TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Agile RFID Antenna System (MSC-TOPS-79)

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses. 

THE TECHNOLOGY:  

Researchers at the NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a suite of RFID-based technologies focused on improving communication of an RFID reader with a greater number of RFID tags in open and enclosed areas. Typically, RFID reader communications with tags are spectrum-regulated to a narrow bandwidth that makes tag localization difficult. Moreover, RFID communications are complicated by polarization mismatches between the reader and tag antennas. The Agile RFID Antenna System is able to expand these boundaries by integrating an inexpensive frequency multiplexer to the RFID reader antennas, which permits new methods of localization, allows greater antenna functionality with fewer reader RF ports, and provides improved read accuracy and/or range. For enclosed areas, such as a large container, the Agile RFID Antenna System can use smaller antennas, consequently reducing the volume required for an RFID system to operate. A wide range of commercial applications can benefit from this technology, including retail inventory management, manufacturing/assembly line tracking, industrial transportation and logistics, sports bio-analysis, and healthcare. 

To express interest in this licensing opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/MSC-TOPS-79  

If you have any questions, please e-mail NASA’s Technology Transfer Program at Agency-Patent-Licensing@mail.nasa.gov with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this SAM.gov notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/. 

These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.