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NASA 2006 SBIR Phase 2 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Barron Associates, Inc.
1410 Sachem Place, Suite 202
Charlottesville, VA 22901-0807

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Ward
barron@bainet.com
1410 Sachem Place, Suite 202
Charlottesville,  VA 22901-2559

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Over the past decade, researchers have been making great strides in the development of algorithms that detect and compensate for damaged aircraft. Before these algorithms can be used in civil aviation, progress is needed to (a) ensure that these innovative and frequently non-deterministic algorithms will always perform as expected and (b) address challenges associated with integrating these algorithms into an overall avionics system. The authors addressed the second challenge by developing an integration approach called Operational Envelope Safety Assurance (OESA). In Phase I, the authors showed that OESA can integrate control, path planning, diagnostics, and structural health monitoring algorithms in a way that ensures the subsystems will never issue commands that put the aircraft outside its safe-operating envelope. In Phase II, the authors will formalize the approach, develop a general set of OESA subsystem specifications, and demonstrate safe integration of algorithms developed by other researchers under related research efforts. Phase II will culminate in real-time high-fidelity demonstrations of an integrated controller for a NASA testbed (either the Langley AirSTAR GTM or the Dryden A-53 F-18 testbed) and will set the stage for Phase III flight tests.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technology directly addresses Level 3 IRAC elements of the NASA Aviation Safety Program, and touches on Levels 1 and 2. Additionally, by integrating structural health monitoring with inner- and outer-loop control, the approaches developed here would also be suitable for life extending control (i.e., using effector redundancy to minimize wear on key structural elements). Finally, the technology is directly applicable to NASA's space exploration mission in that it provides trajectory generation and control algorithms that are capable of compensating for unforeseen failures or massive uncertainties in atmospheric conditions.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The immediate Non-NASA application is algorithms, software, and tools for the civil aviation industry. Additionally, the technology is well suited for high-level autonomous operations of unmanned vehicles (air and otherwise). The proposer has an excellent track record transitioning algorithms of this nature for industry for use in commercial and defense-related applications.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Integran Technologies USA, Inc.
2541 Appletree Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15241-2587

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Heard
heardr@yahoo.com
2541 Appletree Drive
Pittsburgh,  PA 15241-2587

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Grain Boundary Engineering (GBE) approach, successfully demonstrated in Phase I, that microstructural optimization provides a very significant improvement in reducing susceptibility to intergranular crack initiation and growth in conventional wrought Inconel 718. The principal objective of the Phase II research development program is to extend the applicability of the GBE technology from conventional wrought superalloys to more advanced powder metallurgy (PM) alloys, and in particular, the Low Solvus High Refractory (LSHR) developed by NASA. In addition, the program also includes a limited effort to optimize the GBE process for application to wrought Inconel 718Plus. The phase II program will build upon the success of the phase I effort, and will have the following specific technical objectives: (1) develop and optimize GBE processing strategies for optimizing the bulk microstructure of an advanced PM disk alloy developed by NASA (i.e., LSHR) and Inconel 718Plus, (2) develop a cost-effective GBE processing strategy for locally optimizing the microstructure of the PM alloy (i.e., LSHR) at the near surface, and (3) evaluate the mechanical properties of the GBE-processed alloys and benchmark with properties of their conventional counterparts.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The NASA potential applications are for nickel based superalloy parts in gas turbines.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non NASA commercial applications include nickel based superalloy parts in land base gas turbines and automotive diesel engines.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Metallics
Aircraft Engines

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

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Shiv Joshi
sjoshi@nextgenaero.com
2780 Skypark Drive, Suite 400
Torrance CA ,  CA 90505-7519

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NextGen Aeronautics, after achieving promising results in Phase I, is proposing a simple yet powerful damage identification technique for honeycomb advanced composite structures in Phase II. The proposed Phase II program is focused to achieve at least TRL of 5 and quickly commercialize technology in Phase III. The specific objectives are: 1) Improve Raleigh –Lamb (RL) wave based statistical detection technology; 2) Reduce NDE time by field usable automated data collection; 3) Develop end-to-end system software; 4) Develop detailed early commercialization plan. The Phase II development will provide a significant improvement in functionality of the system and put strong emphasis on process automation. NextGen is pursuing teaming arrangement with Boeing and Northrop Grumman to test the proposed system in realistic environment. During Phase I, the NextGen team established feasibility of the proposed system by evaluating it on a honeycomb plate, a common construction used in many secondary structures of aircraft. NextGen has chosen an outstanding team that has considerable prior experience, an in-depth understanding of damage modes in advanced composite structures, and comprehensive knowledge of damage detection techniques. Our team's combined expertise in health monitoring systems and our relationship with system integrators will ensure near-term technology transition.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA's aviation safety programs (integrated vehicle health management and aircraft aging and durability project) have clearly identified structural health monitoring as potential operating cost saver. This program will directly contribute to NASA's push for improving aircraft safety. Many future aerospace systems will have elevated durability requirements, necessitating early detection of damage, predicting remaining life and mitigating failure. Some of the NASA space applications of the proposed system include X-37 demonstrator, space shuttle, international space station, and the orbital space plane programs. This system would provide a lightweight, inexpensive SHM system that would reduce launch turn-around time, increase probability of launch success, minimize life cycle costs, and increase the crew return mission success.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Obviously, commercial airlines faced with reducing fleet's operating cost will be interested in proposed system that reliably and cost effectively inspects aircraft structure at airports without altering or delaying flight schedule. Other non-NASA commercial applications of NextGen's health monitoring system include long-term monitoring of nuclear waste storage, pressure vessels, storage tanks, and piping, also automated inspection of nuclear power plants, Navy surface ships and submarines, and critical engineering structures.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Integrated Robotic Concepts and Systems
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Composites

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
RL Associates, Inc.
1350 Edgmont Avenue, Suite 2300
Chester, PA 19013-3940

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Richard Billmers
rbillmers@rlassociatesinc.com
1450 Edgmont Avenue, Suite 230
Chester,  PA 19013-3934

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We have investigated the feasibility of employing a hazard detection and mitigation system based upon a polarization discriminating range-gated Lidar system. This dual use system will be capable of both imaging targets in low visibility scenarios, such as smoke, fog, haze, light rain, and low light levels, and providing an early warning of in-flight hazards, primarily icing conditions in clouds. The polarization discriminating optical system and accompanying image processing software are capable of differentiating highly depolarizing surfaces from those that contribute little to depolarization. Examples of this type of differentiation include water and ice phases in clouds and hard-target surfaces surrounded by an aerosol particulate media. The NIR Lidar system is designed to operate around 1.5 m for maximum eye-safety, even when used from the ground. Major components of the Lidar unit include a laser transmitter, a fast gated detector, and polarization switching components. The performance of this type of system has been demonstrated in the Phase I project in laboratory experiments using custom built rain and fog generating chambers. Both image enhancement of a hard target and detection differing depolarization ratios were demonstrated. Backscattered noise from obscurants is greatly reduced by the fast-gated camera system, and a narrowband optical filter provides additional noise rejection. The NIR Lidar system can be easily integrated with a database of common object types for identification of hard targets, such as obstacles on a runway. Illuminated NIR imagery is ideal for providing images of hard targets, as object detail is very near that seen with a visible camera, unlike FLIR (forward-looking infrared) imagery, and the performance is equivalent in day or night conditions.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Successful development of the NIR Lidar technology will fill NASA needs in programs requiring atmospheric hazard detection, surveillance, hazard assessment and imaging through obscurants. While system parameters of the planned prototype would make incorporation somewhat limited at this time, within the next 20 years, the FAA expects air traffic operations to increase by 150-250%. To meet the demands of this high traffic environment, the Next Generation of Aviation Transportation Systems (NGATS/"NexGen") will require significantly improved hazard mitigation systems both for ground-level and in-flight hazards. NexGen systems will constitute perhaps the largest and most important NASA application. The NexGen vision calls for new capabilities that would substantially increase the capacity, with safety and efficiency, of the National Air-Space System (NAS). Specific capabilities that are viewed as critical to the success of NexGen are Equivalent Vision Operations, which will allow the system to maintain visual flight rule capacities in instrument flight conditions, and Broad-Area Precision Navigation, which allows precise navigation anywhere in the airspace, including precision landing at any airport. The RL Associates Hazard Mitigating Lidar System addresses both of these capabilities by placing a high priority on rapid and accurate hazard detection.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Visualization through common obscurants such as fog, rain, smoke, and haze represents a difficulty for many industries as well as the military. As a result, the ability to add or enhance such visualization would have significant applications in commercial aviation, transportation and shipping, military surveillance and targeting systems, as well as law-enforcement and other related industries. These potential applications have already been studied, and the current visualization issues that they are facing are being identified, so that continued development of the current RL Associates program may address these issues. Key potential non-NASA customers/programs therefore appear to be commercial and military aircraft manufacturers (Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman), shipping builders (Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Kaverner, etc), shipping lines, cruise ship companies, automobile manufacturers, and the Department of Defense (DOD). Several branches of the DOD have systems which stand to benefit from this proposed hazard detection technology. Parties this technology targets include the Missile Defense Agency, for missile guidance systems, NavAir, for both airborne reconnaissance LIDAR applications and targeting systems, and Homeland Security, for in-port or aerial surveillance systems.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Pilot Support Systems
Optical
Photonics

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Techno-Sciences, Inc.
11750 Beltsville Drive, Suite 300
Beltsville, MD 20705-3194

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Gaurav Bajpai
bajpai@technosci.com
11750 Beltsville Drive
Beltsville,  MD 20705-3194

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The objective of the project is the development of an open architecture, computational toolbox for design and implementation of diagnostic and prognostic algorithms for aircraft electrical power systems. The management of typical failure modes of the electrical system can have substantial returns in the overall availability, safety and operating cost of aircraft. We propose several innovative techniques for monitoring specific components of the power system such as generators, converters, and batteries. The integrated architecture using general purpose symbolic processing, numerical tools and data logging makes this project especially attractive and will bring advances in diagnostics and prognostics to engineering practice. The toolbox will include code generation tools resulting in the ability to seamlessly integrate the designed algorithms by automating several key steps for the implementation phase. In Phase I we have demonstrated the approach using simulations and experimental test beds. The successful completion of this phase of the project provided a prototype health monitoring system and established a framework to integrate new algorithms allowing the rapid packaging of advanced health management techniques for validation and verification, flight certification and final system integration and evaluation. In Phase II, we will develop a diagnostics and prognostics toolbox that will allow the transition of advanced techniques for on-line health monitoring of power system components to operational situations. Outputs from the computational toolbox will be useful for scheduling both routine and preventive maintenance. The developed software and real time implementations will be well suited for packaging and integrating into vehicle health management systems for both military and commercial aircraft.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The primary application would be in prognostics and diagnostics for health management of next generation air and space vehicles. General purpose tools for evaluating newly developed prognostic and diagnostic model and data based algorithms. Lead to an integrated toolbox for the implementation of health management strategies.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Power System Management for air, sea and land vehicles is increasingly becoming important as critical systems rely on electrical and electronic systems to operate without failures. Techno-Sciences, Inc (TSi) has ongoing funded research for shipboard power systems management and aviation safety. By leveraging these efforts we will develop diagnostic and prognostic capability for use in the health monitoring system for commercial aircraft. The proposed techniques and technology have a wide applicability for commercial users as well; these include commercial aircraft manufacturers and airlines, electric power generation systems, other sea and land vehicles, and applications where distributed power generation is being used as a primary source or to supplement the grid power.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Database Development and Interfacing
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Power Management and Distribution

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Barron Associates, Inc.
1410 Sachem Place, Suite 202
Charlottesville, VA 22901-0807

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jason Burkholder
barron@bainet.com
1410 Sachem Place, Suite 202
Charlottesville,  VA 22901-2559

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The overall objective of this research program is to improve the affordability, survivability, and service life of next generation aircraft through the use of ADAPT --- an integrated adaptive diagnostic and prognostic toolbox. The specific focus of the research effort is adaptive diagnostic and prognostic algorithms for systems with slowly-varying dynamics. Model-based machinery diagnostic and prognostic techniques depend upon high-quality mathematical models of the plant. Modeling uncertainties and errors decrease system sensitivity to faults and decrease the accuracy of failure prognoses. However, the behavior of many physical systems changes slowly over time as the system ages. These changes may be perfectly normal and not indicative of impending failures; however, if a static model is used, modeling errors may increase over time, which can adversely affect health monitoring system performance. Clearly, one method to address this problem is to employ a model that adapts to system changes over time. The risk in using data-driven models that learn online to support model-based diagnostics is that the models may "adapt" to a system failure, thus rendering it undetectable by the diagnostic algorithms. An inherent trade-off exists between accurately tracking normal variations in system dynamics and potentially obscuring slow-onset failures by adapting to failure precursors that would be evident using static models. The proposed ADAPT will feature an innovative new parameter estimation algorithm and new adaptive observer / Kalman filter techniques designed specifically for health monitoring. The research team of Barron Associates, Inc., the University of Virginia, and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company will demonstrate ADAPT using a high-fidelity electro-hydrostatic actuator simulation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This research effort clearly offers the potential for a significant leap in vehicle performance, operation, safety, and capability. The technology will require a demonstration in an actual-flight environment to fully characterize and validate the performance that is predicted in simulation. The research is particularly relevant to NASA's Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS), which has the objective of enabling a pilot to land an aircraft that has suffered a major systems failure or combat damage, and also to the Single Aircraft Accident Prevention thrust of the Aviation Safety Program in which Barron Associates has participated for a number of years. The ADAPT Toolbox will allow NASA and other commercial and military customers to develop adaptive health monitoring capabilities for many dynamic systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The tool developed in this SBIR addresses an area of theoretical and practical importance to facilitate widespread application model-based health monitoring systems and model-based fault tolerant adaptive control systems. Non-NASA adaptive health monitoring applications will target significant advances for numerous aerospace and land-based systems, including military fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, military and civilian land-based vehicles, shipboard systems, and commercial and general aviation aircraft. The vast array of corporations and federally-funded entities currently engaged in prognostics and health management research and development creates the potential for a large contract R&D market. Furthermore, the proposed ADAPT technology provides a natural complement to other advanced intelligent vehicle control products already under development at Barron Associates.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
Expert Systems

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Hyper-Therm High-Temperature Composites
18411 Gothard Street, Units B&C
Huntington Beach, CA 92648-1208

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Wayne Steffier
wsteffier@htcomposites.com
18411 Gothard Street, Units B & C
Huntington Beach,  CA 92648-1208

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Under Phase I, the feasibility of a novel thermal stress-free ceramic composite mechanical fastener system suitable for assembly of high-temperature composite structures was successfully demonstrated. The innovative 2-dimensional (2D) fastener design facilitates joining load-bearing hot structural assemblies and can be produced at a cost much lower than other competing designs and methods. Functional SiCf/SiCm composite fasteners having two (2) fiber reinforcement orientations of 0/90-degrees (cross-ply) and ±45-degrees (bias-ply) were fabricated for characterization. Testing of the respective fasteners included both axial tension and single-lap shear. The cross-ply reinforced SiCf/SiCm fasteners exhibited axial tensile and single-lap shear strengths of 38.0 and 33.1 ksi, respectively. The bias-ply fasteners exhibited axial tensile and single-lap shear strengths of 31.3 and 29.8 ksi, respectively. Using a generalized analytical method for determining the distribution of forces and stresses in the 2D mechanical fastener developed in Phase I, optimized configurations will be designed and produced in Phase II for evaluation. The metallic subcomponents used for Phase I demonstration will be produced using a high temperature-capable material (e.g., ceramic, superalloy). Aerodynamically smooth Cf/SiCm and SiCf/SiCm composite structural lap joints will be assembled using the optimized composite fastener system for characterization. Testing of the lap joint assemblies will performed to determine the flexibility and structural efficiency of the joint as a function of off-axis loading relative to the principal axis of the fasteners. Elevated temperature testing will be performed to establish the effects of temperature on the mechanical properties of the joint.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Hot structures fabricated from ceramic composite materials are an attractive design option for components of future high-speed aircraft, re-entry vehicles and propulsion systems to reduce weight and increase performance. One important detail in the design of such structures is that of joining and attachment. Large-area hot structures will likely be fabricated by joining smaller component sub-assemblies, since the technology to manufacture complex, co-processed integrated assemblies is immature, and hence of very high risk and cost. Conventional metallic fasteners and fastening techniques do not provide structurally tight joints over a wide temperature range due to the large differences in thermal expansion between the metal fasteners and the mating composite joint members. A metallic fastener, which is snug at room temperature, will loosen at elevated temperature. Excessive assembly preloading at room temperature to maintain a tight joint at elevated temperature may be detrimental to the structural integrity of the joint. Due to the inherent thermo-elastic and elevated temperature strength limitations of metallic fastener materials, ceramic composites on the other hand show real promise to enhance the high temperature performance of mechanically fastened joints in hot composite structures.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Advanced materials that are capable of surviving sustained extreme environmental conditions, and improved fabrication methods that provide low-cost, robust solutions are needed to achieve specific vehicle platform performance and mission goals. Near-term applications for ceramic composites include expendable chemical rocket thrusters for orbital insertion, on-orbit attitude control system and/or divert thrust chamber components for commercial and military communication spacecraft and/or various ballistic missile defense KE intercept weapons. Applications for ceramic composites in advanced airbreathing and rocket propulsion systems and control surfaces for reusable hypervelocity aerospace vehicles are currently being addressed, however the issues of durability, survivability and maintainability are concerns. Programs are in place for evaluating reinforced ceramics for land-based turbine components, heat exchangers and radiant burners, which represent opportunities in energy and pollution abatement technologies that may mature over the next 10 or so years. Most of these stated applications require joining and attachment to some extent their integration with other components and assemblies.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Ablatives
Airframe
Launch and Flight Vehicle
Reuseable
Ceramics
Composites
Aircraft Engines

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Cornerstone Research Group, Inc.
2750 Indian Ripple Road
Dayton, OH 45440-3638

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Richard Hreha
hrehard@crgrp.net
2750 Indian Ripple Rd
Dayton,  OH 45440-3638

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In Phase 1, CRG demonstrated the feasibility of a novel approach to prepare cyanate ester based elastomers. This approach polymerizes in-situ siloxane within a reactive elastomer precursor matrix in order to achieve an elastomeric material with highly tunable and desired mechanical properties. This methodology shows great potential in materials development for applications such as space deployable structures, space seals, and aeroshells. Using this methodology CRG was able to show that elastomeric cyanate ester materials having a vary broad range of thermal and mechanical properties could be formulated using a relatively small amount of CRG's synthesized monomers and other low-cost, commercially available components, such as low-cost, low molecular weight silicone materials. The cyanate ester elastomer materials exhibited excellent thermal stability, maintaining their elastomeric properties to temperatures below -100 C and as high as 300 C. The proposed Phase 2 effort will leverage Phase 1 results and CRG's other extensive R&D in elastomeric material technologies to bring the methodology to readiness for transition to operational use.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This project's technologies directly address requirements for a variety of NASA applications, including deployable structures, exoatmospheric space seals, aeroshell deployment mechanism, and adhesives. CRG has discussed the technology with engineers and scientist at NASA regarding specifically the seals, deployable structures, and adhesives. There is a need for an elastomeric material that has an operational temperature ranging from -70 C, as is the case for self-deployable space structure systems and space seals, to high temperature needs 250 C, as is the case for future high speed aircraft systems. The cyanate ester elasotmer material also is beneficial due to its resistance to space environments.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
CRG currently has a Missile Defense Agency contract to look at innovative rocket motor insulation materials. Aerojet has expressed an interest during that effort for the cyanate ester elastomer as a potential insulation matrix. CRG has also discussed the material technology with Raytheon regarding using the cyanate ester elastomer as a coating for its low dielectric properties instead of the current polyurethane coating. These are just two examples of applications, CRG sees the potential to use the cyanate ester elastomer in a variety of government and commercial applications.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Inflatable
Kinematic-Deployable
Large Antennas and Telescopes
Thermal Insulating Materials
Architectures and Networks
Composites
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
Aircraft Engines
Aerobrake

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

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Manish Gupta
m.gupta@lgrinc.com
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View,  CA 94041-1518

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In this SBIR effort, Los Gatos Research (LGR) proposes to develop a suite of laser-based diagnostics for the study of reactive and non-reactive hypersonic flows. These sensors will utilize diode laser spectroscopy to determine several critical parameters including gas temperature, velocity, and composition. Moreover, by using both multiple lines-of-sight and multiple wavelengths, the analyzer will also provide a measure of the spatial distribution of these important gas parameters in an engine test facility. The SBIR instrument will be the first system capable of providing real-time, rapid quantification of these important combustion parameters in NASA's hypersonic test facilities. Such quantification is essential to the development of improved reactive CFD models and subsequent hypersonic propulsion systems for future aerospace vehicles.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In order to develop next-generation hypersonic vehicles, NASA researchers rely heavily on ground test facilities and complex numerical simulations. These models require a series of assumptions regarding important chemical species and the nature of turbulent flow to become tractable. Due to the complexity of these models and their parameters sensitivities, current CFD calculations lack sufficient predictive capabilities. In order to validate and refine these models, it is necessary to equip ground test engines with diagnostics that are capable of accurately measuring the gas temperature, gas velocity, and concentrations of key chemical species at several points within the turbulent flow field. By comparing the diagnostic results directly to numerical simulations, the modeling of compressible, turbulent flow can be greatly improved, enabling the production of next-generation propulsion systems

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Besides its application to NASA, a laser-based gas analyzer also has significant commercial application. Through a series of strategic partnerships, LGR is developing a suite of analytical instrumentation to measure trace gases for medical diagnostics, industrial process control monitoring, and atmospheric research. The proposed work is essential in making these instruments more compact, rugged, and cost competitive, and will thus enlarge the potential market size significantly.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Fundamental Propulsion Physics
Testing Facilities
Optical
Aircraft Engines

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Flow Parametrics, LLC
68 Bushy Hill Road
Ivoryton, CT 06442-1108

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Andreja Brankovic
brankov@flowparametrics.com
68 Bushy Hill Road
Ivoryton,  CT 06442-1108

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The potential benefits of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for aerodynamics and combustion simulation hvae largely been missed, due to the complexity of generating grids for complex topologies, and the requirement for boundary fitted grids which reduce the accuracy of the method. The Phase 2 Program builds on the Cartesian grid LES flow solver developed under Phase 1, and includes new techologies such as immersed boundary conditions, multigrid code acceleration, compressibility, and advanced subgrid scale models for turbulence and combustion. Experimental validation cases using NASA-sponsored experiments, and using actual aeroengine combustor hardware will be performed, comparing the LES flow solver results with experimental combustor exit temperatures, and with other code predictions, providing a unique opportunity for validation of the flow solver.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial applications within NASA GRC include project and test support of combustion experiments, including testing of novel fuel injector and combustor concepts as performed with P&W and GE at NASA GRC facilities. The LES flow solver will also work as a numerical framework for NASA in its on-going evaluations of physiscs-bsaed models of turbulence and combustion. The Cartesian grid approach promoted here will potentially standardize the use of LES solvers within NASA and industry, due to the reduced need for highly accurate CAD-based geometry definition of engine hardware.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The aerospace and power generation industries have expressed strong interest in this approach to Large Eddy Simulation, and feel it may finally bring the benefits of the technique to practical fruition. Specific users for the Phase II LES solver include Pratt & Whitney, Siemens, Spiritech Advanced Products, UTRC, as indicated by letters of support. A diverse group of industries, including automotive, biomedical, and other propulsion groups all have key product design issues that can ba best addressed by the LES approach.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Chemical
Fundamental Propulsion Physics
Micro Thrusters
Simulation Modeling Environment
Testing Facilities
Combustion
Biochemical Conversion
Thermodynamic Conversion
Aircraft Engines

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Dynamics, Inc.
1500 Bull Lea Road, Suite 203
Lexington, KY 40511-0017

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Patrick Hu
patrick.g.hu@advanceddynamics-usa.com
1500 Bull Lea Road ,Suite 203
Lexington,  KY 40511-0017

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed research program aims at developing a variable-fidelity software tool set for aeroservothermoelastic-propulsive (ASTE-P) modeling that can be routinely applied to the design of aerospace vehicles. The toolset can be applied to conventional vehicle types as well as hypersonic vehicles. The major issues involved in ASTE-P modeling and simulation will be significantly and extensively investigated in this project, which include full coupling between fluid/structure/control dynamics, the aeroservothermoelastic-propulsive instability, the viscous/turbulent effects, shock and shock-boundary layer interaction, as well as the large unsteady and highly nonlinear aerothermal dynamic loading on structure of vehicles. The interface of the structure/control surface dynamic vibration modes with flows will be modeled using particle-based material point method (MPM) in an integrated dynamic fluid-structure interaction environment. The MPM is essentially a particle-based method which avoids dealing with the time-varying mesh distortions and boundary variations due to structure/control surface deformations and/or motions (i.e. wing flutters, FCS/structural mode interaction, PSD turbulence response), thus being significantly more robust and computationally efficient than the traditional finite element methods that must utilize moving-boundary and mesh-regeneration. The results achieved in Phase I have demonstrated the initial capability; the end software in Phase II will be fully capable of ASTE-P analysis and evaluation for aerospace vehicles.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The development of variable-fidelity aeroservothermoelastic-propulsive analysis and modeling capability will benefit the testing and clearance of aerospace vehicles in NASA Centers by providing an essential design tool that is not currently available. The end software will be applicable to various aerospace vehicles from conventional types to spacecrafts, and would greatly increase the safety and efficiency of flight testing and clearance. The benefit in terms of improved specification, design and operational performance for diverse aerospace vehicles will potentially lead to savings in project time and cost, and increase the US space mission effectiveness.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
DoD components likely to have interests in the technology developed in this SBIR project are the US Air force, US Army and US Navy.Non-military potential applications represent a major sector from which sales opportunities can be pursued. Improvement of computational accuracy and efficiency is a common interest for wide range of aerospace applications and, thus is highly demanded. Therefore, the US aerospace industries, including Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Textron, and others, will be the major non-military potential customers that we will aggressively pursue.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Fundamental Propulsion Physics
Ablatives
Airframe
Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI)
Simulation Modeling Environment
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Computational Materials

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Desktop Aeronautics, Inc.
1900 Embarcadero Road, Suite 101
Palo Alto, CA 94303-3310

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Rodriguez
dlr@desktopaero.com
1900 Embarcadero Road, Suite 101
Palo Alto,  CA 94303-3310

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To enhance aerodynamic design capabilities, Desktop Aeronautics proposes to significantly improve upon the integration (performed in Phase 1) of a new sweep/taper integrated-boundary-layer (IBL) code that includes transition prediction with a Cartesian Euler solver developed at NASA. This combined solver will play an important role in the preliminary design of both conventional and unconventional aerospace vehicles traveling at subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds. Complex aircraft configurations may be easily analyzed with the practically automated surface intersection and Cartesian mesh generation of the Euler solver. The proposed design-oriented approach to transition prediction will permit rapid assessment of aircraft that exploit natural laminar flow to reduce drag. To facilitate design and numerical optimization using the new aerodynamic analysis, a parameterized geometry engine that can quickly model complex aircraft configurations will be interfaced with the Euler/IBL solver. Desktop Aeronautics will also develop a set of optimization tools well-suited to use with the geometry engine and aerodynamic analysis. This set of tools will permit aerodynamic shape optimization and multidisciplinary design at earlier stages in the vehicle development process.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Aerodynamic shape optimization with an Euler solver and integrated boundary layer method is used by all major aircraft manufacturers and certainly at NASA centers. The advantage of the proposed application is the time required to complete a design problem. Because the Cartesian Euler solver is virtually automatic, extremely robust, and time-efficient, and because the integrated boundary layer method allows the Euler solver to be useful in many flight regimes, this application could be used on virtually all aerospace vehicles. The addition of a transition model provides a new and unique capability to design aircraft that exploit natural laminar flow.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
For the same reasons listed in the above section, the proposed new tool would be useful to virtually all aerospace companies that perform aerodynamic design. Cart3D is used extensively in many large companies such as Boeing, Raytheon, and TRW. Smaller companies such as Aerion and Andrews Space also make use of the tool. Adding a viscous model would greatly enhance the accuracy of a code that is already used throughout the aerospace industry. The new analysis method would be especially appealing to smaller companies who cannot afford vast computer resources to perform aerodynamic optimization with Navier-Stokes codes. Euler+IBL with automation allows the smaller company to also perform viscous optimization, perhaps even at the preliminary design phase. The transition prediction capability significantly extends the design space into the realm of natural laminar flow designs.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Aircraft Engines

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
MIGA Motor Company
1250 Addison Street, Studio 208
Berkeley, CA 94702-1713

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mark Gummin
mark@migamotors.com
1250 Addison Street, Studio 208
Berkeley,  CA 94702-1713

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are metal alloys (of Nickel-Titanium, for example) that can change their shape when heated. When drawn and processed in wire form, the shape change is an aggressive contraction, with useable lifetimes of millions of cycles. Despite this fact, SMAs have largely been a scientific curiosity, finding very little commercial use as actuators since their discovery over 30 years ago. The apparent lack of practical application may be attributable to their low recoverable strain (~4% of total wire length). MIGA Motor Company has numerous international patents covering Displacement Multiplication (DM) techniques that allow us to package large strokes in highly compact, lightweight packages. Our current commercially available electric linear actuators provide 1/2" of stroke with 4.5 pounds of output force. We propose to develop several high force variants of our DM designs, allowing up to 32 lbf (high cycle count) or 48 lbf (hundreds of cycles) in a device weighing less than 2 ounces. The manufacturing techniques that we have developed in manufacturing the DM actuators have paved the way to expansion into the high force realm: high reliability wire attachment methods, use of high temperature thermoplastics, protected or over-molded precision chemically-etched stainless-steel stages, and various load-sharing techniques have enabled these powerful actuators to finally become a reality.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are numerous applications for high-force linear electric actuators in the aerospace industry including latch-release devices, telescope and instrument door and aperture mechanisms, thermal management louver and thruster control actuators, aircraft control surface actuators, and remotely operated vehicle end-effectors or grippers. Robotic manipulators, rovers, and other exploration technologies can benefit significantly from these lightweight, high-force actuators with an extremely high force/weight ratio (over 350:1). MIGA actuators are compatible with ultra-high vacuum: made entirely out of high-temperature thermoplastics, Nickel-Titanium, and stainless steel (or titanium). No lubricants are required. The total part count is very low, enhancing reliability on orbit or in any other application. Also owing to their extremely low weight, they are nearly immune to high-g loads, and can be placed on the ends of lightweight structures to provide high force actuation.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The medical industry represents the most urgent need for modern, high force, lightweight, linear electric actuators. The miniaturization of electronic components has fueled the desire for more portable equipment, and much of the diagnostic equipment in the medical industry today relies on motors, solenoids, or pneumatic actuators to move, latch, squeeze, etc, samples and subjects -in ever diminishing package sizes. There is a huge pent-up demand for assisted medical devices: those which require a human input, but also demand higher forces than can be applied by a single technician, or for long periods of time. The defense industry is another important market, requesting efficient electric actuators that can open and close weather-station doors in harsh environments across the world, for instance. Security is becoming an increasingly important business sector, and there are numerous demands for integrated security solutions, including electronic latching, dead-bolting, assisted entry systems, and use as redundant mechanisms in biometric security systems. Each of these applications requires higher forces than the current MIGA actuators can provide.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Electromagnetic Thrusters
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Integrated Robotic Concepts and Systems
Mobility
Manipulation
Perception/Sensing
Teleoperation
Erectable
Kinematic-Deployable
Cooling
Electrostatic Thrusters
Attitude Determination and Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Pilot Support Systems
Biomedical and Life Support
Substrate Transfer Technology
Portable Life Support
Tools
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
Aircraft Engines

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
M4 Engineering, Inc.
2161 Gundry Avenue
Signal Hill, CA 90755-3517

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Myles Baker
myles.baker@m4-engineering.com
2161 Gundry Avenue
Signal Hill,  CA 90755-3517

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The development of a library of Common MDO Objects is proposed, in which the software objects will automate a variety of recurring problems in the development of MDO systems. The focus of the Phase I project was development of MDO objects to implement multi-fidelity modeling and simulation within MDO systems, and to implement general inter-disciplinary mapping/coupling algorithms that can apply to disciplines such as aerodynamics, structures, and thermal. These modules will make it much easier to develop MDO applications, as the common issues can be solved by simply selecting the appropriate "MDO Object". In Phase II we extend this to the problems of design space exploration, uncertainty quantification, and analysis/test correlation, and demonstrate the approach on a set of MDAO problems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The first NASA applications are the subsonic fixed wing and hypersonic vehicle programs under ARMD. The multidisciplinary nature of the technology makes it an ideal candidate for use any time a very high performance vehicle is designed, where interactions between components and disciplines is important. Examples include future high efficiency subsonic aircraft, quiet supersonic aircraft, high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft, hypersonic aircraft, and next-generation launch vehicles (either airbreathing or rocket powered).

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The multidisciplinary nature of the technology makes it an ideal candidate for use any time a very high performance vehicle is designed, where interactions between components and disciplines is important. Examples include future high efficiency subsonic aircraft, quiet supersonic aircraft, high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft, hypersonic aircraft, and next-generation launch vehicles (either airbreathing or rocket powered).

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling Environment
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Phoenix Integration
1715 Pratt Drive, Suite 2000
Blacksburg, VA 24060-6472

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Scott Ragon
sragon@phoenix-int.com
1715 Pratt Drive, Suite 2000
Blacksburg,  VA 24060-6472

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To meet the design challenges of tomorrow, NASA and industry require advancements in the state-of-the-art for physics-based design and analysis frameworks. In particular, NASA needs the ability to make more use of physics-based models earlier in the design process. This will allow engineers to more accurately capture the complex coupling between engineering disciplines and to more accurately simulate the complex behavior of novel design configurations. Key technical barriers include long execution times, model and data complexity, and geometry management. In the Phase II project, Phoenix Integration will expand on the successful Phase I prototypes to develop new technologies and user interfaces that will help overcome these barriers. This project will focus on (1) the development of a flexible capability for implementing Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) strategies (such as multi-fidelity) in ModelCenter, (2) the creation of a flexible geometry visualization and monitoring capability for high-fidelity system models, and (3) the extension of Phoenix Integration's "Plug-In" infrastructure to better support a wide range of high-fidelity analysis and geometry management tools (CAD/CAE tools, meshing tools, mesh morphing tools). These technologies will combine with other NASA funded technologies to create a robust physics-based design and analysis framework for designing next generation air vehicles.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
To meet Fundamental Aeronautics Program goals, NASA requires the ability to perform Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO). MDAO enables virtual access to flight envelopes and virtual expeditions through the design space for the exploration of new vehicle and propulsion concepts. The proposed technology provides the MDAO integration framework necessary for implementing fast and effective physics based multi-system analysis and design tools. High-fidelity physics based analysis is essential to the understanding of novel new unconventional designs but is equally valuable when working at the performance margins of conventional vehicle and propulsion systems to improve efficiency and reduce noise and emissions. The proposed technology enables high fidelity analysis to be accomplished early in the design process thus enabling improved decision making. In addition to the achievement of Fundamental Aeronautics goals, the technology will be beneficial to many NASA programs at a wide variety of NASA centers involved in space, propulsion, operations, and mission designs.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are numerous non-NASA applications of the SBIR technology. A common element is the economic need to accelerate and optimize the design and decision making process. The proposed technology will provide substantial value to designers and engineers in aerospace and defense markets such as DoD, aerospace original equipment manufacturers (platforms, propulsion, systems), first tier suppliers, and research facilities. Related markets include other industries such as automotive, electronics, process industries, heavy machinery, shipbuilding, oil and gas, and utilities that utilize modeling and simulation tools in the design process. There will also be application in emerging markets such as alternate energy, medical devices, nano-technology, and space commercialization.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling Environment
Software Development Environments
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Patz Materials & Technologies
4968 Industrial Way
Benicia, CA 94510-1006

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Nicholas Patz
nickpatz@patzmandt.com
4968 Industrial Way
Benicia,  CA 94510-1006

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Patz Materials and Technologies has developed, produced and tested, as part of the Phase-I SBIR, a new form of composite cellular core material, named Interply Core, this new product is a major step forward in composite core technology. The Interply Core was physically tested to have twice the compressive strength compared to the same density aramid paper and glass fabric core presently available to the aerospace industry. In addition, the new core material has the ability be utilized without any change in the composite aerospace structures manufacturing processes. The Phase II project will be to develop the production equipment to make significant quantities of Interply Core and then build and test different material iterations to quantify all parameters of Interply Core's abilities. At the end of phase II the rotorcraft, as well as other aerospace industries, will have a new material to significantly lower weight without changing platform production methodologies.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Rotorcraft industry: One of the primary goals of NASA is to improve the state of the art technologies available to the aerospace industry. Supplying a new high-performance core material to the rotorcraft industry is the main focus of this proposal. Space Platforms: The cost per weight of material placed into space is astronomical. The creation of stronger lighter core materials could significantly reduce the weight of a structure, sub structure and even the launch vehicle enabling higher payload capacities less fuel consumed and less overall cost to produce the structure. Mars Unmanned Rotorcraft Vehicle: The reduction of weight on an unmanned rotorcraft vehicle for the purpose of exploring Mars is an immediate application in which saving even a few pounds of weight will yield immense savings in associate launch costs.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Structures such as military and commercial aircraft, ground vehicles and marine vessels have the potential to utilize Interply Core to increase strength while reducing weight. The new cellular core material could also be utilized in numerous sporting goods, optical benches and even cargo containers.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Composites

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

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Todd Quackenbush
todd@continuum-dynamics.com
34 Lexington Avenue
Ewing,  NJ 08618-2302

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Development of a new generation of high speed rotorcraft has been hampered by both an absence of strong predictive methods for rotors operating at very high advance ratio and a dearth of relevant test data. Phase I initiated work on these challenges with rotor tests and development of enhanced analyses for high speed flight. Phase I testing produced useful data on model scale autorotating rotors at advance ratios up to 1.7, thereby supporting analysis development and laying the groundwork for further Phase II testing. Enhanced yawed flow models for comprehensive rotorcraft analyses were also investigated and an enhanced lifting surface blade/wake model was developed and validated for improved modeling in this regime. Additionally, Phase I studied CFD grid generation and flow analysis methods for improved modeling of reversed and strong spanwise flows. Phase II will see further high advance ratio rotor tests, up to 2.5, and CFD analysis supporting the development of new validated models suitable for extreme yawed flow. These new models will be incorporated into CDI's commercial rotorcraft aerodynamics software for immediate use in rotorcraft design and flight simulation codes. A hierarchy of models will be developed supporting applications ranging from high resolution CFD to real-time simulation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
8. The proposed effort directly responds to NASA's SBIR solicitation goal of developing validated physics-based multidisciplinary computational tools applicable to the design, analysis and optimization of rotorcraft aerodynamics. Specifically addressed is the solicitation request for improved modeling of high speed and slowed rotor concepts. This project will provide timely support for projected technology integration work of the Integrated Variable Speed Rotorcraft Concept presently being conducted by NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) through 2011. The proposed effort is structured to produce valuable unique test data on aerodynamic characteristics of high speed rotors as well as analysis enhancements supporting their design, particularly V/STOL aircraft utilizing a slowed-rotor system. The project will yield software for use by NASA and industry personnel - compatible with standard tools such as the OVERFLOW, CAMRAD II, and FUN3D solvers - in supporting such design and assessment activities and complement design work on variable speed propulsion systems.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is currently significant interest in high speed rotorcraft concepts within DOD, as well as among several civil developers. This interest has sparked ambitious and high risk/high payoff projects. Examples include the Sikorsky X2 co-axial rotor and the Groen Brothers/DARPA slowed-rotor heliplane. The test data and analytical enhancements proposed here would provide critical support in the design and evaluation of these concepts. In addition, the analysis and test data would facilitate design and assessment of other compound aircraft and unmanned vehicle concepts utilizing slowed rotors to reduce noise and improve cruise performance while maintaining an efficient hovering capability. The hierarchy of solutions would support both analysis of new concepts and the development of high fidelity flight simulations and trainers for new high speed/slowed rotor aircraft.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
JMSI, Inc. dba Intelligent Light
301 Rt. 17N, 7th Floor
Rutherford, NJ 07070-2580

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Earl Duque
epd@ilight.com
301 Route 17N - 7th Floor
Rutherford,  NJ 07070-3603

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Intelligent Light, the makers of the FIELDVIEW CFD post-processing software, in response to NASA SBIR Phase 2 solicitation, proposes an effort that addresses A2.10 Rotorcraft-Acoustics. The proposed work shall result in a specialized prototype post-processing system designed for large rotorcraft acoustics problems. This system is designated as RCAAPS – Rotorcraft Computational Aero-Acoustics Post-processing System. It is designed to expedite the exploration of large transient datasets that result from multi-physics based (i.e. Large-Eddy Simulation with aeroelasticity and acoustics) simulations as it pertains to rotorcraft performance predictions especially maneuver. It consists of specially configured hardware, flow solver, acoustics and post-processing software enhanced to take advantage of contemporary SMP computer clusters during both compute and I/O. The prototype system developed under this SBIR will revolutionize the way investigators explore large datasets and allows for more complete and thorough use of the complete CFD and acoustics data.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
RCAAPS has two potential benefits to NASA: as a highly effective tool to advance the usefulness of rotorcraft simulation and as a post-processing tool to support all types of unsteady design and analysis tools. RCAAPS primary focus is aeroacoustics, which has application in environmental noise reduction for rotorcraft and fixed wing aircraft in high-lift configurations. The fundamental technologies (integrated high-performance parallel I/O, high performance CFD-specific numerical methods, 'point and click' interrogation of large unsteady runs) will be applied to the software products that the offeror currently markets, such as FIELDVIEW and FIELDVIEW eXtreme (for Virtual Reality environments), along with next-generation tools currently under development.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Aero-acoustic analysis is of high importance to manufacturers of both fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft. A system such as RCAAPS will significantly advance the tools available to various US industry for the design and analysis of environmental noise from such machines - this is becoming more and more of a priority today, both in combat and commercial operations. Companies such as Sikorsky, Boeing and Bell are among those who have expressed interest in this capability. Aircraft engine manufacturers such as GE, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce are beginning to utilize 3D unsteady simulations in an effort to reduce the acoustic signature of their products. Automotive companies such as Toyota and Visteon, both customers of Intelligent Light, perform aeroacoustic studies to reduce cabin noise through optimizations for external aeroacoustics and fan noise from air handling units. RCAAPS would enable the sound analysis for all these industries.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation

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

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
P. K. Menon
menon@optisyn.com
868 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto,  CA 94022-1406

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Next generation air traffic management systems will be based to a greater degree on predicted trajectories of aircraft. Due to the iterative nature of future air traffic management algorithms, the success of these systems will depend strongly on the ability to rapidly generate trajectory predictions. By combining algorithmic improvements and high-performance computing hardware, Phase I research demonstrated significantly accelerated prediction of high-fidelity aircraft trajectories using the NASA-FACET software. Phase II research will build on the Phase I feasibility demonstration results to develop a full-scale computational appliance for rapid prediction of aircraft trajectories (CARPAT). The proposed architecture will combine the trajectory and airspace modeling capabilities of the FACET software with commercial, off-the-shelf high-performance computing technology. High-speed trajectory predictions and iterative computation of traffic flow management algorithms will be demonstrated under realistic traffic scenarios. The trajectory prediction appliance will commercialized during the Phase III work.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
By enabling extremely fast trajectory predictions, the proposed system will contribute towards the development and implementation of advanced air traffic management algorithms under the NASA-NGATS research program.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The hardware and software technology elements of the CARPAT system have several commercial applications. The high-performance computing hardware can be used in applications such as Bio-Informatics to accelerate pattern matching, automatic target recognition and multi-target tracking. It can also be used in flight simulation and real-time signal processing.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Pilot Support Systems
Computer System Architectures
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
15400 Calhoun Drive, Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20855-2785

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vikram Manikonda
vikram@i-a-i.com
15400 Calhoun Drive, Suite 400
Rockville,  MD 20855-2785

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Building on recent advances in formal agent specification, protocol composition, model composers, and visualization capabilities provided by development environments such as eclipse, the key innovation in this effort is the development of an agent model composition toolkit that will enable NASA ACES users to design and compose agents, activities, and models to meet specific design requirements. From a users perspective the front end of the toolkit will be very similar in spirit to a Simulink<SUP>REG</SUP> or a Matrix-X<SUP>REG</SUP> where users can drag and drop from a library of models, interconnect the inputs and outputs of these models, and run a simulation. In addition to composing models, a key feature provided by this toolkit is a family of "physical language specific adaptors" that will allow users to import domain models written in other languages such as Matlab<SUP>REG</SUP>. Integral to the Phase II effort will enhancements to the ACES-X, TAP architecture to enable plug-n-play of detailed 4-D trajectories in the terminal area, the development of a Command and Control framework for ACES-X and the development of a library of C2 models to enhance the capabilities of the ACES-X TAP.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Our initial target for the product developed in this effort is the ATM modeling and simulation community within NASA. Over the last few year NASA ACES software has gained increased acceptance and usage by Air Traffic Management (ATM) researchers, concept developers and analysts. It is currently being used by the FAA, JPDO and other organization to develop and evaluate current and future airspace concepts in support of NASAs VAMS and NGATS efforts. The proposed ACES agent model composition toolkit will significantly increase the flexibility and usability of ACES, and reduce the lead time and cost associated with developing new concepts and/or inserting new models into ACES.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Our target market here is the DOD and commercial modeling and simulation community sector. To address this broader modeling and simulation market IAI will extend and generalize the model composition toolbox for applicability to simulations using CyebelPro<SUP>REG</SUP> and make it available as a component of CybelePro suite of tools. Other examples of IAI's commercialization efforts in developing toolboxes for Cybele include the development of a game-theoretic toolbox, a distributed robot control toolbox, and DIVA, a case tool for design and development of Multi-agent Systems.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling Environment
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Computer System Architectures

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
15400 Calhoun Drive, Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20855-2785

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vikram Manikonda
vikram@i-a-i.com
15400 Calhoun Drive, Suite 400
Rockville,  MD 20855-2785

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The key innovation in this effort is the development of a decision support tool for distributed air-ground scheduling sequencing, spacing and merging of aircraft in the terminal airspace, and the development of modeling and simulation testbed that will enable the evaluation of NAS wide impacts of technologies related to Airspace Super Dense Operations in the Terminal Airspace. The SBIR will primarily focus on developing algorithms and a simulation testbed that will enable the modeling and fast-time simulation of simultaneous sequencing, spacing merging and de-confliction in terminal airspace, reduced arrival spacing (with altitude offset/co-altitude) for very closely spaced parallel runways at OEP airports (Super Dense Airports Concepts), High density corridors (tubes) characterized by parallel tracks and delegation of separation responsibility to the flight deck via CDTI and ADS-B and Rerouting for mitigation of weather impacts to terminal area operations The tesbed will be built on top of NASA's Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES). While ACES does provide gate to gate simulation capability of the NAS, it currently does not include the modeling and simulation support for spacing and merging related concepts in the terminal airspace. This research effort is a direction in meeting this technology need.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Technology developed in this effort is of direct relevance to NASA's NGATS– Airportal program. NASA's NGATS ATM-Airportal project currently supports this vision by focusing research efforts to develop, demonstrate, and validate operational concepts, proof-of-concept systems, algorithms, technologies, tools, and operational procedures for use in maximizing capacity and throughput in the Airportal environment. The Decision Support Toolkit being developed in Phase 2 will be of significant value to NASA analysts and contractors support Airportal research under cuurent NASA NRA's. In addition to the Airportal effort the Airspace program will also significant from enhancements made to ACES software. ACES is currently actively used by NASA contractors and researches.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Initial target market for the proposed technology are commercial vendors of onboard separation spacing and merging products such as ACSS, Boeing, BAE and Honeywell. IAI is currently working closely with with Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) who have offered to assist in evaluating and bringing the Phase 2 technology to market.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling Environment
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Computer System Architectures

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Complere, Inc.
P.O. Box 541
Pacific Grove, CA 93950-0541

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Kevin Owen
fkowen@complereinc.com
P.O. Box 541
Pacific Grove,  CA 93950-0541

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
New wind tunnel flow quality test and analysis procedures have been developed and will be used to establish standardized turbulent flow quality measurement techniques and data reduction procedures for future flow quality studies in the National Transonic Wind Tunnel (NTF) and other Aeronautics Test Program (ATP) facilities. To date, few measurements have been made of the characteristics of freestream turbulence in transonic wind tunnels, and details of the amplitude and spectra of freestream velocity and pressure fluctuations is lacking. Consequently, there is an urgent need for in-situ measurements to determine flow quality and the performance of turbulence and noise suppression devices. This information is required if we are to accurately assess and characterize ground test facility performance. To meet these challenges, a unique research program is proposed to clarify and alleviate the aerodynamic problems associated with adverse wind tunnel flow quality. It combines innovative advances in data base assessment and management, and new approaches to turbulence instrumentation and analysis. Standardized turbulence measurement techniques and data analysis procedures will be established and used to document the flow quality in our major test facilities.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is a national need to develop improved test capabilities for proposed civil and military aerospace systems. Detailed flow quality measurements and assessments of the performance of turbulence and noise suppression devices will lead to cost effective improvements in wind tunnel flow quality which will be needed to help design and ground test the proposed new generation of fuel efficient commercial transports and advanced military aircraft proposed for the new millennium. Standardized test procedures will enable meaningful assessments to be made of individual tunnel operational ranges with adequate flow quality related to specific test programs. These advances will help provide NASA with superior test capabilities at competitive cost and so attract a viable customer base that will be required for cost-effective facility operations.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Flow quality measurements are urgently needed in the Nation's major commercial test facilities if we are to successfully combat the ever increasing European test facility challenge. Wind tunnel disturbances must be measured to the highest accuracy to allow the aerodynamicist to distinguish between aerodynamic, aeroelastic, and Reynolds number effects. Measurements will help provide U.S. companies with improved characterization of the aerodynamic performance of test facilities through the understanding of facility flow quality. When adopted, these measurements will become a standard measure of flow quality. Facilities in the US and worldwide will seek to measure and certify their flow quality to these established standards.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Facilities
Testing Requirements and Architectures

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Qualtech Systems, Inc.
100 Great Meadow Road, Suite 603
Wethersfield, CT 06109-2355

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Sudipto Ghoshal
sudipto@teamqsi.com
100 Great Meadow Rd., Suite 603
Wethersfield,  CT 06109-2355

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Fault detection and isolation (FDI) in spacecraft's electrical power system (EPS) has always received special attention. However, the power systems health management techniques have generally been limited to the energy sources and storage elements. Furthermore, these functions have been performed off-line by mission planners for the sole purpose of estimating future energy availability and effective device lifetime. As new programs and vehicles developed for space exploration, degradation analysis and prognostics in spacecraft EPS are becoming key issues for safety and success of these missions. QSI propose a novel approach to utilize ISHM decisions to estimate power generation, storage and delivery capabilities, and subsequently using the information for generating optimal reactive mission plans to maximize the mission success probability. The key innovations in the proposed effort are 1). Utilization of diagnostic, prognostic, and recovery decisions to estimate the power supply capability of a spacecraft EPS and assess its reliability; 2). Development of an automated process to optimally utilize the available power supply capability with consideration for maximizing mission success probability; 3). Generation of optimal reconfiguration options and concomitant control actions for spacecraft EPS by using the onboard reactive planner and universal executive.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Resulting technologies from proposed effort will provide an integrated solution for spacecraft EPS and other embedded system health management and reconfiguration to support higher level goals (e.g., mission planning). The efforts will also lead to techniques and software packages that will be readily deployable for integrated system health management (ISHM) in Orion, the crew exploration vehicle (CEV) of the Constellation program. The technologies and processes can also be utilized in the crew launch vehicle (CLV) and long-duration unmanned space missions.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The new technologies from proposed effort will provide an integrated solution for Electrical Power System (EPS) and other embedded system health management and reconfiguration. The technologies can be applied to many commercial applications which contain embedded diagnostic and prognostic subsystems, such as commercial airplanes, hybrid vehicles and ships, industrial automation and semiconductor manufacturing machinery.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Operations Concepts and Requirements
Testing Requirements and Architectures
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Pilot Support Systems
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
Computer System Architectures
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Expert Systems
Power Management and Distribution

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ridgetop Group, Inc.
6595 N Oracle Road, Suite 153B
Tucson, AZ 85704-5645

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Justin Judkins
justin@ridgetop-group.com
6595 N Oracle Rd, Suite 153B
Tucson,  AZ 85704-5645

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Ridgetop's role is to develop electronic prognostics for sensing power systems in support of NASA/Ames ADAPT testbed. The prognostic enabled power systems from Ridgetop are to be integrated into NASA's Advanced Diagnostics and Prognostics Testbed (ADAPT) and later used in the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). Prognostics will provide power supply "state of health", remaining useful life (RUL) and notify operators of impending failures so that load-shedding or orderly switch-overs can be supported. Using the ADAPT at NASA/Ames Research Center, Ridgetop will design, implement and validate a prototype prognostic sensor that employs both analog circuits and digital logic in a microcontroller unit (MCU) or microproprocessor controller (MPC) to "prognostics-enable" a high efficiency switching power converter. The ADAPT is a testbed, developed to explore health-management systems in manned spaceflight with three main goals: 1) to assess performance of diagnostic tools and algorithms against a standardized testbed and repeatable failure scenarios, 2) to develop prognostic models (performance degradation, remaining life estimation) for spacecraft subsystems, and 3) prototype Advanced Caution and Warning System (ACAWS) algorithms and user interfaces. By developing effective and practical prognostics for a power supply, Ridgetop's role will be to extend the capabilities of the ADAPT testbed.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Ridgetop's plans are to work closely with the NASA Office and its contractors on the application of Electronic Prognostics to a representative Switch-Mode Power System within NASA. To that end, Ridgetop has had communications with NASA engineers, and has conducted meetings with Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. In addition, prognostics can support remote diagnostics/prognostics. The value proposition to customers is that early detection of impending failures can be made remotely, via the web, and corrective actions employed quickly to preserve overall system integrity. With remote systems deployed on other planets, autonomous operation enabled with electronic prognostics is very important. Advanced warnings and mitigation of failures is facilitated using electronic prognostics that detect an impending failure before it occurs. For example, there is a 40-minute bidirectional communication delay in Mars-to-Earth communications. Another application is to detect the degradation of power systems during flights of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) spacecraft in real-time. The CEV is the actual crew capsule that will transport up to six crew members on missions to the International Space Station, lunar missions, and deep space travel to Mars and beyond. Ridgetop will extend the ADAPT testbed capabilities by developing practical prognostics for power supplies.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There is large potential for prognostics in the commercial sector which is expected to exceed $200M by the year 2010. Ridgetop has segmented the market to focus on high reliability applications such as automotive, banking systems, industrial process control, and commercial aerospace applications. Prognostics can leverage existing diagnostic backbones such as JTAG, I2C and CAN buses, to support Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) and Prognostics/Health Management (PHM) strategies for critical industrial applications. For CBM and PHM applications, the value to preserving operational readiness is paramount and these applications are not expected to be cost-sensitive. Ridgetop estimates the following market sizes for health monitoring systems that have tremendous commercial application for the enabling of prognostics on power systems: - Military Market (aircraft and helicopter): $170B by 2015 at an annual growth rate of 5% - Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO): $64B by 2010

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Perception/Sensing
Simulation Modeling Environment
Testing Facilities
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Pilot Support Systems
Biomedical and Life Support
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Expert Systems
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors
Highly-Reconfigurable
Radiation-Hard/Resistant Electronics
Power Management and Distribution

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Adventium Enterprises, LLC
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55401-2551

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mark Boddy
mark.boddy@adventiumlabs.org
111 Third Ave. S., Suite 100
Minneapolis,  MN 55401-2551

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR addresses the problem that current V&V technology provides component guarantees, but does not do well on system properties. Human acceptance of autonomy hinges on trusting system-level behavior. The goal is to develop technology to verify system properties for high-level autonomous control of complex systems operating in rich and unpredictable environments. The System-Level Autonomy Trust Enabler (SLATE) applies constraint-based models and reasoning to support incremental modifications necessary for system-level V&V of fixed and reconfigurable systems, given component-level guarantees. The significance of this innovation is to enable trusted high-level autonomous control systems across a wide range of critical applications, including manned and unmanned spacecraft, rovers, and habitats. If successful, this will simplify the process of control system design, maintenance, and reconfiguration in response to changes in the environment, the system being controlled, or the mission profile. Phase I addressed SLATE feasibility for requirements representation and reasoning. A TRL-4 proof-of-concept prototype on a multi-level robotic control system, implementing a surface robotics exploration mission, demonstrated that SLATE is feasible in practice. Phase II will develop an application-specific version and provide a user interface, improve performance and reasoning, and demonstrate operation on a NASA application.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
SLATE has the potential to be useful on any NASA mission requiring some form of complex automation, whether or not the mission is manned. Two NASA directorates are relevant to SLATE's contribution to Automation for Operations (A4O): Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and the Space Operations Mission Directorate. In each, SLATE has a role in system-level V&V, both for design time as well as operational reconfiguration in onboard execution of rovers, managing rover operations, and human procedure development. Specific applications include ATHLETE, K-10, Robonaut. For the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle programs, SLATE can be used support compositional verification and V&V of human procedures developed for operations and ground controllers.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The design and V&V benefits of SLATE extend beyond space-based systems to include other complex, high-value, life-critical control systems. Department of Defense UAS missions, for example, are expanding beyond remote sensing missions to include target illumination and weapons delivery, e.g., the vertical takeoff and landing tactical UAV (VTUAV) MQ-8B Fire Scout and MQ-9 Reaper, and the Hellfire-enhanced MQ-1B Armed Predator. Concerns range from satisfying strict rules of engagement (e.g., positive target identification), collateral damage and non-combatant casualties, and risk to friendly resources, especially when a UAS returns with weapons to base, a particularly high-risk scenario for ship-based UASs. Other potential customers include airframe integrators and supporting vendors, US critical infrastructure owners with significant unattended operating requirements such as remote pumping and transfer stations, and requirements design and analysis vendors.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Integrated Robotic Concepts and Systems
Intelligence
Operations Concepts and Requirements
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Attitude Determination and Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Architectures and Networks
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
Expert Systems
Software Development Environments
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation
K-12 Outreach
Power Management and Distribution

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Traclabs, Inc.
8610 N. New Braunfels, Suite 110
San Antonio, TX 78217-2356

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Kortenkamp
korten@traclabs.com
1012 Hercules
Houston,  TX 77058-0000

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The new Constellation vehicles, habitats and robots will be highly sensored and generate large amounts of data. For this data to be useful to humans monitoring these systems and to automated algorithms controlling these systems it will need to be converted into more abstract data. This abstracted data will reflect the trends and characteristics of the systems and their environments. Currently this data abstraction process is manual and ad hoc. It is manual in the sense that either humans do the abstraction in their heads or the data abstraction is done by hand-coding computer programs for each data item. It is ad hoc in the sense that each data abstraction is developed on its own with no representation of how it relates to the tasks being performed or to other data abstractions. In this project we propose building a Data Abstraction Architecture (DAA) that allows engineers to design software processes that iteratively convert spacecraft data into higher and higher levels of abstraction. The DAA also formalizes the relationships between data and control and the relationships between the data themselves. The DAA consists of representations for data and data abstractions, a data store, a abstraction architecture processing engine and a development environment. We will evaluate the architecture using three NASA domains: 1) a lunar outpost monitoring and control application; 2) a robotic scientific survey application; and 3) a vehicle procedure execution scenario.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
With NASA investing many billions of dollars in the first new spacecraft in thirty years, there will be many opportunities for advanced information technology. We will target the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) prime contractor (Lockheed Martin) or one of their subcontractors (e.g., Honeywell) as partners. We will also target NASA Mission Operations Directorate ( MOD) and United Space Alliance (USA) as a customer for data abstraction in ground operations. In addition, NASA's robotic missions and uncrewed space vehicles are also potential customers. NASA commercialization will focus on two areas. First, human monitoring of space system (e.g., mission control). In this case, the DAA is being used to provide human operators with abstracted data about the system to support their decisions. The operators could easily create new DAAs for specific tasks that they have. The second NASA application is as a companion to spacecraft and robotic automation. Most automation software requires abstracted data in order to operate. This project will allow data abstractions to be created outside of the control software and connected via the data store. Control engineers would specify what data they needed for their control tasks and a DAA would be built to supply that data. We estimate we will have five NASA customers within five years of the end of Phase II.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
he Department of Defense (DOD) is the primary non-NASA commercialization customer. Unmanned vehicles, both air, ground and underwater, are becoming more and more common in battlefield situations. Future Combat Systems (FCS) envision manned and unmanned vehicles of all sizes working side-by-side. In addition, Congress has mandated that one-third of all military vehicles must be unmanned by 2015. Unmanned air vehicles patrol the borders in Iraq and provide intelligence to support ground operations. Current vehicles require multiple crew members to fly each mission. Often missions cannot be performed because there are not enough trained crews. Software that can allow one person (or a ground commander) to obtain information directly from several vehicles in an integrated fashion would provide a significant return on investment. Our software will help reduce the operator burden and increase productivity and mission success. Civilian uses of unmanned vehicles are expanding rapidly. The recently announced immigration reform bill authorizes unmanned air vehicles to patrol the US borders. Commercial companies might also use unmanned vehicles to fight forest fires, patrol large installations, track wildlife or take pictures. We expect that commercial applications of our software will mature as unmanned vehicles become more prevalent over the next decade.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Intelligence
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
Database Development and Interfacing
Human-Computer Interfaces
Software Development Environments

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
GrammaTech, Inc.
315-317 N. Aurora Street
Ithaca, NY 14850-4201

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michael McDougall
mcdougall@grammatech.com
317 N. Aurora Street
Ithaca,  NY 14850-4201

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Validating software is a critical step in developing high confidence systems. Typical software development practices are not acceptable in systems where failure leads to loss of life or other high costs. Software best practices for high confidence systems are often codified as coding rules. Adhering to these practices can increase software readability and predictability, thereby enhancing quality. However, adherence is limited by the lack of high-quality tools to measure adherence automatically. Checking rule conformance requires a diverse set of software analysis technologies, ranging from syntactic analysis to sophisticated inference of runtime behavior. By combining lightweight verification techniques with other scalable analysis techniques that target syntactic and other static properties, we will create a tool that flags violations for almost all the rules typically applied to high-assurance code. Our Phase I work demonstrated the feasibility of this approach. In Phase I, we developed a tool for checking compliance with rules developed for JPL flight software. The tool leveraged GrammaTech's existing technology for static analysis, including facilities for analyzing a program's abstract syntax tree, control-flow graph, and inferred runtime behavior. The prototype successfully checks a set of rules designed for high-assurance software. Our experiments show that the tool adds only minimal overhead to our CodeSonar bug-finding tool, and generates few or no spurious results that could distract or annoy users.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed tool will be applicable to all NASA centers and contractors that develop or validate flight software written in C/C++. Flight software must meet a higher standard of quality than typical general-purpose software, and a common technique for encouraging quality software is by applying coding rules. For example, Holzmann's Ten Rules are being adopted for mission-critical flight software across JPL. The proposed tool will search source code and flag those parts that do not conform to the rules. The tool will improve flight software development by: - Identifying non-conformant code that slips through other quality control efforts, and thereby increase software quality. - Reducing the effort required for manual code review. Code inspectors can spend more time on identifying subtle flaws in software and less on checking rule compliance. - Encouraging codification and application of best practices. The presence of a tool to define and check coding rules will make it easier for engineers and project managers to apply best practices to projects that would otherwise ignore them because manual inspections are too cumbersome. Additionally, the new rules generated in Phase II will help increase software quality at adopting centers by constraining source code to avoid patterns that could lead to faults.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed tool will search source code and flag those parts that do not conform to coding standards and best practices. The tool will improve software development by: - Identifying non-conformant code that slips through other quality control efforts, and thereby increase software quality. - Reducing the effort required for manual code review. Code inspectors can spend more time on identifying subtle flaws in software and less on checking rule compliance. - Encouraging codification and application of best practices. The presence of a tool to define and check coding rules will make it easier for engineers and project managers to apply best practices to projects that would otherwise ignore them because manual inspections are too cumbersome. We expect the Phase II work will be applicable in any industry that develops high confidence software. Department of Defense projects often adopt their own coding standards for safety-critical software (for example, the Joint Strike Fighter project). Defense contractors can use the proposed tool to identify non-compliant code cheaply, increasing productivity and software quality. Other industries that develop high-assurance code, such as the automotive, medical device, and banking industries, can apply the tool to enhance their own development processes.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Software Development Environments

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
CFD Research Corporation
215 Wynn Drive, 5th Floor
Huntsville, AL 35805-1944

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Marek Turowski
mt@cfdrc.com
215 Wynn Dr.
Huntsville,  AL 35805-1944

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
All NASA exploration systems operate in the extreme environments of space and require reliable electronics capable of handling a wide temperature range (-180ºC to +130ºC) and high radiation levels. To design low-temperature radiation-hardened (rad-hard) electronics and predict circuit and system characteristics, such as error rates, modeling tools are required at multiple levels. To determine the electrical responses of transistors and circuits to radiation events, physics-based Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) and mixed-level tools are required. This project will provide models and tools that will improve capabilities for prediction of technology-dependent responses to radiation in wide temperature range, which will lead to better design of rad-hard electronics, better anticipation of design margins, and reduction of testing cost and time. Future NASA missions will use nanometer-scale electronic technologies which call for a shift in how radiation effects in such devices and circuits are viewed. Nano-scale electronic device responses are strongly related to the microstructure of the radiation event. This requires a more detailed physics-based modeling approach, which will provide information for higher-level engineering models used in integrated circuit (IC) and system design. Hence, the proposed innovation: detailed high-energy-physics-based simulations of radiation events (using MRED/Geant4 software from Vanderbilt University) efficiently integrated with advanced device/circuit response computations by CFDRC NanoTCAD three-dimensional (3D) mixed-level simulator. This will also enable a large number of statistically meaningful runs on a massively parallel supercomputing cluster. The extreme low temperature physics models combined with radiation effects will be validated with the help of consultant, Dr. John Cressler (Georgia Tech), in collaboration with the NASA Extreme Environment Electronics program, and serving the NASA RHESE Program (led by NASA-MSFC).

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Prediction of electrical performance and radiation hardness of electronic components in extreme environments (wide temperatures, high radiation) are crucial to design reliable electronics for all NASA Exploration Missions (Moon, Mars, etc.), for both crewed and robotic systems. Since electronic parts are getting smaller, the radiation/temperature effects are more severe – the life time and reliability become essential – the capability to predict them increases confidence and reduces risk. The new tools will be immediately applicable to the NASA Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Exploration (RHESE) Program, and other mission programs. The new models and design tools will help NASA to: 1) assess and select new electronics technologies, materials, and devices for very low temperature operation in radiation environments; 2) investigate, generate, test, and validate new fast/compact engineering models ("toy models") used in designing larger circuits and systems; 3) design low-temperature rad-hard electronics with better understanding and control of design margins, and evaluate redundancy scenarios; 4) predict circuit and system level characteristics, such as error rates; 5) better evaluate the wide-temperature performance and radiation response at an early design stage; 6) set requirements for hardening and testing; 7) reduce the amount of testing cost and time.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential other users include all space electronics suppliers, in particular for DoD space communication, surveillance, and imaging systems, as well as commercial satellites. Since modern electronic technologies and parts are getting smaller all the time, the radiation and extreme temperature effects become more severe, the life time and reliability become essential, and the capability to predict them increases confidence and reduces risk. The new computer aided design (CAD) tools can also be applied for cryogenic electronics for high-sensitivity, low-noise analog and mixed-signal applications, such as metrology, infrared (IR) imagers, sensors (radiation, optical, X-ray), radiometrology, precision instruments, radio and optical astronomy, infrared and photon detectors, and other high-end equipment. For all such devices and systems, predictive and accurate modeling and design tools reduce the amount of required radiation/temperature testing, thus decreasing their cost, and time to market or field application.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling Environment
Radiation-Hard/Resistant Electronics

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Synkera Technologies, Inc.
2021 Miller Drive, Suite B
Longmont, CO 80501-6787

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Oleg Polyakov
opolyakov@synkera.com
2021 Miller Drive, Suite B
Longmont,  CO 80501-6787

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR Phase II project proposes the development of lightweight compact nanostructured catalytic reactors for air purification from toxic gaseous organic pollutants, particulate matter, and microorganisms. Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) will be catalytically oxidized inside high-density arrays of uniform cylindrical nanopores that comprise the reactor. The nanopores of the catalytic substrate are conformally coated with appropriate catalyst, forming ultra-high aspect ratio, high surface area, cylindrical nanoreactors. Such unique architecture provides improved mass and heat transfer and ensures conversion of volatile organics into non-toxic products with unmatched efficiency. The proposed low-mass, low-volume and low-power-consumption reactors are intended to replace conventional packed-bed catalytic oxidizers used currently for removal of trace organic contaminants from spacecraft atmospheres. The Phase I project unequivocally demonstrated the feasibility of VOCs oxidation and confirmed the strong competitive advantages of the proposed architecture over conventional reactors and structured catalysts. The Phase II goal now is to develop, fabricate and validate nanochannel reactor prototypes, and to initiate their integration into air purification modules. The expected result is commercially viable, low-cost, compact yet highly efficient and robust nanochannel reactors for air purification.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Proposed catalytic nanochgannel array reactors will enable advanced performance, mass, volume and power savings for catalytic oxidation subassemblies for trace organic contaminant removal from spacecraft and space habitat atmospheres. The proposed technology is expecially suitable for long-duration missions, such as orbital stations, lunar lander and lunar outpost, as well as future human flights to Mars.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed technology will enable advanced performance of personal and collective protection equipment, such as air purification systems on board of commercial aircraft; commercial, industrial and medical air purification systems; military and civil defense air purification and CBRD protection systems; personal protection equipment (escape hoods, gas masks, respirators). Spin-off commercial applications of nanostructured reactors include fuel reformers for fuel cells, catalytic combustors and burners, chemical microreactors, membrane-reactors for numerous applications.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Ceramics
Composites

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Connecticut Analytical Corporation
696 Amity Road
Bethany, CT 06524-3006

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Joseph Bango
jbango@ctanalytical.com
696 Amity Road
Bethany,  CT 06524-3006

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In stark contrast to current stagnation-based methods for capturing airborne particulates and biological aerosols, our demonstrated, cost-effective electrospray technology employs an entirely different approach based on the remarkable effectiveness of small, h