NASA STTR 2005 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (SBC):		RESEARCH INSTITUTION (RI):
NAME:	Invocon, Inc.	NAME:	University of Colorado
ADDRESS:	19221 I-45 South, Suite 530	ADDRESS:	572 UCB
CITY:	Conroe	CITY:	Boulder
STATE/ZIP:	TX  77385-8746	STATE/ZIP:	CO  80309-0572
PHONE:	(281) 292-9903	PHONE:	(303) 492-6221

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name,Email)
Kevin   Gifford
gifford@rintintin.colorado.edu

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Integrated Data Assimilation Architecture (IDAA) is a middleware architecture that facilitates the incorporation of heterogeneous sensing and control devices into a unifying system with standardized application interfaces. The architecture is standards-based (IEEE wireless standards) and is an open architecture that can be easily extended. This system is innovative from several perspectives: (1) the design explicitly supports multiple disparate devices ? to date, wireless middlewares have focused on single device types or single network types; (2) independent development is explicitly supported by means of a published application programmer interface (API) along with system client libraries that provide standard services; and (3) a Development Kit ("DevKit") that includes working examples and source code templates is provided to assist developers in the integration of a new monitoring device and/or the composition of a new application that is a consumer of the data produced by the system. The proposed system will support the T3.01 Aerospace Communications topic by delivering a hybrid architecture that by design can incorporate multiple heterogeneous wireless devices and networks. Additionally, the IDAA system provides for multi-developer system extensibility, alleviating the problem of a monopolistic single-vendor implementation, where only the original developer of the middleware can efficiently extend the system functionality.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential near-term NASA applications of the proposed architecture include vehicle health monitoring of the Shuttle and CEV, structural and environmental monitoring in and around the International Space Station (ISS), and crew medical monitoring. As part of the Exploration Directorate, proximity networks could easily be deployed on the Moon and Mars, with inherent interoperability and coexistence capabilities even when provided by multiple sources. Such networks could include imagery collection, crew communication, remote sensing nodes for scientific applications, robotic command and control, and environmental and safety monitoring of crew habitats.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The development of a wireless networking capability for use by NASA on the ISS and for Exploration missions has significant application to commercial terrestrial markets, including homeland security, environmental monitoring, medical instrumentation and the healthcare industry, chemical and biological sensors, and security monitoring. Wiring of sensors within buildings can cost anywhere from $50-$100 per square foot. Overall, wireless sensor networks are a commercial market that is in the early phases of growth. As technology capabilities become user-friendly and less cost prohibitive, and businesses begin to understand the benefits of wireless communication, it is positioned to become a rapid growth market.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING

Architectures and Networks Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors