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The HAWK™ Hypoxia Detection and Alerting System for Military Pilots

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N68335-09-C-0284
Agency Tracking Number: N091-018-0080
Amount: $149,979.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N091-018
Solicitation Number: 2009.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2009
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-04-29
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2010-07-13
Small Business Information
5032 S. Ash Avenue, Ste. 101
Tempe, AZ 85282
United States
DUNS: 116749289
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Stan Desjardins
 President
 (480) 820-2032
 stan.desjardins@safeinc.us
Business Contact
 Michael Haerle
Title: President
Phone: (480) 820-2032
Email: mike.haerle@safeinc.us
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Military aircraft that fly at high altitudes and/or conduct high-g maneuvers require sophisticated safety systems to prevent the pilot from becoming susceptible to the negative effects of hypoxia and gravitational loss of consciousness. Pressure breathing and g-suits help to address these issues; however, a noninvasive warning system is required to alert the pilot to physiologic conditions signaling a hypoxic condition. This is complicated by the highly dynamic environment (pressure breathing, g-loading, pilot movement, irregular breathing, anti-g straining, mask seepage, hypoxia tolerance variation) and that the system must be adaptable to existing systems without modification by the component/system vendor. Safe, Inc. has conceived of a self-powered/low-power wireless noninvasive hypoxia sensor suite that offers ultra-high accuracy measurement (>99%) of blood/breathe oxygenation status with the superior fault-mitigation technology and near real-time responsiveness of hypoxia sensing. Fault mitigation and measurement accuracy is afforded by multi-modal sensors that assess O2 and CO2 metabolism as well as blood oxygenation. Advanced algorithms are employed to account for pilot movement and low blood perfusion. Sensors are mask-mounted and communicate wirelessly to a fore-arm mounted alerting system.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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