SBIR Showcase FR | Homeland Security

SBIR First Responder Showcase 2023 Recordings!

Through the DHS SBIR Program, small business innovators are developing new technologies to keep first responders, emergency managers, and incident commanders better protected, connected, and prepared to safeguard the homeland and respond to disasters. The below recordings are from the August 2023 DHS SBIR hosted SBIR First Responders Showcase highlighting the work of SBIR awardees and how they are responding to first responder technology needs.

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Alakai Defense Systems: Agnostic Machine Learning Platform for Spectroscopy:
Rapid and accurate detection of hazardous and related threat chemicals using a wide range of sophisticated spectroscopy systems can greatly enhance public safety. Alakai is developing an Agnostic Machine Learning Platform for Spectroscopy (AMPS) that can be trained and deployed to rapidly process and accurately identify threat chemicals. View the recording.
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Intelligent Payload Systems (IPS): Intelligent Document Design:
The United States Customs and Border Protection Fraud Document Analysis Unit has reported a significant increase in high-quality counterfeit State licenses seized in recent years. To address this growing concern, Intelligent Payload Systems is developing an effective tool for detecting anomalies in genuine identity documents to aid our Nation’s frontline personnel. View the recording.
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N5 Sensors: Non-Invasive 'Breathalyzer' Detection System:
In a post-pandemic world, early and easy detection of infection has become a paramount concern. N5 Sensors is developing a portable device for real-time breath analysis to detect viral infections outside of clinical settings that will use N5's chip-scale chemical sensors to differentiate between various respiratory pathogens, including those caused by viruses or bacteria. View the recording.
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Karagozian & Case (K&C) - Security Mitigation Assessment of Risks and Threats (SMART) Software for Soft Targets and Crowded Places:
To help security professionals identify and mitigate threats towards Soft Targets and Crowded Places (ST-CPs), Karagozian & Case is developing a detailed software called Security Mitigation Assessment of Risks and Threats, or SMART. The proposed architecture for the SMART software allows it to consider different major threat mitigation strategies and combinations of these strategies to effectively assess the elimination and/or mitigation of the vulnerabilities threatening the security of an ST-CP. View the recording.
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MagPlasma - Vehicle Infectious Diseases Protection:
First Responders and law enforcement risk exposure to a number of airborne threats when approaching vehicles in emergency situations. To address this issue, MagPlasma is developing a single pass system that will collect and remove infectious particles exhaled by vehicle passengers before their concentration can reach an infectious dose level in confined spaces. View the recording.
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Securelogix - Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Multimedia content analysis engine capability for the Emergency Communications Cyber Security Center:
Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS) robocall, and SWATing attacks to critical call centers are becoming more common, sophisticated, and disruptive. While these attacks pose a genuine threat to Next Generation 9-1-1, public safety and municipal organizations, current technologies do not have the ability to detect these attacks. SecureLogix is addressing this significant need by developing and deploying technologies that monitor and detect voice connections and multimedia to combat these threats. View the recording.
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Device Solutions - Digital Paging Over Public Television:
Device Solutions is developing a prototype digital paging system for emergency responders using public television ATSC 3.0. Leveraging open standards, broadcast and public safety infrastructure, modern network devices, and new wireless electronics, they hope to provide responders and incident commanders with improved pager coverage and capacity, quicker dispatching, and messaging details for improved situational awareness. View the recording.
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Zeteo Tech - Multiplexed Biothreat Detection with Fieldable Mass Spectrometry: To address the Nation’s urgent need to rapidly detect and respond to multiplex biological threats that include bacteria spores, viruses and toxins, and a growing concern over emerging bioengineered threats, Zeteo is developing the MALDI-MS spectrometer system that can detect and warn of events and identify agents’ post-event with swift, actionable results. View the recording.
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Triton Systems - Amphibious XTV for Ice Rescue:
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) requires ice rescue missions be performed quickly and safely. To aid in their arctic mission, Triton Systems is developing an amphibious Xtreme Terrain Vehicle (XTV) based on a commercial off-the-shelf amphibious vehicle platform. View the recording.
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Physical Sciences - Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor for Rapid Multiplexed Biothreat Detection:
Physical Sciences Inc. is developing a compact and fieldable sensor for the rapid multiplexed detection and presumptive identification of biological threats. The proposed platform is versatile and can simultaneously detect bacterial, viral and toxin threats in diverse environmental samples. View the recording.

The below recordings are from the March 2022 DHS SBIR hosted SBIR First Responders Showcase highlighting the work of SBIR awardees and how they are responding to first responder technology needs.

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Cobalt Solutions: Urban Detection and Identification of Small UAV
Drones have become an increasing threat to the public as they continue to be more common in urban environments. With a big capability shortfall of existing drone tracking technology, Cobalt Solutions is developing an easy and safe to use, affordable and accurate 5G-Based millimeter Wave Radar solution to track, detect and counter stealthy and autonomous drone threats. View the recording.
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Device Solutions: Emergency Digital Paging
Today’s emergency paging technology limits situational awareness for emergency responders, as analog voice paging and cellular paging are unreliable, have delayed delivery, and lack secure data and interoperability with neighboring emergency services. Device Solutions is developing an Emergency Digital Paging over Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 Eco-System solution with improved coverage, reduced latency of under 10 seconds, secure encrypted data, and regional and statewide interoperability. View the recording.
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Epiq Solutions: In-building Coverage Analysis System (ICAS)
First Responders must be equipped with reliable wireless communications and wide area coverage in buildings to carry out operations. To address a current lack of reliability, interoperability and operations planning in building communications, Epiq Solutions is developing PRISM, a low-cost sensor device connected to a standard smartphone, tablet or laptop that measures in-building coverage and shares information between fire officials, building owners and public safety communications officers. View the recording.
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Mercury Systems: Remote Phone Locator for Improved Emergency Rescue (REPLIER)
First Responders face many challenges to track cellular signals in the maritime and remote border domains for search and rescue (SAR) missions as current devices are costly and fall short on performance requirements. Mercury Systems is developing a Remote Phone Locator for Improved Emergency Rescue (REPLIER), a cost-effective, portable and lightweight solution with improved performance that facilitates quicker emergency rescue. View the recording.
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Morphix Technologies: Wearable Chemical Detector Badge
First On-Scene Responders need suitable equipment to alert them when they are unexpectedly exposed to dangerous chemicals in the air. As current detection equipment is too complex, expensive, impractical, and has limited detection, there is a need for a low-cost, easy-to-use chemical detector that can notify first responders if any toxic chemical is in the air. To address this detection capability, Morphix Technologies is developing a low-cost, simple, lightweight Wearable Chemical Detection Badge (WCDB) for Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC) classes (oxidants, reductants, pH and poisons). View the recording.
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SecureLogix: NG9-1-1
Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS) robocall, and SWATing attacks to critical call centers are becoming more common, sophisticated, and disruptive. While these attacks pose a genuine threat to Next Generation 9-1-1, public safety and municipal organizations, current technologies do not have the ability to detect these TDoS and sophisticated attacks. Addressing this significant need, SecureLogix is developing and deploying technologies that monitor and detect voice connections and multimedia to detect spoofing, SWATing, TDoS and other malicious attacks. View the recording.
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TDA Research: Wearable Chemical Sensor Badge
Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) are becoming an increasing threat, and current technologies available to first responders are expensive, bulky, and have limited gas detection monitors. TDA Research is developing a new wearable low-cost multi-gas detection sensor to alert first responders of the type and level of hazard, providing TIC detection times of 30-60 seconds, reducing and preventing exposure to responders, and allowing them to act quickly. View the recording.
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TDA Research: On-Body Power Module
First responders are currently responsible for maintaining several critical on-body electronic devices independently during missions, while also carrying spare batteries and having no connection to personal area network. With a significant need for an on-body power supply that can re-charge or power devices that are connected to the network, TDA Research is developing an inexpensive, lightweight On-Body Power Module solution that is ruggedized and USB hub powered. View the recording.
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TRX Systems: In-building Coverage Analysis System (ICAS)
The first responder community needs tools to proactively react to gaps in Radio Frequency (RF) signal coverage, but traditional signal mapping approaches are limited. Addressing this need, TRX Systems is developing an in-building coverage analysis system solution using first responder’s existing radio and smartphone which provides comprehensive RF coverage data, ease of use and flexible reporting. View the recording.
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Waverley Labs: ICAM-on-the-fly
Identity Credentials and Access Management (ICAM) must be adapted to first responder needs to help them be more effective in missions, securely share information, validate responders from other organizations and securely maintain records. Waverley Labs is developing a RESILIENT Dynamic AccessID Network and Toolkit that modernizes access management and securely vets identity and credentials of first responders. View the recording.