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Phase II
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Altaeros Energies, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Ultra-light,modular wind turbine
Contact
28 Dane St.
Somerville, MA 02143–0000
NSF Award
1430989 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,240,679
Start / end date
10/01/2014 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop an ultra-light, modular wind turbine for use in buoyant airborne wind energy systems. Reduced turbine weight has a cascading effect on total airborne system mass, allowing a significantly smaller, lower cost buoyant structure to be used to access high altitude winds. At heights up to 2,000 feet winds are strong and consistent, allowing for the production of low-cost, reliable power at a broad array of sites. High altitude winds have over five times the energy potential of ground winds accessed by tower-mounted turbines, opening the potential for a major new renewable energy resource to be harnessed. In addition, the containerized deployment of airborne wind turbines has the potential to expand wind development to sites that are not feasible today, including sites that are remote or have weak ground-level winds. Overall, the technology holds the potential to significantly lower energy costs and improve reliability for remote industrial, community, and military customers and represents a major step forward in unlocking the abundant high-altitude wind resource to help in the global pursuit of greater adoption of renewable energy sources. This SBIR Phase II project will focus on reducing the total weight of the wind turbine system. Turbine weight is one of the most critical cost drivers of buoyant airborne wind energy systems. For each kilogram removed from the turbine, an additional kilogram can be removed from the inflatable shell and tethers, resulting in a significantly smaller and lower cost system. The lightest commercially available small- to medium-sized wind turbine weighs 31.1 kilograms per kilowatt of capacity, which is too heavy for an economically-viable airborne turbine. By incorporating a compact, modular architecture, a lightweight permanent magnet direct-drive (PMDD) generator and high-strength composite materials, the proposed Phase II research effort aims to double the power density of traditional medium size turbines, making the proposed system suitable for use in an airborne application, while maintaining a high level of reliability and cost performance.
Errata
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Addenda
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Aperiomics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Rapid Pathogen Diagnostics and Biosurveillance using Multiplexed High-throughput Sequencing
Contact
45085 University Dr
Ashburn, VA 20147–2766
NSF Award
1534469 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$914,151
Start / end date
09/15/2015 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve our ability to fight infectious diseases that negatively impact agricultural yields and reduce the efficiency of global food production and distribution systems. This innovation will enhance scientific and technological understanding by leveraging the power of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics to provide a pathogen identification and surveillance tool with demonstrated efficacy against known and unknown infectious agents. This platform is fast, sensitive, and cost-effective, and can be used for any animal sample to detect virtually all possible microbes even microbes that have never before been characterized. Hundreds of samples can be rapidly screened without relying upon known genetic/genomic data of microbes. The global molecular diagnostics market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 14% from 2012 to 2017, with infectious disease testing being the leading application at 26% share, therefore the commercial opportunity of this project is vast. The proposed project follows up on the validation of the diagnostic platform (SBIR Phase I) and delves deeper into improving virus detection and genetic data generation. In addition, this proposal seeks to develop a basal informatics infrastructure that together with sample preparation improvements will be conducive of scalable, high-throughput analysis of several samples. Current diagnostic methods rely on what is already known about target microbe genetics, and provide limited information in the form of presence/absence of a known target sequence. The SBIR Phase I was instrumental to lowering the technical risks associated with a high-throughput unbiased pathogen detection platform based on DNA sequencing and Bayesian statistics. In the pursue of standardizing and validating our metagenomics pathogen identification platform, this project proposes to: 1) improve viral detection capabilities and accuracy, 2) develop new functionalities, and 3) incorporate Phase I and Phase II advances into an integrated in-house web-accessible interface.
Errata
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AppScale Systems, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Disaster Recovery and Migration Technologies for Cloud Applications and Data
Contact
226 E De La Guerra
Santa Barbara, CA 93101–3301
NSF Award
1456088 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$917,719
Start / end date
02/15/2015 – 07/31/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project results from lowering the barrier to entry for, and simplifying the use of, cloud computing systems via a novel, open source, cloud platform. The proposed advances have the potential to facilitate and expedite innovation and technological progress by a diverse software and global developer community, enabling more people to tackle the important yet increasingly challenging and data-intensive computing problems facing businesses today. The company's technologies address directly the key pain points of this explosively growing platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and cloud-based application development market - namely privacy, lock-in, and control. Unique to the company's approach is compatibility with a leading, proprietary, public cloud PaaS standard (Google App Engine). As such, the company's solutions have significant commercial potential because they are directly applicable to businesses that employ App Engine today (there are currently over 4.5 million active applications), and they lay the groundwork for addressing the larger PaaS market in the long term. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is based on a distributed system that executes and manages web-based and mobile cloud applications (apps) via automation, thereby relieving developers, operations staff, and Information Technology (IT) groups of the burden of doing so. The proposed technology advances address the issue of vendor lock-in - i.e. the use of proprietary technologies, services, and systems that effectively prevent users from switching to alternative vendors. In the cloud space, lock-in is proliferated through the use of (i) proprietary interfaces and tools, (ii) complex pricing models, and (iii) the lack of interoperability across vendors. The proposed technology disrupts lock-in by public cloud vendors by automating software deployment and management across clouds, and by making it easy to move applications and data between vendor offerings and on-premise clusters. In particular, the company's technologies abstract away the complexities of cloud use, and provide monitoring, backup/restoration, and migration of applications and data across clouds at the push of a button. By providing features that are currently unavailable today, the proposed technologies have significant potential for reducing the cost, risk, and learning curve associated with cloud-based development, deployment, disaster recovery, and migration for the next generation of cloud applications.
Errata
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Arable Labs, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Advanced Bioeconomic Forecasting Enabled by Next-Generation Crop Monitoring
Contact
40 N Tulane St
Princeton, NJ 08542–0000
NSF Award
1660146 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$765,954
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to empower farmers to capture a greater share of revenue from the marketing of their crops. Agriculture is a significant engine to the U.S. economy, and farming itself is vital to creating economically vibrant rural areas. Farmers are often at a disadvantage when it comes to capturing good prices from their crops because there are significant information asymmetries in the marketing supply chain. We have developed a combination of hardware and analytics that greatly improves crop forecasts at dramatically more accessible prices, which allows farmers and their trusted buyers to make more informed marketing decisions. Whereas improved agronomy could raise yields by 5-10%, improved marketing could raise revenue >25%, especially for high value crops. In addition to the narrow application of sensing hardware and analytics for forecasting, the data collected by our platform can also be used by growers to make decisions that improve operational performance of complex agribusinesses and improve the agronomy of the farm. These tools make it easier to compare performance of crops to improve yields and reduce resource costs. Together this technology continues to raise productivity and profitability per farmer. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project integrates a completely novel plant and weather sensing platform with analytics that synthesizes data into actionable forms that can drive agribusiness decisions. We have bundled a suite of capabilities into a single hardware unit that includes sensing, communications, GPS, mounting, and solar power, which dramatically reduces the cost and increases the simplicity of collecting agricultural data. These data are uniquely designed to monitor crop performance and its sensitivity to weather and management. Data synthesis is a critical pain point in transforming raw numbers into insights for growers to act upon. By creating an integrated hardware platform, the data is poised to provide useful advice that allow a farmer to act on emerging situations, anticipate upcoming events, and even predict the future. Our research objective here will be to generate probabilistic forecasts that use the unique data from our hardware to estimate key crop growth parameters and project forward for an operational yield forecast. This coupling between highly informative quantitative in-field data and sophisticated parameter estimation and forecast techniques could dramatically improve marketing decisions and help farmers capture better prices for their products.
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Artaic LLC
SBIR Phase II: High-Throughput Agile Robotic Manufacturing System for Tile Mosaics
Contact
21 Drydock Avenue
Boston, MA 02210–2397
NSF Award
1230364 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,249,998
Start / end date
10/01/2012 – 03/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will demonstrate a prototype of a high-throughput, agile, low-cost manufacturing system for tile mosaics. Mosaics have been a source of visual splendor for millennia, but they have always required arduous and painstaking hand assembly. Our Phase I proved the feasibility of a programmable, high-throughput robotic tile-assembly system to enhance the production of mosaic tilings. Phase II R&D will build upon Phase I success to further speed up, automate and scale the system, develop an effective agile manufacturing management system, and analyze the economic viability of robotic mosaic assembly for Phase III. We will accomplish this by enhancing the mechanical processes and reducing operator time - in addition to developing a productionflow information system. After Phase II system optimization, we will evaluate the commercial potential of the Artaic technology. The anticipated technical result will be providing a 5x faster manufacturing process with a 75% reduction in the price per square foot of customizable mosaic tilings produced. The intellectual merits of this SBIR project involve Artaic?s disruptive robotic technology, which transforms mosaic installation from its current, time-consuming manual labor processes to a rapid, robotically directed customizable process. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project expands the utilization of artisanal mosaic work while increasing the competitive advantage of U.S. manufacturing processes through increased automation and customization. Successful development of this technology will enable a breakthrough pricing structure that is 75% lower than the competition (based on manual and rudimentary automated processes), leading to broad market affordability and widespread commercial adoption. Our robotic system has the potential to revolutionize the $76B global tile industry, while creating numerous domestic job opportunities. Artaic expects that the 5x increase in manufacturing speed realized during Phase I will be maintained in Phase II during manufacturing scale-up without loss of placement accuracy. The increased understanding of robotic agile manufacturing-enabled mass customization processes will expand the scientific understanding of related robotic processes that utilize highthroughput flexible assemblies, such as for medical or pharmaceutical technologies, or for consumer products. In addition, classical mosaic techniques will become more accessible as an art form to all students, while undergraduate students will increase their understanding of STEM concepts through engineering courses utilizing this technology. Artists and designers will find the realization of their design work much more practical and affordable as a business enterprise.
Errata
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Artaic LLC
SBIR Phase II: Computer-Aided Mosaic Design and Construction
Contact
21 Drydock Avenue
Boston, MA 02210–2397
NSF Award
1152564 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,484,999
Start / end date
03/01/2012 – 11/30/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a computer-aided mosaic design and robotic assembly system for automation of a centuries-old manual process. Despite their prominence in art and architecture, mosaics are arduous to design and assemble. Labor-intensive methods have stubbornly resisted automation, adding considerable cost and delay to projects. Artaic's Phase I research proved feasibility of computer-aided design software to create renderings and digital blueprints of artisanal mosaics by introducing a streamlined, procedural workflow for tile layout that closely mimicked the workflow of mosaic artists, and did so over 10x faster than manual methods. The goal of the Phase II research is to demonstrate the speed, effectiveness, utility, and artistic quality of this mosaic design and robotic assembly system. The key Phase II objectives are to: (1) demonstrate a prototype artisanal mosaic design system and; (2) demonstrate a robotic mosaic production system, that will be: (3) validated for accuracy, speed, and quality through user assessment, and; (4) evaluated for economic and commercial potential. Anticipated technical results will enable a revolutionary advancement from manual to automated processes in mosaic design and production, comparable to the displacement of film by digital camera technology. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in art, design, construction, and architecture. Software and robotic automation will lower the cost of mosaics and increase its traditional societal impact of adorning public, commercial, and residential spaces. Artists, designers, and builders will have a significantly faster method to produce artisanal mosaics without the high cost and time associated with manual design and production. The efficiencies made possible by this proposed computer-aided mosaic design and manufacturing system will enable Artaic to expand into the global multi-billion dollar tile market and develop a domestic workforce to compete against global manufacturers of handcrafted mosaic artwork. Additionally, the computational demands of the rendering algorithms developed during Phase II will give impetus to further development of advanced GPUs and CPUs -- with companies such as Intel, Nvidia, and AMD providing solutions for increasingly more advanced rendering algorithms. Perhaps the most significant societal benefit from the development of this technology is its potential to make artisanal mosaic design and production accessible and affordable to the general public, and because this research enables any Photoshop artist to become a mosaic artist, it also hold significant promise as an educational tool in our nation's schools.
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Arytha Biosciences, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Manufacturing of Red Blood Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles for detoxification
Contact
11575 Sorrento Valley Road
San Diego, CA 92121–1963
NSF Award
1456104 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$766,717
Start / end date
04/01/2015 – 12/31/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is enabling the large-scale manufacturing of a red blood cell membrane coated nanoparticle platform, which was previously demonstrated to be capable of absorbing and neutralizing a wide array of hemolytic pathogenic factors, such as bacterial toxins, animal venoms, and auto-reactive immunoglobulin. Comprised entirely of biocompatible and biodegradable materials and coated by cell membranes derived from natural red blood cells, the nanoparticles are able to circulate for an extended period of time in the circulation. Their biomimetic exterior allows them to serve as a decoy to scavenge virulence factors that attack cell membranes. The nanoformulation may be applied against multiple pressing and unmet medical needs, including animal envenoming, autoimmune hemolytic diseases, and bacterial infections. Successful development of the manufacturing process also has broader impact in the field of nanofabrication and nanomedicine development. The proposed project will enable the red blood cell membrane-coated nanoparticles to be manufactured efficiently and reliably at a large scale toward clinical translation. To ensure that the manufactured nanoformulations will have the optimal size, uniformity, biological activity, and performance, advanced fluidics, filtration, microscopy, and particle tracking techniques will be applied for precision nanoparticle preparation and characterization. Specifically, the proposed research activity will focus on the synthesis of uniform polymeric nanoparticles with consistent physicochemical properties, derivation of purified and undisrupted red blood cell membranes, and reliable cell membrane coating over the nanoparticle substrates. The resulting nanoparticles will be thoroughly examined to iteratively improve the preparation process. Optimized manufacturing protocol will be developed for large-scale production of high quality nanoformulations following good manufacturing practices (GMP). The project will facilitate the bench-to-bedside transition of the novel biomimetic nanoparticle platform, which has significant implications in addressing the many major diseases involving protein toxins.
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Bay Labs, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Guided Positioning System for Ultrasound
Contact
1479 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103–3734
NSF Award
1556103 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$740,788
Start / end date
04/15/2016 – 03/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be in the field of healthcare. The United States spends approximately $9,000 per person per year on healthcare. Ultrasound medical imaging is a medical imaging technology that could lower costs by providing an alternative to higher-cost imaging techniques. The technology created during this Phase II project is expected to increase the quality, value, and accessibility of medical ultrasound, which would in turn reduce medical imaging costs in the US healthcare system. Furthermore, the company's technology is expected to bring ultrasound to more clinical settings and improve system-wide efficiencies in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The technology also has commercial potential in the international market, with $5.8B spent annually on medical ultrasound devices worldwide. Finally, by improving the utility of ultrasound, the technology will lead to improved patient care and may ultimately save lives. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop deep learning technology for ultrasound imaging in medicine. Ultrasound imaging has numerous benefits including real-time image acquisition, non-invasive scanning, low-cost devices, and no known side-effects (it is non-ionizing). However, variability in quality has encumbered its adoption and utility. As a result, more expensive imaging is typically utilized, often exposing patients to ionizing radiation. Our objective is to develop, improve, and test machine learning techniques, based on deep learning, to improve ultrasound acquisition and interpretation. We expect this project will create novel technologies that make ultrasound easier to use and improve the quality of ultrasound examinations. The end result will improve the quality, value, and accessibility of medical ultrasound examinations, will result in cost savings to the healthcare system, will produce improvements in patient care, and will support a sustainable business opportunity.
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Bioo Scientific Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Biomolecular Detection of microRNA
Contact
7050 Burleson Road
Austin, TX 78744–1057
NSF Award
1230440 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$516,000
Start / end date
09/01/2012 – 08/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project examines high throughput methods to quantify intacellular microRNA (miRNA) concentrations in cells that have shown to be associated with normal physiological processes, as well as diseases, including cancer. Currently there are no rapid, quantitative methods available to measure miRNA expression in living cells or tumor tissue. All current in vitro approaches require extensive preparation involving extraction, reverse transcription of miRNA into cDNA and amplification. These methods are not only time consuming, but require that the low abundance miRNA be several fold greater than background to give a meaningful result. To meet the demand for a diagnostic/prognostic tool, development of a biomolecular detection device is proposed based on a single electron transistor to bind and measure the concentration of miRNAs. This will provide a researcher or clinician an accurate profile to make proper clinical assessments. Bringing this device to market will provide scientists with direct information on intracellular miRNA levels, enhancing predictions of miRNAs that are essential for tumor maintenance or metastasis, and creating new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. The broader impact of this project will be to enhance current diagnostic and prognostic tools for early detection of disease. Today, early cancer detection and treatment offers the best outcome for patients. This has driven the search for effective diagnostics. The identification of a universal tumor specific epitope or marker has remained elusive. While many types of serological and serum markers have included enzymes, proteins, hormones, mucin, and blood group substances, at this time there are no effective diagnostic tests for cancer that are highly specific, sensitive, economical and rapid. This deficiency means that many cases of malignancy go undetected long past the time of effective treatment. The goal of this research is to bring a device to market for the research market and a device that can examine miRNA profiles from patient samples immediately in a hospital or clinical setting. The current size of the in vitro diagnostic market was over $40 billion in 2008. Unique diagnostic kits developed from this technology will likely fulfill an unmet market opportunity with the potential to exceed $100 million in the first 3 - 5 years.
Errata
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Bioo Scientific Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Improved in Vivo Delivery of SiRNA
Contact
7050 Burleson Road
Austin, TX 78744–1057
NSF Award
0923854 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$802,117
Start / end date
08/01/2009 – 06/30/2013
Abstract
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop technologies that optimize the use of RNA interference (RNAi) in animals. RNAi is an invaluable tool for characterizing gene function and is a promising candidate for gene therapy. The use of RNAi in tissue culture is well developed but is of limited use in experimental animals. RNAi agents must enter cells to exert their effects but this has proven to be challenging in animals. The current lack of such technologies is holding back the majority of important RNAi animal experiments. To open this bottleneck, kits and reagents will be developed based on Bioo Scientific?s Targeted Transport Technology (T3). Easy-to-use RNAi delivery products will be manufactured, validated and commercialized for use in animal experiments. The broader impacts of this research are twofold. First, researchers will gain ready access to products that greatly simplify the use of RNAi in animals, thereby, stimulating a burst of validation experiments in animals to try to replicate prior results derived from tissue culture experiments. Animals are more complex than their tissue culture counterparts and it is uncertain that results can be duplicated in an animal. Second, T3 has the potential to be used for the therapeutic delivery of RNAi agents. In sum, this project will propel the validation of tissue culture results via T3 enabled animal experimentation, leading to a better understanding of cellular pathways, the identification of novel drug targets, and the potential to deliver RNAi agents as drugs.
Errata
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Bioo Scientific Corporation
SBIR Phase II: High-throughput Small RNA Sequencing
Contact
7050 Burleson Road
Austin, TX 78744–1057
NSF Award
1431020 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$899,999
Start / end date
11/15/2014 – 04/30/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the development of a technology to accurately measure small RNA expression. This is an enabling life science research tool. Small RNAs are ubiquitous gene regulators found in the body. Products of the same microRNA gene that vary in length by one or two nucleotides may be involved in a host of diseases, including cancer. The value for developing a method to measure the true profile of microRNAs in a sample would be immense for the research community studying transcriptional regulation, and would open the doors to those interested in drug development and diagnostics. The goal of this proposal is to develop a library preparation kit for non-biased small RNA libraries for Next Generation sequencing. These kits will increase the quality and rate at which global microRNA profiles may be determined for research and clinical applications. This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop next generation sequencing technology for small RNA more quantitative and less biased. High throughput sequencing has transformed the landscape of genomic research with its ability to produce gigabases of data in a single run. This has enabled researchers to perform genome wide and high depth sequencing studies that would normally not be possible. Despite this capacity, amplification artifacts introduced during polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays increase the chance of duplicate reads and uneven distribution of read coverage. Accurate profiling using deep sequencing also has been undermined by biases with over- or under-represented microRNAs. The presence of these biases significantly limits the incredible sensitivity and accuracy made possible by next generation sequencing. The goal of this proposal is to develop novel bias-reducing technology for making small RNA libraries. The proposed kits and protocols will increase the rate at which global microRNA profiles can be determined, and between-sample and within-sample differences (as well as newly discovered small RNAs) can be subsequently validated. This product will result in a major shift in the way small RNA sequencing is performed, and will pave the way for the discovery of new small RNAs.
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Blue River Technology Inc
SBIR Phase II: Use of Machine Learning Techniques for Robust Crop and Weed Detection in Agricultural Fields
Contact
575 N Pastoria Ave
Sunnyvale, CA 94085–2916
NSF Award
1256596 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$999,998
Start / end date
04/15/2013 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to further develop a novel computer vision based plant identification system for commercialization in agricultural weed control. This system will provide a cost competitive alternative to chemical herbicides, a global $20B market. Existing computer vision based approaches can segment a 'splotch' of green vegetation from a brown background but are unable to provide the selectivity and precision necessary for mechanized, automated weeding. This project's objective is to create software algorithms that match the capability of the human eye and brain to quickly and reliably classify plants into crops and weeds in real-time. The project team will build a computer vision algorithm based on a hierarchical classifier. This classifier will utilize a field customized support vector machine (SVM) that uses point-of-interest rather than shape-based methods, a novel approach to visual object identification. The result of this research will be the creation of an algorithm integrated into an automated weeding system. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is significant, as the development of an alternative to chemical intensive agricultural weed control will impact technological understanding, create commercial opportunity, and positively impact society. Technologically, the project will advance the fields of computer vision and machine learning through development of a real-time, automated plant identification system based on point-of-interest and SVMs. Commercially, the system will offer conventional farmers an effective and chemical-free method to eliminate weeds, and it will offer organic farmers the first truly precise organic weed control method. The addressable market for weed control in food production is estimated to be $4B in the U.S. The system's ability to eliminate the use of chemical herbicides has a profound societal effect. U.S. farmers apply over 250M pounds of herbicide annually on corn and soybeans alone, with many unintended and detrimental side effects. Chemical concentrations in rivers, lakes and groundwater are rising, and the prevalence of herbicide resistant weeds is growing exponentially. An alternative to these chemicals limits society's exposure while protecting environmental integrity.
Errata
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Bluefin Lab, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Semi-Automated Sports Video Search
Contact
21 Cutter Ave
Somerville, MA 02144–0000
NSF Award
0923926 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$997,550
Start / end date
08/15/2009 – 07/31/2012
Abstract
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project objective is to commercialize a novel technology for indexing video. The company's approach automatically integrates information from speech, text, and video through algorithms that generate rich semantic indexes for video. The Phase I results show that this approach can be incorporated into a system that indexes video with high accuracy and at a fraction of the cost of currently used methods. Further, during the Phase I research, the company has identified a large and growing consumer market (sports video) in which the technology can be applied. The technical objectives of the Phase II proposal focus on working with such partners to roll out initial Bluefin-powered applications, such as content-based search and video-enriched fantasy sports. Such applications are currently not feasible because of the low accuracy of automated indexing methods and the high cost of manual approaches to indexing video. Millions of hours of new video content are coming online every month, feeding an exploding demand and reshaping the nature of the Internet. Just as text-oriented search engines were necessary to empower users to find what they needed during the first phase of the text-centric Internet, a new generation of technology will be necessary to organize and effectively find content in the fast-approaching video-dominated era of the Internet. Bluefin Lab is pioneering a new approach to video organization and search by commercializing cross-modal algorithms developed in Academe. While this differentiated technology can be leveraged in several target markets, the company's initial focus is on sports media where it will power a unique experience for video search, video-enhanced fantasy sports, and other video-centric applications.
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Branch Technology LLC
SBIR Phase II: Additive Manufacturing in Construction
Contact
100 Cherokee Blvd
Chattanooga, TN 37405–3878
NSF Award
1632267 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
09/15/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is in support of Branch Technology's novel Additive Manufacturing (AM) process that combines 3D printing technology and conventional construction materials to enable a new way to create buildings. The construction market in the US is approximately 8% of GDP. Any portion of the market that could be enhanced would have a large impact in the US economy. To that end, Branch is creating a process similar to building found in the natural world. In the formation of natural systems, material is the most expensive commodity; a structure is derived by the efficient use of material, but shape is free to be created in almost any form. Branch can approach this efficiency with additive manufacturing, where form is created and material is deposited only when needed and little waste is created. At the core of Branch's method of AM-based construction are three key developments: a three-dimensional freeform structure (the cellular matrix or lattice) which serves as a scaffold for other materials, a robotically- controlled extrusion mechanism by which the cellular matrix is produced, and the algorithms necessary to control the robot for successful production. The proof of concept for this process and more have already been demonstrated by Branch in Phase I of this grant. The technical objectives for Phase II focus on improving the procedures and technology already created. The focus areas for this phase are algorithm development, hardware improvements, the application of finishing materials, code compliance testing, and material science experiments. Algorithm development consists of refining and creating the software necessary to extrude the printed matrix and support a client base. Hardware improvements are necessary to improve the speed and efficiency of the process to create a commercially viable workflow. This research will necessitate the purchase of extra hardware for experimentation. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing for load bearing capacity is necessary to enter the market and provide code compliant construction. Experimentation in the application of finished materials to the 3D printed lattice such as spray foam and concrete are vital to the realization of complete buildings.
Errata
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Cambrian Innovation Inc
SBIR Phase II: Exogen: Enhanced Anaerobic Digestion of Wastewater Using Bio-electrodes
Contact
27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02210–2347
NSF Award
1152409 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,008,000
Start / end date
06/15/2012 – 03/31/2015
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will optimize and pilot test the patent-pending Exogen system for the generation of biogas during wastewater treatment. Based on a newly discovered process called electromethanogenesis, ExogenTM uses applied voltages and bio-electrodes to increase wastewater treatment rates and methane fraction compared to competing fixed-film anaerobic digestion processes. Phase I R&D demonstrated (1) 30% - 50% increase in chemical oxygen demand removal rate, (2) 30%-60% increase in biogas production, (3) 5 - 18% increase in methane concentrations with both artificial and real-world wastewater, resulting in a payback period of 1.7 - 3.7 years. Further benefits include reduction in start-up time and the potential for real-time automation via direct electrical feedback. During Phase II R&D Cambrian Innovation will optimize the technology and build a scaled demonstration plant at a customer site The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to help alleviate the conflicting demands for water and energy in the United States and across the industrialized world by enhancing the process of generating energy from wastewater treatment. Anaerobic digestion can generate energy from wastewater. A recent AgSTAR report has highlighted the potential for this technology in the U.S., identifying over 8,000 livestock facilities and numerous industrial sites suitable for the technology. Cambrian's ExogenTM platform aims to decrease the costs and increase the benefit associated with deploying anaerobic digestion in key industry segments, resulting in faster diffusion. Eventually the technology could open up new industries for anaerobic digestion processes. Exogen further has the potential for carbon sequestration via the direct reduction of CO2 to CH4. As such, ExogenTM technology offers a broad range of applications with significant societal benefit.
Errata
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Cambrian Innovation Inc
SBIR Phase II: A low-cost real-time bio-electrochemical nitrate sensor for surface water monitoring
Contact
27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02210–2347
NSF Award
1230363 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$574,865
Start / end date
08/15/2012 – 05/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will continue the development of a low-cost real-time bio-electrochemical nitrate sensor for surface water monitoring initially funded as an NSF SBIR Phase I project. In Phase I, Cambrian Innovation demonstrated the feasibility of a bio-electrochemical sensor for measuring the level of nitrate in a water sample. Following the initial proof-of-principle, a microscale sensor prototype was developed and tested. The Phase II project will continue the development of the bio-electrochemical nitrate sensor to reach a detection level of less than 1 mg-N/L with a stable deployment of 6 months. Phase II development will optimize the sensor architecture and operational conditions for improved performance and develop a long-lasting substrate for microbial growth. Phase II will also include the design and construction of prototype electronic components, including the signal processing algorithm for interpreting the signal emitted by the bio-electrochemical cell. Finally, the sensor performance will be validated by extensive laboratory testing under controlled conditions followed by the initiation of field testing. Upon Phase II completion, Cambrian will be prepared for final development and testing of a first-generation nitrate sensor system in a Phase IIB project. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project addresses environmental nitrogen management, one of the most pressing issues facing society in the 21st century. Nitrate contamination of waterways has become a high profile topic due to anoxic dead zones and drops in fish populations. A significant portion of this environmental impact has been attributed to agricultural run-off (USGS, DOI, 2000). The need for regulation, monitoring, enforcement, and remediation of nitrate pollution is limited by a lack of cost-effective technology for continuous monitoring of nitrate in the environment. Simultaneously, an increased thrust in precision agriculture has been fueled not only by environmental concerns but also by the dramatic improvements in crop yield and quality that can be obtained through careful control of nutrient addition. The development of a low-cost real-time nitrate sensor will transform the management of agricultural facilities, resulting in dramatic improvements in fertilizing efficiency and the environmental impact of the food production industry. Cambrian Innovation is developing a bioelectrochemical nitrate sensor to fill this unmet need and establish a new paradigm in environmental sensing.
Errata
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Cambrian Innovation Inc
SBIR Phase II: Energy Efficient COD Removal and De-nitrification for Re-circulating Aquaculture Facilities with a Combined Bio-electrochemical Process
Contact
27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02210–2347
NSF Award
1127435 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,207,998
Start / end date
11/01/2011 – 05/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will optimize and pilot test a novel, energy-positive approach to de-nitrification for the global aquaculture industry. Recirculating aquaculture systems suffer from high wastewater treatment costs. Leveraging recent advances in bio-electrochemical systems, Cambrian's de-nitrification technology is capable of simultaneously treating chemical oxygen demand (COD) at end of pipe and nitrates in culture tank water while generating electricity directly. Phase I R&D demonstrated the existence of exo-electrogenic microorganisms in aquaculture wastewater. A flow through reactor consistently treated nitrate to below EPA drinking water concentrations (10mg/L) while removing an average of 65% of end-of-pipe COD and generating over 96 Amps/m3. An economic analysis demonstrated potential operating savings of over 70%, and significant bio-security benefits, versus competing systems. Phase II R&D will focus on optimizing treatment rates and reactor parameters with partner firms, and piloting a scaled reactor at an Aquaculture farm. The broader impacts of this research are to introduce technologies and strategies that solve water and energy problems for the recirculating aquaculture industry. With the collapse of fisheries globally, the aquaculture industry is poised to fill an important gap in our food production. However, recirculating systems in particular are under pressure to limit environmental harm caused by water intensity and pollution. Bio-electrochemical systems represent a novel approach to turn waste resources into energy, thereby increasing farmer?s bottom line and resolving the tension between economics and sustainability. Future research can broaden applications to other industries.
Errata
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Camras Vision, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Adjustable Eye Pressure Control within an External Shunt
Contact
PO Box 12076
Rtp, NC 27709–2076
NSF Award
1555923 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$865,805
Start / end date
03/01/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project allows for a more effective glaucoma treatment by adjusting eye pressure based on disease progression for each patient. In 2015, the US glaucoma market is estimated to be over $2 billion and our addressable market, glaucoma surgical therapies, is estimated to be $534M. The incidence for glaucoma increases with age, and as the baby boomer population gets older, there will be a growing need for glaucoma treatments. To treat glaucoma, patients undergo lifelong drug regimens, multiple laser procedures, and invasive surgical procedures. However, even with all these treatment options glaucoma patients still go blind from glaucoma. The proposed novel design and approach to glaucoma will personalize the treatment for patients and remove the need for numerous and costly procedures. Most importantly, the personalization of glaucoma therapy will optimize visual protection for every patient. The proposed project will validate the safety and efficacy of a glaucoma drainage device to adjust and set pressure in the eye. Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness and is only treatable by reducing eye pressure. Surgical treatments are unpredictable with suboptimal success rates based primarily on the choice of drainage site. The proposed novel device drains to a new area of the eye to avoid the complications and unpredictability associated with the current glaucoma surgeries. The device also can provide the first-ever personalized treatment for millions of glaucoma sufferers by fine-tuning pressure based on the needs of the patient throughout his or her lifetime. Phase I/IB studies have shown feasibility of the device with an adjustable component. However, its efficacy and safety have yet to be fully investigated. Therefore, in this Phase II research grant, we will optimize the device for safety and efficacy and perform the necessary preclinical testing according to FDA standards to further develop the product.
Errata
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Care Progress, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Leveraging Health Information Technology to Improve Communication Between Cancer Patients and Providers
Contact
7315 Wisconsin Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814–3202
NSF Award
1534685 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,024,282
Start / end date
09/15/2015 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve outcomes for patients in cancer treatment. Such patients often suffer from side effects of cancer treatment, such as dehydration and nausea. By enhancing communication between providers and patients, the project seeks to better manage such symptoms and thereby improve outcomes for patients, including lower readmission and emergency department visits and associated costs for Medicare, Medicaid and private payors. The project will enhance scientific and technological understanding by creating a knowledge base of symptoms patients are experiencing. If we are successful we will be able to improve cancer treatment and lower costs in the United States at a time when the number of cancer patients is projected to increase significantly. These benefits are likely to create strong commercial demand for our product from hospitals, Accountable Care Organizations and outpatient cancer centers, which are increasingly under pressure by legislation and private payors to reduce treatment costs. The proposed project seeks to address the problem of poor communication between providers and cancer patients (which is partially responsible for extremely high readmission and emergency department visits) who are experiencing nausea, dehydration, neutropenia and other side effects. The project seeks to obtain patient symptoms and report them to providers for potential earlier intervention and outcome improvement. The methods to be employed include assembling an expert panel, creating software and then conducting a feasibility trial. Key goals include demonstrating the feasibility of obtaining patient symptoms and that providers find the information useful and actionable
Errata
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Chirp Microsystems
SBIR Phase II: Ultrasonic 3D Rangefinding for Mobile Gesture Recognition
Contact
1452 Portland Ave.
Albany, CA 94706–1453
NSF Award
1456376 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,470,999
Start / end date
04/01/2015 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes the development of an ultralow-power ultrasonic three-dimensional (3D) rangefinder system for mobile gesture recognition. The proposed 3D rangefinder uses an array of tiny piezoelectric ultrasound transducers which are built on a silicon wafer using microfabrication techniques. Custom electronics are used to control the transducers and the system emits sound into the air and receives echoes from objects in front of the transducer array. The proposed ultrasonic 3D rangefinder has the potential to be small and low-power enough to be left on continuously, giving devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable electronic devices a way to sense physical objects in the surrounding environment. Based on the smartphone market alone, the potential market size for this device is over one billion units per year. Mobile contextual awareness will enable 3D interaction with smartphones and tablets, facilitating rich user interfaces for applications such as gaming and hands-free control in automobiles. Looking beyond the smartphone and tablet market, the proposed rangefinder will feature size and power advantages that will permit integration into centimeter-sized devices which are too small to support a touchscreen. During Phase II, the major technical goals of this project are to transfer the ultrasound transducer manufacturing from a university laboratory to a commercial production facility, to develop a custom integrated circuit for signal processing, and to develop engineering prototypes. In Phase I, micromachined ultrasound transducers having a novel structure designed to improve manufacturability were developed and a demonstration prototype was built using signal processing algorithms running on a personal computer. In Phase II, the ultrasound transducers will be manufactured in a commercial facility for the first time and signal processing algorithms will be realized on a custom mixed-signal integrated circuit. A prototype package for the transducer and integrated circuit chips will be developed and detailed acoustic testing of the packaged prototypes will be conducted.
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ConsortiEX, Inc
SBIR Phase II: Development of a Track-and-Trace Medication Barcoded Label
Contact
1000 N Water St
Milwaukee, WI 53202–6669
NSF Award
1660080 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$766,000
Start / end date
03/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is aimed at improving healthcare patient outcomes, potentially saving lives, and decreasing healthcare costs. The Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013 set stricter manufacturing standards on sterile injectable compounded medications that have closed many third party suppliers, thus creating shortages and higher prices. In response, the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists expects 40% of the US market, 2000 hospitals, by 2018 to receive insourced compounds. Hospitals that insource hope to decrease their costs and improve patient safety with higher quality product. Today, insourcing hospitals often have multiple information systems and use paper records cobbling together how a compound is made and to whom it has been administered. When an ingredient recall occurs, hospitals spend hundreds of man-hours identifying the problem source and affected patients. To prevent further patient risks speed is demanded. This SBIR Phase I project will provide hospitals the capability of an end-to-end quality management that will track every production process step and tracing medications to patients. Hospitals will be able to prevent patients from receiving recalled medications and identify quality production compromises thus improving patient outcomes and potentially saving lives. The proposed project is a novel medication barcoded label encryption technology compatible with existing hospital scanners to provide track and trace capabilities of intravenous medication compounds. Key objectives include both patient specific and anticipatory workflows with labels, a Passive Auditing management system for compounding quality control, and an innovation to improve operating room environment medication barcode scanning compliance. Today, healthcare providers utilize multiple barcoded label technologies with minimal embedded medication data across disparate systems. Medication labels could be the link across these systems for ingredient traceability. However, existing solutions are inadequate to meet 2013 legislative traceability mandates. The project invention will encrypt serialization fields within the barcoded label connecting a specific medication to its production data, and eventually to the patient. Compounding process data, such as ingredients, environmental conditions, and production instructions, will be connected to individual medication labels and stored in the patient?s electronic record. When an ingredient is recalled or questionable process identified, an extraction algorithm will pull the encrypted data from the EHR and will be connected to production data. Success of this project will be label readability by existing hospital scanners and retrieval of the serialized data from the EHR
Errata
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Construction Robotics, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Semi-Automated Masonry (SAM) Robotic System
Contact
3966 Kinder Lane
Jamesville, NY 13078–9664
NSF Award
1330154 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,455,234
Start / end date
08/01/2013 – 04/30/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will focus on the development of a commercially-viable robotic Semi-Automated Masonry (SAM) system. This SAM system will revolutionize the construction industry by significantly increasing the efficiency and throughput of brick wall construction using automation. The SAM system will be leased or sold to masonry contractors. The core technology being developed incorporates proprietary sensing, control systems, and mortar dispensing to achieve computer aided design (CAD)-driven, highly accurate automated bricklaying capability. The Phase II project will focus on developing and integrating key technical components of the system. The main technical objectives for the Phase II grant are to (1) fully integrate a mortar pumping and measurement system, (2) achieve brick placement accuracy during all jobsite conditions, (3) develop CAD to brick mapping software, and (4) to prepare the product for commercial viability. In addition, we will perform a number of site demonstrations to prove commercial viability. This project will stretch the bounds of commercial robotics as well as expand the scope of possibilities across the construction industry. Many new technologies will continue to be developed during the Phase II project in order to progress from prototyping to testing, and eventually commercial readiness. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is a technology to revolutionize the masonry construction industry. The SAM robotic system will provide many significant societal benefits including more predictable and reliable work, less physical demand on masons, lower costs and more design flexibility for the use of brick. By reducing the physical demands on the mason and increasing the use of technology, it will provide significant health benefits, effectively increasing the work life of older masons and attracting younger masons to the industry. Brick-based construction represents a significant portion of the global and U.S. economies, with over $20 billion spent on all domestic masonry work, and over $5 billion spent on commercial brick masonry alone. The significant increase in efficiency provided by this SAM system will make brick masonry more affordable. This could potentially lead to growth of the brick industry, resulting in many environmental and customer benefits such as energy and resource conservation. Through commercialization of the world's first robotic Semi-Automated masonry system, this project will help to expand the capability of an industry and revitalize the masonry trade.
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Coulometrics
SBIR Phase II: The Development of Higher Voltage, Longer Life and Lower Cost Activated Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors
Contact
100 Cherokee Boulevard
Chattanooga, TN 37405–3860
NSF Award
1430918 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$649,434
Start / end date
10/01/2014 – 09/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in significantly increasing the ways supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries are used today. Supercapacitors offer very high power capabilities and high energy efficiency and have been used in many renewable energy applications such as hybrid buses and wind turbines. Currently, their use is limited due to high cost and low energy density relative to Li-ion batteries. Coulometrics has developed a proprietary process that can modify low cost activated carbon materials into supercapacitor grade carbons with 25% higher energy density and twice the current lifespan of existing materials. These critical developments will lower the overall system cost and improve cell life allowing for more widespread use of supercapacitors in renewable energy applications. Coulometrics has also shown that a very similar process can be used to convert natural graphite to lithium ion grade anode materials with higher energy density and significantly lower cost. This process will also enable a Northern American company to become the first producer of graphite for lithium ion batteries on the continent which can significantly reduce lithium ion battery cost for applications such as electric vehicles. Both projects will have additional environmental benefits including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, less burning of fossil fuels, and help protect the environment. The project seeks to break through a significant barrier that has kept ultracapacitor voltage and energy density stagnant for over a decade and significantly reduce costs of lithium ion battery carbon materials. Supercapacitor companies all produce products with different carbons, electrolytes, cell construction, etc. and yet are all confined to the same performance specifications. We believe that this is related to oxidation/reduction reactions that occur on the carbon surface; a fairly intuitive hypothesis; however attempts at solutions have been futile. The surface treatment we developed in Phase I has resulted in a reduction of these oxidation/reduction currents by more than 50%. This technology will lead to the largest performance gains in the ultracapacitor industry in over 10 years. Additionally, one of the most challenging factors limiting market growth for ultracapacitors is their high cost, of which activated carbon accounts for 27%. Coulometrics' treatment applied to inexpensive water filtration carbon, also developed in Phase I, has shown very similar performance enhancements, and will cost up to 95% less than commercial activated carbon materials. The surface modification process for graphitic carbons will enable the low cost and high quality production of carbon anode materials for lithium ion batteries based on natural graphite. This breakthrough can significantly reduce lithium ion battery cost which is a key element for more wide spread adoption of electric vehicles which will help reduce our nation's dependence on the need to import foreign oil.
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Cycladex
SBIR Phase II: An Economic, Sustainable, Green, Gold Isolation Process
Contact
1319 N New York Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789–2527
NSF Award
1555601 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$712,215
Start / end date
05/01/2016 – 04/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is the potential to change the way gold mining is carried out by improving the process economics and reducing the environmental impact of mining operations. Current gold isolation methods involve the consumption of vast quantities of sodium cyanide, where cyanide is contained in large tailing dams, posing an environmental threat as exemplified by documented breaches. In the United States there are gold deposits which have not been exploited because of technology limitations and environmental concerns. The technology being developed in this project will improve the profitability of existing mines, as it can be employed with only minor changes in plant design. It will also but will also lead to new jobs. Another opportunity is to extract gold from copper tailings dams. The proposed technology will potentially make cleanup of these sites profitable and can be applied worldwide. In the longer term, the process could be adopted in third world countries which still rely on mercury which pollutes, not only the environment, but also the food chain. The objectives of this Phase II research project are to (i) scale up the extraction of gold using both the heap and vat leach processes, (ii) optimize the crystallization of Au(III) in the presence of the natural product á-cyclodextrin, and (iii) isolate the gold. For heap leaching, it is proposed to operate at the 400-MT level, concentrate the gold salt and crystallize the gold-cyclodextrin complex. Scale-up will require designing the process to utilize existing equipment (built originally for the sodium cyanide process) and introducing new chemicals. For vat leaching, a small pilot system will be built to accept crushed ore as the feed, and the resulting gold-containing extract will be taken through the crystallization process. Optimization of the leaching agent, mass transfer, kinetics and materials consumption will be ongoing. Regulatory approval for vat leaching, once secured, can be applied on-site globally to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits of the process. This technology has the potential to significantly make existing and new mining operations more environmentally sustainable.
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CytoVale, Inc
SBIR Phase II: A Cell Analysis Platform for Low-cost, Rapid Diagnosis of Sepsis Using Microfluidic Technologies
Contact
384 Oyster Point Blvd
South San Francisco, CA 94080–1967
NSF Award
1431033 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,419,607
Start / end date
12/01/2014 – 11/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in detecting sepsis early in its course, before end organ damage when it is most treatable. Sepsis, an uncontrolled systemic response to local infection by bacteria or fungi, is responsible for more deaths than prostate cancer, breast cancer, and AIDS combined and is associated with ~$17B in annual U.S. healthcare expenditures. We anticipate that providing emergency department physicians with an earlier diagnostic will profoundly influence clinical outcomes (currently ~40% mortality), costs (>$22,000/case), and the quality of life for survivors and their families. Accumulating evidence connects systemic immune activation ? a key process in sepsis ? with single-cell architectural changes that are mechanically measured by high-speed mechanical phenotyping technology. This technology is well-suited for adult sepsis screening in the emergency department (market size of $1.5B) due to: (1) the functional analysis of cell state the mechanical measurement provides, (2) its high achievable throughput and therefore statistical accuracy, (3) exceedingly short turnaround time, (4) low cost of goods, and (5) the clinically-actionable information it provides. Beyond the adult sepsis screening market, several additional indications include neonatal sepsis, bladder cancer detection, academic research tools, and drug development. The proposed project brings an innovative new class of biomarkers to bear on a problem that has been intractable with current biomarkers. Briefly, the physical properties of cells have been known to be important for decades, but only with the advent of breakthrough microfluidic technology have we been able to measure these parameters in a high-throughput manner capable of diagnosing disease. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II award will be used to develop and validate innovative sample preparation and image analysis modules for a sepsis screening technology as well as performance of proof-of-concept clinical studies that would be a flagship offering in using biomechanical biomarkers to diagnose disease. The technical objectives are designed to improve sensitivity to white blood cells, activated during sepsis, by microfluidic automation of sample preparation and optimization of the microscopic imaging optics. In addition to preparing the test for practical implementation in the emergency department, the test will be validated with a proof-of-concept clinical study, and a clinical scoring system will be devised.
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Data2Discovery Inc
SBIR Phase II: Semantic Link Association Prediction for Phenotypic Drug Discovery
Contact
901 E 10th St
Bloomington, IN 47408–3912
NSF Award
1660155 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/15/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the development of an informatics-based software platform that will help pharmaceutical companies create more new, effective, and safe drugs earlier in the R&D pipeline. This software platform will address a need for data integration and analysis tools to aid pharmaceutical researchers in 1) phenotypic screening, 2) toxicology analysis, and 3) drug repurposing. It will help these researchers quickly gather and interpret complex molecular and phenotypic data, making the drug discovery process more efficient and creating value for pharmaceutical companies. The economic impact of reducing the preclinical drug discovery process by just two weeks is estimated to be a $252 million cost savings for the industry. By using data more effectively earlier in the R&D process, this software platform also promises to enhance the quality of drugs that enter clinical trials. Thus, it provides an opportunity to reduce overall R&D spending and increase the number of drugs that enter the market - resulting in more economically priced medicines available to the population. This SBIR Phase II project proposes to build an informatics-based software platform that solves cross-domain data integration, analysis, and user application challenges in order to effectively use data to draw insights earlier in the R&D process and compress the development pipeline for new or repurposed drugs. Using highly scalable semantic graph technologies, a flexible three-layer architecture is being developed that includes the 1) Biomedical Data Layer, 2) Computational Layer, and 3) Application Layer. This architecture allows the system be fully scalable and extensible to other datasets and biomedical applications. The system will be beta-tested by pharmaceutical researchers and evaluated though the creation of scientifically relevant use-cases. This development will result in a commercial software system that makes important biomedical data and insights available to all researchers within a pharmaceutical organization by addressing high need data integration, analysis, and application challenges.
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DropWise Technologies Corp.
SBIR Phase II: Anti-fouling surface modifications for purification membranes
Contact
1035 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02210–2384
NSF Award
1660225 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$724,037
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will address the challenge of fouling on membranes used in biopharmaceutical processing. The successful application of this coating would enable increase in the membrane lifetime and product yield of various production streams as less of the valuable compounds remain trapped in the membrane. This can increase production capacity for life-saving medicines, reduce production costs and, in certain cases, enable continuous biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Furthermore, functionalization of membranes currently involve significant quantities of environmentally harmful solvents, which may be leachable during usage of the membrane. This issue is avoided in the current project by utilizing initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process which does not require any solvent. This coating technology can also be extended to other systems including wastewater purification, food & beverage production, industrial separations, and medical devices that rely on a similar functionalization. The objective of Phase II will be to demonstrate a commercially viable manufacturing process to produce surface modifications within porous membranes using the iCVD process. Previous work in this subject has focused on top-coats on the top surfaces of reverse osmosis membranes, but the chemistries utilized have never before been demonstrated within interior structures of the membrane filters. During the Phase II work, the performance of the coatings will be optimized by using existing deposition equipment to tune the coating chemistry and process conditions to maximize the flux and throughput by minimizing protein fouling. The other main technical goal of the work will be to translate the current batch process into a continuous roll-to-roll process that is amenable to large-scale manufacturing. The outcome of this study will be a proven coating chemistry that is effective and durable in the membrane application, and an optimized manufacturing process capable of being implemented within current standards of membrane manufacturing.
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Ecovative Design LLC
SBIR Phase II: Using Mycelium as a Matrix For Binding Natural Fibers And Core Filler Materials in Sustainable Composites
Contact
70 Cohoes Avenue
Troy, NY 12183–1518
NSF Award
1152476 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,047,588
Start / end date
04/01/2012 – 03/31/2016
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to further quantify the mechanical performance of mycological bio-composites that address the automotive and structural core industries, while concurrently scaling and demonstrating material production. The engineered composites market continues to grow steadily because of the high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios of these systems, as compared to conventional engineering materials. Engineered woods are ubiquitous in the construction and furniture industries, but due to domestic indoor air quality regulations (Toxic Substances Control Act), these materials are being phased out or are forced to use expensive formaldehyde-free adhesives. Similarly, the automotive industry is under regulatory pressure in Europe to find alternatives to fire-retardant foams that cannot be recycled due to inorganic filling agents. The technical results from the Phase I effort have demonstrated bio-composite materials which can compete both economically, and on mechanical performance, with the aforementioned competitors, while meeting these legislative demands. A preliminary cost analysis based on the process economics of our existing production facilities projects retail costs 45% and 35% below the current state-of-the-art in the automotive and furniture industries, respectively. We will work with key industry partners to meet performance metrics and demonstrate quality pilot production. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project would be a customizable bio-composite for a broad range of markets, including automotive, transportation, architectural, furniture, sports, and recreation. These materials are truly sustainable, since both the laminates and cores used in the sandwich structure consist of renewable materials. They also require significantly less energy to make than other biocompatible composites, because the material is grown instead of synthesized, and the material is completely compostable at the end of life. The outcome of the proposed development and demonstration will ensure that the bio-composite properties meet the requirements for the target markets. Furthermore, over the course of this grant, and in cooperation with Rensselaer and Union College, we will demonstrate and scale the best manufacturing processes to a pilot stage capable of manufacturing high volumes of quality product. Since these materials leverage regional lignocellulosic byproducts from domestic agriculture and industry, a regional manufacturing model is presently being pursued to reduce transportation and feedstock costs. This will not only bring additional value to U.S. agricultural markets, but will spur rural economic development through domestic manufacturing. Finally, these advanced biological materials represent a new paradigm in manufacturing, offering safe, biodegradable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based alternatives.
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Ecovative Design LLC
SBIR Phase II: Method of Disinfecting Precursor Materials using Plant Essential Oils for a New Material Technology
Contact
70 Cohoes Avenue
Troy, NY 12183–1518
NSF Award
1058285 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$953,372
Start / end date
03/01/2011 – 02/28/2015
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to further develop, and demonstrate at scale, a biological disinfection process that has exhibited superior microbial inactivation to steam pasteurization at a lower cost. This process leverages dilute concentrations (0.5-0.875% by volume) of plant-derived phenols and aldehydes to inactivate lower level fungi and bacteria found on agricultural byproducts (seed husks and hulls). The application focus for this demonstration is a novel material technology that converts lignocellulosic waste into a high performance, low cost replacement for synthetics (plastics and foams) using a filamentous fungus. This biological disinfection process can reduce process energy consumption by 83% and system capital expense by upwards of 50%. This project will fully quantify the efficacy of this disinfection process at scale (production volumes) as well as analyze the integration of this technique into a mycological material production facility that is presently addressing the protective packaging industry. Batch and continuous systems will be explored, and a comprehensive economic model will be developed based on the results. The mycological materials that are produced under this demonstration will be compared with materials fabricated with the existing pasteurization system, and samples will be evaluated by customers to ensure product adoption. High-embodied energy disinfection processes, autoclave sterilization or pasteurization, are ubiquitous within industries such as agriculture, food processing, and biotechnology. These methodologies are implemented to reduce or remove background bioburden (bacteria, yeast, mold) that can be detrimental to downstream processes due to contamination. Mycological materials production represents such a process since raw material contamination results in product loss and added labor. The plant essential oil (PEO) disinfection technique was proven under the Phase I research to offer a comparable process time to steam pasteurization and superior disinfection efficacy; thus this technology could serve as a drop-in replacement in some industrial applications. This process minimizes capital equipment and operations costs due a reduction in system complexity and energy consumption. In regards to the production of mycological products, this disinfection process bolsters the process robustness by extending contaminate inactivation periods which promotes rapid mycelium colonization or a reduction in incubation time. Therefore new market opportunities for mycological materials can be addressed while further supporting the business case for regional manufacturing using domestic agricultural waste as raw materials. Finally, the benefits obtained from this novel disinfection process permit an accelerated deployment and development of turnkey production systems to displace synthetic materials.
Errata
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Edify Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Empowering Music Learning Through Composition on Mobile Devices
Contact
1232 Detroit St.
Denver, CO 80206–3330
NSF Award
1660072 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This project will address the need for accessible, creative music education. Over 90% of Americans believe music education is valuable, but very few people ever learn enough to create their own music. Instrument lessons are a great way for some beginners to learn about music; however, instrument lessons are expensive and difficult, and focus on performance and technique at the expense of creativity. This project uses a simple audiovisual composition interface to empower music learners to create their own original music on mobile devices from the very beginning of their music education. By combining this intuitive composition interface with data tracking and analysis, this project creates the opportunity to provide music makers with personalized, adaptive feedback as they compose. Currently, $3 billion are spent each year in the United States on instrument lessons, even though they are unaffordable for many potential customers. By leveraging the proliferation of mobile devices worldwide, this project will deliver an accessible, low-cost digital music education option, creating a new market that includes customers who are currently priced out. Expanding participation in creative music education will increase the quantity and quality of music composed worldwide, while also building a sustainable, revenue-generating business and creating new jobs. Through data-driven agile software development, this project will address the need for accessible music education through the creation of a technology platform that delivers adaptive learning to musical beginners. Because the platform upon which this project is built is already empowering the creation of thousands of songs each week and collecting usage data from live users, this project is uniquely positioned to tackle the complex problem of providing algorithmic feedback on creative work at scale. Research and development will proceed in four stages: (1) expanding internal tools to allow for direct analysis of the thousands of songs being created on the platform each week; (2) developing an algorithmic approach to analyzing songs and reporting the results to users; (3) applying analysis to match users with relevant communities and collaborators; and (4) implementing adaptive learning approaches to help users more effectively learn to create music. This staged development process will result in an innovative and highly differentiated technology that enables beginners with no musical experience to compose their own music, and uses data to actively support their individual needs as they learn.
Errata
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
STTR Phase II: In-Home Rehabilitation System for Post Stroke Patients
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
0924037 – STTR PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,024,000
Start / end date
08/01/2009 – 09/30/2013
Abstract
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project proposes to create an in-home gait training device that allows a post-stroke patient to undergo rehabilitation with little or no assistance. Approximately 500,000 Americans survive a stroke each year. Miraculously, most stroke survivors can relearn skills, such as walking, that are lost when part of the brain is damaged. They can relearn walking most effectively if they are aided in making the correct motions by a machine or a physical therapist while attempting to walk. This training is expensive and requires the patient to make regular visits to a stroke center or qualified physical therapy center. Berkeley Bionics proposes to create a lightweight robotic exoskeleton which cradles a patient?s lower extremities and torso, and maneuvers their rehabilitating limbs for them. The broader impacts of this research are immense. These devices could move most post-stroke rehabilitation out of the clinical setting thereby reducing labor costs dramatically. The gait training exoskeletons will be wearable, very unobtrusive, and allow patients to maneuver in the real world. Patients would therefore be able to wear such devices for most of the day, thus remaining mobile and gaining the therapeutic effects of physical therapy over the course of a day, rather than just a short session. Furthermore, creating such a device will also give clinicians an alternative to the wheelchair to assist patients who are unable to recover adequate mobility to function in their daily lives. This could potentially reduce unhealthy effects of wheelchair use for millions.
Errata
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
STTR Phase II: Lower Extremity Exoskeleton Assist Device for Reducing the Risk of Back Injuries among Workers
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
0956801 – STTR PHASE II
Award amount to date
$500,000
Start / end date
02/01/2010 – 07/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project proposes will study the technology barriers associated with creating exoskeleton assist devices for workers in distribution centers and automobile assembly plants. By using these devices, workers can dramatically reduce the load in the vertebrae of the lower back when maneuvering parts and boxes. The assist device will take the majority of the load off of the user?s body. Such collaboration between humans and machines has the benefit of the intellectual advantage of humans coupled with the strength advantage of machines. The proposed project involves the University of California at Berkeley as research partner, General Motors Corporation, and the U.S. Postal Service. The end goal is a reduction in back injuries in the workplace which are considered by OSHA the nation?s number one workplace safety problem. The broader impacts of this research are reduced worker?s compensation insurance costs, reduced disability payments, increased worker productivity, and the ability for workers to keep working into their older years. Furthermore, these new devices will open an entirely new market which will serve an important role in establishing the United States as the number one player in the emerging field of bionics. Additionally, establishing this market for exoskeletons will enable the development of other exoskeleton markets which include military exoskeletons for carrying backpack and body armor loads, rescue worker exoskeletons, stair climbing exoskeletons for urban firefighters, and wild-land firefighter exoskeletons. The potential impacts to worker safety and American quality of life are large and diverse.
Errata
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
STTR Phase II: Integrated Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthetic System
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
1026872 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,032,000
Start / end date
09/15/2010 – 02/28/2015
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project proposes the development of an integrated powered knee-ankle prosthesis. The objective of this proposal is to investigate the use of integrated powered knee and ankle joints in trans-femoral prostheses that use sensory information from the ground and the wearer. The hypothesis is that a prosthesis with actively powered knee and ankle joints will significantly enhance the mobility of trans-femoral amputees while walking on level grounds, as well as stairs and slopes. The inability to deliver power to prosthetic systems has significantly impaired their ability to restore many locomotive functions. This proposal will derive a set of guidelines on design and control of an integrated powered knee and ankle prosthetic system which will improve locomotion function such as walking up stairs, walking up slopes, running, jumping, and as hypothesized in this proposal, even level walking. The proposed work will result in new theoretical frameworks for control and sensory systems, and the design of such systems. Major intellectual contributions will include the design of power systems; development of the sensory system to obtain information from the ground and from the user; the development of a control framework for the interactive control of prostheses; and the development of adaptive and robust controllers for impedance modulation during locomotion. This project intends to create principles that provide significantly greater functional capabilities for above-knee amputees. Specifically, our work will enable more natural, stable, and adaptable prostheses. These research elements in this proposal will also form a foundation for powered orthotic systems. Additional significant benefits of this work include fostering a broader awareness and increased sensitivity of young engineers and educational institutions to disability issues. Limb loss is also afflicting a growing number of military personnel serving in recent conflicts, as well as a far larger number of veterans from previous wars. The recent Middle East conflicts have resulted in a number of young amputees, many of whom still shoulder the responsibility of raising families and anticipate a working life ahead of them. The integrated knee-ankle prosthetic proposed here will have a direct impact on the mobility of the trans-femoral amputees and their quality of life, and most likely alleviate the long-term consequences related to musculoskeletal health.
Errata
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Elidah, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Novel Treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence
Contact
810 Main St. Ste C
Monroe, CT 06468–2809
NSF Award
1630203 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$760,000
Start / end date
09/15/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the expedited development of a novel non-surgical medical device and therapeutic treatment for the approximately 1 in 3 women over the age of 30 who suffer from urinary incontinence, two thirds of whom, in part due to notable deficiencies of available solutions, elect to live without treatment while their symptoms progressively worsen. Urinary incontinence, although a very private concern, has far-reaching physical, psychological, social, and economic implications. For example, urinary incontinence has been found to reduce health-related quality of life measures on par with depression, incontinence is the number one reason for admittance into nursing homes, and the annual cost to the US healthcare system is estimated at $25 billion. Through design and validation activities this project will demonstrate the functionality of a wearable device that provides discreet, comfortable, easy-to-use therapy for female stress urinary incontinence. The technological understanding gained through this work lays the groundwork for subsequent commercialization of an FDA cleared product that will enhance the lives of tens of millions of American women. The proposed project provides a new framework for wearable therapeutics by enabling the patient to treat incontinence via discreet surface electrical stimulation without interruption to daily activity. Current non-surgical care often involves electrical stimulation via intravaginal probe, a treatment most woman are not willing to adopt or maintain. This project builds on successful Phase I feasibility work in which a contiguous array of cutaneous electrodes placed proximate the perineal tissue to deliver sufficient electrical muscle stimulation to promote pelvic floor toning were shown to maintain this efficacy under conditions associated with continuous wear. The Phase II project goal is to develop an incontinence specific electrical muscle stimulator to function with the electrode array. The system architecture will enable manipulation of the therapeutic waveform to support future multi-armed clinical studies designed to test the efficacy of various treatment regimens. The system will also track treatment frequency, duration and intensity to provide information to clinical researchers. Activity will include design, prototype fabrication, performance testing, human factors assessments, iteration and electrical safety validation. Refinements to the electrode array are also anticipated. The project will deliver a device suitable for future evaluation a human clinical studies, FDA clearance and product commercialization.
Errata
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Endectra, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Novel Solid-State Cerenkov Detector for Portable and Wearable Neutron Radiation Sensors
Contact
U-M Venture Accelerator
Ann Arbor, MI 48109–5001
NSF Award
1632467 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$749,732
Start / end date
08/15/2016 – 07/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the potential to bring a disruptive neutron detector technology to market, filling an urgent demonstrated need for real time, portable and wearable radiation detectors. Successful commercialization of the innovative Cerenkov BoroSilicate Glass (CBSG) technology will serve a broad customer base in the nuclear detection and verification industry. Market research indicates large scale potential, in the billions of dollars. This market is currently well served with gamma ray and x-ray detection devices, but the capabilities for portable and wearable neutron detectors are not as well established. The proposed technology will close this gap and is anticipated to have a very broad impact. The Cerenkov detector technology can also be transformative in enabling new kinds of directional arrays for neutron imaging and portal detectors, helping to make the nation's borders more secure against illicit nuclear materials and providing improved tools for nuclear safeguards and verification. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to commercialize an innovative neutron detector module based 100% on solid-state technology. The overall objective of the project is to build on the successful Cerenkov BoroSilicate Glass (CBSG) detector prototyping in Phase I/IB to develop a small, low cost, modular neutron detector which can be integrated with existing gamma detector technologies to 1) form a comprehensive, scalable, networked solution to the problem of Special Nuclear Material detection; 2) enable inexpensive in-house and third party integration of neutron detection technology into radioisotope identification devices and personal radiation dosimeters; and 3) allow for further testing and advanced product development relating to directional neutron detector networks, direct fast neutron detectors, and neutron spectroscopy. The research objectives include a thorough quantitative assessment of the detector front-end material response to neutron radiation and evaluation of its optoelectronic characteristics. In particular, in collaboration with a specialty glass manufacturer, the isotopic composition of glass front-end will be optimized for fast neutron detection. The anticipated result is a novel and disruptive neutron detection approach.
Errata
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Flodesign Sonics Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A novel economic, efficient, environmentally benign, and sustainable multi-component separation technology based on acoustophoresis
Contact
380 Main Street
Wilbraham, MA 01095–1639
NSF Award
1330287 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,470,704
Start / end date
09/01/2013 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on a novel ultrasonic acoustophoretic separation technology that is economic, efficient, sustainable, and environmentally benign. Current technologies, e.g., hydrocyclones, and membrane filtration, suffer from problems, such as high energy costs, use of consumables, fouling, and limited efficiency in separation of micron-sized particles. The proposed technology does not generate waste, does not use consumables, operates at a low energy cost, and provides efficient separation for micron-size particles. Ultrasonic standing waves are used to trap secondary phase particles in a fluid stream, when the acoustic radiation force exerted on the particles is stronger than the combined effect of fluid drag and buoyancy. The action of the acoustic forces on the trapped particles results in agglomeration and/or coalescence of particles and droplets. Heavier than water particles are separated through enhanced gravitational settling, and lighter particles through enhanced buoyancy. During Phase I, successful prototypes were designed with a separation efficiency of more than 90% of a 1000 ppm emulsion at flow rates of 2500 Liters per minute. Phase II focuses on the development of a system capable of processing 4 gpm, with fully integrated customized electronics, and testing of the system on real-world emulsions. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that the novel acoustophoretic separation technology provides for a cheaper and lower cost of energy separation of multi- component phase mixtures. It can function as a drop-in replacement for conventional separation technology, such as hydrocyclones and other methods. The societal impact is the development of separation technologies that are sustainable and environmentally benign since they do not generate any waste or use consumables. Enhanced extraction of micron-sized oil droplets from water offer opportunities for enhanced oil recovery and oil-spill cleanup and reduce the emission of micron-sized oil droplets into the environment. This project increases the science and technology behind the use of acoustic radiation force on large volume flow rate. Full numerical models will be created to use in conjunction with experimental results. Dissemination of this work will be done by publishing our results in peer reviewed journals and conferences. This project provides several internships to undergraduate engineering students, an opportunity to learn and practice engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship at a small start-up company. FloDesign Sonics has a strong history and commitment to integrating undergraduate students in the development of their technology through offering internships and providing supervision for senior capstone design projects.
Errata
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Geospatial Data Analysis Corporation
SBIR Phase II: High Resolution, Synthetic Satellite Imagery of the Earth
Contact
301 Science Park Rd.
State College, PA 16803–2293
NSF Award
1660067 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$748,212
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to address a strong commercial and scientific need for operational synthesis of spatially consistent and temporally relevant historical and current high resolution satellite imagery for analytical purposes. The technology will contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge especially in the geospatial arena and to market spillovers. By dramatically simplifying access to accurate imagery for any time and place, this technology will provide companies, researchers, educators, students, and regular citizens with a valuable tool for visualizing and exploring our changing planet and will contribute to increasing public engagement with science and technology. Further, the analytical capabilities offered by the imagery have great potential in scientific applications thus contributing to partnerships between academia and industry and improving datasets for research and education. Finally, this technology will be valuable in operational settings at the large providers of commercial satellite imagery, to individual users, and enable a wide variety of new visualization, analysis, and data mining applications. The examples of commercial applications for the technology are virtual earth, insurance and reinsurance, agriculture, emergency, change detection. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will operationally synthesize accurate regional-to-global, high spatial / high temporal satellite imagery of the Earth. The technology will utilize advanced data fusion algorithms to combine various sources of imagery while preserving the best spatial and temporal attributes of the data sources. The complexity of accessing, processing, and analyzing various sources of satellite imagery creates a significant barrier to its use. Synthesis of regionally and globally continuous high spatial / high temporal resolution imagery is a challenge as in addition to inherent differences in spatial and temporal resolutions of the source data, the new models need to account for enormous data volumes and sparse coverage of high spatial resolution imagery. Existing techniques to handle these challenges have severe limitations which curtail their use outside of the research arena. The technology will overcome these limitations by implementing algorithms that are robust, automated, scalable, deliver accurate data, and are usable in operational settings. They will provide spatially consistent and temporally relevant imagery which will empower businesses with regional and global outreach to make better decisions with better data.
Errata
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Ginkgo BioWorks
SBIR Phase II: Novel Proteolysis-based Tools for Metabolic Engineering
Contact
27 Drydock Ave Floor 8
Boston, MA 02210–2413
NSF Award
1256446 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,314,964
Start / end date
04/15/2013 – 09/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project aims to engineer microbes for the cost-effective production of specialty chemicals. Currently, engineered microbial strains bear mutations that increase the production of chemicals of interest by inhibiting the cell's ability to produce off pathway chemicals. These "loss-of-function" mutations are critical as they effectively channel the cell's metabolic flux toward the product of interest. This both boosts the production efficiency and eases downstream purification by eliminating the accumulation of undesirable but chemically-similar contaminants. Unfortunately, these mutations may also decrease the fitness of the cells and, as a result, the growth media must be supplemented with costly nutrients. Technical research herein will assess the feasibility of applying novel regulated proteolysis technology to simultaneously direct maximal metabolic flux toward the target chemical of interest while avoiding the need to supplement the growth media. If successful, this technology would provide a great cost savings and enable fermentative production to be applied more broadly in the production of specialty chemicals. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide a stable and cost-effective fermentative production route to a specialty chemical. Fermentative production of chemicals offers many advantages over traditional petrochemical or extraction-based production processes. Petrochemical production maintains the nation?s reliance on an unsustainable feedstock (oil) and also leads to national security issues as the US is largely dependent on foreign oil sources. Chemical production via extraction from plant materials also has ecological challenges. The process often uses toxic solvents, and may rely on unsustainable farming practices for many plants that are not traditional food crops. Engineered microbes fermented on sugar feedstock produced using high-efficiency agricultural practices offer a stable alternative for producing specialty chemicals, both in terms of supply and price.
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Glauconix Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Development of a High-Throughput Drug Screening System for Eye Diseases
Contact
251 Fuller Road
Albany, NY 12203–3640
NSF Award
1660131 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the development of a drug screening system that will accelerate drug discovery for several eye diseases, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular edema. This technology will fulfill unmet needs of small and large biopharmaceutical companies engaged in drug discovery for various eye diseases by reducing development cost, expediting preclinical research, and increasing the chances of clinical success. From the socio-economic standpoint, this technology will result in the development of more effective ocular drugs that will decrease eye disease treatment cost. Furthermore, this model will facilitate more rapid development of technologies for the diagnosis of glaucoma and new surgical techniques in the management of this disease. Overall, this screening system will accelerate the development of medications for eye diseases, enhancing the quality of life for millions of people. This SBIR Phase II project will address the lack of effective models for testing targeted glaucoma therapeutics and additional ocular diseases. Currently, none of the available glaucoma medications target the eye tissue responsible for this disease due to absence of clinically relevant testing platform that incorporates this particular eye tissue. Presently, animal or human cadaver eyes are used to study and test the effects of medications on such tissue, however, these preparations are cumbersome and expensive. The proposed work will be the first-of-its-kind to engineer physiologically-relevant 3D human eye tissues utilizing novel cell culture methods along with microfabrication techniques and a microfluidic system. These 3D tissues will facilitate the development of disease-relevant in vitro model systems for understanding not only glaucoma but also diabetic retinopathy and macular edema pathology. This tool will help increase the success rate of glaucoma and ocular vasculature-related medications at later stages of drug development pipeline.
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GridBridge, Inc
SBIR Phase II: A Highly Efficient GridBridge Grid Energy Router for Grid Modernization
Contact
1009 Capability Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606–3901
NSF Award
1430911 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,631,703
Start / end date
09/01/2014 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the development of a cornerstone for reliable electricity and a modernized grid able to evolve alongside emerging customer demands. Reliable electricity is key component of an industrialized market, critical for the information age, and an enabler for non-industrialized regions evolution and eventual world economic contribution. The societal benefit therefore of GridBridge's commercially feasible Grid Energy Router is colossal, as it is the step-function change required to truly orchestrate a grid to match this era. This project will enable numerous hindered technologies and scientific understanding related to energy storage, photovoltaic and other renewable generation, as well as electric vehicles and their correlated fast chargers. Energy savings are also a monumental aspect and are expected to be in the trillions of dollars. Society needs electricity to maintain civilization and an updated grid is imperative for supplying that electricity to an evolved consumer base. GridBridge?s Grid Energy Router will be the crucial component for the modernized grid an enabler for numerous complementary technologies. GridBridge's GER will eventually replace millions of installed legacy grid technologies throughout the world. Furthermore, the continued GridBridge-ERC relationship establishes FREEDM ERC's commercialization ecosystem, which includes 200 diverse students. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 2 project combines various research aspects to commercialize the company?s third breakthrough product for electric utilities, the Grid Energy Router (GER). GridBridge?s Grid Energy Router will be cornerstone for an evolved grid that can integrate renewables and storage, offer dynamic efficiency gains, and intelligently route power. Although there has been early work with power electronics merely focusing in the area of high-voltage conversion, the approaches thus far limit commercialization and manufacturability. GridBridge will combine over three years of company market research and utility voice of the customer, a unique product roadmap, and cutting edge research in the areas of feature implementation and voltage conversion. Keeping in mind the end market, electric utility requirements have been incorporated: highly efficient, cost-competitive, manufacturable within a specific market window, and scalable both to high power and high voltage. This project facilitates a cost-effective and electrically-efficient product design ready for industrialization and ultimately grid integration, while simultaneously incorporating valuable features that justify utility expenditure and meet a market window of need.
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Ground Fluor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: PET Radiotracer Synthesis
Contact
2124 Y St. Flat 101
Lincoln, NE 68503–2495
NSF Award
1353246 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,361,310
Start / end date
04/15/2014 – 06/30/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project develops positron emission tomography (PET) imaging products to manage neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. PET is now a key diagnostic and management tool in oncology, and compounds labeled with [18F]-fluoride provide optimal signal to noise ratios and resolution in medical imaging applications. Ground Fluor Pharmaceuticals (GFP) developed proprietary single-step fluorination technology that allows [18F]-labeled medicines to be prepared efficiently from cyclotron-produced [18F]-fluoride. Under this Phase II research project GFP will apply its new technology to produce the imaging agent 6- [18F]fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA), a compound useful in diagnosing Parkinson's disease and in cancer imaging, that is not currently readily available because of the difficulty in its production. GFP will scale-up and manufacture pharmaceutical grade ALPDOPA (GFP's precursor to FDOPA) under pharmaceutical cGMP conditions, and offer this material for research studies and for clinical imaging. GFP will develop an FDA drug master file and will provide technical and regulatory assistance to cyclotron pharmacy customers adopting GFP's technology for commercial production of FDOPA. In addition to helping to bring this valuable imaging agent to market, GFP will assist academic and pharmaceutical research groups in the development of new [18F]- fluorinated imaging products. The broader impact/commercial potential is to expand the scope and utility of PET as medical diagnostic tool, thereby improving treatment and management of serious medical problems. Although [18F]-fluoride possesses, perhaps, the most advantageous properties for imaging, is relatively inexpensive, and is widely available, it is difficult to incorporate into medicines for imaging. GFP has developed a general enabling technology that uses the relatively inexpensive and widely available form of [18F]-fluoride to create new molecular imaging agents to advance personalized medicine. This technology, and the compounds it creates, will provide the physician with new opportunities to diagnose, assess, and more efficiently treat unmet medical needs. The manufacturing technology developed here is a broad platform applicable to the preparation of a wide range of new imaging agents. The commercial potential of PET imaging is significant; the worldwide market for PET is expected to grow to $15 billion by 2015.
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Guiding Technologies Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Using Data Mining to Optimally Customize Therapy for Individuals with Autism
Contact
1500 JFK Blvd Suite 1825 2 Penn
Philadelphia, PA 19102–1710
NSF Award
1632257 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$758,215
Start / end date
08/01/2016 – 07/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will revolutionize the treatment of individuals with autism. One of every sixty-eight US children has autism (over 1.1 million). The estimated cost of providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to those who could benefit is $7.5 billion dollars annually. Societal impacts include: 1) more individuals with autism across the globe will receive treatment regimens that will enable them to live more fulfilled lives and reach their full potential; 2) families whose children are good candidates for treatment and receive it will experience reduced stress and better family life; and 3) the additional lifetime cost of not effectively treating children with autism, which is approximately ten-fold the cost of treatment, will be reduced. Because high-quality, contextually rich ABA performance data will be collected for the first time, efforts to apply data analytics will contribute in two important ways: a) patterns may be discerned across individuals with autism to better understand variations in autism and create therapies to target these differences; b) expansion of the frontiers of data mining to provide guidance in real time will contribute to a number of areas within and beyond ABA therapy. The proposed project will optimize therapy outcomes for individuals with autism by transforming agent-based guiding technology into an adaptive and intelligent ABA therapy assistant for supervisors and instructors. The project pushes the boundaries in providing cost-effective, adaptable, intelligent, real-time guidance and data-collection support to instructors that integrates naturally into the instructional process and is easy to learn and use. ABA therapy experts, supervisors and instructors will verify the analyses and resulting guidance incorporated into the technology. Advanced theories of usability engineering, including some developed by the project team, will be used to build interfaces that supervisors and instructors can intuit without the need for learning new concepts and syntax. The project will utilize the collected logs from multiple sessions with multiple therapy recipients and multiple therapy providers to uncover hidden patterns and assist supervisors in selecting appropriate therapy steps personalized for the individual with autism. The project will build on a large body of recent work in visualization, machine learning on temporal predictive modeling and sequential pattern mining, including some of the previous results of the project team. Special attention will be paid to the recent work in educational data mining and intelligent tutoring.
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HealthMyne, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A Minable, Quantitative Imaging Platform for Evidence-Based Medicine within Oncology
Contact
918, Deming Way, 3rd Floor
Madison, WI 53717–1945
NSF Award
1456353 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$926,541
Start / end date
04/01/2015 – 09/30/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to significantly improve the care of cancer patients by providing an integrated platform for clinical data and image analytics to their care providers for better clinical decision making. Tight integration of clinical data with radiology images will enable evidence-based approaches to be used by care providers in oncology. The tools being developed in this project will enable accelerated transition of comprehensive data-driven cancer research into clinical practice for decision making related to diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Recent trends, such as wide adoption of electronic medical records and radiological images and availability of powerful computing at reasonable prices have made it possible to improve the prognostic and diagnostic power of data, in particular imaging data analysis in healthcare. The integrated analytics platform being developed will streamline treatment monitoring by imaging and reduce diagnostic errors; hence increasing the quality to cancer care. The proposed project aims to develop an integrated, minable, clinical and imaging data analytics platform for oncology. The platform combines recent advances in data mining, context search, image segmentation and deformable registration into an imaging system deployed at the point of care. The diagnostic potential of clinical and image data will be enhanced by the ability to compare lesion characteristics of the current case to a large repository of lesions from other studies with known diagnosis. The proposed search tool will generate patient cohorts with a given set of diagnosis and treatment conditions and present the related images to the diagnostician. Additional technology will locate and track tumors and provide detailed characterization such as size, shape, location and texture with detailed analytics. A large, minable database of segmented tumors and detailed metrics will advance research into identifying ?imaging biomarkers?. The embedded imaging platform will allow clinicians to access these decision support tools across a wide spectrum of devices from powerful personal computers to tablets and other mobile devices.
Errata
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Addenda
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IOTAS, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Automated Pairing and Provisioning
Contact
2547 NE 16th Ave
Portland, OR 97212–4231
NSF Award
1655520 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$727,647
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be focusing on automatic pairing and provisioning of Internet of Things (IoT) for the Multi-Family-Home (MFH) industry, to help them increase revenue potential by digitizing their apartments. It is estimated that the Smart Home Automation industry will reach $71B by 2018. If installation and setup of IoT devices could be automated and simplified then the MFH industry could roll out Smart Apartments quickly and in large scale. Being able to gather data and insights on buildings could lead to increased revenue from more efficient use of labor and materials and through better management of energy. It also gives them the opportunity to create new revenue streams from software and services targeted at the data output. The MFH industry can also get insights on their entire building portfolio versus a single building and more efficiently manage their entire portfolio. The MFH industry implementing Smart Home Automation technology has huge societal benefits by integrating with smart grids and utility demand response programs. The potential energy savings of 18M Smart Apartments could be hundred thousand gigawatt hours or $7.3B in savings. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to enable the deployment of a scalable and maintainable infrastructure through the use of mechanisms including automatic pairing, tiered authentication, and network isolation in low cost, resource-constrained Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The problem with existing IoT pairing methods is that they are targeted at Single-Family-Home deployments and the number of nodes that needs to be paired are relatively minimal. However, this is not a scalable model when trying to address the needs of the Multi-Family-Home (MFH) industry. In the multi-family dwelling, the sheer density of nodes creates new problems. The technical challenge that remains for this phase is to ensure that all the devices will easily pair and to differentiate the nodes so that they authenticate and provision to the right apartment in a dense, RF noisy environment. Developing a cost effective, scalable solution for this high-density scenario is a key component to fulfilling the value proposition of mass deployment in the Multi-Family-Home industry. The anticipated result of this project is to solve the issue of pairing large quantities of end nodes and authenticating them appropriately to the correct apartment.
Errata
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Imprint Energy, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Integration of Custom, Printable Batteries in Robotic Technologies
Contact
1320 Harbor Bay Parkway
Alameda, CA 94502–0000
NSF Award
1256631 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,128,850
Start / end date
03/15/2013 – 05/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II project will expand the performance of a novel zinc battery chemistry which leverages a high conductivity polymer electrolyte, and further characterize the battery system to increase its commercial attractiveness to interested customers and partners, particularly for small portable and flexible electronics applications. The novel zinc battery chemistry is an ultrathin, flexible and rechargeable battery technology. This battery chemistry utilizes an air-stable, earth-abundant, robust, and non-lithium materials set that is manufacturable by print-based processing and is scalable to large dimensions with sheet or web manufacturing. The goals of this project are to increase understanding of this new battery chemistry, demonstrate and characterize its unique flexibility, scale the technology to pilot-level manufacturing, and improve its commercially relevant performance properties. The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project are diverse. They include the establishment of new battery chemistry and manufacturing paradigm which can be disruptive to markets requiring novel device functionality and form factors. This technology also allows for significant reduction of the cost and environmental impact of batteries for growing and potentially ubiquitous application. Lastly, this new approach to battery manufacturing presents the opportunity to repurpose the printing industry to produce next generation batteries. Despite considerable prior work in the field of batteries, there is a large mismatch between available battery technologies and the performance, form factor, cost, and manufacturing requirements needed to serve as a platform battery system to power flexible and wearable electronics, robotics, sensors, energy harvesters, displays, and wireless electronics. The novel battery technology being developed in this project can alleviate these constraints and potentially revolutionize the portable electronic market to achieve new form factors, capabilities, and spur adoption into new application areas.
Errata
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InsightFinder Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Providing Automatic System Anomaly Management Software as a Service for Dynamic Complex Computing Infrastructures
Contact
154 Grand Street
New York, NY 10013–3141
NSF Award
1660219 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/15/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to greatly improve the robustness and diagnosability of many computing infrastructures including both public and private computing clouds. The proposed technology will significantly reduce the occurrence of performance degradation and service downtime in cloud computing infrastructures, which can attract more users to adopt cloud computing technology and thus benefit society as a whole, which depends increasingly on cloud technology. The project will also advance the state of the art in cloud system reliability research by putting research results into real world use. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will transform system anomaly management for dynamic complex computing infrastructures. The novelty of the company's solution lies in three unique features: 1) predictive: the solution can raise advance alerts before a serious service outage occurs; 2) self-learning: the solution automatically infers alert conditions and performs automatic root cause analysis using machine learning algorithms; 3) adaptive: the technology adapts to dynamic systems. The proposed research will produce novel and practical anomaly prediction and diagnosis solutions that will be validated in real world computing infrastructures. Specifically, the project consists of three thrusts: 1) adaptive learning in dynamic environments; 2) real-time feature extraction and pattern recognition over system metric and log data; and 3) full stack root cause analysis. During the project the company will implement its software products and carry out case studies with prospective customers on real world computing infrastructures.
Errata
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IntraLase Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Delivery of Ultrashort Laser Pulses for the Treatment of Glaucoma
Contact
2217 Vinewood
Ann Arbor, MI 48104–2763
NSF Award
9901726 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$399,940
Start / end date
10/01/1999 – 09/30/2001
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase II project will develop an optimized ultra-short pulsed laser surgical device for high precision surgery in the sclera of the eye. This tool may enable novel, office-based procedures to treat serious and common conditions, such as glaucoma and presbyopia. Phase I study results will be used to guide development of a new solid-state high power femtosecond laser source and scanning optical delivery system. Performance will be evaluated in ex vivo human and animal tissue. It is anticipated that this tool will be used to test long-lasting and minimally invasive glaucoma and presbyopia surgical procedures performed in the sclera. These procedures will be developed through follow-up in vivo evaluations conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Michigan (to whom the device will be made available). By providing a tool for non-invasive scleral channel formation, investigators will be able to address long-standing questions about why current glaucoma surgery fails, as well as how the loss of accommodation can be reversed. These developments will raise the possibility of direct intervention for the two million Americans who have glaucoma and the millions more who suffer from presbyopia. The market for glaucoma is estimated at over $5 billion, while the potential market for presbyopia is probably several times greater. Since both glaucoma and presbyopia are associated with aging, their incidence is expected to rise. The potential for low cost, office-based surgical procedures that are more effective than any current technique offers a compelling business model for the anticipated result of this proposal.
Errata
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Keystone Tower Systems
SBIR Phase II: Optimization of Tapered Spiral Welding for Wind Turbine Towers
Contact
10855 Dover St., Ste 700
Westminster, CO 80021–5554
NSF Award
1353507 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,185,785
Start / end date
05/01/2014 – 04/30/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses two roadblocks to reducing the cost of wind energy: the labor-intensive construction process, and size limitations imposed by road or rail transport for turbine components. The former issue drives up manufacturing costs and reduces US competitiveness with countries with inexpensive labor, while the latter forces sub-optimized tower designs and prevents turbines from growing larger and taking advantage of faster, steadier winds at higher hub heights. This project addresses both of these problems by adapting spiral welding - a well-understood system for pipe and piling manufacturing - to wind tower production. Spiral welding is highly automated, requiring as little as 10% of the labor of the equivalent manual process. It also combines multiple operations into a single machine that can be operated on-site, eliminating transport costs and barriers. This project's innovation is to adapt existing spiral welders -that can manufacture only straight,constant wall-thickness pipe - to producing tapered, variable wall thickness towers. A novel material geometry and automated control of machine parameters are the keys to transforming the standard system to one optimized for turbine tower production. With on-site spiral welding of turbine towers, significant reductions in cost of wind energy are possible. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be felt in many areas: technical,commercial and environmental. The system's major contribution is an increase in the use of wind energy for US electricity, enabled by both reduction in energy cost and increase in the number of cost-effective wind sites. Reducing the cost of tall towers enables increases in the height and size of wind turbines, allowing them to reach and be optimized for steadier, higher speed winds. With these increase in size and optimization, decreases in cost of wind energy of 12% (for 120m tall towers) or more are possible. In addition, the US land area for which wind energy is cost effective can be doubled at 120m hub heights. Spiral-welding of turbine towers also provides US jobs and increases American competitiveness with overseas producers. Because on-site production is inherently local, manufacturing jobs are created in the communities where wind turbines are installed. Also, this method gives local production a major cost advantage over imports by producing towers that are too large to transport from port to wind farm. This allows domestic manufacturing to not only compete, but dominate in a domestic tower market worth roughly $1B in 2011.
Errata
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Killer Snails, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Learning From Nature: Marine Educational Games With Big IDEAS (Innovative Differentiated Educational Assessments in Science)
Contact
3203 Beverley Road
Brooklyn, NY 11226–5519
NSF Award
1660065 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/01/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project will develop an easy to use real-time formative assessment tool for educators that will be uniquely aligned to each student and deployed via a virtual reality learning game that uses venomous marine snails as a conduit for exploring scientific issues in nature. The USA is currently ranked 52nd in the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This is detrimental intellectually and economically to the future of American society. Recent studies indicate it is not what is taught, but how it is taught that enhances student-learning abilities, particularly as it pertains to STEM. As a result, this project is driven by the research objectives to understand how children learn specific science content and why certain game elements are better suited to convey scientific material. The outcome of this project is a proprietary multi-tiered formative assessment tool that can measure real time student learning of novel STEM content obtained through a virtual reality learning game experience. This project will enable teachers to nimbly tailor future instruction with individualized student learning goals. Commercialization of the products created in this project will transform scientific learning and measurable engagement in educational games for social and economic benefit to meet the NSF?s mission of supporting education initiatives that improve the lives of U.S. Citizens, and generate income for tax revenue and jobs via the employment of software designers, educators and scientists. The proprietary technology developed in this SBIR Phase II will be a first-of-its-kind assessment dashboard that will link virtual reality and web-based learning environments with formative assessment to fuel instruction and deepen learning. This project will build proprietary assessment tools into online and virtual reality games which continuously engage users in the process of scientific inquiry and discovery using novel formative assessments customized to each player. The proprietary assessment dashboard allows teachers and players to measure their progress in real-time and identify opportunities to enhance their STEM learning. Using Unity as the platform, player actions and decisions will be met with tailored formative assessments and ongoing feedback throughout game play. This feedback helps teachers delineate where their students are along their learning progressions and fuels further instruction. The novel approach of this assessment dashboard transforms qualitative and quantitative learning and has the potential to significantly enhance student engagement and commitment to scientific inquiry to support emerging science changemakers. The research objective of the player/teacher dashboard is to align feedback on student learning during game play with dynamic quantitative and qualitative formative assessment that create a seamless demonstration of knowledge acquisition while providing teachers with multiple opportunities to engage learners in deeper and more meaningful levels of inquiry before, during, and after gameplay. The products generated from this project are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) program to ensure the content is of the highest caliber and distribution is to a large global customer base. The anticipated results from exposing teachers and students to this project will be increased competencies in STEM, which will transform players into lifelong learners and enhance engagement in STEM fields and careers.
Errata
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KinderLab Robotics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Making and programming robots in early childhood education
Contact
35 Florence Avenue
Arlington, MA 02476–5909
NSF Award
1456530 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
04/01/2015 – 09/30/2017
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project focuses on robot systems designed for early childhood education (preK-2). There is increasing research and applications for educational robotics, but little attention are focused on the foundational years. The early childhood segment is underserved because there are few available platforms for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education that are developmentally appropriate for children 4-7 years old. However, research shows that from an economic and a developmental standpoint, educational programs that begin in early childhood result in lower costs and more durable effects than those that begin later on. This project focuses on developmentally appropriate robot kits for young children, and the curriculum support, teacher resources and automated assessment tools to make this innovation useful for early childhood education in a broadly disseminated, sustainable and scalable way. Recent re-envisioning of early childhood programs by the Federal government has resulted in calls to develop innovative technologies and approaches for teaching STEM. Given the size of the industry devoted to early childhood education, the potential commercial impact is significant, opening new markets and job opportunities. This innovation also has the potential to have significant positive impact on the US economy by preparing children with economically important skills. The innovation underlying this project is the design of a robot system that engages 4 to 7 year old children in learning programming concepts through the use of a developmentally appropriate programming language. In order to be developmentally appropriate for this age range, the programming language is physical, not typed, with no screens or keyboards of any kind required. The resulting educational platform also enables children to develop engineering design process skills by building physical objects that can respond to different inputs through the use of sensors. This project is organized around five technical objectives: a developmentally appropriate robot kit for young children to learn programming and engineering; robot modules for curriculum integration with other areas such as math, science, literacy and the arts; support systems for early childhood teachers through a web portal with resources for both formal and informal education and professional development strategies; and an automated learning assessment system that collects data characterizing student learning directly from the robot, analyzes it through innovative mechanisms and displays it using visualization tools according to the different needs of parents, educators and school leadership to understand learning outcomes; and cost reduction of the robot system for broadening adoption.
Errata
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Knudra Diagnostics
SBIR Phase II: A Platform for Anthelmintic Drug Discovery using Genome-modified C. elegans
Contact
2500 South State
Salt Lake City, UT 84115–3110
NSF Award
1456320 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/01/2015 – 05/31/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the development of a platform for the discovery of new anthelmintic (anti-parasite) drugs. Drug resistance is occurring with all anthelmintics currently on the market. Current drug development only introduces new molecules to the existing drug targets. As a result, drug resistance quickly jumps to these new drugs, which makes them ineffective shortly after market introduction. Without an adequate source of effective anthelmintics, livestock yields, crop damage, and human capital are starting to suffer. The social burden is creating economic losses totaling hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide. By focusing on a novel drug target that controls entry into infective life forms, this proposal aims to generate a new class of anthelmintics to combat this growing problem. The drug companies that commercialize this potential new class of anthelmintics will access a market potential of $1.5 B per year or more. The SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop a platform for the discovery of new anthelmintic drugs using genetically engineered nematods (C. elegans). The approach used will insert a segment of a parasite gene in replacement of a segment of a native gene. The resulting chimera gene converts the C. elegans nematode into a form that better mimics the parasite state. Drug hits found active on the chimera-expressing nematode are then refined into leads by testing for efficacy against parasite infection model. The proposal's chimera platform is adapted to a diverse set of parasite genes. The resulting diverse platform is expected to provide a rapid path to discovery and eventual introduction of a novel class of anti-parasite drugs with broad-spectrum activity.
Errata
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LambdaVision, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Design and Optimization of a Biocompatible Protein-Based Retinal Implant for the Treatment of End-Stage Retinal Degeneration
Contact
400 Farmington Ave
Farmington, CT 06032–1913
NSF Award
1632465 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$742,188
Start / end date
09/01/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop and commercialize a high resolution, protein-based retinal implant intended to restore vision to the millions of patients blinded by retinal degenerative diseases, particularly retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. These currently incurable and blinding diseases affect between 30-50 million people worldwide, and lead to a loss of independence for the individual, as well as an increased burden on their caregivers. While improved quality of life is the most vital outcome of this technology, reduction of medical costs of treating chronic retinal degeneration and limiting time with doctors will also be of benefit to the broad healthcare field. The work outlined in this SBIR proposal also has the potential to significantly impact our understanding of retinal degenerative diseases, which will help in developing better and more effective treatments for a number of ophthalmic indications. The subretinal implant under development provides the framework for the next generation of high-resolution retinal prosthetics, while offering a cost-effective solution to vision restoration, and will help these patients regain independence and thus improve their quality of life. The proposed project will expand on the data collected from the in vivo surgical development and ex vivo efficacy studies supported by our Phase I/IB awards. First, a 40-animal rat study will be undertaken to further investigate the biocompatibility of the retinal implant. Second, previously developed surgical procedures will be refined in pigs to ensure reproducible and safe subretinal implantation. Third, a high-throughput in vitro assay will be designed to investigate a number of implant parameters, as well as the integrity and biostability of the retinal implant using retinal pigment epithelial cells. Additionally, medical device sealants will be investigated in this in vitro study, and the functional integrity of the implant will be measured using time-resolved absorption spectroscopy and an ion-sensitive detector, which is being developed specifically for this application. Lastly, this ion-sensitive detector will provide an opportunity to further measure the spatial sensitivity of the retinal implant with high resolution. These in vivo and in vitro studies are vital for the continued evaluation of biocompatibility, surgical feasibility, and efficacy of the implant. The results from these studies will further demonstrate the commercial viability of the technology under development.
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LaunchPad Central Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Cloud-based platform to support experiential entrepreneurship education online at scale
Contact
564 Market Street, Suite 316
San Francisco, CA 94104–5410
NSF Award
1353566 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,239,628
Start / end date
04/01/2014 – 07/31/2017
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project aims to provide web based software-as-a-service platform to deliver an experiential entrepreneurship methodology at scale. This two-sided platform consists of the tools for entrepreneurs to search for a repeatable and scalable business model and tools for instructors, mentors and portfolios managers to triage for early signs of failure and course correct. The project team is comprised of the chief architect, practitioners, and mentors of the highly experiential Lean Startup methodology. Collectively they possess the domain expertise to build and scale a platform for evidence-based entrepreneurship delivering the methodology and content to a global community of entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors. Phase II technology goals are to address one of the core pain points of effective mentoring by leveraging data science expertise to develop a self-learning algorithm capable of providing non-prescriptive suggestions (like an experienced mentor would ask a team) based on certain trigger events the startups would record in the platform. The broader/commercial impact of this SBIR Phase II project is taking place at national, regional and local levels. With the success of the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program, other signification technology commercialization programs at a national level are adopting the platform to accelerate evidence-based commercialization efforts. Regional Economic Development agencies and the local Chamber of Commerce are bringing these best practices and tools to entrepreneurship ecosystems at the regional and local levels respectively. The simplicity and pragmatic nature of the offering has allowed for adoption all the way from high school students to undergraduate and graduate students in business and engineering to PhD and Post Doctorates and the Chief Innovation Officers at Fortune 500 enterprises.
Errata
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Leonardo Innovations Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Serendipitous Search System Using Lateral Analogy to Match Potential Solutions to Unmet Needs:Feasibility Study Based on Screening Approved Drugs for Repurposing
Contact
423 8th Avenue
Menlo Park, CA 94025–1848
NSF Award
1430780 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$810,748
Start / end date
12/01/2014 – 11/30/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to accelerate the pace of research and development to enable more rapid deployment of technologies into commercial / industrial contexts. In many fields, information is expanding at such an exponential rate that finding relevant results to technical knowledge searches is increasingly difficult. Further, content is expanding so fast that most fields are rapidly forming sub-disciplines, leading to the ?silo-ing? of different knowledge sub-domains, a clear challenge to both academia and industry. We need ever better ways to organize and present information to users. There are disadvantages of the current search engines, mostly relating to excessive similarity in search results. Further, while these engines present information relating to a known search target, they are less effective at presenting unexpected results for information that a user has never heard of but that would be useful. What is therefore needed is an exploration system giving searchers a strong serendipitous element with a maximum likelihood of results from diverse, unexpected, and potentially provocative sources. This will break down silos by providing a rapid, relevant means for knowledge-transfer between different disciplines, fostering interdisciplinary innovation. This system has been designed to provide a means for systematic, automated discovery. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 2 project is focused on optimizing and scaling a serendipitous document search system for repurposing technologies by analogy into lateral fields. Both by sub-parsing discrete content into ontologically separable entities, such as capability, characteristic, and composition, and by comparatively assessing certain of these attributes between such entities, the attribute relatedness of these entities can be used to drive their self-assembly into related attribute networks. This approach provides a significant value proposition for drug repurposing, which is the current focus of this project. To scale the pair-wise comparison and network assembly of millions of documents, a map-reduce based text-processing framework will be developed so that massively parallel computations can be carried out in a time- and costefficient manner. A distributed search engine technology will be deployed to enable rapid querying of the emerging document relationship network. A series of machine learning algorithms will then be used to determine potentially hidden structural architectural features within the document relationship network. Machine learning will elucidate the nature of the relationships in drug networks through analyses of inter-node relationships and sub-graph motifs (termed ?innovation motifs?). Documents including U.S. patents and scientific papers will be processed in the system.
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Levant Power Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Integrated Hydraulic Suspension Energy Recovery System for Heavy Vehicles
Contact
288 Norfolk St.
Cambridge, MA 02139–1430
NSF Award
1127397 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,100,000
Start / end date
11/15/2011 – 04/30/2016
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to develop a fully functional turnkey regenerative semi-active shock absorber for heavy-duty transit buses and other commercial vehicles. An appreciable amount of energy is lost in a typical suspension as heat, especially in heavy vehicles. Existing technologies have been unable to efficiently capture this energy in a cost-effective manner. This project entails hydraulic and electronic model optimization, design of vehicle-ready prototypes, fabrication, lab testing, installation, and operational testing of a hydraulic adaptive damping energy harvesting system. The objective of the project is to demonstrate real-world benefits of an efficient, adjustable damping regenerative shock absorber on a transit bus in operation with a municipal transit agency. Emphasis will be on efficiency improvements, semi-active ride control, and application specific integration requirements to ensure seamless installation and operation. Work will culminate in a fully fielded pilot demonstration and quantification of regenerated energy (improved fuel efficiency) and ride improvement benefits using the regenerative semi-active shock absorber. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is significant if the challenges of inexpensively, reliably, and efficiently capturing suspension energy are overcome. The technology has the potential to save millions of dollars per year in fuel for large fleets, and significantly reduce carbon emissions in the United States and abroad. Effectively incorporating an aftermarket or OEM retrofit-able regenerative energy capture system may open doors to many new regenerative technologies in the transportation and automotive sector, facilitating significant reductions in waste energy. In addition, the research may lead to enabling technology for compact, sealed, and efficient hydraulic actuators and energy harvesters across several industrial applications. This may have applications in other fields such as off grid marine (hydrokinetic) energy, aerospace actuators, heavy machinery dampers, orthotics/prosthetics, and robotics.
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Lite Enterprises Inc
SBIR Phase II: WIldlife Deterrence from Hazards Using High Brightness Ultraviolet Light
Contact
4 Bud Way, Ste. 15
Nashua, NH 03063–1740
NSF Award
1350562 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,031,882
Start / end date
04/15/2014 – 12/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project represents a new development in man?s ability to keep birds away from the airspace surrounding an airplane or out of the way of the massive rotors of wind turbines. Animals respond to a bright ultraviolet light in the same way as humans respond to a bright flashlight in their eyes. If the light is strong enough, it causes an involuntary behavioral response resulting in the animal being deterred from the area of the light source. Ultraviolet light has the advantage of being visible to most species of animals while being invisible to humans. This Phase II project builds on the Phase I project that demonstrated with 98% confidence that bird behavior is influenced by the presence of the wildlife deterrence system?s bright ultraviolet light in a completely natural environment with no human presence. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is focused on three high value applications of the wildlife deterrence system. They are renewable alternative energy (wind farms), air transportation (planes and airports), and agriculture (aquaculture and agriculture). Renewable energy is at the top of the U.S. priority list. Wind energy is one of the most promising forms of alternative energy. At the same time, there is an immediate and pressing need to reduce the mortality rate of endangered and protected species at wind farms. A compelling global need for the wildlife deterrence system is exemplified by the aviation industry and the incidence of bird strikes. The U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General reported in August 2012 that in the past two decades, wildlife strikes have increased from 1,770 reported in 1990 to 9,840 reported in 2011, a greater than five-fold increase. Thirdly, although not at the level of importance as protection of aircraft and deterrence of birds from wind farm turbine rotors, worldwide seafood demand has grown annually by 8.3 percent since 1970. This means that worldwide aquaculture production has rapidly expanded. Of particularly promising potential are solutions to the mussel farming problems of the international aquaculture industry which is well established in many parts of the world. All producing locations in North America and Europe share a common problem of severe predation loss from diving ducks such as the Common Eider that can be devastating to the mussel producer, with the potential to wipe out an entire crop (100%).
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Lumenous Co.
SBIR Phase II: Reliable, Scalable Projection Mapping Systems with Reusable Content
Contact
251 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94108–5029
NSF Award
1632533 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$899,999
Start / end date
09/15/2016 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project includes new ways to inform, educate, advertise or entertain through a technology called projection mapping. This technology uses commodity video projectors to augment the surfaces of ordinary objects; applications range from advertising, events, and entertainment, to educational experiences at museums or schools, healthcare applications for rehabilitation and visualization, and simulation (e.g. military or employee training). Through multiple deployments at retail locations across the country, the company's prototypes have demonstrated that these applications will benefit not only the brands and companies that employ the technology, but also the end-users (students, consumers, etc), resulting in better engagement and faster learning when compared to achieving these same tasks through other media such as videos. Research performed during the Phase II project will allow the company to develop a scalable product and fulfill many deployments, bringing projection mapping to new markets. A free version of the company's software will also be available for non-commercial and academic use, enabling interdisciplinary research in fine arts and computer science. The R&D results generated from the research will be published and disseminated to the public. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build a commercially viable and scalable projection mapping system. While projection mapping has a long academic history, this captivating medium still remains out of commercial reach. As learned from over 50 customer discovery interviews, retailers are shifting towards location-based experiences to increase customer engagement and sales. Many other industries have a similar need to attract attention and convey information, but without a scalable product that can be easily deployed and maintained, they lack the means to provide these experiences. To address this need, the company will develop hardware and software systems to enable captivating and immersive projection mapping experiences. The core of this system is in software: the developed algorithms will robustly calibrate projection mapping systems comprising any number of projectors/cameras, automatically align projected content to the scene and perform color-correction when the display surfaces are non-white/textured. These algorithms will be validated through standard benchmarks, resulting in novel, state-of-the-art practices. Additionally, these methods will allow for reusable projection mapping content, a critical feature lacking in existing software, as well as cloud deployment and monitoring. New hardware configurations will also be developed to achieve new uses for projection mapping.
Errata
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Addenda
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Mallinda, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Development of Advanced Composite Materials for Athletic Equipment
Contact
1954 Cedaridge Cir.
Superior, CO 80027–4489
NSF Award
1632199 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$898,623
Start / end date
10/01/2016 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is for the development of scaled processes for the industrial manufacture of end-user moldable advanced composite materials for use in protective athletic equipment. Currently, protective athletic equipment and accessories must be produced using industrial manufacturing techniques that have high tooling costs. As a result, manufacturers produce a small range of predetermined sizes and shapes, which do not provide a custom fit for end users. In the case of athletic gear, there is a growing market for hard-shell protective equipment which can be custom molded for a better fit. Polyimine polymers and advanced composites offer a compelling blend of strength and malleability in order to create more user-friendly lightweight and durable advanced composites that may be shaped by the end-user. In addition to creating greater user customization, both the virgin polyimine polymer, and advanced composites that incorporate polyimines, are intrinsically recyclable in a closed-loop, low-energy, solution-based system. The total U.S. composite materials market is $25 billion, representing 36% of the global composites sector. Polyimine polymers and advanced composite derivatives will reduce environmental waste and increase manufacturing efficiencies across a broad range of vertical markets in the composites sector including personal protective equipment, aerospace, automotive, and infrastructural materials. The intellectual merit of this project derives from the development of the unique chemistry of polyimine polymers. Polymers can be broadly grouped into two categories, thermosets and thermoplastics. Thermosets are strong due to the chemical characteristics of the plastic. However, once cured, thermosets cannot be reshaped. As a result, thermosets are neither repairable, nor are they efficiently recyclable. In contrast, thermoplastics, which are weaker than thermosets, may be molded and remolded. However, remolding requires very high temperatures. Polyimine polymers represent a new class of moldable and remoldable thermoset materials. Importantly, these polymers combine high rigidity and tough mechanical properties with mild molding temperatures. This Phase II research project will include scaled processes for the industrial manufacture of end user moldable composite materials that are a maximum of one-quarter inch in thickness and meet industry standards for limb joint protective equipment. The Phase II effort will also include a variety of types of material and mechanical testing, both in-house and at certified laboratories, in addition to extensive efforts at proving out manufacturability, as well as pilot production.
Errata
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Addenda
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Mental Canvas, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Reimagining Sketch in the Digital Age
Contact
61 Hartford Avenue
Madison, CT 06443–2743
NSF Award
1431013 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$938,673
Start / end date
10/01/2014 – 12/31/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project results from the development of a new class of graphical-media-design system that lies between today's 2D digital paint systems and 3D computer-aided design systems. This technology will allow architects, engineers, artists, and school children to create compelling 3D experiences directly from their drawings without extensive training. Furthermore, it will accelerate the creation of interactive 3D content and significantly reduce the time, cost and expertise currently required to create it. By bridging the gap between traditional drawings and 3D modeling, this project will provide the unique ability to reuse and "reproject" drawn strokes, thus enabling the creation of expressive 3D drawings with minimal effort. The technology developed in this project will help lower the barrier and generate new business opportunities in content creation for electronic publishing and for other creative professionals, such as architects, designers, and ad-agency art directors. Finally, this project includes specific outreach activities, through collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History, that will provide unique educational services to the local community, while simultaneously introducing this new technology to the world. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will focus on making the creation of this new type of graphical media as intuitive and fluid as paper and pencil. This Phase II project will support system improvements - including user-interface improvements - to simplify 3D navigation for the consumers of this media. This will be needed for using this media in digital children's picture books, which have already been identified as early adopters of this technology as well as an important market. Another technical objective will be to develop a hybrid vector-raster representation, which will provide a wider range of artistic expression, while improving rendering performance of large scenes. A third objective is to develop stroke deformation algorithms to support direct manipulation of objects and characters to provide sketch-driven animation capabilities.
Errata
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Addenda
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Mgenuity Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Avatar-guided system to develop mastery in mathematical problem solving.
Contact
97 Leedsville Drive
Lincroft, NJ 07738–1209
NSF Award
1632573 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$772,749
Start / end date
09/01/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project will develop software that teaches 4th-10th grade students how to solve mathematical problems that seem difficult, maybe even hopeless at first. Problems, by definition, are hard to solve. They require intensive thinking and open-ended experimentation, which are often not possible in today's classrooms. In the software, an expert avatar takes students on math explorations in video-game-quality 3D where they visualize and discover eye-opening mathematical truths. The program helps teachers turn math into exciting explorations that students will love. For example, as students fly a jumbo jet from New York to Tokyo, they effortlessly discover methods for finding the shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere, which is a difficult geometry problem. Teachers can easily fit the program into their daily instruction and get crucial details about the weak spots of each student. The joy of discovery is envisioned to increase students' interest in math, science, and engineering and to significantly reduce their math anxiety. Besides creating jobs and tax revenue, the project is expected to contribute to measurably improved math scores across the nation's 132,000 schools educating 58 million students. The software being developed in this project is unique in that it emulates the natural style of communication between a student and an expert math teacher and immerses students in 3D virtual worlds where they develop deep mathematical insight and solve fascinating real-world problems. The program's ability to develop both mathematical content knowledge and problem-solving skills at the same time, as well as its capability to non-intrusively assess students during the mathematical explorations is also unmatched. During the Phase II project, the commercially viable software will be fully developed and its efficacy to improve students' mathematical problem-solving skills will be thoroughly researched. A pretest-posttest control group experiment will be conducted in authentic education settings to determine efficacy. The software's educational model and content may be adjusted if necessary based on the outcome of the research.
Errata
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Miromatrix Medical Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A Perfusable, Revascularized, Cardiac-Derived Patch for the Treatment of Heart Disease
Contact
18683 Bearpath Trail
Eden Prairie, MN 55347–3476
NSF Award
1330956 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/01/2013 – 10/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovations Research Phase (SBIR) II project is to support the continued development of using proprietary perfusion decellularization technology to create a fully revascularized cardiac patch for the treatment of ischemic heart disease and congenital heart repair. Current surgical approaches for cardiac reconstruction utilize synthetic materials that do not have the ability to grow and remodel with the patient. Feasibility will be demonstrated by in-vitro and in-vivo characterization to create a perfusable cardiac-derived revascularized cardiac patch to promote faster reconstruction of functional tissue by providing a fully perfusable scaffold with a composition and architecture similar to native cardiac tissue. This product will have significant advantages over existing technologies, including: 1) full thickness, biological, cardiac-derived matrix material; 2) vascular supply to support migrating cells and remodeling; 3) superior mechanical properties; and, 4) no need for immunosuppressive therapies. Moreover, this will be the first cardiac-derived, revascularized patch available for treating ischemic areas of the heart. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project, if successful, is the development of a revascularized cardiac patch to treat ischemic heart failure and congenital repair in a way that is superior to existing technologies. While medical advancements have decreased the overall mortality rate for acute myocardial infarction patients, therapeutic options are lacking to address the underlying loss of myocardial tissue, resulting in a mortality rate greater than 33% at five years. Inhibiting the onset or delaying the severity of heart failure will have a significant effect on lowering this mortality rate and reducing the treatment cost of heart failure, which currently is estimated at over $37 billion annually. The use of this product will further enhance the medical and scientific understanding of the mechanisms by which damaged cardiac tissue may be restored/repaired and patient life may be extended following myocardial infarction.
Errata
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Modular Genetics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Production of an Acyl Glycinate Surfactant by Fermentation
Contact
12-T Cabot Road
Woburn, MA 01801–0000
NSF Award
1353912 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,121,998
Start / end date
05/01/2014 – 11/30/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is aimed at optimizing production of a bio-surfactant in preparation for commercial launch of the product. During Phase I, the company developed an engineered microorganism that synthesizes the surfactant, and a key customer confirmed the identity and purity of a sample of the surfactant. During Phase II, synthetic biology methods will be used to increase the efficiency of the microorganism producing the surfactant. In addition, multiple samples of purified surfactant will be shipped to customers for evaluation. Customer feedback will identify any product features that require modification and will result in development of a detailed product specification, which will include metrics such as: purity, color, acceptable variation in composition and molecular weight, etc. The objectives of this Phase II project are to optimize surfactant characteristics and microbial production efficiency so that the surfactant can be profitably manufactured and sold for use in consumer products formulations. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that it should enable the company to demonstrate that synthetic biology methods can be used to increase the efficiency of production of a bio-surfactant so the surfactant can be sold as a commercial product. Progress toward that goal should enable the company to attract a partner, for example a large chemical company, who will agree to collaborate on commercialization of the bio-surfactant. If the bio-surfactant can be made and sold profitably, the company will be positioned to fund future research and development aimed at commercial launch of additional bio-surfactants. Benefits to society are that chemicals produced using this technology will be manufactured using domestically grown renewable raw materials, which do not compete with food. Furthermore, the energy required to produce these chemicals is low since the fermentation reaction is performed near ambient temperature. The chemicals are inherently safer than traditional chemicals because toxic solvents are not used, and the surfactants are biodegradable and do not contribute to increased greenhouse gas accumulation. These bio-surfactants will initially be used in personal care products, such as body washes and shampoos. However, the surfactant market is large and diverse, creating an opportunity for use of bio-surfactants in products as varied as laundry detergent, paints and coatings, and floatation-agents used in the mining industry to purify valuable minerals.
Errata
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Modular Robotics Incorporated
SBIR Phase II: Learning About Complexity through Programming Modular Robots
Contact
3085 Bluff Street
Boulder, CO 80301–2101
NSF Award
0956809 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$518,906
Start / end date
04/15/2010 – 06/30/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project investigates end-user programming for ensembles of robots. The project focuses on the development of an accessible end-user programming environment so that middle and high school students can create their own custom ensembles or blocks of robots and observe how the blocks' behavior affect an entire robot. Building powerful and correct intuitions about the behavior of complex systems is important for scientists and engineers, but with today's technologies it is difficult for children to acquire and integrate these ideas into their mindset. Through exploratory play with the proposed robotics construction kit, which embodies a distributed processing scheme for embedded microprocessors, children can build and observe complex systems acting in the real world. Although end-user programming environments exist for software systems, and even for a few robotics toys, no competing approach to end user programming tackles distributed processing for modular robotics. The project aims to build three experimental systems: a text-based environment, a visual programming language, and a 'cellular automata' interface. Testing with local middle school students will determine the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. The broader/commercial objective of the project is to give children a vehicle to explore how complex global behaviors emerge from local effects. Designing and building complex systems exposes children to a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts. The programmed kit, without the end-user programming component proposed here, already introduces these important concepts. The addition of an intuitive, low-threshold, high-ceiling approach to reprogramming individual modules will add extensibility to this already powerful model of complexity. A commercial version of kit will be released in three phases: to science centers and children's museums initially, to a core community of technically savvy enthusiasts, and finally to the public through retail channels. Several science centers have expressed serious and persistent interest in acquiring initial versions of the kits and incorporating them into robotics education programs and exhibits. In addition to the project's primary objective, the design and testing of end-user programming for distributed embedded computing can inform other applications of this technology in the rapidly growing area of modular robotics.
Errata
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Modular Robotics Incorporated
SBIR Phase II: Learning Design Synthesis with a Mechatronics Kit
Contact
3085 Bluff Street
Boulder, CO 80301–2101
NSF Award
1353321 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,024,708
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 06/30/2017
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project addresses a critical national need for more expansive and hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education by developing a mechatronic and robotics construction kit for teaching and learning engineering design synthesis. The research objective is to develop a teaching tool to interest young learners in engineering design, encourage and engage them in engineering practices specifically, creating appealing technology through exploring STEM topics that meets or exceeds national standards. The goal is to engage young people regardless of prior technical experience or STEM exposure in designing mechatronics and robotics systems, and through this to gain interest, experience, and confidence in engineering design synthesis. The work comprises developing construction kit hardware, a software environment for children to program their mechatronic constructions, and materials for using the kit to teach and learn STEM topics and engineering design. As the hardware advances, the project will develop software and learning resources that scaffold the construction kit with educational materials. It aims to support teachers and other educators incorporating the mechatronics kit into classroom and out-of-school learning, addressing national STEM standards while advancing research on how children learn complex design concepts and how educators can best support this progression. The broader/commercial impact of this SBIR Phase II project is in engendering in young learners innovation, design, and creative problem solving among the most important skills for tomorrow's workforce. These skills are addressed within STEM disciplines, however, too often the use of technology in education is limited to skill based computer operations, and engineering is neglected altogether. The teaching and learning tool and its ensemble of software and learning resources truly integrates every letter in the STEM acronym, while inviting students who have no background in robotics, engineering, design, technology, or computer programming to begin creating immediately. This leverages their creativity as motivation to continue learning in these fields. Precisely because kit removes the need for advanced fabrication skills or programming knowledge, this kit and its accompanying activities will promote broader inclusion of students who may have traditionally felt intimidated from more complex STEM engagement. As more students succeed with the kit and its ensemble of learning activities, this enhances a future workforce, an informed citizenry, as well as supporting teachers and educators to explore what all students can achieve when given motivating and confidence building STEM activities.
Errata
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Molecular Vista, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Resonance Force Microscopy for Nanoscale Manufacturing Process Monitoring
Contact
100 Great Oaks Blvd. #140
San Jose, CA 95119–1456
NSF Award
1353524 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,409,994
Start / end date
04/15/2014 – 05/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a production prototype of an automated nanoscale manufacturing process monitoring tool based on the resonance force microscope (RFM). The tool will combine image force microscopy (IFM, a version of RFM that measures the linear part of the susceptibility) and scattering near-field optical microscopy (sSNOM) with atomic force microscope for use in the hard disk drive (HDD) and semiconductor industries. sSNOM measures the dipole-dipole interaction force while IFM measures the dipole-dipole force gradient, both with nanometer spatial resolution. These techniques allow direct imaging of resonances associated with electrons, phonons, and plasmons. The capability to image plasmon resonances is well suited to probe the near-field (NF) profile associated with a plasmonic structure called near-field transducer (NFT) utilized in heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). With HAMR universally viewed as the next generation technology for HDD industry, the need for a monitoring tool for mass production of HAMR head is acute since there is currently no simple way to probe the NF profile of NFTs. The objectives of the proposed project are (1) to successfully prototype an automated NFT characterization tool and (2) to field test it with one or more HDD manufacturers. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be felt not only in the HDD industry but across many industries. While the monitoring of NFT production is the near-term niche application for the automated tool, the same tool will have longer-term value for in-line characterization of physical and chemical properties of nanoscale materials and structures in the manufacturing environment of diverse industries, including, for example, the measurement of stress in the channel layer and chemical characterization of defects in semiconductor industry and monitoring of protein-based pharmaceuticals. In R&D and academic settings, the RFM technique provides the capability to image individual biomolecules in situ, such as for the real-time monitoring of membrane protein dynamics on cells, which will provide unprecedented utility in biomedical and clinical research. A reliable label-free imaging tool with the capability to identify chemical bond information at the molecular level will potentially bring about revolutionary advances in many fields of basic and applied biological science, including drug discovery, proteomics, structural biology, and personalized medicine. The RFM technique will be simpler to implement as compared to other hybrid instruments involving high resolution microscopy, resulting in an affordable instrument for academic and research institutions.
Errata
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Multicore Photonics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Fiber Optic Based Nitrogen Oxides Sensor
Contact
5832 N. Dean Rd.
Orlando, FL 32817–3249
NSF Award
1660213 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this SBIR Phase II project will be the enhanced ability to monitor NOx optically using a unique approach that is fundamentally different from voltage biased solid electrolyte diffusion technology deployed commercially today. NSF Phase I activities brought to light the shortcomings of existing sensor technology, including slow response time and up to 90% "garbage data" that OEMs and regulatory authorities have to work around. Phase II efforts include improvement of Phase I prototypes where near instantaneous NOx detection to ~200 ppm was observed. NOx are a major pollutant and precursor to acid rain, surface ozone and smog formation. Worldwide regulatory bodies are driving NOx regulations to increasingly stringent levels, thus presenting even greater challenges for real-world emissions. Addressing these regulations, industry must deploy after-treatment technologies including selective catalyst reduction systems and lean NOx traps. Both of these technologies will benefit from a less expensive, more robust, and faster responding NOx sensor. With continued success, the new NOx sensor has the potential to significantly reduce emissions levels through a more accurate and much faster detection than current NOx detection techniques thus allowing the internal combustion engine to directly employ detection feedback to enhance emission controls. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will continue the prototyping and characterization of an optical based Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) sensor technology not based on oxygen sensor derivatives found in the market today. We will further optimize the design and materials needed for a novel thermo-catalytic NOx sensing mechanism through continued experimentation and testing. Increasing the number and type of catalytic sensing elements and integrating them into existing OEM packaging will allow us to measure NOx as well as other gases including ammonia (NH3). Sensor calibration equations and response lookup-tables will help validate our new method for NOx detection with successful results creating the foundation of a new category of sensors based on this differential detection architecture. Current automotive NOx sensors do not meet response time, accuracy and price requirements as used in the industry where such parameters are critical. The Phase II will optimize the optical sensing mechanism, and planned designs of experiment will help refine this technology into a reliable and robust device. Besides NOx and NH3, our "inorganic taste buds" also derive carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon concentration as a byproduct of the measurement process, thus providing additional utility for any combustion emissions control application.
Errata
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NGCodec Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A hardware FPGA implementation of H.265/HEVC low latency video encoder algorithms for professional applications
Contact
1145 Mariposa Ave.
San Jose, CA 95126–2620
NSF Award
1632567 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
09/15/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to promote and improve the use of high quality video in products that the general public works with every day. From high resolution auto dashboard cameras, to low latency video streams from flying drones, to wireless laptop docking stations, to higher quality coverage of news and sporting events, to better and faster delivery of video over the Internet, every application requires the high quality, low latency, flexible, power efficient video encoders that will be developed in this project. The uses of video are increasing every day. Video instruction manuals are replacing printed instruction manuals. Video is replacing still images in on-line advertising, social media and billboards. It is predicted that over 90% of all Internet traffic will be video data in the next few years. Enabling all these applications requires the latest technology in video compression such as the techniques developed in this project. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project tackles the problem of creating a real time video encoder, using the latest H.265 compression technology, running in hardware on an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). An FPGA is a type of chip on which the logic is configurable - it can be programmed to implement any function. It represents a mid-point between a dedicated integrated circuit, which is very expensive to develop, and can never be changed or enhanced once it is fabricated, and a pure software solution which is very flexible but requires bulky and power hungry equipment (i.e. computers) as an underlying platform. The research conducted under this grant will devise, test, and implement algorithms that are amenable to realization on an FPGA, that operate in real time, and that yield a high quality result in terms of the visual quality of the compressed video with respect to the number of bits used. The goal, at the conclusion of this research, is the demonstration of a functional HEVC/H.265 encoder running on an FPGA which has cost, flexibility, power and performance advantages over other encoders.
Errata
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NGD Systems, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: SSD In-Situ Processing
Contact
7545 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618–2932
NSF Award
1660071 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/15/2017 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to fundamentally change what a storage device can do, and give storage a third capability that is not addressed by existing storage technology - the ability to actually process user data. For the computation to take place, only the computational request and the resulting data need to transfer over the storage interface, reducing interface traffic and the required power. The advent of Big Data and the increasing use of Hyperscale Server technology have resulted in the creation of an additional storage tier that is different from traditional enterprise storage. This new tier requires significantly larger capacity yet lower cost, lower operating power, and yet must still exhibit enterprise level reliability. This combination of characteristics cannot be serviced by existing technologies, and execution with large data sets typical of Big Data results in inefficient solutions. The information being stored represents the large, unstructured data mined by today's companies for key information and trends that help dictate corporate direction, advertising, and monetization. Future applications include machine learning for video analytics, genome sequencing and enabling Fog Storage and Fog Computing, among others. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project explores the Big Data paradigm shift where processing capability is pushed as close to the data as possible. The In-Situ processing technology pushes this concept to the absolute limit, by putting the computational capability directly into the storage itself and eliminating the need to move data to main memory before processing. The technology innovation begins with a solid foundation of an enterprise SSD tailored for the needs of modern Data Centers. Key technology that will be added to support these capabilities include hardware-assisted quality of service control, low-cost 3D-TLC and QLC NAND Flash enablement through the use of advanced ECC, and a proprietary elastic Flash Translation Layer to support extremely large capacity drives. The final element added to this foundation will be the ability to perform computation directly on the data with the addition of specialized In-Situ processing aided by hardware accelerators.
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Neural Analytics
SBIR Phase II: A Novel Non-Invasive Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Method
Contact
2440 S. Sepulveda Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064–1744
NSF Award
1556110 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$753,756
Start / end date
03/01/2016 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to improve the quality and decrease the high costs associated with treating patients who suffer severe traumatic brain injuries. This project aims to develop an accurate, affordable (<$100 per use) and non-invasive device to monitor a patient's intracranial pressure following head injury. Increased intracranial pressure can result in poor health outcomes including long-term disability or death, if left untreated. However, the only available method to monitor intracranial pressure is expensive (~$10,000 per patient) and requires neurosurgery. The lack of a method to accurately screen patients to determine who needs surgery results in misdiagnoses and incorrect treatment in about 46% of patients among an estimated 50,000 patients in the US alone, and hundreds of thousands more globally. Successful commercialization of product is expected to result in savings in the range $250 million ever year to the US healthcare system. The proposed project will develop a medical device to accurately display a patient's intracranial pressure non-invasively and for use outside of the neurocritical care unit. The core technological approach of the proposed work is the analysis of blood flow velocity waveforms using advanced signal processing methods in a machine-learning framework. The machine-learning framework allows experience-based learning utilizing prior, established databases of waveforms that have been well-characterized. Three new machine-learning paradigms that utilize the shape features of the blood flow velocity waveforms will be utilized to progressively increase accuracy of intracranial pressure estimation. The first will establish a basic estimate using shape features of individual waveform pulses, considered independent of neighboring pulses. Subsequently, clinically established features of the waveform will be utilized to learn causal changes in the shape features resulting from changes in intracranial pressure. Finally, the shape features in successive pulses will be used as a sequence to machine-learn the intracranial pressure estimate. Together, these will enable increased accuracy in estimation. All of the methods proposed in this program are entirely novel. This approach allows for real time monitoring at an affordable price point that is within current reimbursement limits for ultrasonography procedures.
Errata
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Neuvokas Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Development of High Speed Process Technology for the Manufacturing of Cost Effective Polymer Rebar
Contact
25280 Renaissance Rd
Calumet, MI 49913–2701
NSF Award
1534785 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,403,184
Start / end date
08/15/2015 – 01/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will focus on developing the process required to produce fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rebar at scale. FRP rebar offers significant performance advantages when compared to uncoated steel rebar. These advantages include a sevenfold weight reduction, no corrosion - which in turn permits a 30% reduction in concrete usage (and a corresponding 15 billion ton reduction in CO2 emissions) - and equivalent tensile strength at smaller diameters compared to steel rebar products. FRP rebar is being produced but has limited market acceptance due to its high cost. The high-speed process to be developed in this project will allow price parity when compared to uncoated steel and enable a hundredfold improvement in process speeds compared to current FRP manufacturing. Combined, these improvements will allow entry to the $140 billion global market for steel rebar and allow mass market adoption of FRP rebar. Additionally, basalt mine waste will be explored and, where possible, utilized as a raw material for fiber production. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes job creation and environmental impacts. With implementation of this process up to 35 manufacturing jobs can be created immediately. The company's high speed process combines a thermoset resin and basalt fiber as primary reinforcements within the FRP composite. A consortium of pultruders has collectively organized the Fiber Reinforced Polymer Rebar Manufacturers Council and has developed FRP rebar into a viable product over the last 20 years, with a $1.2 billion market at present. Currently, no FRP rebar product is offered at price parity with uncoated steel rebar, and to reach this price parity a high speed process has been invented. This novel process will be optimized and further developed by the completion of this Phase II SBIR project. Basalt fiber, an emerging material with the potential to replace carbon and other fibers in a variety of applications will be brought into large-scale industrial usage with the completion of this project. The Phase I project permitted the determination of the performance characteristics of thermoset resins which have not been commonly used in pultrusion, enabling product validation. This Phase II project will address a range of manufacturing challenges that will be encountered in the production of FRP rebar at industrial scale, allowing a commercially viable final product that can be offered at price parity with steel rebar.
Errata
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Addenda
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Novan, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Scale-up Manufacturing of Nitric Oxide Nanotechnology for Healthcare Infections
Contact
4222 Emperor Blvd
Durham, NC 27703–8030
NSF Award
1127380 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$996,426
Start / end date
11/01/2011 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop the process and engineering controls necessary to scale up the manufacturing of a nitric-oxide-releasing active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). One of the applications is a wound-healing product for diabetic foot ulcers. This project will focus on 1) optimizing the process parameters required to scale production of a nitric-oxide-releasing API to reproducible 1 kg batches, and 2) implementing the analytical methodologies to meet the requirements of the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC) sections of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application. The expected outcome is a manufacturing process capable of producing large batches of the API that are suitable for an IND submission of a wound-healing product for diabetic foot ulcers or other nitric-oxide-releasing drug. The broader/commercial impacts of this project will be the potential to provide a new standard of care for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Currently, there are no products that address both wound healing and infection in diabetic foot ulcers. Infection is particularly problematic in diabetic foot ulcers due to the lack of normal skin barrier function, long duration of wound exposure to the external environment (months to years), poor blood circulation to the extremities that limits the migration of inflammatory cells to the site of infection, and the recent understanding of biofilm formation which protects bacteria from topically applied antimicrobials and systemically administered antibiotics. Nitric-oxide-releasing wound-healing therapeutics have the potential of addressing both infection and healing in diabetic foot ulcers.
Errata
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NuMat Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: High Performance MOF-Based Storage and Delivery of Electronic Gases
Contact
8025 Lamon Ave
Skokie, IL 60077–5315
NSF Award
1430682 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,249,930
Start / end date
09/01/2014 – 10/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in the development of a new hazardous gas storage and delivery system for semiconductor fabrication that will significantly promote worker health and safety benefits at a reduced cost. The new system incorporates a new class of ultra-high performing absorbents, namely Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), that will greatly mitigate the environmental and public health risks by reducing incidents of toxic gas release, chances of equipment damage, and fabrication facility evacuation. Moreover, the use of MOFs enables an increase in the storage capacity while providing savings in ventilation energy, and reducing the risk of leakages over both high pressure mechanical cylinders and sub-atmospheric carbon-based storage. Given the current vast market share of activated carbon cylinders, the higher capacity MOF filled cylinders offer the prospect of substantial decreased in per wafer production costs by minimizing gas cylinder change-outs and fabrication facility downtime. Furthermore, this technology represents the first large scale commercial application for MOFs, thus opening the doors for this promising class of materials for other gas storage applications. This project aims to increase the capacity of gas cylinders for the storage and delivery of highly toxic gases, such as arsine (AsH3), phosphine (PH3), and boron trifluoride (BF3), that are commonly used in semiconductor fabrication. As a safety measure, these highly toxic gases are currently stored at low pressure in activated carbon-filled cylinders. However, the capacity of activated carbon adsorbents is severely limited by their ill-defined internal pore structure. NuMat is developing higher capacity gas cylinders by focusing on the following key technical objectives: 1) Design highly porous, well-defined, crystalline MOF absorbents to be integrated into cylinders, allowing for high capacity storage of these highly toxic gases at sub-atmospheric pressures, 2) Develop industrially relevant MOF scale-up procedures to minimize the cost of production, 3) Maximize the volumetric storage of MOFs in cylinders by developing high density MOF pellets, and 4) Integrate high density MOF pellets into cylinders to displace the lower performing activated carbon filled cylinders currently used this commercial application. Additionally, the technical milestones achieved in this project will help to establish the necessary foundation for incorporating this class of ultra-high performing materials (MOFs) into other gas storage applications.
Errata
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Ocular Dynamics
SBIR Phase II: Bio-inspired Multilayer Contact Lens to Treat Contact Lens-Induced Dry Eye Disease
Contact
6231 Mojave Dr
San Jose, CA 95120–5311
NSF Award
1330975 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,367,124
Start / end date
09/15/2013 – 04/30/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a bio-inspired contact lens that closely mimics the structure of natural tear film, and prevents contact lens-induced dry eye disease (CLIDE). CLIDE is a serious problem faced by 50% of contact lens wearers. In spite of advances in materials and lens design, an estimated 10% of patients discontinue use each year due to CLIDE symptoms of dryness and discomfort. The architecture of the proposed lens minimizes tear film disruption through the use of a high water content polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel that interfaces with the ocular environment. The unique multi-layered design will enable a new paradigm in contact lens design, which so far has relied on modifying copolymer blends rather than making use of discrete layers of bulk materials. The objectives of this research project are to develop and optimize scalable manufacturing processes to produce the lenses and validate their safety in animals. The results of this project will enable efficacy studies in human subjects. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project, if successful, will be a contact lens that alleviates dryness and discomfort. The global contact lens market is $6.8 billion dollars annually, with an estimated $680 million dollars in revenue lost from patients discontinuing lens wear due to discomfort. In addition to the significant commercial potential, and ability to improve patient comfort, development of this contact lens will have broader impacts in the ophthalmology and medical device fields. Through better understanding of the tear film-lens interactions, more reliable, objective, and quantifiable metrics to predict success and segment patients will be possible. The new lens architecture also may enable a better understanding of the various metrics used in comparing the comfort of contact lenses. In addition, this device will validate the use of this unique material/design for other potential medical device applications. The novel processes and technology under development in this project for thin film hydrogel deposition has broad application both in clinical science and fundamental research.
Errata
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One Million Metrics Corp
SBIR Phase II: Predicting Musculoskeletal Injury Risk of Material Handling Workers with Novel Wearable Devices
Contact
341 West 11th Street
New York, NY 10014–6235
NSF Award
1660093 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
04/01/2017 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project has the objective of demonstrating that discrete, belt mounted internet-connected wearable devices used by industrial workers can detect high risk lifting activities, promote safe lifting practices and behavior change, and predict the risk of musculoskeletal injuries due to unsafe lifting. Each year over 600,000 workers suffer a musculoskeletal injury due to lifting related activities, which cost US companies over $15bn annually. Worker injuries affect employee morale, absenteeism, productivity loss and employee turnover, all of which are challenges to the efficient running of a company and are a unnecessary cause of human suffering. By developing a wearable device that can detect high risk lifting activity and provide immediate feedback to workers, safer lifting practices can be promoted and a reduction in the number of unsafe lifts registered, leading to a reduction in injuries. The project includes three main technical objectives: i) the development of machine learning algorithms to detect lifting events from sensor data, and to measure risk related metrics associated to those lifting events. When a lift is considered high risk, real-time feedback will be provided to the worker; ii) the deployment of the device in an industrial setting at several customer sites for 12 months, with the number of high risk lifts performed by workers quantified over time to measure the ability of the system to drive behavior change in the workforce; and ii) the development of a model that can predict the likelihood of musculoskeletal injures based on the risk metrics measured. It is expected that the outcomes of the project demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of suffering musculoskeletal injuries, paving the way for a clear return on investment value proposition for the industrial companies and their insurance carriers who are potential customers.
Errata
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OneBreath, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A novel and cost effective mechanical ventilator for pandemic preparedness and emergency stockpiling
Contact
425B Forest Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301–1420
NSF Award
1430719 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,463,132
Start / end date
12/01/2014 – 03/31/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop a cost-effective mechanical ventilator designed specifically to address the need for pandemic stockpiling and surge capacity use. The output of this Phase will be a new ventilator ready for FDA clearance and market entry in 2017. US government planners have described a need for many thousands of additional ventilators in the event of a pandemic influenza or other large-scale medical emergency. Severe influenza often leads to respiratory distress which cannot be dealt with in the absence of mechanical ventilation. Given some time and a mechanical ventilator, the human body can often clear the infection on its own. Without help from the ventilator, patients may die. Manufacturers of current ventilators have attempted to reconfigure their existing offerings to meet the stockpiling demand. Unfortunately none of these devices are able to match the price/performance ratio needed to make stockpiling in large numbers economically feasible. Building upon an innovative platform for mechanical ventilation developed in Phase I, the project intends to develop a ?gold standard? device for pandemic preparedness and emergency use. The proposed project is to develop a novel and much needed medical device ? a mechanical ventilator suitable for pandemic use and emergency stockpiling. If a severe pandemic were to strike the United States, the number of patients in need of mechanical ventilation has been estimated to be over 700,000. Of these, the most severe cases are often in the very old and the very young. There are currently 62,274 ventilators in use in the United States, of which only 23,485 are capable of supporting pediatric patients. Research and development activities will provide opportunities for creating new intellectual property, new technology, and new clinical methods for managing respiratory distress. This research and development project is divided into two Aims. In the first, the company will conduct extensive design research to analyze and understand the clinical need and all product requirements. We will then design, build, and test a series of prototype concepts using sophisticated software modeling, benchtop test platforms including mechanical and electronic lung simulation, and real-world user feedback. In the second Aim the company will address manufacturing and supply chain requirements, integrate design for manufacturing, and build and test a final series of near-production prototypes. These late-stage test procedures will include clinical performance and accuracy in accordance with regulatory standards, electromagnetic interference, and mechanical durability including vibration, noise, and water ingress in preparation for FDA regulatory clearance.
Errata
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Persimmon Technologies Corporation
SBIR Phase II: SBIR Phase II Spray-Formed Soft Magnetic Material for Efficient Hybrid-Field Electric Machines
Contact
200 Harvard Mill Square
Wakefield, MA 01880–3239
NSF Award
1230458 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,027,658
Start / end date
09/01/2012 – 08/31/2015
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a novel soft magnetic material and fabrication process for magnetic circuits of electric machines, such as winding cores of electric motors. The technology utilizes a unique single-step near net-shape fabrication process based on metal spray deposition to produce an isotropic metal microstructure characterized by small domains with high permeability, high saturation and low coercivity with a controlled formation of insulation boundaries that limit electric conductivity between neighboring domains. The resulting material provides an excellent three-dimensional magnetic path while minimizing energy losses associated with eddy currents. It can replace anisotropic laminated winding cores, which currently constrain the design of conventional electric motors to geometries with two-dimensional magnetic paths. As a further objective of the project, a new hybrid-field motor topology, with three-dimensional magnetic paths enabled by the proposed material and fabrication process, is being developed. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable production of electric motors with improved performance and efficiency while reducing cost and material scrap associated with manufacturing of motor winding cores. Electric motors are used extensively in a growing number of applications, including robotics, semiconductor and LED process equipment, industrial automation, electric vehicles, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, appliances, power tools, medical devices, and military and space exploration applications. These markets drive an increasing demand for electric motors with improved performance, higher efficiency, and lower cost. Considering the extensive use of electric motors globally, the disruptive change resulting from the proposed hybrid-field motor technology with spray-formed winding cores is expected to provide significant commercial, societal and environmental benefits, including improved manufacturing efficiency, waste reduction, and energy conservation.
Errata
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Precision Polyolefins, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Commercially Viable Ton-Scale Production of Stereoblock Polypropylene Thermoplastic Elastomers and XPURE? Oils
Contact
Suite 4506, Bldg 091
College Park, MD 20742–3371
NSF Award
1534778 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
09/15/2015 – 08/31/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is to use the transformational "living coordinative chain transfer polymerization" (LCCTP) technology of Precision Polyolefins, LLC (PPL) to produce new classes of polyolefins from readily available, inexpensive, and renewable chemical feedstocks and that can be used in the manufacturing of consumer products with superior performance to the benefit of society. More specifically, the commercial production of structurally-well-defined (precise) polyolefins, including stereoblock polypropylene (sbPP) thermoplastic elastomers, as replacements for technologically inferior polyolefins in adhesive and additives markets will serve to capitalize on the increasingly advantaged position of inexpensive propylene in the North America. The development of new technologies, such as LCCTP, will help the U.S. to regain its position as a world-leader in the discovery and commercialization of new polyolefin-based materials, and thereby, contribute to the future health and growth of the U.S. economy. The objectives of the proposed Phase II research project are to address the needs for new commercial polymers against a back-drop of ever increasing consumer demand, a sluggish industrial response, and a limited pool of chemical feedstocks possessing high price and supply volatility from which they can be manufactured. The current project will seek to develop commercially-viable processes based on a living coordinative chain transfer polymerization (LCCTP) technology to provide a broad range of structurally-well-defined polyolefins that possess with superior properties relative to existing products. By conducting an in-depth investigation of polymerization catalyst structure / property relationships, the project will seek to optimize catalyst activity and thermal stability. In concert with scale-up process development, this catalyst optimization will lead to reduced material and processing costs, and a product portfolio of competitively-priced polyolefins with superior performance characteristics. Validation of an optimized scale-up process will be achieved through the ton-scale production of stereoblock polypropylene (sbPP) thermoplastic elastomers, for adhesive and additive markets, and low molecular weight proprietary oils, for cosmetics, lubricants, and adhesives markets. The anticipated result is that commercially relevant (> 1 kiloton) volumes of sbPP thermoplastic elastomers and proprietary oils can be manufactured as technologically and commercially viable products.
Errata
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Protein Dynamic Solutions, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Novel, Accurate and Reproducible Platform for the Developability Assessment of Protein Therapeutics
Contact
4005 Street B, Road 114 Km 1.3
Mayaguez, PR 00682–4005
NSF Award
1632420 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$899,999
Start / end date
09/15/2016 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will address ALL of the factors attributing to protein aggregation by determining the: size, identity, extent, mechanism of aggregation and stability, thus addressing Biopharma industry needs. This information is critical to the development of drug pipeline contributing to a $190 BN biologic's market where $87BN in first generation biologics face patent expiration before 2020. A successful technical approach for its implementation will provide essential information for decision making towards which candidates will enter the market, thus increasing the Biopharma valuation and ensuring supply of drugs to patients. In the end, improving the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases. The proposed project will address the need for a multivariate high-throughput technology to address the risk of protein aggregation, that when adopted in R&D, will increase pipeline approvals, reduce late stage withdrawals and total costs of drug development. Average R&D development costs for the mere 1% of candidates reaching FDA approval have risen to $2.6 BN per product. Protein therapeutic development needs to be guided by a full understanding of protein stability and aggregation. Research objectives are to: develop our innovative First-in-Class high throughput platform for screening protein therapeutics; develop original software capable of deciphering protein aggregation mechanism, size, identity and extent of aggregated protein and product stability; commercialize the innovative technology platform. Fully automated evaluation of protein candidates during early R&D phase will be conducted. Best-in-class image acquisition technology will be employed towards this end, using a label free chemical mapping technology, dedicated software using auto recognition algorithms, and correlations to decipher protein aggregation. We through the use of its breakthrough technology will determine: the aggregate free candidate under various stressor conditions, optimum formulation conditions for the protein therapeutic, the most stable candidate, and electronic data reporting that establishes accuracy, reproducibility, critical quality attributes of the protein product.
Errata
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Radial Analytics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: System for Patient Risk Stratification through Electronic Health Record Analytics
Contact
6 Breezy Point Road
Acton, MA 01720–3420
NSF Award
1534781 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$925,999
Start / end date
09/15/2015 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is significant; transitions of care impact millions of Americans every year. The healthcare system bears substantial cost and inefficiency on account of suboptimal care transitions and overspending. This Phase II project will support progress towards a "learning healthcare system" and will extend the capabilities of data mining and machine learning in healthcare The proposed project seeks to improve data mining technologies for healthcare decision support. This project will focus on the analysis of a broad variety of data types that are common in healthcare settings. The anticipated improvements would allow frontline care staff, operational managers, and healthcare executives to assess and make stronger evidence-driven decisions regarding quality, cost, and access as patients move through the healthcare system. The enhanced data mining system would utilize state-of-the-art pattern recognition and machine learning techniques to dynamically process and interpret clinical, claims, and other types of healthcare data. If successful, this research will impact the state-of-the-art in healthcare analytics.
Errata
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Renuvix
SBIR Phase II: High-Performance, Environmentally Friendly Polymer Systems for Paints and Coatings
Contact
1854 NDSU Research Cir N
Fargo, ND 58102–5706
NSF Award
1556069 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$760,000
Start / end date
03/01/2016 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is to provide the paint and coatings industry with new high-performance, cost-competitive polymer/resin systems that reduce solvent emissions and use of petrochemicals. In addition, these new polymer/resin systems enable one-component, ambient-cure coatings to be produced. This means that highly protective coatings can be produced without the need for mixing multiple components together prior to application or applying heat or light to cure the coatings. The one-component, ambient-cure features of these polymer/resin systems largely eliminate waste and energy costs associated with coating application and lend themselves to the production of paints and coatings that can be applied by the average person. Compared to the current state-of-the-art in one-component, ambient-cured resins, these new polymer/resin systems provide dramatically shorter drying times, dramatically better chemical resistance, and much higher film hardness, while exhibiting excellent impact resistance and flexibility. The highly desirable properties of these new cost-competitive polymer/resin systems will enable commercial success, while their low solvent emissions and high renewable content will reduce impact on the environment. The objectives of this Phase II research project are to: 1) further optimize the polymer/resin systems to produce compositions that minimize solvent content and maximize performance, while meeting the cost constraints of the market; 2) put in place a pilot-line to provide potential customers with adequate sample sizes to enable their own evaluation of potential products, 3) generate weathering, corrosion, and storage/shelf stability data to further understand the application potential of optimized polymer/resin systems; and 4) optimize the polymer/resin production process to minimize cost and minimize production waste. By meeting these objectives, the Phase II project will result in the generation of new polymer/resin systems that will enable the development and commercialization of new paints and coatings that are one-component, ambient-cured, low in solvent content that exhibit exceptional properties, while being primarily based on renewable materials. Optimized polymer/resin systems will be provided to potential customers for their own internal evaluation. If necessary, feedback from customer evaluations will be used to modify polymer/resin system composition to meet customer needs. By the end of the Phase II project, the technology will be ready to proceed to manufacturing scale-up and product commercialization.
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RightHand Robotics, LLC
SBIR Phase II: Versatile Robot Hands for Warehouse Automation
Contact
21 Wendell St Apt 20
Cambridge, MA 02138–1850
NSF Award
1632460 – STTR PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
09/01/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project affects one of the fastest-growing sectors of the US economy. E-commerce sales in 2015 accounted for 7.4% of total U.S. retail and are expected to rapidly rise. The potential for the commercial impact of general each-picking systems is high, as current manual labor methods are pain points for distribution centers; human picking is unpleasant, expensive and inefficient due to high absenteeism, high turnover and human error. The success of the proposed technology will also contribute to American competitiveness in the robotics industry. Of the top 20 distribution system integrators, only three are currently based in the U.S. Robotics is going to be the key driver of progress in this area, where each-picking, our core product capability, is a key component of future automated distribution systems. Beyond warehousing logistics, applications that our technology can benefit include: broad applications of industrial automation and manufacturing; military applications (e.g., IED disposal, where robots can perform tasks that are dangerous for humans to perform); and assistive healthcare (e.g., where robots must be compliant enough to be safe around humans while interacting successfully with unknown environments). This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will focus on the development of a state-of-the-art each-picking robotic system and its deployment, initially targeted at the order fulfillment industry. To date, robotic systems have enabled significant progress on transporting inventory on shelves or in totes. However, there has not yet been a deployed system that can perform the task of picking individual items from inventory bins and placing them in boxes for shipment. During Phase I of this project, RightHand Robotics developed a picking system far in advance of the research literature on robotic grasping, picking tens of thousands of items previously unseen objects, with error rates of less than 0.1%. During Phase II, the project will focus on advancing the state of the art in data-driven refinement of grasp planning using machine learning techniques, and will develop methods for box-packing that exploit the company?s advanced compliant grippers. These improvements will result in an average pick-and-place time of 6 seconds or less and an undetected placement failure rate of fewer one in ten thousand.
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Runtime Verification, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: RV-Embedded: Runtime Verification for Embedded Systems
Contact
102 E. Main Street
Urbana, IL 61801–2744
NSF Award
1660186 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
03/15/2017 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is that the proposed runtime verification technology will lead to a more robust definition of and architecture for ensuring safety in automobiles, medical devices, and aerospace and defense systems. Through this, these forms of safety-critical infrastructure will be more resilient to attack and catastrophic failure resulting from both critical system failures and malicious attacks. As a result, the technology will help to address a slew of recent problems with software failures, security compromises, and other unintentional software behaviors that inevitably occur as systems become more complex, potentially saving lives and making millions of safety-critical embedded systems safer, easier to upgrade, and better tested. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will commercialize a first-of-its-kind complete solution for runtime verification and software analysis specifically tailored for embedded systems. From automobiles that connect to each other and drive autonomously, to control systems that run ever increasing networks that power our utilities, cities, and many other aspects of our daily lives, it is clear that embedded systems are here to stay in the most safety critical domains. A growing problem in embedded systems is how to ensure they behave correctly; a good case study for this is automobiles, in which several high profile hacks and recalls have called into question the security and integrity of vehicles. The proposed solution will fill this market niche with a suite of related analysis tools/modules, built on a common novel and formally rigorous runtime verification technology infrastructure, each module implementing unique instrumentation and analysis functionality. These tools/modules together provide what is needed to develop safe embedded systems.
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SQZ Biotechnologies Company
SBIR Phase II: Development of an Intracellular Delivery Platform for Accelerated Drug Discovery Using Genetically Engineered Human Immune Cells
Contact
333 Highland Ave. Apt 1A
Somerville, MA 02144–3142
NSF Award
1555789 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
04/15/2016 – 03/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be the development of technology for the intracellular delivery of biomolecules directly into cells. This microfluidics-based platform has the potential to become an enabling technology for intracellular delivery, which may be used to accelerate drug discovery R&D by allowing reliable, efficient delivery of diverse material classes without having to engineer the material or the cell to natively uptake these molecules. Such capabilities could allow pharmaceutical companies to assess the efficacy of drug candidates faster than ever before, especially with integration into high-throughput robotic workflows that are already well-established and efficacious. The technology could dramatically reduce the time to market for new drugs by decoupling determination of a candidate's activity from the cell's affinity for the molecule. It also could facilitate a deeper understanding of biological processes and pathways. Initial studies with leading drug developers and academic laboratories towards this goal have been very encouraging, and, in the future, the platform could potentially enable robust engineering of cell function for cell-based therapies targeting a diversity of diseases including influenza, cancer, and even autoimmune disorders. This SBIR Phase II project proposes the continued development of the intracellular delivery technology to address relevant applications in drug discovery R&D. New drug discovery is often hampered by the inability of membrane-impermeable drug candidates to enter the cell cytosol, necessitating exogenous materials for delivery such as strong electric fields or viral vectors. However, these materials tend to cause off-target effects or toxicity, presenting a need for a technology that can facilitate delivery without altering post-treatment cellular function. The goal of this project is to demonstrate a platform geared towards market adoption of microfluidic hardware as the standard method for transfection and intracellular delivery. During Phase II, the platform will be fully-characterized, validated, and verified in order to produce the consistent, repeatable results necessary to achieve market entry. In addition, research is planned to demonstrate the ability of the platform to support drug discovery R&D by developing the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system for use with this intracellular delivery technology.
Errata
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Second Avenue Software, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Martha Madison's Marvelous Machines
Contact
280 E Broad St Ste 310
Rochester, NY 14604–1720
NSF Award
1230334 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,008,000
Start / end date
08/15/2012 – 06/30/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes the development, testing and commercialization of a collaborative educational game aimed at middle-school physical science students that will improve educational outcomes and increase interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields across a broad spectrum of students. Martha Madison's Marvelous Machines, a serious game based on pedagogical best practices, correlated to curricular standards and supported by lesson plans, challenges students to work as a team to solve progressively harder physical science problems. Sophisticated scaffolding guides learners and helps them achieve full potential by encouraging exploration yet minimizing frustration without giving the answer away. By tracking play mechanics, the game will test for student engagement, enhancement of scientific inquiry skills and knowledge of physical science principles. The game will cover a full year of physical science curriculum. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project addresses a need to ignite interest in STEM study and careers at a critical time in students' education. There is a current lack of research-based, efficacy proven innovative digital STEM teaching materials. Research shows that middle school is a pivotal time for encouraging students to pursue math and science related fields. If interest and engagement in science are not maintained through middle and high school, successful pursuit of STEM fields drops significantly. Math and science assessment test results show that U.S. students consistently perform lower than international counterparts. In addition, women are significantly underrepresented in STEM careers, filling only 24% of STEM jobs while they hold 48% of all jobs in the U.S. Educational games provide a goal-driven, social framework for thinking about relevant topics and practicing skills. Through play and experimentation, games can provoke curiosity, enthusiasm and creativity about content. While games' merits for increasing engagement are clear, their role in improving educational content is even more important. As a scalable solution to a persistent problem, Martha Madison's Marvelous Machines has the potential to significantly impact U.S. learning and achievement in science.
Errata
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Addenda
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SensorHound, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Resource-efficient Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics for Cyber-Physical Systems
Contact
1281 Win Hentschel Blvd
West Lafayette, IN 47906–4182
NSF Award
1534707 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
09/15/2015 – 08/31/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project derives from the fact that increasing the reliability and robustness of cyber-physical systems (CPSs) will directly increase their adoption in real world applications. CPS technology is directly applicable to a broad range of sectors, including utility grids, smart buildings, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, etc. These sectors account for more than $32.3 trillion in economic activity, with the potential to grow to $82 trillion by 2025 - about one half of the global economy. CPSs are thus critical to the national interest in areas such as manufacturing competitiveness, defense, health care, energy production and usage, and disaster monitoring and recovery. Due to the increasing reliance on CPSs in the future, system defects could have drastic consequences. The proposed technology could significantly improve reliability of CPSs by catching defects before they result in significant loss, outages, or failures. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop an efficient remote monitoring and diagnostic software system to detect and diagnose software defects in cyber-physical systems (CPSs). CPSs have the potential to bring about a revolution in efficiency, robustness, and safety in application domains such as smart utility grids and smart healthcare. To unleash their potential, CPSs must themselves be robust. However, despite state-of-the-art testing, software defects currently do escape into deployed CPSs. Current state-of-practice monitoring and diagnostic systems cannot improve the situation as they were not designed with the constraints of CPSs in mind, which include real-time execution, unreliable links, and resource constrained processors. The proposed technology is aimed at creating a software system capable of monitoring embedded nodes in CPSs for anomalies and providing detailed execution information to quickly diagnose the software defects responsible for any anomalies. The proposed work extends the company's extensive research in efficient collection of information for diagnosing software defects. The company expects to create a monitoring and diagnostic software system for CPSs and demonstrate its effectiveness on existing software defects in CPSs.
Errata
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Addenda
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Simbulus Inc
SBIR Phase II: A Question of Numbers: Numeracy, Learning, and Learning about Learning
Contact
2017 10TH ST STE B
Boulder, CO 80302–5186
NSF Award
1456382 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,275,000
Start / end date
03/01/2015 – 08/31/2019
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to answer the presidential call to "create digital tutors that are as effective as personal tutors." More than any other subject, mathematical learning is cumulative, and as students fall behind their classmates, new material becomes less comprehensible and they can face an ever-widening gap to their peers. Formative assessment (FA) practices have been well established as effective in closing these gaps and informing teacher decision-making. While the influx of mobile computing devices has enormous potential to help facilitate change in education, the potential is heavily dependent on the availability of proven, research-backed software and services. This project will help close achievement gaps by providing students with adaptive, personalized instruction and also providing teachers with valuable FA techniques, data, and suggestions. More broadly, the data will yield opportunities to research and model student understanding and to analyze the learning process, enabling additional research into effective practices for the teaching and learning of mathematics. With its strong customer value propositions and innovations that will enable new forms of software-enhanced teaching and learning, this project will also create significant commercial value within the educational market. This project will create digital learning environments that go beyond current state-of-the-art systems to deliver adaptively selected instructional video segments and highly interactive problems, and do so while maintaining a flow of content that feels natural - as if the learning was occurring in the presence of an actual tutor. The ability of the system to adapt to the needs of an individual student is based upon a real-time assessment of student understanding and leverages cutting edge research from the fields of formative assessment, machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data. The ability to model student understanding and analyze the learning process will lead to the creation of new learning analytics tools and enable additional research into effective practices for the teaching and learning of mathematics. The proposed research will seek to demonstrate, in a randomized crossover trial, the effectiveness of the adaptive, online system over a control treatment. The researched solutions will also employ novel FA implementations such as collaborative review and white-boarding (via wireless communication), record and playback of teacher work, use of student sentiment, groupings of peers for collaborative work, and models of student understanding that incorporate teacher input (teacher plus software in the FA loop).
Errata
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Addenda
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Spheryx, Inc
SBIR Phase II: Total Holographic Characterization of Colloids Through Holographic Video Microscopy
Contact
330 E 38th St, Apt 48J
New York, NY 10016–2784
NSF Award
1631815 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$758,011
Start / end date
09/15/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will enable a commercial implementation of holographic video microscopy, a fast, precise and flexible technology for measuring the properties of individual colloidal particles suspended in fluid media. This disruptive technology solves critical manufacturing problems across industries that work with colloidal dispersions. Demonstrated applications include: 1) monitoring the growth of nanoparticle agglomerates in precision slurries used to polish semiconductor wafers where scratches due to slurry agglomerates are responsible for waste valued at $1 billion annually; 2) tracking concentrations of dangerous contaminants in wastewater streams; and 3) measuring the concentration of protein aggregates in biopharmaceuticals, a safety concern noted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in this $250 billion industry. Holographic video microscopy is unique among particle-characterization technologies in providing comprehensive information about the size, shape and composition of individual particles in real time and in situ. Having access to this wealth of data facilitates product development, creates new opportunities for process control and provides a new tool for quality assurance across a broad spectrum of industries enabling safer, less expensive products for consumers while providing cost savings to manufacturers. The technical objectives of this project are: 1) to optimize the design of the underlying holographic microscopy system without compromising the quality of results; 2) to enable quantitative concentration determination including corrections for perturbations introduced by flow dynamics; 3) to expand the domain of operation to characterize non-spherical particles and 4) to apply machine-learning algorithms for automated robust operation. Using holographic video microscopy for commercial applications requires adaptation and innovation in the design of the prototype instrument that was used to demonstrate feasibility. Streamlining the optical train will require advanced modeling and the creation of new methods of correcting optical aberrations to enable ease of manufacture. Additional improvements in design will include advances in improving microfluidic flow control to generate accurate concentration determination, to adapt holographic analysis algorithms for characterizing the structure of aspheric particles, and to extend analytical capabilities for turbid fluids. Finally, innovative machine-learning using neural network algorithms demonstrated significant improvements for analytical robustness in Phase I and will be extended to a wider range of applications. The Phase II effort will enable holographic video microscopy of real-world samples with typical measurement times of a few minutes.
Errata
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Addenda
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TACTAI
SBIR Phase II: Touch and Feel a Virtual Object with Life-like Realism
Contact
225 Wyman Street
Waltham, MA 02451–1209
NSF Award
1632274 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$860,430
Start / end date
09/01/2016 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to create a suite of consumer hardware and software products that provide realistic tactile feedback to users who are touching objects in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). As evidenced by the current proliferation of low-cost head-mounted displays and motion tracking systems, three-dimensional interaction technologies are revolutionizing how people interact with computers, media, and each other. Since they are currently limited to vision and audio, endowing consumer-level human-computer interfaces with high-fidelity tactile feedback will vastly increase user immersion, making games more fun, online interactions more effective, and tools more efficient. Consequently, this project has the potential to expand the commercial reach of the burgeoning VR/AR market, opening up myriad opportunities for companies particularly in the gaming, entertainment, and e-commerce sectors. The innovation of this project also promises to enhance scientific and technological understanding of haptic human-computer interaction by establishing a new paradigm that blends minimal wearable hardware with sophisticated software algorithms. Finally, commercializing novel interactive technology also has the potential to help inspire a diverse array of young people to pursue a career in the critical areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 2 project aims to advance knowledge of low-cost technology that can provide realistic tactile feedback to a user touching objects in VR or AR: the project?s intellectual merits center on testing a new approach that combines minimal haptic hardware and sophisticated software algorithms. The research objective is to create a fully functional industrial prototype of a wearable fingertip thimble and custom software that embody the proposed approach. When the user's finger moves to touch a virtual object, a platform inside the thimble will initiate contact with the fingerpad and press with a force that varies with penetration distance, to render surface softness. A thermal actuator will convey the object?s thermal conductivity and temperature. When the finger slides along a virtual object, the user will feel its texture via carefully designed platform vibrations. Specific research tasks to be addressed include exploring haptic actuator options, building a library of haptic object properties (HOPs) that can be applied to virtual objects, and creating a communication protocol for exchanging haptic signals among devices. This project is expected to yield a fully functional industrial prototype and developer kits for the wearable fingertip thimble.
Errata
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Addenda
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TAG Optics, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Development of high-volume manufacturing processes for variable focus TAG Lens technology
Contact
136 Sherwood Ave
Trenton, NJ 08619–4316
NSF Award
1431015 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$700,044
Start / end date
10/01/2014 – 06/30/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in developing the world?s first ultra-high-speed variable focus optical lens that can be fully mass-produced with low manufacturing costs and high yield. The company?s proprietary tunable acoustic gradient lens technology provides versatile solutions for unmet market needs across multiple sectors, including health, security, and manufacturing. While valuable as an add-on to existing systems for imaging and processing applications, its use can be extended to other applications such as point of care medical diagnostic imaging and consumer optics/electronics. The proposed second generation lens is expected to grow the existing market for variable focus optical lens by a factor of 5 to 10 and help transform this small business into a major original equipment components manufacturer and supplier. This project seeks to engineer a high volume manufacturing process that will increase product yield, reproducibility, and reliability for a novel ultra-high-speed variable focus device. The company?s patented tunable acoustic gradient lens technology uses sound to shape light, which enables the change of focal position without any moving parts at rates that are 3 orders of magnitude faster than competing technologies. The innovation is based on propagation of sound waves that can be controlled by the modification of the index of refraction by piezoelectric elements within the liquid lens. Phase II plan is focused on engineering and optimizing new lens designs that preserve the fundamental functionality and benefits of the first generation lens while also capturing the unique and industry leading benefits of the company's core technology. It also includes semi-automated prototype fabrication, careful system optimization, analysis and testing that pave the path to a next generation product that can be scaled up for mass-production.
Errata
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Addenda
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TAO Connect, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: An Intelligent Mental Health Therapy System
Contact
747 SW 2nd Avenue STE 258
Gainesville, FL 32601–6280
NSF Award
1631871 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$719,003
Start / end date
10/01/2016 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research, Phase II project is to help make therapy more consistent with patient preferences, beliefs, and values to maximize engagement in therapy and improve patient outcomes. Therapy for mental health problems is highly effective, yet many patients drop out before getting the full benefit because they are not satisfied or engaged in the therapy. The proposed project involves collecting data on all of patients actions in the online treatment system along with their ratings of each activity and their symptom improvement over time. The research and development team will use this data to create a machine learning system that will make suggestions for best next steps in therapy based on what thousands of other users experienced. This is the intelligent counseling system. It will work very similarly to movie streaming services or online book sellers who recommend movies or books to you based on your past preferences and the preferences of thousands of other users. The proposed project will develop a feedback and recommendation system based on advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to provide personalized treatments to customize and individualize online mental health treatment, the Intelligent Counseling System (ICS). This personalized system will contain a number of alternative treatment items from several theoretical perspectives, using a variety of patient interactive activities, varying in format, length, pace, and other characteristics. In such a setting, a recommendation system can predict the users' preferences and recommend the subsequent treatment component. In addition, to achieve maximum adherence and to decrease the attrition rate, the platform will enable personalized motivational interventions and supportive messaging. The delivery times and the content of supportive messaging will adapt and vary depending on the projected treatment progress. Our machine learning based system will be trained incrementally as more data becomes available over time, thus it will benefit from improved accuracy over time. We will extract local, semi-local, and global temporal features at multiple temporal resolutions and will use feature selection techniques to identify which factors contribute to the success of treatments for patients, and to predict if a user is improving or is deteriorating. This will result in adaptive motivational messages and recommendation for tailoring treatment in term of important identified treatment features.
Errata
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Addenda
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Teachley, LLC.
SBIR Phase II: Mobile Games Teaching Rational Number Operations
Contact
56 Marx St
Staten Island, NY 10301–4313
NSF Award
1632238 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$749,999
Start / end date
08/15/2016 – 07/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project offers a unique approach to teaching the difficult content of operating with fractions through interactive, adaptive games. Existing products are not effective at teaching fractions, and half of US eighth graders cannot correctly order three fractions, a fourth grade standard. Current research and the Common Core State Standards emphasize using a number line to teach fractions, which is a more effective approach; however, leading curricula are not fully aligned to this method. This project aims to improve 3rd-5th grade students' understanding of fractions through engaging apps that encourage estimation and problem-solving. Unlike other apps, which typically end with just a score, this project will provide rich, actionable insight to help teachers screen and monitor students' progress over time, thereby improving teachers' instruction as well as student learning. Closely aligning with NSF's mission of improving mathematics education for all children, this project fills an essential need in the marketplace for engaging, effective software that aligns with Common Core and provides data-driven intervention support. This software will be specially designed for children who struggle in mathematics and will meet the criteria for intervention software, further increasing its commercial value for the school market and its potential to generate income. This project aims to improve children's use of efficient strategies in estimating and solving fractions arithmetic by targeting children?s metastrategic awareness and metacognitive abilities. This project will include the development of a series of fractions apps and game-based data reporting for teachers to help them tailor instruction and target interventions. Extracting actionable insight from children?s gameplay rather than from standardized tests is a novel innovation that has the potential to dramatically change teaching and learning. The development process will include wireframing novel gameplay and developing app components and features. The backend system will identify learning patterns within clickstream data collected during play and apply data-mining techniques to these patterns. Instead of assessing single actions as correct or incorrect, the backend will identify series of actions and associate them with a particular strategy. This data will be used to inform instructors, test hypotheses, and provide evidence for learning. A dynamic content generation engine will use the insights extracted from student data to provide learners with highly targeted, fine-tuned activities. The project?s research will include both informal design research and a randomized control study with 3rd-5th grade students to determine the effects of using the software on procedural and conceptual knowledge of fractions.
Errata
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Addenda
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TexasLDPC Inc., dba Symbyon Systems
SBIR Phase II: Area and Energy Efficient Error Floor Free Low-Density Parity-Check Codes Decoder Architecture for Flash Based Storage
Contact
1920 W Villa Maria Rd, Ste 301
Bryan, TX 77807–4864
NSF Award
1632562 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$760,000
Start / end date
09/01/2016 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be high performance error correction for flash memory. Error correction plays a critical row in making digital devices reliable. Shrinking semiconductor geometries results in more errors. This has created a special problem for flash memory where the need for more rigorous error correction is approaching a practical limit with the widely used Bose Chaudhuri Hocquengham error correction. Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) is a recognized solution that can approach the theoretical limits of what is possible. This LDPC based technology can improve lifetime of flash by without the added cost of the existing BCH solution. This technology helps Flash Memory enterprises to use higher density flash to improve storage capacity and cut the storage product costs. Without the superior performance, small size and low power consumption of the LDPC technology, the migration to low cost high capacity flash memories will be seriously slowed. In the absence of a comparable alternative approach, there will be serious limitations on the performance of a vast array of products that depend on highly reliable and economical flash storage. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will use a variety of techniques to minimize the area and power requirements and enhance the performance of Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) error correction codes for flash memory. Many of these techniques are applicable to a wide range of error correction applications in digital communication and storage from WiFi to hard disk drives. The need for better error correction is crucial for flash memory but there is a widening demand for improved error correction. For example larger memories require better error correction to insure the system failure rate is low. In the next two years the company expects to develop a Verilog version of the LDPC decoder that is easily integrated with a flash controller. The project will work with potential customers/partners to ensure the code works with controllers. In the long run these techniques can be adapted to a wide range of applications as the need for more reliable data continues to rapidly expand.
Errata
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Addenda
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The Echo Nest Corporation
SBIR Phase II: Automated Community and Sentiment Mining for Global Media Preference Understanding
Contact
48 Grove Street
Somerville, MA 02144–2500
NSF Award
0750544 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
04/01/2008 – 03/31/2012
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project applies data mining and machine learning techniques to both natural language description and Internet link graphs to model communities in order to predict preference, taste and sentiment for different kinds of media (music, TV, online media, video games, books). Current contextual information mining approaches that scan the text on a page for advertisement or recommendation ignore valuable community connections inherent in most self-published Internet discussion. Sentiment and opinion extraction systems operating on full text create challenging language parsing problems are fraught with issues of scale and adaptability. The identification systems can automatically categorize anonymous Internet writers or website visitors into specific demographic communities based on their tastes in many kinds of media. The Phase II research project approaches opinion extraction with a bias-free learning model based on training from known online corpuses that can be adapted to different languages and learns in real time as more data becomes available for high accuracy. Current personalization and marketing approaches either look at the "clickstream" of an anonymous user, leading to equally anonymous recommendations for popular movies and music -- or by scanning a surface-level overview of the text, leading to keyword advertisements with limited contextual understanding of entertainment content and community sentiment. The project plans to fully integrate people-focused community and sentiment analysis technologies into an autonomous, learning and scale-free "media knowledge service" for digital entertainment providers and marketers that can change the way digital content is marketed and sold.
Errata
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Addenda
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ThermoAura Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Development and manufacture of a new class of high-figure-of-merit bulk thermoelectric nanomaterials
Contact
132B Railroad Avenue
Colonie, NY 12205–5701
NSF Award
1330650 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,407,999
Start / end date
10/01/2013 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to enable the commercialization of a scalable bottom-up microwave synthesis process invented and demonstrated for obtaining bulk thermoelectric nanomaterials with 25% higher figure-of-merit ZT at 50% cost savings than the state of the art. We anticipate the results of the project to expand the scope of, and transform, high efficiency thermoelectric refrigeration and waste-heat harvesting technologies. In particular, this project aims to transmute our synthesis approach to a manufacturing technology that consistently yields ton-scale nanothermoelectrics with ZT>1. The objectives are to 1) Complete the design of, and implement a microwave manufacturing platform with a 10 tons/year capacity, 2) Develop protocols for industrial-scale wafer production from the nanomaterials for device fabrication, and 3) Devise methods to further increase ZT through process optimization. The knowhow generated from the demonstration of kilogram-scale production shown in Phase I provides the foundation for the Phase II effort. We will focus on the widely used bismuth and antimony tellurides, and their alloys. We will strive to maximize process flexibility to facilitate greater ZT gains through process optimization and to facilitate the adaptation of our process technology to other thermoelectric nanomaterials for refrigeration and waste-heat harvesting. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to unlock and access the multi-billion dollar potential of thermoelectrics for transforming solid-state cooling. Thermoelectric materials already support a ~$1B/year industry, but has promise to be multi-fold higher if the conversion efficiency is increased just two-fold by using nanomaterials. The project will scale-up a nanomaterials manufacturing technology targeted to create new high efficiency solid-state cooling devices that can replace the current refrigeration and air-conditioning technologies based on environmentally unfriendly gases, and create high-efficiency electricity generators from waste heat, significantly expanding the thermoelectric markets and impacting global energy usage and addressing global environmental concerns. The work performed in the project will result in low-cost high-value thermoelectric nanomaterials manufacturing to replace extant energy-intensive methods that cannot cost-effectively produce high-efficiency materials. This will lead to introduction of a new class of nanomaterials with superior properties than that available currently in the marketplace. The work will expand the scope of thermoelectric device applications, paving the way for power generation technologies through implementation of our manufacturing method for other materials systems. The project is anticipated to create 10-25 jobs in 3-5 years besides making New York State a global player in thermoelectrics innovation and nanomaterials manufacturing.
Errata
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Addenda
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Triad Interactive Media
SBIR Phase II: An Online Professional Development Science Game for Pre-Service and In- Service Teachers
Contact
1601 Guilford College Road
Jamestown, NC 27282–9383
NSF Award
1430993 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$752,186
Start / end date
09/01/2014 – 08/31/2016
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project will enhance the science content knowledge of elementary school pre-service and in-service teachers and increase their effectiveness in teaching science. Studies show significant deficiencies in many elementary teachers? conceptual knowledge of science topics, and this lack of scientific understanding inhibits their ability to teach science effectively. Research also shows that students learn more from teachers with strong comprehension of the subject matter being taught than from teachers with weak content understanding. Using research from cognitive psychology, game-based learning, and multimedia learning theory, this project creates problem-based scenarios and built-in assessments that challenge teachers to solve problems and ensures that they grasp scientific principles. By improving teachers? understanding of science, this project will therefore improve student performance and give students the foundational knowledge needed to pursue careers not only in science, but also in engineering and technology. Increasing the number of young people entering scientific and technical fields has an impact not only on the individuals entering these professional careers, but also on the nation?s productivity, competitiveness, and tax base since science and technology are key drivers of innovation and growth in the U.S. economy. The product is a Web-based learning system consisting of a suite of inquiry-based activities designed to (a) strengthen the science knowledge of pre-service and in-service elementary teachers and (b) increase their confidence in and enthusiasm for teaching science. To motivate the learner, the product includes an overarching science fiction narrative with engaging 3D art as well as game-based science learning activities. All science content aligns with The Next Generation Science Standards as well as curriculum focal points and provides learners with immediate and easily accessible data on their science understanding, both procedural and conceptual. Because learners become engaged by the narrative and interactive science experiments, they are less focused on the intervention as a teaching instrument and on their deficiencies in scientific understanding. During engagement, learners are carefully scaffolded through 6 levels of difficulty, and move up and down the levels seamlessly based on performance. Also, learners collect rewards along the way to further motivate them to engage.
Errata
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Addenda
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Triad Interactive Media
SBIR Phase II: A Game-Based Leadership Program
Contact
1601 Guilford College Road
Jamestown, NC 27282–9383
NSF Award
1534770 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$659,682
Start / end date
09/01/2015 – 08/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is an online, game-based program to improve the leadership skills of individuals in science, education, the military, government, and industry. Leadership skills are key to innovation, efficiency, and effectiveness in all organizations. The program being developed is built on a proven leadership model and converts that traditional model into a role-playing game. The empirically tested model consists of three basic strategies and six practices that expand leaders' perspectives and enhance their problem-solving skills. The program uses a futuristic narrative, 3D-animated multimedia, and challenging leadership dilemmas to engage learners, who play the role of a novice world leader. The program provides instruction in leadership, and then learners apply their new leadership skills to build an alliance among warring factions and collectively solve a global problem. A series of game quests test learners' understanding, and they receive immediate feedback on all decisions and actions. Learners communicate through social media tools with other players and, at the end, participate in a virtual synchronous debriefing exercise with peers and trained facilitators to ensure full comprehension. An administrative dashboard provides real-time performance data. The game is scalable, accessible, and designed for repeat playability. The most profound innovation of this project is that it conceptualizes, designs, and develops a system of game mechanics and algorithms that mimic the facilitator-led human aspect of a research-based, face-to-face model of leadership training. This design entails building out a backend system as an artificial intelligence tool designed to guide users engaging with instructional materials, anticipate player actions, make recommendations on actions and anticipated actions, and provide feedback similar to guidance an on-site facilitator would provide. Furthermore, the game logic supports multiple paths to success, with some paths being more efficient, optimal, elegant, or otherwise more appropriate choices. The game logic and technical design are built to reflect problem solving and leadership in the real world, which is largely based on open-ended decision making. The game mechanics and related backend technology are designed to support open-ended decision-making, thus making game play both more engaging and authentic for players. A final innovation is the linking of an asynchronous online video game learning experience with virtual facilitator-led synchronous debriefing, which can be done on a worldwide scale. The program will be tested as a global collaboration exercise with both high school students and corporate leaders.
Errata
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Triton Animal Products
SBIR Phase II: Production of an affordable synthetic colostrum replacer in edible green algae
Contact
302 Washington St #150-2995
San Diego, CA 92103–2110
NSF Award
1555951 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$728,550
Start / end date
05/01/2016 – 04/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to produce colostrum proteins in edible green algae that have the potential to reduce the use and dependence on antibiotics in livestock animals. Colostrum proteins have both beneficial health and growth properties that may drastically decrease the dependence on antibiotics. Unfortunately, there is a limited supply of colostrum. Algae provide an affordable and scalable system for the production of the valuable proteins found in colostrum. Recently, it was demonstrated that the use of antibiotics in livestock animals caused the formation of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Colostrum proteins naturally stimulate the animal's immune system and allows them to improve their own ability to fight off infections and ultimately increase their rate of weight gain. The production of colostrum proteins at a large scale in an untapped market that has the potential to gain market share from the multi-billion dollar antibiotic industry. This SBIR Phase II project proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of producing colostrum proteins in algae using biomanufacturing. Some of the problems associated with having the animal livestock industry adapt a new product is demonstrating cost and feasibility. To accomplish the goal of decreasing antibiotic use, this project will first focus on optimizing the production process to drive the cost of producing colostrum proteins in algae down. Next, work will be done on developing optimal formulations of colostrum proteins and testing them in mice models before moving to larger livestock animals. Once an optimal formulation is established, trials will be done in pig models. In the pig models, colostrum proteins produced in algae will be tested to determine their ability to assist animals in fighting off infections and also their ability to improve the animal's rate of weight gain. Finally, this project will strive to demonstrate that colostrum proteins produced in algae can give the same positive outcomes in animals when compared to animals given antibiotics. By accomplishing these goals, algae colostrum proteins can drastically decrease the dependence on antibiotics and their negative side effects.
Errata
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Ubiquitous Energy, Inc
SBIR Phase II: Transparent Molecular Photovoltaic Devices
Contact
3696 Haven Ave, Suite B
Redwood City, CA 94063–4604
NSF Award
1431010 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,415,999
Start / end date
09/01/2014 – 05/31/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will enable unprecedented freedom for architectural photovoltaic adoption by maintaining the aesthetics of existing building materials and the quality of natural indoor lighting. This unique approach offers to achieve levelized photovoltaic energy costs of 0.05-0.1 $/kWhr by (1) producing 10-40% of DC building electricity at the point of utilization, eliminating the need for DC-AC-DC power electronics, (2) simultaneously reducing building cooling demands 10-30% through rejection of infrared solar heat, increasing the effective PV efficiency by over 5% (absolute), and (3) piggybacking on the materials, installation, framing, customer acquisition, and maintenance of the existing building envelope, reducing non-module costs by over 50%. This project will also result in a core knowledge from which future generations of transparent photovoltaic devices and materials will be designed. Visibly transparent photovoltaics are also amenable to seamless energy harvesting within non-window surfaces such as electronic displays and mobile electronic accessories, enhancing the functionality of those products without impacting aesthetics or functionality. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project develops a transformational visibly transparent photovoltaic device. Building-integrated photovoltaics are a promising energy pathway to capturing large areas of solar energy and increasing US building efficiency at the point of utilization. However, the widespread adoption of such technologies is severely hampered by the cost and aesthetics associated with mounting traditional photovoltaic cells on siding and windows. In this project, these challenges are overcome by exploiting the excitonic character of molecular and organic semiconductors that lead to oscillator bunching to produce photovoltaic architectures with selective absorption, i.e. exhibiting visible minima and ultra-violet (UV) and near-infrared (NIR) maxima, uniquely distinct from the band-absorption of traditional inorganic semiconductors. By using excitonic molecular semiconductors with structured absorption in the UV/NIR these devices are simultaneously optimized for high power conversion efficiency, visible light transmission, and color rendering index.
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Uniqarta, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: IC Integration Technologies for Flexible Hybrid Electronics
Contact
42 Trowbridge St
Cambridge, MA 02138–4115
NSF Award
1632387 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$913,675
Start / end date
09/01/2016 – 02/28/2019
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to address one of the primary barriers to the emergence of flexible electronics -the inability to assembly and interconnect thinned integrated circuits (ICs) onto flexible substrates in a reliable, cost-effective, high volume manner. Flexible electronics has been the subject of many industry journals, trade shows, technical conferences and market research reports. All describe a new age of ubiquitous electronics with devices embedded in the structures and items around us. Flexible electronic devices, unlike today's devices that are rigid and boxy, can conform to natural, curved shapes that exist in the real world. However, flexible electronics have yet to have their predicted economic and social impact. A major reason is because the electronics industry has not yet found a reliable, low-cost method for assembling thin, flexible ICs onto flexible circuit boards. Today's 'pick-and-place' assembly technology cannot handle ICs thin enough to be flexible. Until a new method is developed and adopted, the potential of flexible electronics will likely not be realized. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will advance the integrated circuit (IC) aspects of a flexible hybrid electronics technology to a level at which these devices can be produced reliably and in volumes in a production-relevant environment. While most of the components of flexible hybrid electronics technology relating to printed electronics methods have been adequately researched and developed, little has been done on the integration of solid-state semiconductor devices onto highly flexible, organic substrates. Partial results have been reported in the literature, however, no attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive, wafer-to-end product approach suitable for commercial applications. This project will address this gap by focusing on all the steps for IC integration, including the preparation for assembly of ultra-thin, flexible semiconductor dies, their attachment onto a flexible circuit board using laser-enabled assembly technology, and their reliable electrical interconnection. The anticipated end results will be a complete flexible hybrid electronics integration technology developed to a level of pilot production readiness.
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VECARIUS
SBIR Phase II: High Efficiency, Compact Thermoelectric Generator (TEG)
Contact
28 Dane Street
Somerville, MA 02143–3237
NSF Award
1330957 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$609,573
Start / end date
10/01/2013 – 08/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will pursue the full development of a novel system design architecture for thermoelectric generation (TEG) to recover exhaust waste heat from engines and convert it to electricity. The effort will build upon Phase I achievements, which included a successful feasibility demonstration of a fractional proof-of-concept prototype and development and validation of a computer model, thereby proving the viability of this new system technology platform. The technology enables efficient performance within a very compact and cost-effective form that also can easily scale in capacity. The Phase II effort will involve improving subsystems and designing, modeling, fabricating, and testing a full TEG system for a passenger car application. Furthermore, scalability will be explored by applying the TEG to a larger vehicle platform. the broader/commercial impact of this project lie in the fact that industry has found it very challenging to develop a TEG system design that meets market metrics of performance, reliability, compactness, and low-cost, particularly for automotive applications. The proposed TEG system architecture, which includes a novel exhaust gas heat exchanger uniquely integrated into the remaining system, shows strong potential for meeting such metrics, and thereby achieving significant reduction in vehicle fuel consumption and emissions. By penetrating the large passenger vehicle market, initial market introduction could easily range in the 100,000s and much more if the cost of the product is extremely low. Broader opportunities to recover exhaust waste heat for transportation include medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, which may also be addressed by this scalable technology. Other adjacent markets include stationary and mobile generator sets, solid-oxide fuel cells, and potentially, aircraft propulsion systems. This commercial impact would greatly support national energy independence and greenhouse gas reductions.
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VOCALID INC
SBIR Phase II: VocaliD - Infusing Unique Vocal Identities into Synthesized Speech
Contact
15 Hickory Lane
Belmont, MA 02478–3303
NSF Award
1555608 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$929,299
Start / end date
04/01/2016 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to offer custom crafted digital voices for text-to-speech applications. Each one of us has a unique voiceprint - an essential part of our self-identity. Though the quality of text-to-speech technology has improved, voice options remain limited. For the 2.5 million Americans (and tens of millions worldwide) living with voicelessness who rely on devices to talk, access to a custom digital voice is a game changer. It's the difference between a functional solution and being heard, uniquely, as oneself. Enhanced opportunities for social connection increase quality of life, independence, and access to educational and vocational resources that can narrow the gap between those with and without disability. This immediate unmet societal need, coupled with the increasing proliferation of devices that speak to us and for us, creates a compelling, timely and significant commercial opportunity for high quality, personalized digital voices that can be produced at scale. By leveraging the company's crowdsourced human voicebank and proprietary voice matching and blending algorithms the technology has the potential to empower everyone to express themselves through their own voice. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project builds on the company's NSF-funded research and Phase I results that support feasibility and commercialization of a customized voice building technology. The text-to-speech market, encompassing assistive technologies, enterprise and consumer applications, is currently valued at around $1B and is rapidly growing and ripe for innovation. To create custom voices, the company leverages the source-filter theory of speech production. From those who are unable or unwilling to record several hours of speech the company extracts a brief vocal sample - even a single vowel contains enough 'vocal DNA' to seed the personalization process. Identity cues of the source are then combined with filter properties of a demographically and acoustically matched donor in the company's voicebank. The result is a voice that captures the vocal identity of the recipient but the clarity of the donor. Phase II technical objectives address the need for 1) customer-driven voice customization, 2) quality assurance of crowdsourced recordings, 3) voice aging algorithms, and 4) targeted donor recruitment algorithms. These advances will help secure the assistive technology beachhead and spur innovations for broader applications such as virtual reality, personal robotics, and digital persona for the Internet of Things.
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Vaporsens Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Highly Sensitive Nanofiber Sensors for Trace Detection of Explosives
Contact
36 S Wasatch Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84112–9460
NSF Award
1353637 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,049,418
Start / end date
04/01/2014 – 10/31/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a working prototype of a handheld detector for trace explosives that is smaller, more sensitive, and has faster response times than any commercially available portable device today. Under NSF Phase I SBIR funding of this project, Vaporsens, Inc. successfully developed new organic nanofiber sensory materials required to achieve these goals. In Phase II, the company will design and optimize the sensor systems, electronic hardware, firmware and algorithm software required to build a handheld detector. The novel nanofiber sensory materials developed by Vaporsens will enable the proposed detector to simultaneously detect all three important categories of explosives with greater sensitivity, due to detection limits in the parts per trillion range. Prototypes will be subjected to third party testing to validate the rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of common explosives. The Phase II project will also permit the design and fabrication of new sensor materials, with the aim of further improving the sensing sensitivity and selectivity of subsequent devices through interface chemistry optimization. The broader impact/commercial potential of the project will reduce the impact of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which are a leading cause of casualties in contemporary warfare. IED use outside of warfare is growing, with over 170 incidents reported in the US alone during the first six months of 2013. As a result, the worldwide annual sales for trace explosives detection equipment has grown to approximately $400 million. However, these technologies are limited in their effectiveness. Swabbing machines require contact; bomb-sniffing dogs are expensive, need to work with the same handler, and have limited endurance; and imaging technologies are only practical in checkpoint settings due to size and expense. In contrast, the small size and high sensitivity of the proposed detector will be used for exacting detection of trace amounts of explosives in nearly any location, without swabbing, and at a cost that meets or exceeds the lowest price of detectors on the market. The commercialized device will be the first of its kind to allow local law enforcement and other public safety officials, border security and the military to "sniff" suspicious bags, vehicles, lockers, and people for dangerous explosive threats with immediate results regardless of their location.
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Vaxess Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: A New Approach to Developing a Heat-stable Rotavirus Vaccine
Contact
700 main street
Cambridge, MA 02139–1226
NSF Award
1632434 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
10/01/2016 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to increase global access to vaccines and reduce mortality associated with infectious diseases. As an example, Rotavirus is a major cause of severe gastroenteritis among young children and lack of vaccination results in 450,000 deaths annually. A thermostable rotavirus vaccine would create cost-savings for vaccine manufacturers, national governments, and non-profit vaccine buyers and enable market access in areas of the world that lack sufficient cold-chain capacity. Successful development of a stable rotavirus vaccine would not only have significant positive impact on global rotavirus immunization efforts, but may also revolutionize the general approach to vaccine delivery and distribution. This Phase II project will advance towards commercialization a novel platform technology that both stabilizes vaccines and enables novel delivery formats. This technology has significant commercial potential in that it can be broadly applied to numerous emerging and existing vaccines in the $24 Billion global market. The proposed project seeks to leverage the unique properties of silk to meet the global need for robust, thermostable vaccines. Thermal instability is a long-standing problem in vaccine development. Despite efforts to improve stability, current formulation approaches do not allow product storage under ambient conditions. Temperature excursions during shipment and storage are common and result in wastage or administration of suboptimal vaccines. The use of silk fibroin, a low-cost biomaterial, represents a novel approach to vaccine stabilization. The goal of the proposed research is to advance the silk-stabilization platform towards commercialization of vaccines that do not require cold storage. Building upon successful Phase I results, advanced formulation optimization studies will define a final product formulation for rotavirus that is compatible with scaled manufacturing and achieves all storage and in vivo attributes necessary for a commercial product. Through process optimization studies, fabrication of a dissolvable thin strip for oral delivery of rotavirus will be translated into a scalable manufacturing process that provides an attractive alternative to traditional drying methods. Evaluation of stabilized rotavirus vaccine films in an improved animal model will enable validation of in vivo immunogenicity and offer insight into vaccine stabilization and oral film delivery more broadly.
Errata
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VoiceVibes, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Automated Public Speaking Assessment
Contact
7224 Shub Farm Rd.
Marriottsville, MD 21104–1171
NSF Award
1632582 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$747,422
Start / end date
08/15/2016 – 07/31/2018
Abstract
This Phase II project aims to develop software to automatically assess public speaking skills and prepare students with better oral communications skills necessary to perform job tasks. Oral expression is the most highly valued ability throughout the economy and ranks as the second most highly-valued skill for high-wage, high-growth, high-skill occupations. Approximately 4.5 million college students take a basic communications course each year, however, as class sizes get larger and online learning becomes more common, public speaking instruction becomes increasingly difficult. Practice and feedback are essential aspects of these courses, yet it is a struggle for teachers to find enough time to sufficiently interact with students. This SBIR project aims to develop the key concepts of automated public speaking assessment such that a student?s vocal delivery can be objectively measured and presented in a manner that creates an independent, personalized learning experience. Unlike traditional methods of public speaking assessment, the proposed system can be available at any time, provide objective feedback and track student practice and improvement. The proposed Software-as-a-Service is projected to generate $16 Million in revenue over five years and create more than 25 high-paying, US-based jobs. This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to develop an automated assessment system for public speaking that determines how a speaker would be perceived by an audience. Automated assessment for speech has already occurred in spoken language proficiency, which leverages Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and semantic analysis. Automated voice assessment has also been utilized in lie detection and emotion detection, which focus on autonomic responses in the user?s voice, such as when stress affects the vocal cords. The hypothesis behind this SBIR project is that speakers can consciously use and modify non-semantic speech behaviors to produce more desirable listener perceptions. Automatically linking listener perception to speech behaviors represents a novel direction in automated assessment for speech. The Phase II objective is to develop software sufficient for automated public speaking assessment such that a student?s vocal delivery can be objectively measured and presented in a manner that creates an independent, personalized learning experience. Voice analytics capability investigated in Phase I will be enhanced and developed into a cloud-based service which helps students practice, track, and improve their public speaking habits.
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Waltz Networks, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: High Frequency Network Traffic Optimization
Contact
8 Ayla Way
Ithaca, NY 14850–6281
NSF Award
1556120 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$899,999
Start / end date
04/01/2016 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is that it will dramatically increase the efficiency of communications networks. Commercially, the ability to dynamically, adaptively and optimally route traffic on data networks will lead to network cost savings ranging from 60% - 70% for network service providers. Critically, the project leverages the recent industry shift towards software-defined networking (SDN) that is projected to become a $45 billion market by 2020. The excitement behind SDN is driven primarily by the promised performance benefits of better traffic control. By bringing to market its provably optimal, dynamic and adaptive traffic control algorithms, the company will be uniquely positioned to capitalize on this market opportunity. The immediate resulting social impact will be that end users will have access to faster, cheaper and more robust data networks. In the longer term, efficient software control of networks will enable rapid innovation in networking leading to new network applications that have not even been envisioned yet. The project also enhances technological and scientific understanding by commercially verifying the company's solution to a longstanding open problem in networking - namely, whether an easy to deploy, dynamic, adaptive and optimal routing algorithm can be found. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on delivering commercial, smart, traffic control algorithms that can unlock the full capacity of modern communications networks. Today, due to unprecedented traffic growth, network operators face major challenges in the form of efficient resource utilization. The problem is that the inherent randomness of data traffic has led to network designers over-provisioning networks to the point where they run at 30% - 40% utilization on average. The company's competitive advantage is a new algorithm that allows it to optimally manage traffic variations by adjusting network routes in real time while retaining the scalability and simplicity of today's protocols. The goal in this project is to build on the beta tests from Phase I by developing an enterprise-grade, cloud-based network control application that is ready for general market launch. To this end, the company will start with small commercial deployments at selected test partners. Feedback from these deployments will be used to iron out any issues before general market launch. By the end of the project, the company anticipates generating significant revenue from initial customers as it continues to innovate and maintain its current lead in developing SDN control plane software.
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Whova
SBIR Phase II: Automated People Information Discovery and Mining
Contact
4428 Philbrook Sq
San Diego, CA 92130–8673
NSF Award
1430725 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,399,999
Start / end date
10/01/2014 – 03/31/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project results from its potential to transform professional networking from passive to pro-active. People-information is valuable for business professionals in sales, marketing, recruiting, fundraising, M&A and business development, to establish connections, generate leads, and generally maximize opportunities. This project will further commercialize big data analysis techniques to quickly capture, filter, and analyze people related information from the whole Internet, and present such information to users via mobile and web services for various use cases such as networking at events, etc. These services will enable mobile users to plan in advance whom they should meet at events, and equip them with much deeper insights regarding their prospects than are currently available, so that they can generate business more efficiently. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is intended to further develop and commercialize the company's big data analysis and mining technology for people-information, with specific emphasis on making professional networking at events/meetings more productive and efficient. It provides a real-time, instant, "people research" capability on mobile devices to enable effective networking at business events, trade shows, conferences and private/Meetup meetings. It goes beyond existing "name-based" keyword search provided by commonly-used search engines, and is complementary to social network sites, which rely purely on subjective information provided by users themselves. Based on the company's current collaboration with large event organizers and their marketing/sales teams, the project will further extend the event mobile solution for enterprise customers by providing an organizer self-service (SaaS) platform, integrating with their CRMs, and leveraging Beacon technology to track attendee activities and interests in trade shows. In addition, it will include more advanced features to motivate individual users to use the app more frequently, including outside such events. Finally, it will build a platform with APIs to allow OEM partners to generate and use the people-information in activities such as recruiting, marketing, etc.
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Workplace Technologies Research Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Understanding 'Construction/Deconstruction' and the Role of Resistance in Accelerated Learning
Contact
133 8TH AVE STE 1F
Brooklyn, NY 11215–1711
NSF Award
0091356 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$679,647
Start / end date
04/01/2001 – 03/31/2004
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the need to improve the success rate at which new technologies can be introduced into the workplace. A methodology and service, ATTAIN(TM), has been conceived to accelerate the integration of technology by rapidly and aggressively identifying critical processes and practices in the organization and shifting them in value-added ways at the level of worker cognition and operational specifics. This method has been shown to be highly successful, but is labor intensive, expensive, and requires highly skilled practitioners. Furthermore, the method upon which ATTAIN is based is not sufficiently targeted. That is, more often than not, businesses have only 3-4 workplace processes or practices that need to be changed in order to increase the company's competitiveness. The original method does not single these out as more important than other elements of the workplace. To date, increasing the effective incorporation of new technology by changing workplace practice and worker cognition through specialized simulation training, but not at identifying the most appropriate target for the technology implementation or change has been very successful. The work of Phase II will involve integrating the current methods with those of another company. Their method has been shown to identify the "vital few" practices that mitigate a company's overall competitive survival and which are the most appropriate targets for change. Phase II has two goals. First, a hybrid method that is quicker and more targeted will be developed. Second, a practitioner training approach and supporting materials that make it possible for professionals without extensive experience to deliver the method in a high quality manner will be developed. Training and licensing practitioners in a hybrid method of workplace learning will contribute significantly to the problem of efficient and successful technology integration and implementation of new technologies.
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Workplace Technologies Research Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Cognitive Agility Assessment Tool
Contact
133 8TH AVE STE 1F
Brooklyn, NY 11215–1711
NSF Award
0548631 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,038,388
Start / end date
04/01/2006 – 09/30/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development of an assessment tool that will enable users to profile a decision-maker's cognitive agility and expertise in high-level business situations. It is appropriate for evaluating decision makers in organizations and students who aspire to leadership roles. This version of the product can also be self-administered. It is based on results from recent basic research conducted by Workplace Technologies Research Inc. (WTRI) that revealed the cognitive mechanisms involved in the thinking of highly accomplished experts in business. It uses knowledge elicitation technology that WTRI has developed over several years to support research on the identification of intuitive expertise (in the sense of Dreyfus 1997). The proposal outlines a plan to develop an on-line Internet based version that is self-scoring and tested among well-known experts. The product will be field-tested for its ability to predict general vs. industry specific expertise. The expected outcome is an easy to use tool for professional evaluators, professors, students or individuals, which will assist in staff development and education. The profiles generated by the product will identify hidden strengths, areas of weakness, and suggestions for further development. The long-term goal is distribution by recruiters, coaches, universities and consultancies. In the current climate of rapid workplace change, decision-makers need to continually evaluate their ability to adapt to changes and re-invent their organization's value and competitive future. Few assessment tools address the cognitive underpinnings of the skill set involved. Rather, they evaluate personal traits or sub-skills that have some correlation with leadership, broadly defined. Using an empirically verified model of expertise in business strategy development and performance prediction, the research team at WTRI has built an assessment tool that locates an individual with regard to this model; much like chess players are evaluated against a notion of a Chess Grand Master. When applied to individual client situations, this tool has been shown to have powerful predictive capability and thus has successfully informed staff development efforts. Its distinctive feature is assessment of the ability to analyze disparate sources information in order to make strategy level decisions and supporting tactical plans. Making the tool more widely available and usable by non-scientists could importantly contribute to efforts to increase the performance of both organizations and decision makers. Organizations, distributors and several institutions of higher learning have expressed interest in this technology, which they consider to be addressing an area of unmet need.
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Workplace Technologies Research Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Accelerating Project Management Skills Development through "Experience"; Realistic Rehearsal for Project Teams in 3-Dimensional Immersive Virtual Environments.
Contact
3333 Camino Del Rio S
San Diego, CA 92108–3837
NSF Award
1430923 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,236,151
Start / end date
08/01/2014 – 06/30/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project accelerates the development of project management expertise by enabling users to rehearse tough, real-world challenges in an immersive, Virtual World environment. Studies of expert project managers indicate that their skill was acquired over many years and as a result of learning by failure. Accelerating this process would have a huge impact on the costs of real world failure. Some studies have estimated the organizational losses to upwards of $82 billion annually. These losses are thought to be largely preventable with better approaches to project management education. The broader/commercial impact of project lies in its ability to 1) lower the risk of learning through failure, 2) accelerate the time it takes to effectively train novices, and 3) alleviate some of the costs associated with unanticipated mistakes made in the real world. Using an immersive, simulation-based, outcomes driven rehearsal methodology, this product has the potential to 1) increase the success rate of projects for those with limited real-world experience, 2) by allowing users to rehearse and test deployment plans without risk and 3) by providing participants new to project management an opportunity to encounter tough problems and develop solutions under pressure. This company's rehearsal method enables teams of participants to interact with virtual replicas of actual processes and products in the context of an ongoing business with complex goals. The primary innovation will be the use of Virtual Worlds to provide rich interactive environments to accelerate expertise development among novice project managers. The Virtual Worlds environments are enriched with embedded behavior and decision monitoring software designed to automate the tracking of progress and provide feedback. Early pilots with experts indicate that the method may accelerate expertise development by as much as two years. The objective for this project is to refine the approach for use with novices by targeting key skills of project management that are normally learned through years of experience, and specifically, learning from failure. Virtual Worlds also provide an ideal platform to test hypotheses regarding the technical implementation, individual engagement and team outcomes in a novice population. As such, the project will also resolve a number of questions about the key features at play within emerging Virtual Worlds platforms.
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Workplace Technologies Research Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Strategic Model for Manufacturing Organizations (DSMMO)
Contact
133 8TH AVE STE 1F
Brooklyn, NY 11215–1711
NSF Award
0646275 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$782,000
Start / end date
02/15/2007 – 01/31/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project proposes a dynamic modeling technology that helps decision makers visualize and calculate the top and bottom line financial impact of changes made at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of a business. The proposed research will make intellectual contributions regarding how technologies extend complex cognitive capabilities in high-performance business settings. The resulting tool promises to address two well-known problems faced by business executives: decision-making rigidity and the inability to think simultaneously on strategic and tactical levels. The broader impacts of the proposed technology have already been indicated by the increased use and measurable success of these models in client engagements. However, the models in their current form, are not widely or easily accessed although demand for them is high. This tool will have important pedagogic value to university programs because it will enable students to think through the multi-level issues in organizations. The models themselves may also add to the understanding of how the different levels and functions in an organization interact.
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ZYMtronix Catalytic Systems Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Enzyme-based Magnetic Catalysts for Active Pharmaceutical Intermediates (APIs) Manufacturing
Contact
414A-1 Weill Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853–7202
NSF Award
1456279 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,087,654
Start / end date
03/01/2015 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
The broader commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is the commercial development of novel materials and processes for the immobilization of enzymes. The project is targeting enzymes as catalysts to be used in the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical intermediates (API). The use of enzyme for the production of pharmaceuticals has the potential to reduce cost, complexity and improve efficiency in making these products. The green, cost-efficient and scalable oxidative immobilized enzymes will benefit manufacturers by improving their production efficiencies and economics as well as minimizing adverse environmental impact. The technology could make benign oxidative enzymes commercially competitive replacing expensive precious metal catalysts, toxic, or other hazardous chemicals used in the production processes for APIs. The industrial applications for this technology could be broad well beyond the pharmaceutical arena. The technical objectives of this Phase II research project are to (1) develop oxidative enzyme constructs and biocatalytic schemes for the production of high-value commercial active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), (2) develop and produce magnetic macroporous scaffolds, and (3) improve operation of commercial reactors for continuous flow manufacturing or retrofit existing production processes using these magnetic catalysts with immobilized enzymes. This project enables immobilization to become a part of the selection process: enzymes can be selected for their true potential in their immobilized form by engineering enzyme immobilization with three levels of innovation: entrap commercially-available or third-party engineered enzymes into magnetic nanoclusters; create high-surface area scaffolds that stabilize the magnetic nanocluster assemblies, providing cost and process advantages of maintaining the nanocluster assemblies in suspension magnetically. This project is focusing on a high-potential, well-described and commercially available enzyme from the oxidoreductase family that will be used the synthesis of drug intermediates by enzyme-producers and enzyme-end users in the pharmaceutical sector.
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ZoomEssence, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: No Heat Spray Drying Technology
Contact
1131 Victory Place
Hebron, KY 41048–0000
NSF Award
1254328 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
03/15/2013 – 02/28/2017
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II Project of ?No Heat Spray Drying? fundamentally changes the process of spray drying liquids to powders by eliminating the use of heat. Typically, a liquid emulsion consists of a high value liquid ingredient that is emulsified with a carrier system that when dried captures the liquid ingredient in a powdered form. High temperature spray drying remains the preferred method of drying many thermally sensitive materials such as foods, chemicals, probiotics, pharmaceuticals, and in many other applications where the production of a free-flowing powder is required. The current spray drying process employs air heated up to 400° Fahrenheit to dry the liquid into a powder. Exposing sensitive, volatile liquid ingredients to high temperatures causes molecular degradation that negatively impacts performance. By eliminating the use of heat the end result is a significantly improved powder in terms of product quality, solubility, stability and overall performance. Our research will be focused on improving our proprietary technology through dryer optimization and atomization development. This research should yield an innovative, commercially viable ?no heat? spray drying technology with the ability to manufacture significant amounts of powdered products. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project spans markets including food & beverage, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, infant formula, coffee, vitamins and numerous other segments where the production of a free flowing powder ingredient is desired. The challenge: how to eliminate the use of heat in converting liquids to powders. By eliminating the use of heat in the manufacturing process, we create significantly improved powder products. Our process is more economical, delivers products with longer shelf life, better encapsulation and improves solubility. Our technology has several societal benefits including decreasing energy consumption and preventing the evaporation of volatile ingredients into the atmosphere. Our technology may be able impact the bioavailability of drugs, decrease tablet sizes, deliver stable Omega 3 ingredients and improve dried milk powder. We are only beginning to explore the potential applications of our revolutionary process technology
Errata
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Addenda
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Zyante Inc
SBIR Phase II: Developing a Structured Student-guided Personalized Learning System for Mathematics
Contact
24652 Hutchinson Road
Los Gatos, CA 95033–9410
NSF Award
1534527 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$750,000
Start / end date
09/01/2015 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project develops novel adaptive techniques for web-based learning materials, and creates Algebra and Statistics content using those techniques. College textbooks and homework are being replaced with web-based learning materials that are highly-interactive, involving animations, learning questions, and auto-generated auto-graded homework/quiz exercises. The project develops those exercises to adjust (adapt) to the learner's performance as well as to the learner's preferences, providing a novel structured form of adaptivity that maximizes learning efficiency while reducing student anxiety, in contrast to many other proposed adaptive techniques. The project creates new content for the topics of Algebra and for Statistics, two critical subjects with which many college students struggle. The result will be greater success (and less failure) in Algebra and Statistics courses by young college students, leading to more graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, which contribute greatly to the nation's productivity and competitiveness. The techniques can be applied to many other STEM and non-STEM subjects, and for learning beyond college courses too. This SBIR Phase II project develops novel adaptive techniques for web-based learning materials, called structured student-guided adaptive (SSGA) techniques. In contrast to some recent adaptive commercial products, SSGA preserves the ability of an instructor to maintain a structured path through the material, which is critical for keeping students in synch with lecture/discussion sessions, for enabling students to study with classmates, and more. Adaptivity comes in several forms, including auto-generating successively-harder problems based on correct completion of earlier problems, with explanations and source material carefully integrated to ensure students learn underlying concepts. Also, the adaptivity is in part guided by the student, who can choose to start with simpler or harder problems, or can auto-generate self-quizzes based on performance, selected material, and more. In contrast with other products, student-guided adaptivity gives students appropriate control over their learning, yielding a sense of empowerment and reducing anxiety that can inhibit learning. The project builds the authoring platform necessary to support SSGA material creation, building upon a previously-developed authoring framework for interactive web material. The project also creates new material for college algebra and statistics courses, whose high attrition rates can be reduced by replacing traditional textbooks/homework with SSGA material.
Errata
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Addenda
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Zyante Inc
SBIR Phase II: Developing a web-based authoring framework for animated interactive university STEM web content via curated crowdsourcing
Contact
24652 Hutchinson Road
Los Gatos, CA 95033–9410
NSF Award
1430537 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,366,989
Start / end date
09/01/2014 – 08/31/2018
Abstract
This SBIR Phase II project develops a new web-based publishing paradigm that creates interactive learning content for university-level science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The interactive content, featuring animations, interactive question sets, and online tools, along with some text, may replace or enhance traditional textbooks, with studies showing significant improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes. The project addresses the nationwide high dropout rates of STEM students, due in part to outmoded learning materials. Such dropout rates not only prevent students from achieving their career goals, but result in a shortage of college graduates in nationally-critical STEM fields. The project creates novel web-based tools that empower teachers, and even students, to straightforwardly contribute new interactive content, thus tapping the latent talent and energy of many thousands of people. The project creates automated and human-overseen processes that efficiently and effectively percolate the highest-quality contributions to the top of lists, enabling content to be created and maintained at large scale and low cost. The project's new publishing paradigm can disrupt the existing publishing industry. The interactive quality content can increase the number of students who successfully graduate in STEM fields, which can strengthen the nation's economy and competitiveness. The project develops a new web-based content authoring and delivery framework that supports a novel curated-crowdsourced publishing paradigm. The framework tightly integrates collaborative web-based authoring with delivery of animated interactive web-based content. The project develops elegant tools for instructors, and even students, to contribute new interactive items. Such tools include a novel browser-based animation creation tool, which allows powerful animations to be easily and quickly created via any web browser without requiring application installation or requiring extensive tool training. The project creates and tests new processes that, via a combination of peer evaluations, usage data, and assessments, automatically percolate quality contributions to the top, for final curation by instructors, authors, or editors. Such percolation crowdsourcing can yield superior learning materials, at scale and cost-effectively, while simultaneously yielding substantially lower prices than traditional textbooks.
Errata
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bioMASON Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Efficacy of scaled up optimized urease producing microorganisms for manufacturing biocement binders towards a viable masonry construction material
Contact
54 Fairway Road
Asheville, NC 28804–1642
NSF Award
1534787 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$873,774
Start / end date
09/01/2015 – 02/28/2018
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is focused on the continued development of biologically grown masonry units as a commercially-viable and sustainable alternative to traditional fired masonry materials. This product is grown in ambient temperatures utilizing a natural calcium carbonate cement formation induced by a urease-producing microorganism. The Phase II project will focus on material testing and further optimization and cost reduction of biocement products, with the intention of demonstrating pilot manufacturing and rapid commercialization via licensee manufacturers. Using biologic products and fermentation procedures developed in the Phase I effort, improvements will be made to scale up manufacturing and reduce cost in the manufacturing process. The commercial potential of this technology is critically dependent on achieving cost and performance parity, if not superiority, with traditional materials. Each year, 1.23 trillion fired bricks are produced globally for use in construction, resulting in over 800 million tons of carbon emissions. The societal impacts of this research would include a dramatic reduction in these emissions, as well as a corresponding reduction in industrial by-product waste. This project will enhance the technological understanding for commercial viability and test data including durability and physical performance. Technical objectives for this effort include evaluation of the resulting biocement masonry products through rigorous American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) testing methods, reduction of raw material costs through continued optimization, creation of in-house production capability for the requisite biologic product, and the creation and testing of a manufacturing process suitable for transition to licensees. Main focus areas of the Phase II project include rigorous material testing for physical performance, weathering and durability, in-house production of robust raw material constituents, and commercial testing coupled with pilot manufacturing. Rigorous ASTM testing methods will be done at two accredited labs, and labor requirements will be reduced via the adoption of lean automation in the production process. Additionally, the utilization of existing material handing manufacturing equipment at licensee facilities, where possible, will be evaluated. Expected project results will include a comprehensive statistical analysis of multiple physical samples, as well as a corresponding failure analysis. Additional expected deliverables include the successful commission of in-house pilot scale manufacturing for biocement constituents as a simplified additive to be used by commercial partners and licensees.
Errata
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ecoATM, Inc.
SBIR Phase II: Automated and Self-Service Electronics Recycling Kiosk
Contact
10515 VISTA SORENTO PKWY
San Diego, CA 92121–4340
NSF Award
1152672 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$516,000
Start / end date
03/01/2012 – 02/28/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase II project is designed to commercialize a consumer self-serve, automated kiosk for the evaluation, buy back, and collection of used electronics directly from consumers. Prototype kiosks deployed during Phase I provided convincing proof of the feasibility of the baseline technical approach to the visual and electrical inspection technology, robotics, and the market. Financial metrics achieved were many multiples better than industry leading kiosks such as Coinstar or Redbox. Further R&D is required to achieve enough reliability in the automated inspection systems and the kiosk hardware to lead to the permanent removal the kiosk attendants in field that currently serve as the fail-safe mechanism in the current prototype systems. Broad commercial success relies on the development of a robust, designed-for-manufacturability (DFM), designed-for-serviceability (DFS), commercially reliable kiosk with a minimum retail field life of 5 years that incorporates needed improvements learned from Phase I including refinements to the visual inspection system and algorithms, electrical inspection system, test station robotics subsystems, ergonomics, GUI, and channel management systems. ecoATM also hopes to further develop the system?s capability to offer personal data erasure and expand accepted device types to potentially include digital cameras, portable game players, printer cartridges, laptops, eReaders, and tablets. The broader impact of ecoATM?s patented system is that we finally achieved the threshold of consumer convenience and financial incentive required to inspire mass consumer participation in electronics recycling. Our pilot market tests indicate that we harvested 20 times more used phones than the next closest competitor in the test areas. As ecoATM scales nationally we will divert mass amounts of toxic eWaste from our landfills, and put huge sums of cash back in the hands of our customers and the retail locations hosting the kiosks, providing stimulus and incentive for these stakeholders to help forever alter the current wasteful lifecycle of consumer electronics. On average, each ecoATM collects enough eWaste to offset its own annual energy consumption after just 5 days placement resulting in 360 days of CO2 offset. An average ecoATM collects over 7,000 phones per year, which according to the EPA calculator is equivalent to taking the CO2 of 35 houses off the grid for a year. National and global media have taken notice of ecoATM already and even the United Nation?s Low Carbon Leadership Program recognized ecoATM as one of the best ideas in the world for the reduction of CO2 on a global basis.
Errata
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nView medical Inc.
SBIR Phase II: 4D scanner for image guided interventions
Contact
1350 S Colonial Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84108–2204
NSF Award
1456352 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,115,512
Start / end date
04/15/2015 – 09/30/2018
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the significant improvement of surgical accuracy, which will dramatically reduce surgical errors, improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. In spine surgery alone, there are more than 500,000 procedures every year in the US utilizing implants such as screws. In 4% to 11% of these surgeries, the implant placement is inaccurate. For the patient this translates into longer recoveries - from days to weeks - and in many cases into a second revision surgery. The patient is non-productive, unable to carry out their daily routines for weeks, while the healthcare system has to absorb the costs of the longer recovery as well as the revision surgeries. For both the healthcare and economic systems these are avoidable costs. The medical imaging technology being developed in this project has the potential to eliminate surgical inaccuracies across the $2.4B market of image guidance, improving clinical applications that range from orthopedic surgery to minimally invasive vascular interventions, to cancer diagnosis and treatments. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 2 project will demonstrate a novel imaging modality, which provides near-real-time 3D live imaging - 4D - during surgery. This novel system will provide surgical imaging at a lower x-ray dose than fluoroscopy (current standard), with a geometry that allows concurrent imaging with surgery. This 4D technology has the potential to significantly reduce surgical inaccuracies, improve outcomes and reduce costs. Phase 1 successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the reconstruction algorithm used by the proposed imaging modality by showing its potential of higher surgical accuracy in a single spinal screw insertion. This Phase 2 project will I) prove the robustness of the reconstruction algorithm across a variety of use-cases, II) demonstrate the clinical usability of the 4D scanner, and III) confirm the clinical utility of the scanner. The clinical usability will be studied with an ergonomic model in a surgical setting. The clinical utility will be proven by building a system prototype and performing image quality and x-ray dose comparisons versus fluoroscopy and 3D in a realistic surgical setting. Preliminary results show that these objectives are achievable. This research is readying the technology for clinical research, regulatory clearance and commercialization.
Errata
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txteagle Inc
SBIR Phase II: Large-Scale Analysis System for Mobile Crowdsourcing
Contact
883 Boylston St 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02116–2601
NSF Award
1026853 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE II
Award amount to date
$1,000,000
Start / end date
08/01/2010 – 01/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to create a new, innovative system to manage a highly-scalable, geographically-distributed labor force through wireless technology - what is refered to as " mobile crowdsourcing." The plunging cost of handsets and the introduction of prepaid call plans have allowed individuals throughout the world to have the ability to communicate and transact electronically. This project will create the infrastructure needed to provide wireless subscribers the ability to do work and earn money - leveraging today's mobile phone's ability to send, receive and display images, audio files and text. The system will: deconstruct a client's work into "micro-tasks;" preferentially route micro-tasks to individuals most likely able to complete them; statistically analyze completed work across individual responses to automatically reach a decision on when work is complete, and who has provided the most useful input; compensate workers in proportion to the value they have added; and, finally, reconstruct the completed task for the client, with a statistical assurance the work has been accomplished correctly. The first application of this system will be for the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. The company will integrate with several mobile carriers in Africa and South America to allow subscribers direct access to transactional BPO tasks including transcription, translation and text categorization. Communicating with workers directly through phones and emphasizing quality control on work, rather than worker will enable users to perform tasks when they want, where they want, and as they want. Automated compensation through existing mobile payment and airtime transfer systems will allow for much lower overhead costs. In addition to cost savings, however, clients who use this system to complete work will also have the benefits of: increased security (no one worker will be able to see an entire document or hear an entire audio recording), access to a scalable workforce (when "spikes" of work come through, labor can be seamlessly scaled up), and potential for very fast turnaround on work (micro-tasks can be done in parallel by many individuals, greatly reducing total time to complete a workload). Additional applications of the mobile crowdsourcing platform include data gathering related to local content and surveys, productivity tools for auditors, and mass reporting abilities following disaster-related events.
Errata
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Phase I
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Altaeros Energies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Low-cost, High Performance Fabrics for Inflatable Sructures
Contact
28 Dane St.
Somerville, MA 02143–0000
NSF Award
1248528 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$155,000
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 09/30/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a novel low-cost, high-performance fabric suitable for long service life helium inflatable structures, including aerostats and airships. Traditional fabrics for lighter-than-air (LTA) applications utilize woven polyester or vectran basecloths laminated with various materials that improve gas retention, environmental resistance and allow the material to be thermally bonded. This combination has excellent performance, providing a useful service life in excess of seven years, but comes at a high cost, which limits the commercial application of helium inflatable structures. The proposed low-cost, high performance fabric replaces the woven basecloth with a scrim of high-strength synthetic fibers, similar to those in high-end sailcloth. This type of material has not seen wide use in helium inflatable structures where seams are subject to long-term loading from internal pressure. The impact of scrim pattern and yarn alignment on seam stiffness and long-term holding strength is considered. This Phase I research will investigate the behavior of these materials, as well as one or more alternative woven fabrics, under long-term loading, UV exposure, and mechanical wear and tear, in order to evaluate their suitability for helium inflatables. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a step toward the widespread commercialization of LTA inflatable structures in traditional and new application areas. Helium inflatable structures are traditionally used for transporting or elevating high value payloads, such as military surveillance equipment or advertising, where the relatively high cost of the fabric envelope is not a barrier to commercial feasibility. The advent of a low-cost, high performance helium inflatable fabric will make LTA structures economically viable for a number of industries that are cost-sensitive, including remote and emergency wireless communication; low-cost freight transport; and airborne wind energy production. The research will also enhance the understanding of the behavior of scrim-based fabrics under loading conditions, which may benefit a wide range of industries that could use these fabrics, including sailing, architectural fabrics and air inflatable structures.
Errata
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Aperiomics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Rapid Pathogen Diagnostics and Biosurveillance using Multiplexed High-throughput Sequencing
Contact
45945 Trefoil Lane
Sterling, VA 20166–0000
NSF Award
1415670 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,960
Start / end date
07/01/2014 – 06/30/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve our ability to fight infectious diseases that negatively impact agricultural yields and reduce the efficiency of global food production and distribution systems. This innovation will enhance scientific and technological understanding by leveraging the power of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics to provide a pathogen identification and surveillance tool with demonstrated efficacy against known and unknown infectious agents. This platform is fast, sensitive, and cost-effective, and can be used for any animal sample to detect virtually all possible microbes ? even microbes that have never before been characterized. Hundreds of samples can be rapidly screened without relying upon known genetic/genomic data of microbes. The global molecular diagnostics market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 14% from 2012 to 2017, with infectious disease testing being the leading application at 26% share, therefore the commercial opportunity of this project is vast. The proposed project tackles problems arising from low-throughput targeted detection technologies such as PCR, hybridization arrays, and culture. Current diagnostic methods rely on what is already known about target microbe genetics, and provide limited information in the form of presence/absence of a known target sequence. The proposed research objectives are related to lowering the technical risks associated with a high-throughput unbiased pathogen detection platform based on DNA sequencing and Bayesian statistics. The ultimate goal is to develop, standardize and validate our metagenomics pathogen identification platform for use in agricultural detection and biosurveillance contexts, using aquaculture related fish species and their infectious agents as a relevant application. This project proposes to: 1) characterize relative performance of sequencing platforms for pathogen identification; 2) validate and benchmark our agricultural detection platform using fish samples and spike-ins diagnosed using established methods; and 3) evaluate the use of host gene expression signatures as supporting evidence for infection. The team will obtain metagenomic sequence data from infected fish, compare their analysis results against current methods, and establish the limit of detection using known quantities of pathogenic material.
Errata
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AppScale Systems, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Disaster Recovery and High Availability of Cloud Computing Applications, Data, and Services
Contact
615 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101–3301
NSF Award
1346168 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,996
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will establish the feasibility and commercial potential of developing software technologies that enable disaster recovery and high availability for cloud-based web applications and mobile app back-ends (apps). The innovations address the key pain points associated with public cloud use as revealed by interviews conducted as part of the NSF I-Corps program: disruption, privacy, and lock-in. The project plan is to design, develop, and empirically evaluate the utility, scale, and commercial potential of cutting edge proprietary software products that automate and make migration and failover easy for app developers that employ cloud-based services to implement their apps. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project results from its ability to benefit a wide constituency. On the commercial side, cloud and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) markets are growing at an alarming pace. This project is unique in that it combines the benefits of modern cloud platforms with the key missing pieces of all extant approaches to PaaS: disaster recovery, easy migration, and hybrid cloud use by apps and data across public and on-premise deployment options. The simplification enabled by this cloud platform with a disaster recovery solution lowers the barrier to entry and reduces both the risk and cost associated with public cloud use.
Errata
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Arable Labs, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Advanced bioeconomic forecasting enabled by next-generation crop monitoring
Contact
40 N Tulane St
Princeton, NJ 08542–0000
NSF Award
1549035 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$170,000
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to empower farmers to capture a greater share of revenue from the marketing of their crops. Agriculture is a significant engine to the U.S. economy, and farming itself is vital to creating economically vibrant rural areas. Farmers are often at a disadvantage when it comes to capturing good prices from their crops because there are significant information asymmetries in the marketing supply chain. This project develops a combination of hardware and analytics that greatly improves crop forecasts at dramatically more accessible prices, which allows farmers and their trusted buyers to make more informed marketing decisions. An addition to the narrow application of sensing hardware and analytics for forecasting, the data collected by the platform can also be used by growers to make decisions that improve operational performance of complex agribusinesses and improve the agronomy of the farm. These tools make it easier to compare performance of crops to improve yields and reduce resource costs. Together this technology continues to raise productivity and profitability per farmer. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project integrates a novel plant and weather sensing platform with analytics that synthesizes data into actionable forms that can drive agribusiness decisions. The project bundles a suite of capabilities into a single hardware unit that includes sensing, communications, GPS, mounting, and solar power, which dramatically reduces the cost and increases the simplicity of collecting agricultural data. These data are uniquely designed to monitor crop performance and its sensitivity to weather and management. Data synthesis is a critical pain point in transforming raw numbers into insights for growers to act upon. By creating an integrated hardware platform, the data is poised to provide useful advice that allow a farmer to act on emerging situations, anticipate upcoming events, and even predict the future. A research objective will be to generate probabilistic forecasts that use the unique data from our hardware to estimate key crop growth parameters and project forward for an operational yield forecast. This coupling between highly informative quantitative in-field data and sophisticated ensemble-based parameter estimation and forecast techniques could dramatically improve marketing decisions and help farmers capture better prices for their products.
Errata
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Artaic LLC
SBIR Phase I: High-Throughput Agile Robotic Manufacturing System for Tile Mosaics
Contact
21 Drydock Avenue
Boston, MA 02210–2397
NSF Award
1113606 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
07/01/2011 – 06/30/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate a proof-of-concept prototype of a high-throughput agile tile mosaic manufacturing system. Mosaics have proven to be a great source of visual splendor for thousands of years. Despite its prominence in art and architecture, mosaic is arduous to design and assemble by hand. The goal of this Phase I work is to prove the feasibility of a programmable high-throughput multi-head robotic tile assembly system to enhance the production agility of mosaic tilings. Research innovation in Phase I will merge the benefits of parallel tile placement with robust high-capacity tile cartridges to radically decrease tile mosaic fabrication time and associated tile mosaic assembly costs. The measurable objective of Phase I is a 5x increase in production throughput over current state-of-the-art mosaic manufacturing technology, while enhancing tile placement accuracy. The system will be capable of producing both template and ?mass customized? mosaics. In Phase II, the prototype will be refined into a commercial grade system, integrated with an Enterprise Resource Planning system, and placed into service in Artaic?s production environment. Successful Phase I/II demonstration will significantly lower the time and cost for manufacturing mosaics and potentially revolutionize the $76B global tile industry. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project goes beyond art, design, and architecture. Robotic automation will lower the cost of mosaic and increase its societal impact in adorning public, commercial, and residential spaces. The proposed research, if successful, will have a significant impact on agile manufacturing. It will allow penetration into unforeseen markets by reducing the cost of highthroughput flexible assembly. The solution proposed by the research will be immediately applicable to customers and partners, and potentially useful in parallel industries such as medical, pharmaceutical, food, consumer products, and others that will benefit from robotic agile manufacturing enabled mass customization. Agile mosaic manufacturing capability could revitalize the U.S. tile manufacturing industry and create job opportunities. The investigators estimate that a 5x production rate increase will enable a breakthrough price of $19.99, 75% lower than the competition, and for the first time achieve broad market affordability.
Errata
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Artaic LLC
SBIR Phase I: Computer-Aided Mosaic Design and Construction
Contact
21 Drydock Avenue
Boston, MA 02210–2397
NSF Award
1047077 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a comprehensive software toolkit for creating digital mosaic artwork. Mosaics have proven to be a great source of visual splendor for thousands of years. Despite their prominence in art and architecture, mosaics are arduous to design and assemble by hand. The goal of this Phase I project is to build and test software tools to automate production of digital mosaic artwork. After integration with robotic assembly in Phase II, the proposed automation will significantly lower the time and cost for designing and manufacturing mosaic artwork. In Phase I, Artaic proposes to combine two leading methodologies for digital tile layout - procedural and optimization-based algorithms - to closely mimic the workflow of mosaic artists. Artists will sketch curves to denote perceptually important edges along which the tiles should be oriented, while algorithms will determine tile placement in response to user-defined parameters, rendering styles, and composition rules If successful, this work will have broad commercial potential in art, design, and architecture. Software and robotic automation will lower the cost of mosaics and increase its traditional societal impact of adorning public, commercial, and residential spaces. This will also have spillover benefits, including growing use of this artform in advertising, entertainment, and visual effects. The ultimate goal of Artaic is to leverage this software with custom robotics to create physical mosaics. This will enable Artaic to expand into a multi-billion dollar market and grow a domestic workforce. The fact that there is a software outlet for this work in addition to a proven commercial market for large-scale physical output adds to the case for the advancement of the proposed research.
Errata
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Arytha Biosciences, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Development of Biomimetic Toxin Nanosponges with Enhanced Toxin Affinity
Contact
11575 Sorrento Valley Road
San Diego, CA 92121–1963
NSF Award
1345715 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$155,000
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 07/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a cholesterol-enriched biomimetic toxin nanopsonges with enhanced toxin-binding affinity for efficient scavenging of cytolytic toxins in the bloodstream. Consisting of nanoparticle-supported red blood cell membranes, toxin nanosponges serve as a biomimetic decoy to arrest and neutralize pore-forming toxins regardless of their molecular structures. The platform can detoxify alpha-hemolysin, a major toxin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as well as other toxin types with different molecular structures. Toward translating the platform to treatment of toxin-induced injuries and diseases, this Phase I project aims to enhance the toxin-binding affinity of the nanosponges for more efficient toxin removal by enriching the platform with cholesterol, a common receptor for many pore-forming toxins. The project also serves to expand the toxin nanosponge platform from the existing mouse blood model to two other non-human animal species, rat and pig. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in the unique biomimetic properties of the nanosponges and its broad applicability against multiple pore-forming toxin types. The platform possesses significant therapeutic potential owing to broad presence of membrane-damaging virulence factors in bacteria and in animal venoms. In addition, the platform presents a unique nanostructure that elegantly bridges biological materials with synthetic nanomaterials. The success of the project will bring forth a potent therapeutic option against many virulence factors and establish a new class of nanoparticulate for emerging biomedical applications. This program will benefit the field of antitoxin treatment as well as nanotechnology studies in general.
Errata
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Bay Labs, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Semantic Video Analysis for Video Summarization and Recommendation
Contact
1479 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103–3734
NSF Award
1416612 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$148,754
Start / end date
07/01/2014 – 06/30/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is considerable because a variety of complementary new technologies is ushering in a new era in which visual messages are becoming a first-class media type along-side text and speech. Today, both amateur and professional videographers still have to enter the virtual darkroom to sift through video, edit it, and produce engaging content. Video creation is waiting for its Polaroid moment, when a technological solution will transform the post-production time required to create engaging video. If successful, the technology developed in this project will greatly increase the utility of any video capture device and would have implications outside of Internet media in areas such as life recording and knowledge transfer. The countless video clips of important or memorable events that are today commonly archived and forgotten could instead be automatically summarized and made available in a usable and engaging format. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to evaluate the technical viability of an automatic video summarization system based on neural networks and adapted to measurements of human psychology. As people collectively record more videos than they can possibly consume (the video deluge problem), a technology that automatically turns raw videos into relevant and engaging summaries becomes increasingly critical. The company's proposed platform would streamline video sharing, search, and viewing, all of which are staples of our online lives. Scientifically we are at a unique time in the capabilities of artificial visual systems, with some systems rivaling human performance in limited domains. Furthermore, the field of visual psychology has also seen recent progress in relating visual semantic information to cognitive phenomena, like memorability of images. Taken together, it may now be possible to automatically predict the cognitive relevance of visual information and produce effective video summarizations. This project combines deep neural networks for visual object recognition, recurrent networks for contextually embedded temporal information, and user measurement of interest, memorability, and uniqueness. The primary technical objective is to determine whether a system can automatically predict human-produced video summarizations.
Errata
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Addenda
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Bioo Scientific Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Amplification-Free Small RNA Sequencing
Contact
7050 Burleson Road
Austin, TX 78744–1057
NSF Award
1248728 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to make next generation sequencing technology for small RNA more quantitative and less biased. High throughput sequencing has transformed the landscape of genomic research with its ability to produce gigabases of data in a single run. This has enabled researchers to perform genome wide and high depth sequencing studies that would normally not be possible. Despite this capacity, amplification artifacts introduced during PCR increase the chance of duplicate reads and uneven distribution of read coverage. Accurate profiling using deep sequencing also has been undermined by biases with over or under-represented miRNAs. The presence of these biases significantly limits the incredible sensitivity and accuracy made possible by next generation sequencing. The goal of this proposal is to develop novel, bias-reducing technology for making amplification-free small RNA libraries. The company's kits and protocols will ramp-up considerably the rate at which global microRNA profiles can be determined, and that between-sample and within-sample differences (as well as newly discovered small RNAs) can be subsequently validated. This product will result in a major shift in the way small RNA sequencing is performed and pave the way for unbiased measurements in the clinic. The broader impact of this project will be the accurate measure of small RNAs, and the clinical utility of such a profile. Products of the same microRNA gene that vary in length by one or two nucleotides are involved in a whole host of diseases, including cancer. The value for developing a method to measure the true profile of microRNAs in a sample would be immense for the research community studying transcriptional regulation, and would open the doors to clinicians interested in capitalizing on the diagnostic value of microRNA profiling. Companies whose sole model is to extract prognostic information from microRNA profiles would benefit from the wealth of date generated from accurate non-biased high throughout sequencing. The size of the next generation sequencing market is expected to pass $4 billion by 2014. Growth in the sequencing diagnostic market is just beginning. Unique diagnostic kits developed from this technology will fulfill an unmet market opportunity with the potential to exceed $15 million in the first 3 years.
Errata
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Addenda
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Bioo Scientific Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Biomolecular Detection of microRNA
Contact
7050 Burleson Road
Austin, TX 78744–1057
NSF Award
1047285 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to examine high throughput methods to quantify intacellular microRNA (miRNA) concentrations in cells that have shown to be associated with normal physiological processes as well as diseases including cancer. Currently, there are no rapid, quantitative methods available to measure miRNA expression in living cells or tumor tissue. All current in vitro approaches require extensive preparation involving extraction, reverse transcription of miRNA into cDNA, and amplification. These methods are not only time consuming, but require that the low abundance miRNA be several fold greater than background to give a significant result. To meet the demand for a diagnostic/prognostic tool, we propose development of a biomolecular detection device based on a single electron transistor to bind and measure the concentration of miRNAs, giving a researcher or clinician an accurate profile to make proper clinical assessments. In addition, we propose development of fluorescent probes designed to bind to miRNAs intra-cellularly and fluoresce upon recognition. Developing these high-throughput methods to detect miRNA at the single cell level will give us direct information on intracellular miRNA levels, miRNAs that are essential for identifying tumor maintenance or metastasis, thus creating new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be to enhance current diagnostic and prognostic tools for early detection of disease. Today, early cancer detection and treatment offers the best outcome for patients. This has driven the search for effective diagnostics. The identification of a universal tumor-specific epitope or marker has remained elusive. While many types of serological and serum markers have included enzymes, proteins, hormones, mucin, and blood group substances, at this time there are no effective diagnostic tests for cancer that are highly specific, sensitive, economical and rapid. This deficiency means that many cases of malignancy go undetected long past the time of effective treatment. The goal of this research is to develop clinical diagnostic tools where miRNA profiles can be examined from patient samples immediately in a hospital or clinical setting. The current size of the in vitro diagnostic market is estimated to be over $40 billion. Unique diagnostic kits developed from this technology will likely fulfill an unmet market opportunity with the potential to exceed $100 million in the first 3 - 5 years.
Errata
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Bioo Scientific Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Improved in Vivo Delivery of SiRNA
Contact
7050 Burleson Road
Austin, TX 78744–1057
NSF Award
0738167 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$146,910
Start / end date
01/01/2008 – 12/31/2008
Abstract
PARS Summary This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project aims to develop an improved method for the delivery of small inhibitory ribonucleic acids (siRNA) into cells. The proposed methodology will utilize chemically induced immuno-conjugates or direct linking of siRNAs to antibodies as the mechanism for improving siRNA delivery into the cells. Use of siRNA to silence genes of interest has become a very important mechanism to regulate gene expression both in experimental settings as well as in diseases. One of the current limitations to using siRNA therapy in vivo is the low uptake by the cells. Methods that improve siRNA uptake by target cells would therefore be of great benefit to the scientific and medical communities. The use of the cellular uptake mechanisms for the delivery of these potent regulatory molecules into cells further opens the possibility of using specific gene silencing molecules as therapeutic modalities in vivo.
Errata
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Blue River Technology Inc
SBIR Phase I: Use of Machine Learning Techniques for Robust Crop and Weed Detection in Agricultural Fields
Contact
575 N Pastoria Ave
Sunnyvale, CA 94085–2916
NSF Award
1143463 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2012 – 06/30/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to understand the fundamental visual cues and characteristics of plants found in agricultural facilities for the purpose of rapid automated identification of plant species. The human eye, coupled with the brain?s processing power , can readily distinguish between different plant species. This capability was one of the basic needs for humans to become an agrarian society (farming requires weeding), which helped start enormous social advancement. Similarly, to bring automated systems to the next generation of capability, computer vision must interact with the natural world with greater fidelity. Today?s computer vision has ability to detect a ?splotch? of vegetation versus no vegetation. This project will advance computer vision by developing the equipment and software algorithms necessary to automatically distinguish plant types. The project team will build a computer vision algorithm based on a field customized support vector machine (SVM) that can automatically and reliably identify a known crop versus a foreign plant (i.e. weed) for use in a larger system for automated weeding. By creating the ability for computers to distinguish between plant types, we will enable food to be grown with reduced amounts of chemical herbicides. The broader impact/ commercial potential of this project is to increase the competitiveness of vegetable farms, particularly organic ones, while improving human health and the environment. Today, organic farms represent 5% of the U.S. agricultural economy and are growing at a pace to double organic acreage every 4 years. A key feature of organic farming is the lack of herbicides. Consequently, organic farms are normally weeded by hand. Weed control represents approximately 50% of operating costs for organic farms, compared to less than 10% for conventional ones. With an estimated $700M spent annually on weeding organic farms, there is a substantial commercial opportunity to create a system that can weed farms automatically. This project will develop a system that uses a computer system towed behind a tractor to automatically detect and eliminate weeds at early plant stages. The system can be developed and deployed at less than 1/5 the life-cycle costs of hand weeding. The technology is also applicable to conventional crop thinning where it can significantly reduce the amount of herbicides used. Additionally this technology has a profound health and sustainability benefits by eliminating human exposure to chemical herbicides through food and avoids herbicides leaching into the soil.
Errata
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Bluefin Lab, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Semi-Automated Sports Video Search
Contact
21 Cutter Ave
Somerville, MA 02144–0000
NSF Award
0810428 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2008 – 06/30/2009
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop new technology that will enable precise search of sports videos. Users will be able to search for specific players, teams, and plays from large archives of recorded video sports broadcasts. The proposed research will build on early results of a sports video search engine developed by the team at MIT. The approach combines semantic information mined from speech transcriptions with visual information extracted using video analysis algorithms. The proposed research will extend the existing software algorithms that have been developed for baseball video to other professional and college sports. Additional software tools will be developed to increase the accuracy of the search system, and new user interfaces based on natural language processing algorithms will be designed to enable simplified user access to video. The anticipated result of this research is a method for accurate video search and indexing that enables queries by natural language and requires significantly less human labor to initially tag video than existing techniques. The broader impact of this research comes from the commercialization of this technology as a service layer which provides search and indexing solutions to multiple market segments that together represent a multibillion dollar industry in the United States. The research meets the needs of at least three market segments: (1) Sports professionals, who will gain powerful video access tools enabling better player evaluation, recruiting, coaching, and game analysis; (2) Sports news providers, who will be able to link news stories to related video clips thereby adding value to their media offerings; (3) Sports fans, who will be able to search and browse sports video archives with ease, providing new opportunities for advertising. Initial market research suggests that the access enabled by this technology would have broad impact on how sports video is used. Furthermore, the approach may later be extended to apply beyond sports to other video domains.
Errata
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Addenda
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Branch Technology LLC
SBIR Phase I: Additive Manufacturing in Construction
Contact
100 Cherokee Blvd
Chattanooga, TN 37405–3878
NSF Award
1520482 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in the availability of an additive manufacturing (3D printing) process suitable for full-scale building construction. The construction industry represents a critical nexus in the American economy. Building construction impacts nearly every economic sector, particularly manufacturing, transportation, energy, consumer products and appliances, and real estate. Simply, a building is perhaps the most essential economic stimulus there is. Yet, the practice of building has seen little of the technological revolution that has transformed virtually every other industry. As a result, the construction industry produces significant material and financial waste, and its productivity has steadily declined over the past several decades. Additive manufacturing is the most efficient and cost-effective approach to creating custom products, of which buildings are by far the most valuable and most widely purchased. Customization is increasingly driving demand by today?s consumers. Additive manufacturing in construction could reduce costs and material waste while providing unparalleled design freedom and driving innovation through the consolidation of many isolated industrial activities into one highly flexible and efficient manufacturing process, which directly serves industry professionals and clients at an individual level. The intellectual merit of this project stems from the vast potential of Additive Manufacturing to transform design and making. In a broad sense, the proposed method of construction aims to make the complexity, efficiency, and freedom of digital architectural design accessible to the average consumer. Phase I research will serve to scale and develop a new large-scale additive manufacturing process, and to evaluate the performance of the physical products in their functions as building components. The proposed method may potentially impact other types of large-scale manufacturing as well, including aerospace and automotive. Our technology is rooted in observations of the processes in which forms are created in the natural world. Structures in nature have long fascinated scientists and engineers, due to their remarkable efficiency and complex forms. 3D printing now allows us to manufacture products of similar efficiency and complexity which reflect our observations of nature. We believe that if the genius of natural organisms can be applied to the way we create shelter, provide transportation, design infrastructure, or construct cities, the resulting innovations could profoundly, and very literally, shape the way our societies develop, and transform our relationship with the natural world.
Errata
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Cambrian Innovation Inc
SBIR Phase I: A low-cost real-time bio-electrochemical nitrate sensor for surface water monitoring
Contact
27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02210–2347
NSF Award
1046608 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of a revolutionary, low-cost, real-time, amperometric sensor technology based on bio-electrochemical systems. The proposed device utilizes exo-electrogen microbes to detect levels of target substances, primarily nitrate and oxygen. The sensor takes advantage of highly specific biological processes and the capability of certain microbes to transfer electrical current directly to electrodes. Because of the nature of the design, the sensor is low cost, requires no additional power, and continuously self-regenerates. These capabilities will enable sensors to be deployed in remote locations to monitor nitrate and oxygen levels in a network spanning large geographical regions. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are in the environmental management, agricultural, and defense sectors. Nitrate levels in US waterways have increased dramatically in the past half-century. Nitrate in surface water run-off from agriculture activities is a particularly serious environmental problem, creating large anoxic dead zones and straining fisheries. Tracing this pollutant is difficult because existing sensors are very expensive or short-lived and cannot cover wide areas. Maintaining optimized levels of nitrate in sustainable precision agriculture not only reduces environmental impact, it is also a critical economic issue - nitrate monitoring in run-off from cropland can help to maximize yields while minimizing expensive fertilizer inputs. Finally, once proven for nitrates, the patented sensor concept has the potential to be adapted to other substances by utilizing additional capabilities of exo-electrogenic bacteria, thus producing a new class of amperometric sensors based on bio-electrochemical phenomena.
Errata
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Cambrian Innovation Inc
SBIR Phase I: Energy Efficient BOD Removal and Denitrifcation for Recirculating Aquaculture Facilities with a Combined Bioelectrochemical Process
Contact
27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02210–2347
NSF Award
0945620 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$137,760
Start / end date
01/01/2010 – 12/31/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project investigates a novel bioelectrochemical system for combined treatment of carbon and nitrogen in the wastewater of re-circulating and semi-re-circulating aquaculture facilities. The aquaculture industry is currently held-back by high levels of wastewater and expensive treatment technologies. Elevated levels of nitrogen versus carbon in aquaculture wastewater require several expensive and energy-intensive steps for complete treatment. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) represent a new technology capable of treating wastewater in an energy-positive manner while producing fewer byproducts than existing technologies. The project will construct and evaluate a novel three-cell BES that can treat several of the most important water pollutants in a combined, energy-positive step. Phase I will prove feasibility of the technology and quantify system performance. Phase II studies will develop detailed designs and begin pilot studies at IntAct or in the field, pending Phase I results. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are to demonstrate a novel approach to aquaculture wastewater treatment with the potential to significantly enhance the economic of re-circulating and semi-recirculating aquaculture systems. Fish farming is emerging as a critical 21st century industry, with global annual production already more than 60 million tons. Yet industry growth is constrained by competition for water and the high cost of wastewater treatment technologies. By reducing energy-intensiveness and combining treatment processes, bio-electrochemical systems have the potential to greatly enhance the economics of re-circulating and semi-recirculation aquaculture facilities and the environmental sustainability of the industry.
Errata
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Cambrian Innovation Inc
SBIR Phase I: Enhanced Anaerobic Digestion of Wastewater Using Bioelectrodes
Contact
27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02210–2347
NSF Award
1013737 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$160,620
Start / end date
07/01/2010 – 06/30/2011
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop an anaerobic digestion system which utilizes bio-electrodes to more efficiently convert wastewater into biogas and ultimately energy. Bio-electrochemical systems have received significant attention in recent years with the discovery of electricigen microbes capable of transferring electrons to and from electrodes at high rates. To date, most research has focused on using these processes in fuel-cell-like devices to produce electricity or hydrogen. In this project, IntAct will build and demonstrate a simplified process for enhanced anaerobic digestion based on adding electrodes and applying voltage directly into an AD chamber. The resulting proprietary system makes use of an applied voltage to modulate the growth of electricigen microbes on electrodes thus overcoming thermodynamic limitations to methane production and enabling pH control. The broader/commercial impact of the proposed project will be the ability to recover increased amounts of energy from the wastewater treatment process.
Errata
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Camras Vision, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Feasibility of The Use of a Debris Cartridge in an External Drainage Device
Contact
PO Box 12076
Rtp, NC 27709–2076
NSF Award
1248632 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,978
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 10/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of the use of a debris cartridge in an implant to prevent obstruction in debris-releasing glaucomas, such as uveitic, pigment-dispersion, and pseudoexfoliation glaucomas. Glaucoma is a group of chronic eye diseases that result in permanent vision loss for millions of suffers in the US alone. The innovation of this device lies in its potential ability to provide predictable, adjustable and personalize care to minimize disease progression. However, the device requires a filter to prevent infection that may clog overtime, especially with debris-releasing glaucomas. This Phase I research project will test the feasibility of a novel filter to prevent clogging and its safety in an animal model for debris-releasing glaucoma. The validation of the cartridge will provide the option for glaucoma suffers that may have been otherwise excluded from the advantage that this implant would provide. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be, if successful, a more effective treatment for patients with an advanced, cumbersome and difficult to treat type of glaucomas. In 2015, the US glaucoma market is estimated to be over $2 billion and our addressable market, glaucoma surgical therapies, is estimated to be $534M. The incidence for glaucoma increases with age, and as the baby boomer population gets older, there will be a growing need for glaucoma treatments. Debris-releasing glaucomas are especially difficult to treat and can affect children. These patients often are required to endure invasive surgeries throughout their lives that are difficult to manage with current therapies. If successful, our novel device and cartridge would radically change the treatment paradigm of glaucoma, providing the first personalized, long lasting, and adjustable therapy that can treat the most advanced cases of glaucoma. Ultimately, the advancements with the filter will minimize the risk of blindness and improve the quality of life for glaucoma patients.
Errata
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Camras Vision, Inc.
SBIR Phase I:Feasibility of Adjustable Eye Pressure Control within an External Shunt
Contact
PO Box 12076
Rtp, NC 27709–2076
NSF Award
1447738 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project allows for a more effective glaucoma treatment by tailoring eye pressure based on disease progression for each patient. In 2015, the US glaucoma market is estimated to be over $2 billion and our addressable market, glaucoma surgical therapies, is estimated to be $534M. The incidence for glaucoma increases with age, and as the baby boomer population gets older, there will be a growing need for glaucoma treatments. To treat the glaucoma, patients will undergo lifelong drug regimens, multiple laser procedures, and invasive surgical procedures. However, even with all these treatment options glaucoma patients still go blind from glaucoma. Our novel design and approach to glaucoma will personalize the treatment for patients and remove the need for numerous and costly procedures. Most importantly, the personalization of glaucoma therapy will optimize visual protection for every patient. The proposed project will demonstrate the feasibility of the first external glaucoma drainage device to adjust and set pressure in the eye. Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness and is only treatable by reducing eye pressure. Surgical treatments are unpredictable with suboptimal success rates based primarily on the choice of drainage site. This novel device drains to a new area of the eye to avoid the complications and unpredictability associated with the current glaucoma surgeries. The device also can provide the first-ever personalized treatment for millions of glaucoma suffers by fine-tuning pressure based on the needs of the patient throughout his or her lifetime. Preliminary studies have shown safety and feasibility of the device; however, the customizable and adjustability of replaceable component has yet to be investigated. Therefore, this Phase I research project will test and optimize the replaceable component within the device and determine the risk of biofouling. The ability to set a stable pressure safely, reliably, and predictably would be a major advancement in glaucoma treatment.
Errata
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Care Progress, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Leveraging health information technology to improve communication between cancer patients and providers
Contact
7315 Wisconsin Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814–3202
NSF Award
1415819 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,683
Start / end date
07/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve outcomes for patients in cancer treatment. Such patients often suffer from side effects of cancer treatment, such as dehydration and nausea. By enhancing communication between providers and patients, the project seeks to better manage such symptoms and thereby improve outcomes for patients, including lower readmission and emergency department visits and associated costs for Medicare, Medicaid and private payors. The project will enhance scientific and technological understanding by creating a knowledge base of symptoms patients are experiencing. If we are successful we will be able to improve cancer treatment and lower costs in the United States at a time when the number of cancer patients is projected to increase significantly. These benefits are likely to create strong commercial demand for our product from hospitals, Accountable Care Organizations and outpatient cancer centers, which are increasingly under pressure by legislation and private payors to reduce treatment costs. The proposed project seeks to address the problem of poor communication between providers and cancer patients (which is partially responsible for extremely high readmission and emergency department visits) who are experiencing nausea, dehydration, neutropenia and other side effects. The project seeks to obtain patient symptoms and report them to providers for potential earlier intervention and outcome improvement. The methods to be employed include assembling an expert panel, creating software and then conducting a feasibility trial. Key goals include demonstrating the feasibility of obtaining patient symptoms and that providers find the information useful and actionable.
Errata
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Chirp Microsystems
SBIR Phase I: Ultrasonic 3D Rangefinding for Mobile Gesture Recognition
Contact
1452 Portland Ave.
Albany, CA 94706–1453
NSF Award
1346158 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 06/30/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes the development of an ultrasonic three-dimensional (3D) rangefinder system for mobile gesture recognition. Optical gesture recognition has been introduced for gaming and will soon be launched for personal computer (PC) interaction, but optical gesture sensors are too large and power-hungry to be incorporated into tablets, smartphones, and smaller devices. The proposed 3D rangefinder uses an array of tiny piezoelectric ultrasound transducers which are built on a silicon wafer using microfabrication techniques. Custom electronics are used to control the transducers. In operation, the system emits sound into the air and receives echoes from objects in front of the transducer array. The system infers the location of the objects by measuring the time delay between transmission of the sound wave and reception of the echo. The system will be designed for incorporation into smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to bring contextual awareness to everyday devices, which currently have very little idea about what is going on in the space around them. The proposed ultrasonic 3D rangefinder has the potential to be small and low-power enough to be left on continuously, giving the device a way to sense the physical objects surrounding it in the environment. While today's optical 3D ranging systems work across a small room and are capable of sufficient resolution, they are too large and power hungry to be integrated into battery-powered devices. Mobile contextual awareness will enable 3D interaction with smartphones and tablets, facilitating rich user interfaces for applications such as gaming and hands-free control in automobiles. Looking beyond the smartphone and tablet market, the proposed rangefinder would be well-suited for wearable devices that are too small or simply don't allow for a full-function touchscreen, such as head mounted displays and smart watches. These products currently have limited input options since the area available for buttons and touch-sensor inputs is only slightly larger than a finger. Ultrasonic contextual awareness has the potential to revolutionize the user interface for tiny consumer electronics.
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ConsortiEX, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Track-and-Trace Medication Barcoded Label
Contact
1000 N Water St
Milwaukee, WI 53202–6669
NSF Award
1548577 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project, if successful, will be improving healthcare patient outcomes, potentially saving lives, and decreasing healthcare costs. The Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013 set stricter manufacturing standards on sterile injectable compounded medications that have closed the operations of many third party suppliers, thus creating drug shortages and higher prices. In response, the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists expects 40% of the US market, 2000 hospitals, by 2018 to receive insourced compounds. Hospitals that insource hope to decrease their costs and improve patient safety with higher quality product. Today, insourcing hospitals often have multiple information systems and use paper records cobbling together how a compound is made and to whom it has been administered. When an ingredient recall occurs, hospitals spend hundreds of man-hours identifying the problem source and affected patients. To prevent further patient risks speed is demanded. This SBIR Phase I project will provide hospitals the capability of an end-to-end quality management that will track every production process step and tracing medications to patients. Hospitals will be able to prevent patients from receiving recalled medications and identify quality production compromises thus improving patient outcomes and potentially saving lives. The proposed project is a novel medication barcoded label encryption technology compatible with existing hospital scanners. Key objectives include a new use of barcode standards, a proprietary encryption algorithm, and a method to send and extract secure serial code to and from Electronic Health Record (EHR) providers. Today, healthcare providers utilize multiple barcoded label technologies with minimal embedded medication data across disparate systems. Medication labels could be the link across these systems for ingredient traceability. However, existing solutions are inadequate to meet 2013 legislative traceability mandates. The project invention will encrypt serialization fields within the barcoded label connecting a specific medication to its production data, and eventually to the patient. Compounding process data, such as ingredients, environmental conditions, and production instructions, will be connected to individual medication labels and stored in the patient?s electronic record. When an ingredient is recalled or questionable process identified, an extraction algorithm will pull the encrypted data from the EHR and will be connected to production data. The encryption and extraction method must not require special handling or software by the EHR. Success of this project will be label readability by existing hospital scanners and retrieval of the serialized data from the EHR.
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Construction Robotics, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Automated Mortar Dispensing for a Semi-Automated Masonry Robotic System
Contact
3966 Kinder Lane
Jamesville, NY 13078–9664
NSF Award
1215340 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is aimed at developing an automated mortar dispensing system, a major component of a semi-automated masonry (SAM) robotic system. The current technology challenge is the development of a mortar dispensing system that can accurately replicate the art of manual mortar preparation and application. This means a system that can account for the variability of mortar batch production as well as maintaining the chemical and material requirements to relevant standards. This technical effort will focus on key variables involved, such as reaction heat, pH, viscosity, moisture retention, time variables and temperature/humidity conditions. One of the major challenges of an automated mortar dispensing system is the variability created by onsite weather conditions. This Phase I project will allow us to investigate the feasibility of developing a measurement and control system that can accurately determine the quality of the mortar and adjust as necessary to produce consistent mortar that meets the requirements of the SAM system. Masonry jobs are dynamic work environments that need to be adjusted and corrected in real time, presenting numerous challenges for automation, but if successful, the potential benefits are enormous. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project, the SAM robotic system, is intended to revolutionize the masonry construction industry. The system will significantly increase the throughput of brick masonry production. Our core technology incorporates proprietary sensing and control systems, with the dispensing of mortar to achieve information-driven automated bricklaying. Brick-based construction represents a significant portion of the global and US economies with over $20 billion spent on all masonry work in the US, and over $5 billion spent on commercial brick masonry. This segment of the construction industry has seen little innovation over the recent decades. The SAM system will provide a per-job cost savings of over 30% based on increased productivity of the masonry crew. This significant increase in the efficiency of masons will make brick masonry more affordable. By using more technology in the masonry industry, it will be easier to recruit younger talent to an industry with an aging work force. The increase in the use of bricks in construction, especially in regions that are susceptible to extreme weather conditions, will provide many environmental and customer benefits such as increased durability, insulation, fire resistance, and lower maintenance. These in turn will lead to energy and resource conservation.
Errata
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Coulometrics
SBIR Phase I: The Development of Higher Voltage, Longer Life and Lower Cost Activated Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors
Contact
100 Cherokee Boulevard
Chattanooga, TN 37405–3860
NSF Award
1315040 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$148,138
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project seeks to solve the problems of limited voltage, energy density, and lifetime in Electric Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs). These issues have largely lead to the failure of EDLCs to become a significant part of the energy storage landscape. Over the years, many different efforts have focused on developing new carbon materials for EDLCs, including those focused on exotic and expensive materials such as carbon nanotubes, carbide derived carbons and Graphene. None of these have so far succeeded at matching the energy density, lifetime, or voltage range of 15 year old commercial carbon materials. This project will attempt to prove that this is related to functional groups on the carbon surface that, when assembled in an EDLC and charged, are REDOX active to form water in the electrolyte. The objective of the research will be to eliminate these species and other surface functional groups, while maintaining the exceptionally high surface area necessary for high capacitance, through precisely controlled thermal treatment of activated carbon. This will result in dramatic increases in the voltage, energy density, and life of current EDLC products. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will involve dramatically expanding the value of ultracapacitors to various applications and enhancing their societal impact. Supercapacitors have failed to meet expectations for market growth largely due to high cost, premature failure, low voltage (matching Li-ion battery voltages requires two devices in series) and low energy density, and have seen minimal technical progress over the last decade. Our technology would increase the energy density, lifetime and voltage to levels that would enable much more widespread adoption in applications currently restricted to batteries alone. Additional societal impact, and directly related commercial advantage, would stem from the fact that this technology could eliminate the requirement for exotic and expensive precursors for carbon production, allowing, for the first time, the use of inexpensive water filtration carbons. The combined lower cost and improved performance would expand EDLCs use in applications like hybrid cars, buses, wind turbine pitch control and grid storage, all of which have tremendous societal impact and where cost is the primary barrier to entry for EDLC manufacturers.
Errata
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Cycladex
SBIR Phase I: An Economic, Sustainable, Green, Gold Isolation Process
Contact
1319 N New York Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789–2527
NSF Award
1446175 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Research Phase 1 project is to develop a new, cheaper process to mine gold and silver without using and polluting the environment with sodium cyanide. This will allow the development of new "green" mines, that are environmentally friendly and economically viable. The current state of the art is to use the 120yrs old sodium cyanide process carried out at vast scale worldwide. The new process, discovered at Northwestern University is being further developed by Cycladex. Gold and silver mining is still an important industry for the US with substantial yet untapped reserves and this new process if successful will generate jobs and increase the US development of its own resources. The proposed technology development with in this project will help directly address the environmental, economic, health and social impacts and benefits of current gold mining technology, improving workers' health and safety, enhancing the participation of local and indigenous communities and women and fostering sustainable mining practices in the developing and developed world. About 18% of all gold is still mined by the poor in the third world who use liquid mercury to extract gold. The objectives of this Phase 1 research are to develop a commercial process using the new Cycladex technology, prove the economics and to develop a manufacturing process, which can be scaled up at a gold mine. There are two parts to be developed, the initial extraction of gold using environmentally benign agents and then the isolation of the gold by crystallization using a commercially available natural product. The project will focus on establishing a novel and superior sustainable gold production process with high selectivity, productivity, capital cost and process economics compared to today's technologies.
Errata
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CytoVale, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Hybrid Deformability and Fluorescence Cytometer for Biomarker Development and Validation
Contact
384 Oyster Point Blvd
South San Francisco, CA 94080–1967
NSF Award
1315895 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$184,998
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 07/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address the challenge of integrating two powerful single-cell analysis tools with the aim of developing and validating new biomarkers for malignancy. The deformability of invasive cells has long been hypothesized to confer their ability to migrate through tight tissue barriers and form metastases. Recently, this idea has been supported by mechanical measurements of cells either isolated from or directly in biological fluid specimens. This convergence of ideas from both biological and physical sciences represents a mechanical biomarker, and tools to be employed clinically to assay these properties are rapidly being developed. Cytovale?s technology measures cell deformability at a throughput of several thousand cells per second, comparable to the ubiquitous flow cytometer, which allows immediate measurement of cells directly in biological fluids. This technology has a demonstrated utility: highly sensitive detection of malignancy in cellularly heterogeneous clinical pleural effusions. Its integration with fluorescence in this project will provide a transformational research and clinical tool, well-aligned with the critical aims of improving patient care and reducing costs through automation, early detection of disease, and use of quantitative, novel biomarkers. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is realized by appreciating the applicability of the technology across research and clinical settings. Even without integration with fluorescence (flow) cytometry the technology has demonstrated its utility as a sensitive detector of malignancy in clinical specimens, specifically, pleural effusions. However, cell mechanics is an attractive biomarker for invasiveness, and is likely conserved throughout cells found in many biological fluids, including urine and fine needle aspirates. The proposed activity will further enhance the technology?s diagnostic accuracy. The instruments developed by Cytovale will be placed in clinical cytology labs to complement gold standard cytological methods, performing high sensitivity screens of biological fluids and eliminating unnecessary, invasive, and costly follow-up procedures. The hybrid instrument will also be an especially powerful tool for exploring connections between cell mechanics and traditional markers, which greatly extends the number of research laboratories which would benefit from this enabling technology.
Errata
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Data2Discovery Inc
SBIR Phase I: Semantic Link Association Prediction for Phenotypic Drug Discovery
Contact
901 E 10th St
Bloomington, IN 47408–3912
NSF Award
1549012 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is the development of a first-in-class Predictive Phenotypic Profiler (PPP) software tool that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the pre-clinical drug discovery process. A recent study of drugs approved by the FDA between 1998 and 2008 shows that a majority of first-in-class drugs are now derived from phenotypic screens rather than traditional target-based screens. However, there is currently a severe lack of computational and data tools that can bridge the vast amounts of traditional molecular-based data with the equally vast amounts of phenotypic data now being generated. The PPP tool integrates and interprets this complex and multi-faceted data to greatly enhance the ability of pharmaceutical companies to find new and effective drugs. The estimated cost per new prescription drug approval is $2.56 billion - the economic impact of reducing the pre-clinical drug discovery process by just one week is estimated to result in a $108 million cost savings for the pharmaceutical industry, creating a large financial opportunity. This tool aims to enhance the number and quality of drugs that enter clinical trials, resulting in more economically priced medicines available to the population. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a proof-of-concept PPP software tool that brings together a variety of publicly available molecular and phenotypic data sources into a graphical user interface, allowing for the discovery of novel mechanisms of action, and the identification of target(s) from phenotypic assays. The major hurdles of this project will be the integration of these highly heterogeneous datasets and the identification of evidence based path patterns. Semantic technologies and domain expertise will be applied to this application to surmount these data integration and prediction challenges. The plan to reach the goal of a prototype PPP tool includes: 1) Creating a semantic graph for phenotypic data sources, 2) finding evidence-based path patterns in phenotypic data, 3) applying predictive algorithms for phenotypic data analysis, and 4) developing a graphical user interface for evaluation and verification. Phase I success will result in a tool that can be used by pharmaceutical companies for evaluation and product feedback.
Errata
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DropWise Technologies Corp.
SBIR Phase I: Heat exchanger coating retrofit pre-treatment feasibility study
Contact
1035 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02210–2384
NSF Award
1520205 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,564
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will address the challenge of retrofit cleaning and pretreatment of steam condenser tubes prior to the deposition of a performance-enhancing coating. By eliminating the buildup of the insulating film of liquid that normally forms on condenser surfaces, the coating increases the vapor-side heat transfer coefficient by more than a factor of seven, allowing the condenser to pull more steam through the turbine. The successful application of this coating would enable significant increases in cycle efficiencies of in the installed base of steam power plants that generate the vast majority of national electricity, leading to substantial reductions in fuel costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and thermal pollution. This coating technology can be extended to other systems including desalination and heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R), which also rely on condensers to operate efficiently. The intellectual merit of this project comprises the acquisition of systematic knowledge of metal-oxide fouling and deposits in industrial environments, and the development of scalable pretreatment strategies to bridge the gap between laboratory and field-deployed coating depositions. Because this application of hydrophobic coatings has not been achieved at a commercial scale, there currently exists little to no systematic research on the condition of heat exchanger surfaces. The results of this study will be applicable to industrial coatings on industrial equipment beyond just heat exchangers, including distillation columns and moisture separators.
Errata
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Ecovative Design LLC
SBIR Phase I: Using Mycelium As A Matrix For Binding Natural Fibers And Core Filler Materials In Sustainable Composites
Contact
70 Cohoes Avenue
Troy, NY 12183–1518
NSF Award
1045849 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,301
Start / end date
01/01/2011 – 06/30/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to address the steadily growing but unsustainable polymer matrix composite (PMC) market. PMCs are leveraged for their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios as compared to conventional engineering materials, but are notoriously unsustainable, energy-intensive to manufacture, and non-recyclable. Researchers have investigated encapsulating natural fibers with both petroleum-based polymers and biopolymers (e.g. cellulosic plastic) to produce more biocompatible composites with varying degrees of experimental and commercial success, but all attempts have still fallen short of an ideal "bio-composite". In this project, we will create and characterize an entirely new bio-composite material. The basic idea is to use mycelium as a matrix for binding natural fibers and core filler materials together in sustainable composite parts. First, the core bulk material is bound together over time by mycelium growing into and around common bulk agricultural waste such as cotton hulls. Then, reinforcing layers made from natural fibers (e.g., hemp) inoculated with fungal cells are applied to the core faces, allowed to infiltrate the laminate and bind to the core material, and then heated to inactivate the growth process to make a resilient composite sandwich structure. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project encompasses the development of mycelium composite materials that are customizable for a broad range of markets including, but not limited to, automotive, transportation, architectural, biomedical, sports, and recreation. These materials are truly sustainable since both the laminates and cores consist of renewable materials. These composites will also require significantly less energy to make than other biocompatible composites because the material is grown instead of synthesized, and the material is completely compostable at the end of life. The outcome of the proposed research and development will be a basic understanding of how to manufacture the composites, the range of material properties obtainable, and how to adjust material properties for particular markets. Through this project, we will partner with researchers and students at two local universities with known expertise in composites manufacturing and testing. If successful with mycelium composites, these materials will find applications in a very high-margin market (i.e. composites) that is sorely needing more sustainable innovations.
Errata
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Ecovative Design LLC
SBIR Phase I: Method of Disinfecting Precursor Materials using Plant Essential Oils for a new Material Technology
Contact
70 Cohoes Avenue
Troy, NY 12183–1518
NSF Award
0944529 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,581
Start / end date
01/01/2010 – 12/31/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to further reduce the economic and environmental costs associated with sterilization of precursor materials for the Mycobond platform. Mycobond is a revolutionary material that is grown from agricultural byproducts and a vegetative growth of a filamentous fungus (basidiomycete mycelium). To ensure adequate growth all raw materials are either sterilized or pasteurized, which represents up to 24 hours of process time and 50% of the material cost. This research intends to use an emulsion comprised of phenolic compounds from plant essential oils (PEOs) to inactivate competitive organisms on all feedstocks while reducing manufacturing costs. Preliminary trails have yielded favorable results, indicating a potential reduction of the disinfection costs by 88%. Furthermore, this procedure can significantly reduce both the capital expense associated with production and the environmental footprint by removing high entropy processes. Achieving successful disinfection with PEOs, and later inoculation with the desired mycelium, will allow the Mycobond? technology to retail at prices below those of expanded polystyrene (EPS), granting a competitive advantage that would aid in gaining rapid market adoption. The technology benchmarks well against EPS, and has interested early adopters in the protective packaging and rigid board insulation industries. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the development of sustainable, high-performance composite materials for the packaging and insulation industries. 10% of the petroleum imported into the United States is allocated to the production of inherently unsustainable materials. The Mycobond platform is a direct replacement for many these materials, applicable for products from protective packaging to structural cores. The use of a PEO emulsion seeks to further reduce the energy consumption of material production by closely emulating nature. The biological composites and related processes can reduce energy consumption fivefold and greenhouse gas emissions by tenfold when compared to an identical volume of EPS. Furthermore, since the raw materials used are byproducts from American industries, a new revenue stream will result, bolstering local economies. The plants and related compounds utilized in the procedure are rapidly renewable and the proposed disinfection platform is an open system which reduces dependence on a solitary feedstock. The use of PEO emulsions to disinfect materials has value beyond composites production, and will find applications in agriculture industry and commercial cultivation of mushrooms. The effective replacement of high-embodied energy processes will support local manufacturing by increasing the feasibility of low-cost, regional production.
Errata
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Ecovative Design LLC
SBIR Phase I: Gel-Assisted Casting of a Self-Assembling Biocomposite Material
Contact
70 Cohoes Avenue
Troy, NY 12183–1518
NSF Award
1113674 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,900
Start / end date
07/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop an innovative, environmentally benign process for forming net shape products of superior quality and performance from dissimilar biomaterial components. Plastics and foams are dependent upon inherently unsustainable raw materials, require a high embodied energy to produce, and do not readily biodegrade at the end of their useful lives. This project will focus on the further development of an alternative material system: a self-assembling biocomposite which is literally grown in the dark using fungal tissue to bind heterogeneous particles of agricultural waste. The biodegradable material exhibits mechanical properties that rival synthetic foams and offers the potential to transform the multi-billion dollar protective packaging and structural cores industries. However, the thin-walled plastic forms used to shape resulting products during growth have a limited service life and must be replaced frequently. Removing or reducing dependence on these forms, through development of a gelatinizing growth substrate and process, will increase sustainability and yield, and reduce costs to further incentivize widespread adoption. The proposed research will answer questions that will determine whether this gel-assisted casting process is technically and commercially feasible, and therefore laying the groundwork for a Phase II project. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is difficult to overstate. Conventional methods of producing low-cost, high strength-to-weight ratio materials for protective packaging and building construction use up to 10% of the world's petroleum as feedstock and consume considerable energy in the production process. Mycological material technology eliminates the need for fossil fuel feedstock and currently requires only one-eighth of the energy to produce an equivalent volume as compared to synthetic foam. In addition, the products are non-toxic, fire-retardant, and readily biodegradable. The commercial potential is high, as products made of this material, as currently manufactured, already successfully compete in the marketplace with products made of expanded polystyrene and expanded polypropylene. The benefits to society at large include safer materials, the transition to regional manufacturing which will bolster local economies, the use of domestic byproducts as the primary raw material, lower energy consumption, and a production method which creates less waste and pollution. The successful completion of this project will help United States manufacturers to emerge as world leaders in the production and supply of sustainable materials, with the potential to serve numerous global markets.
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Edify Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Music Education Through Composition on Mobile Devices
Contact
1232 Detroit St.
Denver, CO 80206–3330
NSF Award
1548401 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$165,000
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will culminate in an application which teaches beginners to compose their own music. Music is traditionally taught using physical instruments and sheet music, both of which are complex and present imposing financial and practical barriers to creativity. As a result, even though parents value music education highly and research has shown that studying music is beneficial to cognitive and emotional development, the majority of beginning music students drop out during the first year of instruction, before having a chance to express their creativity through music. By using mobile devices as modular teaching tools, the proposed solution will make composition accessible as a first step in learning music. Increasing creativity in beginning music education will decrease the dropout rate for people already studying music, and also make music education accessible for the millions of families nationwide who value music but cannot afford private lessons. By expanding a market for lessons that is already roughly $3 billion per year in the United States, this project has significant revenue and growth potential, in addition to increasing the accessibility and quality of education in the U.S. and worldwide. This project uses an intuitive gestural composition interface to make it possible for beginners to compose music visually and hear it played back in real time. By using simplified representative block notation, the proposed software makes composition accessible even to those with no knowledge of music notation and no experience on an instrument. Using a musical system based on music theory and arranging concepts, the complexity of music composition is reduced at the beginning to make a user's first compositions sound good to them, encouraging them to explore further. More complexity is gradually introduced through a scaffolded, project-based curriculum as users learn musical concepts through creative exploration and engaging games. This curriculum includes a gradual step-by-step transition between simplified block notation and full traditional music notation. The curriculum will be developed in two phases: 1) piloting a modular teaching tool that allows music teachers to increase the creativity and individualization of their assignments by incorporating composition into their teaching, and 2) developing an autonomous teaching tool for the consumer market that combines free creation with educational games to teach musical concepts with or without the aid of a teacher.
Errata
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Cooperative Overground Gait Rehabilitation
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
1248509 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/15/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to address the significant technical barriers associated with an untethered overground cooperative gait rehabilitation exoskeleton. Current gait rehabilitation techniques available to patients with gait abnormalities include conventional therapist based rehabilitation and more recently Body Weight Support Treadmill (BWST) robotic rehabilitation. The leading BWST devices employ a cooperative gait rehabilitation approach that varies the assistance to the user based on their ability. The conventional therapy approach is extremely labor intensive, but while the BWST therapy is the leading alternative it has shown mixed results. Researchers hypothesize that this is due to differences in the trained gait between BWST walking and overground walking. Mobile exoskeletons have emerged to better imitate overground walking, but to date no mobile device has implemented a cooperative control strategy, mainly due to the technical issues associated with its use. This SBIR intends to develop novel advances in cooperative rehabilitation control strategies along with innovative actuator designs to make possible the first mobile overground gait rehabilitation exoskeleton that implements a cooperative strategy. Specifically, it will address the major technical barriers to achieving this goal to increase the chances of successfully developing this technology in Phase II. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project could directly impact the lives of patients with impaired gaits from a variety of symptoms including post-stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis. It is estimated that nearly 2 million patients in the U.S. could currently benefit from improved gait rehabilitation therapy. This technology can be sold directly to rehabilitation hospitals through existing distribution channels. This technology will have a significant impact on the lives of patients undergoing gait rehabilitation. It will enable a new level of effectiveness by providing a novel cooperative rehabilitation approach on an overground device. Existing conventional therapy often causes patients to transition to therapist-assisted overground walking prematurely, resulting in a gap in the progression of care. This device addresses that gap by supporting a patient from acute therapy until they are strong enough for therapist-assisted overground walking. Finally, this device will expand our technical understanding of the limits and effectiveness of robotic gait rehabilitation. The device will serve as a platform to develop the next generation of even more effective robotic rehabilitation control strategies, both for the investigators and the greater research community.
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
STTR Phase I: In-Home Rehabilitation System for Post Stroke Patients
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
0712462 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$200,000
Start / end date
07/01/2007 – 12/31/2008
Abstract
This Small Business Technolongy Transfer (STTR) Phase I research develops an in-home training device that allows a post-stroke patient to undergo rehabilitation with little or no assistance. Approximately 500,000 Americans survive a stroke each year. Miraculously, most stroke survivors can relearn skills such as walking that are lost when part of the brain is damaged. They can relearn walking most effectively if they are aided in making the correct motions by a machine or a physical therapist while part of their body weight is supported. This training is expensive and requires the patient to go for regular visits to a stroke center. Utilizing recent breakthroughs in the design of ""human exoskeletons"", this research will create a lightweight robotic exoskeleton which cradles a patient''s lower extremities and torso, and maneuvers their paralyzed limbs for them. Using this completely portable device, the patient will not have to go to a rehabilitation facility for daily therapy sessions. The patient can relearn ambulation in the privacy of his/her home with some help from his/her spouse, children, or friends. This device would allow the patient to walk, maneuver and have a more enjoyable, longer duration rehabilitation experience. Ultimately, creating such a device will also give clinicians an alternative to the wheel chair for patients who have more permanent problems, but would benefit enormously from functioning upright and with significant load on their bone structure. The broader impact of this project will be to adddress the needs of millions of people affected by stroke, muscular dystrophy, trauma, neurological disorders or even chronic arthritis, the medical and sociological implications to improve their quality of life and health.
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Lower Extremity Exoskeleton Assist Device for Reducing the Risk of Back Injuries among Workers
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
0739552 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2008 – 12/31/2008
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project seeks to create exoskeleton assist devices for workers in distribution centers and automobile assembly plants. By using these assistive devices, workers can dramatically reduce the load in the vertebrae of the lower back when maneuvering parts and boxes. Such collaboration between humans and machines has the benefit of the intellectual advantage of humans coupled with the strength advantage of machines. The proposed project involves the University of California at Berkeley as research partner, General Motors Corporation, and the U.S. Postal Service. The end goal is a reduction in back injuries in the workplace which are considered by OSHA the nation?s number one workplace safety problem. The broader impacts of this research are reduced worker?s compensation insurance costs, reduced disability payments, increased worker productivity, and the ability for workers to keep working into their older years; in short, improve worker quality of life. Furthermore, these new devices will open an entirely new market which will serve an important role in establishing the United States as the number one player in the emerging field of bionics. The potential impacts to worker safety and American quality of life are large and diverse.
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Ekso Bionics, Inc.
STTR Phase I: Integrated Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthetic System
Contact
1414 Harbour Way South
Richmond, CA 94804–3628
NSF Award
0810782 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2008 – 06/30/2009
Abstract
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I research project proposes the development of the design features, sensory system and the control algorithm of an integrated powered knee-ankle power regenerative prosthesis. Despite significant advances in lower limb prosthetics over the past decade, all presently commercially available lower limb prostheses incorporate passive ankle joints. That is, the joints of the prostheses can either store or dissipate energy, but cannot provide any net power over a gait cycle. The inability to deliver joint power significantly impairs the ability of these prostheses to restore many locomotive functions, including level walking, walking up stairs, walking up slopes, running, and jumping, all of which require significant net positive power at the knee joint, ankle joint, or both. The objective of this proposal is to investigate the use of integrated powered knee and ankle joints in transfemoral prostheses that use sensory information from the ground and the wearer. The hypothesis is that a prosthesis with actively powered knee and ankle joints will significantly enhance the mobility of transfemoral amputees while walking on level grounds, as well as stairs and slopes. The proposed work will result in new theoretical frameworks for both the control, sensory system, and design of such systems. Major intellectual contributions will include the design of power systems; development of the sensory system to obtain information from the ground and from the user; the development of a control framework for the interactive control of prostheses; and the development of adaptive and robust controllers for impedance modulation during locomotion. This project intends to create principles that provide significantly greater functional capabilities for above-knee amputees. Specifically, the proposed work will enable more natural, stable, and adaptable prostheses. These research elements in this proposal will also form a foundation for powered orthotic systems. Additional significant benefits of this work include fostering a broader awareness and increased sensitivity of young engineers and educational institutions to disability issues. Limb loss also affects a growing number of military personnel serving in recent conflicts, as well as a far larger number of veterans from previous wars.
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Elidah, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Design and validation of a novel skin-contacting electrode to provide pelvic floor toning for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
Contact
810 Main St. Ste C
Monroe, CT 06468–2809
NSF Award
1519784 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the expedited development of a novel non?]surgical medical device and therapeutic treatment for the approximately 1 in 3 women over the age of 30 who suffer from urinary incontinence, two thirds of whom, in part due to notable deficiencies of available solutions, elect to live without treatment while their symptoms progressively worsen. Urinary incontinence, although a very private concern, has far?]reaching physical, psychological, social, and economic implications. For example, urinary incontinence has been found to reduce health-related quality of life measures on par with depression, incontinence is the number one reason for admittance into nursing homes, and the annual cost to the US healthcare system is estimated at $25 billion. Through design and validation activities this project will demonstrate the functionality of a wearable device that provides discreet, comfortable, easy?]to?]use therapy for female stress urinary incontinence. The technological understanding gained through this work lays the groundwork for subsequent development of a commercially viable, FDA cleared product that will enhance the lives of tens of millions of American women. The proposed project provides a new framework for wearable therapeutics by enabling the patient to treat incontinence via discreet surface electrical stimulation without interruption to daily activity. Current non?]surgical care often involves electrical stimulation via intravaginal probe, a treatment most woman are not willing to adopt or maintain. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the ability of a contiguous array of cutaneous electrodes placed proximate the perineal tissue to deliver sufficient electrical muscle stimulation to promote pelvic floor toning, and further to maintain this efficacy under conditions associated with continuous wear. Building on a successful proof?]of?]concept prototype, multiple candidate designs will be developed, fabricated and validated using benchtop models. Testing will explore challenges with maintaining electrode?]skin contact during patient mobility and effective management of bodily fluids (i.e. leakage). Throughout the project, increasingly complex models will be utilized, concluding with assessment in human cadaveric tissue. The project is expected to identify a preferred candidate electrode design suitable for future evaluation in a human clinical study, FDA clearance and product commercialization.
Errata
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Endectra, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Novel Solid-State Cerenkov Detector for Portable and Wearable Neutron Radiation Sensors
Contact
U-M Venture Accelerator
Ann Arbor, MI 48109–5001
NSF Award
1448519 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$165,000
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to bring a disruptive neutron detector technology to market, filling an urgent need for real-time, portable and wearable radiation detectors. Successful commercialization of this innovative technology will serve a broad customer base in the nuclear detection and verification industry. This includes nuclear power industry workers, national lab staff, and homeland security personnel, all of whom need to detect the presence of neutron-emitting radioactive materials and assess the health physics risks in real time. This multi-billion dollar market is currently well served with gamma ray and x-ray detection devices, but the capabilities for wearable neutron dosimeters and detectors are currently less well developed. The proposed technology closes this gap and thus addresses new commercial opportunities across a targeted array of markets: in addition to supporting U.S. technology leadership and safer low-carbon nuclear energy generation, this project will explore new kinds of directional arrays for neutron imaging and portal detectors, helping to make the nation's borders more secure against illicit nuclear materials and providing improved tools for nuclear safeguards and verification. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will evaluate the feasibility of a novel compact, wearable neutron detector/dosimeter based solely on solid-state technology. Research objectives include a thorough quantitative assessment of the detector front-end material response to neutron radiation, evaluation of its optoelectronic characteristics, and gamma discrimination. This will be the first detector of its kind, enabling portability, low cost, real time signal capability and complete integration with semiconductor microdevice technology. The novel device concept combines a directional optical converter (neutrons to secondary electrons to light) with state-of-the-art optoelectronic detection to provide a digital output which is compatible with wireless reporting protocols and internet integration. The proposed device can therefore be reconfigured for many radiation detection tasks that are currently not feasible with larger, bulky devices using conventional gas proportional and scintillator detector technology. The anticipated result is a novel disruptive neutron detection approach. The research to be performed at the forefront of neutron detection science includes a thorough evaluation of the neutron-capture process, and aims for the first time to better understand the radiation response of a high density of large capture cross-section nuclei in a high-purity optical medium.
Errata
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Flodesign Sonics Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A novel economic, efficient, environmentally benign, and sustainable multi-component separation technology based on acoustophoresis
Contact
380 Main Street
Wilbraham, MA 01095–1639
NSF Award
1215021 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$148,750
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project focuses on the development of a novel ultrasonic acoustophoretic separation technology that is economic, efficient, sustainable, and environmentally benign. Current technologies, e.g., hydrocyclones, and membrane filtration, suffer from problems, such as high cost of energy, use of consumables, fouling, and limited efficiency in separation of micron-sized particles. The proposed large volume flow rate acoustophoretic separation technology does not generate waste, does not use consumables, operates at a low cost of energy, and provides efficient separation for micron-size particles. Ultrasonic standing waves are used to trap secondary phase particles in a fluid stream, when the acoustic radiation force exerted on the particles is stronger than the combined effect of fluid drag force and buoyancy. The action of the acoustic forces on the trapped particles results in concentration, agglomeration and/or coalescence of particles and droplets. Heavier than water particles are separated through enhanced gravitational settling, and lighter particles through enhanced buoyancy. This project combines experiment and computer modeling to probe the interaction between piezo-electric transducers and the acoustic field to maximize the acoustic trapping potential and to provide results to create scalable systems and economic models of capital and operational expense of the technology. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that the novel acoustophoretic separation technology provides for a cheaper and lower cost of energy separation of multi-component phase mixtures. It can function as a drop-in replacement for conventional separation technology, such as hydrocyclones and other methods. The societal impact is the development of separation technologies that are sustainable and environmentally benign since they do not generate any waste or use consumables. Enhanced extraction of micron-sized oil droplets from water offer opportunities for enhanced oil recovery and oil-spill cleanup and reduce the emission of micron-sized oil droplets into the environment. This project increases the science and technology of acoustic radiation force in ultrasonic standing waves. A full three-dimensional accounting of the acoustic radiation force in realistic geometries will be done. Dissemination of this work will be done by publishing our results in peer reviewed journals and conferences. This project provides several internships to undergraduate engineering students, an opportunity to learn and practice engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship at a small start-up company. FD Sonics has a strong history and commitment to integrating undergraduate students in the development of their technology through offering internships and providing supervision for senior capstone design projects.
Errata
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Geospatial Data Analysis Corporation
SBIR Phase I: High Resolution, Synthetic Satellite Imagery of the Earth
Contact
301 Science Park Rd.
State College, PA 16803–2293
NSF Award
1519919 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,932
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to address a strong commercial and scientific need for historical and most current satellite data for visualization and analytical purposes with regional-to-global coverage, frequent revisit, and high spatial detail at an affordable price. It will allow companies to improve their value proposition, competitive edge, and to differentiate their services. The technology will be valuable in operational settings at the large providers of commercial satellite imagery, to individual users, and in a host of commercial applications such as insurance, agriculture, and emergency. The development of the proposed technology will contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge especially in the geospatial arena and to market spillovers. By dramatically simplifying access to accurate historical and most current imagery for any time and place, this project will provide companies, researchers, educators, students, and regular citizens with a valuable tool for visualizing and exploring our changing planet and will contribute to increasing public engagement with science and technology. Further, the analytical capabilities offered by the imagery have great potential in scientific applications thus contributing to partnerships between academia and industry and improving datasets for research and education. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the technical feasibility of operationally synthesizing accurate global, high spatial / high temporal satellite imagery of the Earth. The complexity of accessing, processing, and analyzing various sources of satellite imagery creates a significant barrier to its use. Synthesis of regionally and globally continuous high spatial and high temporal resolution imagery is a challenge as in addition to inherent differences in spatial and temporal resolutions of the source data, the new models need to account for enormous data volumes and sparse coverage of high spatial resolution imagery. Existing techniques to handle these challenges have severe limitations which curtail their use outside of the research arena. The proposed technology will overcome these limitations by implementing advanced data fusion algorithms to combine various sources of satellite data to synthesize imagery for any given date and location while preserving the best spatial and temporal attributes of the data sources. The algorithms will be robust, easily automated, scalable, deliver accurate data, are usable in operational settings, and will provide spatially consistent and temporally relevant imagery which will empower businesses with regional and global outreach to make better decisions with better data.
Errata
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Ginkgo BioWorks
SBIR Phase I: Novel Proteolysis-based Tools for Metabolic Engineering of Amino Acid Producing Strains
Contact
27 Drydock Ave Floor 8
Boston, MA 02210–2413
NSF Award
1113506 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2011 – 06/30/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to engineer microbes for the cost-effective production of the amino acid, L-Threonine. Currently, engineered microbes bear mutations that increase the production of Threonine of interest by inhibiting the cell?s ability to produce other amino acids. These mutations are critical as they effectively channel the cell?s metabolic flux toward Threonine, thereby boosting production efficiency and easing downstream purification. Unfortunately, these mutations also decrease cellular fitness and, thus, the growth media must be supplemented with costly nutrients. Technical research herein will assess the feasibility of applying novel regulated proteolysis technology to direct metabolic flux toward Threonine production in the absence of costly media supplementation. The project has 3 key objectives: 1) generate E. coli strains containing off-pathway metabolic enzymes tagged for degradation by a growth-phase dependent proteolysis system, 2) test the ability of these strains to grow on supplement-free media, and 3) assay for production of Threonine by these engineered strains. We anticipate that our engineered strains will grow robustly on minimal, un-supplemented media. Upon induction of our proteolysis system, we expect our strains to specifically eliminate off-target metabolic pathways, leading to a substantial increase in production of our target product, Threonine. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the generation of more cost-efficient L-Threonine producing microbial strains. Purified amino acids are estimated to constitute a U.S. market of $1.30 billion by 2013. These chemicals are used as animal feedstock supplements, precursors in production of the artificial sweetener aspartame, and have potential as biofuel precursors. Currently, key amino acids are produced commercially using highly engineered microbes that convert low-cost sugar sources (e.g. glucose) to the final amino acid product. To improve the conversion efficiency and ease downstream purification, the microbe?s ability to synthesize other, off-pathway amino acids is often eliminated. However, because these other amino acids are critical for bacterial growth, they must be added as a supplement to the growth medium, substantially increasing production costs. The technology proposed here would allow for efficient, robust production of easily purified amino acids without the need for media supplementation, dramatically reducing production costs. Moreover, the regulated degradation technology developed herein will provide next-generation regulatory tools for other industrial metabolic engineering applications.
Errata
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Ginkgo BioWorks
SBIR Phase I: Bioproduction of Feedstock Amino Acids
Contact
27 Drydock Ave Floor 8
Boston, MA 02210–2413
NSF Award
1248790 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to produce microbes capable of cost-effective production of amino acids used as animal feed supplements. Technical research herein will test the feasibility of applying cutting edge synthetic biology and metabolic engineering techniques to develop engineered strains capable of sustainable and cost-effective production of purified animal feed supplements. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide a reliable, sustainable and safe source of animal feed supplements using biotechnology. Many plant-based animals feeds, such as those based on maize, are deficient in key nutrients needed for growth. To improve feed efficiency and animal growth rates, these deficiencies have been historically overcome with supplementation with animal waste or protein-rich plant products including soy. Recent BSE (Mad Cow Disease) outbreaks combined with dioxine toxicity (from supplementation with fish products) however, have discouraged the use of animal products. Further, supplementation with soy supplies excess, unnecessary amino acids that the animals excrete as nitrogen-rich waste, a significant environmental pollutant. Feed supplementation using purified amino acids produced via biotechnology offers a superior approach from a safety and environmental sustainability perspective.
Errata
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Ginkgo BioWorks
SBIR Phase I: Creating Plant Inspired Fragrences Via Fermentation
Contact
27 Drydock Ave Floor 8
Boston, MA 02210–2413
NSF Award
1448068 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to produce low-cost and customizable aromas that are inspired by plant extracts. The fragrance industry uses fragrant extracts from flowers and other plant materials as basic building blocks for haute-couture finished fragrances. These extracts are expensive due to the limited availability of suitable plant materials, and due to the fact that the extracts are too complicated to replicate by mixing pure chemicals. This project will generate novel fragrance blends via fermentation ("cultured aromas"). These cultured aromas will be customized for the exacting requirements of professional perfumers, offering a degree of creativity that does not exist with plant extracts. This technology will present a disruptive entry into the multi-billion dollar market for finished fragrances. Beyond fragrances, this technology will allow the development of new customizable extracts with the beneficial properties of plant extracts, including flavors, dyes, and antioxidant activity. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to apply advanced synthetic biology tools to produce sustainable alternatives to complex plant extracts. Conventional metabolic engineering projects focus on the optimized production of a single target compound; this project instead will engineer microbial strains that produce a range of components found in high-value plant extracts used in the fragrance industry. The goal is to rapidly screen and characterize novel plant enzymes for use in conjunction with existing strains that produce key fragrance molecules. These novel enzymes are expected to produce multiple fragrance molecules and the profile of the resulting blends will be compared to those derived from plants via high throughput metabolomics. The cultured aroma blends can then be customized to a perfumers' specification by tuning the biosynthetic pathways.
Errata
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Ginkgo BioWorks
SBIR Phase I: Volatile gene expression reporters for use during fermentation
Contact
27 Drydock Ave Floor 8
Boston, MA 02210–2413
NSF Award
0912541 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$99,981
Start / end date
07/01/2009 – 06/30/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop a set of novel, versatile measurement tools for use during fermentation and scale-up in metabolic engineering. The tools will be based on the production of odorants and enable real-time time monitoring of gene expression levels during fermentation. Metabolic engineering holds great promise for enabling a range of important applications including cellulosic biofuels, therapeutics production, and bio-based, environmentally-friendly chemical manufacturing. But any such project requires that an engineered organism expressing the relevant biosynthetic pathway be scaled up from lab-sized cultures to large-scale commercial fermentation. This is not a straightforward task, and is different for every project, because the fermentation conditions required for each engineered strain are different. The new measurement tools will enable more detailed quantification of cell state during fermentation so that strain and pathway optimization is more informed. The broader impacts of this research are to enable more informed strain optimization for large-scale fermentation thereby reducing R&D costs for the bio-based manufacturing industry. With the growing interest in clean technology and alternatives to petroleum-based manufacturing, many new companies and existing companies are moving into the bioengineering and biomanufacturing industries. However, all of these companies face a common hurdle of scaling up production of their fuel, specialty chemical or biomaterial to commercial scale. The companies spend significant R&D money and time optimizing pathway yield during fermentation. For example, Dupont took 7 years and $400M to scale-up microbial production of 1,3-propanediol. Jay Keasling, a founder of Amyris Biotechnologies, a leading synthetic biology company, reported that Amyris spends 95% of their time trying to find and eliminate unintended interactions between components in their engineered metabolic pathways. Reducing the R&D costs in the biofuels and industrial biotechnology industries would open up new application areas to environmentally-friendly, bio-based production solutions. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Errata
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Ginkgo BioWorks
SBIR Phase IB: Volatile gene expression reporters for use during fermentation
Contact
27 Drydock Ave Floor 8
Boston, MA 02210–2413
NSF Award
1003426 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$49,989
Start / end date
01/01/2010 – 06/30/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a set of novel, versatile measurement tools for use during fermentation and scale-up in metabolic engineering. The tools will be based on the production of odorants and enable real-time time monitoring of gene expression levels during fermentation. Metabolic engineering holds great promise for enabling a range of important applications including cellulosic biofuels, therapeutics production, and bio-based, environmentally-friendly chemical manufacturing. But any such project requires that an engineered organism expressing the relevant biosynthetic pathway be scaled up from lab-sized cultures to large-scale commercial fermentation. This is not a straightforward task, and is different for every project, because the fermentation conditions required for each engineered strain are different. The new measurement tools will enable more detailed quantification of cell state during fermentation so that strain and pathway optimization is more informed. The broader impacts of this research are to enable more informed strain optimization for large-scale fermentation thereby reducing R&D costs for the bio-based manufacturing industry. With the growing interest in clean technology and alternatives to petroleum-based manufacturing, many new companies and existing companies are moving into the bioengineering and biomanufacturing industries. However, all of these companies face a common hurdle of scaling up production of their fuel, specialty chemical or biomaterial to commercial scale. The companies spend significant R&D money and time optimizing pathway yield during fermentation. For example, Dupont took 7 years and $400M to scale-up microbial production of 1,3-propanediol. Jay Keasling, a founder of Amyris Biotechnologies, a leading synthetic biology company, reported that Amyris spends 95% of their time trying to find and eliminate unintended interactions between components in their engineered metabolic pathways. Reducing the R&D costs in the biofuels and industrial biotechnology industries would open up new application areas to environmentally-friendly, bio-based production solutions. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Errata
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Glauconix Inc.
STTR Phase I: Development High-throughput Screening System for Glaucoma Therapeutics Using a Bioengineered Human Eye Tissue
Contact
251 Fuller Road
Albany, NY 12203–3640
NSF Award
1448900 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project will be the development of a testing system that will facilitate glaucoma drug development in a more cost-effective manner. This will enable better treatment of glaucoma and ultimately prevention of vision loss. This work will overcome a major limiting factor for glaucoma drug discovery, and provide scientists and doctors with a unique tool to understand the physiology of the human eye as related to glaucoma. Commercially, this project will allow for high-throughput testing of new glaucoma therapies, making this technology highly desirable to the pharmaceutical industry. Longer term, this technology has the potential to provide a healthy transplantable tissue that can cure glaucoma. This STTR Phase I project proposes to address the lack of effective in vitro model for testing targeted glaucoma therapies. This work will be the first-of-its-kind, exploring the feasibility to bioengineer a physiologically-relevant 3D human trabecular outflow tract utilizing co-culture and cell differentiation methods along with microfabrication techniques. It is based on the development of a custom-built system that will incorporate the bioengineered tissue into a platform that mimics the flow of aqueous humor and pressure changes in the human eye. At the conclusion of this project, it is anticipated that the bioengineered tissue will behave similarly to its in vivo counterpart, and be usable as higher throughput testing platform for drugs affecting the outflow physiology of the human trabecular outflow tract. In addition, this project will lead to a platform that could be used by other scientists to study and understand the biology of the human trabecular outflow tract.
Errata
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GridBridge, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Proof of Concept for a Manufacturable, Cost-effective, and Highly Efficient Solid State Transformer, Enabling Grid Modernization
Contact
1009 Capability Drive, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27606–3901
NSF Award
1315275 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,995
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 06/30/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project demonstrates a proof of concept for a solid state transformer (SST) that is commercially feasible and can ultimately meet electric utility requirements: highly efficient, cost-competitive, manufacturable within a specific market window, and scalable both to high power and high voltage. Although there has been early work in the area of SST research, current state of the art designs are based on components that aren?t yet commercially available, limiting the ability to commercialize and manufacture at a reasonable cost. GridBridge will introduce revolutionary circuit topology and uniquely incorporate commercially available devices in order to achieve the project goals. This project facilitates a cost-effective and electrically-efficient solution, which will prove SST feasibility to the market and ultimately enable complementary grid technology. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the successful transformation of fundamental research into a commercially feasible and customer-desirable product: the solid state transformer, or SST. Specific to the proposed revolutionary SST circuit topology, the proof of concept is enabling technology for numerous applications: electric vehicle chargers, energy storage devices, and renewable integration. Phase I results are therefore worthy of paper submissions to various IEEE divisions, including Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition. This project will also predict an SST market introduction and the results will therefore be disseminated through pre-existing utility partnerships, via industry white-papers, and through conference presentations. The societal benefit of a commercially feasible SST is colossal, as it is the step-function change required to truly orchestrate a modern grid: sending or receiving signals, making decisions, regulating power flow, and easily accommodating green technology. As a direct replacement to today?s 100-year-old-design of the distribution transformer, the SST will eventually replace numerous installed units and an incremental number purchased annually. Savings in electrical efficiency can be calculated in the trillions of dollars.
Errata
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Ground Fluor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: PET Radiotracer Synthesis
Contact
2124 Y St. Flat 101
Lincoln, NE 68503–2495
NSF Award
1215217 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will support a new synthetic chemical approach for the creation of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging products to manage neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Creating these imaging products relies on the rapid and efficient labeling of tracer molecules with a radioisotope ([18F]fluoride). The difficulties inherent in radiofluorination chemistry have severely limited the scope of radiotracers available for clinical use. This NSF SBIR Phase 1 project addresses this critical problem using the company?s proprietary single-step fluorination technology. This technology advances the current state-of-the-art with simple, fast, and highly efficient radiofluorination, permitting an entire new class of drugs to be labeled with no-carrier-added [18F]fluoride for the first time. The project will focus on the synthesis of clinically relevant radiotracers for pediatric cancer and Parkinson?s disease. Technical studies to be performed using this support include optimization of this new radiofluorination manufacturing methodology across multiple radiosynthesis platforms. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide technology to expand the scope of PET as a platform for determining the identification and staging of diseases, and assessing the efficacy of treatment regimens. PET is an underutilized diagnostic imaging technique that is stymied by the lack of highly efficient, broadly applicable radiofluorination methods. The radiotracer manufacturing technology developed here is extremely general and applicable to the preparation of new imaging agents for PET. The availability of this general labeling technique can also speed development of new drugs by providing in vivo biomarkers of new therapeutic agents which can be used to determine optimal dosing of new drugs and variability of biodistribution in target populations. The commercial potential of PET imaging is significant; the worldwide market for PET is expected to grow to $15 billion by 2015. There is also room for significant expansion of this market as new imaging agents become available.
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Guiding Technologies Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Using Data Mining to Optimally Customize Therapy for Individuals with Autism
Contact
1500 JFK Blvd Suite 1825 2 Penn
Philadelphia, PA 19102–1710
NSF Award
1448289 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$169,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project includes innovations in data mining and the treatment of autism. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is the gold standard in treating autism. Applying data analytics to data from ABA therapy sessions will contribute in several important ways: a) patterns may be discerned across individuals with autism to better understand variations in autism and create therapies to target these differences; b) patterns may be matched with other data, such as genomic data, to identify cross-patterns that may be useful in better understanding autism and ways to improve therapy; and c) the frontiers of data mining will be expanded to provide guidance in real time. This project will have the following societal impacts: 1) many more individuals with autism across the globe will receive early, quality, cost-effective treatment regimens that will enable them to live more fulfilled lives and reach their full potential; 2) families whose children are good candidates for treatment and receive it will experience reduced stress and better family life; and 3) the additional lifetime cost of not effectively treating children with autism, which is approximately ten-fold the cost of treatment, will be reduced. The proposed project is to extract informative sequential patterns from trial sequences of an individual student, use them to accurately predict trial outcomes, and utilize the predictive model to provide individualized recommendations about how to modify trials and steps of student training. To achieve this goal, predictive data mining will be used. To develop accurate predictive models, the project will build on a large body of recent work in machine learning on temporal predictive modeling and sequential pattern mining, including some of the previous results of the project team. Special attention will be paid to the recent work in educational data mining and intelligent tutoring. Specific key objectives include: 1) Representation of Trial Data for Predictive Modeling: how to represent the raw sequential data in a way that is most suitable for prediction modeling; 2) Development of Models for Prediction of Trial Outcomes: which model is the most suitable for prediction of outcomes in sequential trials and how to train a prediction model from highly-dimensional multi-therapy recipient sequential data; and 3) Guiding Therapy of a Child with Autism Based on an Early Classification Model: how to adjust and extend the previously developed approach by the project team to guide trials.
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HealthMyne, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: An Integrated Search, Analytics, and Imaging (SAI) Platform for Clinical Decision Support and Mobile Health
Contact
918, Deming Way, 3rd Floor
Madison, WI 53717–1945
NSF Award
1345927 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project proposes to develop and deliver to health care enterprises a next generation imaging, analytics, and search solution that meets not only the current needs of multi-enterprise medical image viewing, but satisfies emerging demands related to clinical decision support and mobile health. The project addresses one of the ?Big Data? problems of medical imaging, i.e. providing access anywhere within the healthcare enterprise to large studies, advanced imaging tools, and image-based analytics across a spectrum of devices from powerful personal computers to mobile devices. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to translate novel research using quantitative imaging biomarkers into actual clinical practice. Medical imaging is commonly used for cancer screening, treatment planning, and monitoring but the results that come from purely qualitative interpretations of these images are not always definitive. Recent progress has shown that high-throughput extraction and analysis of advanced quantitative imaging features from medical images (?radiomics?) can be used to increase the accuracy and confidence of cancer screening in certain cases. The goals of this project are to incorporate these analytics into a commercially available system for medical image display and distribution which is necessary for widespread clinical adoption. These advances will enable health care providers to lower costs associated with unnecessary follow up exams as well as to improve patient outcomes through identification of tumors that are more likely to be resistant to treatment and to more efficiently and accurately monitor the response to treatment using medical imaging.
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IOTAS, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Automated Pairing and Provisioning
Contact
2547 NE 16th Ave
Portland, OR 97212–4231
NSF Award
1550231 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be on the Real Estate Industry, specifically targeted at the Multi-Family-Home (MFH) industry, to help them increase revenue potential by digitizing their apartments through Smart Home Automation. It is estimated that the Smart Home Automation industry will reach $71B by 2018. The MFH industry will participate through additional charges to the residents for smart home automation support. However, the bigger increase in revenue will most likely come from better data and insights on their buildings which leads to opportunities to monetize that data and sell software targeted at MFH buildings. In addition to increased revenue, there is potential to save costs through more efficient use of labor and materials and through better management of energy. The MFH industry can also get insights on their entire building portfolio versus a single building and more efficiently manage their entire portfolio. The MFH industry implementing Smart Home Automation technology has huge societal benefits by integrating with smart grids and utility demand response programs. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to enable the deployment of a scalable and maintainable infrastructure through the use of mechanisms including automatic pairing, tiered authentication, and network isolation in low cost, resource-constrained Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The problem with existing IoT pairing methods is that they are targeted at Single-Family-Home deployments and the number of nodes that needs to be paired are relatively minimal. However, this is not a scalable model when trying to address the needs of the Multi-Family-Home (MFH) industry. In the multi-family dwelling, the sheer density of nodes creates new problems. The issue is that all the devices could easily be paired but to differentiate the nodes so that they authenticate and provision to the right apartment is the challenge. Developing a cost effective, scalable solution for this high-density scenario is a key component to fulfilling the value proposition of mass deployment in the Multi-Family-Home industry. The anticipated result of this project is that a proof of concept will be developed that gives directional guidance on the best way to solve the issue of pairing large quantities of end nodes and authenticating them appropriately to the correct apartment.
Errata
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Imprint Energy, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Integration of Custom, Printable Batteries in Robotic Technologies
Contact
1320 Harbor Bay Parkway
Alameda, CA 94502–0000
NSF Award
1153446 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,864
Start / end date
01/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of printing and integrating custom, unconventional form factor batteries utilizing a zinc-metal oxide battery chemistry with a novel ionic liquid gel electrolyte into next generation robotic systems. Conventional batteries have been unable to address the inherently challenging power system needs of robots: light and mobile, inherently safe, composed of cheap and sustainable materials, easily integrateable into non-planar formats, and able to survive extreme environments. As the field of robotics advances, what is being demanded of its batteries is a fundamental evolution in its materials, engineering, and architecture. Solution-based print manufacturing is used because the fabrication method is dynamic and enables batteries to be manufactured in a variety of form factors and on planar and non-planar substrates. In robotic devices, batteries can be incorporated into structural materials, conformably coated onto surfaces, or integrated within the electronic circuit boards to enable greater power performance that will increase the run-life and functionality of the robot. The aims of this project are to benchmark its battery technology's cycle life and extreme environmental stability capabilities, demonstrate the printing of custom series and parallel battery system configurations, and showcase its unique flexibility properties. The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project are the establishment of a new battery technology and manufacturing paradigm which can be disruptive to markets requiring novel device functionality and form factors. The significant reduction of the cost and environmental impact of batteries offer an opportunity to key segments such as robotics the opportunity to repurpose and revitalize the printing industry to manufacture next generation batteries. Success in this project will showcase this battery technology's feature set and manufacturing methodology to further differentiate itself from its competitors, increase customer interest, secure early customer development funding or partnerships, and meet specifications needed to scale towards producing commercial products. Past approaches to battery miniaturization have been met with significant barriers that have limited market acceptance and restrained development of a variety of burgeoning fields requiring portable power. A prime example is the robotics market and more specifically the wireless and wearable technologies sectors, which could be revolutionized by the battery technology and manufacturing approach presented in this project.
Errata
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InsightFinder Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Providing Automatic Anomaly Prediction and Diagnosis Software as a Service for Cloud Infrastructures
Contact
154 Grand Street
New York, NY 10013–3141
NSF Award
1548867 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$171,250
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to greatly improve the robustness and diagnosability of many real world cloud computing infrastructures. The proposed technology will significantly reduce the downtime of production cloud systems, which can attract more users to adopt cloud computing technology and thus benefit the expanding segment of society and the economy that depends on cloud technology. The project will also advance the state of the art of cloud system reliability research by putting research results into real world use. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will transform system anomaly management for production cloud computing infrastructures. The novelty of the company's solution lies in three unique features: 1) it provides automatic multivariate anomaly detection that can enable high-fidelity anomaly alerts without imposing any configuration burden on the user; 2) it provides early anomaly alerts before big system problems occur; and 3) it provides anomaly diagnosis that can generate hints on why an anomaly occurs. The proposed research will produce novel and practical anomaly prediction and diagnosis solutions that will be validated in real world cloud infrastructures. Specifically, the project consists of two thrusts: 1) online multivariate anomaly prediction that explores new light-weight unsupervised learning algorithms for achieving high-fidelity anomaly alerts and providing time-to-failure estimations; and 2) automatic anomaly diagnosis that can identify possible causes of an anomaly to greatly expedite the anomaly troubleshooting process in the cloud. The company will implement the software products and carry out case studies with partners on real world cloud computing infrastructures.
Errata
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IntraLase Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Delivery of Ultrashort Laser Pulses for the Treatment of Glaucoma
Contact
2217 Vinewood
Ann Arbor, MI 48104–2763
NSF Award
9761528 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$99,980
Start / end date
01/01/1998 – 06/30/1998
Abstract
*** 9761528 Juhasz This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will investigate the scientific, technical and commercial feasibility of laser surgical systems for the treatment of glaucoma. The project will focus on the engineering and development of a novel laser delivery system as well as proof of concept of its application. The project is executed in collaboration between Escalon Medical Corporation and the University of Michigan. Approximately two million Americans have glaucoma, while another ten million are at risk of developing this disease due to elevated eye pressure. Drug treatments for glaucoma are only modestly effective and are associated with side effects and poor patient compliance. Current laser and traditional surgical treatments also have limited success in preserving vision. Current pulsed laser systems deposit large amounts of thermal energy into the tissue. The result is extensive damage to adjacent structures and complicated by scarring. Near infrared ultrashort pulsed lasers are uniquely qualified to perform improved laser glaucoma surgical techniques, since energy threshold requirements for tissue ablation are nearly 100 times less than with existing pulsed clinical lasers. This translates into minimal damage to adjacent structures and greatly reduced scarring. Successful completion of the proposed project will identify optimal laser and delivery parameters which will allow us to design a commercial prototype in the Phase II project. ***
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Keystone Tower Systems
SBIR Phase I: Optimization of Tapered Spiral Welding for Wind Turbine Towers
Contact
10855 Dover St., Ste 700
Westminster, CO 80021–5554
NSF Award
1248182 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,107
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses two roadblocks to reducing the cost of wind energy: the labor-intensive construction process, and size limitations imposed by road or rail transport for turbine components. The former issue drives up manufacturing costs and reduces US competitiveness with countries with inexpensive labor, while the latter forces sub-optimized tower designs and prevents turbines from growing larger and taking advantage of faster, steadier winds at higher hub heights. This project addresses both of these problems by adapting spiral welding - a well understood system for pipe and piling manufacturing - to wind tower production. Spiral welding is highly automated, requiring as little as 10% of the labor of the equivalent manual process. It also combines multiple operations into a single machine that can be operated on-site, eliminating transport costs and barriers. This project's innovation is to adapt existing spiral welders - which can manufacture only straight, constant wall-thickness pipe - to producing tapered, variable wall thickness towers. A novel material geometry and automated control of machine parameters are the keys to transforming the standard system to one optimized for turbine tower production. With on-site spiral welding of turbine towers, significant reductions in cost of wind energy are possible. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be felt in many areas: technical, commercial and environmental. The system?s major contribution is an increase in the use of wind energy for US electricity, enabled by both reduction in energy cost and increase in the number of cost effective wind sites. Reducing the cost of tall towers enables increases in the height and size of wind turbines, allowing them to reach and be optimized for steadier, higher speed winds. With these increase in size and optimization, decreases in cost of wind energy of 12% (for 120m tall towers) or more are possible. In addition, the US land area for which wind energy is cost effective can be doubled at 120m hub heights. Spiral-welding of turbine towers also provides US jobs and increases American competitiveness with overseas producers. Because on-site production is inherently local, manufacturing jobs are created in the communities where wind turbines are installed. Also, this method gives local production a major cost advantage over imports by producing towers that are too large to transport from port to wind farm. This allows domestic manufacturing to not only compete, but dominate in a domestic tower market worth roughly $1B in 2011.
Errata
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Killer Snails, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Learning from nature - Marine educational games that assess scientific knowledge transfer through game play
Contact
3203 Beverley Road
Brooklyn, NY 11226–5519
NSF Award
1549231 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
This SBIR Phase 1 project will create an engaging online learning game using venomous marine snails as a conduit to explore scientific issues in nature through creative problem solving. The USA is currently ranked 52nd in the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This is detrimental intellectually and economically to the future of American society. Recent studies have indicated it is not what we teach, but how we teach that enhances student-learning abilities, particularly as it pertains to STEM. A strong case is being made for using learning games to convey educational content. This project is driven by the research objectives to understand how children learn specific science content and why certain game elements are better suited to convey scientific material. The outcome of this project will be a propriety digital learning game including a unique parent/player assessment tool used to measure novel STEM content during game playing and extending opportunities for learners to engage in ongoing scientific research ("citizen science"). Commercialization of the products created in this project will transform scientific discoveries in predatory marine snail research for social and economic benefit to meet the NSF's mission of supporting education initiatives that improve the lives of U.S. Citizens, and generate income for tax revenue and jobs via the employment of software designers, educators and scientists. This project will build proprietary assessment tools into online games that continuously engage users in the scientific process of discovery and application of science learning using a novel player/parent data aggregator dashboard. Our inventive two-sided player/parent dashboard will allow players to measure their progress and attain unique, educational rewards such as unlocking new game components, and identifying local citizen science projects to enhance their STEM learning. The goal of this project is to disrupt the status quo of STEM learning and address STEM learning market needs by combining gameplay, content learning, and assessment tools to develop high-quality, creative, science learning games. A three-component Play-Break-Fix strategy will be used to design and develop all games: 1. Iterative prototyping to generate novel ideas and integrate any existing content. 2. Repetitive evaluation to test the usability of demos and the initial feasibility of the learning games created and parent/player dashboard concept. 3. Commercialization testing of the products from this project that are the best of the build and analyze model. The parent/player assessment dashboard developed in this project will provide a template for furthering parental engagement with children's learning to significantly improve STEM knowledge and will engage players in citizen science experiences that will strengthen their connection to STEM learning.
Errata
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KinderLab Robotics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: KinderBots: robotics and programming in early childhood education
Contact
35 Florence Avenue
Arlington, MA 02476–5909
NSF Award
1345446 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,556
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a developmentally appropriate robotic construction kit specifically designed for early childhood education (PreK-2) for teaching the components of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), especially the "T" of technology and the "E" of engineering, which have been the most neglected for this age segment. Recent research on educational robotics has not focused on the foundational years. However, both from an economic and a developmental standpoint, educational interventions that begin in early childhood are associated with lower costs and more durable effects. The proposed work is consistent with the increasing Federal efforts to focus on early childhood education. It is organized around several technical and business questions: 1. What design principles inform creation of a developmentally appropriate robotic kit to be manufactured at low-cost? 2. What are the most feasible technical mechanisms for the robotic kit to be programmed by young children through the use of tangible blocks without a computer screen? 3. What manufacturing processes are needed for scaling from single prototypes to large-scale volume? 4. What are the outcomes of user testing with children, teachers and parents in school and home settings? 5. What is a sustainable commercialization plan? The broader/commercial impact of this proposal is that it will contribute to the emerging field of robotics in education by addressing the needs of an educational segment, early childhood, that today lacks the necessary tools for teaching technology and engineering in a developmentally appropriate way. This work comes at a time of re-envisioning early childhood education at the Federal level, and an accepted need to develop innovative new technologies and approaches for STEM. This interdisciplinary proposal makes contributions to the fields of learning technologies, computer science education, early childhood education and human-computer interaction. At the same time it provides an opportunity to address the needs of a target audience that, according to the latest US Census, consists of approximately 13.3 million children. Given the size of the industry devoted to early childhood education, the potential commercial impact is significant.
Errata
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Knudra Diagnostics
SBIR Phase I: Biosensors to Detect and Characterize Genotoxins
Contact
2500 South State
Salt Lake City, UT 84115–3110
NSF Award
1214714 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,930
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project creates GeniStress Responder. GeniStress Responder is part of EkaTox, a family of toxicology diagnostics harnessing the power of comparative genomics in nematodes to make toxicology predictions in humans. GeniStress Responder identifies and characterizes mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds (genotoxins) using bioengineered nematodes. Multiple types of bioengineered nematodes are created and arranged into a GeniStress Responder panel. The panel's bioengineered nematodes become biosensors of genotoxic activity. Each biosensor works by using a specific genotoxin-sensitive gene to drive expression of a fluorescent-protein coding sequence. Exposure to a specific genotoxin elicits a specific pattern of activity in the GeniStress Responder panel. Feasibility is demonstrated when known genotoxins create specific toxicogenomic responses in the GeniStress Responder panel. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are introduction of improved genotoxicity diagnostics in the marketplace. Current technologies are inadequate. No single test is available to comprehensively profile different types of sample genotoxicity. The market needs an easy-to-use test for genotoxicity profiling. GeniStress Responder fills the market need for genotoxicity profiling in one simple diagnostic kit. With GeniStress Responder, a toxic compound's mechanism-of-action is determined in a shorter time and with fewer resources, than what can be achieved with current technology. GeniStress Responder's ease-of-use will accelerate drug discovery (cancer therapeutics) and environmental toxicology testing (cosmetics, plastics, super-fund site cleanup).
Errata
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Knudra Diagnostics
SBIR Phase I: A Platform for Anthelmintic Drug Discovery using DAF-12 as a Novel Target
Contact
2500 South State
Salt Lake City, UT 84115–3110
NSF Award
1315836 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project creates a drug-screening platform for discovery of new antiparasitic drugs. Resistance to current drug treatments is on the rise. New antiparasitic drugs under development are mostly focused on neurotransmission targets, yet a new target has recently emerged, the daf-12 gene. Knudra uses a core expertise in nematode bioengineering to insert parasite genes into the C. elegans roundworm. Drug candidates are found against the parasite gene by the use of biosensor backgrounds, which use fluorescent gene-expression reporters that turn red upon detection of antiparasitic activity. Phase I feasibility is demonstrated when known agonist and antagonist of DAF-12 elicit expected activity on the parasite gene. The platform may then be used to screen compound libraries to find candidates for anthelmintic use. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project, if successful, will be the creation of a screening platform for finding antiparasitics to help in the battle against important diseases such as elephantiasis, river blindness, trichinosis, Enterobiasis (pinworm), and parasitic infections in livestock and crops. Parasitic infection in livestock and humans currently are treated with more than 20 drugs on the market, but some are toxic and carry black box warnings. Food and health security throughout the world would be enhanced with the development of new antiparasites that are safer and more effective. In addition, the technology will help to bring clarity of understanding to the biology of infective-state formation in parasite lifecycle.
Errata
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LambdaVision, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Development of a Protein-Based Retinal Implant
Contact
400 Farmington Ave
Farmington, CT 06032–1913
NSF Award
1448244 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,937
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop and commercialize a high resolution, protein-based retinal implant intended to restore vision to the millions of patients suffering from retinal degenerative diseases, particularly retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. These currently incurable and blinding diseases affect between 30-50 million people worldwide, and lead to a loss of independence for the individual, as well as an increased burden on their caregivers. Additionally besides the emotional and physical burden of vision loss, the cost of vision problems in the US alone is estimated at $139 billion. The work outlined in this SBIR proposal has the potential to significantly impact our understanding of retinal degenerative diseases, as well as the field of retinal prosthetics. The subretinal implant under development provides the framework for the next generation of high-resolution retinal prosthetics, while offering a cost-effective solution to vision restoration, and will help these patients regain independence and thus improve their quality of life. ------------------ The proposed project seeks to quantify the spatial resolution of a flexible, protein-based, ion-mediated retinal implant, as well as to perform an initial evaluation of the implant in vivo. The retinal implant under development is the first implantable technology to use the light-activated protein, bacteriorhodopsin, to convert light energy into an ion gradient that is capable of activating the remaining neural circuitry of the degenerate retina. The retinal implant will replace the function of the damaged photoreceptor cells. Spatial resolution will be evaluated ex vivo using excised retinas obtained from a transgenic rat model of retinitis pigmentosa. Extracellular microelectrode array experiments will be carried out to demonstrate the resolution of the implant, which is critical for meaningful vision. Safety and efficacy of the implant will be evaluated in vivo via a 6-week feasibility study on domestic swine. These in vivo studies are critical to establish the surgical procedures and biocompatibility and biostability of the implant in preparation for long-term, rigorous, preclinical efficacy testing of the implant as part of Phase II investigations. These experiments are critical value creation milestones that will demonstrate the commercial viability of the retinal implant under development.
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LaunchPad Central Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Cloud-based platform to support experiential entrepreneurship education online at scale
Contact
564 Market Street, Suite 316
San Francisco, CA 94104–5410
NSF Award
1249033 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project aims to provide a cloud based software platform to deliver entrepreneurship education at scale. Innovation is the first step along the journey towards commercialization, job creation and profitability. On a good day this path is dark, winding, uphill and unpaved. At LaunchPad Central, they are rapidly creating the ability to help pave this road to increase the odds of successfully navigating this journey. The data from early stage startups will add to the "intellectual exhaust" allowing for pattern recognition of early warning signs of failure. The LaunchPad Central team has the domain expertise required to architect this platform. Collectively they possess an in-depth understanding of the requirements. A world-class board of advisors including Steve Blank, author of The Four Steps to Epiphany and the Startup Owners Manual (standard entrepreneurship texts across top universities worldwide) gives the company an unparalleled intellectual advantage on best practices to deliver this content at scale. The company has the experience of teaching this process in classroom and synchronous online formats to graduate engineering, MBA students and scientists/researchers from research universities. This has given the team considerable collective intellectual and operational experience. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project can be significant. The NSF Innovation Corps program has adopted Steve Blank's Lean LaunchPad process in 2011. One hundred NSF I-Corps funded teams have graduated and are on their way to successfully commercializing their lab research. The program is set to scale over the next 18-24 months. LaunchPad Central enables the successful scale of this program for early stage technologies from the top universities to learn how to navigate the financial valley of death as they seek to commercialize their science in scalable and sustainable ways. LaunchPad Central will have a much broader impact for entrepreneurs on Main Street. The Small Business Administration could offer the tools that have been tried and tested by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Decreasing the odds of failure for small businesses (the backbone of the US economy) can have a profound impact on job creation. Scalable startups have historically grown from innovation and entrepreneurship hubs like Silicon Valley, Boston etc. Their software provides the metrics to identify promising entrepreneur across the country and potentially connecting them to mentors and investors in Silicon Valley.
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Leonardo Innovations Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Serendipitous Search System Using Lateral Analogy to Match Potential Solutions to Unmet Needs:Feasibility Study Based on Screening Approved Drugs for Potential Repur
Contact
423 8th Avenue
Menlo Park, CA 94025–1848
NSF Award
1248901 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is focused on the development of novel methods for ideation and innovation through the discovery of lateral connections in otherwise unconnected knowledge networks. In many fields of human knowledge and activity, a common feature is that information content is expanding at such a rate that finding relevant results to searches for solutions is becoming increasingly difficult. A further problem is that even the high quality material is expanding at such a rate that most disciplines are rapidly forming sub-disciplines. As fields continue to both expand both at the top levels in terms of overall amount of knowledge, and to expand at the more granular levels by fragmentation into ever more numerous subfields, each of which may develop its own journals, conferences and even terminology, impenetrable to the outsider. It's becoming impossible to stay current. Yet much of creativity occurs, and indeed a great many of the world?s great inventions have occurred, precisely at the intersections between different fields. The central objective of this Phase I project will be to determine the utility of a parsable ontology for supporting ideation and innovation by connecting diverse knowledge domains. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project spans multiple fields and markets, including but not limited to pharmaceuticals, medical devices, materials science, semiconductor devices, chemical processing, legal discovery, patent analyses, and financial analytics. In each of these fields, there is often an increase in 'silo-ing' of different knowledge domains, with the development of access and language barriers in between them, presenting clear challenges to academia and industry. As this situation worsens, there is need of ever better ways to organize, translate and present information to users, and to find solutions to users' problems (their 'unmet needs'). What is needed, and not yet offered by any competitor, is an exploration system giving searchers a strong serendipitous element with a maximum likelihood of results having come from a diverse, unexpected, and potentially provocative source. This will break down silos by providing a rapid, relevant means for knowledge-transfer between different disciplines to facilitate the ready spread of awareness of a potential solution from one field to another, fostering interdisciplinary innovation. The initial customer focus will be on particular corporate clients with a heavy investment in R&D activities and a high probability of internal silo-ing of knowledge, such as pharmaceutical companies.
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Levant Power Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Integrated Hydraulic Suspension Energy Recovery System for Hybrid Trucks
Contact
288 Norfolk St.
Cambridge, MA 02139–1430
NSF Award
1014124 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
07/01/2010 – 06/30/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a hydraulic regenerative shock absorber and charge system for hybrid trucks. An appreciable amount of energy is lost in a typical suspension as heat, especially in heavy vehicles. Existing technologies have been unable to efficiently capture this energy in a cost-effective manner. This project will entail the modeling, design, fabrication, and testing of a hydraulic-electric energy harvesting unit, along with the power electronics and energy storage subsystem to charge hybrid truck batteries. The objective of the project is to study and prove the feasibility of a regenerative shock absorber as a disruptive hydraulic energy harvesting mechanism on heavy trucks. Emphasis will be on the specific challenges of converting high force small amplitude oscillations into electricity that can interface with hybrid charge systems. Work will focus on a proof-of-concept demonstration and a determination of the increased efficiency possible on a hybrid vehicle using the internal piston/integrated-generator regenerative shock absorber mechanism. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is significant as the foundational technology can be applied to a wide range of vehicles, systems and industrial applications in diverse industries. The technology has the potential to save millions of dollars per year in fuel for fleet operators, and simultaneously reduce carbon emissions across the United States. Hybrid vehicles traditionally have a single energy regeneration source (braking) to charge batteries. Effectively incorporating a secondary regenerative charge system may open doors to many new regenerative technologies that work in unison to charge hybrid vehicle batteries, thus allowing for significant reductions in waste energy. The market potential for the technology is considerable, and includes trucks, military vehicles, transit buses, passenger vehicles, and rail. When incorporated into conventional non-hybrid platforms, the technology can improve fuel economy by displacing alternator load. In addition to vehicular applications, the research may, on a broader scale, lead to enabling technologies for compact, sealed, and efficient hydraulic actuators and energy harvesters. This will have applications in other fields such as aviation, industrial machinery, and robotics.
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Levant Power Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Feed Forward Hydraulic Ripple Cancellation
Contact
475 Wildwood Ave
Woburn, MA 01801–2027
NSF Award
1549239 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,804
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 07/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is expected to be realized in two principal areas. There have been extensive efforts to mask hydraulic noise, but the proposed effort is directed at eliminating the hydraulic ripple before it is created at the source. Traditional passive methods of masking noise are insufficient because they work effectively only in a limited operating range. This is inadequate because hydraulic systems typically must operate over a wide range of speed and loads. First this project is expected to make hydraulic active suspension systems quieter, more responsive and robust and, therefore, more readily and widely adopted by industry. The resulting likely increased use of active suspension systems will, therefore, have the added societal benefit of improved vehicle safety and comfort. This project is also expected to have a much wider impact on the hydraulic noise that has been a chronic pain point for the hydraulics industry for decades. It will allow for the manufacture of quieter and more durable hydraulic pumps for many applications beyond active suspension. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is an investigation of the feasibility of using an active buffer to eliminate flow ripple from a hydraulic pump, such as a gerotor pump. In a representative hydraulic system, the gerotor pump is at the heart of an advanced electro-hydraulic, active suspension actuator. Due to their geometry, positive displacement pumps provide small fluctuations in their fluid flow rate at a constant pump RPM. These small changes in flow rate create pressure fluctuations that can create significant mechanical movement that results in objectionable or unhealthy noise. The proposed effort is directed specifically at mitigating acoustic and structural vibration noise caused by such a pump. The proposed effort will utilize a combination of advanced experimental and computer simulation techniques to demonstrate the viability of the approach in the representative hydraulic system (an active suspension actuator). Hydraulic system noise is a widespread pain point in numerous applications involving hydraulic pumps. A key difficulty with hydraulic pumps is that they are often required to perform over a wide range of speeds and pressures. Conventional noise control devices typically can only be optimized for a relatively narrow portion of this range.
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Lite Enterprises Inc
SBIR Phase I: Protecting Birds and Bats from Wind Turbine Hazards Using Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes
Contact
4 Bud Way, Ste. 15
Nashua, NH 03063–1740
NSF Award
1215067 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 03/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of a high-brightness ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UVLED) system for inducing an involuntary avoidance response of birds and bats. The purpose of this system is to reduce the mortality rates of birds and bats by deterring them from entering the active rotor zone area of an operating wind turbine and thus minimizing the risk of mortality or injury from direct collision or barotrauma. Many avian and bat species have spectral sensitivity to ultraviolet light and are known to react to signal colors and bright light sources, whereas humans do not have spectral sensitivity to ultraviolet light and would not have an overall awareness to the operation of a UVLED system. Strict regulations for species protection by the Endangered Species Act as well as general bird and bat mortality are guiding the permitting approval process for siting new wind farms (both on land and off-shore) and the operations of existing wind farms. The broader/commercial potential of this project is that it addresses a major problem affecting the permitting of new and existing wind farms. In addition, there are other numerous additional potential applications for the UVLED system. These applications include protecting airports? landing and take-off airspaces from bird strikes; integrating UVLEDs into airplane landing lights to protect against bird strikes; mounting on radio/TV and other towers to minimize bird mortality; mounting on large buildings where bird mortality is known to be high; protecting tar pits and similar hazards from bird mortality; and protecting bridges, rooftops, and similar spaces from the nuisance of bird droppings. Also, bats save farmers about $74 per acre by providing natural pest control. Pest control services provided by insect-eating bats in the U.S. likely save the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year.
Errata
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Addenda
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Lumenous Co.
SBIR Phase I: A Unified system for low-cost, Scalable Projection Mapping
Contact
251 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94108–5029
NSF Award
1448646 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 01/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be the creation of tools that democratize a new interactive medium called projection mapping. Projection mapping uses video projectors to overlay digital content (images, animations or video) onto 3D physical objects, allowing viewers to experience and interact with digital experiences in an entirely new way. These interactive displays will add value to a wide range of industries where dynamic, 3D presentations are needed to inform, educate, advertise or entertain. Applications include educational experiences at museums or schools, healthcare applications for rehabilitation and visualization, new training and simulation displays, as well as broad uses in advertising and entertainment. For example, a retail end aisle display could more easily attract customers by demonstrating product features with projected light directly on or around the physical product. Alternatively, an interactive diorama in a museum could allow visitors to learn history through an immersive visual experience. This project will bring projection mapping from high budget, niche markets into low budget, mainstream markets. Cost reductions will be realized through technological advances that decrease design, setup and calibration requirements, which in turn will advance technological capabilities and content authoring. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a novel software and hardware system for authoring projection mapping content. The proposed system will greatly simplify a currently complex content authoring process, and will enable entirely new passive and interactive experiences which fuse digital content with the physical environment. The system is comprised of a content authoring software suite and a projector-depth camera hardware unit capable of high-resolution 3D scanning. Research objectives entail novel software algorithms in the areas of 1) automatic calibration of projector-camera systems, 2) optimized structured light scanning of 3D objects, 3) automatic, precise re-alignment and registration of the system in response to movement of the physical model, 4) intuitive authoring tools for creating passive and interactive projection mapping experiences.
Errata
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Addenda
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Mallinda, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Development of Advanced Composite Materials for Athletic Equipment
Contact
1954 Cedaridge Cir.
Superior, CO 80027–4489
NSF Award
1520520 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,686
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is for the development of end user-moldable advanced polyimine composite inputs for the athletic protective gear market (which is valued at $16.6 billion). Currently, plastic products must be produced using industrial manufacturing techniques that have high tooling costs. As a result, manufacturers produce a small range of predetermined sizes and shapes, which do not provide a custom fit for end users. In the case of athletic gear, there is a growing market for hard-shell protective equipment which can be custom molded for a better fit. Polyimine polymers and advanced composites offer a compelling blend of strength and malleability in order to create more user-friendly lightweight and durable advanced composites that may be shaped by the end-user. In addition to creating greater user customization, both the virgin polyimine polymer and advanced composites that incorporate polyimines are easily and economically recyclable. The total U.S. composite materials market is a $30 billion market, representing 36% of the global composites sector. Polyimine polymers and advanced composite derivatives will reduce environmental waste and increase manufacturing efficiencies across a broad range of vertical markets in the composites sector including personal protective equipment, aerospace, automotive, and infrastructural materials. The intellectual merit of this project derives from the development of the unique chemistry of polyimine polymers. Polymers can be broadly grouped into two categories, thermosets and thermoplastics. Thermosets are strong due to the chemical characteristics of the plastic. However, once cured, thermosets cannot be reshaped. As a result, thermosets are neither repairable, nor are they efficiently recyclable. In contrast, thermoplastics, which are weaker than thermosets, may be molded and remolded. However, remolding requires very high industrial temperatures of between 400 and 600 deg. F. Polyimine polymers are moldable and remoldable thermoset materials. Importantly, these polymers combine high rigidity and tough mechanical properties with mild molding temperatures. This Phase I research project will include developing end user moldable composite materials that are a maximum of ¼ inch in thickness and meet industry standards for limb joint protective equipment. Material testing and mechanical characterization will relate to testing requirements arising from composite prototype development including but not limited to: delamination, fiber-dependent moldability, fiber-dependent flex, fiber-dependent tensile, fiber/resin-dependent pass-through impact force, and failure analysis.
Errata
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Mental Canvas, LLC
SBIR Phase I: In-Situ Sketching: Drawing on the Real World
Contact
61 Hartford Avenue
Madison, CT 06443–2743
NSF Award
1315663 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 06/30/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I project demonstrates the feasibility of a sketching system that bridges traditional drawing and three-dimensional modeling, offering a novel way to develop, explore and share visual ideas in 3-D. Using a fusion of hand-drawn strokes and captured imagery that can replicate the spatial and geometrical relationships found in the real world, these scenes are developed in 3-D at a speed and flexibility impossible with existing technology. The success and widespread adoption of the technology depends on the creation of a compelling and intuitive user experience. In order to confirm feasibility and bring the new platform to the market, the primary objective of this project is to complete the development of a tablet-based version of the system. The proposed research necessary to achieve this goal includes four interrelated parts: capture and exploration of exterior scenes, development of a user interface tailored to the new sketch paradigm, expansion of the sketching system to leverage data captured dynamically in situ, and a thorough evaluation of the user experience. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to develop technology that will directly impact creative design as practiced by professionals (e.g., architects, film makers, engineers, artists) by offering a new platform for creating and editing 3-D scenes, and will also impact the communication of ideas, where D representations predominate. In today's market place, the competitive position of many firms is often determined by their ability to rapidly design products, generate concepts, and evaluate new solutions. Moreover, over 70% of design costs are committed during the conceptual design phase. This technology has the potential to markedly speed this phase while qualitatively improving the development of these ideas. 3-D printing technology presents another application for this technology, whose commercialization (even to home users) has increased the demand for CAD software by hobbyists, independent inventors, and small businesses. The technology developed through this project will seize on this market opportunity and will also generate other business opportunities in software authoring tools, direct content creation, and consulting services. The core technology will also have applications in areas of cultural heritage, consumer marketing, and advertising.
Errata
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Mgenuity Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Avatar-guided system to develop mastery in mathematical problem solving.
Contact
97 Leedsville Drive
Lincroft, NJ 07738–1209
NSF Award
1520367 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$107,097
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop a prototype system that teaches children how to solve seemingly hopeless mathematical problems. Problems differ from exercises in that it is not immediately clear how to approach them. They require hard thinking, not complicated calculations. For example, the system's intelligent avatar will help students discover a method to calculate the Earth-Moon distance with nothing more than basic geometry and a lot of thinking and experimentation. Problems are presented by the avatar in 2D or in captivating 3D virtual worlds. The joy of (guided) discovery is envisioned to increase students' interest in math and other STEM disciplines and to significantly reduce math anxiety. The new rigorous math education standards require strong problem solving skills from each student including at-risk populations. The steady increase of student population also puts enormous pressure on schools to assist the work of their teachers. It is envisioned that the system's unique advantages over competitive solutions could ultimately make it a "must have" for the nation's 132,000 schools educating 58 million K-12 students. The project is expected to contribute to a markedly better math education. The most important technical innovations of this project are the emulation of natural-style teacher-student interactions in the domain of mathematics education, the teaching of proven problem solving strategies by an expert avatar, and the use of immersive 3D virtual worlds to help develop deep insight and advanced problem solving skills. The goal of the Phase I research is to develop a prototype system and scientifically evaluate its promise to improve students' problem solving skills in grades 6-8 within the context of the content domains and standards of mathematical practice specified by the Common Core State Standards. The system's Socratic avatar asks students purposeful questions in relation to a given problem. Students respond in a variety of constrained ways: construct written answers by dragging and dropping words into the right place, or by manipulating objects in the virtual environment. Student reasoning skills are tested continuously and non-intrusively during teach the avatar sessions in which roles are reversed and students demonstrate to a novice avatar how to solve a given problem. This will reveal a wide range of knowledge gaps in conceptual understanding and the use of particular mathematical methods. The researchers will analyze students' improvement in a pretest-posttest control group experiment.
Errata
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Mgenuity Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Holographic Explorer for In-Depth Science Learning
Contact
97 Leedsville Drive
Lincroft, NJ 07738–1209
NSF Award
1647384 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$230,000
Start / end date
12/01/2016 – 05/31/2017
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project will develop a small set of pioneering applications that teach science in awe-inspiring holographic 3D space. Students will put on their holographic glasses and explore fundamental scientific concepts and phenomena in unparalleled ways. For example, learners will be able to touch elusive subatomic particles in holographic 3D, dissect living cells to observe cellular processes, dive into the incredibly hot core of massive stars to witness the creation of heavy elements during thermonuclear fusion, or explore what happens when two galaxies collide. The project could take science education to the next level because it will trigger the much needed ?Aha!" moments in science classrooms as learners go to impossible places where no book or teacher could ever take them, and explore concepts and phenomena that are difficult to grasp in any other way. The project is envisioned to contribute significantly to science education nationwide while creating numerous hi-tech jobs and generating tax revenue. This is one the first projects that will develop holographic applications specifically for science education. The final result of the project will be a set of mixed-reality holographic 3D applications that lets students explore and understand scientific concepts and phenomena and help them overcome stubborn misconceptions in science. Intelligent avatars will guide students through thought-provoking scientific explorations and continuously assess their learning. Students can interact with the avatar in natural ways: by manipulating objects in the virtual environment or by clicking buttons and constructing sentences. In teacher-guided mode the avatar can be turned off and the teacher can lead the exploration. Stunning visuals will make the experience unforgettable for learners while educators receive detailed visual reports on each student's progress. The efficacy and the explaining power of the holographic environment will be assessed in rigorous controlled trials. The project is envisioned to generate a significant amount of intellectual property as key components of the system will be protected by patents and all 3D models and storylines will be protected by copyright. This creates significant barriers for any competitor trying to penetrate our market or emulate our technology.
Errata
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Addenda
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Miromatrix Medical Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A Perfusable, Revascularized, Cardiac-Derived Patch for the Treatment of Heart Disease
Contact
18683 Bearpath Trail
Eden Prairie, MN 55347–3476
NSF Award
1142525 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$180,000
Start / end date
01/01/2012 – 06/30/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovations Research (SBIR) Phase I proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of using Miromatrix' perfusion decellularization technology to create a fully revascularized cardiac patch for the treatment of ischemic heart disease and congenital heart repair. While medical advancements have decreased the overall mortality rate for acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients, therapeutic options are lacking to address the underlying loss of myocardial tissue, resulting in a mortality rate greater than 33% at five years. For congenital repair, current surgical approaches for cardiac reconstruction utilize synthetic materials that do not have the ability to grow and remodel with the patient. The proposed cardiac-derived revascularized cardiac patch may promote faster reconstruction of functional tissue by providing a fully perfusable scaffold with a composition and architecture similar to native cardiac tissue. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are the development of a revascularized cardiac patch to treat ischemic heart failure and congenital repair. Inhibiting the onset or delaying the severity of heart failure will have a significant effect on reducing the treatment cost of heart failure, which currently is estimated at over $37 billion. This product with have significant advantages over existing technologies, including: 1) full thickness, biological, cardiac-derived matrix material; 2) vascular supply to support migrating cells and remodeling; 3) superior mechanical properties; and, 4) no need for immunosuppressive therapies. Moreover, this will be the first cardiac-derived, revascularized patch available for treating ischemic areas of the heart.
Errata
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Modular Genetics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Production of an Acyl Glycinate Surfactant by Fermentation
Contact
12-T Cabot Road
Woburn, MA 01801–0000
NSF Award
1248115 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 06/30/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project is aimed at demonstrating that acyl glycinate surfactant can be produced by a novel bacterial fermentation route. The objective of this project is to construct a bacterial strain that produces acyl glycinate, and to provide a sample of that surfactant for commercial evaluation. A successful outcome will demonstrate that acyl glycine can be produced by fermentation. Surfactants are the bubbly components of cleaning products that give them their cleansing power. Surfactants are currently manufactured from petroleum or from seed oils, such as palm oil. The use of those raw materials increases greenhouse gas pollution and also leads to deforestation of rainforests. Retailers are demanding greener products, and regulatory agencies are demanding new minimally toxic chemicals. The demand for greener chemicals creates an opportunity to replace current surfactants with greener alternatives. The broader/commercial impact of the proposed innovation would be commercialization of the acyl glycinate surfactant. Additional benefits to society are that chemicals produced using this technology will be manufactured using domestically grown renewable raw materials, which do not compete with food sources. Furthermore, the energy required to produce these chemicals is low since the fermentation reaction is performed near ambient temperature. The chemicals are inherently safer than traditional chemicals because toxic solvents are not used, and the surfactants are biodegradable and do not contribute to increased greenhouse gas accumulation. Successful completion of the project will generate significant new scientific and technical information on new routes to making such surfactants.
Errata
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Modular Genetics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Production of an Acyl Ethanolamine Surfactant by Fermentation
Contact
12-T Cabot Road
Woburn, MA 01801–0000
NSF Award
1621495 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2016 – 06/30/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project would be commercialization of a surfactant (acyl ethanolamine) made from renewable raw materials, which do not compete with food sources. Surfactants are the bubbly components of cleaning products that give them their cleansing power. Surfactants are manufactured from petroleum or from seed oils, such as palm oil. The use of those raw materials increases greenhouse gas pollution and contributes to deforestation of rainforests. Society is demanding environmentally sustainable (greener) products with reduction or removal of toxicity. The demand for greener chemicals creates an opportunity to replace today's surfactants with greener alternatives. The surfactant chemicals produced in this project are inherently safer than traditional chemicals because toxic solvents are not used, and the surfactants are biodegradable and produced from renewable raw materials such as sugars, and as a result do not contribute to increased greenhouse gas accumulation. The acyl ethanolamine surfactant is designed to replace current commercial surfactants, which are contaminated, during the current manufacturing process, with the carcinogen 1,4 dioxane. The surfactant produced by the effort described here will not contain any 1,4 dioxane. Successful completion of this project will demonstrate a new technology for the production of nonionic surfactants. This is significant since nonionic surfactants represent about 40% of the $30 billion surfactant market. The technical objective of this Phase I research project is to construct a Bacillus strain that produces an acyl amino alcohol surfactant, namely, acyl ethanolamine. Certain naturally existing peptide synthetase enzymes catalyze the linkage of particular amino acids to other particular amino acids. In addition, certain peptide synthetase enzymes catalyze the linkage of particular fatty acids to particular amino acids. Past work demonstrated that this system can be engineered to catalyze the creation of unique molecules, such as acyl glycinate (fatty acid linked to glycine). During enzymatic synthesis of acyl glycinate, glycine is covalently attached to the synthetase via a thioester bond. Product release is catalyzed by a thioesterse domain. Release by a thioesterase results in production of fatty acid linked to the amino acid glycine. Certain naturally occurring peptide synthetase enzymes use reductase domains to release products. We hypothesize that release of acyl glycine via a reductase domain will result in the synthesis of acyl ethanolamine, rather than acyl glycine. The objective of this Phase I project is to create a chimeric peptide synthetase enzyme that converts acyl glycine into acyl ethanolamine during the process of release of the product from the enzyme.
Errata
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Modular Robotics Incorporated
SBIR Phase I: Learning Design Synthesis with a Mechatronics Kit
Contact
3085 Bluff Street
Boulder, CO 80301–2101
NSF Award
1214793 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop and test a construction kit toy and accompanying activities for teaching and learning engineering design synthesis. Routine engineering analysis can be automated, but design synthesis still remains largely the province of creative and knowledgeable human beings. The problem is that design synthesis is taught poorly, if at all. Construction kit toys offer a way to solve this problem: they invite young people into engineering design synthesis in playful yet intellectually challenging ways. Beyond teaching specific domain knowledge, construction kits engage young learners in goal-directed experimental exploration, acquiring and practicing skills central to creativity and invention in engineering design. Current mechatronics construction kit toys are either too simple or limited to allow serious designing, or they are powerful but so technically demanding as to exclude many who otherwise might like to play. The specific innovation of our EYVO construction kit for mechatronics through elegant encapsulation of function and simplicity of physical design?will dramatically lower barriers for young people to engage significantly with engineering design synthesis. This project will develop the EYVO prototype and accompanying educational materials, test it with children, and investigate its commercial potential. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is as follows. Throughout the twentieth century the US led the world in science and technology innovation, but this competitive advantage is steadily eroding. US children lag behind peer nations in STEM knowledge and skills, crucial for the nation?s technological leadership and economic future. Many young people are discouraged from pursuing STEM interests because, despite interest, early encounters lead them to believe that they have poor aptitude. They turn away (or feel excluded) from STEM fields because the barriers to entry seem too high or because they think it?s boring or difficult. Unlike competing products such as LEGO Mindstorms, VEX Robotics, and Meccano the EYVO construction kit developed in this project invites young people to engage immediately?without prologue and without need for prior technical proficiency?in serious yet playful engineering design. Through play with EYVO they can learn that engineering design is fun, and more importantly, a domain in which they can excel. By making the kit affordable to individuals, schools, and informal science institutions, the project will make engineering design synthesis skills attractive and accessible to populations that historically have largely been excluded from, or disinterested in, STEM learning.
Errata
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Modular Robotics Incorporated
SBIR Phase I: Learning About Complexity through Programming Modular Robots
Contact
3085 Bluff Street
Boulder, CO 80301–2101
NSF Award
0839689 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$100,000
Start / end date
01/01/2009 – 06/30/2009
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project investigates end-user programming for ensembles of robots. The project focusses on the developmnent of an accessible end-user programming environment so that middle and high school students can create their own custom ensembles or blocks of robots and observe how the blocks' behavior affect an entire robot. Building powerful and correct intuitions about the behavior of complex systems is important for scientists and engineers, but with today's technologies it is difficult for children to acquire and integrate these ideas into their mindset. Through exploratory play with thr proposed robotics construction kit, which embodies a distributed processing scheme for embedded microprocessors, children can build and observe complex systems acting in the real world. Programming such systems is difficult: the problem to be solved is to identify effective end-user programming paradigms for children to program distributed embedded systems, and thereby construct mental models about the behavior of complex systems. Although end-user programming environments exist for software systems, and even for a few robotics toys, no competing approach to end user programming tackles distributed processing for modular robotics. The project aims to build three experimental systems: a text-based environment, a visual programming language, and a 'cellular automata' interface. Testing with local middle school students will determine the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. The outcome of the project is expected to have a broad impact on children's understanding of how complex global behaviors emerges from local effects. Designing and building complex systems exposes children to a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts. The addition of an intuitive, low-threshold, high-ceiling approach to reprogramming ensemble modules will add extensibility to this already powerful model of complexity. In addition to the primary objective, the design and testing of end-user programming for distributed embedded computing can inform other applications of this technology.
Errata
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Molecular Vista, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Nanometer Scale Raman Force Microscopy for Topographic, Strain, and Chemical Analysis
Contact
100 Great Oaks Blvd. #140
San Jose, CA 95119–1456
NSF Award
1247448 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,998
Start / end date
01/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Innovation Research Phase I project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of the Raman Force Microscope (RFM) to provide a new metrology tool for in situ topographic, strain, and chemical analysis with nanometer spatial resolution. Feature size reduction in the semiconductor industry requires that metrology methods must routinely measure properties down to the atomic scale. Novel materials and geometries add to the complexity of measurements. RFM technology is a combination of Raman microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM), where an AFM tip provides a nanometer scale light source to generate stimulated Raman scattering, and at the same time measures the force gradient arising from the Raman scattering. The use of the AFM tip as the Raman scattering detector significantly simplifies Raman signal acquisition and system configuration. By combining a high-speed AFM scheme, this technology allows for in-line characterization of physical and chemical properties of nanoscale materials and structures in the manufacturing environment, i.e. stress in the channel layer and chemical characterization defects. The objectives of the proposed Phase I study are (1) to demonstrate reflection mode RFM for Raman signal measurement of Si wafers and (2) to demonstrate measurement of stress-induced Raman shifts in nanometer-sized features. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be felt not only in the semiconductor industry but across many disciplines and industries, both in academia and industry. RFM can be used to measure and characterize a wide variety of nanoscale materials and structures, e.g. high- and low-k dielectric films and other emerging materials (such as graphene) used in advanced semiconductor processes. It can be also widely used across disciplines, e.g. for the measurement of nanoparticle homogeneity or optimization of self-assembled monolayers in surface chemistry. The RFM technique also has the capability to image individual biomolecules in situ, such as for the real-time monitoring of membrane protein dynamics on cells, which will provide unprecedented utility in biomedical and clinical research. A reliable label-free imaging tool with the capability to identify chemical bond information at the molecular level will potentially bring about revolutionary advances in many fields of basic and applied biological science, including drug discovery, proteomics, structural biology, and personalized medicine. The RFM technique will be simpler to implement as compared to other hybrid instruments involving high resolution microscopy, resulting in an affordable instrument for academic and research institutions.
Errata
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Multicore Photonics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Fiber Optic Based Nitrogen Oxides Sensor
Contact
5832 N. Dean Rd.
Orlando, FL 32817–3249
NSF Award
1548591 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,496
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be the enhanced ability to monitor Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) optically using a novel approach that is fundamentally different from zirconia-based voltage biased diffusion technology commercially deployed today. NOx are a major pollutant and precursor to acid rain, surface ozone and smog formation. Worldwide regulatory bodies are driving NOx regulations to increasingly lower levels, presenting even greater challenges for real-world emissions. Addressing these regulations, industry will be increasing deployment of after-treatment technologies including selective catalyst reduction systems and lean NOx traps. Both of these technologies will benefit from a less expensive, more robust, and faster responding NOx sensor. If successful, the new NOx sensor has the potential to significantly reduce emissions levels through a more accurate and much faster detection mechanism than current NOx detection techniques. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will characterize and prototype an optical based Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) sensor technology that is not based on conventional techniques such as oxygen sensor derivatives. This effort will optimize the design and materials needed for a novel thermo-catalytic NOx sensing mechanism through experimentation and testing, including validation of earlier prototypes where near instantaneous NOx detection was observed. Increasing the number and type of catalytic sensing elements and integrating them into existing NOx sensor OEM packaging will accomplish this. Sensor calibration equations and response lookup-tables will help validate our new method for NOx detection with successful results serving as a model for a new category of sensors based on this architecture. Current commercially available NOx sensors do not meet response time, accuracy and price requirements as used in the automotive industry where such parameters are critical. In this program, the optical NOx sensing mechanism will be optimized, and planned designs of experiment will help refine this technology into a more optimized and robust device. Additionally, the detection mechanism simultaneously measures carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons as part of the measurement process, thus providing additional utility for any combustion application.
Errata
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NGCodec Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A Cloud Client Service for Next Generation of Mobile Computing, Leveraging Low Latency Video Encoder Algorithms
Contact
1145 Mariposa Ave.
San Jose, CA 95126–2620
NSF Award
1448012 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to enable various low latency video applications that are not possible today. One of the most interesting is in the area of cloud computing, in which a server in a data center somewhere on the Internet runs a client's application remotely, and delivers the frame-by-frame video to the client's viewer. This allows for a very cheap client device, consisting of just a video decoder and an input such as a mouse pad, while graphic or compute intensive tasks run on powerful servers in the cloud that can be leased to the client on an as-needed basis. This server-client model could also be used internally at a company or school, greatly simplifying IT requirements. And for high security applications there is also an advantage, as all data is stored remotely. There is nothing local on the user's device to be compromised. Cloud computing services such as these are already coming on line, but the range of applications they can run is limited by the lack of good low latency video encoding. Solving this problem opens up a whole new paradigm of how people purchase, maintain and use personal computers and software. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project investigates techniques for real-time ultra low latency video compression. The goal of the research is to enable the encoding and transmission of video over a communications medium such as the Internet, cell phone network, satellite network, etc. such that the video may be viewed at the receiving end with no more than 1 frame of latency from when it was encoded at the source. The best and newest industry-standard video compression specification, called H.265, will be used as a framework such that the resulting compressed video can be readily decoded by widely available software or hardware. Framework tools and techniques to monitor and adjust the bit rate of the compressed video will be developed and tested to achieve the low latency goals while maintaining high visual quality of the compressed video. The result of this research will be a set of algorithms that can be used in the design of an H.265 video encoder that will achieve the low latency goal, as well as a characterization of the limitations of these algorithms such that their applicability to various real-world opportunities can be assessed.
Errata
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NGD Systems, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: SSD In-Situ Processing
Contact
7545 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618–2932
NSF Award
1548968 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,977
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will fundamentally change what a storage device can do, and give storage a third capability that was not addressed by existing storage technology - the ability to actually process the data under the explicit control of the user. For the computation to take place, only the computational request and the resulting data need to transfer over the storage interface, reducing the interface traffic and the required power. The advent of Big Data and the increasing use of Hyperscale Server technology have resulted in the creation of an additional storage tier that is different from traditional enterprise storage. This new tier requires significantly larger capacity with lower cost and lower operating power, and yet must still exhibit enterprise reliability. This combination of characteristics cannot be serviced by existing technologies, and execution with large data sets typical of Big Data results in inefficient solutions. The information being stored represents the large, unstructured data mined by today's companies for key information and trends that help dictate corporate direction, advertising, and monetization. Future applications include real-time distributed video and image processing, genome sequencing and mining of any unstructured Big Data. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project explores the Big Data paradigm shift where processing capability is pushed as close to the data as possible. The in-situ processing technology pushes this concept to the absolute limit, by putting the computational capability directly into the storage itself and eliminating the need to move the data to main memory before processing. The technology innovation begins with a solid foundation of an enterprise SSD tailored for the needs of modern Data Centers. Key technology that will be added to support these capabilities include hardware-assisted quality of service control, low-cost TLC/3D-TLC NAND Flash enablement through the use of advanced ECC, and a proprietary elastic Flash Translation Layer to support extremely large capacity drives. The final element added to this foundation will be the ability to perform computations directly on the data with the addition of specialized in-situ processing aided by hardware accelerators. To make this disruptive solution as non-invasive as possible, a level of system software is needed to make adoption as seamless as possible.
Errata
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Addenda
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Neural Analytics
SBIR Phase I: A Novel Non-Invasive Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Method
Contact
2127 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025–6249
NSF Award
1448525 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,294
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 06/30/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to improve the treatment and decrease the high costs associated with treating patients who suffer severe traumatic brain injuries. This project aims to develop an accurate, affordable (<$100 per use) and non-invasive device to monitor a patient?s intracranial pressure following traumatic brain injury. Increased intracranial pressure can result in serious condition or death, if left untreated. However, the only available method to monitor intracranial pressure is expensive (~$10,000 per patient) and requires neurosurgery. The lack of a method to accurately screen patients to determine who needs surgery results in misdiagnoses and incorrect treatment in about 46% of patients among an estimated 50,000 patients in the US alone, and hundreds of thousands more globally. Successful commercialization of product is expected to result in savings in the range $250 million ever year to the US healthcare system. The proposed project will test the feasibility of developing a non-invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring method for use outside of the neuro ICU. To develop an accurate, affordable, and non-invasive ICP monitoring device, the team will first write and validate a software framework that analyzes Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity (CBFV) waveforms. CBFV waveforms are acquired non-invasively by using transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography. In order to use CBFVs to predict ICP, two novel signal-processing methods will be developed. First, the high noise levels typical to TCD-acquired waveforms will be reduced within a machine-learning framework. Second, we will use a method to track morphological features that predict ICP from the CBFV waveform. Both these approaches to signal processing to analyze CBFV waveforms are entirely novel. This approach is expected to allow for accurate (>92% of area under the diagnostic ROC) non-invasive real time monitoring at an affordable price point that is within current reimbursement limits for TCD procedures.
Errata
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Addenda
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Neuvokas Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Development of High Speed Process Technology for the Manufacturing of Cost Effective Polymer Rebar
Contact
25280 Renaissance Rd
Calumet, MI 49913–2701
NSF Award
1416025 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$177,590
Start / end date
07/01/2014 – 06/30/2015
Abstract
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on the development of a superior infrastructure material with wide-reaching applications. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rebar materials offer significant performance advantages as compared to uncoated steel rebar. These advantages include a sevenfold weight reduction, the elimination of corrosion, a 30% reduction in concrete usage (which translates to a 15 billion ton reduction in CO2 emissions), and equivalent tensile strength at smaller diameters versus traditional steel rebar. FRP rebar is being produced in small quantities, but has limited market acceptance due to its high cost. The material and process to be developed will allow price parity and enable dramatic improvements in production speeds as compared to the current FRP state-of-the-art. When combined, these improvements will open the FRP market of $1.8 billion and create opportunities in the broader $60 billion global market for rebar. Additionally, global basalt mine waste dumps will be explored and, if possible, utilized as a raw material for fiber production. If successful, this would eliminate a significant waste stream and lead to better environmental stewardship. This effort will focus on developing the process required to produce this new rebar. A thermoset resin and basalt fiber will be used as the primary reinforcements within this composite. Over the past 20 years, FRP rebar has been developed into a viable product, representing $1.2 billion in cumulative revenue. However, no FRP rebar product is currently offered at price parity with uncoated steel rebar. In order to reach price parity, this effort will focus on development of a novel high-speed manufacturing process for this material. Basalt fiber is an emerging material that has potential to replace carbon fiber in a variety of applications. Additionally, thermoset resins not commonly used in pultrusion can offer improved performance characteristics that cannot be achieved with typical FRP rebar resins. Completion of this project will create further understanding of material interactions in this system, which will create the potential for additional composite technologies.
Errata
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Addenda
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Novan, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Scale-up Manufacturing of Nitric Oxide Nanotechnology for Healthcare Infections
Contact
4222 Emperor Blvd
Durham, NC 27703–8030
NSF Award
1013531 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$140,761
Start / end date
07/01/2010 – 12/31/2010
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a scale-up manufacturing process of nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles. The main challenge is controlling the nanoparticle crystal size while maintaining high levels of nitric oxide storage. In this project, critical process parameters including reactant addition rate, reaction temperature and mixing rate will be studied. The Balanced-Nucleation and Growth (BNG) Model will be utilized to transform process data into predictors of controlled particle size. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to provide large-volume nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles for placement in products aimed at the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Availability of large-quantity nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles is important to combat the rising number of nosocomial infections. However, the necessary scale-up technology to manufacture nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles is not available. This project is expected to provide the processes to manufacture large quantities of nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles for anti-infective product development.
Errata
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Addenda
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NuMat Technologies, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Computational Screening & Synthesis of MOFs for Hazardous Gas Storage
Contact
8025 Lamon Ave
Skokie, IL 60077–5315
NSF Award
1315059 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project searches for better materials to efficiently and safely store gases used in semiconductor manufacturing. Currently these gases are stored in tanks at low pressures in dilute concentrations for safety reasons, which requires the use of many tanks that need to be frequently refilled. This increases the cost of semiconductor manufacturing which drives up the cost of consumer electronics. Porous materials, which soak up gases like bath sponges soak up water, can be used to store these gases in larger concentrations while maintaining safety. However, the number of porous materials that we can use to potentially store these gases is enormous (i.e., hundreds of millions) and so quickly finding the best material requires advanced computational screening methods. This project will computationally generate millions of hypothetical porous materials and screen them for their ability to store gases used in semiconductor manufacturing at industrially relevant temperatures and pressures. The computationally screening data will be used to synthesize and test an optimal material in the laboratory, which could subsequently be manufactured at larger scale. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be the cheaper production of electronics and a safer working environment in semiconductor manufacturing facilities. This will open the door to designing porous materials for other gas storage applications in such areas such as adsorptive heat exchange, carbon capture, and commodity gas transportation. Even more broadly, the successful determination of an optimal material via large-scale computational screening will further validate the utility of ?big data? in the modern scientific enterprise.
Errata
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Addenda
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Ocular Dynamics
SBIR Phase I: Bio-inspired Multilayer Therapeutic Contact Lens to Treat Dry Eye Disease
Contact
6231 Mojave Dr
San Jose, CA 95120–5311
NSF Award
1215580 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a contact lens for the treatment of dry eye disease, which affects more than 6 million people in the United States. The contact lens is designed to be placed on the surface of the eye to relieve symptoms of pain and irritation associated with ocular dryness. There is no device currently on the market with this design and function, and the objectives of this research are to refine and characterize the lens as well as to test the safety and efficacy of the device in animal studies. Ultimately, this research will enable efficacy studies in humans. The broader impact/commercial potential of this proposed project is the potential to improve treatment of dry eye disease. The cost of treating dry eye disease in the United States is $2 billion dollars annually, despite the relative ineffectiveness of current therapies. Not only will this device improve the quality of life of millions of people, but it will also validate the use of our unique material/design for medical devices in general, which may have a much broader application. This device represents one of very few non-pharmaceutical therapies for dry eye disease, and, therefore, has the potential to broaden the thinking of the scientific community with regard to methods of dry eye treatment.
Errata
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Addenda
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One Million Metrics Corp
SBIR Phase I: Feasibility of estimating musculoskeletal injury risk of material handling workers with novel wearable devices
Contact
341 West 11th Street
New York, NY 10014–6235
NSF Award
1548648 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project consists of three major pieces. First is the reduction of musculoskeletal injuries for manual laborers, which already affects 600,000 workers each year. This will improve the quality of life of laborers, since an injury at work affects both their work life and their personal life. Second is to reduce the high costs associated to these injuries that need to be paid by employers, and which are estimated to be $15.2bn a year. These costs challenge the competitiveness of these companies. Thirdly, the worker injuries affect employee morale, absenteeism, productivity loss and employee turnover, all of which are challenges to the efficient running of a company. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will study the feasibility of automatically evaluating the risk of musculoskeletal injury in the workplace using smart wearable devices. These injuries affect hundreds of thousands of workers per year in the US, and cost US companies more than $15bn in direct costs. This research goal depends on the achievement of two technical objectives (i) to prove that the sensors and developed algorithms can differentiate lifting events from other worker activities, and (ii) to demonstrate that the data collected by the sensors can be used to accurately predict the output of the NIOSH lifting equation, an ergonomics risk model widely accepted in industry. Estimations of the outputs of the equation performed by our device will be compared by those computed manually by a certified ergonomist. These wearable devices can quantify the risk of musculoskeletal injuries continuously over time, providing a deeper understanding of the factors that affect risk and the ability to take measures to reduce that risk before an injury occurs.
Errata
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Addenda
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OneBreath, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: A novel and cost effective mechanical ventilator for pandemic preparedness and underserved communities
Contact
425B Forest Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301–1420
NSF Award
1314423 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will support development and testing of a novel cost-effective mechanical ventilator. The H1N1 pandemic ignited concern in the healthcare community over the state of preparedness of our nation?s healthcare system in the event of a critical care emergency. If a 1918-like flu pandemic were to occur today, tens of millions of people could die from respiratory distress. Unfortunately, the United States does not have enough ventilators to support patients with respiratory distress. When considered on a global scale, the disparity in critical care and emergency resources between wealthy and impoverished nations is alarming. The goal of this proposal is to progress from a high-level prototype to pre-production status. Iterative performance testing and redesign will be followed by human factors validation and interface design with simulated use modeling. Completion of Phase I will place the company in a position to begin verification testing and validation of mechanical components and software in Phase II. The next step is regulatory approval following a 510k pathway and sales expected to begin within 2 years of the Phase I start date. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to conquer one of the most difficult problems in critical care: delivering high precision, high reliability and low cost in a mechanical ventilator. If a flu pandemic were to occur today, millions of people could die from respiratory distress. Unfortunately, the United States does not have enough ventilators to support patients with respiratory distress in even a mild pandemic. Respiratory illness is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in emerging nations. Each year thousands of patients die in rural community hospitals because of lack of access to mechanical ventilation. Despite improvements in infrastructure and economies, ventilators remain out of reach for many hospitals. At present, the mechanical ventilation market is more than $2 billion globally and growing at 7%. Commercialization of this novel ventilator design would provide a viable option for stockpiling ventilators in the event of a mass casualty event and hospitals in emerging markets will finally be able to afford high performance ventilation for their intesive care units.
Errata
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Addenda
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Persimmon Technologies Corporation
SBIR Phase I: Spray-Formed Soft Magnetic Material for Efficient Hybrid-Field Electric Machines
Contact
200 Harvard Mill Square
Wakefield, MA 01880–3239
NSF Award
1113202 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a novel soft magnetic material for electric motor cores, a fabrication process to make components from the material, and an electric motor configuration leveraging the benefits of the material and fabrication process. The approach is to utilize a new single-step net-shape fabrication technique based on uniform-droplet spray deposition in a reactive atmosphere to produce an isotropic metal microstructure characterized by small domains of high permeability and low coercivity with a controlled formation of insulation boundaries that limit electrical conductivity between neighboring domains. This design is expected to provide a superior magnetic path while minimizing losses due to eddy currents, and eliminating design constraints associated with anisotropic laminated cores of conventional motors. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to provide spray-formed winding cores for hybrid-field motors to increase output, improve efficiency and reduce material scrap during fabrication, thus lowering the cost of electric motors. Considering the extensive use of electric motors in numerous applications, including industrial machinery and automation, robotics, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, appliances, power tools, medical devices, automotive applications, electric vehicles, military equipment etc., there is an increasing need for electric motors with improved performance, higher efficiency, and lower cost. This project is expected to have a significant commercial and environmental impact by providing low-cost and high-efficiency electric motor cores.
Errata
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Precision Polyolefins, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Pilot-Scale Production of Stereoblock Polypropylene (sbPP) Thermoplastic Elastomers
Contact
Suite 4506, Bldg 091
College Park, MD 20742–3371
NSF Award
1345834 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to demonstrate successful pilot‐scale production of stereoblock polypropene (sbPP) thermoplastic elastomers that can be produced, in programmed fashion, over an unlimited range of different fundamental forms by virtue of the ability to exert external control over the relative rates of reversible processes that are competitive with the rate of propagation. The research effort will involve investigation into the rate of these processes in order to develop a commercially viable procedure for the production of sbPP materials. The anticipated result is that commercially relevant volumes (> 1 kiloton)of sbPP thermoplastic elastomers can be produced with tailored physical properties as technologically viable replacements for existing commercial materials. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that the large-‐scale (>1 kiloton) production of sbPP thermoplastic elastomers as technological replacements for existing commercial materials will serve to capitalize on the increased availability of inexpensive propylene monomer that is the product of a recent shift by the petrochemical industry from crude oil to abundant North American natural gas. This shift has contributed significantly to increased cost volatility and global shortages of crude oil derived higher carbon-numbered monomers that have been historically utilized for the commercial production of thermoplastic elastomers. Successful realization of the stated goals of this project will serve to deliver, with high chemical efficiency, a variety of different grades of high purity sbPP materials with tailored properties that can be transformational for the adhesives, film-packaging and medical markets. The procedures developed during this project will also facilitate future commercial production of a wider range of propylene based polymers utilizing the same catalyst technology. Society will further benefit from the introduction of a more environmentally benign andsustainable chemical technology that provides an alternative to current commercial thermoplastic elastomers.
Errata
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Protein Dynamic Solutions, LLC
SBIR Phase I: Novel, Accurate and Reproducible Platform for the Developability Assessment of Protein Therapeutics
Contact
4005 Street B, Road 114 Km 1.3
Mayaguez, PR 00682–4005
NSF Award
1447918 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
Broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to (1) improve the decision making towards protein therapeutics development (also known as developability), (2) reduce Research and Development costs for the Biotechnology industry in general, (3) improve timelines of new protein therapeutic candidates, thus proceeding to clinical phase trials sooner, (4) resulting in fewer candidate withdrawals from clinical trials, (5) reduce risk associated with protein aggregation and immunogenicity, a potentially fatal outcome; leading to (6) overall quicker times for approval-to-market, and finally (7) a reduction of product recall risk. The market opportunity for protein characterization and identification market by instruments also known as life sciences tools is estimated to be $ 80-85 billion dollars. Our product is an innovative patented technology platform and related services which will support the developability evaluation of new protein therapeutic candidates in the biologics and biosimilars product portfolio. As an additional funding source, we have adopted the production of a high quality aggregate free potential diagnostic candidate biomarker for prostrate and pancreatic cancer to allow for further research and development in other research institutions. Completion of Phase I in the evaluation of formulation conditions of protein therapeutics including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) will ensure progress towards the development of a high throughput platform for Phase II evaluation. The proposed project will address the current bottleneck of new protein therapeutics within the biologics and biosimilars industry due to protein aggregation. This is the single most prevalent reason that has hampered the release of biotherapeutics into the market. Protein aggregation leads to loss of efficacy and potentially to immunogenicity risks. Formulation is critical to downstream processing, dosing, storage, and delivery of protein therapeutics. Our goal is to test different formulation conditions through the use of Design of Experiment strategies to identify the formulation conditions under which the monoclonal antibody candidate is stable and aggregation free, even under stress. We have designed an innovative patented platform using two dimensional infrared (2D IR) correlation spectroscopy and perturbation correlation (PC) analysis which is accurate, reproducible and does not use probes to determine the mechanism and extent of aggregation, and stability of a mAb. A potential outcome will be the developability assessment of novel candidates ensuring a pipeline of protein therapeutics early in the research and development. If successful, Phase II will involve a high-throughput platform to address the evaluation of protein aggregation in plasma and final IV delivery conditions, for the design of a predictive model for immunogenicity risk assessment.
Errata
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Radial Analytics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: System for Patient Risk Stratification through Electronic Health Record Analytics
Contact
6 Breezy Point Road
Acton, MA 01720–3420
NSF Award
1416215 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
07/01/2014 – 06/30/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project focuses on using analytics and technology to drive greater efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare. Recent legislative changes are driving all players within the healthcare ecosystem toward greater accountability. This Phase I project specifically includes technologies to automatically assess patient risk and thereby reduce post-discharge readmissions rates. This Phase I project has the potential to support a broad range of customers across both the provider and the payer landscape, by providing cost-effective readmissions control solutions that respond to new legislative pressures. In terms of commercial potential, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has estimated that preventable hospital readmissions account for $20 billion/year in wasteful healthcare spending. The addressable market for the proposed Phase I proof-of-concept for patient risk stratification to support readmission control is approximately $100MM. In the future, this research project will serve as a foundation to support broader population health analytics, the addressable market for which exceeds $500MM/year and is growing at a rate of 24% annually. The proposed project aims to develop a data mining system to capture and analyze information from electronic medical records in order to risk-stratify patients after they have been discharged from hospital. Leveraging interoperability standards that are required by federal regulation, the system will seamlessly aggregate data from multiple electronic medical record systems in a vendor-agnostic manner. A custom analytics engine will detect emergent patterns and draw inferences about each patient?s risk of readmission. If successful, this research will validate the end-to-end concept and suggest the broader applicability of this approach to some of the greatest challenges in population health.
Errata
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Radial Analytics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: User-Centered System for Improved Coordination across the Continuum of Care
Contact
6 Breezy Point Road
Acton, MA 01720–3420
NSF Award
1621996 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$225,000
Start / end date
07/01/2016 – 06/30/2017
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project focuses on using analytics and technology to benefit patients who require recovery care to get fully well after being discharged from the hospital. Transitions of care from acute (hospital) to post-acute (short-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing) settings impact millions of Americans every year. Seniors overindex on utilization of post-acute care, as a consequence of natural age-related degeneration and the need for longer recovery periods. By improving post-hospital coordination of care across the continuum, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction stand to improve for America?s aging population. If successful, this project will help reduce costs of care for healthcare providers, payers, and government/society. The proposed project aims to incorporate and improve upon methods for user-centered data capture in healthcare. Our proposed platform will combine advanced machine learning techniques with a patient/family-centered business model. The innovation will harness multiple streams of healthcare data, such as electronic health records and claims data from both acute and post-acute care settings. If successful, this research will impact the state-of-the-art in healthcare analytics and outcomes measurement.
Errata
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Renuvix
STTR Phase I: Novel Multifunctional, Bio-Based Coupling Agents for Wood Plastic Composites
Contact
1854 NDSU Research Cir N
Fargo, ND 58102–5706
NSF Award
1416983 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,981
Start / end date
07/01/2014 – 11/30/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project involves a significant enhancement in the properties of wood polymer composites (WPCs) by the commercialization of a highly effective bio-based coupling agent made from renewable sources such as plant oils instead of petroleum. By significantly enhancing the properties of WPCs, substantial benefit to society will result by providing new application opportunities for these relatively low cost, light weight biocomposites. Globally millions of metric tons of WPCs are produced each year. Currently, WPCs are used for applications that do not require high load bearing characteristics due to limitations in modulus, strength, and creep. The technical concepts proposed for the Phase I effort are expected to enable higher modulus and strength, by facilitating the use of higher wood flour (WF) loadings, as well as lower deformation by introducing crosslinks into the matrix phase. Although this proposal is focused on the utility of these novel bio-based copolymers as high performance coupling agents, these copolymers have also been demonstrated to be excellent binders for coatings. Thus, commercialization of these copolymers is expected to have a broader impact on society beyond use as coupling agents. This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will determine the feasibility of novel bio-based polymers to serve as highly effective coupling agents for WPCs. The most common WPCs are based on WF as the dispersed-phase and high density polyethylene (HDPE) as the matrix. WF is a very desirable reinforcement for composites because it is inexpensive, abundant, biodegradable, high modulus, high strength, light weight, and non-abrasive toward processing equipment. The major technical challenge for HDPE/WF composites is obtaining adequate compatibility between the WF fibers and the HDPE matrix. Although the modulus and tensile strength of WF fibers is approximately 40 and 20 times higher than that of the HDPE matrix, respectively, the mechanical property enhancements provided by the WF cannot be fully realized without effective compatibilization. It is the team?s belief that the bio-based polymers proposed for the project possess the ideal chemical composition for effectively coupling the HDPE matrix to the WF fibers to maximize mechanical properties. In addition, the polymers are capable of introducing crosslinks into the matrix phase, which are expected to reduce polymer creep. For the Phase I project, the effect of the chemical composition of the bio-based coupling agent will be a primary factor investigated.
Errata
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RightHand Robotics, LLC
STTR Phase I: Versatile Robot Hands for Warehouse Automation
Contact
21 Wendell St Apt 20
Cambridge, MA 02138–1850
NSF Award
1448975 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$224,977
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is clear from the size of the market in warehousing and logistics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the annual cost of moving inventory by hand in warehouses is 5 billion dollars. Industry is eager to adopt new robotic technology, and it has already made a significant impact in many aspects of this problem, speeding shipments and lowering costs. However, handling individual items has not yet proven viable when the range of objects is large. The grasping robot developed in this project will meet this need, and reduce the cost of logistics for manufacturers, distributors, and customers. Additionally, the creation of robot grasping systems that can automatically grasp a wide range of objects will open up the benefits of robotic technology to workers in other industries. This is critical to making robots accessible to small manufacturing shops, and will significantly improve the performance of telepresence systems used for military, rescue, and consumer applications such as home assistance for the elderly. This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project is based on a decade of university research on the design and construction of robots for grasping using passive mechanisms. Through the carefully tuned structural compliance of the fingers, robot hands can be designed to compensate for variation in the size, shape and location of grasped objects to obtain reliable grasps. During the course of this project, a commercial product will be developed capable of picking and placing a wide range of items at extremely low error rates, something that has hitherto been considered a hard problem in sensing and planning. The new compliant grippers, combined with breakthroughs in low-cost tactile sensing and simplified grasp planning, will enable a level of performance that meets the needs of real-world customers. The new picking robot will be validated against a set of realistic items picked from bins in a simulated warehouse environment.
Errata
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Rochal Industries LLP
SBIR Phase I: Correlation of Surface Free Energy and Cytocompatibility of Amphiphilic Biomaterials
Contact
12719 Cranes Mill
San Antonio, TX 78230–1957
NSF Award
1110189 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will provide the basis for producing a unique cytocompatible, liquid adhesive bandage that will facilitate wound healing. This project is based upon a correlation of surface free energy of hydrated, amphiphilic polymers and their ability to support cell functions, such as growth and proliferation, deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, and patterns of substrate surface coverage and morphology. Current commercially available liquid adhesive bandages for professional applications on humans are used in a variety of wound coverage applications. However, there is no liquid adhesive bandage commercially available for human use that serves as a cell substrate as well as protecting a wound from foreign contaminants. The research will determine the surface free energies of a variety of amphiphilic polymers, ranging from highly hydrophilic to highly hydrophobic, and then correlate the surface free energy data to the cytocompatibility of the respective polymer films. It is anticipated that this approach will result in a selection of polymers in a narrow range of surface free energies that can accelerate tissue regrowth for wound healing. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the creation of a new form of medical treatment for acute wounds (e.g., surgery sites, injuries), for chronic wounds (e.g., ulcers) and for burn wounds utilizing a simple, low cost, intimately conformal, protective polymer coating material that is capable of facilitating tissue regeneration. Such a coating will function as a synthetic skin substitute that will allow wounds to heal rapidly, without external contamination, such as from bacteria and other microorganisms, because of its ability to facilitate cell adhesion and proliferation. Importantly, this polymer coating will self-remove over time as the wound heals, in contrast to typical bandages that can cause new tissue abrasion and rupture when manually removed. This project will demonstrate how enhanced cytocompatibility of liquid adhesive bandages, and synthetic skin substitutes in general, can be obtained in topical wound care, thus leading to a reduction of patient suffering and a reduction in this nation's health care costs. The commercial impact of this product will be game-changing for topical wound treatment in that future materials should facilitate healthy tissue regrowth.
Errata
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Roundtable Analytics LLC
STTR Phase I: Data-Driven Decision Support Services for Emergency Department Operations
Contact
1601 Crafton Way
Raleigh, NC 27607–6032
NSF Award
1448898 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$269,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is very significant. Suboptimal operational decision-making in emergency departments leads to inefficiencies that result in extreme patient wait-times, the diversion of ambulances to other emergency departments, wasted resources and patients who either leave before being treated or against medical advice. By connecting modern analytical approaches, including statistical modeling and systems engineering methods, to real-time data routinely collected in emergency departments, the proposed project promises to result in a tremendously valuable analytics platform that will assist emergency departments in making dozens of operational and staffing decisions each day. This informed decision-making will not only improve emergency department efficiency, it will lead to both healthier and more satisfied patients and simultaneous dramatic increases in revenue and profit. The technology proposed will have the potential to add significant value to the approximately 5,000 emergency departments in the U.S., often on the order of millions of dollars annually. Hospitals and health systems now realize the value of effective analytics, and the analytics platform proposed here will be an obvious investment for any emergency department whose goal is to provide the best care to its patients at lower costs. The proposed project promises to yield a decision-support platform upon which emergency departments will base their decisions each day. Substantial investments by hospitals and health systems on information technology, and in particular, electronic health records, have set the stage for evidence-based, data-driven decisions. These decisions will effectively leverage real-time data along with analytical methods such as statistical forecasting and event-simulation modeling. In particular, this proposed project will create a software platform, based on these analytical methods and linking to real-time data sources, tailored to emergency departments. This project will involve 1) understanding the capacity and real-time availability of data in emergency rooms, 2) developing a statistical and simulation modeling platform that maximizes the potential of these data, in real-time, and specifically reflects emergency departments, and 3) ultimately ensuring that actionable insights are delivered in a timely and intuitive manner to key stakeholders. These actionable insights that derive from the data and sophisticated methods must be delivered to the right decision-maker at the right time and in the right format, but will then have the capacity to substantially improve both the quality and efficiency of care-delivery in an emergency department.
Errata
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Addenda
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Runtime Verification, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Runtime Verification for Automobiles
Contact
102 E. Main Street
Urbana, IL 61801–2744
NSF Award
1519846 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that it will offer the automotive industry higher reliability from the software systems powering automobiles, by enabling runtime monitoring while providing the maximum possible correctness guarantees for the generated monitors. Cars will be safer and more rigorously assured. This project will address a slew of recent problems with software failures, security compromises, and other unintentional software behaviors that occur inevitably as systems become more complex, potentially saving lives and making millions of vehicles safer, easier to upgrade, and better tested. The commercial value follows the need of manufacturers to retain the basic vehicle safety guarantees while pursuing the commercial necessities of competing on complex software-driven features, ultimately minimizing software development costs and expensive car recalls. The enhanced scientific and technological understanding from this technology will come as it is deployed in the field, giving manufacturers an impetus to formalize and standardize existing requirements, bolstering their understanding of the software systems in the car. The technology will also foster the formalization of both open and proprietary specifications, further increasing the understanding of complex automotive systems by facilitating complete analysis. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will for the first time explore the application of provably correct runtime verification software to real-time systems. An efficient and certifying framework allowing for the expression of a diverse range of specifications will enable applications of runtime verification in automobiles, aeronautics, and beyond. One research objective is to develop a system that can monitor any safety property, generating high-performance C code capable of running on virtually any hardware. This will combine efficient monitoring with maximal formal guarantees in terms of correctness. Formal verification was previously realized only for mathematical models of monitors, or in systems with very low expressiveness. A second research objective is to study the applicability of runtime verification by collecting properties from automotive industry standards, evaluating the complexity of specifying the properties, the possibility of recovering from detected violations, and the performance requirements of the resulting monitors. It is anticipated that hundreds or even thousands of such properties will be monitored simultaneously.
Errata
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Addenda
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SQZ Biotechnologies Company
SBIR Phase I: An Automated Microfluidic Platform for Delivery of Biomolecules Into Cells
Contact
333 Highland Ave. Apt 1A
Somerville, MA 02144–3142
NSF Award
1448581 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 06/30/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to address a major barrier in fundamental biological research and next-generation clinical treatments: Delivering materials into cells. Cells are the basic functional unit of the body yet understanding their role in disease and harnessing their inherent potential to combat ailments has been limited by our inability to deliver material to their cytoplasm. By facilitating access to a cell's interior one could enable rapid progress in the ability to probe intracellular processes and engineer cell function for therapeutic purposes. This project aims to further develop a promising new concept of intracellular delivery capable of overcoming many conventional barriers associated with the current state-of-the-art. The platform will potentially facilitate the development of novel therapeutics based on a deeper understanding of cell function and a more robust ability to engineer cell fate. Indeed, addressing such a fundamental challenge in the biomedical field would provide substantial benefits to society and could impact numerous commercial opportunities. Potential applications include basic research, high-throughput drug discovery screening, and cell-based therapies to treat cancer immunotherapies. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a vector-free microfluidic platform for intracellular delivery of biomolecules in order to increase efficacy, and improve ease-of-use. The platform uses a novel method based on rapid, transient deformation of cells ("cell squeezing") as they pass through a microfluidic constriction. The squeezing process causes temporary disruption of the cell membrane and facilitates passive transport of target delivery materials into the cytoplasm. The proposed work aims to introduce automated, closed-loop control of key parameters (pressure, temperature, and flow rate) that govern the delivery process. These additions will allow users to precisely tune the amount of material delivered to cells and the resultant viability. By developing this hardware, the technology will be well-positioned for increased adoption and commercialization by the end of Phase I. The proposed hardware controllers will be verified and validated through relevant studies using primary immune cells, a disease-relevant subset of cells that are recalcitrant to existing delivery methods. Finally, the proposed work would facilitate the launch of a robust prototype system for early-stage testing in high-impact applications.
Errata
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Second Avenue Software, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Martha Madison's Marvelous Machines
Contact
130 Office Park Way
Pittsford, NY 14534–3626
NSF Award
1113493 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,265
Start / end date
07/01/2011 – 12/31/2011
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to construct the first in a series of science collaborative multiplatform learning games called Martha Madison?s Marvelous Machines. This game will be designed to engage a target audience of middle school girls in virtual collaborative physics projects to improve understanding of the nature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and careers. The specific content of this game will enable students to develop understanding of introductory Physics and Engineering aligned with Common Core standards. There will be options for single player play and multi-player play, depending on the platform(s) on which the game is released. In the multi-player option, there will be puzzles which can only be solved through collaboration with other users (via network play). Second Avenue Software (SAS) anticipates the release of Common Core Standards for Science and Martha Madison will be developed according to the Common Core Standards in order to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. In the event that Common Core Standards for Science are not in draft form at the time of the award, SAS will draw on its extensive experience correlating with state standards to make a physics and engineering game that is engaging, educative and robust. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in SAS?s contribution to meeting the need of improving physics and engineering education by providing a game-based application which as the potential to increase interest in STEM careers and learning outcomes in STEM disciplines. Based on a review of the literature regarding womens? participation in STEM education, STEM careers and learning modalities for women and girls, this requires development of materials specifically designed to meet their educational needs and interests. Current practice in commercial games reflects this need. Games are frequently designed in two versions: one for boys and one for girls, reflecting each gender?s distinct patterns of play. Martha Madison will be designed to appeal to all genders without alienating boys or girls, while paying special attention to engaging girls in STEM learning. Martha Madison will be created using the Unity 3D platform which allows for publishing to a diverse array of applications including tablets, computers, consoles (all of which now include digital delivery), and mobile devices. With so many possible applications, Martha Madison has tremendous commercial potential.
Errata
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SensorHound, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Resource-efficient Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics for Cyber-Physical Systems
Contact
1281 Win Hentschel Blvd
West Lafayette, IN 47906–4182
NSF Award
1345940 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$165,197
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop an efficient remote monitoring and diagnostic software system to detect and diagnose software defects in cyber-physical systems (CPSs). CPSs have the potential to bring about a revolution in efficiency, robustness, and safety in application domains such as smart utility grids and smart health care. To unleash their potential, CPSs must themselves be robust. However, despite state-of-the-art testing, software defects currently do escape into deployed CPSs. Current state-of-practice monitoring and diagnostic systems cannot improve the situation as they were not designed with the constraints of CPSs in mind, which include real-time execution, unreliable links, and resource constrained processors. The proposed technology is aimed at creating a software system capable of monitoring embedded nodes in CPSs for anomalies and providing detailed execution information to quickly diagnose the software defects responsible for any anomalies. The proposed work extends the company's extensive research in efficient collection of information for diagnosing software defects. The company expects to create a prototype monitoring and diagnostic software system for CPSs and demonstrate its effectiveness on existing software defects in CPSs. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project derives from the fact that increasing the reliability and robustness of CPSs will directly increase their adoption in real world applications. CPS technology is directly applicable to a broad range of sectors, including utility grids, smart buildings, manufacturing, health care, transportation, etc. These sectors account for more than $32.3 trillion in economic activity, with the potential to grow to $82 trillion by 2025 - about one half of the global economy. CPSs are thus critical to the national interest in areas such as manufacturing competitiveness, defense, health care, energy production and usage, and disaster monitoring and recovery. Due to the increasing reliance on CPSs in the future, system defects could have drastic consequences. The proposed technology could significantly improve reliability of CPSs by catching defects before they result in significant loss, outages, or failures.
Errata
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Simbulus Inc
SBIR Phase I: A Question of Numbers: Numeracy, Learning, and Learning about Learning
Contact
2017 10TH ST STE B
Boulder, CO 80302–5186
NSF Award
1345969 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$171,000
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 12/31/2014
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project proposes to determine the feasibility of new software implementations of formative assessment (FA) techniques for mathematics instruction. Tablet devices such as the iPad have an enormous potential to facilitate revolutionary change in education, but such potential is heavily dependent on the availability of appropriate software and services. The proposed activities will research the extent to which classroom FA techniques can be applied or enhanced when the teacher's role is augmented by a platform for computer aided instruction. They will seek to create adaptive learning environments that go beyond current state-of-the-art systems and that apply the adaptivity to free-form content delivered as instructional video segments and highly interactive problems, and to do so while maintaining a flow of content that feels natural. The proposed activities also have the potential to provide new tools for the analysis of effective techniques in mathematics education and interventions. The ability to model student understanding and analyze the learning process will lead to the creation of new learning analytics tools and enable additional research into effective practices for the teaching and learning of mathematics. The potential broader impacts of the proposed activities include improved student access to mathematics; the increased participation of underrepresented groups in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); and improved STEM education through informed teacher practice and educator development. The proposed activities directly address mathematics education at a critical point in the curriculum: pre-algebra readiness, as set against the widely differing levels of mathematical fluency that emerge out of the elementary grades. Without a solid facility with pre-algebra mathematics, many subjects that are essential to participation in the modern world become difficult or impossible to master and academic confidence and commitment erode. More than any other subject, mathematical learning is cumulative, and as students fall behind their classmates, new material becomes less and less comprehensible and through this feedback they face an ever-widening gap to their peers. Formative assessment practices have been well-established as effective in closing these gaps and informing teacher decision making. It is by establishing toolkits with novel, software-based, formative assessment and helping to drive educator adoption of new formative assessment techniques that the proposed research may deliver these broader impacts. By addressing key customer needs, the project will create significant new commercial value within the educational market.
Errata
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Spheryx, Inc
SBIR Phase I: Total Holographic Characterization of Colloids Through Holographic Video Microscopy
Contact
330 E 38th St, Apt 48J
New York, NY 10016–2784
NSF Award
1519057 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$179,999
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will support the development of a novel approach, based on holographic video microscopy, to analyze the physical properties of colloidal dispersions. This technology will have immediate applications in industries as diverse as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care products, petrochemicals and food, all of which rely on the properties of colloidal dispersions and the microscopic particles from which they are composed. The worldwide market for particle characterization exceeded $5 billion per year in 2012. The present effort's holographic characterization technology extends the state-of-the-art in particle characterization by providing simultaneous information about both the size and the composition of individual particles in dispersion, and by building up a clear picture of the distribution of properties within a sample without relying on models or assumptions. Access to these new dimensions of information will be useful for product development, process control and quality assurance in all of the industrial sectors that rely on the properties of colloidal materials, thereby increasing opportunities for innovation, enhancing product performance, and decreasing manufacturing costs. In addition to capturing a share of the established market for particle characterization, this new product may also broaden the market by creating new application areas. The intellectual merit of this project resides in transforming holographic video microscopy from an academic research tool to a powerful commercial instrument. Several innovations are required to make this revolutionary technology commercially viable. In its present incarnation, holographic characterization has been demonstrated with nearly ideal spheres, for which it yields the size to within a nanometer, the complex refractive index to within a part per thousand, and the time-resolved trajectory to within a nanometer in three dimensions. No other particle characterization technique offers such a wealth of particle-resolved information. This Phase I effort will demonstrate the feasibility of holographic particle characterization for a range of non-ideal industrial materials by applying state-of-the-art methods of machine learning to extend the technique's domain of applicability while simultaneously reducing the time per analysis from seconds to tens of milliseconds. This 100-fold acceleration, and the associated reduction in computational cost, will enable the technology to be deployed in large-volume and high-throughput applications. The resulting real-time insights into colloidal dispersions' compositions will improve manufacturing efficiency by identifying and helping to correct process deviations and failures. In so doing it will reduce product costs in all of the industrial sectors that develop and sell colloidal materials.
Errata
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TAG Optics, Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Ultra-High-Speed Z-Scanning Optics for Laser Manufacturing
Contact
136 Sherwood Ave
Trenton, NJ 08619–4316
NSF Award
1315667 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$178,171
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 06/30/2014
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to create an ultra-high-speed variable focus optical element meeting the robust performance needs associated with laser manufacturing. The ability to change the focal spot location in laser processing is necessary to accommodate the rapid throughput and complex materials shapes and structures generally encountered in industrial manufacturing. However, the state-of-the-art remains slow, mechanically moving lenses, which can lead to increased production times, reduced accuracy, increased system complexity and overall increased cost. Instead, this work proposes a paradigm-shifting approach to variable focus by developing a new type of liquid lens that uses sound to shape and refocus light. In order to implement this rapidly growing, high impact technology in the manufacturing arena, the key challenge is to manage and reduce laser heating of the device which can lead to undesirable optical effects. By using a combination of experimental tests and numerical models we expect to determine the optimum design conditions that minimize heating effects and maximize refractive power of the lens. With the inclusion of passive and active cooling approaches we expect to enable lens operation for production-level laser manufacturing across different power and pulse duration scales. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will have significant repercussions in the laser manufacturing industry, an increasingly important industry which is in many ways responsible for the efficiency and economical cost of every day materials and devices. Specifically, this project addresses a technological market need which will reduce the manufacturing cycle, and streamline processes by providing additional control of the laser beam in the z axis without effecting the x and y axis resolution; thereby, improving the manufacturing yield by increasing the precision, and speed of laser manufacturing systems. Improvements in manufacturing yield are incredibly important to both societal and environmental conditions as they lead to a reduction in waste, an increase in the quality of the parts produced, and a reduction in manufacturing costs. Additionally this proposal will increase scientific and technical understanding on how to applying ultra-high speed z-scanning optical devices in high power lasers systems for manufacturing operation. This will not only lead to the incorporation of such devices in already existing systems but more importantly, enable new innovations such as the creation of entirely new manufacturing approaches with increased performance and capabilities.
Errata
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TAO Connect, Inc.
STTR Phase I: An Intelligent Mental Health Therapy Tool
Contact
747 SW 2nd Avenue STE 258
Gainesville, FL 32601–6280
NSF Award
1448967 – STTR PHASE I
Award amount to date
$269,999
Start / end date
01/01/2015 – 06/30/2016
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer, Phase I project is to help make therapy more consistent with patient preferences, beliefs, and values to maximize engagement in therapy and improve patient outcomes. Therapy for mental health problems is highly effective, yet many patients drop out before getting the full benefit because they are not satisfied or engaged in the therapy. Therapist Assisted Online (TAO) provides an array of tools for online psychotherapy including educational materials, homework on mobile devices, video conferencing with a therapist, and weekly monitoring of progress. The proposed project involves collecting data on all of patients? actions in the TAO system along with their ratings of each activity and their symptom improvement over time. The research and development team will use this data to create a machine learning system that will make suggestions for best next steps in therapy based on what thousands of other users experienced. This is the intelligent counseling system. It will work very similarly to movie streaming services or online book sellers who recommend movies or books to you based on a person?s past preferences and the preferences of thousands of other users.
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Teachley, LLC.
SBIR Phase I: Mobile Games Teaching Rational Number Operations Through Estimation
Contact
56 Marx St
Staten Island, NY 10301–4313
NSF Award
1519618 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
This SBIR phase I project offers a unique approach to teaching the difficult content of operating with fractions through estimation. Extensive cognitive science research shows the importance of estimating on children's sense-making, especially within the often counter-intuitive topic of fractions operations. Research also shows that estimating fractional numbers is highly predictive of future success in mathematics, and early intervention in this area improves long-term outcomes. This project aims to improve children's understanding of arithmetic by focusing on estimation. Unlike other apps, which typically end with just a score, this project will provide rich, actionable insight to help teachers screen and monitor students' progress over time, thereby improving teachers' instruction as well as student learning. Closely aligning with NSF?s mission of improving mathematics education for all children, this project fills an essential need in the marketplace for research-based, engaging software that correlates highly with long-term academic outcomes. This software will be designed especially for children with special needs and will meet the criteria for RTI screening and interventions, further increasing its commercial value for the school market and its potential to generate income. This proposal seeks to develop a prototype of a game focused on the addition and subtraction of fractions through estimation, which will encourage sense-making and bolster conceptual understanding. The app will also provide data reporting to teachers to help them tailor instruction and target interventions. Extracting actionable insight from children's gameplay rather than from standardized assessments, is a novel innovation that has the potential to dramatically change how kids learn. The development process will include wire-framing the gameplay and developing app components and features. The initial data architecture will involve a concept map of student learning behaviors mapped onto teacher actions for classroom intervention. The corresponding data structure will collect and store data during Phase I in preparation for further analysis and reporting during Phase II. The project will involve front-end component testing and follow an iterative design process, observing student interactions with the software, making revisions and debugging where appropriate. This project's research will include both informal design research and components testing as well as a small learning study, a close observation of 15-20 students with mathematics learning difficulties, exploring the effects of using the fractions software on 5th graders' procedural and conceptual knowledge of adding fractions.
Errata
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TexasLDPC Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Area and Energy Efficient Error Floor Free Low-Density Parity-Check Codes Decoder Architecture for Flash Based Storage
Contact
1920 W Villa Maria Rd, Ste 301
Bryan, TX 77807–0000
NSF Award
1520137 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be a substantially more effective and efficient error correction scheme for flash memory than exists today. This will provide better reliability and extend the life of flash memory and will have a major impact on several technologies and markets such as enterprise storage at data centers, solid state drives, tablets, smart phones, and other consumer electronics. The flash memory market was estimated to include $30.1 billion in production and sales in 2013 and is expected to grow to $43.9 billion by 2018. The enterprise storage market is estimated to be $1 billion in 2014 and a robust growth is expected over the next few years. A substantial fraction of this market is related to error correction controllers for flash memories which are playing an even more important goal than ever considering the rapid scaling down and increasing capacities of flash memories which introduce more read errors than before. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will address and develop tools to overcome problems that have traditionally prevented low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes from being deployed in flash memories and error correction controllers. A major problem is that these codes have error floors which prevent them from achieving very low error probabilities required in flash memories. In order to overcome this deficiency, new algorithms will be developed to understand the nature of the problem and to eliminate it using advanced signal processing methods. Area and energy efficient decoder technologies will be developed that make LDPC codes suitable for flash applications. This will include research optimizing LDPC based error correction systems for area and energy efficiency and elimination of the error floor problem. It will also include research on optimizing the detailed circuit design.
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The Echo Nest Corporation
SBIR Phase I: The Echo Nest Music Personalization
Contact
48 Grove Street
Somerville, MA 02144–2500
NSF Award
0637918 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
01/01/2007 – 12/31/2007
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims at solving the computational problem of personalizing music search and recommendation. The recent explosion of digital music has created an urgent need for powerful knowledge management techniques and tools. Because of the highly subjective nature of musical content and perception, the best possible search strategy would rank media in a personalized fashion, based on each individual's tastes and preferences, from combined cultural and acoustic descriptions. The Echo Nest's predictive personalization technology computes and collects, collaboratively and automatically, cultural opinions online and acoustic content using unsupervised data mining and machine listening techniques. Combining cultural and acoustic notions of music together with the analysis of an individual's listening patterns, ratings and feedback, leads to a vertical search/recommendation engine that knows about content, communities' reaction, and users' preferences. Intelligent music personalization goes beyond search and recommendation. Because the approach is fully autonomous and scalable it can efficiently address the long tail of independent music as well as the Billboard 100; discover artists and niches or predict trends and hits; market indies directly to individuals and optimize aggregators, distributors, and record labels' selection. The Echo Nest engine is the perceptual-media complement to purely text-based search engines and has a significant market potential.
Errata
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ThermoAura Inc.
SBIR Phase I: Process scale-up for Manufacturing a New Class of Bulk Nanomaterials with High Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit
Contact
132B Railroad Avenue
Colonie, NY 12205–5701
NSF Award
1215307 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$149,989
Start / end date
07/01/2012 – 12/31/2012
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will scale-up a novel manufacturing route to obtain a new class of high-figure-of-merit (ZT) thermoelectric nanomaterials. Thermoelectrics are attractive for use in heating or cooling systems without moving parts or the use of greenhouse gases, and for generating electricity from waste heat, e.g., from vehicle exhausts and factories. The low efficiency (measured by ZT) of presently used thermoelectric materials limits their use in emerging applications. A recently developed method provides a way for obtaining bulk thermoelectric nanomaterials of both p- and n-type with 25% higher ZT, through a combination of chemical doping and nanostructuring. The objective of this project is to scale up this method to obtain kilogram quantities of pnictogen chalcogenides with ZT ~ 1. Our materials synthesis and processing scale up efforts will be guided by thermoelectric property measurements and materials characterization. The structure-processing-property correlations unearthed during our studies will identify the synthesis and processing parameters needed to retain the high ZT during scale-up, and will provide clues to further increase ZT (e.g., to 1.5). The scaled-up process will serve as a basis for expanding the range of application of thermoelectric materials for applications in high-efficiency refrigeration and heat harvesting. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to unlock and access the multi-billion dollar potential of thermoelectrics for transforming solid-state cooling and heat harvesting. The project findings will be applicable to multiple materials systems that can be used for either solid-state cooling or power generation. Thermoelectric materials already represent a billion-dollar industry, but have the potential to access a market several times larger, if the conversion efficiency is increased by a factor of two. The project will scale-up a nanomaterials manufacturing technology targeted to create new high efficiency solid-state cooling devices that can replace the current refrigeration and air-conditioning technologies based on environmentally unfriendly gases, and create high-efficiency electricity generators from waste heat, significantly expanding the thermoelectric markets and impacting global energy usage and addressing global environmental concerns. This project will also lead to introduction of a new class of nanomaterials with superior properties to those available currently in the marketplace. The project is anticipated to create at least 10-20 jobs in the near-term, and will position New York state and the United States as global leaders in thermoelectrics innovation and nanomaterials manufacturing.
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Triad Interactive Media
SBIR Phase I: Project Near-Earth Object
Contact
1601 Guilford College Road
Jamestown, NC 27282–9383
NSF Award
1315394 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$150,000
Start / end date
07/01/2013 – 12/31/2013
Abstract
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I innovation addresses deficiencies in science content knowledge exhibited by many elementary school teachers. Project Near-Earth Object is a game-based professional development product that teachers can also use as a self-assessment tool to evaluate their content knowledge in science. It uses interactive science experiments in the form of fast-paced mini-games to increase pre-service and in-service elementary teachers' ability to teach science topics. Research indicates that teacher competence in the content area greatly affects elementary students? interest in and success in science. The innovation relies not only on gaming, but also on a narrative in which players are "recruited" by a league of scientists to help Earth prepare for a pending asteroid collision; they must stop a villain determined to destroy the Earth's anti-asteroid defense. In the interactive science experiments, teachers: use simulations to gather information related to the problem; test hypotheses to solve to science problems; and collaborate using social networking. The innovation uses computer-adapted differentiated instruction, meaning that each mini-game has six levels of difficulty and the computer adapts difficulty levels according to the learner's performance. Other features include scaffolding of instruction, instant feedback, video tutorials, mobile access, and a backend administrative dashboard for viewing performance data. The broader/commercialization impact of Project Near-Earth Object lies in its unique design and large but targeted market niche. There is no direct competition for this product. Project Near-Earth Object is the only intervention on the market that is a science learning game for teachers, available on both Web and mobile platforms, aligned with recognized national standards, featuring a community-based social component, and an easy-to-use dashboard for viewing and tracking performance. There are approximately 3 million teachers and 1200 teacher education programs in the U.S., and demand for elementary teachers is growing. Research indicates that elementary teacher interest and subject matter knowledge in science is low. Teachers recognize that content knowledge is essential for good teaching. 99% of elementary teachers say that performance evaluations should include knowledge of subject matter. This game can be easily integrated into existing teacher training curricula or offered as a stand-alone professional development product. Its scalable online design is conducive to distribution through multiple channels and to competitive pricing structures. Project Near-Earth Object can significantly impact teacher understanding of science content and more importantly how to "do science," which will contribute to better attitudes about science and ultimately to better teachers in the classroom.
Errata
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Addenda
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Triad Interactive Media
SBIR Phase I: Far-Plane: Beyond Boundaries
Contact
1601 Guilford College Road
Jamestown, NC 27282–9383
NSF Award
1345402 – SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Award amount to date
$155,000
Start / end date
01/01/2014 – 07/31/2014
Abstract
This SBIR Phase I project proposes to adapt a proven research-based leadership model to a youth audience and merges it with an online interactive game environment to teach leadership to high school students. The empirically tested model developed by a global leader in corporate, military, and education training uses three basic strategies and six practices to expand perspectives and collaborative problem-solving. The result will be a highly effective leadership program that engages 21st-century learners and provides them with the skills to build respect across boundaries, resolve conflict, and achieve transformation. Far-Plane: Beyond Boundaries is a single-player online action-adventure, narrative-based game where the player becomes the game's hero. Video lessons within game metaphor introduce players to the leadership model; fast-paced mini-games assess understanding; and role-playing games challenge the player's ability to apply skills in context. The experience culminates in a facilitator-led synchronous debriefing exercise in which students work collaboratively with peers in other locations to apply what they have learned in-game to real-world discussions. An administrative dashboard provides real-time performance data. The game is scalable, accessible, and designed for repeat playability. The Phase I prototype will be tested as a global collaboration exercise with high schoolers in the U.S. and China. The broader/commercialization impact of Far-Plane: Beyond Boundaries lies in the unique adaptation of a proven research-based leadership model into a single-player online adventure role-playing game for high schoolers. The leadership model has been successfully tested with corporate, military, and education leaders globally. There are currently no comparable leadership programs for youth in the market that link a highly engaging asynchronous online video game learning experience with a facilitator-led synchronous debriefing exercise. This innovative design structure makes it possible to bring young people together from around the globe, a unique opportunity to expand perspectives and collaborative problem solving around a shared learning experience. Far-Plane's s scalable online design is conducive to distribution through multiple channels and to competitive pricing structures, and the program will be accessible on both Web and mobile platforms. The product will be marketed to youth organizations and schools across the globe through the non-profit leadership organization's large distribution center for programs and products and its extensive network of affiliates. Far-Plane has the potential to serve large national and international audiences very quickly. A strong revenue stream is projected from product sales.
Errata
Please report errors in award information by writing to awardsearch@nsf.gov.
Addenda
If you're a member of this company, you may submit updates and supplemental company information via GitHub.
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Triad Interactive Media
SBIR Phase I: Contemporary Studies of the Zombie Apocalypse: An Online Game to Teach Mathematical Thinking to Middle School Students
Team