NASA Spinoff 2010 - Presentation

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution In the 1990s, NASA looked for new ways to extend the lifespan of engine components

Lambda had developed the low plasticity burnishing (LPB) process, which increased damage tolerance and prevented cracking in engine components

Glenn Research Center

Lambda Research Inc.Cincinnati, Ohio

Product Outcome

LPB can be applied to a wide range of metals and alloys and to components of varied shapes

LPB eliminates fatigue failures in crucial aircraft engine components

The process has been applied to more than 3,400 hip implants, improving fatigue strength by

>40 percent and lifespan by >100 times

Spinoff 2010

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Health and Medicine

Burnishing Techniques Strengthen Hip Implants

Partnership Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

contracts allowed Lambda to demonstrate theeffectiveness of LPB for engine

applications

NASA funding led to additional government support, resulting in the introduction of LPB into commercial aircraft

The process won an “R&D 100” Award

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Goddard scientist and mathematician Dr. Norden

Huang invented a set of algorithms for analyzing nonlinear and nonstationary signals

This user-friendly signal processing technology, Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT), can be used to analyze data for a wide variety of applications

Goddard Space Flight Center

DynaDx CorporationMountain View, California

Product Outcome

The company developed scientific computation software with a built-in HHT algorithm

DynaDX’s HHT-based Multimodal Pressure-Flow process provides medical diagnosis and prediction of brain blood flow-related problems

The technology alerts caregivers to changes in intracranial pressure in patients

Spinoff 2010

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Health and Medicine

Signal Processing Methods Monitor Cranial Pressure

Partnership Through an auction managed by Ocean Tomo

Federal Services LLC, DynaDx licensed a portfolio of NASA patents, including the HHT

The auction was the first ever sale of government patent licenses through a public auction of intellectual property

The HHT won an “R&D 100” Award and was named a NASA “Invention of the Year”

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution JPL scientists invented a welding curtain to protect against eye-damaging light wavelengths found in space and produced by laser and welding work

The curtain employed a light filtering/vision enhancing system developed through studying

the eyes of birds of prey

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Eagle Eyes OpticsCalabasas, California

Product Outcome

The technology protects against damage that can lead to cataracts, which effect millions in the United States alone

Eagle Eyes donated 150 pairs to children in Alaska, where the Sun’s reflection off the snow results in a higher incidence of cataracts

Spinoff 2010

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Health and Medicine

Ultraviolet-Blocking Lenses Protect, Enhance Vision

Partnership SunTiger Inc.—now Eagle Eyes Optics—licensed the technology for use in sunglasses

Eagle Eyes sunglasses shield eyes from harmful ultraviolet, violet, and blue light

The eyewear was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution In 1983, NASA began developing hyperspectral

systems at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

In 2001, NASA launched the first on-orbit hyperspectral imager, Hyperion, onboard the Earth

Observing-1 spacecraft

Stennis Space Center

Themis Vision Systems LLCRichmond, Virginia

Product Outcome

Themis has built about 40 custom systems used worldwide, including 3 in use by the FBI

The systems are used in medical applications as a diagnostic tool for looking at wounds and

burns and to monitor healing

The technology also has forensics, microscopy, military, and art restoration applications

Spinoff 2010

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Health and Medicine

Hyperspectral Systems Increase Imaging Capabilities

Partnership Stennis and the Institute for Technology Development crafted a smaller scanner that required no relative movement between target

and sensor

Themis later obtained exclusive rights to the technology

The innovation was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate

has worked to address issues related to the overburdened National Airspace System (NAS)

Evaluating large-scale air traffic management solutions in real life, however, is costly and impractical

Ames Research Center

Intelligent Automation Inc. (IAI)Rockville, MD

Product Outcome

The software uses interactive components called agents to model the behavior of various entities

The agent-based infrastructure allows researchers to model the NAS down to individual

flights

The program is also used for distributed robotics and for modeling the behavior of crowds

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Programs Model the Future of Air Traffic Management

Partnership To help develop a program capable of simulating a realistic NAS, Ames partnered with

IAI through the Small Business InnovationResearch (SBIR) program

With SBIR support, IAI continued work on specialized software that now enables NASA’s Airspace Concept Evaluation System

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution A NASA collaborative rotorcraft research program

with the U.S. Army resulted in many outcomes that have enhanced the safety and performance of helicopters

Among these are advanced airfoils designed and wind-tunnel tested at Langley

Langley Research Center

Van Horn Aviation LLC (VHA)Tempe, Arizona

Product Outcome

The VHA 206 tail rotor received Federal Aviation Administration certification in 2009

The tail rotor provides multiple benefits, including enhanced lifespan, improved control, superior performance at high altitude, and as much as 40-percent less noise

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Tail Rotor Airfoils Stabilize Helicopters, Reduce Noise

Partnership VHA employed a Langley airfoil design in the

public domain—the NASA RC(4)-10—to craft an updated aftermarket tail rotor for the popular Bell 206 series of helicopters

The company plans on using NASA airfoil designs for future projects aimed at advancing

rotorcraft performance

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA and partners formed the Advanced General

Aviation Transport Experiments, or AGATE

AGATE aimed to enhance general aviation (GA) technology to enable a small aircraft transportation system for alleviating congestion in the Nation’s roads and skies


Cirrus Design CorporationDuluth, Minnesota

Product Outcome

Cirrus’ SR22 plane has been the top-selling FAA-certified single-engine airplane since 2002

The planes feature a NASA spinoff, the BRS Aerospace whole-plane parachute, which has saved 35 Cirrus pilots and passengers to date

A new Cirrus jet has an engine created under NASA’s General Aviation Propulsion project

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Personal Aircraft Point to the Future of Transportation

Partnership Through AGATE-driven SBIR support, Cirrus

developed composite manufacturing methods for its GA aircraft

Cirrus planes feature a host of NASA innovations

NASA testing also improved safety in Cirrus aircraft and led to airbag installation, a first in

GA planes

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution For centuries people have dreamed of making

personal flight, a common science fiction trope, a reality

By the 1990s, lighter, stronger materials and design systems enabled new efforts


Trek Aerospace Inc.Folsom, California

Product Outcome

The aircraft employ ducted fans, allowing craft to fly into tight spaces without damaging rotors or surroundings

The company offers a miniature test version and a full-size manned version is available as an

experimental aircraft

Military and public safety applications exist

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Ducted Fan Designs Lead to Potential New Vehicles

Partnership Trek Aerospace engineers used wind-tunnel

testing at Ames to improve their vehicles

The tests revealed the engineers could accomplish lift with a significantly smaller and lighter engine and led to several design changes, including the use of a fly-by-wire system

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Research and testing by Langley engineer Richard Whitcomb demonstrated the effectiveness of winglets in reducing performance-inhibiting drag

Further flight tests conducted at Dryden validated Whitcomb’s findings

Langley Research CenterDryden Flight Research Center

Aviation Partners Boeing (APB)Seattle, Washington

Product Outcome

Blended Winglets are now featured on thousands of Boeing aircraft around the world

APB estimates the technology saved more than 2 billion gallons of jet fuel as of 2010, reducing costs by $4 billion and carbon dioxide emissions by 21.5 million tons

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Winglets Save Billions of Dollars in Fuel Costs

Partnership Aviation Partners Inc. and The Boeing Company

collaborated to form Aviation Partners Boeing and apply a new form of the NASA-proven technology to Boeing aircraft

The Blended Winglet technology improves winglet aerodynamics

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Aerodynamics researcher Siva Mangalam worked

on airfoil design at Langley Research Center

While there were extensive systems for wind-tunnel testing, Mangalam found there were no quantifiable sensing systems for measuring aerodynamic forces in flight

Dryden Flight Research Center

Tao of Systems Integration Inc.Hampton, Virginia

Product Outcome

Three of the four components of the system have been commercialized

Applications include improving wind and underwater turbine operation and optimizing air conditioning

The final system may enable aircraft that respond like birds to aerodynamic conditions

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Sensor Systems Collect Critical Aerodynamics Data

Partnership With SBIR funding and flight testing from Dryden,

Tao Systems began development of a first-of-its-kind, closed-loop system to detect, measure, and control aerodynamic forces in flight

Tao’s simple, inexpensive approach gathers aerodynamics data in real time, detecting forces like turbulence before the aircraft reacts to them

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Among the many ways that NASA works to

advance aviation are efforts to improve the lifespan and performance of jet, or gas turbine, engines

Glenn scientist Dongming Zhu developed “R&D 100” Award-winning thermal barrier coatings that reduce thermal fatigue in metal engine parts


MesoCoat Inc.Euclid, Ohio

Product Outcome

MesoCoat’s NASA-developed thermal barrier coating results in a 50-percent increase in

engine component life and improved fuel economy

The cladding technology can prevent corrosion for up to 100 years, mitigating damage that

costs over $270 billion annually

Spinoff 2010

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Transportation

Coatings Extend Life of Engines and Infrastructure

Partnership MesoCoat is employing a specific composition of

Zhu’s coating to prolong the lifespan of engines in U.S. Air Force legacy aircraft

Through a Space Act Agreement, the company is also using Glenn’s arc lamp technology to

demonstrate cladding technology for limiting corrosion of metal infrastructure like pipes and

bridges

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Supercooled droplets in the atmosphere can form

layers of ice on aircraft surfaces, reducing performance and even leading to catastrophic loss

of control

Glenn has led NASA efforts in developing anti-icing technologies to enhance aircraft safety


Radiometrics CorporationBoulder, Colorado

Product Outcome

Radiometrics’ radiometers provide profiling of atmospheric conditions that define local

weather, improving short-term weather forecasting

The devices detected situations for weather modification at the 2008 and 2010 Olympics

The radiometers are also employed for soil moisture, snow, and sea surface measurements

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Radiometers Optimize Local Weather Prediction


contracts with Radiometrics led to the creation of a radiometer for detecting icing conditions along flight paths

Radiometrics commercialized a modular radiometer originally developed under the SBIR

agreements

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Ames engineer Leonard Haslim invented the

electroexpulsive separation system deicing technology

The system employed a pair of conductors that shatter ice buildup when driven apart by an

electric pulse


IMS-ESSTemecula, California

Product Outcome

The company initially sold several systems for UAV deicing applications, discovering a niche market for the NASA-derived technology

The systems are ideal for UAVs, offering lightweight, low power protection against icing

The technology allows military UAVs to conduct crucial missions without the threat of icing

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Energy-Efficient Systems Eliminate Icing Danger for UAVs

Partnership Ice Management Systems (now IMS-ESS) licensed the technology and built upon the NASA

concept

The company conducted testing in Glenn Research Center’s Icing Research Tunnel

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution In order to support the development of a Small

Aircraft Transportation System, NASA has invested significant research into small aircraft safety

Engineer Boris Popov invented a parachute designed to rescue an entire small airplane


BRS AerospaceSaint Paul, Minnesota

Product Outcome

The BRS parachute system is featured on top-selling small aircraft around the world

As of 2010, the system had saved 250 lives

BRS is working on parachutes for small jets and may eventually use its NASA-derived technology to enable systems for commercial airlines

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Rocket-Powered Parachutes Rescue Entire Planes

Partnership NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Popov’s company, BRS Aerospace, advanced the whole-plane parachute system

The NASA funding helped with the development of thin-film parachutes, manufacturing methods that resulted in stronger parachutes, and smart

deployment devices

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology collaborated on the Daedalus project,

exploring new technologies for lightweight aircraft and high-altitude, long-duration flight

Aurora was founded out of that effort and began a pattern of partnership with NASA


Aurora Flight Sciences CorporationManassas, Virginia

Product Outcome

The SAA allowed Aurora to open a facility in West Virginia, now employing 160 workers

The company produces all of the Global Hawk airframe components, save for the wings

Aurora also manufactures cutting-edge UAV designs for military surveillance applications

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Technologies Advance UAVs for Science, Military

Partnership The company has engaged in numerous Small

Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects

A Space Act Agreement (SAA) with Goddard resulted in manufacturing techniques used to produce composite airframe components for the Global Hawk UAV, used by the military and NASA

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA launched the first of its inflatable space

structures in the form of large, metalized balloons—the Echo satellites, in 1960

New interest was spurred with the successful deployment of the Inflatable Antenna

Experiment during STS-77 in 1996


GATR TechnologiesHuntsville, Alabama

Product Outcome

Certified by the Federal Communications Commission, the ground-based inflatable antennas are transported in two portable cases and can be quickly deployed in remote areas

GATR provided communications after Hurricane Katrina, wildfires in California, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Inflatable Antennas Support Emergency Communication

Partnership ManTech SRS Technologies received Small

Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding to develop an inflatable solar concentrator; the technology was applicable to inflatable antennas

GATR licensed the technology from SRS and improved it through a Glenn Space Act Agreement

The technology won an “R&D 100” Award

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution To perform nondestructive evaluation and monitoring of aerospace vehicles and structures,

NASA has pursued the development of structural health monitoring systems (SHM)

One approach to SHM is the Stanford Multi-Actuator Receiver Transduction (SMART) Layer

Marshall Space Flight Center

Acellent Technologies Inc.Sunnyvale, California

Product Outcome

The SMART Layer is flexible, lightweight, and easy to adapt to any structure

The technology is now applied in defense, space, transportation, and energy industries

The company has been funded to monitor civil infrastructure such as pipelines, buildings, and bridges

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Smart Sensors Assess Structural Health

Partnership Acellent licensed the SMART Layer technology

from Stanford University and worked with Marshall through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop a hybrid SMART Layer for aerospace applications

Additional Marshall SBIRs helped the company improve and optimize the technology

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA continually seeks ways both to develop new

sensor technology and to advance existing devices to meet the demands of space exploration

These efforts often result in smaller, less expensive, more energy efficient, and highly durable products for use on Earth


Ion Applications Inc.West Palm Beach, Florida

Product Outcome

The company has commercialized a hand-held IMS device featuring enhanced sensitivity and easy portability and use

The technology is used by the U.S. military for detection of explosives and chemical agents, and is also applicable for semiconductor

manufacturing and other industrial processes

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Hand-Held Devices Detect Explosives and Chemical Agents

Partnership NASA sought to miniaturize a powerful sensor

technology called an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) for astrobiology missions

Through NASA’s Astrobiology Science and Technology Instrument Development program and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Ion Applications developed a miniature IMS suitable for applications in space or on Earth

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Following the Columbia disaster, NASA required a

method for detecting potentially hazardous defects in the sprayed-on insulating foam on space shuttle external tanks

NASA scientists investigated terahertz imaging as a potential solution


Advanced Photonix Inc. (API)Ann Arbor, Michigan

Product Outcome

API’s systems take terahertz out of the lab and onto the manufacturing floor

Terahertz can be employed as a safer, more precise security measure than X-rays, revealing

concealed weapons and package contents

Other applications include pharmaceutical manufacturing and art conservation

Spinoff 2010

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Public Safety

Terahertz Tools Advance Imaging for Security, Industry


agreements with Picometrix, now a subsidiary of API, adapted and improved the company’s

commercial terahertz system for NASA use

SBIR funding enabled the company to reduce the size and increase the speed of its terahertz imaging devices

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Living in space will require a sustainable environment, including plants, which can provide

food, clean air, and clean water

NASA has explored the use of LED lighting as a lightweight, energy-efficient technology for plant growth in space

Kennedy Space Center

Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC)Madison, Wisconsin

Product Outcome

HELIAC is in use by universities and other customers for photobiology research

Another application is aquarium lighting, providing light without the heat that can be detrimental to fish and corals

ORBITEC has licensed the technology to two aquarium lighting manufacturers

Spinoff 2010

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Consumer Goods

LED Systems Target Plant Growth

Partnership Through the Small Business Innovation Research

(SBIR) program, ORBITEC worked with Kennedy to develop the High Efficiency Lighting with Integrated Adaptive Control (HELIAC) system, which uses smart, solid-state LEDs for efficient plant growth

“Lightsicles” only spotlight plant tissue, saving energy by providing efficient, targeted lighting

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA pursued the development of a practical form of aerogel, a material with unmatched insulating qualities but a brittle composition

Kennedy scientist James Fesmire introduced the concept of a flexible aerogel material


Aspen Aerogels Inc.Northborough, Massachusetts

Product Outcome

NASA uses Aspen’s aerogel products for cryogenic applications

Commercial applications include pipe and building insulation and personal apparel

Aerogel insoles protect feet in extreme temperatures, while wrist and ankle wraps help patients with Raynaud’s disease

Spinoff 2010

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Consumer Goods

Aerogels Insulate Against Extreme Temperatures

Partnership Aspen Systems Inc. developed the world’s first

aerogel blankets through NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding

To develop and market the revolutionary product, Aspen Systems launched Aspen Aerogels Inc.

The technology won an “R&D 100” award

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution JPL researchers explored ways to significantly

miniaturize cameras on interplanetary spacecraft while maintaining scientific image quality

A team led by Eric Fossum developed an energy-efficient light sensor with all of its components integrated on a single chip


Aptina Imaging CorporationSan Jose, California

Product Outcome

The NASA-derived sensors are now incorporated into digital cameras, automotive and surveillance cameras, and medical imaging

devices

One of every three cell phone cameras worldwide features Aptina’s sensors

The company has shipped over 1 billion sensors

Spinoff 2010

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Consumer Goods

Image Sensors Enhance Camera Technologies

Partnership Fossum and other JPL engineers licensed the

sensor technology and founded Photobit to pursue commercial applications

The company was acquired and later spun out as Aptina

The technology and its inventors were inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Lack of resources and dangerous conditions mean

repairs on the International Space Station must be done as quickly and efficiently as possible

NASA funded the design of simple, reusable patch repair systems for use in space


Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) Inc. Dayton, Ohio

Product Outcome

Heating the material renders it flexible; as it cools, it becomes a rigid, durable structural patch

The technology is a popular repair option for auto racing and the trucking industry

The material is also a weather-resistant option for outdoor and emergency applications,

repairing damaged gear on the fly

Spinoff 2010

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Consumer Goods

Lightweight Material Patches Allow for Quick Repairs

Partnership Through Small Business Innovation Research

(SBIR) contracts, CRG developed a structural patch with multiple commercial applications

The company has commercialized two brands of the NASA-derived material

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Johnson scientist Dennis Morrison conducted

research into microcapsules for delivering cancer-fighting drugs deep within the body

Morrison developed special ceramic nanoparticles as part of his research

Johnson Space Center

Farouk Systems Inc.Houston, Texas

Product Outcome

The company uses nanomaterials in its CHI hair irons, brushes, nail lacquers, and other products

A secondary line of liquid formulations works with the combination of ions and infrared wavelengths created by the CHI tools

According to the company, ions released by the styling tools help to smooth and soften hair

Spinoff 2010

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Consumer Goods

Nanomaterials Transform Hairstyling Tools

Partnership Farouk worked with Morrison to create a ceramic

composite for the company’s hairstyling irons

The company also incorporated nanosilver sterilizing components inspired by NASA research

After retiring from NASA, Morrison joined the company to develop additional hairstyling tools using near-infrared light

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Conditions in space and on the Moon feature

extreme temperatures

In planning for a return mission to the Moon, NASA aimed to improve the thermal control systems to keep astronauts comfortable while in a spacecraft


IDQ Inc.Garland, Texas

Product Outcome

The company has incorporated the NASA-derived additive into its line of refrigerants for automotive air conditioning units

The technology recharges air conditioning at afraction of auto shop costs

The products are sold at leading automotive and mass-retail stores worldwide

Spinoff 2010

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Consumer Goods

Do-It-Yourself Additives Recharge Auto Air Conditioning

Partnership While working on a Small Business Innovation

Research (SBIR)-funded project, Mainstream Engineering developed a unique liquid additive to enhance thermal control performance

IDQ licensed the technology from Mainstream

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Growing plants in space presents unique challenges, including water limitations and soil

particles floating in microgravity

Many NASA projects have focused on developing and improving hydroponic methods of plant cultivation for use in space


ASA Analytics Inc.Waukesha, Wisconsin

Product Outcome

The original process analyzer is the core of the company’s ChemScan product line

More than 500 analyzer systems monitor water and wastewater treatment processes in cities around the world

The company claims 40-percent compound annual growth as a result of the technology

Spinoff 2010

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Environmental Resources

Systems Analyze Water Quality in Real Time


(SBIR) funding, Biotronics Technologies Inc. developed a process analyzer for providing real-time detection of nutrients, organics, and metals in hydroponic solutions

Company researchers licensed the NASA-derived technology and formed ASA Analytics to pursue commercial applications

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution In 2015, NASA plans to launch the Soil Moisture

Active and Passive (SMAP) mission to take readings critical for understanding the

environment

The best way to measure surface conditions like soil moisture and ocean salinity is through

microwave remote sensing at long wavelengths


ProSensing Inc.Amherst, Massachusetts

Product Outcome

The company offers radiometers for mapping soil moisture, ocean salinity, and wind speed

The technology is in use by multiple universities and international research centers

The devices are being tested for noninvasive temperature readings of cerebrospinal fluid to diagnose conditions like meningitis

Spinoff 2010 Environmental Resources

Compact Radiometers Expand Climate Knowledge


funding helped ProSensing develop low-cost, compact, ultrastable radiometers for sea surfacesalinity and soil moisture mapping

The radiometers were used in NASA’s 2D-STAR array as small components of a larger system, achieving the results of a large antenna without putting a massive structure into space

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA continually explores innovative ways of

overcoming the challenges presented by the extreme demands of the space environment

A manned mission to Mars would require sustainable methods of generating necessities like

fuel and oxygen


Bloom EnergySunnyvale, California

Product Outcome

An Energy Server with a footprint of a parking space can produce power for 100 U.S. homes

The technology produces energy 67-percent cleaner than typical coal power with fossil fuels and 100-percent cleaner with renewables

Energy Servers now provide power to multiple Fortune 500 companies

Spinoff 2010

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Energy Servers Deliver Clean, Affordable Power

Partnership K.R. Sridhar of the University of Arizona’s Space

Technologies Laboratory developed for NASA a fuel cell device that could split Martian water into oxygen for breathing and hydrogen for fuel

Sridhar founded Bloom Energy to develop the technology in reverse—creating clean electricity from oxygen and fuel

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Kennedy is part of the Merritt Island Wildlife

Refuge, home to over 1,500 plant and animal species

NASA works to keep the area as pristine as possible, creating innovative ways to clean up around launch complexes


Toxicological and Environmental Associates Inc.Baton Rogue, Louisiana

Product Outcome

The technology has won multiple honors and a place in the Space Technology Hall of Fame

Several companies are applying EZVI to clean up polluted zones around the world

EZVI is NASA’s most licensed technology to date

Spinoff 2010

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Solutions Remediate Contaminated Groundwater

Partnership NASA scientists collaborated with University of

Central Florida counterparts to develop Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron (EZVI), which neutralizes toxic chemicals in groundwater

Testing with partners through the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program proved EZVI’s effectiveness

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution All resources onboard the International Space

Station (ISS) are limited and must be carefully managed and recycled

Even before ISS construction, NASA investigated ways water could be purified and reused by astronauts living in orbit


Micro-Bac International Inc.Round Rock, Texas

Product Outcome

The NASA-derived microbial solution is part of a product line formulated for the remediation of wastewater and organic wastes

The innovation is also applied for the cleanup of crude oil spills

The technology was called on to mitigate theecological impact of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf

of MexicoSpinoff 2010

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Bacteria Provide Cleanup of Oil Spills, Wastewater


(SBIR) contracts, Micro-Bac developed a phototrophic cell for water purification

The cell contained strains of photosynthetic bacteria isolated to break down toxic chemicals astronauts could encounter on the ISS

The company commercialized the bacterial formulation it developed for the SBIR project

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution During the Skylab launch, one of the spacecraft’s

protective shields was damaged

Marshall led a collaborative effort to repair the shield and save the spacecraft


Advanced Flexible Materials (AFM) Inc. Petaluma, California

Product Outcome

The reflective insulation technology has been incorporated into blankets to trap body heat and prevent hypothermia; it is also used as lining for mittens, vests, and more

The technology has been used to keep manatees warm when lifted from the water during tag-and-release programs

Spinoff 2010

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Reflective Coatings Protect People and Animals

Partnership Private manufacturer National Metalizing created a

reflective sunshield using radiant barrier technology the company had previously

developed for NASA; the solution saved Skylab

AFM now employs the same public domain technology in its products

The radiant barrier technology was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution The space shuttle main engines produce four

times the thrust of commercial jet engines, as well as an extreme amount of vibration

NASA engineers analyze vibrations in the engine systems to diagnose mechanical issues—a costly, tedious, and time-consuming process


AI Signal Research Inc. (ASRI)Huntsville, Alabama

Product Outcome

More than 80 users of the software are enhancing mechanical design and development

efforts across the country

Applications include dynamic signal analysis, system health monitoring, flight data analysis, flow data analysis, and fatigue analysis and

monitoring

Spinoff 2010

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Computer Technology

Innovative Techniques Simplify Vibration Analysis


(SBIR) program, ASRI developed PC-SIGNAL, a software package with improved tools and

techniques for vibration signal analysis

NASA employs PC-SIGNAL for the development and testing of propulsion systems

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Rocket engines operate under extreme temperature and pressure, making testing and

simulating the technology a challenge

NASA engineers required an advanced computer application to model the physical and chemical phenomena that occur in these engines


CRAFT Tech Inc.Pipersville, Pennsylvania

Product Outcome

The NASA-derived CRUNCH CFD software is now applied in commercial aerospace and other industries for analyzing and designing engine systems

The technology has a long list of potential applications, including in the liquefied natural gas

industry and a variety of fluid flow devices

Spinoff 2010

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Computer Technology

Modeling Tools Predict Flow in Fluid Dynamics

Partnership With Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

funding, CRAFT Tech invented software to simulate cryogenic fluid flows and related phenomena in liquid rocket turbopumps

The technology formed the foundation of state-of-the-art tools that have impacted the design of NASA rocket engine test facilities

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Space operations require robust, fail-resistant

programming to ensure the safe, effective execution of mission-critical control systems

NASA developed a powerful verification toolkit called Java Pathfinder (JPF) for software written in the popular Java programming language


Fujitsu Laboratories of America Inc.Sunnyvale, California

Product Outcome

The enhanced technology unearths software bugs not found with existing technologies

The software helps ensure operation and security of Web-based Java programs like banking applications and shopping carts

Fujitsu open-sourced its string input extension for NASA and others to continue development

Spinoff 2010

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Computer Technology

Verification Tools Secure Online Shopping, Banking

Partnership JPF’s Symbolic Pathfinder tool could automatically

analyze code structure to find defects but could not handle text inputs, or strings

Fujitsu built upon the open-source NASA software to create string input capabilities, increasing the tool’s effectiveness

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Systems health management seeks to understand

systems, assess their health, pinpoint problems, and support maintenance or repair

NASA employs this discipline to ensure the successful operation of its rockets, crew vehicles, and other complex systems


Qualtech Systems Inc. (QSI)Wethersfield, Connecticut

Product Outcome

TEAMS captures how a system fails, guiding engineers in making real-time diagnoses

The software substantially lowers costs and time dedicated to troubleshooting

General Motors hopes to use TEAMS in cars to diagnose engine trouble before failure occurs

Spinoff 2010

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Computer Technology

Virtual Toolsets Maintain Health of Complex Systems

Partnership To strengthen this approach, NASA worked with

Qualtech through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program

QSI adapted and employed its TEAMS toolset for the detection and isolation of electromechanical problems

Software is now in use by multiple NASA centers

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution The NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division

provides extremely fast supercomputing resources for NASA missions and other scientific endeavors

NASA was an early proponent of grid computing, which enables the sharing of computing power across geographic locations


FusionGeo Inc.The Woodlands, Texas

Product Outcome

Now called FusionGeo, the company offers its NASA-derived software commercially

The technology is well suited for processing seismic imaging for oil and gas exploration

It is also applicable to data-demanding tasks such as geothermal energy exploration and

carbon dioxide sequestration monitoring

Spinoff 2010

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Computer Technology

Framework Resources Multiply Computing Power


funding enabled 3DGeo Development Inc. to create its grid-enabled Internet Seismic

Processing (G-INSP) product

G-INSP demonstrates a virtual computer environment that links geographically dispersed

computer systems over the Internet to solve large computational problems

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA began the Small Explorer (SMEX) program

to develop low-cost, high-performance spacecraft for science missions

To support these science-seeking missions, NASA began work on a software system to assist in developing and testing spacecraft


The Hammers Company Inc. (tHC Inc.)Greenbelt, Maryland

Product Outcome

Both software tools are in use by commercial entities in the aerospace industry

The software is applied to support the development of science instruments, spacecraft

computer systems, and navigation software

The technology has created and saved more than a dozen jobs at the company

Spinoff 2010

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Tools Automate Spacecraft Testing, Operation

Partnership Through SMEX, tHC Inc. created an all-in-one

software for the development, testing, and on-mission operation of spacecraft

The company also developed a satellite simulation tool through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution JPL developed innovative software called the

GPS-Inferred Positioning System and Orbit Analysis Software, or GIPSY-OASIS

The center refined the software to become a sophisticated system for calculating accurate positioning data for satellites


DigitalGlobeLongmont, Colorado

Product Outcome

As one of two commercial suppliers of high-resolution Earth imagery, DigitalGlobe uses GIPSY to link precise location data with images

The company provides imagery for emergency response and infrastructure planning, as well as for Google and Microsoft Internet mapping

services

Spinoff 2010

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GPS Software Packages Deliver Positioning Solutions

Partnership Hundreds of commercial and non-commercial

licenses for GIPSY and the companion Real-Time GIPSY software have been released

DigitalGlobe licensed the technology for orbit determination of the company’s imaging satellites

The technology was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame and was named a NASA “Software of the Year”

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA’s Inflatable Antenna Experiment (IAE) laid

the foundation for future work on inflatable satellites and space structures

A new device onboard the IAE’s host satellite recorded and stored the experiment’s critical test data


SEAKR Engineering Inc.Centennial, Colorado

Product Outcome

The company is now the world leader in solid-state recorder technology for spacecraft

More than 85 systems have launched onboard NASA, military, and commercial spacecraft

SEAKR employed solid-state expertise to develop hardware for the International Space Station, cargo aircraft, and space Internet routing

Spinoff 2010

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Solid-State Recorders Enhance Scientific Data Collection

Partnership The IAE’s solid-state recorder (SSR) was developed by SEAKR under the Small Business

Innovation Research (SBIR) program

The company’s SSRs opened up new capabilities for space missions that were previously hampered by existing tape recorder limitations

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Understanding the properties of lunar and Martian

soil is necessary to develop technologies that can operate in those environments

NASA studies the electrostatic phenomena of granular and bulk materials as they apply to planetary surfaces


DEM Solutions Inc.Lebanon, New Hampshire

Product Outcome

EDEM’s capabilities are well suited for terrestrial applications, such as modeling the handling of sandy or cohesive soils

The software is also applicable for pharmaceuticals, helping with the management of fine particles necessary for drug manufacturing

Spinoff 2010

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Computer Models Simulate Fine Particle Dispersion

Partnership Through a NASA Seed Fund partnership, DEM

created new capabilities for its EDEM software

The software provides for the simulation and analysis of bulk materials flow in a wide range of particle handling and manufacturing operations

EDEM simulations are used in designing NASA surface systems dust mitigation technologies

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA engineers have studied new materials,

composites, and methods for creating jet engine fan casings

NASA worked with industry to develop strong, lightweight materials to protect against

damage caused by fan blade breakage


WebCore Technologies LLCMiamisburg, Ohio

Product Outcome

The technology is used in marine and ground transportation, mobile shelters, and bridges, and allows wind blade manufacturers to make larger, more efficient wind turbines

The material was selected by NASA as potential technology for reducing the cost and risk of future human space flight missions

Spinoff 2010

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Industrial Productivity

Composite Sandwich Technologies Lighten Components


(SBIR) program, WebCore developed a fiber-reinforced foam sandwich panel for

industrial and consumer applications

The technology exhibits excellent damage localization and stiffness during impact

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA’s LCROSS mission launched a rocket stage

into the Moon to determine the presence of water in the resulting plume

Two of the LCROSS instruments were short wave infrared (SWIR) cameras


Goodrich CorporationPrinceton, New Jersey

Product Outcome

The cameras combine small size, low weight, and low power with high sensitivity/resolution

Applications include detecting moisture in pulp, paper, and agriculture; sorting recycled plastic products; machine vision; spectroscopy;

semiconductor inspection; and detecting defects in solar panels

Spinoff 2010

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Cameras Reveal Elements in the Short Wave Infrared

Partnership Since the 1990s, NASA sought advanced imaging

technology for the SWIR wavelengths

Through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts, Sensors Unlimited Inc.—later acquired by Goodrich—refined its indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) SWIR camera technologies

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA’s Terrestrial Planet Finder instrument will

combine the high sensitivity of space telescopes with new imaging tools employing adaptive optics

To this end, NASA is exploring uses for deformable mirror (DM) technologies


Boston Micromachines CorporationCambridge, Massachusetts

Product Outcome

The company now features a full product line of MEMS DMs providing image correction for

astronomical imaging

Observatories around the world employ the technology

The DMs are applied for laser communications and microscopy for medicine and biotechnology

Spinoff 2010

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Deformable Mirrors Correct Optical Distortions


(SBIR) contracts, the company created a microelectromechanical (MEMS) DM

The company claims the SBIR program accelerated the development of the technology

by years

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope employs

aspheres, or non-spherical mirrors

Precision interferometers, used for measuring optical surfaces, are necessary for high-quality aspheric optics


QED Technologies Rochester, New York

Product Outcome

The technology allowed aspheres to become more prevalent in telescopes, microscopes, and binoculars

Using aspheres results in higher quality images and reduced system size

The device is employed to make optics in Asia, Europe, and North America

Spinoff 2010

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Stitching Techniques Advance Optics Manufacturing

Partnership Goddard noted QED’s interferometer technology

and worked with the company through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to enhance the instruments

The company produced a breakthrough, “R&D 100” Award-winning tool that reduces cost and time of asphere production for commercial

applications

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Langley engineers developed the High Spectral

Resolution Lidar (HSRL) to measure cloud and aerosol properties for climate research

HSRL has also been used to monitor air quality and study the behavior of wildfire smoke plumes


AdvR Inc.Bozeman, Montana

Product Outcome

The technology reduces the volume of standard equipment by a factor of 10

Company products have been employed for NASA missions and non-space uses such as bioscience and medical applications

Product capabilities could lead to adoption for billboards, televisions, and other displays

Spinoff 2010

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Compact, Robust Chips Integrate Optical Functions

Partnership NASA partnered with AdvR through the Small

Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop an optical waveguide circuit to aid HSRL in making precise measurements

The circuit integrates several key functions into asingle, compact, robust device while still producing precise measurements as necessary for NASA

use

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Fuel cells have long provided an important source

of power for extended space missions

At the center of NASA’s fuel cell research and development, Glenn continues to look for new ways to improve the technology


TesSol Inc.Battle Ground, Washington

Product Outcome

The technology provides automated operation and control for fuel cells, catalysts, batteries,

and process controls being tested

Customers include universities, laboratories, government entities, and businesses

The technology saves money for the fuel cell industry through efficient testing capabilities

Spinoff 2010

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Fuel Cell Stations Automate Processes, Catalyst Testing


(SBIR) contracts, Lynntech Inc. developed and commercialized fully automated fuel cell testing equipment

The NASA-derived Fideris product line is now offered commercially by TesSol

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA’s LCROSS spacecraft featured nine instruments, including five cameras

The mission’s tight budget required an affordable, efficient handling unit to control, route, and

transmit instrument data back to Earth

Ames Research CenterDryden Flight Research Center

Ecliptic Enterprises CorporationPasadena, California

Product Outcome

Ecliptic gained enhanced technologies and high-speed/definition video capabilities

The company has video systems onboard multiple rockets and commercial satellites

The technology will enable educational video from the MoonKAM system on NASA’s GRAIL spacecraft

Spinoff 2010

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Onboard Systems Record Unique Videos of Space Missions

Partnership Ecliptic provides onboard video systems for use on rockets and spacecraft

LCROSS team partnered with Ecliptic to use thecompany’s digital video controller as the

spacecraft’s Data Handling Unit

The company also collaborated with Dryden to develop a high-speed video system for the

Constellation Abort Flight Test program

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution The Space Vacuum Expitaxy Center (SVEC) at the University of Houston was one of 17 Commercial Space Centers established by NASA

Researchers at the SVEC and NASA developed the Wake Shield Facility (WSF) to grow thin film materials in space


Applied Optoelectronics Incorporated (AOI)Sugar Land, Texas

Product Outcome

AOI manufactures a crystal material used to make laser diodes and photo diodes

The company is now one of the largest developers and manufacturers of advanced optical devices, selling 1 million devices annually

The technology is applied to fiber optic networks for cable television and communications

Spinoff 2010

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Space Research Results Purify Semiconductor Materials

Partnership The partnership resulted in advancement of

molecular beam epitaxy, a method of developing thin film materials

SVEC researchers formed AOI to fabricate devices using the advanced techniques and knowledge from the WSF partnership

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution NASA has often turned to complex robotics to

extend human presence deep into space at reduced risk and cost

To simplify and enhance the use of its robotic systems, Johnson sought generic control methods that could work across every system


Energid Technologies CorporationCambridge, Massachusetts

Product Outcome

The Actin toolkit provides control capabilities for virtually any kind of robot with any kind/number of joints or degrees of freedom

Actin allows for fluid motion while enhancing strength and accuracy of robot manipulators

The software also provides powerful simulation capabilities for robot design

Spinoff 2010

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Toolkits Control Motion of Complex Robotics

Partnership Small Business Innovation Partnership (SBIR)

funding allowed Energid to build unique robot control and simulation software

The SBIR-derived Actin software is now the basis for the company’s operations and a solution for a host of robotics applications

NASA Spinoff 2010 - Presentation

Technology

Transcript of NASA Spinoff 2010 - Presentation