SBIR Phase I: Pervasive Computing Hardware Nodes for Remote Sensing

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I proposal considers new innovations in wireless communication and local positioning capabilities for pervasive computing hardware nodes. There are no suitable off-the-shelf hardware that can be used to deploy a pervasive application for use in real time remote sensing. The Phase I effort will focus on two specific innovations that would alleviate some of those limitations: Multi-modal wireless communications, including the simultaneous use of multiple radio frequency (RF) and non-RF techniques, to enable redundant transmissions and error recovery while closely guarding the system's power consumption and overall cost. Local positioning and tracking, so that when numerous sensors are placed in close proximity in a remote location (for example, within a few inches to yards of each other), their precise locations are automatically determined and broadcast. Tracking is an issue if any of the nodes are mobile. There are vast markets for pervasive computing hardware technology. In most cases, desired or necessary applications don't exist because deployment is either too expensive or not possible using existing off-the-shelf hardware and software. Some examples of such markets are inventory tracking and asset management, human physiological monitoring, machine health and diagnostics, battle theatre intelligence, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring.