Aircraft Sensor-Logger with Power Replenishment Capabilities, Phase II

Traditional instrumentation of an aircraft is a complex and time-consuming chore. Once the sensors are installed, long wires for power and data must be routed through to a central data collection location where several large off-the-shelf electronic components reside, adding weight, cost and increasing the probably of introducing noise or faults into the testing system. All of this necessary infrastructure leads to prohibit the use of some types of sensors and limit the total number of sensors used so save on time, cost, complexity and resources. During the course of this Phase II SBIR research, Metis Design Corporation (MDC) proposes to develop a standardized data acquisition hub for aircraft testing sensors dubbed a "sensor-logger". The sensor-logger would essentially serve as a durable sensor infrastructure node capable of autonomously facilitating local testing for multiple sensors of various types. Controlled wirelessly by PC or PDA, data could be displayed in real-time, or logged internally for up to 40 hours. The second half of the proposed research would then tie together the sensor-logger with the Phase I research, developing a power-replenishment device to attached to the sensor-logger to extend its operating capabilities. Finally both devices will be flight tested in true aircraft environments.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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