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NASA Awards 2025 Innovative Technology Concept Studies

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — NASA selected 15 visionary ideas for its NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) program which develops concepts to transform future missions for the benefit of all. Chosen from companies and institutions across the United States, the 2025 Phase I awardees represent a wide range of aerospace concepts.

The NIAC program nurtures innovation by funding early-stage technology concept studies for future consideration and potential commercialization. The combined award for the 2025 concepts is a maximum of $2.625M in grants to evaluate technologies that could enable future aerospace missions.

“Our next steps and giant leaps rely on innovation, and the concepts born from NIAC can radically change how we explore deep space, work in low Earth orbit, and protect our home planet” said Clayton Turner, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. “From developing small robots that could swim through the oceans of other worlds to growing space habitats from fungi, this program continues to change the possible.”

The newly selected concepts include feasibility studies to explore the Sun’s influence on our solar system, build sustainable lunar habitats from glass, explore Saturn’s icy moon, and more. All NIAC studies are in the early stages of conceptual development and are not considered official NASA missions.

Ryan Weed, Helicity Space LLC in Pasadena, California, proposes a constellation of spacecraft powered by the Helicity Drive, a compact and scalable fusion propulsion system, that could enable rapid, multi-directional exploration of the heliosphere and beyond, providing unprecedented insights on how the Sun interacts with our solar system and interstellar space. Demonstrating the feasibility of fusion propulsion could also benefit deep space exploration including crewed missions to Mars.

Martin Bermudez, Skyeports LLC in Sacramento, California, presents the concept of constructing a large-scale, lunar glass habitat in a low-gravity environment. Nicknamed LUNGS (Lunar Glass Structure), this approach involves melting lunar glass compounds to create a large spherical shell structure. This idea offers a promising solution for establishing self-sustaining, large-scale habitats on the lunar surface.

Justin Yim, University of Illinois in Urbana, proposes a jumping robot appropriately named LEAP (Legged Exploration Across the Plume), as a novel robotic sampling concept to explore Enceladus, a small, icy moon of Saturn that’s covered in geysers, or jets. The LEAP robots could enable collection of pristine, ocean-derived material directly from Enceladus’s jets and measurement of particle properties across multiple jets by traveling from one to another.

“All advancements begin as an idea. The NIAC program allows NASA to invest in unique ideas enabling innovation and supporting the nation’s aerospace economy,” said John Nelson, program executive for NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts in Washington.

The NIAC researchers, known as fellows, will investigate the fundamental premise of their concepts, identify potential challenges, and look for opportunities to bring these concepts to life.

In addition to the projects mentioned above, the following selectees received 2025 NIAC Phase I grants:

Michael Hecht, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge: EVE (Exploring Venus with Electrolysis)Selim Shahriar, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois: SUPREME-QG: Space-borne Ultra-Precise Measurement of the Equivalence Principle Signature of Quantum GravityPhillip Ansell, University of Illinois, Urbana: Hy2PASS (Hydrogen Hybrid Power for Aviation Sustainable Systems)Ryan Benson, ThinkOrbital Inc., Boulder, Colorado: Construction Assembly DestinationGyula Greschik, Tentguild Engineering Co, Boulder, Colorado: The Ribbon: Structure Free Sail for Solar Polar ObservationMarco Quadrelli, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California: PULSAR: Planetary pULSe-tAkeRBen Hockman, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California: TOBIAS: Tethered Observatory for Balloon-based Imaging and Atmospheric SamplingKimberly Weaver, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland: Beholding Black Hole Power with the Accretion Explorer InterferometerJohn Mather NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland: Inflatable Starshade for Earthlike ExoplanetsRobert Hinshaw, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley: MitoMars: Targeted Mitochondria Replacement Therapy to Boost Deep Space EnduranceChristine Gregg, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley: Dynamically Stable Large Space Structures via Architected MetamaterialsSaurabh Vilekar, Precision Combustion, North Haven, Connecticut: Thermo-Photo-Catalysis of Water for Crewed Mars Transit Spacecraft Oxygen Supply

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate funds the NIAC program, as it is responsible for developing the agency’s new cross-cutting technologies and capabilities to achieve its current and future missions.

To learn more about NIAC, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/niac

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SOURCE NASA

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Elementix and Lightning Docs Announce Reporting Partnership to Deliver Industry-Comprehensive Data on Business-Purpose Lending

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Each company’s monthly report will draw on shared recorded transaction data and loan-level document data, giving lenders, brokers, and investors a more complete view of current bridge, fix-and-flip, construction, and DSCR lending.

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Elementix, a leading provider of aggregated data on business-purpose lending, and Lightning Docs, the premier loan document automation platform for private lenders, Non-QM lenders, credit unions, and law firms, today announced a data-sharing partnership to strengthen reporting on the business-purpose lending market.

The partnership brings together two complementary datasets. Elementix aggregates recorded real estate transactions nationwide, including mortgages, deeds, satisfactions, assignments, and preforeclosure filings, providing a comprehensive picture of lender activity, loan volume, and market share. Lightning Docs captures loan-level terms at the point of document generation, including interest rates, loan amounts, and loan structures, from a document automation platform used by 60% of the nation’s top 50 private lenders. Combined, the two sources produce a level of coverage and detail that has been unprecedented in the private lending space.

“Private lending has long been an opaque industry, with limited data on interest rates, loan amounts, geographic trends, and other metrics that are vital to running a profitable operation,” said Nema Daghbandan, CEO of Lightning Docs. “Lightning Docs set the standard for monthly private lending market reporting, and this partnership raises it. By pairing our loan-level data with Elementix’s transaction data, we are delivering reporting with the scale, precision, and depth the market has been missing, and providing lenders, brokers, and investors a clearer view of the industry than they have ever had before.”

Each report, delivered at a regular monthly cadence, will cover bridge, fix-and-flip, ground-up construction, and DSCR loans, with aggregated data on interest rates, loan amounts, loan volume, lender activity, geographic trends at the state and regional level. All data will be aggregated and anonymized, with no borrower- or lender-specific loan terms disclosed.

“Managing risk in private lending starts with understanding the borrower and the broader market, yet lenders often have to make decisions with incomplete information. Elementix was built to help lenders understand that risk through public record data, and partnering with Lightning Docs adds the loan-level detail that completes the picture. Together, we’re helping lenders better understand market conditions and bring that context into how they assess and manage risk,” said Cameron Kelliher, founder and CEO of Elementix.

The first joint report is scheduled for release in November 2026. Reports will be published on the Lightning Docs and Elementix websites and distributed to subscribers of both companies.

About Elementix
Elementix is the borrower intelligence platform for private lenders. It helps lenders identify active investors, verify experience for better credit decisions, and reach decision-makers with leading contact data accuracy. For more information, visit www.elementix.com.

About Lightning Docs
Initially developed by nationally recognized private lending attorneys, Lightning Docs is the industry’s leading automated loan document software for lenders who make business-purpose loans. The platform instantly produces attorney-grade, compliant loan documents across all 50 states. It covers every business-purpose loan type, including short-term bridge and fix-and-flip loans, 30-year DSCR rental loans, ground-up construction, and complex modifications. Lightning Docs is the official loan document software of the American Association of Private Lenders®. More than 60% of the nation’s top 50 private lenders use it, along with many of the country’s largest Non-QM lenders. Since 2018, lenders have originated more than $100 billion using Lightning Docs. For more information, visit www.lightningdocs.ai.

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SOURCE Lightning Docs LLC

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Therap Services Enhances Therap Connect with Personalized Sleep Insights for Human Services Providers

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TORRINGTON, Conn., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Therap Services, the national leader in HIPAA-compliant electronic documentation solutions for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), and Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) industries, has introduced advanced Personalized Sleep Insights to its Therap Connect platform. This enhancement integrates ambient room monitoring with sleep tracking data to help care teams understand and optimize environmental factors affecting the sleep quality of individuals.

Understanding Environmental Factors for Better Rest

Tracking overnight sleep patterns is vital for maintaining physical health, emotional well-being, and individual safety. The updated Therap Connect module introduces a ‘Personalized Sleep Insights’ feature that evaluates three months of historical data from Withings sleep monitors and Watchdog room sensors. By evaluating sleep start times alongside ambient room temperature and humidity, the system highlights optimal environmental conditions to support healthier sleep habits and proactive care planning.

Streamlined Platform Workflows and Daily Tracking

Designed for ease of use, this update helps teams manage daily monitoring more efficiently. Staff can quickly review overnight alerts directly on dashboard views, manage notification settings in one place, and conveniently copy form details with a single click. These practical updates save time on routine administrative tasks, allowing care managers and staff to focus on monitoring health parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Therap Connect offer sleep tracking capabilities? 

Yes. Therap Services provides integrated sleep and health tracking through Therap Connect, combining continuous sensor data with daily documentation tools.

How do Personalized Sleep Insights in Therap Services help human services providers?

It analyzes sleep schedules, room temperature, and humidity data to identify optimal sleep environments, helping care teams make data-informed adjustments to support health outcomes.

Does Therap Connect require extra software for sleep tracking? 

No. Therap Connect operates through its own dedicated, secure web-based portal, allowing teams to access environmental and sleep tracking insights natively without installing third-party software.

For more information about Therap Connect, please visit: https://www.therapconnect.net/

About Therap Services

Therap Services provides HIPAA-compliant software for documentation, communication, reporting, EVV, and billing.

Learn more: https://www.therapservices.net/

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SOURCE Therap Services

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Meet Providi: One Company Behind Cerbo and OptiMantra

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The new name reflects a long-term commitment to the cash-pay personalized care market, where Cerbo and OptiMantra keep their brands and together serve nearly 7,000 clinics.

ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Providi launched today as the corporate brand of the company behind Cerbo and OptiMantra, two long-standing products in the cash-pay personalized care market. The companies combined in 2025, backed by a growth investment from Mainsail Partners. Cerbo and OptiMantra will continue as product brands within Providi.

Together, the two providers of electronic health record (EHR) and practice management products support nearly 7,000 clinics. These include functional, integrative, longevity, wellness, direct primary care, concierge, med spa and behavioral health practices. Both have served the market since 2011.

The name Providi combines “provi,” for the provider at the center of every practice, with “vidi,” Latin for “I saw.” It stands for a company that starts with the provider and can see where personalized care is going.

Providi’s mission is to empower personalized care providers to deliver better patient outcomes and create thriving practices. That mission is already shaping the product roadmap. With the Cerbo and OptiMantra teams building together, new capabilities reach providers faster, and AI Scribe is the first example. Available now, Cerbo AI Scribe captures visit notes automatically, so providers spend less time charting between visits or after hours. OptiMantra AI Scribe, built on lessons from the Cerbo launch, is coming to OptiMantra providers soon.

“Personalized care providers built this market one practice at a time, each one designed around the time, attention and care they believe every patient deserves,” said Jeff Hindman, CEO of Providi. “Cerbo and OptiMantra have each earned the trust of thousands of practices, and Providi exists to amplify that work. Coming together as one company accelerates the innovation we can bring to market and enables us to invest more in both products. Our focus remains giving the providers already running our products and the new providers entering the market the technology they need to succeed.”

Providers can expect to log in to the same Cerbo and OptiMantra products, reach out to the same reps and receive support, onboarding and product updates the same way they do today. They will start to see the Providi name at combined events and in company communications, and they’ll feel it in their products: two teams sharing what they learn, active investment in both products and new capabilities reaching their practices sooner.

About Providi

Providi is the company behind Cerbo and OptiMantra, two electronic health record (EHR) and practice management products serving the cash-pay personalized care market. Together, Cerbo and OptiMantra support nearly 7,000 clinics in functional, integrative, longevity, wellness, direct primary care, concierge, med spa and behavioral health. Providi is committed to meeting the specialty workflow needs of these practices and continues to invest in both products to help providers achieve better patient outcomes, grow their practices and operate more efficiently. For more information, visit providico.com.

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SOURCE Providi

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