99--TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY MAGNETIC FIELD RESPONSE MEASUREMENTACQUISITION SYSTEM

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. THE TECHNOLOGY: Scientists at NASA Langley Research Center have a measurement acquisition system that uses magnetic fields to provide power to sensors and to acquire physical property measurements from them. Unlike traditional acquisition devices, this system has the ability to make multiple measurements of different, non-related physical properties without the constraint of a limited number of data acquisition channels. Winner of the prestigious R&D 100 award, this technology has been demonstrated with a leading aircraft landing gear manufacturer to wirelessly measure the fluid levels in landing gear shock struts. In addition to fluid level, rotation, temperature, material phase changes, proximity, position, and volume measurements have all been demonstrated. This measurement acquisition device uses magnetic fields to power and interrogate passive inductor-capacitor sensors. The measurement acquisition system produces a series of increasing magnetic-field harmonics within a frequency range dedicated to each sensor. Faraday induction via the harmonic magnetic fields produces a current in the sensor. Once electrically active, the sensor produces its own harmonic magnetic field as the inductor stores and releases magnetic energy. The antenna of the measurement acquisition system is switched from a transmitting to a receiving mode to acquire the magnetic-field response of the sensor. The magnetic-field response attributes of frequency, amplitude, and bandwidth of the inductor correspond to the physical property states measured by the sensor. The received response is correlated to calibration data to determine the measurement. The measurement acquisition technology includes U.S. patents 7,075,295, 7,086,593, and 7,159,774. To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. Please also provide the nature of your interest in the technology along with a brief background of your company. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at http://technology.nasa.gov/ . These responses are provided to members of NASA Langleys Office of Strategic Analysis and Business Development OSACB for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, OSACB will follow the required formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.