Department of the navy (don) 17. 1 Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Proposal Submission Instructions introduction

7. DO-160F Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment. http://www.rtca.org/store_product.asp?prodid=759-

KEYWORDS: Photodiode; Receiver; RF Photonics; Ultra-Wideband; High-Power; Packaging

Questions may also be submitted through DoD SBIR/STTR SITIS website.

N171-032

TITLE: Built-In Test Capable Aircraft Sensor and Stores Fiber Optic Interface

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platform, Sensors, Weapons

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-35, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

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 Announcement. 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 aircraft/rotorcraft fuselage, wingtip, pylon and/or pod compatible multichannel fiber optic interface for use in future generation analog/RF-over-Fiber (radio frequency) and digital multiplexed communication and electronic warfare systems.

DESCRIPTION: MIL-STD-1760 fiber optic interfaces are not being utilized given that the link-loss budget cannot assess optical power loss before or during fiber optic link operation, including long term degradation effects. MIL-STD-1760 describes standardized interconnection interfaces for the stores that aircraft carry. The MIL-STD-1760 interconnection system is based on use of a standard connector, a standard signal set, and a standard serial digital interface. The standard signal set for the primary interface includes two fiber optic signal lines that mate to one another in a connector containing two 16 AWG (American Wire Gauge) size cavities. The two MIL-STD-1760 fiber optic signal lines are meant as growth provisions for various aircraft station interfaces located at fuselage, pylon, wingtip and internal weapons bays. Although the actual definition of the signaling characteristics do not yet exist, there continues to be significant interest to find ways to increase both the number and types of analog/RF and digital fiber optic signals that could be either uni-directionally or bi-directionally transmitted through each of the two 16 AWG size connector cavities specified in MIL-STD-1760.

Wavelength division multiplexing photonics technology has been demonstrated for transmitting multiple digital data and analog/RF optical signals through military-grade single mode fiber optic cable and connectors. However, the disparate digital and analog/RF signal types and power levels preclude transmitting more than a few digital and analog/RF signals through the same 16 AWG fiber optic connector terminus. The aircraft/rotorcraft fuselage, wingtip, tail, pylon and/or pod environment is extremely challenging from a connector performance perspective owing to expected exposure to altitude cycling and ambient contaminants including salt spray, sand, dust, engine exhaust, various fluids and humidity. The MIL-DTL-38999/31 connector is designed for stores breakaway fail safe applications. Exposure of 16 AWG fiber optic termini to ambient conditions can result in link failure. Fiber optic built-in test technology can be applied to detect and isolate fiber optic connector failure at the terminus-to-terminus interface. Fiber optic connector optical performance is measured using insertion loss, return loss, polarization extinction ratio, and optical crosstalk measurement instrumentation.

Only single mode aircraft sensor and stores fiber optic connector interface designs will be considered for this topic. The interface design must fit into a 16 AWG military aircraft connector cavity (i.e., 1.6 mm diameter) and be qualifiable for 25-year use in the aircraft/rotorcraft operational environment using MIL-PRF-64266 as a general qualification guideline. The interface must be capable of simultaneously transmitting no less than four 0 dBm 10 Gb/s digital optical signals with crosstalk, return loss, insertion loss and optical modulation amplitude/extinction ratio at bit error rates commensurate with Ethernet and FibreChannel protocol standards. The interface must also be capable of simultaneously transmitting no less than four 23 dBm DC to 45 GHz RF-over-Fiber optical signals with crosstalk, return loss, insertion loss and linearity commensurate with single and balanced RF-over-Fiber receiver performance requirements. The aircraft sensor and stores fiber optic connector interface must operate over a temperature range of -65 to 165 degrees Celsius, and maintain optical alignment upon exposure to air platform environments. The interface must also be highly maintainable and simple to inspect and clean in the Naval Aviation flight line environment.

PHASE I: Design and analyze a proposed approach for built-in test capable aircraft sensor and stores fiber optic digital and RF-over-Fiber interfaces. Demonstrate feasibility of the digital and RF-over-Fiber interfaces with a supporting proof of principle bench top experiment showing path to meeting Phase II goals. Design and analyze a built-in test capable aircraft sensor and stores RF-over-Fiber fiber optic interface prototype.

PHASE II: Develop and optimize the built-in test capable aircraft sensor and stores fiber optic digital and RF-over-Fiber interface designs from Phase I. Build and test the digital and RF-over-Fiber interface prototypes to meet design specifications. Prototypes should be able to be tested in a digital link and an RF photonic link with the minimum performance levels reached. Characterize the interface over the full -65 to 150 degree C temperature range and air platform thermal shock, vibration, temperature cycling and mechanical shock spectrum. If necessary, perform root cause analysis and remediate interface failures. Deliver two digital and two RF-over-Fiber prototypes with aerospace-grade single mode fiber optic cable inputs and outputs.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Provide a modular, robust set of common components offering fiber optic termini, cable(s) and fiber(s) components that will meet MIL-STD-1760 harsh environments. Ensure the ability to detect loss budget end-to-end degradation to provide real time monitoring and enhance prognostic and diagnostic capabilities. It is anticipated that approximately 60 parts will be requested. Private Sector Commercial Potential: Applicable to wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) digital and RF-over-Fiber links offering real-time embedded systems such as space vehicles; transport vehicles such as automobiles and commercial ships; and other harsh environment applications.

REFERENCES:

1. MIL-STD-1760E, Department of Defense Interface Standard Aircraft/Store Electrical Interconnection System. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-1700-1799/MIL-STD-1760E_10197/

2. MIL-STD-810G, Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests. http://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810G_12306/

3. MIL-STD-1678, Fiber Optic Cabling Systems Requirements and Measurementshttp://www.landandmaritime.dla.mil/programs/milspec/ListDocs.aspx?BasicDoc=MIL-STD-1678

4. DO-160F Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment. http://www.rtca.org/store_product.asp?prodid=759-

KEYWORDS: Built-in Test; Connector; MIL-STD-1760; Weapons and Payloads; Radio Frequency; Fiber Optics

Questions may also be submitted through DoD SBIR/STTR SITIS website.

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platform

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-35, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

OBJECTIVE: Develop reactive solid modeling tools or routines that enable Reynolds-Average Navier Stokes (RANS) / Large Eddy Simulation (LES) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools to perform time resolved modeling for passage of solid particles of reactive sand and dust through the flow path of gas turbine engines. Predict time varying sand and dust material properties, concentrations, phase, and structural impact phenomena at key locations through the engine.

DESCRIPTION: Both fixed wing and rotorcraft gas turbine (GT) engine powered aircraft are experiencing safety issues when operating in environments where significant quantities of reactive dust are present, and can be ingested into the engines. This affects both commercial and military GT engine powered aircraft by restricting small and large flow passages, and reducing engine performance. "Reactive" dust are particles consisting of any type of naturally occurring material with volcanic, clay or any other materials that change properties in the hot section of a GT engine, resulting in unwanted buildup in, and blockage of, GT engine airflow passages. With buildup of reactive material deposits, engine washes or other field treatments are ineffective in clearing the blockages. In fact, no maintenance is typically possible, and such exposure results in the necessity to replace the affected engine. The technology to shield gas turbine engines from reactive particles has been under development for some time [Ref. 1]. These methods have been found to range from modestly to very effective for particles above the 10 micron size. None have been found that are effective for glassy, 1 micron volcanic dust. The current process to develop new technologies for shielding engines from these particles is following a "build and try" approach, which is costly and time consuming.

A need exists to develop a knowledge base and algorithms which can be added to analytical jet engine gas flow modeling tools that predict reactive solid particle behavior and properties. The goal of this solicitation is to build a set of routines that may be added to any RANS or LES tool, and does not benefit only a single tool. The reactive solids tool would define the minimum needed set of inputs of geologic, chemical and statistical distributions of solid particles needed to define the behavior and properties of particles both initially, and over time as they are exposed to hot gas flow. The reactive solids tool is expected to capture and further the understanding of the processes that lead to GT engine damage from such particles, and subsequently to speed up the design of effective shielding components or engine tolerance characteristics.

RANS / LES numerical simulation tools that accurately capture the physics of GT engine fluid flows containing reactive solid particles, and that enable approaches to mitigate or shield engines have not yet been developed, and the state of the art is currently with quasi-1D and empirical models. This SBIR topic is seeking to support the development of a general purpose tool, or set of routines, that captures the physics and behaviors of reactive solids as they are exposed to, and travel through hot GT engine flows. These tools would then be available to supplement the capabilities of existing LES and/or RANS flow modeling software tools. The accuracy and applicability of the proposed approach to modeling of the behavior of reactive solids should be demonstrated through comparisons to data and theory in the literature. This effort is not focused on modeling GT engine component damage from larger solids, such as abrasion, wear, crack initiation or part breakage. It is required that the method maintain and report time accurate estimates of statistical measures (mean value, variance, distributions) of solid particle properties at each station of the modeled GT engine, including at least the following items: shape, mass, density, measure of solid/fluid/mixed state, temperature, material stiffness, viscosity, and measures of the tendency to adhere to engine structure. Modeling of the time resolved buildup of these solids on GT engine surfaces should be enabled as well. It is strongly desired that the proposed method be effective at modeling ingestion of the solid mixtures currently used in sand and dust impact testing, as defined in the references.

PHASE I: Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the geology, chemistry, and properties of reactive solids, and an understanding of the processes that occur when such solids are ingested by aircraft GT engines. Define and describe the feasibility and process for the development of computational tools or routines for time-resolved modeling of reactive solid particle physics in GT engine flows, in accordance with the Objective and Description sections. Define the approach to be used in Phase II to add or link such capabilities to a demonstration RANS or LES CFD gas turbine engine airflow modeling tool. Provide risk mitigation information.

PHASE II: Develop, refine, and demonstrate the prototype tool or routines for computation of reactive solid particle behavior. Integrate the reactive solids modeling tool with a CFD tool. Demonstrate the enhanced capability of the resulting hybrid tool, to accurately model the time-resolved behavior of reactive solids passing through a GT engine together with the gas flow. Evaluate and report the accuracy and reliability of the developed tool / method as compared to published data and/or any provided NAVAIR test data. Document the theory, assumptions and instructions for use of the reactive solids modeling tool or routines. Develop at least two complete input data sets to the tool that model standard reactive dust / particle mixes to be defined by NAVAIR. Develop and document the tool outputs for these two sample cases, showing accuracy and correlation of the results to test results.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Perform any final testing and / or development of the tool, and make any necessary changes based upon the results of those tests. Transition the reactive solid modeling tools or routines to enhance the capability of one or more commercial RANS / LES GT flow modeling tools. Transition one or more such enhanced hybrid tools to NAVAIR Propulsion engineering organization and possibly to one or more DoD GT engine development industrial partners for use on development of reactive dust mitigation design of the F-35 and / or other DoD aircraft. Support the application and exercise of the developed 3D numerical modeling tools to support DoD sponsored efforts to either reduce the impact of reactive solids on GT engines, or support efforts to develop upstream particle separation technologies, or other hardening approaches. Successful commercialization includes when the contractor licenses or sells the reactive solid modeling tool, and / or provides consulting support for its use to enhance other RANS / LES tools, and / or by aircraft GT engine designers in the commercial and / or DoD sectors. Private Sector Commercial Potential: The tools intended to be developed under this effort are expected to equally benefit many private sector aircraft. In recent years commercial airliners experienced an extended period where the airspace in Northern Europe was closed due to the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. This volcano ejected a large cloud of reactive dust into the airspace of Europe. The modeling methods developed will likewise be of interest for hardening commercial GT engines, or particle separation technologies for airliners.

REFERENCES:

1. Ghoshal, Anindya, et al. “Turbomachinery Blade Thermomechanical Interface Science and Sandphobic Coatings Research.” Army Research Labs (ARL) public released presentation to the American Helicopter Society (AHS) 71st Annual Forum, 5 – 7 May, 2015, Virginia

2. Neal, C., Casadevall, T., Miller, T., et al. (2004). “Volcanic Ash-Danger to Aircraft in the North Pacific.” U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs030-97/

3. (2012). Flight Safety and Volcanic Ash. First Edition. International Civil Aviation Organization. Retrieved from http://www.icao.int/publications/documents/9974_en.pdf

4. Davies, A. (2014). “Why Volcanic Ash is so Terrible for Airplanes.” Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2014/08/volcano-ash-planes/-

KEYWORDS: reactive; dust; sand; particles; Gas Turbine Engines; volcanic dust; Reynolds-Average Navier Stokes, RANS, Large Eddy Simulation, LES

Questions may also be submitted through DoD SBIR/STTR SITIS website.

N171-035

TITLE: Gamification for Combat System Employment

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare (PEO IWS) 5A, Advanced Capability Build for the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Combat System. Capable Manpower FNC

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 Announcement. 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 Gamification training architecture for the current Learning Management System (LMS) that leverages gamification strategies and techniques for ASW personnel training at sea.

DESCRIPTION: NAVSEA PEO IWS5A desires to maximize the return on investment for new capabilities developed for AN/SQQ-89A (V) 15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Combat System. Surface ship ASW personnel will often go long stretches at sea without operating the ASW software, which causes their skills to degrade. Adding Gamification techniques to the current ship-based training will create engaged and self-motivated learners whose skills are always honed.

The commercial sector has utilized Gamification to motivate participation, adoption, engagement, and loyalty. Additionally, the game industry uses a range of dynamics for making games engaging, exciting, and fun. Gamification techniques, applied to training, will engage and entice a trainee to pursue additional training beyond the mandated minimums.

The Gamification techniques needed for ASW training include Learning Analytics and Approach. Learning Analytics will apply data analytics of key metrics that quantitatively measure the trainee’s proficiency. Gamification Approach integrates motivational theory, data collection, and analytics to improve learning and training skills, achieve mastery quickly, and provide real time performance monitoring and feedback.

The technology should implement an innovative gamification architecture into the existing Training and Learning Architecture (TLA) and take advantage of performance data that can be collected real time for operators operating the AN/SQQ-89A (V) 15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Combat System to allow them to work more effectively and in concert with the Combat System tools and displays. The solution should help ASW personnel in both training and operational modes stay engaged and maximize performance. More engaged and motivated ASW personnel results in improved ASW performance and contributes to superiority and dominance in undersea warfare. Exciting, entertaining, and engaging ASW training that is available at sea will allow ASW personnel to strive to improve their mastery over the ASW software. In addition, analytics derived from the learning and performance data will help drive more informed acquisition and investment decisions.

PHASE I: During Phase I, the company will develop an approach for delivering gamification architecture to operate inside the Training Learning Architecture (TLA) of the AN/SQQ-89A (V) 15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Combat System. The architecture will establish that the developed concept can feasibly work within the system. Feasibility will be established through modeling and analysis of specific gamification strategies and techniques that utilize the unique training material which meets parameters set forth in the description. The Phase I Option, if awarded, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype in Phase II.

PHASE II: Based on the approach explored in Phase I and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), a prototype Gamification architecture solution will be developed and delivered. The prototype must be capable of assessing a trainee’s proficiency with the ASW software based on ASW training objectives. Validation of the prototype will be through testing to demonstrate improved performance, motivation, and training engagement. The company will provide a detailed test plan to demonstrate that the deliverable meets the intent of the Gamification architecture. Work under the Phase II contract is expected to be classified. A Phase III transition plan will be provided at the end of Phase II.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The company will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology to Navy use. During Phase III, the company will support the Navy in the system integration and qualification testing for the software technology developed in Phase II. This will be accomplished through ship integration and test events managed by PEO IWS to transition the technology into the AN/SQQ-89A (V) 15 Surface Ship Undersea Warfare Combat System. Deployment of this gamification module will require integration into an AxB Step-2 and Step-3 testing to demonstrate improved performance, motivation, and training engagement. Private Sector Commercial Potential: The efforts of the research in gamification for learning and performance will have direct application to civilian sector industries that involve training personnel to operate in complex domains. These domains include transportation, finance, commercial space, and communication industries.

REFERENCES:

1. Paharia, Rajat, Loyalty 3.0, New York, McGraw Hill, 2013

2. Burke, Brian. Gamify: How Gamification Motivates People to Do Extraordinary Things. Brookline: Bibliomotion, INC. 2014

3. Kapp, Karl M. The Gamification of Learning and Instruction, San Francisco: Wiley, 2012.

4. Chou, Yu-kai., Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards. Freemont: Octalysis Media, 2014.

KEYWORDS: Gamification; Learning Motivation; Learning Analytics; ASW Training; Computer Based Training; Training Software.

Questions may also be submitted through DoD SBIR/STTR SITIS website.

N171-036

TITLE: Damage Visualization of Submersible Navy Composites

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 397, OHIO Replacement Program Office

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative, affordable visual approach capable of identifying damage in submersible non-pressure hull composite structures.