Millions invested to boost Ohio aerospace innovation: OFRN awards $6.85 million to six organizations
The Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN) has awarded $6.85 million to six Ohio organizations to drive aerospace innovation in Ohio.
The initiative, managed by Parallax Advanced Research in collaboration with The Ohio State University, aims to propel science and technology innovation for U.S. national security initiatives. The funding was provided by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
The mission of the OFRN is to bolster Ohio's research and development capabilities by building partnerships between academic institutions and businesses throughout the state, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the state's economic growth.
The six awarded projects and their respective leads include:
GhostWave Inc. (lead), in collaboration with The Ohio State University, University of Dayton Research Institute, Converge Technologies, and Infleqtion, is working to enhance GhostWave sensors through innovative quantum hardware and software.
The Ohio State University (lead), in collaboration with the University of Dayton, Central State University, Agile Ultrasonics LLC, Lincoln Electric, and Nanoracks, is focusing on autonomous metals and polymer welding technology for space applications.
The University of Akron (lead), in partnership with Case Western Reserve University and PC Krause and Associates (PCKA), is working to target the development of a compact, high-bandwidth DC emulator for Digital Engineering Systems.
Kairos Research (lead), collaborating with Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, and Dayton Entrepreneurs' Center, is developing a human performance project focused on real-time ocular-physiological indicators of cognitive states.
ARCTOS Technology Solutions, LLC (lead), in partnership with Ohio University, University of Toledo, GoHypersonic, and Hyphen Innovations, is working to create gradient alloy parts for hypersonic vehicles.
CFD Research Corporation (lead), collaborating with the Air Force Institute of Technology and Wright State University, is pursuing a project involving the creation of a machine learning framework for digital engineering of hypersonic vehicles.
To date, the OFRN program has distributed over $51.4 million across 5 R&D rounds. These investments have led to 35 research projects involving collaborations between 21 colleges and universities and 97 businesses in Ohio.
Why this matters to Ohio
Dayton and Ohio’s aviation legacy is as old as the industry itself. Wilbur and Orville Wright designed the aircraft for their famous first flight in Dayton and later built America's first airplane factory in the city in 1910.
Here are some highlights:
Dayton is home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base which employs more than 30,000 people - the largest single site employer in Ohio.
Headquartered in the Dayton region is the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. According to the Dayton Development Coalition the AFRL boasts a workforce of over 10,000 employees, with 6,272 holding positions as engineers or scientists.
Ohio is the #1 supplier state to Airbus and Boeing
What they're saying
"These projects will grow Ohio's workforce, boost our economy, and reinforce our position as a leader in aerospace innovation. We eagerly await the successful results of each project and are thrilled to embark on an 18-month journey collaborating with each team.”
- Mark Bartman, Parallax Advanced Research VP for Advanced Development