Transportation | Office of Technology Licensing

Available Technologies by Category
Magnetohydrodynamic Pumped Liquid Metal Loops for Spacecraft Thermal Control	The absence of moving parts and low vapor pressure of the liquid result in enhanced reliability and minimum power consumption. The near-zero vapor pressure of the liquid metal reduces leaks and minimizes the pressure difference between the loop and the external environment, which reduces the mass of the pipes and enables the use of non-metallic lightweight fluid handling materials. With thermal conductivity values two orders of magnitude above standard refrigerants, the volume and mass of heat exchangers are reduced proportionally.	9251
New Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) Technique’s Unprecedented Time and Space Resolution Improves Understanding of Atmospheric Optical Covariances for Forecasting	Optimizing free-space optical communications tools with enhanced optical turbulence strength measurements as a function of time and range enables path for development of first of their kind tracebility standards. Quantitative measurements of optical turbulence with unprecedented spatial and temporal coverage offer improved performance for long-range FSO applications. Singular measurement of optical turbulence results from combination LIDAR measurements of wind, temperature, and water vapor, which enables better weather forecasting and models to be built.	9016
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
Monitor Vehicle Location and Maintain Vehicle Health During Long-Term Storage	Vehicle health and location monitoring system automatically establishes a mesh network for vehicle fleet monitoring by a human, drone, or mobile robot. Checks battery and other vehicle health status as well as determines locations of all connected vehicles in storage. When a vehicle is found with low battery levels, a mobile robot can safely provide a charge to the battery to get the vehicle running.	8938
Expandable Back Drive–Resistant Wedge Improves Payload Support and Security in Satellite and Other Limited-Access Applications	This expandable wedge designed to resist back drive creates a more predictable load path for limited-access payloads, such as small satellite installations. The design reduces the likelihood of payload damage caused by sudden shock loading that can occur due to the higher stresses of cantilevered loads. Two offset, spring-activated pawls make the cartridge resistant to vibration by holding the wedge in place once proper contact has been established.	9002
Systems and Methods for SmallSat Propellant Positioning	The technology provides a way to reliably and efficiently control saturated, or boiling, propellants compared to existing technology. The technology can easily be scaled up and applied to different liquids and architectures. Significantly enhances the reliability and efficiency of current positioning methods.	9165
Quantum Tunneling Radio Positioning System Achieves Higher Levels of Accuracy and Longer Range for Next-Generation Wireless Networks	This radiolocation system uses quantum tunneling tags (QTT) capable of operating in non-line-of-sight conditions to achieve longer range communications in outdoor and indoor applications. The use of QTTs, paired with a frequency hopping reader, results in positioning accuracy not achievable with standard methods. QTTs are inexpensive and operate under low power requirements to offer an affordable orientation system with long battery life.	8535
Metasurface Enables Rapid, Sensitive, and Low-Cost Permittivity Characterization of Dielectric Materials at Radio Frequencies	Characterize complex permittivity of dielectric materials at radio frequencies quickly and at lower cost than with existing techniques. The electronically reconfigurable system allows integration of active electronics for tunability and eliminates the need for several masks to achieve the needed bandwidth. Measure individual frequencies by swapping out only the metasurfaces, which can be used on a wide range of sample thicknesses.	9078
Machine Learning–Based Transportation Asset Inventory	The invention performs more intelligent segmentation using advanced computation methods with Artificial Intelligence. Makes use of cost-efficient 2-dimensional images of roadways, making it easier to implement on a larger scale. Can detect transportation assets and inventory them simultaneously.	9109
Deployable Critical Active Learning (DECAL) System Offers Better Characterization for Improved Diagnostics and Imaging	The deployable critical active learning (DECAL) system’s bi-modal interface enables better characterization with large training sets that generate more accurate output for higher precision. The algorithm used during the initialization period creates a framework that can be expanded and generalized to any data method and application. The DECAL algorithm samples uniquely important, unlabeled data to aid existing active learning systems in generalizing more quickly, providing faster diagnosis statistics.	9099
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
Anodically Coloring Molecular Electrochromics (EC) Improve Contrast, Color, and Transitions	True black-to-clear transitions with high contrast and color tuning are now possible with anodically coloring electrochromics. Broad absorption supports color mixing and color tunability in the charged state, and color tuning is enabled by manipulating the oscillator strengths of radical cation transitions. Energy required for practical electrochromic applications is effectively decreased by much lower oxidative potentials, as compared to their corresponding polyamides.	7745
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
Biologically Inspired Connected Advanced Driver Assistance System	Cost-effective: Leverages existing vehicle infrastructure (e.g., sensors, lights) along with an affordable software upgrade to provide enhanced collision avoidance capabilities, typically for less than $500 Safety-enhancing: Designed to help prevent up to 94% of automotive crashes by providing reduced lag time and enabling faster driver reaction rates Convenient: Aims to optimize vehicle travel speeds and reduce traffic congestion and travel times	8918
Atomic Metal Catalysts	Innovative: Generates new isomers by changing the order in which atoms are added in a hetero-atomic cluster (can maximize available catalytic sites) Efficient: Creates and optimizes active isomers of atomic metals such as Au and Pd, increasing the catalytic efficiency of these high-demand metals (requires minimal precious catalytic metal) Scalable: Provides a scalable process resulting in theoretically predictable catalytic properties	6451, 5217
Airborne Acoustic Sensing System for “Ear in the Sky” Capabilities on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)	Optimizes speech clarity: Uses acquired empirical data and iteratively refines the processing capability until the optimal signal to noise ratio (SNR) is achieved Improves covert detection: Enables acquisition of a live voice signal from a person of interest without detection by using UAS platforms to remotely acquire acoustic signals and using digital signal processing algorithms to filter, enhance, and localize the speech signal of interest Enhances warfare tools: Provides increased situational awareness, enhanced ISR capabilities, and helps identify potential security threats to deployed assets	6985, 7223
Reprocessing, Recycling, and Repairing Covalent Adaptable Network Polymers	Environmentally friendly: Recycles fibers and polymers without the use of supercritical chemicals (e.g., acids) Effective: Allows for pressure-free surface repair and welding Efficient: Reclaims fibers and polymer with the same mechanical properties as fresh material for use in new products	7348
Versatile Retroreflective Metastructures for Enhanced Electromagnetic Response	Improved steep angle performance: Increases the angular range of reflectivity to greatly reduce the precision needed to produce a retroreflective response Increased bandwidth: Combines multiple periodic metasurfaces into a hybrid metastructure for greater bandwidth Versatile design: Can be designed for either single- or dual-polarized retroreflection, with metasurfaces of different periodicities combined for varying angles	8764
Air-Breathing Plasma Jet Engine	Sustainable: This invention has the potential to replace costly hydrocarbon fuel with a sustainable and cost-effective alternative. Adaptable: Depending on the application, the plasma can be created and coupled by various means, including direct current electric arcs, radio frequency plasma, and microwave plasma. Cost-saving: This invention has the potential to replace costly hydrocarbon fuel with a sustainable and cost-effective alternative.	8788
Cascaded Nickel Hard Mask	Substantially deeper etches: Because a very thick metal mask can be created, a wide range of µm features can be etched in a variety of III-Nitride semiconductors, allowing for extremely high voltage devices that require thicker layer structures Robust: This method has demonstrated highly consistent and effective protection against the kind of damage that is typical with standard fabrication methods Scalable: The nickel hard mask with cascaded e-beam evaporation and sputtering metal deposition method can readily be applied to the large-scale production of electronic devices	8790

Technologies