NEWPORT SENSORS INC — Department of Transportation SBIR Phase I: 23-PH2

Description

The transportation of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) poses a significant risk to human health and the environment, as evidenced by recent disastrous derailments of freight trains. To enhance the safe transport of HAZMAT, a groundbreaking technology system called E-HazID is proposed. E-HazID integrates RFID with various sensors in a wireless tag that is placed on each HAZMAT package to identify and track HAZMAT, monitor package safety, and issue instant alerts on package failure during transportation. E-HazID is applicable to any type of packaging and any mode of transportation. A dual-mode wireless communication network, integrated with cloud computing and a user interface, provides authorized users with easy access to the HAZMAT information and sensor data using their mobile devices, with or without Internet connectivity. Tapping into the vast data collected by the E-HazID sensors, an artificial intelligence algorithm can be developed to analyze patterns of incidents and issue early warnings. Phase I will demonstrate E-HazID technology feasibility by designing, fabricating, and evaluating an E-HazID demo system that contains RFID and four types of sensors, as well as necessary software including a user-friendly mobile app. The team's extensive experience makes it possible to execute an ambitious Phase I agenda and accelerate E-HazID commercialization.