United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140296722 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG TRANSFORMATIONS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS OF MULTI-CHANNEL ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS - The present invention includes a method and apparatus for digital to analog conversion and reconstruction of multichannel electrocardiograms. The method may include receiving digital information representative of a plurality of independent signals, producing a plurality of analog outputs from said digital information wherein a first analog output is designated as a common reference, and imposing a predetermined voltage on a second analog output with respect to said common reference, which provides for a substantial recreation of the original independent signals. The apparatus may comprise a processor operable for receiving digital information representative of independent lead signals from a first ECG machine and digital to analog circuitry for substantially reproducing the original lead signals for analysis on a second ECG machine for convenient and efficient second opinions of cardiac data. | 10-02-2014 |
20140041705 | SOLAR RADIATION CONTROL AND ENERGY HARVESTING FILM - Some implementations provide a device (e.g., solar panel) that includes an active layer and a solar absorbance layer. The active layer includes a first N-type layer and a first P-type layer. The solar absorbance layer is coupled to a first surface of the active layer. The solar absorbance layer includes a polymer composite. In some implementations, the polymer composite includes one of at least metal salts and/or carbon nanotubes. In some implementations, the active layer is configured to provide the photovoltaic effect. In some implementations, the active layer further includes a second N-type layer and a second P-type layer. In some implementations, the active layer is configured to provide the thermoelectric effect. In some implementations, the device further includes a cooling layer coupled to a second surface of the active layer. In some implementations, the cooling layer includes one of at least zinc oxides, indium oxides, and/or carbon nanotubes. | 02-13-2014 |
20130075601 | WIND ION NEUTRAL COMPOSITION APPARATUS - Embodiments of the present invention pertain to an apparatus that provides four simultaneous ion and neutral measurements as a function of altitude with variable sensitivity for neutral atmospheric species. The variable sensitivity makes it possible to extend the measurements over the altitude range of 100 to more than 700 kilometers. The four instruments included in the apparatus are a neutral wind-temperature spectrometer, an ion-drift ion-temperature spectrometer, a neutral mass spectrometer, and an ion mass spectrometer. The neutral wind-temperature spectrometer and ion-drift ion-temperature spectrometer are configured to separate O and N | 03-28-2013 |
20130075115 | Flame Suppression Agent, System and Uses - Aqueous droplets encapsulated in a flame retardant polymer are useful in suppressing combustion. Upon exposure to a flame, the encapsulated aqueous droplets rupture and vaporize, removing heat and displacing oxygen to retard the combustion process. A polymer encapsulant, through decomposition, may further add free radicals to the combustion atmosphere, thereby further retarding the combustion process. The encapsulated aqueous droplets may be used as a replacement to halon, water mist, and dry powder flame suppression systems. In one embodiment of the invention, the aqueous droplets include a gelling agent, such as sodium alginate, and are encapsulated in an alginate-based material. | 03-28-2013 |
20130017617 | Incorporation of Chemochromic Pigment into a Variety of Articles as an Indicator for the Presence of Hypergolic Fuels - A chemochromic indicator is provided that includes a hypergolic fuel sensing chemochromic pigment that change from a first color to a second color in the presence of a hypergolic fuel. In a first embodiment, a chemochromic indicator is provided for detecting the presence of a hypergolic fuel such that the irreversible hypergolic fuel sensing chemochromic pigment includes potassium tetrachloroaurate (KAuCl | 01-17-2013 |
20120318925 | Multi-Dimensional Damage Detection - Methods and systems may provide for a structure having a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein each panel has a plurality of detection layers separated from one another by one or more non-detection layers. The plurality of detection layers may form a grid of conductive traces. Additionally, a monitor may be coupled to each grid of conductive traces, wherein the monitor is configured to detect damage to the plurality of interconnected panels in response to an electrical property change with respect to one or more of the conductive traces. In one example, the structure is part of an inflatable space platform such as a spacecraft or habitat. | 12-20-2012 |
20120207921 | Elongated Microcapsules and their Formation - Elongated microcapsules, such as elongated hydrophobic-core and hydrophilic-core microcapsules, may be formed by pulse stirring an emulsion or shearing an emulsion between two surfaces moving at different velocities. The elongated microcapsules may be dispersed in a coating formulation, such as paint. | 08-16-2012 |
20120199755 | Electric Field Quantitative Measurement System and Method - A method and system are provided for making a quantitative measurement of an electric field. A plurality of antennas separated from one another by known distances are arrayed in a region that extends in at least one dimension. A voltage difference between at least one selected pair of antennas is measured. Each voltage difference is divided by the known distance associated with the selected pair of antennas corresponding thereto to generate a resulting quantity. The plurality of resulting quantities defined over the region quantitatively describe an electric field therein. | 08-09-2012 |
20120186742 | High kinetic energy penetrator shielding and high wear resistance materials fabricated with boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTS) and BNNT polymer composites - Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), boron nitride nanoparticles (BNNPs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphites, or combinations, are incorporated into matrices of polymer, ceramic or metals. Fibers, yarns, and woven or nonwoven mats of BNNTs are used as toughening layers in penetration resistant materials to maximize energy absorption and/or high hardness layers to rebound or deform penetrators. They can be also used as reinforcing inclusions combining with other polymer matrices to create composite layers like typical reinforcing fibers such as Kevlar®, Spectra®, ceramics and metals. Enhanced wear resistance and usage time are achieved by adding boron nitride nanomaterials, increasing hardness and toughness. Such materials can be used in high temperature environments since the oxidation temperature of BNNTs exceeds 800° C. in air. Boron nitride based composites are useful as strong structural materials for anti-micrometeorite layers for spacecraft and space suits, ultra strong tethers, protective gear, vehicles, helmets, shields and safety suits/helmets for industry. | 07-26-2012 |
20120177086 | System And Apparatus Employing Programmable Transceivers - The present invention is directed to a system and apparatus employing programmable transceivers in space-related missions. More particularly, the system and apparatus transceiver employs two types of telemetry data, one at a low data rate communications protocol and another at a high data rate communications protocol. The transceiving mechanisms are also modular and flexible, allowing remote reconfigurations, emulations and testing. | 07-12-2012 |
20120147379 | Smart Optical Material Characterization System and Method - Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical materials, using steps and equipment for generating a coherent laser light, filtering the light to remove high order spatial components, collecting the filtered light and forming a parallel light beam, splitting the parallel beam into a first direction and a second direction wherein the parallel beam travelling in the second direction travels toward the material sample so that the parallel beam passes through the sample, applying various physical quantities to the sample, reflecting the beam travelling in the first direction to produce a first reflected beam, reflecting the beam that passes through the sample to produce a second reflected beam that travels back through the sample, combining the second reflected beam after it travels back though the sample with the first reflected beam, sensing the light beam produced by combining the first and second reflected beams, and processing the sensed beam to determine sample characteristics and properties. | 06-14-2012 |
20120119620 | Multistage Force Amplification of Piezoelectric Stacks - Embodiments of the disclosure include an apparatus and methods for using a piezoelectric device, that includes an outer flextensional casing, a first cell and a last cell serially coupled to each other and coupled to the outer flextensional casing such that each cell having a flextensional cell structure and each cell receives an input force and provides an output force that is amplified based on the input force. The apparatus further includes a piezoelectric stack coupled to each cell such that the piezoelectric stack of each cell provides piezoelectric energy based on the output force for each cell. Further, the last cell receives an input force that is the output force from the first cell and the last cell provides an output apparatus force In addition, the piezoelectric energy harvested is based on the output apparatus force. Moreover, the apparatus provides displacement based on the output apparatus force. | 05-17-2012 |
20120096436 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING EVOLVING SYSTEMS WITH SOFTWARE PRODUCT LINES - Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which an evolutionary system is managed and viewed as a software product line. In some embodiments, the core architecture is a relatively unchanging part of the system, and each version of the system is viewed as a product from the product line. Each software product is generated from the core architecture with some agent-based additions. The result may be a multi-agent system software product line. | 04-19-2012 |
20120060585 | Assessment and Calibration of a Crimp Tool Equipped with Ultrasonic Analysis Features - A method is provided for calibrating ultrasonic signals passed through a crimp formed with respect to a deformable body via an ultrasonically-equipped crimp tool (UECT). The UECT verifies a crimp quality using the ultrasonic signals. The method includes forming the crimp, transmitting a first signal, e.g., a pulse, to a first transducer of the UECT, and converting the first signal, using the first transducer, into a second signal which defines an ultrasonic pulse. This pulse is transmitted through the UECT into the crimp. A second transducer converts the second signal into a third signal, which may be further conditioned, and the ultrasonic signals are calibrated using the third signal or its conditioned variant. An apparatus for calibrating the ultrasonic signals includes a pulse module (PM) electrically connected to the first and second transducers, and an oscilloscope or display electrically connected to the PM for analyzing an electrical output signal therefrom. | 03-15-2012 |
20120034408 | Systems, Apparatuses, and Methods for Using Durable Adhesively Bonded Joints for Sandwich Structures - Systems, methods, and apparatus for increasing durability of adhesively bonded joints in a sandwich structure. Such systems, methods, and apparatus includes an first face sheet and an second face sheet as well as an insert structure, the insert structure having a first insert face sheet, a second insert face sheet, and an insert core material. In addition, sandwich core material is arranged between the first face sheet and the second face sheet. A primary bondline may be coupled to the face sheet(s) and the splice. Further, systems, methods, and apparatus of the present disclosure advantageously reduce the load, provide a redundant path, reduce structural fatigue, and/or increase fatigue life. | 02-09-2012 |
20110299777 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED COMPUTATIONAL PROCESSING EFFICIENCY IN THE HSEG ALGORITHM - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing image information using a more computationally efficient version of a previously developed HSEG (Hierarchical Segmentation) algorithm. The HSEG algorithm includes iterations intertwining two forms of region growing to produce a set of hierarchically related image segmentations. The first form is a commonly used approach in which regions are grown by merging the most similar spatially adjacent regions. The second form is a unique approach in which regions are grown by also merging spatially non-adjacent regions that are at least as similar as the spatially adjacent regions merged by the first form in the same iteration. The improved HSEG algorithm limits the regions considered for non-adjacent region merging in the second form of operation to regions having at least a minimum number of pixels. This minimum is dynamically controlled to optimize processing efficiency and image segmentation quality. | 12-08-2011 |
20110292969 | Wireless Temperature Sensor Having No Electrical Connections and Sensing Method for Use Therewith - A wireless temperature sensor includes an electrical conductor and a dielectric material on the conductor. The conductor is electrically unconnected and is shaped for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field. In the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, the conductor resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses, each of which has a frequency associated therewith. The material is selected such that it experiences changes in either dielectric or magnetic permeability attributes in the presence of a temperature change. Shifts from the sensor's baseline frequency response indicate that the material has experienced a temperature change. | 12-01-2011 |
20110238373 | In-Flight Pitot-Static Calibration - A GPS-based pitol-static calibration system uses global output-error optimization. High data rate measurements of static and total pressure, ambient air conditions, and GPS-based ground speed measurements are used to compute pitot-static pressure errors over a range of airspeed. System identification methods rapidly compute optimal pressure error models with defined confidence intervals. | 09-29-2011 |
20110220443 | Compact Vibration Damper - A vibration damper includes a rigid base with a mass coupled thereto for linear movement thereon. Springs coupled to the mass compress in response to the linear movement along either of two opposing directions. A converter coupled to the mass converts the linear movement to a corresponding rotational movement. A rotary damper coupled to the converter damps the rotational movement. | 09-15-2011 |
20110212334 | Low-Melt Poly(Amic Acids) and Polyimides and their Uses - Provided are low-melt polyimides and poly(amic acids) (PAAs) for use in repair of electrical wire insulation, flat or ribbon wire harnesses, and flat surfaces comprised of high-performance polymers such as inflatables or solar panels applications. Also provided are methods and devices for repair of electrical insulation. | 09-01-2011 |
20110210750 | Method of Fault Detection and Rerouting - A system and method for detecting damage in an electrical wire, including delivering at least one test electrical signal to an outer electrically conductive material in a continuous or non-continuous layer covering an electrically insulative material layer that covers an electrically conductive wire core. Detecting the test electrical signals in the outer conductive material layer to obtain data that is processed to identify damage in the outer electrically conductive material layer. | 09-01-2011 |
20110210749 | In-Situ Wire Damage Detection System - An in-situ system for detecting damage in an electrically conductive wire. The system comprises a substrate at least partially covered by a layer of electrically conductive material forming a continuous on non-continuous electrically conductive layer connected to an electrical signal generator adapted to delivering electrical signals to the electrically conductive layer. Data is received and processed to identify damage to the substrate or electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive material may include metalized carbon fibers, a thin metal coating, a conductive polymer, carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles or a combination thereof. | 09-01-2011 |
20110193001 | Conical Seat Shut Off Valve - A valve includes a housing defining a bore having an inlet and extending along a longitudinal axis. A head is attached to the housing and defines a head passage having an outlet. A piston is disposed within the bore and includes a piston passage extending through the piston along the longitudinal axis. The piston is moveable between a closed position in which a sealing end of the piston abuts a seat of the head to close fluid communication through the piston passage and an open position in which the sealing end of the piston is axially spaced along the longitudinal axis from the seat of the head to permit fluid communication through the piston passage between the inlet and the outlet. The housing defines an equalizing chamber in fluid communication with the head passage for damping movement of the piston. | 08-11-2011 |
20110172082 | Mechanical Alloying of a Hydrogenation Catalyst Used for the Remediation of Contaminated Compounds - A hydrogenation catalyst including a base material coated with a catalytic metal is made using mechanical milling techniques. The hydrogenation catalysts are used as an excellent catalyst for the dehalogenation of contaminated compounds and the remediation of other industrial compounds. Preferably, the hydrogenation catalyst is a bimetallic particle including zero-valent metal particles coated with a catalytic material. The mechanical milling technique is simpler and cheaper than previously used methods for producing hydrogenation catalysts. | 07-14-2011 |
20110171066 | Chemochromic Detector for Sensing Gas Leakage and Process for Producing the Same - A chemochromic sensor for detecting a combustible gas, such as hydrogen, includes a chemochromic pigment mechanically mixed with a polymer and formed into a rigid or pliable material. In a preferred embodiment, the chemochromic detector includes aerogel material. The detector is robust and easily modifiable for a variety of applications and environmental conditions, such as atmospheres of inert gas, hydrogen gas, or mixtures of gases, or in environments that have variable temperature, including high temperatures such as above 100° C. and low temperatures such as below −196° C. | 07-14-2011 |
20110169187 | Mechanically Strong, Thermally Stable, And Electrically Conductive Nanocomposite Structure and Method of Fabricating Same - A nanocomposite structure and method of fabricating same are provided. The nanocomposite structure is a polymer in an extruded shape with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) longitudinally disposed and dispersed in the extruded shape along a dimension thereof. The polymer is characteristically defined as having a viscosity of at least approximately 100,000 poise at a temperature of 200° C. | 07-14-2011 |
20110150012 | PASSIVELY Q-SWITCHED SIDE PUMPED MONOLITHIC RING LASER - Disclosed herein are systems and methods for generating a side-pumped passively Q-switched non-planar ring oscillator. The method introduces a laser into a cavity of a crystal, the cavity having a round-trip path formed by a reflection at a dielectrically coated front surface, a first internal reflection at a first side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front, a second internal reflection at a top surface of the crystal, and a third internal reflection at a second side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front. The method side pumps the laser at the top or bottom surface with a side pump diode array beam and generates an output laser emanating at a location on the front surface. The design can include additional internal reflections to increase interaction with the side pump. Waste heat may be removed by mounting the crystal to a heatsink. | 06-23-2011 |
20110132095 | Sub-Surface Windscreen for Outdoor Measurement of Infrasound - A windscreen is configured for measuring outdoor infrasonic sound. The windscreen includes a container and a microphone. The container defines a chamber. The microphone is disposed in the chamber and can be operatively supported by the floor. The microphone is configured for detecting infrasonic sound. The container is advantageously formed from material that exhibits an acoustic impedance of between 0 and approximately 3150 times the acoustic impedance of air. A reflector plate may be disposed in the container. The reflector plate operatively can support the microphone and provides a doubling effect of infrasonic pressure at the microphone. | 06-09-2011 |
20110054693 | DISCRETE FOURIER TRANSFORM (DFT) ANALYSIS FOR APPLICATIONS USING ITERATIVE TRANSFORM METHODS - According to various embodiments, a method is provided for determining aberration data for an optical system. The method comprises collecting a data signal, and generating a pre-transformation algorithm. The data is pre-transformed by multiplying the data with the pre-transformation algorithm. A discrete Fourier transform of the pre-transformed data is performed in an iterative loop. The method further comprises back-transforming the data to generate aberration data. | 03-03-2011 |
20110041310 | Method of Making a Composite Panel Having Subsonic Transverse Wave Speed Characteristics - A method of making a composite panel having subsonic transverse wave speed characteristics which has first and second sheets sandwiching a core with at least one of the sheets being attached to the core at first regions thereof and unattached to the core at second regions thereof. | 02-24-2011 |
20110033728 | Method and System for Repairing Cracks in Structures - A first material with a known maximum temperature of operation is coated with a second material on at least one surface of the first material. The coating has a melting temperature that is greater than the maximum temperature of operation of the first material. The coating is heated to its melting temperature until the coating flows into any cracks in the first material's surface. | 02-10-2011 |
20110024609 | Apparatus and Method for Creating a Photonic Densely-Accumulated Ray-Point - An optical apparatus includes an optical diffraction device configured for diffracting a predetermined wavelength of incident light onto adjacent optical focal points, and a photon detector for detecting a spectral characteristic of the predetermined wavelength. One of the optical focal points is a constructive interference point and the other optical focal point is a destructive interference point. The diffraction device, which may be a micro-zone plate (MZP) of micro-ring gratings or an optical lens, generates a constructive ray point using phase-contrasting of the destructive interference point. The ray point is located between adjacent optical focal points. A method of generating a densely-accumulated ray point includes directing incident light onto the optical diffraction device, diffracting the selected wavelength onto the constructive interference focal point and the destructive interference focal point, and generating the densely-accumulated ray point in a narrow region. | 02-03-2011 |
20100305234 | Hydrophobic-Core Microcapsules and their Formation - Hydrophobic-core microcapsules and methods of their formation are provided. A hydrophobic-core microcapsule may include a shell that encapsulates a hydrophobic substance with a core substance, such as dye, corrosion indicator, corrosion inhibitor, and/or healing agent, dissolved or dispersed therein. The hydrophobic-core microcapsules may be formed from an emulsion having hydrophobic-phase droplets, e.g., containing the core substance and shell-forming compound, dispersed in a hydrophilic phase. The shells of the microcapsules may be capable of being broken down in response to being contacted by an alkali, e.g., produced during corrosion, contacting the shell. | 12-02-2010 |
20100275617 | Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage - The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N | 11-04-2010 |
20100266214 | Smart Image Enhancement Process - Contrast and lightness measures are used to first classify the image as being one of non-turbid and turbid. If turbid, the original image is enhanced to generate a first enhanced image. If non-turbid, the original image is classified in terms of a merged contrast/lightness score based on the contrast and lightness measures. The non-turbid image is enhanced to generate a second enhanced image when a poor contrast/lightness score is associated therewith. When the second enhanced image has a poor contrast/lightness score associated therewith, this image is enhanced to generate a third enhanced image. A sharpness measure is computed for one image that is selected from (i) the non-turbid image, (ii) the first enhanced image, (iii) the second enhanced image when a good contrast/lightness score is associated therewith, and (iv) the third enhanced image. If the selected image is not-sharp, it is sharpened to generate a sharpened image. The final image is selected from the selected image and the sharpened image. | 10-21-2010 |
20100260410 | Closed-Loop Process Control for Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication and Deposition Processes - A closed-loop control method for an electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF | 10-14-2010 |
20100242788 | Coatings and Methods for Corrosion Detection and/or Reduction - Coatings and methods are provided. An embodiment of the coating includes microcapsules that contain at least one of a corrosion inhibitor, a film-forming compound, and an indicator. The microcapsules are dispersed in a coating vehicle. A shell of each microcapsule breaks down in the presence of an alkaline condition, resulting from corrosion. | 09-30-2010 |
20100226028 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MIRROR MOUNTING WITH MINIMIZED DISTORTION - A method for mounting a mirror for use in a telescope includes attaching the mirror to a plurality of adjustable mounts; determining a distortion in the mirror caused by the plurality adjustable mounts, and, if the distortion is determined to be above a predetermined level: adjusting one or more of the adjustable mounts; and determining the distortion in the mirror caused by the adjustable mounts; and in the event the determined distortion is determined to be at or below the predetermined level, rigidizing the adjustable mounts. | 09-09-2010 |
20100190642 | Catalyst for Decomposition of Nitrogen Oxides - This invention relates generally to a platinized tin oxide-based catalyst. It relates particularly to an improved platinized tin oxide-based catalyst able to decompose nitric oxide to nitrogen and oxygen without the necessity of a reducing gas. | 07-29-2010 |
20100134498 | Domain Decomposition By the Advancing-Partition Method for Parallel Unstructured Grid Generation - In a method for domain decomposition for generating unstructured grids, a surface mesh is generated for a spatial domain. A location of a partition plane dividing the domain into two sections is determined. Triangular faces on the surface mesh that intersect the partition plane are identified. A partition grid of tetrahedral cells, dividing the domain into two sub-domains, is generated using a marching process in which a front comprises only faces of new cells which intersect the partition plane. The partition grid is generated until no active faces remain on the front. Triangular faces on each side of the partition plane are collected into two separate subsets. Each subset of triangular faces is renumbered locally and a local/global mapping is created for each sub-domain. A volume grid is generated for each sub-domain. The partition grid and volume grids are then merged using the local-global mapping. | 06-03-2010 |
20100096949 | Piezoelectric multilayer-stacked hybrid actuation/transduction system - A novel full piezoelectric multilayer stacked hybrid actuation/transduction system. The system demonstrates significantly-enhanced electromechanical performance by utilizing the cooperative contributions of the electromechanical responses of multilayer stacked negative and positive strain components. Both experimental and theoretical studies indicate that for this system, the displacement is over three times that of a same-sized conventional flextensional actuator/transducer. The system consists of at least 2 layers which include electromechanically active components. The layers are arranged such that when electric power is applied, one layer contracts in a transverse direction while the second layer expands in a transverse direction which is perpendicular to the transverse direction of the first layer. An alternate embodiment includes a third layer. In this embodiment, the outer two layers contract in parallel transverse directions while the middle layer expands in a transverse direction which is perpendicular to the transverse direction of the outer layers. | 04-22-2010 |
20100079157 | Eddy Current System and Method for Crack Detection - An eddy current system and method enables detection of sub-surface damage in a cylindrical object. The invention incorporates a dual frequency, orthogonally wound eddy current probe mounted on a stepper motor-controlled scanning system. The system is designed to inspect for outer surface damage from the interior of the cylindrical object. | 04-01-2010 |
20100044459 | Advanced High Performance Vertical Hybrid Synthetic Jet Actuator - The present invention comprises a high performance, vertical, zero-net mass-flux, synthetic jet actuator for active control of viscous, separated flow on subsonic and supersonic vehicles. The present invention is a vertical piezoelectric hybrid zero-net mass-flux actuator, in which all the walls of the chamber are electrically controlled synergistically to reduce or enlarge the volume of the synthetic jet actuator chamber in three dimensions simultaneously and to reduce or enlarge the diameter of orifice of the synthetic jet actuator simultaneously with the reduction or enlargement of the volume of the chamber. The jet velocity and mass flow rate for the present invention will be several times higher than conventional piezoelectric synthetic jet actuators. | 02-25-2010 |
20100006368 | Localized Decisions and Actions Determined from Communal Network of Observations in Order to Achieve Global Solution - A method is provided for making localized decisions and taking localized actions to achieve a global solution. In an embodiment of the present invention, acoustic impedances for impedance-tunable acoustic segments are adjusted. A first acoustic segment through an N-th acoustic segment are defined. To start the process, the first acoustic segment is designated as a leader and a noise-reducing impedance is determined therefor. This is accomplished using (i) one or more metrics associated with the acoustic wave at the leader, and (ii) the metric(s) associated with the acoustic wave at the N-th acoustic segment. The leader, the N-th acoustic segment, and each of the acoustic segments exclusive of the leader and the N-th acoustic segment, are tuned to the noise-reducing impedance. The current leader is then excluded from subsequent processing steps. The designation of leader is then given one of the remaining acoustic segments, and the process is repeated for each of the acoustic segments through an (N−1)-th one of the acoustic segments. | 01-14-2010 |
20090277789 | Wireless Chemical Sensor and Sensing Method for Use Therewith - A wireless chemical sensor includes an electrical conductor and a dielectric material on the conductor. The conductor is electrically unconnected and is shaped for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field. In the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, the conductor resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses, each of which has a frequency associated therewith. The dielectric material is selected such that it experiences changes in dielectric attributes thereof in the presence of a chemical-of-interest. Shifts from the sensor's baseline frequency response indicate that the dielectric material has been exposed to the chemical-of-interest. | 11-12-2009 |
20090185942 | Fabrication of advanced thermoelectric materials by hierarchical nanovoid generation - A novel method to prepare an advanced thermoelectric material has hierarchical structures embedded with nanometer-sized voids which are key to enhancement of the thermoelectric performance. Solution-based thin film deposition technique enables preparation of stable film of thermoelectric material and void generator (voigen). A subsequent thermal process creates hierarchical nanovoid structure inside the thermoelectric material. Potential application areas of this advanced thermoelectric material with nanovoid structure are commercial applications (electronics cooling), medical and scientific applications (biological analysis device, medical imaging systems), telecommunications, and defense and military applications (night vision equipments). | 07-23-2009 |
20090165837 | Thermoelectric Materials and Devices - New thermoelectric materials comprise highly [111]-oriented twinned group IV alloys on the basal plane of trigonal substrates, which exhibit a high thermoelectric figure of merit and good material performance, and devices made with these materials. | 07-02-2009 |
20090148334 | NANOPHASE DISPERSION STRENGTHENED LOW CTE ALLOY - A metal matrix composite material of a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) alloy strengthened by nanophase dispersed particles. The low CTE alloy can be an iron-nickel alloy or an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy. The nanophase particles can be a refractory oxide, carbide or nitride. Also disclosed is a method of making a metal matrix composite material in which the nanophase particles are combined with the low CTE alloy to form a metal matrix composite material having the nanophase particles dispersed therein. | 06-11-2009 |
20090140296 | Epitaxial Growth of Cubic Crystalline Semiconductor Alloys on Basal Plane of Trigonal or Hexagonal Crystal - Hetero-epitaxial semiconductor materials comprising cubic crystalline semiconductor alloys grown on the basal plane of trigonal and hexagonal substrates, in which misfit dislocations are reduced by approximate lattice matching of the cubic crystal structure to underlying trigonal or hexagonal substrate structure, enabling the development of alloyed semiconductor layers of greater thickness, resulting in a new class of semiconductor materials and corresponding devices, including improved hetero-bipolar and high-electron mobility transistors, and high-mobility thermoelectric devices. | 06-04-2009 |
20090136828 | Carbon Nanotube Electrodes and Method for Fabricating Same for Use in Biofuel Cell and Fuel Cell Applications - Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are mixed in an aqueous buffer solution that includes a buffer material having a molecular structure defined by a first end, a second end, and a middle disposed between the first and second ends. The first end is a cyclic ring with nitrogen and oxygen heteroatomes, the middle is a hydrophobic alkyl chain, and the second end is a charged group. The resulting solution includes the CNTs dispersed therein. Metal-core ferritins are then mixed into the resulting solution where at least a portion of the ferritins are coupled to the CNTs. | 05-28-2009 |
20090134362 | Aqueous Solution Dispersement of Carbon Nanotubes - Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are dispersed in an aqueous buffer solution consisting of at least 50 weight percent water and a remainder weight percent that includes a buffer material. The buffer material has a molecular structure defined by a first end, a second end, and a middle disposed between the first and second ends. The first end is a cyclic ring with nitrogen and oxygen heteroatomes, the middle is a hydrophobic alkyl chain, and the second end is a charged group. | 05-28-2009 |
20090081601 | Flame Holder System - A flame holder system includes a modified torch body and a ceramic flame holder. Catch pin(s) are coupled to and extend radially out from the torch body. The ceramic flame holder has groove(s) formed in its inner wall that correspond in number and positioning to the catch pin(s). Each groove starts at one end of the flame holder and can be shaped to define at least two 90°turns. Each groove is sized to receive one catch pin therein when the flame holder is fitted over the end of the torch body. The flame holder is then manipulated until the catch pin(s) butt up against the end of the groove(s). | 03-26-2009 |
20090072814 | Wireless System And Method For Collecting Rotating System Data - A wireless system for collecting data indicative of a tire's characteristics uses at least one open-circuit electrical conductor in a tire. The conductor is shaped such that it can store electrical and magnetic energy. In the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, the conductor resonates to generate a harmonic response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth. A magnetic field response recorder is used to (i) wirelessly transmit the time-varying magnetic field to the conductor, and (ii) wirelessly detect the harmonic response and the frequency, amplitude and bandwidth, associated therewith. The recorder is adapted to be positioned in a location that is fixed with respect to the tire as the tire rotates. | 03-19-2009 |
20090072078 | High Altitude Airship Configuration And Power Technology And Method For Operation Of Same - A new High Altitude Airship (HAA) capable of various extended applications and mission scenarios utilizing inventive onboard energy harvesting and power distribution systems. The power technology comprises an advanced thermoelectric (ATE) thermal energy conversion system. The high efficiency of multiple stages of ATE materials in a tandem mode, each suited for best performance within a particular temperature range, permits the ATE system to generate a high quantity of harvested energy for the extended mission scenarios. When the figure of merit 5 is considered, the cascaded efficiency of the three-stage ATE system approaches an efficiency greater than 60 percent. | 03-19-2009 |
20090043601 | Repair Procedure Development System - A repair procedure development system is disclosed that may allow for an organized, automated decision making approach to repairs. Some embodiments use four categories and sub-categories of component, subcomponent, discrepancy, and repair, although other categories and numbers of categories may be used. The repair procedure development system may use a decision analysis tree to cycle through all possible permutations in the categories, and may therefore generate all possible discrepancies and repairs for particular hardware elements. In addition, the repair procedure development system may use a repair matrix to define the steps and sequences that are needed to perform any repair defined in the decision tree, with the option to select specific steps from multivariable steps. The repair procedure development system may capture knowledge data from one or more technical groups and may help merge specification requirements with repair procedures. The repair procedure development system may be transferable to other engineering groups. The repair procedure development system may allow an engineer to spend more time on the floor working issues, to interact more among technical disciplines, and to play a more proactive role in processing, while increasing technical accuracy and safety by reducing errors and communication disconnects. | 02-12-2009 |
20090039724 | DIRECTED FLUX MOTOR - A directed flux motor described utilizes the directed magnetic flux of at least one magnet through ferrous material to drive different planetary gear sets to achieve capabilities in six actuated shafts that are grouped three to a side of the motor. The flux motor also utilizes an interwoven magnet configuration which reduces the overall size of the motor. The motor allows for simple changes to modify the torque to speed ratio of the gearing contained within the motor as well as simple configurations for any number of output shafts up to six. The changes allow for improved manufacturability and reliability within the design. | 02-12-2009 |
20080301211 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR D-DIMENSIONAL FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RECURSIVE HIERARCHICAL SEGMENTATION - Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments of recursive hierarchical segmentation of data with any number of spatial dimensions. Some embodiments of the recursive hierarchical segmentation include computationally efficient parallel implementations and other embodiments of the recursive hierarchical segmentation include computationally efficient serial implementations. | 12-04-2008 |
20080287589 | Sensing/Actuating Materials Made From Carbon Nanotube Polymer Composites and Methods for Making Same - An electroactive sensing or actuating material comprises a composite made from a polymer with polarizable moieties and an effective amount of carbon nanotubes incorporated in the polymer for a predetermined electromechanical operation of the composite when such composite is affected by an external stimulus. In another embodiment, the composite comprises a third component of micro-sized to nano-sized particles of an electroactive ceramic that is also incorporated in the polymer matrix. The method for making the three-phase composite comprises either incorporating the carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix before incorporation of the particles of ceramic or mixing the carbon nanotubes and particles of ceramic together in a solution before incorporation in the polymer matrix. | 11-20-2008 |
20080252475 | Monitoring Method and Apparatus Using Asynchronous, One-Way Transmission from Sensor to Base Station - A monitoring system is disclosed, which includes a base station and at least one sensor unit that is separate from the base station. The sensor unit resides in a dormant state that uses no power, until it is awaked by the triggering of vibration-sensitive switch. Once awakened, the sensor may take a measurement, then transmit to the base station the measurement along with a time stamp of when the measurement was made. The sensor may optionally store the measured quantity and the time stamp for a particular length of time in a suitable storage device, such as with compact flash memory. The sensor transmits the measured quantity and the time stamp to the base station in an asynchronous manner. The transmission is initiated by the vibration-sensitive switch, not by the base station. The time stamp is encoded in a suitable manner, such as with an IRIG-B timing module. Once data is transmitted from the sensor to the base station, the sensor may return to its dormant state. Transmission between the sensor and the base station is one-way, so that the sensor does not receive any information from the base station. There may be multiple sensors for each base station, and the various sensors may optionally measure different quantities, such as current, voltage, single-axis and/or three-axis magnetic fields, that may correspond to physical quantities such as torsional strain, linear strain, temperature, ball valve cycles and linear voltage displacement transducer signals. The sensor may optionally include an energy harvester, such as a solar panel, for reducing and/or eliminating the drain on its battery. | 10-16-2008 |
20080243418 | Method Of Calibrating A Fluid-Level Measurement System - A method of calibrating a fluid-level measurement system is provided. A first response of the system is recorded when the system's sensor(s) is (are) not in contact with a fluid of interest. A second response of the system is recorded when the system's sensor(s) is (are) fully immersed in the fluid of interest. Using the first and second responses, a plurality of expected responses of the system's sensor(s) is (are) generated for a corresponding plurality of levels of immersion of the sensor(s) in the fluid of interest. | 10-02-2008 |