SOURCES SOUGHT
59 -- Identify manufacturers to improve the capability of the existing Accelerometer Recorder (Helmet Sensor) coupled to Army helmets (Advanced Combat Helmet and Combat Vehicle Crewmen helmets) currently in limited operational deployment.
- Notice Date
- 4/18/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U. S. Army Materiel Command, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Aberdeen, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Aberdeen, ATTN: AMSSB-ACC-A, 4118 Susquehanna Avenue, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-3013
- ZIP Code
- 21005-3013
- Solicitation Number
- W91CRB08ACCEL
- Response Due
- 6/2/2008
- Point of Contact
- Debra Shreve, 703-704-2204
- Description
- Description This is a sources sought notice to identify manufacturers to improve the capability of the existing Accelerometer Recorder (Helmet Sensor) coupled to Army helmets (Advanced Combat Helmet and Combat Vehicle Crewmen helmets) currently in limited operational deployment. The objective of this limited deployment is to collect acceleration and pressure events experienced by Soldiers during OIF and OEF deployment. The Army would like to enhance the capabilities of this Helmet Sensor system to improve the systems concepts of operations, power management and reliability. The objective is to further refine this capability with an improved state of art data collection system that can be used to measure, record and store physical property measurements and characteristics related to the warfighters physical motion effects and responses associated with kinetic energy blasts, over pressures and wide range of shock and impact behavior. Participation Requirements Vendors that submit replies to this notice will be considered in future solicitations. This solicitation is not a Research and Development effort. Interested sources must be able to present a production representative (functional/operational prototype) within 45 days of this announcement to be considered for any follow-on procurement actions. Additional Participation Requirements Source must be capable to be able to provide all facilities, materials and independent test data supporting the characterization and performance envelop relative to the accompanying Functional Purchase Description except for the helmets platforms that the helmet sensors will be coupled to which will be Government Furnished Materials. Source must be able to provide line drawings of their proposed solutions and verification that the sensors and associated components are production ready and conform to the appropriate industry standards. Source must submit a standard unit cost/price & deliver (days after contract award)schedule for items: 1 to 500, 501-5000, 5001 to 10000, 10001 to 50000 and 50001 to 100000 Source must submit a description of the quality system. Source must submit all required items NLT 45 days of closure of this Sources Sought Notice. Partnering is encouraged. Functional Purchase Description Kinematic Recorder (Helmet Sensors) (INCH POUND FPD 08-XX, 07 April 2008, SUPERSEDES FPD 07-XX, 31 Aug 2007) 1. Description of Sought Capabilities The Army is considering a solicitation to improve the capability of the existing Accelerometer Recorder (Helmet Sensor) coupled to the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) in limited operational deployment. The objective of this limited deployment is to collect acceleration and pressure events experienced by Soldiers during OIF and OEF deployment. The Army would like to enhance the capabilities of this Helmet Sensor system to improve the systems concepts of operations, power management and reliability. The design concept is to further develop this unobtrusive and unencumbered device with an improved state of art data collection system that can be used to measure, record and store physical property measurements and characteristics related to the warfighters physical motion effects and responses associated with kinetic energy blasts, over pressures and wide range of shock and impact behavior. This is a request for Information/Sources Sought Notice to identify manufacturers with capabilities for the production of miniaturized electronics and its application technologies; to quantitatively measure rigid body motion responses associated with kinetic energy blasts and impact behavior. The device shall have dynamic system capabilities to record high energy measurements at high speeds and rates to include the magnitude and direction of both translational and angular acceleration, as well as the motion of the system under influences of forces and loads. The device is intended to be coupled (threshold) or integrated (objective) with a warfighters helmet and not present any harm to the individual wearing the device nor interfere with. This device must be appropriate to measure the helmet-human interface physical responses for both head and helmet motion resulting from high energy threats and phenomena associated with blast pressures, ballistics impacts, and shock waves. The device must be able to discriminate between normal head and dynamic helmet motions observed in both typical field activities and high energy events such as vehicle head impacts, ballistics impacts, blast pressures, and shock waves etc... The candidate device technologies submitted for consideration would allow for field functionality and reliability to accurately record true loads, forces, motions, rotations, and acceleration measurements suitable for dynamic mechanical data transfer to specific human injury risks. Furthermore, the ability to capture robust field data would allow linking the device measurements recorded with specific injury and event data. This strategy would support a Criterion to establish an injury risk transfer function in which the devices field data can be analyzed by medical community experts to help create a data library that would support the development of an injury criterion. 2. Functional Specifications 2.1 Micro-sensor Features The desired features are based on devices product architecture and addressing its functional elements (sensor components) for the following options: A device being designed and developed shall measure angular rate (how fast head spins) and demonstrate the ability to measure three axes of linear acceleration and three axes of rotational motion (objective). A device being designed and developed shall measure three axes of linear acceleration (threshold). A device being designed and developed shall measure angular acceleration (how fast the head accelerates) and demonstrate the ability to measure threes axes of motion using multiple linear accelerometers (threshold) to determine rotation when placed in a specific location and orientation. The device is required (threshold) to utilize multiple micro processing data recorder channels to measure direct translational, rotational plane and general motions for 3 degree-of freedom (threshold) and/or desired 6 degree-of-freedom (objective) under the influences of forces and loads such as blast pressures and high energy impacts. The devices is required (threshold) to utilize state of the art type electronic components such as linear accelerometers and/or angular rate sensors that shall measure peak linear accelerations ranging 0-6000 full scale per axis (threshold) and angular rate accelerations 0-50,000 deg/sec full scale per axis (threshold). The device shall measure full scale pressures ranging from 500 psi (threshold) to 1000 psi (objective) at full scale and near instantaneous response rate d 100 microseconds (objective) after event is measured. Desired (objectives) capabilities are to measure overpressure, dynamic and stagnation blast pressures at a stand off distance ranging from 25 feet (threshold) -100 feet (objective). The device micro-sensor circuitry (threshold) must allow for integration (objective) of evolving communication systems. The device features shall be interoperable with other associated systems that use wireless technologies which interface with standards selected from DoD protocols and regulations (threshold). 2.2 Data Acquisition Capabilities The device shall record single events at adjustable incremental sampling rates ranging from 10 kHz (threshold) to 100 kHz (objective) per channel. Required (threshold) is that the device records over 3600 seconds of events for single event time durations ranging from (15 milliseconds to 500 milliseconds). Desired (objective) is that device records hours of events for the same single event duration range. Based on the sampling rate selected for operational effectiveness the solution must be able to accommodate the desired objectives for event recording duration and storage capabilities. The devices sensor shall have band width variable options ranging from 5 kHz (threshold) to 20 kHz (objective). Solutions must be able ensure the devices capabilities (threshold) required for its sampling rates do not adversely affect event recording durations and sensitivity. The devices signals being measured shall be filtered internally (hardware) using a multiple pole anti-alias filtering with desired low (40 Hz) to high (5 kHz) frequency cut off capabilities. 2.3 Sensor Accuracy (typical characteristics) The device shall be designed with +/- (2 - 5) % tolerance (threshold) for amplitude linearity readings corresponding to full scale. The device shall be designed to compensate for non-linearity and hysteresis at 2% of full scale to full range. The device shall exhibit less than 5 % repeatability (threshold) due to blast and shock wave variability. The device shall be accurate for thermal sensitivity outputs less than 0.5% per C. The devices frequency response required (threshold) at +/- 5 % tolerance. The device shall be designed to ensure a minimum affect of resonate frequency to the devices data acquisition capabilities (threshold). The device shall be shall exhibit no more than 5 % transverse sensitivity (objective). Factors such as electronic component misalignment should be mitigated during manufacturing process such as mounting of sensors (threshold). The device shall not exhibit any more than 5% cross axis angular error (objective). The device is required to operate (threshold) in environmental conditions ranging from -20 C to 120 C at varying 20-80 % range of Relative Humidity (objective). 2.4 Operating Mode Measure, record and store seconds, minutes and hours worth of continuous data to ensure primary, secondary and tertiary blasts; and impacts are quantitatively being sensed, captured and traced. The devise shall be capable of discriminating data being recorded and define a threshold index for normal helmet impact and head motion, low to high energy loads and pressures known to be associated with non-blast and blast event. The device shall have builtin parameter adjustable control capabilities (threshold) to set and default an incremental trigger level for its accelerometer sensors to respond to energy events ranging from 0-2 % of full scale (threshold) of the sensor. A desired operating mode is that the device is ready capable to record data, and when a set pre-set threshold value is triggered, the device will go into recording mode. The device then actively records data to RAM, which is then written from RAM to Flash in near instantaneous less than 20 micro seconds (threshold). After the event is triggered the device then goes back to its ready capable mode. 2.5 Data Storage The device shall have micro processor memory capabilities of recording events to RAM and writing over to Flash memory based on storing a significant amount of events per unit time. The devices typical memory limits range from 500MB (threshold) to 8GB (objective) of internal data storage. Solutions are dependant on the devices processing speed and must accommodate the type of sensor components and data recorder channels being utilized. Device data stored shall be easily transferred for communications, user monitoring and downloading of event files via standard micro USB connection to centralized computer for multiple and parallel device downloading in less than 10 seconds per device (threshold). 2.6 Power Utilize a low self powered system with a required 12 month (threshold) to desired 18 month (objective) battery life prior to re-charge and/or replacement. The battery shall have current and voltage protection features. The system shall be capable of being re-charged (threshold) using conventional micro USB port application techniques. The device shall remain powered to be operational active when in ready sense mode and real time active when in recording mode. If the device uses a self contained re-chargeable battery then it shall be capable of being connected via USB centralized HUB for multiple device charging (threshold). The device (threshold) shall have no data loss and/or break of previously stored and cumulative data files recorded, and/or when the devices battery power is low or disrupted during re-charging. 2.7 Device Communications Utilize Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) techniques or other similar wireless communication techniques (threshold). The RFID solution must not create a higher demand for support and operational sustainment. The devices must be designed with an open product architecture to meet its required performance capabilities using either Active or Semi-Active RFID options (threshold). The device is required (threshold) to operate using low power and must be able to transmit stored events in complex DoD environments (objective). RFID solutions being down selected must be able to accommodate for the devices power source to be used (internal battery or self powered) where design trade offs would not significantly affect performance (threshold and objectives) for battery life, data storage and memory capacity, sensitivity, and geometrical footprint. 2.7.1 RFID Performance Parameters The device must be able to provide summary details and its operational capabilities for data retrieval and operational monitoring for device threshold alerting based on a pre-set high energy event, battery status, and unique identification information such as device serial number, soldier battle roster number, and query history including date and time stamps. A device designed with RFID wireless technologies must have communication encryption and silent mode characteristics (threshold) to avoid interference with other DoD systems. The devices required CONOPS reader range (threshold) for semi-active RFID device is 20-30 feet and for an active RFID device range up to 1500 feet. The required data download transmit time for the devices summary and operational details shall be performed in less than 5 seconds per device (threshold). 2.8 Software Application Features Required (threshold) is a master software program will allow supervisory control for device parameter set-ups, event download/uploading capabilities, data review, diagnostic and prognostic capabilities, and battery re-charging. The system software interfaces would allow for users to view windows displays of specific device features such as informational boxes, event and data graphics, control settings, real time operational status. Data being generated shall be read in common format such as ASCII File (*.txt), Microsoft Excel File (*.xls), Comma Separated Value (*.csv) file format. This can be accomplished using multiple options by either downloading the data via standard mirco USB port to a centralized computer and/or via RFID communication technologies. Device Graphics and File Data must be formatted (threshold) to show sensors and accelerometer readings and pressure sensor peaks values, combined axis resultants, and pressure wave forms. 2.9 System Control Capabilities The device shall be designed as an automated system to provide real time operational monitoring of blast and impact events. The system shall be designed to leverage existing commercial technologies available in Automated Information Technologies (AIT) such RFID capabilities, wireless communications and telemetry techniques. AIT capabilities would lead to greater Concept of Operations (CONOPS) efficiencies where devices could be quickly web-enable remotely and/or use a hand held device to capture data which would allow for greatly enhanced device visibility for operations, monitoring and control. The device could be embedded with smart hardware modules and linked to gateway communications network for query of the device and data transfer to download device event data to replace manual operations with AIT techniques (objective). 2.10 Physical Footprint The preferred total system mass of the device integrated with the helmet shall range from 2 - 8 ounces (threshold) and cover a low geometrical height profile d 0.5 inch (objective) and overall coverage area of d 1 inch3 (objective). The device when integrated shall not interfere with the ACH and other helmets equipment, components and accessories such as chin and eye wear retention straps, internal pads, covers, and night vision goggles. Seamless installation and rigid coupling of the device be explored to avoid adding additional components such as fasteners to the ACH. The device shall meet all requirements of the helmet specification to include but not be limited to ballistic impact protection. 3. Test Standards and Specifications 3.1 MIL-STD Testing Requirements Technologies developed shall operate and perform in shock, vibration, electro-magnetic, and thermal environmental conditions typical of Army field operations, and not interfere with the operations and the performances of other soldier equipment and systems. The device must comply with the specific requirements as found in the following MIL-STD-810 (Environmental) and MIL-STD 461 (Electromagnetic) testing standards and other sub categories listed below: High Temperature storage (method 501, procedure I, +850C or +1850F) Low Temperature storage (method 502, procedure I, -620C or -790F) Temperature/Altitude/Humidity (method 520.2, Min 10 cycles) Temperature Shock (method 503, procedure I) Humidity (method 507) Water Immersion (method 512, procedure I, Fresh and Salt Water) Salt Fog (method 509) Fungus (method 508) Explosive Atmosphere (method 511.4) Sand and Dust (method 510, procedure I and II) Solar Radiation (method 505, procedure I or II) Transit Drop (method 516, procedure IV) Functional Shock (method 516, procedure I) Icing/Freezing Rain (method 521.2) 3.2 Blast, Pressure, Shock and Testing Methodologies and Procedures The product development, testing and evaluation towards the production of the device shall reference known industry standards and best practices. The manufacture shall leverage it specialized expertise where applicable to use these standardized conventional and non-conventional methodologies when collecting device data and interpreting report findings to establish device accuracies, reliability, and repeatability. References such as SAE J211-1 Measurement Techniques in Impact Tests Instrumentation can be considered as a known industry standard. Device calibration data being provided to support test and evaluations shall use test device standards and/or system that are traceable (if necessary) to known accredited agencies when applicable (objective). 4. Deliverable & Options 4.1 Advanced Helmet Sensor (A-HMS) Each device delivered will comprise of the following supplies and services deliverable elements for the Alpha Prototype, Engineering Development Models, and Production Demonstrations Models. A-HMS Devices, including the encapsulated sensors, battery, processors, and other critical electronic components Hardware sub-components, including mounting materiel items for sensor installation and integration into helmets, and complete hardware replacement kits Computational sub-systems, including centralized computers, gateway stations, interfaces, utility operating and application software suites, diagnostics software and hardware systems tools, RFID readers and/or telemetry hardware modules, data retrieval kits Basic Documentation, including commercial level user manuals, product descriptions, application engineering facts sheets, installation graphical aids, and software DVDs that contain device functionality and operations for software interfaces, data storage and events downloading. 4.2 Training The contractor shall provide training for complete system installations, operational demonstrations, device set-up and configurations, data transfer, retrieval, downloading/uploading and diagnostic/prognostic maintenance applications. 4.3 Engineering Service and Support Management The contractor shall provide technical support and services to the government and its partnering laboratories during its tests and evaluation phase for the alpha prototypes, engineering development prototypes and production demonstration models. Such activities will include providing assistance with conducting data transfer and analysis during field testing and post evaluation operational assessment activities. 4.4 Field Installation The contractor shall provide during pre-deployment engineering support to specific field sites for device installation and initialization, data transfer validation, maintenance (repair/replace) and if necessary conduct failure analysis and other troubleshooting activities. 4.5 Spares The contractor will provide spare devices, hardware and software support kits to support both pre-deployment and product operational fielding plans as required for both warranty and the system maintenance. 4.6 Warranty The contractor will provide resource labor, travel, and materiel support items to include replacement devices, and sub system accessories covering all delivered A-HMS to perform to its functional specifications for a period of one year from completion of installation and fielding. 4.7 Production Demonstration Models Devices designed and develop shall be reproducible at a significantly lower manufacturing cost than initial alpha and engineering development prototypes. 5. Proposed Schedule & Milestones Phases & Stages Helmet Sensor Gen 1+ Plan (08-09) Months MarAprMayJuneJulyAugSeptOctNovDecJanFeb Phase IIdentify Gen.1+ Functional Spec. Prepare Functional Purchase Description Op. Demo Period / Award Contract Phase IIPrelim. Design Rev. Build Prototypes (Alpha and Eng.) T&E Prototypes CDR & Set Final Perf. Spec for PDM Phase IIIDeliver Adv. PDMs Install & Field BCTs
- Web Link
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FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=bfa90fca0956bfa263d831f626337b02&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: RDECOM Acquisition Center - Aberdeen ATTN: AMSSB-ACC-A, 4118 Susquehanna Avenue Aberdeen Proving Ground MD
- Zip Code: 21005-3013
- Zip Code: 21005-3013
- Record
- SN01557269-W 20080420/080418220416-bfa90fca0956bfa263d831f626337b02 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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