A wildfire forecast system that taps high performance computing assets to detect and predict the spread of every fire across the U.S. in real-time, an advanced optical imaging system to see the deformation of materials at levels invisible to the human eye, and a handheld Cholera pathogen detection device: These are all among a range of solutions the National Institute of Standards and Technology announced it’s dishing out money to, in a deliberate move to drive innovation.
The agency on Thursday unveiled research and development projects from 19 small businesses across 12 states, which it’s awarding a total of more than $4.4 million in grants to in this fiscal year’s round of the NIST Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR program.
“Like previous SBIR participants, this year’s awardees have found ways to positively impact lives through technological innovation and advancement,” Mojdeh Bahar, NIST’s associate director for innovation and industry services said in the announcement.
NIST is one of 11 federal agencies that put aside a portion of their yearly R&D budgets to help fund relevant science and technology pursuits steered by small businesses. The SBIR program took shape in 1982 following the passage of the Small Business Innovation Development Act, expanded in 1992 and went on to garner subsequent reauthorization and extensions. The most recent of those extended the program through 2022.
“[SBIR] supports scientific research and development leading to technological innovation and product commercialization by American small businesses,” Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology Walter Copan noted in NIST’s statement.
Potential partners were instructed to respond to awards millions innovation funds projects wildfire forecasting
