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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 1,117 records · Page 62

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NASA NTRS1983

A system for intelligent teleoperation research

The Automation Technology Branch of NASA Langley Research Center is developing a research capability in the field of artificial intelligence, particularly as applicable in teleoperator/robotics development for remote space operations. As a testbed for experimentation in these areas, a system concept has been developed and is being implemented. This system termed DAISIE (Distributed Artificially Intelligent System for Interacting with the Environment), interfaces the key processes of perception, reasoning, and manipulation by linking hardware sensors and manipulators to a modular artificial intelligence (AI) software system in a hierarchical control structure. Verification experiments have been performed: one experiment used a blocksworld database and planner embedded in the DAISIE system to intelligently manipulate a simple physical environment; the other experiment implemented a joint-space collision avoidance algorithm. Continued system development is planned.

Orlando, N. E.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Kernel structures for Clouds

An overview of the internal structure of the Clouds kernel was presented. An indication of how these structures will interact in the prototype Clouds implementation is given. Many specific details have yet to be determined and await experimentation with an actual working system.

Spafford, Eugene H.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Multichannel optical correlator/convolver utilizing the magnetooptic spatial light modulator

The paper describes a multichannel correlator/convolver architecture utilizing an acoustooptic light modulator for the one dimensional channel and a magnetooptic spatial light modulator (MOSLM) for the second two-dimensional parallel channel. The MOSLM allows greater parallelism to be implemented in this correlator/convolver design than was previously reported. The implementation of 24 parallel channels with a 48 x 48 device is demonstrated. Experimental data are presented and the ways of increasing the number of parallel channels using commercially available MOSLMs and other previously discussed techniques, such as frequency multiplexing, are discussed. It is shown that over 2000 parallel channels are possible at 32-bit accuracy. A technique for obtaining a limited gray scale is also discussed.

Davis, Jeffrey A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Mathematical models of continuous flow electrophoresis: Electrophoresis technology

Two aspects of continuous flow electrophoresis were studied: (1) the structure of the flow field in continuous flow devices; and (2) the electrokinetic properties of suspended particles relevant to electrophoretic separations. Mathematical models were developed to describe flow structure and stability, with particular emphasis on effects due to buoyancy. To describe the fractionation of an arbitrary particulate sample by continuous flow electrophoresis, a general mathematical model was constructed. In this model, chamber dimensions, field strength, buffer composition, and other design variables can be altered at will to study their effects on resolution and throughput. All these mathematical models were implemented on a digital computer and the codes are available for general use. Experimental and theoretical work with particulate samples probed how particle mobility is related to buffer composition. It was found that ions on the surface of small particles are mobile, contrary to the widely accepted view. This influences particle mobility and suspension conductivity. A novel technique was used to measure the mobility of particles in concentrated suspensions.

Saville, Dudley A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Research on blackboard architectures at the Heuristic Programming Project (HPP)

Researchers are entering the second decade of research in the Blackboard problem solving framework with focus in the following areas: (1) extensions to the basic concepts implemented in AGE-1 to address, for example, reasoning with uncertain data; (2) a new architecture and development environment, BB1, that implements methods for explicity controlling the reasoning; and (3) the design of and experimentation with multiprocessor architectures using the Blackboard as an organizing framework. A summary of these efforts is presented.

Nii, H. Penny↗

NASA NTRS1989

Planning time-optimal robotic manipulator motions and work places for point-to-point tasks

A method is presented which combines simple time-optimal motions in an optimal manner to yield the minimum-time motions for an important class of complex manipulator tasks composed of point-to-point moves such as assembly, electronic component insertion, and spot welding. This method can also be used to design manipulator actions and work places so that tasks can be completed in minimum time. The method has been implemented in a computer-aided design software system. Several examples are presented. Experimental results show the method's validity and utility.

Dubowsky, S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The use of vestibular models for design and evaluation of flight simulator motion

Quantitative models for the dynamics of the human vestibular system are applied to the design and evaluation of flight simulator platform motion. An optimal simulator motion control algorithm is generated to minimize the vector difference between perceived spatial orientation estimated in flight and in simulation. The motion controller has been implemented on the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames Research Center and evaluated experimentally through measurement of pilot performance and subjective rating during VTOL aircraft simulation. In general, pilot performance in a longitudinal tracking task (formation flight) did not appear to be sensitive to variations in platform motion condition as long as motion was present. However, pilot assessment of motion fidelity by means of a rating scale designed for this purpose, were sensitive to motion controller design. Platform motion generated with the optimal motion controller was found to be generally equivalent to that generated by conventional linear crossfeed washout. The vestibular models are used to evaluate the motion fidelity of transport category aircraft (Boeing 727) simulation in a pilot performance and simulator acceptability study at the Man-Vehicle Systems Research Facility at NASA Ames Research Center. Eighteen airline pilots, currently flying B-727, were given a series of flight scenarios in the simulator under various conditions of simulator motion. The scenarios were chosen to reflect the flight maneuvers that these pilots might expect to be given during a routine pilot proficiency check. Pilot performance and subjective rating of simulator fidelity was relatively insensitive to the motion condition, despite large differences in the amplitude of motion provided. This lack of sensitivity may be explained by means of the vestibular models, which predict little difference in the modeled motion sensations of the pilots when different motion conditions are imposed.

Bussolari, Steven R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A perception system for a planetary explorer

To perform planetary exploration without human supervision, a complete autonomous robot must be able to model its environment and to locate itself while exploring its surroundings. For that purpose, the authors propose a modular perception system for an autonomous explorer. The perception system maintains a consistent internal representation of the observed terrain from multiple sensor views. The representation can be accessed from other modules through queries. The perception system is intended to be used by the Ambler, a six-legged vehicle being built at CMU. A partial implementation of the system using a range scanner is presented as well as experimental results on a testbed that includes the sensor, one computer-controlled leg, and obstacles on a sandy surface.

Hebert, M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Viscous-shock-layer analysis of hypersonic flows over long slender vehicles

An efficient and accurate method for solving the viscous shock layer equations for hypersonic flows over long slender bodies is presented. The two first order equations, continuity and normal momentum, are solved simultaneously as a coupled set. The flow conditions included are from high Reynolds numbers at low altitudes to low Reynolds numbers at high altitudes. For high Reynolds number flows, both chemical nonequilibrium and perfect gas cases are analyzed with surface catalytic effects and different turbulence models, respectively. At low Reynolds number flow conditions, corrected slip models are implemented with perfect gas case. Detailed comparisons are included with other predictions and experimental data.

Lee, Kam-Pui↗

NASA NTRS1992

Modal Test/Analysis Correlation of Space Station Structures Using Nonlinear Sensitivity

The modal correlation problem is formulated as a constrained optimization problem for validation of finite element models (FEM's). For large-scale structural applications, a pragmatic procedure for substructuring, model verification, and system integration is described to achieve effective modal correlation. The space station substructure FEM's are reduced using Lanczos vectors and integrated into a system FEM using Craig-Bampton component modal synthesis. The optimization code is interfaced with MSC/NASTRAN to solve the problem of modal test/analysis correlation; that is, the problem of validating FEM's for launch and on-orbit coupled loads analysis against experimentally observed frequencies and mode shapes. An iterative perturbation algorithm is derived and implemented to update nonlinear sensitivity (derivatives of eigenvalues and eigenvectors) during optimizer iterations, which reduced the number of finite element analyses.

Gupta, Viney K.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Programming Language Software For Graphics Applications

New approach reduces repetitive development of features common to different applications. High-level programming language and interactive environment with access to graphical hardware and software created by adding graphical commands and other constructs to standardized, general-purpose programming language, "Scheme". Designed for use in developing other software incorporating interactive computer-graphics capabilities into application programs. Provides alternative to programming entire applications in C or FORTRAN, specifically ameliorating design and implementation of complex control and data structures typifying applications with interactive graphics. Enables experimental programming and rapid development of prototype software, and yields high-level programs serving as executable versions of software-design documentation.

Beckman, Brian C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Modal test/analysis correlation of Space Station structures using nonlinear sensitivity

The modal correlation problem is formulated as a constrained optimization problem for validation of finite element models (FEM's). For large-scale structural applications, a pragmatic procedure for substructuring, model verification, and system integration is described to achieve effective modal correlations. The space station substructure FEM's are reduced using Lanczos vectors and integrated into a system FEM using Craig-Bampton component modal synthesis. The optimization code is interfaced with MSC/NASTRAN to solve the problem of modal test/analysis correlation; that is, the problem of validating FEM's for launch and on-orbit coupled loads analysis against experimentally observed frequencies and mode shapes. An iterative perturbation algorithm is derived and implemented to update nonlinear sensitivity (derivatives of eigenvalues and eigenvectors) during optimizer iterations, which reduced the number of finite element analyses.

Gupta, Viney K.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Nested Krylov methods and preserving the orthogonality

Recently the GMRESR inner-outer iteraction scheme for the solution of linear systems of equations was proposed by Van der Vorst and Vuik. Similar methods have been proposed by Axelsson and Vassilevski and Saad (FGMRES). The outer iteration is GCR, which minimizes the residual over a given set of direction vectors. The inner iteration is GMRES, which at each step computes a new direction vector by approximately solving the residual equation. However, the optimality of the approximation over the space of outer search directions is ignored in the inner GMRES iteration. This leads to suboptimal corrections to the solution in the outer iteration, as components of the outer iteration directions may reenter in the inner iteration process. Therefore we propose to preserve the orthogonality relations of GCR in the inner GMRES iteration. This gives optimal corrections; however, it involves working with a singular, non-symmetric operator. We will discuss some important properties, and we will show by experiments that, in terms of matrix vector products, this modification (almost) always leads to better convergence. However, because we do more orthogonalizations, it does not always give an improved performance in CPU-time. Furthermore, we will discuss efficient implementations as well as the truncation possibilities of the outer GCR process. The experimental results indicate that for such methods it is advantageous to preserve the orthogonality in the inner iteration. Of course we can also use iteration schemes other than GMRES as the inner method; methods with short recurrences like GICGSTAB are of interest.

Desturler, Eric↗

NASA NTRS1996

Impact of Load Balancing on Unstructured Adaptive Grid Computations for Distributed-Memory Multiprocessors

The computational requirements for an adaptive solution of unsteady problems change as the simulation progresses. This causes workload imbalance among processors on a parallel machine which, in turn, requires significant data movement at runtime. We present a new dynamic load-balancing framework, called JOVE, that balances the workload across all processors with a global view. Whenever the computational mesh is adapted, JOVE is activated to eliminate the load imbalance. JOVE has been implemented on an IBM SP2 distributed-memory machine in MPI for portability. Experimental results for two model meshes demonstrate that mesh adaption with load balancing gives more than a sixfold improvement over one without load balancing. We also show that JOVE gives a 24-fold speedup on 64 processors compared to sequential execution.

Biswas, Rupak↗

NASA NTRS1996

Impact of Load Balancing on Unstructured Adaptive Grid Computations for Distributed-Memory Multiprocessors

Sohn, Andrew↗

NASA NTRS1988

A Multiprocessor Operating System Simulator

This paper describes a multiprocessor operating system simulator that was developed by the authors in the Fall semester of 1987. The simulator was built in response to the need to provide students with an environment in which to build and test operating system concepts as part of the coursework of a third-year undergraduate operating systems course. Written in C++, the simulator uses the co-routine style task package that is distributed with the AT&T C++ Translator to provide a hierarchy of classes that represents a broad range of operating system software and hardware components. The class hierarchy closely follows that of the 'Choices' family of operating systems for loosely- and tightly-coupled multiprocessors. During an operating system course, these classes are refined and specialized by students in homework assignments to facilitate experimentation with different aspects of operating system design and policy decisions. The current implementation runs on the IBM RT PC under 4.3bsd UNIX.

Johnston, Gary M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Numerical modeling of HgCdTe solidification: Effects of phase diagram, double-diffusion convection and microgravity level

A numerical model of HgCdTe solidification was implemented using finite the element code FIDAP. Model verification was done using both experimental data and numerical test problems. The model was used to evaluate possible effects of double-diffusion convection in molten material, and microgravity level on concentration distribution in the solidified HgCdTe. Particular attention was paid to incorporation of HgCdTe phase diagram. It was found, that below a critical microgravity amplitude, the maximum convective velocity in the melt appears virtually independent on the microgravity vector orientation. Good agreement between predicted interface shape and an interface obtained experimentally by quenching was achieved. The results of numerical modeling are presented in the form of video film.

Bune, Andris V.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Applications Development for a Parallel COTS Spaceborne Computer

This presentation reviews the Remote Exploration and Experimentation Project (REE) program for utilization of scalable supercomputing technology in space. The implementation of REE will be the use of COTS hardware and software to the maximum extent possible, keeping overhead low. Since COTS systems will be used, with little or no special modification, there will be significant cost reduction.

Katz, Daniel S.↗