Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “NAVIGATION INSTRUMENT”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Top-down proteomics

Proteoforms arising from posttranslational modifications, genetic polymorphisms, and RNA splice variants, play a pivotal role as the key drivers in biology. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of proteoforms is essential for unraveling the intricacies of biological systems and bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype. By analyzing whole proteins without digestion, top-down proteomics (TDP) provides a holistic view of the proteome and presents a next-generation approach for deciphering protein function, uncovering disease mechanisms, and advancing precision medicine. This Primer embarks on a journey into the world of TDP by encapsulating its historical context, underlying principles, recent advances, and an outlook on the future of TDP. The experimental section navigates instrumentation, sample preparation, intact protein separation, tandem mass spectrometry techniques, and data collection. Results decipher raw data, visualize intact protein spectra, unravel data analysis, and explain proteoform identification, characterization, and quantitation, as well as statistical analysis. Various applications of TDP spanning the human proteoform project, biomedical, biopharmaceutical, and clinical applications are described. These are complemented by discussions on measurement reproducibility, limitations, and a forward-looking perspective outlining uncharted waters where the field can advance, and potential exciting future applications of TDP.

Roberts, David S.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Block Island Survey and Deployment Operations Data

This dataset contains survey, navigation, and platform-design data supporting instrument deployment and positioning during the 2016-2017 RODEO field operations at Block Island. It includes an acoustic localization software toolkit and its Block Island position solutions, R/V Tioga ship navigation and underway data, CTD casts, ship-track charts, and engineering designs for the deployed moorings and arrays.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

A science-driven approach to optimize the design for a biological small-angle neutron scattering instrument

Biological small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instruments facilitate critical analysis of the structure and dynamics of complex biological systems. However, with the growth of experimental demands and the advances in optical systems design, a new neutron optical concept is necessary to overcome the limitations of current instruments. This work presents an approach to include experimental objectives ( i.e. the science to be supported by a specific neutron scattering instrument) in the optimization of the neutron optical concept. The approach for a proposed SANS instrument at the Second Target Station of the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, is presented here. Further, the instrument is simulated with the McStas software package. The optimization process is driven by an evolutionary algorithm using McStas output data, which are processed to calculate an objective function designed to quantify the expected performance of the simulated neutron optical configuration for the intended purpose. Each McStas simulation covers the complete instrument, from source to detector, including realistic sample scattering functions. This approach effectively navigates a high-dimensional parameter space that is otherwise intractable; it allows the design of next-generation SANS instruments to address specific scientific cases and has the potential to increase instrument performance compared with traditional design approaches.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quick-connect scanning tunneling microscope head with nested piezoelectric coarse walkers

To meet changing research demands, new scanning tunneling microscope (STM) features must constantly evolve. We describe the design, development, and performance of a modular plug-in STM, which is compact and stable. The STM head is equipped with a quick-connect socket that is matched to a universal connector plug, enabling it to be transferred between systems. This head can be introduced into a vacuum system via a load-lock and transferred to various sites equipped with the connector plug, permitting multi-site STM operation. Its design allows for reliable operation in a variety of experimental conditions, including a broad temperature range, ultra-high vacuum, high magnetic fields, and closed-cycle pulse-tube cooling. The STM’s compact size is achieved by a novel nested piezoelectric coarse walker design, which allows for large orthogonal travel in the X, Y, and Z directions, ideal for studying both bulk and thin film samples ranging in size from mm to μm. Its stability and noise tolerance are demonstrated by achieving atomic resolution under ambient conditions on a laboratory desktop with no vibrational or acoustic isolation. The operation of the nested coarse walkers is demonstrated by successful navigation to a μm-sized 2D sample.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spatiotemporal Automatic Calibration of Infrastructure Lidar, Radar, and Camera with a Global Navigation Satellite System

Robust and accurate perception is important for modern intelligent transportation systems (ITS), which use sensors of various modalities for data fusion to create a digital twin of an intersection. Sensor calibration is an important process that creates a unified coordinate frame for the sensor output data so that it can be used for data fusion. Classical approaches for sensor calibration are time-consuming, require an overlapping field of view for feature matching, and are not feasible for ITS application as they cause disruptions in the flow of traffic. In this paper, we present a spatiotemporal automatic calibration approach to calibrate multiple infrastructure lidar, radar, and cameras installed at a traffic intersection. The approach uses global navigation satellite system (GNSS) positioning information shared by connected vehicles, and when the vehicle is detected by the sensor, we match the sensor detections with the GNSS coordinates. The proposed algorithm is evaluated with a real-world dataset utilizing detections from two radars, cameras, and lidars with a test vehicle instrumented with a post-processing kinematic (PPK)-corrected GNSS driving past the sensors installed at a four-way traffic intersection. The experimental results show that the proposed automatic calibration approach can achieve the transformation with a root mean squared error of less than 0.5 for radar and lidar and less than 2 for camera detections. The ability to rapidly calibrate sensors not only benefits initial installations, but can also be used for system health monitoring, while utilizing available connected vehicle data to test the real-time sensor fidelity and operational status.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,ENERGY CONSERVATION, C↗
DOE OSTI2025

ReVise: A Human-AI Interface for Incremental Algorithmic Recourse

The recent adoption of artificial intelligence in socio-technical systems raises concerns about the black-box nature of the resulting decisions in fields such as hiring, finance, admissions, etc. If data subjects—such as job applicants, loan applicants, and students—receive an unfavorable outcome, they may be interested in algorithmic recourse, which involves updating certain features to yield a more favorable result when re-evaluated by algorithmic decision-making. Unfortunately, when individuals do not fully understand the incremental steps needed to change their circumstances, they risk following misguided paths that can lead to significant, long-term adverse consequences. Existing recourse approaches focus exclusively on the final recourse goal but neglect the possible incremental steps to reach the goal with real-life constraints, user preferences, and model artifacts. To address this gap, we formulate a visual analytic workflow for incremental recourse planning in collaboration with AI/ML experts and contribute an interactive visualization interface that helps data subjects efficiently navigate the recourse alternatives and make an informed decision. We also present one of the many usage scenarios, developed during exploratory feedback sessions with twelve graduate students using a real-world dataset, which demonstrates that our approach can be instrumental for data subjects in choosing a suitable recourse path.

algorithmic recourse↗
DOE OSTI2024

Navigating Exascale Operational Data Analytics: From Inundation to Insight

In this paper, we address the challenges in achieving sustainable data-driven efficiency by providing a detailed exploration of the end-to-end operational data analytics (ODA) framework that evolved through two generations of supercomputer systems at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). This framework addresses large data streams ingested from heavily instrumented HPC environment that accumulates multi-terabytes per day. We outline the multifaceted data life cycle across HPC procurement, operations, and research & development, identifying key obstacles and design decisions that shape effective strategies in building and supporting data pipelines end-to-end. By sharing key insights and lessons learned from our experience, we offer recommendations for the HPC community on enabling sustainable operational data analytics and beyond. Our contributions aim to bridge the gap between potential and real benefits of operational data, guiding future efforts towards integrated and sustainable operational intelligence in high-performance computing environments.

Shin, Woong↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spatiotemporal Automatic Calibration of Infrastructure Lidar, Radar, and Camera with a Global Navigation Satellite System: Preprint

Robust and accurate perception is important for modern intelligent transportation systems (ITS), which use sensors of various modalities for data fusion to create a digital twin of an intersection. Sensor calibration is an important process that creates a unified coordinate frame for the sensor output data so that it can be used for data fusion. Classical approaches for sensor calibration are time-consuming, require an overlapping field of view for feature matching, and are not feasible for ITS application as they cause disruptions in the flow of traffic. In this paper, we present a spatiotemporal automatic calibration approach to calibrate multiple infrastructure lidar, radar, and cameras installed at a traffic intersection. The approach uses global navigation satellite system (GNSS) positioning information shared by connected vehicles, and when the vehicle is detected by the sensor, we match the sensor detections with the GNSS coordinates. The proposed algorithm is evaluated with a real-world dataset utilizing detections from two radars, cameras, and lidars with a test vehicle instrumented with a post-processing kinematic (PPK)-corrected GNSS driving past the sensors installed at a four-way traffic intersection. The experimental results show that the proposed automatic calibration approach can achieve the transformation with a root mean squared error of less than 0.5 for radar and lidar and less than 2 for camera detections. The ability to rapidly calibrate sensors not only benefits initial installations, but can also be used for system health monitoring, while utilizing available connected vehicle data to test the real-time sensor fidelity and operational status.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Monte Carlo Simulation with CAD Interface for Calculation of 3D Maps of Residual Dose (CRADA)

Objective: To develop an easy-to-use software application to predict and mitigate radiation effects in research environment, space instruments, nuclear plants and medical facilities and help nonproliferation and national security efforts. Tech-X will develop standalone software libraries and command-line tools for ( 1) translating CAD into tessellated surfaces and tetrahedral meshes in GDML (for Geant4 and MARS 15), ROOT (for MARS 15) and HDF5 (for compact representation and for the visualization) formats, (2) healing CAD geometries to make them suitable for Monte Carlo simulations; (3) creating uniform and variable Cartesian and cylindrical meshes for detailed scoring; and ( 4) efficient Monte Carlo navigation in CAD geometries. JLAB will finish automation of simulations of residual dose in CAD geometries and integrate Tech-X software into Geant4 and MARS15. Finally, Tech-X will develop a Graphical User Interface to set up and heal CAD geometries, create input files, run and visualize simulations for residual dose. This application will run on local desktops, local and remote clusters and supercomputers and will be made available through public clouds, such as Amazon Web Services.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Special Observing Period (SOP) data for the Year of Polar Prediction site Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP)

The rapid changes occurring in the polar regions require an improved understanding of the processes that are driving these changes. At the same time, increased human activities such as marine navigation, resource exploitation, aviation, commercial fishing, and tourism require reliable and relevant weather information. One of the primary goals of the World Meteorological Organization's Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) project is to improve the accuracy of numerical weather prediction (NWP) at high latitudes. During YOPP, two Canadian “supersites” were commissioned and equipped with new ground-based instruments for enhanced meteorological and system process observations. Additional pre-existing supersites in Canada, the United States, Norway, Finland, and Russia also provided data from ongoing long-term observing programs. These supersites collected a wealth of observations that are well suited to address YOPP objectives. In order to increase data useability and station interoperability, novel Merged Observatory Data Files (MODFs) were created for the seven supersites over two Special Observing Periods (February to March 2018 and July to September 2018). All observations collected at the supersites were compiled into this standardized NetCDF MODF format, simplifying the process of conducting pan-Arctic NWP verification and process evaluation studies. This paper describes the seven Arctic YOPP supersites, their instrumentation, data collection and processing methods, the novel MODF format, and examples of the observations contained therein. MODFs comprise the observational contribution to the model intercomparison effort, termed YOPP site Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP). All YOPPsiteMIP MODFs are publicly accessible via the YOPP Data Portal (Whitehorse: https://doi.org/10.21343/a33e-j150, Huang et al., 2023a; Iqaluit: https://doi.org/10.21343/yrnf-ck57, Huang et al., 2023b; Sodankylä: https://doi.org/10.21343/m16p-pq17, O'Connor, 2023; Utqiagvik: https://doi.org/10.21343/a2dx-nq55, Akish and Morris, 2023c; Tiksi: https://doi.org/10.21343/5bwn-w881, Akish and Morris, 2023b; Ny-Ålesund: https://doi.org/10.21343/y89m-6393, Holt, 2023; and Eureka: https://doi.org/10.21343/r85j-tc61, Akish and Morris, 2023a), which is hosted by MET Norway, with corresponding output from NWP models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-Resolution Sampling of a River Plume Front with Uncrewed Underwater and Aerial Vehicles

Sampling fast-propagating oceanic features is inherently challenging and demands versatile instrumentation and innovative strategies. This paper introduces a novel sampling strategy designed to capture such phenomena, exemplified by a river plume front. Our method revolves around modifying the preprogrammed pathway of an uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) to dynamically track and three-dimensionally sample the evolution of the front. To enable the UUV to follow the feature, we adapt the use of a drifting gateway buoy to be positioned and trapped at the front’s convergence zone, allowing underway navigation relative to the buoy. In our demonstration, we showcase the effectiveness of this strategy by successfully conducting over 30 crossings of a river plume front within a 6-h window. The UUV sensors allowed a comprehensive assessment of key front characteristics, including density, velocity, and turbulence. Supplemental drone footage contributed to the overall picture and facilitated the transformation of the dataset into a front-following reference frame. This article provides an in-depth description of the deployment strategy and required postcollection data processing, including frontal crossing detection, the assessment of the frontal orientation from drone footage, and defining the plume bottom boundaries using backscatter intensity contours.

autonomous observations↗
DOE OSTI2025

Advancing ocean monitoring and knowledge for societal benefit: the urgency to expand Argo to OneArgo by 2030

The ocean plays an essential role in regulating Earth’s climate, influencing weather conditions, providing sustenance for large populations, moderating anthropogenic climate change, encompassing massive biodiversity, and sustaining the global economy. Human activities are changing the oceans, stressing ocean health, threatening the critical services the ocean provides to society, with significant consequences for human well-being and safety, and economic prosperity. Effective and sustainable monitoring of the physical, biogeochemical state and ecosystem structure of the ocean, to enable climate adaptation, carbon management and sustainable marine resource management is urgently needed. The Argo program, a cornerstone of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), has revolutionized ocean observation by providing real-time, freely accessible global temperature and salinity data of the upper 2,000m of the ocean (Core Argo) using cost-effective simple robotics. For the past 25 years, Argo data have underpinned many ocean, climate and weather forecasting services, playing a fundamental role in safeguarding goods and lives. Argo data have enabled clearer assessments of ocean warming, sea level change and underlying driving processes, as well as scientific breakthroughs while supporting public awareness and education. Building on Argo’s success, OneArgo aims to greatly expand Argo’s capabilities by 2030, expanding to full-ocean depth, collecting biogeochemical parameters, and observing the rapidly changing polar regions. Providing a synergistic subsurface and global extension to several key space-based Earth Observation missions and GOOS components, OneArgo will enable biogeochemical and ecosystem forecasting and new long-term climate predictions for which the deep ocean is a key component. Driving forward a revolution in our understanding of marine ecosystems and the poorly-measured polar and deep oceans, OneArgo will be instrumental to assess sea level change, ocean carbon fluxes, acidification and deoxygenation. Emerging OneArgo applications include new views of ocean mixing, ocean bathymetry and sediment transport, and ecosystem resilience assessment. Implementing OneArgo requires about $100 million annually, a significant increase compared to present Argo funding. OneArgo is a strategic and cost-effective investment which will provide decision-makers, in both government and industry, with the critical knowledge needed to navigate the present and future environmental challenges, and safeguard both the ocean and human wellbeing for generations to come.

ARGO↗
DOE OSTI2026

On Transforming the Specific Force Vector for an ECEF Inertial Navigation System

An inertial measurement unit accumulates the instantaneous specific force applied to the sensor over a small window of time. Importantly, this accumulation occurs in the sensor’s frame, yet the specific force must be mathematically integrated in a different navigation frame, and these two frames may be rotating with respect to each other. Consequently, a correction is needed to not only account for the frame difference but also for the time variation in the frame difference. Many references provide derivations of this correction [1], but the derivation is often abbreviated, and important assumptions are sometimes left unstated. This memo addresses this gap and provides a clear derivation of the specific force transform with all assumptions specifically stated. This derivation is specific to the Earth-centered, Earth-fixed navigation frame, but, hopefully, the derivation is sufficiently clear that readers can apply it to other navigation frames. Generally, notation follows the same format as described in both [1, 2].

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

From Obsolete to Optimal (ATR Demineralized Water System)

My project was migrating a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) program from legacy software to a modern platform, enhancing operational efficiency and eliminating unsupported, obsolete equipment. Initially, I used a migration tool to transfer the programs to the new software, then manually updated variables to align with the new PLC. I optimized the PLC code by leveraging new scaling features in the I/O cards, removing over 45 obsolete rungs, and enhancing clarity with functional tag aliases. Next, I modernized the HMI's visuals with an updated color scheme and 3D buttons. I developed multiple interface versions iteratively refining them based on operator feedback. I also designed and created a dedicated "Rounds" screen incorporating insights from a previous intern’s project to streamline daily rounds. To improve clarity, consistency, and efficiency I redesigned the entire interface. Adding visual indicators to enhance operational awareness: red is used for values outside normal specifications, green for normal operating modes, yellow for manual mode, and grey for offline units. Additionally, I added a dynamic visual representation of tank levels, creating PLC logic to show the level in inches as well as inches and feet. I then incorporated a navigation sidebar to facilitate efficient screen transitions. Risk of human error was mitigated by defining narrow input ranges for tank level shutoff and password protecting setpoint changes. I also fixed issues with datatypes that caused inaccuracies in the original code. Overall, this comprehensive upgrade significantly enhanced the HMI's functionality, user experience, and operational reliability.

47 - OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Convergence of Emerging Technologies - Blickfeld Test Results

The Blickfeld Cube 1 Lidar is an inexpensive flash lidar being developed for autonomous navigation with an advertised maximum range of 75 meters that uses a Class 1 eye-safe laser. Figure 1 shows an example of the installation of the Cube 1 lidar and Figure 2 shows an example of the point cloud generated, with the red circle indicating an intruder. The Cube 1 lidar has a software adjustable field of view and as many as 5 lidars can be stitched together. (Figure 2 shows two Cube 1 lidars stitched together.)

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

On The Jacobian of the ECEF J2 Gravitation Model

An Earth-centered, Earth-fixed (ECEF) inertial navigation system must compute the Jacobian of its employed gravitation model with respect to position while time-propagating the error covariance of the system. One commonly used gravitation model is the ‘J2 model’ which is a second-order truncation of the Earth’s spherical harmonic gravitation model. The J2 model is popular because it can quickly and efficiently be evaluated, and the truncation error is small: The ‘J3 term’ --- the third term in the spherical harmonic expansion --- is approximately 1000 times smaller than the J2 term.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Radiation Imaging with Event Camera

Neuromorphic or event-based imaging is a new, commercially available sensor technology inspired by how the human eye works. Instead of measuring frames at a fixed rate, the camera measures changes in pixel intensity asynchronously. This difference in readout architecture results in a high dynamic range and low latency. Event-based cameras have been used in a variety of applications, including object tracking, navigation, and lidar technologies. However, event-based cameras have not been adequately researched for their ability to image high-energy particles. This report explores the use of an event camera for imaging alpha, beta, and X-rays particles, when coupled with scintillator screens to convert high-energy particles into visible light. Methods to process event data were developed and are presented here, along with the results. The event camera can measure alpha and beta particles with comparable performance to that of a conventional camera. Event cameras can also image higher-activity sources and offer the possibility of discriminating particle interaction types on the basis of timing differences, which typical cameras cannot do. Additionally, event cameras can image objects with an X-ray source when the source strength dynamically changes but does not create a high-contrast image during static X-ray measurement.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Towards a RAG-based summarization for the Electron Ion Collider

Abstract The complexity and sheer volume of information — encompassing documents, papers, data, and other resources — from large-scale experiments demand significant time and effort to navigate, making the task of accessing and utilizing these varied forms of information daunting, particularly for new collaborators and early-career scientists.To tackle this issue, a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)-based Summarization AI for EIC (RAGS4EIC) is under development. This AI-Agent not only condenses information but also effectively references relevant responses, offering substantial advantages for collaborators. Our project involves a two-step approach: first, querying a comprehensive vector database containing all pertinent experiment information; second, utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) to generate concise summaries enriched with citations based on user queries and retrieved data. We describe the evaluation methods that use RAG assessments (RAGAs) scoring mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of responses. Furthermore, we describe the concept of prompt template based instruction-tuning which provides flexibility and accuracy in summarization. Importantly, the implementation relies on LangChain [1], which serves as the foundation of our entire workflow. This integration ensures efficiency and scalability, facilitating smooth deployment and accessibility for various user groups within the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) community. This innovative AI-driven framework not only simplifies the understanding of vast datasets but also encourages collaborative participation, thereby empowering researchers. As a demonstration, a web application has been developed to explain each stage of the RAG Agent development in detail. The application can be accessed athttps://rags4eic-ai4eic.streamlit.app.[A tagged version of the source code can be found inhttps://github.com/ai4eic/EIC-RAG-Project/releases/tag/AI4EIC2023_PROCEEDING.]

Instruments & Instrumentation↗