NAVY SBIR 17.1 Topic Descriptions

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace, Electronics, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Multiband Radio II

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 high data rate Beyond Line of Sight ship to shore communications. The system must be man portable for use in tactical environments.

DESCRIPTION: Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) provides High Frequency (HF) radios for beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications purposes. Next generation troposcatter systems can provide high data rate communications in the ground BLOS environment but do not work well with unstable moving platforms (ship). New approaches and techniques, not using troposcatter or HF radios, are sought to provide a high availability of 99.9%, high data rate of greater than 20 Mbps BLOS communications channel. Methods utilizing multiple Line of Sight (LOS) communications links may be used to meet the desired overall BLOS communications channel but a lightweight, portable and expeditionary architecture is required. The system must be able to be broken into components (expeditionary) that weigh no more than 20 lbs. each (portable) but a preference will be given to a system in which all components that are less than 15 lbs. A discussion of all components estimated size and weight is required. Each component must be able to be broken down to fit within a 2 ft cube and it is desired to minimize the size of all components for portability. The proposed system should address power concerns for the system to operate continuously on battery for 8 hours with a preference to a system than can run for 24 hours or more. Reference 1 provides an example of current HF communications equipment. A comparison of a proposed system to the capabilities in the specification sheet of the PRC-117G provided in reference 1 is desired.

The BLOS communication channel should be able to cover a distance much greater than the LOS horizon of approximately 35nm. Solutions with the greatest distance are desired with sustained data throughput and reliability (99.9% availability of the data link). Distances of more than 4 times the LOS horizon of 35nm are desired but a distance of 2 times the LOS horizon is required (70nm). A discussion of transmitter antenna type, gain and power levels and receiver antenna type, gain and sensitivity is required.

In all regions, the Marine Corps coordinates closely with naval ships. Improvements in ship to shore communications are part of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Force 21 guidelines. Improving communications throughput, range and capability are key technology enablers. This would allow for better interconnection of the ground Marine Corps network with the Navy AFLOAT networks.

PHASE I: The company will develop concepts for the development of an improved BLOS communications channel that meets the requirements discussed in the Description section. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the concepts through modeling and simulation in meeting Marine Corps needs and will establish the architecture required for a useful product for the Marine Corps. The small business will provide a Phase II development plan with performance goals and key technical milestones, and that will address technical risk reduction.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II development plan, the small business will develop a scaled BLOS communications channel prototype system for evaluation. The system must provide testing of two communications end-to-end channels that can extend to 2 times the LOS horizon (70nm). Additionally, feasibility of the prototype to distances greater than 70nm may be established by material testing and/or analytical modeling, as appropriate. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting the performance goals defined in the Phase II development plan and the Marine Corps requirements for the BLOS communications system. System performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required parameters (component weight <20lbs each, data throughput >20Mbps, availability 99.9%, system run-time on battery 8 hrs, communications distance >70nm, component size <2ft cube each) including numerous deployment cycles. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a final design that will meet Marine Corps requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Marine Corps use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If Phase II is successful, the company will be expected to support the Marine Corps in transitioning the BLOS communications channel technology for Marine Corps use. The company will refine, as needed, the BLOS communications equipment for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. The company will support the Marine Corps for operational testing and validation to certify and qualify the system for Marine Corps use. Private Sector Commercial Potential: Law enforcement, the Coast Guard and any first responder could use improved ship to shore beyond line of sight capabilities. Disaster response operations would not have communications networks in place and the only way to reach the sites may be through the use of ship to shore operations. Commercial use of the same technology could be used to restore communications infrastructure to damaged areas.

REFERENCES:

1. AN/PRC-150 Military HF Radio, AN/PRC-117G Wideband Tactical Radio, AN/PRC-152 Multiband Radio. http://rf.harris.com/capabilities/tactical-radios-networking

2. Expeditionary Force 21 (EF21). http://www.mccdc.marines.mil/Portals/172/Docs/MCCDC/Documents/EF21/EF21_Glossy.pdf-

KEYWORDS: BLOS; AN/PRC-150; AN/PRC-117F; AN/PRC-117G; AN/PRC-152; troposcatter

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

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Biomedical

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Force Health Protection Program (FHPP) FNC; Battalion Aid Station (BAS) – AMAL 635, Forward Resuscitative Surgical Suite (FRSS) – AMAL 645, Shock Trauma Platoon (STP) – AMAL 618, En Route Care System – AMAL 647 Acquisition Programs

OBJECTIVE: Develop a field ruggedized medical device for providing nasopharyngeal cooling of the brain for the prevention and mitigation of intracranial edema in traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

DESCRIPTION: DoD personnel are at increased risk of traumatic brain injury in both wartime and peacetime training incidents. Post-injury swelling (edema) is a common physiological complication of TBI which can result in added physical damage to the brain, increasing the risk of mortality, chronic encephalopathy (brain damage), and long term disability in personnel suffering TBI. Recent medical trials, clinical studies, and clinical use in Europe and Canada (see references) have demonstrated that the rapid cooling of the brain can reduce the incidence and severity of intracranial edema, reducing mortality and complications during treatment and recovery. The Navy currently does not field a piece of equipment which provides this capability and this will be a new added capability for the treatment of TBI. Currently devices such as the Benechill “Rhinochill” commercial system is being used in emergency room and ambulance services in Europe and Canada, where over 1000 patients have been treated without negative consequences and have demonstrated improved short- and long-term recovery. This system has achieved CE certification for use in European Union countries and Canada and is in submission for FDA 510(k) certification for use in the United States. However, it is a non-ruggedized clinical system not well suited to the military deployed field environment.

To achieve this capability, the ICEP shall be able to maintain an intracranial temperature range of 33 - 35°C (95.9°F) to within +or-1°C) throughout an ambient operating temperature range of -32 – 52°C (-25 – 125°F) in a tactical environment (Role 1 to Role 2, primarily the Battalion Aid Station (BAS), Shock Trauma Platoon (STP), Forward Resuscitative Surgical Suite (FRSS) and En Route Care System (ERCS) AMALs). The device shall provide closed-loop control by non-invasive measurement of brain temperature. The device must support USMC energy efficiency goals by operating from a self-contained power source (such as batteries) for up to 4 hours Threshold; 8 hours Objective and shall utilize standard USMC field power for both direct power and battery recharging (110/220 VAC and 12-32 VDC). Designing for energy efficiency and minimal power consumption will be a primary objective of this program. The device must conform to DoD military standards for environmental readiness, including storage at temperatures of -25 to 160 degrees F and operation at temperatures of -25 to 130 degrees F, the ability to withstand transport shock and vibration, ability to withstand operational drop of 36 inches and storage drop of 48 inches, ability to withstand blowing sand and dust and blowing rain, electromagnetic interference standards, and ability to operate at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet. The device must be capable of meeting DoD Airworthiness certification for the CH-53, MV-22, UH-1, C-130, and other military airlift assets. The device shall be capable of achieving FDA 510(k) clearance for medical devices with submission for 510(k) being a primary objective of this SBIR. Devices must be fully self-contained and designed for organic supportability by qualified active duty biomedical engineering technicians.

PHASE I: The company will develop concepts for an Intracranial Cryogenics for Encephalopathy Prevention device that meets the requirements discussed in the Description section. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of the concepts in meeting Marine Corps needs and will establish that the concepts can be developed into a useful product for the Marine Corps. Feasibility will be established by material testing and analytical modeling, as appropriate. The small business will provide a Phase II development plan with performance goals and key technical milestones, and that will address technical risk reduction. The small business will develop a FDA 510(k) certification plan and initiate contact with FDA to ensure plan aligns with FDA expectations. If necessary, the small business will develop a plan for any additional clinical trials necessary to support FDA certification.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II development plan, the small business will develop an Intracranial Cryogenics for Encephalopathy Prevention scaled prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting the performance goals defined in the Phase II development plan and the Marine Corps requirements for the Intracranial Cryogenics device for Encephalopathy Prevention. System performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required range of parameters including numerous deployment cycles. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into an initial design that will meet Marine Corps requirements. Clinical trials will be arranged with DoD or civilian medical facilities by the small business (supported by the USMC) to gather efficacy data to support FDA 510(k) certification. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Marine Corps use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If Phase II is successful, the company will be expected to support the Marine Corps in transitioning the technology for Marine Corps use. The company will refine, as needed, the Intracranial Cryogenics for Encephalopathy Prevention device for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment, including additional clinical trials as required in support of FDA certification. The company will support the Marine Corps for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Marine Corps use. Private Sector Commercial Potential: The Intracranial Cryogenics for Encephalopathy Prevention device will be an FDA 510(k) certified commercial medical device that can be used in civil and industrial medical use. Potential private sector users include hospitals, clinics, paramedics/EMTs, search and rescue teams, disaster relief organizations, and other industries where TBI is a common risk.

REFERENCES:

1. Abou-Chebl A1, Sung G, Barbut D, Torbey M. “Local brain temperature reduction through intranasal cooling with the RhinoChill device: preliminary safety data in brain-injured patients.” Stroke. 2011 Aug;42(8):2164-9.

2. Wolfson Marla R, Malone Daniel J, Wu Jichuan, Hoffman John, Rozenberg Allan, Shaffer Thomas H, Barbut Denise. “Intranasal perfluorochemical spray for preferential brain cooling in sheep.” Neurocrit Care 2008 ;8(3):437-47

3. Andrews PJ, Sinclair HL, Battison CG, Polderman KH, Citerio G, Mascia L, Harris BA, Murray GD, Stocchetti N, Menon DK, Shakur H, De Backer D, Eurotherm3235Trial collaborators: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine study of therapeutic hypothermia (32-35degreesC) for intracranial pressure reduction after traumatic brain injury (the Eurotherm3235Trial). Trials. 2011, 12: 8-10.1186/1745-6215-12-8.

4. Springborg JB, Springborg KK, Romner B: First clinical experience with intranasal cooling for hyperthermia in brain-injured patients. Neurocrit Care. 2013, 18: 400-405. 10.1007/s12028-012-9806-x.

5. Takeda Y, Hashimoto H, Fumoto K, Danura T, Naito H, Morimoto N, Katayama H, Fushimi S, Matsukawa A, Ohtsuka A, Morita K: Effects of pharyngeal cooling on brain temperature in primates and humans: a study for proof of principle. Anesthesiology. 2012, 117: 117-125. 10.1097/ALN.0b013e3182580536.

6. Fontaine G, Lapostolle F, Didon JP, Schmid JJ, Jouven X, Chachques JC: New methods to induce localized brain and general hypothermia. Resuscitation. Edited by: Gullo A, Ristagno G. 2014, Springer, Milan, 189-199. 10.1007/978-88-470-5507-0_18.-

KEYWORDS: Traumatic Brain Injury; cryogenics; cryogenic therapy; intracranial edema; nasopharyngeal cooling; encephalopathy; neurotrauma; neurorecovery

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

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground/Sea Vehicles, Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Program Manager Marine Corps Training Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop and field a Driver Performance Monitoring capability where vehicle and driver performance data is collected, stored, and analyzed locally at the unit in an open XML format that can be queried and filtered using a simple point and click interface by the Motor Transport Officer or Commander. Indicators of deficient performance would lead to focused remediation to improve skills in a driver simulator. The objective capability would be to feed data gathered at the unit level to Training and Education Command (TECOM)’s Marine Corps Training Information Management System (MCTIMS) and to Marine Corps Logistics Command (LOGCOM) databases for condition based maintenance.

DESCRIPTION: Each year the Marine Corps trains and licenses or re-licenses ~17,000 ground tactical vehicle drivers on platforms including the HMMWV, MTVR, LVSR, MRAP, and MATV with the JLTV arriving in the near future. The majority of these drivers are not trained and certified by the Motor Transport School in the 35xx MOS; but rather are non-certified incidental drivers.

The huge gap in a commander’s knowledge about driver experience and performance should not exist with the tools that are available at very nominal cost. The repository for such data already exists as a program of record and is the Marine Corps Training Information Management Systems (MCTIMS). The missing components in the Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities (DOTMLPF) context are the doctrine (i.e. policy), training, and leadership emphasis, and some relatively simple material solutions. What is sought is a simple design for how to make automated recording and analysis of driver performance by gathering and reviewing data on the driving habits of vehicle operators. Data to be collected should include but not be limited to: GPS locations, time, and speed data.

Driver performance monitoring should be a discrete and isolated capability that is severable from the vehicle. It should be based on an inexpensive COTS solution that includes a GPS and accelerometers. The data collected on individual drivers will be protected through the anonymization provided by the use of the EDIPI number of the driver instead of name or other elements of PII. A connection (by cable or Bluetooth wireless) to the vehicle’s data port is required to collect data elements such as engine RPM, coolant temperature, and oil pressure. The connection to the vehicle’s existing data port should be as a “listener” only and not used to make any changes to the vehicle. Commercially available devices that connect to the OBD II port on civilian vehicles in the $100 range provide far more data to the user via smart phone applications with no modifications necessary to the actual vehicle. The Marine Corps expressly does NOT need or desire a real-time wireless connection between a vehicle and a Movement Control Center and must be subscription free of cellular tracking and connectivity. This is not conceived as a command and control system but a data collection and performance analysis tool. The data is carried back to the dispatcher on a mobile device such as a tablet or other device (Android or iPhone) compatible.

The solution must consider cost, complexity, and avoid the necessity for a wireless connection. Avoid obtrusive LCD screen or other display that interferes with the driver field of view and avoid distracting drivers from their primary mission of driving the vehicle.

Marine Corps tactical vehicles have on board computers that monitor and can stream a large amount of information on the vehicle status in real time to a collection device. For a very modest cost and no modification to a vehicle’s configuration baseline it is possible to combine time stamped data from ground tactical vehicles with data generated from a small Android tablet or phone that would gather driver performance data as well as all of the information contained on a trip ticket except for the addition of fuel and fluids. With a simple Android tablet in the $100-200 price range that includes a GPS chip, 3 axis accelerometers, and Bluetooth to pair with a streaming dongle attached to the vehicle’s data port the following information would be available when a driver returned a vehicle to the motor pool.

1. Course of travel with time spent at each location that the vehicle stopped

An automated screening and analysis capability for this information could highlight drivers in need of remedial training for reasons of safety issues or to improve the fuel efficiency and reduce wear and tear on a vehicle’s engine, transmission, braking, and cooling systems. A repository of this data would allow for unit commanders to query the database to determine the experience level of licensed drivers within a unit rather than merely whether they have a license e.g. a licensed MTVR driver with a certification to tow a howitzer that had not actually towed a howitzer in the past year may need targeted training before deploying or going to the field as a gun truck driver. The repository of usage data in hours and miles would also be useful to the vehicle program managers at PEO-Land Systems as well in identifying opportunities for improvement for vehicle drivers.

PHASE I: The focus for this data collection should be for non-operational units. The first phase of this project would be to complete a study and analysis of fielding a unit level capability where the data is collected, stored, and analyzed locally at the unit in an open XML format that can be queried and filtered using a simple point and click interface by the Motor Transport Officer or Commander. Indicators of deficient performance would lead to focused remediation to improve skills in a driver simulator or in cases of significant safety violations a driver’s license could be suspended or revoked as a means of preventing an unsafe and unskilled driver from causing an accident. The objective capability would be to feed data gathered at the unit level to TECOM’s Marine Corps Training Information Management System (MCTIMS) and to LOGCOM databases for condition based maintenance.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II development plan, the small business will develop a scaled prototype to employ sufficient collection devices (tablets) to outfit a Truck Company (~20 tablets) and one standalone desktop computer that would host the database and analysis software where the database and analytical software is not hosted in the cloud but on a standalone computer for the initial demonstration. The device will have physical access to Marine Corps Vehicles for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting the performance goals defined in the Phase II development plan and the Marine Corps requirements for the Performance Monitoring through Electronic Trip Tickets capability. System performance will be demonstrated through prototype evaluation and modeling or analytical methods over the required range of parameters including numerous deployment cycles. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into an initial design that will meet Marine Corps requirements. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Marine Corps use. The end state is to field a unit level capability where the data is collected, stored, and analyzed locally at the unit in an open XML format that can be queried and filtered using a simple point and click interface by the Motor Transport Officer or Commander. The company will support the Marine Corps for test and validation to certify and qualify the system for Marine Corps use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If Phase II is successful, the company will be expected to support the Marine Corps in transitioning the technology for Marine Corps use in a secure fashion for use by operational units. The company will refine the Performance Monitoring through Electronic Trip Tickets System for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. Private Sector Commercial Potential: This technology presents a potential for commercialization. The technology is based on the OBD II data port and will evolve to have compatibility with the data ports and interface of Marine Corps tactical vehicles as well as standard commercial vehicles. While commercial technologies incorporate a real-time wireless data link using commercial cellular telephone networks which are excessively expensive and add unnecessary complexity to the system to achieve Real-time tracking the alternative solution that is cost effective and commercially viable is to save the data collection for post analysis. This allows for driver performance monitoring and analysis for Marine Corps purposes as well as normal driver analysis to be done after the vehicle returns to the motor pool or when the vehicle returns to the garage and will assist vehicle owners in monitoring for compliance with prescribed safety speed limits.