Available Technologies by Category
An Approach to Human-Robot Collaborative Drilling & Fastening in Aerospace Final Assembly
  • The invention is a new, collaborative, and adaptive robot-based approach to complete drilling and fastening tasks autonomously in an adaptable, unstructured environments using an expert demonstrator and human operator. 
  • The human trains the robot to autonomously complete tasks by defining its environment and demonstrating how to locate, classify, and insert fasteners into a fuselage using a camera and 3D sensor that surveys the area. 
  • While the system starts with no information, it can use online and offline learning techniques to develop a data bank of information to utilize throughout the insertion process.
8805
Inkjet Printed Multi-Layer mm-Wave Antennas and Passive Components
  • New manufacturing inkjet printing process to create massively scalable 2D and 3D antennas and passive components allows for rapid fabrication and low costs.
  • The novel innovation is both flexible and portable, enabling on-demand customization with minimal additional costs.
  • The ink manufacturing process has extensive applications from printed RF capacitators and inductors to smart cities, wearables, and skins.
6332
Predictive Maintenance System for Large-Scale Operations Offers Potential for Significant Cost Savings
  • Consistent workflow improvements: Offers repeatable and consistent enterprise-level improvements to the maintenance workflow.  
  • Proactive readiness: Improves maintenance scheduling, allowing for improved logistics, scheduling, virtual kitting, and part/component availability. 
  • Customizable: Customers can build and tailor their PMx solutions according to their needs, providing increased data control and an alternative to costly and limited solutions.
8793
High-Accuracy, Low-Cost, Low-Power Wireless Tracking Tags
  • Low-cost, ultra-low power wireless tag for real-time asset tracking
  • Passive wireless tag costs less than $1 to manufacture and can operate for several years with maintenance-free operation
  • Compatible with off-the-shelf devices, making it ideal for efficient inventory control in multiple industries
8943
Microgeodes Enable Tunable Optical Response for Advanced Coatings/Paint
  • Microgeodes have a programmable structure of nanowires that allows their optical response to be engineered precisely over multiple spectral bands, from UV through mid-IR. 
  • Microgeodes combine the tunability and versatility of nanowires with the processability of microspheres to provide a photonic materials platform for a wide range of applications. 
  • Microgeode paints could reduce building surface temperatures by as much as 25°C, offering the potential for significant consumer savings while retaining aesthetically pleasing colors.
8866
Solar Cell Manufacturing Technique Increases Efficiency and Lowers Costs
  • This double-side polysilicon/silicon oxide TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact) solar cell concept provides a simple and low-cost way to passivate front and back surfaces of silicon wafers to enhance efficiency.
  • Provides current and voltage comparable to full-area double-side TOPCon but with no appreciable absorption in front polysilicon and without compromising short circuit current density
  • Includes a novel and fast way to pattern polysilicon using laser-induced selective oxidation
8888
Advanced Error Measurement System for Additive Manufacturing Machines
  • Advanced technology for precise error measurement in AM machine optomechanical systems
  • Innovative laser-based method to identify and correct focal errors in PBF-LB AM machines
  • Comprehensive approach enhances machine performance and output quality
9241
Device Continuously Separates Functionalized Magnetic Microparticles from Solids to Yield Benefits for the Pharmaceutical Industry and More
  • Magnetic force is used to enhance traditional solid-solid separation techniques to yield a high-purity product stream and continuously return catalyst to a reactor.
  • The device is capable of continuous separation for multiple hours and can be parallelized or ran in series to improve solids throughput and separation efficiency.
  • This technology could help accelerate the adoption of continuous, heterogeneously catalyzed reactive crystallizations and, more generally, expand the chemistries and processes fit for continuous manufacturing. 
8806
Superluminescent Light Projection (SLP) System Decreases Nanoscale Printing Costs by 10–50 Times
  • This superluminescent light projection (SLP) system decreases overall nanoscale printing costs by 10–50 times. 
  • A parallel writing mechanism supports higher throughput speeds: up to 100 times higher than existing metal printing methods and four times higher than existing polymer printing methods. 
  • SLP creates sharp-edged images with minimal speckling patterns, resulting in high-resolution images and structures on both polymer and metal-based films. 
9066
High-Precision, Hands-Free Remote Control of Complex Robotic Systems Via Eye Movements
  • This two-camera eye-tracking system (TCES) integrates a commercial eye tracker with machine-learning technology for continuous real-time classification of gaze and eye directions for robotic arm control. 
  • The system provides highly accurate classification for four directions of eye movement and has achieved 99.99% accuracy in studies.
  • Using simple eye movement, the TCES offers low-cost, high-precision control of external devices/hardware for people with disabilities, surgery robots, warehouse systems, construction tools, and more. 
9184
Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with Unique Input Design that Significantly Reduces Computational Costs of Complex Engineering Systems
  • Neural network’s novel input can utilize first-order schemes and local patches and allows for discontinuities to be reflected accurately and with greater resolution than existing products.
  • This adaptable ANN can be adopted by commercial and scientific research as a stand-alone solution or in conjunction with existing software. 
  • Lower costs for running complex and repetitive computations can be achieved by implementing this neural network with an input system that processes low-cost numerical solution patches arising from two or more converging solutions.
8963
Lightweight, Versatile Cryogenic Conductors
  • Lithium exhibits lower atomic mass, higher power density, and lower losses under cryogenic conditions
  • Conductors such as lithium become even more power-dense at lower temperatures, exhibiting improved electrical performance 
  • Cladding with copper enables lithium to be drawn using standard wire-drawing techniques and tools
8729
Hybrid Molecular Catalysts: A New Blueprint for Catalyst Design, Preparation, and Testing
  • Attachment of molecular catalysts to solid supports can lead to new reactivity not seen under homogeneous conditions
  • At an optimal atomic layer deposition (ALD) layer thickness, the molecular catalyst remains highly active while still being resistant to surface detachment and subsequent deactivation
  • Catalyst separation and recovery achieved via a simple filtering and washing process rather than energy- and time-intensive distillation or re-crystallization processes
  • In addition to the simple filter-and-wash process mentioned above, encapsulation requires only about 10 reaction cycles, making this process technologically and economically viable for large-scale manufacturing
8537