FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 21, 2016
Timothy Allen
National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, Va.
615-955-2859
timothy.allen@nianet.org
NIA RELEASE: 2016-08
NASA iTech Finalists Invited to Washington to Present Future Space Exploration Technology Ideas
Ten finalists who submitted some of the most promising ideas to fill critical technology challenges of future space exploration have been invited to present their potential solutions at the 2016 NASA iTech Forum in Washington.
The iTech Cycle 1 forum is a chance for leaders from NASA and prospective stakeholders to hear ideas that address technology focus areas including radiation protection; life support systems in space; astronaut crew health; and in-space propulsion.
“Inviting the finalists to NASA Headquarters gives us a rare opportunity to engage our nation’s innovators,” said Kira Blackwell, Innovation program executive in NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist in Washington. “I look forward to the connections we’ll make, and learning more about their potential solutions to our challenges.”
Finalists are eligible to attend the forum which is scheduled to be held Dec. 5 – 8 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. While there, a team of expert coaches will help the top ten innovators sharpen their presentations to present to NASA and space industry leaders.
At the forum, finalists will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas with participants and explore new technology development partnerships. Teams representing the top three solutions selected at the end of the forum will also receive six months of additional mentoring to mature their proposed solutions.
The top ten NASA iTech Cycle 1 finalists are (in alphabetical order):
Organization: Aequor, Inc.
Entry Title: Novel Antibiofilm Molecules
Challenge Focus Area: Life Support Systems – Increase Oxygen Recovery
Organization: Airbus DS Space Systems MAPT Team
Entry Title: Real-time Omnidirectional Space Radiation Monitoring
Challenge Focus Area: Radiation – Protection and Mitigation
Organization Context Medical, Inc.
Entry Title: Diagnostic Digital Biomarkers for Assisted Medical Decision Support
Challenge Focus Area: Crew Health – Medical Systems and Operations
Organization: Cornell University
Entry Title: Millimeter-Resolution RF Body Imaging by Broadband MIMO Arrays
Challenge Focus Area: Crew Health – Medical Systems and Operations
Organization: Fiplate, Inc.
Entry Title: Countermeasure for Radiation Damage in Space
Challenge Focus Area: Radiation – Protection and Mitigation
Organization: InnaMed, Inc.
Entry Title: Microfluidic Blood Testing Device Utilizing Electrochemical Sensing
Challenge Focus Area: Life Support Systems – Increase Oxygen Recovery
Organization: Liberty Biosecurity
Entry Title: Molecules to Safely Protect Against DNA Damage Caused by Ionizing Radiation in Space.
Challenge Focus Area: Radiation – Protection and Mitigation
Organization: Oceanit
Entry Title: The Virtual Medical Staff
Challenge Focus Area: Crew Health – Medical Systems and Operations
Organization: Oceanit
Entry Title: Nanoenergetic Propulsion
Challenge Focus Area: Propulsion – Energy Storage Technologies
Organization: Penn State SLIPS lab
Entry Title: A Zero-Power Biochemical Analysis Platform for Health Monitoring
Challenge Focus Area: Crew Health – Medical Systems and Operations
NASA’s iTech is an initiative by NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist, and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) in Hampton, Virginia. The Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) provides the strategy and leadership that integrate NASA’s technology development and innovation activities.
For information about the NASA iTech initiative, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/overview
For information about NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist, visit:
Gina Anderson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1160
gina.n.anderson@nasa.gov
Timothy Allen
National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, Va.
615-955-2859
timothy.allen@nianet.org