TDA RESEARCH, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N231-012

Description

Aquatic sensor platforms are a key strategic element of anti-submarine warfare (ASW). As ship traffic increases and modern naval targets grow ever quieter, the platforms’ acoustic sensitivity needs to be improved to maintain an operational advantage. Metamaterials have recently demonstrated capabilities in passive and assisted underwater acoustic signal manipulation. They provide an attractive and economical solution to enhance sensor platform capabilities for the next generation of ASW. TDA has developed a comprehensive structural evolution strategy to address the challenges in designing and manufacturing passive and semi-passive underwater acoustic metamaterial filters (PUMAFS and SUMAFs). By building on earlier work and testing new combinations of materials, geometries, and configurations, TDA will leverage our experience in advanced materials, additive manufacturing, and design to develop acoustic processing technology that is passive, tunable, and scalable. The work will improve the effectiveness of aquatic sensor platforms, leading to a 10X improvement in signal to noise ratio and a 1000X reduction in computationally expensive post processing, opening the door for further adaptations in passive and assisted acoustic processing.