SBIR

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION

RESEARCH PROGRAM

ABSTRACTS OF PHASE I and PHASE II 

AWARDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015
INTRODUCTION

Abstracts of Awards for Fiscal Year 2015 SBIR Program

Note: Certain non-ASCII characters may not be represented accurately in this 

document. In cases where there may be doubt, please direct your questions 

to sbir@nist.gov. 
Fiscal Year 2015 List of Awardees

Award Number Company Name Open Topics/Topic Areas Phase

70NANB15H296 3DSIM Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H288 AdSem, Inc. Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H299 Advanced Research Corp. Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H294 Amethyst Research Inc. Climate Change and Clean Energy Phase I

70NANB15H289 Aztera, LLC Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H290 Categorical Informatics Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H298 Galois Cybersecurity Phase I

70NANB15H301 InfoBeyond Technology LLC Cybersecurity Phase I

70NANB15H365 Nodexus Inc. Technology Transfer Phase I

70NANB15H293 ObjectSecurity LLC Cybersecurity Phase I

70NANB15H300 Promia, Inc. Technology Transfer Phase I

70NANB15H292 Weinberg Medical Physics LLC Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H297 XSB, Inc. Advanced Manufacturing Phase I

70NANB15H291 Z-senz LLC Technology Transfer Phase I

70NANB14H289 Antara Teknik Cybersecurity Phase II

70NANB14H303 En'Urga, Inc. Health Care Phase II

70NANB14H290 Grier Forensics Cybersecurity Phase II

70NANB14H297 High Precision Devices Health Care Phase II

70NANB14H292 Management Sciences, Inc. Cyber-Physical Systems Phase II

70NANB14H300 Seacoast Science, Inc. Technology Transfer Phase II

 
FY 2015 PHASE I AWARD

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: Predictive Modeling Tools for Metal-Based Additive Manufacturing 

Title: Predictive Modeling Tools for Metal-Based Additive Manufacturing 

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: 3DSIM

1794 Olympic Parkway

Park City, UT 84098 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Nachiket Patil

Phone: 502-619-4035 

Email: nachiket.patil@3dsim.com

Award Amount: $100,000 

Abstract: 3DSIM will provide a solution to additive manufacturing’s lack of efficient, 

composable physics-based computational frameworks to predict quality and performance for 

arbitrary geometry, orientation, location and process parameter combinations. A new set of 

composable computational tools capable of accurately predicting the geometrical accuracy, 

residual stress and microstructure of the parts made using metal based AM will be developed. 

The tool(s) will demonstrate scaling and composability of models to support geometryindependent reusability while providing a range of parameter values (e.g. user-defined build 

orientation, laser power, scan speed, hatch pattern, recoat time, material properties, powder layer 

thickness, choice of mesh motifs, and more) supporting reliability and accuracy.

Commercial Applications: It is estimated that tens of thousands of dollars are wasted per 

machine per year in unnecessary support material costs, post manufacturing labor part finishing, 

and material lost due to failed builds. A composable set of simulation tools would help predict 

residual stress and strain data to identify the minimum amount per part. There is a significant 

demand for software simulation tools to optimize the economics of Additive Manufacturing. 

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: Tuning Germanium Crystal Reflectivity and Mosaic 

Title: Tuning Germanium Crystal Reflectivity and Mosaic

OU: NIST Center for Neutron Research
Firm: AdSem, Inc.

855 Sevely Drive 

Mountain View, CA 94041 

Principal Investigator: Michael Kozhukh 

Phone: 650-625-0642 

Email: mkozhukh@sbcglobal.net

Award Amount: $99,997.00 

Abstract: This project is devoted to development of a manufacturing technique of slow neutron 

Germanium mosaic monochromators with reflectivity exceeding reflectivity of pyrolytic graphite 

crystals. The manufacturing technique utilizes optimized high temperature plastic deformation of 

large single Germanium crystals to produce mosaic monochromators. Preliminary test on 70 mm 

diameter Ge samples with 111 orientation and mosaicity value 16 arc minutes demonstrated 

maximum neutron reflectivity 89% in the peak of a smooth rocking curve. 

Commercial Applications: Large size Ge mosaic slow neutron monochromators with 

reflectivity reaching 89% in the peak of a rocking curve will significantly increase efficiency of 

the US research nuclear reactors for condensed matter research, improve quality of diffraction 

experiments and extend flexibility of neutron scattering measurements. They are well suited for 

focusing systems in astrophysics and for medical applications, where they can improve quality of 

x-ray images in oncology diagnostics. 

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: High-Throughput Manufacturing Methods for Engineered MRI Contrast Agents 

Title: High-Throughput Manufacturing Methods for Engineered MRI Contrast Agents 

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: Advanced Research Corp. 

4459 White Bear Parkway

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Principal Investigator: Greg Wagner 

Phone: 651‐789‐9000

Email: gwagner@arcnano.com

Award Amount: $99,329.00 

Abstract: This project focuses on developing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast 

agent that may increase the detection of tagged cells by a factor of 10-100. The ability to 

noninvasively track specifically labeled (tagged) cells, enables a researcher or medical treatment 
professional to dynamically monitor the delivery and targeted application of medicinal and bioreactive agents.

Commercial Applications: Applications include cell transplantations and therapies to treat 

neurodegenerative diseases, tumors, strokes, and brain injuries. 

Topic: Climate Change and Clean Energy

Subtopic: Large-Area, Uniform Infrared Detector Development for 1 μm to 4.5 μm

Title: Large-Area, Uniform Infrared Detector Development for 1 μm to 4.5 μm

OU: Physical Measurement Laboratory 

Firm: Amethyst Research Inc.

123 Case Circle

Ardmore, OK 73401-0643 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Terry D. Golding 

Phone: 580-657-2575 

Email: admin@amethystresearch.com

Award Amount: $99,998.00 

Abstract: Amethyst Research Inc. will design, fabricate and test a high uniformity, large area, 

low noise infrared trap-detector detector for the 1- 4.5 μm wavelength range. This state of the art

detector will have a large area (e.g., 1-1.8 cm diameter active area) with a spatial variability of 

internal quantum efficiency of less than 0.1 % between 1 μm and 4.5 μm. In addition, the internal 

quantum efficiency of the detectors (i.e., the device efficiency after taking into account the 

radiation loss due to front-surface reflection) will be close to unity. The Phase I effort will 

consist of a proof-of-principle demonstration of large area, high-uniformity photodiodes that 

operate at 1 to 3 μm wavelengths. 

Commercial Applications: Outside of standards measurement, the main commercial application 

of the infrared photodetector technology being developed in this program is in gas sensing. 

According to a report by WinterGreen, the mid infrared chemical sensor market is anticipated to 

reach $7 billion by 2019 as price of units from bench size devices to portable units makes them 

more useful across the board in every industry. 

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: Computer Aided Standards Development (CASD) – A Software Tool to Automate 

Standards Development Process 
Title: Visual Ontological Language for Technical Standards (VOLTS) 

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: Aztera, LLC

2102 N. Forbes Blvd, Suite 101 

Tucson, AZ 85745 

Principal Investigator: Sean Whitsitt

Phone: 520-261-8378 

Email: Sean.whitsitt@aztera.com

Award Amount: $99,803.10 

Abstract: Current research shows that failures in the standardization process are often the result 

of a failure of the participants to communicate or organize. To this effect, NIST has developed a 

tool, NIST Ontological Visualization Interface for Standards (NOVIS), with an environment for 

visualizing, browsing, and querying standards. Aztera will create a Computer Aided Standards 

Development (CASD) framework based on concepts from NOVIS, Model Driven Engineering 

(MDE), Version Control Systems (VCSs), and Software Development. This framework will be a 

Visual Ontological Language for Technical Standards (VOLTS). VOLTS will help shepard 

standards through the development, deployment, and maintenance stages. In Phase I, Aztera will 

develop mechanisms by which existing standards can be imported into and exported from this 

information model using existing materials. In Phase II, Aztera will integrate tools for creating, 

linking, and versioning standards. 

Commercial Applications: The VOLTS Domain specific modeling platform will be built for 

the visualization of standards, helping Aztera’s VOLTS customers, SDOs and large companies 

with internal standards processes, easily create, track, and manage new standards. Customers will 

have access to the product through a tiered licensing business model. In addition to a more 

streamlined process for standard creation, SDOs will find value in the ability to generate revenue 

through the sale of their standards documents through this additional vehicle. 

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: Category-Theoretic Tools to Support Manufacturing Information Integration

Title: Category-Theoretic Tool for Manufacturing-related Information

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: Categorical Informatics

250 Main St., No. 426035 

Cambridge, MA 02142 
Principal Investigator: Ryan Wisnesky 

Phone: 650-387-9782 

Email: Ryan.wisnesky@categoricalinformatics.com

Award Amount: $100,000.00 

Abstract: Categorical theory has recently been successfully applied to translate information 

from one computer system to another. Researchers at MIT have developed a prototype software 

tool based on category theory for solving information-integration programs. The tool has 

successfully solved small-scale information-integration problems including a problem identified 

by NIST about enriching the manufacturing service capability of a distributed supply chain with 

additional 3rd party information. The goal of this Phase I is to transition MIT’s tool from an 

academic project to a commercial software project and to demonstrate that the enhanced tool can 

be used to solve manufacturing-related information-integration problems identified by NIST. 

Commercial Applications: The market for information-integration tools is many billions of 

dollars a year and growing at around 10% annually. An industrial-strength version of the tool has 

the potential to both compete directly with existing information-integration tools, as well as 

reach new users who find existing tools ill-suited to their needs. 

Topic: Cybersecurity

Subtopic: A Verifier for Multicore C11 or C++11 Code 

Title: A Verifier for Multicore C11 or C++11 Code 

OU: Information Technology Laboratory 

Firm: Galois

421 SW Sixth Ave., Suite 300 

Portland, OR 97204 

Principal Investigator: Joe Kiniry 

Phone: 503-626-6616 

Email: kiniry@galois.com

Award Amount: $99,909.92 

Abstract: Galois will build a practical, efficient, modular, deductive code verifier and 

verification methodology for multithread C11 software. The verifier will take code written to the 

C11 standard, suitably annotated with function contracts, assertions, program/data invariants, 

ghost data/code, and any platform-specific assumptions beyond those guaranteed by the 

standard, and will prove that the code meets its specifications in any suitable concurrent context. 

The most innovative aspect of the verifier lies in the method for reasoning about C11 weak 

memory atomics, the most important feature of C11. 
This approach allows the use of traditional forms of program reasoning using assertions about 

the global state (e.g. in pre/postconditions, loop and data invariants, etc.). This is done with the 

help of separation logic, which provides a natural approach to guaranteeing that threads interact 

with each other in a reasonable way. If our software is going to be used to verify high-assurance 

programs, the system should be high assurance as well. Therefore, the verifier will be written in 

the Coq proof assistant language, using the proof assistant to show the correctness of the 

implementation.

Commercial Applications: The verifier would enable new modes of engineering and 

commerce. Because verification is static and modular, software components can be written and 

verified separately, in parallel, using only the specifications of the shared data structures and 

hardware they use and the external functions they call. Verification eliminates the need for 

traditional software trust relationships, making it safe to use code provided by untrusted vendors, 

or to subcontract code verification to untrusted verification engineers. 

Topic: Cybersecurity

Subtopic: Improving Robustness and Security in Home Routers 

Title: ACPT (Access Control Policy Tool): A User-friendly, Efficient, Reliable, and Generic 

Access Control Policy Modeling, Verification, and Testing Tool 

OU: Information Technology Laboratory 

Firm: InfoBeyond Technology LLC 

320 Whittington Pkwy. 

Louisville, KY 40222 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Bin Xie

Phone: 502-371-0907 

Email: Bin.Xie@InfoBeyondtech.com

Award Amount: $100,000.00 

Abstract: InfoBeyond Technology advocates the development of a user-friendly, efficient, 

reliable, and generic Access Control Policy modeling, verification, and Testing (ACPT) Tool. 

InfoBeyond Technology’s ACPT enhances NIST’s ACPT design and adds several advanced 

features for achieving high security confidence AC levels such that it can be commercialized. It 

provides user-friendly GUI templates for users to compose attributes, enable property test by a 

model checker, and perform combinatorial test. It specifically improves the NIST ACPT design 

to provide a robust, unified, and generic model checker while static and dynamic attribute 

constraints are integrated for an Attributed-based Access Control framework. It enables effective 

policy test for test generation and execution and provides APIs to support third party 

deployment. In addition, ACPT has the web service design to facilitate the ACPT webification 

and evolution in a distributed computing environment. 
Commercial Applications: Once the ACPT is developed, it can revolutionize new AC 

mechanisms and generate new revenues. It has governmental and civilian markets. At first, the 

ACPT will be maturated as the AC products that can be used for NIST, Department of 

Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and other federal and 

state agencies for flexible and robust AC capabilities. Secondly, the civilian market includes 

enterprise, financial, and other private systems. The ACPT product can be widely used for 

privacy and security protection in financial and stock companies, hospitals, insurance 

organizations, and many other business domains. 

Topic: Technology Transfer 

Subtopic: NIST Tech Transfer

Title: New Manufacturing Processes for Next-generation Microfluidic Screening Tools 

OU: Innovation and Industry Services

Firm: Nodexus Inc.

2150 Shattuck Ave. 

Berkeley, CA 94704 

Principal Investigator: Karthik Balakrishnan 

Phone: 573-263-1345 

Email: karthik@nodexus.com

Award Amount: $100,000.00 

Abstract: Nodexus is commercializing next-generation bioinstrumentation for researchers, 

clinicians, and the biotech industry at large. As development challenge involves a material 

switch to polymer-based microfluidics to improve robustness and reproducibility of 

measurements. Nodexus will develop new manufacturing processes for their microfluidic 

product suite that preserves surface functionalization while enabling robust, non-thermally 

bonded polymer-based microfluidics. 

Commercial Applications: Commercial applications includes biological screening by 

researchers, clinicians, and the biotech industry (pharmaceutical companies, molecular 

diagnostics facilities, etc.). Ultimately, the technology can be utilized for clinical diagnostics 

through the detection of rare cells in clinical samples, e.g. circulating tumor cells in blood as a 

‘liquid biopsy’. 

Topic: Cybersecurity

Subtopic: Access Control Policy Tool 
Title: Automated Access Control Policy Testing System (A-ACPTS)

OU: Information Technology Laboratory

Firm: ObjectSecurity LLC

1855 First Ave., Ste 103 

San Diego, CA 92101 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ulrich Lang 

Phone: 650-515-3391 

Email: ulrich.lang@objectsecurity.com

Award Amount: $98,995.00 

Abstract: This Automated Access Control Policy Testing System (A-ACPTS) project extends 

and transitions NIST’s Access Control Policy Tool (ACPT) toward commercialization. The core 

challenge is to research and develop an ACPT-based tool and a method of automating as many 

of the inputs into the model checking as possible, with the goal of making the testing more 

usable, less error-prone, and more efficient. A-ACPTS will enable the specification of properties 

and policies at a generic, “undistorted” level of abstraction, and by feeding existing information 

sources into the tool with a high degree of automated and semantic consistency, so that the 

policy testing can be fast, easy, and correct. 

Commercial Applications: There are few usable AC policy testing tools available, which makes 

the implementation of AC policy tools error-prone, costly and difficult. The A-ACPTS solution 

addresses a significant gap in the fast-growing cyber security market. A-ACPTS enables AC 

policy testing, while at the same time being manageable, easy-to-use, and partially automated. AACPTS can be used by most organizations that use/operate large, interconnected IT landscapes, 

in particular organizations which critically rely on IT for their operation, process confidential 

information, are safety-critical or critical infrastructure, and/or are regulated.

Topic: Technology Transfer 

Subtopic: NIST Tech Transfer

OU: Innovation and Industry Services 

Title: Attack Graph Generation Integration with Promia RAVEN (AGGIWPR) 

Firm: Promia, Inc. 

101 The Embarcadero, Ste 200 

San Francisco, CA 94105 

Principal Investigator: William Reynolds
Phone: 609-252-1853 

Email: breynolds@promia.com

Award Amount: $88,625.27 

Abstract: Promia will integrate the technology described in U.S. Patent #8,566,269 (Interactive 

Analysis of Attack Graphs (IAAG) Using Relational Queries) into the Promia Raven Security 

Information and Event Management (SIEM) and security operations appliance. Promia intends to 

use the asset information that it already collects – both passively and actively – about nodes on 

the networks it monitors and open source threat information as the source data needed for the 

IAAG technology. Promia anticipates that successful integration will provide Promia Raven 

customers with exciting new capabilities for more effectively visualizing and mitigating threats 

to their protected cyber and cyber-physical network systems. 

Commercial Applications: In addition to enhancing traditional network security operations, the 

Promia Raven being positioned as the C4ISR hub in several Smart City and Smart Port solutions. 

In this cyber-physical environment, there may be a compelling opportunity to validate the IAAG 

technology patent claims that the technique could be applied to a hybrid cyber-physical system. 

The IAAG technology might be particularly helpful identifying combinations of cyber and 

physical event sequences that would indicate complex cascade failures for which both cyber and 

physical first responder should be prepared. 

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: High-Throughput Manufacturing Methods for Engineered MRI Contrast Agents 

Title: High-Throughput Manufacturing Methods for Engineered MRI Contrast Agents 

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: Weinberg Medical Physics LLC

5611 Roosevelt Street 

Bethesda, MD 20817 

Principal Investigator: Lamar Mair, Ph.D.

Phone: 202-568-1608 

Email: Lamar.mair@gmail.com

Award Amount: $99,619.00 

Abstract: Scalable manufacturing of micro-engineered MRI contrast agents has the potential to 

increase the specificity and resolution of imaging techniques, while reducing morbidity. 

Currently, techniques used for making such particles are expensive and labor intensive. In Phase 

I, Weinberg Medical Physics will validate techniques for rapid, massively parallel fabrication of 
microscale contrast agents (including shells, disks, and doubledisks). In order to demonstrate the 

utility of the proposed approach, they will build three different contrast agents (with shapes 

similar to those reported in NIST publications), demonstrate contrast agent monodispersity, 

mechanical stability (during processing steps typically encountered in clinical dose preparation), 

NMR shift uniformity, and feasibility of automated manufacturing. 

Commercial Applications: Gadolinium-based imaging contrast agents are currently regarded as 

clinical standard, however recent research has revealed that over time the gadolinium 

accumulates in the brain after repeated administration. In the short term, researchers perceive the 

need for particles that can tag individual cells. Eventual replacement of gadolinium with shapeengineered particles would qualify for entry into the contrast market, currently valued at one 

billion dollars worldwide. This market could be augmented further if cell-tagging applications 

were approved for clinical use.

Topic: Advanced Manufacturing 

Subtopic: Computer Aided Standards Development (CASD) – A Software Tool to Automate 

Standards Development Process 

Title: A Tool for Building Semantically Interoperable Specification and Standards 

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: XSB, Inc. 

21 Bennetts Road, Suite 100 

Suffolk, NY 11733 

Principal Investigator: Dr. David F. Winchell 

Phone: 631-371-8117 

Email: d.winchell@xsb.com

Award Amount: $99,743.12 

Abstract: Standards and specifications are widely used in government and industry to define 

requirements for products and processes and insure interoperability, safety, and quality of 

industrial and domestic products. Specifications and standards documents almost always crossreference other standards and specification. Taken together, the web of interdependent standards 

forms an immensely important knowledge base. However, this knowledge is not structured in a 

way the enables potential enhancements.

In order to develop a structured, model-based view of the web of standards, XSB will extend the 

NIST Ontological Visualization Interface for Standards (NOVIS) system to work with an 

existing knowledge base and existing test extraction and classification technology, and with 

existing requirements management tools. XSB will investigate the feasibility of combining these 
into an application that helps users create structured models for new and existing specifications 

that use a consistent ontology. 

Commercial Applications: At the end of Phase I, the taxonomy editor will be socialized with 10 

potential users from three industry sectors. Features will have been refined and an initial set of 

prospects identified. This process will generate specific, actionable leads with actual enterprise 

while defining the product sufficiently to enable a broader market strategy to be developed 

during Phase II. 

Topic: Technology Transfer 

Subtopic: NIST Tech Transfer

Title: High Performance Beam Scanning Using a Resonant Scan Lens

OU: Innovation and Industry Services 

Firm: Z-senz LLC

67 Oak Shade Rd. 

Gaithersburg, MD 20878 

Principal Investigator: Christopher Brown 

Phone: 209-963-7522 

Email: seebrown@gmail.com

Award Amount: $100,000.00 

Abstract: The objective of this project is to demonstrate a resonant scan lens (RSL) that 

increases the uniformity of beam scans projected from resonant optomechanical systems. While 

resonant optomechanical systems generate high-speed beam scans, large mechanical 

displacements, and robust operation from miniature form factors, scans projected from such 

systems lack uniformity across the field-of-view (FOV). In these systems, light projected from 

the scanner is focused by a scan lens and the outer, non-uniform portion of the scanned FOV is 

typically clipped or blanked. Z-senz will research and develop a resonant scanner and RSL to 

create a more uniform scan projected from the scan lens, thus improving system performance.

Commercial Applications: As the world-wide optical imaging market is valued at over $900 

million in 2014, a company that develops RSL systems to improve the performance of imaging 

and display products would have significant commercial potential. RSL systems can speed 

biomedical research as scan lenses are ubiquitous components of beam scanning microscopes, 

improve clinical diagnostic capability by reducing endoscope size and increasing imaged FOV, 

increase utility of head-mounted display systems, and enhance throughput of laser manufacturing 

instrumentation.
FY 2015 PHASE II AWARD

Topic: Cybersecurity

Subtopic: Cryptographic Acceleration for Border Gateway Protocol Security (BGPSEC) 

Title: Cryptographic Acceleration for Border Gateway ProtocolSecurity (CaBGPSEC) 

OU: Information Technology Laboratory 

Firm: Antara Teknik

5233 Castlereigh Ct. 

Granite Bay, CA 95746 

Principal Investigator: Mehmet Y. Adalier

Phone: 916-622-6960 

Email: madalier@antarateknik.com

Award Amount: $299,950.70 

Abstract: Antara Teknik will develop and commercialize a comprehensive line of low-cost, high 

performance Software Defined Network Solutions in order to accelerate the deployment and 

adoption of Border Gateway Protocol with Security (BGPSEC). The innovative taraEosTM 

Open Architecture BGPSEC compliant edge-router and crypto offload devices featuring the 

NIST SRx will improve the safety of the Internet critical infrastructure while reducing the Total 

cost of Ownership. 

Commercial Applications: Currently deployed router engines will not be able to support 

BGPSEC’s additional security requirements. Thus, there exists a significant commercial 

opportunity and available market for a BGPSEC protocol capable economically feasible router. 

The Phase II work will drive the product development and enable the commercialization of low 

power, high performance and cost effective BGPSEC capable edge-routers. These Software 

Defined Network devices will provide FIPS 186-4 compliant cryptographic capabilities at almost 

line speed in order to secure a key component of the Internet critical infrastructure. 

Topic: Health Care

Subtopic: Instrument to Detect Aerosolized-Droplet Dose Delivery of Vaccines

Title: Combined Extinction/Fluorescence Absorption Diagnostics for Sprays 

OU: Material Measurement Laboratory
Firm: En'Urga, Inc.

1201 Cumberland Ave., Ste. R 

West Lafayette, IN 47906

Principal Investigator: Yudaya Sivathanu 

Phone: 765-497-3269 

Email: sivathan@enurga.com

Award Amount: $300,000.00 

Abstract: This Phase II project will continue the prototype development of a pharmaceutical 

spray quality audit system. The spray quality audit system will estimate the planar mass 

distribution, mass flux, and drop size of pharmaceutical sprays that are used in functional coating 

applications and inhalers. A prototype tomography system will be designed and fabricated and 

evaluated using various fluorophore. 

Commercial Applications: There are two commercial applications for the fluorescence 

tomography system. The first application is in the quality audit of spray nozzles used in the 

pharmaceutical industry, primarily in the tablet coaters, spray dryers and inhalers. The second 

application is in estimating the mass distribution of fuel in automotive injectors and aero-engine 

nozzles.

Topic: Cybersecurity

Subtopic: Secure Email Agent Using the Domain Name System (DNS) as a Trust Infrastructure

Title: Secure Email Agent Using the Domain Name System (DNS) as a Trust Infrastructure

OU: Information Technology Laboratory 

Firm: Grier Forensics

708 Lakeview Drive 

Lakewood, NJ 08701 

Principal Investigator: Jonathan Grier 

Phone: 410-220-0962 

Email: jgrier@grierforensics.com

Award Amount: $300,000.00 

Abstract: Although protocols for securing email have been available for over twenty years, 

these protocols, by nature of their use of asymmetric cryptography, require users to have the 

public key or certificate of the correspondents. Grier Forensics will develop technology to use 

the Domain Name System (DNS) to distribute certificates and keys, making email secure, 
authenticated, and confidential, curbing the losses from phishing attacks and allowing people to 

use email as a simple, readily available means of trustworthy communication.

Commercial Applications: Losses due to phishing attacks are estimated to be between $2.4 and 

$5.9 billion dollars yearly worldwide. Waste due to inability to use email for sensitive 

communications that must remain private, such as health and financial information, are likewise 

estimated in the billions. As email is already one of the most ubiquitous and critical means of 

modern communications, providing means to secure it can potentially create billions in 

prevention of losses, new value and productivity. 

Topic: Health Care

Subtopic: Production of NIST/UCSF Breast Phantom for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 

Title: Optimization of the NIST/UCSF Breast Phantom

OU: Physical Measurement Laboratory

Firm: High Precision Devices 

1668 Valtec Lane, Suite C

Boulder, CO 80301 

Principal Investigator: Michael Snow

Phone: 303-447-2558 

Email: msnow@hpd-online.com

Award Amount: $300,000.00 

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a primary diagnostic tool in scientific 

research and clinical imaging. Despite the excellent image quality that can be obtained with 

today’s MRIs, images acquired using different MRI systems and during longitudinal studies are 

not reproducible, and hence can be difficult, if not impossible, to compare. To address this issue, 

a standardized test of the performance characteristics of each installed MRI system, detection 

coils, and operational protocols is necessary. High Precision Devices, Inc. (HPD) will continue 

the development and commercialization of a cost effective, shelf-stable NIST-designed MRI 

breast phantoms for calibration of MRI systems used in breast cancer research studies and 

clinical settings.

Commercial Applications: Currently there are approximately 12,000 MRI units in the U.S, with 

expected sales of 500 units per annum. Of the sites with MRI capabilities, 55% are capable of 

performing breast diagnostics equating to over 1 million procedures performed each year. Over 

150 clinical research trials involving the use of MRI to investigate the various aspects of breast 

cancer are currently being conducted. To ensure that new breast cancer treatments and 

procedures are properly conducted in medical settings, it will be necessary to provide a cost 

effective and shelf-stable breast phantom as a calibration tool. 
Topic: Cyber-Physical Systems

Subtopic: Residential Heat Pump Fault Detection and Diagnostic Datalogger

Title: Cognitive Residential Heat Pumps Fault Detection and Diagnostic Datalogger 

OU: Engineering Laboratory 

Firm: Management Sciences, Inc.

6022 Constitution Ave., NE 

Albuquerque, NM 87110 

Principal Investigator: Kenneth Blemel

Phone: 505-255-8611 

Email: Kenny_Blemel@mgtsciences.com

Award Amount: $299,986.85 

Abstract: During Phase I, Management Sciences, Inc. (MSI) proved feasibility of adapting their 

current technology into a product capable of improving performance resulting in increased 

efficiency and extended life cycles of heat pumps. The resultant product is a tool named the Heat 

Pump Sentient (HP-Sentient). The HP-Sentient will improve performance and reduce 

maintenance costs through aggressive goal-seeking control and simultaneous real time 

monitoring for stresses, degradation, and equipment faults using deductive modeling. In Phase II, 

MSI will produce an easy-to-install, plug-and-play kit that connects to existing heat pumps that 

will sell for about $100 in production quantities.

Commercial Applications: MSI sees a major commercial opportunity to provide continuous 

“Internet of Things” monitoring and management of efficiency and operating costs with HPSentient reporting to an internet service for residential air source heat pumps that provide yearround heating and cooling for homes and recreational vehicles around the world. Another is 

licensing of the patented technologies to original equipment manufacturers and to developers of 

“smart” facilities.

Topic: Technology Transfer 

Subtopic: NIST Tech Transfer

Title: Thermo-focusing Chromatography - High Sensitivity Chromatography for Chemical 

Analysis 

OU: Innovation and Industry Services 
Firm: Seacoast Science, Inc.

2151 Las Plamas Drive, Suite C 

Carlsbad, CA 92011 

Principal Investigator: William Tolley, Ph.D

Phone: 760-268-0083 

Email: btolley@seacoastscience.com

Award Amount: $300,000.00 

Abstract: Seacoast Science has licensed, for the purpose of technology transfer, the NIST patent 

“Recirculating Temperature Wave Focusing Chromatography,” with the goal of implementing 

the technology into a unique environmental monitor. Seacoast believes the NIST technology can 

improve Seacoast’s environmental monitor, allowing for an order of magnitude cost reduction 

for long-term monitoring at remediation sites. In the U.S., the EPA has identified over 425,000 

brownfields and 1,320 Superfund sites where hazardous chemicals have been used and unhealthy 

levels of these chemicals may remain in the soil and subterranean water. Seacoast will develop 

an environmental monitor, with emphasis toward petrochemicals and chlorinated solvents, to 

install at these remediated sites to assure a healthy environment.

Commercial Applications: Seacoast will commercialize the Vapor Intrusion Monitor (VIM) as 

a tool for comprehensive remediation programs to assure that noxious vapors are gone following 

reoccupation of remediated areas. Additionally, VIM will allow restoration teams to perform 

long-term soil vapor and vapor intrusion studies. Market research estimates a market for 

approximately 10,000 such low-cost instruments generating gross revenues of $50MM. the lower 

monitoring cost possible through VIM will assure the effectiveness of remediation efforts as well 

as allow remediation experts to track pollutant plumes and remediation progress in real time.