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Phase I
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3I Diagnostics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Culture-independent Rapid Bacterial Isolation and Identification
Contact
20271 Goldenrod Lane
Germantown, MD 20876–4064
NSF Award
1819613 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project aims to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a system that can identify a broad range of bacteria in < 1 hour directly from blood. Existing diagnostic systems require 2-6 days to identify the bacteria, which delays treatment using appropriate antibiotics. Sepsis, which is often caused by a bacterial infection, contributes to up to half of all hospital deaths in the US largely due to complications arising from delays or inappropriate treatment (which is mainly because of lack of information regarding the infection-causing bacteria). It is the most expensive hospital-treated condition in the United States ? representing $20.3 billion in healthcare costs. The proposed system aims to sharply reduce the time to provide information needed by physicians, enabling them to initiate treatment using the appropriate antibiotic rapidly. This is expected to lead to significant reductions in costs, complications, and mortality. Further, by eliminating the need for culturing, new insights into bacterial behavior can be acquired contributing to additional fundamental knowledge of bacteria. This knowledge will aid antibiotic discovery efforts, improve understanding of mechanisms of drug resistance, support new biomanufacturing processes through faster detection of bacterial contamination of pharmaceutical products and foods, and characterization of the microbiome. The challenges of rapid bacterial identification are primarily in two areas ? sample preparation, that eliminates the need for culturing, and multiplex identification, to cover the diverse range of bacterial species capable of causing infection. The proposed work is based on leveraging the differential response between bacteria and the cells in a sample matrix to selectively break down the sample matrix, but not bacteria, such that the largest lysis debris is smaller than intact bacteria. The debris is subsequently separated from intact bacteria using a size-based technique enabling rapid isolation of a broad range of bacteria directly from the sample. A novel Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy system is then used to identify the isolated bacteria at clinically relevant concentrations. No bacteria-specific reagents are employed. The proposed Phase I work addresses the highest risk technical hurdles in the process. Isolating and detecting low concentration of bacteria directly from blood is accomplished through the three objectives of this project that optimize the purification and bacterial recovery from the sample, identification accuracy, and performance of the integrated system relative to the traditional culturing-based method. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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4th-Phase Inc.
SBIR Phase I: 4th-Phase Water Technology
Contact
6545 34th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115–7301
NSF Award
1819846 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to optimize water utilization, thereby improving agricultural production. It is projected that the human population will exceed 9 billion by 2050. To meet the expected demand, global food production must increase by more than 50% by 2050. This SBIR project will have impact not only in expanding fundamental knowledge of plant utilization of water but also in contributing to agricultural productivity, an urgent and practical need for human survival, in a sustainable manner. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to commercialize the advanced water-treatment technology that could enhance plant growth, and therefore improve crop output in agricultural applications. In short, a thin layer (about 100 microns, as thin as a human hair) of interfacial water was found to exist with a slightly higher pH, net negative charge, and a tendency to exclude impurities. These findings were similar to those found by other independent research groups working with xylem cells in plants and muscle cells in animals. Several hydrogels and polymers were also found to contain interfacial water with similar properties. Initial studies regarding the practical use of the interfacial water were conducted in a plant system. On average, initial results show a rapid growth rate of around 10% to 20% improvement compared to the control group; preliminary findings that have now been confirmed to be similar amongst four different plants, namely chick pea, wheatgrass, basil, and pea shoots. This SBIR will enable continued testing and scale up the interfacial water generator to meet water demands for customer validations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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A Carrot, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Qalaxia: skill-aware query engine for K12 Classrooms
Contact
20488 Stevens Creek Blvd #1501
Cupertino, CA 95014–2293
NSF Award
1843326 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project builds a new query engine for K12 that addresses four major shortcomings in existing automated question-answering systems. The shortcomings prevent both students and teachers from fully leveraging the power of such systems. Existing systems 1) cannot handle raw student queries like - Ten Ford Fiestas cost $146,000. How much does each Ford Fiesta cost?, 2) do not take into account students' skill-levels to return results that is within the scope of their understanding, 3) do not have a community vetting and feedback mechanism that allows systems to learn the quality of their automated answers, and 4) discard valuable insights obtainable from students' queries that can be used to inform future classroom instruction. The query engine, which is free to use, addresses all four shortcomings, improves classroom instruction and closes the achievement gap. It empowers students of all abilities and from all communities to obtain automated answers from the AI technology and regular answers from the community of users. The community of users on the platform range from students to teachers to experts from the industry fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities. The platform is compliant with federal and state privacy regulations and is projected to earn significant Annual Recurring Revenue from corporations and EdTech companies seeking to build their brand among the K12 community. This project develops new skill-aware AI technology that automatically maps student's raw queries into topics, sub-topics and intent. The technology considers the user skill-levels and automatically constructs an answer extracted from the most relevant educational resources, with highest preference given to teachers' own resources. The technology does something more if the detected topic falls under Algebra and the intent of the query is 'How do I solve this?' It generates, on-the-fly, additional scaffolding instructions for solving the problem. This approach extends to disciplines beyond Algebra. In addition, Phase I research leverages the latest advancements in Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing and Topic Detection to extract and track skill-levels, as well as strengths and weaknesses of students for teacher's benefit. Finally, the project will also demonstrate the efficacy of the technology in terms of queries made, relevant responses generated and its impact in terms of Algebra math outcomes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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A-Alpha Bio, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Developing a Platform for Multiplexed Drug Profiling Using Yeast Synthetic Agglutination
Contact
3946 W Stevens Way NE 3rd Fl
Seattle, WA 98105–1654
NSF Award
1819398 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will be to develop a preclinical drug characterization platform capable of profiling the effect of a drug candidate on whole protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. PPIs play a pivotal role in most diseases, and are considered high-impact therapeutic targets for cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and more. Over 40 clinically relevant PPIs have been disrupted successfully with small molecules, and several have entered clinical trials. One recently approved cancer drug, Venetoclax, is expected to reach $2.2B in sales by 2020. Despite the enormous clinical and commercial potential of PPI disrupting drugs, preclinical characterization remains a major challenge. Pharmaceutical companies are limited by slow and laborious techniques to measure protein interactions that require each protein to be purified, and each PPI to be measured separately. As a result, only a small subset of relevant interactions are tested during preclinical drug development, which leads to a high incidence of failure during clinical trials. The proposed platform for PPI network characterization is expected to have a major commercial and societal impact by enabling more thorough preclinical screening of PPI inhibiting drugs, reducing the overall cost and time associated with drug development. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop and commercialize a novel platform for screening PPI disrupting drugs that provides quantitative accuracy, enables simultaneous characterization of whole PPI networks, and eliminates the need for protein purification. This platform combines the throughput of a cell-based assay with the accuracy of a bioanalytical technique by linking yeast haploid mating efficiency to the affinity of proteins displayed on the cells' surfaces. Preliminary results demonstrate that next generation sequencing of diploid cells may be used to accurately measure many PPI strengths simultaneously. The goal of this project is to demonstrate that the proposed platform can correctly recapitulate whole disease-relevant PPI networks and accurately characterize well-studied inhibitors in a format that is compatible with existing high-throughput screening workflows. To demonstrate feasibility, the well-studied BCL2 PPI network, which contains unstable proteins and considerable complexity, will be analyzed to identify each pairwise PPI and compared to known interactions from the literature. The yeast strains and assay parameters will then be optimized for screening water insoluble small molecule drugs and 96-well plate compatibility. The ultimate goal of this project is to establish a new platform technology for the preclinical characterization of PPI inhibiting drug candidates. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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ACTIBIOMOTION, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Quasi- Semi-Active Seats (QSAS) for Heavy Machinery
Contact
2261 Crosspark Rd Ste 202
Coralville, IA 52241–4716
NSF Award
1819917 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project focused on a novel seat design that reduces vehicle-based whole-body vibration and shock will 1) better protect human health while 2) addressing major transportation markets including trucking, agriculture, construction, military vehicles, and mass transit, as well as automobiles and water-/land-based recreational vehicles. The envisioned socio-economic impact is significant: Continual exposure to whole-body vibration and shocks can cause discomfort, reduction in work performance, and chronic low-back pain for vehicle operators and passengers. Low-back pain is the largest component of disability among all occupational-related injuries. Though so-called "active" seats can help reduce these vibrations/shocks, their high cost is a major barrier. The low-cost seats being pursued here could benefit millions of vehicle operators. The work will also result in a greater scientific and technological understanding of the sources/effects of and potential remedies for whole-body vibration and shock. The suspension system market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.11%, by value, from 2016 to 2021. The market is expected to grow from USD 52.38 Billion in 2015 to USD 67.22 Billion by 2021. The market for bus seats alone is expected to be at $10.03 Billion by the year 2022. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is focused on the feasibility of a quasi-semi-active seat (QSAS) technology. Seating design for heavy equipment and vehicle operators has faced a trade-off between performance and cost. The most-complex 'active seats' reduce vibration but are cost-prohibitive at $3,500. Semi-active seats are simplified active seats and perform better than passive seats, but still magnify input vibration and cost several thousand dollars. Passive seats are the least expensive, but they magnify input vibration at low frequencies. Recent design/material advances and strong preliminary data set the stage for developing an innovative passive seat at a fraction of the cost of semi-active seats that will reduce input vibration at low frequencies. Phase I feasibility will be shown using sliding friction to mitigate vibration at low frequency. A QSAS prototype will be built and used to show potential in laboratory and field settings. Technical challenges will involve material selection that will show maximum vibration mitigation and dissipation, as well as integration of the cushion with a suspension system that can handle the weight of a seated person. The research will determine effective performance parameters under different magnitudes and frequencies of vibration that simulate realistic operational conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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ADVENT Diamond
SBIR Phase I: Advancing HIgh-Power Diamond Devices Towards Commercialization
Contact
1475 North Scottsdale Road, #200
Scottsdale, AZ 85257–3538
NSF Award
1747133 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,996
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the innovation of diamond technologies that will enhance the efficiency and reliability of electric vehicles, thus supporting the development of green technology and reduction of CO2 emissions. Specifically, diamond diodes will reduce powertrain losses by about a third and thus directly translate into a 10% increase in electric power vehicle (EPV) range. While the impact of diamond diodes is significant, the development of this technology is also intended to advance diamond power devices. Additional diamond components - such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) - will increase the efficiency and reliability of electric vehicles even further. Moreover, the successful commercialization of diamond will ultimately affect many power markets in addition to EPVs: including converters and inverters in geothermal drilling, aerospace, and power grids; high-frequency applications such as radar and communication systems; and extreme environment electronics relevant to the nuclear industry and space exploration, such as the exploration of Venus. The proposed project expects the fabrication of diamond freewheeling Schottky-PIN diodes for EPVs. These devices will utilize lab-grown diamond to produce and test PIN diodes. While growth techniques have recently been developed to enable to the fabrication of such structures, much innovation is still needed to facilitate scalability and commercialization of diamond devices. Therefore, in Phase I, the scope of research will consist of the following activities to make diamond diodes for powertrain converters and inverters in EPVs: (a) demonstrate the expected performance of diamond freewheeling diodes using simulations, (b) control the doping concentrations and thickness of single-crystal diamond layers, (c) develop scalable fabrication and patterning processes for diamond devices, (e) determine electrical characteristics of diamond PIN diodes, and (f) investigate the reliability and possible failure mechanisms of packaged diamond PIN diodes. A significant challenge for diamond devices for power applications will be the achievement of cost parity. Considering the relatively high cost of diamond substrates, an innovative commercialization strategy will be adapted to keep initial costs low, allowing diamond devices to achieve cost parity faster.
Errata
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Addenda
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AI STRIKE, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Semantic Information Extraction From Text
Contact
22 Stonybrook Ln
Shrewsbury, MA 01545–5477
NSF Award
1820118 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,991
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project can be summarized as follows. (1) Businesses will benefit from the proposed product because companies are increasingly using data-driven predictive models to improve their bottom line. In many areas where structured data are readily available, such as credit scoring, these models have produced impressive returns on investment. One of the main obstacles hindering the application of these models in other areas is the lack of structured data. By extracting information from sources such as web pages, blogs and social media messages, and storing it as structured data, companies will be able to take advantage of the vast amount of unstructured data that are generated daily and thereby improve their bottom line. (2) As the Chinese economy expands and becomes more deeply intertwined with the US economy, many US businesses will need high-quality and timely information about Chinese markets. However, information extraction from Chinese text is an underserved area. The proposed product can fill this void and thereby meet a significant commercial demand. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a new information extraction (IE) method. Currently IE focuses on information extraction from short text snippets consisting of a few words in order to derive structured factual information from unstructured text. But its performance is often deteriorated by the shortage of features - the sparse feature problem. A major benefit of the approach developed in this project is that it takes advantage of the important role of specific linguistic units even when the number of words in a sentence is limited. These linguistic units give a sentence its structure. Depending on structural characteristics or functional principles of sentences, the features around them are grouped. The grouped features satisfy certain properties and can be used to capture structural and semantic information, which is helpful for minimizing the sparse feature problem. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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ALGENESIS CORPORATION
SBIR Phase I: Soft Foam Polyurethanes from Algae Oil
Contact
1238 Sea Village Dr
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007–1438
NSF Award
1820277 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
08/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to create sustainable and biodegradable polyurethane products made from algae oils. Algae-based polymer precursors will be developed and used to produce finished polyurethane product with the desired physical characteristics. Development of polyurethane shoe soles will be targeted, including polyurethane flip-flops, as these are products where consumers are increasingly demanding the incorporation of sustainable materials and where the consumer is willing to pay the small extra cost associated with incorporating renewable materials. Developing algae polymers and high value products made from these will allow us to develop a novel monomer toolbox based on these bio-materials and to create new polymers with physical properties equal or superior to petroleum based polymers. These algae based polymers also provide cleaner, smarter products- pollution prevention at the molecular level. The development of environmentally sustainable and biodegradable products will reduce waste, prevent costly end-of-life remediation, lead to safer products and save energy and water resources. The development of these algae based polymer products will enable renewable materials to supplant petroleum-based materials while maintaining the performance characteristics of polyurethane products that consumers have come to appreciate. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop sustainable monomers from bio-based algae feedstocks that will be used to create finished polyurethane soft foams that have the appropriate properties for shoe soles. It incorporates the preparation of algae-based polyols from multiple algae oil sources, going from bench to production scale, followed by formulation of these monomers into materials that meet the demands of a discerning eco-conscious consumer. The developed algae polyols will not be formulaic direct drop-in replacements for the corresponding petroleum sourced materials' careful formulation will be required to generate polyurethanes with the desired final product properties, and that are also compatible with current manufacturing techniques. Formulation and process compatibility are key steps, as industrial users are not looking to significantly modify manufacturing processes to incorporate new starting materials. Lastly, physical evaluation of the resulting polyurethanes will be done by comparing the performance metrics between bio and petroleum-based polyurethanes typically used by end users in sportswear and automotives. Using polyols derived from multiple algal strains, a polyurethane formulation for soft foams will be developed to demonstrate our ability to integrate product development and manufacturing, from sustainable feedstock and green chemistry through commercial application. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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ALLIED MICROBIOTA LLC
SBIR Phase I: Remediation of recalcitrant and emerging environmental organic contaminants of concern using bacterial approaches
Contact
1345 Ave. of the Americas,
New York, NY 10105–0302
NSF Award
1746882 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,996
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project addresses the critical societal need to remediate widespread problems of toxic organic pollutants in soils, sediments and groundwater. The technology results in a significantly improved ability to destroy organic environmental contaminants by reducing treatment time and costs at commercial scales using novel bacterial strains. These strains have a demonstrated ability to rapidly degrade a variety of important, recalcitrant organic pollutants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PaHs) and dioxins. This project will assess the costs and efficacy of the large-scale implementation of this technology that includes the incubation of the contaminated material at elevated temperatures (60¢ªC/150¢ªF) to enhance degradation. This enables environmental goals to be met on many sites whose cleanup is currently limited by the high costs of remediation. The commercial impact is significant and makes possible the re-development of many billions of dollars of real estate in these categories to return these properties to productive and appropriate use. Additional aspects of the technology are applicable to emerging pollutants such as 1,4-dioxane in groundwater and greatly expand the options available to environmental engineers and landowners for cleaning up long-lived pollutants. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop two novel modes of destroying organic contaminants of concern that reduce remediation costs and improve outcomes. The project improves on prior approaches to bioremediation by using heat-tolerant bacteria for faster rates of chemical destruction for a broad range of pollutants. Objectives include the evaluation of the efficacy and costs to treat large amounts (5-10 tons) of material with whole bacteria as basis to assess the commercial application of the technology. This involves several components, including the optimization of the large-scale cell production protocols to produce the bacteria. In conjunction with environmental engineering firms, the project also will develop cost-effective approaches to maintaining the appropriate temperature, moisture and oxygen conditions for optimal cell growth during large-scale treatments. Variations in incubation conditions and flocculent additions will be used to determine the lowest pollutant levels that can be attained. Finally, a new approach using cell extracts instead of live cells will be evaluated for both soils and sediments as well as for soluble pollutants like 1,4-dioxane. These approaches will provide critical data on remediation costs at commercial scale and also evaluate new approaches to emerging groundwater pollutants that are difficult to remediate with current technology.
Errata
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Addenda
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APO Technologies, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Integrating alignment angle sensors into limb prosthesis standard componentry
Contact
313 Belmont Ave
Haddonfield, NJ 08033–1301
NSF Award
1746580 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is an improvement in how artificial limbs (prostheses) are fitted to the individual user. This promises better rehabilitation outcomes for people with limb loss, which lowers the risk of long-term health issues, such as accidental falls, back pain, or conditions that are associated with a sedentary lifestyle. All those risks can carry substantial direct and indirect costs for the individual and the society at large. There are approximately 2 million Americans who are living with limb loss, and who will potentially benefit from better prosthesis fit. Beyond the expected long-term benefits, these individuals will experience immediate benefits that include a more inconspicuous gait pattern, a reduction in skin and muscle soreness, and an increase in activity radius. The commercial impact of this research will extend to the industry of prosthetic componentry manufacturing. Currently, the structural elements of prostheses are mass-produced, strictly mechanical components. The proposed work will entail the integration of miniature sensors into those components, which will make them more valuable, and - along with the economical long-term benefits - justify higher unit prices and thereby a substantial growth potential for this $400M market. The proposed project is focused on optimizing the static alignment of limb prostheses. This alignment needs to be carefully fine-tuned to each individual user of a prosthesis. The associated work is the domain of the prosthetist, who depends on experience, patient feedback, and intuition to achieve acceptable results. There are currently no easy ways to measure and track alignment changes throughout this process and therefore no data-based approaches to improving it. In the proposed project, small scale sensors will be integrated into the conventional alignable prosthesis components. These will provide continuous, accurate real-time measurements of alignment changes. It is planned to make those measurements available to the prosthetist via smartphone or tablet PC, so that they can help streamline the alignment optimization process. In the future, if it is possible to analyze the so collected data from thousands of alignment procedures, scientific methods can be applied to solve the problem of imperfect prosthesis alignments. The proposed work will be focused on customizing the sensors and associated hardware to existing standard components without making them much heavier or more expensive. Preliminary tests of the device with a sample of prosthetists are part of the planned Phase 1 project as well.
Errata
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Abalone Bio, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A platform for identifying antibodies that modulate human membrane receptors involved in disease
Contact
2600 Hilltop Dr, Bldg B Rm C332
Richmond, CA 94806–1971
NSF Award
1747391 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to enable the discovery of needed antibody therapeutics in diseases for which there are no available treatments. These therapies act by increasing or decreasing the activity of a type of cell signaling receptor, "G protein-coupled receptors" (GPCRs). Antibodies are highly specific for their targets, an important characteristic for GPCR drugs, as GPCRs comprise a large family of structurally similar proteins. In fact, small molecule drugs for GPCRs often are toxic due to side effects from acting on structurally similar but functionally unrelated GPCRs. This project will develop the first technology that directly identifies antibodies by their ability to modulate GPCR function. These antibodies will impact society's health by treating currently incurable diseases, and strongly impact scientific understanding by enabling the study of GPCR-related mammalian physiology and disease. The commercial impacts are potentially very large. The global GPCR drug market is over $100B, and over half of marketed antibody therapeutics have annual sales of over $1B. The platform described here has the potential to develop many GPCR antibody therapeutics, and thereby generate an enormous amount of value for patients, society at large, and co-development partners. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a platform for discovering GPCR-modulating antibodies. This platform could be critical for generating tools for studying GPCR-related biology and disease, and for developing therapeutics with fewer side effects than small molecule drugs to treat GPCR-related diseases. Developing functional GPCR antibodies using traditional methods is encumbered by the difficulty in producing antigens that represent the GPCR in a functional state, and a lack of high-throughput assays of GPCR function. The proposed platform and method expresses human GPCRs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, couples activity to selectable phenotypes, and directly selects antibodies that modulate GPCR function in the same cells. The first objective aims to further characterize the activity and specificity of camelid antibodies ("nanobodies") antagonists that inhibit the endogenous yeast GPCR, Ste2, and then perform agonist selections to identify at least one Ste2 agonist. The second objective aims to further develop the platform to enable interrogating a broader array of human GPCR targets using ScFv antibody libraries, and to identify at least one agonist or antagonist of a therapeutically relevant human GPCR. Positive results will demonstrate the feasibility of the platform.
Errata
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Abstract Engineering LLC
SBIR Phase I: Shower Stream: An IoT Smart Shower for Hotels
Contact
8200 Neely Dr. Apt 151
Austin, TX 78759–8950
NSF Award
1746974 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to prevent over $50 billion in wasted building utility costs annually across the US by increasing domestic shower efficiency. Commercial adoption of this technology at scale will save 200 billion gallons of water and at least 1 trillion kWh of energy in the U.S. every year. Reducing waste water and energy use decreases the strain on municipal water and energy infrastructure. Lower energy use will also have a significant impact on carbon emissions associated with electric generation. The innovation will enhance scientific and technological understanding by developing a highly-accurate novel sensing technology that works in hot and humid conditions. Moreover, the occupancy detection technology can be used for other applications where difficult ambient conditions prevent the use of conventional sensors. The IoT device will generate valuable end-user utility use behavior data which public institutions and private industry will use to design better policies and best practices. In addition to the economic, technological and environmental benefits, this research also promotes jobs by providing enough utility savings to commercial buildings for them to increase their staff. The proposed project will eliminate behavioral water waste which occurs when a bather leaves a shower unoccupied even after the water has warmed-up. Developing the technology requires: (1) a device that can accurately sense shower occupancy, (2) a compact enclosure resilient to a shower?s hot and humid environment and, (3) low energy circuitry and algorithms for long battery life. Methods to achieve the project objectives include acoustic signal analysis for sensor accuracy, in-situ pilot testing, CAD design and prototyping to achieve device size constraints, and accelerated aging tests to ensure reliability and durability. The overarching goal of this phase I feasibility effort is to validate the novel utility savings methodology, occupancy sensor accuracy and calibration over at least 5 years, and a device battery life of at least 2 years. This project will be deemed successful if the following key technical objectives are met: (1) The sensor performs within at least a 1% error margin after relevant nondestructive, accelerated aging tests, (2) The amount of water and energy saved is at least 20% when compared to baseline during live hotel pilot tests, and (3) The device?s battery life is at least 2 years.
Errata
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Aclarity, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Performance and Feasibility Evaluation of Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Technology for Water Purification
Contact
10 Chestnut Hill Rd.
North Oxford, MA 01537–1103
NSF Award
1819438 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercialization potential of this SBIR project is an electrochemical water treatment technology which has the potential for minimizing cost, requiring little to no maintenance, and comprehensively treating harmful contaminants such as pathogens, toxic organics, and metals in drinking water. About 80M U.S. homeowners are seeking a water purification solution for fear of their water quality. They are unsatisfied with the high maintenance, long-term costs, and lack of comprehensive treatment capabilities of existing systems. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to optimize, demonstrate, and scale an electrochemical water purification system for residential point-of-entry application. Existing water purification systems are largely ineffective in comprehensively treating contaminants such as pathogens, toxic organics, and metals, and also require frequent maintenance which contributes to high costs and waste generation. To address these concerns, the treatment effectiveness, cost, and feasibility of treating water contaminated with pathogens and toxic organic compounds by the proposed electrochemical technology will be studied in laboratory and pilot scale applications. Design parameters will be optimized for highest treatment capability and lowest costs and maintenance needs. Prototypes will be scaled for pilot evaluation at flow rates for residential point-of-entry application and evaluated for robustness. The laboratory and pilot units will be evaluated for perfluorinated compound (PFC) removal consistent with NSF/ANSI P473 and for pathogen disinfection following EPA Purifier Standard Certification. PFC removal and disinfection are keys to proving a comprehensive water purification solution for decentralized treatment. The end result will be a small product automated by sensors that connects directly in-line with a building's plumbing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Activated Research Company
SBIR Phase I: A universal carbon detector for liquid phase chemical detection of organic molecules
Contact
7561 Corporate Way
Eden Prairie, MN 55344–2022
NSF Award
1721397 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,995
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will research and develop a universal carbon detector for liquid chromatography using flame ionization detection. The commercialization of this innovation is a product that will allow scientists to measure compounds with greater ease and accuracy, and drastically simplify the number and types of detectors required in liquid chromatography. The broader impacts of this product include faster drug and product development, more accurate purity analysis, better environmental sampling and more efficient research in many market sectors where liquid chromatography is used. The proposed activity will result in a product that competes in the $500M UV detector market, offering universal carbon detection without the need for a chromophore and linear detector response. The intellectual merit of this project is the development of a low-cost, universal detector that is capable of responding to nearly all organic molecules with high sensitivity and linearity. Previous attempts to utilize the flame ionization detector have failed because of the lack of technologies necessary for the complete vaporization of analytes and removal of organic solvents. We have identified an oxidation-reduction microreactor that converts all organic molecules to methane vapors. We anticipate the proposed detector will have a sensitivity on-par with flame ionization detectors in gas chromatography. The technology would bring unparalleled molecular quantification to a wide variety of industries including pharmaceuticals, biofuels, environmental testing, chemicals and foods.
Errata
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Advanced Geophysical Technology Inc.
STTR Phase I: Deep Transfer Learning Enabled Machine Vision Inspection and Its Applications in Exploration Geophysics
Contact
14100 Southwest Freeway
Sugar Land, TX 77478–4566
NSF Award
1746824 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will result from a direct benefit to the energy sector of the U.S. economy, since seismic exploration will play an increasingly important role in meeting increasing energy demands and maintaining healthy oil and gas output. The goal of this project is to develop a software package for automated pattern recognition that can be used by seismic processing companies to automatically pick geological features from seismic data. Seismic data volumes have grown exponentially over the last three decades as the seismic exploration industry increases its survey coverage. Manual picking and geological pattern identification jobs, which depend on visual inspection, are labor intensive and cannot keep up with the growth in data generated by seismic surveys. In this project, the company will develop a machine vision enabled picking and identification tool trained by a deep learning network. Lessons learned in training an efficient deep learning network for pattern recognition have wide applications in other areas such as medical image analysis. This project will support the training of both graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of seismic exploration, machine learning and high-performance computing. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop a deep learning network model to recognize unique patterns embedded in seismic data, which patterns are characteristic of the associated geological structures. Specifically, the project will demonstrate the feasibility of delivering a machine vision enabled inspection tool to relieve domain experts from labor-intensive visual examination activities. Various automatic picking approaches currently exist, with differing degrees of success. Nonetheless, the uncertainty involved in these tools is still too high for them to be widely adopted by the industry. Recent advances in the area of deep learning make it possible to surpass human-level visual recognition performance in some applications. High performance deep learning network models, however, require a large amount of high quality training data. In this project, the company proposes to use a novel self-taught deep transfer learning approach to overcome the data shortage problem resulting from proprietary rights associated with the data. The new training workflow is adaptive to the domain of seismic data processing. It will also minimize the training effort and deliver a robust system with guaranteed performance for new and unseen datasets.
Errata
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Aerodyne Microsystems Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Miniaturized, Low-Power Monitor for Particulate Matter
Contact
P.O. Box 641596
San Jose, CA 95164–1596
NSF Award
1747353 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve health and save lives while addressing a market opportunity of over a billion dollars per year. Worldwide particulate matter air pollution is responsible for nearly as many deaths as cancer, and more than malaria and AIDS combined. The goal of the project is an inexpensive, consumer market air pollution sensor that offers performance comparable to laboratory instruments that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. The proposed technology has important societal benefit as it will help mitigate the negative health effects of air pollution in the environment, home, and workplace. The proposed project contributes to scientific knowledge and understanding by investigating novel particulate matter analysis techniques and enabling a highly-sensitive, portable, and low-cost monitor for studies of air pollution. With the form-factor of a AA-battery, it is the only particulate matter air pollution sensor that can fit in devices like the Amazon Echo or Google Nest. Markets for the sensor include smart homes, smart cities, green buildings, automobile cabin monitoring, air purifiers, industrial hygiene, and others. The proposed project will investigate a novel sensor for monitoring particulate matter air pollution. Existing air pollution monitors are expensive, large, and power hungry. The monitors on the consumer market use optical techniques that provide only a proxy estimate of pollution levels and are unable to detect ultrafine particulates which have diameters smaller than 100 nanometers. These ultrafine particulates pose serious health risks. The sensor of this work employs thermophoretic deposition of airborne particulates from a sample stream onto an acoustic wave resonator, and determines the mass deposited by measuring the frequency shift of a sustaining electronic oscillator circuit. The monitor of this work detects particulates from a few microns in diameter to ultrafine, and provides a true mass concentration measurement of the pollution, which is acknowledged as the industry gold-standard. Key activities of the proposal include the development of innovative techniques to collect and analyze particulates and to improve the sensor stability and lifetime. Anticipated technical results include enhanced monitor longevity, improved level of detection, improved manufacturability, and a significant reduction in power consumption. Coupling the sensor to a cell-phone or other wireless device would enable dense temporal and spatial wireless air quality measurements.
Errata
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Agile Focus Designs, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Fast Focus and Zoom in Microscopy
Contact
280 W Kagy Blvd Ste D #215
Bozeman, MT 59715–6056
NSF Award
1819493 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will enable fast focusing and zoom in microscopy with an optomechanical system consisting of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors. The microscope add-on will enable fast 3D imaging in wide-field microscopes and increase focusing and zoom speeds by 100x when compared with conventional methods in confocal and multiphoton microscopy. The technology allows the sample stage and objective lens turret to remain stationary during experiments. It will increase throughput, preserve sensitive samples, enable observation of dynamic events, and reduce training time. The innovation will spur significant discovery in understanding dynamic reactions that occur in in vivo and in vitro microscopy. The initial target market has an estimated gross revenue of $75M. The technology also promises to benefit 3D imaging systems for manufacturing or machine vision, optical coherence tomography, and endoscopic imaging systems by providing high speed and agile focus control. While MEMS are ubiquitous in mobile platforms and the automotive industry for motion sensing, they have not yet permeated other markets or imaging systems to the same extent. With recent advances in fabrication and performance of optical MEMS devices, bringing this type of technology to other platforms can spark greater commercialization of the technology in non-traditional areas. The intellectual merit of this project is foremost the demonstration of a novel optomechanical system with MEMS mirrors for independent control of focusing and zoom in microscopy. MEMS mirrors are a type of varifocus element. They remain stationary while their voltage-controlled, configurable surface shapes allow for fast focusing and attendant correction of spherical aberration. Fast MEMS mirrors, with sufficient diameters for 2x zoom and significant focusing capability, have not previously been demonstrated in literature or commercially. By producing and characterizing fast, large-diameter MEMS mirrors for this project, knowledge of varifocus elements will be advanced. This project will also continue to define standard optical design practices to best utilize varifocus elements, since traditional optical analyses assume fixed focal length lenses or mirrors. The project objectives are three-fold: 1) fabricate large-diameter MEMS mirrors with greater than 40% yield, 2) characterize their focusing range and dynamic behavior, and 3) demonstrate them in a focus and zoom system suitable as a microscopy add-on component. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Akabotics LLC
SBIR Phase I: Novel Suction Tip for Marine Life Avoidance During Robotic Sediment Removal
Contact
73-4460 Queen Kaahumanu Hwy,#101
Kailua Kona, HI 96740–2637
NSF Award
1722472 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be achieved through shifting the paradigm of waterway maintenance into a more regular occurrence, giving way to reduced pollutant levels in waterways, since they will be promptly removed instead of allowing them to accumulate toxins, and increase property values, utilization, and income within the marina industry. Additionally, embedded sensor intelligence and continuous waterway monitoring will grant the community and dredging regulatory agencies increased visibility and understanding of the health of the marine life in the waterway and allow them to more closely monitor environmental violations. With widespread adoption and further development, the innovation could potentially have far-reaching benefits in assisting with water and energy security by keeping inlet canals and reservoirs that comprise our society?s infrastructure clean and running at peak efficiency. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will aim to design, develop, and test an intelligent suction tip for use in year-round sediment removal in waterways. Current sediment removal technologies are destructive to marine ecosystems and costly to employ. As such, this project aims to develop an intelligent suction tip for marine life avoidance during robotic sediment removal in waterways. The project activities include the design and rapid prototyping of a suction tip filter that prevents fish entrainment, design and implementation of water quality sensors for environmental niche modeling, in-house saltwater testing, and marine representative freshwater testing.
Errata
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Akai Kaeru, LLC
SBIR Phase I: The Data Context Map
Contact
302 E 88th Str.
New York, NY 10128–4931
NSF Award
1721664 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/15/2017 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that it makes high-dimensional data visualization more accessible to mainstream users. An interactive multivariate visualization framework will assist users in the understanding of complex phenomena and help with decision making in the presence of multiple factors. It uses a map-like layout of factors and data that naturally appeals to a mainstream user's innate visual literacy, making it easy to learn and use. Through a variety of interaction facilities, users can define areas in this layout that indicate parameter values of their interest. This then enables them to make informed decisions within a single visual interface and balance among the diverse impacts the various factors have on the decisions. Given the massive growth in the availability of multivariate data, the unique capabilities that the proposed framework provides are expected to have a strong impact on society, in many application domains and at many different levels - personal, business, finance, scientific, medicine, and so on. In short, this project will have a significant societal impact by allowing users to make better decisions in less time. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project makes several intellectual and scientific contributions. A core contribution is the ability to embed high dimensional points and factors into a 2D plane or map, such that the distance between points has contextual meaning. This allows a single visualization to convey what currently takes a dashboard of several bivariate plots to show. The inherent mechanisms that create the combined map-like layout of data and factors are novel and open new opportunities to understand multivariate data. The same is true for the interactions defined on the layout, in particular those that allow users to derive the areas of influence of the various factors. Another intellectual contribution is the interface that allows users to focus their attention on specific attributes and deals with the mental and cognitive overload that may arise in users in the presence of too many factors and attributes. The proposed system constructs a meaningful hierarchical representation of the attributes that can be navigated within a novel space efficient visual interface. Using our design tools, anyone with an internet connection and a modern web browser will be able to create these layouts from multivariate data.
Errata
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Akanocure Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Novel Stereo-enriched Libraries as Commercial Complex Building Blocks for Facile Development of Biologically Active Compounds on Large Scale
Contact
3495 Kent avenue, Suite E-100
West Lafayette, IN 47906–1074
NSF Award
1746311 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,996
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 09/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project develops chemical tools and platforms to produce valuable chemical building blocks that can be used to produce synthetically challenging compounds on large scales. These compounds belong to the class of polypropionates which is known for its diverse and powerful biological activities across multiple indications within the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and veterinary industries. The high impact of the polypropionate class is hampered by the inefficiencies of current chemical processes to fully tackle their complex structures. Importantly, the lack of scalability adds another severe complication to the development process. To fully unlock the potential of this class, improved chemistries with greater efficiencies are required to successfully identify high impact candidates for further development. Moreover, the new tools are excellent substrates for polyketide?{enhanced drug discovery. This project is a prelude to the development of a novel class of compounds against rare and unmet needs in cancer in collaboration with the NCI/NIH. Such cancers pose a huge burden on the healthcare system and the economy in general. Inspired by the NSF mission, this project describes an innovative chemical process that can deliver highly valuable compounds. Such an approach will enable accelerated discoveries across multiple medicinal and agrochemical needs. This project aims to provide all sixteen possible stereotetrad building blocks (in the form of chiral lactones) for construction of polypropionates on practical scales. Those chiral building blocks can serve as common precursors for synthesis of polypropionates, as tools for rational design and structure activity relationship (SAR) studies, or as entries for more diverse and complex library of analogs. The chemistry platform used to produce those building blocks is referred to as the Chiral Carbon Catalog (CCC). The CCC platform is a synthetic tool box that allows stereoselective large scale economic synthesis of various complex polypropionate building blocks from simple starting materials. The unified process has been carefully designed to employ highly diastereoselective substrate directed transformations while avoiding expensive and impractical chiral auxiliary overheads or expensive catalysts. The high efficiencies of transformations allow the elimination of tedious and expensive purifications such as column chromatography. The crystalline natures of key intermediates enable facile production on scale and allow the synthetic routes used by the platform to be easily adopted by the industry for large scale production. This ensures adequate supply of those building blocks for development of complex chiral products within several industries (e.g. pharmaceutical and agrochemical fields).
Errata
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Alfadan Inc
SBIR Phase I: A Compact Home Power Generator using a Free-Piston Engine
Contact
3350 SW 139 Ave
Miramar, FL 33027–3249
NSF Award
1819821 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,249
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to sell affordable backup generators that provide 23 kilowatts, for operating a home's lights and appliances. With power outages due to natural disasters and an aging power grid becoming ever more frequent, and with society increasingly reliant on electricity to power not only lights and household appliances, but also computers, wireless routers, and medical devices, back-up power is an increasingly critical need. This SBIR's portable generator is expected to be more than an order of magnitude lower cubic size and weight, all at a reduced cost compared to existing generators. The broader impact of this project is its significant benefits to the environment by providing backup power at high fuel efficiency (i.e. less consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels) and low emissions of hydrocarbons, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and smoke. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to address the shortcomings of residential-use backup generators currently on the market. Available backup generators are either small and affordable but can only power a single appliance; or able to power most of a home's needs but cumbersome and expensive. This project will demonstrate the potential for implementing a free-piston internal combustion engine that will maximize fuel efficiency; minimize size; decrease dependence on lubricating oil; and incorporate an engine management system. The objective of the current effort is the engine, while the functioning compact generator will be developed in the next phase. In this free-piston engine design, the two pistons oscillate with forces in balance and reduced side-loads to the pistons, yielding a long-lasting high-speed engine. The pilot work included modification of the cylinder intake ports; addition of a modified squish band and dome to the cylinder head; and use of low-friction bearing materials yielding a successful prototype that runs on regular gasoline. The engineers will continue implementing, testing, and improving on these modifications. The successful completion of this project will yield an efficient, compact, low-weight, and low-emissions generator that produces 23 kilowatts of usable power that runs on standard pump gasoline. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Allegro 3D, Inc
SBIR Phase I: 3D Printing of Bisphenol A-free Polycarbonates for Customizable Cell/Tissue Culture Platforms
Contact
6404 Nancy Ridge Dr.
San Diego, CA 92121–2248
NSF Award
1819239 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop customizable cell/tissue culture platforms using a new class of 3D printable bisphenol A-free polycarbonate (BFP) materials and a rapid 3D printing system. The 3D cell culture market was valued at $683 million in 2017 with an exponential projected growth in revenue valued at $1.7 billion by 2022. The rapid growth in this sector is primarily driven by the demand for custom-made 3D cell/tissue models that more accurately recapitulate the human in vivo biology in comparison to conventional animal models and planar cell culture systems. 3D cell/tissue models have the potential to provide more physiologically relevant responses for the drug discovery industry which is estimated to reach $86 billion in 2022. The proposed strategy of using BFP and a fully integrated benchtop 3D printing system will facilitate the production of different cell/tissue culture platforms on demand and enable rapid iteration of different designs to drive forward the development of more clinically relevant cell/tissue models for a broad market in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and biological studies. The intellectual merit of this project lies in: (1) the development of novel 3D printable BFP materials with tunable material properties using green chemistry, and (2) the rapid 3D printing of customizable cell/tissue culture prototypes to support various 3D cell/tissue models. The material development will include the establishment of a reagent library and optimization of the green chemistry process. The relevant material properties such as stiffness, elasticity, optical transparency, and small molecule adsorption will be characterized and optimized. These materials will then be printed using a rapid light-based 3D printer to prototype cell/tissue culture platforms followed by evaluation of their performance. In particular, 3D printing precision and resolution will be characterized and optimized by varying a range of fabrication parameters such as light exposure time and intensity. Next, the efficacy of the prototypes under cell culture conditions will be assessed based on device integrity, material degradation, as well as changes in mechanical and optical properties. Various cells/tissues will also be cultured on these prototype devices to evaluate biocompatibility. These achievements will provide customized culture platforms to facilitate the engineering of more physiologically relevant in vitro models for accelerating drug discovery and biological studies in both industry and academia. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Allotrope Medical
SBIR Phase I: Ureter Detection during Minimally Invasive or Robotic Surgery by Electrical Stimulus Evoked Responses
Contact
JLABS@TMC - Allotrope Medical
Houston, TX 77021–2041
NSF Award
1746570 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,832
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project directly addresses the estimated $3.2 billion healthcare burden that develops from iatrogenic ureteral injuries that occur across the three million abdominal and pelvic surgeries being performed annually in the United States. Allotrope Medical creates innovative surgical solutions to improve patient outcomes and reduce procedure costs, directly addressing this situation. Allotrope?s devices improve anatomical structure location and tissue identification thereby reducing the potential for injury while enhancing a surgeon?s confidence for reduced procedure time. Using smooth muscle stimulation, Allotrope?s StimSite is a sterile single-use, battery powered device that safely and reliably identifies the ureter location to avoid injury during these abdominal and pelvic surgical procedures. The ureter naturally contracts while draining urine from the kidneys into the bladder. This smooth muscle structure is at risk of injury during dissection and pinching, the current standard surgical method, to mechanically elicit this contraction and thereby locating the ureter during surgery. Allotrope has demonstrated StimSite?s ability to elicit the same contraction without surgical dissection, thereby diminishing the injury risk while also significantly reducing the surgical procedure time. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR Phase I project will advance the smooth muscle electrical stimulation technology used in StimSite. The project will improve product development and clinical understanding of the design's operating limits while increasing the product's clinical utility through better integration with the laparoscope's imaging system to display a stable indication of the ureter position. This project encompasses three objectives: First, using an instrumented breadboard device, the proprietary electrical pulse waveform will be studied characterizing how varying the waveform parameters affect tissue contraction responses. Second, the performance of the preferred waveform will be evaluated in a porcine model to confirm in-vivo performance of a stand-alone configuration. Third, available image processing software will be evaluated to track and trace the ureter contraction and retain a road-map of the ureter position displayed on the monitor after the ureter has relaxed and is no longer directly visualized. These three objectives will substantially advance Allotrope's smooth muscle electrical stimulation technology platform for the current device use and targeted future applications in esophageal, stomach and bowel tissue identification, etc.
Errata
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Amber Agriculture
SBIR Phase I: Low-Power, Wireless Crop Quality Sensors for Grain Quality Preservation and Storage Automation
Contact
3033 E Stillwater Landing
Urbana, IL 61802–7632
NSF Award
1819370 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to increase the returns of grain storage for farmers and reduce overall postharvest loss due to toxin and insect damage. Ten billion bushels, over half of US grains, are stored on-farm each year for 3-12 months. During this period, grain is susceptible to spoilage, infestation, and moisture loss?all of which impacts the price a farmer receives at the time of market delivery. There is no easy way to monitor grain quality changes throughout the storage season to optimize for best times to run aeration controls to preserve, condition or maintain the grain. This leaves farmers with a ?gut check? system of driving to each grain bin site and climbing up and inside units. Since grain is priced based on moisture baselines, farmers are essentially selling water and weight, their final price outcome can vary significantly based on how well they managed grain conditions throughout the storage period. In the US, an annual $3 to $ 5 billion dollars (3 ? 5%) of crop value is lost due to toxin, insect and moisture mismanagement that could be prevented through the introduction of affordable and accessible monitoring technology. The proposed project would advance internet of things automation and wireless sensor applications as applied to production agriculture and the postharvest supply chain. There are certain, manual processes of farm production that are strenuous due to time burdens and the lack of obtainable information to make decisions. Monitoring grain assets, the product of farmers? toil and the safety net of global food supply, in farm bins, commercial storage, and barges is one such process. Sensing for when loss and spoilage risks occur, but more importantly connecting and turning the data into automation opportunities before they exist is the aim of this proposal. Cable-based monitoring solutions exist, but adoption is restricted due to physical installation limitations, electricity/power constraints, and investment costs. This project will validate the feasibility of a low-power, wireless sensor that can detect grain conditions and last a full postharvest cycle (18 months). Such a device will create opportunities to track grain qualities across the agriculture value chain, beginning with its use to monitor and automate farm grain storage. By characterizing, and testing against cable systems and within grain science 3D models, this project will prove the wireless sensor?s direct functionality within this first farm application. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Anactisis, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Sustainable scandium supply from industrial wastes enabled by novel chemistry in solid-phase extraction technologies
Contact
5516 Wilkins Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217–1210
NSF Award
1746785 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will study novel methods for extracting and recovering valuable metals from an abundant industrial waste source, namely coal combustion fly ash. If successful, the technology developed in this project has the potential to reduce the environmental and societal risks of both newly generated- and legacy coal combustion wastes, while strengthening the supply chain security of raw materials critical to advanced technology and green energy applications. Moreover, by establishing a secure long-term supply of affordable scandium, this project can catalyze long-lasting improvements in commercial and personal transportation. Demonstration of this highly-selective, solvent-free metal separations technology may also influence a paradigm shift in the metallurgical industry towards more sustainable practices. Validation of technologies for waste utilization and value creation is an attractive avenue for transitioning coal-dependent regions towards economies based on advanced manufacturing and high-tech jobs. Previous attempts to extract metals from industrial wastes have suffered from technical limitations that the technology developed in this project overcomes. Based on commercially-available engineered polymer supports, our suite of adsorbents exhibits REE-selective functionality across broad pH regimes, enabling flexible, complementary deployment and high rates of reagent recycle. The goals of this project are to translate the laboratory-scale synthesis schemes for our novel adsorbents to greener, industrially-scalable chemistries and to demonstrate a holistic system prototype that validates the key unit operations of our process together. The former will be accomplished by following well-established protocols of the chemical industry under the supervision of our commercial partner and the latter through extensive, dynamic subsystem testing and finally construction and operation of a lab-scale prototype. The project team expects the final deliverable of this development effort to constitute a high-fidelity demonstration of the process at a Technology Readiness Level of 5.
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Analytical Diagnostic Solutions
SBIR Phase I: A user-friendly point-of-care device for simultaneous G6PDH and hemoglobin determination
Contact
8 Abington Rd
Mt Laurel, NJ 08054–4719
NSF Award
1746309 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 08/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project seeks to transform treatment regimens for individuals suffering from malaria infections. Malaria, particularly caused by Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) and Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale) remain a potential cause of morbidity and mortality amongst the 2.85 billion people living at risk of infection. The only drug currently available for treatment therapy for P. vivax and P. ovale is primaquine, which can cause life-threatening anemia in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Clinicians often do not prescribe primaquine due to the high prevalence (8%) of individuals who are born with G6PD deficiency. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) are urgently searching for a reliable assay for the diagnosis of G6PD deficiency to effectively treat patients and aid in the eradication of P. vivax and P. ovale malaria. This novel assay proposed will quantify G6PD and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration simultaneously from a finger stick sample. This system comprises a single test strip coupled with a reflectance-based meter and cell phone application with Blue Tooth connectivity to incorporate a patient?s I.D., test results, global tracking, and history of treatment. It is projected that this point-of-care assay will be used to screen >23 million people for G6PD within 5 years of launch and generate over $27.5 million in compounded revenue. In the long term, the novel assay will create a universal point-of-care platform that can be utilized for other diseases or conditions that affect patients in the Unites States for which point-of-care assays are not currently available. The proposed novel platform will quantify both Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentrations simultaneously from a single finger stick sample using a point-of-care (POC) reflectance-based meter. There is currently no such device on the market, which is urgently needed to screen patients being treated for P. vivax and P. ovale malaria. A significant portion (8%) of the world population is G6PD deficient, which places these individuals at risk for life-threatening anemia after treatment with current therapeutics such as primaquine against malaria. The POC assay utilizes a novel lysis and reagent layer membrane platform to enable a reflectance-based meter to measure non-over lapping wavelengths to quantify G6PD and Hgb concentrations. In this proposal, a functional prototype reflectance-based meter and data collection software will be constructed and compared to readings obtained using the current ?gold standard? Konica Minolta spectrophotometer. Secondly, the POC assay will be validated through performance testing using a G6PD-deficient whole blood specimen bank provided by the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH). Concordance of the data obtained from 20 samples for the proposed assay will be compared to the World Health Organization?s (WHO) approved spectrophotometric method for measuring G6PD and an FDA approved method for measuring Hgb. Success will be indicated by an R2 > 0.95, which demonstrates linear equivalency, as well as a demonstration that 90% of the data points fall within 2 sigma of each value. A POC assay that can simultaneously screen patients for both G6PD deficiency and Hgb levels will allow clinicians to treat patients with P. vivax and P. ovale malaria infections effectively and aid in the eradication of malaria.
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Anfiro
SBIR Phase I: Chlorine-resistant block polymer nanofiltration membranes with added capacity for heavy-metal capture
Contact
84 Tremont St 1
Cambridge, MA 02139–1332
NSF Award
1746545 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is in the development of novel water treatment technologies that can improve access to clean water and reduce the cost of water treatment. The innovation is a drop-in-replacement nanofiltration membrane that is chlorine-resistant, highly permeable, and uniquely customizable. The chlorine resistance allows for the continuous chlorination of the membrane, which can reduce bio-fouling and thereby increase the lifespan of a membrane; this has been a chief innovation target for more than 30 years. The customizability aspect also facilitates capture of lead and other heavy-metals, broadening the reach of nanofiltration membranes to sectors that generate significant amounts of wastewater, such as semiconductor, mining, pulp-and-paper, and colorant industries. These improvements to nanofiltration technology have clear and direct societal and economic impact by facilitating water reuse and offering clean and affordable water solutions. SBIR project funding is enabling the transition of this promising membrane technology from the laboratory setting into the early commercialization stages of a valuable new product. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to improve the commercial viability of novel nanofiltration membranes through the development of more-scalable and tunable synthesis and manufacturing protocols. The technology is based on self-assembling block copolymers with customizable chemical functionalities. Previous methods for the synthesis and casting of the polymers are not ideal, so new protocols are being developed. The changes to polymer and membrane manufacturing methods will be conducted systematically to develop new structure-property-performance relationships that will contribute new knowledge for broader membrane optimization efforts. A more thorough understanding of how polymer chemistry dictates membrane performance will also be cultivated by investing in the customization aspects of the technology. Finally, the performance characteristics of resulting nanofiltration membranes will be rigorously tested with respect to permeability, chlorine-resistance, separations, and heavy metal capture. The overall results will help advance nanofiltration membrane technology into a platform that is highly modular and can address a wider range of separations challenges than is currently possible.
Errata
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Addenda
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Antora Energy, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Advanced Thermophotovoltaic Generators for High-Value Remote Power
Contact
4385 SEDGE ST
Fremont, CA 94555–1159
NSF Award
1820395 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact / commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to enable electrification of remote oil & gas processes to reduce methane emissions, improve on-site safety, and provide leak-detection and monitoring capabilities. This will be achieved by developing a robust, efficient, small-scale power generator capable of converting on-site fuel to electricity. Beyond the entry opportunity in the oil & gas sector, this technology has other applications in large markets such as residential and commercial power generation and heating, transportation, and military. For example, our proposed generators would allow consumers in moderate/cold climates to efficiently match their time-dependent heating and electrical demands using natural gas (accessible to 70 million households). For a typical household in those regions, we estimate a 45% reduction in primary energy use and CO2 emissions by deploying our generators. The energy reduction translates to an annual savings of about $650 per household. Widespread deployment of our technology would grow the domestic natural gas economy, strengthen the US technological lead in semiconductor manufacturing, and facilitate renewables by providing a dispatchable supply.? The proposed project will investigate the fundamental heat-to-electric conversion process and address key issues around the stability and robustness of the technology, through a synergistic effort to develop generators capable of high performance and a manufacturing process to reduce cost. The project will focus on device optimization and durability, and process repeatability. This involves the fabrication and integration of multiple frequency-selective components including a thermal emitter, optical filter, photovoltaic cell, and back surface reflector. Each component, as well as the integrated system, will undergo rigorous thermal testing to prove both resistance to elevated temperatures and temperature swings. Additionally, novel manufacturing techniques will be developed to enable cost-competitive devices relative to conventional generators. If the technical objectives are met, this project will demonstrate record-breaking performance for thermophotovoltaics and accelerate the commercialization of thermophotovoltaic devices in many different markets.? This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Apollo AI Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Low-cost real-time perception system for self-driving consumer cars
Contact
1267 Willis Street, STE 200
Redding, CA 96001–0400
NSF Award
1820462 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the practical deployment of a low-cost and low-power real-time perception system in self-driving consumer cars. This edge computing functionality in sensors enables higher reliability and lower cost of overall sensing and computing needed for truly autonomous self-driving. Such innovation will contribute significantly to the early and widespread availability of safety and convenience benefits to consumers. Furthermore, the advanced perception system will have a potential long-term impact on robotics in general, which can lead to creation of new markets and new lifestyles. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop efficient algorithms and software implementation of a real-time perception system to enable the use of low-cost computing systems for self-driving cars. The algorithms provide a novel way of using image features to perform simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) with 100 times less computational costs than the existing algorithms. They also include a truly novel neural network to fuse the image feature and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) features and perform object detection, which has 100 times less complexity compared to the state-of-the-art method. These reduced-complexity algorithms can be implemented on low-power and low-cost SoC processors. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Appia LLC
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Novel Rubber Recycling Process Not Involving Devulcanization
Contact
1765 Brookwood Dr.
Akron, OH 44313–0000
NSF Award
1820122 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the reuse of rubber compounds from spent tires in high performance products including new tires without significant loss in product performance. Only a very small portion of those tires are currently being ground up for this purpose because of the detrimental impact on product properties. However, larger quantities could potentially be used if the ground rubber is treated by the process of our invention. This would have several benefits. Manufacturers could reduce material cost, the rubber recycling industry would enjoy significant growth and unsightly tire dumps with associated pollution problems would disappear. Additionally, the tire industry will become more sustainable and other unacceptable uses of old tires currently practiced, such as their use as fuels in low cost operations, would be financially challenged as novel, more profitable uses that retain the integrity of the polymer matrix emerge. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to build upon studies conducted by our company during the last few years. While it was widely known that recycled ground rubber will significantly reduce physical properties, limited information and understanding existed on the basic causes. Much hope was pinned by many companies and academic institutions on the potential merit of the ground up rubber but no significant commercial process previously emerged. This work aims to develop a recycling process which does not require a devulcanization step. This was first demonstrated with model sample geometries that simulate the environment which ground rubber particles experience when added to and being co-vulcanized with fresh rubber compounds. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Apptronik
SBIR Phase I: Cloud Based Laboratory for Remote Experiential Learning in Robotics
Contact
10705 Metric Blvd Ste 103
Austin, TX 78758–4522
NSF Award
1747193 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,924
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to enable students and trainees to take state-of-the-art robotics laboratory classes from anywhere in the world. The proposed learning system is aimed to be incorporated as online courses, with the potential of being attended by more than a million students. The addressable market represents hundreds of millions of dollars considering online courses, secondary schools and industrial training. Laboratory courses in colleges and high schools require students to be physically present next to the equipment. With the proposed remote robotics laboratory, students and trainees can take laboratory classes just turning on their mobile devices or computers. Most importantly, the students can conduct the laboratory tutorials anywhere across the globe and at any time. This technology can be transformative for accessing expensive laboratory equipment not present in many institutions or companies. The system we provide consists of a robotic device currently being used inside NASA robots. Therefore, students using the remote laboratory will learn the use of real-world, state-of-the-art equipment that can be highly valuable for their job careers in STEM fields. The proposed project will solve two key problems in online learning. First, no known commercially available laboratory online course exists that provides students remote hands-on experimentation. The second is that the same content is delivered to all students regardless of their current understanding level. Distributed communications, robotic software and web framework technologies will be integrated to provide access to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. The second key innovation is the delivery of content adaptively tailored to individual needs. The innovation, consists of three key components. A web framework that connects equipment to servers and personal mobile devices, an intelligent content tutoring system, scheduling usage times and student evaluation regarding skill acquisition and assessments. The team anticipates that being remotely located will be slightly less effective than being next to the equipment but superior than learning theory only.
Errata
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Arch InnoTek, LLC
STTR Phase I: De Novo Production of Aroma Compounds by Nonconventional Recombinant Yeast
Contact
4320 Forest Park Ave
St Louis, MO 63108–2979
NSF Award
1722313 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is to develop an engineered nonmodel yeast platform for the economical and sustainable production of natural aroma compounds. High quality aroma compounds have a variety of applications, ranging from flavor and fragrance to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. With the strong consumer demand for more natural alternatives to chemically synthesized ingredients in both food and personal care items, the production of these ingredients by fermentation will add a renewable source to the supply chain and will reduce demand on botanical sources. This work will advance methodologies and knowledge for creating novel microbial cell factories via 13C-metabolite tracing, metabolic flux analysis, fermentation optimization, and kinetic modeling. The lessons from this research will offer general guidelines for overcoming biosynthesis hurdles and optimizing bioprocess operations, and will facilitate the development of transferable technologies for inexpensive production of diverse natural products that are broadly used for human health and wellness. This STTR Phase I project proposes to integrate synthetic biology and bioprocess engineering to optimize the microbial strain for the de novo production of natural aroma compounds. Because plants carry aroma compounds in extremely low amounts, commercial extracts from plants are not economically viable. To overcome these challenges, this project will develop a novel fermentation process for production of these compounds with high product specificity and yields. Specifically, a nonmodel yeast strain will be engineered via PUSH (increase the supply of the precursor acetyl-CoA), PULL (overexpress key biosynthetic pathway genes), POWER (enhance ATP and NADPH generation) strategies. Further, 13C-metabolic flux analysis will be used to rigorously measure in vivo enzyme functions, to delineate acetyl-CoA supply/consumption pathways, and to identify metabolic burdens or bottleneck factors. Meanwhile, novel simultaneous fermentation and product recovery will be built to improve productivity. The fluxome information and fermentation kinetics will offer guidelines for rational genetic modifications and bioprocess optimizations. Ultimately, this environmentally friendly process would provide a new, reliable and natural manufacture scheme to meet the growing demand of consumers for healthier products.
Errata
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Addenda
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Armaments Research Company, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: IoT System for Small Arms Detection and Response
Contact
6422 Broad St
Bethesda, MD 20816–2608
NSF Award
1819949 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project views an IoT firearms detection system in the lens of the military due to their immediate need of such a device and associated data. In addition, a foothold in the military will allow for and influence the adoption in downstream markets such as private security and law enforcement who have already expressed interest in piloting and adopting this technology once fully developed. However, the broader goal and impact of this system more importantly grants the potential to save lives. Whether this system will be used in the military, law enforcement, or private citizens in cases of home and self defense, successful implementation and commercialization of the first firearms detection system will grant the capabilities to objectively monitor and leverage firearm usage data. The proposed project aims to research, develop, and commercialize an integrated IoT system dedicated to detecting and processing small arms firearm discharges. The challenge in achieving the goals of this project is two-fold: one to create an IoT system that satisfies the stringent and high standards of the customer and two, to create value within the data collected by these IoT sensors. The proposed research and development covers the creation of a prototype device as well as generating a roadmap based on product and user feedback towards effective use of the data to ensure commercial success. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Articulate Biosciences, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Bioinert Viscoelastic Gels as Diseased Soft Tissue Lubricants
Contact
189 Tappan St
Brookline, MA 02445–5819
NSF Award
1819435 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,945
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a first-of-its-kind injectable gel for treating osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, a disease of the body's joints, affects greater than 27 million Americans, and the proposed activity will de-risk the proprietary gel technology to warrant continued development of a medical device for treating osteoarthritis. The product is a bioinspired polymer gel solution, to be administered by injection into the joint, which will lubricate, cushion, and protect the joint's cartilage from wear, and thereby slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Upon successful completion of this project, the company aims to complete the preclinical and clinical studies required to gain regulatory approval for the product emanating from the proposed activity. From this project, a deeper fundamental understanding of body-biomaterial interactions will be gained, benefiting engineers, clinicians, and ultimately patients. The anticipated commercial success of this product will result in job creation both before and after completion of product development. As joint pain is one of the leading causes of missed work, disability, and general depreciation of quality of life, successful completion of the proposed high-technical-risk project will lay the foundation for development of an impactful medical device which will treat the highly prevalent disease osteoarthritis. The innovation of this project's technology lies in the patented synthetic techniques and composition of a tissue-protective gel solution that remains in the joint capsule at therapeutic concentrations for significantly longer than current injectable gels remain. All injectable viscoelastics approved in the United States for treating osteoarthritis are comprised of hyaluronic acid, a biopolymer which degrades rapidly upon injection; in contrast, the product in this project uses a synthetic, bioinspired polymer which resists degradation and maintains effective viscoelastic properties for four months, whereas current products' viscoelasticity is degraded after one week. The project's first objective will, through a radiolabeled biodistribution study, ascertain the gel's distribution throughout the body following injection into rodent knees, to demonstrate 100% clearance out of the animal and no accumulation within any tissues or organs. The project's second objective will develop the material processing techniques and syringe filling protocol for formulating the gel into its final product form and ensuring product performance and safety specifications are met. Completion of these objectives will allow product to be made under FDA-compliant Design Control for a pivotal large animal study to be conducted following this project, along with completion of formal biocompatibility testing for submission to FDA to seek approval for a First-in-Human clinical trial. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Astrileux Corporation
SBIR Phase I: High Fidelity EUV PhotoMasks
Contact
4225 Executive Sq Ste 490
La Jolla, CA 92037–8411
NSF Award
1747341 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to drive the next generation of advanced computing power and performance, by manufacturing integrated circuits, the fundamental units of electronic systems, at length scales of 7 nm and smaller. Today?s central processing units (CPUs) each contain 7.2 Bn chips and over 1.2 sextillion chips are manufactured per year to meet computing demands. Next generation technology is expected to enable artificial intelligence and machine learning through both conventional computing and potentially neuromorphic paradigms, bringing to reality transformative applications such as self-driving cars and smart buildings. As Moore?s law continues to set the pace of technological advancement, chipmakers will deploy new EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography tools, using light of 13.5 nm to pattern integrated circuits or chip architecture into silicon wafers, for the next three generations of technology. Chipmakers strive to bring about the readiness of EUV technology in 2019. The global demand for next generation electronics is forever increasing as the population grows above 7 Bn. However, the global supply of electronics constantly faces challenges to reduce costs and deliver technology beyond Moore?s Law. The proposed project addresses the challenges related to high volume manufacturing at the 7 nm node for lithography tools and its components. For example, an EUV photomask, a high commodity component, patterns and replicates integrated circuit design into silicon wafers. Current EUV photomasks have a sub-optimal manufacturing yield of ~60% and suffer from defectivity which arises during fabrication of its architecture. During operational use the photomask sustains damage from the debris generated by the EUV plasma light source that implants in the mask and inevitably replicates in the wafer, destroying the integrated chip pattern. In high volume manufacturing, these issues manifest in the wafer yield, the reusability of a mask, and drive the need for high cost real-time inspection and metrology. A new EUV photomask which promises greater robustness to defects, a higher manufacturing yield, more reusability of masks in operations and a longer lifetime is presented. The goals of the project are to evaluate new integrated architecture for the EUV mask design, develop a higher yield fabrication process and characterize the EUV performance. More robust photomasks reduce the capital outlay required for in-situ metrology and inspection and ultimately bring down the cost of next generation electronics.
Errata
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Atantares Corp
SBIR Phase I: A novel shear-based platelet function test (PFT) using 3D MEMS electrodes
Contact
288 NORFOLK ST. 3RD FLR.
Cambridge, MA 02139–1430
NSF Award
1722200 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,984
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project relates to the management of clotting and bleeding which is a major clinical challenge that costs > $100B healthcare system burden. In the United States, it affects more than ten million patients of major surgery, trauma, cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancers. The underlying biology is a complex orchestration of protein and cellular pathways that react in the context of blood flow. Proven diagnostic tools that capture this complexity, and also meet the constraints of diverse challenges do not exist. This project intends to create a novel modular hemostasis test platform using proprietary microsystem modules deployed in configurable cartridges tailored to meet clinical requirements. Initially a 3D microelectrode based platelet function test module will be developed and optimized with potential for best in class performance following multi-scale optimization of the dynamic, physical diagnostic environment. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a simple, low cost platelet function assay (PFA) with the objective of delivering best in class performance via multiscale optimization of the local biophysical diagnostic environment. Multiplate Electrode Aggregometry (MEA), a macroscale impedance-based device has already shown promise, yet remains cumbersome and has suboptimal classification accuracy between patient subsets. In MEA tests, as with most PFAs, the role of local fluid shear and macro/microscale physical environment remains largely neglected despite their well-recognized role in platelet response. Preliminary work suggests untapped potential in controlling and modifying PFA performance. By optimizing these signals with respect to clinical end points and subpopulation differentiation, this shear-based micro-platelet function test modules stand to revolutionize platelet function testing for the broadest possible benefits.
Errata
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Automated Controversy Detection, LLC
SBIR Phase I: A Controversy Detection Signal for Finance
Contact
10 Oak Dr. Apt A
Granby, MA 01033–9767
NSF Award
1819477 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to use controversy detection to support financial institutions' ability to reduce their risks and increase profits. This is part of a growing trend towards "alternative data" products relying on artificial intelligence and machine learning. Besides the financial industry, there are numerous potential applications of controversy detection technology in a variety of market verticals, such as crisis management, defense applications, and advertising technology. Beyond commercial applications, there is scope for social impact by opening analysis and explanatory power of controversies to individual users. Controversies have a massive impact on civic society and the so-called "filter bubble" exacerbates polarization, both political and otherwise; fake news on both sides of the political spectrum has recently captured public attention and generated political concern. Positive impact on society from commercializing this technology includes helping users become better informed and more capable of critically evaluating the often-overwhelming stream of online content. Proving the feasibility of this innovation in a highly quantifiable space such as finance could answer a customer need in that space and create new jobs for the economy, while enabling social good applications that can improve civic society. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project relies on sophisticated machine learning and information retrieval techniques to automatically detect controversial topics. The initial data were collected at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, using NSF-supported research, which recognized controversy by mapping the text of a webpage to algorithmically-identified controversial topics. Research has demonstrated that controversy cannot be detected using existing methods of sentiment analysis, a widely-adopted natural language processing method. This project bridges the gap between the current capabilities of this nascent technology and the clear user need in the financial domain. It will evaluate the feasibility of controversy detection by applying a real-time controversy detection signal to financial data to reduce risk and increase returns. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Automodality Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Autonomous, Reliable and Advanced Perceptive Navigation of Drones for Precise Asset Inspection
Contact
235 Harrison St., md 8
Syracuse, NY 13202–3023
NSF Award
1746729 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,837
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable drones to autonomously fly close to both outdoor and indoor infrastructure and assets, such as bridges, tunnels, buildings and warehouse goods, and to inspect them without relying on human pilots, external markers, and availability and reliability of data from a Global Positioning System (GPS). Many assets, such as bridges and warehouses, require drones to fly in GPS-denied environments making it impossible for existing systems to do localization and perform autonomous flights. The proposed technology will allow for faster, more frequent and thorough, less expensive and safer inspections, enhancing public confidence in the use of transportation assets. The proposed technology will also reduce the number of injuries caused by manual inspections, because of personnel having to access hard-to-reach or dangerous locations, lowering insurance and health care costs. Federal and state resources that would have been spent on inspection and maintenance could then be reallocated to other initiatives. In the case of bridge inspection, the proposed technology will eliminate the need for costly lane and bridge closures. The global opportunity to create savings, enhance safety and reduce externalities in infrastructure and warehouse inspection markets by using autonomous drone technology is substantial. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will involve developing an onboard, autonomous and reliable Advanced Perceptive Navigation system for drones to perform bridge, warehouse and other infrastructure and asset inspection by flying close to assets under challenging conditions including GPS-denied environments. Existing drone technology heavily relies on GPS data and drones can only be safely flown tens, if not hundreds, of meters away from the asset due to lack of precise control by human pilots and lack of positional accuracy of commercial autopilots. Such distances are inadequate for many situations, which require high-resolution imagery. The proposed solution will not rely on a global geographic frame of reference, but instead sense and perceive features of the asset that will allow the drone to navigate and optimally position itself with respect to the asset to collect images. Robust and computationally efficient algorithms will be developed, to be run onboard in real-time, for object detection, feature extraction and reliable tracking of points of interest from cameras and depth sensors mounted on drones. Developed algorithms will be integrated with the actual drone platform, and indoor test flights as well as field testing will be performed.
Errata
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Avium, LLC
STTR Phase I: Dual-pH Water Splitting Device Comprising Earth-Abundant Electrocatalysts
Contact
1714 W 26th St
Lawrence, KS 66046–4206
NSF Award
1819766 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will assess the commercial viability of using new non-precious metal catalysts to produce hydrogen by splitting water. Electrolyzers made with these new catalysts have the potential to deliver higher efficiencies and lower capital costs than currently available systems. The market for hydrogen today is $115 billion per year. Currently, hydrogen is primarily produced via steam reformation of methane. Hydrogen production via steam reformation emits millions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually. There is broad agreement that water electrolysis can play a significant role in future hydrogen production if cost reductions can be realized. In addition, hydrogen has the potential to store energy produced by renewable energy systems like solar and wind and make it available on demand. The initial market entry point for these new electrolyzers is to supply hydrogen for fuel cell powered forklifts used in material handling. A life cycle cost analysis by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has shown that the total life cycle costs of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts are 10% cheaper than those using lead acid batteries. The intellectual merit of this project is focused on the ability of new earth-abundant non-precious metal catalysts for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to dramatically lower costs while improving efficiency in water splitting. The HER electrocatalyst is composed of hyper-thin FeS2 nano-discs and the OER electrocatalyst is nanoamorphous Ni0.8:Fe0.2 oxide. The preferred operating pH for the catalysts are different (pH 7 for the hyper-thin FeS2 nano-discs and pH 14 for the nanoamorphous Ni0.8:Fe0.2 oxide). Preliminary data shows that these two catalysts with the dual-pH membrane can effectively split water with a total overpotential of only 300 mV (1.53 V in a two electrode configuration). This is more than 50 mV lower than the best-known precious metal catalysts, Pt and IrOx, used in current commercial electrolyzers. The project will continue the optimization of these catalysts in the dual-pH electrolyzer stack and also determine if stability and lifetime meet commercial requirements This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Aware Vehicles, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Situational Awareness in Autonomous Agriculture
Contact
1224 w 62nd st Ste 2
Kansas City, MO 64113–2907
NSF Award
1818982 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable real-time situational awareness in autonomous vehicles. With the global population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and the uncertain climate changes that create concern over the resources allocated to farming activities, precision agriculture has become the ultimate solution to increase agricultural productivity and efficiency. The proposed system, aiming to integrate aerial and terrain robotics and provide high-throughput crop imaging, will push precision agriculture to the next evolutionary stage ? fully autonomous agriculture. With the R&D efforts in this project, the integrated aerial-terrain robotics and high-throughput imaging system will be ready for commercialization under the proposed sustainable business model and impact farming industries globally. Moreover, the system prototype enabled by smart and mobile docking can be readily adapted to accommodate needs in a variety of other industries, where geospatially large-scale sensing and analytics are in demand, such as transportation network monitoring, civil infrastructure and urban monitoring, logistics and freight management, and monitoring of environmental hazards. The proposed invention and its future robotic products are expected to impact all these sectors by imparting automation in terms of high-dimensional data collection and real-time analytics. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project provides a technology leap that furnishes state-of-the-art terrain robotics with long-range and real-time situational awareness, including pre-operation reconnaissance and post-operation evaluation. A smart docking platform will be developed that provides an unlimited energy supply while serving as an ad-hoc computing engine and enables the possibility of high-throughput imaging for single plants or plant groups. Such a systematically coupled docking-imaging-computing platform is not found to date. The docking will be realized through three independent mechanisms, including kinetic sensing and calculation, low-cost stereo vision, and radar ranging; and real-time positioning algorithms based on the three mechanisms will be developed through a fail-safe data fusion process. The aerial imaging drone, charged by the docking platform, can perform two modes of imaging activities either towards conventional terrain/field mapping or the novel 4-dimensional (4D) reconstruction proposed in this project. The reconstruction algorithms will be developed based on the fusion of the stereo data and the hyperspectral data, which produces the first-of-its kind 4D spatial-spectral models for high-throughput phenotyping. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Axalume Inc.
SBIR Phase I: PIC: Hitless III-V/Si Widely Tunable Laser with Back Reflection Suppression
Contact
16132 Cayenne Creek Rd.
San Diego, CA 92127–3708
NSF Award
1746684 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,997
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop a universal design kit for silicon photonics that will include, for the first time, the ability to design and produce, in a fabless model, a cost-effective, silicon-controlled, tunable laser. The proposed project goals will include the analysis, design, and fabrication of silicon photonic integrated circuits for back-reflection suppression. A key research objective will be to enable the design of a customized, silicon-controlled, tunable laser capable of insertion into a high-speed data communication link based on hybrid III-V/Si integration. A key development objective will be to enable the assembly and manufacture of the silicon photonic integrated circuits using industry-accepted back-end-of-line integration methods.
Errata
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BAONANO, LLC
STTR Phase I: AC-Supercapacitors for Power Applications
Contact
3004 County Road 7520
Lubbock, TX 79423–6373
NSF Award
1820098 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is an innovative new capacitor technology based on kilohertz high-frequency supercapacitor, called AC-Supercap, aiming to replace conventional aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) for a vast range of electronic and power systems. Capacitors are an essential component used in electronic devices, in power supplies driving electrical machines, appliances and instruments, as well as in power conversion and conditioning systems used for renewable energy generation. In the consumer electronics sector, miniaturization and low-profile or even flexible packaging, and higher power efficiency are some of the key demands. In the power system and other power-demanding industry sectors, large capacitance, large ripple current absorption, and high temperature rating are the key requirements. With the emergence of distributed wireless sensors and Internet of Things (IoT), pulse energy storage and generation will be necessary as well. AC-Supercap, with its much better performance than current solutions, is anticipated to better serve the needs of broad range of customers. Upon the success of this technology, there will also be tremendous impact on the local ecosystem and regional community of West Texas. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of producing AC-Supercap as high-performance alternating current (AC) filtering capacitors for power modules, on-board application, or as compact and efficient pulse power storage. Conventional AECs, limited by their low capacitance density, bulky size, poor lifetime, large equivalent series resistance, and polarity sensitivity cannot meet technical needs well. To achieve AC-Supercaps with both large capacitance density and high-frequency response, two contradictory requirements, and nanostructured electrode engineering will be investigated. To produce a compact capacitor with a large voltage rating and capacitance, multicell integration will be optimally designed and demonstrated, which is crucial considering the intrinsic low voltage rating of a single cell. The proposed innovative solutions to these technical challenges will de-risk the AC-Supercap product prototyping in the following project phases to make ready the technology for commercialization. These research activities will advance the scientific understanding and technological development of nanostructured electrode process and property control, multicell integration design, and particularly AC-Supercap technology. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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BENANOVA Inc
SBIR Phase I: Lignin-Based Formulations for Efficient and Sustainable Control of Plant Pathogens
Contact
840 Main Campus Dr. #3550
Raleigh, NC 27606–5221
NSF Award
1746692 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project encompasses the development of a continuous fabrication process to enable production of larger volumes of the next generation of agrochemical compounds. Although the first focus is on utilization for efficient delivery of antimicrobial and antifungal crop protection chemicals, this platform can be applied for actives and biologicals with other functionalities. The broader significance of this research and development effort entails the following aspects: First, in addition to agricultural crop protection products, the delivery system developed here is expected to find commercial applications in many products targeted to the consumer, construction markets, and healthcare. Second, the formulation of benign small structures that have the potential to replace a wide range of persistent and harmful nanoparticles in various industrial settings will enhance scientific and technological understanding of scalable processes on the nanoscale. Third, the sustainable solutions developed in this project could strengthen existing natural resources, enhance biosecurity of the U.S. food supply, and improve public health. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to engineer an innovative system for efficient delivery of agricultural actives. To increase productivity, current agricultural practices utilize large amounts of crop protection chemicals. However, the intensive use of agrochemicals creates environmental threats damaging natural resources and potentially causing climate change. To address these challenges we are developing innovative, breakthrough platform technology with potential to increase efficiency of farming with the same or fewer inputs, while protecting the environment. The goal of this work is to create a new class of scalable, functionally active, sustainable and eco-friendly materials based on the widely available, biodegradable and bio-renewable resource lignin. The first objective of the project is to build a continuous flow process for preparation of lignin particles functionalized with small amounts of active biocides. This research will establish feasibility for continuous formulation of these preparations. The second objective of the study includes characterization of the new formulations using a series of antimicrobial and antifungal assays. As a result of the Phase 1 effort, technical risk will be reduced by identifying the most promising formulations for field studies to be conducted in Phase 2.
Errata
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BERD LLC
SBIR Phase I: Advanced Manufacturing of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene and Metal Hybrid Structures for Bicycle Spokes
Contact
1995 Beacon St
Roseville, MN 55113–5602
NSF Award
1819577 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is for the development of an automated manufacturing process for polymeric, ultra-lightweight, bicycle spokes composed of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and stainless steel hybrid structure. The use of an innovative polymer-to-metal connection allows for the creation of a bicycle spoke that out-performs modern stainless steel spokes. In comparison, steel spokes are heavier, do not effectively damp road vibrations, and are more prone to fatigue related failure. The target market for this innovation is the high-end bicycle spoke market, which is valued at over $100M. The research of new polymeric materials at universities is at an all-time high. Despite this, there exists a gap in the commercialization of new materials because of the difficulty in interfacing these materials to other common construction materials, such as stainless steel. This work will contribute fundamental knowledge to and catalyze the development of processes for new advanced polymer products. It will enable the use of UHMWPE and other materials in new applications. The intellectual merit of this project is the development of an advanced manufacturing process capable of the complex manipulation necessary for the production of novel polymer-to-metal connections and integral eye splices. These types of connections are not practiced in high-volume textile manufacturing today due to the novelty of the polymer-to-metal connection and the complexity of the eye splice operation. The research objectives include validating the key steps for process automation and optimization of the UHMWPE-metal connection. The anticipated outcome of this Phase I project is a prototype automated spoke manufacturing process. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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BETTERMENT LABS, L.L.C.
SBIR Phase I: READ! Toolkit, A Knowledge-Based Expert System to Develop Beginning Literacy Curricula in Endangered or Underserved Languages
Contact
6575 SNOWVIEW DR
Park City, UT 84098–6167
NSF Award
1842833 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop and test a computer-based expert system that will guide development of beginning literacy curricula in any phonics-based language. The system will produce beginning literacy curricula mobile apps for phones and tablets and will include beginning reading, writing, vocabulary-building, and assessment activities. The expert system will (a) minimize cost, time and expertise required to develop early literacy curricula, (b) produce curricula that could increase early reading fluency and bilingualism, which is related to children's improved ability to manage their thoughts, behaviors and emotions, (c) provide effective curricula to learn languages other than English at home or school, (d) revitalize endangered or underserved languages while increasing connections to culture and heritage, which will improve long-term academic, health and economic outcomes for indigenous children or children who speak a language other than English at home, and increase their participation in STEM careers, and (e) contribute to research on bilingualism's impacts on academic, social, emotional, and cultural outcomes. The system will be licensed by underserved language communities, tribes, individuals, and organizations interested in improving literacy, with revenue produced by the mobile app products developed using the expert system shared between curriculum developers and the expert system developer. This SBIR Phase I project will develop and test a knowledge-based expert system that integrates early literacy research; language analysis to provide evidence-based recommendations for developing decodable text for phonics-based early literacy curricula; evidence-based teaching and formative assessment strategies; curriculum development knowledge; user interface/user experience best-practices; natural language processing for pronunciation feedback; and database and technology skills to guide users who may not have the knowledge and skills in developing a beginning literacy curricula in any language. The best practices and methods based on the research will be incorporated by analyzing text to create lists of sounds/letters and words, their frequencies, and sounds and words that come before and after each sound/word. From these lists, the system will generate language-specific recommendations based on the rules for optimal sequencing of sounds and words for learning to decode in another language. While some evidence-based guidelines needed for decoding in English, which is less phonetically regular than many underserved languages, may not apply in a language that is more phonetically regular, most are expected to. These rules will guide recommendations from which users of the knowledge-based expert system can select sequences sounds, words, and phrases to write decodable, connected text, culturally relevant stories for beginning literacy curricula. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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BHO Technology, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Novel microalgae for high yield hydrogen production
Contact
612 Highlnad Knoll Ct.
Baton Rouge, LA 70810–5200
NSF Award
1819274 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development of a microalgae-based commercial hydrogen production process that will surpass current or developing technologies. By 2022, the global hydrogen generation market by value is projected to reach $154.7 billion. A technology for low-cost, high purity, renewable, scalable hydrogen production will accelerate transition to a hydrogen economy, thus facilitating domestic energy independence and creating new economic opportunities. Many industries, such as the petro-chemical, chemical, and electronics industries, would benefit from low cost industrial hydrogen. Transportation and electric power generation industries also would benefit from increased fuel efficiency. Environmental benefits include replacement of fossil fuels, switching hydrogen production from natural gas to sunlight and water, and substantial reduction of harmful emissions. The goal of this project is to incorporate proprietary, metabolically engineered, photosynthetic algae in combination with recent advances in bioprocessing and hardware engineering to manufacture clean, renewable hydrogen. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop microalgae strains that generate high hydrogen yields using a novel metabolic engineering strategy. To pursue this strategy, a suitable parental strain must be developed, combining intact hydrogen production genes with improved stability of introduced genes (transgenes). Despite the availability of genetic transformation methods, transgene stability in wild type strains remains poor. This seriously limits development of commercial strains. Two algal UV mutants with greatly improved transgene stability are available, but both have impaired hydrogen production genes. The proposed investigation will assess the feasibility of creating a suitable parental strain. The objectives are: 1) determine differences between genes of the best wild type hydrogen producing strain and the UV mutants; 2) introduce candidate genes into the UV mutants to restore hydrogen production metabolism; 3) knock out candidate genes involved in transgene inactivation in the wild type strain; and 4) test the ability of the engineered strains to generate hydrogen and retain transgenes. This project will produce the desired parental strain and enable implementation of the innovative strategy for developing production strains with greatly increased hydrogen rates in the target commercial process. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Baseload Renewables, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Air-breathing electrochemical devices for long-duration grid-scale energy storage
Contact
44 Prince St
Cambridge, MA 02139–4414
NSF Award
1819740 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$223,258
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to unleash the full potential of renewable electricity generation sources such as wind and solar photovoltaic by augmenting those generation assets with ultra-low-cost energy storage that matches the dispatchability and dependability of fossil fuels. The combination of renewable generation sources with ultra-low-cost, long-duration energy storage enables a new class of generation assets "baseload renewables" which further US energy independence and leadership in the wind and solar industries. Due to their fundamental cost positions and/or inability to scale, existing energy storage technologies are unable to meet the price and performance requirements for these long-duration energy storage applications; even the most aggressive forecasts for pricing indicate that lithium ion batteries are an order of magnitude too expensive for these applications. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop ultra-low-cost (<$20/kWh), long-duration (>24h rated duration) energy storage solutions to enable renewable generation sources to be a cost effective, widespread, drop-in replacement to fossil fuel electricity generation. Air-breathing aqueous sulfur batteries provide a unique platform for the development of system-level long-duration storage assets meeting these stringent cost and performance targets. The technology platform leverages low-cost, abundant chemicals such as sulfur, water, and air, to enable an ultra-low-cost electrochemical energy storage system. In Phase I of this SBIR, a prototype air-breathing energy storage device will be developed and demonstrated that significantly reduces the power cost ($/kW) of this technology. This will be achieved by systematically investigating and optimizing the electrochemical active and inactive materials and by designing cell and system architectures which are optimized for long-duration air-breathing electrochemical systems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Bayesian Health LLC
SBIR Phase I: Driving Timely Point-of-Care Treatment in Hospitals with a High Precision Bayesian Machine Learning Platform
Contact
901 N. Market St, Suite 705
Wilmington, DE 19801–3098
NSF Award
1746602 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to provide clinical decision support software that assists inpatient providers in improving care for preventable acute inpatient harms, and thereby reduce mortality and morbidity. This grant develops a cloud-based platform that applies machine learning (ML) algorithms in real-time on data extracted from Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and physiologic monitoring devices attached to a patient. The ML tools employed estimate the degree of reliability for each of the data elements as they are collected and integrates these signals to provide an accurate, individualized risk estimate of patient health over time in order to best guide patient treatment and allocation of hospital resources. Our initial target condition is sepsis, one of the most costly and most deadly diseases in hospitals. This grant develops an end-to-end system to provide risk assessment and implementation of timely treatment. For commercial potential, the underlying core technology can be extended to other clinical scenarios. The proposed project enables scaling of high-precision state-of-the-art Bayesian machine learning techniques that forecast the chance of acute deterioration. This includes tackling the challenges in scaling this machine learning system to function across many care providers, patients, and hospitals. To achieve these goals, this project will develop new methods for running machine learning algorithms in a distributed fashion in cloud computing settings, especially in distinguishing where multiple machines need to coordinate, and arguably more importantly, where they can avoid coordinating in training on data. Further, the project develops software to provide information back to providers so as to enable interventions that can alter patient trajectory. Here the software will encompass how to best use the resulting inferences in guiding care.
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Be More, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A Mobile Learning System to Reduce Unconscious Bias Among Healthcare Providers
Contact
7 Gates Avenue #7E
Brooklyn, NY 11238–1531
NSF Award
1843286 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop a mobile technology that can train healthcare professionals in science-based skills to break the habit of unconscious bias. Unconscious biases result from learned sets of mostly false and negative associations between a trait and a social group, i.e. stereotypes, that distort how people perceive, reason, and make decisions about other people. In healthcare, these biases often begin a chain of discriminatory interactions that lead to misdiagnoses, increased hospitalization, and unnecessary repeat visits that sustain health disparities and cause tremendous suffering to millions of Americans. Furthermore, these disparities cost the American economy multibillion dollars annually. This project aims to address both these challenges through a scalable mobile technology that will create learning experiences for providers to adopt skills that break the habit of unconscious bias. The project will further NSF's mission by advancing health, prosperity, and welfare of all Americans so they can receive the highest quality of care untainted by unconscious bias. The project's success would contribute to creating a healthier and productive American population, workforce, and economy. A successful outcome of this effort could spur its extension to other sectors, including education, law enforcement, and business. The intellectual merit of this project lies in demonstrating that the company's proprietary methodology enables healthcare providers to develop greater self-awareness about their unconscious biases and thus reduce health disparities. The project will create novel employment of technological, discursive, and experiential learning using a mobile application that offers and incentivizes the practice of bias breaking tools to fully and sustainably break the habit of unconscious bias. The mobile platform will be intentionally designed with the end user's experience and interactions in mind to incentivize them every day to learn and practice activities that transform unconscious biases in themselves. The goal in Phase I is threefold: to determine user preferences in design and experience for adopting new skills and building new habits; develop a high-fidelity beta-test for a limited number of experiences that teach breaking bias skills over a mobile platform; and test its usability and desirability with a representative number of healthcare providers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Berkeley Materials Solutions
SBIR Phase I: Intensification of propylene oxide manufacture via solid-catalyst design
Contact
3438 Morningside Drive
Richmond, CA 94803–2517
NSF Award
1746827 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop a delaminated zeolite-based catalyst to facilitate more economical and environmentally friendly propylene-oxide (PO) production. PO is a commodity chemical with a $5.6B/year market. The two current pain points for PO producers are (i) that the currently used industrial catalyst lacks long-term stability under the harsh conditions at the tail-end of the PO synthesis reactor, and (ii) as a result of catalyst deficiency, that the process to manufacture PO consumes an extra $140M of raw materials per year, separate from the problem in (i) above. Berkeley Materials Solutions developed a catalyst for the tail-end of the PO synthesis reactor that nearly eliminates both of these problems. The catalyst allows for nearly 100% conversion of all raw material into PO, which leads to $145 M/year of additional revenue for PO producers, corresponding to a revenue increase of 8.6%. This increased revenue comes at no additional cost since it is a drop-in replacement. In addition, there are significant energy efficiency improvements associated with recovering the currently lost raw material in the PO synthesis process, which amounts to a CO2 footprint of ~740 kilo tons of CO2 per year worldwide. The intellectual merit of this project will be represented by the development of a generalizable crystalline catalyst platform to replace existing amorphous catalysts. Technical hurdles that will be addressed in the proposal are (i) the successful delamination of a layered zeolite precursor using a swelling method and sonication, (ii) establishing a sonication-free scalable delamination method for layered zeolite precursors, and (iii) the insertion of catalytically active heteroatom sites into the delaminates frameworks. If successful, this will enable the economical production of these zeolite catalysts for application in the PO synthesis reactor under flow conditions. The targeted scales even during Phase I activities are large enough to enable testing in collaboration with industrial partners who manufacture propylene oxide at large scales. These test results will be used to optimize the prototype catalyst. The results from Phase I activities will help to uncover other possible opportunities to use delaminated zeolites as highly efficient catalysts for chemical manufacturing.
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Bidea
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Device for Early Detection of Uterine Cancer Cells at the Point-of-Care
Contact
P.O. Box 20276
San Juan, PR 00928–0276
NSF Award
1746384 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 07/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project, if successful, will be the implementation of an effective point-of-care (POC) test that will not only impact the lives of patients, but can reduce the costs to hospitals, health insurances companies, and government agencies. According to the National Institutes of Health, cancer cost the U.S. an estimated $219 billion in 2007, including $130 billion for lost productivity and $89 billion in direct medical costs. The proposed screening technology is expected to help gynecologists in hospitals or in private practice to provide a complete diagnosis in less time, reducing the number of visits and the endometrial cancer incidence through an early detection, especially in women over 50 years old. This would benefit the medical insurance by lowering the cost per patient with this type of cancer. If successful, the proposed non-label/real-time cancer diagnostic device will contribute to new scientific findings and engineering aspects in bio-sensing technology. The resulting device will also provide a non-invasive, fast, and accurate method to detect cancer for preclinical diagnosis. In addition, the research based on this technology will improve a range of equivalent studies that use similar systems and biological indicators. The proposed project is aimed to develop a POC technology for the sensitive detection of telomerase as a cancer measurable indicator in real-time. Telomerase is a distinctive enzyme whose presence in cells or tissues is used for screening, early cancer detection, prognosis and/or monitoring a residual cancer disease. The proposed technology is based on the detection of telomerase in cancer cells through the measuring of an in-situ elongation process of an immobilized label-free single strand DNA probe by means of sensitive electrochemical events occurring at the conductive gold microchip surface. For the development of this new sensing microchip device the team will use commercially available products. Silicon wafers have been used as substrate with gold as electrodes due to their reliability but these materials are expensive and the fabrication is labor intensive. Therefore, important diagnostic device parameters will be studied after incorporation of bare bio-sensing strips. Phase I of this project, is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed technology as well as testing the reliability and robustness of the microchip biosensor using uterine cancer samples.
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BioHybrid Solutions LLC
SBIR Phase I: Alcohol Resistant Enzymes through High-Throughput Combinatorial Protein-Polymer Conjugate Synthesis
Contact
320 William Pitt Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15238–1329
NSF Award
1746912 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project includes advancement of the field of white biotechnology, which utilizes enzymes to create valuable industrial products. As biological molecules, enzymes are more difficult to work with than conventional chemicals and often need more extensive development before they can be adapted to industrial or pharmaceutical manufacturing. This SBIR project will demonstrate how enzymes performance can be improved using stabilization with synthetic polymers. Enzymes are characterized by precise, unique structure and function, which is in turn essential for their role in catalysis of complex chemical reactions. Synthetic polymers, on the other hand, despite being less precisely structured, can be rationally designed to withstand or respond to chemical, thermal or biological conditions. The synergistic fusion of enzymes and synthetic polymers results in advanced nano-armored enzyme with improved properties such as solvent and temperature resistance, and modulated activity. Creating such novel stabilized enzymes will result in more efficient commercial utilization of enzymatic catalysis which requires less energy, utilizes less hazardous reagents, and generates less waste while generating valuable products such as chemicals, biofuels, and pharmaceuticals. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a combinatorial synthesis device that can feed high-throughput screening of enzyme-polymer conjugates with desired properties (for instance, temperature, pH- or organic solvent stability). To date, only low-throughput synthesis and characterization methods have been applied to the preparation of enzyme-polymer conjugates, limiting development to only few types of polymer modification per protein and depending on stochastic guesswork to select the variants tested. Thus, in order to fully benefit from the diverse set of polymers currently available on the market one has to consider methods of scaling the identification of optimally performing enzyme-polymer conjugates. This will be achieved through combination of high-throughput synthesis of enzyme-polymer conjugates and high-throughput screening of gained properties. The initial target application of the proposed research is focused on the industrial biocatalysis. Application of a high-throughput method will not only result in faster research and development cycles, but also will accelerate our development of fundamental knowledge of what kind of protein properties can be gained through polymer modification, thereby establishing this method for industrial applications.
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BioStream Technologies, LLC
STTR Phase I: An immersive gaze-controlled video game to help children on the autism spectrum improve their eye contact, emotion recognition, and joint attention skills
Contact
171 Forest Rd
Moorestown, NJ 08057–2673
NSF Award
1747058 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to improve the way educators and therapists teach social skills to children who are on the autism spectrum (as well as those affected by other social skills disorders) and deliver cost efficiencies that could expand access to such support across diverse socioeconomic classes and geographical regions. These advances have potential to produce meaningful quality-of-life improvements for these children in areas such as employability, educational attainment, and personal relationships. Given that there are ~900K children on the spectrum in the US alone, and that the rate of diagnosis has been rising in recent years, the technology has significant potential for impact. It also has significant commercial potential: the US special education and therapy market is estimated at over 8 billion dollars, and feedback from therapists and educators has indicated significant commercial demand for a product like this. In addition, by pushing the frontiers of video game-based training by incorporating real-time eye tracking data, the proposed project will expand scientific and technological understanding of how video games can be used to shape human behavior. The proposed project involves furthering the development and evaluation of a video game designed to help children on the autism spectrum improve their social skills?a significant and growing need. Key development activities include (1) adding multiple types of gaze-controlled social skill training exercises, namely those targeting emotion recognition and joint attention; (2) incorporating a low-cost, consumer-grade eye tracker; (3) building an automated feedback system to ensure proper player positioning relative to the eye tracker; and (4) refining adaptive algorithms to personalize game difficulty and maximize engagement. These features will be designed and implemented by a diverse team with expertise in video game development, autism research, and technology commercialization. Evaluation will consist of tracking performance against quantitatively measurable success metrics related to game playability and engagement via human subject research across 10 participants (50 gameplay sessions). The expected result is a video game that addresses multiple social skill deficits, engages the target demographic, and can be deployed by therapists, educators, and parents in a cost-effective manner.
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Bionanotech LLC
SBIR Phase I: A New Class of Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography Resins
Contact
190 Millerick Avenue
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648–3643
NSF Award
1746198 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will be to develop protein purification nanotechnology and materials for biopharmaceutical applications. Over 150 different protein or small peptide-based drugs have received FDA approval to treat an array of diseases (e.g., biologics, monoclonal antibodies, and blood clotting factors). Protein purification remains a challenge as the number of synthetic peptides entering clinical trials continues to grow. The global protein and peptide drug market is projected to exceed $140 billion in 2017 with an annual growth rate of ~5%. Demonstration of the feasibility of the proposed new protein purification resins is expected to provide a transformational tool for drug research and development, enhance research in protein/peptide structure and function, and enable the discovery of new proteins/peptides. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop and commercialize new protein purification resins based on nanomaterials that will afford capacity independent of protein size, minimal metal leaching, and better stability with respect to existing immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) resins for protein purification. The new resins will ensure greater purity and activity of isolated proteins with control of epitope-tag specificity, and minimize non-specific interactions. The new resins will be compatible with current manufacturing processes and applicable in batch, microplate, sensor chip, and column formats. The goal is to demonstrate that the proposed technology is superior to existing commercial resins, as suggested by theoretical predictions and preliminary results. The new IMAC resins will be synthesized and characterized in terms of metal content and leaching, protein loading capacity, purity and activity of proteins isolated, and stability. These resins will be optimized for each mode of operation. The goal is to establish a new platform technology for analytic and preparative drug protein isolation.
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Blumio, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Enabling Cuffless Blood Pressure Monitoring with a Novel, Wearable RF-Based Sensor.
Contact
156 2nd St Suite 100
San Francisco, CA 94105–3725
NSF Award
1746660 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to achieve non-contact continuous blood pressure monitoring and address a critical need for personalized medicine for hypertension. For the first time, hypertensive individuals will have access to a comfortable, non-contact, continuous blood pressure monitoring device that allows for seamless blood pressure measurement without disturbing the user in any way. With 1 out of every 3 adults in the United States living with hypertension, The proposed innovation will meet an important need to monitor blood pressure continuously and noninvasively, thereby providing new insight into how one's blood pressure responds to medication, exercise, diet, and their actions. Longer term, the data collected by the team will yield unprecedented insight into short and long-term blood pressure rhythms and has the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine for hypertension. This technology is expected to empower people with the feedback that they need to understand what works for them as an individual to maintain their health. The proposed project will lay the ground work for the development of a continuous-wear blood pressure monitoring device suitable for everyday use. Through an RF sensor that can detect arterial movement, the proposed technology can measure cardiovascular parameters for every heartbeat. To date, a prototype sensor has shown significant promise at providing accurate blood pressure measurements in a small sample. Beyond blood pressure information, the fundamental capability of the proposed technology is to measure arterial stiffness, a critical indicator of cardiovascular health. With the support of this NSF grant, the team is expected to develop its technology and ready it for commercialization. The goal for this project is to: (1) eliminate first-surface reflections and micro-motion artifacts related to RF sensing; (2) refine blood pressure algorithms and compare measurements against gold standard BP measurements in healthy, hypotensive, and hypertensive populations. The proposed technology could become an important scientific tool to aid the advancement of cardiovascular research, enabling researchers and clinicians alike to gain further understanding of cardiovascular-related health parameter.
Errata
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Addenda
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Boston Materials LLC
SBIR Phase I: Carbon Fiber Composites for Next-Gen Wind Turbines
Contact
26 Hasenfus Circle
Needham, MA 02494–1358
NSF Award
1820051 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$218,992
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will explore a novel materials processing technology that progresses the state-of-the-art of carbon fiber composites while leveraging mature and cost-efficient manufacturing methods. The processing technology of interest produces a material that approaches the isotropic properties of high-performance metal alloys while retaining the light-weight and stiffness of carbon fiber composites. Components that are fabricated from this new composite will have higher impact strength and reduced susceptibility to delamination, compared to commercially-available carbon fiber composites. The broader impact of this project includes providing engineers with a new tool to implement previously unfeasible designs that drastically improve performance while reducing energy consumption and material waste. The rapid adoption of carbon fiber composites in the wind energy, aerospace, and defense industries provides an opportunity for the novel material developed in this project to disrupt the $25-billion global carbon fiber composite market. Effective scale-up to industrial production of the novel carbon fiber composite can revitalize the Massachusetts textiles manufacturing ecosystem and increase the competitiveness of the U.S. advanced materials manufacturing base. The intellectual merit of this project is the continuous production of a three-dimensionally (3-D) reinforced carbon fiber prepreg that features a carbon fiber fabric reinforced with vertically aligned short carbon fibers. This novel material provides a laminated composite part with dense through-thickness and interlaminar reinforcement. Conventional carbon fiber laminates lack through-thickness reinforcement and rely on an unfilled polymer matrix to bind the layers of the laminate together, resulting in poor impact performance and frequent delamination. This project involves the roll-to-roll fabrication of 3-D reinforced carbon fiber prepregs and characterization of the produced composite material. The anticipated result of the project is the repeatable fabrication of a 3-D reinforced carbon fiber prepreg with enhanced performance compared to commercially-available prepregs. Successful completion of this project will enable further scale-up of the associated manufacturing technology and the commercial-launch of novel 3-D reinforced carbon fiber prepregs to produce stronger, lighter, and more durable composite structures. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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Boydston Chemical Innovations, Incorportated
STTR Phase I: Metal-Free Production of Olefin Metathesis Polymers and Resins
Contact
7725 31st Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115–4727
NSF Award
1747201 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Project will develop a metal-free route to the production of high performance plastics and composites. Specifically, this project focuses on a unique class of materials based upon a thermoset that displays high strength-to-weight ratio and exceptional fracture toughness. A challenge to broader adoption of these materials stems from the current reliance on metal-based reagents and catalysts for their production. The metals impose a significant recurring cost of production, show sensitivity to air, and remain as contaminants in the final products. This innovation provides the first metal-free access to such materials. Additionally, the unique metal-free catalyst system is capable of producing resin and polymer feedstocks that are not available from metal-based reagents, and may offer advantages in processing and performance. The projected commercial impacts of the innovation will be enhanced material performance, lower cost products, and broadened (new) fields of use. The existing market is estimated to be $578M with 4.9% annual growth through 2023. The intellectual merit of this project is the invention and development of the first metal-free route to olefin metathesis polymers and oligomers. Prior art has demonstrated on small scale the ability to use a unique organocatalyst to produce polymer and resin feedstocks that are easily processable into high performance thermosets and composites. The organocatalyst approach is a divergence from all previous methods of producing materials via olefin metathesis and therefore warrants validation and optimization toward commercial scale-up. The Phase I research aims will include (1) scale-up through the design and implementation of flow reactor technologies, (2) mechanical analyses and product specification sheets for thermoset prototypes, and (3) evaluation of new resins and polymers for use in fiber reinforced composite materials. The results should be useful commercially and academically.
Errata
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Addenda
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Brainchild Technologies L.L.C.
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Smart Pacifier to help parents and pediatricians track early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Contact
19 S Bentz St
Frederick, MD 21701–5505
NSF Award
1746528 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,911
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the improved identification of young children who may be at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism is a growing concern as rates continue to increase, however many experts in child development are hopeful that early intervention can help reduce many of the challenges of living with autism. As the brain undergoes important critical periods of development in the first year of life, it is important to try and identify opportunities for intervention as early as infancy. However, infants have limited means to express themselves and it can be difficult for parents and even pediatricians to track the subtle behavioral cues that can be indicative of autism at this early age. The goal of this proposal is to improve access to tools that help make infants developing thinking and social skills more observable to pediatricians and parents. By creating a consumer version of an old technique used by psychologists to understand infant development, this work will increase access to tools to track infants' behaviors related to autism. The proposed project is novel in its repurposing of an established laboratory psychology tool, the nonnutritive sucking paradigm. Basically, psychologists long ago learned that infants will alter their rate of sucking on a pacifier when they are interested in something. Psychologists recorded from a pacifier to gauge what an infant was interested in as well as an infant's growing understanding of language, social interaction, math, and a wide variety of cognitive and social skills. They also allowed infants to control the presentation of sounds or images through their sucking patterns. This SBIR project is creating a more accessible version of this established smart pacifier technique to allow parents and pediatricians to also better track an infant?s interest, preferences, and social and cognitive development. This effort will develop a consumer friendly smart pacifier that can control sounds or images on software or mobile applications. By designing software that replicates the social and cognitive assessment paradigms in psychology laboratories, the smart pacifier system can increase access to objective behavioral assessment tools. Similar to growing evidence in eye-tracking behavior, this behavioral assessment tool can be used to better assess behaviors that have been linked to the future development of autism.
Errata
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Brainleap Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Hacking Eye Movements to Improve Attention
Contact
8950 Villa La Jolla Dr Ste B216
La Jolla, CA 92037–1714
NSF Award
1819842 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project seeks to commercialize a suite of gaze-driven training games that are designed to train attention orienting, focus, and inhibitory control. These video games are played with one's eyes, instead of a mouse or a touchscreen. By combining the gaze-driven aspect with embedded training principles, the games are uniquely effective in training attention. Attention is a foundational cognitive skill that is essential for academic success, much like reading is foundational to learning other subjects. The proposed project will result in a stand-alone system for elementary and middle schools to use in both special education and standard education programs for training attention control in children with attentional focus challenges. This product is particularly applicable for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), because their academic performance suffers from their attentional challenges. A key technical innovation for this project is the development of a suite of assessments that provide feedback on student performance on par with validated laboratory assessments of attention. The in-game assessments will be validated against the laboratory standards. At the end of this project, the suite of intervention and assessment games will be ready to deploy for testing in school settings as part of a SBIR Phase II project. Attention skill lies at the foundation of cognitive control and one's ability to scaffold successful classroom learning, yet existing laboratory tools to accurately measure attention's many facets are out of reach of the teachers and educators on the frontlines. This SBIR Phase I project brings innovation to the standard methods of attention assessment by creating easy to use assessment tasks that attract the attention of school children and whose validity will be compared to gold-standard lab assessments. This will make accurate assessment of attentional function more reliable even when delivered without an assessment expert present, and this project opens the market for attention training games that can show unbiased, quantitative improvement. This innovation will be broadly useful to allow a wide range of individuals to assess attention, but this specific project seeks to commercialize lab-quality attention intervention games for use by educators in schools with a software suite featuring interleaved assessment and training. This approach will provide feedback for school staff as well as ensure that the next steps in attention training are appropriate for the learner's current skill. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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Brown Engineers
SBIR Phase I: Plant Control - A water engineering simulation and web-accessible water treatment plant for engineering, controls, automation, and data visualization STEM education
Contact
17200 Chenal Parkway
Little Rock, AR 72223–5965
NSF Award
1746267 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project includes education of water engineering processes and training for success in the advanced technology economy and workforce. Plant Control will teach students the system that supplies safe drinking water to their schools and homes while applying chemistry and engineering concepts in an engaging format. Student exposure to engineering in high school is correlated to choice of STEM majors in college. The product will introduce students to a wide range of disciplines including civil, electrical, mechanical, biological, and materials to promote student choice of engineering majors. The disruption of clean drinking water in Flint, MI highlights the critical importance of safe drinking water and technical hurdles that an aging utility infrastructure presents. Water quality STEM concepts presented in this product are essential for a voting population to make local and federal decisions related to population growth and aging utility infrastructure. High School STEM classrooms are centers of innovation for students. This product will provide the students a sand-box tool to develop their own control and data acquisition as well as train them in software that is widely used in the controls and data acquisition industry. The proposed project will develop a simulation and remote plant model intended to engage students in a new context and compliment STEM engineering curriculum in K-12 environments. The goals of the research are to understand the effect of simulation learning tools on STEM education, to develop a simulator for educational and workforce training purposes, and to develop a programming tool to enable student and maker applications of control and data acquisition systems that is currently lacking in that market. Simulation development technical hurdles include flow modeling in a wide-range of student defined configurations, equipment and filtration media. The simulation developed in this project will be further applied in the water and wastewater market to train plant operators for standard and emergency plant operation conditions. The web-accessible remote plant model component of the project requires connectivity of nationwide users to the remote plant and protection of the physical plant equipment. The development platform used for control of the plant will be available to the students for modification and use in their own projects. The student-version will require a limited and simplified version of the professional platform currently available. Development of the student version will require platform reconfiguration and user capability modification.
Errata
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Addenda
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CIRCLEIN, INC.
SBIR Phase I: The Smart Study Recommendations Engine
Contact
12020 SWALLOW FALLS CT
Silver Spring, MD 20904–7818
NSF Award
1843409 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project is focused on continued development of a software platform that is used by students for peer to peer homework and studying help. After school help has historically been delivered by tutors and homework hotlines but those avenues have been proven to be inadequate in closing learning gaps for students after they exit the classroom. The proposed technology is expected to further democratize homework and studying help. Being peer to peer, the proposed technology can radically shrink the cost of personalized homework and studying help for students at their own time and pace - especially the ones from economically or socially more challenged backgrounds. The project will also explore use of an innovative business model to optimize commercial viability with impacting a broad range of students irrespective of their backgrounds. It is expected that when fully developed, the technology would emerge as a scalable low-cost option to help improve student learning outcomes both nationally and globally. The key intellectual merit of this project is in the development of a Smart Study Recommendations Engine. This involves harvesting the data from the class notes uploaded by students, analyze it to surface predictive insights and automatically deliver the notes or wide-ranging peer-reviewed study materials directly to the student users based on their learning styles, learning abilities, and learning gaps, without requiring them to perform a search. It will also provide them with an ability to connect them with peers who can provide additional support. Thus, this project seeks to provide personalized study playlists based on a student profile and pair them with a peer mentor who can provide deeper clarifications as required. The key outcome to be demonstrated is that 1 in 5 students engages favorably with the auto delivered math notes, helped by a peer who can provide clarity and tutoring as needed. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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CURIO INTERACTIVE LLC
SBIR Phase I: The Curio Classroom: A Software Toolkit to Spark Engagement in STEM Through Hand-drawn Art and Tangible User Interfaces
Contact
2101 N 35TH ST
Seattle, WA 98103–9103
NSF Award
1843530 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,934
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project proposes the creation of a unique, art-centric e-learning platform aimed at sparking the interest of young learners in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This extensible software platform implements a new category of e-learning based on the ample body of research in educational psychology and technology that advocates the use of art and guided play to teach STEM. This project will test the hypothesis that an e-learning system based on scientific illustration sparks engagement and enhances learning in young students. With students disengaging from STEM at an increasing rate, it is critical to make more tools available to teachers that connect student with STEM. STEM-related fields will drive innovation in our economy for decades to come; opening new pathways to vastly broaden participation in STEM is critical to our economic future. This project also proposes the creation of an online community and marketplace supporting STEM education through this platform. This will connect teacher-to-teacher for sharing best practices in teaching science using art and can make a deep and broad impact on the way STEM is taught. Built on scientific illustration and coupled with a set of tangible user interface (TUI) devices that mimic scientific instruments, this e-learning platform brings student hand-drawn art to life, creating interactive lessons that correlate to Next Generation Science Standards. As this system will be extensible and customizable, a major part of the R&D effort will be to create an easy-to-use templating toolkit that any teacher can leverage to develop custom lessons in STEM. The Phase I goal will be to create a fully functioning product and assess this system in elementary school classrooms. This toolkit will be developed in collaboration with Curio Interactive?s educational partners, as well as the Pacific Science Center, where Curio Interactive is a startup in residence, to rapidly develop this system, continuously iterating the software with real testers, following agile development methods. One of this project?s objectives is to appeal to groups historically underrepresented in STEM. Because this platform will be visual and kinetic, highly affordable, and universally available via the web, the proposed platform will improve the equity and accessibility of learning science. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Capacitech Energy LLC
STTR Phase I: Supercapacitors for Power Supplies
Contact
3259 Progress Drive
Orlando, FL 32628–3230
NSF Award
1746740 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,905
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the first time commercial development of a copper cable which can transmit and store energy. Currently, copper cables are used for transmitting electricity. Adding energy storage capability to these cables is transformative and has the potential to be employed in a myriad of electrical and electronic applications. Making these cables into spools of wires and custom sliced into a certain length to achieve a required capacitance will be very attractive to commercial applications. The proposed study enables to understand how energy transmission and storage can be simultaneously performed without mutual interference. These cables can find niche applications in the automotive, energy, defense, and IT industries. Moreover, when made into thin wires, it can be weaved into a matrix which can be used to charge wearable devices. For example, currently, a soldier carries about 30-40 pounds of battery for a three-day mission. However, if energy storage devices like the one proposed here can be made into an advanced textile form and can be worn as a uniform, the weight currently carried by the soldiers can be considerably reduced. A cable energy storage device developed can also be beneficial for storing energy for clean-energy technologies such as wind and solar. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project fills the gap of a cable-type capacitor which saves space and fits well with electrical and electronic devices. The objective of this proposal is to use nanotechnology-based fabrication techniques to grow nanowhiskers with a high surface area on a copper cable to make cable-type capacitors. These nanostructures considerably enhance the surface area necessary for the storage of electrical charges. Since nanostructures are developed only on the outside of the electrical cable to store energy, the inner part of the cable can still be used for electrical transmission. The focus of the proposed research is to develop the processes which can be used to make these nanostructured electrodes into a cable capacitor. The fabrication techniques for growing nanostructures will be so designed that making long lengths of the cables are feasible. The performance of the cable-based capacitors will be tested in terms of capacitance, cycle life, voltage output, etc. In addition, the flexibility of the cable will be tested at different bend-angles to evaluate its applications in flexible energy storage applications.
Errata
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Capro-X
SBIR Phase I: Microbial Fermentation Bioprocess to Produce and Extract Platform Chemicals from the Dairy Industry Acid Whey Waste Stream.
Contact
915 N Tioga St
Ithaca, NY 14850–3669
NSF Award
1820211 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,868
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the commercialization of a fermentation bioprocess that can bring significant benefits for the dairy industry - called the WheyAway system. By initially addressing the problem of handling acid whey, a waste stream generated by all Greek yogurt and cottage cheese producers - the WheyAway can convert the cost of waste handling into a revenue by producing valuable bio-oil platform chemicals. The WheyAway can economically convert the acid whey waste stream to bio-oil on-site, allowing our customers to effectively install biorefineries at each of their plants. In comparison to anaerobic digestion, the WheyAway system can provide several multiples greater economic value. These bio-oils can be used as biofuel feedstocks, animal feed additives, and specialty chemicals. Converting acid whey yields a significant market opportunity with projected impact that could simultaneously offset ~435,000 gallons of diesel used to truck this waste off-site and eliminate ~18,000 tons of greenhouse gases from being emitted to the atmosphere. In the future, this bioprocess can be tuned to address other dairy processing streams, allowing the WheyAway to provide value to stakeholders across the entire dairy production value chain. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to scale-up and optimize a novel fermentation bioprocess called the WheyAway system, and can economically convert acid whey waste into valuable platform chemicals, to provide value to Greek yogurt and cottage cheese producers. Plan is to scale to maximize bio-oil production and conversion efficiency through system optimization. A key focus will be to lower the capital cost for the extraction process. Through the tasks proposed for this SBIR, objectives to scale to a 5x larger reactor, lower operating expense by 20%, and lower the capital cost of the currently expensive bio-oil extraction process by 10x. Additionally, potential to convert other dairy process streams, such as sweet whey, will be evaluated, which could unlock larger opportunities in the dairy production value chain. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Cell Reprogramming & Therapeutics LLC
SBIR Phase I: Generation of Dopaminergic Neurons from Fat
Contact
4404 S 113 str
Greenfield, WI 53228–2565
NSF Award
1819574 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
09/01/2018 – 08/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will be functional neuronal cells derived from human adult adipocytes that will have applications in regenerative medicine. The goal is to develop dopaminergic (DA) neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from transdifferentiated human adult adipocytes using a DA cell induction cocktail. This will have application in cellular therapeutics and research tools for Parkinson's Disease (PD), and other neuronal diseases. In addition, these studies will impact the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine, since this will be the first demonstration that functional neuronal cells, the main building blocks of brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous systems, can be produced from mature fat cells that can be used as cellular therapeutics for several neurological disorders. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop new technology for generation of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from adult adipocytes (fat cells), which will used as a platform to develop cellular therapeutics for Parkinson's Disease (PD), and PD research tools. Recently, using a chemical genetics approach (chemical approach or small molecule approach), engraftable midbrain DA neuronal progenitor cells (DA NPCs) from human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs) have been generated. Additionally, DA neuronal progenitor-like cells also had been produced from de-differentiated fat cells (DFAT cells) that have several advantages over BM-hMSCs such as homogeneity of DFAT cell cultures, ease of isolation and low immunogenicity. The goal of Phase I project is to validate and optimize the DA induction protocol for generation of midbrain DA NPC from DAFT cells. Phase II will focus on clinical grade manufacturing of these DA cells and testing their therapeutic effect in several preclinical animal models of PD. Commercial products emerging from Phase I/II work include cellular therapeutics for PD and research tools for PD. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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ClearFlame Engines, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Stoichiometric, Direct-Injected, Soot-Free Engine for Heavy-Duty Applications
Contact
6520 Double Eagle Drive #527
Woodridge, IL 60517–1582
NSF Award
1721358 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will focus on the development of a new alternative to Diesel engines for use in heavy-duty applications such as on-road transportation, off-road farm equipment, and stationary power generation. Currently, Diesel engines are used in all of these applications because they are robust and powerful. Unfortunately, they also produce significant smog, soot, and greenhouse gases that are damaging to individuals and the environment. In contrast, the engines developed under this project will have cleaner exhaust while producing more power at increased efficiency, all while utilizing inexpensive alternative fuels. Since Diesel-fueled engines move 70% of the world's goods, and produce 30% of distributed power around the globe, these engines are inextricably linked to quality of life, and transformational improvements in their operation can have a large, broad, positive impact on society. This project's new engines will continue to provide essential services, but in a way that reduces operating costs (creating savings that can be passed on to consumers) and emissions (further saving consumers money, and improving air quality in heavily-trafficked regions). These engines will fulfill a critical market need for clean, powerful engine solutions, and can be integrated into existing American-made engine product lines, increasing manufacturing revenue, stimulating job creation, and ensuring that the United States will remain a global leader heavy-duty engine production. This project will focus on enabling these clean, powerful engines by developing a novel, high-temperature combustion system that allows traditional engines to be adapted to burn alternative fuels in an efficient and soot-free manner. This requires integration of a unique combination of technologies, joined in a way that provides benefits far greater than those that can be achieved with the individual components in isolation. Removing any piece from this specific combination drastically reduces performance. Because each component plays a critical role, this project has high risk (as each subsystem must function properly), but its sophistication also presents a high barrier to similar efforts (since incorrect use of any component yields significantly worse results). This project will build on previous proof-of-concept data that verified the feasibility of this concept, and will focus on the development of key engine subsystems, seeking to mitigate risk enough that investment from the private sector is possible. At the end of the project, the subsystems will be integrated into a stationary power generator as a retrofit to an existing Diesel engine, adapting it for alternative fuel use. This would serve as a prototype platform for the technology?illustrating its increased efficiency and power, along with reduced emissions?and demonstrating the value of the technology to market incumbents, hopefully spurring a licensing arrangement for engine production.
Errata
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CoastalOceanVision, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Real-Time Assessment of Water Quality, Harmful Algal Blooms, and Toxins from Distributed, Networked Sensor Arrays
Contact
10 Edgerton Dr
North Falmouth, MA 02556–2821
NSF Award
1820074 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project extends from years of research into the impact of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), and yet there is still no direct, field assay for toxic cells. The identification of HABs is critical to determine their patterns of occurrence, to protect water and food supplies, and to alert the general public when there is a problem. Harmful Algal Blooms are a world-wide fresh water, brackish water and marine phenomena that occur in every coastal and inland country and annually cause significant economic damage and take human lives. The detection of HABs and their toxins is currently completed by complex, expensive, and time consuming microscopic analyses that do not necessarily provide the critical and timely information that water quality mangers require. Raman spectroscopy provides a strong and distinct fingerprint of HAB cells and their toxins without the need for sample preparation, and can be used on-site at beaches, drinking water reservoirs, or within distributed networks of Raman sensors all communicating through the cloud to provide managers immediate and spatially distinct information on the presence and concentration of potentially toxic cells. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop and market an in-situ 3D microscope with on-axis Raman spectroscopy to provide both morphological information and a chemical signature for identification of HAB cells to species, and in some cases specific strains, along with the presence and concentration of toxin on a per cell basis. The novel technical specifications include: 1) the use of Light Field (LF) microscopy to maximize the depth of field to allow for detection of low cell concentrations (< 1 cell/ mL). LF microscopy also provides a 3D image for more complete and accurate morphological assessment of cells and particulates, 2) Advanced software for color and texture feature extraction and classification of cells using Gabor wavelets and a novel color angle feature, which provide 100% classification accuracy in many cases, 3) the use of Resonance Micro-Raman Spectroscopy (RMRS) to collect spectral fingerprints on the inorganic and organic content of cells, particulates and dissolved compounds, and 4) the integration of these technologies into sensor packages as part of the IoT cloud computing thrust that is sure to gain traction over the next few years, and will provide regional protection of both large and small drinking water reservoirs, globally. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Comake, Inc
SBIR Phase I: The Comake Graph
Contact
20 10th St NW Unit 2501
Atlanta, GA 30309–3871
NSF Award
1843818 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to drive economic growth and innovation by increasing a knowledge worker's ease of access to the digital information that is relevant to his/her work. Businesses today are enormously dependent on the archives of files, communication, and other information contained within the systems and services they rely on (networked drives, cloud storage, messaging tools, email, etc.). As these archives grow, they are increasingly hard to standardize and organize so that individuals know where to look for and how to find the information they need to do their jobs. The result is that individual employees waste enormous amounts of time trying to locate files and information fragmented across complex directories and many communication channels. Centralizing access to files and communication within an easily searchable and flexible workspace can unlock several hours of lost productivity and duplicate efforts per knowledge worker per week. Furthermore, presenting all of the relevant context around each file and message, including other file-versions, related files, discussions, activity events, etc., can help knowledge workers today with better version control, an understanding of how projects/ideas unfold, transferring of best practices, and preventing institutional knowledge-loss. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to further develop a novel method for users to contextually and unobtrusively access all relevant files and information associated with their work. This project focuses on developing software that can automatically map the relationships between digital workflow components (email messages, chat messages, tasks, contacts, files, etc.), and store them in discrete private databases controlled by the users. This project's key technical challenges include: improving the proprietary algorithms that automatically interconnect user information (while the information remains hosted on third party systems/services); improving the scalability of data ingress, processing, indexing, and syncing; and establishing a system capable of hosting and processing a multitude of discrete and disconnected databases of user information. The anticipated outcome of this project is a new type of software platform that can be hosted in private instances and that improves the productivity of its users by: consolidating user information stored on third-party systems/services; making it all easily searchable and manageable; and augmenting every file with additional history and context from all other connected third party systems/services. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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Core Quantum Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Magnetic Quantum Dots for Cell Separation and Characterization
Contact
1275 Kinnear Road
Columbus, OH 43212–1180
NSF Award
1746540 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR phase I project will develop new reagents to enable cell separation and analysis. Cell separation is a $3.9 billion/yr market with applications in medicine, pharmaceutical, and biological research industries. However, many current schemes perform cell separation and analysis in separate steps. A single reagent that could perform both functions would save time and money, enhancing these industries. The nanoparticle reagent developed by this research possesses magnetic properties to enable cell separation, and fluorescent properties that allow properties of separated cells to be quantified. This research will optimize this product and demonstrate proof-of-concept against the current standard approaches. The proposed product is the result of basic research previously funded by the NSF into methods to combine magnetic and fluorescent reagents, and optimization of this reagent will yield basic knowledge in manufacture and scale-up of these nanomaterials. Successful completion of these goals will lead to a new product that will enable cell separation and analysis with a single reagent, enabling cell separation with high purity and increasing signal used for quantification. These benefits could translate into reduced laboratory healthcare costs with increased diagnostic efficiency, improved pharmaceutical purity, and high tech nanomanufacturing jobs in this burgeoning industry. This research will develop magnetic-fluorescent nanoparticle reagents to enable seamless cell separation and subsequent flow cytometry analysis. Cell separation is often performed with magnetic reagents that enable high throughput; however, analysis of the separated product is performed in a separate step, typically via flow cytometry. The use of large magnetic beads for separation prevents analysis, as the beads employed are much larger than the protein quantified. Even if small nanoparticles are used, a separate reagent is required for analysis, and signal is limited as the same receptors are targeted for both separation and analysis steps. Thus, a reagent that could perform both separation and analysis steps would improve performance. This research will optimize nanoparticle reagents that enable separation and analysis and compare their performance to the current approach using two separate reagents. Thus, this research will demonstrate crucial proof-of-concept of these reagents that are manufactured using a scalable process, enabling rapid transition to beta testing and follow-on commercialization.
Errata
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Addenda
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Crestone Computing LLC
SBIR Phase I: Enhancing the Performance of Scientific Applications Through Intelligent Advice
Contact
19415 Lincoln Green Ln
Monument, CO 80132–8738
NSF Award
1820076 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to allow new hardware platforms to be more quickly deployed and useful software products to be more readily made available on a wide variety of hardware to satisfy the needs of their users. Additionally, researchers in science and engineering can reduce the runtime of their applications by hours or days on the machines inside high performance computing or data centers, enabling more scientific modeling and simulations to be completed within these centers, while allowing each individual scientist to concentrate more on his/her research, which in turn may more quickly benefit society. For example, in the defense industry, many contracting companies develop Monte Carlo simulation software to predict outcomes from disasters. Increasing the throughput of these simulations would allow for more simulation results to be analyzed and tested, thereby resulting in better predictions and handling of disastrous situations. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is unique in its automated connection between existing performance modeling and prediction tools, and pattern-driven compiler optimization. Novel runtime monitoring and modeling techniques will be developed to automatically map performance bottlenecks discovered by existing performance analysis tools to potential opportunities of source code optimizations. Such opportunities again will be used to guide pattern-driven compiler optimizations, particularly to enhance the performance of finite element methods on both GPGPUs and multi-core/many-core CPUs. Deep learning neural networks will be used to automate the runtime behavior classification of computations. The new pattern-driven specialization of compiler optimizations will enable general-purpose compiler techniques to be aware of the higher-level semantics of library abstractions (e.g., data structures and algorithm abstractions) and allow them to be collectively customized and coordinated to attain the best performance. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Cuberg, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Novel Anode Formulation for Improving Cycle Life of Lithium Metal Batteries
Contact
99 E Middlefield Rd Apt 14
Mountain View, CA 94043–3833
NSF Award
1747377 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,950
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop key components of a next-generation lithium metal battery that greatly increases both energy density and safety compared to the best lithium-ion batteries. Such a technology has the potential to deliver significant societal value by improving the state-of-the-art in battery markets such as implantable medical devices, electrified flight, electric vehicles, and many others. In fact, improvements just in medical device batteries may cause a step-change improvement in device design and delivery of healthcare that could save tens of thousands of lives annually. This project will increase opportunities for US-based manufacturing and create jobs by leveraging existing domestic prototyping and manufacturing capabilities around the country. Once material and process costs come down with scale, this technology can also help to expedite mass-market adoption of electric vehicles, consumer electronics, wearables, and other portable devices. The proposed technology may eventually allow for the widespread adoption of sustainable electrified transportation, reduce US dependence on foreign oil, significantly reduce carbon emissions related to transportation, and build an edge for US-based battery R&D and manufacturing. The project addresses the key unmet challenge for next-generation battery chemistries based on lithium metal: highly reversible cycling (> 500 cycles with lithium plating efficiency > 99.7%) with high charging current density (> 1 mA/cm^2). The objective of the proposed R&D is to prove out a concept around novel metallic anode formulation that can enable unprecedented cycle life, lithium plating efficiency, and charging rate. Existing cell prototypes with pure lithium metal anodes have already demonstrated stable cycling and high specific energy at lower rates. However, inadequate lithium plating efficiency at high charging rates limits the cycle life that can be achieved in a commercial cell. Phase I research efforts will focus on two main objectives: (i) improve reversibility and efficiency of the metallic anode at high charge rates compared to pure lithium metal, and (ii) demonstrate the performance benefits in a coin cell with commercially attractive design parameters that delivers 500 cycles with minimal lithium loss at a high rate. The ultimate goal of the Phase I research is to develop a high-performance lab prototype, based on an optimized electrolyte and commercial cell components, that will provide proof of feasibility for rapid commercialization in the target market.
Errata
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CykloBurn Technologies LLC
SBIR Phase I: Biomass to Energy Conversion
Contact
1200 Shore Road
Baltimore, MD 21220–5526
NSF Award
1819593 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is that it holds the promise of significantly reducing the over fertilization of crop fields with poultry litter and at the same time provide poultry farmers with greater profits. Currently poultry litter (excrement, feathers, bedding and other waste) is used as fertilizer on crop fields. The litter is excessively high in phosphorous which is not well adsorbed by crops and ends up in waterways causing excessive algae growth resulting in dead zones with no aquatic life. This project expects to prove the practicality of a high efficiency burn system that is low enough in cost to be affordable by individual farmers. The system will burn poultry litter and convert the resulting heat energy to electricity and hot water for heating the farmer's chicken houses. The energy savings will increase farmer's net profits (including the amortized cost of the system) by, on average, 25%. Thus poultry farmers will be incentivized to eliminate environmentally dangerous poultry litter by converting their farm waste to energy. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to design, produce and test a scaled prototype version of the lab test system. The lab test system is expected to provide burn efficiencies as high as ~97% with particulate emissions well within EPA standards. The scaled system will be designed to process ten times the litter as the lab system. The primary question this SBIR project will answer is: can the lab results be replicated in a full scale system capable of handling the requirements of an average poultry farm. The patent pending technology upon which the lab system was designed uses computer controlled fuel (poultry litter) feed rates coupled with a multilevel air injection system to produce optimal efficiency. There are several variables that will be tested to ensure upscaling the size will be successful. These include combustion chamber size and design, air injection locations, pressures and CFM, and fuel feed rates. Successful commercialization will require optimization of these variables in a full scale system. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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DEEPBITS TECHNOLOGY LLC
SBIR Phase I: Building Extensible and Customizable Binary Code Analytics Engine for Malware Intelligence as a Service
Contact
20871 Westbury Rd.
Riverside, CA 92508–2974
NSF Award
1746819 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,987
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 08/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to spark more cybersecurity innovations, by reducing the R&D expenditures via providing fundamental security analytics tools as a service. Global cybersecurity spending is increasing significantly year over year. Enormous R&D resources have been invested in the development of a range of security products to meet this market. However, different security product providers repeatedly build the fundamental security analytics tools and use them to further develop different innovative security solutions. That is a huge waste of R&D resources. The proposed solution reduces the R&D expenditure of customers and lowers the entry bar for the growing cybersecurity market. With the lowered entry bar, the company anticipates that more innovations will be put into practice. As a result, with the increased competition and reduced R&D expenditure, the company expects a reduction in cybersecurity spending by companies and the government. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project focuses on malware intelligence, which has been a long-standing as well as increasingly complex cybersecurity problem. Traditional signature based detection and manual reverse engineering approaches can no longer keep up with the pace of increasingly sophisticated obfuscation and attack techniques. The objective of this project is to develop a security analysis tool for malware intelligence by combining the following two unique techniques: "whole-system emulation based dynamic binary analysis" and "deep-learning based binary code similarity detection". The first technique provides a fine-grained monitor capability to observe the behaviors of malware. The second technique provides the capability of learning and characterizing complex features. By combining these two techniques, the proposed technology will be able to better understand malware and generate actionable intelligence.
Errata
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DRAKEFORD SCOTT & ASSOCIATES
SBIR Phase I: Online curriculum for creating purpose-driven Start-ups
Contact
315 E CHAPEL HILL STREE
Durham, NC 27701–3317
NSF Award
1820018 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project takes a deeper look at the concept of 'purpose' and its relationship to the marketplace, unemployment, and start-up incubators. It intends to develop a multi-question self-assessment tool to help individuals find meaningful purpose through free, online, live and self-paced hybrid course instruction. The coursework will use augmented reality and 3-D video to motivate individuals to re-think purpose as a central motivation to employment and entrepreneurship. This project aligns with the NSF?s mission to advance national health, prosperity, and welfare with science and technology. These outcomes could potentially generate a new generation of business owners that are dedicated to meaning and money through a double bottom-line approach to entrepreneurship. This project combines the educational work of finding purpose through self- help and the technology of 3-D video and augmented reality for the first time. This unique project provides free online live synchronous education combined with hybrid self-paced online course work to help individuals find meaningful self-employment solutions. This project utilizes a proprietary training method designed to quickly help individuals find their purpose in life and invent a useful business or nonprofit to solve problems in the world. This research can help students re-center their motivations to chart a meaningful life course through a business or nonprofit start-up. The curriculum starts with this activity and extends to provide students an opportunity to enter the marketplace through micro-enterprise or nonprofit creation. The courses will utilize predictive analytics to synthesize student data (such as the answers each student inputs for the four questions in the purpose activity). The data will be reorganized and automated into a clear and targeted purpose proposition statement for the student. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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DataChat Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Democratizing Data Science Through Conversation
Contact
1403 University Ave
Madison, WI 53715–1055
NSF Award
1746402 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,928
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to dramatically improve the human productivity in gathering insights from data, and to democratize data analytics by making it available to a broad class of users within an enterprise. With DataChat, complex analyses can be carried out by simply conversing with a trained chatbot. The proposed approach has the potential to open a new vertical in the analytics market in which chatbots aid humans in carrying out the task of creating, deploying and running complex data science pipelines. This project could lead to the creation of a sub-market in the existing analytic software market, and it could also help improve the productivity of the (non-technology) sectors of the economy that increasingly require high-quality and fast insights from both their archival and real-time datasets. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will take on a number of technical challenges including designing and developing a method to allow programming the underlying program that powers chatbots. Another technical challenge that will be tackled is making it easy to load external data that may not have well-defined schemas. A type inferencing mechanism, and associated set of methods to learn over historical data, will be developed to address this research aspect. Another technical challenge is building good machine learning models, for which a set of mechanisms is proposed that will allow automatic exploration and ranking of machine learning models, aiding the user in picking the right model for the specific task at hand. Overall these technical components will collectively contribute to the different facets of data analysis that are needed to gather insights from data, and will power the overall chatbot approach.
Errata
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Digital Dipstick Company
SBIR Phase I: Digital Oil Level Indicator Feasibility Study
Contact
600 S Sampson St
Tremont, IL 61568–9252
NSF Award
1820266 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,779
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to provide the agriculture market a long-term solution to the problem of premature wear on components from oil leaks by digitally monitoring oil levels in combines. The proposed product could be adapted to many industries including agriculture, mining, construction, marine water craft, chemical storage, military vehicles, and water storage. The proposed product will preemptively warn equipment operators of low lubrication levels thereby saving customers money from repairs or replacement of new systems. The proposed project will address the need of digitally monitoring oil lubrication levels while producing a highly accurate measurement in real-time. The solution will be non-contacting unlike current solutions that provide a single low-level alarm or rely on manual checks. The prototype will be put in a simulated as well as real-time environment to investigate endurance, accuracy, stability, longevity, reliability and ease of installation. Objectives include: (1) Find a solution/configuration to accurately monitor rapid level changes; (2) Verify the hardware can withstand harsh conditions (extreme temperatures, high vibration); (3) Software testing; and (4) Analyze different reservoirs to see how the product can be easily mounted. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Discovery Simulations, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Helping Students Acquire 21st Century Skills Through Immersive Group STEM Simulations
Contact
886 W 2600 N
Pleasant Grove, UT 84062–9412
NSF Award
1747289 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will automate an experiential simulation learning lab by funding the technical conversion from what is essentially a hardwired product requiring a dedicated lab available to schools within a limited geographic area to a nationally available online product. Additionally, the funding will drive the technological innovation necessary to maintain the immersive, experiential nature of the existing prototype. The project will also allow for research on the underlying assumption of the product: will students be more engaged during content instruction if they are aware that they will be asked to apply their learning in an upcoming simulation? And, if so, will the improved engagement carry over to improved performance on summative assessments? Since the unique nature of the product places it in the middle of the educational technology continuum between digital content and assessment, using current market trends to estimate its sales potential is difficult. However, offering the product online will dramatically decrease its current price point, making the product economically attractive to thousands of teachers and schools across the United States seeking curriculum that engages students who learn best in a team-oriented environment and fosters skill in collaborative, multi-disciplinary problem solving. The intellectual merit of this project lies in the technological innovation that will convert the labor intensive, hardware dependent prototype into an automated online product while maintaining its immersive, engaging qualities. The main objective of the innovation is to create a powerful tool for the classroom teacher that can be implemented in a large lab or on a single computer. A corresponding objective is to determine how effectively the tool engages students in the subject matter and develops real life skills that are in high demand in the 21st century workplace. Teachers will be able to choose from three distinct platforms: Mission Control, a space exploration simulation; Leadership Summit, a global policy making simulation; and Ecosphere, a simulation of areas hidden to the human eye. While being technologically sophisticated, the product also needs to be simple to install and to require minimal training to operate. The product will incorporate multiple controls so that teachers can monitor their students? interactions and manage their progress for optimum effect. Finally, the innovation will also make use of the latest developments in commercially available sound and lighting enhancement products giving teachers control of the timing and level of external sounds and lights.
Errata
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DrinkSavvy Inc.
STTR Phase I: Rational design of highly sensitive and selective chemical sensors using structural color
Contact
211 W. 2nd Street
Boston, MA 02127–0000
NSF Award
1746719 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project will be the development of sensor-embedded "smart" drinkware (i.e., stirrers, straws and cups) to actively alert consumers prior to consumption of a "spiked" beverage, and thus provide a proactive way to prevent drug-facilitated sexual assault. This sensor technology is based on "smart" molecularly imprinted color-changing nanomaterials that eliminate the need to run tedious sample preparation and analysis procedures using conventional laboratory instrument. The use of a colorimetric sensor as a cost-effective consumer sensor has far broader applications than just date rape drug detection, including applications where on-the-spot detection could help protect consumers from other harmful chemicals, pathogens, drugs, explosives, nerve agents, allergens, etc. In addition, this project will advance colorimetric sensing technology using structural color into a robust and rapid sensing platform for drug monitoring with high sensitivity, response time, and accuracy. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop a platform technology based on a highly accurate, color-changing sensor that will initially be used to continuously monitor a beverage for date rape drugs, and instantaneously detect these adulterants if they are present. Drug-facilitated sexual assault has become a significant issue, but there is currently no drug-sensing drinkware available on the market. This drug sensor will be implemented using highly selective molecular imprinted polymers as target drug receptors and non-toxic color-changing nanomaterials as signaling reporters. The scope of the research includes the rational design of the color-changing nanomaterial used as a signaling reporter for the target drug binding event, the development of a highly selective molecularly imprinted polymer and its integration with reporters, and the testing of the color-changing sensor under different matrices and conditions to verify its sensitivity and specificity.
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EQUILIBRIA LEADERSHIP CONSULTING LLC
SBIR Phase I: Young Leader Project
Contact
525 S 4TH ST STE 471
Philadelphia, PA 19147–1582
NSF Award
1842707 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$223,996
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will provide children ages 7-11 years with an interactive learning program that cultivates core leadership skills. This project goes deeper than many traditional socio-emotional programs by fortifying children with the behavioral skills and mindset they need to evolve as effective leaders. The educational curriculum was developed by psychologists who specialize in leadership development, and is based on cutting-edge child developmental, leadership, and educational research. This project aims to research the engagement and effectiveness of the program and its ability to enhance ten core leadership behaviors in youth, at home, in the community, and in academic settings. This program has the potential to make a long-term impact on the next generation of youth, promoting resilience in the face of adverse events, such as school violence and cyberbullying, and to positively shape the next generation of leaders, helping them form lifelong commitments to personal and professional development. The project has philanthropic aspirations to make the educational curriculum available to all children and schools, regardless of socio-economic standing, supporting the mission of NSF to promote the health, prosperity and welfare of the nation through science. This project is focused on the development of an interactive leadership program for children, that is proven to make a positive impact on leadership behaviors and that is also fun and engaging for youth and their adult caregivers and educators. What sets this program apart from others is that the research will provide evidence that the program builds the critical skills it intends on developing in children. The program is designed to be self-led or facilitated by an adult caregiver or educator, either using an online platform or physical materials. As children move from one leadership competency to another, they are extrinsically and intrinsically rewarded for their efforts. Adult caregivers and educators are encouraged to participate and are provided mastery building exercises that help them take the child?s leadership understanding and skill to the next level. A database has been developed to track real-time participant feedback as curriculum elements are developed. The testing of educational content will focus on three aspects, which include maximizing content appropriateness, validating learning and skill retention, and assessing variances and preferences for mode of delivery. Results will be used to make modifications to the curriculum and product design for commercialization. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Earshot LLC
SBIR Phase I: Cloud-Based Voice Analysis and Machine Learning to Improve Teaching with Data
Contact
1100 NE Campus Pkwy
Seattle, WA 98105–6605
NSF Award
1818978 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will study how teachers use data to improve their instruction. In response to widespread understanding that feedback is a necessary component to improvement, school districts are increasingly investing in teacher coaches to provide feedback critical for teachers. However, this is not scalable, and typically only new or underperforming teachers have access to coaching. Earshot seeks to scale and democratize some aspects of coaching so every teacher can have access to the personalized data and feedback necessary for improvement. The goal is for all teachers to maximize their potential, better engaging students in learning. Earshot has developed a cloud-based system using voice analysis to provide data about instruction. The core innovation is a machine learning process to listen to dialogue between teachers and students and analyze the quality of the educational exchange. Funding for this project would enable study of two critical questions: How does providing data about teacher behavior affect what teachers do in their classrooms? And, what kinds of resources, content, and support are necessary to help teachers improve? This research has the potential to transform the way teachers use data about their own performance and receive the necessary help to improve. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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EarthSense, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: TerraSentia: Ultra-compact, Autonomous, Teachable Under-canopy Phenotyping Robot for Plant Breeders and Crop Scientists
Contact
60 Hazelwood Drive
Champaign, IL 61820–7460
NSF Award
1820332 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
Broader Impacts: The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project include improving food security, while at the same time enhancing the economic viability and environmental sustainability of large-scale production agriculture. In order to improve crop varieties, agricultural production, and sustainability of farming, there is an urgent need for better technologies to acquire under-canopy plant trait and health data. Examples of high-value under-canopy data include emergence, stem width, corn ear height, plant life-cycle events like flowering and fruiting, and symptoms of pathogens, diseases, and nutrient deficiency. Because these data cannot be obtained by aerial imaging, under-canopy data collection has dramatically greater actionability and value compared to aerial data. However no cost-effective, scalable ways of collecting this data are currently available. In fact, the state of the art is manual data collection by crop scientists (and their students or interns), agronomists, crop-scouts or farmers - an extremely labor intensive, and therefore expensive way of collecting this highly valuable data. Our work will greatly enhance the availability of under-canopy data from field crops. The commercial value of the field data for crop breeding is in excess of $50 Million/year for breeding major row-crops in the US. Intellectual Merits: This SBIR Phase I project will demonstrate the technical feasibility of autonomously collecting under-canopy data from field crops using TerraSentia, our low-cost ground robot. In preliminary work, we have built the robot hardware, demonstrated its ability to collect high-value plant data from row-crop fields, and analyze it to generate plant-trait information. In the proposed work, we will enable and demonstrate the ability of TerraSentia to collect data autonomously throughout the season. We will demonstrate the technical feasibility of fusing information from low-cost LIDAR, GPS, and vision. We will also demonstrate the feasibility using real-time control algorithms to adapt camera perspective and robot path in order to obtain the highest quality information from the complex and dynamic under- canopy field environments. These high-risk innovations will together enable long-term deployment of TerraSentia for effective data collection and phenotyping, benefiting crop scientists and agricultural product development professionals. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Ecolectro, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Ultrathin Polymer Electrolyte Composites with Exceptional Conductivity, Mechanical Strength and Chemical Durability
Contact
201 Eastman Hill RD
Willseyville, NY 13864–1229
NSF Award
1746486 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to produce polymer composites that enable commercialization of alkaline electrochemical devices, such fuel cells and electrolyzers. The use of fuel cell technologies will help preserve the environment, mitigate climate change, decreasing our carbon footprint and securing renewable energy supply. Electrolyzers are an increasingly attractive method of producing ultrapure hydrogen, an essential chemical feedstock and fuel. Currently, widespread adoption of these technologies is prevented by the high system costs, which are driven by the platinum catalysts. Operating under alkaline conditions with alkaline exchange membranes (AEMs) is necessary to relieve this pain point by allowing the use non-precious metal catalysts (e.g. stainless steel, nickel, cobalt, and their alloys). Moreover, AEMs will be less expensive to produce and recyclable at the end of lifetime, unlike the existing polymer electrolytes, further decreasing the cost of devices. Producing commercially viable AEMs enables the widespread deployment of fuel cell and electrolyzer systems by making the technology economically competitive with incumbent fossil fuel based energy sources. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to produce polymer electrolyte composites that meet the stringent performance criteria for a commercially viable AEM, including durability, hydroxide conductivity and mechanical strength under alkaline operating conditions. A proprietary polymer composition with unprecedented chemical stability will be incorporated into microporous polymer structural supports. Typically, cation percentage in AEMs must be kept low, otherwise the membranes swell excessively and deteriorate during operation. Incorporating polymers into structural supports permits increased cation concentration and ion exchange capacity (IEC), resulting in AEMs with high hydroxide conductivity. Furthermore, the mechanical strength of the composite is determined by the support and is not reduced by high IEC, like unsupported membranes. A polymerization method will be employed that allows fine control over cation concentration and the reaction can be conducted inside the support, simplifying composite fabrication. The combination of our unique polymer composition and a structural support that maximizes conductivity without losing mechanical strength, is a crucial milestone for the commercialization of our technology.
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Eden GeoPower, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Directional Permeability Enhancement Using Electric Well Treatment
Contact
444 Somerville Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143–0000
NSF Award
1820135 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is a system that provides improved reservoir productivity through a novel, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly method. This method will use an electric impulse to increase reservoir permeability, and decrease industry reliance on alternative methods like hydraulic fracturing, which requires hazardous chemicals to be pumped into the subsurface. Residents in regions where fracking techniques are utilized have commonly been impacted by induced seismicity and landslides as a consequence of pumped in chemicals lubricating faults, making earth ruptures more likely to occur. Additionally, the material and operation time for reservoir stimulation techniques makes the current process expensive. The ability to increase permeability with an electric impulse will avoid the environmental concerns associated with current methods, and will proved a cost competitive reservoir stimulation solution due to a short operational time. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a novel low-frequency impulse method (LFIM) that increases reservoir permeability for petroleum and geothermal applications, without requiring pumping of material into the subsurface. Fluid mobility is increased due to viscosity reduction and reservoir permeability is increased in the direction of interest from the vibrational removal of particles within sediment pores. This program will 1) simulate the processes taking place in the reservoir using computer simulation model, 2) perform experimental analysis of the effects of the electric treatment on different core samples, and 3) determine applicability of the method to different types of the reservoirs located in the United States. Therefore, this project will identify the optimum sites, where LFIM can boost geothermal performance and oil & gas production. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Education Revolution, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Education Revolution Socrates Learning Engine
Contact
25 Grand Masters Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89141–6098
NSF Award
1747110 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,804
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will fund development and release of a new way of using big data to maximize educational outcomes and the potential of each individual child. The project will create individualized learning paths for every student that dynamically adjusts based on their abilities across thousands of educational topics. The engine adjusts up to find their maximum potential regardless of age or grade, and adjusts down when they are struggling. The simple, yet engaging, games combined with gamification elements will keep the child wanting to play over and over, constantly learning as they go. The project will provide a tool to parents looking to enhance their child?s education as well as to those that prefer to homeschool. It will also be a powerful teacher's assistant, able to monitor the progress of each child in the classroom so the teacher can better monitor and manage progress of their student base. The Parent and Teacher Portals will connect the classroom and home learning experience and allow both parents and teachers to see how each child is performing and where they need to intervene to help. Over time, the project will test and deploy new ways to learn. The potential commercial market for this product includes parents, homeschoolers, and teachers. The initial target market is kindergarten to 8th grade. The project will improve education outcomes at these crucial ages. The project uses patent-pending technology that combines a set of probabilistic engines to determine the right content for each student based on their individual ability. It does not determine content based on their age or grade and makes no assumptions about what the student can or can?t do. Instead, it allows the student to set their own limits and use Big Data to predict and test optimal learning paths. The learning engine can work with any category of educational content and deliver that content dynamically to any type of game. The project can measure the learning impact by making changes to the traditional learning paths within clusters of students. It will uncover if, for example, fractions should be introduced earlier to all children, or subsets of children. As opposed to the option of skipping a grade or being held back, a student doing well (or poorly) could be in the same class with their peers and still have unique content that challenges them and maximizes their natural abilities. The learning engine will use business intelligence techniques to identify problem areas for each child and recommend what to practice and practice techniques. The project team has previously received patents on technology in the gaming industry, and is confident in the ability to receive a utility patent for this technology for intellectual property protection.
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EigenPatterns Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Early Detection of Anomalies in Large-Scale Gas Networks
Contact
525 South Cascade Terrace
Sunnyvale, CA 94087–3250
NSF Award
1820488 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,400
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to dramatically reduce the incidence of natural gas pipeline failures across the country, within the next 3 to 5 years. Every year there are a few hundred "significant" pipeline accidents (fatalities or significant property damage) causing massive damage to life and property, dispersing hazardous materials and disrupting gas distribution services. These events result in many hundreds of millions of dollars in repair and recovery, and large fines that can be up to a billion dollars or more. This scalable and economical capability will significantly reduce the likelihood of such failures, without requiring additional infrastructure. Performance has been validated at a large utility company, and the prototype has demonstrated the ability to capture a substantial fraction of previously undetected events with significant advance warning (90 minutes or more). This outcome represents a clear performance improvement over existing systems and is enabled by advanced models customized for the gas-utility domain. The methods developed in this project can be directly applied to improve detection accuracy in other contexts such as power-grid networks, computer cluster management and financial fraud detection. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to detect anomalies in large-scale gas-utility networks through statistical inference from continuously observed time-series data on pressure, prevailing temperature, and other characteristics of the network. Anomalies within gas-utility networks occur due to a variety of reasons, e.g., sulphur or ice buildup in the pipelines, and corrosion/aging of hardware, and are often preceded by detectable signatures in the time-series of gas-pressure data. A premise of the project is that the early detection of such signatures, leading to advance warning of 90 minutes or more, allows corrective action within the utility network to avoid significant property damage, loss of life, and service disruption. The project proposes new methods for the rapid estimation of short and medium timescale models of gas pressure behavior from voluminous streaming data, along with methods for constructing prediction bands through Monte Carlo and stochastic optimization techniques. Such methods are non-generic and their success relies crucially on exploiting specific structural properties that are unique to network-level gas-pressure time series, along with modern trends in statistical machine learning. The proposed stochastic optimization techniques will probabilistically classify identified anomalies into ``failure type," allowing the prioritizing of network level emergency operations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Elloveo, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Interactive, Combined Circuit & 2D Field Simulator for Educational Mobile Game
Contact
362 E 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012–4203
NSF Award
1721410 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This project entails the build out of the simulation engine for a touch-based, mobile game designed to intuitively teach the basics of electricity and magnetism to children aged 5+. The mobile game gives users a picture of what?s happening inside a circuit, and allows them to play with the charges, electric and magnetic forces, voltage, capacitors, transistors, etc. The use of funds from this NSF SBIR Grant would include the research and development required to build and incorporate this simulator into the game. This simulator is novel, is customized for educational use, must be extraordinarily fast, and is based on Maxwell?s Equations, the four equations that govern all of electricity and magnetism. The successful completion of this project will create a new way of teaching electricity and magnetism to children, giving them a visual understanding of the concepts. The goal is to make science and engineering more attainable subjects to pursue in higher education. This will lead to an increase in the number of science and engineering graduates in the US, and help to close the international educational achievement gap, which experts agree represents over a $1T overall opportunity loss. Besides having a profound effect on the US economy, this also benefits the individual. In 2014, the DOE reported that the median starting income of a STEM (engineering) graduate was $74,000, almost $25,000 more than a non-STEM graduate. The proposed real-time, interactive, multi-touch-based simulator would be the first of its kind; no combined two-dimensional field and circuit simulator exists today, particularly for use in an educational game. This combined simulator only has 16 milliseconds to update its results, whereas a typical two-dimensional field solver could take minutes to hours to solve. By using a novel simulator architecture and by focusing on speed and conceptual understanding at the necessary precision, the game simulator will be able to achieve the over 100x speed-up required. The simulator needs to solve Maxwell?s equations and thus calculate and display the electromagnetic physics behavior at 60 frames per second, the rate required for interactive gaming. Several approaches are used to accomplish this. This simulator is built from the ground up, with a unique choice of variables that prioritizes qualitative understanding over the circuit size and accuracy requirements of an industrial simulator. The simulator focuses on components and circuits commonly used in teaching. The simulator also utilizes the combined central/graphics processing hardware available in modern mobile devices. With this simulator as the core gaming engine, the company is building a game where children as young as five can experiment with and intuitively understand the basics of electricity, magnetism, and circuits.
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Emergy LLC
SBIR Phase I: Sustainable Biofabrication of Next Generation Materials for High Performance Water Filtration
Contact
973 5th st
Boulder, CO 80302–7120
NSF Award
1820290 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$221,176
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the introduction of an environmentally-beneficial filtration material and corresponding high performance, and long-lasting point-of-use water filter. The competitive advantages of the product are increased treatment efficiency, longer service life, and sustainable production at a similar price point to commercial products. The biofabricated advanced media filter results in sophisticated material properties and higher consumer value at a lower overall cost. The success of this Phase I project has potential for far reaching commercial impacts beyond consumer water filtration. By demonstrating the consistency of the metal impregnated filter material, commercial applications could be extended to the fields of emissions control, energy storage, and chemical production. In each of these fields, including water filtration, the new filter material would be replacing unsustainable materials derived from coal and coconut. These existing materials have significant environmental impacts associated with their production and transportation. This SBIR Phase I project proposed to use the efficiencies of biological organisms to produce high performance, economical, and sustainable materials for premium filtration applications. To achieve this goal, a biofabrication process has been developed that involves the controlled cultivation of fungi serving as a template for the production of advanced activated carbon. This bioprocess allows for precision control over the chemical and physical properties which can be easily customized for targeted applications. Using the process of bioaccumulation and biosorption, the fungi can be functionalized simultaneously with nitrogen heteroatoms and biogenic metals/metal oxide nanoparticles. These in-situ functionalities greatly improve material performance, extension of water filtration service life (2X over state-of-the-art), whilst reducing overall energy consumption during manufacturing. While this process has been demonstrated on the gram production basis, the technical hurdles in this Phase I include scaling production to the kilogram level, providing critical material validation testing, and prototyping of a final consumer product. To execute these goals, growth conditions will be optimized in scaled bioreactors, industrial testing methodology will be employed, and a simple, yet high value water filtration device will be produced. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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EnTox Sciences, LLC
STTR Phase I: The BaroFuse, a Microfluidic Multichannel Measurement of Tissue Oxygen Consumption For Drug Testing
Contact
6901 94th Ave SE
Mercer Island, WA 98040–5441
NSF Award
1745862 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase 1 project is aimed at providing technology to address the high costs of developing effective and safe drugs. Bringing a new drug to market typically involves screening 100?s of thousands of compounds for efficacy and toxicity utilizing cell, tissue and animal models to ultimately select a lead compound that will be tested in clinical trials. This process can take years, billions of dollars, and in the worse case leads to compounds that fail during clinical trials due to safety concerns. Advances in microfluidics and 3D-printing have enabled the construction of tissue culture devices with nearly unlimited numbers of tissue chambers and flow channel complexity. Combined with optical sensors with unprecedented sensitivity, instrumentation can be built that maintain large numbers of biopsied tissue samples, while assessing the effects of exposure of the tissue to libraries of drugs. This technological platform provides resolution of drug effects on human tissue with high sensitivity thereby reducing the cost of animal testing and the risk of bringing toxic drugs to clinical trials and the market. In addition, the technology will impact the fields of personalized medicine, where drugs could be tested on an individual?s own tumor or tissue, and environmental health. Measuring in vitro cellular responses to pharmaceutical compounds is critical for identifying toxic effects of candidate drugs prior to costly in vivo animal and clinical testing. To address this need, instrumentation to maintain and assess biopsied tissue in real time is being developed. The technology utilizes microfluidics for optimal maintenance of tissue viability and function, and optoelectronics to measure oxygen uptake with unprecedented sensitivity. The fluidics are driven by gas pressure, circumventing the need for unwieldy pumps, and the channels are fabricated by 3D printing, allowing for nearly unlimited numbers of chambers and flow channel complexity. The technological platform will aid in the selection of lead compounds for clinical trials, estimation of doses for first-in-human tests, and support applications to the FDA. In this Phase 1 SBIR proposal we will build 2 96-channel turnkey instruments for a contract research program and for beta testing by pharmaceutical companies. The functionality of a low-capacity (8-channel) system has been previously demonstrated. The funding will support scaling up the throughput of the system as well as enabling additional modes of operation. The instrumentation will be used for contract research and for direct sales to the large market of drug discovery within the pharmaceutical industry.
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EnerMat Technologies, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Manganese Oxide-Carbon Nanosheet Anodes for Extreme High Power Lithium Ion Batteries
Contact
51 Orchardview Drive
Clifton Park, NY 12065–3810
NSF Award
1819877 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
08/01/2018 – 07/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is the advancement of improved lithium ion batteries. The project will evaluate new battery chemistry enabling more rapid charging rates then currently available in the worldwide energy storage marketplace. Such high power density batteries would cater to a major emerging battery segment where current lithium ion battery technologies fall dramatically short. Successful development of this innovation will provide benefits to both current and future applications. Clearly, large scale deployment of a markedly superior energy storage device will have significant societal benefits by accelerating the move away from fossil fuel in many applications and products. For instance, a viable regenerative braking energy storage technology based on the proposed technology would result in a tremendous reduction in electricity used by subway trains, with a concomitant reduction of CO2 emissions. This STTR Phase I project proposes to address the core of the microstructure - performance relations in energy storing materials, answering a series of fundamental questions regarding how a charge carrier is reversibly or irreversibly stored at high rates in manganese oxide - carbon nanocomposite anodes. In conventional LIBs, it is the graphite-based anode that limits charging rates, with catastrophic lithium metal plating and dendrite growth occurring at increased currents. It is expected that many of the existing "Graphite - Inherited" paradigms regarding fast rate in anodes would be done away with, or substantially redefined with the proposed approach for designing high power lithium ion batteries based on an inexpensive hemp-derived carbon nanosheets and nanostructured manganese oxide anodes. A much clearer understanding of the synthesis - structure - property relations in such nanocomposites will have wide-reaching scientific and technological implications. Research and development activities will focus on structural optimization and manufacturing scalability along with fabrication and testing of near-commercial pouch cell form factors in order to demonstrate device-level performance and commercial viability of the proposed technology. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Enertia Microsystems Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Commercialization of low-cost micro birdbath resonant gyroscope
Contact
2972 Barclay Way
Ann Arbor, MI 48105–9463
NSF Award
1819893 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,903
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercialization potential of this project is to address the need for a small, low-cost, and high-accuracy angular rate and angular orientation sensor (also known as a gyroscope) for a wide range of applications. Gyroscopes are desired by many emerging applications such as inertial measurement units for small satellites such as CubeSats, autonomous vehicles, drones, and high-end wearable electronics. These applications require a gyroscope with a similar price (< $10) but ~10,000 times better accuracy than those currently used in smartphones. The birdbath resonator gyroscope (BRG) is a novel micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope with a strong potential to satisfy the needs of these applications due to significantly better resonance quality and mechanical symmetry than current silicon gyroscopes. The economic impact of BRGs will be enormous since many industries can utilize high-performance gyroscopes to monitor the dynamics of their systems, provide positional awareness, and improve the performance of other parts of these systems. Availability of low-cost and high-performance gyroscopes will enable users to further understand their applications and explore their limits and applicability across a broad range of societal needs. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a new batch-level microfabrication technology to enable the commercialization of low-cost, very high-performance MEMS gyroscope from fused-silica. Gyroscopes available today are either accurate but large and expensive (example: hemispherical resonator gyroscope), or small and cheap but inaccurate (example: smartphone gyroscopes). High-accuracy silicon MEMS gyroscopes in research are small and accurate but expensive. This is because silicon has fundamentally low mechanical resonance quality factor (Q) so it is difficult to manufacture high-accuracy gyroscopes with a high yield. The BRG is a gyroscope made from fused-silica and capable of having low cost, small size, and high performance. Its fused silica micro mechanical resonator can achieve significantly higher Q than silicon, which allows the BRG to be manufactured with a high yield. The BRG fabrication process uses a blowtorch to reflow-mold a fused silica substrate into three-dimensional hollow shells with dimensions of several 10s of micrometers to several millimeters with high geometrical accuracy. The proposed research will significantly enhance our understanding of the relationships among size, design, and process on the performance of the BRG as well as the relationship among detailed process parameters, yield and reproducibility on cost. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Ernest Pharmaceuticals
SBIR Phase I: A bacterial intracellular delivery platform for liver cancer
Contact
2 Ladyslipper Ln.
Hadley, MA 01035–3512
NSF Award
1819794 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project develops a bacterial platform for intracellular drug delivery to solid tumors, with a primary focus on liver cancer. Every year, 30,000 men and women are diagnosed with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has a 5-year survival rate of 17.6 %. The prognosis for these patients is poor. Currently, there are no curative treatments for these patients. The current standard-of-care only increases overall survival by months and has toxic side effects, with a cost to the US healthcare system of $1.5B per year. This technology is based on the inherent feature of bacteria to colonize solid tumors throughout the body in ratios of 100,000 to 1 compared to healthy tissue. Due to this specificity, the developed bacterial platform has the potential to increase dosage specifically in tumors, while reducing toxic side effects in healthy tissues. This platform will be a toolbox that can target intracellular pathways that are currently considered undruggable and deliver potent doses of biologicals directly into tumor cells. The affinity of bacteria for solid tumors, independent of organ localization, enables the extension of this delivery method to other hard-to-treat tumor types, such as pancreas, ovarian and gastric cancer. Systemic cancer therapies have many obstacles, such as stability in the blood, traversing the cellular membrane, internalization and endosomal release. These processes impede the use of RNAi and peptides in humans and hamper the targeting of intracellular pathways with monoclonal antibodies. The development of a bacterial drug delivery platform can optimize drug potency in tumors and reduce side effects in healthy tissue. In this SBIR phase I, efficacy of this platform will be measured in HCC by targeting intracellular pathways essential for cell survival, for which no systemic therapy exists. A bacterial strain will be created according to FDA guidelines that can be manufactured reliably without loss of activity. An optimized preservation protocol will be developed to ensure maximal bacterial fitness and maximal delivery efficacy after administration. This bacterial delivery system has the potential to accelerate the translation of fundamental cancer research into clinical therapies. Discoveries could be genetically translated directly into protein, antibody or shRNA therapies that regulate mammalian gene expression and function. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Esplin Organic Solutions
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Novel Antibiotic-Alternative Treatment for a Devastating Honey Bee Disease
Contact
2305 Lorita Way
Cottonwood Heights, UT 84093–6493
NSF Award
1747195 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development of potentially the first FDA-approved phage therapeutic, non-antibiotic remedy specifically designed for honeybees. This treatment has the potential to become the global gold standard for treating American Foulbrood, a devastating honey bee disease caused by the bacteria Paenibacillus larvae, which threatens 2.7 million beehives in the United States and 92.5 million beehives worldwide. The American foulbrood treatment market opportunity is $500 M, and this technology promises a significant reduction of current unprecedented mortality rates of honeybees, curtailment of antibiotics being used in beehives, which perpetuates antibiotic resistance in the environment, and support for organic agricultural production. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to expand the collection of Paenibacillus larvae bacterial strains for novel phage therapy development, enlarge the library of P. larvae bacteriophages from which an optimized treatment can be created, and test against each other to determine the optimal therapeutic phage combination. The expansion of the P. larvae strain and phages collection is critical because of the high specificity phages have for their hosts. Samples of P. larvae and phage will be collected from the entire United States. These greatly expanded phage and bacteria collections will help to ensure that treatments will be developed to effectively treat any American foulbrood infection.
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FAS HOLDINGS GROUP
SBIR Phase I: Scalable fabrication of stable perovskite solar panels using slot-die coating technique
Contact
10480 MARKISON RD
Dallas, TX 75238–1650
NSF Award
1721884 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to revolutionize the US solar cell market with low-cost and high-efficiency solar cells. The development of cost-effective and efficient solar power technologies is of national interest because solar power has broad potential to support US priorities such as economic growth and job creation, as well as mitigation of climate change. However, the cost of solar energy is still high, and technological innovations are needed to further lower costs and increase efficiency. The efficiency of perovskite solar cells has surged to over 22% in five years of research and now rivals that of CdTe and Si-based solar panels. Perovskite inks are made from Earth-abundant, inexpensive precursors and can be printed on plastic foils, which can significantly reduce their manufacturing and installation costs. However, before commercialization of this technology can be considered, device stability and the feasibility of reliable, scalable manufacturing of large-area panels have to be established. This project will bridge this critical knowledge gap and develop manufacturing technology that can compete in terms of cost and performance not only with other solar panels but also with conventional fossil fuel-based energy sources. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop scalable, reliable, reproducible, and cost-effective technology to manufacture perovskite photovoltaic devices using an industry-proven slot die coating technique. Most research lab perovskite solar cell devices are fabricated via spin casting, and have a device area of less 1 sq. cm. Despite the impressive progress of this technology, its commercially viable scalability and reliability have not yet been demonstrated. In this project, slot-die coating will be used, which is a proven technology to be scalable for large area processing and robust for high-yield manufacturing in a wide range of applications. We will use the slot die coating method and air stable p-i-n devices architecture to manufacture perovskite solar panel with a target power conversion efficiency of 20%, operational lifetime of more than 10,000 hours, power-to-weight ratio of 1 kW/kg, and target manufacturing cost of less than $0.3/W, which is more than a 40% reduction in costs when compared to industry leading photovoltaic technologies.
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FLASKWORKS
SBIR Phase I: Automated Closed Systems for Manufacturing Autologous Dendritic Cell Therapies
Contact
165 Waltham Street
Newton, MA 02465–1334
NSF Award
1819306 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is in the development of new technologies to manufacture personalized therapies for cancer and other diseases that are based on a patient's own cells. Such therapies have shown remarkable success in recent years, however, manufacturing these therapies is challenging because mass production techniques cannot be employed when each patient receives a unique therapy. Indeed, for therapies based on dendritic cells, which are an important part of the human immune system, there are no manufacturing systems currently available that can perform all of the required steps. This project will address this major unmet need by leveraging advanced concepts in engineering and biology to design an integrated system for cost-effective manufacturing of dendritic cell therapies. Given the large number of personalized cell-based therapies currently in clinical trials, and recently approved therapies, such a system is expected to address a major societal need and have significant commercial potential. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a manufacturing system to cover the steps involved in the manufacturing of autologous dendritic cell therapies. Because of the low abundance of these cells in blood, dendritic cells are typically generated from blood-derived monocytes. Following differentiation of monocytes into dendritic cells, these cells are then matured and stimulated with tumor-specific antigens. These steps represent discrete unit operations that require a system capable of handling both adherent and non-adherent cell types, different reagents for each step, and the ability to transition from one step to another with minimal loss of cells. Further, all steps must be performed in a disposable single-use enclosure. In order to achieve automation and integration of these steps, the proposed system will leverage innovations in perfusion-based dendritic cell culture and novel and cost-effective bioreactor design strategies. A combination of computational modeling and rapid-prototyping techniques will be employed for rapid iteration of prototypes and testing with potential users involved in therapeutic development. Successful completion of this project will result in feasibility demonstration of an integrated manufacturing system developed with significant end user feedback. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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FLUIDION US Inc.
SBIR Phase I: e-CHEM: A fully-autonomous connected in-situ chemical sensor
Contact
396 S San Marino Ave
Pasadena, CA 91107–5050
NSF Award
1747293 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project addresses a great demand for in-situ chemical sensor technology with ability to (1) Measure with high resolution the environmental footprint of agricultural and urban development, and (2) Identify potential safety issues related to drinking water quality. High concentrations of nutrients (e.g. nitrate, nitrite, orthophosphate) in surface waters are the source of environmental, public health, and economic issues. Active monitoring of nutrient concentrations in surface waters such as estuaries, lakes and rivers is critical in assessing their health and implementing timely action to minimize ecosystem degradation. This SBIR project aims at developing a disruptive new type of highly miniaturized autonomous water quality chemical sensor, that can be operated remotely and autonomously, has minimal installation and maintenance requirements, is capable of performing thousands of measurements directly in-situ, in both reagent-based and reagent-less configuration, on a single battery charge. Applications that will greatly benefit from such sensors range from scientific research, to estimating nutrient loads, establishing discharge limits, predicting eutrophication conditions and demonstrating compliance with regulatory reporting requirements. Independently, the drinking water industry has its own requirements for autonomous chemical sensors for monitoring reservoirs and distribution networks, optimizing treatment processes and identifying tank nitrification issues early-on. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to achieve the highest level of miniaturization and functionality attempted in a commercial water quality sensor. The core innovation of this proposed e-CHEM system is in the microfluidic chemical analysis module, combining a novel highly-efficient mixing mechanism to homogenize minute volumes of reagent with the fluid sample with a microfluidic implementation of dual reagent-based and reagent-less chemical measurement capability, the possibility of controlling relevant chemical reactions in-situ via precise on-chip temperature management, and finally the potential of overcoming the important hurdle of bio-fouling via novel surface nano-engineering. The parameters measured will include a selection from: ortho-phosphates, nitrites, nitrates, dissolved organic carbon, total and/or free chlorine, free ammonia, and pH. The system will include bidirectional wireless telemetry to enable automatic alert generation and data transmission to remote servers for visualization, analysis and interpretation. Target accuracy and response times are superior to traditional measurement techniques due to full process automation, elimination of sample degradation and transit times, reduction of human error, and automatic data centralization.
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FOLIA WATER, INC.
SBIR Phase I: Affordable point-of-use water disinfection through mass-produced nano-silver embedded paper filters
Contact
1401 FORBES AVE STE 302
Pittsburgh, PA 15219–5152
NSF Award
1843411 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The proposed broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the reduction of waterborne disease from drinking water in low-income populations. 2.1 billion people drink fecally-contaminated water, 50% of hospitalization in developing countries are due to waterborne diseases, and contaminated drinking water causes >500,000 diarrheal deaths each year. Low-income populations not only pay for water, but pay anywhere from 30% to 10 times more in absolute terms than the wealthy. This proposed technical innovation will provide: a consumer packaged goods water filter, i.e. a product priced as a consumable and sold through food/beverage retail grocery stores. This is a different business model than water filters which are sold as durable good appliances through specialty stores. If successful a new consumer water filter category reaching a fraction of 2.1 B people has potential to represent a $1B+ category. This proposed project would bring the innovation closer to commercialization by creating a more robust performing antimicrobial filter paper through challenge water stress testing. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a nano-silver antimicrobial filter paper through mass-production methods, e.g. paper machines, that is formulated to be biocidal in a wide variety of water sources. Technical hurdles include the reliability of technology scaling, developing frameworks for quality and stress testing, broader antimicrobial efficacy, and longer use life. The project goals include engineering a paper formulation with increased silver uptake, more uniform nanoparticle synthesis, synergistic antimicrobial chemicals, and reliable filter paper pore size and flow rate. The project plan to address these technical challenges include rigorous stress testing with specific challenge chemicals and high microbial loads, development of new formulations based on adding synergistic antimicrobial chemicals, absorbent chemicals to increase silver uptake, and process variations in the operation of the paper machine (speed, temperature, pressing, etc). These experiments will require new formulations to be evaluated following the same quality and stress tests with each iteration at the bench scale and pilot scale. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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Farm Vision Technologies Inc
SBIR Phase I: Apple Yield Mapping using Computer Vision
Contact
287 Wilder St N
Saint Paul, MN 55104–5127
NSF Award
1722310 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the practical deployment of a computer-vision based yield estimation system in fruit orchards. This will provide fruit farmers with a useful tool in planning their harvest and sales, as well as in managing the long-term health of their plants. This will potentially reduce the inherent risk in fruit growing, thereby improving the affordability and availability of fresh fruit in the US. Better certainty may particularly help small growers, because they have less existing capability to manage risk. Furthermore, by allowing adoption of precision agriculture techniques techniques to high value crops, this project may help save water and contribute to reduction of runoff pollution from fertilizer and chemicals. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the problem of vision-based fruit detection and mapping of fruit, for purposes of yield mapping. The research objectives are to improve the commercial usability and robustness of existing yield-mapping approaches, so that they can be applied in production fruit orchards. The anticipated technical results of this project include demonstration of useful yield mapping of apples, in a variety of real world production orchard environments, in a variety of weather and lighting conditions.
Errata
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Ferric Contrast, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Relaxivity mechanisms of Fe(III) MRI contrast agents
Contact
Baird Research Park
Amherst, NY 14228–2710
NSF Award
1746556 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
This STTR Phase I project will undertake the development of iron coordination complexes as alternatives for gadolinium contrast agents which are currently used in clinical MRI diagnostic exams. New MRI contrast agents are needed to serve the segment of the population who cannot tolerate Gd(III) agents. This includes patients with kidney disease and those who have frequent MRI scans and may accumulate Gd(III). The proposed research involves the study of new trivalent iron coordination complexes based on those initially studied in the co-PI?s university laboratory. New iron complexes will be prepared and studied as contrast agents in live mice to improve characteristics of the agents such as clearance from the body. Fundamental studies of the iron complexes will add to the body of knowledge on the paramagnetic properties of iron. For the most promising Fe(III) contrast agents, the synthetic procedures will be adapted for large scale preparation and purity determination. Iron MRI contrast agents may also be beneficial to society by reducing gadolinium in water supply. Furthermore, iron as an abundant element is less expensive and more readily available in the USA than is gadolinium. The commercialization of iron MRI contrast agents will create jobs in chemical manufacturing, sales, and in health-related occupations. The lead Fe(III) coordination complex on which this project is based produces longitudinal (T1) relaxivity of water protons that rival clinically used Gd(III) complexes at 4.7 Tesla, both under in vitro conditions and also in live mice. Importantly, these complexes contain macrocyclic ligands that stabilize iron in the trivalent state (negative redox potentials versus NHE) and do not produce reactive oxygen species even in the presence of ascorbate as a reductant and peroxide. The importance of outersphere water and innersphere water interactions will be studied by varying the coordinating pendent groups on the macrocyclic ligand which is bound to Fe(III). The ancillary group will be varied to increase binding to serum proteins and to modify the clearance route of the contrast agents either through kidneys or through hepatobiliary routes. The complexes will be optimized for kinetic inertness towards release of iron under biologically relevant conditions. Toxicity studies in cell culture will be carried out on each of the new complexes. This research will focus on both pilot scale preparation for the study of the Fe(III) complexes in vitro and also on larger scale preparations and HPLC analysis of the most promising new derivatives. In vivo MRI scans in mice on a 4.7 T scanner will be used to track the distribution and clearance of the iron contrast agents as a function of time.
Errata
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FireHUD Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Biometric IoT system for First Responders
Contact
1701 Oakbrook Dr. Suite K.
Norcross, GA 30093–1800
NSF Award
1746871 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,143
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve the safety of firefighters through the research and development of a real-time, wearable sensor system comprising a biometric heads-up display and accompanying analysis tools. This device collects each firefighter?s vital signs in real-time, displays the information via a heads-up display, and alerts them if they are in danger. Simultaneously, it will send the data to authorized officials for real-time strategic decision-making. By receiving access to life-critical information, the commander can make informed decisions on the allocation of key resources during the hectic scene of an emergency. Firefighting is chaotic; every year over one million firefighters risk their lives to protect others. Over 50% of the deaths in firefighting are caused by overexertion and stress, which can induce heart attacks as well as other serious medical issues. Furthermore, around 70,000 firefighting injuries occur each year. The proposed system aims to reduce the amount of firefighting injuries and subsequent costs, which totaled $7.8 billion in 2004, but the design is not limited to firefighting. The proposed system can be easily adapted to serve similar occupations such as military personnel and industrial workers. The proposed project may be the first to monitor the effects of the extreme nature of fire incidents with physiological stressors and provide this data in real-time. The proposed technology could significantly improve the occupational safety of firefighters and further enhance the scientific knowledge created by studying their physiological states. The proposed project includes three main technical objectives: 1) The research and development of a rugged wearable system that will monitor the physiology of firefighters in real-time. 2) The research and development of a machine learning algorithm to identify key markers that will indicate the exertion and stamina levels of first responders in chaotic environments. 3) The development of a long-range radio system capable of transmission within large urban structures comprising various possible interferences. All three objectives will consist of two pilot studies with an intermittent development phase in between, where feedback from the first pilot study will be incorporated into both the hardware and software. It is expected that the outcomes of this project will demonstrate a significant reduction in firefighter injuries, paving the way for a clear return on investment for the partnering fire departments.
Errata
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FloraPulse Co
SBIR Phase I: Water potential probe for real-time, spatially resolved measurements of water potential in precision agriculture
Contact
204 First St
Ithaca, NY 14850–5201
NSF Award
1721708 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,766
Start / end date
06/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will provide farmers with water status measurements that are unprecedented with respect to spatial and temporal resolution, cost, and ease-of-use. In a first market - precision agriculture - the hardware and associated services will provide an invaluable guide to agronomic practice, from site selection and the definition of cropping strategies, to the management of irrigation, and through to the timing of harvest. Domestically, water sensing for precision agriculture represents a potential market of $1 billion. The technology and methods developed under this award will create value for the customer by reducing the cost of inputs (water), by maximizing product yield and quality, and by improving reliability. The technology developed under this program will be ready for beta-testing and initial sales. Further, it will provide a foundation for the development of a suite of services tailored to support the decision-making of the customer with respect to water management. On a societal level, this technology will help customers improve food security, manage water resources with respect to both consumption and pollution, minimize the impacts of weather and climate variability, and improve the economics of their businesses and regions. The intellectual merit of this project leverages a laboratory breakthrough: the ability to manipulate liquid water at negative pressure as plants do to form a sensor of drought stress. This biomimetic approach builds on a series of innovations in material science, microfabrication, and micro and nano-fluidic design by the investigators. This project will address outstanding design and manufacturing challenges to optimize the sensor for use across all agricultural contexts. The key advances relate to microelectromechanical design and the engineering of nano-structured materials within an integrated sensing platform. Additional challenges that will be addressed relate to understanding the physics of water transfer and uptake from soils in order to define best practice in the evaluation of water stress for irrigation management. Successful completion of these tasks will allow for commercialization of the sensor and build a foundation for continued innovation in tools and services for water management in agriculture and other markets. The new tools and understanding generated under this award will also support developments in plant science, ecophysiology, geotechnical engineering, and industrial processes related to food, advanced materials, and biotechnology.
Errata
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Funxion Wear
SBIR Phase I: Direct-write Printed Electronics on Textiles
Contact
3200 Compatible Way
Raleigh, NC 27603–3397
NSF Award
1821134 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the commercial feasibility of a manufacturing platform for functionalizing textile materials with smart functionality such as for wearable smart garments developed out of the NSF funded ASSIST Engineering Research Center for Self-powered Wearable Nanosystems. Smart garments have been touted as the next sensing platform for acquiring biometrics such as electrocardiogram, heart rate, or heart rate variability. However, mass adoption has been difficult due to the high production cost, leading to a small market segment within the greater wearable technology market. As demonstrated by our customer discovery through the NSF I-Corps program in Fall 2016, the biggest barrier to adoption is the production cost. This project seeks to decrease the cost by 5x and decrease production time by 36x, enabling this market segment to grow for applications in health & wellness, healthcare, and beyond. By employing high-throughput direct-write printing and deposition of functional dielectric and conductive materials from the printed electronics space, high-value data generating devices such as smart garments can be manufactured in a single step bridging established practices within the textile and electronics industry resulting in automated textile electronics. Novel materials will be explored to impart functionalities on existing textiles with our manufacturing platform. The broader impact of this project is to create a single manufacturing platform that marginalizes the cost of production for textile electronics such as smart garments and demonstrate minimum viable product (MVP) solutions for stakeholders within the value chain of smart textiles. The proposed innovation combines developments from 3D printing, printed electronics, and textile science to create disruptive advancements in the emerging field of smart textiles and textile electronics, creating new knowledge and commercial innovations. Lastly, manufacturing within the USA has seen a resurgence due to value-added technical textiles manufacturing being brought back. An ancillary broader impact of this project is to serve as a driver for value-added smart garment manufacturing technologies to be employed for USA manufacturing. Success of this project's vision will allow for low-cost smart textiles to usher in a paradigm shift for the textiles industry, allowing for a multitude of use-cases and innovative business models to proliferate, ultimately increasing the well-being of billions of people around the world. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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GENETIC INTELLIGENCE
SBIR Phase I: Platform to Elucidate the Causal Mutations Behind Human Inherited Diseases
Contact
153E W 110th St
New York, NY 10029–0000
NSF Award
1819331 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development of an artificial intelligence-based software platform to elucidate inherited diseases by identifying the causative genetic factors in the whole genome at large, not just the tiny portion of the genome called the exome. This technology will help solve the longstanding problems of multigenic inherited diseases and help unlock the full potential of gene therapy modalities such as CRISPR, which require knowledge of the causal mutation for targeting. With a defined genetic target, truly curative therapeutics and early, accurate diagnostics will be made possible. Through this platform, pharmaceutical companies will benefit from a shortened drug development cycle and a lower risk of clinical trial failure while diagnostics companies will be able to develop fast and accurate molecular diagnostics targeting the mutations identified by the platform. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to build a build a proof-of-concept software platform that employs a combination of supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms to process, sort, and analyze human whole genome sequencing data from an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) cohort from a set genetic background. ALS is an incurable, debilitating disease whose genetic causes remain largely unknown. Identifying these mutations will enable the development of efficacious treatments for the conditions. Three main objectives will be accomplished for the platform. One, the ability to process full-size, high coverage human whole genome data automatically through the pipeline in a scalable manner. Two, the ability to identify the genetic background of a test subject with a top-5 error rate of <1%, an important verification step to minimize incorrect cohort stratification from false ancestry self-reports. Three, the ability to rapidly identify at least one genetic feature known to be associated with ALS (e.g., SOD1, C9ORF72), which will help provide early validation for the platform. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Geegah llc
SBIR Phase I: GIGAHERTZ ULTRASONIC FINGERPRINT IMAGERS
Contact
610 The Parkway
Ithaca, NY 14850–2273
NSF Award
1746710 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to provide spoof-free biometric fingerprint sensors. Consumer confidence in adopting many technologies such as IoT devices, and reach a cash-less society is limited by our confidence in transactions being fraud-free. Around the world, there are varying degrees of fraud and it is well known that poorer countries have higher levels of fraud then more advanced countries. By providing a trustable biometric device, the proposed commercialization plan will allow lower levels of fraud and allow greater degree of economic activity bringing up standards of living. The technology of GHz ultrasonics for sensing also has the potential for to be used for applications in being able to image baby fingerprints, enable fingerprint readers in fire-arms for authenticated use at very fast speeds, and allow integration with credit and debit cards. The success of the commercial activities will create a new paradigm for trusting the electronic economy. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop revolutionary new biometric sensors. Biometric technologies range from sensing the unique patterns of the eyes, to voice, and fingerprints amongst other markers. Capacitive fingerprint sensors, and optical fingerprint sensors are very commonly found in smartphones and desktop applications. These technologies produce images that are often limited in resolution and are not spoof-proof. For example, optical fingerprint readers can be spoofed by fingerprint images and capacitive fingerprint sensors can be spoofed by skin-like dielectric polymer fingerprint molds. Ultrasonic images offer the potential for detecting tissue material properties that can help identify fake fingerprints. Although many low-frequency technologies for ultrasonic fingerprint sensing are available, very few have made it into the market in large quantities owing to cost, packaging, and insufficient SNR and resolution. In this project the company will extend the frequency of operation to the GHz range to achieve four to eight times the standard industry standard of 500 dpi resolution. Coupled with integrated circuits operating at low voltages, the company aims for integration of the sensors in very thin platforms such as credit cards.
Errata
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Gemstone Biotherapeutics, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Cure-in-Place Extracellular Matrix Replacement Scaffolds for Wound Healing
Contact
180 W Ostend St.
Baltimore, MD 21230–3755
NSF Award
1819788 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,563
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This Phase I SBIR project will investigate cure-in-place materials for filling and stabilizing open wounds to promote healing. Chronic wounds represent a significant and debilitating burden to patients, affecting more than 6.5 million people in the US alone. The incidence of chronic wounds is expected to rise with increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, but current treatment options show limited clinical efficacy. To address this unmet need, new materials that stimulate the body's healing mechanisms must be developed. This project will evaluate a promising new material that can be applied to a wound as a liquid and cured to a solid in contact with the wound. This cure-in-place process is expected to promote healing by ensuring intimate contact between the pro-healing material and the wound bed, mechanically stabilizing the wound area, and stimulating the body's healing responses. There are few cure-in-place materials in clinical use, so this project will also generate new fundamental engineering knowledge about these materials and their potential applications in human health. The advanced wound care market is currently valued at more than $8 billion, and it is growing. Therefore, innovative technologies in this space represent significant business opportunities that create economic growth. This project will investigate a novel cure-in-place process for generating a polysaccharide biomaterial that mimics the mechanical and structural properties of native extracellular matrix to stimulate wound healing. The material is generated by curing two aqueous precursor solutions to form a biodegradable, solid, and hydrated polymer matrix. This project will investigate a cure-in-place process by which the precursor solutions will be applied to the wound as liquids and cured in contact with the wound bed. If the extracellular matrix replacement biomaterial can be cured inside of a wound bed, then its pro-healing effects may be amplified due to its ability to fill an irregularly-shaped wound with complete contact with tissue and its capacity to mechanically stabilize the wound bed and stimulate pro-healing biochemistry. The scope of this effort will include developing an optimized formulation for the cure-in-place precursor solution, determining curing conditions for the biomaterial in contact with tissue, evaluating the material properties of the cure-in-place product, and evaluating cure-in-place application and wound healing efficacy in a porcine excisional wound model. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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GenXComm Inc.
STTR Phase I: Enabling Interference Management in Communication Networks Using True Time-Delay Systems
Contact
2607 Euclid Avenue
Austin, TX 78704–5418
NSF Award
1747115 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to vastly improve broadband access to the home across The Nation using true full duplex technology. By bringing full duplex communications to wireline and wireless systems, this proposed effort aims to improve connectivity, enhance coverage and enable new applications for both dense urban and sparse rural communities. This effort benefits first responders, law enforcement and other essential services by providing more reliable, higher bandwidth access to them. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will further develop an existing framework for full duplex communications, taking it from early stage prototype to a more mature proof of concept, while simultaneously enabling the company to understand the commercial impact of this technology on multiple communication industry segments. This Phase 1 project will begin by device fabrication for tunable filters, then progress to proving its technical applicability for wireline and wireless communication links. The primary milestones include: device characterization, integration, testing and yield analysis. This process will validate assumptions on both the technical and business fronts, enabling disruptive materials and fabrication processes to emerge from an academic environment into the commercial world.
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Goodwintercrop Inc.
SBIR Phase I: 6crickets Automatic Schedule Recommendation
Contact
17444 NE 97th Way
Redmond, WA 98052–6959
NSF Award
1842790 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 09/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to disrupt the 1000 hours per child per year where American children have no school and no parents and deserve access to the best enrichment activities. The company plans to build a much-needed technical infrastructure for schools, enrichment providers, and parents. By automating and simplifying the process of providers supplying, parents consuming and schools hosting enrichment activities, the proposed system will remove significant friction and create an efficient market. A key invention is the company's Automatic Schedule Recommendation System which recommends a schedule of classes for a family of one or more children and satisfies constraints such as ages and driving distance, maximizes desirable attributes such as minimal driving and diversity in classes across time, and leverages historical data like classes taken in the past and social data such as classes enjoyed by friends and classmates, to make effective recommendations. The proposed technology removes the most significant friction during parents' purchases of enrichment classes, namely, piecing together a class schedule from classes across different providers. This project is the first interdisciplinary research that strategically combines algorithms from the fields of optimizations and recommender systems to solve the problem and achieve scalability and efficiency. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will design, implement and evaluate an Automatic Schedule Recommendation System. Existing recommender systems are insufficient because they largely recommend a single item to a single user; this application requires that a sequence of items (namely, a sequence of classes that fit in a coherent schedule) be recommended and coordinated among a group of users (i.e. children in the same family or set of friends). Existing class scheduling algorithms are insufficient because they find optimal schedules using known preferences; in this problem there is a need to predict preferences. The company will design a fully-automatic schedule recommendation system that predicts the suitability of each session to each user using machine learning techniques and aggregates these predictions over time to propose full schedules that are most appropriate for a parent and satisfy multi-dimensional constraints. The resulting system will be deployed to the company's users along with extensive evaluation of its efficacy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Greppo Technologies LLC
STTR Phase I: A steerable needle to enable precise and minimally invasive delivery of treatments, ablation therapy and tissue biopsies.
Contact
3401 Grays Ferry Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19146–2701
NSF Award
1746583 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,592
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project include enabling the minimally invasive treatment of a large variety of conditions. This is expected to be achieved through the development of a steerable needle that can reach arbitrary positions in the human body that are not reachable by a straight needle from a simple needle hole. The long term impact of the proposed technology is in targeted delivery of medicine, or the removal of tissue such as biopsies, or treatment mechanisms such as ablation devices. An overarching goal of the proposed project is the availability of minimally invasive procedures that can replace more drastic surgery options. The development of this device has the potential to also save lives, treating what otherwise would be inoperable conditions due to the location of tumors blocked by sensitive organs or bones. The proposed project, if successful, will lead to demonstrating the application of a device that utilizes the buckling behavior of semi-curved beams to controllably alter the stiffness in a needle for cancer treatment and measure its efficacy in terms of the advantages over straight needles. The objectives of this research include: developing a prototype and match to surgeon use cases (interventional radiologist) and testing and characterizing the steerability performance while delivering the medical payload. Specifically, it is expected that the first therapeutic application of this technology will be microwave ablation of cancer tumors.
Errata
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Grow Bioplastics, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Development of lignin-based biodegradable plastic alloys via solvent free reactive extrusion
Contact
808 Olde Pioneer Tr Apt 181
Knoxville, TN 37923–6242
NSF Award
1747887 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the ability to create a new family of biobased and biodegradable polymers produced from agricultural and forestry waste streams that have the potential to mitigate landfill-bound, single-use plastics prevalent in agricultural operations. In conventional agricultural operations, farmers use plastic mulch films to block weeds and retain moisture in the soil, ultimately increasing crop yields. Unfortunately, the non-degradable plastics that are used must be removed after harvest and sent to a landfill as they are not recyclable due to contamination by soil and pesticides, leading to significant labor and disposal costs and increasing environmental burden. In this project, lignin polymer alloys are investigated as an innovative biodegradable plastic platform which can be used as an alternative to conventional materials that are not recyclable. Agriculture films represent a global market of $2.5 billion. Other attractive market opportunities include agricultural containers ($5 billion), garbage bags ($10 billion), and packaging ($115 billion). Lignin as a renewable feedstock is an excellent candidate for low cost, biodegradable plastics. Successful demonstration of commercial-scale uses for lignin is vital for the emerging biorefinery industry, and a primary task to secure the energy and materials future for the US. The intellectual merit of this project addresses the need for low-cost, biobased plastics to replace petroleum derived materials, while ensuring a closed-loop lifecycle that does not generate financial and environmental burden due to waste accumulation. To date, lignin-based polymers have been prohibitively expensive due to the need for extensive solvent-based modification and separations processes. The objective of this research project is to demonstrate the production of lignin-polymer alloys with: 1) unmodified lignin contents of 50% or higher through solvent-free, high shear melt processing; 2) enhanced interfacial surface area for material durability; 3) mechanical properties near or exceeding that of low-density polyethylene; and 4) biodegradability under both ambient soil and thermophilic composting conditions. The expected technical results will be production of at least 1 optimal formulation meeting the above conditions identified as suitable for use in agricultural mulch film applications. If all 4 of these are achieved, further research in a subsequent Phase II award will allow for demonstration of scaled manufacturing of this new family of sustainable biomaterials and has the potential to lead to some of the first commercially viable lignin-based plastics in the US for use in agricultural plastic applications and beyond.
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HINETICS LLC
SBIR Phase I: Actively Shielded Superconducting Generators for Large Wind Turbines
Contact
1804 Vale St
Champaign, IL 61822–3563
NSF Award
1819321 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$219,444
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is reduced levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of offshore wind from current levels that are about twice that of onshore wind. Given the proximity of offshore wind resources to load centers along the coast, it is an attractive renewable energy source for the nation, but high costs are an impediment to widespread adoption. One way to address this is with larger turbines that can lead to lower ?balance of plant? costs, which can be as high as 65% of the total project costs of offshore wind. However, turbine rating is currently limited due to the large size and weight of the generator and the rotor, as well as infrastructure obstacles like manufacturing, transport, and assembly. The lightweight superconducting (SC) generators being developed within this project, coupled with advanced rotors already being developed by the OEM?s, could open the door to significantly larger turbine ratings and lower costs. The underlying high specific power machine technology can also help transform a number of other weight-sensitive electrical systems like hybrid electric airplanes and ship propulsion. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to disrupt the traditional risk versus benefit trade of the low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) SC technology by significantly increasing the benefits with a novel ?active magnetic shielding? concept. This design concept enables a very high operating magnetic field within the machine while eliminating the need for a yoke made of ferromagnetic steel to contain the field. The higher internal fields increase the electromagnetic torque significantly over other solutions, leading to very high power density. Additionally, the elimination of heavy iron from the magnetic circuit leads to further reduction in weight. The proposed generator design can be about half the size of currently available wind direct-drives. Efficiency is also expected to improve with the elimination of about a third of copper coils while maintaining the same current density. Available cryogenic cooling technology from the commercially successful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) industry will be adapted and utilized in the machine to reduce many of the cryogenics related risks while maintaining high specific power. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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HT CrystalSolutions LLC
SBIR Phase I: Hydrothermal Growth Strontium Beryllium Borate (SBBO) for deep UV Nonlinear Optical Applications.
Contact
107-3 Sloan St
Clemson, SC 29631–1483
NSF Award
1819738 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$217,730
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The?broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is represented by the development of a company in a unique field of single crystal growth addressing needs in solid-state lasers. Single crystal growth represents a small and highly specialized, but absolutely essential, area of modern materials technology. Solid-state lasers are commercially vital because they are compact, durable, relatively inexpensive, and field deployable in many technologies. Single crystals are essential components to solid-state lasers and thereby represent significant commercial potential. This project will enhance the skill set of specialty manufacturers of high quality single crystals for solid-state lasers. It represents an unmet commercial need in short wavelength solid-state lasers and also will expand the technological skill set of single crystal growers. This last point is especially important, as there is a serious lack of skills, technology and infrastructure in solid state laser production in this country, and this makes the US increasingly dependent on offshore suppliers of essential materials. This program will help train the next generation of critical materials manufacturing experts in the US. The proposed project intends to address the development of new single crystals called Strontium Beryllium Borate (SBBO). These crystals are an enabling technology for the manufacture of short wavelength solid-state lasers lasing at and below 266 nm. Such lasers have many potential applications but at present there are no materials capable of practical performance at these very short wavelengths. This shortcoming represents a significant commercial opportunity. The project will examine production of single crystals of a new material to meet this need using hydrothermal synthesis, which employs very hot water at high pressures as a growth environment. In this Phase I project, research will be undertaken to develop a growth protocol of large single crystals of this vital material, A feedstock will be perfected, and seed crystals will be produced. Transport conditions will be optimized, and suitable temperature gradients will be identified. Preliminary evaluation of crystal quality will be performed. Suitable crystals will be sent to collaborators in the laser manufacturing industry for preliminary production of solid-state short wavelength lasers. The seed crystals and growth protocols from the research in this Phase I program will be used in a Phase II project for development of a full-scale commercial manufacturing process for this crystal. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Haima Therapeutics, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Manufacturing and Characterization of a Synthetic Platelet (SynthoPlateTM) Technology
Contact
11000 Cedar Ave Ste 100
Cleveland, OH 44106–3056
NSF Award
1745881 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,998
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project aims to further the development a novel nanoparticle-based synthetic platelet technology for the treatment of internal, non-compressible hemorrhage after traumatic injury. Trauma is the leading killer of people aged 1-46, and uncontrollable hemorrhage after injury is the cause of 35% of pre-hospital trauma deaths and 90% of military combat casualties. This is because there are currently no pre-hospital treatment options for internal, non-compressible hemorrhage. If the patient reaches a medical treatment facility in time, the current standard of care is transfusion with blood products, including platelets. However, natural platelet products suffer from shortage in supply (due to donor shortage), difficulty in portability, high risk of bacterial contamination, very short shelf life (3-5 days), requirement of blood typing and cross matching, and multiple biologic side effects (e.g. immune response). Therefore, there exists a significant clinical need for a synthetic platelet surrogate that can address the above limitations and can be administered at point-of-injury or during en route care to stop the bleeding earlier and potentially save lives. Beyond the potential clinical and commercial impact, the proposed research will also provide multi-disciplinary educational and research opportunities in major STEM areas at undergraduate level to create future scientists and engineers. A synthetic platelet technology has been developed that can simulate the hemostatic mechanisms and capabilities of natural platelets while allowing large-scale manufacturing, sterilization, long shelf-life and portability. The technology consists of a platelet-mimetic lipid-based nanoparticle, heteromultivalently surface-decorated with three types of small synthetic peptide ligands that render cooperative mechanisms of binding to von Willebrand Factor (vWF) and collagen (platelet-mimetic injury site-selective adhesion mechanisms) and binding to stimulated form of GPIIb-IIIa on active platelets (platelet-mimetic injury site-directed aggregation mechanism). This patented design is unique in that it is currently the only design that combines these adhesion and aggregation properties of natural platelets on a single synthetic platform. Preliminary studies have established the platelet-mimetic functional mechanisms in vitro as well as its significant hemostatic therapy capability in vivo in small (mouse) and large (pig) animal models of hemorrhage in both prophylactic and emergency administration frameworks. Building on these promising results, this project aims to conduct translationally-directed studies to address technical hurdles associated with manufacturing the synthetic platelets with batch-to-batch consistency and long shelf life (>1 year) at a range of storage conditions (widely varying temperatures, altitudes, etc), which would be highly relevant in austere civilian and military applications.
Errata
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Harvest Moon Automation
SBIR Phase I: Robotic Gripper for Fragile Produce
Contact
19 Franklin Road
Winchester, MA 01890–4014
NSF Award
1746212 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that it will enable the automated harvesting of fragile produce such as strawberries to help offset a shrinking workforce and increased labor costs. The world population is expected to grow from 7.3 billion to 11.2 billion by 2100, this population growth and a rising middle class will place more demand on the agricultural industry. Presently, the agricultural industry relies solely on manual labor to harvest its fragile produce. There is no mechanized option that can reliably and cost effectively harvest these crops. Consequently, the industry is struggling to harvest its crop, maintain quality and control its costs. High quality and lower costs can only be maintained if robotic harvesters are utilized that can pick fragile produce without damage. One of the key elements on the automated harvester is a gripper that can grab and pick the produce without damage. There is a market for a reliable and low cost robotic gripper that can gently pick and handle strawberries and other fragile produce. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project involves the development of a robotic end effector that can be used to harvest and handle fragile produce. Advances in machine vision and robotics has made it possible to commercially harvest fragile produce such as strawberries, however, the key component that still needs to be developed is an end effector that can pick the fruit without damage and be reliable and cost effective. Design and development of this end effector will use a new and novel method for grabbing the strawberry with advances in design, materials and actuation. The proposed R&D plan will involve repeated testing of the interaction between the fruit and the end effector. Analytical studies using a series of thin film load sensors mounted on the end effector will provide real time load profiles that can be used to optimize the design and performance of the end effector. Shelf life testing of the fruit will be used to assess the success of the end effector in properly picking and handling the fruit without damage.
Errata
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Harvest Moon Inventions, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Truncated Icosahedrons Protect Pitchers from Line-Drive Baseball Strikes to the Head
Contact
1846 E. Greentree Drive
Tempe, AZ 85284–3434
NSF Award
1819390 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$221,366
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project focuses on finding a practical and cost-effective protective cap for baseball pitchers susceptible to serious head injuries from impacts of batted baseballs. The new cap design satisfactorily addresses the shortcomings of previous commercialization efforts that were unable to meet the prescribed protective requirements; failed to pass both the players' fashion expectations and comfort evaluation; and carried a hefty purchase price. The acceptance and use of the new cap by professional baseball players will create widespread demand from collegiate, high school and Little League players, a market that is estimated to generate annual revenues of more than $18M. These market projections exclude consideration of the technology's Broader Impact potential in other sports or vocational and military applications, where there is a growing recognition of the need for improved head protection for athletes, soldiers, law enforcement officials and construction workers. Sports injuries are now highly scrutinized, especially those causing long-term medical issues from brain injury, blunt force trauma and repetitive concussive injury. The societal value of this innovation will be found in safer sports and work environments. Such equipment represents a rapidly growing segment of the apparel market and a unique commercial opportunity for the company. The intellectual merit of this project is based on the company's patented design that provides head protection from the impact of a baseball. The novelty of the protective cap headliner is its flexible outer hard shell made with highly rigid interconnecting truncated icosahedron panels. This allows the headliner to conform to the shape of the head while maintaining the stiffness needed to diffuse impact loads. Since the impact of a baseball represents a short duration point load, the energy-absorbing capacity of the layer beneath the outer shell can be minimized. The objective is to identify the material characteristics required to dissipate the impact load associated with a Severity Index of 1200 or greater when a head-form is struck by a baseball traveling at speeds up to 125 mph; and to identify the material combination(s) best suited to achieve this goal. Traditional foam materials as well as state-of-the-art material compositions will be used in unique configurations to produce solutions that are not too heavy, not too bulky nor too hot to wear. The outcomes of this study will determine the availability of materials that can be used within the ergonomic and mechanical constraints of the patented design to protect the head. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Health Network Research Group
STTR Phase I: Accelerating the dissemination of healthcare interventions that improve care for high-need/high-cost patients
Contact
11597 Cedar Chase Ro
Herndon, VA 20170–4425
NSF Award
1746142 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase 1 project includes: accelerating the pace of healthcare improvement by making information on high-need/high-cost patients instantly accessible and individually tailored to health care providers; transforming health intervention databases into active and dynamic learning communities about caring for high-need/high-cost patients; reducing the burden on safety net providers to sort and sift through dozens of information sources about delivering care to high-need/high-cost patients. Health Information Networking Tool (HINT) will be a unique combination of customized algorithms that will fill in critical gaps in knowledge, especially around health disparities, the social determinants of health and underserved conditions; boost opportunities for safety net providers to connect with peers to engage in collaborative problem-solving; reduce duplication and repetition of errors and failed interventions across safety net healthcare organizations; increase public recognition for safety net institutions that develop promising interventions; and enable technical advancements in machine learning to suggest models of care for high-need/high-cost patients. The commercial impact for HINT includes: reducing the cost and improving the quality of care delivered to high-need/high cost populations; and creating opportunities for safety net institutions and providers to market their expertise on caring for complex, underserved patients. The proposed project was conceived on the belief that ingenious solutions in caring for society's most vulnerable populations occur daily across the safety net health system; that HINT will accelerate innovation by bringing an unprecedented resource to disseminate voluminous and constantly changing healthcare information; that the proposed information network will reduce the fragmentation of information and duplication in errors and failed interventions that currently occur; and finally that unlocking and disseminating innovations and advice from peers - in similar institutions and caring for similar patients - will accelerate successful practices to improve the health of high-need/high-cost patients. HINT proposes to develop unique crawling, clustering, text mining, collaborative filtering, bipartite matching, and ranking algorithms. The team will integrate the six algorithms into a customized social content management system, and address challenges around design and functionality.
Errata
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Helux Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Dynamic Solid State Lighting with Micromachines
Contact
344 Howard Ave.
Piedmont, CA 94611–4360
NSF Award
1819751 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,247
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in improving the quality of general and task lighting and reducing the amount of wasted light, thus reducing energy consumption. Solid state lighting has caused a paradigm shift in the lighting industry. However, the rapid growth of the LED has surpassed our understanding of its effects on human health and productivity, as well as the environment. Developing systems that put light only where it is needed can reduce energy consumption and improve well-being by eliminating glare and wasted light. Full control over where artificial lights shine may also reduce the disruption of natural ecosystems and agriculture caused by light pollution.? Unfortunately, a compact and low-cost solution to spatially controllable illumination is not available. Should one be brought to market, the industry could be tailored to meet the needs of each street lamp, each office worker and the entertainment industry among others. The ubiquitous nature of artificial illumination provides a unique commercial opportunity with multiple market segments for growth potential. The proposed project will focus on a microsystems solution to steerable lighting using a low-power, low-cost, silicon-based mirror less than 1 mm in diameter. The mirror is capable of real-time adjustments that will steer incident light with significant angular range. It is controlled using digital electronics and easily combined with traditional smart home electronics. The objective of the research is to measure the optical output of varying system setups and optical components to determine what optics are necessary for proper light output shape, uniformity, and color temperature. The project will rely heavily on a combination of test measurements and simulations to cycle through experiments rapidly and efficiently in order to converge on a manufacturing plan. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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High Road Learning Inc
SBIR Phase I: Using Technology to Promote a Dual-language Approach to Personalizing English-language Learners' Growth in Literacy Ability
Contact
8008 Strawberry Meadows Ct
Raleigh, NC 27613–1043
NSF Award
1820041 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$211,741
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase 1 project will create an educational technology that accelerates the acquisition of foundational English language skills by children (4 to 10 years old), by melding English and Spanish language instruction, delivered via a personalized digital learning platform. Using state-of-the-art text-to-speech and speech-to-text engines, students that are English Language Learners (ELL) will engage in deliberate literacy practice across the four modalities of language (listening, speaking, reading, writing). Over the last decade, the number of ELL students enrolling in public schools has steadily increased while there remains a shortage of bilingual or certified ELL teachers. Technology can help these teachers to personalize instruction and extend the school day which in turn increases engaged learning time. Achieving college and career readiness is an economic imperative for all students, especially ELL students given the importance of English communication skills to career success. While developing technologies for use in classrooms by young children can be a risky proposition due to the nature of the modern classroom, the reward far outweighs the risk. This project will produce a high-impact technology solution designed for young children that integrates the latest text-to-speech and speech-to-text technologies and is grounded in sound research about language skill acquisition across the four modalities. The key innovation of this SBIR Phase 1 project is a plurilinguistic (e.g., Spanish and English) approach to literacy development across the four modalities of language (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, listening) where young students (aged 4-10 years old) are immersed in personalized learning experiences specifically tailored to support and accelerate language development. The first research goal is to test the feasibility for using and adapting proprietary English and Spanish language text-to-speech and speech-to-text engines with young children. The second research goal is to examine the impact of a dual-language personalized learning platform on children?s acquisition of foundational listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Participants will be ELL students whose first language is Spanish. The research is based on a plurilinguistic framework for second language acquisition; researchers hypothesize that a dual-language application that leverages students' first language to learn English will score significantly higher on independent measures of foundational literacy skills and self-efficacy for learning compared to students who are using an English-only personalized learning application. A mechanism of growth may be the amount of time students are immersed in deliberate practice of literacy skills. A dual-language personalized learning platform has the potential to extend teacher-led literacy instruction and increase the amount of time students spend engaged in learning English. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Highland Light Management Corp
SBIR Phase I: Development and testing of a dry fracture technique to reduce water use and increase life cycle yield in oil and gas extraction
Contact
20624 Highland Drive
Montgomery Village, MD 20886–4021
NSF Award
1721502 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,999
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will be to significantly increase recovery efficiency and decrease ecological footprint. The ecological footprint is decreased by reducing the amount of water required to produce oil and gas from many low permeability U.S. unconventional plays. Further, it will provide access to the vast reserves of potential oil and gas (estimated at greater than 2 trillion barrels) stored as immature organic material helping to enhance energy independence for the US. The new methods will enhance production of oil and gas from a controllable volume surrounding development wells. The proposed methods will replace the rapid declines in well productivity of fracked wells, and the accompanying typically less than 10% recovery of hydrocarbons in place, by a strategy which will construct multi-year oil and gas "factories" which will have continuous, predictable, twenty year production lifetimes. Increased recovery factors through increased efficiency will enhance the value of existing plays and provide a step-change in sustainable energy production while lowering environmental impact through reducing surface disruption and minimizing water use and disposal. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop the models necessary to simulate the Radio Frequency (RF) waterless stimulation process, and to provide laboratory and numerical data to support that model. A self-consistent model of the RF system and its downhole environment, is required to define the conditions for which RF stimulation makes economic sense, and to optimize system design for a given target play. Project objectives are to 1) demonstrate design of a RF system which mitigates the previous problems found with RF heating, 2) test in the laboratory the effects of RF heating on reservoir rock subject to realistic in situ conditions to understand the resultant crack field and accompanying permeability enhancement, including the impact of RF heating on immature kerogen, 3) model the resulting stress and fracture fields with sufficient fidelity to make predictions for oil and gas recovery, and 4) use this information to form a self consistent model of the process so that various shale plays can be evaluated. A commercial multiphysics numerical modeling approach will be used to simulate the physical processes that occur including feedback to account for temperature increases and the impacts of in situ stress and structural complexity.
Errata
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Hinge Bio, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Highly Specific Flex-Hinge Antibody-Like Checkpoint Inhibitors for Safer and More Effective Cancer Therapy
Contact
863 Mitten Road, Suite 101
Burlingame, CA 94010–1311
NSF Award
1820485 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,455
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project introduces a new design for antibody-based therapeutic molecules. The generally rigid arms in Y-shaped conventional antibodies are replaced with flexible and extendible linkers attached to binding domains that are smaller than those found in conventional antibodies. This new design allows multiple therapeutic targets to be bound at once, with greater binding strength and fewer off-target effects than was previously possible. This project will remake two of the most successful cancer drugs of the last decade, creating improved versions of each. In addition, a new molecule combining the functionality of both will be produced. If this project is successful, it may improve the treatments available for many kinds of advanced metastatic cancer, especially melanoma and lung cancer. Though the current focus is on cancer, the method described here may improve or combine the performance of many therapeutic antibodies; this project is just the first demonstration. The potential long-term impact of this SBIR Phase I project may extend throughout the pharmaceutical industry, representing a significant commercial opportunity and a milestone of applied biological research. This project introduces a novel drug design that improves on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). It uses a chemical assembly method that joins immunoglobulin Fc domains to small, single-chain fibronectin binding domains through flexible, extendible, non-peptidyl linkers. The resulting flexible drug molecules benefit from two-handed cooperative binding, in which both domains are able to bind a disease target or targets simultaneously. They thus achieve higher binding affinity and target selectivity than mAbs, while also being smaller and easier to manufacture. These molecules can also be mono- or bispecific as needed. This project will produce flexible monospecific and bispecific molecules against the targets of the two most successful checkpoint inhibitors in current cancer immunotherapy. This project encompasses chemical synthesis, verification of binding stoichiometry, in vitro measurements of binding affinity to both purified protein and target cells, and cellular assays of both checkpoint inhibition and bispecific binding. It sets the stage for pre-clinical animal studies of these cancer drugs, and showcases a molecular design that could be used to improve most antibody therapies in the broader pharmaceutical market. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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ILANS, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: SeeingBus: Improving Public Transportation Services for the Blind
Contact
2416 Stone Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105–2541
NSF Award
1819920 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I is the improvement of public transportation services for people with disabilities, specifically people with visual impairments. Individuals with visual impairments are heavily dependent on public transit as an essential service for engaging in daily life and social activities. However, they often face challenges with (1) determining which bus to board, especially at busy bus stops when multiple buses approach, and (2) boarding the correct bus in a timely fashion before they leave the stop. By developing an advanced notification service for alerting bus drivers, SeeingBus will address the societal and market needs to mitigate these challenges and thereby promote independent use of public transportation among people with visual impairments. Improving accessibility of public transportation to people with disabilities along with enhancing perception of their service will boost ridership resulting in increased revenue for agencies. The project will contribute to the scientific community as well as society in general by advancing understanding of Smart City services needed for independent travel of people with disabilities. The proposed project will develop and commercialize a Smart City service to improve public transportation for people with visual impairments. The service, SeeingBus, provides an advanced notification to bus drivers about users waiting at their next stop. People with visual impairments often miss buses due to challenges they face with boarding the correct bus. SeeingBus aims to improve accessibility of public transportation by engaging bus drivers even before the bus arrives at the stop where riders with visual impairments are waiting. As part of the smart city vision, SeeingBus will enhance connectivity of public transportation systems through greater communication between riders, bus stops, and bus drivers by means of smart sensors. Using big data, SeeingBus alerts bus drivers about users with disabilities, so the drivers can assist individuals in boarding the bus safely. The research objective of this project is to develop and test the feasibility of the SeeingBus system. Advancing public transportation, essential to promoting the travel and independence of individuals, aligns with the NSF mission to advance prosperity and welfare through scientific advancements. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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IMPACT PROTEOMICS, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Universal Proteome Sample Preparation Kit Development
Contact
1406 BROWNING RD
Pittsburgh, PA 15206–1738
NSF Award
1843332 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop a protein sample preparation kit that eliminates variability and provides researchers with the information they need to find important protein drug targets and biomarkers. The high throughput protein analysis methods of proteomics are having a significant impact on the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, from the development of new protein-based drugs to quality control monitoring and biomarker discovery to clinical diagnostics. All proteomics applications require robust, repeatable and automatable sample preparation methods. Currently, however, these methods are not standardized. The lack of the standardization often leads to experimental failure and unreliable results, which may require many rounds of experimental repeats, costing time and money. Standardized protein sample preparation kits will provide significant workflow savings, improve time to market, and accelerate biomarker discovery and drug development. The intellectual merit of this SBIR Phase I project is to develop a universal peptide isolation kit to serve the diverse needs of the proteomics community. Currently, methods for sample preparation typically have more than a dozen steps, are prone to peptide loss and bias, and require more than a day to complete. Through the NSF I-Corps program, it was discovered that more than 70% of researchers in academia and industry are unhappy with current protein sample preparation methods. To address this need, a sample preparation kit that increases the speed and efficiency of peptide sample preparation was developed. The approach differs from current methods in three fundamental ways. First, all manipulations will be done in solution in a single tube with half the number of steps compared to existing protocols. Second, a fast, universal, and reversible chemical tag is employed rather than relying on physical separation, preventing sample loss or bias. Third, a stabilized derivative of trypsin will allow for complete digestion of protein samples followed by efficient removal of intact and fragmented trypsin, preventing contamination. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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INNOVEIN, INC
SBIR Phase I: Venous Valve Prosthesis as a Cure for Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Contact
1100 Industrial Road Suite 16
San Carlos, CA 94070–4131
NSF Award
1722221 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the development of a much-needed novel prosthetic valve that will provide a potential treatment option for the millions of U.S. patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). As people age, valves in the veins of their legs begin to function poorly. This allows blood to build up in the ankles due to gravity, leading to pain/swelling of the feet, skin discoloration, and ultimately open wounds by the ankles. As there is no approved venous valve on the market, current treatment consists of palliative options such as wound care and skin grafts. These treatments can cost tens of thousands of dollars per patient for non-healing venous stasis ulcers. The proposed technology will work to treat CVI while mitigating complications associated with prior attempts at valve prostheses, including formation of blood clots and valve breakdown. The approach described leverages a minimally invasive approach, averting costly expenditure and offering an up to 40% reduction in the cost of care in the first year of treatment. The proposed project aims to develop a novel prosthetic valve technology to treat incompetent veins by targeting the underlying cause of the disease. In order to successfully progress on the path to commercialization, it is necessary to validate technologies such as this on the bench and in long-term animal trials. These steps provide the foundation for future clinical trials and ultimately use in the broader population. The objectives are to build the device, compare iterations on the bench, and validate the technology in animals. We anticipate selecting an iteration and having successful animal results. The proposed project will allow for further validation of safety and function of the described approach and progress on the path to commercialization.
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Impactivo LLC
SBIR Phase I: eLearning system that enables patient-centered, team-based care and reduces physician shortages in medically underserved areas
Contact
1606 Ave. Ponce de Leon
San Juan, PR 00909–1827
NSF Award
1746007 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to significantly reduce primary care physician shortages and improve quality of care for low income patients in the United States by developing a tool that analyzes clinical care team performance data at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) to automatically deploy individually tailored eLearning support for staff members that enables patient centered team based care. FQHCs are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to serve 22 million low income patients living in more than 10,000 of the poorest communities across the Nation. Well-implemented patient centered team-based care has the potential to significantly reduce physician shortages and burden of chronic disease which disproportionately affects low income communities. However, efforts to move and sustain FQHCs participation in this model have had limited success with only 66% attaining patient centered medical home (PCMH) recognition in 2016. Various public initiatives, including the Health Resources and Service Administration Quality Improvement Award and Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), are providing additional financial incentives to move primary care practices towards PCMH Recognition. However, current approaches to practice transformation are cumbersome and difficult to sustain. The proposed project seeks to disrupt continued health professional education at FQHCs by assessing the feasibility of developing a tool that leverages electronic health record data to identify gaps in patient centered team based care for diabetic patients and deploys tailored asynchronous individualized e-learning nudge type support to each member of the care team based on their performance. The research objectives of this SBIR Phase 1 are to establish the feasibility of using EHR data through an API to trigger individual user and team level flags for variation from a specific set of PCMH standards and diabetes clinical protocols; to develop algorithms that generate an individualized learner user profile and teams level reports; to generate data to design algorithms that learn from user preferences, impacts on flags and patient outcomes; to design user interphase for reward and recognition and to evaluate end user acceptance of eLearning tools. The research will be approached using user centric design, behavioral economics and adult learning principles to gather specific requirements and develop a minimum viable product focused on a subset of between five to 10 indicators.
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Impleo Medical, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Endoscopic injection device for submucosal esophageal injection of bulking agents in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease
Contact
1290 Hammond Rd
St. Paul, MN 55110–5959
NSF Award
1819548 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,980
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a minimally-invasive device that can be used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by safely injecting a proprietary substance into the base of the esophagus. GERD is the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis in the US, afflicting ~26% of adult Americans (>60 million people), undermining their sleep, productivity, and quality of life, and leading to other gastrointestinal diseases. Approximately one third of GERD patients continue to suffer from symptoms despite currently available medications treatment. Moreover, long-term use of currently prescribed drugs has side effects and risks. Current surgical solutions are invasive, costly and carry significant risk. The proposed injection system is expected to enable a novel, less invasive and less costly treatment for GERD, leading to reduction of overall healthcare costs and preventing or reducing the incidence of other gastrointestinal diseases. Given the large market size for GERD and profound clinical need, this project directly addresses a critical barrier to developing such therapy for GERD patients. It has the potential to significantly improve treatment of such a common disorder, to become a standard of care and generate tax revenues and jobs. The project seeks to develop an endoscopic injection system for consistent multiple injections of bulking agent into the submucosal tissue plane in the lower esophagus. At the heart of this technology will be a novel injection system that utilizes a suction port to grasp the esophageal wall and direct a needle tip to the desired submucosal depth of the affixed tissue. The design of the needle and needle guidance system will be optimized for injection of viscous solutions and will be used for injection of a bulking agent that creates submucosal tissue bulging at the lower esophagus, ultimately preventing gastroesophageal reflux. The proposed device will be unique in its ability to accurately guide submucosal injections to the desired tissue plane. This will be the first system to use vacuum assist for targeted injections into submucosal space. Rapid iterative 3D-printing prototyping will be employed to optimize needle guide geometry and design. Repeatability of the injections with the system will be tested into multiple samples of cadaveric porcine esophagus tissue and porcine cadavers. Impleo already owns an issued US method Patent to inject bulking agent in the esophagus and plans to generate additional IP in this project. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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Inkbit LLC
SBIR Phase I: Multi-Material 3D Printing of Personalized Medical Simulation Models
Contact
92 Magazine St
Cambridge, MA 02139–3926
NSF Award
1722000 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop the necessary technology and manufacturing workflows to provide medical professionals with extremely realistic physical models of tissues and organs. The models will be manufactured rapidly (within a few hours), inexpensively, and on-demand. They will be patient-specific based on the patient?s CT and MRI scan data. This will have profound implications on the planning of complex medical procedures such as tumor removal and will enable medical professionals and their teams to practice patient-specific surgical scenarios. This will improve surgical outcome, generate efficiencies in the operating room and decrease medical errors which, by some accounts, are the third largest cause of death in the United States. The ability to 3D print realistic human organ models will also provide medical students with a way to practice medical procedures with a wide degree of diversity. This will accelerate the learning rate and expand the breadth of training experiences. Similarly, the models will provide a way for medical professionals to practice rare, high-risk procedures on-demand. The proposed 3D models will become a central part of the medical simulation toolbox and will enable a new generation of surgical planning and education. The ability to manufacture extremely realistic physical models rapidly, inexpensively, and on-demand relies on a novel multimaterial additive manufacturing process with a closed-feedback loop enabled by machine vision. This new process manufactures objects layer by layer, each layer made from a discrete set of elements, where each element is built from one material from a pallette of materials. The use of the closed-feedback loop system allows incorporating both liquids and solids with a wide range of mechanical and appearance properties. The development of a material palette that is necessary to mimic properties of real tissues will be a crucial part of the project. This material palette will be expanded by spatially combining base materials into composite structures. The second main thrust of the project relies on a software design workflow that translates geometric and material specifications describing a simulation model (e.g., an organ or a tissue) into multimaterial volumetric data. The volumetric data will be used as input to the multimaterial printing platform. The new design workflow requires development of modeling approaches that go beyond traditional, boundary-based CAD representations.
Errata
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Innotronics LLC
SBIR Phase I: Prototype Non-Contacting Piston Position Sensors for Fluid Power Actuators
Contact
6213 Saint Croix Trl N Apt 212
Stillwater, MN 55082–6968
NSF Award
1720889 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes the development and demonstration of a prototype position sensor that will help convert hydraulic and pneumatic actuators into ?smart? devices. The position sensor will enable built-in self-diagnostics, precise feedback control, energy efficient operation, faster industrial manufacturing and material handling processes, and safer operations on mobile vehicles that take locations of obstacles and danger zones automatically into account during motion. The value proposition of the new sensor comes from its lower cost, ease of installation, and its non-contacting operation. This project will help a start-up company demonstrate the performance of its sensor on multiple actuator products provided by large industrial and off-road mobile companies. This is expected to result in establishing the viability of the sensor, customer orders for the sensor, and growth in company revenues. The technology area addressed by the research in this project is smart sensors and the targeted market sector is industrial machines and off-road agriculture and construction vehicles. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a prototype position sensor that is production-ready and ready for field testing in real-world industrial and mobile vehicle applications. The sensor utilizes a large-distance magnetic field model, redundant magnetic sensors on a single sensor board and adaptive estimation algorithms to provide a novel position sensor that is small, non-intrusive, non-contacting, easy to install and lower cost compared to other position sensors on the market. The innovations in the sensor technology being developed include the use of a nonlinear estimation algorithm that avoids differentiation of complex nonlinear functions, provides more accuracy and is computationally efficient for implementation on a microprocessor. The sensor also includes an auto-calibration algorithm that corrects for sensor location and orientation errors so as to ensure accurate performance with changing cylinders. The research project will demonstrate the performance of the sensor prototype in the lab on multiple actuators provided by collaborating large industrial and off-road vehicle companies.
Errata
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Insera Therapeutics Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Development of a textile-based retrievable stent for stroke that can be personalized to a patient's clot burden and retrieve long clots using torsion.
Contact
1560 Arcola Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95835–1637
NSF Award
1819491 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$221,700
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is significant as it offers a disruptive new mechanical approach to stroke treatment. Each year, 795,000 strokes occur in the U.S., 1.7 million strokes in Europe, and nearly 20.5 million strokes worldwide. This public-private partnership is expected to have an important positive societal impact on the community by saving lives especially the elderly and decreasing the economic burden of stroke on the taxpayer. This life-saving device has a unique value proposition for health-systems with lower inventory costs from a single size device, and for patients with better vessel re-opening rates, thereby saving brain cells. This textile-based braided retrievable stent, also known as an embolus retriever or thrombectomy-assist device is an innovation that will enhance scientific and technological understanding of how personalized medicine can transform the care of stroke patients in the U.S. and worldwide. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to bring to market the industry?s longest blood clot or embolus retriever for removal of short and long clots that can be customized by the operator based on each patient?s clot burden. In addition, it is the first textile-based braided retrievable stent which works well in conjunction with standard catheter-based aspiration systems for stroke treatment developed in the U.S. that can be personalized to all clot lengths. Stroke is a major problem causing 5.5 million deaths worldwide and currently there is no cost-effective and efficacious treatments. The mean lifetime healthcare cost per stroke patient is $140,048. This textile-based clot retrieval device (aka thrombectomy-assist device) is a cost-effective medical device that can help save a stroke patient?s life. The methods and approaches of this project is to compare via pre-clinical tests the ability of a textile-based medical device to re-open vessels blocked with clots compared with existing approved treatments. The goals and scope of the research will focus on the ability to rapidly re-open vessels that are blocked by clots. This paves the way for personalized medicine with a customizable stroke treatment device that can be tailored to a patient?s clot burden. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Instapath Inc.
STTR Phase I: An automated digital pathology lab for rapid on-site processing and imaging of tissue biopsies
Contact
5855 Marcia Ave
New Orleans, LA 70124–1121
NSF Award
1820258 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This STTR Phase 1 project seeks to develop an automated system that would significantly increase the speed and accuracy of biopsy assessments at the point of care. The proposed technology eliminates extensive manual tissue processing steps and generates digital images of fresh biopsies that look just like standard pathology slides. The imaging can be performed in seconds, thus improving the efficiency of biopsy assessments at the point of care. Rapid, whole fresh biopsy imaging also improves evaluation accuracy while maximally preserving tissue for further testing and facilitating remote pathology consultation. With over five million patients in the United States undergoing biopsy procedures each year, and one in five of those patients returning for repeat procedures due to inaccuracies in biopsy assessments, an increase in accuracy and procedure speed could have a profound impact. This could lead to decreases in patient procedure time and decreases in repeat procedure rates, preventing unnecessary, painful, and invasive repeat biopsy procedures. With an estimated 1.6 billion USD spend on repeat procedures per year, this would also represent a significant decrease in financial burden on patients. In addition, due to the decrease in time per procedure, this could increase procedure throughput for hospitals, thus increasing hospital revenue potential. Finally, by producing remotely viewable images, this system could be utilized in a remote pathology setting at underserved communities within the US. This STTR Phase I project seeks to develop an automated sample processing and tissue pathology imaging system that delivers biopsy-to-image in a completely automated manner on fully-intact fresh tissues within five minutes of tissue removal. Through integration with the previously developed Video-Rate Structured Illumination Microscopy (VR-SIM) system as the integrated optical sectioning modality, and using novel fluorescence dye combinations that recapitulate gold-standard histology, the throughput, efficiency, and accuracy of biopsy evaluation can be improved while maximally preserving tissue for downstream processing and readily facilitating telepathology consultation. Preliminary work in multiple fresh tissue preparations, including core-needle biopsies and whole surgical resections, indicates that the technology and method can deliver high image quality and diagnostic accuracy in short, clinically-relevant timeframes. A prototype of an automated, disposable cartridge system for biopsy staining and imaging for effortless integration with VR-SIM imaging will be developed. Image quality will be optimized at the highest optical sectioning power to be equivalent to physically-sectioned tissues, using polarization-gated VR-SIM and novel immersion media. ADPL workflow testing, validation of diagnostic image quality, and verification of compatibility with downstream analysis in human biopsy samples will be completed. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Intensivate Incorporated
SBIR Phase I: High Performance Low Power Dense Server for Cloud
Contact
40087 Mission Blvd., Suite #274
Fremont, CA 94539–3680
NSF Award
1820507 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to accelerate the most common computations in processing Big Data and performing real-time analyses on data streaming-in to enterprise data centers. For the same total cost, the technology advanced by the proposed project is expected to increase performance by a factor of 12. As part of this improvement, it is expected to reduce the energy per instruction by a factor of 25 times or greater. This frees businesses to apply more advanced analytics techniques and react more quickly to changing business conditions. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the ever-growing need to process more data, but on a fixed budget. The objective is to provide accelerator technology for an increasingly critical set of applications that are currently underserved by generic CPU technology. The project aims eventually to deliver a PCIe accelerator card populated by silicon chips based on a new type of accelerator micro-architecture. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Ion Dx, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Ion Mobility Spectrometer for Macromolecular Analysis
Contact
8 Harris Ct., STE C-5
Monterey, CA 93940–5715
NSF Award
1819381 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to provide analytical technology that will foster the commercial development of complicated biomanufactured products. The most pressing need is to reduce the time and cost to bring the latest generation of biotherapeutic drugs to market. Currently, upwards of eight years and $1B is spent to move a candidate drug from discovery through final approval. Along the way $300M is consumed by analytical testing procedures to certify the product. The American healthcare system will benefit from new and less expensive analytical technologies that reduce certification costs and lead to less expensive drugs. Manufacturing efficiency also can be improved using the proposed technology. Biomanufactured products are harvested from cultured cells, and there are times when the culturing process fails to produce a perfect product. Detecting impurities and spoilage during manufacturing will further reduce manufacturing costs and directly benefit the consumer through the delivery of better therapeutic products and treatment regimens. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to quantify the validity of an ion mobility spectrometer as a high-throughput tool for screening conformational variation, purity, and aggregation of biotherapeutic drugs. Conformation imparts functionality to a protein and any variation in conformation implies there is a variation in biochemical activity, which is undesirable. Ion mobility is a technique that determines molecular cross-section, which in turn is a measure of a molecule's conformation. The gold standard for determining protein conformation is x-ray crystallography, a methodology limited by throughput. There is an unmet need to develop faster ways to measure protein conformation. The proposed technology determines a protein conformation rapidly across all phases of biotherapeutic drug development from discovery, expression system testing, scale up and manufacturing. Additionally, the patented design for this ion mobility spectrometer provides a way to measure changes in conformation that might result as a consequence of exposure to thermal, chemical, and photo-induced stress as needed for drug stability and developability testing. The proposed work will quantify resolution, reproducibility, accuracy, and throughput for this benchtop instrument. The evaluation will be performed using antigen-antibody pairs and several biotherapeutic drugs in collaboration with an academic group and industry partners. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Iria Pharma, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Targeted Small Molecular Taxane Delivery for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
Contact
60 Hazelwood Drive
Champaign, IL 61820–7460
NSF Award
1819081 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a novel cancer targeting technology, Active Tissue Targeting via Anchored ClicK Chemistry (ATTACK), for targeted treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC is a subtype of breast cancer that occurs in 10-20% of diagnosed breast cancers and is more likely to affect younger people, African Americans, Hispanics, and those with BRCA1 gene mutation. Currently, TNBC patients are mainly treated with chemotherapeutics and cannot benefit from existing targeting therapeutics due to the lack of Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) or hormone epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2/neu). This project will develop the first cell labeling based targeting technology (ATTACK) for TNBC treatment. A novel unnatural sugar will be developed for cancer-specific labeling of TNBC through metabolization to insert an artificial receptor onto TNBC and then target the artificial receptor to deliver therapeutic taxanes through a specific reaction between the receptor and the taxanes-drugs. The project involves interdisciplinary combination of knowledge from chemistry, biology, materials engineering, and pharmaceutical science. The successful development of the project will afford an effective targeted therapeutic drug for TNBC patients with improved quality of life in the future. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a novel cancer targeting technology, Active Tissue Targeting via Anchored ClicK Chemistry (ATTACK), for targeted treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). ATTACK can treat untargetable cancers that do not have established cell surface receptors through cancer-specific artificial receptor insertion of de novo designed unnatural sugars and subsequent azide-Click reaction mediated targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs. Currently, TNBC patients are mainly treated with chemotherapeutics and cannot benefit from existing targeting therapeutics due to the lack of Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) or hormone epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2/neu). This project will develop the first cell labeling based targeting technology (ATTACK) for TNBC treatment. Unnatural sialic acid (a type of sugar) precursors with azide will be first used for tumor-specific labeling on cell surface and subsequent targeting. Multiple taxane candidates will be synthesized and preliminary in vitro DMPK properties of the conjugates will be studied including solubility, plasma stability, liver microsome metabolization, and cytotoxic MTT assay. In vivo biodistribution and efficacy of the taxane candidates in combination with unnatural sugar labeling will also be studied in mice tumor models to validate the anti-TNBC efficacy of the drug candidates. The accomplishment of the Phase I research will enable further translational development of the novel cancer-targeting therapeutics into clinical applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Ironic Chemicals LLC
STTR Phase I: Engineering Alternative Oxidation Activity in A. ferrooxidans For Enhanced Biohydrometallurgy Capabilities
Contact
252 Old Oaks Rd
Fairfield, CT 06825–1932
NSF Award
1746744 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project will be to develop engineered bacteria with the ability to oxidize the copper mineral chalcopyrite and gold. The majority of copper reserves are in chalcopyrite, which currently requires smelting. The US copper mining industry, due to regulatory restrictions, has a limited smelting capacity forcing US copper manufacturers to ship copper mineral concentrates overseas for smelting, which incurs additional transportation and processing costs while losing up to 30% of the full value of the metal to the smelters. At over 400,000 tons of copper concentrate exported annually, this amounts to over $600M in lost value. In gold mining, biooxidation is increasingly used before other gold recovery techniques are utilized, and increased oxidation rates would expand the use and significantly lower the capital and operating costs of this practice. In addition, enhanced oxidation would accelerate the development of mining waste streams as biotechnology feedstocks. This project potentially furthers more economical and sustainable biohydrometallurgical techniques throughout the mining industry. This STTR Phase I project proposes the demonstration and development of new oxidation activity within bioleaching microbes, expanding the applications of biohydrometallurgy in metal mining. This would permit the application of cheaper, low impact biohydrometallurgical methods for important metal minerals. Currently, biohydrometallurgy is limited by its reliance on ferric iron as the main oxidant. The Intellectual Merit of this proposal stems from the use of hydrogen peroxide, which can enable mineral oxidation conversions and rates that are not obtainable with ferric iron alone. Adding hydrogen peroxide to biohydrometallurgy operations is not feasible or cost effective, however, the genetic engineering of biomining microbes, such as A. ferrooxidans, to produce hydrogen peroxide would be a potentially game changing advance. This innovation will result in the production of biomining microbial cells with an unprecedented ability to dissolve sulfide-rich ores leading to the expansion of biohydrometallurgical approaches in the mining industry.
Errata
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Iuvo AI, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Programmer-Friendly Automatic Code Fixes
Contact
3180 N Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL 60657–4831
NSF Award
1747219 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop and bring to market tools that improve code quality and help avoid dangerous bugs, while also improving programmer productivity. Poor code quality leads to bugs which often translate into financial loses and can even endanger human life. A study by NIST estimated software bugs cost $59 billion annually. The key aspect of this project is a programmer-friendly language for describing software fixes. Successful adoption of the language by the programmer community can have a far-reaching positive impact upon the software community: programmers will have a common, formal, language to discuss ways to fix bugs, and the result of their collaboration could be used to automatically fix software systems. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address the research and technical challenges in providing programmers with a language to express their knowledge of error patterns and their fixes, and a tool that uses this information to check and fix software systems. The research objective is to refine the language such that it is easy to use by programmers, and to provide a scalable infrastructure. This will be achieved by iteratively improving both the language and the supporting infrastructure with feedback from early users. The anticipated result is that the technology will be applicable to a wide variety of bugs and to large code bases.
Errata
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Joulez Inc
SBIR Phase I: An Internet of Things Education System Designed to Increase the Participation of Women in STEM Careers
Contact
285 3rd St. #810
Cambridge, MA 02142–1134
NSF Award
1746640 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to ultimately increase the number of women in STEM careers, thus allowing women to secure higher paying jobs and to expand global innovation by increasing the number of women who are inventing future technologies. Research demonstrates a direct connection between play and academic pursuits, yet few STEM products appeal to the 10MM+ pre-adolescent U.S. girls. Our hypothesis is that by designing an Internet of Things (IoT) platform of interactive decor building kits with motion and lighting features, we can engage girls in hands-on STEM learning during a formative time in their emotional and intellectual development. The kits will offer educational and exploratory opportunities including spatial and sequential thinking, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and programming. The user guides and on-line learning modules will be authored and designed to create and build a STEM identity in girls. Our theory is that this hands-on experience will create attitudinal and identity shifts in girls to motivate them to pursue additional STEM academic opportunities and further their exploration with other STEM activities. The proposed project is a method to provide an entrance to STEM experiences for a population typically not recognizing their strengths and abilities in the STEM areas. This is accomplished by leading them through an IoT modular product platform to build personalizable decor accessories as they pursue their interest in decorating and the arts. The proposed project?s objectives are: (1) design and build a hardware prototype; (2) design and build an app prototype; (3) design and conduct research to determine that interaction with the proposed IoT modular platform results in an attitudinal shift toward STEM. The project will employ research methods including a large scale learning styles survey (400 users); moderated and recorded user feedback sessions, and in-person studies (15 users) using questionnaires adapted from published research and academic assessments. Our success parameters are: (1) 50% of users can build and program the IoT product; (2) 20% of girls experience an increase in STEM areas; (3) 15% improvement in short-term recall of STEM skills and vocabulary; (4) 25% of users report an interest in trying another STEM experience; (5) 50% of users report they would display completed product in their room.
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JuneBrain, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Wearable Retinal Imaging Device for Improved Monitoring of Multiple Sclerosis at Home
Contact
155 Gibbs Street
Rockville, MD 20850–0395
NSF Award
1819326 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will help advance the health and welfare of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) - a debilitating chronic inflammatory disease affecting nearly 1 million people in the United States. A non-invasive, wearable retinal imaging device will be developed for at-home patient use that detects changes in MS disease activity, enabling patients and their physicians to track responses to treatment and detect disease flare-ups between clinical visits. Early detection and proper treatment of MS is crucial to reducing the risk of disease progression and disability. Current practice relies on infrequent neurological and radiological exams to assess changes in disease activity and treatment efficacy. However, there is currently no way to monitor MS in real time between these visits. Research relating retinal pathology to MS processes in the brain demonstrate that retinal imaging can provide early detection of disease events, offering an alternative monitoring pathway. This device will thus help reduce increases in patient healthcare costs associated with increasing disability, and potentially impact the research and care of patients with other brain conditions that manifest in the retina, including traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and addiction. Following FDA approval, the device will be sold to MS patients, neurologists, and researchers. This project will yield a novel retinal imaging device that uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) to assess retinal biomarkers associated with MS progression. While OCT and FAF are widely-used modalities for imaging the retina, the proposed device differentiates itself from current technologies in that it is specifically designed for use by MS patients at home. This will include a ruggedized, ergonomic, and wearable design suited for those who suffer from low mobility and other symptoms that make trips to a clinic difficult. Patients will use the device briefly once a week, during which time retinal images will be automatically acquired, analyzed, and sent to a physician for remote review. As such, it will further increase engagement between patients and physicians by making patients more proactively involved in their disease management. For this project, the following objectives are planned: 1) Develop the OCT component of the device to acquire high-resolution and repeatable images of layers in a healthy tissue-mimicking phantom retina, 2) Develop the FAF component of the device, and 3) Validate the device?s ability to acquire high-resolution and repeatable images of retinal layer thicknesses and autofluorescence in post-mortem retinas from MS patients and healthy individuals. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Kalion, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Low-Cost, High-Purity Biobased Glucaric Acid
Contact
92 Elm St.
Milton, MA 02186–3111
NSF Award
1819514 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer(STTR) project is to develop a bio-based manufacturing process for glucaric acid and its intermediate, glucuronic acid. Microbial fermentation represents an attractive option for production of fuels and valuable chemicals from renewable resources, and glucaric acid can be produced from glucose, a renewable biomass-derived resource. The glucaric acid market was estimated at $550M in 2016, and has a plethora of uses ranging from detergents to food ingredients, corrosion inhibitors, and de-icing applications. The proposed project will engineer improved productivity of the microbe using C5/C6 sugars, thus accelerating the production of low-cost, high-purity glucaric acid. Achieving these bioprocess improvements will facilitate widespread adoption of bio-based glucaric acid in a variety of markets, broadening opportunity for US products. These applications include coatings, foams and foaming aids, electrolytes, gels, polymers, and polymer additives. This STTR Phase I project proposes to perform multi-omics studies to characterize the physiology of E. coli strains producing glucaric acid via fermentation, and develop strain engineering strategies to enable high yield and productivity. Most fermentation products are highly reduced compared to the starting sugar, and care must be taken to maintain cells in a reduced state, meaning high NADH/NAD ratio, to drive the NADH-consuming biosynthetic reactions. Products that are derived from sugar oxidation, in contrast, pose a much different challenge, and have been explored to a much lesser extent. Here, additional oxygen is needed to accept the excess electrons generated during glucose oxidation. It is well known that both S. cerevisiae and E. coli, two of the most common organisms for industrial application, are limited in their electron transport chain capacity, resulting in overflow products from high glucose uptake rates. Regardless of the oxygen transfer ability of the fermentation equipment, there is an inherent maximum production rate of these organisms. In this project, the plan is to develop E. coli strains with increased respiration capacity, thus increasing the maximum glucose oxidation rate. Glucaric acid, which can be produced from glucose via 3 enzymatic reaction steps, is an exemplary product. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Kepley Biosystems Incorporated
SBIR Phase I: A Novel Horseshoe Crab Device and Approach for a Sustainable Endotoxin Testing Resource
Contact
2901 E Lee St
Greensboro, NC 27401–4904
NSF Award
1819562 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
09/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development of a cost-effective, environmental and economically sound Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) production facility based on a finite number of horseshoe crabs (HSC) using minimally impactful and novel bleeding procedures. The goal is to address the demands of an estimated $114 million LAL market and finished kit market in excess of $1 billion per annum. Success of this project also anticipates exceeding current standards by ensuring biomedical and pharmaceutical manufacturing compliance with fewer total horseshoe crabs than the number that die annually from current practices. New approaches to HSC bleeding developed in this project would also enable repeated, controlled bleeding while maintaining optimal conditions for animal vitality and for the adjacent communities. Assuming optimized, scalable HSC bleeding operations could eventually expand current supplies, innovative applications could be developed. For example, early detection of sepsis could help avert some $30 billion in direct care every year in the US, notwithstanding the potential to save countless lives with development of gram-negative screening tools for hospital acquired septicemia. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop an alternative method of bleeding horseshoe crabs (HSCs) for Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) harvest. The overarching objective to demonstrate the proof-of-concept of an implantable, and surgical-grade device engineered to facilitate routine bleeding, without compromising the integrity and well-being of the HSC. This will be achieved via a systematic study of HSC bleeding outcomes to investigate whether such a device can meet the sterility and quality standards of traditional approaches, while obviating the need for extraneous transport to expensive, inland bleeding facilities. Furthermore, the commercial opportunity and feasibility of the device paired with a habitat-based, enclosed system to systematically monitor HSC wellbeing will be investigated. This SBIR Phase I project would be the first to investigate an alternative approach to bleeding HSCs, a technique that has not changed significantly since the late 1800's. At scale, the proposed approach would also be expected to improve product quality and traceability, and ultimately the bottom line of companies producing LAL kits, given a surplus of LAL in the supply chain. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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KnipBio Inc
SBIR Phase I: Novel Immuno-Nutrition Properties of a Single Cell Protein to Abate Soy-Induced Enteritis in Aquafeeds
Contact
142 Still River Rd
Harvard, MA 01451–1501
NSF Award
1819652 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop a protein replacement for soy-based marine animal diets to improve yield through effective nutrition and enhanced animal welfare. Aquafeeds represent >50% of the cost of production, and losses due to mortality can be as high as 50% in certain commercial species. A novel feed ingredient that contains immuno-nutritional properties to address these inefficiencies could be considered a game-changer to the industry. Fish are the most resource-efficient sources of animal protein, a healthy source of food for people, and will be one of the ways to address food security. As the surface of the planet is greater than two-thirds ocean, one estimate suggests, if managed properly, just 2% of this vast resource could produce enough food for all of mankind. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to expand previous studies that suggested a novel single cell protein (SCP) is a significant candidate to serve as a fishmeal alternative. In addition, SCP also may contain functional properties that improve growth performance and survival. The SCP tested previously supported improved feed conversion ratios (FCR) as compared to conventional diets, while at the same time, statistically relevant improvements in survival of carnivorous fish and shrimp. It also was observed that SCP relieved secondary disease complications associated with diets, such as gastro-enteritis. With hundreds of marketable species in aquaculture, and an industry that is just 50 years old, the collective understanding of aquatic animal nutrition is in its infancy. In this project, a carnivorous Seriola species will be used as a model organism to serve as an additional reference point beyond salmon. Targeted components of the SCP will be enhanced (or deleted) to determine the effect of leading immuno-nutritional candidates on the animals' ability to digest more completely inputs like soy bean meal (SBM). The effectiveness of SCPs in emerging commercial fish diets has yet to be fully elucidated, and the results of this study may have implications towards lower-cost feed formulations and optimized nutrition. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Kytopen Corp
SBIR Phase I: A scalable high-throughput cell engineering platform
Contact
10 Rogers Street
Cambridge, MA 02142–0000
NSF Award
1747096 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development a scalable, automated, genetic transformation platform that is 10,000X faster than the current state-of-the-art. The fields of synthetic biology and genetic engineering are currently limited by the ability to re-program microorganisms with foreign DNA. There have been significant advances in the synthesis of DNA, screening of genetically engineered microorganisms, and bioinformatics. However, the technology used to deliver DNA and perform genetic transformation has not advanced in a similar way. Phase I of this SBIR will result in a prototype high-throughput genetic transformation platform to demonstrate the utility of the system. This system will allow genetic engineers to more rapidly develop microorganisms for the production of bioengineered chemicals and materials. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a high-throughput, automated platform for genetic transformation of bacteria using a proprietary flow-through electroporation technology that is fast, reliable, and scalable. A key step in genetic engineering of cells is to introduce the foreign DNA that re-programs the cell. Electroporation, cell permeabilization using pulsed electric fields, is the most efficient and widespread method to deliver DNA into microorganisms for this application. State-of-the-art electroporation involves cuvettes that expose the cells and DNA to uniform electric fields. However, this process is currently slow, labor-intensive, and expensive. The proposed technology can be automated by augmenting existing liquid handling robots, and, when operated in parallel, may improve the genetic transformation rate by up to 10,000X compared to current methods. This will represent a paradigm shift in areas dependent upon genetic transformation where DNA delivery using electroporation is currently a major bottleneck. Ultimately, the goal is to address the need for a high-throughput genetic transformation platform to accelerate innovation in synthetic biology.
Errata
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LIV Medical Technology Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Optical Coherence Tomography(OCT)-Sensor Guided Sub-Retinal Injector
Contact
14917 Meriwether Drive
Glenelg, MD 21737–9628
NSF Award
1819719 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,973
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to address the most common causes of blindness worldwide. Retinal diseases account for vision loss in over 25 million Americans. Worldwide, the prevalence of blindness in children is determined largely by socioeconomic development and availability preventative care. By 2020, the World Health Organization estimates that visual impairment among children age 14 and under will reach almost 19 million, and adults will reach almost 266 million. This SBIR Phase I project proposes a SMART surgical tool to enable safe and precise delivery of stem cells and genes to help repair and restore the vision of patients with retinal degeneration. Studies have shown cell transplant technology and injectable therapeutics improve vision in afflicted patients. However, due to the delicate nature of retinal tissue, this procedure is challenging to perform successfully. The proposed tool addresses the unmet need for better visualization and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. Precise delivery of treatment is expected to deliver benefits in preventing and correcting retinal diseases. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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LOCAL CROWD, LLC, THE
SBIR Phase I: Incubating A Fourth-Sector Ecosystem With A Scalable Educational Crowdfunding Platform
Contact
4218 CHEYENNE DR
Laramie, WY 82072–6914
NSF Award
1842729 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project is focused on demonstrating the feasibility of an innovative crowdfunding process to effectively support and grow the fourth sector economy at the local community level. This fourth sector economy, a blend of three traditional economic sectors (public, private and nonprofit) is poised to solve many of the world's most difficult and complex social problems; however, this sector cannot work effectively without a supportive ecosystem that enables the creation, funding, and operation of organizations within it. This project proposes an innovative Fourth Sector Ecosystem incubator that brings a coordinated suite of services to local communities to engage them, educate them, and provide financial capital through a crowdfunding platform. This project will engage four communities in a pilot study designed to engage and educate key leaders, energize advocacy for fourth-sector growth, and catalyze fourth-sector social enterprises by offering capital access through crowdfunding. The validation of this grass-roots scalable educational and participatory incubator will enable communities to support local for-benefit businesses who will improve the quality of life in their communities, create jobs, and contribute to the economy, leading to expansion of this model across the nation and globally. The innovation inherent in this educational platform is the synergy between the components of its scalable, turnkey process to provide a catalyst for fourth-sector business growth. Innovative components include a robust, secure crowdfunding platform, educational training for community leaders and businesses in fourth-sector principles, assessment methods to evaluate/provide continuous improvement of the process, gamification that rewards fourth-sector-supporting behaviors; and network-building processes. The goals of this research are to determine the performance, design and educational training specifications that will address the needs of all stakeholders (e.g., entrepreneurs, community leaders, contributors), and demonstrate the feasibility of this platform through a pilot study in four communities. Methods will focus on continuous evaluation and feedback from stakeholders in the four communities to determine best methods to teach communities to manage their incubators, activate their communities to participate, achieve campaign success, demonstrate improved learning outcomes from the training, and increase the density and reciprocity of networks in the pilot communities. Surveys and data will be collected and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of each component in the process, from planning to implementation to assessment, as shown through survey results, expansion of networks, and funding raised by fourth sector enterprises using the crowdfunding tool. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Leading Edge Crystal Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Refinement of the Floating Silicon Method to Produce Drop-In Silicon Wafers for High Efficiency Solar Cells
Contact
98 Prospect Street
Somerville, MA 02143–4109
NSF Award
1820028 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 09/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is a 25% cost reduction in solar panel manufacturing and the elimination of up to 2.1 Gigatons of annual CO2 generation. As silicon wafers are the most expensive component in the $50BN solar panel industry, our low-cost wafer manufacturing technology presents the strongest opportunity to reduce global solar panel production costs. This cost reduction drives the compelling economics needed for increasing solar market penetration. As context, the solar market has historically doubled for every 20% cost reduction created by the industry. Our single crystal wafers are further significantly higher quality, and therefore can enable up to 10% higher effective efficiency using existing commercial solar panel manufacturing lines. Further, as the incumbent silicon wafer production process is extremely energy- and material-intensive and thus constitutes 80% of the solar industry?s carbon footprint, our direct and high efficiency technology has the potential to reduce the solar industry's 2026 carbon footprint by over 50%. The proposed project develops the systems needed for our process to produce silicon wafers with commercial dimensions and demonstrates to solar manufacturers (our customers) that our wafers can be processed by commercial solar cell lines. As our process produces a continuous ribbon of silicon, this work will develop a cutting system that laser cuts discrete wafers with the edges and dimensions needed for commercial solar cell processing. This involves developing the laser cutting recipes, the wafer handling systems, and verifying with a third party that the edge quality does not interfere with cell processing. Our project then investigates and optimizes our wafers' performance during each critical step of commercial solar cell processing, including chemical etching and screen printing. A successful demonstration that our low-cost wafer can 'drop-in' to an existing cell line to deliver equivalent (or better) performance compared to the incumbent technology would gate our working with industry partners to commercialize this process. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Legal Science Partners LLC
SBIR Phase I: Machine Assisted Comparative Policy Analysis in Public Health
Contact
401 Woodside Ave.
Narberth, PA 19072–2332
NSF Award
1746192 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,355
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to enhance the capabilities of a research tool for companies, legal experts and researchers undertaking nationwide comparative policy analysis in the public health domain. The tool will assist experts in identifying relevant policy documents by determining and scoring the significance of statutory provisions in context of specific legal questions. The quantitative approach can enable novel policy tracking. Rather than experts setting up alerts for updates to a specific set of documents, this tool learns from the legal text used to answer legal questions to allow for real time tracking and discovery of updates and other relevant documents. This approach to policy tracking can present experts with timely information on updates, along with revealing new documents as they are introduced. Timely analysis can inform policy-makers, facilitating the crafting of optimized evidence-based public health legislation. Reducing the cost and effort of the most time-consuming aspects of legal research can make precise scientific policy analysis affordable and accessible commercially and in real time. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will decrease the time required to produce timely analysis of public health policy across 50 states. This research will apply machine learning, natural language processing and graph theory techniques to extract logical legal ontologies by computing similarities of public health provisions in statutory text. In domain specific problems, large sets of examples of annotated text are required. In the legal domain there is little available expert-labeled legal corpora and purposefully curating this kind of dataset is prohibitively expensive. To address this challenge, the proposed solution integrates transparently into legal experts' workflow while generating ontology that mirrors the approach of a domain expert. The second challenge is that searching for patterns in the relations of a very large network of documents can be very expensive computationally. The proposed solution addresses this by extracting clues from the expert workflow to identify shortcuts that simplify and constrain the larger problem. These clues, combined with sparse expert labeled data can produce a more accurate baseline for optimization of scoring and similarity comparison of larger sets. By being integrated into more workflows, the transparent annotation process and algorithm could be applied to other policy domains.
Errata
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Li Industries, Inc
STTR Phase I: A Direct Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Process Yielding Battery-Grade Cathode Materials
Contact
2200 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060–6702
NSF Award
1819982 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project advances a cost-effective and scalable direct recycling method for producing battery-grade cathode materials from end-of-life (EOL) lithium-ion batteries. The commercialization of the proposed direct lithium-ion battery recycling technology will lower the energy consumption and emissions associated with battery production, reduce demand for raw battery materials and decrease lithium-ion battery manufacturing cost. Using directly recycled materials instead of raw battery materials will diminish or even avoid the negative environmental impacts from mining and processing ores and from disposal of hazardous waste. Reducing battery cost will facilitate the implementation of more efficient electrified vehicles, thus reducing petroleum demand and vehicle emissions. Finally, research on the end-of-life lithium-ion battery cathode, on the direct recycling process and on the recycled materials will advance the understanding of intercalation chemistry in nonaqueous and aqueous media and of electrode degradation during electrochemical cycling. The intellectual merit of this project is to advance the direct recycling technology through the design and demonstration of a scalable electrochemical flow system capable of non-destructive relithiation and the optimization of post treatment operation for the recovered materials. The electrochemical flow system is capable of restoring the lost lithium in the EOL cathode material at any state of charge (SOC) and can be scaled to a commercially viable size. The cathode materials recovered in the proposed direct recycling process retain the same structure and morphology and exhibit equivalent electrochemical performance compared to the commercial virgin cathode materials. The recovery of high-value cathode materials substantially improves the profitability of lithium-ion battery recycling and is a key element of the business plan. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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LiveFocus LLC
STTR Phase I: Smartphone-based Slide Scanner for Mobile Digital Pathology
Contact
1251 Bunker Hill Blvd, Apt B
Columbus, OH 43220–3437
NSF Award
1648888 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to provide an affordable mobile digital pathology solution to pathologists in order to facilitate their clinical practices in disease diagnosis, peer consultations, tumor board preparations, research and education. The low-cost smartphone based portable pathology slide scanner is a complementary solution to current high throughput expensive digital pathology equipment to allow whole slide imaging to penetrate across all tiers of market. Given the high owning rate of mobile devices, the increasing processing and transmission speed, and the versatility of mobile apps, this device brings whole slide imaging at fingertips of individual pathologists. This greatly simplifies intra- and inter- institutional consultations and tumor board preparations, which enhances our fundamental understanding of disease causes and in turn leads to possible cures with improved clinical outcomes. The device also reduces the needs for physical transport of glass slides or tissue blocks to centralized digital imaging equipment. It also provides strong support on timely and accurate diagnosis, especially for those remote to digital imaging equipment. Moreover, this study provides an effective approach for teaching foundational skills of whole slide imaging to the next-generation pathologists. The proposed project is to validate the technical feasibility of using smartphone based portable slide scanner for acquiring pathological slide images with the optical performance comparable or close to those by commercial high-end slide scanners. This device is based on an innovative zoom-microscope design, where elastomer-liquid lenses with low optical aberration are used for changing the zoom ratio. This portable device can reach the optical magnification of 10X-40X and nearly diffraction-limited resolution with small lens diameters (<10mm), meeting the imaging requirement by pathologists. In this study, a prototype will be developed to demonstrate image acquisition, scanning, and transmission capabilities using representative mobile devices on the market. The minimal resolvable feature size under each magnification will be examined and compared with those of high-end commercial slide scanners. The minimal magnification increment based on the selected actuation mechanism will be experimentally determined. The images of pathological slides acquired under the same magnification or different magnifications will be stitched together to generate a large field-of-view while retaining the resolution. The stitched images will be sent to pathologists to solicit feedbacks for iterative design optimization.
Errata
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Lucent Optics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Internally Microstructured Optical Films for Natural Lighting of Building Interiors
Contact
1832 Tribute Road, Suite C
Sacramento, CA 95815–4309
NSF Award
1746140 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,997
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in enabling additional energy savings in buildings by harvesting natural daylight and using it for illuminating the interior space with high efficiency and without glare, thus offsetting the need for electrical lighting. This will make building operations more sustainable and help improve the energy security of the U.S, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, when commercially available, this new technology will bring all of the well-known benefits of enhanced natural lighting for occupants of millions of residential and commercial buildings across the U.S., such as connection to outdoors and improved comfort, productivity and well-being, thus benefiting many groups of consumers. The proposed project will demonstrate the feasibility of a novel, non-prismatic optical film material and its use for enhanced daylighting harvesting in buildings. This material employs thousands of microscopic reflective surfaces embedded into the bulk of the material and operates by capturing the incident sunlight and projecting it deep into the building interior. Commercial buildings alone consume about 20 percent of all energy used in the United States at an estimated cost of nearly $180 billion. Building interior lighting accounts for around 30% of that cost. By applying the daylight-harvesting optical material to windows of building facades, a significant fraction of that energy consumption can be offset using the natural light captured throughout the day. The project will provide the critical design, testing, and experimental validation needed to transition the technology into the commercial sector. The primary objective of the project is to develop the core light-redirecting material and associated micro-optical fabrication technology that can be subsequently scaled for low-cost mass production. A second objective is to develop, test and demonstrate a prototype daylight-harvesting window film product based on this material.
Errata
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Lumedica, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Extended depth imaging with OCT
Contact
1312 Dollar Ave
Durham, NC 27701–1120
NSF Award
1820008 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop an extended depth imaging variation of optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT is an optical imaging method that can visualize tissue structures up to 1mm deep with microscopic resolution. It has been well adapted for retinal imaging but although available for skin imaging application, the performance and price point are not sufficient to encourage market adoption. Building on NSF supported research at Duke University, this project will extend the depth range of OCT from the current 1-2 mm, which is only the most superficial layer of skin, to 3-4 mm, enabling full imaging of skin layers down to the dermal junction. This will enable dermatologists to access OCT without a large financial outlay and provide a non-invasive imaging modality in the office setting. Extended depth imaging is also applicable to dental imaging and may allow dentists to reduce the need for X-ray imaging by providing cross sectional images of teeth and gums. Since these OCT instruments are highly portable, the deep imaging system can be widely used, across lab benches, in the field or shared throughout a medical office. This project will support the development of new products and the teams that design and build them. Extended depth imaging OCT uses a novel design to dramatically increase the depth penetration of OCT into skin, teeth and other samples. By using distinct illumination and collection apertures, extended depth (or dual axis) OCT can triangulate the signal to layers deep beneath the tissue surface. Compared to previous OCT systems, this increases the imaging depth by a factor of 2. This innovation will be combined with proprietary spectrometer design, which was developed to take advantage of 3D printing methods, to develop a disruptive new instrument for imaging with the performance and price necessary for commercial success in clinical dermatology and dentistry. This proposal will build a prototype system and test it on several types of animal tissue. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Lux Semiconductors
SBIR Phase I: Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Highly Crystalline Thin Film Semiconductor Substrates for Flexible Electronics
Contact
257 Fuller Road
Albany, NY 12203–3613
NSF Award
1819961 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,949
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to further the development of a patent pending technology aimed at producing flexible, lightweight, and low-cost semiconductor substrates. These flexible semiconductor films represent the next evolution of the silicon wafer, the foundation of over 90% of today's electronic devices, including computer chips, solar panels, microelectronics, and a wide range of sensors and similar 'internet of things' devices. The silicon wafer, in its current form, is essentially unchanged since its inception over 60 years ago. These wafers, although larger today, remain thick, rigid, fragile, and are limited to circular forms no larger than 450 millimeters (18 inches) in diameter. The ability to produce large-area, high-throughput quantities of this material, in a flexible, more durable format would be truly disruptive, and help to usher in the next generation of affordable, flexible, and pervasive electronic devices. Accelerating the commercialization of this 'wafer 2.0' will help to shape America's high-tech semiconductor manufacturing industry for the 21st century. The proposed project will focus on the development of this innovative technology at a simulated roll-to-roll prototyping scale, to enhance film crystal quality, repeatability, and electronic properties, while preparing the process for integration into large scale manufacturing. To date, no techniques exist that can produce large-area, highly crystalline silicon or other semiconductor films, that are suitable for high-throughput manufacturing. The technique in this proposed work is a novel, patent pending process, suitable for high-throughput roll-to-roll manufacturing and has several technical advantages that favor high-uniformity crystallization. Low-cost, flexible, wafer-like substrates will open the door for a wide range of electronic devices and fully integrated system-on-chip designs, including sensors, displays, lighting, processors, memory, microelectronics, and photovoltaics. Specific research activities will include optimization of the crystallization process via exploration of operating parameters; improvements and refinements to the prototype chamber equipment; evaluation of intermediate thin-film layers to provide ideal electronic properties and to promote more favorable recrystallization; and, finally, characterization of the resulting semiconductor films using state of the art semiconductor tools at the world's largest nanotechnology focused institute. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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MICRO-LAM, INC.
SBIR Phase I: Quad Element Technology for Precision Machining Glass Optics
Contact
5960 S SPRINKLE RD
Portage, MI 49002–9712
NSF Award
1820063 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the challenges, inefficiencies and need associated with a rapidly growing precision glass optics market. Glass optics are currently used in a wide range of applications such as medical devices (scopes, diagnostics, imaging, etc.), defense (ballistic windows, missile domes, etc.), consumer electronics (cell phone lenses, smart device screens, etc.) and more. The challenge associated with this market is the constant need to prototype optical glass lenses during the development phase. Today, these glass lenses are prototyped using a combination of grinding and polishing processes that are costly and time consuming. The proposed (QET) Quad Element Technology could disrupt the glass optics industry, primarily the prototyping market estimated at about $300M with a rapid growth of 50% per year. The end result would be the much quicker availability of cutting edge technology that utilizes glass optics. An example would be significantly improving the arthroscopic or endoscopic surgical tools that drastically minimizes patient trauma and recovery time during a surgical procedure or even enabling remote surgery for patients especially in third world countries. Other societal benefits will be directly realized through economic growth, providing a competitive edge, and improving product quality and profitability. The intellectual merit of this project is to enable an innovative high productivity approach to manufacturing optical quality glass. The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate proof of concept and determine the feasibility of combining four (4) distinct elements in a single machining process: mechanical, chemical, photonic and thermal. The proposed technology, termed QET (Quad Element Technology), is the first of its kind in machining processes to exploit the advantages of the four elements specifically for material removal. Till date, these four elements have been used consecutively in status quo machining processes but never concurrently. The ability of extracting and optimizing only the advantages of these four elements will enable a faster (6-8x) and cheaper (3-5x) precision manufacturing process to produce glass optics. The primary goal of the Phase I R&D is to successfully select and optimize individual components for each of the four elements proposed and demonstrate a precision turning process on optical glass. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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MITO Material Solutions
SBIR Phase I: Tough polymer composite materials through iLAMB, or interlaminar modifications through master batching
Contact
101 Business Building
Stillwater, OK 74078–4011
NSF Award
1747010 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,988
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project objective is to overcome weaknesses of current composite materials due to delamination and develop composites with more than 100% improvement in interlaminar toughness. The project aims to accelerate the innovation of epoxy/resin nanoadditives for composite materials in order to solve this problem. Composites are expected to be the fastest growing application segment in the global epoxy resin market, with an estimated compounded annual growth rate of ~6% and an expected market value of $14.5 billion by 2024. The key drivers in the market are the end-use industries which include aerospace, automotive, transportation, and coatings. There is a critical need to make these materials safer and more reliable by increasing their low velocity impact resistance, and to increase the adhesion between laminar layers. The product could have an obtainable market volume of $36 million in the US alone by 2021. The intellectual merit of this project is in the development of new hybrid nanofillers based on Graphene Oxide (GO) and Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS). These nanofillers can be added to epoxy/vinyl ester/polyester matrices through a "Master Batch" process to enhance the interlaminar fracture toughness of commercial composites. This increase in fracture toughness can be more than 100% at extremely low addition levels (~0.2% by weight of the composite) without any changes in current manufacturing processes. Nanofillers such as carbon nanotubes and nanoclays are difficult to add to composite matrices because of their tendency to agglomerate and result in poor dispersion, apart from major changes in current manufacturing practices. Preliminary experiments have demonstrated that it is possible to develop these hybrid nanofillers based on GO and POSS that can be added to composite matrices with excellent dispersion in composite industry standard solvents. The challenges of dispersion are overcome through hybridization and Master Batching. Characterization of the cured Master Batches as well as measurement of physical properties of sample composites will be carried out to optimize the nanofiller content and the processing parameters.
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Mahalo Health Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Digital Self-Management Intervention for Empowering Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
Contact
12655 W Jefferson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066–7008
NSF Award
1747372 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to transform the life experiences of youth patients in the Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) community by providing an affordable, comprehensive mobile platform for monitoring health behaviors, tracking biometrics, fostering self-empathy/empowerment, and developing healthy diabetes self-management practices (DSM) through a gamified app. Adherence to DSM behaviors is an exacting issue with conventional T1D treatment and prevention regimens, though the use of features found in gaming technologies has been shown to be motivating in apps for chronic illnesses. Data-tracking applications meant for public health are believed to yield hidden trends on diet, fitness, mood, and compliance in both individuals and populations, identifying behavioral patterns that may be useful for positive behavior change. With a far-reaching and accessible intervention leveraging the motivational power of games, empathy, and social interaction, health professionals can use this intervention to encourage long-term engagement with data-tracking, which in turn creates rich data sets for tapping into the unseen trends of T1D experiences, contributing to the growing body of T1D knowledge, enriching T1D youth's quality of life, and streamline patient-provider communications in a cost-effective way that benefits the health care system as a whole. The proposed project aims to provide a better understanding of the affordances of digital technologies in DSM, with emphases on the role of technology as a facilitator of diabetes education, DSM, patient-provider communications, emotional wellness, social and cognitive development, and positive behavior change. T1D diagnoses represent more than 175,000 youth in the United States, and despite significant headway in other areas of mobile health, many families struggle to access T1D tools that dramatically improve the quality of life and health outcomes of their children. To meet this demand, the objectives of this research begin with engineering a full-featured youth-facing prototype¯starring an empathetic virtual pet¯capable of collecting multiple streams of user data and teaching via instructional modules. Data collected during usability studies with stakeholders in the diabetes community will provide insight into effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of users, while a feasibility study also employing interviews, surveys, and think aloud protocols will offer insight into the practical use of the app in everyday life over a weeklong period. After both of these studies have been conducted, transcripts of recorded sessions and log file data will be analyzed, with the goal of improving the feasibility of extended product usage and success.
Errata
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Addenda
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Mantis Composites
SBIR Phase I: Continuous Fiber Ceramic Matrix Composite 3D Printing
Contact
3986 Short St Suite 100
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401–7573
NSF Award
1820256 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop the process to 3D print continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components for turbine and combustion engines, hypersonic vehicles, and satellites. CMCs are currently a $2.5b market that is expected to triple over the next decade. The ability to produce CMCs with 3D printing will enable superior designs in current applications, as well as enabling their use in a greater number of components that are currently limited by the higher density and lower temperature capabilities of superalloys such as Inconel and Invar. Developing this manufacturing process will enable more basic materials research by serving as a lower cost testbed for new CMC compositions since a mold is not required and turnaround times are much faster. This will also allow engineers to develop more optimized systems with a faster design cycle. This capability will result in efficiency increases in turbine and combustion engines for substantial improvements in fuel efficiency, reducing costs and environmental impact. Finally, the ability to 3D print CMCs will vastly improve geometric complexity of high temperature components, which will enable the next generation of hypersonic vehicles, supporting national defense. The intellectual merit of this project is in establishing a novel manufacturing process for CMCs based on 3D printing. Melt infiltration is a low cost method to produce CMCs, which starts with a polymer matrix composite that is pyrolyzed, and then infiltrated with a molten metal. The matrix is usually a phenolic thermoset, but high temperature thermoplastics have recently been proven viable for simple coupons. This project will use 5-axis continuous fiber reinforced high temperature thermoplastic composites as green bodies. Since thermoplastics melt, support materials will be implemented during the pyrolysis step, which are effective in retaining part geometry. Additionally, a novel process of growing a boron nitride interphase layer on the fibers after pyrolysis instead of prior to forming the polymer composite will be implemented since tight corners during printing might damage an interphase layer. Finally, 3D printing with larger bend radius silicon carbide fibers instead of carbon fibers will be attempted. This project will demonstrate the effectiveness of this interphase with improved flexural strength and toughness, and the ability to form geometrically complex CMCs that are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make with other methods. These two milestones will enable a path to begin developing parts for customers in commercial applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Max-IR Labs, LLC
STTR Phase I: Development of low-cost optical sensor for nitrate detection in agricultural soils and environmental waters
Contact
1809 Westridge Dr
Plano, TX 75075–8571
NSF Award
1745730 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,967
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to help control nutrient contaminants in soil and water for the benefit of the world?s population, by providing sustainable access to safe drinking water. The estimated national economic cost of nitrogen pollution in drinking water is $19 billion annually, while the cost to freshwater ecosystems is $78 billion per year. Traditional water-quality monitoring practices are based on "grab-samples" that are sent for laboratory analyses that may take days to weeks to be completed. Similar traditional approaches are found in agriculture where excessive application of nitrate-based fertilizers may result in agricultural runoff that carries pollution to ground and surface water sources. The proposed high-performance, low-cost optical sensor technology will enable deployment of a dense real-time monitoring network in freshwater sources, water treatment facilities, and farms, and will gain a significant foothold in the $6.8B global water quality monitoring equipment market. In the event of natural disasters, integration of the proposed nitrate sensor will be useful in assessment of water quality in local water resources, providing communities with real-time information on water safety. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project focuses on the development of a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) detector for real-time monitoring of nitrate concentration in water. This effort will combine nitrate-selective ion-exchange membrane technology with today's low-cost infrared (IR) components for the design of a new type of sensor targeting applications in aqueous environment. The proposed technology relies on infrared optical fibers for signal transmission. Currently, the use of commercial real-time optical nitrate sensors, based on ultra-violet (UV) absorption, is limited due to the optical interferences in the UV spectra related to the inorganic and organic substances, and reduced UV transmission caused by turbidity. The proposed proprietary IR technology is designed to overcome these shortcomings through implementation of smart membrane filtering. The instrument will provide high frequency data collection in dynamic aqueous environments with a wide sensitivity range (1 to 100 ppm). This technology can be further expanded for measurement of additional nutrients and contaminants, making it a robust tool for water quality assessment.
Errata
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Addenda
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Medical Innovators Company, LLC
SBIR Phase I: A software product that empowers healthcare teams with community resource information and facilitates post-treatment care coordination.
Contact
10707 Holly Springs
Houston, TX 77042–1411
NSF Award
1746170 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,935
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to develop and test feasibility of a web-based software and machine learning technology that is able to empower healthcare teams with community resource information as well as facilitate coordination of post-treatment care. Lack of access to community resources such as housing, food and transportation (also known as social determinants of health) has been associated with negative health outcomes such as unplanned hospital readmissions and emergency room visits. This leads to high healthcare costs. Therefore, healthcare teams (i.e. social workers, case managers and discharge planners) spend a significant amount of time to locate appropriate community resources for their patients. Our innovation will leverage a community of healthcare professionals and the resource providers to ultimately find community resources for patients in a faster and less costly manner. The machine learning technology supported by this award will connect healthcare professionals with relevant community resources that ultimately reduces the cost and time associated with this process. A successful implementation of this technology will lead to improved post-treatment care outcomes for the patients and reduced cost of care. The proposed project will develop and test the feasibility of a web-based software platform to empower healthcare professionals to share community resources. Novel machine learning technology will be developed to facilitate appropriate and efficient exchange of community resources. Healthcare professionals using the platform will be able to get onto the platform as well as search and share resources. The machine learning algorithm leverages the relationships of healthcare professionals and resource providers to coordinate community resource sharing. A successful implementation of this algorithm will provide substantial improvements on the ability to acquire timely community resources as compared current methods. The goal of this research is to validate whether the machine learning technology is able to help healthcare professionals identify appropriate community resources.
Errata
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Meisner Consulting Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Novel Ultra-Rapid, High Definition, Additive Manufacturing System
Contact
43126 Lancashire Common
Temecula, CA 92592–9227
NSF Award
1747210 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will examine a new ultra-rapid 3D printing technology designed to break down important barriers to the future of Additive Manufacturing. The subject is a machine and materials set that can provide exponentially faster object generation at high resolution. This system leverages several familiar technologies in a new way to provide a path for 3D printing, generally considered reserved for the high-tech sectors, to become accessible to everyone. Because the new method is so rapid, detailed, and the materials are so diverse, it is poised to enhance plastics manufacturing profit margins by eliminating mold costs in many cases. In this way, many American business forced to outsource overseas will be able to maintain domestic production and increase the return of manufacturing jobs to the US. In addition, the manufacturing of the consumables will also enhance job creation. When this new method is fully adopted, its use in the medical field will make lifesaving and life enhancing prosthetic, implantable, and pharmaceutical testing applications much more cost effective, fundable by Medicare, benefiting all our citizens. By servicing a higher percentage of the general plastics manufacturing $600B industry, as well as professional designers, engineers, technical professionals, and the medical and scientific community, the new system in its many forms will eventually be of benefit to nearly every industry in the US, increasing the growth and practical value of the 3D market sector. The subject invention is unique in its use of multiple disciplines simultaneously. As a solid-state system, pressure-biased build material presses up against a glass screen, which is micro-porous, and is laced with the same kind of electronics as are found in flat screen displays. The discrete addressing normally reserved for video images, known as row-and-column refresh rates, is instead used to activate resistive material generating micro-heat spots in this open weave configuration. The heat stimulates the build material to transit the glass and solidify topside, at 1000 dpi resolution, or 1 million droplets per square inch. These high-resolution droplets conjoin and cool, as an entire layer is created at once at 30-120 times a second with no mechanical heads tracking back and forth. The objects should seem to simply appear on the glass at about one to seven vertical inches per minute, depending on the refresh rate, at virtually any planar size, and can be used right away, since no post-curing treatment is needed. Integrating an activated video matrix to build entire cross sections at once, increases speed exponentially. The pores in the glass rely on the known science of Microfluidics, a highly refined means of moving an entire 2D matrix of liquid, to eliminate costly and slow mechanization, and will be studied in this application. Robust and diverse materials have been developed for many embodiments and will be tested. Optimizing first in Multiphysics simulation, and then fabricating a simplified Proof of Concept in Phase I, should provide compelling evidence for continued work on this novel method in Phase II.
Errata
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MetaSeismic, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: MetaMaterial for Seismic Energy Absorption
Contact
5141 California Ave Ste 250
Irvine, CA 92617–3062
NSF Award
1721975 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will investigate isolation pads made of a novel class of metamaterials to reduce seismic vibrations of equipment and buildings. Use of traditional seismic isolation materials often leads to restricted design spaces and needs expensive full-scale device testing, which make the technology unfeasible for extensive application. The internal architecture of the high-performance materials to be studied and optimized in this work can enlarge the design space to embrace objects as small as an expensive equipment and as large as a major bridge. Simplification of testing protocols due to the shift of the isolation property from the device to the material level adds to the Broader Impacts by making seismic isolation accessible for a wide range of applications. The high level of seismic protection provided by this technology constitutes an immediate value for commercial activities that require continuity of operations after earthquakes. The initial target is the fast growing market of data centers, with the potential for follow-on market in residential housing construction. The extensive application of the innovation has the potential of increasing the resiliency of communities in areas prone to seismic activity and reducing related direct and indirect losses. The intellectual merit of this project derives from the development of an optimization framework for the internal architecture of metamaterials for enhanced seismic protection. There has not been a fundamental study to optimize metamaterials based on manufacturing tolerances, costs, and performance for seismic applications. This work will contribute to developing a set of design principles for optimized internal material architectures depending on desired seismic performance. Experimental investigations will be carried out to validate the methodology and to prove the feasibility of replacing device testing with material coupon testing to certify metamaterial pads for seismic isolation. This will include the investigation of processing methods to manufacture material assemblies with uniform mechanical properties, and will involve both static and dynamic testing of the material. The key technical objectives of the project are 1) the development of the optimization design framework based on manufacturing and seismic performance constraints, and 2) the material testing protocol to verify scalability and defect insensitivity of the material property. It is anticipated that the metamaterial architecture can be modulated to provide seismic isolation property beyond state of the art seismic isolation devices, and can be scaled from material coupons to large assemblies without significant property modification.
Errata
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Mia Learning LLC
SBIR Phase I: Mia Learning Independent Reading Choice Support System
Contact
1140 Third St NE
Washington, DC 20002–3406
NSF Award
1747043 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will build children's motivation to read and help them access books best suited to their individual interests, purposes, and abilities. Even though robust research demonstrates both intrinsic motivation to read and print book ownership strongly shape reading achievement, few existing educational software products address them. The project will develop a voice chatbot app elementary students will use in class to receive personalized book recommendations and coaching on choosing well. An associated book subscription service will allow kids to own books they choose, including in very low income schools through partnerships with non-profits. Together, these offerings will tap a combined U.S. children's book and literacy educational software market for grades 2-5 that tops $1.4 billion dollars annually. Unlike most other "personalized" or "adaptive" learning systems, the app will use machine learning and artificial intelligence to increase the agency of students and teachers. It will focus on helping students improve their ability to make their own choices rather than making those choices for them. The intellectual merit of this project lies in its innovative combination of a recommender system and a pedagogical agent to simultaneously assist students in completing an authentic task (choosing books to read independently) quickly and well while also teaching them to complete the task increasingly effectively and independently over multiple performances. The voice conversational interface will provide this combined task support and coaching through an emotionally engaging narrative experience accessible to struggling readers. The research will yield a field-tested prototype of the system, constructing a domain model, authoring conversational content, developing machine learning technology, and iteratively improving the system through usability and pilot testing in elementary school classrooms. Technical challenges include tuning automated voice recognition in naturalistic classroom environments, overcoming the cold start problem to generate high quality initial recommendations, and supporting acquisition of both cognitive and metacognitive skills within an ill-structured domain where measurement of successful performance has complex dependencies with student identity and social context.
Errata
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Microgrid Labs Inc.
STTR Phase I: Intelligent Planning and Control Software for EV Charging Infrastructure
Contact
903 Grogans Mill Drive
Cary, NC 27519–7175
NSF Award
1746858 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,475
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to develop smart software to plan and control Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in commercial facilities, such as workplaces, hotels, car rental centers, parking garages, etc. The EV planning software finds the optimal design balancing design tradeoffs such as EV customer satisfaction, grid stability limits and financial constraints. This software will help facility operators to optimize their EV charging infrastructure by minimizing their operating costs and maximizing their revenue by utilizing intelligent scheduling and pricing strategies. The software leverages the latest developments in stochastic optimization for designing an optimal configuration of EV infrastructure that is robust to variations in mobility behavior of the users. This will enable public utilities to save billions of dollars by deferring expensive upgrades to their existing infrastructure. It will also empower small consulting businesses, facility managers and electrical contractors to design and build EV infrastructure without any specialized knowledge of optimization or modeling. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project addresses the problem of planning and controlling EV charging infrastructure to meet the rapidly growing energy demands of EV owners. EVs are expected to comprise 30% of all cars globally by 2030. This forecasted increase over the next 10 years is of major concern for utilities, and commercial real estate owners. Given the long commute distances, driving habits, time taken to charge using home-based chargers and range anxiety, there is a need for charging locations at workplaces, hotels, and car rental centers. Chargers at these locations will generally be medium power Level 2 chargers, which are 5 to 10 times the size of typical home chargers. Simultaneous uncontrolled charging of several EVs at these locations will easily overload the local electrical infrastructure. The software mitigates this problem by designing an optimal EV infrastructure together with optimally sized onsite generation and storage. The controlling solution ensures that the grid impacts are minimized by scheduling the installed EV chargers together with onsite generation and storage with optimal set points in real time.
Errata
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Millennial Materials and Devices Inc
SBIR Phase I: All-Carbon, Chemically Cross-Linked 3D Nano Assemblies for Liquid Chromatography
Contact
Long Island High Tech Incubator
Stony Brook, NY 11790–3350
NSF Award
1746697 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will be the development of high-performance all-carbon reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column packing material. Customers of the $1.3 Billion/year HPLC column market include life science, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, agricultural, process engineering, academic and governmental organizations. Reversed-phase columns account for the majority of HPLC column market. Upon market entry, our technology will attract customers whose analysis requirements fall outside the capabilities of current silica- (Hydrophobic alkyl chains typically comprising of 18 carbon atoms (C18) bonded to silica support) or graphitic carbon-based columns as well as those who are seeking faster more efficient analysis at a lower cost. It will also attract customers seeking next-generation performance capabilities for separation of structurally similar compounds, biologics, biobetters or biosimilars. Molecules would include geometric isomers and diastereoisomers (e.g., chiral drugs such as thalidomide), biogenic (e.g., catecholamines or other hormones that are modulated in many neurologic disorders such as Alzheimer Disease). Macromolecules include structurally similar compounds (e.g., hemoglobin variants in sickle cell anemia) and many drug metabolites (e.g., glucuronide in opioid metabolites) and drugs of abuse (e.g., cannabis). This SBIR Phase I project proposes to establish the technical feasibility of a chemically-crosslinked all carbon column material for reverse phase HPLC. Chromatography technology plays a key role in the development of life-saving pharmaceutical products and medical therapies, ensuring the safety of our food and water, protection of our environment and guarding public health. Reversed-phase HPLC columns employ a hydrophobic stationary phase. Typical silica-based reverse phase HPLC columns are not durable, are challenged by elevated pH and temperature and lack sufficient retention for highly polar and closely related structures. The newer graphitic carbon HPLC columns are prohibitively expensive and neither scalable nor functionalizable for improved selectivity. Our technology's key differentiator is at the molecular surface level, where our novel proprietary fabrication technology directly connect carbon nanomaterials with covalent bonds, producing scalable all-carbon column materials. Our overall objective during Phase I is to identify the optimal column packing conditions and characterize the chromatographic performance of the columns as a function of pH and temperature and ability to separate structurally similar small compounds and biologics. Successful completion of the proposed research and development plan will allow us to finalize highly differentiated all-carbon nanomaterial column prototypes that will offer unparalleled chemical and thermal stability, best-in-class recovery, excellent separation efficiency and increased column longevity at a significantly lower cost.
Errata
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Mobile Sense Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Real-time arrhythmia detection and classification using a waterproof armband
Contact
400 Farmington Ave Ste 2858
Farmington, CT 06032–1913
NSF Award
1746589 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to help identify people that have paroxysmal or asymptomatic cardiac arrhythmias before they become dangerous. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia, and the prevalence of AF increases with age. AF has a profound impact on longevity and quality of life. Patients typically develop paroxysmal, short-lived episodes of the arrhythmia and are frequently asymptomatic. This often leads to delays in diagnosis of AF until later stages when the arrhythmia is more persistent. Even short episodes of paroxysmal AF are associated with increased risk for stroke, heart failure, hospitalization, and death. The population with undiagnosed AF is substantial and studies have shown that continuous ECG monitoring for more than 3 years is required to achieve close to 100% AF detection. Current 30-day monitors detect 5% of paroxysmal and asymptomatic cases, since events must occur while the monitor is being worn. An armband-based approach offers a way to overcome the current restrictions in chest based monitors and bridges the gap between short-duration 30-day monitors and long-term implanted monitors. The proposed project uses an armband-based device to capture electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyogram (EMG) signals on the upper arm using a waterproof and wireless device. The sensors are made from a composite material that can operate both wet and dry and does not require adhesives or hydrogels to capture all aspects of the waveforms. The challenge with the upper arm is that the ECG signals have less magnitude then over-the-heart and it is necessary to remove motion / noise artifacts as well as EMG signals to create a clean ECG signal. The research is focused on embedding algorithms into the device and testing and refining them for removing motion and noise artifacts that are captured by an accelerometer and to remove EMG signals. After a clean signal is established, proven algorithms for classification of the arrhythmias can be run embedded in the device.
Errata
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Motion Scientific
SBIR Phase I: Augmented Reality for Arm and Hand Rehabilitation Post-stroke
Contact
1520 Brookhollow Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92705–5427
NSF Award
1721266 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,916
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is in line with the grand challenge of developing teaching methods that optimize learning given the diversity of individual preferences and the complexity of each human brain. Because there is a great variability in stroke-induced lesions that result in marked differences in impairment and responsiveness to motor therapy, there is even a greater need to personalize motor training in post-stroke patients. The commercial impact of the personalized e-rehabilitation system, which will be developed and tested, derives from its value for patients, clinics, and insurers. For patients, the system will provide personalized training, and, because it will encapsulate research-based principles for effective and efficient neurorehabilitation of the upper extremity, it will largely improve patients' outcomes. For clinics, the system will increase revenues by increasing the number of visits per patient due to better outcomes and compliance, as well as the number of patients trained at once in clinic gyms. For insurers, the system will generate reports showing therapy effectiveness and, thus, validate reimbursements. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is improving functions of the upper extremities following neurological disorders that affect the motor system, in particular stroke, but also Parkinson's disease and traumatic brain injury. Because therapists treating patients with these disorders only have the time to deliver about a 1/10th of the necessary dose of motor training in the clinic, patients are requested to perform most of the training at home. A novel augmented reality training system will be developed and tested. The system will automatically deliver high doses of functional tasks via presentations of virtual targets or objects in the real world. Using state-of-the-art motion sensing technology, the system will accurately and precisely measure upper body movements, including hand opening and closing. Based on these measurements, it will maximize recovery by providing adaptive training. It will maximize patient engagement and motivation by providing real-time and summary feedback for task success and improvements.
Errata
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Myriad Sensors
SBIR Phase I: Natural Language Voice Controlled Science Equipment
Contact
505 Cypress Point Dr.
Mountain View, CA 94043–4849
NSF Award
1819287 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop Natural Language Voice-Controlled Lab Assistant technology that enables students to control and interact with hands-on science lab equipment using natural language dialog. The lab assistant technology will connect with science equipment hardware, a mobile or computer app, and cloud-based software for speech recognition and data analysis. A student can perform hands-on experiments, ask questions like "How high did my rocket go?" or "What was the force of the cart collision?", and receive audible responses based on their own experimental measurements. The lab assistant is designed for students that encompass (1) students who are blind or low vision, (2) students with disabilities affecting physical skills, (3) students that would benefit from multi-sensory learning methods as required in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and (4) generally students that would benefit from increased engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The broader impacts of the lab assistant technology will be to promote teaching and learning through professional development of K-12 educators in STEM, and enable broad participation of under-represented groups of people in authentic science inquiry. The proposed Lab Assistant will be the first application of state-of-the-art voice recognition technology for educational science experiments. The Lab Assistant will integrate with sensor hardware and mobile apps to enable hands-on experiments in physics, earth science, chemistry, and engineering. The intellectual merits of the Lab Assistant are (1) the development of software that can respond to a wide spectrum of natural language questions and (2) the systems integration of many cutting-edge technologies (wireless sensors, mobile apps, voice recognition software, cloud-based data analysis algorithms) into a simple user interface for science education. The voice interactions will help students overcome disabilities with traditional touch and visual technology, work more independently due to the presence of auditory help, work more effectively in groups, and gain confidence in their STEM abilities. For teachers, the Lab Assistant will provide an "expert in the room" to help guide the hands-on activities that they already do, and provide technical support. The Lab Assistant will be especially useful to teachers without formal science training, that nevertheless need to lead hands-on STEM activities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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NALA SYSTEMS, INC.
SBIR Phase I: Chemically Resistant Membranes for Water Purification
Contact
202 COLFAX DR
Chapel Hill, NC 27516–4654
NSF Award
1843587 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will provide new opportunities for purifying waters that cannot be economically treated using existing commercial membranes. Increased market growth to include recycle and re-use of contaminated water that is currently slated for disposal or long term environmentally risky storage will increase water availability for industry and agriculture and reduce environmental impact from these same users. More available water, especially in higher demand locations, will lead to higher production and lower costs for industrial and agriculture based consumers, leading to job growth. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to validate a new method of thin film composite membrane fabrication using new materials strategies to produce game changing anti-fouling and chlorine resistant reverse osmosis membranes. Current market dominating polyamide thin film composite (TFC) membranes are inherently susceptible to fouling and degraded by chlorine disinfectants used to mitigate bio-fouling, which is the greatest challenge to membrane operation. The established TFC production technique provides very thin active layers on the order of 100?s of nanometers but is limited to polyamides. The proposed technology will produce TFCs with alternative polymers. Polymers that are chlorine resistant and inherently non-fouling are targeted for use but the unmet challenge has been the opportunity to manufacture them with membrane thicknesses down to the 100?s of nm thickness regime necessary to challenge the flux properties of current commercial membranes. Combining this new fabrication technology and new polymers is the technological breakthrough needed to develop innovative membranes. The project will synthesize a target polymer composition, develop the formulation and fabrication parameters within the new process and produce TFC samples for testing. TFC samples will undergo comparative testing of fouling and chlorine resistance, water flux and salt rejection in a variety of simulated test waters. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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NGS Detectors LLC
SBIR Phase I: The Transformation of X-ray Detectors for Medical Imaging
Contact
229 Medway St Apt 207
Providence, RI 02906–5300
NSF Award
1819978 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project focuses on the development and demonstration of a new high resolution X-ray detector to be utilized (initially) in medical diagnosis. The early work by NGS Detectors and collaborators has shown an improvement in resolution by a factor of almost 10 over the X-ray detectors in current use. The focus of this Phase I project is to now improve both the resolution and efficiency of the detector (in order to reduce the x-ray dose received by patients). The initial diagnostic application is for mammography, where the improved resolution is expected to allow accurate diagnosis of suspicious features in the breast at an early stage, while reducing the false diagnoses (both positive and negative) that are recognized to be problematic. The detectors have potential application in other medical diagnostics situations, such as neonatal and cardiovascular fields, where the higher resolution is expected to extend the application of X-ray diagnostics well beyond current practice. Applications for industrial nondestructive evaluation in fields such as semiconductor manufacturing are also envisaged. This SBIR Phase I project focuses on the development and demonstration of a new high resolution X-ray scintillation detector. The indirect detector utilizes a new polymeric scintillating polymer developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories for security applications, and incorporates the material into an optical channel plate. The optical channel plate contains an ordered array of high quality capillaries (e.g. 10 micron diameter). The scintillating polymer absorbs X-rays, and emit photons that are channeled to pixels of an optical detector with minimal scattering. A resolution of 10 micron has already been demonstrated, an improvement of nearly an order of magnitude over both direct and indirect detectors in current use in medical diagnostics. The focus of Phase 1 is to complete the detector characterization, with a special emphasis on improving the detector efficiency in order to minimize X-ray dose rates for patients. The successful completion of Phase I will lead to a Phase II that demonstrates that the higher resolution indeed yields higher feature discrimination in realistic diagnostic situations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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NUTRAMAIZE LLC
STTR Phase I: Utilizing Natural Variation to Increase the Antioxidant Carotenoid Content in High Yielding Corn Varieties
Contact
1281 WIN HENTSCHEL BLVD
West Lafayette, IN 47906–0000
NSF Award
1721692 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project will be the development and commercialization of a novel variety of corn that is high in carotenoids and orange in color, and with yields that are competitive with today's commercial hybrids. In the diets of Americans, two important antioxidant carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, are in low abundance. This deficiency has been associated with higher risk for degenerative diseases such as Age Related Macular Degeneration, and potentially, dementia. The ultimate goal of the proposed research is to get American's to consume more lutein and zeaxanthin, which will be achieved by increasing significantly the levels of these antioxidants in the most widely grown staple crop: Corn. Since corn is used in a wide variety of popular processed food formats, improving the carotenoid content of corn provides an opportunity to significantly increase the amount of health benefiting antioxidants that Americans consume, without changing consumers eating habits. However, in order for this strategy to be economically feasible, corn varieties that are high in carotenoids must be developed that are also high in grain yield. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop genetic markers for favorable alleles of genes associated with carotenoid biosynthesis and stability. There is considerable genetic variation in genes associated with carotenoid biosynthesis and stability, however, the most favorable alleles are typically not found in varieties that are commercially relevant to US corn production. Thus, the development of genetic markers will enable favorable alleles to be moved from lower yielding germplasm that is not well adapted to the US Corn Belt into elite inbreds suitable for the production of yield-competitive commercial F1 hybrids for the US market. The primary goal of this Phase I research is to create user-friendly genetic markers associated with favorable alleles for 12 key genes associated with carotenoid biosynthesis and stability. These markers will then be validated for efficacy by testing their ability to create progenies with higher carotenoid production, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin. This will result in a set of markers and experimental breeding materials that can be used to rapidly develop fixed inbreds for use in the production of yield-competitive high carotenoid F1 hybrids.
Errata
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NanoSepex Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Carbon Nanotube Enhanced Membrane Distillation for Sea and Brackish Water Desalination, and the Treatment of Saline Waste Water
Contact
54 Huntley Way
Bridgewater, NJ 08807–9999
NSF Award
1647820 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
12/15/2016 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this small business Innovative Research Phase 1 project is the possibility of inexpensive clean water generation from sea and brackish water. With rapidly increasing world population, portable water will be one of the most important technological challenges of this century. There is no unique ?one size fits all? approach to desalination. Many factors such as salt concentration, the presence of specific ions, energy cost, pretreatment requirements and capital investments are important considerations in selecting the desalination technology to be implemented. The carbon nanotube enhanced membrane distillation proposed here is a relatively low temperature process where industrial waste heat and solar heating can be used for desalination. Small water heaters such as the natural gas heaters used in homes can be used to generate high quality drinking water along with what is needed for domestic consumption. Another major application of this technology is in oil and gas drilling. Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is a water-intensive process. A typical frack well uses several million gallons of water over its lifetime and generates a highly saline ?produced water?. With its ability to handle high salt concentrations, the proposed approach is a viable alternative for treating this waste. The technical objectives in this project are to utilize carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to create breakthrough membrane properties for desalination via membrane distillation (MD). In MD, a hydrophobic porous membrane separates a hot salt water feed and a cold permeate stream. As the heated brine passes on the membrane and is partially transformed to water vapor. The hydrophobicity of the membrane prevents the aqueous solution from entering the pores. However, freed from hydrogen bonding the water vapor passes through and is condensed on the permeate side of the membrane. The novel membranes referred to as carbon nanotube immobilized membranes (CNIM) will be developed by immobilizing CNTs into membrane pores where they will serve as molecular transporters and sorbents, thus providing additional pathways for water vapor transport. The other major advantage of CNIM is that it is less prone to fouling than conventional membranes. Key innovations of the proposal include the functionalization of CNTs for maximization of water vapor transport while minimizing fouling. Additional objectives include the study of fouling behavior of some commercially important water samples such as sea water, power plant effluents and produced water. Finally, a process optimization tool will be developed to optimize CNIM-MD design.
Errata
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NanoSoft, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Novel platform for the preparation of nanomaterial samples for cryo-TEM imaging: capturing nanostructures at unparalleled time scales without artifacts
Contact
62 Inez St.
Narragansett, RI 02882–6300
NSF Award
1746430 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is aimed at developing a superior platform for the preparation of samples for cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM). Cryo-TEM provides images of morphologies and structures of liquid-based samples with nanometer resolution, which provides crucial insight for the development of materials in the pharmaceutical, chemicals and consumer goods industries, amongst others. Cryo-TEM sample preparation requires a sample thinning step, which results in a ~10-100 nm thick film that is appropriate for both sample vitrification and imaging. Commercial platforms provide thin samples with a blotting process, which has many drawbacks. Blotting leads to a variety of significant sample artifacts due to shear induced on sample structures. Furthermore, time required for blotting limits temporal resolution for studies of dynamic processes. A proprietary blotless sample thinning strategy reduces shear induced on the sample, and improves temporal resolution of sample preparation, by orders of magnitude. The integration of an innovative process with these advantages into a commercial platform would capture a large portion of the cryo-TEM sample preparation market, and even expand the cryo-TEM market due to improved and expanded characterization capabilities crucial to many industries. The intellectual merit of this project involves the development of an innovative blotless sample preparation process that overcomes the aforesaid drawbacks of the commercial state of the art, while providing extensive areas of thin sample film for imaging. Experiments and simulations will build a rigorous understanding of the critical properties of these processes, namely fluid flow induced by the process, and corresponding shear in the sample, the time required for removal of excess sample volume and the resulting yield of sample film area for imaging. This research will provide control of a superior sample thinning process that will be integrated into a disruptive cryo-TEM sample preparation platform. This platform will provide unparalleled insight into materials and processes that will reduce risk and accelerate development timelines for many industries utilizing nanomaterials.
Errata
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Nanochon
SBIR Phase I: Development of Production-Ready 3D Printable Cartilage Repair Device for Clinical Use
Contact
5804 Fitzhugh St
Burke, VA 22015–3625
NSF Award
1721754 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will investigate the safety and efficacy of a new type of implantable medical device for cartilage repair in the knee. The implant is based on a novel material that is cartilage-like, as well 3D printed designs. Currently, cartilage damage in the knee is most effectively treated by a metallic joint replacement. However, qualifying patient age is 55 or older. There are several implants available to a younger and more active patient population, but they all suffer from major limitations such as low success rate, the size of the damage they treat, long recovery time or high cost. This project will mature an implantable device that can support weight and encouraging new bone and cartilage formation. The device is also made from a high performance yet low cost material, and 3D printing can create custom made and made to order devices that increase efficiency and further reduce cost. A low-cost device which can decrease recovery time and increase clinical success would greatly improve treatment of young patients, and prevent more advanced joint disease. The project supports the NSF?s mission by increasing knowledge surrounding the manufacturing and clinical use of biologically significant materials for orthopedics. This project will develop an ?on demand? device to adequately fill and support a critical-sized cartilage defect while quickly grafting to underlying subchondral bone, thus providing a new solution to the treatment of full-thickness cartilage tissue injury. Full-thickness cartilage lesions often are associated with a low rate of success and high patient morbidity (meaning 60% treatment failure) due to the need for adequate vasculature in the subchondral bone and integration with the cartilage graft. Researchers have used complex biomimetic nanomaterials and 3D printing to create strategies for joint repair. These materials work well in a controlled laboratory setting, but as is can only be printed using deposition or extrusion-based 3D printing techniques. This type of additive manufacturing is limited by resolution and print speed / volume when compared to commercial laser-based systems. The significance of this project is tied into improving clinical outcomes, with a more mechanically and biologically stable implant, while also addressing these manufacturing and cost issues. Thus, this project will validate the efficacy of an implantable cartilage repair device, made from new tissue growth materials and designs compatible with selective laser sintering, and provide critical scientific validation of a functional medical implant for orthopedic treatment.
Errata
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Nanopore Diagnostics, LLC
SBIR Phase I: A handheld sensor for seafood identification
Contact
4320 Forest Park Ave
Saint Louis, MO 63108–2979
NSF Award
1819757 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop technology to prevent seafood fraud through enabling wholesalers, restaurants, and consumers to rapidly identify mislabeled fish product outside of controlled laboratory settings. U.S. consumers are subjected to mislabeling errors one out of every three times they consume seafood. Species that are cheaper and easier to source are commonly swapped for higher value fish such as tuna, snapper, and grouper. This substitution occurs at multiple points in the supply chain, from producers/processors to wholesalers to restaurants. U.S. consumers pay approximately $32 billion for mislabeled seafood on an annual basis. Additionally, this seafood may pose a serious health concern or counteract regulatory efforts focused on managing vulnerable fish populations and illegal fishing. Current seafood identification efforts are insufficient to eradicate mislabeling because they require controlled laboratory settings and highly trained personnel. A few portable tests are becoming available but they lack the ability to screen large numbers of samples cost-effectively. The platform proposed here will enable more widespread seafood identification testing by delivering identification within 45 minutes, on-site, and for a lower per sample cost than existing technologies. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to address seafood mislabeling by developing a fast and portable DNA-based screening platform to allow for accurate seafood identification to address concerns from consumers, retailers, and regulators regarding seafood mislabeling. The key component of the platform to be developed is a nanopore-based sensor technology, which is an amplification-free method for direct counting of target nucleic acids. It has been demonstrated in preliminary results that the technology is able to distinguish grouper DNA from catfish with single-nucleotide specificity. This technology also has achieved multiplexed detection, distinguishing 36 sequences with one sensor. This project will advance this detection assay towards a commercial-ready product by expanding the multiplexing strategy to cover 200+ sequences, designing probes to distinguish 20+ fish species, and then completing a full commercial proof-of-principle by identifying seafood species in blinded samples in work done on-site. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Nanotools Bioscience
SBIR Phase I: Optoelectronic Microplates: Disruptive Optical Stimulation Technology for Drug Discovery Screening Assays
Contact
309 Hestia Way
Encinitas, CA 92024–2179
NSF Award
1746607 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop specialized cell culture plates that can provide dynamic optical stimulation of cells during kinetic ion channel drug screening assays. The proposed cell stimulation technology is expected to improve the efficiency of drug discovery, and lead to more promising drug candidates with a wide range of mechanisms of actions. Since effects of drugs often depend on functional states of drug targets, in vitro high-throughput assays must be able to re-create different functional states during drug screening. Currently, screening assays acquire the data either from one functional state or an ensemble average of heterogeneous states, which is not representative of in vivo settings. The proposed microplate-based cell stimulation technology will help drug discovery companies to introduce more efficient drugs faster while reducing the development costs, because the proposed technology can dynamically "cycle" ion channel drug targets through different functional states while evaluating drug effects in kinetic assays. These minimally-invasive all-optical assays will have increased information content and enhanced predictive values. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop nanotechnology-based optoelectronic microplates that can serve as a light-controlled actuator enabling dynamic optical stimulation of cells for all-optical drug screening assays. Current cell stimulation technologies require either genetic modifications of cells (which can affect the drug screening results) or electric-field stimulation (which requires specialized instrumentation and can damage cells). The proposed technology is a non-invasive optical stimulation plate-based platform that can work on genetically and structurally intact cells, and will be compatible with existing screening instruments. The research plan in the material science area covers the development of protocols for deposition of graphene materials and comprehensive characterization of graphene-coated microplates in cell-free and cell-based modes. The biological research plan includes the development of all-optical screening assays that incorporate graphene-coated microplates for enabling optical stimulation. Specifically, the goal is to focus on calcium imaging assays for L-type voltage-gated calcium ion channels that will be "cycled" through different functional states by light illumination using optoelectronic plates. The validation process will include the evaluation of pharmacological effects of known state-dependent calcium channel blockers. It is anticipated that optoelectronic microplates will be compatible with existing cell culture protocols and imaging instrumentation.
Errata
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Natural Cuts, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Development of a Process to Extend the Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables at Ambient Temperature
Contact
409 College Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14850–4694
NSF Award
1819600 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,387
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this STTR Phase I project is a sustainable fruit and vegetable processing technology utilizing a new, low temperature technique that can extend the shelf life of pre-cut fruits and vegetables by months without using preservatives, chemicals, freezing, or refrigeration. The technology would enable: all-natural, shelf stable fruit and vegetable products that retain maximum nutritional value, texture, and taste. With significant percentages of the total US national energy budget used for food-related energy, and high fresh produce loss in the developed countries due to insufficient refrigeration, achieving shelf life extension without cold storage or preservatives could drastically reduce energy costs, increase efficiency, and expand access to nutrition globally. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop, validate, and build-upon initial research to evaluate the feasibility and scope of a novel food processing technology. Traditional processing methodologies have fundamental drawbacks. High temperature treatments degrade nutritional quality while altering texture and taste of end-products. Freezing negatively affects the reconstitution properties of fruits and vegetables, and requires high energy consumption throughout the food system to maintain the cold chain. HPP (high pressure processing) has limitations on the enzymes it can inactivate, and chemical alterations from high pressure treatment negatively affects texture and taste. This research proposal will use validation studies to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of the novel processing technique to a variety of fruits and vegetables. Successful experimentation will prove that the application of dense phase gas at low temperatures can overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, achieving enzymatic inactivation, destruction of the spores, improved reconstitution properties, lower energy requirements, and minimal deterioration of taste, texture, and nutritional quality. Such a result would actuate follow-on development work to validate that, at commercial scale, the new process technology improves upon the operational costs of traditional methodologies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Neocis Inc
SBIR Phase I: Hybrid Mechanical-Optical Patient Tracking for Robotic Surgery
Contact
2800 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33137–4528
NSF Award
1721384 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to innovate a novel patient tracking system, which will improve robotic surgery usability in an intra-operative environment. Robotic surgery is becoming ubiquitous across various medical procedures, and data continues to show improved clinical results. However, usability challenges impede broader adoption. This project will combine multiple tracking modalities, including mechanical and optical tracking, to create a hybrid tracking technology that allows for the advantages of each modality. This will optimize patient range of motion while minimizing line-of-sight challenges. This patient tracking technology can be used in conjunction with an existing robotic surgery system for dental implant procedures, which comprise a significant market opportunity. Dental implants are the standard of care for tooth replacement, and the dental implant market in the US is over $1 billion and growing nearly 8% per year with more than 14 million implants being placed annually worldwide. This technique can be used not only to revolutionize dental implant surgery, where the system is currently applied, but also to potentially create opportunities in other cranial procedures, which are otherwise burdened by invasive, cumbersome tracking technologies that impede intra-operative usability. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of the first hybrid patient tracking device that combines mechanical and optical tracking methods. Optical tracking systems require that cameras have direct line-of-sight to several tracked markers in the surgical field, which poses a significant challenge to the surgeon and assistants that have to carefully avoid blocking the camera's field-of-view. Mechanical tracking systems limit a patient's range of motion and can be bulky. The success of this project will lead to the development of a robotic surgery system for dental implant procedures that encompasses: 1) pre-operative CT-based planning software, 2) a visual guidance system that provides on-screen graphics like a GPS system, 3) a hybrid optical and mechanical tracking system that monitors the patient position, and 4) a robot arm that physically grasps the drill at the same time as the surgeon in order to provide haptic feedback, constraining the surgeon to match the planned osteotomy. This system enables minimally invasive, flapless surgery that is shown to result in less pain for the patient and faster surgery. It is designed to be easy to use and seamlessly integrate into the surgeon's workflow.
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Neptune Fluid Flow Systems LLC
SBIR Phase I: CryoPREP-EM: Time-Resolved Sample Preparation for Single-Particle Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM)
Contact
2094 Yale Street
Palo Alto, CA 94306–1422
NSF Award
1820414 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will evaluate the technical feasibility and commercial viability of a novel sample preparation method for cryo-EM (cryogenic electron microscopy) studies. As a rapidly growing technique in the structural biology field, the cryo-EM market as a whole is estimated to be more than $5 billion a year, with > $500 million attributed to the sample preparation space. In spite of an overall revenue growth rate of more than 70% per year, cryo-EM sample preparation remains an area that has yet to see any major technological breakthroughs commercialized in the past decade. In fact, the current industry solution is reported to have a failure rate of > 95%. By providing a sample preparation system that actually works, this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will significantly reshape the massive and rapidly expanding cryo-EM market and allow scientists to more readily collect detailed protein structures in their native state. This new knowledge on the molecular basis of cells and of life itself will be used to facilitate as well as accelerate the development of new pharmaceuticals as well as therapeutic treatments for diseases and thus greatly benefit human health in the long run. The intellectual merit of this project is the development of a cryo-EM sample preparation device built on the application of state-of-the-art microfluidic jet systems to deposit and vitrify protein solution on EM grids in milliseconds, which is at least 1000x faster than the current methods. Furthermore, it offers scientists the novel ability to control the thickness of the vitrified aqueous layer and, overall, more control over the sample vitrification process. With this new sample preparation device, a larger region of the cryo-EM grids will have intact protein molecules with the right layer thickness for structural determination, allowing researchers to save time and money in terms of both grid preparation and screening in a high-throughput manner. Currently, the proposed technology has not been tested nor used anywhere. Therefore, the first and foremost goal of this SBIR Phase I project is to better understand and well characterize the technical capabilities and limitations of this proposed innovation, with additional R&D work needed before product commercialization, which is expected in five years. The project will focus on defining and optimizing both the geometric and experimental setup in order to de-risk the technology. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Neurable Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A Hybrid Brain-Computer Interface for Virtual and Augmented Reality
Contact
25 1st Street
Cambridge, MA 02141–1802
NSF Award
1746232 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,915
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the need for non-invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and hands-free control of technologies, including artificial and virtual reality (AR/VR) and smart devices. The proposed multi-purposed BCI is expected to have immediate applications for several industries, including manufacturing and medicine. Currently, existing systems are either too expensive or limited for real-time control. The proposed BCI is specifically designed for 3 dimensional environments, and is intended to leverage multiple ('hybrid') signals from the human body to allow increased performance using affordable hardware. It is also designed for and expected to allow AR/VR control, which can enable productivity applications, as well as model BCI use in real-world scenarios. The long term goal is to enable users to scroll menus, select objects, and even type using their brain activity. The platform uses the existing form-factor of AR/VR headsets to incorporate brain-sensing electrodes, and will be compatible with popular devices, independently or in parallel with their existing controllers. The electrodes are designed to be safe, non-invasive, and dry (requiring conductive gel or saline). The high-risk, high-reward research to be conducted under this project will significantly advance the applications of BCI systems in general, with an emphasis on AR/VR technologies. The proposed project concerns a novel hybrid BCI by combining oculomotor and electroencephalography (EEG) signals via a custom machine learning platform. BCIs detect and interpret neural signals enabling control over a variety of technologies. However, current BCIs remain extremely limited in their applicability. They either require expensive equipment, invasive surgery, or have too low performance when using affordable noninvasive hardware. This BCI aims to provide real-time control in 3-dimensional scenarios, (e.g., AR/VR/real-world smart devices), while using affordable hardware. This SBIR Phase I project seeks to combine three distinct innovations: high-performance EEG signal analysis, high-speed eye movement classification, and custom multi-signal ensemble classification techniques. Specifically, the project seeks to use a custom machine learning and artificial intelligence approach informed by physiology to combine oculomotor and EEG signals to specifically enable3D AR/VR control. The ultimate goal is to develop a high performance BCI system that affords flexible user control across hardware, software, and mobile applications.
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NeuroFlow, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Implementation of a Biometric Data Software Platform to Augment Mental Health Treatment
Contact
1635 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19103–1095
NSF Award
1820209 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,510
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is to improve outcomes and decrease costs in the mental health space by engaging patients starting with their first therapy session through objective progress reporting and post-session motivation. Patients and clinicians alike will be able to track and assess treatment progress through self-reported and physiological measures. This innovation builds upon the strong academic, government, and industry partnerships that will advance research and innovation in the field of biotechnology. By demonstrating improved outcomes and decreased costs associated with the utilization of technology, this will pave the way for insurance reimbursement (using existing CPT codes) to accelerate market adoption. Additionally, as education of patients and the public improves regarding mental health and PTSD in particular, the negative stigma surrounding these conditions will decrease and more people in need will seek help rather than resorting to unhealthy behavior or even suicide. This STTR Phase I project proposes to represent an innovative approach that provides easy to interpret results tailored to mental health providers, patients, and other non-technical users. Current mental health treatment and assessment has lacked qualitative, scientifically-based measurement. The need for a scientific measurement is evident, as about 8 percent of all adults - 1 of 13 people in this country will develop PTSD during their lifetime. Currently, 60% of adults diagnosed with a mental illness don't receive mental health treatment; using proven science and physiologic measurements as the foundation for improving treatment and monitoring progress for PTSD can help to alleviate some of the stigma surrounding mental illnesses. This project aims to demonstrate how implementing a web-based platform can improve PTSD treatment by providing physiologically relevant feedback to the patient and by providing a tool for the clinician to tailor the therapy to the individual patient. Patients will have their subjective measures and physiological data visualized throughout treatment on a software platform, with progress being tracked through validated assessment scales. Patients will be compared to others in treatment as usual. Results should yield improved quality of life and decrease long term healthcare costs for those that use the platform. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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NeuroPrex Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A Novel, Protective Shield to Increase Safety and Efficacy of rTMS Depression Treatment
Contact
2040 Martin Ave
Santa Clara, CA 95050–2702
NSF Award
1820005 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,925
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to make non-pharmacological treatment of depression accessible to all patients. According to the World Health Organization, 350 million individuals are affected by depression. In the United States, depression affects 16 million people and it costs $210 billion a year in lost productivity and care for the illnesses related to the disease. Antidepressant drugs are coupled with negative side effects and they are ineffective in 30% of the cases. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is an FDA approved non-invasive method for depression therapy that consists in the administration of short electromagnetic pulses on patient?s scalp to stimulate regions of the brain involved in mood control. This SBIR Phase I project will help the generation of a new rTMS system that will improve outcomes of depression treatment by stimulating deeper brain cells and reducing the incidence of pain and discomfort associated with current rTMS therapy. The new device will allow broad distribution of rTMS based therapy for both professional clinicians and, in the future, home-care settings. It will avoid reliance on drugs to people affected by depression and it will reduce the impact of depression on society. The SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop and demonstrate the efficacy a new wearable rTMS stimulator device. Although rTMS has a 75% success ratio on depressed patients, 40% of subjects report pain, headaches and discomfort during therapy with current rTMS systems, resulting in a high dropout rate. This is mainly due to poor localization of electromagnetic pulses with commercially available rTMS devices. The new system will combine a new technology that stimulates the brain?s deepest regions involved in depression with unprecedented precision and a new protective shield designed to ward off unwanted heat away from the head, reducing scalp pain and discomfort. The project will develop and validate the efficacy of these components and their integration into a wearable helmet. The project will also demonstrate the superiority of the new device over current gold standard rTMS solutions. The company expects that this research will lead to the generation of a new device capable of treating depression patients through precise stimulation reducing over 40% the unwanted heat, thereby preventing headache and scalp discomfort. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Neurologic, LLC
SBIR Phase I: A Novel Analytical Tool to Localize the Epileptogenic Zone in Medically-Refractory Epilepsy
Contact
6510 CHESTERFIELD AVE
Mc Lean, VA 22101–5229
NSF Award
1819793 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project entails the development of an EEG analysis software application that identifies the epileptogenic zone (EZ - where seizures start in brain) in medically refractory epilepsy (MRE) patients. Over 1 million people in the US have MRE, meaning that they do not respond to medication. MRE patients are frequently hospitalized, burdened by epilepsy-related disabilities, and contribute to 80% of the $16 billion dollars spent annually in the US treating epilepsy patients. There are 2 treatments: (i) surgical removal of the EZ, and (ii) neurostimulation, where the EZ is electrically stimulated to suppress seizures. Successful outcomes depend critically on accurately identifying the EZ from invasive EEG recordings, which is a long costly process, leading to grim outcomes where 30%-70% of treated patients continue to have seizures. There has thus been an intensive search for an accurate data analytics tool to reduce time, risks and costs of invasive monitoring. This project involves further development of such a tool that generates visual "heat" maps from EEG data. The tool, grounded in dynamical systems theory and neuroengineering, has been validated with data from 20 patients, achieving 95% accuracy in predicting surgical outcomes. Reducing monitoring time reduces the risk of infection from the brain being exposed, and reduces hospital costs associated with lengthy stays and clinical staff reviewing data. By providing more accurate definition of the EZ, the tool will also enable use of a precise and entirely new laser ablation procedure that makes tiny lesions in targeted structures as opposed to removing large portions of the brain. If successful, the tool will be closer to commercialization under a sustainable business model. Major EEG vendors and medical device companies are looking for accurate software applications in epilepsy treatment to enhance their product suites, and will be very interested in licensing the tool. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project involves development of a cutting-edge EEG tool that uses dynamic network modeling and a highly innovative and patented theory of "fragility" of nodes in a dynamic network to localize the EZ from invasive EEG recordings, taking into account the extensive interconnection of neurons in the brain. The more "fragile" an EEG channel, the more likely it is in the EZ. Project aims are to (i) validate the tool on a large patient cohort, using invasive EEG data before, during and after seizure events; (i) test the tool?s efficacy using noninvasive scalp EEG recordings and (iii) design the user-interface and integrate this application into the existing clinical workflow to facilitate prospective studies. These milestones will minimize key risks in bringing this innovation to market, which are adoption, perceived liability, regulatory approval and reimbursement. Adoption risk will be mitigated if the tool is accurate, quick and easy-to-use, requiring essentially the push of a button to receive fragility maps. Accuracy risk will be mitigated if our completed retrospective study, including refinement of network models, shows comparable performance to our preliminary data. The quick and easy-to-use risks will be mitigated with the development of an intuitive interface that importantly integrates with the existing EEG data acquisition and visualization tools. Regulatory risk is low as a predicate device exists. Perceived liability of the tool in mis-diagnosis is a low risk as the tool is not intended to replace the clinician's analysis, but rather it provides an enhanced visualization of the EEG data (as demonstrated in our retrospective study) already being collected and analyzed in the clinical workflow. Finally, reimbursement risks will be mitigated if accurate identification of the EZ using the tool has the potential to significantly reduce or even eliminate the focal MRE segment reducing epilepsy-related costs by $6 billion/year. Consequently, healthcare and insurance providers will have a strong incentive to pay for, or reimburse epilepsy clinics for the tool. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Neurovascular Diagnostics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A Blood-Based Test to Identitfy Patients with Intracranial Aneurysm
Contact
8210 Golden Oak Cir
Buffalo, NY 14221–8504
NSF Award
1746694 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,032
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project aims to develop a novel blood diagnostic to detect unruptured intracranial aneurysms (IA) in asymptomatic patients. About 2-5% of the U.S. population (about 6-17 million Americans) have an unruptured IA, and these individuals are largely asymptomatic and thus unaware of the potential danger they are in. Currently, no good screening tools to identify patients with unruptured IAs exist. As a result, about 30,000 Americans suffer IA rupture each year without warning, 10-15% of whom die on the way to the hospital and another 30-40% of whom die within a month. The diagnostic screening technology developed in this project will identify people who have unruptured IAs, thus enabling patients to be monitored and receive preventative treatment, which can drastically reduce the rate of rupture. In addition to the health benefits of this non-invasive test, it will also result in massive savings for the healthcare system. The estimated lifetime healthcare costs for annual cases of patients with ruptured IA is about $3 billion, and more than $885 million for patients with unruptured IAs. Plus, the annual lost wages of surviving ruptured IA patients and their caretakers combined is an estimated $138 million. This project aims to develop a molecular diagnostic to detect biomarkers of unruptured aneurysms using the transcriptomes of circulating neutrophils. Preliminary results have shown that circulating neutrophils isolated from blood samples could be used to predict unruptured IA presence with 80% accuracy. This Phase I project will increase the sample size of the previous discovery and validation cohorts to give more confidence in the discovered biomarkers as well as increase the accuracy of the proposed diagnostic. Transcriptomes of neutrophil RNA from patients with and without aneurysms will be obtained through next-generation sequencing. The transcriptome data will be used to further develop biomarker models by employing a machine learning pipeline that uses supervised learning combined with 10-fold cross-validation to prevent over-fitting. The created biomarker models will be validated using neutrophil RNA expression from an independent cohort of patients. Predictive accuracy of 90% with an AUC greater than 0.80 will be used to measure success. Furthermore, to established feasibility of assessing the biomarkers via an inexpensive test, differential expression of biomarker genes will be tested using RT-qPCR, a cheaper, more facile technique than RNA sequencing.
Errata
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Nikira Labs Inc.
STTR Phase I: Development and Validation of Low-Cost Natural Gas Leak Detection Sensors and Analytics for Drone-Based and Handheld Deployments
Contact
1931 Old Middlefield Road
Mountain View, CA 94043–2578
NSF Award
1745840 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,348
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the rapid, cost-effective detection of natural gas leakage to improve public safety, mitigate global climate change, and decrease product loss. Natural gas is the largest provider of power in the United States. However, more than 80 Tg of leakage occurs at well pads and pipelines during production alone. Such leakage poses a public health risk, with 1300 significant incidents reported from 1997 ? 2016, resulting in 50 fatalities, 180 injuries, and $2B in costs. Additionally, methane is a greenhouse gas with a warming potential that is 84 times higher than CO2. In 2015, natural gas leakage accounted for 198 million tons of CO2 equivalents, corresponding to a carbon tax value of more than $2B. Finally, energy companies want to reduce leakage to avoid product loss, with 80 Tg of methane having a value of $12B. This project will directly impact the aforementioned areas by improving the efficiencies and costs associated with natural gas leak detection. With over 2.2 million miles of local utility gas distribution pipelines 1.2 million well pads in the U.S. alone, the commercial prospects for an improved natural gas leak detection system are very promising with expected revenues exceeding $70M. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will involve the development of a comprehensive natural gas leakage detection solution that integrates compact, low-cost sensors with state-of-the-art analytics. The solution, which can be used in drone-based and handheld monitoring, will enable energy providers to detect natural gas leakage from well pads and pipelines. In Phase I, technical feasibility will be demonstrated by the development of a lightweight gas sensor based on incoherent, cavity-enhanced spectrometry and a natural gas camera based on filtered infrared imaging. These sensors will be integrated with global positioning system, wind speed/direction, and data analytics platform. The Phase I solution will be laboratory tested to characterize its analytical performance, before undergoing field testing on controlled natural gas leaks. In Phase II, the sensor hardware, electronics, and firmware will be refined to meet the stringent size, weight, power, and environmental constraints of drone-based and handheld deployment. Likewise, the analytics platform will be refined to incorporate the STTR sensors, interpret the infrared camera data, and provide comprehensive leak detection reports. The Phase II prototypes will be field tested under real-world conditions with a variety of potential customers for both well pad monitoring and pipeline distribution system monitoring.
Errata
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Nucleos Incorporated
SBIR Phase I: An E-Learning Program for High School Equivalency (GED) and Remedial Education for Prisoners
Contact
3912 Portola Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95062–2048
NSF Award
1821213 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,999
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project addresses the pressing need for providing incarcerated youth and adults with continual systematic and secure personal education and training opportunities, giving inmates the skills they need to productively re-enter society. It will also reduce recidivism rates, and increase their confidence and the potential for contributing to local communities. Every year, more than 700,000 state and federal prisoners are released back into their communities, often with no greater skills than when they went in. The majority of prisoners lack basic high school degrees. The goal of the project is to provide the most effective, secure and flexible offline e-Learning applications for acquiring high school equivalency, the area of greatest need, within the constraints of the prison environment; covering both instructor-led and self-directed learning sessions. At the completion of Phase I, correctional facilities will have an opportunity to utilize a secure, easy-to-administer, offline e-Learning solution for the General Education Development (GED) or for any other education and training in a digital format. A wealth of high-quality instructional programs will be incorporated into the platform that will ultimately lead to a high school equivalency diploma, and additional support to address technical and vocational skills. The Phase I project innovation is centered around the delivery of a single, highly-flexible, secure learning management platform, where multiple applications can be stored on a single server. It will provide the General Education Development (GED) content and will be expandable to incorporate additional e-Learning applications including those that can address recidivism. The adaptable learning management platform will automate the provisioning and installation of these GED and non-GED educational applications on private servers, either on-site at the correctional facility or on off-site private server networks. Different sets of content would be automatically customized for each prison, with no outside Internet connectivity required. Another key innovation will be the ability to have the e-Learning system follow the inmate as they are moved. They will always have access to their specific content and progress status as their data will be centrally-hosted on the fully secured prison servers. Their individual records can be confirmed and reviewed for parole evaluations. By providing uniform student analytics and continuous monitoring of learning outcomes with different content and educational application vendors, the system will advance the capability of offline learning to be a data-driven endeavor and will deliver a personalized experience comparable to systems in civilian life. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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O2M Technologies, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Robust Bench-Top Oxygen Imager for Tissue Graft Viability Assessment
Contact
2242 W Harrison St, Ste 201-18
Chicago, IL 60612–3738
NSF Award
1819583 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will address a problem of poor oxygen delivery to the core of artificial tissues by providing reliable means of three-dimensional oxygen mapping in vitro and in vivo. The field of tissue engineering regenerative medicine combines the principles of the life sciences, cell biology, and engineering to create functional tissues and organs that can be used for replacing damaged tissues and organs. The public health benefit of replacing damaged tissues and organs is at par with curing cancer. Almost every part of the human body has been considered for replacement. Tissue engineering strives to solve arthritis, Type I diabetes, stroke, vascular diseases, liver and kidney damages, and many other medical problems by replacing or restoring damaged tissues or organs with artificial functional tissues. This project will address the problem of poor oxygen transport in artificial tissue grafts, which is one of the major causes of tissue failure, by developing an oxygen imaging instrument to generate three-dimensional in situ oxygen maps. This instrument will allow scientists to assess oxygen environment over the time of graft production and upon implantation and develop better artificial tissues. The oxygen imager uses cutting-edge radiofrequency and magnet technology and will help create high-tech jobs in the Midwest. The oxygen imager will be based on the innovative noninvasive electron paramagnetic resonance oxygen imaging (EPROI) technology. EPROI uses an injectable water-soluble, non-toxic contrast agent, trityl that has oxygen-dependent relaxation rates. EPROI provides absolute partial oxygen pressure (pO2) maps with high accuracy (~ 1 torr) within 1-10 minutes. The oxygen imager will be equipped with a 25 mT magnet and ~720 MHz electronics suitable for in vitro and small animal in vivo oxygen imaging. The instrument will have user-friendly software for image acquisition, image registration, data processing and analysis. This project will develop the magnet with the top loading of samples along with temperature and gas controlled bioreactor sample chamber for in vitro oxygen mapping of artificial tissues. The robustness and performance of the imager will be tested by acquiring oxygen maps of cell-seeded biomaterials. It is expected that the oxygen imager will become an essential tool in tissue engineering labs of academic institutions and biotech companies and will have a major impact on the successful development of regenerative medicine therapies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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ONECYTE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC.
SBIR Phase I: A High Throughput Microfluidics Platform to Measure Secretion from Single Cells
Contact
99 North St
Somerville, MA 02144–1129
NSF Award
1819932 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop single cell analysis technology to provide insight into cellular mechanisms, which has the potential to transform drug development and manufacturing. Single-cell analysis, or the ability to decipher cell-to-cell heterogeneity, is a limiting factor in biotechnology and clinical applications. This project aims to further develop a transformative platform technology for integrated single-cell analysis capable of addressing existing challenges with the current state-of-the-art. The platform will potentially shift the paradigm of drug development and manufacturing, enabling quick iteration and evaluation of new therapeutic compounds. This approach could significantly reduce the time and cost to bring new drugs to market and reduce the overall cost of treating patients, which is a substantial benefit to society. Beyond this initial application, this single-cell analysis platform could become a readily implemented research tool, enhancing our basic understanding of biology, facilitate engineering of cell function, as well as evaluating safety and efficacy of new drugs and treatments. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a robust and cost effective commercial prototype technology platform for integrated single-cell analysis. A key feature of the platform technology is the unprecedented sensitivity in measuring quantitatively secreted molecules from single cells. This is achieved by incubating single cells in extremely small volumes, and enabling analytics on an unprecedented scale in these microscopic bioreactors. The proposed work will lead to the development of a consumable prototype microfluidic chip, enabling quick and resource efficient adaptation of the platform to the marketplace. The proposed prototype will be validated through relevant studies, addressing a confirmed market need in cell line development. Commercial adaptation of this prototype will potentially provide deep insight into biological and physiological processes on a single-cell level, and transform drug development and manufacturing, therapeutic treatment, as well as clinical diagnostics. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Obsidian Advanced Manufacturing LLC
SBIR Phase I: Integrated Additive Manufacturing
Contact
900 Grand Ave, Suite A
New Haven, CT 06511–4973
NSF Award
1745845 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop a new approach for Additive Manufacturing (AM) of objects made from ceramics, metals, and polymers. Developed a generation ago, AM had the potential to transform the design and manufacture of products. However, legacy AM approaches have failed primarily because of the high cost of inputs, and because output lacks precision, quality and durability. Our proposed approach has broad industry potential. The broader societal impact is to change the entire competitive stance of US manufacturing by revolutionizing industrial design and enhancing local manufacturing. This project has the potential to advance science and the prosperity of US manufacturing industries. Its commercial impact may span industries from product design to aerospace, space, defense, and human health. This SBIR Phase I project will demonstrate the integrated production of objects made from ceramics, metals, and polymers additively at room temperature from stock inputs such as rods and discs. Over 95% of metallic AM output today uses metallic powders as inputs. These inputs are costly, explosive, and harmful to human health if ingested. Furthermore, current AM output suffers from imprecision, poor quality, inconsistency, and lack of durability. Additionally, legacy Metallic AM platforms are large, expensive, operate at high temperatures, and are isolated from the engineers who rely on them. The key objectives of this project are (1) to demonstrate the feasibility of a room-temperature fabrication approach and (2) to achieve several crucial milestones involving the precision of location, thickness, strength, uniformity and reliability of AM output.
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Octet Scientific, LLC
STTR Phase I: Organic Additives to Improve Performance in Zinc-Air Batteries
Contact
4 Foxwood Ln
Pepper Pike, OH 44124–5249
NSF Award
1746210 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This STTR Phase I project will remove the most critical roadblock to making long-lasting batteries from safe and economical zinc and air. Zinc is plentiful in the U.S. and zinc-air batteries have the potential to hold more than five times the energy of current lithium-ion batteries, but a key challenge for making rechargeable zinc-air batteries is that the zinc inside the battery naturally forms sharp needles called dendrites during recharging. Over time these dendrites can grow large enough to damage the inner workings of the battery, reducing efficiency and lifetime. This project will borrow principles from an adjacent field, the electroplating industry, to create new organic chemicals that will seek out and stop dendrite growth within the battery during recharging. Chemical additives have a long history in electroplating for controlling the shape of metal surfaces, and the same principles can apply to additives designed here to control zinc growth during battery recharging. This new technology will make zinc-air batteries cheaper and longer-lasting to eventually replace existing battery technologies, enabling longer-distance electric vehicles, reducing equipment weight for soldiers, contributing a valuable technology to the economy, and helping to maintain the role of the U.S. as a leader in energy storage technology. This STTR Phase I project will identify the critical chemistry necessary to elegantly and economically suppress zinc dendrite formation, alleviating one of the most significant challenges complicating the full commercial emergence of Zn-Air battery technology. Eschewing the established tactic of applying existing chemicals from the catalog, this project will take inspiration from the PI?s experience designing additives for similar environments in the electroplating industry to introduce novel proprietary organic chemistry addressing the dendrite bottleneck directly. The key technical challenge will be to optimize the molecular features to simultaneously provide efficient dendrite suppression and low voltage loss. A broad series of molecules will be created to combine strong interactions with zinc, modest polarization, low cost and straightforward scalability. Evaluating and iterating upon these candidates in bench-scale electrochemical analyses and performance tests in coin and pouch cell batteries will yield a dendrite-suppressing product to bring significant value to Zn-Air technology and other Zn-based battery markets. At its successful conclusion, this project will not only produce products for these markets, but it will also provide molecular design principles useful for the development of other metal-based battery additives, and promote the merits of novel additive development for the broader battery industry.
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OmnEcoil Instruments, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Combined endorectal prostatic Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Biopsy Device to Enable Single Combined Procedures
Contact
2936 Lakeview Blvd
Lake Oswego, OR 97035–3648
NSF Award
1747319 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,996
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve the care of men with suspected prostate cancer, by providing the benefits of tumor localization within the prostate by state of the art endorectal multiparametric MRI combined with the benefits of precision biopsy using MRI-targeted needle sampling as a single patient-convenient procedure. The current standard approach to prostate cancer, transrectal ultrasound guided systematic biopsy, requires 12 needle samples from standard locations in the prostate with the hope of hitting any cancer that might be present. This option is essentially playing a game of battleships with the prostate, and is, unsurprisingly, inaccurate with high rates of underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis. Many patients require repeated biopsy because of these inaccuracies. By way of contrast, it is inconceivable that breast cancer would be diagnosed by placing twelve needles at standard locations in the breast, yet this has been the longstanding 'state-of-the-art' for prostate cancer. With approximately one million prostate biopsies are performed annually in the U.S., the market and clinical need is large and of major socioeconomic importance. The proposed project will preliminarily determine the technical and commercial feasibility of combining an endorectal MRI coil with a transrectal multichannel array of biopsy needle guides into a single device that would provide the ability to perform MRI for diagnosis and targeted needle placement as a single integrated procedure. Such a device could transform the current paradigm for prostate cancer diagnosis, providing greater precision, personalization, and patient convenience. To determine technical feasibility, the project plan is to fabricate and 3D print a proof-of-concept device for initial simulation experiments and selection of the final coil configuration, evaluate imaging performance of the device coil by measuring signal to noise ratio on standard MR images in a human male pelvic phantom and evaluate the fidelity of needle deployment by measurement of linear deviation between actual and intended needle positioning in a phantom in transverse and longitudinal directions. At all stages, continuous design and engineering modifications will be made to ensure satisfactory technical performance.
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OmnniVis LLC
SBIR Phase I: A Rapid Portable Biosensor for Field Detection of Vibrio Cholerae in Environmental Water Sources
Contact
2042 Malibu Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47906–5306
NSF Award
1819970 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is an inexpensive handheld smartphone device for rapid detection of the toxigenic cholera pathogen in environmental water sources. Contaminated water sources place populations at risk for contracting cholera. Once contracting the disease, patients with cholera exhibit symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration and, if left untreated, ultimately death. Wide-scale cholera outbreaks devastated Haiti in 2010 and Yemen in 2017, affecting over one million total individuals. Currently, methods used to detect the cholera pathogen in water involves a 3 to 5-day water collection and cell culture procedure. This project proposes a portable smartphone platform used to detect the cholera pathogen, Vibrio cholerae, in under 30 minutes at the water source. Smartphone connectivity, will also enable geomapped and time-stamped detection results. This novel and proactive approach for detection can enable organizations to remediate water sources prior to communities contracting and spreading cholera. Downstream, this technology will save the time and costs currently associated with cholera outbreaks and can be expanded to other infectious diseases. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a rapid, cost-effective, and robust smartphone platform to detect Vibrio cholerae and automate the detection result at an environmental water source. The device performs isothermal DNA amplification assay combined with the novel sensing approach, particle diffusometry. This project proposes to characterize the specificity, sensitivity, and lower limit of detection of Vibrio cholerae detection on the smartphone platform. The detection results will be compared against current gold-standard quantitative DNA amplification methods. Further, a reagent storage method involving freeze drying will be used to eliminate the need for cold-chain storage. We will assess the long-term stability of our assay reagents through accelerated aging studies. Lastly, a low powered integrated heating unit will be designed to perform the isothermal DNA amplification assays in the handheld device. At the completion of this Phase I project, an integrated smartphone platform will be ready for field testing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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OncoSolutions LLC
SBIR Phase I: 3D Tumor Model Microtechnology for High Throughput Drug Screening
Contact
526 S Main St Suite 1001
Akron, OH 44311–4401
NSF Award
1819594 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop a drug discovery platform for preclinical cancer drug testing using a 3D tumor model technology. The technology is designed to reduce time and costs associated with the high failure rate (~95%) of cancer drugs by increasing the likelihood that candidate drugs advancing to animal studies will be effective. The robotic technology will provide a biologically relevant tumor model to test libraries of cancer drugs in the preclinical stage, and replace currently used 2D cancer cell models. This project aims to scale up the 3D tumor model technology to accommodate large drug libraries tested in the pharmaceutical industry, and verify that it meets industry standards and customer needs. The technology will expedite the introduction of effective cancer drugs into the market for patient use, and help reduce the more than half a million of lives that cancer claims annually. The proposed work will significantly facilitate the introduction of the technology into the market as a preclinical cancer drug screening tool by demonstrating its competitive advantages and capabilities to improve cancer drug discovery efforts. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop and validate a 3D tumor model technology for high-throughput cancer drug screening in the pharmaceutical industry. Despite widespread interest in 3D cancer cell cultures, existing methods are not currently used in the industry due to their many disadvantages. The proposed technology provides a robust, high-throughput, and cost-effective approach to generate 3D cancer cell cultures for rapid drug screening, beyond what is currently available. This work will evaluate quantitatively the reliability and robustness of 3D cancer cell cultures and costs of cancer drug testing while considering competitive techniques. A major goal is to adapt the technology to a 1536-microwell plate format for highly efficient drug screening, which is not currently available on the market, and validate the capabilities of the technology to predict cancer drug responses in animal studies. This work will involve robotic protocol optimization, imaging analysis of 3D cultures for consistency, proof-of-concept cancer drug screening, and statistical evaluation of robustness. It is anticipated that the work will demonstrate the advantageous capacity and speed of the technology for drug testing, industry-level robustness, compatibility with different cancer cell types, ability to predict animal study drug responses, and low cost. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Otzi Bio LLC
SBIR Phase I: Marangoni Processing for the Stabilization of Biologically Active Surfaces
Contact
14281 Richfield
Livonia, MI 48154–4938
NSF Award
1820032 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes development and optimization of a surface tension mediated lyoprocessing technique for long-term storage of biologically active surfaces and other biological materials at ambient or above cryogenic temperatures. Stabilization of temperature sensitive biological materials at ambient temperatures can address significant bottlenecks that prevents economic distribution of pharmaceutically relevant biomolecules worldwide. In addition, the implementation of this technology has the potential to greatly improve global health, particularly in developing regions where many advanced treatments are unavailable as a result of their temperature sensitivity. Overall, this project aims at offering an alternative technology platform to stabilize temperature sensitive biological materials at non-cryogenic temperatures. The intellectual merit of this project lies primarily in the approach used to achieve stable desiccated storage. The project aims at translating a newly developed drystate biopreservation processing methodology into a commercially viable, mechanized, long-term biopreservation technique. The newly developed biopreservation technology provides a way to efficiently process biologically active surfaces containing bioactive components, assay reagents, cells and cellular components, and other biomolecules for long-term stability at non-cryogenic temperatures. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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PI RADIO INC
STTR Phase I: A Fully-Digital Transceiver Design for mmWave Communications
Contact
95 LINDEN BLVD APT 65A
Brooklyn, NY 11226–3291
NSF Award
1821150 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,493
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project covers a myriad of domains including wireless health-care, remote education, supply-chain management, public safety, anti-poverty initiatives, market-places, and entertainment. However, a more immediate work product from this effort is a powerful fully-digital mmWave software defined radio (SDR) platform that will be made available to academic researchers at very affordable rates; this will spur further research and make mmWave testbed experimentation within the reach of lightly-funded academic research groups. The ambitious goal of making this transformative technology the reference design of future mmWave radios represents a massive commercial opportunity which is not limited to the cellular ecosystem (base station, tablets and smartphones), but rather extends to new connected players such as cars, drones, virtual reality (VR) headsets and beyond. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project focuses on the development of millimeter-wave (mmWave) radio technologies for next generation wireless systems. The mmWave frequencies of above 28 GHz are necessary to alleviate the spectrum crunch in the traditional cellular bands, and to make ultra-fast 5th Generation (5G) cellular a reality. However, the uniquely challenging propagation characteristics at these frequencies necessitates the use of transceivers that not only operate over low power budgets, but also deliver the robustness that the cellular ecosystem demands. While existing transceivers allow the radio to look (i.e., transmit or receive) in only one direction or a small number of directions at a time, the proposed transceiver design allows the radio to look in all directions simultaneously. While seemingly simple, this unique ability - combined with a top-down implementation ? will provide enormous benefits to cellular systems at reasonable power budgets. The proposed technology forms the key technological bridge between the theoretical promise of mmWave and actually achieving it in the real world. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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PIPA LLC
SBIR Phase I: A discovery and prediction platform for microbial data
Contact
2030 Rehrmann Dr.
Dixon, CA 95620–2510
NSF Award
1820253 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop a software platform to automate the integration and analysis of large sets of biological data. This project will help lift the barrier that exists in data analysis and experimental planning by providing the latest computational advances in machine learning and bioinformatics. The goal is to create a cohesive data universe for microbial organisms, where each new dataset can be easily integrated, compared, and ultimately leveraged to increase collective knowledge. Such homogenized sets of structured biological data are ideal training sets for predictive models that can accelerate discovery times by transforming the traditional "shot-in-the dark" way of experimentation to guided, well-connected hypotheses, generated from the complete set of data at hand. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to build a software tool for automated hypothesis generation based on biological datasets. First, it will support the design of a novel multi-omics engine that will allow the creation of a cohesive compendium of the omics and interaction universe for microbial organisms. Second, it will lead to the development of predictive modeling tools that will interrogate and transform this data compendium into a semantic web of actionable predictions. Third, it will support the evaluation of novel active learning methodologies for omics data. This project will lead to a software architecture that can put all of these tools under one platform to empower commercial clients as well as the academic community. Once completed, the product will offer an automated, end-to-end environment and decision support engine fueled by the collective knowledge. In that sense, it will be a personalized experience on an ecosystem of pre- and post-processing services for biological data. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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PQSecure Technologies, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Post-Quantum Cryptography in Resource-Constrained Devices
Contact
901 NW 35th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33431–6410
NSF Award
1745882 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to deliver state of the art cryptography and cybersecurity solutions to Internet of Things (IoTs) and embedded device designers, enterprise hardware and software vendors, and government contractors against the attack of classical and quantum computers. It has been widely accepted that quantum computer attacks on today's security are expected to become a reality within the next decade. Some progress towards constructing quantum computers has been made, although no quantum computers with serious computing power have yet been built. Nevertheless, we believe it is prudent to plan ahead for future needs as it normally takes many years to change cryptosystem deployments due to network effects. This project plans to implement quantum-safe solutions which will require the integration of quantum-safe software and/or hardware cryptographic solutions on resource-constrained devices used in embedded systems. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will design, develop, and implement cryptographic algorithms that are suitable for small and resource-constrained devices employing hard and complex mathematical assumptions known to be classical- and quantum-safe. All post-quantum cryptography candidates need to be evaluated in terms of performance while the target applications are resource-constrained devices. Long-term and lightweight security are two main parameters that need to be considered while deploying quantum-safe cryptographic algorithms in these devices. We plan to employ a special class of quantum-safe algorithms based on maps on elliptic curves to achieve the required performance and security. Cryptosystems based on these maps on the elliptic curves are known to provide the smallest possible key sizes and their security level is determined by a simple choice of a single parameter in comparison to the other quantum-safe candidates. The hardware designs are taken through VLSI design flow to realize the integrated circuits that are evaluated for energy/power, area/performance, and security. The project will generate new insights and results about how to be safe and secure in the quantum era. This project will also contribute to the ongoing standardization effort by the US government and other international organizations.
Errata
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PROPER PIPE, INC.
SBIR Phase I: Wireless Leakage Monitoring System for Electrofusion Joints
Contact
One Boston Pl Ste 2600
Boston, MA 02108–4420
NSF Award
1746114 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$220,688
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 10/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is a substantial reduction of leakage in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. HDPE is a type of plastic commonly used for water, oil, and gas distribution pipe systems. Billions of gallons of treated water are lost daily across the US due to leaking pipes, resulting in massive revenue loss, environmental and property damage, and energy waste. Furthermore, millions of metric tons of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, escape every year into the atmosphere through leaking pipes. Most leaks occur at pipe joints and by wirelessly monitoring each joint for leaks, as a part of a smart infrastructure network, major leak reduction can be achieved. The commercial impact of the project is extensive, as smart infrastructure networks are increasingly being implemented and expanded, sensor and wireless communication technology has advanced significantly in recent years, and the rate of piping infrastructure installations, replacements, and repairs are accelerating across the US and globally. The proposed project aims to demonstrate a prototype capable of detecting a leak in electrofusion joints and wirelessly communicate the leak to an external network. Such joint monitoring system is highly desirable as pipe leaks can go undetected for an extended period of time. Moreover, once detected, leaks can be difficult and expensive to locate, especially as pipes are commonly buried underground or situated at hard-to-reach or remote locations. The challenge that comes with this is to provide a reliable local power source for the sensing unit that can be on standby for up to 50 years. A second challenge is to generate a signal, powered by the local power source, that can be transmitted to the surface and notify a leak to an external signal receiver. A water-activated battery combined with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transmitter will be developed for this purpose. RFID technology is extensively used in a broad range of industries due to its low-cost and good reliability . This technology is, therefore, an excellent candidate for providing an affordable joint leak detection system.
Errata
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PSYONIC, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Development and Evaluation of a Robust, Compliant, Sensorized Prosthetic Hand
Contact
60 Hazelwood Dr
Champaign, IL 61820–7460
NSF Award
1745999 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will primarily benefit the 11.4 million people with hand amputations worldwide. By making and selling a prosthetic hand at a price lower than competing devices, the proposed prosthetic hand is expected to be more affordable for people with upper limb amputations. Increasing robustness by incorporating compliant materials should allow patients to use their hands longer without worry of damage. By incorporating pressure sensors, the team expects to enable patients to precisely manipulate many different types of objects. Two former war veterans with amputations have already been enabled with early versions of the proposed technology. Through the low cost of the device and the advanced features unique to the hand, the goal of this project is to help the millions of hand amputees worldwide to regain independence and confidence in their lives through innovative prosthetic devices. The proposed project involves development and evaluation of an affordable, robust myoelectric prosthetic hand that provides natural, compliant grasps with pressure feedback to users. Making the hand compliant will require the use of soft, compliant materials not used in currently available commercial prosthetic devices. The design and materials used in the hand must be robust enough to last at least two years of daily usage. Finally, sensorizing the hand will require placing pressure sensors and electronics in the fingers that also need to withstand impacts. Feasibility will be established through the performance of each design iteration in accelerated life tests (150,000 flex/extend cycles) and human subject experiments (performance after activities of daily living and motor control tasks). The capabilities of the Phase I prototype will be extended in Phase II for delivery of a complete myoelectric prosthetic hand system that is ready for clinicians to use with patients.
Errata
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Packetized Energy Technologies, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Distributed and Scalable Coordination of Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Storage Systems
Contact
1 Mill St #110
Burlington, VT 05401–1530
NSF Award
1722008 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the development and validation of technologies that enable electric energy systems to operate reliably and affordably with very large amounts of renewable energy. Clean, reliable and affordable electricity is vital to modern society. However the variability of wind and solar generation can lead to catastrophic grid reliability problems if real-time demand does not match the supply. This project will develop and demonstrate a system to manage distributed (e.g., rooftop) solar photovoltaic systems operating with and without local electrical energy storage (i.e., batteries) in a way that extracts the most value for the customer, while simultaneously improving the reliability of the electricity infrastructure. The project will leverage algorithms inspired by those used by millions of devices to send data over the Internet. Like Internet data, energy will be delivered in discrete energy packets. These packets are coordinated independently, anonymously, and fairly to simultaneously solve real-world grid problems and provide value to end-users. The result of this project will be an integrated software-as-a-service and hardware solution in which customers gain incentives for participating and electricity industry members realize savings by reducing infrastructure needs, such as additional fossil fuel generation. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will enable the decentralized, randomized, and bottom-up coordination of two- and four-quadrant power-electronic inverters attached to solar photovoltaic and electric battery storage systems. In contrast to competing, centralized, top-down scheduling approaches, the proposed technology enables inverters to regulate both active and reactive power output according to an automaton that undergoes probabilistic state-transitions based on both real-time local measurements and communication with an aggregator. By incorporating local measurements, the method ensures that the energy needs of the end-use consumer are met while providing flexibility to a load aggregator or electric utility. This flexibility will enable distribution utilities to manage feeder power flows, losses, and voltage constraints. The probabilistic nature of the coordination prevents harmful synchronization effects, such as oscillations, while maintaining privacy of end-consumers through anonymous interactions akin to how data packets are routed on the Internet. Upon completion of the project, a commercially viable, human-friendly software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology will be demonstrated that implements this decentralized approach to coordinate distributed inverters in a manner that is compatible with modern grid operations.
Errata
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PathoVax
SBIR Phase I: Anti-Tumor Immune Redirectors (AIRs) for cancer treatment
Contact
1812 ashland avenue
Baltimore, MD 21205–1506
NSF Award
1746588 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop a new class of cancer therapeutics that involves the re-directing of the body's pre-existing immune response obtained through previous childhood vaccination to target tumor cells for cancer eradication. Globally, cancer continues to be a top 5 leading cause of death resulting in a high unmet need for novel therapies and treatments. Immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs have emerged as a potent solution with demonstrated clinical benefits. However, such treatments are expensive and toxic, and up to 70% of cancer patients do not respond to such drugs due to the absence of an anti-tumor response. In contrast, the proposed strategy tailors the patient's tumor to become susceptible towards their own pre-existing childhood vaccine immunity. This approach will change treatment outcomes for many cancer patients previously un-targetable by current immuno-therapeutic drugs. This also circumvents the risky and costly R&D challenges in identifying and/or producing potent immune responses against cancer. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a platform technology to mobilize immunity generated from childhood vaccines and re-direct this activity towards tumors to eradicate cancer. This will be done via two development aims. The first aim will demonstrate the ability of the proposed technology to mobilize existing childhood vaccine responses from mice (with relevant human genetics) vaccinated with childhood vaccines (MMR, HepB, Chickpox vaccines). The second aim will be to test whether cancers with known metastasis challenges, such as ovarian and breast cancer, may be eradicated. Specifically, mice will be vaccinated with an appropriate childhood vaccine, then injected with relevant syngeneic tumors. Once the tumor is established, the proposed therapeutic will be injected to see if it can induce pre-existing immunity developed from the childhood vaccine and redirected towards the tumor. Therapeutic effect will be assessed based on the number of metastases and tumor weight/volume. If successful, this platform will provide both tumor specificity and broad applicability to a wide variety of cancers.
Errata
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Pearl Street Technologies, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Cloud-Based Electric Power Grid Simulation Software With Equivalent Circuit Methods
Contact
6392 Melissa Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206–4703
NSF Award
1819399 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,956
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to enable a safer, more reliable, and more efficient electric power grid. The power grid is critical infrastructure on which all of America's economic sectors depend, and so its reliability and stability is of the utmost importance. The technology being developed is the ideal modeling and simulation platform to analyze and predict grid abnormalities and blackouts due to its unprecedented ability to simulate complex systems accurately. Its physics-based simulation engine can incorporate more detailed models of loads on the grid, thereby allowing system operators to better assess grid state and stability. The proposed technology is also uniquely capable of modeling distributed energy resources at the transmission and distribution scale, an industry need that has been deemed critical to increase the penetration of renewables on the grid. The technology has substantial potential for commercial impact, as there are thousands of transmission, distribution, generation, and consulting organizations that are potential customers. Combined, these factors can help enable a more robust, secure grid that operates with reduced cost and emissions. This Phase I project represents the first step in making this technology a commercial reality. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project represents a significant departure from traditional methods that are used to model the electric power grid. The team's foundational research has already shown that the technology can simulate the U.S. Eastern Interconnection (half of the U.S. transmission grid) from any initial condition to evaluate complex contingencies - capabilities that are not possible with existing tools. The current- and voltage-based formulation used in the model is more flexible than is used in traditional power systems simulation software, enabling more realistic physics- and/or measurement-based models for more accurate simulation results. The Phase I project includes developing a secure and robust cloud platform for the technology that supports parallelized grid analyses, with a full library of component models and an intuitive web-based interface. This will enable system operators, utilities, and consultants to improve their planning studies and operations by enabling more accurate simulations at a higher throughput than is possible with today's software. The work done in Phase I will serve as a foundation for future advancements in power grid modeling and simulation, including integrated transmission and distribution system analysis and statistical analysis to assess the impact of uncertainties on the grid. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Pensievision, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Developing a Single-Visit System to Screen, Diagnose, and Treat Cervical Neoplasia
Contact
5820 Oberlin Drive, #104
San Diego, CA 92121–3717
NSF Award
1819850 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,289
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop an innovative 3D medical imaging technology for early-stage detection and analysis of cancers, initially focusing on detecting pre-cancer cervical lesions. This project will advance from creatively assembling existing active optics hardware to inventing a new microfiber-based active optics system to circumvent limits of space confinement and 3D resolution. The project's fundamental strategy for identifying pre-cancers of the cervix, which relies on a macroscopic 3D digital analysis combined with microscopic cell evaluation, is naturally amenable to artificial intelligence technologies. The versatility of this imaging platform enables the resolving of medical diagnostic challenges in wealthy settings and the resolving of cost-saving barriers in resource-limited settings. The imaging technology can be extended beyond medical practice to other scientific and industrial disciplines. Potentially, this project has an immediate impact on saving lives and costs via the early detection of fatal diseases. Additionally, the data and knowledge acquired developing and implementing this imaging system provide opportunities to meaningfully develop new computational strategies for educational, engineering and industrial interests. The innovative, commercially viable, platform technology offers opportunities for significant, tax-revenue-generating global profits, for future technology application spin-offs, and for producing high technology jobs for U.S. citizens. The project innovation will voyage from state-of-the-art 3D software development to the creation of a new type of fiber bundle imager with an electronically controlled actively focusing lens. Combined, these tasks achieve the creation of a miniaturized 3D imaging system capable of navigating confined spaces within the body, such as inside the cervix opening. For all prototypes developed for this project, final 3D renderings are enabled by proprietary 3D rendering software, capable of quantifying tissue color, volume and shape at the macroscopic level, while also evaluating cell size and approximate shape at the microscopic level. In wealthy settings, this system would be desirable for implementing a single-phase cervical cancer screening strategy to replace the current two-phase approach, which requires Pap smear and/or human papilloma virus assay, followed by the more expensive colposcopy in the case of an abnormal result. In resource-limited regions and/or regions with difficult-to-reach populations, where it is challenging to get patients to return for a follow-up visit, the technology would offer a low-cost, pre-screening method that only requires a single visit. This 3D imaging system could be combined in the future with a therapeutic agent administered at the time of diagnosis, thus offering a single-visit, screen-diagnose-and-treat method. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Perceptoscope
SBIR Phase I: Immersive Augmented Reality Landscape Viewer for Public Space Deployment
Contact
1106 S Stanley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90019–6602
NSF Award
1820238 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will explore the technical, commercial, and educational potentials of bringing augmented reality binocular kiosks to public locations and their ability to create lasting impact on the public's understanding of a place. The proposed research and development phase will focus on the deployment and field testing of a collection of prototypes with partner locations, and examine their efficacy at engaging and informing visitors of those sites. The broader significance of the project is the development of an information device and ecosystem that gives the public a better understanding of notable places and the greater physical world. Deployments will be able to visualize a variety of site-specific data, from environmental conditions, to geological formations and landmark navigation. Potential revenue can be generated in partnership with locations, allowing for sustainable long-term engagements between the project and a site. Direct economic impact is brought to a location and its surroundings through increased foot traffic and the encouragement of additional exploration of a space. The innovation being proposed is stereoscopic wide-field-of-view see-through augmented reality viewers in the form of landscape binocular kiosks designed to give public spaces a way to engage visitors with the natural, scientific, and historic features of that location. In addition to displaying immersive media experiences optically overlaid onto a view of the real world, this project creates a distributed media network on that location to share data and content for remote viewing and analysis. Goals and scope of research include durability testing of the devices in prolonged public exposure, effectiveness of the user interface and software tools, understanding the range and bandwidth of device-to-device communication, and optimization of the optical, electromechanical, and sensor components. Methods and approaches will include the field testing of prototype units with partner locations, and using survey and analysis techniques to evaluate the overall quantitative and qualitative efficacy of the intervention at those sites. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Pharmateck LLC
SBIR Phase I: Subcutaneous vascular access device that allows hydraulically controlled on demand access to blood flow for hemodialysis
Contact
225 Market St
Harrisburg, PA 17101–2126
NSF Award
1746342 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve the lives of over 500,000 patients with end stage renal disease receiving thrice-weekly hemodialysis treatments in the US each year. Hemodialysis requires the blood of a patient to be removed and passed through a filter for cleaning prior to returning it to the patient. Oftentimes patients receive insufficient dialysis treatments because the traditional blood pathways cannot be effectively sustained. This leads to increased infections, hospitalization rates and deaths. In addition to the unnecessary suffering of patients, the cost of maintaining these blood pathways is over $2B annually. This implantable device will improve our technical and scientific understanding of hemodialysis shortcomings and may lead to advancing the knowledge in medical fields related to arterial and venous access. This innovation will allow enhanced hemodialysis treatments for this vulnerable patient population by maintaining blood pathways and lowering infection rates. The proposed project is to create a vascular access device which ensures that end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients have reliable vascular access without the need for an arterialized venous system. AV fistulas and AV grafts often fail to mature and are associated with suboptimal long-term patency rates resulting in a loss of the patient?s life line to dialysis. The objective would be to create a completely subcutaneous device which can be anastomosed to an artery and a separate vein such that the arterial device can obtain a blood flow of at least 400ml/min and the venous device can return the dialyzed blood at a rate of at least 400 ml/min. The device must allow blood flow through its lumen only when needed and return the native vasculature to its normal flow state after each use. The technical difficulty is how to configure the mechanics of the device and its anastomosis to blood vessels in a manner which allows it to be opened and closed on demand without causing thromboses to form within the native vessels or device. We will be using computational fluid dynamic modeling and an iterative design process to achieve our prototype.
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Plasmonic Diagnostics LLC
SBIR Phase I: Ultra-sensitive Detection of Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and Interferon-Gamma (IFN-g) as Biomarkers for Detection of Tuberculosis (TB)
Contact
5006 Newbury Way
Columbia, MO 65203–8482
NSF Award
1818796 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,876
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project is intended to develop a noninvasive, ultra-sensitive molecular detection system for Tuberculosis (TB). Although the prevalence of TB has diminished, it still remains the second leading cause of death from an infectious disease. The latest global TB report from the World Health Organization with data compiled from 205 countries put the figures at 1.5 million fatalities and 9.6 million infections annually. The proposed technology uses the nano- Plasmonic Grating (P-GRAT) properties to enhance the detection signal of the TB biomarker by more than 100X. This results in detecting concentrations in femto-gram/milliliter range resulting in early detection and treatment. The specificity, faster results, low cost/test and ease of use, makes this system a substantive innovation in the TB diagnostic market. The TB testing market accounts for $1.5 billion annually of which North America is the second largest in terms of generated revenue due to the higher pricing for TB detection. The proposed technology will benefit the patients with early diagnosis and provide the health care professionals with early treatment options. With all the advantages this technology has to offer, it is expected to gain a significant share in the market place and generate a revenue stream. The main limitation of the immunoassays is their inability to detect extremely small fluorescence signals that are associated with ultra-low concentrations of biomarkers. The proposed nano- Plasmonic Grating (P-GRAT) technology can overcome this limitation due to its exceptionally efficient light coupling, reduced scattering, high signal-to-noise ratio and directional excitation/emission. As a result, a fluorescence enhancement of P-GRAT is 100X or higher compared to a glass substrates or polyurethane well plates. Such enhancements translate to ultrasensitive detection and early diagnosis. Commercial immunoassays require hours to days to achieve pg/ml sensitivity. In comparison, P-GRAT can detect pg/mL range concentrations in less than three hours. P-GRAT utilizes a simplified design to exclude expensive optics like laser sources, high-magnification objective lenses and filter cubes. The use of 3-D printed parts to fabricate the system and use a smartphone as the detector further reduces the cost. We intend to develop and commercialize a noninvasive, ultra-sensitive (fg/ml) molecular detection system for Tuberculosis (TB). TB specific biomarkers Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and Interferon gamma (IFN-g) will be detected in urine and saliva. P-GRAT is a platform technology and can easily be adapted for the ultra-sensitive detection and diagnosis of other diseases, such as Zika, Ebola, HIV and Cancer. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Plumb Pharmaceuticals, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Refining a 3-month release buprenorphine, advancing a drug delivery platform
Contact
Ann St.
Madison, WI 53713–2410
NSF Award
1819943 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,850
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop a very long-acting buprenorphine formulation to increase patient compliance and address the opioid crisis. Poor medication compliance is a significant driver of health care costs. The US would save an estimated 290 billion dollars yearly or 13% of the total health care budget if patients took their medications as directed. Patients with chronic diseases are the least compliant with medication. There is an evolving consensus that Opioid Misuse Disorder (OMD) is also a chronic disease, and its treatment is also plagued by poor compliance. There are an estimated 2.5 million people in the United States with OMD. Complete abstinence therapy fails about 80% of the time. Medication-assisted therapy using methadone, naltrexone or buprenorphine is far more successful. More opioid misuse patients are treated with buprenorphine than methadone, and retention in treatment is up to 78% with additional counseling. Still, 80% of all people who misuse opioids never obtain any therapy for their disorder, risking overdose, other diseases, including HIV and Hepatitis, and amyloidosis. Extended-release medications for opioid maintenance therapy would open up more options to get people into therapy. A 3-month release formulation of buprenorphine would be a part of that strategy. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist opioid drug that is used for treatment of pain in human and animal patients and for opioid addiction maintenance. A platform technology has been developed that can be used to formulate extended-release preparations of drugs that are weak bases and are mildly lipophilic. Preparations of buprenorphine, naltrexone and doxycycline have been developed using this method. The initial proposed product is an injectable formulation of buprenorphine that releases over a period of 3 months. This project will address the occurrence of a brief peak of early drug release in the 3-month duration buprenorphine formulation. The experiments in the current proposal will examine three different methods of decreasing the early peak by manipulating the amount of lipid engulfed by macrophages at a given dose of drug or by preventing macrophage engulfment of the lipid particles entirely by coating the lipid particles with chemicals that make them unlikely to be phagocytized. Preliminary results indicate that changing the drug to lipid ratio as described in the current proposal will reduce the peak of early release. Reducing the early peak will prevent sedative effects, improve the pharmacokinetics of the preparation and make dose escalation studies easier and more straight forward. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Precision Microwave Inc.
STTR Phase I: Directional minimally invasive microwave antenna for precise spatial control of thermal ablation
Contact
3809 Buckeye Cir
Manhattan, KS 66503–3145
NSF Award
1819177 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project include development of a commercial proof-of-concept percutaneous directional microwave ablation (MWA) applicator which may provide medical practitioners a new approach for treating cancer. In clinical use, a directional MWA applicator will facilitate both procedural and technical simplification of MWA treatments, saving time and critical resources in hospitals, and ultimately improve quality of, and access to, cancer treatment for a broad range of patients. The research and development proposed in this project will enhance scientific and technological understanding of miniaturized MWA antennas capable of radiating with directional patterns. Specifically, special materials to reduce required antenna dimension and increase efficiency, and advanced antenna designs to maximize the size of directional ablation zones will be studied during this project. Commercial development of the proposed technical advances could expand their use for the treatment of other medical conditions or for applications in other industries such as wireless communications. This STTR Phase I project will contribute to the creation of technology jobs in Kansas, a region where there are few medical or technology companies. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop a commercial proof-of-concept directional microwave ablation (MWA) applicator. MWA procedures offer cost-effective, minimally-invasive treatment options for localized tumors and other disease. These treatments are especially important to the large population of cancer patients who are poor candidates for surgery or other physically demanding therapies. However, currently available MWA systems employ applicators with omni-directional radiation patterns, which if not placed precisely may damage critical healthy tissues or result in disease recurrence. A directional MWA applicator can facilitate technical and procedural simplifications which to alleviate these current challenges. We will investigate: (1) alternative materials to shrink antenna cross-section and (2) novel antenna geometries to maximize the size of directional microwave ablation zones. We will employ an approach integrating multiphysics computational models, benchtop experimentation in ex vivo tissue, and experiments in animal models in vivo to design, optimize, and validate our device. Our anticipated technical results are the development of a MWA applicator that provides directional control of radiation pattern that can ablate to depths of greater than 30 mm, creating an ablation volume comparable to current clinical non-directional devices. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Precision Polyolefins, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Reactive Polyolefins (x-PAOs) as Advanced Organic Phase Change Materials
Contact
Suite 4506, Bldg 091
College Park, MD 20742–3371
NSF Award
1746976 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to reduce the cost and complexity of incorporating energy-saving phase change materials (PCMs) into end-use products by developing a new class of form-stable PCM-modified resins that contain a unique reactive-polyolefin component. Importantly, the development of new PCMs for the passive thermal regulation of electric vehicle (EV) batteries has the potential to increase EV safety, range, and affordability, representing an addressable market currently valued at $87m and that is growing at 20% per year. Validation of these advantages should significantly benefit society by increasing electric vehicle performance and reducing the frequency of expensive battery replacement, thus increasing the adoption of energy efficient vehicles and reducing green-house gas emissions. This project can also result in an increase in the penetration of energy efficient PCM technology in additional markets worth a combined $370m, including building materials, textiles, electronics, and packaging, which can have a large positive economic impact on society. Finally, successful realization of the goals of this SBIR Phase I program will further enable scientific / technological understanding of PCMs that are based on organic materials. The intellectual merit of this project is the validation of a new paradigm for a bottoms-up approach to the design, production, and optimization of structurally-well-characterized reactive polyolefins of tunable molecular weight and narrow polydispersity that possess superior performance and stability characteristics as organic phase change materials (PCMs) for waste heat management as compared to conventional paraffin-based PCMs that have remained virtually unchanged for the past half century. To achieve this goal, reactive polyolefins that are the best candidates for commercialization will be identified through optimization of molecular structure, stereochemical tacticity, and the temperature and kinetics of main-chain and side-chain phase transitions. Reaction variables will also be optimized to provide the highest yields of reactive polyolefins under industrially-relevant and scalable process conditions. The development of PCM-modified thermoset resins based on reactive polyolefins will provide access to commercial waste heat management applications that employ physical constructs obtained from casting or injection molding and should benefit from lower production costs, a wider range of applications, and greater long-term stability.
Errata
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Prime Labs Inc
SBIR Phase I: Technical R&D for cloud-based high-information mass spectrometry data extraction commercialization
Contact
15637 S Sperry Grade Rd
Greenough, MT 59823–9624
NSF Award
1819290 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to establish faster, less expensive, more accurate ways of determining the contents of biological samples leading to novel medical diagnostics, new drugs, and other new products beyond the reach of the current scientific methods that employ mass spectrometry. The project will develop technology that enables better software for mass spectrometry, and will make mass spectrometry-based sample analysis more accessible to a broader segment of academic and industrial scientists, disrupting a $100M market. Advanced software is required to transform raw experimental data into the lists of molecules and quantities needed to create new drugs, discover diseases and increase food production. The successful completion of the aims of this proposal will enable the development of software built for the next generation of mass spectrometry, providing user-friendly, fast cloud software built on advanced, high-information algorithms. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop novel, high-information software technology for mass spectrometry data processing. The proposed work in Phase I will provide proof-of-concept for prototype development and testing in Phase II. The research will address three critical technical hurdles that are prerequisites to prototype development: 1) A mass spectrometry data storage and retrieval architecture sufficient to handle significantly more information from the hundreds of files in a typical study, 2) cloud-optimized versions of mass spectrometry information extraction algorithms, and 3) a cloud-based model-view controller framework that overcomes web-specific challenges for mass spectrometry data processing. The goal is to allow more experiments in the same amount of time without increasing costs, identifying more molecules than existing methods from the same experiment, and detecting molecules that are less abundant and go undetected by current methods. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Proteios, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Removing the Purification Bottleneck in Biopharmaceutical Production
Contact
580 Wilderness Peak Dr. NW
Issaquah, WA 98027–5621
NSF Award
1820325 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2018 – 04/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop protein purification technology that will provide access to inexpensive, purified proteins for biological and life science applications by removing the purification bottleneck in biopharmaceutical production, and leveraging the innovative breakthroughs in protein engineering and gene editing. Scale-up of this technology will transform the large-scale purification of biopharmaceuticals and lower prescription drug costs - the most important factor contributing to rising healthcare costs. The major factor influencing the rising cost of healthcare is the skyrocketing costs of pharmaceuticals - up to 40% of the medical plan cost will be drugs by 2025. Prescription drug costs are the fastest rising component of healthcare and are contributing to the dramatic increase in healthcare costs. The worldwide focus of pharmacy and biotechnology is now on biopharmaceutical development and production to address this issue. Direct benefits of this project include low-cost, use of green reagents, and the absence of heavy metal impurities in the purified protein. In addition, the development of immobilized enzymes using this technology will open new frontiers in biocatalysis, biosensors, diagnostics and protein delivery. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop protein purification kits for small-scale and research-scale research. Bringing these kits to market will enable researchers to further validate the technology on a broader range of proteins in preparation for scale-up for biopharmaceutical production. Synthetic biology has quickly begun to revolutionize drug discovery and design by providing a better overall molecular understanding of disease. However, this potential has yet to be fully realized due to the challenges associated with purifying the target recombinant protein from the thousands of naturally-occurring proteins produced by the expression system. The three specific aims of the project are: 1) validation of protein tag performance for multiple protein classes and expression systems, 2) development of low-cost methods for protein tag removal from purified proteins, and 3) development of solutions for the purification of low-expressing proteins and the parallel purification of small amounts of proteins. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Protium Innovations LLC
STTR Phase I: 3D Printed Vapor Cooled Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank for Use in Enterprise Level Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Contact
425 SE Dexter Street
Pullman, WA 99163–2312
NSF Award
1747234 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This STTR Phase I project will develop 3D printed liquid hydrogen fuel tanks for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs are currently powered by long endurance low reliability gasoline engines, or short endurance highly reliable electric propulsion. Hydrogen fuel cells offer the potential for long endurance highly reliable propulsion if the proper hydrogen storage method is used. Through the innovative hydrogen storage system developed by this project, fuel cell electric vehicles can advance national health and welfare through reduction of emissions, and promotion of energy independence both on the ground and in the air. This project will develop a new class of liquid hydrogen storage tanks for electric UAVs that will increase the reliability and performance of surveillance platforms in the armed forces, reducing risk to American service personnel while they secure the defense of our nation. The same electric platforms will promote the national welfare by enabling the inspection of key energy and transportation infrastructure and serving as intelligence and communications platforms for first responders during natural disasters. In addition, the key technology developed in this project will expand the utility of additive manufacturing by demonstrating the capabilities and performance of engineered plastics in cryogenic (< -238°F) environments. Such cryogenic rated 3D printed polymer parts have wide ranging impacts, including cost reduction, across cryogenic dependent technology areas from medical devices and spacecraft to drug and food processing. Additively manufactured polymers have never been used in cryogenic applications until now. The correct selection of polymer blend, testing and selection of a lightweight impermeable membrane, and thermal characterization of novel insulation materials are critical to project success. Since most cryogenic research, such as -423°F permeation of hydrogen through polymers, has not been studied since the 1960s, extensive cryogenic engineering and testing experience is required to apply modern materials and manufacturing methods to the project. The objectives of this project will fill knowledge gaps by testing metallized polymer films for hydrogen permeability, as well as manufacturing methods to cost effectively apply it to insulation panels or tank walls. While prior research has identified a polymer blend that is robust to cryogenic thermal cycling, the possibility of microcracking has not yet been thoroughly addressed and will be evaluated in this project. Novel insulation materials never before used in commercial cryogenic applications will be thermally characterized and integrated into the prototype tank. This project will conclude by completing a liquid hydrogen fuel fill and measuring the mass boil-off rate to test computational fluid dynamic modeled performance.
Errata
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PurSolutions, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Prototyping a Laboratory Kit to Assist Undergraduate Instructors in Teaching Self-Assembly
Contact
1203 River Vista Ave
Charlottesville, VA 22901–4137
NSF Award
1746992 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project resides in motivating cross-disciplinary innovations for more efficient, smarter, and safer technologies. These benefits will be realized by empowering the next generation workforce with knowledge of a phenomenon that is revolutionizing the modern day innovation ecosystem. This marvel is called "self-assembly", and is used by nature to build structures ranging from protein complexes to living organisms. Researchers are harnessing this natural phenomenon to drive scientific advancements including nanowires with increased computing power and pharmaceuticals with greater therapeutic potential, demonstrating that self-assembly holds the potential to seed disruptive technologies across multiple disciplines. To unlock the full innovative potential of this phenomenon, self-assembly must be taught to the upcoming generation of scientists and engineers in an engaging and insightful manner. This SBIR Phase I project aims to integrate self-assembly into the teaching curriculum of undergraduate science courses. By educating students about the intricacies and applications of self-assembly, this project will inspire future breakthroughs and accrue compounding societal and commercial benefits. The proposed project aims to prototype a consumer-focused minimum viable product (MVP) that assists undergraduate instructors in teaching the emerging phenomenon of selfassembly. The absence of such a product to date is likely attributable to the technical hurdles that challenge the ability to demonstrate self-assembly in a cross-disciplinary yet straightforward manner. The research objectives incorporate proof-of-concept experimentation and reiterative product builds to design a prototype that efficiently caters to undergraduate instructors and their teaching practices. More specifically, the objectives are to: 1. Design components that demonstrate self-assembly across multiple scales and disciplines. 2. Create educational content that effectively disseminates knowledge of self-assembly and its applications. 3. Field-test and optimize the prototype in response to end user experiences. The resulting MVP will provide materials and instructions to conduct various self-assembly demonstrations in a cost-effective and readily deployable manner. The product would be the first educational tool to address self-assembly in this manner.
Errata
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QSM Diagnostics INC
SBIR Phase I :Point-of-Care Test for Identifying Gram-Negative Urinary Tract Infections in Companion Animals
Contact
38 Wareham St
Boston, MA 02118–2861
NSF Award
1746866 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop a hand-held, point-of-care, sensing strip and instrument for immediate identification of which bacterial species are causing a urinary tract infection (UTI) in a companion animal. This technology will allow veterinarians to judiciously prescribe antibiotics for an animal during the initial examination. In the United States alone, there are nearly 1.5 million veterinary visits annually for UTIs in dogs and cats. The average time to initial UTI test results is 48 hours, during which time the animal is generally consuming antibiotics. Less than half of urine cultures show any bacterial growth, indicating that the majority of antibiotic prescriptions were unnecessary. Further, it is important to identify which bacterial species are causing the UTI, so that the proper antibiotic can be administered. Prudent use of antibiotics will control the spread of infection and the emergence of antibiotic resistance, thus resulting in healthier animals and reducing the need for new antibiotic drug development. This project will help translate the initial research and discoveries that were funded previously by the National Science Foundation. The underlying principle for this technology is that each bacterial species produces and excretes its own unique set of chemicals that are used to coordinate intercellular activities, analogous to pheromones produced by animals. It is possible to identify what bacterial cells are present in a sample by detecting these chemicals. There are much greater quantities of the chemicals in the sample than bacterial cells, making this approach more sensitive and easier to implement than other technologies. The proposed research will result in the creation of a label-free, aptamer-based, electrochemical sensing platform for the detection and identification of the four most common Gram-negative bacterial pathogens causing UTIs in companion animals, within two minutes of sample collection. The novelty of the approach is to measure unique quorum sensing molecules (QSMs) that are secreted by the bacteria. These QSMs are produced by all bacterial cells continuously at a rate of approximately 10,000 molecules per hour, thereby improving the limit of detection by four orders of magnitude. An array of electrodes, modified with novel aptamers and functionalized with electro-active molecules, will be used to detect the QSMs, acting as biomarkers, produced by each bacterial species. Combining optimized aptamer molecules with electrochemical sensing and a proprietary signal processing algorithm allows for unprecedented limits of detection, sensitivity, and specificity. The technology will work directly in complex fluids without any reagent addition or separation steps.
Errata
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Quantum Diamond Technologies Inc
SBIR Phase I: Quantum Diamond Sensors with Rapid Sample Transfer for High-Throughput Magnetic Bioassays
Contact
28 Dane Street
Somerville, MA 02143–3237
NSF Award
1746381 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to enable the high sample testing throughput necessary for quantum magnetic bioassay technology to be used for medical diagnostics, precision health and point of care patient care. Ultrasensitive detection of low-concentration biomarkers, many of which are currently undetectable by existing technology, offers new diagnostic capability for improved clinical decisions and better patient health. Existing high-sensitivity diagnostic instruments are very complex to use, expensive and require lengthy sample processing steps - all of which increase health care costs. A new class of magnetic-based assays combining high sensitivity and low sample processing using NV diamond quantum sensors has been developed. Magnetic assay platforms can deliver equivalent results to current biomarker assays faster and at significantly lower cost. A dramatic reduction in sample processing, combined with direct detection of magnetic tags, will provide rapid test results, a critical component for point of care diagnostics. A remaining challenge for this approach is delivering bioassay samples to the sensor quickly and repeatedly - a challenge to be addressed in this project. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a rapid sample transfer mechanism to enhance the sample throughput of bioassays using a quantum magnetic sensor. Quantum sensing enables revolutionary magnetic sensitivity and spatial resolution in a modality compatible with biological samples. However, the sample must be delivered close to the diamond sensor for analysis, and transfer between samples must occur in seconds, all while maintaining sensing performance. Prototype sample transfer systems designed and fabricated in this project will implement an innovative new process to rapidly transition between assay samples. The hardware will be compact, require little power, and be manufacturable at low cost. Prototype sample transfer hardware developed in Phase I will form the basis for subsequent engineering of quantum sensor based bioassay devices, with initial applications to the research use only (RUO) sector, and later to clinical in vitro diagnostics. This advance will bridge the gap between the capabilities of quantum magnetic sensing and the sample throughput needs of clinical applications.
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Quest Thermal Group
SBIR Phase I: Novel High Performance Insulation for Energy Efficient Appliances using Discrete Spacer Technology
Contact
6452 Fig St., Unit A
Arvada, CO 80004–1060
NSF Award
1747155 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,381
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project is focused on modeling, designing, analyzing, building and testing a prototype commercial superinsulation called High Performance Multi-Layer Insulation (HPMLI). HPMLI is based on a new technology that significantly reduces heat leak, and allows a multilayer insulation to be used in commercial applications. HPMLI could provide R-235 thermal insulation, compared to current state of the art R-6 foam insulation, offering 40-fold lower heat leak into fridges and freezers and reducing energy use. Heating and cooling account for 74% of U.S. residential energy use, with water heaters and refrigerators consuming 26% and $60B in annual costs. This superinsulation, originally developed for NASA and used for spaceflight, could save 90% of energy used for refrigeration and heating appliances, reducing energy costs and protecting our environment. This opportunity is to develop and manufacture a novel ultra-high-performance insulation for use by appliance manufacturers and consumers for improved energy efficiency, and will enable the small business to grow to 17 employees, with $20M in revenue by 2022. This insulation has many potential applications, including home refrigerators, commercial freezers, water heaters, refrigerated trucks and shipping containers, industrial hot/cold processes, food coolers and buildings. HPMLI is based on novel discrete spacers and radiation barrier layers, forming a new very high- performance insulation. A novel system is proposed in which the spacers self- support the layers against external atmospheric pressure, allowing use in air. Technical challenges must be solved that carefully balance structural support, heat flux, cost and ease of integration into appliances. This insulation is only possible due to the unique properties of the discrete spacers, which must be designed, developed and tested for this application. The goals are to successfully build and test a prototype demonstrating greater than R-200 thermal performance, and able to be vacuum sealed into vacuum panels or appliance case walls. The system will be thermally modeled for several concepts, a spacer design iterated, prototype demonstration units built for a fridge and/or food cooler, and the heat flux through the insulation measured. HPMLI will be compared to current state of the art foam, and factors required for commercialization considered in this Phase I design.
Errata
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RE Shoes, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Flexible Robotics for Mass Customization of Shoe Sizing
Contact
49 Cayuga St
Rochester, NY 14620–2142
NSF Award
1746887 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,995
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will study the development of a digitally configurable shape around which a shoe can be created. The results of this project will enable the mass-customization of shoes so they can precisely fit the feet of the individuals who wear them. Properly fitting shoes are intended to improve the quality of life of customers through reduced pain and improved musculoskeletal health. This development in shoe-making technology is of broad interest to the population of the United States, but particularly important to women, who often suffer from physical deformities and injuries caused by ill-fitting shoes. The proposed innovation relies on mass-customization methods and flexible robotics technology. Its anticipated success will provide additional jobs in the shoe industry and related fields, and improve productivity nationwide through reduced healthcare costs. The strong technical innovation in this project will be the adaptation of granular jamming technology for use in programmable shape technology. The driving goal of the proposed project is to develop a last for use in the mass-customization of shoes that is capable of changing shape in response to a digital representation of the customer's foot shape. After changing shape, it will lock into a rigid but smooth form appropriate for use in traditional shoe manufacturing methods. The scope of the research will cover the development of the last in a manner appropriate for use in manufacturing conditions (in terms of both physical and temperature durability) and the creation and implementation of algorithms for transforming foot shape data into an appropriately fitting shoe shape and for transforming a standard shoe pattern onto an arbitrary foot shape. Iterative design practices and just-in-time manufacturing techniques will facilitate the development of this new technology and manufacturing methodology.
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RHK Technology Inc
STTR Phase I: Smart and Fast Atomic Force Microscope for Imaging and Characterization
Contact
1050 E. Maple Road
Troy, MI 48083–2813
NSF Award
1721926 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project represents a change in concept and technical paradigm for Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) technology, and as such shall significantly impact research and development in both industry and academia. As discussed in the Technical Merits below, the proposed AFM is fast, smart, and more powerful in terms of imaging and probing local mechanics. The company has a track record of commercializing AFM controllers that are compatible with most all types of scanners, commercial and home-constructed. Current AFM users can purchase the new scanner and/or controller to attain the enhanced performance. In addition, new AFM users are also anticipated especially in the areas of nanomaterials, devices and sensors, and multidimensional devices and materials where both high spatial and temporal resolutions are paramount. Further, the combined high spatial resolution in conjunction with fast speed shall result in immediate advances in the fields of material development, surface coating, nanomaterial and nanodevice inspection and quality control, nanolithography, and tissue engineering. Based on current market trends, sales are anticipated to reach $25M within the first three years. The amount is likely higher given the forecasted growth of the global microscopy market. The intellectual merit of this project includes three cutting edge improvements to current AFM: (1) faster image acquisition speed; (2) automated and rapid feature finding and tracking; (3) 1-2 orders of magnitude of improvement in speed and efficiency in nanomechanical imaging. The ultra-high speed will be achieved by implementing a novel reconfigurable processor optimized for AFM into a unique hybrid, low-noise controller architecture, which is highly versatile and compatible with various known configurations of AFM microscopes from many different vendors. In addition, the automatic feature finding and tracking functions will be accomplished using artificial intelligence directly in hardware and a novel scan pattern, completely different from current ?trace-retrace? scanning trajectory in current AFM. These new and ?smart? approaches further speed up scanning and tracking speed. Finally, the AFM will be able to produce nanomechanical images with high speed and accuracy using multifrequency spectroscopy. This concept has been proposed, and individual aspects have been demonstrated in isolation through simulations or lab prototypes over the past five years or more. The faster and more powerful electronic controller shall enable the test and implementation of multifrequency spectroscopy technology in its full potential.
Errata
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Rappidly, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A New Paradigm for Skill Development- A Training Platform Integrating Problem Solving and Mobile Programming to Create Peer-Led Skill Training for High School Student
Contact
981 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94103–2912
NSF Award
1747299 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,912
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project creates an online integrated training program that combines problem solving and app development. Trainees will be able to create mobile apps to address challenges facing their own communities. Mobile apps have become key to addressing many pain points. Currently, skilled developers work with customers to understand problems and create applications to solve problems. Unfortunately, this restricts app creation to those that have access to development resources and understand problem solving techniques. The platform created in this project will democratize access to app development by giving problem solving and app development skills to high school students. Thus, it presents an opportunity to every citizen to create apps that can address their own or their community's challenges. This opportunity can have a transformational impact particularly on underprivileged communities where people have very little access to resources. Mobile app development is also a skill that has the potential for significant income generation opportunity. At the end of the training, students will be certified for their problem solving and app generation skill ability. High school students who have certification to prove their problem solving and App Development skills become highly valued employees in the work force of the future. This project creates a drag-and-drop tool that allows anyone to be able to create smartphone applications, as well as an online portal that explains how to use the platform. The app creation tool will allow users to (1) develop a smartphone app for multiple operating systems; (2) live test their apps on their mobile devices; (3) download their completed apps onto their personal devices; and (4) publish their apps to the app store of their choosing. The online learning platform will deliver multimedia content to teach and enable users across the country to be able to build mobile applications on this platform. The world's mobile population is expected to reach 5.7 billion people by 2020, yet only a very small number of these users are expected to be able program these devices. Thus, this project looks to build a tool that lowers the barrier to building mobile smartphone apps via a drag-and-drop interface, as well as educate users on how to use this tool.
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Resonant Link LLC
STTR Phase I: Self-resonant Structures for Long-Range High-Efficiency Wireless Power Transfer
Contact
34 Ralston ln
West Lebanon, NH 03784–1026
NSF Award
1820089 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,997
Start / end date
06/15/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes increased range, increased efficiency, and decreased size of wireless charging systems, which will provide value to consumer devices (e.g., mobile phones and tablets), transportation, and medical industries. In consumer devices, improved and widely adopted wireless power transfer can lead to more rugged designs of the devices by eliminating charging ports, which are a common mode of device failure. Widely adopted wireless charging can improve convenience for consumers, and, with a unified charging solution across a number of devices, eliminate the need for dedicated, device-specific chargers. Increased charging range will increase the number of use cases in all three industries, leading to greater commercial opportunities for this this technology and wireless power transfer in general. In transportation, high-efficiency wireless charging allows for fast charging that is adaptable to varying vehicle heights, which makes electric vehicles more convenient, increases their rate of adoption, and allows charging that is integrated into infrastructure. Increased efficiency reduces the energy costs associated with charging across all three industries. Furthermore, this project will enhance the scientific understanding of the power handling capabilities of the multilayer self-resonant structure, and the resonant frequencies achievable with various manufacturing techniques. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project addresses the technical challenges keeping a new wireless power transfer coil technology, called the multilayer self-resonant structure (MSRS), from the market. In order to commercialize the MSRS, the technology must advance beyond a proof-of-concept, and interface with commercial wireless power transfer systems, specifically those that adhere to existing device standards. The technical hurdles that need to be addressed include 1) reducing the resonant frequency to meet current standards, 2) understanding the power handling limits, and 3) developing electronic interfaces. These challenges will be overcome by, respectively, 1) building on existing manufacturing techniques used to handle thin layers of material in other industries and adapting them to develop a scalable manufacturing approach to construct MSRSs with resonant frequencies in the range needed. 2) Analyzing, measuring, and modeling the power handling capabilities of the MSRS. Finally, 3) Developing impedance matching circuitry required to interface the MSRS with commercial systems. Successful completion of these task will results in a low cost, high-Q wireless power transfer coil, which can be integrated into commercial systems to increase the capable range, efficiency, and power handling of wireless charging. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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Revon Systems Inc
STTR Phase I: A Mobile Triage Application for Reducing the Risk of COPD Exacerbations
Contact
6400 Westwind Way
Crestwood, KY 40014–6773
NSF Award
1820049 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,999
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is the reduction of significant disease flare-ups in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), increase in patient quality-of-life, and a reduction of expensive and unnecessary healthcare utilization. Current at-home care support for COPD patients is often completely missing or consists of action plans that fail to provide effective, individualized care. The alternative solution under development in this project is an easy-to use, personalized mobile application that catches disease degeneration early, tracks patient health history, and provides decision support to guide patients to the right medical care at the right time. COPD is one of the leading chronic conditions driving potentially avoidable hospital admissions. Pairing a mobile health management app with a smart triage system that provides instant healthcare guidance has the potential to dramatically reduce unnecessary COPD hospitalization and provide long-term maintenance treatment of COPD symptoms. Moreover, an easily accessible, highly accurate, convenient solution can empower patients to make better health decisions early. This STTR Phase I project proposes to demonstrate positive impact and adoption of a mobile triage application for COPD patients. To date, a set of triage algorithms has been built and validated on simulated patient cases. The algorithms exhibited performance that is comparable to or better than a panel of board-certified pulmonologists. The next vital step is to establish the technical feasibility of a packaged, stand-alone mobile application. This research will focus on developing a fully featured prototype that is optimized for adoption, retention, and efficacy. A mix of user feedback and rigorous usage analysis collected through human testing will provide necessary insights on barriers to use, missing functionality, and consumer value. Standardized markers of health safety, symptom escalations, and patient quality-of-life will be used as metrics of product performance. Moreover, all data and conclusions will be subjected to peer review through publication and public presentations. As an additional objective, the accuracy of the algorithmic triage recommendations will be tested on real patient cases to further validate their accuracy and effectiveness. The anticipated result of the phase I procedure is demonstration that the app is safe (objective 1), operationally sound and optimal (phase 2), and valuable to consumers (objective 3). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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RocketML Inc
SBIR Phase I: Large Scale And Automated Unsupervised Machine Learning For Anomaly Detection
Contact
13026 sierra vista drive
Lake Oswego, OR 97035–6780
NSF Award
1843988 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 09/30/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will result from enabling businesses to process and extract insights from large unlabeled datasets, using machine learning with minimal human supervision, in application areas such as cyber security, precision medicine and predictive maintenance. Current deep learning approaches require large amounts of labeled data. Creation of labeled data is expensive, error prone and time consuming. The proposed software will provide fully automated capabilities for semi-supervised learning for anomaly detection in cyber security applications. All businesses ranging from large scale enterprises to boutique data science consulting firms will benefit from this project. The expected impact can range in the billions of dollars in the areas of cyber security and predictive maintenance, to name just two. More broadly the proposed technologies will enable both corporations and public institutions to harvest large datasets at minimal cost. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will design, develop, and deploy high-performance computing (HPC) software for unsupervised learning and anomaly detection. In the last decades tremendous successes in machine learning have been achieved in the area of supervised learning that requires compilation of large datasets with labels (for example, grouping of pictures based on the individual depicted on the image). In contrast, unsupervised learning algorithms do not require labels and thus require minimal human participation. However, due to significant technical difficulties they have not been as successful as supervised learning algorithms. This software package circumvents these difficulties and opens the way to scaling unsupervised learning algorithms to large and complex datasets. The main research and development challenges that will be addressed in this project are the ability to integrate this new technology with real world complex datasets through the choice of the correct comparison function between the objects of the dataset and the fully automatic algorithm and algorithm parameter selection. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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RoundEd Learning
SBIR Phase I: Teachpad - A Teach-to-Learn Paradigm for Difficult Math Concepts
Contact
218 Del Valle Court
Pleasanton, CA 94566–9456
NSF Award
1747338 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,170
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to use current research in the learning sciences to develop games that make middle school math engaging and relevant. Middle school is a crucial time in a student's educational journey as it is the period at which their self-concept of ability becomes stable. Studies show that it is also the period at which students start getting disengaged with math and there is a marked increase in negativity towards math from sixth to eighth grade. According to the National Report Card, only about a third of 8th graders in US public schools, of over 3.6 million students, score at the proficient or above level in Math every year. The goal of this proposal is to implement and test the effectiveness of a scaffolded learning and teaching environment, called the 'Teachpad', that helps middle school students learn difficult math concepts. Multiple studies have indicated that students put more effort into learning when they have to teach someone else. This project will extend these studies and evaluate whether the teachpad increases student engagement and improves learning and long term retention of difficult math concepts. The proposed project uses a "teach to learn" framework in which students teach characters in a computer game how to solve specific problems and use the feedback that they receive from the characters to evaluate how well they have understood the concepts themselves. The teachpad uses natural language input, meaning that the students can enter their instruction in plain English and can explain the solution to the problem as they would to a friend or sibling. A semantic parser extracts the useful information from this input and feeds it to a machine learning algorithm to teach a game character how to solve the problem. A model of what the character has learned is also visible to the student who can see how their instruction is working when the character is trying to solve a test problem. This project will implement the teachpad for the order of operations, and will determine how it compares to traditional classroom practices. Data will be collected in authentic educational environments, through observations and interviews to study student engagement and usability, and pretests and posttests (once after the treatment and once when students return from summer break) to evaluate learning outcomes and long term retention.
Errata
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Addenda
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Rydberg Technologies LLC
SBIR Phase I: Atomic High Magnetic Field Probe
Contact
330 East Liberty, Lower Level
Ann Arbor, MI 48104–2274
NSF Award
1746983 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,994
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 05/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is focused on developing a new probe technology for high magnetic field sensing and measurement. The technology utilizes a circuit-free, atom-based field sensing element that affords absolute measurements of strong fields with high-speed all-optical readout that is free of electromagnetic interference, directly addressing capability gaps in existing technologies relevant to a variety of industries. A broad commercial potential is in fault-detection in condition-monitoring systems for motors and generators, where faults due to occurrences such as over-fluxing or magnetization can lead to major damage, costly repairs and production downtime. The atomic probe addresses an unmet need for reliable, localized measurements up to several Tesla of magnetic field within and surrounding conductive components in rotating machines for early fault detection. The technology also promises to expand capabilities of laboratory measurement instrumentation and contribute to experimental high magnetic field science requiring advanced instrumentation for measurement in the 1 to 100 Tesla range. The extraordinary opportunities for scientific research and technological development represented by investment in high magnetic field laboratories were set out in influential reports of the National Academies of Science (2004 and 2013). The field probe is expected to contribute to this on-going, multi-disciplinary effort. The intellectual merit of this project includes the research and demonstration of key components and capabilities of an atomic high magnetic field probe. The innovation lies in a fundamentally new measurement approach that provides robust, absolute-standard (atomic) measurement and sensing of magnetic fields up to tens of Tesla at high speed and precision with a compact, circuit-free, all-optical sensing element. The probe operates based on atomic physics principles that describe the spectroscopic response of atoms in strong magnetic fields, and quantum-optics phenomena that serve as a practical means to achieve all-optical readout of the atomic spectra, from which information on the magnetic field is obtained. During this project, theoretical atomic spectra in strong magnetic fields will be developed, tested and refined. A vapor-cell probe suitable for sensing strong magnetic fields will be designed, fabricated, and tested. Laboratory experiments will be performed to measure the atomic response to magnetic fields in the range of 1 Tesla at ppm sensitivity levels. The method will also be tested in time-varying and switching magnetic fields, on timescales of <100ms. Miniaturization of probes and read-out units will be initiated, leading towards robust and compact, practical sensing elements with higher operation speed and improved performance characteristics.
Errata
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Addenda
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SABER Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Light Emitting Antimicrobial Bandage
Contact
216 West 26th street
Bryan, TX 77803–3268
NSF Award
1820310 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/15/2018 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project aims to identify optimal doses of blue light required to inactivate common clinical pathogens known to cause surgical site infections, and test a prototype antimicrobial light emitting dressing that uses the bactericidal effects of blue light to inactivate surface colonizing bacteria and disinfect surgical sites. The potential outcomes of the proposed activity are the development of a thin reusable blue light-emitting bandage that provides effective post-operative site disinfection, ultimately reducing nosocomial related infections. The proposed activity would further the development of antimicrobial blue light therapy devices, providing novel solutions to surgical site infections, Central Line Bloodstream Associated Infections, and wound infections, because of blue light therapy's proven ability to inactivate a wide range of clinical pathogens regardless of their resistance to antibiotics, ability to improve wound healing, and ability to inactivate bacteria in the biofilm state. The outcomes of this project will aid in providing a cost saving solution to Healthcare Associated Infections by reducing their occurrence, reducing the risks of human error, and improving accountability, quality and workflow. Optimization of blue light therapy is needed for clinical application for killing bacteria on the surface of patient's surgical sites, because of a radiant energy threshold that must be passed to inactivate bacteria. Due to the variation in devices and doses used in previous studies, combined with the clinical need for a device which can be easily incorporated into standard infection prevention protocols, further experimentation is needed with a device designed as a wearable for clinical implementation. Objective 1: Determine optimal light dose (fluence) of blue light (405 nm) required to inactivate common gram positive and gram negative bacteria known to cause SSIs. Using in vitro techniques, determine the total fluence of light and treatment times required to achieve bacterial disinfection of at least a one log reduction in bacteria colony forming units. Objective 2: Optimize device to deliver the effective irradiance while maintaining surface temperature below 43 Degree Celsius for safe use on tissue. The device is to not exceed 43 Degree Celsius on the surface of the device's therapeutic surface while delivering effective irradiance, from Objective 1, for inactivation of bacteria on surfaces. Objective 3: Test the device's infection prevention and tissue response in a SSI porcine model. Evaluate the device in a porcine SSI model with surface-inoculated sutured incisions, made to the depth of the fascia, with optimized light-emitting antimicrobial bandage. Success criteria for bacterial disinfection is at least a 90% reduction of CFU per gram of tissue or a multiparametric and semiquantitative score (0-3 range) no greater than 1, based on standard subjective clinical markers, including fever, erythema, induration, and suppuration. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
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Addenda
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SAMA LEARNING, INC.
SBIR Phase I: Virtual Reality Based Curriculum for Increased STEM Engagement
Contact
118 NURSERY ST
Nevada City, CA 95959–2308
NSF Award
1844018 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,938
Start / end date
01/01/2019 – 12/31/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop Virtual Reality (VR) based curriculum for first year university science courses. VR has the potential to create a step change in the way STEM education is taught and ultimately the way students learn. This project aims to build VR science curriculum to make science education more accessible, engaging and effective, and turn traditional STEM leavers into stayers which will positively impact STEM retention to meet the U.S. workforce demand. The VR science curriculum will be used alongside the existing curriculum at universities, with students participating in one 30-minute virtual lesson a week. The effect of these lessons on the students' performance will be measured to validate the ability of VR to positively impact learning outcomes. This project supports the NSF mission by progressing the science of education, by developing education tools using the scientific method, and measuring effectiveness. Moreover, the focus on improving university science education will improve the workforce pipeline, creating more and better prepared scientists. The products resulting from the proposed work will make science more accessible preparing today's students to be tomorrow's inventors, problem solvers and next great minds. The intellectual merit of this project is in the approach to developing VR curricula, and continually validating each curriculum by using data science to correlate student performance in the lesson to their performance in the classroom. Each lesson combines exposition, active learning, problem-based inquiry and assessment into self-contained modules which can be added to any existing curriculum. Student actions, and concept mastery are tracked within each lesson; ultimately, to correlate what the student is doing in a VR lesson to their learning outcome in real time. This enables the project team to validate which components of each lesson are working to improve student learning outcomes, and continually refine the VR pedagogy. This approach to developing each lesson and the cycle of refinement is the key innovation of the project team. The goal of the proposed research is to evaluate the magnitude of learning outcome improvement achieved when VR lessons are added to existing curricula, correlate the student actions in the VR lesson to their learning outcome as measured through in-class assessments, and evaluate perceived implementation hurdles for use of VR by instructors. This will be accomplished by integrating VR lessons in university curriculum and measuring the results against a control group. Instructor feedback will be gathered through a mixed methods study. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Addenda
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SAS Nanotechnologies LLC
SBIR Phase I: Smart, sustainable and self-healing anticorrosive pigment additive
Contact
550 S College Avenue
Newark, DE 19713–1307
NSF Award
1746264 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,989
Start / end date
01/01/2018 – 12/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will result in the development of smart, self-healing nanocapsules as anticorrosive pigment additive for commercialization of sustainable, economical and metal free acrylic, epoxy or polyurethane based anticorrosive coatings. The nanocapsule additive based anticorrosive coating will meet and exceed the performance of solvent and heavy metals based coatings and disrupt the current technology paradigms by delivering a sustainable and efficient anticorrosive coating technology into the market. The cost to fix or replace corroded structures in the US alone is a staggering $500 Billions/year that is compounded by the toxic environmental impact on account of the use of heavy metals such as, chromium, zinc and lead as anticorrosion pigments. This project will directly address these two important unmet industry needs. For example, the technology will replace heavy metals and deliver corrosion protection exactly when and where it is needed. This will increase the life-time of the coatings, decrease maintenance costs, and reduce the energy and labor costs. This novel technology is simple, scalable, and will find application across multiple industry sectors such as construction, oil & gas, architecture, defense, aerospace etc. The intellectual merit of this project is the development of smart, self-healing, polymer based nanocapsules as pigment additives in anticorrosive coatings. Corrosion is an electrochemical process and is induced by corrosive ions in the environment. At the onset of corrosion, the electrochemical potential at the corroding site chan