Department of the navy (don) 18. 1 Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Proposal Submission Instructions introduction

REFERENCES:

1. Adami, C.; Braun, C.; Clemens, P.; Joester, M.; Ruge, S.; Suhrke, M.; Schmidt, H.U.; Taenzer, H.J. “HPM detector system with frequency identification,” Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC Europe), 2014 International Symposium DOI: 10.1109/EMCEurope.2014.6930892 Page(s): 140 – 145, 2014.

2. Koledintseva, M.Y., Kitaytsev, A.A.; Konkin, V.A. “High-power microwave wideband random signal measurement and narrowband signal detection against the noise background,” Electromagnetic Compatibility, 2001. EMC. 2001 IEEE International Symposium (Volume: 2), 2001.

3. James Benford, John A Swegle and Edl Schamiloglu. High Power Microwaves, Third Edition, CRC Press, New York (2016).

4. Edl Schamiloglu (editor). High Power Microwave Sources and Technologies, Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey (2001).

5. Reference Data for Radio Engineers, Howard W Sams & Co., Sixth Edition (1975).

6. Dieter Kind, High-Voltage Experimental Technique, Friedr, Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig (1978).

7. Frank C. Creed, The Generation and Measurement of High-Voltage Impulses, Center Book Publishers, 1989, ISBN 0-944954-00-6.

8. J. Kim, "Time reversal operation for distributed systems in stationary and dynamic environment," Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, PhD. Thesis, Troy, NY, 2015.

9. S. K. Hong, B. T. Taddese, Z. B. Drikas, S. M. Anlage and T. D. Andreadis, "Focusing an arbitrary RF pulse at a distance using time-reversal techniques," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, vol. 27, no. 10, pp. 1262-1275, 2013.

10. S. K. Hong, V. M. Mendez, T. Koch, W. S. Wall and S. M. Anlage, "Nonlinear Electromagnetic Time Reversal in an Open Semi Reverberant System," Physical Review Applied, vol. 2, no. 4, 2014.

11. T. G. Leighton, G. H. Chua, P. R. White, K. F. Tong, D. G. H. and D. J. Daniels, "Radar Clutter Suppression and Target Discrimination using Twin Inverted Pulses," Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 2013.

12. Fulvo Gini and Muralidhar Rangaswamy, Knowledge Based Radar Detection, Tracking, and Classification, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, New Jersey (2008).

KEYWORDS: High Power Radio Frequency; High Power Microwave; Directed Energy Weapons; Counter Directed Energy Weapons; Advanced Warning System; HPRF Threats; Geo-locating

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems, Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Capable Manpower (CMP 19-03) Fleet Training Technologies (FleeT2)

OBJECTIVE: The Navy is seeking ways to more rapidly deliver timely, relevant information to Sailor and Marine warfighters. Much of the information that most urgently needs to be shared exists as knowledge and expertise possessed by their fellow warfighters. Solutions that enable warfighters to share knowledge as quickly and efficiently as possible by facilitating authoring and content creation are sought under this topic. Of primary interest is the development of a semi-automated, scalable, structurally sound, intuitive/user friendly, multi-media knowledge content capture capability and “wizard” tools to enable novice content creators in conveying information as succinctly and effectively as possible. The goal is to enable the creation of locally generated media job aids that can be shared within and across the Navy enterprise in as timely and efficient a manner as possible. The desired tools would allow the warfighters themselves to address the unique knowledge needs of fellow warfighters (rates, watch stations, training, routine duties) on an as-needed or where-needed basis.

Sailors and Marines will be empowered to create and share relevant information as needed and where needed. The Knowledge Capture Engine will enable warfighters to use templates to organize topical information, identify key information, and facilitate its being organized for effective sharing. Then the desired tool will enable the rapid creation of video, graphic, and text-based material, annotate it with meta-data regarding topic, intended audience, and links to supporting reference material, and store it efficiently for local use within a ship or command, as well as for web-based distribution to the larger Naval enterprise.

DESCRIPTION: Existing approaches for creating learning materials to support operational Fleet needs are ad hoc and not responsive to current Fleet information sharing needs, nor do they reflect the capabilities represented by a rapidly changing technology base. The current approach of creating formal training content is too slow, general, and inflexible. Material generated often does not address the specific needs for local topical knowledge both ashore and aboard ship. A new approach is needed to capture locally generated information to serve the practical needs of warfighters across the Navy enterprise addressing a diverse range of subject matter. Solutions that empower sailors to create job aids for each other, supplementing formal training with experience and immediate requirement-based knowledge are needed. The tools would enable warfighters to create content with lessons learned and best practices learned by other Sailors and Marines. Of interest are tools that facilitate effective how-to stories, which are then used to generate multi-media, and keyword-tagged content creation. The authoring tool(s) would facilitate not just the creation of content, but enable the rapid discovery and distribution of content, along with supporting web-links to formal training and reference materials. The content would need to be designed and created for distribution, support commenting and annotation across a community of users, as well as vetting and accreditation from the Naval Training Enterprise (NTE). The desired solution(s) will:

Proposals should: 1) demonstrate technical competence for defining and producing an MKC software engine; 2) identify relevant existing capabilities and of science and technology and challenges to be addressed by this effort; 3) establish the adequacy of their development strategy within the scope of SBIR phases and funding; 4) demonstrate an understanding for the constraints of creating and distributing multi-media content within DoD computing environments; and 5) exhibit the adequacy of the proposed transition plan.

PHASE I: Phase I should address the state-of-the art in rapid, low-cost content creation, capabilities for facilitating mediated multi-media content creation, automated methods for authoring content, methods for efficiently meta-tagging, and storing multi-media data. Proposers should develop two or more use cases for how their proposed system will assist a Sailor or Marine in developing useful content. Identify relevant literature from cognitive learning, learning content development, multi-media authoring, and other relevant areas that would be used to develop the proposed tools for content creation and/or needed for the proposed technology. Design and describe a concept prototype tool with storyboards, mission narratives, and functional flow diagrams (or equivalent) to demonstrate how technology will support Sailor content creation, how appropriate meta-tags would be created, and how content would be locally stored and distributed. The prototype software description should include appropriate standards-based approaches to the maximum practical extent. Define operational and technical metrics that will permit the demonstration of the utility of the approach in Phase II. Propose notional strategies for how the content could be distributed locally and more broadly (scaling for multi-ship to Navy-wide). Design and prototype a basic proof-of-concept content creation capability. Phase I deliverables should include a Final Phase I report that includes a detailed description of the approach taken, as well as a detailed development approach for Phase II. Proposers must define an acquisition/transition model and a plan for development through a successful Phase III.

PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate, and refine the Phase I concept prototype. Validate utility in human performance evaluations. Demonstrate applicability to multiple use domains (e.g., professional development, practical Tools, Techniques and Procedures, (TTPs)). The effectiveness of the system shall be demonstrated by satisfying the utility metrics defined in Phase I, as well as any additional metrics that may be developed in Phase II. Develop a detailed plan for transition and commercialization. Phase II deliverables should include a Final Phase II report that includes a detailed description of the development approach taken and quantified performance results addressing metrics developed in Phase I.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Refine the prototype and make its features complete in preparation for transition and commercialization. In addition to the DoD, there will be an increasing demand for curated content creation in the commercial sector, such as in human resources, plant maintenance, remedial education instruction, and in federal and state agencies such as code enforcement, unemployment procedures, etc. These domains could benefit significantly from the application of the solution developed in this effort.

REFERENCES:

1. Richardson, J. “A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority”. Chief of Naval Operations. January, 2016. http://www.navy.mil/cno/docs/cno_stg.pdf

2. United States Senate. “Statement of Vice Admiral William F. Moran, U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Personnel and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training & Education) before the Subcommittee on Personnel of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Personnel Posture”. March 8, 2016. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Moran_03-08-16.pdf

KEYWORDS: Knowledge Creation; Media Authoring Tools; Multi-Media; Human Performance; Human Cognition; Information Management

N181-077

TITLE: Surf Zone Simulation for Autonomous Amphibious Vehicles

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground/Sea Vehicles

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Unmanned Swarming Amphibious Assault Craft

OBJECTIVE: Develop a physics-based simulation to allow autonomy developers to evaluate perception sensors, vehicle control, obstacle avoidance, and path planning algorithms to maneuver an amphibious vehicle in and through the surf zone.

DESCRIPTION: The Office of Naval Research is interested in accelerating autonomy capabilities for landing craft and amphibious vehicles with a focus on complementing experimentation with simulation. A major challenge of these vehicles is operating from the sea through the surf zone. A realistic simulation environment is required which provides the appropriate sensor feedback and vehicles motions for software-in-the-loop testing. Various simulators exist for simulating robot environments [Ref 1] as well as numerous gaming environments and physics engines. Amphibious vehicle simulators have also been developed [Ref 2], but have not incorporated perception and autonomous controls. This simulator will combine the realistic response of a vehicle in a surf zone environment with autonomous control to allow for testing, training, and evaluating autonomy algorithms for a range of vehicles such as the Landing Craft Utility (LCU), Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV), and smaller vehicles such as those being developed under ONR’s USAAC program.

To achieve this, the simulator must:

The simulation should allow the user to select a variety of geographic locations, environmental conditions (time of day, wind speed, sea state, etc.), and vehicle designs to evaluate autonomy software components. To ensure that a large sample of potential interactions can be addressed, it is desirable for the simulation to run in faster than real time. It is not expected that the performer will develop fast running numerical analysis for hydrodynamics or wave characterization data sets, but incorporate existing techniques and data sets into the simulation. Reference 3 provides a link to the Unmanned Swarming Amphibious Assault Craft (USAAC) BAA which defines the desired operating environments and notional vehicle characteristics and performance that will need to be addressed in this simulator.

PHASE I: The performers will conduct an investigation of existing simulation environments and physics engines and design the base architecture. The architecture will define the interfaces and interoperability between existing software components and any new components that must be developed as well as define how the modular autonomy aspects will be included. The performer will explore fast-running hydrodynamic tools and wave models and determine how an accurate representation of wave-vehicle interactions will occur through the surf zone and transitioning to land. The performer will also identify or develop wave feature rendering to be used for the sensor detection modalities.

During the option period, the performer will produce a proof-of-concept simulation that demonstrates a single vehicle moving through the environment with notional sensing, path planning, and control algorithms.

PHASE II: In Phase II, the performer will develop a prototype of the simulation with fully defined wave characterization, vehicles dynamics, and autonomy component integration to allow for simulation of a vehicle from open ocean through the surf zone and onto land. The performer will be provided data sets of a variety of vehicles and environmental conditions to be used for validation. The performer will implement the Government provided autonomy components in the simulation and compare the simulation results to collected experimental data.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In Phase III, the performer will use the simulator environment to evaluate autonomy approaches for perception, path planning, world modeling, and vehicle controls for programs such as the USAAC. The performer will provide a common simulation environment to test and evaluate autonomy approaches in a range of environmental conditions and locations to identify limitations of their approach prior to live testing. The application of this simulation may be valuable to environmental monitoring and surveys and the development of commercial and recreational craft. The simulation may also be used in a gaming environment.

REFERENCES:

1. Robot Simulator - Gazebo Simulation; http://gazebosim.org/

2. Lachman, L.W. 2006. Surf zone modeling for an EFV Trainer for the USMC. Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference. December 4-7, Florida.

3. Broad Agency Announcement: N00014-17-S-B004; Autonomy and Unmanned Vehicle Technologies to Support Amphibious Operations; Retrieved from https://www.onr.navy.mil/-/media/Files/Funding-Announcements/BAA/2017/N00014-17-S-B004.ashx

KEYWORDS: Autonomy; Amphibious; Landing Craft; Surf; Perception; Simulation

N181-078

TITLE: Novel Thermal Management Materials Technologies for High Power Naval Systems

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NAVSEA 07, PMS-320, PEO Ships, PEO Carriers

OBJECTIVE: To develop advanced electrically insulating materials for improved passive thermal management of high-power electronics. The goal is to have materials that will improve both performance and efficiency, lengthen lifetime, and reduce lifecycle costs with enhanced thermal conductivity while remaining electrically insulating. Advanced materials that can lower junction temperatures within individual components, and those that serve as adhesives, pastes, underfills, and top side coating for attaching components into systems or covering components is the area of interest.

DESCRIPTION: As circuits become smaller and denser, performance, efficiency, and lifetime of high-power electronics increasingly depends on rapid conduction of heat away from semiconductor junctions in the components. Without better ways for heat to escape, higher junction temperatures dramatically reduce performance of critical equipment, stress any system batteries, diminish efficiency and lifetime, and increase lifecycle maintenance and replacement costs. Navy-relevant electronic components include power conversion devices such as diodes and transistors used in almost every power supply, power converter, and many alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) components, used in combat systems, sensors on land and at sea, and components in high-temperature environments. Radio frequency (RF) systems used in radar, communications, and even Wi-Fi, all rely on RF diodes and transistors that are frequently pushed to their maximum performance limit, generating performance-degrading heat. The current state-of-the-art for insulators is dielectric material typically made from polymers or rubber, which can catch fire easily and degrade over time. Currently, polymers composited with materials such as boron nitride and diamond powders are often used. The research proposed should be to expand on the types of materials being composited with the polymers to including but not limited to materials such as boron nitride nanotubes, boron nitride nanosheets, boron carbide powders, and aluminum nitride to achieve cost-effective and manufacturable processes with enhanced thermal conductivity while remaining electrically insulating. Successfully cooling of components and systems requires both electrically insulating and electrically conductive passive heat transport. The focus for the proposed research is on the electrically insulating materials.

PHASE I: Develop samples of material that demonstrate enhanced thermal conductivity for one or more applications of electrically insulating materials appropriate for high-power electronics in areas such as within individual components, and those that serve as adhesives, pastes, underfills, and top-side coatings for attaching components into systems or covering components. The desired gap between the component and the board for paste application is within the thickness range of 50-1000 microns. The thermal sheet size should be approximately 6-8 cm^2, and the thickness goal is 1000 microns. The desired thermal conductivity for thermal pastes, adhesives, and pads is >8 W/mK. For topside thermal coatings and electronic component inner layers, the desired thermal conductivity is >2 W/mK. The performer should test the performance of these materials with commercially available testing equipment or equivalent in-house testing apparatus. Measurements up to one hundredth of a degree Celsius using Infrared thermography can be used to test thermal conductivity. Other equivalent methods are acceptable. The desired threshold requirement for this topic is 10 W/mK. The offeror will investigate and recommend the appropriate manufacturing process, provided it yields high-quality materials at low cost with the desired properties. Proposals that include thermal sheets must be designed to have the correct thickness and contact resistance, depending on the application. Proposals that include a coating that cannot be applied to all of the items listed above, such as a paste, are acceptable. Phase I will include the creation of prototype plans to be developed in Phase II.

PHASE II: Fabricate prototype components or assemblages of components that demonstrate the improved thermal performance such as within individual components, and those that serve as adhesives, pastes, underfills, and top side coating for attaching components into systems or covering components. The offeror will quantify vibration, thermal expansion, volumetric expansion, density change, and shrinkage, and these results will be compared to known industry standards. The prototype components must simulate the thermal properties of actual components, such as polymers, used for insulating laser diodes. The performer should test the performance of these components or assemblages of components. Performance will be measured relative to current performance parameters for junction materials.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Deliver field testable systems to the Navy of components or assemblages of components and demonstrate that manufacturable processes are available for cost-effective deployment of systems at scale. Cost effectiveness will be evaluated relative to the cost of the current state-of-the-art.

Dual use applications include electric power supplies and conversion, high-power radio frequency generation, high-power processors, and satellite electronics cooling.

REFERENCES:

1. Hingyi Huang, Pingkai Jiang, Toshikatsu, “A review of dielectric polymer composites with high thermal conductivity,” IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine (27), July-August 2011, DOI: 10.1109/MEI.2011.5954064

2. Hongli Zhu, Yuanyuan Li, Zhiqiang Fang, Jiajun Xu, Fangyu Cao, Jiayu Wan, Colin Preston,Bao Yang, and Liangbing Hu, "Highly Thermally Conductive Papers with Percolative Layered Boron Nitride Nanosheets", ACS Nano, 2014

3. Han, Z. and Fina, A. “Thermal Conductivity of Carbon Nanotubes and Their Polymer Nanocomposites: A Review.” Prog. Polym. Sci. 2011, 36, 914–944

4. Chen, S., FitzGerald, J., Williams, J. and Bulcock, S. “Synthesis of Boron Nitride Nanotubes at Low Temperatures Using Reactive Ball Milling”, Chemical Physical Letters, Vol. 299, Issues 3- 4, January 11, 1999, Pages 260-264.