. In this proposal, a comprehensive Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) software will be developed for the evaluation of vehicle interior noise. Since the low frequency noise and vibration modeling is traditionally performed using finite element method, the development of an EFEA software will provide a unified framework for the both the low and high frequency noise and vibration analyses.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The software developed as part of the proposal will be applicable for the evaluation and improvement of aerospace interior noise at the early stage of design process. In particular, airframe and noise control treatments can be systematically evaluated for optimal performance.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Interior noise performance is important in aerospace, automotive, naval and other industries. For example, as a result of increased use of telematic devices in the interior of automobiles, the automotive industry is paying more and more attention to early stage evaluation tools that can be used to enhance the interior noise. The software developed as part of the proposal will be applicable for interior noise performance of automobiles. Similarly the software is applicable for the noise evaluation of aircrafts as well as naval vessels.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Hood Technology Corp
1750 Country Club Rd
Hood River ,OR 97031 - 8636
(541) 387 - 2288

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Andreas   von Flotow
andy@hoodtech.com
1750 Country Club Rd
Hood River ,OR  97031 -8636
(541) 387 - 2288
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Preliminary results have shown that low temperature eddy current sensors can provide excellent resolution for blade tip timing, and have the ability to see ?through the case? of an engine and measure blade passings, without having to drill into the case material or subject the sensor to the harsh environment of the gas flow. What is needed is a rugged, high resolution sensor that can be used for applications up to turbine temperatures, and that can easily overcome issues of velocity dependent calibration, low pass filtering through cases, varying case materials and thicknesses, high temperature, and limited standoff distances. Eddy current is the only technology that can provide the solution to these problems, and at the same time operate in dirty environments (oil, steam, etc.) This SBIR plans to develop an eddy current sensor technology that can be used at turbine temperatures, be mounted outside the engine case, work in hostile environments and provide Generation 4 resolution for Non-Intrusive Stress Measurements (NSMS) of turbine blades.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications include the ability to test turbines and/or high pressure compressors at temperature for High Cycle Fatigue and other vibration anomalies, while potentially making measurements outside the gas path. Other applications include using the sensor in spin pit tests in the presence of oil, and also making accurate vibration measurements through a gear box, for helicopter applications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Major applications are for commercial engine companies and government agencies involved in High Cycle Fatigue Testing, Low Cycle Fatigue testing, gearbox testing, and the development of high pressure compressors and turbines. The ability to see ?through the case? will be critical to many applications where direct access to blades are difficult or impossible.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Advanced Projects Research Inc
1925 MCKINLEY AVE SUITE
LA VERNE ,CA 91750 - 5800
(909) 392 - 3151

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Thomas  H. Sobota
thomas.sobota@advancedprojects.com
1925 MCKINLEY AVE SUITE
LA VERNE ,CA  91750 -5800
(909) 392 - 3151
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Laser induced thermal acoustics (LITA) is a nonintrusive, transient-grating optical technique that provides
simultaneous high-accuracy measurements of velocity, sound-speed, and thermal diffusivity among other
parameters. In a fluid of known composition, sound speed and thermal diffusivity are readily correlated to
temperature and density. Thus LITA provides a measurement of thermodynamic state. We are developing a
computer-controlled semi-portable LITA system for robust, long-baseline measurements. This novel system
automatically adjusts its own alignment to optimize accuracy. In prior work, LITA velocimetry was incorporated
into this system and demonstrated. System level requirements for multi point LITA measurements were identified
and system components, which as a whole, meet these requirements were designed or identified. In the proposed
effort, elements of the design will be separately validated and will then be incorporated into a complete system for
delivery to NASA in Phase II. By providing velocimetry and multi point capability the proposed system will beideal
for high-value ground-test experiments.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Because LITA is the first non-intrusive flow diagnostic that can be used to measure instantaneous
thermodynamicstate and velocity simultaneously at a point in an unseeded flow, it may replace combinations of
other diagnostic tools such as laser Doppler velocimetry and intrusive probes in aerodynamic ground test facilities.
Additionally, LITA provides accurate measurements over a wide range of conditions including high-pressure and
reacting flows, making it a valuable technique for combustor and chemical reactor test and development. Because of
its automatic alignment, calibration, and data analysis, the high-measurement-rate LITA-based instrument we
propose will open new markets in instruments for aeronautics, propulsion, combustion, and industrial process
systems research and development.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Laser Induced Thermal Acoustics (LITA) is the first non-intrusive flow diagnostic that can be used to
simultaneously measure instantaneous thermo-dynamic state and velocity at a point in the flow. As such it may
serve as a replacement for combinations of other diagnostic tools such as laser doppler velocimetry. Additionally,
because LITA works accurately over a wide range of flow conditions including high pressure and reacting flows,
LITA offers a valuable tool for combustor and chemical reactor test and development. APRI anticipates a significant
market for LITA based instruments.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
TDA Research, Inc.
12345 West 52nd Ave
Wheat Ridge ,CO 80033 - 1916
(303) 422 - 7819

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mr. James   Nabity
nabity@tda.com
12345 W. 52nd Ave.
Wheat Ridge ,CO  80033 -1916
(303) 940 - 2313
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal addresses a NASA solicitation topic A2.06 need for propulsion system flow control. A dual mode ram/scram engine is the most likely cycle for the high-speed propulsion flowpath of turbine and rocket based combined cycle engines, but its feasibility with storable liquid hydrocarbon fuels remains to be demonstrated. A key reason is that a stable, low drag engine pilot for the needed operational envelope has eluded us. Due to its simplicity, the cavity flameholder is the subject of renewed investigation, but it suffers from acoustically coupled combustion instabilities originating in the shear flow. Active control of the shear flow over the cavity could substantially improve flameholding stability. Therefore, TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) proposes an active control strategy having no moving parts to manipulate the spectral content and amplitude of shear layer disturbances, and hence control the coupling responsible for resonance and unsteady flow response that leads to premature flame extinguishment. The proposed experimental and analytical development effort will produce a robust, stable and low drag scramjet engine pilot.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The control of shear layer dynamics is central to all cavity-flow control strategies due to coupling between the separated shear layer dynamics and cavity resonance characteristics. Therefore, the cavity flow stabilization technology proposed by TDA has wide-spread application to combustion flameholding and acoustic noise reduction. For example, future high speed aircraft powered by turbine-based combined cycle engines would benefit from low Mach transition to scramjet mode. In addition, the aircraft wheel wells are a large source of noise pollution during take-off and landing, which could be alleviated through shear layer control.

Countercurrent shear layer technology has also been shown to be effective in thrust vector control (TVC) resulting in increased aircraft agility. Improved short takeoff and landing capability for military aircraft is expected because of increased lift from a TVC system.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We can also apply this technology to automotive noise reduction for neighborhood and passenger comfort. Noise due to separated flow in wheel wells and off of side mirrors could be reduced.

In addition, a counterflow TVC system can increase missile agility resulting in reduced time-to-target and increased probability of kill.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Thoughtventions Unlimited LLC
40 Nutmeg Lane
Glastonbury ,CT 06033 - 2314
(860) 657 - 9014

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Stephen   Bates
thought@tvu.com
40 Nutmeg Lane
Glastonbury ,CT  06033 -2314
(860) 657 - 9014
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
It is proposed to create a rugged, reliable, compact, standardized imaging system for hypervelocity and re-entry vehicles using sapphire windows, small imagers, and independent telemetry. Such a system is a novel creation that can tolerate the severe aerothermal environment associated with hypervelocity flight. The proposed system answers a critical need for enhanced situation awareness, performance characterization, and rapid anomaly resolution. Images of control surfaces, vehicle health, separation deployment, plume dynamics, combustion behavior, and many other vehicle properties provide a rapid, global assessment of the flows and control status of aerospace vehicles and propulsion systems using a standardized diagnostic package. The system design includes a window, window mounting system, camera, and independent telemetry system. Work in Phase 1 will include computational aerothermal modeling, window, mount, camera, and telemetry design, preliminary hazards analysis, and feasibility/ applications assessment. A Phase 2 prototype will be designed and fabricated for testing at a NASA facility, and finally used on a variety of vehicles in Phase 3. It is expected that the imaging system will have broad application for NASA, DOD, and commercial aerospace vehicles.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An on-board imaging system would allow direct and global monitoring of many parameters that determine the critical capabilities of many NASA vehicles. Capabilities include: bow shock visualization, leading edge condition, thermal surface mapping, body surfaces degradation, control surface actuation, shock/surface interaction, engine inlet flow monitoring, engine component/combustion monitoring, plume phenomenology, separation events, and situational awareness. NASA vehicles needing the system include: X-43A, X-43C, ISTAR, HYFLY, FAAST, FALCON, X-37, OSP, AAS, Aero-Assisted OTV

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An on-board imaging system would allow direct and global monitoring of many parameters that determine the critical capabilities of many commercial launch vehicles. Capabilities include: bow shock visualization, leading edge condition, thermal surface mapping, body surfaces degradation, control surface actuation, shock/surface interaction, engine inlet flow monitoring, engine component/combustion monitoring, plume phenomenology, separation events, and situational awareness.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Physical Sciences Inc
20 New England Business Ctr
Andover ,MA 01810 - 1077
(978) 689 - 0003

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joel M Hensley
hensley@psicorp.com
20 New England Business Ctr
Andover ,MA  01810 -1077
(978) 689 - 0003
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Ground test facilities are used by NASA to simulate the conditions present during flight at hypersonic velocities, to test thermal protection materials for existing spacecraft and develop new hypersonic aircraft. To ensure the accuracy and usefulness of ground test results, the state of the gas in the ground test facility must be known. Key components of the test gas, such as atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen, can be monitored today using pulsed laser sources operating in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. However, this measurement scheme is not fast enough to detect rapid fluctuations which may be present. Our innovation is a sensor based on compact, portable source of tunable laser radiation in the far-infrared (terahertz) region of the spectrum which can be used to measure the number density and velocity of atomic oxygen continuously during a ground test. During Phase I we will prove feasibility by showing that a laser with the required wavelength, tuning range, and linewidth can be constructed. During Phase II we will prove practicality by optimizing the properties of the laser, building a prototype sensor, demonstrating the detection of atomic oxygen, and delivering the sensor to an appropriate NASA test facility.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The laser-based diagnostic developed during this project will increase the accuracy of test results at hypersonic wind tunnel facilities used to simulate atmospheric re-entry. Using these test results, NASA will be able to optimize the amount of thermal protection material used in the Space Shuttle and other vehicles, so that safety can be ensured without reducing the payload unnecessarily. The diagnostic will also provide more accurate results in facilities which simulate combustion at hypersonic speeds, thus facilitating the design of engines for future hypersonic aircraft.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Compact, tunable terahertz lasers will be useful for container-penetrating detection of dangerous substances for homeland defense applications, detecting contraband substances for law enforcement applications, and detecting trace amounts of moisture for industrial process control.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
CLEAR SCIENCE CORP.
663 Owego Hill Road
Harford ,NY 13784 - 0233
(607) 844 - 9171

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Henry   Carlson
hcarlson@htva.net
663 Owego Hill Road
Harford ,NY  13784 -0233
(607) 844 - 9171
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Clear Science Corp. proposes to develop computational methods for designing active flow control systems on aerospace vehicles with the primary objective of controlling lift, drag, and flow separation. Simulated control inputs will include moving boundaries for aerodynamic shaping and aspirating walls for virtual shaping and separation control. The software will include model order reduction, system state estimation, integration of low-dimensional models and estimators with high-order CFD-based models for control-in-the-loop simulations, and the integration of turbulence models with control models. CSC is developing reduced-order flow control models for laminar, incompressible flow based on a proper orthogonal decomposition of the primitive flow variables, and we will extend the methods to compressible formulations with conserved variables and turbulence models. We will develop and demonstrate our computational methods using LaRC's CFD code, CFL3D. Control models and estimators will be modular in the form of both embedded and pre-processing subroutines, enabling off-line and in-the-loop control design and testing. The project will include the application of modeling and estimation techniques to moving-mesh problems for control simulations with time-dependent system disturbances (e.g. changing angles of attack) and wing warping control input. Phase I work includes a demonstration of the technical merit of the tool and the development of a detailed Phase II work plan.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed innovation offers new computational tools for designing next-generation air vehicles. The project represents an enabling technology for high-lift systems that ties directly to NASA?s Breakthrough Vehicle Technology (BVT) Program, the Morphing and Aerospace Concepts to Test (ASCoT) Project, and its Micro-Aero-Adaptive Flow Control (MAAC) element. Integrating methods of modeling flow control systems with existing NASA software will provide in-house tools to complement wind tunnel/flight tests that are ongoing under the aegis of the Efficient Aerodynamic Shapes and Integration component of the 21st Century Aircraft Technology (TCAT) Programs. All of these programs reflect NASA?s commitment to the advancement of commercial aviation.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial product to be developed is integrated CFD software for designing and simulating active flow control systems in aerospace and industrial applications. The corresponding market includes designers of aerospace, automotive, and industrial systems for which flow control is critical. Potential applications of the software include control system designs for high-lift wings on commercial aircraft (enabling short take-offs and alleviating airport congestion), noise control in aircraft and land vehicles, high-lift blades in rotorcraft, low-distortion jet engine inlets, and high-mixing combustors. Integrating the software into a validated NASA code and demonstrating it on cutting-edge problems will attract commercial customers from the aerospace community and from related manufacturing industries.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Optimal Synthesis Inc.
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto ,CA 94303 - 4622
(650) 213 - 8585

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
P. K.   Menon
menon@optisyn.com
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto ,CA  94303 -4622
(650) 213 - 8585
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Research on next-generation air traffic control systems are being conducted at several laboratories. Most of this work is being carried out using custom software. In order to provide a more uniform research platform, NASA Ames Research Center has recently developed a software package called FACET for investigating future air traffic management concepts. While the FACET software incorporates all the features needed for conducting advanced air traffic control research, extending its capabilities require significant investment in programming.
The proposed research will develop a scriptable software environment for accessing the capabilities of the FACET software. This interactive environment will enable users to readily build-in additional functionality and will allow integration with other commercial software packages. This will make the FACET capabilities accessible to a larger population of researchers, making it a powerful platform for rapid prototyping of air traffic management algorithms. Phase I research will develop an initial version of the software. The use of the software will then be illustrated by formulating several research problems. Integration of the software with commercial software packages will be demonstrated. Complete version of the proposed software will be developed during the Phase II work. Phase III will commercialize the software to the ATM community.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA researchers working on ATM concepts such as the operation of UAVs in the NAS and wind optimal trajectory computations can accelerate their research using the proposed software environment.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Software developed under the present SBIR project can be used for rapid prototyping of next-generation air traffic management and automation algorithms. This capability can quicken the pace of research in the air traffic management area.
Modified versions of the software can be used for investigating command and control architectures for multiple UAVs, spacecraft formations and groups of under water vehicles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Infoware Systems, Inc.
476 Highway A1A, Suite 7
Satellite Beach ,FL 32937 - 2331
(321) 773 - 5881

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Donald F Linton
lintond@InfowareSystems.com
476 Highway A1A, Suite 7
Satellite Beach ,FL  32937 -2331
(321) 773 - 5881
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Our innovation is a high-speed method for the prediction of aerodynamic debris fields that employs an extensive database of generalized empirical equations coupled with interpolation and localization techniques. An essential element of our innovation is the vehicle independence of the equations database which allows it to be generated once and applied to any vehicle. The large-scale operation of unpiloted aircraft within the National Airspace (NAS) will require a very high tempo of flight risk assessments, both for pre-mission planning and in the event of unplanned anomalies or deviations from the approved flight path. These risk assessments will require a large number of debris field predictions each of which will involve predicting the expected impact point and impact dispersion of many distinct representative debris pieces. Our innovation is aimed at making this volume of predictions feasible and cost-effective.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Cost-effective, rapid, debris risk assessments for NASA unpiloted aircraft, both developmental and operational. Launch and re-entry debris risk assessments for the Space Transportation System or other aerospace craft.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Federal Aviation Administration use in commercial space licensing. Cost-effective, rapid, debris risk assessments for commercially operated unpiloted aircraft and spacecraft.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Seagull Technology Inc
1700 Dell Avenue
Campbell ,CA 95008 - 6902
(408) 364 - 8200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David   Schleicher
drs@seagull.com
1700 Dell Avenue
Campbell ,CA  95008 -6902
(408) 364 - 8200
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Aviation and Air Traffic Management researchers are increasingly utilizing complex regional or NAS-wide simulations to evaluate future concepts. These analyses require many thousands of flights (a flight schedule) that are each accurately defined for every stage of the flight (a flight plan). Current methods of generating these huge input datasets are costly and time-intensive. The largely manual nature of the current process and lack of existing automation tools leaves great potential for significant errors in the data sets. We propose to develop a powerful automated system for future demand generation. This tool will be able to input a variety of existing FAA and NASA flight data sets, provide the user with extensive options on defining the future demand data set, and output new flight data sets in formats compatible with major research simulation and analysis tools. This capability will provide NASA and FAA research programs with significantly better analysis conclusions through the new ability to perform extensive sensitivity studies on new concepts to ensure they are robust to alternate potential future demand scenarios. This is crucial to ensuring the decision to proceed with a multi-million dollar Decision Support Tool development is robust to alternate future demand possibilities.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Within NASA aviation research, our demand generation application can be used to advance research efforts including advanced airspace system concept fast-time and/or human-in-the-loop evaluation and demonstration, ATM decision support tool performance and benefit evaluations, human operator (e.g., pilot, controller, or dispatcher) stress testing, aerospace vehicle-NAS integration studies, and ATM concept environmental impact studies. In general, NASA simulation capabilities exist for these areas but the capability for efficient generation of new flight demand is lacking.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The FAA or other international air traffic service providers can use our product to create future demand for their airport and airspace demand, capacity, noise and emission analyses to support future airport and airspace planning and design efforts. Commercial airlines can combine their internal flight schedules with the future flight demand generated from our product to evaluate the operability of the flight schedules airlines created and support fleet planning and optimization. Future extensions to the tool can support improved simulation and stress-testing to support planning and analysis of other transportation networks such as the nation?s highways.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Metron Aviation, Inc.
131 Elden Street, Suite 200
Herndon ,VA 20170 - 4758
(703) 456 - 0123

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Stephen    Atkins
atkins@metronaviation.com
131 Elden Stree, Suite 200
Herndon ,VA  20170 -4758
(978) 692 - 9484
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
There is presently poor knowledge throughout the National Airspace System (NAS) of the airport configurations currently in use at each airport. There is even less information about expected future configuration changes. The airport configuration is a primary factor in various airport characteristics such as arrival and departure capacities and terminal area traffic patterns. These characteristics, in turn, are central to a variety of Air Traffic Management (ATM) decisions, such as setting arrival restrictions to avoid airborne holding. Consequently, uncertainty about the current or future airport configuration can result in traffic management decisions that under-utilize or overload airports, resulting in unnecessary or inefficient delays. Moreover, air carriers would make use of configuration information. FedEx, for example, selects parking gates for arrivals to Memphis based on expected departure runways to minimize taxi congestion and time. The proposed effort will develop an airport configuration recognition and prediction system. The airport configuration depends on a variety of factors; Phase 1 will consider local weather, arrival and departure demand, noise restrictions, and airport-specific considerations.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The product of Phase 2 could be used by NASA to improve SMS or other future automation. SMS predictions currently depend on knowledge of future configuration changes, which currently must be entered manually. Errors in SMS?s knowledge of future configuration changes reduces the accuracy of SMS predictions. The proposed system could be integrated into SMS to remove the need for manual configuration entries.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Automation capable of recognizing the current airport configuration and predicting future configuration changes would likely be deployed by the FAA at a large number of airports. A variety of FAA decisions and decision support systems make assumptions about airport characteristics which depend on the airport configuration. Knowledge of airport configuration would also allow air carriers to better anticipate arrival runways and taxi times as well as departure runways, delays, and flight time. Therefore, air carriers would be interested in the output of the proposed system. Air carriers may purchase such a system for their hub airports.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Cognitive Systems Engineering, Inc.
7197 Calhoun Rd
Ostrander ,OH 43061 - 9420
(740) 666 - 1117

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Amy   Spencer
amyspencer@columbus.rr.com
7197 Calhoun Rd
Ostrander ,OH  43061 -9420
(614) 885 - 9858
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Decision support tools that make use of surface surveillance technologies data can potentially make it possible to increase airport throughput, better accommodate NAS user needs and improve safety. Currently, the major emphasis of tools like NASA?s Surface Management System and the FAA?s Departure Spacing Program has been on improving the performance of the FAA. However, to fully achieve the potential benefits, corresponding tools must be made available to NAS users. To this end, we propose to develop a sophisticated suite of tools for the NAS users that make integrated use of data about airport surface and airspace operations, and that will allow them to work more effectively in coordination with FAA staff. Two classes of tools will be explored under this SBIR. The first class will consist of programmable alerts and critiquing functions that monitor for important events. The second will focus on the design of advanced algorithms that assist with departure planning and execution. Phase I will result in the development of a prototype system that demonstrates the capabilities of these tools, along with appropriate formative evaluations. Phase II would result in the completion of an operational suite of tools.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential NASA application of the proposed effort includes integrating features and functions (expected to be useful based on input from airline user feedback) into systems such as SMS. The tools that we propose to develop focus on supporting NAS user needs. However, to fully realize the benefits of such NAS user tools through coordination with the FAA, FAA staff must have complementary capabilities. Thus the designs we develop could, in part, be incorporated into tools like SMS as part of that NASA activity.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This SBIR product will be software (with advanced interface designs and sophisticated new algorithms) whose intended market is airlines and any other NAS user groups that have centralized ramp control or dispatch functions. Taxi-time reductions and improved abilities to prioritize flights potentially represent savings by NAS users on the order of billions of dollars per year. It is our contention that these savings cannot be realized without the type of software we propose to develop, and that few other groups have the breadth and depth of expertise to develop this software as effectively. Thus, the potential market is very significant.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Metron Aviation, Inc.
131 Elden Street, Suite 200
Herndon ,VA 20170 - 4758
(703) 456 - 0123

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Robert   Hoffman
hoffman@metronaviation.com
131 Elden Street, Suite 200
Herndon ,VA  20170 -4758
(703) 456 - 0123
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A fundamental component of traffic flow management (TFM) is the rerouting of aircraft to alleviate congestion in constrained airspace. An integral concept in the future of TFM is a more collaborative process in which TFM disseminates airspace constraints and the users react with a selection of a (possibly) limited number of rerouting options. With the advent of more elaborate and collaborative traffic management initiatives, the NAS operators are now confronted with a myriad of options in rerouting and delay absorption that they have never before encountered. The only decision support tools currently available to the airlines are flight planning tools, which choose an optimal route for an isolated flight given the physical properties of the aircraft and some forecasted winds. This completely ignores the effects of traffic congestion and, therefore, the potential intervention of air traffic service providers. We propose to develop a flight rerouting decision support tool for use by the airlines that will allow rerouting choices to be made in the face of forecasted airspace constraints and traffic congestion.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The NASA Ames Research Center has designed the FACET tool to provide a simulation environment for exploration, development and evaluation of advanced air traffic management concepts. FACET is currently capable of modeling system-wide en route airspace operations over the contiguous United States. Part of the FACET mission is to model traffic flow management intiatives, such as the rerouting of aircraft around flow contrained areas. A rerouting capability that mimics airline behavior and routing preferences could be an integral part of traffic flow modeling.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Several decision support tools are under development to help the FAA design control actions or to evaluate their impact. Metron Aviation designs and maintains the Route Management Tool (RMT) to allow users to choose reroutes from among a list of known departure routes, or coded departure routes (CDRs). The Collaborative Routing Coordination Tool (CRCT), developed by MITRE, is a graphical tool that allows the user to define flow problem areas, identify affected flights, and construct and evaluate proposed reroutes. Each of these tools would benefit from a core algorithm to perform flight planning under congestion.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
K T ENGINEERING CORPORATION
4835 University Square, Suite 2
Huntsville ,AL 35816 - 1845
(256) 489 - 5832

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joseph   Szedula
4835 University Square, Suite 2
Huntsville ,AL  35816 -1845
(256) 489 - 5832
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Launch vehicle subsystem preliminary design tools that are fast, accurate, and seamlessly integrated into an electronic design and optimization environment have become an essential part of the preliminary design process. A Phase I study is proposed to significantly enhance the capabilities of the existing Aerospike Design and Performance Tool (ADAPT) computer code for use in the design and analysis of launch vehicle concepts employing altitude-compensating nozzles. Proposed Phase I enhancements include: 1) provisions to enable the analysis of user defined nozzle geometry, 2) consideration of base pressure with and without base bleed in the performance calculations, 3) methods to accommodate user defined combustion devise and nozzle efficiencies, and 4) methods to estimate potential side (control) forces resulting from asymmetric throttling of individual thrusters on an aerospike, plug, or plug-cluster engine. The proposed Phase I enhancements fit within a broader and more comprehensive Phase I-II plan. Future (Phase II) enhancements will include: 1) extension of the design and analysis methodology to other altitude compensating nozzle types, 2) modification of ADAPT allowing it to be used as an analysis module within a broader multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) framework, and 3) a web-based user interface.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The enhanced ADAPT computer code will provide NASA with an innovative preliminary design tool to assess the technical viability of next generation launch vehicles. When integrated into NASA?s multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization process, ADAPT will significantly improve NASA?s ability to quickly and accurately perform integrated analyses and evaluation of preliminary launch vehicle concepts employing altitude-compensating nozzles.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The enhanced ADAPT computer code is a significant addition to existing MDO techniques and tools currently available in the public domain. Computer models such as POST, OTIS, OPGUID are used extensively in launch vehicle preliminary design studies. In addition, large aerospace companies typically possess proprietary tools that perform essentially similar analyses. ADAPT will be integrated as an analysis module that can be embedded into a launch vehicle MDO simulation and driven by a numerical optimizer. It will be used by non-NASA engineers in the evaluation of preliminary vehicle concepts employing altitude-compensating nozzles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
BARRON ASSOCIATES, INC.
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite300
Charlottesville ,VA 22901 - 0807
(434) 973 - 1215

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
John   Schierman
schierman@barron-associates.com
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite300
Charlottesville ,VA  22901 -0807
(434) 973 - 1215
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Barron Associates, Inc. proposes to develop a novel on-line trajectory optimization approach for Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) under failure scenarios, targeting alternative abort-landing sites. Key features of the proposed approach are:
An innovative on-line optimization approach: By describing decision variables (variables whose optimal solutions are sought) in terms of appropriate basis functions, the trajectory optimization problem can be reformulated to find the relatively few basis function coefficients that characterize the desired trajectory. This significantly reduces the search domain, enabling rapid convergence to feasible solutions. This key idea will be coupled with a numerical optimization approach known as Piecewise Linear Programming (PLP), which has been used successfully in related programs requiring on-line, real-time optimal solu-tions.
A generic bootstrapping capability: To improve the speed and robustness of the on-line procedure, a method will be developed to generate initializing trajectories for the on-line optimization that are suitable for all recoverable ranges, vehicle configurations, energy conditions, and abort scenarios.
Phase I simulation studies will demonstrate on-line generation of alternative re-entry trajectories for dif-ferent landing targets and vehicle configurations. Computation time and accuracy will be assessed from the simulation studies.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
With the increased emphasis on affordable, reliable access to space, Barron Associates anticipates a number of opportunities to apply this SBIR-developed technology to space launch vehicles. The main application of our technologies is to provide increased safety and reliability to future launch platforms. This is accomplished by enabling the guidance system to autonomously adapt, and the trajectory com-mands to autonomously reshape to account for subsystem failures or off-nominal vehicle behavior. In the event that a mission abort is required, the current proposed effort is aimed at furthering the capabilities to autonomously re-target the commanded trajectory to alternative destinations.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Other potential applications of the proposed technology are in the areas of: (1) "smart" munitions and guided missiles, (2) other unmanned systems, such as UAVs, UGVs and UUVs, and (3) international or commercial (non-NASA) satellite/spacecraft systems, such as satellite formation operations and un-manned re-supply of the International Space Station. It is anticipated that integration of the unique trajec-tory reshaping capabilities that would be developed as part of the proposed effort would offer these sys-tems significantly advanced autonomy in ever-changing battlefield environments and/or mission require-ments.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
PHYSICAL OPTICS CORPORATION
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance ,CA 90501 - 1821
(310) 320 - 3088

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Russell   Kurtz
sutama@poc.com
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance ,CA  90501 -1821
(310) 320 - 3088
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA is seeking improved methods of rapid prototyping, which are best achieved by using directed metal deposition (DMD). Current DMD systems consume a great deal of power, are inefficient, require significant flow of cooling water, and are fixed in one location. To address the need for a rapid prototyping DMD laser, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new holographic optical element-based laser diode source (HOELDS) to replace conventional DMD lasers. The proposed laser source is an innovative combination of extended laser diode arrays with a non-imaging beam combiner to produce over 500 W output in a 100 micron diameter spot. HOELDS will greatly increase efficiency, resulting in a less expensive prototyping system that can be moved from laboratory to laboratory as needed, requiring only wall plug power, and cooled without water. In Phase I, POC will design, assemble, and test a HOELDS model to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technology. In Phase II, HOELDS technology will be optimized to produce a prototype DMD laser for evaluation in an engineering environment. This project will be followed by a smooth transition to a commercial prototype that will be compact, power-efficient, and portable.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The capability of a HOELDS-based DMD system to operate on wall plug power will make it very useful to all NASA sites requiring rapid prototyping. Its portability will permit on-the-spot prototyping and repair of many diversified NASA?s metallic components. A HOELDS-based rapid prototyping device will be beneficial for any NASA facility having a laboratory building mechanical components or devices.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The HOELDS capabilities that make it so attractive for NASA applications make it equally so for commercial ones. HOELDS technology brings methods of rapid prototyping, parts replacement, and repair of metallic components to the tooling industry (currently $100 billion per year) and the high-performance parts industry. The portability of a HOELDS-based DMD system also makes it attractive to other government agencies. For example, HOELDS meets the need of the U.S. Army to fabricate parts on or near the battlefield.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nassau Stern Company
3216 Kirkwood Hwy., #113
Wilmington ,DE 19808 - 6130
(302) 559 - 0504

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Alexander   Brown
alexbrown@comcast.net
3216 Kirkwood Hwy., #113
Wilmington ,DE  19808 -6130
(302) 559 - 0504
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Nassau Stern Company is investigating an approach for manufacturing oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) aluminum in bulk rather than powder form. The approach combines novel ceramic injection molding technology to produce preforms for subsequent pressure infiltration casting with aluminum. The preforms contain between 30 and 40 volume percent sub-micron aluminum oxide and 60 to 70 volume percent nano-porosity. The resulting ODS aluminum could be near net-shape or as a billet ready for secondary processing. If successful, this approach will eliminate defects associated with consolidating powders into bulk form, such as contamination, adsorbed gas and non-uniform packing. Elimination of these defects will allow the ODS aluminum to perform closer to theoretical tensile strength, especially at elevated temperatures. ODS aluminum is also expected to possess exceptional elevated temperature fatigue behavior, vital for aerospace propulsion components and structures. The high level of aluminum oxide will also improve thermal expansion and stiffness behavior of the ODS aluminum. The envisioned elevated temperature performance of ODS aluminum will open up a wide range of space and aviation applications not feasible for conventional aluminum alloys.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The improved performance of ODS aluminum, especially at elevated temperature, would permit its application to structures for launch vehicles as well as space and satellite structures. The material would also be suitable airframe structures, ducting and turbine shrouds and missile fins.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The increased stiffness and thermal expansion behavior makes ODS aluminum suitable for structural components contained in precision optic systems and computer disk drives. The performance at elevated temperatures would be beneficial for internal combustion engine pistons, cylinder liners and connecting rods as well as disk brake rotors.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
WEBCORE TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
2000 Composite Drive
Dayton ,OH 45420 - 0000
(937) 297 - 4200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Fredrick   Stoll
msheppard@webcoreonline.com
2000 Composite Drive
Dayton ,OH  45420 -0000
(937) 297 - 4200
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry states that reducing the cost to orbit is an essential ingredient for progress. This Phase I project will focus on the development of composite sandwich panel technology for large rocket payload fairings that shows promise to greatly reduce production costs compared to current large-fairing constructions. An innovative foam and fiber preform technology will be used with Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP) molding to produce high-performance, damage-resistant sandwich panel designs that enable cost reductions in tooling, materials, and processing, and that are free of the size limitations imposed by existing autoclaves. The preforms are fabricated from low-cost fiber forms and foams using high-speed, automated processes. The preforms work well with VIP molding, an environmentally friendly, non-autoclave process suitable for large, integrated structures. The orthotropic tailorability of the preforms will be exploited by using a linked local/global design analysis to achieve minimum-weight composite sandwich designs for a selected large-diameter fairing application. Sandwich panel designs will be fabricated and tested for mechanical and physical properties. The designs will be assessed by comparing structural performance and projected fairing fabrication costs against the baseline aluminum honeycomb/prepreg/autoclave technology.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future space-lift of large systems for space- and earth-science research

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future space-lift of large systems for manufacturing, telecommunications, and colonization of space.

Military Applications: Air Force Space-Based Laser

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Synterials, Inc
318 Victory Drive
Herndon ,VA 20170 - 5216
(703) 471 - 9310

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Daniel R Petrak
dpetrak@synterials.com
318 Victory Drive
Herndon ,VA  20170 -5216
(703) 471 - 9310
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Interface coatings for fiber-reinforced composites are an enabling
technology for high temperature ceramic matrix composites. Because of
their availability and relative cost, graphite fibers are preferred for
many structural composite of interest for space propulsion applications.
However, high temperature stable silicon carbide fibers are also of
interest, even though they are higher cost. Recent work at Synterials,
has suggested that a thin layer of carbon at the surface of the fiber is
key to preventing corrosion of the fiber and subsequent fiber strength
reduction on graphite fibers. The proposed work will evaluate three
interface coatings one three graphite fibers and one silicon carbide
fiber. The coating are: B4C, Si-doped BN/Si3N4 and HfC. The coatings
will be evaluated by preparing mini-composites via a polymer plus CVI
processing route.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
These materials should find application in commercial and military
aerospace engines as well as power generation components.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A successful demonstration of this technology will have utility for many
high temperature structural applications. These should include control
surfaces, and engine components for advanced reusable launce vehicles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Foster-Miller Inc
350 Second Ave
Waltham ,MA 02451 - 1196
(781) 684 - 4000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Uday   Kashalikar
ukashalikar@foster-miller.com
350 Second Ave
Waltham ,MA  02451 -1196
(781) 684 - 4125
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Foster-Miller will demonstrate a novel processing method to develop environmentally resistant C/SiC composites for turbomachinery. The need to reduce the weight, size, and costs of current systems make the use of SiC ideal in these high temperatures and extreme environments. Traditional processing of SiC materials are inherently limited in terms of component thicknesses and overall sizes that can be processed, as well as uniform densification. Also, pure SiC matrices are subject to attack in the environments expected for these components, e.g., hydrogen rich steam and oxygen rich environments.

Foster-Miller proposes a protected C/SiC composite from preceramic polymer as a solution to NASA systems? weight, environmental resistance, and cost requirements. A number of specimens will be fabricated to demonstrate mechanical strength, thermal capability, and environmental durability of these materials. The Phase II program will demonstrate repeatability in properties and produce relevant CMC components that will be tested under simulated service conditions. (P-040053)

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Preceramic polymer based SiC CMC?s provide affordability and potential for scale-up in size. After resolving the major shortcoming of current PIP based CMC?s ? poor environmental resistance, these material will find a number of airborne and space based applications, including space optics, advanced earth-to-orbit propulsion systems, and hypersonic vehicles. Specifically, rocket turbomachinery components such as nozzle ramp (active cooled structures), turbine blades, thrust chambers, resulting from this technology will produce substantial improvement in propulsion system performance and cost.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
After this environmentally durable CMC technology is demonstrated in government aerospace applications, it will find a number of commercial and industrial applications. These include: a) turbine, combustion chamber and recuperator components in gas turbine engines for unmanned combat aircraft as well as commercial aircraft, b) automotive/diesel engine components such as turbocharger rotors, rocker arms, etc., c) tribological applications such as brake materials, capstans, etc, and d) industrial applications such as pump vanes for handling and distribution of corrosive chemicals and erosive slurries.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
THOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
2415 Princeton NE, Suite B
Albuquerque ,NM 87107 - 1731
(505) 830 - 6986

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Stuart   Schwab
stschwab@thortech.biz
2415 Princeton NE, Suite B
Albuquerque ,NM  87107 -1731
(505) 830 - 6986
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
For Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV), Either a Rocket-based or Turbine-based Combined Cycle (RBCC or TBCC) engine will power the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). Both TBCC and RBCC engines include operation as a scramjet. The RBCC and TBCC environments are exceedingly hostile, and actively cooled components are likely to play critical roles in both engines. The development of actively cooled fiber-reinforced ceramic (FRC) composites for combined cycle engines has the potential to increase performance and reduce component cost by replacing exotic metals, such as rhenium. Unfortunately, effective methods of processing FRCs are lacking, and active cooling strategies cumbersome. In addition, reliable methods of inspecting FRC components after manufacture and following assembly are needed. Thor Technologies, Inc. will team with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and and engine company to validate an innovative process that produces novel hybrid metal/FRC composite materials suitable for use in combined cycle engines, with the goal of developing an actively cooled FRC nozzle. In addition, Thor Technologies will work with another small business to refine non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods with the potential for assuring the quality of hybrid metal/FRC composites as manufactured and following assembly.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed hybrid metal/ceramic matrix ceramic composites have the potential to serve in a range of applications that require active cooling. The flow path of both the RBCC and TBCC propulsion systems under development through NGLV have a number of components that could potentially be made lighter and more durable if constructed of these materials. Thermal protection structures and aeroassist structures are other potential applications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The process can be used to produce a wide range of ceramics and ceramic composites for which substantial civilian markets exist. Fiber-reinforced ceramics are low-density materials that provide strength at high temperature and/or under corrosive conditions, and will displace metals in a range of applications, both civilian and military. In the civilian arena, potential applications range from non-corrosive vessels for petrochemical processing and waste incineration to lightweight, high temperature components for turbine engines.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ASPEN AEROGELS, INC.
184 Cedar Hill St.
Marlborough ,MA 01752 - 3017
(508) 481 - 5058

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
George L Gould
glgould@aerogel.com
184 Cedar Hill St.
Marlborough ,MA  01752 -3017
(508) 481 - 5058
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA?s Next Generation Launch Vehicle Technology Program has an interest in robust TPS materials with the highest level of thermal performance at the lowest possible areal weight. The materials need to be oxidatively stable and insensitive to water vapor, and able to perform with a minimum of material hysteresis over many cycles. Flexible silica aerogel composites, a class of super-insulation material recently developed by Aspen Aerogels, has not been utilized before in high temperature TPS designs. Thermophysical characterization data will be collected during the Phase I program for high-temperature durable, oxidatively stable, flexible aerogel composites at different densities, pressures and temperatures. The test data will be useful for re-entry TPS sizing studies, using existing aeroframe design and affiliated heat loads and environmental conditions for the re-entry trajectory. The materials optimized in the Phase I program will be available for thermal testing at NASA Langley under conditions relevant to Earth re-entry by reuseable launch vehicles for the coldest layers of the TPS system. Aerogel augmented TPS designs are likely to save significant parasitic TPS weight compared to the most promising non-aerogel alternatives available today. The aerogels will be compatible with all high temperature capable face-skin materials.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed aerogel containing TPS systems will significantly lower parasitic launch weight for reusable launch vehicles and deep space probes, allowing significant increases in scientific payload weight and/or volume. The materials may also find use integrated into structural TPS lay-ups for Next Generation Launch Vehicles. Flexible aerogel composites may be used in advanced space suit insulation and other NASA relevant applications where multi-layer insulation (MLI) is currently used.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Low-density, high temperature capable flexible aerogel composites have bright commercial prospects. The materials are currently the best solid insulation materials currently available, and are finding use in a wide range of commercial, military, and government aerospace applications. The low-density materials optimized in this program could be used as an MLI replacement for thermal management systems on satellites and as thermoacoustic insulation on new commercial aircraft designs.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Materials Research and Design
1024 E.Lancaster Ave
Rosemont ,PA 19010 - 1449
(610) 526 - 9540

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Guido   Teti
guido.teti@m-r-d.com
1024 E.Lancaster Ave
Rosemont ,PA  19010 -1449
(610) 526 - 9540
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Effort explores using innovative hybrid reinforced carbon-carbon, refractory ceramics, super alloys and composite materials as thermal protection system specifically in the 4000?F range with leading edge radii of between 0.03? and 1.0?. The RLV leading edge is the primary TPS that space vehicles use re-entering the atmosphere traveling at hypersonic speeds. Depending on the Mach number spacecraft surface temperatures are as high 4000?F.

The shape of the RLV leading edge, primarily the radius affects the functionality of the spacecraft including RLV drag, lift and leading edge aero-thermal heating. Sharper leading edges create lift and re-entry cross range capabilities. The downside of sharp leading edges is that aero-thermal heating is increased, resulting in steep thermal gradients. These thermal gradients create high thermal stresses. Blunt leading edges leading edges have less thermal gradient and therefore thermal stresses are lower. However, the cross range capabilities of the vehicle are reduced.

Tasks include parametric definition of hybrid composite material architectures RLV leading edge for maximum lift, cross range and durability at temperatures of 4000?F for radii in the 0.03 to 1? range. The goal is finding the optimal hybrid composite material combinations/coatings and architectures for given leading edge radii. RLV.

Analyses for hybrid leading edge designs include: Micro-mechanical material computations for hybrid material property, calculation of leading edge aerothermal heating heat transfer coefficient, heat rate and pressure load as a function of leading edge radius. Transient heat transfer analyses for calculation of leading edge thermal gradients. Thermal stress analyses using temperature gradients. Evaluation of leading edge response, as a function of hybrid material architecture via material failure ratios.

The result of these analyses will provide the best hybrid material candidates and RLV leading edge designs.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Anticipated Benefits/Potential Commercial Applications of the Research or Development

MR&D?s core business is design and structural analysis of high temperature composite materials. The technology and design tools developed in this SBIR program will allow MR&D to expand our client base and offer more capability to our existing customers. Additionally, the technology developed here will translate to other commercial and government applications to expand the market for refractory materials in hybrid material leading edges, nozzles, hypersonic airframes and ramjet engines.

Potential commercial users of the hybrid leading edge materials are companies including, NASA, Boeing, Rockwell, Thiokol, Lockheed Martin, ATK numerous others.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential commercial users of the hybrid leading edge materials are companies including, NASA, Boeing, Rockwell, Thiokol, Lockheed Martin, ATK numerous others.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Advanced Materials Products Inc
8180 Boyle Parkway
Twinsburg ,OH 44087 - 2234
(330) 487 - 0474

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Vladimir S. Moxson
moxson@admaproducts.com
8180 Boyle Parkway
Twinsburg ,OH  44087 -2234
(330) 487 - 0474
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Gamma titanium aluminide (TiAl) alloys with their low density (~3.9g/cm3), good elevated temperature strength, stiffness, creep resistance and acceptable burn and oxidation resistance have excellent potential for use in high temperature aerospace applications at temperatures between 500oC to 1000oC instead of the currently used high density (~8.9g/cm3) Ni-based superalloys. However, its poor intermediate and room temperature ductility cause conventional manufacturing operations such as rolling, forging or drawing to be difficult for titanium aluminides, thus leading to very high cost of TiAl components (currently up to $10,000 per 30? by 12? by 0.04? sheet from an offshore source, Plansee in Austria). In the proposed program cost-effective flat products (sheet/foil) and NNS ?chunky? components of monolithic TiAl and composites concepts (TiAl/Ti high-temp alloy/TiAl, TiAl/Ti3Al/TiAl, and TiAl/ceramic concepts) will be fabricated by a patented loose sintering approach. This low cost approach, which allows flexibility in gauge product, a hot pressing approach, microstructure and mechanical properties of the products as well as formability and joining/diffusion bonding capabilities will be evaluated with the goal of achieving the requirements for structural use. These components can be used in next generation launch vehicle airframe (experiencing extensive aerodynamic heating) and engine applications.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The driving force behind developing an innovative, low-cost TiAl-based alloy sheet/foil, TiAl/Ti/TiAl composites sheet and NNS ?chunky? TiAl product by the P/M approach, if for use TiAl alloy sheet/foil for thermal protection honeycomb structures and other structural components for aerospace launch vehicles applications, and for commercial engines and ATF/JSF propulsion system applications. This technology can be used in space systems and the next generation of weapon systems, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), requiring lightweight structures. NASA and the Air Force will likely integrate an innovative, low-cost TiAl-based alloy sheet/foil product by the P/M approach for military engines and aircrafts, a potential large market for military application.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Innovative low-cost technology can be used in both commercial and military aircrafts, requiring lightweight structures. Major domestic aerospace companies such as Goodwich Aerospace, Boeing Co. and aero engine OEM?s namely General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce Allison will likely integrate an innovative, low-cost TiAl-based alloy sheet/foil product by the P/M approach for engines and aircrafts, a potential large market for commercial application.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Accudyne Systems, Inc.
134 B Sandy Drive
Newark ,DE 19713 - 1147
(302) 369 - 5390

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mark   Gruber
mgruber@accudynesys.com
134 B Sandy Drive
Newark ,DE  19713 -1147
(302) 369 - 5390
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Reduced mass composite materials are crucial to the success of aerospace systems, but are inhibited by expensive autoclave consolidation, especially for large parts. To remedy this, NASA-LaRC has been developing cost-effective high-performance thermoplastic composite materials for years. NASA materials could dramatically reduce the cost of large aerospace structures, because those materials avoid the autoclave. However, NASA lacks a robust, cost-effective fabrication process to tow-place these emerging materials into laminates, and thus can?t evaluate their usefulness to industry.

This program develops for NASA-LaRC the processing equipment that allows material evaluation and allows out-of-autoclave fiber placement. In particular, this program will deliver a heated in situ deposition head to fit on NASA-LaRCs placement machine. Heads can also be sold to industrial companies for existing placement machines so that aerospace composites can be fabricated out of the autoclave.

In phase I, the deposition head will be designed and reviewed with NASA. The process window requirements for the placement head for NASA materials will be verified. In phase II, we will complete the design, fabricate, install, and prove-out the head equipment. We then start up the deposition head at NASA so that the emerging NASA-LaRC materials can be proven in laminates.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Accudyne Systems Inc. will construct a deposition head for NASA-LaRC so that NASA?s emerging materials can be evaluated and promoted to all the major aerospace prime contractors for fabricating large composite structures without the need for an autoclave.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is nothing that could be done that would lower the cost of composites more than to eliminate the autoclave. The major applications are large aerospace composites such as launch vehicles, launch vehicle tanks, satellites, wing and fuselage skins for commercial and military transport aircraft, fighter aircraft structure, helicopters, and submarine structure. Other commercial applications include high-speed trains, and electric-powered automobiles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
General Kinetics LLC
22661Lambert St, Suite 205
Lake Forest ,CA 92630 - 1612
(949) 768 - 0166

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mark C. Ventura
gkllc@gkllc.com
22661Lambert St, Suite 205
Lake Forest ,CA  92630 -1612
(949) 768 - 0166
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
High Test Peroxide (HTP) Highly Compatible High Sealing Conical Seals are necessary for ground test operations and space based applications. Current conical seals are all made from relatively incompatible materials and the most compatible materials have limitations: stainless steel seals are hard to seat, especially at large sizes and are still only acceptable for short term exposure at best, whereas aluminum seals corrode quickly when exposed to HTP and other metals such as stainless steel. The other common materials for conical seals, copper and nickel, are unsuited for HTP applications. A highly compatible conical seal is non-existent, and the best seal available is stainless steel which is at best Class 2 and difficult to seal. High compatible conical seals will permit long term storage HTP systems to be created and will improve operations which are currently using short term HTP systems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA test facilities, such as NASA-Stennis, Upper Stage Flight Experiment, Rocket Based Combined Cycle, 2nd Generation Launch Vehicle Orbital Space Plane, upgrades to wind tunnels.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Missile Defense Agency Divert Attitude Control systems, USAF Air Born Laser, US Army Tactical HIgh Energy Laser and Mobile Tactical HIgh Engery Laser, USAF Liquid Surrogate Target vehicle, USAF biological-chemical warfare defense systems, militray space plane, drones (Future Combat Systems), HTP powered exo-skeletons (military), commercial launch vehicles, commercial hydrogen peroxide users, petro-chemical industry (off shore oil-rigs).

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Orbital Technologies Corp
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison ,WI 53717 - 1961
(608) 827 - 5000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Daniel J.  Gramer
koffarnusl@orbitec.com
1212 Fourier Drive
Madison ,WI  53717 -1961
(608) 827 - 5000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The innovation is a Multi-Use Non-Intrusive Flow Characterization System (FCS) for densified, normal boiling point, and two-phase cryogenic flows, capable of accurately measuring several fluid parameters in real-time. Cryogenic fluids are ubiquitous in the aerospace industry. Their low temperatures inherently promote heat transfer from the ambient environment which often results in two-phase flows that cannot be adequately characterized by existing instrumentation. FCS was originated to address this issue and greatly enhance the quantification, reliability, safety, and autonomous operations of propulsion test operations. FCS handles both transient and steady state flows, and is anticipated to have a fast response time. The technology can non-intrusively operate in the following five modes: 1) on-line analysis of fluid mixtures; 2) mass flow rate measurement; 3) temperature measurement; 4) fluid conditioning and health monitoring; and 5) model validation for a cryogenic or non-cryogenic fluid flow. Phase I has been structured to provide design, analytical, experimental, and data analysis groundwork toward the successful development of the proposed technology, including the characterization of high pressure LOX flows. The Phase II program will produce a prototype commercial FCS System for delivery to NASA Stennis Space Center, and use at several other NASA centers and commercial facilities.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Accurate, non-intrusive cryogenic flow sensors have been highly sought after for decades. There is a fundamental need for measurement of densified, normal boiling point, and two-phase cyrogenic flows for ground based, space, and ISRU applications. There are several NASA facilities and programs at SSC, KSC, GRC, MSFC, JSC, and JPL that could benefit from successful development of FCS where it could find application in: ground based flow metering and control, fluid conditioning and health monitoring, analytical model validation, applied fluid physics and microgravity research, in-space cryogenic fluid management and mass quantity gauging, and planetary operations.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is a large market for an accurate, non-intrusive cryogenic flow sensor capable of handling a wide variety of flows. Commercial aerospace companies and DoD have similar FCS applications requirements to NASA, including: ground-based flow metering and control, fluid conditioning and health monitoring, analytical model validation, applied fluid physics and microgravity research, in-space cryogenic fluid management and in-space mass quantity gauging. Outside of the aerospace community, FCS has commercial potential in the paper, refrigeration, cryogenics, automotive and many other industries. Examples of FCS applications include: determining when a system has been sufficiently chilled down; measuring and diagnosing heat leaks into fluid flow networks; and accurate metering and controlled delivery.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
OPTIMAL SOLUTIONS SOFTWARE, LLC
2825 West 1700 North
Idaho Falls ,ID 83402 - 5331
(208) 521 - 4660

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ernest C Perry
eperry@optimalsolutions.us
926 W. 900 N.
Provo ,UT  83402 -5331
(801) 400 - 0105
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used as an analysis tool to help the designer gain greater understanding of the fluid flow phenomena involved in the components being designed. The next step in the design process is to modify the design to improve the componentys performance, typically performed manually by the designer in a trial and error fashion. The innovations proposed herein will provide important advances in the state-of-the-art of automatic CFD shape deformation and optimization software. Optimal Solutions Software (OSS) has been developing a software program called Sculptor, which provides capabilities to perform shape deformation and optimization in CFD design. When the innovations proposed herein are included in Sculptor, and coupled with NASAys Stennis Space Centerys (SSC) CFD code, a truly innovative and significant design tool will be available to perform automatic shape optimization. Sculptor can find new geometric shapes, in a timely manner that likely would not have been discovered without its use. Therefore Sculptor is an innovator in and of itself, when used by knowledgeable engineers.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The innovative tools created and included into Sculptor will allow NASA engineers to perform shape optimization and computational fluid dynamic design quickly and efficiently in many areas including:
- Rocket motors: nozzles, combustors, injectors, diffusers, other rocket motor components,
- Heat exchangers,
- Aerodynamic shapes of aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, trucks, etc.
- Valves, general pipefittings, elbows, T-fittings, etc.
Practically any component's performance that involves fluid and/or heat flow or chemically reacting flow could be optimized with these tools.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The same tools created in this project will be able to help Non-NASA government and commercial entities solve complex CFD-based shape optimization problems such as:
- Automobile intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, air conditioning ducts, fans, radiators, external aerodynamic shapes, etc.
- Aircraft and airfoil shapes, turbomachinery, intakes, diffussors, combustors, etc.
- Plastic mold injection ports, thicknesses of molds, etc.
- Reactor design for efficient mixing, combusting, potentially reducing polutants being created in the reactors.
- Practically any component that involves fluid and/or heat flow as well as chemically reacting flow could be optimized with these tools.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Streamline Numerics, Inc.
3221 NW 13th Street, Suite A
Gainesville ,FL 32609 - 2189
(352) 271 - 8841

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Siddharth   Thakur
st@snumerics.com
3221 NW 13th Street, Suite A
Gainesville ,FL  32609 -2189
(352) 271 - 8841
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A design and analysis computational tool is proposed for simulating unsteady reacting flows in combustor devices used in reusable launch vehicles. Key aspects guiding the development are: (a) accuracy, (b) efficiency, and (c) integration of multidisciplinary techniques. To accurately reflect the physics, the tool must include unsteady, all-speed flow modeling with real-fluid effects and be multidisciplinary, including solid-phase thermal and stress analysis. Efficiency necessitates large-scale parallel computing. Finally, the computational framework must allow an efficient integration of multidisciplinary physics. The key features of the proposed tool are: (1) a rule-based framework called LOCI which automatically handles parallel computing and multidisciplinary algorithm integration; (2) all-speed pressure-based CFD methodology (embedded in a code called STREAM); (3) unsteady flow solver with finite-rate chemistry on unstructured grids; (4) real-fluid modeling (RFM); (5) tightly-coupled multidisciplinary physics, including solid-phase thermal and stress analysis. Phase I work will consist of: (a) implementing unsteady finite-rate combustion capability into LOCI-STREAM and (b) laying the foundation for implementing real-fluid models into LOCI. Phase II will accomplish: (a) integration of real-fluid models into LOCI-STREAM; (b) integration of solid-phase heat transfer and finite element stress analysis with the fluid flow solver. The resulting CFD tool will be called LOCI-STREAM-RFM.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The outcome of Phase I and Phase II research activities will be a powerful CFD-based design and analysis tool (called LOCI-STREAM-RFM) for combustor devices in rocket engines used in reusable launch vehicles. The enhanced physical models (such as real-fluid and advanced turbulence models), the tightly coupled multidisciplinary physics, and the efficient unsteady simulation capability will result in a better understanding of the complex physics involved in such devices. It is anticipated that all these capabilities in a unified framework will lead to better and more cost-effective design and analysis process for NASA.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The computational tool resulting from this SBIR project will have wide-ranging commercial applications. The reacting flow capability can be used for simulating combusting flows in various industrial applications, such as gas turbine engines, diesel engines, etc. The real-fluid methodology can be used in a large number of industrial flow situations involving both chemically inert and reacting flows. With future additions of other combustion and multi-phase models, the applicability of LOCI-STREAM-RF can be further broadened.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Big Horn Valve, Inc.
248 W Works Street
Sheridan ,WY 82801 - 4213
(307) 672 - 5443

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Zachary   Gray
zg@WyomingSilicon.com
248 W Works Street
Sheridan ,WY  82801 -4213
(307) 672 - 5443
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A cylindrical, low-mass, high-efficiency, leak-proof cryogenic valve will be designed using composites and exotic metals. Based upon cryogenically-proven Venturi Off-Set Technology (VOST) the valve has no stem-actuator, few moving parts, and an overall cylindrical shape. The valve geometry will help reduce launch vehicle complexity and facilitate assembly and test. Reliability and safety and will be enhanced due to the inherent simplicity and leak-proof design of the VOST valve.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential NASA uses include both launch vehicle and extraterrestrial use. Ground-based applications will benefit from enhanced thermal performance which will reduce recurring costs. Vehicle applications benefit from low-mass and compact, cylindrical geometry.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA uses include military and civilian aircraft, chemically corrosive industrial environments, and medical applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Combustion Research and Flow Technology,
6210 Keller's Church Road
Pipersville ,PA 18947 - 1020
(215) 766 - 1520

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ashvin    Hosangadi
hosangad@craft-tech.com
6210 Keller's Church Road
Pipersville ,PA  18947 -1020
(215) 766 - 1520
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
There currently are no analytical or CFD tools that can reliably predict unsteady cavitation dynamics in liquid rocket cryogenic systems. Analysis of cavitating cryogenic systems presents a challenge, and is poorly understood, because the phase change process couples with the temperature fluctuations in the fluid. In particular when large scale flow unsteadiness is present at low-flow, off-design conditions, this coupling can lead to significant enhancement of vaporization and possibly lead to cavitation instabilities. These large amplitude, dynamic loads can interact with other system components and cause severe damage. The innovation proposed here is the development of an unsteady numerical framework that can predict amplitudes and frequencies of dynamic pressure loads in cryogenic fluids. This innovation will address the inclusion of advanced unsteady cavitation models, validation for pressure fluctuations in cryogenic fluids, and development of unsteady boundary conditions for coupling the turbopump to other system components. An experimental program will be set up in the Phase II effort to obtain unsteady flow data for code validation. The resulting product, a specialized version of the multi-element unstructured CRUNCH CFD code, will be a well-validated and reliable analysis tool that can be used to predict unsteady, off-design performance of liquid rocket turbopumps.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed effort directly impacts NASA?s NGLT program. Next generation liquid rocket systems under consideration envision novel designs for turbopumps that can be throttled over a wide range of low, off-design flow conditions; an extremely demanding flow regime where performance loss and damage from cavitation instabilities can be catastrophic. There are currently no reliable means to predict detailed three-dimensional flow parameters required to analyze system safety. Hence, the proposed advanced CFD tool, that will be well-validated against detailed experimental data, can play a role in both analyzing and optimizing designs for improved performance and safety of cryogenic turbopump systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This product will impact commercial applications in two areas: 1) modeling specialty pumps (e.g. refrigerant systems, chemical pumps for volatile fluids, and boiler feed pumps) where thermal effects of cavitation become important, and 2) predicting unsteady, off-design operation of high energy systems. The generalized real fluid formulation in the CRUNCH CFD? tool is a unique capability that is critical for ?real? fluid systems. Furthermore, there currently are no tools to predict dynamic loads in high energy pump systems. The product developed here will provide a reliable, high-fidelity tool for modeling unsteady pump operation.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
OPTIMUS Corporation
8601 Georgia Avenue Suite 700
Silver Spring ,MD 20910 - 0000
(301) 585 - 7075

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Eric A  Adolphe
eric.adolphe@optimuscorp.com
8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 700
Silver Spring ,MD  20910 -0000
(301) 585 - 7075
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposed project aims to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a data mining system designed to facilitate the interpretation of information obtained from distributed information sources. Each source providing data on high value data would be modeled as an information retrieval system. This approach is effective whenever several systems are available that are used by different groups to retrieve information from databases defined in the same information universe.
For purposes of insuring comparability and defining a shared information universe for investigative operations, a uniform resource identifier (UFI) will be used to filter the raw data. An independent retrieval system, defined on the distributed databases of UFIs, will be implemented for the sources. The collective results of these systems will be used to determine (in real-time) a norm for any given search. This norm will then be used to identify either high-profile or unusual activities that warrant further investigation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In order to reduce the risks inherent in space flight, it is essential to provide tools that enable efficient visualization of human causal factors that could directly contribute to accidents. The envisioned ?Anthony-Pro? will eventually assist in preventing mishaps through real-time identification of accident precursors prior to launch readiness review. Mined data could be displayed graphically and could be used in automated identification of trends and enhance supervisory monitoring activities. Extracting human mishap data in order to eliminate future reoccurrence, will also further NASA and the FAA?s mission to increase the safety and capacity of the NAS.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Anthony-Pro is applicable to any aviation or space operation with high value information spread over disparate data sources. This is especially true where there is a potential for loss of life or substantial economic value. Providing enhanced visualization of the information (e.g. fault trees), with the ability to highlight the most important information that warrant attention or investigation would make it more desirable. An incomplete list of potential uses include aircraft manufacturing, simultaneously mining data from multiple automobiles "black boxes" by insurers, and management and maintenance of municipal bus, military motor pool, commercial (UPS, FedEX), and maritime fleets.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Optimal Synthesis Inc.
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto ,CA 94303 - 4622
(650) 213 - 8585

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Victor   Cheng
vcheng@optisyn.com
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto ,CA  94303 -4622
(650) 213 - 8585
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Faced with ever-increasing projections of air traffic, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been developing advanced technologies to increase traffic-handling capacity at existing airports. Efforts to increase airport capacity approach the problem on two fronts: the first is to increase the number of runways (i.e. more usable space), and the second is to develop new technologies to achieve reduction in aircraft separation and consequently increase in landing rate per runway (i.e. higher density). Although increasing usable runways is ultimately inevitable, doing so often imposes new technical problems that compromise efficiency and safety. Modifying an existing airport layout increases surface traffic complexity with a higher level of aircraft and surface vehicle traffic, resulting in increased occurrences of runway crossing. A previous NASA-funded research addresses the air traffic control needs for ground-control operations with the development of a Ground-Operation Situation Awareness and Flow Efficiency (GO-SAFE) system. A new Surface Operation Automation Research (SOAR) project explores the concept of collaborative automation between the GO-SAFE system and a Flight-deck Automation for Reliable Ground Operation (FARGO) system. The currently proposed effort will advance the interface technology to help the flight crew achieve the precise taxi control envisioned for the FARGO system.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technologies to be developed under this SBIR are applicable to NASA?s Aviation Capacity Program and Aviation Safety and Security Program, to contribute to their goals of improving air traffic efficiency and safety. In particular, the pilot interface technologies are useful for realizing the SOAR concept, which is being developed under support from the VAMS project.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Like most of the products developed under the NASA Aviation Capacity Program and Aviation Safety and Security Program, the technologies sought by this SBIR proposal are targeted for civil aviation. As the global travel requirements increase and the major airports execute their plans to increase capacity through expansion, efficient taxi operations and runway crossings are quickly becoming major issues at these airports. The technologies to be developed under this SBIR can be adopted by the avionics manufacturers in conjunction with other technologies currently under development by the NASA programs.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Metron Aviation, Inc.
131 Elden Street, Suite 200
Herndon ,VA 20170 - 4758
(703) 456 - 0123

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Stephen   Atkins
atkins@metronaviation.com
131 Elden Street, Suite 200
Herndon ,VA  20170 -4758
(978) 692 - 9484
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A fundamental challenge in the development of automation to aid a human user, and a primary metric for the success of the design, is acceptance by the user community. This is particularly true of air traffic control (ATC) automation. The proposed work hypothesizes that a lack of robustness to uncertainty leads to automation designs that are not human-centered and, therefore, are unacceptable or unusable to the users. Automation must frequently provide advisories, make control decisions, or alert in the presence of uncertainty about the state of the world. Contemporary automation typically bases outputs on deterministic estimates, discarding available knowledge about uncertainty because techniques for using this knowledge in the automation?s algorithms or displaying uncertainty information to the user are not available.
The proposed work studies two approaches to handling uncertainty. First, we will investigate automation designs that incorporate knowledge of uncertainty in the automation?s calculations and decisions. Second, we will investigate presenting confidence/uncertainty information to the user. Finally, we will evaluate how these approaches to incorporating knowledge about uncertainty improve the usability and acceptability of decision support tools. We will study this problem in the context of ATC automation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The results of this SBIR could be applied in a variety of NASA projects. The results could be directly applied to NASA?s work on the Surface Management System. Moreover, NASA is researching numerous other air traffic management decision support tools, such as the Active Final Approach Spacing Tool, Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor, and Direct-To. Each of these automation systems must address the problems of user acceptance and robustness to uncertainty and, therefore, could benefit from the robust decision support technology developed through this work.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial potential for the proposed work lies in improving or enabling automation systems used by the FAA and air carriers. Metron Aviation has built or is building a variety of automation systems for both the FAA and air carriers, such as the Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) used by the FAA and NAS users to manage ground delay programs. FSM delays departures based on predictions of airport arrival capacity and arrival demand, both of which include substantial uncertainty. Metron Aviation would apply the lessons learned during this work to improve FSM as well as other existing and new products.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Taxonomize
1050 Crestview Drive, #110
Mountain View ,CA 94040 - 3405
(650) 248 - 6834

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert   London
blondon@taxonomize.com
1050 Crestview Drive, #110
Mountain View ,CA  94040 -3405
(650) 248 - 6834
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An AutoCategorizing Knowledge Management Engine ("AKM") will automate key capabilities for both human-human and human-agent collaboration tools in aerospace information systems:
* Automatic organization of shared and new information, by a standards-based interface to other knowledge tools, based on an effective auto-categorization engine;
* Immediate incorporation of new knowledge into auto-updated taxonomies, and extension for new topics;
* Automatically updated knowledge organizations for groups, individuals, and specialized activities;
* Knowledge discovery of new and emerging themes in data and discussions.
The result is that AKM will:
* Improve usability and collaboration potential for shared sites of working, learning, and discussion;
* Help to build communities of practice for growing technical efforts such as the NASA Taxonomy;
* Speed and improve sharing of knowledge within NASA and with its larger community;
* Help to evolve the shared, developing, interoperating NASA ontologies.
AKM will be prototyped in Phase I as an extension of three existing products (Taxonomize's Auto-Categorizer, Resource Aid, and Stochastic Analyzer) and applied to selected NASA information programs. In Phase II AKM will be productized for extended NASA, government, and commercial application.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
AKM can augment environments and programs that seek to make knowledge more readily available for individual or collaborative use. NASA has several current collaborative initiatives, including those in ARC Collaborative and Assistant Systems (e.g., SemanticOrganizer projects ? ScienceOrganizer, InvestigationOrganizer, Greenhouse Collaboratory); the NASA Grid of CICT's Computing, Networking, and Information Systems project; the NASA Taxonomy; NASA Technology Portal; and NASA's association with the National Airspace System (such as NAS's Unified Decision Management System ? UDMS). AKM is not a full collaboratory itself, but a high-powered acceleration engine to improve the availability and usage of knowledge in collaborative and multi-usage environments.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Taxonomize plans to market AKM to augment government and commercial information-management products: including ERP, data mining, eLearning, and enterprise portals; to customers who seek adaptive, anticipatory, and discovery-aiding uses of knowledge. Besides collaborative and investigatory uses, financial and analytical areas also seek to identify emerging themes and trends. AKM can be licensed as a module for KM tools such as the Inxight, Broadvision, Microsoft, IBM, and Autonomy platforms. AKM can be marketed either as an embedded component or as an ASP or web service: i.e., a middleware accessory for information portals and other knowledge-management tools.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
APPLIED QUANTUM SYSTEMS, INC
1400 North Harbor Blvd., Suite 605
Fullerton ,CA 92835 - 4126
(714) 525 - 4649

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Larry   Yang
yang@appliedquantum.com
1400 North Harbor Blvd., Suite 605
Fullerton ,CA  92835 -4126
(714) 525 - 4649
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The ever increasing volume of the information to be transmitted and processed demands fast communication systems that can fulfill a throughput of 1 Tb/s or even 10 Tb/s. This requires more than 100 times improvement of performance over today?s fiber optic communication systems, and calls for the development of terahertz or femtosecond technologies. Applied Quantum Systems proposes an innovative photodetector for ultrahigh speed or terahertz applications. The success of this program will lead to drastic improvement of device performance in response speed, gain, responsivity and detectivity. Phase I of this program is to demonstrate the proof-of-concept, while Phase II will be built on the success of Phase I and seek the commercialization of the technology.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential applications for NASA include high speed communication systems, optical switches, high performance infrared systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Other applications include, detector of ultra-fast laser pulse, generator and detector of ultra-fast electrical transients, broadband detectors, samplers, demultiplexers and mixer in multigigahertz range, high speed optical switches, etc..

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Applied Nanotechnologies, Inc.
308 W. Rosemary Street
Chapel Hill ,NC 27516 - 2548
(919) 928 - 8009

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Changkun   Dong
cdong@applied-nanotech.com
308 W. Rosemary Street
Chapel Hill ,NC  27516 -2548
(919) 928 - 8009
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR project is to develop field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thruster using carbon nanotubes (CNT) integrated anode. FEEP thrusters have gained considerable attention for spacecrafts disturbance compensation because of excellent characteristics. The application of current FEEP has been slow in developing mainly caused by high specific power, which limit the milli-Newton thruster development due to insufficient onboard power. Dramatic field improvement from nanometer CNTs is a big advantage to increase the FEEP thrust more than 10 times under constant specific impulse (power). The CNT based FEEP thruster with low specific power and stable long-term operation will meet spacecraft needs with micronewton to millinewton thrust capability. The new FEEP device will be constructed innovative in three aspects: (a) Integration of CNTs into the ion emission anode, (b) Structural combination from the metal tip emitter and the slit emitter, and (c) Selectable operating thrust units. In addition, a solid state thruster based on Cs intercalation with CNTs will also be investigated. The power consumption of the thruster will be reduced by a factor of 5 and more. The CNT ion emission design may also lead to the development of miniature ion source, benefiting ion source based analytical and material processing facilities.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Major applications of field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thrusters are spacecraft attitude control and constellations, such as stationkeeping, orbit repositioning, and orbital adjusting. After Phase II work, the new thruster using carbon nanotube emitters will be able to reduce the specific power to 100 iN/W and produce micro to milli Newton thrust. These features will enable to extend the new field emission thruster to space propulsion fields with high thrust requirements, which are unreachable for current FEEP thruster due to micronewton thrust capability. Another application in NASA is to eliminating electrostatic charge accumulation for spacecraft exploring planetary plasma environments.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Liquid metal ion sources are widely used in several technical fields, like material modification by ion sputtering, ion current lithography in microfabrication, and material surface and depth structure analysis by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). The success of this project will enable the generation of higher ion current density with better focus and low power consumption, which can improve the resolution for material modification and ion current lithography and increase SIMS analysis accuracy and range. The new technique will also enable to develop miniaturized ion sources, leading to the performance improvement of ion source based facilities.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Seldon Laboratories, LLC
7 Everett Lane, Suite One
Windsor ,VT 05089 - 1429
(802) 674 - 2444

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Christopher H. Cooper
ccooper@seldontech.com
7 Everett Lane, Suite One
Windsor ,VT  05089 -1429
(802) 674 - 2444
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Seldon Laboratories, LLC, proposes a lightweight, low-pressure water filtration device that harnesses the unique properties of nanoparticles to destroy or remove waterborne pathogens. A 2-inch diameter version of the device is estimated to allow a flux rate of 100 ml/minute at less than 0.05 psi. The device is composed of a conductive material that should limit fouling and promote the efficient recharging of the membrane. The innovation represents a significant advancement in membrane technology as it offers superior filtration effects with significantly reduced operating costs. The device could be incorporated into existing systems or designed as a standalone system for water treatment. It is expected that Phase I would demonstrate of the feasibility (efficacy and cost considerations) of the system and Phase II would result in prototype development.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The innovation should significantly reduce the power requirements of closed loop water treatment systems for spacecraft and eliminate the need for hazardous chemical treatments. In a scaleable design, it could also be used as a point of use water treatment device to ensure the safety of the water as it is used for drinking or other purposes.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This innovation offers significant benefits to industrial and municipal users of water treatment technologies. By reducing or eliminating the use of power and chemicals, customers will realize significant savings in the operating costs of water treatment. The innovation could also be incorporated into household point of use water filtration devices to significantly improve their effectiveness on waterborne pathogens without sacrificing performance or requiring power.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Eltron Research Inc
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder ,CO 80301 - 3241
(303) 530 - 0263

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Wayne E. Buschmann
eltron@eltronresearch.com
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder ,CO  80301 -3241
(303) 530 - 0263
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This program targets the development of new highly anisotropic nonlinear optical nanocomposite materials for NASA and non-NASA applications in advanced photonic and optoelectronic devices and optical integrated circuits. Integration of electronic and optical components onto a single platform is becoming essential to advancing sensor, computational, memory, and communications technologies. Designing optical and electronic materials from the molecular scale up is expected to result in a new era of complex materials exhibiting enhanced optical properties, low processing costs, and substrate compatibility to enable device-on- a-chip technologies. The nonlinear optical materials for development in this program will be composed of complex nanocomposite heterostructures produced by molecular self-assembly derived from a well-characterized family of quasi one-dimensional electronic materials with chemically tunable optical properties and dynamics. These materials can be grown as single crystals or oriented thin films at low temperatures without epitaxial growth making their production low cost and platform-independent. These materials have intimately coupled optical and electronic activity and are transparent over much of the electromagnetic spectrum making them well suited for optoelectronic devices. The highly anisotropic and low-dimensional nature of these materials also provides highly oriented optoelectronic responses and quantum confinement effects that are desirable in advanced micro-optoelectronic devices.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Several optoelectronic technologies that fall within NASA?s interests will benefit from new advances in nano-engineered materials. Device applications include optical detectors, remote sensing and satellite communications systems, high resolution imaging, lightwave integrated circuits, quantum computing, and photonic converters and multiplexers. Successful development of the new technology proposed will provide a new class of nonlinear optical materials with optical and electronic properties that can be strategically tuned for specific applications. Success of this new technology will also provide a significant example of applying nanotechnology design and fabrication approaches to produce complex heterostructured materials for practical device applications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial interests in optoelectronic materials include optical interconnects, solid state lasers, optical amplifiers, waveguide distribution circuits, optical detectors, optical modulators and switches, optically gated transistors and couplers. These components are important in computing, data storage, digital entertainment systems, displays and other consumer electronics. Photonic integrated circuit subsystems are also critical to advancing fiber-optic communication systems.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Synkera Technologies Inc.
2021 Miller Drive, Suite B
Longmont ,CO 80501 - 6786
(720) 494 - 8401

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Debra J. Deininger
ddeininger@synkera.com
2021 Miller Drive, Suite B
Longmont ,CO  80501 -6786
(720) 494 - 8401
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed project will develop sensors and electronic components from metal oxide based nanotubes and nanowires. These nanostructured materials will be grown under controlled conditions and characterized via electron microscopy in order to relate the effects of variations in growth parameters to the resulting morphology. The focus will be on the fabrication of nanotubes and nanowires with varying aspect ratios and chemical composition. Then the morphology of the nanostructures will be related to the electrical and chemical properties of the material. Finally, the results of these studies will be used to guide the preparation of improved chemiresistive sensors and varistors. Although carbon nanotubes and commercial ceramic powders with roughly spherical geometry are common, the control and exploitation of novel geometric nanostructures for improved performance in sensors and other applications is unusual. Through precise control and understanding of the material structure at the nanoscale, Synkera Technologies believes that significant gains in device performance will be achieved.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The use of nanostructured metal oxides to improve the performance of chemiresistive sensors and varistors will be useful in a variety of NASA applications.
Sensor applications include fuel-cells, emissions monitoring; and air quality monitoring. The proposed sensors will offer increased sensitivity over state of the art and will be suitable for use in hostile environments and amenable to miniaturization.
The production of varistors from complex nanostructured materials is expected to yield improved performance (higher clamping voltage) and/or smaller package sizes. These improvements are important for conservation of space in the ever-increasing complexity of electronic circuitry.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The intended commercial applications are similar to the NASA applications. Two primary sensor market opportunities exist where the proposed technology could find significant commercial success, due to the anticipated improvement in detection limits. These opportunities are indoor air quality measurements (IAQ) in schools, hospitals and office buildings, and process control/emission measurements in industrial manufacturing.
In addition to the advantages of size and clamping voltage cited above, the proposed varistors offer lower capacitance values than currently available devices, and lower cost due to the use of cheaper electrode materials (silver versus platinum).

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mainstream Engineering Corporation
200 Yellow Pl
Rockledge ,FL 32955 - 5327
(321) 631 - 3550

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert P Scaringe
rps@mainstream-engr.com
200 Yellow Place
Rockledge ,FL  32955 -5327
(321) 631 - 3550
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Sensing gas molecules is critical to environmental monitoring, control of chemical processes, space missions as well as agricultural and medical applications. Existing electrical sensor materials are based on semi-conducting metal oxides, silicon devices, organic materials and gas responsive polymers or ceramics. To achieve high chemical sensitivity, semi-conducting metal oxide sensors must be operated at elevated temperatures (200 to 600?C). This need for high temperature operation increases the device complexity and renders them unsuitable for real-time portable applications. On the other hand, conducting polymers and organic semi-conductors are suitable for room temperature operation, but exhibit limited sensitivity. Clearly, there is a need to develop new technology that will allow for operation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and provide for high-sensitivity measurements and low response times. We have already experimentally demonstrated under our own Internal R&D funding, that carbon nanotubes provide this enabling technology
This effort will experimentally demonstrate a new nanotube sensor technology, which is a radical departure from conventional nanotube sensor approaches. Tests already performed with the proposed carbon nanotube sensor indicate that the electrical response of each gas is unique and that the individual gas concentrations can also be determined.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Our marketing studies have clearly identified that in addition to the obvious gas sensor, chemical vapor detection, and space sensor applications, the high performance of a nanotube sensor has other NASA applications including hazardous gas detection, air purity monitoring as well as low-power sensors for micro- and nano-satellites.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to the obvious gas sensor, chemical vapor detection, and commercial/DoD space sensor applications, a nanotube sensor has numerous other commercial and Homeland Defense applications. Initial industrial applications include hazardous and/or toxic gas detection, chemical warfare agent detection, and air quality analysis. The unique features of the carbon nanotube sensor make a portable battery-powered high-accuracy sensor possible, leading to many diverse commercial sampling/testing/quality applications. In both DoD and commercial applications, there is a need for trace gas detection. In the Homeland Defense market, there are obvious applications for both NBC and explosives detection sensors.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Techno-Sciences Inc
10001 Derekwood Ln
Lanham ,MD 20706 - 4864
(301) 577 - 6000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Gaurav   Bajpai
bajpai@technosci.com
10001 Derekwood Ln
Lanham ,MD  20706 -4864
(301) 577 - 6000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The objective of the project is the design and development of an open architecture, computer aided control design toolbox for distributed parameter systems, in particular to aerodynamic control for high performance applications in aerial vehicles. Especially, for unmanned aerial vehicles, small actuators can have a big aerodynamic impact. An effective controlled network of distributed micro actuators and sensors can enable aggressive performance not possible through traditional control surfaces like aileron, elevator, rudder and flaps. Even for larger aircraft the emerging paradigm for control involves an array of actuators and distributed sensing. In addition to enhanced performance this provides much greater redundancy that can be utilized to confront battle damage or actuator and sensor failures in commercial jet liners. We propose the use of integrated set of computing tools including 3D drawing tools, symbolic processing tools, numerical tools and visualization software for 3D animated graphics for the development. With continuing advances in distributed actuation and sensing technologies these tools will find widespread application in emerging unmanned aerial vehicle industry. The toolbox in conjunction with commonly used numerical software will provide designers the ability to seamlessly test control design by integrating and automating several key steps in the design cycle.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Design of air, land and sea vehicles involving aerodynamic and fluid flow has always been of interest to NASA. In this proposal the coupling design of aerodynamics, structures and control will lead to vehicles capable of greater performance and also help evaluate designs at an early stage. The successful completion of the project will provide engineers with a comprehensive set of tools to specify, model, design controls, simulate, evaluate and optimize flow aerial vehicle system designs. This will facilitate in bringing the recent advances in control, sensors and actuator technology to engineering practice. The open architecture will allow new techniques to be incorporated into the computational framework.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
With the continuing development of small scale, inexpensive, locally ?intelligent? embedded actuators and sensors it is becoming increasingly possible to achieve distributed control of systems. The capability to ?distribute? control authority throughout a system and to sense state variations both locally and globally opens the door to sophisticated control of systems that involve aerodynamic flow. There is need for tools to help design and develop control systems for such systems. Distributed actuation problem in aerial vehicles is used to demonstrate feasibility of the approach. Although, the primary motivation is tailored towards micro air vehicles these computational tools will find widespread application in the industry including the design of sea, air and land vehicles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc.
605 Ellis St. Suite 200
Mountain View ,CA 94043 - 2241
(650) 968 - 9457

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Patrick H Reisenthel
phr@nearinc.com
605 Ellis St. Suite 200
Mountain View ,CA  94043 -2241
(650) 968 - 9457
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Reducing uncertainty in the prediction of limit cycle oscillations (LCO) and other nonlinear aeroservoelastic phenomena is critical to flight safety. To do so requires nonlinear methods. First-principles based methods (CFD/CSD) have made considerable progress but still cannot predict LCO from the outset. NEAR proposes the development of two innovative nonlinear data-based methods to characterize aeroservoelastic systems using flight-test data. The proposed methods provide a natural extension of existing linear methods, provide uncertainty estimates of the prediction, and are applicable to flight-test data. Both approaches are formally related. However, their practical implementations place various limitations on the physics they represent. The Phase I effort will document, on a benchmark test case, the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Phase II will further develop the most promising approach and demonstrate its use on flight-test data, such as data from the F18-AAW. Special emphasis will be placed on the problem of data generalization across flight conditions, which is key to ensuring safe and efficient envelope-expansion flight testing.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed multiresolution-based identification system provides a unique capability that will extend the usefulness of wind-tunnel and flight-test data by producing compact, reduced-order models for use in aeroelastic analyses. The formulation of reduced-order models in aeroelasticity is important for several reasons: (1) cost reduction and speed-up of preliminary design cycles, (2) understanding of nonlinear behavior and elimination of later surprises, and (3) real-time aeroservoelastic control applications. The proposed technology supports NASA's goal of increasing safety and efficiency of flight testing.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The market for efficient aeroelastic analysis tools is driven by new aircraft, missile, and reusable launch vehicle design and by the need for multiple aeroelastic analyses over time as a consequence of aircraft modifications and expanded/changing missions. These are important areas for defense contractors. The proposed linear and nonlinear identification system also has a broad range of applications, including but not limited to, electromagnetic pulse hardening of aircraft systems, computational electromagnetics (photonic switching devices, ultrawideband technology), noise reduction (acoustic liners), polymer processing (extrusion blow molding), and earthquake and geoenvironmental engineering.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Lambda Instruments, Inc.
807 B North Main Street
Blacksburg ,VA 24060 - 3411
(540) 953 - 1796

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jon A Greene
jgreene@lambdainc.com
807 B North Main Street
Blacksburg ,VA  24060 -3411
(540) 953 - 1796
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The development and performance evaluation of new carbon/carbon (C/C) and carbon/silicon-carbide (SiC) composite structural components has been hampered by the lack of reliable strain sensors that can survive up to the exceedingly high temperatures (3000 F) up to which these materials must be tested. Existing off-the-shelf high-temperature strain sensors, including free filament electrical strain gages and optical fiber based strain sensors, currently do not have the necessary performance characteristics to tackle the next generation of C/C and SiC composite material testing programs. Free filament electrical strain gages cannot be used reliably over 1800 F (1000 C) and conventional optical fiber strain sensors with the appropriate protective metal coatings can operate reliably only up to close to the melting point of the silica (2000 F/1100 C). To meet the growing needs for strain sensors that can withstand future high temperature testing regimes, Lambda Instruments, Inc. proposes to develop sapphire optical fiber sensors. The 3600 F (1987 C) melting temperature of optical quality sapphire fibers, their low profile geometry, and the inherent immunity of optical fiber sensors to electromagnetic interference make sapphire fiber-based sensors particularly well suited for the proposed application.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The primary NASA application for the proposed high temperature sapphire optical fiber strain gages is for structural performance monitoring of emrging C/SiC and C/C composite components that must be characterized up to 3000 F. Other potential NASA applications based on the proposed sapphire optical fiber sensor technology include strain, temperature, and pressure sensors for performance monitoring of ramjet/scramjets during research and operation as well as for continuous structural health monitoring of the next generation space vehicles to maintain performance and safety standards throughout all phases of the mission.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to NASA applications for high temperature sapphire optical fiber sensors for C/C and SiC structural performance evaluation, Lambda foresees significant commercial market possibilities for such devices in hazardous manufacturing processes such as steel mills, chemical plants and other manufacturing facilities where high temperature materials testing and processing is necessary. In addition, the proposed sensors would easily be adaptable for commercial turbomachinery testing and operation control and monitoring systems. If the sensors can be fabricated inexpensively, a large market exists in automotive markets for internal monitoring of internal combustion engines.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nanosonic Inc
1485 South Main St
Blacksburg ,VA 24060 - 5556
(540) 953 - 1785

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jennifer H Lalli
jlalli@nanosonic.com
1485 South Main St
Blacksburg ,VA  24060 -5556
(540) 953 - 1785
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The objective of the proposed NASA SBIR program is to design, fabricate and evaluate the performance of self-assembled nanostructured sensors for the health monitoring of advanced aerospace materials and structures. NanoSonic would work with a major U.S. research university and a large U.S. aerospace company to develop such sensor materials based on molecular-level self-assembly processes. NanoSonic?s prior research has shown that thin film materials having a wide range of controlled constitutive properties may be formed by its patented electrostatic self-assembly synthesis techniques. Specifically, electrical and thermal conductivity, permeability, permittivity, elastic modulus, chemical reaction, molecular transport and other properties may be integrated into bulk materials, graded through the thickness of such materials, or patterned in two dimensions in thin planar materials. The ranges of values of the corresponding constitutive parameters are determined by the specific molecules that are self-assembled, and their order through the thickness of the material. Through the proposed program we will extend this work to form similar materials that change their properties in response to external environmental changes and thus act as sensor elements. Such elements may be directly integrated into aerospace composite materials and/or attached to large structural components as part of onboard health monitoring systems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Nanostructured sensor materials and devices offer improved transduction properties due to the size and species of the nanosized constituents and the morphology of the sensor materials. Commercial opportunities of the proposed sensors are for the measurement of strain, vibration, acceleration and displacement. Similar self-assembled sensors may be used as pressure, temperature and chemical sensors for industrial process control.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Smaller markets exist for the nanoclusters and specialized polymers developed to allow the self-assembly of controlled property sensor materials, and for the research and development of advanced materials with controlled constitutive functionalities.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
PRAGATI SYNERGETIC RESEARCH, INC.
922 Liberty Court
Cupertino ,CA 95014 - 4018
(408) 861 - 0939

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mala   Mehrotra
mm@pragati-inc.com
922 Liberty Court
Cupertino ,CA  95014 -4018
(408) 861 - 0939
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This project focuses on providing an infrastructure to aid the building of ontologies from existing NASA applications, in a manner that leads to long-term risk reduction. Currently numerous stove-pipe systems are in existence in the ISS (International Space Station) and Space Shuttle Program (SSP) which need to be integrated for studying the operational trade-offs through various risk-analysis tools. However, knowledge inside and across such systems has to be captured in ontologies for such systems, at appropriate abstraction levels and in a reliable manner, so that they can be analyzed holistically by existing tools. Based on our experience in using a clustering approach for analyzing knowledge bases from both NASA and non-NASA systems, we propose to build a semantic mediation toolkit that focuses on providing various types of ontological engineering aids during knowledge entry, leading to long-term quality assurance and interoperability of NASA systems. In Phase I of this project, the feasibility of applying Pragatiys MVP-CA methodology on a candidate system relevant to NASA will be demonstrated. In particular we will demonstrate feasibility of automating detection of ontological concepts, quality assurance issues and mapping and merging of concepts from NASA systems so as to lead to long-term risk reduction. The ultimate aim of the project is to reduce the risks involved in utilizing ontologies built for NASA systems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Several spacecraft telemetry applications at NASA currently utilize knowledge-based/expert systems technology to perform health and status monitoring of their satellites. As new autonomous missions get planned, it is highly desirable to have knowledge from existing systems be encapsulated in ontologies, so that the systems built are adaptable, extensible, interoperable and cost effective.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The methodology for automated aids for ontological engineering can be transitioned to other applications areas such as, medical, forensics, civil engineering , etc. where ontologies are getting built. We envision that the semantic mediation aid toolkit based on MVP-CA technology will be used by knowledge engineers and domain experts for discovering the underlying system structure in legacy systems as well as tracking changes of an evolving system. This product could be available either as a stand-alone version or as a part of the knowledge-based systems shell to offer software life cycle support and knowledge management.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Luna Innovations Incorporated
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg ,VA 24060 - 6657
(540) 552 - 5128

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Roger   Duncan
duncanr@lunainnovations.com
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg ,VA  24060 -6657
(540) 557 - 5893
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
It is accepted that adaptive aerospace vehicles whose flight avionic systems are reconfigurable are needed to respond to changing flight parameters, vehicle system performance degradation, or external threat environments. To this end shape modification of aerospace structures during flight can provide significant performance improvements derived from matching the aerodynamic shape to particular flight conditions. To address this need, new sensor technologies are required for both R & D testing and operational deployment that permit high observability into the shapes generated.

Luna Innovations proposes to develop high-spatial resolution distributed fiber-optic shape sensors to provide feedback as part of a closed-loop control system for vehicles with yadaptivey attributes (i.e. y ysmarty wings, etc.). These shape sensors, when embedded in aircraft wings or other structures of interest, will monitor the dynamic shape of the structure independent of the temperature or load environment, thus enabling real-time active control of reconfigurable avionics. By providing a reliable, low cost, lightweight feedback mechanism, the risks associated with employing smart vehicle technology are substantially mitigated.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The shape sensing system developed during this effort will enable Luna Innovations to provide NASA with a reliable, low-cost, lightweight means of measuring the complete real-time dynamic 3D shape of a structure, thus providing a mechanism for feedback in a closed-loop control system for reconfigurable avionics. This development will therefore significantly mitigate the costs and risks associated with developing aerospace vehicles with adaptive attributes. The proposed sensors will serve as an enabler for advanced aerospace vehicles and fulfills the mandate of NASAys yEnabling Concepts and Technologiesy theme by being a high-payoff technology with broad potential.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
>From fiber-optic ysmart tethersy capable of tracking the position of search and rescue robots in places where GPS is either inaccessible or provides insufficient resolution, to providing closed-loop feedback for inflatable softgoods, to the direct monitoring of deflection in critical structures, an advanced shape sensing system would be eminently marketable. The product development accomplished during this development effort will enable Luna to provide aerospace manufacturers with a reliable, low-cost, lightweight means of monitoring and providing closed-loop feedback on their advanced aerospace vehicles that is vastly superior to todayys state-of-the-art.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Aonix Advanced Technologies, LLC
877 S. Alvernon Way, Suite 100
Tucson ,AZ 85711 - 5355
(520) 323 - 9011

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kelvin   Nilsen
kelvin@aonix.com
877 S. Alvernon Way, Suite 100
Tucson ,AZ  85711 -5355
(520) 323 - 9011
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Intelligent adaptive computer systems to control manned and unmanned spacecraft are among the most complex software systems engineered. Budget constraints and software reliability requirements pull in opposite directions, forcing NASA software engineers to adopt practices and methodologies that maximize productivity of developers while reducing the risk of programming errors. This project will create software development tools that reduce the burden of detail that programmers must manage and automate verification of important system attributes, thereby reducing the likelihood of software-induced system failure. Unlike software tools to support traditional commercial development, this project focuses on the unique requirements of embedded systems (which are memory and power constrained) and real-time systems (which must perform certain operations under precise timing constraints). The tools proposed in this research, the designs of which have been motivated by discussions with current NASA software engineers, are not currently available in the embedded real-time software marketplace.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Intelligent adaptive mission-critical software places important roles in many space missions, including deep space probes, autonomous and remote-controlled planet surface exploration, communication and intelligence gathering satellites, and manned space vehicles. This same class of software also plays important roles in certain ground-based mission control activities. The tools described in this research proposal make it possible to improve the functionality and quality of mission-critical software for lower development costs and less calendar time.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are many related industries that will likewise benefit from improved technologies to support mission-critical software systems. Among these, we include telecommunications infrastructure (e.g. fiber optic switches, metropolitan area switches, data networking gateways and firewalls), industrial automation, commercial avionics, air traffic control, defense systems, automotive control, and medical instrumentation.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
SIWAVE, INC.
400 E. Live Oak Avenue
Arcadia ,CA 91006 - 5619
(626) 821 - 0570

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Darrell   Harrington
t.tang@siwaveinc.com
400 E. Live Oak Avenue
Arcadia ,CA  91006 -5619
(626) 821 - 0570
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
SiWave proposes to develop a compact, low-cost MEMS-based pressure sensor for very high temperatures and low pressures in hypersonic wind tunnels. Most currently available pressure sensors use a micromachined diaphragm whose deflection is dependent on pressure. The deflection is typically measured by techniques that are not suited for high temperature (>~200?F) operation, or that are insensitive to small (<~0.1 psi) pressure changes. As a result, no commercial sensors cover 0-5 PSI at temperatures above 200?F, despite the fact that this regime is important for NASA?s hypersonic wind tunnel testing programs, as well as for hypersonic flight avionics. SiWave?s proposed pressure sensor is a novel implementation of squeeze film resonant sensor approach, with a sophisticated multi-element resonator designed for very high Q and temperature stability, made from silicon carbide. The device is controlled by distant external electronics. These innovative features result in a sensor with high accuracy (0.005 PSI) over an unprecedented temperature range (up to 650?F), and the potential to be manufactured in dense arrays.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA requires an ultra-small low-cost pressure sensor suitable for both high and low temperature and pressures from .005 to 5 PSI. The quality and quantity of data obtained in hypersonic testing of aircraft and spacecraft components is severely limited by the large size and narrow temperature range of current pressure sensors. Development of technology for future hypersonic commercial aircraft would benefit greatly from the availability of low cost pressure sensors that are very compact and can operate over the full range of temperatures and pressures experienced during hypersonic flight.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed device has applications in the military, commercial aeronautics, automotive, and consumer products. Markets for this technology include altimetry, aircraft air speed measurement, automotive emissions control, vacuum sensing in harsh environments and down hole drilling. The total annual pressure sensor market is more than $1 billion. In automotive applications alone tens of millions of manifold absolute pressure and barometric absolute pressure sensors are sold each year and are found in most passenger vehicles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Techno-Sciences Inc
10001 Derekwood Ln
Lanham ,MD 20706 - 4864
(301) 577 - 6000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Gaurav   Bajpai
bajpai@technosci.com
Same as above
Lanham ,MD  20706 -4864
(301) 577 - 6000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Modern bifurcation analysis methods have been proposed for investigating flight dynamics and control system design in highly nonlinear regimes and also for the validation of control systems prior to flight. In this project we propose to build a computer analysis system that integrates symbolic and numerical methods within an interactive graphical framework. The system will be designed to enable flight dynamical analysis and control system design and analysis around bifurcation points. It will based on prior work by the investigators, bringing together bifurcation analysis tools, nonlinear control design tools and new methods developed by them that addresses bifurcations in controlled dynamical systems. The project is unique in three respects: 1) it integrates symbolic and numerical computing methods to achieve more efficient and more reliable results, 2) it provides a powerful user interface that allows essential visualization options and enables the analyst to build and modify models and choose from a variety bifurcation analysis tools, and 3) it integrates symbolic nonlinear control system analysis constructions so that the analyst has the means to ask the appropriate questions in this highly nonlinear regime.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The tools proposed, relate directly to improved safety and performance of aerospace vehicles in case of disturbing events that impair the stability of the vehicle. The system will provide a means for analyzing post bifurcation dynamics and designing recovery strategies. The work will provide a means to investigate and synthesize autonomous aerospace systems that can continue to perform under adverse operating circumstances even after failures. In addition, the tool could be further developed into a means for validating control systems before flight test.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
When equipment failures such occur in commercial aircraft, they can cause catastrophic accidents and fatal loss of life. The primary application of the proposed software system is to improve the safety and performance of these vehicles in face of failures that push them into nonlinear operating regimes. These analysis and design techniques will be applicable to a broad range of systems including other aerospace vehicles, ground and sea vehicles, power systems, hazardous chemical plants, nuclear power plant, robotic manipulators and others. The value of increased safety and performance achieved because of the tools to be developed cannot be overestimated.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
BARRON ASSOCIATES, INC.
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite300
Charlottesville ,VA 22901 - 0807
(434) 973 - 1215

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Alec   Bateman
bateman@barron-associates.com
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite300
Charlottesville ,VA  22901 -0807
(434) 973 - 1215
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To remain competitive, the US aerospace industry must continually improve system performance (e.g. increased adaptation and autonomy), enhance safety (e.g., fault tolerant systems), and reduce costs. These improvements demand avionics software that is orders of magnitude more complex than that used in current operational systems. While software complexity is increasing, there is a tremendous (and appropriate) pressure to ensure that new designs are safer to operate than the simpler systems they replace. In many cases (e.g., damage-adaptive control), methods that can improve vehicle performance are not used because verification and validation (V&V) tools that help ensure the complex system will not behave in an unexpected way are not available. The proposed research will lay the groundwork for such a tool by building on prior work by the authors in four unique areas: (1) the tool will work in the MATLAB/Simulink environment and will be easy to set up and operate, (2) the tool will be modular and allow easy integration of a variety of closed-form analysis methods, (3) the tool will aid in evaluating system performance as well as stability, and (4) the tool will assist in piloted simulation and flight test design.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed technology is relevant to the Global Civil Aviation goal and Enabling Technology requirements of the NASA Aero-Space Enterprise. NASA is keenly interested in pushing the envelope in the area of smart, adaptive, and intelligent aerospace vehicles; however, in many cases, the algorithms, methods, and software for such systems are ahead of our ability to verify and validate them. The proposed technology directly addresses this issue and will be essential if the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of such systems is to be advanced.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The initial market is the US Aerospace industry. As the industry moves to implement advanced control technologies in next generation vehicles, and to retrofit the existing military and commercial fleets to improve safety and performance, V&V tools that can pave the way to certification will become essential. Additionally, the flexible design of the proposed tool will allow it to have a broader appeal. The general performance evaluation framework for Simulink systems will appeal to a broad range of MATLAB users, making the algorithms developed under this effort appropriate for marketing as a general use MATLAB toolbox.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
K T ENGINEERING CORPORATION
4835 University Square, Suite 2
Huntsville ,AL 35816 - 1845
(256) 489 - 5832

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Richard   Denton
dick.denton@kte-aerospace.com
4835 University Square, Suite 2
Huntsville ,AL  35816 -1845
(256) 489 - 5832
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Altitude compensating nozzles continue to be of interest for use on future launch vehicle boosters and upper stages because of their higher mission average Isp and superior packaging efficiency compared with conventional bell nozzle designs. The plume physics and performance of altitude compensating nozzles have been characterized through extensive cold gas wind tunnel testing, limited hot gas testing, and computational fluid dynamic modeling. However, no altitude compensating nozzle has ever been validated in flight. Questions remain regarding performance through the critical transonic regime (Mach 0.6-1.5) where a high degree of interaction is expected between the external flow around the vehicle and the hot gas plume. A Phase I study is proposed to establish feasibility of validating transonic performance for an altitude compensating nozzle using the NASA F15B Propulsion Flight Test Fixture. Under this Phase I program we will derive requirements for the test, develop preliminary designs for the flight test article, establish test plans and procedures, coordinate closely with the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to assure experiment safety and seamless integration with the F15B/PFTF, finalize plans for Phase II, and document our results. Test article fabrication, integration, and testing will be performed during a subsequent Phase II effort.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Altitude compensating nozzles are of interest to the NASA Next Generation Launch Technology program because they offer higher rocket engine performance compared with traditional bell nozzle designs. Higher engine performance results in a launch system that is smaller, potentially more operable, and lower cost. The proposed research will expand the general understanding of the flow physics associated with all free expansion nozzle designs and be used to anchor general purpose nozzle design tools. In this way, the proposed research will benefit a broad range of future NASA programs developing advanced rocket and air-augmented launch vehicle concepts.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed research will expand the general understanding of the flow physics associated with all free expansion nozzle designs. This knowledge and the improvement in analytical tools used to predict nozzle performance will also benefit non-NASA aerospace industry developing advanced rocket and air-augmented launch vehicle concepts.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
KALSCOTT ENGINEERING, INC.
3266 S.W. Timberlake Ln.
Topeka ,KS 66614 - 0000
(785) 856 - 3222

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Tom S Sherwood
tom.sherwood@kalscott.com
3266 S.W. Timberlake Ln.
Topeka ,KS  66614 -0000
(785) 856 - 3222
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A method for providing endurance enhancement for unmanned aerial vehicles based on atmospheric phenomena is presented. The proposed method allows the UAV to sense certain atmospheric phenomena, and adapt itself to exploit these phenomena. The Phase I effort consists of understanding the physics of such flight, and developing the control laws for enabling the UAV to exploit these atmospheric phenomena. Flight tests are planned for Phase II, where the control laws will be further refined.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
High endurance schemes for UAVs, innovative flight control systems, improved vehicle safety, improved low speed performance.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
High endurance schemes for civil aircraft, sports aircraft, gliders, innovative flight control systems, improved vehicle safety, improved low speed performance.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Optimal Synthesis Inc.
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto ,CA 94303 - 4622
(650) 213 - 8585

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
P. K.   Menon
menon@optisyn.com
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto ,CA  94303 -4622
(650) 213 - 8585
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The benefits of periodic cruise operation of flight vehicles have been known for three decades. Although a number of papers and doctoral dissertations have studied the periodic cruise phenomenon, they have not been systematically evaluated in any flight test program. The objective of the present research is the flight test evaluation of endurance-maximizing periodic cruise trajectories. Flight tests will be conducted in collaboration with the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center on a research UAV. A secondary objective of the proposed research effort is to investigate the use of dynamic soaring maneuvers for enhancing the UAV endurance performance.
Phase I research will demonstrate the improvements in endurance performance using a UAV simulation model. Realistic UAV dynamics and atmospheric characteristics will be included in these simulations. Guidance algorithms for flying the periodic trajectories will also be developed. Based on the research findings of the Phase I research, Phase II work will refine the guidance algorithms and conduct flight test evaluation of endurance-maximizing periodic cruise trajectories. Development of periodic cruise flight control systems for production UAVs will be undertaken during the Phase III work.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The use of periodic cruise technology will improve the endurance performance of UAVs, high performance aircraft and transport aircraft used in surveillance, reconnaissance and data relay missions. In addition to saving fuel, periodic cruise will provide operational flexibility to the flight vehicles.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Periodic cruise technology will allow commercial flying observation platforms to operate at higher efficiency.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ANDREWS SPACE & TECHNOLOGY
505 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 300
Seattle ,WA 98104 - 3894
(206) 342 - 9934

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dana   Andrews
dandrews@andrews-space.com
505 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 300
Seattle ,WA  98104 -3894
(206) 342 - 9934
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Low cost, reliable atmospheric entry technology is needed to support NASA cargo recovery from the ISS, earth return of small payloads, planetary aerocapture, and planetary probe missions. Fixed aeroshields and winged structures are well proven, but are not appropriate for many missions due to envelope, weight, and cost constraints. Inflatable ballute technology offers a low weight, cost effective alternative.

Studies and demonstrations of ballute re-entry technology have focused on fixed drag designs (e.g., Small Payload Re-entry Inflatable Transporter (SPRINT), Inflatable Re-Entry Descent Technology (IRDT)). Fixed drag results in large downrange landing dispersions that cause regulatory and recovery challenges. A variable drag ballute significantly reduces downrange dispersions and allows trajectory tailoring to meet peak heating and deceleration constraints.

Andrews Space is pursuing a variable drag ballute system for re-entry of payloads. The aerodynamic and aeroelastic behavior of the ballute during the transonic regime is a key development issue. The complexities of this flight regime warrant an early flight test.

The Phase I objectives are to design a ballute transonic flight experiment, design the test unit, and define test requirements and plans. These preparations would lead to the construction and transonic flight testing of the variable drag ballute during Phase II.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications for variable drag ballute technology include cargo return from ISS, return of small payloads or scientific materials (e.g., comet return), aerocapture for planetary explorations (e.g., Neptune Orbiter, Saturn Ring Observer), and planetary probe missions (e.g., Titan Organics Explorer, Venus Surface Sample Return).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Numerous experiments have shown the value of conducting research and unique material manufacturing in a microgravity environment. Advanced semiconductor materials production, biotechnology research, and pharmaceuticals development are just a few of the many valuable activities possible in space. A summary of the commercial applications is given below.

Applications:
Pharmaceutical
-Protein crystal
-Contact lenses
-Drug purification
Chemical
-Fragrances
-Zeolites
Materials
-Aerogel
-Semiconductor
-High temperature semiconductor
-Infrared sensors

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
NextGen Aeronautics, Inc.
2780 Skypark Drive, Suite 400
Torrance ,CA 90505 - 7519
(310) 891 - 2807

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David    Cowan
dcowan@nextgenaero.com
2780 Skypark Drive, Suite 400
Torrance ,CA  90505 -7519
(310) 891 - 2807
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NextGen Aeronautics, Inc. proposes the development of the innovative use of morphing structures for maneuver and flight control as a project for NASA?s Revolutionary Flight Concepts (Topic A7.02). Although aircraft morphing for mission performance enhancement is currently receiving much attention from the research community, there is not a great emphasis on utilizing the same technology for flight control. NextGen, with its extensive experience in smart structures, smart actuation and aircraft morphing has a unique combination of skills and background to develop the proposed concept. NextGen has proposed a morphing fan wing concept as the platform for this project, based upon well-understood flight characteristics and apparent ease of integration. Asymmetric deployment of the fan wing will be utilized to effect roll control of the aircraft. NextGen intends to verify the feasibility of this concept in Phase I, with an eventual flight test planned for Phase II. NextGen will address the critical issues involved with this concept (structures, actuation, skin technology, etc.) in bringing the technology to maturation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Morphing aircraft are currently a going concern within NASA Langley under the Morphing Aircraft and Hyper-Elliptic Cambered Span programs. NextGen?s proposed project is entended to break new ground in demonstrating the use of morphing structures (heretofore employed only for the purpose of expanding aircraft mission capability) as a means of primary flight control. Lessons learned in the area of control law development, actuation power requirements, morphing materials and morphing structures will be applicable to all morphing projects, particularly those currently being pursued by NASA.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to demonstrating revolutionary applications for aircraft morphing, NextGen?s project is specifically aimed at UAV functionality in order to serve the exploding markets for commercial UAV aircraft. Already being used for inspection of utility lines in remote rural areas, the application of UAVs is suggested to almost any arena where inexpensive, high-quality surveillance/reconnaissance is required. Specific uses include border or shoreline patrol and sniper detection. The enhancements offered by NextGen?s proposed project will expand this field and add to the performance within existing applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
NOVAWAVE TECHNOLOGIES
230A Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City ,CA 94065 - 1411
(650) 610 - 0956

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joshua B.  Paul
jbpaul@novawavetech.com
230A Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City ,CA  94065 -1411
(650) 610 - 0956
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Small Business Innovative Research Phase I proposal seeks to develop a compact, robust in situ spectrometer capable of detecting multiple gas-phase species in planetary atmospheres with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity. This instrument will employ a novel room-temperature, widely tunable mid-infrared laser source in conjunction with cavity ringdown spectroscopy. During Phase I, the 3.3 to 3.5 m spectral region will be targeted, which overlaps the spectral absorption features of variety of hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, and formaldehyde. The ultra-high sensitivity of the proposed system will enable these species to be detected at concentrations below 7*107/cm3 per minute, which corresponds to a detection limit of <30 pptv in Earth?s atmosphere.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications for the instrument described in this proposal include the interrogation of extraterrestrial atmospheres for trace species, as well as in the study of Earth?s atmosphere. The ability to measure formaldehyde, specifically, with the promised sensitivity would be of great benefit to current atmospheric research efforts. Additionally, the described instrument will have applications in monitoring spacecraft life support systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The worldwide market for gas sensors with the capabilities of the proposed system is quite large. Numerous potential applications can be found in trace gas monitoring, pollution monitoring, industrial process control, and medical diagnostics.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
MicroCell Technologies
67 Sleigh Road
Westford ,MA 01886 - 3908
(978) 692 - 2613

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Michael   Kimble
westfordmicrocells@juno.com
67 Sleigh Road
Westford ,MA  01886 -3908
(978) 692 - 2613
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An electrochemical power plant is proposed by MicroCell Technologies to provide power to terrestrial flight platforms. Our power plant is based upon a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that is coupled with a hydrogen fuel supply cartridge that will provide readily scalable power levels up to 1 kW of power at 24 VDC. The hydrogen supply cartridge may be readily exchanged between missions helping to shorten the turn-around time for the flight vehicle. The design of the fuel cell power plant is based upon using hydrogen and ambient air that will operate over varying temperatures, humidity, and altitude to provide reliable power to the air vehicle. During the phase I program, we will demonstrate the feasibility of our power plant operating at a lower module wattage near 50 watts with an integrated fuel supply that will last for 12 hours. A phase II program will develop and deliver a 1000 W, 24VDC power plant that may operate for up to 12 hours.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The success of this electrochemical power plant for terrestrial air-vehicles will result in a robust electrical generator with energy densities of 2300 W-hr/kg and 2480 W-hr/liter, capacities that are significantly greater than that attainable with present day batteries. The major benefits of the proposed approach are a high power density and specific energy density that are attainable independent of orientation and attitude, a feature that allows wider applicability and usage of the fuel cell generator.
This improved power generator will enable NASA to deploy terrestrial flight platforms for longer durations or to carry heavier payloads since the generator has a high gravimetric and volumetric energy density.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The applications of this improved energy storage system may be directed toward commercial markets that typically employ batteries to obtain higher energy density or longer run-time performance. This proposed technology is well suited toward replacing batteries with a multi-billion dollar market potential.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Giner Inc
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton ,MA 02466 - 1311
(781) 529 - 0500

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert C McDonald
rmcdonald@ginerinc.com
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton ,MA  02466 -1311
(781) 529 - 0530
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Energies and Power Densities of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs) are limited by the size and weight associated with the liquid pump, which must circulate the methanol/water fuel mixture so that 1) methanol and water can be added as needed, 2) heat can be removed, and 3) CO2 can be removed. Automating these needs with appropriate control is difficult, especially under zero-gravity conditions. New design strategies are necessary with reduced overhead, if miniature DMFCs are to become a reality for Robotic terrestrial and Earth observation missions. The proposed work will demonstrate a DMFC with a means for continuous adjustment of water and methanol content in the anode fuel mixture of an air-breathing DMFC using piezoelectric micropumps. The micropumps are expected to be tolerant to zero-gravity and potentially will work more efficiently in the absence of gravity and thus provide an added benefit for DMFCs used in space.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed micropump-feed Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) will provide a commercial product for use on multiple NASA manned missions, micro satellites, planetary probes and space station needs where power supplies are needed to operate with minimal or no human intervention and in zero gravity. Micropumps are currently becoming commercially available with associated cost reduction associated with replacing large pumps and circulation systems used in present-day DMFS. The low cost of methanol together with increased in energy and power densities will save mission costs and reduce payload weights as compared with primary and secondary batteries.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is a huge market for new and replacement power supplies for light weight portable consumer products including cell phones, PDAs, cameras and laptop computers. The proposed improvements in DMFC operation will contribute to the power and energy density, reliability, safety and ease-of-use which will make them competitive with batteries for these consumer markets. The miniature pump-operated DMFCs will add considerable convenience over the complex systems available today and will be less orientation-sensitive and much quieter.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Plasma Processes, Inc.
4914 Moores Mill Rd
Huntsville ,AL 35811 - 1558
(256) 851 - 7653

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Scott   O'Dell
scottodell@plasmapros.com
4914 Moores Mill Rd
Huntsville ,AL  35811 -1558
(256) 851 - 7653
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Crucibles comprised of an internal ceramic liner in direct contact with a metal reinforcement are desired to maximize heat transfer between the sample and the furnace for materials processing experiments in microgravity. Previous work by Plasma Processes Inc. has demonstrated forming techniques to provide reinforced crucibles that survive quenching and produce samples with enhanced microstructural features compared to samples processed in conventional ampoule/cartridge assemblies. However, incorporation of thermocouples has been limited to either inside the crucible cavity or on the external surface of the metal reinforcement. The science requirements of several NASA principle investigators prevent the placement of thermocouples in these locations. In addition, a failure detection technique based on the use of krypton gas is required on some microgravity furnaces. Therefore, ?smart? crucibles are needed that incorporate thermocouple grooves and a reservoir for krypton gas storage within the crucible wall. Because of intimate contact between all the layers of the ?smart? crucible, optimum heat transfer rates are maintained.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Safer, thermally enhanced containment cartridges for processing materials science experiments on earth and in microgravity will be developed. In addition, the fabrication techniques developed will enable the production of smart components containing internal features and sensors for other commercial NASA applications such as rocket nozzles, high temperature furnace components, thermal and radiation shielding, nuclear and power generation components, and thermal stir weld tools.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Electronics and microchip manufacturing, high temperature furnace and retort components, rocket motor throat inserts, radiation shields, heat pipes, power generation equipment, nuclear components, beam and sputter targets.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Agave BioSystems Inc
401 E. State St.
Ithaca ,NY 14850 - 4409
(607) 272 - 0002

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joel   Tabb
jtabb@agavebio.com
401 E. State St
Ithaca ,NY  14850 -4409
(607) 272 - 0002
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Due to the extensive amounts of data generated from the genome sequencing projects, the focus of genomics has shifted from elucidating DNA sequence to the interpretation of gene function. In addition, as proteins are most often the targets of drugs, a method of studying the genome at the protein level is fueling the pharmaceutical industry?s interest in proteomics. By interpreting the interacting partners of a protein of interest and stimuli that affect these conditions, much can be learned about the protein?s function. To help fuel the proteomics revolution, Agave BioSystems, in collaboration with Dr. Robert Boyd, of the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester, proposes to develop an ultra sensitive analytical tool based on whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator technology for the detection of protein-protein interactions. Simulations have demonstrated that WGM resonator technology can provide several orders of magnitude greater sensitivity as compared to current detection mechanisms such as SPR. The microfabrication of this detection mechanism, coupled with microfluidic systems to be developed in the Phase II, will result in a disposable biochip that can be readily used in a small, compact and portable instrument.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Proteomics will be instrumental for the understanding of the role of gravity in the function of biological processes. The development of miniature advanced proteomics tools will aid in biological discovery in a wide variety of applications including on spacecraft platforms and planetary surfaces. This technology is especially important in providing the data that complements the genomics data that is now becoming readily available to biological experiments during spaceflight, i.e., what genes are being activated or deactivated as a result of a change in gravity and what those changes mean in terms of the proteins that they encode.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A method of studying the genome at the protein level is fueling the pharmaceutical industry?s interest in proteomics. By interpreting the interacting partners of a protein of interest and stimuli that affect these conditions, much can be learned about the protein?s function. The truly innovative instrument proposed will be small and inexpensive, combining advances in solid-state optics and microfabrication with classical microbiology. Given the extensive commercial markets that exist in genomics, we anticipate a significant commercial opportunity for this advanced, highly sensitive, and economical proteomics tool.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
New Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
895 Martin Road
Huntsville ,AL 35824 - 1615
(256) 461 - 0024

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert   Snyder
rsnyder@newcenturypharm.com
895 Martin Road
Huntsville ,AL  35824 -1615
(256) 461 - 0024
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Electrophoretic focusing is a new separation method intended to achieve high resolution within very short sample residence times because one fraction is separated at a time instead of all fractions at once, a characteristic of capillary and other zonal separation systems. Sample is inserted within a continuous buffer flow steam as a thin lamina and is collected in a single port at the exit end of the chamber. Applying an electric field transverse to the incoming sample and opposing this field with a carefully configured buffer flow a sample constituent can be selected and focused into the collection port for subsequent analysis. Monotonically changing either electric field or buffer cross-flow will yield a scan of the entire sample population. Stopping the scan increases the collection time for minor constituents. Extraneous sample is deflected out of the separation chamber through porous walls while the selected sample is focused in the center-plane of the separation chamber and collected without contact or interaction with the walls. Adverse effects of electroosmosis and other spurious flows are minimal. The design limits Joule heating and electrohydrodynamics during the electrophoresis process and thus should achieve a high resolution of separation in an analytical or preparative mode.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Electrophoresis has been a part of space payloads since Apollo 14 when a pharmaceutical company wanted an improved influenza vaccine. Continuous flow electrophoresis, the dominant free fluid separation technique of the times, is limited as a preparative technology by gravity-dependant thermal convection. During the next thirty years, more than a dozen experiments sponsored by industries in the U.S. and abroad were done in space. This activity peaked with a cooperative venture between McDonnell Douglas Aerospace and Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceuticals that designed and built the flight hardware on five Shuttle missions to make large quantities of a proprietary drug.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A porous gel rather than a free-fluid is necessary on Earth to eliminate buoyancy-driven thermal convection. Although gel electrophoresis in its two-dimensional format is the universal laboratory separation method for resolving protein and macromolecular populations, it does not produce unaltered fractions. The success of gel systems for analytical electrophoresis does not satisfy the continuing need for large quantities of purified biological materials for research and production. Unfortunately new free-fluid electrophoresis systems are still limited by thermal convection. Electrophoretic Focusing has been invented to eliminate all sources of sample distortion and replace gel-based eletrophoresis systems.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Physical Sciences Inc
20 New England Business Ctr
Andover ,MA 01810 - 1077
(978) 689 - 0003

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Anthony  A Ferrante
ferrante@psicorp.com
20 New England Business Ctr
Andover ,MA  01810 -1077
(978) 689 - 0003
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed technology genetically labels intracellular structures and visualizes protein interactions in living cells using a compact, confocal microscope with solid-state laser illumination. The proposed innovation will allow advanced study of cellular biology in microgravity environments. The recently introduced reef coral proteins fluoresce over a broader range of wavelengths than GFP and its derivatives. This allows simultaneous fluorescence labeling of three, and possibly four, cellular constituents simultaneously. The proposed confocal microscope will be based entirely on compact, low-power solid-state laser technology and will allow high-resolution imaging of structures within living cells in three colors simultaneously at standard video frame rates. As part of this innovation we will develop a 594 nm solid state laser for improved resolution of HcRed, the most red-shifted of the reef coral proteins. In Phase I we will set up a biological model that incorporates three different protein fusions. Phase I microscopy studies will determine the specifications for spectral and spatial resolution for the Phase II device. That Phase II device will comprise a compact system that uses low-power solid-state laser illumination. The device will have broad applicability for space cell biology research and also for terrestrial-based cell biology research.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We expect that NASA will adopt our proposed modifications to the CSU-10 confocal imaging system. That flight-approved system has already been delivered to NASA and is envisioned as a component of the Light Microscopy Module for the International Space Station. Our Phase I and Phase II research will provide significantly enhanced capabilities to those systems which will increase their capabilities in the area of functional imagery by permitting researchers to monitor the intracellular location of up to three cellular proteins fused to Fluorescent Reef Coral Proteins (RCFPs) simultaneously, at standard video frame rates.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We anticipate that the successful completion of Phase I and Phase II research will have several non-NASA commercial implications. First, we expect that this work will increase the adoption of the RCFPs by terrestrial researchers in many fields. The RCFPs will provide enhanced ability for simultaneously monitoring expression of multiple genes. We also anticipate that the 594-nm laser that will be developed in Phase II will be adopted for both imaging systems and for flow cytometry applications. There is currently no commercially available, solid-state laser with an emission wavelength between 532-nm and 635-nm.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Applied Science Innovations, Inc.
307 Ridgewood Circle
Albany ,NY 12203 - 5620
(518) 542 - 6922

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mikhail   Gutin
gutin@appscience.com
307 Ridgewood Circle
Albany ,NY  12203 -5620
(518) 542 - 6922
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Applied Science Innovations, Inc. proposes to develop a new tool of 3D optical coherence tomography (OCT) for cellular level imaging at video frame rates and dramatically reduced probe cross-section. Existing commercial OCT tools are focused in ophthalmology, where examination is external to the eye, the size of the probe is not important, and cellular level resolution is not required. The patent-pending 3D OCT will provide three-dimensional imaging in scattering media with improved resolution, depth of field, and minimal mechanical adjustment. The proposed approach is based on novel probe designs, original coherence scanning, and advanced signal processing. The flexible imaging probe will have dramatically reduced cross-section, compared to the existing systems, enabling the first ?3D camera through a needle? for functional imagery, including in-vivo histological examination. Phase I will include theoretical studies and implementation of a limited experimental prototype to arrive at the proof of concept. First generation packaged prototype will be developed in Phase II of the project and delivered to NASA Glenn Research Center for evaluation and field tests.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications will include measurement and micro-control technologies for health monitoring and health management of experiments, astronauts, and astronauts' environments, enhanced capability to image functioning biological systems at the cellular length scale, providing three-dimensional imagery of the sample. Additional applications of interest to NASA include real-time 3D imaging of plant cells, cellular studies of microgravity effect on immune system, and examining of structures in biochips. 3D OCT will be applicable for diagnostics of the performance of labs-on-a-chip, including detecting the presence of bubbles and particles and removing or characterizing them, as well as measurement of fluidic movement.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA commercial application include biomedical imaging (market size approaching $20B at a growth rate $1B per year), including cancer detection and cardiovascular diagnostic imaging. Other potential biomedical applications are in ophthalmology; developmental biology; dermatology; dentistry; gynecology; urology; gastroenterology; laryngology; surgical guidance and intervention. In minimally invasive surgery, the 3D OCT can work in combination with conventional endoscopes to provide ?close-up? three-dimensional views of cells in the areas of interest for ?real-time biopsy?. Non-biomedical applications of 3D OCT are envisioned in high-density data storage, polymer matrix composites, wafer-level inspection systems for manufacturing of microchips and micro-electromechanical systems, and industrial inspection systems.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Crossfield Technology LLC
7210 Westpointe Blvd, Suite 1324
Orlando ,FL 32835 - 7875
(407) 491 - 6929

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dennis   Ferguson
dennis.ferguson@crossfieldtech.com
7210 Westpointe Blvd, Suite 1324
Orlando ,FL  32835 -7875
(407) 253 - 5888
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Crossfield is proposing to develop a low cost, single chip plant bio-monitor using an embedded MEMs based infrared (IR) spectroscopy gas sensor for carbon dioxide and oxygen sensing, a temperature sensor, a visible light sensor, and a MEMs based soil moisture sensor. In addition, the signal conditioning, A/D converter, and processor will be implemented on the same monolithic chip, providing NASA with a smart biosensor chip for monitoring and data logging plant life environmental stress. A second, commercially available chip will provide a wireless interconnect to a remote monitoring station, enabling any suitably equipped computer, such as a laptop or a fixed display station to monitor the condition of a networked array of such sensors. The MEMs sensors are innovative Crossfield designs and the small, two-chip Wireless BioSensor is sufficiently low power to enable indefinite life time by energy scavenging from the environment. Under Phase I, the system will be demonstrated using analysis, simulation, and a demonstration breadboard of key elements. The monolithic sensor will be fully developed under a Phase II effort.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The Wireless MEMs Biosensor supports the NASA Fundamental Biology Program in understanding the effects of gravity on plants and animals by enabling the remote monitoring of atmosphere and water (nutrient) environments, as well as enabling the control and data logging of experiment container environments. The BioSensor employs a suite of four sensors to measure respiration, evapotranspiration, photosynthesis, and other environment variables in plants.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial potential of the Wireless MEMs Biosensor is very large, with applications in agribusiness, forestry, pharmaceuticals, and the home consumer. Commercial green houses can use the BioSensor to support different environments according to the product (such as tropical plants versus temperate or mountain climate). Another potential application is the controlled plant growth employed by the pharmaceutical industry. Finally, the largest potential market is in agribusiness. This includes large farms and forestry, where monitoring the plant growth environment is a major concern, since there is little control other than watering and adding nutrients.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Southwest Sciences Inc
1570 Pacheco St Suite E-11
Santa Fe ,NM 87505 - 3993
(505) 984 - 1322

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joel   Silver
jsilver@swsciences.com
1570 Pacheco St Suite E-11
Santa Fe ,NM  87505 -3993
(505) 984 - 1322
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The ability to grow food and recycle components of cabin air are critical to the success of long-term space flight missions. In order to assure that plants used for biomass production grow under optimal conditions, sensors are required to monitor the generation of biogenic and other relevant gases. In particular, ethylene gas must be carefully controlled to promote rapid growth of biomass products, yet be limited so as to prevent premature spoilage or degradation of the crops. The goal of this program is to develop a compact ethylene sensor with sufficient sensitivity for biomass monitoring and research that would also meet the unique needs required for space flight operation. The anticipated results of the Phase I and II research would culminate in the delivery of a fully operational, stand-alone, high sensitivity (1 part-per-billion) ethylene sensor. This sensor would have capabilities for monitoring other biogenic gases as well as cabin environmental trace species. Commercial applications would include medical breath analyses, portable hazardous gas sensors, and industrial process control monitors.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed ethylene sensor system provides immediate applications for NASA for biomass production monitoring in long-duration space flights. Direct adaptation of this system to other gases could also be used in several areas ranging from fire safety to air quality monitoring.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The development of a compact DSP-based diode laser sensor for ultra-trace gas detection has many commercial applications. These specifically include medical breath testing for disease identification and screening, in-line industrial process monitoring and hazardous gas sensing. The size and low electrical power usage of this sensor will permit portable devices as well as stationary units.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Orbital Technologies Corp
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison ,WI 53717 - 1961
(608) 827 - 5000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert C Morrow
morrowr@orbitec.com
Orbital Technologies Corporation, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison ,WI  53717 -1961
(608) 827 - 5000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Aseptic plant culture plays a significant role in biotechnology and plant physiology research and in vegetative propagation of many plant species. The development of an Aseptic Plant Culture System would provide a mechanism for experimentation as well as for transporting and storing vegetatively propagated plant material in space. Most culture systems are passive, with no environmental monitoring or control. This project proposes to develop a full environmental control and monitoring system for aseptic culture that can accommodate, without modification, a variety of standard culture vessels. The system would consist of a base unit into which culture vessels can be plugged or unplugged as desired. Multiple culture vessel sizes and shapes could be accommodated using a generic connector system. Environmental parameters controlled and monitored would include light level and spectral quality, photoperiod, air and media temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition. Using innovative, high precision miniature environmental control components would allow each vessel to maintain independent control set-points if desired. Particular challenges include development of a miniaturized humidity control system, precise control of the gaseous environment in small volumes, and maintaining sterility for an extended duration.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The APCS can be used to accommodate experiments requiring sterile plant culture in a reduced gravity environment. The APCS would be well suited for physiology and biotechnology experiments using Arabidopsis explants or seedlings and could also be used to maintain propagules in a well defined environment as a source of transplants for on-going experiments. The APCS could be flown as an insert in incubators, plant growth units, or even in a standard middeck locker. In the long term, components of the APCS could be part of the plant propagation system used to maintain stock plants for bioregenerative life support systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An APCS would provide a tool for research on optimizing the tissue culture environment, provide the ability to conduct a range of experiments at the culture vessel level, and support the ability to manipulate the culture environment to increase quantity and quality of plant materials grown from vegetatively propagated stock. These capabilities would be of use in university and college laboratories, and in commercial agricultural operations developing genetically modified plants or vegetatively propagating plants (e.g. orchids, seed potatoes). Another potential use would be in pre-college and college level science classes and in advanced biology outreach programs.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
PAYLOAD SYSTEMS INC.
247 Third Street
Cambridge ,MA 02142 - 0000
(617) 868 - 8086

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joe   Parrish
parrish@payload.com
247 Third Street
Cambridge ,MA  02142 -0000
(617) 868 - 8086
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal outlines planned development for a low-power, low-mass automated urine sample collection and preservation system for small mammals, capable of long-term operation in an isolated environment. It brings together earlier waste management and preservation techniques from NASA and other laboratory research in a novel manner, enabling solid-state storage and chromatographic analysis of urine for periods of up to 8 weeks. Urinary compounds, particularly those indicative of bone metabolism and protein turnover -- such as calcium, sodium, potassium, 3-methylhistidine, creatinine, corticosterone, histidine, n-telopeptide, hydroxyproline, pyridinoline, and deoxypyridinoline -- are one of the most valuable sources of data for studying musculoskeletal changes over time in response to altered stimuli, including loading environment. Since urine collection is non-invasive and provides a wealth of knowledge, including bone loss, muscle atrophy, and general stress, it is an ideal candidate for automated collection and storage. However, in common laboratory practice, urine samples must be collected, then frozen or analyzed within hours. The development of a urine collection and preservation system for common experimental small mammals will enable fundamental space biology research programs to substantially increase data gathered in the long-term studies planned for the International Space Station and other vehicles.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The MAUS architecture developed in Phase I will be immediately applicable to partial-gravity, hyper-gravity, and ground-based studies, with strong potential for extension to microgravity applications. The system?s key interfaces will be compatible not only with the Mars Gravity Biosatellite Payload Module, but with the Advanced Animal Habitat-Centrifuge (AAH-C) in development for the ISS Centrifuge Accommodation Module (CAM), and with static and ventilated isolator caging systems in widespread use by ground-based laboratories. This latter market represents a huge arena in which the MAUS technology might be applied.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A successful Phase I would result in a MAUS system design which could be manufactured and ready to operate in ground laboratory facilities during Phase II. This product would have immediate relevance to terrestrial small rodent research applications, and since it is designed for ground or spaceflight use, would be readily adaptable to flight experiments as well. As Phase II progresses, the product will be refined for both ground and flight operations; depending on the feedback we receive from our market assessment and contract monitor, and on engineering constraints, the original MAUS design may evolve into a single ground- and spaceflight-compatible design, or into two separate products.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Amnis Corporation
2505 Third Avenue, Suite 210
Seattle ,WA 98121 - 1480
(206) 576 - 6857

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David A. Basiji
basiji@amnis.com
2505 Third Avenue, Suite 210
Seattle ,WA  98121 -1480
(206) 374 - 7165
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Proposed is the development the extended depth of field (EDF) or confocal like imaging capabilities of a breakthrough multispectral high resolution imaging flow cytometer. This platform shall have unparalleled cellular analysis capabilities intended to further biological space research (fundamental, micro-gravity and radiation biology) and the potential capability of monitoring astronaut health.

The proposed platform shall simultaneously combine the high throughput analysis rates of flow cytometry, the high resolution imaging capabilities of multiple forms of high resolution microscopy (brightfield, darkfield and four fluorescent imaging channels) and the ability to image all cellular components in focus utilizing extended depth of field imaging.

This cell observation platform shall find additional utility in NASA?s biology space research given Amnis? complimentary technologies, specifically: i) Amnis? in-suspension labeling techniques for staining cellular structures and probing specific molecules in the nucleus, cytoplasm and membrane including fluorescent in situ hybridization. These in-suspension techniques eliminate the time consuming manual glass microscope slide preparation of cells which is problematic for micro gravity environment, ii) Amnis? sample containment/injection pump operates similarly to NASA?s rotating wall culture vessel allowing cells to be continually suspended via a rotational axis perpendicular to gravity.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The EDF multispectral high resolution imaging flow cytometer shall allow for simi-autonomous operation including (sample handling, object detection, image segmentation and cell classification). The instrument shall provide hundreds of times more cellular information than most sophisticated flow cytometers and microscopes. This instrument shall find immediate application to NASA?s fundamental biology space program, specifically the analysis of cellular responses to microgravity and cosmic radiation. The instrument has application to apoptosis, phagocytosis, hematology, cytogenetic, and cell cycle analysis. Additionally, the instrument potentially could be used for in-flight research and clinical uses, specifically, for hematology and chromosomal aberration measurements for monitoring astronaut health.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Beyond NASA?s fundamental space biology research and potential in-flight diagnostics, the proposed EDF Cell Analysis Platform has numerous potential non-NASA applications including: i) General purpose cell analysis research tool for cell counting, cell viability, apoptosis studies, chromosome enumeration and rearrangement studies, translocation studies, telomere length, morphometric and photometric analysis. ii) hematology instrumentation, iii) clinical diagnostics, iv) drug discovery v) early stage cancer screening, oncology for the detection of rare tumor cells of epithelial origin and vi) non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
CFD Research Corp
215 Wynn Dr.
Huntsville ,AL 35805 - 1926
(256) 726 - 4800

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Shivshankar   Sundaram
jls@cfdrc.com
215 Wynn Dr., Suite 501
Huntsville ,AL  35805 -1926
(256) 726 - 4858
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Differential gene expression by RNA profiling is a universal and critical step in space biology experiments, which seek to link specific molecular events with disease phenotypes. Current RNA preparation methods are tedious, require substantial astronaut time, and necessitate exposure to toxic chemicals. They often have poor, unreliable yields due to RNase contamination. Our overall objective is to develop and commercialize a microfluidics based miniaturized platform (MED-RNA) that can fully automate the complex process of RNA extraction. Starting from harvested whole mammalian cells in a culture medium, MED-RNA will lyse, capture, extract/isolate and freeze/store RNA content for later analysis, in a fully integrated fashion with minimal user intervention. In addition to higher yields and faster process times, losses and contamination will be minimized as a result of the miniaturization and automation. A novel and unique plastic card based fabrication technology from Micronics Corp. will be leveraged for low-cost microfabrication. In Phase I, we will develop detailed design for the microfluidic lab card and the integrated system. We will also fabricate and demonstrate critical components (lysis and capture) of MED-RNA. The design process will be based on the state-of-the-art, multiphysics biochip design software from CFDRC. In Phase II, a fully integrated microfluidic lab card (including storage) will be developed and demonstrated on chosen cell lines.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Obtaining high-quality, intact RNA is often the most critical step in performing many fundamental molecular biology experiments, including northern blot analysis, nuclease protection assays, in vitro translation, reverse transcription PCR, and cDNA library construction. NASA is launching a sustained Space Biology program focused on in-vivo health monitoring and therapy on the Earth and in space. where microgravity allows unique studies on cell and tissue development and behavior. Current space biomedical and cancer research includes efficacy testing of drugs and biomodulators on growth and physiology of normal and transformed cells, and methods for measuring specific cellular and systemic immune functions of persons under physiological stress etc. where MED-RNA can play a invaluable role in increasing mission efficiency (more successful experiments, less astronaut time).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Nucleic acid extraction is a cornerstone of biology and our proposed automated, microfluidic platform will have a wide range of applications in the life sciences arena. In the commercial sector, we will target several different markets including:
Pharmaceutical and drug discovery
Pre-clinical and clinical research
Hospital & health site monitoring (for infectious diseases)
Agricultural research divisions (genetically modified food program, etc.)

A valuable by-product of this effort will be a well-validated simulation tool for the development of other microfluidic devices for cellular analysis. The developed models will be integrated with our industry leading multiphysics software CFD-ACE+ and made available to users with specific needs via product customization.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Critical Care Innovations, Inc.
13901 Willard Road
Chantilly ,VA 20151 - 2936
(703) 378 - 8600

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Patrick   LePivert
plepivert@cs.com
6698 Lakeland Court
Jupiter ,FL  20151 -2936
(561) 748 - 1597
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Rolling wall vessels (RWV) utilizing both single cell lines and co-cultures with two or more cell types are contributing significantly to our understanding of tumor development, cell biology and the role of cell-cell interaction in physiological processes. These studies would be significantly enhanced if the various populations of cells could be individually identified and monitored over the course of experimentation. Optical and ultrasound technologies will be employed to monitor the development and structure of these constructs. Multiple studies could be further enhanced if it were possible to grow three dimensional constructs comprised of multiple human tissues in immunodeficient mice and image these with ultrasound and optical technologies. Constructs grown in mice may well develop far beyond what is currently possible in vitro. This could open the door for a multitude of previously impossible routes of investigation. We propose to introduce genes coding for firefly luciferase and GFP into various human cell types to allow each population to be monitored in real time over the course of experimentation. By using imaging technology to visualize and quantify different cell populations incorporated into the three dimensional constructs that are the result of RWV culture, our understanding of cell-cell interaction, anti-cancer drug efficacy and specificity and other aspects of cell biology will be greatly enhanced. By implanting these imagable three dimensional constructs into immunodeficient mice, it may be possible to continue growing these multicellular structures thereby affording researchers opportunities to study tumor and cell biology, cellular interaction and many other areas not currently possible.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Several NASA investigators are utilizing rolling wall vessels for their research. Many of these studies will be greatly enhanced by having the ability to monitor incorporation, disappearance and viability of the various cell populations under investigation. Moving these cultures into the in vivo realm will greatly improve investigators abilities to expand current studies.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial applications of this technology will include: 1) the use of optical imaging to monitor 3-D constructs grown from common cell lines as models for anti-cancer drug efficacy in vitro and in vivo, 2) the use of these retroviral transfected fresh human tumors to determine an individual patient's response to chemotherapy and 3) use of other types of cell lines (neuronal, pancreatic, etc.) to study the relationship of these cells to the cells that constitute the support matrix in which they exist. The ability to grow tissues comprised of multiple human cell types in immunodeficient mice will result in many commercial applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Space Hardware Optimization Technology Inc
7200 Highway 150
Greenville ,IN 47124 - 9515
(812) 923 - 9591

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mark   Deuser
mdeuser@SHOT.com
7200 Highway 150
Greenville ,IN  47124 -9515
(812) 923 - 9591
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
SHOT proposes an innovative microfluidic device designed to effect a 2-dimensional resolution of a mixture of proteins based on isoelectric point (pI) and molecular weight. A novel approach is proposed to achieve 2-D-gel equivalence. The first dimension is to be immobilized isoelectric focusing, and the second dimension will utilize an array of 100+ size-exclusion chromatography columns in microchannels. Molecular weight is recorded as each protein leaves each microcolumn. The output column number can be translated into pI. Thus each combination of output peak position and column number gives the combined values of pI and MW for each protein in the same way as does a ?spot? on a 2-D electrophoresis gel. Phase I research objectives are to (1) demonstrate the measurement of protein concentration in microchannels using a proposed electrical impedance method (2) construct and test immobiline channels and demonstrate their function in determining pI (3) construct a size-exclusion chromatography channel and demonstrate its function in determining molecular weight, and (4) identify fabrication steps for the integrated ?chip? to be tested in Phase II research. Also in Phase II research the device will be incorporated into an automatically controlled cassette configuration for operation in space flight and in the laboratory.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Protein-expression analysis, to be carried out on the International Space Station, must be automated, miniaturized, gravity-independent and safely contained. The proposed Microfluidic Proteomics Separator fulfills all of these requirements. In its post-Phase II design, the equivalent of several 2-D electrophoresis experiments can take place inside a doubly-or triply-contained notebook-sized cassette. After a specimen has been collected from a life-sciences or biotechnology experiment, the specimen can be transferred by a crew member to a proteomics cassette. The analysis is initiated electronically, and pI and molecular weight data are read out automatically and recorded for the investigator.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In keeping with company practice SHOT intends to make the Proteomics Cassette available for beta trials initially and then to the laboratory public as a high-speed specialized proteomics analyzer. Although there is competition in this marketplace (valued at $2.68 billion by 2008) SHOT intends to develop and introduce a laboratory model and software to the genomics/proteomics research community. Due to its suitability for a disposable format this innovation could prove useful in the medical laboratory setting when clinical proteomics comes of age.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Technology Assessment & Transfer, Inc.
133 Defense Hwy, Suite 212
Annapolis ,MD 21401 - 8907
(301) 261 - 8373

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Walter    Zimbeck
zimbo@techassess.com
133 Defense Highway, Suite 212
Annapolis ,MD  21401 -8907
(410) 224 - 3710
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal targets development of a LED light activated photocatalytic water polishing system that enables reduction of organic impurities (TOC and microorganisms) in the processed water to levels less than 0.25 ppm for NASA?s future long duration mission. The proposed photocatalytic oxidation reactor is novel in two ways: 1) Strongly oxidative nanostructured TiON photocatalysts under visible light activation, which enables miniaturized water treatment devices utilizing energy efficient LEDs and/or solar radiation in space; and 2) A novel catalyst support approach that enables optimization of the structure to maximize exposed surface area and induce turbulent water flow for very high mass transfer rates. Rapid decomposition of organic contaminants in the water stream translates into a low energy, low volume, and lightweight method of polishing reclaimed water on manned spacecraft. In Phase I, TiON coated reticulated structures will be fabricated and evaluated in a test cell spiked with organic contaminants similar to those in process wastewater streams on board spacecraft using LEDs. Contaminant destruction rates will be compared for using different purification system such as photolysing and photocatalysis using titania and UV light. Phase I results will be used to design a pilot scale treatment system in Phase II.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA application of this proposed technology will be disinfection and TOC reduction of spacecraft wastewater such as humidity condensate, hygiene wastewater, and urine to produce potable water for NASA?s future long duration missions

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial potential of this technology is extremely high. The largest market is for residential point-of-use treatment modules, which is currently a $4.9 Billion annual market and is expected to continue growing. Other applications include municipal water treatment facilities, treating industrial process water and cleaning up contaminated groundwater.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
NOVAWAVE TECHNOLOGIES
230A Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City ,CA 94065 - 1411
(650) 610 - 0956

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joshua  B.  Paul
jbpaul@novawavetech.com
230A Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City ,CA  94065 -1411
(650) 610 - 0956
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I proposal seeks to develop an ultrasensitive, multispecies sensor system for use in determining the efficacy of air revitalization systems in space vehicle environments such as the International Space Station (ISS). The proposed instrument will be capable of determining absolute concentrations of numerous target molecules in real time, including CO2, CH4, H2O, NH3, and CO. Aside from CO and NH3, these species will be monitored with a precision and accuracy of 0.1% for commonly encountered levels. The detection limits (S/N=2) for CO and NH3 will be 50 and 5 ppbv, respectively. This compact, lightweight instrument will be capable of long-term unattended operation, and require minimal power. The Phase I research will demonstrate the feasibility of the technology by performing measurements on priority targets using a bench-scale laboratory instrument that employs a single, frequency agile laser source. The results of these tests will be used to quantify detection limits for a Phase II instrument that will employ a multiplexed diode-laser configuration. The proposed system will be capable of rapidly detecting numerous species with high precision and specificity. Commercial systems based on the Phase II prototype will be developed and marketed during Phase III.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications for the technology include monitoring air quality in the ISS or during the Mars Mission, characterizing extraterrestrial atmospheres, and monitoring atmospherically relevant species in the Earth?s atmosphere.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial applications based on the sensor technology described in this proposal include industrial monitoring, environmental monitoring, and general chemical analysis. The ability to determine absolute concentrations of gaseous species can also be used for semiconductor gas purity analysis, medical diagnostics, and potentially homeland security applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Southwest Sciences Inc
1570 Pacheco St Suite E-11
Santa Fe ,NM 87505 - 3993
(505) 984 - 1322

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Daniel   Kane
djkane@swsciences.com
1570 Pacheco St Suite E-11
Santa Fe ,NM  87505 -3993
(505) 984 - 1322
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Trace contamination of the International Space Station (ISS) by formaldehyde?a known carcinogen? is a significant potential threat to crew health. The spacecraft maximum allowable concentration (SMAC) in air is only 40 parts per billion and ambient concentrations appear to be increasing as formaldehyde outgasses from a variety of plastic components. Monitoring formaldehyde levels is difficult because few analytical methods can achieve sufficient sensitivity from instrumentation that can be adapted for space-based operation. The current detection method ? using absorbent ?badges? ? relies on post-flight analysis of the adsorbent material. Some of those measurements show formaldehyde concentrations close to the SMAC upper bound. As a result, a need exists for a reliable, fully automated analyzer that can provide continuous monitoring of formaldehyde concentrations on board the ISS. The target detection sensitivity is 10 ppb and the response time should be ≤10 minutes. Southwest Sciences proposes the development of an optical analyzer for formaldehyde that is expected to meet the requirements of space-based operation. The instrument will be compact, light weight, require little electrical power and no consumables, and will be able to operate for extended periods (months to years) without maintenance or re-calibration.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The spacecraft maximum allowable concentration (SMAC) of formaldehyde in air is only 40 parts per billion and ambient concentrations appear to be increasing as formaldehyde outgasses from a variety of plastic components. Monitoring formaldehyde levels is difficult because few analytical methods can achieve sufficient sensitivity from instrumentation that can be adapted for space-based operation. The current detection method ? using absorbent ?badges? ? relies slow, post-flight analysis of the adsorbent material. Some of those measurements show formaldehyde concentrations close to the SMAC upper bound. Our technology will provide real-time monitoring of formaldehyde in spacecraft.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Formaldehyde is a commonly used, but dangerous compound. Levels as low as 1 ppm can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Formaldehyde has also been found to cause cancer in test animals. Used extensively in industry and in the manufacture of plastics, monitoring background levels for workplace safety is of the utmost importance. Our technology can easily be adapted to measure in formaldehyde in spot locations as well as perimeter monitoring. In addition to detecting formaldehyde, our technology can be adapted to detect arsine and phosphine, which are also important and toxic industrial gases.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Umpqua Research Company
P.O. Box 609
Myrtle Creek ,OR 97457 - 0102
(541) 863 - 7770

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Richard R.  Wheeler, Jr., P.E.
rwheeler@urcmail.net
PO Box 609
Myrtle Creek ,OR  97457 -0102
(541) 863 - 2661
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Development of technology for Microwave Enhanced Freeze Drying of Solid Waste (MEFDSW) is proposed. The present state of the art for solid waste stabilization using lyophilization is very effective at removing water (up to 99.9%), but suffers from long processing times and high specific energy, because system equipment must operate continuously over the duration of the process. For conventional freeze drying operations, the system vacuum pump and the heat transfer system are in continuous operation. By utilizing microwave power to provide the necessary phase change energy to convert solid water to water vapor via sublimation at low pressure and temperature, the conductive heat transfer rate limitation that plagues conventional freeze dryers can be short-circuited. In addition, since the product quality of the dried solid waste is less of an issue than for food and pharmaceutical products, the sublimation envelope can be pushed. If the eutectic temperature is exceeded in localized regions in the solid waste during processing and partial melting to liquid water occurs in these regions, little significant impact, if any, will be made on the final state of the dried solid waste, but the rate of drying may be greatly accelerated, making the overall process more efficient.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The primary use of the MEFDSW technology would be as Flight Hardware for solid waste treatment aboard manned spacecraft and planetary habitats. The proposed technology is particularly well suited for deployment on long duration missions such as Mars transit, Mars base, and lunar outpost scenarios.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Important industrial applications are envisioned such as the stabilization of medical waste and improvement of commercial lyophilizers. With regard to the latter application, significant energy efficiency improvements may be possible if microwave heating is utilized during the sublimation step.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Umpqua Research Company
P.O. Box 609
Myrtle Creek ,OR 97457 - 0102
(541) 863 - 7770

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James R. Akse, Ph.D.
akse@urcmail.net
PO Box 609
Myrtle Creek ,OR  97457 -0102
(541) 863 - 2653
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An electrochemical cell is proposed for the efficient generation of 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in pure water using only power, oxygen and water. H2O2 is an attractive biocide for space-based missions, because no harmful chemical residues are produced, yet planktonic, biofilm-forming, and surface microorganisms are effectively controlled using low concentrations. The major hurdle to expanding the use of H2O2 aboard spacecraft has been the absence of an effective H2O2 generator. A new cell design employing new materials will be used to accomplish this goal. First, an innovative conductive polymer cathode will be utilized to form H2O2 efficiently and selectively. Second, a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) combined with an innovative anode - SPE - cathode design will be utilized to efficiently transfer H+ ions from the anode to cathode, where H2O2 is formed. This approach circumvents problems encountered with previous electrochemical cells designed to produce H2O2. The Phase I will clearly demonstrate the feasibility of these concepts by producing H2O2 in pure water. The Phase II will improve cell efficiency and decrease equivalent system mass (ESM) through cell miniaturization. Long-term performance tests will validate the basic cell design, forming the basis for a multitude of applications in space and commercial markets.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The primary application of an H2O2 generator will be for disinfection of areas that accumulate significant microbial contamination over time. Hydroponic enclosures, plant growth chambers, waste handling areas, and moist surfaces among others have potential for microbial outbreaks that will degrade performance or endanger crew health. H2O2 offers an ideal solution to these challenges, as an effective disinfectant without problematic residues. H2O2 can also be used to sterilize medical equipment during emergencies without bulky and costly chemical solutions or autoclaves. The ability to efficiently generate H2O2 on-demand will significantly reduce logistics and costs in these and other areas.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Efficient H2O2 production using only power, water, and oxygen has high commercial appeal. One market is the on-site production of an environmentally friendly bleaching agent for pulp and other products, where transportation costs currently dominate. A miniaturized H2O2 generator can automatically dispense H2O2 as a bleaching agent in washing machines, or as a biocide in water supply units used in medical equipment. At remote locations, and during emergencies or military actions, the on-site production of a powerful disinfectant is another attractive commercial use. Based upon a successful Phase I, a very strong potential exists for the development of this technology.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Lynntech, Inc.
7607 Eastmark Drive, Suite 102
College Station ,TX 77840 - 4027
(979) 693 - 0017

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Anuncia   Gonzalez-Martin
anuncia@ix.netcom.com
7607 Eastmark Drive, Suite 102
College Station ,TX  77840 -4027
(979) 693 - 0017
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Maintaining a healthy atmosphere in closed life support systems is necessary for the well being of the crew and success of a space mission. Current trace contaminant control systems for removal of trace contaminant gases from cabin air are based on activated carbon filter and high temperature catalytic oxidation. However, activated carbon and high temperature oxidation air cleaners suffer from absorbent saturation and poisoning, which leads to off gassing. Also, the units become a breading ground for microorganisms, and the activated carbon generates a potentially hazardous secondary waste stream. In this Phase I project Lynntech proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of using a reagentless advanced low temperature catalytic air-revitalizing unit based on a nanoparticulate photocatalytic filter to eliminate both chemicals and microorganisms from air. The benefits of this approach are its low cost, low power consumption, longevity, diverse flow rate capacity, size and performance. In addition, it is reagentless and it does not generate a secondary waste stream. In the Phase II project, a fully operational prototype will be delivered to NASA.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Maintaining a healthy atmosphere in closed life support systems is necessary for the well being of the crew and success of a space mission. The proposed technology will allow maintaining a healthy atmosphere by effectively removing and destroying trace contaminant gases and airborne microorganisms from cabin air.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The novel air cleaning process will find commercial applications in many areas where the destruction of microorganisms, ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and other toxic organic contaminants are needed, e.g., in air pollution control in industries and enclosed environments. Potential markets include utility power plants, semiconductor industries, paper plants, oil refineries, petrochemical plants, mining, sewage, treatment plants, painting operations, electroplating industries, chemical and pesticide manufacturers, point booth emission, passenger vehicles (e.g., cars, buses, trains), commercial airplanes, tight buildings, homes, hospitals, etc.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Micro Analysis & Design Inc
4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300
Boulder ,CO 80301 - 2577
(303) 442 - 6947

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Thomas   Engh
tengh@maad.com
4949 Pearl East Circle, Suite 300
Boulder ,CO  80301 -2577
(303) 442 - 6947
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Micro Analysis and Design (MA&D) proposes to develop and build a tool to assist in the automated design and evaluation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) under standard windowing environments. GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods and Selection Rules) based techniques provide a quantitative method for evaluating alternative system designs, but are labor intensive to create. We propose abstracting the Keystroke Level Model GOMS technique to a higher level, the user interface component level. This abstraction will be integrated into a tool that will combine goal and task data with a model of the interface to predict the time to accomplish the goal and the user interface efficiency. The application will also provide a framework for the future development of metrics related to the interface design, user goals, and user characteristics.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA has an interest in developing applications that are effective and efficient for their users. In space, many applications will be used on space station or vehicle that while not cognitively complex, still require the user to interact with a traditional WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pulldowns) interface. Testing of these applications can be expensive. One alternative to decrease the amount of testing needed is to have a tool that will predict performance early on in the design phase. This saves NASA money and time in evaluating potential interface designs.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The application will provide the following benefits to every software design and development project: 1) drastically cut the amount of labor required to perform KLM-GOMS evaluations, 2) allow time to perform product level evaluations and 3) allow the user interface designer to provide quantitative data to back up proposed UI changes, such as return on investment of software development resources.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Intelligent Optical Systems Inc
2520 W. 237th Street
Torrance ,CA 90505 - 5217
(310) 530 - 7130

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Alexander   Trunov
sbirproposals@intopsys.com
2520 W. 237th Street
Torrance ,CA  90505 -5217
(310) 530 - 7130
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Through recent manned spacecraft expeditions, it has become clear that there are significant hazardous features that affect the health and vitality of space crewmembers. To make extended manned space missions a practical reality, it is critical to monitor and to provide countermeasures for a variety of health threats. These monitoring and remediation systems must also fit the space environment, must be lightweight and unobtrusive, and must provide continuous monitoring, recording and reporting of crewmembers? vital signs. Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS) proposes just such a system. It meets the critical need for a portable, unobtrusive sensing array system, in situations where ambulatory equipment is not available. This integrated system will facilitate important medical decisions, leading to improved crew health. The design uses advanced optical fiber sensing technologies to measure the electrical activity of the heart and arterial blood pressure, together with sophisticated digital data acquisition and real-time signal processing modules. The proposed integrated system can be used continuously without limiting the physical activity or dexterity of the crewmember. By the end of Phase II, IOS will produce a system prototype that will be capable of acquiring human ECG and blood pressure measurements using an array of optical sensors.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Manned space missions require prolonged stays of crewmembers. Increasingly complex outer space missions will require continuous monitoring of the flight crew?s vital signs. The unobtrusive nature of IOS?s sensor array system will make it easy for astronauts to wear, and will provide an opportunity for NASA to monitor cardio physiologic parameters of the spacecraft crew on a full-time basis.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed "wear-and-forget" system can monitor the health of aircraft pilots, dispatchers, and other mission critical personnel. It can be successfully utilized in military situations: the Army Objective Force, Future Combat Systems initiative; the US Navy monitoring of cardiovascular health in seamen on submarines, deep-water divers, and other situations where blood pressure levels depend on oxygen supply systems. It can also be used in the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome, timely detection of arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, physiological stress, asthma, and other cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases; monitoring the health of nuclear plant operators, firefighters, and emergency personnel.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Bae Institute
1101 Bryan Ave., Suite C
Tustin ,CA 92780 - 4401
(714) 665 - 8824

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Young   Bae
baeinstitute@aol.com
1101 Bryan Ave., Suite C
Tustin ,CA  92780 -4401
(714) 665 - 8824
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to develop a new and innovative method for the detection and classification of emboli flowing into the brain through Carotid arteries, specifically for situations involving space traveling. The present technique does not utilize Doppler technique, rather the advanced pulse-echo ultrasound technique based on detecting the nonlinear parametric scattered ultrasound pulse-echo wave from emboli. The proposed technique is predicted to have a resolution more than 10 times better than that of the Doppler technique, and to be able to exactly measure the size of and classify the type of emboli. Furthermore, the implementation of the proposed technique into a Holter-monitor type device is predicted to be much easier than the Doppler technique. This Phase I study propose to investigate the feasibility of the proposed technique in vitro.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The present technique will be used for monitoring the health of the astronaut in space travel by predicting or preventing the possibility of transient ischemic attack or stroke through detecting emboli flowing into the brain.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technique can be used for predicting or preventing stroke, and for many commercial diving operations, such as the petroleum industry, which require divers to use deep, long schedules with a significant risk of decompression sickness, and which would benefit by the greatly increased precision of the proposed system.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
WAYNE MACHINE & DIE COMPANY
100 Furler Street
Totowa ,NJ 07512 - 1896
(973) 256 - 7374

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Gary   Lischak
glischak@waynemachine.com
100 Furler Street
Totowa ,NJ  07512 -1896
(973) 256 - 7374
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal addresses the need for food processing equipment for crews on long-term Advanced Life Support Systems (ALSS) missions. It is proposed to design a food extruder that will efficiently process wheat and rice flour into breakfast-cereal-type food. In addition, the design will incorporate an oil extraction system for peanuts, and a milling/grinding system for wheat, rice, soybean and peanuts. The design of this food processing system will rely on the use of a single lightweight motor, with interchangeable attachments to do the extrusion, oil extraction, and milling/grinding. This work will merge the extruder-building expertise of Wayne Machine & Die Co. with the food processing expertise of Rutgers University's Food Science team to produce a unique and versatile food processor design for the planetary surface missions. The deliverable of this project will be a complete engineering design of a food processing system, including AutoCAD drawings from which the hardware could be manufactured in a Phase II contract.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
It is proposed to design food processing equipment that could be used in a long duration space mission. The equipment will take the form of a versatile food extruder that will produce cooked food products from rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, etc. In addition, the equipment will be adapted to press oil out of peanuts and mill grain.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The major advantages including lightweight, modular construction, the ability to function as an oil expeller, miller/grinder and extruder are a unique combination of product attributes that demonstrate a unique selling proposition. First, the Versatile Extruder (VE) will be marketed to food research and development laboratories located in academic, government and business settings. Presently, these laboratories need several machines to perform all the tasks that the VE can accomplish in one machine, saving space, utility connections and ensuring cross-compatibility among functions. Second, food service establishments, home users and on-site testing agencies like the USDA will be targeted with a light-duty, low cost model VE which will feature robust plastic components, opening new avenues of cost effective micro-extrusion, milling, grinding and oil expulsion. Third, Wayne will develop a complete line of universally capable laboratory, pilot plant and production scale line of food extruders using technology based on the VE.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
T/J Technologies Inc
3850 Research Park Drive Suite A
Ann Arbor ,MI 48108 - 2240
(734) 213 - 1637

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
John  M. Miller
jmiller@tjtechnologies.com
3850 Research Park Drive Suite A
Ann Arbor ,MI  48108 -2240
(734) 213 - 1637
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I program addresses NASA?s need for long duration shelf stable food by developing a high oxygen/moisture barrier polymer system with good optical quality and extended durability for food packaging. At the present time, processable polymers with good optical quality have only intermediate barrier properties, e.g., Nylon-6 and Polyester. Several groups have successfully reduced their moisture and oxygen transmission rates to 30% of their initial values by adding surface treated clays and/or oxygen scavengers, but the transmission rates are still too high. In this program, T/J Technologies will dramatically improve the barrier properties of transparent polymers by tailoring the processing and microstructure of nanocomposite systems. Specifically, we propose to achieve lower transmission rates using a combination of a high barrier polymer, a range of selected additives that can be oriented to reduce gas and vapor permeation, and solution based processing to improve additive dispersion and the ability to orient the additive. We anticipate the resulting materials will show >50% enhancement in oxygen and moisture barrier properties when compared to existing barrier polymer systems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
If successful, this technology will fill an immediate need for food packaging with improved barrier properties and optical clarity, to help NASA with a stored food system for its Mars mission. Such a high-barrier polymer composite packaging system can greatly enhance the shelf stability of most foods.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to food packaging applications for NASA, this technology will find broad applications in both military and commercial markets in the areas of electronics and sensor packaging and the emerging market of organic LEDs. A plastic with good optical quality and excellent barrier to oxygen and water has a potential market that exceeds $1 billion/year.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Real-Time Analyzers, Inc.
87 Church Street
East Hartford ,CT 06108 - 3728
(860) 528 - 9806

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Frank E Inscore
inscore@rta.com
87 Church Street
East Hartford ,CT  06108 -3728
(860) 528 - 9806
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovation Research program will develop a novel surface-enhanced Raman (SER) sensor that will perform real-time chemical analysis of urine. It will provide key physiologic information to monitor astronaut health and indicate appropriate preventative treatment. The Phase I program will demonstrate feasibility by establishing the ability of sol-gel chemistry to both select key chemicals: amino acids, biomarkers, drugs, and metabolites, and enhance their Raman signals. The Phase II program will design and build a prototype ?On-Demand Urine Analyzer? for ground-based measurement. This will include interfacing the SER sensor between a sampling system and a Raman instrument. The Phase II program will also design a low mass, low power version of this system (Figure 1) to be used on the International Space Station (ISS) and other vehicles employed during extended space flight missions (e.g. Mars expedition).

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed on-demand urine analyzer will benefit NASA by providing key physiologic information to monitor astronaut health and indicate appropriate preventative treatment during shuttle, space station, and future extended missions in space.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed on-demand urine analyzer could be used to detect kidney diseases (e.g. polycyclic kidney disease), detect metabolic disorders in newborns (phenylketonuria), monitor drug administration during medical operations (especially chemotherapeutic drugs), and detect drug abuse. It will also be invaluable to the pharmaceutical industry, where it can provide trace analysis of new drugs as they are tested during drug development.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
New Jersey Microsystems, Inc
240 King Blvd
Newark ,NJ 07102 - 2100
(973) 297 - 1450

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dadi   Setiadi
setiadi@jerseymicro.com
240 King Blvd
Newark ,NJ  07102 -2100
(973) 297 - 1450
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to develop the NJM Sense-It system based on small sensor tags, which include a cardiopulmonary MEMS sensor for measuring heartbeat and breath rates continuously. In addition, the proposed sensor system can be operated in extended bandwidth mode to measure detail cardiopulmonary phonic pattern upon control from the reader. The system operates within a central reader at 915 MHz with as many as 50 sensor tags.
A single sensor worn as a Band Aid like adhesive or strapped tag on the astronaut monitors cardiopulmonary rates. Additional sensors are worn depending on the detail of phonocardiograph diagnosis data desired. This system is based on the mature technology of phonocardiography now thought at all medical school. This system has advantage that tag sensors measuring many additional physiological functions can be added at later date. The extended bandwidth cardiopulmonary data can be displayed locally or telemetered to earth stations and reviewed by clinicians in any situation as desired.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Monitoring, and analyzing astronaut cardiopulmonary function during flight shuttle missions, and responding to the event.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercialized product with disposable tag-based sensors can replace the jungles of wiring and/or battery powered monitoring devices currently in use by the millions worldwide. The medical devices could be part of the remote patient monitoring system at non-clinical setting where at the local center, experienced, certified monitoring specialists analyze the data respond to events, and report results in the manner prescribed by the referring physician.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Cleveland BioLabs, Inc.
10265 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland ,OH 44106 - 2130
(773) 517 - 7282

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Pavel G Komarov
cbiolabs@cbiolabs.com
10265 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland ,OH  44106 -2130
(440) 461 - 8772
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Space radiation is the major risk to the astronauts outside the Earth magnetosphere that cannot be eliminated by the existing radioprotectors. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to develop a new class of pharmacological agents for protection against space radiation using a new source of natural products ?potent cell survival factors produced by endosymbiotic and parasitic microorganisms. Induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) occurring in radiosensitive tissues is one of the major determinants of radiation-induced failure of hematopoietic and digestive systems and other pathologies, including pathological changes in the nervous system. As a part of their survival strategy, endosymbiotic and parasitic microorganisms evolved to produce powerful anti-apoptotic factors suppressing cell death in infected tissues; such factors were found to be effective radioprotectors. CBLB-501 protein isolated from Salmonella belongs to this category; it provides complete rescue of mice from lethal doses of gamma radiation causing hematopoietic and gastrointestinal syndromes. The proposed program is aimed at developing CBLB-501 into a useful radioprotective agent. It includes: a) evaluation of the radioprotective properties of CBLB501 in the animal model system; and optimization of treatment regimens, (b) development of optimized structural derivatives of CBLB-501, and (c) design and evaluation of combinatorial therapies employing CBLB501 together with most efficient conventional radioprotectors.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
CBLB-501 and related inhibitors of cell death will be useful as protectors against both acute and prolonged low-level irradiation. CBLB-501 has already been shown to be a powerful radioprotector. The resulting pharmaceuticals are expected to be used as anti-radiation antidotes in space missions. They will likely to be also useful in combination with the existing set of bioprotective measures (such as dietary antioxidants/free radical scavengers and cytokines) by complementing their mechanisms of action and dramatically increasing tolerable radiation doses.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The projected market for the new class of inhibitors of cell death in biopharmaceutical industry is broader than radioprotection. They can be used for treatment or prevention of other life-threatening injuries that involve the massive cell death, and therefore potentially treatable with CBLB501, including cancer treatment side effects caused by chemo- and radiotherapy, stroke, acute inflammation, myocardial infarction, as well as nuclear and chemical accidents.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Plasma Processes, Inc.
4914 Moores Mill Rd
Huntsville ,AL 35811 - 1558
(256) 851 - 7653

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Scott   O'Dell
scottodell@plasmapros.com
4914 Moores Mill Rd
Huntsville ,AL  35811 -1558
(256) 851 - 7653
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In order to safely explore space, humans must be protected from radiation. There are 2 predominant sources of extraterrestrial ionizing radiation, namely, Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) consisting primarily of nuclei of atoms (up to Fe) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEP), which includes mainly high-energy protons. In addition, neutrons that are formed due to breakdown of the incoming radiation flux in the shielding material have to be accounted for. An innovative, castable, boron coated, polyethylene epoxy is potentially a cost-effective lightweight radiation shielding material possessing structural as well as shielding properties. During Phase I, techniques will be evaluated for coating polyethylene particles with boron to prevent sedimentation of the higher density boron in the epoxy. In addition, techniques will be developed to uniformly disperse these particles in an epoxy matrix. Radiation simulations will also be performed. From these simulations it will be determined what parameters, such as volume percent boron coated, polyethylene particles, are necessary for this material to provide optimal protection to humans and electronics in a deep space environment. During Phase II, the fabrication techniques will be optimized. Samples will be produced for extensive mechanical properties testing as well as for radiation testing.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Lightweight structural radiation shielding materials are needed to shield humans in aerospace transportation vehicles, space transportation vehicles, large space structures, such as space stations, orbiters, landing vehicles, rovers, and habitats.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial potential for the technology being developed is very high. Potential applications include, but are not limited to, particle accelerators, nuclear reactors, radioactive biological and nuclear waste containment vessels, satellite hardware shielding, radiation shielding on high-altitude fighter planes, radiation protection for passengers and crew on high-altitude commercial airliners and military vehicles, and patient shielding for medical devices.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
MER Corp
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson ,AZ 85706 - 9237
(520) 574 - 1980

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James C   Withers
jcwithers@mercorp.com
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson ,AZ  85706 -9237
(520) 574 - 1980
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Innovative lightweight radiation shielding materials are enabling to shield humans in aerospace transportation vehicles and other human habited spaces. Multifunctional materials which provide non-parasitic shielding as well as structural performance is needed. Boron can provide neutron and cosmic radiation shielding, but the only available boron fiber is a large diameter monofianant on a tungsten substrate whose high Z number preclude it use in radiation applications. This program will develop boron fibers on carbon (low Z no.) fiber tow substrate utilizing an existing system for spreading carbon fiber tow and chemically vapor depositing (CVD) coatings. Processing will be optimized to produce high strength boron fiber tow which will be utilized in select polymer matrix composites to demonstrate the multifunctionality of structural and radiation shielding.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA commercial applications include multifunctional boron fiber reinforced composites to aerospace transportation vehicles which provides radiation shielding for humans.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Boron fiber tow will constitute a paradigm for boron fiber applications which have wide scale potential uses throughout aerospace lightweight composites in polymer and metal matrices as well as applications in defense systems and sporting goods such as golf clubs and shafts.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Aspen Systems, Inc.
184 Cedar Hill Street
Marlborough ,MA 01752 - 3017
(508) 481 - 5058

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jae   Ryu
klee@aspensystems.com
184 Cedar Hill Street
Marlborough ,MA  01752 -3017
(508) 481 - 5058
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Aspen systems proposes to develop an innovative and smart sensors to continuously monitor ambient air compositions by utilizing a resonating tunable micro-cavity technology. The new device will directly measure the unique vibrational resonance of gas molecules and determine its concentration for each constituent gas species. In Phase I, we will experimentally demonstrate the proposed concept by monitoring ambient air concentrations using the resonating tunable micro-cavity sensor. Selectivity and sensitivity of each gas species in air will be determined. Furthermore, we will determine linear response ranges of the proposed air monitoring system as a function of test gas compositions, including carbon dioxide and ethylene, temperatures and relative humidity. In Phase II, we will fabricate and test a prototype system for air monitoring in biomass production environments.

Resulting smart gas sensors will be extremely compact, accurate, reliable, light weighted, low power consumption, no extra supplies required for operation and fully automated microprocessor controllable. Furthermore, the same gas sensing and monitoring system can be used to measure relative humidity, pressures and temperatures of ambient air by using slightly modified sensor designs.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Reliable universal gas detector technology for monitoring ambient air and detecting hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) is critically needed for advanced life-support systems. There is no universal air monitoring or chemical sensing technology currently suitable for space applications. The universal gas detector technology can be used for both ambient air monitoring and HAPs detection. Availability of the proposed technology will make the entire air revitalization process relatively simple and easy to synchronize with other air monitoring/utilization functions. This technology will be welcome by all NASA personnel and contractors who are involved in advanced spacecraft life support projects.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The highly versatile, low cost, low power consumption and reliable gas detection technology will have a great commercial market potential. These include: portable consumer products such as CO detectors and air quality monitoring/security systems at home; OEM and industrial applications such as monitoring air quality in automobile compartments, closed public places (meeting rooms and theaters); breath diagnosis for medical applications; and air pollution monitoring in industrial processes.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Giner Inc
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton ,MA 02466 - 1311
(781) 529 - 0500

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mourad   Manoukian
mmanoukian@ginerinc.com
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton ,MA  02466 -1311
(781) 529 - 0527
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The aim of this proposal is to develop a low power consuming solid polymer electrolyte based, miniaturized electrochemical CO2 sensor that can continuously, accurately and rapidly monitor CO2 concentrations in closed or nearly closed environments for monitoring and control approaches for plant-production environments, to aid in NASA?s biomass (edible food) production research. The proposed sensor will introduce a much simpler, lower cost and more accurate alternative to the existing infrared CO2 measurement technology to measure CO2 and study its effects on plant growth. During Phase I, in addition to concept feasibility demonstration, the ability of the proposed sensor to detect (0 - 10) % CO2 in a wide temperature (15 ? 45) oC, and humidity (10 ? 99) % RH will be demonstrated. The proposed sensor will be evaluated for its fast response and continuous and uninterrupted operation for 100 hours. In Phase II the sensor will be integrated into a complete instrument, which will be small, lightweight and will allow for independent operation of the sensor complete with calibration routine, adjustable applied potential settings and digital display of numeric results. The unit will be battery operated with an AC converter and battery re-charger.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed solid electrolyte electrochemical CO2 sensor would have applications in NASA?s ground and space based fundamental biology research programs to study effects of CO2 concentration on biomass (edible food) production and plant growth. The sensor could be configured for closed or nearly closed plant growth chambers or plant culture bioreactors to accurately and continuously measure and control CO2 concentrations in the range of (0 ? 10)%.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential Non-NASA application fields, for the proposed electrochemical CO2 sensor, include:
Environmental Applications: For indoor air quality control applications, as well as, for environmental carbon cycle studies.
Medical Applications: To measure the concentration of CO2 in the patient?s exhaled breath in patient breathing systems.
Food Packaging Industry: For accurate measurement and control of CO2 to increase food storage and shelf life and to prevent bacterial growth.
Brewing and Carbonated Drinks Industry: For accurate measurement and control of CO2 in the brewing and carbonated drinks industry for taste enhancement

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Invocon, Inc.
19221 I-45 South, Suite 530
Conroe ,TX 77385 - 8746
(281) 292 - 9903

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Doug   Heermann
heermann@invocon.com
19221 IH 45 South; Suite 530
Conroe ,TX  77385 -8746
(281) 292 - 9903
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The success of the International Space Station in meeting NASA?s goals for completing the maximum amount of scientific research aboard the orbiting outpost is directly related to the proportion of astronaut time spent on scientific endeavors versus the time spent maintaining all of the ISS facility resources. In order to reduce the amount of crew time involved with inventory and logistics activities, the research and development of a highly automated, robust, scalable inventory and object tracking system based on recent advances in commercially available Surface Acoustic Wave passive ID tags is proposed. Through the combination of monitoring the movement of equipment and expendables through hatches, monitoring the contents of storage racks on a periodic basis, and by providing searching capabilities for particular objects, the system would significantly reduce crew workload, improve crew efficiency, and provide ground personnel with expanded knowledge of the on-board configuration of vehicle resources. The use of passive SAW tags will ultimately provide for lower cost tags with extended reading range, lower emissions, and expanded temperature range since the tag is not rectifying transmitted energy in order to power active circuits. In addition to the network of readers, PC software will be developed for simple crew interfacing.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This system could benefit NASA long-term flight programs, such as a Moon or Mars mission, where inventory and logistics tracking is absolutely required to guarantee safety during extended missions. In addition, the use of the system in ground support facilities such as launch pads and other Obiter or ISS processing facilities could assist in asset and tool tracking and manifest verification, eliminating labor-intensive data logging activities currently employed. Ground security and safety functions could be enhanced and further automated with the proposed system, allowing the movement and location of assets and personnel to be monitored continuously with reduced human intervention.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential Non-NASA applications include commercial supply chain monitoring, asset tracking, and security monitoring. Military applications include equipment location tracking, personnel tracking including friend or foe identification, and security functions. In addition to simple ID tag functionality, the proposed system could utilize low-cost tags as sensor elements, where the temperature or strain of a given passive tag is monitored remotely by an interrogator, allowing for extremely small, large temperature range sensor elements.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Quantum Devices Inc
112 Orbison St P.O. Box 100
Barneveld ,WI 53507 - 0000
(608) 924 - 3000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ronald W Ignatius
iggyron@quantumdev.com
112 Orbison St P.O. Box 100
Barneveld ,WI  53507 -0000
(608) 924 - 3000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
As NASA gradually finalizes the strategic plans for long-term exploration of outer space including earth low orbit and other planetary system, significant health and safety risks to the astronauts also arises. One of the risks is the physical wounding, burning, and inflammation during in-space/in-flight construction, fabrication, assembly, and testing of the infrastructures designed for the exploration, including the International Space Station. Such circumstance will severely undermine the implementation of NASA-defined plans and greatly overrun specified budget and time frame, if physical damage is not effectively controlled.

Several cases of minor cuts in microgravity have been reported not being able to heal until return to Earth. While the exact cause for the slow healing in space environment is still been theorized, initial studies on cells exposed to micro- and hyper-gravity have suggested that the growth of human cells is heavily regulated by the gravity. As the gravitational force increases or decreases, the cell function responds in a linear fashion. Typically, the faster the cell growth, the quicker the healing process. Thus, development of technologies that can accelerate the wound healing is crucial to NASAys space exploration mission.

The objective of this work is to develop an in-situ/in-flight wound healing device using wavelength-specific light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) biostimulation to accelerate the healing process. Pioneering work conducted by Medical College of Wisconsin shows that biostimulation is able to increase DNA synthesis in fibroblasts and muscles cells, which could contribute to fibroblast proliferation and healing process.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial potential for NASA and the other government sectors will be unlimited. As new space transportation hardware comes on line NASA will need an emergency medical suit or a section that will include an LAPC LED source on each transportation vehicle. In addition each space station or docking platform will require emergency medical facilities. Planetary exploration will require deployment of a base camp at the initial landing site equipped with a complete medical care facility including a LAPC LED source. Surface exploration will require vehicles with emergency medical facilities equipped with emergency versions of LAPC LED source.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The initial thrust of this research is to develop a device using LED biostimulation for in-situ treatment of wound, injury, and inflammation encountered during space exploration, which will enhance crew safety and health for long term exploration of space. There is no doubt that this type biostimulatory enhancement, once demonstrated for space, can be immediately applied to military applications and will have profound economic implications for the health care industry here on earth. With the development of a low cost LED source, this technology will no doubt find its way into rural area medical facilities thereby making the technology readily available to everyone. The world wide commercial implications for this device technology are enormous.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
OPTO-KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS, INC. (OKSI)
4030 Spencer St. Suite 108
Torrance ,CA 90503 - 2442
(310) 371 - 4445

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nahum   Gat
nahum@oksi.com
4030 Spencer St. Suite 108
Torrance ,CA  90503 -2442
(310) 371 - 4445
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Recent advances in molecular biology have offered promising opportunities for developing high-value transgenic plant materials that originally have no commercial utilities and for producing recombinant proteins in transgenic plants. Such plant genetic engineering will not only benefit the agricultural industry by creating elite crop varieties with improved qualities and unique features but also benefit the pharmaceutical industry by developing plant-based antibodies and vaccines, which is cost-effective and safe.

A fundamental requirement for the development of transgenic plant materials is to have an effective gene transfer system, which is able to produce high transformation events. Literature survey shows that existing transformation technologies face severe challenges with most of monocots and dicots cultivars. However, gene transfer experiments conducted by WCSAR during STS-95 and STS-101 showed that the transformation rates were significantly higher than the same experiments conducted on ground, which opened a door for the commercial investment of space-based plant genetic research facilities. The challenge is to develop in-flight analytical capability so that the science return is less dependent on the post mission process/analysis and the success of each flight. For example, the gene transfer experiment WCSAR conducted during STS-107 experienced 100% science loss due to the lack of analytical data during the flight.

The goal of this proposal is to develop an automated and ground-based controlled ISS-based research tool that is able to in-situ detect fluorescent proteins, the reporter genes widely used for in-vivo monitoring gene expression, using active imaging spectroscopy sensors. Such technology can be incorporated into existing research facilities to enhance the science return, and minimize crew involvement time. This is crucial to research fields of plant transformation, gene manipulation (sequencing/knocking out), and plant genomics.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Development of genetically engineered crops (or transgenic crops) and plant-based biopharmaceuticals is of major interest to the US and other countries around the world. Every year, the life science companies and government agencies worldwide invest hundreds millions of dollars in the development of high-throughput transformation and event screening technologies to reduce product development cycles, costs, and manual efforts.

The targeted customers will be NASA enterprises, NASA affiliated research/academic institutes, and aggressive life and science companies who will investigate the impact of microgravity on plant molecular biology, plant genetics, and other related subjects, which will meet NASA's mission requirements and will contribute to the improvement of human life on earth.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The targeted customers will be the commercial companies and research institutes who are primarily engaged in developing plant transformation technologies, plant-based pharmaceuticals, and plant genomics, which require massive event screening and DNA detection.

At the present time, the technology proposed here is not commercially available. Therefore, we hope that this initiative will lead to the development of a commercial product, which can be used for space and terrestrial applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Diversified Scientific Inc
1601 12th Ave. S.
Birmingham ,AL 35205 - 4709
(205) 930 - 0001

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David T Hamrick
dhamrick@dsitech.com
1601 12th Ave. S.
Birmingham ,AL  35205 -4709
(205) 930 - 0001
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed innovation will utilize self learning neural network technology to determine the structure of osteoporosis, immune system disease, and excess radiation DNA damage target proteins that will facilitate drug development to enhance crew health in long term space flight missions. This system is innovative because: 1) the proprietary neural networks will provide a unique understanding of the often non-linear crystallization process of the targets; 2) the system will objectively utilize the osmotic second virial coefficient to identify optimal screen components; 3) a commercial predictive database will be developed that may eliminate the need for initial crystallization screening and increase the rate of structure determination thus offering tremendous commercial potential as a fee based service. This dual use innovation is applicable to subtopic B4.01 Space Commercialization because this approach will focus on the development of osteoporosis, immune system disease, and excess radiation DNA repair targets which will improve crew health on long term space missions and will provide an earth-based commercial service to drug discovery entities.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed innovation will utilize self learning neural network technology to determine the structure of osteoporosis, immune system disease, and excess radiation DNA damage target proteins that will facilitate drug development to enhance crew health in long term space flight missions.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We anticipate that drug discovery entities including pharmaceutical, biotech companies, and academic institutions will subscribe to the proposed fee-based service. The focus of the service will be to expedite the drug discovery process by increasing the rate of protein structure determination through revolutionary neural network technologies and intellectual expertise. The development of the neural network prediction database in the Phase I and Phase 2 grants will allow us to reduce the time to market required in structure based drug design and increase the rate of structure determination that will lead to better drugs for all mankind.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
SFC Fluidics, LLC
21 West Mountain, Suite 122
Fayetteville ,AR 72701 - 6086
(479) 571 - 2592

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Walter   Vandaveer
wvandaveer@virtual-incubation.com
21 West Mountain, Suite 122
Fayetteville ,AR  72701 -6086
(479) 571 - 2592
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A laboratory-on-a-chip design based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) microfluidics and integrated microelectrochemical detection is proposed. The proposed device is well-suited for the rapid, automatic and highly sensitive detection of a wide variety of biomolecules of potential interest to NASA. Interest in MHD microfluidic devices has previously been limited by their tendency to generate obstructive bubbles and to suffer quick erosion of the electrodes. The proposed approach solves these problems and provides for very high flow rates and long electrode lifetimes. In addition, the proposed device can be operated at very low voltage, and contain no moving parts, features that currently are not available with other forms of microfluidic devices. In the present approach, the many significant advantages of MHD-based microfluidic systems are retained, including compatibility with a much wider variety of materials and solvents than electrokinetic based systems. An integrated, self-contained microelectrochemical detection approach can be used in turbid, colored, or complex samples with a minimum or absence of false positives and false negatives. Together, the two technologies offer a unique platform for biomolecular analysis. For space applications where minimum sample handling steps and maximum automation are typically highly desired features, the proposed system should excel.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential NASA applications for the device include pathogen monitoring, monitoring of astronaut health during space missions (including in-vivo although that would require additional development beyond the currently conceived Phase I and Phase II projects), physiological research, plant screening, and drug delivery.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Detecting biological and chemical agents, medical diagnostic applications, drug discovery, biological research, DNA/RNA sizing & separation, high-throughput screening, genotyping, gene expression profiling, clinical chemistry / diagnostics, protein separation, sizing, & quantitation, chromatography, proteomics sample preparation, microelectronics heat transfer, and other possible applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
CFD Research Corp
215 Wynn Dr., Suite 501
Huntsville ,AL 35805 - 1926
(256) 726 - 4800

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jerry   Jenkins
jls@cfdrc.com
215 Wynn Dr., Suite 501
Huntsville ,AL  35805 -1926
(256) 726 - 4800
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Nanobiotechnology is a rapidly advancing frontier of science with great potential for beneficial impact on society. However, successful design of these systems is an extremely complex, laborious task with large failure rates. Current models describing the molecular behavior are too slow (nanoseconds) and expensive while device design codes lack the necessary nanophysics. Our overall objective is to develop a generalized, multiscale, multiphysics CFD (continuum)-based design software where nanoscale effects of arbitrary biosystems are accurately, efficiently and seamlessly integrated with coarse-grained models carrying molecular information. To accomplish this task we propose a three-level modeling effort. First molecular calculations (Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo) are undertaken to elucidate the fundamental and essential molecular behavior. Next, stochastic simulation methods (Master, Fokker-Planck, or Langevin) will be seamlessly integrated with continuum approaches are developed to describe the mesoscale, fast time scale averaged behavior of these molecules. Finally, the information from the stochastic models is coupled to the continuum CFD model. In Phase I, the feasibility of this approach will be developed and demonstrated in the context of nanopore based sequencing device. The Phase II work will focus on model generalization, validation and improved usability (speed, robustness, GUI). The research is leveraged on substantial prior effort in the area.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA is launching a sustained Space Biology program focused on in-vivo health monitoring and therapy on the Earth and in space. Nanotechnology is poised to play a critical role in the achievement of this goal. It has been recognized that an essential need is the development of integrated methods to model analytical chemistry, of sensors physics, microfluidics, and most importantly biochemical molecular recognition methods on nanoscale devices/platform. The development of the proposed technology will accelerate the development of a wide class of nanobiotech devices in areas such as sequencing, sensing & detection, in-vivo diagnosis and drug delivery, repair of tissue/cell damage among others

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The market for research and development of integrated nanobiosystems is growing rapidly (estimated research amounts to over a billion dollars). CFDRC develops and markets CFD-ACE+, the industry leading software for biomicrofluidic design. With the addition of the multiscale modeling capability, CFD-ACE+ will be marketed for the design of microfluidic-based nanobiosystems. It is currently licensed to pioneering academic researchers (MIT, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, Los Alamos etc.) as well as to the Bio-MEMS industry (Caliper, Aclara, Sequenom, Motorola Biochip, Applied Biosystems, Agilent, Honeywell, Micronics, etc.). Endorsement letters from several companies engaged in this research (Nanoink, Integrated Naotechnologies) as well as the founder of a leading Nanotech Institute (NSTI) endorsing the value of this research are attached.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Los Gatos Research
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View ,CA 94041 - 1518
(650) 965 - 7772

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Hong    Jiao
h.jiao@lgrinc.com
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View ,CA  94041 -1518
(650) 969 - 6485
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Los Gatos Research proposes to develop wafer-based capillary electrochromatography for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) applications. These microfluidic devices will be engineered for integration with chemical and biomolecular LOC detector systems. For Phase I, a chip-based capillary electrochromatography system will be constructed and tested. The Phase I Research will address issues related to the performance of, as well as production methods that can be used for the technology. An integrated microfluidic system will be designed, and specifications for the Phase II Prototype will be determined. The suitability of the technology for present NASA LOC applications will be assessed, and relevant commercial markets and products will be identified. Commercial devices based on the Phase II prototype will be constructed and commercialized during Phase III.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed wafer-based capillary electrochromatography devices can be used to develop miniature analytical or ?lab-on-a-chip? (LOC) technologies, used to perform rapid, in-situ chemical and biological analyses for applications ranging from maintaining crew health in manned missions to performing in-situ analyses during microrover missions. Other potential aerospace applications include monitoring air and water to identify contaminants and pathogens in space stations, and providing in-situ analyses on terrestrial environments such as Mars and Nereus.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed technology will enhance the performance of the commercial lab-on-a-chip technologies, enabling new approaches to chemical and biomolecular detection and analysis to be implemented. Commercial applications of the technology include performing blood analyses, detecting chemical and biological agents for domestic preparedness, drug delivery systems, and providing forensic analyses at crime scenes.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Lynntech, Inc.
7607 Eastmark Drive, Suite 102
College Station ,TX 77840 - 4027
(979) 693 - 0017

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Sze-Shun   Wong
season.wong@lynntech.com
7607 Eastmark Drive, Suite 102
College Station ,TX  77840 -4027
(979) 693 - 0017
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The health of the astronauts during space flight is critical to the success of NASA?s space program. Astronauts are exposed to tremendous environmental challenges, such as cosmic radiation, microgravity and confined space. Their immune systems are easily compromised. To study these effects, biomarkers such as nucleic acids and protein are measured to determine how the body reacts and adjusts to the stresses. Current detection methods rely on traditional molecular techniques that are time-consuming and require skillful operators. Also, the equipment needed is bulky and require high-power consumption. Therefore, many measurements are not conducted near real time but are completed after the samples are frozen and returned to earth. This leads to uncertainty on the reliability of the data. In order to overcome these problems, Lynntech proposes a novel method to fabrication a nano-electronic biochip that potentially can provide single DNA/protein detection in near real time. The proposed biochip will be more sensitive, smaller, more reliable, lower cost, and easier to operate for NASA?s mission than the most commonly used optical methods. The ultimate goal is to develop a small real-time nucleic acid and protein detection biochip capable of conducting measurements for long duration space missions.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to monitoring astronauts? health, the electronic biochip can monitor the microbiology of the closed systems such as spacecraft and space stations. It can detect the sources and types of microorganisms in places such as crew compartments and in water handling systems. It can also be used in space agribusiness where genetic manipulation and mutation of plants by microgravity and radiation, respectively, can be determined through gene and protein expression.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This biochip can conduct DNA testing for homeland security without using PCR. It is field-portable and can be incorporated with sampling systems to test air, liquid, and solid samples. It will provide rapid and accurate testing for pathogens, such as SARS, anthrax and smallpox. In medical diagnostics, it provides early detection of illness-causing pathogens and tests for antibiotic-resistance bacteria. Other applications include environmental monitoring, agriculture, and food production. For protein detection, it will find wide application in the discovery of diagnostic biomarkers of diseases, monitoring of disease progression, drug screening, and study of drug metabolism and toxicity.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Orbital Technologies Corp
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison ,WI 53717 - 1961
(608) 827 - 5000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jeffery T.  Iverson
iversonj@orbitec.com
Orbital Technologies Corporation, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison ,WI  53717 -1961
(608) 827 - 5000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The purpose of the Generic ISIS Transport Module is to provide a means to bring living specimens to and from orbit. In addition to living specimens, the module can be used to carry subpayloads that require precise environmental control or continuous data recording. In order to maximize the amount of science for a given mission, many biological experiments require initiation while still on the ground. In these types of experiments, it is imperative that the specimens are housed in a very precisely controlled and accurately quantified environment. The GITM has the ability to control temperature, humidity, light level, fluid level, air circulation and air exchange rate with cabin. Sensors and cameras continuously monitor the contents of the chamber and have the ability to record images. The module meets both the Single Middeck Locker interface as well as the ISIS 6 Panel Unit Interface. By meeting both interfaces, specimens within the module can be launched/returned with power on the Space Shuttle Middeck and transferred to the ISS where it interfaces with the Life Sciences Glovebox. Specimens can then be transferred to the long duration test facility for the remainder of the experiment without direct exposure to the crew.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The GITM will enable better utilization of existing payloads and significantly decrease the amount of overall mass launched to orbit. By using GITM, which is smaller and lighter, for the transportation of the specimens, the long duration specimen facility can remain on-orbit. In addition to saving the weight of the larger payloads, the spares and science equipment weight is also saved. For those payloads limited to unpowered interfaces during launch and landing, GITM provides the extra science capability to initiate experiments using living specimens prior to launch. This functionality additionally extends the science capability by returning live specimens after experimentation.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
GITM provides increased utilization of science and biological experiments by improving efficiency, environmental control and test length. Commercially, there are a limited number of products available with the ability to control the range of parameters offered by GITM. Immediate application as a testing chamber would exist in the biological research market, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology for seed preparation, tissue culture growth, and plant or drug development. The self-contained unit could also be adapted into a portable biological specimen transfer system as a viable alternative to current environmentally-controlled shipping containers or truck transportation.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
TIETRONIX SOFTWARE, INC.
1331 Gemini Ave. Suite 300
Houston ,TX 77058 - 2794
(281) 461 - 9300

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Victor   Tang
vtang@tietronix.com
1331 Gemini Ave. Suite 300
Houston ,TX  77058 -2794
(281) 461 - 9300
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The VirexLab, the centerpiece of this Tietronix proposal offers significant innovation to NASA and to the Marshall Space Flight Center, implementing the Biological and Physical Research Enterprise education and outreach activities. VirexLab will be a collection of rich immersive settings with both hands-on and virtual components. These settings will focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning objectives. The objectives will integrate learning across the boundaries of subject matter, platform (setting), and institution yielding intellectual merit rarely seen in a single learning tool, an innovation in OBPR?s educational excellence. Tietronix proposes to develop a Virtual Reality (VR) educational system that can be used in multiple formats such as multimedia CD-ROMs, kiosks for museum settings, VR stations, and web sites that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The VR lab would allow the students to experiment with devices as if in the microgravity of space or Earth gravity. The significance of our proposed innovations is that learners, both students and adult life-long learners, will participate in hands-on, immersive environments to experience NASA?s missions and discoveries.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The potential applications cross all six NASA Enterprises. The activities, the process to develop the activities, and the audiences apply to each enterprise. This collection of rich immersive settings with both hands-on and virtual components will serve OBPR, Space Science, Aerospace Technology, and other NASA Enterprises to focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning objectives. This Tietronix-generated virtual reality tool will use modeling, simulation, and computer graphics to help learners understand why NASA works at developing technologies to enable the next explorers to go beyond where we have been, while assuring the survival of humans traveling far beyond Earth.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The VirexLab will be marketable to museums, libraries, school districts, anywhere a kiosk can be placed. The potential for students and the general public to learn about space related science is vast. Many federal buildings such as airports, court houses, and legislative buildings would allow for a kiosk for visitors to use. The tool will be structured such that multiple venues could use the software to educate and entertain. As NASA continues its research, the software can be easily updated.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
M.D. Perry & Associates
3002 Windy Ridge
Knoxville ,TN 37922 - 6157
(865) 777 - 1899

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Darlene   Perry
darlene@mdperry.com
3002 Windy Ridge
Knoxville ,TN  37922 -6157
(865) 777 - 1899
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Live from Space Station? Outreach Payload (LFSSOP) is a technologically challenging, exciting opportunity for university students to conduct significant research in the biological or physical sciences culminating in a university student built payload that is launched and placed on the International Space Station. Experiment features will be accessed and controlled by high school students via a Live From Space Station? (LFSS) Internet computer interface. A national competition for university students will be implemented to award the payload contract. A separate national competition designed for elementary students will be initiated to help the university awardee name their payload. Museums and science centers will be the LFSSOP curriculum dissemination and training sites, as well as public outreach sites intended to intrigue and excite individuals of all ages. Exhibit kiosks running LFSS systems data, audio, video and student payload-related computer interfaces will stimulate public interest in the space sciences and the uniqueness of on-orbit research. Further, the excitement of working on a scientific problem, devising a payload to collect data, and analyzing results to prove a theory that will contribute to the body of knowledge in the biological or physical sciences will motivate and inspire students to study math and science.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The LFSSOP program will effectively expose a great number of our country?s students and public to exciting, live ISS activities while fostering a positive image of space exploration and research for the benefit of humankind. The payload program will bring together the public, universities, schools and museums in the name of space science. Subsequent implementations will ideally include live participation in Missions to Mars, Lunar Explorations, Solar Exploration, Planetary Exploration, and Earth Sciences. The LFSSOP program will assist NASA in delivering live, hands-on demonstrations of math, science, and engineering concepts directly to schools and the public.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The LFFSOP program payload control interface is marketable to other payload developers and investigators not involved in the outreach program. The LFFSOP program educational interface is marketable to science-technology museums, public, other educational venues and commercial science sites. The National Air & Space Museum, McWane Center, Discovery Place, and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex have provided letters of support indicating their excitement at the prospects of the LFFSOP program reaching maturity. The Challenger Center/Star Station One, representing over 100 science-related facilities, has also provided a letter of support indicating a desire for involvement with the LFFSOP curriculum and products.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Clinical Tools, Inc.
431 W Franklin St. #30
Chapel Hill ,NC 27516 - 2319
(919) 960 - 8118

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mary P Metcalf
metcalf@clinicaltools.com
431 W Franklin St. #24
Chapel Hill ,NC  27516 -2319
(919) 960 - 8118
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR application proposes to develop, evaluate, and implement an Internet-based educational outreach site focusing on the varied biological effects of microgravity. We will develop a website, BodiesInSpace.com, to host the curriculum and courses on the Internet. The curriculum development process will be based on reviews of existing secondary school biology curricula and current NASA publications regarding microgravity and its effects on physiology. The curriculum will be further revised by microgravity researchers, educational design specialists, and teaching physicians. Learning theories that encourage skills and knowledge transfer, such as cognitive flexibility theory, will provide the foundation of the curriculum. Modules will be learner-oriented and support the development of decision-making skills through interactive scenarios. Conveying the excitement of space research, BodiesInSpace.com will focus on relaying information in a manner that will enhance the meaningfulness of the investigations. The website shall provide enhanced remote access allowing secondary school students the ability to access, learn, and participate in science activities. Such interaction will enhance the next generation of explorers' knowledge about and interest in the progress of NASA missions and discoveries.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The BodiesinSpace.com site is designed primarily for co-curricular use by secondary level biology educators as part of NASA's outreach efforts. The course can be used by public and private high schools, and should have particular appeal to private and charter schools, and for use with home-schooled children. This model can be applied to other NASA research to create other courses as part of a whole curriculum on space science. The course can be linked from current NASA education pages (e.g., SpaceResearch.nasa.gov).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The course will be designed for potential use as an interactive museum exhibit providing information on and visual representations of the effects of microgravity on the human body during space travel. The interactive graphical manipulations developed for the course may be utilized in biology educational software and Web applications. The curriculum design and graphical interfaces, as well as course evaluation and assessment methods, may be used to present other research to various target populations.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
MICHIGAN AEROSPACE CORPORATION
1777 Highland Dr., Suite B
Ann Arbor ,MI 48108 - 2285
(734) 975 - 8777

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Carl A  Nardell
cnardell@michiganaerospace.com
1777 Highland Dr., Suite B
Ann Arbor ,MI  48108 -2285
(734) 975 - 8777
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Potential commercial applications include the retirement of satellites that have become unresponsive or unstable. For instance when this occurs in a constellation of satellites, where relative position to each other is critical, removing the defective satellite and replacing it with a new one is of great importance. A potential military application is the retirement of a spacecraft that attempts to maintain its orbit because it has become unresponsive and does not know not to fight the de-orbit process. It could also be applied to a satellite that is still responsive but it is still desired to de-orbit it.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA has been using fixed gap and tunable etalons since Dynamics Explorer flew in 1980. Many systems have been flown since, each one being developed explicitly for its mission, with little or no reuse of design from mission to mission. This effort will incorporate the best features of the instruments that have flown, and incorporate a new technology that will reduce the cost, mass and risk of all future tunable optical filters that NASA may require. The technology being developed herein will not only be applicable to infrared instruments, but also to visible and ultraviolet passive and active instruments.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In 2003, Michigan Aerospace Corporation has responded to over 50 requests for quotation from domestic and foreign customers. The biggest impediments to the sale of these instruments are cost and mass. These are two impediments that will be greatly reduced if this SBIR effort is successful. The present inquiries represent approximately $2.5 million in new business. The lightweight cryogenic Fabry-Perot interferometer to be developed under the proposed SBIR program will have extensive commercial applications ranging from laboratory use to airborne natural gas pipeline leak monitoring and trace gas detection, to optical fiber communication.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
MER Corp
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson ,AZ 85706 - 3237
(520) 574 - 1980

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Witold    Kowbel
kowbel@mercorp.com
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson ,AZ  85706 -3237
(520) 574 - 1980
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA is pursuing novel technology for FTS instruments. The use of the conventional actuator technology is limited by the weight of optical components. The innovation of this Phase I lies in the application of composite membrane optics technology to device applications. In particular, ultra-lightweight retroreflectors will be manufactured in Phase I. Phase II will integrate this novel technology with stiff actuators.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA y remote sensing

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA y laser optics

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Boulder Nonlinear Systems Inc
450 Courtney Way, Unit 107
Lafayette ,CO 80026 - 2786
(303) 604 - 0077

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Xiaowei   Xia
xia@bnonlinear.com
450 Courtney Way, Unit 107
Lafayette ,CO  80026 -2786
(303) 604 - 0077
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc. (BNS) proposes to develop an Electro-Optic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectral Polarimeter (E-O IFTSP). The polarimetric system is based on BNS? patented FTS technology, where ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) polarization switches control device operation. The designed system has simple drive/calibration requirement, and the capability to acquire complete Stokes polarization information simultaneously with the spectral imaging information. This information is collected using short data acquisition times due to the fast electro-optic tuning (sub-millisecond response for FLC switches) and the high optical throughput of the spectrometer. The spectral region of interest is the 0.5 ? 1.5 micrometers to allow high-resolution, high-speed measurement of a large number of different atmospheric aerosols. Our approach uses non-moving parts in a compact geometry, which is expected to produce a simple and reliable system needed for critical NASA missions. The compact, low-mass E-O IFTSP will be particularly suitable for use on small aircraft platforms to advance capability in the spectral imaging polarimetry of aerosols and clouds in Earth?s atmosphere, and for integrating into Earth orbiting satellites for long-duration monitoring of atmospheric trace gases.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The compact and low-mass E-O IFTSP system is particularly suitable for use on small aircraft platforms to advance capability in the spectral imaging polarimetry of aerosols and clouds in Earth?s atmosphere. It can be integrated into Earth orbiting satellites for long-duration monitoring of atmospheric trace gases (Atmospheric Chemistry), CO2 Column Abundance and Profile (Global Carbon Cycle), and Topography and Surface Change (Solid Earth Science). It has also potential NASA applications in Lidar remote sensing, environmental monitoring, and chemical effluent detection. Its random access analog tunability makes it appropriate for derivative spectroscopy and for dedicated sensing applications, such as differential absorption.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is considerable interest in spectral polarimetric techniques that improve the capability of imaging systems where the information is difficult to recognize because of background clutter. This is especially true in the medical industry (e.g. analyzing tissue samples), but is also relevant for many industrial processes. Remote sensing with spectral polarization has potential applications in the commercial market as well, particularly in improved environmental assessment. The proposed technique has a large non-NASA commercial potential because the technology is very flexible (adaptable to a variety of applications) and is light efficient.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
SENSOR ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY, INC
1195 Atlas Road
Columbia ,SC 29209 - 2531
(803) 647 - 9757

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Yuriy   Bilenko
bilenko@s-et.com
1195 Atlas Road
Columbia ,SC  29209 -2531
(803) 647 - 9757
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Premature breakdown is a key obstacle in developing AlGaN-based avalanche photo diodes (APD) for ultraviolet (UV) light detection. Novel materials growth techniques, such as Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) allows for reduction of dislocation density only to approximately 10^7 cm-2. In order to reduce the number of growth defects and dislocation density in AlGaN-based APDs we will use single crystal bulk AlN substrates. We recently demonstrated that the use of a bulk AlN substrate allows us to reduce the dislocation density in the epitaxial AlN layers by more than four orders of magnitude down to 10^4-10^5 cm-2. The reduction of dislocation density below 10^4 cm-2 would enable us to fabricate up to 100 ?m diameter devices in dislocation-free areas of the wafers. Hence, we expect that AlGaN-based APDs on bulk AlN substrates will exhibit major improvements in the breakdown voltages required for stable performance of the devices.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The predicted commercial AlGaN UV APD market will have two elements:
(i) Displacement of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs)
(ii) New applications, which were not possible with PMTs.
There is a significant potential for NASA Commercial Application in displacement of PMT and low-sensitive Si PD in remote Earth monitoring UV sensors, flame control sensors and space radiation sensors, including single photon counting mode..

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is a large commercial application of UV APD in flame sensing.This application is related to the sensing of pilot flame in gas-based air and water heating systems in both commercial buildings and residential housing sector. Implementation of alarm systems for pilot flame failure would reduce risks of gas leakage and heating system damage, especially during winter period.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Perdix Inc
435 S. 44th St.
Boulder ,CO 80305 - 6017
(303) 543 - 8077

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kenn   Arnett
kenn@perdix.com
435 S. 44th St.
Boulder ,CO  80305 -6017
(303) 543 - 8077
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
During our Phase I SBIR research, we propose to integrate a novel low-temperature large-strain actuator technology into Fabry-Perot optical filters. The resulting ruggedized tunable optical filters will be able to withstand severe temperature extremes, shock and vibrations. The low-cost actuator contains integrated metrology, which is used to reference wavelengths and compensate for vibration and temperature fluctuations. Ruggedized tunable Fabry-Perot optical filters with integrated meterology will find imaging and LIDAR applications on airborne and spacecraft platforms. Commercially, the actuator technology will find applications in telecommunications and storage media devices.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The actuator technology will find application in a variety of tunable optical devices such as rugged tunable Fabry-Perot filters for imaging or LIDAR. These optical filters will be suitable for space or airborne flight where environmental extremes are a concern. Additional applications may include remote positioning applications aboard space telescopes or other alignment critical devices.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The low temperature actuator technology developed in Phase I will find use in a variety of high technology devices whose performance characteristics can be altered by changing the spacing between two plates. These devices include tunable optical components for dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) applications such as tunable optical light sources and optical receivers. Optical beam steering devices based on the Phase I actuator technology can be configured into optical add/drop multiplexers or optical cross-connects. Finally, low-cost nanopositioning actuators will enhance existing performance in applications such as optical or magnetic storage devices.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Black Forest Engineering, LLC
1879 Austin Bluffs Pkwy
Colorado Springs ,CO 80918 - 7877
(719) 593 - 9501

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Stephen   Gaalema
sgaalema@bfe.com
1879 Austin Bluffs Pkwy
Colorado Springs ,CO  80918 -7877
(719) 593 - 9501
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Uncooled focal plane arrays have improved dramatically and array sizes of 320x240 elements in a 50-?m pitch are commercially available at affordable cost. Black Forest Engineering proposes to design a readout integrated circuit to allow fabrication of a large format 1024x768 element uncooled sensor. The significant innovation is the use of 0.18 ?m CMOS design rules, high duty cycle signal sampling, and power reduction techniques to create a thermal sensor that provides high sensitivity readout of large format microbolometer detection elements sensitive to 8-14 ?m infrared. The thermal IR sensor will be low weight, small volume, low power and robust making it compatible with remote sensing applications such as aircraft, balloon-borne and space flight platforms

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Black Forest Engineering?s proposed large format focal plane array has NASA commercial applications for remote sensing applications such as aircraft, balloon-borne and space flight platforms.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial applications that could utilize Black Forest Engineering's proposed large format focal plane array are forward looking infrared imaging, industrial radiometers, medical imaging, gas/chemical analyzers and surveillance.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
SenSyTech, Inc. Imaging Group
300 Parkland Plaza
Ann Arbor ,MI 48103 - 6201
(734) 769 - 5649

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
John M Green
john.green@sensytech.com
300 Parkland Plaza
Ann Arbor ,MI  48103 -6201
(734) 769 - 5649
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The design of a UAV mounted Fire Mapper system is proposed. The system consists of a multi-band imaging sensor, a data processing system and a data communication system that are capable of detecting fires and providing fire information in near real time to an Incident Command Team. The sensor incorporates high performance QWIP IR detectors and a compact, lightweight scanner derived from an earlier NASA SBIR program. Location and platform attitude measurements are made and this information is combined with a DEM and applied to the image sensor output, producing fire and terrain image information that is GIS compatible. The Phase I work will assess available technologies, develop algorithms, evaluate tradeoffs and produce a preliminary design for a prototype system that can be built and flight demonstrated in Phase II with a NASA supplied UAV platform.

To accomplish these goals, the program will leverage the background of the NASA science team, the USDA Forest Service fire crews, SenSyTech airborne imaging experience and other SenSyTech customer experience; all of which have contributed to methods and systems for wildland fire detection and mapping.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Fire Mapper will demonstrate an important operational utility for UAV?s. Data from Fire Mapper will permit comparison with MODIS and other satellites to evaluate the use of new high performance thermal IR detectors that may be used on future satellite systems for detection and mapping of forest fires.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Successful completion of this work will open the commercialization of UAV?s for fire mapping. SenSyTech believes there are additional non-UAV markets for fire mapping systems such as this to U.S and foreign government agencies and to commercial aerial survey companies. The Fire Mapper package has other potential applications including Homeland Security, where it could detect campfires of aliens along U.S. borders and to monitor pipelines for terrorist damage. Any ?emergency response? requirement where a quick overall view of areas damaged by tornadoes, floods, hurricanes or earthquakes is foreseen as additional applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Flight Landata Inc
One Parker Street
Lawrence ,MA 01843 - 1548
(978) 682 - 7767

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Xiuhong   Sun
xhsun1@aol.com
One Parker Street
Lawrence ,MA  01843 -1548
(978) 327 - 6599
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The innovation is a powerful Ultra-Compact High-Definition Hyperspectral Imaging System (UC-HDHIS) for UAV deployment. UC-HDHIS concurrently acquires pushbroom hyperspectral imagery using a grating imaging spectrometer, and framing multispectral imagery using four-selectable-band CCD cameras, along with synchronized sky spectral irradiance measurements. Adapting miniaturized optics, camera and computer components, positioning/attitude measuring devices, and real-time software suite into a modular design, UC-HDHIS is highly configurable with a variable mass 3-15 lbs and a variable volume 125-650 cubic inches. Its CCD hyperspectral module covers 400-950nm spectral range with a spectral resolution better than 2.5nm and a swathwidth better than 752 pixels, which is extendable to 400-1700nm by docking an InGaAs module. The multispectral imaging format is 1024x768 pixels. Minimum quantization depths are 10 bits for hyperspectral and 8 bits for multispectral imagery. Using CompactFlash as mass storage and a special real time recording technology, UC-HDHIS has no mechanically moving/rotating parts and is rugged and vibration-resistant. A dual-Earth-imaging feature calibrates and compensates each part for better radiometric and geometric measurements. With mission automation and simultaneous Earth/sky spectral imaging and position/attitude sensing appended to the hyperspectral/multispectral data, high-quality geo-referenced spectral images are obtainable by a small UAV.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
UC-HDHIS is designed for NASA's interests in compact spectral imaging instruments suitable for aircraft or space flight platforms with low mass, low power, fast measurement times, and a high degree of robustness to survive vibrations in flight or at launch. Its potential NASA applications include:
1) For NASA's Mission to Planet Earth remote sensing validation activities, a gas-powered mini-UAV is adapted by GSFC to carry a suite of sensors to ground truth satellite data. UC-HDHIS is tailored for this mini-UAV deployment.
2) For NASA?s coastal region research interests in mapping kelp beds, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-a concentration and fluorescence.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
UC-HDHIS is an easy-to-use, easy-to-deploy, miniaturized hyperspectral imaging system, which can be fitted into divers light and ultra-light aircraft, model aircraft and small UAVs, airship, and balloon platforms for low-cost commercial remote sensing. Its potential commercial applications include the remote sensing for precision agriculture, crop growing status monitoring, vegetation specie mapping, forest and park services, surface pollution detection, and land-use surveys. With its compactness, portability, and low cost, UC-HDHIS can be modified as a handheld instrument useful for ground truthing field works, law enforcement, homeland security, medical applications, and fruit, agriculture product, and other food inspections.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Lite Cycles Inc
2301 N. Forbes Blvd
Tucson ,AZ 85745 - 1431
(520) 798 - 1240

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James   Murray
jmurray@litecycles.com
2301 N. Forbes Blvd
Tucson ,AZ  85745 -1431
(520) 798 - 0652
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Lite Cycles, Inc. (LCI) proposes to develop a direct-detection Doppler lidar (D3L) technology called ELITE that improves the system optical throughput by more than an order of magnitude. This improvement has the potential to enable wind sensing via Doppler lidar from spaceborne platforms, as well as improving the warning time for on-board clear air-turbulence (CAT) sensors used in commercial aircraft. The ELITE concept will be modeled and tested in Phase-I, and the feasibility for spaceborne implementations will be assessed. A prototype D3L system that utilizes the ELITE technology will be built and tested in Phase-II. The test results will be used to assess the feasibility of ELITE-based spaceborne Doppler lidar.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
On average, one commercial flight encounters significant clear-air turbulence (CAT) every other day. Between 1980 and 1995, the FAA reports CAT encounters injured 316 people and killed two. Doppler lidar is the only known method capable of reliably detecting CAT at ranges necessary to effectively prepare for or evade violent encounters. Experimental coherent-based Doppler lidar sensors are capable of detecting CAT at a range of 10 miles at 20,000 ft, which translates into a 45 second warning time. This meets the threshold-level requirement, and has little commercial utility. Ideally, much greater warning times at objective altitides are required to make a CAT sensor feasible for commercial deployment. Moreover, the costs associated with coherent-based systems make it difficult to achieve commercial viability. Direct-detection Doppler lidars based on the ELITE technology have considerable promise in meeting the objective specifications and cost of commercial CAT sensors.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Global measurement of tropospheric wind is potentially the most significant contribution of satellite remote sensing to existing global meteorological observations. However, there are large deficiencies in accurate wind measurements over large regions of the world (e.g., oceans), and spaceborne sensors are the only practical means of addressing these deviciencies. The deployment of spaceborne wind sensors would provide critical data on hydrologic and biogeochemical cycles, planetary scale dynamics, atmospheric-oceanic heat transport, as well as critical wind information for improved operational weather forecasting. NASA has been directly involved in the development of wind-sensing lidar technologies to address this need. Direct measurement of horizontal wind vectors in clear air has been demonstrated using lidar from the ground and from aircraft, based on determination of the wind-induced Doppler shift in the backscatter signal. However, the performance of Doppler lidar systems must be dramatically improved to make wind sensing feasible from space-based platforms. The improvements and simplicity of the proposed ELITE technology may provide the enhancements required to enable space-based wind sensing via Doppler lidar.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Lasergenics Corporation
6830 Via Del Oro, Suite 103
San Jose ,CA 95119 - 1353
(408) 363 - 9791

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Richard   Schlecht
schlecht@lasergenics.com
6830 Via Del Oro, Suite 103
San Jose ,CA  95119 -1353
(408) 363 - 9791
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
There is an important need for compact, light weight, short pulse laser sources for LIDAR applications. Recently, over 100 Watts of output power has been demonstrated from a glass fiber laser. Two advances have made this possible. These are the availability of high power diode lasers for pumping and the development of double cladding of the fibers. For several reasons it is possible to achieve significant improvements in these results by using single crystal fibers rather than glass fibers. Using the Laser-Heated Pedestal-Growth (LHPG) technique to grow single crystal fibers of Yb:YAG, we are proposing to develop a diode-pumped, double-clad fiber laser of Yb:YAG emitting at 1.03 microns and Q-switched using a new passive material.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Because the key benefits of the double clad single crystal fiber lasers are that much higher powers and efficiencies are possible in a compact lightweight package that can be easily cooled, this system can find applications in space, balloon borne systems, UAVs and aircraft systems. By wavelength shifting, many molecular species can be probed by LIDAR.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Because of the high efficiency of the proposed laser it will find military applications in such devices as LIDARs, designators, range finders, etc. They could find wide usage in medical systems where present systems are large, heavy and expensive. Areas such as micro-surgery, diagnostics using laser induced fluorescence by wavelength shifting and imaging by optical tomography. For a high power device many material processing applications come to mind.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ADVR Inc
910 Technology Blvd Suite K
Bozeman ,MT 59718 - 4012
(406) 522 - 0388

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Switzer   Gregg
switzer@advr-inc.com
910 Technology Blvd Suite K
Bozeman ,MT  59718 -4012
(406) 522 - 0388
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This NASA Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a technique to greatly improve the direct coupling of a diode laser to an optical waveguide with embedded Bragg grating using no intermediate lenses. The key innovation proposed for this SBIR effort is a method for generating adiabatic tapers at the input end of optical waveguides in potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP). This innovation will significantly reduce the size, weight and complexity of the Bragg stabilized laser directly addressing NASA?s need for a compact, rugged, electrically efficient, tunable laser for injection seeding high power lasers for lidar. By injecting the output of the single-frequency, cw, seed laser source into a high power laser, such as a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, longitudinal mode beating is eliminated that can cause random shot-to shot intensity fluctuations and excessive intra-cavity intensities that damage the internal optics in the laser cavity. The seed laser also enables high frequency stability and spectral purity from the high power host laser required by Doppler wind and atmospheric molecular lidar. A compact, robust seed laser is a critical component to extend the lifetime and achieve high frequency stability of high power laser systems used for lidar applications.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The KTP Bragg stabilized seed laser will be used to enhance frequency stability, wavelength accuracy and lifetime of NASA?s high power, Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers used for ground and air based Doppler wind lidar measurements, molecular profiles and high resolution altimetry. The KTP Bragg stabilized diode technology can also be readily extended to other wavelengths useful for injection seeding fiber lasers.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to NASA specific applications, this the KTP Bragg stabilized diode laser technology will find use in precision spectroscopy and trace gas analysis for environmental monitoring and industrial process control.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Fibertek Inc
510 Herndon Pkwy
Herndon ,VA 20170 - 5225
(703) 471 - 7671

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Floyd E. Hovis
fhovis@fibertek.com
510 Herndon Pkwy
Herndon ,VA  20170 -5225
(703) 471 - 7671
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A space-qualified, single-frequency oscillator operating at 1064 nm is a critical component for a number of active optical measurement systems that have been proposed for both ground and space-based NASA missions. These include metrology for space-based interferometers, direct detection wind lidar systems, atmospheric aerosol measurement systems, and differential absorption lidar (DIAL) systems for ozone measurement. These applications all require a frequency-stabilized cw 1064 nm oscillator with an output power in the 10-100 mW range. We propose to design and build a space-qualified version of the required laser oscillator. We will base our design on a diode-pumped microchip laser. It will incorporate both active temperature control and locking to a narrow molecular absorption to provide a high level of frequency stabilization. Redundant diode pumps, thermally and mechanically robust packing, and a careful choice of materials to minimize contamination effects will ensure the design will be space qualifiable. Our Phase I work will demonstrate that the key technology goals can be met in a space qualifiable design. In Phase II we will accomplish the detailed design, assembly, and qualification of a space-qualified single frequency laser that meets the required performance goals.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Researchers at LaRC are developing an ozone dial system that frequency converts a pulsed 1064 nm source. Researchers at GSFC are developing a wind lidar system that uses the output of a frequency tripled 1064 nm laser. Another group at LaRC is developing a High Spectral Resolution Lidar system for ground-based validation measurements of the CALIPSO mission. All of the 1064 nm pumps for these systems require the frequency stabilized seeder we are proposing to build. The same single frequency laser could be used in a number of ongoing and proposed space-based metrology systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA lidar systems are a larger market than for NASA systems and represent over 75% of Fibertek's revenues. Most of our revenue is for ground-based DoD systems, but there is a growing interest in space-based lidars. The DoD systems have the same requirement for robustness as the NASA systems. We will incorporate the single frequency laser and precision metrology technology developed under this SBIR into the next generation of DoD lidar systems. Since the market for DoD lidar systems will remain larger than that for NASA, we expect our DoD revenues for this technology to eventually exceed the NASA revenues.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
NP Photonics, Inc.
9030 S. Rita Road
Tucson ,AZ 85747 - 9102
(520) 799 - 7424

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Shibin   Jiang
jiang@npphotonics.com
9030 S. Rita Road
Tucson ,AZ  85747 -9102
(520) 799 - 7407
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal is for the development of new Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers for efficient high power 2 micron fiber lasers capable of generating an output power of up to hundreds watts. We propose to use Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers because silica glass fiber is not the ideal host for lasers at wavelength of 2 micron and longer. Germanate glass exhibits lower phonon energy compared to silica glass, increasing the quantum efficiency of 3F4 level of Tm3+ ions. Importantly, Tm3+ can be highly doped into germanate glasses, which results in so called cross-relaxation, dramatically improving the quantum efficiency. We will develop double-clad single mode germanate glass fibers with greater than 6wt% Tm3+ concentration to take full advantages of this Tm3+ cross-relaxation process, developing highly efficient fiber lasers at 2 micron. This type of fiber laser is useful for LIDAR applications, can also be used to pump Ho3+-doped crystals to generate extremely high power 2 micron lasers.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This fiber laser can be used to pump Ho doped crystals to generate extremely high power 2 micron lasers, which are generally used for LIDAR applications in NASA. The wavelength of Tm3+ fiber laser can be tuned to Ho3+ absorption peak of 5I8 ?5I7 transition, minimizing any detrimental up-conversion. The developed Tm3+-doped single mode fiber can also be used to build single frequency fiber laser with extremely narrow linewidth and long coherence length, which can be used as the seed laser for NASA?s 2 micron solid-state laser.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This efficient 2 micron fiber laser can be used for medical applications to replace currently widely used CTH:YAG laser. Generally, fiber lasers outperform solid-state lasers in reliability, compactness, and efficiency.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Brimrose Corporation of America
5024 Campbell Blvd., Suite E
Baltimore ,MD 21236 - 4968
(410) 931 - 7200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Dr. Sudhir B. Trivedi
strivedi@brimrose.com
5025 Campbell Blvd., Suite E
Baltimore ,MD  21236 -4968
(410) 668 - 5800
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Tunable solid state lasers have played an important role in providing the technology necessary for active remote sensing of the atmosphere. Recently, polycrystalline ceramic laser materials have become of great interest for diode-pumped solid state lasers. Compared to single-crystals, ceramic laser materials offer advantages in terms of ease of fabrication, shape, size, and dopant concentrations. We propose to develop neodymium doped yttria as a solid-state ceramic laser material for remote sensing of ozone. Neodymium doped yttria has emission lines at 914 nm and 946 nm. When these emission lines are frequency tripled, they correspond to ~305 nm and ~315 nm. These wavelengths are of particular interest since NASA is endeavoring to develop LIDAR devices for global monitoring that measure the differences in the back-scattered energy at two closely spaced ultraviolet wavelengths to derive a measure of the ozone distribution. Research has shown that neodymium doped yttria is one of the few materials capable of producing two wavelengths that, when frequency tripled, result in wavelengths around 305 nm and 315 nm. Thus, we propose a scalable production method to make spherical non agglomerated and monodisperse ceramic powders of neodymium doped yttria that can be used to fabricate polycrystalline ceramic material disks with sintered grain size in a suitable range. The polycrystalline ceramic material will be characterized for its suitability as a diode pumped solid state laser.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The ceramic laser material that will be developed during this research will have potential applications in LIDAR remote sensing applications. Neodymium doped yttria has emission lines at 914 nm and 946 nm, which, when frequency tripled, correspond to ~305 nm and ~315 nm. These wavelengths are of particular interest for differential absorption lidar (DIAL). DIAL techniques are used to determine molecular constituent concentrations present in the atmosphere such as ozone and green house gases, which are of particular interest because of their impact on the environment.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Polycrystalline ceramic lasers have enormous potential commercial applications. Commercial applications include remote sensing, chemical detection and scientific research. Furthermore, the cost to produce ceramic laser materials is potentially much lower than that for single crystal materials because of the shorter time it takes to fabricate the material and also because of the possibility of mass production.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
3490 Route 1, Building 12
Princeton ,NJ 08540 - 5914
(609) 520 - 0610

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Keith   Forsyth
kforsyth@sensorsinc.com
3490 Route 1, Building 12
Princeton ,NJ  08540 -5914
(609) 524 - 0234
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to design and deliver a turn-key photon counting detector module for near-infrared wavelengths, based on large-area InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes (APDs) that have been optimized for photon counting. The detector module will incorporate all of the essential photon-counting detector system elements: thermoelectric cooling, high-speed bias gating and avalanche quenching circuits, power supply, control and signal interfaces, optical fiber input, and a large-area APD. Previous near-infrared photon-counting systems have been severely limited by the use of commercially-available telecommunications-grade APDs, designed for linear operation at room temperature and low internal gain. These APDs are far from optimum for single photon counting at reduced temperature and very high internal gain. Work by our company has demonstrated that both quantum efficiency and pulse jitter can be greatly improved using APDs developed specifically for photon counting. During Phase I we will develop and deliver a prototype photon counting detector module optimized for low jitter and high single-photon quantum efficiency at wavelengths between 1.0 and 1.6 microns. During Phase II we will deliver a more advanced detector module having interchangeable APDs individually optimized for photon counting in the 1.0, 1.5, and 1.9 micron wavelength bands.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed detector module will both improve the performance and reduce the cost of near-infrared photon counting techniques, facilitating wider adoption of these techniques in a variety of LIDAR applications. Coupling the detector module to a spectrometer will also allow near-infrared spectroscopy having unprecedented low-light-level sensitivity. With the addition of an output preamplifier, the detector module can also be used for analog-mode photon counting, enabling its use for free-space communication experiments over great distances.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Near-infrared single-photon counting is currently used in commercial semiconductor failure analysis instruments manufactured by several firms, but the testing time and sensitivity of these instruments is far from ideal due to the very low quantum efficiency of conventional near-infrared photon-counting detectors. A near-infrared photon-counting detector module with low dark count rate and high QE would be well received by this industry. Near-infrared photon counting also has great potential for room-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy of III-V semiconductors, for commercial wind profile and air pollution monitoring LIDAR, and for chemical and biomedical spectroscopy generally, particularly as applied to low-photon-yield techniques such as Raman spectroscopy.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Western Environmental Technology Labs
P.O. Box 518
Philomath ,OR 97370 - 0518
(541) 929 - 5650

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Michael S Twardowski
mtwardo@wetlabs2.com
165 Dean Knauss Dr
Narragansett ,RI  97370 -0518
(401) 783 - 1787
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Evaluation of the technical and scientific feasibility of developing a model and sensor for the analytical optical determination of particle biogeochemical properties in natural waters is proposed. The objective of the proposed work is 1) to develop an inversion model, termed the General Optical-Biogeochemical Inversion (GOBI), for the analytical determination of particulate organic carbon (POC) and other biogeochemical properties from optical measurements, and 2) to develop an in-situ optical sensor (in Phase 2) for measurements of POC and other biogeochemical properties in natural waters based on the GOBI. For the first time, the model would allow in-situ analytical determination of POC irrespective of changing particle composition. Current empirical models are not applicable in case II waters. The GOBI model will be based on recently peer-review published analytical inversion models authored by the Principal Investigator and collaborators.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In-situ, analytical measurements of biogeochemical properties of particles in seawater are needed for remote sensing algorithm development in case I and case II waters. Compatibility with autonomous platforms will enable extensive data sets to be collected in concert with remote sensing imagery over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. NASA research areas involving carbon cycling, global climate change, sediment transport, riverine particle deposition at continental margins, harmful algal blooms, and general water quality monitoring all require an understanding of the concentration and composition of particulate matter in seawater.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are numerous science applications for in-situ measurements of biogeochemical properties such as POC and TSM that range from carbon cycling studies to environmental monitoring. Coastal monitoring and observation through the US Ocean Observing program and GOOS is expected to be one of our fastest growing market segments in years to come. We also expect the GOBI sensor to be applicable to many freshwater research pursuits.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Picarro, Inc.
480 Oakmead Parkway
Sunnyvale ,CA 94085 - 4708
(408) 962 - 3900

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert   Provencal
bprovencal@picarro.com
480 Oakmead Parkway
Sunnyvale ,CA  94085 -4708
(408) 962 - 3951
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Picarro, Inc proposes to develop the first cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) system to measure fluorescence, absorption, and scattering properties of atmospheric aerosols in real-time and in-situ. These unique capabilities will enhance NASA?s studies of aerosol properties including single-scatter albedo, size distributions, and particle types. The fluorescence spectra will enable discrimination between biological and non-biological aerosols. The flight-deployable instrument will weigh less than 25 kg and have a measurement time resolution of 1 second. Our approach utilizes a high-finesse CRDS cavity to measure extinction and to enhance the scattering and fluorescence signals attainable using low power diode laser based light sources.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We anticipate commercial applications in the monitoring of pollution and air quality. There is a market for particulate sensors in semiconductor fabrication facilities. We also see a large potential market for monitors for domestic security agencies to detect aerosol dispersed biological warfare agents.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The instrument will enable new measurements of aerosol optical properties required to develop more accurate models of global climate. It will help elucidate the sources and effects of bioaerosols on human and animal health. The instrument has military applications for the early detection of biological agents.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Los Gatos Research
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View ,CA 94041 - 1518
(650) 965 - 7772

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Thomas   Owano
t.owano@lgrinc.com
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View ,CA  94041 -1518
(650) 965 - 7713
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Los Gatos Research, Inc. (LGR) proposes to develop a flight ready instrument, capable of deployment on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to simultaneously measure in situ aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients. The instrument will be lightweight, compact, robust, integrate into UAV platforms, and be capable of simultaneously measuring aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients to 0.1 Mm-1 with a 1 second sampling rate. This highly innovative instrument, based on cavity-enhanced laser spectroscopy, will operate autonomously, and continuously stream data for storage or downlink. By significantly increasing the speed, sensitivity, and accuracy of in situ aerosol optical property measurements this instrument will enhance NASA flight studies of atmospheric aerosols and their effects on the radiative balance of Earths atmosphere. These studies seek to identify how aerosol optical properties vary through the lower troposphere, and further determine under what conditions surface-based measurements of these properties be used to calculate the direct aerosol radiative forcing from a measured aerosol optical depth. These studies are also of great use in determining how in situ measurements compare to remote sensing measurements. The ability to gather in situ aerosol optical property data from UAV-based instrumentation will both complement and greatly enhance existing ground based and flight instrumentation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA commercial applications for this in situ aerosol instrumentation include a compact, lightweight instrument targeted at manned or UAV research flights in the troposphere, and an autonomous, ruggedized instrument package targeted at research flights in the stratosphere. We anticipate interest in a tropospheric flight instrument from various US Government laboratories performing atmospheric research, including NASA-Ames Research Center, NASA Langley, NRL/Monterey, DOE, and NOAA/CMDL. The rugged, autonomous, and high-sensitivity requirements of stratospheric flight instrumentation would also be well served by this platform, but this is a highly specialized, boutique market segment that we would expect to fulfill on a contract basis.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA commercial applications include a low-cost instrument targeted at ground based research / automated monitoring stations, and OEM particle monitors. Ground-based instruments will be marketed to regulatory monitoring customers including power plants, factories, chemical plants, airports, public buildings, and various oversight agencies. We expect an early research and testing market, gradually evolving to voluntary and then mandatory compliance driven monitoring. For particle monitoring, high performance semiconductor manufacturing is evolving toward containment of the microenvironment within the tools and docking modules that transfer wafers between tools, and there is a strong need for ultrasensitive, in situ particle monitoring (ISPM) systems.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Aerosol Dynamics Inc.
2329 Fourth St.
Berkeley ,CA 94710 - 2401
(510) 649 - 9361

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Susanne   Hering
susanne@aerosol.us
2329 Fourth St.
Berkeley ,CA  94710 -2401
(510) 649 - 9360
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A compact, autonomous and rugged instrument to measure the concentration of inorganic ions, and possibly organic acids, in atmospheric aerosols is proposed. This instrument will combine an innovative method for particle concentration and collection with emerging ?laboratory on a chip? analytical methods. The analytical microchip, measuring a few centimeters across, will contain all of the critical components for chemical quantitation, including the collection reservoir, capillary electrophoresis separation column and conductivity detector. Atmospheric aerosol will be deposited directly on the analytical chip using a new, thermally diffusive, laminar flow, water condensation technology that enlarges nanometer diameter particles into the micrometer size range. Transfer from the collection reservoir to the separation channel will be accomplished electrodynamically. Within the column, ions are separated by electrophoresis, and detected by conductivity. Cations and anions will be determined quantitatively. Subsequent work could expand this approach to organic acids. This instrument is in direct response to NASA solicitation for ?systems and devices for measurement of atmospheric aerosol chemical.. properties?. It further fits the stated desire for ?autonomy.. for ground-station network applications and deployment aboard aircraft.? The system will be automated, yielding continuous, 5-min data at global background concentrations.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This instrument could be deployed in a world wide network, including remote vessels and on aircraft to measure the airborne concentration of aerosol sulfates, nitrates and other ionic compounds, thereby addressing one of the larger uncertainties in understanding global climate change.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This device could find application at regional monitoring stations, and for measurements in homes, schools and offices in support of US EPA regulations on fine particulate matter.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Spec Inc
3022 Sterling Circle, Suite 200
Boulder ,CO 80301 - 2377
(303) 449 - 1105

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Paul   Lawson
plawson@specinc.com
3022 Sterling Circle, Suite 200
Boulder ,CO  80301 -2377
(303) 449 - 1105
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
One of the key areas of study of NASA?s Earth Observing System (EOS), a constellation of satellites equipped to remotely measure the earth's surface and atmospheric properties, is the role played by clouds and aerosols in climate change. However, these remote measurements of the size, shape and concentration of cloud and aerosol particles are determined by mathematical inversion of (passive and active) radiative signatures from distances of 700 km. Thus in situ validation of cloud and aerosol properties is essential. The duration of conventional research aircraft is limited, restricting the usefulness of validation measurements. Small uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) and tethered balloons, however, are now capable of making sustained, long-term measurements, so that data sets can be collected that provide much better statistical comparisons with results from satellite retrieval algorithms. In Phase I, we investigate the feasibility of adapting three existing sensors, a hot-wire liquid water content probe, a particle scattering spectrometer probe, and a cloud particle imager (CPI), for use on small UAVs and tethered balloons. In each case, new, innovative technologies are used to drastically reduce the power and weight of these sensors. The sensors are targeted for application on the Aerosonde UAV, small tethered balloons, (untethered) radiosonde balloons and dropsondes. In Phase II, we plan to build prototypes of the candidate sensors, and flight-test them on a motor glider and on tethered balloons.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The Aerosonde UAV and tethered balloons have been used for atmospheric investigations ranging from polar regions to the tropics. The potential exists for several hundreds or thousands of Aerosondes and tethered balloons being equipped to measure cloud properties on a global scale. All three of the proposed micro-sensors will be inexpensive to produce in quantity. The largest commercial market is installation of micro-sensors on operational radiosondes. More than 1200 radiosondes are launched daily. This equates to 438,000 launches yearly. In addition to the atmospheric science community, relatively low-cost micro-sensors could find several applications in industry, including measurements of agricultural and painting sprays.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The Aerosonde UAV and tethered balloons have been used for atmospheric investigations ranging from polar regions to the tropics. The potential exists for several hundreds or thousands of Aerosondes and tethered balloons being equipped to measure cloud properties on a global scale. All three of the proposed micro-sensors will be inexpensive to produce in quantity. The largest commercial market is installation of micro-sensors on operational radiosondes. More than 1200 radiosondes are launched daily. This equates to 438,000 launches yearly. In addition to the atmospheric science community, relatively low-cost micro-sensors could find several applications in industry, including measurements of agricultural and painting sprays.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
EMAG Technologies, Inc.
1340 Eisenhower Place
Ann Arbor ,MI 48108 - 3282
(734) 973 - 6600

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kazem F. Sabet
ksabet@emagtech.com
1340 Eisenhower Place
Ann Arbor ,MI  48108 -3282
(734) 973 - 6600
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A new type of calibration standard is proposed which produces a pair of microwave noise signals to aid in the characterization and calibration of correlating radiometers. The Correlated Noise Calibration Standard (CNCS) is able to generate pairs of broad bandwidth stochastic noise signals with a wide variety of statistical properties. The CNCS can be used with synthetic aperture interferometers to generate specific visibility functions. It can be used with fully polarimetric radiometers to generate specific 3rd and 4th Stokes parameters of brightness temperature. It can be used with spectrometers to generate specific power spectra and autocorrelations. It is also possible to combine these features and, for example, to generate the pair of signals that would be measured by a fully polarimetric, spectrally resolving, synthetic aperture radiometer at a particular pair of polarizations and antenna baselines for a specified scene over a specified frequency band. The CNCS covers those frequencies used for radiometric observations in the 1 to 40 GHz range. While intended for ground based characterization of radiometer systems, the technological approach is amenable to on-orbit calibration. Also, the CNCS can serve as an artificial radio frequency interference (RFI) generator for validating instrument performance in the presence of RFI.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA is seeking correlated noise calibration devices for use in numerous microwave correlating radiometer systems (such as synthetic aperture interferometers, polarimetric radiometers, correlating spectrometers, and instruments utilizing any combination of these techniques) now under development or being proposed. Systems that could benefit from this technology include, but are not limited to, Conical Scanning Microwave Imager/Sounder (CMIS), Lightweight Rainfall Radiometer (LRR), Geosynchronous Synthetic Thinned Aperture Radiometer (GeoSTAR), ACMR, etc.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Aerospace corporations, Universities, government agencies other than NASA, and international groups also construct correlating radiometers that will benefit from this technology. Indeed, correlating radiometer technology developed by NASA will increasingly be exploited by other institutions, especially as enabling technologies like the CNCS are developed. Those institutions known to the authors to manufacture radiometers include, but are not limited to, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Ball Aerospace, Aerojet, Quadrant Engineering, U. S. Navy, NOAA ETL, The University of Michigan and The University of Massachusetts.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
VIRGINIA DIODES INC.
321 West Main Street
Charlottesville ,VA 22903 - 5537
(434) 297 - 3257

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David W. Porterfield
Porterfield@VirginiaDiodes.com
321 West Main Street
Charlottesville ,VA  22903 -5537
(434) 297 - 3257
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to replace the Gunn Diode Oscillators (GDOs) in NASA?s millimeter- and submillimeter-wave sensing instruments. Our new solution will rely on modern and reliable microwave integrated circuit technology. Specifically our systems will use highly developed microwave oscillators to achieve a low noise and highly stable reference signal in the 10 ? 30 GHz band. Compact amplifiers based on commercial MMIC chips will then increase the signal strength. Finally, our innovative integrated varactor multiplier circuits will be used to increase the frequency to the 60 ? 150 GHz frequency band with high efficiency and minimal added phase noise. With this technology we expect to achieve phase noise and stability comparable to the best Gunn diode oscillators and fundamentally improved output power and frequency agility. The millimeter-wave integrated circuit process and diode technologies are the critical innovative technologies that are required for this research. Through this SBIR project these innovative technologies will be extended to achieve highly compact multipliers for the 60 ? 150 GHz band. These new multipliers will be integrated with highly developed microwave components to achieve a robust and cost efficient replacement for the GDOs presently used in NASA?s Earth Science program.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA?s Earth Science program relies on millimeter- and submillimeter-wave technology to study the chemical constituents and dynamics of the Earth?s atmosphere. These studies are critical to gaining a better understanding of environmental problems such as ozone depletion and climate change. A critical component of these systems is the fundamental oscillator that must supply sufficient power and spectral purity, while also achieving suitable reliability and cost effectiveness in a small and lightweight package. The result of this research will be highly compact oscillators that out perform all presently available systems and are well suited for NASA?s Earth Science program.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We foresee a strong market for our broadband terahertz components and systems. A highly reliable and cost efficient oscillator with low phase noise is a vital component for many applications. These include local oscillators for heterodyne receivers, sources for chemical spectroscopy and electron spin resonance systems, transmitters for high frequency, and possibly covert, communications systems and sources for security scanners. Through this SBIR project we will develop the demonstration prototypes which will then be shaped into optimized systems for each of these important applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ProSensing Inc.
107 Sunderland Road
Amherst ,MA 01002 - 1098
(413) 549 - 4402

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James   Mead
mead@prosensing.com
107 Sunderland Road
Amherst ,MA  01002 -1098
(413) 549 - 4402
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In this Phase I SBIR proposal we describe our plan to develop two key technologies for future combined radar/radiometer systems operating at L-band. The first, a dual frequency, dual polarization microstrip antenna array, will allow a 1.2 GHz radar and a 1.4 GHz radiometer to share a single aperture. The second, an integrated transmit/receive (T/R) module, will combine a 2W transmitter with digital phase and amplitude control with a low-noise down-converting receiver. Phase I research will involve selecting appropriate broadband patch and feed network designs, evaluating their performance using GENESYS, a commercial RF simulation package. Candidate T/R module designs will also be evaluated using GENESYS. The imaging capability of the resultant designs will be tested on realistic ocean and land scenes using a custom software package developed by ProSensing.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Radar/radiometer systems are being investigated by NASA GSFC for remote detection of ocean salinity, soil moisture, sea ice and snow cover. Successful development of the antenna and T/R networks will provide NASA will two key elements of a future combined radar/radiometer system.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The antenna technologies developed through this research will result in more compact and lower cost antenna designs which will enable the construction of salinity and soil moisture sensors suitable for use on a variety of small aircraft.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Opteos, Inc.
1340 Eisenhower Place
Ann Arbor ,MI 48108 - 3282
(734) 973 - 6600

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kyoung   Yang
kyoung@opteos.us
1340 Eisenhower Place
Ann Arbor ,MI  48108 -3282
(734) 973 - 6600
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Limitations on the design, monitoring and diagnosis of complex microwave systems due to insufficient models, the reality of imperfect physical conditions, and the reliance on trial-and-error iteration for system improvement serve to increase the time and costs of radar development. While microwave characterization is traditionally the realm of conventional, port-based measurements, the proposed concept suggests an alternative: the development of a novel network of electro-optic sensors that probe the near-field amplitude and phase of microwave signals at strategic locations within prototype or field-deployed radar systems. Such a sensor network, which would rely on optically-coupled, non-conductive, ultrawideband probes, would provide an unprecedented combination of negligible invasiveness, freedom from electrical interference, and the ability to capture signal information at frequencies from UHF to W-band. It would impact the development of virtually the entire range of technologies relevant to active microwave earth-science instruments. The proposed program will thus lead to the development of an instrument that can aid in areas such as deployment, calibration, and phase correction in large arrays, as well as in the identification of sources of electromagnetic-interference signals and the isolation of faults and failures.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Relevant NASA applications of a novel electro-optic sensor network include design, maintenance, diagnostics, and calibration of radar components. A network of in situ electro-optic probes placed in critical locations within microwave circuits will gather otherwise inaccessible information on where failures arise or designs fail, reducing time and cost of development. Unit cells, and even multi-frequency antennas, will be monitored for operational consistency and the onset of faults without being taken out of service. Sensors will also diagnose when the phase of an element is incorrect, directing adjustment electronically, or even mechanically during deployment of an expandable array.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Many of the applications of interest to NASA may be recognized as having importance to the Department of Defense and also to defense contractors. For instance, monitoring of individual unit cells of an operational ship-based radar or troubleshooting of a new array design could both take advantage of a network of embedded sensors. It is also anticipated that strategic partners that wish to enhance their existing product lines may include networks of noninvasive RF sensors. For instance, internal-node measurements would complement on-wafer, port-based measurements, and a network of fiber-based probes could sense cell-phone radiation from locations within a phantom.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Vexcel Corp
4909 Nautilus Court
Boulder ,CO 80301 - 3242
(303) 583 - 0200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mark D Tabb
tabb@vexcel.com
4909 Nautilus Court
Boulder ,CO  80301 -3242
(303) 583 - 0258
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Polarimetric radar interferometry (PolInSAR) is a new SAR imaging mode that is rapidly becoming an important technique for bare earth topographic mapping, tree height estimation, and small-scale surface deformation monitoring in vegetated and snow covered regions. Vexcel has developed two processing techniques which may prove to be important for the successful realization of operational PolInSAR systems. First, primarily ad hoc techniques have been developed for extracting information from PolInSAR data with the result that estimated geophysical parameters have lower accuracy than necessary and associated confidence bounds cannot be computed. This is unacceptable for both scientific and commercial mapping applications. We have developed a maximum likelihood inversion formalism which yields the optimal estimates with confidence bounds. In addition, PolInSAR systems are thought to require extremely accurate calibration, possibly resulting in significant extra expense for antennas with high crosspol isolation, etc. We have developed a PolInSAR specific calibration algorithm that alleviates these problems, thereby reducing the cost of a PolInSAR system. Phase I concentrates on developing extensions to the basic techniques and theoretically validating their usefulness. Phase II focuses on experimentally validating the techniques using data from the various PolInSAR systems that will become operational in the next 1-2 years.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An understanding of the system level requirements and capabilities of a PolInSAR sensor is important for any PolInSAR systems that JPL is contemplating building. For example, the proposed PolInSAR calibration algorithm may significantly reduce the calibration requirements of a PolInSAR system, and the maximum likelihood inversion formalism is important for determining anticipated accuracies of various estimated geophysical parameters as a function of various system design decisions. Finally, successful realization of these techniques should enable a number of applications of interest to JPL such as biomass estimation and surface deformation in vegetated and snow covered areas (forests, glaciers, snowcapped volcanoes, etc.).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A number of satellites capable of repeat pass PolInSAR are scheduled for launch in the next 1-2 years. This will enable a number of commercial applications, including bare earth mapping, tree height estimation for forestry applications, and surface subsidence monitoring in vegetated areas. Surface subsidence is of interest to numerous cities that have problems due to aquifer depletion, as well as oil and gas companies. The single polarization implementation of the approach has limited functionality in vegetated areas

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Remote Sensing Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 1194
Barnstable ,MA 02630 - 2194
(508) 771 - 8563

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James R Carswell
carswell@rmss.us
100 West Main Street, Suite 9
Hyannis ,MA  02630 -2194
(508) 771 - 8563
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA is committed to measuring precipitation on a global scale. In 1997, NASA launched the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission which carried the first spaceborne precipitation radar (PR). Operating at 13.8 GHz, the PR demonstrated the potential of spaceborne radars to map global precipitation. To improve rainfall estimates, the next generation system being proposed for the NASA Global Precipitation Mission is a dual-wavelength (Ku/Ka-band) PR. While operating at two different frequencies will yield additional information on the drop size distribution, it will also mean a significant increase in size, mass, power consumption and cost.

The proposed Phase I effort will investigate the required innovations to design and build a Ka-band differential frequency PR. Such a system will potentially provide the same advantages as a dual-band PR without the same increase in size, mass, power and cost. This Phase I study will focus on developing a wide-band (10% BW) Ka-band amplifier, a wide-band matched-beam single aperture antenna and a novel Ka-band differential frequency PR system design. This design will lead to a prototype system that can be flown on high-altitude platforms such as the NASA ER-2.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed novel airborne Ka-band DFPR system will support GPM efforts by providing essential data to improve precipitation retrievals, aide in calibration/validation studies, and potentially lead to a lower cost, smaller spaceborne system that would enable GPM to fly more active sensors leading to improved spatial and temporal coverage. Since the Ka-band DFPR system will be highly sensitive to clouds, it can provide crucial information in precipitation initiation studies and can support the NASA CloudSat mission. Further, the precipitation measurement capabilities of a follow-on mission to CloudSat will be greatly enhanced by including this system as part of the payload.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed Ka-band DFPR system, with a lower cost and size compared to its dual-wavelength counterpart, will enable many research institutions; such as university, government and private sector research labs, to advance their efforts in the areas of precipitation studies, weather forecasting and long-term climate forecasting. With billions of dollars being spent on weather products and forecasting, a ground-based compact version of this system will improve local QPE measurements and forecasts. Initial market research shows a strong need for such a system and RSS plans to aggressively pursue this opportunity.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Crystal Research, Inc.
48501 Warm Springs Blvd., Suite 103
Fremont ,CA 94539 - 7750
(510) 445 - 0833

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Suning   Tang
tangsuning@cresearch.net
48501 Warm Springs Blvd., Suite 103
Fremont ,CA  94539 -7750
(510) 445 - 0833
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Crystal Research, Inc. proposes an integrated high-speed digital optical true-time-delay module for advanced synthetic aperture radars. The unique feature of this proposed approach is that both the true-time-delay waveguide circuit and high-speed electro-optic switching elements are made by using a single polymeric waveguide system and are monolithically integrated in a single substrate. As a result, it significantly reduces the device size while eliminating the most difficult packaging problem associated with the delicate interfaces between optical fibers and optical switches. Such a monolithic approach offers great precision (0.11 microns) for the RF phase control due to the sub-micrometer accuracy of lithography-defined optical waveguide delay lines. More important, the proposed optical switched true-time-delay network requires very low electrical power consumption (< 1 micro watts) due to very low power operation of electrically-switchable electro-optic waveguide gratings. Furthermore, the electrically-switchable electro-optic waveguide gratings have a very fast switching speed (<50 micro seconds) that is at least 100 time faster than any existing commercial optical switches. Other advantages of using the proposed switched digital optical true-time-delay lines include: microwave true-time-delay compatible, small, light weight, low loss, and immune to electro-magnetic interfere.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed integrated high-speed digital optical true-time-delay module represents a crucial technology for advanced high frequncy, broadband synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The core technology of high-speed electrically-switchable electro-optic waveguide gratings also can find wide applications in fiber-optic communication industry and photonic display industry. Commercial applications include high-speed optical digital filters, optoelectronic interconnects.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Reveo Inc
85 Executive Blvd
Elmsford ,NY 10523 - 1326
(914) 345 - 9555

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jaujeng   Lin
jackie.lin@reveo.com
3 Westchester Plaza
Elmsford ,NY  10523 -1326
(914) 345 - 6076
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future instruments and platforms for NASA's Earth Science Enterprises will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology. Temperature control for microelectronic and optoelectronic components is often accomplished with thermoelectric (TE) coolers. Because of the performance limit of thermoelectric (TE) materials, a commercial one-stage TE cooler can provide about, at most, 70 K maximum temperature difference, when its hot end remains at room temperature. Therefore, multistage thermoelectric coolers should be applied to obtain larger temperature differences at better coefficient of performance (COP). In the proposed SBIR program, Reveo will develop and commercialize a revolutionary manufacturing technology, which can package an enormous amount of thermal couplers into a miniaturized volume, thereby significantly improving the cooling capability of multistage thermoelectric devices. This enabling process technology is known as Massive Filo-layer Technology (MFT). Compared to current technology, Reveo?s approach enjoys numerous advantages:

? Extremely compact. MEMS level miniaturization.
? Exceptionally high cooling capability (150K and below)
? Manufacturing process can be integrated into industrial thin film device process.
? Great cost saving by consuming less thermoelectric material.
? Highly scalable and upgradeable.
? Enabling much more flexible multistage thermoelectric device configuration.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Proven feasible, this technology can have a significant impact on the thermal control technology for future instruments and platforms for NASA's Earth Science Enterprises. NASA is at the advent of using smaller and higher resolution instruments. By using advanced thermoelectric coolers capable of providing cooling at 150 K and below, NASA?s instrumentation capability will be significantly improved, in terms of stability, resolution, and speed.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An extremely powerful, compact and low cost thermoelectric micro-cooler also benefits other thermoelectric applications such as portable refrigeration, micro-coolers for infrared detector/laser diode/CCD/PC microprocessors, temperature controllers for critical components, thermal cyclers, and other temperature management tools. Two areas that are both growing especially rapidly and have a critical need for thermoelectric coolers are in microprocessors and image sensors.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
TTH Research
14300 Cherry Lane Court, Suite#215
Laurel ,MD 20707 - 3827
(301) 490 - 1800

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Triem T. Hoang
thoang@tthresearch.com
14300 Cherry Lane Court, Suite #215
Laurel ,MD  20707 -3827
(301) 490 - 1800
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Laser diodes are the key component in many space-based applications ranging from communication systems to optical sensors/detectors. Laser diode emitters however dissipate large amounts of waste heat of their own from the small footprint of the device. As a result, the dissipating heat flux from the laser diodes can reach a level as high as 1kW/cm2. The performance and reliability of laser diode arrays can degrade severely if the waste heat is not properly managed. Indeed temperature control is critical when the laser diode arrays are used for pumping a solid-state laser such as Nd:YAG. The solid-state laser has a narrow absorption bandwidth and requires a narrow pump source. Any variation in temperature throughout the array will cause the emitters to emit different wavelengths, thus increasing the bandwidth of the array. Spray cooling is probably the only available thermal control technology capable of dispersing heat fluxes of this extreme level (>200W/cm2). Spray cooling is a heat removal method by an evaporative heat transfer process. In this research project, a novel concept that combines a conventional refrigeration cycle and spray cooling technique into one system is proposed as the solution to extremely high heat flux problems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The intended application for the VCRL/SC concept is the cooling of high heat flux laser diode arrays in space-based communication systems. Laser diode emitters dissipate large amounts of waste heat from the small footprint of the device. As a result, the dissipating heat flux from the laser diodes can reach a level as high as 1kW/cm2. The performance and reliability of laser diode arrays can degrade severely if the waste heat is not properly managed.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
As electronic devices place ever-increasing demands not only on power requirements but also on packaging technology to reduce size and weight. A recent market survey indicates that the heat density requirement will exceed 1kW/cm2 for high power electronics in a near future. Examples of high power electronics are power converters, switches, motor drives.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ATEC Inc
387 Technology Drive
College Park ,MD 20742 - 0001
(301) 403 - 1748

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
John   Lawler
j.lawler@atec-ahx.com
387 Technology Drive
College Park ,MD  20742 -0001
(301) 403 - 1744
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose the development of a CTE-matched, liquid-cooled, high thermal conductivity heat sink for use in spacecraft thermal management applications. The material of construction of this heat sink has four properties that are critical: high normal and specific thermal conductivities, low CTE, high temperature resistivity, and moldability. Its thermal conductivities are higher than that of copper, so the thermal resistance across this heat sink will be lower than one made of copper. At the same time, it has a low CTE, which is slightly less than silicon and close to the CTE?s of most semiconductor and optical materials. CTE-matching is critical in space applications because of the wide variations in ambient temperatures, which can lead to delamination of heat sinks from electronics or their fracture. This material can withstand very high temperatures, so a faster CVD diamond deposition process is feasible. The diamond layer maximizes the thermal spreading at the heat sink-device interface (important for devices that are sensitive to temperature gradients) and also provides electrical isolation of the electrical components being cooled. Finally, the material is moldable, so heat sinks with complex external geometries, e.g. curved for optics, and internal surfaces can be fabricated inexpensively.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Our proposed heat sink technology will satisfy the ever-increasing demands of thermal management in space-based applications. As more sophisticated and higher power devices are employed in spacecraft, our heat sink will be able to provide the necessary cooling load and increase the reliability of the total system. Even moderate and lower power systems will benefit from the enhanced thermal spreading and reduced thermal stresses that will be occur with the utilization of our heat sink technology.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We are currently working on developing a similar heat sink using Al/SiC for high heat flux power modules. The demand for power modules that can handle higher voltages and currents are growing, as these power electronic components are needed for distributed electrical power systems, hybrid and electrical vehicles, and many military programs. The Navy in particular has been very actively funding the development of power module systems, in support of their All-Electric-Ship program and several new weapon system concepts.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Atlas Scientific
1367 Camino Robles Way
San Jose ,CA 95120 - 4925
(408) 507 - 0906

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
James   Maddocks
maddocks@cae.wisc.edu
1415 Engineering Drive, Room 1339A
Madison ,WI  95120 -4925
(608) 265 - 4246
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future instruments and platforms for NASA's Earth Science Enterprises will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology, and cryogenic applications will become increasingly more common. For example, Fourier Transform Spectrometers capable of high-accuracy cloud-profile measurements will require cryogenically cooled optics and detectors. While a number of cryogenic refrigeration systems may be considered for such applications, none offers the same potential for low vibration, reliability, and efficiency as the pulse tube. Typically, regenerative coolers such as pulse tubes, many of which are currently under development, have small cold heads that must be conductively coupled to heat loads. However, conductively cooled loads are often linked to their respective cryogenic systems through massive structures that must simultaneously have high thermal conductivity and low electrical conductivity y a combination not simple or economical to achieve. This work proposes to develop an innovative, light-weight, continuous-flow cooling loop for cooling distributed loads such as those represented by large deployable structures, including optical mirrors, actively cooled sunshades, and on-focal-plane electronics. The basis of the loop is a rectifying interface that converts the oscillating flow of a regenerative cryocooler into a steady flow of cold gas that can readily be distributed over distances of several meters.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future instruments and platforms for NASA's Earth Science and other Enterprises will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology. The proposed innovative, light-weight, continuous-flow cooling loop will be especially well suited to cooling distributed loads such as those represented by large deployable structures, including optical mirrors, actively cooled sunshades, and on-focal-plane electronics.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
MDA, Air Force and NASA are all supporting the development of low cost, reliable, vibration free pulse-tube and Stirling coolers for cooling superconducting electronic devices such as long wave infrared sensors, DoDs Joint Tactical Radio System, on-focal plane analog to digital converters, and supporting technology for cryogenic infrared focal plane arrays. Each application represents a potential market for the rectified thermal control loop proposed here.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
GMA Industries Inc
20 Ridgely Avenue, Suite 301
Annapolis ,MD 21401 - 1426
(410) 267 - 6600

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David   Adebimpe
david@gmai.com
GMA Industries, Inc., 20 Ridgely Avenue, Suite 301
Annapolis ,MD  21401 -1426
(410) 267 - 6600
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
GMA Industries, Inc. proposes produce a lightweight, fully polymeric but intrinsically conducting hybrid material that can be applied towards the production of next-generation sealants, structures and components. This will be achieved through the production of a single wall nanotube (SWNT)-containing matrix material, using wet chemistry processes and methods. An ability to incorporate the significant electronic, mechanical, thermal properties, scattering- and optical-limiting properties of carbon nanotubes into a homogeneously dispersed covalently-bound structural matrix will provide a platform for the creation of a new class of composite matrices that addresses NASA's desire for multifunctional composite materials that harness superior thermal, mechanical, and optoelectronic efficiencies. Furthermore, it is anticipated that a capability for real-time, in-situ monitoring of the structure's health can be incorporated within the architecture of these composites?whose susceptibility towards an assortment of phenomena (mechanical, chemical, optical, electrical, magnetic, etc.) can be further manipulated?through synthetic modifications of the SWNT component of the matrix. No such carbon-nanotube derived material is currently available. In Phase 1, the feasibility of producing such a composite will be demonstrated. Phase II will involve the further process optimization, development, and full characterization of this material.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Deformation properties are suitable for in-situ strain sensing and the temperature dependence of the transport properties are suitable for in-situ material temperature sensing. Composites are also suitable for the production of (i) rugged, radiation hardened and infrared obscuring optoelectronic devices; (ii) improved electromagnetic interference shielding and radar absorbing materials; (iii) protection against lightning and electromagnetic warfare, and (iv) efficient temperature dissipating materials for rocket, hypersonic aircraft and ballistic missile technologies.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Computer hardware platforms; non-corrosive replacement of metals in the automobile and civil engineering industry; supplants metal as a structural and conductive material.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
United Applied Technologies, Inc.
11506 Gilleland Rd
Huntsville ,AL 35803 - 4327
(256) 650 - 5120

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Larry   Bradford
L.Bradford@unitedappliedtech.com
11506 Gilleland Rd
Huntsville ,AL  35803 -4327
(256) 650 - 5120
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Ultra-lightweight membranes may prove to be very attractive for large aperture systems, but their value will be fully realized only if they are mated with equally high strength, low-mass support structures. The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new innovative structure concept using space qualified flexible thin film polyimide to produce large ultra-lightweight inflation deployed self-rigidizing structural tubes/booms with very low areal density, small packaging volume, and extremely high buckling/bending strength to accurately deploy and provide precision structural support to very large aperture systems. This material can be thermally formed to virtually any shape to produce booms, elbows, tees, flanges, and flat or curved panels to support or connect aperture system components and facilitate in-space assembly. Thermally formed polyimide (TFP) tubes are deflated for launch packaging, pressurized for deployment, and then self-rigidizing for the operational lifetime without any maintenance gas required. This innovative collapsible/deployable structure can potentially revolutionize the manufacture and use of structures for space applications. Phase-I will result in design, fabrication, and testing of sub-scale tubes and modular multifunction components. Phase-II will produce and demonstrate full-scale mission applicable tubes, booms, or truss assemblies and associated interface hardware.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The deployable self-rigidizing technology is of direct relevance to any future space mission under consideration that includes large structures. The optimized stiffener design and related manufacturing processes are applicable to large space telescope, satellite communications antennae, support structure for large solar reflectors for solar thermal propulsion, large space deployable radiators, and many other as yet not envisioned large space structures where launch volume and weight is critical.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial space applications include support structures for large communications satellite antennas. Non-space commercial applications include: packaged mast/antenna to be deployed in remote areas for both military and civilian use (firefighters/law enforcement/rescue operations, etc); small packaged, deployable portable emergency shelters; wings/fuselage for both model airplanes and unmanned expendable aerial vehicles; emergency deployable life rafts; and other applications where small volume stowable/deployable articles have substantial merit. These markets have yet to be explored in detail and numerous additional applications will present themselves as time is devoted to potential business planning.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Adherent Technologies
9621 Camino del Sol NE
Albuquerque ,NM 87111 - 1522
(505) 346 - 1685

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Andrea E. Hoyt
adherenttech@earthlink.net
9621 Camino del Sol NE
Albuquerque ,NM  87111 -1522
(505) 346 - 1685
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Light (UV and visible) curing composite matrix resins are being explored as an attractive means for rigidizing inflatable spacecraft for large space-deployed structures such as solar sails, radar and communications antennas, radiometers, and solar arrays. Light curing provides a controlled, clean, low power rigidization technology to harden these inflatable spacecraft once they have achieved the required shape. The Phase I program will address the potential use of leaky fiber optics incorporated into the composite structure to provide cure illumination from a diode laser. Fiber optics are a potentially attractive alternative to illumination using LEDs. The advantage is that the fiber optics can be intimately commingled with the composite fibers and matrix resin so that the light located right in the area to be cured. Additionally, a single diode laser can illuminate numerous fiber optics, resulting in a potential weight savings and risk reduction. Matrix chemistry will be formulated to be compatible with the fiber optic illumination system and cure in the space environment using photocurable cationic epoxies. Thermal reversibility of photocured composites and the potential for self repair of misshapen structures will also be addressed. Sample composite tubes will be deployed and rigidized to demonstrate the concept at the end of the Phase I program.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Due to the long shelf life, improvement in mechanical stability, low outgassing, and ROC?? predictability, this technology should have a significant impact on NASA inflatable spacecraft applications, including antennas and solar sail systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Government applications include inflatable unmanned ariel vehicles used by foot soldiers in the military as munitions, inflatable structures/ shelters for soldiers and refugees, and ROC curing splints for soldiers. Commercial applications include aerospace uses for large communications antennas, and uses within the assembly and laminating industries.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
EIC Laboratories, Inc.
111 Downey Street
Norwood ,MA 02062 - 2612
(781) 769 - 9450

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Michael D. Gilbert
gilbert@eiclabs.com
EIC Laboratories, 111 Downey Street
Norwood ,MA  02062 -2612
(781) 769 - 9450
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Development of a multifunctional, structural material for applications in terrestrial and space-based platforms used for instrumentation in earth observation is proposed. The principal innovation is the development of an epoxy-based thermoset that undergoes a phase separation reaction during cure to form two interpenetrating networks of a structural thermoset (epoxy) phase and a second phase that is tailored to provide ancillary function. Both phases are co-continuous and nanostructured, having typical dimensions of 40-200 nm. The second phase has controllable viscoelastic properties to provide mechanical damping and other strain-rate dependent behavior. Additional functionality is obtained by sequestering appropriate materials into the second phase. Examples include reactive species for composite self-repair, ionizable salts to provide ionic conductivity, reducible and oxidizable materials for power source applications, and nanoscale materials, such as carbon nanotubes, for mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties enhancements. The thermoset will be used as a matrix in structural fiber composites. In Phase I, incorporation of functional species into the thermoset and fabrication of fiber composites will be demonstrated. In Phase II a structural composite for a specific NASA application would be developed. These multifunctional composites will reduce weight and allow incorporation of novel designs and functional features into terrestrial and space-based platforms.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA deploys or anticipates deploying a variety of space and terrestrial vehicles and systems for earth exploration, unmanned planetary exploration, and manned exploration of space. These include launch vehicles, nanosats, high-altitude balloons, Martian rovers, International Space Station, Shuttle, space observing satellites (e.g. HST), and others. All these systems employ or will employ composite materials in one form or another. All will benefit from weight savings, design flexibility, and new functions available in structural composites with multifunctional thermoset matrices that are intrinsically vibration damping, self-repairing, or provide power storage, EMI shielding, and ESD protection.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The usefulness of the multifunctional composites in defense-related applications for space and ground-based observation and weapons systems is obvious. Vibrational damping, power storage, EMI and ESD control, and self-repair are properties sought in many structural materials used in these systems. Vibrational damping and self-repair are also attractive properties for composites used in commercial aircraft, automobiles and other vehicles. Successful development of a structural composite with either of these features should have significant commercial value. Other industries, such as ship building and manufactured heavy machinery are also expected to benefit from the availability of the proposed multifunctional composites.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
PAYLOAD SYSTEMS INC.
247 Third Street
Cambridge ,MA 02142 - 0000
(617) 868 - 8086

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Steven   Sell
sell@payload.com
247 Third Street
Cambridge ,MA  02142 -0000
(617) 868 - 8086
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The development of a testbed for the development and demonstration of technologies needed by tethered formation flying satellites is proposed. Such a testbed would support dynamic modeling and control algorithm development for missions such as NASA?s Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) mission. The testbed would be based on the successful Synchronized Position Hold Engage Re-orient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) system that has been developed and is being flown on-board the International Space Station. As part of its first flight, SPHERES will demonstrate metrology, formation flight, and autonomy algorithms. The effort proposed here would adapt the SPHERES system first for ground testing and subsequently for a follow-on mission to the ISS to serve as a testbed for Tethered Spacecraft Interferometer (TSI) autonomous software technologies. Tethers are being considered as the means for maneuvering sub-apertures spacecraft in order to eliminate reliance on propellant consumables. The SPHERES-Tether testbed would aid in streamlining the development of spacecraft formation initialization and deployment and retraction algorithm development, and significantly reduce the risk involved with testing this critical SPECS mission operation, including coarse spacecraft formation initialization, deployment and retraction, and multi-stage precision pointing control.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The market for the SPHERES-Tether testbed has two components. NASA is the primary customer in the context of developing and operating the SPECS mission. The second component are government agencies, including the USAF and DARPA, which also have in development missions that utilize multiple spacecraft, such as the DARPA Orbital Express program. These programs will have need for many of the technologies that will be developed as part of SPHERES-Tether. Because SPHERES-Tether is extraordinarily inexpensive relative to other spaceflight and associated ground research systems, we believe that these programs would find it a useful technology development tool.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The major application for the proposed SPHERES-Tether technology is the NASA Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure program. Other potential applications exist for any NASA program involved with on-orbit cooperative spacecraft, including distributed spacecraft systems and on-orbit rendezvous and docking. This testbed has the potential for numerous missions on the ISS, and experiment time (or even additional testbeds) may be provided under cooperative arrangements between the developers and sponsoring agencies.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
AeroAstro Corp
20145 Ashbrook Place
Ashburn ,VA 20147 - 3373
(703) 723 - 9800

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ray   Zenick
ray.zenick@aeroastro.com
20145 Ashbrook Place
Ashburn ,VA  20147 -3373
(858) 481 - 3785
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To determine pointing and position vectors in both local and inertial coordinate frames, multi-spacecraft missions typically utilize separate attitude determination and formation metrology systems. For low Earth orbits (LEO), fleet position and geometry knowledge is almost exclusively achieved by using GPS data or ground uplink. In the ab-sence of this information, inter-satellite ranging between all member elements (e.g. RF, optically) is required in or-der to determine the system topology. While this represents a functional solution, the Earth Science (ES) Enterprise program has established a priority for the deployment and coordination of large fleets of space platforms. In re-sponse, AeroAstro proposes to develop an integrated vision-based GN&C system technology for attitude and forma-tion determination of multi-spacecraft missions. To achieve this capability, the design will incorporate a novel miniature star tracker (currently under development by AeroAstro), with a suite of innovative network algorithms. Requiring only a single node-node range measurement and communication of processed vision data from member platforms, fleet geometry determination will be insensitive to orbit altitude, topology, near-field interference, and proximity. In addition, AeroAstro will utilize its significant experience in developing microsatellite systems to de-liver a design that is optimized around simplicity, cost, and efficient use of available platform resources.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed vision-based navigation system will prove directly applicable to resource- and budget-conscious NASA science missions seeking to exploit the capabilities of multiple-spacecraft formations. Platforms conducting simultaneous, spatially separated measurements of time-variant properties or interferometric observations, will require the navigation and formation knowledge which the integrated VBAFDS provides. In addition, large fleet deployments of microsatellite platforms will benefit from the reduced power, mass, and processing requirements. Currently there are several programs under preliminary development that would directly benefit from access to a VBAFDS, including the Magnetic Constellation, Solar Flotilla, and Magnetospheric Multiscale.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Many DoD agencies have demonstrated a serious interest in formation flight and proximity operations, exemplified by AFRL?s TechSat-21 program, DARPA?s SPAWN on-orbit logistics program, and NRO?s investigation of interferometric Earth observation missions. The desire to deliver capability to orbit as a small, distributed system will necessitate an efficient, highly capable means of determining platform attitude and formation geometry in variety of fleet configurations and for minimal resources. The algorithms which serve as the core of this project will also be applicable to autonomous operation of unmanned air, ground, and sea vehicles for both government and civil applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ADVANCED SCIENCE AND NOVEL TECHNOLOGY
28119 Ridgefern Court
Rancho Palos Verdes ,CA 90275 - 2049
(310) 377 - 6029

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Vladimir   Katzman
traffic405@cox.net
28119 Ridgefern Court
Rancho Palos Verdes ,CA  90275 -2049
(310) 377 - 6029
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The switching fabric (SF) is a key component of the next generation back plane interconnects. Extremely low-power, radiation-hardened, high-bandwidth upgradeable communication between computer nodes is of utmost importance for future NASA missions. The state-of-the-art binary SF interconnect architectures have high power consumption and low latency in order to perform internal data conversion and synchronization that allow for recognition of redundant bits and extraction of useful information from the data stream. The high power consumption of SF limits its application in the next generation nano-satellites. In order to minimize latency and reduce power consumption, we propose a novel, easy-to-align SF based on multi-level power-efficient Low Voltage Differential Signal interface. Our approach uses differential 3-level signals to mark a high-level reference bit position in one of the differential channels. Because the marked pilots follow the high-level logic in one of the differential outputs, they will regularly occur at the same bit position and ensure stable and easy recovery of the low-speed clock signal, which will be used as a reference for multi-channel data alignment and will synchronize a high speed clocking circuitry using a standard clock multiplier technique.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The success of this program will result in commercialization of the power-efficient, low-latency SF for the next generation NASA space missions. The potential range of other applications includes a new generation of computer systems for spectral image data processing, shared bus computer architecture, and a variety of on-board data acquisition systems. ADSANTEC?s protocol-transparent and expandable interconnect will be adaptable to various types of communication networks.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Introduction of new system applications demanding reconfigurable high throughput provided by the novel multi-level SF interconnects will guarantee significant advantages with increasing network speed demands by large scale computer systems and supercomputers. This will help system designers to increase the processing power of large future computer systems performing, for example, 3D simulations and HDTV video multi-cluster video processing for homeland security, DOD and other industrial applications.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ARCHITECTURE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
9971 Valley View Road
Eden Prairie ,MN 55344 - 3552
(952) 829 - 5864

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Timothy  J. Salo
tsalo@atcorp.com
9971 valley View Road
Eden Prairie ,MN  55344 -3552
(952) 829 - 5864
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Architecture Technology Corporation (ATC) will design, model, implement, and demonstrate extensible, embedded agents that will continuously adapt the behavior of the Internet-standard Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to the unique requirements of near-Earth space communications. These embedded agents will enable TCP to adapt its behavior based on exogenous information, such as satellite ephemeris and ground station locations, or the current characteristics of the communications path as determined by lower-level protocols or periodic end-to-end tests. By extending the transport protocol, this approach will improve near-Earth communications for all higher-level protocols that use TCP, such as FTP or HTTP, and will eliminate the need to modify these applications for space communications. Initially, embedded TCP agents will enable TCP to maintain sessions, transparently to applications, across temporary losses of communications, such as when a satellite passes between ground stations. Embedded agents can easily be extended to mitigate other effects of near-Earth communications, such as variable latencies or bit error rates. While TCP has been widely researched, modeled, and extended, embedded TCP agents are unique in providing an extensible, production-quality platform for quickly integrating cutting-edge research results into products that will support the unique needs of near-Earth space communications and other demanding communications environments.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Embedded TCP agents, when combined with the Mobile IP protocols and split-TCP proxies such as Indirect-TCP, can enable a distributed ground station architecture that will provide robust end-to-end Internet connectivity between a researcher and experimental equipment onboard an orbiting satellite. The researcher will appear to have a continuous TCP connection to the satellite, and will not be aware of temporary communications losses as the satellite moves between ground stations.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Embedded TCP agents will be useful in improving the performance in any mixed-medium communications environment, including Internet/satellite and mobile Internet/wireless communications. The distributed gateway architecture enabled by embedded TCP agents would be applicable to a tremendous variety of commercial applications. For example, wireless service providers could use it to provide robust TCP sessions with mobile devices. Likewise, satellite service providers could offer persistent TCP sessions to or through low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The embedded TCP agent architecture is directly applicable to the mobile tactical environment of the Army's Future Combat System (FCS).

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Agility Communications, Inc.
475 Pine Avenue
Goleta ,CA 93117 - 3709
(805) 690 - 1700

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Yuliya   Akulova
yakulova@agility.com
475 Pine Avenue
Goleta ,CA  93117 -3709
(805) 690 - 1758
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
High-performance, radiation-hard, widely-tunable integrated laser/modulator chip and large-area avalanche photodetectors (APDs) are key components of optical transmitters and receivers that can dramatically lower the barriers to deployment and operation of high capacity in-space optical communication links. Agility Communications develops and manufactures widely-tunable CW sources and transmitters based on chip-scale integration of a Sampled-Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (SG-DBR) laser with an Electroabsorption or Mach-Zehnder modulator. The performance characteristics of these devices include 40 nm wavelength coverage, multi- Gigabit/sec data rates, low drive voltage, and compatibility with high spectral efficiency and high-sensitivity modulation formats. Agility has licensed low-noise APD structures patented at the University of Texas at Austin. These devices have achieved record-setting noise and gain-bandwidth performance and are ideally suited for space-based, high-bandwidth optical links. During Phase I of this project we will study the effects of proton irradiation for SG-DBR lasers, InGaAsP bulk electroabsorption and electro-optic modulators, and APDs with InAlAs multiplication structure. Based on the results of Phase I, optimum chip design and process technology will be selected for development of small, efficient, radiation-hard integrated optical components in Phase II of the project.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Widely-tunable lasers monolithically integrated with fast optical modulators in a single semiconductor chip and large-area APDs are the key components for realization of small, highly efficient, radiation hard communication transmitters and receivers for WDM multi-Gigabit/sec optical links for inter-satellite networks, communication among NASA spacecraft and commercial GEO networks, and to and from spacecraft in LEO, MEO, or GEO orbits to ground networks. These optical transmitter features are also critical for the development of aircraft-based optical communication and sensing systems where power and space are limited.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Widely tunable lasers monolithically integrated with fast optical modulators in a single semiconductor chip represent the key component to the development of next generation dynamic optical networks. Integrated widely tunable transmitter enables increased number of channels and bit rates, increased network flexibility through electronic remote wavelength provisioning, and cost effectiveness. Additional value of such transmitter for present telecom networks is in the areas of inventory reduction, both in the manufacture and operation of WDM systems. Applications of widely tunable transmitters also include broadband sensors for oil exploration, chemical analysis, and structural damage analysis.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
7519 Standish Place Suite 200
Rockville ,MD 20855 - 2785
(301) 294 - 5221

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Chujen   Lin
chujen@i-a-i.com
7519 Standish Place Suite 200
Rockville ,MD  20855 -2785
(301) 294 - 5236
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The goal of this project is to develop an innovative way of using Time Modulated Ultra Wideband (TM-UWB) transceivers (radios) to provide high performance integrated communication and relative navigation. Many future near-earth or deep space missions requires spacecraft operating in a formation. A unified transceiver that can perform multiple functions is highly desirable. TM-UWB is an exciting new technology, whose small size, low power, robustness to interference, and very high data rate make it particularly useful for use on small satellites, and especially for satellites flying in formation because of simultaneous communication and range measurement capability. Under the Phase 1 work we will primarily address the design issues of UWB transceivers for integrated communication and relative navigation. The most important issue is the development and analysis of a high performance UWB communication/tracking scheme, which with current approaches can severely limit the achievable data rate and the update rate. IAI proposes a novel approach to allow the same update rate as the ranging-only cases and the same data rate as the communication-only cases. Under the proposed work we will develop the details of this scheme and analyze the system performance for integrated communication and relative navigation applications.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technology developed in this SBIR effort can benefit many NASA applications, including autonomous Satellite Docking, Formation Flight of Spacecraft, Formation flight of UAVs, interspacecraft communication, communication between rovers and spacecraft, and astronaut EVA communication networks.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We have identified the following markets for the technology developed in this SBIR effort, including Autonomous Landing of Unmanned Air Vehicles, Warfighter/Firefighter Situation Awareness System, and Autonomous Materials Handling. For each of these areas, there are significant government and civilian customers

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
EERGC Corporation
18A Mason
Irvine ,CA 92618 - 2706
(949) 768 - 3756

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mark   Sheldon
msheldon@eergc.com
18A Mason
Irvine ,CA  92618 -2706
(949) 768 - 3756
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal is responsive to NASA 2003 SBIR Topic E2.05, ?On-Board Propulsion," addressing Thruster Technology and in particular "Suitability of propellant gellation to enhance operability and performance of in-space propulsion operations." EERGC Corporation proposes to address the solicitation objective in cooperation with subcontractor Northrop Grumman Space and Technology (NGST) Propulsion Systems (formerly TRW Space and Electronics Propulsions Systems Center), the leader in gel propellant technology. The innovation is the development of formulations (and development methodologies) for optimizing high-performance particulate-loaded bipropellant gels to maximize specific thrust, taking into account not only composition but the effect of particle size on maximum loading and on combustion performance. The approach is an innovation as it quantifies the maximum attainable loading for given particle size, and the subsequent tradeoff with impacts on combustion efficiency due to incomplete solid phase burnout if particles are large. The method also allows the physical properties of the gel to be optimized. The project is relevant as it improves the competitiveness of gelled bipropellants with equivalent liquids, while incorporating the safety and handling advantages of gels. The proposed program takes gel technology beyond that developed by EERGC under prior and ongoing DoD programs.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
If successful, this project will provide NASA with: specific bipropellants with maximized combustion efficiency; a methodology for determination of maximum performance enhancement expected with nanoparticulate loading; and tools and methodology which could be applied for different ingredients.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The products of this project will provide non-NASA beneficiaries the same advantages as listed above for NASA including: use for development of DoD gels, with different emphasis due to DoD requirements for temperature range of performance, signature minimization; and determination of tradeoff between particle size and loading has implications for optimization of formulations for gelled consumer products.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
ET MATERIALL LLC (Formerly ECOTECH)
3239 Monier Circle, Suite #4
Rancho Cordova ,CA 95742 - 6833
(916) 631 - 6310

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Charles E Grix
ecotech@softcom.net
3239 Monier Circle, Suite #4
Rancho Cordova ,CA  95742 -6833
(916) 631 - 6310
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This program will utilize a well-characterized Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) to test experimental high-energy extinguishable solid propellants (HE), instead of standard Teflon propellant. ET Materials LLC originally formulated this material as an environmentally friendly automotive airbag inflator propellant. In preliminary testing, the material was found suitable for use in PPTs. Electric arc discharges of the PPT apparently causes only thin surface layers of the energetic propellant to be ignited, without uncontrolled propagation to underlying propellant. The current Isp of these propellants is ~225 sec. but newer formulations appear to be reaching an Isp of 245 sec., essentially that of ammonium perchlorate propellants. The relative thrust contribution from plasma ionization and thermal expansion of non-ionized combustion gases will determine how much the energetic fuel enhances PPT performance.

All testing and evaluation of the HE propellant will be conducted using the Aerojet Modular Test Unit Pulsed Plasma Thruster. This modular test unit was specifically designed to evaluate new flight configurations of the EO-1 PPT design. Using the high-energy propellant in the EO-1 PPT, should increase dramatically increase. This program will provide NASA with directly applicable results for a high-energy drop-in alternative propellant for the EO-1 PPT, providing new mission capabilities.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The use of energetic Pulsed Plasma Thrusters demonstrated in this program has specific application for primary propulsion of small spacecraft for orbit raising and life extension of low earth missions. Several studies have shown that an all PPT attitude control system has a significant mass benefit over wheel, torque rods and thrusters used for attitude control. Such NASA missions as the Space Technology 5,6 and 7 and THEMIS that require both attitude and translational positioning could benefit from this technology. Successful demonstration in these missions would provide enabling technology for later Origins missions, such as the Terrestrial Planet Finder

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Miniaturized PPT?s for onboard propulsion are one of the few viable options for small satellites in the 10 kg and lower total mass region. Such satellites are of military interests in programs being developed by the Air Force, DARPA and MDA. In addition there is a growing commercial interest in small satellites that are being developed and built by University and Private companies. The high energetic propellants being developed in this program also could be used commercially for gas generation systems, such as automobile air bags, turbine starters or valve actuators.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Research Support Instruments Inc
4325-B Forbes Blvd.
Lanham ,MD 20706 - 0000
(301) 306 - 0010

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Daniel J Sullivan
dsullivan@researchsupport.com
4325-B Forbes Blvd.
Lanham ,MD  20706 -0000
(609) 580 - 0080
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal seeks to address the topic of developing an on-board propulsion device which will significantly increase capabilities and reduce costs for Earth science spacecraft. The propulsion device which is proposed here is a microwave powered, electrothermal thruster which will utilized nitrous-oxide as a propellant. The device is referred to a MET-100, a Microwave Electrothermal Thruster which has a nominal power output of 150 W. The thruster will utilized 300 W of spacecraft power and develop a specific impulse of 300 seconds.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The eventual goal of developing a low power nitrous-oxide fueled electrothermal thruster will be applicable to a NASA spacecraft and redefine the possible mission profiles in future space endeavors. Future applications include interplanetary and exo-solar system missions for space exploration and search for extraterrestrial life. The cost of such endeavors will depend to a great extent on the specific impulse of the propulsion systems. This effort will create a foundation for a breakthrough technology that would potentially extend the mission range and scope of a variety of NASA missions.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Satellites orbiting the Earth find many civil and military functions. Commercial satellite and military surveillance missions are moving towards development of clusters of satellites in low orbit. A market study performed by RSI has concluded that the dominant portion of the satellite market within the next decade will be commercial communication satellites, with a large proportion being small-size LEO satellites in large constellations. The LEO and MEO systems average annual deliveries of about 75 satellites per year over the next decade, with LEO systems comprising approximately 50 satellites per year.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ultramet
12173 Montague St
Pacoima ,CA 91331 - 2210
(818) 899 - 0236

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Brian E. Williams
brian.williams@ultramet.com
Ultramet/12173 Montague St
Pacoima ,CA  91331 -2210
(818) 899 - 0236
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Silicided niobium alloy (C103) combustion chambers have been used extensively in both NASA and DoD liquid rocket propulsion systems. Niobium alloys offer a good combination of temperature capability, density, and cost, while the silicide coating has been successful in providing moderate oxidation resistance. However, the silicide coating is now proving to be the limiting factor in achieving the required chamber performance and/or lifetime, and the chamber manufacturing cost is excessive for many applications. NASA is seeking advanced bipropellant propulsion systems for Earth science spacecraft with a specific impulse exceeding 360 seconds, and intends to extend the life of the current space shuttle orbiter reaction control system vernier thrusters to 300,000 seconds of operation to meet demands for increased usage. DoD is seeking economical and high-performance bipropellant thrusters for liquid divert and attitude control systems for kinetic energy weapon kill vehicles being developed for ballistic missile defense, a high-volume application. These goals cannot be achieved using silicided C103 chambers. In this project, Ultramet proposes to demonstrate a combustion chamber with substantially improved manufacturability, cost, and performance. This will be accomplished by combining rapid prototyping, for the fabrication of precision removable chamber mandrels; a low cost niobium alloy component forming process; and chemical vapor deposition, which will be used to apply a high temperature oxidation-resistant coating.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A need clearly exists to bridge the gap between low-performance/low temperature silicided niobium liquid rocket combustion chambers and high-performance/ultrahigh temperature (and high cost) iridium/rhenium chambers. NASA Earth science satellites and the space shuttle orbiter reaction control system vernier engines all stand to benefit from the proposed development.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed processing, including the rapid prototyping approach for removable mandrel fabrication, low-temperature spray formation of niobium alloys, and the coupling of a thin, oxidation-resistant platinum coating with a niobium alloy combustion chamber may well offer the best combination of manufacturability, cost, and performance for commercial satellite propulsion and ballistic missile defense kinetic energy weapon kill vehicles.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Enigmatics, Inc.
9215 51st Avenue, Unit No. 7
College Park ,MD 20740 - 1948
(301) 486 - 1725

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
David L. Book
davidbook@enigmatics.com
9215 51st Avenue, Unit No. 7
College Park ,MD  20740 -1948
(301) 486 - 1725
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose a Phase I SBIR research project that will result in a feasibility demonstration of a miniature divert engine producing precise impulse bits smaller than 100 millinewton-second. The miniature engine will be suitable for stationkeeping and attitude control for a miniature light-weight satellite. This technology demonstration program will capitalize on miniature engine technology developed by Enigmatics and SAIC under MDA SBIR Phase I and Phase II projects, combined with a novel engine design for the proposed application.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Miniature (nano-) satellites have been proposed to fly in formations or "constellations," making continuous measurements of in-situ conditions in low-Earth orbit and monitoring changes in the Earth's magnetosphere and upper atmosphere produced by fluctuations in the solar wind. A sparsely populated array separated by large distances could provide high-resolution information on astronomical objects. They can also provide stereo views of Earth or other bodies using identical sensors from different angles.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The first mass-produced product that will utilize this technology will be small, autonomous, low-cost MKVs deployed in a NMD system fielded by the U.S. Defense Department. It is difficult to say what the size of this market is, because it depends on the thoroughness with which the defense is supposed to protect and the magnitude of the threat (i.e., whether it is designed to protect against a small attack by a rogue nation or one launched by a major nuclear power). Estimates of the eventual cost of this system range from the tens to hundreds of billions of dollars.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
RECHARGEABLE BATTERY CORPORATION
809 University Drive East, Suite 100E
College Station ,TX 77840 - 2173
(979) 260 - 1120

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Brendan M. Coffey
brendan@rbctx.com
809 University Drive East, Suite 100E
College Station ,TX  77840 -2173
(979) 260 - 1120
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
RBC Technologies has significanly improved the cycle life and wet life of silver/zinc battery technology through novel separator and anode formulations. This advanced silver/zinc technology may be further developed to work reliably in the low temperature and pressure environment of the upper atmosphere. The objective of the proposed program is to develop sealed spirally wound cylindrical silver cells and demonstrate their capability to deliver high specific energy and specific power at temperatures to -30C. This will be accomplished by the innovation of coated silver cathode and zinc anode formulations suitable for incorporation in high performance wound sealed cells with low freezing point electrolytes. In Phase I RBC will work with Moltech Power Systems to design and assemble test cells and assess energy, power and fade characteristics. In Phase II, RBC would build upon these results to design and assemble complete cells and batteries that would meet or exceed a modular battery specification for NASA earth science missions.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The contemplated products from this SBIR would be high power, sealed cylindrical silver/zinc cells and batteries with superior low temperature performance. They will also have higher cycle life, wet life, and power than any other rechargeable silver/zinc battery produced previously. The proposed technology would advance renewable energy technologies and have NASA applications where volume, weight and low temperature performance are critical.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The contemplated products from this SBIR would be high power, sealed cylindrical silver/zinc cells and batteries with superior low temperature performance. They will also have higher cycle life, wet life, and power than any other rechargeable silver/zinc battery produced previously. The proposed technology would advance renewable energy technologies and have military, aerospace and private sector applications where where volume, weight and low temperature performance are critical.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Barrett Technology
139 Main Street
Cambridge ,MA 02142 - 1528
(617) 252 - 9000

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
William T. Townsend, PhD
wt@barrett.com
139 Main Street
Cambridge ,MA  02142 -1528
(617) 252 - 9000
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A new servo-drive technology is available to support energy storage and navigation for micro-satellites. Exploiting the ?pinning? effect of high-temperature superconductors, high-speed momentum wheels can be suspended in a stable condition that is virtually independent of speed (unlike magnetic levitation). Aside from the motor drive, this levitation system is compact and highly energy efficient. To be effective it requires a drive that is equally compact and energy efficient. It also requires extremely high servo performance with especially low torque ripple. Barrett proposes an innovation to support such a compact/efficient drive amplifier. Phase I will focus on feasibility of this approach and Phase II will support prototype design and aggressive space qualification of this unit.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This SBIR will result in servo-amplifier electronics and control intelligence that efficiently and reliably drive high-temperature-superconductor-levitated momentum wheels on micro- and nano-satellites. Today?s off-the-shelf electronics are an order of magnitude more bulky. They are also more power hungry, more expensive, and less robust than the proposed amplifiers. Combined with high-temperature-superconductor levitation, these systems are expected to endure 10^5 deep-discharge cycles. Where radiation panels can be used in place of cryocoolers, the lifetime is anticipated to exceed 30 years.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In satellite power-systems and attitude-control support, these electronics will help enable a proliferation of ever-smaller orbital satellites for a widening array of commercial aerospace applications. Barrett expects to collaborate with large companies such as Honeywell, Boeing, and GE in support of this key component technology.

Preparation for space qualification will further the hardening of Barrett?s servo amplifiers for niche terrestrial applications as well. Radiation hardening and design for temperature extremes will enable these electronics to be used in telerobotic slaves for nuclear-remediation activities as well as in robots that can be deployed robustly in homeland-security search-and-rescue missions.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Giner Inc
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton ,MA 02466 - 1311
(781) 529 - 0500

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert   McDonald
rmcdonald@ginerinc.com
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton ,MA  02466 -1311
(781) 529 - 0530
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
New lithium battery electrolytes must be developed if these they are to be successfully deployed on NASA Platforms operating at -100oC to +100oC. Giner, Inc. has proposed an approach to preparing lithium ion conducting electrolytes which will provide cell current densities sufficient to carry the microwatt to milliwatt levels required for Low Earth Orbital Applications. Phase I will examine the low temperature phase behavior of the new electrolytes, ionic conductivity and chemical electrochemical stability in primary and secondary lithium cell environments, with exposures of up to +100oC in order to assess the likelihood of long cycle-life performance.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)

The proposed low temperature stable lithium ion electrolyte will make possible the use of lithium ion rechargeable and potentially lithium metal primary batteries in NASA applications at sustained low temperatures. These will include micro to milliwatt power for LEO microspacecraft. The high specific energy and energy density and reliability of these cells will permit long unattended platform operating times (long cycle life) and thus reduce the frequency of replacement or shuttle-based maintenance.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Low temperature performance afforded by the proposed lithium ion conducting electrolytes, together with the high specific energy and energy density of lithium and lithium ion cells will make them more attractive for use in outdoor portable consumer devices. These include cell phones, laptop computers, PDAs and recreational camping and hunting equipment which the consumer is likely to use outdoors in winter. Additional commercial applications include power supplies for remote industrial, transportation and communication beacons, sensors and transmitters in cold weather climates; and portable equipment used for polar exploration.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Nanosys, Inc.
2625 Hanover Street
Palo Alto ,CA 94304 - 1118
(650) 331 - 2100

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Andreas   Meisel
ameisel@nanosysinc.com
2625 Hanover Street
Palo Alto ,CA  94304 -1118
(650) 331 - 2100
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop an innovative solar cell design that combines nanotechnology with conducting polymer photovoltaics to achieve extremely low weight, flexible solar cells of almost any size and shape that far surpass current solar cell efficiencies. This proposal demonstrates the potential of this design for increased efficiency and low weight by prototyping single-layer solar cells (compatible with future tandem-cell architecture) with spectral responses tuned to the solar spectrum. The project develops approaches to explore the four main technical areas that are currently limiting nanocomposite photovoltaic cell performance: illumination intensity saturation, conduction efficiency, charge-separation efficiency and dispersion control of nanomaterials in a host matrix at high concentration. In Phase I, these technical areas are explored to determine the magnitude of potential performance improvements that can be achieved by optimizing these parameters in Phase II, and compare these projections to the maximum performance predicted by theory. In Phase II, the information gathered in Phase I will be used to produce a prototype of an optimized, lightweight, low-cost, flexible solar cell with efficiency greater than 15%; amenable to large-scale, low-temperature manufacturing and eventual transition to tandem-cell designs for efficiency > 30%.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Space applications exist for solar cells with high power-to-mass and power-to-volume ratios that can provide a primary power generation source. This technology has the potential to provide higher efficiency at 100x lower mass than today?s state-of-the-art tandem solar cells. In addition, the inherent flexible nature of these cells could provide dramatically reduced launch-volume over current solar arrays by being rolled up for launch and storage, further reducing the overall launch costs and increasing available payload space. Specific examples of use in earth science observation missions include satellite spacecraft, surface and ground testing assets, manned and unmanned aircraft, and land-based vehicles.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial applications exist for high performance, low-cost solar cells that can provide an alternative power generation source. Specific examples of use include on-grid building integrated electricity generation systems; on-grid wholesale power generation; remote off-grid power generation; and portable power generation. While terrestrial application do not require the same level of efficiency as satellite-based applications, this has historically only been a matter of cost. The proposed technology has the potential to provide efficiencies 3x higher than typical terrestrial cells, at 5-10x lower cost; this has the potential to change the entire landscape of commercial solar power relative to traditional fossil fuels.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Brimrose Corporation of America
5024 Campbell Blvd., Suite E
Baltimore ,MD 21236 - 4968
(410) 931 - 7200

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Gomath V. Jagannathan
gnathan@brimrose.com
5024 Campbell Boulevard, Suite E
Baltimore ,MD  21236 -4968
(410) 668 - 5800
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future space missions will require Solar cell arrays having specific power ratings in excess of 1000 W/kg. Conventional crystalline photovoltaic technology comprised of epitaxial photovoltaic semiconductor materials grown on single crystal semiconductor substrates, cannot provide these specific ratings. We propose to synthesize nano-precursors of solar cell materials of uniform size by Solvo-thermal process. These nano-precursors will be deposited as nano-thin film on low cot and flexible metal foil substrate by Electrophoretic technique. Through subsequent , insitu annealing, thin films with grain size >50 microns will be produced. GaAs, Ge and InP will be investigated to determine which material can be deposited as high quality large grain thin film without contamination. The synthesized nano-precursors, electrphoretically deposited nano-thin film and large grain thin film produced after annealing will be fully characterized. A combination of crystalline thin film photovoltaic layers having an efficiency of just 25% fabricated on low cost, light weight flexible substrate such as a metal foil, would yield a specific power rating of >1200 W/kg. During Phase II multi-junction solar cell will be grown on the large grain thin film produced during Phase I on flexible/low cost metal foil substrate.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The success of this research will result in the availability of very high efficiency/specific power solar cell, produced at economically attractive cost with high BOL and EO on low cost/flexible metal substrate. NASA applications are in generating power in space based satellite, Inter National Space station, Hubble telescope and other space systems which require efficient solar power generation.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The major spin off is the use of this solar cell system for production of high efficiency concentrator terrestrial solar energy conversion system at attractive cost.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Essential Research Inc
6410 Eastland Rd. Suite D
Cleveland ,OH 44142 - 1306
(440) 816 - 9850

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Samar   Sinharoy
sinharoy@er.com
6410 Eastland Rd. Suite D
Cleveland ,OH  44142 -1306
(440) 816 - 9850
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Quantum dots are nanoscale materials that have already improved the performance of optical sensors, lasers, and light emitting diodes. The unique properties of these nanomaterials offer tremendous benefit in developing high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells as well. Theoretical studies predict a potential efficiency of 63.2 %, for an array of quantum dots sandwiched between the p and n-type layers in a typical photovoltaic junction. This would yield an increase in efficiency of a factor of 2 over any state-of-the-art (SOA) devices available today. We are proposing to utilize quantum dots to develop a super high-efficiency multijunction III-V solar cell for space.
In metamorphic triple junction space solar cells, pioneered by Essential Research, Inc., the InGaAs junction or bottom cell of the three-cell stack is the current limiting entity. We propose an InGaAs cell which incorporates InAs quantum dots to provide sub-gap absorption and thus improve the short-circuit current. This cell could then be integrated into a conventional three-cell stack to achieve a space solar cell whose efficiency would dramatically exceed current SOA standards. A theoretical estimate predicts that a InGaAlP(1.95 eV)/InGaAsP(1.35 eV)/InGaAs(1.2 eV) triple junction cell incorporating quantum dots to improve the bottom cell current would have an efficiency exceeding 40%.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Quantum dots will allow NASA not only to improve device efficiency by expanding the spectral response of individual cells, but to improve the temperature coefficients and radiation tolerance as well. The inherently radiation tolerant quantum dots can be used to take advantage of a thermal assist in carrier generation which will actually benefit from higher temperature operation. This is extremely important as NASA attempts to increase array specific power with new concentrator designs and continues to expand the range of environments to be encountered in future missions.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Successful completion of Phase I and Phase II of the proposed work will lead to the development of a radiation-resistant solar cell that will deliver power beyond the realm of any solar cell that is commercially available, or under development by a commercial supplier. Upon achieving this goal, Essential Research Incorporated plans to enter into licensing arrangement with Emcore Photovoltaic, to manufacture and market this product, while working with them for a successful technology transfer and continuing R&D work on the product.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Intertec Advanced Materials, Inc.
4201 S. Santa Rita Avenue
Tucson ,AZ 85714 - 1641
(520) 295 - 4611

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Juan    Sepulveda
sepulveda@intertecsw.com
4201 S. Santa Rita Avenue
Tucson ,AZ  85714 -1641
(520) 295 - 4611
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This NASA SBIR Phase I program proposes the development of a high thermal conductivity (400 W/mK), low coefficient of thermal expansion (7-10 ppm/?K), and light weight (3-4 g/cm3) functionally graded material (FGM) heat sinks for microelectronic packaging applications. The uniquely defined ?FGM concept? pursued in this project uses a metallic package base that consists of a light metal matrix composite material to provide low thermal expansion and a high thermal conductivity functional core to cool the high power semiconductor die. The thermal performance of the heat sink is doubled by using the high thermal conductivity functional core bonded through the body of the heat sink.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The new heat sinks are intended for the manufacturing of demanding airborne microelectronic applications where low weight and thermal, electrical, and mechanical performance are the prime objectives. They are intended for high power microwave packaging applications and optoelectronic packaging applications that need lighter, higher performance heat sinks for aeronautics and aerospace crafts.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial applications in microelectronic and optoelectronic packaging are well served by this technology. The new light, high thermal conductivity, heat sinks will find applications in conventional RF power, microwave, and mm-wave packages that are used in wireless telecommunication infrastructure for cellular phones, base stations, high definition television (HDTV), and satellite communications. Examples include LDMOS FET, HBT, MESFET, Bipolar, HEMT, MMIC applications. These heat sinks can also be used in automotive ignition systems, military radar and guidance systems, cable TV, medical and research lasers, genetic analysis equipment and intranet equipment.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Foster-Miller Inc
Foster-Miller Technologies 431 New Karner Road
Albany ,NY 12205 - 3868
(518) 456 - 9919

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Hsiang Ming Chen
mchen@fosmiltech.com
431 New Karner Road
Albany ,NY  12205 -3868
(518) 456 - 9919
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Self-bearing or ?bearingless? motors perform both motor and bearing support functions but such devices have not yet achieved speeds above 15,000 rpm. The innovation proposed for a self-bearing motor-generator (M-G) will achieve speeds above 30,000 rpm, moving the technology to a new frontier, not only for the motor but the generator functions as well. As applied to a flywheel energy storage system (FESS), the concept replaces the permanent-magnet bearings, conventional M-G, as well as the need for the active damper. The self-bearing function is implemented with a proportional integral derivative control and has adjustable damping as in conventional active magnetic bearings. As a result, the flywheel end rotors are shortened substantially and could enable running at much higher speed without concerns regarding the first bending critical speed. Further, elimination of rotor parts will enhance the reliability of the mechanical system. Although a self-bearing approach could result in a less efficient magnetic bearing combined with a less efficient motor, the proposed approach will solve the efficiency problem, making it ideal for the high energy efficiencies required for FESS. With such improved efficiencies and reliability, the self-bearing M-G will serve as a modular building-block technology for the power management and distribution systems used in observation platforms for earth science missions.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Successful completion of the proposed effort through Phase II will provide NASA with a permanent-magnet-based motor-generator with an integral bearing system. Potential applications range from space-based flywheels and motor-driven actuators to a wide variety of airborne and terrestrial applications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to NASA needs, there is a broad range of DoD and other government agency requirements that could be fulfilled by a self-bearing PM motor. These range from applications requiring small compact motors to motor-generators for power conversion and storage. A viable self-bearing motor has been sought for many years, and the market for such a device will be nearly limitless.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Kg Magnetics, Inc.
P.O. Box 3703
Idyllwild ,CA 92549 - 3703
(909) 659 - 4548

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Colonel   McLyman
colonel@kgmagnetics.com
P.O. Box 3703
Idyllwild ,CA  92549 -3703
(909) 659 - 4548
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Many satellites, spacecraft, and radar antennas with spun and de-spun configurations require the transfer of power across rotating interfaces in lieu of slip rings and/or flexures. This is particularly true for systems that have to demonstrate a long life expectancy. The rotary transformer has desirable characteristics of high reliability and low noise, which qualify it as a viable replacement for slip rings. The rotary transformer is essentially the same as a conventional transformer, except that the geometry is arranged so that the primary and secondary can be rotated with respect to each other with negligible changes in electrical characteristics. The power transfer is enabled by magnetic coupling across an air gap. There are not any wearing contacts, noise or contamination problems due to lubrication or wear debris. The development of a rotary power transformer will use the same ?Quiet Converter? technology that was used on WF/PC-II, Articulated Fold, Mirror Actuators (Hubbell Space Telescope), MISR and Mars 05 Op-Nav Camera.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA can use this enhanced, rotary transformer technology in many ways. This style of rotary transformer can replace slip rings, giving scientists a new tool that supplies power with a low EMI background noise. The rotary transformer will not (a) handicap the system with unknown life, (b) leave a buildup of debris that causes unbalanced leakage currents, or (c) produce wiper contact noise that gets worse with time. There are many applications for this kind of power: spin-stabilized satellites and spacecraft, surface rovers, radar antennas, solar arrays, and science instruments.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are numerous commercial applications that require high reliability for power and signal to be transmitted through a rotary joint, which can use this technology. Commercial applications for such a rotary transformer would be: shipboard radar and sonar in a salt air environment; remotely autonomous, solar- powered fire lookout stations and weather stations; airport radar antennas, operating in a continuous circular 360o, reconnaissance scanning; unmanned aerial vehicle; real-time combustion engine analysis; and real-time aircraft propeller analysis. All of these applications require signal and power across a rotating interface where service and downtime cannot be tolerated.

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
GCAS Incorporated
1531 Grand Avenue, Suite A
San Marcos ,CA 92069 - 2407
(760) 591 - 4227

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Christopher   Crick
ccrick@gcas.net
1531 Grand Avenue, Suite A
San Marcos ,CA  92069 -2407
(760) 591 - 4227
U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident: Yes

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Unlike the world wide web or general libraries, digital libraries typically serve a specialized community of experts sharing a relatively narrow focus, such as some aspect of law, science, technology, or business. Moreover, these experts are not ?casual users?; they have stringent information requirements. For these reasons, digital libraries increasingly invest in sophisticated methods for indexing and retrieving their information assets. This proposal describes an innovative approach towards indexing and data retrieval that will dramatically imporove this process.

The goal of our research is to develop and test a method of knowledge-based information retrieval, in which a request for information is posed as a question, and information sources are identified that pertain to steps in the logical process of answering the question. We aim to develop automated methods that:
1) Receive a user?s question requesting information,
2) Find relevant information sources, and
3) Explain their relevance to the user?s request.

To evaluate our results, we plan to build an information retrieval system for the wide variety of users needing information on the effects of global climate change, and to measure its success compared with human experts and conventional systems.