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

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The results of a successful Phase II effort can be offered to a relevant acquisition program office using pre-planned product improvement (P3I) mechanisms such as the Advanced Capability Build process. Working with the program office representatives, the product will be refined and prepared for integration into the acquiring program. Products developed under this topic will be offered for transition to NAVSEA and NAVAIR ASW training and tactical decision aid (TDA) systems. Integration will be performed for each application in conjunction with the prime contractor for the training and/or TDA system after qualification and preliminary acceptance by the program office. System testing as part of the integrated product will be performed by the program office to determine ultimate suitability of the product. Private Sector Commercial Potential: Products developed under this topic will have commercial applications in oceanographic survey system predictions, with specific benefits for scientific research and oil/gas exploration.

REFERENCES:

1. Zampoli, Tesei, Canepa & Godin, “Computing the far field scattered or radiated by objects inside layered fluid media using approximate Green’s functions,” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 123, No. 6, June 2008, pp. 4051-4058.

2. Burnett, “Computer Simulation for Predicting Acoustic Scattering from Objects at the Bottom of the Ocean,” Acoustics Today, Winter 2015, pp. 28-36.

3. Schneider, Berg, Gilroy, Karasolo, MacGillivray, TerMorshuizen & Volker, “Acoustic scattering by a submarine: results from a benchmark target strength simulation workshop,” Proceedings of the 10th International Congress on Sound & Vibration, 7-10 July 2003, Stockholm, Sweden.

4. Burnett, “Radiation boundary conditions for the Helmholtz equation for ellipsoidal, prolate spheroidal, oblate spheroidal and spherical domain boundaries,” Journal of Computational Acoustics 20(4), pp. 1230001-1 –1230001-35.

5. Kythe, “Boundary Element Methods,” CRC Press, pp. 214-232.-

KEYWORDS: Target Strength, Target Model, SONAR, Underwater Acoustics, Scattering, GPU

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

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics, Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: ONR 331 Multifunctional Energy Storage FNC, ONR 352 Electromagnetic Railgun INP

OBJECTIVE: The technical objective of this topic is to develop a thermal interface material for use in militarized battery modules which has the following characteristics: robust to vibration and abrasion, non-permanent bonding, high dielectric strength, and high thermal conductance.

DESCRIPTION: Energy storage systems under development for Navy shipboard use may be operated at high rate and high duty cycle, leading to a significant thermal management challenge. Maintaining battery temperatures in a narrow window is critical to system performance and battery life. Elevated temperatures cause reduced cycle life and may present a safety risk, and non-uniform battery temperatures may cause an unbalanced battery system. Battery cells are commonly placed in a heat sink structure where the thermal interface between the battery cell and the heat sink must be minimized to ensure an efficient thermal management solution. This topic seeks new thermal interface materials (TIMs) which are electrically insulating and thermally conducting, but are also designed for militarized battery modules. The TIM must withstand vibration and abrasion. And, to allow easy servicing of battery modules, the thermal interface material must not form a permanent bond. Either cylindrical or prismatic large format battery cells may be used. Particularly with cylindrical cells, the gap width may vary along the cell-to-heat-sink interface and the thermal interface material must be designed to accommodate the irregular gap width and/or irregular clamping force. The material must be non-flammable, non-toxic, and must not require any personal safety equipment for handling (gloves, mask, respirator, etc).

Current state-of-the-art (SOA) materials may provide a subset of the aforementioned traits. For example, gap pads may be used in irregular gaps but their thermal conductance is poor compared to epoxy-type materials. While epoxy-type materials have high thermal conductance, they form a semi-permanent or permanent bond which hinders the disassembly and servicing of the battery module. Thermal grease materials may leak from the module over time, and may have issues maintaining electrical insulation between the cell and heat sink. Finally, many current SOA materials are unproven in a militarized environment subject to shock, vibration, transportability, and handling requirements.

The present solicitation seeks a thermal interface material which provides unmatched thermal performance when considering the aforementioned challenges. Use of advanced materials (e.g. nano-materials, phase change materials, composites etc…) is encouraged, but not required. The relevant metrics to be used in material selection are as follows:
• Heat transfer surface area (for a single battery cell) – 8 sq. in to 60 sq. in
• Number of cells per module – 12 to 48
• Heat flux at cell surface – 3 kW/m^2 to 7 kW/m^2
• Heat sink material and roughness – Aluminum, machined
• Nominal temperature – 40 to 70 deg C
• Maximum temperature – 150 deg C
• Gap and contact pressure across a single cell – May range from a 50 mil gap to 100 psi contact pressure (although larger gap sizes would be permitted if desired)
• Thermal conductance – Threshold: 2000 W/(m^2-K), Objective: 5000 W/(m^2-K)
• Electrical insulation rating - Threshold: 2000V, Objective: 5000V
• Flammability – Compliance with recognized standards for plastic materials such as ASTM D 1000, UL 94. Similar standards should be used for other material types.
• Mechanical shock resistance* - Refer to MIL-S-901D
• Vibration resistance* – Refer to MIL-STD-167-1A
• Transportability and other environmental compatibility* – Refer to MIL-STD-810G
* A generic, non-proprietary battery module design will be provided to the offeror to assist in designing for mechanical loading requirements. The heat sink structure, cell layout, cell mass, and other parameters will be included in this design.

PHASE I: In Phase I, the small business will identify one or more thermal interface materials for intended development in Phases II and III. The offeror will explore how to meet the stated objectives through analysis and may choose to prove feasibility through testing. The focus of Phase I should be on thermal conductance, electrical insulation, resistance to vibration/abrasion, conformance to irregular gaps, manufacturing cost, and marketability/transition to other military customers or to industry.

PHASE II: In Phase II, the small business will further develop the chosen thermal interface material identified in Phase I. In this phase, prototype materials will be produced and may require iteration on the material composition or manufacturing technique. The prototype materials will be tested in accordance with Navy instruction to ensure that test conditions are appropriate. The offeror will further develop the transition plan and remain focused on minimizing cost of manufacturing.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In Phase III, the small business will work with the Navy and applicable industry partners to demonstrate the thermal interface material on battery modules undergoing high rate operation, to be specified by the Navy. The company will support the Navy for test and validation to certify and qualify the material for Navy use. The company shall explore the potential to transfer the material to other military and commercial customers. Market research and analysis shall identify the most promising technology areas and the company shall develop manufacturing plans to facilitate a smooth transition to the Navy. Private Sector Commercial Potential: This technology may be beneficial to any high power energy storage application or commercial market, such as electric vehicles, grid storage, aerospace, etc.

REFERENCES:

1. US Patent 20140335382, "Thermal interface composite material and method"

2. “Thermal Interface Materials” http://www.electronics-cooling.com/2003/11/thermal-interface-materials/

3. “Problems with Thermal Interface Material Measurements: Suggestions for Improvement” http://www.electronics-cooling.com/2003/11/problems-with-thermal-interface-material-measurements-suggestions-for-improvement/-

KEYWORDS: Thermal interface material; heat transfer; thermal management; materials science; energy storage; lithium-ion battery

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

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

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-263 Weather Hazard Avoidance, N2/6E Future Naval MetOc Capabilities

OBJECTIVE: Develop, demonstrate and transition a Navy Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-compatible secondary payload for meteorological profiling on small and medium sized Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to improve Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare (EMW) and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensor performance prediction, as well as aviation weather hazard sensing, avoidance and mitigation, and forecasting.

DESCRIPTION: Although small, inexpensive solid-state sensors have been developed for UAS applications, no meteorological payload exists commercially with adequate sensitivity, accuracy, and response time to measure the fine scale vertical gradients of absolute humidity, temperature, and pressure critical to assessing refractivity anomalies that affect electromagnetic propagation in the radar and communications bands. A payload with established performance capabilities and limitations is needed for multiple mission applications ranging in difficulty from on-board hazardous weather sense and avoid, to platform and propulsion performance, to assimilation into Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) computer models, to ultimately a capability for single-station observed refractivity profiles equivalent to a research-grade rawinsonde. Challenges include design to fit small form factor and re-usability, a sensing and signal processing approach that accounts for flow distortion when integrated on a UAS that may not allow for the same constant ascent rate and consistent airflow that a balloonsonde or dropsonde has, and a design that allows for durability and re-use of most or all of the components as a UAS platform capability. By the end of the Phase II, sensor should be designed, integrated, tested and documented at the level of a Technical Data Package or Engineering Change Proposal for NAVAIR UAV Programs of Record to include sensor, housing, calibration and maintenance, and Interface Control Document (ICD). A potential commercialization strategy could be as an equivalent payload to the Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) system, which currently provides profiles of temperature, pressure, humidity, and winds for commercial aircraft world-wide. A low SWAP, high accuracy integrated sensor package could add this capability to smaller aircraft and UAS and improve aviation weather analysis and prediction for safer aircraft operations. Additionally, with widespread use by the Navy, if the UAS Program Office picks this up for Phase III, would be a "tactical AMDAR" that could potentially greatly improve Carrier Strike Group level weather prediction in maritime operations where few other meteorological observations are available.

Nominal Performance Targets:

PHASE I: In Phase I a specific sensor engineering conceptual design and integration plan for Navy UAS (Puma, Scan Eagle, RQ-21) is required. Acquiring the UAS Interface Control Documents ICDs or technical specifications are the responsibility of the proposer and will not be provided by the government. Sensor component level and bread-board performance in a chamber is desired.

PHASE II: In Phase II, development of a brass-board sensor package in its near-final form factor and tested in a chamber with comparison to research quality reference sensors is required. A fully integrated sensor package flown on a UAS or manned aircraft proxy and compared to calibrated research quality reference sensors in a realistic environment is desired.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Final technical report will be provided to NAVAIR, Air Force, and NOAA UAS Programs of Record for weather hazard sense and avoid consideration as well as the Navy Information Warfare program for consideration of techniques to sense the electromagnetic spectrum environment. The expected Phase III transition is via a field change upgrade kit for Navy UAS Programs of Record and a COTS sensor available to other UAS applications in need of accurate, low-SWAP, high performance meteorological sensing such as the NOAA UAS Program Office, USCG Research and Development Center, and Department of Energy Atmospheric Measurement Program. Private Sector Commercial Potential: The Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) system currently provides profiles of temperature, pressure, humidity, and winds for commercial aircraft world-wide. A low SWAP, high accuracy integrated sensor package could add this capability to smaller aircraft and UAS and improve aviation weather analysis and prediction for safer aircraft operations. Additionally, with widespread use by the Navy a "tactical AMDAR" could potentially greatly improve Carrier Strike Group level weather prediction.

REFERENCES:

1. The Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) System. https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/GOS/ABO/AMDAR/

2. Doyle J, Holt T, Flagg D, Tyndall D, Amerault C, Geiszler D, Haack T, Nachamkin J, Pauley P, Melville K, Lenain L, Reineman B, Statom N, Eber L, Roohi C. 2015. On the Impact of UAS Observations on High-Resolution Mesoscale Forecasts. 19th Conference on Integrated Observing and Assimilation Systems for the Atmosphere, Oceans, and Land Surface. 1.2. Phoenix, AZ, USA. 04-08 January 2015.

3. Flagg DD, Haack T, Doyle JD, Holt TR, Amerault CM, Geiszler D, Nachamkin J, Tyndall DP. 2015. The Impact of Assimilation of Unmanned Aerial System Observations on Numerical Weather Prediction Modeling of Modified Refractivity and Electromagnetic Propagation. (accepted) 2015 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and North American Radio Science Meeting. Vancouver, BC, Canada. 19-25 July 2015.

4. Guest PS. 2014. The use of kites, tethered balloons and miniature unmanned aerial vehicles for performing low level atmospheric measurements over water, land and sea ice surfaces. 18th Conference on Integrated Observing and Assimilation Systems for the Atmosphere, Oceans, and Land Surface. 8.6. Atlanta, GA, USA. 02-06 February 2014.

5. Mai T, Colon J, Molnar J. 2014. Virtual Field Test for Cognitive-Dynamic Spectrum Access Radios and Spectrum Usage Inventory. 2014 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting. 112.7. Memphis, TN, USA. 6-11 July 2014.

6. Pozderac JM, Johnson JT, Merrill CF. 2014. Measurement of S-, C-, and X-Band Propagation in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer through Observations of Transmitters of Opportunity. USNC-URSI National Radio Science Meeting. Boulder, CO, USA. 8-11 January 2014.

7. Tyndall DP, Doyle JD, Holt T, Amerault CM, Flagg DD, Haack T, Nachamkin JE. 2015. Assimilation of UAS Observations from Trident Warrior 2013 into COAMPS NAVDAS. 19th Conference in Integrated Observing and Assimilation Systems for the Atmosphere, Oceans, and Land Surface. 10.3. Phoenix, AZ, USA. 04-08 January 2015.

8. Yardim C, Rogers LT, Gerstoft P. 2014. Verification of Trident Warrior 2013: Radiosonde and Numerical Weather Prediction Results with Passive Low Frequency RF Measurements. IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting. 502.9. Memphis, TN, USA. 6-11 July 2014.-

KEYWORDS: Meteorology; unmanned aircraft; radio propagation; maritime sensing; weather; electromagnetic maneuver warfare

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

N171-083

TITLE: Late-Stage Software Feature Reduction Tool for Security and Performance

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Total Platform Cyber Protection

OBJECTIVE: Investigate, design, and develop an automated or semi-automated software tool for the discovery, detection, and removal of unwanted or unnecessary software program features in any commonly used programming language.

DESCRIPTION: Modern commercial software is notoriously bloated due to the one-size-fits-all methodology commonly practiced in virtually all development and deployment efforts. This practice eases the burden on developers that intend to sell and deploy code to a large and diverse user base, but prior work has shown it can have a detrimental impact on performance and security [1, 2]. Many features built into a software program may not be needed by the average user, but are often included with no way for those users to disable or remove those features. Between the additional code (which may contain its own bugs and vulnerabilities) and the potentially undesirable functionality, extraneous features unnecessarily hamper performance while broadening a software product’s attack surface [2].

This effort seeks to reverse the trend toward one-size-fits-all software by creating prototype software tools that enable and empower end users to selectively remove software features they do not use or want. Examples of features to be removed could include elements of the user interface, support for legacy protocols, use of a camera or microphone, or something that could potentially compromise privacy such as a callback or diagnostic reporting functions. Some features may manifest themselves at the system call level while others may be more difficult to identify and trace back to specific regions of code. We make no assumption that developers have tagged their software to identify features, so identification of features and their corresponding code will be a key (but not insurmountable [3]) challenge of this effort, requiring performers to develop creative or innovative approaches in order to address it.

Current state-of-the-art efforts in software reduction have largely focused on methods to improve performance that do not modify the functionality of the original code [2, 4]. Performers of this effort must advance beyond the state-of-the-art to address removal of unwanted features, thus tailoring functionality to the end user. No current capability exists to selectively trim unwanted features from commodity software by automated or semi-automated means.

Given the focus on tailoring to the end user, tools proposed under this effort should be able to operate on software configurations commonly seen at delivery to the customer (e.g., APK files for Android or binaries for C/C++). The effort is not restricted to a specific programming language; submitters may choose to focus on any language for which they have the expertise so long as the language is general-purpose and commonly used. Both interpreted and compiled languages are of interest, but proposals should select a single language on which to focus.

The ultimate goal of this “late-stage customization” effort is to allow each end user to better customize apps and other software for their needs specifically and reduce both the bloat and attack surface of the software they run. The end users that will need to operate the tools can be assumed to be Power Users, but will not be program analysis experts. After identifying which features and corresponding code must be cut, the application in question must be transparently rewritten to produce a version with selected features removed. This process should occur in as automated a fashion as possible.

PHASE I: Develop a concept and methodology to identify features in software that may be of interest to remove and then tie them to their corresponding code. Develop a limited proof-of-concept prototype to demonstrate the viability of the approach for identifying and trimming software features.

PHASE II: Develop the prototype into a fully functioning software toolset for identifying and tagging features in general software applications of the chosen language, allowing end users to selectively remove unwanted features and their corresponding code. Demonstrate and evaluate the efficacy of the tools on several software applications of varying complexity as selected by the performer, along with demonstration of the continued correct and functional operation of the remaining features.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: All third-party or commercial software used by the military contains extraneous features that unnecessarily widen a system’s attack surface. Being able to remove those features without needing the cooperation of the developer would be a great advantage and drastically help improve the security posture of such systems. As a result, expected transition of these tools could extend to a wide range of government programs interested in improving the security and performance parameters of their software environments. Based on the performer’s selected language, the performer will work with the Program Office to integrate their tool to the appropriate POR as the first transition target, which would be selected from C4I, combat, or control systems programs. Private Sector Commercial Potential: As cyber security concerns increase, end users (especially those in enterprise settings) will look to implement a more fine-grained reduction of unused or easily misused features in the commodity software they run. Also, with the decreasing rate of gains in hardware performance each year, users will also find value in tools that make their software more efficient and reduce their current computational and memory requirements. If successful, the solicited methodology and toolset would find great interested and a sizable market in the commercial sector, where the tools could be offered as a service to customize commodity software for end users.

REFERENCES:

1. N. Mitchell, G. Sevitsky, and H. Srinivasan. “The Diary of a Datum: An Approach to Modeling Runtime Complexity in Framework-Based Applications." In Proceedings of the Workshop on Library-Centric Software Design (LCSD), 2005.

2. Y. Jiang, D. Wu, and P. Liu. “JRed: Program Customization and Bloatware Mitigation Based on Static Analysis.” In Proceedings of the 40th IEEE Computer Society International Conference on Computers, Software & Applications (COMPSAC), Atlanta, GA, 2016.