Aerosol Particle Collectors for Microsensor Platforms

Aerosol Particle Collectors for Microsensor Platforms is sponsored by Department of Defense (Army SBIR). This SBIR opportunity seeks the development, demonstration, validation, and production of aerosol particle collectors compatible with microsensor platforms in terms of size, weight, power, and cost.

Aerosol Particle Collectors for Microsensor Platforms – Army SBIR|STTR Program Chemical and Biological, Army STTR, Phase I Aerosol Particle Collectors for Microsensor Platforms Application Due Date: 06/14/2023 Develop, demonstrate, validate, and produce aerosol particle collectors which are Size, Weight, and Power + Cost compatible with microsensor platforms and capable of being produced using advanced manufacturing techniques.

Small, low-power, low-cost, networked, and potentially attritable sensors (“microsensors”) can be rapidly dispersed over an area to enhance situational awareness and continuously monitor for threats such as toxic chemicals or pathogens. The ability to use networks of smaller and cheaper sensors instead of large and expensive systems will allow Warfighters to maintain increasingly expeditionary postures.

Current systems for capturing aerosol particles in defense-relevant size ranges and delivering these particles to downstream devices for analysis are not suitable for use microsensors, due to size, power consumption, robustness, or the ability to operate without manual intervention.

Recent innovations in miniaturized components such as pumps, well- or channel-based impactors, electrostatic precipitators, and impingers offer potential means by which to capture aerosols then deliver them in a solvent to a downstream process while remaining small and consuming minimal power.

To realize these capabilities, additional development is required to identify specific collection components, match them with air and liquid pumps, and demonstrate the ability to efficiently collect and deliver particles in relevant size ranges. To enable successful integration with multiple types of microsensor detection and identification modules, flexible designs are favored.

Desired features include but are not limited to 1) The ability to quickly modify a ‘base design’ to collect different particle sizes, 2) delivering particles in varying volumes of different solvents, 3) utilization of components designed to be produced close to the point of need using advanced manufacturing techniques, and 4) operating under the control of non-proprietary code to enable agile experimentation and integration with experimental detector and identifier modules.

Identify components suitable to achieve aerosol collection and subsequent delivery in a liquid solvent within a minimal SWaP+C envelope. Demonstrate the function of these components in a breadboard system (it is not necessary to minimize SWaP+C at the breadboard stage, but the ability to make those components work in the tightest envelope possible is a vital criterion for later phases).

Evaluate their performance working together in the breadboard system. Deliver a report on the breadboard system to include performance data, cost, size, and power consumption of the breadboard system, and an estimate of the cost, size, and power consumption of the system were it to be integrated, packaged, and optimized. Investigate potential civilian markets for the technology.

Develop an integrated collector module based on the breadboard design: Integrate components into a small physical package (threshold: 350mL, objective: 175mL) with efficient power usage (threshold: can idle for 6 hours and perform 4 collect-dispense cycles on a battery internal to the device, objective: can idle for 24 hours and perform 24 collect-dispense cycles on a battery internal to the device), and reasonable weight (threshold: 500 grams, objective: 200 grams).

Demonstrate the performance of this collector module on relevant aerosol challenges. Demonstrate integration with Army-specified detector modules. Participate in a user-engagement event with a field demonstration component.

Deliver reports on these activities, prototypes, and technical data packages to include component and system models and software/firmware used on the device. Develop version(s) of the module suitable for identified civilian applications and explore commercialization.

Mature concepts and prototypes into a manufacturable or transition-capable system: Refine the integrated collector module to improve performance or the ability to flexibly integrate with multiple detectors and multiple missions. Establish the use of advanced manufacturing to adapt the base design to different detectors or missions in collaboration with potential user groups.

Develop documentation on the use of the technology for multiple mission types and transition the technology to DoD partners. Commercialize products based on the enabling technologies for civilian applications. Please refer to the 23.

B BAA for more information. Proposals must be submitted via the DoD Submission site at https://www. dodsbirsttr.

mil/submissions/login Pan, M. ; Lednicky, J. A.

; Wu, C. Y. , Collection, particle sizing and detection of airborne viruses.

J Appl Microbiol 2019, 127 (6), 1596-1611. Li, H. Y.

; Liu, J. K. ; Li, K.

; Liu, Y. X. , A review of recent studies on piezoelectric pumps and their applications.

Mech Syst Signal Pr 2021, 151. Lee, U. N.

; van Neel, T. L. ; Lim, F.

Y. ; Khor, J. W.

; He, J. Y. ; Vaddi, R.

S. ; Ong, A. Q.

W. ; Tang, A. ; Berthier, J.

; Meschke, J. S. ; Novosselov, I.

V. ; Theberge, A. B.

; Berthier, E. , Miniaturizing Wet Scrubbers for Aerosolized Droplet Capture. Anal Chem 2021, 93 (33), 11433-11441.

He, J. Y. ; Beck, N.

K. ; Kossik, A. L.

; Zhang, J. W. ; Seto, E.

; Meschke, J. S. ; Novosselov, I.

, Evaluation of micro-well collector for capture and analysis of aerosolized Bacillus subtilis spores. Plos One 2018, 13 (5). Develop, demonstrate, validate, and produce aerosol particle collectors which are Size, Weight, and Power + Cost compatible with microsensor platforms and capable of being produced using advanced manufacturing techniques.

Small, low-power, low-cost, networked, and potentially attritable sensors (“microsensors”) can be rapidly dispersed over an area to enhance situational awareness and continuously monitor for threats such as toxic chemicals or pathogens. The ability to use networks of smaller and cheaper sensors instead of large and expensive systems will allow Warfighters to maintain increasingly expeditionary postures.

Current systems for capturing aerosol particles in defense-relevant size ranges and delivering these particles to downstream devices for analysis are not suitable for use microsensors, due to size, power consumption, robustness, or the ability to operate without manual intervention.

Recent innovations in miniaturized components such as pumps, well- or channel-based impactors, electrostatic precipitators, and impingers offer potential means by which to capture aerosols then deliver them in a solvent to a downstream process while remaining small and consuming minimal power.

To realize these capabilities, additional development is required to identify specific collection components, match them with air and liquid pumps, and demonstrate the ability to efficiently collect and deliver particles in relevant size ranges. To enable successful integration with multiple types of microsensor detection and identification modules, flexible designs are favored.

Desired features include but are not limited to 1) The ability to quickly modify a ‘base design’ to collect different particle sizes, 2) delivering particles in varying volumes of different solvents, 3) utilization of components designed to be produced close to the point of need using advanced manufacturing techniques, and 4) operating under the control of non-proprietary code to enable agile experimentation and integration with experimental detector and identifier modules.

Identify components suitable to achieve aerosol collection and subsequent delivery in a liquid solvent within a minimal SWaP+C envelope. Demonstrate the function of these components in a breadboard system (it is not necessary to minimize SWaP+C at the breadboard stage, but the ability to make those components work in the tightest envelope possible is a vital criterion for later phases).

Evaluate their performance working together in the breadboard system. Deliver a report on the breadboard system to include performance data, cost, size, and power consumption of the breadboard system, and an estimate of the cost, size, and power consumption of the system were it to be integrated, packaged, and optimized. Investigate potential civilian markets for the technology.

Develop an integrated collector module based on the breadboard design: Integrate components into a small physical package (threshold: 350mL, objective: 175mL) with efficient power usage (threshold: can idle for 6 hours and perform 4 collect-dispense cycles on a battery internal to the device, objective: can idle for 24 hours and perform 24 collect-dispense cycles on a battery internal to the device), and reasonable weight (threshold: 500 grams, objective: 200 grams).

Demonstrate the performance of this collector module on relevant aerosol challenges. Demonstrate integration with Army-specified detector modules. Participate in a user-engagement event with a field demonstration component.

Deliver reports on these activities, prototypes, and technical data packages to include component and system models and software/firmware used on the device. Develop version(s) of the module suitable for identified civilian applications and explore commercialization.

Mature concepts and prototypes into a manufacturable or transition-capable system: Refine the integrated collector module to improve performance or the ability to flexibly integrate with multiple detectors and multiple missions. Establish the use of advanced manufacturing to adapt the base design to different detectors or missions in collaboration with potential user groups.

Develop documentation on the use of the technology for multiple mission types and transition the technology to DoD partners. Commercialize products based on the enabling technologies for civilian applications. Please refer to the 23.

B BAA for more information. Proposals must be submitted via the DoD Submission site at https://www. dodsbirsttr.

mil/submissions/login Pan, M. ; Lednicky, J. A.

; Wu, C. Y. , Collection, particle sizing and detection of airborne viruses.

J Appl Microbiol 2019, 127 (6), 1596-1611. Li, H. Y.

; Liu, J. K. ; Li, K.

; Liu, Y. X. , A review of recent studies on piezoelectric pumps and their applications.

Mech Syst Signal Pr 2021, 151. Lee, U. N.

; van Neel, T. L. ; Lim, F.

Y. ; Khor, J. W.

; He, J. Y. ; Vaddi, R.

S. ; Ong, A. Q.

W. ; Tang, A. ; Berthier, J.

; Meschke, J. S. ; Novosselov, I.

V. ; Theberge, A. B.

; Berthier, E. , Miniaturizing Wet Scrubbers for Aerosolized Droplet Capture. Anal Chem 2021, 93 (33), 11433-11441.

He, J. Y. ; Beck, N.

K. ; Kossik, A. L.

; Zhang, J. W. ; Seto, E.

; Meschke, J. S. ; Novosselov, I.

, Evaluation of micro-well collector for capture and analysis of aerosolized Bacillus subtilis spores. Plos One 2018, 13 (5). Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology ASA(ALT) releases contract opportunities on an ad-hoc basis to meet Army research and development needs.

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. Army STTR follows AFC’s topic release schedule but partners with a university, federally funded research and development center, or a qualified non-profit research institution as part of their contract.

Is the opportunity to establish the scientific, technical, commercial merit and feasibility of your proposed innovation. Is focused on the development, demonstration and delivery of your innovation from Phase I. Represents the commercialization phase of the program in which the company can market their products or services developed in Phase II, either to the government or in the commercial sector.

Allows small businesses to submit to Direct to Phase II applications if they performed the Phase I research through other funding sources. Provides funding to projects that require additional funding during their open Phase II contract. A Phase II Awardee may receive one additional, sequential Phase II award to continue the work of an initial Phase II award.

The sequential Phase II award has the same guideline amounts and limits as an initial Phase II award.

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (supply chain management, logistics coordination, target identifications and simulation) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (additive manufacturing) Autonomy (unmanned systems, drones, ground vehicle capabilities) Chemical and Biological (detection, defense) Cyber (biometric authentication, secure communications) Electronics (microelectronics, Very-Large-Scale Integration (VLSI)) Electronic Warfare (jamming, spoofing) Human Performance (wearables) Immersive (augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality) Network Technologies (antennas, radio frequency, communications systems) Position, Navigation, and Timing (GPS) Power (batteries, generators) Software Modernization (high performance computing, data management and visualization) Sensors (infrared sensing) Weapons Systems (hypersonics, munitions and projectiles, directed energy)