SBIR Phase I: Electrostatic Design for Cold-Cathode, Miniature X-ray Sources

SBIR 第一阶段：冷阴极微型 X 射线源的静电设计

• 批准号: 2322146
• 负责人: Winston Chern
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: X-SIGHT INCORPORATED
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-01 至 2024-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2322146&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Electrostatic; Design; Cold

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is improved access to 3D x-ray imaging in everyday life. Currently 3D x-ray imaging is used for applications where it is absolutely necessary to non-destructively image an object. One example is in healthcare, known as computed tomography, where imaging is performed 250,000 times per day in the US saving countless lives by enabling doctors to quickly identify and treat disease such as stroke, heart attack, and cancer. Airports are other locations where computed tomography is heavily used to quickly inspect millions of bags per day to catch threats that were once unable to be seen through conventional x-ray systems. The systems capable of 3D x-ray imaging for the applications mentioned above are large, expensive and immobile which prevent their use in more applications. This project enables a new architecture for 3D x-ray imaging which promises to make systems less expensive, smaller and more compact, require less power and demonstrate higher performance. This new architecture will enable access to 3D x-ray imaging for new applications by making it more affordable and available where and when it is needed, outside of key infrastructure locations like hospitals and airports.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the first step in developing the most critical component to a new 3D x-ray imaging architecture: a miniature, high-performance, and inexpensive x-ray source. Modern 3D x-ray imaging systems are large, expensive and immobile due to the method of generating 3D images. A single x-ray source and detector arc pair are rotated at high speeds to generate 2D images at different angles which are used to reconstruct a 3D model. Modern x-ray sources and detectors are very bulky, weighing over 100 pounds each, and necessitate substantial structural reinforcement, resulting in systems that weigh over 1000 pounds. The proposed new architecture uses a stationary ring of x-ray sources and detectors. The x-ray sources are electrically turned on and off mimicking the rotation of modern 3D x-ray imaging systems without spinning, resulting in a system that is inexpensive and smaller, and uses lower power while demonstrating higher performance. For these aspirations to be realized, a miniature x-ray source that is smaller, high-performance and inexpensive must be developed. This project will take the first steps to characterize such an x-ray source by measuring key metrics such as the performance, resolution and reliability. The design will be iterated through simulations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该小型企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是改善日常生活中 3D X 射线成像的获取。目前，3D X 射线成像用于绝对需要对物体进行非破坏性成像的应用。一个例子是医疗保健领域，即计算机断层扫描，在美国每天进行 250,000 次成像，使医生能够快速识别和治疗中风、心脏病和癌症等疾病，从而挽救了无数生命。机场是其他大量使用计算机断层扫描技术每天快速检查数百万件行李的地方，以发现曾经无法通过传统 X 射线系统发现的威胁。能够针对上述应用进行 3D X 射线成像的系统体积庞大、昂贵且不可移动，这阻碍了它们在更多应用中的使用。该项目实现了 3D X 射线成像的新架构，有望使系统更便宜、更小、更紧凑、需要更少的功率并表现出更高的性能。这种新架构将使 3D X 射线成像在医院和机场等关键基础设施地点之外变得更加经济实惠，并在需要的时间和地点提供，从而为新应用提供 3D X 射线成像。这个小型企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第一阶段项目是开发新型 3D X 射线成像架构最关键组件的第一步：微型、高性能且廉价的 X 射线源。由于生成 3D 图像的方法，现代 3D X 射线成像系统体积庞大、昂贵且不可移动。单个 X 射线源和探测器弧对高速旋转，生成不同角度的 2D 图像，用于重建 3D 模型。现代 X 射线源和探测器非常庞大，每个重量超过 100 磅，并且需要大量的结构加固，导致系统重量超过 1000 磅。所提出的新架构使用 X 射线源和探测器的固定环。 X 射线源采用电动方式打开和关闭，模仿现代 3D X 射线成像系统的旋转，无需旋转，从而使系统价格低廉、体积更小，并且使用更低的功耗，同时展示更高的性能。为了实现这些愿望，必须开发一种更小、高性能且廉价的微型 X 射线源。该项目将通过测量性能、分辨率和可靠性等关键指标来表征此类 X 射线源。 该设计将通过模拟进行迭代。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并且通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。