Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Passive IFF: Autonomous Nonintrusive Rapid Identification of Friendly Assets
A proposed optoelectronic instrument would identify targets rapidly, without need to radiate an interrogating signal, apply identifying marks to the targets, or...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Finned-Ladder Slow-Wave Circuit for a TWT
A finned-ladder structure has been invented in an effort to improve the design of the slow-wave circuit of a traveling-wave tube (TWT). The point of departure for the design effort was a prototype...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Directional Radio-Frequency Identification Tag Reader
A directional radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag reader has been designed to facilitate finding a specific object among many objects in a crowded room. The device could be an adjunct to an electronic inventory system that tracks RFID-tagged objects as they move through reader-equipped...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Controllable Sonar Lenses and Prisms Based on ERFs
Sonar-beam-steering devices of the proposed type would contain no moving parts and would be considerably smaller and less power-hungry, relative to conventional multiple-beam sonar arrays....
Briefs: Physical Sciences
The StarLight Space Interferometer
Two papers describe the StarLight space interferometer — a Michelson interferometer that would be implemented by two spacecraft flying in formation. The StarLight formation flying interferometer project has been testing and demonstrating engineering concepts for a new generation of space interferometers that...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Champagne Heat Pump
The term "champagne heat pump" denotes a developmental heat pump that exploits a cycle of absorption and desorption of carbon dioxide in an alcohol or other organic liquid. Whereas most heat pumps in common use in the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Freeze-Tolerant Condensers
Two condensers designed for use in dissipating heat carried by working fluids feature two-phase, self-adjusting configurations such that their working lengths automatically vary to suit their input power levels...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Sensor for Monitoring Nanodevice-Fabrication Plasmas
The term "plasma process diagnostics" (PPD) refers to a spectroscopic technique and sensing hardware that have been proposed for monitoring plasma processes used to fabricate electronic devices that feature sizes as small as several nanometers. Nanometer dimensions are characteristic of the...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Electrokinetic In Situ Treatment of Metal-Contaminated Soil
An electrokinetic technique has been developed as a means of in situ remediation of soils, sludges, and sediments that are contaminated with heavy metals. Examples of common metal contaminants that can be removed by this technique include cadmium, chromium, zinc, lead, mercury, and...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Miniature Blimps for Surveillance and Collection of Samples
Miniature blimps are under development as robots for use in exploring the thick, cold, nitrogen atmosphere of Saturn's moon, Titan. Similar blimps can also be used for surveillance...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Hybrid Automotive Engine Using Ethanol-Burning Miller Cycle
A proposed hybrid (internal-combustion/ electric) automotive engine system would include as its internal-combustion subsystem, a modified Miller-cycle engine with regenerative air preheating and with autoignition like that of a Diesel engine. The fuel would be ethanol and would be...
Briefs: Information Technology
Serial-Turbo-Trellis-Coded Modulation With Rate-1 Inner Code
Serially concatenated turbo codes have been proposed to satisfy requirements for low bit- and word-error rates and for low (in comparison with related previous codes) complexity of...
Briefs: Information Technology
Enhanced Software for Scheduling Space-Shuttle Processing
The Ground Processing Scheduling System (GPSS) computer program is used to develop streamlined schedules for the inspection, repair, and refurbishment of space shuttles at Kennedy Space Center. A scheduling computer program is needed because space-shuttle processing is complex and it is...
Briefs: Information Technology
Bayesian-Augmented Identification of Stars in a Narrow View
An algorithm for the identification of stars from a charge-coupled-device (CCD) image of a star field has been extended for use with narrower field-of-view images. Previously, the...
Briefs: Materials
Making Carbon-Nanotube Arrays Using Block Polymers: Part II
Some changes have been incorporated into a proposed method of manufacturing regular arrays of precisely sized, shaped, positioned, and oriented carbon nanotubes. Such arrays could...
Briefs: Software
Software for Checking Statecharts
HiVy is a software tool set that enables verification through model checking of designs represented as finite-state machines or statecharts. HiVy provides automated translation of (1) statecharts created by use of the MathWorks Stateflow® program to (2) Promela, the input language of the Spin model checker,...
Briefs: Software
Program Predicts Broadband Noise From a Turbofan Engine
Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System (BFaNS) is a computer program that, as its name indicates, predicts the broadband noise generated by the fan stage of a turbofan engine. This noise is the sum of (1) turbulent- inflow noise, which is caused by turbulence impinging on leading edges of...
Briefs: Software
Protocol for Delay-Tolerant Data-Communication Network
As its name partly indicates, the Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) Bundle Protocol is a protocol for delay-tolerant transmission of data via communication networks. This protocol was conceived as a result of studies of how to adapt Internet protocols so that Internet-like services could be...
Briefs: Software
Software Implements a Space-Mission File-Transfer Protocol
CFDP is a computer program that implements the CCSDS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems) File Delivery Protocol, which is an international standard for automatic, reliable transfers of files of data between locations on Earth and in outer space. CFDP administers concurrent...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Modular Rake of Pitot Probes
The figure presents selected views of a modular rake of 17 pitot probes for measuring both transient and steady-state pressures in a supersonic wind tunnel. In addition to pitot tubes visible in the figure, the...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Spacecraft Orbits for Earth/Mars-Lander Radio Relay
A report discusses a network of spacecraft, in orbit around Mars, used to relay radio communications between Earth stations and mobile exploratory robots (rovers) as well as stationary scientific instruments that have been landed on the Mars surface. The relay spacecraft include two already in...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Fabricating Blazed Diffraction Gratings by X-Ray Lithography
Gray-scale x-ray lithography is undergoing development as a technique for fabricating blazed diffraction gratings. As such, gray-scale x-ray lithography now complements such other...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Stroboscope Controller for Imaging Helicopter Rotors
A versatile electronic timing-and-control unit, denoted a rotorcraft strobe controller, has been developed for use in controlling stroboscopes, lasers, video cameras, and other instruments...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Multiphysics Analysis Helps Simulate Diesel Engine Cylinder Head
As part of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from TACOM (Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command) - a division of the U.S. Army -Adiabatics used multiphysics...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Measuring Gravitation Using Polarization Spectroscopy
A proposed method of measuring gravitational acceleration would involve the application of polarization spectroscopy to an ultracold, vertically moving cloud of atoms (an atomic...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Integrated Solar-Energy-Harvesting and -Storage Device
A modular, integrated, completely solid-state system designed to harvest and store solar energy is under development. Called the "power tile," the hybrid device consists of a...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Event-Driven Random-Access-Windowing CCD Imaging System
A charge-coupled-device (CCD) based high-speed imaging system, called a real-time, event-driven (RARE) camera, is undergoing development. This camera is capable of readout from multiple...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Laser Direct Structuring and Liquid Crystal Polymer Simplify Circuit Miniaturization
There has long been a desire to deposit conductive paths directly on molded plastic structures, combining the electrical and mechanical functions in one...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Preloading To Accelerate Slow-Crack-Growth Testing
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