Small Business Innovation Research

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, managed by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, aims to stimulate technological innovation within the private sector. This initiative seeks to enhance the role of small businesses in addressing the research and development needs of the Department of Defense (DoD). It encourages participation from minority and disadvantaged businesses in technological innovation and strives to increase the commercial application of DoD-supported research and development outcomes. The program aligns with Public Law 106-554 and the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022.

One key objective is developing technologies that counter weapons of mass destruction (CWMD). Projects include creating a radiation dose advisor application for real-time radiation monitoring and safety guideline calculations. Another project focuses on developing a software platform for pedigree reconstruction using DNA profiles to identify terrorist networks, aiding intelligence, law enforcement, and defense agencies in establishing connections among individuals.

Further goals involve advancing diagnostic tools for transient electric fields in explosive tests. There is also an emphasis on improving communication systems affected by nuclear disturbances through matched channel filtering techniques. The program aims to develop radiation-resistant photomultipliers for use in nuclear battlefield environments, enhancing their resilience to environmental changes without external temperature compensation. Efforts are underway to improve field detection capabilities for trace radiological samples using optimized scintillation materials.

Looking ahead, plans include refining silicon photomultipliers for better radiation characterization and developing secure frameworks for high-performance computing architectures. The program intends to create algorithms linking various radiation detectors for enhanced identification capabilities and explore augmented reality tools for nuclear response training. Other initiatives involve concentrating radioactive particulates for analysis and producing synthetic aperture radar data to improve automatic target recognition algorithms using artificial intelligence techniques.