Application of JINI Technology to Tactical System Integration

Nomadics proposes to design and evaluate a fast, in-situ apparatus to sample nitroaromatic explosives in marine waters. The sampler will extract explosive compounds from plumes around seamines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). By following a plume to itssource, an autonomous underwater vehicle, guided by the sensor, will be able to locate seamines and UXO. The design introduces two novel technologies to allow rapid detection of trace signature chemicals of seamines. The system uses an innovative methodfor rapid mass transport of analyte into the sampling chamber. The second innovation is the sensor platform, which uses Nomadics' proven Amplifying Fluorescent Polymer sensor. The sensor has been demonstrated to detect extremely low concentrations ofvapor-phase TNT and recent studies substantiate its ability to detect TNT in a water matrix. During the Phase I effort, Nomadics will demonstrate the ability of the collection system to present detectable levels of analyte to the sensor. During the PhaseI Option, Nomadics will focus on enhancements to the system to support the transition into full prototyping in Phase II and then commercialization.The proposed system provides a way of locating explosives underwater thatcan be applied to detecting seamines, locating submerged UXO, finding lostordnance, etc. These applications can be used by defense units and searchand recovery organizations. The novel sample collection system iscomplementary to a number of sensor technologies, including ion massspectroscopy, and the sensor platform can be functionalized to detect othersubstances. Therefore, the proposed technological innovations can beapplied to a large number of chemical sampling and analysis scenarios.