text: Title,Contract Number,Agency,Branch,Program,Year,Phase,Award Amount,SBC,Street,Street 2,City,State,ZIP,Woman-Owned?,Minority-Owned?,HUBZone-Owned?,Contact Name,Contact Title,Contact Phone,Contact Email,Principal Investigator,PI Title,PI Phone,PI Email,Abstract InFusion: Performance improvements of traffic controllers by means of data fusion and analysis,DTRT57-11-C-10030,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,1,99860.52,"SAVARI, INC.",2005 DE LA CRUZ BLVD STE 128,,SANTA CLARA,CA,95050-3030,No,Yes,No,Ravi Puvvala,,,firstname.lastname@example.com,Ravi Puvvala,,,firstname.lastname@example.com,Traffic signal controlled intersections currently receive data from various sensors including inductive loops cameras microwave and infrared technologies. These technologies measure presence and passage of vehicles at fixed locations on the intersection approaches. The emergence of IntelliDriveSM will empower intersection control algorithms with rich information from DSRC equipped vehicles. In this new environment we will receive traditional loop data SPAT messages from road side equipment and "here-i-am" basic safety messages from aftermarket or OEM vehicles. These new sources of information necessitate the development of a common framework to integrate data into messages that are meaningful to intersection control equipment and adaptive signal systems. Through recent research in Arizona the E-IntelliDriveSM program has demonstrated the capability of a DSRC enabled roadside unit to interact with equipped emergency vehicles to receive signal priority requests and provide intelligent signal control decisions. This proposal will focus on amalgamation of all the SAE J2735 DSRC messages into a well-defined interface with actuated signal controller logic. We focus on improving signal transition logic improvements as per NCHRP 3-66 and improve arterial performance measures using NCHRP 3-79 findings as well as integrating with the existing E-IntelliDriveSM success into a product that enhances mobility safety and the environment. SmartCross - Traffic signal interface on the smartphone,DTRT57-11-C-10034,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,1,99125.44,"SAVARI, INC.",2005 DE LA CRUZ BLVD STE 128,,SANTA CLARA,CA,95050-3030,No,Yes,No,Ramesh Siripurapu,System Architect,(408) 833-6369,email@example.com,Ravi Puvvala,CEO,(408) 859-7284,firstname.lastname@example.com,In 2008 there were 69000 and 52000 injuries reported for pedestrians and bicyclists respectively.A majority of these injuries were a result of impulsive decisions by road users. This proposal aims to make use of proliferation of smartphones and provide a technical solution to mitigate the risks associated with these two types of road users. The SmartCross application will enable pedestrians and bicyclists to make informed decisions for crossing a signalized intersection thereby reducing the risks. The application would provide the smartphone user with the traffic light status for the intersections as well as alerting them of potential crash risks. The use cases and requirements will be defined by studying the different scenarios between the pedestrian the traffic light and nearby DSRC equipped devices. We will demonstrate in both laboratory and real world settings how a smartphone would connect to roadside infrastructure using available short-range wireless technologies like WiFi and Bluetooth. SmartCross will provide user feedback via audio visual and haptic mechanisms. The feature set can be further extended to implement features like two-way communication with the traffic light controller to request pedestrian phase extension and to provide alerts to DSRC equipped vehicles about potential pedestrian/bicyclist hazards. "STOC: Secure, Tactical On-Demand Cloud",FA8750-11-C-0165,DOD,USAF,STTR,2011,1,99988.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Pallabi Saboo,CEO,(540) 951-5915,firstname.lastname@example.com,Marc Abrams,PI,(540) 951-5901,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ABSTRACT: We present a novel architecture for on-demand clouds, which means creating a cloud computing environment when needed that opportunistically takes advantage of available processors. The processors are located on mobile computers at the tactical edge of a network and connect via wireless networks. Clusters of processors can be interconnected by trunks. Compute nodes may appear or disappear unpredictably (e.g., nodes may be on disposable handhelds or moving Unmanned Aerial Systems, or may be damaged in a combat environment). Thus we examine survivable fault tolerant parallel computing frameworks, such as MapReduce, which can adapt resources on the fly when processors fail. We focus on exploiting Graphical Processing Units (GPUs), which offer a greater density of processing cores compared to CPUs given the same physical space limits, and are well suited to many numerical calculations (e.g., data fusion) involved with sensor data. We examine how to implement MapReduce for GPUs in a new way that takes advantage of emerging capabilities in GPU instruction sets to avoid multi-pass requirements of past work in this area. We devise algorithms that can seamlessly combine GPUs and CPUs by using the OpenCL language for coding. Our target problem is distributed 3D scene reconstruction on demand. BENEFIT: This work adapts clouds to a tactical edge environment, where commercial clouds (e.g., from Amazon, Google) are not designed to work. One benefit is to enable on-demand cloud computing with virtualization that offers secure processing on an untrusted infrastructure. This includes security controls providing confidentiality and integrity, verified through cryptographic proofs in accordance with NIST 800-53. Through the use of GPU chips, another benefit is enabling real-time response to decentralized tactical users by exploiting more massive parallelism for a given size, weight, and power limit than conventional Central Processing Units (CPUs) can achieve. GPU chips are approaching a thousand or more stream cores (e.g., 6 GFLOPS [giga floating point operations per second] per watt for one chip). We also allow cloud computing with seamless distribution of computation over heterogeneous GPU/CPU nodes, which is ideal for a tactical setting that may combine various types of hardware devices with and without GPUs. We also simplify the MapReduce framework for end users to allow users with lower expertise and programming skills to configure computations; this allows faster deployment of new capabilities on our cloud architecture." BIOMEDICAL (BASIC),N44CO110125,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,292222.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Marc Abrams,,540-951-5900,firstname.lastname@example.com,Marc Abrams,,540-951-5900,email@example.com,"The purpose of this Phase II effort is to research and develop an innovative approach to empower people who do not have the skills to write programming code or a scripting language, to create simple user interfaces (UIs) to calculation engines written in various programming languages. The requirement includes realizing the approach in a high level programming language and a software system. The system should greatly reduce the time and skills required for a developer to create a UI and connect it to one oremore calculation engines." SPAA: Software Priority Assurance Assessment,FA8650-11-M-1116,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99974.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Pallabi Saboo,CEO,(540) 951-5915,firstname.lastname@example.com,Marc Abrams,PI,(540) 951-5901,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Harmonia proposes to create""SPAA: Software Priority Assurance Assessment""which is designed to automate software assurance assessment. The final tool will allow for risk assessment of commercial software through a formal risk acceptance approval process enabling the software to be officially installed and integrated on various weapon system platforms. Our objective is to create a tool through which an individual called the Agent of the Certifying Authority can perform rapid risk assessment of non-Air Force funded software to (a) prioritize which software requires deeper inspection and (b) document evidence that the software should be approved for use in the certification and accreditation (C & A) process. The assessment should produce a report that ranks or prioritizes for each software code the risk of using it. The risk level can then be used to decide which codes to pursue through the certification and accreditation (C & A) process. The Agent of the Certifying Authority (ACA) will prepare the case for codes to be approved for use in the weapon program; the documentation prepared goes to the Certifying Authority (CA). Once certified, each time the code is installed in a new environment it must be accredited by the Designated Accrediting Authority (DAA). BENEFIT: The completed tool will provide a way to quickly and with limited resources do an initial assessment of the risk in using certain non-Air Force developed software codes for weapon systems. This reduces the work for C & A through prioritizing risk and generating the evidence in documentation required for the CA and DAA. We estimate that SPAA can save 54% to 72% of the time required for analysis and documentation by the ACA, based on automating 60% to 80% of the work with a labor reduction of 90% for the portion that is automatable. Manual use of multiple code analysis is difficult to reproduce in a C & A setting, because processes can be documented in spreadsheets that are detail laden and there are many compiler switches and variables in analysis tools where one small change produces a big change in the output." HUMINT Fusion without Coding (HFWC): An Automated HUMINT to Multi-INT Analytic Tool and Scalable Architecture to Support Navy Intelligence Analysts,N66001-11-M-5106,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,69968.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Pallabi Saboo,CEO,(540) 951-5915,firstname.lastname@example.com,Marc Abrams,PI,(540) 951-5901,email@example.com,"HUMINT includes text based message traffic, other text document sources composed by humans, particularly the free-form prose text of these messages/documents that can be processed to produce information of value, and other human-produced media types (e.g., video, pictures). Harmonia proposes a new tool, called HFWC V HUMINT Fusion without Coding V that allows analysts to design custom fusion workflows without coding or the need for a programmer to code algorithms to exploit collected, processed, and stored information. HFWC introduces a net-centric data store in a certain format that facilitates the transformation from human analysis to machine-processing, thus providing the essential link between HUMINT and fusion with Multi-INT. Harmonias solution also allows an analyst to define small reusable analysis apps, which we call iTel apps, for the intelligence community to rapidly disseminate and share new analysis methods to analysts, form a library of them, and automatically execute them to facilitate HUMINT_Multi-INT Fusion. A facility to create a corporate memory of analysis methods to additionally accelerate the work of all analysts will be included. The final solution will operate in a cross-domain environment to fuse unclassified data with classified data without compromising security." "AIR Framework: Assess, Identify and Remediate the Usability of Graphical User Interfaces",W911QX-11-C-0095,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2011,1,149935.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Pallabi Saboo,CEO,(540) 951-5915,firstname.lastname@example.com,Marc Abrams,PI,(540) 951-5901,firstname.lastname@example.com,"We present the Assess, Identify, Remediate (AIR) framework to integrate disparate tools and manual non-computer based methods for usability assessment. AIR is integrated into Microsoft Office so that it leverages a familiar user interface, and minimizes the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for users. It is fully extensible, so that 3rd parties can add their own tools to AIR. AIR is designed to incorporate traditional usability assessment tools (e.g., GOMS tools, video recording tools, IMPRINT), graphical user interface design tools (e.g., LiquidApps, Visual Studio), and allow creation of data capture methods for non-computer based assessment methods. AIR focuses on using commonly available technologies to maximize its adoption." Designing Large Data Handling Architectures,N00014-11-C-0523,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,1246335.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Pallabi Saboo,CEO,(540) 951-5915,firstname.lastname@example.com,Marc Abrams,PI,(540) 951-5901,email@example.com,"Harmonia proposes to continue development from Phase I of a Large Data Handling Architecture (LDHA). Given sufficient amounts of commodity hardware, its goal is to scale up to ingest a terabyte or more of data per hour from each open source or sensor; store tens of thousands and more of terabyte files; and support operations on databases that use complex structures as table cells, sparse tables, and billions or more rows and a million or more columns. Our implementation uses the Ubuntu server Linux distribution, Hadoop core, HBase database and Chukwa data collector. We implement ingesters as Java Servlets to collect continuously and automatically pass for insertion into Hadoop a variety of open sources including, but not limited to structured and unstructured text, sensor data, images, and streaming video, experimenting with real continuous feeds available on the Internet. We develop end user programming tools that empower analysts to define analysis tasks for distributed execution even though they do not have a programming background in MapReduce. Our architecture is service oriented, high performance, extensible, and permits integration with the DoD Global Information Grid. We support disadvantaged users through services that allow downloading of data. We do extensive performance assessment of bottlenecks." Using UIML to Automate Generation of Usability Prototypes and Tactical Software,N68335-11-C-0051,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749965.00,Harmonia Holdings Group,"2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 1000",,Blacksburg,VA,24060-6491,Yes,Yes,Yes,Pallabi Saboo,CEO,(540) 951-5915,email@example.com,Marc Abrams,PI,(540) 951-5901,email@example.com,"Harmonia proposes a novel approach to automatically generating tactical human/computer interface (HCI) code and object design data from the user interface design developed through usability prototyping. This approach uses the User Interface Markup Language (UIML), an open specification language being standardized by OASIS, as a user interface design language that can be rendered to usability prototypes, tactical HCI code, and object model representations. The proposed approach centers on defining an enhanced, UIML-based user interface design process, and then defining tool support needs for this process. The intent is to span the gap between usability and object-oriented software engineering by supporting rapid prototyping of user interfaces for usability engineering, while providing the ability to generate object design data for the overall system""s object model and tactical HCI code for deployment. UIML and its associated tools form a bridge between the user interface designer and the application modeler, allowing early and frequent integration of the user interface design process and the application development life cycle. Bridging the gap between usability and software engineering is expected to save considerable effort by eliminating the manual work currently required to move from usability prototype to tactical HCI software." Near-Field Transducing Plasmonic Detector (NTRAP),W31P4Q-11-C-0149,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99984.00,Five Stones Research Corporation,5767 Cove Commons Drive Suite 103c,,Hampton Cove,AL,35741-,Yes,Yes,No,Joni R. Green,CEO,(256) 975-0848,firstname.lastname@example.com,K. L. Kelly,Design Engineer,(256) 541-9639,firstname.lastname@example.com,"An innovative approach is required for making a useful advance in the field of low power tampering detection and reverse engineering technologies. Our team's proposal is to investigate and test such an approach, utilizing near-field transduction and plasmonic components. Advantages of this approach include being low power, optional optical sensitivity, and small size." Tube Map Interface for a Coupled Scheduling and Diagnostics System,NNX11CD23P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99993.00,"Aligned Concepts, LLC",2103 Alaqua Lakes Boulevard,,Longwood,FL,32779-3206,No,Yes,No,Don Asumu,Business Official,4077334929,email@example.com,Don Asumu,Principal Investigator,4077334929,email@example.com,"We propose the concept of a tube map display as a means to effectively integrate schedule timeline information and fault diagnosis data into a single high value presentation. Tube maps are potentially a high value method of presenting multiple dimensions of information. This work will prove the feasibility of depicting combined schedule and fault information in the domain of asset scheduling using a communications simulation testbed. This testbed will be based upon key node and link abstractions of the space, ground and deep space networks. In order to simulate how mission schedules are affected by faults, a range of communication path faults can be selected by a user and injected into mission scenarios in order to gain further insights into how schedules can be tuned in real time to changing conditions on ground and space assets. Injected faults are modeled as a set of additional scheduling constraints in exactly the same way as other physical or mission preference constraints. The uniform constraint representation used capture mission requirements, preferences, constraints and faults can also be extended to multi-criteria optimization objectives for the resource schedulerÂ? enabling a mix of factors to drive the generation of the optimized schedule." FH3ESYSC,DTRT57-11-C-10004,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,1,78530.00,E-Systems Communications Corp.,11440 West Bernardo Court,suite 21C,San Diego,CA,92127,No,Yes,No,Mana Sriphet,CTO,(858) 926-5883,firstname.lastname@example.com,Mana Sriphet,CTO,(858) 926-5883,email@example.com,"There are a number of basic questions that need to be answered so that IntelliDrive mobile applications can be developed to ensure maximum compatibility with various mobile application platforms. This proposal put forth specific activities that will answer these basic questions on popular mobile platforms: IPhone, iPad, Android, Microsoft's Phone 7, Black Berry, Palm's, WebOS, Nokia's Symbian, Garmin Communicator, and TomTom navigator Devices. Development platforms, SDK, development method and delivery processes for each mobile app will be examined and a summary report will be produced. Mobile app for each platform will be experimented and their capabilities and limitations will be summarized. A plug-in to mobile app SDK is proposed to abstract out and standardize interface to the IntelliDrive system. Requirements updates, quality control, and approval method will be examined using the plug-in approach. A data logging app will be developed on Droid and iPhone/iPad platforms to gather data to answer some of the posted questions. Combining GPS data, rate of change (speed), delta of rate of change (acceleration) with referenced GPS data of freeways, rails, and other geographic locations, will be examined to determine mode of travel." Commercialization of a Formadlehyde-Fee Soy-Based Wood Adhesive for Production of Plywood,EP-D-11-069,EPA,EPA,SBIR,2011,2,223875.00,Lao K LLC,"610 Queen Ave.,SW",,Albany,OR,97322,No,Yes,No,Li Kaichang,Chief Executive manager,(541) 231-0130,email@example.com,Nicholas Kesinger,Sr. Research Chemist,(541) 926-2003,email@example.com,"Interior wood composite panels are widely used for furniture, bookshelf, kitchen cabinets, flooring, and other building materials, and are predominantly made with carcinogenic urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin. New formaldehyde-free wood adhesives that mainly consist of abundant, renewable, and readily available soybean flour and novel curing agents have been developed in a laboratory and successfully used for production of plywood in mill trials in the project funded by an EPA phase I grant. One of the most promising soy-based adhesives consists of soy flour and a natural product and is 100% based on natural materials, that is, does not contain any petrochemicals or petrochemical-based products. The adhesive does not contain formaldehyde and will not emit formaldehyde or any other hazardous volatile organic compounds. As far as we know, this is the most environmentally friendly, green wood adhesive in the history of wood adhesives. This adhesive is superior to the UF resin in terms of the strengths and water-resistance of resulting wood composite panels. The overall goal of this project is to commercialize fully this new soy-based adhesive for the production of plywood in a commercial plywood mill. If this project is successful, the new adhesive is expected to be highly environmentally friendly, based on 100% natural materials, and cost-competitive to all competitive wood adhesives in the market. The results of this project will improve greatly indoor air quality and our working and living environments, significantly reduce the use of petrochemicals in building materials, and greatly enhance global competitiveness of the U.S. wood composite manufacturers. This project addresses this program priority: "A. Green Building Materials and Systems."" Communicative Agents for Spatio-Temporal Reasoning Workbench (CoASTeR-WB),N00014-11-C-0422,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2011,2,733531.00,Knexus Research Corp.,9120 Beachway Lane,,Springfield,VA,22153-,No,Yes,No,Kalyan Gupta,President,(703) 203-3859,email@example.com,Kalyan Gupta,President,(703) 203-3859,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Currently, there are no robust software platforms available for developing and evaluating reusable, virtual, communicative spatio-temporal agents. This makes rapid development and meaningful comparative evaluation, critical requirements for military and non-military applications, infeasible. To meet this need, we will develop a software platform called CoASTeR-WB (Communicative Agent for Spatio-Temporal Reasoning), and supporting Knowledge Engineering tools, and utilities. We will build on CoASTeR-WB Phase I architecture to develop a mature and advanced version that introduces additional human-computer interaction modalities such as sketch, speech, and gesture using open source and COTS components. We will research and develop advanced versions of perception, spatio-temporal reasoning, and action planning components using cognitive architectures and state-of-the-art AI planning techniques. We will fully develop CoASTeR-WB""s automated test and evaluation framework for assessing the performance of communicative dynamic agents in navigation and extra navigational tasks. We will evaluate CoASTeR-WB with navy relevant scenarios of unmanned systems missions using the Workbench""s own automated evaluation framework. We will develop knowledge engineering and test and evaluation authoring tools to make CoASTeR-WB more accessible to developers and researchers." GISMo: A Modeling Software Tool for Predictive and Real-Time Analysis of GISAS Data,DE-FG02-11ER90211,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Jema Science, Inc",1530 Grand Ave,,Piedmont,CA,94611-4330,No,Yes,No,Xiaodong Ding,Dr.,510-333-1626,firstname.lastname@example.com,Niansheng Qi,Dr.,510-333-1626,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The current bottleneck for materials characterization using grazing incidence x-ray/neutron scattering (GISAS) lies in the difficulty of modeling and analysis due to the coupling of complicated dynamical and kinematic effects. Modern x-ray and neutron sources will offer the capability of high-speed, high-throughput data generation, which inevitably demands powerful yet user-friendly modeling and analysis software for in-situ data analysis. Through the development of a commercial software suite, GISMo (Grazing Incidence Scattering Modeler), we will provide a solution that bridges user-friendly, computer assisted modeling with highly efficient computational tools for scattering theory in a dynamic fashion.Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The initial product will be clearly geared towards GISAS communities around the world, but the expandability of our software suite will allow us to easily include other scientific areas. The basic concept of combining user-friendly modeling tools with an expert program that handles the fundamental physical principles will enable GISMo to be further developed into a General Input Scientific Modeler for accommodating various scientific systems beyond x-ray and neutron scattering" Smart Combinatorial Research Equipment (SmartCoRE) for Automated Sample Analysis and Environmental Control on Synchroton Beamlines,DE-FG02-10ER85861,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,2,1000000.00,"Jema Science, Inc",1530 Grand Ave,,Piedmont,CA,94611-4330,No,Yes,No,Xiaodong Ding,Dr.,5103331626,email@example.com,Matthew Church,Dr.,5102820591,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Synchrotrons, operated by DOE and others, are large and expensive scientific facilities that nonetheless provide invaluable and highly demanded analytical tools for the investigation of basic material structure and properties. Many experiments require specific sample environments for in-situ analysis, but available tools to provide this have limited capabilities and are often incompatible with automation or synchrotron techniques. Compact sample chambers with embedded microprocessor controlled electronics will provide a customizable environmental control platform that can be effectively arrayed, automatically controlled and analyzed to increase efficiency at synchrotron beamlines. A smart and compact sample environmental chamber has been designed that is compatible with synchrotron as well as visible light optical analysis techniques. An imbedded microprocessor controls sample temperature between -50 and 400 C using a thermo-electric device or heater and can additionally control user supplied electrical devices as well. These chambers are designed to be stacked in arrays and individually programmed with unique control parameters while coordinating with automatic analysis processing. A prototype array of these sample chambers will be constructed and tested on an operational synchrotron beamline. Experience gained from these tests will be used to create a fully functional commercial product family for the automation of in-situ synchrotron analysis. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: This product has the potential to accelerate development of novel and useful material properties by making experimental analysis using both x-ray and visible light more efficient." Carbon Nanofiber Supercapacitors for Grid Scale Energy Storage,N00014-11-M-0352,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2011,1,80000.00,"Jema Science, Inc",1530 Grand Ave,,Piedmont,CA,94611-4330,No,Yes,No,Xiaodong Ding,President,(510) 333-1626,email@example.com,Yuegang Zhang,"Staff Scientist, LBNL",(510) 486-5282,email@example.com,"Jema Science Inc teams up with Dr. Yuegang Zhang""s group at Molecular Foundray of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to propose an electrochemical capacitor (supercapacitor) energy storage concept based on low-cost electrospun carbon nanofibers. We take advantage of extremely low-cost of electrospinning technology coupled with our research on metal oxide nanomaterials to produce state-of-the-art supercapacitors. To realize such a breakthrough concept, developments at three levels are needed including materials, processing and devices. Highly conductive carbon nanofibers will be fabricated by an electrospinning technology using multicomponent polymer precursors and a carbonization process. Surface area and pore size will be characterized. We will further develop a process to co-electrospin metal salts in polymer precursors and a post annealing process that can carbonize the nanofibers and convert the metal salts into metal oxides. We will assembly supercapacitor devices and study the electrochemical performance, including impedance, cycling, self-discharge, power and energy density analysis under different current density and optimization. In the later stage of this project, we will study device scaling and perform cost and safety analysis." Health Monitoring of Composite Structures Using Carbon Nanotubes,FA9550-11-C-0003,DOD,USAF,STTR,2011,2,750000.00,"Acellent Technologies, Inc.",835 Stewart Drive,,Sunnyvale,CA,94085-,No,Yes,No,Vindhya Narayanan,VP Business,(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,Shyan B. Shen,Project Manager,(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,"ABSTRACT: Acellent Technologies and University of Delaware jointly propose to develop an integrated system of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and piezoelectric sensors for structural health monitoring (SHM) of composite structures. The proposed integrated hybrid SHM system will detect the initiation of damage and monitor its growth in composite structures. This system will combine the unique sensing capabilities of CNT and piezoelectric sensors. Both piezoelectric sensors and distributed electrodes for CNT sensors will be built-into one pre-networked, pre-positioned layer called the SMART layer. The distributed electrodes on the SMART Layer will be utilized to measure the conductivity of the CNT network inside the polymer matrix, at various locations across the composite structure. Microcracks in the structure will be determined by the change in electrical conductivity of the CNT sensor network. The piezoelectric sensor network on the SMART Layer will be utilized to detect and quantify the localized cracks and delamination. In phase I, the team successfully demonstrated the feasibility of both the CNT and the piezoelectric SHM system for damage detection on composite coupons. In phase II, the team will refine the software systems and perform hardware integration to develop a hybrid SHM system with user-friendly interface for damage detection in composite structures. BENEFIT: Anticipated Benefits: The innovation of the proposed system has many advantages: 1) Increased safety, reliability and robust in-situ health monitoring (early warning system) 2) Complete damage information V both qualitative and quantitative characterization 3) Reduced inspections and reduced vehicle downtime 4) Maximized lifespan of structures residual life estimate by prognosis. Potential Commercial Applications: The technology and system that will be developed in Phase II will serve the interest of not only the aerospace industry but other industries as well that use composite materials including the automotive, shipping, railway and wind turbine manufacturing industries. Automobile bodies, offshore structures, wind turbine blades and railway coach components are prone to frequent mechanical wear and tear due to the environmental, transportational and operational effects under which they need to function. This technology will completely revolutionize the way in which structural diagnosis is performed in these industries and provide a state-of-the-art solution for maintenance and support. This technology will prove very useful for the different industries listed above and serve the needs for maintenance and support for all future generation aircrafts and different composite structures. The developmental results from the current project will be channeled in the coming years to customized products required by the government and industrial companies." Intrinsic Health Management of Solid Rocket Motors (InSRM),FA9300-11-M-2011,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Acellent Technologies, Inc.",835 Stewart Drive,,Sunnyvale,CA,94085-,No,Yes,No,Vindhya Narayanan,VP Business,(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,Shawn Beard,Chief Technology Officer,(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,"ABSTRACT: Solid rocket motors (SRMs) serve as the propulsion system for numerous types of missiles. Many of these missiles are intended to sit idly in storage for extended periods and then are required to function flawlessly. However, SRMs are subject to a variety of unexpected environmental and loading conditions from the time-of-manufacturing to launch, and these conditions can significantly impact the performance and reliability of the motor. In addition, aging of the materials can cause significant property changes, leading to bondline degradation and changes in the propellant strain field, which can result in anomalous burning behavior when the motor is fired. An accurate assessment of the current state of an SRM, and prediction of the future state, is critically needed to ensure the viability of each asset and maintain a healthy missile fleet. Acellent Technologies is currently developing structural health monitoring systems to address these issues. The proposed program focuses on innovations to develop a complete integrated system that can monitor the health of the SRM from cradle-to-grave. The goal of the program will be to develop the system for deployment on operational motors. The development will be conducted in close collaboration with ATK-Thiokol who fully supports the developmental efforts. BENEFIT: The proposed diagnostic system for solid rocket motor health and process mishap monitoring allows for early warning of structural and propellant damage, errant structural behavior, or material degradation detection throughout involved handling, transportation, and testing processes. The largest and nearest-term impact areas for the technology are mission critical COPV structures used in aerospace structures. Economic and political factors drive the need to keep these structures in-service for longer periods of time, often well beyond their designed service life. As these structures age, there is an increasing need for inspection to ensure public safety and schedule maintenance effectively. The high cost of owning and operating these systems provides incentives for enhancing the means of evaluating and monitoring their structural integrity. The proposed work will be conducted in close collaboration with the rocket motor industries (such as ATK Thiokol) to ensure that this research will be directly beneficial to them. Acellent is currently working with other industries such as aeronautics, automobile, off-shore and ground vehicles to enable utilization of mass-production techniques to provide high quality sensing technologies at lower costs to the individual users. Once developed, the system will be available independently or in a complete package along with the monitoring layer, software and hardware. The plug-and-play feature of the system will make it ready to use for any practical application." Structural Sensing of Corrosion in 5XXX-Series Aluminum,N00167-11-P-0177,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79989.00,"Acellent Technologies, Inc.",835 Stewart Drive,,Sunnyvale,CA,94085-,No,Yes,No,Vindhya Narayanan,Vice President Business,(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,Sourav Banerjee,"Director, Product Develop",(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,"Acellent Technologies, Inc. (Acellent) proposes to develop a Highly sensitive Ultrasonic system consisting of Long Lasting SMART sensors (SMART HULL) utilizing Acellent""s SMART Layer technology to detect and continuously monitor corrosion damages in ship structures. The proposed system will be immensely valuable for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) or Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV), and other newer ships that are using new hull forms and structural materials such as 5XXX-series aluminum, whose physical properties and future degradation potential are not completely understood. These multilayered structures are vulnerable to hostile environmental conditions and are prone to developing pitting corrosion and other forms of corrosion. Acellent proposes that the sensors will be mounted on the inside of the hull during the manufacturing process. The primary objective will be to use minimal number of sensors with high end sensitivity of corrosion detection in 5xxx-series aluminum. The proposed Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems will be specifically designed to detect damages in multi-layered structural components (up to three layers) under harsh environmental condition. The system will be integrated with a portable hardware device which will scan the desired area of the structure couple of times a day or as specified by the user." Underwater Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Propellers,N00014-11-M-0221,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79995.00,"Acellent Technologies, Inc.",835 Stewart Drive,,Sunnyvale,CA,94085-,No,Yes,No,Ritubarna Banerjee,Business Development Mana,(408) 745-1188,firstname.lastname@example.com,Samik Das,Senior Project Engineer,(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,"Monitoring the health of composite propeller structures and identifying problems before they can affect the integrity and safe operation has been a long-term goal in naval industry. Composite propellers are being developed by the Navy for a number of potential benefits, including reducing weight and maintenance requirements, while increasing design flexibility and performance. However like all other composite construction composite propellers are prone to damage. Hence a robust Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system is required to monitor the in-service composite propeller. This will also reduce maintenance cost and also help design in more cost effective composite propeller. Acellent proposes to develop an underwater Structural Health Monitoring system for composite propeller. This development will address all the challenges such as sensor and connector design in underwater environment and in-service real-time inspection, operational and environmental variability, damage diagnosis and classification. Acellent will develop an embedded SMART layer system for composite propeller monitoring with statistical data analysis software to diagnose the health of the composite structure. Acellent""s ultimate goal will be to develop a complete SHM system for monitoring the health of composite propellers used in naval vessel." Innovative Method for Real-Time Damage Alleviation,N68335-11-C-0511,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79999.00,"Acellent Technologies, Inc.",835 Stewart Drive,,Sunnyvale,CA,94085-,No,Yes,No,Vindhya Narayanan,"Vice-President, Business",(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,Sourav Banerjee,"Director, Product Develop",(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,"Acellent Technologies, Inc. (Acellent) proposes to develop a Real time Auto Responsive System for Rotorcraft""s Fatigue Damage Alleviation, using Structural Health Monitoring and Component Usage Data. The proposed technology is primarily based on three strong expertises that the team (Acellent and Advanced Rotorcraft Technologies (ART)) brought in to this proposal. A) Acellent""s SMART Layer technology to detect and continuously monitor fatigue damages in rotorcraft components, B) Acellent""s Data fusion and statistical data interpretation capability C) ART""s Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)/Nonlinear Finite Element Model (FEM) for component response interpretation and feedback loop to the real time flight control for further damage alleviation. The proposed concept is one step ahead of current health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) and Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) technology." Pitting Corrosion Sensor and Tracker,N68335-11-C-0516,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79991.00,"Acellent Technologies, Inc.",835 Stewart Drive,,Sunnyvale,CA,94085-,No,Yes,No,Vindhya Narayanan,"Vice-President, Business",(408) 745-1188,firstname.lastname@example.com,Howard Chung,"Director, Product Managem",(408) 745-1188,email@example.com,"The Navy is interested in innovative ways to detect and track corrosion between metallic surfaces in magnesium housings. Many of the corrosion inspection methods currently employed in the field to inspect magnesium housings involve disassembling the components and performing a visual inspection. Apart from being time-consuming, labor intensive, cumbersome and unreliable these inspections often lead to damage of the protective coating covering the surface during disassembly. In addition, the corrosion areas of interest are located in close proximity to the aircraft flight controls and the gearbox mounting and hence a good monitoring system is critical for aircraft safety. In response, Acellent is proposing to use its SMART Layer technology to develop a corrosion inspection system to detect and track corrosion between metallic surfaces to within 5 mils depth and to locate the areas of corrosion to within 1 inch accuracy. This handheld Corrosion Detection system will consist of a Hybrid SMART layer network with piezoelectric sensors for corrosion detection and pressure sensors to detect pressure changes between the metal layers. The system will be developed and tested for resilience against changing stresses, corrosive environments and fretting movement. Several alternative sensors configurations and technologies to detect bolt preloads are also considered." "State-of-the-art, Multi-Fidelity Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Tool for Nonlinear Aeroelasticity",NNX11CB66C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,600000.00,"Advanced Dynamics, Inc.","1500 Bull Lea Road, Suite 203",,Lexington,KY,40511-,No,Yes,No,Patrick Hu,President,8596990441,email@example.com,Patrick Hu,Principal Investigator,8598590441,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Research is proposed for the development of a state-of-the-art computational aeroelastic tool. This tool will include various levels of fidelity and the ability to perform computational uncertainty quantification for data-driven risk analysis and certification. A number of novel reduced-order in time methods will be implemented into the code allowing for efficient and accurate aeroelastic simulation which will enable both the exploration of complex physics, point design and fast generation of ""training data"" for reduced order spatial aeroelastic models. The various levels of fidelity available in the code for aeroelastic modeling will range from CFD-based (both grid-based and a novel particle-based method) simulation to reduced-order aeroelastic models based upon Volterra series representations and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). The application of the proposed innovations spans the range of flight, from high-speed transport vehicles, to small-scale, flapping Micro-Air vehicles. Anticipated results include 1) the further validation and implementation of the proposed novel time-reduced order models into the existing ASTE-P solver framework (which already includes the various level fidelity mentioned above), 2) application of the proposed work to large-scale simulation and comparison with experiment, and 3) advancement of the state of knowledge for nonlinear problems in aeroelasticity in both the subsonic, low Reynolds number regime and transonic high Reynolds number regime." High Fidelity Computational and Wind Tunnel Models in Support of Certification Airworthiness of Control Surfaces with Freeplay and Other Nonlinear Features,NNX11CG71P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,98373.00,"Advanced Dynamics, Inc.","1500 Bull Lea Road, Suite 203",,Lexington,KY,40511-,No,Yes,No,Patrick Hu,Business Official,8596990441,firstname.lastname@example.com,Patrick Hu,Principal Investigator,8596990441,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The proposed work will establish high fidelity computational methods and wind tunnel test model in support of new freeplay criteria for the design, construction and controlled actuation of control surfaces with varying amounts of freeplay and their aeroelastic response. These methods will be validated with wind tunnel and flight test data. In Phase I a nonlinear computational aeroservoelastic methodology will be developed for freeplay induced flutter/LCO and gust response. Validation will be achieved by comparisons with legacy and new wind tunnel test data. In Phase II the methodology will be generalized to create a mature software capability for closed-loop aeroelastic systems in the trimmed/untrimmed state including gust, stick or random aeroacoustic excitations. An all movable tail wing wind tunnel test article will be designed and built with variable freeplay with initial test evaluation completed in Phase I and a thorough parameter variation data set and will be developed in Phase II for computational code validation in Phase II. Subject to available funding constraints both high speed transonic as well as subsonic will tunnel tests will be undertaken. In Phase III the computational methodology in combination wind tunnel test results will be used to support the improvement of the current FAA and/or MIL-SPEC freeplay aeroelastic response criteria. Following the successful demonstration and validation of the new computational methods, the methodology will be proposed for adoption by FAA for commercial applications and the DOD for military applications with the expectation that all major civilian and military aerospace industries will adopt the design/analysis methodology for freeplay induced LCO/flutter prevention." Towards Better Modeling and Simulation of Nonlinear Aeroelasticity On and Beyond Transonic Regimes,NNX11CG73P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99577.00,"Advanced Dynamics, Inc.","1500 Bull Lea Road, Suite 203",,Lexington,KY,40511-,No,Yes,No,Patrick Hu,Business Official,8596990441,email@example.com,Patrick Hu,Principal Investigator,8596990441,email@example.com,"The need to accurately predict aeroelastic phenomenon for a wide range of Mach numbers is a critical step in the design process of any aerospace vehicle. Complex aerodynamic phenomenon such as vortex shedding, shock-turbulence interaction, separation, etc. dominate at transonic and supersonic Mach numbers and hence the need to address these phenomena is of utmost importance in the modeling process. Research is proposed for the development and implementation of state of the art, large-eddy-simulation (LES) based computational models for problems in nonlinear aeroelasticity. Highly efficient and accurate subgrid-scale (SGS) models will be incorporated into the flow solver and coupled with high fidelity structure solvers to predict aeroelastic phenomena such as transonic flutter, limit cycle oscillations, etc. The SGS models proposed are based on eddy-viscosity and non-eddy-viscosity models and they will both be assessed for accuracy and robustness in the context of nonlinear aeroelasticity. The implications of the proposed work include using highly accurate turbulence models with efficient finite element models of structure to solve problems in nonlinear aeroelasticity. The application of the proposed innovations spans the range of flight, from subsonic to supersonic transport vehicles. Anticipated results include 1) the implementation of the proposed LES methodology into current aeroelastic toolset 2) application of the proposed work to large-scale simulation and comparison with experiment and lower fidelity RANS-based aeroelastic simulations and 3) advancement of the state of knowledge for nonlinear problems in aeroelasticity." "SBIR Phase I: A Novel Memory Having Both Volatile and Non-Volatile Modes For High Performance, Low Power Applications",1047406,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,Zeno Semiconductor,1657 Curtner Ave,,San Jose,CA,95125-4920,No,Yes,No,Yuniarto Widjaja,PhD,6505753555,email@example.com,Yuniarto Widjaja,,6505753555,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a novel memory, which has both volatile and non-volatile functionality. Such memory combines the non-volatile memory?s ability to retain information in the absence of power (such as Flash memory) and the fast access speed and reliability of a volatile memory (such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM)). This memory is fabricated using a mainstream or near-production fabrication process and is a one-transistor device, which results in a compact cell size, suitable for cost-efficient high density applications. The proposed memory cell integrates a floating body transistor and a phase change memory element. During normal operation, the memory device functions as a floating body memory device and has SRAM-like performance, as in the access speed, power, and endurance capability. When power is removed from the memory device, the state of the floating body is saved into the phase change memory element by means of a mass, parallel, self-feedback mechanism. Subsequent to power restore, the original state of the floating body is recovered, also by means of a mass, parallel, self-feedback mechanism. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable power-efficient computing applications and mobile devices. For example, it can be used to reduce power consumptions in data centers. Data centers? annual energy consumption is estimated to be 150 billion kWh, about twice the capacity of the current US solar panel. A power-efficient memory such as the one proposed in this proposal can reduce the overall data centers? power consumption by up to 75%. Another application is to provide an integrated memory solution. Many electronic devices currently employ multiple types of memory, due to their own distinct characteristics. The proposed device will be able to combine the different types of memory into a single memory device." Engineered Materials for Advanced Gas Turbine Engine,NNX11CD77P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99993.00,"Advanced Powder Solutions, Inc",14102 Halprin Creek Drive,,Cypress,TX,77429-6042,No,Yes,No,Dean Baker,GM,6613731729,email@example.com,Asit Biswas,Principal Investigator,6613731729,email@example.com,"This project will develop innovative composite powders and composites that will surpass the properties of currently identified materials for advanced gas turbine engine applications. Phase I will demonstrate a powder metallurgy technique for fabricating high-temperature, oxidation-resistant composite powders. Once consolidated, the resulting composite will possess high creep and thermal fatigue strength, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion properties." Advanced Technologies for Discrete-Parts Manufacturing,SP4701-11-C-0012,DOD,DLA,SBIR,2011,2,600000.00,"Advanced Powder Solutions, Inc",14102 Halprin Creek Drive,,Cypress,TX,77429-6042,No,Yes,No,Randall Echols,President,(240) 351-2402,email@example.com,Dean Baker,GM,(661) 373-1729,email@example.com,SD Data Centric Computing for Nuclear Physics,DE-FG02-11ER90138,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,Virkaz Technologies,865 Ashfield Drive,,Decatur,GA,30030-5314,No,Yes,No,Charles Earl,Dr.,404-932-1645,email@example.com,Charles Earl,Dr.,404-932-1645,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The infrastructure developed by Google for its MapReduce algorithm has obviously had an impact upon the world of search. There has been an emergence of algorithmic implementations of the MapReduce framework to support computing in the bio-sciences, machine learning, and general high performance computing. The basic attractiveness of MapReduce and other data-oriented topologies is that they provide a framework for data-centric computation: parallel computations are mapped across fixed data stores thus reaping the benefits of locality for situations where the cost of data transfer to a compute node would far outweigh the cost of transferring computation to the data store. The ultimate benefit of this paradigm therefore is that researchers could define virtual machines that contain standard analysis images, migrate those to the data, and then run MapReduce on datasets for which this analysis makes sense. The ultimate goal of this project (phase I and II) is to develop libraries and adaptation modules that will allow virtualized Nuclear Physics software to run efficiently under MapReduce" Optimized Electrodes for Low-Loss On-Chip Microwave Devices,W911NF-11-C-0075,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2011,2,749172.00,US Ferroics LLC,300 C M Allen Highway,Suite 100,San Marcos,TX,78666-,No,Yes,No,Ravi Droopad,President and CEO,(602) 763-1058,email@example.com,Colin Wood,Principle Scientist,(410) 798-6106,firstname.lastname@example.com,The goal of this program is to develop a new sandwich electrode technology for low-loss microwave devices. The electrode consists of a thick high-conductivity layer sandwiched between two high-stability oxidization resistant thin cladding layers. The thick layer ensures low electrode resistance loss and limits radiation of energy from device to the substrate. The thin cladding layers protect the thick layer from diffusion and oxidization during device oxide deposition on the electrode and enable high-quality active layer deposition. We have clearly demonstrated the general feasibility of such a sandwich electrode approach. Our goal in Phase II is to optimize and document a sandwich electrode technology for ferroelectric and ferromagnetic microwave devices as test vehicles for sandwich electrodes. The results from this Phase II program will provide a solid foundation for Phase III commercialization. Robotic System for Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery,W81XWH-09-C-0161,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2011,2,749931.00,American GNC Corporation,888 Easy Street,,Simi Valley,CA,93065-1812,No,Yes,No,Emily Melgarejo,Director of Contracts,(805) 582-0582,email@example.com,Kevin Cleary,Director,(805) 582-0582,email@example.com,"The R-NOTES platform serves as an innovative and unifying system architecture for Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) to be used in both the civilian and military sectors. While NOTES has recently emerged as a logical step beyond laparoscopic methods in minimally invasive surgery, several technological hurdles, largely associated with flexible instruments, remain before widespread application. However, the continuing increase in computing power as well as technological developments in miniaturization, medical devices, wireless communications, robotics, and related technologies have now made it possible to realize a new breakthrough NOTES platform where, rather than resorting to flexible tools, small robotic modules can be inserted into the abdominal space to carry out surgical procedures. A modular architecture serves as a platform for these novel robotic modules while also enabling coordination with other researchers in the field and seamless integration of their respective technologies. Such an architecture consists of a delivery device (overtube), input controllers, a gross positioning robot capable of magnetic anchoring and guidance (MAGS), visualization screens with user-friendly interface software, and processing within a master control station." "Low Power, Low Cost Igniter for Nonhypergolic Mars Ascent Vehicle",NNX11CD69P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99995.00,"Analytical Services, Inc.",350 Voyager Way,,Huntsville,AL,35806-,No,Yes,No,Jared Austin,Business Official,2565622134,firstname.lastname@example.com,Joe Sims,Principal Investigator,2565622191,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Decomposing monopropellant hydrazine across a spontaneous catalyst bed is the gold standard for small propulsion systems responsible for attitude control on satellites and spacecraft. Such a propulsion system is both simple and reliable, and offers reasonable performance. However, the simplicity and reliability enjoyed today is the result of a nearly two-decade effort designed to identify and perfect a spontaneous catalyst. Modern hydrazine replacements generally do not work well with hydrazine catalysts, so the enormous costs associated with a new catalyst development effort have stalled the widespread acceptance of potential hydrazine replacements.Our proposed effort will explore the use of an alternative ignition source that eliminates the need for a catalyst bed entirely. It achieves the same simplicity enjoyed by traditional monopropellant propulsion systems, but dramatically increases thruster response time on both startup and especially shutdown. It requires low power because it exploits a unique property of most of the propellants often cited as the future replacement for hydrazine. It is also low cost because it requires a very low part count and development issues will be trivial." Radiation Hardening Manufacturing Technology,HQ0147-11-C-7513,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99984.00,"Analytical Services, Inc.",350 Voyager Way,,Huntsville,AL,35806-,No,Yes,No,Rhonda Harrison,"Director, Contracts and Pricing",(256) 562-2123,firstname.lastname@example.com,Mike Guthrie,Principal Investigator,(256) 562-2191,email@example.com,"BMDS components must function reliably when exposed to radiation, including both nuclear weapon and natural space environments. Current tools will not allow correct evaluations of system performance. Since the current radiation environment tools were not designed to handle sub-orbital trajectories, environments have been calculated by interpolating from a number of satellite orbital trajectories. A fully integrated approach, utilizing complete ballistic solutions, is needed. In Phase I, ASI, teamed with Gray Research, will interface space environments codes with orbital and sub-orbital trajectory models in the Trajectory Interface for the Radiation Environments (TIRE). TIRE will produce an accurate trajectory, calculate the geomagnetic field transmission function and apply it to space radiation environment models. This approach will accurately model radiation exposure along sub-orbital as well as orbital trajectories, significantly improving estimates of the radiation environment to which interceptors are exposed , removing the need for multiple iterations, and reducing the computational time for any arbitrary trajectory. In Phase II, we will examine the integration of TIRE with nuclear weapon environments, advanced neutral and ion transport codes, and single event effect models to further enhance radiation hardening performance predictions of BMDS interceptors for a full evaluation of the radiation""s impact on a system." Qu Tubes for High Temperature Heat Rejection,FA9453-11-C-0172,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,699128.00,"Analytical Services, Inc.",350 Voyager Way,,Huntsville,AL,35806-,No,Yes,No,Rhonda Harrison,"Director, Contracts and P",(256) 562-2123,email@example.com,Joe Sims,Principal Investigator,(256) 562-2191,email@example.com,"ABSTRACT: In our proposed Phase II effort, we will be demonstrating long-lived aqueous aluminum heat pipes. The work will directly demonstrate the corrosion inhibition character of two different aqueous work fluids and the long-term heat flux performance of our heat pipe designs at an operating temperature of 200 Deg C. In addition, we will demonstrate the performance of an advanced, aluminum-based wick material that exhibits both high thermal conductivity and high strength. With its higher operating temperature, our heat pipe design will allow for substantial mass savings in future satellite heat rejection systems. BENEFIT: We anticipate that our successful work will, for the first time, enable the use of aluminum heat pipes with aqueous working fluids that are capable of operation at 200 Deg C or even higher. Additionally, our efforts to demonstrate a new wick material will offer substantial performance benefits to state-of-the-art ammonia heat pipes." ASSIST: Predicting Flaw Initiation and Propagation in Aged Solid Rocket Motors,FA9300-11-C-3001,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749184.00,"Analytical Services, Inc.",350 Voyager Way,,Huntsville,AL,35806-,No,Yes,No,Rhonda Harrison,"Director, Contracts and P",(256) 562-2123,email@example.com,Joe Sims,Principal Investigator,(256) 562-2191,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ABSTRACT: When a solid rocket motor propellant grain contains one or more flaws (cracks, debonds, casting voids) or develops them as it ages, the risks of testing that motor is significantly increased. The responsible authority must decide between testing a motor that may destroy expensive testing infrastructure and relegating a motor for demilitarization that may not have failed from the flaw. Both circumstances waste precious resources. Such decisions demand a more accurate assessment of flaw propagation, so a tool that can provide that capability is critical. No such tool currently exists. ASI proposes to develop an innovative new tool, called ASSIST, that will provide that accurate assessment. We propose to couple fully transient, fully three-dimensional fluid and structural dynamic codes that can be used to determine what happens to a motor that contains a flaw. ASSIST will contain a detailed model for the combustion inside the flaw volume that determines, in large part, the stress/strain field induced in the crack tip. It will also contain a detailed propellant fracture mechanics model to determine whether the flaw will propagate, based upon the stress/strain field at the crack tip. We will validate ASSIST with an analysis of a large, flawed motor. BENEFIT: The Air Force will benefit directly from ASSIST through its application analyzing various strategic and tactical solid rocket motors in inventory that have been in service for long periods of time. In fact, one of the critical flaws that limit the service life of the Minuteman III first stage motor is the cracking that occurs in certain portions of the grain as the propellant ages. The ASI tool can be used to determine how much cracking can be tolerated before catastrophic failure will occur. The tactical motor inventory arguably has a more difficult service life, since thermal cycles and rough handling/flight loads are not well defined for any particular motor. That makes for a high likelihood of encountering a flawed propellant grain during routine service life testing. The use of ASSIST in those situations is of significant benefit to decision makers. Other DoD components can likewise benefit from ASSIST. Army and Navy weapon systems also have challenging life cycle environments that increase the likelihood that flaws will develop as the motors age. Again, the decision of whether to use or test such a system demands an accurate solution that ASSIST can provide. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in particular, faces the aging problem every day. That Agency uses aged Navy strategic assets (in excess of twenty five years in age) as the propulsive components of their strategic targets. They have got to know which motors are safe to fly and which ones need to be demilitarized. The cost of a single strategic missile defense test is in excess of $25M, so an unexpected failure from one of those aged motors is incredibly expensive. ASSIST will benefit those decision makers. In fact, any government agency that flies its own aircraft can likewise benefit from this analysis tool, because it is fundamentally an aeroelastic analysis tool. Repeated dynamic aeroelastic dynamic loading of aircraft wings can result in catastrophic failure. The ASI tool can benefit those agencies through a better understanding of those aeroelastic loads. Commercial entities can likewise benefit from ASSIST. Rocket-deployed parachute developers, such as BRS, Inc., use motors that age with time. The environments in general aviation aircraft that use their systems are benign compared to military environments, but the motors age nonetheless. They face exactly the same issues in determining the safe useful lives of their motors. As with the government agencies, commercial aircraft makers and even Formula 1 race car manufacturers can benefit through static and transient aeroelastic analysis of their aerodynamic wings. And, commerical jet engines need aeroelastic analyses of their turbine blades, as do those used in commercial gas turbine engines. ASSIST provides ASI with ample commercial opportunity, so we plan to pursue those opportunities vigorously." Improved Stability of Double Base Propellants,N68335-11-C-0230,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2011,2,999951.00,"Analytical Services, Inc.",350 Voyager Way,,Huntsville,AL,35806-,No,Yes,No,Rhonda Harrison,"Director, Contracts and P",(256) 562-2123,email@example.com,Joe Sims,Principal Investigator,(256) 562-2191,email@example.com,"In the proposed effort, ASI will be teaming with a major propulsion contractor to develop next generation thermal stabilizers for double base propellants. The scope includes chemical synthesis, propellant development and testing, and accelerated aging." Evaluation of Synthesis&Processing Routes for the High K- Boron Nitride Nano Tubes (BNNTS) for Thermal Management Applications,NNX11CE30P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Applied Material Systems Engineering, Inc.(AMSENG)",IL,,Schaumburg,IL,60194-3884,No,Yes,No,Mukund S. Deshpande,CEO/Chief Technical Officer,6303729650,email@example.com,Mukund Deshpande,Principal Investigator,6303729650,email@example.com,The purpose of this proposal is to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of processing the High Thermal Conductivity Boron Nitride Nano Tubes (High-K BNNTs) that can provide NASA alternative to develop thermal management hardware for various missions that are planned for the aggressive environment and may need environmental resistance for the hardware. The suggested SBIR proposes to fulfill the technology gap and provide alternative material technology for the thermal management material systems. It proposes to investigate & provide input on feasibility to produce High-K BNNTs and Graphene like h-BN materials and their enriched Boron versions. Our ultimate aim is to provide High-K BNNTs or its Graphene analog in abundance at affordable costs in reproducible manner. It has proposed innovative catalytic Pyrolysis of the unique combination of Boron Precursors that are amenable to ease of scale up. Such approach leverages lesson learned to design high yield processing to assure the quality of the BNNTs that provide high thermal conductivity and demonstrates that clever use of catalyst washing and Nano mesh removing steps can provide desired yields without compromising quality. The processing scheme provides enough freedom to study and collect data to demonstrate possible catalyst engineering and process optimization pathways for optimal processing of High-K BNNTs of desired features that are important for the structural and high temperature applications. The Conductive Thermal Control Material Systems for Space Applications,NNX11CF04P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Applied Material Systems Engineering, Inc.(AMSENG)",IL,,Schaumburg,IL,60194-3884,No,Yes,No,Mukund S. Deshpande,Business Official,6303729650,email@example.com,Mukund S. Deshpande,Principal Investigator,6303729650,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This proposal is submitted to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of processing the space environment stable, multifunctional thermal control material system (TCMS) that can be applied to space hardware and can enables the hardware to carry higher leakage current through engineering the high electrical conductivity. An innovative space environmental stable TCMS is suggested through research & development work for the multifunctional, low ( & #945;S/ & #949;T) material systems that can meet these aggressive goals in cost effective, reliable manner. The suggested efforts emphasize developments in two material science areas: the first one considers the development of born nitride nano structure that includes nanotubes and nano mesh (BNNT-BNNMTM) and the second area proposes the synthesis and processing of various homologous compounds of Zinco-Indates that are recently identified as the high conductivity compounds with high refractive index. The material system that integrates these two technologies can allow higher leakage currents that may also help to defend against the natural solar storm events. The suggested TCMS have been derived from the available mathematical models for space craft charging that pay attention to the individual charge dissipation mechanisms and the molecular dynamics of the material systems as well as its thermodynamics. Thus the envisioned derived material systems can provide the needed reliable TCMS in typical space environments in (LEO), (GEO) & beyond. The reliability goal for the multifunctional conductive TCMS is to have a design life of > 10 years in LEO and > 15 years in GEO, and we anticipate the developments to mature by end of phase II ready for the hardware demonstration." Adaptive Thermal Control Material Systems and Coatings for Radiation Hardening of Spacecraft,FA9453-11-C-0166,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,750000.00,"Applied Material Systems Engineering, Inc.(AMSENG)",IL,,Schaumburg,IL,60194-3884,No,Yes,No,Mukund Deshpande,Chief Technical Officer,(630) 372-9650,firstname.lastname@example.com,Mukund Deshpande,Chief Technical Officer,(630) 372-9650,email@example.com,"ABSTRACT: The purpose of this SBIR phase II proposal is to validate design and material and process engineering that demonstrated feasibility of processing the adaptive thermal control material system (TCMS) that is capable of providing a radiation hardened space stable performance along with the needs of the charge storage capability. Through this proposal the several engineered TCMS concepts for the space craft protection are planned for the validation for the needed survivability and better protection of the space assets and the involved investments. Each of them can mature to various degree of readiness level per the planned efforts. The over all goals here is to develop and validate concepts for an adaptive TCMS that can protect spacecraft structures and payload electronics from high flux radiation doses from the natural solar storm induced events and possible manmade nuclear threats in a given orbit. The new TCMS designs as well as the processing approaches can provide the usual TCMS functions in reliable and space stable manner, plus a charge storage coating to meet the desired goal, where one can adapt to accommodate high dose of electron flux by storing and dissipating the charges per the designed time constants chosen for the material design. Under this new suggested approaches for the validation, the adaptive TCMS and ESD capable thermal control material system is allowed to accumulate as much charge as possible through a designed storage mechanism with the goal of maintaining surface voltage to acceptable small values, and with possible elimination of the dielectric breakdowns, and the electrical discharges. To fulfill this goal of the solicitation, various efforts for the validation of the TCMS designs are suggested to provide good passive thermal control performance by providing: low space stable Solar Absorbtance, & high thermal emittance, good adhesion to various technologically important substrates and thermal cycling resistance for the needed operational temperature limits set by the mission orbital needs, along with the needed good electrical properties to assure low acceptable surface charging using currently available space stable material systems. The concepts that are adaptable to the current second surface mirror technology in conjunction with the suggested transparent space stable multilayer ceramic capacitor stack for the charge storage are also being considered for the validation. Finally, the suggested material design are expected to be validated to meet reliability needs of the space environment for a typical ten year mission lifetime and conform to the mission space qualification requirements including high vacuum, microgravity, radiation, atomic oxygen, low out gassing, and high launch loads. We anticipate the validation to be successful based on phase I results and also because most of the suggested material components are chosen from the materials that have been either already qualified as space materials or have some heritage of been flown on some missions for other intent. BENEFIT: Military Application: Many DOD space and avionics systems, including communications and navigation satellites, could benefit from increased protection from the effects of space weather. Commercial Application: Space, avionics and terrestrial commercial systems, including satellites, aircraft avionics and automobiles, could benefit from sever space weather protection systems. Success in charge storage concept may open various market sectors due to the appeal of device technology for light weight and ultra high charge storage density along with the involved very small charging & discharging times." Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) of Metallic Components: Controlled Thermal Processing,N00014-10-M-0472,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99995.00,"Applied Optimization, Inc.",714 E Monument Ave Ste 204,,Dayton,OH,45402-,No,Yes,No,Katy Keenan,Finance Manager,(937) 431-5100,firstname.lastname@example.com,Anil Chaudhary,Principal Investigator,(937) 431-5100,email@example.com,"The objective of this Phase I proposal is to demonstrate microstructure modeling and thermal control in order to achieve fatigue properties comparable to wrought material in the Ti-6Al-4V produced by direct digital manufacturing (DDM). The Phase I will begin with selection of a demonstration deposit. A process design will be developed for the deposit by emulating the existing procedure for closed-loop control within the thermo-mechanical process simulation of laser-based DDM. This will provide a measure of non-uniformity of thermal cycling in the deposit. A Ti-6Al-4V microstructure model will be utilized to tailor a thermal cycling path that will result in improved microstructure homogeneity and mechanical properties. The emulation of the closed-loop control will be enhanced to include the thermal cycle induced by the additive material on the previously deposited material. An improved DDM Process Design will be developed in order to match the mean thermal cycling path in the deposit with the path designed using the microstructure model. A fine control of the thermal cycling will be obtained by designing auxiliary devices that act as heat sources or sinks and equalize the thermal cycling. A demonstration deposit will be produced and fatigue testing will be performed on samples located along the direction of deposit and along its two normal directions. During the Phase I Option, the microstructure homogeneity of the deposit will be characterized. In addition, the DDM Process Design procedure will be shown for an electron-beam based DDM process." Rapid Part Qualification Methodology of Aircraft Metallic Components using Direct Digital Manufacturing Technologies,N00014-11-M-0189,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79996.00,"Applied Optimization, Inc.",714 E Monument Ave Ste 204,,Dayton,OH,45402-,No,Yes,No,Katy Keenan,Finance Manager,(937) 431-5100,firstname.lastname@example.com,Anil Chaudhary,Principal Scientist,(937) 431-5100,email@example.com,"The objective of this Phase I proposal is to demonstrate feasibility of heuristic and adaptive design for direct digital manufacturing (DDM) of Ti-6Al-4V parts using LENSTM, NDE and limited mechanical testing for achieving low-cost certification. The Phase I approach is based on the principles of similitude and dimensionless analysis. The process design for the building blocks of the part is created using a dimensionless governing equation. This allows the design to be scaled to the physical dimensions needed for the part. The heuristics of part design is such that the thermal path of the material during the deposit of a building block is automatically matched with the thermal path during the deposit of the part. This allows the use of test data from the deposit of building blocks for part certification. Demonstration deposits of the building blocks and the part will be produced and tested as per the AMS 4999 specification. The test data for all building blocks in the part will be fused in order to determine the expected minima for the part material properties. Limited mechanical testing will performed on the part deposit in order to verify its properties with respect the computed minima from the building block deposit. The design procedures for the building block deposit and the part deposit will be documented in a draft DDM procedure specification. The experimental data will be documented as a DDM process qualification record." SBIR PHASE I AWARD,N43CO110053,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,200000.00,"ARAVASC, INC.",1520 SAMEDRA ST,,SUNNYVALE,CA,94087-8122,Yes,Yes,No,Narmada Shenoy,,408-482-6835,firstname.lastname@example.com,Narmada Shenoy,,408-482-6835,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Esophageal cancer is a deadly disease with limited treatment options. In addition to modest effects, toxic chemo-therapy drugs cripple patients with debilitating side-effects. This proposal utilizes an Esophageal Theranostic Delivery System (ETDS), to address this clinical need with a multi-modal solution. It delivers a theranostic combination of chemotherapy drugs and a fluorescent dye directly to the cancer. The combination is loaded on a nano-porous, tantalum surface on the ETDS. The physical scaffold props open any obstruction, the combination drugs treat the cancer, and the fluorescent dye lights up the tumor, allowing monitoring of the treatment. The ETDS is predicted to provide acute relief in patients suffering from dysphagia (difficulty swallowing),enhance therapeutic effectiveness, reduce systemic toxicity, and improve quality of life. More importantly, in combination with other therapies, it has the potential to prolong life. It is a platform technology and has the potential to treat other cancers. The long-term objective is to develop a loco-regional ETDS to treat esophageal cancer as an adjunct to systemic therapy. The specific aims of this proposal include: demonstrating the feasibility of developing a prototype ETDS with slow, medium and fast drug and dye release profiles; developing methodologies to test performance of the formulations; demonstrating proof-of-concept efficacy in a mouse model; and comparing the drug exposure in the tumor model at the efficacious ETDS dose to a systemic dose. The research methods are expected to result in: prototypes of ETDS that can be engineered to release drugs at the desired rate; identification of a therapeutically effective dose in the mouse tumor model; a product profile to support clinical testing." "High Turndown Ratio, High Delta-Emittance, Variable Emissivity Electrochromics",NNX11CG21P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99997.00,"Ashwin-Ushas Corporation, Inc.",9 Red Coach Ln,,Holmdel,NJ,07733-,No,Yes,No,Prasanna Chandrasekhar,Business Official,7327391122,firstname.lastname@example.com,Prasanna Chandrasekhar,Principal Investigator,7327391122,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Variable-emittance materials are in high demand for applications ranging from manned and unmanned space platforms (e.g. in radiators at the Moon's poles where damage could be prevented during times of low heat load) to spacecraft thermal control (especially for micro-, nano-spacecraft where no effective thermal control currently exists). They are superior to technologies such as loop heat pipes, louvers, MEMS systems, electrostatic systems, phase change materials, and others. A key requirement is a high Turn-Down Ratio (TDR, ratio of high/low emittance), up to 10.0, and Delta-emittance, up to 0.55. In ongoing and recent prior work (for Air Force, JPL, NASA), this firm has developed a novel, patented variable emittance skin technology, based on conducting polymers (CPs), microporous membranes and ionic liquids, with proven, space-environment performance. The proposed work will develop this with further, radical innovations including entirely new CPs, to achieve a TDR of ca. 8.0 and possibly up to (from current ca. 3.0), and Delta-emittance of ca. 0.60 (from current ca. 0.50). The more than eight innovations are based on actual, prior experimental data and include incorporation of new CPs, alteration of the substrates and surfaces, radical increase in doping level, use of new ionic liquid electrolytes with higher conductivity and several others." "Fast-Switching, High-Contrast, Electrochromic Sunwear for Persons with Age-Relate",1R43AG039897-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,134082.00,"Ashwin-Ushas Corporation, Inc.",9 Red Coach Ln,,Holmdel,NJ,07733-,No,Yes,No,Prasanna Chandrasekhar,,732-739-1122,email@example.com,Prasanna Chandrasekhar,,732-739-1122,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) afflicts up to 40% of the aging population [1-30]. Studies [6-30] show that gt 70% of the visually impaired population in the US is over 60, and within this, ARMD is the largest cause of impairment. A primary characteristic of ARMD is inability to adapt between light and dark. People with ARMD experience a significant loss in functional vision when going from indoors to outdoors, affecting their ability to function [6-25]. With a solution, the quality of life and well-being of the 40% of older adults who are afflicted with ARMD would drastically improve, allowing them to live more independently and safely. There is currently no medical/surgical treatment for ARMD [1-5]. Current, highly inadequate remedies [6-8] are: (1) Cumbersome, multiple layers of sunglasses, put on/taken off rapidly. (2) Very slow-switching (2 - 5 minutes) photochromic lenses which need UV light for activation. Light-adapting remedies for persons with ARMD wouldalso assist persons with other, age-related diseases, e.g. diabetic retinopathy and corneal dystrophy [8, 25]. In earlier work [31-34], our group carried out an extensive study with age gt 60 veterans having ARMD at the Atlanta VA Center, showing they could benefit highly from fast-darkening (lt 5 s) electrochromic (EC) glasses, when compared to multiple sunglass layers or photochromics. The liquid crystals (LCs) glasses used in this study however had serious problems, e.g. just 24%/3% light/dark range, heavy weight, incompatibility with prescription glasses, high cost. Now in very recent (2009), unrelated work [35-44], in a breakthrough over our prior gen (lt 2008) technology, we have also developed ECs based on conducting polymers (CPs) that have: (1) Typical light/dark contrast of 68.5%/12%, dialable to any value between these extremes. (2) Switching times instantaneous to 5 s. (3) Cyclability gt 10 5 cycles light/dark/light. (4) Excellent optical memory. (5) Thin (lt 20 mils), flexible, durable, solid-state. Affixable to virtually any surface, e.g. prescription/safety glasses. (6) Very low power (15 micro-W/cm2), voltage ( 1.2 VDC). (7) V. inexpensive, est. lt 80/pair. With a small enhancement in the light/dark contrast, use of a battery-powered Controller with photocell input, and extensive ARMD subject testing, these CP-based ECs would be a viable solution to aged ARMD persons. The proposed work will: (1) Fabricate devices with optimized, targeted light/dark contrast of 72%/8%. (2) Fabricate, testinexpensive, battery-powered Controller based on microprocessor, photocell-input, placed on glasses or behind ear, to automatically control darkness/color. (3) Carry out detailed mobility, visual acuity, other tests with ARMD veterans recruited from Atlanta VA Center. (4) Carry out preliminary cost-of-manufacturing survey. The final product would be either thin (lt 5 mil) laminates applied over existing glasses, or safety glasses worn over these or naked eyes, or both, with microprocessor-based, ambient-light-controlled Controller, with a licensed manufacture business model. This firm holds patents for one of the two CPs [39] and is filing others. Pro- posed work is a joint effort between this firm and the Atlanta VA Rehabilitation RandD Ctr. for Aging Vision Loss. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The product proposed will finally provide a remedy for persons with ARMD, who are up to 40% of the aging population and for whom there is no solution at present [1-30], while also assisting persons with other, age-related ocular diseases, e.g. diabetic retinopathy and corneal dystrophy. Other potential applications of such unique, high-performance CP-based electrochromics are in the industrial safety, recreational eyewear, (e.g. ski, sports), automobile windshield and building windows markets, much larger markets which would drastically lower costs for persons with ARMD. Two, specific potential commercial partners have been identified for production." Very-Wide-Operating-Temperature Li Batteries Based on Unique Ionic Liquid Electrolytes Originally Developed for Electrochromics in Spacecraft Thermal,FA9453-11-M-0049,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99995.00,"Ashwin-Ushas Corporation, Inc.",9 Red Coach Ln,,Holmdel,NJ,07733-,No,Yes,No,P. Chandrasekhar,President,(732) 739-1122,email@example.com,P. Chandrasekhar,President,(732) 739-1122,email@example.com,"ABSTRACT: While secondary Li batteries have advanced significantly in the last 30 years, one of their critical deficiencies remains poor performance seen at low (<-60 C ) and high (>+90 C) temperatures, due primarily to poor conductivity/ion mobility at these temperatures. This work seeks to use a new ionic liquid, developed in entirely unrelated work by this firm (in variable-emittance electrochromics for spacecraft thermal control operating at -80 to +100 C) and demonstrated to be a good Li battery electrolyte. This will be tested neat as well as in combination with stabilized carbonate-based Li battery electrolytes having high thermal stability. Preliminary data (shown herein) obtained specifically for this proposal show excellent Li battery functionality and an operating temperature range of -40 to +100 C. The new ionic liquid possesses large liquidus range (-95 C to +200 C), high conductivity both neat (10 mS/cm) and as a 40:60 mix with a lactone (18 mS/cm). It shows, e.g. 85% of room temperature charge capacity at -40 C and +90 C. Although the focus of the proposed work will be the new, wide-operating-temperature electrolyte, it will also address packaging and manufacturing aspects of Li cells pertaining to low and high temperature durability in aerospace applications. BENEFIT: If successful, a wide-operating-temperature Li battery electrolyte technology will be available, which may be considered a breakthrough in Li battery technology. The military applications would be as original equipment in military vehicles and portable field-use power sources for extreme environments. In the potentially much larger commercial market, applications wherever Li batteries are now used would be extendable to extreme environment and field use. These would include, e.g., electronic and computer equipment, cell phones, hybrid and electric automobiles and other vehicles, gaming equipment and recreational equipment." "Functionalized-Conducting-Polymer - Microporous-Membrane Based Voltammetric Sensor Skins With High Selectivity/Sensitivity, Multiple Analyte Sensing i",W911QY-11-P-0057,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,69999.00,"Ashwin-Ushas Corporation, Inc.",9 Red Coach Ln,,Holmdel,NJ,07733-,No,Yes,No,Prasanna Chandrasekhar,President,(732) 739-1122,firstname.lastname@example.com,Prasanna Chandrasekhar,President,(732) 739-1122,firstname.lastname@example.com,"In unrelated ongoing work, this firm has developed, for a wide variety of applications (including warfighters""clothing in CBD environments for DTRA), a unique, patented technology that has, as its core, metalized microporous membranes functionalised with conducting polymers, in what are essentially electrochemical devices. These breathable, lightweight (800 g/m^2), conducting-polymer-based""skins""are readily convertible to voltammetric sensors with a surface (i.e., sensing) area far larger than possible with fiber-based sensors, CHEMFETS or other alternatives. Coupled with very selective dopants or bio derivatives, they also yield far higher selectivity/sensitivity than alternatives. Operating temperatures are (-)60 to (+)90 C with ionic liquid electrolytes developed for the spacecraft application. With sophisticated, inexpensive interrogation and processing possible with voltammetric data (sharp differentiation of proximate peaks), the sensors have far greater selectivity and sensitivity than alternative technologies. Voltammetric interrogation can be built into an inexpensive, programmable, battery-powered microcontroller, with low power consumption (micro-W/cm2), sensing multiple analytes in one interrogation. Preliminary work carried out specifically for this proposal with agent simulants is cited. The proposed work will fabricate, test sensors with a number of variables (dopants, bio-derivatives, voltammetric interrogation waveforms), to identify sensors with the best selectivity/sensitivity." Cooling System for Multiple Sclerosis Patients,H133S100088,ED,ED,SBIR,2011,2,245259.00,"Aspen Systems, Inc.",184 Cedar Hill Street,,Marlborough,MA,01752-3017,No,Yes,No,,,,,Tom Lovell,,(508) 281-5322,email@example.com,"This project develops a small mobile personal cooling system that can be worn conveniently by individuals with heat-related disabilities. The successful development of this mobile technology: (1) supports access, promotes integration, and facilitates the independence of individuals with disabilities in the workplace and educational settings, and during recreational activities; (2) provides increased freedom and independence not only to individuals with multiple sclerosis but also to other disability populations; and (3) has further applicability for workers wearing protective equipment and/or in warm work environments, including workers in commercial and industrial settings, first respondent mission arenas, law enforcement, and the military." Ultra-High Strength Nanostructured Magnesium Alloy-Composite,DE-FG02-11ER90184,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,1,149908.00,"Aspen Systems, Inc.",184 Cedar Hill Street,,Marlborough,MA,01752-3017,No,Yes,No,Somesh K. Mukherjee,Dr.,508-481-5058,firstname.lastname@example.com,Somesh K. Mukherjee,Dr.,508-481-5058,email@example.com,"Current efforts of DOE to create future lightweight systems in order to attain significant energy saving, cost reduction and improved efficiency requires development of advanced nanostructured lightweight composite materials with improved ductility and high tensile strength. Magnesium (Mg) with a density of approximately two-thirds of aluminum is the lightest structural material. Despite this advantage, the study of Mg alloys remains fairly limited because of its poor strength as compared to Al-alloys. Aspen Systems Inc. proposes to develop a new class of light weight nanostructured magnesium alloy-ceramic reinforced composite in bulk form that exhibits high strength and superior corrosion resistance suitable for future lightweight structural components in military and various aerospace, automotive and thermal management markets that would result in reduced fuel. Aspen Systems proposed Phase I concept is a marriage between Mg based nanophase matrix alloy and a metal matrix composite (MMC) that will utilize cryo-milling approach combined with a low cost bulk consolidation technology to develop a super high strength nanostructured Mg-alloy-ceramic composite that would exhibit a minimum tensile strength around 500-600 MPa, good ductility (at least 5%) and better corrosion resistance in the bulk alloy ingot. Suitable optimization of the process parameters for cryomilling and rapid consolidation will be identified and extensive mechanical testing and analysis will be conducted to establish structure-property relationship of the material. During the Phase II program, we will develop and demonstrate a successful cost effective technology with proven optimized process parameters based on Phase I data to produce a prototype large billet with superior properties. We also use state of the art consolidation technique to produce nano-grained sheet for commercial application. This material thus developed a new class of lightweight, high strength reinforced Mg nanocomposite material with high toughness and desired ductility can substitute Al and Ti alloys in many aerospace components and most typical components of satellites, space stations and launch vehicles as well as potential component replacements such as bulkhead, spars tube, etc. with significant benefit from the weight savings (Energy savings) and dramatically reduced overall cost. Our material will also be a potential candidate for many other automotive engine components such as wrist pins, rocker arms, turbocharger impellers, timing sprockets, intake valves and crankcase housings etc." Affordable High Strength Mo-Si-B Alloys for High Temperature Applications,N00014-11-M-0276,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2011,1,79947.00,"Aspen Systems, Inc.",184 Cedar Hill Street,,Marlborough,MA,01752-3017,No,Yes,No,Kang Lee,President&CEO,(508) 481-5058,firstname.lastname@example.com,Somesh Mukherjee,Senior Scientist,(508) 481-5058,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Mo-Si-B alloys are being considered as possible candidates for high temperature applications such as next generation jet engine blades because of its excellent oxidation resistance and mechanical properties which are much superior to Ni-based super alloys. Navy is looking for cost effective mature Mo-Si-B material production technology for its aerospace applications. In Phase I, Aspen Systems plans to explore cost effective unique processing approaches to develop Mo-Si-B material to a full density with excellent properties. During Phase I, Aspen will formulate and produce a moderate quantity of Mo-Si-B alloy powder by special kind of spray drying technique which has the ability to form particles with a more narrow size distribution when compared to traditional spray drying techniques. The spray-dryed particles will be analyzed for particle size, morphology, composition and thermal stability. These Mo-Si-B alloy premixed powders will be subsequently heat treated(sintering)under protective atmosphere to obtain the desired Mo-Si-B alloy. The sintered material will be further extruded using special extrusion technique with very high strain rate so that fine grained and uniform structure is developed. Properties evaluation including tensile, creep and oxidation of the materials will also be performed during Phase I study. During Phase II program, we will scale-up this process to develop and demonstrate this successful cost effective technology for mass production with proven optimized process parameters based on Phase I data." Periscope Antenna Active Cooling,N00024-11-C-4175,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,599547.00,"Aspen Systems, Inc.",184 Cedar Hill Street,,Marlborough,MA,01752-3017,No,Yes,No,Glenn Deming,Vice President,(508) 281-5322,email@example.com,Doug Morse,Program Manager,(508) 281-5322,email@example.com,"Aspen Systems Inc. proposes to develop a proprietary refrigeration based cooling system for submarine antenna mast electronics cooling. This system will be highly adaptable and have the capability to maintain lower than ambient temperatures at the electronics cold plate. A thermal prototype will be designed, fabricated and tested during the Phase II effort to transition the technology from TRL 6 to TRL 8 to facilitate transition to fielded submarine thermal management systems. A specialized highly refined and optimized evaporator will be utilized, along with a sophisticated microchannel-based condenser to maximize thermal performance while meeting efficiency, weight and volume requirements. The System will maintain the electronics cold plate temperature at 20 degrees Centigrade while dissipating heat to ambient temperature at 50 Degrees C. The miniature system is anticipated to be readily adaptable, due to its modular design, to multiple submarine platforms, where it can be utilized to enhance cooling and extend life of modern high power antenna and electronics circuits mounted in the submarine mast." Standardization of the Hispanic Stress Inventory 2,2R44MD004792-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,1000000.00,"BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT, INC.","291 S La CIENEGA BLVD, STE 304",,BEVERLY HILLS,CA,90211-3310,No,Yes,No,Richard Cervantes,,310-652-6449,email@example.com,Richard C. Cervantes,,310-652-6449,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase II study will utilize a multi-trait/multi-method research design. Our research design will include data collection tasks in 4 research sites that represent the diversity of the national Hispanic adult population: Los Angeles, Miami, El Paso, and Boston. The total research sample will consist of 2,400 Hispanics, ages 18 and older. A cross sectional, quota based sampling design will be used in 3 distinct developmentally distinct target samples, including a) college aged adults, b) parents, and c) seniors over 60. A cross-sectional survey will be implemented in the 4 research sites. This research responds to the growth in the Hispanic population along with a large market of mental health clinicians, primary healthcare providers and researchers as well as educators, counselors and criminal justice professionals who are demanding culturally relevant assessment tools for the screening and early diagnosing of stress in the Hispanic population. Recent trends in healthreform and emphasis on prevention of health and behavioral health problems will necessitate the use of better screening and diagnostic tools, particularly for minority groups who previously have had low access to such preventive services. High stress levels put Hispanic adults at-risk for a wide range of behavioral health problems. Our research will improve the technology of stress assessment in this vulnerable population in several ways. The Hispanic Stress Inventory (Version 2) will provide evidence thatwill convince the mental health and other health care professional customers that the product is scientifically proven and culturally relevant and an instrument they can depend on. Our research brings an important, and under researched perspective to the development of assessment technologies that will stimulate the development of similar screening inventories in other populations characterized by high immigration and high health disparities." Plant Produced Porcine IL-12 Vaccine Adjuvant for Swine Flu and Other Viral Diseases,2011-02293,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,2,460000.00,"BIOSTRATAGIES, LC",504 UNIVERSITY LOOP EAST,,Jonesboro,AR,72401-4339,No,Yes,No,David Radin,Managing Director,(870) 897-7310,firstname.lastname@example.com,David N. Radin,Managing Director,(870) 897-7310,email@example.com,"(23) Non-technical Summary: TITLE: Plant Produced Porcine Il-12 Vaccine Adjuvant for Swine Flu and Other Viral Diseases PD: Radin, David N., PhD, BioStrategies LC CoPD: Cramer, Carole L., PhD, Arkansas State University and BioStrategies LC CoPD: Medrano, Giuliana, PhD, Arkansas State University As the nation attempts to meet the challenges posed by the spread of pandemic influenza there is a need for innovative strategies to produce effective vaccines for domestic swine which are a key carrier and incubator for new flu varieties threatening humans and commercial swine herds. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a potent adjuvant of cell-mediated immunity that has been shown to enhance protection from influenza pathogens. The use of IL-12 adjuvant could improve vaccines for several serious porcine diseases including flu but the high cost of current production methods cannot sustain the scaled up product availability necessary for large scale vaccination strategies. Plant-based production offers several potential benefits over conventional production systems including lower startup costs and increased flexibility in terms of scale-up, storage, safety, and cost containment. Our Phase I research demonstrated that plants can produce fully functional Porcine IL-12 adjuvant in a transient tobacco expression system. This Phase II SBIR proposes to further develop this plant-produced immune stimulator adjuvant product (PoIL-12) by addressing the following specific objectives: I. Demonstrate CMI-inducing efficacy or porcine IL-12 in vivo. II. Enhance yields of recombinant porcine IL-12 in plants. III. Assess protection and vaccine dose-sparing potential of pIL-12 in SIV vaccination trials. IV. Test the potential of orally administered pIL-12 to provide protective immune stimulation. This Phase II R & D, in addition to developing in vivo vaccine adjuvancy protocols of plant-produced porcine IL-12 in pigs, will focus on enhancing plant-based IL-12 product yields in support of Phase III commercial development." Multitargeted Therapy for Age-related Macular Degeneration,1R43EY020059-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,265992.00,"CHARLESSON, LLP",800 Research Parkway,,OKLAHOMA CITY,OK,73104,Yes,Yes,No,Rafal Farjo,,405-271-2557,firstname.lastname@example.com,Danyang Chen,,405-271-2552,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a sight-threatening disease which represents the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in elderly individuals in developed countries. Recently, laser and photodynamic therapies with limited clinical benefit have been partially replaced by anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies. Clinical studies have demonstrated that anti-VEGF therapeutics can slow or reverse the progression of wet-AMD. However, these therapies, which target a single molecule only, do not benefit all patients with AMD. AMD is a complex disease involving numerous molecular pathways that are implicated in angiogenesis, inflammation and other pathological processes of AMD. Thus, thereis a great demand for developing new drugs targeting multiple molecular pathways to improve the treatment of AMD. Through screening a series of a novel small molecule compounds to inhibit retinal neovascularization (NV) inflammation and vascular permeability, we have identified a novel compound, CLT-003, as a potential multi- targeted drug. The novel compound attenuated the activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-11) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF B), and down-regulated the expression of VEGF inaddition to the inflammatory intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). These molecules are all pathogenic factors in AMD development. HIF-11 and NF B are the master transcription factors which regulate many genes associated with angiogenesis and inflammation, such as VEGF and ICAM-1. Therefore, HIF-11 and NF B likely are the main targets of CLT-003. Our studies demonstrated that CLT-003 inhibited the endothelial cell growth, migration and tube formation, arrested endothelial cell cycle and induced endothelial cell apoptosis; CLT-003, however, did not significantly affect the growth of normal cells (e.g. pericyte and lung fibroblast), suggesting endothelial cell-specific growth inhibition. CLT-003 inhibited angiogenesis in both chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and rat oxygen- induced retinopathy (OIR) models, and blocked retinal vascular leakage in both AMD and diabetic retinopathy animal models. CLT-003 had significantly higher potency to block vascular leakage as compared to Kenalog which is currently used clinically. Moreover, pharmacokinetic studies showed the CLT-003 was cleared rapidly following an intravenous injection in animals. Such pharmacokinetic profile of CLT-003 is appropriate as an ocular drug. Toxicity studies showed that high doses ofCLT-003 were well tolerated in animals. These findings suggest that CLT-003 has potent anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-vascular permeability activities through targeting multiple molecular pathways, while exhibiting a highly favorable safety profile. Intravitreal administration is an efficient route for ocular drug delivery and offers high local concentrations in the vitreous and retina. However, frequent and repeated intraocular injections are undesirable in a clinical setting due to patient/physician burden, the increased risk of ocular infection and other side effects; thus, it is desirable to develop an ocular drug delivery system which mediates sustained release of ocular drugs. Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery systems are widely considered a safe and efficient method for ocular drug delivery. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a FDA-approved copolymer which is used as a carrier for drugs, owing to its biodegradability and biocompatibility. To overcome the short duration of the effects of the ocular drug after an intravitreal injection and maintain a sustained efficacious level of ocular drug in the eye, we have developed a PLGA CLT-003 nanoparticle (CLT-003NP) formulation. CLT-003NP mediated the sustained release of CLT-003 over 16 weeks, had a prolonged inhibitory effect on endothelial cell growth and significantly reduced retinal vascular leakage in diabetic retinopathy rats for at least 6 weeks. Taken together, CLT-003NP is a promising drug candidate for the long-term treatment of AMD as it targets multiple pathological factors in AMD development and can achieve prolonged efficacy. This phase I project including two specific aims will serve as a proof-of-concept study to evaluate the anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory efficacies of CLT-003NP in a rat choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model: 1) To evaluate the effect of CLT-003NP on angiogenesis. CNV is responsible for 75% of the severe vision loss attributable to AMD patients. Using a rat CNV model induced by laser, we will determine whether CLT-003 is capable of preventing CNV development and arresting CNV progression. 2) To determine the effect of CLT-003 on inflammation. Inflammation plays a crucial role in AMD pathogenesis. In the same animal model, we will explore whether CLT-003 has an anti-inflammatory effect. These studies will lay a solid ground for further studies in SBIR phase II toward developing CLT-003NP to become a novel and multi-targeted drug to improve the treatment of AMD." Novel emulsion-based formulation of the anti-glaucoma MSH-1001 for improved topic,1R43EY021074-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,287947.00,"CHARLESSON, LLP",800 Research Parkway,,OKLAHOMA CITY,OK,73104,Yes,Yes,No,Ronald Wassel,,405-271-2552,email@example.com,Ronald A. Wassel,,405-271-2552,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Small Business Innovation project aims to develop an innovative eye drop formulation for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Charlesson has acquired from Danube Pharmaceuticals MSH-1001, a new smallmolecule compound (previously known as DNB-001 or KR- 31378). MSH-1001 is has both ocular hypotensive and neuroprotectant properties. It is an ATP- sensitive K channel opener. The goal of this project is to demonstrate that an emulsion based eye drop can deliver therapeutic levels of MSH-100, to the aqueous humor with the long term goal (Phase 2) of reducing intraocular pressure in an appropriate animal model of ocular hypertension and conducting the IND-enabling studies supporting a first-on-man study. Thegoal of this proposal is to 1) Make three different types of emulsion based eye drops that can incorporate MSH-1001. 2) Take the three most promising emulsions that meet all of our criteria (i.e. the desired osmolality, pH, viscosity and droplet size) andtest them in-vivo for ocular tolerance and histology in Dutch Belted rabbits. Ocular pharmacokinetic properties of the tolerated formulations will be compared to the pharmacologically active experimental suspension. Eyedrops (one drop of 40 5L/eye) will be administered to Dutch Belted rabbits. At different time points (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8hrs), eyes will be enucleated following euthanasia. Aqueous humor will then carefully be dissected and The MSH- 1001 quantified by LC-MS. The successful ophthalmic emulsion will show ocular distribution at least equal or superior to the experimental suspension. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Glaucoma is primarily treated by administering drugs to decrease intraocular pressure (IOP). Prostaglandins are commonly used to lower IOP by increasing the uveoscleral outflow as first-line therapy. Despite their robust efficacy, many patients often require multiple medications, or glaucoma surgery in the cases refractory to pharmacological treatments, to achieve target pressurecontrol. There is a highly need to develop novel potent IOP lowering drugs so that ophthalmologists can more effectively achieve a better control of the target pressure in those patients. Research has been focused on identifying novel molecular targets with the potential to better the current therapies as a stand-alone or an adjunct to the first-line prostaglandin. The goal of this proposal is to develop a clinical ophthalmic emulsion of MSH-1001, a novel small molecule that effectively lowers IOP by enhancing the trabecular outflow through a novel mechanism of action,. ." Safety and Toxicology Studies of CLT-005 as a Therapeutic for Diabetic Macular Ed,2R44EY018989-02A2,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,2685795.00,"CHARLESSON, LLP",800 Research Parkway,,OKLAHOMA CITY,OK,73104,Yes,Yes,No,Rafal Farjo,,405-271-2557,firstname.lastname@example.com,Rafal A. Farjo,,405-271-2557,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this proposal is to finalize development of CLT-005, a novel small molecule inhibitor of Stat3, through the performance of studies required for the submission of an investigative new drug application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Activation of the Stat3 pathway in retinal inflammatory and angiogenic diseases has been observed in both clinical and basic science studies. We have demonstrated that CLT-005 prevents Stat3-induced cellular changes in an animal model of diabetes. Following intravitreal administration, CLT-005 reduces retinal vascular permeability, and the expression of numerous angiogenic and inflammatory genes and proteins. Additionally, both CLT-005 and the PEG-based depot-forming formulation were well tolerated following intravitreal injection, had no effect on visual physiology, and produced a favorable in-vitro safety profile. The goal of this proposal is to: 1) Produce GMP amounts of CLT-005 sufficient for toxicity studies and human clinical trials; 2) Perform formulation of CLT-005 into sterile fill vials and conduct stability studies; 3) Complete preparation of the CMC section for the IND application; 4) Perform pharmacokinetic studies of formulated and unformulated CLT-005; 5) Perform ocular distribution studies of formulated CLT-005; 5) Conduct single and multiple dose GLP toxicology and toxicokinetic studies; 6) Perform genetic toxicology studies; and 7) Perform in-vitro cardiac safety pharmacology studies. These studies are mandated by the FDA in order to receive approval for the initiation of human clinical trials. For ocular drug development, the FDA also requires that toxicology studies be performed in two large eye animal models, such as monkeys and rabbits, which will be utilized for completion of the experiments outlined above. As CLT-005 has a profound effect on reducing retinal vascular leakage we intend to seek an indication for treating Diabetic Macular Edema, a disease that currently has no FDA-approved pharmaceutical therapy. We believe that CLT- 005 will also be efficacious in patients suffering from Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Following the successful completion of Phase II human clinical studies of CLT-005, we intend to file new IND applications to investigate the use of CLT-005 in treating AMD and DR. CLT-005 could also prove to be an effective combinatorial therapy with existing anti-VEGF treatments to reduce the frequency of clinical dosing. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Retinal vascular leakage, inflammation, or breakdown of the blood-retina barrier are pathogenic features of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) and cause a subsequent loss of vision. Currently, there are no FDA-approved drug treatments for DME.In this Phase II project, we will finalize studies of CLT-005, a novel small molecule therapeutic, to enable the submission of an investigative new drug application to the FDA. These studies include preparation of sterile materials and formulations, performance of pharmacokinetic studies, and performance of rigorous toxicology/safety studies that are mandated by the FDA and essential for human clinical trials. Although we intend to seek an initial indication for DME, it is likely that CLT-005 will also confer a significant therapeutic benefit to patients suffering from Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-Related Macular Degeneration." Hybrid Element Method for Compsoite Structures Subjected to Boundary Layer Loading,NNX11CG66P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,98183.00,Comet Technology Corporation,1796 Stonebridge Drive North,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2051,No,Yes,No,S. T. Raveendra,Business Official,7342395757,email@example.com,S. T. Raveendra,Principal Investigator,7342395757,firstname.lastname@example.com,"In many situations, aerospace structures are subjected to a wide frequency spectrum of mechanical and/or acoustic excitations and therefore, there is a need for the development of numerical modeling techniques that are applicable for the resolution of dynamic response of complex systems spanning the entire frequency spectrum. Further, the modeling of composite structures becomes more and more important since many new vehicle designs incorporate increased amount of composite structural components due to weight specific advantages of composites. Thus, we propose to develop techniques that will allow the prediction of noise in the interior of an enclosure such as aircraft due to the transmission of turbulent boundary layer loading in the presence of composite structural components. This innovative Hybrid Element Method (HEM) solution tool for mid-frequency analysis, which utilizes elements of DEA, together with conventional low frequency FEM tools and high frequency EFEM tools, will provide a unified framework that is applicable for the solution of full frequency spectrum vibroacoustic prediction of nonuniform aerospace structures including metallic/composite configurations, accurately and efficiently." Common Optical/RF EM Threat Detection Using Arrays of Rectifying Nanoantennas,N00014-11-C-0134,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2011,2,475311.00,"Salbec, LLC",8C Newton St.,,Southborough,MA,01772-,No,Yes,No,Steven Fastert,Director of Advanced Deve,(978) 902-0935,email@example.com,Tandhoni Rao,Chief Scientist,(508) 287-1195,email@example.com,"In order for the military to achieve its desired electronic warfare goal of dominating the electromagnetic spectrum it is critical that new technology paradigms for electronic warfare support be vigorously explored and developed. The STTR proposal being submitted by the joint team of Salbec, LLC and Boston College breaks away from the conventional approach of using antennas for RF EM sensing and photon detection for optical EM sensing and outlines a revolutionary common optical/RF EM threat sensor comprised of arrays of rectifying nanoantennas together with associated processing circuitry. The goal of the Phase II effort is to deliver a working prototype (TRL 5) of the combined optical/RF threat sensor covering the 10 GHz to NIR frequency bands. The goal of the Option 1 effort is to conclude an extensive set of highly accelerated lifetime tests (HALT) on both the nanoantenna array detector and threat sensor, in preparation for field trials and transition to military production. The goal of the Option 2 effort is to complete field trials on the prototype sensor and transition the detector to production." Usability Evaluation and Management System (USEMAN),D12PC00200,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2011,2,749912.00,"Design Interactive, Inc.","1221 E. Broadway, Suite 110",,Oviedo,FL,32765-9135,Yes,Yes,No,John Stanney,,,email@example.com,Roberto Champney,,(703) 555-9999,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The Usability Evaluation and Management (USEMAN) system is an automated tool to support the planning and conduct of usability evaluations of the user-computer interface. USEMAN is designed to enhance the thoroughness, effectiveness and efficiency in the identification of evaluation requirements. Through its five component architecture, USEMAN (a) supports generation of a usability test plan, (b) provides a comprehensive management system for tracking evaluation progress, (c) incorporates a set of design guidelines to be used in the analysis of evaluation data, (d) collects, logs and analyses evaluation data, and (e) standardizes report generation. USEMAN represents a substantial step forward in the support of usability assessment, as it is designed to effectively support practitioners throughout the usability evaluation process. The USEMAN system will enhance the usability evaluation process within the Department of Homeland Security, other government agencies, and commercial applications via its automated capabilities." Algorithms for Ground Soldier Based Simulations and Decision Support Applications,W911QY-11-P-0080,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,69984.00,"Dignitas Technologies, LLC","3504 Lake Lynda Drive, Suite 170",,Orlando,FL,32817-,Yes,Yes,No,Elizabeth Burch,Vice President,(407) 575-1745,firstname.lastname@example.com,Jon Watkins,Managing Member,(407) 601-7847,email@example.com,"The Army has invested millions of dollars in large computer generated forces (CGF) applications, supporting constructive and virtual use cases. These applications have embedded algorithms and concepts intended to help simulated entities make automated decisions. These algorithms could directly benefit soldiers outside of a training context, including support for mission rehearsal, tactical decision aids, what if analysis, and more. Similarly, algorithms developed for the operational community, such as Battlefield Terrain Reasoning Awareness (BTRA) could benefit the CGF systems. Opportunities exist to create common algorithms for tactical decision aids supporting both the constructive and operational communities. For Phase I, we propose to focus on two key""foundational""aspects. First, we will focus on low-level terrain and situational awareness primitives required to automate behaviors, such as cover and concealment locations and path planning. Second, we will focus on practical, real world mechanisms to push such low-level decision aids to front line soldiers on mobile or embedded platforms. For Phase II and beyond, Dignitas will focus more on automated behavior generation and automation, both to support CGF scenario planning and advanced tactical decision aids for an operational context." "Low-Noise, UV-to-SWIR Broadband Photodiodes for Large-Format Focal Plane Array Sensors",NNX11CA91C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,600000.00,"Discovery Semiconductors, Inc.",119 Silvia Street,,Ewing,NJ,08628-,No,Yes,No,Abhay M. Joshi,President&CEO,6094341311,firstname.lastname@example.com,Abhay M. Joshi,Principal Investigator,6094341311,email@example.com,"Broadband focal plane arrays, operating in UV-to-SWIR wavelength range, are required for atmospheric monitoring of greenhouse gases. Currently, separate image sensors are used for different spectral sub-bands: GaN for UV, Si for visible, and InGaAs for SWIR, requiring expensive component-level integration for hyper-spectral imaging. Also, the size of the InGaAs focal plane arrays is currently limited by the InP substrate area.We propose to develop a 640 x 512 UV-to-SWIR focal plane array sensor using GaAs substrate having following photodiode performance: (1) Cut-on Wavelength = 0.25 micron; (2) Cut-off Wavelength = 2.5 micron; (3) RoA > 35 Ohm-cm^2 at 300K; and (4) Quantum Eficiency > 30% in UV (0.25 to 0.4 micron), >80% in Visible (0.4 to 0.9 micron), and > 70% in IR (0.9 to 2.5 micron) subbands. Based on P.I.'s experience on SCIAMACHY, this project will enable one image sensor for 8 spectroscopic channels currently orbiting on European Space Agency's ENVISAT." Method to Eliminate Unwanted High Frequency Signals above 2 KHz from Accelerometers,N00167-11-P-0433,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2011,1,149690.00,"Dominca, LLC","12111 Ranchitos Road, NE",,Albuquerque,NM,87122-2320,No,Yes,No,Joseph Kang,Member,(505) 822-0005,firstname.lastname@example.com,Nancy Winfree,Member,(505) 822-0005,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Using predictive tools developed in previous work, Dominca will design, build, and test layered-media filters to reduce the transmission of 2 kHz and higher frequencies into accelerometers that are used in explosive and impact events. The size of these external filters will be kept small by incorporating low-wave speed materials and viscoelastic materials. We will use impact testing in our facility to demonstrate the feasibility of the filters. Relying on theory to design the filters, we are largely able to avoid trial and error." Real-time Resource Allocation Co-Processor,FA8750-11-C-0051,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99999.00,"DUNTI, LLC",1250 S. CAPITAL OF TEXAS HWY,,AUSTIN,TX,78746-6446,Yes,Yes,No,Rupaka Mahalingaiah,President,(512) 576-7037,firstname.lastname@example.com,Rupaka Mahalingaiah,CTO,(512) 576-7037,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The advances in semiconductor and wireless technology has resulted in powerful mobile computing devices that are compute capable as well has have fairly decent communication capabilities. Often, these mobile devices are also equipped with sensors along with the necessary Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capabilities. While quite" Sensor Resource Management,HQ0147-11-C-7535,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"EDAptive Computing, Inc.",1245 Lyons Road,Building G,Dayton,OH,45458-1818,No,Yes,No,Praveen Chawla,President,(937) 281-0790,email@example.com,Benjamin Tyler,Senior Developer II,(937) 281-0782,email@example.com,"Today""s Ballistic Missile Defense networks consist of many different types of sensors and platforms, and given the expanded focus of MDA on theater and regional missile defense where multiple""raids""can be launched from different sites toward numerous targets, it is crucial that they can be dynamically tasked and deployed effectively in real-time to realize their full potential in achieving overall mission objectives. Effective cooperative use of multiple sensory sources requires development of algorithmic strategies to optimally manage these resources, subject to constraints, in order to provide the best quality of service to the weapon systems. To meet these aims, the Edaptive Computing team proposes SMAART, which will result in innovative, robust, commercially viable, real-time sensor resource management algorithms and software. The advantages of our algorithms over more standard approaches include their robustness to uncertainty, scalability, and their ability to operate in real time for complex scenarios. Through our innovative algorithms embedded into a flexible and intuitive sensor system simulation framework, SMAART can facilitate the development of robust and effective sensor resource management systems, and potentially other complex decision making applications." Incorporation of trust into integrated circuit (IC) and field programmable gate array (FPGA) design,W31P4Q-11-C-0158,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99962.00,"EDAptive Computing, Inc.",1245 Lyons Road,Building G,Dayton,OH,45458-1818,No,Yes,No,Praveen Chawla,President,(937) 281-0790,email@example.com,Jorge Sanchez,Developer I,(937) 281-0783,email@example.com,"As designs continue to progress in complexity, integration of third party assets has become a standard practice in hardware designs. Third party design integration, while reducing the complexity of the design process, always introduces risk in terms of the access to the internal components. These introduced elements are sometimes enclosed in a black-box, where system integrators cannot peek. Through the application of the VT-IP solution, we provide a framework for allowing more visibility and control over the functionality of integrated designs into FPGA hardware. The solution also provides a methodology for protecting critical device elements from adverse behavior in a third party design. The resulting capabilities will result in a marked increase in trust for FPGA integrators." Airborne Network Trusted Code (Assurance) Involving the Anti-Access Environment,FA8650-11-M-1114,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99986.00,"EDAptive Computing, Inc.",1245 Lyons Road,Building G,Dayton,OH,45458-1818,No,Yes,No,Praveen Chawla,President,(937) 281-0790,firstname.lastname@example.com,Adam Langdon,Senior Developer I,(937) 281-0792,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ABSTRACT: Advances in communication, computational capacity, and sensing systems have provided unprecedented capabilities to generate, process, and communicate vast amounts of information. Utilizing such a complex network for effective situational awareness requires a high level of trust in the data that is ultimately produced. Critical to this goal is ensuring the trustworthiness of the components that ultimately compose the system-of-systems. This is made more complicated by the fact that the Air Force relies heavily on commercial-off-the-shelf software for mission-critical functionality. This software varies highly in its quality and trustworthiness, and may contain vulnerabilities and poor design characteristics. In response to this need, Edaptive Computing Inc. proposes an innovative solution that combines a robust software evaluation framework with online performance detection and collaboration techniques... The proposed EDAptive AssuredNet solution builds on previous Edaptive Computing, Inc (ECI) knowledge and technology itself innovative to provide a comprehensive solution to assessing trust throughout development and deployment. Prior experience and new research have already shown that ECI""s innovative tools suite will be clearly adaptive to insert applicable technologies. BENEFIT: The need for more accurate situation awareness will continue to grow as the complexity and role of sensor and cyber networks also grow. Any solutions that can improve the reliability and safety of sensor networks will help increase readiness and can ultimately save lives. Similarly, any tools that can better protect mission-critical systems and prevent software vulnerabilities or untrusted nodes to harm a network will greatly improve the effectiveness of the warfighter. Not only will such a solution improve the ability to mitigate cyber threats, but a robust approach will make it easier to incorporate new sensors with advanced capabilities. The product of our effort is an assurance framework for assessing trustworthiness in complex network systems. The immediate warfighter applications include any design and deployment activity associated with sensor networks and similar large complex communications systems. Closely related DoD applications include any large scale enterprise systems (logistics, weapons systems information, and the like). The AssuredNet solution will be particularly relevant within the layered sensor methodology of the Air Force. Similar requirements exist and may be met within diverse public and private sector realms, including homeland security, law enforcement, and emergency response." Methods for interfacing broad bandwidth data links to airborne ISR systems,FA8650-11-M-1111,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99962.00,"EDAptive Computing, Inc.",1245 Lyons Road,Building G,Dayton,OH,45458-1818,No,Yes,No,Praveen Chawla,President,(937) 281-0790,firstname.lastname@example.com,Jorge Sanchez,Developer I,(937) 281-0783,email@example.com,"Sensors making use of the Common Data Link (CDL) are generating more information, thus taxing the capabilities of available spectrum for the relay of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance information. We will define new sensor-to-link and link-to-sensor interface models, which will provide the capability to perform""what-if""analysis on parametric models impacting latency and bandwidth. These models will support: multiple data rates for Bandwidth Efficient (BE) rates, multiple streaming channels, and segregated control and data channels. We will use state-of-the-art tools for performing modeling, simulation, analysis, and documentation on the developed models. BENEFIT: Models will enable rapid simulations and analysis of the trade-offs amongst multiple parameters of CDL component interfaces and different protocol configuration options by providing controllability and observe-ability of the key parameters and status of the interfaces. The results of our successful technology transition will be usable for designers and integrators of CDL assets. The developed models will allow for a greater degree of confidence in specification and design of CDL-based interfaces. These benefits will impact the USAF and commercial entities developing and using CDL interfaces." Prioritization of Weapon System Software Assurance Assessment,FA8650-11-M-1117,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99959.00,"EDAptive Computing, Inc.",1245 Lyons Road,Building G,Dayton,OH,45458-1818,No,Yes,No,Praveen Chawla,President,(937) 281-0790,email@example.com,Frederick Gies,Subject Matter Expert II,(937) 281-0782,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Our proposal specifically addresses the stated requirements of the solicitation; we will develop and integrate software risk identification, assessment and analysis tools to enable a standardized Air Force approach to measuring and reducing software integration risks. The proposed EDAptive RAMP solution builds on previous Edaptive Computing, Inc (ECI) and Air Force knowledge and technology itself innovative to assist ASC plans for implementing a Agent of The Certifying Authority (ACA). The resulting capabilities will result in enhancing the Air Force""s existing RI3 software investment and will provide a software environment that allows integration with existing software risk analysis tools. Prior experience and new research has already shown that ECI""s innovative RAMP tools suite will be clearly adaptive to enhancing the Air Force and DoD""s software assurance (SwA) capabilities. BENEFIT: Opportunities for adoption and integration with software capabilities from external organizations, whether they are in the form of (open) source, executable applications, and/or component libraries continue to increase. This trend will grow and accelerate as the software industry in each of these areas continues to grow. Software has proven to be a key asset for the Air Force and other public and private enterprise operational success. The results of our successful technology transition will be immediately usable by Air Force software architects and the planned Agent of the Certifying Authority. Through RAMP, users will have a systematic method for identifying software integration risks and have a clear and prioritized plan for managing those risks through execution of software analysis tools. RAMP""s direct integration with software risk analysis tools will allow Air Force analysts and architects to be able to quickly know what third-party analysis tools should be used based upon the unique weapon system to be integrated with and its relevant operating environment. This benefit will incur minimal technology insertion impact within a myriad of USAF and DoD information enterprises while setting a more solid foundation for future work. The product of our effort will be based upon a proven process and software platformthe Air Force Research Lab""s Risk Identification: Integration & Ilities (RI3) calculator software developed by Edaptive for AFRL. This will enable Edaptive to expedite development of RAMP. The immediate warfighter applications are applicable to all those situations where external software needs to be integrated but yet has not been assessed for risks, or has not been accredited and/or certified. Closely related DoD applications include other engineering disciplines where external IP integration opportunities are applicable and risk is introduced. Similar requirements exist and may be addressed within diverse public sector realms: industrial systems, financial enterprises, homeland security, law enforcement, personal communications, and entertainment; those environments where external software integration poses risk." Countermeasures to Covert Access Methods to ReduceAttack Susceptibility and Ensure Trust,FA8650-11-C-1049,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749913.00,"EDAptive Computing, Inc.",1245 Lyons Road,Building G,Dayton,OH,45458-1818,No,Yes,No,Praveen Chawla,President,(937) 281-0790,firstname.lastname@example.com,Jorge Sanchez,Developer I,(937) 281-0783,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Sophisticated methods for compromising computer systems have continuously shown their ability to defeat current operating system and network defenses. Processes such as the BIOS, hardware device drivers, and COTS hardware from a non-trusted supply chain have been identified to include malware or Trojan horse applications. These subversive programs provide attackers with gaping holes from which they can pirate software, exfiltrate data, execute processes, alter critical information, or control network end-nodes. The biggest problem with many attacks of this magnitude is that they lie in areas of the computer system which are not easily accessible through software-only approaches. As such, the goal of our proposed technology is to provide protection at the hardware level through a combination of software and hardware systems that will monitor low-level access to critical system devices including hard disks, memory, and peripherals." Novel Conductive Water Removal Membrane (CWRM) for PEM Passive Fuel Cell Operation,NNX11CB50C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,600000.00,"ElectroChem, Inc.",MA,,Woburn,MA,01801-6519,Yes,Yes,No,Radha Jalan,Business Official,7819385530,email@example.com,Michael Pien,Principal Investigator,7819385300,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ElectroChem proposes a Phase II program to advance its Phase I effort, to develop a conductive water removal membrane to enable passive, high current density PEMFC operation. Very good progress was demonstrated by the two approaches investigated: 1) Construct a carbon-based composite, higher bubble point membrane; 2) convert a polymer-based water removal membrane to a conductive membrane (both approaches to meet the CWRM primary requirements of conductivity, water permeation, and ""no gas leakage"").In Phase I, coating the carbon with conductive/hydrophilic materials was very effective, resulting in CWRM's that met the conductivity and water permeation requirements and reduced gas permeation by 99.8%. A multilayer variation achieved ""no gas permeation"" at 40 psig. In the polymer approach, conductive material treatments were successful in increasing conductivity.In Phase II, we will 1) use quantitative control of the carbon coatings to advance the promising carbon composite approach; 2) utilize individual layers with different properties to construct a multilayer CWRM; 3) investigate the use of a conducting polymer to increase bubble pressure.To produce a polymer-based CWRM, an advanced pore modification technique will be used to enhance polymer acceptability of the conductive particles. The program will culminate with fuel cell testing of the CWRM's." Develop Hydrophilic Conductive Coating Technology with High Oxidation Resistance for Non-Flow-Through PEM Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers,NNX11CE50P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"ElectroChem, Inc.",MA,,Woburn,MA,01801-6519,Yes,Yes,No,Radha Jalan,Business Official,7819385300,email@example.com,"Michael Pien, Ph.D.",Principal Investigator,7819385300,email@example.com,"ElectroChem proposes to develop oxidation resistant, electrically conductive, hydrophilic coatings in PEM fuel cells and in PEM electrolyzers. The use of hydrophilic coatings can improve the transport of the water within the cells resulting in higher electrochemical performance. However, the successful development of oxidation resistant hydrophilic coatings will be the key requirement due to the fuel cell and electrolyzer oxidation environmentOxidation resistant coatings will be developed on metal substrates using both inorganic and organic coating processes using conductive hydrophilic materials. In these processes, cross-linking of the inorganic and organic materials with the metallic substrate is a key to successfully obtaining coatings with excellent performance and durability. Advanced methods will be developed to control the degree of cross-linking and retaining hydrophilicity in order to obtain the required oxidation resistance for the electrically conductive, hydrophilic coatings. All coatings developed in Ph I will be tested for oxidation resistance, conductivity, and hydrophilic character. In Ph II, the most promising coatings will be evaluated via their performance in PEM non-flow-through fuel cells and in electrolyzers." Develop High Efficiency Liquid-Feed PEM Electrolyzer Based on Integrated Flow Field (IFF) Structure,NNX11CE51P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"ElectroChem, Inc.",MA,,Woburn,MA,01801-6519,Yes,Yes,No,Radha Jalan,Business Official,7819385300,email@example.com,"Michael Pien, Ph.D.",Principal Investigator,7819385300,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis units are currently designed to require active water flow and phase separation, or are based on a passive vapor transport mechanism that inherently limits performance due to mass-transport limitations. ElectroChem has developed and successfully demonstrated a passive water transport Integrated Flow Field concept (its IFF Structure) that controls the flow of water through each cell, in a highly reliable, performance enhancing, and gravity independent manner. By enabling the passive transport of liquid water to and from the membrane, it simplifies the structure of the electrolyzer system while avoiding performance limits due to mass transfer problems that have plagued conventional electrolyzers.ElectroChem will develop a high performance electrolysis unit that is based on the passive transport of liquid water into, within, and out of the cell. A custom-designed IFF cell structure will be developed during Phase I to refine approaches to optimized performance under a wide range of conditions, including gravity independence, higher current, and prolonged-period stable operation. The Phase II program will focus on multi-cell stack development and higher pressure modifications in support of energy storage systems free of mechanical compressors and water circulation pumps." Fiber-Coupled Spectrometer for TPS Materials,NNX11CA06C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,599972.00,"ElectroDynamic Applications, Inc.",MI,,Ann Arbor,MI,48113-1460,No,Yes,No,Jonathan Zagel,Business Official,7347861434,firstname.lastname@example.com,Dean R. Massey,Principal Investigator,7347861434,email@example.com,"EDA, Inc., in partnership with Penn State, has shown previously that the concept of embedding fiber optics within ablative TPS material has merit and should yield a successful implementation of a spectrometer ""window"" during a Phase-II development program.Optical instrumentation, such as optical spectrometers would provide benchmark data for fundamental flow, radiation, and materials modeling as well as provide operational correlations between vehicle reentry drag and radiation if implemented in a TPS flight test program. Without flight spectral data, and the appropriate modeling efforts, the power of prediction to assist in new heat shield design does not exist for reentry into other planetary atmospheres. This is a severe limitation for future space exploration missions which FiberPlug helps address." High Power High Thrust Ion Thruster (HPHTion): 50 CM Ion Thruster for Near-Earth Applications,NNX11CC56C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2011,2,599242.00,"ElectroDynamic Applications, Inc.",MI,,Ann Arbor,MI,48113-1460,No,Yes,No,Jonathan L. Zagel,Business Manager,7347861434,email@example.com,Christopher N. Davis,Principal Investigator,7346458345,email@example.com,"Advances in high power, photovoltaic technology has enabled the possibility of reasonably sized, high specific power, high power, solar arrays. At high specific powers, power levels ranging from 50 to several hundred kW are feasible. Coupled with gridded ion thruster technology, this power technology can be mission enabling for a wide range of missions ranging from ambitious near Earth NASA missions to those missions involving other customers as well such as DOD and commercial satellite interests. Indeed the HEFT clearly identified the need for high power electric. The appeal of the ion thrusters for such applications stems from their overall high efficiency, typically>70% and long life. In response to the need for a single, high powered engine to fill the gulf between the 7 kW NEXT system and a notional 25 kW engine, a Phase I activity to build a 25 kW, 50 cm ion thruster discharge chamber was completed with a laboratory model fabricated. The proposed Phase II effort aims to mature the laboratory model into a proto-engineering model ion thruster. The proposed effort involves the evolution of the discharge chamber to a high performance thruster by performance testing and characterization via simulated and full beam extraction testing. Through such testing the design will be optimized leading ultimately to the proposed design, build and preliminary checkout of a proto-engineering model thruster, thereby advancing the TRL level to 4-5 range. Deliverables include the thruster, a design package, and a performance data document." Plasma Induced Micro Flame Ionization Detector for Environmental Monitoring,NNX11CF70P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99478.00,"ElectroDynamic Applications, Inc.",MI,,Ann Arbor,MI,48113-1460,No,Yes,No,Jonathan Zagel,Business Official,7347861434,email@example.com,Thomas M. Liu,Principal Investigator,7347861434,email@example.com,Abstract Bilingual Web-Novelas to Reach Young Latinas with Cervical Cancer Information,1R43DP003849-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,135600.00,ACMA SOCIAL MARKETING,33 CAMARADA RD,,SANTA FE,NM,87508-,Yes,Yes,No,Ana Matiella,,505-466-8817,firstname.lastname@example.com,Ana C. Matiella,,505-466-8817,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The prevalence of cervical cancer among Latinas in the United States is twice the rate of non-Latina white women (1,2,3,4,5), and Latinas have the second highest mortality rate related to this preventable disease. (1) There are various factors that contribute to this health disparity, (1,2,3,4,5) but one of the main factors that contributes to this high incidence and mortality rate, and the one we would like to address with our innovation, is the lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate information regarding regular pap smears and HPV vaccines. ACMA Social Marketing, through its fotonovela production arm, The Fotonovela Production Company, aims to remedy the lack of information disparity related to Latina women ages 18-26, via1the1development1of1the1 web1novela,1an1innovation1 of the educational fotonovela adapted and applied to the internet and its related social media. The timing of the adaptation of a culturally familiar entertainment education tool, namely thefotonovela (11,12,13,14,15) into a web-based tool is appropriate given the growing evidence that more and more young Latinos are accessing the web and using social media to find and share information. (6,7,8) The specific aims of this application are to:1) produce a bilingual (Spanish and English) prototype of the web-novela innovation on evidence-based (9) information on cervical cancer prevention and early detection; and 2), demonstrate knowledge, gain and assess acceptability and feasibility of the innovation among Spanish and English dominant Latina women ages 18-26 who use the Internet or Smart Phones. For the latter aim we will convene ten focus group interviews, administer a pre and post test to assess knowledge gain and conduct a follow up discussion to explore and assess the values, beliefs, barriers and motivators that affect Latina's1decisions1to1get1Pap1tests and HPV vaccines. In addition to focus group interviews with our primary audience, we will conduct individual interviews with health professionals and gatekeepers working in the cervical cancer field to gain their insight and impressions on the1web-novela innovation. The fotonovela concept is a scientifically supported and culturally-compatible health communications medium (11,12,13,14,15) and adapting it to use on the web and its social media applications constitutes an innovation in both the area of multi-culturally competent health communications and the expanding field of multimedia health education. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project is significant, relevant and important to public health for three reasons: 1) The incidence and mortality rate of Latinas related to cervical cancer represents a startling health disparity and one that falls firmly under the1NCIs mission to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer (17); 2) The web-novela innovation as a health communications tool falls under one of the NCI s stated areas of interest for 2010 as having potential for having the largest impact in improving prevention, diagnosis,and treatment of cancer 16); and 3) This work will contribute to the body of research related to using the internet and social media for public health education and to find innovative and linguistically and culturally appropriate ways to reach populationswho suffer from health disparities." Forward Bathymetry Sensing for Safe High Speed Boat Operation,N00014-11-C-0399,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2011,2,745937.00,Engineering Science Analysis Corporation,"6105 S. Ash Ave., Suite A3",,Tempe,AZ,85283-5626,No,Yes,No,Martin Martinez,President,(602) 625-6259,email@example.com,Martin Martinez,President,(602) 625-6259,email@example.com,"ESA is pleased to provide the following proposal regarding the Lidar Collision Avoidance Bathymetry System (L-CABS), an above-water, laser-based, forward-looking collision avoidance and bathymetry sensor system. The significance of this innovation is the use of lidar sensors mounted above the water surface. Lidar is a mature technology that has been proven in numerous applications, including but not limited to airborne mine countermeasures. By mounting the sensors above the water surface the system is not susceptible to physical damage from debris, and issues involving cavitation from submerged systems will be completely negated. Further, the proposed innovation will overcome the physical limitations of sonar-based systems and provide the Navy with a robust and reliable solution that enhances the collision-avoidance capabilities of go-fast boats, RHIBs, and other manned and unmanned vehicles operating in near-shore and riverine environments. For example, lidar is extremely reliable at detecting sub-surface threats near the water surface whereas sonar has difficulty distinguishing legitimate collision-threats at the sea surface, particularly with respect to shallow draft vessels encountering floating or near-surface obstacles." New Thermal Battery Electrochemistry,W31P4Q-11-C-0114,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,647383.00,"ENSER Corporation, The",5430 70th Avenue North,,Pinellas Park,FL,33781-,No,Yes,No,R.Roy Jackson,President,(727) 520-1393,firstname.lastname@example.com,Annmarie Ronacher,"Sr. Program Manager, New",(727) 520-1393,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Thermal batteries power a vast array of tactical and strategic defense systems. Future performance requirements are demanding higher power levels over longer operating times for: (1) multi-functional seeker and sensor packages, (2) active data links supporting net-centric operation and (3) increased maneuvering capability. Meeting this challenge requires thermal batteries capable of delivering a significant increase in specific energy over that available with state-of-the-art LiSi/CoS2 technology. Under this proposed effort, the best higher-energy anode and cathode materials, currently under development via complimentary SBIR efforts, will be selected and evaluated, first in single cells, and later in fully-functional demonstrator batteries discharged under both static and dynamic conditions. Selected batteries will also be subjected to NAVSEA S9310 safety tests to validate the likelihood of future compliance. Anode and cathode fabrication methods and acceptance specifications will be developed to ensure the proper post-activation deformation characteristics needed to achieve desired electrical performance. The near term goal is to demonstrate a 20+% increase in specific energy (at the battery level) over LiSi/CoS2 technology (enabled by a new cathode material). The longer-range goal is to demonstrate a 50+% increase in specific energy over LiSi/CoS2 via an entirely new anode / cathode couple." Advanced High Sensitivity Receiver Array Technology for 1550 nm Ladar Applications,FA8650-11-M-1090,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Epitaxial Technologies, LLC",1450 South Rolling Road,,Baltimore,MD,21227-,No,Yes,No,Leye Aina,President,(410) 455-5594,firstname.lastname@example.com,Ayub Fathimulla,"Vice President, R&D",(410) 455-5830,email@example.com,"For this SBIR project, Epitaxial Technologies will an innovative active sensor and associated ROIC technologies and demonstrate large format 128 x128 focal plane arrays (FPA) having simultaneously high single photon sensitivity, frame rates and effective bandwidths. In Phase I, we will design and fabricate an intermediate format (32 x 32) APD array and demonstrate that these devices are capable of high detection probabilities, high pixel bandwidth and high frame rates. In Phase II, we will design, build and test 128 x 128 arrays and photon counting ladar receivers with room temperature single photon detection probability greater than 80%, speed higher than 1.0 GHz, frame rate of 20 KHz and DCR lower than 10000 counts/sec. BENEFIT: This proposed project would result in the commercialization of large format (128 x 128 pixels), high dynamic range, and high frame-rate (20-kHz) sensor arrays with single photon-counting sensitivity levels and high reliability that are critical to the development of laser imaging ladar capabilities for airborne targeting and reconnaissance missions However, it will also be applicable in a wide variety of the DoD systems that require high detection probability single photon sensor technology including laser warning receivers, passive rangefinders, detectors of ordinance, gunfire, and rocket plumes, infrared counter measures, night vision imaging of military aircraft, space borne surveillance systems, and chemical sensing. Commercial applications include quantum cryptography, quantum repeaters and quantum imaging and for, astronomy, chemistry and microscopy, noninvasive measurement of the concentration of blood components such as glucose, cholesterol, hemoglobin, and albumin." Speech Therapy Robot (STR) to assist in the administration of evidence based spee,1R43LM011325-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,95949.00,"AventuSoft, LLC",1560 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway,4th Floor,Sunrise,FL,33323-,No,Yes,No,Kaustubh Kale,,954-331-4691,email@example.com,Garima Srivastava,,954-331-4691,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This SBIR phase I project will develop a Speech Therapy Robot (STR) to assist in the administration of evidence-based speech and language therapy to provide individualized monitoring of multiple clients simultaneously in a school setting. STR will use biologically plausible artificial intelligence models to prototype a system that is affordable, easy to use, portable and extensible to work with any number of students (clients) with disorder. Most children make some mistakes as they learn to say new words, but a speech sound disorder results when mistakes continue past a certain age. Speech sound disorders include problems with articulation (making sounds) and phonological processes (sound patterns), and it is one of the largest disabilities in the United States. Children with speech disorders are evaluated by a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and treated via speech-language intervention within the child's classroom (classroom-based) or outside of the classroom (pull-out). Multiple studies have demonstrated that classroom-based service is beneficial over pull- out service, but currently it is not widely practiced because of the many challenges facing SLPs: 1) it requires collaboration with classroom teachers and administrators who are not trained in speech-language pathology, 2) it can create a larger client-SLP ratio, 3) a small client-nonclient student in-class ratio, 4) unable to provide adequate intervention, 5) there is a large variation in severity of disorder withinclients, 6) longer session hours over pull-out service. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommendations caseloads should not exceed 40, but the median caseload is 50 in elementary and secondary schools, with high of 80 clients. Thisheavy workload for an SLP limits their capacity to provide effective treatment. Thus a robotic system capable of reducing the workload and assisting SLPs to provide improved individual care is highly desired by those in this field. In this Phase I SBIR, we will develop novel biologically plausible models to address these challenges by developing a robot-assisted therapy system capable of real time monitoring and assessment of client and client-provider interaction during the session, to determine client engagement, performance and to give feedback to providers in real time for improved treatment delivery. The biological models attempt to mimic the expert diagnostic capabilities of a SLP and extend it for use by non-SLPs to work with multiple clients at thesame time. The solution will not require specialized training to use, allowing teachers to easily use it in their classrooms. In Phase I, we will demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of STR. STR is not just a minor improvement over existing technologies but a technology and application that do not exist today. In Phase II, we will extend the capabilities towards a fully biologically plausible system to mimic expert human performance levels to develop a robotic system for speech-language therapy, this will be followed by clinical trials to ensure accuracy, efficacy of STR to facilitate evidence-based therapy. Variations of the system can be used towards phonology, morphology/syntax, pragmatics, language, fluency and/or vocabulary. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Overall the project provides direct relevance to public health by facilitating new insights through the development of a novel biologically plausible artificial intelligence system capable of real time monitoring and assessment of verbal therapy session content in real time to determine patient engagement, performance and give feedback to providers in real time to improve treatment delivery, in a school setting. The novel biologically plausible device will significantly impact the current known methods of in classroom evaluation, monitoring and treatment of speech disorders. The project can help in substantial improvement in patient client interaction, better treatment, lower burden on speech language pathologists, and will significantly impact the current known methods, technologies, treatments, and address critical barriers to progress in the field." Acoustic Source Separation and Localization,D11PC20163,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749956.00,"AventuSoft, LLC",1560 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway,4th Floor,Sunrise,FL,33323-,No,Yes,No,Kaustubh Kale,MGRM,(954) 331-4691,email@example.com,Kevin Jones,Senior Research Scientist,(352) 214-3481,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The capability of separating and localizing intermixed sounds in an auditory scene, also known as auditory scene analysis is the ear""s ability to handle the cocktail party effect. There are no useful models that emulate this holy grail of auditory research. Fourier-type theory and computational auditory scene analysis (CASA) techniques do not fully explain how the biological ear is able to""hear everything and listen to anything""even under the most challenging environmental conditions. In Phase I, we showed the feasibility and performance of novel algorithms that introduce biologically plausible models for acoustic source separation and localization with the goal of developing technology that can hear as well as humans. In Phase II, we will extend the capabilities of these models further to develop a fully biologically plausible system that will model the physiological processes underlying the human auditory system""s ability for auditory scene analysis. The intellectual merits of BioHear technology include the development of a high-performance biologically plausible system in a single, low-power compact package that is easy-to-integrate, has low computational needs, a small microphone array footprint, and runs in real-time." Integrated SiC Super Junction Transistor-Diode Devices for High-Power Motor Control ModulesOoperating at 500 C,NNX11CE28P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,GeneSiC Semiconductor Inc.,"43670 Trade Center Place, Suite 155",,Dulles,VA,20166-2123,No,Yes,No,Satish Lulla,Business Official,7039968200,firstname.lastname@example.com,Siddarth Sundaresan,Principal Investigator,7039968200,email@example.com,"Monolithic Integrated SiC Super Junction Transistor-JBS diode (MIDSJT) devices are used to construct 500oC capable motor control power modules for direct integration with the exploration rovers required to operate in Venus-like environments. The Phase I of this proposed work will focus on the integrated MIDSJT device development and high-temperature packaging. Phase II will focus on the integration of the MIDSJT devices to construct full 3-Phase Inverter Motor Control Modules. Although SiC is the semiconductor material of choice for fabricating high-temperature (> 150oC) power electronics, existing SiC MOSFET and JFET based transistor device technologies perform poorly at temperatures exceeding 200oC. The proposed gate oxide-free Integrated MIDSJT device technology will overcome several problems associated with existing SiC device technologies by: (A) exhibiting desirable normally-OFF operation yet best-in-class on-state characteristics at temperatures as high as 500oC, (B) eliminating parasitic inductances/capacitances associated with interconnecting discrete devices, and (C) eliminating high-temperature gate oxide reliability issues. Special device designs and fabrication processes will be investigated in this work for reliable device operation at 500oC. Novel power device packaging techniques in the areas of power substrate, die-attach, chip metallization and wire bonds will be explored to demonstrate reliable module operation at 500oC after several thermal cycles." TAS::75 0893::TAS MULTIPLEXED SENSITIVE TESTING FOR DRUGS OF ABUSE,N44DA110019,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,745047.00,"BIOMEDOMICS, INC.",6 DAVIS DRIVE,,RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK,NC,27709,No,Yes,No,Frank Wang,,919-883-5542,email@example.com,Frank Wang,,919-883-5542,email@example.com,"The overall objective of this proposal is to develop a novel, simple, low-cost, on-site DOA test device and kit for measuring drugs of abuse for multiplex analysis capabilities based on the Contractor's patented ultra-sensitive Time-Resolved Luminescent Lateral Flow Assay Technology with digital reader. In order to make such a device available, the Contractor will research on multiplex lateral flow immunoassay (MLFIA) strip design and fabrication, as well as detection device development. The Contractor willalso establish a time-resolved MLFIA technology platform which includes new components on novel nanoparticles, and time-resolved detection." Systems and Services for Real-Time Web Access to NPP Data,NNX11CB98C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,599577.00,"Global Science & Technology, Inc.","7855 Walker Drive, Suite 200",,Greenbelt,MD,20770-3239,No,Yes,No,Jack Kelly,Business Official,2405421104,email@example.com,Jack Kelly,Principal Investigator,2405421104,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Global Science & Technology, Inc. (GST) proposes to build a scalable, adaptable, and interoperable information processing and delivery infrastructure that will provide near-real-time access to satellite data from the National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP), its follow-on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), and other near-real-time observations to modelers, forecasters, and decision-makers.Thanks to distributed Direct Broadcast facilities, a streamlined processing chain, and a scalable cloud computing environment, we propose to build technology that will reduce the latency in NPP data delivery to end-users from several hours to several minutes. Our proposed activity would serve near-real-time NPP, JPSS, and other data for the area within an antenna's satellite footprint via industry-standard Web-services, so as to maximize the use of these data by a broad set of users." Modeling of Lithium-Ion Cell Performance,HQ0147-11-C-7658,DOD,MDA,STTR,2011,1,149872.00,"Global Technology Connection, Inc.",2839 Paces Ferry Road,Suite 1160,Atlanta,GA,30339-,No,Yes,No,Ash Thakker,CEO,(770) 803-3001,email@example.com,Nicholas Propes,Principal Engineer/Program Manager,(770) 803-3001,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Global Technology Connection, Inc., in collaboration with academic partners, Georgia Tech""s Center for Innovative Battery and Fuel Cell Technologies, Penn State University, and industrial partner Eagle Picher propose to create a physics-based modeling for predicting the life performance of Low and Middle Earth Orbit (LEO/MEO) Lithium-ion cells. The relationships between solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI), electrolyte chemistry, Li+ or other active material loss, temperature, depth of discharge, self-discharge, discharge rate, and capacity fade will be determined through the model. Development of Li-ion performance physics-based models will assume graphite as the negative electrode material. The statistical relationships between aging cells and measurable quantities will also be analyzed through non-parametric models. Methodologies to collect accelerated test data from batteries and to assess the ability to make performance predictions from these data will also be determined. Models created during Phase I will be validated using existing Li-ion battery data sets." Valve Health Monitoring System,FA9101-11-M-0001,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99991.00,"Global Technology Connection, Inc.",2839 Paces Ferry Road,Suite 1160,Atlanta,GA,30339-,No,Yes,No,Ash Thakker,CEO,(770) 803-3001,email@example.com,Nicholas Propes,Principal Engineer,(770) 803-3001,email@example.com,"Global Technology Connection, Inc., in collaboration with academic partner, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and valve actuator manufacturer, BAFCO, addresses valve diagnostics and prognostics by proposing a Valve Prognostic Health Monitoring System (VPHMS) that detects and identifies valve incipient failure modes and estimates valve remaining useful life from sensor data. Valve types considered for Phase I will include hydraulically actuated ball and butterfly valves because they are common types in industry and at Arnold AFB. Other valve types will be considered as well during the latter phase of the program. Valve rotary position, oil temperature, differential pressure across servo valve ports leading to actuator, and hydraulic actuator linear position will provide the minimal expected sensing arrangement while other sensing capabilities will be considered. Critical failure modes that will be examined include seal failures, sensor failures, loose linkages, worn bearings, and degraded/contaminated hydraulic fluid. The data analysis approach will include anomaly detection, failure identification, and remaining useful life estimation. Simulated (GTC) and real valve data (BAFCO) will be used to validate the resulting diagnostic and prognostic models. Phase II will configure, implement, and test the prototype VPHMS at Arnold AFB""s facility. BENEFIT: The benefits of a diagnostic and prognostic valve health monitoring are reduced maintenance costs, increased uptime, and improved process efficiency. The ability to detect and identify failures before catastrophic failure will increase the ability to avoid costly maintenance. Prognostic ability will allow maintainers to plan schedules for part and work orders more intelligently and avoid long downtimes. Valves are utilized to control processes in many areas of commercial industry. Pulp and paper, power plants, food processing, water treatment, space applications, etc. are just a few areas which could use valve health monitoring to reduce labor and downtime; improve plant safety; and decrease product variability." ALDER GENETIC IMPROVEMENT FOR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY.,2011-02364,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,2,460000.00,"GREENWOOD RESOURCES, INC.",1500 SW FIRST AVE STE 940,,Portland,OR,97201-5823,No,Yes,No,Kerri Ladish,Corporate Office Manager,971-533-7055,email@example.com,Brian J. Stanton,"Managing Director, Tree Improvement Grou",971-533-7052,email@example.com,"Red alder is the predominant commercial hardwood species of the Pacific Northwest. It is an early successional species that rapidly regenerates following fire or clearcutting and normally precedes the establishment of the historically preferred Douglas-fir. As such, past conifer forestry management practices were designed to speed the transition to Douglas-fir through alder eradication efforts. Consequently, today there is a critical shortage of quality alder logs at the same time the species has become highly prized in domestic and international hardwood furniture, cabinetry, and specialty product markets. Accordingly, red alder plantations are now the leading strategy to forestall the supply shortage of quality saw logs because of favorable rates of financial return in addition to their unique contribution to overall ecosystem function. The success of an alder plantation industry is contingent upon elite, well-adapted planting stock, capable of improved yields and wood quality. GreenWood Resources proposes an alder genetic improvement program that replicates its highly successful and integrated hybrid poplar genetic improvement and plantation management programs. Phase II results will lead to improved alder varieties capable of high yields, reduced risk of spring frost injury, increased site adaptability and improved wood quality. Our work will lead directly to development of GreenWood Resources' red alder nursery business. This is a necessary and important prelude to GreenWood's development of a short-rotation, high-yield alder tree farm investment fund. This fund will secure the Pacific Northwest's red alder sawmilling, lumber, furniture, door, cabinetry, and specialty products industries." Sensitive Detection of Urinary Biomarkers of Renal Injury,1R43DK093289-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"H AND N INSTRUMENTS, INC.",219 N WESTMOOR AVE,,NEWARK,OH,43055-,No,Yes,No,Gary M. Nishioka,,740-344-4351,firstname.lastname@example.com,Gary M. Nishioka,,740-344-4351,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): If successful, this program will result in an assay chip that collects, stabilizes, and accurately quantifies a suite of biomarkers indicative of renal injury. Its sensitivity and accuracy may enable it to detect slowlyoccurring renal damage. Its multianalyte capability could distinguish different mechanisms of renal damage. It should be adaptable to automated assays and hence usable in a clinical setting. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The need for an early diagnosisof renal injury is important for patients with renal disease, for those undergoing kidney transplantation, and for patients undergoing drug therapy, especially new drugs that may cause renal damage. Traditional biomarkers are not capable of detecting earlystages of renal damage. For this reason there is high interest and activity in the search for new biomarkers of renal damage. There is less activity in developing new assay formats that use new biomarkers. We propose to develop a such an assay. We proposedeveloping a diagnostic chip capable of collection, stabilization, and highly sensitive and accurate quantification of a suite of biomarkers indicative of renal damage." SBIR Phase II: USV-Grain Refining,1058494,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,2,500000.00,Hans Tech,3120 Bowfield Way,,West Lafayette,IN,47906-6812,Yes,Yes,No,Clause Xu,PhD,7654136008,firstname.lastname@example.com,Clause Xu,,7654136008,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to combine the latest technologies in processing of lightweight materials using ultrasonic vibration(USV), in mold cooling, and in continuous casting, and to develop an enabling USV & #8208;GRTM technology for producing metal ingots of ultrafine grains without the use of foreign particles for grain refining. Our Phase I results indicate that the new USV & #8208;GRTM technology is feasible in producing metal and alloy products with grain size much smaller than that obtainable using the bst commercial grain refiners. It is expected that the new technology will lead to an increased productivity; reduced defect formation associated with the use of grain refiners containing foreign particles, and improved internal quality of the metal and alloy products. The broader impacts of this research are in the areas of increasing the use of lightweight metals and alloys for applications i the aerospace, defense, automotive, and metalcasting industries for significant cost savings, energy savings. The implementation of the research results will lead to a breakthrough technology for grain refining of a vast array of metalsand alloys to improve the mechanical and physical properties, particularly ductility and electrical conductivity. The new technology can also impact the efficiency in power transmission since most of the power cables are made of pure aluminm metal that are grain refined using chemical grain refiners. In addition, students involved in the research will have opportunities to interact with industrial partners." Intense Radioactive Beams via a Compact Fission Source/Target,DE-FG02-11ER86482,DOE,DOE,STTR,2011,1,100000.00,I.C. Gomes Consulting & Investment Inc.,1728 Killdeer Dr.,,Naperville,IL,60565-2363,No,Yes,No,Itacil C. Gomes,Dr.,6304167534,email@example.com,Itacil C. Gomes,Dr.,6304167534,email@example.com,"The development of new rare isotopes production schemes, which are simple and can be implemented at low cost, is highly desirable for Nuclear Physics facilities such as FRIB. The Munich Accelerator for Fission Fragments (MAFF) project developed an interesting idea of using a position with high neutron flux near the core of a nuclear research reactor to drive fissions in a small UCx (1.2 grams of 235U dissolved in 25g of porous graphite) cylindrical target. This project is to adapt and make use of the extensive design and R & amp;D done for MAFF to apply to a compact subcritical reactor (CAMI). The main idea of this project is to build on the MAFF design experience and develop similar system using CAMI (Compact Accelerator-driven Multiplier for Isotopes) as the source of thermal neutron flux to drive the fissions on the target ion source of the MAFF concept. The adaptation of the reflector of CAMI to accommodate the beam tube in parallel to adapting the other components of the MAFF concept to the more compact and accessible CAMI geometry are the main goals. In particular, this concept can be adapted to be part of the possible future upgrade of FRIB to include ISOL capability. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: There is a great opportunity to deploy such a system in USA, because this option was not included in the baseline of the FRIB project at MSU; however the addition of such capability is currently being considered as an upgrade option. The system that this project intends to develop will make use of a compact subcritical reactor that was designed to produce medical isotopes in shortage in the United States (such as 99Mo) using LEU (low enrichment uranium). Then, it will be a great opportunity for a US facility, such as FRIB, to be able to expand the Nuclear Physics research capability while having an intense production of radioisotopes in high demand. This project will allow the design of a compact system with very high output of exotic and medical isotopes, and surely will have many interested institutions in buying the rights to have such a system" Intelligent Dimension Evaluation and Alerting System (IDEAS),DTRT57-11-C-10032,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,1,99994.00,International Electronic Machines,850 River St.,,Troy,NY,12180-1239,No,Yes,No,Robert Foss,Manager of R&D,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,Zack Mian,CEO,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,"International Electronic Machines (IEM) Corp. will develop the Intelligent Dimension Evaluation and Alerting System, or IDEAS. In Phase I, IEM will examine two different approaches for achieving the goal of accurate, reliable dimensioning and classification of moving vehicles at highway speeds. IDEAS will leverage prior work by IEM for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), NASA, and the U.S. military to examine the potential of both approaches and will incorporate IEM's own unique innovations and designs. The final design selected for IDEAS will be able to accurately and reliable classify and measure all dimensions of a vehicle in any weather or lighting conditions in any lane of a multi-lane highway, regardless of the presence or absence of other vehicles, signal an alert via DSRC or other means if an oversized vehicle is detected, ignore false alarms, and integrate with emerging IntelliDrive and Smart Roadside technologies. IDEAS will be inexpensive , robust, easy to install, and be low enough power that it can be entirely self-contained. IEM will be assisted in this work by Batelle, the world's leading independent R&D organization, and Kapsch TrafficCom, both intimately involved with the IntelliDrive and Smart Roadside initiatives." Smart Grade Crossing Monitor System,DTRT57-11-C-10041,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,2,499954.00,International Electronic Machines,850 River St.,,Troy,NY,12180-1239,No,Yes,No,Robert Foss,Manager of Research & Development,(518) 268-1636,firstname.lastname@example.com,Zack Mian,President,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,"During Phase I, IEM developed a proof of concept for a Smart Grade Crossing Monitor (SGCM) using multispectral imaging technology for enhanced monitoring of highway rail grade crossings to improve safety by providing warnings of significant objects present in the crossing. The Phase I work conclusively demonstrated that multispectral imaging is clearly superior to visible or infrared spectrum imaging when used alone. The Phase II work will develop, test, and validate a fully functional SGCM Prototype. Key components of the Phase II program will include: ? Development of final specifications based on the intended end uses for the system. ? Final selection of system hardware and fabrication of modular hardware ? Installation of the initial hardware at a preselected test site ? Collection of test data for use in refining algorithms for detection, tracking, and alerts, interface with communication system, and interface with rail and highway signals and equipment ? Install the SGCM Prototype at West Palm Beach, FL in conjunction with ongoing FRA activities ? Develop and implement a program with goal of validating the functionality and reliability of the SGCM in a variety of situations." Stabilizer Level Accurate Measurement System (SLAMS),N68335-11-C-0332,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79984.00,International Electronic Machines,850 River St.,,Troy,NY,12180-1239,No,Yes,No,Robert Foss,Manager of R&D,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,Zack Mian,President,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,"Cartridge-Actuated Devices and Propellant-Actuated Devices (CADs and PADs) use a""double-base propellant""which consists of a binder (nitrocellulose) and a plasticizer (most often nitroglycerine). Over time the propellant can degrade, leading to premature and unintended detonation or fire when stabilizing chemicals such as diphenylamine (DPA) and its daughter products are exhausted. It is therefore of great interest to be able to safely, accurately, and reliably detect the presence and quantity of stabilizer, and stabilizing daughter products, in situ. International Electronic Machines (IEM), a leader in wireless sensor system design, will develop the Stabilizer Level Accurate Measurement System (SLAMS), a miniature, self-contained, wireless sensor unit which will be intrinsically safe, thin enough to fit into the clearance available for a propellant load, and will accurately and reliably detect and measure stabilizer concentrations; SLAMS will then transmit these measurements to an external data collector. SLAMS will leverage prior IEM unique, ultra-low power wireless sensor design work, and innovative, patented chemical sensor designs from Sandia National Laboratory. IEM will examine two parallel design concepts for SLAMS to determine which will provide the best solution to the Navy""s requirements, and demonstrate proofs-of-concept which will permit a final design decision for Phase II." Slow Speed Weigh-in-Motion Error Reduction System,W913E5-10-C-0004,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2011,2,779976.00,International Electronic Machines,850 River St.,,Troy,NY,12180-1239,No,Yes,No,Robert Foss,Manager of Research and D,(518) 268-1636,firstname.lastname@example.com,Zack Mian,CEO,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,"During Phase I, IEM developed a concept design for a Slow Speed Weigh In Motion Error Reduction System (SWIMERS). SWIMERS offers an innovative approach to weigh in motion technology that employs advanced error reduction algorithms to remove dynamic effects of vehicle suspension as well as load effects from vehicle steering, braking, acceleration, and other external factors. These algorithms are integrated with an innovative sensor technology that generates data reflecting the above dynamic and load effects. During Phase II, IEM will advance these initial efforts and will build prototype systems to support both a fixed, in-ground WIM application as well as an easily portable version that can be used for expedient applications. Data from this WIM system will support the data requirements for hidden payload detection developed by the US Army." "INSU Phase II.5""IntelliPenny""Development",N68335-11-C-0073,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749944.00,International Electronic Machines,850 River St.,,Troy,NY,12180-1239,No,Yes,No,Robert Foss,Director of R&D,(518) 268-1636,firstname.lastname@example.com,Zack Mian,CEO,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,"In support of the H53-K""s CBM/SHM initiative under SBIR topic N05-011, IEM""s INSU (Integrated Networked Sensor Units) system demonstrated the ability to detect and track strains in laboratory components at high rates of speed, store them onboard or transmit them wirelessly. This has included the demonstration of an innovative high-speed sensor networking architecture for wireless sensor nodes, an ultra low power 2-D strain gauge, and prototypes of power harvesting devices. The INSUs offer considerable flexibility through modularity (e.g., swapping out sensor boards while retaining the main sensor core). NAVAIR, through PMA-261, indicated that similar capability was very much desired at a smaller form factor. In this Phase II.5 activity, IEM will develop the""IntelliPenny""sensor node, a literal penny-sized sensor node which will sacrifice the flexibility to focus on CBM strain monitoring exclusively, but retain the other key features of the INSU node. The IntelliPenny will incorporate a power harvesting or simple, robust wireless recharging method to eliminate the need for maintenance on these devices, which will record data in flight at high speed to detect both long-term and transient strain on rotorcraft components and transmit it only after landing to a central HUMS data collection system." Buffet Load Accurate Measurement System (BLAMS),N68335-11-C-0103,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749853.00,International Electronic Machines,850 River St.,,Troy,NY,12180-1239,No,Yes,No,Robert Foss,Manager of R&D,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,Zack Mian,President,(518) 268-1636,email@example.com,"In Phase I, IEM demonstrated the feasibility of a Buffet Load Accurate Measurement System (BLAMS) based on self-contained Buffet Load Sensor Nodes (BLSNs) which gathered data while in flight and would at intervals transmit that data (on the ground) to a Parallel Data Collection System (PDCS). IEM will extend and refine this work in the Phase II base period to produce a fully-functional prototype BLAMS for the F-18E/F, including time-synchronizing data collection, BLSNs capable of storing months of data and transmitting this data on cue, unique 2-D ultra-low power strain gauge, power harvesting research, work on integrating data analysis/presentation to be compatible with current systems (with Technical Data Analysis, Inc.), initial certification for compliance with RFI, ruggedness, and so on. A flight-test of BLAMS will be held as part of the SLAP program during the Phase II base which will provide extensive feedback on the performance of the system for use in the Phase II Option, during which the component designs will be refined and finalized to produce rugged, reliable units, certification issues will be extensively addressed, component bonding, installation, and endurance testing will be performed, and a manufacturing plan developed to address projected needs for a later Fleet Survey." Formulating New Cellulases for Diverse Markets: Defining QA Parameters,2011-00108,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"INFINITE ENERGY, LLC",826 SHERWOOD OAKS LN,,Jonesboro,AR,72404-9092,Yes,Yes,No,Kendall R. Hood,VP Operations,870-926-9566,firstname.lastname@example.com,Kendall R. Hood,"Vice President, Technolgoy",870-897-4827,email@example.com,"The US is targeting the goal of 36 billion gallons of liquid transportation biofuels by 2022. Currently we produce approximately 10 billion gallons of ethanol from corn starch. In order to produce the remaining 26 billion gallons of liquid biofuels from cellulosic sources two major problems need to be solved, the logistics of crop production and the million tons of enzymes necessary to deconstruct those crops. Absolutely, the major limitation for reaching the US transportation goal is the cost and production capacity of enzymes. Current enzyme production is based on microbial fermentation, a technology that will require billions of up-front capitalization to create the infrastructure to produce over a million tons of cellulases. Infinite Enzymes, LLC has a solution to resolve this limitation by using the plant biofactory to inexpensively produce cellulases without infrastructure investment. Infinite Enzymes, LLC, (www.infiniteenzymes.com; IE) is using the corn seed biofactory to produce cellulases to enable rapid integration of these enzymes into biofuels R & D, process development and large-scale commercial applications. Our plan is to enter the reagent market first to obtain revenues to move forward into higher volume markets. However, a need exists to establish that they are equivalent to what is currently being used. How do transgenic plant-based sources affect the behavior of the cellulase compared to the native fungal source We proposed to isolate clean enzyme from corn grain and test it for relevant activity in digestion of biomass. At the end of this project, IE will have product that can produce revenues for the company to develop products for larger markets that enable economical production of biofuels and other renewable resources." Development of Novel Phase Shifterless RF Phase Array Antenna Systems,N66001-11-C-5205,DOD,NAVY,STTR,2011,2,500000.00,NOISEFIGURE RESEARCH LLC,1915 13TH ST APT A,,LUBBOCK,TX,79401-3757,No,Yes,No,Jerry Lopez,President,(858) 336-5120,email@example.com,Donald Lie,Assoc. Prof.,(858) 335-2153,firstname.lastname@example.com,"In recent years the usage of phase arrays in wireless communications has found significantly increased interest, partly due to their ability to enhance system sensitivity and their anti-jamming capabilities. This growth of strong interests in RF phase array antenna systems for DoD applications is evident with the current and future developments of many major RADAR and military communication systems in place, such as the ground-based, sea-based, airborne, and space-based phased array RADAR and other electronic systems. During the period of our phase I STTR contract, our team at NoiseFigure Research and Texas Tech University has helped raising considerable interests by creating a fully monolithic silicon active phase array IC using coupled voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) and on-chip switches with experimental injection-locking.The objective of this Phase II proposal, therefore, is to utilize our advanced technology and design concepts with nonlinear dynamics and coupled monolithic VCO arrays to develop phase-shifterless RF phase array antenna systems based on fruitful results of our Phase I efforts. For DoD applications, the added benefit of using monolithic phase arrays would make it possible to create self-calibrated Tx/Rx modules to reduce system calibration, testing and deployment time while reducing the total payload." "SBIR Phase II: Clean, Inexpensive, and Carbon-free Energy from a Toxic Waste",1127521,NSF,NSF,STTR,2011,2,448771.00,INNOVATIVE ENERGY SOLUTION,710 East Main,,Lexington,KY,40502,No,Yes,No,Jacques P. Bingue,PhD,(219) 922-8814,firstname.lastname@example.com,Jacques P. Bingue,,(219) 922-8814,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to commercialize a new process to recycle petroleum toxic wastes to clean and inexpensive energy. This Phase II project will scale the improved process by modifying the company?s pilot unit to incorporate the enhancements realized with the bench scale unit in Phase I. The basic SuperATR is a non & #8208;catalytic process that employs a cyclic flow reactor filled with an inert packed bed. In the cyclic flow reactor, the direction of oxidizer/fuel mixture is periodically reversed producing a high temperature volume. The modifications in the Phase I project effectively raised the temperature even higher to make the reactor even more efficient. The broader impacts of this research are that deteriorating qualities of oils and gases is forcing the petroleum sector to incur very high cost for energy and waste disposal. For example, the benign disposal of hydrogen sulfide costs oil refineries and natural gas processing plants $5 billion a year. Present technologies only permit extracting the sulfur content while wasting the much more valuable hydrogen portion. In commercializing this technology, the value propositions are but not limited to: & #61623; Obtain 9 billion kilowatt hours of carbon & #8208;free electricity and steam inexpensively. & #61623; Lowering gasoline and diesel prices, even by 1 cent per gallon, would leave $2 billion in the hands of Americans. & #61623; Eliminate 5 million tons of greenhouse gas along with 1.5 million tons of acid rain pollutants by helping refineries and natural gas plants exceed environmental standards." Synthetic Biometric Image Generator,D11PC20116,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2011,2,1375000.00,International Biometric Group,One BATTERY PARK PLZ,,NEW YORK,NY,10004 1405,No,Yes,No,Michael Thieme,,2128099491,email@example.com,Michael Thieme,,2128099491,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Software capable of generating synthetic fingerprint, face, and iris images may provide tremendous value to DHS organizations, USG components, and commercial organizations involved in development, testing, and operation of biometric systems. Such software could support cost-effective performance evaluation of new algorithms, optimize the speed and accuracy of deployed biometric systems, and reduce development and testing timelines. IBG will develop and license use of datasets on a customer-specific basis. IBG will work with the customer to define requirements and control parameters, such as image quality, demographic distribution, test case for genuine and impostor data, target algorithms. IBG will develop and license a synthetic biometric dataset generator SDK that supports development of standalone applications as well as integration into customer applications and environments. APIs will provide programmatic access to general parameters such as demographic distribution as well as modality-specific parameters such as sensor selection, positions, and quality. To support customers with highly specialized requirements for sensor technologies, demographic characteristics, or system design emulation that are not supported in the base software and that are not accessible through the SDK, IBG will license full source code versions of its synthetic biometric image generator, enabling customers to develop their own models using core libraries." SBIR Phase I: Classroom VideoAnalyst: Automated Video Content Analysis for Classroom Evaluations,1047232,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,149883.00,INTUVISION,10 Tower Office Park,ste 200,Woburn,MA,01801-2120,Yes,Yes,No,Sadiye Z. Guler,PhD,7814971015,firstname.lastname@example.com,Sadiye Z. Guler,,7814971015,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to research and develop a prototype Classroom VideoAnalyst(CVA) system to automatically extract and index relevant content from classroom observation videos for evaluations and teacher professional development. The premise underpinning this effort is that automatic video analysis can help unpack the complex and fast-paced classroom activities to help teachers and evaluators to better understand and assess the teaching and learning processes. Relevant features to extract from classroom videos to facilitate subsequent classroom observation analyses will be determined collaboratively with the educational partners. A video summarization capability will provide report generation from classroom observation videos. intuVision?s video analysis test platforms will be leveraged for rapid implementation testing and validation of the concept prototype. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to fulfill a confirmed need for fundamental changes in teacher education especially in mathematics and science as recognized by researchers in the field and by the government. The educational reform measures call for technology that enables teachers to work collaboratively with their peers to share best practices. Hence, tools to bring the advanced technologies to teacher professional development and objective classroom evaluations are of utmost importance. The proposed Classroom VideoAnalyst(CVA) will provide the ability for teachers, and coaches to breakdown classroom observation data for analysis and identification of trends within and across different classrooms. It will provide teachers a deep insight into teaching practices and researchers with tools to conduct quantitative assessments to advance the U.S. to a leader status in education." SBIR Phase II: Ultrafast Self-Reactive Laser Eye Protection Devices,1058571,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,2,441558.00,"Kent Optronics, Inc",40 Corporate Park Drive,,Hopewell Junction,NY,12533-,No,Yes,No,Ben Tang,Doctor,3306779745,email@example.com,Ben Tang,,3306779745,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop ultra-fast laser eye protection (LEP) devices from nano-composite materials. Commercial LEP eyewear can only protect against a limited number of known laser wavelengths, with users having to change eyewear for different lasers. The new LEP eyewear will be a universal solution to protect human eyes against both known and unknown lasers in the visible and infrared (IR) spectral range, promising>60% visual luminous transmittance,>4 optical density, femtosecond response time, and full compliance with industrial and military standards. The LEP eyewear is expected to have adequate optical limiting threshold so that it does not require an extra focusing lens array for assistance. The material to be developed is semi-solid and can be integrated with ballistic-proof polycarbonate (PC) substrates, and requires no electrical power. This project will also be applicable to products for laser protection of optical sensors. The Phase II research activities involve material and manufacturing process optimizations as well as environment durability tests. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is significant. It will meet the critical unmet customer demand for a universal laser eye protection device, which is key in many military and industrial fields. The LEP products will create cost savings for customers (by providing a universal solution), reduce eye injury risk, and allow ballistic and shatter-proof capability. These devices have the potential to address the entire laser eye protection market, and cumulative LEP eyewear sales for the first five years are projected to exceed $10 million. This program will also advance the state-of-the-art in science and engineering, in developing novel nanostructures from phase-transitioning materials, as well as a new device structure with superior optical characteristics. Finally, this project will have societal benefit by helping to reduce the medical, insurance and associated costs of laser eye injuries." Dual Band MWIR and LWIR Switchable Beam Splitter and Filter,W909MY-11-C-0062,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,776763.00,"Kent Optronics, Inc",40 Corporate Park Drive,,Hopewell Junction,NY,12533-,No,Yes,No,Le Li,CEO,(845) 897-0138,firstname.lastname@example.com,Ben Tang,Director of Product Devel,(845) 897-0138,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This SBIR Phase II proposal proposes to develop prototypes of switchable beam splitter device (BSD) and filter in mid-wave infrared (MWIR) [as a threshold] and in both MWIR and long wave infrared (LWIR) [as an objective] to enhance the 3rd Generation Forward Looking Infrared (3rd Gen FLIR) performance. The switchable beamsplitter and filter are based on KOI's remarkable switchable broadband liquid crystal (LC) technology. Low loss liquid crystal materials with large Delta(n), Delta(e);, and low viscosity will be designed and synthesized to support the BSD and filter development. The switchable BSD and filter can be electronically controlled to change from transmissive to reflective in the designated IR bands. Both BSD and filter are made into a monolithic configuration and are expected to have The devices are expected to have the following performance specifications: - Transmission change from less than 5% to greater than 90% - Reflection change from less than 5% to greater than 90% - Change time less than 2.0 seconds for entire range" Novel Antibacterial Scaffold from Natural Products,1R43AI096847-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,600000.00,"LIFEPHARMS, INC.",143 Shaw Street,,New London,CT,06320-,No,Yes,No,Wendy P. Login,,860-447-8583,firstname.lastname@example.com,Esteban E. Mena,,860-447-8583,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite the rise of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, the development of new antibiotics is on the decline. Methicillin-resistant Staphococcal aureus infections (MRSA) in the United States has been increasing, causing 19,000 deaths per year in the United States and contributing to 3 billion to 4 billion of additional annual health care costs. The issue of combating resistance has been exacerbated by the relative scarcity of new chemical scaffolds discovered or developed. Most of the antibacterial research at pharmaceutical companies has been towards developing analogs of existing drugs through traditional chemistry driven SAR programs. Very few new classes of antibiotics have been introduced in the past decades, andmost antibiotics act on familiar targets. In addition, even though natural products have been a rich source of new antibacterials, many pharmaceutical companies have natural product libraries that have been thoroughly screened and offer little in the way of diversity or novelty. There is a growing awareness that natural product libraries, particularly those with a fungal origin, need to exploit fungal cryptic or secret pathways that normally are not expressed in laboratory conditions. To exploit the largely undiscovered secondary metabolites of mushrooms (basidiomycetes and ascomycetes), LifePharms, Inc. has established a collection of field- collected, environmentally challenged fruiting bodies. LifePharms/Microbiotix collaboration has identified, purified, and characterized two compounds that exhibit potent antibacterial activity (MICs as low as 0.5 5g/ml) against Gram-positive pathogens, including MSSA, MRSA, MRSE, and VRE, and favorable cytotoxicity profiles (CC50 gt 100 5g/ml). The chemical structures of these two lead compounds indicate they are novel antibacterial compounds. In addition, we have purified and partially characterized three more potent antibacterial compounds that will serve as alternative scaffolds. In this Phase I grant, we will i) evaluate these compounds in a series of in vitro assays that will measure ADMET, ii) chemically optimize these compounds by generating analogs using semi-synthetic methodologies to determine structure activity relationships and to improve potency and selectivity, iii) Data obtained from these assays will inform the design of subsequent analogs, resulting in an iterative process of analog design and evaluation, to improve the efficacy, selectivity, and ADMET properties of the scaffolds. In Phase II, compounds that meet the specified criteria for efficacy, selectivity, and ADMET properties will be tested for acute toxicity and antibacterial efficacy in mice. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Antibacterial infections with drug resistant organisms are a growing threat. LifePharms, Inc., and Microbiotix, Inc. have collaborated to discover structurally and mechanistically novel antibacterial compounds. These compounds are effective against several strains/species of drug resistant Gram (+) bacteria in vitro. The goal ofthis project is to pursue the preclinical development of these compounds as novel antibiotics." Novel antifungals for Immunocompromised/HIV patients.,1R43AI093281-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,300000.00,"LIFEPHARMS, INC.",143 Shaw Street,,New London,CT,06320-,No,Yes,No,Wendy P. Login,,860-447-8583,email@example.com,Esteban E. Mena,,860-447-8583,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fungal infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV- infected patients. At present, there are only three classes of antifungal agents that are suitable for the treatment of AIDS-relatedfungal infections, but these medications are hampered by drug resistance, pharmacological limitations, and negative drug interactions. Also, the challenge continues to complicate by a changing epidemiology of fungal pathogen. The search for new scaffolds with broad antifungal activity is imperative. Antifungal compounds have been discovered from natural products. For examples, glucan synthesis inhibitors (including pnemoncandins, other echinocandins) have been found in a diverse range of fungi. These compounds have come from fermentation broths of soil samples cultured in sterile conditions. Since complicated environmental conditions are critical for the synthesis of most microbial secondary metabolites screening compounds produced under sterile laboratoryconditions frequently results in the rediscovery of known compounds that are readily produced under those conditions. LifePharms, Inc. has established a collection of field- collected, environmentally challenged fruiting bodies that consists currently of greater than 26,000 samples of basidiomycetes and ascomycetes (those that have a fruiting body) and includes nearly every species found in the continental United States. LifePharms' bank of extracts from fruiting bodies of basidiomycetes and ascomycetes isunmatched for its uniqueness and for its chemical diversity. In collaboration with the Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Laboratory and Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), we are screening LifePharms' natural product library against both fluconazole sensitive (ATCC 90028) and resistant Candida strains ATCC 90030, 96901, 6852) and Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans. The active compounds in LifePharms' are separated by a single HPLC step and screened for antifungal activity and mammalian toxicity. Those semipure compounds with activity against at least two drug resistant fungal strains with no mammalian toxicity will be purified by high speed counter current chromatography and HPLC. Compounds will be dereplicated and chemically characterized by NMR and LC/MS/MS methods. The MICs will be determined against a broad range of clinical isolates and will include species that are important causes of systemic infections in humans, including immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts, including Pneumocystis. Structurally novel compounds with a unique in vitro antifungal profile will be selected for ADMET and in vivo evaluation in Phase II. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Fungal infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected patients. Antifungal compounds have been discovered from natural products. In collaboration with the Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Laboratory and Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, we are screening LifePharms' natural product library against both fluconazole sensitive and resistant Candida strains, and Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans." An Industrial Membrane System Suitable for Distributed Used Oil Re-Refining,DE-FG02-11ER90176,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,1,149972.00,Media and Process Technology Inc.,1155 William Pitt Way,,Pittsburgh,PA,15238-1368,No,Yes,No,Paul K. Liu,Dr.,412-826-3711,email@example.com,Paul Liu,Dr.,412-826-3711,email@example.com,"R & amp;D activities on membrane-based separations have been extensive in the past several decades due to the potential to provide more energy-efficient separation processes than conventional distillation, extraction, absorption, adsorption, etc. Its simplicity, essentially as an advanced filter, offers significant advantage in operation, in particular for applications, which can best be deployed through a distributed network concept, such as distributed hydrogen production promoted by US DOE recently, distributed power generation from locally available feedstocks, etc. However, commercial implementation of membrane processes in this area, though consistent with the rising national energy and environmental concerns, has lagged. Two key barriers are identified: (i) performance or material stability and reliability barriers and (ii) barrier in integrating a new membrane process into an existing process. The above barriers have limited their uses in distributed production applications, which usually deal with variable feedstocks and require operational simplicity and stability due to the lack of highly technically trained operators on-staff. Our proposed industrial membrane process system will attempt to overcome the above barriers with a focus on the use of our commercial inorganic membranes for used oil re-refining through nationwide distributed network of facilities. The performance and materials stability and integration barriers have been overcome by our proposed industrial membrane system. In this proposal we develop an innovative solution to address the remaining barrier, i.e., reliability, which is critical for a membrane system fed with variable sources of feedstock. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: By re-refining waste oils, we project about 65 million barrels per year of savings potential can be achieved, resulting in about 1 to 1.5% reduction in crude imports. Recently, many new green energy sources have been developed as a result of the push by the current and previous administrations; however, the development of a high quality liquid hydrocarbon fuel and/or a replacement for liquid fuels remains a considerable challenge. Thus, any reduction in liquid hydrocarbon usage and imports via this proposed project is significant and complements the national energy technology development trend. Finally, due to the distributed generation of waste oil throughout the country, waste oil re-refining is best implemented through a distributed network of facilities." Nanotube MMC for Structural Applications,NNX11CH13P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,Materials Modification Inc,2809-K Merrilee Drive,,Fairfax,VA,22031-,No,Yes,No,Tirumalai S. Sudarshan,Business Official,7035601371,email@example.com,Tirumalai S. Sudarshan,Principal Investigator,7035601371,email@example.com,"Aluminum based metal matrix composites are particularly attractive in aviation and aerospace applications because of their exceptional strength and stiffness-to-density ratios and superior physical properties. A vast range of composites have been fabricated with reinforcements such as glass, ceramic particulates and fibers, and more recently carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes present considerable improvement in properties of the composite but suffer from problems of galvanic corrosion at the interfaces. Other nanotubes that are not galvanically detrimental to the composite are required for design of ultrastrong composites. Boron nanotubes are attractive in this respect, as they are lighter than carbon and are not very far removed from aluminum in the electrochemical series, thus avoiding corrosion issues, while retaining the excellent mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes. MMI's proposed technology that produces composites comprising boron nanotubes will have the considerable impact on future structural applications of NASA." Reactive Material Based Projectiles,N00167-11-P-0016,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79999.00,Materials Modification Inc,2809-K Merrilee Drive,,Fairfax,VA,22031-,No,Yes,No,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,firstname.lastname@example.com,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,email@example.com,"The goal of this Phase I, is to develop and conduct a feasibility demonstration of a reactive material based projectile on a laboratory scale. The overall system will be able to produce a significant energy release by combining the release of chemical energy as well as the kinetic energy of the projectile. This Phase I will demonstrate key technologies for the reactive material based projectile concept." Novel low density composites for deep ocean vehicles,N00167-11-P-0132,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79999.00,Materials Modification Inc,2809-K Merrilee Drive,,Fairfax,VA,22031-,No,Yes,No,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,email@example.com,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,email@example.com,"The goal of this Phase I, is to develop and conduct a feasibility demonstration of a novel low density 6500 meter man-rated syntactic foam on a laboratory scale. The overall system will be able to produce a low density (30+2/-1 pcf) that is capable of use on a 6500 meter operational depth Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV). This Phase I should demonstrate key technologies for providing structurally enhanced glass microsphere coatings integrated into the syntactic foam concept." Flexible Body Armor,M67854-11-C-6519,DOD,NAVY,SBIR,2011,2,824419.00,Materials Modification Inc,2809-K Merrilee Drive,,Fairfax,VA,22031-,No,Yes,No,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,firstname.lastname@example.com,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The drive towards lighter weight was brought on by the need to provide military personnel with protection that is less taxing on their bodies and at the same time allowing for better maneuverability and a greater degree of comfort. Rigidity of the armor remains a deterrent for mobility or for accessing positions necessary for survivability. The development of a lightweight flexible armor protection system is hence desirable and must be capable of offering enhanced protection and torso flexibility to the operator. During the Phase I effort, MMI ballistically tested ceramic materials that survived the NIJ level !V requirement using APM2 and M993 rounds. In addition, during the Phase I option effort, MMI built and tested a matrix of these ceramic structures and demonstrated survivability of the structure at 0 and 30 deg impact for one simple flexible configuration. The lessons learned from this system and architecture in the very short time span will be further expanded, modified and tested during the Phase II efforts. The designed system will not exceed 7.1 lbs/ft and will provide for flexibility in movement and retain multihit capability." Materials Development for Lighter E-SAPI Protection,M67854-11-C-6539,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,852736.00,Materials Modification Inc,2809-K Merrilee Drive,,Fairfax,VA,22031-,No,Yes,No,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,email@example.com,T.s. Sudarshan,President and CEO,(703) 560-1371,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The increasing need for ground combat forces in diverse theaters of operation and their need to move quickly in difficult terrain has created the requirement for a light weight armor system. Such systems allow for dexterity, ability to bend into distorted positions and allow for combat personnel to take cover in very tight spaces. The currently used rigid armor systems are effective but heavy and also restrict the mobility thereby compromising safety and increasing the vulnerability. Furthermore, most systems today are made with technology that has not evolved or changed over the last 40 years. In this Phase II effort, MMI will build upon its vast experience in nanotechnology and the creation of an armor system that is both comfortable and light weight such that it can provide greater protection and mobility/dexterity to the soldier. A unique armor architecture with a combination of materials has been demonstrated during Phase I that has the possibility of substantially increasing the armor""s ballistic mass efficiency and therefore allowing for a significant reduction of the armor weight." Empowering SCD Patients with Web Tools to Improve Care Communications,1R43HL105070-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,469568.00,"MEDICAL DECISION LOGIC, INC.","MEDICAL DECISION LOGIC, INC.",1216 E. Baltimore St.,BALTIMORE,MD,21202-4725,No,Yes,Yes,Allen T. Md,,410-828-8948,email@example.com,Allen Y. Tien,,443-278-8800,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The pioneering and strategic goal of this SBIR project Empowering SCD Patients with Web Tools to Improve Care Communications is to create a specialized niche product that improves emergency department (ED) treatment of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) presenting with a painful crisis, decreasing costly hospital admissions. At present, the unfortunate normative experience of these patients is grounded in ED staff lacking specific knowledge for titrating pain medication administration with quantitative pain assessment, coupled with inadequate medical record systems that often make it difficult to resolve uncertainty about a patient's identity and medical history, and too often, lack of in-depth medical understatingof SCD and its treatment. The project will address these issues with an innovative combination of web technology and scientific and clinical knowledge to create a novel web-based Case Management Registry product ( webCMR ). webCMR will provide ED personnel with secure and unambiguous information about the patient's identity, using a digital photograph and demographics, information about the patient's Primary Care and Hematology Providers, type of sickle cell disease, transfusion complications, medicationsused at home, and medications recommended for emergency treatment of acute vaso-occlusion. WebCMR will provide clear instructions for titrating administration of pain medication based on repeated quantitative assessment of pain, communicating proven best practices to ED providers. It will automatically generate an e-mail message to the patient's Providers, informing them of the ED visit. Along with this direct intervention to improve the care of patients with SCD in the ED, technology innovations in webCMRwill strengthen its utility and commercial value by addressing data communications to support scientific processes for public health, interoperability with other systems, and generalizability for broader application to other stages of SCD management and other disease areas. Phase I will include study of data communications in the form of a regional registry and data dashboard to be developed for use by the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) to monitor ED visits at the population level. This registry is expected to have significant value to DHMH, helping to inform scientific policy development and monitor outcomes. In a similar way, it will be a useful data source for insurance companies about rates of hospital admissions that can serve to justify payment for use of webCMR, providing a business case for sustainability. Reducing hospital admission rates by 10 percent would generate savings to third party payers in MD of at least 5 million annually, an average of nearly 3,000 per patient per year. These economics provide an opportunity for business sustainability and growth. The creation of webCMR will be highly focused on engaging ED providers and SCD patients with the software design and implementation process, ensuring that the Case Management aspect of webCMR will be carefully adapted to the priority needs of both patients and providers. A key design goal is for webCMR to facilitate positive and systematic communications between patients and providers. Likewise, the Registry aspectof webCMR will be carefully adapted to the priority needs of public health officials. The evaluation of the product will address the potential burden of use for both patient and ED staff, and assess benefits in comparison to current practices. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project, title Empowering SCD Patients with Web Tools to Improve Care Communications will use innovative web technology and scientific and clinical knowledge to create a novel web-based Case Management Registry product ( webCMR). Along with this direct intervention to improve the care of patients with SCD in the ED, webCMR will also address broader goals that are intended to support public health policy, the application of scientific knowledge to healthcare, and the focused generation of new knowledge. At the process level, webCMR will be a system for integration, translation, and transformation for addressing health disparities in sickle cell disease, and for addressing deficiencies in the current economics of our health care system, which provide an opportunity for business development." BIOMEDICAL (BASIC),N43HL110064,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,201885.00,"MEDICAL DECISION LOGIC, INC.","MEDICAL DECISION LOGIC, INC.",1216 E. Baltimore St.,BALTIMORE,MD,21202-4725,No,Yes,Yes,Allen Tien,,410-828-8948,firstname.lastname@example.com,Allen Tien,,410-828-8948,email@example.com,"DataTect will be designed to address the NIH key Elements by enabling researchers to directly participate in system configuration and for longer-term, specification and evolution in use. Key innovations in the area of Rules, Workflows, and Querying that will provide a practical combination of flexibility and systematic utility for data management and research collaboration. These innovations will be created on a platform of existing web technology and proven computational logic, addressing different areas of needs with enterprise scalable technologies." SBIR TOPIC 294 PHASE 1 - DEVELOPMENT OF GLYCOSYLATION - SPECIFIC RESEARCH,N43CO110078,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,148569.00,"MEDIOMICS, LLC",815 WENNEKER DRIVE,,SAINT LOUIS,MO,63124-,No,Yes,No,Ling Tan,,314-997-5918,firstname.lastname@example.com,Ling Tan,,314-997-5918,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Glycosylation changes are a universal feature of malignant transformation and tumor progression. Changes in expression levels of certain glycoproteins and altered glycosylation patterns have been detected in most of the major human cancer types and at different stages of tumor progression. The early detection of glycosylation changes is therefore crucial for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Currently, the methods for glycosylation analysis require expensive instruments and are time consuming. Thus, thereis a need to develop new reagents and simpler methods to study carbohydrate modifications of proteins in cancer biology. Our long term goal is to develop new research reagents for basic cancer researchers in the form of antibodies against N- or O-linked carbohydrate antigens in proteins. In the Phase I proposal, we propose to generate over 32 chicken polyclonal (Task 1) and 2-3 monoclonal IgY (Task 2) against specific Oglycosylation sites. In addition, we will use our proprietary PINCER platform technology to develop 5 costeffective, simple and fast assays (Task 3) to detect protein glycosylation using existing commercially available antibodies. We expect that these PINCER reagents can be used to not only develop homogeneous assays for detecting protein glycosylation, but can also be used as unique imaging reagents." TAS::75 0849::TAS SBIR TOPIC 304 PHASE I DEVELOPMENT OF BLOOD-BASED METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF CANCER RECURRENCE IN POST-THERAPY BREAST CANCER PATIENTS,N43CO110124,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,298601.00,"MEDIOMICS, LLC",815 WENNEKER DRIVE,,SAINT LOUIS,MO,63124-,No,Yes,No,Ling Tian,,314-997-5918,email@example.com,Ling Tian,,314-997-5918,firstname.lastname@example.com,"According to the American Cancer Society, 192,370 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2010, leading to 40,170 deaths. Most women with breast cancer undergo surgery to remove the cancerous tissue and then receive additional treatment. Adjuvant therapy does not completely remove the risk of late cancer recurrence, even for women with low grade/low stage tumors. Thus, clinicians and patients still need to remain aware of this problem and this problem remains a high priority in our fight against breast cancer. In the past decades, identification and validation of ER, PR and HER2 as molecular markers and therapeutic targets for breast cancer has improved the patient survival. However, other breast cancer biomarkers currently identified lack either disease-related specificity or validated clinical values. Therefore, effective new breast cancer-specific molecular markers for prevention, early detection, and/or targeted treatment of the recurrent diseases are needed. Biomarkerspresent in blood, hold the best promise for disease screening. The goal of this project is to develop simple, quick and cost-effective homogeneous assays to evaluate whether AKR1B10 can be used as a breast cancer recurrence indicator by testing the serumsamples from both cancer-recurrence positive and negative patients." SBIR Phase I: Aerobic Microbial Conversion of Agricultural Manures to Biofuels,1046472,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Menon and Associates, Inc.",12282 Libelle Ct.,,San Diego,CA,92131-3845,No,Yes,No,Samantha S. Orchard,PhD,8584589990,firstname.lastname@example.com,Samantha S. Orchard,,8584589990,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of using manure from cattle and hogs to make bio-diesel and, in so doing, reducing the environmental impact of releasing untreated or anaerobically fermented manure. The rich mineral content of feces generated by concentrated animal feeding operations can make it an environmental hazard during storage and reuse as fertilizer, by polluting ground and surface water with excess phosphorus and nitrogen or by release of nitrous oxide and methane greenhouse gases into the air. This project will feed manure to microbes that can utilize its carbon to make lipids that will be extracted and upgraded into bio-diesel. Following lipid extraction, the remaining solids will be analyzed to determine a useful purpose for them. Concomitantly, it will be determined whether the re-purposed spent solids are less toxic to the environment than the input manure. The broader/commercial impacts of this research will be in licensing the technology and supplying the microbe for on-farm manure-to-bio-diesel reactors. Farmers would benefit by using a waste they would normally need to dispose of to make bio-diesel for their farm machinery and vehicles, and by using or selling the spent solids for a use identified under the proposed effort. Ultimately, finding a way to reduce manure runoff and off-gassing will result in cleaner water supplies and less polluted air." Cell Mimic Microarrays for the Multivalent Pathogen Profiling and Characterization,2R44AI077161-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,746986.00,MICROSURFACES INC,3913 Todd Lane,SUITE 102,Austin,TX,78744-,Yes,Yes,No,Athena Guo,,512-916-0802,firstname.lastname@example.com,Athena Guo,,512-916-0802,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research project aims to develop fluidic glycan microarrays for the quantitative profiling and characterization of pathogens, and for the screening of pathogen inhibitors and the development of vaccines. The approach targets a common mechanism at the initial stage of pathogen attack: the recognition of and attachment onto host cells via multivalent interaction between receptor proteins and glycan molecules. The tremendous variation in glycans and the complexity inmultivalent interaction have necessitated the use of large-scale profiling and analysis techniques, particularly glycan microarrays. The proposed fluidic approach overcomes two major limitations of current glycan microarray technology: the lack of mobilityand the difficulty in quantitatively controlling glycan density. Multivalent cell surface interactions often require mobility of the fluidic cell membrane environment and are strong functions of surface glycan density. In order to quantitatively apply theglycan microarray in profiling and characterization, one must ensure mobility and control of glycan density over a broad range. The specific aims during phase-II are: Aim 1: using haemagglutinin, a predominant antigen on influenza viruses, and the dendritic cell receptor DC-SIGN, a binding receptor for mannose moieties on HIV-1 virus, as model systems and establish the roles of secondary interactions in binding affinity, avidity, and specificity. These experiments will establish the general applicability of the fluidic microarrays in profiling and characterizing complex pathogen-cell surface interactions; Aim 2: using several strains of E. coli with varying affinity and selectivity towards mannose as model systems and establishing that the fluidic and density gradient glycan microarray can be used to quantitatively profile the variability in binding affinity and multivalency among strains of the same species. Quantifying such variability is essential to the understanding and surveillance of how random mutations can lead to new pathogen threats, as exemplified by the recent outbreaks of avian flu and swine flu; Aim 3: To establish chemical procedures for the optimization of the fluidic glycan microarray, including spatial confinement of the supported lipid bilayer spots, efficient blocking of surfaces outside the spotted areas, recoverability in drying and rehydration of the microarrays, and long term stability of content glycan microarrays. These practical issues must be addressed in developing the fluidic glycan microarray as a viable product. The long-term goal of this RandD plan is to develop an effective high-throughput tool in the combat against pathogen threats. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research project aims to develop cell-membrane mimickingmicroarrays of sugar molecules for the profiling and characterization of pathogens, and for the screening of vaccines and inhibitors against pathogens. )" A new technology for functional solubilization of kinases,2R44GM083486-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,904883.00,Molecular Kinetics Inc,6201 La Pas Trail,Suite 160,Indianapolis,IN,46268-4869,Yes,Yes,No,Ya Y. J,,317-280-8737,firstname.lastname@example.com,Carrie H. Croy,,317-280-8737,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Protein kinases are essential enzymes that function primarily as components of signaling pathways, regulating cellular responses such as division, growth, differentiation, and death. Abnormalities in these signaling pathways can lead to wide- ranging and devastating pathological conditions. For these reasons, protein kinases are important targets for drug development as evidenced by the ~20 kinase inhibitor therapeutics that have been FDA approved or are in late-stage development. Unfortunately, functional analyses of protein kinases are often complicated by poor solubility. Although several approaches have been developed for improving recombinant protein solubility, many kinases remain recalcitrant to these solubilization techniques. Therefore, there is a need for novel kinase-specific solutions for the improvement of solubility. This project is for the development of a novel solubilization approach based on the translational-fusion of protein kinases to highly flexible,non-aggregating polypeptide chains, known as entropic bristles (EBs). The bristles are unique synthetic sequences that have been optimized to improve protein kinase solubility. The Phase I extension period of this project successfully demonstrated that a prototype AquoKin expression vector facilitated the soluble expression of eight out of eight protein kinases. Moreover, the EBs did not adversely affect the catalytic activity of the kinase toward a substrate. During Phase II of this project, we will develop, optimize, and validate commercial products and applications that are based on the EB-based kinase solubility-enhancing vectors, brand named AquoKin . The potential benefit of this project to the scientific research community and society as a whole is substantial. Kinases are not only vital to maintenance of normal cellular function, but are also pervasively involved with human pathologies and disease. The AquoKin line of products will make more protein kinases accessible for research applications and do so in the most cost-effective expression system. From a human health standpoint, this project has the potential to facilitate drug discovery efforts that target protein kinases. Moreover, the anticipated AquoKin products will aid basic research effortson protein kinases from multiple organisms by lowering research costs. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Protein kinases are important enzymes that regulate cell signaling. Dysregulateion of kinases is often causal for a myriad of pathological conditions andare important drug targets. The purpose of this project is to develop a set of vectors that facilitate the soluble expression of active kinases recalcitrant to other solubilization technologies thereby aiding kinase research efforts." "SBIR Phase II: Low Cost, High Bandwidth RF Switch",1127563,NSF,NSF,STTR,2011,2,500000.00,"Nano Liquid Devices, Inc",401 Kato Terrace,,Fremont,CA,94539-0000,No,Yes,No,Youngsoh Park,DPhil,(650) 714-8721,firstname.lastname@example.com,Youngsoh Park,,(650) 714-8721,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase-II project is aimed at developing Micro Metal Sphere (MMS) fabrication technology for Radio-Frequency (RF) Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) switch. The target applications are high-bandwidth RF switches and digitally-tunable RF modules that can be used in wireless communication systems including cell phone. The MMS technology is distinguished from conventional cantilever or bridge type MEMS switches in that it does not have suspended element and no restoring force is involved in the switch actuation. In conventional MEMS switches, the restoring force is often not able to overcome interfacial forces over time and causes the infamous stiction that leads to permanent failure. Since the MMS switch is designed to switch with free body, it does not suffer from mechanical wear and possibly free from stiction. In addition, the MMS technology can provide an extremely cost effective packaging solution replacing commonly used labor intensive and costly wafer level packaging technology. Since the MMS technology is integration-friendly with conventional silicon CMOS technology, it can be placed on top of any CMOS IC. Therefore, anticipated benefit with the MMS technology extends to size reduction. Also the MMS technology is expected to lower the activation voltage below 10V. Nano Liquid Devices (NLD) is the first U.S. company invented and developed RF-MMS process and cost effective packaging technologies that will enable mobile phone makers to design smaller, lower-cost smart phones, entry-level handsets and other mobile devices, which will accelerate the convergence of cell phones and computing for the next wave of mobile innovations. NLD's technology will enable lower-cost smart phones, which will complement and replace notebook PCs among mobile business people and students who access data and communications anywhere for work, study, social networking, and entertainment. About 1.5 billion cell phones will be produced in 2011, of which 67% will be multiband handsets, so the global impact will be enormous. NLD's RF-MMS technology will enable faster, better cell phone communications integrating voice, text and video for the average user worldwide." Microscopic Traffic Flow Simulation Models - An Open Source Approach,DTRT57-11-C-10037,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,2,996349.00,New Global Systems for Intelligent Transportation Management,676 Water Oak Lane,,Starksville,MS,39759,No,Yes,Yes,Li Zhang,President,(571) 643-4945,firstname.lastname@example.com,Li Zhang,President,(571) 643-4084,email@example.com,"PHASE II TECHNICAL OBJECTIVE The major objective of this Phase II proposal is to establish open source traffic simulation model and software, and to develop application programming interfaces to accommodate future traffic research needs. Objectives will be accomplished by building and demonstrating FOMM, an open source traffic simulation model and software. Furthermore, to accommodate future research, new component-based Application Programming Interfaces based on the Phase I architecture are expected to be built, verified, and validated. Phase II tasks will also address areas identified by the DOT SBIR 081-FH5 solicitation or recommended by Phase I final report. PHASE II WORK PLAN Five major tasks with one major optional task are proposed to accomplish Phase II objectives. The system architecture developed in Phase I has built a solid foundation to systematically tackle the objectives in Phase II. Phase II will develop the open source prototype and a long-term maintenance plan. During the development, the research team will address the areas identified in the solicitation and Phase I final report." Disease Modifying Biologics for Rheumatoid Arthritis,4R44AG039118-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,1916919.00,"NOVELMED THERAPEUTICS, INC.","11000 Cedar Avenue, 135",,CLEVELAND,OH,44106-0000,Yes,Yes,Yes,Rekha Bansal,,440-477-9874,email@example.com,Rekha Bansal,,440-477-9874,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nearly 70 million people in the US suffer from arthritis related conditions[1, 2]. Of these, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cases constitute approximately 3 million. RA is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that primarily results in erosive destruction of articular joints with additional variable extra-articular effects. The growing elderly population coupled with the prevalence of RA in the elderly age group (up to a third of cases) highlights the critical need to develop effective treatment options to reduce the health care burden of the US in the coming couple of decades. NovelMed has developed a potent anti-arthritic pharmaceutical agent YalcioMab that specifically blocks the activation of the alternative complement pathway. This compound prevents TNF-1 (tumor necrosis factor 1) production by monocytes; effectively inhibits inflammation and joint destruction in an animal model of RA; and exhibits a good safety profile in initial studies. This Fast Track application proposes to further develop YalcioMab as a potent anti-arthritic agent through 1) evaluation of its efficacy in prophylactic and therapeutic models of rabbit models of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA); 2) characterization and in vivo testing of its chimeric version c-YalcioMab; and 3) production, characterization, in vivo and toxicological evaluation of its humanized version h-YalcioMab. NovelMed expects that following this important research, h-YalcioMab will be ready as a product for pre-clinical IND (investigational new drug) work. Based on the preliminary results obtained so far, NovelMed projects that h-YalcioMab treatment will be more specific than current drugs, infliximab (RemicadeTM) and Enbrel, which also target basal levels of TNF-1 in the humanbody. NovelMed has filed patent applications protecting YalcioMab and its analogs and has exclusive rights on the new biologic. NovelMed is supported by funds from the NIH and a couple of investors, and is a fully equipped drug discovery company focusingon biological agents. Overall, the proposed work is in the direction of a cost-effective, efficacious and safe therapeutic agent for preventing joint destruction in RA patients through regulation of a specific complement- mediated inflammatory response.PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects nearly 3 million individuals in the US, yet no effective and safe treatment is available. Current therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which primarily target inflammation, are not effective in all patients. NovelMed has developed a potent anti-arthritic pharmaceutical agent that shows excellent results in limited animal model studies. NovelMed's therapeutic agent prevents activation of neutrophils, monocytes and platelets, which together drive inflammation and joint destruction associated with RA. This application proposes to develop the pharmaceutical agent through in vitro and in vivo studies so as to file an IND application with the FDA in the near future." Controlling Inflammation Due to Cardiac Devices,4R44HL099015-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,1352967.00,"NOVELMED THERAPEUTICS, INC.","11000 Cedar Avenue, 135",,CLEVELAND,OH,44106-0000,Yes,Yes,Yes,Rekha Bansal,,216-707-1776,firstname.lastname@example.com,Rekha Bansal,,440-477-9874,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): NovelMed's lead drug candidate prevents biomaterials induced cellular activation. Activated cells release inflammatory mediators that are responsible for pathological trauma that leads to cardiac, lung, liver, and braininjuries during surgical procedures that require cardiac devices. Our findings provide convincing support for developing YalcixiMab as a treatment to prevent biomaterial-induced inflammation that occurs during surgical procedures. CPB circuits are used during various procedures for heart transplant, and valve replacements. Treatment of blood with YalcioMab prior to the extracorporeal circulation prevents complement activation, neutrophil activation, monocyte activation, platelet activation and the formation of leukocyte-platelet aggregates. The drug also prevents the release of potent inflammatory mediators such as TNF-1. . PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: NovelMed is developing treatments that will reduce/prevent complications that arise when blood is exposed to biomaterial surfaces of the cardiac devices. Cardiopulmonary bypass circuits are utilized in several cardiac surgeries as a heart-lung machine while surgeons perform procedures on the empty heart. The ultimate objective of this proposal is the development of technologies that will improve the manufacturing of engineered human tissues" Inhibition of Cardiac Device Induced Cellular Dysfunction in Pigs,4R44HL102890-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,1194729.00,"NOVELMED THERAPEUTICS, INC.","11000 Cedar Avenue, 135",,CLEVELAND,OH,44106-0000,Yes,Yes,Yes,Rekha Bansal,,440-477-9874,firstname.lastname@example.com,Rekha Bansal,,440-477-9874,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Artificial surfaces of cardiac devices induce cellular activation and platelet dysfunction in patients undergoing bypass procedure. While other pathways may be activated during this process, alternative pathway (AP) activation appears to be one of the important mechanisms for cellular activation and platelet dysfunction in the whole blood model of biomaterial surface-induced activation. Our hypothesis is based on the ex vivo whole blood circulation model demonstrating near complete inhibition of cellular activation, platelet dysfunction, and release of inflammatory mediators by a target-specific mAb. We would like to extend these novel findings utilizing a pig model of cardiopulmonary bypass with an induced occlusion of the descending coronary artery to mimic the clinical setting. During and following circulation through the CPB, high circulating levels of anaphylatoxins, C3a and C5a, and activated neutrophils, monocytes, and platelets are expected. As a result, activatedneutrophils and monocytes release inflammatory mediators that cause organ damage and activated platelets become dysfunctional. These events can cause thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, and severe bleeding complications. NovelMed intends to test a target-specific and highly selective monoclonal antibody that blocks AP activation, cellular activation, platelet dysfunction, and blood loss in a pig model of cardiopulmonary bypass. Collective effects of these inflammatory events on multiple organ failure will be evaluated in this proposal using the proposed pig cardiopulmonary bypass model. Proof of concept in a well-accepted pig model of occlusion with CPB is a critical step for furthering the development of NovelMed's lead biologic and moving it towards clinical use. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Billions of dollars are spent annually to prevent systemic inflammatory response in cardiac patients undergoing cardiac procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass to correct partial or complete occlusion of the coronary artery. Cardiac failure can occur if the coronary descending artery is completely occluded. There is currently no approved prophylactic therapeutic for CPB-associated inflammatory responses. When the blood flow in the occluded, ischemia reperfusion injury can exacerbate the response. There is no approved therapeutic for IRI or for CPB associated inflammatory response. NovelMed intends to develop YalcioMab as a treatment to prevent complications that occur as a result of AP activation in the pig model of ischemiawith cardiopulmonary bypass." Flexible Particle Filter Navigation System for Analysis and Operations,NNX11CE09P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99977.00,Odyssey Space Research,"1120 NASA Parkway, Suite 505",,Houston,TX,77058-3320,Yes,Yes,No,Jana Rebmann,Business Official,2814887953,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Blair Thompson, PhD",Principal Investigator,2814887953,email@example.com,"Odyssey Space Research proposes to develop a modular navigation software package to provide precise state information for offline analysis and real-time applications. This navigation package will use particle filter methodology to process discrete observation data and maintain an accurate state. This navigation system will leverage several NASA products to rapidly prototype and demonstrate the feasibility of this software during Phase I, including the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) and Trick, taking it from TRL 2 past TRL 3. Phase II will deliver an expanded modular software product integrated into several other software packages demonstrating different estimation capabilities (TRL 5-6). This system will function as a standalone estimation package that can be easily integrated into other software packages, or as the basis for embedded flight software algorithms.This navigation package will be designed to meet the position, velocity, and time estimation requirements for space missions. It will contain an expanded state vector used to estimate non-Gaussian forcing functions perturbing the vehicle's dynamics. This navigator will integrate the measurements from diverse sensors running at different rates. And it will demonstrate accurate estimation of uncertain dynamics parameters that are affecting the vehicle's state such as the gravitation field of small bodies." An Integrated BioGas-Solar Dehydration System: Increasing Sustainability through Value-Added Agriculture,2011-02280,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,2,460000.00,OMNIGREEN RENEWABLES,84-311 MAKAU ST,,Waianae,HI,96792-1830,No,Yes,Yes,William K. Akiona II,Principal,(808) 545-1191,email@example.com,William K. Akiona II,Project Director,(808) 545-1191,email@example.com,"Mandates for biofuels have resulted in the significant increase of biodiesel production in rural communities. Hawaii's Jatropha biodiesel production will produce nearly 650-700 kg of residues, consisting of Jatropha seedcake and fruit hulls for every metric ton of seeds harvested for oil production. In addition, the biodiesel conversion process will produce another 30-50 kg of crude glycerin, as a co-product for every metric ton of oilseed processed. In Hawaii, nearly 270 million gallons of petroleum diesel is consumed annually. As the local production of just one million gallons of Jatropha biodiesel will result in more than 20 metric tons of processed residuals each day. This substantial production of biofuels leaves a tremendous amount of low-value residues needing to be properly disposed of, on an island setting that is environmentally fragile. Thus, the onsite anaerobic digestion (AD) of these organic residues, into a methane gas, will not only generate energy - through the use of a combined heat and power (CHP) micro turbine - but will also resolve the issues of wastes disposal. The system will supply enough power and heat to efficiently operate a biodiesel production facility, as well as an adjacent solar dehydration plant, with all of its surplus power, sold to the utility grid. This integrated biogas-solar dehydration system is a natural progression, as Hawaii lays abundant in solar radiation, throughout the year. The project will build a scalable pilot system producing up to 50kW of electricity. Thermal recovery is integrated through the CHP for drying food and co-products. Design benefits will facilitate rural replication, to where the AD system will utilize a broad range of locally-available low-value residues and waste materials that relies on a simple technology, which can be developed and supported locally, while being designed to minimize operational costs. The plan is to set-up and utilizes an integrated biogas facility that will fully utilize and appropriately capitalize on all the synergies provided by a biogas plant. The system biologically converts organic waste and residues into energy-rich biogas that also provides nutrient-rich digested solids that is utilized as an organic fertilizer. Thus, local food production, processing and preservation are realized benefits from this biogas facility's electrical and thermal generation. Hence, food and energy security can now be achieved for our geographically isolated rural communities. Therefore, commercialization plans will focus on the main Hawaiian Islands, first. And thereafter, pursue the market potential that exists throughout the American Pacific Protectorates of Micronesia and American Samoa. Wherever imports of nutrients, food and energy have outpaced rural production, there is a similar biogas development opportunity that exists. While incentives are substantial for renewable energy projects and realizing the financial benefits of tax credits, environmental credits and loan programs can be complex. Hawaii's generous feed-in-tariff will ultimately provide the needed financial support for smaller projects that cannot benefit from the economies of scale principal." SBIR Phase I: A Multi-Axis Repair System (MARS),1046492,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Product Innovation and Engineering, L.L.C.",11513 Pine Forest Dr.,,Rolla,MO,65401-0000,Yes,Yes,No,Jianzhong Ruan,PhD,5735786799,email@example.com,Jianzhong Ruan,,5735786799,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a Multi-Axis Repair System (MARS), which is an automated precision alignment and repair planner and driver. MARS will make repair processes much more cost-effective and robust. Insufficient automation in current repair processes is the biggest hurdle in achieving cost-effective repairs with consistency. Due to the complexity of part damage, manual operations are widely performed, which introduces inconsistencies in repair quality. This project will demonstrate the feasibility to develop an efficient and robust planning and control system for precision alignment and repair of a damaged part. A unique centroid-axis alignment algorithm can automate the critical alignment procedure in the repeated repair practice. Adaptive contour printing can precisely and efficiently select deposition parameters and predict deposition height thus will be adaptable to local contour for effective repair. The successful implementation of MARS will result in an automatic and robust repair technology -- the most critical requirement in parts repair. The commercial potential of this project is a dramatic improvement in cost-effectiveness, repair consistency, and energy footprint. MARS enables batch repair technology, lowers the technology threshold for personnel education and provides a quick response to a repair request. Therefore many repair businesses can be established to serve the local market by delivering consistent repaired parts. As a result, in addition to repairing high value components, medium value parts, such as machine tools or small damaged parts, will be applicable. The repair technology will be an environmentally friendly process by dramatically reducing the usage of raw material, energy input and industrial waste to produce new parts. MARS is a green repair process designed to meet the current sustainable manufacturing challenge, giving it great commercial potential." E-band Radiation Hardened Low Noise Amplifier,FA8750-11-C-0145,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,98524.00,PRINCETON MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGY INC,5 NAMI LANE,,MERCERVILLE,NJ,08619-,Yes,Yes,Yes,Amarjit K. Bharj,President,(609) 586-8140,firstname.lastname@example.com,Daniel Bechtel,Senior Member of Technical Staff,(609) 586-8140,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ABSTRACT: In October of 2003 the FCC opened the 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz, and 92-95 GHz for commercial use. Since these bands are also available for satellite applications there is a need for space-qualifiable front-end E-band components developed in parallel with robust components for terrestrial use. Phase I effort focuses on developing an E-band low-noise amplifier (LNA) design, using 0.15um technology and then validating the design with modeling and simulation. This effort will make non-traditional bands such as 81-86 GHz available for military applications. The LNA design has specific goals in low noise-figure, small-signal gain, wide operating temperature range, and radiation-hardness. In Phase I we will be identifying the most favorable device technologies and foundries in terms of both the focused Phase I radiation-hardened LNA objectives. We consider the most favorable device technology to be AlGaN/GaN fabricated on SiC and the most favorable foundry to be HRL. This viewpoint is based on system considerations: GaN has at least an order-of-magnitude better self-protection capability than GaAs or InP, it has the potential for higher-power transceiver MMICs, and it has a higher radiation tolerance than competing technologies. However, InP has a lower noise and higher gain and has sufficient radiation hardness. Uncertainties include the time that will be needed to bring GaN""s current high costs down relatively to other technologies. BENEFIT: This effort will align with the overall Air Force effort to make bands such as 81-86 GHz available for military applications." SBIR Phase I: Developing an Adaptive Compact Fuel Reformer with an Ultra-Fine Homogenous Atomizer,1113660,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,QuantLogic Corporation,5111 Avondale Drive,,Sugar Land,TX,77479-3809,No,Yes,No,Deyang Hou,,2819807288,email@example.com,Deyang Hou,,2819807288,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will investigate the merits and feasibility of an Adaptive Compact Fuel Reformer (ACFR) using an Ultra-Fine Homogeneous Atomizer based on an autothermal process. Diesel reformer is the key to provide syngas (H2+CO) for fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU) which can significantly reduce engine idling fuel cost. Hydrogen rich syngas with EGR is effective for simultaneously reducing engine NOx and PM emissions. However, most diesel reformers face challenges of auto-ignition control, coking and fuel slip, size and weight reduction, and durability issues, etc. The key innovation of the adaptive compact fuel reformer is an ultra-fine atomizer, which has an innovative micro-circular orifice coupling ultra-thin layer of fuel spray, steam and air flow simultaneously. The atomizer can produce very small fuel droplets (~10 micron) and homogenous mixture, which can be quickly vaporized and converted into syngas in a small space without auto-ignition, coking and slip. The Phase I work will complete the key design work for the fuel reformer and conduct lab bench scale testing for key components. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are significant potential benefits for US energy security and environment protection. The potential customers include engine OEMs and auto makers. The industry-university collaborated research will help graduate students carry on fundamental research while providing deeper understanding of diesel fuel reformation for commercial applications." Remote UV Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer,NNX11CB91C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,599879.00,"Redondo Optics, Inc.","811 N. Catalina Avenue, Suite 1100",,Redondo Beach,CA,90277-2198,No,Yes,No,Edgar A. Mendoza,Chief Executive Officer/Presid,3102927673,email@example.com,Edgar Mendoza,Principal Investigator,3103107673,email@example.com,"The goal of this project is to develop, demonstrate, and deliver to NASA an innovative, portable, and power efficient Remote UV Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer (RUVPhaseTM) for the in-situ robotic or manned crew planetary scientific exploration and investigation of surface and subsurface geophysical terrain. The RUVPhaseTM system is based on the integration of ROI's leading technologies: 1) frequency domain fluorescence lifetime-resolved imaging spectroscopy using time gated ""phase-locked"" detection, 2) steady-state fluorescence miniature spectrometer, and 3) remote fiber optic laser induced UV fluorescence detection. The RUVPhaseTM technology addresses the problem of developing a compact, energy efficient, fast detection, and highly sensitive UV Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer to remotely detect and measure fluorescence signals from geophysical lunar materials such as minerals and organic species that exhibit characteristic fluorescence signatures in the UV-Visible spectrum with relatively low fluorescence quantum efficiencies. The innovativeness of the miniature RUVPhaseTM system will support a large variety of NASA terrestrial and space scientific discovery applications for chemical and biological materials identification and characterization as well as in the commercial market for medical and biological applications, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, environmental science, and defense and homeland security applications." Next Generation Integrated Electrophoretic Nanofluidic Biochip Sensor Platform for the THz Spectroscopic Finger Printing of Biological Species and Age,W911NF-11-C-0080,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749480.00,"Redondo Optics, Inc.","811 N. Catalina Avenue, Suite 1100",,Redondo Beach,CA,90277-2198,No,Yes,No,Edgar Mendoza,Chief Executive Officer/P,(310) 292-7673,firstname.lastname@example.com,Edgar Mendoza,Chief Executive Officer/P,(310) 292-7673,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Redondo Optics Inc. (ROI), proposes to develop and demonstrate a next generation integrated electrophoretic nanofluidic biochip (INTRay-Nanochip) sensor platform for the""label-less""THz spectroscopy finger printing of biological species and agents. In the proposed Phase II of this program, ROI will focus on the engineering development of a manufacturable optical nanolithography technology to enable the cost affordable production of disposable fully integrated electrophoretic nanofluidic biochip arrays, and to use the develop nanofluidic biochips for the extensive THz testing and assessment of the INTRay-Nanochip effectiveness for the THz fingerprinting detection, identification, and classification of biological materials and/or bio-agent targets. Nanotechnology is emerging as the critical field for the next generation evolution of analytical biochip technology that will provide significant breakthroughs for affecting biomedicine. At the completion of the Phase II program, ROI will have develop a manufacturable cost affordable nanolithography production of disposable INTRay-Nanochip arrays for the accurate label-less THz spectroscopy detection and identification of biological species such as DNA, RNA, proteins, and enzymes to enable the detection and identification of biological species. The range of commercial applications for the INTRay-Nanochip technology is very broad covering fields as different as pharmaceutical development, food testing, clinical diagnostics, forensics, environmental analysis, and biodefense." Gaseous Helium Reclamation at Rocket Test Systems,NNX11CC75C,NASA,NASA,STTR,2011,2,674938.00,"Sierra Lobo, Inc.",OH,,Fremont,OH,43420-7400,No,Yes,No,Mark Haberbusch,Business Official,4194199653,email@example.com,Mark Haberbusch,Principal Investigator,4194999653,email@example.com,"GHe reclamation is critical in reducing operating costs at rocket engine test facilities. Increases in cost and shortages of helium will dramatically impact testing of rocket engines for launch vehicles and space propulsion systems as the global supply of this non-renewable element diminishes. Extremely large quantities of helium are being used during rocket engine testing each year at various test facilities. It is critical for program successes to minimize developmental and testing costs by reclaiming helium utilized in those programs and, equally important, to preserve this rare element for future generations. Phase I innovative solution efforts have proven the effectiveness of utilizing hydrogen (H2) Proton Exchange Membrane Electrochemical Cell (PEMEC) technology to purify an inert gas stream of helium (He) consisting of hydrogen contaminants in a cost-effective manner. This method allows in-situ, on-site helium re-utilization, returning the helium to cleanliness standards required for rocket engine test facility use. Phase I identified the challenges for dilute hydrogen operation of the PEMEC and provided viable solutions for improved efficiency, which allows the PEMEC's to provide high purity, 99.995% helium. Phase I also identified a possible configuration in which the exit stream of H2 can be added to a fuel cell operating in the galvanic mode to provide power back to the GHe reclamation system. Although Phase II efforts will not utilize that configuration, Phase I verified its feasibility and future system growth potential. Phase II efforts will build upon all the results of Phase I to deliver a fully functional prototype system for further evaluation in an operational environment. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at the end of Phase I was five (5), while phase II will progress that level to six (6): System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment." A CubeSat-Scale Testbed for Cryogenic Fluid Management Technologies,NNX11CG40P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,94480.00,"Sierra Lobo, Inc.",OH,,Fremont,OH,43420-7400,No,Yes,No,Mark Haberbusch,Business Official,4194999653,firstname.lastname@example.com,Mark Haberbusch,Principal Investigator,4194999653,email@example.com,"NASA has identified in-space cryogenic fluid management (CFM) as a high priority for technology development because the construction of an in-space propellant infrastructure is anticipated to dramatically decrease costs across a broad spectrum of missions. This importance is reflected in the designation of CFM as a Flagship Technology Demonstration Mission (FTD-2) as well as a mission at the level of Crosscutting Technologies (CRYOTE). Sierra Lobo proposes to develop a CFM testbed at the scale of an Edison Demonstration Mission (CryoCube) that would serve as a platform for a series of flight tests of many major CFM technologies. The missions will be designed to be conducted as stand-alone satellites, without reliance on propellant transfer from an upper stage, in order to provide the greatest possible flexibility for launch vehicle selection. Follow-up missions using dedicated small satellite launch vehicles could take advantage of the technology demonstrated during this SBIR program, and could be performed as funding becomes available instead of depending on the allocation in a large block." High-G Magnetic Capture System,W911QX-11-C-0065,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,729962.00,"Sierra Lobo, Inc.",OH,,Fremont,OH,43420-7400,No,Yes,No,George Satornino,President and CEO,(419) 499-9653,email@example.com,Philip Putman,Senior Research Scientis,(419) 499-9653,firstname.lastname@example.com,"High-g testing through controlled deceleration has proven to be a key to the successful development of electronics that must survive gun launch. The need for this type of testing is expected to continue as the Army is driven to greater precision to reduce collateral damage, with several programs pursuing advanced Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) and improved fuzing technology. The objective of this project is to develop Sierra Lobo""s magnetic capture technology to produce controlled deceleration events that meet the needs of the PGM test programs. Magnetic capture has the advantages of simplicity, low maintenance costs, high repetition rates, and predictable performance. This technology can improve the fidelity of testing and expand its applicability by enabling a deceleration profile to be conveniently programmed. In Phase I, modeling was used to verify applicability of the technology to the Army Research Laboratory""s (ARL""s) requirements, and a setup for developmental testing was designed and fabricated. During Phase II a magnetic capture system will be delivered to ARL. Extensive testing of the system before delivery will generate refined operating procedures that minimize both operating costs and the time that personnel must spend preparing for high-g simulations." High Performance Signal Processing Tools with Fluctuation-Enhanced Sensing,SB1341-11-SE-0884,DOC,NIST,SBIR,2011,1,90000.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,,,,,Chiman Kwan,,(301) 294-5238,firstname.lastname@example.com,"We propose a high performance library of signal processing tools that incorporate a newly developed technique known as fluctuation enhanced sensing (FES) to enhance the novel microsensor developed at NIST. Our goal is to improve the performance of the NIST sensor from two angles. One is to apply our existing proven algorithms to the NIST data. The other one is to incorporate advanced FES concept to the tools. Besides the mean (steady state) sensor values collected at various temperatures, the key concept of FES is to use a low noise amplifier to enlarge the small stochastic fluctuations in the sensor. Features such as mean-square fluctuations, skewness, kurtosis, power spectrum, zero-crossing patterns, bispectrum images of the fluctuations will be extracted. The fluctuation signals contain rich characteristics about how the chemical agents are interacting with the sensors. Recently we have demonstrated that FES can significantly improve the sensitivity and selectivity of sensors." Real-Time Smart Tools for Processing Spectroscopy Data,NNX11CI20P,NASA,NASA,STTR,2011,1,99999.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,Chiman Kwan,Business Official,3013152322,firstname.lastname@example.com,Chiman Kwan,Principal Investigator,3013152322,firstname.lastname@example.com,"We propose novel and real-time smart software tools to process spectroscopy data. Material abundance or compositional maps will be generated for rover guidance, sample selection, and other scientific missions. First, we propose a novel anomaly detector called clustered kernel Reed-Xiaoli (CKRX) algorithm. This tool was developed by us, is fast, and can achieve very high anomaly detection rate in hyperspectral images from the Air Force. This is important in planetary missions because we may need to look for some anomalous regions in a scene. Second, if target material signatures are available, then we propose a fast matched signature identification algorithm called Adaptive Subspace Detector (ASD). We compared ASD with several other tools and found that ASD outperformed other methods. Third, if target material signatures are not available, then we propose a new technique called minimum volume constrained non-negative matrix factorization (MVCNMF) to perform unsupervised material identification. In a recent comparative study by using hyperspectral images from the Air Force, the MVCNMF performed better than some conventional unsupervised methods. Fourth, the above tools can be implemented in a parallel processing architecture, in which the computations are distributed to multiple cores. We have applied it to speech processing and genomic processing recently. Real-time performance is achievable." A High Performance Approach to Improving Auscultation Capability in Noisy Environments,NNX11CD44P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99999.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,Chiman Kwan,Business Official,3013152322,email@example.com,Chiman Kwan,Principal Investigator,3013152322,email@example.com,"Some commercial auscultation devices pick up all sounds without filtering out the background noise. Although the electronic stethoscopes made by 3M and Thinklab have some simple built-in filters, those filters cannot differentiate important internal body sounds from interfering background noise. Other devices used Doppler effects, which cannot be easily interpreted by physicians. We propose a high performance approach to enhancing auscultation capability. The idea is to utilize a second microphone to pick up the background noise and then use the microphone signals to improve the quality of stethoscope signals. There are several key advantages of our approach. First, the second mic is attached to a recorder, which is independent of the stethoscope. That is, the current stethoscope can still be used without any modifications. Second, the background noise level in the stethoscope will be reduced significantly, as we will apply advanced and fast algorithms to eliminate the background noise. Two algorithms will be evaluated. One is based on adaptive filtering, which is a time-domain approach. The other one is based on spectral subtraction with multi-band scaling. These algorithms have been applied by our team to speech enhancement applications in very noisy environments such as battlefield and also astronaut's helmet." "A Novel, Flexible, and Comprehensive System for Mission Prioritized Lossless Data Compression",FA9550-11-C-0062,DOD,USAF,STTR,2011,1,100000.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,Chihwa Yung,Chief Operations Officer,(301) 315-2322,email@example.com,Chiman Kwan,Chief Technology Officer,(240) 505-2641,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ABSTRACT: The test and evaluation (T & E) mission in complex test facilities results in large amounts of data. Moreover, the data may have different characteristics, including images from particle image velocimetry data, air flow data, etc. Finally, some of the data may come from a network of similar sensors. We propose a novel, flexible, and comprehensive system for mission prioritized lossless data compression. First, we propose to apply our latest compressed sensing (CS) algorithm known as singular value decomposition-QR (SVD-QR) to jointly compress sensor data in a sensor network. We have successfully applied SVD-QR to actual radar sensor network data with 30 sensors from the Air Force and achieved a compression ratio of 192 without loss of information. Second, we propose a high performance CS algorithm that can efficiently compress sensor data that can be modeled as auto-regressive hidden Markov model (AR-HMM). Acoustic and radio frequency (RF) signals can be characterized by AR-HMM. Third, for isolated sensors such as particle image velocimetry and other pressure and force sensors, we propose to apply a new algorithm called CS-SVD (compressed sensing - singular value decomposition) to perform the compression. All of our algorithms have parameters that allow users to choose for different mission priorities. BENEFIT: The proposed technology will be useful for large data compression in test facilities such as military bases and NASA. Other applications include data compression for sensor networks, image compression for surveillance and reconnaissance operations, and also compression for commercial camcorder and digital cameras. We envision the market for the system developed will be 50 million dollars over the next decade." A Novel and Fast Approach for Scalable Matrix Completion,N00014-10-M-0479,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99998.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,Chihwa Yung,Chief Operations Officer,(301) 315-2322,firstname.lastname@example.com,Chiman Kwan,Chief Technology Officer,(240) 505-2641,email@example.com,"Matrix completion has many applications such as link recovery, data mining, image reconstruction, etc. We propose a novel algorithm to solve the above mentioned matrix completion problem. In particular, we have derived a novel framework to approximate the rank by another function. This novel framework not only leads to state of the art results in reconstructing missing entries in data matrices, it also can be generalized to find missing values in tensor data which is considered to be significantly harder than the matrix case due to the complexity in its structure and which are unable to solve by previous approaches. Moreover, our new framework can easily deal with noisy measurements. We have proven two theorems to provide theoretical guarantees for convergence of solutions. Finally, we also have efficient implementation of our framework. Preliminary comparative studies with several recent algorithms in matrix completion have demonstrated that our algorithm achieves comparable approximation performance of the best algorithm in the literature and yet only requires 1% of the computations. The matrix dimension was several thousands. This means our algorithm is suitable for real-time matrix and tensor completion of large scale applications." Intelligent Decision Agent (IDA) for Automated Mission Planning,N68335-11-C-0313,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,Chihwa Yung,Chief Operations Officer,(301) 315-2322,email@example.com,Chiman Kwan,Chief Technology Officer,(240) 505-2641,email@example.com,"Advanced Mission Management (AMM) requires Automated Mission Planning (AMP) capability that, in turn, dictates the need to have tools for intelligent fusion of multi-source data for situational awareness, human-like reasoning for optimal mission plans (course-of-action (COA)) determination, and optimal plan adjustment when situation changes are detected and threats are recognized. We propose to develop a versatile software toolset for AMP based on new classes of Intelligent Agents that can learn, adapt, reason and make appropriate decisions from the input data and the assigned task, under the current situation-context and resource constraints. Basically, the agent architecture follows the human Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA) intelligence decision loop that can be mapped into the well-known Beliefs-Desires-Intentions (BDI) agent architecture. Furthermore, the reasoning capability of our intelligent agents will exploit the peculiar characteristics of causal graphs (e.g., Fuzzy Cognitive Map - FCM), Case-Based Reasoning (CBR), and Behavior-Based Control System (BBCS) concept to efficiently assist decision-makers (DM) in AMP tasks. Changes in the operational environment and resources availability will be monitored through real-time situational awareness and Mission Plan adjustment, if required, will be automatically generated. The optimal mission task assignment will be performed by auction-based algorithms." A Novel and High Performance Noise Cancellation Device for Battlefield Applications,N68335-11-C-0326,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,2,749999.00,SIGNAL PROCESSING INC,13619 VALLEY OAK CIR,,ROCKVILLE,MD,20850-3572,Yes,Yes,No,Chihwa Yung,Chief Operations Officer,(301) 315-2322,firstname.lastname@example.com,Chiman Kwan,Chief Technology Officer,(240) 505-2641,firstname.lastname@example.com,"We propose a novel, high performance, and standalone system for improving close air support (CAS) effectiveness. We have several important elements. First, we propose a standalone noise cancellation device (NCD) that can be inserted between the handset and the transceiver. That is, the handset output is connected to the NCD and the NCD output is connected to the transceiver. As a result, there is no change to the existing communication system. The NCD is self-powered from its own battery and equipped with one or two microphones and a digital signal processing (DSP) chip to process the signals from the handset mic and the mics in the NCD. Second, we have extensively evaluated numerous algorithms in Phase 1 for battlefield noise suppression. The best algorithms will be implemented in DSP in Phase 2. A hardware prototype with small size and low weight (" SBIR Phase II: Innovative Recycled Microballoon Thermoplastic Sandwich Composites,1058155,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,2,425627.00,SIOUX MANUFACTURING CORPORATION,MAIN ST&HWY 57,,FORT TOTTEN,ND,58335-0400,No,Yes,Yes,Dana T. Grow,BME,7017664211,email@example.com,Dana T. Grow,,7017664211,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop the next generation of lightweight materials by utilizing recycled thermoplastic composites to achieve energy efficiency and impact protection for transportation and residential and commercial building applications. Previous work showed that combining fiberglass and thermoplastic face sheets and syntactic foam produced composite panels with greater impact resistance than plywood with aluminum facing. This work will expand the materials and processing envelope to produce a series of composite panels fabricated from recycled glass-reinforced/thermoplastic face sheets and a syntactic foam core consisting of glass or ceramic microspheres and regrind or virgin polymer. The use of hollow microspheres allows the achievement of both low weight and high impact strength while using low-cost extrusion-compression processing techniques. This configuration can be readily tailored to produce panel applications as varied as truck trailer bodies or for protection against flying debris caused by hurricane-force winds. The broader impacts of this research are the increased use of recycled materials to decrease the weight of commercial transport vehicles, resulting in increased fuel economy and decreased degradation of roadways and bridges. Also, improved systems for impact protection during hurricanes will result in less damage to commercial and residential structures and the loss of fewer lives. The technology of combining hollow ceramic microspheres from the ash of power plants with re-ground polymer waste will produce a material with unique properties that can be applied to a variety of commercial applications." WASH DOTS Invasive Plant Protection Wash Units,DTRT57-11-C-10006,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,2,639423.00,S-K Environmental,219 Rodeo Trail Road,,Okanogan,WA,98840-,Yes,Yes,Yes,,,,,Sheilah Kennedy,Owner/Operator,(509) 322-6909,,"Design and field test system, at interested DOT sites, research commercialization market, seek pre-orders from State, Federal, Tribal and local Government entities for full production phase." FARM-SIZED LOW WINDSPEED TURBINE,2011-02274,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,2,460000.00,SONSIGHT INC,17609 CLINTON DR,,Accokeek,MD,20607-3406,No,Yes,No,Devon R. McIntosh,CEO,(301) 283-6250,email@example.com,Devon R. McIntosh,CEO,(301) 283-6250,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Well over 50 % of US land area constitutes low wind-speed sites, yet wind turbines are either not effective or only marginally effective in such low winds. To extract significantly more energy from such DOE Class 1 or Class 2 winds requires substantially increasing turbine blade rotor diameter (wind power is proportional to the square of the blade diameter). However, due to limitations on turbine blade tip speed, this cannot be done without significantly decreasing blade rotor rpm (blade tip speed is directly proportional to rotor rpm), which in turn, due to limitations on generator output at low rpm, would normally require considerably more massive and costly wind turbines. What is being proposed is a novel low rpm, low mass, and low cost 12 kW permanent magnet wind turbine generator that will be built, bench tested, and then field tested within a commercially available 10 kW horizontal axis wind turbine. Numerical simulations show that, with the greatly extended area rotor facilitated by the low rpm generator, we get: 1. Effective turbine operation in Class 1 and Class 2 low wind speed sites where other wind turbines are impractical, 2. Substantially shorter payback periods (due to lower price and greater power in low winds), 3. Quieter turbines as result of the lower rpm (turbine noise is proportional to the fifth power of the blade tip speed)." An Internal Tin Tube Nb3Sn Conductor with Sn-B Core for Improved Non-Copper Critical Current Density,DE-FG02-11ER90162,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Supercon, Inc.",830 Boston Turnpike,,Shrewsbury,MA,01545-3386,No,Yes,No,Terence Wong,Mr.,508-842-0174,email@example.com,Mark K. Rudziak,Mr.,508-842-0174,email@example.com,"The high energy physics community seeks high performance multifilament superconducting wire for use in magnets operating in the range of 12-15T or higher. Nb3Sn conductors fabricated by the internal tin (IT) method presently represent the state-of-the-art for these applications. The internal tin tube (ITT) method holds the promise to compete with such conductors if their performance can be raised to a sufficiently high level. One problem with ITT conductors is that it is difficult to avoid the formation of large-grained Nb3Sn. This is an impediment to high performance. Sn-B alloys formed by melt diffusion of powders have been shown to result in thick layers of fine grained Nb3Sn when reacted with niobium in jelly roll composites. In the proposed project, Sn-B powder mixtures will be employed as the tin source in multifilamentary ITT composites. It is anticipated that high performance can be achieved by virtue of the fine Nb3Sn grain size that can be achieved using this technique. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: High performance multifilamentary Nb3Sn will find application in high energy physics particle accelerators and magnetic confinement fusion machines. Commercially, such conductor will find application in high frequency NMR magnets by taking advantage of the higher critical current density in order to reduce the size and overall cost of the magnet system." High Strength Silver Sheath for Bi2212/Ag Conductor,DE-FG02-10ER85811,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,2,1000000.00,"Supercon, Inc.",830 Boston Turnpike,,Shrewsbury,MA,01545-3386,No,Yes,No,Terence Wong,Mr.,5088420174,firstname.lastname@example.com,Wiliam Nachtrab,Dr.,5088420174,email@example.com,"This proposal describes an innovative high strength silver alloy for making Bi2212/Ag round wire conductor. To generate magnetic fields greater than 20 T, a new high field superconductor such as Bi2212 is needed. However, Bi2212 is brittle ceramic that can be easily damaged, and its critical current is very strain sensitive. The Bi2212 compound is contained in a silver matrix that is chemically compatible with the Bi2212 ceramic. Silver provides very little mechanical support for the superconductor during either magnet fabrication or operation. High field magnets are subject to large stresses, which can exceed the yield strength of the silver matrix, causing degradation of the superconductor, and necessitating more expensive approaches for making high field amgnets. This proposal seeks to develop a high strength, high modulus silver alloy for manufacturing Bi2212 round wire multifilament conductor. The silver is strengthened by a fine dispersion of alumina particles that are chemically inert to Bi2212 and produce an alloy having high strength and stiffness even after high temperature processing. The increased strength and stiffness provided by the silver alloy results in greater resistance to mechanical stresses and electromagnetic forces. These attributes simplify magnet design, resulting in reduced costs with the added benefit of higher performance. Potential applications include particle accelerators and high field NMR magnets. Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of all the critical aspects of the technology: production of an silver/alumina composite, fabrication of tubes from the composite and a Bi2212 conductor using a silver/alumina composite tube. The Phase II plan includes research to further refine the basic alloy formulation, develop improved processing technology, advance the production technology for making tubes, and a full scale demonstration for making a Bi2212 production conductor. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: A high field superconductor such as Bi2212 will find its primary application in accelerator magnets for high energy physics. The other major application for the technology is high field nuclear magnetic resonance systems for imaging complex organic compounds and biological materials." Development of High Current 2G High Temperature Superconductor Cabling Technology,DE-FG02-10ER86467,DOE,DOE,STTR,2011,2,750000.00,"Supercon, Inc.",830 Boston Turnpike,,Shrewsbury,MA,01545-3386,No,Yes,No,Terence Wong,Mr.,5088420174,email@example.com,Mark Rudziak,Mr.,5088420174,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Future magnets for Fusion Energy Systems require superconducting cables with improved high critical current carrying capacity at high magnetic fields, 20 Kelvin operation, low AC losses and lower cost. A new method of fabricating a high current cable with 2G HTS tapes has been developed that will improve the engineering current density achievable. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: Future fusion and related superconducting magnets for HEP applications will become more feasible if this project is successful. Additionally, the technology developed if this project is successful can find application in commercial high field magnets for NMR, FT-ICR, and other analytic magnet applications." High Surface Area-to-Volume Ultrathin Dense Membrane for Hydrogen Separation,DE-FG02-10ER86468,DOE,DOE,STTR,2011,2,750000.00,T3 Scientific LLC,1839 Noble Rd.,,Arden Hills,MN,55112-7834,Yes,Yes,No,Chung-Yi A. Tsai,Dr.,7637841585,firstname.lastname@example.com,Chung-Yi A. Tsai,Dr.,7637841585,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Providing a reliable, clean and economical energy source is a priority of the US government. The challenge is to use coal, a secured and economical energy source, to produce clean hydrogen fuel to support domestic and global green economy with near-zero emission. Conventional separation technology and even developmental technology do not satisfy all of the requirements for hydrogen production from coal, especially for high temperature and in the presence of contaminants. This proposal is to develop a novel high surface area ultrathin dense silica membrane for the production of high-purity hydrogen at elevated temperatures. The proposed membrane is designed to have high flux, high selectivity, high resistance to contaminants, be able to handle high pressure and temperature, is durable and at the same time economical. The success of this membrane will be a springboard for the development of a combined syngas purification, water-gas-shift and hydrogen separation to support DOEs hydrogen project mission. Its success ensures reduction in foreign crude oil dependency, alleviates environmental concerns, secures primary energy resource, provides competitive advantage for the energy-related industries, and chain-benefits to many other fields, such as chemical, refinery, transportation and consumer products." Robust Aeroservoelastic Control Utilizing Physics-Based Aerodynamic Sensing,NNX11CI09P,NASA,NASA,STTR,2011,1,100000.00,"Tao of Systems Integration, Inc.",1100 Exploration Way,,Hampton,VA,23666,No,Yes,No,Arun Mangalam,Business Official,7572205040,firstname.lastname@example.com,Arun Mangalam,Principal Investigator,7572205040,email@example.com,"New aircraft designs depend on an integrated active approach to flight control, flutter suppression and structural mode attenuation to meet desired handling quality performance and gust load alleviation. Tao Systems will team with Professor Gary Balas at the University of Minnesota to (1) develop a robust controller that demonstrates improved aerostructural performance over the state-of-the-art by utilizing a novel aerodynamic load sensor, and (2) provide a robust linear parameter varying controller that (a) requires no ad hoc methods of gain-scheduling, (b) provides robustness guarantees that more traditional methods do not offer, and (c) allows for explicit rate bounds enabling less conservative, higher performing controller designs. The benefits include improvement of aerodynamic and structural efficiency using robust aeroservoelastic control methods over a range of flight speeds, in the presence of significant turbulence." "Biomimetic Approach for Accurate, Real-Time Aerodynamic Coefficients",NNX11CD64P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Tao of Systems Integration, Inc.",1100 Exploration Way,,Hampton,VA,23666,No,Yes,No,Arun Mangalam,Business Official,7572205040,email@example.com,Arun Mangalam,Principal Investigator,7572205040,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Aerodynamic and structural reliability and efficiency depends critically on the ability to accurately assess the aerodynamic loads and moments for each lifting surface. A thin-film, flight-worthy sensor capable of providing spatio-temporally accurate estimation of aerodynamic coefficients enables revolutionary energy-efficient, physics-based, force-feedback flight control of a wide range of vehicles from subsonic to supersonic flows. Recent biophysics research has uncovered sensory techniques to recover information from the noisy environment. Tao Systems proposes to develop a unique sensor that robustly applies these biomimetic sensory techniques to the aerodynamic problem to obtain accurate estimates of aerodynamic coefficients with minimal calibration requirements." High Frequency Measurements in Shock-Wave/Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interaction at Duplicated Flight Conditions,NNX11CF80P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99262.00,"Tao of Systems Integration, Inc.",1100 Exploration Way,,Hampton,VA,23666,No,Yes,No,Arun Mangalam,Business Official,7572205040,firstname.lastname@example.com,Arun Mangalam,Principal Investigator,7572205040,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Large amplitude, unsteady heating loads and steep flow gradients produced in regions of shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction (SWTBLI) pose a serious and challenging problem for designers of hypersonic vehicles. Characterizing SWTBLI flow features, such as the size of flow separation, is important for design evaluation and CFD validation. Tao Systems and CUBRC propose to develop a wide-bandwidth, thin-film heat transfer sensor system that quantifies the high frequency SWTBLI at duplicated flight conditions. This effort combines Tao Systems' high frequency-response/high-sensitivity electronics and signal processing techniques with the unique expertise of CUBRC in high-speed, high-enthalpy flows to obtain spatiotemporal information for the development of physics-based turbulence models." Human Ghrelin As An Effective Mitigator of Acute Radiation Injury,1R43AI096777-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,595652.00,"THERASOURCE, LLC",59 HIGHLAND AVE,,ROSLYN,NY,11576-2011,No,Yes,No,Ping Wang,,516-641-0196,firstname.lastname@example.com,Weng-lang Yang,,516-562-1370,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This SBIR Phase I proposal is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a novel and effective therapeutic approach that can save lives of people with radiation injury. Acute radiation injury may occur in various incidents as well as the terrorist radiation exposure scenario. Acute radiation syndrome develops after whole-body or a partial-body irradiation with a high dose of radiation. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of acute radiation injury, the management of acute radiation syndrome is mainly supportive. Very little information is available on the specific treatment approaches to acute radiation injury. As such, there is an urgent unmet medical need for an effective novel mitigator for patients with acute radiation injury. Ghrelin, a gastrointestinal peptide, was first identified as an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (i.e., ghrelin receptor). Ghrelin was originally reported to induce growth hormone release through stimulation of ghrelin receptors in the central nervous system. A large body of evidence has indicated other physiological properties of ghrelin mediated by the central and peripheral ghrelin receptors. Although human ghrelin has been shown to be beneficial in certain disease conditions, it remains unknown whether this peptide can mitigate acute radiation syndrome. To study this, adult male rats were exposed to 10-Gy total body irradiation (TBI). Our preliminary data have shown that administration of human ghrelin 6 h after TBI (i.e., very early treatment) reduced mortality. However, it remains unknown whether delayed administration of human ghrelin (which is more clinically relevant) reduces TBI-induced mortality as well. We, therefore, hypothesize that delayed administration of human ghrelin after TBI attenuates tissue injury and improves survival. The primary objective of this SBIR Phase I project is targeted towards demonstrating the feasibility of the development and commercialization of human ghrelin as an effective mitigator (24 h post-radiation or later) in reducing the massive mortality after acute radiation exposure scenario. The optimal dosage(s) of human ghrelin (delayed treatment) will be determined by assessing 1) the dose-response effect of ghrelin tissue injury after TBI; 2) the dose-response effect and time-course of human ghrelin on TBI-induced mortality; and 3) the pharmacokinetics of human ghrelin in healthy and irradiated animals. Our ultimate goal (SBIR Phase II andbeyond) is to obtain commercial utilization of human ghrelin as a safe and effective mitigator for people with acute radiation injury. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the misuse of ionizing radiationor nuclear devices as weapons of terrorism has been recognized as a major public health threat. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of acute radiation injury, the management of acute radiation syndrome is mainly supportive. Very little information is available on the specific therapeutic approaches to radiation injury. Thus, there is an urgent unmet medical need for a novel and effective mitigator for people with acute radiation injury." Antagonism of Alpha2A-Adrenoceptor: A Novel Anti-Sepsis Therapy,2R44AI078537-02A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,1561899.00,"THERASOURCE, LLC",59 HIGHLAND AVE,,ROSLYN,NY,11576-2011,No,Yes,No,Ping Wang,,516-641-0196,email@example.com,Xiaoling Qiang,,516-562-1370,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This SBIR Phase II proposal is a plan to further develop a novel therapeutic approach that will save the lives of patients with sepsis. Despite the increased understanding of the complex pathophysiology of sepsis, severe sepsis still results in significant morbidity and mortality. As such, there is an urgent unmet medical need for an effective novel therapy for septic patients. The global market potential for sepsis treatment is estimated at over 30 billion annually. Thus, successful development of a new anti-sepsis therapy will not only have a positive impact on health care, but also will have significant commercial benefits. A balanced inflammatory response is an essential element of a successful host defense after injury. However, excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines may cause further tissue injury. Macrophages/Kupffer cells play important roles in producing proinflammatory cytokines in sepsis. The nervous system reflexively regulates the inflammatory response in real time. We have demonstrated that the release of the sympathetic neurotransmitter, norepinephrine (NE), from the gut is increased in sepsis, and that NE potentiates endotoxin-induced TNF-( upregulation via the A subtype of (2-adrenoceptors (i.e., (2A-AR) expressed on the surface of Kupffer cells. Pre-treatment with a specific (2A-AR antagonist, 2-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl) methyl]-2,3-dihydro-1-methyl-1H-isoindole maleate (BRL- 44408 maleate), downregulates TNF-(, attenuates tissue injury,and improves survival in a rat model of polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). However, it remained unknown whether the delayed administration of BRL-44408 maleate (which is more clinically relevant) reduces sepsis-induced mortality as well. Accordingly, the primary objective of our completed Phase I project was to determine the effect of delayed administration of BRL-44408 maleate on sepsis-induced inflammation, organ injury, and mortality. We have clearly shown that administration of BRL-44408 maleate at 5 h after CLP (i.e., at the early stage of sepsis) is protective in experimental animals. These results have established the technical merit and feasibility of the proposed Phase II project. We therefore continue to hypothesizethat the administration of the small molecule drug candidate BRL-44408 maleate in established sepsis attenuates tissue injury and improves survival. In this Phase II proposal, we will perform detailed toxicological evaluation and pharmacokinetic characterization, and determine the optimal protective dose(s) and time- course of BRL-44408 maleate in sepsis in the rat. In order to advance the technology to clinical trials, the efficacy of BRL-44408 maleate will be tested in a rabbit model of sepsis. These proposed studies should provide important preclinical data that will help us filing an IND application to the FDA to initiate clinical trials in order to obtain commercial utilization of BRL-44408 maleate as a safe and effective therapy for sepsis. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in intensive care units. Over 210,000 people succumb to this overwhelming infection in the United States annually. A recent epidemiologic study estimated that more than 750,000 people develop sepsis each year at a cost of 16.7 billion nationally. Given the intensive and prolonged care necessary to treat patients with sepsis, the economic burden is profound. Thus, there is an urgent unmet medical need for an effective novel therapy for patients with sepsis." Executable SysML Model Development Accelerator for the Constellation Program,NNX11CB37C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,599879.00,"Tietronix Software, Inc.",1331 Gemini Avenue,Suite 300,Houston,TX,77058-,No,Yes,No,Victor Tang,Business Official,2814047222,firstname.lastname@example.com,Michel Izygon,Principal Investigator,2814047256,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The proposed project is aimed at investigating ways to accelerate the creation of SysML based models that can be used for model checking and more generally for Model-Based System Engineering. In the past few years, multiple projects in the ISHM domain as well as the operations domain (Procedure V & V) have started to leverage the power of model checking through the use of the Finite State Machines (FSM) formalism. These models have been typically developed manually by subject matters experts in the different spacecraft systems and subsystems. This is a significant hindrance to the widespread use of models for any targeted application. The envisioned suite of tools would allow non experts to derive the appropriate SysML models for their intended use. In addition to providing a generic library of space systems models, methods to customize these models to the specific target system, our proposal will also design tools that enable the automatic or semi automatic extraction of appropriate information from different source, thus significantly accelerating the development and the usage of such models." Mobile Platform Augmented Reality for Enhanced Operations on the International Space Station,NNX11CF88P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99963.00,"Tietronix Software, Inc.",1331 Gemini Avenue,Suite 300,Houston,TX,77058-,No,Yes,No,Michel E. Izygon,Senior VP,2814047256,firstname.lastname@example.com,Robert G. Phillips,Principal Investigator,7137052725,email@example.com,"To develop an Augmented Reality system that runs on a small portable device to aid crew in routine maintenance activities by providing enhanced information and situational awareness of their immediate environment. This system would improve the speed and quality of maintenance procedures, and reduce error and risk. The specific enhancements we will investigate include:- Overlaying devices with relevant telemetry.- Highlighting of items that require action, e.g., a switch that needs to be flipped, a hose that needs to be removed, or a bolt that needs to be tightened.- Information about consequences of actions, e.g., if the bolt is removed, this assembly will be detached or if the switch is flipped then this panel will be powered on.- Guidance aids through planned procedures or activities.- Navigation aids, e.g., where is the next device to be adjusted." IHC Test for BRCA1 Hereditary Ovarian Cancer,4R44CA144586-02,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,798492.00,"TISSUE GENETICS, INC.",14991 E Hampden Ave Ste 168,,AURORA,CO,80014-,Yes,Yes,No,Kimberly A. Gibson,,720-859-4053,firstname.lastname@example.com,Jeffrey T. Holt,,570-955-1336,email@example.com,DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a Fast-Track proposal to develop a tissue-based genetic test for BRCA1 hereditary ovarian cancer. Ten percent of unselected US ovarian cancers are BRCA1 hereditary cancers with truncating mutations in the BRCA1gene. It is important to know which ovarian cancer patients have BRCA1 hereditary ovarian cancer because BRCA1 patients have an increased risk of breast cancer and their relatives with mutations have an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. These subsequent cancers would be discovered early or prevented if widespread genetic screening was available and recent data indicates that BRCA hereditary cancers respond to targeted therapies such as cis-platinum and PARP inhibitors. We have developed an antibody-based tissue truncation method to identify BRCA1 hereditary cancers and were able to correctly identify 5/5 BRCA1 hereditary cancers and 20/200 sporadic cancers in a pilot study. This approach visualizes protein truncation by showing with immunohistochemistry (IHC) that the N-terminus is present but the C-terminus is absent. The product (test) will be an antibody-based IHC diagnostic kit for cancer tissue samples which hospital labs will use to identify hereditary cancers. We have already successful developed and published a similar IHC method to identify BRCA2 hereditary cancers with sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 98%.The milestones for the Phase I proposal are: 1) Determine optimal tissue preparation protocols for IHC with both N-terminal and C-terminal BRCA1 antibodies. 2) Develop a quantitative scoring system for N-terminal and C-Terminal BRCA1 immunostaining on ovarian tissues with intra-assay variability of 15% and inter-assay variability of 20% or less. 3) Demonstrate that a C-terminal to N-terminal ratio for protein truncation (BRCA1 Truncation Ratio) can distinguish 20 hereditary BRCA1 ovarian cancers from 50 sporadic ovarian cases with greater than 90% sensitivity and specificity (comparing different scoring systems). Upon completion of these milestones we would pursue the following Phase II milestones: Milestone 1a: Determine the specificity of the BRCA1 truncation ratio in 20 ovarian cancers in patients known to have BRCA2 mutations. Milestone 1b: Determine the specificity of the truncation ratio in 10 ovarian cancers in patients reported to have polymorphisms/missense variants of BRCA1. Milestone 2: Determine if the BRCA1 truncation test can achieve 90% sensitivity and specificity in a clinical trial of 300 ovarian cancer samples (sample size to provide 30 BRCA1 hereditary cancers). The medical application of breast/ovarian cancer genetic testing is a proven market since Myriad Genetics annually grosses 150 million on DNA sequencing. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Successful completion of this Fast-track research will establish a new tissue- based genetic test for BRCA1 hereditary ovarian cancer based on an IHC method to visualize protein truncation. This simpler more widely applicable approach will help predict appropriate therapy for patients with BRCA1 hereditary cancer and identify many more families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and consequently help patients and their relatives by identifying individuals likely to develop subsequent breast or ovarian cancer which might beprevented by tamoxifen and/or screening. Shape Memory Alloy-Based Periodic Cellular Structures,NNX11CA42C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,600000.00,"Transition45 Technologies, Inc.",1739 North Case Street,,Orange,CA,92865-4211,No,Yes,No,Edward Y. Chen,Business Official,7142832118,email@example.com,Edward Y. Chen,Principal Investigator,7142832118,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This SBIR Phase II effort will continue to develop and demonstrate an innovative shape memory alloy (SMA) periodic cellular structural technology. Periodic cellular structures (PCS) will be designed and tailored to determine if additional shape memory performance benefits can be derived from the underlying macro-structure when fabricated from SMA's. These structures will be manufactured using an advanced reactive metal casting technology that will allow complex-shaped, integral bulk structures to be fabricated with the requisite composition-microstructure-properties needed for shape memory performance. Casting also offers a relatively low-cost approach for fabricating near net-shape components. The fabricated SMA structures will be characterized for resulting microstructure-properties in order to determine how to best design such PCS to better exploit SMA's for use in aerospace applications." Flexible Production of Geometrically Complex Superalloy Components,NNX11CH19P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Transition45 Technologies, Inc.",1739 North Case Street,,Orange,CA,92865-4211,No,Yes,No,Edward Y. Chen,Business Official,7142832118,email@example.com,Edward Y. Chen,Principal Investigator,7142832118,email@example.com,"In order to design and manufacture complex, one-of-a-kind to limited quantity rocket propulsion system components, while shortening the development cycle time and reducing the associated costs, an innovative method must be developed that expands upon current manufacturing technologies. A flexible manufacturing system that can handle the production of such parts in short time periods is desirable. Today's near-net fabrication technologies are extremely limited in design flexibility due to the use of injection molding. Considering the need for design flexibility as well as shorter development cycles, reduced costs, and minimized variance in making one-of-a-kind components, an innovative manufacturing technology will be demonstrated in this work to fabricate geometrically complex superalloy components." Ultra Fine Grain Steel Alloys by Severe Plastic Deformation,W911W6-11-C-0055,DOD,ARMY,STTR,2011,2,750000.00,"Transition45 Technologies, Inc.",1739 North Case Street,,Orange,CA,92865-4211,No,Yes,No,Edward Chen,President,(714) 283-2118,email@example.com,Edward Chen,President,(714) 283-2118,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This STTR program proposes to exploit the tremendous benefits that could be offered by the development of ultra fine grain steel alloys for application to the production of high performance components for military rotorcraft applications. A severe plastic deformation technology based on isothermal forging technologies will be explored here. The goal is to demonstrate a practical, production level manufacturing approach to producing bulk-sized steel alloy components with ultra fine grain microstructures. Ultra fine grain steel alloys would be particularly advantageous for higher performance transmission/power system, engine, and airframe structures and components needed for next generation military rotorcraft. The effect of different thermomechanical conditions to achieve the requisite microstructure-properties also needs to be understood. Process modeling will be performed for this purpose." Flexible Production of Geometrically Complex Rocket Propulsion Components,FA9300-11-M-2019,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,100000.00,"Transition45 Technologies, Inc.",1739 North Case Street,,Orange,CA,92865-4211,No,Yes,No,Edward Chen,President,(714) 283-2118,firstname.lastname@example.com,Edward Chen,President,(714) 283-2118,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ABSTRACT: In order to design and manufacture complex, one-of-a-kind to limited quantity liquid rocket engine (LRE) components, while shortening the development cycle time and reducing the associated costs, an innovative method must be developed that expands upon current manufacturing technologies. A flexible manufacturing system that can handle the production of such parts in short time periods is desirable. Today""s near-net fabrication technologies are extremely limited in design flexibility due to the use of injection molding. Considering the need for design flexibility as well as shorter development cycles, reduced costs, and minimized variance in making one-of-a-kind components, an innovative manufacturing technology will be demonstrated in this work to eventually fabricate geometrically complex titanium LRE components. BENEFIT: Potential DoD and commercial applications of this technology include rocket and airbreathing propulsion system components, especially those requiring sophisticated internal passageways. Other possible applications are components and structures for industrial gas tubines, industrial pump and valve for corrosion resistance (petrochemical industry), and biomedical implants." SBIR Phase I: Acoustic Slurry Monitor,1046659,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Uncopiers, Inc.",910 Poyntz Ave,,Manhattan,KS,66502-0000,Yes,Yes,Yes,Bingrong He,PhD,7857769990,email@example.com,Bingrong He,,7857769990,email@example.com,"This SBIR Phase-I project is to develop an acoustic CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) slurry monitor?a fully in-line, real-time, point of use instrument that will detect and disperse any and all large agglomerates in the nanofine slurries used in IC manufacture. Left unchecked, these errant slurry particles/ agglomerates can ""kill"" (deeply scratch) a semiconductor wafer as it undergoes chemical mechanical planarizing or polishing. CMP has become the method of choice for restoring the surface trueness of wafers at all stages of IC manufacture. This acoustic slurry monitor makes use of a novel technology?Acoustic Coaxing Induced Microcavitation (ACIM), a means of constructively controlling acoustic microcavitation. It does so by facilitating controlled bubble nucleation preferentially on the large particle, in the midst of dense nano-fine slurry. This research is thus aimed at investigating a new principle of bubble nucleation. In operation the slurry monitor will inspect a 100ml of the slurry charge at final dispense point just before the slurry is fed to the polishing pad. It will complete the detection for large particles in fully dense CMP slurry in one minute. This slurry monitor can be mounted on the existing CMP tools. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project are to enable improved yields in semiconductor manufacturing by making CMP processing scratch free. No method currently exists that can implement a CMP-safe slurry at the point of use. An advanced device wafer scratched at the final stages of manufacture is a direct loss of $250k or more. Use of the Acoustic Slurry Monitor protects wafers and more than returns the $100k investment with the very first wafer it saves. The Slurry Monitor is a yield protecting tool reliably improving CMP performance. Ultimately, the principle of constructively controlled microcavitation, ACIM particle detection, relies on controlling the very fundamental process of phase change, the control of nucleation?the ability to convert a liquid into a gas in the vicinity of a solid phase. The study of this acoustically mediated nucleation control could form an active field/area of research and education. ACIM will be widely applicable in a variety of liquid-chemical processing, e.g. control of boiling processes in chemical and nuclear reactors, sonochemical synthesis, and bio-technology. This small business is a minority and woman-owned company that relies on diversity?ethnic, gender and age?for robust performance that is dedicated to training young researchers." New NOAA-Derived Data Products for the TV Broadcast Market,WC133-10-CN-0214,DOC,NOAA,SBIR,2011,2,399961.00,"Worldwinds, Inc",1010 Gause Blvd. Suite 48,,Slidell,LA,70458,Yes,Yes,Yes,Elizabeth Valenti,President/CEO,(985) 641-8661,email@example.com,Elizabeth Valenti,President/CEO,(985) 641-8661,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Phase II SBIR will execute the research to commercialization process developed in Phase I, when WorldWinds, Inc. developed and implemented a procedure to showcase graphical NOAA products for on-air consumption by the general public. Through collaboration with Baron Services, Inc., of Huntsville, AL, the Phase I project developed a prototypical composite Blended Total Precipitable Water product that was ingested by Baron's OMNI and VIPIR commercial weather display packages. During the three week beta test period, a seven station beta test group was educated on the product's scientific merit and each station was updated daily as to the product's application. The process developed in Phase I: 1) prototypical product development, 2) education and training, and 3) on-air beta testing, will again be used in Phase II to introduce potential new data products to the television broadcast market. Several new Phase II candidate products have already been identified, including: bTPW Wind Analysis Overlay; Surface Wind Analysis; Merged Radar and Satellite Derived Rainfall Rate and Reflectivity; Drought Indices, Seasonal Forecasts, and Percent of Normal Precipitation; Great Lakes Sea Ice Analysis; Fire, Smoke, and Ash; Forecast Rainfall; Saharan Air Layer Satellite Analysis Schemes; Ocean Currents; Harmful Algae Blooms; and Emergency Response and Recovery." Reconfigurable Secondary Composite Building Blocks for Expandable Habitable Structure,NNX11CH45P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99910.00,ZIN Technologies Inc.,6745 Engle Road,,Middleburg Hts,OH,44130-7994,No,Yes,No,Gradmon Boling,Contracts Manager,4406252279,firstname.lastname@example.com,Bart Zalewski,Principal Investigator,4406252289,firstname.lastname@example.com,"ZIN Technologies, Inc. will provide a preliminary design showing the feasibility of a Reconfigurable Multi-functional Architecture (RMA) for a deployable floor secondary structure.This will address NASA requirements for innovative deployable secondary structures that have minimal mass, high packaging efficiency, and multi-functional utilization. The primary usage of the floor will be to provide a light weight, deployable walkway for a habitat, which meets the appropriate strength, stiffness, and stability requirements. In Phase 1, ZIN will design, analyze and breadboard the necessary joints to enable the structure to be readily deployed and/or un-deployed, while maintaining the appropriate stiffness. The secondary purpose of the floor will be to take advantage of the walkway's cross sectional geometry and utilize it to provide water storage within the floor. The floor will house electrical and plumbing interfaces, which will connect these utilities between two sides of the module. An addition of electrical outlets within the structure will be provided upon need. Possible features include making the floor reconfigurable to serve as a radiation shield. ZIN will develop universal joints, to enable crew members to disassemble the flooring system and re-assemble it into other secondary or EVA structures. The proposed Phase 1 effort will be geared towards a full scale Phase 2 demonstrator, to show the floor system usage in a relevant environment and raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of RMA structures. The RMA structure we propose will provide a highly robust, stiff and mass efficient surface within a primary structure that will enable the useful outfitting and pre-integration of subsystems within the primary volume" Traffic Signal Alert System for Smartphone Users at Intersection Crossing,DTRT57-11-C-10028,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,1,99965.44,CLR Analytics Inc.,4000 Barranca Pkwy.,suite 250,Irvine,CA,92604-1713,No,Yes,No,Lianyu Chu,President,(949) 705-8566,firstname.lastname@example.com,Lianyu Chu,President,(949) 705-8566,email@example.com,We propose a Smartphone based system that can integrate information commonly available on a mobile phone and real time traffic signal phasing data to provide assistance to pedestrians and cyclists for safer intersection crossing. GPS accelerometer and digital compass information from a smart phone together with digital maps will be integrated to determine the location and orientation of a user. Real time traffic signal phasing data can be obtained through wireless communication with either a local signal controller or a central traffic management system. The information together can then inform pedestrians and cyclists particularly those with vision or hearing or walking impairment as to when to cross through audible or haptic feedback.An automated 'pedestrian call' request can also be sent to the traffic controller wirelessly from the smart phone of registered users after confirming the direction and orientation that the pedestrian is intending to cross. The proposed system will eliminate the need of physically locating and pressing a pushbutton at the intersection crossing and provide supportive information to the pedestrians and cyclists while traveling along the crosswalk. Predictive Situational Awareness Tool,NNX11CD49P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,95297.00,S&K Aerospace,63066 Old Highway 93,,St Ignatius,MT,59865-0399,No,Yes,No,Arthur Molin,Business Official,2816365592,firstname.lastname@example.com,Arthur Molin,Principal Investigator,2816365592,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Situational Awareness is the key element of performing safe and effective operations, and the space vehicle operations carried out by NASA is by no means an exception to the rule. Astronauts and flight controllers need to maintain awareness of the situation in the space vehicles, robots, habitats, Mission Control Center, and other systems. NASA has devoted and continues to devote a significant amount of resources to software for displaying the current situation in order to maintain this awareness. However, astronauts and flight controllers need to predict the future state of the systems for themselves. What will happen next?Resources have now advanced to the point where it is possible to inform the astronauts and flight controllers of the expected situation in the near future, and also to warn them if the current situation does not match the expectations of the recent pastÂ?this will indicate a developing issue that requires attention. All of this will aid in reducing the cognitive load on the astronauts and flight controllers, and help them perform their work safely and effectively. S & K Aerospace, LLC (SKA) proposes to research and develop a system that will provide predictive situational awareness to flight controllers and astronauts, by bringing together information about the current state of the vehicles and other systems, the activities planned in the near future, and the expected state of the system in the future, as well as an indication if the current state of the system matches planned state. This system will be called the Predictive System Awareness Tool, or PSAT." Sub-topic 1. NAND/NOR Chip Forensics,D11PC20245,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,viaForensics,"1000 Lake Street, Suite 203",,Oak Park,IL,60301,Yes,Yes,No,Chee-Young Kim,,,firstname.lastname@example.com,Andrew Hoog,,,email@example.com,"Mobile devices are increasingly utilized in criminal and terrorist activities. These devices are an important source of evidence to law enforcement officers and forensic examiners. Since inception, viaForensics has developed innovative tools and techniques for officers and examiners leveraging the latest technologies in mobile device forensics. viaForensics has previously developed forensically sound tools and techniques for analyzing NAND flash memory in Android mobile devices, and is uniquely positioned and prepared to extend this research. One of the primary challenges in forensic imaging of flash memory is that, unlike mechanical hard disks, flash memory is in a constant state of flux. Memory management transactions are ongoing within the memory independent of external activity. viaForensics proposes to continue its innovation by conducting research and development efforts toward creation of a NAND memory write blocker, as well as tools and techniques for complete, bit-by-bit forensic imaging of NAND flash memory chips. In Phase I, viaForensics will research expanding the existing tools and techniques to include the ability to decipher the wear leveling and other memory management algorithms of NAND flash memory. The research will also include investigation and feasibility analysis of methods for implementing a NAND memory write blocker. In phase II, the tools and techniques will be further developed for use on a wider range of devices and flash memory types, and a prototype of the NAND memory write blocker will be developed." Automated Flash Memory Analysis,D11PC20247,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2011,1,99936.07,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Daniel K. Jarrell,,,firstname.lastname@example.com,Chris Lomont,,,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Electronic devices used in criminal activity provide excellent evidence when examined, which is getting increasingly difficult as devices shrink and tools fall behind in capability. Law enforcement face an uphill battle to stay ahead of the latest technology changes since devices evolve so quickly. Central to all of these devices is the role of flash memory, which is the long-term storage available on almost all devices. As a result of these trends, there is a need to be able to obtain data from flash memories. Factors hindering obtaining useful data from seized flash chips are: 1) there is no standard way to access flash chips, 2) ordering mixed data blocks is like jigsaw solving, and 3) after reordering the data needs converted into usable pieces. Our solution is a hardware/software combination that allows software controlled reading of any chip type through programmable logic. Resulting raw data is reorganized with a software tool we developed that operates by finding ""fingerprints"" of various data objects, then leverages knowledge of what must be nearby to weed out false positives and obtain more fingerprints, incrementally ordering the blocks correctly. A data view orders objects, presenting multiple views of the data suitable for forensic analysis" Automated NDE Flaw Mapping System,NNX11CB59C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,599623.00,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Daniel Jarrell,Business Official,7346682567,email@example.com,Ryan O'Grady,Principal Investigator,7346682567,email@example.com,"NASA's Aircraft Aging and Durability Project (AADP) aims to ensure the safety of both commercial and military aviation aircraft. Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are integral to this effort. In particular, NDE techniques are used to a) detect and characterize damage to aircraft and b) validate models of materials through iterative testing. The costs associated with the acquisition of major aircraft require a long usage period in order to obtain a good return on investment. The commercial and military aircraft fleets are inspected and maintained to produce a long operational life. However, many of the NDE techniques are slow, tedious, and costly. Interestingly, the technologies used to inspect aircraft to detect flaws are quite sophisticated, but tools for keeping track of these flaws, their location, and evolution over time are haphazard and inspection-specific, so they are not easily generalized to inspections in general.We propose to leverage our machine vision technology to help automate portions of the inspection process to greatly reduce the time and cost associated with the inspection task. In this approach, machine vision is used to localize the sensor scan information gathered during inspection so that it can be viewed and manipulated in the context of a 3D CAD model of the inspected object. This then helps support the prediction of flaw propagation and structure life. The system allows maintainers to accurately collect information about flaws and accurately integrate them into CAD models. The models can then be leveraged in finite element analysis tools to help predict flaw and material behavior." "Enhancing the User""s Experience in an Amputee Virtual Environment Support Space",W81XWH-11-C-0109,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,149921.00,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Charles Jacobus,President,(734) 668-2567,firstname.lastname@example.com,Charles Cohen,Sr. Research Engineer,(734) 668-2567,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The major goal of this project is to develop an integrated system for enhancing a war fighter""s experience in an Amputee Virtual Environment Support Space. The concept demonstration delivered to the sponsor at the conclusion of this Phase-I will show the sponsor that we have developed techniques for innovatively connecting COTS products and advanced behavior recognition techniques to enable non-verbal communication, to advance immersion into the environment, and to support effective interaction the physical therapist. A feasibility study will be delivered. These techniques will then be refined and integrated into a pre-production prototype system in Phase-II. During the Phase I effort we will: (1) Identify the appropriate technology to improve communications in the world through the use of COTS sensing systems such as the Kinect, speech recognition software, and gesture recognition software. (2) Identify the appropriate technology to allow for a more immersive experience. (3) Identify the appropriate technology to allow for Physical Therapist and Patient interaction in the virtual world. (4) Determine technical feasibility of the proposed technology through a vertical slice demonstration of the system during the Phase I effort. (5) Develop an initial concept design and determine/model key elements." Long Distance Remote Maintenance Capability,N00167-11-P-0183,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79999.00,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Charles Jacobus,President,(734) 668-2567,firstname.lastname@example.com,Charles Cohen,VP of Research and Develo,(734) 668-2567,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Future U.S. Navy ships will operate with a crew that may be half or less of current ship crew size. To maintain readiness with a reduced crew size, tools are needed to support enhanced Sailor productivity on-ship. Everyday workflow will continue to need a minimum contingent of crew, however special circumstances to arise that require access to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and providing the sailor/maintainer with effective tools that provide the data feeds necessary to support reach back to Distance Support will leverage the experience and training of on-ship and off-ship SMEs. Cybernet has developed the Shipboard Wireless Maintenance Assistant (SWMA) Platform to support maintenance and logistics. Our approach to the program""s problem is to leverage this hardware platform and to focus on development and integration of Navy processes and software elements into the maintenance, local and remote, workflow to support effective, efficient problem solving on non-standard, undocumented problems. This data should be recorded and made available for future occurrences of the same or similar problem." High Accuracy Navigation Systems for Low Power UUVs,N00014-11-M-0234,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79956.00,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Charles Jacobus,President,(734) 668-2567,firstname.lastname@example.com,Douglas Haanpaa,Research Engineer,(734) 668-2567,email@example.com,"Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs) are used by the Navy for mine reconnaissance, sea floor mapping, and to aid in the detection of submarines. They commonly use underwater acoustic positioning to navigate undersea, but this technology requires the presence of fixed position transponders. Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) provide an alternative navigation solution that uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) and dead reckoning to eliminate the external fixed transponders from the system. High accuracy INS systems are expensive, large, and power hungry. While they can be used in large UUVs, they are not suited for small, low power UUVs due to the available space and power. The Navy is requesting a miniature, low power, low cost, high accuracy inertial navigation system (INS) that can enable low power UUVs to navigate in littoral environments. Cybernet Systems Corporation is proposing a solution to the UUV navigation problem using multiple, self calibrating Micro-Electro-Mechanical (MEMS) sensors based on our current Inertial Measurement and Magnetometer Module (I3M) technology. The system will use known constant inertial movements to continuously keep the device calibrated and use the redundant measurements to overcome the drift and accuracy issues that have plagued inertial MEMS in the past." Weapon Orientation Sensor for Simulated Tactical Engagement Training,W900KK-11-C-0021,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99963.00,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Charles Jacobus,President,(734) 668-2567,firstname.lastname@example.com,Douglas Haanpaa,Research Engineer,(734) 668-2567,email@example.com,"Weapon orientation systems work in a Line-of-Site (LOS) manner using a Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES). The Army is seeking a non-LOS solution for long range weapon orientation. High end Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) provide the required accuracy for this functionality but, are unsuitable because of their size, power draw, and cost. The Army is requesting a low cost IMU that is capable of determining absolute heading with no calibration procedures. Additionally, it must be able to mount to a soldier""s weapon and be ultra low power. Cybernet Systems Corporation is proposing a solution to non-LOS weapon orientation problem using a self calibrating sensor that is based on our current Inertial Measurement and Magnetometer Module (I3M). It will collect accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer data in pitch, roll, and yaw and will use known constant inertial movements to continuously keep the device calibrated." Medical Capability Simulator Interface Tool for OneSAF,W81XWH-10-C-0164,DOD,DHP,SBIR,2011,2,749856.00,Cybernet Systems Corporation,3885 Research Park Dr,,Ann Arbor,MI,48108-2217,Yes,Yes,No,Charles Jacobus,President,(734) 668-2567,email@example.com,Ron Hay,Research Engineer,(734) 668-2567,email@example.com,"OneSAF is rapidly becoming a centerpiece for many training simulations in the Army, amongst other reasons, for its ability to interoperate with many different protocols and packages. It only makes sense, given this central position, to examine the possibility of connecting the myriad of medical training systems to OneSAF, to see what emerges. To realize this possibility, a standard means of connecting medical training systems into OneSAF is needed. Additionally, a suite of tools should be created that allows for the rapid development of the interconnections for specific medical training systems. The goal of this Phase I is to design an effective gateway to interface existing medical simulation training systems, both software and hardware, into tactical simulators such as OneSAF. We call this gateway""MedOne""." Development of a Standard-based Iris Image Quality Tool Suite,D11PC20251,DHS,DHS,SBIR,2011,1,99999.85,DL2 Tech Corporation,7331 Oxbridge Place,,Indianapolis,IN,46259,Yes,Yes,No,Xiao Lin,,,email@example.com,Zhi Zhou,,,firstname.lastname@example.com,"In this project, we will design a standard-based, robust, and efficient iris image quality measure tool. It can be used to select the images of sufficient quality for inclusion in the biometric repository database(s), improve collection processes, and develop quality-based iris matching algorithms. At the same time, it can be incorporated into iris recognition systems as plug-ins to improve recognition accuracy and efficiency. In this project, we will leverage our access to commercial iris recognition software and systems, our in house algorithms and systems, and variety of databases for our analysis and study. DL2Tech will work closely with our academic partner IUPUI in designing/developing this tool, and Raytheon for testing/evaluating and commercialization. We will participate in the NIST IREX for testing and evaluation. The proposed measure method can also help the development of the ISO/IEC 29794 Biometric sample quality - Part 6: Iris image data." "Development of a non-destructive, quantitative residual stress assessment tool",DTRT57-11-C-10024,DOT,DOT,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,Generation 2 Materials Technology LLC,2501 Central Pkwy.,suite C-13,Houston,TX,77092,Yes,Yes,No,Joshua E. Jackson,President,(303) 895-7146,firstname.lastname@example.com,Angelique N. Lasseigne,CEO,(303) 304-9785,firstname.lastname@example.com,"A nondestructive tool will be developed to quatitatively assess residual stress in pipelines from the exterior and through coatings. Residual stress is a critical factor that determines the cracking susceptibility of pipeline steels, but existing methods for measuring mechanical damage in pipeline steels are incapable of quantifying the residual stress levels. A larger gouge or dent does not necessarily signify worse damage that a smaller gouge or dent; it is more important to focus on the actual residual stress levels induced by damage. Knowledge of the residual stress levels provides an accurate means to assess the severity of the damage and improve the pipeline integrity, ultimately reducing the amount of unneccessary removal and repair applications. The unique use of low frequency impendance sensors will allow for through thickness pipeline integrity assessment. Phase I will low-frequency impendance analysis to perform in-situ residual stress measurements on simulated mechanically damaged pipeline steel to compare with finite element and other stress estimation techniques. Phase II and Phase III efforts will develop a calibrated portable low frequency impedance toll for in-situ assessment of pipeline damage without removal of coatings." Mission Prioritized Lossless Data Compression,FA9550-11-C-0072,DOD,USAF,STTR,2011,1,99821.00,MiMoCloud,387 Technology Drive,,College Park,MD,20742-,No,Yes,No,Tejbir S. Phool,President,(301) 651-7259,email@example.com,Tejbir S. Phool,President,(310) 651-7259,email@example.com,"ABSTRACT: The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of automating the identification, processing, and storage of the most critical and pertinent data collected by a wide variety of complex sensors using a patented cloud computing methodology designed to permit the greatest flexibility and system efficiency. This novel architecture uses a revolutionary but simple idea that transfers much of the complexity away from sensors and transfers it to the core of the network. This transfer offers unprecedented joint opportunities for cooperative sensing and for delivering high performance cloud computing and storage for data analysis. Benefits of cooperative sensing include: improved reliability, connectivity, and sensor network resilience,lower energy consumption for all sensors, and joint processing and analysis of data collected by multiple sensors for much greater precision. Benefits of high performance cloud computing include: significant energy savings, and ready availability of the most recent pertinent compression and storage techniques MiMoCloud""s team has extremely relevant deep and broad research capabilities, the ability to rapidly develop a prototype, and the entrepreneurial drive to commercialize the painstakingly researched and executed patent. BENEFIT: The patented technology for conducting shared signal processing has important applications in industrial sensor networks, military sensor networks, MIMO Radar, structural testing, and in cellular telecommunications." Design Concepts for Cooled Ceramic Matrix Composite Turbine Vanes,NNX11CA49C,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,2,599694.00,N&R Engineering,"6659 Pearl Road, #201",,Parma Heights,OH,44130-3821,No,Yes,No,Vinod Nagpal,Business Official,4408457020,email@example.com,Robert Boyle,Principal Investigator,4408457020,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The work proposed herein is to demonstrate that the higher temperature capabilities of Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) can be fully utilized to reduce emissions and improve fuel consumption in gas turbine engines. The work involves closely coupling aerothermal and structural analyses for the first stage vane of a high pressure turbine (HPT). These vanes are actively cooled, typically using film cooling. Ceramic materials have different structural and thermal properties than conventional metals used for the first stage HPT vane. Vane configurations which satisfy CMC structural strength and life constraints, while maintaining vane aerodynamic efficiency and increasing mainstream gas temperature for improved engine performance will be identified. The proposed work will examine modifications to vane internal and external configurations to achieve the desired objectives. Thermal and pressure stresses are equally important, and both will be analyzed. Three dimensional fluid and heat transfer analyses will be used to determine vane aerodynamic performance and heat load distributions." Modelling the Effects of Surface Residual Stresses on Fatigue Behavior of PM Disk Alloys,NNX11CD72P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99943.00,N&R Engineering,"6659 Pearl Road, #201",,Parma Heights,OH,44130-3821,No,Yes,No,Vinod Nagpal,Business Official,4408457020,email@example.com,"John Gayda, Jr.",Principal Investigator,4408457020,email@example.com,"A finite element based model will be developed and validated to capture the evolution of residual stresses and cold work at machined features of compressor and turbine powder metallurgy superalloy disks. The focus will be to quantify, model and validate residual stress and cold work evolution at stress concentration features during simulated service in aerospace gas turbine engine disk materials. This will be accomplished by first utilizing existing NASA Test data. If the existing test data are insufficient, a minimum number of specimens will be tested if the resources permit. These specimens will have varied surface finish conditions to be determined in consultation with NASA personnel and will be tested using a thermal mechanical load history that will simulate the operating conditions of new generation of gas turbine engines and include the effect of superimposed dwell cycles. The deliverables will include effects of service history on residual stress and cold work depth profile evolutions within notches, and analytical modeling descriptions of the evolution of these parameters as a function of simulated service history. Also included will be models and algorithms extrapolating the predicted residual stresses and cold work to service conditions outside of those tested during the program." "Data Acquistion Controllers and Computers that can Endure, Operate and Survive Cryogenic Temperatures",NNX11CF62P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99655.00,B&A Engineering Systems Inc.,"440 S. Cataract Avenue, Suite #H",,San Dimas,CA,91773-2967,No,Yes,No,Alireza Bakhshi,Business Official,9095241432,firstname.lastname@example.com,Alireza Bakhshi,Principal Investigator,9095241432,email@example.com,"Current and future NASA exploration flight missions require Avionics systems, Computers, Controllers and Data processing units that are capable of enduring extreme low temperature environments of Deep space, Lunar and Martian surfaces. With recent technological advances in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), it has become possible and feasible to architect complete System on a Chip (SoC) using a single FPGA. Large FPGAs have increased number of gates per square inch with reduced power consumption per gate and includeµProcessors with soft and hard IPs, Arithmetic modules, sizeable onboard memory and A/D included. Our proposal in particular responds to the technologies sought that enable NASA's long duration missions to low temperature and wide temperature environments. This Development is required under thetechnology prioritization list for Extreme Environment Technology. As outlined in this proposal we will explore innovative approaches and introduce new technologies that will enable engineers to build high-reliability and high-performance, cold capable Space and Avionics data acquisition and computers systems that are able to operate and perform in extreme cold temperature range beyond the standard military specification of -55oC, surviving cryogenic temperatures over mission life. Proposed innovative architecture will use an existing Radiation Tolerant/Hardened FPGA technology." Distributed GIS Computing for High Performance Simulation and Visualization,NNX11CF63P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99662.00,"DQSI, LLC",19218 North 5th Street,,Covington,LA,70433-9017,Yes,Yes,No,Shelly Stubbs,President&CEO,9858717472,email@example.com,Shelly Stubbs,Principal Investigator,9858717472,email@example.com,"Today, the ability of sensors to generate geographical data is virtually limitless. Although NASA now provides (together with other agencies such as the USGS) a capability for accessing, manipulating, and visualizing these data, an enormous gap still exists between the sensor data and the visualization capability, largely due to the rapid technological advances with respect to desktop visualization of large datasets. The challenge addressed in this research is to develop new methods for automating the access and processing of raw sensor data, sharing data and methods among researchers, and integrating visualization throughout the process. To meet this challenge, we will develop two new innovations: Geo-Cloud and COAST HPGIS.Geo-Cloud is the distributed network environment that maintains connectivity between a geo-browser and Geo-Resources (sensor data, GIS datasets, models, simulations, and metadata). The Geo-Cloud maintains all metadata (and ontology) required to efficiently catalog, locate, store, access, and update Geo-Resources. The significance of the Geo-Cloud creation is that it is a highly performing, scalable, network environment that encompasses: 1) a high performance cloud computing (HPCC) environment, and 2) geographical context (HPGIS) whereby users can store, access, and manipulate extensive geographical resources. The Geo-Cloud provides virtualized access to Internet2 and supercomputing resources for processing very large datasets and simulations. COAST HPGIS is an enhanced version of the NASA COAST product which is based on the NASA World Wind geo-browser. COAST HPGIS includes plug-ins, overlays, and interfaces for COAST in order to enable interaction with the Geo-Cloud for real-time visualization of temporal and parametric simulations and models." In-Situ Monitoring of Immune Function,NNX11CG10P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99628.00,RST Bioscience,1685 South Colorado Boulevard,,Denver,CO,80222-4000,No,Yes,No,Robert E. Harding,Business Official,8328920702,email@example.com,Robert Harding,Principal Investigator,8328920702,email@example.com,"Monitoring the health and wellness of mission pilots is a critically important function. Space flight has an adverse effect on the human immune response. During space flight the immune system weakens and some herpes viruses that are typically latent begin to appear in the saliva. Currently, saliva samples are taken in space and preserved for post flight assay. The presence of reactivated herpes virus in saliva samples is an indication of a weakening immune defense. RST Bioscience LLC proposes an innovative in flight assay to monitor the efficacy of the immune system in-situ.RST Bioscience has designed a test that is perfectly suited for space flight. The test will be small, light weight and easy to use. The sample used in this test will be saliva, which can be easily collected through non-invasive means. Results are delivered in minutes to hours. The test is sterile and disposable, used sample is contained and disposed of along with the disposable kit. There is no heavy equipment needed to process samples or read results. The kit is self-contained. Phase 1 will focus on assay development. In phase 2 we will build and test a prototype of the disposable delivery device." A-DECK,NNX11CG34P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,98799.00,HKM Enterprises Inc.,1660 South Albion Street,,Denver,CO,80222-4046,No,Yes,No,Jack Rubidoux,Business Official,6199204300,firstname.lastname@example.com,Phil Smith,Principal Investigator,6199442555,firstname.lastname@example.com,"The technical objectives of A-DECK are:1)Flight Weight including rideshare payloads will be less than 500 Kg.2)First fundamental frequency of integrated A-DECK System including ESPA or Type C Adapter, payload(s), avionics and release mechanisms will be greater than 50 Hz.3)After initial qualification, A-DECK must not require additional EELV mission unique design or analysis.4)A-DECK delivery ICD and Verification products must be sufficient for acceptance of integrated A-DECK as ready to fly meeting launch vehicle, range safety and customer operations requirements.5)A-DECK mechanical interface to launch vehicle must be through multi-point pinned attachments to the interior of an ESPA or a Type C Adapter.6)Type C Adapter will utilize standard EELV 62.01"" (1575 mm) bolt hole template for both forward and aft interfaces.7)A-DECK electrical interface to launch vehicle will be through a single shielded multi-line cable to the launch vehicle secondary or designated electrical panel.8)A-DECK avionics must control, monitor and support all A-DECK mounted spacecraft and/or hosted technical payloads in manner not to interfere with launch vehicle operations or primary spacecraft.9)A-DECK integration, check out and acceptance will be performed at facilities outside of the Primary Spacecraft integration and check out facility.10)A-DECK and the A-DECK payloads must remain electrically and mechanically dormant until the launch vehicle transmits its initiate signal to the A-DECK avionics.11)To the greatest extent possible A-DECK will incorporate existing mechanisms, avionics and components designed to support Small Satellites as an example the Poly Pico-satellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD)." Expandable External Payload Carrier for Existing Launch Vehicles,NNX11CG37P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99967.00,Special Aerospace Services,3005 30th Street,,Boulder,CO,80301,Yes,Yes,No,Heather Bulk,Business Official,3036251010,firstname.lastname@example.com,Tim Bulk,Principal Investigator,3036251010,email@example.com,"Numerous existing launch vehicles have excess performance that is not being optimized. By taking advantage of excess, unused, performance, additional NASA experiments and missions can be enhanced with this excess ELV performance. Designing an experimental platform for suborbital, hypersonic, and innovative payloads will bridge a technology gap in size and weight over current capabilities. Commercially, there are many customers that will be able to take advantage of the increase in size and weight for experimental research onboard the experimental platform. To minimize the launch vehicle integration efforts, the design of the experimental platform will mimic the current processing methods of auxiliary interfaces to the launch vehicle. During Phase I, SAS will be providing NASA with an adaptable cost effective experimental platform (expandable external payload carrier) design that may be used on a multitude of launch vehicles at a low risk and lower cost per pound then existing suborbital systems. This TRL 3 design will consist of a feasibility concept, detailed analysis and modeling, and a system requirements document. Path towards Phase II will be discussed, utilizing a hardware risk reduction approach. During Phase II, SAS will be providing NASA an expected TRL 5 of the design for one of the current launch vehicles." A Computational Tool for Helicopter Rotor Noise Prediction,NNX11CG83P,NASA,NASA,SBIR,2011,1,99994.00,"D&P, LLC",3409 North 42nd Place,,Phoenix,AZ,85018-5961,Yes,Yes,No,Lei Tang,President,6029572868,email@example.com,Lei Tang,Principal Investigator,6029572868,email@example.com,"This SBIR project proposes to develop a computational tool for helicopter rotor noise prediction based on hybrid Cartesian grid/gridless approach. The uniqueness of this approach is to achieve fully automated grid generation without grid overlapping. As a result, the resulting software will enjoy great ease of use with minimum human interference. There is no grid distortion in the majority of the computational domain. One can apply the best available flow solver which may not be possible to use in the unstructured grid approach. All are important for achieving accurate prediction of helicopter rotor aerodynamics and near-field acoustics. In Phase I, the high-speed impulsive noise will be first investigated and in Phase II, the blade-vortex interaction noise will be further explored." SBIR Phase I: A 3-D Downhole Laser Stress Gauge For Oil And Gas Industries,1042966,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,149926.00,Triangle Engineering,38 CREDIT COURT,,White River Junction,VT,05001-8131,Yes,Yes,No,June Wang,MS,8022919837,email@example.com,June Wang,,8022919837,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of developing a laser-based rapid monitoring gauge for accurate non-contact downhole stress measurement in drilling operations of the geosciences and oil and gas industries. Conventional downhole stress measurement, which commonly uses hydrofracturing, is complex, slow, inaccurate and detrimental to the environment. The proposed innovation features fast non-contact laser interrogation, rugged portable configuration, and on-line data processing and presentation, which offers great convenience for field applications. The proposed stress gauge is environment-friendly in operation as well. This Phase I effort will fabricate a laboratory assembly and demonstrate the research concept. A feasibility demonstration will be conducted on the geologic materials. Successful research and development will result in a non-contact, rapid measurement device for stress evaluation in downhole applications. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are in two aspects. First, the innovation will impact the 300 million dollar domestic annual market (0.5 ? 1% of the total operating cost) for down-hole stress measurement. The second aspect concerns social impact: conventional down-hole stress measurement is based on the hydrofracturing process, which has been challenged by environmental groups for its potential to contaminate underground water resources. Forthcoming legislation will provide stricter EPA regulation of the use of hydrofracturing. The proposed innovation, if successful, will provide an alternative method of downhole in-situ stress measurement that is not only simple, fast, and accurate, but also environment-friendly in order to ensure our environmental sustainability for generations to come." SBIR Phase I: Online Services for Active Traffic Management,1045906,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,Relteq Systems,535 Pierce Street Suite 2303,,Albany,CA,94706-1056,No,Yes,No,Alex A. Kurzhanskiy,PhD,5103744606,email@example.com,Alex A. Kurzhanskiy,,5103744606,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project has the potential to enable an increase in road transportation productivity through improvement in the major components of vehicular traffic operations: measurement data analysis, operations planning and real-time traffic control. It consists of three tasks: 1) creating the facility for building and calibrating dynamical model of the traffic system using historical 2) developing the SaaS (software as a service) system, where road network building, model calibration and simulation resources will be available 24/7 anywhere in the world through a web browser; traffic measurement data and 3) implementing the real-time decision support system that includes processing of real-time data. Today, there is no framework of traffic operations planning and real-time decision support systems, in contrast with long term infrastructure planning, for which the procedures are well established. The goal of Relteq Systems is to create enabling technology for Active Traffic Management and provide real-time decision support infrastructure. The proposed Online Services for Active Traffic Management are new in the field of transportation. If successful, this project will alter the way transportation engineers conceptualize and manage the road transportation system. It will also influence the way control engineers model, calibrate analyze and manage large supervisory control and data acquisition systems. It has potential of creating new technological and business opportunities in the field of Vehicle Infrastructure Integration and traveler information. The studies of particular freeways and city streets, on which transportation agencies and local governments spend millions of dollars annually, will become cheaper while significantly more substantive. The learning curve for traffic modeling and simulation will be reduced; hence, lower will be the cost of training of engineering personnel in transportation agencies and their service providers. The benefit to society is the reduced traffic congestion on roads and, as a result, reduced delay and reduced fuel consumption for travelers that would allow the urban Americans to save time and resources." SBIR Phase I: Novel Wireless Powered Embedded Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring,1046724,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,140841.00,Advanced Flex Sensor Research,111 Leamington Way,,Irmo,SC,29063-8242,Yes,Yes,No,Mohammod Ali,PhD,8034476949,firstname.lastname@example.com,Mohammod Ali,,8034476949,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project explores and develops novel wireless powered embedded sensors that have the potentials to revolutionize wireless sensing and communications for future non-intrusive structural health monitoring. The embedded nature of these sensors will eliminate the need to retrofit them inside structures and due to the absence of bundles of cables and wires that are currently being used with wired retrofitted sensors the proposed scheme will be simple, low cost, and non-intrusive. The objective of this research is to bring about fundamental breakthroughs on embedded sensor design which will focus on efficient coupled resonant antennas for non-contact wireless power transfer to embedded sensors and a miniature dual-function sensor antenna element capable of sensing and data communication. The effects of variable distance, the electromagnetically lossy structural materials, the presence of moisture, and the presence of metal reinforcements nearby will be investigated and mitigated by designing new antenna geometries and circuits and by using thin-film dielectric and magnetic materials. The outcome of this research will consist of embedded near-field optimally coupled antennas for non-contact wireless power transfer and embedded efficient, wideband dual-function antenna for wireless data telemetry. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project include the new knowledge and innovations in the area of embedded near-field and far-field antennas that can operate efficiently near metal and other lossy dielectric materials, such as concrete, wood and soil. The embedded self-sustaining sensors to be developed in this work will revolutionize future structural health monitoring by finding applications in bridge health monitoring (corrosion, pH, strain etc.), underground gas pipeline monitoring, hazardous nuclear waste monitoring, aircraft structural health monitoring, and residential housing monitoring and diagnostics. This research will also foster the growth of new research ideas in the area of embedded sensing and communications through the collaborative efforts between industry and academia. All of the above applications and others have tremendous potentials to save human lives from catastrophic structural failures. The proposed embedded wireless sensors have huge commercial prospects for success in the wireless market segment because of their unique position in terms of innovation. They will have significant economic impact on agencies and industries because of their scope for tremendous cost savings which are incurred both in terms of preventive as well as after effect maintenance." SBIR Phase I: Novel Gree oof Material Made From Recycled Solid Waste,1046780,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,Zynnovation LLC,11725 N. Briarpatch Drive,,Midlothian,VA,23113-2306,Yes,Yes,No,Hailing Yang,PhD,5402392902,firstname.lastname@example.com,Hailing Yang,,5402392902,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will study the feasibility of recycling used disposable diapers into green roof materials using simple processing technologies. Disposable diapers are the most disposed household product in North America, accounting for about four million tons solid waste annually. Currently, only a negligible percentage of them are recycled. Conventional recycling separates and purifies each component of a waste material for subsequent applications, where higher purity is associated with higher value. For the after-consumer disposable diapers, however, it is not profitable to recycle in this manner because of their complexity. The proposed approach is to process the diapers directly into modular green roof materials without completely separating the individual components. The proposed green roof product is lightweight, easy-to-use and drought-resistant, with high water uptake, long retention time, and a low maintenance cost compared to competing products. The Phase I technology development will target low-cost production and environmentally benign processing. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a product which will accelerate the development of the green roof market in U.S. Currently, the domestic green roof market is limited, with a much smaller size than the European market. The lack of domestic recognition and the high cost of products are the primary reasons for this. Commercially available products are all somewhat similar in philosophy, in that some kind of container is filled with growth media and then mounted on an existing roof. The products resulting from this project will be low cost and have low maintenance requirements. The associated economic and social benefits of this project will include reductions in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste, and a decrease in the urban heat island effect, as well as habitat and biodiversity preservation, and stormwater retention. Broader market applications, such as horticultural lightweight growth medium, erosion control products, and growth medium for arid/semiarid areas, will also be considered." SBIR Phase I: Scale-up of a Butanol and Hydrogen Production System,1046998,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Genetic Architecture Education Analysis (GAEA), Inc.","2308 6th Street, E.",P.O. Box 506,Brookings,SD,57006-0506,No,Yes,No,Eugene T. Butler,PhD,6056922751,firstname.lastname@example.com,Eugene T. Butler,,6056922751,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a costeffective butanol production and purification process. The specific aim of this project is to scaleup a butanol production system from a small, ?laboratory scale? ,2 liter volume, to a 200 liter culture volume in order to determine the feasibility of its utility for production of practical amounts of the valuable biofuel. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are that the process should be configurable for fuel and/or hydrogen production by individuals safely and with negligible environmental impact, and that demonstration of the feasibility of production of fuels by ?microrefineries? could foster growth of a network of ?cottage industries? devoted to local fuel and biochemicals' production that could provide increased opportunities for employment in rural areas where carbohydraterich waste streams are available. The growth of the dairy products industry in eastern South Dakota has resulted in the production of copious amounts lactosebearing whey. Given that cheese plants employ energyintensive processes and incur significant costs to reduce the biological oxygen demand of waste streams, it is expected that members of the dairy industry could become enthusiastic customers of Gaea's butanol production process, provided that this project is able to demonstrate the feasibility of using their excess lactose for the economical production of fuels that could be used onsite or sold." SBIR Phase I: Designing an Infrastructure Intelligence System for Water and Wastewater Utilities Using the Software as a Service (SaaS) Delivery Model,1047141,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"EPIC Engineering & Consulting Group, LLC",270 Lake Drive,,Oviedo,FL,32765-0000,No,Yes,No,Prasad Chittaluru,PhD,4074156522,firstname.lastname@example.com,Prasad Chittaluru,,4074156522,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will assess the feasibility of creating an intuitive, location-based Infrastructure Intelligence System, as Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for the water and wastewater utilities and public works agencies. Currently available software systems in the utilities industry are complex standalone systems that are typically used by technical experts. Collecting information from these systems for decision making requires significant effort and technical expertise that is not available for most utilities. If the effort is successful, it will provide up-to-date access to infrastructure information on intuitive map-based interfaces to mange assets and budgets with location-specific data. This project will assess the feasibility of developing application-programming interface (API) adaptors to software such as EPA hydraulic models, asset management systems as well as open source GIS and document management systems to create a centralized location-based Infrastructure Intelligence System securely accessible across the Internet. For water and wastewater utilities and other infrastructure agencies that protect public health and safety, efficient management of aging infrastructure is of critical importance. The EPA estimates over 240,000 water main breaks and 170,000 sewer main breaks annually in the United States. Estimates for fixing our infrastructure run into hundreds of billions of dollars. To efficiently prioritize infrastructure maintenance, utilities must analyze diverse datasets including hydraulic models, GIS, SCADA, maintenance, emergency response and project documents. Available software is complex stand-alone systems requiring extensive technical resources for deployment and use and they are beyond reach for most small and medium utilities. Potential customers for the proposed solution include most water and wastewater utilities and public works across the United States. If successful, the project has the potential to provide significant societal and commercial benefit by reducing infrastructure failures and guiding utilities towards proactive infrastructure maintenance practices." SBIR Phase I: Single-Channel Stationary/Non-Stationary Speech Extraction for Mobile Phones,1047229,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,OmniSpeech,387 Technology Drive,,College Park,MD,20742-3371,Yes,Yes,No,Tarun Pruthi,DPhil,3014057411,email@example.com,Tarun Pruthi,,3014057411,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project by OmniSpeech LLC will address the need to have clear communications in noisy environments. Cellphone users want to make calls in noisy situations, and the inability to have clear communication in noise limits when and where phone calls can be made. Omnispeech is developing a completely software-based single-microphone solution which works in stationary and non-stationary noisy environments. It also has the potential to clean up the speech of the cellphone user when it is corrupted by the speech of another competing talker. During Phase I, Omnispeech will address the problem of distinguishing noisy unvoiced consonants from background noise. Another major focus will be optimizing the speech extraction algorithm so it can run in real-time on a DSP processor. Although, the proposed technology has immense potential for (1) Voice over IP, (2) 1st responder market, (3) assistive technologies for the hearing impaired, and (4) military/intelligence/homeland security, to begin with, Omnispeech will focus on the mobile industry. There were 1.1 billion mobile units worldwide in 2009 and global mobile phone sales for 2010 are anticipated to increase by 9%. Sales of smartphones in 2009 comprised 14% of overall mobile handset sales representing approximately 165 million units, a 24% increase from 2008. The number of new smartphone and web-enabled devices sold in 2013 is estimated to be 674 million units and that number is predicted to climb in subsequent years. OmniSpeech will target smartphones initially. In the following year, OmniSpeech will launch into feature phones. These two segments of the market, if properly addressed, will provide OmniSpeech a clear path to significant revenue which can be used to grow into the other application areas mentioned above." SBIR Phase I: A Novel Interferon for Augmenting Wound Healing of Burns,1047433,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"TaoMedix, Inc.",1151 Harbor Bay Parkway,Suite 101,Alameda,CA,94502-6590,Yes,Yes,No,Lorelie H. Villarete,PhD,5106971101,email@example.com,Lorelie H. Villarete,,5106971101,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to demonstrate proof-of-concept for a unique low toxicity Type I interferon in augmenting the wound healing process caused by thermal burns. Wound healing can be a long and painful process, especially for burn patients who, depending on the total body burn size and skin loss, must endure months of skin grafting, the possibility of life-threatening infections with no guarantees of success, as well as altered skin appearance, reduced skin function and scar tissue formation. The effects of this novel interferon on wound healing will be investigated using the following three specific aims: 1) prove the efficacy of the interferon in augmenting the wound healing of burns; 2) demonstrate the mechanism of action of the interferon by investigating the underlying molecular processes; and 3) prove that the interferon has low toxicity. The broader commercial impacts of this research are tremendous. Every year, over 2 million Americans require treatment for burns. About 100,000 of these burn victims are hospitalized and about 11,000 die. The 2009 US National Burn Repository reported that the mean hospital charge for each patient with acute burn injuries was $53,465. A definite unmet need still exists to develop novel therapies that result in decreasing healing times, minimizing complications and reducing subsequent healthcare cost savings. This novel interferon is expected to accelerate the wound healing process and minimize scar formation which will have a profound positive impact on the quality of life for the patients and reduce healthcare costs." "SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost Photocatalytic Treatment to Seal Existing Concrete, Stone, Maso y or Other Cementitious Surfaces and Make Them Self-Cleaning",1112165,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,armONx,22309 Willow Lakes Dr,,Lutz,FL,33549-9503,Yes,Yes,No,Kevin C. Robinson,,8136999396,firstname.lastname@example.com,Kevin C. Robinson,,8136999396,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the problem of organic contamination on porous building materials such as concrete, stone, and related cementitious materials. Contaminants on these materials range from automotive fluids to inks to biological agents, such as fungi. This research explores a unique low-cost (~10 cents/square foot) patent-pending treatment that achieves significant photocatalytic breakdown of common organic surface contaminants over a time span of days. This durable, surface-modifying, self-cleaning nanotechnology both permanently seals pores and makes surfaces photoactive. This combined effect keeps contaminants at the surface and there breaks them down, or makes them more accessible to conventional cleaners. Treated surfaces are consequently inimical to molds - without using a biocide - and largely ""take care of themselves"". Our research objectives include confirming various theoretical predictions of durability and effectiveness. This project will experimentally test and optimize the following characteristics, among others: 1) speed of photocatalytic reactions, 2) effectiveness regarding organic runoff and mold infestation, 3) mechanical and photocatalytic durability, 4) pot life and 5) shelf life. Pilot research has demonstrated preliminary success on auto oil-laden roads and moldy walkways; the Phase I research will result in further confirmation of, and expanded confidence in, these preliminary data. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is large since organic contaminants inflict hundreds of millions of dollars of damage annually in the United States alone. These damages are manifested in the form of projects delayed or cancelled due to projected organic runoff, the defacing of buildings or other surfaces, or the growth of unsightly molds, to which about 10% of the general population is allergic. Perhaps $100 million dollars is spent annually in the United States on concrete sealants that are only partially effective; a more effective sealant could create millions of dollars of new economic activity. This ""green product"" is easy to apply and desirable surface characteristics, such as wet traction or vapor transmission, are unchanged by its application. Others have proposed surface-membrane coatings with more-costly organic excipients that are less compatible with inorganic substrates and less durable, or are themselves susceptible to photocatalytic breakdown. This new method ensures both materials compatibility and low cost. This method also compares favorably with self-cleaning European concretes in both cost (they are ten times as expensive) and performance (i.e., the competing materials remain permeable, absorb moisture, and can draw contaminants into the subsurface where they are more challenging to address)." SBIR Phase I: Crowd Sourcing Apprenticeship Learning: A Web Platform for Teaching Entrepreneurial Lawyering,1113008,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,ApprenNet,1007 E Abington Avenue,,Wyndmoor,PA,19038-7915,No,Yes,No,Karl S. Okamoto,,2679341391,email@example.com,Karl S. Okamoto,,2679341391,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the creation of a web-based platform for teaching entrepreneurial lawyering skills through virtual apprenticeships. The skill and experience of an entrepreneur?s lawyer have a significant impact on the success of the entrepreneur. Lawyers are critical architects of bringing innovation to commercialization. They organize entities, structure financings, protect intellectual property and serve as the nodes of entrepreneurial communities. Too few lawyers have the skills to perform these functions well. Neither law schools nor law firms offer effective training in entrepreneurial lawyering skills. As a result, society fails to capitalize on the full potential of technological innovation. The project is a disruptive innovation to the existing educational model that shifts its center of gravity outside of the classroom by reintroducing senior practitioners into the education of novices. Its essence is ?crowd sourcing? expert participation. By distributing the work of mentoring, the platform multiplies the opportunities for higher order apprenticeship learning that previously depended on non-scalable, face-to-face interactions. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to create a low cost, leveraged means to improve the ?practice readiness? of recent law graduates in entrepreneurial lawyering skills. Law schools have launched various experiential learning initiatives, including clinical offerings and simulations. Law firms have experimented with similar training programs. While improving learning on the margin, none of these efforts has had a fundamental impact. All rely at their core on the traditional, high-cost model of student-teacher interaction. Various on-line tools offer resources for acquiring substantive knowledge but lack the interactive component that leads to the development of the cognitive capacities that make up true expertise. None of the solutions has attempted to tap the reservoir of expertise found among the community of senior practitioners. Using social networking and distributed work strategies to overcome the obstacles to their participation, this project capitalizes on the desire of seniors to share their expertise." SBIR Phase I: Towards Precision Ultra-Portable 13C/12C CO2 Atmospheric Isotopic Ratio Monitors Using Quantum Cascade Laser Spectroscopy,1113289,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,149949.00,Laser Sensing Co.,10 Schalks Crossing Rd. Ste 501-104,,Plainsboro,NJ,08536-1612,No,Yes,No,Stephen G. So,,6098488267,firstname.lastname@example.com,Stephen G. So,,6098488267,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project focuses on the development of a proof-of-concept ultra-portable CO2 isotope ratio monitor. Carbon isotope ratio monitoring is essential for discerning natural versus anthropogenic emissions sources of CO2. Widespread measurement of differentiated carbon isotopes will provide major steps towards building more accurate models of climate change. However, isotopic ratio monitoring is notoriously difficult, even for the gold standard gas sensors based on mass spectroscopy, which can take up an entire room and require skilled technicians to operate. Phase I will explore the development of sensor components suitable for battery powered, easy-to-use, laser spectroscopic CO2 isotope ratio monitors using novel high-efficiency infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). The broader/commercial impact of this work targets improved atmospheric monitoring, climate change analysis, and carbon capture/sequestration/verification. Carbon sequestration sites will require fine grained leak detection when captured into underground geological features, and isotopic ratio monitoring will allow such detection to be greatly improved. Additionally, data generated by such carbon isotope ratio sensors will answer many critical questions related to the human impact of burning fossil fuels." SBIR Phase I: Novel Urine-excreted Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax poly-asparagine Proteins As Targets For Bi-specific Monoclonal Antibody and Urine Malaria Test Development,1113394,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"Fyodor Biotechnologies, Inc",801 W. Baltimore Street,Suite 502-N,Baltimore,MD,21201-1109,No,Yes,Yes,Edwin C. Agbo,,4103027887,email@example.com,Edwin C. Agbo,,4103027887,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop a bivalent monoclonal antibody using novel Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) proteins shed in the urine of febrile malaria patients. Using a bioinformatics approach, we will create, score, and select in silico-generated recombinants of natural antigen variants designed to express mosaics that maximize the inclusion of common potential in one structure and minimize the inclusion of rare epitopes. Antigenic properties of the recombinant antigens are validated by indirect ELISA using panels of well-characterized sera from apparently healthy individuals and clinical Pf and Pv malaria patients. The utility of the recombinant antibodies are evaluated in a dipstick test using a range of clinical urine samples from Pf/Pv endemic regions. Our overall objective is to develop a simple one-step urine-based dipstick test for the simultaneous but specific diagnosis of clinical Pf and/or Pv malaria. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project relates to the development of a broad-based one step urine test for home-based or point-of-care diagnosis of clinical Pf and/or Pv malaria in persons with fever. The test will potentially provide a reliable tool to differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic disease, and provide better treatment options to those in need. It will potentially offer wider acceptability of clinical malaria diagnosis in endemic regions, especially in remote settings and in places where mixed infections frequently occur by obviating the occupational hazards involved with phlebotomy, thus helping to reduce the unnecessary use of antimalarial drugs. Overall, it has the potential to markedly impact the way over 95% of all clinical malaria is diagnosed and treated in endemic regions, and drive the current global effort towards home-based or point-of-care testing for malaria mandated by the World Health Organization prior to treatment in all cases of fever. Since it is based on the same platform as current RDTs, this test can be easily integrated into current healthcare structures to provide significant benefits to public health in most endemic countries. No such test is currently available." SBIR Phase I: Integrated Thermal Scanning Probe Development,1113523,NSF,NSF,SBIR,2011,1,149677.00,APPNANO,415 Clyde Avenue,Suite 102,Mountain View,CA,94043,No,Yes,No,Ami Chand,,4085670115,firstname.lastname@example.com,Ami Chand,,4085670115,email@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop high resolution thermal probes with sharp tips, integrated with highly sensitive thermal sensing elements that are capable of achieving very high lateral thermal resolution (<20 nm) for scanning thermal microscopy. These tips will be used in various applications, such as mapping thermal effects on recording heads, for applications involving recording technologies which utilize integrated laser pulsing, and for thermal mapping of small soft and/or self-assembled structures. Thermal mapping with 20 nm resolution will create paradigm shifts in mapping molecular self-assembly and soft materials. The core intellectual merits include the creation of thermal sensor nanofabrication processes using scalable semiconductor processing techniques to minimize the cost of manufacturing and ensure repeatability and reproducibility. The probe will be designed to maximize the heat flow from the sample to the sharp probe and to minimize the background heat flow from the sample to the cantilever to achieve high spatial resolution. The position, size, and material of the sensing element will be designed to achieve high sensitivity. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a new suite of products which will replace current thermal probe solutions and significantly increase the market potential of nano-thermal products. These new products will have significant impacts in industries such as semiconductors and magnetic recording, and will impact the emerging field of nanotechnology. The innovation will significantly help generate new research and applications in areas that are not currently being addressed. New efforts to integrate nanoelectronics with biomolecular self-assembled structures will be aided by the ability to map thermal conductivity and temperature with high resolution. Moreover, the measurement of thermal properties with high spatial resolution and sensitivity is a significant challenge but increasingly needed for process monitoring, material characterization, and failure analysis in the semiconductor and data storage industries, as well as for scientific research in nanotechnology." Improved Detection Of Drug-Resistance By Hepatitis B Virus,1R43AI085739-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,300000.00,"RENIGUARD LIFE SCIENCES, INC.",17 Lee Blvd,,Malvern,PA,19355-,No,Yes,No,Xiangdong D. Ren,,215-589-6357,email@example.com,Xiangdong D. Ren,,215-589-6357,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Chronic infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) can result in cirrhosis, hepatic failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) if left untreated. The extent of liver injuries and the risk of HCC are positively related to thelevel of viral replication measured by serum viral load. Five oral antiviral therapies are now available to inhibit viral replication. Their effective use requires proper monitoring of drug-resistant mutant viruses. Current commercially available methodshave demonstrated the utility of this monitoring but are significantly limited by their low sensitivity and inability to quantify mutant viral load. The overall goal of this project is to develop superior assays to improve the monitoring and be able to predict drug resistance prior to treatment or shortly after the treatment is initiated. We have developed a marketable clamped DNA sequencing assay that is gt100 times more sensitive than the existing commercially available techniques. The specific objectiveof this phase I proposal is to determine the feasibility and usefulness of our new assay in mutant detection, using clinical samples and making comparisons with the current standard in the field. We have also developed a clamped quantitative PCR assay witha similar high level of sensitivity. Our secondary objective is to use this quantitative assay to demonstrate the feasibility of predicting the emergence of viral mutants prior to treatment when the treatment decisions can be beneficially affected. The assay will also allow monitoring the dynamics of mutant viruses, which may help decision making on when to start a rescue treatment. Thus this study offers innovations that can be of enormous significance in the clinical management of chronic hepatitis B.PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) drug-resistant mutations are major obstacles to the oral antiviral treatment. We have developed new assay platforms that are technically superior to the current commercially available methods. These assays will enhance early detection of drug resistance and aid clinical decision making." A universal influenza vaccine by dual-domain fusion with a novel carrier protein,1R43AI092923-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,583246.00,"KJ BIOSCIENCES, LLC",2151 Harvey Mitchell Parkway,Suite 303,COLLEGE STATION,TX,77840,No,Yes,No,Yawei Ni,,979-587-0269,email@example.com,Yawei Ni,,979-587-0269,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The rapid genetic changes of influenza viruses continue to cause great difficulties with current strain- specific influenza vaccines in providing adequate control for influenza epidemics and effective countermeasures against pandemics. Thus, a universal vaccine that targets conserved antigen domains and provides protection against all influenza virus strains is urgently needed. The M2e and fusion peptide (FP) are the two most highly conserved antigen domains found in influenza virus surface proteins. The M2e (24 amino acids) is conserved among all influenza A viruses and the FP (14 amino acids) is conserved among both influenza A and B viruses. Current development efforts for a universal vaccine have primarily focused onsingle-domain constructs based on M2e. As the conserved antigen domains consist of just short peptides, an effective multivalent protein carrier system is critical in enhancing vaccine effectiveness and product feasibility with respect to manufacturing, storage, distribution, and use. KJ Biosciences aims to meet this urgent need by developing a novel dual-domain universal influenza vaccine incorporating both M2e and FP antigen domains that will provide protection against all influenza A and B viruses andcan therefore be used to control influenza epidemics as well as pandemics. It will be produced by dual-domain fusion with a unique nanoparticle protein carrier that has both N- and C-termini exposed on the surface for antigen attachment. The vaccine product can also be stabilized at room or higher temperatures based on the unique properties of the carrier protein. A thermostable vaccine will significantly reduce the logistical requirements for storage, distribution, and use of the vaccine product, which isespecially important when facing a pandemic. The goal of this proposal is to continue to develop this dual-domain universal influenza vaccine based on the promising results from preliminary studies. The proposed studies have two specific aims. Specific aim 1: Generation and characterization of the fusion proteins. Dual-domain fusion proteins with M2e and FP antigen domains arranged in different positions will be generated with the nanoparticle carrier protein by recombinant DNA techniques. They willbe tested to demonstrate nanoparticle formation, reaction with antibodies specific to the antigen domains, and stability at room or higher temperatures. Specific aim 2: Immunogenicity and protection. Selected dual-domain fusion protein vaccine candidate(s) will be tested in animal models to demonstrate that the vaccine candidate can induce specific antibodies and protect animals against challenge with live influenza viruses. Completion of these two specific aims will form the basis for further preclinical immunogenicity evaluation and process development to produce the candidate vaccine for toxicology and phase I clinical studies. Successful development of this vaccine will afford an effective measure for controlling influenza epidemics and also greatly enhance our ability to respond to future pandemics. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The rapid changes of influenza viruses continue to cause great difficulties with current strain-specific influenza vaccines in providing adequate control for influenza epidemics and effective countermeasures against pandemics. This project aims to develop a novel dual-domain universal influenza vaccine that can be used to control seasonal epidemics as well as pandemics and also be rapidly produced and distributed withoutrefrigeration. This vaccine is made possible by incorporation of two highly conserved influenza antigen domains using a unique carrier protein from bacteria." Crystalline Endolysin Treatment for Tuberculosis in TB/HIV co-infected patients,1R43AI095120-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,541150.00,"PROCRYSTA BIOLOGIX, INC.",12 MICHIGAN DR,,NATICK,MA,01760-1339,No,Yes,No,Bhami C. Shenoy,,508-318-6515,firstname.lastname@example.com,Bhami C. Shenoy,,508-318-6515,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Though often considered to be a disease of the past, tuberculosis (TB) is still a leading killer of people worldwide. At the end of 2008, approximately 2 billion people one-third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb), the etiologic agent of TB. The World Health Organization estimates that 2 million people worldwide die of TB each year. TB is now the second most common cause of death from infectious disease in the world after human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). In the mid-1980s, a resurgence of outbreaks in the United States brought renewed attention to TB. Main reasons for increase in TB cases are due to higher vulnerability of people infected with HIV/AIDS and development of drug-resistant strains of MTb, which causes TB in human. In the latest 2010 April WHO report results show that one in every 4 TB patients diagnosed with MDR-TB in Russia and about 50% of MDR-TB burden is in China and India.Worldwide there are 440,000 MDR-TB cases and 150,000 deaths occurred in 2008. About 5.4% of MDR-TB cases have XDR-TB according to the report in March 2010.It is impractical to eliminate TB without novel, and more effective drugs, diagnostics and vaccines.The world immediately needs simpler and faster curative drugs; safer and effective drugs that can treat all forms of TB especially in immuno- compromised people with HIV/TB co-infections. As an alternative to antibiotic therapy, especially for systemic lung infections by M. tuberculosis, we are proposing to develop an enzyme therapy that can be used with various formulation conditions and delivery routes. The enzyme therapy may be as effective as antibiotic therapy because the enzyme is highly specific, andpotent against the targeted bacteria. However, delivering these enzymes to the site of the infection remains a challenge. Most pharmaceutical proteins are susceptible to degradation at the site of administration, whether administered intravenously, subcutaneously, orally, topically or by any other route. We believe that a safe and effective delivery system for this application may be through the use of protein crystals, which provides highly concentrated, stable, and pure products. In addition, technologies are also needed to deliver endolysin to intracellular compartment since M. tuberculosis resides in macrophages. Cell penetrating peptides (CPP), either engineered in-frame or adsorbed/bound non-covalently to protein substrates, have been used to delivera wide variety of molecules into a number of cell types. In this proposal we are proposing to develop a crystalline formulated recombinant endolysin therapy with cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) that can be used with various formulation conditions and delivery routes. The opportunities for CPP conjugated to endolysin are multiple since it may be able to penetrate the macrophages thereby able to kill M. tuberculosis in HIV/TB co-infected patients and may extend their life span with minimal discomfort. In Phase I, we intend to study the feasibility of using endolysins, both soluble and crystalline formulations with or without cell penetrating peptides, as a systemic delivery system in an in vivo animal model for M. tuberculosis infection. If successful, this approach will lead to the introduction of novel, efficient enzyme therapy for the treatment of M. tuberculosis infections. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most devastating global health problems of our time, causing approximately 2 million deaths a year. As a preventive measure, currently BCG vaccine is used to avoid serious complications of TB and to reduce the rate of pediatric TB but It has little or no effectiveness for pulmonary TB in adults. We are proposing a novel crystalline endolysin that is pure, safe, effective even in immunocompromised patients, and unlike vaccines which needs immune system to generate the antibodies the endolysin can act directly on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis organism and thus prevent and treattuberculosis in HIV/TB co-infected patients." Safe and Efficacious Oral MIF Inhibitors for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment,1R43AI096570-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,600000.00,"INNOVIMMUNE BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.","760 Parkside Avenue, Suite 208",,Brooklyn,NY,11226,No,Yes,No,Anderson G. Md,,917-751-7956,firstname.lastname@example.com,Anderson Gaweco,,212-513-1786,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There are high unmet medical needs in the limited biologic therapeutics for 1.0% of adults with rheumatoid arthritis [RA] associated with staggering 39.2 billion annual US health care and societal costs. These are dueto inadequate efficacy; patient's inconvenience, prohibitive costs, poor adherence and treatment discontinuations; manufacturing risks and safety issues (infections and malignancies) that have prompted critical regulatory actions. Oral RA therapies are warranted due to their inherent lesser safety risks, lower costs and flexible drug delivery formulations for utility in various autoimmune diseases [AD]. Persistent safety findings of oral kinase inhibitors in development for RA continue to justify a target-selective approach that limits disease progression without the unwarranted toxicities of non-specific generalized over-immunosuppression. Selective inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor [MIF] has been target validated demonstrating unprecedented superior safety and efficacy in preclinical RA and several AD models. Innovimmune's [INV] proprietary new chemical entities of INV-88 lead scaffolds were discovered in silico using fragment-based coupled with structure-based drug design and are the first oral MIF inhibitors that target critical MIF pharmacophores taking advantage of emerging scientific advances in contrast to earlier oral MIF inhibitors. An INV team of expert drug developers with an industry track record of successfully advancing gt 35RA and AD therapeutics will lead the 24-month SBIR Phase I INV-88 lead optimization. The Phase I goal of clinical lead candidate selection will be achieved by accomplishing two specific aims of (1) lead candidate identification and characterization and (2)demonstration of anti-inflammatory proof of concept. The lead candidate could advance to a 36-month SBIR Phase II Preclinical/IND-enabling research stage with a goal to complete the ICH-M3(R2) requirements that will enable an FDA IND filing for RA in 2016. The SBIR Phase II milestone completion will enable a Phase 1 First in Human clinical study start in 2016, an increasing company asset valuation through strong intellectual property position and increasing estate, and potential extension of clinical development in the other high-growth MIF-target validated AD diseases. This accomplishment would place INV in a position of strength as it seeks an outlicensing, MandA or codevelopment agreement with external stakeholders. INV will seek potential industry development partners and investors as early as in SBIR Phase I to supplement the Phase I and II SBIR funding, and thus securing a partner early-on to lead further clinical development, NDA approval and commercialization. A future FDA approval for INV-88 as thefirst orally available target-selective cytokine inhibitor with a potential for better potency and efficacy, superior safety profile, wider therapeutic index, and cost-effective oral immunotherapy convenient for RA and AD patients would fulfill all critical unmet medical needs by contributing to overall patient mortality and quality of life improvements, and reduced public health care and societal costs. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The project's goal is to develop the first target-selective cytokine oral therapy that is safe and efficacious for rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and other autoimmune diseases [AD] with a small molecule macrophage migration inhibitory factor [MIF] inhibitor. The primary objective of the SBIR Phase I proposal is the lead optimization research of Innovimmune's proprietary oral MIF inhibitors. An FDA approval of an oral MIF inhibitor with a potential for better potency and efficacy, superior safety profile, wider therapeutic index, and cost-effective oral immunotherapy convenient for RA and AD patients would fulfill all critical unmet medical needs by contributing to overall patient mortality and quality of life improvements, and reduced public health care and societal costs." Web Software for Drug Targeting Signaling Networks in Primary Cell Subsets,1R43GM096579-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,150225.00,"CYTOBANK, INC.","CYTOBANK, INC.",,MOUNTAIN VIEW,CA,94043-,No,Yes,No,Nikesh Kotecha,,650-265-7806,firstname.lastname@example.com,Nikesh Kotecha,,650-265-7806,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will advance drug discovery by enabling researchers to target pathways and cell subpopulations in primary tissues with greater specificity. Selective targeting of pathways and cell subsets is a critical issue in human disease in fields including cancer and autoimmunity, as increased selectivity can mean the difference between a broad therapy with significant side effects and a focused therapy that selectively targets diseased cells. To meet the growing software needs in the fields of personalized medicine, drug screening, and translational biology, we created Cytobank, a web-based platform for software development, data sharing, and publication of flow cytometry experiment results. We are poised to serve thegrowing flow cytometry community in a way that no other software can. With Cytobank, a community of users manages experiments like email and shares scientific illustrations like photos in a web 2.0 cloud computing environment. However, missing from this framework currently are tools for single cel drug discovery, including IC50 calculation and display, pathway visualization, and compound screening. We will use the Cytobank web framework for flow cytometry data management and analysis to create a plate based interface for drug screening and build a set of tools that connects key calculations from the big picture view down to the underlying raw single cell data files. The Cytobank Inc. team developed key aspects of the flow cytometry technology, including single cell signaling profiles, fluorescent cell barcoding, and a rapid flow cytometry signaling diagnostic for a human cancer. This SBIR brings together these flow cytometry experts and a team of software engineers to create a tool that will incorporate cell type and pathway information into biochemical assays for drug discovery. This will enable screening for drugs that target cancer cells and not tumor infiltrating T cells and drugs that specifically kill cancer stem cells. This project has significant commercial potential, as the Cytobank flow cytometry data analysis platform is already employed daily by hundreds of users (www.cytobank.org). It has the support of large vendors in the flow cytometry space, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and flow cytometry thought leaders in three clinical research universities. Cytobank's advisory board includes a seasoned technology entrepreneur with over twenty-five years of experience in Silicon Valley and a professor from Stanford University driving both the technology and techniques of applying phosphoflow cytometry. Longer term, the potential of this project is that thousands of scientists around the world will be able to undertake drug discovery in primary samples, comparing the effect of targeted inhibitors of key populations, such as bulk cancer cells, cancer stem cells, and immune cell developmental subsets. In addition to the immediate application in biotechnology industry, this project will also create tools that are useful for basic scientific research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project addresses the collaboration and analysis software needs for phosphor-flow cytometry - a molecular technology that is revolutionizing how we understand disease mechanism with broad implications for treatment of human diseases, including HIV, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. By combining knowledge and expertise from wide- ranging disciplines - such as statistics, bioinformatics, biochemistry, immunology and medicine -- this technology has the potential to guide analysis from the basic research phase into disease mechanism, drug discovery, and in vivo monitoring during clinical trials. Cytobank is a web-based platform that enables simple, rapid and efficient communication around phospho-flow cytometry within these disciplines. In this grant, we propose to extend the Cytobank platform by develop web-based analysis suites that will guide drug screening in primary cells by identifying cell type selective compounds and displaying summary-level views that are linkedthrough to rich sources of primary data. Long term, this project will accelerate translational drug discovery by significantly lowering the barrier for researchers to do biochemical studies in tissue samples taken directly from patients." "BIOMEDICAL (BASIC) SBIR TOPIC 59, PHASE I, A CLOUD COMPUTING PLATFORM FOR CYTOMETRY",N43HL110055,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,153813.00,"CYTOBANK, INC.","CYTOBANK, INC.",,MOUNTAIN VIEW,CA,94043-,No,Yes,No,Nikesh Kotecha,,650-265-7806,email@example.com,Nikesh Kotecha,,650-265-7806,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Flow cytometry is used throughout basic and clinical research efforts. The complexity and magnitude of the data generated, however, can be a barrier to data sharing, annotation, and bioinformatics analysis. Currently, this barrier limits the ability of researchers to make cytometry data available to the public and to fulfill NIH mandates for data distribution. In this contract, we will expand the capabilities of Cytobank, a web-based flow cytometry platform, and enable researchers to 1) create web-accessible reports of their experiments that links published figures with raw data, 2) annotate experiments with rich ontologies that place their work into searchable contexts, and 3) explore their data using advanced third party analysis algorithms written in statistical packages such as R. Achieving these goals will meet a critical need by developing and implementing a data sharing plan for researchers studying blood and related fields immunology, leukemia and lymphoma, autoimmunity, stem cells, which routinely rely on flow cytometry." Discovering Sources for Atrial Fibrillation: Direct Approach to a Simple Cure,1R43HL102982-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,361816.00,"ABLATION NUMERICS, INC.",5918 GERMAINE LN,,LA JOLLA,CA,92037-7430,No,Yes,No,Ruchir S. Md,,760-807-8400,email@example.com,Ruchir Sehra,,760-807-8400,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Institute of Medicine recently listed atrial fibrillation (AF) as its top priority. AF is the most common heart rhythm disorder, afflicting 5 million Americans, in whom it may cause symptoms from irregular heartbeats, stroke, heart failure, and even death. Unfortunately, AF therapy remains limited. Therapy with anti- arrhythmic drugs is poorly tolerated, has frequent side effects and does not reduce complications since AF is not cured. Ablation is a minimally invasive therapy that has attracted considerable recent attention, because it may potentially eliminate AF. Unfortunately, ablation is not widely adopted because it is technically difficult, lengthy (4+ hours), has only lt 60 % success (compared to gt90% for mostother arrhythmias), and a 5-10% risk of serious complications. A major cause of these limitations is that AF on the ECG represents many different rhythm disorders (arrhythmia mechanisms), that currently cannot be diagnosed in each patient. As a result, AFablation cannot be directed to them, and is empiric with extensive destruction of the atrium. Our products represent a disruptive technology that will dramatically improve and simplify AF ablation, rapidly widening its adoption. Our products quickly andaccurately diagnose the causal arrhythmias for AF in each individual. Once identified, ablation can be targeted directly at these AF sources for cure. We have substantial preliminary data to support this paradigm. Our AFSourceTM product has for the first time diagnosed localized electrical rotors or repetitive focal beats as the AF mechanism in 42/53 AF patients. Patients in whom these mechanisms were ablated had significantly higher freedom from AF than those in whom ablation did not bisect these sites (92% vs 62% at 2 years, plt 0.001). Prospectively, ablation at these sites (known as Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation therapy, or FIRM) was able to terminate AF in as little as 5.5 minutes (vs. hours for conventional ablation). This project will finalize our technology for commercialization. Proposed studies address 3 Aims: 1) To perform mechanistic studies to diagnose rotors/focal beats and identify those that are primary sources for AF; 2) To perform a pilot clinical study comparing direct ablation at AFarrhythmia mechanisms diagnosed by AFSourceTM (FIRM therapy) to conventional ablation; and 3) To prepare a formal report for Phase II SBIR and FDA applications. Successful completion of our Aims will, scientifically, demonstrate for the first time that rotors and focal beats sustain human AF and, clinically, define a treatment paradigm for rapid simple AF cure. Our product and FIRM treatment may cause a paradigm-shift in the standard of care for AF. By improving and simplifying AF ablation, procedures willbe shortened and better tolerated, with potentially fewer complications, better facility and personnel utilization, and lower overall costs. These factors are likely to widen adoption, enabling more patients to access curative therapy for AF. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an enormous public health problem that affects 5 million Americans, causing morbidity or death from stroke, rapid heartbeats and heart failure. This phase I SBIR sets out to prove that small regions of the heart detected by inventions directly cause AF, and that physicians can modify these regions for a rapid and simple cure. This high impact project will result in a paradigm-shift in AF therapy." HIV/NeuroAIDS Patient Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells,1R43MH093287-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,386287.00,"JEEVAN BIOSCIENCES, INC.",4722 KINGS DOWN RD,,DUNWOODY,GA,30338-5658,No,Yes,No,Rodney Nash,,404-316-3046,firstname.lastname@example.com,Rodney J. Nash,,404-316-3046,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is an SBIR Phase I re-submission to fund proof of concept studies for the development of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from a population of HIV/NeuroAIDS patients who abuse alcohol and/or other substances (i.e. cocaine, opium, etc). It has been accepted that alcohol and drugs of abuse are significant cofactors in the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced disease. HIV infection, alcohol and drugs of abuse significantly affect the immune system as well as the central nervous system (CNS). In patients with HIV, abnormalities intersect to lead to a constellation of symptoms known as NeuroAIDS. The term NeuroAIDS includes a myriad of novel neurologic disorders which are a primary consequenceof damage to the central and peripheral nervous system by HIV. The medical conditions include sensory neuropathy, myelopathy, HIV dementia, and cognitive/motor disorder abnormalities. In minority groups HIV infection and NeuroAIDS progression occur at a disproportionate rate. The existence of biological differences within an ethnic group which might exacerbate the rate of conversion to NeuroAIDS is unknown. More definitive research has to be performed to understand the underlying mechanisms of alcohol and drug abuse on NeuroAIDS, specifically examining neuroimmunity, latent CNS reservoirs, neurons and glial cells. We are proposing to create iPS cell from fibroblast samples collected from minority HIV patients who abuse alcohol and/or drugs. Like human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), iPS cells can self-renew indefinitely and can be differentiated into most cells of the human body, including the CNS. Furthermore, iPS cells can either be modified by targeted gene disruption or created from patients as disease specific cell lines. We have successfully differentiated iPS cells and hESCs into neuronal lineages to study the neurodegenerative effect of various drugs and known toxins such as alcohol. We have successfully identified genes that are differentially regulatedby alcohol during neurogenesis. We believe iPS cells to be a powerful tool in gaining insight into which biomarkers are essential for the progression to NeuroAIDS in populations infected with HIV while abusing substances. Obtaining primary cells from a patient's brain would only exacerbate their current neurological problem. The success of this proposal will create the first cell line that is designed to look at biomarkers of NeuroAIDS. Published reports for drugs entering human clinical trials estimate costs to vary from 500 million to 2 billion depending on the therapy. The success rate for all new drugs entering phase I trials and the successful completion of product licensing for human use is approximately 9%, meanwhile, the success rate for CNS drugcandidates to become marketed therapeutic is projected at 3%. Several drugs have been tested in phase I and II clinical trials for HIV-associated dementia (HAD), which is commonly associated with HIV/NeuroAIDS and unfortunately none of the studies were able to improve health conditions. There is clearly a need to increase productivity and decrease the cost of drug development using strategies that also encourage innovation while ensuring drug safety and efficacy. HIV/NeuroAIDS patient-derived iPS cells represent a model to study CNS development; function and disease and are a useful tool to complement in vivo experimentation. We propose that the current inefficiencies, high attrition rates, protracted RandD cycles and elevated cost associated with drug development can be reduced by the advent of HIV/NeuroAIDS patient derived iPS cells which are relatively inexpensive and can be used as a model for high- throughput in vitro analysis in first phase drug discovery and preclinical product development in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. The Specific Aims of this Phase I application are: Specific Aim #1: To create iPS cells from fibroblast cells taken from substance abusing minorities and non-minorities with HIV/NeuroAIDS. Specific Aim #2: Differentiate iPS cells into neuronal and glial cell lineages. Successful completion of this work will support a Phase II application, with the goals of including a larger cohort for iPS cell development, toxicology screening and the product leading to FDA 510(k) approval. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: There is clearly a need to increase productivity and decrease the cost of drug development to treat HIV/NeuroAIDS using strategies that also encourage innovation while ensuring drug safety and efficacy. We propose that the current inefficiencies, high attrition rates, protracted RandD cycles and elevated cost associated with drug development can be reduced by the advent of HIV/NeuroAIDS patient derived iPS cells which are relatively inexpensive and can be used as a model for high-throughput in vitro analysis in first phase drug discovery and preclinical product development in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry." Development of a Novel Cell Based PDE10A Assay for Antipsychotic Drug Discovery,1R43MH094018-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,624562.00,"CODEX BIOSOLUTIONS, INC.","CODEX BIOSOLUTIONS, INC.","401 Professional Drive, Suite 160",Gaithersburg,MD,20879-,No,Yes,No,Jianming Lu,,301-538-8802,email@example.com,Wenshan Hao,,973-960-0023,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Schizophrenia is a chronic and devastating mental disorder that affects 0.5-0.8 percent general population and over 2 million people in the United States. The current treatment regimen depends on D2 dopamine receptor-targeted drugs that are partially effective on symptoms and cause severe side effects, leading to high treatment discontinuation and relapse. Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) is emerging as a novel drug target for schizophrenia that promises the development oftherapeutics with improved efficacy and less side effects. To develop a pipeline of PDE10A inhibitors, pharmaceutical and biotech companies are depending heavily on cell-free enzymatic assays and structure-based drug design. Although cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS) assays for PDE10A would greatly accelerate the drug discovery process and assist in discovering drug candidates with diverse mechanisms of actions and better pharmacological properties, there are no currently commercial products available to the pharmaceutical industry. Codex Biosolutions has a proprietary cAMP biosensor technology (ACTOne ) that has been successfully developed into a cell-based assay for screening PDE4 inhibitors in a 1536-well HTS campaign. In this SBIR phase I funding, our objective is to extend the initial success to establish a PDE10A cell-based assay that will be used by the industry to develop innovative therapeutics for schizophrenia disease. We will conduct all the research in our facilities located in Marylandand New Jersey, which are equipped with all necessary resources to complete the project. We will also have Dr. Hanting Zhang from Departments of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University, an expert on PDE research, to consult us on the project. We propose the following four specific aims for SBIR Phase I. 1. Generate stable HEK293-CNG-TSHR-PDE10A cell line. 2. Knock out PDE4D and PDE4B genes to generate HEK293-CNG-TSHR-PDE10A-PDE4D-/--PDE4B-/- cell line (PDE10A cell line). 3. Adapt thePDE10A cell line to the 384-well HTS format. 4. Perform high-throughput screening of the compound library to evaluate the assay performance in identifying known PDE10A inhibitors. The successful completion of Phase I will pave the way to extend the same technology to other PDE isoforms, leading to the establishment of a repertoire of selective cell-based assays for individual PDE variants that will serve drug discovery projects targeting broad therapeutic areas including CNS, inflammation, metabolism, andcancer. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Schizophrenia is a chronic and devastating mental disorder that affects 0.5-0.8 percent general population and over 2 million people in the United States. Phosphodiesterase 10A is emerging as a novel drug target for the disease that promises the development of therapeutics with improved efficacy and less side effects. Codex will utilize the proprietary ACTOne technology to establish a PDE10A cell-based assay that will accelerate the pharmaceutical and biotech industry to develop innovative therapeutics for schizophrenia disease." iBioSketch.com - A Web-Application for Evaluating Biomedical Science Training Gra,1R43RR031953-01A1,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,141766.00,"STRATEGIC EVALUATIONS, INC.",5501 WOODBERRY ROAD,,DURHAM,NC,27707-5358,No,Yes,No,Dawayne Whittington,,919-403-9584,firstname.lastname@example.com,Dawayne Whittington,,919-403-9584,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Over the last decade, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has funded on average about 15,000 biomedical science trainees per year at various stages in their careers, with 2009 financial data showing a total of 790million spent on research training. Data from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) financial report for fiscal year 2009 show that this agency spent roughly 860 million on education and training, across more than 90,000 trainees ranging from undergraduates through postdoctoral scholars. Together, this represents a federal investment of over 1.6 billion in 2009. These data point to the significant amount of resources annually invested in training tomorrow's scientists. However, science education researchers have faced numerous difficulties examining the effectiveness and outcomes of these training programs because there is currently no systematic way of collecting and housing data about the program participants. A 2005 report by the National Academies ofScience, titled Assessment of NIH Minority Research and Training Programs: Phase 3 describes how the lack of a centralized, systematic way of tracking participants posed major challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of minority research training programs. The report concludes that in order to address these challenges an NIH-wide, centralized, electronic data collection system for trainee tracking is necessary to assess program efficacy on an ongoing basis. Strategic Evaluations has designed a functional prototype called iBioSketch.com that aims to meet the recommendations outlined by the Academies. Funding is being requested to transition iBioSketch.com to a viable commercial product capable of generating revenue through licensing fees for usage. The work of this phase will complete the site by adding several innovative features that will enhance its use to trainees in biomedical research programs and improve the likelihood that PIs of these programs would support the tool. The tool's feasibility will be tested across two case studies. The first case will provide evidence for using iBiosketch to track trainees from an entire training program. The second case study will explore the feasibility of expanding the tool's use across funding sources. At the close of Phase I, the team will have established a unique, multipurpose tracking system that: 1) facilitates research conducted by PIs of biomedical training grants at individual institutions, and 2) improves NIH program officers' ability to conduct researchon programs that are designed to encourage more trainees to seek careers in the biomedical sciences, particularly programs focused on improving diversity in the field. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the establishment of a unique, multipurpose tracking system that: 1) facilitates research conducted by PIs of biomedical science training projects at individual institutions and 2) improves NIH program officers' ability to conduct research on programs designed to encourage more trainees to seek careers in the biomedical sciences." Computerized Alcohol Misuse Intervention with Micro-targeted Normative Feedback,1R41AA020451-01A1,HHS,HHS,STTR,2011,1,114674.00,"RESEARCH CIRCLE ASSOCIATES, LLC",710 NICOLL AVE,,BALTIMORE,MD,21212-3152,Yes,Yes,No,Diana H. Caldwell,,410-435-7455,firstname.lastname@example.com,Diana H. Caldwell,,410-435-7455,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Alcohol misuse continues to be a major public health problem in the United States, contributing substantially to morbidity, mortality, and social costs. There is a solid body of evidence supporting screening and brief intervention (SBI) for alcohol misuse on both public health and cost-effectiveness grounds, and the practice is endorsed by the U.S. Preventive Health Services Task Force. However, efforts to incorporate SBI into mainstream medical practice have faced barriers due to severe constraints on time and personnel that characterize many modern healthcare delivery settings. Novel methods for seamlessly integrating SBI into mainstream medical practice are needed. The proposed Phase 1 STTR project seeks to establish the feasibility of designing key components of an innovative computerized SBI program that would be appropriate for use within a variety of healthcare settings. The formative research in the Phase 1 STTR will provide critical information to guide the designof a computerized micro-targeted personalized normative feedback product that could ultimately facilitate more rapid diffusion of alcohol SBI into the healthcare system. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The envisioned SBI product will be designed for use on headphone-equipped touch screen tablet computers. The entire screening and intervention session will take approximately 15 minutes so that a patient can complete the program while waiting to see their healthcare provider. The proposed brief interventionwill be informed by established social-behavioral theories and will use promising micro-targeted normative feedback and norms misperception correction strategies. These techniques will compare the patient's reported behaviors and perceived norms to the actual estimated population norm for individuals that are similar to the patient in age, race, and sex. Normative comparison data will be obtained from ongoing, national-level epidemiological surveillance systems, analyzed for specific subpopulation-behaviorcombinations, and embedded within a special database in the software. The targeting of the reference group for behavioral norms feedback to match the patient on age, race, and sex is designed to increase the resonance of the normative comparison for the patient, and represents an unprecedented level of micro-targeting for a normative feedback intervention that can be readily scaled up for use in a variety of medical contexts across the country. Key system components will be pilot tested by a sample of participants recruited from a local community-based health center (a typical consumer of the finished product). Participants' experiences with the technology will be explored via in-depth qualitative interviews, and the presentation refined based on user feedback." Developing Novel Dual CRF-R1/Orexin-1 Receptor Antagonists for Tobacco Dependence,1R41DA032463-01,HHS,HHS,STTR,2011,1,299973.00,"HAGER BIOSCIENCES, INC.","116 RESEARCH DR, STE 265",,BETHLEHEM,PA,18015-4731,No,Yes,No,Belew Mekonnen,,610-849-5076,firstname.lastname@example.com,Belew Mekonnen,,610-849-5076,firstname.lastname@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tobacco use is now recognized as the single most responsible cause of avoidable death worldwide representing approximately 10% of all deaths globally. Directly or indirectly, long term tobacco use has been implicated incomplex major health disorders such as cancer, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and mental disorders. In the USA alone, 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of all lung cancer deaths are reported to be tobacco-use related. Besides the toll on human health, the estimated annual economic burden of tobacco use had reached over 193 billion both in lost productivity and associated health care costs in the USA. Although significant progress has been made towards the understanding and treatment of nicotine dependence, still approximately 21% of the adult population in the United States continues to smoke, and the increase in disease prevalence and health care expenditure has been positively correlated with smoking. In spite of the sustained national effort that has been undertaken to educate, encourage and help tobacco users to quit and abstain from smoking, only a small percentage of smokers manage to relinquish permanently without an interventional agent. The majority of current therapies for smoking cessation suchas nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion and varenicline target the positive reinforcement or the pleasurable effects of nicotine. In contrast, there is currently no therapeutic available for the treatment of nicotine addiction that targets the brain stress systems or the negatively reinforced properties of nicotine addiction. In addition, the efficacy of most of these available therapeutic modalities has not been greatly satisfactory, and is further confounded by serious unwanted side effects such as insomnia, dry mouth, seizure, nausea, headache, psychotropic and gastrointestinal upset. Thus it becomes clear that current smoking cessation therapies are inadequate and that there is a significant need to develop therapeutic agents with new mechanisms of action for more effective treatment of tobacco addiction. An abundance of pharmacological and molecular biology data have implicated the significant roles that Orexin-1 (OX-R1) and Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor-1 (CRF-R1) play in the neurobiology of tobacco addiction and relapse. These data also support the convergent and complementary nature of these receptor signaling pathways. It is then logical to envision a therapeutic approach based on a single agent with a dual CRF-R1 and OX-R1 antagonist profile for nicotine addiction. To date, there is no small molecule with a dual antagonist activity on OX-R1 and CRF-R1. Hence, identifying a drug-like dual OX-R1:CRF-R1 antagonist would have great potential for the treatment of tobacco addiction and would represent a significant advancement in the field. Therefore, the specific aim of this Phase 1 STTR proposal is to identify, characterize, and develop a novel, potent (IC50 lt 1 uM on both OX- R1:CRF-R1) and selective (gt10 x fold over OX-R2 and CRF2) antagonist chemical series, from which we will select a candidate with the best overall biological and physical-chemical properties for a Phase 2 STTR in-vivo study for potential use in the treatment of tobacco addiction and relapse. A successful identification of novel and dual OX-R1:CRF-R1 inhibitors with balanced in-vitro profile in this Phase 1 project would allow us to progress to a final lead optimization campaign focused on identifying pre- clinical leads with well-balanced in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK) parameters for key behavioral as well as pharmacological POC studies in rodent addiction and relapse models during a Phase 2 continuing grant. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Directly or indirectly, long term tobacco use has been implicated in causing complexmajor health disorders such as cancer, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and mental disorders that result in otherwise avoidable death worldwide. In the USA alone, 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of all lung cancer deaths are reported to be related to tobacco use. The economic burden of tobacco use due to associated health-care costs and lost productivity has risen to over 193 billion annually in the US alone. Despite interest in quitting smoking, only a small percentage of smokers manage to relinquish permanently without an interventional agent. Unfortunately, the efficacy of most of the available smoking cessation therapeutic modalities has not been satisfactory, and is further confounded by serious unwanted side effects. It is the aim of this project todiscover and develop novel therapeutic agents with unique mechanisms of action for more effective treatment of tobacco addiction and relapse." m-Health for Just-In-Time Occupational Safety Training,1R43OH010146-01,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,149776.00,"Cell Podium, LLC",,,Newark,NJ,07103-,No,Yes,No,Cesar Bandera,,732-991-5112,firstname.lastname@example.com,Cesar Bandera,,732-991-5112,email@example.com,"DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): m-Health for Just-In-Time Occupational Safety Training The overall aim of the proposed SBIR Phase I is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of concepts from the emerging field of mobile health (m-Health) on improving the occupational safety of construction site workers. In particular, the proposed effort will conduct field trials that assess the utility of m-Health as a multifaceted construction site job aid for safety training and monitoring that exploits the ability of workers' cell phones to send and receive multimedia. The popularity of mobile text messaging (SMS) in m-Health has prompted its use as a method to deliver simple safety alerts. A drawback of SMS is that it only supports brief unformatted text (under 160 characters) which severely constrains the information it can convey. Picture and video messaging (MMS) among cell phone users is gaining SMS in popularity. Like SMS, MMS does not require internet access and is as low-cost and resilient to wireless bandwidth interruptions. However, MMS is much more informative and appealing than just text. MMS pushes slideshows with audio narration and videos into a cell phone, which can be played even when there is no signal coverage and which are easily shared. The deployment of commercial services using MMS is impeded by a lack of multimedia interoperability among cell phones and carriers. For example, different cell phones will often support different file formats, and an instructional video that plays on one phonemight not play on another. Cell Podium proposes an innovative broadcast technology that ensures users receive mobile multimedia in formats that play on their cell phones, regardless of the user's device model (smartphone or legacy device), carrier, or typeof subscription plan (e.g., individual, pay-as-you-go, corporate, family, with or without data plan). The Atlantic OSHA Training Center (Piscataway, NJ) is using this technology to send refresher videos to the cell phones of enrolled students, with promising results on class performance. However, it remains to be seen if this technology can be used effectively in a construction site to reduce safety violations and workplace accidents. The proposed effort will conduct a pilot at a construction site of Structure Tone (the largest commercial construction firm in New Jersey). The pilot consists of broadcasting both periodic occupational safety refresher videos and safety/logistics alerts to participating workers at a Structure Tone construction site, and assessing any subsequent reduction in safety violations and workplace incidents. Each participating worker will only receive videos relevant to the worker's assignment at the job site. Site safety directors and superintendents witnessing a worker committing a safety violation will also be able to send to that worker's cell phone a refresher video specific to the violation. The pilot will also assess the technology's ability to collect imagery, video, voice narration, and notes made from any cell phone to documentcompliance with and violation of safety rules. In collaboration with Structure Tone, Cell Podium will develop a library of brief workplace safety refresher videos tailored to at least ten trades and two languages, and evaluate the adaptation of existing training material into mobile formats. Site workers will be invited to enroll in the pilot project, which simply entails making a brief call to a local phone number; this allows the Cell Podium technology to capture the caller ID, the multimedia capabilities of the phone, and the caller's trade. At any time, any participants can opt-out or submit comments. Cell Podium will broadcast safety videos for at least three months, and Structure Tone will assess any trends in safety violations, site morale and cleanliness, and workplace incidents using the mechanisms it already has in place. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: m-Health for Just-In-Time Occupational Safety Training The proposed m-Health technology is content-agnostic, and supports outreach to demographicswith cell phones, including underserved and vulnerable populations which often rely on cell phones more than landlines. By addressing obstacles to mobile media interoperability with middleware (instead of with mobile apps), and exploiting cell phone adoption trends, the technology retains its value as new mobile devices are introduced into the marketplace while maintaining support for older or less expensive cell phones." RandD-OTHER SCIENCES-B RES,N43CO110054,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,199834.00,"QUALIBER, INC.",4201 Branchwood Dr,,Durham,NC,27705,No,Yes,No,Anil K. Goyal,,919-593-6230,email@example.com,Anil K. Goyal,,919-593-6230,email@example.com,"Gemcitabine (Gemzar) is an effective chemotherapeutic drug approved for treatment of several cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic, breast and ovarian cancer. However, its use has been limited due to its short half-life and significant systemic toxicity. This proposal utilizes a novel Lipid-Calcium-Phosphate (LCP) nanoparticle platform for the design of multifunctional targeted nanoparticles (NP) to deliver gemcitabine triphosphate (GTP) and 111Indium to cancer cells. In these novel particles GTP is a therapeutic agent and 111Indium is a radio-imaging agent. These resulting LCP-GTP-Indium theranostic nanoparticles will be evaluated for efficacy in lung tumor models and imaging capabilities. The novel NPs will also be evaluated forpreliminary toxicity in normal mice. The targeted LCP-GTP-Indium theranostic nanoparticles are expected to increase the half-fife and lower the toxicity of gemcitabine while simultaneously allowing for tumor imaging capabilities. Development of GTP+lndiumnanoparticles will improve the delivery of a known chemotherapy drug and enhance the potential for expanded use of this drug in lung and other cancers. Furthermore 111Indium will allow in vivo tracking and imaging of NP without affecting the NP characteristics or biodistribution. This diagnostic capability will enable individualized treatment based on biodistribution, leading to a true personalized medicine product." SBIR TOPIC 294 PHASE I - DEVELOPMENT OF GLYCOSYLATION-SPECIFIC RESEARCH REAGENTS (ANTIBODIES AND APTAMERS),N43CO110073,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,147520.00,"DETROIT RANDD, INC.",4683 RAVINE DR,,BLOOMFIELD HILLS,MI,48301-3640,Yes,Yes,No,Hyesook Kim,,248-539-3236,email@example.com,Hyesook Kim,,248-539-3236,email@example.com,"Protein O-GlcNAcylation (N-acetylglucosamine modification), which decreases phosphorylation, plays a critical role in cell-cycle regulation, apoptosis and signal transduction. So far, ~120 O-GlcNAcylated human proteins have been found. To elucidate functions of O-GlcNAcylation, it is necessary to develop site-specific antibodies for O-GlcNAcylated proteins. Many pan-specific antibodies for O-GlcNAcylation are available. However, few site-specific antibodies for O-GlcNAcylated proteins have been successfullyproduced. During the Phase I study, we will synthesize multiple antigen peptides with various features against O-GlcNAcylation sites of c-myc and p53 to test effects of a specific peptide design on the sensitivity and specificity of the antibodies. Sensitivity and specificity of the antibodies will be determined to find out the best peptide design. We will explore utility of the O-GlcNAcylation site-specific antibodies using human breast cell lines, normal (MCF10A) and tumor cells (MCF-7 and N-ras and H-ras MCF10A) with and without treatment with various O-GlcNAcase inhibitors." TAS::75 0893::TAS SINGLE CHAIN ANTIBODIES AS RENEWABLE CAPTURE REAGENTS,N43DA110008,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,200000.00,ALLELE BIOTECHNOLOGYANDPHARMACEUTICALS INC,6404 Nancy Rdige Drive,,SAN DIEGO,CA,92121-2248,No,Yes,No,Jiwu Wang,,858-587-6645,firstname.lastname@example.com,Jiwu Wang,,858-587-6645,email@example.com,The main objective of this contract is to generate VHH antibodies against 10 addiction-relevant proteins. Protocols will be established for efficiently identifying single chain VHH antibodies from llamas. Both synthetic peptides and recombinant proteinswill be used to immunize llamas. TAS::75 0893::TAS RAPID LARGE SCALE PRODUCTION OF PROTEIN THERAPEUTICS,N43DA110015,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,1,150000.00,"ANTAGEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.",650 ALBANY ST UNIT 112,,BOSTON,MA,02118-2518,No,Yes,No,Wenda Gao,,617-826-9885,firstname.lastname@example.com,Wenda Gao,,617-826-9885,firstname.lastname@example.com,"AWith a long-term objective to efficiently manufacture protein therapeutics, the Contractor developed a mammalian expression vector pATG that incorporates human DNA regulatory elements to render long-term cell line stability, ensures the most stringent selection of high producers, and uses the strongest signal sequence for high level secretory expression without gene amplification. This system shortens mamallina cell line development from 1 year to 4-5 weeks. To make this system user-friendly, in this Phase I study, the Contractor will devise novel ways to further reduce cell line development time to 2 weeks; and demonstrate the robustness of its new system by comparing with commercially available vectors in manufacturing model proteins. The Contractor will provide contract CMO services for generating stable, high-producing CHO cells lines for large-scale production of recombinant antibodies and vaccines." Significantly Enhance Hard Disk Drive Performance by using Titanium Foil Disk Substrates,DE-FG02-11ER90006,DOE,DOE,SBIR,2011,1,149200.00,Antek Peripherals Inc.,21451 Continental Circle,,Saratoga,CA,95070-6505,No,Yes,No,Anil Nigam,Mr.,408-529-5653,firstname.lastname@example.com,Anil Nigam,Mr.,408-529-5653,email@example.com,"Computers are a part of our daily life and data storage is an essential element in any computing system. Over the years compute power has increased significantly but the availability of economical, high speed data storage has been lacking. Today, concerns range from how quickly can information be stored and retrieved to how long it takes a personal computer to become ready for use after it is started. The most economical and prevalent random access data storage device is the hard disk drive. This product relies on spinning disks to store and retrieve information. The inertia of the spinning disks dictates the power requirements, cooling and volume of the unit. The objective of the proposed research is to demonstrate the replacement of the current thick hard disks with very thin titanium foil disks, reducing disk inertia by an order of magnitude. This change will allow the unit to operate at very high speeds, increasing data transfer rates significantly while consuming less power. Commercial Application and Other Benefits: Implementing titanium foil disks in the disk drive will reduce its cost. The magnetic recording film, electronics and other hardware will remain unchanged while the cost of the foil disk will be lower due to a significantly smaller material volume. The thinness of these disks can be exploited to allow more foil disk platters to be installed in the same disk drive, resulting in increased storage capacity at a decreased cost. Additionally, significantly slimmer disk drives can be designed for use in portable computing, communication and entertainment systems, while data centers will require less space decreasing operating expenses" A Contaminant Tolerant Solvent for Carbon Capture in Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants,DE-FG02-11ER86480,DOE,DOE,STTR,2011,1,100000.00,Green Technology Ltd Co.,311 Townepark Cir Ste 101,,Louisville,KY,40243-2336,No,Yes,No,Frank Wang,Mr.,5025937127,email@example.com,KunLei Liu,Dr.,8592570293,firstname.lastname@example.com,"This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will study the feasibility of a novel contaminant-tolerant solvent/stripping chemical hybrid process for post-combustion CO2 capture from utility flue gas. The process will use a proprietary solvent technology to achieve DOEs goal of 90% or greater CO2 emissions reduction at existing coal-fired power plants with no more than a 30% increase in cost of energy services. In phase I project, research efforts will focus on demonstrating the viability of the solvent technology to perform with actual flue gas compositions generated from existing coal-fired power plants through following tasks: 1) Determine the impact of flue gas constituents on solvent performance; 2) Perform computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study and modeling of the scrubber and 3) Conduct system performance and economic analysis. The proposed low-cost CO2 capture process, if proven technical feasibility, will improve the economics of the national greenhouse gas sequestration program, improve the overall plant efficiency of existing coal-fired power plants and reduce cost burden to utility industry and public as a whole" "Development of an automated, mobile pasteurizer for food products in global communities.",2011-00216,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,1,96700.00,AG INFO MANAGEMENT INC,1551 HANSON RD,,Ellensburg,WA,98926-7916,No,Yes,No,Mark L. Kinsel,Chief Executive Officer,(509) 962-1583,email@example.com,Mark L. Kinsel,Chief Executive Officer,(509) 962-1583,email@example.com,"Consumption of milk and dairy products is one of the best, and most available, sources of nutrition in the world. Unfortunately, one of the most common sources of foodborne illness is contaminated milk. This is especially true in third world countries where sanitation practices are primitive and refrigeration on-farm or during transport to milk processing plants is very unreliable due to instability of available electrical power. Thus, a system that would allow milk to be pasteurized and chilled on farm or at local community collection points prior to transport would have a tremendous impact on dairy product quality and food safety and would support the USDA SBIR initiative of lowering the risk of foodborne illness and securing a major source of the global food supply. Based on the existence of commercially available solar powered water pasteurizers and new developments in food grade sensors, we believe that development of a portable, low cost, automated pasteurizer for enhancing food safety in global communities is an achievable goal. It is anticipated that a portable, low cost device may be manufactured that effectively pasteurizes and chills milk for several days prior to delivery to the processing plant. It is anticipated that the proposed device may be configured to automatically clean itself using a control unit that can be managed remotely. It is also anticipated that device sensors can reliably transmit process data to a remote location such that the device may be monitored and controlled remotely. Successful development of such a system will have dramatic impact on food safety of agricultural products in remote locations with limited technology." "Production and Marketing of a Novelty Specialty Pepper, Capsicum baccatum",2011-00394,USDA,USDA,SBIR,2011,1,99961.00,WILSON'S CEDAR POINT FARMS LLC,66 GARFIELD TARTER RD,,Nancy,KY,42544-7509,No,Yes,No,Joel Wilson,Managing Member,(606) 871-0096,firstname.lastname@example.com,Joel Wilson,Managing Member,(606) 871-0096,email@example.com,"Certain types of specialty peppers may be desired by chefs. Capsicum baccatum, a relative of peppers commonly grown in the U.S. A, is a diverse species; both wild and cultivated forms occur in South America. However, cultivation of C. baccatum outside of South America is rare, and little scientific information is available with regard to cultivation of these relatively primitive cultivars of peppers. When produced in the open field in Kentucky, using production conditions similar to those for bell peppers (C. annuum), plants of one type of C. baccatum flower profusely in midsummer (July and August) but fail to set fruit during this time. Research conducted over a period of years has provided us a solution to mid-summer flower and fruit abortion, but several problems remain. Thus we are attempting to establish the feasibility of producing this specialty pepper in the open field in KY. Plants of this specialty pepper are phenotypically plastic, and display a response that is commonly recognized as shade avoidance. When mutually shaded (grown at close spacing), plants are tall and have few axillary branches. When grown at wide spacing, plants are shorter, with several axillary branches. We believe that the presence of axillary branches likely delays earliness of this specialty pepper. However, the presence of axillary branches, because of the fruiting pattern of peppers, may ultimately be beneficial in producing higher total yield per acre. Thus the ultimate production system(s) may involve a range of plant phenotypes. To begin sorting out optimal conditions for production of this specialty pepper, we have proposed an experiment that combines spacing and pruning so that effects of these factors and their interactions can be better understood with regard to early and total productivity. Ratios of red:far red light are known to mediate the shade avoidance response in plants, and it is also known that these ratios can also be modified by the use of colored mulches. Consequently we have also proposed an experiment to determine the effect of different mulch colors on branching, earliness and total yield. We have requested a 19-month project to allow conduct of these two experiments in season 1, and then during season 2, allowing evaluation of combinations of spacing, mulch color and pruning with a view toward developing one or more production systems that will ensure early as well as total yield. Marketing research will take place with peppers harvested from these field plots in both year 1 and year 2, allowing us to better develop the market potential of this specialty pepper." TAS::75 0894::TAS SBIR PHASE II - IDENTIFICATION OF ALCOHOL-RELEVANT MIRNA BIOMARKERS,N44HD090017,HHS,HHS,SBIR,2011,2,425949.00,GENOME EXPLORATIONS INC,654 JEFFERSON AVE,,MEMPHIS,TN,38105-4912,No,Yes,No,Divyen Patel,,901-578-5708,firstname.lastname@example.com,Divyen Patel,,901-578-5708,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Alcohol abuse and its related health effects are estimated to have an economic cost in the US that approaches $200 Billion per year. However, current tests for alcohol use/abuse are not reliable except when administered within several hours of intoxication. Moreover, current clinical tests for alcohol-related organ damage only provide reasonable diagnostic and prognostic value after the damage has occurred. This study is designed to examine the effect of alcohol on micro RNAs (miRNAs), a newly discovered class of gene expression regulators that are believed to play important roles in vital cellular functions, development and disease. Genome Explorations Inc. (GenEx) proposes to use a well-validated mouse model system to identify alcohol-induced changes in miRNA expression in blood, liver and cerebellum and assess their ability to act as sensitive and specific indicators of acute alcohol use and alcohol-induced liver damage. Identification of such biomarkers may lead to the development of more sensitive and specific tests that can detect alcohol consumption well after the fact, and the early onset (or pre-onset indicators) of alcohol induced liver damage." Handheld Apps for Warfighters,W31P4Q-11-C-0039,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,98977.00,Arkham Technology,"8001 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 1400",,Irvine,CA,92618-,Yes,Yes,No,Naomi Thomas,CFO,(949) 939-5049,email@example.com,Otaway Thomas,Chief Engineer,(949) 228-6677,firstname.lastname@example.com,"In the commercial world, corporate""road-warriors""connect to their home office servers using the RFC-2401 IPSec protocol client software installed on their PCs. Many mobile handsets have these IPSec clients built-in. The Suite B mode of HAIPE v4.2 has been closely aligned with commercial IPSec. We propose, therefore, using this client-server paradigm to develop a Suite B HAIPE client that will securely run on the Android platform to provide military-grade encryption to the warfighter." Biometric-based Computer Authentication System during Mission Oriented Protective Posture Scenarios (BioCOPS),W31P4Q-11-C-0107,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99265.00,"HarmonoLogic, LLC",370 S Crenshaw Blvd,Suite E202K,Torrance,CA,90503,Yes,Yes,No,Xiaoling Zhang,Managing Partner,(310) 694-6578,email@example.com,Yunping Yang,Principal Scientist,(310) 694-6578,firstname.lastname@example.com,"To address OSD/DARPA's need for a biometric-based approach to automatically authenticating a user in full Military Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) Level IV gear to a network/host, HarmonoLogic LLC proposes to develop a new Biometric-based Computer Authentication System during MOPP Scenarios (BioCOPS). BioCOPS is based on high-sensitivity, high-specificity multimodal biometrics for secure authentication. BioCOPS's synergistic and seamless fusion of human scent and heartbeat-based biometrics results in a truly 3-factor strong authentication with provable and non-repudiable identification of 100% identity. It requires no active interactions from users, enabling all-time (100% of the time) automatic authentication under MOPP scenarios. Advanced Encryption Standard encryption renders BioCOPS secure wireless communications. The fieldable, rugged, low-power, compact and lightweight BioCOPS system (<10 mW,<2 1 0.5 cm,<100g) is non-intrusive and easy to use for the warfighter in MOPP Level IV gear. Due to its manufacturability and use of commercial off-the-Shelf (COTS) components, the BioCOPS system is cost-effective (<$20 for mass production). In Phase I HarmonoLogic will demonstrate the feasibility of BioCOPS technology by fabricating and testing a TRL-4 prototype. In Phase II we plan to refine the technology and fabricate an integrated TRL-5 BioCOPS prototype." Nanocapillary Atmospheric Water Generation (Nano-AWG) System,W56HZV-11-C-0294,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2011,1,149774.00,"HarmonoLogic, LLC",370 S Crenshaw Blvd,Suite E202K,Torrance,CA,90503,Yes,Yes,No,Xiaoling Zhang,Managing Director,(310) 694-6578,firstname.lastname@example.com,Yunping Yang,Director of Research&Development,(310) 430-3132,firstname.lastname@example.com,"To address Army need for a novel scalable energy-efficient technology to generate potable water on demand from atmospheric humidity in hot arid environments, HarmonoLogic LLC proposes to develop a Nanocapillary Atmospheric Water Generation (Nano-AWG) system. This system is based on Bio-inspired extremely efficient nanocapillary water condensation and multifunctional TiO2 thin film for water accumulation, purification and collection. Utilizing this nanocapillary effect and switchable wettability of multifunctional nanostructured thin film, the proposed Nano-AWG system is highly energy-efficient (<200 WHPL at 70degrees F & 40% RH and<800 WHPL at 35degrees F & 43% RH with 2 grams of water per kilogram of air), light-weighted, compact, cost-effectiveness (<20 lb,<20 X 20 X 30 in., and<$200 for a Nano-AWG system with capacity of 2 gallon-per-hour), and capable of operating in all environments. It offers real-time water quantity and quality monitoring and control, fieldability, ruggedness, and turn-key operation, and environment-friendliness. In Phase I HarmonoLogic will demonstrate the feasibility of Nano-AWG technology by fabricating and testing a TRL-4 prototype. In Phase II we plan to refine the technology and fabricate an integrated TRL-5 Nano-AWG prototype." Defects and Damage in Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Impact on Material Performance,FA8650-11-M-5128,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,98872.00,"Structural Analytics, Inc.","2888 Loker Ave. East, Suite 222",,Carlsbad,CA,92010-6685,No,Yes,No,Unni Santhosh,Director,(760) 845-8206,firstname.lastname@example.com,Unni Santhosh,Director,(760) 845-8206,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Innovative research and development leading to a dual-use advanced technology product is proposed. The product is a methodology and associated software for a damage-based non-linear deformation model to study the effect of manufacturing defects and service-induced damage in Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs). Once developed, the model would be used in conjunction with non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods to predict the effect of defects and damage on structural properties, component life and residual strength. The primary focus is on 2D SiC/SiC HiPerComp CMC for the gas turbine components. However the methodology would be applicable to a much broader class of CMCs and components for military and commercial applications. An innovative Physics-Based mechanistic modeling approach is proposed. The approach includes direct consideration of relevant defect and damage mechanisms and environmental degradation. Phase I will involve characterization of the mechanistic model for CMC materials selected by Pratt & Whitney for exhaust nozzle application. The models will be validated against already available test data and against test data generated by our partner, Triton Systems, Inc., under Topic AF103-153. Predictions will be compared with experimental measurements to assess the modeling approach and feasibility for a comprehensive methodology development in Phase II. The proposed product is a comprehensive defect and damage assessment methodology and associate software for its implementation. BENEFIT: Due to the proliferation in potential applications of ceramic matrix composites in military and commercial aerospace engines and in industrial gas turbine industries, the proposed dual-use high technology product has an immediate and expanding market. SAI will market the methodology, the software and technical expertise (services) to these and other industries." Defects and Damage in Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Implications for Component Life Prediction,FA8650-11-M-5130,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99404.00,"Structural Analytics, Inc.","2888 Loker Ave. East, Suite 222",,Carlsbad,CA,92010-6685,No,Yes,No,Unni Santhosh,Director,(760) 845-8206,email@example.com,Unni Santhosh,Director,(760) 845-8206,email@example.com,"Innovative research and development leading to a dual-use advanced technology product is proposed. The product is a methodology and associated software for a damage-based non-linear deformation model to study the effect of manufacturing defects and service-induced damage in Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs). Once developed and validated, the methodology would be used in cost effective development of CMC components by the Air Force and its major aerospace engine suppliers. The proposed methodology would be applicable to a broad class of CMCs and components for military and commercial applications. An innovative mechanistic (physics-based) modeling approach is proposed. The approach includes direct consideration of relevant defect and damage mechanisms. Phase I will include characterization and modeling of existing CMC data obtained from Pratt & Whitney and COI Ceramics, Inc. (our industry endorsers). The models will be validated against benchmark test data involving CMCs containing defects and damage. Predictions will be compared with experimental measurements to assess the modeling approach and feasibility for a comprehensive methodology development in Phase II. BENEFIT: Due to the proliferation in potential applications of ceramic matrix composites in military and commercial aerospace engines and in industrial gas turbine industries, the proposed dual-use high technology product has an immediate and expanding market. SAI will market the methodology, the software and technical expertise (services) to these and other industries." Hazardous Material Satellite Storage Lockers,N00167-11-P-0073,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,79988.00,"Pacific Engineering, Inc",1074 Saltillo Road,,Roca,NE,68430-,No,Yes,No,Dexter Myers,Vice-President,(626) 379-2282,dexter.myers@pacificengineeringinc.,Wayne Lee,Director of Engineering,(402) 419-0333,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Navy ships require the use of hazardous materials (HM) such as hydraulic fluid, paint, acids, corrosives, etc. for daily operations. Navy safety regulations and HM management procedure (i.e. OPNAVINST 5100.19E and CHRMIP), require designated HM storerooms for bulk storage of flammable and corrosive liquids. These storerooms have dedicated fire protection systems, explosion proof electrical fixtures, and forced ventilation. In order to increase efficiency, NAVSEA approved the use of satellite storage lockers that will be placed in the work centers to store a week supply of daily use HM. The objective of this SBIR effort is to develop satellite storage lockers for the stowage of HM to meet the needs of the Fleet. Such lockers will be designed for high corrosion/fire resistance with excellent durability while satisfying all specified safety and operational requirements for storage lockers. Pacific Engineering Inc. (PEI) has a history of producing fire resistance composite components for Naval ships and submarines. Our composite lockers will be lighter than existing steel lockers that weigh between 60 to 225 pounds. PEI will also design superior protection against corrosions, and fire, smoke and toxicity per DDS 078-1 while meeting shock/vibration loads per MIL-STD-810 and Grade B UNDEX blast shock per MIL-S-901. NAVSEA approved the use of satellite storage lockers, which will be placed in the Ship""s work centers, to store a seven (7) day supply of daily use HM. The objective of our SBIR is to develop satellite storage lockers for the stowage of hazardous materials to meet the evolving needs of the Fleet. Such lockers will be designed for high corrosion/fire resistance with excellent durability while satisfying all specified safety and operational requirements for satellite storage lockers. PEI has a history of producing fire resistance composite components for Naval ships and submarines. Our composite lockers will be lighter than existing steel lockers that weigh between 60 to 225 pounds. They will also provide adequate protection against fire/smoke hazards, corrosions, and toxicity per DDS 078-1 while satisfying shock and vibration loads and Grade B UNDEX blast shock environments per Mil-Std-901D." Raman Anthrax and Biothreat Detection System (RADS),W911NF-11-C-0203,DOD,ARMY,SBIR,2011,1,148890.00,Spectral Platforms,870 S. Myrtle Ave,Spectral Platforms,Monrovia,CA,91016,No,Yes,No,Ravi Verma,CEO,(626) 532-7284,email@example.com,Ravi Verma,CEO,(626) 532-7284,firstname.lastname@example.com,"Since the anthrax attacks of September-October 2001, the United States has developed and deployed several biothreat detection systems (most notably at various postal service locations). The most accurate systems utilize PCR technology and are therefore bulky, cannot be easily miniaturized, and generally are not suitable for detection in more remote locations. Smaller systems, such as those based on the detection of spores via standard Raman spectroscopy or by use of immunoassays result in an unacceptable high proportion of falsely positive signals, thereby limiting their utility. Here, we propose a highly specific bioterror threat agent detection system using ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LED) in a Raman spectrometer, combined with a 2D correlation analytic technique. In Phase I, we will validate our methods with experimental results collected using a breadboard instrument on an accepted anthrax simulant. We will demonstrate that our methods improve the detection sensitivity by 100,000-fold compared to the current approach for point-of-care detection. In Phase II, we will implement our technique in a compact point-of-care instrument ready for CONUS testing at an Army facility." Optimal Detection and Classification in a Centralized Network of Asynchronous Sensors,W15P7T-11-C-H261,DOD,DOD,SBIR,2011,1,99952.00,"Ivysys Technologies, LLC",4501 N. Fairfax Drive,Suite 920,Arlington,VA,22203,No,Yes,No,Anthony Hayter,Director of Business Development,(703) 414-5665,email@example.com,Wil Myrick,Chief Scientist,(703) 414-5665,firstname.lastname@example.com,"IvySys proposes novel asynchronous signal sensing and automatic modulation classification (AMC) approaches that leverage a centralized network of low-cost asynchronous sensors to enable weak signal detection and classification. These innovative approaches will provide detection performance within 3 to 5 dB Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) of a centralized network of synchronous sensors. This asynchronous signal sensing processing architecture combines weak signal Cross Ambiguity Function (CAF) detection with Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) to improve probability of detection, while minimizing the probability of false alarm. We plan to extend the CAF mathematical algorithm framework to address asynchronous signal correlations and build upon existing MRC techniques, which are inherently robust to signal fading. We will investigate both traditional and cyclic CAF processing algorithms. The cyclic CAF is inherently robust to channel distortion allowing for increased SINR for a given Signal of Interest (SOI), thereby enhancing weak signal detection. We will also leverage a sensor network simulation tool (LPIsimNET) to provide both planning and prediction capability for sensor placement based on maximizing SINR for single input multiple-output (SIMO) configurations."