A new six-degree-of-freedom force-reflecting hand controller for space telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcaffee, Douglas; Snow, Edward; Townsend, William; Robinson, Lee; Hanson, Joe

1990-01-01

A new 6 degree of freedom universal Force Reflecting Hand Controller (FRHC) was designed for use as the man-machine interface in teleoperated and telerobotic flight systems. The features of this new design include highly intuitive operation, excellent kinesthetic feedback, high fidelity force/torque feedback, a kinematically simple structure, mechanically decoupled motion in all 6 DOF, good back-drivability, and zero backlash. In addition, the new design has a much larger work envelope, smaller stowage volume, greater stiffness and responsiveness, and better overlap of the human operator's range of motion than do previous designs. The utility and basic operation of a new, flight prototype FRHC called the Model X is briefly discussed. The design heritage, general design goals, and design implementation of this advanced new generation of FRHCs are presented, followed by a discussion of basic features and the results of initial testing.

Livable Analytics - Home

Science.gov Websites

DECISION MAKING, DESIGN, AND OPERATIONS Occupant surveys are an invaluable source of information for design features are or are not working, and helps to prioritize the steps needed to improve occupant Assess how new technologies and design strategies impact occupants. document INFORM Improve operations

Flight control system design factors for applying automated testing techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sitz, Joel R.; Vernon, Todd H.

1990-01-01

Automated validation of flight-critical embedded systems is being done at ARC Dryden Flight Research Facility. The automated testing techniques are being used to perform closed-loop validation of man-rated flight control systems. The principal design features and operational experiences of the X-29 forward-swept-wing aircraft and F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) automated test systems are discussed. Operationally applying automated testing techniques has accentuated flight control system features that either help or hinder the application of these techniques. The paper also discusses flight control system features which foster the use of automated testing techniques.

29 CFR 1910.217 - Mechanical power presses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... against unintentional operation and have the individual operator's hand controls arranged by design and... trip the press. (b) The control system shall be designed to permit an adjustment which will require... shall incorporate an antirepeat feature. (d) The control systems shall be designed to require release of...

29 CFR 1910.217 - Mechanical power presses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... against unintentional operation and have the individual operator's hand controls arranged by design and... trip the press. (b) The control system shall be designed to permit an adjustment which will require... shall incorporate an antirepeat feature. (d) The control systems shall be designed to require release of...

29 CFR 1910.217 - Mechanical power presses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... against unintentional operation and have the individual operator's hand controls arranged by design and... trip the press. (b) The control system shall be designed to permit an adjustment which will require... shall incorporate an antirepeat feature. (d) The control systems shall be designed to require release of...

29 CFR 1910.217 - Mechanical power presses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... against unintentional operation and have the individual operator's hand controls arranged by design and... trip the press. (b) The control system shall be designed to permit an adjustment which will require... shall incorporate an antirepeat feature. (d) The control systems shall be designed to require release of...

29 CFR 1910.217 - Mechanical power presses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... against unintentional operation and have the individual operator's hand controls arranged by design and... trip the press. (b) The control system shall be designed to permit an adjustment which will require... shall incorporate an antirepeat feature. (d) The control systems shall be designed to require release of...

Detection Performance Evaluation of the ASDE-3 Using Fixed Frequency and Frequency-Agile Operation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-03-01

The ASDE-3 (Airport Surface Detection Equipment) Radar design has many features to enhance operational usefulness. The purpose of all these features is to provide a better airport surface surveillance display for the control power tower cab. One of t...

Established Designs For Advanced Ground Based Astronomical Telescopes In The 1-meter To 4-meter Domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Anthony B.; Barentine, J.; Legters, S.

2012-01-01

The same technology and analytic approaches that led to cost-effective unmitigated successes for the spaceborne Kepler and WISE telescopes are now being applied to meter-class to 4-meter-class ground telescopes, providing affordable solutions to ground astronomy, with advanced features as needed for the application. The range of optical and mechanical performance standards and features that can be supplied for ground astronomy shall be described. Both classical RC designs, as well as unobscured designs are well represented in the IOS design library, allowing heritage designs for both night time and day time operations, the latter even in the proximity of the sun. In addition to discussing this library of mature features, we will also describe a process for working with astronomers early in the definition process to provide the best-value solution. Solutions can include remote operation and astronomical data acquisition and transmission.

Nuclear fuel performance: Trends, remedies and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusch, C. A.

2008-12-01

It is unacceptable to have nuclear power plants unavailable or power restricted due to fuel reliability issues. 'Fuel reliability' has a much broader definition than just maintaining mechanical integrity and being leaker free - fuel must fully meet the specifications, impose no adverse impacts on plant operation and safety, and maintain quantifiable margins within design and operational envelopes. The fuel performance trends over the last decade are discussed and the significant contributors to reduced reliability experienced with commercial PWR and BWR designs are identified and discussed including grid-to-rod fretting and debris fretting in PWR designs and accelerated corrosion, debris fretting and pellet-cladding interaction in BWR designs. In many of these cases, the impacts have included not only fuel failures but also plant operating restrictions, forced shutdowns, and/or enhanced licensing authority oversight. Design and operational remedies are noted. The more demanding operating regimes and the constant quest to improve fuel performance require enhancements to current designs and/or new design features. Fuel users must continue to and enhance interaction with fuel suppliers in such areas as oversight of supplier design functions, lead test assembly irradiation programs and quality assurance oversight and surveillance. With the implementation of new designs and/or features, such fuel user initiatives can help to minimize the potential for performance problems.

Flight control system design factors for applying automated testing techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sitz, Joel R.; Vernon, Todd H.

1990-01-01

The principal design features and operational experiences of the X-29 forward-swept-wing aircraft and F-18 high alpha research vehicle (HARV) automated test systems are discussed. It is noted that operational experiences in developing and using these automated testing techniques have highlighted the need for incorporating target system features to improve testability. Improved target system testability can be accomplished with the addition of nonreal-time and real-time features. Online access to target system implementation details, unobtrusive real-time access to internal user-selectable variables, and proper software instrumentation are all desirable features of the target system. Also, test system and target system design issues must be addressed during the early stages of the target system development. Processing speeds of up to 20 million instructions/s and the development of high-bandwidth reflective memory systems have improved the ability to integrate the target system and test system for the application of automated testing techniques. It is concluded that new methods of designing testability into the target systems are required.

Space Station services and design features for users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurzhals, Peter R.; Mckinney, Royce L.

1987-01-01

The operational design features and services planned for the NASA Space Station will furnish, in addition to novel opportunities and facilities, lower costs through interface standardization and automation and faster access by means of computer-aided integration and control processes. By furnishing a basis for large-scale space exploitation, the Space Station will possess industrial production and operational services capabilities that may be used by the private sector for commercial ventures; it could also ultimately support lunar and planetary exploration spacecraft assembly and launch facilities.

Nuclear safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buden, D.

1991-01-01

Topics dealing with nuclear safety are addressed which include the following: general safety requirements; safety design requirements; terrestrial safety; SP-100 Flight System key safety requirements; potential mission accidents and hazards; key safety features; ground operations; launch operations; flight operations; disposal; safety concerns; licensing; the nuclear engine for rocket vehicle application (NERVA) design philosophy; the NERVA flight safety program; and the NERVA safety plan.

Feature-based Approach in Product Design with Energy Efficiency Consideration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, D. D.; Zhang, Y. J.

2017-10-01

In this paper, a method to measure the energy efficiency and ecological footprint metrics of features is proposed for product design. First the energy consumption models of various manufacturing features, like cutting feature, welding feature, etc. are studied. Then, the total energy consumption of a product is modeled and estimated according to its features. Finally, feature chains that combined by several sequence features based on the producing operation orders are defined and analyzed to calculate global optimal solution. The corresponding assessment model is also proposed to estimate their energy efficiency and ecological footprint. Finally, an example is given to validate the proposed approach in the improvement of sustainability.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chevallier, J.; Turner, L.

This article describes the design and operation of Trident IX a successfully applied jack up system. A summary of Trident IX's two years of operation in the Arabian Gulf and offshore West Africa is presented. The system is compared to conventional jacking systems in terms of design, operation, costs and safety. Dynamic forces at 400 ft. water depths are summarized, and design of the legs to withstand these dynamic forces and accomodate the new system are explained. Features are listed.

Fiber optic sensor for measurement of pressure fluctuations at high temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, Allan J.; Cuomo, Frank W.

1989-01-01

A fiber-optic sensor, based on the principle of the fiber-optic lever, is described which features small size, extended bandwidth, and capability to operate at high temeratures, as required for measurements in hypersonic flow. The principle of operation, design features peculiar to the intended application, and expected performance at high temperatures are described.

78 FR 19982 - Special Conditions: Turbomeca Ardiden 3K Turboshaft Engine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-03

... novel or unusual design feature that is a 30-minute all engines operating (AEO) power rating for... appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety... Ardiden 3K engine is the first variant in the new Ardiden 3 series. This engine incorporates a two-stage...

The Operator Shell: A means of privilege distribution under Unix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuman, M.; Christoph, G.

1994-03-01

The Operator Shell (Osh) is a setuid root, security enhanced, restricted shell for providing fine-grain distribution of system privileges for a wide range of usages and requirements. Osh offers a marked improvement over other Unix privilege distribution systems in its ability to specify access to both commands and files, auditing features, and familiar interface. This paper describes the design, features, security considerations, internals, and applications of the Operator Shell.

Hardware design for the Autonomous Visibility Monitoring (AVM) observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowles, K.

1993-01-01

The hardware for the three Autonomous Visibility Monitoring (AVM) observatories was redesigned. Changes in hardware design include electronics components, weather sensors, and the telescope drive system. Operation of the new hardware is discussed, as well as some of its features. The redesign will allow reliable automated operation.

A biomechanical and subjective assessment and comparison of three ambulance cot design configurations.

PubMed

Sommerich, Carolyn M; Lavender, Steven A; Radin Umar, Radin Zaid; Le, Peter; Mehta, Jay; Ko, Pei-Ling; Farfan, Rafael; Dutt, Mohini; Park, SangHyun

2012-01-01

Effects of ambulance cot design features (handle design and leg folding mechanism) were evaluated. Experienced ambulance workers performed tasks simulating loading and unloading a cot to and from an ambulance, and a cot raising task. Muscle activity, ratings of perceived exertion, and performance style were significantly affected by cot condition (p < 0.05). Erector Spinae activity was significantly less when using Cot-2's stretcher-style handles. Shoulder muscle activity was significantly less when using Cot-2's loop handle. During loading and unloading, operators allowed the cot to support its own weight most often with Cot-2's stretcher-style handles. Preference for Cot-2 (either handles) over Cot-1 (with loop handle) was consistent across tasks. Handle effects were influenced by operator stature; taller participants received more benefit from Cot-2's stretcher-style handles; shoulder muscles' demands were greater for shorter participants due to handle location. Providing handle options and automatic leg folding/unfolding operation can reduce cot operator's effort and physical strain. Practitioner Summary: Paramedics frequently incur musculoskeletal injuries associated with patient-handling tasks. A controlled experiment was conducted to assess effects of ambulance cot design features on physical stress of operators, as seen through muscle activity and operator's perceptions. Differences between cots were found, signalling that intentional design can reduce operator's physical stress.

Whenever You Use a Computer You Are Using a Program Called an Operating System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Rick

1984-01-01

Examines design, features, and shortcomings of eight disk-based operating systems designed for general use that are popular or most likely to affect the future of microcomputing. Included are the CP/M family, MS-DOS, Apple DOS/ProDOS, Unix, Pick, the p-System, TRSDOS, and Macintosh/Lisa. (MBR)

AP1000{sup R} nuclear power plant safety overview for spent fuel cooling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorgemans, J.; Mulhollem, L.; Glavin, J.

2012-07-01

The AP1000{sup R} plant is an 1100-MWe class pressurized water reactor with passive safety features and extensive plant simplifications that enhance construction, operation, maintenance, safety and costs. The AP1000 design uses passive features to mitigate design basis accidents. The passive safety systems are designed to function without safety-grade support systems such as AC power, component cooling water, service water or HVAC. Furthermore, these passive features 'fail safe' during a non-LOCA event such that DC power and instrumentation are not required. The AP1000 also has simple, active, defense-in-depth systems to support normal plant operations. These active systems provide the first levelmore » of defense against more probable events and they provide investment protection, reduce the demands on the passive features and support the probabilistic risk assessment. The AP1000 passive safety approach allows the plant to achieve and maintain safe shutdown in case of an accident for 72 hours without operator action, meeting the expectations provided in the U.S. Utility Requirement Document and the European Utility Requirements for passive plants. Limited operator actions are required to maintain safe conditions in the spent fuel pool via passive means. In line with the AP1000 approach to safety described above, the AP1000 plant design features multiple, diverse lines of defense to ensure spent fuel cooling can be maintained for design-basis events and beyond design-basis accidents. During normal and abnormal conditions, defense-in-depth and other systems provide highly reliable spent fuel pool cooling. They rely on off-site AC power or the on-site standby diesel generators. For unlikely design basis events with an extended loss of AC power (i.e., station blackout) or loss of heat sink or both, spent fuel cooling can still be provided indefinitely: - Passive systems, requiring minimal or no operator actions, are sufficient for at least 72 hours under all possible pool heat load conditions. - After 3 days, several different means are provided to continue spent fuel cooling using installed plant equipment as well as off-site equipment with built-in connections. Even for beyond design basis accidents with postulated pool damage and multiple failures in the passive safety-related systems and in the defense-in-depth active systems, the AP1000 multiple spent fuel pool spray and fill systems provide additional lines of defense to prevent spent fuel damage. (authors)« less

Evaluating two process scale chromatography column header designs using CFD.

PubMed

Johnson, Chris; Natarajan, Venkatesh; Antoniou, Chris

2014-01-01

Chromatography is an indispensable unit operation in the downstream processing of biomolecules. Scaling of chromatographic operations typically involves a significant increase in the column diameter. At this scale, the flow distribution within a packed bed could be severely affected by the distributor design in process scale columns. Different vendors offer process scale columns with varying design features. The effect of these design features on the flow distribution in packed beds and the resultant effect on column efficiency and cleanability needs to be properly understood in order to prevent unpleasant surprises on scale-up. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) provides a cost-effective means to explore the effect of various distributor designs on process scale performance. In this work, we present a CFD tool that was developed and validated against experimental dye traces and tracer injections. Subsequently, the tool was employed to compare and contrast two commercially available header designs. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

High temperature, high intensity solar array. [for Venus Radar Mapper mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, B. S.; Brooks, G. R.; Pinkerton, R.

1985-01-01

The solar array for the Venus Radar Mapper mission will operate in the high temperature, high intensity conditions of a low Venus orbit environment. To fulfill the performance requirements in this environment at minimum cost and mass while maximizing power density and packing factor on the panel surface, several features were introduced into the design. These features included the use of optical surface reflectors (OSR's) to reduce the operating temperature; new adhesives for conductive bonding of OSR's to avoid electrostatic discharges; custom-designed large area cells and novel shunt diode circuit and panel power harness configurations.

Modeling strategic behavior in human-automation interaction - Why an 'aid' can (and should) go unused

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirlik, Alex

1993-01-01

Task-offload aids (e.g., an autopilot, an 'intelligent' assistant) can be selectively engaged by the human operator to dynamically delegate tasks to automation. Introducing such aids eliminates some task demands but creates new ones associated with programming, engaging, and disengaging the aiding device via an interface. The burdens associated with managing automation can sometimes outweigh the potential benefits of automation to improved system performance. Aid design parameters and features of the overall multitask context combine to determine whether or not a task-offload aid will effectively support the operator. A modeling and sensitivity analysis approach is presented that identifies effective strategies for human-automation interaction as a function of three task-context parameters and three aid design parameters. The analysis and modeling approaches provide resources for predicting how a well-adapted operator will use a given task-offload aid, and for specifying aid design features that ensure that automation will provide effective operator support in a multitask environment.

Feasibility study of an Integrated Program for Aerospace-vehicle Design (IPAD) system. Volume 5: Design of the IPAD system. Part 2: System design. Part 3: General purpose utilities, phase 1, task 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrocq, C. A.; Hurley, M. J.

1973-01-01

Viable designs are presented of various elements of the IPAD framework software, data base management system, and required new languages in relation to the capabilities of operating systems software. A thorough evaluation was made of the basic systems functions to be provide by each software element, its requirements defined in the conceptual design, the operating systems features affecting its design, and the engineering/design functions which it was intended to enhance.

Development of 3D pseudo pin-by-pin calculation methodology in ANC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, B.; Mayhue, L.; Huria, H.

2012-07-01

Advanced cores and fuel assembly designs have been developed to improve operational flexibility, economic performance and further enhance safety features of nuclear power plants. The simulation of these new designs, along with strong heterogeneous fuel loading, have brought new challenges to the reactor physics methodologies currently employed in the industrial codes for core analyses. Control rod insertion during normal operation is one operational feature in the AP1000{sup R} plant of Westinghouse next generation Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) design. This design improves its operational flexibility and efficiency but significantly challenges the conventional reactor physics methods, especially in pin power calculations. Themore » mixture loading of fuel assemblies with significant neutron spectrums causes a strong interaction between different fuel assembly types that is not fully captured with the current core design codes. To overcome the weaknesses of the conventional methods, Westinghouse has developed a state-of-the-art 3D Pin-by-Pin Calculation Methodology (P3C) and successfully implemented in the Westinghouse core design code ANC. The new methodology has been qualified and licensed for pin power prediction. The 3D P3C methodology along with its application and validation will be discussed in the paper. (authors)« less

Design study of wind turbines 50 kW to 3000 kW for electric utility applications. Volume 2: Analysis and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

All possible overall system configurations, operating modes, and subsystem concepts for a wind turbine configuration for cost effective generation of electrical power were evaluated for both technical feasibility and compatibility with utility networks, as well as for economic attractiveness. A design optimization computer code was developed to determine the cost sensitivity of the various design features, and thus establish the configuration and design conditions that would minimize the generated energy costs. The preliminary designs of both a 500 kW unit and a 1500 kW unit operating in a 12 mph and 18 mph median wind speed respectively, were developed. The various design features and components evaluated are described, and the rationale employed to select the final design configuration is given. All pertinent technical performance data and component cost data is included. The costs of all major subassemblies are estimated and the resultant energy costs for both the 500 kW and 1500 kW units are calculated.

Case Study of Using Resources about Sonar Operators To Teach Instructional Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mclellan, Hilary

1993-01-01

Describes a fictional account of the work of a submarine sonar operator ("The Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy) that captures the practitioner in a complex real-world work context featuring sophisticated electronic technologies. Describes how fiction can be adapted for and used as a basis for instructional design students to explore…

American Association of University Women: Branch Operations Data Modeling Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Ranida B.; Wedel, Thomas L.

2015-01-01

A nationally prominent woman's advocacy organization is featured in this case study. The scenario may be used as a teaching case, an assignment, or a project in systems analysis and design as well as database design classes. Students are required to document the system operations and requirements, apply logical data modeling concepts, and design…

Conceptual design of a mobile remote manipulator system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, H. G.; Mikulas, M. M., Jr.; Wallsom, R. E.; Jensen, J. K.

1984-01-01

A mobile remote manipulator system has been identified as a necessary device for space station. A conceptual design for an MRMS is presented which features (1) tracks on the MRMS and guide pins only on the truss structure, (2) a push/pull drive mechanism which rotates to permit movement in four directions, and (3) spacecrane and mobile foot restraint manipulators (or arms). Operational and design features of the MRMS elements are described and illustrated. Concepts are also presented which permit rotating the operational plane of the MRMS through 90 deg. Such a system has been found to have great utility for initial space station construction, maintenance and repair, and to provide a construction capability for future station growth or large spacecraft assembly and/or servicing.

Product information representation for feature conversion and implementation of group technology automated coding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medland, A. J.; Zhu, Guowang; Gao, Jian; Sun, Jian

1996-03-01

Feature conversion, also called feature transformation and feature mapping, is defined as the process of converting features from one view of an object to another view of the object. In a relatively simple implementation, for each application the design features are automatically converted into features specific for that application. All modifications have to be made via the design features. This is the approach that has attracted most attention until now. In the ideal situation, however, conversions directly from application views to the design view, and to other applications views, are also possible. In this paper, some difficulties faced in feature conversion are discussed. A new representation scheme of feature-based parts models has been proposed for the purpose of one-way feature conversion. The parts models consist of five different levels of abstraction, extending from an assembly level and its attributes, single parts and their attributes, single features and their attributes, one containing the geometric reference element and finally one for detailed geometry. One implementation of feature conversion for rotational components within GT (Group Technology) has already been undertaken using an automated coding procedure operating on a design-feature database. This database has been generated by a feature-based design system, and the GT coding scheme used in this paper is a specific scheme created for a textile machine manufacturing plant. Such feature conversion techniques presented here are only in their early stages of development and further research is underway.

The power of simplification: Operator interface with the AP1000{sup R} during design-basis and beyond design-basis events

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, M. G.; Mouser, M. R.; Simon, J. B.

2012-07-01

The AP1000{sup R} plant is an 1100-MWe pressurized water reactor with passive safety features and extensive plant simplifications that enhance construction, operation, maintenance, safety and cost. The passive safety features are designed to function without safety-grade support systems such as component cooling water, service water, compressed air or HVAC. The AP1000 passive safety features achieve and maintain safe shutdown in case of a design-basis accident for 72 hours without need for operator action, meeting the expectations provided in the European Utility Requirements and the Utility Requirement Document for passive plants. Limited operator actions may be required to maintain safe conditionsmore » in the spent fuel pool (SFP) via passive means. This safety approach therefore minimizes the reliance on operator action for accident mitigation, and this paper examines the operator interaction with the Human-System Interface (HSI) as the severity of an accident increases from an anticipated transient to a design basis accident and finally, to a beyond-design-basis event. The AP1000 Control Room design provides an extremely effective environment for addressing the first 72 hours of design-basis events and transients, providing ease of information dissemination and minimal reliance upon operator actions. Symptom-based procedures including Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs), Abnormal Operating Procedures (AOPs) and Alarm Response Procedures (ARPs) are used to mitigate design basis transients and accidents. Use of the Computerized Procedure System (CPS) aids the operators during mitigation of the event. The CPS provides cues and direction to the operators as the event progresses. If the event becomes progressively worse or lasts longer than 72 hours, and depending upon the nature of failures that may have occurred, minimal operator actions may be required outside of the control room in areas that have been designed to be accessible using components that have been designed to be reliable in these conditions. The primary goal of any such actions is to maintain or refill the passive inventory available to cool the core, containment and spent fuel pool in the safety-related and seismically qualified Passive Containment Cooling Water Storage Tank (PCCWST). The seismically-qualified, ground-mounted Passive Containment Cooling Ancillary Water Storage Tank (PCCAWST) is also available for this function as appropriate. The primary effect of these actions would be to increase the coping time for the AP1000 during design basis events, as well as events such as those described above, from 72 hours without operator intervention to 7 days with minimal operator actions. These Operator actions necessary to protect the health and safety of the public are addressed in the Post-72 Hour procedures, as well as some EOPs, AOPs, ARPs and the Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMGs). Should the event continue to become more severe and plant conditions degrade further with indications of inadequate core cooling, the SAMGs provide guidance for strategies to address these hypothetical severe accident conditions. The AP1000 SAMG diagnoses and actions are prioritized to first utilize the AP1000 features that are expected to retain a damaged core inside the reactor vessel. Only one strategy is undertaken at any time. This strategy will be followed and its effectiveness evaluated before other strategies are undertaken. This is a key feature of both the symptom-oriented AP1000 EOPs and the AP1000 SAMGs which maximizes the probability of retaining a damaged core inside the reactor vessel and containment while minimizing the chances for confusion and human errors during implementation. The AP1000 SAMGs are simple and straight-forward and have been developed with considerable input from human factors and plant operations experts. Most importantly, and different from severe accident management strategies for other plants, the AP1000 SAMGs do not require diagnosis of the location of the core (i.e., whether reactor vessel failure has occurred). This is a fundamental consequence of the AP1000 In-Vessel Retention approach, which allows severe accident management to be based on fundamental principles (e.g. provide coolant as close as possible to the core) that do not change during a specific event. This eliminates the need for one of the more difficult diagnostic requirements, since reactor vessel failure does not directly relate to any measurable plant parameter, and differs from other designs in that an engineered failure of the pressure vessel' (e.g. core catcher) is never required. (authors)« less

Design and performance of the LCLS cavity BPM system.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lill, R.; Norum, E.; Morrison, L.

2008-01-01

In this paper we present the design of the beam position monitor (BPM) system for the LCLS undulator, which features a high-resolution X-band cavity BPM. Each BPM has a TM{sub 010} monopole reference cavity and a TM{sub 110} dipole cavity designed to operate at a center frequency of 11.384 GHz. The signal processing electronics features a low- noise single-stage three-channel heterodyne receiver that has selectable gain and a phase locking local oscillator. We will discuss the system specifications, design, and prototype test results.

Design and Performance of the LCLS Cavity BPM System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lill, R.M.; Morrison, L.H.; Norum, W.E.

2008-01-23

In this paper we present the design of the beam position monitor (BPM) system for the LCLS undulator, which features a high-resolution X-band cavity BPM. Each BPM has a TM{sub 010} monopole reference cavity and a TM{sub 110} dipole cavity designed to operate at a center frequency of 11.384 GHz. The signal processing electronics features a low noise single-stage three-channel heterodyne receiver that has selectable gain and a phase locking local oscillator. We will discuss the system specifications, design, and prototype test results.

National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. Collins Company Upper Dam (CT 00674), Connecticut River Basin, Canton, Connecticut. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

Engineering Division p 0 CAR WE H FRZIAN, NENBER Design Branch Engineering Division J SEPE FIN~EGAN, JR.,CIV ater Control Branch * Engineering Division...Operator g. Purpose of Dam h. Design and Construction History i. Normal Operational Procedures 1.3 PERTINENT DATA ........................... 4 a...Tunnel i. Spillways j. Regulating Outlets SECTION 2: ENGINEERING DATA 2.1 DESIGN .............................. 9 a. Available Data b. Design Features c

Progress in the planar CPn SOFC system design verification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elangovan, S.; Hartvigsen, J.; Khandkar, A.

1996-04-01

SOFCo is developing a high efficiency, modular and scaleable planar SOFC module termed the CPn design. This design has been verified in a 1.4 kW module test operated directly on pipeline natural gas. The design features multistage oxidation of fuel wherein the fuel is consumed incrementally over several stages. High efficiency is achieved by uniform current density distribution per stage, which lowers the stack resistance. Additional benefits include thermal regulation and compactness. Test results from stack modules operating in pipeline natural gas are presented.

Design Guidelines and Criteria for User/Operator Transactions with Battlefield Automated Systems. Volume 2. Technical Discussion

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-02-01

Continue on tevetee «Id* If necemtery mid Identify br black number) Battlefield automated systems Human- computer interaction. Design criteria System...Report (this report) In-Depth Analyses of Individual Systems A. Tactical Fire Direction System (TACFIRE) (RP 81-26) B. Tactical Computer Terminal...select the design features and operating procedures of the human- computer Interface which best match the require- ments and capabilities of anticipated

The Physics Analysis of a Gas Attenuator with Argon as a Working Gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ryutov,, D.D.

2010-12-07

A gas attenuator is an important element of the LCLS facility. The attenuator must operate in a broad range of x-ray energies, provide attenuation coefficient between 1 and 10{sup 4} with the accuracy of 1% and, at the same time, be reliable and allow for many months of un-interrupted operation. S. Shen has recently carried out a detailed design study of the attenuator based on the use of nitrogen as a working gas. In this note we assess the features of the attenuator based on the use of argon. We concentrate on the physics issues, not the design features.

46 CFR 61.40-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PERIODIC TESTS AND INSPECTIONS Design... tests and inspections to evaluate the operation and reliability of controls, alarms, safety features... designated by the owner of the vessel shall conduct all tests and the Design Verification and Periodic Safety...

46 CFR 61.40-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PERIODIC TESTS AND INSPECTIONS Design... tests and inspections to evaluate the operation and reliability of controls, alarms, safety features... designated by the owner of the vessel shall conduct all tests and the Design Verification and Periodic Safety...

46 CFR 61.40-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PERIODIC TESTS AND INSPECTIONS Design... tests and inspections to evaluate the operation and reliability of controls, alarms, safety features... designated by the owner of the vessel shall conduct all tests and the Design Verification and Periodic Safety...

46 CFR 61.40-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PERIODIC TESTS AND INSPECTIONS Design... tests and inspections to evaluate the operation and reliability of controls, alarms, safety features... designated by the owner of the vessel shall conduct all tests and the Design Verification and Periodic Safety...

Mobile Food Ordering Application using Android OS Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yosep Ricky, Michael

2014-03-01

The purpose of this research is making an ordering food application based on Android with New Order, Order History, Restaurant Profile, Order Status, Tracking Order, and Setting Profile features. The research method used in this research is water model of System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) method with following phases: requirement definition, analyzing and determining the features needed in developing application and making the detail definition of each features, system and software design, designing the flow of developing application by using storyboard design, user experience design, Unified Modeling Language (UML) design, and database structure design, implementation an unit testing, making database and translating the result of designs to programming language code then doing unit testing, integration and System testing, integrating unit program to one unit system then doing system testing, operation and maintenance, operating the result of system testing and if any changes and reparations needed then the previous phases could be back. The result of this research is an ordering food application based on Android for customer and courier user, and a website for restaurant and admin user. The conclusion of this research is to help customer in making order easily, to give detail information needed by customer, to help restaurant in receiving order, and to help courier while doing delivery.

Remote control flare stack igniter for combustible gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, W. L.

1972-01-01

Device has been designed and developed for igniting nonrecoverable combustible gases and sustaining combustion of gases evolving from various gas vent stacks. Igniter is superior to existing systems because of simplicity of operation, low cost fabrication, installation, operational and maintainability features, and excellent reliability in all phases of required operations.

Special Operations Forces and Conventional Forces: Integration, Interoperability, and Interdependence

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-07

Phasing Model8 WESBROCK, HARNED, AND PLOUS 88 | FEATURES PRISM 6, no. 3 views on how to design, plan, and execute operat ions and campaigns. The...population-centric” operational environment. SOF views campaign design dif- ferently from the six-phase model in joint doc- trine depicted above.9...U.S. interests. This difference between SOF and CF views of cam- paigning can hamper integration from the start of an operation if components of the

A high efficiency motor/generator for magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niemeyer, W. L.; Studer, P.; Kirk, J. A.; Anand, D. K.; Zmood, R. B.

1989-01-01

The authors discuss the theory and design of a brushless direct current motor for use in a flywheel energy storage system. The motor design is optimized for a nominal 4.5-in outside diameter operating within a speed range of 33,000-66,000 revolutions per minute with a 140-V maximum supply voltage. The equations which govern the motor's operation are used to compute a series of acceptable design parameter combinations for ideal operation. Engineering tradeoffs are then performed to minimize the irrecoverable energy loss while remaining within the design constraint boundaries. A final integrated structural design whose features allow it to be incorporated with the 500-Wh magnetically suspended flywheel is presented.

40 CFR 265.1090 - Recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... applicable to the facility. Except for air emission control equipment design documentation and information... the operating record for a minimum of 3 years. Air emission control equipment design documentation... explain: How use of the required air emission controls on the tanks would affect the tank design features...

40 CFR 265.1090 - Recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... applicable to the facility. Except for air emission control equipment design documentation and information... the operating record for a minimum of 3 years. Air emission control equipment design documentation... explain: How use of the required air emission controls on the tanks would affect the tank design features...

40 CFR 265.1090 - Recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... applicable to the facility. Except for air emission control equipment design documentation and information... the operating record for a minimum of 3 years. Air emission control equipment design documentation... explain: How use of the required air emission controls on the tanks would affect the tank design features...

Design for effective development and prototyping of the HL-20

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urie, David M.; Floreck, Paul A.; McMorris, John A.; Elvin, John D.

1993-10-01

A feasibility study of the HL-20 personnel launch system (PLS) concept was conducted by a team which focused on creating a PLS design approach and an accelerated development plan consistent with the historical 'Skunk Works' approach to rapid prototyping. Technical design, manufacturing, system testing, and operations and support elements of the predefined baseline concept were evaluated. An initial phase program, featuring a concurrent system test during design and development, leading to the orbital flight of an unmanned HL-20 prototype on a Titan III launch system, was prescribed. A second-phase development and manufacturing plan leading to system operational status was also formulated. Baseline design feature modifications were made when necessary, without compromise to performance, to satisfy the prototype development plan. Technical design details and off-the-shelf hardware candidates were also identified for several subsystems, including the launch-system interface adapter/emergency escape system. The technical feasibility of the system and applicability of the Skunk Works approach to development of the HL-20/PLS were verified.

LARM PKM solutions for torso design in humanoid robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceccarelli, Marco

2014-12-01

Human-like torso features are essential in humanoid robots. In this paper problems for design and operation of solutions for a robotic torso are discussed by referring to experiences and designs that have been developed at Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics (LARM) in Cassino, Italy. A new solution is presented with conceptual views as waist-trunk structure that makes a proper partition of the performance for walking and arm operations as sustained by a torso.

Cryogenic propellant management: Integration of design, performance and operational requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Worlund, A. L.; Jamieson, J. R., Jr.; Cole, T. W.; Lak, T. I.

1985-01-01

The integration of the design features of the Shuttle elements into a cryogenic propellant management system is described. The implementation and verification of the design/operational changes resulting from design deficiencies and/or element incompatibilities encountered subsequent to the critical design reviews are emphasized. Major topics include: subsystem designs to provide liquid oxygen (LO2) tank pressure stabilization, LO2 facility vent for ice prevention, liquid hydrogen (LH2) feedline high point bleed, pogo suppression on the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), LO2 low level cutoff, Orbiter/engine propellant dump, and LO2 main feedline helium injection for geyser prevention.

Nuclear Reactor Safety--The APS Submits its Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Physics Today, 1975

1975-01-01

Presents the summary section of the American Physical Society (APS) report on the safety features of the light-water reactor, reviews the design, construction, and operation of a reactor and outlines the primary engineered safety features. Summarizes the major recommendations of the study group. (GS)

An improved asynchronous brain interface: making use of the temporal history of the LF-ASD feature vectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashashati, Ali; Mason, Steve; Ward, Rabab K.; Birch, Gary E.

2006-06-01

The low-frequency asynchronous switch design (LF-ASD) has been introduced as a direct brain interface (BI) for asynchronous control applications. Asynchronous interfaces, as opposed to synchronous interfaces, have the advantage of being operational at all times and not only at specific system-defined periods. This paper modifies the LF-ASD design by incorporating into the system more knowledge about the attempted movements. Specifically, the history of feature values extracted from the EEG signal is used to detect a right index finger movement attempt. Using data collected from individuals with high-level spinal cord injuries and able-bodied subjects, it is shown that the error characteristics of the modified design are significantly better than the previous LF-ASD design. The true positive rate percentage increased by up to 15 which corresponds to 50% improvement when the system is operating with false positive rates in the 1-2% range.

High-efficiency 20 GHz traveling wave tube development for space communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldana, S. L.; Tamashiro, R. N.

1991-01-01

A 75 watt CW high efficiency helix TWT operating at 20 GHz was developed for satellite communication systems. The purpose was to extend the performance capabilities of helix TWTs by using recent technology developments. The TWT described is a unique design because high overall efficiency is obtained with a low perveance beam. In the past, low perveance designs resulted in low beam efficiencies. However, due to recent breakthoughs in diamond rod technology and in collector electrode materials, high efficiencies can now be achieved with low perveance beams. The advantage of a low perveance beam is a reduction in space charge within the beam which translates to more efficient collector operation. In addition, this design incorporates textured graphite electrodes which further enhance collector operation by suppressing backstreaming secondaries. The diamond supported helix circuit features low RF losses, high interaction impedance, good thermal handling capability and has been designed to compensate for the low perveance beam. One more discussed tube feature is the use of a velocity taper in the output helix that achieves low signal distortion while maintaining high efficiency.

The CHAT System: An OS/360 MVT Time-Sharing Subsystem for Displays and Teletype. Technical Progress Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Gary D.

The design and operation of a time-sharing monitor are described. It runs under OS/360 MVT that supports multiple application program interaction with operators of CRT (cathode ray tube) display stations and of a teletype. Key design features discussed include: 1) an interface allowing application programs to be coded in either PL/I or assembler…

Distributed operating system for NASA ground stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doyle, John F.

1987-01-01

NASA ground stations are characterized by ever changing support requirements, so application software is developed and modified on a continuing basis. A distributed operating system was designed to optimize the generation and maintenance of those applications. Unusual features include automatic program generation from detailed design graphs, on-line software modification in the testing phase, and the incorporation of a relational database within a real-time, distributed system.

Some Current Issues in the Design of Flight Training Devices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prophet, Wallace W.; And Others

The rationale is developed that training equipment should be selected or designed to furnish what the student needs to know and to be able to do to perform successfully on the operational job. Several considerations relevant to training equipment design from the systems engineering standpoint are examined. Suggested design features based upon…

Design and Verification of Space Station EVA-Operated Truss Attachment System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katell, Gabriel

2001-01-01

This paper describes the design and verification of a system used to attach two segments of the International Space Station (ISS). This system was first used in space to mate the P6 and Z1 trusses together in December 2000, through a combination of robotic and extravehicular tasks. Features that provided capture, coarse alignment, and fine alignment during the berthing process are described. Attachment of this high value hardware was critical to the ISS's sequential assembly, necessitating the inclusion of backup design and operational features. Astronauts checked for the proper performance of the alignment and bolting features during on-orbit operations. During berthing, the system accommodates truss-to-truss relative displacements that are caused by manufacturing tolerances and on-orbit thermal gradients. After bolt installation, the truss interface becomes statically determinate with respect to in-plane shear loads and isolates attach bolts from bending moments. The approach used to estimate relative displacements and the means of accommodating them is explained. Confidence in system performance was achieved through a cost-effective collection of tests and analyses, including thermal, structural, vibration, misalignment, contact dynamics, underwater simulation, and full-scale functional testing. Design considerations that have potential application to other mechanisms include accommodating variations of friction coefficients in the on-orbit joints, wrench torque tolerances, joint preload, moving element clearances at temperature extremes, and bolt-nut torque reaction.

Analysis and Design of a Double-Divert Spiral Groove Seal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Xiaoqing; Berard, Gerald

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation describes the design and analysis of a double spiral groove seal. The contents include: 1) Double Spiral Design Features; 2) Double Spiral Operational Features; 3) Mating Ring/Rotor Assembly; 4) Seal Ring Assembly; 5) Insert Segment Joints; 6) Rotor Assembly Completed Prototype Parts; 7) Seal Assembly Completed Prototype Parts; 8) Finite Element Analysis; 9) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis; 10) Restrictive Orifice Design; 11) Orifice CFD Model; 12) Orifice Results; 13) Restrictive Orifice; 14) Seal Face Coning; 15) Permanent Magnet Analysis; 16) Magnetic Repulsive Force; 17) Magnetic Repulsive Test Results; 18) Spin Testing; and 19) Testing and Validation.

Design and adaptation of a novel supercritical extraction facility for operation in a glove box for recovery of radioactive elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, V. Suresh; Kumar, R.; Sivaraman, N.; Ravisankar, G.; Vasudeva Rao, P. R.

2010-09-01

The design and development of a novel supercritical extraction experimental facility adapted for safe operation in a glove box for the recovery of radioactive elements from waste is described. The apparatus incorporates a high pressure extraction vessel, reciprocating pumps for delivering supercritical fluid and reagent, a back pressure regulator, and a collection chamber. All these components of the system have been specially designed for glove box adaptation and made modular to facilitate their replacement. Confinement of these materials must be ensured in a glove box to protect the operator and prevent contamination to the work area. Since handling of radioactive materials under high pressure (30 MPa) and temperature (up to 333 K) is involved in this process, the apparatus needs elaborate safety features in the design of the equipment, as well as modification of a standard glove box to accommodate the system. As a special safety feature to contain accidental leakage of carbon dioxide from the extraction vessel, a safety vessel has been specially designed and placed inside the glove box. The extraction vessel was enclosed in the safety vessel. The safety vessel was also incorporated with pressure sensing and controlling device.

Practical Guide to HVAC for Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ASHRAE Journal, 1998

1998-01-01

Features six articles on heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems for schools. Examines how to avoid air temperature complaints when choosing a system; special system features; engineers, indoor air quality, and schools; mechanical systems noise in classrooms; operation and management issues related to design; and details on bids and…

Design and Development of a Two-Axis Thruster Gimbal with Xenon Propellant Lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asadurian, Armond

2010-01-01

A Two-Axis Thruster Gimbal was developed for a two degree-of-freedom tip-tilt gimbal application. This light weight gimbal mechanism is equipped with flexible xenon propellant lines and features numerous thermal control features for all its critical components. Unique thermal profiles and operating environments have been the key design drivers for this mechanism which is fully tolerant of extreme space environmental conditions. Providing thermal controls that are compatible with flexible components and are also capable of surviving launch vibration within this gimbal mechanism has proven to be especially demanding, requiring creativity and significant development effort. Some of these features, design drivers, and lessons learned will be examined herein.

CATIA V5 Virtual Environment Support for Constellation Ground Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, Andrew

2009-01-01

This summer internship primarily involved using CATIA V5 modeling software to design and model parts to support ground operations for the Constellation program. I learned several new CATIA features, including the Imagine and Shape workbench and the Tubing Design workbench, and presented brief workbench lessons to my co-workers. Most modeling tasks involved visualizing design options for Launch Pad 39B operations, including Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) access and internal access to the Ares I rocket. Other ground support equipment, including a hydrazine servicing cart, a mobile fuel vapor scrubber, a hypergolic propellant tank cart, and a SCAPE (Self Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble) suit, was created to aid in the visualization of pad operations.

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) over-the-wing control system design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A control system incorporating a digital electronic control was designed for the over-the-wing engine. The digital electronic control serves as the primary controlling element for engine fuel flow and core compressor stator position. It also includes data monitoring capability, a unique failure indication and corrective action feature, and optional provisions for operating with a new type of servovalve designed to operate in response to a digital-type signal and to fail with its output device hydraulically locked into position.

Mars aerobrake assembly simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filatovs, G. J.; Lee, Gordon K. F.; Garvey, John

1992-01-01

On-orbit assembly operation simulations in neutral buoyancy conditions are presently undertaken by a partial/full-scale Mars mission aerobrake mockup, whose design, conducted in the framework of an engineering senior students' design project, involved several levels of constraints for critical physical and operational features. Allowances had to be made for the auxiliary constraints introduced by underwater testing, as well as the subsegmenting required for overland shipment to the neutral-buoyancy testing facility. This mockup aerobrake's fidelity is determined by the numerous, competing design objectives.

MSUSTAT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mauriello, David

1984-01-01

Reviews an interactive statistical analysis package (designed to run on 8- and 16-bit machines that utilize CP/M 80 and MS-DOS operating systems), considering its features and uses, documentation, operation, and performance. The package consists of 40 general purpose statistical procedures derived from the classic textbook "Statistical…

Propulsion Study for Small Transport Aircraft Technology (STAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, J. C.; Earle, R. V.; Staton, D. V.; Stolp, P. C.; Huelster, D. S.; Zolezzi, B. A.

1980-01-01

Propulsion requirements were determined for 0.5 and 0.7 Mach aircraft. Sensitivity studies were conducted on both these aircraft to determine parametrically the influence of propulsion characteristics on aircraft size and direct operating cost (DOC). Candidate technology elements and design features were identified and parametric studies conducted to select the STAT advanced engine cycle. Trade off studies were conducted to determine those advanced technologies and design features that would offer a reduction in DOC for operation of the STAT engines. These features were incorporated in the two STAT engines. A benefit assessment was conducted comparing the STAT engines to current technology engines of the same power and to 1985 derivatives of the current technology engines. Research and development programs were recommended as part of an overall technology development plan to ensure that full commercial development of the STAT engines could be initiated in 1988.

Operating Systems for Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey

PubMed Central

Farooq, Muhammad Omer; Kunz, Thomas

2011-01-01

This paper presents a survey on the current state-of-the-art in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Operating Systems (OSs). In recent years, WSNs have received tremendous attention in the research community, with applications in battlefields, industrial process monitoring, home automation, and environmental monitoring, to name but a few. A WSN is a highly dynamic network because nodes die due to severe environmental conditions and battery power depletion. Furthermore, a WSN is composed of miniaturized motes equipped with scarce resources e.g., limited memory and computational abilities. WSNs invariably operate in an unattended mode and in many scenarios it is impossible to replace sensor motes after deployment, therefore a fundamental objective is to optimize the sensor motes’ life time. These characteristics of WSNs impose additional challenges on OS design for WSN, and consequently, OS design for WSN deviates from traditional OS design. The purpose of this survey is to highlight major concerns pertaining to OS design in WSNs and to point out strengths and weaknesses of contemporary OSs for WSNs, keeping in mind the requirements of emerging WSN applications. The state-of-the-art in operating systems for WSNs has been examined in terms of the OS Architecture, Programming Model, Scheduling, Memory Management and Protection, Communication Protocols, Resource Sharing, Support for Real-Time Applications, and additional features. These features are surveyed for both real-time and non-real-time WSN operating systems. PMID:22163934

Operating systems for wireless sensor networks: a survey.

PubMed

Farooq, Muhammad Omer; Kunz, Thomas

2011-01-01

This paper presents a survey on the current state-of-the-art in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Operating Systems (OSs). In recent years, WSNs have received tremendous attention in the research community, with applications in battlefields, industrial process monitoring, home automation, and environmental monitoring, to name but a few. A WSN is a highly dynamic network because nodes die due to severe environmental conditions and battery power depletion. Furthermore, a WSN is composed of miniaturized motes equipped with scarce resources e.g., limited memory and computational abilities. WSNs invariably operate in an unattended mode and in many scenarios it is impossible to replace sensor motes after deployment, therefore a fundamental objective is to optimize the sensor motes' life time. These characteristics of WSNs impose additional challenges on OS design for WSN, and consequently, OS design for WSN deviates from traditional OS design. The purpose of this survey is to highlight major concerns pertaining to OS design in WSNs and to point out strengths and weaknesses of contemporary OSs for WSNs, keeping in mind the requirements of emerging WSN applications. The state-of-the-art in operating systems for WSNs has been examined in terms of the OS Architecture, Programming Model, Scheduling, Memory Management and Protection, Communication Protocols, Resource Sharing, Support for Real-Time Applications, and additional features. These features are surveyed for both real-time and non-real-time WSN operating systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Thomas

The design features developed for the Spherical Tokamak (ST) in the PPPL pilot plant study was used as the starting point in developing designs to meet the mission of a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) considering a range of machine sizes based on the influence of tritium consumption and maintenance strategies. The compact nature of a steady state operated ST device for this mission pushes operating conditions and places challenges in the design of components, device maintenance and the integration of supports and services. This paper reviews the general arrangement, design details and maintenance strategy of the ST-FNSF device coremore » for a 1.6-m and 1.0-m device; operating points which bracket the region between purchasing and breeding tritium.« less

Low Impact Development Standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loftin, Samuel R.

The goal of the LID Standards is to provide guidance on the planning, design, construction and maintenance of green infrastructure (GI) features at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The success of LID at LANL is dependent on maintaining a consistent approach to achieve effective application, operation, and maintenance of these storm water control features.

High-Tip-Speed, Low-Loading Transonic Fan Stage. Part 1: Aerodynamic and Mechanical Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, L. C.; Vitale, N. G.; Ware, T. C.; Erwin, J. R.

1973-01-01

A high-tip-speed, low-loading transonic fan stage was designed to deliver an overall pressure ratio of 1.5 with an adiabatic efficiency of 86 percent. The design flow per unit annulus area is 42.0 pounds per square foot. The fan features a hub/tip ratio of 0.46, a tip diameter of 28.74 in. and operates at a design tip speed of 1600 fps. For these design conditions, the rotor blade tip region operates with supersonic inlet and supersonic discharge relative velocities. A sophisticated quasi-three-dimensional characteristic section design procedure was used for the all-supersonic sections and the inlet of the midspan transonic sections. For regions where the relative outlet velocities are supersonic, the blade operates with weak oblique shocks only.

78 FR 50399 - Spectrum Monitoring Pilot Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-19

... National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to design and conduct a pilot program to... to Congress for fiscal year (FY) 2014 seeks an initial $7.5 million research and development... design, features, deployment options, operational parameters, expected utility, potential benefits, and...

VSCE technology definition study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howlett, R. A.; Hunt, R. B.

1979-01-01

Refined design definition of the variable stream control engine (VSCE) concept for advanced supersonic transports is presented. Operating and performance features of the VSCE are discussed, including the engine components, thrust specific fuel consumption, weight, noise, and emission system. A preliminary engine design is presented.

Advanced Design Features of APR1400 and Realization in Shin Kori Construction Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

OH, S.J.; Park, K.C.; Kim, H.G.

2006-07-01

APR1400 adopted several advanced design features. To ensure their proper operation as a part of ShinKori 3,4 project, both experimental and analytical work are continuing. In this paper, work on the advanced design features related to enhanced safety is examined. APR1400 safety injection system consists of four independent trains which include four safety injection pump and tanks. A passive flow regulating device called fluidic device is installed in the safety injection tanks. Separate effect tests including a full scale fluidic device tests have been conducted. Integral system tests are in progress. Combination of these work with the analytical work usingmore » RELAP5/Mod3 would ensure the proper operation of the new safety injection systems. To mitigate severe accidents, hydrogen mitigation system using PARs and igniters is adopted. Also, active injection system and the streamlined insulation design are adopted to enhance the in-vessel retention capability with the external cooling of RPV strategy. Analytic work with supporting experiments is performed. We are certain that these preparatory work would help the successful adaptation of ADF in ShinKori project. (authors)« less

CFD Analysis and Design of Detailed Target Configurations for an Accelerator-Driven Subcritical System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kraus, Adam; Merzari, Elia; Sofu, Tanju

2016-08-01

High-fidelity analysis has been utilized in the design of beam target options for an accelerator driven subcritical system. Designs featuring stacks of plates with square cross section have been investigated for both tungsten and uranium target materials. The presented work includes the first thermal-hydraulic simulations of the full, detailed target geometry. The innovative target cooling manifold design features many regions with complex flow features, including 90 bends and merging jets, which necessitate three-dimensional fluid simulations. These were performed using the commercial computational fluid dynamics code STAR-CCM+. Conjugate heat transfer was modeled between the plates, cladding, manifold structure, and fluid. Steady-statemore » simulations were performed but lacked good residual convergence. Unsteady simulations were then performed, which converged well and demonstrated that flow instability existed in the lower portion of the manifold. It was established that the flow instability had little effect on the peak plate temperatures, which were well below the melting point. The estimated plate surface temperatures and target region pressure were shown to provide sufficient margin to subcooled boiling for standard operating conditions. This demonstrated the safety of both potential target configurations during normal operation.« less

Operator Support System Design forthe Operation of RSG-GAS Research Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoso, S.; Situmorang, J.; Bakhri, S.; Subekti, M.; Sunaryo, G. R.

2018-02-01

The components of RSG-GAS main control room are facing the problem of material ageing and technology obsolescence as well, and therefore the need for modernization and refurbishment are essential. The modernization in control room can be applied on the operator support system which bears the function in providing information for assisting the operator in conducting diagnosis and actions. The research purpose is to design an operator support system for RSG-GAS control room. The design was developed based on the operator requirement in conducting task operation scenarios and the reactor operation characteristics. These scenarios include power operation, low power operation and shutdown/scram reactor. The operator support system design is presented in a single computer display which contains structure and support system elements e.g. operation procedure, status of safety related components and operational requirements, operation limit condition of parameters, alarm information, and prognosis function. The prototype was developed using LabView software and consisted of components structure and features of the operator support system. Information of each component in the operator support system need to be completed before it can be applied and integrated in the RSG-GAS main control room.

Homemade battery-operated multi-barreled muzzle-loading gun.

PubMed

Ramiah, R; Thirunavukkarasu, G

2003-11-01

In a recent shootout by a terrorist group against a law enforcement agency, some unusual firearms were seized. On examination, these firearms were found to be homemade, battery-operated, multi-barreled muzzle-loading guns, analogous to a repeater. Reference to battery-operated firearms is rather scanty in the literature. Hence, the unique design features, electrical circuit, and the operation system of these unusual guns are described.

High Reynolds Number Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baals, D. D. (Editor)

1977-01-01

Fundamental aerodynamic questions for which high Reynolds number experimental capability is required are discussed. The operational characteristics and design features of the National Transonic Facility are reviewed.

Character feature integration of Chinese calligraphy and font

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Cao; Xiao, Jianguo; Jia, Wenhua; Xu, Canhui

2013-01-01

A framework is proposed in this paper to effectively generate a new hybrid character type by means of integrating local contour feature of Chinese calligraphy with structural feature of font in computer system. To explore traditional art manifestation of calligraphy, multi-directional spatial filter is applied for local contour feature extraction. Then the contour of character image is divided into sub-images. The sub-images in the identical position from various characters are estimated by Gaussian distribution. According to its probability distribution, the dilation operator and erosion operator are designed to adjust the boundary of font image. And then new Chinese character images are generated which possess both contour feature of artistical calligraphy and elaborate structural feature of font. Experimental results demonstrate the new characters are visually acceptable, and the proposed framework is an effective and efficient strategy to automatically generate the new hybrid character of calligraphy and font.

Banknotes and unattended cash transactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardini, Ronald R.

2000-04-01

There is a 64 billion dollar annual unattended cash transaction business in the US with 10 to 20 million daily transactions. Even small problems with the machine readability of banknotes can quickly become a major problem to the machine manufacturer and consumer. Traditional note designs incorporate overt security features for visual validation by the public. Many of these features such as fine line engraving, microprinting and watermarks are unsuitable as machine readable features in low cost note acceptors. Current machine readable features, mostly covert, were designed and implemented with the central banks in mind. These features are only usable by the banks large, high speed currency sorting and validation equipment. New note designs should consider and provide for low cost not acceptors, implementing features developed for inexpensive sensing technologies. Machine readable features are only as good as their consistency. Quality of security features as well as that of the overall printing process must be maintained to ensure reliable and secure operation of note readers. Variations in printing and of the components used to make the note are one of the major causes of poor performance in low cost note acceptors. The involvement of machine manufacturers in new currency designs will aid note producers in the design of a note that is machine friendly, helping to secure the acceptance of the note by the public as well as acting asa deterrent to fraud.

Application of genetic algorithm in integrated setup planning and operation sequencing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafashi, Sajad; Shakeri, Mohsen

2011-01-01

Process planning is an essential component for linking design and manufacturing process. Setup planning and operation sequencing is two main tasks in process planning. Many researches solved these two problems separately. Considering the fact that the two functions are complementary, it is necessary to integrate them more tightly so that performance of a manufacturing system can be improved economically and competitively. This paper present a generative system and genetic algorithm (GA) approach to process plan the given part. The proposed approach and optimization methodology analyses the TAD (tool approach direction), tolerance relation between features and feature precedence relations to generate all possible setups and operations using workshop resource database. Based on these technological constraints the GA algorithm approach, which adopts the feature-based representation, optimizes the setup plan and sequence of operations using cost indices. Case study show that the developed system can generate satisfactory results in optimizing the setup planning and operation sequencing simultaneously in feasible condition.

Design and Construction of a Portable Oculometer for Use in Transportation Oriented Human Factors Studies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-08-01

THE REPORT DESCRIBES DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT DESIGNED TO ACQUIRE AND PROCESS INFORMATION ABOUT HUMAN VISUAL PERFORMANCE. THE INSTRUMENT HAS THE FOLLOWING FEATURES: IT CAN BE OPERATED IN A VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENTS INCLUDING SIMULATO...

Dobson ozone spectrophotometer modification.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komhyr, W. D.; Grass, R. D.

1972-01-01

Description of a modified version of the Dobson ozone spectrophotometer in which several outdated electronic design features have been replaced by circuitry embodying more modern design concepts. The resulting improvement in performance characteristics has been obtained without changing the principle of operation of the original instrument.

Nuclear Powerplant Safety: Design and Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nuclear Energy Office.

The most important concern in the design, construction and operation of nuclear powerplants is safety. Nuclear power is one of the major contributors to the nation's supply of electricity; therefore, it is important to assure its safe use. Each different type of powerplant has special design features and systems to protect health and safety. One…

Opportunities for research in space life sciences aboard commercial suborbital flights.

PubMed

Wagner, Erika B; Charles, John B; Cuttino, Charles Marsh

2009-11-01

The emergence of commercial suborbital spaceflight offers a wide range of new research and development opportunities for those in the space life sciences. Large numbers of diverse flyers, frequent re-flights, and flexible operations provide a fertile ground for both basic and applied science, as well as technology demonstrations. This commentary explores some of the unique features available to the space life science community and encourages engagement with commercial developers and operators during the design phase to help optimize platform designs and operations for future research.

Sensory processing and world modeling for an active ranging device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hong, Tsai-Hong; Wu, Angela Y.

1991-01-01

In this project, we studied world modeling and sensory processing for laser range data. World Model data representation and operation were defined. Sensory processing algorithms for point processing and linear feature detection were designed and implemented. The interface between world modeling and sensory processing in the Servo and Primitive levels was investigated and implemented. In the primitive level, linear features detectors for edges were also implemented, analyzed and compared. The existing world model representations is surveyed. Also presented is the design and implementation of the Y-frame model, a hierarchical world model. The interfaces between the world model module and the sensory processing module are discussed as well as the linear feature detectors that were designed and implemented.

Cybernetic Control of an Electrochemical Repertoire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Peixin; And Others

1982-01-01

Describes major features of a computer-operated, cybernetic potentiostat and the development, design, and operation of the software in ROM. The instrument contains control circuitry and software making it compatible with the static mercury drop electrode produced by EG&G Princeton Applied Research Corporation. Sample results using the…

Use of CDMA access technology in mobile satellite systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramasastry, Jay; Wiedeman, Bob

1995-01-01

Use of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology in terrestrial wireless systems is fairly well understood. Similarly, design and operation of Power Control in a CDMA-based system in a terrestrial environment is also well established. Terrestrial multipath characteristics, and optimum design of the CDMA receiver to deal with multipath and fading conditions are reliably established. But the satellite environment is different. When the CDMA technology is adopted to the satellite environment, other design features need to be incorporated (for example; interleaving, open-loop and closed-loop power control design, diversity characteristics) to achieve comparable level of system performance. In fact, the GLOBALSTAR LEO/MSS system has incorporated all these features. Contrary to some published reports, CDMA retains the advantages in the satellite environment that are similar to those achieved in the terrestrial environment. This document gives a description of the CDMA waveform and other design features adopted for mobile satellite applications.

Recent Development of the Two-Stroke Engine. II - Design Features. 2; Design Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeman, J.

1945-01-01

Completing the first paper dealing with charging methods and arrangements, the present paper discusses the design forms of two-stroke engines. Features which largely influence piston running are: (a) The shape and surface condition of the sliding parts. (b) The cylinder and piston materials. (c) Heat conditions in the piston, and lubrication. There is little essential difference between four-stroke and two-stroke engines with ordinary pistons. In large engines, for example, are always found separately cast or welded frames in which the stresses are taken up by tie rods. Twin piston and timing piston engines often differ from this design. Examples can be found in many engines of German or foreign make. Their methods of operation will be dealt with in the third part of the present paper, which also includes the bibliography. The development of two-stroke engine design is, of course, mainly concerned with such features as are inherently difficult to master; that is, the piston barrel and the design of the gudgeon pin bearing. Designers of four-stroke engines now-a-days experience approximately the same difficulties, since heat stresses have increased to the point of influencing conditions in the piston barrel. Features which notably affect this are: (a) The material. (b) Prevailing heat conditions.

Common spaceborne multicomputer operating system and development environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craymer, L. G.; Lewis, B. F.; Hayes, P. J.; Jones, R. L.

1994-01-01

A preliminary technical specification for a multicomputer operating system is developed. The operating system is targeted for spaceborne flight missions and provides a broad range of real-time functionality, dynamic remote code-patching capability, and system fault tolerance and long-term survivability features. Dataflow concepts are used for representing application algorithms. Functional features are included to ensure real-time predictability for a class of algorithms which require data-driven execution on an iterative steady state basis. The development environment supports the development of algorithm code, design of control parameters, performance analysis, simulation of real-time dataflow applications, and compiling and downloading of the resulting application.

METAShield: Hot Metallic Aeroshell Concept for RLV/SOV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scotti, Stephen J.; Poteet, Carl C.; Daryabeigi, Kamran; Nowak, Robert J.; Hsu, Su-Yuen; Schmidt, Irvin H.; Ku, Shih-Huei P.

2003-01-01

An innovative fuselage design approach that combines many desirable operational features with a simple and efficient structural approach is being developed by NASA. The approach, named METAShield for MEtallic TransAtmospheric Shield, utilizes lightly loaded, hot aeroshell structures surrounding integral propellant tanks that carry the primary structural loads. The aeroshells are designed to withstand the local pressure loads, transmitting them to the tanks with minimal restraint of thermal growth. No additional thermal protection system protects the METAShield, and a fibrous or multilayer insulation blanket, located in the space between the aeroshell and the tanks, serves as both high temperature and cryogenic insulation for the tanks. The concept is described in detail, and the performance and operational features are highlighted. Initial design results and analyses of the structural, thermal, and thermal-structural performance are described. Computational results evaluating resistance to hypervelocity impact damage, as well as some supporting aerothermal wind tunnel results. are also presented. Future development needs are summarized.

Design Features and Commissioning of the Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus (VEST) at Seoul National University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

J. Chung, K.; H. An, Y.; K. Jung, B.; Y. Lee, H.; C., Sung; S. Na, Y.; S. Hahm, T.; S. Hwang, Y.

2013-03-01

A new spherical torus called VEST (Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus) is designed, constructed and successfully commissioned at Seoul National University. A unique design feature of the VEST is two partial solenoid coils installed at both vertical ends of a center stack, which can provide sufficient magnetic fluxes to initiate tokamak plasmas while keeping a low aspect ratio configuration in the central region. According to initial double null merging start-up scenario using the partial solenoid coils, appropriate power supplies for driving a toroidal field coil, outer poloidal field coils, and the partial solenoid coils are fabricated and successfully commissioned. For reliable start-up, a pre-ionization system with two cost-effective homemade magnetron power supplies is also prepared. In addition, magnetic and spectroscopic diagnostics with appropriate data acquisition and control systems are well prepared for initial operation of the device. The VEST is ready for tokamak plasma operation by completing and commissioning most of the designed components.

Real-Time Sensor Validation, Signal Reconstruction, and Feature Detection for an RLV Propulsion Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jankovsky, Amy L.; Fulton, Christopher E.; Binder, Michael P.; Maul, William A., III; Meyer, Claudia M.

1998-01-01

A real-time system for validating sensor health has been developed in support of the reusable launch vehicle program. This system was designed for use in a propulsion testbed as part of an overall effort to improve the safety, diagnostic capability, and cost of operation of the testbed. The sensor validation system was designed and developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center and integrated into a propulsion checkout and control system as part of an industry-NASA partnership, led by Rockwell International for the Marshall Space Flight Center. The system includes modules for sensor validation, signal reconstruction, and feature detection and was designed to maximize portability to other applications. Review of test data from initial integration testing verified real-time operation and showed the system to perform correctly on both hard and soft sensor failure test cases. This paper discusses the design of the sensor validation and supporting modules developed at LeRC and reviews results obtained from initial test cases.

A compact, rugged, high repetition rate CO2 laser incorporating catalyst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarzenberger, P. M.; Matzangou, X.

1990-01-01

The principal design features and operating characteristics of a high repetition rate CO2 laser are outlined. The laser is a compact, rugged unit, completely sealed and incorporating an unheated solid catalyst. Stable operation has been successfully demonstrated over a temperature range of -35 C to 65 C.

Comparing Two Tools for Mobile-Device Forensics

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

baseline standard. 2.4 Mobile Operating Systems "A mobile operating system is an operating system that is specifically designed to run on mobile devices... run on mobile devices" [7]. There are many different types of mobile operating systems and they are constantly changing, which means an operating...to this is that the security features make forensic analysis more difficult [11]. 2.4.2 iPhone "The iPhone runs an operating system called iOS. It is a

78 FR 76248 - Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane; Side Stick Controller

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-17

... control columns and wheels. This kind of controller is designed for only one-hand operation. The... same subject: For the Airbus Model A350-900 series airplane equipped with stick controls designed for... Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature...

78 FR 76254 - Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane; Control Surface Awareness and Mode...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-17

... or unusual design features: electronic flight control system providing control surface awareness and... system design must ensure that the flight crew is made suitably aware whenever the primary control means... awareness. 0 b. If the design of the flight control system has multiple modes of operation, a means must be...

Multi-mission Ni-H2 battery cell for the 1990's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Lee; Brill, Jack; Dodson, Gary

1989-01-01

A sufficient production, test and operational database is now available to permit design technology optimization for the next decade. The evolved battery cell design features standardized technology intended to support multiple type missions (e.g., both GEO and LEO). Design analyses and validation test cells demonstrate improved performance plus attractive specific-energy characteristics will be achieved.

Tachycardia detection in ICDs by Boston Scientific : Algorithms, pearls, and pitfalls.

PubMed

Zanker, Norbert; Schuster, Diane; Gilkerson, James; Stein, Kenneth

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to summarize how implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) by Boston Scientific sense, detect, discriminate rhythms, and classify episodes. Modern devices include multiple programming selections, diagnostic features, therapy options, memory functions, and device-related history features. Device operation includes logical steps from sensing, detection, discrimination, therapy delivery to history recording. The program is designed to facilitate the application of the device algorithms to the individual patient's clinical needs. Features and functions described in this article represent a selective excerpt by the authors from Boston Scientific publicly available product resources. Programming of ICDs may affect patient outcomes. Patient-adapted and optimized programming requires understanding of device operation and concepts.

The Direct FuelCell™ stack engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doyon, J.; Farooque, M.; Maru, H.

FuelCell Energy (FCE) has developed power plants in the size range of 300 kW to 3 MW for distributed power generation. Field-testing of the sub-megawatt plants is underway. The FCE power plants are based on its Direct FuelCell™ (DFC) technology. This is so named because of its ability to generate electricity directly from a hydrocarbon fuel, such as natural gas, by reforming it inside the fuel cell stack itself. All FCE products use identical 8000 cm 2 cell design, approximately 350-400 cells per stack, external gas manifolds, and similar stack compression systems. The difference lies in the packaging of the stacks inside the stack module. The sub-megawatt system stack module contains a single horizontal stack whereas the MW-class stack module houses four identical vertical stacks. The commonality of the design, internal reforming features, and atmospheric operation simplify the system design, reduce cost, improve efficiency, increase reliability and maintainability. The product building-block stack design has been advanced through three full-size stack operations at company's headquarters in Danbury, CT. The initial proof-of-concept of the full-size stack design was verified in 1999, followed by a 1.5 year of endurance verification in 2000-2001, and currently a value-engineered stack version is in operation. This paper discusses the design features, important engineering solutions implemented, and test results of FCE's full-size DFC stacks.

Application of the subatmospheric engine to solar thermal power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The development of a natural gas-fired Brayton engine is discussed. It is intended to be the prime mover for a 10-ton commercial heat pump. This engine has many attractive features that make it an ideal candidate for solar thermal-power generation applications. The unique feature of this engine is its subatmospheric mode of operation. It operates between atmospheric pressure and a partial vacuum. This means that heat is added to the cycle at atmospheric pressure; this permits the receiver to be unpressurized, greatly simplifying its design and cost.

Microsystem process networks

DOEpatents

Wegeng, Robert S [Richland, WA; TeGrotenhuis, Ward E [Kennewick, WA; Whyatt, Greg A [West Richland, WA

2006-10-24

Various aspects and applications of microsystem process networks are described. The design of many types of microsystems can be improved by ortho-cascading mass, heat, or other unit process operations. Microsystems having exergetically efficient microchannel heat exchangers are also described. Detailed descriptions of numerous design features in microcomponent systems are also provided.

Design features and operational characteristics of the Langley pilot transonic cryogenic tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, R. A.

1974-01-01

A fan-driven transonic cryogenic tunnel was designed, and its purging, cooldown, and warmup times were determined satisfactory. Cooling with liquid nitrogen is at the power levels required for transonic testing. Good temperature distributions are obtained by using a simple nitrogen injection system.

Microsystem process networks

DOEpatents

Wegeng, Robert S [Richland, WA; TeGrotenhuis, Ward E [Kennewick, WA; Whyatt, Greg A [West Richland, WA

2010-01-26

Various aspects and applications or microsystem process networks are described. The design of many types of microsystems can be improved by ortho-cascading mass, heat, or other unit process operations. Microsystems having energetically efficient microchannel heat exchangers are also described. Detailed descriptions of numerous design features in microcomponent systems are also provided.

Microsystem process networks

DOEpatents

Wegeng, Robert S.; TeGrotenhuis, Ward E.; Whyatt, Greg A.

2007-09-18

Various aspects and applications of microsystem process networks are described. The design of many types of Microsystems can be improved by ortho-cascading mass, heat, or other unit process operations. Microsystems having energetically efficient microchannel heat exchangers are also described. Detailed descriptions of numerous design features in microcomponent systems are also provided.

Aerospace electrode line

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, L.

1980-01-01

A facility which produces electrodes for spacecraft power supplies is described. The electrode assembly procedures are discussed. A number of design features in the production process are reported including a batch operation mode and an independent equipment module design approach for transfering the electrode materials from process tank to process tank.

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces having improved stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aizenberg, Joanna; Vogel, Nicolas

Methods and articles disclosed herein relate to liquid repellant surfaces having selective wetting and transport properties. An article having a repellant surface includes a substrate comprising surface features with re-entrant curvature and an immobilized layer of lubricating liquid wetting over the surface features. The surface features with re-entrant curvature can be designed to provide high repellency even after failure or removal of the immobilized layer of lubricating liquid under certain operating conditions.

Implementation of a digital optical matrix-vector multiplier using a holographic look-up table and residue arithmetic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Habiby, Sarry F.

1987-01-01

The design and implementation of a digital (numerical) optical matrix-vector multiplier are presented. The objective is to demonstrate the operation of an optical processor designed to minimize computation time in performing a practical computing application. This is done by using the large array of processing elements in a Hughes liquid crystal light valve, and relying on the residue arithmetic representation, a holographic optical memory, and position coded optical look-up tables. In the design, all operations are performed in effectively one light valve response time regardless of matrix size. The features of the design allowing fast computation include the residue arithmetic representation, the mapping approach to computation, and the holographic memory. In addition, other features of the work include a practical light valve configuration for efficient polarization control, a model for recording multiple exposures in silver halides with equal reconstruction efficiency, and using light from an optical fiber for a reference beam source in constructing the hologram. The design can be extended to implement larger matrix arrays without increasing computation time.

EOS: A project to investigate the design and construction of real-time distributed Embedded Operating Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R. H.; Essick, Ray B.; Johnston, Gary; Kenny, Kevin; Russo, Vince

1987-01-01

Project EOS is studying the problems of building adaptable real-time embedded operating systems for the scientific missions of NASA. Choices (A Class Hierarchical Open Interface for Custom Embedded Systems) is an operating system designed and built by Project EOS to address the following specific issues: the software architecture for adaptable embedded parallel operating systems, the achievement of high-performance and real-time operation, the simplification of interprocess communications, the isolation of operating system mechanisms from one another, and the separation of mechanisms from policy decisions. Choices is written in C++ and runs on a ten processor Encore Multimax. The system is intended for use in constructing specialized computer applications and research on advanced operating system features including fault tolerance and parallelism.

Integrated mission management operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Operations required to launch a modular space station and to provides sustaining ground operations for support of that orbiting station throughout its 10 year mission are studied. A baseline, incrementally manned program and attendent experiment program options are derived. In addition, features of the program that significantly effect initial development and early operating costs are identified, and their impact on the program is assessed. A preliminary design of the approved modular space station configuration is formulated.

Design of a Versatile, Teleoperable, Towable Lifting Machine with Robotic Capabilities for Use in Nasa's Lunar Base Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Elizabeth; Ogle, James; Schoppe, Dean

1989-01-01

The lifting machine will assist in lifting cargo off of landers sent to the Moon and in the construction of a lunar base. Three possible designs were considered for the overall configuration of the lifting machine: the variable angle crane, the tower crane, and the gantry crane. Alternate designs were developed for the major components of the lifting machine. A teleoperable, variable angle crane was chosen as its final design. The design consists of a telescoping boom mounted to a chassis that is supported by two conical wheels for towing and four outriggers for stability. Attached to the end of the boom is a seven degree of freedom robot arm for light, dexterous, lifting operations. A cable and hook suspends from the end of the boom for heavy, gross, lifting operations. Approximate structural sizes were determined for the lifter and its components. However, further analysis is needed to determine the optimum design dimensions. The design team also constructed a model of the design which demonstrates its features and operating principals.

40 CFR 63.681 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... features permanently integrated into the design of the unit. Emission point means an individual tank... system is not a drain and collection system that is designed and operated for the sole purpose of..., or transfer system used to manage off-site material. Off-site material service means any time when a...

40 CFR 63.681 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... features permanently integrated into the design of the unit. Emission point means an individual tank... system is not a drain and collection system that is designed and operated for the sole purpose of..., or transfer system used to manage off-site material. Off-site material service means any time when a...

Testing and evaluation for astronaut extravehicular activity (EVA) operability.

PubMed

Shields, N; King, L C

1998-09-01

Because it is the human component that defines space mission success, careful planning is required to ensure that hardware can be operated and maintained by crews on-orbit. Several methods exist to allow researchers and designers to better predict how hardware designs will behave under the harsh environment of low Earth orbit, and whether designs incorporate the necessary features for Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) operability. Testing under conditions of simulated microgravity can occur during the design concept phase when verifying design operability, during mission training, or concurrently with on-orbit mission operations. The bulk of testing is focused on normal operations, but also includes evaluation of credible mission contingencies or "what would happen if" planning. The astronauts and cosmonauts who fly these space missions are well prepared and trained to survive and be productive in Earth's orbit. The engineers, designers, and training crews involved in space missions subject themselves to Earth based simulation techniques that also expose them to extreme environments. Aircraft falling ten thousand feet, alternating g-loads, underwater testing at 45 foot depth, enclosure in a vacuum chamber and subject to thermal extremes, each carries with it inherent risks to the humans preparing for space missions.

The e-beam sustained CO2 laser amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, M. J.; Shaw, S. R.; Evans, M. H.; Smith, I. M.; Holman, W.

1990-01-01

The design features of an e-beam sustained CO2 amplifier are described. The amplifier is designed specifically as a catalyst test-bed to study the performance of room temperature precious metal CO-oxidation catalysts under e-beam sustained operation. The amplifier has been designed to provide pulse durations of 30 microseconds in a discharge volume of 2 litres. With a gas flow velocity of 2 metres per second, operation at repetition rates of 10 Hz is accommodated. The system is designed for sealed-off operation and a catalyst bed is housed in the gas circulation system downstream from the discharge region. CO and oxygen monitors are used for diagnosis of gas composition in the amplifier so that catalyst performance can be monitored in situ during sealed lifetests.

Relearning To Teach Arithmetic Addition and Subtraction: A Teacher's Study Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Susan Jo

This package features videotapes and a study guide that are designed to help teachers revisit the operations of addition and subtraction and consider how students can develop meaningful approaches to these operations. The study guides' sessions are on addition, subtraction, the teacher's role, and goals for students and teachers. The readings in…

Energy absorber for the CETA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wesselski, Clarence J.

1994-01-01

The energy absorber that was developed for the CETA (Crew Equipment and Translation Aid) on Space Station Freedom is a metal on metal frictional type and has a load regulating feature that prevents excessive stroking loads from occurring while in operation. This paper highlights some of the design and operating aspects and the testing of this energy absorber.

SCE&G Cope Station simulator training program development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stottlemire, J.L.; Fabry, R.

1996-11-01

South Carolina Electric and Gas Company made a significant investment into meeting the needs of their customers in designing and building the new fossil Generating Station near Cope, South Carolina. Cope Station is a state-of-the-art, 385 MW plant, with equipment and design features that will provide the plant with the capabilities of achieving optimum availability and capability. SCE&G has also implemented a team concept approach to plant organization at Cope Station. The modern plant design, operating philosophy, and introduction of a large percentage of new operations personnel presented a tremendous challenge in preparing for plant commissioning and commercial operation. SCE&G`smore » answer to this challenge was to hire an experienced operations trainer, and implement a comprehensive training program. An important part of the training investment was the procurement of a plant specific control room simulator. SCE&G, through tailored collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), developed a specification for a simulator with the features necessary for training the initial plant staff as well as advanced operator training. The high-fidelity CRT based training simulator is a stimulated system that completely and accurately simulates the various plant systems, process startups, shutdowns, normal operating scenarios, and malfunctions. The process model stimulates a Foxboro Distributed Control System consisting of twelve control processors, five WP51 work stations, and one AW51 file server. The workstations, file server and support hardware and software necessary to interface with ESSCOR`s FSIM4 software was provided by Foxoboro.« less

Implementing Distributed Operations: A Comparison of Two Deep Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishkin, Andrew; Larsen, Barbara

2006-01-01

Two very different deep space exploration missions--Mars Exploration Rover and Cassini--have made use of distributed operations for their science teams. In the case of MER, the distributed operations capability was implemented only after the prime mission was completed, as the rovers continued to operate well in excess of their expected mission lifetimes; Cassini, designed for a mission of more than ten years, had planned for distributed operations from its inception. The rapid command turnaround timeline of MER, as well as many of the operations features implemented to support it, have proven to be conducive to distributed operations. These features include: a single science team leader during the tactical operations timeline, highly integrated science and engineering teams, processes and file structures designed to permit multiple team members to work in parallel to deliver sequencing products, web-based spacecraft status and planning reports for team-wide access, and near-elimination of paper products from the operations process. Additionally, MER has benefited from the initial co-location of its entire operations team, and from having a single Principal Investigator, while Cassini operations have had to reconcile multiple science teams distributed from before launch. Cassini has faced greater challenges in implementing effective distributed operations. Because extensive early planning is required to capture science opportunities on its tour and because sequence development takes significantly longer than sequence execution, multiple teams are contributing to multiple sequences concurrently. The complexity of integrating inputs from multiple teams is exacerbated by spacecraft operability issues and resource contention among the teams, each of which has their own Principal Investigator. Finally, much of the technology that MER has exploited to facilitate distributed operations was not available when the Cassini ground system was designed, although later adoption of web-based and telecommunication tools has been critical to the success of Cassini operations.

Design of an Adaptive Human-Machine System Based on Dynamical Pattern Recognition of Cognitive Task-Load.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianhua; Yin, Zhong; Wang, Rubin

2017-01-01

This paper developed a cognitive task-load (CTL) classification algorithm and allocation strategy to sustain the optimal operator CTL levels over time in safety-critical human-machine integrated systems. An adaptive human-machine system is designed based on a non-linear dynamic CTL classifier, which maps a set of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) related features to a few CTL classes. The least-squares support vector machine (LSSVM) is used as dynamic pattern classifier. A series of electrophysiological and performance data acquisition experiments were performed on seven volunteer participants under a simulated process control task environment. The participant-specific dynamic LSSVM model is constructed to classify the instantaneous CTL into five classes at each time instant. The initial feature set, comprising 56 EEG and ECG related features, is reduced to a set of 12 salient features (including 11 EEG-related features) by using the locality preserving projection (LPP) technique. An overall correct classification rate of about 80% is achieved for the 5-class CTL classification problem. Then the predicted CTL is used to adaptively allocate the number of process control tasks between operator and computer-based controller. Simulation results showed that the overall performance of the human-machine system can be improved by using the adaptive automation strategy proposed.

75 FR 50688 - Special Conditions: Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated S-64E and S-64F Rotorcraft

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-17

...) model S-64E and S-64F rotorcraft. These rotorcraft have novel or unusual design features associated with being transport category rotorcraft designed only for use in heavy external-load operations. At the time...) Powerplant Instruments. At the time of original certification, the S-64 had a novel design of being powered...

78 FR 11089 - Special Conditions: Bombardier Aerospace, Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 Airplanes; Sidestick...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-15

... controller instead of a conventional control column and wheel. This kind of controller is designed for only... following novel or unusual design feature: A sidestick controller instead of a conventional control column... conventional wheel or control stick. This kind of controller is designed to be operated using only one hand...

Multi-mission Ni-H2 battery cells for the 1990's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Lee; Brill, Jack; Dodson, Gary

1989-01-01

A sufficient production, test and operational database is now available to permit design technology optimization for the next decade. The evolved battery cell design features standardized technology intended to support multiple type missions (e.g., both GEO and LEO). Design analysis and validation test cells demonstrate that improved performance plus attractive specific-energy characteristics will be achieved.

Study of Civil Markets for Heavy-Lift Airships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mettam, P. J.; Hansen, D.; Chabot, C.; Byrne, R.

1978-01-01

The civil markets for heavy lift airships (HLAs) were defined by first identifying areas of most likely application. The operational suitability of HLAs for the applications identified were then assessed. The operating economics of HLAs were established and the market size for HLA services estimated by comparing HLA operating and economic characteristics with those of competing modes. The sensitivities of the market size to HLA characteristics were evaluated and the number and sizes of the vehicles required to service the more promising markets were defined. Important characteristics for future HLAs are discussed that were derived from the study of each application, including operational requirements, features enhancing profitability, military compatibility, improved design requirements, approach to entry into service, and institutional implications for design and operation.

Building a computer-aided design capability using a standard time share operating system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski, J.

1975-01-01

The paper describes how an integrated system of engineering computer programs can be built using a standard commercially available operating system. The discussion opens with an outline of the auxiliary functions that an operating system can perform for a team of engineers involved in a large and complex task. An example of a specific integrated system is provided to explain how the standard operating system features can be used to organize the programs into a simple and inexpensive but effective system. Applications to an aircraft structural design study are discussed to illustrate the use of an integrated system as a flexible and efficient engineering tool. The discussion concludes with an engineer's assessment of an operating system's capabilities and desirable improvements.

Proceedings, Annual Meeting (27th), Aquatic Plant Control Research Program Held in Bellevue, Washington on 16-19 November 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

plants, longer exposure times, and consider- tive species. ation of seasonal/phenological cycles. Design features and operating characteristics of the In...attached to the stem near the apex. temperature when pupation and active feeding The case is a useful diagnostic feature for starts. Overwintering...larvae were located on identification. Other morphological features milfoil shoots in an inactive state throughout Proceedngs, 27th Annual Meeting, APCRP

Design and manufacture of optical system for use in ultraviolet lithography with the free-electron laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrd, Donald A.; Viswanathan, Vriddhachalam K.; Woodfin, Gregg L.; Horn, William W.; Lazazzera, Vito J.; Schmell, Rodney A.

1993-08-01

At Los Alamos National Laboratory, we are preparing to image submicrometer-size features using the Free Electron Laser (FEL) operating at 248 nm. This article describes the optical transfer systems that were designed to relay the ultraviolet (UV) optical output of the FEL, resulting in expected imaged feature sizes in the range 0.3 - 0.5 micrometers . Nearly all optical subsystems are reflective, and once the coatings were optimized any optical wavelength could be used. All refractive optics were UV-grade fused silica. The optical design, engineering, and manufacture of the various component systems are described along with some experimental results.

Selective Sensing of Gas Mixture via a Temperature Modulation Approach: New Strategy for Potentiometric Gas Sensor Obtaining Satisfactory Discriminating Features.

PubMed

Li, Fu-An; Jin, Han; Wang, Jinxia; Zou, Jie; Jian, Jiawen

2017-03-12

A new strategy to discriminate four types of hazardous gases is proposed in this research. Through modulating the operating temperature and the processing response signal with a pattern recognition algorithm, a gas sensor consisting of a single sensing electrode, i.e., ZnO/In₂O₃ composite, is designed to differentiate NO₂, NH₃, C₃H₆, CO within the level of 50-400 ppm. Results indicate that with adding 15 wt.% ZnO to In₂O₃, the sensor fabricated at 900 °C shows optimal sensing characteristics in detecting all the studied gases. Moreover, with the aid of the principle component analysis (PCA) algorithm, the sensor operating in the temperature modulation mode demonstrates acceptable discrimination features. The satisfactory discrimination features disclose the future that it is possible to differentiate gas mixture efficiently through operating a single electrode sensor at temperature modulation mode.

Axial compressor gas path design for desensitization of aerodynamic performance and stability to tip clearance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevik, Mert

Tip clearance is the necessary small gap left between the moving rotor tip and stationary shroud of a turbomachine. In a compressor, the pressure driven flow through this gap, called tip clearance flow, has a major and generally detrimental impact on compressor performance (pressure ratio and efficiency) and aerodynamic stability (stall margin). The increase in tip clearance, either temporary during transient engine operations or permanent from wear, leads to a drop in compressor performance and aerodynamic stability which results in a fuel consumption increase and a reduced operating envelope for a gas turbine engine. While much research has looked into increasing compressor performance and stall margin at the design (minimum or nominal) tip clearance, very little attention has been paid for reducing the sensitivity of these parameters to tip clearance size increase. The development of technologies that address this issue will lead to aircraft engines whose performance and operating envelope are more robust to operational demands and wear. The current research is the second phase of a research programme to develop design strategies to reduce the sensitivity of axial compressor performance and aerodynamic stability to tip clearance. The first phase had focused on blade design strategies and had led to the discovery and explanation of two flow features that reduces tip sensitivity, namely increased incoming meridional momentum in the rotor tip region and reduction/elimination of double leakage. Double leakage is the flow that exits one tip clearance and enters the tip clearance of the adjacent blade instead of convecting downstream out of the rotor passage. This flow was shown to be very detrimental to compressor performance and stall margin. Two rotor design strategies involving sweep and tip stagger reduction were proposed and shown by CFD simulations to exploit these features to reduce sensitivity. As the second phase, the objectives of the current research project are to develop gas path design strategies for axial compressors to achieve the same goal, to assess their ability to be combined with desensitizing axial compressor blade design strategies and to be applied to non-axial compressors. The search for gas path design strategies was based on the exploitation of the two flow desensitizing features listed above. Two gas path design strategies were proposed and analyzed. The first was gas path contouring in the form of a concave gas path to increase incoming tip meridional momentum.

Integral Images: Efficient Algorithms for Their Computation and Storage in Resource-Constrained Embedded Vision Systems

PubMed Central

Ehsan, Shoaib; Clark, Adrian F.; ur Rehman, Naveed; McDonald-Maier, Klaus D.

2015-01-01

The integral image, an intermediate image representation, has found extensive use in multi-scale local feature detection algorithms, such as Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF), allowing fast computation of rectangular features at constant speed, independent of filter size. For resource-constrained real-time embedded vision systems, computation and storage of integral image presents several design challenges due to strict timing and hardware limitations. Although calculation of the integral image only consists of simple addition operations, the total number of operations is large owing to the generally large size of image data. Recursive equations allow substantial decrease in the number of operations but require calculation in a serial fashion. This paper presents two new hardware algorithms that are based on the decomposition of these recursive equations, allowing calculation of up to four integral image values in a row-parallel way without significantly increasing the number of operations. An efficient design strategy is also proposed for a parallel integral image computation unit to reduce the size of the required internal memory (nearly 35% for common HD video). Addressing the storage problem of integral image in embedded vision systems, the paper presents two algorithms which allow substantial decrease (at least 44.44%) in the memory requirements. Finally, the paper provides a case study that highlights the utility of the proposed architectures in embedded vision systems. PMID:26184211

Integral Images: Efficient Algorithms for Their Computation and Storage in Resource-Constrained Embedded Vision Systems.

PubMed

Ehsan, Shoaib; Clark, Adrian F; Naveed ur Rehman; McDonald-Maier, Klaus D

2015-07-10

The integral image, an intermediate image representation, has found extensive use in multi-scale local feature detection algorithms, such as Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF), allowing fast computation of rectangular features at constant speed, independent of filter size. For resource-constrained real-time embedded vision systems, computation and storage of integral image presents several design challenges due to strict timing and hardware limitations. Although calculation of the integral image only consists of simple addition operations, the total number of operations is large owing to the generally large size of image data. Recursive equations allow substantial decrease in the number of operations but require calculation in a serial fashion. This paper presents two new hardware algorithms that are based on the decomposition of these recursive equations, allowing calculation of up to four integral image values in a row-parallel way without significantly increasing the number of operations. An efficient design strategy is also proposed for a parallel integral image computation unit to reduce the size of the required internal memory (nearly 35% for common HD video). Addressing the storage problem of integral image in embedded vision systems, the paper presents two algorithms which allow substantial decrease (at least 44.44%) in the memory requirements. Finally, the paper provides a case study that highlights the utility of the proposed architectures in embedded vision systems.

Prototype data terminal: Multiplexer/demultiplexer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leck, D. E.; Goodwin, J. E.

1972-01-01

The design and operation of a quad redundant data terminal and a multiplexer/demultiplexer (MDU) design are described. The most unique feature is the design of the quad redundant data terminal. This is one of the few designs where the unit is fail/op, fail/op, fail/safe. Laboratory tests confirm that the unit will operate satisfactorily with the failure of three out of four channels. Although the design utilizes state-of-the-art technology. The waveform error checks, the voting techniques, and the parity bit checks are believed to be used in unique configurations. Correct word selection routines are also novel, if not unique. The MDU design, while not redundant, utilizes, the latest state-of-the-art advantages of light couplers and integrated circuit amplifiers.

Building Energy Management Open Source Software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

This is the repository for Building Energy Management Open Source Software (BEMOSS), which is an open source operating system that is engineered to improve sensing and control of equipment in small- and medium-sized commercial buildings. BEMOSS offers the following key features: (1) Open source, open architecture – BEMOSS is an open source operating system that is built upon VOLTTRON – a distributed agent platform developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). BEMOSS was designed to make it easy for hardware manufacturers to seamlessly interface their devices with BEMOSS. Software developers can also contribute to adding additional BEMOSS functionalities and applications.more » (2) Plug & play – BEMOSS was designed to automatically discover supported load controllers (including smart thermostats, VAV/RTUs, lighting load controllers and plug load controllers) in commercial buildings. (3) Interoperability – BEMOSS was designed to work with load control devices form different manufacturers that operate on different communication technologies and data exchange protocols. (4) Cost effectiveness – Implementation of BEMOSS deemed to be cost-effective as it was built upon a robust open source platform that can operate on a low-cost single-board computer, such as Odroid. This feature could contribute to its rapid deployment in small- or medium-sized commercial buildings. (5) Scalability and ease of deployment – With its multi-node architecture, BEMOSS provides a distributed architecture where load controllers in a multi-floor and high occupancy building could be monitored and controlled by multiple single-board computers hosting BEMOSS. This makes it possible for a building engineer to deploy BEMOSS in one zone of a building, be comfortable with its operation, and later on expand the deployment to the entire building to make it more energy efficient. (6) Ability to provide local and remote monitoring – BEMOSS provides both local and remote monitoring ability with role-based access control. (7) Security – In addition to built-in security features provided by VOLTTRON, BEMOSS provides enhanced security features, including BEMOSS discovery approval process, encrypted core-to-node communication, thermostat anti-tampering feature and many more. (8) Support from the Advisory Committee – BEMOSS was developed in consultation with an advisory committee from the beginning of the project. BEMOSS advisory committee comprises representatives from 22 organizations from government and industry.« less

SketchBio: a scientist's 3D interface for molecular modeling and animation.

PubMed

Waldon, Shawn M; Thompson, Peter M; Hahn, Patrick J; Taylor, Russell M

2014-10-30

Because of the difficulties involved in learning and using 3D modeling and rendering software, many scientists hire programmers or animators to create models and animations. This both slows the discovery process and provides opportunities for miscommunication. Working with multiple collaborators, a tool was developed (based on a set of design goals) to enable them to directly construct models and animations. SketchBio is presented, a tool that incorporates state-of-the-art bimanual interaction and drop shadows to enable rapid construction of molecular structures and animations. It includes three novel features: crystal-by-example, pose-mode physics, and spring-based layout that accelerate operations common in the formation of molecular models. Design decisions and their consequences are presented, including cases where iterative design was required to produce effective approaches. The design decisions, novel features, and inclusion of state-of-the-art techniques enabled SketchBio to meet all of its design goals. These features and decisions can be incorporated into existing and new tools to improve their effectiveness.

IMAGE 100: The interactive multispectral image processing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaller, E. S.; Towles, R. W.

1975-01-01

The need for rapid, cost-effective extraction of useful information from vast quantities of multispectral imagery available from aircraft or spacecraft has resulted in the design, implementation and application of a state-of-the-art processing system known as IMAGE 100. Operating on the general principle that all objects or materials possess unique spectral characteristics or signatures, the system uses this signature uniqueness to identify similar features in an image by simultaneously analyzing signatures in multiple frequency bands. Pseudo-colors, or themes, are assigned to features having identical spectral characteristics. These themes are displayed on a color CRT, and may be recorded on tape, film, or other media. The system was designed to incorporate key features such as interactive operation, user-oriented displays and controls, and rapid-response machine processing. Owing to these features, the user can readily control and/or modify the analysis process based on his knowledge of the input imagery. Effective use can be made of conventional photographic interpretation skills and state-of-the-art machine analysis techniques in the extraction of useful information from multispectral imagery. This approach results in highly accurate multitheme classification of imagery in seconds or minutes rather than the hours often involved in processing using other means.

Roadway Safety Guide

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

Roadway safety refers to that portion of overall highway safety that is determined by the roadway's physical features such as road design, roadway signs, pavement markings, operating conditions, roadside objects (such as utility poles, signs, trees, ...

33 CFR 155.120 - Equivalents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (a) For ships required to be surveyed under § 151.17 of this chapter, the Commandant may, upon... operational methods to control the discharge of oil in place of those design and construction features...

33 CFR 155.120 - Equivalents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (a) For ships required to be surveyed under § 151.17 of this chapter, the Commandant may, upon... operational methods to control the discharge of oil in place of those design and construction features...

33 CFR 148.725 - What are the design, construction and operational criteria?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) DEEPWATER PORTS DEEPWATER PORTS: GENERAL Environmental Review... permanent interference with natural processes or features that are important to natural currents and wave...

Design and Expected Performance of GISMO-2, a Two Color Millimeter Camera for the IRAM 30 m Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staguhn, Johannes G.; Benford, Dominic J.; Dwek, Eli; Hilton, Gene; Fixsen, Dale J.; Irwin, Kent; Jhabvala, Christine; Kovacs, Attila; Leclercq, Samuel; Maher, Stephen F.;

75 FR 77569 - Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model GVI Airplane; Electronic Flight Control System Mode...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-13

... Unusual Design Features The GVI will have a fly-by-wire electronic flight control system. This system... the design of the flight control system has multiple modes of operation, a means must be provided to... Control System Mode Annunciation AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of...

Health Cars Robotics: A Progress Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiorini, P.; Ali, K.; Seraji, H.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the approach followed in the design of a service robot for health care applications. This paper describes the architecture of the subsystem, the features of the manipulator arm, and the operator interface.

The Nuclear Renaissance — Implications on Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matzie, Regis A.

2007-03-01

The world demand for energy is growing rapidly, particularly in developing countries that are trying to raise the standard of living for billions of people, many of whom do not even have access to electricity. With this increased energy demand and the high and volatile price of fossil fuels, nuclear energy is experiencing resurgence. This so-called nuclear renaissance is broad based, reaching across Asia, the United States, Europe, as well as selected countries in Africa and South America. Some countries, such as Italy, that have actually turned away from nuclear energy are reconsidering the advisability of this design. This renaissance provides the opportunity to deploy more advanced reactor designs that are operating today, with improved safety, economy, and operations. In this keynote address, I will briefly present three such advanced reactor designs in whose development Westinghouse is participating. These designs include the advanced passive PWR, AP1000, which recently received design certification for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the Pebble Bed Modular reactor (PBMR) which is being demonstrated in South Africa; and the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS), which was showcased in the US Department of Energy's recently announced Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), program. The salient features of these designs that impact future requirements on quantitative nondestructive evaluations will be discussed. Such features as reactor vessel materials, operating temperature regimes, and new geometric configurations will be described, and mention will be made of the impact on quantitative nondestructive evaluation (NDE) approaches.

Wear of seal materials used in aircraft propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bill, R. C.; Ludwig, L. P.

1978-01-01

The various types of seal locations in a gas turbine engine are described, and the significance of wear to each type is reviewed. Starting with positive contact shaft seals, existing material selection guidelines are reviewed, and the existing PV (contact pressure X sliding velocity) criteria for selecting seal materials are discussed, along with the theoretical background for these criteria. Examples of wear mechanisms observed to operate in positive contact seals are shown. Design features that can extend the operating capabilities of positive contact seals, including pressure balancing and incorporation of hydrodynamic lift are briefly discussed. It is concluded that, despite the benefits arising from these design features, improved positive contact seal materials from the standpoint of wear, erosion and oxidation resistance will be necessary for further improvements in seal performance and durability, and to meet stringent future challenges.

Work/control stations in Space Station weightlessness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willits, Charles

1990-01-01

An ergonomic integration of controls, displays, and associated interfaces with an operator, whose body geometry and dynamics may be altered by the state of weightlessness, is noted to rank in importance with the optimal positioning of controls relative to the layout and architecture of 'body-ported' work/control stations applicable to the NASA Space Station Freedom. A long-term solution to this complex design problem is envisioned to encompass the following features: multiple imaging, virtual optics, screen displays controlled by a keyboard ergonomically designed for weightlessness, cursor control, a CCTV camera, and a hand-controller featuring 'no-grip' vernier/tactile positioning. This controller frees all fingers for multiple-switch actuations, while retaining index/register determination with the hand controller. A single architectural point attachment/restraint may be used which requires no residual muscle tension in either brief or prolonged operation.

Disk Operating System--DOS. Teacher Packet. Learning Activity Packets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

The Learning Activity Packets (LAPs) contained in this manual are designed to assist the beginning user in understanding DOS (Disk Operating System). LAPs will not work with any version below DOS Version 3.0 and do not address the enhanced features of versions 4.0 or higher. These elementary activities cover only the DOS commands necessary to…

Project COMPAS [Consortium for Operating and Managing Programs for the Advancment of Skills]: A Design for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schermerhorn, Leora L., Ed.; And Others

Descriptive and evaluative information is provided in this report on Project COMPAS (Consortium for Operating and Managing Programs for the Advancement of Skills), a cooperative effort between seven community colleges which developed cognitive skills programs for entry-level freshmen. Chapter I reviews the unique features of Project COMPAS,…

Functional Design of an Automated Instructional Support System for Operational Flight Trainers. Final Report, June 1976 through September 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semple, Clarence A.; And Others

Functional requirements for a highly automated, flexible, instructional support system for aircrew training simulators are presented. Automated support modes and associated features and capabilities are described, along with hardware and software functional requirements for implementing a baseline system in an operational flight training context.…

Operation ARIES!: Methods, Mystery, and Mixed Models: Discourse Features Predict Affect in a Serious Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsyth, Carol M.; Graesser, Arthur C.; Pavlik, Philip, Jr.; Cai, Zhiqiang; Butler, Heather; Halpern, Diane; Millis, Keith

2013-01-01

Operation ARIES! is an Intelligent Tutoring System that is designed to teach scientific methodology in a game-like atmosphere. A fundamental goal of this serious game is to engage students during learning through natural language tutorial conversations. A tight integration of cognition, discourse, motivation, and affect is desired to meet this…

Features and technologies of ERS-1 (ESA) and X-SAR antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuessler, R.; Wagner, R.

1986-01-01

Features and technologies of planar waveguide array antennas developed for spaceborne microwave sensors are described. Such antennas are made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) employing special manufacturing and metallization techniques to achieve satisfactory electrical properties. Mechanical design enables deployable antenna structures necessary for satellite applications (e.g., ESA ERS-1). The slotted waveguide concept provides high aperture efficiency, good beamshaping capabilities, and low losses. These CFRP waveguide antennas feature low mass, high accuracy and stiffness, and can be operated within wide temperature ranges.

Reliability and Maintainability Analysis: A Conceptual Design Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-03-01

Elements For a System I. Research ane Development A. Preliminary design and engineering B. Fabrication of test equipment C. Test operations D...reliability racquiro:wents, little, if any, modu larzation and auto- matic test features would be incorporated in the subsystem design, limited reliability...niaintaina~ility testing and monitoring would be conducted turing dev!qopmcnt, and little Quality Control effort, in the rell ability/’uaintainalility

Recent developments in BWR fuel design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Congdon, S.P.; Noble, L.D.; Wood, J.E.

1991-11-01

Substantial increases in the cost effectiveness and performance capability of boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel designs have been implemented in the past 5 to 7 yr. This increase has been driven by (a) utility desires to lower fuel and operating costs and (b) design innovations that have lowered enrichment requirements, improved thermal-hydraulic performance, and increased discharge exposure. Higher discharge exposures reduce disposal costs for European and Asian utilities and enable US utilities to lengthen operating cycles. A typical BWR reload fuel bundle fabricated today has 25% higher {sup 235}U enrichment and a factor of 2 higher gadolinium loading than onemore » made several years ago. Today's BWR fuel bundles also contain more unheated water reduces the axial water density variation, lowers the void coefficient, and enhances the neutron efficiency of the bundle, reducing both the gadolinium poison and the enrichment requirements. In addition to these general trends, the following unique design innovations have further enhanced the fuel cost efficiency and performance characteristics of BWR fuel: ferrule spacer, part length rods, interactive channel, and bundle enhanced spectral shift. GE's fuel designs offer the flexibility for modern BWR fuel requirements and contain unique design features that enhance flexibility for modern BWR fuel requirements and contain unique design features that enhance flexibility and fuel cycle economics.« less

Design techniques for low-voltage analog integrated circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakús, Matej; Stopjaková, Viera; Arbet, Daniel

2017-08-01

In this paper, a review and analysis of different design techniques for (ultra) low-voltage integrated circuits (IC) are performed. This analysis shows that the most suitable design methods for low-voltage analog IC design in a standard CMOS process include techniques using bulk-driven MOS transistors, dynamic threshold MOS transistors and MOS transistors operating in weak or moderate inversion regions. The main advantage of such techniques is that there is no need for any modification of standard CMOS structure or process. Basic circuit building blocks like differential amplifiers or current mirrors designed using these approaches are able to operate with the power supply voltage of 600 mV (or even lower), which is the key feature towards integrated systems for modern portable applications.

Design report small-scale fuel alcohol plant. Volume 2: Detailed construction information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-12-01

The objectives are to provide potential alcohol producers with a reference design and provide a complete, demonstrated design of a small scale fuel alcohol plant. The plant has the capability for feedstock preparation, cooking, saccharification, fermentation, distillation, by-product dewatering, and process steam generation. An interesting feature is an instrumentation and control system designed to allow the plant to run 24 hours per day with only four hours of operator attention.

Morphometrical study on senile larynx.

PubMed

Zieliński, R

2001-01-01

The aim of the study was a morphometrical macroscopic evaluation of senile larynges, according to its usefulness in ORL diagnostic and operational methods. Larynx preparations were taken from cadavers of both sexes, of age 65 and over, about 24 hours after death. Clinically important laryngeal diameters were collected using common morphometrical methods. A few body features were also being gathered. Computer statistical methods were used in data assessment, including basic statistics and linear correlations between diameters and between diameters and body features. The data presented in the study may be very helpful in evaluation of diagnostic methods. It may also help in selection of right operational tool' sizes, the most appropriate operational technique choice, preoperative preparations and designing and building virtual and plastic models for physicians' training.

Concept design and alternate arrangements of orbiter mid-deck habitability features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Church, R. A.; Ciciora, J. A.; Porter, K. L.; Stevenson, G. E.

1976-01-01

The evaluations and recommendations for habitability features in the space shuttle orbiter mid-deck are summarized. The orbiter mission plans, the mid-deck dimensions and baseline arrangements along with crew compliments and typical activities were defined. Female and male anthropometric data based on zero-g operations were also defined. Evaluations of baseline and alternate feasible concepts provided several recommendations which are discussed.

Design of an occulter testbed at flight Fresnel numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirbu, Dan; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kim, Yunjong; Vanderbei, Robert J.

2015-01-01

An external occulter is a spacecraft flown along the line-of-sight of a space telescope to suppress starlight and enable high-contrast direct imaging of exoplanets. Laboratory verification of occulter designs is necessary to validate the optical models used to design and predict occulter performance. At Princeton, we are designing and building a testbed that allows verification of scaled occulter designs whose suppressed shadow is mathematically identical to that of space occulters. Here, we present a sample design operating at a flight Fresnel number and is thus representative of a realistic space mission. We present calculations of experimental limits arising from the finite size and propagation distance available in the testbed, limitations due to manufacturing feature size, and non-ideal input beam. We demonstrate how the testbed is designed to be feature-size limited, and provide an estimation of the expected performance.

Automatic feature design for optical character recognition using an evolutionary search procedure.

PubMed

Stentiford, F W

1985-03-01

An automatic evolutionary search is applied to the problem of feature extraction in an OCR application. A performance measure based on feature independence is used to generate features which do not appear to suffer from peaking effects [17]. Features are extracted from a training set of 30 600 machine printed 34 class alphanumeric characters derived from British mail. Classification results on the training set and a test set of 10 200 characters are reported for an increasing number of features. A 1.01 percent forced decision error rate is obtained on the test data using 316 features. The hardware implementation should be cheap and fast to operate. The performance compares favorably with current low cost OCR page readers.

Automated design of image operators that detect interest points.

PubMed

Trujillo, Leonardo; Olague, Gustavo

2008-01-01

This work describes how evolutionary computation can be used to synthesize low-level image operators that detect interesting points on digital images. Interest point detection is an essential part of many modern computer vision systems that solve tasks such as object recognition, stereo correspondence, and image indexing, to name but a few. The design of the specialized operators is posed as an optimization/search problem that is solved with genetic programming (GP), a strategy still mostly unexplored by the computer vision community. The proposed approach automatically synthesizes operators that are competitive with state-of-the-art designs, taking into account an operator's geometric stability and the global separability of detected points during fitness evaluation. The GP search space is defined using simple primitive operations that are commonly found in point detectors proposed by the vision community. The experiments described in this paper extend previous results (Trujillo and Olague, 2006a,b) by presenting 15 new operators that were synthesized through the GP-based search. Some of the synthesized operators can be regarded as improved manmade designs because they employ well-known image processing techniques and achieve highly competitive performance. On the other hand, since the GP search also generates what can be considered as unconventional operators for point detection, these results provide a new perspective to feature extraction research.

Terminal-oriented computer-communication networks.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartz, M.; Boorstyn, R. R.; Pickholtz, R. L.

1972-01-01

Four examples of currently operating computer-communication networks are described in this tutorial paper. They include the TYMNET network, the GE Information Services network, the NASDAQ over-the-counter stock-quotation system, and the Computer Sciences Infonet. These networks all use programmable concentrators for combining a multiplicity of terminals. Included in the discussion for each network is a description of the overall network structure, the handling and transmission of messages, communication requirements, routing and reliability consideration where applicable, operating data and design specifications where available, and unique design features in the area of computer communications.

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE). Double-annular clean combustor technology development report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahr, D. W.; Burrus, D. L.; Sabla, P. E.

1979-01-01

A sector combustor technology development program was conducted to define an advanced double annular dome combustor sized for use in the quiet clean short haul experimental engine (QCSEE). A design which meets the emission goals, and combustor performance goals of the QCSEE engine program was developed. Key design features were identified which resulted in substantial reduction in carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emission levels at ground idle operating conditions, in addition to very low nitric oxide emission levels at high power operating conditions. Their significant results are reported.

Some process control/design considerations in the development of a microgravity mammalian cell bioreactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goochee, Charles F.

1987-01-01

The purpose is to review some of the physical/metabolic factors which must be considered in the development of an operating strategy for a mammalian cell bioreactor. Emphasis is placed on the dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide requirements of growing mammalian epithelial cells. Literature reviews concerning oxygen and carbon dioxide requirements are discussed. A preliminary, dynamic model which encompasses the current features of the NASA bioreactor is presented. The implications of the literature survey and modeling effort on the design and operation of the NASA bioreactor are discussed.

YADCLAN: yet another digitally-controlled linear artificial neuron.

PubMed

Frenger, Paul

2003-01-01

This paper updates the author's 1999 RMBS presentation on digitally controlled linear artificial neuron design. Each neuron is based on a standard operational amplifier having excitatory and inhibitory inputs, variable gain, an amplified linear analog output and an adjustable threshold comparator for digital output. This design employs a 1-wire serial network of digitally controlled potentiometers and resistors whose resistance values are set and read back under microprocessor supervision. This system embodies several unique and useful features, including: enhanced neuronal stability, dynamic reconfigurability and network extensibility. This artificial neuronal is being employed for feature extraction and pattern recognition in an advanced robotic application.

Ventilation and ventilators.

PubMed

Hayes, B

1982-01-01

The history of ventilation is reviewed briefly and recent developments in techniques of ventilation are discussed. Operating features of ventilators have changed in the past few years, partly as the result of clinical progress; yet, technology appears to have outstripped the clinician's ability to harness it most effectively. Clinical discipline and training of medical staff in the use of ventilators could be improved. The future is promising if clinician and designer can work together closely. Ergonomics of ventilators and their controls and the provision of alarms need special attention. Microprocessors are likely to feature prominently in the next generation of designs.

Design Features and Capabilities of the First Materials Science Research Rack

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pettigrew, P. J.; Lehoczky, S. L.; Cobb, S. D.; Holloway, T.; Kitchens, L.

2003-01-01

The First Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will offer many unique capabilities and design features to facilitate a wide range of materials science investigations. The initial configuration of MSRR-1 will accommodate two independent Experiment Modules (EMS) and provide the capability for simultaneous on-orbit processing. The facility will provide the common subsystems and interfaces required for the operation of experiment hardware and accommodate telescience capabilities. MSRR1 will utilize an International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) equipped with an Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS) for vibration isolation of the facility.

Some Aspects of an Air-Core Single-Coil Magnetic Suspension System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamlet, Irvin L.; Kilgore, Robert A.

1966-01-01

This paper presents some of the technical aspects in the development at the Langley Research Center of an air-cove, dual-wound, single-coil, magnetic-suspension system with one-dimensional control. Overall electrical system design features and techniques are discussed in addition to the problems of control and stability. Special treatment is given to the operation of a dual-wound, high-current support coil which provides the bias fields and superimposed modulated field. Other designs features include a six-phase, solid-state power stage for modulation of the relatively large magnitude control current, and an associated six-phase trigger circuit.

Seniors' perceptions of vehicle safety risks and needs.

PubMed

Shaw, Lynn; Polgar, Jan Miller; Vrkljan, Brenda; Jacobson, Jill

2010-01-01

The investigation of vehicle safety needs for older drivers and passengers is integral for their safe transportation. A program of research on safe transportation for seniors was launched through AUTO21, a Canadian Network of Centres of Excellence. This national research network focuses on a wide range of automotive issues, from materials and design to safety and societal issues. An inductive qualitative inquiry of seniors' driving experiences, safety feature use, and strategies to prevent injury and manage risks was a first step in this program. We conducted interviews and focus groups with 58 seniors without disabilities and 9 seniors with disabilities. We identified a lack of congruity between the vehicle and safety feature design and seniors' needs. Seniors described strategies to manage their safety and that of others. Specific aspects of vehicle design, safety features, and action strategies that support safer use and operation of a vehicle by seniors are outlined.

The CEBAF Element Database and Related Operational Software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larrieu, Theodore; Slominski, Christopher; Keesee, Marie

The newly commissioned 12GeV CEBAF accelerator relies on a flexible, scalable and comprehensive database to define the accelerator. This database delivers the configuration for CEBAF operational tools, including hardware checkout, the downloadable optics model, control screens, and much more. The presentation will describe the flexible design of the CEBAF Element Database (CED), its features and assorted use case examples.

Mission description and in-flight operations of ERBE instruments on ERBS and NOAA 9 spacecraft, November 1984 - January 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, William L.; Bush, Kathryn A.; Harris, Chris J.; Howerton, Clayton E.; Tolson, Carol J.

1991-01-01

Instruments of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) are operating on three different Earth orbiting spacecrafts: the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS), NOAA-9, and NOAA-10. An overview is presented of the ERBE mission, in-orbit environments, and instrument design and operational features. An overview of science data processing and validation procedures is also presented. In-flight operations are described for the ERBE instruments aboard the ERBS and NOAA-9. Calibration and other operational procedures are described, and operational and instrument housekeeping data are presented and discussed.

Plutonium Immobilization Project System Design Description for Can Loading System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kriikku, E.

2001-02-15

The purpose of this System Design Description (SDD) is to specify the system and component functions and requirements for the Can Loading System and provide a complete description of the system (design features, boundaries, and interfaces), principles of operation (including upsets and recovery), and the system maintenance approach. The Plutonium Immobilization Project (PIP) will immobilize up to 13 metric tons (MT) of U.S. surplus weapons usable plutonium materials.

Intelligent interface design and evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greitzer, Frank L.

1988-01-01

Intelligent interface concepts and systematic approaches to assessing their functionality are discussed. Four general features of intelligent interfaces are described: interaction efficiency, subtask automation, context sensitivity, and use of an appropriate design metaphor. Three evaluation methods are discussed: Functional Analysis, Part-Task Evaluation, and Operational Testing. Design and evaluation concepts are illustrated with examples from a prototype expert system interface for environmental control and life support systems for manned space platforms.

Air Brayton Solar Receiver, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, D. K.

1979-01-01

A six month analysis and conceptual design study of an open cycle Air Brayton Solar Receiver (ABSR) for use on a tracking, parabolic solar concentrator are discussed. The ABSR, which includes a buffer storage system, is designed to provide inlet air to a power conversion unit. Parametric analyses, conceptual design, interface requirements, and production cost estimates are described. The design features were optimized to yield a zero maintenance, low cost, high efficiency concept that will provide a 30 year operational life.

Civil aeromedical standards for general-use aerospace transportation vehicles : the space-shuttle follow-on.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-07-01

Second-generation general-use aerospace transportation vehicles will evolve, and aerospace medical specialists must provide timely medical criteria for (a) occupant selection, (b) vehicle design features, and (c) operational guidelines. Incorporation...

Potential of Diesel Engine, Emission Technology

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-03-01

This report surveys diesel engine emission technologies applicable to passenger cars and light trucks. The general design and operating features are presented and discussed. Current and state-of-the-art concepts are reviewed with the focus on control...

Spectral feature design in high dimensional multispectral data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Chih-Chien Thomas; Landgrebe, David A.

1988-01-01

The High resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS) is designed to acquire images simultaneously in 192 spectral bands in the 0.4 to 2.5 micrometers wavelength region. It will make possible the collection of essentially continuous reflectance spectra at a spectral resolution sufficient to extract significantly enhanced amounts of information from return signals as compared to existing systems. The advantages of such high dimensional data come at a cost of increased system and data complexity. For example, since the finer the spectral resolution, the higher the data rate, it becomes impractical to design the sensor to be operated continuously. It is essential to find new ways to preprocess the data which reduce the data rate while at the same time maintaining the information content of the high dimensional signal produced. Four spectral feature design techniques are developed from the Weighted Karhunen-Loeve Transforms: (1) non-overlapping band feature selection algorithm; (2) overlapping band feature selection algorithm; (3) Walsh function approach; and (4) infinite clipped optimal function approach. The infinite clipped optimal function approach is chosen since the features are easiest to find and their classification performance is the best. After the preprocessed data has been received at the ground station, canonical analysis is further used to find the best set of features under the criterion that maximal class separability is achieved. Both 100 dimensional vegetation data and 200 dimensional soil data were used to test the spectral feature design system. It was shown that the infinite clipped versions of the first 16 optimal features had excellent classification performance. The overall probability of correct classification is over 90 percent while providing for a reduced downlink data rate by a factor of 10.

A passive solar residence using native and recycled materials, Bee Cave, Texas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holder, L.M. III; King, L.H.

The Booth Residence at Bee Cave, Texas is a Passive Solar residence in a hot humid climate and a good example of both passive solar and renewable features. The design, operation, materials, and furnishings give the structure a regional and rustic character. Passive solar strategies employed include solar orientation, solar shading, natural ventilation, induced ventilation, night flushing, direct gain clearstory, high mass floors, daylighting, radiant barrier, and a double ventilated roof system. The project is in contrast to the existing compound which includes three identical buildings each rotated 120 degrees and intended to be energy efficient, but actual operation hasmore » pointed out some deficiencies in the design. Additional features include extensive use of natural, recycled, and materials reused from other buildings. The Boothe Residence is an example of building in harmony with the local climate, the use of locally available materials, craftsman, artists, manpower, and reuse of trim and furnishings.« less

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper: Its Performance and Calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christian, H. J., Jr.

2015-12-01

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) has been developed to be an operational instrument on the GOES-R series of spacecraft. The GLM is a unique instrument, unlike other meteorological instruments, both in how it operates and in the information content that it provides. Instrumentally, it is an event detector, rather than an imager. While processing almost a billion pixels per second with 14 bits of resolution, the event detection process reduces the required telemetry bandwidth by almost 105, thus keeping the telemetry requirements modest and enabling efficient ground processing that leads to rapid data distribution to operational users. The GLM was designed to detect about 90 percent of the total lightning flashes within its almost hemispherical field of view. Based on laboratory calibration, we expect the on-orbit detection efficiency to be closer to 85%, making it the highest performing, large area coverage total lightning detector. It has a number of unique design features that will enable it have near uniform special resolution over most of its field of view and to operate with minimal impact on performance during solar eclipses. The GLM has no dedicated on-orbit calibration system, thus the ground-based calibration provides the bases for the predicted radiometric performance. A number of problems were encountered during the calibration of Flight Model 1. The issues arouse from GLM design features including its wide field of view, fast lens, the narrow-band interference filters located in both object and collimated space and the fact that the GLM is inherently a event detector yet the calibration procedures required both calibration of images and events. The GLM calibration techniques were based on those developed for the Lightning Imaging Sensor calibration, but there are enough differences between the sensors that the initial GLM calibration suggested that it is significantly more sensitive than its design parameters. The calibration discrepancies have been resolved and will be discussed. Absolute calibration will be verified on-orbit using vicarious cloud reflections. In addition to details of the GLM calibration, the presentation will address the unique design of the GLM, its features, capabilities and performance.

Operation and design selection of high temperature superconducting magnetic bearings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werfel, F. N.; Floegel-Delor, U.; Riedel, T.; Rothfeld, R.; Wippich, D.; Goebel, B.

2004-10-01

Axial and radial high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic bearings are evaluated by their parameters. Journal bearings possess advantages over thrust bearings. High magnetic gradients in a multi-pole permanent magnet (PM) configuration, the surrounding melt textured YBCO stator and adequate designs are the key features for increasing the overall bearing stiffness. The gap distance between rotor and stator determines the specific forces and has a strong impact on the PM rotor design. We report on the designing, building and measuring of a 200 mm prototype 100 kg HTS bearing with an encapsulated and thermally insulated melt textured YBCO ring stator. The encapsulation requires a magnetically large-gap (4-5 mm) operation but reduces the cryogenic effort substantially. The bearing requires 3 l of LN2 for cooling down, and about 0.2 l LN2 h-1 under operation. This is a dramatic improvement of the efficiency and in the practical usage of HTS magnetic bearings.

Balancing low cost with reliable operation in the rotordynamic design of the ALS Liquid Hydrogen Fuel Turbopump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenhill, L. M.

1990-01-01

The Air Force/NASA Advanced Launch System (ALS) Liquid Hydrogen Fuel Turbopump (FTP) has primary design goals of low cost and high reliability, with performance and weight having less importance. This approach is atypical compared with other rocket engine turbopump design efforts, such as on the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), which emphasized high performance and low weight. Similar to the SSME turbopumps, the ALS FTP operates supercritically, which implies that stability and bearing loads strongly influence the design. In addition, the use of low cost/high reliability features in the ALS FTP such as hydrostatic bearings, relaxed seal clearances, and unshrouded turbine blades also have a negative influence on rotordynamics. This paper discusses the analysis conducted to achieve a balance between low cost and acceptable rotordynamic behavior, to ensure that the ALS FTP will operate reliably without subsynchronous instabilities or excessive bearing loads.

On designing low pressure loss working spaces for a planar Stirling micromachine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hachey, M.-A.; Léveillé, É.; Fréchette, L. G.; Formosa, F.

2015-12-01

In this paper, research was undertaken with the objective to design low pressure loss working spaces for a Stirling cycle micro heat engine operating from low temperature waste heat. This planar free-piston heat engine is anticipated to operate at the kHz level with mm3 displacement. Given the resonant nature of the free-piston configuration, the complexity of its working gas’ flow geometry and its projected high operating frequency, flow analysis is relatively complex. Design considerations were thus based on fast prototyping and experimentation. Results show that geometrical features, such as a sharp 90° corner between the regenerator and working spaces, are strong contributors to pressure losses. This research culminated into a promising revised working space configuration for engine start-up, as it considerably reduced total pressure losses, more than 80% at Re = 700, from the original design.

Optical design of the ATMOS Fourier transform spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, I. R.; Reynolds, B. R.; Breckinridge, J. B.; Pritchard, J.

1979-01-01

The optical system design of the ATMOS Fourier transform spectrometer to be operated from Spacelab for the measurement of stratospheric trace molecules is described. The design contains features which can achieve the required fringe contrast of 80% and spectral resolution of 0.02/cm over a spectral range of 2-16 microns. In particular, the design is based on the following features which alleviate the usual requirements for alignment precision: (1) 'cat's eye' mirror configuration in the two arms of the interferometer for retroreflection stability, (2) tilt-compensated system of beamsplitter, compensator, and fold mirrors for wavefront directional stability, (3) paraboloidal 'cat's eye' primary mirror for wavefront stability against shear, (4) rotatable compensator for matching chromatic dispersion, and (5) wedged refractive components to avoid channel spectra due to the Fabry-Perot effect.

Operator-coached machine vision for space telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bon, Bruce; Wilcox, Brian; Litwin, Todd; Gennery, Donald B.

1991-01-01

A prototype system for interactive object modeling has been developed and tested. The goal of this effort has been to create a system which would demonstrate the feasibility of high interactive operator-coached machine vision in a realistic task environment, and to provide a testbed for experimentation with various modes of operator interaction. The purpose for such a system is to use human perception where machine vision is difficult, i.e., to segment the scene into objects and to designate their features, and to use machine vision to overcome limitations of human perception, i.e., for accurate measurement of object geometry. The system captures and displays video images from a number of cameras, allows the operator to designate a polyhedral object one edge at a time by moving a 3-D cursor within these images, performs a least-squares fit of the designated edges to edge data detected with a modified Sobel operator, and combines the edges thus detected to form a wire-frame object model that matches the Sobel data.

Selective Sensing of Gas Mixture via a Temperature Modulation Approach: New Strategy for Potentiometric Gas Sensor Obtaining Satisfactory Discriminating Features

PubMed Central

Li, Fu-an; Jin, Han; Wang, Jinxia; Zou, Jie; Jian, Jiawen

2017-01-01

A new strategy to discriminate four types of hazardous gases is proposed in this research. Through modulating the operating temperature and the processing response signal with a pattern recognition algorithm, a gas sensor consisting of a single sensing electrode, i.e., ZnO/In2O3 composite, is designed to differentiate NO2, NH3, C3H6, CO within the level of 50–400 ppm. Results indicate that with adding 15 wt.% ZnO to In2O3, the sensor fabricated at 900 °C shows optimal sensing characteristics in detecting all the studied gases. Moreover, with the aid of the principle component analysis (PCA) algorithm, the sensor operating in the temperature modulation mode demonstrates acceptable discrimination features. The satisfactory discrimination features disclose the future that it is possible to differentiate gas mixture efficiently through operating a single electrode sensor at temperature modulation mode. PMID:28287492

Design study of wind turbines 50 kW to 3000 kW for electric utility applications. Volume 1: Summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Wind turbine configurations that would lead to generation of electrical power in a cost effective manner were considered. All possible overall system configurationss, operating modes, and sybsystem concepts were evaluated for both technical feasibility and compatibility with utility networks, as well as for economic attractiveness. A design optimization computer code was developed to determine the cost sensitivity of the various design features, and thus establish the configuration and design conditions that would minimize the generated energy costs. The preliminary designs of both a 500 kW unit and a 1500 kW unit operating in a 12 mph and 18 mph median wind speed respectively, were developed. The rationale employed and the key findings are summarized.

Impact of Space Transportation System on planetary spacecraft and missions design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, P. M.

1975-01-01

Results of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) activities to define and understand alternatives for planetary spacecraft operations with the Space Transportation System (STS) are summarized. The STS presents a set of interfaces, operational alternatives, and constraints in the prelaunch, launch, and near-earth flight phases of a mission. Shuttle-unique features are defined and coupled with JPL's existing program experience to begin development of operationally efficient alternatives, concepts, and methods for STS-launched missions. The time frame considered begins with the arrival of the planetary spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center and includes prelaunch ground operations, Shuttle-powered flight, and near-earth operations, up to acquisition of the spacecraft signal by the Deep Space Network. The areas selected for study within this time frame were generally chosen because they represent the 'driving conditions' on planetary-mission as well as system design and operations.

Solar electric propulsion thrust subsystem development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masek, T. D.

1973-01-01

The Solar Electric Propulsion System developed under this program was designed to demonstrate all the thrust subsystem functions needed on an unmanned planetary vehicle. The demonstration included operation of the basic elements, power matching input and output voltage regulation, three-axis thrust vector control, subsystem automatic control including failure detection and correction capability (using a PDP-11 computer), operation of critical elements in thermal-vacuum-, zero-gravity-type propellant storage, and data outputs from all subsystem elements. The subsystem elements, functions, unique features, and test setup are described. General features and capabilities of the test-support data system are also presented. The test program culminated in a 1500-h computer-controlled, system-functional demonstration. This included simultaneous operation of two thruster/power conditioner sets. The results of this testing phase satisfied all the program goals.

Induction simulation of gas core nuclear engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poole, J. W.; Vogel, C. E.

1973-01-01

The design, construction and operation of an induction heated plasma device known as a combined principles simulator is discussed. This device incorporates the major design features of the gas core nuclear rocket engine such as solid feed, propellant seeding, propellant injection through the walls, and a transpiration cooled, choked flow nozzle. Both argon and nitrogen were used as propellant simulating material, and sodium was used for fuel simulating material. In addition, a number of experiments were conducted utilizing depleted uranium as the fuel. The test program revealed that satisfactory operation of this device can be accomplished over a range of operating conditions and provided additional data to confirm the validity of the gas core concept.

Experimental characterization of a binary actuated parallel manipulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuseppe, Carbone

2016-05-01

This paper describes the BAPAMAN (Binary Actuated Parallel MANipulator) series of parallel manipulators that has been conceived at Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics (LARM). Basic common characteristics of BAPAMAN series are described. In particular, it is outlined the use of a reduced number of active degrees of freedom, the use of design solutions with flexural joints and Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators for achieving miniaturization, cost reduction and easy operation features. Given the peculiarities of BAPAMAN architecture, specific experimental tests have been proposed and carried out with the aim to validate the proposed design and to evaluate the practical operation performance and the characteristics of a built prototype, in particular, in terms of operation and workspace characteristics.

Custom Unit Pump Development for the EVA PLSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuller, Michael; Kurwitz, Cable; Little, Frank; Oinuma, Ryoji; Larsen, Ben; Goldman, Jeff; Reinis, Filip; Trevino, Luis

2010-01-01

This paper describes the effort by the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and Honeywell for NASA to design and test a pre-flight prototype pump for use in the Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) portable life support subsystem (PLSS). Major design decisions were driven by the need to reduce the pump s mass, power, and volume compared to the existing PLSS pump. In addition, the pump must accommodate a much wider range of abnormal conditions than the existing pump, including vapor/gas bubbles and increased pressure drop when employed to cool two suits simultaneously. A positive displacement, external gear type pump was selected because it offers the most compact and highest efficiency solution over the required range of flow rates and pressure drops. An additional benefit of selecting a gear pump design is that it is self priming and capable of ingesting non-condensable gas without becoming air locked. The chosen pump design consists of a 28 V DC, brushless, seal-less, permanent magnet motor driven, external gear pump that utilizes a Honeywell development that eliminates the need for magnetic coupling. The pump design was based on existing Honeywell designs, but incorporated features specifically for the PLSS application, including all of the key features of the flight pump. Testing at TEES verified that the pump meets the design requirements for range of flow rates, pressure drop, power consumption, working fluid temperature, operating time, gas ingestion, and restart capability under both ambient and vacuum conditions. The pump operated at 40 to 240 lbm/hr flow rate, 35 to 100 oF pump temperature, and 5 to 10 psid pressure rise. Power consumption of the pump controller at the nominal operating point in both ambient and vacuum conditions was 9.5 W, which was less than the 12 W predicted. Gas ingestion capabilities were tested by injecting 100 cc of air into the fluid line; the pump operated normally throughout this test.

Best Practices for Operando Battery Experiments: Influences of X-ray Experiment Design on Observed Electrochemical Reactivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borkiewicz, O. J.; Wiaderek, Kamila M.; Chupas, Peter J.

Dynamic properties and multiscale complexities governing electrochemical energy storage in batteries are most ideally interrogated under simulated operating conditions within an electrochemical cell. We assess how electrochemical reactivity can be impacted by experiment design, including the X-ray measurements or by common features or adaptations of electrochemical cells that enable X-ray measurements.

Visual performance modeling in the human operator simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strieb, M. I.

1979-01-01

A brief description of the history of the development of the human operator simulator (HOS) model is presented. Features of the HOS micromodels that impact on the obtainment of visual performance data are discussed along with preliminary details on a HOS pilot model designed to predict the results of visual performance workload data obtained through oculometer studies on pilots in real and simulated approaches and landings.

Applied Robotics for Installations and Base Operations: User Perceptions of a Driverless Vehicle at Fort Bragg

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-03

position unless so designated by other authorized documents. Citation of manufacturer’s or trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or...trust and acceptability of the vehicle autonomy, as well as design recommendations for increasing future passenger and pedestrian comfort and trust...of design features and capabilities to better communicate its decision-making processes and intent to passengers, pedestrians, and other road users

Mariner Jupiter/Saturn infrared instrument study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Mariner Jupiter/Saturn infrared instrumentation conceptual design study was conducted to determine the physical and operational characteristics of the instruments needed to satisfy the experiment science requirements. The design of the instruments is based on using as many proven concepts as possible. Many design features are taken from current developments such as the Mariner, Pioneer 10, Viking Orbiter radiometers, and Nimbus D spectrometer. Calibration techniques and error analysis for the instrument system are discussed.

Sensitivity Analysis of the Seakeeping Behavior of Trimaran Ships

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-01

Architects and Marine Engineers; 1967. 827 p. [18] Lloyd ARJM. Seakeeping: Ship Behavior in Rough Weather. West Yorkshire ; Ellis Horwood Ltd ; 1989...INCAT Australia Pty Ltd . This design features side hulls with a very low freeboard at their bows and a definite, above-water center bow. Additional...composite ship, uses an Air Cushion Catamaran (ACC) design, which is an advanced variant of SES technology. Most recently, a co -operative design team that

High-speed digital signal normalization for feature identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ortiz, J. A.; Meredith, B. D.

1983-01-01

A design approach for high speed normalization of digital signals was developed. A reciprocal look up table technique is employed, where a digital value is mapped to its reciprocal via a high speed memory. This reciprocal is then multiplied with an input signal to obtain the normalized result. Normalization improves considerably the accuracy of certain feature identification algorithms. By using the concept of pipelining the multispectral sensor data processing rate is limited only by the speed of the multiplier. The breadboard system was found to operate at an execution rate of five million normalizations per second. This design features high precision, a reduced hardware complexity, high flexibility, and expandability which are very important considerations for spaceborne applications. It also accomplishes a high speed normalization rate essential for real time data processing.

Final design review summary report for the TN-WHC cask and transportation system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kee, A.T.

1997-01-17

This document represents comments generated from a review of Transnuclear`s Final Design Package distributed on December 10, 1996 and a review of the Final Design Analysis Report meeting held on December 17 & 18, 1996. The Final design describes desicn features and presents final analyses @j performed to fabricate and operate the system while meeting the Cask/Transportation Functions and Requirements, WHC-SD-SNF-FRD-011, Rev. 0 and specification WHC-S-0396, Rev. 1.

Structural design and crashworthiness of automobiles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murthy, T.K.S.; Brebbia, C.A.

1987-01-01

This book contains contributions on the design of automobile structure, particularly from the viewpoint of its crashworthiness, which is an essential feature for the safety of passengers and other road users. The book provides a work of reference on the design of automobile structures and the papers included are the edited versions of some of the papers presented at the 1st International Conference on Computer Aided Design, Manufacture and Operation in the Automotive Industries (COMPAUTO 87) organized by the Computational Mechanics Institute of Southampton, England.

Design of a superconducting 28 GHz ion source magnet for FRIB using a shell-based support structure

DOE PAGES

Felice, H.; Rochepault, E.; Hafalia, R.; ...

2014-12-05

The Superconducting Magnet Program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is completing the design of a 28 GHz NbTi ion source magnet for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). The design parameters are based on the parameters of the ECR ion source VENUS in operation at LBNL since 2002 featuring a sextupole-in-solenoids configuration. Whereas most of the magnet components (such as conductor, magnetic design, protection scheme) remain very similar to the VENUS magnet components, the support structure of the FRIB ion source uses a different concept. A shell-based support structure using bladders and keys is implemented in themore » design allowing fine tuning of the sextupole preload and reversibility of the magnet assembly process. As part of the design work, conductor insulation scheme, coil fabrication processes and assembly procedures are also explored to optimize performance. We present the main features of the design emphasizing the integrated design approach used at LBNL to achieve this result.« less

Technical and Economic Evaluation of Advanced Air Cargo Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitehead, A. H., Jr.

1978-01-01

The current air cargo environment and the relevance of advanced technology aircraft in enhancing the efficiency of the 1990 air cargo system are discussed. NASA preliminary design studies are shown to indicate significant potential gains in aircraft efficiency and operational economics for future freighter concepts. Required research and technology elements are outlined to develop a better base for evaluating advanced design concepts. Current studies of the market operation are reviewed which will develop design criteria for a future dedicated cargo transport. Design features desirable in an all-freighter design are reviewed. NASA-sponsored studies of large, distributed-load freighters are reviewed and these designs are compared to current wide-body aircraft. These concepts vary in gross takeoff weight from 0.5 Gg (one million lbs.) to 1.5 Gg (three million lbs.) and are found to exhibit economic advantages over conventional design concepts.

Impact of Hospital Information Systems on Emergency Patient Processing

PubMed Central

Rusnak, James E.

1981-01-01

The Emergency Department offers the Hospital Information System's designer some unique problems to solve in the operational areas of patient registration, order entry, charge recording, and treatment processing. In a number of instances, Hospital Information Systems implementers have encountered serious difficulties in trying to design system components to support the requirements of the Emergency Services Department's operations. Washington Hospital has developed a very effective system for Emergency Services. The system's features are designed to meet the special requirements of the department and to maximize the use of the data captured by the Hospital Information System. The system supports accurate and timely charging for services. The treatment of the patient has been dramatically improved through the use of a computerized order processing and control. The installed systems resulted in a higher quality of care and cost effective operations.

Development of an engineering model traveling wave tube amplifier for space communication systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eallonardo, C. M.; Songli, J.; Basiulis, A.

1972-01-01

A design has been made of a 100 watt traveling-wave tube amplifier for use in space communication applications. The features of very high overall efficiency and heat rejection of waste heat at low thermal densities were predominant in the design concept. The design concept was proven by building a series of tubes, operating at efficiencies up to 50%. These tubes utilized heat pipe cooling and heat distribution such that 150 watts of waste heat was rejected at a density of less than 1.5 watts per square inch. A power supply to convert a 28 volt primary line of the needs of the TWT was built and operated at 85% efficiency.

Design criteria of the bolometer diagnostic for steady-state operation of the W7-X stellaratora)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, D.; Burhenn, R.; Koenig, R.; Giannone, L.; Grodzki, P. A.; Klein, B.; Grosser, K.; Baldzuhn, J.; Ewert, K.; Erckmann, V.; Hirsch, M.; Laqua, H. P.; Oosterbeek, J. W.

2010-10-01

A bolometric diagnostic system with features necessary for steady-state operation in the superconducting stellarator W7-X was designed. During a pulse length of 1800 s with an ECRH (electron cyclotron resonance heating) power of 10 MW, the components suffer not only from a large thermal load but also from stray radiation of the nonabsorbed isotropic microwaves. This paper gives an overview of the technical problems encountered during the design work and the solutions to individual problems to meet the special requirements in W7-X, e.g., component thermal protection, detector offset thermal drift suppression, as well as a microwave shielding technique.

Chapter 9: The FTU Machine - Design Construction and Assembly

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pizzuto, A.; Annino, C.; Baldarelli, M.

2004-05-15

The main design features and guidelines for the construction of the 8-T cryogenically cooled Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU) are presented. The main features include the very compact toroidal magnets based on the concept of the 'Bitter' type of coil with wedge-shaped turns, utilized for the first time for the Alcator A and C magnets, and the original configuration of the vacuum vessel (VV) structure, which is fully welded in order to achieve the required high strength and electric resistivity. The present toroidal limiter has been installed following several years of operation, and this installation has required the development of specificmore » remote-handling tools. The toroidal limiter consists of 12 independent sectors made of stainless steel carriers and molybdenum alloy (TZM) tiles. The main fabrication processes developed for the toroidal and poloidal coils as well as for the VV are described. It is to be noted that the assembly procedure has required very accurate machining of all the structures requiring several trials and steps. The machine has shown no problem in operating routinely at its maximum design values (8 T, 1.6 MA)« less

A potentiostat featuring an integrator transimpedance amplifier for the measurement of very low currents--Proof-of-principle application in microfluidic separations and voltammetry.

PubMed

Koutilellis, G D; Economou, A; Efstathiou, C E

2016-03-01

This work reports the design and construction of a novel potentiostat which features an integrator transimpedance amplifier as a current-monitoring unit. The integration approach addresses the limitations of the feedback resistor approach used for current monitoring in conventional potentiostat designs. In the present design, measurement of the current is performed by a precision switched integrator transimpedance amplifier operated in the dual sampling mode which enables sub-pA resolution. The potentiostat is suitable for measuring very low currents (typical dynamic range: 5 pA-4.7 μA) with a 16 bit resolution, and it can support 2-, 3- and 4-electrode cell configurations. Its operation was assessed by using it as a detection module in a home-made capillary electrophoresis system for the separation and amperometric detection of paracetamol and p-aminophenol at a 3-electrode microfluidic chip. The potential and limitations of the proposed potentiostat to implement fast potential-scan voltammetric techniques were demonstrated for the case of cyclic voltammetry.

A potentiostat featuring an integrator transimpedance amplifier for the measurement of very low currents—Proof-of-principle application in microfluidic separations and voltammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koutilellis, G. D.; Economou, A.; Efstathiou, C. E.

2016-03-01

This work reports the design and construction of a novel potentiostat which features an integrator transimpedance amplifier as a current-monitoring unit. The integration approach addresses the limitations of the feedback resistor approach used for current monitoring in conventional potentiostat designs. In the present design, measurement of the current is performed by a precision switched integrator transimpedance amplifier operated in the dual sampling mode which enables sub-pA resolution. The potentiostat is suitable for measuring very low currents (typical dynamic range: 5 pA-4.7 μA) with a 16 bit resolution, and it can support 2-, 3- and 4-electrode cell configurations. Its operation was assessed by using it as a detection module in a home-made capillary electrophoresis system for the separation and amperometric detection of paracetamol and p-aminophenol at a 3-electrode microfluidic chip. The potential and limitations of the proposed potentiostat to implement fast potential-scan voltammetric techniques were demonstrated for the case of cyclic voltammetry.

Study of Advanced Propulsion Systems for Small Transport Aircraft Technology (STAT) Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baerst, C. F.; Heldenbrand, R. W.; Rowse, J. H.

1981-01-01

Definitions of takeoff gross weight, performance, and direct operating cost for both a 30 and 50 passenger airplane were established. The results indicate that a potential direct operating cost benefit, resulting from advanced technologies, of approximately 20 percent would be achieved for the 1990 engines. Of the numerous design features that were evaluated, only maintenance-related items contributed to a significant decrease in direct operating cost. Recommendations are made to continue research and technology programs for advanced component and engine development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baucom, R.M.; Marchello, J.M.

Thermoplastic prepregs of LARC-TPI have been produced in a fluidized bed unit on spread continuous fiber tows. The powders are melted on the fibers by radiant heating to adhere the polymer to the fiber. This process produces tow prepreg uniformly without imposing severe stress on the fibers or requiring long high temperature residence times for the polymer. Unit design theory and operating correlations have been developed to provide the basis for scale up to commercial operation. Special features of the operation are the pneumatic tow spreader, fluidized bed and resin feed systems.

Operating organic light-emitting diodes imaged by super-resolution spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, John T.; Granick, Steve

Super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy is adapted here for materials characterization that would not otherwise be possible. With the example of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), spectral imaging with pixel-by-pixel wavelength discrimination allows us to resolve local-chain environment encoded in the spectral response of the semi-conducting polymer, and correlate chain packing with local electroluminescence by using externally applied current as the excitation source. We observe nanoscopic defects that would be unresolvable by traditional microscopy. They are revealed in electroluminescence maps in operating OLEDs with 50 nm spatial resolution. We find that brightest emission comes from regions with more densely packedmore » chains. Conventional microscopy of an operating OLED would lack the resolution needed to discriminate these features, while traditional methods to resolve nanoscale features generally cannot be performed when the device is operating. As a result, this points the way towards real-time analysis of materials design principles in devices as they actually operate.« less

Operating organic light-emitting diodes imaged by super-resolution spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

King, John T.; Granick, Steve

2016-06-21

Super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy is adapted here for materials characterization that would not otherwise be possible. With the example of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), spectral imaging with pixel-by-pixel wavelength discrimination allows us to resolve local-chain environment encoded in the spectral response of the semi-conducting polymer, and correlate chain packing with local electroluminescence by using externally applied current as the excitation source. We observe nanoscopic defects that would be unresolvable by traditional microscopy. They are revealed in electroluminescence maps in operating OLEDs with 50 nm spatial resolution. We find that brightest emission comes from regions with more densely packedmore » chains. Conventional microscopy of an operating OLED would lack the resolution needed to discriminate these features, while traditional methods to resolve nanoscale features generally cannot be performed when the device is operating. As a result, this points the way towards real-time analysis of materials design principles in devices as they actually operate.« less

SETL for Internet Data Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

early phase in the evolution of most large software systems, especially those featuring novel designs [135, 173, 66, 70, 71 ]. Second, SETL’s strong...into SETL/E [66, 61], a revision of SETL that was extended with a process creation operator and renamed ProSet [ 71 ] to signify its role in prototyping...set-oriented languages having intrinsic persistence features [60, 64, 67, 70, 71 , 62] that sought to spare the programmer the trouble of coding data

High spectral resolution lidar based on quad mach zehnder interferometer for aerosols and wind measurements on board space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariscal, Jean-François; Bruneau, Didier; Pelon, Jacques; Van Haecke, Mathilde; Blouzon, Frédéric; Montmessin, Franck; Chepfer, Hélène

2018-04-01

We present the measurement principle and the optical design of a Quad Mach Zehnder (QMZ) interferometer as HSRL technique, allowing simultaneous measurements of particle backscattering and wind velocity. Key features of this concept is to operate with a multimodal laser and do not require any frequency stabilization. These features are relevant especially for space applications for which high technical readiness level is required.

Applying instructional design practices to evaluate and improve the roadway characteristics inventory (RCI) training curriculum : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

The Roadway Characteristics Inventory (RCI) is one of FDOTs largest databases, including over 2 million records. The RCI contains data for several hundred features and characteristics representing geometric, operational, and administrative data re...

FLORIDA LARGE BUILDING STUDY - POLK COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes an extensive characterization and parameter assessment study of a single, large building in Bartow, FL, with the purpose of assessing the impact on radon entry of design, construction, and operating features of the building, particularly the mechanical subsys...

46 CFR 61.40-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PERIODIC TESTS AND INSPECTIONS Design Verification and Periodic Testing of Vital System Automation § 61.40-1 General. (a) All automatically or... tests and inspections to evaluate the operation and reliability of controls, alarms, safety features...

High-temperature pump-motor assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colker, C.; Waldron, W.

1971-01-01

Assembly pumps liquid sodium-potassium /NaK/ eutectic at 950 K for up to 20,000 hours. Design features include - high operating-temperature capability, zero leakage, process fluid lubricant/coolant, insulation system compatible with ionizing radiation environments, and reliability and long life without maintenance.

Design and operation of a fast electromagnetic inductive massive gas injection valve for NSTX-U.

PubMed

Raman, R; Jarboe, T R; Nelson, B A; Gerhardt, S P; Lay, W-S; Plunkett, G J

2014-11-01

Results from the operation of an electromagnetic valve, that does not incorporate ferromagnetic materials, are presented. Image currents induced on a conducting disc placed near a pancake solenoid cause it to move away from the solenoid and open the vacuum seal. A new and important design feature is the use of Lip Seals for the sliding piston. The pressure rise in the test chamber is measured directly using a fast time response Baratron gauge. The valve injects over 200 Torr l of nitrogen in less than 3 ms, which remains unchanged at moderate magnetic fields.

Design and operation of a fast electromagnetic inductive massive gas injection valve for NSTX-U

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raman, R.; Jarboe, T. R.; Nelson, B. A.; Gerhardt, S. P.; Lay, W.-S.; Plunkett, G. J.

2014-11-01

Results from the operation of an electromagnetic valve, that does not incorporate ferromagnetic materials, are presented. Image currents induced on a conducting disc placed near a pancake solenoid cause it to move away from the solenoid and open the vacuum seal. A new and important design feature is the use of Lip Seals for the sliding piston. The pressure rise in the test chamber is measured directly using a fast time response Baratron gauge. The valve injects over 200 Torr l of nitrogen in less than 3 ms, which remains unchanged at moderate magnetic fields.

AOCS operations preparation for the BepiColombo mission to mercury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiger, C.; Altay, A.; Montagnon, E.; Companys, V.

2018-06-01

The 2018 ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury features a complex modular design, with two scientific Mercury orbiters and a cruise module. The spacecraft (S/C) and mission design lead to a number of challenges for the attitude and orbit control system (AOCS), including electric propulsion usage during cruise to Mercury, AOCS capability to deal with several S/C configurations, and strict attitude constraints owing to the harsh thermal environment. This paper presents the activities for AOCS operations preparation by ESA/ESOC, covering the current preparation status as well as an outlook on upcoming activities before launch.

Quantum Computing Architectural Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, Jacob; Simms, Geoffrey; Gyure, Mark

2006-03-01

Large scale quantum computers will invariably require scalable architectures in addition to high fidelity gate operations. Quantum computing architectural design (QCAD) addresses the problems of actually implementing fault-tolerant algorithms given physical and architectural constraints beyond those of basic gate-level fidelity. Here we introduce a unified framework for QCAD that enables the scientist to study the impact of varying error correction schemes, architectural parameters including layout and scheduling, and physical operations native to a given architecture. Our software package, aptly named QCAD, provides compilation, manipulation/transformation, multi-paradigm simulation, and visualization tools. We demonstrate various features of the QCAD software package through several examples.

Solid propellant processing factor in rocket motor design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The ways are described by which propellant processing is affected by choices made in designing rocket engines. Tradeoff studies, design proof or scaleup studies, and special design features are presented that are required to obtain high product quality, and optimum processing costs. Processing is considered to include the operational steps involved with the lining and preparation of the motor case for the grain; the procurement of propellant raw materials; and propellant mixing, casting or extrusion, curing, machining, and finishing. The design criteria, recommended practices, and propellant formulations are included.

An engineering evaluation of the Space Shuttle OMS engine after 5 orbital flights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

David, D.

1983-01-01

Design features, performances on the first five flights, and condition of the Shuttle OMS engines are summarized. The engines were designed to provide a vacuum-fed 6000 lb of thrust and a 310 sec specific impulse, fueled by a combination of N2O4 and monomethylhydrazine (MMH) at a mixture ratio of 1.65. The design lifetime is 1000 starts and 15 hr of cumulative firing duration. The engine assembly is throat gimballed and features yaw actuators. No degradation of the hot components was observed during the first five flights, and the injector pattern maintained a uniform, enduring level of performance. An increase in the take-off loads have led to enhancing the wall thickness in the nozzle in affected areas. The engine is concluded to be performing to design specifications and is considered an operational system.

Automatic Detection of Driver Fatigue Using Driving Operation Information for Transportation Safety

PubMed Central

Li, Zuojin; Chen, Liukui; Peng, Jun; Wu, Ying

2017-01-01

Fatigued driving is a major cause of road accidents. For this reason, the method in this paper is based on the steering wheel angles (SWA) and yaw angles (YA) information under real driving conditions to detect drivers’ fatigue levels. It analyzes the operation features of SWA and YA under different fatigue statuses, then calculates the approximate entropy (ApEn) features of a short sliding window on time series. Using the nonlinear feature construction theory of dynamic time series, with the fatigue features as input, designs a “2-6-6-3” multi-level back propagation (BP) Neural Networks classifier to realize the fatigue detection. An approximately 15-h experiment is carried out on a real road, and the data retrieved are segmented and labeled with three fatigue levels after expert evaluation, namely “awake”, “drowsy” and “very drowsy”. The average accuracy of 88.02% in fatigue identification was achieved in the experiment, endorsing the value of the proposed method for engineering applications. PMID:28587072

Automatic Detection of Driver Fatigue Using Driving Operation Information for Transportation Safety.

PubMed

Li, Zuojin; Chen, Liukui; Peng, Jun; Wu, Ying

2017-05-25

Fatigued driving is a major cause of road accidents. For this reason, the method in this paper is based on the steering wheel angles (SWA) and yaw angles (YA) information under real driving conditions to detect drivers' fatigue levels. It analyzes the operation features of SWA and YA under different fatigue statuses, then calculates the approximate entropy (ApEn) features of a short sliding window on time series. Using the nonlinear feature construction theory of dynamic time series, with the fatigue features as input, designs a "2-6-6-3" multi-level back propagation (BP) Neural Networks classifier to realize the fatigue detection. An approximately 15-h experiment is carried out on a real road, and the data retrieved are segmented and labeled with three fatigue levels after expert evaluation, namely "awake", "drowsy" and "very drowsy". The average accuracy of 88.02% in fatigue identification was achieved in the experiment, endorsing the value of the proposed method for engineering applications.

Fluidic Emergency Thruster for Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Honda, T. S.

1972-01-01

The design, development, fabrication and test evaluation of two prototype fluidic emergency thrusters (FET) for aircraft stabilization are discussed. The fluidic control units were designed to provide, between two diametrically opposed nozzles, a thrust differential proportional to an input voltage signal. The emergency roll control requirements of the X-14 VTOL research aircraft were defined as typical design goals. Two control units, one on each wing tip, are intended to provide a maximum thrust of 224 pounds per unit. The units are designed to operate with 2500 psig, 2000 F gas from a solid propellant gas generator. The emergency system including the gas generator was designed to add less than 11 pounds per wing tip. The operating time under emergency conditions was specified as five seconds. The fluidic emergency thruster is similar in concept to a JATO system but has the added feature of controllable thrust.

Operation analysis of a Chebyshev-Pantograph leg mechanism for a single DOF biped robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Conghui; Ceccarelli, Marco; Takeda, Yukio

2012-12-01

In this paper, operation analysis of a Chebyshev-Pantograph leg mechanism is presented for a single degree of freedom (DOF) biped robot. The proposed leg mechanism is composed of a Chebyshev four-bar linkage and a pantograph mechanism. In contrast to general fully actuated anthropomorphic leg mechanisms, the proposed leg mechanism has peculiar features like compactness, low-cost, and easy-operation. Kinematic equations of the proposed leg mechanism are formulated for a computer oriented simulation. Simulation results show the operation performance of the proposed leg mechanism with suitable characteristics. A parametric study has been carried out to evaluate the operation performance as function of design parameters. A prototype of a single DOF biped robot equipped with two proposed leg mechanisms has been built at LARM (Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics). Experimental test shows practical feasible walking ability of the prototype, as well as drawbacks are discussed for the mechanical design.

Visual display aid for orbital maneuvering - Design considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grunwald, Arthur J.; Ellis, Stephen R.

1993-01-01

This paper describes the development of an interactive proximity operations planning system that allows on-site planning of fuel-efficient multiburn maneuvers in a potential multispacecraft environment. Although this display system most directly assists planning by providing visual feedback to aid visualization of the trajectories and constraints, its most significant features include: (1) the use of an 'inverse dynamics' algorithm that removes control nonlinearities facing the operator, and (2) a trajectory planning technique that separates, through a 'geometric spreadsheet', the normally coupled complex problems of planning orbital maneuvers and allows solution by an iterative sequence of simple independent actions. The visual feedback of trajectory shapes and operational constraints, provided by user-transparent and continuously active background computations, allows the operator to make fast, iterative design changes that rapidly converge to fuel-efficient solutions. The planning tool provides an example of operator-assisted optimization of nonlinear cost functions.

Advanced Launch System advanced development oxidizer turbopump program: Technical implementation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferlita, F.

1989-01-01

The Advanced Launch Systems (ALS) Advanced Development Oxidizer Turbopump Program has designed, fabricated and demonstrated a low cost, highly reliable oxidizer turbopump for the Space Transportation Engine that minimizes the recurring cost for the ALS engines. Pratt and Whitney's (P and W's) plan for integrating the analyses, testing, fabrication, and other program efforts is addressed. This plan offers a comprehensive description of the total effort required to design, fabricate, and test the ALS oxidizer turbopump. The proposed ALS oxidizer turbopump reduces turbopump costs over current designs by taking advantage of design simplicity and state-of-the-art materials and producibility features without compromising system reliability. This is accomplished by selecting turbopump operating conditions that are within known successful operating regions and by using proven manufacturing techniques.

Advanced Control Considerations for Turbofan Engine Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Joseph W.; Csank, Jeffrey T.; Chicatelli, Amy

2016-01-01

This paper covers the application of a model-based engine control (MBEC) methodology featuring a self tuning on-board model for an aircraft turbofan engine simulation. The nonlinear engine model is capable of modeling realistic engine performance, allowing for a verification of the advanced control methodology over a wide range of operating points and life cycle conditions. The on-board model is a piece-wise linear model derived from the nonlinear engine model and updated using an optimal tuner Kalman Filter estimation routine, which enables the on-board model to self-tune to account for engine performance variations. MBEC is used here to show how advanced control architectures can improve efficiency during the design phase of a turbofan engine by reducing conservative operability margins. The operability margins that can be reduced, such as stall margin, can expand the engine design space and offer potential for efficiency improvements. Application of MBEC architecture to a nonlinear engine simulation is shown to reduce the thrust specific fuel consumption by approximately 1% over the baseline design, while maintaining safe operation of the engine across the flight envelope.

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 4: Space shuttle nuclear system transportation. Part 1: Space shuttle nuclear safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

An analysis of the nuclear safety aspects (design and operational considerations) in the transport of nuclear payloads to and from earth orbit by the space shuttle is presented. Three representative nuclear payloads used in the study were: (1) the zirconium hydride reactor Brayton power module, (2) the large isotope Brayton power system and (3) small isotopic heat sources which can be a part of an upper stage or part of a logistics module. Reference data on the space shuttle and nuclear payloads are presented in an appendix. Safety oriented design and operational requirements were identified to integrate the nuclear payloads in the shuttle mission. Contingency situations were discussed and operations and design features were recommended to minimize the nuclear hazards. The study indicates the safety, design and operational advantages in the use of a nuclear payload transfer module. The transfer module can provide many of the safety related support functions (blast and fragmentation protection, environmental control, payload ejection) minimizing the direct impact on the shuttle.

Robust evaluation of time series classification algorithms for structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, Dustin Y.; Worden, Keith; Todd, Michael D.

2014-03-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems provide real-time damage and performance information for civil, aerospace, and mechanical infrastructure through analysis of structural response measurements. The supervised learning methodology for data-driven SHM involves computation of low-dimensional, damage-sensitive features from raw measurement data that are then used in conjunction with machine learning algorithms to detect, classify, and quantify damage states. However, these systems often suffer from performance degradation in real-world applications due to varying operational and environmental conditions. Probabilistic approaches to robust SHM system design suffer from incomplete knowledge of all conditions a system will experience over its lifetime. Info-gap decision theory enables nonprobabilistic evaluation of the robustness of competing models and systems in a variety of decision making applications. Previous work employed info-gap models to handle feature uncertainty when selecting various components of a supervised learning system, namely features from a pre-selected family and classifiers. In this work, the info-gap framework is extended to robust feature design and classifier selection for general time series classification through an efficient, interval arithmetic implementation of an info-gap data model. Experimental results are presented for a damage type classification problem on a ball bearing in a rotating machine. The info-gap framework in conjunction with an evolutionary feature design system allows for fully automated design of a time series classifier to meet performance requirements under maximum allowable uncertainty.

Symposium on Aviation Psychology, 1st, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, April 21, 22, 1981, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The impact of modern technology on the role, responsibility, authority, and performance of human operators in modern aircraft and ATC systems was examined in terms of principles defined by Paul Fitts. Research into human factors in aircraft operations and the use of human factors engineering for aircraft safety improvements were discussed, and features of the man-machine interface in computerized cockpit warning systems are examined. The design and operational features of computerized avionics displays and HUDs are described, along with results of investigations into pilot decision-making behavior, aircrew procedural compliance, and aircrew judgment training programs. Experiments in vision and visual perception are detailed, as are behavioral studies of crew workload, coordination, and complement. The effectiveness of pilot selection, screening, and training techniques are assessed, as are methods for evaluating pilot performance.

40 CFR 63.681 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... drain system, a gravity-operated conveyor (such as a chute), and a mechanically-powered conveyor (such... features permanently integrated into the design of the unit. Emission point means an individual tank, surface impoundment, container, oil-water or organic-water separator, transfer system, process vent, or...

40 CFR 63.681 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... drain system, a gravity-operated conveyor (such as a chute), and a mechanically-powered conveyor (such... features permanently integrated into the design of the unit. Emission point means an individual tank, surface impoundment, container, oil-water or organic-water separator, transfer system, process vent, or...

40 CFR 63.681 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... drain system, a gravity-operated conveyor (such as a chute), and a mechanically-powered conveyor (such... features permanently integrated into the design of the unit. Emission point means an individual tank, surface impoundment, container, oil-water or organic-water separator, transfer system, process vent, or...

Automatic protective vent has fail-safe feature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dameron, C. E.

1966-01-01

Delayed vent valve system in a mechanical backing pump in a vacuum system allows the pneumatic foreline valve to seal before the pump vent opens. The system is designed to be fail-safe and operate even though there is loss of electrical power.

10 CFR 60.32 - Conditions of construction authorization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... GEOLOGIC REPOSITORIES Licenses Construction Authorization § 60.32 Conditions of construction authorization... changes to the features of the geologic repository and the procedures authorized. The restrictions that... setting as well as measures related to the design and construction of the geologic repository operations...

Feasibility study of the Boeing Small Research Module (BSRM) concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The design, capabilities, and subsystem options are described for the Boeing Small Research Module (BSRM). Specific scientific missions are defined and the BSRM capability to support these missions is discussed. Launch vehicle integration requirements and spacecraft operational features are also presented.

Some design constraints required for the assembly of software components: The incorporation of atomic abstract types into generically structured abstract types

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Charles S.

1986-01-01

It is nearly axiomatic, that to take the greatest advantage of the useful features available in a development system, and to avoid the negative interactions of those features, requires the exercise of a design methodology which constrains their use. A major design support feature of the Ada language is abstraction: for data, functions processes, resources, and system elements in general. Atomic abstract types can be created in packages defining those private types and all of the overloaded operators, functions, and hidden data required for their use in an application. Generically structured abstract types can be created in generic packages defining those structured private types, as buildups from the user-defined data types which are input as parameters. A study is made of the design constraints required for software incorporating either atomic or generically structured abstract types, if the integration of software components based on them is to be subsequently performed. The impact of these techniques on the reusability of software and the creation of project-specific software support environments is also discussed.

Ergonomics of medical lasers: operator's viewpoint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, David W.; Jobes, H. M.; Hinshaw, J. Raymond; Lanzafame, Raymond J.

1992-06-01

Lasers are instruments that may enhance the surgeons ability to perform surgery. Many medical lasers sit unused. Lack of use is associated with 'user unfriendliness'. Nurses and surgeons often cite factors such as complexity, location, and types of controls, and content of displays. Other factors such as culture-ethnology and its relationship to command words and symbols, affect understandability of controls, displays and user friendliness. Laser designers and engineers must analyze the interaction between laser users and products. They must fully understand the training limitations and unique working environments (surgical specialty) of operators. Laser design and operation must coincide with specific needs and expectations of the nurses and physicians. Poor design and engineering compromises results in non use of expensive instrumentation, products which are ineffective for clinical use, and could potentially increase the risk of possible injury to patients and staff. This paper discusses the design and operation of medical laser systems. The advantages and disadvantages of several laser systems will be presented. User interfaces for controls - color, function, touch activation, labels and size, sound cues, laser activation, type and amount of feedback information during operation; design of storage for accessories, and need for features such as pulsing, and milliwatts will be discussed. We will present what we consider to be an ideal laser system.

Assistant Personal Robot (APR): Conception and Application of a Tele-Operated Assisted Living Robot.

PubMed

Clotet, Eduard; Martínez, Dani; Moreno, Javier; Tresanchez, Marcel; Palacín, Jordi

2016-04-28

This paper presents the technical description, mechanical design, electronic components, software implementation and possible applications of a tele-operated mobile robot designed as an assisted living tool. This robotic concept has been named Assistant Personal Robot (or APR for short) and has been designed as a remotely telecontrolled robotic platform built to provide social and assistive services to elderly people and those with impaired mobility. The APR features a fast high-mobility motion system adapted for tele-operation in plain indoor areas, which incorporates a high-priority collision avoidance procedure. This paper presents the mechanical architecture, electrical fundaments and software implementation required in order to develop the main functionalities of an assistive robot. The APR uses a tablet in order to implement the basic peer-to-peer videoconference and tele-operation control combined with a tactile graphic user interface. The paper also presents the development of some applications proposed in the framework of an assisted living robot.

IN-PILE CORROSION TEST LOOPS FOR AQUEOUS HOMOGENEOUS REACTOR SOLUTIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savage, H.C.; Jenks, G.H.; Bohlmann, E.G.

1960-12-21

An in-pile corrosion test loop is described which is used to study the effect of reactor radiation on the corrosion of materials of construction and the chemical stability of fuel solutions of interest to the Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor Program at ORNL. Aqueous solutions of uranyl sulfate are circulated in the loop by means of a 5-gpm canned-rotor pump, and the pump loop is designed for operation at temperatures to 300 ts C and pressures to 2000 psia while exposed to reactor radiation in beam-hole facilities of the LITR and ORR. Operation of the first loop in-pile was begun in Octobermore » 1954, and since that time 17 other in-pile loop experiments were completed. Design criteria of the pump loop and its associated auxiliary equipment and instrumentation are described. In-pile operating procedures, safety features, and operating experience are presented. A cost summary of the design, fabrication, and installation of the loop and experimental facillties is also included. (auth)« less

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission Operational Land Imager (OLI) Radiometric Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markham, Brian L.; Dabney, Philip W.; Murphy-Morris, Jeanine E.; Knight, Edward J.; Kvaran, Geir; Barsi, Julia A.

2010-01-01

The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) has a comprehensive radiometric characterization and calibration program beginning with the instrument design, and extending through integration and test, on-orbit operations and science data processing. Key instrument design features for radiometric calibration include dual solar diffusers and multi-lamped on-board calibrators. The radiometric calibration transfer procedure from NIST standards has multiple checks on the radiometric scale throughout the process and uses a heliostat as part of the transfer to orbit of the radiometric calibration. On-orbit lunar imaging will be used to track the instruments stability and side slither maneuvers will be used in addition to the solar diffuser to flat field across the thousands of detectors per band. A Calibration Validation Team is continuously involved in the process from design to operations. This team uses an Image Assessment System (IAS), part of the ground system to characterize and calibrate the on-orbit data.

A Personnel Launch System for safe and efficient manned operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petro, Andrew J.; Andrews, Dana G.; Wetzel, Eric D.

1990-10-01

Several Conceptual designs for a simple, rugged Personnel Launch System (PLS) are presented. This system could transport people to and from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) starting in the late 1990's using a new modular Advanced Launch System (ALS) developed for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). The PLS is designed to be one element of a new space transportation architecture including heavy-lift cargo vehicles, lunar transfer vehicles, and multiple-role spcecraft such as the current Space Shuttle. The primary role of the PLS would be to deliver crews embarking on lunar or planetary missions to the Space Station, but it would also be used for earth-orbit sortie missions, space rescue missions, and some satellite servicing missions. The PLS design takes advantage of emerging electronic and structures technologies to offer a robust vehicle with autonomous operating and quick turnaround capabilities. Key features include an intact abort capability anywhere in the operating envelope, and elimination of all toxic propellants to streamline ground operations.

Investigation of REST-Class Hypersonic Inlet Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gollan, Rowan; Ferlemann, Paul G.

2011-01-01

Rectangular-to-elliptical shape-transition (REST) inlets are of interest for use on scramjet engines because they are efficient and integrate well with the forebody of a planar vehicle. The classic design technique by Smart for these inlets produces an efficient inlet but the complex three-dimensional viscous effects are only approximately included. Certain undesirable viscous features often occur in these inlets. In the present work, a design toolset has been developed which allows for rapid design of REST-class inlet geometries and the subsequent Navier-Stokes analysis of the inlet performance. This gives the designer feedback on the complex viscous effects at each design iteration. This new tool is applied to design an inlet for on-design operation at Mach 8. The tool allows for rapid investigation of design features that was previously not possible. The outcome is that the inlet shape can be modified to affect aspects of the flow field in a positive way. In one particular example, the boundary layer build-up on the bodyside of the inlet was reduced by 20% of the thickness associated with the classically designed inlet shape.

Fission Product Appearance Rate Coefficients in Design Basis Source Term Determinations - Past and Present

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Pedro B.; Hamawi, John N.

2017-09-01

Nuclear power plant radiation protection design features are based on radionuclide source terms derived from conservative assumptions that envelope expected operating experience. Two parameters that significantly affect the radionuclide concentrations in the source term are failed fuel fraction and effective fission product appearance rate coefficients. Failed fuel fraction may be a regulatory based assumption such as in the U.S. Appearance rate coefficients are not specified in regulatory requirements, but have been referenced to experimental data that is over 50 years old. No doubt the source terms are conservative as demonstrated by operating experience that has included failed fuel, but it may be too conservative leading to over-designed shielding for normal operations as an example. Design basis source term methodologies for normal operations had not advanced until EPRI published in 2015 an updated ANSI/ANS 18.1 source term basis document. Our paper revisits the fission product appearance rate coefficients as applied in the derivation source terms following the original U.S. NRC NUREG-0017 methodology. New coefficients have been calculated based on recent EPRI results which demonstrate the conservatism in nuclear power plant shielding design.

An Innovative Accident Tolerant LWR Fuel Rod Design Based on Uranium-Molybdenum Metal Alloy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montgomery, Robert O.; Bennett, Wendy D.; Henager, Charles H.

2016-09-12

The US Department of Energy is developing a uranium-molybdenum metal alloy Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel concept for Light Water Reactor applications that provides improved fuel performance during normal operation, anticipated operational occurrences, and postulated accidents. The high initial uranium atom density, the high thermal conductivity, and a low heat capacity permit a U-Mo-based fuel assembly to meet important design and safety requirements. These attributes also result in a fuel design that can satisfy increased fuel utilization demands and allow for improved accident tolerance in LWRs. This paper summarizes the results obtained from the on-going activities to; 1) evaluate the impactmore » of the U-10wt%Mo thermal properties on operational and accident safety margins, 2) produce a triple extrusion of stainless steel cladding/niobium liner/U-10Mo fuel rod specimen and 3) test the high temperature water corrosion of rodlet samples containing a drilled hole in the cladding. Characterization of the cladding and liner thickness uniformity, microstructural features of the U-Mo gamma phase, and the metallurgical bond between the component materials will be presented. The results from corrosion testing will be discussed which yield insights into the resistance to attack by water ingress during high temperature water exposure for the triple extruded samples containing a drilled hole. These preliminary evaluations find that the U-10Mo fuel design concept has many beneficial features that can meet or improve conventional LWR fuel performance requirements under normal operation, AOOs, and postulated accidents. The viability of a deployable U-Mo fuel design hinges on demonstrating that fabrication processes and alloying additions can produce acceptable irradiation stability during normal operation and accident conditions and controlled metal-water reaction rates in the unlikely event of a cladding perforation. In the area of enhanced accident tolerance, a key objective is to establish that the lower stored energy of the U-Mo fuel design can provide the emergency core cooling systems the opportunity to maintain the reactor core in a coolable geometry following an accident.« less

Hazardous-Materials Robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Henry W.; Edmonds, Gary O.

1995-01-01

Remotely controlled mobile robot used to locate, characterize, identify, and eventually mitigate incidents involving hazardous-materials spills/releases. Possesses number of innovative features, allowing it to perform mission-critical functions such as opening and unlocking doors and sensing for hazardous materials. Provides safe means for locating and identifying spills and eliminates risks of injury associated with use of manned entry teams. Current version of vehicle, called HAZBOT III, also features unique mechanical and electrical design enabling vehicle to operate safely within combustible atmosphere.

Design of the HELICS High-Performance Transmission-Distribution-Communication-Market Co-Simulation Framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmintier, Bryan S; Krishnamurthy, Dheepak; Top, Philip

This paper describes the design rationale for a new cyber-physical-energy co-simulation framework for electric power systems. This new framework will support very large-scale (100,000+ federates) co-simulations with off-the-shelf power-systems, communication, and end-use models. Other key features include cross-platform operating system support, integration of both event-driven (e.g. packetized communication) and time-series (e.g. power flow) simulation, and the ability to co-iterate among federates to ensure model convergence at each time step. After describing requirements, we begin by evaluating existing co-simulation frameworks, including HLA and FMI, and conclude that none provide the required features. Then we describe the design for the new layeredmore » co-simulation architecture.« less

Design of the HELICS High-Performance Transmission-Distribution-Communication-Market Co-Simulation Framework: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmintier, Bryan S; Krishnamurthy, Dheepak; Top, Philip

This paper describes the design rationale for a new cyber-physical-energy co-simulation framework for electric power systems. This new framework will support very large-scale (100,000+ federates) co-simulations with off-the-shelf power-systems, communication, and end-use models. Other key features include cross-platform operating system support, integration of both event-driven (e.g. packetized communication) and time-series (e.g. power flow) simulation, and the ability to co-iterate among federates to ensure model convergence at each time step. After describing requirements, we begin by evaluating existing co-simulation frameworks, including HLA and FMI, and conclude that none provide the required features. Then we describe the design for the new layeredmore » co-simulation architecture.« less

Acousto-optic infrared spectral imager for Pluto fast flyby

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glenar, D. A.; Hillman, J. J.

1993-01-01

Acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF's) enable the design of compact, two-dimensional imaging spectrometers with high spectral and spatial resolution and with no moving parts. Tellurium dioxide AOTF's operate from about 400 nm to nearly 5 microns, and a single device will tune continuously over one octave by changing the RF acoustic frequency applied to the device. An infrared (1.2-2.5 micron) Acousto-Optic Imaging Spectrometer (AImS) was designed that closely conforms to the surface composition mapping objectives of the Pluto Fast Flyby. It features a 75-cm focal length telescope, infrared AOTF, and 256 x 256 NICMOS-3 focal plane array for acquiring narrowband images with a spectral resolving power (lambda/delta(lambda)) exceeding 250. We summarize the instrument design features and its expected performance at the Pluto-Charon encounter.

The Hall D solenoid helium refrigeration system at JLab

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laverdure, Nathaniel A.; Creel, Jonathan D.; Dixon, Kelly d.

Hall D, the new Jefferson Lab experimental facility built for the 12GeV upgrade, features a LASS 1.85 m bore solenoid magnet supported by a 4.5 K helium refrigerator system. This system consists of a CTI 2800 4.5 K refrigerator cold box, three 150 hp screw compressors, helium gas management and storage, and liquid helium and nitrogen storage for stand-alone operation. The magnet interfaces with the cryo refrigeration system through an LN2-shielded distribution box and transfer line system, both designed and fabricated by JLab. The distribution box uses a thermo siphon design to respectively cool four magnet coils and shields withmore » liquid helium and nitrogen. We describe the salient design features of the cryo system and discuss our recent commissioning experience.« less

Integrating user centered design, universal design and goal, operation, method and selection rules to improve the usability of DAISY player for persons with visual impairments.

PubMed

Huang, Po-Hsin; Chiu, Ming-Chuan

2016-01-01

The Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY) player is an assistive reading tool developed for use by persons with visual impairments. Certain problems have persisted in the operating procedure and interface of DAISY players, especially for their Chinese users. Therefore, the aim of this study was to redesign the DAISY player with increased usability features for use by native Chinese speakers. First, a User Centered Design (UCD) process was employed to analyze the development of the prototype. Next, operation procedures were reorganized according to GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules) methodology. Then the user interface was redesigned according to specific Universal Design (UD) principles. Following these revisions, an experiment involving four scenarios was conducted to compare the new prototype to other players, and it was tested by twelve visually impaired participants. Results indicate the prototype had the quickest operating times, the fewest number of operating errors, and the lowest mental workloads of all the compared players, significantly enhancing the prototype's usability. These findings have allowed us to generate suggestions for developing the next generation of DAISY players for people, especially for Chinese audience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Managing and Communicating Operational Workflow: Designing and Implementing an Electronic Outpatient Whiteboard.

PubMed

Steitz, Bryan D; Weinberg, Stuart T; Danciu, Ioana; Unertl, Kim M

2016-01-01

Healthcare team members in emergency department contexts have used electronic whiteboard solutions to help manage operational workflow for many years. Ambulatory clinic settings have highly complex operational workflow, but are still limited in electronic assistance to communicate and coordinate work activities. To describe and discuss the design, implementation, use, and ongoing evolution of a coordination and collaboration tool supporting ambulatory clinic operational workflow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). The outpatient whiteboard tool was initially designed to support healthcare work related to an electronic chemotherapy order-entry application. After a highly successful initial implementation in an oncology context, a high demand emerged across the organization for the outpatient whiteboard implementation. Over the past 10 years, developers have followed an iterative user-centered design process to evolve the tool. The electronic outpatient whiteboard system supports 194 separate whiteboards and is accessed by over 2800 distinct users on a typical day. Clinics can configure their whiteboards to support unique workflow elements. Since initial release, features such as immunization clinical decision support have been integrated into the system, based on requests from end users. The success of the electronic outpatient whiteboard demonstrates the usefulness of an operational workflow tool within the ambulatory clinic setting. Operational workflow tools can play a significant role in supporting coordination, collaboration, and teamwork in ambulatory healthcare settings.

Electrothermal actuators fabricated in four-level planarized surface-miromachined polycrystalline silicon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Comtois, J.H.; Michalicek, A.; Barron, C.C.

1997-11-01

This paper presents the results of tests performed on a variety of electrochemical microactuators and arrays of these actuators fabricated in the SUMMiT process at the U.S. Department of Energy`s Sandia National Laboratories. These results are intended to aid designers of thermally actuated mechanisms, and they apply to similar actuators made in other polysilicon MEMS processes such as the MUMPS process. Measurements include force and deflection versus input power, maximum operating frequency, effects of long term operation, and ideal actuator and array geometries for different applications` force requirements. Also, different methods of arraying these actuators together are compared. It ismore » found that a method using rotary joints, enabled by the advanced features of the SUMMiT fabrication process, is the most efficient array design. The design and operation of a thermally actuated stepper motor is explained to illustrate a useful application of these arrays.« less

Design features and operational characteristics of the Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, R. A.

1976-01-01

Experience with the Langley 0.3 meter transonic cryogenic tunnel, which is fan driven, indicated that such a tunnel presents no unusual design difficulties and is simple to operate. Purging, cooldown, and warmup times were acceptable and were predicted with good accuracy. Cooling with liquid nitrogen was practical over a wide range of operating conditions at power levels required for transonic testing, and good temperature distributions were obtained by using a simple liquid nitrogen injection system. To take full advantage of the unique Reynolds number capabilities of the 0.3 meter transonic tunnel, it was designed to accommodate test sections other than the original, octagonal, three dimensional test section. A 20- by 60-cm two dimensional test section was recently installed and is being calibrated. A two dimensional test section with self-streamlining walls and a test section incorporating a magnetic suspension and balance system are being considered.

Call sign intelligibility improvement using a spatial auditory display

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.

1994-01-01

A spatial auditory display was designed for separating the multiple communication channels usually heard over one ear to different virtual auditory positions. The single 19 foot rack mount device utilizes digital filtering algorithms to separate up to four communication channels. The filters use four different binaural transfer functions, synthesized from actual outer ear measurements, to impose localization cues on the incoming sound. Hardware design features include 'fail-safe' operation in the case of power loss, and microphone/headset interfaces to the mobile launch communication system in use at KSC. An experiment designed to verify the intelligibility advantage of the display used 130 different call signs taken from the communications protocol used at NASA KSC. A 6 to 7 dB intelligibility advantage was found when multiple channels were spatially displayed, compared to monaural listening. The findings suggest that the use of a spatial auditory display could enhance both occupational and operational safety and efficiency of NASA operations.

Design of a Facility to Test the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Engineering Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewandowski, Edward J.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.; Oriti, Salvatore M.; Meer, David W.; Brace, Michael H.; Dugala, Gina

2009-01-01

The Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) is being considered to power deep space missions. An engineering unit, the ASRG-EU, was designed and fabricated by Lockheed Martin under contract to the Department of Energy. This unit is currently on an extended operation test at NASA Glenn Research Center to generate performance data and validate the life and reliability predictions for the generator and the Stirling convertors. A special test facility was designed and built for testing the ASRG-EU. Details of the test facility design are discussed. The facility can operate the convertors under AC bus control or with the ASRG-EU controller. It can regulate input thermal power in either a fixed temperature or fixed power mode. An enclosure circulates cooled air around the ASRG-EU to remove heat rejected from the ASRG-EU by convection. A custom monitoring and data acquisition system supports the test. Various safety features, which allow 2417 unattended operation, are discussed.

A survey of instabilities within centrifugal pumps and concepts for improving the flow range of pumps in rocket engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veres, Joseph P.

1992-01-01

Design features and concepts that have primary influence on the stable operating flow range of propellant-feed centrifugal turbopumps in a rocket engine are discussed. One of the throttling limitations of a pump-fed rocket engine is the stable operating range of the pump. Several varieties of pump hydraulic instabilities are mentioned. Some pump design criteria are summarized and a qualitative correlation of key parameters to pump stall and surge are referenced. Some of the design criteria were taken from the literature on high pressure ratio centrifugal compressors. Therefore, these have yet to be validated for extending the stable operating flow range of high-head pumps. Casing treatment devices, dynamic fluid-damping plenums, backflow-stabilizing vanes and flow-reinjection techniques are summarized. A planned program was undertaken at LeRC to validate these concepts. Technologies developed by this program will be available for the design of turbopumps for advanced space rocket engines for use by NASA in future space missions where throttling is essential.

Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Flight System Design and Operations Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Yuhsyen; Shaffer, Scott J.; Jordan, Rolando L.

2000-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), with emphasis on flight system implementation and mission operations from systems engineering perspective. Successfully flown in February, 2000, the SRTM's primary payload consists of several subsystems to form the first spaceborne dual-frequency (C-band and X-band) fixed baseline interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) system, with the mission objective to acquire data sets over 80% of Earth's landmass for height reconstruction. The paper provides system architecture, unique design features, engineering budgets, design verification, in-flight checkout and data acquisition of the SRTM payload, in particular for the C-band system. Mission operation and post-mission data processing activities are also presented. The complexity of the SRTM as a system, the ambitious mission objective, the demanding requirements and the high interdependency between multi-disciplined subsystems posed many challenges. The engineering experience and the insight thus gained have important implications for future spaceborne interferometric SAR mission design and implementation.

Palmprint Based Verification System Using SURF Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivas, Badrinath G.; Gupta, Phalguni

This paper describes the design and development of a prototype of robust biometric system for verification. The system uses features extracted using Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF) operator of human hand. The hand image for features is acquired using a low cost scanner. The palmprint region extracted is robust to hand translation and rotation on the scanner. The system is tested on IITK database of 200 images and PolyU database of 7751 images. The system is found to be robust with respect to translation and rotation. It has FAR 0.02%, FRR 0.01% and accuracy of 99.98% and can be a suitable system for civilian applications and high-security environments.

A Low Cost VLSI Architecture for Spike Sorting Based on Feature Extraction with Peak Search.

PubMed

Chang, Yuan-Jyun; Hwang, Wen-Jyi; Chen, Chih-Chang

2016-12-07

The goal of this paper is to present a novel VLSI architecture for spike sorting with high classification accuracy, low area costs and low power consumption. A novel feature extraction algorithm with low computational complexities is proposed for the design of the architecture. In the feature extraction algorithm, a spike is separated into two portions based on its peak value. The area of each portion is then used as a feature. The algorithm is simple to implement and less susceptible to noise interference. Based on the algorithm, a novel architecture capable of identifying peak values and computing spike areas concurrently is proposed. To further accelerate the computation, a spike can be divided into a number of segments for the local feature computation. The local features are subsequently merged with the global ones by a simple hardware circuit. The architecture can also be easily operated in conjunction with the circuits for commonly-used spike detection algorithms, such as the Non-linear Energy Operator (NEO). The architecture has been implemented by an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) with 90-nm technology. Comparisons to the existing works show that the proposed architecture is well suited for real-time multi-channel spike detection and feature extraction requiring low hardware area costs, low power consumption and high classification accuracy.

Metallic Thermal Protection System Technology Development: Concepts, Requirements and Assessment Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsey, John T.; Poteet, Carl C.; Chen, Roger R.; Wurster, Kathryn E.

2002-01-01

A technology development program was conducted to evolve an earlier metallic thermal protection system (TPS) panel design, with the goals of: improving operations features, increasing adaptability (ease of attaching to a variety of tank shapes and structural concepts), and reducing weight. The resulting Adaptable Robust Metallic Operable Reusable (ARMOR) TPS system incorporates a high degree of design flexibility (allowing weight and operability to be traded and balanced) and can also be easily integrated with a large variety of tank shapes, airframe structural arrangements and airframe structure/material concepts. An initial attempt has been made to establish a set of performance based TPS design requirements. A set of general (FARtype) requirements have been proposed, focusing on defining categories that must be included for a comprehensive design. Load cases required for TPS design must reflect the full flight envelope, including a comprehensive set of limit loads, However, including additional loads. such as ascent abort trajectories, as ultimate load cases, and on-orbit debris/micro-meteoroid hypervelocity impact, as one of the discrete -source -damage load cases, will have a significant impact on system design and resulting performance, reliability and operability. Although these load cases have not been established, they are of paramount importance for reusable vehicles, and until properly included, all sizing results and assessments of reliability and operability must be considered optimistic at a minimum.

QMI: Rising to the Space Station Design Challenge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carswell, W. E.; Farmer, J.; Coppens, C.; Breeding, S.; Rose, F.

2002-01-01

The Quench Module Insert (QMI) materials processing furnace is being designed to operate for 8000 hours over four years on the International Space Station as part of the first Materials Science Research Rack of the Materials Science Research Facility. The Bridgman-type furnace is being built for the directional solidification processing of metals and alloys in the microgravity environment of space. Most notably it will be used for processing aluminum and related alloys. Designing for the space station environment presents intriguing design challenges in the form of a ten-year life requirement coupled with both limited opportunities for maintenance and resource constraints in the form of limited power and space. The long life requirement has driven the design of several features in the furnace, including the design of the heater core, the selection and placement of the thermocouples, overall performance monitoring, and the design of the chill block. The power and space limitations have been addressed through a compact furnace design using efficient vacuum insulation. Details on these design features, as well as development test performance results to date, are presented.

QMI: Rising to the Space Station Design Challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carswell, W. E.; Farmer, J.; Coppens, C.; Breeding, S.; Rose, F.; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Quench Module Insert (QMI) materials processing furnace is being designed to operate for 8000 hours over four years on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the first Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) of the Materials Science Research Facility (MSRF). The Bridgman-type furnace is being built for the directional solidification processing of metals and alloys in the microgravity environment of space. Most notably it will be used for processing aluminum and related alloys. Designing for the space station environment presents intriguing design challenges in the form of a ten-year life requirement coupled with both limited opportunities for maintenance and resource constraints in the form of limited power and space. The long life requirement has driven the design of several features in the furnace, including the design of the heater core, the selection and placement of the thermocouples, overall performance monitoring, and the design of the chill block. The power and space limitations have been addressed through a compact furnace design using efficient vacuum insulation. Details on these design features, as well as development test performance results to date, are presented.

A typewriting system operated by head movements, based on home-computer equipment.

PubMed

Heuvelmans, A M; Mélotte, H E; Neve, J J

1990-06-01

For persons who cannot move their hands and legs we have designed a relatively inexpensive typewriting system which can be operated by movements of the head. The typewriter is made up of commercially available home computer equipment - i e, a computer including monitor and printer and a headset replacing the mouse. A user-friendly software program has been designed to replace the mouse button and to make this equipment act as a typewriter with simple text-editing features. Some ergonomics aspects of the typewriter set-up and the results of an evaluation of the typewriter by two patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are given. Several factors relevant to the design, construction, evaluation and application of the typewriter are discussed.

Stressed photoconductive detector for far-infrared space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J.-Q.; Richards, P. L.; Beeman, J. W.; Haller, E. E.

1987-01-01

An optimized leaf-spring apparatus for applying uniaxial stress to a Ge:Ga far-IR photoconductor has been designed and tested. This design has significant advantages for space applications which require high quantum efficiency and stable operation over long periods of time. The important features include adequate spring deflection with relatively small overall size, torque-free stress, easy measurement of applied stress, and a detector configuration with high responsivity. One-dimensional arrays of stressed photoconductors can be constructed using this design. A peak responsivity of 38 A/W is achieved in a detector with a cutoff wavelength of 200 microns, which was operated at a temperature of 2.0 K and a bias voltage equal to one-half of the breakdown voltage.

2001 Flight Mechanics Symposium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynch, John P. (Editor)

2001-01-01

This conference publication includes papers and abstracts presented at the Flight Mechanics Symposium held on June 19-21, 2001. Sponsored by the Guidance, Navigation and Control Center of Goddard Space Flight Center, this symposium featured technical papers on a wide range of issues related to attitude/orbit determination, prediction and control; attitude simulation; attitude sensor calibration; theoretical foundation of attitude computation; dynamics model improvements; autonomous navigation; constellation design and formation flying; estimation theory and computational techniques; Earth environment mission analysis and design; and, spacecraft re-entry mission design and operations.

MOCVD Process Technology for Affordable, High-Yield, High-Performance MESFET Structures. MIMIC Phase 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-26

by an optical pyrometer that views the inside of the susceptor through a sapphire light pipe. The gas delivery system is of standard commercial design ...of the operating conditions for MESFET growth. 2.2.2 Modifications to the Apparatus for MIMIC Spire designed and installed a bell jar capable of...withstanding, without water cooling, the 500 to 1 100’C temperatures needed for MOCVD growth. The bell jar features a flow disrupter of proprietary design

SP-100 Control System Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, Jaikaran N.; Halfen, Frank J.; Brynsvold, Glen V.; Syed, Akbar; Jiang, Thomas J.; Wong, Kwok K.; Otwell, Robert L.

1994-07-01

Recent work in lower power generic early applications for the SP-100 have resulted in control system design simplification for a 20 kWe design with thermoelectric power conversion. This paper presents the non-mission-dependent control system features for this design. The control system includes a digital computer based controller, dual purpose control rods and drives, temperature sensors, and neutron flux monitors. The thaw system is mission dependent and can be either electrical or based on NaK trace lines. Key features of the control system and components are discussed. As was the case for higher power applications, the initial on-orbit approach to criticality involves the relatively fast withdrawal of the control-rods to a near-critical position followed by slower movement through critical and into the power range. The control system performs operating maneuvers as well as providing for automatic startup, shutdown, restart, and reactor protection.

Shuttle Communications and Tracking, Avionics, and Electromagnetic Compatibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deSilva, K.; Hwu, Shian; Kindt, Kaylene; Kroll, Quin; Nuss, Ray; Romero, Denise; Schuler, Diana; Sham, Catherine; Scully, Robert

2011-01-01

By definition, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is the capability of components, sub-systems, and systems, to operate in their intended electromagnetic environment, within an established margin of safety, and at design levels of performance. Practice of the discipline itself incorporates knowledge of various aspects of applied physics, materials science, and engineering across the board, and includes control and mitigation of undesirable electromagnetic interaction between intentional and unintentional emitters and receivers of radio frequency energy, both within and external to the vehicle; identification and control of the hazards of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation to personnel, ordnance, and fuels and propellants; and vehicle and system protection from the direct and indirect effects of lightning and various other forms of electrostatic discharge (ESD) threats, such as triboelectrification and plasma charging. EMC is extremely complex and far-reaching, affecting in some degree every aspect of the vehicle s design and operation. The most successful efforts incorporate EMC design features and techniques throughout design and fabrication of the vehicle s structure and components, as well as appropriate operational considerations with regard to electromagnetic threats in the operational environment, from the beginning of the design effort to the end of the life cycle of the manufactured product. This approach yields the highest design performance with the lowest cost and schedule impact.

Equipment of the binary-cycle geothermal power unit at the Pauzhet geothermal power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomarov, G. V.; Nikol'skii, A. I.; Semenov, V. N.; Shipkov, A. A.

2014-06-01

The equipment of and technological processes in the pilot industrial model of the domestically produced binary-cycle geothermal power unit operating on the discharge separate at the Pauzhet geothermal power station are considered. The development principles, the design and operational features, and the data on selecting the metal in manufacturing the main equipment of the 2.5-MW binary power unit of the geothermal power station are described.

NASA Glenn Steady-State Heat Pipe Code GLENHP: Compilation for 64- and 32-Bit Windows Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tower, Leonard K.; Geng, Steven M.

2016-01-01

A new version of the NASA Glenn Steady State Heat Pipe Code, designated "GLENHP," is introduced here. This represents an update to the disk operating system (DOS) version LERCHP reported in NASA/TM-2000-209807. The new code operates on 32- and 64-bit Windows-based platforms from within the 32-bit command prompt window. An additional evaporator boundary condition and other features are provided.

High temperature furnace

DOEpatents

Borkowski, Casimer J.

1976-08-03

A high temperature furnace for use above 2000.degree.C is provided that features fast initial heating and low power consumption at the operating temperature. The cathode is initially heated by joule heating followed by electron emission heating at the operating temperature. The cathode is designed for routine large temperature excursions without being subjected to high thermal stresses. A further characteristic of the device is the elimination of any ceramic components from the high temperature zone of the furnace.

Method for operating a combustor in a fuel cell system

DOEpatents

Clingerman, Bruce J.; Mowery, Kenneth D.

2002-01-01

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a combustor to heat a fuel processor to a desired temperature in a fuel cell system, wherein the fuel processor generates hydrogen (H.sub.2) from a hydrocarbon for reaction within a fuel cell to generate electricity. More particularly, the invention provides a method and select system design features which cooperate to provide a start up mode of operation and a smooth transition from start-up of the combustor and fuel processor to a running mode.

LARC powder prepreg system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baucom, Robert M.; Marchello, Joseph M.

1990-01-01

Thermoplastic prepregs of LARC-TPI have been produced in a fluidized bed unit on spread continuous fiber tows. The powders are melted on the fibers by radiant heating to adhere the polymer to the fiber. This process produces tow prepreg uniformly without imposing severe stress on the fibers or requiring long high temperature residence times for the polymer. Unit design theory and operating correlations have been developed to provide the basis for scale up to commercial operation. Special features of the operation are the pneumatic tow spreader, fluidized bed and resin feed systems.

Understanding facilities design parameters for a remanufacturing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topcu, Aysegul; Cullinane, Thomas

2005-11-01

Remanufacturing is rapidly becoming a very important element in the economies of the world. Products such as washing machines, clothes driers, automobile parts, cell phones and a wide range of consumer durable goods are being reclaimed and sent through processes that restore these products to levels of operating performance that are as good or better than their new product performance. The operations involved in the remanufacturing process add several new dimensions to the work that must be performed. Disassembly is an operation that rarely appears on the operations chart of a typical production facility. The inspection and test functions in remanufacturing most often involve several more tasks than those involved in the first time manufacturing cycle. A close evaluation of most any remanufacturing operation reveals several points in the process in which parts must be cleaned, tested and stored. Although several researchers have focused their work on optimizing the disassembly function and the inspection, test and store functions, very little research has been devoted to studying the impact of the facilities design on the effectiveness of the remanufacturing process. The purpose of this paper will be to delineate the differences between first time manufacturing operations and remanufacturing operations for durable goods and to identify the features of the facilities design that must be considered if the remanufacturing operations are to be effective.

Design and operation of a batch-feed fluidizing bed aerosol generator for inhalation toxicity studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shiotsuka, R.N.; Peck, R.W. Jr.; Drew, R.T.

1985-02-01

A fluidizing bed aerosol generator (FBG), designed for inhalation toxicity studies, was constructed and tested. A key design feature contributing to its operational stability was the partial masking of the screen supporting the bronze beads. This caused 20-80% of the bed to fluidize under normal operating conditions. The non-fluidizing areas functioned as reservoirs to feed the fluidizing areas. Using a bed volume of 1000 cc of bronze beads and 20 g of MnO/sub 2/ dust, the mass output rate ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/min when operated at plenum pressures of 1.04 x 10/sup 2/ to 2.42 x 10/sup 2/more » kPa (minimum fluidization pressure was approximately 82.8 kPa). During daily operation at three different output rates, the FBG produced aerosols with little change in particle size distributions or concentration when operated six hours/day for five days. Furthermore, when the FBG was operated at a fixed output rate for 15 days with two recharges of MnO/sub 2/ dust, the particle size distribution did not show any cumulative increase. Thus, long-term operation of this FBG should result in a reproducible range of concentration and particle size distribution.« less

High performance cryogenic turboexpanders

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agahi, R.R.; Ershaghi, B.; Lin, M.C.

1996-12-31

The use of turboexpanders for deep cryogenic temperatures has been constrained because of thermal efficiency limitations. This limited thermal efficiency was mostly due to mechanical constraints. Recent improvements in analytical techniques, bearing technology, and design features have made it possible to design and operate turboexpanders at more favorable conditions, such as of higher rotational speeds. Several turboexpander installations in helium and hydrogen processes have shown a significant improvement in plant performance over non-turboexpander options.

Design and implementation of a robot control system with traded and shared control capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayati, S.; Venkataraman, S. T.

1989-01-01

Preliminary results are reported from efforts to design and develop a robotic system that will accept and execute commands from either a six-axis teleoperator device or an autonomous planner, or combine the two. Such a system should have both traded as well as shared control capability. A sharing strategy is presented whereby the overall system, while retaining positive features of teleoperated and autonomous operation, loses its individual negative features. A two-tiered shared control architecture is considered here, consisting of a task level and a servo level. Also presented is a computer architecture for the implementation of this system, including a description of the hardware and software.

Design of a pulse oximeter for price sensitive emerging markets.

PubMed

Jones, Z; Woods, E; Nielson, D; Mahadevan, S V

2010-01-01

While the global market for medical devices is located primarily in developed countries, price sensitive emerging markets comprise an attractive, underserved segment in which products need a unique set of value propositions to be competitive. A pulse oximeter was designed expressly for emerging markets, and a novel feature set was implemented to reduce the cost of ownership and improve the usability of the device. Innovations included the ability of the device to generate its own electricity, a built in sensor which cuts down on operating costs, and a graphical, symbolic user interface. These features yield an average reduction of over 75% in the device cost of ownership versus comparable pulse oximeters already on the market.

Transforming a conventional theatre into a gynaecological endoscopy unit.

PubMed

Anastasakis, E; Protopapas, A; Daskalakis, G; Papadakis, M; Milingos, S; Antsaklis, A

2007-01-01

Most minimally invasive procedures are now performed in operating rooms that were originally designed for traditional open surgery. We designed an endoscopic theatre based on our experience with special features specific for gynaecological endoscopy. We designed a detailed plan with an architect's aid of a gynaecological unit (based on a Greek presidential decree published in 1991). The space utilized was that of a conventional theatre. With the architectural plan we anticipated every area needed in a gynaecological endoscopic theatre. A twin theatre was considered appropriate in order for the surgical team to operate alternatively in one theatre while the other is being cleaned and prepared for use. The design of a unit dedicated to gynaecologic laparoscopy is a multidisciplinary task where the endoscopic surgeon undertakes an active and prominent role. It is a project with great benefits and rewards for all parties involved. We present our design for evaluation.

Matching food security analysis to context: the experience of the Somalia food security assessment unit.

PubMed

Hemrich, Günter

2005-06-01

This case study reviews the experience of the Somalia Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) of operating a food security information system in the context of a complex emergency. In particular, it explores the linkages between selected features of the protracted crisis environment in Somalia and conceptual and operational aspects of food security information work. The paper specifically examines the implications of context characteristics for the establishment and operations of the FSAU field monitoring component and for the interface with information users and their diverse information needs. It also analyses the scope for linking food security and nutrition analysis and looks at the role of conflict and gender analysis in food security assessment work. Background data on the food security situation in Somalia and an overview of some key features of the FSAU set the scene for the case study. The paper is targeted at those involved in designing, operating and funding food security information activities.

Task-dependent signal variations in EEG error-related potentials for brain-computer interfaces.

PubMed

Iturrate, I; Montesano, L; Minguez, J

2013-04-01

A major difficulty of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is dealing with the noise of EEG and its signal variations. Previous works studied time-dependent non-stationarities for BCIs in which the user's mental task was independent of the device operation (e.g., the mental task was motor imagery and the operational task was a speller). However, there are some BCIs, such as those based on error-related potentials, where the mental and operational tasks are dependent (e.g., the mental task is to assess the device action and the operational task is the device action itself). The dependence between the mental task and the device operation could introduce a new source of signal variations when the operational task changes, which has not been studied yet. The aim of this study is to analyse task-dependent signal variations and their effect on EEG error-related potentials. The work analyses the EEG variations on the three design steps of BCIs: an electrophysiology study to characterize the existence of these variations, a feature distribution analysis and a single-trial classification analysis to measure the impact on the final BCI performance. The results demonstrate that a change in the operational task produces variations in the potentials, even when EEG activity exclusively originated in brain areas related to error processing is considered. Consequently, the extracted features from the signals vary, and a classifier trained with one operational task presents a significant loss of performance for other tasks, requiring calibration or adaptation for each new task. In addition, a new calibration for each of the studied tasks rapidly outperforms adaptive techniques designed in the literature to mitigate the EEG time-dependent non-stationarities.

Task-dependent signal variations in EEG error-related potentials for brain-computer interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iturrate, I.; Montesano, L.; Minguez, J.

2013-04-01

Objective. A major difficulty of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is dealing with the noise of EEG and its signal variations. Previous works studied time-dependent non-stationarities for BCIs in which the user’s mental task was independent of the device operation (e.g., the mental task was motor imagery and the operational task was a speller). However, there are some BCIs, such as those based on error-related potentials, where the mental and operational tasks are dependent (e.g., the mental task is to assess the device action and the operational task is the device action itself). The dependence between the mental task and the device operation could introduce a new source of signal variations when the operational task changes, which has not been studied yet. The aim of this study is to analyse task-dependent signal variations and their effect on EEG error-related potentials.Approach. The work analyses the EEG variations on the three design steps of BCIs: an electrophysiology study to characterize the existence of these variations, a feature distribution analysis and a single-trial classification analysis to measure the impact on the final BCI performance.Results and significance. The results demonstrate that a change in the operational task produces variations in the potentials, even when EEG activity exclusively originated in brain areas related to error processing is considered. Consequently, the extracted features from the signals vary, and a classifier trained with one operational task presents a significant loss of performance for other tasks, requiring calibration or adaptation for each new task. In addition, a new calibration for each of the studied tasks rapidly outperforms adaptive techniques designed in the literature to mitigate the EEG time-dependent non-stationarities.

Deep Space Habitat Concept of Operations for Extended Duration Transit Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, Stephen J.; Toups, Larry

2012-01-01

NASA's Capability-Driven Framework (CDF) describes an approach for progressively extending human exploration missions farther into the Solar System for longer periods of time as allowed by developments in technology and spacecraft systems. Within this framework design reference missions (DRMs) targeted for several specific destinations are being used to assess different combinations of vehicles, operations, and advanced technologies to help understand which combination will best support expanded human exploration both efficiently and sustainably. Several of the identified destinations have been found to require missions with a round trip duration exceeding one year. These mission durations exceed the capabilities of current human-rated spacecraft if resupply from Earth is not possible. This makes the design of an efficient and reliable Deep Space Habitat (DSH) critical for reaching these destinations. The paper will describe the current understanding of DSH capabilities and functions that must be exhibited by any future habitat design for these missions. This description of the DSH is presented in the form of a concept of operation, which focuses on the functions that any DSH must provide, as opposed to a specific DSH design concept. Development of a concept of operations, based on DRM features, provides a common basis for assessing the viability of design concepts incorporating differing configurations and technologies. A study team with representation from several NASA Centers and relevant engineering and scientific disciplines collaborated to develop this DSH concept of operations for the transit phases of these missions. The transit phase of a mission is defined as the time after leaving Earth but before arrival at the destination and the time after leaving the destination but before arriving back at Earth. These transit phases were found to have many common features across all of the destinations being assessed for the CDF and thus arguing for a common concept of operations for all of the associated DRMs. The paper first describes the CDF and potential destinations being considered within this framework. DRMs representative of those currently being assessed will then be discussed to illustrate the range of capabilities that the DSH must support. The 18 functions identified by the multi-discipline analysis team are then described at a summary level. Several specific examples of the potential use for this concept of operations are described.

Designing for adaptation to novelty and change: functional information, emergent feature graphics, and higher-level control.

PubMed

Hajdukiewicz, John R; Vicente, Kim J

2002-01-01

Ecological interface design (EID) is a theoretical framework that aims to support worker adaptation to change and novelty in complex systems. Previous evaluations of EID have emphasized representativeness to enhance generalizability of results to operational settings. The research presented here is complementary, emphasizing experimental control to enhance theory building. Two experiments were conducted to test the impact of functional information and emergent feature graphics on adaptation to novelty and change in a thermal-hydraulic process control microworld. Presenting functional information in an interface using emergent features encouraged experienced participants to become perceptually coupled to the interface and thereby to exhibit higher-level control and more successful adaptation to unanticipated events. The absence of functional information or of emergent features generally led to lower-level control and less success at adaptation, the exception being a minority of participants who compensated by relying on analytical reasoning. These findings may have practical implications for shaping coordination in complex systems and fundamental implications for the development of a general unified theory of coordination for the technical, human, and social sciences. Actual or potential applications of this research include the design of human-computer interfaces that improve safety in complex sociotechnical systems.

Designing Image Operators for MRI-PET Image Fusion of the Brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márquez, Jorge; Gastélum, Alfonso; Padilla, Miguel A.

2006-09-01

Our goal is to obtain images combining in a useful and precise way the information from 3D volumes of medical imaging sets. We address two modalities combining anatomy (Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI) and functional information (Positron Emission Tomography or PET). Commercial imaging software offers image fusion tools based on fixed blending or color-channel combination of two modalities, and color Look-Up Tables (LUTs), without considering the anatomical and functional character of the image features. We used a sensible approach for image fusion taking advantage mainly from the HSL (Hue, Saturation and Luminosity) color space, in order to enhance the fusion results. We further tested operators for gradient and contour extraction to enhance anatomical details, plus other spatial-domain filters for functional features corresponding to wide point-spread-function responses in PET images. A set of image-fusion operators was formulated and tested on PET and MRI acquisitions.

The EURECA telecommanding chain: Experience with packet telecommand and telemetry systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, C.; Bater, R.; Sorensen, E. M.

1993-01-01

The European Retrieval Carrier (EURECA) was launched on its first flight on the 31st July 1992 by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. EURECA is characterized by several new on-board features, most notable Packet Telemetry and a partial implementation of Packet Telecommanding using an early version of the Command Operation Procedure (COP-1) protocol. EURECA has also very low contact time with its Ground Station, with a consequent high number of out-of-visibility onboard operations. This paper concentrates on the implementation and operational experience with the COP-1 Protocol and the effect the short ground contact time has on the design of the Commanding System. Another interesting feature is that the COP-1 is implemented at the control center rather than at the ground station. The COP-1 protocol also successfully supported the mission during the launch where commands were sent via NASCOM and the Shuttle.

Astronomy through the Skylab scientific airlocks.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henize, K. G.; Weinberg, J. L.

1973-01-01

Description of Skylab astronomy experiments (other than the Apollo Telescope Mount experiments) designed to study the earth's atmosphere, particles near the spacecraft, various components of the background skylight, the spectra of the sun, and the features of stars, nebulae, and galaxies. Emphasis is placed on the eight experiments that will operate through the scientific airlocks in the Orbital Workshop. The major features of equipment to be used in each experiment are outlined together with characteristics and relevance of information expected in each case.

78 FR 54951 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-06

.... The subject cars and their type, capacities, reporting marks, and other features are listed in an enclosure with the petition letter. Also included in the enclosure are the design, type, components, or... tourist attractions and historical purposes and will not be interchanged in regular freight operations...

High pressure flow-rate switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gale, G. P.

1970-01-01

Flow-rate switch adjusts easily over a wide switching range and operates uniformly over many cycles. It adapts easily to control of various fluids and has the possibility of introducing multi-point switching. Novel design features include the tapered spool, balanced porting, capillary-bypass lubrication, and capillary-restriction damping.

78 FR 73993 - Special Conditions: Cessna Model 680 Series Airplanes; Aircraft Electronic System Security...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-10

... design feature associated with the architecture and connectivity capabilities of the airplanes' computer... vulnerabilities to the airplanes' systems. The proposed network architecture includes the following connectivity.... Operator business and administrative support systems, and 3. Passenger entertainment systems, and access by...

SpaceOps 1992: Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Ground Data Systems for Space Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The Second International Symposium featured 135 oral presentations in these 12 categories: Future Missions and Operations; System-Level Architectures; Mission-Specific Systems; Mission and Science Planning and Sequencing; Mission Control; Operations Automation and Emerging Technologies; Data Acquisition; Navigation; Operations Support Services; Engineering Data Analysis of Space Vehicle and Ground Systems; Telemetry Processing, Mission Data Management, and Data Archiving; and Operations Management. Topics focused on improvements in the productivity, effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of mission operations, ground systems, and data acquisition. Also emphasized were accomplishments in management of human factors; use of information systems to improve data retrieval, reporting, and archiving; design and implementation of logistics support for mission operations; and the use of telescience and teleoperations.

CD 99 immunocytochemistry in solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas: A study on fine-needle aspiration cytology smears.

PubMed

Ghosh, Ranajoy; Mallik, Saumya R; Mathur, Sandeep R; Iyer, Venkateswaran K

2013-07-01

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas (SPTP) is a rare pancreatic tumor of uncertain histogenesis usually affecting young women. Though these tumors have characteristic cytomorphology, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate them from neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas. We reviewed cases of SPTP to delineate the diagnostic cytological features and also observed utility of CD 99 (MIC 2) immunostaining to aid in the diagnosis of this tumor. This study was designed to demonstrate the utility of CD 99 immunostaining along with cytological features for making a pre-operative diagnosis and delineating it from the neuroendocrine tumor of pancreas which is a close mimic. Cytomorphological features of 11 cases of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm diagnosed by pre-operative fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) at our institute were reviewed. Immunocytochemistry for CD 99 was also performed on the smears. All the cases had cellular smears with monomorphic cells lying singly, as loosely cohesive clusters as well as forming delicate pseudopapillae. Presence of intra and extra-cellular basement membrane material, background foamy macrophages and nuclear grooves were the other salient features. Immunocytochemistry for CD 99 could be performed on eight cases and demonstrated typical paranuclear dot-like positivity. Pre-operative early diagnosis of SPTP can be made by FNAC which can further be aided by CD 99 immunocytochemistry.

Classification of subsurface objects using singular values derived from signal frames

DOEpatents

Chambers, David H; Paglieroni, David W

2014-05-06

The classification system represents a detected object with a feature vector derived from the return signals acquired by an array of N transceivers operating in multistatic mode. The classification system generates the feature vector by transforming the real-valued return signals into complex-valued spectra, using, for example, a Fast Fourier Transform. The classification system then generates a feature vector of singular values for each user-designated spectral sub-band by applying a singular value decomposition (SVD) to the N.times.N square complex-valued matrix formed from sub-band samples associated with all possible transmitter-receiver pairs. The resulting feature vector of singular values may be transformed into a feature vector of singular value likelihoods and then subjected to a multi-category linear or neural network classifier for object classification.

Computer aided system engineering and analysis (CASE/A) modeling package for ECLS systems - An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalee, Robert C.; Bacskay, Allen S.; Knox, James C.

1990-01-01

An overview of the CASE/A-ECLSS series modeling package is presented. CASE/A is an analytical tool that has supplied engineering productivity accomplishments during ECLSS design activities. A components verification program was performed to assure component modeling validity based on test data from the Phase II comparative test program completed at the Marshall Space Flight Center. An integrated plotting feature has been added to the program which allows the operator to analyze on-screen data trends or get hard copy plots from within the CASE/A operating environment. New command features in the areas of schematic, output, and model management, and component data editing have been incorporated to enhance the engineer's productivity during a modeling program.

A Ground-Based 2-Micron DIAL System to Profile Tropospheric CO2 and Aerosol Distributions for Atmospheric Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ismail, Syed; Koch, Grady; Abedin, Nurul; Refaat, Tamer; Rubio, Manuel; Davis, Kenneth; Miller, Charles; Singh, Upendra

2006-01-01

System will operate at a temperature insensitive CO2 line (2050.967 nm) with side-line tuning and off-set locking. Demonstrated an order of magnitude improvement in laser line locking needed for high precision measurements, side-line operation, and simultaneously double pulsing and line locking. Detector testing of phototransistor has demonstrated sensitivity to aerosol features over long distances in the atmosphere and resolve features approx. 100m. Optical systems that collect light onto small area detectors work well. Receiver optical designs are being optimized and data acquisition systems developed. CO2 line parameter characterization in progress In situ sensor calibration in progress for validation of DIAL CO2 system.

Fabrication of two-dimensional visible wavelength nanoscale plasmonic structures using hydrogen silsesquioxane based resist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Kyle Z.; Gadde, Akshitha; Kadiyala, Anand; Dawson, Jeremy M.

2016-03-01

In recent years, the global market for biosensors has continued to increase in combination with their expanding use in areas such as biodefense/detection, home diagnostics, biometric identification, etc. A constant necessity for inexpensive, portable bio-sensing methods, while still remaining simple to understand and operate, is the motivation behind novel concepts and designs. Labeled visible spectrum bio-sensing systems provide instant feedback that is both simple and easy to work with, but are limited by the light intensity thresholds required by the imaging systems. In comparison, label-free bio-sensing systems and other detection modalities like electrochemical, frequency resonance, thermal change, etc., can require additional technical processing steps to convey the final result, increasing the system's complexity and possibly the time required for analysis. Further decrease in the detection limit can be achieved through the addition of plasmonic structures into labeled bio-sensing systems. Nano-structures that operate in the visible spectrum have feature sizes typically in the order of the operating wavelength, calling for high aspect ratio nanoscale fabrication capabilities. In order to achieve these dimensions, electron beam lithography (EBL) is used due to its accurate feature production. Hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) based electron beam resist is chosen for one of its benefits, which is after exposure to oxygen plasma, the patterned resist cures into silicon dioxide (SiO2). These cured features in conjunction with nanoscale gold particles help in producing a high electric field through dipole generation. In this work, a detailed process flow of the fabrication of square lattice of plasmonic structures comprising of gold coated silicon dioxide pillars designed to operate at 560 nm wavelength and produce an intensity increase of roughly 100 percent will be presented.

Salvage reconstruction of failed interposition arthroplasty at the base of the thumb.

PubMed

Braun, Richard M; Rechnic, Mark; Shah, Kalpit N

2012-12-01

We present an operative procedure designed to revise a failed arthroplasty at the base of the thumb. This report describes a reliable operation that corrects residual instability and malignment which results in thumbs that are weak and painful despite a previous procedure. The operation has also been used as a primary procedure for arthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint where instability and subluxation was a major component of the problem requiring joint reconstruction. The unique features of this procedure include a reinforced double-thickness tendon graft, a unique tendon anchor, and a fascia lata allograft spacer. Significant functional improvement is anticipated when joint reconstruction provides increased proximal stability. Pinch and grip measurements improve. Pain scores also diminish after the operation. Hand function and patient satisfaction can be substantially improved with revision arthroplasty when the initial operation has failed to provide a thumb that is mobile, stable, and pain free. The technical features of the procedure address reduction of malignment, restoring of anatomic balance, and secure fixation of the proximal apex of the thumb metacarpal which restores thumb reduction position and digital balance.

Development of a morphological convolution operator for bearing fault detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yifan; Liang, Xihui; Liu, Weiwei; Wang, Yan

2018-05-01

This paper presents a novel signal processing scheme, namely morphological convolution operator (MCO) lifted morphological undecimated wavelet (MUDW), for rolling element bearing fault detection. In this scheme, a MCO is first designed to fully utilize the advantage of the closing & opening gradient operator and the closing-opening & opening-closing gradient operator for feature extraction as well as the merit of excellent denoising characteristics of the convolution operator. The MCO is then introduced into MUDW for the purpose of improving the fault detection ability of the reported MUDWs. Experimental vibration signals collected from a train wheelset test rig and the bearing data center of Case Western Reserve University are employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed MCO lifted MUDW on fault detection of rolling element bearings. The results show that the proposed approach has a superior performance in extracting fault features of defective rolling element bearings. In addition, comparisons are performed between two reported MUDWs and the proposed MCO lifted MUDW. The MCO lifted MUDW outperforms both of them in detection of outer race faults and inner race faults of rolling element bearings.

Tutorial on X-Ray Free-Electron Lasers

DOE PAGES

Carlsten, Bruce E.

2018-05-02

This article provides a tutorial on X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) which are currently being designed, built, commissioned, and operated as fourth-generation light sources to enable discovery science in materials science, biology, and chemistry. XFELs are complex devices, driven by high-energy, high-brightness electron accelerators and cost on the order of $B. Here, we provide a basic introduction to their operating physics and a description of their main accelerator components. To make their basic operating principle accessible to the electrical engineering community, we rederive the FEL dispersion relation in a manner similar to that done for traveling-wave tubes. We finish with sectionsmore » describing some unique features of the X-rays generated and on the physics that lead to the main design limitations, including approaches for mitigation.« less

Tutorial on X-Ray Free-Electron Lasers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlsten, Bruce E.

This article provides a tutorial on X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) which are currently being designed, built, commissioned, and operated as fourth-generation light sources to enable discovery science in materials science, biology, and chemistry. XFELs are complex devices, driven by high-energy, high-brightness electron accelerators and cost on the order of $B. Here, we provide a basic introduction to their operating physics and a description of their main accelerator components. To make their basic operating principle accessible to the electrical engineering community, we rederive the FEL dispersion relation in a manner similar to that done for traveling-wave tubes. We finish with sectionsmore » describing some unique features of the X-rays generated and on the physics that lead to the main design limitations, including approaches for mitigation.« less

The Development of Cockpit Display and Alerting Concepts for Interval Management (IM) in a Near-Term Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Shay, Richard F.; Swieringa, Kurt A.

2014-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) Interval Management (IM) research team has conducted a wide spectrum of work in the recent past, ranging from development and testing of the concept, procedures, and algorithm. This document focuses on the research and evaluation of the IM pilot interfaces, cockpit displays, indications, and alerting concepts for conducting IM spacing operations. The research team incorporated knowledge of human factors research, industry standards for cockpit design, and cockpit design philosophies to develop innovative displays for conducting these spacing operations. The research team also conducted a series of human-in-the-loop (HITL) experiments with commercial pilots and air traffic controllers, in as realistic a high-density arrival operation environment as could be simulated, to evaluate the spacing guidance display features and interface requirements needed to conduct spacing operations.

Deep-reasoning fault diagnosis - An aid and a model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoon, Wan Chul; Hammer, John M.

1988-01-01

The design and evaluation are presented for the knowledge-based assistance of a human operator who must diagnose a novel fault in a dynamic, physical system. A computer aid based on a qualitative model of the system was built to help the operators overcome some of their cognitive limitations. This aid differs from most expert systems in that it operates at several levels of interaction that are believed to be more suitable for deep reasoning. Four aiding approaches, each of which provided unique information to the operator, were evaluated. The aiding features were designed to help the human's casual reasoning about the system in predicting normal system behavior (N aiding), integrating observations into actual system behavior (O aiding), finding discrepancies between the two (O-N aiding), or finding discrepancies between observed behavior and hypothetical behavior (O-HN aiding). Human diagnostic performance was found to improve by almost a factor of two with O aiding and O-N aiding.

Multi-physics design and analyses of long life reactors for lunar outposts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schriener, Timothy M.

Future human exploration of the solar system is likely to include establishing permanent outposts on the surface of the Moon. These outposts will require reliable sources of electrical power in the range of 10's to 100's of kWe to support exploration and resource utilization activities. This need is best met using nuclear reactor power systems which can operate steadily throughout the long ˜27.3 day lunar rotational period, irrespective of location. Nuclear power systems can potentially open up the entire lunar surface for future exploration and development. Desirable features of nuclear power systems for the lunar surface include passive operation, the avoidance of single point failures in reactor cooling and the integrated power system, moderate operating temperatures to enable the use of conventional materials with proven irradiation experience, utilization of the lunar regolith for radiation shielding and as a supplemental neutron reflector, and safe post-operation decay heat removal and storage for potential retrieval. In addition, it is desirable for the reactor to have a long operational life. Only a limited number of space nuclear reactor concepts have previously been developed for the lunar environment, and these designs possess only a few of these desirable design and operation features. The objective of this research is therefore to perform design and analyses of long operational life lunar reactors and power systems which incorporate the desirable features listed above. A long reactor operational life could be achieved either by increasing the amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel in the core or by improving the neutron economy in the reactor through reducing neutron leakage and parasitic absorption. The amount of fuel in surface power reactors is constrained by the launch safety requirements. These include ensuring that the bare reactor core remains safely subcritical when submerged in water or wet sand and flooded with seawater in the unlikely event of a launch abort accident. Increasing the amount of fuel in the reactor core, and hence its operational life, would be possible by launching the reactor unfueled and fueling it on the Moon. Such a reactor would, thus, not be subject to launch criticality safety requirements. However, loading the reactor with fuel on the Moon presents a challenge, requiring special designs of the core and the fuel elements, which lend themselves to fueling on the lunar surface. This research investigates examples of both a solid core reactor that would be fueled at launch as well as an advanced concept which could be fueled on the Moon. Increasing the operational life of a reactor fueled at launch is exercised for the NaK-78 cooled Sectored Compact Reactor (SCoRe). A multi-physics design and analyses methodology is developed which iteratively couples together detailed Monte Carlo neutronics simulations with 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and thermal-hydraulics analyses. Using this methodology the operational life of this compact, fast spectrum reactor is increased by reconfiguring the core geometry to reduce neutron leakage and parasitic absorption, for the same amount of HEU in the core, and meeting launch safety requirements. The multi-physics analyses determine the impacts of the various design changes on the reactor's neutronics and thermal-hydraulics performance. The option of increasing the operational life of a reactor by loading it on the Moon is exercised for the Pellet Bed Reactor (PeBR). The PeBR uses spherical fuel pellets and is cooled by He-Xe gas, allowing the reactor core to be loaded with fuel pellets and charged with working fluid on the lunar surface. The performed neutronics analyses ensure the PeBR design achieves a long operational life, and develops safe launch canister designs to transport the spherical fuel pellets to the lunar surface. The research also investigates loading the PeBR core with fuel pellets on the Moon using a transient Discrete Element Method (DEM) analysis in lunar gravity. In addition, this research addresses the post-operation storage of the SCoRe and PeBR concepts, below the lunar surface, to determine the time required for the radioactivity in the used fuel to decrease to a low level to allow for its safe recovery. The SCoRe and PeBR concepts are designed to operate at coolant temperatures ≤ 900 K and use conventional stainless steels and superalloys for the structure in the reactor core and power system. They are emplaced below grade on the Moon to take advantage of the regolith as a supplemental neutron reflector and as shielding of the lunar outpost from the reactors' neutron and gamma radiation.

Research on feature extraction techniques of Hainan Li brocade pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yuping; Chen, Fuqiang; Zhou, Yuhua

2016-03-01

Hainan Li brocade skills has been listed as world non-material cultural heritage preservation, therefore, the research on Hainan Li brocade patterns plays an important role in Li brocade culture inheritance. The meaning of Li brocade patterns was analyzed and the shape feature extraction techniques to original Li brocade patterns were advanced in this paper, based on the contour tracking algorithm. First, edge detection was made on the design patterns, and then the morphological closing operation was used to smooth the image, and finally contour tracking was used to extract the outer contours of Li brocade patterns. The extracted contour features were processed by means of morphology, and digital characteristics of contours are obtained by invariant moments. At last, different patterns of Li brocade design are briefly analyzed according to the digital characteristics. The results showed that the pattern extraction method to Li brocade pattern shapes is feasible and effective according to above method.

Optimal filter design with progressive genetic algorithm for local damage detection in rolling bearings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wodecki, Jacek; Michalak, Anna; Zimroz, Radoslaw

2018-03-01

Harsh industrial conditions present in underground mining cause a lot of difficulties for local damage detection in heavy-duty machinery. For vibration signals one of the most intuitive approaches of obtaining signal with expected properties, such as clearly visible informative features, is prefiltration with appropriately prepared filter. Design of such filter is very broad field of research on its own. In this paper authors propose a novel approach to dedicated optimal filter design using progressive genetic algorithm. Presented method is fully data-driven and requires no prior knowledge of the signal. It has been tested against a set of real and simulated data. Effectiveness of operation has been proven for both healthy and damaged case. Termination criterion for evolution process was developed, and diagnostic decision making feature has been proposed for final result determinance.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bogacz, Alex

Baseline design of the JLEIC booster synchrotron is presented. Its aim is to inject and accumulate heavy ions and protons at 285 MeV, to accelerate them to about 7 GeV, and finally to extract the beam into the ion collider ring. The Figure-8 ring features two 2600 achromatic arcs configured with negative momentum compaction optics, designed to avoid transition crossing for all ion species during the course of acceleration. The lattice also features a specialized high dispersion injection insert optimized to facilitate the transverse phase-space painting in both planes for multi-turn ion injection. Furthermore, the lattice has been optimized tomore » ease chromaticity correction with two families of sextupoles in each plane. The booster ring is configured with super-ferric, 3 Tesla bends. We are presently launching optimization of the booster synchrotron design to operate in the extreme space-charge dominated regime.« less

Impact of experimental design on PET radiomics in predicting somatic mutation status.

PubMed

Yip, Stephen S F; Parmar, Chintan; Kim, John; Huynh, Elizabeth; Mak, Raymond H; Aerts, Hugo J W L

2017-12-01

PET-based radiomic features have demonstrated great promises in predicting genetic data. However, various experimental parameters can influence the feature extraction pipeline, and hence, Here, we investigated how experimental settings affect the performance of radiomic features in predicting somatic mutation status in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. 348 NSCLC patients with somatic mutation testing and diagnostic PET images were included in our analysis. Radiomic feature extractions were analyzed for varying voxel sizes, filters and bin widths. 66 radiomic features were evaluated. The performance of features in predicting mutations status was assessed using the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC). The influence of experimental parameters on feature predictability was quantified as the relative difference between the minimum and maximum AUC (δ). The large majority of features (n=56, 85%) were significantly predictive for EGFR mutation status (AUC≥0.61). 29 radiomic features significantly predicted EGFR mutations and were robust to experimental settings with δ Overall <5%. The overall influence (δ Overall ) of the voxel size, filter and bin width for all features ranged from 5% to 15%, respectively. For all features, none of the experimental designs was predictive of KRAS+ from KRAS- (AUC≤0.56). The predictability of 29 radiomic features was robust to the choice of experimental settings; however, these settings need to be carefully chosen for all other features. The combined effect of the investigated processing methods could be substantial and must be considered. Optimized settings that will maximize the predictive performance of individual radiomic features should be investigated in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiband tangent space mapping and feature selection for classification of EEG during motor imagery.

PubMed

Islam, Md Rabiul; Tanaka, Toshihisa; Molla, Md Khademul Islam

2018-05-08

When designing multiclass motor imagery-based brain-computer interface (MI-BCI), a so-called tangent space mapping (TSM) method utilizing the geometric structure of covariance matrices is an effective technique. This paper aims to introduce a method using TSM for finding accurate operational frequency bands related brain activities associated with MI tasks. A multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG) signal is decomposed into multiple subbands, and tangent features are then estimated on each subband. A mutual information analysis-based effective algorithm is implemented to select subbands containing features capable of improving motor imagery classification accuracy. Thus obtained features of selected subbands are combined to get feature space. A principal component analysis-based approach is employed to reduce the features dimension and then the classification is accomplished by a support vector machine (SVM). Offline analysis demonstrates the proposed multiband tangent space mapping with subband selection (MTSMS) approach outperforms state-of-the-art methods. It acheives the highest average classification accuracy for all datasets (BCI competition dataset 2a, IIIa, IIIb, and dataset JK-HH1). The increased classification accuracy of MI tasks with the proposed MTSMS approach can yield effective implementation of BCI. The mutual information-based subband selection method is implemented to tune operation frequency bands to represent actual motor imagery tasks.

Instructor/Operator Station Design Handbook for Aircrew Training Devices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

to only the necessary work areas and baffles it from the CRT; (f) use of a selective -spectrum lighting system, in which the spectral output of the...operator. While the device provides some new features which support training, such as a debrief facility and a computer-based instructor training module , the...ZIP Code) 10 SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS Brooks Air Force Base, Texas 78235-5601 PROGRAM PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO NO NO ACCESSION NO 62205F

Microgravity Plant Growth Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Two visitors watch a TV monitor showing plant growth inside a growth chamber designed for operation aboard the Space Shuttle as part of NASA's Space Product Development program. The exhibit, featuring work by the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics, was at AirVenture 2000 sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, WI.

INSTRUMENTATION AND TECHNIQUES. A SELF-CONTAINED, REGULATED, BURST-FIRING CONSTANT-CURRENT AC SHOCK GENERATOR

EPA Science Inventory

A line- and load-regulated constant-current ac shock generator has been designed for animal behavior experiments. The self-contained unit has four operating modes, amplitude adjustment, and a leakage current detection circuit. A unique feature of this generator is that the good l...

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-07-29

Two visitors watch a TV monitor showing plant growth inside a growth chamber designed for operation aboard the Space Shuttle as part of NASA's Space Product Development program. The exhibit, featuring work by the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics, was at AirVenture 2000 sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, WI.

Liquid rocket valve components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A monograph on valves for use with liquid rocket propellant engines is presented. The configurations of the various types of valves are described and illustrated. Design criteria and recommended practices for the various valves are explained. Tables of data are included to show the chief features of valve components in use on operational vehicles.

76 FR 24836 - Regulatory Approach for Commercial Orbital Human Spaceflight

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-03

... regulating commercial human space flight. In December 2006, the FAA issued human space flight regulations in... space flight participants until December 23, 2012, or until a design feature or operating practice has... or serious injury, to crew or space flight participants during a licensed or permitted commercial...

The CGE-PLATO Electronic Laboratory Station Structure and Operation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neal, J. P.

An electronic laboratory station was designed for student use in learning electronic instrumentation and measurement by means of the computer-guided experimentation (CGE) system. The station features rack-mounted electronic laboratory equipment on a laboratory table adjacent to a PLATO IV terminal. An integrated logic system behind the laboratory…

Feasibility study of the Boeing Small Research Module (BSRM) concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The design, capabilities, and subsystem options for the Boeing Small Research Module (BSRM) are described. Specific scientific missions are defined based on NASA-Ames Research Center requirements and the BSRM capability to support these missions is discussed. Launch vehicle integration requirements and spacecraft operational features are also presented.

Improvement of Steam Turbine Operational Performance and Reliability with using Modern Information Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brezgin, V. I.; Brodov, Yu M.; Kultishev, A. Yu

2017-11-01

The report presents improvement methods review in the fields of the steam turbine units design and operation based on modern information technologies application. In accordance with the life cycle methodology support, a conceptual model of the information support system during life cycle main stages (LC) of steam turbine unit is suggested. A classifying system, which ensures the creation of sustainable information links between the engineer team (manufacture’s plant) and customer organizations (power plants), is proposed. Within report, the principle of parameterization expansion beyond the geometric constructions at the design and improvement process of steam turbine unit equipment is proposed, studied and justified. The report presents the steam turbine unit equipment design methodology based on the brand new oil-cooler design system that have been developed and implemented by authors. This design system combines the construction subsystem, which is characterized by extensive usage of family tables and templates, and computation subsystem, which includes a methodology for the thermal-hydraulic zone-by-zone oil coolers design calculations. The report presents data about the developed software for operational monitoring, assessment of equipment parameters features as well as its implementation on five power plants.

Space Station crew workload - Station operations and customer accommodations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shinkle, G. L.

1985-01-01

The features of the Space Station which permit crew members to utilize work time for payload operations are discussed. The user orientation, modular design, nonstressful flight regime, in space construction, on board control, automation and robotics, and maintenance and servicing of the Space Station are examined. The proposed crew size, skills, and functions as station operator and mission specialists are described. Mission objectives and crew functions, which include performing material processing, life science and astronomy experiments, satellite and payload equipment servicing, systems monitoring and control, maintenance and repair, Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle and Mobile Remote Manipulator System operations, on board planning, housekeeping, and health maintenance and recreation, are studied.

SHINE Tritium Nozzle Design: Activity 6, Task 1 Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okhuysen, Brett S.; Pulliam, Elias Noel

In FY14, we studied the qualitative and quantitative behavior of a SHINE/PNL tritium nozzle under varying operating conditions. The result is an understanding of the nozzle’s performance in terms of important flow features that manifest themselves under different parametric profiles. In FY15, we will consider nozzle design with a focus on nozzle geometry and integration. From FY14 work, we will understand how the SHINE/PNL nozzle behaves under different operating scenarios. The first task for FY15 is to evaluate the FY14 model as a predictor of the actual flow. Considering different geometries is more time-intensive than parameter studies, therefore we recommendmore » considering any relevant flow features that were not included in the FY14 model. In the absence of experimental data, it is particularly important to consider any sources of heat in the domain or boundary conditions that may affect the flow and incorporate these into the simulation if they are significant. Additionally, any geometric features of the beamline segment should be added to the model such as the orifice plate. The FY14 model works with hydrogen. An improvement that can be made for FY15 is to develop CFD properties for tritium and incorporate those properties into the new models.« less

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, China: Energy

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-29

capacity. There are currently two types of HTGR reactor designs: the particle-bed core , which uses spherical fuel elements, and the rod type core , in...and trial operating experience with the HTGR reactor. Its main design features are as follows. 1. A particle-bed core , continuous fueling and...Favorable for Development of Small-Scale HTGR (Xu Jiming; HE DONGLI GONGCHENG, Feb 88) 47 ERRATUM: In JPRS-CEN-88-003 of 25 April 1988 in article

State criminal justice telecommunications (STACOM). Volume 4: Network design software user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. J.

1977-01-01

A user's guide to the network design program is presented. The program is written in FORTRAN V and implemented on a UNIVAC 1108 computer under the EXEC-8 operating system which enables the user to construct least-cost network topologies for criminal justice digital telecommunications networks. A complete description of program features, inputs, processing logic, and outputs is presented, and a sample run and a program listing are included.

Research and design of logistical information system based on SOA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo

2013-03-01

Through the study on the existing logistics information systems and SOA technology, based on the current situation of enterprise logistics management and business features, this paper puts forward a SOA-based logistics system design program. This program is made in the WCF framework, with the combination of SOA and the actual characteristics of logistics enterprises, is simple to realize, easy to operate, and has strong expansion characteristic, therefore has high practical value.

All-solid-state radiometers for environmental studies to 700 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmermann, Ralph; Zimmermann, Ruediger; Zimmermann, Peter

1992-01-01

We report results with an all-solid-state radiometer for measurements of the ClO molecule at 649 GHz. The project is part of a program to provide low-noise, low-weight, low-power radiometers for space operation, and special effort has been expended on the development of high-efficiency solid-state frequency multipliers and Schottky-barrier mixers with low local oscillator power requirements. The best measured system noise temperature was 1750 K with the mixer and preamplifier cooled to 77 K. The mixer diode was easily pumped into saturation, indicating that the design has excellent prospects of operating at higher frequencies - our present design goal being 1 THz. We comment on the principal design features of such systems and will report on stratospheric measurements performed with this system.

An ultrahigh vacuum multipurpose specimen chamber with sample introduction system for in situ transmission electron microscopy investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinemann, K.; Poppa, H.

1986-01-01

A commercial transmission electron microscope (TEM), with flat-plate upper pole piece configuration of the objective lens, and top-entry specimen introduction was modified by introducing an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) specimen chamber for in situ TEM experimentation. The pumping and design principles and special features of this UHV chamber, which makes it possible to obtain 5 x 10 to the -10th mbar pressure at the site of the specimen, while maintaining the airlock system that allows operation in the 10 to the -10th mbar range within 15 min after specimen change, are described. Design operating pressures and image quality (resolution of metal particles smaller than 1 nm in size) were achieved. Schematic drawings and design dimensions are included.

Braccio di Ferro: a new haptic workstation for neuromotor rehabilitation.

PubMed

Casadio, Maura; Sanguineti, Vittorio; Morasso, Pietro G; Arrichiello, Vincenzo

2006-01-01

This technical note describes a new robotic workstation for neurological rehabilitation, shortly named Braccio di Ferro. It has been designed by having in mind the range of forces and the frequency bandwidth that characterize the interaction between a patient and a physical therapist, as well as a number of requirements that we think are essential for allowing a natural haptic interaction: back-driveability, very low friction and inertia, mechanical robustness, the possibility to operate in different planes, and an open software environment, which allows the operator to add new functionalities and design personalized rehabilitation protocols. Braccio di Ferro is an open system and, in the spirit of open source design, is intended to foster the dissemination of robot therapy. Moreover, its combination of features is not present in commercially available systems.

Laser optical appraisal and design of a PRIME/Rover interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donaldson, J. A.

1980-01-01

An appraisal of whether to improve the existing multi-laser/multi detector system was undertaken. Two features of the elevation scanning mast which prevent the system from meeting desired specifications were studied. Then elevation scanning mast has 20 detectors, as opposed to the desired 40. This influences the system's overall resolution. The mirror shaft encoder's finite resolution prevents the laser from being aimed exactly as desired. This influences the system's overall accuracy. It was concluded that the existing system needs no modification at present. The design and construction of a data emulator which allowed testing data transactions with a PRIME computer is described, and theory of operation briefly discussed. A full blown PRIME/Rover Interface was designed and built. The capabilities of this Interface and its operating principles are discussed.

The high-power iodine laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brederlow, G.; Fill, E.; Witte, K. J.

The book provides a description of the present state of the art concerning the iodine laser, giving particular attention to the design and operation of pulsed high-power iodine lasers. The basic features of the laser are examined, taking into account aspects of spontaneous emission lifetime, hyperfine structure, line broadening and line shifts, stimulated emission cross sections, the influence of magnetic fields, sublevel relaxation, the photodissociation of alkyl iodides, flashlamp technology, excitation in a direct discharge, chemical excitation, and questions regarding the chemical kinetics of the photodissociation iodine laser. The principles of high-power operation are considered along with aspects of beam quality and losses, the design and layout of an iodine laser system, the scalability and prospects of the iodine laser, and the design of the single-beam Asterix III laser.

Test Rack Development for Extended Operation of Advanced Stirling Convertors at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dugala, Gina M.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Lockheed Martin Space Company (LMSC), Sun power Inc., and NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) have been developing an Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) for use as a power system on space science missions. This generator will make use of free-piston Stirling convertors to achieve higher conversion efficiency than currently available alternatives. NASA GRC's support of ASRG development includes extended operation testing of Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs) developed by Sunpower Inc. In the past year, NASA GRC has been building a test facility to support extended operation of a pair of engineering level ASCs. Operation of the convertors in the test facility provides convertor performance data over an extended period of time. Mechanical support hardware, data acquisition software, and an instrumentation rack were developed to prepare the pair of convertors for continuous extended operation. Short-term tests were performed to gather baseline performance data before extended operation was initiated. These tests included workmanship vibration, insulation thermal loss characterization, low-temperature checkout, and fUll-power operation. Hardware and software features are implemented to ensure reliability of support systems. This paper discusses the mechanical support hardware, instrumentation rack, data acquisition software, short-term tests, and safety features designed to support continuous unattended operation of a pair of ASCs.

High Temperature Heat Exchanger Design and Fabrication for Systems with Large Pressure Differentials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chordia, Lalit; Portnoff, Marc A.; Green, Ed

The project’s main purpose was to design, build and test a compact heat exchanger for supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2) power cycle recuperators. The compact recuperator is required to operate at high temperature and high pressure differentials, 169 bar (~2,500 psi), between streams of sCO 2. Additional project tasks included building a hot air-to-sCO 2 Heater heat exchanger (HX) and design, build and operate a test loop to characterize the recuperator and heater heat exchangers. A novel counter-current microtube recuperator was built to meet the high temperature high differential pressure criteria and tested. The compact HX design also incorporated amore » number of features that optimize material use, improved reliability and reduced cost. The air-to-sCO 2 Heater HX utilized a cross flow, counter-current, micro-tubular design. This compact HX design was incorporated into the test loop and exceeded design expectations. The test loop design to characterize the prototype Brayton power cycle HXs was assembled, commissioned and operated during the program. Both the prototype recuperator and Heater HXs were characterized. Measured results for the recuperator confirmed the predictions of the heat transfer models developed during the project. Heater HX data analysis is ongoing.« less

Nb3Sn superconducting magnets for electron cyclotron resonance ion sources.

PubMed

Ferracin, P; Caspi, S; Felice, H; Leitner, D; Lyneis, C M; Prestemon, S; Sabbi, G L; Todd, D S

2010-02-01

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources are an essential component of heavy-ion accelerators. Over the past few decades advances in magnet technology and an improved understanding of the ECR ion source plasma physics have led to remarkable performance improvements of ECR ion sources. Currently third generation high field superconducting ECR ion sources operating at frequencies around 28 GHz are the state of the art ion injectors and several devices are either under commissioning or under design around the world. At the same time, the demand for increased intensities of highly charged heavy ions continues to grow, which makes the development of even higher performance ECR ion sources a necessity. To extend ECR ion sources to frequencies well above 28 GHz, new magnet technology will be needed in order to operate at higher field and force levels. The superconducting magnet program at LBNL has been developing high field superconducting magnets for particle accelerators based on Nb(3)Sn superconducting technology for several years. At the moment, Nb(3)Sn is the only practical conductor capable of operating at the 15 T field level in the relevant configurations. Recent design studies have been focused on the possibility of using Nb(3)Sn in the next generation of ECR ion sources. In the past, LBNL has worked on the VENUS ECR, a 28 GHz source with solenoids and a sextupole made with NbTi operating at fields of 6-7 T. VENUS has now been operating since 2004. We present in this paper the design of a Nb(3)Sn ECR ion source optimized to operate at an rf frequency of 56 GHz with conductor peak fields of 13-15 T. Because of the brittleness and strain sensitivity of Nb(3)Sn, particular care is required in the design of the magnet support structure, which must be capable of providing support to the coils without overstressing the conductor. In this paper, we present the main features of the support structure, featuring an external aluminum shell pretensioned with water-pressurized bladders, and we analyze the expected coil stresses with a two-dimensional finite element mechanical model.

The major results from W7-AS stellarator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Friedrich

2002-11-01

W7-AS has terminated operation this summer. In the last phase, W7-AS was equipped with an island divertor using the natural edge islands of the low-shear, n=5 design. NBI heating has been done with co-injection (3 MW), ECRH was successfully extended to high density with the OXB scheme, and ICRH was applied in all standard modes but also in beach wave heating. The island divertor allowed high β and provided excellent exhaust conditions thanks to the accessibility to high densities (ne <= 4 × 10^20 m-3). 3D edge modelling with the EMC3-EIRENE code predicted and explained the absence of the high-recycling regime and the low-density high-temperature momentum losses associated with the prominent role of the cross-field transport. The confinement of W7-AS is determined by two concept dependent features low shear and 3D geometry: τE depends strongly on low-order rationals; in the plasma core the neo-classical bifurcation between ion and electron roots is observed. A distinct difference to tokamaks is the lack of Te - profile resilience. The H-mode operational range is governed by poloidal flow damping. At high density, a further bifurcation appears into a regime characterised by good energy and low impurity confinement (HDH). Because of its appealing features, this regime will be described in detail. The most visible MHD are beam driven global Alfven modes and ELMs. The operational limits are set by NBI power: The balance of heating and edge radiation determines the density limit; the maximal β is limited to 3.1%. The operation at high densities and high β is quiescent and quasi-steady state. The intrinsic stellarator features - steady state and no disruptions - remain close to operational limits. The results of W7-AS confirm the design criteria of W7-X and contribute to establish the stellarator line as independent route to a reactor.

Deep Borehole Disposal Concept: Development of Universal Canister Concept of Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rigali, Mark J.; Price, Laura L.

This report documents key elements of the conceptual design for deep borehole disposal of radioactive waste to support the development of a universal canister concept of operations. A universal canister is a canister that is designed to be able to store, transport, and dispose of radioactive waste without the canister having to be reopened to treat or repackage the waste. This report focuses on the conceptual design for disposal of radioactive waste contained in a universal canister in a deep borehole. The general deep borehole disposal concept consists of drilling a borehole into crystalline basement rock to a depth ofmore » about 5 km, emplacing WPs in the lower 2 km of the borehole, and sealing and plugging the upper 3 km. Research and development programs for deep borehole disposal have been ongoing for several years in the United States and the United Kingdom; these studies have shown that deep borehole disposal of radioactive waste could be safe, cost effective, and technically feasible. The design concepts described in this report are workable solutions based on expert judgment, and are intended to guide follow-on design activities. Both preclosure and postclosure safety were considered in the development of the reference design concept. The requirements and assumptions that form the basis for the deep borehole disposal concept include WP performance requirements, radiological protection requirements, surface handling and transport requirements, and emplacement requirements. The key features of the reference disposal concept include borehole drilling and construction concepts, WP designs, and waste handling and emplacement concepts. These features are supported by engineering analyses.« less

SP-100 GES/NAT radiation shielding systems design and development testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Disney, Richard K.; Kulikowski, Henry D.; McGinnis, Cynthia A.; Reese, James C.; Thomas, Kevin; Wiltshire, Frank

1991-01-01

Advanced Energy Systems (AES) of Westinghouse Electric Corporation is under subcontract to the General Electric Company to supply nuclear radiation shielding components for the SP-100 Ground Engineering System (GES) Nuclear Assembly Test to be conducted at Westinghouse Hanford Company at Richland, Washington. The radiation shielding components are integral to the Nuclear Assembly Test (NAT) assembly and include prototypic and non-prototypic radiation shielding components which provide prototypic test conditions for the SP-100 reactor subsystem and reactor control subsystem components during the GES/NAT operations. W-AES is designing three radiation shield components for the NAT assembly; a prototypic Generic Flight System (GFS) shield, the Lower Internal Facility Shield (LIFS), and the Upper Internal Facility Shield (UIFS). This paper describes the design approach and development testing to support the design, fabrication, and assembly of these three shield components for use within the vacuum vessel of the GES/NAT. The GES/NAT shields must be designed to operate in a high vacuum which simulates space operations. The GFS shield and LIFS must provide prototypic radiation/thermal environments and mechanical interfaces for reactor system components. The NAT shields, in combination with the test facility shielding, must provide adequate radiation attenuation for overall test operations. Special design considerations account for the ground test facility effects on the prototypic GFS shield. Validation of the GFS shield design and performance will be based on detailed Monte Carlo analyses and developmental testing of design features. Full scale prototype testing of the shield subsystems is not planned.

Conceptual design and analysis of roads and road construction machinery for initial lunar base operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sines, Jeffrey L.; Banks, Joel; Efatpenah, Keyanoush

1990-01-01

Recent developments have made it possible for scientists and engineers to consider returning to the Moon to build a manned lunar base. The base can be used to conduct scientific research, develop new space technology, and utilize the natural resources of the Moon. Areas of the base will be separated, connected by a system of roads that reduce the power requirements of vehicles traveling on them. Feasible road types for the lunar surface were analyzed and a road construction system was designed for initial lunar base operations. A model was also constructed to show the system configuration and key operating features. The alternate designs for the lunar road construction system were developed in four stages: analyze and select a road type; determine operations and machinery needed to produce the road; develop machinery configurations; and develop alternates for several machine components. A compacted lunar soil road was selected for initial lunar base operations. The only machinery required to produce this road were a grader and a compactor. The road construction system consists of a main drive unit which is used for propulsion, a detachable grader assembly, and a towed compactor.

A VLSI implementation of DCT using pass transistor technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamath, S.; Lynn, Douglas; Whitaker, Sterling

1992-01-01

A VLSI design for performing the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) operation on image blocks of size 16 x 16 in a real time fashion operating at 34 MHz (worst case) is presented. The process used was Hewlett-Packard's CMOS26--A 3 metal CMOS process with a minimum feature size of 0.75 micron. The design is based on Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) cells which make use of a modified Booth recoding algorithm for performing multiplication. The design of these cells is straight forward, and the layouts are regular with no complex routing. Two versions of these MAC cells were designed and their layouts completed. Both versions were simulated using SPICE to estimate their performance. One version is slightly faster at the cost of larger silicon area and higher power consumption. An improvement in speed of almost 20 percent is achieved after several iterations of simulation and re-sizing.

Engineering aspects and hardware verification of a volume producable solid oxide fuel cell stack design for diesel auxiliary power units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stelter, Michael; Reinert, Andreas; Mai, Björn Erik; Kuznecov, Mihail

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack module is presented that is designed for operation on diesel reformate in an auxiliary power unit (APU). The stack was designed using a top-down approach, based on a specification of an APU system that is installed on board of vehicles. The stack design is planar, modular and scalable with stamped sheet metal interconnectors. It features thin membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), such as electrolyte supported cells (ESC) and operates at elevated temperatures around 800 °C. The stack has a low pressure drop in both the anode and the cathode to facilitate a simple system layout. An overview of the technical targets met so far is given. A stack power density of 0.2 kW l -1 has been demonstrated in a fully integrated, thermally self-sustaining APU prototype running with diesel and without an external water supply.

Design details of Intelligent Instruments for PLC-free Cryogenic measurements, control and data acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antony, Joby; Mathuria, D. S.; Chaudhary, Anup; Datta, T. S.; Maity, T.

2017-02-01

Cryogenic network for linear accelerator operations demand a large number of Cryogenic sensors, associated instruments and other control-instrumentation to measure, monitor and control different cryogenic parameters remotely. Here we describe an alternate approach of six types of newly designed integrated intelligent cryogenic instruments called device-servers which has the complete circuitry for various sensor-front-end analog instrumentation and the common digital back-end http-server built together, to make crateless PLC-free model of controls and data acquisition. These identified instruments each sensor-specific viz. LHe server, LN2 Server, Control output server, Pressure server, Vacuum server and Temperature server are completely deployed over LAN for the cryogenic operations of IUAC linac (Inter University Accelerator Centre linear Accelerator), New Delhi. This indigenous design gives certain salient features like global connectivity, low cost due to crateless model, easy signal processing due to integrated design, less cabling and device-interconnectivity etc.

An instrument for the geometric attributes of metallic appearance.

PubMed

Christie, J S

1969-09-01

With the use of a greater variety of metals and methods of finishing them, an increasing need to measure metallic appearance has developed in the automotive industry. A simple and easy to operate instrument has been designed to measure the geometric characteristics of reflectance related to metallic appearance. These are specular reflectance, distinctness of image, haze, and diffuseness. A series of selected aluminum and stainless steel specimens has been used to test the performance of the new instrument and of older devices with which it has been compared. Functionally, the new instrument combines features of the Distinctness of ReflectedImage (DORI)meter designed by Tingle, and the abridged goniophotometer designed by Tingle and George. The design and operation of the new instrument have been simplified by use of multiple receptor apertures with optical fiber light collectors. The measurement of a wide range of metal appearance characteristic has thus been achieved with mechanical and electrical circuit simplicity.

Idealized gas turbine combustor for performance research and validation of large eddy simulations.

PubMed

Williams, Timothy C; Schefer, Robert W; Oefelein, Joseph C; Shaddix, Christopher R

2007-03-01

This paper details the design of a premixed, swirl-stabilized combustor that was designed and built for the express purpose of obtaining validation-quality data for the development of large eddy simulations (LES) of gas turbine combustors. The combustor features nonambiguous boundary conditions, a geometrically simple design that retains the essential fluid dynamics and thermochemical processes that occur in actual gas turbine combustors, and unrestrictive access for laser and optical diagnostic measurements. After discussing the design detail, a preliminary investigation of the performance and operating envelope of the combustor is presented. With the combustor operating on premixed methane/air, both the equivalence ratio and the inlet velocity were systematically varied and the flame structure was recorded via digital photography. Interesting lean flame blowout and resonance characteristics were observed. In addition, the combustor exhibited a large region of stable, acoustically clean combustion that is suitable for preliminary validation of LES models.

The study and design of tension controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, G.; Lamei, X.

2018-02-01

Tension control is a wide used technology in areas such as textiles, paper and plastic films. In this article, the tension control system release and winding process is analyzed and the mathematical model of tension control system is established, and a high performance tension controller is designed. In hardware design, STM32F130 single chip microcomputer is used as the control core, which has the characteristics of fast running speed and rich peripheral features. In software design, μC/OS-II operating system is introduced to improve the efficiency of single chip microcomputer, and enhance the independence of each module, and make development and maintenance more convenient. The taper tension control is adopted in the winding part, which can effectively solve the problem of rolling shrinkage. The results show that the tension controller has the characteristics of simple structure, easy operation and stable performance.

Design of oil pipeline leak detection and communication system based on optical fiber technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Yaqing; Chen, Huabo

1999-08-01

The integrity of oil pipeline is always a major concern of operators. Pipeline leak not only leads to loss of oil, but pollutes environment. A new pipeline leak detection and communication system based on optical fiber technology to ensure the pipeline reliability is presented. Combined direct leak detection method with an indirect one, the system will greatly reduce the rate of false alarm. According, to the practical features of oil pipeline,the pipeline communication system is designed employing the state-of-the-art optic fiber communication technology. The system has such feature as high location accuracy of leak detection, good real-time characteristic, etc. which overcomes the disadvantages of traditional leak detection methods and communication system effectively.

Analytical study of electrical disconnect system for use on manned and unmanned missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosener, A. A.; Lenda, J. A.; Trummer, R. O.; Jonkoniec, T. G.

1977-01-01

The program to survey existing electrical connector availability, and establish an optimum connector design for maintainable spacecraft substation interfaces is reported. Functional and operational requirements are given along with the results of the documentation survey, which disclosed that the MSFC series connectors have the preferred features of current connector technology. Optimum design concepts for EVA tasks, modules serviced by manipulators, and for manipulators independent of other servicing units are presented. It is concluded that separate connector designs are required for spacecraft replaceable modules, and for crewman EVA.

Automated biowaste sampling system feces monitoring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, S. R.; Glanfield, E. J.

1979-01-01

The Feces Monitoring System (FMS) Program designed, fabricated, assembled and tested an engineering model waste collector system (WCS) to be used in support of life science and medical experiments related to Shuttle missions. The FMS design was patterned closely after the Shuttle WCS, including: interface provisions; mounting; configuration; and operating procedures. These similarities make it possible to eventually substitute an FMS for the Shuttle WCS of Orbiter. In addition, several advanced waste collection features, including the capability of real-time inertial fecal separation and fecal mass measurement and sampling were incorporated into the FMS design.

Xatcobeo: Small Mechanisms for CubeSat Satellites - Antenna and Solar Array Deployment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

EncinasPlaza, Jose Miguel; VilanVilan, Jose Antonio; AquadoAgelet, Fernando; BrandiaranMancheno, Javier; LopezEstevez, Miguel; MartinezFernandez, Cesar; SarmientoAres, Fany

2010-01-01

The Xatcobeo project, which includes the mechanisms dealt with here, is principally a university project to design and construct a CubeSat 1U-type satellite. This work describes the design and operational features of the system for antenna storage and deployment, and the design and simulations of the solar array deployment system. It explains the various problems faced and solutions adopted, with a view to providing valid data for any other applications that could find them useful, be they of a similar nature or not.

MBASIC batch processor architectural overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, S. M.

1978-01-01

The MBASIC (TM) batch processor, a language translator designed to operate in the MBASIC (TM) environment is described. Features include: (1) a CONVERT TO BATCH command, usable from the ready mode; and (2) translation of the users program in stages through several levels of intermediate language and optimization. The processor is to be designed and implemented in both machine-independent and machine-dependent sections. The architecture is planned so that optimization processes are transparent to the rest of the system and need not be included in the first design implementation cycle.

Satellite Docking Simulator with Generic Contact Dynamics Capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, O.; Crabtree, D.; Carr, R.; Gonthier, Y.; Martin, E.; Piedboeuf, J.-C.

2002-01-01

Satellite docking (and capture) systems are critical for the servicing or salvage of satellites. Satellite servicing has comparatively recently become a realistic and promising space operation/mission. Satellite servicing includes several of the following operations: rendezvous; docking (capturing); inspection; towing (transporting); refueling; refurbishing (replacement of faulty or "used-up" modules/boxes); and un-docking (releasing). Because spacecraft servicing has been, until recently non-feasible or non-economical, spacecraft servicing technology has been neglected. Accordingly, spacecraft designs have featured self- contained systems without consideration for operational servicing. Consistent with this view, most spacecrafts were designed and built without docking interfaces. If, through some mishap, a spacecraft was rendered non-operational, it was simply considered expendable. Several feasibility studies are in progress on salvaging stranded satellites (which, in fact had led to this project). The task of the designer of the docking system for a salvaging task is difficult. He/she has to work with whatever it is on orbit, and this excludes any special docking interfaces, which might have made his/her task easier. As satellite servicing becomes an accepted design requirement, many future satellites will be equipped with appropriate docking interfaces. The designer of docking systems will be faced with slightly different challenges: reliable, cost-effective, docking (and re-supply) systems. Thus, the role of designers of docking systems will increase from one of a kind, ad-hoc interfaces intended for salvaging operations, to docking systems for satellites and "caretaker" spacecraft which are meant for servicing and are produced in larger numbers. As in any space system (for which full and representative ground hardware test-beds are very expensive and often impossible to develop), simulations are mandatory for the development of systems and operations for satellite servicing. Simulations are also instrumental in concept studies during proposals and early development stages. Finally, simulations are useful during the operational phase of satellite servicing: improving the operational procedures; training ground operators; command and control, etc. Hence the need exists for a Satellite Servicing Simulator, which will support a project throughout its lifecycle. The paper addresses a project to develop a Simulink-based Satellite Docking Simulator (SDS) with generic Contact Dynamics (CD) capabilities. The simulator is intended to meet immediate practical demands for development of complex docking systems and operations at MD Robotics. The docking phase is the most critical and complex phase of the entire servicing sequence, and without docking there is no servicing. Docking mechanisms are often quite complex, especially when built to dock with a satellite manufactured without special docking interfaces. For successful docking operations, the design of a docking system must take into consideration: complexity of 3D geometric shapes defining the contact interfaces; sophistication of the docking mechanism; friction and stiction at the contacting surfaces; compliance (stiffness) and damping, in all axes; positional (translation and rotation) misalignments and relative velocities, in all axes; inertial properties of the docking satellites (including their distribution); complexity of the drive mechanisms and control sub-systems for the overall docking system; fully autonomous or tele-operated docking from the ground; etc. The docking simulator, which makes use of the proven Contact Dynamics Toolkit (CDT) developed by MD Robotics, is thus practically indispensable for the docking system designer. The use of the simulator could greatly reduce the prototyping and development time of a docking interface. A special feature of the simulator, which required an update of CDT, is variable step-size integration. This new capability permits increases in speed to accomplish all the simulation tasks.

Organizing for low cost space operations - Status and plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, C.

1976-01-01

Design features of the Space Transportation System (vehicle reuse, low cost expendable components, simple payload interfaces, standard support systems) must be matched by economical operational methods to achieve low operating and payload costs. Users will be responsible for their own payloads and will be charged according to the services they require. Efficient use of manpower, simple documentation, simplified test, checkout, and flight planning are firm goals, together with flexibility for quick response to varying user needs. Status of the Shuttle hardware, plans for establishing low cost procedures, and the policy for user charges are discussed.

Functional Allocation with Airborne Self-Separation Evaluated in a Piloted Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Murdoch, Jennifer L.; Chamberlain, James P.; Consiglio, Maria C.; Hoardley, Sherwood T.; Hubbs, Clay E.; Palmer, Michael T.

2010-01-01

A human-in-the-loop simulation experiment was designed and conducted to evaluate an airborne self-separation concept. The activity supports the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) research focus on function allocation for separation assurance. The objectives of the experiment were twofold: (1) use experiment design features in common with a companion study of ground-based automated separation assurance to promote comparability, and (2) assess agility of self-separation operations in managing trajectory-changing events in high traffic density, en-route operations with arrival time constraints. This paper describes the experiment and presents initial results associated with subjective workload ratings and group discussion feedback obtained from the experiment s commercial transport pilot participants.

Continuum robot arms inspired by cephalopods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Ian D.; Dawson, Darren M.; Flash, Tamar; Grasso, Frank W.; Hanlon, Roger T.; Hochner, Binyamin; Kier, William M.; Pagano, Christopher C.; Rahn, Christopher D.; Zhang, Qiming M.

2005-05-01

In this paper, we describe our recent results in the development of a new class of soft, continuous backbone ("continuum") robot manipulators. Our work is strongly motivated by the dexterous appendages found in cephalopods, particularly the arms and suckers of octopus, and the arms and tentacles of squid. Our ongoing investigation of these animals reveals interesting and unexpected functional aspects of their structure and behavior. The arrangement and dynamic operation of muscles and connective tissue observed in the arms of a variety of octopus species motivate the underlying design approach for our soft manipulators. These artificial manipulators feature biomimetic actuators, including artificial muscles based on both electro-active polymers (EAP) and pneumatic (McKibben) muscles. They feature a "clean" continuous backbone design, redundant degrees of freedom, and exhibit significant compliance that provides novel operational capacities during environmental interaction and object manipulation. The unusual compliance and redundant degrees of freedom provide strong potential for application to delicate tasks in cluttered and/or unstructured environments. Our aim is to endow these compliant robotic mechanisms with the diverse and dexterous grasping behavior observed in octopuses. To this end, we are conducting fundamental research into the manipulation tactics, sensory biology, and neural control of octopuses. This work in turn leads to novel approaches to motion planning and operator interfaces for the robots. The paper describes the above efforts, along with the results of our development of a series of continuum tentacle-like robots, demonstrating the unique abilities of biologically-inspired design.

Enhanced Low-Enriched Uranium Fuel Element for the Advanced Test Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pope, M. A.; DeHart, M. D.; Morrell, S. R.

2015-03-01

Under the current US Department of Energy (DOE) policy and planning scenario, the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and its associated critical facility (ATRC) will be reconfigured to operate on low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. This effort has produced a conceptual design for an Enhanced LEU Fuel (ELF) element. This fuel features monolithic U-10Mo fuel foils and aluminum cladding separated by a thin zirconium barrier. As with previous iterations of the ELF design, radial power peaking is managed using different U-10Mo foil thicknesses in different plates of the element. The lead fuel element design, ELF Mk1A, features only three fuel meat thicknesses,more » a reduction from the previous iterations meant to simplify manufacturing. Evaluation of the ELF Mk1A fuel design against reactor performance requirements is ongoing, as are investigations of the impact of manufacturing uncertainty on safety margins. The element design has been evaluated in what are expected to be the most demanding design basis accident scenarios and has met all initial thermal-hydraulic criteria.« less

Application of optimized multiscale mathematical morphology for bearing fault diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Tingkai; Yuan, Yanbin; Yuan, Xiaohui; Wu, Xiaotao

2017-04-01

In order to suppress noise effectively and extract the impulsive features in the vibration signals of faulty rolling element bearings, an optimized multiscale morphology (OMM) based on conventional multiscale morphology (CMM) and iterative morphology (IM) is presented in this paper. Firstly, the operator used in the IM method must be non-idempotent; therefore, an optimized difference (ODIF) operator has been designed. Furthermore, in the iterative process the current operation is performed on the basis of the previous one. This means that if a larger scale is employed, more fault features are inhibited. Thereby, a unit scale is proposed as the structuring element (SE) scale in IM. According to the above definitions, the IM method is implemented on the results over different scales obtained by CMM. The validity of the proposed method is first evaluated by a simulated signal. Subsequently, aimed at an outer race fault two vibration signals sampled by different accelerometers are analyzed by OMM and CMM, respectively. The same is done for an inner race fault. The results show that the optimized method is effective in diagnosing the two bearing faults. Compared with the CMM method, the OMM method can extract much more fault features under strong noise background.

Testing coordinate measuring arms with a geometric feature-based gauge: in situ field trials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuesta, E.; Alvarez, B. J.; Patiño, H.; Telenti, A.; Barreiro, J.

2016-05-01

This work describes in detail the definition of a procedure for calibrating and evaluating coordinate measuring arms (AACMMs or CMAs). CMAs are portable coordinate measuring machines that have been widely accepted in industry despite their sensitivity to the skill and experience of the operator in charge of the inspection task. The procedure proposed here is based on the use of a dimensional gauge that incorporates multiple geometric features, specifically designed for evaluating the measuring technique when CMAs are used, at company facilities (workshops or laboratories) and by the usual operators who handle these devices in their daily work. After establishing the procedure and manufacturing the feature-based gauge, the research project was complemented with diverse in situ field tests performed with the collaboration of companies that use these devices in their inspection tasks. Some of the results are presented here, not only comparing different operators but also comparing different companies. The knowledge extracted from these experiments has allowed the procedure to be validated, the defects of the methodologies currently used for in situ inspections to be detected, and substantial improvements for increasing the reliability of these portable instruments to be proposed.

An analytic-numerical method for the construction of the reference law of operation for a class of mechanical controlled systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizhidon, A. D.; Mizhidon, K. A.

2017-04-01

An analytic-numerical method for the construction of a reference law of operation for a class of dynamic systems describing vibrations in controlled mechanical systems is proposed. By the reference law of operation of a system, we mean a law of the system motion that satisfies all the requirements for the quality and design features of the system under permanent external disturbances. As disturbances, we consider polyharmonic functions with known amplitudes and frequencies of the harmonics but unknown initial phases. For constructing the reference law of motion, an auxiliary optimal control problem is solved in which the cost function depends on a weighting coefficient. The choice of the weighting coefficient ensures the design of the reference law. Theoretical foundations of the proposed method are given.

Design concepts for the Centrifuge Facility Life Sciences Glovebox

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Sidney C.; Horkachuck, Michael J.; Mckeown, Kellie A.

1989-01-01

The Life Sciences Glovebox will provide the bioisolated environment to support on-orbit operations involving non-human live specimens and samples for human life sceinces experiments. It will be part of the Centrifuge Facility, in which animal and plant specimens are housed in bioisolated Habitat modules and transported to the Glovebox as part of the experiment protocols supported by the crew. At the Glovebox, up to two crew members and two habitat modules must be accommodated to provide flexibility and support optimal operations. This paper will present several innovative design concepts that attempt to satisfy the basic Glovebox requirements. These concepts were evaluated for ergonomics and ease of operations using computer modeling and full-scale mockups. The more promising ideas were presented to scientists and astronauts for their evaluation. Their comments, and the results from other evaluations are presented. Based on the evaluations, the authors recommend designs and features that will help optimize crew performance and facilitate science accommodations, and specify problem areas that require further study.

The conceptual design of a robust, compact, modular tokamak reactor based on high-field superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whyte, D. G.; Bonoli, P.; Barnard, H.; Haakonsen, C.; Hartwig, Z.; Kasten, C.; Palmer, T.; Sung, C.; Sutherland, D.; Bromberg, L.; Mangiarotti, F.; Goh, J.; Sorbom, B.; Sierchio, J.; Ball, J.; Greenwald, M.; Olynyk, G.; Minervini, J.

2012-10-01

Two of the greatest challenges to tokamak reactors are 1) large single-unit cost of each reactor's construction and 2) their susceptibility to disruptions from operation at or above operational limits. We present an attractive tokamak reactor design that substantially lessens these issues by exploiting recent advancements in superconductor (SC) tapes allowing peak field on SC coil > 20 Tesla. A R˜3.3 m, B˜9.2 T, ˜ 500 MW fusion power tokamak provides high fusion gain while avoiding all disruptive operating boundaries (no-wall beta, kink, and density limits). Robust steady-state core scenarios are obtained by exploiting the synergy of high field, compact size and ideal efficiency current drive using high-field side launch of Lower Hybrid waves. The design features a completely modular replacement of internal solid components enabled by the demountability of the coils/tapes and the use of an immersion liquid blanket. This modularity opens up the possibility of using the device as a nuclear component test facility.

The AP1000{sup R} nuclear power plant innovative features for extended station blackout mitigation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vereb, F.; Winters, J.; Schulz, T.

2012-07-01

Station Blackout (SBO) is defined as 'a condition wherein a nuclear power plant sustains a loss of all offsite electric power system concurrent with turbine trip and unavailability of all onsite emergency alternating current (AC) power system. Station blackout does not include the loss of available AC power to buses fed by station batteries through inverters or by alternate AC sources as defined in this section, nor does it assume a concurrent single failure or design basis accident...' in accordance with Reference 1. In this paper, the innovative features of the AP1000 plant design are described with their operation inmore » the scenario of an extended station blackout event. General operation of the passive safety systems are described as well as the unique features which allow the AP1000 plant to cope for at least 7 days during station blackout. Points of emphasis will include: - Passive safety system operation during SBO - 'Fail-safe' nature of key passive safety system valves; automatically places the valve in a conservatively safe alignment even in case of multiple failures in all power supply systems, including normal AC and battery backup - Passive Spent Fuel Pool cooling and makeup water supply during SBO - Robustness of AP1000 plant due to the location of key systems, structures and components required for Safe Shutdown - Diverse means of supplying makeup water to the Passive Containment Cooling System (PCS) and the Spent Fuel Pool (SFP) through use of an engineered, safety-related piping interface and portable equipment, as well as with permanently installed onsite ancillary equipment. (authors)« less

The high voltage homopolar generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, J. H.; Gully, J. H.; Driga, M. D.

1986-11-01

System and component design features of proposed high voltage homopolar generator (HVHPG) are described. The system is to have an open circuit voltage of 500 V, a peak output current of 500 kA, 3.25 MJ of stored inertial energy and possess an average magnetic-flux density of 5 T. Stator assembly components are discussed, including the stator, mount structure, hydrostatic bearings, main and motoring brushgears and rotor. Planned operational procedures such as monitoring the rotor to full speed and operation with a superconducting field coil are delineated.

Pilot plant operation of a nonadiabatic methanation reactor. [15 refs. ; Raney nickel catalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schehl, R.R.; Pennline, H.W.; Strakey, J.P.

The design and operation of a pilot plant scale hybrid methanation reactor is discussed. The hybrid methanator, utilizing a finned, Raney nickel coated insert, consolidates features of the tube-wall and hot-gas-recycle methanation reactors. Data are presented from four tests lasting from 3/sup 1///sub 2/ weeks to three months. Topics discussed include conversion, product yields, catalyst properties, and reactor temperature profiles. A one-dimensional mathematical model capable of explaining reactor performance trends is employed.

Contingency Base Energy Management System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2016-06-09

CB-EMS is the latest implementation of DSOM (Decision Support for Operations and Maintenance), which was previously patented by PNNL. CB-EMS WAS specifically designed for contingency bases for the US Army. It is a software package that is designed to monitor energy consumption at an Army contingency base to alert the camp manager when the systems are wasting energy. It's main feature that separates it from DSOM is it's ability to add systems using a plug and play menu system.

Simulation of a combined-cycle engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vangerpen, Jon

1991-01-01

A FORTRAN computer program was developed to simulate the performance of combined-cycle engines. These engines combine features of both gas turbines and reciprocating engines. The computer program can simulate both design point and off-design operation. Widely varying engine configurations can be evaluated for their power, performance, and efficiency as well as the influence of altitude and air speed. Although the program was developed to simulate aircraft engines, it can be used with equal success for stationary and automative applications.

Numerical Prediction of Non-Reacting and Reacting Flow in a Model Gas Turbine Combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davoudzadeh, Farhad; Liu, Nan-Suey

2005-01-01

The three-dimensional, viscous, turbulent, reacting and non-reacting flow characteristics of a model gas turbine combustor operating on air/methane are simulated via an unstructured and massively parallel Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) code. This serves to demonstrate the capabilities of the code for design and analysis of real combustor engines. The effects of some design features of combustors are examined. In addition, the computed results are validated against experimental data.

Broadband optical equalizer using fault tolerant digital micromirrors.

PubMed

Riza, Nabeel; Mughal, M Junaid

2003-06-30

For the first time, the design and demonstration of a near continuous spectral processing mode broadband equalizer is described using the earlier proposed macro-pixel spatial approach for multiwavelength fiber-optic attenuation in combination with a high spectral resolution broadband transmissive volume Bragg grating. The demonstrated design features low loss and low polarization dependent loss with broadband operation. Such an analog mode spectral processor can impact optical applications ranging from test and instrumentation to dynamic alloptical networks.

A computer program to find the kernel of a polynomial operator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gejji, R. R.

1976-01-01

This paper presents a FORTRAN program written to solve for the kernel of a matrix of polynomials with real coefficients. It is an implementation of Sain's free modular algorithm for solving the minimal design problem of linear multivariable systems. The structure of the program is discussed, together with some features as they relate to questions of implementing the above method. An example of the use of the program to solve a design problem is included.

[Design and implementation on smart client for hospital information system].

PubMed

Liu, Min; Chen, Wei

2009-07-01

The article analyzes the traditional advantages and disadvantages of HIS based on the C/S and B/S structure, and introduces the features of Smart Client technology. Applying the technology in HIS, not only provides excellent operating experience, but also has the benefits of management brought about by concentration of deployment and update, achieve a balanced use of resources. Finally, this paper focuses on the application of the technology in the HIS system architecture design.

A Measurement of the Energy Spectra of Cosmic Rays from 20 to 1000 GeV Per Amu

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, J. C.; Thoburn, C.; Smith, A. E.; Petruzzo, J. J., III; Austin, R. W.; Derrickson, J. H.; Parnell, T. A.; Masheder, M. R. W.; Fowler, P. H.

1997-01-01

The design features and operational performance from the test flight of the fourth generation of spherical geometry cosmic ray detectors developed at Bristol University (Bristol University Gas Scintillator 4 - BUGS-4) are presented. The flight from Ft. Sumner (NM) in Sept. 1993 was the premier flight of a large (1m radius) spherical drift chamber which also gave gas scintillation and Cerenkov signals. The combinations of this chamber with one gas and two solid Cerenkov radiators lead to a large aperture factor (4.5 m2sr), but low (approximately 3.5 g/sq cm) instrument mass over the energy sensitive range 1 to several hundred GeV/a. Moreover, one simple timing measurement determined the impact parameter which provided a trajectory (path length) correction for all detector elements. This innovative and efficient design will be of interest to experimental groups engaged in studies of energetic charged particles. Although there were technical problems on the flight, which were compounded by the total destruction of BUGS-4 by fire while landing in Oklahoma, there was a period of stable operation during which the instrument was exposed at float altitude (approximately 125,000 ft.) to high energy cosmic rays. We present the performance of the instrument as determined from the analysis of these data and an appraisal of its novel design features. Suggestions for design improvements in a future instrument are made.

Design and assessment of a robust voltage amplifier with 2.5 GHz GBW and >100 kGy total dose tolerance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbeeck, J.; Leroux, P.; Steyaert, M.

2011-01-01

A differential voltage amplifier with a gain-bandwidth product of 2.5Ghz and using adaptive biasing has been designed in a standard CMOS technology and assessed under radiation and temperature variations. The principle used in this ASIC will be employed in the design of a Gbps TIA with improved tolerance for γ-irradiation and temperature for an optical instrumentation (LIDAR) receiver aiming at operation in harsh environments. The voltage amplifier was tested under gamma radiation and features a gain degradation of merely 4.5% up to a total dose of 100kGy. In order to verify the radiation effects on the IC, the threshold voltage shift of the separate transistors has been investigated. Temperature characterization has shown that the amplifier features a reduction of the voltage gain by only 5.6% for a temperature range of -40 till 130 °C.

Development of an improved GTA (gas tungsten arc) weld temperature monitor fixture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollar, D.L.

1990-05-01

An initial design weld temperature control fixture was implemented into final closure of an electronic assembly in November 1986. Use of this fixture indicated several areas that could be improved. Review of these areas with the process engineer and the weld operator provided the ideas to be incorporated into the new design Phase 2 fixture. Some primary areas of change and improvement included fixture mobility to provide better accessibility to the weld joint area, automatic timed blow cooling of the weld joint, and a feature to assure proper thermocouple placement. The resulting Phase 2 fixture design provided all of themore » essential weld temperature monitoring features in addition to several significant improvements. Technology developed during this project will pave the way to similar process monitoring of other manual gas tungsten arc (GTA) welding applications. 9 figs.« less

Development and testing of a 180-volt dc electronic circuit breaker with a 335-ampere carry and 1200-ampere interrupt rating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brush, A. S.; Phillips, R. L.

1991-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center and associated contractors have conducted a program to assess the potential requirements for a high-current switch to conceptually design a switch using the best existing technology, and to build and demonstrate a breadboard which meets the requirements. The result is the high current remote bus isolator (HRBI). The HRBI is rated at 180 V dc, 335 A continuous with a 1200 A interrupt rating. It also incorporates remote-control and protective features called for by the Space Station Freedom PMAD dc test bed design. Two breadboard 335 A circuit breakers were built and tested that demonstrate a promising concept of paralleled current-limiting modules. The units incorporated all control and protective features required by advanced aerospace power systems. Component stresses in each unit were determined by design, and are consistent with a life of many thousands of fault operations.

Design, installation, commissioning and operation of a beamlet monitor in the negative ion beam test stand at NIFS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Antoni, V.; Agostinetti, P.; Brombin, M.

2015-04-08

In the framework of the accompanying activity for the development of the two neutral beam injectors for the ITER fusion experiment, an instrumented beam calorimeter is being designed at Consorzio RFX, to be used in the SPIDER test facility (particle energy 100keV; beam current 50A), with the aim of testing beam characteristics and to verify the source proper operation. The main components of the instrumented calorimeter are one-directional carbon-fibre-carbon composite tiles. Some prototype tiles have been used as a small-scale version of the entire calorimeter in the test stand of the neutral beam injectors of the LHD experiment, with themore » aim of characterising the beam features in various operating conditions. The extraction system of the NIFS test stand source was modified, by applying a mask to the first gridded electrode, in order to isolate only a subset of the beamlets, arranged in two 3×5 matrices, resembling the beamlet groups of the ITER beam sources. The present contribution gives a description of the design of the diagnostic system, including the numerical simulations of the expected thermal pattern. Moreover the dedicated thermocouple measurement system is presented. The beamlet monitor was successfully used for a full experimental campaign, during which the main parameters of the source, mainly the arc power and the grid voltages, were varied. This contribution describes the methods of fitting and data analysis applied to the infrared images of the camera to recover the beamlet optics characteristics, in order to quantify the response of the system to different operational conditions. Some results concerning the beamlet features are presented as a function of the source parameters.« less

Summary of the Orbiter mechanical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiker, J.; Hinson, K.

1979-01-01

Major mechanical systems of the Orbiter space vehicle are summarized with respect to general design details, manner of operation, expected performance, and, where applicable, unique features. A synopsis of data obtained during the five atmospheric flight tests of spacecraft OV-101 and status of the systems for the first orbital spacecraft STS-1 are presented.

National Migrant Education Program Math Skills Information System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Rosa, Raul; Hackett, Eugene deG.

The educational background and issues which shaped the design of the National Migrant Education Program Math Skills Information System are explained in this report, along with a full description of the features of the system and its operation. It discusses the variety of math skills information used to permit teachers to input and receive math…

Athletic Facilities: Planning, Designing, and Operating Today's Physical-Education Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spoor, Dana L.

1998-01-01

Examines what should be featured in an athletic facility, how to plan for the many different sports and activities that will be housed, and how to get the community involved. Areas addressed include planning for locker rooms and storage, flooring and lighting, building code adherence, spectator seating, building security, and outdoor recreation…

An assessment of the Crossed Porro Prism Resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

See, B. A.; Fueloep, K.; Seymour, R.

1980-08-01

Lasers with crossed porro prism resonators for military laser rangefinder and designator applications are studied. Properties of these devices are reviewed and advantages over normal mirror resonators are examined. The theory of operating is treated and the mechanical stability and other features of the laser are examined and compared to standard mirror resonators.

DSS 13 microprocessor antenna controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gosline, R. M.

1988-01-01

A microprocessor-based antenna monitor and control system with multiple CPUs are described. The system was developed as part of the unattended station project for DSS 13 and was enhanced for use by the SETI project. The operational features, hardware, and software designs are described, and a discussion is provided of the major problems encountered.

78 FR 64526 - Information Collection Activities: Sulphur Operations; Submitted for Office of Management and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-29

...) Notify BSEE of pre- 0.5 2 notifications.. 1 production test and inspection of safety system and... comments and view all related materials. We will post all comments. Email [email protected]) Submit application for 4 1 application.... 4 design and installation features of sulphur production...

Solar-Heated Office Building -- Dallas, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Solar heating system designed to supply 87 percent of space heating and 100 percent of potable hot-water needs of large office building in Dallas, Texas. Unique feature of array serves as roofing over office lobby and gives building attractive triangular appearance. Report includes basic system drawings, test data, operating procedures, and maintenance instructions.

Multiplier, moderator, and reflector materials for lithium-vanadium fusion blankets.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gohar, Y.; Smith, D. L.

1999-10-07

The self-cooled lithium-vanadium fusion blanket concept has several attractive operational and environmental features. In this concept, liquid lithium works as the tritium breeder and coolant to alleviate issues of coolant breeder compatibility and reactivity. Vanadium alloy (V-4Cr-4Ti) is used as the structural material because of its superior performance relative to other alloys for this application. However, this concept has poor attenuation characteristics and energy multiplication for the DT neutrons. An advanced self-cooled lithium-vanadium fusion blanket concept has been developed to eliminate these drawbacks while maintaining all the attractive features of the conventional concept. An electrical insulator coating for the coolantmore » channels, spectral shifter (multiplier, and moderator) and reflector were utilized in the blanket design to enhance the blanket performance. In addition, the blanket was designed to have the capability to operate at high loading conditions of 2 MW/m{sup 2} surface heat flux and 10 MW/m{sup 2} neutron wall loading. This paper assesses the spectral shifter and the reflector materials and it defines the technological requirements of this advanced blanket concept.« less

Multiplier, moderator, and reflector materials for advanced lithium?vanadium fusion blankets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohar, Y.; Smith, D. L.

2000-12-01

The self-cooled lithium-vanadium fusion blanket concept has several attractive operational and environmental features. In this concept, liquid lithium works as the tritium breeder and coolant to alleviate issues of coolant breeder compatibility and reactivity. Vanadium alloy (V-4Cr-4Ti) is used as the structural material because of its superior performance relative to other alloys for this application. However, this concept has poor attenuation characteristics and energy multiplication for the DT neutrons. An advanced self-cooled lithium-vanadium fusion blanket concept has been developed to eliminate these drawbacks while maintaining all the attractive features of the conventional concept. An electrical insulator coating for the coolant channels, spectral shifter (multiplier, and moderator) and reflector were utilized in the blanket design to enhance the blanket performance. In addition, the blanket was designed to have the capability to operate at average loading conditions of 2 MW/m 2 surface heat flux and 10 MW/m 2 neutron wall loading. This paper assesses the spectral shifter and the reflector materials and it defines the technological requirements of this advanced blanket concept.

Metric integration architecture for product development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sieger, David B.

1997-06-01

Present-day product development endeavors utilize the concurrent engineering philosophy as a logical means for incorporating a variety of viewpoints into the design of products. Since this approach provides no explicit procedural provisions, it is necessary to establish at least a mental coupling with a known design process model. The central feature of all such models is the management and transformation of information. While these models assist in structuring the design process, characterizing the basic flow of operations that are involved, they provide no guidance facilities. The significance of this feature, and the role it plays in the time required to develop products, is increasing in importance due to the inherent process dynamics, system/component complexities, and competitive forces. The methodology presented in this paper involves the use of a hierarchical system structure, discrete event system specification (DEVS), and multidimensional state variable based metrics. This approach is unique in its capability to quantify designer's actions throughout product development, provide recommendations about subsequent activity selection, and coordinate distributed activities of designers and/or design teams across all design stages. Conceptual design tool implementation results are used to demonstrate the utility of this technique in improving the incremental decision making process.

Space station Simulation Computer System (SCS) study for NASA/MSFC. Volume 3: Refined conceptual design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The results of the refined conceptual design phase (task 5) of the Simulation Computer System (SCS) study are reported. The SCS is the computational portion of the Payload Training Complex (PTC) providing simulation based training on payload operations of the Space Station Freedom (SSF). In task 4 of the SCS study, the range of architectures suitable for the SCS was explored. Identified system architectures, along with their relative advantages and disadvantages for SCS, were presented in the Conceptual Design Report. Six integrated designs-combining the most promising features from the architectural formulations-were additionally identified in the report. The six integrated designs were evaluated further to distinguish the more viable designs to be refined as conceptual designs. The three designs that were selected represent distinct approaches to achieving a capable and cost effective SCS configuration for the PTC. Here, the results of task 4 (input to this task) are briefly reviewed. Then, prior to describing individual conceptual designs, the PTC facility configuration and the SSF systems architecture that must be supported by the SCS are reviewed. Next, basic features of SCS implementation that have been incorporated into all selected SCS designs are considered. The details of the individual SCS designs are then presented before making a final comparison of the three designs.

Are green building features safe for preventive maintenance workers? Examining the evidence.

PubMed

Omar, Mohamed Shamun; Quinn, Margaret M; Buchholz, Bryan; Geiser, Ken

2013-04-01

Many newly constructed green buildings (GB) are certified using the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for new construction and major renovation which focuses on architectural and mechanical design to conserve energy, reduce environmental harm, and enhance indoor quality for occupants. This study evaluated the preventive maintenance (PM) worker occupational safety and health (OSH) risks related to the design of GB. PM job hazard analyses (JHA) were performed on the tasks required to operate and maintain five GB features selected from 13 LEED certified GB. A 22-item JHA and OSH risk scoring system were developed. Potentially serious OSH hazards included: green roofs made of slippery material without fall protection; energy recovery wheels and storm water harvesting systems in confined spaces; skylights without guard rails; and tight geothermal well mechanical rooms constraining safe preventive practices. GB can present PM OSH risks and these should be eliminated in the building design phase. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Autonomous navigation of structured city roads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubert, Didier; Kluge, Karl C.; Thorpe, Chuck E.

1991-03-01

Autonomous road following is a domain which spans a range of complexity from poorly defined unmarked dirt roads to well defined well marked highly struc-. tured highways. The YARF system (for Yet Another Road Follower) is designed to operate in the middle of this range of complexity driving on urban streets. Our research program has focused on the use of feature- and situation-specific segmentation techniques driven by an explicit model of the appearance and geometry of the road features in the environment. We report results in robust detection of white and yellow painted stripes fitting a road model to detected feature locations to determine vehicle position and local road geometry and automatic location of road features in an initial image. We also describe our planned extensions to include intersection navigation.

A 100 MV cryomodule for CW operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Charles Reece

2005-07-10

A cryomodule designed for high-gradient CW operation has been built at Jefferson Lab. The Renascence cryomodule is the final prototype of a design for use in the 12 GeV CEBAF upgrade. The module uses eight 7-cell 1497 MHz cavities to be individually powered by 13 kW klystrons. Specifications call for providing >109 MV CW with < 250 W of dynamic heat at 2.07 K. The module incorporates a new generation of tuners and higher power input waveguides. A mixture of the new HG and LL cavity shapes are used. A new high thermal conductivity RF feedthrough has been developed andmore » used on the 32 HOM coupler probes of Renascence. The cryomodule assembly is complete. Testing is to begin late June. Design features and initial test data will be presented.« less

A unique nuclear thermal rocket engine using a particle bed reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culver, Donald W.; Dahl, Wayne B.; McIlwain, Melvin C.

1992-01-01

Aerojet Propulsion Division (APD) studied 75-klb thrust Nuclear Thermal Rocket Engines (NTRE) with particle bed reactors (PBR) for application to NASA's manned Mars mission and prepared a conceptual design description of a unique engine that best satisfied mission-defined propulsion requirements and customer criteria. This paper describes the selection of a sprint-type Mars transfer mission and its impact on propulsion system design and operation. It shows how our NTRE concept was developed from this information. The resulting, unusual engine design is short, lightweight, and capable of high specific impulse operation, all factors that decrease Earth to orbit launch costs. Many unusual features of the NTRE are discussed, including nozzle area ratio variation and nozzle closure for closed loop after cooling. Mission performance calculations reveal that other well known engine options do not support this mission.

Superconducting racetrack booster for the ion complex of MEIC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Filatov, Yu; Kondratenko, A. M.; Kondratenko, M. A.

2016-02-01

The current design of the Medium-energy Electron-Ion Collider (MEIC) project at Jefferson lab features a single 8 GeV/c figure-8 booster based on super-ferric magnets. Reducing the circumference of the booster by switching to a racetrack design may improve its performance by limiting the space charge effect and lower its cost. We consider problems of preserving proton and deuteron polarizations in a superconducting racetrack booster. We show that using magnets based on hollow high-current NbTi composite superconducting cable similar to those designed at JINR for the Nuclotron guarantees preservation of the ion polarization in a racetrack booster up to 8 GeV/c.more » The booster operation cycle would be a few seconds that would improve the operating efficiency of the MEIC ion complex.« less

Design of an intelligent flight instrumentation unit using embedded RTOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada-Marmolejo, R.; García-Torales, G.; Torres-Ortega, H. H.; Flores, J. L.

2011-09-01

Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (MUAV) must calculate its spatial position to control the flight dynamics, which is done by Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). MEMS Inertial sensors have made possible to reduce the size and power consumption of such units. Commonly the flight instrumentation operates independently of the main processor. This work presents an instrumentation block design, which reduces size and power consumption of the complete system of a MUAV. This is done by coupling the inertial sensors to the main processor without considering any intermediate level of processing aside. Using Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS) reduces the number of intermediate components, increasing MUAV reliability. One advantage is the possibility to control several different sensors with a single communication bus. This feature of the MEMS sensors makes a smaller and less complex MUAV design possible.

A Lightweight Anonymous Authentication Protocol with Perfect Forward Secrecy for Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Xiong, Ling; Peng, Daiyuan; Peng, Tu; Liang, Hongbin; Liu, Zhicai

2017-11-21

Due to their frequent use in unattended and hostile deployment environments, the security in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has attracted much interest in the past two decades. However, it remains a challenge to design a lightweight authentication protocol for WSNs because the designers are confronted with a series of desirable security requirements, e.g., user anonymity, perfect forward secrecy, resistance to de-synchronization attack. Recently, the authors presented two authentication schemes that attempt to provide user anonymity and to resist various known attacks. Unfortunately, in this work we shall show that user anonymity of the two schemes is achieved at the price of an impractical search operation-the gateway node may search for every possible value. Besides this defect, they are also prone to smart card loss attacks and have no provision for perfect forward secrecy. As our main contribution, a lightweight anonymous authentication scheme with perfect forward secrecy is designed, and what we believe the most interesting feature is that user anonymity, perfect forward secrecy, and resistance to de-synchronization attack can be achieved at the same time. As far as we know, it is extremely difficult to meet these security features simultaneously only using the lightweight operations, such as symmetric encryption/decryption and hash functions.

Individual strategy ratings improve the control for task difficulty effects in arithmetic problem solving paradigms.

PubMed

Tschentscher, Nadja; Hauk, Olaf

2015-01-01

Mental arithmetic is a powerful paradigm to study problem solving using neuroimaging methods. However, the evaluation of task complexity varies significantly across neuroimaging studies. Most studies have parameterized task complexity by objective features such as the number size. Only a few studies used subjective rating procedures. In fMRI, we provided evidence that strategy self-reports control better for task complexity across arithmetic conditions than objective features (Tschentscher and Hauk, 2014). Here, we analyzed the relative predictive value of self-reported strategies and objective features for performance in addition and multiplication tasks, by using a paradigm designed for neuroimaging research. We found a superiority of strategy ratings as predictor of performance above objective features. In a Principal Component Analysis on reaction times, the first component explained over 90 percent of variance and factor loadings reflected percentages of self-reported strategies well. In multiple regression analyses on reaction times, self-reported strategies performed equally well or better than objective features, depending on the operation type. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis confirmed this result. Reaction times classified task complexity better when defined by individual ratings. This suggests that participants' strategy ratings are reliable predictors of arithmetic complexity and should be taken into account in neuroimaging research.

Individual strategy ratings improve the control for task difficulty effects in arithmetic problem solving paradigms

PubMed Central

Tschentscher, Nadja; Hauk, Olaf

2015-01-01

Mental arithmetic is a powerful paradigm to study problem solving using neuroimaging methods. However, the evaluation of task complexity varies significantly across neuroimaging studies. Most studies have parameterized task complexity by objective features such as the number size. Only a few studies used subjective rating procedures. In fMRI, we provided evidence that strategy self-reports control better for task complexity across arithmetic conditions than objective features (Tschentscher and Hauk, 2014). Here, we analyzed the relative predictive value of self-reported strategies and objective features for performance in addition and multiplication tasks, by using a paradigm designed for neuroimaging research. We found a superiority of strategy ratings as predictor of performance above objective features. In a Principal Component Analysis on reaction times, the first component explained over 90 percent of variance and factor loadings reflected percentages of self-reported strategies well. In multiple regression analyses on reaction times, self-reported strategies performed equally well or better than objective features, depending on the operation type. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis confirmed this result. Reaction times classified task complexity better when defined by individual ratings. This suggests that participants’ strategy ratings are reliable predictors of arithmetic complexity and should be taken into account in neuroimaging research. PMID:26321997

Design and integration of a solar AMTEC power system with an advanced global positioning satellite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, G.; Hunt, M.E.; Determan, W.R.

1996-12-31

A 1,200-W solar AMTEC (alkali metal thermal-to-electric conversion) power system concept was developed and integrated with an advanced global positioning system (GPS) satellite. The critical integration issues for the SAMTEC with the GPS subsystems included (1) packaging within the Delta 2 launch vehicle envelope, (2) deployment and start-up operations for the SAMTEC, (3) SAMTEC operation during all mission phases, (4) satellite field of view restrictions with satellite operations, and (5) effect of the SAMTEC requirements on other satellite subsystems. The SAMTEC power system was compared with a conventional planar solar array/battery power system to assess the differences in system weight,more » size, and operations. Features of the design include the use of an advanced multitube, vapor anode AMTEC cell design with 24% conversion efficiency, and a direct solar insolation receiver design with integral LiF salt canisters for energy storage to generate power during the maximum solar eclipse cycle. The modular generator design consists of an array of multitube AMTEC cells arranged into a parallel/series electrical network with built-in cell redundancy. The preliminary assessment indicates that the solar generator design is scalable over a 500 to 2,500-W range. No battery power is required during the operational phase of the GPS mission. SAMTEC specific power levels greater than 5 We/kg and 160 We/m{sup 2} are anticipated for a mission duration of 10 to 12 yr in orbits with high natural radiation backgrounds.« less

Automated global structure extraction for effective local building block processing in XCS.

PubMed

Butz, Martin V; Pelikan, Martin; Llorà, Xavier; Goldberg, David E

2006-01-01

Learning Classifier Systems (LCSs), such as the accuracy-based XCS, evolve distributed problem solutions represented by a population of rules. During evolution, features are specialized, propagated, and recombined to provide increasingly accurate subsolutions. Recently, it was shown that, as in conventional genetic algorithms (GAs), some problems require efficient processing of subsets of features to find problem solutions efficiently. In such problems, standard variation operators of genetic and evolutionary algorithms used in LCSs suffer from potential disruption of groups of interacting features, resulting in poor performance. This paper introduces efficient crossover operators to XCS by incorporating techniques derived from competent GAs: the extended compact GA (ECGA) and the Bayesian optimization algorithm (BOA). Instead of simple crossover operators such as uniform crossover or one-point crossover, ECGA or BOA-derived mechanisms are used to build a probabilistic model of the global population and to generate offspring classifiers locally using the model. Several offspring generation variations are introduced and evaluated. The results show that it is possible to achieve performance similar to runs with an informed crossover operator that is specifically designed to yield ideal problem-dependent exploration, exploiting provided problem structure information. Thus, we create the first competent LCSs, XCS/ECGA and XCS/BOA, that detect dependency structures online and propagate corresponding lower-level dependency structures effectively without any information about these structures given in advance.

Developments to Increase the Performance, Operational Versatility and Automation of a Lunar Surface Manipulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsey, John T.; Jones, Thomas C.; Doggett, William R.; Roithmayr, Carlos M.; King, Bruce D.; Mikulas, Marting M.

2009-01-01

The objective of this paper is to describe and summarize the results of the development efforts for the Lunar Surface Manipulation System (LSMS) with respect to increasing the performance, operational versatility, and automation. Three primary areas of development are covered, including; the expansion of the operational envelope and versatility of the current LSMS test-bed, the design of a second generation LSMS, and the development of automation and remote control capability. The first generation LSMS, which has been designed, built, and tested both in lab and field settings, is shown to have increased range of motion and operational versatility. Features such as fork lift mode, side grappling of payloads, digging and positioning of lunar regolith, and a variety of special end effectors are described. LSMS operational viability depends on bei nagble to reposition its base from an initial position on the lander to a mobility chassis or fixed locations around the lunar outpost. Preliminary concepts are presented for the second generation LSMS design, which will perform this self-offload capability. Incorporating design improvements, the second generation will have longer reach and three times the payload capability, yet it will have approximately equivalent mass to the first generation. Lastly, this paper covers improvements being made to the control system of the LSMS test-bed, which is currently operated using joint velocity control with visual cues. These improvements include joint angle sensors, inverse kinematics, and automated controls.

BRAIN TUMOR SEGMENTATION WITH SYMMETRIC TEXTURE AND SYMMETRIC INTENSITY-BASED DECISION FORESTS.

PubMed

Bianchi, Anthony; Miller, James V; Tan, Ek Tsoon; Montillo, Albert

2013-04-01

Accurate automated segmentation of brain tumors in MR images is challenging due to overlapping tissue intensity distributions and amorphous tumor shape. However, a clinically viable solution providing precise quantification of tumor and edema volume would enable better pre-operative planning, treatment monitoring and drug development. Our contributions are threefold. First, we design efficient gradient and LBPTOP based texture features which improve classification accuracy over standard intensity features. Second, we extend our texture and intensity features to symmetric texture and symmetric intensity which further improve the accuracy for all tissue classes. Third, we demonstrate further accuracy enhancement by extending our long range features from 100mm to a full 200mm. We assess our brain segmentation technique on 20 patients in the BraTS 2012 dataset. Impact from each contribution is measured and the combination of all the features is shown to yield state-of-the-art accuracy and speed.

Design and Control of Integrated Systems for Hydrogen Production and Power Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgis, Dimitrios

Growing concerns on CO2 emissions have led to the development of highly efficient power plants. Options for increased energy efficiencies include alternative energy conversion pathways, energy integration and process intensification. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) constitute a promising alternative for power generation since they convert the chemical energy electrochemically directly to electricity. Their high operating temperature shows potential for energy integration with energy intensive units (e.g. steam reforming reactors). Although energy integration is an essential tool for increased efficiencies, it leads to highly complex process schemes with rich dynamic behavior, which are challenging to control. Furthermore, the use of process intensification for increased energy efficiency imposes an additional control challenge. This dissertation identifies and proposes solutions on design, operational and control challenges of integrated systems for hydrogen production and power generation. Initially, a study on energy integrated SOFC systems is presented. Design alternatives are identified, control strategies are proposed for each alternative and their validity is evaluated under different operational scenarios. The operational range of the proposed control strategies is also analyzed. Next, thermal management of water gas shift membrane reactors, which are a typical application of process intensification, is considered. Design and operational objectives are identified and a control strategy is proposed employing advanced control algorithms. The performance of the proposed control strategy is evaluated and compared with classical control strategies. Finally SOFC systems for combined heat and power applications are considered. Multiple recycle loops are placed to increase design flexibility. Different operational objectives are identified and a nonlinear optimization problem is formulated. Optimal designs are obtained and their features are discussed and compared. The results of the dissertation provide a deeper understanding on the design, operational and control challenges of the above systems and can potentially guide further commercialization efforts. In addition to this, the results can be generalized and used for applications from the transportation and residential sector to large--scale power plants.

Feasibility study of an Integrated Program for Aerospace vehicle Design (IPAD). Volume 1B: Concise review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. E., Jr.; Southall, J. W.; Kawaguchi, A. S.; Redhed, D. D.

1973-01-01

Reports on the design process, support of the design process, IPAD System design catalog of IPAD technical program elements, IPAD System development and operation, and IPAD benefits and impact are concisely reviewed. The approach used to define the design is described. Major activities performed during the product development cycle are identified. The computer system requirements necessary to support the design process are given as computational requirements of the host system, technical program elements and system features. The IPAD computer system design is presented as concepts, a functional description and an organizational diagram of its major components. The cost and schedules and a three phase plan for IPAD implementation are presented. The benefits and impact of IPAD technology are discussed.

Integrating Lean Exploration Loops Into Healthcare Facility Design.

PubMed

Mazur, Lukasz M; Johnson, Kendra; Pooya, Pegah; Chadwick, Janet; McCreery, John

2017-04-01

To explore what, when, and how Lean methods and tools can add value during the programming phase of design through providing additional resources and support to project leadership and the architectural design team. This case study-based research took place at one large academic hospital during design efforts of a surgical tower to house 19 operating rooms (ORs) and support spaces including pre- and postop, central processing and distribution, and materials management. Surgical services project leadership asked for support from Lean practitioners during the design process. Lean exploration loops (LELs) were conducted to generate evidence to support stakeholders, as they made important decisions about the new building design. The analyses conducted during LELs were primarily focused on the relative advantages of a large footprint with few floors or a smaller footprint with more floors and support spaces not collocated adjacent to ORs on the same floor. LELs resulted in quantifications of key operational and design features (e.g., design preferences of employees and patients, horizontal distance travel, and elevator utilization studies), which in turn complemented the architectural design process and created an opportunities to gain buy-in and consensus from stakeholders through their active participation in many of the analyses. We found Lean tools and methods to be of most value during programming phase when focused on the high-level operational and design issues to help establish buy-in and consensus among stakeholders, while acknowledging that there is often not enough design detail to perform accurate analysis.

Buddy Tag CONOPS and Requirements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brotz, Jay Kristoffer; Deland, Sharon M.

2015-12-01

This document defines the concept of operations (CONOPS) and the requirements for the Buddy Tag, which is conceived and designed in collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories and Princeton University under the Department of State Key VerificationAssets Fund. The CONOPS describe how the tags are used to support verification of treaty limitations and is only defined to the extent necessary to support a tag design. The requirements define the necessary functions and desired non-functional features of the Buddy Tag at a high level

Install active/passive neutron examination and assay (APNEA)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1996-04-01

This document describes activities pertinent to the installation of the prototype Active/Passive Neutron Examination and Assay (APNEA) system built in Area 336 into its specially designed trailer. It also documents the basic theory of operation, design and protective features, basic personnel training, and the proposed characterization site location at Lockheed Martin Specialty Components, Inc., (Specialty Components) with the estimated 10 mrem/year boundary. Additionally, the document includes the Preventive Change Analysis (PCA) form, and a checklist of items for verification prior to unrestricted system use.

A method to estimate weight and dimensions of large and small gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Onat, E.; Klees, G. W.

1979-01-01

A computerized method was developed to estimate weight and envelope dimensions of large and small gas turbine engines within + or - 5% to 10%. The method is based on correlations of component weight and design features of 29 data base engines. Rotating components were estimated by a preliminary design procedure which is sensitive to blade geometry, operating conditions, material properties, shaft speed, hub tip ratio, etc. The development and justification of the method selected, and the various methods of analysis are discussed.

Long life valve design concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, J. R.; Hall, A. H., Jr.

1975-01-01

Valve concept evaluation, final candidate selection, design, manufacture, and demonstration testing of a pneumatically actuated 10-inch hybrid poppet butterfly shutoff valve are presented. Conclusions and recommendations regarding those valve characteristics and features which would serve to guide in the formulation of future valve procurements are discussed. The pertinent design goals were temperature range of plus 200 to minus 423 F, valve inlet pressure 35 psia, actuation pressure 750 psia, main seal leakage 3 x 0.00001 sccs at 35 psia valve inlet pressure, and a storage and operating life of 10 years. The valve was designed to be compatible with RP-1, propane, LH2, LO2, He, and N2.

Man-Amplifying Exoskeleton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosheim, Mark E.

1990-03-01

This paper describes a design for a man-amplifying exoskeleton, an electrically powered, articulated frame worn by an operator. The design features modular construction and employ anthropomorphic pitch-yaw joints for arms and legs. These singularity-free designs offer a significant advancement over simple pivot-type joints used in older designs. Twenty-six degrees-of-freedom excluding the hands gives the Man-Amplifier its unique dexterity. A five hundred-pound load capacity is engineered for a diverse range of tasks. Potential applications in emergency rescue work, restoring functionality to the handicapped, and military applications ranging from material handling to an elite fighting core are discussed. A bibliography concludes this paper.

Improved Signal Chains for Readout of CMOS Imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pain, Bedabrata; Hancock, Bruce; Cunningham, Thomas

2009-01-01

An improved generic design has been devised for implementing signal chains involved in readout from complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors and for other readout integrated circuits (ICs) that perform equivalent functions. The design applies to any such IC in which output signal charges from the pixels in a given row are transferred simultaneously into sampling capacitors at the bottoms of the columns, then voltages representing individual pixel charges are read out in sequence by sequentially turning on column-selecting field-effect transistors (FETs) in synchronism with source-follower- or operational-amplifier-based amplifier circuits. The improved design affords the best features of prior source-follower-and operational- amplifier-based designs while overcoming the major limitations of those designs. The limitations can be summarized as follows: a) For a source-follower-based signal chain, the ohmic voltage drop associated with DC bias current flowing through the column-selection FET causes unacceptable voltage offset, nonlinearity, and reduced small-signal gain. b) For an operational-amplifier-based signal chain, the required bias current and the output noise increase superlinearly with size of the pixel array because of a corresponding increase in the effective capacitance of the row bus used to couple the sampled column charges to the operational amplifier. The effect of the bus capacitance is to simultaneously slow down the readout circuit and increase noise through the Miller effect.

High Temperature, Permanent Magnet Biased, Fault Tolerant, Homopolar Magnetic Bearing Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palazzolo, Alan; Tucker, Randall; Kenny, Andrew; Kang, Kyung-Dae; Ghandi, Varun; Liu, Jinfang; Choi, Heeju; Provenza, Andrew

2008-01-01

This paper summarizes the development of a magnetic bearing designed to operate at 1,000 F. A novel feature of this high temperature magnetic bearing is its homopolar construction which incorporates state of the art high temperature, 1,000 F, permanent magnets. A second feature is its fault tolerance capability which provides the desired control forces with over one-half of the coils failed. The construction and design methodology of the bearing is outlined and test results are shown. The agreement between a 3D finite element, magnetic field based prediction for force is shown to be in good agreement with predictions at room and high temperature. A 5 axis test rig will be complete soon to provide a means to test the magnetic bearings at high temperature and speed.

Study and design of laser communications system for space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The design, development and operation are described of the laser communications system developed for potential space shuttle application. A brief study was conducted to identify the need, if any, for narrow bandwidth space-to-space communication on the shuttle vehicles. None have been specifically identified that could not be accommodated with existing equipments. The key technical features developed in this hardware are the conically scanned tracker for optimized track while communicating with a single detector, and the utilization of a common optical carrier frequency for both transmission and detection. This latter feature permits a multiple access capability so that several transceivers can communicate with one another. The conically scanned tracker technique allows the received signal energy to be efficiently divided between the tracking and communications functions within a common detector.

A Control Simulation Method of High-Speed Trains on Railway Network with Irregular Influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Li-Xing; Li, Xiang; Li, Ke-Ping

2011-09-01

Based on the discrete time method, an effective movement control model is designed for a group of highspeed trains on a rail network. The purpose of the model is to investigate the specific traffic characteristics of high-speed trains under the interruption of stochastic irregular events. In the model, the high-speed rail traffic system is supposed to be equipped with the moving-block signalling system to guarantee maximum traversing capacity of the railway. To keep the safety of trains' movements, some operational strategies are proposed to control the movements of trains in the model, including traction operation, braking operation, and entering-station operation. The numerical simulations show that the designed model can well describe the movements of high-speed trains on the rail network. The research results can provide the useful information not only for investigating the propagation features of relevant delays under the irregular disturbance but also for rerouting and rescheduling trains on the rail network.

MAX - An advanced parallel computer for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Blair F.; Bunker, Robert L.

1991-01-01

MAX is a fault-tolerant multicomputer hardware and software architecture designed to meet the needs of NASA spacecraft systems. It consists of conventional computing modules (computers) connected via a dual network topology. One network is used to transfer data among the computers and between computers and I/O devices. This network's topology is arbitrary. The second network operates as a broadcast medium for operating system synchronization messages and supports the operating system's Byzantine resilience. A fully distributed operating system supports multitasking in an asynchronous event and data driven environment. A large grain dataflow paradigm is used to coordinate the multitasking and provide easy control of concurrency. It is the basis of the system's fault tolerance and allows both static and dynamical location of tasks. Redundant execution of tasks with software voting of results may be specified for critical tasks. The dataflow paradigm also supports simplified software design, test and maintenance. A unique feature is a method for reliably patching code in an executing dataflow application.

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and agile lensing-based modules for communications, sensing and signal processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reza, Syed Azer

This dissertation proposes the use of the emerging Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and agile lensing optical device technologies to design novel and powerful signal conditioning and sensing modules for advanced applications in optical communications, physical parameter sensing and RF/optical signal processing. For example, these new module designs have experimentally demonstrated exceptional features such as stable loss broadband operations and high > 60 dB optical dynamic range signal filtering capabilities. The first part of the dissertation describes the design and demonstration of digital MEMS-based signal processing modules for communication systems and sensor networks using the TI DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology. Examples of such modules include optical power splitters, narrowband and broadband variable fiber optical attenuators, spectral shapers and filters. Compared to prior works, these all-digital designs have advantages of repeatability, accuracy, and reliability that are essential for advanced communications and sensor applications. The next part of the dissertation proposes, analyzes and demonstrates the use of analog opto-fluidic agile lensing technology for sensor networks and test and measurement systems. Novel optical module designs for distance sensing, liquid level sensing, three-dimensional object shape sensing and variable photonic delay lines are presented and experimentally demonstrated. Compared to prior art module designs, the proposed analog-mode modules have exceptional performances, particularly for extreme environments (e.g., caustic liquids) where the free-space agile beam-based sensor provide remote non-contact access for physical sensing operations. The dissertation also presents novel modules involving hybrid analog-digital photonic designs that make use of the different optical device technologies to deliver the best features of both analog and digital optical device operations and controls. Digital controls are achieved through the use of the digital MEMS technology and analog controls are realized by employing opto-fluidic agile lensing technology and acousto-optic technology. For example, variable fiber-optic attenuators and spectral filters are proposed using the hybrid design. Compared to prior art module designs, these hybrid designs provide a higher module dynamic range and increased resolution that are critical in various advanced system applications. In summary, the dissertation shows the added power of hybrid optical designs using both the digital and analog photonic signal processing versus just all-digital or all-analog module designs.

Light-Regulated Electrochemical Sensor Array for Efficiently Discriminating Hazardous Gases.

PubMed

Liang, Hongqiu; Zhang, Xin; Sun, Huihui; Jin, Han; Zhang, Xiaowei; Jin, Qinghui; Zou, Jie; Haick, Hossam; Jian, Jiawen

2017-10-27

Inadequate detection limit and unsatisfactory discrimination features remain the challenging issues for the widely applied electrochemical gas sensors. Quite recently, we confirmed that light-regulated electrochemical reaction significantly enhanced the electrocatalytic activity, and thereby can potentially extend the detection limit to the parts per billion (ppb) level. Nevertheless, impact of the light-regulated electrochemical reaction on response selectivity has been discussed less. Herein, we systematically report on the effect of illumination on discrimination features via design and fabrication of a light-regulated electrochemical sensor array. Upon illumination (light on), response signal to the examined gases (C 3 H 6 , NO, and CO) is selectively enhanced, resulting in the sensor array demonstrating disparate response patterns when compared with that of the sensor array operated at light off. Through processing all the response patterns derived from both light on and light off with a pattern recognition algorithm, a satisfactory discrimination feature is observed. In contrast, apparent mutual interference between NO and CO is found when the sensor array is solely operated without illumination. The impact mechanism of the illumination is studied and it is deduced that the effect of the illumination on the discriminating features can be mainly attributed to the competition of electrocatalytic activity and gas-phase reactivity. If the enhanced electrocatalytic activity (to specific gas) dominates the whole sensing progress, enhancements in the corresponding response signal would be observed upon illumination. Otherwise, illumination gives a negligible impact. Hence, the response signal to part of the examined gases is selectively enhanced by illumination. Conclusively, light-regulated electrochemical reaction would provide an efficient approach to designing future smart sensing devices.

SP-100 GES/NAT radiation shielding systems design and development testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Disney, R.K.; Kulikowski, H.D.; McGinnis, C.A.

1991-01-10

Advanced Energy Systems (AES) of Westinghouse Electric Corporation is under subcontract to the General Electric Company to supply nuclear radiation shielding components for the SP-100 Ground Engineering System (GES) Nuclear Assembly Test to be conducted at Westinghouse Hanford Company at Richland, Washington. The radiation shielding components are integral to the Nuclear Assembly Test (NAT) assembly and include prototypic and non-prototypic radiation shielding components which provide prototypic test conditions for the SP-100 reactor subsystem and reactor control subsystem components during the GES/NAT operations. W-AES is designing three radiation shield components for the NAT assembly; a prototypic Generic Flight System (GFS) shield,more » the Lower Internal Facility Shield (LIFS), and the Upper Internal Facility Shield (UIFS). This paper describes the design approach and development testing to support the design, fabrication, and assembly of these three shield components for use within the vacuum vessel of the GES/NAT. The GES/NAT shields must be designed to operate in a high vacuum which simulates space operations. The GFS shield and LIFS must provide prototypic radiation/thermal environments and mechanical interfaces for reactor system components. The NAT shields, in combination with the test facility shielding, must provide adequate radiation attenuation for overall test operations. Special design considerations account for the ground test facility effects on the prototypic GFS shield. Validation of the GFS shield design and performance will be based on detailed Monte Carlo analyses and developmental testing of design features. Full scale prototype testing of the shield subsystems is not planned.« less

Topology reduction in deep convolutional feature extraction networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiatowski, Thomas; Grohs, Philipp; Bölcskei, Helmut

2017-08-01

Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) used in practice employ potentially hundreds of layers and 10,000s of nodes. Such network sizes entail significant computational complexity due to the large number of convolutions that need to be carried out; in addition, a large number of parameters needs to be learned and stored. Very deep and wide CNNs may therefore not be well suited to applications operating under severe resource constraints as is the case, e.g., in low-power embedded and mobile platforms. This paper aims at understanding the impact of CNN topology, specifically depth and width, on the network's feature extraction capabilities. We address this question for the class of scattering networks that employ either Weyl-Heisenberg filters or wavelets, the modulus non-linearity, and no pooling. The exponential feature map energy decay results in Wiatowski et al., 2017, are generalized to O(a-N), where an arbitrary decay factor a > 1 can be realized through suitable choice of the Weyl-Heisenberg prototype function or the mother wavelet. We then show how networks of fixed (possibly small) depth N can be designed to guarantee that ((1 - ɛ) · 100)% of the input signal's energy are contained in the feature vector. Based on the notion of operationally significant nodes, we characterize, partly rigorously and partly heuristically, the topology-reducing effects of (effectively) band-limited input signals, band-limited filters, and feature map symmetries. Finally, for networks based on Weyl-Heisenberg filters, we determine the prototype function bandwidth that minimizes - for fixed network depth N - the average number of operationally significant nodes per layer.

Fuel conservation possibilities for terminal area compatible aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Design features and operational procedures are identified, which would reduce fuel consumption of future transport aircraft. The fuel-saving potential can be realized during the last decade of this century only if the necessary research and technology programs are implemented in the areas of composite primary structure, airfoil/wing design, and stability augmentation systems. The necessary individual R and T programs are defined. The sensitivity to fuel usage of several design parameters (wing geometry, cruise speed, propulsion) is investigated, and the results applied to a candidate 18, 140-kg (40,000-lb) payload, 5556-km (3000-nmi) transport design. Technical and economic comparisons are made with current commercial aircraft and other advanced designs.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-11-27

The primary payload for Space Shuttle Mission STS-35, launched December 2, 1990, was the ASTRO-1 Observatory. Designed for round the clock observation of the celestial sphere in ultraviolet and X-ray astronomy, ASTRO-1 featured a collection of four telescopes: the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT); the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo- Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE); the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT); and the Broad Band X-ray Telescope (BBXRT). Ultraviolet telescopes mounted on Spacelab elements in cargo bay were to be operated in shifts by flight crew. Loss of both data display units (used for pointing telescopes and operating experiments) during mission impacted crew-aiming procedures and forced ground teams at Marshall Space Flight Center to aim ultraviolet telescopes with fine-tuning by flight crew. BBXRT, also mounted in cargo bay, was directed from outset by ground-based operators at Goddard Space Flight Center. This is the logo or emblem that was designed to represent the ASTRO-1 payload.

Design, Development, And Testing of Umbilical System Mechanisms for the X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littlefield, Alan C.; Melton, Gregory S.

2000-01-01

The X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator is an un-piloted, vertical take-off, horizontal landing spacecraft. The purpose of the X-33 program is to demonstrate technologies that will dramatically lower the cost of access to space. The rocket-powered X-33 will reach an altitude of up to 100 km and speeds between Mach 13 and 15. Fifteen flight tests are planned, beginning in 2000. Some of the key technologies demonstrated will be the linear aerospike engine, improved thermal protection systems, composite fuel tanks and reduced operational timelines. The X-33 vehicle umbilical connections provide monitoring, power, cooling, purge, and fueling capability during horizontal processing and vertical launch operations. Two "rise-off" umbilicals for the X-33 have been developed, tested, and installed. The X-33 umbilical systems mechanisms incorporate several unique design features to simplify horizontal operations and provide reliable disconnect during launch.

Design, Development,and Testing of Umbillical System Mechanisms for the X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littlefield, Alan C.; Melton, Gregory S.

1999-01-01

The X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator is an un-piloted, vertical take-off, horizontal landing spacecraft. The purpose of the X-33 program is to demonstrate technologies that will dramatically lower the cost of access to space. The rocket-powered X-33 will reach an altitude of up to 100 km and speeds between Mach 13 and 15. Fifteen flight tests are planned, beginning in 2000. Some of the key technologies demonstrated will be the linear aerospike engine, improved thermal protection systems, composite fuel tanks and reduced operational timelines. The X-33 vehicle umbilical connections provide monitoring, power, cooling, purge, and fueling capability during horizontal processing and vertical launch operations. Two "rise-ofF' umbilicals for the X-33 have been developed, tested, and installed. The X-33 umbilical systems mechanisms incorporate several unique design features to simplify horizontal operations and provide reliable disconnect during launch.

Bringing Nature to Schools to Promote Children's Physical Activity.

PubMed

Sharma-Brymer, Vinathe; Bland, Derek

2016-07-01

Physical activity (PA) is essential for human health and wellbeing across all age, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups. Engagement with the natural world is a new defining criterion for enhancing the benefits of PA, particularly for children and young people. Interacting with nature benefits children's social and emotional wellbeing, develops resilience, and reduces the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus across all population groups. Governments around the world are now recognizing the importance of children spending more active time outdoors. However, children's outdoor activities, free play, and nature-related exploration are often structured and supervised by adults due to safety concerns and risks. In this context, schools become more accessible and safe options for children to engage in PA outdoors with the presence of nature features. Research on school designs involving young children has revealed that children prefer nature-related features in school environments. Affordances in nature may increase children's interest in physically active behaviors. Given that present school campuses are designed for operational efficiency and economic reasons, there is a need to re-design schools responding to the positive role of nature on human health. If schools were re-designed to incorporate diverse natural features, children's PA and consequent health and wellbeing would likely improve markedly.

Ames Hybrid Combustion Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zilliac, Greg; Karabeyoglu, Mustafa A.; Cantwell, Brian; Hunt, Rusty; DeZilwa, Shane; Shoffstall, Mike; Soderman, Paul T.; Bencze, Daniel P. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The report summarizes the design, fabrication, safety features, environmental impact, and operation of the Ames Hybrid-Fuel Combustion Facility (HCF). The facility is used in conducting research into the scalability and combustion processes of advanced paraffin-based hybrid fuels for the purpose of assessing their applicability to practical rocket systems. The facility was designed to deliver gaseous oxygen at rates between 0.5 and 16.0 kg/sec to a combustion chamber operating at pressures ranging from 300 to 900. The required run times were of the order of 10 to 20 sec. The facility proved to be robust and reliable and has been used to generate a database of regression-rate measurements of paraffin at oxygen mass flux levels comparable to those of moderate-sized hybrid rocket motors.

A low-volume, low-mass, low-power UHF proximity micro-transceiver for Mars Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, William; Lay, Norman; Grigorian, Edwin

2005-01-01

UHF half-duplex micro-transceiver measuring 1 cubic centimeter, weighing less than 10 grams, and operating at 40 mW on receive and 50mW, 300mW, or 3W on transmit is described. The micro-transceiver is being designed for future Mars exploration missions, but can be adapted for other proximity links. It supports transmission rates up to 256 ksps and higher in BPSK or QPSK format for data return and receives command/control instructions at up to 8 ksps. In addition to its low mass/power features, temperature compensated circuit and system design and radiation tolerance allow operation outside of large shielded enclosures, further reducing the mass and complexity of exploration vehicles.

Development of the ASTRI heliostat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coventry, Joe; Arjomandi, Maziar; Barry, John; Blanco, Manuel; Burgess, Greg; Campbell, Jonathan; Connor, Phil; Emes, Matthew; Fairman, Philip; Farrant, David; Ghanadi, Farzin; Grigoriev, Victor; Hall, Colin; Koltun, Paul; Lewis, David; Martin, Scott; Nathan, Graham; Pye, John; Qiu, Ang; Stuart, Wayne; Tang, Youhong; Venn, Felix; Yu, Jeremy

2016-05-01

The Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI) aims to develop a high optical quality heliostat with target cost - manufactured, installed and operational - of 90 AUD/m2. Three different heliostat design concepts are described, each with features identified during a prior scoping study as having the potential to contribute to cost reduction compared to the current state-of-the-art. The three concepts which are being developed will be down-selected to a single concept for testing in late 2016. The heliostat concept development work is supported by technology development streams, developing novel sandwich panel mirror facet structures, analysing and testing wind loads on heliostats in both stow and operation positions, and developing new heliostat field layouts and software tools for optical analysis of heliostats design concepts.

Design of a 0.13-μm CMOS cascade expandable ΣΔ modulator for multi-standard RF telecom systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgado, Alonso; del Río, Rocío; de la Rosa, José M.

2007-05-01

This paper reports a 130-nm CMOS programmable cascade ΣΔ modulator for multi-standard wireless terminals, capable of operating on three standards: GSM, Bluetooth and UMTS. The modulator is reconfigured at both architecture- and circuit- level in order to adapt its performance to the different standards specifications with optimized power consumption. The design of the building blocks is based upon a top-down CAD methodology that combines simulation and statistical optimization at different levels of the system hierarchy. Transistor-level simulations show correct operation for all standards, featuring 13-bit, 11.3-bit and 9-bit effective resolution within 200-kHz, 1-MHz and 4-MHz bandwidth, respectively.

Ionization Readout Electronics for SuperCDMS SNOLAB Employing a HEMT Front-End

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partridge, R.

2014-09-01

The SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment seeks to deploy 200 kg of cryogenic Ge detectors employing phonon and ionization readout to identify dark matter interactions. One of the design challenges for the experiment is to provide amplification of the high impedance ionization signal while minimizing power dissipation and noise. This paper describes the design and expected performance of the ionization readout being developed for an engineering model of the SuperCDMS SNOLAB Ge Tower System. The readout features the use of a low-noise HEMT front end transistor operating at 4 K to achieve a power dissipation of 100 W per channel, local grounding to minimize noise injection, and biasing circuitry that allows precise control of the HEMT operating point.

Texture operator for snow particle classification into snowflake and graupel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurzyńska, Karolina; Kubo, Mamoru; Muramoto, Ken-ichiro

2012-11-01

In order to improve the estimation of precipitation, the coefficients of Z-R relation should be determined for each snow type. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the type of falling snow. Consequently, this research addresses a problem of snow particle classification into snowflake and graupel in an automatic manner (as these types are the most common in the study region). Having correctly classified precipitation events, it is believed that it will be possible to estimate the related parameters accurately. The automatic classification system presented here describes the images with texture operators. Some of them are well-known from the literature: first order features, co-occurrence matrix, grey-tone difference matrix, run length matrix, and local binary pattern, but also a novel approach to design simple local statistic operators is introduced. In this work the following texture operators are defined: mean histogram, min-max histogram, and mean-variance histogram. Moreover, building a feature vector, which is based on the structure created in many from mentioned algorithms is also suggested. For classification, the k-nearest neighbourhood classifier was applied. The results showed that it is possible to achieve correct classification accuracy above 80% by most of the techniques. The best result of 86.06%, was achieved for operator built from a structure achieved in the middle stage of the co-occurrence matrix calculation. Next, it was noticed that describing an image with two texture operators does not improve the classification results considerably. In the best case the correct classification efficiency was 87.89% for a pair of texture operators created from local binary pattern and structure build in a middle stage of grey-tone difference matrix calculation. This also suggests that the information gathered by each texture operator is redundant. Therefore, the principal component analysis was applied in order to remove the unnecessary information and additionally reduce the length of the feature vectors. The improvement of the correct classification efficiency for up to 100% is possible for methods: min-max histogram, texture operator built from structure achieved in a middle stage of co-occurrence matrix calculation, texture operator built from a structure achieved in a middle stage of grey-tone difference matrix creation, and texture operator based on a histogram, when the feature vector stores 99% of initial information.

Torque sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fgeppert, E.

1984-09-01

Mechanical means for sensing turning torque generated by the load forces in a rotary drive system is described. The sensing means is designed to operate with minimal effect on normal operation of the drive system. The invention can be employed in various drive systems, e.g., automotive engine-transmission power plants, electric motor-operated tools, and metal cutting machines. In such drive systems, the torque-sensing feature may be useful for actuation of various control devices, such as electric switches, mechanical clutches, brake actuators, fluid control valves, or audible alarms. The torque-sensing function can be used for safety overload relief, motor de-energization, engine fuel control transmission clutch actuation, remote alarm signal, tool breakage signal, etc.

A revolutionary and operational tethered aerostat system illustrating new LTA technology. [for ground-air-ground communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menke, J. A.

1975-01-01

An operational tethered aerostat system, which demonstrates utility of LTA systems, is described. It was made possible by development of a reliable tethered aerostat that is used to support broadcast equipment at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Two elements of the TCOM system, the aerostat and mooring station, are particularly relevant to the LTA Workshop. They demonstrate the feasibility of using LTA vehicles in real, operational, all-weather applications and, in addition, illustrate an advance in the overall technology base of LTA. The aerostat and the mooring station, including their technical design features and demonstrated performance characteristics, are described.

Green Infrastructure Design Based on Spatial Conservation Prioritization and Modeling of Biodiversity Features and Ecosystem Services.

PubMed

Snäll, Tord; Lehtomäki, Joona; Arponen, Anni; Elith, Jane; Moilanen, Atte

2016-02-01

There is high-level political support for the use of green infrastructure (GI) across Europe, to maintain viable populations and to provide ecosystem services (ES). Even though GI is inherently a spatial concept, the modern tools for spatial planning have not been recognized, such as in the recent European Environment Agency (EEA) report. We outline a toolbox of methods useful for GI design that explicitly accounts for biodiversity and ES. Data on species occurrence, habitats, and environmental variables are increasingly available via open-access internet platforms. Such data can be synthesized by statistical species distribution modeling, producing maps of biodiversity features. These, together with maps of ES, can form the basis for GI design. We argue that spatial conservation prioritization (SCP) methods are effective tools for GI design, as the overall SCP goal is cost-effective allocation of conservation efforts. Corridors are currently promoted by the EEA as the means for implementing GI design, but they typically target the needs of only a subset of the regional species pool. SCP methods would help to ensure that GI provides a balanced solution for the requirements of many biodiversity features (e.g., species, habitat types) and ES simultaneously in a cost-effective manner. Such tools are necessary to make GI into an operational concept for combating biodiversity loss and promoting ES.

Green Infrastructure Design Based on Spatial Conservation Prioritization and Modeling of Biodiversity Features and Ecosystem Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snäll, Tord; Lehtomäki, Joona; Arponen, Anni; Elith, Jane; Moilanen, Atte

2016-02-01

There is high-level political support for the use of green infrastructure (GI) across Europe, to maintain viable populations and to provide ecosystem services (ES). Even though GI is inherently a spatial concept, the modern tools for spatial planning have not been recognized, such as in the recent European Environment Agency (EEA) report. We outline a toolbox of methods useful for GI design that explicitly accounts for biodiversity and ES. Data on species occurrence, habitats, and environmental variables are increasingly available via open-access internet platforms. Such data can be synthesized by statistical species distribution modeling, producing maps of biodiversity features. These, together with maps of ES, can form the basis for GI design. We argue that spatial conservation prioritization (SCP) methods are effective tools for GI design, as the overall SCP goal is cost-effective allocation of conservation efforts. Corridors are currently promoted by the EEA as the means for implementing GI design, but they typically target the needs of only a subset of the regional species pool. SCP methods would help to ensure that GI provides a balanced solution for the requirements of many biodiversity features (e.g., species, habitat types) and ES simultaneously in a cost-effective manner. Such tools are necessary to make GI into an operational concept for combating biodiversity loss and promoting ES.

Workshop on Instructional Features and Instructor/Operator Station Design for Training Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

discussion of the Quantitative Perfor- - Ellseffctinte of hemPlan, or oreun cotol a omnu-athe baispolua epreneiycnutigs. eSan an tg eu a eue oinrdc ae- ea...F. McCrea 2 Dayton, OF! 45419 Chrysler Defense 2423 Auburn Dr. Carmine Vaccarino 1 Cocoa , FL 32922 SRL, Inc. 2800 Indian Ripple Rd. DEACO

NASA atomic hydrogen standards program - An update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinhardt, V. S.; Kaufmann, D. C.; Adams, W. A.; Deluca, J. J.; Soucy, J. L.

1976-01-01

Some of the design features of NASA hydrogen masers are discussed including the large hydrogen source bulb, the palladium purified, the state selector, the replaceable pumps, the small entrance stem, magnetic shields, the elongated storage bulb, the aluminum cavity, the electronics package, and the autotuner. Attention is also given to the reliability and operating life of these hydrogen atomic standards.

The Point of It All: Exploring Variations in Wind Vane Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koballa, Thomas, Jr.

2008-01-01

A wind vane is a tool for making observations of wind direction and initiating inquiries about the weather. Its construction and use continue to be mainstays of the science education of elementary students. By providing students with the opportunity to discern critical features associated with the wind vane's operation, you can ensure that…

Modeling fuel treatment leverage: Encounter rates, risk reduction, and suppression cost impacts

Treesearch

Matthew P. Thompson; Karin L. Riley; Dan Loeffler; Jessica R. Haas

2017-01-01

The primary theme of this study is the cost-effectiveness of fuel treatments at multiple scales of investment. We focused on the nexus of fuel management and suppression response planning, designing spatial fuel treatment strategies to incorporate landscape features that provide control opportunities that are relevant to fire operations. Our analysis explored the...

Theory, construction and operation of simple tensiometers.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stannard, D.I.

1986-01-01

The tensiometer presented here in detail is suited to diverse on-site applications. Constructed from readily available, inexpensive parts, it can measure as much as 0.85 bar of tension. Design features include a flushing system for removal of entrapped air or mercury, and an easily maintained modular network of nylon manometers and water-supply tubes. -from Author

Multipurpose Prepregging Machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, N. J.; Wilkinson, Steven; Marchello, J. M.; Dixon, D.

1995-01-01

Machine designed and built for variety of uses involving coating or impregnating ("prepregging") fibers, tows, yarns, or webs or tapes made of such fibrous materials with thermoplastic or thermosetting resins. Prepreg materials produced used to make matrix/fiber composite materials. Comprises modules operated individually, sequentially, or simultaneously, depending on nature of specific prepreg material and prepregging technique used. Machine incorporates number of safety features.

76 FR 72231 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-22

... prefer not to advertise their order but are willing to provide price improvement. 2. Statutory Basis The... interest of investors because it will expedite the introduction of new features to the BX equities market... their introduction at the Exchange. Therefore, the Commission designates the proposal to be operative...

10 CFR 50.13 - Attacks and destructive acts by enemies of the United States; and defense activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION FACILITIES Requirement of License, Exceptions § 50.13 Attacks and... construct and operate a production or utilization facility, or for an amendment to such license, is not required to provide for design features or other measures for the specific purpose of protection against...

ActiveTutor: Towards More Adaptive Features in an E-Learning Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fournier, Jean-Pierre; Sansonnet, Jean-Paul

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to sketch the emerging notion of auto-adaptive software when applied to e-learning software. Design/methodology/approach: The study and the implementation of the auto-adaptive architecture are based on the operational framework "ActiveTutor" that is used for teaching the topic of computer science programming in first-grade…

A Stirling Idea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Stirling Technology Company developed the components for its BeCOOL line of Cryocoolers with the help of a series of NASA SBIRs (Small Business Innovative Research), through Goddard Space Flight Center and Marshall Space Flight Center. Features include a hermetically sealed design, compact size, and silent operation. The company has already placed several units with commercial customers for computer applications and laboratory use.

Thermoelectric Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Instead of bulky coils and compressors used in conventional refrigeration systems, UST design engineers drew on thermo-electric technology. UST's precision temperature chambers (PTC's) feature small thermoelectric modules that measure not much more than 1 square inch and operate on unique phenomenon of heat exchange. When electric current flows through specialized metallic crystals, heat is produced; when current direction is reversed cooling is produced.

An Embedded Systems Laboratory to Support Rapid Prototyping of Robotics and the Internet of Things

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamblen, J. O.; van Bekkum, G. M. E.

2013-01-01

This paper describes a new approach for a course and laboratory designed to allow students to develop low-cost prototypes of robotic and other embedded devices that feature Internet connectivity, I/O, networking, a real-time operating system (RTOS), and object-oriented C/C++. The application programming interface (API) libraries provided permit…

Supporting research and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The development of definition of the modular space station is discussed. The modular approach was evaluated, the requirements were defined, and program definition and design were accomplished. The features of the program which significantly affect the initial development and early operating costs were identified and their impacts on the program were assessed. Specifications of various systems and components are included.

Design feasibility of an advanced technology supersonic cruise aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowe, W. T.

1976-01-01

Research and development programs provide confidence that technology is in-hand to design an economically attractive, environmentally sound supersonic cruise aircraft for commercial operations. The principal results of studies and tests are described including those which define the selection of significant design features. These typically include the results of: (1) wind-tunnel tests, both subsonic and supersonic, (2) propulsion performance and acoustic tests on noise suppressors, including forward-flight effects, (3) studies of engine/airframe integration, which lead to the selection of engine cycles/sizes to meet future market, economic, and social requirements; and (4) structural testing.

Development of a preprototype times wastewater recovery subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roebelen, G. J., Jr.; Dehner, G. F.

1982-01-01

A three-man wastewater recovery preprototype subsystem using a hollow fiber membrane evaporator with a thermoelectric heat pump to provide efficient potable water recovery from wastewater on extended duration space flights was designed, fabricated, and tested at one-gravity. Low power, compactness and gravity insensitive operation are featured in this vacuum distillation subsystem. The tubular hollow fiber elements provide positive liquid/gas phase control with no moving parts, and provide structural integrity, improving on previous flat sheet membrane designs. A thermoelectric heat pump provides latent energy recovery. Application and integration of these key elements solved problems inherent in all previous reclamation subsystem designs.

Design Characteristics of the 224 kW Magdalen Islands VAWT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Templin, R. J.

1979-01-01

The evolution of the main design features of the Magdalen Islands vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) is described. The turbine has a rotor height of 120 ft (36.58 m) and diameter 80 ft (24.38 m). It was operated as a joint project between NRC and Hydro-Quebec in grid-coupled mode from July 1977 to July 1978 when the rotor was destroyed in an accident. The accident, although unfortunate, tested the basic integrity of the design in a gross overspeed condition, and the rotor is being rebuilt with minor modifications. Some directions for future VAWT research are suggested.

Design of a Mission Data Storage and Retrieval System for NASA Dryden Flight Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lux, Jessica; Downing, Bob; Sheldon, Jack

2007-01-01

The Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) employs the WATR Integrated Next Generation System (WINGS) for the processing and display of aeronautical flight data. This report discusses the post-mission segment of the WINGS architecture. A team designed and implemented a system for the near- and long-term storage and distribution of mission data for flight projects at DFRC, providing the user with intelligent access to data. Discussed are the legacy system, an industry survey, system operational concept, high-level system features, and initial design efforts.

Development of high precision and cryogenic lens holders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reutlinger, A.; Boesz, Anton; Mottaghibonab, A.; Eckert, P.; Dubowy, M.; Gebler, H.; Grupp, F.; Geis, N.; Bode, A.; Katterloher, R.; Bender, R.

2017-11-01

The optical system of the Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) of the EUCLID mission consists mainly of a filter and grism wheel and 4 aspherical lenses with large diameters up to 170 mm. The single lenses require a high precision positioning at the operational temperature of 150 K. An additional design driver represents the CaF2 material of a lens, which is very sensitive wrt brittleness. The technical maturity of the combination of single features such as CaF2, large diameter (and mass), high precision and cryogenic conditions is considered as low. Therefore, a dedicated pre-development program has been launched to design and develop a first prototype of lens holder and to demonstrate the functional performance at representative operational conditions. The 4 lenses are divided into 3x lenses for the Camera Lens Assembly (CaLA) and 1x lens for the Corrector Lens Assembly (CoLA). Each lens is glue mounted onto solid state springs, part of an adaption ring. The adaption ring shall provide protection against vibration loads, high accuracy positioning, as well as quasi load free mounting of the lens under operational conditions. To reduce thermomechanical loads on the lens, the CTE of the adaption ring is adapted to that of the lens. The glue between lens and solid state spring has to withstand high tension loads during vibration. At the operational temperature the deviating CTE between glue and lens/adaption ring introduces shear loads into the glue interface, which are critical, in particular for the fragile CaF2 lens material. For the case of NISP the shear loads are controlled with the glue pad diameter and the glue thickness. In the context of the development activity many technology aspects such as various solid state spring designs, glue selection and glue handling have been investigated. A parametric structural model was developed to derive the specific design feature of each ring, such as spring force, number of springs, eigenfrequency, etc. This paper presents the design of the adaption ring in conjunction with test results from functional verification. These results are presented on behalf of the EUCLID consortium.

Improving online risk assessment with equipment prognostics and health monitoring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coble, Jamie B.; Liu, Xiaotong; Briere, Chris

The current approach to evaluating the risk of nuclear power plant (NPP) operation relies on static probabilities of component failure, which are based on industry experience with the existing fleet of nominally similar light water reactors (LWRs). As the nuclear industry looks to advanced reactor designs that feature non-light water coolants (e.g., liquid metal, high temperature gas, molten salt), this operating history is not available. Many advanced reactor designs use advanced components, such as electromagnetic pumps, that have not been used in the US commercial nuclear fleet. Given the lack of rich operating experience, we cannot accurately estimate the evolvingmore » probability of failure for basic components to populate the fault trees and event trees that typically comprise probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) models. Online equipment prognostics and health management (PHM) technologies can bridge this gap to estimate the failure probabilities for components under operation. The enhanced risk monitor (ERM) incorporates equipment condition assessment into the existing PRA and risk monitor framework to provide accurate and timely estimates of operational risk.« less

A head up display format for application to V/STOL aircraft approach and landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrick, Vernon K.; Farris, Glenn G.; Vanags, Andrejs A.

1990-01-01

A head up display (HUD) format developed at NASA Ames Research Center to provide pilots of V/STOL aircraft with complete flight guidance and control information for category-3C terminal-area flight operations, is described in detail. These flight operations cover a large spectrum, from STOL operations on land-based runways to VTOL operations on small ships in high seas. Included in this description is a complete geometrical specification of the HUD elements and their drive laws. The principal features of this display format are the integration of the flightpath and pursuit guidance information into a narrow field of view, easily assimilated by the pilot with a single glance, and the superposition of vertical and horizontal situation information. The display is a derivative of a successful design developed for conventional transport aircraft. The design is the outcome of many piloted simulations conducted over a four-year period. Whereas the concepts on which the display format rests could not be fully exploited because of field-of-view restrictions, and some reservations remain about the acceptability of superimposing vertical and horizontal situation information, the design successfully fulfilled its intended objectives.

A Continuous Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator for Use with Mechanical Coolers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirron, P.; Abbondante, N.; Canavan, E.; DiPirro, M.; Grabowski, M.; Hirsch, M.; Jackson, M.; Tuttle, J.

2000-01-01

We have begun developing an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) which can produce continuous cooling at temperatures of 50 mK or lower, with high cooling power (goal of 10 PW). The design uses multiple stages to cascade heat from a continuously-cooled stage up to a heat sink. The serial arrangement makes it possible to add stages to extend the operating range to lower temperature, or to raise the heat rejection temperature. Compared to conventional single-shot ADRS, this system achieves higher cooling power per unit mass and is able to reject its heat at a more uniform rate. For operation with a mechanical cryocooler, this latter feature stabilizes the heat sink temperature and allows both the ADR and cryocooler to operate more efficiently. The ADR is being designed to operate with a heat sink as warm as 10-12 K to make it compatible with a wide variety of mechanical coolers as part of a versatile, cryogen-free low temperature cooling system. A two-stage system has been constructed and a proof-of-principle demonstration was conducted at 100 mK. Details of the design and test results, as well as the direction of future work, are discussed.

Design of novel non-contact multimedia controller for disability by using visual stimulus.

PubMed

Pan, Jeng-Shyang; Lo, Chi-Chun; Tsai, Shang-Ho; Lin, Bor-Shyh

2015-12-01

The design of a novel non-contact multimedia controller is proposed in this study. Nowadays, multimedia controllers are generally used by patients and nursing assistants in the hospital. Conventional multimedia controllers usually involve in manual operation or other physical movements. However, it is more difficult for the disabled patients to operate the conventional multimedia controller by themselves; they might totally depend on others. Different from other multimedia controllers, the proposed system provides a novel concept of controlling multimedia via visual stimuli, without manual operation. The disabled patients can easily operate the proposed multimedia system by focusing on the control icons of a visual stimulus device, where a commercial tablet is used as the visual stimulus device. Moreover, a wearable and wireless electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition device is also designed and implemented to easily monitor the user's EEG signals in daily life. Finally, the proposed system has been validated. The experimental result shows that the proposed system can effectively measure and extract the EEG feature related to visual stimuli, and its information transfer rate is also good. Therefore, the proposed non-contact multimedia controller exactly provides a good prototype of novel multimedia controlling scheme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart wing wind tunnel model design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Christopher A.; Jasmin, Larry; Flanagan, John S.; Appa, Kari; Kudva, Jayanth N.

1997-05-01

To verify the predicted benefits of the smart wing concept, two 16% scale wind tunnel models, one conventional and the other incorporating smart wing design features, were designed, fabricated and tested. Meticulous design of the two models was essential to: (1) ensure the required factor of safety of four for operation in the NASA Langley TDT wind tunnel, (2) efficiently integrate the smart actuation systems, (3) quantify the performance improvements, and (4) facilitate eventual scale-up to operational aircraft. Significant challenges were encountered in designing the attachment of the shape memory alloy control surfaces to the wing box, integration of the SMA torque tube in the wing structure, and development of control mechanisms to protect the model and the tunnel in the event of failure of the smart systems. In this paper, detailed design of the two models are presented. First, dynamic scaling of the models based on the geometry and structural details of the full- scale aircraft is presented. Next, results of the stress, divergence and flutter analyses are summarized. Finally some of the challenges of integrating the smart actuators with the model are highlighted.

Evaluating the Operational Features of an Unconventional Dual-Bay U-Turn Design for Intersections

PubMed Central

Xiang, Yun; Li, Zhibin; Wang, Wei; Chen, Jingxu; Wang, Hao; Li, Ye

2016-01-01

Median U-turn intersection treatment (MUTIT) has been considered an alternative measure to reduce congestion and traffic conflict at intersection areas. The MUTIT is sometimes difficult to implement in the field because it requires wide median on arterials for U-turn vehicles. The objective of this study is to introduce an unconventional U-turn treatment (UUT) for intersections which requires less median space but is also effective. The UUT has a dual-bay design with different turning radiuses for small and large vehicles. The VISSIM simulation model was developed to evaluate the operational features of the UUT. The model was calibrated using data collected from intersections in China. The capacity, delay and number of stops were evaluated and compared with the direct-left-turn (DLT) for the same intersections. The results showed that the UUT significantly improved the operations at intersection areas, especially when volume/capacity ratio is small, and ratio of left-turn to through traffic is small. With the UUT, the capacity is increased by 9.81% to 10.38%, vehicle delay is decreased by 18.5% to 40.1%, and number of stops is decreased by 23.19% to 36.62%, when volume/capacity ratio is less than 0.50. The study also found that traffic efficiency could be further improved when the UUT is designed in conjunction with signal control. In the case, the UUT plus signalized control increases the capacity by 25% to 26.02%, decreases vehicle delay by 50.5% to 55.8%, and reduces number of stops by 69.5%, compared with the traditional DLT. PMID:27467127

Evaluating the Operational Features of an Unconventional Dual-Bay U-Turn Design for Intersections.

PubMed

Xiang, Yun; Li, Zhibin; Wang, Wei; Chen, Jingxu; Wang, Hao; Li, Ye

2016-01-01

Median U-turn intersection treatment (MUTIT) has been considered an alternative measure to reduce congestion and traffic conflict at intersection areas. The MUTIT is sometimes difficult to implement in the field because it requires wide median on arterials for U-turn vehicles. The objective of this study is to introduce an unconventional U-turn treatment (UUT) for intersections which requires less median space but is also effective. The UUT has a dual-bay design with different turning radiuses for small and large vehicles. The VISSIM simulation model was developed to evaluate the operational features of the UUT. The model was calibrated using data collected from intersections in China. The capacity, delay and number of stops were evaluated and compared with the direct-left-turn (DLT) for the same intersections. The results showed that the UUT significantly improved the operations at intersection areas, especially when volume/capacity ratio is small, and ratio of left-turn to through traffic is small. With the UUT, the capacity is increased by 9.81% to 10.38%, vehicle delay is decreased by 18.5% to 40.1%, and number of stops is decreased by 23.19% to 36.62%, when volume/capacity ratio is less than 0.50. The study also found that traffic efficiency could be further improved when the UUT is designed in conjunction with signal control. In the case, the UUT plus signalized control increases the capacity by 25% to 26.02%, decreases vehicle delay by 50.5% to 55.8%, and reduces number of stops by 69.5%, compared with the traditional DLT.

A survey of aerobraking orbital transfer vehicle design concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Chul

1987-01-01

The five existing design concepts of the aerobraking orbital transfer vehicle (namely, the raked sphere-cone designs, conical lifting-brake, raked elliptic-cone, lifting-body, and ballute) are reviewed and critiqued. Historical backgrounds, and the geometrical, aerothermal, and operational features of these designs are reviewed first. Then, the technological requirements for the vehicle (namely, navigation, aerodynamic stability and control, afterbody flow impingement, nonequilibrium radiation, convective heat-transfer rates, mission abort and multiple atmospheric passes, transportation and construction, and the payload-to-vehicle weight requirements) are delineated by summarizing the recent advancements made on these issues. Each of the five designs are critiqued and rated on these issues. The highest and the lowest ratings are given to the raked sphere-cone and the ballute design, respectively.

Gesture recognition for smart home applications using portable radar sensors.

PubMed

Wan, Qian; Li, Yiran; Li, Changzhi; Pal, Ranadip

2014-01-01

In this article, we consider the design of a human gesture recognition system based on pattern recognition of signatures from a portable smart radar sensor. Powered by AAA batteries, the smart radar sensor operates in the 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band. We analyzed the feature space using principle components and application-specific time and frequency domain features extracted from radar signals for two different sets of gestures. We illustrate that a nearest neighbor based classifier can achieve greater than 95% accuracy for multi class classification using 10 fold cross validation when features are extracted based on magnitude differences and Doppler shifts as compared to features extracted through orthogonal transformations. The reported results illustrate the potential of intelligent radars integrated with a pattern recognition system for high accuracy smart home and health monitoring purposes.

Interplay of multiple synaptic plasticity features in filamentary memristive devices for neuromorphic computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Barbera, Selina; Vincent, Adrien F.; Vuillaume, Dominique; Querlioz, Damien; Alibart, Fabien

2016-12-01

Bio-inspired computing represents today a major challenge at different levels ranging from material science for the design of innovative devices and circuits to computer science for the understanding of the key features required for processing of natural data. In this paper, we propose a detail analysis of resistive switching dynamics in electrochemical metallization cells for synaptic plasticity implementation. We show how filament stability associated to joule effect during switching can be used to emulate key synaptic features such as short term to long term plasticity transition and spike timing dependent plasticity. Furthermore, an interplay between these different synaptic features is demonstrated for object motion detection in a spike-based neuromorphic circuit. System level simulation presents robust learning and promising synaptic operation paving the way to complex bio-inspired computing systems composed of innovative memory devices.

Stratified charge rotary engine for general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mount, R. E.; Parente, A. M.; Hady, W. F.

1986-01-01

A development history, a current development status assessment, and a design feature and performance capabilities account are given for stratified-charge rotary engines applicable to aircraft propulsion. Such engines are capable of operating on Jet-A fuel with substantial cost savings, improved altitude capability, and lower fuel consumption by comparison with gas turbine powerplants. Attention is given to the current development program of a 400-hp engine scheduled for initial operations in early 1990. Stratified charge rotary engines are also applicable to ground power units, airborne APUs, shipboard generators, and vehicular engines.

Laser Scanning Reader For Automated Data Entry Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Charles C. K.

1980-02-01

The use of the Universal Product Code (UPC) in conjunction with the laser-scanner-equipped electronic checkout system has made it technologically possible for supermarket stores to operate more efficiently and accurately. At present, more than 90% of the packages in grocery stores have been marked by the manufacturer with laser-scannable UPC symbols and the installation of laser scanning systems is expected to expand into all major chain stores. Areas to be discussed are: system design features, laser-scanning pattern generation, signal-processing logical considerations, UPC characteristics and encodation.

Solid state instrumentation concepts for earth resource observation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richard, H. L.

1982-01-01

Late in 1980, specifications were prepared for detail design definition of a six band solid state multispectral instrument having three visible (VIS), one near infrared (NIR), and two short wave infrared (SWIR) bands. This instrument concept, known as the Multispectral Linear Array (MLA), also offered increased spatial resolution, on board gain and offset correction, and additional operational modes which would allow for cross track and stereoscopic viewing as well as a multialtitude operational capability. A description is presented of a summary of some of the salient features of four different MLA design concepts, as developed by four American companies. The designs ranged from the use of multiple refractive telescopes utilizing three groups of focal plane detectors electronic correlation processing for achieving spatial registration, and incorporating palladium silicide (PdSi) SWIR detectors, to a four-mirror all-reflective telecentric system utilizing a beam splitter for spatial registration.

A high-speed digital signal processor for atmospheric radar, part 7.3A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brosnahan, J. W.; Woodard, D. M.

1984-01-01

The Model SP-320 device is a monolithic realization of a complex general purpose signal processor, incorporating such features as a 32-bit ALU, a 16-bit x 16-bit combinatorial multiplier, and a 16-bit barrel shifter. The SP-320 is designed to operate as a slave processor to a host general purpose computer in applications such as coherent integration of a radar return signal in multiple ranges, or dedicated FFT processing. Presently available is an I/O module conforming to the Intel Multichannel interface standard; other I/O modules will be designed to meet specific user requirements. The main processor board includes input and output FIFO (First In First Out) memories, both with depths of 4096 W, to permit asynchronous operation between the source of data and the host computer. This design permits burst data rates in excess of 5 MW/s.

What makes an automated teller machine usable by blind users?

PubMed

Manzke, J M; Egan, D H; Felix, D; Krueger, H

1998-07-01

Fifteen blind and sighted subjects, who featured as a control group for acceptance, were asked for their requirements for automated teller machines (ATMs). Both groups also tested the usability of a partially operational ATM mock-up. This machine was based on an existing cash dispenser, providing natural speech output, different function menus and different key arrangements. Performance and subjective evaluation data of blind and sighted subjects were collected. All blind subjects were able to operate the ATM successfully. The implemented speech output was the main usability factor for them. The different interface designs did not significantly affect performance and subjective evaluation. Nevertheless, design recommendations can be derived from the requirement assessment. The sighted subjects were rather open for design modifications, especially the implementation of speech output. However, there was also a mismatch of the requirements of the two subject groups, mainly concerning the key arrangement.

Managing and Communicating Operational Workflow

PubMed Central

Weinberg, Stuart T.; Danciu, Ioana; Unertl, Kim M.

2016-01-01

Summary Background Healthcare team members in emergency department contexts have used electronic whiteboard solutions to help manage operational workflow for many years. Ambulatory clinic settings have highly complex operational workflow, but are still limited in electronic assistance to communicate and coordinate work activities. Objective To describe and discuss the design, implementation, use, and ongoing evolution of a coordination and collaboration tool supporting ambulatory clinic operational workflow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Methods The outpatient whiteboard tool was initially designed to support healthcare work related to an electronic chemotherapy order-entry application. After a highly successful initial implementation in an oncology context, a high demand emerged across the organization for the outpatient whiteboard implementation. Over the past 10 years, developers have followed an iterative user-centered design process to evolve the tool. Results The electronic outpatient whiteboard system supports 194 separate whiteboards and is accessed by over 2800 distinct users on a typical day. Clinics can configure their whiteboards to support unique workflow elements. Since initial release, features such as immunization clinical decision support have been integrated into the system, based on requests from end users. Conclusions The success of the electronic outpatient whiteboard demonstrates the usefulness of an operational workflow tool within the ambulatory clinic setting. Operational workflow tools can play a significant role in supporting coordination, collaboration, and teamwork in ambulatory healthcare settings. PMID:27081407

Cryogenic Propellant Management Device: Conceptual Design Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wollen, Mark; Merino, Fred; Schuster, John; Newton, Christopher

2010-01-01

Concepts of Propellant Management Devices (PMDs) were designed for lunar descent stage reaction control system (RCS) and lunar ascent stage (main and RCS propulsion) missions using liquid oxygen (LO2) and liquid methane (LCH4). Study ground rules set a maximum of 19 days from launch to lunar touchdown, and an additional 210 days on the lunar surface before liftoff. Two PMDs were conceptually designed for each of the descent stage RCS propellant tanks, and two designs for each of the ascent stage main propellant tanks. One of the two PMD types is a traditional partial four-screen channel device. The other type is a novel, expanding volume device which uses a stretched, flexing screen. It was found that several unique design features simplified the PMD designs. These features are (1) high propellant tank operating pressures, (2) aluminum tanks for propellant storage, and (3) stringent insulation requirements. Consequently, it was possible to treat LO2 and LCH4 as if they were equivalent to Earth-storable propellants because they would remain substantially subcooled during the lunar mission. In fact, prelaunch procedures are simplified with cryogens, because any trapped vapor will condense once the propellant tanks are pressurized in space.

Neutronics Studies of Uranium-bearing Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated Fuel for PWRs

DOE PAGES

George, Nathan M.; Maldonado, G. Ivan; Terrani, Kurt A.; ...

2014-12-01

Our study evaluated the neutronics and some of the fuel cycle characteristics of using uranium-based fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuel in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). Specific PWR lattice designs with FCM fuel have been developed that are expected to achieve higher specific burnup levels in the fuel while also increasing the tolerance to reactor accidents. The SCALE software system was the primary analysis tool used to model the lattice designs. A parametric study was performed by varying tristructural isotropic particle design features (e.g., kernel diameter, coating layer thicknesses, and packing fraction) to understand the impact on reactivity and resultingmore » operating cycle length. Moreover, to match the lifetime of an 18-month PWR cycle, the FCM particle fuel design required roughly 10% additional fissile material at beginning of life compared with that of a standard uranium dioxide (UO 2) rod. Uranium mononitride proved to be a favorable fuel for the fuel kernel due to its higher heavy metal loading density compared with UO 2. The FCM fuel designs evaluated maintain acceptable neutronics design features for fuel lifetime, lattice peaking factors, and nonproliferation figure of merit.« less

Vulnerability of manned spacecraft to crew loss from orbital debris penetration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williamsen, J. E.

1994-01-01

Orbital debris growth threatens the survival of spacecraft systems from impact-induced failures. Whereas the probability of debris impact and spacecraft penetration may currently be calculated, another parameter of great interest to safety engineers is the probability that debris penetration will cause actual spacecraft or crew loss. Quantifying the likelihood of crew loss following a penetration allows spacecraft designers to identify those design features and crew operational protocols that offer the highest improvement in crew safety for available resources. Within this study, a manned spacecraft crew survivability (MSCSurv) computer model is developed that quantifies the conditional probability of losing one or more crew members, P(sub loss/pen), following the remote likelihood of an orbital debris penetration into an eight module space station. Contributions to P(sub loss/pen) are quantified from three significant penetration-induced hazards: pressure wall rupture (explosive decompression), fragment-induced injury, and 'slow' depressurization. Sensitivity analyses are performed using alternate assumptions for hazard-generating functions, crew vulnerability thresholds, and selected spacecraft design and crew operations parameters. These results are then used to recommend modifications to the spacecraft design and expected crew operations that quantitatively increase crew safety from orbital debris impacts.

Session 6: Dynamic Modeling and Systems Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csank, Jeffrey; Chapman, Jeffryes; May, Ryan

2013-01-01

These presentations cover some of the ongoing work in dynamic modeling and dynamic systems analysis. The first presentation discusses dynamic systems analysis and how to integrate dynamic performance information into the systems analysis. The ability to evaluate the dynamic performance of an engine design may allow tradeoffs between the dynamic performance and operability of a design resulting in a more efficient engine design. The second presentation discusses the Toolbox for Modeling and Analysis of Thermodynamic Systems (T-MATS). T-MATS is a Simulation system with a library containing the basic building blocks that can be used to create dynamic Thermodynamic Systems. Some of the key features include Turbo machinery components, such as turbines, compressors, etc., and basic control system blocks. T-MAT is written in the Matlab-Simulink environment and is open source software. The third presentation focuses on getting additional performance from the engine by allowing the limit regulators only to be active when a limit is danger of being violated. Typical aircraft engine control architecture is based on MINMAX scheme, which is designed to keep engine operating within prescribed mechanical/operational safety limits. Using a conditionally active min-max limit regulator scheme, additional performance can be gained by disabling non-relevant limit regulators

A Design Heritage-Based Forecasting Methodology for Risk Informed Management of Advanced Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maggio, Gaspare; Fragola, Joseph R.

1999-01-01

The development of next generation systems often carries with it the promise of improved performance, greater reliability, and reduced operational costs. These expectations arise from the use of novel designs, new materials, advanced integration and production technologies intended for functionality replacing the previous generation. However, the novelty of these nascent technologies is accompanied by lack of operational experience and, in many cases, no actual testing as well. Therefore some of the enthusiasm surrounding most new technologies may be due to inflated aspirations from lack of knowledge rather than actual future expectations. This paper proposes a design heritage approach for improved reliability forecasting of advanced system components. The basis of the design heritage approach is to relate advanced system components to similar designs currently in operation. The demonstrated performance of these components could then be used to forecast the expected performance and reliability of comparable advanced technology components. In this approach the greater the divergence of the advanced component designs from the current systems the higher the uncertainty that accompanies the associated failure estimates. Designers of advanced systems are faced with many difficult decisions. One of the most common and more difficult types of these decisions are those related to the choice between design alternatives. In the past decision-makers have found these decisions to be extremely difficult to make because they often involve the trade-off between a known performing fielded design and a promising paper design. When it comes to expected reliability performance the paper design always looks better because it is on paper and it addresses all the know failure modes of the fielded design. On the other hand there is a long, and sometimes very difficult road, between the promise of a paper design and its fulfillment; with the possibility that sometimes the reliability promise is not fulfilled at all. Decision makers in advanced technology areas have always known to discount the performance claims of a design to a degree in proportion to its stage of development, and at times have preferred the more mature design over the one of lesser maturity even with the latter promising substantially better performance once fielded. As with the broader measures of performance this has also been true for projected reliability performance. Paper estimates of potential advances in design reliability are to a degree uncertain in proportion to the maturity of the features being proposed to secure those advances. This is especially true when performance-enhancing features in other areas are also planned to be part of the development program.

Design, Development and Operational Experience of Demonstration Facility for Cs-137 Source Pencil Production at Trombay - 13283

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patil, S.B.; Srivastava, P.; Mishra, S.K.

2013-07-01

Radioactive waste management is a vital aspect of any nuclear program. The commercial feasibility of the nuclear program largely depends on the efficiency of the waste management techniques. One of such techniques is the separation of high yield radio-nuclides from the waste and making it suitable for medical and industrial applications. This will give societal benefit in addition to revenue generation. Co-60, the isotope presently being used for medical applications, needs frequent replacement because of its short half life. Cs-137, the major constituent of the nuclear waste, is a suitable substitute for Co-60 as a radioactive source because of itsmore » longer half life (28 years). Indian nuclear waste management program has given special emphasis on utilization of Cs-137 for such applications. In view of this a demonstration facility has been designed for vitrification of Cs-137 in borosilicate glass, cast in stainless steel pencils, to be used as source pencils of 300 Ci strength for blood irradiation. An induction heated metallic melter of suitable capacity has been custom designed for the application and employed for the Cs-137 pencil fabrication facility. This article describes various systems, design features, experiments and resulting modifications, observations and remote handling features necessary for the actual operation of such facility. The layout of the facility has been planned in such a way that the same can be adopted in a hot cell for commercial production of source pencils. (authors)« less

Research Technology

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-11

Engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have begun a series of engine tests on a new breed of space propulsion: a Reaction Control Engine developed for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI). The engine, developed by TRW Space and Electronics of Redondo Beach, California, is an auxiliary propulsion engine designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit. It is used for docking, reentry, attitude control, and fine-pointing while the vehicle is in orbit. The engine uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, a feature that creates a safer environment for ground operators, lowers cost, and increases efficiency with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions. Testing includes 30 hot-firings. This photograph shows the first engine test performed at MSFC that includes SLI technology. Another unique feature of the Reaction Control Engine is that it operates at dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The low-level thrust of 25 pounds of force allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock while the high-level thrust of 1,000 pounds of force is used for reentry, orbit transfer, and coarse positioning. SLI is a NASA-wide research and development program, managed by the MSFC, designed to improve safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for second generation reusable launch vehicles.

Reaction Control Engine for Space Launch Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have begun a series of engine tests on a new breed of space propulsion: a Reaction Control Engine developed for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI). The engine, developed by TRW Space and Electronics of Redondo Beach, California, is an auxiliary propulsion engine designed to maneuver vehicles in orbit. It is used for docking, reentry, attitude control, and fine-pointing while the vehicle is in orbit. The engine uses nontoxic chemicals as propellants, a feature that creates a safer environment for ground operators, lowers cost, and increases efficiency with less maintenance and quicker turnaround time between missions. Testing includes 30 hot-firings. This photograph shows the first engine test performed at MSFC that includes SLI technology. Another unique feature of the Reaction Control Engine is that it operates at dual thrust modes, combining two engine functions into one engine. The engine operates at both 25 and 1,000 pounds of force, reducing overall propulsion weight and allowing vehicles to easily maneuver in space. The low-level thrust of 25 pounds of force allows the vehicle to fine-point maneuver and dock while the high-level thrust of 1,000 pounds of force is used for reentry, orbit transfer, and coarse positioning. SLI is a NASA-wide research and development program, managed by the MSFC, designed to improve safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness of space travel for second generation reusable launch vehicles.

A high power ion thruster for deep space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polk, James E.; Goebel, Dan M.; Snyder, John S.; Schneider, Analyn C.; Johnson, Lee K.; Sengupta, Anita

2012-07-01

The Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System ion thruster was developed for potential outer planet robotic missions using nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). This engine was designed to operate at power levels ranging from 13 to 28 kW at specific impulses of 6000-8500 s and for burn times of up to 10 years. State-of-the-art performance and life assessment tools were used to design the thruster, which featured 57-cm-diameter carbon-carbon composite grids operating at voltages of 3.5-6.5 kV. Preliminary validation of the thruster performance was accomplished with a laboratory model thruster, while in parallel, a flight-like development model (DM) thruster was completed and two DM thrusters fabricated. The first thruster completed full performance testing and a 2000-h wear test. The second successfully completed vibration tests at the full protoflight levels defined for this NEP program and then passed performance validation testing. The thruster design, performance, and the experimental validation of the design tools are discussed in this paper.

A high power ion thruster for deep space missions.

PubMed

Polk, James E; Goebel, Dan M; Snyder, John S; Schneider, Analyn C; Johnson, Lee K; Sengupta, Anita

2012-07-01

The Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System ion thruster was developed for potential outer planet robotic missions using nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). This engine was designed to operate at power levels ranging from 13 to 28 kW at specific impulses of 6000-8500 s and for burn times of up to 10 years. State-of-the-art performance and life assessment tools were used to design the thruster, which featured 57-cm-diameter carbon-carbon composite grids operating at voltages of 3.5-6.5 kV. Preliminary validation of the thruster performance was accomplished with a laboratory model thruster, while in parallel, a flight-like development model (DM) thruster was completed and two DM thrusters fabricated. The first thruster completed full performance testing and a 2000-h wear test. The second successfully completed vibration tests at the full protoflight levels defined for this NEP program and then passed performance validation testing. The thruster design, performance, and the experimental validation of the design tools are discussed in this paper.

Advanced catalytic combustors for low pollutant emissions, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodds, W. J.

1979-01-01

The feasibility of employing the known attractive and distinguishing features of catalytic combustion technology to reduce nitric oxide emissions from gas turbine engines during subsonic, stratospheric cruise operation was investigated. Six conceptual combustor designs employing catalytic combustion were defined and evaluated for their potential to meet specific emissions and performance goals. Based on these evaluations, two parallel-staged, fixed-geometry designs were identified as the most promising concepts. Additional design studies were conducted to produce detailed preliminary designs of these two combustors. Results indicate that cruise nitric oxide emissions can be reduced by an order of magnitude relative to current technology levels by the use of catalytic combustion. Also, these combustors have the potential for operating over the EPA landing-takeoff cycle and at cruise with a low pressure drop, high combustion efficiency and with a very low overall level of emission pollutants. The use of catalytic combustion, however, requires advanced technology generation in order to obtain the time-temperature catalytic reactor performance and durability required for practical aircraft engine combustors.

Prediction of Occult Invasive Disease in Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Using Deep Learning Features.

PubMed

Shi, Bibo; Grimm, Lars J; Mazurowski, Maciej A; Baker, Jay A; Marks, Jeffrey R; King, Lorraine M; Maley, Carlo C; Hwang, E Shelley; Lo, Joseph Y

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether deep features extracted from digital mammograms using a pretrained deep convolutional neural network are prognostic of occult invasive disease for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) on core needle biopsy. In this retrospective study, digital mammographic magnification views were collected for 99 subjects with DCIS at biopsy, 25 of which were subsequently upstaged to invasive cancer. A deep convolutional neural network model that was pretrained on nonmedical images (eg, animals, plants, instruments) was used as the feature extractor. Through a statistical pooling strategy, deep features were extracted at different levels of convolutional layers from the lesion areas, without sacrificing the original resolution or distorting the underlying topology. A multivariate classifier was then trained to predict which tumors contain occult invasive disease. This was compared with the performance of traditional "handcrafted" computer vision (CV) features previously developed specifically to assess mammographic calcifications. The generalization performance was assessed using Monte Carlo cross-validation and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Deep features were able to distinguish DCIS with occult invasion from pure DCIS, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.70 (95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.73). This performance was comparable with the handcrafted CV features (area under the curve = 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.71) that were designed with prior domain knowledge. Despite being pretrained on only nonmedical images, the deep features extracted from digital mammograms demonstrated comparable performance with handcrafted CV features for the challenging task of predicting DCIS upstaging. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ROBucket: A low cost operant chamber based on the Arduino microcontroller.

PubMed

Devarakonda, Kavya; Nguyen, Katrina P; Kravitz, Alexxai V

2016-06-01

The operant conditioning chamber is a cornerstone of animal behavioral research. Operant boxes are used to assess learning and motivational behavior in animals, particularly for food and drug reinforcers. However, commercial operant chambers cost several thousands of dollars. We have constructed the Rodent Operant Bucket (ROBucket), an inexpensive and easily assembled open-source operant chamber based on the Arduino microcontroller platform, which can be used to train mice to respond for sucrose solution or other liquid reinforcers. The apparatus contains two nose pokes, a drinking well, and a solenoid-controlled liquid delivery system. ROBucket can run fixed ratio and progressive ratio training schedules, and can be programmed to run more complicated behavioral paradigms. Additional features such as motion sensing and video tracking can be added to the operant chamber through the array of widely available Arduino-compatible sensors. The design files and programming code are open source and available online for others to use.

OLED microdisplay design and materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wacyk, Ihor; Prache, Olivier; Ali, Tariq; Khayrullin, Ilyas; Ghosh, Amalkumar

2010-04-01

AMOLED microdisplays from eMagin Corporation are finding growing acceptance within the military display market as a result of their excellent power efficiency, wide operating temperature range, small size and weight, good system flexibility, and ease of use. The latest designs have also demonstrated improved optical performance including better uniformity, contrast, MTF, and color gamut. eMagin's largest format display is currently the SXGA design, which includes features such as a 30-bit wide RGB digital interface, automatic luminance regulation from -45 to +70°C, variable gamma control, and a dynamic range exceeding 50:000 to 1. This paper will highlight the benefits of eMagin's latest microdisplay designs and review the roadmap for next generation devices. The ongoing development of reduced size pixels and larger format displays (up to WUXGA) as well as new OLED device architecture (e.g. high-brightness yellow) will be discussed. Approaches being explored for improved performance in next generation designs such as lowpower serial interfaces, high frame rate operation, and new operational modes for reduction of motion artifacts will also be described. These developments should continue to enhance the appeal of AMOLED microdisplays for a broad spectrum of near-to-the-eye applications such as night vision, simulation and training, situational awareness, augmented reality, medical imaging, and mobile video entertainment and gaming.

Study of selected tether applications in space, phase 3, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

The results of a Phase 3 study of two Selected Tether Applications in Space (STAIS); deorbit of a Shuttle and launch of an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV), both from the space station using a tether were examined. The study objectives were to: perform a preliminary engineering design, define operational scenarios, develop a common cost model, perform cost benefits analyses, and develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Key features of the performance analysis were to identify the net increases in effective Shuttle cargo capability if tethers are used to assist in the deorbit of Shuttles and the launching of the OTVs from the space station and to define deployer system designs required to accomplish these tasks. Deployer concepts were designed and discussed. Operational scenarios, including timelines, for both tethered and nontethered Shuttle and OTV operations at the space station were evaluated. A summary discussion of the Selected Tether Applications Cost Model (STACOM) and the results of the cost benefits analysis are presented. Several critical technologies needed to implement tether assisted deployment of payloads are also discussed. Conclusions and recommendations are presented.