The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is hosting an Innovation Day for Industry^†, on May 16, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET at its headquarters in Washington, DC.
 
The purpose of this event is to inform industry and to assess interest in a focused set of emerging technologies that are ready for collaboration with industry partners to advance system-level technologies.
 
Participants will have the opportunity to hear from NRL scientists and engineers, to learn about previous NRL-industry potential success stories, to tour the laboratory facilities, and to meet with technology transfer and contracting office representatives.

Register for this event to:

• SHARE comprehensive insights to identify collaborative opportunities.
• COLLABORATE with NRL to enhance innovation in key areas of emerging technology.
• ACCELERATE technology development to enhance warfighter capabilities.

The NRL Innovation Day for Industry will provide a venue for NRL to discuss potential future opportunities and exchange ideas on the following topics:

• Lunar Surface Science - NRL is developing an optical instrument utilizing the lunar surface as an accessible laboratory to monitor meteoroid flux and associated impact dust ejecta via the use of a large-scale in-situ virtual witness plate. These measurements are critical to lunar surface infrastructure, safety, and commercial development. NRL seeks potential industry collaborators to host this instrument for launch, transport, and lunar surface operation. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Optical Ground Terminal - NRL is building prototype ground terminals for autonomous laser communication to LEO satellites. Based around a 0.5m telescope, the ground stations are designed for communications to DARPA's Blackjack satellites. The stations are agnostic to the modem, it can transmit and receive wavelengths, and protocols within a range of approximately 1550 nm. NRL seeks potential industry collaborators to manufacture these devices. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Controlled Unclassified Information level.)
   
• Optical Communications Terminal - NRL seeks industry support to develop and prototype advanced capabilities for Optical Communications Terminals. These terminals are designed to be deployed for Space Development Agency missions. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Controlled Unclassified Information level.)

• Software Toolset Prototyping for High Assurance Software Development - NRL has developed formal, mathematically-based methods and tools supporting the construction and analysis of high assurance software for systems – e.g., autonomous systems, security devices, and control software – that must satisfy properties such as safety, fault tolerance, and security. The tools work at different levels of abstraction from requirements through code. NRL seeks potential industry collaboration to advance new software toolset prototype development. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Software Toolset Modernization for High Assurance Software Development - NRL has developed formal, mathematically-based methods and tools supporting the construction and analysis of high assurance software for systems – e.g., autonomous systems, security devices, and control software – that must satisfy properties such as safety, fault tolerance, and security. The tools work at different levels of abstraction from requirements through code. NRL seeks potential industry collaboration to modernize aging NRL software toolsets used by industry, academia, and government. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• HF Radar Transponders - NRL HF Radar Transponders are CUI devices developed for HF Radar field testing.  NRL has produced many of these devices for a variety of sponsors and projects.  They will be needed in greater numbers in the years to come. NRL seeks potential industry collaboration to advance this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Controlled Unclassified Information level.)
   
• HF Radar Digital Exciters - NRL HF Radar Digital Exciters are high performance CUI devices developed for prototype HF Radar systems. NRL has produced many of these devices for a variety of sponsors and projects. They will be needed in greater numbers in the years to come. NRL seeks potential industry collaboration to advance this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Controlled Unclassified Information level.)
   
•  HF Radar Digital Receivers - NRL HF Radar Digital Receivers are high performance CUI devices developed for prototype HF Radar systems. NRL has produced a large number of these devices for a variety of sponsors and projects. They will be needed in greater numbers in the years to come. NRL seeks potential industry collaboration to advance this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Controlled Unclassified Information level.)
   
• Radar Target Signature Software Life-Cycle Maintenance - Radar Target Signature (RTS) is an NRL radar analysis code accredited for the prediction of ship radar signatures. RTS is a mature software product requiring life-cycle maintenance to remain effective for the Navy. This may include fixing bugs, adding new features developed by NRL, or updating the software to work with new hardware or software systems. NRL seeks potential industry collaboration on software life-cycle maintenance to advance this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Controlled Unclassified Information level.)
   
• Tactical Decision Aid Software Life-Cycle Maintenance - Tactical Decision Aid (TACAID) is a classified software product that is currently being deployed to the Fleet requiring life-cycle maintenance to remain effective for the Navy. This may include fixing bugs, adding new features developed by NRL, or updating the software to work with new hardware or software systems. NRL seeks potential collaboration on software life-cycle maintenance to advance this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the Classified/Secret level.)

• Biotechnology for Biomanufacturing - NRL biomanufacturing thrust combines an experimental suite of automation tools in the dedicated Rapid Bioprototyping Laboratory with novel microbial chassis to provide an ‘ideation to 1 Liter fermentation’ production and characterization capability. This capability is focused on development of a wide variety of high value biochemical precursors, proteins, wax esters and biopolymers.  Potential industrial collaborations are sought for transition of the prototype fermentation approaches and related technologies to commercially viable production and availability. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Fuel Cell Separator Plate - NRL has a bipolar separator plate design that separate cells in a fuel cell stack. These plates are a critical component for high performance.The separator plate integrates into an existing fuel cell prototype which is undergoing testing and demonstration in various unmanned systems. A MANTECH program is developing a manufacturing process for the plates. NRL is seeking a potential domestic manufacturing collaboration capable of producing the plates. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Preferential Removal of Carbon Monoxide in Hydrogen Feedstreams Using Aerogel Catalysts - NRL-developed highly selective Cu/ceria aerogel catalysts preferentially oxidize CO (COPROX) in H₂ feedstreams, achieving an unprecedented combination of 95% CO conversion and 95% selectivity toward CO₂ even under humid conditions. CO readily poisons Pt anodes in H₂ fuel cells making COPROX catalysts crucial to fueling these devices using on-the-spot purified crude H₂. NRL is seeking potential manufacturing collaborations to incorporate the aerogel catalysts into a reactor that removes carbon monoxide poison from hydrogen feedstock for long duration hydrogen fuel cells. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Robotic Multiaxial Material Testing Systems - NRL seeks potential industry collaborations to commercialize NRL multiaxial robotic material testing technologies for commercial and/or military components and system applications. This technology utilizes robotic Hexapods for multiaxial material testing to accelerated material constitutive characterization and part qualification for conventional and additively manufactured materials. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Advanced Strain Measurement Technology - NRL seeks potential industry collaborations to commercialize NRL full field optical direct strain measurement technology for commercial and/or military components and system applications. These high performance full-field non-contact strain measurement and imaging techniques have been demonstrated in laboratory conditions and the objective is to productize and extend them to high temperature conditions. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   

• Pulsed Laser Systems and Related Technologies to Support Directed Energy - NRL seeks potential industry collaborations to develop high-peak power, high-average power pulsed laser sources, components, and related technologies such as beam control systems for future Directed Energy missions. Technologies and methods to reduce SWAP and increase ruggedization are of critical importance. Demonstrated experience in delivering such systems is preferred. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Non-mechanical Optical Beam Steering - Non-mechanical optical beam steering chips have been developed at NRL as low-SWAP replacements for gimbal-mounted mirrors. These devices, which are based on liquid crystal-clad waveguides, can operate in a variety of optical bands. They can steer a laser beam with operationally-relevant power without blind spots or refractive effects. NRL seeks potential system application collaborations for this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   
• Antireflective Surface Structures for Glass Optics - Glass optics are ubiquitous for many applications. Antireflective (AR) coatings are required but are challenging to apply on high curvature lenses and often delaminate under environmental stresses. NRL has solved these problems by development of technology to replace AR coatings with novel AR surface structures etched into the optic’s surface. NRL seeks potential industrial collaborations in optical component manufacturing technologies and/or systems applications to advance this technology. (NRL plans to discuss this topic at the unclassified level.)
   

Interested companies should register to participate at the following link.
 
Please refer to the link for registration information and deadlines.
 
All participants are required to adhere to the government's security base access criteria outlined in the following here.
 
For questions about this event, please email nrlinnovationday@us.navy.mil

Mission

NRL is committed to pioneering scientific and engineering exploration that propels cutting-edge advancements benefiting the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. NRL fosters direct collaborations between the Navy and global industry and academic leaders, serving as a pivotal nexus to research and development initiatives. Our geographical area of operations and customer support extends worldwide, but our base of operation is located at Washington, D.C.