Lunar Ventures 2007 Finalist Teams

Grand Champion

Omega Sensors, Inc. (OSI)
Institution: San Diego State University
Team Members: Brian Bjorndal, Brad Chisum, Joe Dennison, Tom Jones, Nick Rhea and Richard Waters

Business Venture Description: OSI offers an improved sensor technology that will increase the ability to locate oil, fewer dry wells, and increase in oil well output through strategic drilling, with additional applications in structural and equipment monitoring, navigation systems and robotics. Inertial navigation systems can be used to navigate satellites, rockets, the space shuttle, and nearly every other space based vehicle.

Runners-Up

Automated Integrated Mission Systems (AIMSense)
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Team Members: Matthew Abrahamson, David Butts, Christophe Mandy, Robert Panish and Reggie Smith

Business Venture Description: AIMSense's innovative guidance system improves the aerial refueling process by making tanker-to-aircraft docking quicker and more operator-friendly. In space applications include realizing autonomous spacecraft rendezvous and docking for on-orbit servicing.

Kronos
Institution: Colorado School of Mines
Team Members: Darick Baker, Luke Erikson, William Rance and Erik Spahr

Business Venture Description: Kronos will develop technology and techniques to provide solutions for collecting meteorites on the Earth and later on the moon.

ViraTag LLC
Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology
Team Members: Dev Ghose, Nimisha Gupta and James McDonough

Business Venture Description: ViraTag LLC will commercialize in-vitro diagnostic virus detection kits for quick, efficient, cost-effective, and extremely accurate identification of viruses using easily portable equipment and with minimally trained personnel. Applications include monitoring the health of astronauts in space.

2007 Finalist Teams

Artemis Sensor Networks (ASN)
Institution: University of Colorado and Colorado School of Mines
Team Members: Doug Bean, Arta Doci, and Brian Erickson

Business Venture Description: ASN provides embedded software that improves scalability, optimizes power expenditure and increases performance for wireless sensor networks. These networks have particular applicability in locations where human intervention is difficult such as on the moon, in polluted areas, and in severe weather conditions.

Filament Technologies
Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology
Team Members: Jason Cormey, Jim DiOttavio, Manassa Kona and Thilini Rangedera

Business Venture Description: Filament Technologies will develop and market integrated "micro-renewable" power generation and distribution solutions for small off-grid communities and households. Small-scale power management and storage system components, derived from space technology, will adapted, demonstrated and deployed in these underserved markets, leading to further development of technologies suitable for both terrestrial and space power systems.

Genesis Contrivance
Institution: Colorado School of Mines
Team Members: Dave Brokering, Danny Chong, Ryan Dubisher, Mark Gefreh, Travis Leach, Daniel Miller, Jeff Parham and Stephanie Quintana

Business Venture Description: Genesis Contrivance offers two products to industries operating without human presence in hazardous and/or remote locations - a multipurpose utility rover and a specialized repair bay for assisting, maintaining and repairing the rover.

Space Tethers
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Team Members: Gregor Z. Hanuschak, Lydur T. Thorgeirsson, Toby Schachman and Bruce Mackenzie

Business Venture Description: Space Tethers will use rotating tethers to catch and throw space payloads.

Space Navigation and Communications Corporation (SNACC)
Institution: University of Colorado
Team Members: Keric Hill, Amanda Heaton, Torsten Zorn, Jennifer Gertz, Keith Davis, Jeffrey Parker, Sean O'Dell and Kathryn Hamera

Business Venture Description: Space Navigation and Communications Corporation will provide navigation and communication services to satellites in the lunar environment, providing highly accurate solutions for lunar satellites, landers, and rovers. The constellation will also have the unique capability of providing the Earth with navigation and communication coverage of the far side of the moon.

Teachable Automation Inc.
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Team Members: Bryan Gardner and Swati Mohan

Business Venture Description: Teachable Automation Inc. offers the Jerry Arm - a motion teachable manufacturing arm that can be "taught" (not programmed) to perform various repeated motion operations both on Earth and in space.