SBIR Phase I: Feasibility of Teaching Polarized Light Microscopy in an Innovative Virtual Analysis Environment

SBIR 第一阶段：在创新的虚拟分析环境中教授偏振光显微镜的可行性

• 批准号: 0712126
• 负责人: Stephen Kennedy
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: RJ LEE GROUP, INC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-07-01 至 2008-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0712126&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Feasibility; Teaching; Polarized

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project will demonstrate the feasibility of developing an innovative virtual analysis environment to educate, train and test post secondary students and professionals in the use of polarized light microscopy (PLM). The key innovative contribution will be the design of an advanced PLM simulator and a virtual analysis environment that can be delivered via the Internet or CD/DVD. Polarized light microscopy was selected because it is a fundamental teaching and research resource in diverse areas of materials characterization, and has significant commercial potential. The simulated PLM will supplement actual PLM instrumentation in teaching laboratories, or could be implemented where such instruments are not available. The key objectives of this Phase I proposal are to: 1) design a PLM GUI with areas for function control and image viewing; 2) design the virtual analysis environment architecture to support PLM utilization of 'stacks' of images (either focal plane and Becke line, or interference colors with stage rotation); 3) assess the functionality with respect to ease of use, realism, response time, and image quality; 4) test the PLM prototype simulator with appropriate students and professionals; and 5) develop the outline of an educational module(s) incorporating the PLM simulator .The commercial potential of products based on PLM simulation for forensic and geology is conservatively estimated to be on the order of $2,000,000 per year. However, the applications of the virtual analysis environment are far reaching into commercial, industrial and other related educational markets. Once the basic virtual analysis environment is optimized, the market for related products would have the potential to expand into other areas of education and thousands of laboratories around the world. Such a program will play a role in the national need for highly qualified graduates ready to fill positions in science and technology related fields. The technology discussed in this proposal supports the concept of lifelong learning. Further, products developed in this effort support the NSF efforts in establishing the Cyberinfrastructure (CI) as a resource that will bring the digital revolution into the classroom.

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段的研究项目将展示开发一个创新的虚拟分析环境的可行性，以教育，培训和测试中学后的学生和专业人士在使用偏振光显微镜（PLM）。关键的创新贡献将是设计一个先进的PLM模拟器和一个虚拟分析环境，可以通过互联网或CD/DVD提供。选择偏振光显微镜是因为它是材料表征的不同领域的基本教学和研究资源，并具有显着的商业潜力。模拟PLM将补充教学实验室中的实际PLM仪器，或者可以在没有此类仪器的地方实施。第一阶段提案的主要目标是：1）设计一个带有功能控制和图像查看区域的PLM GUI; 2）设计虚拟分析环境架构，以支持PLM对图像“堆栈”的利用（焦平面和贝克线，或具有载物台旋转的干涉色）; 3）评估关于易用性、真实性、响应时间和图像质量的功能; 4）与适当的学生和专业人员一起测试PLM原型模拟器; 5）开发包含PLM模拟器的教育模块的大纲。基于PLM模拟的法医和地质产品的商业潜力保守估计为每年2，000，000美元。然而，虚拟分析环境的应用已经深入到商业、工业和其他相关的教育市场。一旦基本的虚拟分析环境得到优化，相关产品的市场将有可能扩展到其他教育领域和世界各地的数千个实验室。这样一个计划将在国家对高素质毕业生的需求中发挥作用，这些毕业生准备填补科学和技术相关领域的职位。本提案中讨论的技术支持终身学习的概念。此外，在这项工作中开发的产品支持NSF努力建立网络基础设施（CI）作为将数字革命带入课堂的资源。