Militaries the world over are recognizing the importance of personal cooling for myriad missions. Defense programs—including Future Force Warrior (FFW) in the US, Future Infantry Soldier Technology (FIST) in the UK, Soldato Futuro in Italy, and FÉLIN in France—are focused on ensuring the health and wellbeing of warfighters subjected to high heat conditions. Heat stress can negatively affect both soldier health and mission effectiveness—it can even prove life-threatening. As outlined in Global Defence Technology’s article, “Keeping Cool in the Heat of Battle,” thermal management poses a difficult challenge to dismounted soldiers given size, weight, and power (SWaP) concerns—yet, innovators such as RINI Technology are answering the call with innovative, small-size, lightweight systems offering low power consumption. RINI Technology and its lightweight, compact, and low-power climate cooling system (MCCS) are well positioned to meet the ever-increasing demand for effective, SWaP-conscious personal cooling systems. Read Global Defence Technology’s insightful article, in which RINI Technology’s MCCS is highlighted, at http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/3249b268#/3249b268/21. (Please be sure to click “Managing Body Temperature” at the bottom of page 22 to read on.)

RINI Technologies Awarded Funding Through Florida Commercialization Matching Grant Program The Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research (the Institute) has named RINI Technologies as a recipient of grant funding through the Florida Research Commercialization Matching Grant Program(FRCMGP). RINI Technologies is among 13 Florida-based businesses to share nearly $3 million in matching grant funds for innovative projects ranging from the life sciences to advanced materials to energy. RINI’s share of the funding will further the development of miniature cooling system technology to be employed in various end products, including: a Soldier Cooling System to cool soldiers deployed in hot climates, a SCUBA Diver Heating system for warming Navy combat swimmers, and a compact Laser Cooling System for military lasers. "This program, and programs like it, can potentially have a dramatic economic impact in the State of Florida," says Dr. Dan Rini, president of RINI Technologies. "Designed specifically to fill key funding gaps that early-stage companies face as they move from the research and development phase into product development and commercialization, we anticipate that this program will go a long way towards building Florida's knowledge-based economy and look forward to its ongoing success."

RINI Technologies demonstrated its innovative miniature cooling system, the Micro-climate Cooling System (MCS), at the 2nd Annual Soldier Equipment and Technology Expo and Conference at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from November 8 through 10, 2011. More information about the MCS and its enabling technology can be found here.

RINI Wins $2.1M in Army Contracts to Complete Development of
Soldier Cooling System. The U.S. Army has awarded RINI Technologies contracts totaling $2.1 million to finalize development of its lightweight and compact Micro Climate Cooling System (MCCS). The MCCS harnesses patented miniaturization refrigeration and electronics technologies to provide heat stress relief, improve operational performance, and reduce water consumption for soldiers working under hazardous conditions. Additional applications of the compact cooling system include cooling computer systems, lasers, and high-power electronics in medical, first responder, and homeland security environments. For more information about this contract award, please email us at info@rinitech.com.

RINI Founder Recognized in Central Florida's 40 under 40 Business
Professionals Competition. Orlando Business Journal has named Dr. Dan Rini, president and founder of RINI Technologies, to Central Florida’s “40 under 40” competition recognizing 40 outstanding local business professionals under the age of 40. The 2010 competition spotlights 40 of the most influential and successful business and civic leaders under the age of 40 in the Central Florida area. Rini and the other honorees were chosen for having shown consistent, outstanding, professional achievement and a commitment to the community. For more information about this press release, please email us at info@rinitech.com.

RINI Wins $1.7M from Navy for Diver Heating & Cooling Systems. The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the Office of Naval Research have issued contracts totaling $1.7 million for RINI Technologies’ diver heating and cooling system. The compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient system, which employs RINI’s patented personal cooling technology, is designed to regulate the temperature of U.S. Navy salvage divers and combat swimmers under even the most extreme conditions, such as in brutally cold or contaminated water. For more information about this contract award, please email us at info@rinitech.com.

New Contracts Will Help Rini Technologies Become Manufacturer.Rini Technologies Inc. has two new contracts and a third in the works worth a combined $2 million that will allow the firm to add manufacturing to its research-and-development work. More info... Orlando Business Journal Story...

NASA Awards Contract to RINI Technologies for Interplanetary Mission Equipment. NASA has awarded a Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grant to develop advanced thermal management technology for high performance electronics equipment for interplanetary space travel to Mars. The technology is based on RINI's proven miniature refrigeration technology. One of the original applications for the technology was for personal cooling of astronauts. This new application will be employed to keep critical electrical systems cool during the rigors of space exploration. For more information about this contract award, please email us at info@rinitech.com.

Army Awards Commercialization Pilot Program to RINI Technologies for Soldier Cooling. Heat stroke is a serious risk for soldiers wearing armor and other protective clothing. RINI's Micro-Climate Cooling System (MCCS) was selected to keep soldiers cool so they can focus on more important tasks. Each year the Army selects a handful of promising technologies from the Small Business Innovation Research program for the Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP) funding. The goal of the CPP program is to transition the best, and most needed technology and capabilities into the hands of our soldiers. For more information about this contract award, please email us at info@rinitech.com.

RINI Technologies Embarks on Quick Reaction Fund Project to Get Personal Cooling in the Hands of Our Warfighters. The project will fund the test and evaluation of RINI's Micro Climate Cooling System for ground soldier applications. The project will be administered at the Natick Soldier Center. For more information about this contract award, please email us at info@rinitech.com.

Micro Climate Cooling put to the test at Fort Dix. The MCCS was recently tested at Fort Dix, the soldier ran 0.5 mile without cooling unit and then with cooling unit to determine the cooling effect. The tests at Fort Dix were performed utilizing the Future Force Warrior ensemble. The soldier's response was very positive, "Cooling capability is right on... awesome job." More info...

One Cool Dude, Dan Rini & team's cool tech could save lives. Most of us living in Florida take our comfort for granted. We can even control our own personal environment with the simple flick of a switch -- until we walk outside. But what if there were a way to create a personal air conditioner portable enough to take with you anywhere you went? More info...

RINI's mini cooling systems may catch fire with military U.S. Army evaluating prototypes for use by soldiers. "RINI's (product) is the smallest, lightest and most energy-efficient developed to date," says Brad Laprise, a mechanical engineer for the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center in Natick, Mass., which is conducting the military's evaluation. More info...

Orlando technology firm plays big role in race to develop laser weapons to defend U.S. from enemy missile attacks, suits to keep soldiers cool in desert heat and astronauts alive on Mars. RINI Technologies Inc. (RTI), a member of the University of Central Florida Technology Incubator, will play a big role in the race to develop high-technology lasers. More info...

Evaporative Spray Cooling for High Power Solid State Lasers. RINI Technologies, Inc. (RTI; Orlando, FL), developed and patented a unique way of spray cooling solid-state laser components with less weight and bulk than current water-based laser cooling systems. The RTI method combines spray cooling and refrigeration in a unique nozzle array design that reduces coolant flow rate to the laser by a factor of ten compared to water-based techniques. More info...

RINI Technologies Inc. Voices of success, a Brief Article and Company Profile. Dan Rini used to think of himself as an engineer, not an entrepreneur. His alma mater, the University of Central Florida, and its business incubator helped quickly change his self-perception. More info...

Growing New Companies; Growing Orlando The UCF Technology Incubator is playing a big part in Central Florida's High Tech Boom. With his Ph.D. grasped firmly in one hand and a government contract securely in the other, Dan Rini needed to act fast. "As part of my studies, I wrote some proposals to the Department of Defense about a laser cooling technology that I developed," says Rini, President of Rini Technologies in Orlando. "The government liked what they saw, gave me a contract and was sending two representatives down from the federal government's missile defense agency to take a look at my facility." More info...