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ACRIGEN BIOSCIENCES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Development of a safe gene editing system via CRISPR-Cas and Cas inhibitor co-delivery
Contact
202 STANFORD AVE
Kensington, CA 94708--1104
NSF Award
2136335 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be the development of a curative therapy for spinal muscular atrophy using a novel and proprietary precision gene editing technology. The proposed technology will increase the safety and efficacy of gene editing by optimizing the precision of editing to correct the disease. This technology can be used to improve and even cure patients of genetic disease.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop and validate a curative therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) using a novel and proprietary CRISPR-Cas precision gene editing system. Manipulation of the human genome using CRISPR-Cas gene editors has been validated in early clinical trials to correct genetic diseases. However, application of this technology has been limited by the high degree of unintended 'off-target' editing events. This problem is particularly acute for in vivo therapies where the editing system will be delivered systemically or directly to the target organs, eliminating the ability to screen cells for unwanted editing outcomes. High precision gene editing technology must be developed to ensure the safety and efficacy of in vivo gene editing therapies. This project will develop an engineered anti-CRISPR (ErAcr) protein to eliminate unintended off-target editing. The ErAcr protein will be paired with a novel CRISPR-Cas nuclease and developed into a therapy for SMA> The therapy will be packaged into an adeno-associated viral vector and tested for editing and SMA disease correction in patient-derived cells and in an SMA mouse model. Effective editing will lead to disease correction in both patient cells and mice with no observable off-target editing events.
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. -
ADVISORY AEROSPACE OSC LLC
SBIR Phase II: A robust production scheduling optimizer for aerospace manufacturers
Contact
4460 GAYWOOD DR
Minnetonka, MN 55345--3808
NSF Award
2208742 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,550
Start / end date
12/01/2022 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to increase the competitiveness of the US in manufacturing high value parts for shops with high product variety, low volumes, large lead times, and large set up times. The application addresses a need to find the optimal way of utilizing existing resources in order to maximize production rates. The proposed technology may provide an affordable and easy-to-use solution for target markets in aerospace and medical technologies industries. The technology may also help strengthen the national defense of the United States by facilitating onshoring of defense manufacturing by making domestic producers more cost competitive.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project involves the development of a new technology that enables high value manufacturers in optimizing the flow of materials in their shops. For shops with high product variety, low volume, large lead times, and large set up times, there is a need to find the optimal way to utilize existing resources in order to maximize production rate. Most scheduling optimizers are unable to handle this problem reliably or affordably. The newly proposed methods, algorithms, and software may solve this challenge. The business model for delivering this software solution is designed for small and medium size businesses in terms of both cost and usability perspectives. The solution demonstrates double digit improvements in all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as on-time delivery (OTD), inventory turns, and profitability. Phase II work will mature shop optimization software through demonstration in a real aerospace parts factory.
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. -
AEROMUTABLE CORPORATION
SBIR Phase II: Multi Sub-System Miniaturization and Development for Semi-Truck Fuel Savings Device
Contact
9431 DOWDY DR
San Diego, CA 92126--4480
NSF Award
2213299 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
04/01/2023 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is reducing fuel consumption, improving safety and stability, and reducing the carbon footprint of the trucking industry while increasing profitability. Over 70% of US freight tonnage is moved by trucks. At highway speeds, aerodynamic drag uses over 65% of the total vehicle energy. The proposed device modifies the aerodynamic behavior of semi-trucks using air injection by allowing continuous optimization of aerodynamic performance. This project will bring the pneumatic, sensor and artificial intelligence (AI) control systems from proof-of-concept to commercialization. Having a commercial product capable of determining and delivering the trailer’s best aerodynamic profile based on real-time operating conditions may be a game-changer for the trucking industry, as fuel is a significant operating cost. Commercializing this system has the potential to create an energy savings for all US fleets, saving more than 3 billion gallons of diesel fuel, reducing the release of more than 33.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, tripling trucking company profits, and saving an annual $22 billion.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes development of an aerodynamic add-on prototype for semi-trucks to save fuel by dynamically changing the trailer’s aerodynamic profile to accommodate diverse operating conditions. Objectives of this SBIR Project are to evolve the device from prototype to the first commercially viable release through system miniaturization and encapsulation, controller optimization, and improved overall system performance, reliability, and safety. Research conducted to miniaturize the overall system footprint will minimize any additional operational impacts, ensuring widespread adoption and utilization that maximizes fuel savings. Research to optimize the Artificial Intelligence-Controller operation will maximize fuel savings because it will allow the device to operate under a broader set of operational conditions. Further development to improve system performance, reliability, and the addition of a safety assist will improve the profit margins of the trucking industry while simultaneously improving on-road safety for the public. The project seeks to deliver 10% savings in operational costs for the trucking industry while improving the efficiency and safety of their country-wide 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. -
AEROSHIELD MATERIALS, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Ultra-Clear and Insulating Aerogel for Energy-Efficient Windows
Contact
1 WESTINGHOUSE PLZ STE D157
Hyde Park, MA 02136--2196
NSF Award
2155248 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
06/01/2022 – 05/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project develops a novel, double-pane window insulated with a sheet of the company’s proprietary super-insulating aerogel. This aerogel window can achieve a center-of-glass U-factor of 0.18 BTU/h/ft2/F (1.02 Watt per square meter per Kelvin) and could enable cost-effective energy savings of 1.2 quadrillion BTUs by 2030, reducing the $20 billion in energy lost each winter in the U.S. In addition to this $3-5 billion annual market for the aerogel, this work also extends to other markets, such as transparent doors for refrigeration and ovens, and solar thermal receivers for process heat (~180 °C), where each represent significant opportunities for energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions (a $3.3 billion opportunity in commercial freezer and refrigerator doors, and a $3.0 billion opportunity in industrial process heat for solar thermal). By 2050, this new material technology could offset over 1.5 billion tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions and enable revolutionary designs for more efficient transparent insulation.
The intellectual merit of this project addresses key technical barriers for inclusion of super-insulating aerogels in window insulated glass units, focusing on two main risks. This project will: (1) demonstrate scaling of aerogel sheets to window relevant sizes with adequate optical and thermal properties, focusing on producing the 14” x 20” standard test size in the window industry; (2) demonstrate the durability of the aerogel using materials with these same dimensions for windows, which require 20+ year product lifetimes. This award will explore key cost drivers for manufacturing aerogel, create aerogel-insulated window designs, and test a full-scale (greater than 4 square feet) window prototype.
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. -
AESIR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Aqueous Lithium and Zinc Ion Batteries for Stationary Energy Storage Applications
Contact
8125 E 26TH ST
Joplin, MO 64804--7921
NSF Award
2051693 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$847,543
Start / end date
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the commercialization of an aqueous lithium and zinc ion battery that is a replacement for lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries in stationary energy storage applications. This battery has a nonflammable, environmentally-friendly, water-based electrolyte and does not utilize cobalt or nickel, reducing reliance on critical materials and helping to diversify battery material supply chains. The battery chemistry combines the high safety and low cost associated with zinc-based batteries with the long life of lithium-ion batteries. This aqueous battery may help to advance the adoption of beneficial energy technologies such as intermittent renewables and electric vehicles. The battery utilizes zinc that can be sourced domestically and does not introduce a dependency on foreign sources, promoting both national security and the creation of US-based jobs. The battery is also fully recyclable using existing methods.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop the aqueous lithium and zinc ion battery technology by focusing on optimization of individual battery components to improve cycle life and power as well as scale up from pouch cells to larger-format prismatic cells. The research will include refining the intercalation electrode design to increase capacity retention during long life cycling, developing the zinc electrode design to suppress zinc dendrite growth, improving separator functionality to maintain high-rate capabilities and increase cycle life, and developing an electrolyte designed to stabilize zinc while also allowing for faster reactivity with the zinc and lithium ions. Larger format cells with optimized components will be built and tested to evaluate scaled real-world performance metrics compared to Lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries traditionally used in stationary energy storage 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. -
AFFECTIFI INC.
SBIR Phase II: Developing a Novel Platform for Teaching Emotional Literacy
Contact
462 CARROLL ST APT 10
Brooklyn, NY 11215--1028
NSF Award
2152882 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
09/01/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to deliver an engaging, scalable, and effective social emotional learning platform by integrating soft skills training with major streaming media sites. By leveraging the reach and appeal of popular streaming media platforms with the latest emotion and learning science, the project may lead to improved academic performance, health, and quality of life for America’s youth. The product seeks to benefit mental health professionals and K-12 schools, with potential future areas of growth in corporate training and social emotional skills certification
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to improve social and emotional skills like emotional literacy, empathy, and resilience among children, adolescents, and young adults at scale. The project aims to deliver a solution that addresses some of the shortcomings of existing social emotional learning (SEL) offerings, namely content quality and diversity. The technology will do so through the development of a platform that integrates SEL directly with major media streaming platforms using a browser extension technology. This technology will make it possible to leverage the wide range of popular content available on those platforms to build critical skills like empathy and emotion regulation. The platform will be powered by a training engine based on established emotion science principles to enable flexibility and personalization. The platform will support user collaboration as well as detailed performance analytics and will be designed to facilitate eventual integration with streaming applications on mobile devices and smart televisions. Efficacy studies will be conducted to evaluate the platform’s impact on social emotional skills.
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. -
AKORN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Edible, water soluble corn zein films for shelf life extension and improved safety of perishable foods
Contact
3997 LYMAN RD
Oakland, CA 94602--1858
NSF Award
2150748 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,590
Start / end date
07/15/2022 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in the reduction of food waste and improved nutrition. Each year, more than 30% of fresh produce is wasted. The value of this wasted produce is estimated at more than $60 billion globally. This project’s main goal is to extend the shelf life of perishable foods with an edible coating that regulates the rate of both transpiration to slow moisture loss and respiration to delay ripening. The project aims to enable produce growers and distributors to preserve the freshness and quality of fruits and vegetables. Consumers could benefit by having access to fresher, tastier, and more appealing produce. This technology may also promote healthier food choices, especially in currently underserved food deserts. Packers would benefit by being able to offer a high-quality product that will last longer and that can better withstand the rigors of various types of transport. Extended shelf life also extends the market reach of U.S. exports in global markets.
The core innovation underlying this project is the creation of stable Zein colloids that employ only edible, plant-based ingredients, are non-flammable, non-corrosive, and meet most global food regulations. These colloids will be initially developed as coatings for fresh whole or minimally processed foods, root crops, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The coating will not impede the delivery of nutrients, flavors, and other functional ingredients that make foods appealing, improve their quality, and encourage consumption. The technology will also reduce food spoilage and improving food safety. Experimental work will be focused on further improving the stability of Zein dispersions and demonstrating the ability to adjust the film properties (water vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide permeances) to respond to the physiology of a broad range of crops. This technology will also be piloted at various packing plants to evaluate its operational fitness with existing operations. This research will also enable related applications, such as for compostable coatings on food packaging and pharmaceutical and nutraceutical coatings.
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. -
ALLOY ENTERPRISES INC.
SBIR Phase II: Automation of a Novel Low Cost Aluminum Additive Manufacturing Method
Contact
26 DARTMOUTH ST # 2
Somerville, MA 02145--3834
NSF Award
2127355 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
12/01/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve aluminum additive manufacturing (AM). AM remains of great interest to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for its promise of producing parts on-demand; however, low throughput and high costs of aluminum powder limit adoption. The proposed technology produces consistent parts with established alloys, such as the commonly used 6061 aluminum alloy. These alloys have immediate commercial applications in servicing legacy equipment parts and for making vehicles more lightweight, thus improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Further, this technology can support low-to-medium production volumes, allowing smaller manufacturers to take advantage of AM as a platform for innovation.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to deliver on-demand production at the unit cost of casting. The research objectives will optimize core processes for a novel aluminum metal-to-metal sheet bonding technology, and achieve process automation. This technology provides on-demand parts with high strength wrought alloy properties and the capability to design innovative components that could not be previously considered with traditional manufacturing processes. The anticipated results are improved material and mechanical properties, system integration, and increased throughput and part complexity.
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. -
ALTECT, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Thermal Runaway Protection and Suppression for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Contact
1509 PRINCETON AVE
Austin, TX 78757--1321
NSF Award
2126940 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to address fire and explosion safety hazards associated with lithium ion (Li-ion) battery energy storage technologies. Fueled by growth in the energy storage and electric vehicle industries, the Li-ion battery market is expected to grow to a size of several hundred billion dollars by 2025. Future viability of these clean energy technologies are dependent on Li-ion battery technology. However, Li-ion batteries occasionally catastrophically fail, posing thermal hazards as serious as fires and explosions. The proposed technology has the potential to be an effective, low cost solution and accelerating adoption of transformative clean energy technologies.
This SBIR Phase I project proposes to improve the safety of Li-ion bateries. Under certain scenarios, Li-ion batteries can fail, resulting in an exothermic release of flammable and toxic gases. For applications including large multi-cell battery systems in energy storage and vehicle use, the risk of thermal runaway can result in catastrophic fires, explosions and toxic gas release that can damage nearby infrastructure and cause injury or death. Thermal runaway poses significant challenges for available suppression and mitigation systems because the hazardous gas release can continue despite suppression of the incipient fire. The proposed thermal runaway protection and suppression technology addresses the source of the hazards by exploiting a series of novel physio-chemical processes to reduce flammable and toxic gas species concentrations released during a thermal runaway event.
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. -
AQUAGGA, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Optimized Hydrothermal Reactor for Scalable and Affordable Destruction of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS)
Contact
326 EAST D ST
Tacoma, WA 98421--1804
NSF Award
2232969 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$979,270
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the acceleration of a new technology for the destruction of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS), otherwise known as “forever chemicals”. PFAS chemicals are widely used in firefighting foams and consumer goods. However, they are incredibly recalcitrant environmental pollutants, highly toxic to humans, and very hard to destroy. Widespread contamination of soil, groundwater, and drinking water at sites near airports, military bases, and manufacturing sites is driving a global effort to remove and destroy PFAS toxins. PFAS are poorly broken down by incineration and they do not have a natural half-life. The environmental remediation industry needs effective technology for on-site, end-of-life destruction of PFAS. The technology being developed in this SBIR Phase II project is energy efficient, scalable, pairs with existing technologies, and can be deployed at-scale for the destruction of PFAS-rich wastes.
This SBIR Phase II project seeks to reduce technical risks related to system corrosion and chemical consumption in the development and scale-up of the hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) process for the destruction of PFAS. Hydrothermal processing has historically been plagued by challenges with corrosion and low component lifetimes, and/or has requiring the use of expensive alloys, replaceable system components, and/or elegant chemical corrosion prevention strategies. This said, hydrothermal processes are some of the most effective and efficient technologies for destroying hazardous wastes, such as PFAS. This project will focus on measuring and mitigating the material corrosion challenges to enable more widespread adoption of hydrothermal processes for waste disposal. Additionally, HALT processing requires the use of alkaline chemicals as process additives. In this project, by adopting chemical recycling strategies, the use of chemicals may be drastically reduced, improving overall unit economics and reducing the environmental footprint of HALT processing.
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. -
AQUEDUCT FLUIDICS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Modular and Reconfigurable Liquid-handling Toolkit for Laboratory Research
Contact
2209 NAUDAIN ST
Philadelphia, PA 19146--1109
NSF Award
2126656 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a highly customizable, programmable system that allows researchers to program and run experiments across wide-ranging use cases. Physical- and life-science R&D personnel frequently conduct repetitive, long-duration experiments manually with unconnected benchtop equipment. A tailored flexible automation system would serve multiple industries, including chemicals, specialty polymers, and biotechnology. The goal is to optimize the flexibility that researchers need to complete their studies while minimizing the efforts they expend on equipment and development customization. This system will bring the benefits of automation found in large-scale manufacturing facilities to the laboratory benchtop-scale in terms of (1) decoupling researchers’ time from their productivity and (2) enabling modern programmatic approaches for collaborating and building directly upon previously programmed protocols. This will accelerate the research and development enterprise.
The intellectual merit of this project is the development and commercialization of a system that makes laboratory protocol automation accessible to researchers. The system will make automation accessible by addressing the most difficult elements of system integration (communication timing, command timing, a user-interface, data persistence) so that researchers need only focus on the protocols. The system hardware unifies the disparate types of input and output (I/O) for multiple types of benchtop lab equipment. The software front-end provides an accessible Python application programming interface (API) for the network of connected equipment. The software application handles command queuing and execution for a user’s customized script. Used in combination, these capabilities result in a flexible network of plug-and-play laboratory devices that seamlessly communicate with each other to execute complex protocols. The research objectives are to 1) establish a robust and scalable software and hardware architecture, and 2) develop, test, and implement assets to accelerate user adoption. The anticipated result is a system that enables a researcher to select any combination of benchtop lab equipment from the device library, configure the equipment into a custom setup, select and modify template protocols, and execute specialized protocols in a matter of minutes.
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. -
ARTIMUS ROBOTICS INC
SBIR Phase II: A study of the electromechanical failure modes in hydraulically amplified aelf-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators
Contact
2985 STERLING CT STE B
Boulder, CO 80301--2321
NSF Award
2136844 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$955,030
Start / end date
07/15/2022 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the novel scientific knowledge gained by understanding the effects of high electrostatic fields on composite dielectrics, the translation of experimental materials to robust and high performance HASEL (Hydraulically Amplified Self-healing ELectrostatic) actuators, and, more generally, the impact of HASEL actuation technology within real-world applications. This knowledge contributes to many highly interdisciplinary fields of science, ranging from electrostatics, materials science, mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering. The advancements of HASEL actuators achieved during this project may have broad impacts on commercial, research, education, and defense sectors. These actuators may be an enabling component for a variety of industries including automation, automotive, medical devices, robotics, and defense applications. Key features of HASEL actuators include: analog motion, mechanical compliance, high speed, high strain, silent operation, customization, and self-sensing. By bringing forward actuator technologies, industries may adopt robotic technologies, strengthening the economic competitive advantage of these industries. The team will continue to leverage academic partnerships to contribute to and train a highly capable technical workforce of scientists and engineers.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project seeks to advance the performance of HASEL (Hydraulically Amplified Self-healing ELectrostatic) actuators. HASEL actuators harness electrostatic forces to drive shape-change in a soft hydraulic structure, providing a variety of muscle-like actuation modes and the ability to self-sense their deformation state. HASEL actuators address critical problems in existing soft actuator technologies. For example, soft pneumatic actuators must be tethered to a system of valves and pumps for high performance actuation, whereas HASEL actuators are electrically controlled and can be operated with battery-powered portable power supplies. The team will develop and validate approaches to advance the performance and ease of use of HASEL actuators. These advances of the technology will be realized through material optimization, fabrication improvements, and a more fundamental understanding of solid-liquid composite dielectric structures under high electrostatic fields. Performance improvements will be applied to actuators well-suited for industrial, consumer, defense, and experimental 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. -
ASPERO MEDICAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Advanced Balloon Endoscopy Overtube
Contact
4690 OSAGE DR
Boulder, CO 80303--3903
NSF Award
2129152 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,934
Start / end date
11/01/2021 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in addressing an unmet need in incomplete colonoscopy procedures. Incomplete colonoscopy procedures can result in missed colorectal cancer and ultimately increased healthcare expenditures related to follow-up procedures. Use of current balloon overtubes during colonoscopy can significantly improve cecal intubation rates and overall outcomes; However, operating in today’s healthcare economy, colonoscopies and small bowel endoscopy are modestly reimbursed placing considerable pressure on the endoscopist to maximize patient throughput in an endoscopy lab at minimal cost. Current balloon overtubes are not widely utilized except in challenging and highly tortuous conditions due to their troublesome slippage and inefficient application. This project will provide endoscopists with an intraoperative tool that can transition incomplete colonoscopies to completed procedures at a fraction of the cost.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated balloon overtube that can be used intraoperatively. The technology represents a mid-procedure, time-efficient addition on the endoscope to aid in completing challenging colonoscopies and minimize the occurrence of incomplete colonoscopies. The goal of this project is to achieve a safe, effective, manufacturable device that exhibits a clinically acceptable user interface. The advanced balloon overtube directly addresses the need to maximize complete colonoscopies for better patient health, using a cost effective endoscopy accessory that is easy to use and time efficient. This novel approach provides a new way of converting incomplete procedures to completed procedures to minimize costs while improving patient outcomes and overall clinical experiences. The technological expertise that will be generated during this project will address a critical unmet need in the colonoscopy market, while future versions may be transferable to other fields of use in the medical procedure realm.
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. -
ATLAS AI P.B.C.
SBIR Phase II: Instance Segmentation in Support of Sustainable Development
Contact
54 LOCHINVAR RD
Palo Alto, CA 94301--1613
NSF Award
2025894 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,805
Start / end date
12/15/2020 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to improve the efficiency of food production and supply chains for small-scale farming systems. This project advances high-resolution, in-season crop yield forecasts, focusing on maize yields in Sub-Saharan Africa with technologies that can be extended to global small-holder agriculture. The project will address three needs: 1) the design of financial products and services for small-holder farmers, including credit and crop insurance models; 2) the planning of harvest operations and efficient linkage of produce to markets; and 3) the detection of lower than average yields, and the mitigation of resulting threats to food security. This can help service providers, producer groups, traders and aggregators, and government policy-makers. In addition to commercial and societal impacts, this innovation will advance the state of the science in yield forecasting, by adapting methods used in large-scale commercial production for the smaller-scale, heterogeneous farm plots typical of the developing world.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a novel method for forecasting plot-level maize yields, using high resolution satellite imagery and other remotely sensed data as inputs. The method is calibrated and tested using field data from four countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. A first research objective is to implement and evaluate a variety of computationally efficient modeling approaches for in-season crop area classification, at the level of the small-holder plot (for which no method is currently established). A second objective is to design and calibrate a pixel-level yield forecasting model that generates estimates at multiple timepoints across the growing season. Various calibration approaches will be tested, using both public and proprietary data on historical yield anomalies. The project addresses several persistent challenges in yield forecasting, including the needs for: flexible fusion of remote sensing data that span multiple spatial resolutions, temporal frequencies, and sensing modalities; model architectures that can handle sparse data (given limited access to field-level ground-truth data for calibration and validation); and scalable approaches that can perform in different geographies and agro-ecologies.
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. -
ATOM BIOWORKS INC
SBIR Phase II: COVID-19 Rapid Sensing Using Structural DNA Biosensors
Contact
1201 RIGGINS MILL RD
Cary, NC 27519--8117
NSF Award
2127436 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,507
Start / end date
08/01/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be the development of a platform technology for creating rapid virus diagnostics that directly recognizes the virus surface protein pattern from a patient sample and generates accurate results within minutes. Current standards for high-fidelity viral pathogen diagnostics require complex instruments, technical expertise to run the instruments, and hours to produce and interpret results. The proposed platform creates a virus-specific biosensor that selectively binds to the target virus and produces visible results without time-consuming pre-processing or expensive instruments. Lower cost tests and faster sample-to-result turnovers could result in more effective control of disease spread.
This project seeks to develop a highly functional, sensitive, and specific diagnostic for the detection of coronavirus. This technology is based on the company’s Pattern-Recognition Enhanced Sensing and Therapeutics (PEST) concept. The solution is a first-in-class diagnostics that uses algorithmically-designed structural DNA to form a trap that may detect and selectively bind a signature pattern of the pathogen. This recognition and binding may generate visual signals without the need of DNA/RNA preprocessing or amplification associated with the current generation of molecular tests (polymerase chain reactions, PCRs). This project will involve building a preclinical prototype of PEST-enabled lateral flow based COVID-19 rapid diagnostics with a goal of providing results for each sample within 5 minutes. This fast test result will be followed by preclinical validation to determine the test’s specificity, limits of detection, and implement mechanism to improve the assay specificity and to avoid cross-reaction to other virus types.
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. -
AV-CONNECT, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Improving fleet operational metrics through service optimization with automated learning of vehicle energy performance models for zero-emission public transport
Contact
1054 FONTANA DR
Alameda, CA 94502--6820
NSF Award
2220811 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,339
Start / end date
04/15/2023 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase (SBIR) II project will research and validate an internet-of-things (IOT) platform to help commercial fleets transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The ZEV transition is the primary solution to the decarbonization of the transportation sector, which is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the US. The project focuses on transit agencies, with the ultimate goal of lowering both operating costs and capital costs of their ZEV fleets. Coupled with the current funding support by federal, state and local governments to transit agencies to purchase ZEVs, this project could accelerate the decarbonization of the US transit fleet. A 50% transition of the US transit fleet to ZEVs will reduce nearly 200 million metric tons of carbom dioxide (CO2) equivalent, providing cleaner air quality and reducing urban noise pollution, particularly in low-income communities that rely more heavily on transit services for their transportation needs. The addressable market of Transportation Management Systems will grow from $8.8 billion in 2020 to $27.48 billion in 2028. Demonstrating success in the transit segment will enable the replication of this approach to other fleet segments like school bus fleets, last-mile and mid-mile delivery fleets, and long-haul trucking fleets.
The intellectual merit of this project is the design and implementation of an artificial intelligence software platform to automatically learn predictive vehicle models of transit ZEVs and provide recommendation services to transit agencies. The Phase II project has three integrated goals. The first goal is the development of energy prediction algorithms which are scalable and highly accurate. Transit ZEV fleets have stochastic load changes, high sensitivity to operator driving style and high variation of battery size, weight and driving range, even for similar vehicles. These challenges will be addressed by developing automated learning techniques built on algorithms developed in Phase I, which use contextualized data from ZEV stops and trips. The second goal is to validate the prediction accuracy via pilots with ZEV fleets providing scheduled bus services. The final goal is development of real-time, scalable, fleet optimization algorithms which optimize daily assignment and charge management of ZEV fleets. Chance-constrained optimization will be merged with predictive control theory to address scalability and real-time performance of the resulting optimization algorithms. These recommendations will, if successful, demonstrate highly accurate predictions of charge usage, a substantial increase in ZEV fleet utilization, and a reduction of transit ZEV fleet operating costs.
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. -
AVICENATECH, CORP.
SBIR Phase II: Ultra-high Throughput Parallel Optical Links for Chip-to-Chip Interconnects
Contact
1130 INDEPENDENCE AVE
Mountain View, CA 94043--1604
NSF Award
2151747 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$989,153
Start / end date
09/01/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to create very low power and very high capacity optical interconnects for general computer applications. Computer performance is limited by the speed, power, and latency of connections between chips and memory. The limitations of electrical interconnects are well known, and optical interconnects overcome the limitations and offer 100-1000 times performance improvements. While historically optical interconnects have been hampered by high cost and high power, recent developments show that the promise of optical interconnects can be practically realized. Optical interconnects will dramatically improve overall performance of enterprise and cloud computing services, especially when used in data center computers, while reducing electrical power consumption. This will in turn permit a vast improvement in resource utilization and dramatic reduction in the cost of computation across all segments of society
The proposed project will develop an optical peripheral component interconnect expreess (PCIe)-compatible transparent bridge for general computer interconnects. PCIe is the most prevalent interconnect used today in computers. The technology developed in this proposal, based on light emitting diode (LED)-based transmitters, multicore optical fibers, and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible photodetectors, seeks to reduce electrical power consumption from ~10 pJ/bit for electrical solutions to ~100-200 fJ/bit. The use of LEDs leverages investments already made for cost and power effective LED lighting and displays. The small size of the LEDs and multicore fibers allows for data densities of >1 Pbps/cm2. Electrical interconnects and other optical interconnect technologies cannot compare with the performance of these LED based optical interconnects. These advantages enable physical disaggregation of the compute, storage, and memory functions, improving system performance and resource utilization. This Phase II effort is focused on the development of a PCIe-compliant transparent bridge for applications in chip to chip and chip to memory interconnects.
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. -
Abalone Bio, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: 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
1853147 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,099,998
Start / end date
03/01/2019 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
This phase II award received additional funding to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis.Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop a drug discovery platform that will identify novel types of antibody therapeutics. The goal is to use antibodies to increase or decrease the activity of a type of cell signaling receptor called "G protein-coupled receptors" (GPCRs). There are more than 400 non-olfactory human GPCRs that are involved in all aspects of health and disease, including cancers, autoimmune diseases, pain, inflammation, and others. About 25% of GPCRs have been targeted by approved small molecule drugs, but efforts for the remaining have often failed because of the inability of small molecules to distinguish between similar GPCRs. Antibody drugs can overcome this hurdle because of their much higher specificity for their targets. This project will bring to commercialization the first technology that directly identifies antibodies that modulate GPCR function. These antibodies will impact healthcare by enabling therapies for diseases with poor or no current treatments. They also will impact scientific understanding by enabling the study of GPCR-related physiology and disease. The commercial impacts are potentially very large. The GPCR drug market is over $100B, and most antibody therapeutics have annual sales over $1B. The platform described here could enable dozens of novel GPCR antibody therapeutics, creating value for patients, society, and co-development partners.
The intellectual merit of this SBIR Phase II project is to develop a drug discovery technology for discovering antibodies that modulate G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Current methods are limited because GPCR antigens are often not properly folded, and because antibodies are selected by how tightly they bind GPCRs, rather than by the effect they exert. Those that bind typically do not have any effect at all. This project will build on the successful proof-of-concept from Phase I that demonstrated the platform's ability to identify directly functional antibody agonists for a human GPCR. The proposal addresses the four main technical requirements that pharmaceutical customers cite as important: Ability to work on many types of GPCRs, ability to isolate antibodies with varied modulating effects, use of a highly diverse, high-quality scFv library, and a workflow that can quickly isolate, optimize and characterize dozens of candidates. The goals of this project are to improve how the platform's yeasts express GPCRs and functionally couple them to different selectable readouts, construct a proprietary scFv library, and optimize the workflow by incorporating sequencing bioinformatics and antibody characterization, including flow cytometric analysis of cell-binding and functional assays on cultured mammalian cells.
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. -
Accelerate Wind, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Integrated Solution for Low Cost Distributed Wind Energy Generation
Contact
911 WASHINGTON AVE STE 501
St. Louis, MO 63101--1272
NSF Award
2036552 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,016,000
Start / end date
05/15/2021 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in its strong potential to disrupt the small wind market, which to date has lagged behind solar counterparts. Through dual installation with solar on commercial buildings, the proposed roof-edge wind turbines will be able to deliver enhanced energy capture systems to buildings, with a shorter payback period, thus improving cost-efficiency and power potential, and attracting a broader body of adopters. By improving product offerings in the renewable energy sector, this technology has the potential to promote sustainable infrastructure, reducing reliance on and consumption of fossil fuels.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project develops a roof-edge wind capture technology with commercial viability. The proposed distributed wind technology reduces costs by harnessing elevated wind speeds at the roof edge, optimizing powertrain architecture, and mitigating soft costs through sale to solar installers, who have already achieved significant market penetration yet would benefit from a diversified portfolio. The project aims to: 1) Prove the feasibility of integrating a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine into the system 2) Design for additional stakeholders, with respect to aesthetics, structural integration, ease of installation, and code compliance, while maintaining cost targets needed for scaleup 3) Design and test full powertrain architecture using components intended for commercial scaleup and 4) Build and test the full turbine for reliability and certification testing. These efforts will inform critical needs to address prior to large-scale commercial rollout, providing a strong foundation for translation as a reliable and cost-efficient distributed wind solution.
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. -
Advaita Corporation
SBIR Phase II: A multi-omics data integration approach for precision medicine and improved clinical trial success
Contact
3250 PLYMOUTH RD STE 303
Ann Arbor, MI 48105--2552
NSF Award
1853207 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$714,707
Start / end date
03/01/2019 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be the development of an analysis method and software package to identify human disease subtypes using omics data. This technology will enable the ability to provide personalized treatment for patients, and more successful and cost-effective clinical trials, bring drugs to market more rapidly. The goal is identification of disease subtypes and patient subgroups, a prerequisite to the ability to distinguish between patients who are in danger and need the most aggressive treatments, and those who are less suited to treatment because they will never progress or recur or they will develop resistance. Currently, 70% of drugs entering Phase III clinical trials fail, leading to a loss of more than $1 trillion per year. This may be avoided by refining trial inclusion criteria and administering the drug only to the patients most likely to respond. The technology is designed to identify patient subgroups most likely to respond or not respond to a given treatment. This technology also may reduce the cost of prophylactic clinical trials by reducing the number of subjects and/or duration necessary to achieve sufficient power. The technology will significantly reduce drug development costs while simultaneously improving patient care by selecting the correct treatment for each patient.
The intellectual merit of this SBIR Phase II project is to develop a novel analysis method and software package that is able to identify subtypes of disease based on the integration of multiple types of omics data. Many drug candidates fail and many patients receive inappropriate treatment because of the current inability to distinguish between subgroups of patients (respondents vs. non-respondents) and/or subtypes of disease (aggressive vs. non-aggressive). The current unmet challenge is to discover the molecular subtypes of disease and subgroups of patients. Attempts to achieve this based solely on gene expression signatures have been undertaken but yielded only modest success (very few gene expression tests are FDA-approved to date). The technology proposed here may be used to discover clinically relevant disease subtypes by integrating multiple types of high-throughput data. In addition, the Phase I results obtained on real patient data demonstrated that the technology is able to distinguish between more and less aggressive types of cancer based on their molecular profiles alone. This Phase II project proposes to extend this technology to integrate genomic and clinical 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. -
Ambi Robotics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Advanced Artificial Intelligence for Robotic E-Commerce Pick-and-Pack Automation
Contact
1610 5TH ST
Berkeley, CA 94710--1715
NSF Award
2111915 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$972,586
Start / end date
02/01/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve the resiliency of the supply chain by implementing flexible robotic systems for materials handling. The robotic systems that are controlled by artificial intelligence. E-commerce sales are increasing 20% year over year. During the COVID-19 pandemic additional retail volume shifted online and many customers became accustomed to sourcing essentials using e-commerce. This shift has put a greater burden on asupply chain infrastructure that has traditionally relied on human labor to pick, sort, pack, and process items for delivery. These manual processes are monotonous, error-prone, and sometimes dangerous, have extremely high worker turnover. The automation of these processes elevates worker roles and brings greater consistency to the processes. The innovation developed during this Phase II project may enable broader automation of complex materials handling processes by creating novel training systems for artificial intelligence-enabled robotic systems that are configured specifically for individual customer needs. This innovation may increase US supply chain resilience, enabling citizens to rapidly and reliably obtain necessities such as food, medicine, and health supplies without needing to leave their homes. The commercial opportunity is large, with over $20B spent on US pick and pack wages annually.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop new methods for rapidly training artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled robotic systems built for object identification and manipulation. Warehouse object manipulation tasks are variable and automating them often requires custom solutions for each customer and facility. These custom solutions are often prohibitively expensive. To solve these problems, an industrial operating system that can be deployed across many configurations of materials handling processes is required. This project aims to develop modules critical to scaling commercial deployments, such as quality control vision systems, automated assessments of item pickability, and enhanced AI systems for robotic picking. The anticipated result of this project is an industrial AI-enabled robotic operating system that allows rapid configuration of robotic systems to implement highly-optimized processes for picking and packing individual items in e-commerce logistics.
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. -
Antithesis Foods Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Cost-effective manufacturing of a novel nutrient-dense chickpea dough platform for mass-market processed foods
Contact
950 DANBY RD STE 135
Ithaca, NY 14850--5731
NSF Award
2136719 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,717
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this SBIR Phase II project is in providing an alternative to the calorically dense and nutritionally poor processed foods that have proliferated in the American diet due to their price, convenience, palatability, and shelf-stability. This project advances a nutrient-dense crunchy ingredient platform based on legumes and having the ability to customize shape, texture, and nutritional profile to meet a broad variety of crunchy applications in disparate categories. Due to their neutral flavor, these crunchy ingredients can be flavored with various flavor systems, providing a low-calorie, high-fiber, and high-protein alternative to consumer favorites such as graham crackers, cereals, chips, granola, and cookies. Providing healthier alternatives to traditionally unhealthy consumer products has the potential to beneficially impact public health, preventing diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other related co-morbidities.
This SBIR Phase II project focuses on the formulation and processing development necessary to expand a legume-based ingredient platform and overcome the significant technical hurdles in scaled manufacturing. The primary innovation lies in a novel method of structuring fibers and proteins into a crunchy and aerated matrix through both formulation and downstream processing. This project addresses the variation in product behavior and quality caused by batch size and manufacturing line configuration. The dough on which these ingredients are based differs highly in its rheological properties in comparison to the gluten-based doughs for which most manufacturing lines are configured. To compete with commodities, a variety of manufacturing lines with different drying technologies must be evaluated in their ability to maximize throughput while minimizing input costs and meeting product quality requirements. The major technical objectives of this Phase II project are: 1) Expand ingredient platform variants to achieve specific product characteristics to support customer claims, ingredient labeling, physiological impact, and costs; 2) Evaluate various manufacturing lines and their technoeconomic potential to scale ingredient production; 3) Develop ingredients to meet requirements necessary to respond to physical and environmental stressors 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. -
Antora Energy, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Research and development of production-scale high-efficiency Thermal Photovoltaic (TPV) cells to enable ultra-low cost energy storage.
Contact
4385 SEDGE ST
Fremont, CA 94555--1159
NSF Award
1951284 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,234,779
Start / end date
06/01/2020 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to generate inexpensive, reliable electricity through solar cells. As renewables such as wind and solar provide a new low-cost means of generating power domestically, energy storage systems capable of transforming these intermittent sources into dispatchable ones are increasingly commercially attractive. However, conventional energy storage technologies, such as advanced batteries, cannot provide the needed resiliency of on the length scale of days. Ultra-low-cost storage technologies, such as those based on thermal energy storage in earth-abundant materials, have the potential to address this large commercial opportunity. The proposed project will advance the development of a new type of heat engine to convert heat into electricity.
The proposed project aims to move this thermophotovoltaic (TPV) heat engine from the lab to the market. The goal of this project is to develop large-scale and high-yield manufacturing of these cells with industrial equipment and large-area substrates. The proposed project will explore the cost-performance trade space toward the goal of high-volume production of PV material.
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. -
Arieca Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Ultrasoft Thermal Interface Elastomer for Microelectronics
Contact
201 N BRADDOCK AVE STE 334
Pittsburgh, PA 15208--2598
NSF Award
2233069 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$858,714
Start / end date
04/15/2023 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in improving the efficiency and performance of electronic devices. Modern devices, including cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles contain high-powered semiconductor components which generate unwanted heat that, in turn, reduces their efficiency. If left unchecked, this heat may destroy the devices and even injure users or cause damage to the environment. This project addresses excessing heating in electronic devices by introducing new high-performance thermal interface materials based upon embedding liquid metal droplets inside of stretchable polymers. These so-called liquid metal embedded elastomer (LMEE) materials can be applied to computer processors, graphics cards, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, and even power modules in electric vehicles, to help keep electronic devices operating at peak performance at all times. The growing prevalence of the Internet of Things, 5G network infrastructure, and electric cars all necessitate better thermal solutions so that devices can function properly. This project could contribute to the semiconductor, automotive, and healthcare industries.
This project’s goal is to develop and commercialize a thermal interface material (TIM) for packaged microelectronics, building upon the LMEE composite architecture. The technology will outperform existing TTIMs by combining the superior thermal resistance of metal-based solid TIMs (S-TIMs) with the mechanical reliability of polymer-based TIMs and the high-volume manufacturing compatibility of thermal greases. Specifically, LMEEs possess a unique combination of metal-like thermal resistance, rubber-like elasticity, and liquid emulsion-like rheology prior to curing, thereby solving two main challenges present with existing S-TIMs: (i) poor mechanical reliability over long durations and (ii) incompatibility with syringe-based dispensing for high volume manufacturing. The strategy proposed in this project is to synthesize an LMEE-based TIM that forms a robust bond between the surfaces of the semiconductor chip and surrounding enclosure, maintains a controlled thickness between the chip and enclosure, and ensures the necessary rheology for syringe-based dispensing. Specific project tasks build around a comprehensive technical plan that includes materials synthesis, performance characterization, and in-package evaluation. In parallel, the project will examine methods for storage, shipment, and dispensing to ensure a product that is ready for integrated device manufacturers and semiconductor assembly and testing industry by the end of 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. -
Astrileux Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Next Generation High Performance EUV Photomasks.
Contact
3137 TIGER RUN CT STE 107
La Jolla, CA 92037--8411
NSF Award
1927546 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$899,999
Start / end date
10/01/2019 – 09/30/2023
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to drive the next generation of advanced computing power and performance by manufacturing integrated circuits (ICs) at 7 nm and smaller. Today's central processing units (CPUs) contain 7.2 B chips and over 1.2 sextillion chips are manufactured per year. Next generation technology is expected to enable artificial intelligence and machine learning through both conventional computing and potentially new paradigms for transformative applications such as self-driving cars and smart buildings, but new ways are needed to make appropriate chips. The proposed project will develop a technology to address this need as chipmakers meet their desired goals.
The proposed project addresses challenges related to high volume manufacturing at the 7 nm node for lithography tools and their components. 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 ~65% and suffer from defectivity 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. We propose a new EUV photomask which promises a higher robustness to defects, a higher manufacturing yield, better uniformity and more reusability of masks in operations and longer lifetime. The goals of the project are to evaluate new integrated architecture for the EUV mask design, develop a higher yield fabrication process and characterize their EUV performance. More robust architectures reduce capital outlay requirements for in-situ metrology and inspection and ultimately bring down the cost of next generation electronics.
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. -
Avium, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Dual Element Matrix (DEM) Water Electrolyzer
Contact
1714 W 26TH ST
Lawrence, KS 66046--4206
NSF Award
1951216 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
04/15/2020 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to make on-site hydrogen generation convenient and economically viable. Hydrogen is a chemical used widely in industry and serves an alternative fuel source for electric vehicles, increasing drive range and shortening refueling time, but adoption has been limited by the needs for refueling infrastructure. One method to address this is to create hydrogen by splitting water, alleviating the safety, logistical, and reliability issues associated with the delivery and storage of hydrogen, but existing technology has been associated with high capital and operating costs. The objective of this proposal is to advance water splitting technology, enabling a non-polluting, zero-emission hydrogen solution.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop an advanced electrolyzer. The project will (1) synthesize the catalysts and fabricate these electrodes on an industrial scale; (2) characterize the relationship between electrode architecture and kinetic and mass-transfer limitations; and (3) identify the electrode architecture, stack compression, and flow rates required to translate the performance of these electrodes to an industrial-sized prototype. The project will utilize mathematical modeling to guide electrode architecture development and a three cell industrial-sized test stack for experimental testing before employing electrodes in a full 4 kg/day stack. Furthermore, the project will employ the electrodes in a 4 kg/day pressurized stack and integrate these components to produce hydrogen at 20 bar to the SAE J2719 standard of 99.998% purity. The projected targets for stack and system efficiency for the final system are 43 kWh/kg and 55 kWh/kg.
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. -
Axalume Inc.
SBIR Phase II: High-performance, tunable silicon laser arrays designed for mass production
Contact
16132 CAYENNE CREEK ROAD
San Diego, CA 92127--3708
NSF Award
1927082 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$919,519
Start / end date
09/15/2019 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is demonstrate new lasers for advanced communication and sensing applications. The proposed work includes the design, simulation, and testing of new lasers to meet rapidly-growing high-speed data center optical communication and emerging automotive laser range-finding requirements.
The proposed project activities will include the design, simulation, and experimental verification of hybrid, external-cavity silicon-based optical sources to meet rapidly-growing high-speed datacenter optical communication and emerging automotive laser range-finding requirements. The project will demonstrate that a flexible electronic-photonic integration process can be created to enable dense integration of silicon-photonic and silicon-electronic circuits, independent of specific foundry or fabrication production limitations. This process can be used to develop arrays of high-performance, low-noise, and widely-tunable lasers for advanced optical communication and sensing applications. The proposed project will address existing laser mode-control issues and reduce back-reflection issues. The result will be silicon-photonic lasers suitable for commercial production that will demonstrate industry-leading semiconductor laser capabilities including low-noise, narrow-linewidth, and wide tunability in single and multi-laser chipsets.
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. -
Axon Dx LLC
SBIR Phase II: Development of AI Software to Capture and Identify Circulating Rare Cells in Lung Patients
Contact
379 REAS FORD RD STE 1
Earlysville, VA 22936--2407
NSF Award
2230782 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,702
Start / end date
03/15/2023 – 02/28/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a new cancer treatment liquid biopsy product using Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can detect and classify cancer derived rare cell (CRC) from a blood draw. There are over 100 different types of cancers and over 1.9 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the US in 2022 resulting in over 600,000 deaths (1,670 deaths per day). Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease. New treatment therapies are being developed for a substantial proportion of cancers with many clinical trials for new therapies on-going world-wide. The minimally invasive, high sensitivity blood test will monitor therapeutic response and progression at low-cost, supporting development of these new cancer treatments. Specifically, with a less invasive and more comprehensive diagnostic tool, the test results will give clinical researchers real-time insights into cancer tumor biology, providing better understanding of cancer heterogeneity.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project combines Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically deep learning neural networks used for computer vision, with CRC immunofluorescent reagents integrated into an immunofluorescent microscope. The main objective of this effort is to identify and classify CRCs with high accuracy. There is increasing evidence that CRCs are correlated with cancer type, staging, treatment response, minimal residual disease, and overall disease progression. However, in a typical blood sample, there are over 7 million blood artifacts with very few CRCs present. Current techniques to analyze CRCs are expensive, lengthy, and are limited in automation. To meet project sensitivity, specificity, and runtime requirements, the AI image analysis will be further optimized to: 1) find CRCs, 2) discriminate against false positives, and 3) classify CRCs into clinically relevant types. The developed AI architectures will be selected through extensive training using thousands of clinical samples compared to expertly characterized cancer blood pathology images. After high sensitivity and specificity are demonstrated, development work will continue to mature the AI-revolutionized CRC liquid biopsy test to meet clinical research use only (RUO) requirements. For the cancer research community, the product offering will be used in the conduct of non-clinical laboratory research.
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. -
BERD LLC
SBIR Phase II: Advanced Manufacturing of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene and Metal Hybrid Structures for Bicycle Spokes
Contact
401 11TH AVE S STE 300
Hopkins, MN 55343--7838
NSF Award
1951193 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$800,000
Start / end date
05/01/2020 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the replacement of steel with synthetic materials that are stronger and lighter. The beachhead market for this technology is the performance bicycle spoke market, which is a $180M global market. The potential benefits of this technology go beyond cycling because the polymer-to-metal interface has other potential applications. Cable assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications and industries such as industrial, aerospace, construction, and consumer goods. Advances in the termination of synthetic cable assemblies will enable the creation of higher strength-to-weight ratio cables and thereby increase efficiencies in transportation applications and improve the safety of tension based systems. An application of particular societal benefit is wheelchair wheels, where weight reduction increases portability for those with physical disabilities. Investment in termination technologies for high performance polymers will also help bridge the gap between polymer research and industry, helping society benefit from developments in polymer science occurring in academia. Finally, the ability to produce low-cost rope terminations will increase US manufacturing competitiveness because the majority of high-volume production is outsourced to low-cost labor markets.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop an advanced manufacturing process for ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and metal hybrid structures for bicycle spokes. UHMWPE has a strength-to-weight ratio of fifteen times that of steel, but it cannot be utilized in many applications because of the difficulty in manufacturing high-strength bonds to metal. The primary objectives of this research are to automate the insertion and bonding of stainless steel rods inside the hollow cavity of braided fibers, and to automate the creation of eye splices. These operations require delicate manipulation of fibers in a confined space, and are typically performed manually. Instead, we will develop novel automatic machinery that will create these bonds, inspect the final product, and validate the strength with 100% in-process inspection. Another objective of this research is to develop a black surface coating process for braided UHMWPE fibers. To achieve this, we will identify a surface pretreatment procedure to add functionality to the non-polar backbone of UHMWPE, develop the coating chemistry, and create an in-line coating system that integrates with our 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. -
BEYOND THE DOME INC
SBIR Phase II: Energy-Efficient Supercritical Water Oxidation
Contact
611 S VAN NESS AVE
San Francisco, CA 94110--1305
NSF Award
2126869 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,757
Start / end date
11/15/2021 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this SBIR Phase II project is in the creation of a much-needed alternative to biosolids disposal. Biosolids are a by-product of wastewater treatment; their formation and disposal contribute to significant air, water, and soil pollution. In particular, biosolids contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and the release of over 350 organic contaminants, including high concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Biosolids disposal challenges are expected to grow due to population increases and stricter environmental regulations. Current biosolids disposal options have shortfalls and disposal costs are increasing. This project develops a breakthrough technology that cleanly and affordably destroys the organic contaminants present in biosolids. Air, water and soil pollution will be reduced, and, importantly, wastewater treatment plants will be able to meet new regulatory standards for sustainability. Volume of final by-product, and therefore transport cost and associated emissions, will be decreased by over 85%.
The proposed project turns supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) into an energy-efficient technology by recovering compressive energy. SCWO rapidly and completely destroys organics. To date, the technology has been used in few applications, including chemical weapons dismantling. Recovery of compression energy saves 30-40% of total treatment cost, opening new markets, such as wastewater treatment. Recovery of compression energy during SCWO has been demonstrated previously. This project's goals are to further optimize, scale-up and iterate on compression energy recovery equipment for added capacity and reliability, and long-term field test these updated/new pieces of equipment by adding them to an existing supercritical water oxidation pilot system. The goal for the system is to achieve reliability on par with industrial high-pressure compressors, which can operate over 24,000 hours between major 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. -
BEZWADA BIOMEDICAL LLC
SBIR Phase II: Development of a bioabsorbable tissue adhesive
Contact
15-1 ILENE CT
Hillsborough, NJ 08844--1920
NSF Award
2221790 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$962,735
Start / end date
01/15/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is advancement in the development of an effective wound closure product for internal gastrointestinal (GI) surgical applications. Anastomotic leaks resulting from ineffective GI surgical wound closures are associated with significant healthcare and economic costs. Effective closure of wounds decreases the likelihood of complications that significantly impact patient outcomes and increases the cost of care. Development of an enhanced tissue adhesive to address the limitations of current products has the potential to offer a reliable wound closure product to support improved patient outcomes. Successful development and commercialization of the enhanced GI wound closure product will provide surgeons with an effective tissue adhesive that is easy to use and can be safe for the closure of internal GI wounds, thus ensuring safe and reliable closure, decreasing anastomotic leaks, and allowing for enhanced patient outcomes. Additionally, this project has the potential to support additional product development to generate improved tissue adhesives/sealants for a wide range of surgical applications that will have the potential to decrease surgical complications related to ineffective wound closure.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will advance the development of an enhanced tissue adhesive to improve surgical wound care specific to gastrointestinal (GI) tract surgeries. Gastrointestinal tract surgical wounds have a high rate of anastomotic leaks resulting from incomplete and sub-optimal surgical closures. These leaks put the patients at an increased risk of infection and creates an estimated $28.6 million in hospitalization and readmission costs per 1000 patients. Current tissue adhesives for GI applications are biologically derived, which are amenable for internal use but pose a risk of infection. The technology being developed is a polyurethane-based adhesive that is biodegradable, easy to use, and biocompatible. The overall goal of this SBIR Phase II project is to demonstrate in vivo efficacy for the use of the surgical adhesive in GI surgical wound care. To meet this goal, the surgical adhesive formulation developed from Phase I will be refined to identify the ideal formulation for GI use and a lead formulation will be assessed for in vivo performance. The results from this project have the potential to identify a safe, easy-to-use, and effective lead tissue adhesive for implementation in GI surgical applications to prevent anastomotic leaks and improve GI surgical wound closures.
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. -
BLOCKY INC.
SBIR Phase II: A Provable Data Lineage System for Scaling the Data-Sharing Economy
Contact
321 E MAIN ST STE 206
Bozeman, MT 59715--4633
NSF Award
2052375 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
12/01/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) is to increase the quality of consumer products and services by scaling the data sharing economy. Data sharing and reuse increases revenue streams and allows companies to realize a 8-15x return on investment in improved products and services. Despite these benefits, growth in data sharing is stymied because approximately 60% of companies are unable to access needed data, and only about 30% have taken first steps towards data sharing to realize its potential returns. The major challenges of widespread sharing are “messy" data and the legal issues surrounding ownership and utilization. Some organizations have addressed these challenges internally with “feature stores,” which support data processing pipelines that extract insights. While the current generation of feature stores works well for a single organization, their centralized design assumes a level of trust absent across multiple organizations. This proposed work will develop a feature store that supports the trust requirements needed for inter-organizational workflows to enable realizing the significant returns from data sharing.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to implement a decentralized feature store (DeFS) by solving two primary technical challenges. First, a DeFS requires fast, reliable, and provably correct data storage. While layer-1 blockchain storage is provably correct, it does not provide the required write speed nor long-term availability if miners abandon it. This project's proposed approach will meet the reliability requirement by signing data on a virtual blockchain that can span and migrate between layer-1 blockchains. The continuity of the virtual blockchain allows it to survive as layer-1 chains fail and improve as new chains come online. Moreover, the virtual blockchain meets speed requirements by creating virtual blocks quickly on a private blockchain and periodically migrating to layer-1. Second, a DeFS requires integrating multiple data sources and pipeline code without leaking either. While interactive proof techniques satisfy privacy, they do not scale to large data sets. This project will support data processing pipelines, such as data wrangling and model fitting, by developing a scalable and secure computing framework. The framework preserves the privacy of both data and pipeline code evaluated on virtualized trusted execution environments and controlled by a trustless distributed protocol built around a virtual blockchain commitment scheme.
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. -
BRILLIANTMD, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Reducing Claims Denials in Healthcare Through Blockchain and Machine Learning
Contact
2607 EUCLID AVE
Austin, TX 78704--5418
NSF Award
2126982 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/15/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is focused on improving healthcare reimbursement and revenue cycle management. Two key concerns are that errors in healthcare claims result in frequent payment denials, and failure to obtain prior authorization can make those services non-reimbursable. These issues can lead to inappropriate direct billing to patients and/or a write-off by the healthcare provider and cost-shifting to cover losses. In addition, complexity within the rules for payment and prior authorization require considerable administrative overhead for claim submission, reconciliation, and rework, inflating administrative costs. The proposed project addresses these inefficiencies in the health care reimbursement system.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to use advanced analytics, machine learning, and blockchain technologies to address the following research objectives: (1) analyze and predict healthcare claim risk for denial of payment; (2) predict the likelihood of a prior authorization requirement before a clinical intervention is undertaken; and (3) incentivize accuracy in the claim submission process and decrease associated administrative burden and cost. The research will conduct advanced claims parsing, data extraction, modeling, and machine learning to define specific patterns of risk, and build reproducible, efficient, and accurate predictive algorithms. These approaches will be applied to both claim denials and to clinical data predictive of prior authorization. Blockchain technology will be utilized to incentivize demographic and clinical data collection and claims processing workflows for improvements in data accuracy, efficiency of collection, and predictive quality. The technical result will be an accurate, predictive, continually learning, highly efficient machine learning toolset integrated with a productivity engine.
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. -
Bansen Labs LLC
SBIR Phase II: Open Hardware and Software Platform to Enable Control of IoT Devices for People with Disabilities
Contact
1234 FOREST GREEN DR
Coraopolis, PA 15108--2771
NSF Award
2136794 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/15/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project improves assistive devices for people with disabilities (PwD). The assistive technology industry is projected to reach $2.4 billion in 2022, and the home rehabilitation market is expected to exceed $225 billion globally by 2027. This project advances a novel hardware and software platform to give PwD full control of consumer products, including game consoles, smart home devices, drones, and business and design software. The system builds on a novel end-user development (EUD) architecture which supports applications in accessibility, IoT, gaming, physical therapy, industrial automation, and other domains involving user-controlled electronic systems. The initial application will be for children with cerebral palsy (CP) ages 5-18, but later applications include adults with physical disabilities, and the aging population. This will reduce time and resources needed for PwD to overcome access barriers, thus creating new opportunities for socialization, education, entertainment, employment, and independence.
The intellectual merit of this project is to advance a system to support plug-and-play device compatibility, with developer feedback indicating over an order of magnitude improvement on the state-of-the-art (45 times faster) for implementing accessibility use cases. This project will support the research and design of a visual user interface for non-technical users to enable them to easily configure their devices for everyday applications, as well as a visual editor to allow hobbyists and engineers to implement more demanding accessibility use cases, under guidance from user feedback at a school for children with CP in collaboration with clinical and user experience (UX) researchers. The system is anticipated to achieve over two orders of magnitude improvement in development time (up to 250 times faster) for accessibility use cases compared to existing alternatives.
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. -
Belmont Scientific Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Development of Safe, Energy Dense, High Performance Lithium Ion Batteries
Contact
2 PARK RD
Belmont, MA 02478--3631
NSF Award
2112154 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
04/15/2022 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is improved safety of lithium (Li) ion batteries (LIBs) for power intensive applications ranging from lawnmowers to aircraft. The nature of chemicals used in LIB construction, combined with the large amount of stored energy, makes the batteries vulnerable to various failure modes including thermal runaway and fire. LIB fires have captured the headlines several times in recent years including ~25,000 fire incidents in more than 400 consumer products between 2012 and 2017. Current battery safety mechanisms contribute to 5 – 10% of the overall battery cost but are ineffective as evidenced by the continued occurrence of LIB fires. Improved safety with the proposed technology may save lives and property and help the industry migrate towards less expensive and more energy dense batteries.
This SBIR Phase II project seeks to develop and demonstrate a cell- and chemistry-agnostic device to prevent thermal runaway in Li ion cells and batteries. By preventing thermal runaway, this technology may improve the safety of LIBs, protecting nearby lives and property. The Phase I research has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed innovation in individual cylindrical cells of various sizes and chemistries subjected to a specific type of abuse. The Phase II technical effort shall expand the research to cover additional cell chemistries, sizes, formats, and abuses, integrating the proposed technology into a commercial battery pack and performing tests to demonstrate that this safety technology helps battery systems meet regulatory standards (such as UL 9540A for BESS battery 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. -
Berkeley Brewing Science Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Engineering brewer's yeast for enhanced flavor production during fermentation
Contact
2451 PERALTA ST
Oakland, CA 94607--1703
NSF Award
1831242 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,449,999
Start / end date
08/15/2018 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop engineered brewer's yeast to produce hop flavor compounds during beer fermentation, so as to replace the need for agriculturally produced hops. Using agriculturally produced hops as a flavor component poses several challenges: 1) hops farming is natural resource intensive, 2) flavors imparted by hops are inconsistent from batch-to-batch, 3) lengthy agriculture timelines decouple demand from supply, and 4) new flavor varieties are restricted by slow and capital intensive hops breeding programs. This project establishes a product development framework for engineering brewer's yeast to produce flavor compounds during fermentation that are matched to consumer preferences. The technology developed during this project will allow for sustainable, consistent, on-demand production of hop flavors, and, in addition, may be extended to additional flavors and other fermentable products.
This SBIR Phase II project will develop engineered brewer's yeast for production of flavor compounds that are ordinarily derived from hops. At present, the beer industry relies on agriculturally produced hops to impart organoleptically rich flavors and character to beer. Engineered yeast strains will serve as a drop-in replacement for conventional brewing strains, in that they both ferment beer and produce flavor compounds at concentrations desired in the finished beer. By applying an agile development framework towards yeast strain development, new brewer's yeast strains will be generated that produce flavor bouquets preferred by brewers and consumers. Genes that encode biosynthetic pathways for production of flavor compounds will be incorporated into brewer's yeast, and various gene regulatory programs will be tested that give rise to myriad flavor bouquets in finished beer. Strains will be initially evaluated in small-scale micro-aerobic fermentations and analyzed by GC/MS to screen for relevant flavor compound concentrations. Based on screening results, strains with desired target flavor compound concentrations will be used to produce beer at industrial pilot scale for evaluation by sensory analysis panels as a means of generating consumer feedback. This workflow will be deployed in an iterative fashion to optimize the performance of the hops flavor-producing brewer's yeast.
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. -
BioAmp Diagnostics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Development of a urine dipstick test that can guide immediate and appropriate antibiotic therapy for treatment of complicated urinary tract infections
Contact
845 SUTTER ST APT 103
San Francisco, CA 94109--6109
NSF Award
2213034 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/15/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve the clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients suffering from complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI). Today, cUTIs account for 400,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. Unfortunately, multidrug resistant pathogens are a common cause of cUTI. Many are resistant to the first-line antibiotic (Ceftriaxone), which is used as the empiric treatment of this condition. However, the high incidence of multidrug resistant pathogens causing cUTI delays the time until patients receive more appropriate treatment. Delayed time to appropriate therapy in cUTI has been attributed to extended hospital stays and an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The current standard test for diagnosing a drug-resistant cUTI takes 2-3 days from obtaining a patient sample. Therefore, diagnostic tests that can rapidly inform the initial treatment of UTIs are urgently needed to improve patient care.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a rapid urinary diagnostic test that will enable the detection of ceftriaxone-resistant uropathogens. Early detection of resistance to first-line therapies would enable antibiotic prescribing to be informed, reducing the risk of disease progression in patients. In the case of UTIs, disease progression can lead to severely invasive infections, predominately sepsis. Therefore, diagnostics that can detect resistance to first-line antibiotics enable early treatment interventions, reducing the time to appropriate treatment and reducing the risk of disease progression. Decreased treatment time also lowers the healthcare costs associated with drug-resistant cUTI, as disease progression is associated with increased lengths of hospital stays compared to susceptible infections. The completion of the Phase II project will yield the development of a prototype test that can provide actionable information regarding ceftriaxone susceptibility in less than 5 minutes. This project’s success will provide clinicians with a diagnostic solution for cUTIs that can be acted on immediately to improve patient outcomes and aid antibiotic stewardship by preventing the unnecessary use of inappropriate antibiotics.
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. -
Bioxytech Retina, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Non-Invasive Retinal Oximetry for Detecting Diabetic Retinopathy prior to Structural Damage
Contact
2600 HILLTOP DR BLDG B STE 132
Belmont, CA 94002--2011
NSF Award
1853245 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$981,539
Start / end date
03/01/2019 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project demonstrates and clinically validates a novel, non-invasive imaging technology to detect diabetic retinopathy before structural damage occurs. Diabetic retinopathy is among the leading causes of vision loss in the world. This devastating complication of both type I and II diabetes results in structural damage to the sensitive vasculature of the retina. Once structural damage is inflicted, it is difficult, if not impossible, to ameliorate it. Small changes in the retinal vasculature's oxygen saturation have been shown to be a reliable indicator of diabetic retinopathy before structural damage occurs. Since there is no clinical non-invasive technology capable of detecting these small functional changes, a major need exists for new retinal oximetry technologies. Diabetic retinopathy affects 200 million people worldwide. The American Diabetes Association reports that the cost of diabetes in the US in 2012 was $245 billion, including $69 billion in reduced productivity and $176 billion in medical costs. Since 40% of diabetics are anticipated to develop diabetic retinopathy, the estimated economic cost of diabetic retinopathy is $98 billion annually. By mitigating the occurrence of diabetic retinopathy, this technology will help reduce the cost of diabetic retinopathy treatment, its overall economic burden, and help save the vision of millions of people around the world.
The primary technical innovation behind the proposed technology is its use of a novel physics-based model to overcome the challenges of high-resolution retinal imaging. These challenges include the multi-layered structure of the retina, absorbance dynamics, and the need to produce an image in one snapshot to reduce motion artifacts. Compared with existing methods based on structural imaging, the successful outcome of this project will become a commercial technology-of-choice for ophthalmologists around the world, enabling cost-effective detection of early stage diabetic retinopathy or pre-retinopathy. The development of the technology proceeds through iterative optimization between laboratory and real-use environments to generate robust, validated data. Specifically, in Phase II, the research objectives of the project are pursued in two parallel tracks: 1) refinement of the core imaging system, and 2) validation using model and human subjects in a clinical environment. The outcome of this project will be an easy-to-use, reliable diagnostic imaging and monitoring technology with proven clinical utility in detecting the onset of diabetic retinopathy based on functional properties, before structural damage has occurred in the patient.
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. -
CANOPII INC.
SBIR Phase II: Full-Scale Demonstration of Autonomous Robotic Greenhouse for Sustainable Local Food Production
Contact
191 IOWA ST
Silverton, OR 97381--1942
NSF Award
2233520 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,991
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project promotes small and mid-sized farming in the United States through environmentally friendly means. Through cost-effective labor automation, a fully automated, turn-key greenhouse production system can be made more accessible. This project will provide farmers with a tool that can guarantee a baseline annual production of leafy greens and herbs, independent of weather variables and labor accessibility. By removing weather limitations and labor requirements, small and mid-sized farms can be made more profitable and scalable. This project will have a positive impact on the advancement of local and regional food systems. By advancing a market that has been historically ignored from a technological standpoint, an attractive alternative to large-scale industrial agriculture and foreign fresh food imports will be created. Making small and mid-sized farms more economically viable will create a more robust and sustainable food system.
This SBIR Phase II effort will design, build, and demonstrate a full-scale, automated greenhouse farm prototype. This prototype will remain completely autonomous for weeks at a time requiring no humans to enter the farm while all processes from seed to storage of harvested crops are performed robotically. No greenhouse technology, at any price point, has been able to demonstrate an ability to achieve this degree of automation. This technology will advance the implementation of robotics in food production by addressing the capital costs, labor, and energy barriers that controlled environment agriculture systems currently face. Key challenges include the production of approximately 340 plants per day without any human intervention, a low-cost design for setup and ongoing operations, and the ability to adjust product outputs in real-time to meet market demands. Human interaction with the growing process will be limited through a high degree of system automation, including computer vision for plant inspections and self-cleaning processes. Novel plant growth and handling processes will allow for virtually any type of leafy green or herb to be grown. A variety of sensors will be used to monitor conditions and adjust the system, allowing fresh produce in areas without suitable agricultural opportunities.
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. -
CATHBUDDY, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Development and Design Verification of a Reusable, No-Touch Catheter System
Contact
841 E FAYETTE ST
Syracuse, NY 13210--1521
NSF Award
2147852 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to advance a novel, reusable, intermittent, urinary catheterization system from a functional prototype to the final production-equivalent device. By progressing the system through additional design improvements and FDA submission, the goal of this project is to enable the product to reach the hands of individuals who require intermittent catheters to urinate. Current intermittent urinary catheter use is fraught with complications including frequent urinary tract infections, expensive supplies, and large material footprints, as well as the generation of a significant amount of plastic waste. This project seeks to improve the current catheter landscape by allowing for commercialization of a reusable catheter system that will reduce contact contamination during insertion, reduce plastic waste, and enable widespread use of high-quality urinary catheters by decreasing the per-use cost. Through these improvements, healthcare costs associated with intermittent catheterization can be dramatically decreased. Additionally, based on frequent interactions with individuals who catheterize and suffer from impaired dexterity, the design of the system will incorporate the needs and ideas of people who are often ignored during innovation within the current catheterization space.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will finalize the design of a novel, reusable, intermittent urinary catheterization system and portable reprocessing device as well as advance the system towards commercialization. Intermittent urinary catheterization is a technologically static field that has not changed significantly since the 1970s, with minimal improvements in urinary tract infection risk, supply cost, and environmental waste reduction. While the associated SBIR Phase I project established proof-of-concept catheter reprocessing, the Phase II project will include optimization and more advanced microbiologic efficacy testing. This assessment will focus on specifically addressing concerns regarding lubrication and compactness brought up during SBIR Phase I customer discovery activities, as well as multiple reuse reprocessing.
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. -
CELLUDOT LLC
SBIR Phase II: Nanocellulose-based Adjuvant Formulation for the Reduction of Agrochemical Drift and Volatilization
Contact
123 W MOUNTAIN ST
Fayetteville, AR 72701--6069
NSF Award
2304528 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$959,510
Start / end date
08/15/2023 – 07/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide an ecofriendly, efficient, and cost affordable adjuvant product to solve the pressing problem of herbicide drift. For years, farmers growing organic, non-genetically modified (non-GM) and specialty crops have incurred financial losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars due to drift of volatile herbicides such as dicamba, a highly volatile and efficient herbicide that is used to get rid of weeds. The devastation of dicamba on non-GM crops and the natural landscape has been a widespread issue. In 2021, about 4,000 dicamba-related herbicide misuse complaints were reported across 27 states. If successfully commercialized, the new adjuvant will help all key stakeholders, including farmers who grow GM crops and use dicamba, and those who grow non-GM crops and do not want drift of dicamba. The award reflects NSF’s statutory mission of promoting and improving national economy and health, as well as protecting the environment for the well-being of U.S. citizens.
The innovation proposed in this SBIR Phase II project is a bio-based emulsion adjuvant, derived from renewable resources, with the combined functionality of a volatility and drift reducing agent and surfactant that will be used to reduce the volatility and off-target movement of herbicides and improve their spreading. The adjuvant has environmental and financial benefits that give it a competitive edge over commercially available but less efficient petroleum-based and synthetic adjuvants on the market. The patent-pending technology is a platform technology that can be applied to other industries from paints and coatings to pharmaceuticals. The project sets the following technical objectives to evaluate and demonstrate the commercial feasibility of the innovation: 1) assess droplet dynamics of several drift-prone herbicides when used in conjunction with the adjuvant at different use rates, 2) complete the registration of the adjuvant, 3) conduct field trials to evaluate particle drift of dicamba and dicamba-glyphosate tank mixes when used in conjunction with the adjuvant, 4) low tunnel field test to assess volatility of tank mixes on different surfaces, 5) evaluate the effects of the adjuvant on dicamba efficacy that are common in the South and Mid-West, and 6) scale up the production of the minimally viable 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. -
CEREVU MEDICAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Remote Monitoring of Patients in Respiratory Distress
Contact
688 MISSOURI ST
San Francisco, CA 94107--2839
NSF Award
2136554 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to advance a real-time assessment system for patients at risk of respiratory distress. The goal is to monitor these patients and avoid hospital admissions or re-admissions for previously discharged patients. The first envisioned application is monitoring of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), for which there is no cure - but the disease can be managed with diligent surveillance. The envisioned remote patient monitoring system will enhance patient care and outcomes by providing early warning of COPD flare-ups, thus reducing the need for emergency hospital visits and admissions. This system will provide healthcare workers and caregivers added time to implement protocols, such as inhaler-based drug delivery, thus reducing critical events for COPD, as well as COVID-19, asthma, pneumonia, and other respiratory illnesses.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop a reusable device monitoring biomarkers of nociceptive pain, dyspnea, and coughing dynamics, along with traditional vital sign measurements. The project will develop a reusable device with a rechargeable battery and replaceable adhesives for prolonged use during the duration of the monitoring period. Additionally, the user interface will be optimized for the display of pertinent symptoms to the patient, caregivers, and medical personnel providing remote care from a centralized monitoring center. The efficient sharing of continuous changes in patient status will allow for the most effective personalized treatment. The project will develop a system with appropriate cybersecurity protocols.
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. -
CHIBITRONICS INC.
SBIR Phase II: Computer Aided Design Toolkit for Desktop Digital Fabrication of Circuits on Paper
Contact
1652 MOUNTAIN ASH WAY
New Port Richey, FL 34655--4144
NSF Award
2233004 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$991,408
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to bring new and more diverse audiences to circuit design and digital fabrication through an integrated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) approach. Research shows that the STEAM approach is especially successful for reaching underrepresented minorities, girls, and women. This project continues the development of the Phase I circuit design software and accompanying physical toolkit for do-it-yourself (DIY) digital fabrication of circuits on paper. Through the design, development, and evaluation of this toolkit, the team will contribute to the scientific understanding of human computer interaction design for STEAM learning, accessibility, and equity. By introducing the novel category of technology-integrated crafts to mainstream education and craft markets, open market opportunities create a new ecosystem of products and accessories, customers, and inventors. This innovation brings the digital manufacturing of electronics out of traditional technical environments and into entirely new, more mainstream, and more diverse audiences.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will continue the development of the Phase I activities towards commercial deployment. The team is developing a novel electronics design software that greatly reduces the complexity of existing computer-aided design tools and prepares a custom toolkit optimized for the do-it-yourself digital fabrication of circuits. The research objective is to blend engineering activities with arts and crafts in innovative ways to radically reduce the barriers to entry for learning, designing, and producing electronic circuits. The team will develop a production version of their software that includes advanced simulation and design features, as well as a library of projects and resources to scaffold the circuit learning and design process. The team will also refine and manufacture the toolkit for user testing and deployment at scale. In close partnership with K-12 educators and hobby crafters, the technology will be developed to meet the needs of target users.
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. -
CL CHEMICAL COMPANY
STTR Phase II: Scalable Thermochemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Commodity Chemical Intermediates
Contact
17815 GREEN WILLOW DR
Tampa, FL 33647--2242
NSF Award
2151560 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$951,530
Start / end date
09/01/2023 – 08/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project is to advance dynamic chemical reactor systems that repurposes waste gases (primarily carbon dioxide (CO2)) for use as fuels and as chemicals. This effort can have substantial commercial and market impacts as its output is compatible with existing infrastructure. This project leverages significant recent investments into carbon capture, renewable energy generation, and green hydrogen. A particularly interesting application of this technology is the production of chemical feedstocks that are used to make plastics and other commodity chemicals from living organisms. This is inherently a step towards carbon negative manufacturing.
The proposed project aims to re-purpose pollutants to a feedstock for fuels and chemicals. Although renewable energy sources are increasing and becoming cheaper, these technologies are not ready for heavy-duty transportation and chemical sectors. No commercial scale operation is in existence in which CO2 is captured from the air or flue gas and converted to value-added fuels despite much fundamental research effort. The research objectives are to scale up the materials and system from the Phase I results and conduct a design and analysis of a full-scale system. The main advance is to achieve dynamic chemical reactor modules that achieve high reactant conversions. These results will permit analysis of a pilot-scale facility as well as translation of the benefits of this sustainable chemical reaction toward industrial scale production of clean and green hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals.
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. -
CLARIA MEDICAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: A Safe, Fast, and Cost-Effective System for Tissue Removal in Laparoscopic Transabdominal Hysterectomy and Myomectomy
Contact
2586 WYANDOTTE ST UNIT 2
Mountain View, CA 94043--2315
NSF Award
2210308 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
06/15/2022 – 05/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to make minimally invasive surgeries involving tissue removal safer, faster, simpler, and more cost-effective through the introduction of a novel tissue containment and removal system. The initial target market will focus on improving procedures for hysterectomy or uterus removal, usually because of enlargement due to uterine fibroids. Gynecologic surgeons perform approximately 500,000 hysterectomies per year in the United States and there is an urgent need for improved solutions for tissue removal. The proposed system: (1) lowers the risks of morbidity and mortality during minimally invasive surgery; (2) saves substantial time; and (3) enables conversion of open hysterectomies to minimally invasive with faster and safer tools, reducing healthcare costs by thousands of dollars per patient.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to provide a hysterectomy and myomectomy tissue containment and surgical extraction system. This project has three main objectives: First, demonstrate that a novel laparoscopic system is an effective barrier in preventing potential upstaging of occult cancers, passes electrical safety testing, passes sterilization validation, and passes biocompatibility testing. Second, develop an appropriate training program for surgeon users. Third, demonstrate that the laparoscopic system is intuitive to use, safe, and effective.
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. -
CODON LEARNING, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Developing a courseware platform that helps students develop self-regulated learning skills
Contact
607 10TH ST STE 307
Golden, CO 80401--5829
NSF Award
2127314 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,724
Start / end date
01/15/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop courseware that will catalyze the use of inclusive, evidence-based teaching and learning practices. Such practices have been empirically shown to improve learning outcomes and retention rates for postsecondary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) students, particularly those from historically underserved groups: first-generation college attendees, students from racial and ethnic minorities, and students from low-income families. These practices have not been widely adopted because instructors lack the time and resources needed to shift from a lecture-based course to one grounded in evidence-based practices and students struggle to use the evidence-based study strategies that are more effective for college courses. This project helps instructors design and teach inclusive, high-structure courses and helps students develop stronger metacognition and self-regulated learning skills, both of which will lead to more equitable outcomes for students from historically underserved communities.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to create novel courseware that helps students develop self-regulated learning skills and guides instructors to design and teach aligned, high-structure courses. Both of these practices are supported by empirical research. However, these practices are underutilized, not because of a lack of understanding or evidence of their efficacy, but because instructors lack time to design a high-structure course and work one-on-one with students to develop their learning skills. Instructors need a courseware tool to help students effectively reap the known benefits of these practices. Using this courseware platform, instructors and students will benefit from rich sets of actionable learning data that help them adjust their teaching and learning. Research will be conducted — with results disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and first-generation status — to determine whether the courseware improves students’ self-regulated learning skills and instructors’ use of evidence-based teaching practices.
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. -
COMON SOLUTIONS LLC
SBIR Phase II: High-Resolution Image Segmentation for Natural Resource Management
Contact
519 CONGRESS AVE
Pacific Grove, CA 93950--4111
NSF Award
2233680 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
04/15/2023 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The commercial/broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide economic benefits, health advantages, and improved natural disaster response readiness to the USA. Historically, natural resource and conservation organizations have had difficulties mapping their targeted ecosystems, whether due to high costs of manual surveys or poor resolution of imaging technologies. Annually, organizations spend more than $27 billion on geospatial monitoring and analysis. This Phase II project will decrease the cost of ecosystem mapping while increasing resolution, allowing for the best quality vegetation health tracking available. Additionally, this project will result in a 50-90% reduction in work hours for natural resource mapping. By saving time, stakeholders can allocate effort to other aspects of natural resource management. By mapping land use over time, managers and conservationists can track land changes and determine if currently-implemented programs are having intended impacts on the ecosystem. This project will also improve monitoring and managing of vegetation across watersheds that provide roughly 80% of US drinking water - systems where water quality relies on healthy and biodiverse vegetation to filter pollutants. Lastly, this project will improve the ability of government agencies to rapidly monitor environmental impacts of natural disasters and inform responses.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop a comprehensive software system that can provide unparalleled spectral and spatial detail on diverse landscape scenes. Compared to current labor-intensive field testing, this project’s outputs will offer scene characterization at comparable, or better, levels of detail, while surmounting the time, cost, and accessibility constraints that have historically precluded comprehensive and repetitive monitoring. Accomplishment of these Phase II goals will yield a user-friendly land cover mapping system that will enable high-resolution environmental monitoring. System outputs on population dynamics, climate change-induced vegetation shifts, and disease assessments can facilitate data-driven decision-making for precision ecosystem management and climate action. The framework of the innovation consists of three main components: 1) image pre-processing and alteration, 2) image segmentation, and 3) resolution recovery. This approach provides rapid replicability between ecosystem types and versatile scalability due to processing efficiency, while providing currently unavailable ecosystem health indicators.
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. -
COMPLETIONAI LLC
SBIR Phase II: Simplifying the use of recycled plastics in film extrusion
Contact
20 HIGH ST
Marblehead, MA 01945--3408
NSF Award
2212917 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$981,780
Start / end date
02/01/2023 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to allow recycled plastics to be used more efficiently and affordably than is currently possible. Regulatory and societal pressures are forcing reconsideration of single use plastics, and manufacturers of plastic film must use recycled plastic at higher quantities. However, it is difficult for the manufacturers to affordably reincorporate single-use plastics due to the low quality and unpredictable content of the material. Increasing yield of usable plastics through use of the proposed technology is expected to reduce waste, offering the potential to annually save 6.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the US and Canada, and 28 million metric tons globally. Also, the greater use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing is of strategic advantage to the US, with the proposed technology also applicable to metals, paper, or advanced materials. Furthermore, skills shortages are impacting manufacturing and are likely to worsen due to a rapidly aging workforce. A great deal of on-the-job expertise will be lost in the coming years as a generation of experienced operators retires. The proposed solution can ease this transition, acting as an expert decision system to carry the intelligence forward and help maintain US manufacturing competitiveness.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will apply artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and process control methods to plastic film extrusion, and subsequently to other types of manufacturing. Currently hardware solutions exist for manufacturers, though they can be expensive, difficult to use and maintain, and can require specialized skills to use. By contrast, the proposed technology is a software-based approach to the control of complex plastic film extrusion processes, particularly in the context of widely variable input materials such as recycled plastics. The AI software will be robust to changes in the production environment and will account for process drift over time. These technology capabilities are industrially novel and not known in the academic literature. Phase I outcomes suggest that the technology can automatically control extrusion processes to achieve optimal steady state production faster than is the currently possible via human control. The AI-based expert system effectively recreates the knowledge tacitly held by long-experienced factory operators. This type of industrial automation has the potential to be value-generating for the wider manufacturing sector. The proposed technology may be applicable to a wider range of extrusion manufacturing processes, such as extrusion of metals, paper or advanced materials.
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. -
CONCHA INC.
SBIR Phase II: Software Technology for Improved Perception of Speech/Audio to Self Personalize Hearing Aids/Devices
Contact
855 SOMERSET CT
San Carlos, CA 94070--3516
NSF Award
2154649 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$996,723
Start / end date
08/01/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to potentially provide personalized hearing health care for those with hearing loss. Providing a customized amplification device and app solution that allows the user to understand speech more clearly may avoid audiologist appointments and allow the user to take control of their hearing right from their phone. Hearing loss is often associated with decreased employment and potentially lower income. An effective amplification device may enable those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss to improve their employment and earnings. Additionally, this technology may remove the discomfort that certain populations experience within the medical system and provide individualized empowerment in relation to their hearing.
This SBIR Phase II project seeks to deliver personalized sound profiles from the comfort of the user’s home at a fraction of the cost of traditional hearing aid solutions. This self-fitting technology differentiates is differentiaed from the majority of over-the-counter or direct-to-consumer hearing solutions as the new technology allow the hearing aid enable personalize sound profiles in a variety of different listening environments. The technological goals are to allow users to optimize sound profiles in situ for live sound environments, and to standardize the software platform to enable partnerships with any hardware manufacturer in order to expand the suite of products that can help people hear clearly. The proposed project will continue the development of the technology including: increasing the range of frequencies that are adjusted during the self-fitting process, including the adjustment of non-linear gain parameters in the self-fitting process, an allowing users to obtain profiles for different listening environments.
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. -
CONOVATE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Domestically produced, novel carbon-based active anode materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries
Contact
1408 E OLIVE ST
Shorewood, WI 53211--1828
NSF Award
2132769 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
09/15/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is both to provide novel, domestically produced raw materials to the US battery supply chain and to generate affordable, safer, fast-charging, long-lasting lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electronics. With these raw materials, the US can manufacture lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) using its own resources; US battery manufacturers need no longer depend on foreign suppliers. The manufacturing process will employ readily available US manufacturing capabilities to generate domestically produced, value-added materials and thus strengthen the high-tech US economy that critically needs new materials for more effective energy storage. Further, the proposed materials will improve battery performance and safety, such as in wireless, battery-powered medical devices (e.g., implants and sensors) that use phone apps to monitor people's health and welfare. These apps need improved LIBs made from novel, lighter, and safer anode materials that can charge faster and store more energy than current versions.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to introduce a value-added active anode material with high-quality performance to the battery supply chain. The anode material aims to reduce the quantity of expensive—but critical—cathode materials (Ni, Co, and others) required for successful battery designs. Funding will enable upgraded production methods to produce anode material at scale, thus demonstrating how to produce a lithiated version of the anode material which will increase its desirability for battery manufacturers. The main R&D activities will improve both key desirable performance value propositions through engineering optimization approaches to synthesis and scaleup, and improve upon the currently low initial coulombic efficiency for the first charging cycle through introducing pre-lithiation and full-lithiation methodologies. Research outcomes include: (1) a value-added active anode material—with higher capacity than graphite mid potential between lithium titanate and graphite, low irreversible lithium capacity loss, and potentially increased lithium availability—to reduce the size and cost of the overall battery system per kWh, (2) a third-party demonstration of minimum viable product 200mAh batteries with superior performance, and (3) a roadmap for battery manufacturers to effectively incorporate additive amounts of the novel, lithiated material (even to completely replacing graphite) in existing battery designs.
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. -
CORELESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Large-Scale Synthesis of Hollow Metal Nanospheres: Conversion of Batch Synthesis to Continuous Flow
Contact
2125 DELAWARE AVE STE D
Santa Cruz, CA 95060--4942
NSF Award
2127133 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$991,478
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is based upon establishing a consistent, reliable source of high-quality hollow metal nanoparticles, thus enabling their commercial adoption in applications where they markedly outperform their conventional counterparts. One such application is point-of-use testing: by switching to hollow metal nanoparticles, lateral flow assays will reach higher levels of sensitivity and lower limits of detection, improving field testing for environmental contamination; detection of toxins and pathogens in agriculture; and early disease identification in clinical and veterinary care. Integration into rapid antibody and antigen tests for highly contagious diseases such as COVID-19 should prove particularly impactful, as the resulting higher sensitivity would reduce the occurrence of false negative results, thereby improving the performance (and public perception) of rapid testing. Critically, it would also improve baseline testing availability for rural and under-served populations who do not have access to PCR-equipped clinical laboratories. They can be applied to many other industries as well.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will advance the state of the art of continuous flow synthesis of plasmonic nanomaterials. Nanoparticle synthesis is a highly sensitive process, and obtaining high quality samples of advanced architectures has previously required labor-intensive, small-batch processes incompatible with large-scale production. Simply scaling traditional batch techniques has led to product with poor quality and prohibitive costs. This project advances a prototype reactor that has demonstrated high-throughput production of hollow plasmonic nanoparticles with control over size and color, while maintaining structural uniformity (<15% CV). Importantly, it reduced the cost of labor per liter of product by 950% from that of small batch synthesis. The proposed project will increase fidelity, further scale production volume, post-process and stabilize the final product, and benchmark its optical performance. The resulting production-scale reactor will have the capacity necessary to supply LFA manufacturers with ready-to-use, advanced color labels. It will enable new research and new nano-enabled devices by creating a consistent commercial supply of high performance plasmonic nanostructures with well-controlled physical properties. The manufacture of hollow metal nanoparticles for point-of-use testing applications will also pave the way for their expansion into other industries that would also benefit from their advantageous optical and photothermal plasmonic properties, such as photocatalysis, water purification, and phototherapeutics.
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. -
CREATIVE BIOTHERAPEUTICS LLC
SBIR Phase II: Stress Pathway Inhibition To Prevent COVID-19 Infection (COVID-19)
Contact
4835 KINGS WAY W
Gurnee, IL 60031--3257
NSF Award
2150149 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$990,000
Start / end date
04/01/2022 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project advance the treatment of COVID-19. A viral infection like that leading to COVID-19 creates stress on cells similar to cancer, obesity, diabetes and aging. This project advances a single non-toxic injection for critical patients to reduce cellular stress, block virus infection, and increase survival. In addition, this biologic therapy is also effective against the SARS-CoV-2 mutations, Ebola, and Influenza A. This has the potential to transform treatment for virus infections and cancer therapy.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project advances a treatment to end COVID-19 by blocking the SARS-CoV-2 receptors on lung cells. The project advances discoveries that a survival protein, GRP78, is essential for virus infectivity and that an associated inhibitor can prevent infection. The project optimizes methods to use a lead GRP78 inhibitor to block spike proteins (SPs) of SARS-CoV-2 and mutations, as well as other virus receptor binding domains (RBDs) from binding to receptors and to lung cells. It is anticipated that the efficacy of the lead GRP78 inhibitor to block whole virus SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, and Influenza A viruses’ infection on lung cells will exceed 99%.
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. -
CROSSLINK COMPOSITES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Tailored Carbon Fiber Technology for High Volume Industrial Applications
Contact
1540 RIGGS CHAPEL RD
Harriman, TN 37748--0000
NSF Award
2126896 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$987,861
Start / end date
11/15/2021 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR ) Phase II project will be to address the customized needs of automotive applications with tailored high performance-low cost carbon fiber (HP-LCCF) products that are not currently commercially available. The broader impact of HP-LCCF technology is to enable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technologies to help mitigate the climate change linked emissions caused by fossil fuel powered vehicles. Volume projections of HP-LCCF for this application are expected to ramp up significantly over the ten years. After successful entry into the automotive market, the focus will be expanded to address needs in the wind energy market and with a tailored HP-LCCF product to enable longer blades for larger and more efficient wind turbines. This technology will help spur global adoption of clean, renewable energy sources.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project develops a process where heavy tow carbon fiber is subdivided using an electromechanical splitting process that can maintain an acceptable range of regular tow carbon fiber linear densities. Subsequent tailoring trials will verify the capability to achieve and maintain the linear density targets provided by the automotive industry partners who will, in turn, perform downstream manufacturability trials. Subdividing the heavy tows enables a seamless commercial entry into customers' downstream composite manufacturing processes without an inherent, potentially fatal heavy tow defect. Such defects are typically non-uniform intra-band tension caused by the transverse catenary forces across the tow band. Achieving high band linear density and variable intra-band tension are significant barriers for the commercial adoption of heavy tow high performance, low cost carbon fibers (HP-LCCF). The process developed here may eliminate such issues and achieve commercially relevant HP-LCCF.
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. -
CYTORECOVERY, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Bioelectrical Cell Enrichment, Sorting, and Recovery with On-Chip Sample Prep and Monitoring
Contact
1872 PRATT DR
Blacksburg, VA 24060--6322
NSF Award
2222933 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$952,558
Start / end date
02/15/2023 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a label-free, biological sample preparation and cell isolation platform for recovery of rare cells from a variety of sample inputs. Specifically, by carrying out sample preparation, manipulation, and monitoring on a single chip platform for selective cell recovery, the sample handling steps will be greatly reduced, thereby ensuring the maintenance of cell viability, improving sample consistency, and sustaining native cell behaviors. This recovered sample is essential for the development of cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine and cancer management. Personalized medicine also requires precision cell recoveries.
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop an electrically functional microfluidic sample manipulation platform for phenotype-selective recovery of cells, based on their biophysical attributes. Specifically, microfluidic designs will be integrated to swap cells from complex biological inputs into an optimized buffer to enable cell manipulation. Also, instrumentation will be developed for on-chip monitoring of the sample during various stages of the phenotype-selective cell recovery process. Further, a variety of sample inputs will be validated on the designed devices to ensure performance, consistency, and reliability for translation into commercial product lines.
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. -
Camerad Technologies, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Point-of-Care Patient Photography Integrated with Medical Imaging
Contact
2098 SYLVANIA DRIVE
Decatur, GA 30033--2616
NSF Award
1853142 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$759,942
Start / end date
05/15/2019 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the widespread adoption of an efficient and accessible technology to integrate patient photographs with radiology images to improve patient safety, increase healthcare efficiency, and reconnect radiologists with their patients. A successful commercialization outcome is this adoption leading to direct cost-savings in healthcare by improving patient safety and hospital quality; even a 10% improvement in radiologists' efficiency leads to healthcare savings of ~$900 million. The broader impact of this novel technology is that it can provide patient authentication for the digital data being generated by hundreds of new digital medical devices. Any of this digital data could end up in the wrong patient's medical record and authentication is crucial. Rapid advances in smart, telehealth systems present the danger that patients can turn into mere data, but these photographs can return the interpreting physician's focus to the patient, leading to improved outcomes through patient-centered care. The technology achieves this by allowing doctors to connect with the patient as a person before diving deep and exploring data at anatomic, physiologic and molecular levels.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will seamlessly and securely integrate a radiology patient identification system to improve patient safety, by avoiding preventable errors, and enhance throughput. This transformative approach overcomes the failure of existing patient identification methods while harnessing the power of an embedded camera system to improve patient care. Technology to automatically and simultaneously obtain and embed audio and video data of the patient during X-ray and CT acquisition will be developed under this award. Specifically, the following objectives will be completed: 1) develop a mature software framework for rapid system scalability to a large number of hospitals, 2) expand the system to CT scanners and stationary X-ray machines, 3) improve image quality by adding infrared stereoscopic image capture, to ensure photographs add value even when obtained in low light settings, 4) enhancing the cameras with video and audio capabilities, which will improve patient identification, while simultaneously gathering rich clinical information, and 5) refine the triggering method for photograph acquisition. The long-term objectives are to increase the detection rate of wrong-patient errors by embedding an intrinsic, externally visible biometric identifier with medical imaging studies; and increase interpreting physician throughput by decreasing interpretation time.
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. -
Capacitech Energy, Inc
SBIR Phase II: Self-Powering Textiles for Electronic Wearables
Contact
3251 PROGRESS DR STE 140A
Orlando, FL 32826--2931
NSF Award
2139803 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$936,667
Start / end date
09/15/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to enable innovations in wireless Internet-of-Things (IoT), wearable sensors, and wearable products. Portable electric energy is a key component in many technological devices. This project advances a transformative technology that integrates energy capture, storage, and delivery into a single device to advance the portability and utility of small electronic devices.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to overcome two key challenges faced in wireless IoT, wearable, and electronic products: battery life, and the costly inconvenience of frequently replacing batteries. The project integrates advanced solar cell, supercapacitor, and power electronic technologies into a single unit (Supercell) easily connected to electronic loads. Design priorities include physical flexibility, wide operating temperature range, heat management, ultra-low Equivalent Series Resistance and leakage, high energy storage capacity, and good operating efficiency. The approach pairs solar cell and supercapacitor technologies to work together, each complementing the other. Advantages include size, weight, and installed lifetime cost, when compared with single-use batteries, or with discrete solar cells. The proposed work will accelerate adoption of IoT, wearable, and electronic technologies by offering a better source of energy than field-replaceable batteries or discrete solar cells.
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. -
Circle Optics LLC
SBIR Phase II: Fast Panoramic Image Capture for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Contact
260 E MAIN ST STE 6408
Rochester, NY 14604--2100
NSF Award
2136737 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,499
Start / end date
03/15/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact / commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to enable wider adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across industries such as real estate, agriculture, construction, energy, entertainment, oil & gas, and journalism. The project develops advanced UAV camera systems with seamless 360-degree imaging capabilities to increase flight time and the imaging capability. End users benefit from reduced labor demands and real-time high-fidelity images of remote areas otherwise inaccessible. Industrial inspections, crop management, field surveying, and site security are most often conducted by deploying humans into the field - often creating labor bottlenecks and potentially dangerous situations. Adoption of UAVs for these applications can be limited by image processing that consumes too much power for UAV use, delayed image presentation affecting navigation capabilities, or image artifacts that obscure the details pertinent to market needs. These limitations can all be overcome with the camera technologies developed here.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project develops a lightweight, parallax-free, 360-degree panoramic camera system with an innovative optical design based on a polyhedron-shaped configuration of adjacent cameras. Each camera's field of view closely abuts but does not overlap with the next, enabling seamless and computationally simplistic capture of images from 360-degree views, while limiting blind regions and lost content between cameras. This approach eliminates the stitching errors and image distortion associated with wide angle lenses and multi-camera systems, and reduces the computational demand for 360-degree image capture. As a result, low energy edge-computing presents images in real time with minimal impact on flight time or energy use in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) applications. Furthermore, this project advances system designs optimized for UAV weight and size, as well as improved concepts for kinematic space frames, in which the cameras can be integrated to form robust multi-camera 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. -
Codecraft Works, LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Co-creation, Cross-curricular, Standard Aligned Computer Science, Engineering, and Cybersecurity Education Technology Platform
Contact
2428 IRWIN ST
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951--2716
NSF Award
1831060 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$888,640
Start / end date
09/15/2018 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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This phase II award received additional funding to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis.Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project aims to transform the lives and future economic opportunities of young people and their communities through democratized access to cross-curricular computer science, engineering, and cybersecurity education. Daily life, economies, innovation, and national security all depend on having a strong and skilled STEM workforce. For this workforce to exist, our schools must provide the necessary education and experience to prepare students for such careers. Unfortunately, a vast majority of K-12 educators today are not equipped with the resources to do so successfully. The importance of solving this problem cannot be overstated; developing a plentitude of competent STEM professionals is critical to ensure economic and security stability. These project goals are aligned with NSF?s mission to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense. The resulting technology innovation is of potential service to more than 50 million primary and secondary school students and 3.5 million educators nationally, with an ability to impact their course of study, improve STEM outcomes, increase hands-on project-based experience, and improve future economic opportunities.
This technology innovation emerges at the intersection of cloud-based software technology, real-time collaboration tools, and learning management systems. This reimagined technology tool easily connects, attracts, and fosters delivery of cross-curricular, educational computing literacy resources aligned with national and state educational standards. The project aims to empower and support educators and students in tackling the many new opportunities and growing number of resources in computer science (CS) and engineering education at home, in classrooms, and in community centers. As the CS education landscape evolves with new and exciting technical curriculum, this innovation analyzes the willingness of educators to create or adopt new computer science education, the effectiveness of real-time collaboration tools on CS education outcomes, and measures student awareness and feelings about computer science and engineering disciplines. This technology innovation promotes customer participation and a unique ability to provide support at the ground level in real-time. There are solutions that provide massive online CS courses and curricula; however, none targeting K-12 classrooms or educators which support and integrate cross-curricular computer science, engineering, and cybersecurity education. Offering cloud-based, synchronous technology tools this technology enables real-time, expert mentoring and pair-programming in a K12 virtual learning environment on a massive 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. -
Cognii, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Virtual Learning Assistants for Open Response Assessments
Contact
1550 BAY ST APT 312
San Francisco, CA 94103--2533
NSF Award
1831250 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$800,000
Start / end date
09/01/2018 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project focuses on creating scalable Virtual Learning Assistant technology for automatic educational assessments using open response questions. Educational researchers and experts believe that the best pedagogies responsible for improving students' learning outcomes involve (i) open response questions assessments and (ii) one-to-one instructional tutoring. Students learn better when they are given an opportunity to construct answers in their own words instead of selecting from multiple choices and when they receive immediate guidance and coaching. However, these two pedagogies are very time consuming and expensive to implement, making them very difficult to scale. The proposed project will apply the most advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing to solve both these problems. Students will benefit from the interactive formative assessment that engages them in a natural language conversation. This innovation is applicable across the grade levels in K-12, higher education, and adult learning and across the subject areas including the sciences. It will facilitate implementation of more rigorous academic standards and make online education more effective. This innovation will improve students' learning outcomes, save teachers' time and reduce the cost of delivering high quality engaging education at a large scale.
This project will create a new type of virtual assistant technology that is exclusively focused on education. The proposed Virtual Learning Assistant (VLA) will advance the conversational AI technology to create pedagogically rich learning and assessment environments for any topic in a content area. The VLA is uniquely distinct from general purpose virtual assistants in its ability to evaluate an open response answer instead of merely serving information. This project will investigate and create various algorithms for processing natural language input arising in an educational setting across different subjects or topics. The resulting mobile and web based product will allow teachers to create new high-quality assessment items with minimal input and assign them to their students. When a student answers a question, the VLA will analyze it instantly for linguistic syntax and semantics using statistical and deterministic knowledge representations. The VLA will generate not only a numerical score reflecting the accuracy of the answer, but also a qualitative feedback that will guide the student towards conceptual mastery of the topic. As part of this Phase II research, a pilot study will be conducted each year involving teachers and students to study the efficacy of the VLA and its scalability.
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. -
Cognitive ToyBox
SBIR Phase II: Facilitating Early Childhood Teacher and Family Engagement During COVID-19
Contact
150 COURT ST STE 2
Brooklyn, NY 11201--6274
NSF Award
2151349 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$964,915
Start / end date
07/15/2022 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to ease the burden on early childhood teachers and ensure they have the information needed to support children’s learning. COVID-19 has upended the lives of millions of children and families and disproportionately affected low-income children. The incoming class of preschoolers have increasingly variable levels of development and skills than ever before, and educators need to assess their need and help them to catch up academically. The industry leading tools in early childhood assessment rely solely on observation-based assessment, in which teachers make judgments about a child’s performance based on observations made in the classroom. Observation-based measures have limitations, including time burden, teacher bias, and variability in scoring due to differences in teacher education and training. Observational assessment is especially challenging in the remote context, since teachers were not able to physically monitor children’s development. Even when children are back in the classroom, face masks may shield some of the more subtle cues around learning and development.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to ensure an accurate assessment of child development, so that teachers can leverage the data for tailored instruction to help children catch up from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Child assessments are typically observational or direct. This Phase II project collects both observational and direct data, providing an opportunity to compare the data and help teachers understand areas where there may be assessment error due to teacher bias or other factors. At the end of Phase II, it is anticipated that teachers will have access to a self-led teacher training and reliability certification, which may help to ensure a more consistent assessment experience in the classroom. Moreover, educational programs will have access to an assessment quality monitoring dashboard that seeks to highlight differences between observation and game-based assessment scores and provide a path towards reconciliation. Educational programs may be able to customize this technology to fit the needs of English language learners, who are often subject to assessor bias. Finally, teachers may be able to leverage the game-based assessments to understand both academic and “soft” skill development. Overall, the technology may\provide teachers with a robust child assessment system that helps them to accurately and efficiently assess whole child development.
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. -
CorInnova Incorporated
SBIR Phase II: Minimally invasive device for restoration of ventricular diastolic recoil without blood contact
Contact
2450 HOLCOMBE BLVD STE J
Houston, TX 77021--2041
NSF Award
2132339 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$994,019
Start / end date
12/01/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide a device-based therapeutic option to heart failure (HF) patients with diastolic dysfunction (insufficient heart relaxation/filling), as current treatments are largely ineffective. Approximately half of people with HF have diastolic dysfunction, equating to an estimated 4 million patients in the US. There are currently no therapies that treat the underlying causes of this disease. Thus, a vast unmet need exists for a solution that can relieve symptoms while correcting and reversing the aberrant heart mechanics that contribute to disease progression. The proposed approach improves native heart function, leading to true recovery from the disease. This technology will provide effective treatment to millions of Americans, improving quality of life, patient outcomes, and saving many lives.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project advances a device for cardiac care. Specifically, this project will: (1) demonstrate and evaluate device efficacy in increasing heart relaxation in an animal model of chronic diastolic heart disease; (2) determine materials specifications and device design; (3) conduct benchtop fatigue testing and evaluation, including the development of a custom life test apparatus; (4) prepare for design transfer to an appropriate medical device manufacturer; and (5) conduct a pilot GLP safety study in an animal 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. -
Cytocybernetics
SBIR Phase II: Developing a platform for superior predictive analysis of HERG Ion Channel-Drug Interactions for the Comprehensive In-vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA)
Contact
5000 B TONAWANDA CREEK RD N
North Tonawanda, NY 14120-
NSF Award
2151522 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact /commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve drug safety. This project advances software to identify the potential of new drugs to provoke dangerous cardiac side-effects. Because sudden cardiac death is an infrequent and relatively rare phenomenon, predicting it with conventional tools is either impractical or impossible. The proposed technology will make the development of all new classes of drugs safer, faster, and less expensive. This will be integrated into investigational new drug submission packages for submission to the FDA for drug approval. This will improve pharmaceutical safety and clinical outcomes.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will address the critical problem of predicting the arrhythmogenic potential of new drugs seeking FDA approval. Current basic science research methods are based on trying to reproduce exact and infrequently encountered in vivo phenomena in an in vitro setting. The economic and practical constraints on drug development therefore requires industry to use proxies, primarily drug binding to the HERG potassium channel, as a predictor arrhythmogenicity. The intellectual challenge in this project is to combine mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis of rigorous experimental protocols to bridge this gap and identify underlying features which are strong predictors of arrhythmogenic behavior. Key to understanding this is the rapid development and deployment of state-dependent Markov models of drug action based on limited patch clamp data, which is both time-consuming and expensive to obtain. This project combines mathematical analysis directly to direct patch-clamp assay protocols to minimize time and expense while increasing predictive accuracy.
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. -
DARCY SOLUTIONS INC.
SBIR Phase II: Innovative Advection-Enhanced Geothermal Heat Pump Fieldloop Demonstration
Contact
5451 ZUMBRA CIR
Excelsior, MN 55331--7758
NSF Award
2127107 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,074
Start / end date
09/15/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the high costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with conventional heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) methods. HVAC constitutes approximately 48% of building energy consumption representing a significant cost to society. Much of this energy is generated by fossil fuels, resulting in substantial environmental impacts: carbon emissions associated with residential and commercial use are 35.6% of total US emissions. Geothermal or ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) represent the most energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly HVAC solution currently available, however, their high upfront capital costs have significantly slowed their deployment. The innovation in the present project takes a fundamentally different approach to GSHP heat transfer, resulting in reductions of 50% in installation costs and 20% in operating costs compared to conventional GSHP systems, enabling an expansion of the geothermal market. The present project seeks to thoroughly field test and analyze the performance of the GSHP innovation, optimizing the fabrication and installation parameters, and readying it for commercial deployment.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to address the high installation cost and large, disruptive footprint of conventional GSHP systems. The project objective is to demonstrate a compact, cost-effective, easily-deployable, renewable solution for HVAC. The advection-driven GSHP (AGHP) takes advantage of the 4-5 times greater heat capacity of water than rock. Under the present project, AGHP will advance beyond numerical and laboratory analyses to manufacturing and field testing performance under real-world conditions. The research objectives include: 1) finalization of field site, 2) preliminary design and numerical modeling of the AGHP system for a chosen field site; 3) engineering retrofit design; 4) fabrication of the custom designed submersible pump and heat exchanger; 5) installation and testing of the AGHP system; 6) operation, monitoring, and analysis of the performance of AGHP system, including the development of a comprehensive cost, energy use, and emissions model for the AGHP system; and 7) use of the compiled data to estimate the potential for the economic viability of AGHP in various regions of the United States. The anticipated result of this project is a commercially-ready GSHP product with design and installation guidelines for determining the potential for deploying the innovative AGHP system at any given location.
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. -
DEEPCONVO INC.
SBIR Phase II: Voice-based telehealth interface for symptom monitoring and screening for chronic and acute respiratory diseases
Contact
317 CORNWALL DR
Pittsburgh, PA 15238--2643
NSF Award
2213110 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,994
Start / end date
03/01/2023 – 02/28/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a voice-based telehealth interface deployed on mobile devices for symptom monitoring and screening for respiratory diseases. This technology may improve the quality of respiratory care and could prevent costly hospitalizations by delivering monitoring and exacerbation warnings to healthcare providers and patients. Chronic and acute respiratory diseases affect over 70 million Americans and 1 billion people globally. This technology may help improve patient outcomes and save on patient care costs.
The proposed project will further develop the existing Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Disease (COPD) Early Exacerbation warning system to measure the earliest deterioration in a patient’s respiratory system through voice and breath data captured through mobile phones. The research objectives include (1) productizing lung function measurement by improving algorithms for measuring lung function in varied real-world environments and on datasets reflective of the target population of patients with respiratory conditions in the US; (2) productizing exacerbation prediction by further training the proof-of-concept algorithm with true respiratory exacerbations resulting in hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and prescription of new or increased medication and treatments; (3) developing and launching a direct-to-patient product with the goals of learning how to most effectively engage the patient to drive usage, communicating effectively with the patient, and bridging the gap between patient and provider to provide timely and effective interventions; and (4) exploring additional use cases by testing products with patients who suffer from varied lung 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. -
DNALITE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Development Of An Orally Administered Gene Therapy For Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
Contact
1511 JULIA ST
Berkeley, CA 94703--2015
NSF Award
2133290 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$967,336
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is an oral delivery platform that can deliver various drugs to the gastrointestinal tract. The market for novel biologics and oral formulations of currently injectable biologics is increasing rapidly, as is the market for gene therapies, necessitating a versatile oral drug delivery platform. This platform would positively impact society by reducing the need for repeated injections. This system would improve ease of administration of injectables by improving oral availability and the transport to the intestinal cells, and subsequent secretion of the protein into the bloodstream. This would also allow for local delivery of therapeutics for intestinal diseases which currently are hampered by poor mucus penetration and represent a multibillion-dollar market. Successful translation of this technology would benefit pharmaceutical companies, patients, and payers by providing an oral delivery platform for a broad range of therapeutics.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the problem of improving systemic expression of a protein from the gastrointestinal tract following oral lipid nanoparticle delivery. The role of digestive tract is to breakdown lipids and nucleic acids and it has therefore been very challenging to for gene delivery vehicles to survive and deliver cargo to the intestine. The project advances a new lipid nanoparticle system able to protect the genetic cargo to generate protein expression in intestinal cells later secreted into the bloodstream for systemic circulation. This process converts previously injected protein drugs into an easily administered oral drug. The research objectives are to screen and optimize several of the lipid components as well as the nucleic acid to improve secreted expression of a protein into the blood after oral delivery. This research will screen multiple formulations and cargos in vivo and measure serum protein levels after oral lipid nanoparticle delivery. The anticipated technical results are that the level of secreted protein will improve 10x from the initial formulation, further increasing the scope of potential therapeutic targets for the oral lipid nanoparticle.
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. -
DOCUGAMI, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Authoring Assistance via Contextual Semantic Labeling
Contact
11335 NE 122ND WAY STE 105
Kirkland, WA 98034--6933
NSF Award
2233508 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,314
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project comes from extracting meaningful, useful, specific information from “dark data.” Dark data are the countless documents companies produce and receive, which contain unused information – usually because they are in formats that computers do not understand. Many of these documents do not even contain accessible text: only pictures of text. Word-processing documents and emails do have text, but no information about what the text is. Computers can easily tell that “10/05/2022” is a date, but knowing it is the date a particular agreement starts or ends (or something else) is needed to make it useful. This project uses a range of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques that work in real time while people are writing new documents or extracting data from old documents. The AI learns quickly from examples, finds patterns across similar documents, and uses that learning to save the user from having to search for items again and again in varying contexts. This saves a lot of tedious work and reduces errors. The extracted information helps companies understand, analyze, and make business decisions.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project identifies and extracts useful information items from long natural language documents, especially contracts and agreements. The technology identifies items much more specifically than typical extraction methods; for example, not only as person, organization, or place names, but as to what role each plays. Likewise, addresses, dates, money amounts, and other data items only become useful when you know what they’re for. This is a valuable focus for advancing Natural Language Understanding. The team combine and extend Machine Learning technologies such as few-shot learning, fine-tuning, and semantic parsing to achieve these stronger, more “semantic” results. This solution allows companies to generate value from huge troves of information they already collect but cannot yet automate or leverage.
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. -
Dimien Inc.
STTR Phase II: Multi-Electron Intercalation Reactions for High Capacity Lithium Batteries
Contact
1576 SWEET HOME RD STE 230C
Amherst, NY 14228--2710
NSF Award
2112152 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$991,169
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project is to advance the performance and decrease the cost of batteries for applications in electrified vehicles. Reinventing cathode materials of rechargeable batteries is an important because the cathode is the most expensive material in a battery and often performance limiting. Cathodes cost more than all the other battery materials combined. This new class of high performance, low-cost vanadium cathodes will be used in lithium ion batteries. Vanadium also benefits from high availability, domestic sourcing, and existing capacity for the recycling of spent vanadium to establish a circular battery ecosystem. The proposed batteries may benefit electrified vehicles by increasing range, enabling fast charging, improving safety, and reducing cost. More broadly, a wide range of applications in consumer electronics, medical electronics, military and defense systems, and energy storage are envisioned.
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project proposes to develop a high performance, multi-electron battery cathode. This lithium ion battery's cathode is a new tunnel structured vanadium based material. Commercially available battery chemistries are often limited to just one electron reaction per intercalation site and this limits performance. Lithium batteries that reversibly enable multi-electron intercalation of lithium ions are needed to improve gravimetric and volumetric energy density. Specifically, the proposed project will scale up the synthetic method to produce multi-electron vanadium based cathodes, evaluate multi-electron cathodes paired with lithium metal and/or silicon for electrochemical performance, and explore various battery components and surface modifications to mitigate oxidation of electrolyte and transition metal dissolution. The project will also optimize battery performance based on a design of experiments approach. Addressing these technical gaps and challenges will lead to more advanced multi-electron pouch cell batteries.
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. -
ECLIPSE ENTEROGENESIS, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Endoluminal Fixation of a Distraction Enterogenesis Device
Contact
1440 OBRIEN DR
Menlo Park, CA 94025--1672
NSF Award
2232550 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$970,484
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the advancement of an innovative therapy for Short Bowel Syndrome. Compared to current non-curative treatments that are chronic and associated with dangerous complications, rehospitalization, and high mortality, the proposed solution has the potential to substantially improve outcomes and quality-of-life for patients and their families. The potential commercial impact of this project is likewise substantial. Treating short bowel syndrome currently costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient per year. adds more than $5 billion to US healthcare expenditures annually. Thus, the proposed curative solution can lead to enormous savings in dollars and in specialists’ time.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will create a curative therapy for patients with Short Bowel Syndrome, which is currently managed with intravenous nutrition and lacks effective treatments. The proposed solution will lengthen the intestine, increasing the absorptive surface area and restoring the natural function of the gut, enabling patients to get sufficient nutrition from the food they eat. The proposed system comprises nondestructive tissue anchors and a spring that pushes against them to stretch the intestine and force it to grow. Having previously developed the tissue anchors, this project develops a delivery method that will allow the system to be implanted in the intestine through a minimally invasive procedure. Feedback will be gathered from pediatric gastroenterologists and surgeons about the delivery method, and device performance will be measured in pre-clinical large-animal studies. Successful completion of the proposed project will demonstrate intestinal lengthening in vivo, achieved via a minimally invasive procedure, and establish a foundation for planning subsequent preclinical testing that will be required for regulatory approval to commercialize the 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. -
ECO-SHELTER, INC.
STTR Phase II: A non-woven bamboo-based strand composite process to manufacture low-cost roofing
Contact
3316 6TH AVE UNIT 1
Tacoma, WA 98406--5904
NSF Award
2136481 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,164
Start / end date
02/15/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project is to develop a viable and scalable process to manufacture a bamboo-based strand composite for application in low-cost roofing globally. This project develops a new production process for exterior-grade natural fiber composite building products, derived from a highly renewable resource, bamboo, through public-private partnership. The resulting roofing product will help protect users from extreme heat by passively cooling and reducing indoor temperatures. In addition, this solution can be used to create value-added energy-efficient building products from highly renewable natural fiber waste. The innovation holds immense potential to replace harmful and hazardous materials, including asbestos, in many regions of the world, store captured carbon into long-lifecycle products, and reduce heating and cooling energy use.
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project will: (i) refine the design of the 3D panel geometry used to make commercial-size panels with improved load-carrying capacity and constructability; (ii) improve the bamboo-stranding process, evaluate a bio-based adhesive system, impart fire-retardance, enhance panel durability, manufacture panels using the new geometry, and evaluate performance; and (iii) demonstrate and evaluate panel use as a roofing material through field tests and the versatility of the corrugated panel in interior and exterior energy-efficient building products. This research will advance the field of natural fiber composites by addressing challenges of long-term construction applications that can withstand hot and humid climates, including moisture resistance, biodegradation, and effective binders for functionality.
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. -
ECOCLOSURE LLC
SBIR Phase II: High Performance Microalgae Building Enclosures for an Energy Efficient Retrofitting Application
Contact
5530 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PKWY
Charlotte, NC 28277--0566
NSF Award
2151666 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,534
Start / end date
07/15/2022 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in enabling an energy-efficient and cost-effective solution for a healthy, sustainable built environment. Stringent environmental protection policies are presenting the building industry with challenges in reducing environmental impacts. High performing windows could play an role in reducing energy use and pollutant emissions. Creating a window system that reduces building energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions may have broad societal, economic, and commercial impacts. The proposed biochromic windows can serve as an alternative, energy efficient retrofit and help meet net zero energy, net zero carbon buildings. Their multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits include high energy efficiency, improved air quality, carbon capture, and renewable energy production. Energy efficient window retrofitting accounts for over 60% of the global window market share. In 2021, the global window market grew to $10 billion for replacement and renovation and $6 billion for new construction with a compound annual growth rate of 8.6% and 8.3% respectively. This energy efficient, carbon sink technology may result in 20~30% energy savings and carbon reductions. The good air quality further benefits occupant health and well-being, making the building more appealing to occupants, industry professionals, and stakeholders.
The key technical innovation of the biochromic window is to integrate biological cells within a window assembly for commercial building retrofitting applications. As a primary building enclosure system mediating between indoor and outdoor environments, the biochromic window offers improved insulation, dynamic shading efficacy, daylight penetration, views to outside, carbon dioxide (CO2) biofixation, and biomass production, all of which are attributes of improved building energy efficiency, good indoor air quality, beneficial carbon sequestration, novel biofuel production, and user satisfaction. The primary project objectives are to: 1) prototype of a biochromic window, integrated with an intelligent control system to enable the maximum performance; 2) conduct performance testing and obtain performance certificates; and 3) scale-up mass production manufacturing and carry out technology demonstrations at early adopter’s buildings. Project outcomes seek to save building energy consumption in heating, cooling, and artificial lighting load while producing on-site renewable energy and sequestrating CO2. The biochromic windows, coupled with an intelligent control system, further enhance economic and environmental performance depending on solar intensity and carbon concentration. The view-out area within the biochromic window admits year round daylighting. Proximity to green nature is expected to provide aesthetic quality and emotional comfort for user satisfactions.
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. -
EDEN GEOPOWER, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Directional Permeability Enhancement Using Electric Well Treatment
Contact
444 SOMERVILLE AVE
Somerville, MA 02143--3260
NSF Award
1951212 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$790,370
Start / end date
05/01/2020 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop a novel waterless rock fracturing technology that can replace hydraulic fracturing in the future. Hydraulic fracturing requires pumping of millions of gallons of water into a reservoir to create permeable pathways within the rock, and increase hydrocarbon recovery rates. However, hydraulic fracturing technology has been banned in some regions within the United States, and in various countries across the globe due to water scarcity and environmental concerns. This has left trillions of dollars in petroleum resources trapped within the earth, negatively impacting the global economy. The waterless fracturing technology being developed under this project utilizes pulsed electrical energy to fracture rocks instead of water, allowing for hydrocarbons to be recovered with minimum environmental impact. The research conducted during this project will provide further insights into the advantages of utilizing electricity to fracture petroleum reservoirs and assist in accelerating successful commercialization of the technology.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop a novel electric reservoir stimulation method to increase reservoir permeability without requiring pumping of hazardous material into the subsurface. This project will advance the development of an electric stimulation method by testing it on rock samples under higher pressure and temperature conditions, to mimic the downhole conditions of several common petroleum reservoirs and allow for optimization. This project will also include the design of a downhole tool that will be utilized to carry electrical current from the surface to the target reservoir for field demonstrations of 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. -
EINO, INC.
SBIR Phase II (COVID-19): Improved 5G Network Performance and Demand Prediction in a Virtually Connected World
Contact
119 W 24TH ST FL 4
New York, NY 10044--1501
NSF Award
2025956 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/15/2020 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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This phase II award received additional funding to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis.Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to ensure accessible, reliable, high-speed internet. Operators spend $350 B annually on network upgrades, but only an estimated 75% of this is effective. This project will help improve the efficiency of upgrades by providing hyper-local information about network demand as well as forecasting future needs. This can be applied both to upgrading current networks and deployment of future 5G networks, and it improves energy efficiency by aligning resources with needs. This technology will enable ongoing and improved operation in fields ranging from education, emergency responders, government work, and corporate activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated social distancing.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a novel prediction platform for efficient long-term planning of 4G and 5G mobile networks. This project will develop a platform that can accurately forecast network usage and behavior based on key performance indicators and external contextual data. The platform will provide accurate data regarding network demand at the micro-scale, localized by individual cell sites and frequency bands; this will enable better capacity optimization (i.e., when, where, how much).
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. -
EMERALD TUTU INC, THE
SBIR Phase II: A nature-based nearshore floating infrastructure solution for coastal adaptation
Contact
189 HAMILTON ST
Cambridge, MA 02139--3923
NSF Award
2151551 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,503
Start / end date
06/01/2022 – 05/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this SBIR Phase II project is to help manage environmental change in coastal cities. Currently, a gap exists in the coastal infrastructure community for an effective solution that supports ecological health and community-based co-benefits over traditional gray infrastructure, such as seawalls, berms, or structured fill. This project addresses that gap through a novel full-scale experimental implementation of a reliable and durable network of floating biomass-based modules for coastal protection. The proposed project develops a dynamic, detail-oriented scientific approach and technical modeling. This project will demonstrate how an interconnected, anchored network of vegetated biomass modules can dampen wave energy, absorb water pollutants, and create an engaging community space for coastal cities.
The technical innovations of the proposed SBIR Phase II project are: (A) a new material engineering approach for seaworthy floating modules based on biomass and living plants, anchored in a hexagonal array and interconnected; (B) a full numerical predictive modeling suite to simulate biogeochemical effects, fluid dynamic network effects, and hydrodynamic effects of large such networks of modules; and (C) a fully functional prototype network to study physical behavior and effects. This project consists of five separate experimental objectives: (1) extensive unit prototyping, redesign and monitoring to assess manufacturer material and biological behavior over time, (2) ecological monitoring of individual unit and network impacts leading to the development of a predictive biogeochemical model, (3) translation of physical wave tank lab results into a predictive coastal environment simulation model, (4) hydrodynamic analysis of a full-scale experimental network prototype, and (5) development of technical methods for production and deployment at 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. -
EMVOLON, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Internal Combustion Engines as Small Scale Chemical Plants for Compact, Low Cost Gas-to-Liquids Systems to Reduce Methane Flaring
Contact
176 WILSHIRE DR
Sharon, MA 02067--1562
NSF Award
2136751 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/15/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to eliminate the wasteful and polluting practice of natural gas flaring using low-cost, distributed, mini chemical plants utilizing modified automotive engines as small compressors and chemical reactors. More than 140 billion cubic meters of natural gas produced in remote regions is flared (burned). This quantity of gas is valued $1.9 billion in the US and $18.4 billion globally and generates more than 400 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions, as well as significant air pollution (i.e., particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides). Currently, there are no economically-viable solutions to address the flaring problem. Compressing or liquefying the natural gas leads to prohibitively high operating costs, while conventional gas-to-liquid chemical conversion systems are not cost effective for the small scale required for remote flaring sites. Converting the flared gas in the US to liquid chemicals would result in more than $6 billion/year of added value for the economy. The impact of the project may extend beyond this specific application as it may be a stepping stone to the low cost, distributed synthesis of fuels or chemicals or to avoiding waste from other stranded resources like waste biomass and curtailed renewable power.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to convert mass-produced automotive engines into chemical reactors and compressors that replace large, custom-made chemical process equipment, thus enabling cost reductions in the flaring of natural gas. The engine-based reactor system seeks to process associated gas into methanol near the wellhead. Methane is a high value chemical that can be transported to market, eliminating the associated greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. The objectives of this project are to expand the single-cycle demonstration in Phase I by testing the engine-based synthesis technology in a multiple-cycle engine, providing the information required by commercial partners for a field pilot. The goal of this work is to rigorously test an engine-based reactor that provides robust operation with high throughput and high conversion per pass, which are required to achieve promising economics.
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. -
ENGENIOUSAG, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Low-cost in-planta nitrate sensor
Contact
1111 WOI RD
Ames, IA 50011--1085
NSF Award
2155110 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,683
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide farmers with a low-cost plant sensor for direct, instantaneous measurement of nitrate-nitrogen (N) levels in crop sap. Widespread adoption of the sensor could support cost-effective and improved N fertilizer management, which may increase farmers’ productivity and profitability. Low-cost, instantaneous nitrate testing readouts from plant stalks will provide more actionable information to guide farmers’ fertilization decisions than current methods to test N levels in soil (e.g., collect soil samples, ship them to lab, and then wait ~1 week for lab analysis). The improvements in fertilizer-management decisions, enabled by more accessible and more actionable data, have the potential to reduce total N fertilizer applications in the US by some 2 million tons annually. This large reduction in N fertilizer applications would decrease the energy footprint of agriculture, reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 300 times as potent as carbon dioxide, and improve water quality through reductions in N runoff, improving ecosystem services and human health through improved rural water quality and the reduction in hypoxic dead zones.
The proposed project represents an innovation in the function and application of an in planta nitrate sensor. The project goals are to: i) improve the sensor for reliable deployment in field measurements; ii) conduct research in farmers’ fields to develop predictive models that input nitrate levels from sensor measurements of corn stalks and other data to output N fertilization recommendations; and iii) build a lab-based multi-probe nitrate sensor that extends the work to other crops in the existing plant and soil testing market. Anticipated results are that the data from the sensors will be used to build predictive models that output optimum N fertilization recommendations that will outperform conventional models. The accomplishment of this goal will lead to the commercialization of rugged low-cost sensors that provide rapid measurements of plant sap nitrate. This ability will make it possible to provide farmers with low-cost fertilizer recommendations based on data-driven, predictive modeling of N demand.
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. -
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIVE COATINGS LLC
SBIR Phase II: Durable Omni-Phobic Coatings
Contact
23255 BELLWOOD DR
Southfield, MI 48034--5155
NSF Award
2136419 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,950
Start / end date
04/01/2022 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide environmentally friendly, self-cleaning coating technologies. Fluorinated materials, known as forever materials, have been widely used due to their excellent self-cleaning properties, but the detrimental environmental impacts resulting from these coatings motivate the introduction of environmentally friendly solutions. This project plans to create a new technology to enable environmentally-friendly coatings capable of adhering to a myriad of substrates under any conditions, while offering high abrasion resistance and exceptional weather resistance. The successful completion of the project will set the stage for commercialization and adoption of this technology for household and industrial products, automotive applications, sensors, solar panels, and aerospace applications.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to validate pilot-scale production feasibility, enhance the weatherability, and enable the commercialization of fluorine-free, self-cleaning materials. Previous approaches toward self-cleaning coatings have had several limitations such as reliance on harmful fluorochemicals, high cost, poor scalability, poor optical properties, and low weatherability. The proposed technology is developed via a unique approach that enables higher performance, fluorine-free coatings (e.g., excellent mechanical properties, optical clarity, hydrophobicity, adhesion) while preserving the ease of manufacturing processes at a lower cost. The key objectives of this proposed project include: 1) pilot-scale production of the coating to set the stage for commercialization; 2) extend the weatherability for high-end applications such as those in the automotive and aerospace sectors; and 3) develop protocols for omniphobic additives for rapid implementation of the technology into relevant applications. The anticipated results include successful pilot-scale production tests, accomplishing the long-term weatherability, and the successful synthesis of omniphobic additives with desirable compositions and performance. The successful completion of the project will set the stage for commercialization and adoption of this technology for household and industrial products, automotive applications, sensors, solar panels, and aerospace, to name a few.
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. -
ESTAT ACTUATION, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Rotary Electroadhesive Clutch for Lightweight and Energy-Efficient Actuators in Next-Generation Robots
Contact
1028 WELFER ST
Pittsburgh, PA 15217--2651
NSF Award
2208905 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$944,190
Start / end date
02/01/2023 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to create a lightweight and efficient rotary electroadhesive clutch that enables improved robotic hardware performance across the manufacturing, logistics, and medical industries. Despite decades of research and commercial effort, society has yet to realize the widespread availability of affordable robots that can safely work alongside humans and assist them in their daily lives. A central obstacle in achieving this vision is the prohibitive cost and poor performance of actuators. Efficient, lightweight clutches that can improve robot operation time and safety at a competitive price are a gateway to the proliferation of human-assistive robotic systems into everyday life. For example, inexpensive motion assistance exoskeletons could improve the quality of life for millions of physically impaired people who are otherwise unable to engage in normal daily activities. Affordable robots could also increase access to expensive labor-intensive services, such as daily physical rehabilitation or full/part-time in-home care.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be used to develop new materials understanding and correlate parameters such as morphology, dielectric thickness, and chemical modification to rotary electroadhesive clutch performance. The materials will be assessed for electrical and physical properties, as well as ease of incorporation into electroadhesive clutch assemblies and lifetime. Selecting optimal materials will improve fundamental performance while continuing to lower the weight, footprint, and energy consumption of rotary clutch designs. These research and development activities will de-risk the technology and enable the construction of a production-ready product. To efficiently achieve these goals, testing capabilities will be improved through the development of automated test stands to aid in rapid materials assessment, lifetime testing, and iterative design. For fundamental materials understanding, novel testing protocols will be developed that assess the electrical and wear properties of new materials, producing a widespread scientific impact in fields such as corrosion, coatings, and adhesion.
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. -
ESal
SBIR Phase II: Novel Water Flooding Technique to Enhance Oil Recovery
Contact
1938 HARNEY ST STE 255
Laramie, WY 82072--5388
NSF Award
1853136 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$949,876
Start / end date
05/15/2019 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to deploy a revolutionary water-flood technology to increase oil recovery. The best current technology is limited to 30 - 50% recovery leaving significant resources in the ground. The available methods to further increase recovery are expensive, have limited application and can cause environmental damage. The proposed method is much less expensive and has minimal environmental impact. Our technique does not use chemicals or additives thus avoiding the risk of contaminating ground and surface water resources. Rather than drill thousands of new wells, our approach revitalizes old fields and requires little modification to the existing infrastructure and operational procedures. It would allow older fields to continue to operate, providing jobs and taxes while increasing and further diversifying our domestic oil reserves. Full success of enhanced oil recovery,could produce up to 21.7 billion barrels of additional oil generating over $1 trillion for the US oil industry over the next twenty-five years, thereby increasing the energy security of the U.S. and creating more jobs while stabilizing domestic oil production at much lower costs than other technologies.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to validate the technology to optimize wettability in existing oil reservoirs through flotation experiments, computer modeling and field pilots. Once we have achieved good pH control during the flotation experiments, we will determine the impact on reservoir wettability, the effect of salinity on wettability and the equilibrium constants for the surface complexation computer model. Finally, we will conduct concept validation projects in field to verify a minimum of 5% OOIP increase in oil production. Thus, we will provide producers with a field-verified process operators can implement to yield significant results for little 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. -
EVOLUTION DEVICES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: 3D Markerless Motion Capture Technology For Gait Analysis
Contact
2150 SHATTUCK AVE FL PH
Berkeley, CA 94704--1370
NSF Award
2153138 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,608
Start / end date
06/01/2022 – 05/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project benefitd the 70 million people struggling with gait disorders in the US. Gait analysis monitors how individuals walk to predict or prevent injuries and track rehabilitation progress. Due to the potentially high equipment costs, space requirements, and required technical expertise to collect and interpret results, detailed gait analyses are limited to a few centers and mainly used for surgical decision-making. This project uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) for gait analysis at roughly 70% less than typical costs, as well as offering reduced set-up time and improved workflow efficiency.
The proposed project will address the existing technological and commercial barriers that make gait analysis an exclusive clinical tool restricted to only 300 gait labs across the country. This project will develop a cost-effective markerless motion 3D-tracking system. Technical activities include: (1) increase the motion database to a diverse population, including children and patients with mobility impairments; (2) improve the computer vision algorithms to account for multiple individuals within the camera system’s field of view; (3) integrate EMG and Force Plates; (4) implement skeletal geometry estimation from computed tomography; (5) develop a self-calibration system that can operate with HD low cost cameras; and (5) improve accuracy and usability substantially to reduce the expertise required for computational gait analysis.
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. -
EYEDEA MEDICAL, INC
SBIR Phase II: Development of a novel, highly efficient Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty preparation device expands the donor pool
Contact
101 W DICKMAN ST STE 800
Baltimore, MD 21230--5025
NSF Award
2212687 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
12/01/2022 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project relates to the significant, unmet clinical and commercial need of more than 25 million individuals waiting for a corneal transplant to restore their vision. Corneal blindness leads to an increased risk of physical harm, mental disorders, social isolation, and cognitive decline, resulting in an over 15-year reduction in life expectancy. Fortunately, 95% of corneal diseases can be treated via a transplant. Partial thickness corneal transplants are innovative procedures that provide the best clinical outcomes for over 90% of patients with corneal disorders; however, the difficulty of safely and efficiently separating the layers of the cornea to prepare corneal grafts and perform transplants has led to under-utilization of these procedures. This project seeks to commercialize single-use, assistive devices for tissue separation in corneal graft preparation and corneal transplant surgery with the potential to improve the efficiency of eye banks and ophthalmologists, increase access to corneal transplants, and improve the outcomes of these procedures. These devices have a time- and capital-efficient path to improving patient outcomes and entering the $340 million global market, annually.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project involves development of novel, first-in-class graft preparation and assistive surgical devices that standardize, de-skill, and improve the viability of the liquid bubble (LBT) and big bubble techniques (BBT) in corneal transplantation. LBT is a graft preparation technique shown to prepare grafts in minutes from all donor eyes; however, it is more difficult and rarely used by eye banks. BBT is a surgical technique shown to provide efficient, precise separation of layers of the cornea in transplant patients; however, it is extremely challenging and leads to high rates of tissue perforation, with even experienced surgeons reporting 5–39% failure rates. This project leverages a technology for controlled separation of tissue layers to overcome the major barriers of LBT and BBT and enable adoption of partial thickness corneal transplant procedures. This proposal will test the hypotheses that this technology can provide high quality grafts that fit into existing clinical workflows and can enable safe, efficient, and standardized separation of corneal layers without complications. These studies, in collaboration with leading eye banks/corneal specialists, will advance device designs to ensure functionality, usability, manufacturability, and efficacy in human donor eyes.
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. -
EYSZ, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Assessing comorbidities in epilepsy using eye movement recordings
Contact
107 SANDRINGHAM RD
Piedmont, CA 94611--3614
NSF Award
2304297 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,668
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve the treatment and cognitive function of epilepsy patients by using eye-tracking measurements to detect neurocognitive symptoms associated with epilepsy as well as the side effects of anti-epilepsy drugs. Epilepsy results in an estimated $28 billion in direct costs annually in the United States, in addition to hurting the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. Eye tracking technology, paired with cognition monitoring modules, will have a positive economic and societal impact. For example, some patients with epilepsy may be able to return to work sooner and the burden on caregivers to monitor seizures and side effects may be reduced. Earlier identification of comorbidities can enable simple interventions, such as additional support in classrooms, to improve long term outcomes. In addition, the technology will help clinicians diagnose and refer drug-resistant patients to specialized epilepsy centers much sooner than the current average of 18 years. Finally, the solution will improve side effect monitoring in clinical trials for new antiepileptic drugs and help optimize dose recommendations. These advances will, in turn, accelerate the development of new anti-epileptic therapies.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to improve the lives of epilepsy patients by using passive observation of eye movements in a naturalistic setting to objectively and reliably identify seizures and monitor neurocognitive symptoms and drug side effects. The proposed solution will use a wearable device to collect eye movement data over time and this data will be analyzed to quantify changes associated with impairments in cognitive functions such as attention and reading speed. This data then will be used to develop a personalized therapy response profile to assist clinicians in managing epilepsy. The goal of this project is to collect non-seizure, spontaneous eye movement data and develop algorithms that provide insight into clinical features, including the improvement or worsening of symptoms and possible antiepileptic drug side effects. The outcome of this research will enable a fully powered, pivotal study to be designed and carried out to compare passive eye tracking data to the gold standard neuropsychiatric assessments for the treatment of naïve absence epilepsy patients over time and as medication adjustments are made.
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. -
Emagine Solutions Technology
SBIR Phase II: Improved Maternal Health with Predictive Patient Monitoring
Contact
990 E CALLE DE LA CABRA
Tucson, AZ 85718--2929
NSF Award
2233743 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$975,040
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop further a predictive model for health providers to address the life-threatening condition of preeclampsia in pregnant and postpartum patients. Preeclampsia affects 1 in 20 births, or 150,000 women in the U.S. each year. Not only does Preeclampsia cost 70,000 lives globally each year, it is also an expensive burden for healthcare systems. It costs nearly three times more to treat a patient with preeclampsia than one without this complication. When deployed at scale, the technology proposed in this SBIR grant could be a key factor to reducing maternal mortality in the United States, improving obstetric patient outcomes, reducing the cost of obstetric care, and helping to reduce health disparities.
The proposed project will research and develop a method to potentially detect preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. This dangerous condition also costs the U.S. healthcare system $2.18 billion per year or one-third of the total amount spent on maternal healthcare in our country. Research objectives include optimizing a machine learning model, integrating patient-facing software into Electronic Health Records systems, implementing the predictive model for preeclampsia, integrating with peripheral wellness devices, developing reminder notification mechanisms, determining appropriate interface enhancements, and defining commercialization and regulatory strategies. Improving maternal health outcomes advances the general health and welfare of American families and can improve our country’s economic competitiveness on the world stage.
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. -
Etaphase, Incorporated
SBIR Phase II: Enabling Ultra-Compact Photonic Integrated Circuits with Designed Disordered Dielectrics
Contact
8201 164TH AVE NE SUITE 200
Redmond, WA 98052--7615
NSF Award
1534779 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,575,998
Start / end date
08/15/2015 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to allow the Internet infrastructure to keep up with explosive growth demand. A core aspect of Internet operational viability is switching speed of optical devices at various points of the transmission, storage, calculation, and access chain. Current technologies are not poised to be able to meet the speed and stability needs of the projected growth in Internet data volumes and access speed requirements. These are currently growing well beyond a Moore's Law pace. Needed is a disruptive approach to optical switching that will allow data management to keep pace with market needs. Ability to delivery this essential capability will provide not only essential international leadership in internet services, but also avail companies involved in the innovation to make a substantial commercial impact directly for their shareholders and to those of their partners and affiliates.
This Small Business Innovation Research phase II project is an effort to cross the chasm between fundamental new physics insights relating to the structure of matter and an aggressive approach to commercializing 'Semiconductors of Light' in an emerging market for high density optical interconnects priced for datacenters. Until recently, the only known photonic bandgap solids were photonic crystal structures consisting of regularly repeating, orderly lattices of dielectric materials. It was generally assumed that crystal order was essential to have photonic bandgaps. This longstanding assumption is now known to be false. New photonic bandgap structures, characterized by suppressed density fluctuations (hyperuniformity), include disordered structures that are isotropic. This means that light propagates the same way through the photonic solid independent of direction (which is impossible for a photonic crystal). While the layout of waveguides in conventional photonic crystal and quasi crystal photonic bandgap materials is tightly-constrained to follow characteristic crystal axes, the layout rules for hyper uniform disordered solid waveguides have no such fundamental constraints. The universal protocol and highly-efficient computational framework covering the full range of photonic crystal, quasi crystal , and hyper uniform disordered solid-based photonic bandgaps will be generalized to a broad class of critically important photonic components by the application of a powerful new gradient-free optimization methods. -
Explore Interactive, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A STEM curriculum platform using augmented reality for real-time collaboration and problem solving
Contact
1281 WIN HENTSCHEL BLVD
West Lafayette, IN 47906--4182
NSF Award
2134765 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to use augmented reality (AR) to activate rich and measurable STEM experiences such as engineering design projects for any child anywhere in the world. The market for AR globally and specifically in education is projected to reach over $200 B and $60 B respectively by 2025 by growing at 40% annually.Next Generation Science Standards support the premise that students should be learning the skills of science and engineering by engaging in work like that of scientists and engineers. According to the US STEM 2026 report, core competencies from effective STEM education will be demanded in nearly all job sectors and positions. The proposed technology integrates augmented reality and embedded data collection and analysis for real-time assessment for STEM projects in a classroom environment. By measuring both processes and outcomes, this project can better nurture growth mindsets. The proposed features will reinforce these key pedagogical approaches to promote STEM learning and prepare students with essential STEM career readiness skills.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project proposes to integrate augmented reality into the engineering design process while nurturing higher-level skills essential for workforce success and measuring key learning processes and skills. The data collection, storage, reproduction, analyses and algorithm development, while founded in research, remain sources of technical risk in the field of educational augmented reality. The proposed system encourages students to acknowledge and reflect on their emotions and takes an integrated approach to measuring students social and emotional learning (SEL) during collaborative activities. The research will determine how and to what extent do these activities support elementary students to: 1) develop design thinking and collaborative practices; 2) improve social and emotional skills in collaborative settings; and 3) impact students’ content knowledge, interest and self-efficacy in science and engineering.
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. -
FIRELINE SCIENCE LLC
SBIR Phase II: Offline Edge Learning Management System
Contact
5501 S COLLEGE AVE
Tempe, AZ 85283--1815
NSF Award
2233395 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$996,783
Start / end date
06/01/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Resesarch (SBIR) Phase II project will be in helping to close the homework gap in the United States. The homework gap has been a long simmering problem where 12 – 17 million K-12 students do not have reliable home internet to complete digital homework. Students that could benefit the most from learning applications that require home access are disproportionately from lower-income, rural, and at-risk minority populations. While new broadband funding initiatives may make incremental improvements to the situation, millions of students in low-income and rural areas continue to be left behind. This project aims to use new advances in web technologies and intelligent agents to provide a software solution that will enable any student to participate in a complete digital homework workflow including interactive lessons, videos, and robust teacher feedback even when they have unreliable or no access to the internet. Unconnected adult learners will also benefit from the project as technical skills training including computer programming will be supported. This solution will assist in filling the key technical skill gaps in the American workforce.
This SBIR Phase II project will advance a new homework management system that will support digital learning with a consistent experience for learners that are online, offline, or in degraded network conditions and on any available devices. Through an innovative offline-first distributed architecture that solves complex problems around state divergence and conflict resolution, user identity, system integrations and offline content management, this system attempts to bring equitable access to learners who have historically had limited or no access to at-home digital homework solutions. The system will utilize intelligence at the edge to facilitate effective, research-based, pedagogical approaches to improve learning outcomes and minimize teacher overhead. Pilot programs and user feedback studies, along with custom-built learning model simulators will be used to evaluate and iteratively refine the system's efficacy. The goal of this project's research and development will be the release of a production-ready, scalable homework management system that makes positive progress toward bridging the homework gap.
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. -
FOLI RESEARCH, LLC
SBIR Phase II: High-speed, precision wire plotting for electromechanical sensors and actuators
Contact
1336 CHANNING WAY STE E
Berkeley, CA 94702--2142
NSF Award
2127105 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,972
Start / end date
12/01/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impacts of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project enables a cost-effective expansion of generation and storage of renewable electricity. Electricity demand is expected to grow by 80% or more by 2050, and smart grid technologies have a compound annual growth rate of 20% with a market estimated at $35 B. One important element of the grid is the transformer, a critical enabler of large scale vehicle-to-grid technology necessary for greater electric vehicle adoption. This project advances a new transformer manufacturing technology that will lower hardware costs of grid infrastructure and decrease construction and permitting costs, which can account for as much as 85% of total costs.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project uses precision additive manufacturing to enable solid state transformers for the next-generation electric grid. By operating at higher frequencies, solid state transformers provide power conversion and grid services with high power density and lower hardware and project costs. Currently, solid state transformers are hampered by their wirewound electromagnetic components that perform poorly at high frequencies and are costly to produce. This project will enable new classes of devices with 10x improvements in performance. This project will produce technology demonstration prototypes of a power conversion product and plan for translation at 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. -
FROSTDEFENSE ENVIROTECH, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Budbreak Delay Gel Technology for Frost Management and Mechanization of Vineyards
Contact
509 S GARFIELD AVE
Champaign, IL 61821--3831
NSF Award
2125182 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,228
Start / end date
12/15/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this SBIR Phase II project is to allow America’s grape industry to reduce crop losses due to spring frost, estimated at over $1 billion per year, as well as related job losses – more than 11,000 individuals in the State of Washington alone. The encapsulating bud break delay technology and predictive analytics support farmers with decision making tools ahead of impending frost events during bud break season. Such tools may enable rural communities to achieve economic stability by decreasing yield losses and lowering production costs. The technology fills gaps in knowledge needed to make informed decisions on individual farms, resulting in better management decisions in the face of increasing complexities of spring freeze threats. Additionally, use of the encapsulation technology may reduce carbon emissions and water usage from current fossil fuel-intensive conventional frost mitigation measures such as burners, wind machines and sprinklers.
The proposed encapsulating bud break delay technology involves two main advances. First, a gel encapsulation spray biologically delays the process of bud break consistently up to 14 days and increases cold resistance up to 6 degrees Celsius. Second, to guide growers in delivering this product, a Decision Support System (DSS) aids grape growers in deciding when it is necessary to mitigate pending frost conditions. The Phase II project focuses on increasing the predictive accuracy of the DSS and scaling the system. Specifically, the team will focus on: a) optimizing the formulation and testing in the lab, b) field-testing and data collection at five sites, c) enhancing DSS capabilities with additional data and analysis, d) scaling up for large-scale manufacture and application, and e) gathering data for regulatory approvals. This gel encapsulation solution for frost protection of vineyards may find future applications in other fruits crops such as apples and stones fruits that are even more susceptible to spring frost damage than grapes.
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. -
FireHUD Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Biometric IoT system for First Responders
Contact
1701 OAKBROOK DR SUITE K
Norcross, GA 30093--1800
NSF Award
1926847 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$798,654
Start / end date
10/01/2019 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to reduce injuries and costs due to overexertion and heat strain in firefighting through a real-time, biometric monitoring system and accompanying analysis tools. This system collects each firefighter's vital signs and sends the data to authorized commanders for real-time strategic decision-making. By receiving access to life-critical information, commanders can make informed decisions on the allocation of key resources during the hectic scene of an emergency. Every year over one million firefighters risk their lives to protect others. Almost 60% of the deaths in firefighting are caused by overexertion and stress, which can induce heart attacks as well as other serious medical issues. Around 70,000 firefighting injuries occur each year, and associated costs total over $7 billion annually. The proposed system can be easily adapted to serve other first responders, such as military personnel, industrial workers, and others with occupational risk.
The proposed project will improve the occupational safety of first responders through the research and development of the following components: 1) An improved biometric collection wearable; 2) software used by the biometric monitoring system; 3) a location-monitoring tool; 4) algorithms to estimate sleep quality, fatigue, and detect symptoms for certain diseases, and improve exertion and core-body temperature estimates. 5) network improvement solutions allowing first responders in remote areas to utilize biometric monitoring tools. All five objectives will consist of multiple pilot studies with ongoing research and development that will incorporate crucial feedback from end-users. 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 partnering fire and emergency 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. -
GENIPHYS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Regenerative Tissue Filler for Breast Conserving Surgery and Other Soft Tissue Restoration Needs
Contact
10307 OAK RIDGE DR
Zionsville, IN 46077--8313
NSF Award
2135908 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$974,349
Start / end date
02/15/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is its potential to lower healthcare costs and enhance the quality of life for breast cancer survivors, along with those suffering from traumatic injuries, skin ulcers, and other surgical wounds. For breast conserving surgery (BCS), which represents the standard of care for early-stage breast cancer, the most assured way of achieving satisfactory outcomes is complete tumor removal and preservation of breast cosmesis in a single surgery. Unfortunately, the rates of BCS-related complications, deformities, and secondary surgeries remain high (20-40%), which increases healthcare costs and negatively impacts patient quality of life. To address these problems, this project furthers development of an in-situ, scaffold-forming collagen designed as a conformable and regenerative filler for soft tissue defects and voids. This soft-tissue filler has the potential to improve breast surgeons’ ability to provide predictable and pleasing outcomes to their patients. Further, the versatility of this collagen polymer means that it can be used for a variety of other clinical applications (e.g., vocal fold medialization, therapeutic cells, and drug delivery) and to create regenerative tissue products for other areas of major unmet clinical need (e.g., cartilage, skeletal muscle).
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to complete the final technical hurdles to commercialize the novel collagen polymer referred to above. Recognizing the significance of collagen as the body’s primary tissue building material, this patented biomaterial platform was designed to be highly purified and to retain collagen’s natural fibril-forming (polymerization) capacity. While this technology offers a broad range of customization potential, this project focuses on development of an in-situ, scaffold-forming collagen to accelerate and improve healing outcomes of complex cavity, tunneling, and deep penetrating tissue defects. The collagen is applied as a conformable liquid, which rapidly transitions to a fibrillar scaffold with soft tissue consistency. Preclinical studies evaluating this product as a breast tissue filler following lumpectomy have documented the following: 1) ease of use, 2) conformability to patient-specific voids, 3) noninflammatory regenerative healing, and 4) compatibility with standard clinical procedures. This SBIR project seeks to achieve key commercialization milestones associated with establishing pilot-scale manufacturing and achieving relevant product regulatory clearance and approval. Specifically, work will include development and validation of scalable processing steps for collagen purification, sterilization, and viral inactivation. This project will also complete most of the non-clinical bench performance and biocompatibility testing necessary for regulatory filings.
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. -
GLOBE BIOMEDICAL LLC
SBIR Phase II: Feasibility of a Wearable Blindness Prevention System
Contact
25014 LAS BRISAS S
Murrieta, CA 92562--4029
NSF Award
1951039 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$714,786
Start / end date
04/01/2020 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this SBIR Phase II project aims to further advance novel wearable technology for glaucoma patients and prepare the technology for broad adoption. Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, has an unknown cause and affects more than 70 million people worldwide. Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma, but early can often save one’s vision. Eye pressure is the most commonly used measure for predicting and monitoring glaucoma. The wearable technology developed under this SBIR project will monitor eye pressure throughout the day and allow clinicians to provide a higher quality of care for at-risk patients. The technology uses photographs to measure how the eye stretches under high pressure. This project aims to adapt the imaging technology into stylish eyeglass frames and develop custom software for converting photographs to eye pressure measurements, informing providers and improving compliance associated with at-home medication.
This project aims to advance a novel technology in which wearable eyeglass frames are used to track intraocular pressure (IOP) by imaging the level of pressure-induced mechanical strain associated with the tissue at the front of the eye - specifically, exposed sclera. IOP is, by far, the most commonly used metric for predicting glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness. In this project, a custom machine learning algorithm will identify characteristic patterns residing in small regions of the scleral images and, by tracking pressure-induced displacement of the regions, calculate IOP. The key objective of Phase II is to accurately measure IOP in real-world conditions with human in-vivo studies, incorporating necessary electronics in the frames. The technology will be further developed in order to improve correlation of the algorithm with conventional IOP captured during the image collection period.
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. -
GREENSIGHT AGRONOMICS, INC.
SBIR Phase II: High Resolution Environmental Sensing Using Nanodrones
Contact
12 CHANNEL ST
Boston, MA 02210--2333
NSF Award
2233583 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$940,743
Start / end date
06/01/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is enabling enhanced prediction of severe weather formation to a timing resolution of hours instead of days. Improved weather predictions have a significant impact on people’s lives, allowing for better planning, proactive evacuations, and reducing deaths, injuries and property damage, especially in vulnerable populations. With climatologists predicting dramatic increases in damaging and dangerous severe weather over the next decades, accurate prediction of severe weather is even more critical. This project will launch a robotics-as-a-service business around the technology which can rapidly reach sustainability, generating economic impacts while providing significant environmental, scientific, and societal benefits. As the technology matures and becomes more widespread, entirely novel analysis and predictive models will be developed around the data being produced, unlocking even higher value economic insights for insurance, energy, financial, and transportation industries.
The part of the atmosphere from the ground up to about 3,000 feet is called the atmospheric boundary layer. This area is difficult to monitor but has a huge impact on gas, heat, and energy exchange between the earth and the atmosphere. This project enables better monitoring and understanding of this area, unlocking scientific, logistical, and policy advancements that will drive new innovations in climate, environmental, and weather science with high impact on humanity. The proposed technology enables gathering high spatial and temporal resolution atmospheric data with a swarm of synchronized sampling aircrafts. The swarm system will use lightweight design approaches and proprietary optimization techniques for portability, swarm capability, flight endurance, and low cost. Using automation and robotics, including remote operational support, this project will enable data that can potentially be deployed globally to be gathered in a scalable and low-cost manner.
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. -
Gadusol Laboratories, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Production and formulation of a safe and natural sunscreen to replace ingredients harmful to human and environmental health
Contact
1110 NE CIRCLE BLVD
Corvallis, OR 97333--4335
NSF Award
1926689 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$957,999
Start / end date
09/01/2019 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the development of a safe, effective, and sustainably-produced natural sunscreen compound, gadusol, to replace harmful ingredients widely used in current sunscreen products. Two to three million cases of skin cancer are reported globally each year, including 132,000 cases of melanoma. In 2015, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reported 80,442 new cases of melanomas of the skin in the U.S. The potential exists to reverse this trend with effective, safe, aesthetically-pleasing sun protection products that provided long-lasting full-spectrum UV protection. Sustainable production of gadusol and the assurance of its safety and efficacy will enable such products to be developed. With a global sunscreen product market of $16.5 billion and growing, along with the demonstrated need for natural, safer sunscreen actives, this project is poised to have a worldwide, long-term impact on national and global health.
This SBIR Phase II project will demonstrate the feasibility of sustainably producing gadusol, a natural, marine-based compound with proven sun protection capability. Recent research has documented that widely used sunscreen ingredients pose hazards to the environment and possibly to human health, leading to bans on popular sunscreen products. Mineral active compounds such as ZnO and TiO2 are safer substitutes but pose aesthetic disadvantages, leading to products that many consumers dislike. Gadusol has the potential to replace some of these widely-used chemical actives as a safe, effective, and natural UVB blocker. The technical scope proposed includes overcoming obstacles to sustainable production of gadusol using the tools of synthetic biology, establishing gadusol's safety through standard pre-clinical tests, and assessing its efficacy and suitability in prototype formulations (SPF value). Successful completion of this project will reduce the risks of adopting gadusol as a new sunscreen ingredient, enable its commercial production, and provide essential safety data prior to initiating clinical testing required for FDA approval.
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. -
Geopipe, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Reconstructing Consistently Detailed City-Scale Environments From Incomplete 2D and 3D Data
Contact
460 W 51ST ST APT 5
New York, NY 10010--5969
NSF Award
1853175 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$800,000
Start / end date
05/15/2019 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the ability to more completely understand the real world through a perfect virtual copy. This SBIR Phase II project makes it possible to create virtual reproductions of real cities that not only show how the world looks, but reproduce every object and every detail perfectly, allowing users to interact with it. These virtual copies make it possible to quickly and effectively train soldiers and first responders, train autonomous ground and flying vehicles, place new construction into a dense city, simulate the effects of catastrophic weather, and explore imaginary scenarios through games. Billions of dollars are already spent mapping and 3D modeling the real world for these and many other applications, but these virtual cities are created through painstaking manual methods that can take months to years, or lack necessary information about what is in the world. This SBIR Phase II project will make it possible to rapidly and automatically create detailed 3D copies of any area of the real world.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will advance the state of the art in reconstructing highly detailed 3D models of the world for diverse commercial applications. This project introduces new methods for turning raw multimodal sensor data into semantic information describing the world and immersive, interactive-ready 3D models. It will remove the time, money, and manual effort necessary to create accurate 3D models of real world areas today, by using computer intelligence instead of human effort to parse sensor data like photographs and laser scans. The resulting 3D models and underlying semantic information describing the world will be used directly in game engines and simulation software, in analysis tools, in rendering software, and beyond. This research will build on the associated Phase I project, first improving the detail that can be identified and reproduced in virtual copies of the real world, then showing readiness for commercialization with paying customers. The result of the project will be a market-ready product for an initial market segment, capable of accurately reproducing real cities in 3D models that customers can readily use, as well as traction that demonstrates customer need for the 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. -
HABITAWARE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: New Wearable for Body Focused Repetitive Behavior Detection
Contact
6465 WAYZATA BOULEVARD, SUITE 720
Saint Louis Park, MN 55426--1733
NSF Award
2026173 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,006,258
Start / end date
09/15/2020 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will help people who suffer from body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). Over 4% of Americans suffer from skin picking, hair pulling, and nail biting, the majority of whom resort to covering up the problem with makeup, gloves, wigs, and even tattoos due to treatment cost barriers and lack of effective tools to facilitate behavior change. While behavior therapy, and in particular habit reversal training, has shown efficacy, this method is traditionally burdened by unreliable journaling, a lack of access to treatment, and difficulty for patients to perform in real-time because of a lack of awareness. While real-time awareness devices do exist, there is room for improvement in detection accuracy. This project will integrate a novel sensor system into a wearable device that can lead to state-of-the-art detection accuracy of BFRB-related behaviors. This wearable sensor solution is the first of its kind, using the novel sensor to extract meaningful biomechanical information.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will result in new behavior recognition algorithms, a new remote monitoring system, and new data generated from in-field experiments. The project will: 1) develop a new sensor calibration system and characterize signal artifacts that may influence detection accuracy; 2) develop new behavior detection algorithms using data captured in the lab; 3) conduct self-guided experiments in the field using the remote monitoring system proposed; and 4) refine recognition algorithms. Such sensitive measurements require ideal signal integrity, be sufficiently immune to signal artifacts, and tight electronics integration within wearable design constraints. This wearable system can profoundly impact the efficacy of habit reversal training during cognitive behavioral therapy, the leading method for reducing the negative effect of these behaviors.
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. -
HARVEST THERMAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: A Low-Emissions Heating and Hot Water System
Contact
663 COVENTRY RD
Kensington, CA 94707--1329
NSF Award
2127147 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to enable a novel heating and hot water system that reduces energy use and emissions without compromising comfort. The replacement of gas/oil-fueled heating and hot water systems by efficient electric alternatives is critical to reduce (GHG) emissions from the building sector that accounts for nearly one-third of emissions worldwide. These reductions are achieved through electrification enhanced by “load shifting,” the practice of consuming energy from the grid at times when it is cheapest and cleanest, and storing that energy for use in the home all day (including peak usage times). The project goals are to improve the reliability, security, and scalable manufacturability of this system, making it affordable to install for most households. Residential-scale load shifting will help the housing industry move from fossil fuel-based heating to meet emissions reduction requirements in a cost-effective way. The load shifting capability using readily available hot water storage allows utilities to balance the energy grid and increase the deployment of renewable energy sources with reduced infrastructure costs, as well as reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to address the technical risks facing large scale deployment of heating and hot water load shifting to enable rapid deployment of high-efficiency heat pump systems for residential applications in the United States. The project will systematically build knowledge of system-level performance, reliability, and failure modes. Cost drivers in system integration and storage density will be addressed and improved. Secure cloud computing architecture and machine learning will address technical barriers to wide-spread optimization of loads. Taken together, the program supports the capability to deploy reliable, secure, tested hardware and software as a solution.
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. -
HEAT INVERSE, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Passive Cooling Materials for Transparent Applications in Refrigerated Trucking and Solar
Contact
119 WESTHAVEN RD
Ithaca, NY 14850--3098
NSF Award
2153819 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/15/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to produce and validate the company’s passive cooling thin films to meet specific market requirements such as for refrigerated trailer, inverter, and solar photovoltaic (PV) applications. The product platform may meet the needs of myriad applications and use cases through the development and validation of both transparent and highly reflective/opaque films. The proposed effort may advance the goal of improving cooling technologies by enabling customers in the refrigerated trucking, solar energy, home cooling, and other markets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions while reducing costs. Examining the annualized refrigerated trucking industry alone, which is valued at $1 billion globally, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 15 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per year in the U.S.. In addition, application to solar inverters and PV cells may increase the efficiency of renewable power generation. These uses collectively serve to improve the sustainability of multiple industries, with a long-term impact of offsetting the use of fossil fuels and the negative environmental, societal, and health effects tied to them.
The intellectual merit of this project is based on exploitation of selective photonic emitters that allow certain wavelengths of light to be emitted above the atmosphere, allowing passive cooling of more than 12.5 degrees C (100 W/m2), with zero energy input and no waste heat generation. Given that the passive cooling is inherent in the microstructure of the film and there is no need for electrical continuity, the product may provide seamless cooling capabilities, even in the unlikely event of mechanical failure of the film. Optimization of the thin films for application-specific use requires the successful completion of three objectives, which are the focus of the Phase II project: 1) investigation of fabrication techniques driving improved film performance compatible with the needs of key market applications, 2) development of application-specific installation methods while maintaining high performance requirements, and 3) development of improved manufacturing processes for production scale-up. Successful accomplishment of these objectives will prime the technology for market entry in a variety of applications, whether new or retrofitted. From a technical perspective, the research and development activities may advance the knowledge of passive radiative cooling systems and how they may be applied to support sustainable innovations in temperature control.
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. -
HELIPONIX, LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Rotary Aeroponic Cultivation Chamber (RACC) for Household Use
Contact
800 S SAINT JAMES BLVD
Evansville, IN 47714--2437
NSF Award
2151495 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$970,993
Start / end date
08/01/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovaiton Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide a sustainable method to grow healthy produce for individuals residential consumers, independent of location, climate, or season of the year. Rotary aeroponic growing systems have the potential to reduce food waste, potable water consumption, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions by decentralizing the production of highly perishable produce within a consumer's home. Growing fresh produce in the home may not require the use of pesticides or preservatives. Socio-disadvantaged individuals located in food deserts may benefit from an automated indoor gardening appliance by subscribing to low-cost organic seed pods that could be delivered and grown directly in their home, generate long-term returns on investment and lowering instances of obesity through healthier diets. Studying the effects of light interactions in a small rotary aeroponic appliance my encourage a new market for high margin seed pods that could be assembled in mass quantities by disabled individuals. Converting highly perishable goods into non-perishable, subscription seed pods may have the potential to reduce food prices and reduce instances of food insecurity throughout the world.
Rotary aeroponic cultivation is the method of growing plants on a rotating cylindrical tower that is affixed vertically within a controlled environmental chamber. The key innovation in this project is the coupling of rotary aeroponics with tunable lighting to enhance the growing efficiency of the plants. Phase II research will examine how the wavelengths and timing of the lighting can impact plant photomorphogenesis. The tower design is expected to provide a larger surface area for growing plants in comparison to traditional vertical farming methods, increasing the number of plants that can be grown in a smaller space with less power consumption. The goal of this project is to successfully grow a healthy polyculture assortment of leafy green vegetables in a food safe environment. The multi-spectral light will be used to learn how to maximize plant yields, minimize food safety risks, and enhance the taste profiles of different plant types to ensure the best user experience.
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. -
HEROWEAR, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Mechanized clothing to enhance productivity and low back health in the logistics industry
Contact
907 HALCYON AVE
Nashville, TN 37204--2616
NSF Award
2139480 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,660
Start / end date
09/01/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Phase II project is to enhance the scientific and technological understanding of designing lift-assist exosuits (mechanized clothing), an assistive technology that has the potential to impact society by reducing the fatigue, back injury risk, and back pain of delivery drivers. For employers, the exosuit creates the potential for reduced employee turnover and medical costs. The proposed exosuit has potential commercial impact as the first and only lift-assist exosuit for delivery workers, a ubiquitous and growing job sector that cuts across nearly all commercial markets. This project could additionally impact the economic competitiveness of the United States by increasing the available workforce and reducing the cost of healthcare for Americans.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to address key design challenges associated with assistive technologies that provide lift-assistance for delivery drivers. Surmounting this technical hurdle relies on two key features: (1) the ability to turn assistance on/off when carrying an object, and (2) the ability to sit comfortably for long periods of time while driving. The research objectives of the Phase II project are to: 1) add a new mode-switching capability, 2) integrate a unique method of disengaging assistance that maximizes comfort during sitting, 3) create a novel leg sleeve to maximize comfort when the exosuit is not assisting, and 4) carry out a field study to validate exosuit performance in real-world conditions. This project will combine technical requirements and user stories with a series of rapid design iterations. Using this approach, multiple prototypes will be designed, built, and tested with delivery drivers to assess real-world performance and user acceptance. This project is projected to result in a commercially viable exosuit prototype that fits the daily needs of delivery drivers, as well as objective and subjective evidence of its efficacy in real-world scenarios.
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. -
HEYKIDDO, LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Parent Coaching App to Help Support Children's Mental, Social and Emotional Health
Contact
123 BECK ST
Philadelphia, PA 19147--3417
NSF Award
2302407 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$949,863
Start / end date
08/15/2023 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to empower parenting adults of children ages 5-12 years with the evidence-based tools they need to promote positive mental, social, and emotional health outcomes in their children. Approximately 5.7 million U.S. children between the ages 5-12 are diagnosed with a mental health condition, with an additional 20-60% suspected of being undiagnosed. Despite the importance of early intervention, only about 20% of these children receive treatment. Barriers to care, including access and affordability, become even more glaring in rural areas and in low income and communities of color. Innovative smartphone solutions can reach parenting adults from all backgrounds, as 85% of adults in the U.S. own a smartphone. This project offers an innovative, affordable, and accessible digital parenting solution, built by psychologists, educators, and developmental specialists, that seeks to close the child mental healthcare equity gap, in line with the NSF’s mission. Reduction solutions need to be prioritized to give children a chance at growing into healthy adults.
The goal of the project is to build a parent coaching app, for parenting adults of children ages 5-12 years, that can tailor the content it delivers based on the specific physical, mental, social, and emotional needs of each child and parent. The key technical innovation at the heart of the app is its adaptive algorithms, which allow it to tailor the content journey based on a myriad of inputs. This core technology includes algorithms that deliver developmentally appropriate content suited for each unique family. In addition, the technology allows the app to detect when a higher level of care is needed and provides parents with education on seeking support. Integrating algorithms that track variable input allow the content to change over time, becoming more relevant and effective for evolving needs. This phase of research will be longitudinal and will include a significant sample size of parenting adult users in an effort to examine the functionality and positive impacts of the app, as well as to prepare the app for commercial launch in terms of scalability and security.
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. -
HUXLEY MEDICAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Single wearable patch for cost-effective, reliable, and accurate home sleep apnea testing
Contact
1465 NORTHSIDE DR NW U 217
Atlanta, GA 30326--4815
NSF Award
2136470 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,933
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to help patients with cardiorespiratory conditions, including sleep apnea and cardiac arrhythmia. The project will develop a wearable sensor platform to simultaneously diagnose and monitor conditions. Multiple physiological measurements are collected by a comfortable, wireless sensor patch, resulting in a convenient remote monitoring clinical framework. Interfacing sensor data with an efficient cloud-based provider portal and automated algorithms will enable rapid screening of the 24 million undiagnosed sleep apnea patients in the United States. The proposed innovation will also provide insight into the practical clinical benefits and efficiencies to be gained by bundling multiple comorbid or otherwise related diagnostic pathways into a single workflow, such as reducing time to treatment for comorbid atrial fibrillation. This remote monitoring bundle concept represents the only all-in-one device capable of servicing multiple highly pervasive health challenges in a method unobtrusive and user-friendly for both the patient and the provider - particularly for telemedicine applications made more urgent by the global pandemic.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a simple, accurate, cloud-connected wearable patch and collect clinical comparison data to develop automated, low-power algorithms to simultaneously detect sleep-disordered breathing, sleep stages, and cardiac arrhythmias. The project integrates materials science, mechanical engineering, and signal processing approaches to detect critical physiological signals from the torso, including oxygen saturation and several hemodynamic metrics. The project will also conduct studies that offer early insights into the clinical benefits of bundled workflows across cardiac and sleep medicine specialties.
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. -
HYPRLIFT, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Hyprlift Vertical Transportation System Prototype
Contact
2010 EL CAMINO REAL
Santa Clara, CA 95050--4051
NSF Award
2232924 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,991
Start / end date
07/15/2023 – 06/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercialization potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will facilitate the development of the next generation of vertical transportation within the ever-taller skyscrapers of future urban centers. Successful commercialization will enhance the economic competitiveness of the United States in an expanding $26 billion market for elevators with “smart” technologies. The resulting products will allow building owners to meet their intra-building transportation needs of throughput and ride quality with fewer elevator shafts, freeing up more valuable lettable space within building cores. Aside from this and other value propositions delivered to the target customer segments, these products could reduce urban sprawl and the carbon footprints of buildings that utilize them, enhancing the quality of life for citizens of densely populated cities. Further, technologies developed as part of this project may be applied to other sustainable industries, such as electric vehicles and energy storage.
The intellectual merit includes the development and verification of all core subsystems required for a complete vertical transportation system built around a novel dynamic tractive drive technology. This research will be conducted in four primary phases. First, a revised tractive drive unit (TDU) will be created that repackages the initial proof-of-concept design into a more compact and efficient mechanism that also fully implements both an active suspension and parking brake. Next, a complete elevator cab prototype will be constructed that incorporates four of the new TDUs, a proprietary control system, and all standard off-the-shelf electromechanical systems required for a passenger elevator cab. Third, a lateral transfer station (LTS) prototype will be constructed, which will allow cabs to transfer between adjacent shafts (and thus “circulate” within a building), a key feature of the eventual system. Each of these subsystems will be validated individually, and these experiments will culminate in the fourth phase of the project: repeated travel of the prototype cab to designated “stops” with all normal elevator operations, as well as fully-automated LTS docking and transfer.
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. -
HYQ RESEARCH SOLUTIONS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Incorporating High Dielectric Constant Materials into clinical imaging: A Novel Approach for Accelerating 1.5T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Contact
2151 HARVEY MITCHELL PKWY S STE 208
College Station, TX 77840--5241
NSF Award
2242209 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,104
Start / end date
06/01/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide the basis for advancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hardware solutions for ultra-fast image acquisition. The proposed effort will target clinical MRI scanners where there is limited MRI access by a large patient population. Long scan times reduce the efficiency of radiology department processes and increase the overall cost to clinics and patients. A successful solution which decreases scan times by half will provide improved patient access and care, especially with regard to measuring metabolic activities, brain activity, and cognition.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop high resolution MRI as a powerful tool for understanding metabolic activity in humans and animals. High dielectric constant (HDC) materials provide a low impedance pathway between the patient and magnetic coil of the MRI. The goal of this project is to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the MRI by over 50%, thereby cutting the scan time by half. The HDC materials will have an immediate impact on animal and human behavior studies where neuroscientists are using MRI techniques to monitor brain activity and cognition. An integrated development approach includes electromagnetic simulation, ceramic processing, and phantom testing. A working prototype will be tested in clinical MRI scanners thus creating an innovative ecosystem comprised of original equipment manufacturers, hospitals, and researchers with clinical experience.
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. -
Harvest CROO, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Orchestration of Multiple Robotic Subsystems into a Commercially Viable Robotic Strawberry Harvesting System
Contact
100 STEARNS ST
Plant City, FL 33563--5045
NSF Award
1831161 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,249,719
Start / end date
08/15/2018 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes development of berry post-picking screening and handling that will provide a safe and efficient way to remove contaminated berries from the processing stream of an automated harvester. The project will advance machine vision technology for robotic harvesting and will be a key enabling technology leading to acceptance of automated harvesting as safe and effective. The market sector addressed by this project is strawberry farmers, though the technology will be applicable to other types of fruit and vegetable farming as well. The automated harvesting technology advanced by this project will alleviate chronic and worsening labor shortages faced by strawberry farmers and will ensure that strawberries remain affordable and available to consumers. Filling the need created by farming labor shortages is a $1 billion business opportunity.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop new vision processing and inspection methods vital to enabling use of an automated, robotic strawberry harvester. Acceptance of automated harvesting technology by strawberry farmers hinges on the ability of the harvester to remove bad berries from the plant without allowing the undesirable berries from entering the harvester packaging stream and potentially contaminating large quantities of berries. To achieve this, it will be necessary for the harvester to identify and eliminate diseased, rotten, damaged, or infested berries at multiple stages in the stream from automated picking to final packaging. The classification method that identifies the berries to be eliminated will be extremely accurate, with a very high detection rate and a low false alarm rate. The methods developed will be suitable for installation on a farming machine that is subject to a harsh outdoor environment as well as the shock and vibration environment found on a robotic harvesting device. New handling processes will be developed that will allow automated inspection of the entire berry without damaging the fruit or creating a risk of cross contamination from infected berries, significantly advancing the state of the art for automated strawberry processing.
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. -
Health Technology Innovations, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A Cryo-EM Automation and Intelligence Platform for Drug Discovery
Contact
4640 SW MACADAM AVE STE 200D
Portland, OR 97239--4243
NSF Award
2135832 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,956
Start / end date
02/01/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve disease research and drug discovery. Cryogenic Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) is one of the most impactful and vital tools of biological structure analysis today. The proposed project improves the current methods to achieve better accuracy and productivity, with faster user training.
The proposed project improves imaging by cryo-EM. The images currently generated by cryo-EM are highly noisy and thus requires extensive processing to build recognizable structures (proteins and others). Single-particle cryo-EM is a method that produces images of individual particles and can potentially analyze biological structures at the single-molecule level. This project uses Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) techniques to mitigate the issues. AI/ML algorithms can automate the workflow, facilitating quality data and the development of 3D models.
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. -
Heliobiosys, Inc.
STTR Phase II: Scaling the Purification of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids to Replace Chemical Ultraviolet (UV) Filters and Protect Human and Environmental Health.
Contact
16363 SKYLINE BLVD
Redwood City, CA 94062--4438
NSF Award
2222582 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$937,595
Start / end date
04/15/2023 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project will be to bring a new class of full spectrum Ultraviolet A and B (UVA and UVB) protective materials to market. Current chemical sunscreen ingredients raise health concerns for consumers. Additionally, some ingredients are banned for causing potential damage to coral reef ecosystems. Consumers increasingly want products that are safe for them and for the planet, and that are aesthetically pleasing. This project will explore ways to meet the growing demand for better sunscreen ingredients that are produced sustainably. This team will investigate methods to cost-effectively extract naturally-occurring materials from photosynthetic bacteria that can replace current chemical and mineral sunscreen active ingredients. These will also replace a significant portion of the UV filter ingredients. Sunscreens and other related products that might use these naturally occurring, safe, and effective ingredients will help people reduce UV damage to their skin and help reduce skin cancer (including deadly melanoma) and ameliorate skin aging. The project supports the US economy by creating jobs in the algae biotechnology field and in the cosmetic industry including testing, manufacturing, distribution, and sales.
The technical innovation at the core of this proposal is to improve the yield and reduce the cost of extracting mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) from a complex mixture of compounds contained within cyanobacterial cells (or other MAA producing organisms). Small volumes of MAAs are currently obtained using expensive and hazardous solvents and expensive equipment. The innovation is focused on the use of synthetic nucleotides (aptamers) to selectively bind to the MAAs and purify them from a cell lysate. Mycosporine-like amino acids arose on early Earth to protect microbes from harmful UV radiation. Their prevalence and longevity substantiate their value in protecting cells from UV radiation and other forms of oxidative stress. Their presence in the Earth’s oceans for millennia speaks to their safety in marine ecosystems and suggests their safety for use on human skin; Safety will be verified using standard pre-clinical tests. Technical hurdles include the isolation and identification of the specific MAAs produced, identifying aptamers that are highly specific for the MAAs produced, determining MAA yield from several purification processes and assessing process scalability. These data will be compared to other isolation techniques (filtration and chromatography) to assess comparative yields and economic 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. -
Howe Industries LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Solar Thermal CubeSat Propulsion System
Contact
16674 N 91ST ST STE 103
Scottsdale, AZ 85260--2761
NSF Award
2111853 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$996,231
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Project addresses the need for small, low cost space satellites to have on-board propulsion capabilities. The advent of very small satellites is opening up space to entrepreneurs and researchers to improve telecommunications, monitor climate patterns, look out to the stars, or launch their own new and unique ideas. Unfortunately, many of these small satellites have no method of maneuvering in space, and so their capabilities are limited. Having a safe, green, and inexpensive propulsion system will allow the growing small satellite market to perform many new tasks that were previously unachievable. By 2026, it is expected that the small satellite market will reach over $30 billion. By developing this technology now, users can overcome a major obstacle in space exploration.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a small satellite system capable of using water and sunlight for propulsion. The system functions by selectively filtering sunlight to heat water to high temperatures by limiting radiative heat emissions. The high temperature steam is exhausted through a nozzle and is able to control the satellite with high efficiency. This system is capable of extending satellite lifetimes to over 300% of an unpropelled option, avoiding debris, and performing orbital maneuvers. The major goal of this effort will be to build a prototype to demonstrate system operations. Other goals will be to test individual systems, determine lifetime, and investigate the resulting savings to satellite users. The team seeks a technology that is reliable and cost effective for expanding humanity’s capabilities for space exploration.
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. -
Hyphae Design Lab
SBIR Phase II: Ecosystem Design Tool
Contact
942 CLAY ST STE ACCT2
Oakland, CA 94607--3906
NSF Award
2218499 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,592
Start / end date
02/01/2023 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to enable communities impacted by air pollution and extreme heat to design and implement solutions to these problems in a fast and cost-effective way. Air pollution increases the risk of cancer, stroke, heart-disease, and respiratory infections, and may play a role in Alzheimer’s and diabetes, resulting in human suffering and trillions of dollars of health care costs globally each year. Extreme heat is a growing source of additional health-care concerns and costs. These costs are shouldered by insurance companies, governments, businesses, and citizens. Air pollution can be reduced by carefully placed trees. These trees also reduce extreme heat by shading and evaporation of water. There is potential for improving human health via targeted engineering of tree placements. This project will develop analysis and design tools to help with such tree plantings to generate the maximum possible health and financial benefits, at the lowest cost and with the shortest timelines. Local businesses can use this tool to make sure that they get paid fairly for reducing health care cost burdens of health insurance companies, governments, and pollution producers, while making communities and the environment more resilient.
While existing literature indicates that trees may provide an effective air pollution and heat-island mitigation strategy. Stakeholders seeking to implement such strategies need tools to ensure that the plantings are as effective as possible. Existing planning tools are not of sufficient resolution or site specific, and often do not employ evidence-based design strategies. This project will perform high resolution vegetation analysis on a wide variety of neighborhoods. This data will be used to train a set of algorithms to infer high resolution vegetation properties from widely available, low-cost data streams. These inferred vegetation metrics will be integrated with a geospatial ecosystem design automation pipeline to create a software tool. The software tool will provide environmental justice communities, ecosystem designers, health insurance companies, governments, and local businesses with the ability to implement cost-effective ecosystem interventions with quantifiable air quality and heat island benefits. These benefits can be used to calculate financial health benefits. Because the benefits quantification will be based on ongoing validation and monitoring projects, the tool can be used to leverage private financing for improving public health and improving the environment.
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. -
IASO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
SBIR Phase II: A Novel Bacteriophage Mutant as a Platform Carrier for Next Generation Vaccines
Contact
4942 DAWN AVE STE 108
East Lansing, MI 48823--5606
NSF Award
2150936 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$978,597
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the contribution to the field of conjugate vaccines, which have made revolutionary and tremendous contributions to public health. When successfully developed, the proposed platform will be available for use by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to develop next-generation conjugate vaccines against a wide range of antigens, including cancer and emerging infectious diseases, for improved clinical outcomes. In addition to vaccines, the platform offers an excellent starting point for the generation of monoclonal antibodies for both basic scientific research and therapeutic application.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project aims to establish the applicability, robust manufacturing and characterization protocols of a proposed mutant bacteriophage based carrier platform. This work will establish superior and long-lasting antibody response against weakly immunogenic subunit antigens, while reducing the anti-carrier antibody responses. This project will advance the demonstration of the proposed platform's performance in boosting the immune responses against the target antigens, relative to that of the wild-type bacteriophage and commercially available carrier 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. -
ICTERO MEDICAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: High Surface Area (HSA) Intraluminal Cryoablation for the Treatment of High-Risk Patients with Gallstone Disease
Contact
2450 HOLCOMBE BLVD
Houston, TX 77021--2041
NSF Award
2214634 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$966,649
Start / end date
12/15/2022 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be the development of the first minimally invasive cryoablation solution to treat high-risk patients with gallbladder disease. The current gold standard for treating gallbladder disease is surgical removal of the gallbladder. While this procedure works well for healthy patients, the use of general anesthesia has been shown to increase complications in elderly patients with underlying chronic medical conditions, leading to a $675 million cost to the US healthcare system each year. Furthermore, patients too sick for surgery have no definitive treatment options, underscoring the need for a safer alternative. Phase I efforts demonstrated the ability to safely deliver cryoablation energy via a minimally invasive catheter system to chronically defunctionalize porcine gallbladders without removal. Phase II efforts will focus on product development of the cryoablation system and optimization of clinical delivery parameters. The goal of the technology is to allow clinicians to provide their patients with the benefits of surgery, without the risk.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to continue the development of a minimally invasive cryoablation system capable of safely and effectively targeting the gallbladder. Initial testing of the cryoablation system has demonstrated the ability to uniformly generate lethal cryoablation temperatures (<-20℃) across the gallbladder lumen, leading to durable gallbladder scarring and defunctionalization in porcine animals up to 60 days post-procedure. Key technical objectives of this project are to develop the industrial design of the introducer, cryoablation catheter, and control system for improved clinical usability and manufacturability, to further test and characterize clinical delivery parameters to inform treatment planning, to improve sensor reliability and control system response time to optimize safety profile, and to validate the integrated system in vivo to demonstrate system performance with optimized dosing parameters. The system will be evaluated in an advanced benchtop model gallbladder under a thermal load, ex vivo gallbladder tissues, and an in vivo chronic animal model to optimize and validate the cryoablation catheter and integrated control system. The anticipated result of this project is a clinically viable gallbladder cryoablation system with established clinical delivery parameters and dosing guidelines.
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. -
IMPACT PROTEOMICS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Universal Proteome Sample Preparation Kit Development
Contact
1406 BROWNING RD
Pittsburgh, PA 15206--1738
NSF Award
2036199 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,684
Start / end date
04/15/2021 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop a universal protein sample preparation kit that extracts proteins from any biological sample, removes contaminants, and prepares them for downstream analytical methods with higher yields and deeper coverage than currently available technology. Proteins are the molecular machines of the cell that do all the work required to keep humans healthy, and incorporation of protein analysis is becoming increasingly important for developing a clear understanding of integrated biological systems, realizing the promise of precision medicine, and rapid drug discovery. Sample preparation is the first step in any protein-based project workflow and without a high-yield, fast, and reproducible way to prepare samples, downstream analyses are difficult to interpret and highly variable, leading to long project times and wasted resources. The proposed innovation improves sample yields, reproducibility, and speed, accelerating research seeking to discover new therapies and diagnostics and improving cost-effectiveness. It will also purify other important biomolecules from the same sample, such as DNA, RNA, and metabolites, allowing researchers to obtain more information from each sample, prepare multiple samples in the time it takes to prepare one, and improve reproducibility by using the same starting material.
The proposed project will utilize reversible protein tagging chemistry to create a one-tube workflow for the capture, wash, and elution of protein samples for analysis. Because this novel reversible protein tagging chemistry is not dependent on a catalyst, does not produce byproducts, and is completely biorthogonal, it has the potential to work universally with all types of buffer systems, including harsh denaturants and detergents commonly used for cell lysis and protein solubilization. This proposed work will optimize the utilization of this sample preparation technology in the most used buffer systems, model organisms, and will show superior yields in the preparation of diagnostic sample types such as blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid. Additionally, because our reversible protein tag does not cross react with other biomolecules, we will show that we can also use this technology to purify other important biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, and metabolites. The technology developed in this project will revolutionize how researchers prepare samples for analysis, providing them with modular tools that can purify any biomolecules they need from the same starting sample, reducing time, improving yields, and decreasing batch to batch variability by comparing within the same starting sample.
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. -
INFINID LEARNING LLC
SBIR Phase II: Helping Students Acquire 21st Century Skills Through Immersive Group STEM Simulations
Contact
2230 N UNIVERSITY PKWY STE 6A
Provo, UT 84604--1584
NSF Award
1853212 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$969,999
Start / end date
04/15/2019 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will contribute to the introduction into the educational market of a product uniquely designed to help educators prepare today's students for the challenges of tomorrow's workforce. The ability to think critically and creatively, to communicate effectively, and to solve problems in a collaborative, technology rich environment previously defined 21st Century Skills. New research indicates that in addition to the need for literacy, numeracy, and these advanced cognitive skills, students must also be equipped with social and emotional skills. These social-emotional skills range from self-awareness to empathy for others and from self-management to leadership.
The demand for higher order skills makes it more important than ever for school administrators and teachers to find the answer for students who are disinterested and difficult to motivate, especially in the areas of science and math. Students complain that they are bored and do not see the purpose for what they are being taught; they desire meaningful application for what they learn and the ability to direct their own learning. Designed to address these needs, the proposed program offers students a distinctly different learning experience. The immersive platform gives students the ability to exercise autonomy and a new opportunity to interact and work together. Important life skills come to the forefront as students begin to understand how one's ability to negotiate interactions with others in socially, ethically, and culturally appropriate ways is key to achieving one's goals.
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. -
INFUSENSE LLC
SBIR Phase II: Point-of-Care Electrochemical Platform for the Rapid Detection of Drug Toxicity
Contact
3614C W END AVE
Nashville, TN 37205--2403
NSF Award
2309437 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,852
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is that poisoning by drugs of abuse affects almost 3 million people annually and is the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. There were 100,306 opioid overdose deaths in the US in 2021, the majority of which were due to fentanyl poisoning. Screening patients for toxic drug levels currently requires specimen processing in hospital laboratories, taking hours to obtain results. Immediate, accurate detection of fentanyl poisoning at the point of contact, in the ambulance or emergency room, will create a new paradigm for the rapid diagnosis and improved care of poisoned patients and save lives. The SBIR Phase II project outcome will be an FDA-ready, hand-held sensor device capable of accurately measuring fentanyl and other drug levels from a drop of blood or saliva within minutes. The platform device uses disposable sensor strips and is low cost and scalable, permitting broad commercial adoption. Future potential applications for this point of care testing technology include its use by physicians for office-based screening for therapeutic drug monitoring to confirm compliance and optimize medication use and efficacy.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will test an innovative, prototype biosensor device that provides the user with real time, accurate detection and quantification of toxic drug levels in the blood using inexpensive, disposable test strips similar to a diabetes glucometer. The research to be performed in the Phase II project will utilize electroanalytical methods to optimize the performance of the sensor to improve its selectivity and lowest limit of detection for fentanyl and other drugs commonly associated with poisoning. Additional methods, sensor coatings, and testing conditions will be used to detect total-drug levels in the blood and demonstrate that the biosensor can distinguish between classes of medications and potential clinical interferents as well as show equivalent results to current clinical laboratory methods. The biosensor will detect drugs of overdose and other medications below therapeutic levels, without specimen processing. Pilot large animal studies will seek to validate the correlation of drug levels in the blood with saliva to establish a proof of concept for rapid sublingual testing for drug toxicity.
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. -
INITIUM AI INC.
SBIR Phase II: AI for Enhanced Processing of Digital Conversations
Contact
245 HUNTERS TRL
Ann Arbor, MI 48103--9525
NSF Award
2304322 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$969,389
Start / end date
09/01/2023 – 08/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project lies in its potential to positively impact the sales process by enabling easier, faster, and better access to previous sales conversations and improving sales management oversight. These improvements, in turn, will lead to increased sales efficiency and customer acquisition and retention, and will enable companies to achieve a greater profit margin, while maximizing customer satisfaction. The insights gained in this project may also facilitate communication in other markets including interviews, counseling, etc. The project will diversify the technical workforce by engaging women and underrepresented minorities in research and development activities and will help increase tech-related employment and talent retention opportunities.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to significantly increase the productivity of sales representatives and their managers by providing them with advanced technology to streamline their sales processes. The platform developed in this project will significantly reduce the time it takes a sales agent to process or recall their sales conversations, decrease the sales training time through more effective management oversight, and facilitate the transition between sales agents. The platform will use a subscription-based Sofware as a Service (SaaS) business model that provides fast and centralized development and maintenance, while also allowing for a broad outreach. Specifically, this project will develop novel methods and tools to process and analyze sales conversations by: (1) producing summary notes; (2) extracting action items; (3) allowing for smart access to conversation content; and (4) measuring engagement metrics. The project will leverage the recent advances in
natural language processing and a large database of proprietary sales conversations that will allow the platform to learn the intricacies of effective sales communication.
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. -
INNATRIX, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Development of eco-friendly peptide bioprotectant for devastating late blight control
Contact
250 BELL TOWER DR
Chapel Hill, NC 27599--0001
NSF Award
2233590 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,056
Start / end date
08/01/2023 – 07/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to control several critical pathogens and pests on multiple crops, in order to help feed the growing world population more sustainably. The global crop pest and disease control landscape is facing big challenges: many diseases are not well controlled and important chemical pesticides are restricted or banned due to their toxicity. There is a critical need for new types of disease control products that will be effective and will not harm the environment or human health. This proposal will lead to the development of a platform that can quickly generate new products to target poorly controlled pathogens, mitigating the development of resistant pathogens. This solution will increase farmers’ productivity and reduce their financial losses, while ensuring a more secure food supply.
The proposed project will identify ecologically-safe peptides that will protect crops from diseases. The peptides will be designed to bind to, and interfere with, the function of proteins that the disease organisms produce, and which are essential to the disease process. The peptides will be designed to bind only to those proteins, so they will not have off-target effects. The ability to rapidly design and test such peptides will make it possible to target multiple proteins from a pathogen, reducing the risk that the pathogen will develop resistance. It will also be possible to target a wide range of diseases with similar life cycles, providing farmers with broad protection. The project will choose the optimum target proteins, design the peptides, and optimize the peptides to maximize binding to the targets. The peptides will be tested for their ability to prevent infection in the lab, and then will be produced at a larger scale and tested under the field conditions. The peptides will also be tested for safety as required for regulatory approval.
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. -
INSOMA BIO INC
SBIR Phase II: An Injectable Protein Matrix to Enhance the Stability of Autologous Fat Grafts
Contact
701 W MAIN ST
Durham, NC 27701--5010
NSF Award
2304430 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$979,197
Start / end date
09/01/2023 – 08/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) Phase II Project will improve clinical outcomes for the thousands of patients globally who undergo craniofacial repair surgery each year. Facial disfigurement, whether congenital or acquired, can have profound physical and psychosocial implications including altered body image, reduced quality of life, and poor societal integration. Fat grafting is one of the most rapidly growing procedures in facial reconstructive surgery due to its lack of reliance on foreign or synthetic materials, safe harvest, and minimal surgical risk. While fat grafting has potential to make groundbreaking strides in facial reconstruction, the technique is held back by unreliable volume and shape loss. Craniofacial repairs are particularly challenging for surgeons given the requirement for exquisite control of graft shape and volume. The product supported by this proposal has the capacity to dramatically improve the shape, volume, and survivability of grafted fat. This technology has the potential to not only provide a novel and innovative option for clinicians facing challenging craniofacial cases, but success in this beachhead market will also support the rapidly growing utility of fat grafting in other procedures such as breast reconstruction, amputation site bulking, and hand/foot pad repair.
The proposed project is focused on the development and commercialization of a recombinant, protein-based biopolymer engineered from human elastin to enhance the use of fat grafting in craniofacial reconstruction. This product is one of the first materials to make use of a new paradigm in understanding protein engineering: that highly disordered proteins with defined 3D structure play key roles in the mechanical and biological activity of the body. Using iterative design and molecular engineering of specific protein ordered and disordered domains, the team has generated a new class of biomaterials that are uniquely suited to meet the key criteria for a fat grafting support matrix including: (1) a temperature-dependent phase transition from a liquid to a moldable solid at body temperature, (2) a porous matrix that allows cellular infiltration and supports long-term viability of the tissue in vivo as well as the vascularization required for tissue viability, and (3) enhanced protein stability that allows simple use at the point-of-care with minimal modification to current clinical practice. This Phase II project will focus on core needs for scale-up, toxicity studies, biocompatibility, and large animal efficacy evaluations in preparation for regulatory submission, clinical evaluation, and commercial approval.
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. -
INTERSPHERE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Sub-Decadal Weather and Climate Forecast System to Mitigate Risk for Energy and Natural Resource Applications
Contact
320 E VINE DR
Fort Collins, CO 80524--2332
NSF Award
2233387 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in potentially reducing the detrimental impacts of weather and climate on the United States energy and insurance markets. To help the American economy prepare further in advance for impactful weather and climate events, this project will develop a forecast system that can translate climate forecasts into likelihoods of impactful weather events. This information will be used to inform the energy and insurance markets of financial risk, particularly within the renewable energy sector where weather and climate control the amount of energy produced. Renewable energy is produced locally within the United States, which means this project will improve the nation’s energy security by informing when and where renewable energy will be most available. Conservative estimates of the technology’s potential include a $2.5 million per year benefit to the renewable energy industry, with a similar multi-million dollar impact to the more general parametric insurance market.
This project will enhance a climate forecast system developed during the company's NSF SBIR Phase I award that issues climate forecasts up to a decade into the future. The enhancements include increased forecast accuracy through automated machine learning model parameter tuning, forecast post-processing, and the translation of the climate forecasts into realistic weather patterns. The technology uses machine learning to identify patterns in the land, atmosphere, and ocean that help determine how the climate system will evolve on timescales of one month to one decade. These climate forecasts will then be translated into realistic possibilities of future weather patterns on daily timescales. These daily weather patterns can then be used to inform renewable energy power production forecasts and extreme weather event risk for numerous industries, including the energy sector and the general insurance industry. A key technical benefit to the proposed forecast system is its high computational scalability, which enables the rapid creation of climate forecasts that are typically produced using supercomputers.
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. -
INTUITAP MEDICAL, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Tactile sensing for spinal-needle placements
Contact
2450 HOLCOMBE BLVD STE X
Houston, TX 77021--2039
NSF Award
2129691 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
12/01/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to support needs in emergency medicine, neurology, and anesthesiology for a low-cost, non-radiative device that allows for accurate, efficient, and intuitive placement of needles in the spine. By reducing the number of required injection attempts, the device reduces patient pain, number of complications, and the need for radiation. The device could also be employed as a training tool to improve physician skill and familiarity with lumbar punctures, thus reducing errors. While the currently proposed device is limited to use in the lumbar region, future versions will expand its use to other regions on patients’ spine, greatly impacting injections for pain management. In the future, the device can also offer an imaging option for the current blind techniques in other clinical procedures such as joint injections.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will expand functionality of the first device. A prototype device has been shown to improve the accuracy and efficiency of lumbar punctures. However, in response to clinician needs, the functionality will further be expanded as follows: The first objective adds external needle position tracking by adding full needle insertion and lateral adjustment functionalities to the needle guide. Tracking mechanisms will be developed to detect and display the needle’s position on the image. These modifications will be tested on a bench model by clinicians and compared to the previous device. The second objective incorporates feature detection into the image. Physician feedback will drive the selection of necessary features and propriety algorithms will be developed to highlight the features on the image. This project will test algorithms on existing data and then incorporated into a bench model. The third objective incorporates an external digital pressure sensing mechanism to alert the user of entry of needle into epidural space to prevent complications from inadvertent punctures beyond the epidural layer. The accuracy of this design will then be tested by clinicians on a bench 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. -
IQInetics Technologies Inc.
SBIR Phase II: An innovative calibration software to suppress torque ripple and improve performance of electric motors.
Contact
3401 GRAYS FERRY AVE
Philadelphia, PA 19146--2701
NSF Award
2233023 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$989,878
Start / end date
04/15/2023 – 03/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will improve the electric motor market and provide the competitive advantage to the US in mobile robotic applications. Electromagnetic flaws in brushless direct current (DC) motors and sensorless controllers have severely limited the performance of mobile robots and stymied the potential growth of the industry. High performance servo motors and motor controllers do exist, but they are too heavy, large, and expensive to be incorporated into many robotic applications, particularly mobile robots. By combining a unique hardware design with a software solution to eliminate intrinsic hardware problems, this project will result in an ultra-compact, high performance, and low-cost electric servomotor. The drone industry is expected to be the first to benefit from the proposed solution, as many commercial and defense drone companies are in need of industrial-grade propulsion components. A superior propulsion solution will accelerate the mass adoption of drones and other mobile robots.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to create the next generation of drone propulsion technology: an innovative drone motor and controller. Currently, drone companies are forced to use hobby-grade, sensorless motors and controllers, which suffer from poor performance and reliability issues. The Phase II project is rooted in the results obtained during Phase I activities, which led to the development of a calibration suite and a novel motor design. Phase I laid the foundation for creating an ultra-compact, high-performance motor and controller solution that is ideal for drone propulsion. The novel hardware design minimizes mass and production costs and, when combined with the calibration suite and angle compensation algorithm, the solution offers a substantial enhancement in propulsion efficiency, controllability, and reliability. The team will test its product with industrial drone manufacturers to verify its ability to increase vehicle flight time, enhance maneuverability, and minimize critical vehicle failures.
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. -
ITERATIVE METHODS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Ground-Loop Heat Exchanger Solution for Low Cost Ground-Source Heat Pumps
Contact
810 VICKERS AVE
Durham, NC 27701--3143
NSF Award
2126966 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$977,576
Start / end date
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is that it will significantly lower the initial cost of residential and commercial ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems used in space heating and cooling applications. GSHPs are inherently more energy efficient than most heating and cooling technologies. This technology will accelerate electrification of the US economy, lessen the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, reduce peak electricity demand, and lower emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2. GSHPs operate quietly and reliably, provide humidity control, and can provide both heating and cooling, greatly increasing the comfort of building environments and quality of life. GSHPs can also reduce and levelize utility bills in low-income housing and enhance the ability to provide energy assistance programs to those in need.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to further develop a novel technology that will overcome barriers in the applicability, desirability and cost-competitiveness of GSHP systems. The project’s chief technical objectives are to improve tools and knowhow relating to the application of the proposed novel in-ground heat exchanger technology and to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of this technology in real-world applications in targeted geographical markets. Specifically, the project will further refine the computational modeling tools used to size heat exchanger systems; and develop and integrate sophisticated geospatial data sets that these models will use/ This will result in more accurate and more rapid heat exchanger sizing on a site-specific basis. Next, the project will validate these tools through extended testing and data collection on a prototype system installed on a home system. Finally, this project will apply these tools during the deployment of three commercial systems in targeted geographic markets and collect additional data regarding their performance over time.
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. -
Imagen Energy, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Extremely Compact, High Efficiency, Integrated Converter and Energy Storage System
Contact
115 E REINDL WAY STE 295
New Berlin, WI 53151--1915
NSF Award
1831221 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$752,227
Start / end date
09/15/2018 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable vast deployment of energy storage to increase installation of renewable energy for reduced pollution and greenhouse gases, to improve energy security, and to improve energy efficiency and safety. The project will realize a dramatic reduction in cost and size of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) that will allow penetration of ESS into markets served by fossil fuels. One key market is grid ancillary services which includes Frequency Regulation (FR) that regulates grid frequency and stability. With the potential of this project, the FR market for battery based ESS is expected to grow from $100M/yr to over $4B/yr. This project has the societal benefits of replacing fossil fuel based ?peaker? plants that are commonly used to perform FR, with clean Li-ion battery based ESS. Furthermore, by providing lower cost FR capability for the grid, the project will enable grid penetration of more renewable energy, which requires additional FR capability.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a highly compact integrated modular inverter/energy storage system to revolutionize deployment of energy storage system for grid, micro-grid, energy efficiency, and energy reliability support. The development effort proposed here includes an advanced energy storage system consisting of an extremely compact 150kW high frequency 3-level inverter, an integrated 100kWhr compact Li-ion battery system, proprietary battery management systems and internet communications capability. This will provide a highly integrated and scalable 150kW Energy Storage System with an integrated battery string inverter with 60% reduced system cost and 10X reduced size that will open new markets for energy storage and renewable energy. The project will develop key technology innovations which work together with advanced Li-ion batteries to form a revolutionary new product. These innovations include: high frequency 3-level inverter with innovative high frequency control and output filter to achieve >10X reduction in volume; a novel topology that integrates inverters into each cell string and eliminates many components resulting in 60% system cost reduction; a modular and scalable design that is fault tolerant and allows easy optimization for multiple system uses.
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. -
Immersed Games, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A Group Video Game Challenge for Integrated Applied Science Learning
Contact
1160 MAIN ST STE 2
Buffalo, NY 14209--2331
NSF Award
1853068 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,444,730
Start / end date
04/01/2019 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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This phase II award received additional funding to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis.Abstract
This SBIR Phase II Project will produce a cooperative applied video game challenge where students work together within an active, simulated environment to collect and analyze data, construct explanations, then test and iterate solutions to a problem. Only 22% of the United States? graduating high school seniors are proficient in science. This is important due to the estimated 2.4 million unfilled jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in the United States, to provide higher-paying STEM jobs to citizens, and promote a scientifically literate citizenry. Recent research supports new approaches for how to improve this scientific literacy, and states across the country are adopting new science standards to support this effort. The outcome of this project will support development of students' scientific literacy with a novel approach which utilizes cooperative, interdisciplinary, problem-based learning within a video game. Commercialization of this product will transform the process of inquiry-based learning by putting the tools in the hands of student scientists as they test their own solutions. The project supports the NSF's mission by empowering students to develop strong science and engineering skills, as well as supporting development of 21st century skills such as collaboration and problem solving that are desired by employers.
The technology developed by this Phase II project will produce a group problem-solving experience for up to five students to analyze a problem and implement an engineering solution within a live simulated environment, providing educators with a powerful curricula tool to engage their students in the real problem-solving cycles a scientist would engage in, within a feasible setting using the video game. The research goals include creating a flexible content authoring tool that designers and educators can use to generate their own unique scenarios and creating an easy-to-use educator dashboard to accompany it. The content authoring and customization options empower educators to reflect local context, student interest, and student background knowledge, strategies which are essential for educators of diverse populations currently underrepresented within STEM. The technology and its dashboard will also serve as a powerful formative assessment tool, enabling group assessment that is able to parse group and individual participation, and is designed to promote balanced group problem solving. The result of this research will create a uniquely flexible tool that will enable educators to engage learners in deeper, contextual learning, encourage transfer of information, cooperative learning, development of science and engineering skills such as data literacy, and be utilized for assessment of these skills.
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. -
Impactivo LLC
SBIR Phase II: Linking eLearning to patient outcomes
Contact
1606 AVE PONCE DE LEON SUITE 703
San Juan, PR 00909--1827
NSF Award
1926846 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
05/01/2020 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this SBIR Phase II project focuses on improving the management of chronic disease by enabling team-based primary care is key to achieving clinical results and taking advantage of new “value based" payment reforms. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control, six out of ten adults have a chronic disease and 90% of the national annual healthcare expenditures are spend on people with these conditions. Our technology proposes to apply precision-education instructional theory to enhance primary care team competencies and promote situational awareness, enhanced communication, defined role clarity, improved coordination and leadership support to improve patient outcomes which is directly aligned to the National Science Foundation’s mission of promoting science to advance the nation’s health. This project is being designed for commercial use in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) which serve one in twelve people in the United States. There are 1,373 FQHCs in the US serving 27 million patients annually in medically underserved areas. Public and private payment models are rapidly moving toward incentives/bonuses for team-based care and demonstrated outcome improvements. Improvements in the cost and outcomes of care for this patients with chronic disease will have enormous social and economic benefit for the Nation.
This SBIR Phase II project uses machine learning to integrate individual-level clinical and social characteristics into suggested treatment paths and to apply precision training techniques that improve the skills of individual members of the care team. Our objectives focus on validating the feasibility of machine learning to provide health professionals with recommended workflows and continued education based on trends and gaps in care identified from patient data. The method includes a computational engine to guide reinforcement learning. Machine learning has made possible the development of statistical models to establish effect sizes of clinical interventions, enabling personalized instruction and support to health team members based on patient 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. -
Indrio Technologies
SBIR Phase II: Laser-based in-exhaust NOx sensor for automotive applications
Contact
795 E BROKAW RD
San Jose, CA 95112--1014
NSF Award
2136833 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will improve the environment with cleaner diesel engine exhaust. Diesel engine manufacturers currently cannot precisely control their exhaust after-treatment systems due to the lack of widely deployable sensors that can differentiate between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and other species in the exhaust stream. This project advances a novel on-board sensor for detecting NOx in diesel exhaust streams with sensitivities and molecular specificity unmatched by existing technologies. It can result in 10% greater fuel efficiency while matching new stringent NOx emissions standards. Fleet-wide fuel economy improvements and NOx emissions reductions enabled by this technology will lead to reduced carbon emissions and healthier air with lower amounts of NOx-induced smog, ground-level ozone, and acid rain.
The intellectual merit of this project advances a novel application of laser-absorption spectroscopy, which probes the unique spectral absorption fingerprint of NOx species to avoid cross-species interference. This sensor is projected to achieve tenfold lower detection thresholds than current widely deployed electrochemical sensors in the harsh high-temperature particulate-laden diesel exhaust environments, all while maintaining a form factor similar to those used in existing diesel aftertreatment systems. This Phase I research will leverage novel manufacturing techniques to fabricate and demonstrate the performance of a high-sensitivity laser-based NO sensor capable of surviving high-temperature, oxidizing, intensely vibrating, and particulate-laden flows characteristic of vehicle exhaust gases.
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. -
InnovBot LLC
SBIR Phase II: Use of Robotic Inspection and Data Analytics to Localize and Visualize the Structural Defects of Civil Infrastructure
Contact
2254 SULTANA DR
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598--3703
NSF Award
2112199 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$866,830
Start / end date
06/15/2022 – 05/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to produce two robotic systems for ground survey applications and inspection of vertical surfaces to detect and visualize both surface flaws and subsurface embedment in concrete structures using a camera and a ground penetrating radar (GPR). The instrumentation may reduce the time, difficulty, and cost to layout gridlines in civil infrastructure and make it possible to automate data collection at difficult-to-access locations with minimum human intervention. The use of the robotic inspection systems may allow the evaluation and inspection tasks to be performed faster, more thoroughly, with minimal safety risks to workers, and at a lower cost by eliminating the need for scaffolding and blocking traffic. The proposed research and development may advance the state-of-the-art robotic technology and produce climbing machines, vision-based accurate positioning, and 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) imaging software as a holistic solution to improve the way GPR data is collected, interpreted, and visualized. The solution can be extended to other non-destructive testing (NDT) applications and may help make the national infrastructure (e.g., bridges, tunnels, dams, and buildings) more secure.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to improve the accuracy and robustness of vision-based positioning and 3D GPR imaging algorithms while developing new software functions and integrating them into two robotic systems deployed to inspect both ground surfaces (e.g., bridge decks and highway pavement) and vertical surfaces (e.g., building facades and bridge foundations). The intellectual merit of this project is the automated 3D GPR data collection and imaging method that combines robotic control and vision-based accurate positioning with GPR signal processing for locating the subsurface defects and embedment (rebar, pipes, fractures, voids, delamination, etc.) in concrete structures. This method enables the robots to scan the surfaces in arbitrary and irregular trajectories rather than along gridlines to locate subsurface targets and discover the areas of delamination. Tagging the GPR measurements with accurate position information in a synchronized way at each sampling step enables high-resolution 3D GPR imaging.
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. -
Isolere Bio, Inc
SBIR Phase II: Non-Chromatographic Method for the Purification of Viral Vectors
Contact
701 W MAIN ST, STE 410
Durham, NC 27701--5013
NSF Award
2132838 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$902,504
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact /commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the creation of a scalable platform technology to deliver new therapies and vaccines through manufacturing viral vectors. This sector has been hampered by inefficient manufacturing methods designed for small molecules 10,000 times less complex than the current effort. The technology developed herein will provide a durable competitive advantage by offering “plug and play,” broad compatibility, and improved productivity for virus manufacturing compared to existing industry solutions. The technology will improve yields, shorten manufacturing lead times, and accelerate time-to-market for potentially life-saving therapies and vaccines. This research project seeks to validate scalability and establish a production method to deliver quality reagents to developers of adenoviral vectors.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to advance a scalable downstream purification process for gene therapy vectors. Viral vectors have remarkable utility as therapeutics and vaccines, but their impact has been plagued by downstream purification inefficiencies that lead to single digit yields. The technology developed in this project will address this bottleneck using a polypeptide-based reagent that combines affinity-capture with phase separation and filtration equipment. The technology aims to improve capacity, step yield, final vector purity, and productivity. To validate the lead adenovirus reagent, a tangential flow filtration process will be optimized using harvests with a wide range of starting impurities and across various adenovirus serotypes to ensure a broadly compatible product. The reagent’s ability to stabilize adenovirus will be further explored toward an efficient and scalable filtration process. Finally, a method for reagent manufacturing will be developed to ensure consistent and low-cost supply. Completion of these objectives will yield a mature downstream process for one-step adenovirus purification, a manufacturing method that ensures sufficient quantity of quality reagents to support adenovirus clinical development, and rapidly deployable adenovirus vaccine manufacturing to meet future needs.
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. -
KISMET TECHNOLOGIES LLC
STTR Phase II: Nanomaterial-based Residual Active Disinfectant for Decreasing Surface Acquired Infections
Contact
2331 BANCHORY RD
Winter Park, FL 32792--4703
NSF Award
2208717 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,798
Start / end date
07/15/2023 – 06/30/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project is the development of a nanotechnology-based coating to combat the rise in Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAIs). HAIs spread in hospitals through healthcare workers’ hands and exposed surfaces. The coating technology developed through this project will disinfect surfaces contaminated with viruses and bacteria. The antimicrobial coating provides protection on these surfaces between cleanings. In the United States, 1 in 25 patients get a preventable HAI from hospital visits. HAIs cost hospitals an estimated $40 billion annually to treat. Commercialization of this technology will lead to fewer preventable illnesses and deaths, while decreasing the financial burden on the healthcare system for each HAI case. Other markets that will benefit from this work include businesses impacted by norovirus (stomach flu) such as cruise ships, restaurants, schools, nursing homes, chip manufacturing facilities, and food processing plants.
This project develops a novel, nanoparticle-enabled coating to combat the rise in HAIs. A novel nanoparticle with a high output of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and potent antimicrobial behavior has been developed. Because the antimicrobial mechanism is a secondary surface reaction, the technology can effectively deactivate viruses and bacteria without being consumed. Phase I demonstrations were achieved using bench top batches of nanoparticles. Phase II research and development creates a manufacturing process appropriate for the synthesis of the novel nanoparticles, creating a shelf stable formulated product, while ensuring the advances in nanoparticle production and formulation do not degrade the nanoparticle's antimicrobial efficacy. The synthesis allows for a decrease in the nanoparticle cost at scale. Shelf stability of the formulated product is important to the overall logistics and supply chain of the product. Improvements to both the scaled synthesis and formulation chemistry will be evaluated for impacts to the disinfection efficacy of the final 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. -
Kepley Biosystems Incorporated
SBIR Phase II: A Rapid, Sensitive Pathogen Typing and Antibiotic Sensitivity Test for Bloodstream Infections (COVID-19)
Contact
2901 E GATE CITY BLVD
Greensboro, NC 27401--4904
NSF Award
2212920 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,999
Start / end date
12/01/2022 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop an improved era of infectious disease management, allowing rapid intervention for antibiotic therapy to stem the 30% mortality rate and associated cost impact of sepsis. With some 49 million cases worldwide and a 25-30% mortality rate, sepsis claims 11 million lives annually. Sepsis cases have been increasing 8.7% per year. To address the full spectrum of infectious diseases, innovations must deliver simple and affordable testing capabilities similar to routine hospital admission blood analyses. The proposed antifungal and antibacterial susceptibility test for the detection and treatment of bloodstream infections could benefit patients by improving patient management and hospital logistics. Sepsis is the most expensive healthcare challenge, with an estimated financial impact of more than $62 billion per year. This bloodstream infection screening assay could impact the entire continuum of care – from initial hospital interactions through patient care and discharge – by identifying infections early, optimizing treatment, and increasing survival. Direct customer survey-based estimates and independent information sources project a U.S. commercial opportunity of 226 million annual assays (36 million hospital admissions, 40 million intensive care patients, 130 million emergency walk-ins, and 20 million presurgical evaluations).
The proposed project could result in the development of a user-friendly and affordable analytical tool for early detection of bloodstream infections that differentiates bacterial and fungal pathogens associated with sepsis and determine their antibiotic sensitivity in hours. Sepsis is a major public health and economic concern that results in one human death every 2.8 seconds. If bloodstream infections go undetected or untreated, patients can quickly escalate into sepsis or septic shock with mortality chances increasing by 8% per hour without appropriate antibiotic administration. Rapid and accurate detection of a bloodstream infections prior to the onset of sepsis is critical to limit the extent of tissue and organ damage, mortality, and associated hospital costs. The proposed innovation includes the use of an FDA-approved reagent called Limulus Amebocyte Lysate for clinical bloodstream infections and antifungal antibacterial susceptibility testing to guide therapeutic interventions, and routine surveillance of high-risk patient populations. The technical approach for this Phase II encompasses proficiency studies that would validate high-throughput detection of pathogens, as well as their antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance profiles in clinical blood specimens. Additionally, assay miniaturization and automation would be performed and are considered critical for future in vitro diagnostic partnership adoption.
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. -
LEAF GLOBAL FINTECH CORPORATION
SBIR Phase II: International Blockchain-Backed Financial Transactions in Low-Bandwidth Environments
Contact
1102 WOODLAND LN
Evergreen, CO 80439--9732
NSF Award
2112021 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$855,394
Start / end date
02/01/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to facilitate access to banking services through use of blockchain/distributed ledger technology, even with limited internet access. The proposed technology can make transfers more affordable and convenient. Digitizing transfers increases speed, reduces exchange and transfer fees, and lowers the risk associated with carrying cash. This proposed technology enables access for the 13 million people currently underserved by the financial industry. If successful, this technology could improve efficiency and resilience of transfers worldwide. The project's anticipated results include 60% cost reduction compared to traditional transfer systems, <30 second transaction completions, and an anticipated 0% fraud rate.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to research and develop a blockchain-based solution to store, send, and make transfers without a smartphone or internet. The proposed core technology includes a blockchain back-end that powers an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) front-end, allowing mobile devices to securely send and receive data without an internet connection. This project’s intellectual merit lies in (1) developing the first-of-its-kind blockchain-based system for international transactions with access even in low bandwidth/no bandwidth environments; (2) creating a digital identity protocol that is distributed, accessible offline, and usable by any entity without exposing personally identifiable information (PII); and (3) developing the first machine learning-based microlending algorithms using offline behaviors to predict, prompt, and automate actions.
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. -
LIATRIS INC.
SBIR Phase II: Mass Produced, Flexible Insulation for Non-Combustible Buildings and Other High-Temperature Applications
Contact
4825 CORDELL AVE # 208
Bethesda, MD 20814--3041
NSF Award
2136493 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,495
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is utilizing thermal energy management to simultaneously improve the affordability, comfort, and safety of buildings, with an initial focus on meeting urgent market demand for non-combustible building insulation. This project will focus on developing a lightweight, easy-to-install, non-combustible insulation product which is also eco-friendly and non-toxic. Structure fires represent 37% of all fires in the US. These fires caused $12.3 billion in property damage and 80% of civilian fire deaths. Wildfires in the Western US, where >$220 billion in residential construction is in “extreme” wildfire-prone areas, add to the urgency of this situation. Mineral wool is the only non-combustible insulation product available today but requires personal protective equipment for installation and was recently classified as carcinogenic. Fully non-combustible building insulation is a high growth market, and the broader market for all types of non-flammable insulation represents a significant opportunity. This Phase II project seeks to cost-effectively increase the supply of energy-efficient, non-combustible buildings for both new and retrofit construction, while also addressing high-temperature industrial markets which have the most intensive energy use.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to scale up a novel nanocomposite insulation product using a proprietary foaming process for inorganic aerogel-based insulation that minimizes shrinkage (thus maximizing porosity for insulation performance and minimizing material and processing cost). This approach leverages readily available materials such as clay and silica, as well as potentially renewable cellulose biomass, to produce an environmentally friendly, high performance insulation product for non-combustible buildings which is easy to install, lightweight, and non-toxic. Successfully scaling this approach on existing manufacturing equipment may solve a significant materials research challenge, creating organic-inorganic nanocomposites for thermal insulation with a competitive cost / performance ratio versus incumbent products such as fiberglass, mineral wool, and plastic foams. The Phase II project may result in the first industrially-engineered composite material for thermal insulation which is fully non-combustible. The integration of flexible polymers and radiation blocking additives would also enable use for high-temperature industrial pipe insulation, a critical energy-saving application where most existing products have significant limitations due to radiation loss.
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. -
LILU, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Sensor-based bra to measure breast milk output and monitor changes in breast volume before and after breastfeeding or breast pumping
Contact
447 W 18TH ST
New York, NY 10011--3855
NSF Award
2210952 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,997
Start / end date
01/01/2023 – 06/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project impacts mothers and babies during the breastfeeding period. Although breastfeeding benefits for the mother and the baby are recognized worldwide, many mothers are unable to attain their breastfeeding targets due to common discontinuance problems. The proposed solution may increase breastfeeding rates by supporting mothers who are breastfeeding or breast pumping, providing them with resources to sustain breastfeeding. Access to valuable information on the volume of breastmilk expressed could enable mothers to carefully monitor their milk production. At the same time, it may allow the prediction of clogged milk ducts, avoiding serious complications such as breast engorgement or lactational mastitis that can be avoided with early intervention. This intervention could prevent not only early discontinuance in breastfeeding but also promote increased health for mothers by reducing the risks of disease. The monitor may also impact babies’ health since breastfeeding is recommended to achieve optimal growth and development. Further, the proposed monitor may provide the scientific community with data to enable research into different aspects of mothers’ health, for example, determining the reasons for the formation of mastitis.
This project may lead to a new paradigm in lactational health for the baby and the mother. There is an important need to meet breastfeeding objectives by reducing discontinuances and reducing common conditions such as lactational mastitis. The proposed solution aims to increase breastfeeding rates by providing mothers with a comfortable and effective method for measuring the milk volume expressed and for determining if milk ducts are clogged. Research objectives include: (1) sourcing and testing fabrics for the bra from multiple vendors; (2) designing and developing of the embedded system and the bra, so that will be able to accommodate a wide range of breast shapes and sizes; (3) designing and developing mobile applications and algorithms, which will include data analytics and prediction; and (4) optimizing the bra and mobile applications. The project could result in a smart, all-day wearable, comfortable garment designed for breastfeeding mothers that is paired with a mobile app to show analysis and results adapted to each mother.
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. -
LUMENASTRA
SBIR Phase II: A Wearable Non-Invasive Deep Tissue Thermometer
Contact
12416 N 63RD ST
Longmont, CO 80503--9134
NSF Award
2233629 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/15/2023 – 02/28/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project begins with a wearable, non-invasive device providing vital brain and internal organ temperature measurements in a clinical setting that can dramatically reduce mortality and the risk of permanent brain damage for tens of thousands of patients experiencing cardiac and aortic repair surgery. This impact extends to protecting the brain from additional permanent brain injury and lifelong disability for the 4.8 million people hospitalized annually in the US after stroke, cardiac arrest or traumatic brain injury and 1 million infants born with impaired blood-oxygen flow needing constant brain temperature management in their first hours of life. Finally, this technology offers a more consistent and meaningful internal body temperature measurement for millions of consumers through next generation handheld and wearable thermometers monitoring general wellness and providing advanced notice of changes in health conditions. True internal body temperature will be a powerful complement to the inevitable next generation wearable sensors that integrate many health indicators into a comprehensive and actionable snapshot of personal health.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project fulfills the more than 30-year expectation that true internal body temperatures providing a meaningful metric of wellness. Such technologies measure extremely small electromagnetic thermal noise radiated from within the body. Through the intersection of disparate microwave technologies and biological science, this novel wearable sensor became possible. Research challenges include the development of a design methodology for an ultra-low noise receiver utilizing a near-field wearable probe, the discovery of efficient interference mitigation techniques, and the development of an algorithm for accurate and fast temperature estimation, all within a low-power wearable package. This project will develop the needed sensitivity, spatial resolution, and mitigation of the significant microwave noise from GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular and other common electronic sources. After leveraging off-the-shelf components in Phase I, the company is moving to miniaturized and specialized chips to meet the application need.
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. -
LUNAR RESOURCES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Protoflight Design and Validation of Molten Regolith Electrolysis Facility For Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization
Contact
6721 PORTWEST DR STE 100
Houston, TX 77024--8057
NSF Award
2112076 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to open the path for resource extraction on the Moon, creating an in-space manufacturing industry, allowing for a permanent presence on the Moon, and expanding the ability to explore the inner planets of the solar system. The technology may result in the ability of humans to operate and live in space: building state-of-the-art research infrastructure, exploring the solar system, creating a space economy independent of Earth, and moving terrestrial manufacturing and power generation into space.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project may provide new insights into electrorefining metal oxide feedstocks, specifically lunar regolith simulants, through high-temperature electrolysis to yield oxygen and metals. Additionally, the proposed technology will address anode stability and advance studies in novel platinum group metal anodes. The team will use multi-physics modeling for high-temperature electrolysis and for modeling low gravity and lunar vacuum environments. The project may result in the ability to extract oxygen and raw metals from lunar regoliths advancing research in space resource extraction efforts. This advancement in knowledge may aide in the research and development efforts in the fields of materials science, inorganic chemistry, and metallurgy which could result in the carbon-free production of steel and other metals on Earth, new anode materials for high-temperature electrolysis, new electrochemical processes for electrorefining raw feedstocks, and the ability to source oxygen and metals from the Moon and other planetary bodies.
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. -
Lapovations, LLC
SBIR Phase II: AbGrab Laparoscopic Lifting Device
Contact
700 W RESEARCH CENTER BLVD STE 1420
Fayetteville, AR 72703--9203
NSF Award
2025984 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,429
Start / end date
09/15/2020 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a reduction in the negative effects of laparoscopies, procedures to enter the abdomen through a small incision. Over 15 million laparoscopies are performed worldwide each year, particularly gynecologists, who represent roughly half the surgeons performing these procedures in the U.S. The proposed procedure does not require surgeons to alter their surgical techniques and requires minimal training. It uses equipment already in the hospital. The benefits will include better surgical outcomes, decreased patient post-op pain, and increased surgeon and patient satisfaction. Furthermore, it can ultimately be used in other surgical interventions, such as pannus retention, wound management, and liposuction.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the need for a less invasive and more reliable method for lifting the abdominal wall during laparoscopic surgery. Current lifting techniques include manually grasping the abdominal wall and using invasive perforating towel clips. With manual grasp it can be difficult for the surgeon to maintain grip and proper elevation, especially with lean or obese patients. Alternatively, using perforating towel clips is invasive because the towel clips perforate the abdominal wall tissue to provide a handle by which to lift and elevate. The perforations can be a significant source of post-op discomfort and bruising for the patient. This project focuses on developing a medical device that uses suction to attach to and lift the abdominal wall more reliably than manual grasp and less invasively than perforating towel clips.
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. -
Levisonics Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Innovative Platform for Low Volume Blood Coagulation Analysis
Contact
1126 WEBSTER ST APT B
New Orleans, LA 70118--5956
NSF Award
2134020 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,857
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the problem of blood clotting and associated bleeding risks in neonatal and pediatric patients as well as vulnerable adult patients. Existing systems put these patients at further risk because they cannot operate with low volumes of blood, and because they are less reliable owing to the requirement for test sample contact. Using only a single drop of blood, the proposed non-contact technology platform enables safe and reliable assessment of blood clotting for all patients and provides an opportunity for development of newborn screening tests for coagulation abnormalities. This technology can reduce side effects for neonatal and pediatric patients by using 1/100th the sample volume required by technologies developed for adult healthcare and improve diagnostic response time for critical care providers by more than 3x. This technology could decrease the cost of blood coagulation analysis by over 30%, thus allowing for patients in the United States to save $1.1 billion annually.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project develops an innovative technology for non-contact blood coagulation analysis that integrates photo-optical and viscoelastic measurements in a single drop of blood. The basis of the technology is to levitate a small sample in a host fluid (air) by the acoustic radiation force and measure its physical properties under deformation during levitation. Due to its non-contact feature and low sample volume requirement, this technology can rapidly (<10 minutes) and reliably assess bleeding/thrombotic risks and is sensitive to temporal changes in shear viscosity and elasticity during blood clotting and fibrinolysis. The goal of this project is to develop and test a system for fast, reliable, and easy-to-use drop-of-blood coagulation analysis under sterile conditions. This goal will be achieved by meeting four objectives: 1) develop the module for automatic sample deployment from standard blood collection tubes; 2) implement environmental control and sample containment (“acoustic cartridge”); 3) assemble prototype devices and develop the control software with improved workflow and a user-friendly interface; and 4) assess prototype reliability, standardize it for coagulation measurements, and conduct initial clinical 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. -
Li Industries, Inc
SBIR Phase II: A Direct Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Process Yielding Battery-Grade Cathode Materials
Contact
1872 PRATT DR STE 1500
Blacksburg, VA 24060--6322
NSF Award
1951107 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$800,000
Start / end date
06/01/2020 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this SBIR Phase II project is to significantly improve the economics of lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling, while minimizing its environmental impact. Direct recycling uses less energy and generates less pollutive waste and fewer emissions than alternative recycling approaches, while simultaneously producing more valuable products. The proposed project will advance the development of a recycling technology that will lower LIB cost, reduce the reliance of LIB production on the mining of expensive virgin metals, create a local supply of LIB materials, and facilitate the adoption of clean energy products (e.g., electric vehicles, grid storage).
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop a cost-effective and scalable direct recycling process at a pilot-scale level. The proposed project will study LIB deactivation, component separation, purification, and regeneration processes that can be economically reproduced on a large scale. For example, a battery deactivation process that is quicker, safer, and cost-effective can be used in other waste management processes as well to discharge batteries. This project also will enable a better understanding of the key parameters of electrode extraction and purification processes able to preserve electrode chemistry and morphology. By focusing on the characterization of structure, morphology and electrochemical performance of the recycled materials, this project will lead to a more profound understanding of the effect of relithiation and heat treatment conditions on the quality of recycled cathode materials. Together, these studies will advance the knowledge and understanding of not only the process, chemistry, and mechanics behind the direct recycling process but also process optimization for a production-scale LIB recycling operation.
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. -
Loggerhead Instruments
SBIR Phase II: Building a Nature Monitoring Network for Birds
Contact
5627 COUNTRY WALK LN
Sarasota, FL 34233--3274
NSF Award
2135664 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$962,141
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is to further develop a product which allows consumers to listen and learn about the birds in their backyards. The product will improve the general public’s scientific literacy and engagement by presenting information about birds in fun and non-threatening ways. Additionally, it will make environmental research more understandable, tangible, and valuable to more people and include women and individuals from underrepresented groups This project seeks to help casual birdwatchers know more about their own backyard ecosystems, improve their ability to identify birds by their songs, and recognize the diversity of life outside their windows. Customers will learn the importance of environmental stewardship by becoming important partners in bird-centered research and connecting with others who share their interests. Participation in bird count challenges saw large increases in 2020 and record-setting participation continued into 2021.
The primary technical challenge will be to design and run birdsong detectors on low-cost edge hardware, while ignoring non-bird sounds such as dogs, insects, sirens, and machines. Edge algorithms and prototype hardware will be developed to provide the most accurate birdsong identifications at the lowest possible cost, which will result in wide commercialization. This represents a significant technical challenge because the product’s neural net is much larger than artificial intelligence chips can currently support. Producing a product priced for the target market will require the creation of a comprehensive labeled library of bird and environmental sounds, a well-trained neural net, optimized hardware, a comprehensive beta testing program, and an informative, easy to use website and smartphone app.
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. -
MALCOVA INC
SBIR Phase II: Non-planar Spectral Breast Computed Tomography (CT)
Contact
39655 EUREKA DR
Newark, CA 94560-
NSF Award
2241912 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to make available to the public a new imaging device that provides the anatomical and functional information necessary for effective and efficient diagnosis of breast cancer in women with dense breasts. The device employs a novel design and method of generating high-quality, three-dimensional images of the breast anatomy comfortably and at low levels of radiation dose. By design, the device will occupy a small space and support fast and efficient patient imaging. When commercialized, it can be priced on par with existing x-ray-based imaging technologies. Given these benefits and the large existing need nationwide need for a thorough dense-breast imaging solution, there is significant commercial potential. The prime objective of the project is to significantly increase the sensitivity and specificity in cancer radiological studies of women with dense breasts. Accordingly, this device has the potential to become the next generation breast cancer imaging modality of choice for small clinics as well as large hospitals, available to both patients and clinicians everywhere imaging is performed.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project supports development and validation of a comfortable, effective, dense-breast cancer imaging device built upon a new method and design for Computed Tomography (CT). This CT-based device does not require breast compression, and is smaller, faster, and higher in spatial resolution than alternative 3-dimensional imaging technologies. The instrument will provide spectral information used to distinguish deadly from non-deadly cancers from both dense and non-dense tissues across the entire breast, including regions near the chest and underarm. Nearly 50% of the U.S. female population has dense breasts. The most widely used technologies for breast imaging today —Mammography and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis — underserve these women. This technology cannot reliably image breast regions near the chest and underarm where cancers occur. Current methods also cannot reliably distinguish healthy, but dense, breast tissue from cancer. During this SBIR project, testing and validation of the developed device will be carried out using human-like surrogates called anthropomorphic phantoms. The company will demonstrate that this new technology provides high quality dense-tissue imaging, consistent whole-breast imaging, and spectral information that is of clinical benefit in cancer detection and diagnosis.
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. -
MANUS ROBOTICS INC.
SBIR Phase II: A Novel Human Machine Interface for Assistive Robots
Contact
24 HARTWELL AVE
Lexington, MA 02421--3132
NSF Award
2223169 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/15/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to benefit more than 200 million people around the globe who are currently living with limb loss or impairment. With the rapid growth of an aging population and longer life expectancies, assistive technologies that can improve the independence and self-sufficiency of people, enabling them stay in their homes longer, are urgently needed. The proposed wearable sensor will be a step towards making robots designed to assist in activities of daily living more effective, affordable, and easy to use. In addition to empowering people to achieve higher levels of functionality and quality of life, this sensor may also further the fundamental understanding of physiological changes as manifested in hemodynamic patterns, which could be used to better monitor patient status and allow clinicians, as well as assistive device manufacturers, to develop more personalized and mindful solutions.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a compact and low-cost optical sensor for detecting gesture commands from disabled users and to translate the gestures to assistive robots. The human-machine interfaces currently adopted by most assistive robots are expensive and inherently noisy, requiring extensive processing and user training. A more practical, intuitive, and reliable solution is needed to better accommodate the diverse and often evolving conditions of end users. This research will focus on enhancing the reliability, usability, and compatibility of the sensor as an embeddable component for wearable assistive robots. Sensor modules that can be daisy-chained together in various arrangements will be designed to optimally monitor different muscle activities on the arm. Advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques will be used to expand the existing gesture detection algorithm and achieve more robust performance during daily device usage, addressing practical issues such as detecting multiple commands simultaneously and enabling long-term algorithm learning.
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. -
MAP-COLLECTIVE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Development of a Distributed Ledger System to Track Environmental Sustainability
Contact
3030 K ST NW 102
Washington, DC 20007--5156
NSF Award
2223081 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$925,833
Start / end date
06/01/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project centers around its potential contribution to the coordination of climate change mitigation performance of governments, industry, and individuals towards a carbon negative future. The automated system for carbon tracking and visualization that this project is evolving could allow it to network many organizations that are trying to pursue carbon reduction activities on a verifiable map, coordinating otherwise disparate efforts. Regional, national, and global coordination are important as the world attempts to solve the global climate change problem. The proposed platform not only envisions aggregate multisector information on the global level, it allows for collaboration among organizations by sharing carbon goals and decarbonization investments through carbon easements or credits. The solution also contextualizes carbon footprints on the entity or region-level within the planetary carbon usage and planetary carbon boundaries. This visualization tool used for coordination is expected to help accelerate public-private partnerships in the sustainability space, and help organizations collaborate around resource management, and support economic activities and job creation through connectivity.
The technical innovation in this research is the visual coordination of all the simultaneous, multi-level, decarbonization efforts onto one map. Regional coordination remains one of the biggest obstacles to widespread climate action. Even when a county-level climate action plan is pursued, cities within the counties may not implement goals evenly, as there are often inequities in resource distribution. Similarly, there is often a lack of coordination within industries; Companies may have trouble mapping scope data, let alone collaborating with other industries. The project is likely to make collaborations more accessible for companies and governments by visualizing potential partners’ goals and trajectories publicly. Companies that provide verified footprints may have advantages of more thorough data, more accurate data, and recommendations offered to them. In this research, the team intends to pursue the development of a carbon negative budget for users, map out past and future carbon usage, automate emissions data uploads, build out maps for internal facilities or assets of a user, and build out a decarbonization model tool for users to explore solution scenarios enabling tokenized on-platform carbon trading.
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. -
MAPLESS AI, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Autonomous active safety systems for verifiably safe operation of ground vehicles
Contact
104 LAURELWOOD DR
Pittsburgh, PA 15237--4033
NSF Award
2240322 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will result from addressing the gap between the ride hail and vehicle rental markets via the creation of a new, more accessible “car hailing” mode of transportation. Based on technical advancements in vehicle safety and fleet logistics, car hailing technology offers the potential for direct and desirable social impacts, including: more equitable transportation that can improve quality of life and decrease cost of living; less personal vehicle ownership and less pollution as a result of more efficient vehicle fleet utilization; centralized, managed parking, which could free land for pedestrians, housing, and businesses precisely where it is needed most; and significant job creation due to the need for remote human vehicle operators. These societal and environmental benefits also directly translate into increased economic competitiveness of the United States: more equitable and available transportation for workers enables businesses to compete more successfully in the global markets, and improved quality of life and wage opportunities leads to more productive workers.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will help enable scalable commercial deployment of vehicle teleoperation technology and services by further developing and improving previous advances in robotics control, perception, and safety engineering. There are two primary objectives for the Phase II research. The first is to develop new techniques and methodologies in safety engineering that will enable the systematic testing and safety assurances necessary for large-scale public road deployments of vehicle teleoperation technology. The second is to revise and improve the novel control and perception technologies developed during the Phase I project to satisfy new requirements derived from the company’s safety engineering advances. The results of the Phase II research will include robotics control and perception capabilities that significantly advance the state of the art, as well as a new set of safety engineering practices and methodologies that could serve as a foundation for the emerging industry of vehicle teleoperation and autonomous vehicle safety.
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. -
MENTE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Mentelist: Predictive Management of Surgical Instruments
Contact
12 CHANNEL ST STE 502
Boston, MA 02210--2326
NSF Award
2300005 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,981
Start / end date
08/15/2023 – 07/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is focused on helping hospitals use data to increase efficiency in operating room resource management. The outcome of this work is a product that could deliver predictive management of surgical instruments; It has the potential to possibly deliver significant direct-to-margin savings to Operating Rooms (OR) at a time when hospitals are struggling to remain financially solvent. This effort may enable hospitals to achieve a 50% reduction in instruments, a 25% reduction in OR setup time, and a 33% reduction in tray weight. It could also reduce instrument-related delays and frustration in the ORs, making surgery safer and more efficient. The technology will establish the commercial viability of a new data stream, enabling applications in predictive OR scheduling, outcomes analysis, and surgical team education.
This project advances the field of healthcare analytics by capturing and applying a data stream that describes how surgery is performed. Every surgical instrument is specialized for a very specific task. This means each time an instrument is used by a surgeon, there is information about their goals, the state of the patient, and the phase of surgery. Under the proposed project, this information is captured by tracking instrument usage. This technology may facilitate a number of predictive tools that can be used to improve the efficiency of the OR and even inform surgical techniques. At a certain level, this application could enable quantification of how the best surgeons in the world deliver care, revealing insights that may not be widely known.
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. -
MESODYNE INC.
SBIR Phase II: Scalable Photonic Crystal Fabrication for Mesoscale Fuel-to-Electricity Conversion
Contact
15 WARD ST
Somerville, MA 02143--4228
NSF Award
2132718 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$945,253
Start / end date
02/15/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to commercialize a novel technology that enables compact, efficient, silent, reliable, and fuel-flexible power generation. Existing power solutions can lack endurance, reliability, and portability and often generate harmful emissions; or they are prohibitively expensive or incompatible with existing fuels and distribution infrastructure. The power generation platform developed in this project has the potential to be a key enabling technology for the future rapid growth of commercial drone applications, which currently are often limited by the performance of lithium ion batteries. Drones are expected to make an impact across numerous industries including transport and delivery, power and utilities, telecommunications, and remote sensing. Additionally, this power generation technology can benefit industrial internet of things applications.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a novel power source that is easily portable and is compatible with existing fuel infrastructure. This project develops a system that converts most fuels to electricity via light; combustion heats a nanophotonic material to incandescence and the resulting light drives photovoltaic cells. The nanophotonic material is engineered to be spectrally matched to the photovoltaic cells, enabling efficient conversion. This technology can increase the endurance of drones or other systems up to ten times over batteries alone. This work is focused on cost reduction through new material development. The specific research objectives are to demonstrate a low-cost and scalable process for the nanophotonic material and photovoltaic cell while maintaining high performance, and then integrate and pilot the low cost system. Successful completion of these objectives will enable this technology to translate to drone applications with a compelling need for long-lasting portable 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. -
MFM LLC
SBIR Phase II: Electric Blower-Based Emergency Mask Ventilator for Simple Ventilation and Monitoring During Patient Distress and Transport
Contact
11075 S STATE ST STE 3 STE 203
Sandy, UT 84070--5165
NSF Award
2151557 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$982,208
Start / end date
04/01/2022 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is simplifying a difficult and dangerous medical intervention, that is performed millions of times a year in the United States, with a portable and ergonomic device that enables rescuers to increase the safety for every patient in an emergency that requires ventilation assistance. The resulting device will decrease the time necessary to stabilize a patient during situations where every second is crucial to the patient’s health. The device will also enable responders to accomplish their jobs more effectively and safely. The resulting technology seeks not only to increase safety for patients and increase efficiency of medical responders, but it seeks to do so in a cost-effective manner. A main focus of this research is to develop a solution applies in all emergency situations and for every patient requiring rescue ventilation.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop and test a device that will calculate and measure the tidal volume delivered during rescue ventilation and provide instant feedback to the responder to evaluate the status of the patient’s respiratory system. The device will deliver breaths using tightly controlled pressure levels and respiration rates to avoid injuring the patient while also providing optimized ventilation. It will provide these features in a small, ergonomic, portable form-factor that can easily be used ambidextrously with one hand, thereby improving the flexibility and freedom of the responder to deal with other issues. The development and customer data from Phase I of this project will be used to fully construct an operational prototype that will be suitable for FDA validation testing and clearance. By integrating such a high level of respiratory care into a portable device, the impact of such technology will be broadened to all patients that require live-saving ventilation.
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. -
MINDPRINT LEARNING, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Integrating Cognitive and Self-Regulatory Strategies to Improve Secondary Mathematics Outcomes
Contact
252 NASSAU ST FL 2
Princeton, NJ 08542--4600
NSF Award
2133397 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$948,304
Start / end date
01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be improvements in math instruction, engagement, and outcomes through a holistic approach to supporting social-emotional (SE), cognitive, and academic skills in general education classrooms. By integrating these sources of student-specific data, teachers will be able to effectively identify and address additional factors that interfere with understanding, retention, motivation and engagement, all of which are critical to academic outcomes. This data-driven, scalable approach will pinpoint individual causes of students' mathematics struggles and provide evidence-based, personalized interventions. The potential to improve stagnant mathematics achievement outcomes at scale would translate directly into economic benefits to the country. The innovation is expected to have the greatest effect on minorities and girls whose motivation and engagement in STEM are disproportionately impacted by implicit biases and stereotype threat.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will enable teachers with the data to address student variability across cognitive, SE, and academic skills, leading to increases in student engagement and math achievement. This project leverages research that cognitive assessment and student SE self-reports can explain over 60% of middle school math outcomes. This project will demonstrate the specific evidence-based, personalized interventions for engagement, social-emotional learning, and academic instruction to improve math outcomes for individualized learner profiles. This approach will advance the current state of research on engagement by addressing individual differences in cognitive and SE skills. This research will feature a longitudinal randomized control trial with a large sample representing a broad range of socio-economic status, race, and ethnicity. This rigorous design will develop the predictive validity and ability to effectively address learner variability, as well as demonstrate outcomes in diverse student populations.
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. -
MINERALOGIC LLC
SBIR Phase II: Predictive Tools for Characterizing Carbon Sequestration in Mined Materials
Contact
3371 W TISCHER RD
Duluth, MN 55803--9786
NSF Award
2212919 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$998,806
Start / end date
02/15/2023 – 01/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to fully realize the potential for weathering of mine waste to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. By helping mining companies in this effort, this project will positively impact human health and welfare while potentially producing a competitive advantage to the domestic mining industry. The project implementation been designed to maximize positive broader impacts including developing a future workforce and improving public scientific literacy through deliberate public communications on geochemical weathering, carbon emissions, and climate change.
This project advances the characterization of carbon mineralization potential of mined materials by incorporation of a novel framework for conceptualizing silicate mineral weathering and a custom test apparatus for direct measurement of carbon mineralization rates. A working prototype geochemical model was developed in SBIR Phase I to simulate enhanced rock weathering of representative mine waste. The prototype predictive model reflects the unique chemical and surface characteristics of mine waste through incorporation of novel kinetic modules and opportunistic parameterization methods. While this product represents an advance over existing geochemical reactive transport codes, it is most effective as a screening tool. In order to advance from screening for carbon mineralization potential to optimization of carbon mineralization strategies, this Phase II project will develop an innovative test apparatus and related methodologies for carbon mineralization characterization. The design of this test method flows from preliminary application of the Phase I predictive model and the results feed back into refined parameters that are needed to meet industry requirements for design basis precision. The test apparatus and model will be deployed to demonstrate the utility of this new service to the mining industry and other stakeholders.
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. -
MOLTEN SALT SOLUTIONS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Enhanced Lithium Isotope Separation
Contact
3900 PASEO DEL SOL STE D33
Santa Fe, NM 87507--4072
NSF Award
2233542 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a new domestic commercial source of enriched lithium isotopes. The U.S. nuclear power industry requires enriched lithium-7 hydroxide to prevent corrosion in its present fleet of pressurized water reactors. Currently, this strategic material is supplied outside the U.S. and recent supply disruptions jeopardize 20% of the U.S. electrical generation capability. Longer term, the development of safer, lower-impact, new technologies for nuclear power generation is critical to meet the U.S. and global goals of reducing carbon emissions. One of the most promising technologies, molten salt reactors, will require commercial production of large quantities of enriched lithium-7. Even longer term, many of the fusion energy technologies in development will require enriched lithium-6. The planned production of lithium isotopes will enable the development and commercialization of safer, lower-impact nuclear energy.
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase II project proposes the implementation of a liquid/liquid extraction method for lithium enrichment in a pilot-scale production system. To date, this type of extraction has not been employed for commercial lithium isotope enrichment. The Phase II work will result in the design of the first commercial-scale production process. The innovative approach to lithium isotope enrichment will also have applicability in the purification of other stable isotopes.
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. -
MONSTR SENSE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Rapid-scanning Ultrafast Imaging Microscope for Material Inspection
Contact
3830 PACKARD ST
Ann Arbor, MI 48108--2053
NSF Award
2208201 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/01/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will address the widespread industry challenge of improving yield in compound semiconductor device production. Compound semiconductors with a wide bandgap are needed for high power devices in electric vehicles (EVs), high frequency components in 5G electronics, and energy-efficient displays. The compound semiconductor market, valued at $36+ billion in 2022, has increased recently with growing consumer demand for EVs. The annual growth rate of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, the most prominent devices, is estimated at over 20%. Despite the wide-scale production of these components in an industry that expects near perfection in manufacturing, the current yield of power electronic components is less than 50%. Poor yield results largely from an inability to adequately inspect substrates and epitaxial wafers used for power electronics. Instead, the industry currently relies on inspection tools with poor defect selectivity or destructive methods that can only provide statistical information about the defects in a wafer batch. To increase wafer yield, the team will develop a new type of optical inspection tool for selectively measuring defects in every wafer. If successful, this novel inspection technology will enable the industry to help drive down costs and increase performance of energy-efficient power electronics.
The intellectual merit of this project is the novel way in which technology developed for use in fundamental science is being applied to rapid semiconductor inspection. The proposed method, called ultrafast imaging, uses the nonlinear optical response of a semiconductor induced by an ultrafast laser to isolate defects that measurably impact the electronic structure of the semiconductor. Though the semiconductor industry has typically focused on measuring morphology to find defects, measurement of compound semiconductors requires a tool that is sensitive to the electronic structure. This project will validate ultrafast imaging through benchmark testing against industry standards and develop an easy-to-use device for getting this technology into the hands of manufacturers. Partner manufacturing and inspection companies will provide inspection data and corresponding wafers, allowing correlation of ultrafast imaging defect measurements with data provided by other industry tools. Additionally, the team will develop and demonstrate an easy-to-use commercial product for user facilities and industrial research and development facilities, another essential step in the development of a high-throughput inspection tool. This benchtop product will not only improve current semiconductor technologies but will also be useful for scientists to characterize the next generation of semiconductors.
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. -
MSTATT LLC
SBIR Phase II: Brillouin Microscopy for Early Detection of Dental Caries
Contact
11201 CEDAR AVE STE 725
Cleveland, OH 44106--2606
NSF Award
2212766 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,400
Start / end date
01/15/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to facilitate effective use of tooth remineralization treatments by introducing a new tool that is both highly sensitive to demineralization and robust to confounding factors. If patients are compliant with the generally recommended dental visit schedule of twice a year, it is conceivable that the patient may never need to have a primary filling again. This change in practice has significant patient, dentist and broader economic benefits. The remineralization treatment may increase the number of patients who visit their dentist on a regular basis as they can avoid dreaded fillings. The savings from reducing the time spent on primary filings will provide dentists with the opportunity to take on new patients and procedures, while reducing more mundane drilling activities.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will build on the technology developed for early dental caries detection and will develop the technology for clinical use and evaluation by dentists. This technology will enable dentists and hygienists to diagnose caries earlier than previously possible, enabling early treatment, and significantly reducing the amount of drilling in dentistry. This Phase II project will develop a probe designed for use in dental offices, a miniaturized and a ruggedized Brillouin spectrometer. The project will also conduct lab and user testing, develop software, and develop a scientific version of the spectrometer. At the end of this Phase II effort, a validated prototype that will be ready for a clinical trial is expected.
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. -
MUON VISION INC.
SBIR Phase II: Heap leaching and slope saturation monitoring with muon detectors
Contact
404 BROADWAY
Cambridge, MA 02139--1631
NSF Award
2150925 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$978,286
Start / end date
08/15/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development of a technology for advanced geophysical density measurements and the monitoring of fluid fronts in soils based on the passive detection of naturally occurring cosmic rays. The primary application area for this project is the mining sector, where the technology may be able to drive efficiency improvements (up to 10%) in the recovery of copper and other key metals. These efficiencies could potentially result in a value opportunity of close to $1 billion per year in the US alone. The technology can also be applied to monitoring the stability of dams and levees, a widely-recognized ongoing concern, where it can provide safety and environmental benefits to the industry and society at large.
The intellectual merit of this project is primarily related to both the continued development of field-ready instrumentation and of original data inversion methodologies. This includes: i) validation of the prototype sensor developed in Phase I under control conditions; ii) development and testing of fit-for-purpose conveyance and other hardware required for remote operation; iii) development of an original, three-dimensional data reconstruction algorithm driven by customer needs; and iv) development of commercially ready answer products and user interfaces. These innovations will serve to demonstrate the feasibility, technology readiness, and value of the proposed solution to the mining industry.
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. -
MUUKLABS INC.
SBIR Phase II: Artificial Intelligence Powered Software Testing
Contact
400 W NORTH ST
Raleigh, NC 27603--1568
NSF Award
2223011 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$971,804
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project reduce the cost and speed of software quality assurance (SQA) end-to-end testing by enabling artificial intelligence (AI) to automate tests without the need for coding or highly experienced coders. As innovative high-growth Software as a Service (SaaS) companies go to market faster with more confidence and fewer software defects, industries will benefit economically by saving time and money.
This SBIR Phase II project will build an AI solution which, although used by less experienced software engineers, will allow software companies to identify software defects with minimal user interactions. The real-time and guided process gathers information directly from the web browsers, handling traditional and unresolved problems with test automation such as software test design, automation, coverage, and maintenance. The AI solution will make SQA highly efficient by performing two major tasks: simulating real-time users' exploration of web applications and identifying unexpected behaviors. The architecture enables AI agents to self-learn and interact with the application, improving on each observation. The AI learning cycle implements thorough communication within the system as it communicates requests to apply specific actions based on its own knowledge analyzing the resulting effect. Phase I research proved that the architecture can be upgraded to a commercial version, providing value to customers looking to improve software quality in their products and go to market faster. The anticipated technical results in Phase II will enhance the categorization of unexpected software behaviors, optimize the data analysis time, and reduce the learning cycle.
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. -
Malachite Technologies
SBIR Phase II: Scalable Linear Ion Beam For Large Area Plasma Processing
Contact
2262 PALOU AVE
San Francisco, CA 94114--2822
NSF Award
1853254 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$949,999
Start / end date
04/01/2019 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project touches upon everything from shower doors to consumer electronics to window glass. Deposition of high-quality thin films on a large scale with precise energy control can allow, for one example, diamond-like carbon (DLC) on glass. DLC coatings on glass can prevent soapy film build-up on shower doors, can improve the scratch resistance of mobile phone displays, and can reduce the cost of energy-conserving windows. The control of energy during fabrication processes won't just broaden what films can be made; it will allow the use of a greater variety of substrates. In recent years, a number of applications have utilized traditional inorganic coatings like silicon oxide on top of new materials like organic solar cells and organic LEDs. These organic materials show greater sensitivity to degradation during the coating processes. This ion beam source can give industry, as it begins to bring these innovations to market, a tool with the level of energy control that will allow lab results to translate to high yield, low cost manufacturing.
The proposed project addresses the challenge of depositing advanced thin films on insulating and/or delicate substrates. Control of the deposition's energy flux has been shown in laboratory demonstrations to be required for many thin films including diamond-like carbon, transparent conductive oxides on silicon and organic solar cells, and ultra-thin silver. A scalable linear ion beam sputter source will establish a high-volume manufacturing tool for thin films limited today to much smaller scale. In Phase 1, the source's functionality was demonstrated. Phase 2 has two major components: hardware development for scale and usability; process development for specific commercial applications. The company will deliver a fully integrated control system and a source, scaled by 2x and designed for manufacture. Process development will consider beam energetics and geometry of beam/target/substrate relative to film and substrate properties. For DLC, this will focus on tribological and optical properties. For silver, they will test for continuity of ultra-thin films. Transparent Conducting Oxide (TCO) efforts will focus on electrical properties and substrate impacts, particularly carrier lifetime in silicon.
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. -
Mark Miles Consulting Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Thermo-optic Rooftop Modulation Using Thermal Panes for Building Energy Decarbonization
Contact
1200 LAKESHORE AVE APT 25A
Oakland, CA 94606--1619
NSF Award
2126991 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$781,738
Start / end date
09/01/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project may enable the generation of as much as 65% of a building’s energy needs from renewable heating and cooling, reducing consumption by 13 Quads and saving consumers potentially billions of dollars. Buildings account for 28% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions worldwide and at least 2/3 of these structures will still exist in the year 2040. Achieving significant energy coset reductions will require a retrofit solution that is competitive with natural gas and grid-powered heating and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Such a retrofit must also be easily deployed in a wide variety of building types and architectures. The technology under development is a roof-mounted, panelized array that provides solar heat during the day and radiatively cools at night. The technology may be able to supply building energy resources throughout the year, a disruptive capability for a rooftop clean energy solution. The low cost and renewable nature of this resource may also insure that building owners and residents have access to carbon-free energy that is less expensive, less volatile, and more resilient in the face of interruptions to energy supplied from conventional gas and grid sources.
This SBIR Phase II project seeks to validate a panelized rooftop technology to renewably generate heating and cooling resources for buildings. Dominant solutions combust fuel for heat and use grid electricity to power vapor compression for cooling. The proposed solution describes an array of thermal panes that convert a roof into an active environmental interface that continually optimizes the extraction and rejection of heat via absorptive, radiative, and convective processes. The technology continually operates in response to building energy needs. By modulating pane thermo-optic properties the solution enables fluid flow to alter the internal optical and heat transfer configuration. Evaluation of the technology will begin with manufacturing prototypes that incorporate novel thermal bonding techniques for integrating foamed polyiso-, fluoro-, and poly-olefin polymers. A solar simulator will assess efficiency and output temperatures, an iterative process to explore the role of internal fluid flows, visble and infrared radiation paths, and thermal loss mechanisms. An array will be subsequently deployed on a rooftop and coupled to the building energy system. Data will be collected to assess the impact on energy consumption and overall heating/cooling while developing control algorithms for pane modulation.
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. -
Max-IR Labs, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Real-Time Nitrogen Sensor for Wastewater Treatment Optimization
Contact
17217 WATERVIEW PARKWAY STE 1.202
Plano, TX 75075--8571
NSF Award
1951152 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$800,000
Start / end date
06/01/2020 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase II project will be to supply nitrogen sensors for wastewater treatment process control and automation, potentially saving $600 M per year in electric energy for the U.S. municipal wastewater treatment industry. Municipal wastewater treatment processes are based on energy-intensive aeration. Currently, the primary monitoring method is sending “grab-samples” to a lab, with delays in receiving results. By enabling real-time process control of the energy-consuming denitrification process, electric energy usage can be reduced by 20% or more. The economic impact to each municipal wastewater treatment plant is an average energy savings of $200 k per year, with less than 6 months payback, and lower operating costs while reducing/preventing out-of-control effluent events. Competing technologies for real-time nitrogen sensors are limited by poor performance, high maintenance needs, high cost, and reliability problems. The proposed new sensor offers a reliable, cost-effective, low-maintenance alternative with potential applications in direct potable reuse (DPR), and managing environmental water quality in agricultural fertilizer runoff, industrial discharge and feed-lot monitoring. The proposed system will help assure the nation’s clean water supply. In addition, as a platform technology for use in related fields, future applications include industrial sensors for real-time manufacturing process control, homeland security sensing for chemical and biological defense, and biomedical use for point-of-care diagnostics.
This STTR Phase II project proposes to develop an infrared-detection sensor for real-time monitoring of nitrogen as nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia in municipal wastewater. The technology addresses strong IR attenuation in water with the first industrial-scale sensor application based on a fiber-optic evanescent wave technique, guiding mid-IR radiation from a tunable quantum-cascade laser through an IR waveguide rather than through the wastewater itself. The incorporation of an ion-exchange material as an encapsulating medium reduces interference and acts as protection against fouling. Novel control algorithms for auto-calibration enable long-term autonomous operation and ensure a reliable signal-to-noise ratio, for 24x7 real-time control of the energy-intensive aeration process. The proposed nitrogen sensor will have a wide range of sensitivity, from 0.1 ppm to 250 ppm, and can be used for other important chemical species with fingerprints in the mid-IR spectral range, such as phosphorus and organic contaminants, making it a robust tool for water quality assessment.
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. -
Medecipher, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Optimizing emergency department nurse scheduling via a novel operational intelligence platform
Contact
3513 BRIGHTON BLVD
Denver, CO 80216--3605
NSF Award
2112491 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,688
Start / end date
10/01/2021 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve emergency clinical care. Emergency Departments are facing complex nursing utilization problems, fueled in part by scheduling systems built on flawed assumptions. Escalating nursing shortages and burnout must be addressed as fatigue is rampant. With hospitals facing significant revenue losses, there is no room for inefficient use of nurses. Nurse shifts must be intelligently sequenced in a way that optimizes available assets and balances complex sets of tradeoffs. The proposed solution uses artificial intelligence (AI) and operations research to predictively right-size clinical resources. The platform will be packaged as a cloud-based solution that reduces nursing staff churn, decreases patient wait times, reduces healthcare delivery costs, and improves revenue. Sophisticated mathematical approaches beyond what is available in the calendar and an Excel spreadsheet – specifically this project’s constraint-based algorithms, simulation methods and machine learning – will be the turning point in optimizing emergency department operational performance. This will improve the health system’s patient care, operational, and financial outcomes while reducing effort, waste, cost, and nurse burnout.
This proposed project addresses the multi-stage emergency department nurse staffing problem by increasing scalability and usability. The proposed solution scales a set of multi-objective optimization algorithms based on operations research, sophisticated data science and queueing theory models to create an end-to-end decision support platform. The platform will provide longitudinal decision support for emergency department nurse staffing: nurse managers will use it daily for flexing decisions, monthly for schedule planning and assignment, and annually for budgeting. Objectives include: (1) Data science: refine and automate the forecasting, adapt the optimization model, generate and maintain input files, automate output files; (2) Front-end: create UI components, create service layer/API, wire service layer and UI, develop integration and component testing; (3) Back-end: implement container orchestration system, upgrade security, implement data ingest protocols, support development operations; and (4) Validate recommendation and create client ROI calculator.
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. -
MetaSeismic, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: MetaMaterial for Seismic Energy Absorption
Contact
5270 CALIFORNIA AVE STE 100
Irvine, CA 92617--3062
NSF Award
1927071 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$908,940
Start / end date
08/15/2019 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial opportunity of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project stems from creating a paradigmatic shift in the way we achieve seismic protection. The use of mechanical metamaterials fosters new opportunities to increase current levels of seismic protection of buildings and infrastructure, which could ultimately increase the resilience of communities and save lives. Mechanical metamaterials are materials specifically designed to have unprecedented properties. Evolving from a traditional system-based design to a material-based design has the potential of creating seismic solutions that are more customizable and easier to install than most of the current technologies. This technology could replace current seismic protection systems that are traditionally aimed at saving building occupants' lives, but may not address the important equipment therein. An enhanced level of seismic protection constitutes an immediate value for commercial activities and services requiring continuity of operations after earthquakes. The extensive application of the innovation has the potential of increasing the resiliency of communities in seismic prone areas and reduce seismic related direct and indirect losses.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project addresses the need for increasing the seismic resilience of our critical infrastructure, and in particular Information Technology (IT) facilities. The projects will result in a revolutionary advance in the seismic protection of vibration sensitive electronic equipment through the use of novel mechanical metamaterials made with an innovative hybrid additive manufacturing (AM) process. The feasibility of combining multiple AM processes to manufacture the multi-component internal architecture of such metamaterials will be demonstrated. In particular, the effectiveness of AM processes in combining hard and soft materials in a highly-complex architecture will be addressed, with the aim of enhancing the design space of the mechanical metamaterial. The effects of this enlarged designed space on the seismic resilience of IT facilities will be investigated by developing a specific seismic resilience framework. The framework will be used to analyze and compare the seismic resilience of data centers with traditional systems and highly customizable metamaterials, as resulting from the 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. -
Metalmark Innovations, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Nanostructured 3D Catalytic Coatings for High-Efficiency Pollution Control and Air Purification
Contact
127 WESTERN AVE
Allston, MA 02134--1008
NSF Award
2026128 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,198,136
Start / end date
08/01/2020 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is addressing the growing societal need for indoor air purification, as indoor air quality (IAQ) directly affects human health, productivity, cognitive function, and quality-of-life. Awareness of the long-term consequences of poor IAQ has recently witnessed an increase due to research results, improvements in monitoring and sensing technology, public awareness campaigns by organizations such as the American Lung Association, World Health Organization, and Environmental Protection Agency, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Finding sustainable, economical, and effective solutions to the problem of poor IAQ will greatly benefit public health and wellbeing and will help curtail the spread of pathogens, minimizing the need for social distancing. This project will develop a new system air purification, addressing viruses, harmful chemicals, odors, and ultrafine particulates.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to scale up the production methodology and coating process of novel catalytic materials. The materials are 3D nanostructured porous powders that are designed at multiple length scales to achieve enhanced catalytic activity, stability, and longevity, while reducing costs and utilizing raw materials in an environmentally responsible manner. The system uses a synthetic approach based on self-organization of nanoscale building blocks and wet chemistry tools in order to assemble finely structured coatings for integration in air-purification units. This project focuses on expanding it to production scale, wherein achieving control over the composition, structure, porosity, and placement of nanoparticles on a production scale is challenging. The materials platform development will include adaptation to high-throughput instrumentation and scale-up of the material production and coating process to pilot production. In the process, this project will develop tools and guidelines for manufacturing hierarchically-structured functional materials more generally.
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. -
Micro-Leads,Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A Precision, High-Density Stimulation Electrode for Low-Back Pain Relief
Contact
255 ELM ST STE 300
Somerville, MA 02144--2957
NSF Award
1738326 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,200,114
Start / end date
09/15/2017 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact and commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to treat chronic back and lower limb pain more effectively using a high-resolution stimulation technology. Lower back pain affects more than 100M Americans. While spinal cord neuro-modulation is successful for about 60% of patients, many people remain untreated and suffer from chronic pain. Low-back pain is the most difficult to treat due as conventional electrode technology cannot selectively deliver energy to these fibers due to the bulky paddle electrode volume associated with the legacy manufacturing processes. Furthermore, to achieve maximal pain relief, neurosurgeons must wake the subjects during an operation to verify if the patient senses pain relief as the electrode is positioned. Many subjects undergo multiple operations due to inaccurate electrode alignment or movement of the electrode over time due to physical activity. The proposed active grid electrode technology seeks to double the size of therapeutic surface area, including providing therapy to low-back fibers which are not accessible by conventional electrodes. The technology is expected to improve low-back pain relief, as well as use wireless programming to alter the therapy in the event of electrode movement, avoiding the need for re-operation.
The proposed project seeks to double the area of the spinal cord which can receive therapeutic benefit, by developing an active stimulation-grid electrode grid technology. By positioning a very small electronic circuit within the paddle electrode, the team is expected to create a 64 contact therapy array to deliver precision therapy. To accomplish these goals, the project includes three critical tasks including: (1) develop a medical-grade design of the implantable electronics, package, and lead array, (2) perform mechanical aging and stretch testing, and (3) prepare prototypes for subsequent ISO 14708 validation testing. The goal of the project is to accelerate the medical-grade hardware development effort to enable future therapies to treat low-back pain. Eventual validation after this project is completed will be performed in humans by selectively applying stimulation and recording if the patient feels therapy in the low-back area. -
Microgrid Labs Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Intelligent Planning and Control Software for EV Charging Infrastructure
Contact
903 GROGANS MILL DR
Cary, NC 27519--7175
NSF Award
1951197 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$949,881
Start / end date
05/01/2020 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop a modeling, simulation and optimization software for fleet electrification projects. Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to comprise 70% of all new buses and 15% of all commercial trucks by 2030. Electric vehicles are more expensive than diesel buses and need additional investments in charging infrastructure; furthermore, electrification is complex as several factors influence its design, cost and performance. The transition from diesel to electric buses could impose significant loads on the local electrical network, entailing significant upgrades to the electrical infrastructure at the facility and the utility grid. The proposed software will offer the electric vehicle industry a platform to analyze the battery, charging infrastructure, and energy infrastructure.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the problem of planning and operating electric vehicle fleets, especially medium and heavy-duty fleets. The technology uses stochastic optimization and discrete event simulation to optimize fleet sizes to minimize costs and meet operational requirements. The proposed work will create a model of the joint transportation and energy processes (i.e., the driving and charging processes). The proposed software will enable real-time optimization of system 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. -
Muzology, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Mnemonic Optimization of Music and Songs
Contact
1109 17TH AVE S
Nashville, TN 37212--2203
NSF Award
1927160 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,029,809
Start / end date
10/01/2019 – 09/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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This phase II award received additional funding to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis.Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project further investigates music-based techniques that can result in effective and efficient learning and instruction. Music as a bedrock of culture can transcend entertainment and enhance learning. Music directly activates neural systems that support memory, attention, motivation, and emotion. Accordingly, music is a powerful medium that not only heightens learner engagement but also facilitates retention of information. While music has long been recognized for its mnemonic properties and is widely used as a memory aid in the context of early childhood learning (e.g., the ABC song), music-based educational products for the broader K-12 market are less pervasive. This project focuses on the optimization of musical structures to support effective and engaging mathematics instruction. The goal of this project is to offer music as a credible pedagogical tool. Specifically, this project offers music as a learning medium that can be used beyond rote memorization and instead teach mathematical skills, processes, and procedures in an engaging manner that makes math accessible to all learners. Mathematical fluency is a critical skill in a society that continues to become more technological; it also creates broader career opportunities for students and undergirds the U.S.'s national competitiveness.
The proposed research features two innovations: 1) optimization of learning-based musical forms based on distinct mathematical information types; and 2) creation of a non-linear, dynamic platform to deliver the content. Using computational musicology techniques as well as experimental studies, the first innovation involves creation of mathematically accurate music videos based on unique creative and structural parameters that are determined by the type of mathematical information being taught. The second innovation focuses on delivery of the music-based content and involves significant technical and creative investigation to produce a dynamic, non-linear mechanism for presenting the material in a manner that still feels continuous and compelling to the student. Together, both innovations underlie a synergistic learning solution designed for premium learner engagement and to support self-paced, adaptive learning. This project will result in high quality, digital math instruction that is accessible to all learners through use of effective, engaging, and relevant instructional methods. The desired outcomes are eliminating proficiency gaps in math education and achieving equity in students' educational 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. -
NEURODYNE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Analog front end (AFE) platform for lightweight, long-term, cortical monitoring
Contact
7000 CORSICA DR
Germantown, TN 38138--1528
NSF Award
2317290 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$963,459
Start / end date
09/01/2023 – 08/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project provides next generation ambulatory seizure data acquisition. The advent of mobile health advances during the COVID-19 health crisis have enabled new innovations to be considered. This effort provides a framework for the next line of remote neurological data acquisition capabilities for the implementation of military helmet designs that detect battlefield traumatic brain injuries, football helmet designs that detect sports-related brain injuries, caps for first responder teams that detect trauma, at-home monitoring headsets for remote migraine assessment, etc. A complete analogue front end (AFE) will be developed in order to provide digitized electroencephalograph (EEG) signals to the downstream stages. The project will have a major impact in several areas, namely, wearable bio-devices, data fusion, and neurological data extraction and visualization of complex biological systems. This device can be utilized for first responders at the scene of neurological trauma such as emergency medical technicians, battle front medical areas, and sports related events.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will provide a robust mobile device that can be worn in an at-home setting for remote neurological monitoring. The solution will remove noisy artifacts from the electroencephalograph signal in order to perform neurological diagnoses and provide neurological reporting to the neurologist as an aid to quantify the patient’s seizure instances. The analogue front end (AFE) provides the foundation for a portable electroencephalograph (EEG) device for neurological data acquisition for the clinical, academic, and research communities. The ambulatory seizure monitoring device will enable an end-to-end system for robust, lightweight, data transmission to a cloud service, which will generate reports for the physician to analyze a patient neurological data for treatment. This system will extend the current rise of health devices into the complex environment of neurological states, as well as the eventual development of neuro-analytics.
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. -
NEUROTECHR3 INC.
SBIR Phase II: A machine learning-driven telerehabilitation solution designed to promote the personalized recovery of hand and arm functions post stroke
Contact
23 CHERRY TREE LANE
Warren, NJ 07059--2600
NSF Award
2226174 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,735
Start / end date
06/15/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to potentially improve the quality of life for individuals suffering arm and hand impairments from stroke, through a medical device for telerehabilitation. Each year, ~800,000 people have a stroke in the United States, and about 65% of them suffer long-term upper extremity impairments. Due to many barriers such as cost, transportation, and time, many individuals do not obtain enough therapy for recovery. The telerehabilitation approach may reduce some of these barriers, allowing therapists and their patients to have meaningful remote sessions. For therapists, this may improve fiscal outcomes by automating the flow of reviewing patient progress, adjusting their rehabilitation treatments, and billing for services.
This project will advance the development of a personalized telerehabilitation system, specifically for hand and arm motor recovery, for individuals suffering from a stroke. New exergames designed for rehabilitation of the fingers, hand, and arm will be developed and added to the current library of games. Machine learning will be added to the system to create a versatile, engaging, and customizable solution. This novel approach to rehabilitation will personalize treatments that may be more effective by addressing individual user needs with predictive analytics. Machine learning will drive the recommendation system to synchronize the rehabilitation plan with the patient recovery trajectory. This synchronization will help the therapist provide personalized therapeutic exercises and possibly increase their patients’ recovery outcomes. The games and machine learning algorithms will be evaluated with clinicians and individuals with stroke. The final step will be to test the feasibility of the system in a comprehensive stroke center. These capabilities of personalized virtual rehabilitation, remote clinician supervision, and progress tracking may offer a cost-effective way to improve patient 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. -
NEWHAPTICS CORP.
SBIR Phase II: Microfluidic Technology for Full-Page Digital Braille and Tactile Graphics Display
Contact
2890 CARPENTER RD STE 1700
Ann Arbor, MI 48108--1100
NSF Award
2153384 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$985,343
Start / end date
09/15/2022 – 08/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to reduce the burden of accessing information for the 1.5 million blind people in the United States by making a full page of refreshable braille text and tactile graphics available in a device resembling a tablet computer. This assistive technology will provide increased access to braille in digital form and enable blind students to read, with their fingers, digitized spatial content including mathematical equations, graphs, and figures, creating parity with their sighted counterparts interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. In particular, the product with supporting software will remove barriers to collaboration in classroom learning environments and document preparation in the workplace. The proposed product will improve braille literacy, increase opportunities to enter careers in STEM, and ultimately lead to the employment success and independence of blind Americans.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project continues efforts to adopt microfluidic technology in order to create a highly manufacturable full-page braille and tactile graphics display that uses pneumatic signals to actuate pins at braille spacing. The anticipated technical innovations shift certain drive functions from electromechanical hardware to the more cost effective and easily manufactured multilayered microfluidic substrate. Since the ultimate objective for this phase of research is to create an integrated system for delivering interactive braille and tactile graphics, the team will focus on designing the interactive experience by which blind users access, on demand, the textual and non-textual information that they desire. The anticipated outcome of this project is a seamless array of actuated pins in a tablet sized device capable of presenting a half page of braille characters and tactile graphic images.
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. -
NEXILICO, INC.
SBIR Phase II: An omics-based computational drug design and discovery platform for next generation microbiome therapeutics
Contact
98 AMBERFIELD LN
Danville, CA 94506--1332
NSF Award
2228069 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
06/01/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the human gut microbiome, the complex and dynamic community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract. The gut microbiome influences a variety of human diseases, such as Type 2 Diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. Collectively, these diseases afflict more than 120 million people and cost more than $580 billion in patient treatments in the US annually. The current standard care of treatments for many of these diseases have variable efficacy and serious side effects. There is increasing interest in modulating the gut microbiome using microbiome therapeutics, i.e., therapeutics comprising living bacteria, as a new generation of drugs for difficult-to-treat diseases. However, the industry currently lacks a reliable approach to systematically and cost-effectively developing effective microbiome therapeutics. Specifically, the largest barrier to microbiome therapeutic development is the lack of predictive preclinical models to translate early-stage research into drug discovery and development.
The proposed project seeks to address the barrier to the use of microbiome therapeutics by developing a first-of-its-kind computational platform, as the first comprehensive, computational, drug design and discovery platform. Currently, the development of microbiome therapeutics is based on a series of experimental and statistical steps that identify the potential microbial strains for target therapeutic candidates in an empirical and iterative process. As a result, this approach requires extensive iterative in vitro and in vivo experiments, which substantially increase the length and cost of the development programs. These challenges have resulted in an inefficient and unpredictable microbiome therapeutic development process, limiting the number of efficacious microbiome therapeutics that could save millions of lives worldwide. This project addresses these challenges by reliably and cost-effectively identifying therapeutic candidates for a wide range of indications. This platform could replace the current iterative and unpredictable development process in the drug discovery stage. The utility of the platform will be demonstrated by developing new therapeutic candidates for Type 2 Diabetes and validating the efficacy of these candidates in preclinical studies.
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. -
NOBLE GAS SYSTEMS LLC
SBIR Phase II: Conformable Hydrogen Storage for Aviation
Contact
40000 GRAND RIVER AVE STE 105
Novi, MI 48375--2133
NSF Award
2223187 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$969,214
Start / end date
01/15/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to enable the reduction of greenhouse gases by the aviation industry by advancing the development of a lightweight conformable tank capable of storing hydrogen at a gravimetric efficiency of over 10% hydrogen by mass. The development of a conformable tank with a > 10% storage efficiency, which exceeds the potential of existing technology, would have an immediate impact on the potential for hydrogen to replace existing transportation fuels. While the aviation application introduces unique challenges for hydrogen storage, the results of this project will benefit a wider variety of transportation fuel markets, where demand for lightweight, safe, and economically viable storage solutions is increasing. The storage of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen is a significant obstacle for zero emissions fuels, and meeting the standards for minimum burst pressure, cyclic operation, extreme temperature operation, and hydrogen permeation with a conformable tank will open the door to a wide variety of near-term applications, enabling the reduction of transportation-related emissions and reducing the burden of sending carbon fiber tanks to landfills at the end of their lives.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will address the challenges related to the commercialization of a lightweight hydrogen tank for aviation fuel. The decarbonization of the aviation industry requires zero-emissions powertrain technologies. However, current battery technologies lack the storage efficiency to support long-range flights, and existing hydrogen storage tanks are too heavy and cumbersome to be practical. The research objectives of this project are to increase the gravimetric efficiency of conformable tanks, close the gaps in the remaining barriers to component certification compliance, and produce prototype tanks suitable for bench testing and evaluation for flight testing. The research will involve the optimization of the pressure vessel reinforcement structure, the production of conformable tank samples, the testing of samples for the existing hydrogen tank regulations, and the collaboration with airplane manufacturers and regulators to identify and address additional performance requirements. Once completed, the project will result in full-scale (2.5 kg and above), standards-compliant, production scalable tanks for continued component and flight-worthiness evaluations.
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. -
NORCON TECHNOLOGIES HOLDING, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Chalcogenide Polymer Infrared Optics
Contact
7623 E CAMINO DEL BRIOSO
Tucson, AZ 85750--7087
NSF Award
2129415 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$984,268
Start / end date
11/15/2021 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact and commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve the optics and lenses used in near infrared 3D imaging. Glass lenses, which have excellent transmittance and thermal properties, are used in light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and rangefinders for distances beyond a few tens of meters. Polymer lenses, which are moldable and lower cost, are typically used in consumer-mobile 3D cameras and emerging automotive LiDAR systems. The refractive indices of these lenses limit the numerical aperture and require longer-than-desired lens barrels. The proposed polymeric chalcogenide lenses combine infrared transmittance, index, and thermal properties with the cost and moldability of optical polymers. The innovation enables the molding of freeform polymer lenses with increased numerical aperture and reduced barrel lengths. These properties make possible more compact, lighter, and lower cost 3D imagers. With these advantages, rangefinders can be more easily carried and scan faster and smartphone cameras can have wider viewing angles. Additionally, LiDAR systems can image more accurately around a vehicle and improve both driver and pedestrian safety.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project seeks to advance sulfur polymer chemistry and materials processing for the development of a new class of near infrared (NIR) optical components. Innovative chemical synthesis and infrared fingerprint engineering has led to the development of a new class of optical polymers with the potential for imaging applications in the NIR. As a result of extensive optical and mechanical characterization, including the determination of the optical constants over the full infrared spectrum, measurement of mechanical properties such as the coefficient of thermal expansion, measurement of thermo-optic coefficients, and determination of stress-optic coefficients, the materials will now be developed and integrated for product applications with innovative optical designs based on material's unique property set. Freeform optical design concepts will be used which, to date, have not often been used in infrared imaging. Such designs may lead to more compact, lighter, and higher performance optical systems for infrared imaging applications, further leveraging the advantages of the material's transmission spectrum, incorporating absorption, bulk scattering and surface scattering, and surface scattering contributions.
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. -
NOT SUSPICIOUS, LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Virtual-Reality Next-Generation Introductory STEM Platform
Contact
500 BENTLEY ST
Orlando, FL 32801--1404
NSF Award
2026138 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$993,773
Start / end date
06/15/2021 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve middle school Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. The project will create a whole-classroom virtual reality (VR) experience for middle school students to be exposed to topics interactively as a supplement to the existing curriculum. While immersed in their very own 3D virtual treehouse lab, students will be able to join other student labs and collaboratively explore a variety of scientific concepts. This is facilitated by a teacher-oriented desktop and VR interface that makes it possible to manage an entire class of students simultaneously participating in VR activities. By leveraging the use of affordable standalone VR headsets, and elevating VR beyond its current one-student-at-a-time use case, the project will help launch virtual field trips for use in authentic learning environments.
This SBIR Phase II project will develop an immersive multiplayer virtual reality (VR) learning game for authentic classroom usage. The project will apply the advantages of a modular game design built around self-directed goals to test a classroom-management system built to allow an entire class of students to collaborate in or outside virtual reality. While immersed in individual 3D virtual environments, students will be able to join virtual spaces belonging to other students in order to accomplish shared goals set by the teacher at a class level. The project also seeks to further the general field of learning games, by applying the Universal Design for Learning framework to its local goal of enhancing middle-schoolers' relationships to and content knowledge of STEM topics. This permits the project to be a test-bed for educational VR content design and interaction schemes.
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. -
NOVOCLADE, INC.
SBIR Phase II: Development of genetically modified sterile insects for biocontrol
Contact
1000 WESTGATE DR STE 105
Saint Paul, MN 55114--1911
NSF Award
2200356 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$971,941
Start / end date
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to improve insect control with minimal chemical impact. Due to their impact on human health and losses to agriculture, insects pose threats upwards of $10 billion/year to the world economy. Current methods of insect control using chemical insecticides are somewhat effective but pose a grave threat to the environment. The company is developing a genetic-based insect control technology. This approach can be very effective, have minimal environmental impact and be cost effective to implement. The technology is broadly applicable to any sexually reproducing organism, which could enable applications beyond the first intended target of spotted wing drosophila. Likely future applications include control of insects important for public health, such as mosquitoes or ticks, other agricultural pests, and invasive species.
The proposed project is designed to use genetics to solve issues posed by chemical insecticides and issues associated with broad adoption of sterile insect techniques: (i) sorting of male only insects, (ii) laborious release processes and (iii) non-scalable operation. The objective of this project is to create a prototype and verify its ability to control the initial target insect, spotted wing drosophila. The project will also investigate the robustness of the developed genetic system for commercial production. This research project will expand scientific knowledge of insect transgenesis and their use for biocontrol.
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. -
Nanopath Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Integrated Point-of-Care System for Rapid Pathogen Identification and Characterization
Contact
10 PINEWOOD VLG
West Lebanon, NH 03784--3120
NSF Award
2321834 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$997,781
Start / end date
09/01/2023 – 08/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is improved access to state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic technologies in areas of significant unmet clinical need, such as women’s health. During the NSF I-Corps Program, the team identified urinary tract infections (UTIs) as pressing problem due to the currently lengthy clinical workflows, significant unmet clinical need, and large disease incidence. UTIs are one the most common causes of a healthcare visit for women in the United States and represent one of largest sources of antibiotic prescriptions in the country. Untreated UTIs can lead to severe complications for the patient, including systemic bacterial infections such as bacteremia. Despite the severity and prevalence of UTIs, diagnostic methodologies remain extremely time-consuming and rely on antiquated, culture-based methodologies for pathogen detection. This time-intensive diagnostic workflow typically leaves women in pain for up to three days before they are prescribed the appropriate antibiotic therapy. As a result of shortcomings in current healthcare workflows, women who have limited access to care are subject to longer result wait times, and often never receive the appropriate treatment.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project utilizes a novel nanosensor embedded into an integrated diagnostic consumable for rapid detection of target nucleic acid sequences directly from patient samples. The consumable is coupled to a proprietary bench-top readout instrument for test analysis and result reporting at the point-of-care. The technology eliminates the need for bacterial culture and nucleic acid amplification through an ultrasensitive optical detection modality, providing species-level information and genotypic antibiotic resistance data within minutes. Applications of the proposed platform translate beyond UTIs to other clinical scenarios that currently employ lengthy culture-based or amplification-based diagnostic workflows, such as sexually transmitted infections and respiratory infections. Successful product commercialization will require meeting clinically actionable timescales and assay performance benchmarks. Of importance is the development of a simple, integrated workflow for healthcare workers to enable single-step operation at the point-of-care. The Phase II technical objectives focus on the development and pilot-scale fabrication of the nanosensor, the optimization of sensitivity and robustness of data analysis methodologies to inform down-selection of reader optical hardware, and system integration and user 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. -
Navan Technologies Inc.
STTR Phase II: Nanostraw-mediated Immune Cell Reprogramming
Contact
733 INDUSTRIAL RD
South San Francisco, CA 94080--1913
NSF Award
1759075 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/01/2018 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project will be to develop a new tool to safely and nondestructively deliver genes and other materials into large numbers cells at the same time. New forms of therapies for cancer and other intractable diseases take advantage of a patient's own cells, re-engineered in the laboratory to target a tumor or other diseased tissue. However, generating these cells is currently inefficient, slow, and expensive. Patient-derived cells resist transfection using standard non-viral biochemical approaches of lipid delivery systems, cell-penetrating peptides, and high-voltage electroporation, requiring an engineering alternative. The proposed technology provides a safe, turnkey, and scalable technology with a potential transformative impact in research and life sciences laboratories and companies, representing a high-growth and high-value market opportunity.
This STTR Phase I project proposes a new nanomaterial delivery system to introduce reprogramming agents into immune cells efficiently and with low cell toxicity. This project will examine how the proposed nanostraw design, transfection protocol, and cell preparation improves immune cell delivery efficiency, and optimize the process to achieve >50% transfection efficiency with primary immune cells. Market analysis has found this level of transfection efficiency would be transformative to researchers and clinicians using primary immune cells. The transfection protocol will be optimized and codified into a simple to follow set of instructions. A turn-key instrument will be developed to carry out these procedures for use by life science researchers, with reduced device costs through improved manufacturing techniques to be competitive with currently available methods. The market-ready product will be evaluated by eight preclinical immune cell research beta sites to discover new treatment pathways.
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. -
New Iridium
SBIR Phase II: Utilizing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as a Feedstock to Produce Commodity Chemicals
Contact
2870 E COLLEGE AVENUE UNIT 106
Boulder, CO 80303--1961
NSF Award
2151548 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is abating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the production of terephthalic acid, a large-scale commodity chemical. Development of this technology will provide a pathway for direct utilization of CO2 in everyday products. For example, implemented at scale, the proposed process has potential to sequester about 20 million metric tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to the emissions from 4.3 million cars. This project also has significant commercial potential. By delivering a lower-carbon product at lower cost than the current technology, the proposed innovation has the potential to become the de facto standard for manufacturing this commodity chemical. Annual licensing and ancillary revenue from a single plant is estimated at $30 million, and at 70-80% market share, typical for the dominant process, annual revenue could grow to over $1.5 billion. The success of this project will also provide a scientific and entrepreneurial blueprint to spur similar efforts thus advancing the state of the art of CO2 utilization technologies.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop a light-driven chemical technology that enables the use of CO2 as a raw material in large scale chemical production of terephthalic acid. This project abates CO2 emissions by converting CO2, captured from point sources such as industrial flue stacks or direct air capture, to useful chemical and consumer products. Carbon dioxide is a stable compound and is typically unreactive and therefore incompatible with traditional heat-driven processes. The proposed project will help mature the technology of CO2 activation by photocatalysis, which has been shown to be effective in inducing CO2 reactivity. The first step is to demonstrate the feasibility of using CO2 to produce the target chemical at bench scale. Next, the reaction performance will be optimized using high-throughput experimentation techniques. Finally, the process will be scaled up in a photo flow photoreactor. In this part of the project, engineering scale up issues will be addressed as a precursor to realizing a production plant.
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. -
NextGen Battery Technologies, LLC
SBIR Phase II: A New Class of High-Conductivity Solid-state Composite Electrolytes for Next-Generation Lithium Batteries
Contact
1901 N MOORE ST STE 1200
Arlington, VA 22209--1706
NSF Award
2111963 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/01/2022 – 02/29/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the introduction of non-flammable, easy-to-manufacture solid battery electrolytes that are also compatible with lithium metal. The cell architecture seeks to ensure safety while enabling a significant improvement in the energy density. The teams also seeks to lower the costs of the lithium-ion batteries by eliminating extrinsic costs associated with thermal management and explosion containment. Safe, easy-to-manufacture electrolytes may alter the rate of electrification of the global economy. The next generation of battery powered medical devices, a large proportion of which are manufactured in the United States, may also benefit from the adoption of the new solid electrolyte. In addition, the proposed composite solid electrolyte aims to enable new cell architectures with significantly higher energy densities than what has been possible in liquid electrolyte systems to date.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a non-flammable, high-conductivity composite, solid-state battery electrolytes that are compatible with mixed metal oxide cathode chemistries and cell manufacturing processes. The morphology of the composite electrolyte is such that it offsets disadvantages present in polymer electrolytes, as well as inorganic sulfide and oxide solid electrolytes, when they are used as monolithic materials. The unique heterostructures of the proposed solid electrolytes advance the current state-of-the-art by enabling faster diffusion of lithium ions through multiple pathways, while mitigating the growth of lithium dendrites. The electrolyte's nonflammable nature makes it a potential replacement for conventional liquid electrolytes in reducing fire hazards and reducing the costs of reqired thermal protection systems in lithium-ion batteries. The compatibility with lithium metal presents a unique opportunity for improvement in the energy density over currently used silicon-graphite anodes, that translates to a lower cost per unit of stored energy ($/kWh). An additional advantage is that these batteries do not require special handling and they are compatible with both spiral wound and planar battery form factors.
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. -
Nth Cycle, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Electrochemical Separation Device for Co-Ni Recovery from Li-ion Batteries
Contact
100 CUMMINGS CTR STE 151B
Beverly, MA 01915--6117
NSF Award
2112301 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$976,200
Start / end date
02/01/2022 – 01/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project includes providing a high-throughput system for recycling critical metals like cobalt to reduce the conventional energy-intensive mining and refining processes used to produce materials for manufacturing today. Most importantly, this project will help secure a supply of critical materials, reducing the United States’ reliance on foreign supply chains and guaranteeing a secondary source of battery materials. A new, domestic supply will also reduce the social and human health impacts associated with artisanal mining, and significantly reduce the environmental impact of batteries and electric vehicles.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to (1) validate novel electro-extraction nanotechnology based separations technology in the battery recycling and cobalt mining space, and (2) validate a new, value-added product (a battery cathode precursor material) for this rapidly growing market, rendering the conventional refining stages unnecessary. The proposed electroextraction process utilizes flow-through water electrolysis to produce high local concentrations of hydroxide to precipitate transition metals as metal hydroxides. This understanding will allow tuning the device operating conditions for metal or mixed-metal specific precipitation, for example, the precipitation of Ni-Mn-Co hydroxides at battery stoichiometries or highly selective precipitation of individual metals.
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. -
OAM PHOTONICS LLC
SBIR Phase II: Focal Plane Array for Active Coherent Imaging
Contact
6100 CORTADERIA ST NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111--8009
NSF Award
2241921 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
06/01/2023 – 05/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in developing technology that will enable the use of a 3-dimensional (3D) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system in smaller and more economical drones for mapping, surveying, and navigation. The 3D LiDAR has important applications in environment management, forestry, land and corridor mapping, construction, land surveying, precision agriculture, powerline and infrastructure inspection, and countless other areas. The technology will bring significant economic impacts to the industries by reducing the ownership costs of a high-performance LiDAR system and the drone that can carry this system. The reduction of the entry-cost for LiDAR applications with drones will in turn benefit small businesses to perform smaller-scale projects in mapping and surveying. Other than drone-based applications, the innovation is poised to significantly reduce the costs and provide seamless integration of 3D LiDAR sensing in self-driving vehicles and other industrial applications including robotics, smart city infrastructure, surveillance, and security, as well as consumer applications like 3D sensing for augmented reality. The numerous applications enabled by the proposed project not will only help increase the economic competitiveness of the U.S. but also improve quality of life, security and safety.
The proposed project aims at developing a high-performance, compact, and light-weight 3D LiDAR sensor to meet the increasing needs of drone-based, high-precision LiDAR applications. Current commercial high-performance drone-LiDAR systems are notorious for their high cost, bulkiness, heavy weight, and high power-consumption. Current drone-LiDAR systems are also prone to mechanical damage. These issues inevitably shorten the drone flight time, inhibit the installations of high-performance LiDAR systems on the more common consumer-grade small drones, and increase the operation costs. The proposed LiDAR sensor will mitigate all of these issues by leveraging a high-performance coherent LiDAR detection approach with silicon photonics technology in an innovative design. The coherent LiDAR detection method allows more sensitive measurements than the method used in most existing LiDAR systems. The technology achieves a longer detection range and larger number of returns given the same laser power. Based on highly scalable Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible silicon photonics technology, the LiDAR sensor is able to achieve high spatial resolution in a compact size. The entire system will have a form-factor similar to a palm-sized compact camera commonly used for photogrammetry in small drones. The solution requires no mechanical mechanisms for beam scanning nor high-precision alignment of optical components, making the system inherently durable, compact, lightweight, and power efficient.
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. -
OBSIDIAN SENSORS, INC.
SBIR Phase II: High Resolution Terahertz Video Camera for Medical Imaging
Contact
5754 PACIFIC CENTER DR STE 201
San Diego, CA 92121--4206
NSF Award
2126136 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$987,258
Start / end date
04/01/2022 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop and launch a new, commercially viable terahertz (THz) imaging technology initially targeted at medical imaging applications. The prototype instrument uses THz reflective imaging phenomenology, a technique that has been shown to efficiently discriminate between healthy and diseased tissues. With a resolution of more than 300x300 pixels, operation at between 10-30 frames per second, and a compact form factor, the system is appropriate for medical environments such as cancer surgeries, including glioblastoma resection. The THz camera will be a new addition to the medical imaging market that has matured with x-ray, MRI, visible and infrared technologies to reach $45 billion. This new instrument is enabled by a large format sensor array that uses a low-cost manufacturing process already implemented in a high-volume foundry. In addition to the medical application, similar imaging systems can be used in security screening applications ($2 billion market/year) such as passenger screening at airports. More broadly, the underlying sensor technology can be adapted for use across the extremely wide THz spectrum, which has implications for many industries.
The intellectual merit of this project is primarily its integration of both high resolution and high-speed aspects of THz imaging, as these capabilities have not yet been demonstrated in a commercially viable form. Previous demonstrations have either involved slow scanning systems that preclude real time applications or cameras that target much higher bands of the THz spectrum. The latter restriction stems from an inability to manufacture arrays of large pixels to image at the longer THz wavelengths. Going beyond one of a kind laboratory proof of concept experiments, the THz camera seeks to provide resolution and frame update rates that are relevant to actual applications. The commercial manufacturing viability of the sensing element may ensure that applications beyond the initial medical market will be practical. The camera will feature not only the high-resolution THz imaging near the 250-350 GHz spectrum but also incorporate high-resolution visible and near-infrared cameras that can complement the THz video, with trials being planned for hospital usage. In addition to clinical usage scenarios, the imaging system can be adapted for use in airport security and other screening applications, as portability and ease of use will guide the demonstration system design.
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. -
OCULOGENEX
SBIR Phase II: Preclinical Validation of an Ocular Antioxidant Enhancing Gene Delivery Vehicle for Dry Macular Degeneration
Contact
2250 W WHITTIER BLVD STE 300
La Habra, CA 90631--3470
NSF Award
2208096 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to further develop and commercialize an ocular gene therapy to reverse the effects of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease affecting over 11 million Americans today and representing the leading cause of blindness in the elderly in the United States. The proposed treatment has the potential to preserve independence, economic stability, and quality of life of those affected by AMD and reduce US healthcare costs with just a single treatment.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project technical plan will optimize the formulation, dose, and route of administration of an investigational therapy in a large animal model. The project will first develop gene therapy formulations with various vehicles. The formulations’ efficiency in retinal tissues with an injection into the eye will be assessed with preliminary pharmacokinetic analyses. Toxicology studies will be performed to assess safety and efficacy of the novel formulation and the injection route at various doses over 3 months. Subsequently, the project will assess risk in manufacturing the gene delivery vehicles to ensure that high concentrations can be manufactured for future clinical use.
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. -
OFF PLANET RESEARCH L.L.C.
SBIR Phase II: Portable Production Process for Icy Regoliths by Vapor Deposition
Contact
1130 W MARINE VIEW DR STE A-2
Everett, WA 98201--1500
NSF Award
2231348 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$996,708
Start / end date
07/15/2023 – 06/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will enable research and development on simulated moon surface materials that resemble the icy regolith on the Moon and other worlds by a large number of organizations that currently do not have access to such materials. Making realistic icy regolith simulants is beyond the reach of most organizations because they are produced by replicating the natural formation processes, that is they are produced under conditions that approximate the environment within the ultra-cold, permanently-shadowed areas in the polar regions of the Moon. Utilizing the resource potential of icy regoliths is a key to an enduring human presence in space. Accurate simulants of these materials are necessary to develop the technologies for studying, prospecting, and utilizing this resource. Greater access to these simulants will increase academia/industry partnerships and allow more rapid technology development through higher fidelity testing.
This SBIR Phase II project provide a location-dependent, custom production method to produce icy regolith simulants in large enough quantities in locations where they are needed by students, researchers, and engineers. Currently, the difficulty and cost of making realistic icy regolith simulants is preventing the higher fidelity testing required to reduce the risk and facilitate the development of in situ extraction technologies for critical resources. These simulants must be produced by re-creating the natural formation processes on the Moon and other worlds as closely as possible under very controlled conditions. Icy simulants must be custom-made and can include hazardous gases so they are expensive and can only be produced slowly in small batches. Cryogenic shipment after production is expensive, difficult, and limited to small amounts. This project will produce new equipment and methods of production that are portable. The solution will also make more realistic and complete icy regolith simulants in quantities large enough for effective research and development to take place. The equipment will be designed to be adaptable and have the capacity to make various physical forms of icy simulants with differing ingredients.
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. -
ORGANIC ROBOTICS CORPORATION
SBIR Phase II: High Data Rate Biometric Monitoring
Contact
260 E MAIN ST STE 6364
Rochester, NY 14604--2101
NSF Award
2139404 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$992,412
Start / end date
12/01/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to advance new pressure sensors for wearables. In car seats these sensors can help determine occupancy or measure driver attentiveness. These sensors can also be used to enable a sense of touch in robotic platforms, thereby improving automated decision-making processes. In the virtual and augmented reality sector, this system can measure force and pressure information to improve the training and learning outcomes across a range of industries, including sport, medical and military training applications. In the healthcare and wellness market, the proposed sensors would provide biometric data on high speed motions and ground reaction forces, as well as respiration and muscle fatigue information for improved outcomes.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on advancing stretchable photonic sensors in the wearables industry. These elastomeric sensors are lightguides that change power output upon stretching, with the change in power output proportional to the amount of strain applied. The power output from the sensors can be calibrated towards biometric metric outputs such as high speed kinematics (joint angle velocities) and muscle fatigue (volume changes due to inflammation). Due to the soft, stretchable and thin nature of these lightguides, they can easily be integrated into garments without affecting their mechanical properties, and thereby be essentially unnoticeable to the wearer. Currently, these sensors can gather data at rates two orders of magnitude faster than the closest competitive technology. This project will focus on further increasing the data acquisition speeds and hardware 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. -
OSCIFLEX LLC
SBIR Phase II: A portable rapid cycling compression device to prevent blood clots
Contact
3401 GRAYS FERRY AVE BLDG 176
Philadelphia, PA 19146--2701
NSF Award
2132561 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,727
Start / end date
10/15/2021 – 09/30/2023
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to reduce the incidence of blood clots in individuals outside a clinical care setting. Venous blood clots are a common event in individuals who recently been discharged from a hospital or clinical care setting, with an estimated 500,000 cases annually in the US alone. Venous clots cause leg pain and swelling, loss of mobility, re-hospitalization, and even death in some cases. This project develops a novel device, specifically for use at home, to increase venous blood flow in low mobility users to prevent blood clot formation. This project improves patient outcomes and reduces the estimated $10 B in associated costs.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project leverages molecular studies that identified a key genetic pathway that regulates blood clot formation in veins. This protective pathway is activated by specific patterns of venous blood flow stimulated by typical activity and mobility. However, in individuals with low mobility this pathway can be lost resulting in an increased risk for venous blood clot formation. Because stimulation of this pathway offers powerful protection against clot formation, this project proposes a novel device specifically designed to recreate the patterns of venous flow that activate the protective genetic pathway. This pattern may be successfully created in immobile individuals with external compressions applied to the user’s calf. This project will focus on optimizing the device size and weight while maximizing patient comfort and ease of use.
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. -
OWIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
SBIR Phase II: MicroLINKs: connecting the physical and digital worlds
Contact
350 DUFFIELD HALL
Ithaca, NY 14853--2700
NSF Award
2208619 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,885
Start / end date
01/01/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Research Innovation (SBIR) Phase II project is to reduce the economic, human, and environmental cost caused by the current disconnect between an object and its digital history. At the human level, consider hospital use cases: medical errors are estimated to kill upwards of 90,000 people annually. Many of these deaths can be traced to a disconnect in the flow of information: the wrong medication goes to a patient, a surgical instrument is not properly sanitized, etc. These errors could be prevented with a tag that is used to verify the identity and status of an object at point of delivery. The proposed technology has application potential across multiple industries: in the enterprise space, companies are investing billions in serialization and augmented reality (AR) to do everything from monitoring supply chains to speeding up manufacturing to improving the cost and reliability of maintenance.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to address an unmet need to provide a technology that connects the physical and digital worlds while offering the needed characteristics for specific markets. The proposed tags provide a novel solution as a ubiquitous, unobtrusive, and cost-effective link that seamlessly and securely ties a physical object to its digital content/history, and a unified data storage/access framework. The technology milestones are to increase read distance (from 4 cm to 16 cm) to address the need to accommodate applications requiring longer read distances; to increase volume tag manufacturing at a rapid but controlled pace and to continue to develop next generation readers based on a prototype reader with co-axial optics, where the read length can be adjusted with no changes to the optics or detector. Based on need, the reader can be varied for specific market segments, while relying on the same core optical and electronic sensing 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. -
OXALO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
STTR Phase II: Developing a novel drug delivery system to enable an oral peptide-based drug for kidney stones
Contact
1452 E 53RD ST FL 2
Chicago, IL 60615--4512
NSF Award
2200058 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,999
Start / end date
04/15/2022 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project is a novel drug delivery system composed of peptide-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted and sustained release of therapeutic peptides to the intestine. The drug resulting from this project will be first-in-class comprehensive treatment for hyperoxaluria (high urine oxalate), hyperoxalemia (high blood oxalate), and related calcium oxalate kidney stones (COKS). Millions of patients suffering from COKS will finally be able to prevent this painful and damaging disease and preserve their long-term kidney health. Since a single kidney stone increases the risk of kidney failure, payers will not only appreciate the annual savings on treatment, but also the economic benefits of preventing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure requiring permanent dialysis, affecting ~45 M and ~500 K patients in the US, respectively. Importantly, it will also impact the outcome of other disorders potentially affected by oxalate, including CKD and its progression, progression of cyst growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, kidney disease-associated cardiovascular diseases, and poor renal transplant survival.
This STTR Phase II project aims to develop the oral route component of an innovative drug delivery system using peptide-loaded NPs for localized and sustained delivery of novel therapeutic peptides to the intestinal mucosa to address oxalate-related disorders. This project will: (1) Develop and characterize multiple NPs formulations. (2) Ensure that the peptide-loaded NPs are largely delivered to the small and large intestines, but not to the stomach. (3) Confirm that the NPs have no cellular toxicity in vitro. (4) Confirm that NPs significantly reduce plasma and urinary oxalate levels in hyperoxalemia and hyperoxaluric mice without causing significant in vivo toxicity, and achieving no or minimal systemic absorption. (5) Obtain initial safety data for the peptide-loaded NP via an exploratory preclinical toxicology study. At least one of the developed NP formulations should deliver the peptides to the small and large intestines, present no significant cellular toxicity in vitro, and reduce plasma and urinary oxalate levels without causing significant in vivo toxicity.
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. -
Octet Scientific, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Enabling Better Grid-Scale Energy Storage with Organic Additives
Contact
1768 E 25TH ST STE 316
Cleveland, OH 44114--4418
NSF Award
2136220 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/01/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to provide a more economical, scalable, and sustainable type of battery for storing the energy needed to support America’s growing renewable power grid. As more wind and solar power generation is being installed, there is a growing need for economical forms of energy storage to supply power during windless and sunless times. Older technologies like lithium ion and lead acid batteries are not ideal for this purpose due to problems with supply, safety, longevity, and sustainability. This project seeks to produce new chemical components to enable grid-scale batteries based on recyclable zinc metal, which offers a safer and more sustainable alternative grid-scale battery option. Furthermore, since zinc and its other battery components are sourced in the US, this project may help facilitate domestic battery manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign battery supplies.
This SBIR Phase II project proposes to produce chemical additives that make zinc-bromine batteries last longer, hold more energy, and run more efficiently so that they can provide sustainable low-cost energy storage for renewable power. Presently, the major problems with these types of batteries are related to unwanted electrochemical side reactions that happen during battery charging. This project will eliminate these side reactions with stable, scalable, organic electrolyte additives designed to prevent problems at the zinc surface. During this phase of the project, these electrolyte addititives will be modified and optimized for performance and scalability. They will be evaluated via testing in actual cells and full-size batteries by the battery manufacturers. By the end of the project, new class of enabling electrolyte may be available in large quantities to help establish safe, sustainable, domestically made zinc-bromine batteries.
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. -
Onda Vision Technologies, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Cover-2: Hydration monitoring in athletes
Contact
310 S HARRINGTON ST
Raleigh, NC 27603--1818
NSF Award
2234491 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$972,411
Start / end date
09/01/2023 – 08/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on athlete safety and performance. Heat stroke, known as the silent killer, represents one of the top three causes of fatalities among high school and collegiate athletes. The goal of this project is to develop a wearable system for non-invasive, real-time hydration monitoring of athletes to prevent severe dehydration. A key discriminator of the innovation employs a novel wearable sensor capable of capturing bioimpedance measurements tailored to the unique physiological characteristics of each athlete for personalized safety. Coupled with deep learning methods and cloud-based analytics, the wearable system could send early alert messages to the athletic staff before an athlete approaches adverse or life-threatening conditions. The commercial potential will provide the sports science community with novel insights to customize player activities, manage rest periods, and adjust athlete hydration behaviors. Potential outcomes derived from the project will minimize unnecessary athlete fatalities, reduce medical costs, and minimize the risk of long-term health conditions.
This project addresses the market need for the non-invasive, real-time, field-based hydration assessment of athletes. Acute water loss (dehydration) during sports participation induced by long-term exposure to hot and humid conditions leads to adverse health conditions. Dehydration impacts an athlete’s health in four critical areas: cardiovascular stress, cognitive impairment, thermoregulation failure, and heat stroke. Limitations of current field-based methods include the use of manual (e.g., weight charts) or invasive assessments (e.g., urine tests). The company's fully integrated wearable sensor performs bioimpedance spectroscopy for non-invasive, real-time hydration monitoring. Continuous measurements generate a bioimpedance profile unique to each athlete that captures the fluctuations from the extracellular water and intracellular water compartments. This innovation will give athletic trainers insight into their athletes’ safety, health, and performance. Phase II objectives include: 1) building the cloud-based platform, 2) advancing the functionality and sensitivity of the wearable sensor, and 3) deploying the proprietary deep learning algorithms to the cloud for large-scale monitoring. In addition, the team will perform beta testing with potential customers.
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. -
Optimeos Life Sciences, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Formulation of a mRNA-Based Therapy for CTLN1 by Inverse Flash NanoPrecipitation
Contact
174 NASSAU ST STE 334
Princeton, NJ 08542--7005
NSF Award
2233286 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
07/15/2023 – 06/30/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to enhance American and global healthcare through new technologies enabling clinical translation of gene therapies. One of the major unmet needs within biotechnology is a delivery technology that enables gene therapies to reach the desired organ within the body without raising an immune response. Recent advances have unlocked many potential treatments for genetic diseases, but their use in the clinic is hampered by a lack of delivery technologies. This project will validate a new non-viral platform for this purpose and apply it to commercial use in a rare disease indication. The project provides a gene replacement therapy for Urea Cycle Disorder patients, who are currently treated using a combination of drugs and diet that shows limited effectiveness. Their regimens require up to 40 pills per day in combination with incredibly strict dietary control to avoid consuming too much protein. Even still, elevated blood ammonia results in neurological damage and high neonatal mortality. Caregivers face significant burdens of care to monitor diet, supplements, and medications. A gene replacement therapy that provides true disease correction would be transformational for patients and caregivers.
The proposed project will result in the development of a gene replacement therapy that can be safely and repeatedly dosed to patients suffering from the class of rare diseases known as Urea Cycle Disorders. These patients lack an enzyme of the urea cycle that cannot be delivered exogenously. An alternative therapeutic approach is to deliver instructions, in the form of nucleic acids such as mRNA, for cells in the body to make the missing enzyme. The commercially proven methods of doing this – lipid nanoparticles and viral vectors – fail in this indication due to toxicity, immunogenicity, and dosing challenges. The platform developed in this project provides a means to overcome these limitations using a non-viral, polymer-lipid hybrid formulation. The scope of the project includes both pharmacology and toxicology studies in rodent models of the Urea Cycle Disorder Citrullinemia Type I, that will produce a pre-clinical data package supporting further development. Successful project execution will include formulation optimization and pre-clinical demonstration of disease correction (reduced blood ammonia levels) with a strong safety profile.
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. -
OtoNexus Medical Technologies, Inc
SBIR Phase II: Air-coupled MEMS-based Ultrasound Transducer for Assessment of Tympanic Membrane Motion
Contact
1100 BELLEVUE WAY NE SUITE 8A-754
Seattle, WA 98107--0000
NSF Award
1853244 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$718,106
Start / end date
03/15/2019 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project will enable the development of the first known commercial medical ultrasound device utilizing air-coupled Capacitive Micromachine Ultrasound Transducer (CMUT) technology to diagnose otitis media. Otitis media is the number one indication for which antibiotics are prescribed for children, and the number one cause for surgery in childhood, costing $15+B annually in the US and resulting in 30M annual doctor visits in the US alone. Clinical studies show a diagnostic error rate averaging 50%. Today's tools are unable to accurately determine the presence, and much less the type, of effusion in the middle ear. This leads to significant over- prescription of antibiotics, over-referrals to specialists, and unnecessary surgeries. OtoNexus Medical Technologies, Inc. is developing a simple and sensitive medical device to provide diagnostic data to quickly and accurately diagnose both presence and type of otitis media.
The work of this project will establish fast and economical assessment of CMUT sensor manufacturing performance, by electrical and acoustic measurements. OtoNexus will design and construct test systems to rapidly evaluate electrical and acoustical performance of CMUT sensors as an assessment of production quality. The Electrical Vector Impedance (EVI) test fixture provides an electrical surrogate measure for acoustic output, which can be performed rapidly at the wafer-level with 100% sampling. The Acoustic Output Measure (AOM) test fixture evaluates the pressure emitted by CMUT, and other acoustic performance parameters, after speculum final assembly. This project will develop test fixtures, methods, and processes for assessing production reliability and process consistency. The OtoNexus ultrasound device will be marketed to pediatricians and other primary care physicians, and will decrease prognostic uncertainty and resultant over-prescription of antibiotics, and place the tools for more accurate diagnosis into the hands of the very first clinician the patient sees. This will reduce costs by decreasing both antibiotic usage and specialist referrals and will also decrease required physician time by enabling a nurse or other physician extender to perform the test for otitis media.
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. -
PARAMIUM TECHNOLOGIES LLC
SBIR Phase II: A Flexible and Efficient Manufacturing System for Radio Antenna Reflectors
Contact
1420 E SENECA ST
Tucson, AZ 85719--3645
NSF Award
2213128 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$999,968
Start / end date
12/01/2022 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to provide faster internet speeds to remote locations. This goal will be accomplished through the delivery of custom-shaped reflector panels for satellite communication antennas. Currently, there is a significant unmet need in the market for rapid turnaround, relatively low quantity, and affordable curved metal panels with complex, high precision shapes. The manufacturing technology developed in this project may enable economical antenna design and allow for asymmetric panel shapes. The expected advancement in panel fabrication techniques may increase the efficiency of satellite communication by enabling more complex and tailored designs for individual applications. Expanded satellite communication allows for more internet access in underserved communities around the world. The new manufacturing technology may also benefit radio astronomy, with some estimates showing a 70% reduction in dish reflector costs for some large near-term projects.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop a new technology to make satellite dish panels. This innovation may reduce cost and allow radio antenna producers to optimize their designs for faster data throughput. To meet modern communication needs, application-specific, precision manufactured reflector panels are needed. Historic manufacturing techniques have long lead times and high material costs. This project builds on past efforts and demonstrations to integrate innovative inspection methods and new manufacturing techniques into an automatic workstation capable of fabricating 1-meter squared scale reflector panels. Test panels will be built to evaluate system performance against key performance indicators, including panel shape accuracy and time to shape and inspect panels. This new approach may produce panels up to 11 times faster than some traditional methods without compromising shape accuracy.
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. -
PARAMOUNT PLANET PRODUCT
SBIR Phase II: Cellulose Based Material Innovations for an Ocean Compostable, Fish Friendly, Plastic Packaging Replacement Platform Technology
Contact
42 MILL ST
Orono, ME 04473--4039
NSF Award
2151692 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$986,583
Start / end date
07/15/2023 – 06/30/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the design of products that will decompose in nature, are paper-stream recyclable, and Ocean Compostable Fish Friendly (OCFF), with a cost similar to plastic packaging. Since 2018, the US typically recycles between 5-8.7% of its plastic. According to Ocean Conservancy, “Every year, 11 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean on top of the estimated 200 million metric tons that currently circulate the marine environments.” The proposed products do not need biocides and use no additives in their production process. The products are made with 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified tree cellulose, which ensures that the product will come from sustainably harvested trees. These products will drastically reduce plastic waste while bringing jobs back to rural areas in need of economic development. The products are non-toxic and will compost anywhere and everywhere.
This SBIR Phase II project continues the prototype development of novel products and the commercialization of a new molding and drying technology/techniques required to produce Ocean Compostable Fish Friendly packaging that is durable, functional, and digestible in nature. This product is expected to be adopted by the growing number of consumers who want environmentally-safe, single-use packaging products. This product replaces single-use plastics and other bioplastics. It is naturally grease resistant and will replace perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are being banned nationwide due to their harmful effects on human health. Leading Polylactic Acid (PLA) compostable packaging products are not compostable in nature and contaminate recycling streams. These products will have a material that feels and costs similar to plastic, is greaseproof, and is not harmful to nature and wildlife if littered. The initial product is a soufflé cup comprised of 100% fibrillated cellulose (FC) from trees, a material not yet developed for packaging on a commercial scale. Phase I results included a patent-pending benchtop system that dewaters and molds the FC into desired shapes. The goal of this project is to scale the machine to mold 100% FC into products that customers desire.
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. -
PASCAL TAGS INC
SBIR Phase II: Material Adjusted Signature Tags for Cradle-to-Grave Inventory Applications
Contact
10002 SHELBYVILLE RD STE 120
Louisville, KY 40223--3978
NSF Award
2136796 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
04/01/2022 – 03/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project improves inventory management. An estimated $818 billion is lost annually due to incomplete knowledge of a company’s inventory. The problem occurs because of the absence of a label at manufacturing that survives through the supply chain (retail, logistics, and end user). Currently, traditional supply chain management forces a company to add at least one new tag at each step. This project will reduce the number of tags per product, exponentially decrease waste, increase supply chain efficiency, and prevent knockoffs or counterfeits from being added to the supply chain. All of this will help businesses run more effectively, better serve customers, and enable consumers to gain detailed knowledge of their purchases.
The intellectual merit of this project is development of the first commercially viable, cradle-to-grave inventory tag through optimization and scalability tasks. The innovation is a chipless inventory tag with a unique serial number for every product to provide the cradle-to-grave functionality. The underlying Material Adjusted Signature Tag (MAST) technology uses printable materials to create a unique radio frequency (RF) signal. The MAST tags will enable direct printing or application of a tag onto a product, allowing an efficient way to reliably identify, track, and attribute data to a product throughout its life. This project will improve the tag’s data potential, optimize manufacturability, and achieve greater readability. Beyond optimization and scalability milestones, this project will test the tags, readers, and manufacturing equipment in relevant environments.
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. -
PATH EX
SBIR Phase II: Rapid Blood Cleansing Device to Combat Infection
Contact
2450 HOLCOMBE BLVD STE J
Houston, TX 77021--2041
NSF Award
1831150 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,294,999
Start / end date
06/01/2018 – 10/31/2023 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be the development of a fluidic platform for selective bacterial and endotoxin removal from blood. This technology can potentially serve as a novel blood cleansing therapeutic for diseases such as sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening complication caused by infection. In the U.S., sepsis afflicts over 1.6 million annually and has an associated mortality rate ranging from 25-50%. Realization of this fluidic platform technology will address the broader societal needs of inhibiting sepsis progression and developing more specific and effective therapeutics for the treatment of human disease. Commercialization and implementation of the proposed innovation may reduce the hospital length of stay associated with sepsis, decrease sepsis morbidity and mortality rates, and potentially reduce the annual U.S. expenditure for sepsis. Scientific and technological understanding generated by this work has additional applications for other blood-borne diseases, such as HIV, leukemia, and Lyme disease. Ultimately, this technology will revolutionize life science research through inertial-based fluidic platform use, enabling new discoveries in cell/particle focusing phenomena and interactions that have profound implications for elucidating inertial focusing mechanisms and for the development of novel platform technologies.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes a novel approach to address the problem of sepsis through the direct removal of pathogens and associated toxins from circulation. Sepsis is the leading cause of death of the critically ill in the United States, costing over $24 Billion in treatment annually. The primary treatment for sepsis is system antibiotic administration, which is failing due to the rise of drug resistance and new, emerging pathogens. The research objectives of this project will result in an easy to use, efficient, and cost-effective fluidic platform for separation and removal of bacteria and associated toxins from circulation. This will facilitate the broad use of inertial-based fluidic platforms as research tools and for clinical applications, such as sepsis. The proposed research will 1) optimize fluidic platform design for clinical application, economical use, and workflow efficiency, 2) demonstrate efficient fluidic platform-mediated bacteria and endotoxin capture, and 3) confirm the biological benefits of the fluidic platform technology using a validated animal model of sepsis. Successful completion of these studies will demonstrate the positive biological consequences of direct pathogen and toxin removal from circulation and establish the commercial viability of the fluidic platform 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. -
PATHOTRAK INC.
SBIR Phase II: Rapid Detection of Pathogens in Manufacturing Trimmings
Contact
9517 EWING DR
Bethesda, MD 20817--2469
NSF Award
2127054 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$884,848
Start / end date
12/15/2021 – 11/30/2023 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact of this SBIR Phase II project will be a reduction in the time for food safety laboratories to test meat for human consumption. The project seeks to reduce food waste and food-borne illnesses resulting from contaminated meat, as well to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) produced as a result of refrigeration and storage of spoiled meat products. This project aims to develop a technology ready for accreditation and commercialization that will detect harmful bacteria in meat products. This project may allow for the implementation of food safety monitoring tests at a lower cost. It may create an improvement in food safety, saving billions of dollars in recalls and reducing holding costs of food production. The ability to get ground beef to retailers’ shelves a day earlier can reduce food waste in ground beef by 50%. As beef is energy-intensive to produce, this waste reduction could save trillions of gallons of water and prevent the release of billions of pounds of methane and greenhouse gases every year. The US total addressable market for pathogen testing is estimated at nearly $10 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 6%.
This project aims to reduce the time it takes for food safety laboratories to test beef trimmings for pathogenic bacteria. The objective for this research and development Phase II project is to streamline the rapid pathogen enrichment technology developed in Phase I and to integrate new instrumentation and tools to create a high-throughput laboratory setting. The mechanical microfiltration methods and incubation procedures will be optimized, enzymatic treatments will be explored further, and the ease of physical operation and consistency of the method will be streamlined for commercial use. A low-cost, Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) accredited process capable of reliably detecting 1 colony forming unit (CFU) of pathogenic bacteria in 375 g of trim within 6 hours will be created - saving 12 or more hours over current state-of-the-art methods. Once accredited, the enrichment technology may be sold to high-throughput meat producers, who need results within a single 8-hour shift to streamline logistics, reducing cold storage, and lessening food pathogen outbreak risks.
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. -
PERCEV LLC
STTR Phase II: Probabilistic and Explainable Deep Learning for the Intuitive Predictive Maintenance of Industrial and Agricultural Equipment
Contact
1515 E KIMBERLY RD
Davenport, IA 52807--1924
NSF Award
2222630 – STTR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
12/01/2022 – 11/30/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
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Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II is to improve schedule-based maintenance programs to ensure that industrial and farming equipment can function 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The downtime associated with such high productivity equipment can result in significant lost revenue, and research shows that the average manufacturer deals with 800 hours of downtime per year. The proposed technology seeks to effectively reduce or eliminate this downtime, creating value for manufacturers. This project proposes a novel deep learning approach to predicting bearing failure in rotating industrial equipment and enable maintenance teams to confidently plan optimal maintenance activities around equipment that is in the process of degrading. This solution also aims to cost-effectively use a patented methodology to monitor industrial material handling systems with a combination of stationary and mobile battery-powered wireless sensors.
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project proposes a novel deep learning approach to machinery prognostics. Many existing deep learning approaches focus on the most likely failure scenarios given a set of training data. Monitored equipment may not exbibit behavior covered in that training set, leading to low-confidence predictions. The proposed approach may not only predict the remaining useful life of a machine component, but also seeks to quantify the uncertainty of a prediction through an ensemble of models and a temporal fusion of predictions. As a result, maintenance decisions may be made from a risk-based perspective, eliminating unnecessary maintenance stemming from low-confidence predictions. Additionally, many existing deep learning approaches also lack the ability to intuitively explain their predictions to human users. In critical applications where poor predictions have serious consequences, maintenance personnel must understand and trust an artificially intelligent predictive maintenance partner. The proposed solution produces an intuitive visual explanation for the model’s prediction by highlighting and animating the segments of a raw data signal that are contributing most significantly to the prediction. This technology may allow trained personnel to quickly make optimal maintenance decisions by fusing data-driven insights with their existing domain expertise.
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. -
PHOENIX WASTE SOLUTIONS INC.
SBIR Phase II: CAS: Advanced Scalable and Sustainable Waste Disposal System
Contact
7111 TOU LOU LOU ST
Chauvin, LA 70344--2427
NSF Award
2303791 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/15/2023 – 07/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
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Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to complete the development of "The Phoenix", a zero-fuel furnace that converts trash to ash and energy with 30% less greenhouse gas emissions per ton than landfills or conventional incineration. This technology enables municipal solid waste to be managed in a decentralized manner, avoiding the expense and negative environmental impacts of long-distance transportation. The zero-fuel Phoenix is very cost effective as the only inputs are water, filtration media, and labor to operate the machine. Amortizing the cost of the machine over 4 years, waste disposal cost is estimated at $20/ton which is half the cost of the cheapest landfill tipping fees in the US. Heat from the water scrubber can be utilized to generate 106.7 KWe of electricity, with a potential 5 to 10-fold increase if utilizing direct heat from the furnace. The ash byproduct has beneficial reuse as a construction material or soil amendment. Glass and metal are not destroyed by the process and can be retrieved from the ash chamber for recycling, reducing the costly process of separation. These circular economy benefits help increase the economic competitiveness of the U.S. recycling and waste management industry.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II Project focuses on the commercial application of low temperature plasma to enhance thermal degradation of municipal solid waste in a clean and highly cost-effective manner. The technology would complete the development of a patent-pending mobile waste disposal, low-temperature plasma furnace with electricity cogeneration while avoiding the generation of numerous toxic compounds, including dioxins and furans traditionally associated with conventional incinerators. An ion generator utilizes proprietary technology to break down the oxygen molecule into two oxygen atoms and thereby limiting the generation of complex pollutants. However, this process may still form carbon monoxide. The Phoenix system uses a catalytic process to convert carbon monoxide, CO, to carbon dioxide, CO2, at low temperature. The Phase II project will primarily continue to improve the emissions quality of multiple feedstocks with a focus on plastics. The team will also select the most efficacious and cost-effective catalyst for CO conversion and perform extended testing to evaluate long-term operations of the unit.
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. -
PNEUMONIX MEDICAL INC.
SBIR Phase II: Preventing Pneumothorax During Lung Biopsy Using a Novel Hydrogel
Contact
115 W 29TH ST
Baltimore, MD 21218--4296
NSF Award
2208775 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/01/2022 – 07/31/2024 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve patient outcomes, and reduce the morbidity and costs associated with lung collapse (pneumothorax) during computed tomography (CT)-lung biopsies used for screening lung cancer. Over 400,000 CT-guided lung biopsies are performed in the US, and more than 1.2 million worldwide. Management and treatment of symptomatic pneumothorax often requires multi-day hospital stays and costs on average of $15,000 per patient and $1.3 billion yearly worldwide. Preventing pneumothorax may increase access to lung cancer screenings by de-risking CT-guided lung biopsies and allowing smaller ambulatory surgery centers in remote geographies to perform the screening procedure. Currently, physicians collect limited biopsy samples due to the increased risk of pneumothorax with multiple biopsy passes. Preventing pneumothorax may allow physicians to collect a greater number of biopsy samples and provide sufficient tissue to personalize the cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is developing a novel biosealant that will reduce or eliminate pneumothorax. Pneumothorax — a collapsed lung - is the most common complication of computed tomography (CT)-guided lung biopsies, occurring in 20-40% of all CT-guided lung biopsies. The focus of the current investigation is to evaluate and demonstrate the possibility of using a biosealant and delivery device to seal needle tracts to prevent pneumothorax before it occurs, thereby filling a large gap in today’s solutions. Phase I data supports an injectable hydrogel formulation that successfully prevented pneumothorax in animal studies. In this Phase II project, the team seeks to refine the formulation for improved surgical performance and validate it with an animal model to demonstrate both efficacy and safety.
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. -
POLARCTIC LLC
SBIR Phase II: Arctic Environmental Modeling with Augmentation and Curation from an Artificial Intelligence Engine
Contact
33 DARDEN CT
Stafford, VA 22554--8339
NSF Award
2213136 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/15/2023 – 12/31/2025 (Estimated)
NSF Program Director
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will address the growing need for accurate models and forecasts of the Arctic. As Arctic maritime operations such as fishing, shipping, and mariculture of kelp are increasingly impacted by unprecedented climate change, traditional modeling techniques are unable to support these new demands. Ecosystems are not static, and their unpredictability hinders safe and sustainable economic development for communities. This modeling approach supports the economic competitiveness for Alaskan fisheries by increasing transparency of resources on short timescales (precision fishing) and long timescales (ecosystem modeling). The results could be used to identify new and emerging locations for fisheries, under- or over-fished locations, and differences between locations that can be restored or those that the ecosystem has shifted away from supporting. By applying dynamic ecology information, this project can provide tools to improve management of ocean resources, which could increase industry profits while simultaneously raising the total harvestable biomass.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II innovation is to create and refine an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine capable of generating custom environmental models, making new and emerging science quickly accessible to the people and communities that need the solutions. The AI-produced software will integrate multiple types of scientific techniques from the fields of nearshore bathymetry models, habitat mapping, precision fishing, and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) tools. Scaling the generation of tailored models provides cost effective, adaptable, and accurate solutions to ocean environmental challenges. Successfully executing this plan will require a combination of technical and computing skills; numerical modeling expertise; significant scientific literacy in remote sensing, bathymetry, sea ice, physical oceanography, and fisheries science; and the development and training of novel neural network architectures. In Phase I work, remote sensing from satellites was used to map the nearshore in the prototype AI engine. Remote sensing from new satellite resources has enabled this effort of a deeper understanding of the world’s remote locations, like the Arctic Ocean. These data deserts can leverage satellites and pockets of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge to build productive, new economies that are resilient and adaptable.
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. -
PSEUDOLITHIC, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Integration of Heterogeneous Device Technologies
Contact
1114 CORTO CAMINO ONTARE
Santa Barbara, CA 93105--1914
NSF Award
2242381 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$995,057
Start / end date
05/15/2023 – 04/30/2025 (Estimated)
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be a disruption to the growing communications marketplace (> $4.7B market by 2026) which is limited by the capabilities of semiconductor manufacturing processes and the cost of compound semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN). This project will reimagine the semiconductor manufacturing process by bringing compound and silicon-based semiconductors together to reduce system costs relative to solutions using only single device technologies. This project will assemble future systems for the burgeoning communications and sensing industries in a proprietary technology platform to support a shift in manufacturing technology that spans from lithographic patterning to the assembly of the smallest constituent parts. Finally, the project will enable low-cost, automated semiconductor manufacturing to help the United States regain leadership in silicon semiconductor manufacturing while helping US-based semiconductor foundries define new markets.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a first-of-its-kind analysis of failure mechanisms in heterogeneous semiconductors and the design of unique mixed-signal circuitry that improves the yield and reliability in integrated circuits. Heterogeneous integration of semiconductors with different fundamental material properties has been an emerging goal for “beyond Moore’s law” semiconductors. Radio frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave integrated circuits will benefit in performance by circumventing fundamental limitations with all silicon approaches. The project will develop new approaches from materials to systems around an optimization of devices to meet performance objectives such as output power, linearity, and noise while leveraging the intimate integration with mixed-signal approaches based in silicon to provide calibration, compensation, and predistortion of RF imperfections. While low levels of heterogeneous integration have been demonstrated in millimeter-wave bands, the integrated circuit technology will require dozens and even hundreds of III-V devices integrated on a common platform with millions of silicon transistors. The proposed effort will assess the failure mechanisms associated with the assembly and operation of new integrated circuits and approaches to mitigate these problems to reduce the cost of bringing next generation products to 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. -
PSYONIC, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A compact electrotactile sensory feedback system for upper limb prostheses
Contact
60 HAZELWOOD DR STE 210
Champaign, IL 61820--7460
NSF Award
2112363 – SBIR Phase II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
01/15/2022 – 12/31/2024 (Estimated)