NIGHTSEA – A NOAA SBIR Success Story
Posted On: Tuesday, September 1, 2020
We are very proud to be featured as an SBIR Success Story by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Technology Partnerships Office!
SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) is a US government program that allocates a percentage of research funds to small businesses with a two-fold aim – (1) to solve real research needs of government agencies; and (2) to spur innovation that can lead to sustainable business growth. The prototype for the Stereo Microscope Fluorescence Adapter, the key to NIGHTSEA’s ongoing success, was originally developed as part of a NOAA R&D effort with the seemingly narrow goal of assisting coral reef researchers in finding juvenile corals. What started as a system with just one excitation/emission combination to address that original challenge has evolved into the product line we offer today, including 6 excitation/emission sets, adaptors for more than just stereo microscopes, and a growing host of accessories. Proven application areas now include basic science laboratories, entomology, art conservation, microplastics research, education and outreach, and diverse industries, with new applications being found on a regular basis.
Links
- NOAA SBIR Success Story
- Full story – the origin of the Stereo Microscope Fluorescence Adapter
- NIGHTSEA equipment in over 1700 research and education institutions, US and international
- NIGHTSEA equipment cited in more than 300 papers in over 170 different journals
- Stereo Microscope Fluorescence Adapter