SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Structured light, Structured illumination”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 19 records

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Directed Illumination of Sunlight Collimated and Observed Beneath A Lunar Lander (DISCOBaLL): Structured Illumination for a Lunar Surface Photogrammetry System

A lighting system has been developed to provide structured illumination allowing photogrammetry to be performed during and after landing on extraterrestrial bodies. The system, known as Directed Illumination of Sunlight Collimated and Observed Beneath a Lunar Lander (DISCOBaLL), provides patterned lighting suitable for two- and multiple-camera photogrammetry, allowing several different measurements to be obtained including pre-landing terrain shape, visualization and localization of the ejecta sheet during landing, and post-landing terrain shape enabling quantitative measurement of plume-induced cratering. The paper explains the methodology of designing the DISCOBaLL, describes multiple prototypes, and shows the performance of these prototypes using actual solar radiation in a laboratory setting.

Plume-Surface Interaction↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Directed Illumination of Sunlight Collimated and Observed Beneath a Lunar Lander (DISCOBaLL): Structured Illumination For a Lunar Surface Photogrammetry System

Lunar Regolith↗

NASA NTRS1977

MIS diode structure in As/+/ implanted CdS

Structure made by As implantation of carefully prepared high-conductivity CdS surfaces followed by Pt deposition and 450 C anneal display rectifying, although substantially different, I-V characteristics in the dark and during illumination with subband-gap light. Structures prepared in the same way on an unimplanted portion of the substrate have similar I-V characteristics, except that the forward turnover voltage for an illuminated unimplanted diode is much smaller than that for an implanted diode. It is suggested that the charge conduction in both structures is dominated by hole and/or electron tunneling through a metal-semiconductor potential barrier. The tunneling processes appear to be quite sensitive to subband-gap illumination, which causes the dramatic decreases of turnover voltages and apparent series resistances. The difference in turnover voltage appears to be caused by interface states between the Pt electrode and the implanted layer, which suggests a MIS model.

Hutchby, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS2018

System and Method for Active Multispectral Imaging and Optical Communications

Provided is a system and method for active multispectral imaging having a transmitter that uses narrowband optical radiation to dynamically illuminate an object with modulated structured light in multiple spectral bands, and a receiver that includes an independent panchromatic imager. The transmitter and receiver can be operated in a bistatic decoupled configuration to enable passive multispectral synthesis, illumination-invariant sensing, optical communications, and the ability for the transmitter to emit a sequence of spectral bands in an order that is unknown to the receiver, and the receiver is able to passively decode the spectral identity from a band identifier embedded in the modulated structured light. The receiver passively decodes embedded high-bandwidth simplex communications while reconstructing calibrated multispectral images at video frame rates.

Chirayath, Ved↗

NASA NTRS2010

Diffuse-Illumination Systems for Growing Plants

Agriculture in both terrestrial and space-controlled environments relies heavily on artificial illumination for efficient photosynthesis. Plant-growth illumination systems require high photon flux in the spectral range corresponding with plant photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) (400 700 nm), high spatial uniformity to promote uniform growth, and high energy efficiency to minimize electricity usage. The proposed plant-growth system takes advantage of the highly diffuse reflective surfaces on the interior of a sphere, hemisphere, or other nearly enclosed structure that is coated with highly reflective materials. This type of surface and structure uniformly mixes discrete light sources to produce highly uniform illumination. Multiple reflections from within the domelike structures are exploited to obtain diffuse illumination, which promotes the efficient reuse of photons that have not yet been absorbed by plants. The highly reflective surfaces encourage only the plant tissue (placed inside the sphere or enclosure) to absorb the light. Discrete light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), are typically used because of their high efficiency, wavelength selection, and electronically dimmable properties. The light sources are arranged to minimize shadowing and to improve uniformity. Different wavelengths of LEDs (typically blue, green, and red) are used for photosynthesis. Wavelengths outside the PAR range can be added for plant diagnostics or for growth regulation

May, George↗

NASA NTRS2001

Measurement of Separated Flow Structures Using a Multiple-Camera DPIV System

A novel multiple-camera system for the recording of digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) images acquired in a two-dimensional separating/reattaching flow is described. The measurements were performed in the NASA Langley Subsonic Basic Research Tunnel as part of an overall series of experiments involving the simultaneous acquisition of dynamic surface pressures and off-body velocities. The DPIV system utilized two frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers to generate two coplanar, orthogonally polarized light sheets directed upstream along the horizontal centerline of the test model. A recording system containing two pairs of matched high resolution, 8-bit cameras was used to separate and capture images of illuminated tracer particles embedded in the flow field. Background image subtraction was used to reduce undesirable flare light emanating from the surface of the model, and custom pixel alignment algorithms were employed to provide accurate registration among the various cameras. Spatial cross correlation analysis with median filter validation was used to determine the instantaneous velocity structure in the separating/reattaching flow region illuminated by the laser light sheets. In operation the DPIV system exhibited a good ability to resolve large-scale separated flow structures with acceptable accuracy over the extended field of view of the cameras. The recording system design provided enhanced performance versus traditional DPIV systems by allowing a variety of standard and non-standard cameras to be easily incorporated into the system.

Humphreys, William M., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Next-Generation Optical Sensing Technologies for Exploring Ocean Worlds - NASA FluidCam, MiDAR, and NeMO-Net

We highlight three emerging NASA optical technologies that enhance our ability to remotely sense, analyze, and explore ocean worlds–FluidCam and fluid lensing, MiDAR, and NeMO-Net. Fluid lensing is the first remote sensing technology capable of imaging through ocean waves without distortions in 3D at sub-cm resolutions. Fluid lensing and the purpose-built FluidCam CubeSat instruments have been used to provide refraction-corrected 3D multispectral imagery of shallow marine systems from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Results from repeat 2013 and 2016 airborne fluid lensing campaigns over coral reefs in American Samoa present a promising new tool for monitoring fine-scale ecological dynamics in shallow aquatic systems tens of square kilometers in area. MiDAR is a recently-patented active multispectral remote sensing and optical communications instrument which evolved from FluidCam. MiDAR is being tested on UAVs and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to remotely sense living and non-living structures in light-limited and analog planetary science environments. MiDAR illuminates targets with high-intensity narrowband structured optical radiation to measure an object’s spectral reflectance while simultaneously transmitting data. MiDAR is capable of remotely sensing reflectance at fine spatial and temporal scales, with a signal-to-noise ratio 10-10(exp 3) times higher than passive airborne and spaceborne remote sensing systems, enabling high-framerate multispectral sensing across the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectrum. Preliminary results from a 2018 mission to Guam show encouraging applications of MiDAR to imaging coral from airborne and underwater platforms whilst transmitting data across the air-water interface. Finally, we share NeMO-Net, the Neural Multi-Modal Observation & Training Network for Global Coral Reef Assessment. NeMO-Net is a machine learning technology under development that exploits high-resolution data from FluidCam and MiDAR for augmentation of low-resolution airborne and satellite remote sensing. NeMO-Net is intended to harmonize the growing diversity of 2D and 3D remote sensing with in situ data into a single open-source platform for assessing shallow marine ecosystems globally using active learning for citizen-science based training. Preliminary results from four-class Q17 coral classification have an accuracy of 94.4%. Together, these maturing technologies present promising scalable, practical, and cost-efficient innovations that address current observational and technological challenges in optical sensing of marine systems.

Ved Chirayath↗

NASA NTRS2012

Computational Ghost Imaging for Remote Sensing

This work relates to the generic problem of remote active imaging; that is, a source illuminates a target of interest and a receiver collects the scattered light off the target to obtain an image. Conventional imaging systems consist of an imaging lens and a high-resolution detector array [e.g., a CCD (charge coupled device) array] to register the image. However, conventional imaging systems for remote sensing require high-quality optics and need to support large detector arrays and associated electronics. This results in suboptimal size, weight, and power consumption. Computational ghost imaging (CGI) is a computational alternative to this traditional imaging concept that has a very simple receiver structure. In CGI, the transmitter illuminates the target with a modulated light source. A single-pixel (bucket) detector collects the scattered light. Then, via computation (i.e., postprocessing), the receiver can reconstruct the image using the knowledge of the modulation that was projected onto the target by the transmitter. This way, one can construct a very simple receiver that, in principle, requires no lens to image a target. Ghost imaging is a transverse imaging modality that has been receiving much attention owing to a rich interconnection of novel physical characteristics and novel signal processing algorithms suitable for active computational imaging. The original ghost imaging experiments consisted of two correlated optical beams traversing distinct paths and impinging on two spatially-separated photodetectors: one beam interacts with the target and then illuminates on a single-pixel (bucket) detector that provides no spatial resolution, whereas the other beam traverses an independent path and impinges on a high-resolution camera without any interaction with the target. The term ghost imaging was coined soon after the initial experiments were reported, to emphasize the fact that by cross-correlating two photocurrents, one generates an image of the target. In CGI, the measurement obtained from the reference arm (with the high-resolution detector) is replaced by a computational derivation of the measurement-plane intensity profile of the reference-arm beam. The algorithms applied to computational ghost imaging have diversified beyond simple correlation measurements, and now include modern reconstruction algorithms based on compressive sensing.

Erkmen, Baris I.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Albedo of a forest modeled as a plane with dense protrusions

An analytical model for the absorption of solar radiation by surfaces such as a pine forest or a wheat field is presented. Objectives include understanding the parameters affecting the absorption of the solar irradiance in a complex structure, and determining the influence of the direction of illumination on light trapping. The surface is treated as a Lambertian reflectivity soil-plane; thin, vertical cylinders are regarded as Lambertian reflectors. Using a dimensionless protrusion parameter based on the height and diameter of the vertical plant elements, optical characteristics (e.g., the dependence of the albedo on the solar zenith angle) of a complex structure are well quantified.

Otterman, J.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Holographic nondestructive tests performed on composite samples of ceramic-epoxy-fiberglass sandwich structure

When a hologram storing more than one wave is illuminated with coherent light, the reconstructed wave fronts interfere with each other or with any other phase-related wave front derived from the illuminating source. This multiple wave front comparison is called holographic interferometry, and its application is called holographic nondestructive testing (HNDT). The theoretical aspects of HNDT techniques and the sensitivity of the holographic system to the geometrical placement of the optical components are briefly discussed. A unique HNDT system which is mobile and possesses variable sensitivity to stress amplitude is discribed, the experimental evidence of the application of this system to the testing of the hidden debonds in a ceramic-epoxy-fiberglass structure used for sample testing of the radome of the Pershing missile system is presented.

Kurtz, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS2008

System for Measuring Flexing of a Large Spaceborne Structure

An optoelectronic metrology system is used for determining the attitude and flexing of a large spaceborne radar antenna or similar structure. The measurements are needed for accurate pointing of the antenna and correction and control of the phase of the radar signal wavefront. The system includes a dual-field-of-view star tracker; a laser ranging unit (LRU) and a position-sensitive-detector (PSD)-based camera mounted on an optical bench; and fiducial targets at various locations on the structure. The fiducial targets are illuminated in sequence by laser light coupled via optical fibers. The LRU and the PSD provide measurements of the position of each fiducial target in a reference frame attached to the optical bench. During routine operation, the star tracker utilizes one field of view and functions conventionally to determine the orientation of the optical bench. During operation in a calibration mode, the star tracker also utilizes its second field of view, which includes stars that are imaged alongside some of the fiducial targets in the PSD; in this mode, the PSD measurements are traceable to star measurements.

Scharf, Daniel↗

NASA NTRS2000

Full Field Photoelastic Stress Analysis

A structural specimen coated with or constructed of photoelastic material, when illuminated with circularly polarized light will, when stressed: reflect or transmit elliptically polarized light, the direction of the axes of the ellipse and variation of the elliptically light from illuminating circular light will correspond to and indicate the direction and magnitude of the shear stresses for each illuminated point on the specimen. The principles of this invention allow for several embodiments of stress analyzing apparatus, ranging from those involving multiple rotating optical elements, to those which require no moving parts at all. A simple polariscope may be constructed having two polarizing filters with a single one-quarter waveplate placed between the polarizing filters. Light is projected through the first polarizing filter and the one-quarter waveplate and is reflected from a sub-fringe birefringent coating on a structure under load. Reflected light from the structure is analyzed with a polarizing filter. The two polarizing filters and the one-quarter waveplate may be rotated together or the analyzer alone may be rotated. Computer analysis of the variation in light intensity yields shear stress magnitude and direction.

Lesniak, Jon R.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Two-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy Developed for Microgravity Fluid Physics

Recent research efforts within the Microgravity Fluid Physics Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center have necessitated the development of a microscope capable of high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of intracellular structure and tissue morphology. Standard optical microscopy works well for thin samples, but it does not allow the imaging of thick samples because of severe degradation caused by out-of-focus object structure. Confocal microscopy, which is a laser-based scanning microscopy, provides improved three-dimensional imaging and true optical sectioning by excluding the out-of-focus light. However, in confocal microscopy, out-of-focus object structure is still illuminated by the incoming beam, which can lead to substantial photo-bleaching. In addition, confocal microscopy is plagued by limited penetration depth, signal loss due to the presence of a confocal pinhole, and the possibility of live-cell damage. Two-photon microscopy is a novel form of laser-based scanning microscopy that allows three-dimensional imaging without many of the problems inherent in confocal microscopy. Unlike one-photon microscopy, it utilizes the nonlinear absorption of two near-infrared photons. However, the efficiency of two-photon absorption is much lower than that of one-photon absorption because of the nonlinear (i.e., quadratic) electric field dependence, so an ultrafast pulsed laser source must typically be employed. On the other hand, this stringent energy density requirement effectively localizes fluorophore excitation to the focal volume. Consequently, two-photon microscopy provides optical sectioning and confocal performance without the need for a signal-limiting pinhole. In addition, there is a reduction in photo-damage because of the longer excitation wavelength, a reduction in background fluorescence, and a 4 increase in penetration depth over confocal methods because of the reduction in Rayleigh scattering.

Fischer, David G.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Wizard Staff: A Mobile Tool Supporting Human Exploration on The Lunar Surface

The Wizard Staff is a rechargeable, battery powered mobile tool with multiple uses for lunar surface exploration. It supports human activity as a surface survey tool, provides external illumination to enhance safety, delivers networking, communications, and navigation features to remote sites, and assists crew rescue with an emergency beacon and rigid splint structure. As a survey tool, it assists crewed geologic field site exploration with external lights, cameras, and LiDAR to illuminate, map, and record the sample collection process. As a relay station, it provides a surface intranet communications and navigation node for extended exploration far from the lander or habitation module. A separately developed Search-and-Rescue (SAR) handheld device can broadcast a signal to the Gandalf Staff containing crew position and biometric data. The staff then formats the message and sends it orbiting satellite(s) for emergency response via the LunaNET on a dedicated frequency similar to terrestrial applications using an Emergency Position-Indicating Radiobeacon (EPIRB). The staff is designed with an upper and lower segment. Components in the upper segment are the LiDAR, external lighting arrays, cameras, communications equipment, intelligence devices, and user interface for crew operations. The lower segment is a set of FeLiPO4 battery cells packed into the 2” diameter carbon fiber tube. When the battery pack is discharged, a spring connector (designed for the dusty lunar environment) easily disconnects the two segments for replacement with another fully charged battery pack. The lower segment can be used for Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR) as a rigid splint. As a stand-alone science platform, the Wizard Staff provides infrastructure for instruments and sensors to record the lunar environment over long periods of time. After a crew installs the components on the lunar surface, the platform delivers data to the lunar lander or base station for analysis. The stand-alone mode requires an auxiliary power source (e.g. solar array) and energy storage system (e.g. battery), so it could also be used as an electrical recharging station. A working prototype of Wizard Staff has been developed with collaboration between NASA (JSC, MSFC, and GSFC), Texas Space Technology Applications and Research (T STAR), and Texas A&M University (TAMU) using $300k of innovation funding in FY’21 and FY’22. The functional staff weights 36# on Earth (6# on the Moon), stands 2.1m tall and delivers external lighting with an array of 40 LED bulbs generating 1460 Lux at 2m range (near field), or 2 Lux at 50m (far field).

Gandalf Staff↗

NASA NTRS1980

Characterization of reflected light from the space power system

Sunlight reflected off large space structures is examined. To assure that this illumination does not exceed the irradiance tolerances of the eye, reflections from these satellites must be controlled by vehicle orientation and surface specifications. The components of various space power system vehicles to determine the reflectances which will significantly contribute to the ground illumination are evaluated. Calculations of reflected solar intensity from various satellite system elements requires description of the elements and of the geometry potential reflectance paths. Surface intensity and the conditions under which it will illuminate a portion of the Earth are also determined.

Liemohn, H. B.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Fluorescent Applications to Crystallization

By covalently modifying a subpopulation, less than or equal to 1%, of a macromolecule with a fluorescent probe, the labeled material will add to a growing crystal as a microheterogeneous growth unit. Labeling procedures can be readily incorporated into the final stages of purification, and tests with model proteins have shown that labeling u to 5 percent of the protein molecules does not affect the X-ray data quality obtained . The presence of the trace fluorescent label gives a number of advantages. Since the label is covalently attached to the protein molecules, it "tracks" the protein s response to the crystallization conditions. The covalently attached probe will concentrate in the crystal relative to the solution, and under fluorescent illumination crystals show up as bright objects against a darker background. Non-protein structures, such as salt crystals, do not show up under fluorescent illumination. Crystals have the highest protein concentration and are readily observed against less bright precipitated phases, which under white light illumination may obscure the crystals. Automated image analysis to find crystals should be greatly facilitated, without having to first define crystallization drop boundaries as the protein or protein structures is all that shows up. Fluorescence intensity is a faster search parameter, whether visually or by automated methods, than looking for crystalline features. Preliminary tests, using model proteins, indicates that we can use high fluorescence intensity regions, in the absence of clear crystalline features or "hits", as a means for determining potential lead conditions. A working hypothesis is that more rapid amorphous precipitation kinetics may overwhelm and trap more slowly formed ordered assemblies, which subsequently show up as regions of brighter fluorescence intensity. Experiments are now being carried out to test this approach using a wider range, of proteins. The trace fluorescently labeled crystals will also emit with sufficient intensity to aid in the automation of crystal alignment using relatively low cost optics, further increasing throughput at synchrotrons.

Pusey, Marc L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Analysis of optically controlled microwave/millimeter wave device structures

The light-induced voltage and the change in the source-to-drain channel current under optical illumination higher than the semiconductor bandgap for GaAs MESFET, InP MESFET, Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) and GaAs permeable base transistor (PBT) were analytically obtained. The GaAs PBT and GaAs MESFET have much higher sensitivity than InP MESFET. The Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs HEMT is observed to have the highest sensitivity. Variation in device parasitics due to optical illumination and its effect on the cutoff frequencies f sub T and f sub max are also investigated.

Simons, R. N.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Analysis of optically controlled microwave/millimeter-wave device structures

Simons, Rainee N.↗