DHS poses five technical challenges to small businesses
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program run by the science and technology directorate of DHS is looking for creative ways to…
• identify a deceitful terrorist by seeing if the pupils in his eyes are dilating suspiciously;
• detect chemical, biological or explosive threats with miniature sensors that can communicate data via cell phones or wireless personal devices;
• graphically depict complex, long-term terrorist threats and U.S. vulnerabilities in easy-to-understand and visually appealing ways;
• gather samples of explosives from the exterior of a vehicle in order to detect a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED);
• develop a "smart sensor system" that can acquire and process data from all kinds of imaging, environmental, nuclear, chemical or biological sensors quicker and more intelligently than existing systems.
As in past years, the SBIR program envisions a three-phase effort. Selected small businesses would receive up to $99,990 during Phase I to demonstrate the feasibility of their ideas in no more than six months.
Winners of Phase II awards would receive up to $750,000 and two years in which they would be expected to develop a deliverable prototype.
Those chosen for Phase III would be expected to obtain funding from private sector or government sources that would enable them to refine their prototypes into viable products or services that could be sold to the government or commercial customers.
Small businesses that win Phase I awards would be required to perform at least two-thirds of the research or analytical work. Those that make it to Phase II must perform at least one-half of the work.
The five topics included in this year’s SBIR program are:
(1) Assess ability to use eye tracking and pupil dilation to determine intent to deceive
Most of the technology used to date to detect a lying person has focused on "electrodermal measures," says the DHS presolicitation notice posted December 3. However, the department has other ideas.
"Current but unproven studies suggest that a cognitive decision to deceive or practice deception will result in an increased pupil size due to the greater cognitive processing required in comparison to truthful recall," it noted.
Technical contact is at 202-254-6104.
(2) Develop miniature chem/bio/explosive sensors
The goal is to develop inexpensive miniature collectors and sensors that could be integrated into hand-held devices.
A successful application could become, "part of a larger distributed alert network that improves situational awareness for mission personnel," said the notice.
Technical contact is at 202-254-5788.
(3) Mapping of long-term threats, vulnerabilities and impacts
Analyzing terrorist actions and natural or manmade disasters requires careful sorting of a wide variety of factors, such as severity, locations, populations, remediation measures, etc.
"What is most lacking, however, is a method for integrating and depicting the multivariate nature of threats to the homeland," says the DHS announcement.
Technical contact is at 202-254-5787.
(4) Trace explosives sampling for vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) detection
The science and technology directorate is looking for sample collection systems, rather than detection equipment.
"Proposals must limit collection to the vehicles’ exterior and must be performed without direct contact with the vehicle," the solicitation insists.
Technical contact is at 202-254-6040.
(5) Smart sensor system
A sensor with better front-end processing and back-end analytic capabilities could detect unusual events, such as a package left behind, or capture automobile license plates.
"Another application of such a smart sensor system is fast deployment of ‘sensor motes’ at natural or manmade disastrous areas to rapidly map out ‘hot’ zones and predict future dispersion," said the notice.
Technical contact is at 202-254-2315.
Between December 3 and 18, interested parties are allowed to get in touch with the SBIR technical contacts by phone or e-mail.
The official solicitation will be released on December 19 and the deadline for full proposals will be February 4, 2008.
The solicitation will be made available at the SBIR Web site.
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