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Mobile Robot for Exploring Cold Liquid/Solid Environments
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Date added: 08/01/2006 |
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PAARV is an autonomous amphibious robotic vehicle which is lowered as a sonde off a Titan aerial platform. The vehicle carries its own heat source, GN&C, and C&DH avionics/sensors, and an on-board suite of science instruments for sampling the atmospheric column, organic rich lakes, and solid ice/organic material along the surrounding crater rims. The vehicle has mobility in both liquids as well as on solid ground. PAARV is lowered by a tether which it plays out of its upper chamber. The tether provides both power from the aerial platform and communications with the aerial platform which acts as a direct-to-earth data relay. Active buoyancy control is done on-board the sonde to allow it to dive or surface. In its liquid-state configuration, the sonde is oriented vertically like a buoy and pendulum stabilized with its c.g. located low in the body. In its surface-state configuration, the buoyancy control chamber which contains the tether is rotated upwards towards the aerial platform while the body remains horizontal. The vehicle has treads which allow it to climb up onto the crater rim. The sampling system is a needle-like probe which is inserted up 5-10cm into the crater material, heated to allow melted material to adsorb to the surface, and then retracted back into the body of the sonde to allow the sample to be desorbed and distributed to the science instruments. |
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Solar-Powered Cooler and Heater for an Automobile Interior
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Date added: 10/01/2006 |
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There is provided a climate control system for a parked vehicle that includes a solar panel, thermostatic switch, fans, and thermoelectric coolers. The solar panal can serve as a sole source of electricity for the system. The system affords convenient installation and removal by including solar panels that are removably attached to the exterior of the vehicle. A connecting wire electrically connects the solar panels to a housing that is removably mounted to a partially opened window on the vehicle. The thermostatic switch, fans, and thermoelectric coolers are included within the housing. The thermostatic switch alternates the direction of the current flow through the thermoelectric coolers to selectively heat or cool the interior of the vehicle. The interior surface of the thermoelectric coolers are in contact with interior heat sinks that have air circulated across them by an interior fan. Similarly, the exterior surface of the thermoelectric coolers are in contact with exterior heat sinks that have air circulated across them by an exterior fan. |
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Miniature Gas-Turbine Power Generator
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Date added: 01/01/2003 |
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Energy density would greatly exceed that of a typical battery system. |
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Active Struts With Variable Spring Stiffness and Damping
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Date added: 07/01/2006 |
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A new approach to actively controlled struts for automotive suspensions is presented. The new suspension integrates variable spring stiffness, variable damping, dynamic extension of the actuator and the ability to precisely control actuator extension and speed. |
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Tool for Sampling Permafrost on a Remote Planet
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Date added: 12/01/2006 |
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The Robotic Arm Tool for Rapidly Acquiring Permafrost (RATRAP) is a system for acquiring permafrost (or mineral) samples for delivery to in situ instruments. The RATRAP consecutively liberates samples from a consolidated surface, powderizes it and loads it into a sample handling container (any scoop or other handling container designed to remotely process, and/or deliver samples) in a single step process. Concering rock/mineral sample extraction, secondary crushing/processing may not be required (depending on the PSD required by the instrument suite) as the RATRAP powderizes samples during acquisition. |
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Spiral Orbit Tribometer
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Date added: 02/02/2007 |
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The primary application of the Spiral Orbit Tribometer is to quickly determine friction coefficients and lubricant degradation/consumption rates for various lubricated couples under realistic conditions (those seen in ball-bearing applications). The tribometer is unique in the fact that it simulates all the motions seen in an actual angular contact bearing and operates under realistic conditions (i.e., loads, speeds, environment, etc…). Based on relative lubricant rankings obtained from the Spiral Orbit Tribometer, better lubricant selections can be made for critical applications during the design phase, such as spacecraft components. |
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Vortobots
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Date added: 05/01/2005 |
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