Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: To address the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Air Force Biomedical Sciences

Description

To address the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Air Force Biomedical Sciences Corps (BSC), and the Special Operations Command (SOC) need for an improved personal cooling system (PCS), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Thermal-Exchange Dermal Interface (TEDI) technology. The proposed system is based on a unique integration of cooling and electrohydrodynamic technologies. The innovation in heat carrier use and natural-source cooling power will enable the TEDI system to provide heat rejection by improved vasodilatation at the interface of blood, skin, and cooling media. This proposed technology offers safe, localized, efficient thermal exchange that can be implemented in a lightweight, low-power-consumption, deployable, self-contained, portable system for individual use. It requires negligible maintenance and minimally inhibits motion range and work capability for typical tasks conducted by soldiers. The TEDI system directly addresses the USAF BSC and SOC requirements for improved personal cooling. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of TEDI technology by the development, fabrication, and thorough evaluation of a TEDI system prototype. In Phase II, POC plans to perform further development and refinement of the TEDI PCS, and field test it for practical use and superior performance to currently available products.