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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 199 records · Page 11

Three methods for performing Hankel transforms

Three methods for performing Hankel transforms with optical or digital processors are described. The first method is applicable when the input data is available in Cartesian (x-y) format and uses the close connection between generalized Hankel transform and the two dimensional Fourier transform in Cartesian coordinates. The second method is useful when the input data is in polar (r - theta) format and uses change of variables to perform the nth order Hankel transform as a correlation integral. The third method utilizes the von Neumann addition theorem for Bessel functions to extract the Hankel coefficients from a correlation between the radial part of the input and a Bessel function. Initial experimental results obtained for optical implementation of the first two methods are presented.

Athale, R. A.↗

Compression of echocardiographic scan line data using wavelet packet transform

An efficient compression strategy is indispensable for digital echocardiography. Previous work has suggested improved results utilizing wavelet transforms in the compression of 2D echocardiographic images. Set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) was modified to compress echocardiographic scanline data based on the wavelet packet transform. A compression ratio of at least 94:1 resulted in preserved image quality.

Non-NASA Center↗

Generative Design and Digital Manufacturing: Using AI and Robots to Build Lightweight Instruments

Digital Engineering technologies are transforming long-stagnant development processes by applying the tremendous advancements in Information Technology (IT) to classical engineering tasks such as design, analysis, and fabrication of space-flight instrument structures. Generative Design leverages developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud computing to enable a paradigm shift in the design process, allowing the engineer to focus on defining the requirements and objectives of the design while AI generates optimized designs which comply with the input requirements. Digital Manufacturing allows these complex lightweight designs to be efficiently manufactured by directly fabricating from the resulting 3D models. The development of these two Digital Engineering technologies realizes significant mass savings while simultaneously reducing structure development time from months to days. This paper describes the development of the Evolved Structures process applying these technologies to spaceflight optical instrument structures including an example demonstrating greater than 10x reduction in development time/cost and greater than 3x improvement in structural performance.

Ryan McClelland↗

Error compensation for hybrid-computer solution of linear differential equations

Z-transform technique compensates for digital transport delay and digital-to-analog hold. Method determines best values for compensation constants in multi-step and Taylor series projections. Technique also provides hybrid-calculation error compared to continuous exact solution, plus system stability properties.

Kemp, N. H.↗

Study and simulation of spatial video compression for remotely piloted vehicles

Techniques of video compression applicable to remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) are investigated. One approach is to reduce the frame rate, the other is to reduce the number of bits per sample needed to represent static picture detail by means of digital video compression. Hadamard transforms of 8 x 8 subpictures, with adaptive and nonadaptive quantization of transform coefficients, were investigated for the latter technique. Tapes of typical RPV video, processed by Aeronautronic Ford to simulate four frame rates, were again processed by the Ames real-time video system to obtain a variety of compressions of each of the four frame rates.

Knauer, S.↗

Hybrid optical/digital detector

Device for automatic-diffraction pattern recognition is designed around concentric-ring fiber-optic array. Coherent light passes through film-image transparency and lens producing Fourier transform of image. Transform is converted to digital data, the basis of diffraction-pattern recognition program performed by computer.

Shackelford, R. G.↗

Sensor calibration for multiple direction reflectance observations

Spectral and radiometric calibrations of a pointable airborne spectroradiometer called ASAS are discussed. A laboratory integrating hemisphere is used to characterize the radiometric respones of ASAS detectors. Radiometric responses are linear except for an initial build-up lag in response to low levels of radiance. Assuming radiometric stability in flight, raw ASAS digital counts can be transformed to absolute spectral radiance values with an uncertainty of 5.5 percent attributable to the laboratory calibration. The calibrations are being applied to radiometrically correct ASAS data acquired from multiple view directions over a tall grass prairie during the 1987 growing season.

Irons, James R.↗

Optical pattern recognition; Proceedings of the Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 17, 18, 1989

Papers on optical pattern recognition are presented, covering topics such as the estimation of satellite pose and motion parameters using a neural net tracker, associative memory, optical implmentation of programmable neural networks, optoelectronic neural networks, dynamic autoassociative neural memory, heteroassociative memory, bilinear pattern recognition processors, optical processing of optical correlation plane data, and a synthetic discriminant function-based nonlinear optical correlator. Other topics include an interactive optical-digital image processor, geometric transformations for video compression and human teleoperator display, quasiconformal remapping for compensation of human visual field defects, hybrid vision for automated spacecraft landing, advanced symbolic and inference optical correlation filters, and a rotationally invariant holographic tracking system. Additional topics include the detection of rotational and scale-varying objects with a programmable joint transform correlator, a single spatial light modulator binary nonlinear optical correlator, optical joint transform correlation, linear phase coefficient composite filters, and binary phase-only filters.

Liu, Hua-Kuang↗

Automated Surface Profilometer

Computer-controlled system saves time and labor. Electromechanical scanning system automatically measures deviation of sheets and plates from flatness. Quickly measures surface profile and detects bumps, bulges, and indentations as small as 0.001 in. in height or depth. X-y table moves specimen to programmed locations under digital linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) while computer records surface-height readings of LVDT. Resulting graphical display shows surface contour.

Chern, E. James↗

Wide-bandwidth high-resolution search for extraterrestrial intelligence

This interim report summarizes the research accomplished during the initial 6-month period of the grant. Activities associated with antenna configurations, the channelizing downconverter, the fast Fourier transform array, the DSP (digital signal processing) array, and the backend and UNIX workstation are discussed. Publications submitted during the reporting period are listed.

Horowitz, Paul↗

An OFDM System Using Polyphase Filter and DFT Architecture for Very High Data Rate Applications

This paper presents a conceptual architectural design of a four-channel Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system with an aggregate information throughput of 622 megabits per second (Mbps). Primary emphasis is placed on the generation and detection of the composite waveform using polyphase filter and Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) approaches to digitally stack and bandlimit the individual carriers. The four-channel approach enables the implementation of a system that can be both power and bandwidth efficient, yet enough parallelism exists to meet higher data rate goals. It also enables a DC power efficient transmitter that is suitable for on-board satellite systems, and a moderately complex receiver that is suitable for low-cost ground terminals. The major advantage of the system as compared to a single channel system is lower complexity and DC power consumption. This is because the highest sample rate is half that of the single channel system and synchronization can occur at most, depending on the synchronization technique, a quarter of the rate of a single channel system. The major disadvantage is the increased peak-to-average power ratio over the single channel system. Simulation results in a form of bit-error-rate (BER) curves are presented in this paper.

Kifle, Muli↗

Database Integrity Monitoring for Synthetic Vision Systems Using Machine Vision and SHADE

In an effort to increase situational awareness, the aviation industry is investigating technologies that allow pilots to visualize what is outside of the aircraft during periods of low-visibility. One of these technologies, referred to as Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS), provides the pilot with real-time computer-generated images of obstacles, terrain features, runways, and other aircraft regardless of weather conditions. To help ensure the integrity of such systems, methods of verifying the accuracy of synthetically-derived display elements using onboard remote sensing technologies are under investigation. One such method is based on a shadow detection and extraction (SHADE) algorithm that transforms computer-generated digital elevation data into a reference domain that enables direct comparison with radar measurements. This paper describes machine vision techniques for making this comparison and discusses preliminary results from application to actual flight data.

Cooper, Eric G.↗

Super Resolution Image Enhancement for a Flash Lidar: Back Projection Method

In this paper a new image processing technique for flash LIDAR data is presented as a potential tool to enable safe and precise spacecraft landings in future robotic or crewed lunar and planetary missions. Flash LIDARs can generate, in real-time, range data that can be interpreted as a 3-dimensional (3-D) image and transformed into a corresponding digital elevation map (DEM). The NASA Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance (ALHAT) project is capitalizing on this new technology by developing, testing and analyzing flash LIDARs to detect hazardous terrain features such as craters, rocks, and slopes during the descent phase of spacecraft landings. Using a flash LIDAR for this application looks very promising, however through theoretical and simulation analysis the ALHAT team has determined that a single frame, or mosaic, of flash LIDAR data may not be sufficient to build a landing site DEM with acceptable spatial resolution, precision, size, or for a mosaic, in time, to meet current system requirements. One way to overcome this potential limitation is by enhancing the flash LIDAR output images. We propose a new super-resolution algorithm applicable to flash LIDAR range data that will create a DEM with sufficient accuracy, precision and size to meet current ALHAT requirements. The performance of our super-resolution algorithm is analyzed by processing data generated during a series of simulation runs by a high fidelity model of a flash LIDAR imaging a high resolution synthetic lunar elevation map. The flash LIDAR model is attached to a simulated spacecraft by a gimbal that points the LIDAR to a target landing site. For each simulation run, a sequence of flash LIDAR frames is recorded and processed as the spacecraft descends toward the landing site. Each run has a different trajectory profile with varying LIDAR look angles of the terrain. We process the output LIDAR frames using our SR algorithm and the results show that the achieved level of accuracy and precision of the SR generated landing site DEM is more than adequate for detecting hazardous terrain features and identifying safe areas.

Bulyshev, Alexander↗

AIAA Forum 360 Panel

Vision: Accelerate transformation to a digitally-integrated air transportation system that enables access and increases mobility for all users. Goal: Catalyze the community to provide an all-access, safe, and efficient airspace system through innovative solutions that remove barriers.

ATM-X, AIAA↗

Pattern-Recognition Processor Using Holographic Photopolymer

proposed joint-transform optical correlator (JTOC) would be capable of operating as a real-time pattern-recognition processor. The key correlation-filter reading/writing medium of this JTOC would be an updateable holographic photopolymer. The high-resolution, high-speed characteristics of this photopolymer would enable pattern-recognition processing to occur at a speed three orders of magnitude greater than that of state-of-the-art digital pattern-recognition processors. There are many potential applications in biometric personal identification (e.g., using images of fingerprints and faces) and nondestructive industrial inspection. In order to appreciate the advantages of the proposed JTOC, it is necessary to understand the principle of operation of a conventional JTOC. In a conventional JTOC (shown in the upper part of the figure), a collimated laser beam passes through two side-by-side spatial light modulators (SLMs). One SLM displays a real-time input image to be recognized. The other SLM displays a reference image from a digital memory. A Fourier-transform lens is placed at its focal distance from the SLM plane, and a charge-coupled device (CCD) image detector is placed at the back focal plane of the lens for use as a square-law recorder. Processing takes place in two stages. In the first stage, the CCD records the interference pattern between the Fourier transforms of the input and reference images, and the pattern is then digitized and saved in a buffer memory. In the second stage, the reference SLM is turned off and the interference pattern is fed back to the input SLM. The interference pattern thus becomes Fourier-transformed, yielding at the CCD an image representing the joint-transform correlation between the input and reference images. This image contains a sharp correlation peak when the input and reference images are matched. The drawbacks of a conventional JTOC are the following: The CCD has low spatial resolution and is not an ideal square-law detector for the purpose of holographic recording of interference fringes. A typical state-of-the-art CCD has a pixel-pitch limited resolution of about 100 lines/mm. In contrast, the holographic photopolymer to be used in the proposed JTOC offers a resolution > 2,000 lines/mm. In addition to being disadvantageous in itself, the low resolution of the CCD causes overlap of a DC term and the desired correlation term in the output image. This overlap severely limits the correlation signal-to-noise ratio. The two-stage nature of the process limits the achievable throughput rate. A further limit is imposed by the low frame rate (typical video rates) of low- and medium-cost commercial CCDs.

Chao, Tien-Hsin↗