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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Laser Opto-Electronic Correlator for Robotic Vision Automated Pattern Recognition

A compact laser opto-electronic correlator for pattern recognition has been designed, fabricated, and tested. Specifically it is a translation sensitivity adjustable compact optical correlator (TSACOC) utilizing convergent laser beams for the holographic filter. Its properties and performance, including the location of the correlation peak and the effects of lateral and longitudinal displacements for both filters and input images, are systematically analyzed based on the nonparaxial approximation for the reference beam. The theoretical analyses have been verified in experiments. In applying the TSACOC to important practical problems including fingerprint identification, we have found that the tolerance of the system to the input lateral displacement can be conveniently increased by changing a geometric factor of the system. The system can be compactly packaged using the miniature laser diode sources and can be used in space by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and ground commercial applications which include robotic vision, and industrial inspection of automated quality control operations. The personnel of Standard International will work closely with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to transfer the technology to the commercial market. Prototype systems will be fabricated to test the market and perfect the product. Large production will follow after successful results are achieved.

Laser Opto-Electronic↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2008

Topics covered include: Control Architecture for Robotic Agent Command and Sensing; Algorithm for Wavefront Sensing Using an Extended Scene; CO2 Sensors Based on Nanocrystalline SnO2 Doped with CuO; Improved Airborne System for Sensing Wildfires; VHF Wide-Band, Dual-Polarization Microstrip-Patch Antenna; Onboard Data Processor for Change-Detection Radar Imaging; Using LDPC Code Constraints to Aid Recovery of Symbol Timing; System for Measuring Flexing of a Large Spaceborne Structure; Integrated Formation Optical Communication and Estimation System; Making Superconducting Welds between Superconducting Wires; Method for Thermal Spraying of Coatings Using Resonant-Pulsed Combustion; Coating Reduces Ice Adhesion; Hybrid Multifoil Aerogel Thermal Insulation; SHINE Virtual Machine Model for In-flight Updates of Critical Mission Software; Mars Image Collection Mosaic Builder; Providing Internet Access to High-Resolution Mars Images; Providing Internet Access to High-Resolution Lunar Images; Expressions Module for the Satellite Orbit Analysis Program Virtual Satellite; Small-Body Extensions for the Satellite Orbit Analysis Program (SOAP); Scripting Module for the Satellite Orbit Analysis Program (SOAP); XML-Based SHINE Knowledge Base Interchange Language; Core Technical Capability Laboratory Management System; MRO SOW Daily Script; Tool for Inspecting Alignment of Twinaxial Connectors; An ATP System for Deep-Space Optical Communication; Polar Traverse Rover Instrument; Expert System Control of Plant Growth in an Enclosed Space; Detecting Phycocyanin-Pigmented Microbes in Reflected Light; DMAC and NMP as Electrolyte Additives for Li-Ion Cells; Mass Spectrometer Containing Multiple Fixed Collectors; Waveguide Harmonic Generator for the SIM; Whispering Gallery Mode Resonator with Orthogonally Reconfigurable Filter Function; Stable Calibration of Raman Lidar Water-Vapor Measurements; Bimaterial Thermal Compensators for WGM Resonators; Root Source Analysis/ValuStream[Trade Mark] - A Methodology for Identifying and Managing Risks; Ensemble: an Architecture for Mission-Operations Software; Object Recognition Using Feature-and Color-Based Methods; On-Orbit Multi-Field Wavefront Control with a Kalman Filter; and The Interplanetary Overlay Networking Protocol Accelerator.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1992

Robotic Lunar Rover Technologies and SEI Supporting Technologies at Sandia National Laboratories

Existing robotic rover technologies at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) can be applied toward the realization of a robotic lunar rover mission in the near term. Recent activities at the SNL-RVR have demonstrated the utility of existing rover technologies for performing remote field geology tasks similar to those envisioned on a robotic lunar rover mission. Specific technologies demonstrated include low-data-rate teleoperation, multivehicle control, remote site and sample inspection, standard bandwidth stereo vision, and autonomous path following based on both internal dead reckoning and an external position location update system. These activities serve to support the use of robotic rovers for an early return to the lunar surface by demonstrating capabilities that are attainable with off-the-shelf technology and existing control techniques. The breadth of technical activities at SNL provides many supporting technology areas for robotic rover development. These range from core competency areas and microsensor fabrication facilities, to actual space qualification of flight components that are designed and fabricated in-house.

Klarer, Paul R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Potential low-cost telerobotics flight experiments

Few telerobotic devices have flown in space (the remote manipulator system (RMS) on the Space Shuttle is the principal one that has flown), and proposed telerobotic systems have ballooned in cost to the point where the U.S. no longer has any funded flight telerobotic programs. Three possible alternative systems with limited scope, but with significant research and even operational promise are described. These include systems or research in effective control of (possibly flexible) arms in microgravity, despite long communication latency, and for inspection of elements of spacecraft such as Space Station Freedom.

Wilcox, Brian↗
NASA NTRS1992

Differential phase acoustic microscope for micro-NDE

A differential phase scanning acoustic microscope (DP-SAM) was developed, fabricated, and tested in this project. This includes the acoustic lens and transducers, driving and receiving electronics, scanning stage, scanning software, and display software. This DP-SAM can produce mechanically raster-scanned acoustic microscopic images of differential phase, differential amplitude, or amplitude of the time gated returned echoes of the samples. The differential phase and differential amplitude images provide better image contrast over the conventional amplitude images. A specially designed miniature dual beam lens was used to form two foci to obtain the differential phase and amplitude information of the echoes. High image resolution (1 micron) was achieved by applying high frequency (around 1 GHz) acoustic signals to the samples and placing two foci close to each other (1 micron). Tone burst was used in this system to obtain a good estimation of the phase differences between echoes from the two adjacent foci. The system can also be used to extract the V(z) acoustic signature. Since two acoustic beams and four receiving modes are available, there are 12 possible combinations to produce an image or a V(z) scan. This provides a unique feature of this system that none of the existing acoustic microscopic systems can provide for the micro-nondestructive evaluation applications. The entire system, including the lens, electronics, and scanning control software, has made a competitive industrial product for nondestructive material inspection and evaluation and has attracted interest from existing acoustic microscope manufacturers.

Waters, David D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Machine Vision Applied to Navigation of Confined Spaces

The reliability of space related assets has been emphasized after the second loss of a Space Shuttle. The intricate nature of the hardware being inspected often requires a complete disassembly to perform a thorough inspection which can be difficult as well as costly. Furthermore, it is imperative that the hardware under inspection not be altered in any other manner than that which is intended. In these cases the use of machine vision can allow for inspection with greater frequency using less intrusive methods. Such systems can provide feedback to guide, not only manually controlled instrumentation, but autonomous robotic platforms as well. This paper serves to detail a method using machine vision to provide such sensing capabilities in a compact package. A single camera is used in conjunction with a projected reference grid to ascertain precise distance measurements. The design of the sensor focuses on the use of conventional components in an unconventional manner with the goal of providing a solution for systems that do not require or cannot accommodate more complex vision systems.

Briscoe, Jeri M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

National Launch System: Structures and materials

The National Launch System provides an opportunity to realize the potential of Al-Li. Advanced structures can reduce weights by 5-40 percent as well as relax propulsion system performance specifications and reduce requirements for labor and materials. The effect on costs will be substantial. Advanced assembly and process control technologies also offer the potential for greatly reduced labor during the manufacturing and inspection processes. Current practices are very labor-intensive and, as a result, labor costs far outweigh material costs for operational space transportation systems. The technological readiness of new structural materials depends on their commercial availability, producibility and materials properties. Martin Marietta is vigorously pursuing the development of its Weldalite 049 Al-Li alloys in each of these areas. Martin Marietta is also preparing to test an automated work cell concept that it has developed using discrete event simulation.

Bunting, Jack O.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Quality assurance program guidelines for application to and use by manufacturers of rail/guideway vehicles, buses, automatic train control systems, and their major subsystems

Guidelines are presented for a quality assurance system to be implemented by the manufacturer in support of designing, developing, fabricating, assembling, inspecting, testing, handling, and delivery of equipment being procured for use in public urban mass transit systems. The guidelines apply to this equipment when being procured for: (1) use in revenue service; (2) demonstration of systems that will be revenue producing or used by the public; (3) use as a prototype for follow-on operational/revenue producing equipment procurements; and (4) qualification tests.

Witkin, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Compact Microscope Imaging System With Intelligent Controls Improved

The Compact Microscope Imaging System (CMIS) with intelligent controls is a diagnostic microscope analysis tool with intelligent controls for use in space, industrial, medical, and security applications. This compact miniature microscope, which can perform tasks usually reserved for conventional microscopes, has unique advantages in the fields of microscopy, biomedical research, inline process inspection, and space science. Its unique approach integrates a machine vision technique with an instrumentation and control technique that provides intelligence via the use of adaptive neural networks. The CMIS system was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center specifically for interface detection used for colloid hard spheres experiments; biological cell detection for patch clamping, cell movement, and tracking; and detection of anode and cathode defects for laboratory samples using microscope technology.

McDowell, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1972

Magnetic control assembly qualification model

Fabrication and testing of the magnetic control assembly (MCA) are summarized. The MCA was designed as an add-on unit for certain existing components of the Nimbus and ERTS attitude control system. The MCA system consists of three orthogonal electromagnets; a magnetometer probe capable of sensing external fields in the X, Y, and Z axes; and the control electronics. An operational description of the system is given along with all major drawings and photographs. Manufacturing and inspection procedures are outlined and a chronological list of events is included with the fabrication summary.

Shen, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2003

New Modular Camera No Ordinary Joe

Although dubbed 'Little Joe' for its small-format characteristics, a new wavefront sensor camera has proved that it is far from coming up short when paired with high-speed, low-noise applications. SciMeasure Analytical Systems, Inc., a provider of cameras and imaging accessories for use in biomedical research and industrial inspection and quality control, is the eye behind Little Joe's shutter, manufacturing and selling the modular, multi-purpose camera worldwide to advance fields such as astronomy, neurobiology, and cardiology.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2019

Seeker Free-Flying Inspector GNC System Overview

Seeker is an ultra-low cost approach to highly automated extravehicular inspection of crewed or uncrewed spacecraft that has been designed and built in-house at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). The first version of Seeker is intended to be an incremental development towards an advanced inspection capability. This effort builds on past free-flying inspector development efforts such as the Autonomous Extravehicular Activity Robotic Camera Sprint (AERCam Sprint) and Mini AERCam. Seeker was funded as an International Space Station (ISS) "X-by" Project, which required delivery of the vehicle approximately one year after authority to proceed and within the budget of $1.8 million. Seeker will fly onboard the NG-11 Cygnus mission in 2019 and will deploy after Cygnus' primary mission is completed. Seeker will perform inspection-like maneuvers within 50 meters of the target vehicle (Cygnus) and then dispose itself. The Seeker Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system is composed entirely of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and space-rated COTS items, an inertial-relative Multiplicative Extended Kalman Filter (MEKF), point-to-point guidance (with various additional modes such as stationkeeping), proportional-integral translational control, phase plane rotational control, and a state machine for automated mission moding with minimal ground input.

Navigation↗
NASA NTRS1980

Space shuttle status

Technology problems relating to the shuttle thermal protection system and the auxiliary power units for flight control of engine gimbaling and aero surfaces are examined as well as yet unresolved difficulties associated with the main engine, external tank doors, and the payload bay doors. Concepts for launch crew escape and for flight inspection are discussed, and the orbital flight test drivers are identified. The majority of OFT objectives can be accomplished in a success oriented four flight program. Carry over will be accommodated in the operational phase with a mini-DFI package. Primary shuttle systems requiring additional testings are (1) aerodynamics (forward CG); (2) thermal control system (high beta); (3) payload deployment and retrieval system (retrieval, a maximum weight, and proximity operations); (4) SSME throttling to 109%; and (5) SSME nozzle entry aerodynamic heating (up elevon/body flap position at hypersonic velocities).

Slayton, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A highly redundant robot system for inspection

The work on the serpentine inspection system at JPL is described. The configuration of the inspection system consists of 20 degrees of freedom in total. In particular, the design and development of the serpentine micromanipulator end-effector tool which has 12 degrees of freedom is described. The inspection system is used for application in JPL's Remote Surface Inspection project and as a research tool in redundant manipulator control.

Lee, Thomas S.↗
NASA NTRS2001

VIPER: Virtual Intelligent Planetary Exploration Rover

Simulation and visualization of rover behavior are critical capabilities for scientists and rover operators to construct, test, and validate plans for commanding a remote rover. The VIPER system links these capabilities. using a high-fidelity virtual-reality (VR) environment. a kinematically accurate simulator, and a flexible plan executive to allow users to simulate and visualize possible execution outcomes of a plan under development. This work is part of a larger vision of a science-centered rover control environment, where a scientist may inspect and explore the environment via VR tools, specify science goals, and visualize the expected and actual behavior of the remote rover. The VIPER system is constructed from three generic systems, linked together via a minimal amount of customization into the integrated system. The complete system points out the power of combining plan execution, simulation, and visualization for envisioning rover behavior; it also demonstrates the utility of developing generic technologies. which can be combined in novel and useful ways.

Edwards, Laurence↗
NASA NTRS2000

An Overview of the NASA Aviation Safety Program Propulsion Health Monitoring Element

The NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) has been initiated with aggressive goals to reduce the civil aviation accident rate, To meet these goals, several technology investment areas have been identified including a sub-element in propulsion health monitoring (PHM). Specific AvSP PHM objectives are to develop and validate propulsion system health monitoring technologies designed to prevent engine malfunctions from occurring in flight, and to mitigate detrimental effects in the event an in-flight malfunction does occur. A review of available propulsion system safety information was conducted to help prioritize PHM areas to focus on under the AvSP. It is noted that when a propulsion malfunction is involved in an aviation accident or incident, it is often a contributing factor rather than the sole cause for the event. Challenging aspects of the development and implementation of PHM technology such as cost, weight, robustness, and reliability are discussed. Specific technology plans are overviewed including vibration diagnostics, model-based controls and diagnostics, advanced instrumentation, and general aviation propulsion system health monitoring technology. Propulsion system health monitoring, in addition to engine design, inspection, maintenance, and pilot training and awareness, is intrinsic to enhancing aviation propulsion system safety.

Simon, Donald L.↗