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Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Multiple-quantum-well AlxGa1 - xAs photodetectors that exploit transitions of electrons from quantum-well bound states to quasi-bound states are undergoing development for use at...
Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
By combining patented digital Silver-in-Glass® and analog conductive plastic technologies in a single environmentally sealed unibody package, Spectrol Electronics' DigiSense™...
Briefs: Aerospace
The recent summit meeting held in Kyoto, Japan, has brought world-wide attention to the issue of global climate change. For the past 5 years, the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A "smart" video camera, called the "GI-Eye," generates digital image data that are automatically tagged with georegistration meta-data to indicate the precise position and attitude of the camera...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Two types of gear drives have been devised to improve the performances of robotic mechanisms. One type features a dual-input/single-output differential-drive configuration intended to...
Briefs: Motion Control
The figure schematically illustrates part of an accelerometer in which a feedback control subsystem applies voltages to generate electrostatic forces to minimize the displacement of a...
Briefs: Information Technology
Converting Particle-Fallout Data to Obscuration Levels
A worksheet has been constructed within the Microsoft Excel software system for converting raw particle-fallout data into percentages of obscuration; that is, percentages of areas obscured by particles on surfaces. These obscuration levels are needed for assessing contamination levels in...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Signal Preprocessor for Determining Time of Arrival
A proposed analog/digital circuit would improve the accuracy of determining the time of occurrence of a peak in an analog waveform. In the past, the time of occurrence of the peak was determined by comparing the magnitude of digital data samples. The time or clock pulse associated with the peak...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Updated Program for Computing Stresses in Spur Gears
DANST-PC is version 3.01 of a computer program for analysis of the statics and dynamics of spur-gear systems. ["DANST" signifies "Dynamic Analysis of Spur Gear Transmissions." A previous version was described in "Computing Stresses in Spur Gears," NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 19, No. 12 (December...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
A microwave-heating technique provides for batch processing of multiple, identically sized and shaped samples of the same material. The technique involves (1) excitation of a symmetrical...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The Viewing Imager/Gimballed Instrumentation Laboratory and Analog Neural Three-Dimensional Processing Experiment (VIGILANTE) is a "smart" optoelectronic sensor system that features...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Zinc telluride is a semiconductive material that has been found to become photorefractive when it is suitably doped with vanadium or with manganese and vanadium. The combination of...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Rapid technological progress, especially in computers, CCD technology, color printers and scanners makes forgery and counterfeit of identification documents such as credit cards, or...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Robots with multiple-link arms that could reach through narrow openings into hidden cavities are undergoing development. Called "multifunction dexterous boro-robots" (MDBRs), these robots would...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Wavy Blades for Secondary Centrifugal Blood-Pump Impeller
The rectangular-cross-section blades of a centrifugal secondary impeller in a ventricular-assist blood pump would be replaced with blades of wavy cross section, according to a proposal. As explained below, the resulting modification in the flow pattern would reduce the tendency toward...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) system has been developed for use on practical gas-turbine engines. The system has been used to measure inlet and exhaust velocities on an F-100 EMD...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Coherent gradient sensing (CGS) is a diffraction-based, noncontact optical technique for measuring the slight curvature of a nearly flat thin film or specimen surface. CGS is especially useful...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Self-Checking Circuitry for Detecting Single-Event Latchups
High-performance electronic circuits would incorporate self-checking features for detection of radiation-induced single-event latchups (SELs), according to a proposal. The basic SEL-detection scheme calls for redundant circuitry and a current-voting scheme similar to voting schemes that...
Briefs: Energy
Experiments have shown that improved hydride-forming negative electrodes for rechargeable nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH) electrochemical cells can be made by substituting Ge for some...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Voltage-tunable optical band-pass filters based on surface plasmon waves have been proposed. These filters would function at both visible and infrared wavelengths. Whereas...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
A process for the growth of single-crystal (epitaxial) multilayer films has been developed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division. This process is predicated on the preparation of a...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Miniature Microscope Without Lenses
In a proposed optical microscope, the focusing optics of a conventional microscope would be supplanted by a combination of a microchannel filter and an advanced electronic image sensor. Elimination of focusing optics would eliminate the need for the time-consuming focusing operation, making it possible to...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
The methods described are used with existing fiber optic technologies, and are based on several patents and on disclosures now before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patents are No....
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Microlenses for Calibrating Phase Doppler Particle Analyzers
Simple optical devices called "scattering reticles" have been invented for calibrating Phase Doppler Particle Analyzers (PDPAs), which are optical instruments that analyze scattered light to determine the sizes and velocities of droplets. A scattering reticle comprises a polymeric...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
The proposed electron microscope would function without the need for external vacuum pumps and thus have a significant reduction in size, mass, and power consumption, as compared to...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Devices are proposed that would sublime solid propellants to generate small thrusts for maneuvering spacecraft with masses of no more than 15 kg. With solids rather than gases in propellant tanks, there would be...
Briefs: Materials
Experiments have shown that improved hydride-forming negative electrodes for rechargeable nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH) electrochemical cells can be made by substituting Sn for some...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The figure illustrates a device that flexes to allow rotation about a single axis through a total range of ±12°. This device was designed to offer the following advantages over commercial flexural pivots:
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Jewellike bearings have been devised to enhance the performance and safety of small rotary pumps that are used to increase or sustain flows of blood in cardiac patients. A pump of this type includes a...
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