Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Ultracapacitors Store Energy in a Hybrid Electric Vehicle
A government/ industry/ academic cooperative has developed a hybrid electric transit bus (HETB). The goals of the development program, which continues, include doubling the fuel...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
High-Rate Modems for Wireless Data Communications
A NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project has led to the development of high-rate (155.52-Mb/s) modems for use in high-quality wireless data communications. The research was...
Briefs: Motion Control
Neural Networks Monitor the Health of Space Shuttle Valve
The gaseous hydrogen flow control vale (GH2FCV; see Figure 1) is a critical space shuttle component that controls the pressure of the hydrogen external tank during launch and ascent...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Dual-Tuning Microwave Phase Shifter
A microwave phase shifter that can be tuned by varying both electric and magnetic fields has been developed. This device combines all the advantages of prior electrically and magnetically tunable...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Exploiting Ion/Atom Cold Collisions in Atomic Clocks
Recent advances in laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms in magneto-optic traps (MOTs) would be exploited in ion-trap-based atomic clocks, according to a proposal. Beams of...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Interferometric System Images Small Vibrating Structures
A commercial scanning imaging white-light interferometer designed for measuring surface profiles of stationary objects has been modified into an interferometric instrument for imaging...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Four-Message Electromechanical Display System
A proposed electromechanical display system would be capable of presenting as many as four different messages. Conventional electromechanical display systems are limited to three messages.
Briefs: Information Technology
Rapid-Prototyping Virtual-Reality Software Tool Kit
The VrTool computer program enables its user to rapidly develop a prototype virtual-reality (VR) application program. Users of VR application programs need software that can help them keep pace with the rapidly evolving VR field. None of the previously commercially available VR software tool...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Imaging With a Focal-Plane Array of Ultrasonic Transducers
A prototype system for acoustic imaging of gas leaks that emit ultrasound was developed at Kennedy Space Center. Potential government and commercial users concerned with leak imaging...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Two-Photon Microscope Imaging Spectrometer
A two-photon microscope imaging spectrometer has been proposed for use in scanning confocal two-photon microscopy. The proposed instrument would solve a spectrum-overlap that sometimes arises, as explained below.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Improved HRTF-Based Pseudostereophony
An improved pseudostereophonic system utilizes digital filtering and head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to afford tailorability and sound quality not available from older pseudostereophonic systems....
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Microwave Battery Charger
A simple microwave power-transmission system has been proposed for maintaining the charge on spacecraft batteries immediately prior to launch. The basic concept of this system could also be applied to other systems...
Briefs: Software
Software Interface Between MATLAB and a PC RS-232 Serial Port
A computer program establishes an interface between the MATLAB software and the serial data port of a personal computer (PC) that runs either the Windows 95 or the Windows NT operating system. The program makes it possible to utilize the graphical user interface (GUI) and the...
Briefs: Software
Program for Analysis of Spacecraft Telecommunication Systems
A computer program facilitates the analysis and design of a radio-communication system for transmitting data from an orbiting spacecraft to ground stations. Input data provided by the user include primarily (1) parameters of the spacecraft orbit (including parameters that specify...
Briefs: Software
Software for Spacecraft/Ground Communication via the Internet
The Space Communications Protocol Standards (SCPS) specify a developmental system of international protocols for data communications between spacecraft and points on Earth. SCPS protocols are intended to make a spacecraft appear, to a terrestrial computer user, as just another node...
Briefs: Materials
Improved Fabrication of YBa2Cu3O7 —x Superconductors
An improved method of manufacturing high-temperature superconductors of general composition YBa2Cu3O7— x and various grain structures has been devised. This method involves mixing, pressing, and heating of Y2O3, CuO, and...
Briefs: Materials
Susceptor-Coating Materials for Growth of 4H-SiC
Several materials have shown promise for coating graphite susceptors used in epitaxial growth of 4H-SiC. The development of appropriate susceptor-coating materials is an essential part of...
Briefs: Materials
Priming Ceramic Materials for Better Waterproofing
An improved process for waterproofing ceramic materials — especially lightweight ceramic insulation materials in both rigid (tile) and flexible (blanket) form — has been invented. In this process, traditional waterproofing agents are used, but before the waterproofing agents are applied, the...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Failure-Resistant Multiline Tethers
Hoytethers™ are failure-resistant multiline tethers named after their inventor, Robert Hoyt. They were originally intended for use in outer space to provide reliable tethering of satellites in the...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Program Simulates Flights of Advanced Aerospace Vehicles
Marshall Aerospace Vehicle Representation in C (MAVERIC) is a C-language computer program developed for use in performing high-fidelity simulations of flights and analyses of the guidance and control performances of the X-33 aerospace vehicle and the VentureStar reusable launch vehicle...
Briefs: Medical
Determining Glucose Levels From NIR Raman Spectra of Eyes
A developmental noninvasive method of determining the concentration of glucose in blood is based on (1) the acquisition of a near-infrared (NIR) Raman spectrum from the aqueous humor...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Improved Electrical-Impedance Body-Fluids Monitor
The Johnson Space Center (JSC) body-fluids monitor advances the state of the art of measuring hydration levels in humans during spaceflight. Neither bulky nor heavy, this noninvasive instrument is built around a commercial inductance-capacitance-resistance meter, which is used to obtain...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Software for Testing Access List Integrity
Many networks rely on firewalls or filtering routers for frontline network security. Packet filtering firewalls or routers filter incoming or outgoing packets based on a set of access rules. The IP (Internet Protocol) Packet Generator computer program assists in verifying that a packet filtering...
Briefs: Information Technology
Program for Parallel Distributed Processing
A software system has been devised to manage automatically (1) the distribution of mutually independent computing tasks to computer workstations in NASA's Flight Design and Analysis System (FADS) network and (2) the execution of those tasks on those workstations. This program parallelizes serial tasks,...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Spacecraft Solar-Wind Trim Panels for Pointing
A report proposes that spacecraft assigned to orbits distant from the Earth be equipped with trim panels that would intercept the solar wind to generate small torques to correct for disturbance torques and thereby help to maintain the spacecraft pointed in the required directions. Paired panels...
Briefs: Materials
Reaction-Forming Method for Joining SiC-Based Parts
Two reports present additional details about the method described in "Reaction-Forming Method for Joining SiC-Based Ceramic Parts" (LEW-16661), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 23, No. 3 (March 1999), page 50. To recapitulate: A carbonaceous mixture (typically a paste) is applied to a joint between...
Briefs: Information Technology
Subpixel Map Registration and Estimation of Uncertainty
A method of determining the location and the uncertainty in the location of a mobile robot to subpixel resolution on a map grid has been devised. The method is applicable to a robot...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Control Methodology To Alter Automobile Rollover Tendencies
A methodology of active control has been developed in an effort to alter (preferably to reduce) the tendency of a four-wheel land vehicle to roll over during tight turns and...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Program for Computing Dynamics of Multiple Bodies
Symbolic Generator-Based Efficient Multibody Dynamics Algorithm (SOMBAT) is a program that enables speedy and accurate computations that solve equations of motion of multiple bodies. Originally intended for space-based applications (i.e., solving equations for the dynamics of a cluster of...
Briefs: Motion Control
Controller for Bistable Brakes
The circuit shown in the figure is a controller for bistable brakes. The use of bistable brakes reduces energy consumption and spurious heating, as explained below.
A bistable brake is one that can stay...
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