Ulse Inc

MAGNETICALLY ENHANCED DIFFUSION FOR INTRA-ARTERIAL TREATMENT OF ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE

RAPID MAGNETOMOTIVE THROMBOLYSIS FOR STROKE

DNA VACCINE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR BIODEFENSE WITH DENGUE

OPTICALLY PUMPED HIGH POWER SOLID STATE SWITCH

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PLANT WATER STATUS DRAMATICALLY AFFECTS CROP YIELD AND QUALITY, BUT GROWERS LACK TOOLS TO MEASURE WATER STATUS ACCURATELY, AUTOMATICALLY, AND LONG-TERM. THIS LEADS TO PREVENTABLE CROP LOSSES AND EXCESS WATER USE. FLORAPULSE HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ONLY SENSOR THAT MEETS THESE REQUIREMENTS, A MICROTENSIOMETER THAT DIRECTLY MEASURES WATER POTENTIAL IN THE PLANT STEM, BUT THE CURRENT SENSOR PROBE AND INSTALLATION METHOD ARE TOO LARGE FOR A MAJORITY OF COMMERCIAL CROPS.WE WILL DEVELOP A PROBE THAT IS USER FRIENDLY, RELIABLE, AND DRAMATICALLY SMALLER TO ALLOW WIDESPREAD WATER POTENTIAL MEASUREMENT IN STEMS AS LITTLE AS 6 MM, THEN VALIDATE THE SENSOR INSTALLATION METHOD IN THE LABORATORY AND MULTIPLE COMMERCIAL SMALL-STEM CROPS. WE WILL IMPROVE SENSOR SENSITIVITY AND SPEED THROUGH CHANGES IN THE MICROCHIP FABRICATION; DEVELOP A LABORATORY 'OSMOTIC SYSTEM' TO SIMULATE A TREE INSTALLATION FOR QUICKLY TESTING SENSOR PERFORMANCE; DEVELOP IMPROVED SENSOR AND HARDWARE FOR INSTALLATION, AND DEVELOP AN MVP COMPRISING AN INEXPENSIVE DATALOGGER, SMARTPHONE APP, IRRIGATION GUIDELINES, AND IMPROVED USER INTERFACE. THESE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE FIELD TESTED BY OUR COLLABORATORS IN GRAPE, COTTON, BLUEBERRY, SOYBEAN, AND APPLE ROOTSTOCK CROSSES ACROSS 4 STATES (CA, NY, OR, AZ).THE SMALL-STEM SENSOR DEVELOPED WILL ENABLE REAL-TIME WATER POTENTIAL MEASUREMENT IN CROPS WORTH OVER $500 BILLION WORLDWIDE AND COULD LEAD TO 20% YIELD INCREASES AND 20%+ WATER SAVINGS.

OPTICALLY PUMPED HIGH POWER SOLID STATE SWITCH

IN-PLANT PROBE OF WATER POTENTIAL FOR FEEDBACK CONTROLLED MANAGEMENT OF WATER STATUS IN FRUIT CROPS

IW - BLUETOOTH ELECTROMYOGRAPHY-BASED STROKE THERAPEUTIC (BEST): SHIFTING THE PARADIGM WITH BIOFEEDBACK-DRIVEN HOME THERAPY

RAPID STEMI FIBRINOLYSIS FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS

SBIR FAST-TRACK: HOME-BASED STROKE REHABILITATION: RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING THE BLUETOOTH ELECTROMYOGRAPHY-BASED STROKETHERAPEUTIC (BEST) SYSTEM -THE BROADER IMPACT/COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT IS AN AUTOMATED REMOTE STROKE REHABILITATION BASED ON PHYSIOLOGIC FEEDBACK FOR ENABLING OPTIMAL AND BROADER ACCESS TO PATIENTS. STROKE OFTEN CAUSES PERSISTENT MOTOR IMPAIRMENT IN MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FREQUENTLY FACE BARRIERS TO REGULAR, IN-PERSON REHABILITATION TO COST, DISTANCE, OR LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP AN AFFORDABLE, HOME-BASED REHABILITATION SYSTEM INTEGRATING WEARABLE MUSCLE SENSORS AND INTERACTIVE EXERCISES TO ASSIST TRAINING MUSCLE MOVEMENT AND RESTORE PATIENT MOVEMENT AND INDEPENDENCE. THE APPROACH POSES THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE HEALTHCARE EXPENSES, AND EXTEND REHABILITATION ACCESS TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE IN RURAL OR LOW-RESOURCE AREAS, BY ENABLING HIGH-QUALITY FEEDBACK-GUIDED THERAPY AT HOME. THE COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL AND PRIMARY CUSTOMER IS 675,000 PATIENTS WHO EXPERIENCE A STROKE EACH YEAR AND LIVE WITH HEMIPARESIS, A CONDITION THAT AFFECTS MOVEMENT AND STRENGTH ON ONE SIDE OF THE BODY, WITH POTENTIAL USE IN THE AMOUNT OF 8M PEOPLE POST-STROKE IN THE US. THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT AIMS TO DESIGN AND VALIDATE A NOVEL EMG MUSCULAR FEEDBACK BASED REHABILITATION SYSTEM THAT INTEGRATES A NOVEL SENSOR-EMBEDDED TEXTILE TO DELIVER REAL-TIME BIOFEEDBACK DURING THERAPEUTIC EXERCISES. THE SYSTEM AIMS TO PROVIDE A REUSABLE FULLY EMBEDDED ELECTRODE SYSTEM TAILORED FOR THE SPECIFIC TARGETED MUSCLE AND ACTIVITIES VERSUS CURRENT GENERAL SINGLE-USE ADHESIVE-BASED SKIN ELECTRODES. DURING THIS PROJECT, THE ELECTRODES WILL BE ENGINEERED TO MEASURE THE ELECTRICAL EXCITATION OF SUPERFICIAL MUSCLES DURING DYNAMIC ACTIVITIES, CONNECTED TO THE GARMENT?S BUILT-IN SENSORS TO TRACK MUSCLE ACTIVITY. THE INTEGRATED WORN SYSTEM WILL BE COUPLED TO AN EXTERNAL SYSTEM AND APPLICATION TO GUIDE PATIENTS THROUGH VARIOUS REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE PROPER MUSCLE USE AND MOTOR RECOVERY. THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES IN THIS PHASE ARE TO REFINE THE WEARABLE ELECTRODE SYSTEM FOR COMFORT AND ACCURACY, INTEGRATE ADAPTIVE FEEDBACK THAT ADJUSTS TO THE USER?S PROGRESS, AND VALIDATE THE SYSTEM?S USABILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN PEOPLE POST-STROKE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE INTEGRATED TEXTILE-EMBEDDED EMG SYSTEM ACHIEVES A SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO (SNR) ? 40 DB WITH <5% SIGNAL DEGRADATION UNDER REPEATED STRETCH AND WASH CYCLES, WHILE MAINTAINING <100 MS END-TO-END PROCESSING LATENCY. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOME IS A VALIDATED EMG SENSOR PROTOTYPE THAT SUPPORTS MOTOR FUNCTION RECOVERY, ENCOURAGES REGULAR PRACTICE, AND ENABLES REMOTE MONITORING FOR INTEGRATING INTO THE COMPANY?S PROPRIETARY INTEGRATED REHABILITATION SYSTEM TO UNDERGO CLINICAL VALIDATION AT A FUTURE DATE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PREDICTION FROM AI ANALYSIS OF CORONARY CALCIFICATIONS - CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PREDICTION FROM AI ANALYSIS OF CORONARY CALCIFICATIONS SUMMARY TO IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK DETERMINATION, WE WILL CREATE A SOFTWARE SOLUTION TO PREDICT FUTURE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS FROM SCREENING CT CALCIUM SCORE (CTCS) IMAGES USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND IMAGE ANALYTICS. OUR GROUP INCLUDES ENGINEERS AND CLINICIANS FROM PULSEIMAGING.AI, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (CWRU), AND CLINICAL INSTITUTIONS AT THE FOREFRONT OF CT CALCIUM SCORE SCREENING: HOUSTON METHODIST AND UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF CLEVELAND (UH). THESE MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS ARE PROMOTING LOW-COST/NO-COST CTCS EXAM PROGRAMS, RESPEC- TIVELY, BECAUSE THEY ARE CONVINCED OF THE VALUE TO HEALTHCARE, COLLECTING >170,000 CT CALCIUM SCORE EXAMS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. OUR AI METHODS GREATLY IMPROVE RISK PREDICTION AS COMPARED TO THE STANDARD AGATSTON SCORE, WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE BEST SINGLE PREDICTOR OF FUTURE ADVERSE EVENTS. AGATSTON BASICALLY SUMS UP THE AMOUNT OF CALCIFICATION IN THE HEART, ALBEIT IN A NON-LINEAR WAY. OUR APPROACH BUILDS UPON PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC OB- SERVATIONS AND ANALYZES MANY FEATURES OF CALCIFICATIONS (E.G., DENSITY, NUMBERS OF CALCIFICATIONS, NUMBER OF VES- SEL TERRITORIES, AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION), A COLLECTION WE CALL CALCIUM-OMICS. WITH IMPROVED RISK PREDICTION, CARDIOL- OGISTS WILL BE ABLE TO TAILOR PERSONALIZED TREATMENTS FOR PATIENTS AND EFFECTIVELY COUNSEL THEM AS TO ADHERENCE TO DRUG REGIMENS AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES. IN PHASE I, WE WILL ADDRESS IMPORTANT FEASIBILITY ISSUES (E.G., AUTOMATED ROBUST CALCIUM-OMICS FEATURE ASSESSMENTS AND SOFTWARE DEMONSTRATIONS) CRUCIAL FOR PLANNING OUR PRODUCT.

MINIMALLY INVASIVE PANCREATIC CANCER TREATMENT COMBINING NANOSECOND ELECTRIC PULSES AND IMMUNE SYSTEM STIMULANTS - SUMMARY DESPITE THE SIGNIFICANT RECENT ADVANCES IN PERSONALIZED MEDICINE, PANCREATIC DUCTAL ADENOCARCINOMA (PDAC) REMAINS NEAR-UNIFORMLY LETHAL. THIS UNFORTUNATE PROGNOSIS IS ATTRIBUTED TO AN AGGRESSIVE LOCAL TUMOR GROWTH IN ADDITION TO AN EARLY SYSTEMIC SPREAD OF TUMOR METASTASES1. NEARLY 50-60% OF PATIENTS PRESENT WITH DISTANT METASTATIC DISEASE AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS AND ONLY 4-16% ARE CANDIDATES FOR SURGICAL RESECTION2. CHEMOTHERAPY AND/OR RADIATION THERAPIES PROVIDE ONLY MILD CLINICAL BENEFITS2, AND PAIN REMAINS THE MOST DISTRESSING SYMPTOM OF PANCREATIC CANCER, AFFECTING 30-40% OF PATIENTS. WE ARE PROPOSING A NON-SURGICAL APPROACH THAT AIMS TO ADDRESS THE DESPERATE NEED FOR THE PRIMARY TREATMENT OF PANCREATIC CANCER AND PALLIATIVE CARE. SPECIFICALLY, OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A NEW, TWO-COMPONENT TREATMENT FOR PDAC THAT EMPLOYS ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND TO GUIDE A UNIQUE BIPOLAR CATHETER TO THE TUMOR TO: 1) DELIVER NANOSECOND ELECTRIC PULSES TO THE PANCREATIC TUMOR; AND 2) INJECT AN IMMUNE SYSTEM STIMULANT INTO THE TUMOR TO GENERATE AN IN SITU VACCINE THAT EXPLOITS THE IMMUNOGENIC CELL DEATH TRIGGERED BY NANOSECOND ELECTRIC PULSES AND STIMULATES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO ATTACK ANY UNTREATED TUMORS. SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE DISCOVERED AN ELECTRIC PULSE THAT IS 1000-FOLD FASTER AND 30-FOLD LARGER THAN CONVENTIONAL ELECTROPORATION PULSES, ENABLING ITS PENETRATION INTO CELLULAR ORGANELLES. THIS HIGH-INTENSITY NANOSECOND PULSED ELECTRIC FIELD PULSE KNOWN AS NANO-PULSE STIMULATION (NPS), DISRUPTS THE CELL PLASMA AND ORGANELLE MEMBRANES, LEADING TO IRREVERSIBLE CHANGES IN HOMEOSTASIS AND REGULATED CELL DEATH. NPS ABLATION IS SAFE, EFFICIENT, AND NON- THERMAL AND, THUS, PARTICULARLY PROMISING FOR TREATING TUMORS, INCLUDING THOSE LOCATED IN THERMALLY SENSITIVE ORGANS WITH HIGH VASCULARITY AND STRUCTURAL DENSITY, SUCH AS THE PANCREAS. THE BASIS FOR THE SUCCESS OF NPS TREATMENTS IS THOUGHT TO BE THE DIRECT KILLING OF TUMOR CELLS BY REVERSIBLE ELECTROPORATION OF THE ORGANELLE MEMBRANES. THIS APPLICATION AIMS TO DEVELOP A CATHETER THAT CAN DELIVER NPS AND IMMUNE STIMULANTS TO THE PANCREATIC TUMOR. WE WILL ALSO IDENTIFY THE OPTIMAL CONCENTRATION OF IMMUNE STIMULANTS TO INJECT INTO NPS-TREATED MURINE TUMORS TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE COMBINATION TO ELIMINATE UNTREATED TUMORS. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA SUGGEST THAT THIS COMBINATION THERAPY HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF ENLISTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO RECOGNIZE TUMOR ANTIGENS AND ATTACK METASTASES AND UNTREATED REGIONS OF THE PRIMARY TUMOR. THE KEY ELEMENTS IN THIS APPROACH ARE THE RELEASE OF TUMOR ANTIGENS BY IMMUNOGENIC NPS ABLATION THAT ARE PICKED UP BY A HYPER-STIMULATED IMMUNE SYSTEM TO INITIATE A STRONGER ANTIGEN IMMUNE RESPONSE THAT WILL ATTACK UNTREATED TUMORS.

SBIR PHASE I: REPAIR, WELD, AND BUILD METALLIC PARTS WITH FILL IMPACT WELDING -THE BROADER/COMMERCIAL IMPACT OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT SEEKS TO DEVELOP A WELDING TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL IMPROVE THE REPAIR, JOINING, AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF METALLIC PARTS AND FEATURES. FIRST APPLICATIONS INCLUDE MATERIAL ADDITIONS TO REPAIR GOUGES AND MIS-DRILLED HOLES DURING AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION AND SERVICE, BOTH OF WHICH REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES. REPAIRS TO THE STRUCTURAL MATERIAL ARE NOT CURRENTLY PERMISSIBLE IN A PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT DUE TO ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CURRENTLY AVAILABLE REPAIR METHODS ON BASE MATERIAL PROPERTIES, USUALLY DUE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES. AEROSTRUCTURE MANUFACTURERS HAVE A STRONG INCENTIVE TO MINIMIZE THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, OFTEN AT THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPENSE OF SCRAPPING A WHOLE PANEL. MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OVERHAUL OFTEN ENTAILS TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED COMPONENTS WITH NEW ONES AS IMPROPER REPAIRS OF CRITICAL COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC HARM. REPLACEMENT OF PARTS IS EXPENSIVE AND HAS LONG LEAD TIMES DUE TO HIGH-VALUE, LOW-VOLUME NATURE OF THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE RESTORATION METHOD TO REPAIR OF METALLIC COMPONENTS, WHILE BEING AGNOSTIC TO THE MATERIAL AND PART GEOMETRY. RECLAMATION OF PREVIOUSLY UNREPAIRABLE PARTS MADE FROM MATERIALS SUCH AS TITANIUM, NICKEL, AND ALUMINUM HAS A LARGE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. ADDITIONALLY, BY BROADLY ENABLING SOLID-STATE JOINING, THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL DISRUPT THE WELDING INDUSTRY, GLOBALLY VALUED AT $20 BILLION. THE FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM, LED IN THE US, WILL PRODUCE NEW JOBS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING FIELDS WHILE BOLSTERING DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAINS. THE INNOVATION UNDERPINNING THIS PROJECT INVOLVES THE SEQUENTIAL, TACTICAL, AND CONTROLLED DEPOSITION OF METALS USING EXPLOSIVE WELDING. EXPLOSIVE WELDING USES COIN-SIZED METALLIC ELEMENTS LAUNCHED TO SPEEDS IN THE RANGE OF 300-1000M/S WITHOUT EXPLOSIVES. WHILE IT IS KNOWN THAT EXPLOSIVE WELDING CAN WELD LARGE PLATES TOGETHER, THE METHOD IS NOT SUITED TO AUTOMATION OR CONVENTIONAL INDUSTRIAL SETTINGS. IMPACT WELDING WILL BE DEVELOPED AS A FILL-WELDING TECHNIQUE, MUCH LIKE A FILLER METAL IN CONVENTIONAL WELDING, AND WILL USE WROUGHT SHEET METAL AS FEEDSTOCK. HERE, ELECTRICALLY VAPORIZED METALLIC FOILS WILL BE USED AS THE DRIVER FOR THE FILL ELEMENTS AND THE RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON WHETHER THOSE ELEMENTS CAN BE LAUNCHED REPRODUCIBLY TO DEVELOP LARGE BOND AREAS AND REPRODUCIBLE POSITIONING. THE ABILITY TO CONTROL ELEMENT SHAPE AND ORIENTATION DURING FLIGHT AND PRODUCE AN INTERFACE THAT IS FULLY WELDED ARE THE MOST HIGH-RISK ASPECTS OF THE TECHNOLOGY. MECHANICAL TESTING, SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, AND INLINE PROCESS MONITORING SUCH AS PHOTONIC DOPPLER VELOCIMETRY WILL BE PERFORMED. THIS EFFORT WILL DEVELOP A NEW PROCESS-STRUCTURE-PROPERTY LOOP, WITH THE GOAL OF PRODUCING PARTS THAT ARE BETTER THAN THOSE MADE WITH A COMPETING TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS COLD SPRAY AS MEASURED BY TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION, COST, AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

MAGNETIC TARGETING AND DOSE REDUCTION OF TENECTEPLASE IN THE TREATMENT OF STEMI FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS

SBIR PHASE I: SINGLE-PULSE RADIO FREQUENCY SOFTWARE SUITE TO IMPROVE ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS SAFETY -THE BROADER/COMMERCIAL IMPACT OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING SOFTWARE TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF EXISTING RADAR HARDWARE ON ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS (ADAS). DESPITE DEVELOPMENT OF ADAS SENSING TECHNOLOGIES, THERE ARE, ON AVERAGE, 14,386 CAR ACCIDENTS PER DAY IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE. THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES STILL NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS. THIS PROJECT WILL TRANSFORM THE PERFORMANCE OF CURRENT ADAS SYSTEMS, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CAR CRASHES AND FATALITIES THAT OCCUR DAILY. THE TOTAL ADDRESSABLE MARKET SIZE FOR ADAS RADAR IS ESTIMATED TO BE $6.61 BILLION, AND THIS IS THE FASTEST GROWING MARKET AMONG ALL ADAS SENSORS. THE CURRENT RADAR TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS BEING INTRODUCED TODAY ARE FOCUSED ON HARDWARE, MACHINE LEARNING, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. THESE CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES ARE ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT DEAL WITH RESOLUTION, BUT THEY COME WITH THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SLOWER PROCESSING TIMES, HIGHER COST, AND LESS EFFICIENCY. THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS IN THIS PROJECT WILL DISRUPT THE ADAS INDUSTRY AS THIS INNOVATION IS PHYSICS-BASED AND CAN UNLOCK THE TRUE POTENTIAL OF RADAR PERFORMANCE. THE INTELLECTUAL MERIT OF THIS PROJECT IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING AND DEPLOYING A SOFTWARE SUITE FOR REMOTE SENSING AND DATA TRANSMISSION USING EXISTING HARDWARE. THE SOFTWARE SUITE INVOLVES THREE PRIMARY STEPS: LOCATING OBJECTS, IDENTIFYING OBJECTS, AND COMMUNICATING THE FINDINGS TO OTHER VEHICLES AND/OR INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. THE FIRST TWO STEPS FALL UNDERNEATH THE REMOTE SENSING CATEGORY. THE THIRD FALLS UNDER THE COMMUNICATIONS CATEGORY. SIMULATION DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DONE FOR ALL THREE STEPS. ONCE ROBUST SIMULATIONS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED, THE REMOTE SENSING PORTION OF THE SOFTWARE SUITE WILL BE TESTED ON AN INDUSTRY STANDARD RADAR UNIT. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOME OF THE TEST DEPLOYMENT IS THAT THE REMOTE SENSING PIECE OF THE SOFTWARE SUITE WILL ENABLE CONVENTIONAL ADAS RADARS TO ACHIEVE HIGHER RESOLUTION AND LOWER LATENCY. THIS DEPLOYMENT IS THE FIRST STEP IN HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE A SAFER AND COMPLETE ADAS SOFTWARE SUITE. THE RESULTS WILL BE USED TO ASSESS THE RELIABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED SOFTWARE SUITE IN A REAL-WORLD ENVIRONMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE RESULTS WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF THE SOFTWARE SUITE BY BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE AGAINST CURRENT ADAS RADAR PERFORMANCE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON EFFECTS OF LAND CHANGE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ON CARBON BALANCE IN ECOSYSTEMS

DEVELOPMENT OF A PERCUTANEOUSLY IMPLANTABLE, AMBULATORY, LONG-TERM INTRAVASCULAR VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM - ABSTRACT HEART FAILURE (HF) RAPIDLY PROGRESSES DESPITE OPTIMAL MEDICAL MANAGEMENT AND CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY. LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICES ARE RESERVED ONLY FOR END-STAGE HF DUE TO SURGICAL INVASIVENESS. LONG- TERM MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT OPTIONS FOR LESS SICK HEART FAILURE PATIENTS (CLASS III, EARLY CLASS IV), WHICH MAY SLOW DOWN OR REVERSE HF PROGRESSION, ARE LIMITED. TO FULFILL THIS THERAPEUTIC GAP, NUPULSECV (RALEIGH, NC) IS DEVELOPING A PERCUTANEOUSLY DELIVERED, CHRONIC IMPLANTABLE, SECOND-GENERATION COUNTERPULSATION SYSTEM (IVAS) TO TREAT HF PATIENTS. THE NUPULSECV IVAS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR LESS INVASIVE PERCUTANEOUS IMPLANTATION IN THE DESCENDING AORTA IN A CARDIAC CATHETER LABORATORY BY A CARDIOLOGIST WITHIN 1.5 HOURS, AND ENABLES COMPLETE PATIENT MOBILITY. IN AN ONGOING FDA APPROVED CLINICAL STUDY, THE FIRST-GENERATION IVAS WAS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLANTED IN OVER 80 PATIENTS USING A SURGICAL APPROACH AND DEMONSTRATED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT HEMODYNAMIC IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDIAC INDEX (39%), EJECTION FRACTION (48%), AND CARDIAC POWER INDEX (35%) OVER BASELINE VALUES. HOWEVER, THE FIRST-GENERATION IVAS USED FOR THE CLINICAL STUDIES REQUIRES A CARDIAC SURGEON AND TWO ASSISTANTS TO IMPLANT THE DEVICE, TAKES ~4 HOURS TO IMPLANT, AND REQUIRES A SURGICAL SUITE. IN THIS SBIR PHASE I STUDY, WE WILL DEMONSTRATE FEASIBILITY OF A PERCUTANEOUSLY DELIVERED SECOND-GENERATION IVAS TO PROVIDE CHRONIC COUNTERPULSATION SUPPORT. THIS OBJECTIVE WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY (1) FABRICATION OF THE SECOND GENERATION IVAS AND IMPLANT TOOLS DESIGNED FOR PERCUTANEOUS DELIVERY, (2) DEMONSTRATING FEASIBILITY USING ACUTE AND CHRONIC OVINE MODELS. RESULTS FROM THE SBIR PHASE I STUDY WILL BE USED FOR OPTIMIZATION OF THE PERCUTANEOUS IVAS DURING SBIR PHASE II, WHICH WILL THEN LEAD TO AN FDA SUBMISSION FOR A PIVOTAL STUDY. THE PROGRAM DETAILED IN THIS PROPOSAL LEVERAGES THE ENGINEERING EXPERTISE AND DEVELOPMENT WORK OF NUPULSECV GUIDED BY AN INNOVATIVE GROUP OF PHYSICIANS AT BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER (BIDMC). OUR LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE IS TO SUCCESSFULLY INTRODUCE THE SECOND GENERATION IVAS SYSTEM INTO THE CLINICAL SETTING AS A LONG-TERM COUNTERPULSATION THERAPY TO TREAT HEART FAILURE PATIENTS WITH MINIMAL ADVERSE EVENTS AND HELP RESTORE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

SBIR PHASE I: MODELS TO PREDICT SOIL AND PLANT WATER STATUS FROM CONTINUOUS IN-PLANT MEASUREMENTS

ELIMINATING ACNE THROUGH PHOTO-INACTIVATION CATALASE - PROJECT SUMMARY ACNE VULGARIS IS A SKIN INFLAMMATORY CONDITION AFFECTING 80% OF YOUNG ADULTS AND CAN FREQUENTLY INDUCE PERMANENT DISFIGUREMENT EVEN WITH APPROPRIATE TREATMENT. ACNE IS CAUSED BY C. ACNES IN THE SETTING OF HORMONAL CHANGES AND SEBUM INDUCTION THAT ACCOMPANY ADOLESCENCE. THE MAINSTAY OF THERAPEUTICS CONSIST OF ERADICATING C. ACNES AND REDUCING INFLAMMATION. HOWEVER, TREATMENT IS PROLONGED (USUALLY 4-8 WEEKS IN DURATION) AND HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED IN RECENT YEARS WITH THE EMERGENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE. RESISTANCE TO TWO FIRST LINE ANTIBIOTICS CLINDAMYCIN AND ERYTHROMYCIN CURRENTLY STANDS AT 30-50%. THIS SEVERE SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS AN UNMET NEED FOR NOVEL AND MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS. THIS PHASE I STTR PROPOSAL, THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GEORGE LIU LAB AND PULSETHERA INC, AIMS TO AMPLIFY THESE INITIAL FINDINGS AND TO DESIGN A PROTOTYPE FOR TREATMENT OF MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT ACNE INFECTIONS. THE PI JI-XIN CHENG (PHD) IS AN EXPERT OF BIOPHOTONICS. THE CO-PI GEORGE LIU (MD PHD) IS A PIONEER IN THE STUDY OF CHROMOPHORES INCLUDING CATALASE IN BACTERIA AND WAS THE FIRST TO UNCOVER STAPHYLOXANTHIN’S ANTI-OXIDANT PROPERTY IN S. AUREUS. LIU AND CHENG HAVE AN ONGOING COLLABORATION IN DEVELOPING NOVEL ANTIMICROBIAL PHOTOTHERAPIES (SCIENCE ADVANCES, 2020, 7:1903117). A RECENT COLLABORATION BETWEEN GEORGE LIU LAB AT UCSD AND JI-XIN CHENG LAB AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT CATALASE, NATURALLY EXPRESSED IN A BROAD SPECTRUM OF BACTERIAL (BOTH GRAM-NEGATIVE AND GRAM-POSITIVE) AND FUNGAL SPECIES, CAN BE INACTIVATED BY A BLUE LIGHT LED AND MORE EFFECTIVELY BY PULSED BLUE LIGHT (MANUSCRIPT IN PREP). CONSEQUENTLY, WE HAVE OBSERVED THAT PHOTO-INACTIVATION OF CATALASE EFFECTIVELY SENSITIZES PATHOGENS INCLUDING C. ACNE TO VERY LOW CONCENTRATION OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE. THE TEAM’S CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT PHOTO-INACTIVATION OF CATALASE IS ABLE TO SENSITIZE C. ACNE PATHOGENS TO ROS-PRODUCING IMMUNE CELLS AND ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS. TO TEST THIS HYPOTHESIS, WE WILL FIRST DEVELOP A CATALASE PHOTO-INACTIVATION PROTOTYPE AND VALIDATE ITS EFFICIENCY IN KILLING C. ACNE IN SYNERGY WITH HYDROGEN PEROXIDE (AIM 1). WE WILL THEN DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF CATALASE PHOTO-INACTIVATION COUPLED WITH PEROXIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF ACNE IN VIVO IN AN ANIMAL MODEL (AIM 2). BY ACCOMPLISHING THE PROPOSED STUDIES, IT IS OUR EXPECTATION THAT ACCELERATED ELIMINATION OF THE PRO-INFLAMMATORY C. ACNES WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED OUTCOME AND OBVIATE THE NEED FOR LONG COURSES OF ANTIBIOTICS THAT ARE THE CAUSE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE.

SBIR PHASE I: VCSELA WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT OF A PEDIATRIC, LONG-TERM, MINIMALLY INVASIVE CIRCULATORY SUPPORT DEVICE (PEDIPULSE) TO TREAT HEART FAILURE

SBIR PHASE I: MULTICHANNEL RESONATORS ENABLING A PHENOTYPIC POINT OF CARE INFECTIOUS DISEASE DIAGNOSTIC

STTR PHASE I: SUSTAINABLE THERMO-ELECTRIC CONVERSION OF WASTE HEAT

DEVELOPMENT OF A LIGHTWEIGHT, PORTABLE, PNEUMATIC DRIVE UNIT FOR LONG TERM COUNTERPULSATIONSUPPORT

SBIR PHASE I: WATER POTENTIAL PROBE FOR REAL-TIME, SPATIALLY RESOLVED MEASUREMENTS OF WATER POTENTIAL IN PRECISION AGRICULTURE

ECG DEVICE FOR LQTS SCREENING IN NEWBORN

WATER POTENTIAL IS CRITICAL TO GUIDE IRRIGATION TIMING AND QUANTITY, DRAMATICALLY AFFECTING CROP YIELD, QUALITY, AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY. GROWERS LACK TOOLS TO MEASURE WATER POTENTIAL ACCURATELY, AUTOMATICALLY, AND LONG-TERM, LEADING TO PREVENTABLE CROP LOSSES AND EXCESS WATER USE. FLORAPULSE HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ONLY SENSOR THAT MEETS THESE REQUIREMENTS, A MICROTENSIOMETER THAT DIRECTLY MEASURES WATER POTENTIAL IN THE PLANT STEM, BUT THE CURRENT INSTALLATION METHOD IS TOO LARGE FOR A MAJORITY OF COMMERCIAL CROPS (I.E., CORN, COTTON, BLUEBERRY, ETC.).WE AIM TO DEVELOP AN INSTALLATION METHOD THAT IS 10X FASTER, EASIER, AND DRAMATICALLY SMALLER TO ALLOW WIDESPREAD WATER POTENTIAL MEASUREMENT IN SMALL CROP STEMS; AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, WE WILL ALSO SURVEY CROP WOUNDING RESPONSE TO SENSOR INSTALLATION AND VALIDATE THE SMALL-STEM INSTALLATION METHOD IN THE LABORATORY AND COMMERCIAL FARMS. THIS SMALL-STEM SENSOR WILL ENABLE REALTIME WATER POTENTIAL MEASUREMENT IN CROPS WORTH OVER $500 BILLION WORLDWIDE AND COULD LEAD TO 20% YIELD INCREASES AND 50% WATER SAVINGS.

STTR PHASE I: LOW COST HIGH EFFICIENCY PHOTOVOLTAICS

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM

IW - BLUETOOTH ELECTROMYOGRAPHY-BASED STROKE THERAPEUTIC (BEST): SHIFTING THE PARADIGM WITH BIOFEEDBACK-DRIVEN HOME THERAPY - THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT. IMPULSE WELLNESS LLC (IW) WILL, THROUGHOUT THIS SIX-MONTH AWARD, RESEARCH AND DEVELOP THE BLUETOOTH ELECTROMYOGRAPHY-BASED STROKE THERAPEUTIC (BEST) WORKING PROTOTYPE. THE GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO CREATE AN IMMERSIVE AND INTUITIVE STROKE REHABILITATION TOOL THAT HELPS FUNCTIONALLY IMPAIRED USERS TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR RECOVERY. THE OBJECTIVES ARE IN LINE WITH NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY, INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH’S (NIDILRR) MAJOR OUTCOME TWO, “HEALTH AND FUNCTION.” DURING THE PROJECT’S INCEPTION, THE IW TEAM CONDUCTED AN EVALUATIVE STUDY (45 STROKE SURVIVORS AND CARE PROVIDERS) TO BRING TO LIGHT THE BARRIERS, FACILITATORS, AND UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF REHABILITATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN CLINICAL NEUROREHABILITATION AND TO FURTHER ENSURE THE NEEDS OF THIS TARGET POPULATION ARE MET. THROUGH A RIGOROUS SYSTEMATIC STUDY AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE, THE IW TEAM WILL CREATE AN INFORMATIVE STROKE THERAPEUTIC SYSTEM AND WILL DEVELOP THE HARDWARE, BIOFEEDBACK ALGORITHM, AND MOBILE APPLICATION. THE BEST BIOFEEDBACK SYSTEM WILL INCORPORATE STATE-OF-THE-ART EMBEDDED DRY ELECTRODES TO COLLECT SURFACE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY SIGNALS. IN USING OUR PROPRIETARY BIOFEEDBACK ALGORITHM AND APPLICATION, WE WILL PROVIDE USERS WITH MOTIVATIONAL, INDIVIDUALIZED, AND CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL RECOVERY INFORMATION, SUCH AS THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A STROKE SURVIVOR’S AGONISTIC AND ANTAGONISTIC MUSCLES. IN PHASE II, WE WILL FURTHER TEST AND REFINE THE FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE BASED ON THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROPOSED PHASE I RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS WILL BE STUDIED THROUGH ADDITIONAL RESEARCH OF THE KEY OBJECTIVES IN PHASE I, TESTING OF ADDITIONAL METRICS WHICH WILL BE SYSTEMATICALLY OPTIMIZED BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED IN THE PHASE I WORK, AND RESEARCH OF THE CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE BEST SYSTEM. PHASE II WILL CULMINATE WITH A FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE THAT FEATURES INTERACTIVE TRAINING GAMES AND INDIVIDUALIZED BIOFEEDBACK RESULTS GARNERED FROM THE BEST SYSTEM. THE PHASE III GOALS WILL BE TO DEPLOY A MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT IN RESPONSE TO EXPERIENCES AND INFORMATION GAINED FROM THE PHASE I AND PHASE II RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES OF INCREASED ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE STROKE REHABILITATION AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MOTOR IMPAIRED STROKE VICTIMS. WE WILL ALSO SHIFT THE TREATMENT PARADIGM FROM LOW REPETITION ON-SITE THERAPY TO A HIGH-DOSE MOTOR REPAIR INTERVENTION THAT IS PERFORMED IN THE COMFORT OF ONE’S OWN CHOOSING. THE EXPECTED PRODUCTS ARE A WEARABLE SYSTEM CONSISTING OF A MUSCLE-SENSING DEVICE AND A USER-FRIENDLY MOBILE BIOFEEDBACK APPLICATION THAT PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY DIAGNOSTICS AND TRAINING GAMES. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE AN ENGAGING AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE THAT WILL SPEED UP RECOVERY, FINE-TUNE USERS’ MOTOR SKILLS, AND MORE RAPIDLY BRING STROKE SURVIVORS BACK TO THEIR “BEST” WHEN COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL THERAPIES.

IN-PLANT PROBE OF WATER POTENTIAL FOR FEEDBACK CONTROLLED MANAGEMENT OF WATER STATUS IN FRUIT CROPS

REAP RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM (RES) GRANT UNRESTRICTED AMOUNT

TO SUPPORT THE COUNTERPULSE PERFORMING DIASPORA PROGRAM, FOR DANCE ARTISTS WHO ARE USING TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE AS A FOUNDATION FOR EXPERIMENTATION

SEC. 9007 REAP-ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS (MAN)

REAP ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT (EEI) GRANT UNRESTRICTED AMOUNT

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT AN ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING PROGRAM FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

A TWO-DAY TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) CONCLAVE IN GUWAHATI IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMERICAN CENTER O/A DECEMBER 6-7, 2013.

TO PROVIDE PARALEGAL TRAINING, LEGAL SUPPORT, AND DOCUMENTATION IN ASSAM, INDIA TO ASSIST THE 4 MILLION PEOPLE EXCLUDED FROM THE NATIONAL REGISTER

TO SUPPORT THE CREATION AND PRESENTATION OF A NEW MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE WORK.

TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF JOBS THAT ARE THREATENED BY DECLINES IN PHILANTHROPIC AND OTHER SUPPORT DURING THE CURRENT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.

TO COVER EXPENSES FOR THE GROUP SLAMMIN ALL-BODY BAND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THIRD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BODY MUSIC FESTIVAL, TAKING PLACE IN SAO PAULO

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES SPACE AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING (ARC) PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE COUNTERPULSE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING (ARC) PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE INTERNATIONAL BODY MUSIC FESTIVAL.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES SPACE AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING (ARC) PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES SPACE AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING&NBSP;PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES SPACE AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

TO SUPPORT ARTIST RESIDENCIES.

TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING PROGRAM (ARC) FOR LOCAL EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY AND PRECISION OF HARVESTING YIELD TRIALS FOR PULSE CROPS

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT STEP DANCE RESIDENCIES FOR STUDENTS IN PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES SPACE AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT ARTS PROGRAMMING IN RURAL BERKSHIRE COUNTY MASSACHUSETTS.

TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING (ARC) PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES SPACE AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS TO CREATE NEW WORKS.

TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT CREATION AND PRODUCTION OF A MULTIGENERATIONAL COLLABORATIVE BODY MUSIC PERFORMANCE AND INTERACTIVE PRODUCTION PASS IT DOWN.

TO SUPPORT DANCE ARTIST RESIDENCIES.

TO SUPPORT THE COUNTERPULSE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING (ARC) PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE COUNTERPULSE ARTIST RESIDENCY AND COMMISSIONING (ARC) PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES TOUR OF "BODY MUSIC," WHICH SHOWCASES MOVEMENT, RHYTHM, SOUND, AND VOICE, AND WILL INCLUDE CONCERTS, AND EDUCATION AND O

TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM FOR LOCAL EMERGING AND MID-CAREER CHOREOGRAPHERS.

PULSE CROP RESEARCH TASKFORCE