Magazine

By studying the Orbital Express mission, modeling the spacecraft and scenarios, and testing the system, a technique has been developed that uses recursive decomposition to represent procedural actions declaratively, schemalevel uncertainty reasoning to make uncertainty reasoning tractable, and lightweight, natural...

An algorithm that includes a collection of several subalgorithms has been devised as a means of synthesizing still other algorithms (which could include computer code) that utilize hashing to determine whether an element (typically, a number or other datum) is a member of a set (typically, a...

In contemporary spectrometers the wavelength selection is obtained through a dispersing optical element and a linear detector. The introduction of micro-cantilevers with fast response time, used as micro-shutters, allows the possibility to adopt a single sensing detector.

A scaleable technique based on ink-jet technology fabricates polymer microparticles with best-in-class size distribution. It is suitable for a variety of particle morphologies such as solid, porous, and microcapsules filled with gases, liquids, or a combination. Drugs or...

No protocol exists to determine whether life found on other planets or in space is indigenous to its locale, or is the result of contamination from probes sent by Earth. NASA seeks such a protocol in anticipation of manned exploration of Mars. The protocol is...

A company seeks a weight-saving alternative to sheets and wires of copper and aluminum that can operate at specific frequencies. The company wants to replace conductive casings, conductors, wires, grounding plates, and similar electronics structures with other...

The 2450 Series WOB-L® compressor from Thomas Division, a Gardner Denver Co. (Sheboygan, WI) features a footprint of 8.3 × 4 × 6.4" and sound levels of 50 dBA @ 20 PSIG. The compressor features a monolithic head that reduces leak paths, optional intake locations on the side and bottom, boltless construction to reduce vibration and...

A company needs to extend horizontally the loose end of a small coil of lightweight stored material without external support; essentially, achieving a cantilever supported only at one beam end. Material, beam cross-section, and beam structure are on the table, but the solution must meet strict criteria in...

A company seeks biological, pharmaceutical, or dietary countermeasures to act as radioprotectants for humans exposed to higher doses of radiation — either chronic exposure or acute exposure. The company is searching for any successful radiation countermeasures, mitigants, and...

This invention addresses the stormwater backup damage to finished basements and below-grade construction that occurs during power outages when the AC pump cannot operate and DC battery backup pumps are unable to operate for long duration. Even during harsh storm conditions, however,...