Two Idaho National Laboratory (INL) technologies earned the coveted title of 2024 R&D 100 Award winner following the R&D World Magazine’s official announcement this morning.
The competition, now in its 62nd year, celebrates technology innovations from across the public and private sectors. Winning an award is a prestigious distinction for inventors.
Laboratories and companies from 12 countries submitted nominations in 2024, and a panel of more than 50 industry-leading experts ranked entries on technical significance, uniqueness, and applicability across industry, government, and academia. Typically, the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratories have dozens of finalists every year.
INL has won more than 70 R&D 100 Awards in the past 40 years. One INL technology was also named R&D 100 finalist in 2024.
Winning technologies led by INL:
Scintillation Hydrogel for Isotopic Neutron Emitter (SHINE)
Description: Inexpensive monitoring equipment is essential to detecting illicit nuclear and radiological materials being smuggled into the United States. SHINE is a versatile polymer gel scintillator containing quantum dot nanoparticle technology that can be molded into any shape or size to form a rigid neutron detection device in under a minute.
Researchers: Catherine Riddle (principal investigator), Dawn Scates, Ryan Fronk, Priyarshini Ghosh and Rick Demmer.
Category: Analytical
TRIPWIRE
Description: TRIPWIRE is a first-of-its-kind radiation monitoring system using thin scintillating fibers to detect radiation over large and inaccessible areas like nuclear material repositories. By coupling the fibers to above-ground electronics, TRIPWIRE enables prompt detection of changes in the radiation environment, providing an early notice of radioactivity presence or release.
Researchers: David Chichester (principal investigator), Luis Ocampo Giraldo, Scott Thompson, James Johnson, Jay Hix and Scott Watson.
Category: IT/Electrical
Finalist technologies led by INL:
Relocatable Resiliency Alternative Power Improvement for Distribution Microgrid in a Box (RAPID-MIB)
Description: RAPID-MIB is a portable, smart, self-contained microgrid with battery storage originally designed for remote locations like military bases. As utilities face new challenges from advanced technologies like renewables, electric vehicles and nuclear energy, RAPID-MIB supports the clean energy future by stabilizing the grid.
Researchers: Kurt Myers (co-principal investigator), Porter Hill (co-principal investigator), Jeremiah Gilbert, Robert Turk and Michael Aberham.
Category: Mechanical/Materials
INL partnered with Aberham Solar on this technology.
NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Joelyn Hansen, 208-201-7650, [email protected]
Sarah Neumann, 208-520-1651, [email protected]
