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At least 145 records · Page 8

Sensor and Actuator Needs for More Intelligent Gas Turbine Engines

This paper provides an overview of the controls and diagnostics technologies, that are seen as critical for more intelligent gas turbine engines (GTE), with an emphasis on the sensor and actuator technologies that need to be developed for the controls and diagnostics implementation. The objective of the paper is to help the "Customers" of advanced technologies, defense acquisition and aerospace research agencies, understand the state-of-the-art of intelligent GTE technologies, and help the "Researchers" and "Technology Developers" for GTE sensors and actuators identify what technologies need to be developed to enable the "Intelligent GTE" concepts and focus their research efforts on closing the technology gap. To keep the effort manageable, the focus of the paper is on "On-Board Intelligence" to enable safe and efficient operation of the engine over its life time, with an emphasis on gas path performance

Garg, Sanjay↗

An Intelligent Strain Gauge with Debond Detection and Temperature Compensation

The harsh rocket propulsion test environment will expose any inadequacies associated with preexisting instrumentation technologies, and the criticality for collecting reliable test data justifies investigating any encountered data anomalies. Novel concepts for improved systems are often conceived during the high scrutiny investigations by individuals with an in-depth knowledge from maintaining critical test operations. The Intelligent Strain Gauge concept was conceived while performing these kinds of activities. However, the novel concepts are often unexplored even if it has the potential for advancing the current state of the art. Maturing these kinds of concepts is often considered to be a tangential development or a research project which are both normally abandoned within the propulsion-oriented environment. It is also difficult to justify these kinds of projects as a facility enhancement because facility developments are only accepted for mature and proven technologies. Fortunately, the CIF program has provided an avenue for bringing the Intelligent Strain Gauge to fruition. Two types of fully functional smart strain gauges capable of performing reliable and sensitive debond detection have been successfully produced. Ordinary gauges are designed to provide test article data and they lack the ability to supply information concerning the gauge itself. A gauge is considered to be a smart gauge when it provides supplementary data relating other relevant attributes for performing diagnostic function or producing enhanced data. The developed strain gauges provide supplementary signals by measuring strain and temperature through embedded Karma and nickel chromium (NiCr) alloy elements. Intelligently interpreting the supplementary data into valuable information can be performed manually, however, integrating this functionality into an automatic system is considered to be an intelligent gauge. This was achieved while maintaining a very low mass. The low mass enables debond detection and temperature compensation to be performed when the gauge is utilized on small test articles. It was also found that the element's mass must be relatively small to avoid overbearing the desired thermal dissipation characteristics. Detecting the degradation of a gauge s bond was reliably achieved by correlating thermal dissipation with the bond s integrity. This was accomplished by precisely coupling a NiCr element with a Karma element for accurately interjecting and quantifying thermal energy. A finite amount of thermal energy is consistently placed in the gauge by electrically powering the NiCr element. The energy will only be temporarily stored before it begins to dissipate into the surrounding structure through the gauge bond. The ability to transmit the energy into the structure becomes greatly inhibited by any discontinuity in the bond s substrate. Therefore, the way the thermal dissipation occurs will reveal even the slightest change in the integrity of the bond.

Jensen, Scott L.↗

Intelligent Wireless Sensor Networks for System Health Monitoring

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) based on the IEEE 802.15.4 Personal Area Network (PAN) standard are finding increasing use in the home automation and emerging smart energy markets. The network and application layers, based on the ZigBee 2007 Standard, provide a convenient framework for component-based software that supports customer solutions from multiple vendors. WSNs provide the inherent fault tolerance required for aerospace applications. The Discovery and Systems Health Group at NASA Ames Research Center has been developing WSN technology for use aboard aircraft and spacecraft for System Health Monitoring of structures and life support systems using funding from the NASA Engineering and Safety Center and Exploration Technology Development and Demonstration Program. This technology provides key advantages for low-power, low-cost ancillary sensing systems particularly across pressure interfaces and in areas where it is difficult to run wires. Intelligence for sensor networks could be defined as the capability of forming dynamic sensor networks, allowing high-level application software to identify and address any sensor that joined the network without the use of any centralized database defining the sensors characteristics. The IEEE 1451 Standard defines methods for the management of intelligent sensor systems and the IEEE 1451.4 section defines Transducer Electronic Datasheets (TEDS), which contain key information regarding the sensor characteristics such as name, description, serial number, calibration information and user information such as location within a vehicle. By locating the TEDS information on the wireless sensor itself and enabling access to this information base from the application software, the application can identify the sensor unambiguously and interpret and present the sensor data stream without reference to any other information. The application software is able to read the status of each sensor module, responding in real-time to changes of PAN configuration, providing the appropriate response for maintaining overall sensor system function, even when sensor modules fail or the WSN is reconfigured. The session will present the architecture and technical feasibility of creating fault-tolerant WSNs for aerospace applications based on our application of the technology to a Structural Health Monitoring testbed. The interim results of WSN development and testing including our software architecture for intelligent sensor management will be discussed in the context of the specific tradeoffs required for effective use. Initial certification measurement techniques and test results gauging WSN susceptibility to Radio Frequency interference are introduced as key challenges for technology adoption. A candidate Developmental and Flight Instrumentation implementation using intelligent sensor networks for wind tunnel and flight tests is developed as a guide to understanding key aspects of the aerospace vehicle design, test and operations life cycle.

networks↗

LIS-Hydro: Authoritative Source for OCONUS Hydro-Intelligence

U.S. military forces are often tasked to participate in a variety of transboundary water-related decision-making activities, including humanitarian assistance operations through Department of State tasking, support of in-country infrastructure development activities that help develop or improve diplomatic relationships, and support of transboundary water treaty negotiations or disputes to reduce risk of conflict caused by water security issues. The U.S. intelligence communities have identified the coordination over shared water resources as an area of significant concern to U.S. national security (U.S. National Defense Strategy, 2018). Such transboundary water issues are projected to intensify in the future under increasingly complex population dynamics, political tensions due to parallel issues, and a changing climate. A 2017 joint NASA, USACE/RDC, and U.S. Air Force co-sponsored workshop revealed a lack of sufficient decision support tools and access to timely technical and contextual information needed to assess and respond to potential water-related threats around the world. The need for an integrated operational service, with the capacity to combine and synthesize hydrological modeling, assimilation, forecasting, and visualization capabilities across the U.S. Government, was highlighted as a key recommendation. In direct response, a subset of the U.S. Department of Defense, National Intelligence Community, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are collaborating on the development of a fully integrated hydro-modeling and streamflow prediction system (i.e., LIS-Hydro). Completion of the project and sustainment of the operational capability by Air Force Weather will establish a national asset to assist federal agencies implement government-wide strategies around water resources (U.S. Global Water Strategy, 2017). The hydrological products and services will, for the very first time, establish a routinely available authoritative source of global water intelligence information supporting war-fighters, planners, and decision makers at all echelons and services of the U.S. military, Federal government, and intelligence community. A summary of the interagency scientific collaboration in addressing some of the key gaps and needs identified during the 2017 workshop will be presented.

Land Information System↗

Development and Validation of a Simulation Testbed for the Intelligent Building Agents Laboratory (IBAL) Using TRNSYS

This paper documents the development and validation of a dynamic primary cooling and thermal storage system simulation testbed. The system simulation testbed, sIBAL, is based on the Intelligent Building Agents Laboratory (IBAL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is a research infrastructure and testbed for the development, evaluation, and demonstration of intelligent control algorithms. The sIBAL testbed developed in this project will serve as a virtual twin of the real facility for future control algorithm development. The details of the methodologies used to develop and validate the simulation testbed, which replicates the dynamic behaviors of the primary cooling and ice storage system in the IBAL facility, are presented. The simulation testbed was developed in TRNSYS using built-in component models and MATLAB functions to replicate the two water-cooled chillers, a thermal storage tank, pumps, valves and other components for four different operation modes. Experiments on IBAL components were designed and executed to generate experimental data for model development and verification of the simulation platform. The validation of the simulation results was carried out in two phases: 1) independent component simulations for the chillers and thermal storage tank, and 2) a combined testbed simulation of the entire hydronic system. Comparison of simulation results to the experimental data obtained from the IBAL facility showed errors within 1 °C for the temperatures outputs of both the chiller and the thermal storage model. The error is within an acceptable range for further intelligent control algorithms development. The findings from the study are summarized and presented along with areas where additional research is needed. In addition, data filtering procedures and model refinement measures utilized to improve the accuracy and accelerate the computation time of the simulation are presented.

cooling systems↗

Artificial intelligence to unlock real-world evidence in clinical oncology: A primer on recent advances

Purpose: Real world evidence is crucial to understanding the diffusion of new oncologic therapies, monitoring cancer outcomes, and detecting unexpected toxicities. In practice, real world evidence is challenging to collect rapidly and comprehensively, often requiring expensive and time-consuming manual case-finding and annotation of clinical text. In this Review, we summarise recent developments in the use of artificial intelligence to collect and analyze real world evidence in oncology. Methods: We performed a narrative review of the major current trends and recent literature in artificial intelligence applications in oncology. Results: Artificial intelligence (AI) approaches are increasingly used to efficiently phenotype patients and tumors at large scale. These tools also may provide novel biological insights and improve risk prediction through multimodal integration of radiographic, pathological, and genomic datasets. Custom language processing pipelines and large language models hold great promise for clinical prediction and phenotyping. Conclusions: Despite rapid advances, continued progress in computation, generalizability, interpretability, and reliability as well as prospective validation are needed to integrate AI approaches into routine clinical care and real-time monitoring of novel therapies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Revealing the interplay between “intelligent behavior” and surface reconstruction of non-precious metal doped SrTiO 3 catalysts during methane combustion

The impact of surface reconstruction of a model perovskite, SrTiO 3 (STO), on CH 4 activation for combustion and oxidative coupling was previously revealed that the reaction rate was proportional to the creation of Srterminated step sites. Doped perovskites (SrTi 1-x M x O 3 , M=metal dopant) present yet another form of reconstruction throughout the surface and the bulk, where the metal dopant can migrate in and out of the perovskite lattice, also known as "intelligent behavior". In this work, understanding the interplay between perovskite surface reconstruction (surface termination) and the "intelligent behavior" is tackled for the first time, and the catalytic consequences are probed with CH 4 combustion as a model reaction. A set of experimental techniques, including XRD, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray adsorption spectroscopy, kinetic measurements, as well as DFT calculations were used to understand the catalytic behavior of the reconstructed surfaces of Ni and Cu-doped STO for methane combustion. Here, we found that during methane oxidation, the diffusion of Ni and Cu into the lattice due to the "intelligent behavior" is accompanied by Sr enrichment on the surface of the perovskite. This Srenrichment process is reversible when Cu or Ni species exsolute as clusters/nanoparticles upon H 2 treatment. Such a surface reconstruction is found to greatly impact the catalytic activity of doped perovskites towards methane combustion.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Artificial Intelligence for Power Electronics in Electric Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities

We report progress in the field of power electronics within electric vehicles has generally been driven by conventional engineering design principles and experiential learning. Power electronics is inherently a multidomain field where semiconductor physics and electrical, thermal, and mechanical design knowledge converge to achieve a practical realization of desired targets in the form of conversion efficiency, power density, and reliability. Due to the promising nature of artificial intelligence in delivering rapid results, engineers are starting to explore the ways in which it can contribute to making power electronics more compact and reliable. Here, we conduct a brief review of the foray of artificial intelligence in three distinct subtechnologies within a power electronics system in the context of electric vehicles: semiconductor devices, power electronics module design and prognostics, and thermal management design. The intent is not to report an exhaustive literature review, but to identify the state of the art and opportunities for artificial intelligence to play a meaningful role in power electronics design from a mechanical and thermal standpoint, as well as to discuss a few promising future research directions.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Programs and Code for Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence

The scripts below are used to run the Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence developed within the "Detection of Potential Geothermal Exploration Sites from Hyperspectral Images via Deep Learning" project. It includes all scripts for pre-processing and processing, including: - Land Surface Temperature K-Means classifier - Labeling AI using Self Organizing Maps (SOM) - Post-processing for Permanent Scatterer InSAR (PSInSAR) analysis with SOM - Mineral marker summarizing - Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data splitting: creates data set from a single raster file - Artificial Intelligence Model: creates AI from a single data set, after splitting in Train, Validation and Test subsets - AI Mapper: creates a classification map based on a raster file

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

The Sensor Dilemma in Intelligent Transportation Systems

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are at the forefront in advancing the way we interact and perceive with the transportation network. This revolution is fueled by the significant advancement in sensor perception technologies such as Radar, LiDAR and Video Imaging which are the most popular modalities for ITS. Real-time perception data from these sensors allows intelligent infrastructure side decision making to improve the energy, efficiency and safety at traffic intersections. As traffic departments across the United States are transitioning from traditional loop detectors / emulators and embracing newer technologies, they are often left with a dilemma in choosing a sensor technology for infrastructure-based perception which is reliable, inexpensive, easy to setup and has robust performance in varying weather conditions. However, choosing a sensor which checks all boxes is not straightforward as every sensor type has unique benefits and drawbacks. Radar is excellent at detecting long range vehicles and weather resistance but lacks high resolution. LiDAR is expensive and weather-sensitive, while cameras provide rich visual data at a low cost but are constrained by lighting and visibility. This study examines Radar, LiDAR and camera sensors capabilities to ascertain whether any of these qualifies as the "best" sensor for ITS perception. Through this evaluation, we hope to draw attention to the necessity of National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Infrastructure Perception and Control (IPC) framework which presents a multi-sensor track data fusion engine to assimilate multiple data streams in order to provide robust and reliable perception. While no single sensor can meet all the demands of ITS, a hybrid approach combining multiple sensor modalities like Radar, LiDAR and cameras, offers the most robust solution for enhancing the safety and efficiency in intelligent transportation systems.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the study of intelligence agents as demonstrated by machines. It is an interdisciplinary field involving computer science as well as, various kinds of engineering and science, for example, robotics, bio-medical engineering, that accentuates automation of human acts and intelligence through machines. AI represents state-of-the-art use of machines to bring about algorithmic computation and understanding of tasks that include learning, problem solving, mapping, perception, and reasoning. Given the data and a description of its properties and relations between objects of interest, AI methods can perform the aforementioned tasks. Widely applied AI capabilities, e.g. learning, are now achievable at large scale through machine learning (ML), large volumes of data and specialized computational machines. ML encompasses learning without any kind of supervision (unsupervised learning) and learning with full supervision (supervised learning). Widely applied supervised learning techniques include deep learning and other machine learning methods that require less data than deep learning e.g. support vector machines, random forests. Unsupervised learning examples include dictionary learning, independent component analysis, and autoencoders. For application tasks with less labeled data, both supervised and unsupervised techniques can be adapted in a semi-supervised manner to produce accurate models and to increase the size of the labeled training data.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Artificial Intelligence for Autonomous Molecular Design: A Perspective

Domain-aware artificial intelligence has been increasingly adopted in recent years to expedite molecular design in various applications, including drug design and discovery. Recent advances in areas such as physics-informed machine learning and reasoning, software engineering, high-end hardware development, and computing infrastructures are providing opportunities to build scalable and explainable AI molecular discovery systems. This could improve a design hypothesis through feedback analysis, data integration that can provide a basis for the introduction of end-to-end automation for compound discovery and optimization, and enable more intelligent searches of chemical space. Several state-of-the-art ML architectures are predominantly and independently used for predicting the properties of small molecules, their high throughput synthesis, and screening, iteratively identifying and optimizing lead therapeutic candidates. However, such deep learning and ML approaches also raise considerable conceptual, technical, scalability, and end-to-end error quantification challenges, as well as skepticism about the current AI hype to build automated tools. To this end, synergistically and intelligently using these individual components along with robust quantum physics-based molecular representation and data generation tools in a closed-loop holds enormous promise for accelerated therapeutic design to critically analyze the opportunities and challenges for their more widespread application. This article aims to identify the most recent technology and breakthrough achieved by each of the components and discusses how such autonomous AI and ML workflows can be integrated to radically accelerate the protein target or disease model-based probe design that can be iteratively validated experimentally. Taken together, this could significantly reduce the timeline for end-to-end therapeutic discovery and optimization upon the arrival of any novel zoonotic transmission event. Our article serves as a guide for medicinal, computational chemistry and biology, analytical chemistry, and the ML community to practice autonomous molecular design in precision medicine and drug discovery.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

BRAINSTACK – A Platform for Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Collaborative Experiments on a Nano-Satellite

As the space economy continues to expand through increasingly easy access to advanced and inexpensive technology, space missions themselves have become more ambitious with exploration targets growing ever distant while simultaneously requiring larger guidance and communication budgets. These conflicting desires of distance and control drive the need for advanced on-board intelligent decision making to reduce communication and control limitations by automating as many mission functions as possible in-situ. While the amount of research on such Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) software modules has grown exponentially, the capacity to experimentally validate such software modules in space in a rapid and inexpensive format has not. To this end, the Nano Orbital Workshop (NOW) group at NASA Ames Research Center has been at the forefront of performing initial flight evaluation tests of ‘commercially’ available bleeding-edge computational platforms via what is programmatically referred to as the BrainStack on the TechEdSat (TES-n) flight series. This on-orbit computational platform provides an evaluation laboratory where advanced software experiments are pre-loaded into memory prior to launch, then executed as payloads during mission operations with results reported back and program tweaks or new training sets uploaded as needed. Processors selected as part of the BrainStack are of ideal size, packaging, and power consumption for easy integration into a cube satellite structure. These experiments have included the evaluation of small, high-performance GPUs and, more recently, neuromorphic processors, in LEO operations. Neuromorphic processors are of particular interest due to their superior power efficiency over GPUs in intelligent automation applications. The first TES-n flight test of an Intel first-generation Loihi neuromorphic processor launched on TES-13, January 13, 2022, and continues to operate in orbit despite no significant modifications to harden the processor against the space environment. The Intel Loihi Gen-1 on TES-13 is characterized by a 14nm 128-core Spiking Neural Network (SNN) able to support on-chip training. The processor is packaged in the Kapoho Bay USB module, providing a relatively straight-forward interface to the bus avionics system. The Kapoho Bay was in turn managed by an Intel Pentium single-board computer to handle scheduling of the software application payloads and communications with the satellite’s primary computer. The recently released Intel Loihi Gen-2, able to support integer-valued spike payloads and produced using 7nm process, will form part of the continually evolving BrainStack in the upcoming three TES-n/NOW flights. The Kapoho Point unit will incorporate eight Loihi-2 processors, enabling neural networks of up to one million neurons and one billion synapsis. Additionally, it is planned to measure the radiation environment these processors experience to understand any degradation or computational artifacts caused by long term space radiation exposure on these novel architectures. This evolving flexible and collaborative environment involving various research teams across NASA and other organizations is intended to be a convenient orbital test platform from which many anticipated future space automation applications may be initially tested.

Artificial Intelligence↗

The Case for Artificial Intelligence

The emerging era of artificial intelligence will be beneficial to society and is worth embracing, says Argonne’s Marius Stan, Program Lead for Intelligent Materials Design. Artificial intelligence is playing a significant role in defining new research methods that bring us to resolution or discovery more quickly than ever before. Argonne is using or developing many of these technologies as AI extends to new branches of science and technology, sprouting new buds that represent various facets of human function and cognition — from learning to language processing to visual recognition.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Development of the Intelligent, Preventive Infrared (IR) Inspection System Housed in Hybrid Robotic Platforms

Robots and robotic systems that are designed for inspection, environmental study, and health and safety aid are becoming an increasing necessity. However, there is a number of challenges that accompany robots that are designed for these specific applications. These challenges include: navigating compact, enclosed spaces, travelling over multiple terrains and large obstacles, using the proper sensing and detection methods to assess an environment, and the use of lightweight and durable materials. The robotic platforms currently in development look at all of these challenges and attempt to overcome them. These designs specific use of hybrid robotic platforms, or platform that utilizes soft and rigid materials, allows for a more flexible platform and makes environments more navigable. To further improve the navigation of the platforms and environmental assessment, a novel infrared detection system is housed in the platforms to create a robot that can be used for the applications listed above and more. Objectives: Further develop two types of robotic platforms that utilize additive manufacturing, soft materials, and rigid materials. Continue the development of an intelligent and inhibitory infrared detection system based on an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. Continued study and fabrication of active soft materials designed for both sensing and actuation in hybrid robotic systems. Improve additive manufacturing fabrication to design rigid and semi-rigid components for hybrid robotic platforms. Transformable Wheel Robotic Platform: The chassis, wheels, tires and inspection system housing use different additive manufacturing techniques for fabrication. Continued work with additive manufacturing has lead to studies in metal-based printing and modular design and manufacturing. The new platform design with integrated electrical component printed. This will allow integration of the sensor housing onto the platform. Electrical components are being tested for battery life and performance. To improve this performance, such as integration of Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries. Snake Robotic Platform: The main focus of the development has centered around liquid-based soft actuators. That act on the principles of electrostatic and hydraulic actuation. A liquid dielectric sits between two compliant electrodes, contained by a flexible polymer shell. The electrodes and film gradually collapse toward each other from one corner of the electrode to the other. When the electrodes and film close together, a majority of the fluid is pushed into the area not covered by an electrode. A thin layer of the liquid dielectric remains between the electrode. The actuators will be stacked to cause large displacement, and move the linkages. The chassis of this platform uses purely additively manufactured linkages. Intelligent, Preventive IR Inspection System: Development of the AI for the system has lead to using a Scikit-Learn which assists in creating predictive models based on Regression, clustering, classification etc. To improve the infrared thermometry for low emissivity sources, work on the fabrication of a tandem photoconductive infrared thermometer was a main focus. Distance-Voltage-Temperature response data has been collected in the range of 7 cm - 100 cm and 200-400 deg. C. Modifications were made to the existing test bench to have a better control over the data. Automated data collection was realized using a Python code and an Arduino controlled stepper motor to increase the sample rate. A protective enclosure has been built around the setup to minimize the effect of the environment on the measurements. To better predict temperature, different AI models are being optimized. The regression model, LARS showed a high accuracy but had convergence issues and only works for the current test set-up. Results: The Transformable Wheel Robot has developed into a more flexible and modular platform. With the improvements to the current work, effort on the tire or soft gripper design been a large focus. The soft grippers will be interchange able to allow for increased performance in identified terrain types. The development of the liquid-based actuators allows the snake robotic platform to achieve the goals of being flexible and able to navigate confined spaces. However, there is room for improvement. Optimization work is currently being done in COMSOL Multiphysics. With the current IR system set-up the LARS model perfectly predicts the data; however, considering the mobility aspect of the project other models will allow for an optimized system. Testing of other model types is currently being done.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Identification of NPP transients using artificial intelligence - 335

If the accidents happen in nuclear power plants (NPPs), the NPP operators identify the transients through observing the behaviors of the major parameters. However, the integrity of the instrumentation signals is not ensured under the accident circumstances and the major parameters essential in identifying the transients can rapidly change although the instruments generate accurate signals. Thus, to successfully control the accidents by taking necessary measures relatively faster, it is very important to provide the operators with the information that can identify the transients and accidents accurately. In this study, the transients of severe accidents in NPPs are identified and classified using artificial intelligence methodologies. Several transients are identified using support vector classification (SVC) and probabilistic neural network (PNN) as artificial intelligence methodologies. The used data for the transients are the simulation data using the modular accident analysis program (MAAP) code for the optimized power reactors (OPR1000s). The time-integrated values of chosen simulated sensor signals are used as the input variables for identifying the transients. As a result of this study, the proposed models identified the transients quite precisely. Therefore, the quite accurate identification of the transients indicates the excellence of these artificial intelligence methods and they will produce useful supporting information for the operators even under extreme transient circumstances in NPPs. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Low‐Volume Cores for Fabrication of Compact, Versatile, and Intelligent Soft Systems

Abstract This study introduces the low‐volume core (LVC) fabrication method, which enables the monolithic molding of compact, complex, versatile, and intelligent soft robotic systems. This method uses thin and flexible thermoplastic sheets to mold internal chambers in soft fluidic actuators, valves, and circuits. The LVC fabrication method creates low‐volume networks in soft actuators (LV‐net actuators) that can be made with compact and complex geometries, enabling both low actuation volume input and multi‐degree‐of‐freedom actuators. LVC fabrication can also be used for compact, completely soft, and monolithic logic components (valves with low‐volume core, also called as LV valves) to provide directional resistance as well as a switching mechanism that enables fluidic logic in soft systems. The compatibility of the fabrication methods for both soft actuators and valves facilitates the creation of compact, integrated, and versatile soft robotic systems with embodied intelligence. This study introduces two examples of such intelligent soft robotic systems that integrate both LV‐net actuators and LV valves to demonstrate capability for complex system fabrication.

Yu, Qifan↗

Toward Intelligent Multimodal Holography for Real-Time Chemical Imaging of Dynamic Ion Separation

Molecular-level visualization of ion transport and separation dynamics in complex environments is crucial for advancing energy systems, water purification, and critical materials recovery. Achieving this requires imaging platforms that combine structural sensitivity, chemical specificity, and real-time operation. Digital off-axis holography (DOAH) provides high-throughput, label-free quantitative phase imaging but inherently lacks chemical selectivity. Integrating DOAH with complementary spectroscopic channels such as fluorescence or hyperspectral imaging introduces the needed molecular specificity, while also creating challenges in multimodal data fusion, synchronization, and computational throughput. Artificial intelligence offers a powerful route to address these limitations by uniting physics-based reconstruction with data-driven interpretation. In this Perspective, we outline a framework for intelligent multimodal holography and demonstrate its potential using a preliminary AI-driven test case. Raw DOAH holograms of lanthanide solutions subjected to magnetic field gradients were analyzed using multi-agent AI workflows that autonomously selected reconstruction tools, extracted NMF components, and generated scientific claims consistent with true paramagnetic and diamagnetic behavior. This demonstration shows how AI-enabled reasoning can deliver real-time chemical–structural interpretation directly from raw holograms. Together, these advances define a path toward adaptive, intelligent holography platforms capable of supporting in situ chemical separations, dynamic ion transport analysis, and next-generation interfacial science.

Ricchiuti, Giovanna↗