15. 1 Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Proposal Submission Instructions Revised Closing Date: February 25, 2015, at 6: 00 a m. Et
|
|  Yüklə 0.66 Mb.
|
| Innovative approaches of automatic detection of small and/or long-range contacts at or near the horizon in difficult operating conditions including choppy seas, low visibility, and a variety of weather conditions is needed. Contact sizes in the image may be approximately tens of pixels or less. The algorithms should be capable of operating on video from the full spectrum of imaging sensors including visible color, near infrared, short wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), and long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors in multiple formats including standard and high definition. The preferred implementation of these algorithms is in the form of a software program capable of running on general-purpose processors.
PHASE I: The company will develop concepts for an innovative automated detection capability that meet the requirements as stated in the description section. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the selected concept in meeting Navy needs and will establish that the concept can be feasibly developed into a useful system for the Navy through testing and analytical modeling. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II contract statement of work, the company will develop an innovative automated detection capability prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy requirements for an innovative automated detection capability. Capability performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required range of parameters. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into an initial design that will meet Navy requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology for Navy use. The most likely transition path for these algorithms is insertion into the integrated submarine imaging system (ISIS) which is the Navy’s submarine image imaging system program of record and part of the submarine combat system. The company will further develop an innovative automated detection capability according to the Phase III development plan for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Potential markets for this technology include port security and potential use on commercial vessels to complement the current radar technologies used for situational awareness. REFERENCES: 1. Tao, Wenbing, et al. "Unified mean shift segmentation and graph region merging algorithm for infrared ship target segmentation.” Optical Engineering, Volume 46, Issue 13, December 2007. 2. Fefilatyev, Sergiy, et al. "Detection of Marine Vehicles on Horizon From Buoy Camera.” (Oct. 2007, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, University of South Florida Center for Ocean Technology, University of South Florida, SRI International). Date of access: April 14, 2014. http://spie.org/Publications/Proceedings/Paper/10.1117/12.747512 3. Sullivan, Mikel D. Rodriguez and Shah, Mubarek. "Visual surveillance in maritime port facilities.” (University of Central Florida). Date of access: April 14, 2014. http://static.squarespace.com/static/526150c2e4b0e2c92732b619/t/526683a1e4b0cdd9f18ea4bc/1382450081868/Visualsurveillanceinmaritimeportfaci.pdf KEYWORDS: Automated detection of small contacts; buoy cameras; 360-degree situational awareness; manual contact detection process in port; visual ship detection; digital imaging systems N151-041 TITLE: Chart Data Overlay of Live Video for Submarine Navigation TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS 5.0, Undersea Warfare Systems The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop an augmented reality view capability for live periscope video that creates a clearer view in littoral waters. DESCRIPTION: The Navy needs an augmented reality capability that overlays chart data and navigation lines of concern on live submarine periscope video. Navigation of submarines in and out of port can be challenging due to local boating traffic and littoral water hazards. Modern submarines are now using the Voyage Management System, which supplies digital nautical charts to the submarine crew (ref. 1). The charts show all the buoys, aids, and hazards of navigation to the navigation team. The Navy seeks to improve this navigation capability further by overlaying chart data and navigation lines-of-concern onto live periscope video to create an augmented reality view when piloting. Adding these features will aid the navigation team decision-making and recommendations to the bridge. Augmented reality technology is being developed for several commercial and military applications (ref. 2). Commercial technologies include applications for smartphones that use the smartphone’s Global Positioning System (GPS) and compass to display augmented reality markers for nearby restaurants, bars, and other businesses in real time. Professional football games are broadcast with augmented reality markers such as first down lines. The Navy seeks to leverage computer gaming technology and / or geographic information systems (GIS) to achieve this capability (ref. 3). This topic seeks to identify innovative approaches to achieve an augmented reality view of periscope imagery while piloting a submarine. The algorithms should be capable of operating on video from the full spectrum of imaging sensors including visible color, near infrared, short wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), and long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors in multiple formats including standard and high definition. The preferred implementation of this algorithm(s) is in the form of a software program capable of running on general-purpose processors. PHASE I: The company will develop concepts for the augmented reality view as stated in the description section. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the selected concept in meeting Navy needs and will establish that the concept can be developed into a useful product for the Navy. Testing on unclassified sea-based imagery and/or synthetic data along with pertinent charts and other navigation data will establish feasibility. The Navy can provide some unclassified periscope video to support this effort. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II contract statement of work, the company will develop an augmented reality view for live periscope video prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy requirements for an augmented reality view. Algorithm performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required range of parameters. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a design that will meet Navy requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the augmented reality view for live periscope video technology for Navy use. The company will develop an augmented reality view according to the Phase III development plan for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use. The augmented reality capability developed under this topic will transition through the Advance Processor Build process and reside on the Integrated Submarine Imaging System (ISIS) system. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: There is a large commercial market for augmented reality products that may be able to use some of the technology developed with this topic, including smartphone applications and broadcast television. Video-based augmented reality navigation systems could benefit merchant ships and other military vessels as well. REFERENCES: 1. “Northrop Grumman Submarine Navigation System Upgrade Approved By US Navy.” Space War, 15 September 2009. 2. Zhou, Feng, et al. "Trends in Augmented Reality Tracking, Interaction and Display: A Review of Ten Years of ISMAR.” Proceedings of the 7th IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, pp 193-202, 2008. 3. Kresse, Wolfgang and Danko, David. Springer Handbook of Geographic Information. Springer, 2011. KEYWORDS: Augmented reality view; piloting a submarine; Voyage Management System; periscope video; chart data overlay for submarine navigation; geographic information system N151-042 TITLE: Thin Walled Corrosion Resistant Steel (CRES) Pipe Proactive Joint Reinforcement TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials/Processes ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 312, In-Service Aircraft Carrier Program Office and PMS 378/379, Future OBJECTIVE: The objective is to develop an innovative technology that prevents leakage in a thin walled CRES welded joints within Jet Propulsion Grade JP-5 fuel lines by proactively reinforcing the joints before they leak. DESCRIPTION: Thin walled CRES 316L pipe (ref. 1) has been used in JP-5 fuel systems (ref. 2). The pipe joint design uses a belled end fitting creating an inherent crevice. The thinness of these pipes may lead to poor weld quality at the pipe joints which could cause additional crevices within the pipe joint. Crevices create areas for corrosion to form and may eventually result in leakage at the weld joints. Thin walled CRES pipe is currently on other ships in the Fleet and there is a need to create an easily applied method to proactively reinforce the welded joints to preclude any leak that may result from possible crevice corrosion without causing further damage to the pipe. In many instances, there is often limited access space surrounding the pipe joint. Pipe joint leakage failures were identified on CVN 77 within the first three years of service. The JP-5 fuel system installed on CVN 77 and planned for all FORD Class Carriers have over 28,000 welded joints per ship. Unpredictable failures are expected to occur. A proactive approach to reinforce the thin walled CRES pipe joint at the weld will prevent leaks from occurring.. Any material and technique developed must be safe for use in fuel piping and applicable to pipe sizes ranging from 2 to 12 inches. Joint types include couplings, tees and elbows, which may be made using sockets or belled end fittings. The joint reinforcement for the intended pipe system must be able to withstand internal pressures up to 190 psi and tolerate contact with JP-5 fuel without contaminating the fuel or weakening the reinforcement. In addition, many pipe joints are located in confined spaces on the ship, which may pose a challenge for installation of a reinforcement method. The targeted goal for life expectancy of the joint reinforcement is the life of the ship (50 years) with a threshold life expectancy of 25 years. Currently, there is no product known to the Navy available to meet this need. The thin walled CRES pipe proactive reinforcement shall achieve the competing objectives of providing a cost effective leak preventive solution, efficient application and installation methods, and lower maintenance cost ($15k objective and $20k threshold total costs per joint for a 3” pipe when replacing multiple joints). This topic is not intended to require a repair concept to stop an existing leak, but rather to reinforce a weakened pipe joint. While it is desirable for this joint reinforcement concept to be applied while the ship is underway, it is not required. Epoxy resin patches and welding options are already available to repair defective pipe joints and provide pipe reinforcement. A variety of damage control for fuel lines related leak repairs exist. However, the damage control related repairs are expensive and generally do not provide a permanent repair (ref. 3). Composite materials could be used for this pipe repair application (ref. 4). The bulk of research into this area is directed at large pipe repair for the petroleum or construction industry where metal sleeves are an option (ref. 5). Although this type of sleeve may not be an option for this application, the related research may be helpful. Another potential area to investigate is metal deposition which can be applied similarly to welding (ref. 6) or applied with high pressure gas (ref. 7 and 8). PHASE I: The company will develop a concept for an inexpensive and easily applied thin walled CRES pipe proactive joint reinforcement that can withstand pipe pressure up to 190 psi and tolerate contact with JP-5 fuel. The concept should demonstrate how the reinforcement could be applied with limited access to the pipe joint. The concept should also present reasonable cost estimates for the reinforcing technique to prevent leakage. Feasibility will be established by material testing and/or analytical analysis/modeling. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II contract statement of work, the small business will develop a prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting the performance goals identified in the Phase II work plan and the Navy requirements for the thin walled CRES pipe proactive joint reinforcement. Reinforcement performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation, modeling and/or analytical methods over the required range of parameters including numerous deployment cycles/simulated longevity tests. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a design that will meet Navy requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology for Navy use. PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology for Navy use. The company will develop a thin walled CRES pipe proactive joint reinforcement according to the Phase III development plan for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: If successfully demonstrated, there may be a commercial market for this thin walled pipe joint reinforcement in any industry that employs thin walled CRES piping, such as petroleum production or distribution. REFERENCES: 1. “Pipe and Tubing, Carbon, Alloy, and Stainless Steel, Seamless and Welded, Military Specification Mil-P-24691 Grade 316L”, 23 September 1987, http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-P/MIL-P-24691_9288 2. “Turbine Fuel, Aviation Grades JP-4 and JP-5, Military Specification Mil-DTL-5624U”, 18 September 1998, http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-DTL/MIL-DTL-5624U_5535/ 3. Rick Carlton, “Types of Navy Patches for Damaged Pipes”, eHow.com, http://www.ehow.com/list_6360899_types-navy-patches-damaged-pipes.html 4. Chris Alexander and Bob Francini, “Assessment of Composite Systems Used To Repair Transmission Pipelines”, International Pipeline Conference, September 25-29, 2006. http://armorplateinc.com/articles/IPC2006-10484.pdf 5. Bill Bruce and Bill Amend, “Advantages of Steel Sleeves over Composite Materials for Pipeline Repair”, Pipelines International, June 2011 http://pipelinesinternational.com/news/advantages_of_steel_sleeves_over_composite_materials_for_pipeline_repair/061223/ 6. Matt Boring and Randy Dull, “In-Service Weld Metal Deposition”, Edison Welding Institute, 2012, http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=deposited%20metal%20pipe%20repair%20&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CEcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fewi.org%2Fhome%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F10%2FInservice-Pipe-Repair.pdf&ei=dmxlUaiaC7TF4APj_IGoDw&usg=AFQjCNELEepfi6guufKVCq4BWCsjbC1kzQ&bvm=bv.44990110,d.dmg 7. D. D. Hass, J. F. Groves and H. N. G. Wadley, “Reactive vapor deposition of metal oxide coatings”, University of Virginia, Surface and Coatings Technology, http://www.ipm.virginia.edu/newpeople/wadley/PDF/Reactive.Vapor.Deposition.of.Metal.Oxide.Coatings.pdf 8. Metal Deposition, Georgia Institute of Technology, http://cmos.mirc.gatech.edu/documents/MetalDeposition.pdf KEYWORDS: Thin Walled CRES; Reinforce the welded joints; Welded pipe joints; Leakage across pipe joints; Pipe reinforcement; Damage control for JP-5 fuel piping; JP-5 fuel N151-043 TITLE: Undersea Vehicle Navigation TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO SUBS PMS 485, Maritime Surveillance Systems, Distributed Sensors Group The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop an inexpensive embedded navigation tracking system for a small unmanned, bottom contact, undersea vehicle. DESCRIPTION: The Department of the Navy (DoN) is developing an undersea burial vehicle that crawls at approximately 0.5-knots along the ocean bottom burying ¼ to ½-inch (in) diameter cable up to 1-kilometer (km) long. An inexpensive navigational system is necessary to provide accurate location inputs to the vehicle controls system. Desired accuracy is plus or minus (±) 6-in along a notional 1-km track. Current navigational systems for undersea vehicles have the potential to provide this degree of accuracy but are prohibitively expensive for the targeted DoN system that is a one-time use, expendable burial vehicle. The objective is to produce a small, low power, short operational life, highly accurate inertial navigation system for under $5K production cost. Current high accuracy systems integrate multiple sensors and systems such as Inertial Navigation System (INS) (References 1 and 2), Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) (Reference 3), and Global Positioning System (GPS) (Reference 4) to achieve high accuracy standards (References 1 and 2). GPS does not work through sea water. Optical systems require image matching, which is not available. This SBIR is looking for innovative and inexpensive methods to track the path of the vehicle and provide position data to the navigation controller. The navigation system is size-, weight- and power-limited. It should not consume more than 20-watts continuous power for the mission and needs to fit into a 4-in cubed (i.e., 64 cubic inch) volume within the undersea vehicle. PHASE I: The Company will develop a concept for an improved Undersea Vehicle navigational tracking and feedback system that meets the requirements as stated in the description section. The company will validate the concept and demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting the Navy needs. Feasibility will be established by analytical modeling. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II contract statement of work, the company will develop a prototype navigation tracking system for evaluation. The prototype will be implemented in a mock vehicle mission with test cable and evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy requirements of Undersea Vehicle Navigational Tracking and Positional System. Performance will be demonstrated through lab or at-sea testing at a range suitable for easy measurement of results. Evaluation will be conducted by comparing and validating navigation tracking results to measured results in the range over multiple lay downs. PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in integrating the Undersea Vehicle Navigational Tracking and Positioning system into the targeted DoN system to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for at-sea test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The undersea vehicle navigational tracking and positioning system will be useful in any industry that needs autonomous vehicles such as the gas and oil industry, as well as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in monitoring ports and coastal waters. REFERENCES: 1. Panish, R. and Taylor, M. “Achieving High Navigation Accuracy Using Inertial Navigation Systems in Autonomous Underwater Vehicles,” OCEANS, 2011 IEEE – Spain,6-9 June 2011. 2. Walchko, K; Nechyba, M; Schwartz, E; and Arroyo, A. “Embedded Low Cost Inertial Navigation System.” Florida Conference on Inertial Navigation Systems 2003. 3. "Workhorse Navigator Doppler Velocity Log.” Teledyne RD Instruments. 2013. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. 1 March 2013 < http://www.rdinstruments.com/navigator.aspx> 4. Kwak, S. “Incorporation of Global Positioning System into Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Navigation.” Proceedings of the 1992 Symposium on Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Technology 1992: 291-297. KEYWORDS: Unmanned undersea vehicle navigation and control; Unmanned undersea vehicle positioning; Inertial navigation; Autonomous undersea vehicle navigation and control; Unmanned Undersea Vehicles; Vehicle Navigation N151-044 TITLE: Electro-Optical Infrared (EO/IR) Imaging System to Improve Navigation TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS377, Landing Craft, Air Cushion (J-Division) and Ship to Shore Connector The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop a durable and low cost Electro-Optical (EO)/Infrared (IR) imaging device for the operators of the Navy’s Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs). DESCRIPTION: Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs) conduct day and night, off-shore, near-shore, and on-shore missions. Operational and safety navigation requirements dictate that craft operators maintain situational awareness in littoral environments during periods of daylight, twilight, and darkness. Operators must also be able to see through sea spray, high humidity, haze, smoke, and dust. Currently, situational awareness on the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) is achieved through the use of craft mounted Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR), visual watches, and night vision devices. A critical element to the successful and safe execution of low visibility, day or night missions is providing the craft crew with a clear picture of the environment around and in front of the craft allowing them to develop and maintain situational awareness. This is currently provided on LCAC by RADAR which, while effective in detecting contacts in the off-shore environment, becomes less and less effective in the near-shore environment and is ineffective during on-shore operations. Currently, RADAR shortcomings are offset by the use of night vision goggles. Additionally, the helmet mounted night vision goggles have performance limitations resulting in incomplete situational awareness and have been linked to spine and neck injuries following periods of extended use. Surface RADAR performance in littoral environments is adversely affected by terrain features (such as excessive RADAR Radio Frequency (RF) energy gain return and land masking, video drag from elevated land features, and low operator recognition differential in areas of low elevation and flat terrain). Surface RADAR performance is further degraded by atmospheric contaminants (smoke and dust) and high humidity or spray. Additionally, RADAR does not detect all surface contacts and does not have the ability to classify or identify contacts. Night vision goggles have range and ambient light limitations, and are adversely sensitive to smoke and dust. The current capability limits the Warfighter’s ability to identify friendly or hostile surface or land based contacts. This limitation results in a reduction of craft speed, causing increased vulnerability to shore threats (such as coastal artillery) and increased off-load time. An EO/IR system (or similar hyper spectral imaging sensor) should greatly increase operator situational awareness by providing the ability to discern land terrain, sea, and waterway features and contacts, such as small boats and patrol craft in the near-shore environment where surface RADAR performance is limited. A hyper spectral imagery system with thermal contrast, such as an EO/IR sensor, will provide capability to detect and identify surface contacts (fiberglass, composite boats, and others), and beach borne and land-based threats (hostile tactical vehicles) that have very low RADAR signatures. The unique capabilities of a combination of electro-optical imagery, infrared imaging, night vision systems, and laser and range finding tools will enhance ACV combat operations (ref #1). Combining infrared-imaging sensors with electro-optical imagers can potentially lead to systems that are effective during both day and night operations (ref #2). Navigation safety and the crew’s ability to detect and track surface contacts will be improved, enabling ACVs to operate at higher speeds and enhance mission capability. PHASE I: The company will define and develop a concept for an EO/IR System that meets the requirements as stated in the topic description. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting Navy needs and will establish that it can be developed into a useful system for the Navy. Feasibility will be established by material testing and analytical modeling. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II contract statement of work, the company will develop, demonstrate, and validate a prototype EO/IR system for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy requirements for the EO/IR system. The prototype will undergo an operational demonstration on a Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) in order to evaluate and determine system performance. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a design that meets Navy requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. PHASE III: If Phase II is successful, the company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the system for Navy use. The company will refine the design of the EO/IR system, according to the Phase III development plan for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use and for transition into operational LCACs. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The EO/IR system described in this SBIR topic paper could have private sector commercial potential and dual-use applicability for any ship or craft operating in the near- or on-shore environment, and vehicles operating on-shore. Riverine operations would benefit from an enhanced system. Commercial hovercraft, ferries, pilot boats, and transports would also benefit from the development of this system. REFERENCES: 1. Wood, Brain; Irvine, Nelson; Schacher, Gordon; Jensen, Jack. “Joint Multi-Mission Electro-Optics System (JMMES) Report of Military Utility.” Calhoun Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School, 22 March 2010, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. 30 April 2013, http://calhoun.nps.edu/public/handle/10945/678 2. Sharma, V. and Davis, J.W. “A feature-selection approach to fusing electro-optical and IR imagery.” SPIE, Newsroom. 2009, International Society for Optics and Photonics. 20 March 2013. KEYWORDS: Infrared (IR); Electro-Optical (EO); Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) for landing operations; night vision; imaging device to determine terrain features; navigation of LCACs; safety during beach landings; and combat enhancement N151-045 TITLE: Submarine Component Design Tool to Assess Relative Resistance to High Intensity Loading TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 397, OHIO Replacement for reduction in non-recurring engineering costs The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative and cost-effective automated software design and qualification tool to comparatively assess submarine components ability to withstand high intensity loadings. DESCRIPTION: The Navy requires submarine components, internal and external, to withstand a specified level of high intensity loading to comply with shock requirements (ref 1). Compliance with shock requirements is accomplished through standard testing or detailed analyses that seek to estimate the response of components to high intensity loading in an absolute sense. In special cases where a new component is shown to be similar to a previously shock qualified component, its ability to withstand high intensity loading may be demonstrated by a comparison to the previously shock qualified component. This comparison process is defined as shock qualification by extension. Though an extension is the lowest cost option in shock qualification, it has limited use as a design tool. This SBIR seeks innovative and cost-effective design means which will allow equipment manufacturers to design equipment without the need for high cost testing or forcing the design to be similar to older, previously qualified items. The developed means of comparison must account for ranges of potential differences in components including physical differences, mounting conditions, and orientations. A successful assessment method will address parameters relevant to high intensity shock loadings (ref 2,3) and will be developed into an automated software tool that, when coupled with the knowledge of qualified component and new component properties, can be implemented by a designer or Navy engineer to determine which of the two components is more resistant to high intensity loadings. The process and methodology envisioned to get a solution in today’s digitally designed environment qualification by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) enables another tool to be developed to compare a qualified design with a modified design. That comparison tool will allow one to approve or disapprove the new modified design – thereby eliminating a whole new FEA or test program. FEA uses stress analysis to determine pass/fail. This new tool will compare stresses between the two models. The automated software tool will be used as a design development tool in the design phase of submarine programs and, if applicable, as a shock qualification tool. A successful automated software tool will reduce submarine design costs by tens of millions of dollars and be a catalyst to submarine component adaptively. This can be demonstrated using any number of test parameters for the sake of proving a concept before using real (and potentially classified) or simulated data. PHASE I: The company will define and develop a concept for an automated software tool to perform comparative assessments of submarine components resistance to high intensity loading to include the relevant metrics used in quantifying a component’s ability to withstand shock. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting Navy needs and determine its feasibility to be developed into a useful product for the Navy through analytical modeling. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I the company will develop and execute a validation methodology for the automated software assessment tool. This includes building the prototype tool, which will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy shock requirements. Evaluation results will be used to iterate and refine the prototype design. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. PHASE III: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the automated software comparative assessment tool for Navy use. The company will develop an assessment tool according to the Phase III development plan for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy during testing and validation to certify and qualify the system for Navy use and to transition the tool to its intended submarine program. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: A method, as implemented in an automated software tool, to quickly and quantitatively compare components or systems in their ability to withstand high intensity loading has applicability in vehicle loading and crashworthiness. These applications would be useful to the automotive and shipping industries. There are also potential uses in aerospace industries due to the high severity loads associated with launch or takeoff and landing, as well as high speed turbulence. REFERENCES: 1. Scavuzzo, Rudolph. Naval Shock Analysis and Design. Arvonia, VA: SAVIAC/HI-TEST Laboratories, Inc. 2009. 2. Scavuzzo, Rudolph. Principles and Techniques of Shock Data Analysis. Arlington, VA: SAVIAC/Booze-Allen and Hamilton, Inc. 1996. 3. Cole, Robert. Underwater Explosions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1948. KEYWORDS: Underwater shock test; shock qualification tool; dynamic loading; relative resistance; comparative analysis of relative resistivity; shock qualification by extension N151-046 TITLE: Low-Cost Gallium Nitride (GaN) on Diamond Semiconductors for Microwave Power Amplifiers TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS 2, Above Water Sensors OBJECTIVE: Develop a production process for GaN on diamond semiconductor wafers suitable for radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) fabrication to reduce cost and enhance performance. DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this effort is to identify and develop an innovative GaN on diamond manufacturing process that serves to make high quality, RFIC-grade wafers available at competitive prices. The superior performance of GaN on diamond has been validated by testing representative circuits under laboratory conditions. Since the semiconductor itself is retained, circuit and processing design changes need not start from scratch, reducing risk. There are few (if any) technical arguments against adoption of GaN on diamond as a next-generation semiconductor for RFICs. However, GaN on diamond development has been restrained due to simply the availability of GaN on diamond wafers, the accompanying high cost, and the limited manufacturing base that is built on highly proprietary processes and has limited capacity. Industry has no current incentive to attack the cost of producing low cost GaN on diamond semiconductors due to the limited number of producers of the more expensive GaN on silicon. Most future Navy sensors operating in the frequency bands L through X will be based on transmit/receive modules (TRMs) employed in large numbers, typically in phased array apertures (Ref. 1). In some future systems, particularly in radar, TRMs deployed on a single ship will number in the thousands, representing the predominant cost of the system. Within the TRM itself, the radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers are typically the single greatest component cost. Furthermore, the power amplifiers drive other considerations, such as the amount and means of cooling supplied to the TRM. Heat spreaders, heat pipes, special materials, and integrated cooling of the TRM package, attributable to the power amplifier, account for considerable cost associated with TRM design and manufacturing. Even modest changes to the power amplifier design have a cascading effect on total system cost. The current state-of-the-art in power RF technology is the Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor on a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate (Refs. 2, 3). When introduced, GaN technology represented a leap forward in performance due to the fundamental electronic properties of the material. Millions of dollars were invested to mature the basic manufacturing processes required to exploit the GaN technology for efficient, reliable, and affordable power amplifier designs. Today incremental advances in GaN on SiC manufacturing and design continue, however, the basic performance and cost of the technology has largely stabilized. The next evolution of GaN technology for RF power amplifiers is GaN on diamond substrate (Ref. 4). That is, not a change to the semiconductor itself, but an improvement to the substrate, which is fundamental to the mechanical and thermal performance of the semiconductor. Diamond offers a significant increase in thermal conductivity over that of SiC, allowing circuit elements to be spaced more closely on the chip while dissipating heat more effectively to maintain operation at safe temperatures. Consequently, more Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFICs) can potentially be obtained from a GaN on diamond wafer than from a corresponding GaN on SiC wafer (assuming equivalent yields). This has the potential for far ranging impacts, not just in cost, but in unprecedented performance as well. The enhanced thermal characteristics of GaN on diamond make it especially attractive for millimeter-wave RFIC designs where circuit elements are closely spaced. The value of the process will be evaluated by comparison with the existing GaN on SiC state-of-the-art, both in technical parameters (wafer flatness, defect incidence, and others) and in cost. Product quality, process consistency and cost are paramount considerations. PHASE I: The company will define and develop a concept for the production of GaN on diamond semiconductor wafers suitable for RFIC fabrication that meet the requirements stated in the topic description. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of their concept in meeting Navy needs and will establish that the concept can be feasibly produced. Scaled process testing, analysis and/or modeling will establish feasibility. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II contract statement of work, the company will develop a prototype process for evaluation. The prototype process will be evaluated to determine its capability to meet Navy requirements for production of GaN on diamond semiconductor wafers suitable for RFIC fabrication. The GaN on diamond process will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and/or modeling. Evaluation results will be used to refine the developed process prototype into a fully functional and operational production process that meets Navy requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology for commercial use to supply Navy needs. PHASE III: The company will be expected to produce GaN on diamond semiconductor wafers. The company will develop and fully document the production process of GaN on diamond semiconductor wafers suitable for RFIC fabrication according to the Phase III development plan. The production process will be evaluated to determine its effectiveness in full rate production of the wafers. This may require the small business to license other manufacturers for the actual production. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The US domestic RF semiconductor business supplies commercial as well as military markets, and advances in semiconductor and RFIC technology, though first implemented in military systems, eventually transition to commercial product lines. Since this topic seeks to develop a process for semiconductor material, and not a specific military application, the potential for commercial application is unfettered. The potential commercial market is essentially unlimited, should the technology prove cost competitive. REFERENCES: 1. Kopp, Bruce A., Borkowski, Michael, and Jerinic, George. “Transmit/Receive Modules.” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Techniques 50 March 2002: pp. 827-834. 2. Katz, Allen, and Franco, Marco. “GaN Comes of Age.” IEEE Microwave Magazine 11 (Supplement) Dec. 2010: pp. S24-S34. 3. Campbell, Charles F., et al. “GaN Takes the Lead.” IEEE Microwave Magazine 13 Sept./Oct. 2012: pp. 44-53. 4. Felbinger, Jonathan G., et al. “Comparison of GaN HEMTs on Diamond and SiC Substrates.” IEEE Electron Devices Letters 28 Nov. 2007: pp. 948-950. KEYWORDS: Gallium Nitride; Silicon Carbide; diamond substrate; GaN on diamond; transmit/receive modules; Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits N151-047 TITLE: Innovative Data Compression Algorithms to Increase System Throughput Efficiency on Navy Ship-to-Shore Communication Networks TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS505, Littoral Combat Ship Fleet Introduction and Sustainment Program Off OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative system for increasing data transmission compression of installed shipboard hardware to shore communications networks. DESCRIPTION: An innovative technology is sought for throughput management and data compression to facilitate faster transmission of data over existing ship-to-shore communication networks. This topic seeks a transmission technique for ship and system maintenance related data generated and available on board the LCS to shore sites because there are not enough sailors onboard to actually monitor and maintain the equipment on board LCS. The data paths and links available on LCS are monopolized by higher priority communications requirements. This topic is to define and prove a method to get this information off the ship to shore for monitoring thereby allowing for reduced manning onboard LCS. Off-board post-mission analysis and distance support require tremendously large amounts of data. Post-mission analysis and distance support requires a tremendously large amount of data to be transmitted to shore based activities. LCS platforms rely on the Navy Information Application Product Suite (NIAPS) system to transmit much of this data using limited bandwidth capacity. Bandwidth limitations coupled with NIAPS replication times do not support the speed of delivery required for performance of shore based functions critical to support the minimally manned crew concept that is integral to the Littoral Combat Ship Concept of Operations. The limitation in shipboard data transmission capacity is the current choke point to the amount of distance support and post mission analysis that can be conducted off ship. A solution is sought that will combine the latest technologies of data compression and data replication while minimizing resource consumption across existing systems and any new design infrastructure. This solution should help manage transmission bandwidth while transferring data as it is gathered by searching for open bandwidth between higher priority data traffic instead of holding it for periodic transmissions ashore in larger bulk transfers. The major design goal is for the latest data compression technologies and data replication conventions to be coupled with an infrastructure that minimizes information technology (IT) resource consumption by defining suitable connections between systems, minimizing infrastructure changes and disruption of services among existing systems, and obtaining acceptable performance for multisystem data transfers ashore. Origination of the data and formats to be processed will be accomplished by the same hardware and software resources currently used in local system environments, however, recommendations for current system modifications should be made with performance considerations that minimize additional IT resource demands and configuration change. Data compression is an enabling technology that will allow for greater data transmission across networks without significant increase in resources. There are several data compression algorithms which are available to compress files of different formats such as Shannon-Fano Coding, Huffman coding, Adaptive Huffman coding, Run Length Encoding and Arithmetic coding (Ref 1). Additionally, academic researchers have improved network bandwidth utilization by an order of magnitude using algebra to eliminate the network-clogging task of resending dropped packets of data. (Ref 2). Since LCS networks also carry many different types of services with varying digital formats and priorities, local mechanisms that allow these services to co-exist are complex and compete for off-ship bandwidth. Research on dynamic bandwidth allocation can prove beneficial towards balancing data (packet) delay through use of a traffic load-based allocation approach, which includes data weight and queue priority calculations (Ref 3). These approaches are examples of innovative techniques that, when coupled in development of a single solution, may satisfy the objectives of this topic. PHASE I: The company will determine technical feasibility and develop a concept for an improved data compression algorithm for increasing voice and data transmission throughput and that meets the requirements stated in the topic description. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the data compression algorithm concept and will establish that the concept can be feasibly developed into a useful product for the Navy. Feasibility will be established by analytical modeling. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I, the small business will develop a data compression algorithm prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy requirements to increase voice and data transmission throughput on Navy ship-to-shore communication systems. System performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and operational demonstration on targeted communication systems. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a design that will meet Navy requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. PHASE III: The company will support the Navy in transitioning the data compression algorithm technology for Navy use on targeted ship-to-shore communication networks. The company will develop the data compression algorithm to increase voice and data transmission throughput, and will perform operational testing to evaluate effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy in transitioning the data compression algorithm to its intended platform. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Compression algorithms that aid in the transmission of large amounts of data have both commercial and military benefits. Communication systems that are limited by the available spectrum or power output may benefit from this technology. Compression algorithms can mitigate the adverse effects on communications equipment with design constraints, such as portability. REFERENCES: 1. Shanmugasundaram, Senthil. “A Comparative Study of Text Compression Algorithms” International Journal of Wisdom Based Computing,” Vol. 1 (3), December 2011. 68-76. 2. Talbot, David. "A Bandwidth Breakthrough," MIT Technology Review. October 23, 2012. KEYWORDS: Increasing transmission throughput; data compression algorithm; digital communication network; dropped data packets; statistical compression techniques; lossless data compression N151-048 TITLE: Long Life, Highly Efficient Electrical Energy Storage for Sensor Systems TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS450, VIRGINIA Class Program Office OBJECTIVE: Develop a battery or other energy storage system that achieves long life and low power secondary (rechargeable) operation at low cost to provide power for wireless sensors in a shipboard environment. DESCRIPTION: Wireless technology is being integrated into shipboard sensor systems to significantly reduce installation cost. Currently, sensor systems either pull power from the platform’s main electrical bus, or else require their own battery. The application of shipboard wireless technology, however, is currently limited to those sensor systems with low data rate and low duty cycle requirements. The power demands of high data rate and high duty cycle sensor systems will quickly deplete the power in currently available batteries, which have limited cycle life and lower energy density than is required for small distributed sensor systems. For example, high density laptop, phone and automotive batteries have a finite number of charge-discharge cycles over a limited number of years (ref 1,2), while the best Lithium (Li)-ion batteries are limited to an energy density of ~800 Watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) (ref 3). To achieve density requirements, autonomous sensors have typically required use of a primary (i.e., non-rechargeable) battery in order to achieve sufficient runtime and size to be practical, which is not feasible in terms of accessibility and maintainability in a submarine environment. To overcome this challenge, high density rechargeable storage (e.g. secondary batteries or other devices) are necessary which can support the sensor system operation and be sustained by intermittent power from an energy harvesting or other electrical system. This topic will complement an energy harvesting system for a sensor, as well as an advanced wireless sensing suite. An advanced, high density rechargeable device will allow the system to operate without power, thus reducing cost and increasing capability due to lower required maintenance (than when installed with conventional batteries) and decreased energy use. By being wireless and not requiring outside power, mission capability can be increased by allowing more utilization of sensing systems in more locations where before it was impractical. This topic seeks to develop an innovative battery or other energy storage system technology that will enable high data rate and high duty cycle wireless sensor systems for shipboard applications to become feasible. The battery or energy storage system should demonstrate energy density and cycle ability at nominal rates. The performance characteristics of the device should be defined, and design configuration developed to analyze all possible failure mechanisms. Reliability should be estimated based on the performance of the electrical and mechanical subsystems. The technology proposed must be suitable for shipboard applications, given the safety requirements for shipboard energy storage. Included in the overall approach should be an attempt to minimize volatile and flammable electrolytes, as well as materials that have low thresholds for energetic release. An ionic approach (i.e., no metal) is preferable. Intrinsic safety should be emphasized to the greatest extent possible. In the case of damage, the technology will not release toxic, flammable or other hazardous materials. In the case of an overheating or thermal event in one cell, it is desirable that the energy released will not cause propagation of failure into a neighboring cell; validation of this must be able to be demonstrated by testing as defined in Navy Technical Manual S9310-AQ-SAF-010 for Batteries. The requirements guidelines for the battery or energy storage system are: • Voltage: 2 - 5 Volts • Maximum instantaneous output power: 3 watts. Nominal output power: 100 miliwatts. Cell format: "D" cells or smaller is preferred, however if a suitable case can be made for other non-cylindrical geometries to ensure efficient packing density, they may be considered. • Gravimetric Energy Density: >500Wh/kg • Volumetric Energy Density: >1500Wh/L • Rechargeable - maximum input power: 1 watt. Retains >60% of capacity after 300 full charge/discharge cycles. • Must meet requirements for shipboard use (e.g. operate in a rugged environment)
1. "Test of Li-ion battery for self-heating & lifetime Evaluation" US-China Electric Vehicle and Battery Technology Workshop. Web. 07 Oct. 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.transportation.anl.gov/batteries/us_china_conference/docs/battery testing roundtable/Test_of_battery_tsinghua.pdf 2. Schindall, Joel. "The Charge of the Ultra - Capacitors." IEEE Spectrum. IEEE, Nov. 2007. Web. 07 May 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/nov07/5636 3. "Green Car Congress: Panasonic Develops New Higher-Capacity 18650 Li-Ion Cells; Application of Silicon-based Alloy in Anode." Green Car Congress, 25 Dec. 2009. Web. 07 May 2013. Retrived from: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/12/panasonic-20091225.html 5. Liu, X., Wang, J., Zhang, J., & Yang, S. (2007). Sol–gel template synthesis of LiV3O8 nanowires. Journal of materials science, 42(3), 867-871. KEYWORDS: Secondary Ionic battery; energy density; cycle life; intrinsic safety; volumetric capacity; battery cycle efficiency N151-049 TITLE: Machine Learning Algorithm for Target Detection on the Coastal Battlefield and Reconnaissance (COBRA) System TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS495, Mine Warfare Program Office, Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative machine learning methods for improved minefield and obstacle detection and false alarm mitigation in aerial multi-spectral imagery that incorporate ongoing operator-provided decision information and algorithm parameter optimization. DESCRIPTION: The Coastal Battlefield and Reconnaissance (COBRA) program (Ref 1) is interested in technologies that facilitate automated target recognition (ATR) capabilities in aerial multi-spectral images for previously unseen environments and target types. Targets of interest include minefields and obstacles in various land and marine environments. Typically, ATR algorithms are developed offline (post-mission) using previously acquired test data sets. These algorithms are based on supervised learning methods (Ref 2) that incorporate data from a limited set of test fields. When data is acquired in new environments, the algorithms often must be re-optimized to have good performance in that environment, as well as maintain performance in previously seen environments. The process for performing this offline re-optimization is often costly since it requires the efforts of expert analysts to assimilate data sets, determine target truth, analyze target features, train the ATR classifiers and evaluate performance. There is a need for innovative methods that can 1) incorporate information from new data sets into the ATR system as they are acquired, and 2) re-optimize ATR algorithms quickly across all known environments, including those of newly acquired data. Online Machine Learning (OML) algorithms (Ref 3-5) can potentially be used to “learn” in the field based on operator-provided results without affecting prior performance. The information collected online can be used to refine the prediction hypothesis (classifier) used in the ATR algorithms. In addition, the information may provide input for automated methods of optimizing ATR performance across all known data sets. The proposed effort will develop innovative OML algorithms for ATR that can incorporate human operator decisions to optimize probability of detection and probability of false alarm performance in new environments and for new target types. These algorithms will be integrated into mission and post-mission analysis systems in which operators review acquired images. The algorithms will be implemented as object-oriented C++ code for insertion into the operator systems. Development of the online learning algorithms must be combined with identification of how the operator will interact with them to provide updated decision information. Robust optimization of the ATR algorithms may be performed post-mission, which will require the development of separate software tools for processing historical data sets. The OML algorithms and optimization tools developed in this effort will reduce program costs by minimizing the time required for optimizing ATR algorithms to perform well in unseen operational environments. PHASE I: The small business will develop and demonstrate proof-of-concept online machine learning algorithms against existing Government Furnished Information (GFI) multi-spectral image data sets. Demonstrate the feasibility of using the algorithms to perform online machine learning and to re-optimize ATR performance quickly as new data sets are introduced. Show how these algorithms will be used to improve ATR performance in previously unseen environments beyond the performance of the system optimized on previous data sets. Prepare a plan for incorporating operator decision information into the baseline ATR algorithms. PHASE II: Further develop and optimize Phase I algorithms and tools and implement them in C++ as object oriented classes. Implement and demonstrate the capability for incorporating operator decision information into the ATR algorithms. Develop a prototype graphical user interface for operator interaction. Demonstrate performance across a broad set of GFI imagery. Performance will be validated with government-provided target truth. The Contractor will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. It is probable that some work under the Phase II will become classified. PHASE III: If Phase II is successful, the company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology for Navy use. The company will incorporate the machine learning algorithms and software tools to improve performance of the COBRA Block I and II systems. The company will also support updates to the COBRA Technical Data Package (TDP) to support the Navy in transitioning the design and technology into the COBRA Production baseline for future Navy use. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed here can be applied to numerous pattern recognition problems, including surveillance tasks, facial recognition, remote sensing, and Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE). REFERENCES: 1. The US Navy – Fact File.“AN/DVS-1 Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA).” Retrived from: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2100&tid=1237&ct=2 2. Caruana, R., Niculescu-Mizil, A. (2006). An empirical comparison of supervised learning algorithms. Proc 23rd Int Conf Mach Learn, 161. 3. Bertsekas, D. P. (2011). “Incremental gradient, subgradient, and proximal methods for convex optimization: a survey.” Optimization for Machine Learning, 85. 4. Shalev-Shwartz, S. (2011). “Online learning and online convex optimization.” Foundations and Trends in Machine Learning, 4(2), 107-194. 5. Chapelle, O., Scholkopf, B., and Zien, A. Semi-Supervised Learning. MIT Press, 2006. KEYWORDS: Online machine learning; global optimization; automated target detection; semi-supervised learning algorithms; Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA); post mission analysis N151-050 TITLE: Wideband Acoustic Signature Capability for Next Generation Mobile Anti- Submarine Warfare (ASW) Training Target TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS404, Undersea Weapons Program Office The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop a transducer system that will provide the wideband acoustic signature required for the next generation small diameter expendable mobile training target that will satisfy the training needs of all current and potential users. DESCRIPTION: Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training is significantly more effective when air, surface, and sub-surface platforms and their ASW sonar crews train in the operational environment in which they would locate enemy submarines. Training against live submarines is costly and most often not available. Mobile ASW training targets fill this critical training need. Naval forces need to be trained with new and sophisticated technologies that simulate real world conditions and scenarios to effectively counter future undersea threats. A next generation small diameter mobile ASW Training Target which emulates realistic threat signatures is in the development stage. It must encompass low cost, a relatively small size, maximum achievable bandwidth and source level. The transducer suite is the most significant challenge in developing this target. As transducer size decreases, particularly the diameter, it becomes considerably more difficult to achieve the bandwidth and source levels required to emulate such signatures. The goal of this SBIR is to achieve large bandwidth and source level via unique, innovative designs incorporating a small size transducer. The current mobile target systems are of the 21 inch diameter heavyweight variety, such as the Mk30 Mod 1 target (ref 1). The Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Training Target (EMATT) does not provide the acoustic signature spectrum and level for the current requirement (ref 2). The EMATT diameter is 4.85 inches, which is a limiting factor for signature generation. The next generation target will be larger in diameter than the EMATT yet smaller than the heavyweight 21 inch, accommodating the latest transducer technology. The Navy’s intent is to receive innovative technologies from the small business in order to provide the design, development and integration of a transducer system that would accommodate low cost virtues but provide the acoustic capabilities analogous of the heavyweight ASW target. The small business should explore systems within the threshold maximum outside diameter (OD) of 12.75 inches and propose alternate smaller diameter versions with an objective of a suite to fit in a 6 inch OD target. A path to fit the proposed transducer system into a 4.875 inch diameter form factor is also of interest. The major areas of consideration are small diameter, low cost, maximum frequency cover, and maximum source level. The goal is the capability to replicate the threat signature performance of the mobile training target, Mk 30 Mod 1. Current technology has advanced beyond the transducer types in use by the heavyweight ASW targets. Various known unique designs promise substantial improvement over the current device capabilities. Identifying or referencing such designs is intentionally omitted here to preclude appearance of a preferred candidate solution. Descriptions of underwater acoustic design and operational considerations are given in references 3 and 4. Consideration should be given to minimize the size and cost with the maximization of frequency coverage and source level. PHASE I: The company shall define and develop concepts for a candidate wide band transducer system that provides the acoustic response over the low frequency and sonar band spectrum. The company shall determine the feasibility of the candidate transducer system to meet the topic description and shall provide design data and analysis to substantiate it. The company should consider how the candidate transducer system can be integrated into an advanced ASW mobile training target. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I the company will develop a wide band transducer system prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting Navy requirements for a wideband transducer system. System performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required range of parameters. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a design that will meet Navy requirements. The company will develop a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy use. PHASE III: If Phase II is successful, the company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology to its intended platform for Navy use. The company will develop a wideband transducer system for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and quantify the system for Navy use. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: An innovative design which provides a highly efficient, cost effective, minimum size transducer should find broad application with other users such as sonobuoys, underwater communications, other undersea mobile systems, and oceanographic systems. REFERENCES: 1. United States Navy Fact File, “Mk 30 Mod 1 Anti-Submarine Warfare Target,” Office of Corporate Communication (SEA 00D), Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. 6 Dec 2013. |