Los Alamos captures eight R&D 100 Awards

Contact: Todd Hanson, tahanson@lanl.gov, (505) 665-2085 (03-088)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., July 9, 2003 -- Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have captured eight of R&D Magazine's 2003 R&D 100 Awards, more than any other Department of Energy laboratory. The University of California managed National Laboratories, Los Alamos, Lawrence Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore combined for a total of 16 awards.

The latest winners bring the Los Alamos total to 78 awards over the past 16 years, 89 awards since first entering the competition in 1978. The projects recognized this year span a diverse range of scientific and technical areas - from innovative manufacturing techniques and advances in national security to revolutionary new materials.

In recognizing the achievement, Interim Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos noted that "many of these award-winning technical innovations were born out of Los Alamos' mission to create science that serves society. This is evidence to the fact that Los Alamos remains home to some of the best science and brightest scientific minds in the world. These innovations are the result of our pursuit of ideas that change the world."

The R&D 100 awards program is designed to honor significant commercial promise in products, materials or processes developed by the international research and development community. Each year, R&D Magazine recognizes the world's top 100 scientific and technological advances with awards for innovations showing the most significant commercial potential. The eight Los Alamos National Laboratory technologies receiving R&D 100 awards this year are:

CARISS: Integrated Elemental and Compositional Analysis

CARISS, which stands for Compositional Analysis by Raman-Integrated Spark Spectroscopy, is a field-deployable, portable tool for the chemical (elemental and compositional) analysis of a material from a distance and in less than two minutes.

FIRETEC: A Physics-Based Wildfire Model

FIRETEC is a three-dimensional (3-D) computer code designed to simulate the constantly changing, interactive relationship between wildfire and the environment. It simulates the dynamic processes that occur within a fire and the way those processes feed off and alter each other.

FlashCT

FlashCT™ is a high-speed, industrial computed tomography (CT) scanning system for producing high-resolution, three-dimensional (3-D) images of the external and internal geometries of objects. Its unique imaging capabilities make it feasible for high-throughput, in-line manufacturing applications, including uses such as the mass production of customized parts.

Flexible Superconducting Tape

Superconducting tape carries high electrical currents–200 times the electrical current of copper wire– in high magnetic fields at liquid-nitrogen temperatures with no resistance. Flexible enough to be wrapped into a tight coil with no loss of superconductivity, the widespread use of the tape could decrease costs associated with electrical power transmission and generation, and reduce the current electrical requirements of the planet, thus conserving resources and reducing pollution.

Green Destiny

Green Destiny is an advanced research project on low operating cost, low-power, efficient and robust supercomputing clusters. For nearly a year, Green Destiny ran without any downtime in a dusty 85º F warehouse while occupying a smaller area than comparable machines and drawing, at most, 5.2 kilowatts of power for the 240-processor system.

PowerFactoRE

PowerFactoRE is a suite of reliability engineering tools designed to optimize manufacturing processes. The result of an collaboration between the Laboratory and Procter & Gamble, it comprises a unique set of methods, statistical and analytical tools, simulation software, procedures, and training that enable manufacturing line managers to understand reliability losses and to correct seemingly isolated defects in the manufacturing process.

Super-Thermite Electric Matches

Super-Thermite electric matches are designed to replace the conventional electric matches used in pyrotechnics applications. Unlike conventional electric matches, Super-Thermite matches produce no toxic lead smoke and are safer to use because they resist friction, impact, heat, and static discharge, thereby minimizing accidental ignition. Secondary applications include uses for triggering explosives for the mining, demolition, and defense industries, setting off vehicle air bags, and igniting rocket motors

BASIS

Biological Aerosol Security and Information System (BASIS) is a biothreat detection and characterization technology for protecting civilian populations against terrorist aerosol releases of microorganisms capable of inducing lethal infection. BASIS allows the detailed identification, localization, and time-of-release pinpointing of select aerosol-released organisms. This precise detection makes possible the rapid treatment of exposed individuals, often even before symptoms appear.

Over the years, the R&D 100 awards have become one measure of the Los Alamos' contribution to society. Technologies are nominated in open competition and judged by technical experts selected by the Illinois-based magazine. The awards are officially released in the September issue of R&D Magazine. Awards will be given at a ceremony held at the Navy Pier in Chicago on October 16, 2003.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring safety and confidence in the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction and improving the environmental and nuclear materials legacy of the cold war. Los Alamos' capabilities assist the nation in addressing energy, environment, infrastructure and biological security problems.

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