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by S. Jenise Verisa and Laurie Stauber

Software of the Year is one of the top two Space Act Awards, along with Invention of the Year, awarded annually by NASA's Inventions and Contributions Board (ICB). Civil servant and support service contractors are eligible for the monetary rewards—up to $100,000 per invention—that reflect the value of the outstanding technological innovation or scientific discovery supported, which was funded or applied by NASA for aeronautic or space activities.

The ICB awarded a total of $181,975 for Space Act Awards to the following Glenn scientists and engineers during fiscal year 2008:

• Rate-based Linear Parameter-varying Model Predictive Controller by Jonathan DeCastro, Arctic Slope Regional Corp. (ASRC) in the Communications, Instrumentation and Controls Division

• Hybrid Kalman Filter/In-Flight Diagnosis by Takahisa Kobayashi (ASRC) and Donald Simon, Communications, Instrumentation and Controls Division

• Multidimensional Contact Angle Measurement Device (MCAMD). An ICB Exceptional Award winner developed by Drs. David Chao and Negli Zhang (OAI), Space Processes and Experiments Division. This technology also garnered the 2008 R&D 100 Award, which included Dr. John Sankovic, and was nominated for NASA Invention of the Year

• Atomic Oxygen Textured Surfaces for Blood Glucose Monitoring Relating to Control of Diabetes. Bruce Banks (ALPH), Space Environment & Experiments Branch, is the recipient of an ICB Exceptional Award for the second year in a row.

• Optical Actuation Technology developed by Dr. Grigory Adamovsky, Communications, Instrumentation and Controls Division; Sergey Sarkisov, SS Optical; and Michael Curley, Alabama A&M University

• Cellular Reflect Array Antenna developed by Dr. Robert Romanofsky, Communications, Instrumentation and Controls Division

To learn more about these innovations or to apply for Space Act Awards, contact Laurie Stauber, Glenn's awards liaison officer, Technology Transfer & Partnership Office, (216) 433-2820.