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Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Low-Noise, Large-Area Quad Photoreceivers Based on Low-Capacitance Quad Photodiodes
The Laser Interferometry Space Antenna’s (LISAs) scientific mission to detect gravity waves demands stringent noise limits on the system components, especially the large-area quad photoreceiver front end, for ultra-high-precision (≈10 pm/Hz1/2) distance...
Briefs: Information Technology
Wavefront Sensing Analysis of Grazing Incidence Optical Systems
Wavefront sensing is a process by which optical system errors are deduced from the aberrations in the image of an ideal source. The method has been used successfully in near-normal incidence, but not for grazing incidence systems. This innovation highlights the ability to examine...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
RxGen General Optical Model Prescription Generator
RxGen is a prescription generator for JPL’s in-house optical modeling software package called MACOS (Modeling and Analysis for Controlled Optical Systems), which is an expert optical analysis software package focusing on modeling optics on dynamic structures, deformable optics, and controlled...
Briefs: Lighting
It was not too long ago that basic science lectures began with the three forms of matter: gases, liquids and solids—and somewhere along the line plasmas were occasionally added to the list. But to be precise, a plasma is...
Briefs: Lighting
Looking for an item in a large department store or mall can be like searching for a needle in a haystack, but that could change thanks to a hybrid location identification system that uses radio frequency...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Portable Fourier Transform Spectroscopy for Analysis of Surface Contamination and Quality Control
Progress has been made into adapting and enhancing a commercially available infrared spectrometer for the development of a handheld device for in-field measurements of the chemical composition of various samples of materials. The intent is to duplicate...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
'In Situ' Geochemical Analysis and Age Dating of Rocks Using Laser Ablation-Miniature Mass Spectrometer
A miniaturized instrument for performing chemical and isotopic analysis of rocks has been developed. The rock sample is ablated by a laser and the neutral species produced are analyzed using the JPL-invented miniature mass spectrometer. The...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
An ultimate goal of the climate change, snow science, and hydrology communities is to measure snow water equivalent (SWE) from satellite measurements. Seasonal...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Photogrammetry Tool for Forensic Analysis
A system allows crime scene and accident scene investigators the ability to acquire visual scene data using cameras for processing at a later time. This system uses a COTS digital camera, a photogrammetry calibration cube, and 3D photogrammetry processing software.
Briefs: Software
Doppler Lidar Signal Processing Suite (DLiSPS)
DLiSPS is a collection of software modules that processes lidar data and displays/archives the output products. It has the same features as the real-time version written in C++, except the hardware control capability, with many other functionalities for off-line lidar signal processing. DLiSPS is...
Briefs: Information Technology
Physics Mining of Multi-Source Data Sets
Powerful new parallel data mining algorithms can produce diagnostic and prognostic numerical models and analyses from observational data. These techniques yield higher-resolution measures than ever before of environmental parameters by fusing synoptic imagery and time-series measurements. These techniques...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
The CoNNeCT Global Positioning System RF Module (GPSM) slice is part of the JPL CoNNeCT Software Defined Radio (SDR). CoNNeCT is the Communications, Navigation, and Networking reconfigurable Testbed...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
As NASA embarks upon developing the Next-Generation Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Radio for deep space exploration, the demands on EVA battery life will substantially increase. The number of modes and...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Simple Cell Balance Circuit
A method has been developed for continuous cell voltage balancing for rechargeable batteries (e.g. lithium ion batteries). A resistor divider chain is provided that generates a set of voltages representing the ideal cell voltage (the voltage of each cell should be as if the cells were perfectly balanced). An...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Previous development testbeds have assumed that the developer was physically present in front of the hardware being used. No provision for remote operation of basic functions...
Briefs: Software
3D Visualization for Phoenix Mars Lander Science Operations
Planetary surface exploration missions present considerable operational challenges in the form of substantial communication delays, limited communication windows, and limited communication bandwidth. A 3D visualization software was developed and delivered to the 2008 Phoenix Mars Lander...
Briefs: Software
System-of-Systems Technology-Portfolio- Analysis Tool
Advanced Technology Life-cycle Analysis System (ATLAS) is a system-of-systems technology-portfolio-analysis software tool. ATLAS affords capabilities to (1) compare estimates of the mass and cost of an engineering system based on competing technological concepts; (2) estimate life-cycle costs of...
Briefs: Software
VESGEN Software for Mapping and Quantification of Vascular Regulators
VESsel GENeration (VESGEN) Analysis is an automated software that maps and quantifies effects of vascular regulators on vascular morphology by analyzing important vessel parameters. Quantification parameters include vessel diameter, length, branch points, density, and fractal...
Briefs: Software
Constructing a Database From Multiple 2D Images for Camera Pose Estimation and Robot Localization
The LMDB (Landmark Database) Builder software identifies persistent image features (“landmarks”) in a scene viewed multiple times and precisely estimates the landmarks’ 3D world positions. The software receives as input multiple 2D images of...
Briefs: Software
Adaption of G-TAG Software for Validating Touch and Go Asteroid Sample Return Design Methodology
A software tool is used to demonstrate the feasibility of Touch and Go (TAG) sampling for Asteroid Sample Return missions. TAG is a concept whereby a spacecraft is in contact with the surface of a small body, such as a comet or asteroid, for a few...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Carbon Nanotube Bonding Strength Enhancement Using Metal “Wicking” Process
Carbon nanotubes grown from a surface typically have poor bonding strength at the interface. A process has been developed for adding a metal coat to the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through a “wicking” process, which could lead to an enhanced bonding strength...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Germanium Lift-Off Masks for Thin Metal Film Patterning
A technique has been developed for patterning thin metallic films that are, in turn, used to fabricate microelectronics circuitry and thin-film sensors. The technique uses germanium thin films as lift-off masks. This requires development of a technique to strip or undercut the germanium...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Multi-Layer Far- Infrared Component Technology
A method has been developed for fabricating high-reflectivity, multi-layer optical films for the terahertz wavelength region. A silicon mirror with 99.997-percent reflectivity at 70 μm wavelength requires an air gap of 17.50 μm, and a silicon thickness of 5.12 μm. This approach obtains pre-thinned...
Briefs: Materials
Sealing Materials for Use in Vacuum at High Temperatures
Sealing materials that can be applied and left in place in vacuum over a wide range of temperatures (especially temperatures of a few thousand degrees Celsius) have been conceived and investigated for potential utility in repairing thermal-protection tiles on the space shuttles in orbit...
Briefs: Materials
Radiation Shielding System Using a Composite of Carbon Nanotubes Loaded With Electropolymers
Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) coated with a hydrogen-rich, electrically conducting polymer such as polyethylene, receive and dissipate a portion of incoming radiation pulse energy to electrical signals that are transmitted along the CNT axes, and...
Briefs: Energy
Nano Sponges for Drug Delivery and Medicinal Applications
This invention is a means of delivering a drug, or payload, to cells using non-covalent associations of the payload with nanoengineered scaffolds; specifically, functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and their derivatives where the payload is effectively sequestered by the...
Briefs: Materials
Molecular Technique to Understand Deep Microbial Diversity
Current sequencing-based and DNA microarray techniques to study microbial diversity are based on an initial PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification step. However, a number of factors are known to bias PCR amplification and jeopardize the true representation of bacterial diversity. PCR...
Briefs: Materials
Methods and Compositions Based on Culturing Microorganisms in Low Sedimental Fluid Shear Conditions
The benefits of applying a low sedimental fluid shear environment to manipulate microorganisms were examined. Microorganisms obtained from a low sedimental fluid shear culture, which exhibit modified phenotypic and molecular genetic characteristics,...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Maturation of Structural Health Management Systems for Solid Rocket Motors
An autonomous and automated spacecompliant diagnostic system concept was developed for condition-based maintenance (CBM) of rocket motors for space exploration vehicles. The system will provide real-time information on the integrity of critical structures on launch vehicles,...
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