nasa technology for astronauts living in space, getting adequate rest is a challenge due to erratic...
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NASA Technology For astronauts living in space, getting adequate rest
is a challenge due to erratic schedules, microgravity-related ailments, and disrupted circadian rhythms
The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), a 10-minute test which helps ascertain levels of fatigue, is too time-consuming of a process for busy astronauts
Johnson Space Center
Pulsar InformaticsPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Benefits Trucking companies and commercial airlines use
the test to help prevent accidents caused by driver and pilot fatigue
Since the NASA collaboration, the number of full-time engineers and computer developers has grown from 3 to 24, and revenues have grown 75 percent every year
Spinoff 2013 Health and Medicine
Innovative Software Tools Measure Behavioral Alertness
Technology Transfer Pulsar Informatics helped shorten the PVT and
developed software for the test that is now used on the International Space Station
The company commercialized the software, which is now used by companies and government agencies to monitor personnel fatigue
NASA Technology Astronauts who work in space for long durations
suffer from cardiovascular deconditioning NASA, Case Western University, and the Cleveland
Clinic developed the Portable Unit for Metabolic Analysis (PUMA), which can measure metabolic rates as efficiently as the bulkier metabolic carts
Glenn Research Center
Orbital Research Inc.Cleveland, Ohio
Benefits The current PUMA technology is even more
lightweight and portable, and improved electronics allow for longer battery life
Other projects include contracts with the Navy and bringing the technology into hospitals to monitor patient oxygen intake to improve recovery time
Spinoff 2013 Health and Medicine
Miniaturized, Portable Sensors Monitor Metabolic Health
Technology Transfer Orbital Research entered into a Space Act
Agreement and worked with NASA to shrink PUMA’s components even further in order for the US Navy to study problems with pilots and oxygen deficiency
The company then entered into a contract with the US Air Force to develop carbon dioxide sensors, which helped the agency investigate issues with the life support systems onboard F-22 fighter aircraft
NASA Technology Prior to spaceflight, astronauts must be trained in
basic emergency procedures and skills Patient simulators on the market were not well-
suited for the surprisingly heavy impacts incurred by astronauts training in microgravity
Johnson Space Center
CAE HealthcareSarasota, Florida
Benefits CAE Healthcare sells its ruggedized models to
the Army Medics and the Air Force’s Critical Care Air Transport Team, which use the equipment in simulated emergency exercises
Newer models include one used in combat casualty and disaster response scenarios and another that operates wirelessly
Spinoff 2013 Health and Medicine
Patient Simulators Train Emergency Caregivers
Technology Transfer METI (now CAE Healthcare) worked with Johnson
through Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding to develop more rugged patient simulators
The company implemented the improvements into later models of patient simulators that entered the commercial market
NASA Technology Over the years, NASA has advanced photovoltaic
technology to power components on spacecraft, rovers, and the International Space Station
The Space Agency has transferred this technology for uses on Earth, including water pumping systems, medical equipment, and lighting
Johnson Space Center
SunDanzer Refrigeration Inc.El Paso, Texas
Benefits The units are ideal for use in rural, sunny areas
with little or inconsistent access to electricity
Setup is simple and doesn’t require a technician
The refrigerator can withstand combination cloudy weather and outside temperatures of 109.4 °F for 3½ days
Spinoff 2013 Health and Medicine
Solar Refrigerators Store Life-Saving Vaccines
Technology Transfer David Bergeron, former head of the Advanced
Refrigerator Technology Team at Johnson, founded SunDanzer Refrigeration in 1999
SunDanzer offers a variety of battery and non-battery solar-powered refrigerators, the latter of which the company used as the basis in developing a vaccine refrigerator that was approved for use by the World Health Organization
NASA Technology Despite exercise on the International Space Station,
astronauts were losing their body’s bone mass Pressure sensors were placed in the astronauts’
shoes to quantify the force transmitted to their feet during exercise
NASA needed a device to capture and transmit data
Glenn Research Center
FlexLife HealthCleveland, Ohio
Benefits Called vMetrics, the device is part of an anti-
coagulation management system for people with chronic cardiovascular disease
It enables medication monitoring at home
Nearly 83 percent of clinical trial participants reported vMetrics made management of their medication easier and/or saved time
Spinoff 2013 Health and Medicine
Monitors Enable Medication Management in Patients’ Homes
Partnership Glenn awarded Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) funding to Cleveland-based ZIN Technologies to develop a device to collect and communicate data about astronauts’ health
After obtaining additional funding from other organizations, ZIN formed a new company called FlexLife Health to commercialize the spinoff technology
NASA Technology In preparing for a manned mission to Mars, NASA
was looking for a reliable, durable handheld device that could quickly deliver health readings
With a single drop of blood, they wanted the device to display white and red blood cell counts and also measure for biomarkers like electrolytes
Glenn Research Center
DNA Medicine Institute Inc.Cambridge, Massachusetts
Benefits The rHEALTH delivers readings in a matter of
minutes, cutting the waiting time drastically when compared to samples sent to labs for analysis
Patients can measure their own insulin, thyroid hormone ,and cholesterol levels from home
Unlike conventional blood test cartridges, the device’s sensor units are reusable
Spinoff 2013 Health and Medicine
Handheld Diagnostic Device Delivers Quick Medical Readings
Technology Transfer Through Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) funding, DNA Medicine Institute developed such a device in the rHEALTH
rHEALTH has the added capability of registering readings for several biomarkers in a single blood sample using nanostrip technology
NASA Technology NASA’s General Aviation Spin Program at Langley
Research Center devised the first-of-their-kind guidelines for designing more spin-resistant aircraft
The program generated knowledge and techniques that now enable safer aircraft designs
Langley Research Center
ICON AircraftLos Angeles, CA
Benefits ICON’s A5 aircraft met the complete set of
criteria specified for Part 23 testing
More than 1,000 orders have been made for the A5 aircraft
Aside from personal use, there is demand from flight schools, flying clubs, resorts, and adventure companies for multiple A5 aircraft
Spinoff 2013 Transportation
Experiments Result in Safer, Spin-Resistant Aircraft
Partnership Thanks to NASA’s contributions, the Federal
Aviation Administration introduced the Part 23 spin-resistance standard in 1991 to assist engineers in evaluating an aircraft’s stall and spin characteristics
Turning to the Part 23 standard, ICON Aircraft contacted people from the Langley team and then designed a light sport aircraft for consumer recreational flying that provides spin resistance
NASA Technology The A-Train Constellation of Earth observing
satellites gather data about the composition of the atmosphere to understand the affects on climate
The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite provides measurements of the altitude of aerosols and clouds
Langley Research Center
WxAnalyst Ltd.Fairfax, Virginia
Benefits Hawaiian Airlines is now using the software to
help see four-dimensional data in the skies and route its planes more efficiently
The technology helps the airline manage flights carrying over 6 million passengers a year
In the future, WxAzygy may be used to visualize radar and underground data also
Spinoff 2013 Transportation
Interfaces Visualize Data for Airline Safety, Efficiency
Partnership To construct a transparent user interface to visualize
data like that from CALIPSO, Langley Research Center awarded an SBIR award to WxAnalyst Ltd.
WxAnalyst’s WxAzygy interface was refined so users could see and work with the data over the Earth
WxAnalyst obtained additional funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA to improve the technology
NASA Technology The Aviation Safety Program under the Aeronautics
Research Mission Directorate has many initiatives to enable safer air transport systems
A data-mining team at Ames developed multiple algorithms useful for sorting through flight data and has shared them with the industry
Ames Research Center
Southwest Airlines Co.Dallas, Texas
Benefits The two algorithms—the Multivariate Time
Series search and Virtual Sensors—have been used by the company to track and improve fuel efficiencies for flight paths between cities
Southwest has also leveraged the technology to work with air traffic controllers, developing methods to increase the number of stable approaches by its planes
Spinoff 2013 Transportation
Data Mining Tools Make Flights Safer, More Efficient
Partnership Southwest first used some of NASA’s tools in 2003
when evaluating a higher-than-usual rate of actual unstable approaches versus reported ones
After years of on-off collaboration, Southwest and NASA signed a Space Act Agreement in 2011 to share NASA’s algorithms and refine them using Southwest’s real-world flight data
NASA Technology NASA examined the natural body posture (NBP), or
the posture the human body naturally assumes in microgravity, to develop more comfortable spacecraft
NASA documented the characteristics in the Man-Systems Integration Standards (MSIS) to design systems that support human health and safety
Johnson Space Center
Nissan Motor CompanyFranklin, Tennessee
Benefits Nissan debuted the seat in the 2013 Altima and
has plans to include it in upcoming Nissan and Infiniti vehicles
The technology will be applied to the driver’s, front passenger’s, and rear seats
According to Nissan’s research, the seats will make long car rides more pleasant
Spinoff 2013 Transportation
NASA Standards Inform Comfortable Car Seats
Partnership Scientists and engineers at Nissan Motor Company
turned to NASA’s NBP research as a starting point for the development of a new driver’s seat
The company used NASA’s NBP as a benchmark for a comfortable, balanced posture, with the intention of lessening fatigue on a person’s body
Test results showed the seat improved blood flow and reduced physical exhaustion
NASA Technology The Stardust spacecraft required a lightweight heat
shield that could withstand extreme temperatures during Stardust’s reentry in Earth’s atmosphere
The PICA heat shield, made of a ceramic carbon substrate, allowed Stardust to return successfully to Earth in 2006
Ames Research Center
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (Space X)Hawthorne, California
Benefits The US can once again transport cargo to and
from the ISS using domestic spacecraft
SpaceX is retrofitting Dragon to transport humans into space
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 50 planned launches of both private and government-run satellites through 2017
Spinoff 2013 Transportation
Heat Shield Paves the Way for Commercial Space
Technology Transfer SpaceX won a contract to develop a spacecraft to
transport cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS)
Working with Agency engineers, the company used materials and designs from the PICA heat shield, and renamed it the PICA-X for use on its Dragon capsule
NASA Technology To support private sector transport of astronauts to
the International Space Station, NASA funded development of life support systems
Johnson Space Center awarded funding to Paragon to develop the Commercial Crew Transport-Air Revitalization System (CCT-ARS)
Johnson Space Center
Paragon Space Development CorporationTucson, Arizona
Benefits The system removes carbon dioxide and trace
contaminants, circulates the air, and provides temperature control
Battery-operated, it can run for 4 days and needs very little upkeep in an emergency
Mining companies can save $30,000 long-term maintenance costs per chamber
Spinoff 2013 Public Safety
Air Systems Provide Life Support to Miners
Technology Transfer Refuge alternatives, which are metal-encased
chambers used by miners in the event of an emergency, also have air purification systems
Refuge alternative manufacturer Mineshield LLC negotiated a 10-year license with Paragon to install CCT-ARS technology into its chambers
NASA Technology John B. Schutt, a chemist at Goddard, experimented
to create super-durable coatings for spacecraft He found that a potassium silicate and zinc coating
kept corrosion from forming on steel or metal The formula was used at Kennedy Space Center to
protect launch facilities
Goddard Space Flight Center
Adsil CorporationDaytona Beach, FL
Benefits MicroGuard is used at hotels, restaurants,
schools, stores, amusement parks, museums, on outdoor sculptures, in stadiums, and more
The spinoff reduces maintenance costs by 13 percent for HVAC and refrigeration, and increases energy efficiency up to 12 percent
Adsil has created 150 jobs
Spinoff 2013 Public Safety
Coatings Preserve Metal, Stone, Tile, and Concrete
Partnership Schutt retired and used his NASA expertise to
create hybrids of the formulation for Adsil Corporation
Adsil holds patents related to the coatings for anti-graffiti; anti-skid; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration applications; corrosion protection; and concrete or tile sealing
The company now markets MicroGuard coatings
NASA Technology With the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA), Johnson aimed to build a humanoid robot—Robonaut 1—to work alongside its human counterparts in space
Johnson wanted to develop software to deliver automatic intelligence and learning in the robot
Johnson Space Center
Universal RoboticsNashville, Tennessee
Benefits Neocortex can improve efficiency and worker
safety in places like warehousing, mining, handling hazardous waste, and more
One popular use is for placing, stacking, or removing boxes from pallets or trailers
It is currently being installed to robotically stack and package meat for a Fortune 500 company
Spinoff 2013 Public Safety
Robots Spur Software That Lends a Hand
Partnership Dr. Richard Alan Peters, a professor at Vanderbilt,
developed learning algorithms for robots, and under a NASA Cooperative Agreement, showed the algorithms could produce learned knowledge
The work led to patents for Peters, who took the NASA-derived technology to a company called Universal Robotics, where the technology is now available in a product called Neocortex
NASA Technology Stennis researchers develop capabilities for remote
sensing and geographic information systems One particular need the Center had was for a
geobrowser (or software that displays data spatially) that was platform-independent and could be accessed via the Internet
Stennis Space Center
StormCenter Communications Inc.Baltimore, Maryland
Benefits Because the collaboration tools are cloud
based, there is no need to rely on screen-sharing programs or other proprietary software
StormCenter’s tools are used by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Alaska and have been recommended for adoption by international agencies in global volcanic ash coordination
Spinoff 2013 Public Safety
Cloud-Based Data Sharing Connects Emergency Managers
Partnership StormCenter completed Phase I and II Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Stennis to develop a 100 percent cloud-based geobrowser to use for real-time data sharing and collaboration
GeoSync allows users to share data over the Internet, and GeoCollaborate allows participants to take turns controlling the collaboration session
NASA Technology Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers were used to detect
wind shears, which can wreak havoc on airplanes and cause crashes
NASA developed a tin oxide-based catalyst to rid the laser of carbon monoxide (CO) byproducts and conserve CO2
Langley Research Center
Airflow Catalyst Systems Inc.Rochester, New York
Benefits The product neutralizes CO, hydrocarbons,
oxides of nitrogen, and particulate matter
Unlike mechanical filters, which must be changed daily, the converters do not require frequent maintenance
Converters are projected to last for 7,000 hours
Spinoff 2013 Public Safety
Catalytic Converters Maintain Air Quality in Mines
Technology Transfer Airflow Catalyst Systems licensed the NASA
technology and adapted it for use as a catalytic converter for exhaust systems
The company found a niche in providing catalytic converters for underground diesel mining equipment, which produce harmful emissions that are exacerbated by the enclosed environment
NASA Technology Complex systems on board the International Space
Station (ISS) collect and recycle moisture using powerful filtration technology
The filters not only supply ISS occupants with drinkable water; they are likely to play a role in future deep space missions as well
Johnson Space Center
ÖKOGreenbrae, California
Benefits The ÖKO bottle employs two filters and purifies
as the user squeezes water through it
Rated as effective in more than 120 countries, the bottle can instantly create potable water from a wide variety of sources
Among other contaminates, the NASA filter eliminates E. coli and cryptosporidium
Spinoff 2013 Consumer Goods
NASA-Enhanced Water Bottles Filter Water on the Go
Partnership Mohssen Ghiassi, an entrepreneur who develops
products for the travel industry, was looking for an advanced filtration system
Typical filtration systems pass water too slowly to be of use to travelers on the move
Ghiassi began purchasing a spinoff filter based on NASA’s filtration technology to anchor his product
NASA Technology NASA engineer Alan Pope was the first person to
use neurofeedback to influence the outcome of a computer program when working on flight automation
The technology measures brainwaves that correlate with how attentive a person is at any moment
Langley Research Center
Unique LogicFletcher, North Carolina
Benefits The company’s patented BodyWave technology
allows for brainwave measurements through an armband device, rather than the traditional helmets that are used
Unique Logic employs 38 people, and customers include NASA, the nuclear power industry, US Olympics sports teams, and NASCAR
Spinoff 2013 Consumer Goods
Brainwave Monitoring Software Improves Distracted Minds
Technology Transfer Teacher Peter Freer was inspired by Pope’s work
with neurofeedback and founded Unique Logic, which helps students learn by teaching them to be in their peak attention states while studying
His spinoff company, Freer Logic, uses brainwave technology to monitor drowsiness, improve workplace and sports performance, and encourage relaxation
NASA Technology Following the Space Shuttle Columbia accident,
NASA developed materials and techniques for the inspection and repair of the shuttle’s thermal protection system, should it be damaged during flight
Dr. Scott Parazynski was designated the Astronaut Office lead for TPS inspection and repair
Johnson Space Center
DreamSaver Enterprises LLCHouston, Texas
Benefits DreamSaver’s Home Protection System is a
footlocker-sized box that can withstand 98 percent of residential fires and 99 percent of water disasters
The company can create custom coverings for the box to match home décor
DreamSaver is on the HTC/Johnson campus
Spinoff 2013 Consumer Goods
Thermal Materials Protect Priceless, Personal Keepsakes
Partnership Parazynski retired from NASA and started working
with Chris Shiver to incorporate concepts from his NASA work into an enclosure to protect personal items in the event of a fire or flood
Shiver and Parazynski collaborated with former NASA engineer Clark Thompson for DreamSaver Enterprises LLC and borrowed concepts from their space work for a commercial product
NASA Technology To survive in space for extended periods, astronauts
need a dependable source of food, which on deep-space missions means growing their own produce
NASA researched how to keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer by being able to remove ethylene gas, which promotes decay, from the air
Marshall Space Flight Center
Akida HoldingsJacksonville, Florida
Benefits Airocide destroys airborne bacteria, mold, fungi,
mycotoxins, viruses, volatile organic compounds, and odors
The portable home unit can be mounted on a floor stand or hung on a wall
The only upkeep required is replacing the reaction chamber once a year
Spinoff 2013 Consumer Goods
Home Air Purifiers Eradicate Harmful Pathogens
Technology Transfer NASA funded a university to develop an ethylene
scrubber that converts the gas into water and carbon dioxide, which are beneficial for plants
KES Science and Technology licensed the technology and worked with Akida Holdings to deliver Airocide, which purges the air of pathogens
NASA Technology Students at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) dreamed of professional apparel designs incorporating elements from active wear
Working on spacesuit designs for human travel to Mars, a student came upon phase change materials (PCMs), a technology developed with NASA
Johnson Space Center
Ministry of Supply Boston, Massachusetts
Benefits Available in white and oxford blue, the Apollo
shirt is a machine-wash only garment that will not wrinkle or absorb stains from perspiration
The Apollo and other MOS products are currently available on the MOS website
Since its launch, MOS has sold 12,500 tops and bottoms combined
Spinoff 2013 Consumer Goods
Thermal Materials Drive Professional Apparel Line
Partnership The MIT students joined forces to create a company
called Ministry of Supply (MOS) MOS set about to develop a professional dress shirt
for men that felt and acted like active apparel MOS created a unique synthetic fabric that
incorporated NASA-derived PCMs, could wick away moisture, and control odors and bacterial growth
NASA Technology Langley needed a thin, lightweight, reflective
material to use on a satellite to “echo” voice, radio, and television signals from Earth back to the ground
The Agency collaborated with private industry to create a new technique for coating materials with an extremely fine mist of vaporized metal particles
Langley Research Center
RadiaSourceOgden, Utah
Benefits The company produces insulation, garage
doors, shipping materials, and water heater wraps
A case study demonstrated a home with RadiaSource saved 18–20 percent on energy in the winter and 46 percent in the summer
Opportunities exist in warehouses, gymnasiums, large buildings, and agricultural settings
Spinoff 2013 Consumer Goods
Radiant Barriers Save Energy in Buildings
Partnership Known as “radiant barrier technology,” it was made
available in the public domain, and products across the world started incorporating the technology
Entrepreneur Ryan Garrett learned about a new version manufactured by vapor phase encapsulation, a patented process, and founded RadiaSource to share the benefits of the innovation through a unique product offering
NASA Technology An experiment at Dryden to collect flight data led to
the development of the Ring Buffered Network Bus (RBNB), software to stream data in real-time
RBNB found use at NASA as “middleware,” or software that can receive any kind of input and use it to create any kind of output
Dryden Flight Research Center
Open Source DataTurbine InitiativeSan Diego, California
Benefits The Open Source DataTurbine Initiative was
founded in 2007, making RBNB available to anyone for free
DataTurbine allows researchers to stream live data and lets them pause or rewind feeds
The software has been deployed with sensors in diverse settings around the globe
Spinoff 2013 Energy and Environment
Open Source Initiative Powers Real-Time Data Streams
Partnership Matthew Miller of Creare Inc. developed RBNB
under a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract
Following interest from academic researchers, scientists, and government organizations, Miller worked with Creare to release the software under an open source license
NASA Technology The Space Shuttle Main Engine was built under
contract to NASA in the 1970s by Rocketdyne, now part of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR)
PWR’s NASA work allowed it to glean expertise in handling high heat flux, extreme temperatures, and cyclic temperature gradients over long periods
Marshall Space Flight Center
SolarReserveSanta Monica, California
Benefits The technology can provide electricity from the
Sun on-demand, even after dark or when cloudy
The company is constructing a plant in Nevada to power 75,000 homes during peak electricity periods, creating more than 4,300 jobs
SolarReserve has numerous upcoming installation projects
Spinoff 2013 Energy and Environment
Shuttle Engine Designs Revolutionize Solar Power
Partnership With funding from the Department of Energy (DOE)
and industry, PWR leveraged its NASA experience to develop large demonstrations of solar power tower plant technology: Solar One and Solar Two
A decade later, PWR granted an exclusive license of its NASA spinoff solar technology to SolarReserve, which now develops concentrating solar power that is 100 percent renewable with no harmful emissions
NASA Technology Procedures, or detailed lists of step-by-step
instructions, guide every aspect of NASA operations, especially in human spaceflight
Traditionally, procedures have been printed on paper, but recently NASA has shifted to digital formats for current and future planned missions
Ames Research Center
TRACLabs Inc.Webster, Texas
Benefits TRACLab’s software is the Procedure Integrated
Development Environment (PRIDE), a suite of tools that eliminate much of the tedium in procedure authoring and organization
PRIDE is now used within the oil and gas industry to increase safety in oil rig operations and to provide better information for auditing purposes
Spinoff 2013 Energy and Environment
Procedure-Authoring Tool Improves Safety on Oil Rigs
Partnership TRACLabs developed tools for authoring and
managing procedures under multiple Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts
The resulting software tools have been used to author procedures for the International Space Station, project Morpheus (a prototype lander), and the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle
NASA Technology The Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is an instrument onboard two Earth-observing satellites
Each MODIS satellite collects data on the Earth’s surface to improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes
Stennis Space Center Eastern Forest Environmental Threat
Assessment Center Asheville, North Carolina
Benefits The imagery is available through a data viewer
called the Forest Change Assessment Viewer and provides a broader-scale understanding of vegetation disturbances
ForWarn is being used by federal and state forest and natural resource managers and will likely result in time and cost savings for the organizations
Spinoff 2013 Energy and Environment
Satellite Data Aid Monitoring of Nation’s Forests
Partnership The Healthy Forests Restoration Act called for the
development of a National Early Warning System to detect potential threats to the United States’ forests
The USDA Forest Service’s Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center partnered with Stennis and other government organizations to create ForWarn, an early warning system using MODIS data to identify regional disturbances
NASA Technology Planning for an extended stay on Mars, NASA
concentrated on creating an ecological life support system to sustain crewmembers on the Red Planet
Ames started looking at how to make power on Mars and turned to wind and solar power technologies
Ames Research Center
Northern Power Systems (NPS)Barre, Vermont
Benefits One Northern Power 100 turbine produces
enough energy for 25–30 homes
The technology is used at university campuses, residences, farms, businesses, and more—across 25 states and 4 countries
More than 200 turbines in operation reduce carbon emissions by 50,000 tons annually
Spinoff 2013 Energy and Environment
Mars Technologies Spawn Durable Wind Turbines
Partnership Ames awarded an SBIR award to Northern Power
Systems to construct a wind turbine at the South Pole, a place with harsh conditions like Mars
The company then began developing a larger turbine that could function in the same conditions
By 2000, the wind turbine technology had won an R&D 100 Award
NASA Technology A team at JPL produced an interactive video-game
style program to show the orbit insertion of Cassini, the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, in real-time
The team received requests to develop similar programs encompassing all of the spacecraft in orbit around Earth and in the Solar System
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The ElumenatiMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Benefits Users can explore data from NASA missions at
their own speed and time inside Elumenati theaters and use interactive controls to navigate to planets, asteroids, or satellites
The markets for the software include schools, museums, science centers, and other institutions providing Earth and space science education
Spinoff 2013 Energy and Environment
Programs Visualize Earth and Space for Interactive Education
Partnership The team worked with The Elumenati, a company
that provides domes, projection systems, and software to create immersive visual environments
The partners rewrote the NASA programs using Elumenati’s Omnity plugin for Unity3D, in order to show the content on domes and spheres
Elumenati licensed the programs from NASA and now provides the spinoff product to its customers
NASA Technology NASA worked with other organizations to develop
the Fast Affordable Science and Technology Satellite
To cut costs, engineers designed their own telemetry unit, a critical tool used to relay information between a satellite and its corresponding ground station
Marshall Space Flight Center
Orbital Telemetry Inc.Huntsville, Alabama
Benefits Telemetry units can cost upwards of a million
dollars each; Orbital Telemetry offers to provide them for a fraction of the price
Due to a Space Act Agreement between NASA and the company, Marshall engineers test the model to make sure it meets the customer’s specifications and is ready for launch into space
Spinoff 2013 Information Technology
Processor Units Reduce Satellite Construction Costs
Technology Transfer A former NASA engineer realized the potential of
commercializing a more affordable telemetry unit for use by the private sector.
In 2012, after obtaining an exclusive licensing agreement with NASA, Orbital Telemetry was founded
NASA Technology Scientists at the Space Agency use supercomputers
to calculate large algorithms based on linear algebra that are used in setting up climate models
Scientists using regular computers, which lack the processing power of supercomputers, often must wait far longer for algorithms to be calculated
Ames Research Center
EM Photonics Inc.Newark, Delaware
Benefits EM Photonics offers CULA software for both
dense and sparse computations
CULA’s simplified interface makes it far simpler for scientists to set up computations
In some cases, processing times can be reduced by more than 100-fold
Spinoff 2013 Information Technology
Software Accelerates Computing Time for Complex Math
Technology Transfer Through Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) funding, EM Photonics utilized graphics processing unit (GPU) technology, originally used to run video game graphics, and programmed it to perform scientific computing
The company commercialized the technology as CULA tools, which can compute the industry-standard LAPACK library of linear algebra equations
NASA Technology Preparing for a satellite launch includes ensuring
that the radio communications systems in the rocket and the satellite do not interfere with each other
Computer simulations can predict interference, which allows engineers to remedy the issue, but setting up the model can be time-consuming
Kennedy Space Center
Delcross Technologies LLC Champaign, Illinois
Benefits The expanded database can shave days off of
setting up the simulation
Since the new feature was introduced, business has increased with the US military, telecommunications companies, and others who depend on clear radio transmission signals
Spinoff 2013 Information Technology
Simulation Tools Prevent Signal Interference on Spacecraft
Technology Transfer Through SBIR funding, Delcross improved its
interference simulation software by expanding the library of various transmitter and receiver specifications that can be dragged and dropped into models being set up
The company then included the added feature through an update to its software product
NASA Technology The Space Agency develops many climate models
that simulate how the Earth’s atmosphere is affected by factors such as greenhouse gases and aerosols
Models are shared with graduate students and other researchers by sharing programming codes, which can be finicky when deployed on other computers
Goddard Space Flight Center
Parabon Computation Inc.Reston, Virginia
Benefits In Frontier CODE, a central server carries out all
computations, thereby eliminating problems caused by running code on various computer hardware systems
When a computer runs on an incompatible operating system, CODE can still use a virtual machine to do the data processing
Spinoff 2013 Information Technology
Software Simplifies the Sharing of Numerical Models
Technology Transfer Parabon Computation developed software that
allows a researcher to run models through any standard web browser
The company commercialized the NASA-funded technology through its Frontier Collaborative Online Development Environment (Frontier CODE), which includes technologies such as cloud-computing and online collaboration tools
NASA Technology Chris Grasso created Virtual Machine Language
(VML) as the sequencing language for the Spitzer Space Telescope
VML let the spacecraft respond to its environment and dispatch commands to its instruments at the right time, under the right conditions
Kennedy Space Center
Blue Sun EnterprisesBoulder, Colorado
Benefits Blue Sun’s NASA-derived VML 3.0 is
commercially available for spacecraft and provides operational cost reductions for customers
On Earth, potential applications include unmanned aerial vehicles, remote sensing devices, and autonomous vehicles like submarines, weather balloons, and telescopes
Spinoff 2013 Information Technology
Virtual Machine Language Controls Remote Devices
Partnership Grasso cofounded Blue Sun Enterprises to provide
spacecraft software-engineering services Kennedy Space Center worked with Blue Sun to
enhance VML for use with the Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatiles Extraction mission
VML provided coordination and the capability for sequencing onboard the spacecraft
NASA Technology Experiments performed on the International Space
Station may be skewed by the effects of gravitational forces
Accelerometers are used to account for such effects in experimental outcomes, but the Space Agency was looking for a smaller, more cost-effective model
Glenn Research Center
Evigia SystemsAnn Arbor, Michigan
Benefits Accelerometers are used in sensors that record
equipment diagnostic data, such as vibration, humidity, temperature, and mechanical shock
The US Air Force and the Department of Defense have funded the company to advance the technology further
Product sales have resulted in five new hires
Spinoff 2013 Information Technology
Micro-Accelerometers Monitor Equipment Health
Technology Transfer NASA awarded Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) funding to Evigia to develop a low-cost micro-accelerometer
Evigia’s work with the accelerometer has helped the company with its line of prognostic sensors, which help monitor the condition of industrial equipment
NASA Technology To save energy and reduce pollution, Glenn
Research Center examined fuel cells for producing electricity onboard commercial aircraft
Glenn looked at fuel reforming technology, which uses fuel, air, steam, and a catalyst (reactor), to produce hydrogen for the fuel cell to make electricity
Glenn Research Center
Catacel CorporationGarrettsville, Ohio
Benefits Catacel installed the first commercial version in
a hydrogen production plant in Turkey
A food oils processing plant in Mexico saw an immediate 13.5 percent natural gas cost reduction after installing the technology
On average, the technology results in energy savings of about 20 percent
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Reactors Save Energy, Costs for Hydrogen Production
Partnership Glenn partnered with Catacel under the Glenn
Alliance Technology Exchange program and then through a Space Act Agreement
Catacel developed a novel catalytic combustor module called a stackable structural reactor (SSR)
The partners tested and modified an SSR for industrial hydrogen production, which demonstrated cost savings up to 35 percent
NASA Technology The Curiosity rover is exploring the surface of Mars
in part to help figure out whether the Red Planet could ever have supported living organisms
The Space Agency needed to outfit the rover with the latest in radiation-hardened cameras in order to capture vibrant images of the planet’s terrain
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Malin Space Science Systems Inc.San Diego, California
Benefits The firm has now developed an off-the-shelf
imaging system called ECAM that can be installed on satellites to monitor their functionality in space
Monitoring a satellite can help in troubleshooting problems that may arise during activities such as antenna and solar array deployment
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Cameras Monitor Spacecraft Integrity to Prevent Failures
Technology Transfer Malin Space Science Systems, which had
developed cameras for several Mars satellites, entered into a contract with NASA to supply Curiosity with 4 of its 17 cameras
Malin’s cameras are responsible for landing the rover, taking photos of varying focal lengths, and (through a zoom feature) capturing images of features thinner than the diameter of a human hair
NASA Technology After developing a high-performance insulation
material, Kennedy Space Center needed a test instrument to accurately measure the material’s thermal performance
The team developed the Cryostat 1, which led to a simplified version, the Cryostat 2
Kennedy Space Center
QinetiQ North America (QinetiQ NA)McLean, Virginia
Benefits The company will market the technology for
piping and storage tank insulation, appliances, consumer goods, and more
A likely application is to test insulation used in the food refrigeration industry
The device may also evaluate the materials to insulate pharmaceuticals being shipped
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Testing Devices Garner Data on Insulation Performance
Partnership A private aerospace company expressed interest in
having its own cryostat test capability QinetiQ NA saw a business opportunity and applied
for a license to make and sell one of several versions of the NASA Cryostat
Commercialization of the technology will allow on-site tests at production or lab facilities making and testing new materials
NASA Technology Equipment failures at the E-Complex, home to three
propulsion test stands at Stennis Space Center, are expensive
To avert equipment failures and save thousands of dollars, Stennis considered smart sensors, which could report problems on the test stands
Stennis Space Center
Lion PrecisionSt. Paul, Minnesota
Benefits The same sensor is commercially available, and
Lion Precision is incorporating the diagnostic capabilities into its next generation of sensors
The company has used its NASA experience to create a battery-powered wireless device
Future applications include the manufacturing or machining of metal parts
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Smart Sensors Gather Information for Machine Diagnostics
Partnership Lion Precision partnered with Stennis through a
Cooperative Agreement to develop a smart sensor As part of the agreement, the measurements were
transmitted using MTConnect, a standard to integrate devices through a common interface
Lion Precision produced sensors for the test stand and the partnership was the first implementation of the sensor protocols of MTConnect
NASA Technology Scientists in the 1990s were testing cow digestive
bacteria’s ability to break down plant matter in space and were cultivating it in bioreactors
O2 sensors that monitored the units were prone to false reads because the viscous biological material tended to block the sensor’s intake
Kennedy Space Center
Polestar Technologies Inc.Needham Heights, Massachusetts
Benefits A typical sensor can record about 4 million
readings before needing to be replaced
The screw-on screw-off method of replacing sensor tips makes for easy maintenance
The same computer instrument used for the O2 sensor can also be used for the company’s pH and carbon dioxide sensors
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Oxygen Sensors Monitor Bioreactors and Ensure Health and Safety
Technology Transfer Polestar Technologies received Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) funding to develop O2 sensors that use fluorescent quenching, which is not prone to false reads, to measure oxygen levels
The company commercialized the NASA-funded technology, bringing to market its line of O2 sensors used by medical research universities and the private sector alike for a variety of purposes
NASA Technology As a part of its goal to enable the human exploration
of the cosmos, NASA’s Human Systems Integration Division at Ames focuses on how human beings interact with systems
A senior researcher on the team created an algorithm that optimizes robotic vision technology
Ames Research Center
Radiant Zemax LLCRedmond, Washington
Benefits TrueMURA provides an objective classification
of screen defects using the industry-standard just noticeable difference (JND) scale
The company’s tools are deployed on hundreds of production lines and have inspected millions of TVs, phones, laptops, and tablets
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Vision Algorithms Catch Defects in Screen Displays
Partnership The Standard Spatial Observer (SSO) algorithm is a
simplified model of human vision that focuses on how contrast is perceived by the human eye
Radiant Zemax, a company that provides display-testing systems, wanted its imaging colorimeter to “see” screen defects as a person would
The company licensed the SSO from NASA and integrated it into their software
NASA Technology The Balloon Exoplanet Nulling Interferometer
mission will use a visible nulling coronagraph (VNC) to detect, image, and characterize exoplanets
Starlight can seep through the VNC and lower the contrast in an image so Goddard turned to deformable mirrors (DMs) to correct for the light
Goddard Space Flight Center
Iris AO, Inc. Berkeley, California
Benefits The technology is being used in ophthalmic
instruments to improve images of the eye
In the future, it could be incorporated into biological microscopes to get a better view of tissues
The technology also has promise in shaping laser beams more precisely for manufacturing
Spinoff 2013 Industrial Productivity
Deformable Mirrors Capture Exoplanet Data, Reflect Lasers
Partnership Goddard started working with Iris AO to improve the
company’s microelectromechanical (MEMS) DMs for imaging and characterizing exoplanets
Iris AO and Goddard tested the new DMs, and they had impressive results
Outside of NASA, the technology is being evaluated and used in research and industrial applications