Project Patchwork - Wirelessly Networked Structural Analysis Devices for Aircraft

Through this SBIR effort, NASA is looking for innovative technology to bolster its flight research capabilities. Particularly, NASA seeks the development of innovative measurement and data acquisition approaches. Mide through a past RIF BAA for Navair, developed a stand-alone high performance data logger for vibration/acceleration, pressure, and temperature. The device, dubbed the Slamstick X, was designed to support F/A-18 flight-testing, and in particular to measure structural vibrations in the aircraft in order to diagnose potential problem areas in the vehicle to guide repair and maintenance needs without the time and cost of traditional wired data acquisition approaches. Mide proposes to develop a wirelessly connected nodal Slamstick array (via wifi). Data from the wifi-enabled Slamstick loggers will be fed to a centralized sbc, base station computer, or flight computer for a more holistic real time estimation of aircraft and sub-component health during aircraft tests.