-1
11310
30
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Parallel 3D EMPIC Algorithm Using Nonorthogonal Grids
Electromagnetic particle-in-cell (EMPIC) codes provide a capability for numerically simulating the motions of electrically charged particles in electromagnetic fields, and hence have become standard software tools in plasma physics research. Most existing EMPIC codes are based on the use of...
Briefs: Information Technology
A recently developed method of parameterizing complex shapes that one seeks to optimize differs from prior such methods in two major respects: (1) instead of entirely...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A versatile, ultrafast, low-power machine vision system in the form of a single integrated-circuit chip has been proposed for use in military targeting, industrial robotics, and other...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A special-purpose interface circuit for a computer hard-disk drive (HDD) enables rapid writing of image data from a scientific instrument to sequential sectors on the hard disk. The...
Briefs: Software
NASA has developed a system of hardware and software that can accommodate all necessary interfaces between (1) space-station flight computers and (2) a simulation host computer used...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Forward-Link/Simulator PCI Card
The forward-link/simulator card (FLS) performs the fundamental satellite-telemetry data-transmission function for the forward (Earth-to-spacecraft) link in real time at rates up to 400 Mb/s. The FLS also simulates a Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) telemetry data source that outputs data at rates...
Briefs: Wearables
Wearable sensor patches — miniature biotelemetric units — have been proposed for use in measuring temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and possibly other physiological parameters. The...
Briefs: Information Technology
Developmental Software for Exploiting Hyperspectral Imagery
A unique state-of-the-art process for exploiting hyperspectral satellite imagery, based on evolutionary computing methods, has been developed and a proof-of-concept demonstration has been conducted. This development is projected to lead to several important commercial products, including...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Techniques for Controlling Buoyancy of Balloons on Titan
A report discusses alternative techniques for controlling the buoyancy, and thus the altitude and landings, of a balloon-borne instrumentation system that would be launched to explore the moon Titan of the planet Saturn. Some of the techniques are based on established concepts of heating or...
Briefs: Information Technology
An algorithm for rapid acquisition of a pulse-position-modulation (PPM) optical data signal implements a pattern-matching technique for synchronization of receiver timing with the temporal...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Lightweight, low-power-consumption, inexpensive ozone sensors based on colorimetric chemical sensing would be developed, according to a proposal. Colorimetric chemical sensing is an...
Briefs: Materials
Update on Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Lithium Cells
A report presents results of research on carbonate-based electrolytes to improve the low-temperature-performances of lithium-ion rechargeable electrochemical cells. The loss of performance with decreasing temperature is attributable largely to a decrease of ionic conductivity and the increase...
Briefs: Medical
A technique for noninvasive determination of the pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been proposed. This technique would involve two main steps: First, an optical coherence tomographic...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The figure illustrates a chair-base mechanism with a bushing-mounted drag chain. The bushing-mount design provides for one end of the drag chain to be free to pivot; this provision makes it possible to wrap the drag...
Briefs: Medical
An improved solution for preserving samples of urine has been formulated. This solution preserves a much broader spectrum of analytes in urine than do other urine-preservative solutions here-tofore in use by NASA,...
Briefs: Medical
Primers for Amplifying CMV DNA in Body Fluids and Tissue
A novel set of primers has been developed for use in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of cytomegalovirus (CMV). The purpose of this development is to enable faster, more sensitive detection of CMV virus infecting body fluids and tissues.
Briefs: Software
The Automated Fatigue Calculation Program (FATPLUS)
Since it was developed in the late 1980s, the Automated Fatigue Calculation Program (FATPLUS) has consistently demonstrated its ability to predict fatigue life, independently validate proprietary fatigue methodologies, identify fatigue-sensitive parts, and train engineers in predicting...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
A temperature correction has been developed to enable the extraction of pressure images and corresponding pressure data from images of photoluminescence of pressure-sensitive paints (PSPs)....
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Studies of Interaction Impedance in a TWT Helix
Two reports present further developments in the subject of "Computation of Characteristics of a Helical TWT Slow-Wave Circuit" (LEW-16571), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 22, No. 4 (April 1998), page 54. The subject is computation, by use of the MAFIA (Solution of MAxwell's Equations by the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
High-Temperature Pressure Sensors Made From Silicon Carbide
Pressure sensors that contain thin diaphragms made from the 6H polytype of silicon carbide (6H-SiC) have been developed. These are prototypes of pressure sensors for use at high temperatures in engines, power plants, material-processing systems, and numerous other applications.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Piezoelectric Igniter/Pressure-Sensor Devices
Piezoelectric devices that would serve as spark plugs, power generators for spark plugs, and/or pressure sensors have been proposed for use in internal-combustion engines. Unlike conventional spark plugs, these devices would function without need for wire connections to external high-voltage sources....
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Electrically tunable microstrip two-pole band-bass filters for a center frequency near 19 GHz and a 4-percent bandwidth have been designed, fabricated, and demonstrated to be functional....
Briefs: Materials
Improved polymer electrolyte membranes for direct methanol fuel cells can be made by impregnating the baseline membrane material with cross-linked polystyrene (a copolymer of styrene...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Computational simulations and wind-tunnel tests have demonstrated the feasibility of using inflatable boots on the leading edges of airplane wings, both as devices to increase lift and as...
Briefs: Information Technology
Expert System To Develop Job Standards
The Job Standards Development System is a user-friendly expert system that (1) helps users select an appropriate work measurement methodology to develop job standards (or the less formal job time estimates) and (2) leads the users through the steps necessary to use a work time estimating technique to develop...
Briefs: Software
Further Developments in Web Interactive Training
Three innovative computer programs for training and testing personnel at Kennedy Space Center have been developed under the aegis of the Web Interactive Training (WIT) project. The WIT project exploits the capabilities afforded by the Internet and by state-of-the-art multimedia data-presentation...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Using Narrow-Band Data Links in Locating Lightning Strikes
A method of preprocessing lightning-measurement waveforms has been devised to reduce the bandwidth needed to transmit data for computing the locations of lightning strikes. The method is used in a system in which electric fields and electric-field derivatives induced by lightning are...
Briefs: Software
Centralized Electronic Reporting of Material-Science Tasks
The Materials Science Division (MSD) at Kennedy Space Center is developing a computer system to maintain a material-science data base coupled with a user-friendly interface on the World Wide Web. The system is designed to eliminate the need for time-consuming and expensive distribution of,...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A nonintrusive flow-measurement system based on ultrasonics has been developed to replace a system based on turbine flowmeters. A turbine flowmeter must be mounted in line with a pipe; this raises the...
Top Stories
Blog: Lighting
A Stretchable OLED that Can Maintain Most of Its Luminescence
INSIDER: Energy
Advancing All-Solid-State Batteries
Blog: Power
My Opinion: We Need More Power Soon — Is Nuclear the Answer?
Quiz: Energy
Blog: Lighting Technology
Microscopic Swimming Machines that Can Sense, Respond to Surroundings
Blog: Data Acquisition
Webcasts
On-Demand Webinars: Electronics & Computers
Advantages of Smart Power Distribution Unit Design for Automotive &...
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
Quiet, Please: NVH Improvement Opportunities in the Early Design...
Upcoming Webinars: Test & Measurement
From Spreadsheets to Insights: Fast Data Analysis Without Complex...
Upcoming Webinars: Defense
Cooling a New Generation of Aerospace and Defense Embedded...
Upcoming Webinars: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Beyond AI-Copy-Paste Engineering: Advanced AI-Integration Success...
Upcoming Webinars: Power
