The modern battlefield will increasingly make use of directed energy weapons, and asimulation of their effectiveness and utility on the battlefield will be needed to guide their development and operational implementation. We propose the first complete validated source-to-target energy transfer computer simulation of the deployment of millimeter/microwave, acoustic, and laser weapons against personneland materiel targets, including both theoretical models and experimental data. Wealso consider energy propagation under weather and other environmental effects, with the eventual incorporation of conventional weapons and a simplified two-party war game in Phase II. The combined effects of these weapons interacting at the singletarget level will be treated with original theories which will demonstrate theresultant nonlinearly enhanced coupling to the target. Our software approach is graphical user interface (GUI)-based and object-oriented, with modular calculation functions and operated standalone on a personal computer. A relational database ofkill and incapacitation probabilities and percent degradations will be generated at the completion of Phase II for use in separate force-on-force codes for further weapons system evaluation.Potential commercial applications of this type of directed energy weapons simulation(with appropriate customization to the relevant markets) include PC-based trainingsimulations for prisons and incorporation into more visually sophisticated law enforcement training simulations, both domestically and internationally, and inaiding the development of directed energy weapon technologies in the largercommercial aerospace companies and other military government customers. Advanced EFP warheads provide a number of modeling challenges that must be handled well to make designs feasible, but are very difficult to accomplish with current state of the art general purpose solver technology. A new modular, object oriented hydrocode system including graphical interfaces and optimizers has been developed using the Java programming language. Testing indicates that its performance is similar to existing packages, but the object oriented design of the coding permits it to be adapted and extended at rates that are more than an order of magnitude faster than traditional hydrocode systems. The Java based graphical interfaces are also easily adapted to provide exactly what is needed for a particular design problem, thus, providing enormous benefits to users in terms of faster learning and much less time spent on the warhead design process. Additional modules will be developed in this effort to provide support for advanced EFP designs.The past decade has seen a rapid increase in the usage of non-linear finite elements and hydrocodes for many different kinds of design activities. Much of this increase in use has been the result of rapidly decreasing in computing costs. Over the past two years, however, the computing costs have dropped to a level that is less than the cost of a specialized engineer to run these systems. Thus, the emphasis in mechanical simulation technology must necessarily be shifted from the traditional one of high performance computing oriented products to one of more user friendly and intelligent systems.A separate problem is that non-linear finite element software simply cannot address all of the problems presented by engineering. Thus, today's software is both too complex and frequently inadequate for a given systems' unique needs. Another complication is that the time necessary to train an engineer to properly use the general purpose software systems if frequently greater than the average time he is likely to stay at a company.The software system developed under this contract is being done using the Java programming language which represents a major change from the traditional usage of Fortran. A modern object oriented programming structure for the system is used which allows numerical methods that are ideally suited to mechanical design problems to be implemented along with appropriate graphical user interfaces. Testing has shown that newer releases of Java are only slightly slower than Fortran for scientific programming. Most specific problem classes, however, have properties that can be exploited to make the Java based simulations even faster than the general purpose Fortran systems. With an object oriented modeling system, it is possible to produce better and faster simulations and designs at lower overall cost, including the customization of the software system.A final benefit of the system is that the Java language provides immediate access to standardized interfaces for a variety of technologies which are taken for granted in consumer software, but largely absent from mechanical engineering software. The most important of these are internet technologies, database interfaces and multimedia. A proper exploitation of these capabilities will provide productivity improvements to engineers for a long time to come. Cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) is the room temperature x-ray detector of choice for non-destructive imaging applications. Monolithic arrays with high count rate capability (> 1 x 106 counts/pixel) are required for ultra-fast hyperspectral x-ray imaging. Presently, the yield of CZT arrays which can perform hyperspectral imaging in milliseconds, is very low. Most monolithic arrays suffer from "polarization" when exposed to high flux levels (> 106 photons/sec-mm2) which are required for rapid imaging. Polarization is manifest as a leveling off or reduction in count rate when incident flux is increased beyond a certain level.The goal of this Phase I program is to identify the underlying cause(s) of polarization in monolithic CZT arrays at high count rates and determine means to prevent polarization within the arrays. To achieve this goal we will experimentally explore the dependence of high count rate induced polarization on (1) CZT crystallinity, (2) CZT crystal orientation, (3) monolithic array geometry, and (4) electrodes and surface treatment. Additionally, a new source of CZT will be evaluated to determine if polarization can be eliminated through improved crystal growth.Monolithic CZT arrays with high count rate capability would enhance imaging systems which require detector arrays with energy resolution and high throughput for fast, accurate imaging. Benefits realized in the medical field would include bone densitometer systems and combined emission/transmission computed tomography (ET/CT) systems with increased throughput. This would enable the benefits of such imaging systems, namely, the acquisition of information vital for medical diagnostic purposes, to be available to more people. In industrial inspection system applications, such arrays would enable rapid and accurate identification of objects hidden from sight.Potential commercial applications of CZT arrays with high count rate capability include baggage scanner systems in airports, bone densitometer systems in hospitals, and high speed imaging systems in research hospitals. SARA Inc. will demonstrate the integration of the Enhanced Acoustic Algorithms for Ground Vehicle Surveillance (EAAGVS) developed during Phase I with an acoustic sensor network. SARA will begin by building a single sensor node and User's display unit and installing the EAAGVS software. Field tests will be performed to evaluate the ability of the sensor node to detect, locate and count multiple vehicle target clusters. Vehicle classifier and counting algorithms developed by the TACOM ARDEC Acoustic Center of Excellence (ACOE), and provided as GFE, will be integrated with the baseline EAAGVS algorithms. SARA will refine the algorithms and modify the hardware design based on the test results before building three additional sensor nodes. Additional field tests will be conducted to demonstrate communication between the sensor nodes and the User's display unit using an RF datalink and synchronization of the data in real time. A demonstration of the sensor network will be performed for potential users at a military facility on the East Coast. A tactical sensor system concept will be developed based on lessons learned during field-testing. The proliferation of inexpensive low-power GPS jammers is an increasing concern. These battery-powered jammers are a menacing problem because they can deployed by the hundreds the air by tethered ballons, for example, or concealed on the ground. These low-power jammers operate for several days on a battery pack. Small jammers may be difficult to find and individually are considered low-value targets. Wideband low-power jammers often modulate high-speed CW swept or Chirp interference in order to appear like noise in the frequency spectra. Most spectral analyzers use Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) methods to estimate spectral energy of RF signals. Real time frequency domain filtering using the FFT and inverse FFT has been demonstrated to extract frequency-stable narrow band CW interference in GPS bands. However, Fourier techniques are not effective against frequency-agile sources of interference, which are rapidly being aggressively marketed. In order to address the frequency-agile interference problem, modern spectral analysis techniques such as wavelet analysis are better suited. The singular advantage of wavelets is the multi-resolution time-frequency signal analysis property.(i)Wavelet sub-band coding and filter banks is a promising new signal processing algorithm has been demonstrated to be an effective means gaining of 20-30 dB J/S for spread-spectrum receivers. Wavelet sub-band filters was performed by introducing frequency-agile interference (high-speed swept and chirp) on C/A band of GPS down converted and post-processed. Although the results are promising, the work was not advanced to a wideband (P-code) GPS real-time implementation. (ii) The wavelet sub-band filter technique has been demonstrated to add 20-30 dB of J/S in direct sequence spread spectrum receivers against a catalog of frequency agile jammers. In order for this work to yield practical benefits for tactical system, the algorithm needs transition real-time over a 20 MHz band. This technique can be implemented without high latency. Spectral interference rejection by digital signal processing does not require a special antenna. In addition, it does not assume constantly radiating interference. These issues affect spatially interference rejection (CRPA) approaches. The inherent processing latency is fixed unlike the null steering antennas, which do not converge upon best performance when platform dyamics and interference transmission cycles on and off. Spectral filtering has been demonstrated to be affective against multiple jammers simultaneously, while spatial filters performance degrades substantially with each additional null and has a hard limit of (N-1) jammers. As a result, DSP using wavelet filter banks may be used stand alone or complementary anti-jam technique within a layered approach. The reduction of crew sizes in new Army systems such as Future Combat System (FCS) is threatening to overload the cognitive abilities of the remaining operators. Since past technology advances have already served to automate many of the rote procedural tasks contributing to crew workload, much of the remaining improvement must come through application of automation and aiding for the more complex cognitive tasks, such as interpretation of trends and patterns. A need exists for developing cognitive decision aiding capabilities that reduce cognitive workload of combat systems crews.Proposed effort will develop a cognitive decision aid for FCS addressing the function of tactical trends and patterns analysis for prediction of enemy actions based on current states. Cognitive modeling techniques will be employed first to understand user requirements, then to create a suitable decision aid design and to implement the aid using the iGENT cognitive modeling tool. It will be scaleable and reusable in accordance with ARDEC's component-based reference architecture concepts and will conform to Joint Technical Architecture-Army (JTAA), Appendix F. The Phase I prototype will include an executable cognitive model of the trends and patterns analysis process, implemented as a "plug and play" component suitable for use in other systems. This decision aid will fill a need for development of decision aids to reduce cognitive workload on combat systems operators. The reusable cognitive model developed for this program will reduce the costs of software development for other cognitive decision aids to be used on these systems. The concepts and implementations will serve as a technical base for technology insertion into a number of Army Science and Technology Objective (STO) programs under consideration for Initial Brigade Combat Team operations. The cognitive model can also be applied to civilian domains such as stock quoting, logistics management, and police operations. We propose the development of a small novel internal combustion enginethat can burn heavy diesel fuel, with a disk nutating around therotating shaft (ref.~1). The uniquely novel arrangement of this enginepermits the displaced volume of the engine to be used twice per enginerevolution, corresponding to what in piston engines would be consideredone power stroke per engine revolution. This feature enables the engineto produce the power/volume and power/weight in small power ranges asrequired in this solicitation, while the external combustion chamberpermits burning diesel fuel as in small gas turbines. The potential of the new technology is high, the risk is manageable, andthe probability of success high.The engine can exceed the power/weigh and power/volume constraints ofthe proposal in engines of under 10 kW power while burning diesel fuel.The engine is inherently balanced, with few and small components,enhancing dynamic durability. Scaling issues of the nutating engine have already been examined in previous publications from 2 kW to 500 kW.This engine when developed has very high potential for commercial applications ranging from engines for aircraft to power generation to land vehicles. Its power density can be utilizd to save fuel due to saving weight in the powertrain of land vehicles as well as in aircraft. Lower manufacturing cost is also a plus that would ensure market success. Triton Systems proposes a nanoparticle-enhanced polymer coatings approach to significantly reduce the costs associated with polishing and finishing of large area AlON windows. We will develop novel, high refractive index (RI) coatings that will match the refractive indices of aluminum oxynitride (AlON), spinel, and other transparent armor ceramics. This solution-based coating will be able to fill/level the surface imperfections of unfinished or partially finished AlON and provide an optically smooth surface in a single coating step. This will significantly reduce the time, number of steps, and the cost of finishing these high hardness ceramics. We will use Triton's low viscosity solution-based NanotufT abrasion-resistant coating as the platform, and then incorporate surface-compatibilized nanoparticles to tailor the specific optical and other properties of the coating system. We will achieve index-matching by controlling the index and concentration of the nanoparticles, and will thus design coating systems with indices ranging from 1.46 to ~1.9. This range of indices will be used to form graded index and other coating systems with anti-reflection properties. The mechanical properties of the coatings will also be tailored by using this approach. Our approach will make these materials economically viable for a variety of military and civilian applications.Reduced cost, large area AlON windows will see application in variety of military, law enforcement, safety and other civilian applications. The variable index coatings developed here will be useful for a wide range of optical coatings and high index materials may be of use in electro-optic devices. Medium caliber cannons, such as the Army's M230 chain gun, currently utilize a high current electrical pulse to initiate the propellant. While electrical ignition is reliable, electrical based primers are susceptible to premature ignition from EMI, EMP, or other stray or directed electromagnetic sources. In the event of a weapon jam, electrically initiated primers are potentially dangerous as the potential for a static electrical discharge results in a risky task to safely unload and free the jammed mechanism. Furthermore, current electrical based primers contain lead styphnate, which is considered an environmentally hazardous material.The proposed effort will research the design characteristics of a laser igniter, suitable for replacement of existing electrical ignition systems, as used in small and medium caliber cannons. In addition to being inherently electromagnetically safe, laser ignition systems provide the possibility of utilizing `Green' or environmentally friendly propellants, primers, and boosters, thereby eliminating hazardous materials used in conventional primers and possibly reducing ammunition costs. As the intended application is for rotorcraft, particular attention will be directed to minimizing size, weight and power consumption while maintaining the structural integrity to withstand high shock/vibration levels. In addition to providing a safer, more environmentally friendly ignition systems for medium caliber cannons, the proposed research effort will benefit other laser ignited armament systems as well as provide potential commercial and military applications for miniature laser technology. Applications for the technology developed under this effort include remote sensing, such as ranging, chemical/biological sensing, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, as well as medical applications including dermatology, dentistry, and surgery. The Epitaxial Liftoff (ELO) Packaging Process for integration of optoelectronic devices onto silicon-based circuitry allows for optimized device performance of dissimilar materials, such as CMOS and III-V laser systems, since the liftoff optoelectronic device structure is grown on its native substrate. In comparison, other proposed techniques, such as wafer bonding and direct grown of crystalline epitaxial multilayers on a dissimilar lattice constant substrate, have very challenging problems with large dislocation densities and thermal stresses. The liftoff optoelectronic and the silicon electronic devices can be processed separately prior to bonding, in a fashion not constrained by the presence of the other. This technique is particularly attractive for low cost, high yield, high reliability, and high performance integrated optical interconnects. Integrating the ELO laser structures on top of CMOS integrated circuits will enable cost-effective and space saving packaging optical interconnection for high data rate communication. The optical interconnects will reduce planar metal interconnects and input/output bottlenecks, thereby, increasing overall processing speed and reducing packaging dimensions significantly. In addition, optical interconnects also reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) due to conventional metal interconnect and wire bonds.Integrating the ELO laser structures on top of CMOS integrated circuits will enable cost-effective and space saving packaging optical interconnection for high data rate communication. The objective of this Phase I proposal is to synthesize and characterize supra-nonlinear optical materials in conjunction with nanoparticle networks containing dispersions of highly non-linear optical (NLO) materials. Nematic liquid crystals (LC) doped with methyl red, a photoconducting dye, have shown some of the highest NLO responses recorded to date. Nano-dispersing this dye-doped LC should result in faster NLO responses. Furthermore, nano-dispersed NLO materials can be activated with lower power sources than their bulk counterparts. Fast, low power NLO materials are necessary to develop the next generation of spatial light modulators that are needed for the high mobility applications envisioned by the DoD. Foster-Miller proposes to meet this objective by developing an innovative, low cost, chemically-based method for nano-encapsulating NLO moieties in a reconfigurable matrix. In Phase I, Foster Miller will select the matrix material, produce films using NLO chromophores dispersed at the nanoscale, characterize the material, and test the composite material system for NLO properties and switching speed. Details on the approach and work plan are contained within this proposal. (P-00876)Fast-responding, low-power non-linear optical materials show special promise as optical sensors, and image processing devices. Important applications include protection of sensors and eyes against low energy lasers, advanced (IFF)/Combat ID sensors, image-scene processing for battlefield situational awareness, and countermeasure and protective devices. Other applications include optical computing and image processing. The Terahertz frequency band, spanning from roughly 100 GHz through 10 THz, is often sited as the most scientifically rich, yet unexplored region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The major problem that has forestalled the full exploitation of this frequency band is the lack of convenient and reliable terahertz transmitters and receivers. Previous research has shown that GaAs diode technology can be used for terahertz Transmit/Receive (T/R) modules, but the cost is prohibitive, the reliability is poor and the frequency agility is limited. Phase I research has demonstrated that these limitations can be overcome through the use of highly integrated GaAs-on-dielectric circuits and modern computer aided design tools. The prototypes demonstrated in Phase I have shown that component integration can vastly improve performance and greatly reduce costs. Development of carbon nanotube-based composites offers a promising pathway toward the realization of novel materials for a broad range of military/civilian applications. This SBIR project is focused upon developing multifunctional, ultra-high-performance fibers containing carbon nanotubes (CNT's) that will meet Army requirements in applications requiring fibers that are superior to those based on conventional carbon, polymer, ceramic, and composite technology. The goal is to produce the next generation of fiber technology-paving the way for major improvements in existing fiber-based applications and allowing for new technologies to be tested and implemented. The specific Phase I goal is to establish the feasibility of developing two types of fibers containing CNT's that demonstrate favorable adhesion and orientation within the fiber matrix. ReyTech Corporation proposes to prepare and evaluate composite fibers based on a combination of CNT's and high-performance, robust polymers based on proprietary techniques developed during previous work at ReyTech. Successful demonstration of feasibility will set the stage for initial prototype development under the Phase I Option and for a follow-on, full-scale Phase II prototype development and demonstration project. Success in this multi-phase project will result in a broad range of important military and civilian applications, including the following: high-strength and lightweight composites for armor; structural, electronic, and thermo-mechanical components; protective clothing for chemical and biological warfare; chemical and electromagnetic sensors; electromagnetic shields; and advanced device applications. It is likely that fibers containing carbon nanotubes can be formed to serve multiple, concurrent functions-e.g., as a lightweight structural member that also shields against electromagnetic interference (EMI) or that senses strain, radiation, or chemical agents. Heterogeneous integration of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) with polymer based electro-optic modulators is proposed, to produce compact and deployable modulators for RF photonics applications. Current technology allows fabrication of compact and light-weight modulators, but these interferometric devices are still not truly deployable, because they require control and feedback electronics for balancing and stabilization. Here we proposed to integrated GHz Mach-Zehnder modulators with KHz-MHz MEMS based oscillator and feedback electronics to balance the modulator at quadrature, thus eliminating the need for bulky and power dissipating external oscillators and lock-in amplifiers. The method takes advantage of two state of the art technologies that have reached certain degree of maturity. Polymer modulators have been shown to work at frequencies over 100 GHz with drive voltages of less than 1V, whereas MEMS based oscillators and high Q filters have been successfully fabricated in the KHz-MHz frequencies. Integration will be carried out on Si substrates, where polymer waveguides will be grown and processed on top of MEMS circuitry. Combining feedback electronics will allow 2 to 3 orders of magnitude reduction in size, mass and power consumption over current methods, and will enable mass production and low cost fabrication of high-frequency modulators.The proposed integration approach allows for fabrication of low power consumption, compact, lightweight and deployable modulators to be used for high-speed communication systems. In the commercial industry, markets include telecommunication industries for voice, video and data transmission. Military markets include RF photonics and phased-array radar applications. Both MEMS and polymer electro-optics use the same lithographic processing step on Si substrates, therefore heterogeneous integration has the potential for low cost mass production. The objective of this Small Business Innovation Research project is to lay the foundation of a CAD software tool for the design of large-scale active radio frequency antenna arrays. A circuit-based global modeling strategy is proposed that can integrate the analyses of spatially distributed electromagnetic structures, linear passive networks and nonlinear active circuits within a unified framework that can even incorporate thermal analysis self-consistently. The proposed strategy can be utilized in both frequency and time domains. In the Phase I feasibility study, we will interface a general-purpose planar structure simulator based on the method of moments with a general-purpose linear/nonlinear circuit simulator that uses a harmonic balance technique. The Phase I effort will be confined to the frequency domain and the time domain development for transient analysis is relegated to Phase II of the project. The object-oriented software architecture of emPiCASSO, our commercial antenna CAD tool, will be used as the foundation of the proposed software.Active antenna arrays are finding growing applications in radar and guidance systems and wireless communications. The proposed active antenna CAD tool will drastically facilitate the design of such sophisticated systems. It can also be used for global modeling and design of any active microwave circuit. Glass panels are the weakest element in the fa?ade of any structure. Under blast loading due to accidental or intentional explosion, standard plate glass shatters into dangerous, high speed shards that are often the cause of a significant fraction of serious injuries. Although tempering and lamination with plastics can improve both the strength and failure behavior of glass, they are typically relatively thick and heavy and significantly more expensive. This project is undertaken to develop new design methodologies for light-weight, cost-effective blast-resistant glass. The fundamental design concept involves the multi-dimensional tailoring of the failure behavior through the manipulation and variation of material properties through the thickness and in-the-plane. The approach involves a unified experimental / computational effort. The experiments feature high-speed diagnostics to obtain real-time, detailed quantitative information regarding the response of glass to blast overpressures. The computations feature cohesive elements which enable to the simulation of the complex failure patterns associated with the failure of glass under blast loading. It is anticipated that this approach will lead to the development of a design tools and rules that will lead to the fabrication of inexpensive, light-weight blast-resistant glass panel systems.Through a unified experimental / computational approach tools and rules for the design of blast resistant glass will be developed. In this manner, plate glass having optimized cost, failure characteristics and/or weight can be fabricated. Plate glass having high strength combined with controlled failure behavior in the face of blast overpressures will have use in architecture, automotive and even consumer products - anywhere the shattering of glass poses a significant threat to safety. Clandestine laboratories produce illegal drugs through the chemical synthesis of precursors, reagents and solvents. These laboratories are not only illegal in theiroperations, but these processes are extremely dangerous because of the hazardous chemicals used for the extraction of the product, as well as the by-products and residues produced. This produces a hazard in operations due to the explosive and safety nature ofthese materials, and these facilities pose a safety hazard for the government investigativeagencies, particularly policing agencies that must enter these facilities. Pacific Advanced Technology (PAT) has developed a field portable infrared imagingspectrometer technology (Image Multi-spectral Sensing or IMSS) for defense relatedapplications such as the detection, analysis and warning of numerous targets from missile plumes to chemical warfare agents. PAT proposes to utilize this new IMSS technology and apply it to hazardous chemical vapor detection and analysis. This technology can provide a small, hand held camera that can detect and analyze gasesand determine their chemical species. PAT proposes to analyze and test the IMSStechnology during the Phase I effort and fabricate a chemical detection camera duringthe Phase II program.An inexpensive, small, lightweight, portable, hand held "instrument" that could remotely detect and classify hazardous chemicals and vapors would be a tremendous assetto law enforcement agencies in the detection and enforcement actions against clandestinedrug labs. Such a camera would also be a significant improvement in chemical detectionfor the petrochemical industry where fugitive gas leaks are a problem due to both theenvironmental impacts and lost product costs. Brayton and combined-cycle (turbine) engines are widely used for a variety of applications, including aeropropulsion and power generation. The performance of turbine engines is limited by the allowable use temperature of their hot-section components. Due to increasingly complex cooling passages and greater turbine temperature and life requirements, current protective coating compositions and deposition/application technologies are inadequate for future turbine engines. In this project, Ultramet will develop a low-cost, low temperature wet chemical synthesis and application technique to produce a superior thermal barrier coating (TBC) system consisting of high melting point, low thermal conductivity, low oxygen permeability oxides. The low oxygen permeability and improved thermal insulation properties, particularly at higher temperatures, of this TBC system will be demonstrated through cyclic oxidation verification testing. This new TBC system for high temperature turbine engines will allow operation at higher temperatures (>=2800?F) while increasing the life and reducing the cost of such systems. Not only will the new coating system allow turbine engines to operate more economically, but it will also reduce coating cost relative to existing state-of-the-art systems.The next-generation TBC system to be developed in this project will have improved thermal performance, longer life, and greater quality comparable to current coatings, with the potential for an 80-90% reduction in cost. Improved TBCs will have wide application to military and commercial propulsion and power generation systems, including turbine and reciprocating engines. There is a great need for innovative tools to support training, mission planning and cognitive decision aiding for tactics and survivability of advanced rotorcraft systems like Comanche and Apache Longbow. As the Rotorcraft Pilots Associate (RPA) program is demonstrating, recognizing human cognitive limitations and capabilities enables development of cognitive technologies for dramatically aiding aviators to overcome these limitations and take maximal advantage of their cognitive capabilities. The proposed research will identify and characterize advanced mathematical modeling techniques supporting identification of aircraft vulnerabilities, learning, and selection of courses of action (COA). The key innovation proposed, however, is the integration and development of a context-sensitive cognitive agent capable of representing, reasoning about, and deciding in real-time when and how to apply expertise. In this case, expertise includes that required for selection and use of these mathematical techniques, and the expertise in tactics and survivability necessary to enable real-time context-sensitive COA generation and selection. Such a cognitive agent, iCTEP, is inherently compatible with RPA's cognitive decision aiding processes, and utilizes one of the most advanced executable cognitive architectures currently available in a COTS IDE: the COGNET architecture as implemented in the iGENTM cognitive agent software toolkit and integrated development environment (IDE).The iCTEP will be applicable for commericial avaiation and military aviation trainng systems such as the Commanche and Longbow. By the end of Phase II, a desktop planning system is expected to be integrated into a stimulator which will determine which technique (Baysian, etc.) will be optimal for the situation at hand. Toyon Research Corporation proposes to design a low-cost, jammer resistant antenna element suitable for legacy handheld GPS receivers. The design will mechanically and electronically interface with the handheld unit and require no change to the receiver. This active antenna device will provide 35 to 40 dB of improvement in the J/S (jammer to signal) ratio. The design itself will use Toyon's innovative electronically reconfigurable antenna (ERA) techniques. Such antennas make use of active control load devices in the antenna aperture. These devices enable the antenna characteristics to adapt to the signal environment. Toyon has considerable experience in ERA design and the design and fabrication of the associated control devices and processes. For this Army handheld application, we have taken Toyon's innovative anti-jam GPS antenna design approach and developed new innovative control techniques that allow it to retrofit the existing PLGR (AN/PSN-11) receiver. The jammer resistant GPS antenna proposed for this handheld unit will fit in a package that is 4-inches long and one inch in diameter. At the end of Phase I a proof-of-concept breadboard version of the antenna will have been designed, fabricated, and tested for its suitability as a GPS CRPA with anti-jam capabilities.Applications range from military applications, including the obvious handheld Army GPS antennas to commercial GPS applications. This electronically reconfigurable antenna concept is applicable for any commercial application of GPS, which is subjected to electromagnetic interference such as business aircraft or helicopters flying in and out of populated areas. Storage blood bags become vulnerable when they are defrosted. In particular, the U.S. Army has reported many instances of significant loss of blood products from storage bag breakage. Freeze drying of blood products may be considered to be an alternative to the current practice of cryopreservation. In general this technique is well established and is widely used for the preservation and long term storage of protein drugs and microbial cells. The lyophilization of platelets and red blood cells has recently been demonstrated. This proposal addresses the problem of lyophilizatoin of the blood products in a collection and storage bag.The general design and experimental strategy for the program involves the design of a two-bag, blood products lyophilization system, the selection and characterization of the inner and outer bag materials, and lyophilization of the test product. In particular, the water vapor transmission rates of commercially available polymer membrane materials will be experimentally determined. The optimization conditions for lyophilization of bovine serum albumin and various blood products will be determined. A Phase I Option task will extend the test program to include modification to the polymers to obtain optimum water vapor permeation and to carry out extensive blood product testing. (P-00886)This system provides the desired simplicity of collection, preservation, storage, reconstitution and dispensation of the blood product in one device.The primary use of the technology will be for improving the availability of blood products in the field under emergency situations for the Department of Defense. Commercial applications would include use in rural and disaster care situation where freezer facilities are not available. We propose to design, fabricate, and commercialize a novel SiC power device for high temperature and high power applications. The proposed device does not reply on a future solution to the problem of gate dielectric reliability at high temperature and electric field. Successful demonstration of the proposed device would rapidly accelerate the development and pratical applications of SiC power devices in harsh environment. In Phase I, we plan to carry out a detailed computer modeling and experimental study (i) to show the expected performance advantages of the proposed SiC power switch over the existing SiC devices, (ii) to simulate both DC and AC performances at temperatures up to 250 C, (iii) to quantify a structure for experimental demonstration, (iv) to experimentally fabricate the proposed power switch, and (v) to fully characterize the device performance. In Phase II, we will further develop the required processing technologies to fabricate improved versions of the proposed device based on improved design and modeling. We will reduce the ON-state voltage drop, increase the blocking voltage, substantially improve the current capability, and clear show the advantages of the proposed SiC power switch over the existing SiC switches.High temperature SiC power switches for ground and sea vehicles, for actuator controllers and power supplies in air platforms, space platforms and weapons systems with extensive commercial applications in traction drives in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, industrial motor drives, power converters, power supplies and appliances. East West Enterprises Inc. (EWE) proposes a novel method to integrate individual personal profiles of the decision maker into the overall decision making process and human system interface to achieve improved battlefield situational awareness for the command post. Through a technically sound survey and interviews with decision makers personal profiles will be generated. This will involve collection of verbal, non-verbal and neurophysical cues. Using the Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) tool, a model for the decision process in terms of audio (A), visual (V) and kinesthetic (K) responses will then be developed. Using this unique tool, the amount of information displayed as well as the information display system (graphical user interface) will be completely redesigned. EWE expects performance enhancements of several orders of magnitude in the decision making process as measured through more timely and accurate decisions because of improved situational awareness. Not only will this NLP approach improve the decision making process it will help alleviate the problem of information overload in a information rich time critical environment. This new architecture will have many applications in the government and industry. Defense and commercial applications include improved Battlespace Management Communication, Command, and Control (BMC3) human interface systems, improved decision/display aids for pilots, increased safety in the nuclear industry, and applications in the security industry.The new technology would greatly benefit all DOD agencies wherever human systems interface is involved and other agencies such as Department of Energy for safeguards and security of nuclear material, airport security,airline pilots,NASA and pilot decision making and learning strategies. Recent developments in DNA microarray generation technology have made entirely new methods of gene analysis feasible. The DNA microarray can greatly facilitate research in the areas of drug and vaccine discovery, disease screening, and toxicology, among others. Therefore, the importance of a low-cost, high-resolution, high-throughput DNA microarray generation system cannot be understated. Current DNA microarray generation techniques suffer from severe limitations. The development of a new DNA mircoarray generation technique that has the high resolution of photolithography with the low cost of operation of mechanical deposition would significantly accelerate the pace of gene research. In this proposal, we present a method to generate DNA microarrays using a maskless lithography system. The maskless lithography system incorporates a large-array spatial light modulator to serve as a programmable mask. The spatial light modulator technology is integrated with Anvik's patented seamless scanning technology to produce a breakthrough in lithography system development that allows rapid, high-density DNA microarray generation at low cost. In the Phase I program, we will optimize the design the lithography system and develop the process specifically for DNA microarray generation. In a follow-on Phase II program, we will optimize the process and construct a fully functional DNA microarray generation system.The proposed system will enable the generation of DNA microarrays at higher densities, higher throughputs and lower costs than possible with current manufacturing techniques. These advances will benefit numerous military and commercial researchers in the areas of drug and vaccine discovery, disease screening, toxicology, and biological warfare agent detection. While the advantages of a thermal weapon sight are well-recognized, the disadvantages of all current IR sights include excessive weapon-borne weight (>5 lb), awkward size (>>100 in3), and high power consumption (>5 W). These drawbacks significantly detract from the utility of a weapon sight, making it a burden rather than a battlefield aid. Recent advances in the development of very low-powered miniature IR cameras (i.e. the UL3 camera developed by Indigo Systems) offer tremendous opportunity to eliminate these drawbacks. UL3 stands for Ultra-Low Size, Ultra-Low Weight, and Ultra-Low Power. The UL3 family of uncooled microbolometer cameras has unleashed exciting new opportunities for the application of infrared technology in important commercial applications such as fire-fighting, security/surveillance, and predictive maintenance. UL3 also provides critical new technology to substantially advance the effectiveness of man-portable military systems and micro-sensors.Indigo Systems, in conjunction with Insight Technology, propose to develop a weapon sight based on the UL3 family of miniature IR cameras. During Phase I, a conceptual design of a ruggedized, wireless sight employing a 320x240 microbolometer array will be developed. In parallel, the detailed design of a demonstration sight built around Indigo's ALPHA? camera will be completed. Miniaturized electronics will be designed to generate reticle patterns and menu overlays on the IR imagery. User controls and a battery compartment will be developed with a strong focus on ergonomics, location, and ease of use. To optimize the design around these and other MANPRINT considerations, Indigo will enlist the considerable experience of Insight Technology. A prototype of the ALPHA?-based demonstration sight will be fabricated as a Phase I Option. The proposed development will result in a configuration of an IR micro-camera featuring an integral battery compartment, user controls, on-screen symbology, and a wireless video link. In addition to its military utility, this complete stand-alone system serves a broad range of man-portable sensing applications, such as firefighter vision systems, law enforcement, environmental and industrial imaging. Tanner Research, Inc. proposes to develop an innovative human computer interface that will increase the naturalness and efficiency of human computer interaction. The innovative system will be based on multi-modal input, output displays, and an integration scheme to fuse the multiple inputs. We will draw upon emerging technologies to identify relevant input and output modalities for human computer interaction. A micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) hand gesture system and a boom-mounted imaging system, both developed by Tanner Research, will serve as gesture and visual input modalities. These input modalities, supplemented with speech recognition and microphone arrays for speaker localization, will provide full functionality to the user. The key technical challenge in a multi-modal system concerns the interpretation and fusion of information provided by the distinct input devices. We will provide a well-defined and natural scheme to integrate diverse inputs. Our method will use temporal and semantic information across input modalities to extract a joint interpretation of a multi-modal input event. At the end of Phase I, we will deliver our plan for a complete human computer interface. We will provide detailed information about component technologies and on our integration methodology for fusing multiple inputs. BENEFITS: The integration of multi-modal technologies into a highly efficient human system interface will enhance the ability to control computer input/output by improving the bandwidth and naturalness of the interface. Significant advances in the human system interface will make feasible new applications of computer technology in virtually every aspect of military endeavor, particularly in hands-busy, eye-busy environments. This effort will develop an advanced low-cost Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) to satisfy the requirements for precision pointing of communications antennas. Our approach will use emerging low-cost inertial components together with multiple GPS antennas. GPS interferometry, coupled with accelerometer and rate gyro components, will allow attitude determination under all vehicle motion conditions. Optimizing the GPS carrier and code tracking loops to account for availability of acceleration and attitude measurements will enable robust GPS operation under adverse motion and interference conditions. Limited testing will be conducted using a GPS receiver chipset comprised of two downconverter chips and a single 12-channel correlator. BENEFITS: The advanced AHRS solution has an immediate application within all land transportation markets. In large quantities, near-term target costs below $1000 and long-term target costs below $100 will make this general purpose, easily installed, and unobtrusive device attractive to all fleet transportation services. The Prediction Systems, Inc./New Jersey Institute of Technology (PSI/NJIT) team has Recently there is much interest in the development of near room temperature, shortwave infrared imaging cameras using semiconductor focal plane array technology. One of the prime material candidates is HgCdTe. The advantage of HgCdTe over InGaAs is HgCdTe's high performance in the wavelength range of 1.7-2.5 microns. Before such cameras are mass produced for the Army's applications, a number of issues need to be addressed. One of the issues is to produce focal plane arrays and readout circuits with much lower noise, and the other is to to produce arrays with larger format and smaller pixel size. In Phase II, we will address these two issues by producing low noise, 640x516 HgCdTe cameras and by developing 1280x1024 hybrid array miniaturization technology. Once these goals are accomplished, producing InGaAs camera with a wavelength of 1.7 micron is straightforward. Sarcos Research Corporation proposes to developanew sensor for pneumothorax. The sensor will be small in size allowing use in the field. The sensor will measure changes in the transmission and reflection of RF signals caused by pneumothorax; heart beat rate and breathing rate will be recovered as a bonus. The sensor will minimize RF emissions by shielding, and efficiently coupling energy into the thorax. The Phase I work will develop the prototype sensor and couplers, and provide proof of concept data by the use of animal experiments. BENEFITS: Successful development of this sensor will result in better battlefield and emergency medical care. The objective of this product is to increase the ability of existing Army lithium prismatic battery types to meet future equipment battery footprints and decrease the chances of future battery type proliferation in the logistics system. The proposed battery system is a dual voltage, multiconfigurable design that can be inserted into a BA-5847A/U lithium battery configuration by using the specially designed adapter. Without the adapter the proposed battery system can form four(4) physically distinct battery types, each capable of providing two(2) electrical configurations. The intelligence community is interested in extracting tactical situation knowledge The monitoring and analysis of the structural integrity of buildings, bridges, and machines is increasingly important as the average age of these structures increases. Structural monitoring can be accomplished through the addition of a magnetostrictive phase to the construction material. Changes in the structure are reflected by changes in the magnetic signature of the magnetostrictive phase allowing prediction of structural problems well before they become catastrophic. The sheer volume of existing infrastructure requires large arrays of inexpensive magnetic sensors to accomplish the monitoring. Magnetic fluxgates have the required sensitivity for this application, but at present are either too bulky or too expensive for practical use. In Phase I of this SBIR, micromagnetic fluxgates will be fabricated using common, inexpensive techniques on rigid substrates, and compared to Hall effect sensors with regard to sensitivity. In the Phase I follow on, fabrication on flexible substrates will be investigated. In Phase II, integration of drive and sense circuitry will be completed and arrays of sensors will be fabricated. In Phase III, an inexpensive, off-the-shelf microfluxgate sensor system will be commercially produced and marketed. BENEFITS: Completion of this research will allow the production of inexpensive microfluxgate systems for use in monitoring structural integrity resulting in prevention of catastrophic failure saving both lives and money. In addition to this application, this microfluxgate system would be used in personal compasses, artillery shell spin sensors, vehicle detection, commercial compasses, proximity detection, ink and code scanners, and current sensing. Total sales in 5 years following Phase II are projected to be $40,000,000. Ytterbium-doped fiber lasers and amplifiers promise to reach output levels well over 10 Watts, approaching 100 Watts, at wavelengths near 1 micron. We propose an architecture for frequency converting the output of fiber amplifiers. We believe that this architecture will allow construction of multi-Watt laser sources over a wide wavelength range with unprecedented small size, power consumption, and weight, while maintaining diffraction-limited beam quality.This laser system would consist of a low power, fiber-coupled single-frequency laser amplified to high power in a Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier. The output of the fiber amplifier would be frequency converted to the 1.4 to 5 microns wavelength range needed for IR countermeasures. The frequency conversion would be by a pump-resonant optical parametric oscillator (PROPO).The expected output power would be 2-5 Watts in the IRCM wavelength range. The input electrical power requirement would be below 60 Watts, much lower than for Nd:YAG lasers. No liquid cooling would be required. The overall system would have a volume of about 1 liter. Only the fiber-coupled PROPO output stage, which has a small fraction of the size, weight and heat dissipation of the complete system, needs to be located near the critical telescope components. If successful, this architecture would provide a compact, efficient, and modular approach to building lasers for IR countermeasures. By changing only the optical coatings and the nonlinear crystal used in the final stage, so that the final stage became a resonant frequency doubler or summer, this architecture could become a multi-Watt visible or ultraviolet laser. Multi-Watt visible lasers have a large commercial market. If cost and size is small enough, a major market could be in projection displays. It is clear that continuing to seek performance improvements using traditional design and implementation techniques will not provide the "next order of magnitude" improvement in digital logic performance. Theseus Logic is commercializing a unique technology that will facilitate low power, system level IC design. NULL Convention LogicT - provides a new and fundamentally more expressive "language" for the design of digital circuits and systems.At the system level, NCL provides:£Circuits which are inherently clockless, data driven, and delay insensitive£Lower power operation,£Reduced EMI,£Guaranteed operation over a wide range of environmental conditions.£Plug and Play system integration.Under this SBIR, Theseus intends to analyze the fundamental cell size and routing resource issues leading to the development of an NCL FPGA. Any NCL design which is functionally correct will operate independent of variations in routing structures, environmental conditions, and process technology. This gives NCL technology unique design and performance advantages when expressed as a reconfigurable logic product.Theseus expects the Phase I effort to address fundamental tradeoffs leading to a Phase II design and fabrication effort. Theseus is already in discussion with major design tool and FPGA vendors to commercialize such a product. NCL produces circuits and systems that are clockless, data driven and effectively delay insensitive. As a result of these features they are extremely well suited to reconfigurable logic. An NCL FPGA is expected to enable greater utilization and operate with better performance than clocked Boolean FPGAs as well as operate over a wider range of environmental conditions. Mainstream has developed an innovative cryocooler design that combines amulti-cascaded single-compressor vapor-compression system with a closed Brayton cycle, and an adsorption cooler to achieve low-temperature cryocooling in a compactmicro-gravity configuration. In Phase I we propose to demonstrate this unique hybrid configuration. Phase I will provide experimental verification of the approach and experimentally-derived "Hard Numbers" to support the cooling capacity claims of this proposal. Preliminary research by Mainstream has already demonstrated a cryocooling system specific capacity of 37 watts(cooling) per cubic foot! The Phase I effort is significant, in that a field demonstration of this low-temperature compact configuration will be achieved before proceeding to Phase II.Previous experiments have already demonstrated that the cascade cryocooling portion of the proposed cycle is already significantly more efficient than Stirling or Pulse Tube systems. (Mainstream's cascade cooler performance is 18-20% of Carnot whereas Stirling or Pulse Tube systems are only 5-10% of Carnot.) The completion of the Phase II contract would result in the adaptation of this demonstrated cryocooler technology specifically for a DOD sensor application. The commercialization of this cryocooler compliments our existing cryocoolers. This Phase I effort will demonstrate an innovative, compact cryocooling system that has tremendous commercial medical and industrial applications. Mainstream hasalready committed it own resources into performing initial prototype experiments andhas received a $500,000 non-federal Phase III commercialization commitment The proposal is to develop low-cost technologies for enhanced perception and terrain understanding for robotic ground vehicle navigation. We propose to combine structured lighting with stereo vision, using innovative image processing based on shape-from-shading and shadow processing. This will provide robust ability to detect and segment negative obstacles (e.g., down steps), to estimate upcoming terrain slope, to improve object detection and segmentation (including porous obstacles such as fences), and improve texture characterization. We propose to use internal self-status sensors (e.g., inertial navigation sensors, current meters, load sensors) to collect data to characterize terrain trafficability (e.g., roughness, slope, ground resistance, traction limits, slip) for path planning. The mobile robot will exectute stylized maneuvers to measure terrain trafficability characteristics. We propose to use frequency analysis feature extraction and machine learning to classify terrain based on its trafficability (supporting landmark recognition and map region localization). We propose to train machine leaning systems to predict trafficability characteristics from structured lighting/stereo vision image texture metrics and segmented-region shape features. Preliminary experiments have demonstrated the feasiblity of key elements of the proposed approach.The research products will be applicable to DoD unmanned ground vehicle programs including the Future Combat Systems (FCS) vehicles, security robots, mine clearing and unexploded ordnance removal robots. The products will have potential applicability in commercial automotive intelligent vehicle development. The objective is to simulate and predict the performance of Army personnel riding in a ground vehicle subject to vibrations. Established software tools are available for parts of this problem: anthropometrics for reach and vision analysis, vehicle dynamics for vibration and ride quality analysis, and biodynamics for human motion in response to force inputs. In Phase I we propose to write a software specification to integrate selected software components that will efficiently and accurately set up and analyze this class of problems. The team members own the source code that will be integrated (JACK, VDANL and BIODYNE). The innovation is to use manual control as a means to define and measure task performance. Representative closed loop tasks such as driver avoidance maneuvers or target tracking will be defined, and the vehicle will be considered "good" if these tasks can be adequately performed, by different sized drivers and passengers, traveling over different types of roads and terrains. A sample problem will be selected and analyzed in Phase I using the non-integrated software tools and a rapid prototype visual interface will be developed. The Phase II objective is to develop and validate a prototype of the integrated software package.An integrated tool for predicting human task performance on moving platforms does not currently exist and has many potential military and commercial applications. These include ambulances, fire engines, off-road vehicles, agricultural equipment, rotorcraft and aircraft. The use of manual control provides a natural way to define and more importantly validate task performance. Existing customers of the software components (such as TACOM) will have increased capabilities. Frontline units need a system to provide continuous reliable GPS support. The Army requires a method of deploying a Pseudolite at several hundred or thousand feet to provide augmented GPS signals. To meet this need Carolina Unmanned Vehicles, Inc. will develop the HELIKITE Elevated Platform (HEP), consisting of a small tethered blimp mounted in a special Carrier that allows operation by a single person. It can be towed by a HMMWV or other small vehicle. HEP may also be used for Differential GPS support to enhance areas such as helicopter all weather navigation. Other payloads can include video cameras or communication equipment.The project will provide an improved capability for the military and civilian agencies for continuous low cost augmented GPS coverage of large areas with minimum manpower, training and investment. This Phase I project will conduct the requirements analysis, systems engineering and design, culminating in a recommended design for Phase II. The contract would have an period of performance of six (6) months for Phase I and three (3) months for the Option. The use of reduced-toxicity monopropellants such as dimethylaminoethyl azide (CINCH) or those based on energetic liquid salts such as hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) promises a number of improvements over conventional hydrazine propellant. Chief among these is improved safety, which will significantly decrease overall use costs. However, both types of reduced-toxicity monopropellants are difficult to ignite. While this is an asset with respect to safety, it is a liability with respect to design. In this project, Ultramet will use its extensive experience with catalysts, catalyst supports, and catalytic ignition to develop a low temperature, long-life catalyst for the decomposition of CINCH fuel. This novel catalytic ignition system will be based on the advanced monolithic catalyst (AMCAT) beds previously developed by Ultramet for HAN-, hydrazine-, oxygen/ethanol, and oxygen/hydrogen-fueled rocket engines.The proposed technology will make the use of advanced, environmentally friendly monopropellants a reality. This will not only eliminate the use of toxic propellants such as hydrazine in spacecraft, but it will also allow for the use of reduced-toxicity propellants in gas generators on military aircraft and fuel pressurization systems for tactical missiles. Toxic hydrazines with iridium catalysts are currently used in monpropellant andgas generator applications. NASA estimated handling carcenogenic hydrazines adds$500,000 cost to each space shuttle mission. The Aviation and Missile Commanddeveloped CINCH (Competitive Impulse Non-Carcinogenic Hypergol) fuel as a reducedtoxicity alternative. Unfortunately, the iridium catalyst requires high (300-400 degree F) temperatures. There is a need for a new catalyst that decomposes CINCHfuel at temperatures as low as - 40 degrees F and a gas generator using this catalystand fuel. MACH I is proposing a program to develop this catalyst and generator. In Phase I, the catalytic activity of other materials will be compared to iridium. We have already shown palladium to be more active. The most promising materials would then be synthesized using MACH I's nanoscale synthesis technologies. As the size of theactive particle is reduced, activity will increase. Supports would be evaluated to enhance the activity of these nano catalytic materials. A prototype generator designwould be developed. In a Phase I Option, the decomposition products would beidentified, catalyst and generator design would be optimized. In Phase II, thecatalyst would be commercially produced and several generator devices built and evaluated to AMCOM's specifications.There are obvious cost and environmental benefits to the military and aerospace industries from using the CINCH fuel and the proposed catalysts and gas generators to replace carcinogenic hydrazine and methyl hydrazine systems. Palladium and othernoble metal catalysts are used in many applications in the chemical industry both tosynthesize chemicals and remove impurities. The more active nanoscale materials developed in this program could offer cost and performance benefits to these applications. The Army has a need to improve the propulsion performance and flexibility of missile systems for tactical applications. A Constant Pressure Throttling (CPT) engine is a concept with the potential to provide the on-demand thrust schedules required of smart propulsion without the performance losses that ordinarily accompany throttling. By incorporating a pintle controlled nozzle into a bipropellant combustion chamber with an array of splash plat injector elements that promote propellant atomization and mixing, combustion pressure can be maintained at high performance levels while simultaneously throttling the mass flow rate through the injector. Stone Engineering Company will propose and investigate alternative design implementations of this concept in the context of the Army's Future Missile Technology Integration (FMTI) application, quantify the resulting propulsion performance with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, and explore resulting system performance with parametric propulsion design studies and trajectory simulations. If the concept proves to have the expected merit in this study, a Phase II effort consisting of full-scale hardware design and demonstration testing would be warranted. If successful, the CPT engine concept could move the Army a step closer to realizing the enormous Operating and Support cost reduction of a multi-purpose tactical missile weapon system. BENEFITS: The development of a Constant Pressure Throttling engine will have an important commercial benefit to the propulsion industry as numerous applications in both military weapon and commercial space systems will result once the feasibility and practicality of the concept is understood and demonstrated. Our objective is to design the OP research engine "The Demonstrator" for developing the Horizontal Opposed Piston (HOP) 2-cycle design for military vehicles. The HOP concept is superior to the Vertical Opposed Piston (VOP) design produced in this country for vehicle installation, because of its low silhouette. The "Demonstrator", is to be fabricated in Phase II to conduct operational testing. Phase I effort will include a layout design of a 123 x 127-mm configuration (PEI Basic HOP) using commercial power cylinder parts. Common rail fuel injection, sensor ports for cylinder pressure transducer, therocouple and gas sampling probes, etc. will be incorporated in the design. Advanced instrumentation for measuring piston temperature will be researched and applied if practical. Additional swirl, scavenging, and combustion optimization per Computational Combustion and Fluid Dynamics (CCFD) will be continued in R&D phases. Cycle simulation and classical design analysis will be performed and design report will be prepared in Phase I and Phase I-Option. Commercial power cylinder components will be modified and applied to attain a power density of 200 HP/cylinder. Other structural engine parts will be designed and stressed for the 300 HP/cylinder. Component and combustion R&D phases are planned in order to reach the 250 HP/cylinder objective power level with sufficient durability. BENEFITS: Using the HOP concept, a state-of-the-art domestic diesel design suitable for combat vehicles becomes very feasible. The concept will be validated in Phase II's initial testing of the research engine. The component development and combustion optimization project will be further developed in the later R&D phase to be proposed. Based on PEI's design methodology, a versatile and durable research engine will be delivered in Phase II. Commercially available components will be modified and incorporated to minimize the initial cost. The 2-cycle engines (including the VOP design) have been losing their market share over the last few years. The advanced HOP design and its overall simplicity, and low engine silhouette could regain some of that market share. Due to the uniflow OP design, the mixing is quite unique and the combustion is efficient due to the strong swirl available. These characteristics could allow the HOP design to regain the market position of the 2-cycle diesel for those applications where design simplicity and lower initial cost are important to the client. The proposed research will address issues of locating an emitter with unknown waveform, and will assess the potential for improved performance through channel multipath estimation and through the synchronized diversity effect of multiple sensors. The proposed approach embodies a new algorithm that determines the location of an emitter with enhanced accuracy by combining the data from multiple SIGINT sensors in a synchronized network. The approach generalizes AOA and TDOA, normally used in triangulation methods, and combines them into an algorithm estimating location directly. The resulting location can be distributed for digital map display over a wireless virtual private network. Sensor platforms of different capabilities and sizes are automatically combined. Sensors may include random arrays and space-time processing of varying complexity. The approach is based on a new distributed signal-combining method developed by the proposing firm for geolocation of tags. Experiments with this system for known waveforms have successfully demonstrated improved location accuracy. In Phase I the performance with unknown waveforms will be studied through analysis and simulation. Performance improvements will be investigated and compared with other techniques of comparable complexity. A prototype design will be developed for a Phase II implementation planned to be demonstrated in a JTRS-type radio.The primary application is the location and tracking of potential emitters in military operations. The proposed geolocation technique also has many law enforcement and emergency applications for locating target radios. It can be used for the location of callers using cellular handsets or wireless PDAs. In addition, the technology can be used for other emitter location and tracking problems such as locating special tags to find lost children, patients, and pets, as well as tracking parolees, cargo and vehicles. Information Operations (IO) preparation typically takes advantage of large staffs and years of planning, with much of the effort focused on well-researched threat decision-makers. The situation is different now, with a rapidly changing focus towards unpredictable "hot spots" on the globe, and with unconventional Operations Other Than War (OOTW) missions. We propose to address this problem by prototyping a decision-aid that compensates for small staffs, short response times, and, most critically, a lack of knowledge concerning the individual decision-makers targeted by a PSYOPS operation. The approach is based on the following: 1) we have available a long-term knowledge store on potential threat groups and their associated key psychosocial/behavioral attributes; 2) we have only limited knowledge of threat individual decision makers, possibly only their group affiliations; 3) we can combine known group attributes with known individual affiliations, to infer likely psychosocial/behavioral attributes of that individual; 4) we can combine key situation characteristics with the inferred individual psychosocial/behavioral attributes, to make reliable estimates of expected behavior in a given OOTW situation. We propose to evaluate different approaches to researching and prototyping this type of decision-aiding function by combining behavioral and organizational knowledge within a hybrid architecture of complementary artificial intelligence inferencing techniques.We see considerable potential for application of the behavior prediction, decision-aiding, and visualization prototype in the commercial area, specifically in high volume, time critical financial transactions. These include the commodities futures market, local and national stock exchanges, and international currency markets where much, if not all, of the market movements are governed by psychological and organizational factors, well beyond the ken of conventional financial and economic analysis. The focused application of a PSYOPS-oriented tool in these arenas could have a significant impact on the perceptions of other players in the market and could translate to significant increases in profit margin for active traders in these markets. In this effort we proposed to develop an integrated software environment for the rigorous electromagnetic analysis and design of diffractive optical elements (DOEs). To this end, we will develop a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) specifically geared towards DOEs; we will refine, expand and integrate our suite of electromagnetic analysis tools based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method; and we will incorporate both discrete and continuous optimized design methods. The need for such a tool arises from the rapid miniaturization in modern technologies. Manufacturers are pushing for linewidths of 0.1 um and less in mass production. Thus, optical and electro-optical devices fabricated with subwavelength features will go from state-of-the-art to ubiquitous. As the components within these systems reduce to a scale comparable to their operational wavelengths, traditional methods used to analyze their performance become inaccurate. Therefore we propose to overcome this limitation through the development of a computer aided design (CAD) and analysis package that is based on an exact 3D electromagnetic model. The software will be designed specifically for a PC platform and incorporate an intuitive graphical user interface. To create and enabling tool for the burgeoning field of diffractive optical elements and micro-optical devices. TDI proposes to develop high-power silicon carbide normally off junction field effect transistor (JFET) for military and commercial applications. Recently TDI has reported silicon carbide pn structures grown by sublimation and liquid phase epitaxy and demonstrated building blocks for SiC power devices including low resistivity Ohmic contacts to p-SiC, highly doped p+-4H-SiC layers, 4H-SiC pn diode chips with breakdown field > 2MV/cm and low leakage current. 6H-SiC diode chips with stable electric breakdown at 50 kW/cm2 dissipating power were demonstrated. These results open the opportunity to fabricate robust high-power high-current SiC devices. JFET is known as most reliable and rugged device with excellent current sharing capabilities having much better high-temperature reliability than Schottky diodes, MESFETs or MOSFETs. The goal of the Phase I is to prove the concept, design, demonstrate and test 4H-SiC normally off JFET. Detail device modeling will be performed to optimize high-power/high-current device performance. Modeling and experimental results will be compared with published data. In the Phase II, we will focus on the fabrication and characterization of SiC power JFETs scaled to 1500 V and 2000 A level.High performance SiC power devices for electric power conversion and traction motor control will find a host of applications in military vehicles, air platforms, space platforms, in commercial components like industrial motor drives, power converters and power supplies. Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) must have self-localization capabilities, not just in abstract units like longitude & latitude, but with reference to real terrain. The ideal solution uses both onboard sensing (for real-time local scene information) and preloaded digital maps (for a global perspective). We propose to develop a Scene Estimation & Situational Awareness Mapping Engine (SESAME) to accomplish this goal for UGVs such as Utah State University/TARDEC's T3. Our design will use mature commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) stereo cameras and computer vision processors, enabling us to deliver a robust, fully-functional system at the end of Phase II that does not rely on exotic, high-cost hardware. In Phase I, we will specify hardware requirements (and optionally evaluate available COTS stereo camera vision systems & acquire one), design the overall system architecture and all algorithms, and implement & evaluate software prototypes for key algorithms. Our mapping engine will generate local high-resolution digital elevation maps (DEMs) in real-time from stereo input and integrate with preloaded low-resolution DEMs. Our scene understanding algorithms will use color and shape to classify objects by material class (grass/foliage vs. rock/concrete, etc.) and category (tree vs. road, etc.). Situational awareness is then derived from correlating detected objects with known locations.SESAME has direct commercial potential to numerous DoD, DoE, and private industry UGV title as a situational awareness module designed for low-cost COTS stereo cameras. The developed situational awareness algorithms also have excellent commercial potential as a spin-off product for the computer game industry: a software development kit that enables game developers to easily add sophisticated path planning capabilities to their games' built-in artificially intelligent opponent. Busek has demonstrated a plasma based rapid manufacturing method that can directly create sintered ceramic or refractory metal components. The miniature plasma torch, the core technology, has been demonstrated. It facilitates the direct writing of components from powders. The advantages of this technique are clear; parts are ready for use upon release, as there is no post-processing step, where parts may shrink or distort. The Phase I program was successful, Busek's Micro-Plasma torch is capable of depositing high melting point metals and ceramics, thereby creating simple objects. The unit has produced samples of copper, stainless steel, nickel and alumina. The proposed Phase II program will result in a complete system for ceramic manufacturing. The system, centered around Busek's Micro-Plasma torch, will facilitate computerized fabrication of a component from CAD files. The computer driven torch will be mounted on a positioner, allowing control over the position, power, and powder feed rate. By operating in vacuum, fully dense parts can be fabricated. Once the system is assembled, a database of operation parameters will be established, then components of interest to the Army will be manufactured. These include high melting point (>2OOO degrees Celsius) composites, such as exhaust liners, nozzles, nose cones, etc. BENEFITS: Busek's plasma torch direct writing technology can form dense parts and functionally gradient components from powders, or from precursors. In contrast to other rapid manufacturing techniques, this approach creates a 'ready to use' part, ideal for prototyping of ceramic and refractory metal parts. A system based on this micro-torch will be useful to manufacturers. True end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) support for DoD applications requires the integrated use of various protocols and services. Some of the necessary tools include policy management that distributes QoS policy to the network links/nodes, policy enforcement methods, QoS-aware routing for mobile ad-hoc networks, traffic classification, and resource reservation techniques (e.g. signalling support) so that applications can request their desired QoS from a network. Systems that address policy management and policy enforcement are commercially available and gaining acceptance. As such, this Phase 1 SBIR effort will focus on the traffic classification, resource reservation, and QoS-based routing problems, with an emphasis on retrofitting technically and economically viable solutions onto legacy end systems such as Windows workstations and PCs. In particular, SRC will develop an architecture which may use one signalling technique (such as RSVP) between the user and the first network element, and different techniques (such as Diffserv) within the network core.SRC has already developed software technology (IP Overdrive) for the Windows platform that classifies important network traffic, and hence enables QoS in the both Local Area Networks and the network core. Enhancing the existing IP Overdrive software to provide support for resource-reservation signaling will successfully address both the traffic classification and resource reservation problems. Finally, SRC can leverage its existing work on the Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP) to address QoS-aware routing for the mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) prevalent in DoD tactical applications. Wireless communications are becoming a preferred method of sending information anywhere in the world. Wireless systems have gone beyond radio, telephones, and television, to include computer networks, merchandising services, data systems, and personal communications devices. Advances in technology are making wireless communications easier, safer, of higher quality, and less expensive every month. This rapid development of wireless technology is creating new opportunities and challenges for communications users and suppliers. Recent Army battlefield experiments have identified the need for more effective wireless communications. The military needs RF systems with the ability to self-assemble in ad-hoc networks when brought in close proximity to one another. Short range wireless systems are needed both for dismounted soldiers voice/data communications and for quick network assembly of computer equipment in Command Posts.The opportunity now exists to leverage new short range RF devices developed by the computer and communications industries to military applications at significantly reduced cost. Luna Innovations and the Center for Wireless Telecommunications at Virginia Tech propose to develop a miniature, robust, telemetry system for military applications based on the emerging Bluetooth technology, standard for short range RF communications championed by the major companies in the computer and communications industries.Luna Innovations anticipates large non-defense related markets in industrial preventive maintenance systems and diagnostic instrumentation. Specific applications include spacecraft and aircraft monitoring and control, nuclear/conventional power plant health monitoring, transportation vehicle design and testing, and industrial rotating machine monitoring. A small, data acquisition and recorder system is needed to acquire and store missile and submunition acceleration data in non-volatile memory. The device should be autonomous, withstand the harsh environments of a missile launch, and permit data download efficiently after ground impact. Additionally, the data acquisition and recorder system should contain a flexible sensor interface to accommodate the different gain, offset, and filtering requirements of accelerometers and other sensors if desired. Such a system could be used to characterize missile and submunition shock and pyrotechnic shock environments during flight tests and be stored in a database for reference in future design and redesign activities. Such data would eliminate the trial and error associated with designing to an assumed pyrotechnic shock load and thus decrease the cost associated with those activities. Additionally, such a device could be used in a variety of applications requiring autonomous acquisition and storage of sensor data in high-g, short duration events.The MDARM will provide technology immediately applicable to programs requiring non-volatile data acquisition and recording of event data. SPEC will continue to exploit the automotive market place for use of such devices in automotive crash safety testing, crash adaptive air bag deployment, and monitoring of critical bio dynamic parameters during automotive testing and racing. Additionally, this technology could be used to monitor athletes during sporting events and office workers during their normal activities to decrease injuries and fatigue. Multimedia applications are driving future wireless networks toward supporting data bearing services. Digital data transfer requires a much lower target BER and higher throughput than does a voice only application. In a wireless network, the communication environment is changing continuously. It is difficult to design a communication link that performs well under all possible conditions. Frequency hopping systems have been shown to be a feasible solution in multiple access systems while providing advantages against jamming/interference. Other strategies can be employed in conjunction with FH to improve system performance. However, these strategies typically sacrifice throughput and spectral efficiency. Under the conventional design paradigm, the link design is usually fixed a priori. Because channel conditions can change, the effectiveness of a combined spreading, coding, and modulation scheme enables the implementation of a transmitted waveform which can adapt to channel conditions and achieve the most efficient use of channel capacity. LinCom proposes the development of a multi-adaptive protocol in which channel measurements are employed to adapt the FH spreading strategy, modulation, and coding to dynamically maximize throughput. BENEFITS: The development of MASSCoM will enable the deployment of a robust wireless communication system, which could support digital data transport. This would enable fixed and mobile wireless terminals in military battlefield applications and in commercial. Optically transparent components for lasers, envelopes for vapor lamps and Conventional active or pensive tarot detection systems are based upon the ability of the system to discriminate ~ lariat from the background. The problem in detecting a moving target lies in the fact that sensed radiation, reflected or generated, by the object is very close to that of the target background. The interfering background masks the useful signal from the object. This problem arises also if there is no contrast between the object and background. Besides this passive noise, target detection is also degraded by active noise jamming of the detection system sensor. The project will focus on the adaptation of the Background Detection System (BDS) to passive sensors. It will develop architecture for the unique detection and prepare a demonstration of the methodology. The BDS employs an algorithm from Nickar, a Russian company formed from the Institute of Control Science (ICS) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Nova Management, Inc. (Nova) will analyze several US detection Systems and develop interfaces between these system and the BDS algorithms. Nickar will be a subcontractor to Nova and assist in preparing laboratory demonstration of the system. The application of the BDS for this project is specifically directed to the integration of this method with passive sensors. These sensors detect radiation of a target end discriminate the target from the background. BENEFITS: The benefit of the project is to ensure that low signature vehicles are easily detected. The BDS methodology can be used in commercial application such as precision machining, the fishing industry, and in the analysis of organic cells. DVC will define requirements. explore alternative concepts. and develop a feasible approach for providing a low cost, realistic dynamic terrain by building on our current PC based dynamic terrain experience. DVC's own current Dynamic Terrain PC-based software will be used as a rapid prototyping tool to help define the requirements. In the Phase I SBIR DVC provided a technology demonstration of Dynamic Terrain incorporating simple soil dynamics. and compatibility with SEDRIS databases. In the Phase I option DVC intends to provide an extension of the Phase I demonstration to include networking. Demonstrating a rapid prototype Dynamic Terrain scenario typical of that required for the Grizzly trainer, Within an HLA environment using SEDRIS legacy databases is the objective. DVC has explored alternative concepts and develop a feasible approach to providing dynamic terrain everywhere. an HLA Federation prototype FOM/SOM. a SEDRIS data model . and Interchange Transmittal Mechanism (ITM) extension to standardize the interchange mechanism for Dynamic Terrain enabled database. Further, DVC will focus on the development of a enabling system for a PC-Based Image Generator centered on the refinement of the soil and terrain dynamics and the interaction of the military vehicles acting individually or in teams. BENEFITS: The primary resulting product will be Dynamic Terrain enabled PC-Based Software Image Generator (I.G.). The application to the Grizzly program for military mine breaching training, the CATT family of training devices, and the interactive network game/entertainment market is obvious, and as such has been long awaited in both the military and the commercial markets. These commercial markets include training in the use of mining. construction. oil, and farm equipment. SPEC proposes to develop an Electronic Warfare Environment Simulator System (EWESS) based on the latest digital synthesis modulation techniques. The hardware-in-the-loop simulator system will be based on SPEC's state-of-the-art Advanced Digital RF Memory (DRFM) Kernel architecture based on its proprietary direct digital synthesis (DDS) coherent modulation core. The Advanced DRFM Kernel architecture's inherent characteristics will provide the EWESS the ability to simulate any radar or communications system in its frequency range, including those with complex emitter characteristics such as stagger, agile, jitter, pulse Doppler, and other scan types. It will be capable of creating scenarios where many different emitters separated by frequency, time and other parameters can be simulated. The system will retain the major beneficial operating characteristics of the synthesizer; low cost, sub-microsecond response time, phase coherence, low phase noise and spurious content, high reliability, small size and weight for airborne or man-portable applications.In the Phase I program, SPEC will work with potential customers to determine required parameters and system performance specifications. Following this, SPEC will determine the key software and hardware components that will interface with the Advanced DRFM Kernel to produce the EWESS. In Phase II, SPEC will build and demonstrate a prototype EWESS.The development of the EWESS will provide the Government with thestate-of-the-art in EW hardware-in-the-loop simulation capabilities. Thiscapability is critical for the next generation warfighter. The EWESStechnology has immediate application to the digital widebandcommunications market. There is a need for research and development of new and cost effective anode materials and processes to facilitate the already successful Electro-Osmotic-Pulse (EOP) Technology for controlling moisture in existing concrete structures. The new anode technology will extend use of EOP to a broader range of construction materials to include masonry block, brick and stone structures. There is also a need for the innovative anode technology to be integrated with these building materials during new construction. Moisture control can be accomplished by the onsite thermal spray deposition of suitable EOP anode materials. This involves the possibility of several different thermal spray processes including but not limited to two-wire arc and plasma spray. In addition, further enhancement of existing anode technology for new and existing building structures using various precious metal catalytic coating processes in conjunction with a greater variety of titanium substrate configurations also provide the opportunity for significant EOP Technology advancement. For Phase I, CerAnode Technologies Division of APS Materials, Inc., will investigate at the laboratory scale the practical options available for eventual use in the field during phases II & III. The availability of the new cost-effective anode technologies tailored for the construction market described will create many new applications in both commercial and military sectors. The successful control of moisture intrusion into building facilities will increase the quality of life in terms of health and comfort as well as greatly reduce the traditional costs associated with providing moisture free storage and warehousing. Consequently, the innovative anode technology will find immediate interest in the overall construction market. Reliable state-of-the-art anode materials for 20 to 50-year life are expected. APS Materials, Inc. has 25 years of experience and has applied well over 2000 different material systems using a variety of thermal spray processes in the laboratory, in our production facility and in the field. It will therefore be in a position to commercialize the anode technology in phases II & III. The use of plastic-encapsulated microcircuits (PEM's) is one of the new major thrust areas in military electronic component packaging. PEM will potentially replace hermetically-sealed ceramic and metal devices presently used to achieve and maintain high reliability in military use environments. On the proposed Phase I effort, Triton Systems will apply its broad experience in polymeric materials design, nanomaterial engineering and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to create integrated polymeric materials that will have the potential of significantly advancing the current state-of-the-art in encapsulation material performance for non-hermetic integrated circuits. The materials will be designed to have a microporous percolating structure for rapid escape of moisture during thermal assembly to eliminate popcorning effect. Inorganic fillers will be incorporated in the formulations to lower the coefficient of thermal expansion and to enhance the thermal conductivity. Incorporation of rubber particles into the matrix will also be evaluated as a way to lower the modulus. During the Phase I option, the selected formulations will be further enhanced to provide integral EMI shielding without comprising electrical resistivity. In Phase II, we will optimize the material formulations and carry out a component-level demonstration by applying the selected materials to the integrated circuit package frames.There is an immediate need of plastic-encapsulated microcircuits with improved high reliability in military electronics packaging. Materials optimized for better thermal and mechanical characteristics will lead to increased operational cycles before failure and lowering replacement costs. The integral EMI shielding and increased thermal conductivity will allow further integration, higher density integrated circuits, reduced volume and increased functionality. The Phase I effort will define an optimized, portable, rugged, incoherent, eye-safe Doppler lidar system for use in detecting wind velocity above helicopters at ranges greater than 5 km. Initial system design and component specifications will be completed in this effort.Lite Cycles, Inc. intends to commercialize this technology within both the DoD and the private sector. There are three primary private sector markets that have applications for this technology: (1) Wind shear detection at high altitudes for Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) for commercial airlines; (2) Wake vortex detection lidar systems on major airport runways to space incoming landings safely; and (3) Wind sensing for weather prediction. The Clear Air Turbulence requirement is a result of passenger and crew injuries and death on commercial flights when encountering CAT during a flight. The CAT risk is higher when flying over certain mountain ranges. Airlines are interested in an affordable solution to early warning instruments that will allow either flight course changes or a seat belt buckle advisory for passengers. Coherent lidar systems have limited use at 30,000 ft altitude and above because they depend on aerosol scattering for the return signal. Direct detection can use the return from molecular scattering, so it is not dependent on the availability of aerosols to provide the return. Incoherent Doppler lidar is less complex than coherent systems and will be more robust, compact, and less expensive. CAT instruments could potentially be installed on most commercial aircraft worldwide. This is a large number of systems and constitutes a large enough market to justify development of a system both for incorporation into new aircraft and for retrofitting existing aircraft. The wake vortex detection instrument is used to determine the wake vortex trailing large aircraft during landings at airports. Current airport regulations for time between aircraft landings are based on experience. An instrument to measure and report wake vortex data for each aircraft would allow far safer and considerably higher landing rates at busy airports. The market is worldwide, and airports with high traffic rates would be targeted for installation of these systems. Larger airports may require several systems to cover multiple runways. Large dynamic pressure loads occur on missile airframes produced by aerodynamic interactions associated with lateral/divert jet firings and from varied separation events (stage, shroud, submunitions dispense). The accurate prediction of such loads is a critical element of missile design since mission failures have been directly related to vibration problems (e.g. guidance component failure) stemming from such interactions. No first-principles-based simulation methodology is available to support design, and present engineering methods have proven to be inadequate. The Phase I effort initiates the path towards development of an advanced modeling framework. Key elements include:(1)the formulation of a hybrid LES/RANS CFD framework to predict rigid body dynamic pressure loads associated with divert jet firing interactions;(2)the validation of this framework using new PIV data with detailed turbulent statistics;(3)the inclusion of rudimentary structural response capabilities into the CFD code which will primarily attenuate the dynamic loads on the missile surface.An optional task is proposed to investigate the dynamic loads on a seeker window associated with the shroud separation event. The partially open shroud has resonant characteristics of a forward facing cavity and there are very strong bow shock oscillations and resultant large dynamic loads on the seeker window.There are no existing high-fidelity techniques to predict hypersonic flow structural aero-acoustic response associated with events producing surface vibrations. In addition to providing major benefits to the entire missile community, this research has direct applicability to the design of reusable launch vehicles and to space planes which must perform multiple missions and thus have more stringent structural requirements. It is also directly applicable to the design of missile launchers and to scramjet combustors where plume/fuel jet aerodynamic interactions produce large dynamic pressure loads. Discussions with NASA and prime contractors have indicated significant commercial potential for this modeling to support space/launch vehicle design. The goal of this project is to develop intelligent imaging software for the automated identification and analysis of angiogenesis. The project will demonstrate the feasibility of using this innovative technique for clinical angiography.The formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) is a critical component in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, such as in the healing of wounds, bone fractures, and ulcers and other angiogensis related diseases. There is, however, no software specifically designed for analyzing angiogenesis. Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc. (IOS) proposes to develop a user-friendly innovative method for the automatic, reliable, rapid, sensitive, and accurate identification and analysis of angiographies acquired from Magnetic Resonance Imaging, computerized tomography, or Doppler ultrasound. This method will use neural network assisted imaging analysis software to identify and analyze the angiogenesis.This software will be useful in the diagnosis of angiogenesis in bone fractures, ulcers, cancer growth and metastasis, diabetes-induced retinal pathy, rheumatoid arthritis, and coronary disease. In addition, the timely analysis of angiogenesis may help soldiers avoid unnecessary surgical interventions and reduce injury morbidity and mortality resulting from complications.Over 1000 research laboratories and 200 companies are engaged in angiogenesis research and development. These studies will potentially benefit over 65 million surgical patients, 10 million eye patients, 7 million heart patients, and over 9 million cancer patients in the U.S. IOS will demonstrate the feasibility of this new technology by using innovative imaging analysis to meet the requirements for the specific, rapid, and accurate diognosis of clinical angiography. There is a need for small, lightweight, low-power sensors for real time, unobtrusive monitoring of the physiologic status of individuals in military and civilian environments. Studies show that sleep deprivation can dramatically reduce performance. For example, monitoring the electroencephalogram (EEG) of military personnel can indicate a soldier's level of alertness and sleep/wake status. Such monitoring would enable field commanders to assess and predict the overall group performance level and take appropriate action.This study will design and demonstrate the technical feasibility of a high frequency (1 kHz) optical electrode (optrode) system for acquisition, transmission, and analysis of EEG signals for real time determination of alertness state. The optrode sensors will meet real world needs for insensitivity to motion effects and electromagnetic interference. Also the sensors should be comfortable enough to be "wear and forget". Only in this totally non-intrusive format will the sensors provide for monitoring of physiologic parameters in a realistic, free-ranging scenario. Further, the sensors will be compatible with the standards set for the soldier's wireless personal area network (pLAN) to allow for transmission of the physiologic information to military command and medical personnel. Benefits are all-optical, insensitivity to electromagnetic interference and motion, no adhesives or gels, timesaving, cost saving, non-intrusive.The EEG optrode technology can also be used in civilian settings to evaluate alertness levels of operators of heavy machinery, truck drivers, aviators, and others working in around-the-clock occupations that demand high levels of performance. Other commercial applications include anesthesia awareness monitoring, sleep study research, and mobile medical monitoring for space flight, commercial aviation, emergency patient care, and routine diagnostic assessment. SOLUS biodefense proposes to develop novel combinatorial synthesis methods for generating librariesof botulinum metalloprotease inhibitors suitable for potential pre-clinical testing. Recent advances in 3Dcrystallography of botulinum toxin structure and in the understanding of toxin-peptide substrate interactions and structure-function relationships have provided key leads into likely optimal pharmacophore structure required for effective BoNT inhibition. This, in turn, offers insight into innovative strategies for design of combinatorial synthesis schemes directed at the high-throughput solid-state synthesis of 1D, 2D and 3D combinatorial libraries of pharmacophore type compounds suitable for screening. A starting molecular backbone based on the known safety of FDA-approved metalloprotease inhibitor will be used to synthesize 1D libraries with key functional moieties: sulfhydryl, hydroxylamine, or N-carboxyalkyl, each with or without of a guanidino functional group. Compound efficacy will be screened in a high- throughput in vitro fluorescence microplate assay developed at USAMRIID and targeted against specifically developed BoNT/A and BoNT/B peptide substrates. Promising compounds will be refined in a second round leading to a library of 2D candidates to be tested in cellular models of cytotoxicity and ACh release in order to identify potential drugs with low in vitro toxicity profiles.Development of the proposed combinatorial method and metalloprotease inhibitor library offers significantcommercial potential beyond the contained market range of the botulinum applications field. Metalloprotease-mediated pathophysiology is an expanding field of biomedical research and clinicalapplication. This is particularly true in the tumor angiogenesis field. Moreover, in the era of antibioticresistance, bacterial metalloprotease inhibition is an attractive pharmaceutical development opportunity fortreatment of a spectrum of infectious processes via suppression of related toxin pathophysiology. Thus,both the advances in combinatorial synthetic design and strategy, as well as the knowledge of structurefunction relationships inherent in the identification of new metalloprotease inhibitor drug candidates wouldcontribute significantly to research and development for commercial applications in an expanding market. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin malignancy in the United States. With the exception of lung cancer, it is the leading cause of death in men in the country. By age 80, the risk of developing prostate cancer is estimated to be 1 in 7. Despite increased public awareness, regular check-ups, and improved therapeutic interventions, greater than 31,000 American men will die from prostate cancer during calendar year 2000. The current proposal seeks to develop a new form of immunotherapy using dendritic cell based DNA vaccines to combat this serious disease. During Phase I, in vitro studies will be performed to lay the groundwork for an improved DNA vaccine against prostate cancer. This vaccine will result in increased antigen presentation by utilizing dendritic cells (DC) to administer a combination of prostate cancer, immuno-stimulatory cytokines, and chemokine receptor genes. The transformed DC will be more efficient at presenting antigen to T cells resulting in enhanced killing of prostate cancer tumor cells by cytolytic T-lymphocytes. The proposed vaccine offers a therapy for advanced prostate cancer for which currently no cure is available. The proof of concept in vitro studies in this proposal will form the basis for Phase I and Phase II human clinical trials. In addition to providing a means of combating this serious, often-fatal disease, the proposed vaccine strategy will find applications in other fields of cancer, including breast and ovarian cancer, as well as in fighting infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Stirling Technology Company proposes to perform a feasibility study of aMicro-Cogeneration System based on a proven free-piston Stirling engine toprovide quiet, efficient and reliable electricity and thermal energy foradvanced military field kitchens that use Centralized Thermal Fluid Heatertechnology. Diesel fuel will be combusted in a radiant matrix burner to provideheat for the Stirling engine. Waste heat from the engine will be used to heatwater while the burner exhaust provides heat for the thermal fluid heater. Thesystem will provide up to 3 kW of electricity and 100 kW of heat at efficiencieswell above 75%. The design of the system will incorporate an existing Stirlingcycle engine and leverage heavily from natural gas fired cogeneration and boilersystems already developed for European homes. A conceptual design will bedeveloped to address any foreseeable integration issues, and the feasibility ofa diesel-fired radiant matrix burner will be demonstrated in the Phase I project.Introducing the Stirling Micro-Cogeneration System (SMCS) into the RapidDeployment Kitchen will have several benefits. First, the SMCS will eliminatethe need for noisy, dirty, high-maintenance and inefficient internal combustion(IC) generators to supply electricity for the field kitchen. The SMCS can beintegrated directly into the kitchen's Central Thermal Fluid Heater System (CTFH)to provide electricity and thermal energy internally. The SMCS will alsodramatically improve the efficiency of the kitchen by reducing the wasted heatfrom 27.5 kW to less than 15 kW. The reduction in waste heat provides a moresafe and comfortable working environment for the kitchen staff. With the coolingfan as the loudest component, the Stirling cycle generator operates in virtualsilence so the introduction of the SMCS will not add any audible noise to thenormal operation of the kitchen Without the need for lubricating oil orperiodic maintenance of any kind, the RG-3000 is very clean and easy to operateonce installed, with no harmful or unsanitary fluids to dispose of. Themaintenance-free, useful life of a Stirling generator typically far exceedsthe total operating life of even a well-maintained IC engine. The inherent longlife of the Stirling cycle generator, combined with superior fuel efficiencymakes the Stirling more cost effective to operate than an IC generator. TheRG-3000 is clearly preferable to IC engine generators for providing heat andpower cogeneration in, not only kitchens and laundries, but in many types offield logistical equipment. Following development for military applications,this technology will be viable for use in commercial mobile kitchens, laundriesand for use in rural and off-grid homes. The proposed effort addresses the problem of Non-Cooperative Target Recognition/Identification, NCTR, for airborne targets that are beyond visual range. To address the problem, The proposed research is focused on novel artificial intelligence techniques, such as fuzzy logic, neural nets, and wavelets to make NCTR techniques perform better. Although artificial intelligence techniques have been investigated for single sensors, they have not been explored extensively when there is data available from a variety of sensors. Topics to be investigated also involve the application of such techniques as Pattern Recognition, Decision Theory, and Optimization Theory. Current NCTR techniques work quite well but only under constrained battlefield conditions. The intent is to use a data fused algorithm using some of these techniques as a basis from which to begin the development of an algorithm that is much less susceptible to battlefield conditions. Artificial Intelligence techniques have had success in the control field. The approach is to build upon the application of those techniques and to adapt to the extent possible the manner in which those techniques were applied. Once the criteria and logic flow have been determined, the design of the algorithm will occur.If the proposed research is successful, it can have tremendous impact on numerous weapon systems that have a need for Non-Cooperative Target Recognition/Identification. The ability to achieve NCTR has been sorely need by all DOD services. It has the potential to give the battlefield commander better control over his resources and could reduce logistics considerably. With this technique, the battlefield commander will have a capability to determine which of his resources is the most applicable for any threat engagement scenario. This can reduce operating and support costs significantly. Not only can costs be reduced, but better weapon system performance can be realized. In this project, an innovative portable thermal imaging diagnostic system will be developed to detect faulty or damaged tires on moving trucks. By investigating and integrating a proposed advanced multispectral imagery processing technology, this project will result in an innovative portable thermal imaging diagnostic system. The system is comprised of a hand held commercial thermal imaging spectrometer in conjunction with an embedded DSP that processes the sensed data to analyze the thermal image and predict the time to failure based on the failure's thermal image database. The system is capable of continuous capture of faulty tire imagery across multiple spectral bands and processing the image data to detect, identify, and locate the local heat generation. The image processing software utilizes the proposed technologies from related remote sensing applications to perform the image analysis. These techniques are based on the use of Memetic Algorithms. The system is highly portable, provides automotive tire quality analysis to predict the time to failure of automotive tires, provides high accuracy with low false detection rates, and is cost effective.The system to be developed during this project has excellent commercial potential, especially for civilian and military uses in automobiles and aircraft. The U. S. Army Research Office (ARO) is seeking short wavelength integrated optics components. In response, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes a Gallium Nitride Electroabsorption (GNE) solution. This new approach will integrate into a single wafer: 1) multi-quantum wells; 2) blue-green light sources; and, 3) an Electroabsorption modulator; all using GaN thin film. The results will be fully integrated, and the techniques used will be applicable to producing other short wavelength integrated optical components. Several other unique features will be included in this modulator-integrated visible light source. Electroabsorption effects will be used, for the first time, as a modulator, using gallium nitride (GaN) based quantum well material. Additionally, POC's technology for detuning the Electroabsorption effects will also be used to simplify fabrication processes. POC believes that this innovative device will provide a compact, lightweight, reliable, robust and high luminescence modulator-integrated, green-blue light source. The technology also has the potential to spawn more complicated short wavelength integrated optical devices. Phase I will deliver a prototype, fabricated on III-V nitride compound semiconductor materials, complete with initial testing to demonstrate feasibility. Phase II efforts will focus on optimization, to produce a practical, commercially-oriented prototype. BENEFITS: This project will develop a compact, low-cost, reliable, modulator-integrated visible light source for multiple military and civilian uses: high performance, full color displays, optical data storage, biological/chemical reagent identification, image projection video systems, color laser printers, and replacements for conventional lamps, such as traffic lights. Triton Systems Inc. proposes to use a high strain-rate superplastic forming (HSR-SPF) technology to fabricate complex shaped Nanoparticulate discontinuously reinforced aluminum (DRA) components. Nanoparticulate DRA offers the strength and stiffness advantages of conventional DRA, which is reinforced with micron scale particles, but has the added advantages of HSR-SPF formability without cavitation and ease of machining using conventional tooling. The proposed innovative manufacturing technology for producing Nanoparticulate DRA components using high strain-rate superplastic forming will, for the first time, will make SPF components, both Nanoparticulate DRA and unreinforced aluminum, cost competitive. It will enable entry of SPF technology into a number of new industries such as the automotive sector. The proposed Phase I program will develop the process technology and refine the materials required to achieve the necessary form, fit and function of the component. A first generation version of the selected component will be fabricated for bench testing. In Phase 11, a full-scale component will be fabricated and tested. BENEFITS: The proposed technology will enable the cost effective entry of high specific strength and stiffness metal matrix composites into large commercial markets. In addition to DoD system components, potential applications include parts for the automotive industry, commercial gas turbine engines, and high-end recreational sporting goods. Virtual collaboration has transitioned from a laboratory exercise into an accepted new means of communication. TARDEC is interested in exploring technologies that allow crew members to control various ground vehicle functions from a remote location. To facilitate these remote-driving functions, realistic imagery must be supplied to the driver. Lionhearth Technologies' proposed effort is to design and implement a system that improves existing hardware and software to enable real-time remote piloting of robotic vehicles. The system would be capable of running existing military applications, and enabling collaborative planning and multi-spectral visualization. Lionhearth proposes to design (Phase I) and build (Phase II) a remotely piloted ATV robotic test vehicle comprised of three sub-modules: 1. A vehicle mounted Sensor-Servo Module (SSM), with a GPS receiver and gimbal-mounted Stereo Vision Module (SVM) for fused infrared electro-optical telepresence. 2. A wireless communications link and MPEG-4 based video compression module for dispersed collaboration and simulation via High Level Architecture (HLA). 3. A virtualized Vehicle Control Center (VCC) that provides telepresent visualization of the ATV's operation through the use of a high-resolution, stereo head-mounted display, (HMD) novel, un-tethered head tracking system, standard, electronic game controller with haptic-feedback, and remote collaboration and visualization software. BENEFITS: A complete system could provide remote drivers of ground vehicles with visual information about their surroundings--particularly their travel. Such a system could significantly improve soldier survivability, accelerate battlefield deployment, reduce driver error and accidents, enhance reconnaissance, and reduce exposure to danger in hazardous environments. Examples of such a product include toxic waste clean-up, forest fire fighting and law enforcement tactical operations. A low cost, high purity powder synthesis process is proposed for the boron-rich boron carbide for light weight armor applications. Rapid Carbothermal Reduction (RCR) will be used to synthesize the submicron boron carbide powder without the needs of acid washing or powder comminution processes. Boron carbide powder with different boron to carbon ratio will be synthesized, and the lot-to-lot consistency will be evaluated. Hot pressing will be use to demonstrate the fabrication of boron-rich boron carbide. A partnership with a commercial powder manufacturer will be established. A preliminary database will be established for use in designing a Phase II program to scale-up and optimize the manufacturing process in synthesis and processing of boron-rich boron carbide.The noval powder synthesis process will produce low cost, high purity, submicron boron carbide powder. The resulting boron-rich boron carbide material can be used for various applications, including light weight armor systems, nuclear reactors, and industrial wear products. Bandwidth management in mobile, wireless networks is different and more difficult than in landline networks due to lower data rates, mobility, interference, and channel variability, which makes bandwidth dynamic instead of fixed over time. Furthermore, bandwidth allocations affect more users through increased noise levels or collision interference at neighboring nodes and inefficient bandwidth allocations lower network performance through unnecessary pre-emption blocking. To solve these problems we propose innovative machine learning and analysis methods to obtain bandwidth estimates that account for mobility and variable channel conditions. We use these estimates to determine information and protocol steps for a full suite of robust, effective bandwidth management protocols supporting allocation, channel sharing, reservation, and Quality of Service. We build on our work in designing a WIreless NEtwork Simulation (WINES) that provides simple mobility and channel models along with flexible, parameterizablemodels of many proposed mobile, wireless routing methods. We will be assisted in this effort by Sonia Fahmy of Purdue University, an expert in IP and ATM approaches to bandwidth reservation, allocation, and Quality of Service. We will also be assisted by BBN Technologies, who developed the Internet and have an extensive track record in development of innovative mobile wireless technologies.This effort will provide effective means for bandwidth allocation for mobile, wireless networks (and other IP networks for which the problem are simpler) operating in harsh conditions where users contend forscarce bandwidth. Immediate applications include military networks and civilian emergency communications networks. Bluetooth, a new standard for low power wireless communications will result in new applications for mobile, self organizing, wireless networks that must adapt to and carry out prescribed functions in widely variable conditions. The methods developed here will prove applicable to those networks and help propel their widespread acceptance for industrial, home, and personal applications. HVS proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of a new generation of antenna, conformal to a UAVs that exploits Printed Fractal Antennas. This will be a compact and lightweight solution to the Army's requirement of wideband antennas for UAVs. This work is an extension of the research being carried out at the Center for the Engineering of Electronic & Acoustic Materials (CEEAM) at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) on printed fractal antennas (patent pending). HVS developed the automated antenna characterization system in this regard. CEEAM/PSU is identified as a subcontractor in this proposal. HVS now proposes to improve the performance of such antennas in order to satisfy the requirements of this solicitation with respect to output power and frequency band of operation. The advantage of the fractal antenna technology is that it is very wideband, VSWRs of better than 2.5, and high gain. The size of such antennas will be reduced down to 3"x3" by using high dielectric constant substrates. A common hardware kit will be used for accommodate the antenna suite to cover the entire frequency range of 2 MHz to 40 GHz. HVS will develop and test an array of antennas for the Phase I effort and establish guidelines for their efficient production and quality control during Phase II.These fractal patch antennas have a lot of military as well as commercial applications. They can be used in collision avoidance systems for use in automobiles. They would be a valuable technology for the communication industry. They will also be useful for integration with wearable and other mobile computers and communication devices. The objective of this proposal is to develop and provide a proof of principal demonstration of a distributed simulation technology capable of supporting a real-time 100,000 entity simulation between constructive (e.g., wargaming) or virtual (e.g., man-in-the-loop) and live operational systems in the field. MiTech Inc. proposes to apply our Interoperable Network Communications Architecture (INCAPatPend), to the HLA RTI to improve the internal machine simulation application level throughput of network communicated data of simulator host computers by a minimum of 250%. Test results of a software implementation of INCA on actual systems and networks show almost two orders of magnitude increase in application level throughput of network data without sacrificing the significant investment in present and near term technologies. MiTech believes that the application of the tested and implemented INCA architecture and software library to existing DIS, HLA/RTI, etc., simulators, is the new approach that will support increased amounts of network traffic and reduce real time response times to enable brigade and above size simulation exercises. The resulting RTI software product should be interoperable with all existing programs, computers and networks, require virtually no changes to existing systems and be installed in minutes to hours.The anticipated result of a high performance, interoperable, portable software only distributed simulation interface product will be very attractive to current and future MiTech customers, particularly to DoD and FAA program offices. The approach of applying the INCA architecture to network communications for all types of network communications and distributed systems could lead to numerous products and commercial endeavors. If added to applications as opposed to host computers, the architecture can be used to offer high performance versions of existing and future network communicating applications such as Internet World Wide Web (WWW) browsers. If added to existing and future computer systems via linking to or integration with existing and future Operating Systems, all applications on these systems would see a tremendous performance improvement. Server class machines, network routers and network gateways could all make use of the technology for performance improvements. As a result, not only the multi-billion dollar simulation industry but also almost every other telecommunications and information management system and application is a potential market for commercialization of the product. SYTRONICS proposes an innovative dual-mode speech recognition technique, combining both command/control and dictation modes for easy navigation of menus and environments, enabling natural interactions, and capturing auxiliary data in the collaborative session within the CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) virtual environment. The Phase I work will show the feasibility of using two speech recognition engines together on one PC and seamlessly switching between command/control and dictation modes, and show the feasibility of processing speech on a separate PC platform linked to the UNIX-based CAVE systems. The experimental Dual-mode, Advanced Speech Harness (DASH) system will be installed in the CAVE in Phase I, making it immediately available for experimental speech work. The Phase I Objectives will be to define the operational, performance, integration, and testing requirements for DASH; prepare a preliminary design to define the experimental prototype configuration and to prepare for Phase II; develop, test, and evaluate an experimental prototype; and assess commercialization potential, defining markets, and obtaining customers and commercialization partners. The Phase I results will be the requirements, the preliminary design and specifications for Phase II, the DASH demonstrable prototype installed in the CAVE, and a quantified feasibility assessment based on experimental results and analyses.DASH speech control can replace conventional systems or be used as a supplement to standard manual input devices in myriad Government and commercial applications. The combined potential of conventional and evolving speech controls can be exploited to provide a variety of new channels for controlling electronic devices. DASH can support users in space operations, field medicine (military and civilian paramedic), biological and chemical hazards, quality/control inspection, aircraft or automobile maintenance, rehabilitative engineering, and numerous other fields. The goals of this program are to design, fabricate and test a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) specifically designed for use with Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) arrays and to incorporate the advanced signal processing requirements needed for Third Generation FLIRs. QWIP photodetector arrays are fabricated from large bandgap materials (GaAs/AIGaAs) which are easily grown and processed to produce large uniform focal plane arrays tuned to detect light at wavelengths from 6 to 25 run. In Phase 1 the preliminary design and modeling will be completed for a ROIC designed specifically to take advantage of the attributes of QWIP detectors and to meet the needs of Third Generation FLIRs. For QWIP arrays to compete with other detector materials like HgCdTe, they require special readout interface features such as the ability to provide a large detector bias voltage, large integrated signal capacity, and the ability to remove the inherent dark current to increase dynamic range. The Third generation FLIR requirements also advance the capabilities of readout IC designs by incorporating signal processing features on the focal plane array. These include nonuniformity correction, analog to digital conversion, and other signal processing functions as edge enhancement, clutter rejection, motion detection, and target detection. In Phase IL the advanced readout IC will be fabricated, tested, and prototype QWIP focal plane arrays will be demonstrated. BENEFITS: Commercial, low cost, high performance, large format QWIP focal plane arrays and systems built around these IR sensors will find many applications in manufacturing industries, law enforcement, medical, environmental and agricultural. Micro-gas turbine devices offer the potential for power densities equivalent to today's large-scale power generation in small man-portable units. Current designs require refractory materials in order to meet these power density goals. Such a refractory material must be capable of operating at high temperatures, and at extremely high stress levels. The refractory material must also be compatible with semiconductor fabrication processes utilized for constructing the MEMS device. Through Phase I efforts, chemical vapor-deposited (CVD) silicon carbide (Sic) has proven to be a promising material for incorporation into the hot rotating and static structure of micro-gas turbines. Additionally significantly higher strengths, up to 2.5 GPa, which can widen the design window, can be obtained through the fabrication of a CVD nano-layered SiC. In effect nano-layering reduces the scale of the microstructure in proportion to the overall component size. The Phase II program proposes to develop a material design database that includes room temperature and elevated temperature mechanical properties of these materials at a small scale for incorporation into existing designs of micro-gas turbines. Initial insertion of these refractory materials will be as hybrid structures with silicon as a step to integration of pure SiC components. Strength and fabrication related issues will be studied such as residual stress, surface roughness, and trench filling. the potential of refractory ceramics in other areas of the micro-gas turbine, namely the recuperator; have been identified as areas that can benefit from the incorporation of silicon-based non-oxide ceramics. Successful insertion of these ceramic materials into micro-gas turbines will have near-term benefits for the Department of Defense in the fabrication of small, lightweight power sources of 50 to 100 watts that are field refuelable. Such applications include power sources for communication equipment, night-vision equipment, and engines for long-range micro-reconnaissance planes. BENEFITS: The fabrication of micro-gas turbine engines may represent the future of portable power generation due to its high efficiency and the small package size. Longer term commercial applications are vast ~n encompassing all aspects of portable power generation such as small-portable generators for remote work sites as an example. Additionally the development of a nano-layered ceramic material is in itself an emerging technology for high-temperature, erosion/corrosion/wear resistant coatings. Nanofibers have found a market in filter applications because of their high surface area and ability to effect a large pressure drop over a small thickness. Although their use in filter applications is known, methods to produce large quantities of nanofiber sheets are kept as trade secrets, limiting the progression of this technology into other application areas of interest to the Army. This proposal seeks to address technical issues which limit the production of nanofibers at a large scale and produce quipment for scale-up fabrication. BENEFITS: Improved availability of nanofiber mats will spur product related application research. Potential applications which may benefit are filtration, catalyst supports, biological coatings, and reinforcements for composites. This project will develop a prototype fabrication technology for creating precisely ordered and precisely located arrays of semiconductor quantum dots by first etching into the substrate an ordered array of holes with diameters comparable to the size of the quantum dots sought and then depositing adatoms to form one quantum dot in each hole by self-assembly. The methods to be used are extensions of previous successful growth of ordered arrays of metal quantum dot by the authors. The periodic arrays of annometer-sized holes will be defines by a biomolecular mask and will be transferred into the Si(100) substrate by Low Energy Electron Enhanced Etching (LE4) with no etch damage to the substrate. GE and IN(Ga) As quantum dots will be grown in the etched holes by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). The presence and quality of the quantum dots will be verified with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy (STS). The means of functionalization of our quantum dot arrays for potential devices applications will be demonstrated by optical activity, electrical activity, and by making arrays that resemble real device structures. BENEFITS: This work will enable growth of semiconductor quantum dots without reliance on high-strain heteroepitaxial methods. Since this work achieves massively parallel processing, it will enable routine manufacturing of dot arrays for device applications. Design, construct, and test a compound miniature electrostatic analyzer suitable for flight aboard a microsatellite. Improve modeling techniques to aid in optimizing design-to-mission characteristics with minimum cost. Identify or develop fabrication techniques that enable efficient construction of these designs. Develop and document assembly, testing, handling, and storage techniques that minimize integration and operational requirements. This project will demonstrate the feasibility of forming precisely ordered and precisely located arrays of compound semiconductor quantum dots by first etching into the substrate an ordered array of boles with diameters comparable to the size of the quantum dots Sought and then depositing adatoms to fore one quantum dot in each hole by self-assembly. The methods to be used are extensions of precarious successful growth of ordered arrays of metal quantum dots by the authors. The periodic array of nanometer-sized holes until be defined by a biomolecular mask, and wi11 be transferred into the Si(100) substrate by Low Energy Electron Enhanced Etching (LE4) with no etch damage to the substrate. GaAs quantum tote will be grown in the etched holes by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). The effectiveness of clean H-terminated Si nanopatterned surfaces and of oxidized Si nanopatterned surface in producing GaAs quantum dots will be compared. The presence of quantum dot will be verified with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFT) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEA) in both plan and cross-section views. BENEFITS: This work will enable growth of compound semiconductor quantum dots without reliance and high-strain heteroepitaxial methods. Since this work achieves massively parallel processing in was' definition, etching. And quantum dot formation, it will enable routine manufacturing of dot arrays applicable to optical designs and single electron devices. This Phase I project develops an innovative Autonomous Multi-Mode Collision Avoidance System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) operating as teams with manned airborne Systems in the same general airspace. The proposed approach uses a passive mode and a Low Probability of Intercept mode for measuring the range of the object for the collision avoidance system. An integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver MEMS-IMU(Micro-Electronic-Mechanical-System, Inertial Measurement Unit) navigation system is used to provide the UAV position. The passive mode for measuring the range to the object employs passive Electro-Optic image sensor such as a TV camera and an infrared sensor and corresponding algorithms. The innovative Low Probability of Intercept relative positioning technology using a GPS carrier is developed to achieve a Low Probability of Intercept collision avoidance system. An Intelligent Collision Avoidance Agent is responsible for collision detection, prediction and decision making, avoidance abort trajectory generation, and a command output for a reconfigurable UAV flight control system. BENEFITS: This project will lead to a passive/low probability of intercept collision avoidance and Airspace Deconfliction system, which has several commercial applications including Air Traffic Management (ATM), smart vehicles, intelligent transportation systems, and passive target tracking. We propose to design, fabricate and deliver a unique quasi-unipolar high temperature and high-speed 4H-SiC power diode for motor control applications by a novel ion implantation approach. Experimental effort will be the major concentration although theoretical work will also be performed to compare with experimental results, and more importantly to guide optimization activities in Phase II. For comparison purpose, conventional diodes will also be fabricated by using the same fabrication processes to quantify the benefits of the proposed diodes including both lower DC and AC power losses and high speed. In Phase I, we will develop the fabrication processes for the proposed diodes concentrating on minimizing reverse leakage current, maximizing power density, and demonstrating high speed switching as well as high temperature capability. Comparison will be made between the proposed diodes and state-of-the-art Si PiN diodes in terms of free-wheeling anti-parallel diode applications along with Si IGBTs in 3 phase AC induction motor control inverters up to lOOOV750HP. We will fabricate the proposed 4H-SiC diodes and deliver 6 6A-600Vdc and 6 4A-1000Vdc diodes and one 20A-l000Vdc diode module with greatly reduced power losses and capable of 250 C ambient operation. BENEFITS: High performance quasi-unipolar SiC diodes capable of operation at much higher power densities and temperatures with drastically reduced DC and AC power losses. Applications exist in numerous high temperature and compact power systems including motor control and power supply for military tanks and commercial electric vehicles. Adiabatics, Inc. with Indiana Research Institute are proposing to demonstrate an engine that will operate at a rated Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) of 260 psi, piston power loading of 4.4 hp/sq.-in. and a Brake Specific Heat Rejection (BSHR) to 8 btu/bhp-min. This demonstration will be made possible by the application of; A. Stoichiometric combustion, B. exhaust ejector cooling, C. insulated combustion chamber and D. an advanced cylinder tribology package. A high-pressure fuel injector with "Spatially Resolved" combustion system will facilitate an air-fuel ratio of 21:1 and reduce airflow after-cooling heat rejection, reduce turbocharger boost requirements and increase power density opportunities. The use of an exhaust ejector system will provide cooling of the cylinder liner (maximum 800-degree F) and cooling of the fuel injector. The heat flow to the exhaust ejector will be rejected to the exhaust stack and not included in the radiator heat rejection and will allow a BSHR of 8 btu/bhp-min. A thermal barrier coated titanium piston and a silicon nitride headface plate will provide the primary in-cylinder insulation. Zirconia valve-seat inserts and exhaust port air-gaps are included. The ring-liner tribology package will include ion-implanted M2 steel top piston ring and iron titanate coated cylinder liner. Lubrication will include SRL-51 and advanced high temperature additives. BENEFITS: Upon completion of this investigation of advanced concepts, many features necessary to advance the compression ignition engine in the future to benefit the military and the commercial sectors will be made. The fuel energy and materials conservation will be foremost. In recent years, major advances have been made in complex: missile component thermal and thermo-structural analysis software and desktop computing. However, technological advances in the generation of convective and pressure boundary conditions have not kept pace. A GUI driven version of MASCC code, developed under Phase I can be used to efficiently generate boundary conditions for Finite Element analysis performed by missile analysts and designers. Under this proposed Phase II program, Mesa Associates and Aerotherm Corporation, will continue the development of this analysis tool that can be used throughout industry and government agencies. The code will have widespread application to a variety of aerospace applications including tactical missile airframe design; selection and evaluation of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) for both DoD and NASA; and infrared signature analysis. The Phase II effort will include expansion to a variety of computer platforms and development of interfaces to commonly used finite element codes. In addition, the code will be upgraded to calculate thermal and ablation response of decomposing TPS materials. Upon completion of this Phase II effort, the beta version of MASCCO1 will be delivered to industry and government agencies for evaluation. BENEFITS: The analysis tool developed in Phase II will provide the thermal and structural analyst a more efficient method for generating and applying boundary conditions to external missile surfaces for improved accuracy. The expanded capabilities of the MASCC code will have the ability to model all critical aspects of aerodynamic heating. In the proposed SBIR phase I program, Powdermet will demonstrate the use of microencapsulated thermal spray powders for the application of microengineered thermally insulating and wear resistant coatings for use in diesel engines. These coatings will provide enhanced engine life and performance by reducing heat load to the cooling system and inbcreasing engine life in heavy use conditions. The coatings are comprised of a functionally graded system, consisiting of a porous alumina/mullite insulating layer graded into a cermet wear resistant topcoat. Coatings will be applied using argon shrouded atmospheric plasma spray of binder/matrix encapsulated microballoon and ceramic fillers. these coatings will be applied to steel substrates and evaluated for friction, wear, and thermal properties and through thermal shock and adhesion testing to demonstrate durability. BENEFITS: If successful, the coatings developed in the SBIR program will provide enhanced life and performance in military and commercial diesel engines. Additional applications in the mining and construction equipment industries and the tool and die industries also exist for the microengineered particles developed in the program. Triton Systems proposes an innovative method for fabricating cost competitive, low density, high performance titanium aluminide dual-alloy functionally gradient gas turbine engine components for elevated temperature applications. This manufacturing method is based on Triton's experience with the Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) technology for the fabrication of titanium matrix composites and the laser joining of aluminum matrix composites. In the laser processing, titanium aluminide powder is delivered through a feeder, melted with the laser beam and deposited to build a near-net-shape component layer-by-layer in a manner similar to conventional solid freeform fabrication techniques. Triton is teamed with Laser Fare and Honeywell Engines and Systems to adapt the LENS technology to produce functionally gradient dual-alloy titanium aluminide based components for gas turbine engines, such as impellers, which can be designed with different materials in specific areas. This program will take advantage of recent advancements in titanium aluminide materials having significant specific high temperature properties compared with nickel superalloys. This technology will enable gas turbine engine component part designs to be optimized for weight savings with reduced cost by eliminating expensive tooling and at the same time provide a single seamless component. The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of a low-temperature flip chip bonding technique for interconnects between multi-waveband detector layers of a large-format detector array and its corresponding readout array with greater than 85% fill factor. The new flip chip bonding technique allows the formation of fine pitch bumps with high aspect ratio (>1). The low temperature bonding reduces the thermal stress and strain at the interconnects thus promoting more reliable joints and minimizing any damages to the devices. The graded material makes it possible to have bumps of high aspect ratio and low thermal stresses. The bonding process creates "self-cleaning" effects on the fraying bonding surfaces, thus eliminating the need for fluxing or protective environment. The advanced analytical methods can provide optimal interconnect design with lowest possible thermal stresses. The process modeling tools developed in this proposal can be used to select processing parameters for a wide range of applications. The effective processing tool design can be achieved using the insights provided by the process modeling tools. This new bonding technique and associated design and evaluation tools should be extremely valuable to the end user of the process and the equipment manufacturers for this process Thermal imaging using infrared sensor technology is critical to all phases of national missile defense system. The available interconnect technologies for multi-waveband infrared focal plane arrays all have certain limitations. Spurred by the ever-increasing demand for faster, smaller and cheaper systems as well as global competitive pressures, the semiconductor industry in US is making tremendous strides in miniaturizing feature size, increasing clock rate, increasing chip I/Os and chip size. At the same time, interconnection density is being increased and the cost per I/O is being reduced.In addition to the military applications, the proposed bonding technique has great commercial potential in microelectronic, optoelectronic and microwave industries. This process is rapid and cost-effective for flip chip bonding stacked semiconductor devices with large I/Os, fine pitches, and smaller sizes. Its low-temperature and self-oxide-cleaning characteristics should produce high-quality interconnects with reduced thermal stress. This process can be utilized to package fast switching devices with short interconnection and low impedance. The bonding process modeling techniques developed in this project should enable fundamental understanding of relationship between the energy source and interconnect quality and integrity. Both the end users and the equipment manufacturers should benefit from this new process and the associated design tools. Future DoD cryogenic cooling requirements include space missions with relatively large cooling demands. These include space-based lasers, orbiting vehicles requiring cooling of stored fuels, and space-based platforms using large arrays of infrared detectors. Loads for these applications will range from several watts to tens of watts. Temperatures of interest are between 10 K and 100 K. Current reverse turbo-Brayton cryocoolers are optimized for a limited range of loads and temperatures, significantly below those of future high-capacity requirements. Inorder to meet future needs for high-capacity cooling, additional research and development must be performed on the turboalternator, a key component in the system. This proposal addresses the development of a high-capacity turboalternator. During Phase I, we will establish fundamental loss characteristics for the machine through testing and analysis. In Phase II a turboalternator will be optimized for a specific DoD application. Tests will be performed in a closed-loop cryocooler to verify the models and scaling laws. This program will result in fundamental scaling relations for optimizing advanced high capacity turbo-Brayton coolers. Military applications include space-based surveillance, and cryogenic cooling of fuels on orbiting platforms. Scientific applications include Mars transport vehicles. Commercial applications include communication satellites, superconducting motors and instruments, low-temperature gas separators, oxygen and nitrogen liquefiers and cryogenically cooled computers. Significant modulation of solar reflectance, solar absorption, and IR emissivity can be achieved with electrochromic devices operating at very low voltages. They use very little energy and can maintain their state of reflectance, absorption, and emissivity for some time after the potential has been removed. Devices fabricated as a monolithic stack of solid state inorganic materials can withstand the harsh space environment. These kinds of Variable Electrochromic Devices (VEDs), with no moving parts, are well suited for active thermal control of spacecraft and deployable aerospace membrane structures. A control system adaptive to failures was recently flight demonstrated onthe X-36. This technology is now being applied in simulation to study the potentialto improve the performance and reliability of the X-33 demonstrator. A recoverablefailure will generally lead to a reduction in total control authority. Thus,adaptive guidance technology is required to realize the potential of adaptivecontrol and to overcome potential failures in autonomous launch systems. Effective means for on-line trajectory regeneration is required. The guidancelaws need to be adaptive to unknown variations in the force equations, and atthe same time require minimal variation in the anticipated trim control effort.An innovative approach to adaptive guidance is proposed based on computing aneighboring solution. It seeks to minimize the perturbation in trim controleffort, while having an adaptive component that can be used to cancel the forceperturbation induced by the failure. Energy state methods are to be used topre-compute attainable energy levels, which will in turn be used to predictreachable sets. The feasibility of this new technology is to be demonstratedin X-33 simulation in Phase I, and fully developed and evaluated for both theX-33 and X-37 in Phase II. This technology has the potential to improve the reliability of both U.S.military and commercial access to space in the 21st century, and to enablegreater levels of autonomy in space launch operations leading to significantreductions in the costs of placing payloads in orbit. A twenty-fold increase in the telemetry data rates over the past 10 years, coupled with the reduction in available spectrum and the proliferation of various wireless systems, makes it necessary to increase the efficiency and quality of aeronautical telemetry (TM) systems. The objective of this program is to develop affordable directional airborne TM antennas to functionally replace existing omni-directional antennas on a variety of test vehicles. Beam steering of the antenna can be driven by position cues from GPS (Global Positioning System) inputs and later integrated with INS (Inertial Navigation System) data. In Phase-I, WEO (Wang Electro-Opto Corporation) demonstrated the feasibility of a directional airborne TM array antenna by using its patented antenna technologies and by taking advantage of recent advance in low-cost electronics and software relevant to "smart" directional antennas. WEO proposes a Basic Phase-II Program to develop a brassboard GPS-controlled directional TM antenna system, including flight-test, and an Optional Effort to develop an integrated GPS/INS control and a technique to reduce TM interference with onboard GPS receiver. Modern Army vehicles require durable, modular, lightweight structures with high survivability armor integration. Application of smart structure concepts combined with advanced composite materials offer the potential for a new series of structural systems to meet these requirements. This project will provide strong technical foundations for the development of software products and services that will enable collaborative design among development teams using disparate CAD and analysis packages. Issues to be addressed include: construction and maintenance of a robust central geometry representation comprising surface patches and trimmed surfaces; export of geometric data in user-defined formats to a variety of analysis codes; export of geometric data to a variety of CAD systems in editable form; reconstitution of edited data returned from client CAD systems to a form compatible with the central representation. We propose to utilize AeroHydro's patented Relational Geometry (RG) framework as the central representation. By capturing a broad variety of interobject relationships, RG provides fundamental benefits in editability and accuracy over conventional surface representations. The project will demonstrate capabilities to export editable CAD models from RG to a variety of CAD systems, using primarily DXF, IGES and STEP formats; to receive back edited data in these same formats; to compare returned and original data; to identify the elements that changed; to update the central RG model to reflect the changes. The project will build upon existing RG capabilities of AeroHydro's RGKernel, MultiSurf and Surface Works products. BENEFITS: Military: This technology will serve as the essential GEM component of TACOM's Automotive Product Development Framework. Commercial: It will provide a collaborative design framework for manufacturing concerns of all sizes. In this Phase I program, Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop a prototype testing apparatus to evaluate protective clothing fabrics for military procurement approval and test the protective performance of commercial fabrics. PSI's design includes an IR radiant heat source, skin temperature measurement, a skin-simulant material, an adjustable sample platform, sensors measuring incident heat fluxes and thermophysical properties of the fabric sample, and relevant burn injury calculations. The system components will be integrated into an automated system that is capable of running multiple test scenarios and analyzing the data directly from the user interface. Phase I will demonstrate that an innovative system design utilizing the latest technologies is feasible for meeting the specified technical objectives. During the proposed program, PSI will evaluate a series of design concepts and develop a prototype to demonstrate concept feasibility. A detailed design and additional testing of the prototype is included as a Phase I Option task. The successful completion of this program will provide the Army with a new and quantitative capability for the evaluation and procurement approval of protective fabrics.The proposed development will benefit government agencies in effectively evaluating protective fabrics in flame/thermal testing. The Army will obtain an improved capability in testing commercial fabrics for military procurement purposes. The apparatus will also be applied to commercial companies and organizations that produce and test fabrics for industry use. These industries include factories, power plants, car racing, airlines, and others involving fire hazardous environments. Accurate Automation Corporation is proposing the development of a plasma limiter for the protection of sensing electronic equipment from high power EM radiation. The Limiter is essentially a self-breaking, fine-point, electrode placed within the receiving transmission line. In Phase I, AAC will begin development and testing of the concept in an S-band resonant ring located at Texas Tech University. The testing matrix will include breakdown for several gases at a range of pressures, various point diameters, and gap distances observing primarily breakdown development time and reflection and transmission characteristics. This work will lay the foundation for future Phase II development and research into an X-band system.The commercialization of this product will apply to a variety of sensing technologies. The potential market is tremendously broad and includes radar systems, telecommunication systems (mobile phones), and DSTV. Additionally, this technology applies to both ground based and spaced based systems. EnerQuest Systems, LLC's Phase II technical approach focuses on the development of a prototype system that post-processes LIDAR data within a database management, image processing, and GIS environment. The development of the EnerQuest prototype system is due to the culmination of knowledge gained through Phase I investigations and testing, coupled to the vast experienced gained by EnerQuest during the last three years of its operation and processing of RAMST LIDAR data. Our technical approach is centered on the ability of the system to collect massive amounts of LIDAR data easily accessible to a user in a timely and efficient manner. This will be handled within a database and map library framework, in which interactively selected tiles of LIDAR data can be processed and classified using feature extraction techniques. Bare earth surfaces can be generated, with resultant residual information (non-bare earth features) being further classified in order to extract elevations of vegetation canopies and building footprints. An innovative compact amplifier design has been developed based on power combining of MMIC amplifiers. This amplifier will provide 10-20W power output with the reliability and compactness inherent in solid-state-based devices. Higher output power amplifiers are needed to extend the range and increase link margin of point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and satellite communications links in Ka-Band. Solid state amplifiers are uniquely suited to meeting the challenging reliability and cost requirements of these applications. The main difficulty in object tracking through rapid sensor orientation change is caused by drastic changes in perceived target orientation and background. We propose to use the Lie transformation group to model and parameterize each of the major changes in sensor imagery in the course of target tracking. Simulating the biological vision system of the monkeys, the sensor imagery will be transformed and represented in perceptual system through Gabor types receptive fields. Also simulating the biological vision system, the tracking (adaptation, change countering) process will be formulated as "data driven dynamical tuning" of the receptive fields. The image tracking will be simultaneously performed in the image geometric space domain including the target orientation, and the signal space domain including signal/background polarity and contrast. Viewing the receptive field functions as the linear forms on the image space, we derive the Lie derivatives for the detection and measurement of each of component changes subjecting to the tracking. BENEFITS: The proposed object tracking approach decomposes complicated multiple dimensional variations of target image characteristics to components. If successfully developed, it provides a means of high speed computing with compact processors and can be used in a computational sensor system for missiles and other military and commercial applications. A low-cost approach is proposed for the fabrication of large transparent spinel panels using commercially available hot-pressing and HIPing capabilities. The hot-press/HIP capabilities developed by Coors and Alpha Optical Systems for thin section domes will be optimized to obtain high optical transmission of greater than 80% for thicknesses of between 0.5" and 1.0". The system will be optimized for strength, transmission and ballistic performance, and measures are suggested to reduce the fabrication costs of the large spinel panels. BENEFITS: It is expected that this approach can be rapidly optimized to achieve the fabrication of large panels of transparent armor of specific use in ground vehicles and aircraft. In addition to high performance, light weight armor which will find both military and commercial applications, the optical and IR transmission properties (2.5mm) for spinel are excellent, particularly at elevated temperatures. This material will find large market applications many areas. Fiore proposes to explore a novel high power microwave antenna design suitable for a variety of field platforms and applications. The proposed antenna is 7 meters square, consisting of many smaller elements phased within the array topology. The antenna element frequency response, gain and directivity as well as high power limits will be considered. With the distributed RF amplification using current technology, the goals of this SBIR can be well achieved. The nominal design will incorporate the L-band amplifiers into the antenna itself, using COTS semiconductor components now becoming available in mass production. Power input, control distribution and heat extraction must all be addressed. State-of-the-art technology in element switching and phasing will be explored for a next generation device capable of fast direction scanning. Phasing algorithms will be explored for a set of alternative antenna radiation patterns. A survey of many families of fractal antenna candidates will be explored to extend the overall bandwidth, with some physical scale models tested as necessary. Scale models will be built and tested for bandwidth and directivity using a reference antenna and a network analyzer. BENEFITS: The benefits from this SBIR would encompass broadband antennas, sensitive and directive for an electrically thin size, realizable in a conformal form factor on a variety of possible surfaces. High power directed-waveform applications would greatly benefit from this antenna. This antenna would also be highly attractive for platforms requiring multiple-use apertures, especially incorporating highly-directional GPS reception immune to interference from other directions. MTL Systems, Inc., Dr. Jiri Fridrich, and Sterling Software propose a robust digital watermarking technique that will enable near real time automatic transfer of complex data types, such as imagery, among multi-level, secure networks. The security level is embedded in a robust invisible manner in the image multiple times rather than attached to it. This makes the embedding and extraction process independent of the image format. Both the watermark embedding and extraction are protected by a secret key. We propose to embed the security level using spread-spectrum watermarking techniques in the spatial and the transform domain. The security level can be extracted after common image processing operations. To make the extraction possible for images that underwent geometrical transformations, a synchronization pattern will be embedded in the image in addition to the watermark. Given the right secret key, the watermark can be removed, the image processed, and a new watermark can be embedded. Our Phase I Objectives are to (1) analytically and experimentally assess feasibility, (2) demonstrate a working prototype, (3) produce a preliminary design for Phase II and (4) assess commercial product potential. Meeting these objectives will ensure both a successful Phase II effort and a focused approach to commercialization. In addition to the multi-level security applications for the military, robust watermarking methods can be used for fingerprinting documents to identify the receiver of the document (distribution of digital video, audio, and imagery over the network), for copyright protection of digital documents, and for content visual authentication / image integrity verification, in commercial enterprises. This program will first establish a low-cost aluminum oxynitride (ALON) powder synthesis process, known to yield powder that can readily be densified to optical transparency. This program will then establish a new low-cost source for transparent ALON windows. In Phase I, MSI will demonstrate a proven, low-cost method for synthesizing ALON powder. The process will utilize carbothermal reduction of high purity alumina in a nitrogen atmosphere to form ALON directly, avoiding AlN entirely. Starting constituents (Al2O3 and carbon powders) will be weighed, blended, reacted at elevated temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere, and then milled. Chemical purity, phase purity, lattice parameter, particle size, particle size distribution, and surface area of the resulting powders will be measured. In the Phase I Option, the ability to densify the powder to optical transparency will be verified, and scale up of the powder synthesis will be initiated. In Phase II, MSI will develop a high-volume continuous process for producing ALON powder and establish a complete transparent ALON fabrication capability. In addition, we will investigate ways to streamline the ALON fabrication process that could eliminate one or more major process steps.Transparent ALON armor offers superior protection against small caliber armor piercing projectiles at substantially reduced weight and thickness. Initially, this program will provide a low-cost source of high purity ALON powders. Subsequently, when the Phase II program has been completed, a new low-cost source for transparent ALON components will have been established. A primary defense application for transparent ALON is low-cost, light-weight, large-area transparent armor panels for military land vehicles and aircraft. Commercial personnel security vehicles will also benefit from the technology developed in this program. Phase I revealed a high priority need for a human factorial lightweight protective helmet that extends an adequate personal communication system and 360 degree situational awareness, as well as ballistic protection of dismounted soldiers. The proposed research addresses two most critical design issues: (a) human factors concerns and, (b) practical concerns voiced by dismounted soldiers. A Design for Excellence will incorporate four tasks. Task 1 will perform in-depth human factors analyses. Deliverables from this task will be conceptual illustrations and technical performance parameters for the next generation of modular platforms. Task 2 will investigate improvements in ballistic and structural performance reducing head borne mass. Deliverables will include technical performance parameters for "lightweight material." Task 3 will examine existing helmet displays and sighting devices. Deliverables from this task will set the foundation for future integrated helmets. Task 4 will investigate speech intelligibility and sound localization of new and existing helmet designs that are feasible with new human factors studies and new materials. An innovative communication product design will potentially gain what is most needed in any successful design - user acceptance. The Army has a need for a fieldable unit that can be use for the detection of depleted uranium with the sensitivity in the several ppm region. The system must operate in adverse conditions and in the presents of un-exploded ordnance. Standard method for the detection of heavy metals, such as atomic adsorption or emission spectroscopy require instrumentation not suitable for field use. In this proposal, we will explore the innovative use of a laser- induced plasmas and fluorescence spectroscopy for the detection of trace amounts of depleted uranium. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been employed in the detection of heavy metal contaminates in soils and laser- induced fluorescence has been employed in sensitive detection of heavy metal ions produced in a inductively coupled plasma. Through the novel use of optical fibers and compact solid state light sources and detectors, we shall investigate the design of a field portable heavy metal detector. The system shall consist of a central unit containing the laser excitation sources and the spectral detection units, the compact probe will be linked by optical fibers. We shall also, explore the use of laser-induced plasma as a means of generating metal ions that can be detected by laser-induced fluorescence. BENEFITS: Benefits include: the development of a fieldable unit for the rapid detection of heavy metal species in soil and aqueous matrices. Applications of this development are: monitoring of environmental remediation sites, detection of heavy metals in buildings and structures, monitoring and control of industrial processes. KaZaK Composites Incorporated (KCI) proposes to continue development of the inexpensive and weight-efficient hybrid composite energy-dissipating brace for seismic retrofit whose feasibility was demonstrated in the Phase I project. The low-strength/high strain dissipating element in this unbonded brace concept may be extruded at low cost per foot, and then combined with a continuously wound or pultruded stiffening sleeve of composite materials to suppress low energy buckling failure modes. While the construction materials embodied in this damper concept are more expensive than those in competing devices, there is very little touch labor in the fabrication and assembly of the KCI brace, making the installed cost competitive with existing products. The higher weight-specific energy dissipation enabled by using advanced materials is therefore a bonus that may be especially useful in retrofit applications, where installation is more constrained by accessibility than new-build applications. Polarization imaging, particularly in the LWIR, holds promise for a number of target detection applications. Polarization sensing takes advantage of geometry and material differences that enhances conventional IR imagery and potentially surpasses its performance in low contrast situations. Previous systems developed for polarization imaging have encountered problems compromising the accuracy of the measured polarized imagery. The most significant impediments have been acquisition rate, calibration, and image registration. Since polarization imagery involves weighted sums and differences of images, small misregistration of the input images can result in spurious polarization signatures. Calibration and removal of systematic errors in these systems has been difficult and robust calibration procedures have not been fully developed. SY Technology, Inc. has generated a prototype design for a rotating retarder imaging polarimeter that addresses these issues. The system includes a novel optical design that has less than 1/20th pixel beam wander. The Phase I effort included the development of complete calibration procedures that will result in low noise Stokes images in absolute units of radiance. The LWIR Imaging Polarimeter will be constructed and calibrated during the first year of the Phase II effort and applications will be tested in the laboratory and field during the second year. BENEFITS: It is anticipated that the imaging polarimeter will significantly enhance target detection for a wide variety of military seekers. Ice detection, de-mining, remote sensing, and medical imaging applications are all potential commercial applications of this instrument. Polarization imaging holds promise for providing significant improvements in contrast in a number of target detection and discrimination applications. In several recent development efforts, it has been demonstrated that manmade objects have a significantly stronger polarization signal than natural backgrounds resulting in good contrast that complements the conventionally imaged infrared signature. Other recent research has suggested that polarization sensing may increase detection range through optically dense media such as fog or aerosol laden atmosphere. However, these experimental systems frequently require long data acquisition times, which results in artifacts in the polarization imagery due to platform or target motion. Additionally, calibration and investigation of systematic errors in these systems is difficult and robust calibration procedures have not been fully demonstrated. SY Technology, Inc proposes an aggressive instrument develop program beginning with modeling and prototype design efforts in this Phase I task. Infrared polarization signatures for typical scenarios will be modeled followed by analysis of various polarimetric detection schemes meeting the 30 Hz frame rate requirement. Once the optimal detection scheme is chosen, the prototype instrument will be designed complete with component specifications, schematics, data reduction, and calibration algorithms. A thorough performance analysis of the design will also be performed. BENEFITS: It is anticipated that the imaging polarimeter will significantly enhance target detection on a wide variety of military seekers. Ice detection, humanitarian de-mining, remote sensing, and medical imaging applications are all potential commercial applications of this instrument. Triton Systems Inc. offers an unique method for fabricating cost competitive, low density, high performance titanium aluminide dual-alloy functionally gradient gas turbine engine components for application at elevated temperatures. This manufacturing method is based on Triton's experience with the Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) technology for laser fabrication of titanium matrix composites and laser joining of aluminum matrix composites. In the LENS system, powder material is delivered through a feeder which is melted with a laser beam and deposited to build a near-net-shape component layer-by-layer in a manner similar to conventional solid freeform fabrication techniques. Triton is teamed with Laser Fare and AlliedSignal to adapt the LENS technology to produce functionally gradient dual-alloy titanium aluminide based components for gas turbine engines, such as impellers, which may be designed with different materials in specific areas and fabricated as a single seamless component. This program will take advantage of recent advancements in titanium aluminide materials having significant specific high temperature properties compared with nickel superalloys. This technology will enable gas turbine engine component part designs to be optimized for weight savings at elevated temperature applications with reduced cost by eliminating expensive tooling, and at the same time provide a single seamless component. BENEFITS: The proposed manufacturing method will provide a cost-effective approach to produce complex shaped, functionally gradient dual-alloy titanium aluminide gas turbine engine components for large commercial markets. In addition to military propulsion system components, potential commercial applications include the large gas turbine engine industry, both for land-based and air-based applications. The monitoring and analysis of the structural integrity of buildings, bridges and machines is increasingly important as the average age of these structures increases and as buildings are built in more locations which are prone to natural disasters. Structural monitoring can be accomplished through the addition of a magnetostrictive material to structural members, either directly or through a composite. Changes in the structure are reflected in stress-induced changes in the magnetic signature from the magnetostrictive material. Microfluxgate sensors were demonstrated in Phase I to be capable of detecting such changes and to be suitable for integration with application specific integrated circuits (ASIC's) for inexpensive mass production. In Phase II, the ASIC will be produced and the microfluxgate integrated with it, resulting in a commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) product. An array of such integrated sensors will be fabricated and tested, and a hand-held reading instrument and a transducer will be designed and prototyped. The transducer will be designed to be used with commercially available data transmission and collection instrumentation systems. In Phase III, final structural monitoring equipment will be designed and deployed. Commercial products will also be designed for non-structural markets. As the miniaturization, power reduction, and resultant lower costs of digital equipment progresses, solutions to age-old problems materialize overnight. One such requirement is a low power, lightweight, mobile imaging system. This allows surveillance and monitoring using a remote controlled device in areas where it may be unsafe or impossible for a person to go. Previous imaging systems have used film, video, or CCD image sensors. The problem with these methods is that their size, weight, and power consumption are large. CCD imaging devices are the smallest and consume the least amount of power of all these devices. However, for truly power and weight contrained systems even the CCD is too heavy and requires too much power to operate. CMOS imaging sensors are smaller, weigh less, and consume less power than a similarly sized CCD array. Up until the past few years it has been physically impossible to produce a CMOS image sensor because the required density of transistors on silicon could not be achieved. However, newer transistor densities being produced make CMOS arrays a reality, even at high resolutions. The use of CMOS imaging arrays in a camera will meet the high resolution, low power, and lightweight requirements of CAVIS. BENEFITS: Lightweight aerial vehicles for ground surveillance by military, rescue, law enforcement, and commercial users. Reconnaissance operations for the military or law enforcement, and surveys of disaster areas or general commercial survey use, all benefit from wireless imaging. Initial research for Time Modulated Ultrawideband non line of sight communications achieving low probability of intercept, difficult to jam, low power, and high bandwidth for unmanned vehicles. Time Domain will define the need for and the approach to unit tracking, evaluate extensions of the ULR system,design the overall system protocol,code the key characterisitics of the protocol, create a simulation program for evaluating URL under a variety of senarios,use the simulation program to evaluate system performance, design the key parameters for the time modulated ultrawideband radio, and perform field testing to demonstrate range accuracy and ability to penetrate obstacles. BENEFITS: The commercial benefits and applications currently being considered for time modulated ultrawideband radios encomasses electronic fluid measuring devices to replace mechanical dipsticks, construction stud finders, hand sensors for automatic water control, wireless instrumentation systems, wireless LANS, cellular telephony, and short range wireless phones Because of GPS outages, supplemental positioning capabilities are required to maintain a high degree of asset location confidence. Existing inertial systems are too expensive for use on most military vehicles, and map matching is not possible in many circumstances. This project will establish new methods of using low cost sensors, such as MEMS gyros and accelerometers to improve the positioning and navigation capabilities of light military vehicles such as the HMMWV. The various classes of sensors in many cases have complementary strengths and weaknesses allowing valuable synergy to be gained through integration. Methods of combining multiple similar sensors for improved accuracy and robustness will be developed using both hardware and software techniques. Mathematical models for the sensors will be developed and incorporated into a computer simulation. The sensors will provide input for a vehicle dead reckoning navigation algorithm. The simulation will be used to predict accuracy and performance under varying conditions and to develop a preliminary Kalman Filter algorithm for integration of GPS. The Phase I Option will convert the simulated algorithms into a real-time system interfaced with actual hardware sensors. Based on test results, the algorithms will be refined. BENEFITS: Reliable positioning and location of vehicles will improve situational awareness and navigation for the mounted soldier and provide critical digital asset location data to commanders. Robust position location is a key component of efficient logistics, timely rendezvous, reduction in fratricide, targeting and force management in general. Microcosm proposes to fabricate an all-composite, long service life pressure vessel that is functional at cryogenic temperatures and is compatible with LOX. Phase I will define a basic resin system for a composite lined pressure vessel with a design operating pressure of 600 psig and a minimum cycle life of one hundred fifty (150) cycles. Composite Technology Development, Inc. will also participate by developing and testing resins and adhesives. CTD is a specialist in cyrogenic resin/adhesive development and fabrication. Presently CTD is also performing development work on an all composite cryogenic tank. The fabrication process proposed by Microcosm will ultilize room temperature non-autoclave cure, and wet fabricaiton methods. Microcosm proposes to fabricate and test one full-size, 42 inch diameter by 135 inch long complete pressure vessel. Phase II would refine the process and include composite ports and the addition of composite tank skirts fabricated integral with the tank for further weight reduction. An all composite, cryogenic, LOX compatible pressure vessel has major potential for commercial, scientific and military applications. Weight savings, cost savings and greater reliability can be achieved by eliminating heavy and expensive metallic liners which have long lead times to produce. These innovations are essential for achieving low-cost launch systems, which primialry use LOX for their oxidizer propellant. The objective will be to reduce current tank fabircation costs by at least a factor of five. This could save 100,000 dollars or more per vehicle cost. Kestrel Corporation proposes a new technology that offers the opportunity to use phase diversity wavefront sensing under high scintillation conditions and with passive extended target references. Based on the use of a distorted optical grating technology, this proposed Phase I SBIR will show that it is feasible to provide, simultaneously, the images before and after the entrance pupil that are needed to execute the phase diversity algorithms. The work will demonstrate that these algorithms can be completed in time frames compatible with the compensating atmospheric aberrations. This technology will increase the resolution and accuracy of sensors in non-uniformmedia. Applications include airborne laser correction, battlefield sensor operation improvement, biomedical ophthalmological imaging improvements and increasing bandwidths for laser communications. Carbon nanotubes have tremendous potential in many applications, but are limited by their high cost. The cost is driven by two factors, the low process yield and the laborious purification procedures required by current synthesis techniques, DC discharge and laser ablation. However, nanotubes produced by the Chemical Vapor Deposition process have both high yield and purity, as well as control over nanotube diameter and length. Further, straight, aligned nanotubes can be grown on a substrate, a key advantage for device fabrication. NanoLab is the exclusive licensee of the CVD nanotube growth process developed by Dr. Zhifeng Ren and patented by the University of Buffalo. Dr. Ren, now at Boston College, has performed the fundamental research on this process, as highlighted in the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Therefore, the program goal is to design and implement a high output pilot facility for carbon nanotube production. The key development will be a CVD belt furnace, where nanotubes can be continuously harvested. In Phase I, we will demonstrate a semi-continuous process for nanotube production, based on an extension of the existing CVD technology. After validating the semicontinuous production, we will design a full scale production unit for large quantity nanotube synthesis.The advent of production quantities of carbon nanotubes will enable new applications that become viable when the cost is lower. Field emission displays, sensors, and other devices can be effectively produced using this process, as well as bulk materials for composites and high volume applications. The Army is at the beginning of a major force update that will use distributed unmanned vehicles as an integrated force element. Initial developments have been completed that allow a single Soldier to control as many as 4 unmanned vehicles. However, there are no technologies available to assess future designs of a one on many control system to predict a Soldier's ability to effectively control n number of unmanned vehicles in varying terrain, climate, and combat stressed conditions. Next generation embedded software systems for fire control applications will become extremely costly without a means to promote software reuse. In the loins Technical Architecture-Army (1TAA), there is little guidance concerning this issue. To forestall costs resulting from failure to reuse software in embedded system applications, a generic Reference Architecture (RA) is required to allow design, development, implementation, and simulation of software to maximize reuse of previously developed components. To address this problem, CHI Systems will develop an RA and RA toolset. The RA will use an abstract description language to unite the conceptual notion of software components with instantiations of physical components in order to form a specific application. Tools will be required to support the RA. The RATS tools include a repository browser to identify existing software objects, validation of object integrity, a simulation environment for design testing, design pattern recognition, and RA compliance checking. The Phase I effort will produce a limited implementation of the RA and RATS tools to demonstrate the utility of the concept. The Phase II effort will result in a well-defined RA for embedded weapons system software to promote reuse, and a robust toolset for using the RA to design reusable components. BENEFITS: RATS is a highly commercializable technology. Just as the military must avoid or reduce software implementation costs, so must the commercial software development sector. RATS in its commercial version will be similar to Microsoft's Visual Studio, and will allow non-programmers to develop complex software designs with maximum software reuse. RATS offers a significant cost reduction for development of complex software systems. The Mayflower SARS System (Situation Awareness in Virtual Radio Silence) is fully responsive to the Army SBIR program objectives of developing a lightweight integrated nav/com radio that is affordable, LPI, anti-jam and secure. The SARS system architecture addresses the technical issues pertaining to self-jamming, unintentional jamming to friendly users and susceptibility to enemy jamming. The SARS system, a handheld transceiver, will provide up to 100 kbps secure two-way communication and precision (cm-level) relative navigation and rendezvous capability to Army mobile platforms, including the soldier. The phase I study will analyze and validate the feasibility of the SARS system architecture using computer simulation models for signal propagation, link margin analysis to support the data rate for situation awareness and network communication protocols for non line-of-sight communications. The SARS system architecture incorporates a novel, Mayflower proprietary self-jamming mitigation technique that has been demonstrated to be very effective (40+ dB suppression) in integrated radio applications. The Phase II SARS program will implement the enabling critical technologies and demonstrate the SARS functionality to the Army in laboratory and field tests. The Phase II program will also identify and develop a direct path to transition SARS enabling technology to the DARPA/Army SUO-SAS Program and other DoD Programs. BENEFITS: Military market for the SARS system will include situation awareness before deployment, secure LPI datalink for precision landing and command guidance link for PGM terminal guidance to highly maneuverable target. Commercial applications include collision avoidance for aircraft and automotive markets. SiCOM proposes to develop a small, low-power, and low-cost device to enable operation of GPS receivers in strong interference and jamming environments. The device will enable GPS receivers, including upgrades to the Military Airborne GPS Receiver (MAGR), and the Army's family of handheld GPS receivers, to operate with partial-band jamming signals 1000 times stronger than otherwise possible with existing military GPS radios. SiCOM proposes to produce the device as a single integrated circuit chip less than 0.3 inch on a side, consuming less than 0.2 watt. The device will perform spectral excision of offending signals using an innovative fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm that enables excision without distorting the satellite signals. SiCOM calls this processing "AJAX" (Anti-Jam Adaptive eXcision). Phase I of the proposed project will: 1) determine the feasibility of integrating AJAX processing and an analog-to-digital converter in a single small-size, low-power application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), 2) determine the feasibility of integrating other GPS processing functions, such as de-spreading of GPS signals in the same ASIC, thereby saving additional size, power, and cost of GPS receivers, 3) optimize design features such as word length and automatic gain control, and 4) demonstrate AJAX performance using a modified military GPS receiver. The proposed revolutionary low-power high-performance device will enable any GPS radio or any other direct-sequence spread-spectrum receiver (DSSS), such as IS-95 CDMA (code-division multiple-access) cellular, to operate in strong interference and jamming environments by using a low-cost AJAX chip incorporated into the design. Except perhaps for very low-end consumer applications, protection against interference and jamming is highly desirable, if not mandatory in GPS and CDMA receivers used in military, aviation, and critical-services applications. The proposed Phase II program will develop and transition to application electrostatic self-assembly (ESA) processing techniques for the manufacture of robust coatings for low-observable aircraft canopies, specifically the F-22 system. The room temperature and pressure ESA coating process consists of alternate adsorption of anionic and cationic molecules from water solutions to form multilayer coatings monolayer-by-monolayer. Selection of the molecules in each monolayer, and the order of the monolayers through the coating, allows excellent control, combination and grading of multiple properties, including electrical conductivity, dielectric constant and loss tangent, thickness, optical transmissivity, abrasion resistance, thermal robustness, and electric field-controlled properties. ESA films may be dipped or sprayed under ambient conditions to conformally coat surfaces of virtually any size or shape, without the need for vacuum chamber confinement. The Phase I program has demonstrated the feasibility of synthesizing conformal multilayer coatings possessing the primary functionality target, electrical conductivity. Phase II will build directly on these positive results to optimize additional electromagnetic, optical, and durability coating characteristics, and to upscale coating synthesis in size and speed in preparation for transition from R&D to manufacturing capability. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics will serve as Phase II subcontractor. NanoSonic personnel are capable of performing government classified work It is proposed to use spin dependent tunneling (SDT)giant magnetoresistance (GMR) magnetic sensors and eddy current techniques to detect flaws in diffusion bonded components. Previous work has indicated that "zero" thickness cracks can be detected by eddy current techniques with GMR sensors. This approach has the following advantages: 1)Refinement of present sensor technology will enable the manufacture of eddy current sensors of very high sensitivity thereby decreasing the size defects that are detectable. 2)The extremely small size of SDT GMR sensors not only allows resolving smaller defects, they also can be incorporated into small multi-sensor arrays. 3)GMR based sensors have a defined sensitive axis and therefore monitor only the component of the magnetic field. Because of this characteristic, they are ideal for detection of directional properties. 4)A measure of the eddy current disturbances both along and perpendicular to the diffusion bond may provide a more sensitive estimate of joint fidelity. The objective of this phase I project is to prove the scientific feasibility of using SDT GMR eddy current sensors for the detection of flaws in diffusion bonded components. Within this project, commercial applicaitons will be assessed. Thsi project will prove the feasibility of using SDT GMR sensors and eddy current techniques to detect flaws in diffusion bonded components such as turbine and compressor blades. The incrased reliability of integrated solid-state sensors in such testing as well as the potential increse in testing speed by using sensor arrays will directly benefit manufacturers of turbine engines. High sensitivity GMR sensors will allow the design of small, easily maneuvered, protable NDE units which can be used for structure monitoring, surveillance, critical component monitoring and equipment preparedness. Polarizing beamsplitters are critical to optical systems which range from head-mounted displays (HMDs) to electronic cinema; their efficiency often dictating the size, weight and cost of such systems. Hence, nominal improvements in polarizer performance have far-reaching implications. Relative to a figure of merit which assigns equal weights to polarizer efficiency, field of view and spectral coverage, we show that the performance of beamsplitting polarizers can be greatly enhanced. Innovative refinements of age-old technology can yield a two-fold improvement, while the successful application of new technologies could offer a revolutionary four-fold improvement. Moreover, three of the newer technologies lead to beamsplitting polarizers which operate at normal incidence; thereby opening up a host of new system geometries.Our proposed Phase I program involves the experiments and analyses necessary to establish the viability of several different approaches. It also involves the gathering of information concerning the availability, size limitations and cost of all materials and processes required to produce full-scale versions of each polarizer type. Hence, at the conclusion of the Phase I effort, not only will we be in a position to assess technical viability, but also to assess the cost effectiveness of each approach.Successful development of any one of the proposed polarizers will have a profound effect upon the performance, size, weight and cost of numerous military and commercial optical systems. Relative to pancake-window-based HMDs, for example, such a development would enable an order of magnitude improvement in performance. We propose to develop an Inverter Test Facility to evaluate the performance of Silicon vs. Silicon Carbide power devices. In Phase-I, we will use this Test Facility to measure the performance of a baseline Silicon-based 5 HP inverter; in Phase-II, we will use this data as bench mark to evaluate the superiority of Silicon Carbide devices. The intent is to demonstrate key benefits of high temperature capability, small-size or higher efficiency of SiC devices over existing Si devices. In Phase-I, we will (i) develop an Inverter Test Facility that can accept either Si or SiC devices or modules and (ii) develop a high speed CAN-based DSP controller card that drives the test bed (iii) develop DSP software to control a 5 HP 3-phase motor, (iv) develop a dyno test rig to measure its performance and (v) test the full-power performance of the Si inverter, including the effect of temperature on efficiency. We will also review the advances in SiC power device development and identify leading suppliers or developers. In addition, in Phase-I Option, we will continue the preliminary design of the All-SiC inverter and will finalize the procurement or engineering sample development strategies for the All-SiC devices and modules.With SiC devices inverters can operate at higher temperatures than those possible by the current technology Si inverters. They also reduce size or increase efficiency. Applications include military vehicles, mining industry motors, More Electric Aircraft , Navy and Pulse Power as well as numerous commercial markets. Reliable Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) techniques exist for many different sensors. The effectiveness of each technique is limited due to restrictions placed on the target characteristics. We propose algorithms that fuse target ID information from different NCTR sources in order to improve the overall NCTR performance regardless of the target characteristics. During the Phase I effort, we developed and tested several fusion approaches on simulated data. Without utilizing information regarding the quality of the individual NCTR technique, the results indicated that the superiority of the FUSION technique (e.g., Bayes) is prominent for data of good quality, whereas for data of poor quality, training or pre-processing (e.g., confusion matrix, correlation) is more important. Incorporating training, estimation, and information regarding the quality of the individual NCTR technique renders the Correlation and Confusion Matrix methods the best, followed by the Dempster's Rule Fuser. The primary focus of the Phase II will be to design and develop a prototype software system consisting of robust multisource data fusion and NCTR algorithms. The emphasis will be on further prototype development and demonstration of the data fusion techniques implemented in Phase I. Additional fusion approaches including the Fuzzy Modified Dempster's approach will also be developed under this effort. This Phase II development will be based on testing against REAL DATA with target identification information from multiple NCTR techniques. The project team includes Dr. Ronald Mahler of Lockheed Martin, who will provide both technical and commercialization support. Recent studies have indicated the potential of reconstruction methods such as tomography as a modality suitable for finding and imaging steel reinforcement encased in bridges. The objective of the proposed research is to develop and demonstrate an ultrasonic tomography system capable of imaging reinforcement steel in concrete bridge girders. The system will be capable of locating position and size of the reinforcement to less than 1/8". Initial experiments in this Phase I program are directed at establishing baseline resolution data using existing commercially available tomographic reconstruction algorithms as well as existing synthetic aperture code. Next, in order to improve resolution, we formulate and evaluate two diffraction tomographic algorithms. In a series of experiments using concrete test specimens we formulate design rules for optimal tomographic sensors and requirements for automated data collection under field conditions. Finally, using the optimal reconstruction methods we assess image quality in terms of spatial and contrast resolution.Current technology uses magnetic or eddy current based approaches to locate subsurface reinforcement or relies upon large-scale tests to determine load ratings. An ultrasonic approach for verifying steel placement will have several distinct advantages over other available technologies. These include, increased accuracy, ease of operation, ease of interpretion and speed of operation. Several of the approaches proposed would involve arrays of vertical-sensing sensors plus horizontal-sensing sensors supported by a 4-meter long lightweight beam. End supports could extend out from the roadside, or consist of longitudinal extenders. The vertical-sensing sensors would sense road profile and pavement deflection under load. They could be either contact sensors (linear variable differential transformers) or optical distance sensors. The horizontal-sensing sensors would be low-cost ultrasonic sensors, and would be aimed toward the vehicle's tires. They would record the actual lateral position of the tires during the test. By clearly indicating whether there is a tire next to any of these horizontal-sensing sensors, they would also record the longitudinal position of the vehicle wheels at any instant in time. Representing a different approach, a scanning laser option would also be considered. The Phase I development would center on survey of different technologies and choosing the best candidate design. The Phase I Option would include evaluation of candidate sensors under laboratory conditions and subsequently, completing a final hardware design.Such a system would provide the Army with a portable method for assessing load carrying capacity of roads in widely different world locations, before driving military convoys over them. This would help minimize potential friction with the governments involved. Use in airport runway testing may also be anticipated. In assessing the load carrying capacity of roads in the USA, in view of the low estimated cost per system, interest by county governments as well as state departments of transportation is anticipated. Because of their desirable physical properties, technical ceramics have been investigated for use in gun barrels. When compared to steel, ceramics offer significantly less weight, longer barrel life and the ability to survive higher rates of fire and the use of hotter propellants. Previous attempts by government and industry to use technical ceramics in gun barrels typically have focused on use of ceramic liners or coating in some manner. Typically, these efforts have produced only marginal results due to ceramic failure. Our approach builds actual ceramic barrels that are reinforced to enable their satisfactory use as gun barrels. The basis of our technology is the reinforcement of materials that are extremely hard and brittle so that they may be used for purposes not previously feasible, such as gun barrels. Referred to as Composite Reinforced Ceramic Technology (CRCT), this technology has been privately researched and funded. A proof of principle has been successfully demonstrated with thousands of satisfactory firings in small caliber. The technology is ready for further research and development for military calibers.Lighter weight, longer life and lower cost gun barrels for use in law enforcement and shooting sports. Advanced internal combustion engines with high power to weight ratio. Industrial tubing for transporting corrosive chemicals and super heated steam. The purpose of this project is to develop an eye and voice-operated system to perform computer point-and-click operations in a moving vehicle. The eye and voice-driven protocols will replace operations currently performed by hand via mouse or trackball, which are unwieldy in a moving vehicle environment where it is difficult to maintain steady hand movements. To point and click an icon, the operator simply looks at the icon and speaks a key command word such as "click." Different command words are used to designate alternative click types, such as left click, right click, double click, and drag-and-drop. Ultimately more advanced speech recognition systems will also replace the keyboard for data and text entry. The combined eyetracker and speech recognition system will permit full and efficient control of a computer console without typing or manually manipulating a mouse or trackball.Human Computer Interaction: Command and Control, Situation Awareness, Office Automation, Usability Analysis, Aid for People with Disabilities.Psychological Research: Fatigue Monitoring, Task/Scan Analysis, Advertisement Analysis.Physiological Analysis: Visual Response Testing, Reading Diagnostics. Creare proposes to develop an innovative thermal-spray coating system to coat the interior of large caliber extended-range gun tubes to extend their service life by ten to twenty times. The coating system is comprised of an innovative thermal spray technique using novel refractory materials. Our combined hardware/materials system holds the promise of forming coatings inside of gun tubes that are capable of withstanding the erosive environment caused by extreme temperatures, chemical release, and charge movement that are the direct result of firing. The hardware is a unique combination of commercially available thermal spray and specialty coating equipment that offers the potential of creating dense, adherent coatings having tight tolerances. The materials systems we propose are unique in character and hold the potential to greatly increase performance. In Phase I, we will prepare sample coupons, which will be subjected to a battery of tests that simulate the erosion and wear in a gun barrel. The results from Phase I will guide the development of an in-bore coating system in Phase II that will be employed to coat the interior of a large caliber gun tube to test coating performance under typical firing conditions.The benefits of the proposed gun tube coating process are expected to be (1) improved erosion performance, (2) reduced life-cycle cost, and (3) excellent coating deposition control. A similar coating system could extend the life of tubes, boilers, turbine blades, and reactors associated with extreme environments encountered in chemical processing industries, power plants, marine environments, aerospace turbines, and foundries. ScenPro, Inc. proposes to develop the Virtual Soldier Skills Assessor (ViSSA), a set of three components that work together to allow an Urban Soldier trainer to effectively assess soldier and small unit leader decision-making skills. The first component allows the trainer to annotate a virtual urban environment (associated with a specific scenario) with features relevant to decision-making such as optimal routes, decision points, engagement rules, and sub-team formation. The second component is a DIS/HLA compatible software system that monitors the actions of a soldier and assesses their decision-making skills based upon the features previously specified by the trainer. This second component will report this assessment to the trainer. The third component will be a Trainer's Tool that can be used by the trainer to observe the soldier's progress during a training simulation.A viable Virtual Soldier Skills Assessor will be useful to a wide range of government and private sector organizations. There is a clear need for such a tool within the military and civilian training communities that have embraced Dismounted Infantryman technology. In military applications, it is likely that the technology can be transferred to work with other virtual objects such as tanks and aircraft. With minimum modifications, products could be developed to aid in the assessment of tank commanders, tank drivers, tank platoon commanders, pilots, and section leaders.We have held discussions with Raytheon's Systems Analysis and Simulation Center regarding a potential Phase II/III partnership, and Raytheon has expressed interest in participating in the commercialization of this work. In civilian applications, this technology may be of significant benefit in the training of Police/Fire/EMS personnel. There is a clear need for such a tool within this sector which will allow for identification, tracking, and documentation of critical decision points made during the course of training. By identifying decision strengths/weaknesses of the individual during a high-risk training scenario, the trainer will be able to focus in on these issues, which will allow for corrective actions resulting in a more ideal training outcome. This may, in turn, reduce poor decisions made in the field, thereby reducing the frequency of critical errors in rapid decision-making during high-risk urban situations. The Army wishes to mount acoustic sensors on operational vehicles and use them to detect and localize other operational vehicles in the vicinity. The effectiveness of such a system can be limited by the noise created by the platform on which the sensors are mounted. DSR proposes a system that combines noise cancellation techniques with adaptive beamforming techniques in order to simultaneously reject own-platform noise while still detecting and localizing far-field target signatures. Our proposed solution provides innovative approaches to address processing issues such as stability, convergence time, training needs and decoupling of the algorithms that have to process both near-field and far-field returns. DSR's effort will result in definition of MOE's, specification of processing algorithms, characterization of near-field and far-field acoustic returns, system performance estimates, identification of system issues and plans for development of a prototype for future field testing.Completion of this effort (Phase I and Phase II) will lead directly to an acoustic sensor and processing system design ready for integration in support of Army battlefield operations. Capability could also be applied to Navy ASW programs and commercial robotic applications where in both cases own-platform noise must be rejected in order to acoustically detect targets. Modeling and simulation have become an integral part of the engineering process and, through DoD initiatives like Simulation-Based Acquisition, are likely to assume an even greater role in the years ahead. The increasing complexity of weapons systems, coupled with budget pressure and manpower limitations, has fostered a deep and sincere appreciation for ensuring that the soldiers will be able to effectively and efficiently operate, maintain and support new systems when they are fielded. This has fueled the hunger for Design Visualization techniques and tools.This proposal describes a specific process that capitalizes on previous work performed in the human factors industry and combines this work to provide an innovative and uniquely powerful design visualization tool. This design visualization tool would provide a method through which controls and displays would be positioned in a work station in a manner that optimizes the crewmember's ability to perform their work. This technique involves function and task analysis, integration of human factors standards and guidelines, as well as workload analysis modeling and human figure modeling. This product will assist designers in developing layout of the controls and displays in any system that includes human components, so long as constructive representations of the system and environment exist or can be developed. Examples include: nuclear power plants, air traffic control, air- and space-craft, space mission control, metropolitan emergency management, and police command and control units. Powder injection molding (PIM) is a new technology that uses the shaping advantages of plastic injection molding but expands its applications to advanced materials such as metals, alloys, and ceramics. These advanced materials have potential applications both in the military and commercial sector. The applications of PIM in the military area have been limited due to the inability of the process to produce in an environmentally friendly manner, large components using inexpensive tooling materials. The current project will explore a novel medium pressure injection molding (MPIM) machine in conjunction with either a water based binder extraction system or a supercritical gas phase binder extraction process, that will be able to produce large and complex shaped parts in an environmentally friendly manner. The concept of MPIM, which uses significantly lower injection pressures compared to conventional machines, will also allow the use of low cost tooling material for producing large and complex shaped parts. The process will be developed using a 17-4 PH stainless steel alloy that has dual use. Later the concept will be expanded to submicron or nano-sized powders. Success in this project will open up new horizons for the PIM industry that has numerous applications for large components.The success in this project will provide DoD with a novel technology for fabricating large complex shaped military components in an environmentally friendly manner. The process developed will have tremendous impact in the commercial PIM arena as it will expand the ability of the PIM process to produce large components in a cost effective manner by using low cost tooling materials. This advantage will be extensively utilized by both the defense (projectile fins, shape charges, EFP's, warhead liners, gun parts, grenade shells, etc.) sector and the commercial (automotive, medical, business machines, hand tools, textile machines, aerospace, etc.) sector. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is proposed that utilizes magnetorheological (MR) fluids. Using a typical MR fluid with a saturation yield stress of 70 kPa at 1600 Oe, it appears feasible to design a 60 hp CVT within the desired volumetric footprint: 3-inch axial length and 10-inch diameter. Initially, the Phase I will investigate the tradeoffs between the various possible approaches for the MR fluid-based CVT, in order to select the most promising concept. The effort will then proceed to development of an optimum design for the selected concept. The design effort will address issues such as production and shaping of the activating magnetic field, viscous losses in non-activated regions of the MR fluid, overall efficiency, stresses in critical elements, and sealing of the MR fluid. We will conclude the program with testing on a representative small-scale prototype that incorporates the critical features and addresses the risks of the proposed MR fluid CVT.A compact, efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT) with high rpm capability offers improved fuel economy, reduced vehicle weight, reduced engine torque/speed demands, and reduced vehicle emissions. Such a CVT will also benefit products and equipment where there is variable-speed mechanical power transmission. Daniel H. Wagner Associates proposes to develop a tool called the Logistics Agent Wizard (LAW) for the creation and control of logistics goal-based software agents. The LAW will consist of three major parts: the Requirements Wizard, the Agent Builder, and the Agent Monitor. The Requirements Wizard will provide an interface for the user to enter the information required to perform a specified task (e.g. consumption trend analysis, predictive failure, etc.). The Agent Builder will provide an interface for modifying agent behavior based on the algorithmic components of the specified task. The Agent Monitor will provide an interface for the user to view agent progress and control agent behavior. The agents dispatched by the LAW in Phase I will be preprogrammed software components with limited capabilities designed toward specific goals. We will extend this work in Phase II to develop a full prototype LAW capable of creating and controlling fully configurable agents to perform advanced logistics functions.The immediate benefit to the Army logistics community will be more automated decision making based on automatic retrieval and display of information. This will lead to more efficient operations in the logistics community. Similar benefits will also be demonstrated in other knowledge domains (METOC, weaponeering, etc.) and in the other military services during Phase II development and Phase III transition. This transition will also support an existing Wagner Associates software product called METPLAN to provide METOC data and visualization products to the Navy and Joint mission planning community. Commercial extensions of the Logistics Agent Wizard will be pursued in areas such as manufacturing, food service, travel planning, financial planning, etc., as well as to create agents similar to an existing Wagner Associates software product called WeatherDog, which provides automated context-sensitive weather information through a web browser. There is a critical need at several test ranges for a remote sensing capability toimage targets and perform such measurements as vector miss distance, target attitude,deployment and event timing, and damage assessment. Radar is the only sensor capableof making these measurements on high-altitude targets, but suitable radars, with thenecessary bandwidth and coverage, are not available. MARK Resources proposes to develop a new affordable wideband radar to meet this need. In fact, the radar shouldbe so affordable that multiple units could also be used simultaneously to obtain truevector (three-dimensional) solutions.There are many test ranges in the world, and all are potential customers for thewideband radar systems. There is no other affordable product in existence with such advanced capabilities. Modern rotorcraft, when engaged in high speed or maneuvering flight, can experience very complex and highly non-linear aerodynamic phenomena that induce exceptionally high loads on the rotor system. Aerodynamic and structural interactions can lead to violent vibrations, reduced handling qualities, and reduction in fatigue life. The principal mechanism of this behavior is dynamic stall, which involves a cyclic event of massive flow separation, the shedding and convection of a vortex over the blade surface, and flow reattachment. Physical Optics Corporation proposes the entirely novel Virtual Medical Training Holographic 3-D Autostereoscopic system, which has 301,900,000 voxels of total resolution, far exceeding the Phase I requirement of 5,000,000 voxels; with 24 bit color depth and a display update rate of 60 Hz, more than twice the minimum requirements; and a feedback device that operates at over 1000 Hz. In contrast to the state-of-the-art, the proposed holographic lens concept allows for look-around and creates a nearly perfect 3-D illusion. The unique horizontal workbench geometry is particularly suited to cybermedical applications. We have outlined a concept for a laser-based sensor for the aerospace components inspection for creep or fatigue damage. The sensor detects precursors to crack formation occurring as early as the first 10% of fatigue life and therefore can be used to identify accumulated fatigue damage prior to crack initiation. In addition, the same method can easily detect the presence of micro-cracks that occur late in fatigue life and alert the user of imminent failure. In this proposal, we show experimental data that supports our precursor detection concept, and present preliminary designs for a compact, hand-held instrument. During Phase I we will demonstrate feasibility of the technique by constructing an optical measurement breadboard, measuring production aerospace components under fatigue loading, and correlate the results with measurements from electron microscopy techniques. In addition, we will investigate the use of infrared wavelengths to interrogate painted surfaces. The results of the Phase I study will permit detailed design of a prototype instrument and estimates of its performance envelope. In Phase II, the prototype system will be built and field-tested.Since over 90% of mechanical failures are due to fatigue damage, the proposed sensor will be useful in many industries employing dynamically loaded mechanical systems. Of particular significance are the commercial and military aircraft industries, where the instrument could be employed to quickly verify the safety condition of most critical components, such as turbine blades, fuselage panels, and landing gear. In addition, many other industries can benefit from this diagnostic tool including automotive, power generation, railroad, etc. Technology Applications Group, Inc. (TAG) proposes to construct a "mobile" Tagniteunit that will apply non-chromate anodized coatings to bare magnesium surfaces. The"mobile" unit would consist of a small rectifier, cooling unit, electrolyte storage,collection reservoirs as well as application heads or brushes mounted on a mobile cart with a large work surface. The magnesium component would be placed on the worksurface and anodized coating would be applied to the bare magnesium surfaces using ahigh alkaline, silicate based electrolyte. This process would be able to coat areas up to 1 ft^2 in a short time period. Primary areas of investigation are the impact of application process on organic finishes and ferrous inserts. Salt spray corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance and paint adhesion testing would be done on WE43 andZE41 magnesium test panels and compared to DOW 19.TAG wishes to investigate the feasibility of low current anodized coatings as a meansto repair small surface areas (<1in^2) on magnesium components. Successfuldevelopment of low current anodized coatings would lead to the development of batteryoperated anodizing units that would be capable of repairing scratches on magnesiumcomponents while still on the rotorcraft.Anticipated Benefits1. Mobile Tagnite The mobile Tagnite unit would be a small, mobile anodizing cart capable of depositingan anodized coating on magnesium surfaces after final machining by the OEM and during the overhaul phase of the component at the depot level. The coating would be non-chromateand provide superior corrosion protection, abrasion resistance and paint adhesion comparedto the DOW 19 chromate conversion coating. Application cost would be comparableto DOW 19 with minimal environmental impact.2. Portable Tagnite Successful formulation of low current anodized coatings will lead to the developmentof a handheld, battery operated Tagnite anodization unit. This unit would be ideal for therepair of small scratches or dings to magnesium components. The portable nature ofthe unit will allow the scratch to be repaired while the magnesium componentis still on the rotorcraft.Potential Commercial ApplicationsThis technology could be readily transferred to the commercial aircraft market. The"mobile" and "portable" Tagnite units could be used to selectively anodize magnesiumcomponents on civilian fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft.The automotive manufacturers are rapidly increasing their usage of magnesium on cars.Initial magnesium applications were in the interior of the car but use of magnesium is spreading to exterior parts such as transmission and transfer cases, master brake cylinders, support brackets and wheels. These parts will need to be serviced or repaired and this will lead to scratches that will need touchup.The use of magnesium components is rapidly escalating in the marine, power tool, consumer electronics and sporting goods areas. These areas would all benefit froma durable, easily applied, environment friendly anodized coating. Continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic composites (CFCCs) are inherently wear and oxidation resistant, retain strength at higher temperatures and have lower specific densities than competing metal systems. The hot sections of gas turbine engines and related devices are exposed to aggressive gaseous species at high temperature. Because of their thermochemical stability and oxidation resistance, continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic composites have been identified as leading material candidates for high temperature applications; however, new processing methods are needed to lower the cost of producing these materials, and to produce them in forms that can be attached readily to supporting metal structures. Thor Technologies, Inc. will team with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Materials Research & Design (MR&D), and Allison Advanced Development Company (AADC) to integrate two novel technologies into an innovative, low cost method of producing hybrid CFCCs for turbine engine applications, such as inter-turbine ducts. The novel polymer infiltration/microwave pyrolysis (PIMP) process enables the production of hybrid CFCCs, in which new features enable the use of conventional attachments (i.e., bolts). The PI has over fifteen years experience in processing CFCCs, and the team has the design, manufacturing, and testing expertise to produce inter-turbine engine ducts at low cost.The reduction in cooling air requirements will lower the overall weight and increase the operating efficiency of turbine engines ranging from aerospace engines to stationary power plants. The availability of low cost CFCCs will enable new industrial applications, such as corrosion-proof piping for chemical processing. In this project we address the management of wireless bandwidth in heterogeneous networks typified by the Warfighter Information Network (WIN) for military applications and mixed wired, wireless, and satellite networks that are being commonly deployed for a multiplicity of commercial applications. The main goal is to strike a balance between efficient use of scarce and unstable bandwidth resources and the QoS guarantees made to real-time users and for low latency/ high priority applications. Specifically, we will develop solutions that will allow such a network to provide:(a)differentiated services to real time and best effort traffic following the Diff Serv model proposed for the wired Internet(b)bandwidth allocation and, more generally, performance guarantees to accepted real time connections(c)resource aware and precedence compliant Call Admission Control to enforce guarantees(d)efficient and fair bandwidth sharing among applications in the same class;(e)enforcement of priorities across traffic classes; (f)renegotiation of bandwidth and other resource when path characteristics change after connection setup;Phase I of the effort will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed techniques in achieving the preceding objectives via simulation of large scale heterogeneous networks that are subjected to realistic traffic and mobility patterns.The commercial marketplace for wireless applications is exploding. According to a survey from the Wireless Data and Computing Service, a division of Strategy Analytics, the mobile e-commerce industry may earn $200 billion by 2004. At the same time ISPs are proposing networking integrated wired/wireless architectures with dramatic differences in the available bandwidth. As illustrations of this trend, we mention Metricom type wireless metropolitan networks, which are soon expected to also include HALO (UAV type) and satellite connections will. Also, wireless extensions to the wired IP network are growing, that include cellular (UMTS); indoor wireless LANs (WaveLAN and Bluetooth); and LEO/GEO satellite links. Laser rangefinders and target illuminators provide critical range and target identification information. However, they must be eyesafe, robust and meet stringent cost, mass, size, and performance requirements. Currently fielded laser rangefinders are undesirably bulky, heavy and costly, while incorporating misalignment-prone discrete laser components. Moreover, they do not easily scale to higher average powers required for illumination (active imaging). Army CECOM has addressed many of the deficiencies of current laser rangefinders through the development of a robust and compact monoblock laser-OPO transmitter. This proposal offers a transmitter that retains the ruggedness, size, and power scalability of a monoblock architecture, while extending it to: (a) lower cost, (b) increased manufacturing alignment tolerance, (c) reduced sensitivity to temperature swings and thermal loading for power-scaling, and (d) near diffraction limited beam quality via beam clean up. The extensions are achieved through innovative component technologies which are demonstrated in Phase I to ensure low Phase II risk. Phase II delivers two prototype transmitters that can be either diode laser or flashlamp pumped while maintaining compatibility with illuminator and rangefinder requirements. The program leverages CTI's expertise in developing eyesafe wavelength lasers for battlefields and severe operational environments.There is an anxious military and law-enforcement market for low cost, compact and rugged laser rangefinders. Commercial applications exist in surveying, recreation (hunting, boating, orienteering) and in medicine. The simulation of sensor effects (image degradation by MTF and noise) is an important feature of high-end IR and NVG sensor simulation. Sensor effects simulation for these high-end systems is performed on postprocessor units or VME boards at a cost of $30K or more. The increasing use of low-cost image PC-based image generators is creating a demand for a low-cost sensor effects card that can be inserted into a PC bus and interfaced with analog or digital image generator output. We propose to design a PCI-based sensor effects board that will performtwo convolutions, noise addition, and video I/O with subframe latency at real-time frame rates. The board will be programmable, with processing parameters determined by the sensor system. We discuss several processing architectures and processor technologies, including pipeline processing, DSP, FPGA, COTS ASIC, and FFT. We examine the tradeoffs of these technologies, and define the strategy for the Phase I design. Based on our 20 years of experience in sensor simulation and designing custom signal and image processing boards, we believe that a low-cost ( around $5K) board isfeasible and will meet the performance requirementsA low cost sensor effects card is of interest to both Government and commercial markets. A low cost sensor effects card will increase the use of image generators for sensor testing, simulation exercises and training functions. The device has commercial interest in industrial and entertainment industries. The exploding demand for computing and communication on the move has led to a significant need for ad hoc networks. However, there is relatively little understanding of the behavior of such networks, as they are scaled up, particularly for traffic with strict Quality of Service requirements. The eventual goal of this SBIR is to develop MANET-Sim, a simulator for Mobile Ad hoc NETworks, with the ability to simulate wireless networks with tens of thousands of nodes, in real time, on common desktop platforms that are likely to become available within the next three years. In Phase I, we will identify the primary bottlenecks to achieving real time simulation capability for such networks, and explore curative mechanisms including parallel execution, use of abstractions, and use of appropriate propagation layer models to facilitate accurate and fast simulation of mobile networks with tens of thousands of heterogeneous devices. We will quantitatively compare both execution times and accuracy of detailed packet level simulation models with abstract models including analytical, fluid flow, and multi-resolution models. A prototype methodology will be developed to demonstrate the feasibility of real time simulation of large scale wireless networks using selected unicast and multicast protocols to route QoS sensitive traffic.The phenomenal growth rate of the Internet is a clich?. It is also widely accepted that the most dramatic future growth, in commercial and military contexts, will be in wireless connectivity. The demand for tools to evaluate and manage these networks is growing together with the complexity and size of the heterogeneous networks. A South China Morning Post Online, 10 Jan 2000 report predicts that deals conducted through wireless devices will generate about $14 billion a year and identifies mobile ticket sales, vending machine payments, and Internet shopping as the most promising wireless commerce areas. The Gartner Group estimates the market for software for network management & analysis to go from $3.6B in 1999 to $7.1B in 2003. The research and development activity proposed by this effort will directly lead to products in this large and growing market. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop biodegradable obscurants operating over a wide wavelength range (infrared to millimeter wave) using variants of an electroactive polymer. High aspect ratio fibers of the polymer in the size range necessary to provide broad spectrum coverage will be produced through a technique called electrospinning. The degradation of the polymer will be enhanced through blending with a chemically biodegradable polymer. Calculations show that the conductivity needed to achieve the needed extinction coefficient is within the range of the polymeric blend we propose. In this proposal we demonstrate the theoretical basis by which we believe we can achieve the desired extinction cross section of 4 m2/g, illustrate the synthetic methods that will be used to produce these materials and electrospin them into the desired forms, and describe the methods that will be used to characterize the material properties in terms of the extinction requirement.The proposed nontoxic biodegradable obscurant material will provide a safe alternative to conventional aluminum obscurant materials. This novel polymeric material will be completely washed away upon exposure to a large amount of water, such as in a rainfall, thereby eliminating the chance of ingestion or inhalation by humans or animals. Service infantry and reconnaissance elements have long-standing operational requirements for a field capability to rapidly assess chemical threats, monitor air quality, inspect, examine and in some cases, test systems and materials in forward deployed areas without extensive logistic support. Compact hand-held devices tailored to rapid response are needed to facilitate service infantry and reconnaissance deployment to areas of the world not normally supportable with a complicated logistics trail. Recent breakthroughs make such a device a reality.During Phase I, Foster-Miller will design and demonstrate a radically novel Chemical Threat Monitor (CTM) and assess overall feasibility and determine sensitivity limits for typical chemical agents. At the heart of the device would be a miniature mid-infrared spectrometer coupled to tiny fiber optic sensor probes that readily identify and qualitatively characterize a broad range of chemical threats and materials. The entire device including the battery power pack would be about the size of a small pocket calculator, making it readily transportable and concealable. In Phase II, Foster-Miller will optimize miniature IR probes and the high throughput spectrometer for targeted applications, including automated spectral recognition and necessary electronics for a field deployable prototype and testing at a DoD facility. (P-01207)The ability to successfully perform in-the-field sophisticated autonomous chemical threat or material analysis with a hand-held device will create major new markets for this unique analytical instrument in both military and commercial applications. Chemical process control and environmental monitoring will be major benefactors and present vast market potential. The capability to experimentally characterize the flow patterns of gel engine mixing and combustion, as well as validate numerical simulation technology that predicts detailed engine operation, is proposed. The Phase I analysis methodology will be based on 1) advanced gel rheology behavior simulation expertise; 2) existing bipropellant and pintle motor system modeling software; and 3) state-of-the-art liquid bipropellant combustion transient CFD methodology. Numerical simulations will focus on identifing trade-offs between MMH gel carbon loading versus plume signature, matching variable temperature fuel and oxidizer gel rheology to achieve consistent mixture ratios, refining current injection techniques (both vortex and pintle) for improved engine performance, and optimizing nozzle shape to maximize Cf. Existing FMTI test data will be utilized to validate gel motor flow phenomena sub-models. The Phase I modeling effort will be relied upon to select the most appropriate laser diagnostics approach for quantifying the mass concentrations and temperatures within the gel combustion and associated plume expansion processes. During the Phase I option program the methodologies developed here will be applied to ongoing FMTI development activities. In Phase II, a comprehensive laser diagnostics system will be assembled within existing AMCOM gel motor test operations. This system will be utilized to generate benchmark quality gel combustion data suitable for identifying gel combustion refinements and validating high fidelity gel propulsion numerical simulations.The developed analysis techniques, laser diagnostics, and test hardware will have immediate impact on AMCOM sponsored smart propulsion initiatives and propulsion manufacturers in the design, analysis and testing of gelled propulsion systems. Other applications include numerous industrial pneumatic actuation control systems and bipropellant throttling within the marine and space propulsion industries. CFDRC's close working relationships with propulsion system manufacturers (TRW, Atlantic Research, Aerojet, Thiokol, etc.) assures rapid technology/expertise transfer and rapid Phase III commercialization, respectively. Advanced Optical Systems, Inc. (AOS) offers an innovative approach to the development of universal, inexpensive optics for uncooled IR applications with their Night Owl design. The requirements of small f-number optics and variable focal length to ensure uniform testing of various uncooled IR detectors are investigated. The proposed Cassegrain style optics offers a multi-spectral system in a lightweight, compact package. Coupled with innovative replication techniques, the Night Owl System offers significant cost savings and has direct application to missile seekers.The development of universal optics for use in uncooled IR applications will:Provide a means of testing and characterizing uncooled IR detectors from multiple vendors; lead to a reduction in operation and support costs in missiles and other military systems by proving uncooled detector technology; and lead to a reduction in production cost of low-cost, lightweight seeker elements for missiles. The objective of this proposed Phase 1 effort is to develop and simulate a realizeable design for a receiver-signal processor that detects, finds the direction of arrival, and correctly identifies weak signals from radar altimeters. The effort extensively models and predicts the operational system's detection sensitivity, direction finding accuracy and identification accuracy against frequency modulated coninuous wave (FM/CW) signals under realistic conditions. The ultimate goal is a system detection sensitivity of less than -118 dBm, azimuth angle arrival accuracy less than 1 degree, and indentification accuracy greater than 95%. Novel signal feature detection algorithms and efficient digital signal processing implementations show significant promise for achieving these goals in operational systems. High azimuth accuracy is achieved using unique interferometric feature detection techniques for very low SNR signals in wide input bandwidths. The proposed techniques discriminate against interference, parameterize the waveforms, and identify them through their unique parameter sets. Software simulation of signals and detection processing are necessary steps in establishing confidence in these techniques for a variety of FM/CW waveforms and interference conditions. Detection of pulsed altimeter signals will also be investigated. Simulations will be compared with performance predicted by theory.Improved communications system performance by being able to detect low powered signals or weak signals at longer ranges. May apply to CDMA format communication signals such as used in cell phone systems. The capability to optically project virtual LADAR scenes would maximize the effectiveness of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) simulation in the design, development, and testing of LADAR seekers. The goal of this research is to develop a LADAR scene projector to meet the demands of closed-loop weapon testing in a Multi-mode HWIL simulation environment. During the Phase I effort, a preliminary design of the LADAR scene projector will be produced, which can realistically simulate the optical return signals of a LADAR seeker and whose operation is compatible with a flight motion simulator. Presented in this document is the technical approach that will be undertaken. This discussion includes the various tasks to be conducted along with the technologies to be considered to meet the stated goal. The results of the Phase I research will lead directly to the development of a LADAR scene projection system during the Phase II.The conceptual design resulting from this effort will be the basis for the development of a LADAR Scene Projector, which would enhance the use of Hardware-in-the-Loop simulation in the design, development, and testing of LADAR seekers We propose to use a novel gene repair technology (chimeraplasty) to generate serum carboxylesterase (CaE) deficient mice. Serum CaE acts as an endogenous anti-organophosphate (OPs) bioscavenger that provides mice with inherent protection against OPs. Unlike mice, humans and non-human primates lack serum CaE and are much more susceptible to OP toxicity. The inherent resistance of rodents limits their use as a model system for development of prophylactics that detoxify organophosphate based agents. A transgenic mouse that lacks serum CaE would provide an inexpensive alternative to non-human primates. Creation of serum CaE deficient mice is proposed by treating embryonic stem cells with chimeric RNA/DNA oligonucleotides (Chimeraplasts) directed at disrupting the Es-1 gene that encodes CaE in mice. RNA/DNA oligonucleotides have been used (Chimeraplasty) both in vitro and in vivo to correct, mutate, and disrupt genes in systems as diverse as bacterial cells and rodents. Chimeraplasty uses endogenous DNA repair mechanisms and does not introduce foreign DNA or potentially deleterious reporter genes. Once the animals are established they will function as models for the testing of antidotes and establishing the in vivo safety and efficacy of a number of bioscavenger molecules and to develop prophylactics to eliminate OP toxicity.The availability of a small rodent model will increase the rate of development of antidotes designed to eliminate the toxicity of organophosphate nerve agent exposure. This model will provide a high throughput system for establishing the safety and efficacy of a number of different prophylactics. At the present time only expensive primates serve as a reasonable animal model for human toxicity and development of prophylactics against OP based nerve agents. This inexpensive rodent model will dramatically decrease the costs associated with this much needed development. This model will also be of commercial interest to the pesticide business community to help identify means for detoxification of organophosphorus based pesticide exposure. Of the 25,000 brands of pesticides available in the U.S., most are either organophosphate or carbamate compounds. These compounds are responsible for 80% of the pesticide poisoning in the U.S. The pesticide industry is a $30 billion dollar industry that has been stagnant due to several issues, which include the contemporary awareness to environmental issues. This model system will help to develop less toxic compounds, which will spurn market growth, especially appealing to the residential consumer. The U.S. Army has multiple needs for mobile structures for temporary deployment of forces. This need has become more critical as regional conflicts are now of primary concern to rapid Army deployment. Personnel must often be housed, in substantial numbers, in adverse areas, for long periods covering both conflicts and extended policing actions. Further, the risk of exposure to chemical and biological agents in these types of conflicts is greatly increased. Foster-Miller proposes to develop a low cost, lightweight, self deploying tent frame structure using its integral folding hinge (IFH) technology. The frame will be constructed from pultruded fiberglass tubulars with locally formed hinges to enable packaging and deployment actuation. The initial development is proposed to replace the TEMPER tent frame, thus providing a very near-term opportunity for integration. The technology is ideally suited to meet multiple configurations and the higher loading requirements of Chemical Biological (CB) protection fabrics and systems.Within the Phase I base program, this design will be finalized, materials and configurations tested and a full-scale kinematic model built. This hardware-based program and the substantial leveraging of ongoing Foster-Miller work, will enable fabrication and testing of a complete deployable tent system in Phase II. (P-00891)The Foster-Miller deployable frame technology will immediately provide a rapidly erectable TEMPER tent system. This framing system can be easily adapted to a wide array of shelter configurations. Beyond shelters, Foster-Miller is pursuing multiple business opportunities ranging from deployable spacecraft structures to commercial staging and fencing products. Currently, real-time visual simulation on low cost personal computer platforms is limited by commercially available hardware and software that omits key features needed for simulation. Adding just a few features can greatly increase costs by requiring a substantially more expensive platform. The proposed research critically examines the current deficiencies and proposes solutions for the PC platform that can be added incrementally. In Phase I, innovative solutions to load management and synchronization problems are to be demonstrated, and a survey and analysis of other PC simulation problems is to be conducted. A preliminary analysis reveals a number of areas, including mission functions, scene management, and sensor simulation, where modular solutions can be developed for the PC platform.The goal is to lower the cost of high quality simulation by curing a variety of shortcomings in present technology. This willpermit more simulation to be performed on low cost platforms, and with high fidelity than presently possible. Aside from militarytraining, there is a rapidly growing market for PC simulation for commercial driver training, industrial training, and interactiveentertainment systems. The developed technology will be commercialized for the general markets. During the last several years advances in PC and Graphics computational power has been nothing short of phenomenal. Diamond Visionics LLC has been developing software and hardware products to take advantage of the technology advances. In this Phase I proposal DVC has described features and tools that are essential for military visual simulation that can be leveraged from the entertainment industry. The study proposal includes a thorough market survey that will make recommendations based on current and future needs and emerging technology. Features proposed include rigorous scene management to ensure deterministic image update rates, screen fill optimization in dynamic synthetic environments and a video processor that provides essential video control techniques. The Phase I option will provide an advanced technology demonstration incorporating all the features and approaches described in this proposal. This proof of principal demonstration will provide multi-channel real-time simulation illustrating these features and emulation of hardware video control techniques. For Phase II DVC will implement and integrate the approaches from Phase I with the objective of providing a well proven product with capabilities for a complex military simulation application in the military training arena.The primary benefit will be a lower cost per channel image generation product with features not currently available in today's "off the shelf" market. Each of the features proposed will enhance the PC-Based Image Generator both for military and commercial applications. The commercial applications include airline training visual systems and heavy equipment training that previously required "high end" visual computers and large maintenance contracts. The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of a hierarchical component based motion driving simulator inside of TACOM's CAVE environment. Realtime Technologies, Inc. real-time vehicle dynamics software will be integrated with a small commercial motion base and TACOM's CAVE visual display system and audio components to create a complete driving simulator. Introducing a motion base into a CAVE environment presents several technical challenges which has not been addressed previously. These include 1) head tracking with the motion base operational 2) latency issues in the visual display due to high rate head motion generated by the motion base 3) motion washout issues with a fixed screen display.The use of Realtime Technologies SimCreator product for development and integration will speed the integration process and maximize real-time performance.Easy to develop, accurate, real-time, simulation systems can increase the world-wide competitiveness of US automotive and aerospace companies. CAVE style visualization environments are used extensively for vehicle design. Extending these systems to support full vehicle simulation with motion will enhance their effectiveness.The integrated vehicle simulator can be marketed for both military and commercial research customers. Since the simulator can be rapidly reconfigured using SimCreator to address a variety of research questions the potential market is very broad. In addition the individual cueing systems such as the control loading and motion systems can be marketed for use is a wide range of commercial simulators. The motion base's small size lends itself to use with systems such as the CAVE. Large, complex, software intensive weapons systems designed to operate on tomorrow's digital battlefields typically suffer from a lack of theoretical and technical infrastructure at the higher levels of abstraction. These systems are partitioned into smaller physical components aligned along organizational and/or functional lines within a corporation or among several corporations. The software in turn is distributed among these organizational entities. Despite these divisions, it is desirable that at the architectural-level pervasive software standards are enforced, and that specific inter-partition communication software design patterns be defined and followed. We propose to develop a preliminary design and key algorithmic components of an architectural-level development environment. The final tool set would integrate existing off-the-shelf products with an innovative Librarian/Integrator function to create a comprehensive development environment capable of supporting a product line architecture development approach. To be able to meet stringent cost, schedule, and performance goals, more and more large system integrators are turning to product line architectures. However, today's integrated design environments are not well suited to integrating designs from multiple vendors, such as would be found in mixed COTS, GOTS, and new development environments. The resulting product of this effort is a tool set to support large, software intensive, product line based development environments such as those required to build future ground system vehicles, e.g., Army's Future Scout. The product is also relevant to other large DoD and commercial development organizations, which have established or are considering product line architectures. Representatives of a major developer of ground systems vehicles have agreed with our assessment that such tools are needed and are excited with our approach. In this Phase 1 SBIR program, a lightweight titanium track will be designed for combat vehicles such as the Crusader. Dynamet Technology with expertise in titanium materials and manufacturing technology will team with the Keweenaw Research Center at Michigan's Technological University which has expertise in tank track design, analysis and testing. New particulate reinforced titanium metal matrix composites, which offer enhanced wear-resistance and modulus, will be evaluated and included in track designs. ProEngineer models and weight calculations for an improved shoe body and components will be developed. Advanced powder metal manufacturing technology will be employed to reduce the cost for titanium components and permit unique component designs for improved life cycle costs. Thermal management of the system to increase the life of the elastomeric track components will also be addressed. Test samples will be manufactured from candidate titanium alloy and titanium MMC materials for ASTM G-65 wear testing as a screening test. A down-selection will be made and wear guide test specimens will be manufactured by advanced powder metal technology on the selected material for testing on a KRCs center guide wear machine simulating tank track wear conditions. The preliminary track concept will be finalized and detailed component weight calculations provided.A lightweight tank track that incorporates titanium alloys and titanium MMCs and near-net shape powder metal manufacturing technology will provide benefits in tank maneuverability, facilitation of deployment, and reduction of operation and support (O&S) costs. This track design is expected to find commercial application in armored vehicles including the Crusader. It is also anticipated that the proposed wear-resistant titanium materials could find near-term application as key replacement components (e.g. center guides) in other armored vehicles (using the proven T-158 track). This technology for low-cost lightweight, wear resistant titanium is anticipated to find applications in both military and commercial vehicles and as structural components. Specific benefits include:£A titanium tank track design demonstrating the feasibility of achieving a significant reduction (target of 20%) in weight versus the conventional steel track.£Demonstrated feasibility for particle reinforced titanium matrix composites to meet wear requirements for grouser, center guide, etc.£Demonstrated capability to produce titanium alloys and particle reinforced titanium MMCs by advanced powder metal manufacturing technology (i.e. life cycle cost savings; minimizing the cost impact of use of titanium. Terrain data needs on the battlefield are generating greater military requirements for new, rapid feature mapping capabilities. Unfortunately, current methods are woefully inadequate to meet the needs of the modern digitized battlefield in which the commander must have the ability to rapidly obtain accurate terrain information and topographic products. Terrain Reasoning methods will allow more rapid and accurate labeling of terrain features by making use of multisensor/multisource data, both numerical (e.g. spectral data) and non-numerical (e.g. land-use maps). These methods can improve automated feature extraction by fusing disparate data sources while reducing operational costs. Building on existing Terrain Reasoning approaches, we propose to combine methods from two areas, the Theory of Evidence and the Knowledge-Based Processing/Decision-Trees, to allow fusion and rapid processing of disparate data sources. The proposed Trade Study will focus on three measures of success: improved accuracy, increased speed, and flexibility of the model to accept new data sources. We will develop a classification methodology constituting the most cost-effective approach for improving current supervised spectral feature extraction techniques. The resulting prototype software will be completely compatible and scalable for use within the Army's Combat Terrain Information Systems (CTIS) program.The anticipated results are a prototype software module that provides rapid fusion of disparate data sources (e.g. DTM, radar data, land use/land cover maps, etc.) for processing and extracting spectral feature information. This software will be developed entirely from COTS/GOTS systems and will be fully compatible with the Army's Combat Terrain Information Systems (CTIS) program and well as other commercial image processing software packages (e.g. ENVI and ERDAS). In general, the final product will provide an enhanced spectral feature extraction tool for DoD and commercial image processing packages. Mobile reverse osmosis water purification units (ROWPU) have been used by the U.S. An electrochemical DNA biosensor is proposed to simultaneously detect and identify multiple nucleic acid determinants of a variety of pathogens using a combination of electronic hybridization, fluidics, and electrochemical detection. The biosensor would consist of a sample lysis and electronic hybridization/release chamber fluidically connected to an electrochemical flow cell for detection, and would incorporate Xanthon's patented platform technology of electrochemical detection of nucleic acids. With this method, specific target nucleic acid species captured by oligo capture probes are directly detected by the electrochemical oxidation of guanine, an endogenous component of the nucleic acid targets. This provides a method of rapid, highly sensitive, and specific DNA detection without the need for complicated sample purification procedures, exogenous labels, labile reagents, or expensive, heavy, power-hungry instrumentation. Upon successful demonstration of the feasibility of the basic components, plans for further miniaturization and integration of the components will proceed toward development of a rugged, easy-to-use handheld unit that will take further advantage of the power and simplicity of direct electrochemical detection, in addition to the economy of time, space, and reagents made possible by microfluidics and electronic hybridization. In addition to military applications, development of such devices would provide prompt detection of potential bio-terrorist attacks, and find wide application for the detection of pathogens in medical diagnostics, point-of-care clinical settings, food production, environmental monitoring, agriculture, and various industrial settings. Foster-Miller will demonstrate an innovative method to improve ballistic performance of ceramic armor tiles via its encapsulation with a high strength metal matrix (MMC) composite material. On account of thermal expansion and moduli differential between the MMC encapsulant and the ceramic armor tile, coupled with our ability to tailor an overall composite armor architecture, a substantial predetermined residual stresses will be generated in the ceramic tile. These residual stresses are expected to improve ballistic performance and damage tolerance of the ceramic tile. Foster-Miller's innovative ceramic materials encapsulation material/fabrication concept is enabled by the proven attributes of our MMC technology: proprietary composite material, flexible and inexpensive one-step fabrication process, which allow fabrication of the large flat and nonplanar armor components to near net shape. Foster-Miller ceramic armor encapsulation concept enables a flexible, affordable, and scalable fabrication of high performance composite armor materials for both military and commercial platforms. Our Phase I team includes a major military ground platforms developer, high performance ceramics materials suppliers, and large and complex ceramic and composite components manufacturing partners to facilitate the proposed material concept and fabrication process a scale-up and industrial implementation. (P-010791) The availability of wide bandwidth, and narrow-beam electronically steered arrays (ESAs) at Ka Band creates an extraordinary opportunity for military communications systems. Specifically orders of magnitude improvements appear to be achievable in terms of data rates, Low Probability of Detection (LPD), and Anti-Jam (AJ) performance. Additionally, the enabling technology can support advanced radar functions. For example, the envisioned Future Combat System (FCS) requires such advanced capabilities. This proposal focuses on the analysis, requirements definition, and methodology for quantitative measurements and testing of a tactical grade, field deployable biometric sensor and identification system. A thorough compilation of the various factors that affect overall performance of a field deployable biometric system will be conducted. This will include effects of environmental factors, situational factors, technology factors and user considerations pertaining to the biometric sensor. In addition, several system architectures will be developed that are applicable to the deployment of biometric devices in a variety of different field situations and address issues such as methods of storage, encryption and distribution of templates. The results will serve as a requirements specification for the design and development of the next generation of biometric devices that will have both tunable performance accuracies and confidence factors, with False Acceptance and False Rejection error rates of less than one in a million. This project addresses the critical need for portable hydrogen generators for small proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of using microchannel based fuel processors. Microchannel reactor designs offer attractive advantages of miniaturization, integration, and heat management. The phase I feasibility demonstration will focus on developing a microchannel reactor and improved catalyst for the water gas shift (WGS) reaction. The WGS reactor is a critical component, constituting the largest portion of the volume, mass, and cost of the fuel processor system. T/J Technologies will collaborate with the University of Michigan (UM), combining the Company's expertise in supported catalysts and portable power supply development with leading edge UM technology in fuel processor and microchannel reactor systems. Methods will be devised to produce catalysts and integrate them into microchannel reactors. It is anticipated that microchannel reactors with improved WGS catalysts will lead to improved hydrogen generation performance with reduced volume, mass and cost compared to conventional fuel processors. In phase II, the microchannel reactor concept will be extended to the additional fuel processor stages including the steam reformer and preferential oxidizer. A laboratory prototype of an integrated microchannel fuel processor will be constructed and demonstrated. Improved compact fuel processors will facilitate the production of portable 15 - 300 W power sources to support individual soldiers on extended missions. Private sector applications include use in auxiliary power units for hybrid vehicles, tractor-trailers, boats, RV's, etc. It is likely that the technology will also scale to smaller 1 - 10 W power units which have immense market potential for portable electronic devices such as cell phones and palm/laptop computers. It is critical to extract maximum information from IR images for target detection, identification and classification purposes. Besides acquiring intensity variations, rapid collection of corresponding polarization signatures at desired wavelengths with an imaging spectropolarimeter could enhance the information content of an IR scene. Present spectropolarimeters operate over a narrow spectral band. Furthermore, they are heavy, slow due to moving mechanical parts, and operationally complex. Coherent Technologies Inc. (CTI) is proposing to design and develop two key components namely, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) and a matched active retarder required for a spectropolarimetric imager to operate over the 2-12 micron spectral band. These components will enable the imager to simultaneously measure the spectral intensity and polarization content of an image in real time. These components are anticipated to guide the development of a versatile spectropolarimetric imager that will be broadband, wavelength agile, electronically tunable, all-solid-state, compact, field-deployable, and rugged. In Phase I, detailed designs, including material trade-off study and performance evaluation, of an AOTF and active retarder for a broadband spectra-polarimeter will be generated. An active retarder will be fabricated and tested. In Phase II, a portable, field-deployable, brassboard components operating over 2-12 micron spectral band will be developed and delivered. The proposed components have wide applications in sensitive target detection, identification, and discrimination systems, active and passive remote chemical sensing systems, imaging lidars, IR spectroscopy, terrestrial and space surveillance systems, machine vision systems, etc. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for handheld, field analysis of biological health and safety threats requires the development of an advanced, compact Raman spectrometer tailored to SERS. Our proposed efforts will decrease spectrometer size, lower its power consumption, expand the Raman spectral range and develop an optical interface that improves excitation and collection efficiency when compared to current portable Raman systems. A novel spectrometer design based solely on fiber optics technology will be built in a fraction of the volume possible with dispersive instruments as a means of achieving the goal of handheld operation. This spectrometer will be coupled to our highly sensitive SERS sensors through specially designed and tested optical interfaces that account for the angular and spatial dependence of the excitation phenomenon. Analyte will be delivered to the substrate through sample collection mechanisms that account for the aerodynamics and thermodynamics that dictate SERS substrate/analyte interactions. The design features of the proposed SERS spectrometer based biological sensor will be thoroughly tested in a research program organized around understanding optimal SERS excitation, collection, and substrate analyte interactions. The research will also be directed at increasing excitation efficiency through the use of microcavities. Small and inexpensive Raman instrumentation will bring new commercial applications of the method, including quality control analysis, process controllers, forensic instruments for identifying illegal substances, and air and water monitors. We propose a novel approach to speech recognition enhancement that consists of three key components: a) a decomposition of the noisy speech signal into a time-frequency representation; b) a psychoacoustically-motivated source separation algorithm that identifies cells of the time-frequency representation as speech or noise cells; and c) a very low complexity vector quantization algorithm that recovers the time-frequency representation of the noise-suppressed speech signal from the partially specified output of the previous step. Our approach can be viewed as a Psychoacoustic Noise Suppression (PSN) algorithm that enhances the speech signal to enable accurate speech recognition in noisy environments. The PSN algorithm has two key features that differentiate it from other speech enhancement systems: (1) a psychoacoustic model called IWAIF that preserves the features of the speech signal crucial to successful recognition (Krishnamurthy and Feth, Ohio State University). (2) an vector search algorithmic breakthrough, the TNE, discovered by FTI in 1994. This very low complexity algorithm can be used to search the database using partially corrupted or masked vectors, which is key to recovering the noise-suppressed speech signal. BENEFITS: This effort will significantly advance the state-of-the-art in the analysis and recognition of speech and other acoustic signals. The resulting technology will be useful in the areas of machine condition monitoring, medical diagnostics, and speech recognition in harsh environments. Xenotran proposes the design and prototyping of a forward error correction codec based upon the principles of t1Turbo Codes." Turbo Coding is a significant new coding technology that can realize digital communications efficiencies that approach Shannon's informational theoretic channel capacity. Xenotran 5 turbo codec design will use a unique scalable kernal architecture that efficiently fits a wide variety of military applications with a flexible and integrated solution. Xenotran has extensive experience, both in production ASIC design, development, deployment, and original ECC convolutional codec design, all of which are necessary ingredients to successful completion of this technological challenge. This important new technology is widely applicable to all military communications systems, from retrograding deployed equipment for enhanced performance, to development of multi-access networks with less costly infrastructure. BENEFITS: The ubiquitous presence of networked communications imparts ample opportunity to apply this technology across a spectrum of devices from enhanced performance in modem technology, to lower power cellular and satellite communications systems. System realizations that contain Turbo Codec ASICs will realize higher levels of coding gain in point to point applications and grreater cell capacity in multi-access systems. The objective of this SBIR is to produce a GPS simulator, which incorporates the new civil and military signals and provides for controlled reception pattern antenna testing. In Phase I a system design was developed for the Advanced GPS Hybrid Simulator (AGHS) which incorporated the capability to test new GPS technologies including (but not limited to) the new civilian and military signal structures, Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPA), the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS), and the Joint Precision Approach Landing System (JPALS), all in compliance with the new SAASM security requirements. Nomadics proposes to build on the success of the amplifying polymer detection systems and Phase I results to develop prototype devices for the detection of select chemical warfare agents. The devices will include a passive badge-type personal exposure monitor and a battery-powered portable field sensor for chemical warfare agents. The sensor technology is an amplifying fluorescent polymer coupled with a chromophore. The AFP has been demonstrated to detect trace elements of volatile chemicals in the parts per quadrillion range. This extreme level of sensitivity provides superior detection capabilities; further, because this capacity is achieved without the use of expensive, complex drive electronics, very low-cost systems are possible, especially with the leverage of sacrificing some sensitivity for reduced costs and portability. The devices will be demonstrated using surrogate and actual CW agents. The proposed Phase II SBIR addresses the question of how the potential performance benefits demonstrated for the constant-temperature cycle aircraft gas turbine may actually be realized in an engine. The approach used is to take the engine design choices and cycle performance for a constant-temperature cycle high bypass ratio, high thrust turbofan from the Phase I results, and layout the engine using a mean-line design process for component sizing and configuration. The proposal includes an enabling technology assessment, combustion component concept definition, sizing and performance evaluation, and an overall engine viability and risk assessment. The overall objective is to demonstrate that the constant-temperature cycle gas turbine engine concept has the potential to be turned into a viable piece of turbo-machinery while achieving its performance benefits. The recognized risks associated with the introduction of new material and oil formulations for propulsion system bearings and gears have created a crisis with respect to urgent needs for increased load, speed and temperature. Conventional test methods for materials and oils have insufficient linkage to service performance and mechanisms that control life and durability. The recognition of the current state of affairs and the need for a cultural change in the industry for material, oil and component developed was highlighted in a two-day workshop with industry leaders during Phase I. If suface technologies and oil formulations are developed as a contact system (tribo-system) with a highly flexible and science-based testing capability currently being developed, significant performance gains can be realized. Tribology data generated with preliminary test methods during Phase I show the potential of the approach. Phase I has resulted in two new title with these test methods to identify urgently needed material/oil performance limits. A going forward plan is proposed to link testing to service performance and to provide guidance for innovative surface technologies and oil formulation. An empirical approach to tribo-system performance modeling is proposed to provide a realistic input to engine component life and durability models. New high power, high voltage solar arrays for spacecraft have increased the risk of damage by electrostatic discharge (ESD) mechanisms. The objective of this SBIR program is to generate an objective evaluation of the potential ESD power degradation phenomenon as applied to geosynchronous satellites and to design and demonstrate an ESD free solar array panel. A new approach to solar panel ESD mitigation that incorporates a front side aperture (FSA) shield will be developed. The FSA shield covers the inter-cell and edge areas to provide a contiguous ground plane on the front side and edges, connecting them to the electrically conductive back surface ground plane. The phase I effort will consist of three tasks: Task 1 will consist of component and system level design optimization studies on the ESD free panel. In Task 2, bonded joints, assembly, and rework approaches for the ESD free panel will be evaluated. Task 3 will focus on fabricating and testing a demonstration module of an ESD free panel.Nearly all DoD, civilian and commercial spacecraft use solar arrays to generate on-orbit electrical power. As demonstrated by recent failures, the potential for electrostatic discharge (ESD) generated damage exists for all the DoD, commercial and civilian high power, high voltage spacecraft solar arrays. Technology developed on this SBIR program is a key element in eliminating ESD generated solar array damage; thereby improving spacecraft performance, reliability and cost. Strategic planning, like many other information intensive functions, remains more of an art than a science. One reason for this involves a general inability to efficiently and effectively manage information. This inability to cleanly, collect, interpret, and analyze information results in making many more subjective decisions as we carry out complicated processes such as strategic planning. And the problem seems to worsen as the number of participants in a process increase, and as the physical distance between these participants increases. Three emerging technologies can help solve this problem. They include the Internet, advanced data collection and consensus buliding software systems, and wireless technology. This effort address how to use these technologies to solve this problem.Use of the Internet, groupware, and wireless technology will have a dramatic impact on the cost of creating and managing strategic plans, will improve the quality of such plans, and will greatly reduce the time required to perform this function. Compositex proposes to develop and demonstrate a chemical propulsion system for small spacecraft. The proposed system combines the Isp performance of a bipropellant system with the simplicity and ease of operation of a monopropellant system. When compared to existing systems, it offers improved safety, reliability, performance, and cost effectiveness. Both the fuel and oxidizer are storable, non-toxic, non-hypergolic, low-freezing point liquids. The high-density propellants are contained within a single, lightweight filament-wound composite tank, enabling a propellant mass fraction of over 90%. The propulsion system effectively provides both spacecraft main propulsion and attitude control functions. A proof-of-concept prototype system will be designed, fabricated, and static tested under this proposed Phase I effort. This prototype system will includes 100 lbf thrust main engine, a 5 lbf thrust attitude control engine, a 20 liter composite propellant tank, and all associated plumbing, valves, actuators, and instrumentation. Safer launch area work environment due to the non-toxic nature of the fluids. Higher spacecraft performance due to lower empty weight. Higher propulsion system reliability due to the extreme simplicity and cool engine temperatures. Inherently low development and production costs. A highly efficient X-ray generator has been developed that delivers mostly selected line-emissions from a micro-focused end-window target. The X-ray tube can serve non-destructive evaluation as well as medical X-ray equipment and material sciences needs. The power supply of the generator can now be integrated with the X-ray tube to form a system with dimensions approximately those currently used by X-ray tubes alone. BENEFITS: A compact X-ray generator with micro-focused line-emissions at very high efficiency can serve many areas of X-ray applications the include NDE, X-ray therapy, and can be a major component of the $5 billion worldwide X-ray generator market. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will prove the principle of using a new low temperature sputtering technique to deposit crystalline films of A1203 on substrates heated to <300 Cc. crystalline films of A1203 exhibit high corrosion and oxidation resistance. Acceptable films formed by conventional sputtering methods require substrate temperatures higher than 350 0C. Lowering substrate temperatures below 350 CC will allow coatings on aluminum and other temperature sensitive materials. We propose to use an unbalanced magnetron powered by synchronized pulsed power and pulsed biasing. This will result in an enhanced ion bombardment of growing films and production of hard, transparent, and environmentally stable oxide films - all at low substrate temperatures. The technology can be scaled up linearly for large area depositions. In Phase I, we will evaluate the technology, deposit A1203 films and characterize them. In Phase I Option, together with a collaborator and potential end-user, we will further optimize the deposition process, evaluate the films' mechanical, structural and environmental properties, and perform technology cost analysis. In Phase II, we will further refine the technology, by interacting with end users, and design and produce crystalline A1203 coatings with improved interface adhesion on various substrates. Phase III will consist of marketing the technology and processing services. BENEFITS: The proposed technology has the potential to 5ignificantly improve the existing A1203 film manufacturing technologies. Further, the materials focus of this effort could significantly impact the lifetime and performance of many existing and future coatings. Vehicle simulation capability will be enhanced by developing comprehensive, real-time subsystem models that will be integrated into their multi-body vehicle dynamics simulation. This simulation technology will be used in both driver and hardware-in-the-loop performance evaluations of vehicle systems. An equations of motion based approach will be used to build a suite of dynamic subsystems models. To provide the most cost effective and efficient environment. the models will be developed and evaluated as separate models on a personal computer and then later ported offer and integrated into the TACONI multi-boa! architecture. As part of the evaluation process the models mill be integrated into an existing personal computer based real-time simulator to insure that no anomalies occur. Using a specified vehicle. a prototype demonstrating the feasibility of the approach, will be developed. A set of currently existing subsystem models that have been developed for passenger vehicles and heavy trucks will be used as the starting foundation. Based on TACOM's needs, the hardware environment and the fidelity requirements of the models, the base set of models will be enhanced or replaced: and other desired models that are not part of the base set, will be developed. BENEFITS: At the successful completion of this project a suite of ground vehicle dynamic subsystem models will be available for use in computer simulations and engineering analysis. The models mill be capable of uncorking on a wide variety of computer platforms and therefore can be applied in fields such as real-time simulation, hardware prototyping. The Aberdeen Test Center (ATC) conducts underwater tests of warheads and projectiles including shaped charge, blast, and projectile impacts. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has a diverse experience base in the design(including for ATC), fabrication and fielding a number of repetitively pulsed laser illumination systems coupled to high speed imaging systems. Our proposal addresses using high-speed digital cameras coupled with multiple short pulse laser illumination and bandpass filters for this specific underwater application. COTS or semi-custom laser systems have been used. The system will have the advantages of submicrosecond laser pulses stopping the action of high speed explosively driven events, e.g., a shaped charge jet, as well as overwhelming the self luminosity associated with the event by the combination of the illumination source having high spectral brightness and a moderately narrowband passband filter on the imaging system. This proposal addresses the tradeoffs of operating in water with limited clarity as well as the survivability of illumination equipment and image recording system. The use of expendable fiber optic system for transmitting laser pulses and a periscope device for the imaging system will physically remove the key equipment to a safe distance where structural hardening is practical. BENEFITS: Once the requirements are established for illumination and underwater housings; design studies, point design and proof of concept experiments will be done. The Phase I Base program ends with a Phase II program plan that when implemented in the Phase I Option and Phase II program will end with the delivery of a complete system to ATC. This system will provide illumination and imaging capabilities that are not currently available at ATC or elsewhere. Systems can then be supplied to other users requiring the imagery documentation of high speed events, either underwater or in air. Single-chip MMICs that perform all RF Front-end functions of FN-CW radar's are used as proximity sensors in the new generation of fuses in artillery and mortar munitions. To extend this technology to proximity fuses in small to medium caliber munitions and sub-munitions, it is now necessary to develop novel techniques for lower power consumption and further miniaturization by expansion of scale of integration combining RF and signal processing techniques for lower power consumption and further miniaturization by expansion of scale of integration combining RF and signal processing circuits. This proposal describes Hittite'5 strategy of using both unique signal processing techniques and a newly emerging semiconductor process to provide an optimal solution to both power consumption and integration scale. The optimal process technology is identified as SiGe/CMOS. The new semiconductor process includes both bipolar and a CMOS device as is the case in traditional BiGMOS but the bipolar device has an enhanced Ft due to germanium doping. Thus, this process is ideally suited to incorporate SiGe bipolar circuits for the front end along with low power consumption CMOS circuits for IF and digital processing. Also Hittite has developed processing algorithms for accurately tracking target position using a single wide-angle antenna. The algorithm effectively increases the range resolution by a factor of 50 for a single target while maintaining the same frequency deviation. Thus, low frequency VCOs with only modest tuning ranges can be used to achieve the 6" HOB program goal. The proposed program will result in the development of a SiGe/CMOS FM-CW MMIC including RF and IF circuitry. Furthermore, the chip will be integrated in a bread board to demonstrate the fuzing performance. BENEFITS: Products to be derived from the proposed program are integrated sensors for proximity sensing, object detection, range sensing, etc. Commercial applications of those sensors include: vehicular sensors of approach control, blind-zone sensing, crash sensing, etc., area access control. liquid level control, traffic control, etc. The Army's increased utilization of passive intelligent acoustic sensors has created strong interest in optimizing their use in the modern battlefield. A complex acoustic propagation environment that varies in time and space, and diverse combat operations further complicate the problem. Planning Systems Incorporated (PSI) proposes to develop a Tactical Decision Aid (TDA) to guide the battlefield commander in the use of intelligent acoustic sensors and in interpretation of their results. In the past year PSI has successfully developed and demonstrated an acoustic TDA for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) applications in the Near-Shore Tactical Reconnaissance (NSTR) program sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Protects Agency (DARPA). In addition, PSI is currently making extensive use of the Mesoscale Meteorology Model (MM5) developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research and Pennsylvania State University. This extensive experience base will be brought to bear on the TDA development. Although air acoustics and underwater acoustics have very different modeling requirements, both require the use of a high resolution rendering of the b MM5 and the use of a high fidelity acoustic propagation model that is dependent on range, azimuth, and elevation (or depth). PSI will adapt the technology and software architecture of NSTR to the air acoustic environment to build the Air Acoustic Tactical Decision Aid (AATDA) software. The operator will use the software's point and click Graphical User Interface (GUI) to strategically deploy acoustic sensors in a simulated battlefield, and then run realistic threat incursions to exercise the effectiveness of the sensor field. BENEFITS: Improved use of intelligent acoustic sensors in the battlefield; increased understanding in the significance of the acoustic propagation environment in a battlefield context. Creare proposes to use a plasma-spray process to deposit flux coatings that permit the welding of titanium directly in air. Such a coating system eliminates the costly and cumbersome practice of welding titanium in an inert atmosphere created using complicated shrouds or within a dedicated enclosed chamber. The coating process offers the advantages of: (1) shielding titanium at elevated temperatures from embrittlement due to its reactivity with oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, and (2) retarding liberation of hydrogen through the formation of insoluble compounds that reduce the porosity of the resultant welds. Additionally, plasma spraying itself is inherently inexpensive, easily scaled to production scenarios, and features high, controllable deposition rates. In Phase I, we propose to prepare and test sample coupons with various plasma-sprayed flux coatings to provide a basis for assessment of the suitability of these materials for this application. We will also use the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding process to produce and test sample welds on titanium alloys coated with the proposed fluxes. The flux coating process developed in Phase I makes possible the development of a synthesized welding/coating system in Phase II. BENEFITS: The proposed flux coating process is expected to: (1) broaden significantly the application of titanium alloys for both military and commercial use, and (2) permit the use of welding processes that offer high weld rates such as Gas Metal Arc and Plasma Arc techniques. MaxPower is proposing a Phase I program which is an integrated approach towards developing a high capacity-high rate Li-ion cell capable of operation from ambient temperatures to -40 degrees Celsius. Since all lithium intercalated into the anode of a Li-ion cell comes from the cathode, decreasing anode irreversible capacity and increasing reversible capacity will be much more effective with simultaneous increases in cathode capacity. This is MaxPower's integrated approach which involves three tasks. Task 1 involves R&D on anode materials starting with commercially available MCMB and Superior Graphite carbons. Pyrolyzed PAN-based carbon will also be investigated. This material is deemed to be a cost-effective substitute for MCMB carbons. Task 2 involves R&D on nanoscale size LiCoO2 with inert ceramic materials synthesized by a sol-gel method. The method allows for uniform mixing of active and inert materials and will facilitate Li+ ion transport across grain boundaries. The structural improvements in these composite cathodes will also enable at least 15 % more capacity to be obtained from LiCoO2 cathodes. Task 3 involves building, testing and delivery of both liquid and polymer 100 mAh Li-ion pouch cells. These cells will have energy and power densities exceeding, respectively, 100 Wh/kg and 40 W/kg, and will deliver useful capacities at temperatures down to -40 degrees Celsius. BENEFITS: An expanded Li-ion cell technology base with respect to enhanced energy and rate capabilities, in general, and operability over the entire military temperature range, in particular, will help push the Li-ion rechargeable batteries toward wide dual (military and commercial) market acceptance. All types of portable devices and equipments, wireless communication devices, are key commercial applications. Soft packaging (pouch) cell technology will provide significant market dimension, commercially and militarily. To exploit the capabilities of high performance turbines requires the development of ceramic heat exchangers (HEX). Absence of techniques for fabricating intricate ceramic structures limit the use of recuperated heat exchanger designs. Busek's reaction bonding process provides a method of fabricating silicon carbide (SiC) components from simple precursor shapes such as plates that can be purchased commercially The objective for Phase II is to manufacture a prototype SiC HEX that is ultra compact and suitable for small recuperated gas turbine engines. In the Phase I program we demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing high prime surface area, fin-plate HEX segments using our SiC reaction joining process. These segments remained gas tight after thermal testing by localized heating. In the Phase II project we will further refine our manufacturing approach for fin-plate structures. We will design and fabricate subscale heat exchanger test modules that will be tested in a combustion test apparatus. The test will expose the modules to realistic air-side and process gas conditions and measure key heat exchanger performance data such as effectiveness and pressure drop. The engineering data and fabrication experience will be used to design a prototype heat exchanger that will be manufactured, tested and then delivered to the Army Research Laboratory. BENFITS: Recuperated mobile gas turbines with improved economy, high efficiency and low cost will replace diesel engines in many military vehicles and can be considered for prime movers, automotive and emerging hybrid vehicle applications. Outside gas turbine applications, methods of fabricating SiC structures can be exploited in industrial and utility scale heat exchangers, chemical reformers and heat management industries. This proposal will develop a system to provide a complete gear transmission simulation code to be used by government, industries, academia and private individuals over the Internet. Gear transmission simulation software for spur, helical, star and multiple planetary systems will be developed and verified for various applications. The simulation code will include the effects of profile modification, tip relief, non-standard center distances, misalignment, variable lubricant properties, and tooth surface damage. The software capabilities will include large and small material deformations, transient gear tooth loading conditions and gear tooth stress analysis, transient and steady state dynamic analysis, gear mesh stiffness and damping, and condition-based gear tooth health monitoring. The objective of this proposal will be achieved by using an existing NASA funded gear analysis code (GEARDYNMULT) as the building block for the development of this software. The bearing software will be disseminated via the Internet. B&C Engineering Associates, Inc. (B&CEA) and Partners in Scientific Computing (PSCICO) are currently working together to develop a virtual library' of scientific codes which government, industry, academia and private individuals can utilize to perform research, verification and design in various areas of science and engineering. While the developed software will be executed in the BCEA workstation, only uploading and downloading capabilities are required from the user. The code will be accompanied by a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) with pre- and post- processor capabilities, along with an extensive help and a tutorial section. Such collaboration will provide users with state of the art software and the facilities with which to learn and use the software at substantial savings to those users. BENEFITS: The generalized and integrated computer code for high speed and high load gear transmission systems will allow a onestop computational facility for analysis and design of a large variety of transmissions. The availability of the code usage over the Internet and requiring the end user to have upload and download facilities only, will create a low cost, high reliability commercial scientific source. The code should attract a large commercial base (big industry, mid-cap companies, and individual consultants) through its Internet availability, ease of use, fast learning curve, and cost per CPU unit. We propose the development of a novel, all-optical cooling device targeted at liquid nitrogen temperatures and lower. The device will be readily adapted and retrofitted to infrared (IR) detectors and other devices. The cooling medium for our device is molecular-based and has inherent advantages over existing mechanical cryogenic coolers. The optical cooling effect is based on frequency up-conversion. Our innovative features include no moving parts, operation at convenient laser wavelengths, inherent energy efficiency, solid state design, small size and weight, immunity from electromagnetic interferences, long operational lifetime, and will be inexpensive to manufacture. The Phase II program will develop and produce the novel cooling media materials, integrate the materials into a breadboard prototype, and perform demonstrations of the prototype. BENEFITS: The ultimate goal of this project is the development of a device with far- reaching commercial applications. The potential to make inexpensive, efficient cooling devices that are driven by lasers may revolutionize satellite, computer, and high temperature superconductor industries. The potential for commercially viable spin-off technologies, such as solid-state blue lasers, self-regulating thermo-electrical components, and temperature sensors is high. The need for improved portable electric power sources in the modern army is acute. Increasing use of electronic sensors and other electrical equipment in the military demands improved power sources. Many miniature portable power sources have shown great promise for reducing weight by utilizing the high power density of liquid fuels (75 times higher than batteries). However, the support equipment for these power systems, including the fuel delivery system, is not available at the sizes required to match the small size of the power converters. We propose to develop a complete fueling system for miniature power Systems. The proposed fueling system will include a fuel pump and an adjustable, self-cleaning nozzle. The proposed pump will provide a factor of six reduction in weight relative to the nearest available commercial pump. The adjustable, self-cleaning nozzle will allow the use of smaller pumps and enable a larger turn-down range than is currently possible. In Phase II, we will continue development of miniature fuel pumps and adjustable, self-cleaning nozzle mechanisms. We will build several pump prototypes and perform temperature, vibration and life tests. We will also integrate our adjustable nozzle mechanism in a nozzle for a miniature combustion power source. BENEFITS: The benefit to the Army and DoD is a lighter, smaller fuel system for miniature power sources. Commercial applications include miniature power systems for DoD, portable power systems for camping and RV's and small pumps for medical applications. This project proposes the development of a low cost, ultra efficient, miniature, air handling system for portable fuel cell power supplies. The project will result in a low volume, low cost production system which employs advanced techniques (stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, layered object manufacturing, etc.) to rapidly make custom air handlers. The proposed air handler employs a sliding vane compressor (before fuel cell) coupled to a sliding vane expander (after fuel cell) thus providing very efficient, noiseless operation. A concept compressor/expander was sized for a 100-Watt power supply. The concept design provides .2 SCFM of air at a pressure ratio of 3.0 and only consumes 7.8 Watts while occupying 2 cubic inches of volume. A system analysis showed that the hydrogen storage tank comprised - 70% of total system weight (based on a 10 hour mission). Thus, compressor and fuel cell efficiencies play a critical role in keeping system weight down. The analysis showed system weight is minimized at a pressure ratio of ~3.0 (since higher pressure boosts fuel cell efficiency) and that the proposed expander reduced system weight by 15% (by reducing required compressor power). The concept minimizes noise by matching (with adjustments for losses) compressor and expander pressure ratios and massflows, thus eliminating sudden expansions that produce noise. BENEFITS: This work will result in an Army vendor, which can rapidly deliver low volume production runs of custom air handlers. Other applications include: medical systems, space power systems, larger fuel cell systems, and miniature mass spectrometers The need for improved portable electric power sources in the modern army is acute. Increasing use of electronic sensors and other electrical equipment in the military demands improved power sources. Many miniature portable power sources have shown great promise for reducing weight by utilizing the high power density of liquid fuels (75 times higher than batteries). However, the support equipment for these power systems, including the fuel delivery system, is not available at the sizes required to match the small size of the power converters. We propose to develop a complete fueling system for miniature power systems. The proposed fueling system will include a fuel pump and an adjustable, self-cleaning nozzle integrated with an electrostatic atomizer. The proposed pump will provide a factor of six reduction in weight relative to the nearest available commercial pump. The adjustable, self-cleaning nozzle will allow the use of smaller pumps and will enable a larger turn-down range than are currently possible. In Phase I, we will demonstrate a pump mechanism and an adjustable, self-cleaning nozzle mechanism. BENEFITS: The benefit to the Army and DoD is a lighter, smaller fuel system for miniature power sources. Commercial applications include miniature power systems for DoD, as well as pumps for medical and automotive applications. In Phase II project, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) will continue developing its short wavelength integrated optical technology, and create a new generation of modulator-integrated visible light sources (MIVLS) for military and commercial use. In Phase I, POC proved the feasibility of its MIVLS. The MIVLS is based on a unique integrated optical technology that integrates a quantum well-based visible light source with an electroabsorption intensity modulator in a single gallium nitride (GaN) wafer, resulting in the first monolithically integrated optical device in the short wavelength band. Several unique features will be included in the Phase II MIVLS. Electroabsorption effects will be used, for the first time, as intensity modulation mechanisms in GaN-based quantum well material, and POC will develop two unique architectures to improve and optimize its MIVLS. The first architecture will use semiconductor fusion technology to hybrid-integrate a DFB grating with a multiple-quantum well structure to achieve a visible DFB laser. The second will utilize a ring cavity structure to achieve a visible laser based on GaN material. These two visible laser structures are much more suitable for integrated devices than conventional Fabry-Perot cavity lasers. BENEFITS: This project will develop a compact, low-cost, reliable, modulator- integrated visible light source for multiple military and civilian uses, including full-color displays, optical data storage, biological/chemical reagent identification, image projection video systems, color laser printers, free space optical communication, and traffic signals. The proposed innovation is a Sidewinder configuration Miniature Turboprop Engine (MTE) for UAVs. It utilizes a highly developed gas producer, with a fine lineage of previously successful SWB Turbines turbojet engines (since 1987), SWB's U.S. Patents (granted 1998), and low-cost production potential (because its rotating components are derived from the commercial turbocharger/vehicle industry). SWB Turbines has proven that its customers, including the Army, can benefit from the well developed turbocharger turbine and compressor component base. The U.S. and other major countries have cultivated a major dependence on truck transportation, transitioning from trains, with increasing dependence on turbocharged diesel powerplants. Turbocharged diesel engines have become the standard through a wide range of horsepower, resulting in very high savings leverage for miniature turbines, select superalloys and advanced rotor aerodynamics. The overall assessment of the Phase I results indicates that there were some desirable surprises in the installed performance task: (1) the static thrust with a properly designed propeller provides very significant climb rate (2500 ft/mm), compared to presently demonstrated 1000 ft/mm, (2) very good prop cruise efficiency (87%), and high take-off thrust (>300 Ibf), using a prop specifically designed for the MTE engine, a 3 blade 48" propeller Phase I preliminary design. BENEFITS: Commercial production of miniature turboprop engines is planned. In Phase I, three (3) Aerospace customers requested MTE Phase II engines, with up to 400 units requested. Miniature turboprop engines have particular use in Outrider, Hunter, Predator and upcoming Army UAVs. This Phase II SBIR proposal describes an innovative towelette for the decontamination of organophosphorous nerve agents from skin, wounds, and other sensitive surfaces of exposed military personnel. The towelette consists of a cotton fabric on which is immobilized an Organophosphate Hydrolase (OPH) that has been demonstrated to hydrolyze Sarin, Soman, Tabun, VX, and Russian-VX. In Phase I, this novel towelette was prepared and was shown to hydrolyze a variety of nerve agent surrogates. In addition, the towelette retained activity when stored at elevated temperature for weeks. The towelette was also used to decontaminate an artificial surface contaminated with a nerve agent surrogate and in a separate, preliminary experiment, the towelette was shown not to produce any redness, swelling, and/or irritation when applied to human skin for 24 hours. Acetycholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were also immobilized on the towelette demonstrating the compatibility of the coupling chemistry with other enzymes. HYPRES proposes to develop a novel passive, millimeter-wave imager (PMWI) of much lower cost than competing types. The PN1WI will employ a staring array of micromachined detectors, each coupled to its own thin-film antenna and feedhorn. Until the present, the sensitivity of such a scheme has not beau adequate for passive imaging. Recent advances in micromachined arrays for the infrared, however, can also be adapted to millimeter-wave imaging, raising the sensitivity to the necessary levels. The resulting P5IWI system will feature complete integration on a single chip of detectors, antennas, feedhorns and CMOS readout circuitry. The advantages of this approach include high reliability, low fabrication COST, small system size, and the elimination of scanning by the use of a full two-dimensional staring geometry. In Phase I HYPRES will design and fabricate a full two-dimensional array with off-chip read-out of a single line of detectors. In Phase 0, an integrated on-chip CMOS read-out of the entire array will be developed. BENEFITS: The passive millimeter-wave imager will find application in airport security systems, imagers for locating forest fires through dense smoke, and navigation aids for planes and boats in foggy environments. The low cost and small size of the imager will make it attractive for a wide range of military and commercial customers. The increasingly demanding decision timeline thrust upon the battlefield commander regarding electronic warfare (EW) assets demands correspondingly responsive EW decision support tools. The rapid deployment and quick response of EW assets in today's high mobility battlefield requires a significant advancement in the responsiveness of the COMINT/SIGINT planning tool which will be locally available at the field command. Planning Systems, Inc. (PSI) proposes an innovative approach which provides a significant step forward to providing timely EW analysis data which meets the rigorous decision support timeline of the battlefield command. In Phase I, with the support of our expertly qualified subcontractor, the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute (IITRI), we will develop a computationally efficient Mission-Intelligent RF Model. In Phase 2, we will apply PSI's extensive background in simulation, real time system development and user interface functional modules that comprise the AMBISS Mission Planner. The resultant capability will yield a EW Mission Planner that is unmatched in capability, speed, and effectiveness for the battlefield command. This approach can be applied to decision support systems in joint services, law enforcement, and commercial industry. BENEFITS: The work will result in an Advanced Electronic Warfare Mission Planner that will provide a near real-time analysis tool for application in a rapidly changing complex operational environment. Recent advances in the development of small very low-power infrared sensors (i.e. the UL3 camera developed by Indigo Systems Corporation) are having a growing impact on area surveillance and protection strategies for military and commercial users. It is now realizable for these micro-sensors to be used in a widely distributed network for providing contiguous day/night visual surveillance of very large areas. Highly optimized systems will most likely involve the integration of extremely low-power acoustic, seismic, and/or passive IR motion sensors as trigger mechanisms for imaging components in the surveillance network. Additionally, the imaging components themselves may employ extreme low-power modes involving reduced frame rates and on-board motion detection. The work completed under Phase I of this proposal will demonstrate the feasibility of such a system. A trade study will be performed to analyze the requirements of various surveillance scenarios. The results will be used to develop an appropriate system architecture and preliminary system design. In addition, a prototype UL3 infrared camera will be fabricated and tested as part of Phase I. The proposed Phase I Option is to fabricate the hardware demonstration system designed in Phase I. The UL3 camera will be integrated with a data compressor/decompressor (CODEC), spread-spectrum transmitter/receiver, and remote monitoring station. This system will demonstrate the compressed image quality and transmission performance of autonomous sensors developed in Phase II. During Phase II power reduction schemes, including motion detection within the imaging subsystems and integration of low-power queuing sensors will be implemented. UL3-based sensors will be integrated with selected power sources and triggering sensors suitable for long field life. Multiple sensor packages will be incorporated into a complete, fieldable wide area surveillance system. BENEFITS: Advances in networked interconnection, miniaturization, ruggedization, and power reduction of unattended sensors accomplished under this program will directly apply to a broad range of military, pare-military, and commercial markets including ground-based and hand-held surveillance, process monitoring, and fire fighting. The objective of this project is to devise an innovative frequency hopping spread spectrum digital packet radio modulation technology for transmitting high bit rate data using spectrally efficient information signals. The system introduces a number of innovations including: the use of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing as the baseband modulation strategy, single-sideband as the RF modulation strategy, and turbo trellis-coded modulation as the channel encoding forward error correction scheme. Orthogonal frequency hopping spread spectrum will be used to provide a multi-access strategy, secure communications, and high immunity to frequency selective multipath fading and interference. Communications, synchronization, and acquisition is acquired on a packet-by-packet basis. The proposed scheme encodes M-ary pilot-based synchronization information in parallel with the data in reserved frequency sub-channels. These pilots are the basis of channel estimation and equalization. The signal constellation is coherent quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), which enables the modulator to operate with spectrum efficiencies greater than 2 bits/sec/Hertz at nominal clock rates, minimal power consumption, and a low probability of error. Integrating the modulation concept with an advanced packet control scheme allows the allocation of bandwidth-on-demand which enables supplying programmable voice, graphical, audio, data, and video services. The objective of this packet radio technology is to permit operations in dynamic, interactive multi-band, multi-user, multi-access, and multi-services modes. BENEFITS: For military markets, the proposed technology is designed for Battlefield Information Transmission System (BITS) applications. In terms of private sector markets, the technology will be employed to develop wireless telecommunication systems in the U-NII and LMDS bands. Commercialization will occur through internal production and technology licensing agreements. The Backtalk airlink, developed for AJ/LPI communications in intraflight communication systems, is applied here to broadband multipoint data distribution in the U-NII and LMDS bands. The resultant airlink, referred to here as the Terrace system, employs a novel stacked-carrier multiple access (SCMA) communications format, blind adaptive reception, retrodirective transmission (smart airlines), (optional) smart antennas, and multihop network topologies to optimally exploit the spatial and spectral diversity present in Army communication networks. The resultant airlink can adaptively separate fixed and mobile in-cell nodes operating in the same frequency band, and can remove jamming encountered by the network during the reception process. Each Terrace node can also adaptively direct energy away from other Terrace nodes and jammers during transmission operations, allowing the network to continuously optimize its capacity and present minimal energy to other radios operating in the Terrace band. The airlink also incorporates simple means for removing features that could allow the link to be intercepted during the transmission process. The Phase I project will develop a Terrace concept, architecture, and rough cost estimate optimized for the LMDS band, and will validate performance using propagation data and testbeds provided by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, a license holder in the LMDS band. BENEFITS: Potential near-term (LMDS) applications include broadband wireless backhaul systems; wireless enterprise networks and wireless local loops; broadband wireless ATM Internet access systems; and wireless LANs, PBXs, and corporate Intranets. Potential medium-to-long term applications (LMDS and non-LMDS band) include next-generation satellite communications systems; next-generation cellular mobility systems (IMT2000); true wireless Internet systems (amorphous wireless networks); and cordless and supercordless (tetherless) telephones. The development of AMOLEDs is intended to satisfy the requirements for a helmet-mounted display on soldiers of today under all battlefield conditions. This technology should reduce the power and electronic complexity to provide a useful and viable display for the battlefield. A soldier needs a low power display that is capable of displaying sensor video, tactical data, and graphics. This program is intended to develop an analog display that will permit untethered imaging during extended missions with a dramatic reduction in power consumption over current units with 8-bit equivalent gray levels over the dimming range for day and night operations. This program will mature the low power analog drive development from Phase I through the IC design implementation phase and integrate the resulting chip into an AMOLED display structure. The product of this phase will be a tested and evaluated prototype AMOLED display and documentation appropriate for productionization in Phase III activities. BENEFITS:Low power high data content microdisplays for military and commercial applications using analog interfaces. The Army has identified the need for open standards based multimedia terminals that integrate voice, video and data to implement multimedia applications for battlefield environments. H.323 is expected to be one of the predominant terminal standards for implementing such applications over the Army's integrated services networks of the future. Two major technical challenges that must be addressed to enable the deployment of battlefield multimedia applications over such networks are: 1) the development of end-to-end security mechanisms for multimedia streams, including authentication and privacy (encryption), to support the requirements of multimedia applications from SBU through Top Secret levels; and 2) the development of mechanisms for bandwidth-efficient transport of real-time multimedia (video, audio, data) streams with predefined QoS requirements over the rt-VBR services of a bandwidth-constrained ATM backbone network. The Phase 1 SBIR effort successfully designed and established the feasibility of building network services, called SMARTS (Secure Multimedia over ATM Real-Time Services), to address these requirements. The Phase II effort will build a functioning prototype of SMARTS by embedding its functions within commercially available implementations of the H.323 protocol stack, Gatekeeper, and Gateway. This prototype implementation of SMARTS- enhanced H.323 software will then be transitioned into a commercial product during Phase III. BENEFITS: SMARTS-enhanced H.323 software products address the requirements of Army programs such as WIN-T. This software product can be integrated within the evolving WIN architecture to enable end-to-end security and bandwidth-efficient operation of multimedia application within WIN. Non-DoD users of SMARTS range from law enforcement agencies to banks. Development of an economical tunable high performance filter for high power RE' applications is particularly important for the elimination of cosite interference from clustered SINCGARS radio transmitters. Paratek's new low-loss voltage-tunable dielectrics made from ferroelectric materials offer an alternative to conventional diode varactor technology. Ferroelectrics show promise in superior RF power-handling capability, lower varactor power control requirements, and lower inter- modulation. Paratek proposes to design a multistage high performance pass band filter that will integrate with the SINCGARS radio system. The filter will consist of multi-stage inductor-capacitor (LC) units using specially designed varactors made from Paratek's new ferroelectric materials. As a proof of concept, high performance tunable filters will be constructed that function between 30 and 40 MHz. For Phase II, Paratek will work in conjuction with ITT to produce a tunable filter for the entire band of 30 to 88 MHz that can be integrated into SINCGARS. The result of these efforts will be (i) the construction of tunable filters with the background of design and materials data during Phase I (ii) the realization of a high-performance fully integrated mass-producible tunable filter for the elimination of cosite interference in SINCGARS radios during Phase II. BENEFITS: High performance tunable VHF/FM filters made with new, low loss ferroelectric materials will enable a host of new types of filters for a broad range of military and commercial uses. These materials will have several distinct economic and performance advantages over their diode counterparts. ALPHATECH proposes to design, implement, and demonstrate an Integrated Battlefield Visualization System (IBVS) that will use information fusion and cultural feature cross-cueing techniques to enhance warfighter situation awareness. IBVS will correlate and maintain multiple ground target tracks based on: cultural features (trafficability and hospitability), sensor reports (leveraging Multiple Hypothesis target Tracking (MHT) techniques), and kinematic models (relating target types to cultural features). ALPHATECH proposes to demonstrate this concept using simulated brigade-level tactical intelligence reports (e.g., Communications Intelligence (COMINT), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) (Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Electro Optic/Infra-red (EO/IR)), High Resolution Range (HRR), and Moving Target Indicator (MTI). The IBVS objective is to track and display these simulated targets in real time on a digital map. ALPHATECH's experience in tracking, information fusion, and product development minimizes overall program risk. We are / have been key contractors for efforts involving: multiple hypothesis tracking, force pattern analysis, force level aggregation, target kinematic models, human-computer interface design, and Global Command & Control System (GCCS) mission application development. Our role as researchers and developers for the Army, DARPA, and AFOSR will promote cross-fertilization of ideas, while minimizing potential duplication of effort. BENEFITS: Technology, developed under this SBIR effort, for fusing information from disparate sensors and integrating it with cultural feature databases to provide information dominance to the battlefield commander can be readily incorporated into U.S. military operational systems (e.g., ETRAC, CGS, CARS). Commercial applications include use by law enforcement agencies, traffic or transportation analysis, and creation of geographic information systems (GIS) to support the exploitation of natural resources. The requirement for automated, passive, stand-off detection, identification and quantification of materials is a common theme in many applications of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. Existing FTIR sensors such as the Block Engineering Model 100 and Model 500 are quite mature and have been demonstrated in hand held, land based, vehicle mounted, and airborne applications. While these sensors offer high sensitivity resulting in high quality spectra, reliable and consistent, automated detection and identification in realistic scenarios has not been adequately demonstrated. Corrupting influences including unknown, time varying backgrounds pose a particular challenge to stand-off chemical detection and identification. From previous endeavors, Applied Signal and Image Technology, Inc. (ASIT) has established itself as a leader in the community by developing and successfully applying a suite of algorithms, based on Orthogonal Subspace Projection (OSP), to remote sensing data in the visible, near infrared, and short wave infrared. Under the Phase I effort, ASIT has favorably demonstrated the applicability and utility of OSP technology to the chemical detection and identification problem using both laboratory and field collected mid-wave and long wave infrared data. Additionally, ASIT has begun development of a software package tailored to chemical detection using FTIR data. Under the Phase II effort, ASIT will develop a chemical detection and identification system composed of a small, special purpose processing engine connected directly with an FTIR sensor to allow real-time data collection and analysis. The software development effort will be expanded to provide system control, results display, as well as advanced Post collection analysis. BENEFITS: Under this Phase II effort, ASIT will concentrate on developing innovative spectral processing technologies and prototype demonstration of an automated chemical detection and identification system that addresses real-world problems. The resulting system could be used to provide an early warning capability for chemical/biological warfare and will also have applicability to industrial and natural resource monitoring. Xenotran proposes to design for the Army a Turbo codec from VHDL. This codec will implement this novel algorithm using the latest published coredecoder architectures. It will be designed for implementation in VHDL andsynthesis to an FPGA. Xenotran proposes specifically to 1) Build a working software simulation environment for Turbo Code applications, 2) Develop Turbo codec VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) code and integrate its simulation into the simulation environment, 3) Project the performance of the VHDL Turbo codec as it would be if implemented in a variety of commercial FPGAs. These performance measures will include: 1) the possible speed of the codec given the underlying technology, 2) the circuit capacity (FPGA logic blocks or VLSI size) required by the Turbo codec, 3) the Eb/N0 versus BER capabilities of the device, 4) the data latency of the encoder and decoder, 5) the synchronization circuit performance, and 6) the bursty error behavior. For comparison, results will be benchmarked against commercially available Viterbi codecs. BENEFIT: Turbo codec technology IS useful in a wide variety or communications applications including satellite communications, cellular voiceband communcations, and wireless data networking in military and commercial systems. A system of the nature described in this proposal will have a substantial market encompassing all branches of the military and the commercial market. Detailed CAD models of ground targets are currently used to predict images used in missile guidance systems. Images predicted from these models may not agree well with images of specific targets because of variations in target geometry and/or variability in target surface conditions. Model validation by comparison with measured reconnaisance images will reveal the existence of model errors and their location. CAD model updating can then be applied to improve the match of predicted images to those of specific targets. The proposed research will develop a software/hardware system for use in rapidly updating target CAD models from information derived from realtime reconnaisance photographs of potential targets. This system provides functions such as infrared image acquisition, CAD model rendering image preprocessing, edge detection, line feature extraction, automatic image registration, image match quality evaluation, image match error analysis, and CAD model updating. BENEFITS: The proposed research will provide the Government with a direct and efficient method of validating and updating complex CAD models used in target knowledge bases. It has commercial applications as a tool for general CAD model validation using photography. Automatic Target Recognition tasks using computer vision require accurate and complex three dimensional models. Constructing and maintaining these models from two dimensional image sequences is a time consuming and difficult task. Large amounts of geometrical data must be extracted and resolved to create a correct 3D model. The problems associated with finding a good model are exacerbated by changing battlefield conditions. In IR image sequences taken from the field, the vehicle facets have a characteristic brightness. This can change based on the veiwing angel, time of day, weather conditions, and vehicle state. These factors can alter the signature of a vehicle in the IR or visible spectrum. We are proposing to design and implement a powerful Dynamic Modelbase System that significantly reduces the human effort required to create 3D models from sequences of 2D images, and provides a method for storing this data into a maintainable database. We will use a number of image processing and vision algorithms developed in the Phase I effort at Cybernet. These algorithms will be used to assist the user population and maintenance of the target database. Rapid model construction for VR environments is especially valuable for both military and civilian simulation and game development. More immediatly, Cybernet will begin in-house use of this technology to create content for its OpenSkies simulation software. OpenSkies is one of the primary commercial avenues on which Cybernet is currently focused. This program seeks to design, develop, and fabricate a miniature pintle actuation and control (MPAC) system suitable for the control of pintle position on a tactical solid rocket motor (SRM) . Next-generation missile systems must be versatile, agile, and smart. In SPM's, this "smart" capability can be accomplished by varying pintle position during motor operation thereby changing the motor throat area causing thrust to vary by controlling motor pressure. Two pintle design elements are required. First is a miniature mechanical pintle, residing within the SRM chamber, that varies the nozzle throat area on command. Second, is a miniature electronic control system, providing closed-loop control of pintle position based on real-Time feedback of motor pressure. Phase II, will demonstrate the operation of the MPAC system via multiple pintle SRM tests using a "Modernized" Hellfire motor test-bed. Emphasis will be placed on hardware/electronics miniaturization. Six pintle SRM tests will be conducted in the program. Two tests will be conducted at Alliant/ABL, and three at AMCOM. Trade-Off studies between response time, size, and cost will ensure an economically feasible product. The addition of the lightweight, high performance, MPAC system further expands the multi-mission capabilities of the Hellfire missile. One of the most successful weapons in the U.S. defense arsenal. BENEFITS: The commercial applications for the technology To be advanced under this program's research are pertinent to a broad base of the aerospace community, both Government and commercial. This technology is also applicable to high-speed commercial throttle valves for liquid rocket, automotive engines, hot gas valves, and space thrusters. Based on our proven track record, Sonoma Design Group LLC (SDG) will design a miniaturized pintle actuator that will be low cost and highly producible in typical tactical missile quantities. The control system will allow rocket motor thrust to be controlled during flight and is comprised-of an actuator, a movable pintle, a pressure sensor and the guidance computer. The actuator includes the pintle actuator, with motor and reduction system, and the electronic popover driver. During Phase I SDG will develop an actuator unit cost goal in 1 it with production tactical missile cost requirements. Careful consideration for high reliability and system safety will be made throughout the design. SDG has formed a team of capable companies to carry the effort from design to production. This team includes SDG, Aerojet/Sacramento, and Versatron. SAG will lead the actuator miniaturi7atior! and cost reduction effort. During Phase I and II, SDG will perform the initial system and actuator design and fabrication, Aero jet and Versatron will supply proven components and technology. Upon completion of Phase II, our team will carry the pintle actuator system into production. SDG will work with Aerojet and Versatron during both SBIR Phases to assure a smooth transition into production. BENEFITS: This system will fill a general need for tactical missile systems for substantially improving the performance, range, and inner and outer boundaries for many existing tactical missiles. Potential exists for an upgrade to existing missile systems to allow increased performance without redevelopment programs. The general manufacturing and cost improvements which are expected during this SBIR will be applicable to a broad spectrum of industrial products such as machine taxis, aircraft systems and possibly automotive systems. The LCPK is a new Army guided missile program based on the venerable 2.75" unguided rocket. The semiactive, strapdown homing guidance scheme uses existing designators. A midbody bearinq de-spins the guidance section, making possible a very small, low cost I~U to be built using automotive grade HEMS rate sensors and accelerometers. We review our Phase I work of demonstrating the feasibility of this approach through system modeling and vibration testing currently available Candidate rate sensors to insure operation in a potentially severe flight environment. We submit a preliminary design of a "Flexible IMU" that can readily handle a variety of rate sensors, packaging constraints, and output requirements. BENEFITS: Everyone is excited about the eventual possibilities of HEMS. This project emphasizes the near term development of a low cost, low risk Inertial Measurement Unit based on COTS HEMS. Foster-Miller Inc. in this project proposes to develop new and innovative solutions to the packaging of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) utilized in highly parallel optical interconnections for communications within and between processor units. Packaging of these devices to date has suffered in several areas, principally cost, simplicity of alignment and immunity to shock and vibration. Our approach uses coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matched liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to provide low-cost assembly. This material will be combined with advanced heatsinking materials to provide highly reliable CTE matched VCSEL array packaging for parallel interconnect applications that is amenable to expansion to large arrays. BENEFITS: This development of cost-effective, and reliable packaging for free space, parallel optical interconnections will allow rapid expansion in the use of parallel processing in applications requiring compact processors as well as the development of compact, high throughput telecommunications switches. Mide is proposing to use Nitinol, a shape memory alloy, to instrument a parachute for measurement of the dynamic behavior of the parachute during inflation. The innovative approach, which utilizes the change in wire resistance as a function of strain (force) in the wire is robust and cheap. The system will be significantly more robust than an optical fiber system. The Nitinol wires will be plastically strained during inflation changing their resistance which will be measured by a portable data acquisition system based on Mide's portable data logger. Since the Nitinol wires can strain as much as 8% in the Martensitic phase, the measurement system will be impedance matched with the rigging lines and it will be able to withstand the high shock loads experienced by the parachute during inflation. The wires are also thin and bending them to small radii will allow normal packaging of the parachute. The system can be used over and over by restraining the wires through electrical heating. The Nitinol measurement system will provide the Army with an accurate cost effective, robust measurement system. In Phase I Mide will design the measurement system and validate it using bench-level and a 1/4-scale prototype. The initial the tests will be done under controlled laboratory conditions. Phase I will conclude with inflation tests that demonstrate the systems capability to measure representative canopy radial and hoop elongation forces. Phase II will demonstrate the capabilities of the Nitinol measurement system in full-scale airdrop tests using a full-size personnel canopy. BENEFITS: The ability to accurate measure the dynamic stresses under rapid deployment or impact loads in an application such as a parachute with a large area will benefit the design of future military and commercial parachutes, sails, drag-chutes, and rescue netting. During Phase I of the Energy Efficient Tentage with Reduced Thermal Signature, L'Garde has developed and demonstrated the feasibility of the cellular insulation concept. Requirements for the material have been researched and used in the development of the design. A thermal analysis was also conducted to refine the design. Materials were researched to meet these requirements and used in the manufacture of several prototypes. To quantify the insulative characteristics of the design, a prototype has been thermally tested to measure its insulative capabilities. This first generation design has achieved an R-value of 6.4, with a measured areal density of 28.3oz/yd2; other prototypes achieved areal densities as low as 1l.8oz/yd2. Packageability of the prototypes is excellent with packaging efficiencies near 1.0, i.e.; the packaged volume is little more than the actual membrane volumes. The cellular insulation concept is very competitive with other products. The cotton batting insulation design has an R-value of about 6 but is very bulky in packaged form. The thinner aluminized bubble pack insulation has an R-Value of 4 and a very low packaging efficiency. Even this first generation cellular insulation design has a higher R-value and far less packaged volume than these other methods. BENEFITS: The cellular insulation can reduce the ECI) capacity by at least a factor of 4 over uninsulated structures. The savings will equate to lowered energy requirements, lower equipment weight, greater mobility, and a greatly reduced thermal signature. All agencies and markets utilizing these structures will benefit tremendously. Eikos L.L.C. proposes the use of adjustable permeability electrostrictive membranes fabricated by sandwiching an elastomeric membrane of electroactive polymer (EAP) between two porous electrodes. This technology will provide the Army with a advanced barrier fabric for protection against toxic aerosols and biological agents in the Ions state while being highly permeable to water vapor in the off state. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the resulting electrostatic field provides a force normal to the membrane. For thin layers this force is sufficient to collapse the elastomeric membrane, thereby closing the pores. The magnitude of permeability for the resulting membrane can be adjusted electrically during use to control the passage or filtration of vapors. This membrane can be incorporated into protective clothing and/or shelters for protection against biological and chemical hazards, while allowing for the passage of water vapor. Eikos' specialty polymer fiber offers the best approach to a durable switchable membrane in clothing and shelter, that is comfortable, safe, and washable. The technology can also be applied as the basis for other electronic applications in textiles. Such electronic fabrics form the backbone for smart clothing: sophisticated wearable systems for protection, communication, detection, and onsite computer-aided analysis. BENEFITS: This adjustable membrane technology will find uses throughout the separations industry for vapor and liquid phase separation processes. Most membrane technologies have fixed transport characteristics, however this technology will not only perform many current tasks, but create entirely new application and provide competition for current products. The proposed innovation is a Combat Communications Network to mark and provide information about minefields and other hazardous. A new dual-use technology is used to create and communicate with Smart Warning Lights. The combat user, which can be a tank, other vehicle, soldier or aircraft, turns on the Smart Warning Light. The Smart Warning Light provides a visible signal to the combat user similar to current warning lights and also communicates mine position and other tactical information. The network uses frequency modulated visible lighting from the Smart Warning Light as the carrier medium for data. The data is loaded into the Smart Warning Light for subsequent use and then modulated light is processed by a Receiver operated by the combat user. The Phase I program demonstrated the Smart Warning Light and qualified visible light as a carrier of information. This Phase II proposal seeks funding to design, miniaturize and reduce production cost of the computer controlled Smart Warning Light and portable receiver. The Phase II devices will be validated by field trials. This is a FAST TRACK proposal. The matching funds will used to expand the capability of Talking Lights technology to allow combat users to communicate also with smart munitions. BENEFITS Commercial Products will be the Smart Warning Lights and the receiver. The technology can also be used to communicate with smart munitions. Other potential applications include assistive technology for visually disabled, hearing disabled and brain disabled users and intervehicular and intravehicular communication The proposed innovation is a communication network to transmit information to users in combat environment concerning the position of mines and other dangerous devices. The system uses an inexpensive light information transfer system to transmit information to a combat data display (CDD) for combat users. The network uses visible, infrared or ultraviolet lighting as the carrier medium. The CDD receives and displays text and graphics information including up to date maps of mines. This information is coordinated with OPS data. The system is remarkably inexpensive and robust because it requires no additional or special wiring other than that already typically used for lighting fixtures. The system varies the light output of the lighting fixtures to transmit data at a rate so rapid there is no perceptible flicker. This information could include warning or status reports, technical specifications and instructions, geographical maps with individual perimeter or safe lane markings, telemetry from remote sensors, or any other information that could be transmitted over a conventional wired or radio network. Combat security is maintained because only friendly users will have the key necessary to decrypt the transmitted information. BENEFITS: Commercial products will be the light transmission and the Combat Data Device. In addition to military uses, there will be uses for hearing handicapped users, paging in buildings, museums, hospitals and other such areas. A program is proposed to demonstrates a low cost material, design and manufacturing method for the elastomer-encapsulated, laterally-confined ceramic armor component to limit lateral damage, to increase ballistic efficiency, and to allow multiple impacts without ballistic performance degradation. The armor component is an integrated package, containing a continuous elastomer phase around segmented, laterally-confined ceramic tiles. The proposed program is based on Ceradyne's extensive development in the armor system design and manufacturing. The elastomer is used (1) to attenuate the shock waves, and (2) to accommodate the lateral displacement during the ceramic fracturing, for reducing the damage in the adjacent ceramic tiles. The confinement on the segmented ceramic tiles is introduced (1) to increase the compressive strength of the comminuted fragments, and (2) to increase the friction between the projectile and the fragmented rabbles, for achieving the maximum ballistic efficiency. A ballistic testing methodology will be designed to quantitatively evaluate the ballistic efficiency as well as the single- and multiple-hit performance. A partnership with a commercial tire/elastomer manufacture will be established to reduce the manufacturing cost in the elastomer encapsulation process. A preliminary data base will be established for use in designing a program to fabricate and optimize armor system with multiple hit capability. BENEFITS: Large scale of the elastomer-encapsulated and laterally-confined armor packages will provide the Army a new type of armor components for stand-off armor, vehicle skirt armor, hard-face armor component and light-weight armor systems, especially in the multiple hit conditions. Ceramic lined exhaust and intake ports are critical to the goals of the next generation of high output military diesel engines because of the following benefits: i) increased engine efficiency due to the containment of exhaust gases at higher temperatures, ii) reduction of the burden on the cooling system, and iii) increased life expectancy of the cylinder head and other engine parts. Low thermal expansion NZP ceramics are choice candidates for this application because of their low conductivity, superior thermal shock resistance and their low elastic modulus. For commercial viability, the ceramic lined composite ports should be amenable to routine fabrication using processes such as metal casting. The high resistance to thermal shock of NZP is a big advantage in metal casting, however, mismatch of thermal expansions between the metal and NZP ceramic leads to failure-causing shrinkage stresses after complete cooling of the system. LoTEC, Inc. proposes to develop a commercially-viable technology involving NZP ceramic-lined exhaust and intake ports for advanced diesel engines. For routine fabrication using metal casting and reliability in application, the development and optimization process will be linked to several iterations of experimentation and engineering analysis. Engineering analysis will consist of finite element analysis of (a) cooling shrinkage stresses in complex shaped castings and (b) heat transfer analysis to assess temperature gradient profiles and gradient stresses at the instant of casting. BENEFITS: Although the primary application that results from this technology would be intake and exhaust manifold insulation for high performance diesel engines, other prospective applications such as cylinder liners, piston caps, etc. also exist. The use of NZP based insulations in the diesel engine will lead to cost savings in millions of dollars resulting from improved efficiency, simplified cooling systems, and longer life of certain engine components. This research effort will develop an innovative instrument and method to monitor, and manage and control fouling and cleaning of spiral wound reverse osmosis filter elements. The developed fouling meter will determine both the extent and type of fouling (i.e., biofouling, scaling, silting, etc.), and provide real-time data to an operator on the condition of the water purification unit. In addition, the fouling meter would be used as a tool for the evaluation of the effectiveness of pretreatments for the minimization or reduction of fouling, to provide data for improved analysis of the fouling process to enable more effective fouling reduction strategies to be developed, and as a tool to select the most suitable cleaning protocol for particular types of fouling. The fouling meter would be a new and invaluable tool for the investigation of the mechanisms and effectiveness of both current and new cleaning treatments. In Phase I, the design of the fouling meter will be completed, the bench-scale unit will be built, the fouling meter will be evaluated, and will be demonstrated using a pilot scale water treatment unit. The developed fouling meter will have a profound impact on the Army's ability to purify water in the field. BENEFITS: The fouling meter will have a significant effect on separation processes in the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutic, semi-conductor, food and beverage industries. The cost of separation can represent as much as 80% of the total processing cost. The ability to monitor both the filtering and cleaning processes will reduce these costs. Once a cultural or archaeological resource site has been identified, it must be assessed in order to determine its significance and eligibility for National Registry of Historic Places (Executive Order 11593). Current methods for this assessment involve scattered small-scale digs at the site, which are expensive and imprecise. Currently, there are no reliable, non-invasive methods for determining the number of buried artifacts, or their characteristics. The objective of the proposed Phase II research program is to develop an acoustic imaging system capable of detecting and imaging subsurface cultural artifacts. In the Phase I program, we demonstrated the potential of low frequency (1 kHz to 6 kHZ) sound to image buried targets in soil. Using improved sensors and synthetic aperture image processing methods we reconstructed images of buried metallic and non-metallic test objects. In Phase II we come to grips with the practical problems associated with adapting this technology for application in field inspection conditions. BENEFITS: Pavement inspection, tunnel inspection, location of underground pipes & cables, commercial archeological assessment, and detection of unexploded ordinance. Data Fusion Corporation (DFC) proposes to develop HYPERTOOLS, a software tool that can be used for Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), TERrain CATagorizati (TERCAT) and ANomaly DEtection (ANDE) in hyperspectral imagery. DFC has shown that a new approach called Mixture Tuned Matched Subspace Filtering (MTMSF) achieves excellent separation of signatures even in instances when only only some components of the background are known. DFC will complete the analysis, design, and implementation of MTMSF, TERCAT, and ANDE, as well as an analysis tool that can be used to determine the fundamental limits of material separation given a particular sensor output. DFC will demonstrate the feasibility of a high-speed hyperspectral data processing architecture that uses HYPERTOOLS with a limited set of functions running on a DSP board hosted on a PC. Since hardware can become obsolete very quickly, this port to a DSP board will be such that HYPERTOOLS can run with or without the board. BENEFITS: Data Fusion Corporation intends to develop a software package for hyspectral exploitation: HYPERTOOL. This tool will be applicable for remote sensing, terrain categorization, environmental monitoring, and anomaly detection. This project is to develop new cools for the automated update and validation of legacy geographic information system (GIS) vector datasets. These tools permit legacy vector map data to be efficiently refined by verifying their internal logical consistency and by improving the process in which they can be registered to more accurate image sources. Automatic validation of vector maps is accomplished by applying a set of logical consistency rules written in a rule-based language to query and modify the data. Automated registration of a vector map to an image is performed in the image domain, using image pattern matching techniques, and in the vector-domain, using an innovative raster-to-vector conversion process that takes advantage of ESEA's conflation algorithms to utilize legacy vector data. A flexible object-oriented vector database is used to adjust non-visible map elements, such as political boundaries, to maintain their consistency with visible elements. Phase I provides a conceptual design of the complete tool set. The tools developed in the project will significantly enhance capability for updating legacy map data to the accuracy standards required for the current and future GIS needs of the United States armed forces. BENEFITS: As both government and commercial organizations update geospatial datasets with data from multiple sources and of different types, automated tools are necessary for map updating and map quality assurance. This need creates a market demand for tools that (1) automatically align vector feature data to imagery data and (2) verify internal map consistency consistency. Surfaces which can be actively adjusted to provide color matching with a changing background would be extremely valuable for real time control of surface optical properties required in future Army scenarios. In this regard, electrochromic materials have been demonstrated which exhibit deep modulation over a broad region of the electromagnetic spectrum. We propose here a new concept in electrochromic coating for producing uniform, flexible, long cycle life, environmentally robust electrochromic cells for surface application. The innovation is based on using multicolor polymeric materials for the components of the "charge balanced" all-polymer electrochromic cell elements and arrays. Phase I was successful in demonstrating several novel electrochromic polymers with exceptional coloration efficiency and extended cycle life as well as electrochromic "pixel cells" exhibiting two dimensional control of visible light reflectance. Operating these cells as electrochromic windows in series provides access to a broad surface of color space. Phase II seeks to employ the molecular design strategies of Phase I to prepare electrochromic polymers allowing active control of complementary color reflectance, and incorporating them into three color conformal arrays of individually controlled pixels. Pattern matching with different colored backgrounds will be achieved using electronic imaging and feedback control systems. Physical Sciences Inc. proposes to develop a system of variable color electrochromic (EC) devices and sensors for actively sensing the background environment of an object and adjusting its reflectivity in visible wavelengths to minimize its contrast with the environment. The LEOPARD(tm) (Light Electro-Optical Active Reflectivity Device) technology is a system comprising a large number of panels covering the surface of the object, with each panel comprising a number of electrochromic devices, and a high resolution color CCD camera(s). Our design will incorporate a distributed architecture with microcontroller intelligence at the panel level. For electrochromic devices with variable reflectance over visible wavelengths, we propose to use conductive polymers. Such devices can be fabricated as mechanically rugged, thin films on flexible kapton substrates, they can withstand a wide temperature range, and can be manufactured at low cost. In Phase I, we will construct several electrochromic devices of various color ranges and demonstrate the proof-of principle of real time control of color of an EC device as the video camera views different target colors. In Phase I Option, we will develop a preliminary design and breadboard a multi-device panel, and conduct preliminary environmental testing to select conductive polymers for Phase II developments. BENEFITS: The military market is a clear near-term opportunity for commercial applications of the LEOPARD technology, but a variety of extremely large consumer applications will ensue as the technology matures and prices are driven down through increased volume. The military market includes smart camouflage material appliques on fixed and mobile platforms: tanks, fighting vehicles, aircraft and uninhabited air vehicles, small boats, radar installations, missile batteries, and depots. A large market for consumer applications, estimated between $20B and $30B annual revenue, is the Electronically Programmable Billboard (EPB) for outdoor advertising. Other markets for the LEOPARD include programmable displays on buses, buildings, and stadiums. Development of a high performance electric powered portable dental unit is an important element of a strategy to improve the mobility, deployability, and effectiveness of the United States military mobile dental corps. Of prime importance are: lighter weight, smaller cube, and lower power consumption. This project will define the requirements for a portable unit, survey the marketplace for candidate light-weight, small cube, low power components, and build a prototype to demonstrate the feasibility and value of such a product. BENEFITS: There are thousands of people in remote areas of the world that could receive dental care with this type unit. This type unit would make it easier for dentists to provide care in: nursing homes, hospitals, homes, prisons, and other institutions. Building on its previous SBIR success, Eikos LLC has assembled a team of researchers that is the best qualified in the world to carry out a P. falciparum microarray fabrication project. This effort will incorporate Eikos's large sequence database and develop bioinformatics tools to enhance the utility of these microarrays. The Phase I program described in this proposal will lead to the fabrication of a resistance genotype micorarray. More importantly, it will establish procedures for rapid prototyping of falciparum microarrays which will be very important as more genomic data for Plasmodium species becomes known. The proposed Phase I effort will support the Phase II effort by reducing to practice the techniques needed to develop microarrays for malaria from genomic databases. BENEFITS: Malaria microarrays will enable the diagnosis and surveillance of drug resistant strains, protecting the international community at large. This technology also supports the development of antimalrial drugs which are needed across the Globe. Field detection of multiple biological agents based on rapid nucleic acid amplification is an anticipated goal of DOD We here propose development of a hand held battery operated microfluorimeter device for fluorescence based detect ion and quantitation of biological agent a after nucleic acid amplification. This device is beard on our patented technology of Acousto Optic Tunable Filters which permits rapid, specific, ultra-sensitive, and quantitative analysis of fluorescence light omission from the full range of fluorescence omission wavelengths. A prototype hand held device based on this robust technology and solid state electronics components will be made and tested during the course of this proposed research and development program. BENEFITS: There are universal applications for the proposed device with an estimated commercial diagnostic market size of $5 billion per year in the United States alone. Conducting Materials Corp. Proposes to support the antimalarial structure-based discovery efforts at Walter Reed Army Institure of Research, Division of Experimental Therapeutics. Specifically, serine hydroxymethyltransferase, an enzyme intimately linked to the metabolic functions of dihydrofolate reductase and thymidylate syntheses, will be targeted with a new generation of antimalarial agents. In Phase I, malarial SHMT will be cloned, sequenced, and expressed in bacteria. The functional enzyme will be purified for testing against potential antimalarial agents. The catalytic activity of the enzyme will be tested against some simple variation of substrates to get an approximation of the binding preferences of the malarial SHMT. At the same time, and RNA combinatorial library (SELEX) will be established to probe at and compare the active sites of host versus parasite metabolic enzymes. For proof of principle, the RNA combinatorial system will first be applied to drug-sensitive malarial DHFR since this protein is known to bind certain antifolate 1,000 times more tightly than the host enzyme. It is expected that the SELEX system will be able to identify RNA molecules that mimic the binding properties of drugs such as pyrimethamine. Phase II will design biased combinatorial libraries of small molecules.BENEFITS:Successful outcome of phase I&II will lead to anti-malarial drug development which will overcome the problem of drug resistant malarial parasites. Such a development, besides providing a great relief to nations which suffer from malarial infestations, will protect the visitors from other developed countries as well. Rickettsiae and ehrlichiae are obligately intracellular, arthropod-borne bacteria which are distributed either worldwide or in defined geographic areas. Several are human pathogens and may be a significant cause of acute febrile illness in endemic regions. Integrated Diagnostics currently distributes, on commercial and investigational bases, rapid dot ELISA dipstick (DS) diagnostic kits for detecting anti-rickettsial and ehrlichial antibodies. We propose to upgrade these devices by developing a more rapid, handheld format which requires only ambient temperatures for performance and reagent storage. Two formats, a modified DS and a lateral flow device, will be evaluated side by side. In Phase I, we will assess the performance of each device in detecting antibodies to one rickettsia, Orientia tsutsucamushi, and determine the feasibility of replacing lysed whole cell antigen with a recombinant O. tsutsunamushi antigen. Phase II will address incorporation of other (and multiple) rickettsial antigen specificities, production scale-up, and field testing. This work will result in a serological test better adapted to field situations and, like some of our current DS, capable of screening sera for a number of antibody specificities in a single test. BENEFITS: The improved devices will address the needs of domestic and foreign health agencies for simple, economical serosurveillance and confirming diagnosis. We sense a strong commercial interest in these, which will supplement DS lines marketed by INDX in the U.S. and abroad. The GeoSystem concept proposed by Sentar will provide the end user with an industry standard Web browser interface to critical map data using ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer 4.x. Using standard software component technology, Sentar will meet the requirement for an extensible, scalable client/server GeoSystem architecture. The bulk of relatively static map data will be stored locally, while client/server interaction provides for subscription-based server access to map updates, tactical information, and other time-critical information such as event data, alarms, and warning messages. A demonstration prototype of this concept will be built and tested using an end- to-end scenario simulation. Additionally, Sentar proposes to investigate fault-tolerant agents and XML-based Vector Markup Language as innovative technology areas that have potential for enhancing the effectivity of GeoSystem. The Sentar team's technical approach is to use the ActiveX Document Model component architecture to leverage the client users' knowledge and familiarity with the Internet Explorer Web browser. The server will utilize Active Server Pages (ASP) supported by Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), Microsoft Proxy Server, and Microsoft SQL Server to deliver a solution which provides an object-model which allows a user organization to extend both the server and client-sides with minimal effort. BENEFITS: The architecture proposed is an enabling technology that can greatly reduce the bandwidth and time delivering graphical information to users. The commercial appeal of the technology ranges from delivering weather maps to highway traffic information to stock market charts. One of the most difficult problems in decision support/decision analysis i~ real-time decision-making under uncertainty. The information age has vastly increased the number of data sources while at the same time compressing the time available for making decisions. Thus there is a greater risk that the commander (user) would make a wrong decision. In fact, assessing the risk involved in the decision-making process is an important component of decision support. A risk-based decision aid will use an efficient risk analysis process and a risk management process as two vital components. In the proposed work, we will focus on the risk analysis portion of this problem. While the proposed concepts are applicable to a wide variety of domains, we have chosen to focus on an emerging problem: information system security and information warfare (1W). Another feature missing from traditional decision support systems is the notion of interactivity with the human decision maker. Quantifying the risks involved into a single number is very convenient to the decision maker but is something that is rarely done in traditional risk analysis systems. Our proposed solution addresses this aspect of the problem squarely. BENEFITS: A software product/service for risk-based decision support aimed at information security applications is expected. Our Phase II proposal builds on the successful proof-of-concept in ORION's Phase I effort. The device employed is the IASD (Amtech Systems Division) Intellitagr 500 passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system. We demonstrated that we have a robust and reliable method of determining tag temperature in a complex RF environment. These characteristics are necessary in an application for the Crusader Mobile Howitzer where a tag would reside in each of the propellant canisters. Since the temperature affects the propellant performance, the parameter is used to calculate a more accurate firing solution. In Phase II, we will increase the sensitivity of the tag to temperature by measuring additional temperature sensitive parameters on the chip, increase the resolution of temperature readings, develop ruggedized packaging for the reader electronics, configure reader antennas to mount on the Crusader propellant loading system, create software compatible with the Crusader systems and participate in Crusader integration efforts. As a second priority, we will utilize the Intellitagr 500 battery powered tag (in late stages of development-scheduled for pre-production release in 3rd Quarter CY'99) or the equivalent modified for externally connected circuitry to attach sensors for parametric measurements of interest to the U.S Army. BENEFITS: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is normally used for such applications as inventory and access control. Measurement of parameters with embedded passive tags (for temperature, as discussed) or battery-powered tags (virtually any parameter using low-power sensors) can be made in items of material through which the RF will propagate. The objective of this project is to develop a small, low cost MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) sensor combined with a wireless transceiver for monitoring and recording the internal environmental conditions of a material within which the sensor-transceiver is embedded. MEMS technology will be used to realize a highly stable temperature dependent capacitance which will be used by the embedded transmitter to relay temperature data to an external receiver. A passive transceiver will be initially developed which will derive its power from energy received from an external interrogator. It will then be shown how to extend the capability of sensor transceiver to include the provision of recording and storing simple data strings as well as sensing pressure and humidity. BENEFITS: This effort shall result in a prototype of a highly stable ultra compact environmental sensor for use in applications that require remote monitoring of the internal temperature of objects. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to investigate and develop a novel approach for a MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) based fiber optic grating sensor (FOGS) to improve weapon stabilization and fire control. This POC concept will overwrite two gratings with wavelengths of 1300 nm and 1550 nm onto a polarization-preserving optical fiber. Based on the reflected optical signal from the FOGS, three-axis strain and temperature can be detected and identified. A MEMS diaphragm will be fabricated and integrated in order to improve the sensitivity of this dual overwritten gratings fiber sensor. POC's sensor system will provide highly accurate data about three-axis strain and temperature, and also pressure and vibration. The combined multifunctional MEMS and FOGS will be cost-effective, quick, very rugged for harsh environmental conditions, compact, and highly sensitive. An entirely new set of equations and algorithms will be formulated for solving unknowns, and a user-friendly computer software interface will be developed. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach via advanced computer simulations. In Phase II, a viable prototype with user-friendly software will be provided. BENEFITS: This project will provide a compact, highly sensitive, extremely rugged, cost effective, MEMS-based Fiber optic grating sensor system, together with a novel data acquisition and analysis system that can be used for smart skin sensing, multi-sensor integration, and other industrial controls. Materiel handling is critical to many enterprises, from military operations to shipboard loading. However, materiel handling is time-consuming and expensive, primarily because it requires extensive human labor. When working with hazardous environments or materials, the expense increases dramatically. Today's automated handling systems must be teleoperated-painstakingly controlled remotely by an active human operator. Teleoperated systems are slow, clumsy, and fundamentally expensive. The technology exists to build handling systems that can operate more automatically. Vision systems, robotics, motor control, force sensing, user interfaces, and even grasping are reasonably well understood and available components. However, integration remains an intractible problem. We propose to develop a materiel handling software system that will allow seamless integration of these diverse technologies. Our immediate goal will be to create a reusable framework and components for materiel handling that can be: Operated robustly and efficiently, Applied to many systems with differing hardware, and Utilized to complete many different tasks. The system will share control between the computer and the operator, allowing each to contribute to the operation. We will thus exploit the strengths of each member of the team: the human, s reasoning, and the computer's accuracy and automation of small motions. BENEFITS: If successful, this work will greatly accelerate the development of automated materiel handling. It will also be applicable to many other types of control systems, from industrial automation to remote equipment maintenance. RTI has the males and industry experience to successfully commercialize the product. The detection of surface or buried landmines is complicated by effects of occlusion due to overlying vegetation and confusion of the mine spectral response due to overlying obscurants. Such effects often cause mine detection systems that are strictly model-based to fail in field practice due to brittleness result-ing from lack of input coverage. Frontier Technology and University of Florida propose to ex-ploit successful DoD-sponsored research and development of algo-rithms and software for land and sea mine detection (DARPA, AFRL, USMC/SMDG, COBRA, and Magic Lantern programs) to develop an enhanced mine detection system. The proposed system would detect statistical differences between spectral bands in a mul-tispectral or hyperspectral image, as well as spatial variance of intensity within- and between-band. This approach features a bank of computationally efficient ATR filters whose outputs are combined by an efficient data fusion module into an estimate of target probability at a given location and, where possible, an estimate of target identity. FTI proposes to combine proven algorithms within it's Tabular Nearest Neighbor Encoding paradigm that has been highly success-ful in detecting small targets imagery and other signatures to produce a landmine ATR system with improved Pd and Rfa, useful in a wide variety of military and commercial applications. BENEFITS: Sensor hardware and processing configurations will undergo demonstration and testing in a realistic field environment. The Army can provide test sites that meet typical testing and data collection needs that include field emplacement of realistic targets. Techniques developed under this topic are applicable to both military countermine needs as well as humanitarian demining needs. The commercial aspects of humanitarian demining are considerable. Other applications include detection of buried pipes (utility industry), buried caches, and archeological expeditions. MetroLaser has demonstrated the feasibility of expediting the measurement of surface In this Phase I effort, Integrity Systems will develop and evaluate a prototype Distributed Control Evaluation System (DCES) for multi-platform military applications. This system will embody a general-purpose evaluation methodology in the form of a testbed designed to simulate the essential features of the battlefield environment, navigation and track sensors, and target-tracking and sensor-control algorithms. The Phase I effort will review and characterize the features of distributed and conventional control methods for managing resources across multiple cooperating platforms in a battlespace environment. It will also review and compile useful metrics for measuring the effectiveness of such methods. It will then develop a prototype testbed (the DCES) for evaluating multi-platform resource management methods within a common framework. The prototype DCES will be relatively general-purpose, with a modular design that can be further generalized in Phase II, and readily adapted to new problems when necessary. The prototype DCES will be demonstrated for a selected sample problem designed to illustrate its evaluation capabilities. At its conclusion, the Phase I effort will provide recommended extensions of the prototype DCES design. The subsequent Phase II effort will implement extensions of the prototype DCES to generalize its applicability to a wider range of problems and control methods. The distributed control evaluation system (DCES) developed here will be a general-purpose, customizable tool that can be used by the DoD and its contractors to evaluate sensor management and resource scheduling methods for multi-platform military applications. It will also be adaptable for use by industry in process-control applications involving both distributed and conventional control schemes. It has the further potential to be adapted for use in university control-system courses. ALPHATECH proposes to develop tools for evaluating distributed systems for multi-platform, multi-sensor management that extend computational and algorithmic methods of control and estimation theory to heterogeneous distributed sensor systems where task coordination is achieved via a hierarchical information exchange. We will accomplish this by first formulating the multi-platform, multi-sensor management problem as a control problem wherein sensor resources are allocated to sensor coverage service requests in a collaborative environment of information exchange and distributed processing. From this framework, we will develop control theoretic extensions that permit efficient evaluation of distributed system performance through efficient simulation analysis. Implementation of the methodology will provide control system developers with a software toolkit for evaluating distributed systems in militarily important scenarios. Increasing use of airborne standoff sensors by military has enabled new commercial spinoff applications in land use and site surveying. Distributed control of sensor networks has many applications in industrial and commercial areas. Many such applications involve ad hoc connections of sensors. Computer networks can now enable much more flexible connectivity for control. ALPHATECH will develop software tools to support sensor network control monitoring and performance evaluation. SMI proposes to investigate the feasibility of producing a robust multi-channel telemetry system for use in hostile environments. The electronics package will be designed for the measurement of sensors for temperature, pressure, strain or stress, and vibration with a modular design to accommodate the different gain configurations required for the task. A surface mount prototype will be constructed for the multi-channel front end electronics, data acquisition at 16 bit resolution, and output circuitry for a serial output to the transmission link. High temperature micro-electronics technology can be implemented in phase II to reduce size to a .5" cube or less and using advanced military electronics construction techniques to make the device 50K g shock survivable. The data link considered in the primary investigation will be optical in nature to avoid electrical interference and reduce cost and power consumption. Emerging RF technologies will also be studied in this Phase I effort. A self contained miniaturized data telemetry system of this size has numerous applications for both government and commercial applications. In addition to turbine engine testing, similar extreme environments are encountered in manufacturing processes which utilized high speed rotating components such as manufacturing machinery, hydrocarbon fueled engines, and space environment equipment. This Air Force Phase I SBIR program would demonstrate the feasibility of ink jet print electrostatic self-assembly (ESA) processes for the low-cost fabrication of flexible photovoltaic arrays directly on polyimide substrates. ESA processing involves the coating of substrate materials by the alternate adsorption of anionic and cationic complexes of polymers, metallic nanoclusters and other molecules from water-based solutions at room temperature and pressure. By controlling the molecules deposited in each monolayer of the resulting multilayer thin film, optoelectronic devices with high efficiency may be formed. Specifically, photon-to-electron conversion with high quantum efficiency can be achieved in layer-by-layer polymer dye/nanocrystalline semiconductor films, due to the high effective inter-particle surface contact area at the molecular level, and by using metal nanocluster/poly-dye multilayers to enhance optical absorbance. NanoSonic's recent work in this area, in cooperation with a large U.S. aerospace contractor, has demonstrated such high quantum efficiencies in ESA-fabricated devices, and the ability to form such functional thin films as coatings on mechanically flexible substrates. During Phase I, NanoSonic would work with that company to demonstrate the ability to reproducibly form deployable photovoltaic arrays on polyimide substrate materials, and investigate methods to improve quantum efficiency, fabricate electrode interconnections and implement effective device packaging.Photovoltaic arrays that may be integrated directly with space qualified materials offer unique opportunities for electrical power generation for both military and commercial applications. Easily-deployed power generating materials would reduce the need for batteries and for separate mechanically rigid solar cell arrays in space-based and terrestrial portable and mobile platforms. Low-cost processing methods such as ink jet print self-assembly at room temperature would allow cost-effective power generation. For aircraft /store compatibility, a comprehensive software system requested by the Air Force for rapid assessment of flutter and ejection loads (RAFEL) poses challenging requirements. With ZAERO aeroelastic software as a base, ZONA can establish a RAFEL system satisfying all AF's requirements. Specifically, ZONA will develop RAFEL in Phase I with: a) solution accuracy with flutter solution robustness via ZONA's g-method, high-fidelity ZONA aerodynamic wing-body modeling, extended flutter/unsteady aerodynamic range covering subsonic/transonic and supersonic Mach numbers; b) computation efficiency for massive store/aircraft combinations; and c) rapid selection of critical cases of flutter, ASE instability, LCO and ejection loads. RAFEL program architecture contains three subsystems: i) unified aerodynamic influence coefficients (UAIC) matrix system of ZAERO to substantially reduce repetitive computing effort; ii) massive store management (MSM) system for effective data management of UAIC assembly; iii) a data mining system for rapid screening MSM data and selection of all critical cases. Selected test cases for RAFEL validation include three distinctive F-16/store cases in transonic flight. ZONA is committed to work closely with AF in Phase II to achieve a fully integrated RAFEL system in a distributed computing environment with added capability in flutter-mode tracking, optimum store-release scheduling, minimized ejection loads and a GUI system.ZONA envisions that the fully integrated RAFEL system will be a unique product for aircraft compatibility analysis surpassing all existing engineering tools. We propose to develop a compact lidar for remote measurement and mapping of toxic chemicals (including the carcenogens benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, formaldehyde, TCDD, etc) released during the open-burn or detonation of hazardous propellents, munitions and pyrotechnics (PEP). The innovative two-component scanning lidar consists of a near-infrared aerosol lidar for locating and tracking the plume generated during the event, and a tunable CO2 infrared differential absorption lidar (DIAL) for measuring the toxic chemicals. A compact portable sensor results from integrating the two lidars and sharing the same 11" diameter transmitter/receiver telescope. For aerosol detection 10km maximum range, resolution of 15m, sensitivities of 1000ppl at 2km range are expected. For chemical measurement 100ppb of benzene at 2km with good range resolution, 20ppb for 1.5km path are expected. Raster scanning in azimuthal (¤30?) and zenith (¤10?) directions provides a complete three dimensional measurement of the aerosol and chemical distribution in <3 minutes. The two-component lidar will be housed in a self-powered enclosure with autonomous capability for a single person operation and real-time analysis and display. Phase I effort will include: lidar performance simulations, experimental demonstration and characterization, and system design. In Phase II a prototype lidar sensor will be fabricated and tested.Applications anticipated are: a low cost, rugged, remote sensing system for monitoring industrial pollution, emissions from utilities, clandestine chemical laboratories, chemical warfare agent detection, etc. The system can be modified for measurements of atmospheric parameters for meteorological and climate studies. Single-chip MMICs that perform all RF front-end functions of FM-CW radars are used as proximity sensors in the new generation of fuzes in artillery and mortar munitions. To extend this technology to proximity fuses in small to medium caliber munitions and sub-munitions, it is now necessary to develop novel techniques for lower power consumption and further miniaturization by expansion of scale of integration combining RF and signal processing circuits. This proposal describes Hittite's approach to develop a highly integrated chip for the low-power ultra-miniature proximity fuses. The proposed approach is based on Hittite's unique circuit techniques and newly emerging silicon and gallium-arsenide semiconductor processes. The new processes allow operation of silicon MMICs at higher frequencies and integration of signal processing circuits in GaAs, showing a promise of highly integrated multi-function mixed-signal ICs. The proposed program will lead to definition of optimum scale of integration, selection of the optimum process, and demonstration of the feasibility of the low-power ultra-miniature fuses. BENEFITS: Products to be derived from the proposed program are integrated sensors for proximity sensing, object detection, range sensing, etc. Commercial applications of those sensors include: vehicular sensors for approach control, blind-zone sensing, crash sensing, etc., area access control, liquid level control, traffic control, etc. The JJW Consulting/AIL Systems Inc. team proposes the development of a Ka-Band 4 x 20 Crossbar Switch with low insertion loss (< 0 2dB) and high isolation (>30dB). The crossbar switch incorporates innovative photonic techniques that result in rapid switching (< 1 ms), low power dissipation (< 10 watts-maximum) and is relatively inexpensive. The proposed design can switch any of the inputs to any of the outputs simultaneously. The bandwidth of the Ka-Band switch is 4 GHz minimum. The number of ports on the switch can be expanded beyond the 4 x 20 design as proposed. The innovative design can also be extended in frequency to at least W-Band. BENEFITS: Due to its low cost potential, development and application of systems using multi-beam electronic scanning techniques for point-to-point communication and shared apertures becomes affordable. In addition, commercial applications such as satellite communications, rf testing, multi-beam radars for airport control, cellular communications also becomes feasible and affordable. To support the Army Research Laboratory development of a high-power continuous wave laser radar, Physical Optics Corporation, in cooperation with Quantum Phonics, Inc., proposes the development of its highly innovative light delivery system. This system includes a nonimaging beam combined with a collimator and high power semiconductor laser at X = 1.55 with exceptional beam quality. The proposed system will produce a powerful collimated beam with a divergence of 0.5 mrad from a small volume, small aperture optical assembly that will be rugged and stable in harsh battle field conditions. The proposed project includes the development of large area, tapered semiconductor lasers for generating multi-watts of diffraction- limited optical power with high electrical-to-optical power conversion efficiency. It also includes the design, fabrication, and assembly of the innovative elements of the light delivery system. All of the proposed elements will be suitable for mass production, so that the developed system can be replicated for various military and commercial applications. BENEFITS: The proposed high efficiency beam combiner is suitable for many military and civilian uses. Commercial applications uses include ladars and illumination systems for atmospheric measurements, collision avoidance systems, and terrain mapping. In Phase I of the proposed program the term of ADMA Products Inc. Twinsburg, OH and the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID demonstrated the ability to produce low cost Ti-6A1-4V powder and are now evaluating plate produced via a powder metallurgy approach. Seven potentially low cost powder types were evaluated. (1) crushed Ti-6A1-4V machine turnings which were crushed after hydrogenation (2) crushed CP titanium turnings which were also crushed after hydrogenation, (3) Ti-6A1-4V powder produced by POLAD, Russia by direct reduction of TiO2 by CaH2, (4) powder produced from titanium sponge fines by hydrogenation-dehydrogenation (HDH) process, (5) PREP powder produced by Star Tech Metals. (6) titanium swarfs and (7) powder produced by a mechanochemical displacement reaction induced by mechanical alloying. Three of these powders were produced and evaluated at no cost to the program. Plates are being fabricated using a low-cost loose powder sintering approach. In some cases using the thermohydrogen processing approach to enhance processability and refine the final microstructure. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the plates will be determined. In the Phase I option, oxygen levels and microstructure of plates will be varied and mechanical properties of the fabricated plates will be evaluated. All of this information will be available at the time of initiation of the phase II program. In Phase II the optimum approaches from Phases I and the Phase I option will be scaled up and components tentatively selected as the Crusader Recuperator Mechanism Sleeve and Recoil Tube Sleeve plus the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Hatch, and a number of components from an internal combustion engine (valves and connecting rods) will be fabricated. In addition. plates suitable for ballistic testing will be supplied to the Army for evaluation. The overall goal of Th is Phase II project is to produce a prototype lossless Er-doped integrated optical I x N beamsplitter, which would be valuable in increasing the efficiency of telecommunications links, as well as in reducing the cost of long distance communication Systems. In Phase I, we have demonstrated unique Er-doped waveguide pumping schemes which clearly establish the feasibility of producing Er-doped lossless beamsplitters. Based on the success of these Phase l efforts, in Phase II, we intend to fabricate a working prototype Er-doped lossless splitter. Such a device offers a number of advantages in terms of compactness, power efficiency, scalability, and low-noise amplification. In the Phase II development, we will address many important optical and mechanical engineering issues such as optical characterization of ASE and other noise sources, as well as device response to thermal effects, important when using a diode laser source The Phase II effort will also include marketing the lossless Er-doped splitter to the telecommunications industry, and for use in optical computing, networking, optical control, and in increasing the sensitivity of integrated optical sensors, particularly those used in inertial navigation. BENEFITS: The lossless Er-doped splitter to be prototyped in this program has extensive applications to the telecommunications industry, and for use in optical computing, networking, optical control, and in increasing the sensitivity of integrated optical sensors used in inertial navigation. The US army seeks to develop realistic headforms with integrated sensors to reliably evaluate contact pressure distribution between the head/face and various types of head mounted protective equipment. The required sensing system range is 350 g/cm2 with a sensitivity of I to 5 g/cm2 in the 0-20 gm/cm2 range. Headforms must have realistic tissue properties so as to deform under load similar to real facial tissue. The surface must have a coefficient of friction similar to human skin. The headform should have provisions for a breathing simulator to support testing of respirator masks. This proposal describes a complete system that meets the Army's requirements and provides a practical engineering tool to evaluate the design of head mounted protective equipment. VS! has evaluated several force sensing technologies and has identified the most suitable technology for the successful development of reliable quantitative pressure sensing headforms. This proposal presents a comprehensive Phase II program that flirther develops the initial design concepts from the Phase I program and creates 4 working headforms for evaluating fit and comfort of military and commercial head mounted equipment. Core technologies developed under this program have numerous applications in commercial sectors that require either sub-miniature force sensors or accurate pressure sensing arrays. BENEFITS: The technology developed under this program will not only reduce the time and cost associated with fitting and modification of existing protective masks, but will provide an invaluable tool for the design of future protective equipment for both military and commercial use. Commercialization from the ability to quantitatively evaluate contact pressure to characterize and optimize pressure distribution tissue surfaces. Exposure to poisonous gas or biological agents is a real threat for US soldiers. Therefore it's imperative that they have adequate protection against these and other agents. Gas masks can provide this protection, but only if they produce pressures high enough to effectively seal against the face, but not so high as to produce a level of discomfort that discourages their use. In this Phase I project, Bonneville Scientific, Inc. will establish the feasibility of the proposed sensor construction and installation techniques suitable for covering a human-like headform worth arrays or robust, yet sensitive force/pressure sensors. These arrays will use BSIs ultrasonic pulse-echo ranging technology to achieve important advantages over other technologies, such as resistive-in-based sensors. Part or Phase I will be to identify potential techniques for calibrating the Phase II head pressure analysis software. In the Phase I Option period, BSI will settleseveral key issues in order to allow a smooth transition into the Phase II construction of the head pressure analysis system.BENEFITS: The proposed robust head pressure analysis system will aid the Army in developing effective, more comfortable head-mounted individual protective equipment. Commercial applications will include measuring pressures produced by ski goggles, helmet - headset earcups, helmet suspensions, and dynamictesting of crash helmets in order to improve the effectiveness and comfort of these devices. Triton Systems proposes a Phase 11 effort to carry out a component level development of an innovative nanotechnology that will create novel transparent nanocomposites for US Army's lightweight transparent armor applications as well as a large number of commercial applications. The successful Phase I effort has created unique nanocomposite materials that provide a combination of extremely high abrasion resistance, high optical transparency, ballistic impact strength, as well as chemical and flame-resistance. The Phase II effort will further develop, optimize and scale up these revolutionary materials, and use versatile, cost-effective techniques to fabricate transparent light-weight structure components. These unique nanocomposite materials will serve numerous applications of the US Army as well as commercial markets, viz., aircraft windows, helicopter canopies, vision block for vehicles, safety goggles and face shields for soldiers, architectural glazings, lenses, public transit windows etc. The proposed effort will develop a key enabling technology that will help ensure US Army supremacy in future land warfare. It will help the Army in leveraging a unique technological opportunity to achieve new levels of effectiveness as the land component member of the joint war-fighting team as envisioned by Army Vision 2010. BENEFITS: This successful Phase II will develop an enabling technology that will benefit many military and commercial applications including helicopter Canopies, aircraft windows, architectural and security glazings, goggles and face-shield5 for soldier and chemical laboratory personnel, as well as smart materials systems. The CMC material systems with SOA, performance use Nicalon To fiber and a silicon carbide, SiC, matrix made using CVD or preceramic polymers. The acceptance of these approaches have met a great deal of resistance due to the high cost of the raw materials and processing. Amercom/Synterials has recently been working on a unique approach to a low cost SiC/CMC material by attacking the problem on the matrix materials, preforming and matrix processing fronts. The new Arnercom/Synterials approach utilizes a fugitive material as a transfer agent to carry one of the matrix constituent elements to the other where it will react and form SiC, the desired matrix. Moderate temperature, ambient pressure and controlled atmosphere are all that is required to process the matrix material. Standard PMC lay up or filament winding processes can be used to produce the net shape reinforcement preform. This process uses low cost commercial materials and does not require expensive precursor chemicals, sophisticated low pressure processing apparatus or handling of corrosive and hazardous gases. The SynSiC matrix placement process and its raw materials offer potentially a very low cost path to a SiC matrix for CMC materials. BENEFITS: Develop a low cost Silicon Carbide matrix for high temperature oxidizing environment structural ceramic gas turbine engine components. Visidyne proposes to design and deliver an airworthy optical and inertial hybrid helmet-tracking system for use in a helicopter cockpit. This hybrid system will integrate two patented technologies, the commercially available InterSense lnertiaCubeT inertial sensor and Visidyne's optical range sensor MicroTracker to provide six-degree-of-freedom head tracking within a moving vehicle. These mature technologies will be merged in an innovative hybrid system to yield a helmet-tracking system with capabilities far beyond any commercially available tracking system. BENEFITS: The technology we propose will provide precise six-degree-of--freedom helmet tracking using technologies that are mature and commercially viable. The technology has a high degree of commonality and may also be applied to telesurgery, telepresence, augmented and virtual reality, and indoor navigation. Phase I of this project has resulted in demonstrating the feasibility of developing software to predict distortion of heat treated components. An alpha version of DANTE (Distortion Analysis for Thermal Engineering) was developed to predict dimensional change, residual stresses, metallurgical phase distribution, phase volume fraction, and hardness for through-hardened and carburized steel parts. This software is based on the results of a collaborative project managed by NCMS. The technical underpinnings of DANTE include a multiphase internal state variable material model developed at Sandia National Laboratory and comprehensive phase transformation kinetics models for guenching developed at Colorado School of Mines. The user interface of the software is a customized version PATRAN that contains menus specific to heat-treating. The software produces finite element models to be solved using ABAQUS and user defined material subroutines UMAT, UMATHT and FILM. In Phase II, the software capability will be expanded to cover most commercial ferrous heat treat process steps, including press quenching. Material data, including Pyrowearr 531 will be added to the material database, a formal training program will be developed and implemented, new DANTE users will be added, Users Group activities will be expanded, and a commercialization strategy will be implemented. BENEFITS: This commercial software package will be used by heat treaters and designers to reduce costs associated with part distortion due to heat treatment, as well as to predict resulting part hardness and residual stress. Unanticipated distortion during the heat treatment of precision steel parts adds significant cost for both commercial and defense suppliers. A collaborative project managed by the National Center for Manufacturing sciences has resulted in the development of a multiphase internal state variable material model and comprehensive phase transformation kinetics models that accurately describe the mechanical and metallurgical response of steel alloys to carburization and immersion quench hardening processes. Other significant progress was made in process characterization and in describing heat transfer between the workplace and environment. This capability will be extended to include fixtured and press quenching. A commercial software tool to predict dimensional change, residual stresses, metallurgical phase distribution and volume fraction, and hardness of both through-hardened and carburized steel parts that have been heat-treated will be developed. The user interface of the software will be a customized version P3/PATRAN that contains dataforms specific to the heat treat industry. The software will produce finite element models to be solved using ABAQUS and it's user defined material subroutine capability. Included in this software development program is the specification of the material and process data required for simulation and the methods for determining these data. BENEFITS: The commercial application resulting from this project is a software tool to sell to heat treaters. The benefit to them is reduced process cost. It is clear that continuing to seek performance improvement using traditional digital design and implementation techniques will not provide the "next order of magnitude" improvement in DSP performance. Theseus Logic is commercializing a unique technology that will facilitate low power, system level IC design. NULL Convention Logic - is a new and fundamentally more expressive "language" for the design of digital circuits and systems. At the system level, NCL provides: Circuits which are inherently clockless, data driven, and effectively delay insensitive, Lower power operation, Reduced EMI, Guaranteed operation over a wide range of environmental conditions, Plug and Play system integration. Under Phase I SBIR to demonstrate the benefits of NCL for low power DSP processing, Theseus is delivering an asynchronous DSP testbed. This testbed integrates a combination of existing NC CMOS ASICs and NCL programmed Xilinx FPGAs into a demonstration system. The Phase II program will evolve the design of key processing blocks for a commercial NCL DSP product designed for sub one-volt power supply operation. These blocks will be fabricated in an appropriate CMOS technology, characterized for speed/power trade-off, and delivered to the Army. BENEFITS: NCL produces circuits and systems that are clockless, data driven and effectively delay insensitive. As a result of these features, they are extremely well suited to battery operated portable systems because power consumption is inherently matched to data rate. This both conserves battery life and provides improved reliability. Although many military platforms are installing navigation Systems with high quality imaging sensors and digital mapping products, there are inherent errors in the data from these different sources that limits their capability to provide a composite 4-D situational awareness perspective of the battlefield. The proposed NEOSIT application will provide the capability to integrate the QPS/inertial navigation data, sensor imagery and digital geographic data to enable estimation and correction of navigation errors, sensor errors and offsets in the digital geographic data from the common geospatial reference frame. This is achieved through a modular software architecture, to facilitate integration onto soldier, ground vehicle or airborne platforms, and an MLB approach to optimize error estimation. The MLE algorithm estimates the navigation, sensor and geographic data errors by observing the offset between features in the sensor imagery compared with their predicted location in that image. An automated capability for observing these pixel offsets is achieved by using image processing tools. The capabilities of the NEOSIT application to provide precision targeting data, correction of geographic data errors and automatic navigation updates will be demonstrated using different man-portable, ground vehicle and airborne CFE and GFB sensors and navigation equipment provided by our commercial and government sponsors. BENEFITS: The proposed system will provide an accurate and timely solution for fusing data from different sources of imagery in the battlefield. The NEOit technology will put sensors and databases into a single precise geospatial reference frame. The NEOSIT navigation capability will also provide a back-up in the absence of GPS data (e.g. from jamming or in urban operations). Commercial applications include GIS data collection, land vehicle and robotic navigation. MaxPower's Phase I program will develop new metal oxide anode materials with practical capacities> 500 mAh/g. The approach for this objective development of a Li-ion system containing a metal oxide anode which does not undergo significant irreversible losses during the first charging cycle. Task 1 involves R&D on anode materials starting with nanoscale sized pure Sn powders subjected to controlled levels of surface oxidation. This approach will minimize irreversible capacity losses by controlling the amount of li20 formed during the initial charging process. Task 2 involves R&D on Sn/Cu and Sn.Ni based alloys for anode materials in Li-ion cells. The objective of this approach is to eliminate the use of Sn oxide starting materials where all of the oxygen in the oxide is irreversibly converted to Li20. These alloys do not significantly expand and contract upon lithium insertion and removal which is of prime importance for high cycle life. The technology developed in tasks 1 and 2 will be transferred to Task 3 where prototype Li-ion cells will be tested and the results used to design and construct prototype 18650 Li-ion cells. BENEFITS: An expanded Li-ion cell technology base with respect to enhanced energy and rate capabilities, in general, and operability over the entire military range, in particular, will help push the Li-ion rechargeable batteries toward wide dual (military and commercial) market acceptance. All types of portable devices and equipment, wireless communication devices, are key commercial applications. Both spirally wound and soft packaging (pouch) cell technology will provide significant market dimension, commercially and military. Tera Biotechnology Corporation proposes to develop an automated system to screen phage antibody libraries by our parallel selection process. The system we propose could be used to routinely generate antibodies of any specificity without the need for human intervention. For Phase I we will develop an automated robotic system for the identification and selection of specific antibodies that bind ovalbumin, a biological warfare simulant. Our goal in Phase II will be to produce and test an efficient automated screening system, compatible with use at P4 biosafety levels, for the cloning of antibody binding fragments useful for the detection of novel biological warfare agents. BENEFITS: Current protocols used to discover antibodies to bioagents are cumbersome and may expose personnel to risk. To lower the risk to personnel and to generate considerable cost savings an automated method to clone high affinity antibodies is highly desirable. Defense against weapons of mass destruction like chemical and biological agents is a national priority, and there is a continuing effort to improve protection of soldiers and civilians against them. In this effort, Foster-Miller proposes to use its capabilities in polymer science and commercial machinery design and fabrication to develop pilot-scale processing equipment able to produce nanofiber membranes. Published research indicates that such membranes are lightweight, have favorable water and air diffusion characteristics, and can be made active during processing with various functional materials so they effectively self-decontaminate. In Phase I, Foster-Miller designed and constructed a computer-controlled benchtop unit for more rapid laboratory processing of nanofiber membranes. In Phase II, this work will be extended to a pilot-scale facility capable of producing nanofiber membranes at sufficient rates and sizes for evaluation in soldier protection demonstration programs. The proposed effort includes process modeling, electrospinning evaluation, characterization and rate maximization using an improved benchtop system as well as prototype design, fabrication, assembly and proveout of a scale-up system. Our commercial partner will assist in testing nanofiber membranes in stand-alone and multi-layer fabric configurations, paving the way for Phase III design of equipment for installation and use in producing enhanced high performance outdoor gear. (p00701) MesoSystems Technology (MST) proposes to develop and test a lightweight micromachined aerosol sampler. This will include the fabrication of two devices: (l) MicroVIC with a microcentrifuge: Air-to-air particle concentration in which a small amount of fluid would be added to the concentrated particulates as a final processing step. This collection approach addresses situations where either fluid evaporation or freezing temperatures are a concern and where the biosensors require a liquid sample. (2) MicroRAC: Air-to-water sampler whose biological aerosol samples could be collected directly into water. The product will be a micromachined aerosol sampling system that interfaces with either of these devices, simultaneously collecting, concentrating, and delivering the sample to the appropriate location within the integrated pathogen detection system. The aerosol sampler will be based on the proprietary micromachined aerosol collector technology, currently under development for CBDCOM. The micromachined aerosol collector will identify airborne pathogenic materials for a wide variety of applications including UAV, for individuals, and other civilian uses. We will challenge the collectors with bacterial spores such as Bacillus globigi and a bacteriophage such as MS-2 (virus). BENEFITS: An efficient, lightweight, and small micromachined aerosol collector would easily integrate with biosensors to alert civilian and military, personnel to the presence of pathogens. The objective of this effort is the development of a dynamic IR scene projector (DIRSP) which is based upon a commercially available spatial light modulator. The DIRSP developed during this effort will be suitable for hardware-in-the-loop applications and could also be used for built-in-test, production line testing, and mobile field test applications. The proposed DIRSP offers the potential of lower cost and improved performance over currently available DIRSP technologies. Potential preformance improvments include higher spatial resolution, frame rate, and spatial uniformity. During Phase I a limited performance prototype DIRSP was fabricated and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept. During Phase II a fully functional DIRSP will be fabricated. The result of this effort will be an IR scene projector which will improve the state-of-the-art in dynamic IR scene projectors for HWIL simulation and test applications. This project addresses the specialization and upgrade of unstructured CFD numerics for the simulation of missile aerodynamic flowfields with lateral/divert jet interactions. Starting unstructured capabilities are advanced and include gas-phase chemical kinetics and two-equation turbulence modeling in an upwind/implicit (Roe-TVD/GMRES] framework that operates in a parallel environment (domain decomposition/MPI) and includes multiple elements (sets, hexes, prisms, etc.). Principal Phase I upgrades will include solution adaptive gridding using extension of the 3DTAG/3DMAG embedding methodology of Biswas and Strawn, and, the recent jet adaptation work of Baker. Other upgrades will include explicit algebraic stress model (EASM) turbulence extensions with compressibility corrections, coupling of k into the energy balance, and the performance of checkout studies. Detailed comparisons with fundamental lateral jet flow data will be performed and methodology for inclusion of turbulent/particle and turbulent/combustion interactions will be formulated. An optional task entails the detailed multiprocessor unstructured analysis of an AIT missile divert jet interaction flowfield with the advanced turbulence framework utilizing Let based and hex based grids with several levels of solution adaptive refinement. BENEFITS: The proposed research paves the pate for utilizing unstructured numerics to solve advanced missile system aerodynamic flows in a much more accurate and efficient manner than can be provided by current technology. The benefits to the missile community are a highly improved tool which can support design and system assessment studies. Commercial applications include the licensing of this code to the missile community (to replace existing codes that we have licensed), and, expansion of our business to support gas turbine engine and exhaust flow simlations and automotive IC engine. A dynamic terrain synthetic environment representation for low-cost PC platforms is needed for Army simulation of maneuver force operations and terrain effects such as mine breaching, obstacle breaching, defensive positioning, damage, dynamics, mobility, trafficability, soil plowing, and flooding. Applications that need dynamic terrain capability include: Grizzly Trainer, Armored Vehicle Launched Mine-Clearing Line Charge, Explosive Standoff Minefield Clearer, Armored and Ground Standoff Mine Detection Systems. Low cost, PC-based, dynamic terrain capability is needed to mitigate reliance on high-end platforms with limited accessibility to maneuver forces. High performance is required for real-time response and run time terrain polygon deformation and movement. Networked operation with distributed communication of terrain changes must be supported. A low cost, PC-based, physics-based, dynamic terrain model representation environment is proposed that incorporates validated system models and response algorithms, all operating in compatibility with the current High Level Architecture (HLA) distributed simulation standard. This environment will enhance Army maneuver training and will allow virtual systems evaluation. The Phase I technical objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of an approach for realistic, real-time and distributed dynamic terrain simulation in a synthetic environment hosted on low cost PCs. BENEFITS: The low cost dynamic terrain has Alga potential for phase III success as it brings realistic terrain visualization to Army maneuver troops. Commercial applications include equipment training for mining, construction, oil export and farming in addition to the interactive network gaming. On the HMMWV military vehicles the fuel filters are currently replaced every 12 months or 6,000 miles, whichever comes first, regardless of its condition. Foster-Miler, Inc. will develop a new pressurized fuel filter restriction gauge (PFFRG) which will signal when the element of the filter needs to be replaced, allowing the maximum life of an existing filter element and providing the best engine protection. This PFFRG does not interfere in any way with the normal flow of fuel to the engine. Preliminary cost estimates indicate a possible payback of the cost of the PFFRG at the time the first or maybe second filter element would have been replaced prematurely. In Phase I, Foster-Miller will design, build and test a first set of prototypes and demonstrate their operation. In the Phase I option the first production prototype will be designed and 12 samples will be supplied. In Phase II, extensive tests will be conducted to finalize the design, optimizing its configuration taking into account its cost and reliable operation. Also, studies will be made to adapt this PFFRG to other diesel powered vehicles which have similarly configured fuel systems. BENEFITS: This PFFRG will signal when the fuel filter element needs to be replaced, avoiding the unnecessary replacements which are occurring now. Both the military HMMWV and the commercial Hummer will immediately benefit of its use. Similar PFFRGs can be used to provide savings in other types of military vehicles with similar fuel system configuration. Also, in the commercial marketplace, significant savings can be obtained when one considers its use on fleets of vehicles, such as long distance cargo haulers. Engine manufacturers are faced with ever-increasing demands to improve engine performance, fuel efficiency and emissions reduction. This demand is resulting in a surge of maturing technologies for automotive applications to lower emissions, improve engine performance and fuel consumption. The US Army's diesel engines can benefit from these same technological advances through innovative research and development of new technology and methods by which they can be inserted into existing diesel engines. Orbital Research proposes an in-cylinder pressure and optional temperature sensor which would provide real-time cylinder information to the Engine Control Unit. This technology will provide the US Army with significant fuel savings and cost objectives for their diesel engines well into the 21st Century. Orbital Research proposes an in-cylinder pressure and temperature sensor which is made from Thin Film Shape Memory Alloy (SMA). SMA undergoes a phase transformation through which its electrical resistance, which is a function of temperature and pressure, changes by 20~. This material can be customized by adding various rare earth metals. The material can be designed for specific temperature and pressure environments up to 10,000 psi and 800 degrees Celsius. Orbital Research is confident that this sensor will provide benefits to any US Army diesel engine. BENEFITS: Engine manufacturers agree that an affordable in-cylinder pressure sensor can yield improvements in engine control, fuel efficiency, and emissions. An SEA pressure sensor can meet these requirements for in-cylinder pressure sensing as well as in oil, coolant, tire and fuel pressure applications. Painted coatings are not perfect and their integrity is constantly challenged. During everyday use, scratches or scribes are often introduced into a coating. Where this occurs, the underlying metal is exposed directly to the environment and this favors accelerated corrosion. Thus, there is a need for so-called smart coatings that can spontaneously heal themselves wherever they are damaged. Incorporation of microcapsules loaded with a multifunctional corrosion inhibitor into a coating formulation offers this possibility. Wherever such a coating is scratched or scribed, the microcapsules are designed to rupture and release their corrosion inhibitor contents to cover the damaged area thereby providing corrosion protection to this area. The overall goal of the proposed program is to develop an effective corrosion inhibiting coating system for outdoor use on steel enclosed appliances and equipment. The coating system will be based upon a primer that contains a microencapsulated corrosion- inhibiting liquid formulation. Variables associated with microcapsule parameters and coating parameters will be investigated. Salt spray and electrochemical characterization of coatings will be conducted to assess the efficacy of the self-healing coatings. BENEFITS: The US Army estimates that the cost for painting/depainting operations is $2 billion per year. In addition, Navy and Air Force coating requirements for steel and aluminum are significant dollar volume. In the consumer area, automobile and marine applications are significant. Numerous hobby-related applications, which are less price-sensitive, exist. This project addresses needs for a simple portable microbiological-assay system to rapidly field test water supplies for microbial contaminants and establish safety for human use. The goal is to perfect an analyzer that within hours can determine whether potable water samples contain more than one E. coli organism per 100ml. The basis for the analyzer is an innovative oxygen sensor technology that sensitively measures respiratory activity of microorganisms. Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop uncertainty estimation technology based on geometric data management (6DM). The proposed 6DM is a uniquely integrated data analysis model for state estimation and system self-calibration for adaptive uncertainty management. 6DM will be built with interconnecting logical sensors with three types of modules according to the given system structure: Feature Transformation Modules transform raw data into logical sensors; Data Fusion Modules fuse multiple sources of logical sensors and generate optimal features; and the Constraint Satisfaction Module represents system knowledge that imposes a constraint upon a set of feature values. This unique structure will have several advantages over error source investigation: continuous consistency and error monitoring; increased stability and robustness; maximum utilization of information; simultaneous performance of uncertainty update, error source identification, and error recovery; and improved computational efficiency for real-time estimates of uncertainties. In Phase I, POC will focus on identifying and analyzing the source of errors by building an appropriate model based on a current ALTAIR model with the proposed 6DM. Designing the 6DM structure will establish the basic parameters, and will isolate and identify the sources of errors. Computer simulation will be performed to evaluate 6DM real-time operating capability. BENEFITS: The proposed error analysis model will have numerous applications such as air traffic control, subway and railroad control, autonomous robotic vehicle navigation, intelligent security systems, and many other control applications. Computer controlled suspensions using active magnetorheological (MR) fluid damper actuators offer three methods for improved suspension performance: 1)The ability to respond to a greater number of critical vehicle variables. 2) Passive dampers typically only respond to suspension velocity. Active damper systems can respond to suspension displacement, velocity, sprung mass motions, driver inputs and any variable which can be sensed. 3) The damper force - velocity constitutive relations are not solely based on purely mechanical elements, but can be controlled at high frequencies to meet suspension controller demands. An active damper can have any arbitrary force - velocity relationship within a wide performance envelope, allowing for advance control algorithms to be used. 4) The vehicle suspension system can continually be optimized for the specific vehicle load and operating conditions. Instead of one compromised suspension design, the damping force can be changed depending on the vehicle load and operating condition, such as best ride or best handling. Active MR fluid dampers offer a cost effective, high bandwidth solution with quiet, fail-safe operation. Rod Millen Special Vehicles (RMSV) has the expertise, equipment and facilities to develop an active MR fluid damper for the HMMWV and other vehicles in a timely, cost effective manner. BENEFITS: The benefits of using an advanced suspension system based on MR fluid active dampers, which can be applied to all commercial and military ground vehicles are: Reduced driver and passenger fatigue, improved vehicle stability with the reduction of body resonance motions, improved driver control of the vehicle, higher Mobility Speeds over a given terrain, reduced fatigue loading of the vehicle structure and payload, reduced driver, passenger, vehicle and payload damage by reductions in shock loading from terrain impacts, improved tire traction when required, improved tire life due to lower dynamic loading, less road or terrain damage with the reduction in tire dynamic loading, and cost effective, high performance, quiet and fail safe operation through the use of MR Fluids for damper force control. The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the benefits of a computer controlled active damper suspension system based on a magnetorheological (MR) fluid controllable damper for off-road ground vehicles and that Rod Millen Special Vehicles (RMSV) has the expertise, equipment and facilities to develop an active MR fluid damper based suspension system for the HMMWV and other ground vehicles in a timely, cost effective manner. High-density ceramics are attractive as armor materials due to their high space efficiency and hardness. Models indicate that the fracture strain of these armor materials significantly improve as the grain size decreases. However, achieving fully dense nanocrystalline ceramic structure is difficult because of the high thermodynamic potential for grain growth due to high surface area. Field-assisted sintering (pulse-sintering) of nanoparticles has proven successful but has been limited to small volumes. In Phase I, MER will demonstrate the consolidation and sintering of SiC nanoparticles with minimal grain growth using a combination of high-pressure and field-assisted sintering. Processing parameters will be investigated that will allow the fabrication of SiC components with volumes as large as 500 cubic centimeters. Methods will be developed that will permit the commercial development of nanomaterials as structural components. BENEFITS: The technology developed in Phase I will be directly applicable to consolidation of other types of ceramics for use as structural ceramics, electronic substrates, and cutting tools. Atmospheric turbulence adversely affects imaging systems by causing random distribution of the index of refraction of the air through which the light propagates. We show that tactical Army infrared sensing systems are not affected by turbulence in the same way as astronomical imaging systems, but the influence of turbulence can still be quite strong. Rather, the shape of the point spread function associated with the scene varies significantly across the image field-of-view. This condition is referred to as anisoplanatic imaging. Fortunately, the overall effect of turbulence within a given isoplanatic patch is not as strong as in the astronomical imaging case due to shorter optical paths and longer wavelengths. Tilt and low order turbulence modes will dominate the aberration experienced within individual isoplanatic patches, greatly simplifying the image reconstruction problem. Hence, we propose to investigate the use of post-detection processing of the images to mitigate turbulence effects. All of the information required for the image reconstruction will be extracted from the imagery itself using block matching algorithm-based shift sensing and blind deconvolution algorithms. The results of these image block processes will be "knit" together to reconstruct a final image. Further, we anticipate that the best results will be obtained when we process sequences of images. BENEFITS: Infrared imaging systems are increasingly being used by DoD and non-DoD organizations for applications ranging from targeting to surveillance. In the case of image over a long horizontal path, the atmosphere severely degrades the resulting image quality. The benefit of providing enhanced imagery having improved resolution is directly correlated to how well the collected imagery data can be exploited. Data exploitation applications range from automatic target recognition, automatic target detection, and enhanced night vision. We propose to develop a general method for the high brightness fiber-coupied laser diode system. The overall goal of this program is to deliver a brightness of 1.4 Mega Watt cm-2 sr-1 laser power system from a single fiber with a high power ourput. The package will have high power density, compact dimension and light in weight. As Phase II prototype, the coupling efficiency will over 63% for whole unit. Advance optical coupling techniques developed at Apollo Instruments will provide the basis for construction of the system. The laser system will be high compact, simple, and low in cost. The success of the program will eliminate a major obstacle in current fiber laser development. The enabling technology will also benefit telecommunication, medical laser laser material processing, diode pumped solid-state lasers, and high power laser beam transmission. One of the main guidelines in the system design is to develop a high perfromance fiber coupled laser diode product that system is easy to realize, simple to use, and inexpensive to build. For companies engaged in the development of new antenna designs, antenna measurement systems represent a huge initial cost, and a significant barrier to entry into the market. Antenna measurement systems typically use a frequency domain Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and anechoic chamber or large outdoor range. The cost of such systems generally starts at around $300,000, which is more than most small companies can afford. When characterizing ultra-wideband (UWB) antennas, the cost of frequency domain measurements is even greater, because the data must be taken at many frequencies, which requires additional time. To address these cost and time issues, a new technology is now available that allows one to measure the characteristics of antennas in the time domain. Such time domain antenna ranges will have one-quarter the cost of a conventional range. They will provide meaningful measurements over two decades of bandwidth, in either the frequency or time domain. They will also be easily stowed and deployed as required. During Phase I we will assemble a prototype antenna measurement system. We will add features to an existing system, including computer control of the azimuth and elevation of the antenna under test, and a basic signal processing package. This system can also serve as a pseudo anechoic chamber for electromagnetic measurements. Such a system can measure coupling transfer function and backscattering parameters. This research will lead to a new design for a deployable time domain antenna measurement system with much lower cost than conventional frequency domain systems. The resulting system will also be useful for making broadband measurements in the field of electromagnetic transfer functions and radar cross sections. The overall objective the project is to develop a complete operational concept, functional component design, and software design for the EFFECTOR Effects-Based Operations Planner and Execution Manager. The system concept is grounded in the notion of a detailed and robust representation for all elements of effects based operations planning and adaptive execution. This requires a representational design that provides a natural and flexible language, or ontology, for expressing domain concepts. Capturing key domain concepts and relationships provides the language for import / export of partial plans across external applications or external data sources.EFFECTOR will provide a suite of front-end tools capable of interacting with back-end information services to support user plan authoring, plan visualization, and plan adaptation. Our approach will be to create detailed scenario-based use cases, and to use these to generate interaction interface mock-ups to serve as foils for user validation and refinement of interface features.We will investigate the potential to apply decision support technologies in the EFFECTOR process. Candidate case-based, template-based, and constraint-based planning and scheduling techniques will be investigated and evaluated.The overall results will be a product specification, Operational validation of high value, a design tailored to technical feasibility and mock-up prototypes. In terms of ultimate packaged product sales, we believe that while the initial USAF market may include only several hundred product copies, it represents an opportunity for early recoup of initial investment for ISX Corp. and our commercialization partner, Boeing Corp. A broader base of military customers may increase this base to several thousand to ten thousand installed copies, given successful marketing into both operational and training environments. Finally, we anticipate a market on the order of several hundred thousand copies across non-military customers. In response to Air Force 00-157 SBIR, Sterling Semiconductor proposes to investigatea unique growth technique for high quality semi-insulating SiC crystals. Currently,Sterling is producing semi-insulating material of the 6H polytype. Presented datainducates the material quality of these crystals are of the highest quality. It isthe goal of the work propose to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and perform feasiblity runs for the 4H polytype. Semi-insulating wafers will be used in a variety of high frequencydevice applications. The objective of this SBIR research program is to develop a new type of guest-host cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) composite material which possesses the following novel properties. It is a cholesteric liquid crystal and polymer gel composite material. It can be electrically switched at a speed of microseconds. More attractively, it expands new optical state to exhibit (a) broadband polarizing reflection, (b) narrow-band polarizing reflection, (c) broadband scattering and (d) optically transparent state. The CLC can also be switched from one optical state to another via an electric field and may exhibit multiple stability. In Phase I, KOI will carry out a feasibility study of the new material to demonstrate the four optical states as well as an ultra-fast switchability. These novel Cholesteric liquid crystal materials will be the fundation for many dual use applications. These applications include a dual mode reflective display, an ultra-fast switchable optical beam divider/combiner with a variable bandwidth for optical communication, and a multi-function intelligent windows for privacy and energy saving. Throat erosion of rocket nozzles results in lower expansion ratios and reduced specific impulse. The erosion can be minimized or completely eliminated by employing throat cooling to keep the throat material below the throat material critical temperature. Evaluation and fabrication of a cooled non-eroding will be performed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and simplified thermal analysis in conjunction with carbon fiber reinforced metal composite materials. This capability has been developed by Applied Technology and Metal Matrix Cast Composites in prior efforts on jet vane thrust vector control and electronic thermal management. The ability to fabricate cooled composite materials offers the possibility of eliminating throat erosion and maintaining rocket motor design values of specific impulse. Further refinement of this fabrication technology can increase the temperature limit of gas turbine components. The objective of the proposed effort is to use CFD and a transient lumped parameter analysis and pressure infiltration casting to evaluate, design and fabricate a high temperature cooled throat.The development of new materials coupled with cost effective CFD and thermal analysis greatly increases the ability to optimize the design of high temperature components. Applications are: internal spark ignition and diesel engines, gas turbine engines, solid and liquid rocket propulsion systems, etc. Increased temperature limits for all types of propulsion (rocket or jet engine) components has a positive impact on developing advanced propulsion systems and increasing the performance of these systems Hall thrusters in the 50 - 100 kW class are an enabling technology for affordable methods of on-board propulsion for a number of orbit transfer and space tug applications. Studies of advanced propulsion options for deployment of payloads from a drop-off altitude to an operating orbit can be best achieved by high power Hall thrusters. These studies show a substantial payload mass increase per launch vehicle compared with all chemical propulsion systems. In the proposed Phase I program, Busek will demonstrate an array of thrusters operating as an integrated high power system. The viability and scalability of the proposed approach will be evaluated using a cluster of 600 W thrusters. The Phase I program is a subscale system demonstration for an array of 10 - 20 kW class engines envisioned as the building blocks for the 50 -100 kW system. Through a combination of direct experimental measurements, analysis and modeling activities, we will develop a definitive understanding and basis for a multi-thruster array as opposed to a single engine system. In Phase II we will continue with system development and testing and deliver to the Air Force a prototype high power cluster for testing in AFRL's propulsion and diagnostic test facilities.A high power Hall thruster propulsion system configured from standardized thruster modules will result in a lower cost, higher reliability propulsion system compared to a single high power engine. Configuring a customized high power system from lower power building blocks provides immediate dual use commercial applications because the standardized individual thruster has a viable market on commercial, military and government satellites. In addition, the multi-thruster array can be used to produce uniform high current, broad area ion beams and find terrestrial applications in etching and film deposition using reactive gas precursors. The primary objective of the Phase 1 SBIR effort proposed herein is to investigate the feasibility of a novel concept of pure Fiber-Optics Conformal Screen (FOCS) display for scene generation on large curvilinear surfaces in Air Force total weapons system integration testing applications within an installed systems test facility (ISTF). A program to demonstrate the feasibility of reducing the size and cost of the Surface Optics Corporation (SOC) MIDIS hyperspectral imaging (HSI) data processing electronics by implementing these hyperspectral data fusion electronics in application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technology is proposed. The proposed MIDIS electronics ASIC development (MEAD) investigation will utilize the existing, commerically available, MIDIS electronics design, which is implemented using FPGAs and discrete memories as a starting point for the effort. The Phase I task will be to modify and partition the MIDIS electronics design for optimum implementation in an ASIC. The results of the Phase I plus Fast Track option tasks will be the selection of a target silicon technology and libraries for the ASIC, an HDL design database for the ASIC at the RTL level ready for synthesis into the target technology, a proposed system architecture based on the ASIC, and ASIC NRE and production cost estimates. All of these items shall be targeted to result in an ASIC MIDIS electronics design that will meet or exceed the small volume goal of 6 cubic inches maximum. By building on SOC's eight years of experience in real-time HSI instrument and algorithm development, SOC's lead digital engineer's ASIC design experience at TRW, and Octera Corporation's extensive and proven ASIC design experience, the proposed program will produce a miniaturized MIDIS electronics design which will fit in a small volume and be less costly to produce so as to satisfy a variety of military and commercial applications. BENEFITS: Development of the MIDIS electronics ASIC chip will significantly enhance the potential of hyperspectral sensing technology to be utilized in a multitude of commercial and military applications. By reducing the size of the system, the processor can be included in truly mobile applications. By reducing the cost, many more areas for commercialization will be opened up. Applications include infrared HSI, hyperspectral X-ray and data fusion in general. Specific applications are military target ID and classification, damage assessment, friend or foe discrimination, non-destructive inspection, smart sensors/munitions, medical diagnostics and smart cars. Current techniques for securing loads to the Container Roll In/Out Platform employ standard commercial strapping and a multiplicity of field fabricated dunnage. This is resource intensive, time consuming, requires great attention to following preplanned instructions and not well suited for field use. During Phase I we will develop an anisotropic cargo securement mesh with integrated "smart" tensioning devices that will address the shortfalls of the current approach. The lateral mesh elements are the primary load carrying elements while the more elastic longitudinal elements adapt to the cargo and distribute lateral and longitudinal loads. The integral tensioning devices will be individually powered and adaptable to a spectrum of open or closed loop control systems. BENEFITS: The proposed system will provide a cost effective, flexible securement system suitable for use throughout the logistic system including at the unit level in the field. It will eliminate the need for detailed preplanned instructions and reduce or eliminate the need for field fabricated dunnage. The ATLAS forklift, equipped with a heavy-lift extensible crane, is capable of lifting and moving a variety of payloads, both hazardous and non-hazardous. However, the restricted view from the driver's cab makes it difficult or impossible for an unassisted ATLAS driver to engage payload pallets with the vehicle's lifting forks. Instead, a "ground guide" observer must direct these operations while the driver operates the controls. This guided operation requires two skilled people on the scene, which is not only an inefficient use of manpower, but also a significant risk to life and limb during hazardous operations such as munitions loading. Three evolutionary steps are envisioned to address this problem. First, a means will be developed to permit the ATLAS driver to view, engage, lift, move, and place pallets without the assistance of a ground guide. Second, these solutions will be adapted to a teleoperation system such as the Standardized Robotic System, to permit the solo ATLAS driver to perform all required vehicle operations remotely. Third, the teleoperation system will be adapted for fully autonomous operation, so that the vehicle driver need not be present at all. BENEFITS: Reduced personnel needed due to elimination of ground guide, with potentially increased safety. Also teleoperation control is enabled, enhancing unmanned operation capability and efficiency. Innovative approaches are required to make the interferometric testing of large aspheric, and/or non-axisymmetric surfaces both flexible and cost effective. QED proposes to develop a scanning, off-axis, subaperture system aimed at extending the capabilities of interferometric testing to cover larger clear apertures (200mm), larger numerical apertures (0.5), and larger aspheric departures (>200 waves), with increased accuracy through calibration. This system represents a significant advance that, with further development, could offer general test capabilities for a wider range of conformal optics. Our system's success relies on the proposed innovations for efficient subaperture stitching, automatic system calibration, absolute measurements, and extended dynamic range through high-density interference fringe analysis. Fundamentally limiting challenges to aspheric metrology are addressed principally by automatic calibration to remove the errors associated with aberrations in both the imaging optics and in the reference wave, as well as corrections for positioning errors and image distortion. Success in Phase I has provided the foundation for the Phase II tasks of developing a fully automated metrology system for more strongly aspheric optics. Our prospects for success in both developing and commercializing the final product are greatly enhanced by the fact that QED has entered into a co-development collaboration with a leading interferometer supplier. This is a proposal for the design, fabrication, and flight test for a 30 cal smart sniper "rifle." The smart bullet has a steering capability that allows it to correct for gravity and wind. The slow spinning bullet is optically tracked by the "rifle" and an optical communication system to the bullet provides guidance commands. The processor at the "rifle" estimates the bullet spin angle using a polarized laser illuminator and a polarized corner cube on the bullet. The bullet is steered using either canards, wings, fins, or aerospike control. Piezoceramic actuators drive the aerodynamic surfaces, providing wide bandwidth control with low weight, low volume, low cost, and high electrical efficiency. A 30 cal smart sniper rifle should weigh roughly 15 lb. Automatic target tracking and optical stabilization using micro gyros will be provided. Direct pointed accuracy of less than 10 cm at 2000 m range is achievable. BENEFITS: The proposed system will greatly increase the range of 30 cal weapons for both military and commercial hunting applications. This technology is applicable to much larger calibers and could be used for air-to-air combat, ship defense against sea skimming missiles, or a Bradley gun for defense against helicopters. Coherent Technologies Inc. (CTI) proposes to develop a laser-guided munitions system to meet the ultra-precision targeting requirements of the Objective Sniper Weapon. The system will also be applicable to other components of the Objective Weapons suite. The laser designator will have a >2 km range capability while simultaneously providing aimpoint selection with ~10 cm cross-range precision and rangefinding to +/-1 m. Targeting and guidance will be facilitated with a miniature 1.5 micron eyesafe diode-pumped solid state laser transmitter. External ballistics control will be implemented by a laser receiver and innovative control loop mechanism within the round. This novel approach obviates conventional muzzle correction techniques such as cross-wind measurements and largely mitigates against variables such as humidity, temperature, altitude, elevation angle, propellant variations, and barrel wear. In Phase I, a demonstrator for the laser transmitter will validate the optical design. The external ballistics guidance control mechanism will also be modeled and a preliminary design advanced. In Phase II, the demonstrator system will be fabricated and tested. The simplicity and accuracy of the laser guidance system and smart bullet will facilitate development of a variety of different smart munitions following the Phase II brassboard prototype development. CTI's on-going programs in tactical laser-enhanced weapon development provide leverage for the proposed effort. BENEFITS: In addition to the Objective Sniper Weapon, the laser-guided munitions system will be applicable to other components of the Objective Weapons suite and law enforcement needs. The miniature laser rangefinder itself will have other military applications such as target and landmark location, fire control from tanks and aircraft, and collision avoidance. Civilian uses include surveying, navigation, collision avoidance, search and rescue, and sports. This proposal details a new approach to filtering noise from speech. It has two primary advantages. First, it allows additional data sources to be added with only minimal modification to the code. Our phase 1 work will focus on two types of sensors in addition to a conventional microphone. These are a speech reading sensor, and a vocal fold micropower impulse radar microphone. Our generic approach to noise filtering will allow those and/or other sensors to be added, with the data fused to provide an estimate of the speech frequencies which can then be used to filter noise from speech. The second advantage of our approach is that the system does not, and cannot, add artifacts to the speech such as often happens with other noise filtering algorithms. Conventional noise filtering algorithms are very effective in filtering noise from speech, but they add artifacts to the speech which confounds automated speech understanding. This cannot happen with our approach. The basic system exploits a neural net to learn the relationship between the sensor inputs (as many as are available) and the correct frequencies in the speech. During use, noise frequencies are filtered out, leaving clear speech which can be input to commercial speech recognizers. BENEFITS: IAI is planning on commercializing this technology in the near term with an advanced "automated push to talk" mechanism whereby the user's transmitter will be automatically keyed when they speak, but which will not be keyed by noise. The need to manually key a microphone is a major problem for fireman, policeman, race car drivers, etc. We already have a source of private funds for this particular near term product. Proposal for development of neural network based machine translation engines integrated seamlessly with advanced front-end speech to text modules advanced back-end speech generation modules, over a network. BENEFITS: Cross-language communications applications for use in law enforcement, clinical medicine, tourism and emergency humanitarian relief, as well as educational and business applications over the internet. There is a great need of gas turbine engines and auxiliary power units providing improved performance, lower cost, better maintainability, and higher reliability. Foil air bearings do provide a promising choice in meeting these goals. Foil air bearings are successfully being used in air cycle machines of aircraft environmental control system. They are showing excellent reliability, maintainability and reduced cost for these machines. High temperature application of foil bearings, such as for gas turbine engines, require further research and development. A new generation of foil bearings is proposed, which is suitable for high temperature application, such as gas turbine engines. This bearing will have high load capacity and high coulomb damping even without high preload on the shaft. Low preload will result in less wear in start-stop cycles and, therefore, will provide high reliability and long life. In Phase I, the foil bearing concept suitable for high temperature application will be tested. In Phase I Option, parametric testing of the bearing will be performed. Analytical and design tools will be generated. In Phase II, an existing small gas turbine engine will be modified to be supported on foil air bearings. It will be tested for performance, vibration, shock load capacity, and reliability. BENEFITS: High temperature foil bearings will provide more efficient, quieter, less costly and environmentally acceptable propulsion and power generating systems. There is a great need of gas turbine engines and auxiliary power units providing improved performance, lower cost, better maintainability, and higher reliability. Foil air bearings do provide a promising choice in meeting these goals. Foil air bearings are successfully being used in air cycle machines of aircraft environmental control systems. They have shown excellent reliability, maintainability and reduced cost for these machines. Application of foil bearings for gas turbine engines require further research and development. A new generation of foil bearings is proposed, which is suitable for gas turbine engines. We propose synergistically implementing two emerging ballistic materials, The objective of the work proposed herein is to refine and validate a fully integrated design tool for performance evaluation of armor systems consisting of ceramic front tiles and composite backplates. This tool will have applicability in the development of various multifunctional armor systems subjected to wide ranges of projectile and blast threats. Advanced Ceramics Research Inc. (ACR) has developed solid freeform fabrication (SFF) techniques for polymers, ceramics, metals, and composites. Recently, ACR developed a unique water-soluble polymer blend as a support material for rapid-prototyping applications. This product, Aquaport-2000 won an R&D 100 Award for 1998. In this material, the minor-phase polymer blend became oriented in a direction parallel to extrusion, resulting in high aspect ratio fibrils ~ 15-30 &#61549;m size. In addition, when heated above 200&#61616;C, the major phase was found to foam. ACR proposes to use this product as a binder system and freeform fabricate metallic foams. During burnout of the binder material, (1) the thermoplastic fibrils will create directionally oriented high aspect ratio cells, and (2) the foaming agent will create open cells. This will produce a low cost, in situ, metallic foam with oriented microstructures. Since the extrusion is coupled with a freeform fabrication technique, the proposed technique can potentially yield geometrically complex metallic foam components directly from CAD designs. In this program, ACR will collaborate with Northrop-Grumman and South West Research Institute to develop guidelines and procedures for optimizing the performance of metallic foams and provide a preliminary cost/economic analysis for prototype components. BENEFITS: The commercial market for high energy-absorbing metallic foam structural components would be large and immediate. The market is just starting out and will have many applications in the DoD and commercial sectors. One such application would be for automotive bumpers that can absorb impacts. A conservative estimate puts the market for energy absorbers in automotive bumpers at 14 million per year. At a price of 20-40 dollars per bumper, the market for this product alone would be 280-560 million dollars per year. The application of aluminum foam components alone would be in the areas of heat sinks for electronic components, heat exchangers, heat shielding for aircraft exhaust, energy absorber for shaped charges, battery plates and spacers, aircraft wing structures, fuel tank baffles, silencer for jet engine intakes, aircraft armor for fragmentation capture and absorption, ablative sealing for compressor/turbine blades, to name a few. Therefore, successful development of a rapid prototyping technique for metallic foam components would be of great economic benefit to ACR. This is one area where the results from the proposed Phase I effort would have an immediate impact. The rapid expansion in the use of microwave communications has created a need for dramatically improved microwave devices. In adaptive microwave electronics, it is important and critical to tune the electrical characteristics of a microwave signal. Ferroelectrics and ferrites are the materials of choice providing the electrical and magnetic tunability for adaptive microwave devices, respectively. Individually, however, such tunability is based on the tradeoff of impedance mismatch. Any field induced dielectric constant or permeability change of the device will result in a deviation from the designed device impedance. The bigger the tunability, the greater the deviation of the impedance. An electrical and magnetic dual-tuning microwave device has the advantage of achieving frequency or phase tunability while keeping the impedance of the device unchanged. NZ Applied Technologies (NZAT) proposes to develop innovative dual-tuning microwave structures for adaptive microwave applications. An innovative metal-organic chemical liquid deposition will be utilized to grow low loss ferroelectric and ferrite films. By using our approach, the major source of dielectric loss caused by internal stress due to a lattice mismatch will be minimized. The dual-tuning structures developed in this program will lead to a new generation of microwave devices tuned either electrically or magnetically or both. BENEFITS: Success in the Phase I effort will lead to the commercial fabrication of a new generation of tunable microwave devices. These advanced devices will have great applications in military, space, industrial, and consumer sectors. Examples are tunable phase shifters, tunable filters, and tunable beam scan antennas. The DoD collects large amounts of digital imagery from diverse sources such as hospital radiology departments, satellites, and unmanned surveillance vehicles. To systematically analyze these data, one must be able to denoise, segment, annotate, store, transmit, index, screen, and retrieve images in a consistent and easy-to-use environment. All of these tasks rely on image processing techniques to extract information from the raw imagery. Traditional image enhancement and segmentation techniques take a global view of the image, processing the entire image without considering local variations. Multiscale image processing techniques based on curvature-driven flows overcome many of the problems of traditional processing methods, especially for image enhancement and segmentation, since these techniques focus on features of the data that are found at different scales and resolutions. We propose to develop image enhancement, segmentation, motion estimation, and object tracking methods using curvature-based flow-driven nonlinear partial differential equation imaging models and algorithms, including total variation, level-set, and active contour techniques. We will demonstrate the feasibility of these techniques on specific applications in medical and tactical imaging, or to Army sponsor-directed imaging applications. This technology will improve the ability to analyze, index, and search digital imagery. BENEFITS: This research will lead to a software system for the processing, analysis and interpretation of digital image sequences using curvature-based flow-driven techniques including total variation, level-set, and PDE-based image techniques. The system will be demonstrated on medical imagery and on Army-sponsor supplied (tactical and/or medical) data. For DoD applications, this system will be valuable for medical and tactical image database management, medical clinical studies, target acquisition, and battlefield damage assessment. Commercial applications include medical imaging, and image and video database indexing, archiving, and retrieval. The Army Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP) is charged with The proposed Phase I/II program develops a unique meteorological sensor to provide a capability for volumetric range-resolved wind velocity and aerosol and tracer gas concentration to ranges of several kilometers. The proposed novel sensor is based on existing CTI-developed commercial off the shelf 2-micron pulsed coherent Doppler lidar hardware that is critically augmented with an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to enable tunable mid-wave infrared operation for multi-color lidar aerosol characterization as well as differential absorption lidar measurement of tracer gas concentration. The Phase I program will conduct system performance trades to establish sensitivity and spatial and temporal resolution capability for various system configurations. Propylene sensitivity will be quantified relative to the scan strategy, system pulse rate and wavelength diversity. Transmitter design trades will be conducted to verify the baseline optical (OPO) material will meet the conversion efficiency, wavelength tuning and stability requirements. A preliminary design is then developed and technical risk areas and associated mitigation strategies are identified. In the Phase I Option, limited laboratory demonstrations/evaluations will be conducted using available hardware. The subsequent Phase II program will finalize the design, modify an existing (Army Research Office owned) transceiver and conduct field demonstration measurements at a designated government facility. BENEFITS: Potential applications include tactical surveillance for chem/bio defense, battle field smoke and cloud transport and structure model development and validation, fenceline monitoring of industrial facilities, turbulence statistics and turbulent transport modeling for meteorological research, and airport terminal area met state surveillance. All phases of full-mission simulations (FMS) are supported by software tools except the most critical - planning. The use of Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) technology in the military materiel acquisition process and increasing complexity of DIS will make it harder to plan valid tests.. A FMS literature review and, interviews with FMS experts made it clear that a planning tool will add to FMS efficiency and reduce the risk of invalid data and wasted time and money. MTI will build a knowledge-based FMS planning, development and analysis tool (FMS-PDAT) that will organize system test design data, highlight inter-system differences, select appropriate levels of realism, support scenario development and generate suggested performance measures. MTI will conduct knowledge acquisition and participatory design sessions with expert FMS planners to specify detailed system functionality. To ensure system developmental flexibility, the Use Case Driven approach to Object-Oriented Software Engineering (OOSE) will be used for the system software development architecture. A prototype FMS-PDAT will be applied in an Army FMS, and the design iterated based on feedback. The PC based FMS-PDAT will be useful in all technology test venues that use virtual simulation. Users include the Army Battle Laboratories, the National Training Center, and emergency preparedness exercises. Simulation-Based Acquisition (SBA) is a DoD initiative to reduce the system acquisition development cycle by 50% and reduce total ownership costs. In order to implement SBA, the Army Material Command (AMC) needs to link the modeling and simulation (M&S) facilities within the various Research, Development, and Engineering Centers (RDECs) with and HLA-based engineering federation. Development of this federation will require implementation of a collaborative system framework that can support all aspects of developing and executing HLA-based federations. Spectra Research, Inc. (S*R) proposes to define an AMC Collaborative Engineering Federation (ACEF) and a baseline HLA-based engineering federation during Phase I. The S*R approach will build on the HLA FederateConnect toolset and work S*R is already doing to integrate these tools in collaborative environments. Federate Connect is under development for STRICOM to map the source code of a simulation to an HLA object model, build a Simulation Object Model, and generate a HLA compliant federate that incorporates middleware to connect to the HLA Run-time Infrastructure. In Phase II, the proposed ACEF will integrate these baseline capabilities with existing AMC resources to provide the ACEF System Framework. The ACEF System Framework will then be applied to implement a baseline engineering federation. BENEFITS: The ACEF will significantly reduce the time span and cost to bring dissimilar engineering and scenario generation models and simulators into HLA federations. This will save DoD funds to build better and more flexible federations and speedup implementation of SBA. The Phase II program will mature and expand the FederateConnect capability, which is now supported by elements of all three services. An AMC-wide engineering federation can be developed faster and at less cost through application of the matured tools through Phase III or follow-on title. The Phase II objective is to develop web-based training that increases Army officers' critical thinking ability. The need for such training was confirmed by the results of Phase I where it was shown that (1) critical thinking (CT) skills are important to Battle Command success, (2) poor CT performance creates serious problems for Command/Control, and (3) military curriculum does not train CT skills effectively. This research and development project provides a unique opportunity to combine tactical expertise with leading edge developments in psychological theory. Phase II will focus on development of high-quality information content to support training of critical thinking skills. An integrated network of military officers, training developers, computer scientists, and end users will form an advisory panel whose task it will be to guide development of the content and form of the proposed training. Phase II subsumes four tasks designed to (1) validate the theory of critical thinking developed in Phase I by conducting innovative experimental studies of CT, (2) shepherd results of the experimental studies into content for developing CT training modules, (3) implement training modules on the worldwide-web, and (4) evaluate effectiveness of the web-based training using students drawn from the schoolhouse and tactical field units. The objective of this proposed program is the successful development of a catalytic system for efficient conversion of vulcanized rubber to a product that resembles virgin rubber in terms of its chemical and physical properties. The technical objectives will be achieved by optimizing both the catalyst material and process operating conditions. The preferred system will operate in aqueous solution and proceed by hydrogenolysis of the chemical cross-links in vulcanized rubber. The novel approach developed herein is expected to provide an exciting opportunity for chemical reclamation and recycling of discarded automobile and truck tires. Potential applications of the technology include utilization of the vast used tire stocks currently held by the US Army. The U.S. Army has a critical need to protect its expanding Ethernet-based networks deployed around the world. But, as the Government moves quickly to implement commercial protocols and standards for packet-based network-centric solutions for sensitive information distribution, available options to protect this information are insufficient and costly. Designed only to protect data flowing across dedicated point-to-point connections, the Government's legacy cryptographic equipment is inefficiently suited for today's Local Area Network (LAN) environments-specifically Ethernet. Communication and wireless network technology has advanced to the state where portable computing devices have proliferated to enable ubiquitous computing. Similarly, Internet and collaboration technologies have grown tremendously. There remain significant obstacles, however, to integrate wireless and Internet/collaboration technologies. In particular, most modern wireless networks do not provide adequate support for multicast communication. Many military applications require reliable multicast transmission to properly and efficiently operate. In particular, the recent initiative of a Common Operational Picture (COP), which seeks to provide fused information to the warfighter, has numerous functions requiring this capability. Trident proposes to design a Wireless Reliable Multicast (WiRM) protocol based on active network technology, utilizing soft-state protocol techniques. In order to maximize information systems integration and interoperability, while concurrently increasing the system platform effectiveness, a reliable multicast framework (RMF) will be utilized. Since no single reliable multicast protocol is a panacea for all applications, the RMF enables applications to utilize the most appropriate protocol that satisfies its requirements. New application-specific and/or network-specific multicast protocols may be easily integrated and incrementally deployed through existing systems. BENEFITS: A reliable multicast protocol will provide guaranteed and efficient dissemination of critical information to many users simultaneously. The proposed protocol will be able to scale to large numbers of receivers. Moreover, the ability to operate over wireless networks will allow users to leverage Internet and collaboration technologies on mobile computing devices, e.g. laptop computers. Situation Awareness (SA) is the most important factor affecting engagement outcomes. Thus, intuitive representations of SA must be available to the warfighter. However, depicting SA data graphically with minimum overlap is an extremely computationally complex problem (of complexity class "NP-Hard"). Thus, automated SA displays, which are of necessity time-critical, run the risk of taking exponentially-increasing time to lay out SA data as the number of SA data items increases. Solutions to this display problem must also be easy to interface and integrate with pre-existing C3I via standards. We propose to use a well-understood SA "model" such as Bayesian Belief Networks. Multiple, simultaneous, synchronized "views" of the SA model will be presented to the user via the "Model, View, Controller" paradigm. Advanced algorithms for efficiently laying out graphical data with minimal overlap will enable each such "view" to be maximally readable. The primary Phase II deliverable will be a software toolkit for managing multiple, simultaneous, synchronized, automated SA displays. We propose a proof-of-concept demonstration during Phase I. As an option, we propose to integrate the proof-of-concept with a COTS, NDI, man-in-the-loop, real-time simulation testbed. The proposed effort will leverage COTS, standards-based, Plan View Display software, lowering cost, time, and risk. BENEFITS: The proposed approach holds promise to incorporate: "black box" advanced situation assessment technologies such as neural nets, predictive wargaming decision aids, and new 3D SA displays. The delivery of the approach in commercial-grade toolkit form will lower the barrier to entry to research, and provide an ideal testbed, increasing the prospects for the development of advanced SA technologies. Phase I provides a foundation for Phase II in that it provides existence-proofs of the feasibility of the proposed approach. The Army scout is called upon to provide increasing levels of information about an increasingly lethal enemy. In the early 90's the USArmy's "BAT" proved that real targets could be acoustically detected at meaningful ranges. A new generation of acoustics, signal processing and systems architecture can bring even better target detection & location to the scout UAV mission. We will develop and deliver a 1280x1024-pixel indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) photodiode array sensitive to the 0.9 ‘m to 1.7 ‘m short wave infrared wavelength band. This will be the largest SWIR infrared array ever fabricated in this material system. Upon completion of Phase II, devices will be available for integration with matching silicon readout circuits for high sensitivity, high dynamic ranging imaging at elevated temperatures (>295K), ideal for night vision imaging, covert surveillance, and eye-safe range-gated imaging. Innovations include miniaturization of the individual InGaAs p-i-n photodiodes, minimization of the spacing between the photodiodes in the array, development of corresponding indium bump technology, and use of large (75 mm - 100 mm diameter) epitaxial wafers. During Phase I, we reduced the pixel geometry from 24 ‘m to 11 ‘m, a 5x reduction in total device area. During Phase II, we will produce a full 1280x1024 array on 75 mm and 100 mm diameter epitaxial wafers. This program will benefit from several Sensors Unlimited R&D programs, including our NIST ATP program developing 100 mm diameter InP/InGaAs wafer processing technology. The Army is seeking an effective technique for the prevention or removal of ice and snow accumulations from helicopter airframe and blade surfaces prior to flight. Procedures for preflight deicing of helicopters have not been refined or standardized as they have been for fixed-wing aircraft as helicopters are typically housed in hangars to protect them from the weather. However, military operations may necessitate exposure to the elements resulting in an accumulation of frozen precipitation, grounding the aircraft for hours. Ice prevention techniques and deicing methods utilizing infrared radiation, hot air and hot liquid have all been evaluated. While all of these methods are viable, each has its associated drawbacks and risks. An alternative deicing technique is needed that is fast, effective, safe, environmentally friendly and compatible with helicopter materials. Additionally, the deicing system should be portable enough to permit it to be transported and used effectively in the field. Under the proposed program, METSS will build on the knowledge and experience gained from a current Air Force Phase II SBIR program concerned with the development of new environmentally-benign deicing/anti-icing fluids for fixed-wing aircraft to develop and test new fluids that are compatible with helicopter system components and the mission profile established by the Army. The tasks that need to be performed to successfully address the Army program objectives are clearly defined in this proposal. BENEFITS: The technology developed under the proposed program is well suited to both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in military and commercial applications, particularly those operating in the far north and in areas without support services. Additionally, the insights gained under the proposed program will have great potential for new runway and roadway deicing applications. The goal of this project is to develop "artificial antibody" receptors and transduction schemes for recognition of protein toxins and bacterial and viral pathogens. The artificial receptors will be based on functionalized polymers surface imprinted with the entire structures or with structural epitopes. The templates are expected to be stable for years in the dry state at ambient temperature, unlike antibodies which must be stored at 4oC and suffer from gradual denaturation and biofouling. The imprinted polymers will be used in immunossays and biosensors employed in environmental detection of pathogens and in medical diagnostic testing of bodily fluids and tissues. Phase I research will demonstrate electrochemical and photochemical "soft chemistry" approaches to preparing templates of protein toxins, and demonstrating their recognition capabilities using microbalance and fluorescence techniques. Phase II will extend the chemistry to whole organism templates, and will develop transducers for robust biosensors to toxins and pathogens. BENEFITS: Applications include medical diagnostics, biosensors for rapid detection of food pathogens, replacements for antibodies in immunoassays for environmental characterization, and military CBW detection. The proposed work will combine the selectivity of immobilized oligonucleotide probes and the rapid and efficient collection capability of porous membranes with the mass sensitivity (picogram) of ultrasonic microelectronic devices. TPL has demonstrated methods to form functionalized porous membranes for selective binding of target oligonucleotides. The proposed device array will open unique opportunities for near real-time detection of nucleic acids and associated protein regulation. It is a direct measurement approach that does not require labeled or amplified DNA, and hybridization reaction rates are accelerated by improved mass transport afforded by solution flow through the sensor. TPL, in collaboration with the Molecular Diagnostics Core Laboratory (MDCL), University of New Mexico, has already demonstrated fabrication and functionality of individual porous membranes. In the project a multi-site membrane will be functionalized and interrogated using a sequential, laser-coupled ultrasonic system. The result will be a multi-site DNA sensing platform with sufficient sensitivity to avoid DNA amplification. TPL's experience in acoustic sensor design, which lead to PorotecT, a thin film porosity analyzer employing acoustic wave transmission, combined with MDCL's expertise in clinical diagnostics by DNA sequencing will support development of porous microsensors for isolation and detection of DNA/mRNA sequences. BENEFITS: Genosensors are under development to support the Human Genome Project, for medical diagnostics, and for phamacuetical R&D. Ultimately, applications will include agriculture, environmental and industrial processes. A genosensor with the high sensitivity and specificity of the acoustic device under development will find numerous applications in this market. The proposed biosensor has numerous biotechnology application within an estimated $20 billion clinical diagnostics market. It could provide rapid diagnostic capability for disease detection if adapted to sense messenger RNA that codes for proteins of infectious diseases. It could provide process monitoring for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and food processing industries. Government applications include biological threat-agent detection and remediation. Current biodetection methods for bacterial and viral pathogens and toxins are generally implemented on a macroscopic scale using large and expensive analytical systems that require extensive operator involvement. The objective of this Phase II SBIR proposal is to continue to develop, test, and bring into commercial production a fully automated Micro-Electro Mechanical (MEMS) based biosensor equipped with a sensing platform and optical system. This micro-scale system offers a man-portable device with start to finish handling that eliminates operator involvement and integrates sample preparation, signal amplification and signal detection into a single closed instrument. The analysis, fabrication, and testing (proof-of-concept) of a system that includes microfabricated filters, pumps, valves, fluidics, and actuators has been demonstrated in our Phase I effort. The proposed Phase II work will achieve a working miniature, disposable, microfluidic system that has both sample processing and sensitive assay capabilities. Detection of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and proteins (toxins) has been successfully developed through Phase I