The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded over $7 million to 23 small businesses across 14 states through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The funding, made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, will support research and development in various fields, including advanced communications, cybersecurity, health and biological systems, and advanced manufacturing.
The awarded businesses will receive funding for Phase I and II projects, with Phase I focusing on establishing the merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of proposed research and development. Phase II will involve further development of prototypes. The awarded projects cover a wide range of technologies, including:
– A new type of nanostructure array for medical masks with high filtration efficiency, low breathing resistance, and good antimicrobial capabilities
– A pilot regional additive manufacturing quality control center to address access to appropriate testing facilities for critical supplies in a pandemic
– A testbed for multispectral fluorescence sensing of airborne proxy infectious particles in actual indoor environments
– A powder for disinfection of personal protective equipment (PPE) to enable reuse
– A new quantum material consisting of phosphorus-doped diamond materials for quantum technologies
– A software tool to provide resilience metrics and mitigation guidance for utilities and communities against cascading infrastructure failures
– A nondestructive testing technique using near-infrared spectroscopy to assess the quality of in-pharmacy 3D drug printing
– A cloud-capable software platform for optimizing plant growth and production output
– A technique to protect against counterfeit manufactured components by connecting a physical part with a secure database protected by blockchain technology
– A system for real-time thickness measurement of coatings on small objects with complex geometries
– A new process to manufacture high volumes of miniaturized chemical gas sensors for wearable safety applications
– A feasibility study to advance research in short wavelength infrared (SWIR) technology for emerging markets
– A technology to enable real-time tracking of first responders in GPS-denied environments
– An approach to enable computation on encrypted data using a new version of an encryption method
– A project to evaluate the printing and mixing parameters of a new nanocomposite material for energy-efficient manufacturing of printed circuitry
– A project to extend the ability to manufacture 100 nm polystyrene latex size standards to include 200 and 400 nm latexes
– A single analytical instrument for rapid, high-sensitivity measurements of additive manufacturing feedstock powders and printed parts
– An experimental discovery system capable of screening for and implementing new materials for the 3D manufacture of novel optical and photonic devices
– The design and production of mechanical metamaterials for lightweight high-strength sandwich panels
– A hybrid metrology system for fast, cost-effective, and nondestructive characterization of thin film materials and semiconductor devices
– A prototype purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) for expanded use in various applications
These projects aim to address specific technical needs and advance technologies in various fields, with potential applications in healthcare, manufacturing, materials science, and more.
Keywords: Phosphorous, Diamond, Quantum, Measurements, Nanotubes
