90BISA0067
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Building a robotic window opener to help people with mobility impairments live more independently.
Name and address of SBC: Valar Systems LLC, 20742 Barton Crossing Way, Bend, OR 97701.
Name and title of principal investigator: Daniel Frenkel, Founder.
Agency name: National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.
Funding opportunity title: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, Phase I.
Funding opportunity number: HHS-2023-ACL-NIDILRR-BISA-0000.
Primary CFDA number: 93.433.
Title of project: Building a robotic window opener to help people with mobility impairments live more independently.
Over 45 million people in the United States have a mobility disability that makes walking or climbing stairs difficult, which creates challenges to move around their homes and can lead to struggles with mental health.
Nearly half (48.5%) of the population with spinal cord injury suffered mental health problems such as depression (37%), anxiety (30%), and clinical-level stress (25%).
Valar Systems proposes to create GlassCalibur, a robotic window opening device that gives people with mobility impairments the ability to open their home windows, and therefore live more independently.
The goal of this Phase I project is to complete three engineering objectives so that we may begin to manufacture the device in small quantities.
Objectives:
1: Upgrade electronics: To ensure the device is always safe to operate, we will upgrade the electronics with a new sensor.
2: Pass reliability test: Because opening and closing a window needs to be reliable, we need to test that our design choices have resulted in a device that will operate for 7 years without issue.
3: Pass safety test: Should a human, pet, or object get in the way of closing, the window opener must automatically stop and notify the operator. Our safety test will ensure it always stops when required.
Outcomes:
The upgraded electronics will detect stalls reliably.
Reliability tests will confirm that the device will not fail after installation.
Safety tests will confirm that the device is safe to use and install in volunteers' homes, which will allow us to test in homes of disabled volunteers in Phase II.
Name and address of SBC: Valar Systems LLC, 20742 Barton Crossing Way, Bend, OR 97701.
Name and title of principal investigator: Daniel Frenkel, Founder.
Agency name: National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.
Funding opportunity title: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, Phase I.
Funding opportunity number: HHS-2023-ACL-NIDILRR-BISA-0000.
Primary CFDA number: 93.433.
Title of project: Building a robotic window opener to help people with mobility impairments live more independently.
Over 45 million people in the United States have a mobility disability that makes walking or climbing stairs difficult, which creates challenges to move around their homes and can lead to struggles with mental health.
Nearly half (48.5%) of the population with spinal cord injury suffered mental health problems such as depression (37%), anxiety (30%), and clinical-level stress (25%).
Valar Systems proposes to create GlassCalibur, a robotic window opening device that gives people with mobility impairments the ability to open their home windows, and therefore live more independently.
The goal of this Phase I project is to complete three engineering objectives so that we may begin to manufacture the device in small quantities.
Objectives:
1: Upgrade electronics: To ensure the device is always safe to operate, we will upgrade the electronics with a new sensor.
2: Pass reliability test: Because opening and closing a window needs to be reliable, we need to test that our design choices have resulted in a device that will operate for 7 years without issue.
3: Pass safety test: Should a human, pet, or object get in the way of closing, the window opener must automatically stop and notify the operator. Our safety test will ensure it always stops when required.
Outcomes:
The upgraded electronics will detect stalls reliably.
Reliability tests will confirm that the device will not fail after installation.
Safety tests will confirm that the device is safe to use and install in volunteers' homes, which will allow us to test in homes of disabled volunteers in Phase II.
Awardee
Funding Goals
NOT APPLICABLE
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Oregon
United States
Geographic Scope
State-Wide
Valar Systems was awarded
Project Grant 90BISA0067
worth $100,000
from National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research in June 2023 with work to be completed primarily in Oregon United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.433 ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Phase I.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
Building a Robotic Window Opener to Help People with Mobility Impairments Live More Independently.
Abstract
This project develops and tests Glasscalibur, a robotic window opening device that gives people with mobility disabilities the ability to open their home windows. People with mobility disabilities may have difficulty standing, walking, climbing stairs, or using their arms and hands, which may limit their independence at home, including the ability to open and close windows for ventilation or safety. The goal of this Phase I project is to complete three engineering objectives ahead of manufacturing Glasscalibur in small quantities. Specific objectives are to: upgrade electronics with new sensors to ensure the device is always safe to operate and reliably detects stalls; conduct reliability tests to confirm that design choices result in a device that will operate for seven years without failure; and conduct safety tests to guarantee the window opener automatically stops and notifies the operator should a human, pet, or object get in the way of closing.
Topic Code
NIDILRR
Solicitation Number
HHS-2023-ACL-NIDILRR-BISA-0000
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 4/21/25
Period of Performance
6/1/23
Start Date
11/30/23
End Date
Funding Split
$100.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$100.0K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to 90BISA0067
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
90BISA0067
SAI Number
90BISA0067-362619451
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
75BG00 ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
Funding Office
75BG00 ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
Awardee UEI
JJCSGTYLG7K5
Awardee CAGE
None
Performance District
OR-90
Senators
Jeff Merkley
Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aging and Disability Services Programs, Administration for Community Living, Health and Human Services (075-0142) | Social services | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $100,000 | 100% |
Modified: 4/21/25