NASA Space Act Agreement (SAA) #15546 Collaboration Activity 



Power Source: Implanted battery with tether line 

• Painful and cumbersome 

• Battery life: 3-5 years 

• Power-line vulnerable to disconnection 

Performance: Jolt Suppression Voltage Only

• Diagnosis and search of anomaly required 

• A single function 
Power Source: Wirelessly powered

• Micro-coil with train of magnetic pulses 

• Rectenna array for microwave coupling 

Performance:

• Diagnosis and search of anomaly required 

• Multi-functions integrated 

Logic Circuit for Monitoring, Control, & Data Acquisition

o Jolt suppression voltage 

o Brain temperature 

o Brain pressure 

o Neuro-electricity 

o Neuro-chemistry by 

micro-spectrometer 
Power Source: Wirelessly powered

• Micro-coil with train of magnetic pulses 

• Rectenna array for microwave coupling 

Performance:

• Diagnosis and search of anomaly required 

• Multi-functions integrated 

Logic Circuit for Monitoring, Control, & Data Acquisition

o Jolt suppression voltage 

o Brain temperature 

o Brain pressure 

o Neuro-electricity 

o Neuro-chemistry by 

micro-spectrometer 

Green = NASA Langley’s Involvement 
Wireless module and 

antenna on hat.

Power 

Transmitter 

Power 

Receiver 

Wireless 

Transmission 

Pin-Probe Device 

(PPD) 

voltage 

pressure 

temperature 

Power 

Electrode 

Signal 

Head Skin Tissue 

Telemetry 

System 

SSH 

Module 

Feedback & 

Switching 

Logic 

Antenna 

chemical 

MW Horn Transmitter 

Power In 

MW 
1.5 

mm 

> 5 cm 

Red = NASA seeking collaborators in these areas 
Micro ring gratings with 

different voltages 

Smart Optical Material

Electro-optic media 

(liquid crystal or non-linear optical crystal) 

Transparent 

electrode layer 

Transparent substrate 

Aligned micro 

rings generate 

circular grating 

effect 

Light 

Light - 

blocking 

layer Aperture Photo-diode 

Circular gradient 

refractive index 

made by electric 

fields on rings 

100 μm ~ 5 mm 

25 

μm ~ 250 

μm 

Transparent 

propagation 

layer 

Voltage on ring grating 

selects which wavelengthphoton will be focused on 

the aperture. 

Lens Optics 
Smart Optical Materials (SOM) are new optical materials 

that can control deep properties (intensity, phase, 

polarization, coherence) of passing light, including 

 electro-optic materials (non-linear optical crystals, liquid 

crystals, electro-optic polymers) 

 magneto-optic materials (Faraday Effect and Kerr Effect), 

 electro/thermo-chromic materials 

 chemicals that induce refractive index changes 

 optical materials that depend on temperature and pressure 

New prototype SOM characterization system with advanced 

software is under development at NASA LaRC. 

 Intensity, phase, and polarization of passing lights through 

many new optical materials while applying various physical/

chemical quantities on the materials. 

 A miniaturized compact system has USB interface and 

exchangeable components for various R&D and 

commercial applications. 

 This innovative versatile SOM characterization system and 

characterized optical materials will be used for complete 

micro spectrometer system. 

 Commercialization of this system accelerates development 

of new optical materials and devices. 

+ - 

+ - 

- + 

- + 

- + 

- + 

- + 

- + 

+ - 

+ - 

Liquid crystal 

Transparent electrodes 

(a) 

Ti

Ba

O

Dipole

Moment

Ti3+

Ba3+

O2-

Dipole

Moment

Non-linear optical crystal 

(b) 
(a) Electro-Optic Materials: liquid crystal, non-linear crystal (b) Reflective samples: MEMS device, piezoelectric actuator 

materials, thermal expansion coefficient measurement 

(c) Magneto-optical materials: Kerr effect, Faraday effect 

EO-Sample 

Holder 

Focusing Lens 

Reflective 

Sample 

Magnetic 

Sample 

Holder 

(d) Chemical sample holder, temperature/pressure control 

Heater, 

Refrigerator 

Injection 

nozzle 

Coil, 

Magnet 

Electrodes 
 Neural Sensing Probe Pin Device with micro-spectrometer is under 

development. 

 Micro Spectrometer Component Test Platform was set up. 

 The world’s smallest optical path volume (1mm3 was achieved with 0.75mm diameter.) 

 This is 1/1000th volume compared with today’s smallest commercial spectrometers (1cm3) 

 Demo model developed with actuator-controlled focal length as a stop-gap approach 

 All basic electronics for sensor, telemetry, and power coupling were fabricated, but required chipscale miniaturization 

 Prototype SOM characterization system is developed to measure intensity, 

phase, and polarization of passing lights through many new optical materials 

while applying various physical/chemical quantities on the materials. 

 A miniaturized compact system has USB interface and exchangeable components for various 

R&D and commercial applications. 

 SOM system and software are Tech-Transfer ready 

 Wireless Power Transmission test using polyurethane layers and pig skin was 

satisfactorily performed. 

 MIC was proven to be effective for short range power transmission, like a hat system 

 TFRA was effective for short (near-field capacitive coupling) and long (far-field) range power 

transmission. 
Sang H. Choi

Senior Scientist 

757-864-1408 

sang.h.choi@nasa.gov 

Rheal P. Turcotte

Partnership Development 

Manager 

757-864-8881 

rheal.p.turcotte@nasa.gov 

Moline K. Prak

Technology Manager 

757-864-7579 

moline.k.prak@nasa.gov