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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

Vigilante: Ultrafast Smart Sensor for Target Recognition and Precision Tracking in a Simulated CMD Scenario

VIGILANTE is an ultrafast smart sensor testbed for generic Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) applications with a series of capability demonstration focussed on cruise missile defense (CMD). VIGILANTE's sensor/processor architecture is based on next-generation UV/visible/IR sensors and a tera-operations per second sugar-cube processor, as well as supporting airborne vehicle. Excellent results of efficient ATR methodologies that use an eigenvectors/neural network combination and feature-based precision tracking have been demonstrated in the laboratory environment.

TARGET RECOGNITION↗
NASA NTRS2003

A Framework for Intelligent Rocket Test Facilities with Smart Sensors

A long-term center goal at the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) is the formulation and implementation of a framework for an Intelligent Rocket Test Facility (IRTF), which incorporates distributed smart sensor elements. The IRTF is to provide reliable, high-confident measurements. Specific objectives include: 1. Definition of a framework and architecture that supports implementation of highly autonomous methodologies founded on basic physical principles and embedded knowledge. 2. Modeling of autonomous sensors and processes as self-sufficient, evolutionary elements. 3. Development of appropriate communications protocols to enable the complex interactions that must take place to allow timely and high-quality flow of of information among all the autonomous elements of the system. 4. Development of lab-scale prototypes of key system elements. Though our application is next-generation rocket test facilities, applications for the approach are much wider and include monitoring of shuttle launch operations, air and spacecraft operations and health monitoring, and other large-scale industrial system operations such as found in processing and manufacturing plans. Elements of prototype IRTF have been implemented in preparation for advanced development and validation using rocket test stand facilities as SSC. This work has identified issues that are important to further development of complex network and should be of interest to other working with sensor networks.

Figueroa, Fernando↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of Miniaturized Optimized Smart Sensors (MOSS) for space plasmas

The cost of space plasma sensors is high for several reasons: (1) Most are one-of-a-kind and state-of-the-art, (2) the cost of launch to orbit is high, (3) ruggedness and reliability requirements lead to costly development and test programs, and (4) overhead is added by overly elaborate or generalized spacecraft interface requirements. Possible approaches to reducing costs include development of small 'sensors' (defined as including all necessary optics, detectors, and related electronics) that will ultimately lead to cheaper missions by reducing (2), improving (3), and, through work with spacecraft designers, reducing (4). Despite this logical approach, there is no guarantee that smaller sensors are necessarily either better or cheaper. We have previously advocated applying analytical 'quality factors' to plasma sensors (and spacecraft) and have begun to develop miniaturized particle optical systems by applying quantitative optimization criteria. We are currently designing a Miniaturized Optimized Smart Sensor (MOSS) in which miniaturized electronics (e.g., employing new power supply topology and extensive us of gate arrays and hybrid circuits) are fully integrated with newly developed particle optics to give significant savings in volume and mass. The goal of the SwRI MOSS program is development of a fully self-contained and functional plasma sensor weighing 1 lb and requiring 1 W. MOSS will require only a typical spacecraft DC power source (e.g., 30 V) and command/data interfaces in order to be fully functional, and will provide measurement capabilities comparable in most ways to current sensors.

Young, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS2012

An Overview of the Smart Sensor Inter-Agency Reference Testbench (SSIART)

In this paper, we present an overview of a proposed collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA), which is designed to facilitate the introduction of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) radios for smart-sensing applications into international spaceflight programs and projects. The proposed work will produce test hardware reference designs, test software reference architectures and example implementations, test plans in reference test environments, and test results, all of which will be shared between the agencies and documented for future use by mission planners. The proposed collaborative structure together with all of the anticipated tools and results produced under the effort is collectively referred to as the Smart Sensor Inter-agency Reference Testbench or SSIART. It is intended to provide guidance in technology selection and in increasing the related readiness levels of projects and missions as well as the space industry.

Wagner, Raymond S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Earth radiation budget experiment and smart sensors

This paper presents the data analysis requirements for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment and potential needs for a follow-on radiation budget system. The present requirements for determining the earth's radiation budget on scales from 250 by 250-km regions to global require two broadband measurements on each of three satellites. The instrument system is composed of wide- and medium-field-of-view radiometers and a narrow-field-of-view scanning radiometer. Modeled directional functions are required to interpret the data in terms of earth radiation fluxes. Meeting more stringent science requirements for a follow-on mission will require nine broadband channels with increased spatial and temporal sampling, resulting in six satellites and a fourfold increase in data transmission rates and ground-based data storage. Smart sensors can reduce the data and ground storage requirements by orders of magnitude with onboard processing, calibration, and attitude and ephemeris determination.

Young, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Low-Power High-Speed Smart Sensor Design for Space Exploration Missions

In this paper, an ultra-fast low-power smart vision system-on-a-chip design is proposed to provide effective solutions for real time machine vision applications by taking advantages of advances in integrated sensing/processing designs, electronic neural networks, advanced microprocessors, and sub-micron VLSI systemns-on-a-chip (SOAC) technology.

space↗
NASA NTRS2010

Smart Sensor Demonstration Payload

Sensors are a critical element to any monitoring, control, and evaluation processes such as those needed to support ground based testing for rocket engine test. Sensor applications involve tens to thousands of sensors; their reliable performance is critical to achieving overall system goals. Many figures of merit are used to describe and evaluate sensor characteristics; for example, sensitivity and linearity. In addition, sensor selection must satisfy many trade-offs among system engineering (SE) requirements to best integrate sensors into complex systems [1]. These SE trades include the familiar constraints of power, signal conditioning, cabling, reliability, and mass, and now include considerations such as spectrum allocation and interference for wireless sensors. Our group at NASA s John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) works in the broad area of integrated systems health management (ISHM). Core ISHM technologies include smart and intelligent sensors, anomaly detection, root cause analysis, prognosis, and interfaces to operators and other system elements [2]. Sensor technologies are the base fabric that feed data and health information to higher layers. Cost-effective operation of the complement of test stands benefits from technologies and methodologies that contribute to reductions in labor costs, improvements in efficiency, reductions in turn-around times, improved reliability, and other measures. ISHM is an active area of development at SSC because it offers the potential to achieve many of those operational goals [3-5].

Schmalzel, John↗
NASA NTRS2010

Smart Sensors Assess Structural Health

NASA frequently inspects launch vehicles, fuel tanks, and other components for structural damage. To perform quick evaluation and monitoring, the Agency pursues the development of structural health monitoring systems. In 2001, Acellent Technologies Inc., of Sunnyvale, California, received Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from Marshall Space Flight Center to develop a hybrid Stanford Multi-Actuator Receiver Transduction (SMART) Layer for aerospace vehicles and structures. As a result, Acellent expanded the technology's capability and now sells it to aerospace and automotive companies; construction, energy, and utility companies; and the defense, space, transportation, and energy industries for structural condition monitoring, damage detection, crack growth monitoring, and other applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1978

The application of smart sensor techniques to a solid-state array multispectral sensor

The solid-state array spectroradiometer (SAS) developed at JSC for remote sensing applications is a multispectral sensor which has no moving parts, is virtually maintenance-free, and has the ability to provide data which requires a minimum of processing. The instrument is based on the 42 x 342 element charge injection device (CID) detector. This system allows the combination of spectral scanning and across-track spatial scanning along with its associated digitization electronics into a single detector.

Mcfadin, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Evaluation of SMART sensor displays for multidimensional precision control of Space Shuttle remote manipulator

An enhanced proximity sensor and display system was developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and tested on the full scale Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Manipulator Development Facility (MDF). The sensor system, integrated with a four-claw end effector, measures range error up to 6 inches, and pitch and yaw alignment errors within + or 15 deg., and displays error data on both graphic and numeric displays. The errors are referenced to the end effector control axes through appropriate data processing by a dedicated microcomputer acting on the sensor data in real time. Both display boxes contain a green lamp which indicates whether the combination of range, pitch and yaw errors will assure a successful grapple. More than 200 test runs were completed in early 1980 by three operators at JSC for grasping static and capturing slowly moving targets. The tests have indicated that the use of graphic/numeric displays of proximity sensor information improves precision control of grasp/capture range by more than a factor of two for both static and dynamic grapple conditions.

Bejczy, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Multiple sensor smart robot hand with force control

A smart robot hand developed at JPL for the Protoflight Manipulator Arm (PFMA) is described. The development of this smart hand was based on an integrated design and subsystem architecture by considering mechanism, electronics, sensing, control, display, and operator interface in an integrated design approach. The mechanical details of this smart hand and the overall subsystem are described elsewhere. The sensing and electronics components of the JPL/PFMA smart hand are summarized and it is described in some detail in control capabilities.

Killion, Richard R.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Smart Sensor System for NDE or Corrosion in Aging Aircraft

The extension of the operation life of military and civilian aircraft rather than replacing them with new ones is increasing the probability of aircraft component failure as a result of aging. Aircraft that already have endured a long srvice life of more than 40 years are now being considered for another 40 years of service.

monitoring system mathematical transformation oper↗
NASA NTRS2007

Smart Sensor Node Development, Testing and Implementation for ISHM

A main design criterion for a robust Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) system is summed up best by the statement "No data is better than bad data". Traditional data acquisition systems are calibrated in a controlled environment and guaranteed to perform bounded by their tested conditions. To successfully design and implement a real world ISHM system, the data acquisition and signal conditioning needs to function in an uncontrolled environment. Development and testing focuses on a design with the ability to self check in order to extend calibration times, report internal faults and drifts and notify the overall system when the data acquisition is not performing as it should. All of this will be designed in a system that is flexible, requiring little redesign to be deployed on a wide variety of systems. Development progress and testing results will be reported.

Mengers, Timothy↗
NASA NTRS2007

Smart Sensor Node Development, Testing and Implementation for Rocket Propulsion Systems

Successful design and implementation of an Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) approach for rocket propulsion systems requires the capability improve the reliability of complex systems by detecting and diagnosing problems. One of the critical elements in the ISHM is an intelligent sensor node for data acquisition that meets specific requirements for rocket motor testing including accuracy, sample rate and size/weight. Traditional data acquisition systems are calibrated in a controlled environment and guaranteed to perform bounded by their tested conditions. In a real world ISHM system, the data acquisition and signal conditioning needs to function in an uncontrolled environment. Development and testing of this sensor node focuses on a design with the ability to self check in order to extend calibration times, report internal faults and drifts and notify the overall system when the data acquisition is not performing as it should. All of this will be designed within a system that is flexible, requiring little re-design to be deployed on a wide variety of systems. Progress in this design and initial testing of prototype units will be reported.

Mengers, Timothy R.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Miniature housing with standard addressable interface for smart sensors and drive electronics

A miniature assembly is disclosed which includes a housing assembly with a cover configured to be sealably secured to a box-like receptacle. The receptacle comprises openings on opposing sides for the seating therein of communications connectors. Enclosed within housing is custom-sized circuit board for supporting, at least, a standard communications interface and at least one electronic device.

Howard, David E.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Health-Enabled Smart Sensor Fusion Technology

A process was designed to fuse data from multiple sensors in order to make a more accurate estimation of the environment and overall health in an intelligent rocket test facility (IRTF), to provide reliable, high-confidence measurements for a variety of propulsion test articles. The object of the technology is to provide sensor fusion based on a distributed architecture. Specifically, the fusion technology is intended to succeed in providing health condition monitoring capability at the intelligent transceiver, such as RF signal strength, battery reading, computing resource monitoring, and sensor data reading. The technology also provides analytic and diagnostic intelligence at the intelligent transceiver, enhancing the IEEE 1451.x-based standard for sensor data management and distributions, as well as providing appropriate communications protocols to enable complex interactions to support timely and high-quality flow of information among the system elements.

Wang, Ray↗