The requirement for an inexpensive portable odor barrier bag sealer arises from the need to reliably close these bags in a variety of Navy shipboard applications. The objective of the Phase 1 is to determine the feasibility of a lightweight and portable odor bag sealer that will be highly reliable, lightweight, quiet and low-cost. This device will have a simple user interface and rugged construction. It is a further objective to demonstrate the feasibility of a "smart sealer" system that is able to automatically compensate for variations in the odor barrier bag and the environment in which the bag is sealed. The aim of the proposed program is to build a prototype unit and evaluate it under a variety of realistic operational scenarios. The results of this work are expected to be a odor barrier bag sealing system that can be used in a variety of military situations. The application of this device will also include commercial food service and will have applications in industry where a reliable device with a simple user interface is required.
