Electrically Heated Moist Compress

Al Dawbarn, Arnold Air Force Base,
Tullahoma, TN

The electrically heated moist compress uses a small thermofoil heater with Kapton insulation. A 1" diameter thermofoil heater is inserted into a gauze bandage, and the proper voltage is applied to allow the compress to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Quantum Cascade Laser Breath Analysis

David Scott, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
Richland, WA

Recent advances in high-energy quantum cascade laser technology enable the detection of chemical signatures in the breath of patients without the need for blood tests and lab work. The spectrometer can detect chemicals at the partsper- trillion level and can be used for early diagnosis of illnesses.

Fuel-Saving Device for Trucks

J. Colangelo, Carrollton, TX

This device increases the fuel efficiency of long-haul tractor-trailers by reducing the aerodynamic drag of the trailer. The device is an attachment to the back of the trailer that expands only at highway speeds. The device can be extended by electromechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means.

Biofuel Bioreactor for Ethanol & Methane Fuel Production

Charles Stack, Constant Compliance,
Chicago, IL

The OmniFloat™ is a scalable biological fermenter system that converts sugars, starches, and other organic compounds into ethanol or methane gas. OmniFloat contains yeast that converts sugars into ethanol for blending with gasoline and other vehicle fuels. When used as a waste treatment anaerobic bioreactor, it contains bacteria that convert organic pollutants into biogas.

Fluid Power Rotary Coupling

Grant McGuffey, Springfield, TN

This coupling is an inlet shaft and an outlet shaft with a hydraulic pump coupling the two together. A valve between the inlet and outlet provides a resistance to hydraulic flow. When the resistance is high, power applied to the inlet shaft is transferred to the outlet shaft in proportion to this resistance.

High-Efficiency Fuel Cell System

Current fuel-cell automobiles incorporate subsystems, including thermal, energy, and water management. This system replaces these components with a fuel cell/flywheel system.

Cervigage

The cervigage is a disposable device for determining cervical os dilation and thickness during the final stages of labor and birth. The device consists of multiple plastic cylinders that fit within each other and can be retracted or compressed. When the cervical os is dilated about 1 to 1.5 cm, the physician manually compresses the device and places it in the dilated os, with the lead exiting the body. The wire is then pulled in as the cervix dilates, and one can see the numbers to a tenth of a centimeter on the sheath.

High-Tech Earthquake Alarm

Terence Howsham, Camarillo, CA

This earthquake alarm fits into a standard 110 VAC outlet. Outputs from the device are sent to a microprocessor that digitally filters out erroneous signals and looks for P-wave seismic motion. When a P-wave is detected, it sounds an audible alarm and turns on a bank of highpower LEDs for low-level lighting.