Sensors, ASA(ALT), Phase I
Lightweight Longwave Bolometer Sensor Components
Objective
Vendors will develop components that lower the size, weight and power of thermal, bolometer-type longwave sensor payloads.
Description
Thermal longwave infrared capabilities are crucial to Army applications. Meanwhile, size, weight and power are of paramount importance for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. However, such sensors are limited by payload constraints and often underperform because they cannot take advantage of the higher performance embedded hardware necessary for autonomy or other missions.
To address these challenges, the Army seeks to develop components that offer thermal payload weight reduction, while enabling it to increase its capabilities and retain low unit costs. U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research Phase I will evaluate such components. The potential Phase II and Phase II sequential will take all the best components and demonstrate them in a single very lightweight module, 5–10 g including lens. All components should support high resolution sensors running at 30 Hz or faster.
Phase I
The Army will only accept Army SBIR Phase I proposals for a contract worth up to $250,000 over a 6-month performance period. During this time, firms shall design a proposed component with stakeholder input. The design does not need to be fabrication ready. However, it should show a thorough understanding of the technology, seek to drive down risk and earn a potential Phase II.
- Businesses must discuss how the component will support the sensor payload objective.
- Vendors should demonstrate how to transition the completed component into that payload.
- Firms must analyze the SWAP-C impact of the component on a hypothetical sensor payload.
Phase II
- Complete the component design.
- Fabricate, assess and characterize the component to show that it is ready for integration into a lightweight sensor payload.
- Refine the design as necessary and iteratively re-fabricate and re-test if appropriate.
- Define and document relevant interfaces to enable integration.
- Lay out a high-level plan for how your component could integrate into a lightweight payload and explore partners to enable the transition plan, if needed.
Phase III
- Leveraging bolometer manufacturing methods for LWIR sensors has proven efficacious via academic research.
- Additionally, research at the University of Chicago has shown the efficacy of leveraging colloidal quantum dots as a cheap way to make IR light sensing. However, it is still quite nascent and academic in nature. Per the International Institute for Strategic Studies, China and Japan lead QD sensing development.
- Military contractors, like BAE Systems and L3Harris, have driven the research and development within the LWIR sensor and bolometer manufacturing spaces.
- Potential dual uses of remote LWIR sensing include:
- Cheap smartphone camera augmentation.
- UAV camera augmentation, specifically via the Office of Naval Research.
- Home security systems.
- Climate tech via QD development.
Submission Information
All eligible businesses must submit proposals by noon, ET.
To view full solicitation details, click here.
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
References:
- https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2666249
- https://patents.google.com/patent/US20140267756A1/en
- https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1674-1056/ac4026
- UAS; Thermal Longwave Infrared; LWIR; Sensors; Bolometer; Weight; Payload
Objective
Vendors will develop components that lower the size, weight and power of thermal, bolometer-type longwave sensor payloads.
Description
Thermal longwave infrared capabilities are crucial to Army applications. Meanwhile, size, weight and power are of paramount importance for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. However, such sensors are limited by payload constraints and often underperform because they cannot take advantage of the higher performance embedded hardware necessary for autonomy or other missions.
To address these challenges, the Army seeks to develop components that offer thermal payload weight reduction, while enabling it to increase its capabilities and retain low unit costs. U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research Phase I will evaluate such components. The potential Phase II and Phase II sequential will take all the best components and demonstrate them in a single very lightweight module, 5–10 g including lens. All components should support high resolution sensors running at 30 Hz or faster.
Phase I
The Army will only accept Army SBIR Phase I proposals for a contract worth up to $250,000 over a 6-month performance period. During this time, firms shall design a proposed component with stakeholder input. The design does not need to be fabrication ready. However, it should show a thorough understanding of the technology, seek to drive down risk and earn a potential Phase II.
- Businesses must discuss how the component will support the sensor payload objective.
- Vendors should demonstrate how to transition the completed component into that payload.
- Firms must analyze the SWAP-C impact of the component on a hypothetical sensor payload.
Phase II
- Complete the component design.
- Fabricate, assess and characterize the component to show that it is ready for integration into a lightweight sensor payload.
- Refine the design as necessary and iteratively re-fabricate and re-test if appropriate.
- Define and document relevant interfaces to enable integration.
- Lay out a high-level plan for how your component could integrate into a lightweight payload and explore partners to enable the transition plan, if needed.
Phase III
- Leveraging bolometer manufacturing methods for LWIR sensors has proven efficacious via academic research.
- Additionally, research at the University of Chicago has shown the efficacy of leveraging colloidal quantum dots as a cheap way to make IR light sensing. However, it is still quite nascent and academic in nature. Per the International Institute for Strategic Studies, China and Japan lead QD sensing development.
- Military contractors, like BAE Systems and L3Harris, have driven the research and development within the LWIR sensor and bolometer manufacturing spaces.
- Potential dual uses of remote LWIR sensing include:
- Cheap smartphone camera augmentation.
- UAV camera augmentation, specifically via the Office of Naval Research.
- Home security systems.
- Climate tech via QD development.
Submission Information
All eligible businesses must submit proposals by noon, ET.
To view full solicitation details, click here.
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
References:
- https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2666249
- https://patents.google.com/patent/US20140267756A1/en
- https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1674-1056/ac4026
- UAS; Thermal Longwave Infrared; LWIR; Sensors; Bolometer; Weight; Payload