The U.S. Department of Transportation is accepting proposals for $1.7 million in funding from its Small Business Innovation Research program.
The program awards contracts to small businesses for research and commercialization of innovative transportation technologies in selected areas, offering funding from $150,000 to $200,000, according to a Feb. 7 news release.
"Small businesses are essential to our economy, and this program plays an important role in advancing America's economic competitiveness by supporting domestic small businesses while stimulating technological innovation that can improve our transportation systems and lead to further economic growth," Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Dr. Robert C. Hampshire said in the release.
This year's Small Business Innovation Research Solicitation focuses on advanced materials and structures, behavioral safety and the safe transportation of materials, the release report. Projects will be funded at the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Topics to be covered include addressing stormwater runoff, traffic monitoring, concrete crosstie inspection, child presence detection, virtual reality training on impaired driving, bioremediation for hazardous spills, integrated trackers and sensors for dangerous material communication, portable state-of-charge sensors for lithium batteries and wearable Personal Protective Equipment-integrated sensors for first responders, according to the release.
