TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Self Sacrificing Components (GSC-TOPS-111)

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses. THE TECHNOLOGY: In a system with cooperative components and a limited amount of power, what happens when one component fails? In this autonomic system, a failing component that is likely to jeopardize the primary mission sacrifices itself and donates any resources (such as power) to the other components before self-destruction. Inspired by insect colonies, this invention has applications not just for space exploration, but also for deep sea exploration vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, a constellation of satellites, smart grids, or any system with multiple cooperative elements with a chance of failure and a need to conserve resources. If it begins to fail and either risks neighboring components or the mission, a vehicle, craft, device, or other component of an autonomic system will donate its power source to ensure the continued operation of the system as a whole. In the context of swarms of spacecraft, swarms of underwater craft, or UAVs, the donating component, the receiving component, or both, will be able to rendezvous with the other component and transfer the power source. Additionally or alternately, the failing component can delegate its task to another capable component of the system, insuring that the mission is still fulfilled. After either transferring its power source or delegating the task, the component can either self-destruct, or if possible, change its function to one it is capable of carrying out, such as a messaging function or a shielding function. To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/GSC-TOPS-111 If you have any questions, please contact NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Technology Transfer Office at [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/ These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.