What started at Michigan State University could become part of a national bridge safety measuring system, and may even be used on missions to the Moon and Mars.
Two years ago Monarch Antenna was
formed to commercialize a product developed by Michigan State
University and Delphi Corp. called the Self-Structuring Antenna 
(SSA) technology. The SSA antenna alters its shape and configuration through an electric field based on feedback signals for optimum transmission and reception in real time.
Now, Monarch, based in Ann Arbor, and in association with the University of Michigan and several collaborating companies, has joined nine teams to implement a $19 million, five-year project to develop a system for assessing the structural integrity of major infrastructure elements such as bridges on a regional basis. Monarch’s SSA will enable reliable wireless data sharing among the sensors.
Monarch expects to receive up to $500,000 over the duration of the program and is proud to help commercialize the sense and monitor system for America’s 600,000 bridges, says University of Michigan professor Jerry Lynch.
The contract was awarded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, under its Technology Innovation Program.
Meanwhile, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is evaluating the SSA technology for use in its missions to the Moon and Mars in the coming decades, says the Great Lakes IT Report’s Matt Roush.
Source: Great Lakes IT Report
Gretchen Cochran, Innovation & Jobs editor, may be contacted here.
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