Volume 5, Number 1 January/February 1997
Moving Forward
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Technology Opportunity Showcase highlights some unique technologies that NASA has developed and which we believe have strong potential for commercial application. While the descriptions provided here are brief, they should provide enough information to communicate the potential applications of the technology. For more detailed information, contact the person listed. Please mention that you read about it in Innovation. |
Optical Diagnostics Of Biological Fluids And Tissues
NASA Lewis Research Center seeks partners to transfer new technology developed for studying and characterizing various biological fluids. The characterization of biological fluids challenges the designers of optical diagnostics instrumentation. To address this challenge, a process known as Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is used to characterize dilute macromolecular solutions. DLS is not widely accepted in biological and biochemical labs because of the awkward design of its more conventional systems. To allieviate this problem, NASA Lewis Research Center developed a fiber-optic DLS probe to study various biological fluids. The state-of-the-art compact design of the fiber-optic probe offers a fast method of quantitatively and noninvasively characterizing a variety of biological fluids. The fiber-optic DLS probe has several benefits and potential commercial uses such as, ability to characterize protein solutions, blood, and viruses, spermatozoa and synovial fluids; ability to analyze skin and tissue. The system is compact, durable and free of optical alignment. The DLS fiber-optic probe also provides accurate characterization of biological fluids, low laser power, fast measurement time, portability and it is adaptable. A patent application has been filed and companies have expressed an interest in commercializing this technology.
For more information contact: Dr. Rafat Ansari, Lewis Research Center, call 216/433-5008.
Please mention that you read about it in Innovation.
ATM Multimedia Error-Correcting Codecs
To develop a system that will enhance the reliability of all wire-based and wireless communications that use ATM cells through a unique and innovative approach not in existence today, the NASA Lewis Research Center has been actively involved in research and technology development in satellite communications and networking. With ATM technology emerging as a prominent information carrier, ATM cells will most likely travel not only through the fiber based networks, but through various transmission media. NASA Ōs Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is sponsoring an on-going Asynchronous Transfer Mode Multimedia Error Correcting contract for purposes of investigating, designing and fabricating ATM coders and decoders. Potential commercial uses include wireless ATM communication, satellite communications, multi-rate ATM PC-to-PC communication. Benefits include compatibility of satellite communications with existing ATM networks, improved quality of service via error correcting coding, and significant contribution to ATM technology.
For more information, contact: Heechul Kim, Lewis Research Center, call 216/433-8698
or Jorge Quintana, Lewis Research Center, call 216/433-6519.
Please mention that you read about it in Innovation.
Directional Electrostatic Accretion Process
NASA Lewis Research Center is seeking commercial development of its Directional Electrostatic Accretion Process (DEAP), a computer controlled manufacturing technology that creates metal products without molds, dies or tooling. DEAPÕs potential commercial uses include low volume tool-less manufacturing, electronics manufacturing and special materials composing. DEAPÕs tooling elimination cuts time and labor costs so that a non-tooled product may be produced profitably in smaller quantities allowing U.S. industries to take advantage of low-and moderate-volume producing markets. DEAP also is cleaner because solder is precisely placed eliminating the need for chemicals necessary for mask application and removal. A patent has been awarded for the technology and a second patent is pending. Lewis Research Center seeks partnerships and or patent licensing for this technology.
For more information, contact: Richard C. Oeftering, Lewis Research Center, call
216/433-2285.
Please mention that you read about it in Innovation.
