Boston Micromachines Developing Device to Prevent Friendly Fire

Boston Micromachines Corp. (BMC), a Watertown, Mass.-based provider of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) -based deformable mirror products for adaptive optics systems, today announced that it has received a $750,000 Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) award from the US Army through the Department of Defense. The award will allow BMC and its research partner, Boston University, to continue developing its Secure Communicating Optical Ultrasmall Transponder (SCOUT), which previously received a Phase I STTR award. The device is intended to reduce "friendly fire" incidents on the battlefield through secure optical communication using an active mirror to rapidly identify friendly soldiers, vehicles, or aircraft. The goal for the two-year Phase II project is to develop a working prototype of a compact, portable, low power, lightweight, and low-cost modulated retro-reflecting device for free-space covert communication and remote sensor interrogation.