Army Futures Command (AFC) releases topics during three specific solicitation periods throughout the fiscal year to address the Army’s current and anticipated war-fighting technology needs.
Point of need (PON) food production may sustain units deployed in contested logistics (CL) environments and reduce class I logistics burden. Research initiated by DARPA and the DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes has identified novel methods to utilize PON resource processing that can maintain military dominance in a contested or denied logistics environment.
Automated and Modular Forward Deployed Biomanufacturing Unit for Warfighter Field Read More »
Human patient simulators leverage unreliable mechanical air bladders, anatomically inaccurate synthetic tissues (Hannay et. all, 2022; Lee et. all, 2021; Norfleet et. all, 2015), and often do not accurately show a patient progression or regression during treatment.
Dynamic Synthetic Tissues for Medical Simulation and Training Read More »
The goal of this Army Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) topic is the detection, tracking, and identification of airborne drones from their radio frequency transmissions, visual or acoustic signatures using passive sensors.
Quantum magnetometers, especially those utilizing Diamond Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) technology, offer a significant advancement in sensitivity and precision beyond conventional explosive detection methods [1]. Utilizing quantum mechanical principles, such as electron and atomic nucleus spin states, these devices can detect minor fluctuations in magnetic fields.
Maneuver elements require situational understanding of adversary actions and the threat conditions in their areas of operation. Friendly forces appreciate limited remote sensing capabilities for remote targeting of adversary assets and chemical hazard threats along routes, zones, and areas of interest throughout their battlespace.
Algorithms for Modular Remote Expendable Sensor Array Read More »
This topic seeks to leverage advances in algorithms, processing techniques, and embedded hardware to improve image quality for human consumption of thermal longwave (LWIR) and LWIR fused with near-infrared imagery (NIR). The primary objectives of this work are to reduce cognitive burden during long duration missions and improve user acceptance of systems which employ LWIR and NIR sensors.
Lightweight AI-enabled image processing for Soldier-borne thermal imagers Read More »
The success of U.S. Army missions depends on personnel and platforms having access to accurate and reliable position, velocity, attitude, and time information. Army missions such as Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF), Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) rely on inertial navigation systems to provide continuous position and velocity information for accurate navigation
Multilayer Waveguide Optical Gyroscope Read More »
Electrification and hybridization are rapidly enabling new rotorcraft design options. Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) research efforts within the U.S. Army continue to expand.
High Power and Torque Electric Motors for Direct-Drive Rotorcraft Applications Read More »
The government shall provide phase I contractor(s) with a non-exclusive, royalty free, government/commercial use license for US patents [1]-[2], and pending patent [3] for 10 years to develop a FPGA softcore based Aberdeen Architecture. License is not transferable. License ends if the company changes ownership, is sold, merges with another company (ies), etc.
Solid-State Scalable/Tileable Imaging Detector for High-Energy Neutron Radiography Read More »
Since 2019 there have been demonstrations of ferroelectric III-Nitride semiconductors with potential to impact future electronic and photonic applications due to their extraordinary properties. However, the only epitaxial growth process that produces single crystal thin films has been molecular beam epitaxy [1-3] and these films have already shown tremendous potential.
The alloys primarily focused upon so far are centered around incorporating scandium (Sc) in the AlGaN system. The opportunity for other group IIIb based alloys such as Yttrium has also been shown and may have merit to improve certain properties of the ferroelectrics [4,5]. Although the Army has started a MURI program based upon this subject, the use of MOCVD is complementary to that effort and requires novel precursors to grow the thin films [6,7]. Such MOCVD thin films would constitute the most easily manufacturable solution for larger wafer scale processes [6,7].
Thus, the aim is to develop them in parallel to some basic research for easy technology transition. Four inch or larger wafers are quite common to MOCVD reactors but are not possible in research grade MBE systems. The material science innovative research and development from this topic can enable useful product development at manufacturing for ferroelectric III-Nitride devices. Examples of this include high operating temperature electronic memory, high temperature electronic circuits, and integrated nonlinear optical photonic circuits for UV-visible wavelengths.
Electronic quality ferroelectric III-Nitride epitaxy for device heterostructures Read More »
