SBIR Phase I: Set Point Solutions - Safeguarding Lives By Enabling Communication in Austere and Remote Environments

这一小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将把手持无线通信设备的范围扩展到艰苦和偏远的环境。公共安全机构现在将能够更有效地利用现有资源，精确地定位遇险人员和/或将有需要的个人与特定资源和人员联系起来，以促进他们的救援。推进器辅助转发器/中继传输（PARROT）技术将有利于需要在远程位置或紧急情况下进行通信的民用市场。潜在的客户包括那些因职业或假期而进入艰苦地区的个人，在那里有效沟通的能力可能会受到影响。此外，对于那些经常需要在缺乏强大或功能正常的通信基础设施的地区工作的个人来说，PARROT将是一种救生设备：商业卡车司机、海关和边境巡逻（CBP）人员、联邦紧急事务管理局（FEMA）响应人员、搜索和救援队，这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目强调了通信解决方案在历史上是如何通过调制特定的频率范围，而用于解决该问题的方法是允许用户规定中继器的位置并将该物理中继器（能够徘徊足够的时间以允许双向通信）快速引入到他们的环境中。设想的设备可以利用现有的工具来部署其创新技术。额外的变体可以开发为一体化套件的一部分，提供给户外爱好者。主要的科学和工程研究目标是设计、开发和设计足够小的电子元件，以适应所需的形状因子，但又足够坚固，以承受与弹道、短管发射相关的重大挫折力。计算机辅助设计/制造（CAD/CAM）流程将用于建模、原型制作、测试和评估设计。一旦这项任务完成，该设备将能够保护全球第一响应者和户外爱好者的生命。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will extend the range of on-hand wireless communications devices to austere and remote environments. Public safety agencies will now be able to utilize available resources more efficiently, precisely geolocating distressed individuals and/or connecting individuals in need with specific resources and personnel to facilitate their rescue. The propeller-enabled Projectile Assisted Repeater/Relay Of Transmissions (PARROT) technology will benefit the civilian market that requires communication in remote locations or emergency situations. Potential customers include individuals whose vocation or vacation takes them into austere locations where the ability to communicate effectively may be compromised. Additionally, the PARROT would be a lifesaving piece of equipment for individuals whose work often requires them to be in areas lacking robust or functioning communication infrastructure: commercial truck drivers, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responders, search and rescue teams, etc. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project highlights how communications solutions historically evolved by modulating the specific frequency range, whereas the approach applied to solving this problem is to allow the user to prescribe the location of a relay and rapidly introduce that physical relay (capable of loitering for sufficient time to allow for two-way communications) into their environment. The envisioned device could utilize existing tools to deploy its innovative technology. Additional variants could be developed as part of all-in-one kits supplied to outdoors enthusiasts. The principal scientific and engineering research objectives are to engineer, develop, and design electronic components small enough to fit in the desired form factor, yet rugged enough to withstand the significant set-back forces associated with ballistic, short-tube launches. Computer aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) processes will be used to model, prototype, test, and evaluate the design. Once that task is completed, the device will be able to safeguard the lives of first responders and outdoors enthusiasts globally.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.