Press Releases

OZARK IC’s XNodes(TM) going hypersonic

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New R&D contract with DARPA will develop high-temperature instrumentation for hypersonic jet engines

Fayetteville, Ark.-- Ozark Integrated Circuits (Ozark IC) has just started its first hypersonic SBIR Phase II project with a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Hypersonic flight is generally considered any speed above Mach 5. These flights, capable of speeds of 3600 mph or more, are considered as significant a game changer in defense as when stealth technology was deployed over a decade ago.

Hypersonic vehicles experience temperatures from 200oC to 800oC or more. The key challenge to enabling such next-generation engines is therefore creating electronic systems that can operate reliably under high vibration and at these elevated temperatures (~200 to 800oC) for 50,000 hours or more.

The three-year, $1.5M DARPA project will employ Ozark IC’s eXtreme NodesTM (XNodesTM), its single-board, rugged computer modules designed for the high temperatures and vibrations of extreme environments, to develop an instrumentation system for high-speed propulsion systems.

An Ozark IC XNode (TM)

An Ozark IC XNode(TM) - A temperature-hardened single-board computer.

The instrumentation system will use a range of XNode products that work together to cover the full 200⁰C to 800⁰C temperature range. The (200⁰C) AQ200 Aggregator XNode will receive data from several (350⁰C) AQ350 XNodes, each of which, in turn, will receive data from several (800⁰C) RN800 XNodes.

The project, which requires a secure and robust supply chain, will draw on the expertise of several important and supportive partners:

  • The AQ800 XNode chips will be fabricated at NASA Glenn Research Center’s facility in combination with General Electric Research Center’s facility
  • The AQ350 XNode chips will be designed in partnership with RelChip
  • The AQ200 XNode chips are available from Texas Instruments’ HiRel catalog
  • Testing of the developed instrument will be performed at Virginia Tech’s Advanced Propulsion Laboratory.

“This contract is a major step in our company’s history in the scope and duration of the contract, the range of partners with whom we will be working. Not to mention, the ability to extend the high temperature range of our XNodes,” said Matt Francis, founder, president, and CEO of Ozark IC. “Our team can’t wait to move forward on this project to show how our family of XNode products will work together from 200⁰C all the way to 800⁰C.”

 

Members of Arkansas’ congressional representatives also added their support:

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) said, “Ozark IC’s technology is critical to providing our military and aerospace industries with next generation tools. This DARPA contract is a testament to their impressive work. By supporting the cutting-edge research happening right here in Arkansas, the partnership will accelerate the development of innovative and hypersonic systems of the future.”

 

Senator John Boozman (AR) said “Arkansas is incredibly proud that a homegrown company is playing such an important role in support of our nation’s defense and the development of improved military capabilities. I’m pleased DARPA recognizes the value in partnering with an innovative firm like Ozark IC in order to advance ground-breaking research and achieve solutions that will serve our national security interests.”

 

Senator Tom Cotton (AR) said “By ceding semiconductor manufacturing and development to countries like China, the United States has given those countries dangerous leverage over our nation’s future. Ozark Integrated Circuits is helping to ensure we maintain a robust microelectronics ecosystem in the United States. I’m proud of their work to contribute to our nation’s safety and security.”

 

About Ozark Integrated Circuits Inc.

Founded February 24, 2011, by current President and CEO Dr. Matt Francis, Ozark IC’s mission is to bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to the edge of extreme environments by creating best-in-class solutions, with an emphasis on Extreme Environment applications, such as those experienced in Energy Exploration, Aerospace, Space Exploration, and Industrial Controls industries. Ozark IC recently developed manufacturing space in their Fayetteville headquarters where they build their proprietary XNodes. Ozark IC’s XNodeTM-based solutions include hardware and software, integrated circuits, and packaging. Ozark IC’s strategy and technology have led industry watchers to recognize Ozark IC as a disruptive player in the rugged electronics marketplace. https://www.ozarkic.com