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Briefs: Test & Measurement
Broad-Band, Noninvasive Radio-Frequency Current Probe
An instrument that noninvasively measures alternating current over a broad frequency band (typically from about 0.3 to about 110 MHz) has been invented. This instrument could be especially useful for assessing radio-frequency hazards by measuring currents in various parts of humans or personnel...
Briefs: Software
Software Guides Aeroelastic-Systems Design
Accurately and efficiently predicting the unsteady dynamics of coupled, fluid-structure systems significantly reduces the cost of designing, testing, and maintaining fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft, and turbomachinery. It also improves safety. Organizations can realize substantial savings by understanding...
Briefs: Software
Postprocessing Software for Micromechanics Analysis Code
The Micromechanics Analysis Code Post-Processing (MACPOST) computer program is designed primarily to serve as an improved means of processing the output of the Micromechanics Analysis Code With Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) computer program. [MAC/GMC was described in "Comprehensive...
Briefs: Materials
A method of packaging now under development would afford improved protection and functionality for miniature immersible diagnostic systems (MIDS). The method involves covering a MIDS...
Briefs: Materials
Lightweight Composite-Material Tanks for Cryogenic Liquids
A lightweight composite-material tank suitable for the storage and transport of liquid oxygen and other cryogenic liquids has been developed. The tank includes a metallic liner compatible with liquid oxygen, a graphite/ epoxy overwrap, an insulating layer of lightweight polyurethane foam,...
Briefs: Materials
Improved Formulation and Deposition of Ablative Insulation
The term "Marshall Convergent Coating-1" ("MCC-1") denotes an improved formulation and a concomitantly improved method of spray deposition of a cork-and-glass-filled epoxy ablative thermal-insulation material. MCC-1 has been used on the space shuttle solid rocket booster and on some Air...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Flow-concentrating supersonic gas/liquid nozzles have been invented for use in cleaning and in verifying the cleanliness of tanks, pipes, tubes, machine parts, and structures. The overall...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Advanced Rigid/Inflatable Spacecraft Habitation Module
A large, lightweight, economical, easy-to-manufacture human-habitation module that is well suited to long-term use in outer space has been developed. Modules like this one have potential for commercial applications, including the provision of human habitats for the commercialization of outer...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
According to a proposal, membranes to be used in inflatable focusing mirrors (see Figure 1) would be designed and fabricated with parabolic radial variations of thickness. More...
Briefs: Medical
The centrifuge-operated slide stainer (COSS) is a conceptual self-contained system that could be attractive for use in a variety of histological and cytological procedures in both microgravity...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Simulation System is a computing system capable of large-scale mathematical modeling for real-time simulation of the behavior of a complex system that could include many different...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Small electric power cells based on the direct conversion of kinetic energy of alpha particles into electricity have been proposed. These cells are expected to function continuously over...
Briefs: Motion Control
Manually Operated Weld-Filler-Wire Feeder
A simple, manually operated mechanical device will ensure a smooth and predictable motion when feeding filler wire into a molten weld pool in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). This device simplifies and/or reduces the requirements for a dexterous hand to hold and manipulate filler wire. This device will...
Briefs: Motion Control
The ability to position an object at various locations corresponding to a portion of a spherical surface has long been accomplished using nested goniometers, in which, as observed...
Briefs: Motion Control
Surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) piezoelectric motors capable of operating in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) simultaneously have been proposed. A particularly useful motor of this type...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
"PR-2" denotes a proposed spaceborne radar system for measuring three-dimensional rainfall profiles and rainfall velocities. The PR-2 system would incorporate a number of...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A system for determining the locations of nearby lightning strikes from electric-field and acoustic measurements has been developed. This system evolved from the system described in...
Briefs: Motion Control
Experiments have shown that electrohydrodynamic pumping can be utilized to increase the heat-transport capacity of a heat pipe. More specifically, electrohydrodynamic pumping can be...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
High-Performance Photodetector Circuit for Doppler Lidar
A photodetector circuit has been built for use in the receiver portion of a continuous-wave infrared Doppler lidar system for atmospheric research. As in nearly all Doppler lidar systems, the detection of the return signal in this system involves heterodyning, in a photodetector, with a...
Briefs: Information Technology
An improved method of processing two- and three-dimensional image data to locate known shapes called "geometric primitives" involves (1) extraction of edges and other relevant image...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
An improved method of infrared imaging of bulk defects in cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) wafers has been developed. The method is intended primarily to be a means of identifying those...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Compact image generators that contain illumination sources and electronically controlled spatial light modulators have been invented. Compactness is achieved by folding of the optical paths that link the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
A hand-held instrument that contains two silicon-based charge-coupled-device (CCD) video cameras (see figure) has been developed for imaging hydrogen fires. This or a similar instrument is needed...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Two major improvements, described below, have been made in the construction and operation of a computed-tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS). These plus future improvements can be...
Briefs: Information Technology
Program for Displaying Large, Coregistered Images
DataSlate is an easy-to-use Java-language computer program for displaying coregistered raster images representing large sets of data. The program includes a main viewing module that can display image data that have been converted into a special DataSlate format called "SimpleStruct" by use of an...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A method of automated synthesis of electronic circuits involves the use of a linear (as defined below) genome representation of circuit elements and of connections among them, plus a...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Thyristors (semiconductor controlled rectifiers) made from silicon carbide have been fabricated and tested as prototypes of power-switching devices capable of operating at temperatures up to 350 °C. The...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Small Lidar Altimeter Would Operate at Low Light Levels
A lidar apparatus called a microaltimeter has been proposed for use aboard a spacecraft in orbit around the Earth for mapping land and sea surfaces, including such features of special interest as ice, tree canopies, and flood plains. The microaltimeter is short for "microlaser altimeter" and...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Two improved methods have been developed for testing continuously rolled blankets and blanketlike thermal-insulation materials typically used in cryogenic vacuum systems. Both methods,...
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