SBIR-STTR Award

UUVs have become increasingly important tools in the collection of environmental data. Their unique ability to operate independent of surface vessel conditions allows oceanographic seawater measurements when traditional means is not possible. Historically sensor packages for UUVs have been based on adaptions of ship deployed equipment. Recent development in sensors, such as the Hybrid Flow Through Conductivity sensor developed under prior Navy STTR supported programs are still being field evaluated, and continue to look to have an impact on improving CTD persistence especially in the UUV, and Float applications. However, while such evaluations are ongoing, this topic offers the opportunity to look industrial developments which can be applied to those traditional sensors and new industrial sensors and their application to oceanographich measures. These new sensors can change sensor deployment strategies such that advances in long term stability and deployment platform persistence can be attained. Single use disposable sensors have the potential to eliminate effects of biological growth degradation of conductivity measurement performance. Additionally, new technologies applied to existing sensors can dramatically reduce cost. The team includes two groups with demonstrated ability to deliver innovation solutions to oceanographic physical property of seawater measurements.

Benefit:
Application of advance sensors fabrication construction technics combined with novel integration of sensor signal processing requirements can result in a flow through conductivity sensor continue to meet the needs of the scientific data oceanographic data collection, at a significant reduction in cost per/data point. Additional advances in rapid calibration and the application of learning systems into the calibration process will also allow significant cost reductions to be obtained. Oceanographic data collection platforms over the last 20 years have undergone a significant technological revolution, from single station ship lowered instrumentation packages to a fleet of drifting, AUV and UUV platforms. The same transformation can now occur in relation to the primary sensors used with these new and novel deployment techniques. This program and the anticipated developments will be a significant step in this direction. We could anticipate a 10-fold reduction in cost per point, couple with extended persistence of measures greatly enhancing the understanding of the marine environment.

Keywords:
persistence, persistence, CTD, Expendable Conductivity Sensor, ASIC, Ocean Conductivity