Rotating Biological Contactors (RBC's). Student Manual. Biological Treatment Process Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zickefoose, Charles S.

This student manual provides the textual material for a unit on rotating biological contactors (RBC's). Topic areas considered include: (1) flow patterns of water through RBC installations; (2) basic concepts (shaft and stage); (3) characteristics of biomass; (4) mechanical features (bearings, mechanical drive systems, and air drive systems); (5)…

A high-speed, large-capacity, 'jukebox' optical disk system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ammon, G. J.; Calabria, J. A.; Thomas, D. T.

1985-01-01

Two optical disk 'jukebox' mass storage systems which provide access to any data in a store of 10 to the 13th bits (1250G bytes) within six seconds have been developed. The optical disk jukebox system is divided into two units, including a hardware/software controller and a disk drive. The controller provides flexibility and adaptability, through a ROM-based microcode-driven data processor and a ROM-based software-driven control processor. The cartridge storage module contains 125 optical disks housed in protective cartridges. Attention is given to a conceptual view of the disk drive unit, the NASA optical disk system, the NASA database management system configuration, the NASA optical disk system interface, and an open systems interconnect reference model.

Wire-Guide Manipulator For Automated Welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Tim; White, Kevin; Gordon, Steve; Emerich, Dave; Richardson, Dave; Faulkner, Mike; Stafford, Dave; Mccutcheon, Kim; Neal, Ken; Milly, Pete

1994-01-01

Compact motor drive positions guide for welding filler wire. Drive part of automated wire feeder in partly or fully automated welding system. Drive unit contains three parallel subunits. Rotations of lead screws in three subunits coordinated to obtain desired motions in three degrees of freedom. Suitable for both variable-polarity plasma arc welding and gas/tungsten arc welding.

Solar thermochemical processing system and method

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

Wegeng, Robert S.; Humble, Paul H.; Krishnan, Shankar

A solar thermochemical processing system is disclosed. The system includes a first unit operation for receiving concentrated solar energy. Heat from the solar energy is used to drive the first unit operation. The first unit operation also receives a first set of reactants and produces a first set of products. A second unit operation receives the first set of products from the first unit operation and produces a second set of products. A third unit operation receives heat from the second unit operation to produce a portion of the first set of reactants.

Space shuttle orbiter auxiliary power unit development challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lance, R.; Weary, D.

1985-01-01

When the flying spacecraft was approved for development, a power unit for the hydraulic system had to be developed. Unlike other systems on the orbiter, there was no precedent in earlier spacecraft for a hydraulic system nor for the power unit to drive the hydraulic pumps. The only prototypes available were airplane auxiliary power units (APU), which were not required to operate in the severe environments of a spacecraft nor to have the longevity of an orbiter hydraulic power unit. The challenge was to build a hydraulic power unit which could operate in 0g or 3g, in a vacuum or at sea level pressure, and at -65 F or 225 F, which would be capable of restarting while hot, and which would be capable of sustaining the hydraulic loads for the life of the orbiter. The basic approach to providing hydraulic power for the orbiter was to use a small, high speed, monopropellant fueled turbine power unit to drive a conventional aircraft type hydraulic pump. The stringent requirements imposed on the orbiter APU quickly made this machine different from existing aircraft APUs.

Refrigeration system with a compressor-pump unit and a liquid-injection desuperheating line

DOEpatents

Gaul, Christopher J.

2001-01-01

The refrigeration system includes a compressor-pump unit and/or a liquid-injection assembly. The refrigeration system is a vapor-compression refrigeration system that includes an expansion device, an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and a liquid pump between the condenser and the expansion device. The liquid pump improves efficiency of the refrigeration system by increasing the pressure of, thus subcooling, the liquid refrigerant delivered from the condenser to the expansion device. The liquid pump and the compressor are driven by a single driving device and, in this regard, are coupled to a single shaft of a driving device, such as a belt-drive, an engine, or an electric motor. While the driving device may be separately contained, in a preferred embodiment, the liquid pump, the compressor, and the driving device (i.e., an electric motor) are contained within a single sealable housing having pump and driving device cooling paths to subcool liquid refrigerant discharged from the liquid pump and to control the operating temperature of the driving device. In another aspect of the present invention, a liquid injection assembly is included in a refrigeration system to divert liquid refrigerant from the discharge of a liquid pressure amplification pump to a compressor discharge pathway within a compressor housing to desuperheat refrigerant vapor to the saturation point within the compressor housing. The liquid injection assembly includes a liquid injection pipe with a control valve to meter the volume of diverted liquid refrigerant. The liquid injection assembly may also include a feedback controller with a microprocessor responsive to a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor both positioned between the compressor to operate the control valve to maintain the refrigerant at or near saturation.

Matching of energetic, mechanic and control characteristics of positioning actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Y Nosova, N.; Misyurin, S. Yu; Kreinin, G. V.

2017-12-01

The problem of preliminary choice of parameters of the automated drive power channel is discussed. The drive of the mechatronic complex divides into two main units - power and control. The first determines the energy capabilities and, as a rule, the overall dimensions of the complex. The sufficient capacity of the power unit is a necessary condition for successful solution of control tasks without excessive complication of the control system structure. Preliminary selection of parameters is carried out based on the condition of providing the necessary drive power. The proposed approach is based on: a research of a sufficiently developed but not excessive dynamic model of the power block with the help of a conditional test control system; a transition to a normalized model with the formation of similarity criteria; constructing the synthesis procedure.

Proposal for massively parallel data storage system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mansuripur, M.

1992-01-01

An architecture for integrating large numbers of data storage units (drives) to form a distributed mass storage system is proposed. The network of interconnected units consists of nodes and links. At each node there resides a controller board, a data storage unit and, possibly, a local/remote user-terminal. The links (twisted-pair wires, coax cables, or fiber-optic channels) provide the communications backbone of the network. There is no central controller for the system as a whole; all decisions regarding allocation of resources, routing of messages and data-blocks, creation and distribution of redundant data-blocks throughout the system (for protection against possible failures), frequency of backup operations, etc., are made locally at individual nodes. The system can handle as many user-terminals as there are nodes in the network. Various users compete for resources by sending their requests to the local controller-board and receiving allocations of time and storage space. In principle, each user can have access to the entire system, and all drives can be running in parallel to service the requests for one or more users. The system is expandable up to a maximum number of nodes, determined by the number of routing-buffers built into the controller boards. Additional drives, controller-boards, user-terminals, and links can be simply plugged into an existing system in order to expand its capacity.

Application of PBL in the Course Fluid and Electrical Drive Systems, Case Study: Manufacturing an Automated Punch Machine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sedaghat, Ahmad; AlJundub, Mohammad; Eilaghi, Armin; Bani-Hani, Ehab; Sabri, Farhad; Mbarki, Raouf; Assad, M. El Haj

2017-01-01

The PBL unit of fluid and electrical drive systems is taught in final semester of undergraduates in mechanical engineering department of the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK). The recent project on an automated punching machine is discovered more appealing to both students and instructors in triggering new ideas and satisfaction end results. In…

Economic and policy factors driving adoption of institutional woody biomass heating systems in the United States

Treesearch

Jesse D. Young; Nathaniel M. Anderson; Helen T. Naughton; Katrina Mullan

2018-01-01

Abundant stocks of woody biomass that are associated with active forest management can be used as fuel for bioenergy in many applications. Though factors driving large-scale biomass use in industrial settings have been studied extensively, small-scale biomass combustion systems commonly used by institutions for heating have received less attention. A zero inflated...

A compact, low jitter, nanosecond rise time, high voltage pulse generator with variable amplitude.

PubMed

Mao, Jiubing; Wang, Xin; Tang, Dan; Lv, Huayi; Li, Chengxin; Shao, Yanhua; Qin, Lan

2012-07-01

In this paper, a compact, low jitter, nanosecond rise time, command triggered, high peak power, gas-switch pulse generator system is developed for high energy physics experiment. The main components of the system are a high voltage capacitor, the spark gap switch and R = 50 Ω load resistance built into a structure to obtain a fast high power pulse. The pulse drive unit, comprised of a vacuum planar triode and a stack of avalanche transistors, is command triggered by a single or multiple TTL (transistor-transistor logic) level pulses generated by a trigger pulse control unit implemented using the 555 timer circuit. The control unit also accepts user input TTL trigger signal. The vacuum planar triode in the pulse driving unit that close the first stage switches is applied to drive the spark gap reducing jitter. By adjusting the charge voltage of a high voltage capacitor charging power supply, the pulse amplitude varies from 5 kV to 10 kV, with a rise time of <3 ns and the maximum peak current up to 200 A (into 50 Ω). The jitter of the pulse generator system is less than 1 ns. The maximum pulse repetition rate is set at 10 Hz that limited only by the gas-switch and available capacitor recovery time.

Accounting for Student Success: An Empirical Analysis of the Origins and Spread of State Student Unit-Record Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hearn, James C.; McLendon, Michael K.; Mokher, Christine G.

2008-01-01

This event history analysis explores factors driving the emergence over recent decades of comprehensive state-level student unit-record [SUR] systems, a potentially powerful tool for increasing student success. Findings suggest that the adoption of these systems is rooted in demand and ideological factors. Larger states, states with high…

78 FR 67437 - Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls: Notifications to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-12

... improved Air Defense Ground Environment (ADGE) System for end-use by NATO. The United States government is... the Weapons Bay Door Drive System for all variants of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The United... support of the manufacture, assembly and installation of the Environmental Control System (ECS) used on...

Emergency Warning Systems. Part 2. Warning Systems - Evaluation Guidelines.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

ELEMENT. PROJECT. TASK AREA A WORK UNIT NUMBERS PRC Voorhees Work Unit 2234G 1500 Planning Research Drive McLean, Virginia 22102 ___ 11. CONTROLLING ...different from Controlling Office) IS. SECURITY CLASS. (of this report) Unclassified 15a. DECLASSIFICATION/DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE 16. DISTRIBUTION...systems that control these warning systems are discussed. Test results of several warning systems are included along with a discussion of sound

Control of adaptive optic element displacement with the help of a magnetic rheology drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deulin, Eugeni A.; Mikhailov, Valeri P.; Sytchev, Victor V.

2000-10-01

The control system of adaptive optic of a large astronomical segmentated telescope was designed and tested. The dynamic model and the amplitude-frequency analysis of the new magnetic rheology (MR) drive are presented. The loop controlled drive consists of hydrostatic carrier, MR hydraulic loop controlling system, elastic thin wall seal, stainless seal which are united in a single three coordinate manipulator. This combination ensures short positioning error (delta) (phi)

Effect of operating frequency and phase angle on performance of Alpha Stirling cryocooler driven by a novel compact mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sant, K. D.; Bapat, S. L.

2015-12-01

Amongst the mechanical cryocoolers in use, Stirling cycle cryocoolers exhibit the desirable features such as high efficiency, low specific power consumption, small size and mass and large mean time before failure. Stirling cycle cryocooler of Alpha configuration exhibits better theoretical performance as compared to Gamma. However, the theory could not be put into practice due to unavailability of compatible drive mechanism for Alpha cryocooler providing large stroke to diameter ratio. The concept of novel compact drive mechanism can be made functional to operate miniature Alpha Stirling cryocoolers. It allows the use of multicylinder system while converting rotary motion to reciprocating. This permits the drive mechanism to be employed for driving different configurations of Stirling cryocooler simultaneously. This drive is capable of providing large stroke to diameter ratio compared to other drive mechanisms generally in use for the purpose. A stroke to diameter ratio of three is chosen in the present work and the drive dimensions are calculated for four piston-cylinder arrangements with 90° phase difference between adjacent arrangements providing two Alpha Stirling cryocoolers working simultaneously. It has to be noted that the coolers operate at half the frequency of the motor used. As the two coolers operate at phase difference of 180°, during compression stroke of one unit, the suction stroke occurs for the other unit. Due to power output of second unit, the combined peak torque requirement falls by 26.81% below the peak torque needed when one unit is operated separately. This allows for use of a comparatively lower torque motor. The practicability of the drive ensuring smooth operation of the system is decided based on comparison between torque availability from the motor and torque requirement of the complete unit. The second order method of cyclic (or thermodynamic) analysis provides a simple computational procedure useful for the design of Stirling cryocooler and is adopted for the present theoretical investigations. An appropriate choice of the equations to compute different losses, from available co-relations, is made in accordance with the conditions existing in the present system. The effects of operating frequency and phase angle between compressor and expander pistons are presented in this paper. The cryocooler performance enhances with increase in operating frequency. However, cryocooler operation at 24 Hz (motor operation at 48 Hz) is considered for theoretical performance prediction. The maximum net refrigeration effect as well as COP is available at phase angle of 81° However, it is essential to fix the phase angle at 90° for both the cryocoolers for the positive functioning of drive mechanism.

Trends in Fatalities From Distracted Driving in the United States, 1999 to 2008

PubMed Central

Stimpson, Jim P.

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined trends in distracted driving fatalities and their relation to cell phone use and texting volume. Methods. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) records data on all road fatalities that occurred on public roads in the United States from 1999 to 2008. We studied trends in distracted driving fatalities, driver and crash characteristics, and trends in cell phone use and texting volume. We used multivariate regression analysis to estimate the relation between state-level distracted driving fatalities and texting volumes. Results. After declining from 1999 to 2005, fatalities from distracted driving increased 28% after 2005, rising from 4572 fatalities to 5870 in 2008. Crashes increasingly involved male drivers driving alone in collisions with roadside obstructions in urban areas. By use of multivariate analyses, we predicted that increasing texting volumes resulted in more than 16 000 additional road fatalities from 2001 to 2007. Conclusions. Distracted driving is a growing public safety hazard. Specifically, the dramatic rise in texting volume since 2005 appeared to be contributing to an alarming rise in distracted driving fatalities. Legislation enacting texting bans should be paired with effective enforcement to deter drivers from using cell phones while driving. PMID:20864709

Trends in fatalities from distracted driving in the United States, 1999 to 2008.

PubMed

Wilson, Fernando A; Stimpson, Jim P

2010-11-01

We examined trends in distracted driving fatalities and their relation to cell phone use and texting volume. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) records data on all road fatalities that occurred on public roads in the United States from 1999 to 2008. We studied trends in distracted driving fatalities, driver and crash characteristics, and trends in cell phone use and texting volume. We used multivariate regression analysis to estimate the relation between state-level distracted driving fatalities and texting volumes. After declining from 1999 to 2005, fatalities from distracted driving increased 28% after 2005, rising from 4572 fatalities to 5870 in 2008. Crashes increasingly involved male drivers driving alone in collisions with roadside obstructions in urban areas. By use of multivariate analyses, we predicted that increasing texting volumes resulted in more than 16,000 additional road fatalities from 2001 to 2007. Distracted driving is a growing public safety hazard. Specifically, the dramatic rise in texting volume since 2005 appeared to be contributing to an alarming rise in distracted driving fatalities. Legislation enacting texting bans should be paired with effective enforcement to deter drivers from using cell phones while driving.

The impact of various distance between axes of worm gear on torque value. Worm gear test stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobek, M.; Baier, A.; Grabowski, Ł.

2017-08-01

Transferring both rotational and translational movements in systems used in the automotive industry is a very important and complex issue. In addition, the situation becomes much more difficult and complicated when the design of the transition system requires a high precision of operation as well as a well definite and long operating life. Such requirements are imposed on all components of today’s motor vehicles. However, particular attention is paid to the elements that directly or indirectly affect the safety of persons traveling in the vehicle. Such components are undoubtedly components included as parts of the steering system of the vehicle. Power steering systems have been present in motor vehicles for more than a century. They go through continuous metamorphosis and they are getting better and better. Current power steering systems are based on an electric motor and some kind of transmission. Depending on the position of the drive relative to the steering column, different configurations of the transmission are used. This article will cover issues related to tests of power steering gearing using a worm drive. The worm drive is a very specific example of a propulsion system that uses twisted axles. Normally, in this type of transition you can find two gear units with the axis mounted with a 90° angle between. The components of the worm drive are a worm and a worm gear, also called a worm wheel. In terms of the geometrical form, the worm resembles a helical spur gear. The shape of the worm is similar to the shape of a screw with a trapezoidal thread. A correct matching of these two components ensures proper operation of the entire transmission. Incorrect positioning of the components in relation to each other can significantly reduce the lifetime of the drive unit, and also lead to abnormal work, eg by raising the noise level. This article describes a test method of finding the appropriate distance between the axles of both worm drive units by testing the torque change during gear operation.

Driver assistance system for passive multi-trailer vehicles with haptic steering limitations on the leading unit.

PubMed

Morales, Jesús; Mandow, Anthony; Martínez, Jorge L; Reina, Antonio J; García-Cerezo, Alfonso

2013-04-03

Driving vehicles with one or more passive trailers has difficulties in both forward and backward motion due to inter-unit collisions, jackknife, and lack of visibility. Consequently, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for multi-trailer combinations can be beneficial to accident avoidance as well as to driver comfort. The ADAS proposed in this paper aims to prevent unsafe steering commands by means of a haptic handwheel. Furthermore, when driving in reverse, the steering-wheel and pedals can be used as if the vehicle was driven from the back of the last trailer with visual aid from a rear-view camera. This solution, which can be implemented in drive-by-wire vehicles with hitch angle sensors, profits from two methods previously developed by the authors: safe steering by applying a curvature limitation to the leading unit, and a virtual tractor concept for backward motion that includes the complex case of set-point propagation through on-axle hitches. The paper addresses system requirements and provides implementation details to tele-operate two different off- and on-axle combinations of a tracked mobile robot pulling and pushing two dissimilar trailers.

Space imaging infrared optical guidance for autonomous ground vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, Akira; Kobayashi, Nobuaki; Mutoh, Eiichiro; Kumagai, Hideo; Yamada, Hirofumi; Ishii, Hiromitsu

2008-08-01

We have developed the Space Imaging Infrared Optical Guidance for Autonomous Ground Vehicle based on the uncooled infrared camera and focusing technique to detect the objects to be evaded and to set the drive path. For this purpose we made servomotor drive system to control the focus function of the infrared camera lens. To determine the best focus position we use the auto focus image processing of Daubechies wavelet transform technique with 4 terms. From the determined best focus position we transformed it to the distance of the object. We made the aluminum frame ground vehicle to mount the auto focus infrared unit. Its size is 900mm long and 800mm wide. This vehicle mounted Ackerman front steering system and the rear motor drive system. To confirm the guidance ability of the Space Imaging Infrared Optical Guidance for Autonomous Ground Vehicle we had the experiments for the detection ability of the infrared auto focus unit to the actual car on the road and the roadside wall. As a result the auto focus image processing based on the Daubechies wavelet transform technique detects the best focus image clearly and give the depth of the object from the infrared camera unit.

Driver Assistance System for Passive Multi-Trailer Vehicles with Haptic Steering Limitations on the Leading Unit

PubMed Central

Morales, Jesús; Mandow, Anthony; Martínez, Jorge L.; Reina, Antonio J.; García-Cerezo, Alfonso

2013-01-01

Driving vehicles with one or more passive trailers has difficulties in both forward and backward motion due to inter-unit collisions, jackknife, and lack of visibility. Consequently, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for multi-trailer combinations can be beneficial to accident avoidance as well as to driver comfort. The ADAS proposed in this paper aims to prevent unsafe steering commands by means of a haptic handwheel. Furthermore, when driving in reverse, the steering-wheel and pedals can be used as if the vehicle was driven from the back of the last trailer with visual aid from a rear-view camera. This solution, which can be implemented in drive-by-wire vehicles with hitch angle sensors, profits from two methods previously developed by the authors: safe steering by applying a curvature limitation to the leading unit, and a virtual tractor concept for backward motion that includes the complex case of set-point propagation through on-axle hitches. The paper addresses system requirements and provides implementation details to tele-operate two different off- and on-axle combinations of a tracked mobile robot pulling and pushing two dissimilar trailers. PMID:23552102

AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL MAINTENANCE 1. UNIT XXII, I--MAINTAINING THE FUEL SYSTEM (PART I)--CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE, II--UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENTIAL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul. Div. of Vocational and Technical Education.

THIS MODULE OF A 30-MODULE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DIESEL ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM AND DIFFERENTIAL DRIVE UNITS USED IN DIESEL POWERED VEHICLES. TOPICS ARE (1) FUEL SYSTEM COMPARISONS, (2) FUEL SYSTEM SUPPLY COMPONENTS, (3) FUEL SUPPLY SECTION MAINTENANCE, (4) FUNCTION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL,…

78 FR 18479 - Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Pass Manchac, LA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-27

... governing the operation of the Canadian National (CN) Railroad automated bascule span drawbridge across Pass... necessary to upgrade the electrical drive system and replace the seals on the gear drive unit that operates... Operations, telephone 202-366-9826. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CN Railroad has requested a temporary...

Portable Mass Spectrometer Applications for In Situ Environmental Gas Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Timothy P.; Diaz, J. Andres; Arkin, C. Richard; Conejo, Elian

2005-01-01

Primary Goal of this project is to (1) Design/build a flexible system to monitor air contamination (2) Learn requirements for operating system in low pressure and low temperature environments (3) Design/build system for integration into aircraft and automobiles Secondary Goals/Offshoots are (1) Fly aboard different aircraft (2)Hand-carry unit (3) Drive unit in automobiles.

Electric propulsion system for wheeled vehicles

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

Ramos, J.A.

1981-11-03

An electric propulsion system for a wheeled vehicle has a generator and motor connected to a drive shaft and an electrical system for charging a battery during all conditions of power transfer from the wheels of the vehicle to the generator to minimize energy required for propulsion. A variable speed power coupling unit connecting the motor to the drive shaft has sprockets revolving about a belt connected sun sprocket with speed control effected by varying the rate of satellite sprocket rotation.

Development of portable health monitoring system for automatic self-blood glucose measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Huijun; Mizuno, Yoshihumi; Nakamachi, Eiji; Morita, Yusuke

2010-02-01

In this study, a new HMS (Health Monitoring System) device is developed for diabetic patient. This device mainly consists of I) 3D blood vessel searching unit and II) automatic blood glucose measurement (ABGM) unit. This device has features such as 1)3D blood vessel location search 2) laptop type, 3) puncturing a blood vessel by using a minimally invasive micro-needle, 4) very little blood sampling (10μl), and 5) automatic blood extraction and blood glucose measurement. In this study, ABGM unit is described in detail. It employs a syringe type's blood extraction mechanism because of its high accuracy. And it consists of the syringe component and the driving component. The syringe component consists of a syringe itself, a piston, a magnet, a ratchet and a micro-needle whose inner diameter is about 80μm. And the syringe component is disposable. The driving component consists of body parts, a linear stepping motor, a glucose enzyme sensor and a slider for accurate positioning control. The driving component has the all-in-one mechanism with a glucose enzyme sensor for compact size and stable blood transfer. On designing, required thrust force to drive the slider is designed to be greater than the value of the blood extraction force. Further, only one linear stepping motor is employed for blood extraction and transportation processes. The experimental result showed more than 80% of volume ratio under the piston speed 2.4mm/s. Further, the blood glucose was measured successfully by using the prototype unit. Finally, the availability of our ABGM unit was confirmed.

Bus driving assistance system for town area by using ATmega328P microcontroller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Mohamad Fauzi; Soon, Tan Jiah; Rohani, Munzilah Md

2017-09-01

Recently, several bus accidents happened because of bus driver's behavior. In fact, there is no dedicated tool for assisting them to drive safely. This project gives solutions to this by assisting the driver, according to the speed and acceleration of the bus. These data are collected by using a motion processing unit (MPU-6050) and a global positioning system (GPS) and then indicate the driving mode status on the LEDs. All data and status are recorded in a secure digital (SD) card for the authority or the bus company to analyze the driving behavior of a bus driver. This system has been successfully developed and tested in two different areas which includes the UTHM main campus and the road from Parit Raja to Batu Pahat.

Using naturalistic driving films as a design tool for investigating driver requirements in HMI design for ADAS.

PubMed

Wang, Minjuan; Sun, Dong; Chen, Fang

2012-01-01

In recent years, there are many naturalistic driving projects have been conducted, such as the 100-Car Project (Naturalistic Driving study in United State), EuroFOT(European Large-Scale Field Operational Tests on Vehicle Systems), SeMi- FOT(Sweden Michigan Naturalistic Field Operational Test and etc. However, those valuable naturalistic driving data hasn't been applied into Human-machine Interaction (HMI) design for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), a good HMI design for ADAS requires a deep understanding of drive environment and the interactions between the driving car and other road users in different situations. The results demonstrated the benefits of using naturalistic driving films as a mean for enhancing focus group discussion for better understanding driver's needs and traffic environment constraints. It provided an efficient tool for designers to have inside knowledge about drive and the needs for information presentation; The recommendations for how to apply this method is discussed in the paper.

Motorcycle Repair.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hein, Jim; Bundy, Mike

This motorcycle repair curriculum guide contains the following ten areas of study: brake systems, clutches, constant mesh transmissions, final drives, suspension, mechanical starting mechanisms, electrical systems, fuel systems, lubrication systems, and overhead camshafts. Each area consists of one or more units of instruction. Each instructional…

Test Results from a Direct Drive Gas Reactor Simulator Coupled to a Brayton Power Conversion Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hervol, David S.; Briggs, Maxwell H.; Owen, Albert K.; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Godfroy, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

Component level testing of power conversion units proposed for use in fission surface power systems has typically been done using relatively simple electric heaters for thermal input. These heaters do not adequately represent the geometry or response of proposed reactors. As testing of fission surface power systems transitions from the component level to the system level it becomes necessary to more accurately replicate these reactors using reactor simulators. The Direct Drive Gas-Brayton Power Conversion Unit test activity at the NASA Glenn Research Center integrates a reactor simulator with an existing Brayton test rig. The response of the reactor simulator to a change in Brayton shaft speed is shown as well as the response of the Brayton to an insertion of reactivity, corresponding to a drum reconfiguration. The lessons learned from these tests can be used to improve the design of future reactor simulators which can be used in system level fission surface power tests.

Friction self-oscillation decrease in nonlinear system of locomotive traction drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antipin, D. Ya; Vorobiyov, V. I.; Izmerov, O. V.; Shorokhov, S. G.; Bondarenko, D. A.

2017-02-01

The problems of the friction self-oscillation decrease in a nonlinear system of a locomotive traction drive are considered. It is determined that the self-oscillation amplitude decrease in a locomotive wheel pair during boxing in traction drives with an elastic linkage between an armature of a traction electric motor and gearing can be achieved due to drive damping capacity during impact vibro-damping in an axle reduction gear with a hard driven gear. The self-oscillation amplitude reduction in a wheel pair in the designs of locomotive traction drives with the location of elastic elements between a wheel pair and gearing can be obtained owing to the application of drive inertial masses as an anti-vibrator. On the basis of the carried out investigations, a design variant of a self-oscillation shock absorber of a traction electric motor framework on a reduction gear suspension with an absorber located beyond a wheel-motor unit was offered.

Onboard System Evaluation of Rotors Vibration, Engines (OBSERVE) monitoring System

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

consists of a Data Acquisiiton Unit (DAU), Control and Display Unit ( CADU ), Universal Tracking Devices (UTD), Remote Cockpit Display (RCD) and a PC...and Display Unit ( CADU ) - The CADU provides data storage and a graphical user interface neccesary to display both the measured data and diagnostic...information. The CADU has an interface to a Credit Card Memory (CCM) which operates similar to a disk drive, allowing the storage of data and programs. The

Development of the CLAES instrument aperture door system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stubbs, D. M.

1990-01-01

The design, assembly, and test processes followed in developing a space-qualified aperture door system are described. A blackbody calibration source is mounted inside the door, requiring the assembly to open and close a minimum of 150 cycles for instrument recalibration. Within the door system are four separate mechanisms, three of which are redundant; a pyro launch latch, a hinge bearing assembly, and a pair of pivot mechanisms. Decoupling devices within the pivot mechanisms allow an active drive unit to automatically overdrive a failed drive unit. The door is also stowable for possible Shuttle retrieval and re-entry. Illustrations and photographs of the flight hardware help acquaint the reader with the design. The aim is to pass on lessons learned in all phases of developing this spaceflight mechanism.

Ground test challenges in the development of the Space Shuttle orbiter auxiliary power unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaffee, N. H.; Lance, R. J.; Weary, D. P.

1984-01-01

A conventional aircraft hydraulic system design approach was selected to provide fluid power for the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Developing the power unit, known as the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), to drive the hydraulic pumps presented a major technological challenge. A small, high speed turbine drive unit powered by catalytically decomposed hydrazine and operating in the pulse mode was selected to meet the requirement. Because of limitations of vendor test facilities, significant portions of the development, flight qualification, and postflight anomaly testing of the Orbiter APU were accomplished at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) test facilities. This paper discusses the unique requirements of attitude, gravity forces, pressure profiles, and thermal environments which had to be satisfied by the APU, and presents the unique test facility and simulation techniques employed to meet the ground test requirements. In particular, the development of the zero-g lubrication system, the development of necessary APU thermal control techniques, the accomplishment of integrated systems tests, and the postflight investigation of the APU lube oil cooler behavior are discussed.

Control system for several rotating mirror camera synchronization operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ningwen; Wu, Yunfeng; Tan, Xianxiang; Lai, Guoji

1997-05-01

This paper introduces a single chip microcomputer control system for synchronization operation of several rotating mirror high-speed cameras. The system consists of four parts: the microcomputer control unit (including the synchronization part and precise measurement part and the time delay part), the shutter control unit, the motor driving unit and the high voltage pulse generator unit. The control system has been used to control the synchronization working process of the GSI cameras (driven by a motor) and FJZ-250 rotating mirror cameras (driven by a gas driven turbine). We have obtained the films of the same objective from different directions in different speed or in same speed.

Deterring Drinking and Driving: The Australian Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Dale E.; Berger, Peggy M.

This paper begins by noting that recent efforts in the United States to reduce the incidence of alcohol-impaired driving have not been very effective and suggests that for efforts to be effective, they must raise the actual risk of punishment to a level that cannot be ignored by potential offenders. It then describes an effective system of…

STS-31: APU Controller Removal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The launch April 10 of the STS-31 was scrubbed at T-4 minutes due to a faulty valve in auxiliary power unit (APU) number one. The auxiliary power unit is a hydrazine-fueled, turbine-driven power unit that generates mechanical shaft power to drive a hydraulic pump that produces pressure for the orbiter's hydraulic system. This video shows the removal of the STS-31's auxiliary power unit (APU).

LANDSAT-D flight segment operations manual, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varhola, J.

1982-01-01

Hardware, systems, and subsystems for the multimission modular spacecraft used for LANDSAT 4 are described and depicted in block diagrams and schematics. Components discussed include the modular attitude control system; the communication and data handling subsystem; the narrowband tape recorder; the on-board computer; the propulsion module subsystem; the signal conditioning and control unit; the modular power subsystem; the solar array drive and power transmission assembly; the power distribution unit; the digital processing unit; and the wideband communication subsystem.

Traction sheave elevator, hoisting unit and machine space

DOEpatents

Hakala, Harri; Mustalahti, Jorma; Aulanko, Esko

2000-01-01

Traction sheave elevator consisting of an elevator car moving along elevator guide rails, a counterweight moving along counterweight guide rails, a set of hoisting ropes (3) on which the elevator car and counterweight are suspended, and a drive machine unit (6) driving a traction sheave (7) acting on the hoisting ropes (3) and placed in the elevator shaft. The drive machine unit (6) is of a flat construction. A wall of the elevator shaft is provided with a machine space with its open side facing towards the shaft, the essential parts of the drive machine unit (6) being placed in the space. The hoisting unit (9) of the traction sheave elevator consists of a substantially discoidal drive machine unit (6) and an instrument panel (8) mounted on the frame (20) of the hoisting unit.

Electromagnetic interference modeling and suppression techniques in variable-frequency drive systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Le; Wang, Shuo; Feng, Jianghua

2017-11-01

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) causes electromechanical damage to the motors and degrades the reliability of variable-frequency drive (VFD) systems. Unlike fundamental frequency components in motor drive systems, high-frequency EMI noise, coupled with the parasitic parameters of the trough system, are difficult to analyze and reduce. In this article, EMI modeling techniques for different function units in a VFD system, including induction motors, motor bearings, and rectifierinverters, are reviewed and evaluated in terms of applied frequency range, model parameterization, and model accuracy. The EMI models for the motors are categorized based on modeling techniques and model topologies. Motor bearing and shaft models are also reviewed, and techniques that are used to eliminate bearing current are evaluated. Modeling techniques for conventional rectifierinverter systems are also summarized. EMI noise suppression techniques, including passive filter, Wheatstone bridge balance, active filter, and optimized modulation, are reviewed and compared based on the VFD system models.

A drive unit for the instrument pointing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birner, R.; Roth, M.

1981-01-01

The requirements, capabilities, and unique design features of the instrument pointing system drive units (DU) are presented. The DU's are identical for all three gimbal axes (elevation, cross elevation, and azimuth) and provide alternating rotation of shaft versus the housing of + or - 180 deg. The design features include: two ball bearing cartridges using cemented carbide balls coated with TiC a layer; redundant brushless torque motors and resolvers; a load by-pass mechanism driven by a dc torque motor to off-load the bearings during ascent/descent, ground transportation, and to provide an emergency breaking capability; and cabling over each gimbal axis by means of cable follow-up consisting of 13 signal and 15 power flat band cable loops. Test results of disturbance torque characteristics are presented.

Direct drive options for electric propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamley, John A.

1995-01-01

Power processing units (PPU's) in an electric propulsion system provide many challenging integration issues. The PPU must provide power to the electric thruster while maintaining compatibility with all of the spacecraft power and data systems. Inefficiencies in the power processor produce heat, which must be radiated to the environment in order to ensure reliable operation. Although PPU efficiencies are generally greater than 0.9, heat loads are often substantial. This heat must be rejected by thermal control systems which generally have specific masses of 15-30 kg/kW. PPU's also represent a large fraction of the electric propulsion system dry mass. Simplification or elimination of power processing in a propulsion system would reduce the electric propulsion system specific mass and improve the overall reliability and performance. A direct drive system would eliminate all or some of the power supplies required to operate a thruster by directly connecting the various thruster loads to the solar array. The development of concentrator solar arrays has enabled power bus voltages in excess of 300 V which is high enough for direct drive applications for Hall thrusters such as the Stationary Plasma Thruster (SPT). The option of solar array direct drive for SPT's is explored to provide a comparison between conventional and direct drive system mass.

Design and development of low pressure evaporator/condenser unit for water-based adsorption type climate control systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkataramanan, Arjun; Rios Perez, Carlos A.; Hidrovo, Carlos H.

2016-11-01

Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of clean transportation and driving range is one of the important parameters which dictates its marketability. In order to increase driving range, electrical battery energy consumption should be minimized. Vapor-compression refrigeration systems currently employed in EVs for climate control consume a significant fraction of the battery charge. Thus, by replacing this traditional heating ventilation and air-conditioning system with an adsorption based climate control system one can have the capability of increasing the drive range of EVs.The Advanced Thermo-adsorptive Battery (ATB) for climate control is a water-based adsorption type refrigeration cycle. An essential component of the ATB is a low pressure evaporator/condenser unit (ECU) which facilitates both the evaporation and condensation processes. The thermal design of the ECU relies predominantly on the accurate prediction of evaporation/boiling heat transfer coefficients since the standard correlations for predicting boiling heat transfer coefficients have large uncertainty at the low operating pressures of the ATB. This work describes the design and development of a low pressure ECU as well as the thermal performance of the actual ECU prototype.

Space vehicle field unit and ground station system

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

Judd, Stephen; Dallmann, Nicholas; Delapp, Jerry

A field unit and ground station may use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and share a common architecture, where differences in functionality are governed by software. The field units and ground stations may be easy to deploy, relatively inexpensive, and be relatively easy to operate. A novel file system may be used where datagrams of a file may be stored across multiple drives and/or devices. The datagrams may be received out of order and reassembled at the receiving device.

Space vehicle field unit and ground station system

DOEpatents

Judd, Stephen; Dallmann, Nicholas; Delapp, Jerry; Proicou, Michael; Seitz, Daniel; Michel, John; Enemark, Donald

2016-10-25

A field unit and ground station may use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and share a common architecture, where differences in functionality are governed by software. The field units and ground stations may be easy to deploy, relatively inexpensive, and be relatively easy to operate. A novel file system may be used where datagrams of a file may be stored across multiple drives and/or devices. The datagrams may be received out of order and reassembled at the receiving device.

An Infrared Data Acquisition and Processing System

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

Display Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terminai High Speed Printer/Plotter . . . . Digital Tape Unit...In addition to the recently procured Honeywell Model 96 analog re- corder, a High Density digital tape unit is planned. This unit will increase the...diagram of Figure 1 we see that a Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) PDP-11/15 minicomputer with 28K of core memory drives the digital section of IRDAPS

Teen Driver Safety: Additional Research Could Help States Strengthen Graduated Driver Licensing Systems. Report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Its Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, House of Representatives. GAO-10-544

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Susan A.

2010-01-01

Teen drivers ages 16 to 20 have the highest fatality rate of any age group in the United States. As a result, states have increasingly adopted laws to limit teen driving exposure, such as Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) systems, which consist of three stages: a learner's permit allowing driving only under supervision; intermediate licensure…

A hierarchical framework of aquatic ecological units in North America (Nearctic Zone).

Treesearch

James R. Maxwell; Clayton J. Edwards; Mark E. Jensen; Steven J. Paustian; Harry Parrott; Donley M. Hill

1995-01-01

Proposes a framework for classifying and mapping aquatic systems at various scales using ecologically significant physical and biological criteria. Classification and mapping concepts follow tenets of hierarchical theory, pattern recognition, and driving variables. Criteria are provided for the hierarchical classification and mapping of aquatic ecological units of...

Study on Use of Fuel-Cell Auxiliary Power Units in Refrigerator Cars Employed for Delivery to Convenience Store

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katayama, Noboru; Kamiyama, Hideyuki; Kogoshi, Sumio; Kudo, Yusuke; Fukada, Takafumi; Ogawa, Makoto

The use of fuel-cell auxiliary power units (FC-APU) in refrigerator cars employed delivery to for convenience store delivery has been studied. The delivery pattern is assumed to be a typical pattern that includes driving between convenience stores or between a delivery center and a convenience store, unloading, driver's lunch break. The M15 driving mode, which simulates the driving condition in urban areas, is used as the driving mode in the delivery pattern. The FC-APU system includes a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEFC) module, an inverter, and DC/DC converter. Bench tests of the FC-APU are performed to determine the hydrogen fuel consumption rate and the energy efficiency; these values depend on the output power of the PEFC module. The calculated relationship between the output power and fuel consumption rate of a current used system, which consists of an alternator and a secondary battery, are used to estimate the energy efficiency of the current used system. On the basis of the measurement data in this study and the results for the model proposed by Brodric et al. [C. J. Brodrick et al., Trans. Res. D, vol 7, pp. 303 (2002)], the payback period is calculated. The results indicate that the payback period would be 2.1 years when the FC-APU operates at a load of 70%.

U.S. State and Federal Laws Targeting Distracted Driving

PubMed Central

Catherine Chase, J.D.

2014-01-01

Distracted driving has burgeoned with the proliferation of cell phones, global positioning systems and other in-vehicle and personal electronic devices. Annually more than 3,300 people are killed and an additional 400,000 are injured in the United States in distracted driving crashes. The United States (U.S.) federal and state governments have responded to this public health problem with policies and laws; however, a more comprehensive and more effective approach is still needed. Some restrictions on the use of electronic devices while driving by federal employees and some voluntary guidelines and recommendations have been issued. Public opinion polls show support for addressing the issue of distracted driving with state laws. The majority of states have laws banning text messaging while driving and prohibiting the use of an electronic device by teenage or novice drivers. Some states prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held cellphone. Currently no state has a total ban on the use of personal electronic devices while driving. Successful past traffic safety campaigns changing driver behavior have demonstrated the necessity to adopt a “three Es” approach of Enactment of a law, Education of the public about the law, and rigorous Enforcement of the law. Experience reveals that this approach, along with future federal regulation of in-vehicle electronic devices and the employment of technology to limit the use of electronic devices while driving, is needed to alter personal behavior in order to reduce distractions and keep drivers focused on the driving task. PMID:24776229

U.s. State and federal laws targeting distracted driving.

PubMed

Catherine Chase, J D

2014-01-01

Distracted driving has burgeoned with the proliferation of cell phones, global positioning systems and other in-vehicle and personal electronic devices. Annually more than 3,300 people are killed and an additional 400,000 are injured in the United States in distracted driving crashes. The United States (U.S.) federal and state governments have responded to this public health problem with policies and laws; however, a more comprehensive and more effective approach is still needed. Some restrictions on the use of electronic devices while driving by federal employees and some voluntary guidelines and recommendations have been issued. Public opinion polls show support for addressing the issue of distracted driving with state laws. The majority of states have laws banning text messaging while driving and prohibiting the use of an electronic device by teenage or novice drivers. Some states prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held cellphone. Currently no state has a total ban on the use of personal electronic devices while driving. Successful past traffic safety campaigns changing driver behavior have demonstrated the necessity to adopt a "three Es" approach of Enactment of a law, Education of the public about the law, and rigorous Enforcement of the law. Experience reveals that this approach, along with future federal regulation of in-vehicle electronic devices and the employment of technology to limit the use of electronic devices while driving, is needed to alter personal behavior in order to reduce distractions and keep drivers focused on the driving task.

30 CFR 75.1101-5 - Installation of foam generator systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Installation of foam generator systems. 75.1101...-5 Installation of foam generator systems. (a) Foam generator systems shall be located so as to discharge foam to the belt drive, belt takeup, electrical controls, gear reducing unit and the conveyor belt...

New approaches to enhance active steering system functionalities: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serarslan, Benan

2014-09-01

An important development of the steering systems in general is active steering systems like active front steering and steer-by-wire systems. In this paper the current functional possibilities in application of active steering systems are explored. A new approach and additional functionalities are presented that can be implemented to the active steering systems without additional hardware such as new sensors and electronic control units. Commercial active steering systems are controlling the steering angle depending on the driving situation only. This paper introduce methods for enhancing active steering system functionalities depending not only on the driving situation but also vehicle parameters like vehicle mass, tyre and road condition. In this regard, adaptation of the steering ratio as a function of above mentioned vehicle parameters is presented with examples. With some selected vehicle parameter changes, the reduction of the undesired influences on vehicle dynamics of these parameter changes has been demonstrated theoretically with simulations and with real-time driving measurements.

46 CFR 61.20-3 - Main and auxiliary machinery and associated equipment, including fluid control systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... control for the means of stopping machinery driving forced and induced draft fans, fuel oil transfer pumps, fuel oil unit pumps, and fans in the ventilation systems serving machinery and cargo spaces shall be...

SMART: The Future of Spaceflight Avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C.; Howard, David E.

2010-01-01

A novel avionics approach is necessary to meet the future needs of low cost space and lunar missions that require low mass and low power electronics. The current state of the art for avionics systems are centralized electronic units that perform the required spacecraft functions. These electronic units are usually custom-designed for each application and the approach compels avionics designers to have in-depth system knowledge before design can commence. The overall design, development, test and evaluation (DDT&E) cycle for this conventional approach requires long delivery times for space flight electronics and is very expensive. The Small Multi-purpose Advanced Reconfigurable Technology (SMART) concept is currently being developed to overcome the limitations of traditional avionics design. The SMART concept is based upon two multi-functional modules that can be reconfigured to drive and sense a variety of mechanical and electrical components. The SMART units are key to a distributed avionics architecture whereby the modules are located close to or right at the desired application point. The drive module, SMART-D, receives commands from the main computer and controls the spacecraft mechanisms and devices with localized feedback. The sensor module, SMART-S, is used to sense the environmental sensors and offload local limit checking from the main computer. There are numerous benefits that are realized by implementing the SMART system. Localized sensor signal conditioning electronics reduces signal loss and overall wiring mass. Localized drive electronics increase control bandwidth and minimize time lags for critical functions. These benefits in-turn reduce the main processor overhead functions. Since SMART units are standard flight qualified units, DDT&E is reduced and system design can commence much earlier in the design cycle. Increased production scale lowers individual piece part cost and using standard modules also reduces non-recurring costs. The benefit list continues, but the overall message is already evident: the SMART concept is an evolution in spacecraft avionics. SMART devices have the potential to change the design paradigm for future satellites, spacecraft and even commercial applications.

Oil well pump drive

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

Sanford, G.A.

1980-02-12

An oil well pump drive is disclosed including a drive unit that is hydraulically actuated by a double-acting hydraulic cylinder to reciprocate vertically. An endless chain is entrained over vertically spaced sprockets carried by the unit, with one flight of the chain anchored against vertical movement and the other flight is secured to the pump polish rod so that the vertical motion imparted to the polish rod is double that hydraulically imparted to the drive unit. The polish rod load on the chain is opposed by a counterweight connected thereto by a chain extending over an elevated pulley. The outputmore » of the hydraulic pump supplying the hydraulic cylinder is cam controlled so that the motion of the drive unit is smoothly decelerated and accelerated as the unit approaches and moves from the upper and lower limits of its movement.« less

Prototype Development of an Implantable Compliance Chamber for a Total Artificial Heart.

PubMed

Schmitz, Stephanie; Unthan, Kristin; Sedlaczek, Marc; Wald, Felix; Finocchiaro, Thomas; Spiliopoulos, Sotirios; Koerfer, Reiner; Steinseifer, Ulrich

2017-02-01

At our institute a total artificial heart is being developed. It is directly actuated by a linear drive in between two ventricles, which comprise membranes to separate the drive and blood flow. A compliance chamber (CC) is needed to reduce pressure peaks in the ventricles and to increase the pump capacity. Therefore, the movement of the membrane is supported by applying a negative pressure to the air volume inside the drive unit. This study presents the development of the implantable CC which is connected to the drive unit of the total artificial hearts (TAH). The anatomical fit of the CC is optimized by analyzing CT data and adapting the outer shape to ensure a proper fit. The pressure peaks are reduced by the additional volume and the flexible membrane of the CC. The validation measurements of change in pressure peaks and flow are performed using the complete TAH system connected to a custom mock circulation loop. Using the CC, the pressure peaks could be damped below 5 mm Hg in the operational range. The flow output was increased by up to 14.8% on the systemic side and 18.2% on the pulmonary side. The described implantable device can be used for upcoming chronic animal trials. © 2016 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bicycle Education, A New Dimension in 4-H Programs for 8-11 Year Olds: Designed into Three Teaching Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borst, William H.

The three teaching units in this packet are designed to help children ages 8 to 11 enjoy, utilize, and safely ride bicycles by mastering skills and knowledge pertaining to their bicycles, their driving ability, and the traffic system. Unit I is concerned with the bicycle and its parts, various kinds of bicycles, and proper size and maintenance.…

Analysis of the dynamics and frequency spectrum synthesis of an optical-mechanical scanning device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andryushkevichyus, A. I.; Kumpikas, A. L.; Kumpikas, K. L.

1973-01-01

A two-coordinate optical-mechanical scanning device (OMSD), the operating unit of which is a scanning disk, with directional and focusing optics and a board, on which the data carrier is placed, is examined. The disk and board are kinematically connected by a transmission mechanism, consisting of a worm and complex gear drive and a tightening screw-nut with correcting device, and it is run by a synchronous type motor. The dynamic errors in the system depend, first, on irregularities in rotation of the disk, fluctuations in its axis and vibrations of the table in the plane parallel to the plane of the disk. The basic sources of the fluctuations referred to above are residual disbalance of the rotor and other rotating masses, the periodic component of the driving torque of the synchronous motor, variability in the resistance, kinematic errors in the drive and other things. The fluctuations can be transmitted to the operating units through the kinematic link as a flexural-torsional system, as well as through vibrations of the housing of the device.

Common drive to the upper airway muscle genioglossus during inspiratory loading

PubMed Central

Woods, Michael J.; Nicholas, Christian L.; Semmler, John G.; Chan, Julia K. M.; Jordan, Amy S.

2015-01-01

Common drive is thought to constitute a central mechanism by which the efficiency of a motor neuron pool is increased. This study tested the hypothesis that common drive to the upper airway muscle genioglossus (GG) would increase with increased respiratory drive in response to an inspiratory load. Respiration, GG electromyographic (EMG) activity, single-motor unit activity, and coherence in the 0–5 Hz range between pairs of GG motor units were assessed for the 30 s before an inspiratory load, the first and second 30 s of the load, and the 30 s after the load. Twelve of twenty young, healthy male subjects provided usable data, yielding 77 pairs of motor units: 2 Inspiratory Phasic, 39 Inspiratory Tonic, 15 Expiratory Tonic, and 21 Tonic. Respiratory and GG inspiratory activity significantly increased during the loads and returned to preload levels during the postload periods (all showed significant quadratic functions over load trials, P < 0.05). As hypothesized, common drive increased during the load in inspiratory modulated motor units to a greater extent than in expiratory/tonic motor units (significant load × discharge pattern interaction, P < 0.05). Furthermore, this effect persisted during the postload period. In conclusion, common drive to inspiratory modulated motor units was elevated in response to increased respiratory drive. The postload elevation in common drive was suggestive of a poststimulus activation effect. PMID:26378207

Mechanical Extraction of Power From Ocean Currents and Tides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jack; Chao, Yi

2010-01-01

A proposed scheme for generating electric power from rivers and from ocean currents, tides, and waves is intended to offer economic and environmental advantages over prior such schemes, some of which are at various stages of implementation, others of which have not yet advanced beyond the concept stage. This scheme would be less environmentally objectionable than are prior schemes that involve the use of dams to block rivers and tidal flows. This scheme would also not entail the high maintenance costs of other proposed schemes that call for submerged electric generators and cables, which would be subject to degradation by marine growth and corrosion. A basic power-generation system according to the scheme now proposed would not include any submerged electrical equipment. The submerged portion of the system would include an all-mechanical turbine/pump unit that would superficially resemble a large land-based wind turbine (see figure). The turbine axis would turn slowly as it captured energy from the local river flow, ocean current, tidal flow, or flow from an ocean-wave device. The turbine axis would drive a pump through a gearbox to generate an enclosed flow of water, hydraulic fluid, or other suitable fluid at a relatively high pressure [typically approx.500 psi (approx.3.4 MPa)]. The pressurized fluid could be piped to an onshore or offshore facility, above the ocean surface, where it would be used to drive a turbine that, in turn, would drive an electric generator. The fluid could be recirculated between the submerged unit and the power-generation facility in a closed flow system; alternatively, if the fluid were seawater, it could be taken in from the ocean at the submerged turbine/pump unit and discharged back into the ocean from the power-generation facility. Another alternative would be to use the pressurized flow to charge an elevated reservoir or other pumped-storage facility, from whence fluid could later be released to drive a turbine/generator unit at a time of high power demand. Multiple submerged turbine/pump units could be positioned across a channel to extract more power than could be extracted by a single unit. In that case, the pressurized flows in their output pipes would be combined, via check valves, into a wider pipe that would deliver the combined flow to a power-generating or pumped-storage facility.

Universal power transistor base drive control unit

DOEpatents

Gale, Allan R.; Gritter, David J.

1988-01-01

A saturation condition regulator system for a power transistor which achieves the regulation objectives of a Baker clamp but without dumping excess base drive current into the transistor output circuit. The base drive current of the transistor is sensed and used through an active feedback circuit to produce an error signal which modulates the base drive current through a linearly operating FET. The collector base voltage of the power transistor is independently monitored to develop a second error signal which is also used to regulate base drive current. The current-sensitive circuit operates as a limiter. In addition, a fail-safe timing circuit is disclosed which automatically resets to a turn OFF condition in the event the transistor does not turn ON within a predetermined time after the input signal transition.

Universal power transistor base drive control unit

DOEpatents

Gale, A.R.; Gritter, D.J.

1988-06-07

A saturation condition regulator system for a power transistor is disclosed which achieves the regulation objectives of a Baker clamp but without dumping excess base drive current into the transistor output circuit. The base drive current of the transistor is sensed and used through an active feedback circuit to produce an error signal which modulates the base drive current through a linearly operating FET. The collector base voltage of the power transistor is independently monitored to develop a second error signal which is also used to regulate base drive current. The current-sensitive circuit operates as a limiter. In addition, a fail-safe timing circuit is disclosed which automatically resets to a turn OFF condition in the event the transistor does not turn ON within a predetermined time after the input signal transition. 2 figs.

Development of a simple MR-compatible vibrotactile stimulator using a planar-coil-type actuator.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung-Sik; Choi, Mi-Hyun; Chung, Yoon-Gi; Kim, Sung-Phil; Jun, Jae-Hoon; Park, Jang-Yeon; Yi, Jeong-Han; Park, Jong-Rak; Lim, Dae-Woon; Chung, Soon-Cheol

2013-06-01

For this study, we developed a magnetic resonance (MR)-compatible vibrotactile stimulator using a planar-coil-type actuator. The newly developed vibrotactile stimulator consists of three units: control unit, drive unit, and planar-coil-type actuator. The control unit controls frequency, intensity, time, and channel, and transfers the stimulation signals to the drive unit. The drive unit operates the planar-coil-type actuator in response to commands from the control unit. The planar-coil-type actuator, which uses a planar coil instead of conventional electric wire, generates vibrating stimulation through interaction of the current of the planar coil with the static magnetic field of the MR scanner. Even though the developed tactile stimulating system is small, simple, and inexpensive, it has a wide range of stimulation frequencies (20 ~ 400 Hz, at 40 levels) and stimulation intensities (0 ~ 7 V, at 256 levels). The stimulation intensity does not change due to frequency changes. Since the transient response time is a few microseconds, the stimulation time can be controlled on a scale of microseconds. In addition, this actuator has the advantages of providing highly repeatable stimulation, being durable, being able to assume various shapes, and having an adjustable contact area with the skin. The new stimulator operated stably in an MR environment without affecting the MR images. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we observed the brain activation changes resulting from stimulation frequency and intensity changes.

Mathematical Basis of Knowledge Discovery and Autonomous Intelligent Architectures - Technology for the Creation of Virtual objects in the Real World

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-14

control of position/orientation of mobile TV cameras. 9 Unit 9 Force interaction system Unit 6 Helmet mounted displays robot like device drive...joints of the master arm (see Unit 1) which joint coordinates are tracked by the virtual manipulator. Unit 6 . Two displays built in the helmet...special device for simulating the tactile- kinaesthetic effect of immersion. When virtual body is a manipulator it comprises: − master arm with 6

Local Area Networks: Are There Advantages for Primary Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aherran, Anne

1986-01-01

Examines the relative merits of using computer networks (several computers linked together and sharing a single disk drive) and stand-alone systems (self-contained units operating independently) in Australian primary school classrooms. Advances several arguments favoring stand-alone systems, which improve accessibility and enhance individual…

Mobile device use while driving--United States and seven European countries, 2011.

PubMed

2013-03-15

Road traffic crashes are a global public health problem, contributing to an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually. Known risk factors for road traffic crashes and related injuries and deaths include speed, alcohol, nonuse of restraints, and nonuse of helmets. More recently, driver distraction has become an emerging concern. To assess the prevalence of mobile device use while driving in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States, CDC analyzed data from the 2011 EuroPNStyles and HealthStyles surveys. Prevalence estimates for self-reported talking on a cell phone while driving and reading or sending text or e-mail messages while driving were calculated. This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, among drivers ages 18-64 years, the prevalence of talking on a cell phone while driving at least once in the past 30 days ranged from 21% in the UK to 69% in the United States, and the prevalence of drivers who had read or sent text or e-mail messages while driving at least once in the past 30 days ranged from 15% in Spain to 31% in Portugal and the United States. Lessons learned from successful road safety efforts aimed at reducing other risky driving behaviors, such as seat belt nonuse and alcohol-impaired driving, could be helpful to the United States and other countries in addressing this issue. Strategies such as legislation combined with high-visibility enforcement and public education campaigns deserve further research to determine their effectiveness in reducing mobile device use while driving. Additionally, the role of emerging vehicle and mobile communication technologies in reducing distracted driving-related crashes should be explored.

Driver licensing and reasons for delaying licensure among young adults ages 18-20, United States, 2012.

PubMed

Tefft, Brian C; Williams, Allan F; Grabowski, Jurek G

2014-12-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and young adults in the United States. Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems were designed to protect young novice drivers by limiting their exposure to specific risks while they gain experience driving. In the United States, most states' GDL systems only apply to new drivers younger than 18. Some experts suggest that GDL might encourage young people to wait until age 18 to obtain a license, to avoid GDL requirements, resulting in older teenagers having less driving experience and higher crash risk than they might have had without GDL. This study examined the prevalence and timing of licensure among young adults, and explored factors associated with delaying licensure among those not licensed before age 18. An online questionnaire was completed by 1,039 persons aged 18-20 years, recruited from a representative panel of United States households. Main outcome measures were acquisition of driver's license (a) within 12 months of the state minimum age for licensure, (b) before age 18. Associations of timing of licensure with demographic characteristics were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Respondents not licensed before age 18 were asked to rate the importance of various possible reasons for delaying licensure. 54% of respondents were licensed before age 18. Blacks (37%; adjusted Prevalence Ratio 0.67, 95% Confidence Interval 0.48-0.93) and Hispanics (29%; adjusted Prevalence Ratio 0.60, 95% Confidence Interval 0.45-0.81) were less likely than non-Hispanic whites (67%) to be licensed before age 18. Lower household income was independently associated with delayed licensure (P < .001). The most common self-reported reasons for not becoming licensed sooner were not having a car, being able to get around without driving, and costs associated with driving. There was little evidence that GDL is a major contributor to delayed licensure; however, a substantial minority of young people do not obtain a driver's license until age 18 or older and thus begin driving outside of the GDL system, which in most states only applies to new drivers younger than 18. More research is needed to investigate the safety of older novice drivers.

A Weekend Drive: Source for an Interdisciplinary Teaching Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, George

Ideas for an elementary level interdisciplinary teaching unit which were generated from a drive taken in the plains country of eastern New Mexico are presented. The purpose is to show what could be included in a unit on the immediate environment. In social studies classes, students can read a map of the area of the drive. An interest in history…

Viability of using different types of main oil pipelines pump drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakirzakov, A. G.; Zemenkov, Yu D.; Akulov, K. A.

2018-05-01

The choice of the pumping units' drive of main oil pipelines is of great importance both for design of pipelines and for modernization of existing ones. At the beginning of oil pipeline transport development, due to the limited number and types of energy sources, the choice was not difficult. The combustion energy of the pumped product was often the only available energy resource for its transportation. In this regard, the pipelines that had autonomous energy sources favorably differed from other energy consumers in the sector. With the passage of time, with the development of the country's electricity supply system, the electric drive for power-line equipment of oil pipelines becomes the dominant type of a pumping station drive. Nowadays, the traditional component is an essential factor when choosing some type of the drive. For many years, oil companies have been using electric drives for pumps, while gas transport enterprises prefer self-contained gas turbines.

Regenerative flywheel storage system, volume 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-06-01

A vehicle propulsion system was simulated on a digital computer in order to determine the optimum system operating strategies and to establish a calculated range improvement over a nonregenerative, all electric vehicle. Fabrication of the inductor motor, the flywheel, the power conditioner, and the system control are described. Test results of the system operating over the SAE J227a Schedule D driving cycle are given and are compared to the calculated value. The flywheel energy storage system consists of a solid rotor, synchronous, inductor type, flywheel drive machine electrically coupled to a dc battery electric propulsion system through a load commutated inverter. The motor/alternator unit is coupled mechanically to a small steel flywheel which provides a portion of the vehicle's accelerating energy and regenerates the vehicle's braking energy.

Development of a compact wearable pneumatic drive unit for a ventricular assist device.

PubMed

Homma, Akihiko; Taenaka, Yoshiyuki; Tatsumi, Eisuke; Akagawa, Eiki; Lee, Hwansung; Nishinaka, Tomohiro; Takewa, Yoshiaki; Mizuno, Toshihide; Tsukiya, Tomonori; Kakuta, Yukihide; Katagiri, Nobumasa; Shimosaki, Isao; Hamada, Shigeru; Mukaibayashi, Hiroshi; Iwaoka, Wataru

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a compact wearable pneumatic drive unit for a ventricular assist device (VAD). This newly developed drive unit, 20 x 8.5 x 20 cm in size and weighing approximately 1.8 kg, consists of a brushless DC motor, noncircular gears, a crankshaft, a cylinder-piston, and air pressure regulation valves. The driving air pressure is generated by the reciprocating motion of the piston and is controlled by the air pressure regulation valves. The systolic ratio is determined by the noncircular gears, and so is fixed for a given configuration. As a result of an overflow-type mock circulation test, a drive unit with a 44% systolic ratio connected to a Toyobo VAD blood pump with a 70-ml stroke volume achieved a pump output of more than 7 l/min at 100 bpm against a 120 mmHg afterload. Long-term animal tests were also performed using drive units with systolic ratios of 45% and 53% in two Holstein calves weighing 62 kg and 74 kg; the tests were terminated on days 30 and 39, respectively, without any malfunction. The mean aortic pressure, bypass flow, and power consumption for the first calf were maintained at 90 x 13 mmHg, 3.9 x 0.9 l/min, and 12 x 1 W, and those for the second calf were maintained at 88 x 13 mmHg, 5.0 x 0.5 l/min, and 16 x 2 W, respectively. These results indicate that the newly developed drive unit may be used as a wearable pneumatic drive unit for the Toyobo VAD blood pump.

HOMOGENEOUS CATALYTIC OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBONS IN ALTERNATIVE SOLVENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Homogeneous Catalytic Oxidations of Hydrocarbons in Alternative Solvent Systems

Michael A. Gonzalez* and Thomas M. Becker, Sustainable Technology Division, Office of Research and Development; United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, ...

Integrated orbital servicing study follow-on. Volume 3: Engineering test unit and controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A one-g servicing demonstration system which can be used to investigate and develop, in a real time hands-on situation, a wide variety of the mechanism and control system aspects of orbital servicing in the form of module exchange is described including the engineering test unit and the servicer servo drive console. A series of recommendations for future work is given concerning the control problem and more efficient module exchanges, mechanical elements, and electronics.

Report on the status of linear drive coolers for the Department of Defense Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salazar, William

2003-01-01

The Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA) is the critical module in the Department of Defense (DoD) standardization effort of scanning second-generation thermal imaging systems. DoD has established a family of SADA's to address requirements for high performance (SADA I), mid-to-high performance (SADA II), and compact class (SADA III) systems. SADA's consist of the Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA), Dewar, Command and Control Electronics (C&CE), and the cryogenic cooler. SADA's are used in weapons systems such as Comanche and Apache helicopters, the M1 Abrams Tank, the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the Line of Sight Antitank (LOSAT) system, the Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS), and Javelin's Command Launch Unit (CLU). DOD has defined a family of tactical linear drive coolers in support of the family of SADA's. The Stirling linear drive cryo-coolers are utilized to cool the SADA's Infrared Focal Plane Arrays (IRFPAs) to their operating cryogenic temperatures. These linear drive coolers are required to meet strict cool-down time requirements along with lower vibration output, lower audible noise, and higher reliability than currently fielded rotary coolers. This paper will (1) outline the characteristics of each cooler, (2) present the status and results of qualification tests, and (3) present the status and test results of efforts to increase linear drive cooler reliability.

29. SOUTH SWING SPAN, SHOWING REPRESENTATIVE REDUCTION GEAR/MOTOR DRIVE UNIT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

29. SOUTH SWING SPAN, SHOWING REPRESENTATIVE REDUCTION GEAR/MOTOR DRIVE UNIT (CENTER) AND WEDGE MOTOR UNIT (RIGHT). - George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge, Spanning York River at U.S. Route 17, Yorktown, York County, VA

Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). Performance Verification Report: Antenna Drive Subsystem METSAT AMSU-A2 (PN:1331200-2, SN:108)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haapala, C.

1999-01-01

This is the Performance Verification Report, Antenna Drive Subassembly, Antenna Drive Subsystem, METSAT AMSU-A2 (P/N 1331200-2, SN: 108), for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).

Space Shuttle Orbiter auxiliary power unit status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reck, M.; Loken, G.; Horton, J.; Lukens, W.; Scott, W.; Baughman, J.; Bauch, T.

1991-01-01

An overview of the United States Space Shuttle Orbiter APU, which provides power to the Orbiter vehicle hydraulic system, is presented. Three complete APU systems, each with its own separate fuel system, supply power to three dedicated hydraulic systems. These in turn provide power to all Orbiter vehicle critical flight functions including launch, orbit, reentry, and landing. The basic APU logic diagram is presented. The APU includes a hydrazine-powered turbine that drives a hydraulic pump and various accessories through a high-speed gearbox. The APU also features a sophisticated thermal management system designed to ensure safe and reliable operation in the various launch, orbit, reentry, and landing environments.

Optimal CV-22 Centralized Intermediate Repair Facility Locations and Parts Repair

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

and Reorder Point for TEWS ............................ 36 Table 8. Excel Model for Safety Stock and Reorder Point for FADEC ...Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ) Main Wheel Assembly Blade Fold System Landing Gear Control Panel Drive System Interface Unit Main Landing Gear...Radar 4 Forward Looking Infrared System (FLIR) 4 Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS) 1 Full Authority Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ) 2 Blade

Geothermal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mohl, C.

1978-01-01

Several tasks of JPL related to geothermal energy are discussed. The major task is the procurement and test and evaluation of a helical screw drive (wellhead unit). A general review of geothermal energy systems is given. The presentation focuses attention on geothermal reservoirs in California, with graphs and charts to support the discussion. Included are discussions on cost analysis, systems maintenance, and a comparison of geothermal and conventional heating and cooling systems.

A simulation study of the effects of alcohol on driving performance in a Chinese population.

PubMed

Li, Y C; Sze, N N; Wong, S C; Yan, Wei; Tsui, K L; So, F L

2016-10-01

Driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) is a significant factor contributing to road traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Although the effects of alcohol on driving performance are widely acknowledged, studies of the effects of alcohol impairment on driving performance and particularly on the control system of Chinese adults are rare. This study attempts to evaluate the effects of alcohol on the driving performance of Chinese adults using a driving simulator. A double-blind experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of alcohol impairment on the driving performance of 52 Chinese participants using a driving simulator. A series of simulated driving tests covering two driving modules, including emergency braking (EB) and following braking (FB), at 50km/h and 80km/h were performed. Linear mixed models were established to evaluate driving performance in terms of braking reaction time (BRT), the standard deviation of lateral position (SD-LANE), and the standard deviation of speed (SD-SPEED). Driving performance in terms of BRT and SD-LANE was highly correlated with the level of alcohol consumption, with a one-unit increase in breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) degrading BRT and SD-LANE by 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. Frequent drinkers generally reacted faster in their BRT than less-frequent drinkers and non-drinkers by 10.2% and 30.6%, respectively. Moreover, alcohol impairment had varying effects on certain aspects of the human control system, and automatic action was less likely to be affected than voluntary action from a psychological viewpoint. The findings should be useful for planning and developing effective measures to combat drink driving in Chinese communities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Studies of Ageing in Electrolytic Capacitors

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

mechanisms of electronic components critical avionics systems such as the GPS and INAV are of critical importance. Electrolytic capac- itors and...the Inertial Navigation ( INAV ) system, causing the aircraft to fly off course. In this paper, we present the details of our ageing methodology along...directed towards DC-DC convert- ers in Avionics systems. In these systems the power supply drives a Global Positioning System (GPS) and INAV unit, and

Software Development for EECU Platform of Turbofan Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Bo Gyoung; Kwak, Dohyup; Kim, Byunghyun; Choi, Hee ju; Kong, Changduk

2017-04-01

The turbofan engine operation consists of a number of hardware and software. The engine is controlled by Electronic Engine Control Unit (EECU). In order to control the engine, EECU communicates with an aircraft system, Actuator Drive Unit (ADU), Engine Power Unit (EPU) and sensors on the engine. This paper tried to investigate the process form starting to taking-off and aims to design the EECU software mode and defined communication data format. The software is implemented according to the designed software mode.

Astronauts Hoffman and Musgrave replace Solar Array Drive Electronics

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-12-09

STS061-102-010 (9 Dec 1993) --- Astronauts Jeffrey A. Hoffman (left) and F. Story Musgrave team to replace one of two Solar Array Drive Electronics (SADE) units on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Musgrave is standing on a foot restraint mounted on the end of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm. The black object, in upper left corner, is part of the window frame, through which this 70mm frame was exposed, inside Endeavour's cabin.

Optimization of Driving Styles for Fuel Economy Improvement

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

Malikopoulos, Andreas; Aguilar, Juan P.

2012-01-01

Modern vehicles have sophisticated electronic control units, particularly to control engine operation with respect to a balance between fuel economy, emissions, and power. These control units are designed for specific driving conditions and testing. However, each individual driving style is different and rarely meets those driving conditions. In the research reported here we investigate those driving style factors that have a major impact on fuel economy. An optimization framework is proposed with the aim of optimizing driving styles with respect to these driving factors. A set of polynomial metamodels are constructed to reflect the responses produced by changes of themore » driving factors. Then we compare the optimized driving styles to the original ones and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the optimization formulation.« less

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) whirl test of cam/harmonic pitch change actuation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

A variable pitch fan actuation system, which incorporates a remote nacelle mounted blade angle regulator, was tested. The regulator drives a rotating fan mounted mechanical actuator through a flexible shaft and differential gear train. The actuator incorporates a high ratio harmonic drive attached to a multitrack spherical cam which changes blade pitch through individual cam follower arms attached to each blade trunnion. Testing of the actuator on a whirl rig, is reported. Results of tests conducted to verify that the unit satisfied the design requirements and was structurally adequate for use in an engine test are presented.

Brake blending strategy for a hybrid vehicle

DOEpatents

Boberg, Evan S.

2000-12-05

A hybrid electric powertrain system is provided including a transmission for driving a pair of wheels of a vehicle and a heat engine and an electric motor/generator coupled to the transmission. A friction brake system is provided for applying a braking torque to said vehicle. A controller unit generates control signals to the electric motor/generator and the friction brake system for controllably braking the vehicle in response to a drivers brake command. The controller unit determines and amount of regenerative torque available and compares this value to a determined amount of brake torque requested for determining the control signals to the electric motor/generator and the friction brake system.

In vitro and in vivo testing of a totally implantable left ventricular assist system.

PubMed

Jassawalla, J S; Daniel, M A; Chen, H; Lee, J; LaForge, D; Billich, J; Ramasamy, N; Miller, P J; Oyer, P E; Portner, P M

1988-01-01

The totally implantable Novacor LVAS is being tested under NIH auspices to demonstrate safety and efficacy before clinical trials. Twelve complete systems (submerged in saline at 37 degrees C) are being tested, with an NIH goal of demonstrating 80% reliability for 2 year operation with a 60% confidence level. The systems, which are continuously monitored, are diurnally cycled between two output levels by automatically varying preload and afterload. Currently, 14.3 years of failure-free operation have been accumulated, with a mean duration of 14 months. Using an exponential failure distribution model, the mean time to failure (MTTF) is greater than 8.8 years, corresponding to a demonstrated reliability (for a 2 year mission time) of 80% (80% confidence level). Recent ovine experiments with VAS subsystems include a 767 day volume compensator implant, a 279 day pump/drive unit implant and a 1,448 day BST implant. The last 12 chronic pump/drive unit experiments had a mean duration of 153 days (excluding early postoperative complications). This compares favorably with the NIH goals for complete systems (5 month mean duration). Complete system experiments are currently underway.

Laser-direct-drive program: Promise, challenge, and path forward

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

Campbell, E. M.; Goncharov, V. N.; Sangster, T. C.

Along with laser-indirect (x-ray)-drive and magnetic-drive target concepts, laser direct drive is a viable approach to achieving ignition and gain with inertial confinement fusion. In the United States, a national program has been established to demonstrate and understand the physics of laser direct drive. The program utilizes the Omega Laser Facility to conduct implosion and coupling physics at the nominally 30-kJ scale and laser–plasma interaction and coupling physics at the MJ scale at the National Ignition Facility. This paper will discuss the motivation and challenges for laser direct drive and the broad-based program presently underway in the United States.

Laser-direct-drive program: Promise, challenge, and path forward

DOE PAGES

Campbell, E. M.; Goncharov, V. N.; Sangster, T. C.; ...

2017-03-19

Along with laser-indirect (x-ray)-drive and magnetic-drive target concepts, laser direct drive is a viable approach to achieving ignition and gain with inertial confinement fusion. In the United States, a national program has been established to demonstrate and understand the physics of laser direct drive. The program utilizes the Omega Laser Facility to conduct implosion and coupling physics at the nominally 30-kJ scale and laser–plasma interaction and coupling physics at the MJ scale at the National Ignition Facility. This paper will discuss the motivation and challenges for laser direct drive and the broad-based program presently underway in the United States.

KSC-08pd1650

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Auxiliary power unit 3, or APU3, is ready for installation in space shuttle Endeavour for the STS-126 mission. The auxiliary power unit is a hydrazine-fueled, turbine-driven power unit that generates mechanical shaft power to drive a hydraulic pump that produces pressure for the orbiter's hydraulic system. There are three separate APUs, three hydraulic pumps and three hydraulic systems, located in the aft fuselage of the orbiter. When the three auxiliary power units are started five minutes before lift-off, the hydraulic systems are used to position the three main engines for activation, control various propellant valves on the engines and position orbiter aerosurfaces. The auxiliary power units are not operated after the first orbital maneuvering system thrusting period because hydraulic power is no longer required. One power unit is operated briefly one day before deorbit to support checkout of the orbiter flight control system. One auxiliary power unit is restarted before the deorbit thrusting period. The two remaining units are started after the deorbit thrusting maneuver and operate continuously through entry, landing and landing rollout. On STS-126, Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) modifications in adult hemiplegic patients after botulinum toxin type A (nt-201) injection.

PubMed

Invernizzi, M; Carda, S; Molinari, C; Stagno, D; Cisari, C; Baricich, A

2015-08-01

The most important adverse effect of BoNT-A is the systemic diffusion of the toxin. There is some evidence that the administration of high doses can increase the risk of systemic diffusion and the development of clinically evident adverse effects, however an international consensus does not exist about its maximum dose. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in autonomic heart drive induced by high doses (higher than 600 units) of incobotulinumtoxinA injection in spastic stroke patients. Moreover, the treatment safety by monitoring adverse events occurrence was assessed. Case control study. Eleven stroke survivors with spastic hemiplegia. Patients were treated with intramuscular focal injections of IncobotulinumtoxinA (NT 201; Xeomin®, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany). Doses were below 12 units/Kg. Each patient underwent an ECG recording before injection and 10 days after treatment. Linear and non-linear Heart Rate variability (HRV) measures were derived from ECGs with a dedicated software. None of the variable considered showed statistically significant changes after BoNT-A injection. The use of incobotulinumtoxinA in adult patients at doses up to 12 units/kg seems to be safe regarding autonomic heart drive. The use of IncobotulinumtoxinA up to 600 units could be a safe therapeutic option in spastic hemiplegic stroke survivors.

Numerical Modeling of Pressurization of Cryogenic Propellant Tank for Integrated Vehicle Fluid System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majumdar, Alok K.; LeClair, Andre C.; Hedayat, Ali

2016-01-01

This paper presents a numerical model of pressurization of a cryogenic propellant tank for the Integrated Vehicle Fluid (IVF) system using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP). The IVF propulsion system, being developed by United Launch Alliance, uses boiloff propellants to drive thrusters for the reaction control system as well as to run internal combustion engines to develop power and drive compressors to pressurize propellant tanks. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been running tests to verify the functioning of the IVF system using a flight tank. GFSSP, a finite volume based flow network analysis software developed at MSFC, has been used to develop an integrated model of the tank and the pressurization system. This paper presents an iterative algorithm for converging the interface boundary conditions between different component models of a large system model. The model results have been compared with test data.

Method of electric powertrain matching for battery-powered electric cars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Guobao; Xiong, Lu; Zhang, Lijun; Yu, Zhuoping

2013-05-01

The current match method of electric powertrain still makes use of longitudinal dynamics, which can't realize maximum capacity for on-board energy storage unit and can't reach lowest equivalent fuel consumption as well. Another match method focuses on improving available space considering reasonable layout of vehicle to enlarge rated energy capacity for on-board energy storage unit, which can keep the longitudinal dynamics performance almost unchanged but can't reach lowest fuel consumption. Considering the characteristics of driving motor, method of electric powertrain matching utilizing conventional longitudinal dynamics for driving system and cut-and-try method for energy storage system is proposed for passenger cars converted from traditional ones. Through combining the utilization of vehicle space which contributes to the on-board energy amount, vehicle longitudinal performance requirements, vehicle equivalent fuel consumption level, passive safety requirements and maximum driving range requirement together, a comprehensive optimal match method of electric powertrain for battery-powered electric vehicle is raised. In simulation, the vehicle model and match method is built in Matlab/simulink, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) is chosen as a test condition. The simulation results show that 2.62% of regenerative energy and 2% of energy storage efficiency are increased relative to the traditional method. The research conclusions provide theoretical and practical solutions for electric powertrain matching for modern battery-powered electric vehicles especially for those converted from traditional ones, and further enhance dynamics of electric vehicles.

Investigation of Combined Motor/Magnetic Bearings for Flywheel Energy Storage Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, Heath

2003-01-01

Dr. Hofmann's work in the summer of 2003 consisted of two separate projects. In the first part of the summer, Dr. Hofmann prepared and collected information regarding rotor losses in synchronous machines; in particular, machines with low rotor losses operating in vacuum and supported by magnetic bearings, such as the motor/generator for flywheel energy storage systems. This work culminated in a presentation at NASA Glenn Research Center on this topic. In the second part, Dr. Hofmann investigated an approach to flywheel energy storage where the phases of the flywheel motor/generator are connected in parallel with the phases of an induction machine driving a mechanical actuator. With this approach, additional power electronics for driving the flywheel unit are not required. Simulations of the connection of a flywheel energy storage system to a model of an electromechanical actuator testbed at NASA Glenn were performed that validated the proposed approach. A proof-of-concept experiment using the D1 flywheel unit at NASA Glenn and a Sundstrand induction machine connected to a dynamometer was successfully conducted.

Low driving voltage simplified tandem organic light-emitting devices by using exciplex-forming hosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Dong-Ying; Cui, Lin-Song; Zhang, Ying-Jie; Liao, Liang-Sheng; Aziz, Hany

2014-10-01

Tandem organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs), i.e., OLEDs containing multiple electroluminescence (EL) units that are vertically stacked, are attracting significant interest because of their ability to realize high current efficiency and long operational lifetime. However, stacking multiple EL units in tandem OLEDs increases driving voltage and complicates fabrication process relative to their standard single unit counterparts. In this paper, we demonstrate low driving voltage tandem OLEDs via utilizing exciplex-forming hosts in the EL units instead of conventional host materials. The use of exciplex-forming hosts reduces the charge injection barriers and the trapping of charges on guest molecules, resulting in the lower driving voltage. The use of exciplex-forming hosts also allows using fewer layers, hence simpler EL configuration which is beneficial for reducing the fabrication complexity of tandem OLEDs.

28. VIEW OF SOUTHWEST CORNER OF NORTH WING OF TECHWOOD ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

28. VIEW OF SOUTHWEST CORNER OF NORTH WING OF TECHWOOD DORMITORY. AIR CONDITIONING UNITS ARE VISIBLE IN THE WINDOWS OF SEVERAL ROOMS, APPARENTLY TO SUPPLEMENT THE BUILDING'S HVAC SYSTEM. - Techwood Homes, McDaniel Dormitory, 581-587 Techwood Drive, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

Underage drinking: frequency, consequences, and interventions.

PubMed

Hingson, Ralph W; Assailly, Jean-Pascal; Williams, Allan F

2004-09-01

To examine the frequency of underage drinking, driving after drinking and alcohol-related crashes, trends in these behaviors, and promising interventions. We examined drinking and drinking- and-driving behaviors reported in the United States in the 2001 U.S. National Household Survey of Drug Abuse, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Study, and the 1999 National Survey of Drinking and Driving conducted for the National Highway Traffic Administration. We also examined the 1999 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Alcohol-related fatal crashes were examined from the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Evaluation of interventions to reduce teenage drinking and driving after drinking were reviewed. In the United States, 19% of youth ages 12-20 consumed five or more drinks on an occasion in the past 30 days. Although European nations have lower legal drinking ages (16-18) than in the United States (21), similar proportions engage in underage drinking. In two-thirds of European countries, a greater percentage of 15-16 year-olds drank five or more drinks on an occasion in the past month than in the United States. In both the United States and Europe, the earlier people begin to drink, the greater the likelihood of developing alcohol dependence and other alcohol-related problems, including alcohol-related crash involvement, during adolescence and adult years. During the past 20 years alcohol-related traffic deaths among people younger than 21 have been cut in half in the United States, but progress has halted since 1995 and the problem is still large. Interventions shown by research to reduce alcohol-related crashes among youth include raising the legal drinking age to 21, zero tolerance laws, and some interventions that are family, school, or community based. Despite research showing that a variety of interventions can reduce underage drinking and alcohol-related crash fatalities, the frequency of these behaviors remains high and the average age of drinking initiation is declining in the United States. Efforts are needed to enhance publicized enforcement of underage drinking laws. Comprehensive community interventions that include enforcement of these laws also are needed.

A Manufacturing Cost and Supply Chain Analysis of SiC Power Electronics Applicable to Medium-Voltage Motor Drives

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

Horowitz, Kelsey; Remo, Timothy; Reese, Samantha

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices are increasingly being considered for use in certain power electronics applications, where they can improve efficiency, performance, footprint, and, potentially, total system cost compared to systems using traditional silicon (Si) devices. Silicon carbide (SiC) devices in particular -- which are currently more mature than other WBG devices -- are poised for growth in the coming years. Today, the manufacturing of SiC wafers is concentrated in the United States, and chip production is split roughly equally between the United States, Japan, and Europe. Established contract manufacturers located throughout Asia typically carry out manufacturing of WBG powermore » modules. We seek to understand how global manufacturing of SiC components may evolve over time by illustrating the regional cost drivers along the supply chain and providing an overview of other factors that influence where manufacturing is sited. We conduct this analysis for a particular case study where SiC devices are used in a medium-voltage motor drive.« less

Cold Weather Wind Turbines: A Joint NASA/NSF/DOE Effort in Technology Transfer and Commercialization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Michael; Bubenheim, David; Chiang, Erick; Goldman, Peter; Kohout, Lisa; Norton, Gary; Kliss, Mark (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Renewable energy sources and their integration with other power sources to support remote communities is of interest for Mars applications as well as Earth communities. The National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, and the Department of Energy (DOE) have been jointly supporting development of a 100 kW cold weather wind turbine through grants and SBIRs independently managed by each agency but coordinated by NASA. The NSF grant addressed issues associated with the South Pole application and a 3 kW direct drive unit is being tested there in anticipation of the 100 kW unit operation. The DOE-NREL contract focused on development of the 100 kW direct drive generator. The NASA SBIR focused on the development of the 100 kW direct drive wind turbine. The success of this effort has required coordination and team involvement of federal agencies and the industrial partners. Designs of the wind turbine and component performance testing results will be presented. Plans for field testing of wind turbines, based on this design, in village energy systems in Alaska and in energy production at the South Pole Station will be discussed. Also included will be a discussion of terrestrial and space use of hybrid energy systems, including renewable energy sources, such as the wind turbine, to support remote communities.

Common drive unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, R. C.; Fink, R. A.; Moore, E. A.

1987-01-01

The Common Drive Unit (CDU) is a high reliability rotary actuator with many versatile applications in mechanism designs. The CDU incorporates a set of redundant motor-brake assemblies driving a single output shaft through differential. Tachometers provide speed information in the AC version. Operation of both motors, as compared to the operation of one motor, will yield the same output torque with twice the output speed.

Trends in teen driver licensure, driving patterns and crash involvement in the United States, 2006-2015.

PubMed

Shults, Ruth A; Williams, Allan F

2017-09-01

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey provides nationally-representative annual estimates of licensure and driving patterns among U.S. teens. A previous study using MTF data reported substantial declines in the proportion of high school seniors that were licensed to drive and increases in the proportion of nondrivers following the recent U.S. economic recession. To explore whether licensure and driving patterns among U.S. high school seniors have rebounded in the post-recession years, we analyzed MTF licensure and driving data for the decade of 2006-2015. We also examined trends in teen driver involvement in fatal and nonfatal injury crashes for that decade using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System, respectively. During 2006-2015, the proportion of high school seniors that reported having a driver's license declined by 9 percentage points (11%) from 81% to 72% and the proportion that did not drive during an average week increased by 8 percentage points (44%) from 18% to 26%. The annual proportion of black seniors that did not drive was consistently greater than twice the proportion of nondriving white seniors. Overall during the decade, 17- and 18-year-old drivers experienced large declines in fatal and nonfatal injury crashes, although crashes increased in both 2014 and 2015. The MTF data indicate that licensure and driving patterns among U.S. high school seniors have not rebounded since the economic recession. The recession had marked negative effects on teen employment opportunities, which likely influenced teen driving patterns. Possible explanations for the apparent discrepancies between the MTF data and the 2014 and 2015 increases in crashes are explored. MTF will continue to be an important resource for clarifying teen driving trends in relation to crash trends and informing strategies to improve teen driver safety. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Modeling of Surface Thermodynamics and Damage Thresholds in the IR and THz Regime

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Conference on Optical Interactions with Tissue and Cells [18th] Held in San Jose, California on January 22-24, 2007 To order the complete compilation report...United States; c Air Force Reasearch Lab, Human Effectivness Directorate Optical Branch, 2624 Louis Bauer Drive, San Antonio, TX, United States...equation (radial and axial) in a biological system construct. Tissues are represented as multi-layer structures, with optical and thermal properties

Regenerative flywheel energy storage system. Volume 3: Life cycle and cost-benefit analysis of a battery-flywheel electric car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-06-01

Fabrication of the inductor motor, the flywheel, the power conditioner, and the system control is described. Test results of the system operating over the SAE j227a Schedule D driving cycle are given and are compared to the calculated value. The flywheel energy storage system consists of a solid rotor, synchronous, inductor-type, flywheel drive machine electrically coupled to a dc battery electric propulsion system through a load-commutated inverter. The motor/alernator unit is coupled mechanically to a small steel flywheel which provides a portion of the vehicle's accelerating energy and regenerates the vehicle's braking energy. Laboratory simulation of the electric vehicle propulsion system included a 108 volt, lead-acid battery bank and a separately excited dc propulsion motor coupled to a flywheel and generator which simulate the vehicle's inertia and losses.

The propulsive design aspects on the world's first direct drive hybrid airplane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanda, Ankit

The purpose of this thesis is to design a safe technology demonstrator by implementing a direct drive propulsion system for a gas-electric hybrid aircraft. This system was integrated on the Embry-Riddle Eco-Eagle for the Green Flight Challenge 2011. The aim of the system is to allow the pilot to use the electric motor as an independent power source to fly the aircraft once at cruise altitude, while having a gas engine to allow for higher power capability. The system was designed to incorporate the motor and the motor control unit provided by Flight Design and Drivetek AG alongside a Rotax 912ULS engine. The hardware is integrated such that the pilot would be able to fly the aircraft with controls similar to conventional general aviation aircraft. This thesis discusses the method of integration of the hybrid powerplant system into a Stemme S-10 and describes the various components of that system.

Building Loads Analysis and System Thermodynamics (BLAST) Program Users Manual. Volume One. Supplement (Version 3.0).

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

AD-A B99 054 CONSTRUCTION EN INEERIN RESEARCH LAB (ARMY) CHAMPAIGN IL F/ 9/2 BUILDING LOADS ANALYSIS AND SYSTEM THERMOD NAMICS (BLAST) PROGR...continued. systems , (11) induction unit systems , (12) direct-drive chillers, and (13) purchased steam from utilities. BLAST Version 3.0 also offers the user...their BLAST input. II UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGEftin Date Rnerod) FOREWORD This report was prepared for the Air Force Systems

Using Competency-Based Evaluation to Drive Teacher Excellence: Lessons from Singapore. Building an Opportunity Culture for America's Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Lucy

2010-01-01

The United States' education system needs to take its critical next step: fairly and accurately measuring teacher performance. Successful reforms to teacher pay, career advancement, professional development, retention, and other human capital systems that lead to better student outcomes depend on it. Where can the U.S. find the best-practice…

Driving and flying with epilepsy.

PubMed

Drazkowski, Joseph F

2007-07-01

Transportation issues in industrialized nations play an important role in the lives of most citizens. The acts of flying and driving, especially in the United States, intersect with many peoples' lives on almost a daily basis. Although some larger cities have modern and efficient public transportation systems, many do not, thus placing considerable responsibility on the individual to manage their own transportation needs. A person with epilepsy faces considerable challenges when it comes to transportation. Defining these challenges and understanding how to deal with the person with epilepsy and transportation issues is the focus of this article.

A System Engineering Study and Concept Development for a Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Operations Management Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

and network. The computing and network hardware are identified and include routers, servers, firewalls, laptops , backup hard drives, smart phones...deployable hardware units will be necessary. This includes the use of ruggedized laptops and desktop computers , a projector system, communications system...ENGINEERING STUDY AND CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT FOR A HUMANITARIAN AID AND DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT PLATFORM by Julie A. Reed September

Direct Drive Hall Thruster System Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoskins, W. Andrew; Homiak, Daniel; Cassady, R. Joseph; Kerslake, Tom; Peterson, Todd; Ferguson, Dale; Snyder, Dave; Mikellides, Ioannis; Jongeward, Gary; Schneider, Todd

2003-01-01

The sta:us of development of a Direct Drive Ha!! Thruster System is presented. 13 the first part. a s:udy of the impacts to spacecraft systems and mass benefits of a direct-drive architecture is reviewed. The study initially examines four cases of SPT-100 and BPT-4000 Hall thrusters used for north-south station keeping on an EXPRESS-like geosynchronous spacecraft and for primary propulsion for a Deep Space- 1 based science spacecraft. The study is also extended the impact of direct drive on orbit raising for higher power geosynchronous spacecraft and on other deep space missions as a function of power and delta velocity. The major system considerations for accommodating a direct drive Hall thruster are discussed, including array regulation, system grounding, distribution of power to the spacecraft bus, and interactions between current-voltage characteristics for the arrays and thrusters. The mass benefit analysis shows that, for the initial cases, up to 42 kg of dry mass savings is attributable directly to changes in the propulsion hardware. When projected mass impacts of operating the arrays and the electric power system at 300V are included, up to 63 kg is saved for the four initial cases. Adoption of high voltage lithium ion battery technology is projected to further improve these savings. Orbit raising of higher powered geosynchronous spacecraft, is the mission for which direct drive provides the most benefit, allowing higher efficiency electric orbit raising to be accomplished in a limited period of time, as well as nearly eliminating significant power processing heat rejection mass. The total increase in useful payload to orbit ranges up to 278 kg for a 25 kW spacecraft, launched from an Atlas IIA. For deep space missions, direct drive is found to be most applicable to higher power missions with delta velocities up to several km/s , typical of several Discovery-class missions. In the second part, the status of development of direct drive propulsion power electronics is presented. The core of this hardware is the heater-keeper-magnet supply being qualified for the BPT-4000 by Aerojet. A breadboard propulsion power unit is in fabrication and is scheduled for delivery late in 2003.

Method and system for determining the torque required to launch a vehicle having a hybrid drive-train

DOEpatents

Hughes, Douglas A.

2006-04-04

A method and system are provided for determining the torque required to launch a vehicle having a hybrid drive-train that includes at least two independently operable prime movers. The method includes the steps of determining the value of at least one control parameter indicative of a vehicle operating condition, determining the torque required to launch the vehicle from the at least one determined control parameter, comparing the torque available from the prime movers to the torque required to launch the vehicle, and controlling operation of the prime movers to launch the vehicle in response to the comparing step. The system of the present invention includes a control unit configured to perform the steps of the method outlined above.

KSC-08pd1652

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 2, technicians begin installation of an auxiliary power unit 3, or APU3, in space shuttle Endeavour for the STS-126 mission. The auxiliary power unit is a hydrazine-fueled, turbine-driven power unit that generates mechanical shaft power to drive a hydraulic pump that produces pressure for the orbiter's hydraulic system. There are three separate APUs, three hydraulic pumps and three hydraulic systems, located in the aft fuselage of the orbiter. When the three auxiliary power units are started five minutes before lift-off, the hydraulic systems are used to position the three main engines for activation, control various propellant valves on the engines and position orbiter aerosurfaces. The auxiliary power units are not operated after the first orbital maneuvering system thrusting period because hydraulic power is no longer required. One power unit is operated briefly one day before deorbit to support checkout of the orbiter flight control system. One auxiliary power unit is restarted before the deorbit thrusting period. The two remaining units are started after the deorbit thrusting maneuver and operate continuously through entry, landing and landing rollout. On STS-126, Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1651

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 2, technicians begin installation of an auxiliary power unit 3, or APU3, in space shuttle Endeavour for the STS-126 mission. The auxiliary power unit is a hydrazine-fueled, turbine-driven power unit that generates mechanical shaft power to drive a hydraulic pump that produces pressure for the orbiter's hydraulic system. There are three separate APUs, three hydraulic pumps and three hydraulic systems, located in the aft fuselage of the orbiter. When the three auxiliary power units are started five minutes before lift-off, the hydraulic systems are used to position the three main engines for activation, control various propellant valves on the engines and position orbiter aerosurfaces. The auxiliary power units are not operated after the first orbital maneuvering system thrusting period because hydraulic power is no longer required. One power unit is operated briefly one day before deorbit to support checkout of the orbiter flight control system. One auxiliary power unit is restarted before the deorbit thrusting period. The two remaining units are started after the deorbit thrusting maneuver and operate continuously through entry, landing and landing rollout. On STS-126, Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1654

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 2, auxiliary power unit 3, or APU3, is in place on space shuttle Endeavour for the STS-126 mission. The auxiliary power unit is a hydrazine-fueled, turbine-driven power unit that generates mechanical shaft power to drive a hydraulic pump that produces pressure for the orbiter's hydraulic system. There are three separate APUs, three hydraulic pumps and three hydraulic systems, located in the aft fuselage of the orbiter. When the three auxiliary power units are started five minutes before lift-off, the hydraulic systems are used to position the three main engines for activation, control various propellant valves on the engines and position orbiter aerosurfaces. The auxiliary power units are not operated after the first orbital maneuvering system thrusting period because hydraulic power is no longer required. One power unit is operated briefly one day before deorbit to support checkout of the orbiter flight control system. One auxiliary power unit is restarted before the deorbit thrusting period. The two remaining units are started after the deorbit thrusting maneuver and operate continuously through entry, landing and landing rollout. On STS-126, Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1653

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 2, technicians install auxiliary power unit 3, or APU3, in space shuttle Endeavour for the STS-126 mission. The auxiliary power unit is a hydrazine-fueled, turbine-driven power unit that generates mechanical shaft power to drive a hydraulic pump that produces pressure for the orbiter's hydraulic system. There are three separate APUs, three hydraulic pumps and three hydraulic systems, located in the aft fuselage of the orbiter. When the three auxiliary power units are started five minutes before lift-off, the hydraulic systems are used to position the three main engines for activation, control various propellant valves on the engines and position orbiter aerosurfaces. The auxiliary power units are not operated after the first orbital maneuvering system thrusting period because hydraulic power is no longer required. One power unit is operated briefly one day before deorbit to support checkout of the orbiter flight control system. One auxiliary power unit is restarted before the deorbit thrusting period. The two remaining units are started after the deorbit thrusting maneuver and operate continuously through entry, landing and landing rollout. On STS-126, Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Operational Loopwheel Suspension System for Mars Rover Demonstration Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trautwein, W.; Robinson, G. D.

1978-01-01

The loopwheel (or elastic loop) mobility concept, appears to be uniquely qualified to provide a high degree of mobility at low weight and stowage requirements for the next Mars mission now in the early planning stage. Traction elements compatible with sterilization and Mars surface environmental constraints were designed and are compatible with the rover mass, range and stowage requirements of JPL's point design Mars rover. In order to save cost, the loopwheel suspensions for the demonstration model were made of S-glass/epoxy instead of titanium, alloy specified for flight units. The load carrying fiberglass loop core is covered by a rubber tread on the outside. Reinforced rubber gear belts bonded along the inside edges provide positive engagement and transmission drive torques. A 12 Vdc drive motor with a 167:1 gear head is installed in the payload section of the hull. A chain drive transmits the motor power to the rear sprocket in the demonstration model, whereas future flight units would be directly driven by brushless hub motors within each sprocket and independent four-leg height control.

Undocumented Immigration, Drug Problems, and Driving Under the Influence in the United States, 1990-2014.

PubMed

Light, Michael T; Miller, Ty; Kelly, Brian C

2017-09-01

To examine the influence of undocumented immigration in the United States on 4 different metrics of drug and alcohol problems: drug arrests, drug overdose fatalities, driving under the influence (DUI) arrests, and DUI deaths. We combined newly developed state-level estimates of the undocumented population between 1990 and 2014 from the Center for Migration Studies with arrest data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports and fatality information from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Underlying Cause of Death database. We used fixed-effects regression models to examine the longitudinal association between increased undocumented immigration and drug problems and drunk driving. Increased undocumented immigration was significantly associated with reductions in drug arrests, drug overdose deaths, and DUI arrests, net of other factors. There was no significant relationship between increased undocumented immigration and DUI deaths. This study provides evidence that undocumented immigration has not increased the prevalence of drug or alcohol problems, but may be associated with reductions in these public health concerns.

Modeling U.S. water resources under climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanc, Elodie; Strzepek, Kenneth; Schlosser, Adam; Jacoby, Henry; Gueneau, Arthur; Fant, Charles; Rausch, Sebastian; Reilly, John

2014-04-01

Water is at the center of a complex and dynamic system involving climatic, biological, hydrological, physical, and human interactions. We demonstrate a new modeling system that integrates climatic and hydrological determinants of water supply with economic and biological drivers of sectoral and regional water requirement while taking into account constraints of engineered water storage and transport systems. This modeling system is an extension of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Integrated Global System Model framework and is unique in its consistent treatment of factors affecting water resources and water requirements. Irrigation demand, for example, is driven by the same climatic conditions that drive evapotranspiration in natural systems and runoff, and future scenarios of water demand for power plant cooling are consistent with energy scenarios driving climate change. To illustrate the modeling system we select "wet" and "dry" patterns of precipitation for the United States from general circulation models used in the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3). Results suggest that population and economic growth alone would increase water stress in the United States through mid-century. Climate change generally increases water stress with the largest increases in the Southwest. By identifying areas of potential stress in the absence of specific adaptation responses, the modeling system can help direct attention to water planning that might then limit use or add storage in potentially stressed regions, while illustrating how avoiding climate change through mitigation could change likely outcomes.

78 FR 3363 - Airworthiness Directives; the Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-16

...-mechanical brake flex shaft (short flexshaft) of the thrust reverser actuation system (TRAS). This proposed... the electro-mechanical brake and center drive unit (CDU) cone brake to verify the holding torque, and... describes a functional test of the electro-mechanical brake and CDU cone brake to verify the holding torque...

Vehicle systems: coupled and interactive dynamics analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vantsevich, Vladimir V.

2014-11-01

This article formulates a new direction in vehicle dynamics, described as coupled and interactive vehicle system dynamics. Formalised procedures and analysis of case studies are presented. An analytical consideration, which explains the physics of coupled system dynamics and its consequences for dynamics of a vehicle, is given for several sets of systems including: (i) driveline and suspension of a 6×6 truck, (ii) a brake mechanism and a limited slip differential of a drive axle and (iii) a 4×4 vehicle steering system and driveline system. The article introduces a formal procedure to turn coupled system dynamics into interactive dynamics of systems. A new research direction in interactive dynamics of an active steering and a hybrid-electric power transmitting unit is presented and analysed to control power distribution between the drive axles of a 4×4 vehicle. A control strategy integrates energy efficiency and lateral dynamics by decoupling dynamics of the two systems thus forming their interactive dynamics.

Hydromechanical transmission

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr. deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1978-01-01

A power transmission having three planetary assemblies, each having its own carrier and its own planet, sun, and ring gears. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the three sun gears, all of which are connected together. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gears. The input shaft also drives the carrier of the third planetary assembly. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output through the first ring gear in a hydrostatic mode. The carrier of the third planetary assembly drives the ring gear of the second planetary assembly, and a first clutching means connects the second carrier with the output in a second range, the brake for grounding the first carrier then being released. A second clutching means enables the third ring gear to drive the output shaft in a third range.

Time-periodic solutions of driven-damped trimer granular crystals

DOE PAGES

Charalampidis, E. G.; Li, F.; Chong, C.; ...

2015-01-01

In this work, we consider time-periodic structures of granular crystals consisting of alternate chrome steel (S) and tungsten carbide (W) spherical particles where each unit cell follows the pattern of a 2:1 trimer: S-W-S. The configuration at the left boundary is driven by a harmonic in-time actuation with given amplitude and frequency while the right one is a fixed wall. Similar to the case of a dimer chain, the combination of dissipation, driving of the boundary, and intrinsic nonlinearity leads to complex dynamics. For fixed driving frequencies in each of the spectral gaps, we find that the nonlinear surface modesmore » and the states dictated by the linear drive collide in a saddle-node bifurcation as the driving amplitude is increased, beyond which the dynamics of the system becomes chaotic. While the bifurcation structure is similar for solutions within the first and second gap, those in the first gap appear to be less robust. We also conduct a continuation in driving frequency, where it is apparent that the nonlinearity of the system results in a complex bifurcation diagram, involving an intricate set of loops of branches, especially within the spectral gap. The theoretical findings are qualitatively corroborated by the experimental full-field visualization of the time-periodic structures.« less

Thermally Simulated 32kW Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Reactor: Design, Assembly, and Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godfroy, Thomas J.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.

2004-02-01

One of the power systems under consideration for nuclear electric propulsion is a direct-drive gas-cooled reactor coupled to a Brayton cycle. In this system, power is transferred from the reactor to the Brayton system via a circulated closed loop gas. To allow early utilization, system designs must be relatively simple, easy to fabricate, and easy to test using non-nuclear heaters to closely mimic heat from fission. This combination of attributes will allow pre-prototypic systems to be designed, fabricated, and tested quickly and affordably. The ability to build and test units is key to the success of a nuclear program, especially if an early flight is desired. The ability to perform very realistic non-nuclear testing increases the success probability of the system. In addition, the technologies required by a concept will substantially impact the cost, time, and resources required to develop a successful space reactor power system. This paper describes design features, assembly, and test matrix for the testing of a thermally simulated 32kW direct-drive gas-cooled reactor in the Early Flight Fission - Test Facility (EFF-TF) at Marshall Space Flight Center. The reactor design and test matrix are provided by Los Alamos National Laboratories.

Numerical Modeling of an Integrated Vehicle Fluids System Loop for Pressurizing a Cryogenic Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeClair, A. C.; Hedayat, A.; Majumdar, A. K.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a numerical model of the pressurization loop of the Integrated Vehicle Fluids (IVF) system using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP). The IVF propulsion system, being developed by United Launch Alliance to reduce system weight and enhance reliability, uses boiloff propellants to drive thrusters for the reaction control system as well as to run internal combustion engines to develop power and drive compressors to pressurize propellant tanks. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) conducted tests to verify the functioning of the IVF system using a flight-like tank. GFSSP, a finite volume based flow network analysis software developed at MSFC, has been used to support the test program. This paper presents the simulation of three different test series, comparison of numerical prediction and test data and a novel method of presenting data in a dimensionless form. The paper also presents a methodology of implementing a compressor map in a system level code.

7. TOP SURFACES OF FOUR HYDRAULIC UNITS TO DRIVE COMPRESSORS. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. TOP SURFACES OF FOUR HYDRAULIC UNITS TO DRIVE COMPRESSORS. Looking southeast along rear of building. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Helium Compression Plant, Test Area 1-115, intersection of Altair & Saturn Boulevards, Boron, Kern County, CA

All-wheel drive and winter-weather safety.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

It is frequently stated that people living in northern states, the so called Snowbelt of the United : States, benefit with respect to safety from driving all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicles as : opposed to front or rear-wheel drive only. This stud...

Traction drive automatic transmission for gas turbine engine driveline

DOEpatents

Carriere, Donald L.

1984-01-01

A transaxle driveline for a wheeled vehicle has a high speed turbine engine and a torque splitting gearset that includes a traction drive unit and a torque converter on a common axis transversely arranged with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The drive wheels of the vehicle are mounted on a shaft parallel to the turbine shaft and carry a final drive gearset for driving the axle shafts. A second embodiment of the final drive gearing produces an overdrive ratio between the output of the first gearset and the axle shafts. A continuously variable range of speed ratios is produced by varying the position of the drive rollers of the traction unit. After starting the vehicle from rest, the transmission is set for operation in the high speed range by engaging a first lockup clutch that joins the torque converter impeller to the turbine for operation as a hydraulic coupling.

Design and testing of the reactor-internal hydraulic control rod drive for the nuclear heating plant

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

Batheja, P.; Meier, W.J.; Rau, P.J.

A hydraulically driven control rod is being developed at Kraftwerk Union for integration in the primary system of a small nuclear district heating reactor. An elaborate test program, under way for --3 yr, was initiated with a plexiglass rig to understand the basic principles. A design specification list was prepared, taking reactor boundary conditions and relevant German rules and regulations into account. Subsequently, an atmospheric loop for testing of components at 20 to 90/sup 0/C was erected. The objectives involved optimization of individual components such as a piston/cylinder drive unit, electromagnetic valves, and an ultrasonic position indication system as wellmore » as verification of computer codes. Based on the results obtained, full-scale components were designed and fabricated for a prototype test rig, which is currently in operation. Thus far, all atmospheric tests in this rig have been completed. Investigations under reactor temperature and pressure, followed by endurance tests, are under way. All tests to date have shown a reliable functioning of the hydraulic drive, including a novel ultrasonic position indication system.« less

Loss of control air at Browns Ferry Unit One: accident sequence analysis

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

Harrington, R.M.; Hodge, S.A.

1986-04-01

This study describes the predicted response of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant to a postulated complete failure of plant control air. The failure of plant control air cascades to include the loss of drywell control air at Units 1 and 2. Nevertheless, this is a benign accident unless compounded by simultaneous failures in the turbine-driven high pressure injection systems. Accident sequence calculations are presented for Loss of Control Air sequences with assumed failure upon demand of the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC) and the High Pressure Coolant Injection (HPCI) at Unit 1. Sequences with and without operator action are considered.more » Results show that the operators can prevent core uncovery if they take action to utilize the Control Rod Drive Hydraulic System as a backup high pressure injection system.« less

The driving forces of land change in the Northern Piedmont of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Auch, Roger F.; Napton, Darrell E.; Kambly, Steven; Moreland, Thomas R.; Sayler, Kristi L.

2012-01-01

Driving forces facilitate or inhibit land-use/land-cover change. Human driving forces include political, economic, cultural, and social attributes that often change across time and space. Remotely sensed imagery provides regional land-change data for the Northern Piedmont, an ecoregion of the United States that continued to urbanize after 1970 through conversion of agricultural and forest land covers to developed uses. Eight major driving forces facilitated most of the land conversion; other drivers inhibited or slowed change. A synergistic web of drivers may be more important in understanding land change than individual drivers by themselves.

Design and control of one precise tracking simulation bed for Chinese 20/30 meter optic/infrared telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Changzhi; Li, Xiaoyan; Song, Xiaoli; Niu, Yong; Li, Aihua; Zhang, Zhenchao

2012-09-01

Direct drive technology is the key to solute future 30-m and larger telescope motion system to guarantee a very high tracking accuracy, in spite of unbalanced and sudden loads such as wind gusts and in spite of a structure that, because of its size, can not be infinitely stiff. However, this requires the design and realization of unusually large torque motor that the torque slew rate must be extremely steep too. A conventional torque motor design appears inadequate. This paper explores one redundant unit permanent magnet synchronous motor and its simulation bed for 30-m class telescope. Because its drive system is one high integrated electromechanical system, one complexly electromechanical design method is adopted to improve the efficiency, reliability and quality of the system during the design and manufacture circle. This paper discusses the design and control of the precise tracking simulation bed in detail.

The Move to a System of Flexible Delivery Mode (Online v Paper) Unit of Study Student Evaluations at Flinders University. Management Issues and the Study of Initial Changes in Survey Volume, Response Rate and Response Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Talitha; De Bellis, David

2010-01-01

Like the vast majority of Australian universities, Flinders University (Flinders) collects feedback from students on the quality of teaching and learning through unit of study (topic) or classroom evaluations. Prior to 2009, survey instruments at Flinders were delivered via paper mode and in person to students in the classroom. In a drive for an…

Grumman electric truck development

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

Kessler, J.C.; Ferdman, S.

1981-11-01

An electric truck development was undertaken to prepare for the markets of the 1980's. Grumman is using its aluminum truck bodies technology to create a light weight vehicle. A redesigned unitized, all aluminum body and a new propulsion system resulted in the desired vehicle. The vehicle meets the requirements of the US Postal Service and the DOE Demonstration program. The unitized chassisless structure is designed to take major driving loads. Design features and performance characteristics are enumerated. Safety and service considerations have been incorporated into the vehicle.

3D vision upgrade kit for TALON robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmondson, Richard; Vaden, Justin; Hyatt, Brian; Morris, James; Pezzaniti, J. Larry; Chenault, David B.; Tchon, Joe; Barnidge, Tracy; Kaufman, Seth; Pettijohn, Brad

2010-04-01

In this paper, we report on the development of a 3D vision field upgrade kit for TALON robot consisting of a replacement flat panel stereoscopic display, and multiple stereo camera systems. An assessment of the system's use for robotic driving, manipulation, and surveillance operations was conducted. The 3D vision system was integrated onto a TALON IV Robot and Operator Control Unit (OCU) such that stock components could be electrically disconnected and removed, and upgrade components coupled directly to the mounting and electrical connections. A replacement display, replacement mast camera with zoom, auto-focus, and variable convergence, and a replacement gripper camera with fixed focus and zoom comprise the upgrade kit. The stereo mast camera allows for improved driving and situational awareness as well as scene survey. The stereo gripper camera allows for improved manipulation in typical TALON missions.

Mechanical design and driving mechanism of an isokinetic functional electrical stimulation-based leg stepping trainer.

PubMed

Hamzaid, N A; Fornusek, C; Ruys, A; Davis, G M

2007-12-01

The mechanical design of a constant velocity (isokinetic) leg stepping trainer driven by functional electrical stimulation-evoked muscle contractions was the focus of this paper. The system was conceived for training the leg muscles of neurologically-impaired patients. A commercially available slider crank mechanism for elliptical stepping exercise was adapted to a motorized isokinetic driving mechanism. The exercise system permits constant-velocity pedalling at cadences of 1-60 rev x min(-1). The variable-velocity feature allows low pedalling forces for individuals with very weak leg muscles, yet provides resistance to higher pedalling effort in stronger patients. In the future, the system will be integrated with a computer-controlled neuromuscular stimulator and a feedback control unit to monitor training responses of spinal cord-injured, stroke and head injury patients.

Hybrid propulsion system with a gyro component for economic and dynamic operation. [of motor vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giera, B.; Helling, J.; Schreck, J.

1977-01-01

The design of a hybrid drive with gyro components is described and its drive components for a medium class private car are discussed. The gyro component affects the short-period output of the drive by accelerating and slowing down and -- because of the mechanical transfer of kinetic energy between the gyro and the vehicle -- it affects also the energy balance in the case of intermittent operation. Energy can be taken in as desired either in the form of fuel or as fuel and current. A high energy recovery efficiency as well as the favorable operating range of the interval combustion engine makes it possible to reduce the fuel consumption per unit distance travelled to almost half that for a private car with a traditional engine.

Ratchet Effects in Active Matter Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhardt, C. J. Olson; Reichhardt, C.

2017-03-01

Ratchet effects can arise for single or collectively interacting Brownian particles on an asymmetric substrate when a net dc transport is produced by an externally applied ac driving force or by periodically flashing the substrate. Recently, a new class of active ratchet systems that do not require the application of external driving has been realized through the use of active matter; they are self-propelled units that can be biological or nonbiological in nature. When active materials such as swimming bacteria interact with an asymmetric substrate, a net dc directed motion can arise even without external driving, opening a wealth of possibilities such as sorting, cargo transport, or micromachine construction. We review the current status of active matter ratchets for swimming bacteria, cells, active colloids, and swarming models, focusing on the role of particle-substrate interactions. We describe ratchet reversals produced by collective effects and the use of active ratchets to transport passive particles. We discuss future directions including deformable substrates or particles, the role of different swimming modes, varied particle-particle interactions, and nondissipative effects.

The analysis of parameters of the cryogenic oxygen unit cooperating with power plant to realize oxy-fuel combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hnydiuk-Stefan, Anna; Składzień, Jan

2015-03-01

The paper examines from the thermodynamic point of view operation of coal fired power unit cooperating with the cryogenic oxygen unit, with a particular emphasis on the characteristic performance parameters of the oxygen unit. The relatively high purity technical oxygen produced in the oxygen unit is then used as the oxidant in the fluidized bed boiler of the modern coal fired power unit with electric power output of approximately 460 MW. The analyzed oxygen unit has a classical two-column structure with an expansion turbine (turboexpander), which allows the use of relatively low pressure initially compressed air. Multivariant calculations were performed, the main result being the loss of power and efficiency of the unit due to the need to ensure adequate driving power to the compressor system of the oxygen generating plant.

SUNIST Microwave Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Songlin; Yang, Xuanzong; Feng, Chunhua; Wang, Long; Rao, Jun; Feng, Kecheng

2005-06-01

Experiments on the start-up and formation of spherical tokamak plasmas by electron cyclotron heating alone without ohmic heating and electrode discharge assisted electron cyclotron wave current start-up will be carried out on the SUNIST (Sino United Spherical Tokamak) device. The 2.45 GHz/100kW/30 ms microwave power system and 1000 V/50 A power supply for electrode discharge are ready for experiments with non-inductive current drive.

Evaluation of System Architectures for the Army Aviation Ground Power Unit

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

this state of operation induces wear that reduces pump life. Variable capacity control methods using a constant displacement pump are drive speed...options for use with constant displacement pumps, the fluid or magnetic coupling devices are the most attractive. Variable frequency control cannot...compressor prior to the combustor. The cmTent system turbine exhaust temperature controls to 1250°F, much higher than the compressor exit

Open Component Portability Infrastructure (OPENCPI)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

Disk Drive 7 1 www.antec.com P182 $120. ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 8 1 www.xilinx.com HW-V5-ML555-G $2200. Xilinx ML555 V5 Dev Kit Notes: Cost...s/ GEORGE RAMSEYER EDWARD J. JONES, Deputy Chief Work Unit Manager Advanced Computing ...uniquely positioned to meet the goals of the Software Systems Stockroom (S3) since in some sense component-based systems are computer -science’s

Triboelectric Nanogenerator as a Self-Powered Communication Unit for Processing and Transmitting Information.

PubMed

Yu, Aifang; Chen, Xiangyu; Wang, Rui; Liu, Jingyu; Luo, Jianjun; Chen, Libo; Zhang, Yang; Wu, Wei; Liu, Caihong; Yuan, Hongtao; Peng, Mingzeng; Hu, Weiguo; Zhai, Junyi; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-04-26

In this paper, we demonstrate an application of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) as a self-powered communication unit. An elaborately designed TENG is used to translate a series of environmental triggering signals into binary digital signals and drives an electronic-optical device to transmit binary digital data in real-time without an external power supply. The elaborately designed TENG is built in a membrane structure that can effectively drive the electronic-optical device in a bandwidth from 1.30 to 1.65 kHz. Two typical communication modes (amplitude-shift keying and frequency-shift keying) are realized through the resonant response of TENG to different frequencies, and two digital signals, i.e., "1001" and "0110", are successfully transmitted and received through this system, respectively. Hence, in this study, a simple but efficient method for directly transmitting ambient vibration to the receiver as a digital signal is established using an elaborately designed TENG and an optical communication technique. This type of the communication system, as well as the implementation method presented, exhibits great potential for applications in the smart city, smart home, password authentication, and so on.

Method and system for managing an electrical output of a turbogenerator

DOEpatents

Stahlhut, Ronnie Dean; Vuk, Carl Thomas

2009-06-02

The system and method manages an electrical output of a turbogenerator in accordance with multiple modes. In a first mode, a direct current (DC) bus receives power from a turbogenerator output via a rectifier where turbogenerator revolutions per unit time (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM)) or an electrical output level of a turbogenerator output meet or exceed a minimum threshold. In a second mode, if the turbogenerator revolutions per unit time or electrical output level of a turbogenerator output are less than the minimum threshold, the electric drive motor or a generator mechanically powered by the engine provides electrical energy to the direct current bus.

Method and system for managing an electrical output of a turbogenerator

DOEpatents

Stahlhut, Ronnie Dean; Vuk, Carl Thomas

2010-08-24

The system and method manages an electrical output of a turbogenerator in accordance with multiple modes. In a first mode, a direct current (DC) bus receives power from a turbogenerator output via a rectifier where turbogenerator revolutions per unit time (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM)) or an electrical output level of a turbogenerator output meet or exceed a minimum threshold. In a second mode, if the turbogenerator revolutions per unit time or electrical output level of a turbogenerator output are less than the minimum threshold, the electric drive motor or a generator mechanically powered by the engine provides electrical energy to the direct current bus.

Transmission with a first-stage hydrostatic mode and two hydromechanical stages

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr., deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1979-01-01

A power transmission having two planetary assemblies, each having at least one carrier with planet gears, at least one sun gear, and at least one ring gear. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the sun gear or gears of the first planetary assembly. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gear. The input shaft is also connectable by a first clutch to a carrier of the first planetary assembly and by a second clutch to a sun gear of the second planetary assembly. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output through a ring gear of the first planetary assembly in a hydrostatic mode. The carrier of the second planetary assembly being connected in driving relationship to that ring gear, and in all ranges these two elements transmit the drive to the output shaft.

Decrease of dynamic loads in mobile energy means

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polivaev, O. I.; Gorban, L. K.; Vorohobin, A. V.; Vedrinsky, O. S.

2018-03-01

The increase in the productivity of machine and tractor units is possible due to the increase in operating speeds, this leads to the emergence of increased dynamic loads in the system “engine-transmission-propulsion unit-soil”, which worsens the performance of machine-tractor aggregates. To reduce fluctuations in the “engine-transmission” system, special vibration dampers are used, which installed in close proximity to the engine and protect well the transmission from uneven engine operation; however, such dampers practically do not eliminate the oscillations of external loads. Reducing dynamic loads on the transmission and the mobile power engine (MPE) is an important issue directly related to improving the performance, reliability and durability of the tractor, as well as reducing the slippage of the drive wheels. In order to reduce effectively dynamic loads on the transmission and on the MPE, it is necessary to introduce resilient damping elements closer to the sources of oscillations, namely, to the driving wheels. At the same time, the elastic-damping element should provide accumulation of vibration energy caused by external influences and have a large energy capacity. The installation of an elastic-damping element in the final link of the tractor transmission ensures a reduction in the magnitude of external influences, thereby protecting the engine and transmission from large dynamic loads, and allows one to reduce the slippage of the propellers, which has a positive effect on the traction and energy characteristics of the tractor. Traction tests of the LTP-55 tractor on a concrete road showed that the use of an elasto-damping drive makes it possible to increase the maximum tractive power from 33.5 to 35.3 kW and to reduce the slipping of propellers by 12-30%, the specific fuel consumption by 6-10%. When driving on stubble, the use of an elastic-damping drive increases the maximum tractive power from 25 to 26 kW, reduces the skidding of propellers by 10-28%, and the specific fuel consumption by 10-12.5%.

Evaluation of an in-vehicle monitoring system (IVMS) to reduce risky driving behaviors in commercial drivers: Comparison of in-cab warning lights and supervisory coaching with videos of driving behavior.

PubMed

Bell, Jennifer L; Taylor, Matthew A; Chen, Guang-Xiang; Kirk, Rachel D; Leatherman, Erin R

2017-02-01

Roadway incidents are the leading cause of work-related death in the United States. The objective of this research was to evaluate whether two types of feedback from a commercially available in-vehicle monitoring system (IVMS) would reduce the incidence of risky driving behaviors in drivers from two companies. IVMS were installed in 315 vehicles representing the industries of local truck transportation and oil and gas support operations, and data were collected over an approximate two-year period in intervention and control groups. In one period, intervention group drivers were given feedback from in-cab warning lights from an IVMS that indicated occurrence of harsh vehicle maneuvers. In another period, intervention group drivers viewed video recordings of their risky driving behaviors with supervisors, and were coached by supervisors on safe driving practices. Risky driving behaviors declined significantly more during the period with coaching plus instant feedback with lights in comparison to the period with lights-only feedback (ORadj=0.61 95% CI 0.43-0.86; Holm-adjusted p=0.035) and the control group (ORadj=0.52 95% CI 0.33-0.82; Holm-adjusted p=0.032). Lights-only feedback was not found to be significantly different than the control group's decline from baseline (ORadj=0.86 95% CI 0.51-1.43; Holm-adjusted p>0.05). The largest decline in the rate of risky driving behaviors occurred when feedback included both supervisory coaching and lights. Supervisory coaching is an effective form of feedback to improve driving habits in the workplace. The potential advantages and limitations of this IVMS-based intervention program are discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of an in-vehicle monitoring system (IVMS) to reduce risky driving behaviors in commercial drivers: Comparison of in-cab warning lights and supervisory coaching with videos of driving behavior

PubMed Central

Bell, Jennifer L.; Taylor, Matthew A.; Chen, Guang-Xiang; Kirk, Rachel D.; Leatherman, Erin R.

2017-01-01

Problem Roadway incidents are the leading cause of work-related death in the United States. Methods The objective of this research was to evaluate whether two types of feedback from a commercially available in-vehicle monitoring system (IVMS) would reduce the incidence of risky driving behaviors in drivers from two companies. IVMS were installed in 315 vehicles representing the industries of local truck transportation and oil and gas support operations, and data were collected over an approximate two-year period in intervention and control groups. In one period, intervention group drivers were given feedback from in-cab warning lights from an IVMS that indicated occurrence of harsh vehicle maneuvers. In another period, intervention group drivers viewed video recordings of their risky driving behaviors with supervisors, and were coached by supervisors on safe driving practices. Results Risky driving behaviors declined significantly more during the period with coaching plus instant feedback with lights in comparison to the period with lights-only feedback (ORadj = 0.61 95% CI 0.43–0.86; Holm-adjusted p = 0.035) and the control group (ORadj = 0.52 95% CI 0.33–0.82; Holm-adjusted p = 0.032). Lights-only feedback was not found to be significantly different than the control group's decline from baseline (ORadj = 0.86 95% CI 0.51–1.43; Holm-adjusted p > 0.05). Conclusions The largest decline in the rate of risky driving behaviors occurred when feedback included both supervisory coaching and lights. Practical applications Supervisory coaching is an effective form of feedback to improve driving habits in the workplace. The potential advantages and limitations of this IVMS-based intervention program are discussed. PMID:28160807

Stereo and photometric image sequence interpretation for detecting negative obstacles using active gaze control and performing an autonomous jink

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, Ulrich; Siedersberger, Karl-Heinz

2003-09-01

Driving cross-country, the detection and state estimation relative to negative obstacles like ditches and creeks is mandatory for safe operation. Very often, ditches can be detected both by different photometric properties (soil vs. vegetation) and by range (disparity) discontinuities. Therefore, algorithms should make use of both the photometric and geometric properties to reliably detect obstacles. This has been achieved in UBM's EMS-Vision System (Expectation-based, Multifocal, Saccadic) for autonomous vehicles. The perception system uses Sarnoff's image processing hardware for real-time stereo vision. This sensor provides both gray value and disparity information for each pixel at high resolution and framerates. In order to perform an autonomous jink, the boundaries of an obstacle have to be measured accurately for calculating a safe driving trajectory. Especially, ditches are often very extended, so due to the restricted field of vision of the cameras, active gaze control is necessary to explore the boundaries of an obstacle. For successful measurements of image features the system has to satisfy conditions defined by the perception expert. It has to deal with the time constraints of the active camera platform while performing saccades and to keep the geometric conditions defined by the locomotion expert for performing a jink. Therefore, the experts have to cooperate. This cooperation is controlled by a central decision unit (CD), which has knowledge about the mission and the capabilities available in the system and of their limitations. The central decision unit reacts dependent on the result of situation assessment by starting, parameterizing or stopping actions (instances of capabilities). The approach has been tested with the 5-ton van VaMoRs. Experimental results will be shown for driving in a typical off-road scenario.

Facilitating the implementation of evidence- based practice through contextual support and nursing leadership.

PubMed

Kueny, Angela; Shever, Leah L; Lehan Mackin, Melissa; Titler, Marita G

2015-01-01

Nurse managers (NMs) play an important role promoting evidence-based practice (EBP) on clinical units within hospitals. However, there is a dearth of research focused on NM perspectives about institutional contextual factors to support the goal of EBP on the clinical unit. The purpose of this article is to identify contextual factors described by NMs to drive change and facilitate EBP at the unit level, comparing and contrasting these perspectives across nursing units. This study employed a qualitative descriptive design using interviews with nine NMs who were participating in a large effectiveness study. To stratify the sample, NMs were selected from nursing units designated as high or low performing based on implementation of EBP interventions, scores on the Meyer and Goes research use scale, and fall rates. Descriptive content analysis was used to identify themes that reflect the complex nature of infrastructure described by NMs and contextual influences that supported or hindered their promotion of EBP on the clinical unit. NMs perceived workplace culture, structure, and resources as facilitators or barriers to empowering nurses under their supervision to use EBP and drive change. A workplace culture that provides clear communication of EBP goals or regulatory changes, direct contact with CEOs, and clear expectations supported NMs in their promotion of EBP on their units. High-performing unit NMs described a structure that included nursing-specific committees, allowing nurses to drive change and EBP from within the unit. NMs from high-performing units were more likely to articulate internal resources, such as quality-monitoring departments, as critical to the implementation of EBP on their units. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of institutional contextual factors that can be used to support NMs in their efforts to drive EBP changes at the unit level.

Assessing Energy Efficiency Opportunities in US Industrial and Commercial Building Motor Systems

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

Rao, Prakash; Sheaffer, Paul; McKane, Aimee

2015-09-01

In 2002, the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) published an energy efficiency assessment of U.S. industrial sector motor systems titled United States Industrial Electric Motor Systems Market Opportunities Assessment. The assessment advanced motor system efficiency by providing a greater understanding of the energy consumption, use characteristics, and energy efficiency improvement potential of industrial sector motor systems in the U.S. Since 2002, regulations such as Minimum Energy Performance Standards, cost reductions for motor system components such as variable frequency drives, system-integrated motor-driven equipment, and awareness programs for motor system energy efficiency have changed the landscape of U.S. motor system energymore » consumption. To capture the new landscape, the USDOE has initiated a three-year Motor System Market Assessment (MSMA), led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The MSMA will assess the energy consumption, operational and maintenance characteristics, and efficiency improvement opportunity of U.S. industrial sector and commercial building motor systems. As part of the MSMA, a significant effort is currently underway to conduct field assessments of motor systems from a sample of facilities representative of U.S. commercial and industrial motor system energy consumption. The Field Assessment Plan used for these assessments builds on recent LBNL research presented at EEMODS 2011 and EEMODS 2013 using methods for characterizing and determining regional motor system energy efficiency opportunities. This paper provides an update on the development and progress of the MSMA, focusing on the Field Assessment Plan and the framework for assessing the global supply chain for emerging motors and drive technologies.« less

CLOSE UP OF THE RECESSED MAIN ENTRY OF THE UNIT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

CLOSE UP OF THE RECESSED MAIN ENTRY OF THE UNIT - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, U-Shaped Two-Bedroom Single-Family Type 6, Birch Circle, Elm Drive, Elm Circle, and Date Drive, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

VIEW OF RECESSED FRONT ENTRY SHOWING DECORATIVE CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF RECESSED FRONT ENTRY SHOWING DECORATIVE CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT WALL. VIEW FACING NORTHWEST - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, Four-Bedroom, Single-Family Type 10, Birch Circle, Elm Drive, Elm Circle, and Date Drive, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Integral Sensor Fault Detection and Isolation for Railway Traction Drive.

PubMed

Garramiola, Fernando; Del Olmo, Jon; Poza, Javier; Madina, Patxi; Almandoz, Gaizka

2018-05-13

Due to the increasing importance of reliability and availability of electric traction drives in Railway applications, early detection of faults has become an important key for Railway traction drive manufacturers. Sensor faults are important sources of failures. Among the different fault diagnosis approaches, in this article an integral diagnosis strategy for sensors in traction drives is presented. Such strategy is composed of an observer-based approach for direct current (DC)-link voltage and catenary current sensors, a frequency analysis approach for motor current phase sensors and a hardware redundancy solution for speed sensors. None of them requires any hardware change requirement in the actual traction drive. All the fault detection and isolation approaches have been validated in a Hardware-in-the-loop platform comprising a Real Time Simulator and a commercial Traction Control Unit for a tram. In comparison to safety-critical systems in Aerospace applications, Railway applications do not need instantaneous detection, and the diagnosis is validated in a short time period for reliable decision. Combining the different approaches and existing hardware redundancy, an integral fault diagnosis solution is provided, to detect and isolate faults in all the sensors installed in the traction drive.

Integral Sensor Fault Detection and Isolation for Railway Traction Drive

PubMed Central

del Olmo, Jon; Poza, Javier; Madina, Patxi; Almandoz, Gaizka

2018-01-01

Due to the increasing importance of reliability and availability of electric traction drives in Railway applications, early detection of faults has become an important key for Railway traction drive manufacturers. Sensor faults are important sources of failures. Among the different fault diagnosis approaches, in this article an integral diagnosis strategy for sensors in traction drives is presented. Such strategy is composed of an observer-based approach for direct current (DC)-link voltage and catenary current sensors, a frequency analysis approach for motor current phase sensors and a hardware redundancy solution for speed sensors. None of them requires any hardware change requirement in the actual traction drive. All the fault detection and isolation approaches have been validated in a Hardware-in-the-loop platform comprising a Real Time Simulator and a commercial Traction Control Unit for a tram. In comparison to safety-critical systems in Aerospace applications, Railway applications do not need instantaneous detection, and the diagnosis is validated in a short time period for reliable decision. Combining the different approaches and existing hardware redundancy, an integral fault diagnosis solution is provided, to detect and isolate faults in all the sensors installed in the traction drive. PMID:29757251

Pixelized Device Control Actuators for Large Adaptive Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowles, Gareth J.; Bird, Ross W.; Shea, Brian; Chen, Peter

2009-01-01

A fully integrated, compact, adaptive space optic mirror assembly has been developed, incorporating new advances in ultralight, high-performance composite mirrors. The composite mirrors use Q-switch matrix architecture-based pixelized control (PMN-PT) actuators, which achieve high-performance, large adaptive optic capability, while reducing the weight of present adaptive optic systems. The self-contained, fully assembled, 11x11x4-in. (approx.= 28x28x10-cm) unit integrates a very-high-performance 8-in. (approx.=20-cm) optic, and has 8-kHz true bandwidth. The assembled unit weighs less than 15 pounds (=6.8 kg), including all mechanical assemblies, power electronics, control electronics, drive electronics, face sheet, wiring, and cabling. It requires just three wires to be attached (power, ground, and signal) for full-function systems integration, and uses a steel-frame and epoxied electronics. The three main innovations are: 1. Ultralightweight composite optics: A new replication method for fabrication of very thin composite 20-cm-diameter laminate face sheets with good as-fabricated optical figure was developed. The approach is a new mandrel resin surface deposition onto previously fabricated thin composite laminates. 2. Matrix (regenerative) power topology: Waveform correction can be achieved across an entire face sheet at 6 kHz, even for large actuator counts. In practice, it was found to be better to develop a quadrant drive, that is, four quadrants of 169 actuators behind the face sheet. Each quadrant has a single, small, regenerative power supply driving all 169 actuators at 8 kHz in effective parallel. 3. Q-switch drive architecture: The Q-switch innovation is at the heart of the matrix architecture, and allows for a very fast current draw into a desired actuator element in 120 counts of a MHz clock without any actuator coupling.

Distraction produces over-additive increases in the degree to which alcohol impairs driving performance

PubMed Central

Van Dyke, Nicholas A.; Fillmore, Mark T.

2015-01-01

Rationale Research indicates that alcohol intoxication and increased demands on drivers’ attention from distractions (e.g. passengers and cell phones) contribute to poor driving performance and increased rates of traffic accidents and fatalities. Objectives The present study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol and distraction on simulated driving performance at blood alcohol concentrations (BrACs) below the legal driving limit in the United States (i.e. 0.08%). Methods Fifty healthy adult drivers (36 men and 14 women) were tested in a driving simulator following a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol and a placebo. Drivers completed two drive tests; a distracted drive, which included a two-choice detection task, and an undistracted control drive. Multiple indicators of driving performance, such as drive speed, within-lane deviation, steering rate, and lane exceedances were measured. Results Alcohol and distraction each impaired measures of driving performance. Moreover, the magnitude of alcohol impairment was increased by at least two-fold when tested under the distracting versus the undistracted condition. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for a clearer understanding of how common distractions impact intoxicated drivers, especially at BrACs that are currently legal for driving in the United States. PMID:26349918

Motor Controller System For Large Dynamic Range of Motor Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, David E. (Inventor); Alhorn, Dean C. (Inventor); Smith, Dennis A. (Inventor); Dutton, Kenneth R. (Inventor); Paulson, Mitchell Scott (Inventor)

2006-01-01

A motor controller system uses a rotary sensor with a plurality of signal conditioning units, coupled to the rotary sensor. Each of these units, which is associated with a particular range of motor output shaft rotation rates, generate a feedback signal indicative of the position of the motor s output shaft. A controller (i) converts a selected motor output shaft rotation rate to a corresponding incremental amount of rotational movement for a selected fixed time period, (ii) selects, at periodic completions of the selected fixed time period, the feedback signal from one of the signal conditioning units for which the particular range of motor output shaft rotation rates associated therewith encompasses the selected motor output shaft rotation rate, and (iii) generates a motor drive signal based on a difference between the incremental amount of rotational movement and the feedback signal from the selected one of the signal conditioning Units.

Design of Servo Scheme and Drive Electronics for the Integrated Electrohydraulic Actuation System of RLV-TD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurian, Priya C.; Gopinath, Anish; Shinoy, K. S.; Santhi, P.; Sundaramoorthy, K.; Sebastian, Baby; Jaya, B.; Namboodiripad, M. N.; Mookiah, T.

2017-12-01

Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is a system which has the ability to carry a payload from the earth's surface to the outer space more than once. The control actuation forms the major component of the control system and it actuates the control surfaces of the RLV-TD based on the control commands. Eight electro hydraulic actuators were used in RLV-TD for vectoring the control surfaces about their axes. A centralised Hydraulic Power Generating Unit (HPU) was used for powering the eight actuators located in two stages. The actuation system had to work for the longest ever duration of about 850 s for an Indian launch vehicle. High bandwidth requirement from autopilot was met by the servo design using the nonlinear mathematical model. Single Control Electronics which drive four electrohydraulic actuators was developed for each stage. High power electronics with soft start scheme was realized for driving the BLDC motor which is the prime mover for hydraulic pump. Many challenges arose due to single HPU for two stages, uncertainty of aero load, higher bandwidth requirements etc. and provisions were incorporated in the design to successfully overcome them. This paper describes the servo design and control electronics architecture of control actuation system.

The Electrical Power System of HTV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiewe, Bernhard; Maejima, Takaharu

2005-05-01

The paper describes the power system of H2-Transfer Vehicle with special focus on the Power Control Unit (PCU). This PCU is the main element of the solar generator power system, operating 30 solar sections in their maximum power point individually and controlling the state of charge of the rechargeable Li- Ion battery. The driving requirements for the PCU are summarized in this paper. The design of the main functions is described and a summary of the performance test results is given.

Computer hardware for radiologists: Part 2.

PubMed

Indrajit, Ik; Alam, A

2010-11-01

Computers are an integral part of modern radiology equipment. In the first half of this two-part article, we dwelt upon some fundamental concepts regarding computer hardware, covering components like motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), chipset, random access memory (RAM), and memory modules. In this article, we describe the remaining computer hardware components that are of relevance to radiology. "Storage drive" is a term describing a "memory" hardware used to store data for later retrieval. Commonly used storage drives are hard drives, floppy drives, optical drives, flash drives, and network drives. The capacity of a hard drive is dependent on many factors, including the number of disk sides, number of tracks per side, number of sectors on each track, and the amount of data that can be stored in each sector. "Drive interfaces" connect hard drives and optical drives to a computer. The connections of such drives require both a power cable and a data cable. The four most popular "input/output devices" used commonly with computers are the printer, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. The "bus" is a built-in electronic signal pathway in the motherboard to permit efficient and uninterrupted data transfer. A motherboard can have several buses, including the system bus, the PCI express bus, the PCI bus, the AGP bus, and the (outdated) ISA bus. "Ports" are the location at which external devices are connected to a computer motherboard. All commonly used peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, and portable drives, need ports. A working knowledge of computers is necessary for the radiologist if the workflow is to realize its full potential and, besides, this knowledge will prepare the radiologist for the coming innovations in the 'ever increasing' digital future.

Variable-Displacement Hydraulic Drive Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, D. J.; Linton, D. J.; Markunas, A.

1986-01-01

Hydraulic power controlled through multiple feedback loops. In hydraulic drive unit, power closely matched to demand, thereby saving energy. Hydraulic flow to and from motor adjusted by motor-control valve connected to wobbler. Wobbler angle determines motor-control-valve position, which in turn determines motor displacement. Concept applicable to machine tools, aircraft controls, and marine controls.

Oregon Driver Education. Alcohol/Drugs and Driving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem. Div. of Curriculum and School Improvement.

This curriculum unit contains 10 modules, to be used in 10 driver education class sessions, on driving under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs (DUI). The unit aims to combat the Oregon DUI problem, especially among 15- to 24-year-olds, with values clarification, awareness of risk factors and personal boundaries, refusal skills, social…

Proof of Concept Trade Study For Type-1 Operator Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-15

PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Lockheed Martin,9975 Federal Drive,Colorado...Springs,CO,80921 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11...CONFIGURATION .................................................................. 20 5.1 System Architechture

Connecticut's Charter School Law & Race to the Top. A ConnCAN Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truscheit, Tori

2010-01-01

In recent years, public charter schools in Connecticut and around the United States have proven that students living in poverty are capable of high achievement. President Obama said in a July 2009 interview, "Charters, which are within the public school system, force the kind of experimentation and innovation that helps to drive excellence in…

77 FR 23226 - U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces Proposed Rules Changes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-18

...: http://www.regulations.gov . Mail: Federal Docket Management System Office, 4800 Mark Center Drive...) Certificate for review/brief/answer/reply. (1) Article 62, UCMJ, cases. In cases involving a decision by a Court of Criminal Appeals on appeal by the United States under Article 62, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. 862, a...

Evaluation of Kentucky's "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

Kentucky was selected within the Southeast Region of the United States by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a comprehensive impaired driving campaign entitled "You Drink & Drive. You Lose". The campaign was conducted aroun...

Is Reorganization of the Army Under the Unit-of-Action and the Unit-of-Employment Concept Consistent with the Army’s Identity?

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

thesis is a critical assessment of those organizational changes . The thesis question asks: Is reorganization of the Army under the unit of action/unit...driving these changes are not well understood. It is a far more daunting task to understand the forces that are driving these organizational changes ...than it is to understand the mechanics of those changes . In a sense, every leader in the Army is a technician; officers in particular are called

Totally implantable total artificial heart and ventricular assist device with multipurpose miniature electromechanical energy system.

PubMed

Takatani, S; Orime, Y; Tasai, K; Ohara, Y; Naito, K; Mizuguchi, K; Makinouchi, K; Damm, G; Glueck, J; Ling, J

1994-01-01

A multipurpose miniature electromechanical energy system has been developed to yield a compact, efficient, durable, and biocompatible total artificial heart (TAH) and ventricular assist device (VAD). Associated controller-driver electronics were recently miniaturized and converted into hybrid circuits. The hybrid controller consists of a microprocessor and controller, motor driver, Hall sensor, and commutation circuit hybrids. The sizing study demonstrated that all these components can be incorporated in the pumping unit of the TAH and VAD, particularly in the centerpiece of the TAH and the motor housing of the VAD. Both TAH and VAD pumping units will start when their power line is connected to either the internal power pack or the external battery unit. As a redundant driving and diagnostic port, an emergency port was newly added and will be placed in subcutaneous location. In case of system failure, the skin will be cut down, and an external motor drive or a pneumatic driver will be connected to this port to run the TAH. This will minimize the circulatory arrest time. Overall efficiency of the TAH without the transcutaneous energy transmission system was 14-18% to deliver pump outputs of 4-9 L/min against the right and left afterload pressures of 25 and 100 mm Hg. The internal power requirement ranged from 6 to 13 W. The rechargeable batteries such as NiCd or NiMH with 1 AH capacity can run the TAH for 30-45 min. The external power requirement, when TETS efficiency of 75% was assumed, ranged from 8 to 18 W. The accelerated endurance test in the 42 degrees C saline bath demonstrated stable performance over 4 months. Long-term endurance and chronic animal studies will continue toward a system with 5 years durability by the year 2000.

System for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers

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

Gross, V.

1980-07-08

A system is described for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers, comprising: a set of containers adapted for receiving aqueous solutions of biological samples containing biopolymers which are subsequently precipitated in said containers on particles of diatomite in the presence of a coprecipitator, then filtered, dissolved, and mixed with a scintillator; radioactivity measuring means including a detection chamber to which is fed the mixture produced in said set of containers; an electric drive for moving said set of containers in a stepwise manner; means for proportional feeding of said coprecipitator and a suspension of diatomite in an acid solution to saidmore » containers which contain the biological sample for forming an acid precipitation of biopolymers; means for the removal of precipitated samples from said containers; precipitated biopolymer filtering means for successively filtering the precipitate, suspending the precipitate, dissolving the biopolymers mixed with said scintillator for feeding of the mixture to said detection chamber; a system of pipelines interconnecting said above-recited means; and said means for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers including, a measuring cell arranged in a detection chamber and communicating with said means for filtering precipitated biopolymers through one pipeline of said system of pipelines; a program unit electrically connected to said electric drive, said means for acid precipatation of biopolymers, said means for the removal of precipitated samples from said containers, said filtering means, and said radioactivity measuring device; said program unit adapted to periodically switch on and off the above-recited means and check the sequence of the radioactivity measuring operations; and a control unit for controlling the initiation of the system and for selecting programs.« less

Prevention of microbial contamination of the dental unit caused by suction into the turbine drive air lines.

PubMed

Ojajärvi, J

1996-01-01

To determine whether a specially designed antisuction device can prevent the bacterial contamination of the drive air lines of the dental turbine that is caused by suction when the turbine is stopped. A dental unit with and without the antisuction device and three different types of sterilized handpieces were used in the tests. Each turbine was operated in air, then submerged into a bacterial suspension of E. coli and enterococci for 3 seconds, removed, and stopped. This procedure was repeated 10 times. Possible bacterial contamination of the drive air lines was examined by submersing the head of a sterilized handpiece with the turbine running into a nutrient broth for 30 seconds. The broth was incubated at 35 degrees C up to 2 days. After use of the conventional dental unit, bacterial growth of drive air lines was found in 10 of 150 broth samples. After the installation of the antisuction device no bacterial growth was found in any of the 138 samples. The difference in the contamination frequencies is statistically significant (p = 0.011, Fisher's two-sided exact test). The drive air lines of the turbine in the dental unit may become contaminated despite the sterilization of handpieces. The antisuction device installed into the dental unit was found to prevent the contamination. With the exception of possibly immunocompromised patients, the transmission of microbes by exhaust air may be too small to cause infections. However, transmission of oral material between patients should be prevented in dental practice.

Goddard Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kobler, Ben (Editor); Hariharan, P. C. (Editor)

1993-01-01

Papers and viewgraphs from the conference are presented. Discussion topics include the IEEE Mass Storage System Reference Model, data archiving standards, high-performance storage devices, magnetic and magneto-optic storage systems, magnetic and optical recording technologies, high-performance helical scan recording systems, and low end helical scan tape drives. Additional discussion topics addressed the evolution of the identifiable unit for processing (file, granule, data set, or some similar object) as data ingestion rates increase dramatically, and the present state of the art in mass storage technology.

Nonlinear mathematical modeling and sensitivity analysis of hydraulic drive unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xiangdong; Yu, Bin; Quan, Lingxiao; Ba, Kaixian; Wu, Liujie

2015-09-01

The previous sensitivity analysis researches are not accurate enough and also have the limited reference value, because those mathematical models are relatively simple and the change of the load and the initial displacement changes of the piston are ignored, even experiment verification is not conducted. Therefore, in view of deficiencies above, a nonlinear mathematical model is established in this paper, including dynamic characteristics of servo valve, nonlinear characteristics of pressure-flow, initial displacement of servo cylinder piston and friction nonlinearity. The transfer function block diagram is built for the hydraulic drive unit closed loop position control, as well as the state equations. Through deriving the time-varying coefficient items matrix and time-varying free items matrix of sensitivity equations respectively, the expression of sensitivity equations based on the nonlinear mathematical model are obtained. According to structure parameters of hydraulic drive unit, working parameters, fluid transmission characteristics and measured friction-velocity curves, the simulation analysis of hydraulic drive unit is completed on the MATLAB/Simulink simulation platform with the displacement step 2 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm, respectively. The simulation results indicate that the developed nonlinear mathematical model is sufficient by comparing the characteristic curves of experimental step response and simulation step response under different constant load. Then, the sensitivity function time-history curves of seventeen parameters are obtained, basing on each state vector time-history curve of step response characteristic. The maximum value of displacement variation percentage and the sum of displacement variation absolute values in the sampling time are both taken as sensitivity indexes. The sensitivity indexes values above are calculated and shown visually in histograms under different working conditions, and change rules are analyzed. Then the sensitivity indexes values of four measurable parameters, such as supply pressure, proportional gain, initial position of servo cylinder piston and load force, are verified experimentally on test platform of hydraulic drive unit, and the experimental research shows that the sensitivity analysis results obtained through simulation are approximate to the test results. This research indicates each parameter sensitivity characteristics of hydraulic drive unit, the performance-affected main parameters and secondary parameters are got under different working conditions, which will provide the theoretical foundation for the control compensation and structure optimization of hydraulic drive unit.

Exploring naturalistic driving data for distracted driving measures : [research project capsule].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic that continues to cause deaths and injuries in : automobile crashes throughout the United States. According to the National Highway Tra c : Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3328 people were killed and an es...

76 FR 76023 - National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving... legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs. These ongoing initiatives are... National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011 By the President of the United States of America A...

Assessment of the effectiveness of wrong way driving countermeasures and mitigation methods.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

This report describes the methodology and results of tasks performed to evaluate the effectiveness of : wrong way driving countermeasures and mitigation methods. Researchers reviewed the state of the practice : regarding wrong way driving in the Unit...

Conceptual design of free-piston Stirling conversion system for solar power units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loktionov, Iu. V.

A conversion system has been conceptually designed for solar power units of the dish-Stirling type. The main design objectives were to demonstrate the possibility of attaining such performance characteristics as low manufacturing and life cycle costs, high reliability, long life, high efficiency, power output stability, self-balance, automatic (or self-) start-up, and easy maintenance. The system design includes a heat transfer and utilization subsystem with a solar receiver, a free-piston engine, an electric power generation subsystem, and a control subsystem. The working fluid is helium. The structural material is stainless steel for hot elements, aluminum alloys and plastics for others. The electric generation subunit can be fabricated in three options: with an induction linear alternator, with a permanent magnet linear alternator, and with a serial rotated induction generator and a hydraulic drive subsystem. The heat transfer system is based on heat pipes or the reflux boiler principle. Several models of heat transfer units using a liquid metal (Na or Na-K) have been created and demonstrated.

Computer hardware for radiologists: Part 2

PubMed Central

Indrajit, IK; Alam, A

2010-01-01

Computers are an integral part of modern radiology equipment. In the first half of this two-part article, we dwelt upon some fundamental concepts regarding computer hardware, covering components like motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), chipset, random access memory (RAM), and memory modules. In this article, we describe the remaining computer hardware components that are of relevance to radiology. “Storage drive” is a term describing a “memory” hardware used to store data for later retrieval. Commonly used storage drives are hard drives, floppy drives, optical drives, flash drives, and network drives. The capacity of a hard drive is dependent on many factors, including the number of disk sides, number of tracks per side, number of sectors on each track, and the amount of data that can be stored in each sector. “Drive interfaces” connect hard drives and optical drives to a computer. The connections of such drives require both a power cable and a data cable. The four most popular “input/output devices” used commonly with computers are the printer, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. The “bus” is a built-in electronic signal pathway in the motherboard to permit efficient and uninterrupted data transfer. A motherboard can have several buses, including the system bus, the PCI express bus, the PCI bus, the AGP bus, and the (outdated) ISA bus. “Ports” are the location at which external devices are connected to a computer motherboard. All commonly used peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, and portable drives, need ports. A working knowledge of computers is necessary for the radiologist if the workflow is to realize its full potential and, besides, this knowledge will prepare the radiologist for the coming innovations in the ‘ever increasing’ digital future. PMID:21423895

Drinking Locations Prior to Impaired Driving among College Students: Implications for Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usdan, Stuart L.; Moore, Charity G.; Schumacher, Joseph E.; Talbott, Laura L.

2005-01-01

Drinking and driving is perhaps the most serious problem associated with heavy drinking among college students in the United States. In this study, the authors examined drinking locations prior to impaired driving in a college student sample. They administered the Impaired Driving Assessment to 91 college students identified as high risk for…

Quality and productivity drive innovation and improvement at United Technologies Aerospace Operations, Inc.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jamar, L. G.

1986-01-01

Quality and innovation are the hallmarks of the national space program. In programs that preceded the Shuttle Program the emphasis was on meeting the risks and technical challenges of space with safety, quality, reliability, and success. At United Technologies Aerospace Operations, Inc. (UTAO), the battle has developed along four primary fronts. These fronts include programs to motivate and reward people, development and construction of optimized processes and facilities, implementation of specifically tailored management systems, and the application of appropriate measurement and control systems. Each of these initiatives is described. However, to put this quality and productivity program in perspective, UTAO and its role in the Shuttle Program are described first.

SHRP2 naturalistic driving study, phase I summary : State College, Pennsylvania data collection site.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

The Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study is the largest naturalistic driving study undertaken, collecting data from six sites around the United States, including State College, PA. Recruitment and admission of human...

Surface electromyographic amplitude does not identify differences in neural drive to synergistic muscles.

PubMed

Martinez-Valdes, Eduardo; Negro, Francesco; Falla, Deborah; De Nunzio, Alessandro Marco; Farina, Dario

2018-04-01

Surface electromyographic (EMG) signal amplitude is typically used to compare the neural drive to muscles. We experimentally investigated this association by studying the motor unit (MU) behavior and action potentials in the vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles. Eighteen participants performed isometric knee extensions at four target torques [10, 30, 50, and 70% of the maximum torque (MVC)] while high-density EMG signals were recorded from the VM and VL. The absolute EMG amplitude was greater for VM than VL ( P < 0.001), whereas the EMG amplitude normalized with respect to MVC was greater for VL than VM ( P < 0.04). Because differences in EMG amplitude can be due to both differences in the neural drive and in the size of the MU action potentials, we indirectly inferred the neural drives received by the two muscles by estimating the synaptic inputs received by the corresponding motor neuron pools. For this purpose, we analyzed the increase in discharge rate from recruitment to target torque for motor units matched by recruitment threshold in the two muscles. This analysis indicated that the two muscles received similar levels of neural drive. Nonetheless, the size of the MU action potentials was greater for VM than VL ( P < 0.001), and this difference explained most of the differences in EMG amplitude between the two muscles (~63% of explained variance). These results indicate that EMG amplitude, even following normalization, does not reflect the neural drive to synergistic muscles. Moreover, absolute EMG amplitude is mainly explained by the size of MU action potentials. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Electromyographic (EMG) amplitude is widely used to compare indirectly the strength of neural drive received by synergistic muscles. However, there are no studies validating this approach with motor unit data. Here, we compared between-muscles differences in surface EMG amplitude and motor unit behavior. The results clarify the limitations of surface EMG to interpret differences in neural drive between muscles.

Adaptive Role-Play Exercises for a Leader Development Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

OR GRANT NUMBER W91 FD3-06-P-0023 Adaptive Role-Play Exercises for a Leader Development Center 5b. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 665502 6. AUTHOR(S): 5c...PROJECT NUMBER M770 Michael Hertz (Progeny Systems Corporation) 5d. TASK NUMBER 103 5e. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS...ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER Progeny Systems Corporation 9500 Innovation Drive Manassas, VA 20110 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME

Numerical simulation of the flow around a steerable propulsion unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacuraru, F.; Lungu, A.; Ungureanu, C.; Marcu, O.

2010-08-01

Azimuth propulsion units have become during the last decade a more and more popular solution for all kinds of vessels. Azimuth thruster system, combining the propulsion and steering units of conventional ships replaces traditional propellers and lengthy drive shafts and rudders ensuring an excellent vessel steering. In many cases the interaction between the propeller and other components of the propulsion system strongly affects the inflow to the propeller and therefore its performance. The correct estimation of this influence is important for propulsion systems which consist of more than one element, such as pods (shaft, gondola and propeller), ducted propellers (duct, struts and propeller) or bow thrusters (ship form, tunnel, gondola and propeller). The paper proposes a numerical investigation based on RANS computation for solving the viscous flow around an azimuth thruster system to provide a detailed insight into the critical flow regions for determining the optimum inclination angle for struts, for studying the hydrodynamic interactions between various components of the system, for predicting the hydrodynamic performance of the propulsion system and to investigate regions with possible flow separations.

Features of electric drive sucker rod pumps for oil production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gizatullin, F. A.; Khakimyanov, M. I.; Khusainov, F. F.

2018-01-01

This article is about modes of operation of electric drives of downhole sucker rod pumps. Downhole oil production processes are very energy intensive. Oil fields contain many oil wells; many of them operate in inefficient modes with significant additional losses. Authors propose technical solutions to improve energy performance of a pump unit drives: counterweight balancing, reducing of electric motor power, replacing induction motors with permanent magnet motors, replacing balancer drives with chain drives, using of variable frequency drives.

Ratchet Effects in Active Matter Systems

DOE PAGES

Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane; Reichhardt, Charles

2016-12-21

Ratchet effects can arise for single or collectively interacting Brownian particles on an asymmetric substrate when a net dc transport is produced by an externally applied ac driving force or by periodically flashing the substrate. Recently, a new class of active ratchet systems that do not require the application of external driving has been realized through the use of active matter; they are self-propelled units that can be biological or nonbiological in nature. When active materials such as swimming bacteria interact with an asymmetric substrate, a net dc directed motion can arise even without external driving, opening a wealth ofmore » possibilities such as sorting, cargo transport, or micromachine construction. We review the current status of active matter ratchets for swimming bacteria, cells, active colloids, and swarming models, focusing on the role of particle-substrate interactions. Here, we describe ratchet reversals produced by collective effects and the use of active ratchets to transport passive particles. We discuss future directions including deformable substrates or particles, the role of different swimming modes, varied particle–particle interactions, and nondissipative effects.« less

Spline screw payload fastening system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vranish, John M. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A system for coupling an orbital replacement unit (ORU) to a space station structure via the actions of a robot and/or astronaut is described. This system provides mechanical and electrical connections both between the ORU and the space station structure and between the ORU and the ORU and the robot/astronaut hand tool. Alignment and timing features ensure safe, sure handling and precision coupling. This includes a first female type spline connector selectively located on the space station structure, a male type spline connector positioned on the orbital replacement unit so as to mate with and connect to the first female type spline connector, and a second female type spline connector located on the orbital replacement unit. A compliant drive rod interconnects the second female type spline connector and the male type spline connector. A robotic special end effector is used for mating with and driving the second female type spline connector. Also included are alignment tabs exteriorally located on the orbital replacement unit for berthing with the space station structure. The first and second female type spline connectors each include a threaded bolt member having a captured nut member located thereon which can translate up and down the bolt but are constrained from rotation thereabout, the nut member having a mounting surface with at least one first type electrical connector located on the mounting surface for translating with the nut member. At least one complementary second type electrical connector on the orbital replacement unit mates with at least one first type electrical connector on the mounting surface of the nut member. When the driver on the robotic end effector mates with the second female type spline connector and rotates, the male type spline connector and the first female type spline connector lock together, the driver and the second female type spline connector lock together, and the nut members translate up the threaded bolt members carrying the first type electrical connector up to the complementary second type connector for interconnection therewith.

[Design of blood-pressure parameter auto-acquisition circuit].

PubMed

Chen, Y P; Zhang, D L; Bai, H W; Zhang, D A

2000-02-01

This paper presents the realization and design of a kind of blood-pressure parameter auto-acquisition circuit. The auto-acquisition of blood-pressure parameter controlled by 89C2051 single chip microcomputer is accomplished by collecting and processing the driving signal of LCD. The circuit that is successfully applied in the home unit of telemedicine system has the simple and reliable properties.

A Uniform Approach to National Suicide Bomber Incident Response and Recovery

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

33 D. ELEMENTS OF MOTIVATION.................................................................35 E. THE TAMIL TIGER INFLUENCE...34 Ibid., 11. 35 Ibid., 8-12. 12 support of common objectives. Use of the Incident Command System (ICS) is an important element across multi... elements : • Initial strategic focus: to drive overt and covert United States forces from Muslim lands in the Near and Middle East. Covert American

Drink-driving and the alcohol beverage industry: will reducing per capita consumption solve the problem in the United Kingdom?

PubMed

Riley, D

1987-12-01

The impact of drinking and driving is one focus of the mounting concern in the West over the widespread incidence of alcohol-related problems. Conventional wisdom, in the United Kingdom as well as in other countries, suggests that reducing average consumption levels will diminish the impact of the negative effects of alcohol including drinking and driving. But whether policies designed to achieve changes in per capita consumption by increasing alcohol taxes across the board constitute the most effective strategy to reduce drinking and driving is called into question. A number of competing interventions directed at the alcohol beverage industry are analysed and new directions for producers and policymakers are proposed.

Advanced Motor Drives Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehsani, M.; Tchamdjou, A.

1997-01-01

This report presents an evaluation of advanced motor drive systems as a replacement for the hydrazine fueled APU units. The replacement technology must meet several requirements which are particular to the space applications and the Orbiter in general. Some of these requirements are high efficiency, small size, high power density. In the first part of the study several motors are compared, based on their characteristics and in light of the Orbiter requirements. The best candidate, the brushless DC is chosen because of its particularly good performance with regards to efficiency. Several power electronics drive technologies including the conventional three-phase hard switched and several soft-switched inverters are then presented. In the last part of the study, a soft-switched inverter is analyzed and compared to its conventional hard-switched counterpart. Optimal efficiency is a basic requirement for space applications and the soft-switched technology represents an unavoidable trend for the future.

Transmission with a first-stage hydrostatic mode and two hydromechanical stages

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr., deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1981-01-01

A power transmission having two planetary assemblies, each having at least one carrier with planet gears, at least one sun gear, and at least one ring gear. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the sun gear or gears of the first planetary assembly. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gear. The input shaft is also connected directly to a sun gear of the second planetary assembly and is further connectable by a clutch to a carrier of the first planetary assembly. Another clutch enables connecting the carrier of the first planetary assembly to a ring gear of the second planetary assembly. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output through a ring gear of the first planetary assembly in a hydrostatic mode. The carrier of the second planetary assembly is connected in rigid driving relationship to that first ring gear, and in all ranges these two elements transmit the drive to the output shaft.

Hydromechanical transmission with three simple planetary assemblies, one sun gear being mounted on the output shaft and the other two on a common shaft connected to an input-driven hydraulic module

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr., deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1978-01-01

A power transmission having three simple planetary assemblies, each having its own carrier and its own planet, sun, and ring gears. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the sun gears of the first two planetary assemblies, these two sun gears being connected together on a common shaft. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gears. The input shaft is also connected to drive the second ring gear and, furthermore is clutchable to the carrier of the third planetary assembly. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output through the first ring gear in a hydrostatic mode. The carrier of the second planetary assembly drives the ring gear of the third planetary assembly, which is clutchable to the output shaft, and the sun gear of the third planetary assembly is mounted rigidly to the output shaft.

Learning Achievement Packages in Social Studies. Procedimientos para Manejar. Mantenimiento del Automovil. Llantas. (Procedures for Driving. Maintenance of an Automobile. Tires.)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rendon, Rene

This publication presents three suggested social studies curriculum units designed for the bilingual Spanish-English classroom, but which would also be useful in advanced Spanish language classes for English speakers. The units, developed for grades 7-11, are entitled, "Procedures for Driving,""Maintenance of an Automobile,"…

Get the Message: A Teen Distracted Driving Program.

PubMed

Adeola, Ruth; Omorogbe, Ashleigh; Johnson, Abree

Elimination of distracted driving is becoming a public health priority. Each day, an average of 8 people are killed due to a distracted driver in the United Sates. Although all drivers are at risk, research has indicated that teenage drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes due to distracted driving. Teenage drivers are hindered by limited driving experience, and the illusion of invincibility is a common phase in social and cognitive adolescent development. "Get the Message: A Teenage Distracted Driving Program" was established at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center to identify, define, and measure the factors that contribute to distracted driving in teens. A convenience sample of 1,238 teenagers in this study represented all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and 21 other countries. At the beginning of each program, a presurvey is administered to assess baseline behavior, attitude, and knowledge regarding distracted driving. After completing the program, teens complete a postsurvey to measure proposed changes in driving behaviors, attitude, and knowledge. The program employs the use of a slide presentation, hospital tour, video, and survivor's testimony to influence teen driving behaviors and increase knowledge. Research has indicated that an increase in the Health Belief Model constructs may enhance engagement in health-promoting behaviors, such as safe driving practices in teens. Based on the postsurvey results, the reduction in projected phone use while driving in this teen population indicates the effectiveness of this hospital-based teen distracted driving program.

Prevalence of drink-driving among adults in China: A nationally representative survey in 2010.

PubMed

Xiao, Deng; Pengpeng, Ye; Yichong, Li; Leilei, Duan; Limin, Wang; Shults, Ruth A; Roehler, Douglas R; Yee, Sue Lin

2017-11-17

We examined the prevalence of and characteristics associated with drink-driving in China. We compared this study's drink-driving findings with those from the United States to explore how effective traffic safety interventions from Western cultures might be adapted for use in China. Data from the 2010 China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Survey were analyzed to describe the prevalence and characteristics associated with drink-driving in China. Overall, 1.5% of Chinese adults reported drink-driving in the past 30 days-3% of males and 0.1% of females. However, among males who had driven a vehicle in the past 30 days and consumed at least one alcoholic beverage in the past 30 days, 19% reported drink-driving during the 30-day period. Excessive drinking, binge drinking, nonuse of seat belts, and having been injured in a road traffic crash in the past year were most strongly associated with drink-driving among males. Drink-driving is prevalent among male drivers in China. Although large differences exist between China and the United States in the proportion of adults who drive, the proportion who consume alcohol, and some of the personal characteristics of those who drink and drive, similarities between the 2 countries are present in patterns of risk behaviors among drink-driving. To reduce injuries and deaths from drink-driving, effective interventions from Western cultures need to be tailored for adoption in China.

Trends in driver licensing status and driving among high school seniors in the United States, 1996–2010☆

PubMed Central

Shults, Ruth A.; Williams, Allan F.

2017-01-01

Introduction Understanding the reasons for fluctuations in teenage driver crashes over time in the United States is clouded by the lack of information on licensure rates and driving exposure. Methods We examined results from the Monitoring the Future survey to estimate the proportion of high school seniors who possessed a driver’s license and the proportion of seniors who did not drive “during an average week” during the 15-year period of 1996–2010. Results During 1996–2010, the proportion of high school seniors in United States who reported having a driver’s license declined by 12 percentage points (14%) from 85% to 73%. Two-thirds of the decline (8 percentage points) occurred during 2006–2010. During the same 15-year period, the proportion of high school seniors who did not drive during an average week increased by 7 percentage points (47%) from 15% in 1996 to 22% in 2010, with essentially all of the increase occurring during 2006–2009. Discussion Findings in this report suggest that the economic recession in recent years has reduced rates of licensure and driving among high school seniors. PMID:23932698

Snowmobile Repair. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessy, Stephen S.; Conrad, Rex

This teacher's guide contains 14 units on snowmobile repair: (1) introduction to snowmobile repair; (2) skis, front suspension, and steering; (3) drive clutch; (4) drive belts; (5) driven clutch; (6) chain drives; (7) jackshafts and axles; (8) rear suspension; (9) tracks; (10) shock absorbers; (11) brakes; (12) engines; (13) ignition and…

77 FR 72677 - National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2012

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-05

... are also striving to stop substance abuse before it starts by supporting local prevention programs and... National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2012 By the President of the United States of America A... Driving Prevention Month reminds us of the importance of celebrating safely. Every year, accidents...

Verification and Quantification of Single Event Effects on High Speed SRAM in Terrestrial Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, H.; You, Z.; Williams, T.; Nichols, T.; Attia, J.; Fogarty, T. N.; Kirby, K.; Wilkins, R.; Lawton, R.

1998-01-01

As integrated circuits become more sensitive to charged particles and neutrons, anomalous performance due to single event effects (SEE) is a concern and requires experimental verification and quantification. The Center for Applied Radiation Research (CARR) at Prairie View A&M University has developed experiments as a participant in the NASA ER-2 Flight Program, the APEX balloon flight program and the Student Launch Program. Other high altitude and ground level experiments of interest to DoD and commercial applications are being developed. The experiment characterizes the SEE behavior of high speed and high density SRAM's. The system includes a PC-104 computer unit, an optical drive for storage, a test board with the components under test, and a latchup detection and reset unit. The test program will continuously monitor the stored checkerboard data pattern in the SW and record errors. Since both the computer and the optical drive contain integrated circuits, they are also vulnerable to radiation effects. A latchup detection unit with discrete components will monitor the test program and reset the system when necessary. The first results will be obtained from the NASA ER-2 flights, which are now planned to take place in early 1998 from Dryden Research Center in California. The series of flights, at altitudes up to 70,000 feet, and a variety of flight profiles should yield a distribution of conditions for correlating SEES. SEE measurements will be performed from the time of aircraft power-up on the ground throughout the flight regime until systems power-off after landing.

High-Resolution pH Imaging of Living Bacterial Cells To Detect Local pH Differences

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Yusuke V.; Kami-ike, Nobunori; Miyata, Tomoko; Kawamoto, Akihiro; Kato, Takayuki

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Protons are utilized for various biological activities such as energy transduction and cell signaling. For construction of the bacterial flagellum, a type III export apparatus utilizes ATP and proton motive force to drive flagellar protein export, but the energy transduction mechanism remains unclear. Here, we have developed a high-resolution pH imaging system to measure local pH differences within living Salmonella enterica cells, especially in close proximity to the cytoplasmic membrane and the export apparatus. The local pH near the membrane was ca. 0.2 pH unit higher than the bulk cytoplasmic pH. However, the local pH near the export apparatus was ca. 0.1 pH unit lower than that near the membrane. This drop of local pH depended on the activities of both transmembrane export components and FliI ATPase. We propose that the export apparatus acts as an H+/protein antiporter to couple ATP hydrolysis with H+ flow to drive protein export. PMID:27923921

All-in-One Shape-Adaptive Self-Charging Power Package for Wearable Electronics.

PubMed

Guo, Hengyu; Yeh, Min-Hsin; Lai, Ying-Chih; Zi, Yunlong; Wu, Changsheng; Wen, Zhen; Hu, Chenguo; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-11-22

Recently, a self-charging power unit consisting of an energy harvesting device and an energy storage device set the foundation for building a self-powered wearable system. However, the flexibility of the power unit working under extremely complex deformations (e.g., stretching, twisting, and bending) becomes a key issue. Here, we present a prototype of an all-in-one shape-adaptive self-charging power unit that can be used for scavenging random body motion energy under complex mechanical deformations and then directly storing it in a supercapacitor unit to build up a self-powered system for wearable electronics. A kirigami paper based supercapacitor (KP-SC) was designed to work as the flexible energy storage device (stretchability up to 215%). An ultrastretchable and shape-adaptive silicone rubber triboelectric nanogenerator (SR-TENG) was utilized as the flexible energy harvesting device. By combining them with a rectifier, a stretchable, twistable, and bendable, self-charging power package was achieved for sustainably driving wearable electronics. This work provides a potential platform for the flexible self-powered systems.

Evaluation of Bauer K-20 Diesel Drive High Pressure Breathing Air Compressor

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

was to: A. Determine if the compressor and Purification System provides compressed air at the required pressures, flow rates, quality and cleanliness... compressed air return from the air storage flasks to the compressor during unit shut down. All four stages of the compressor are protected by safety...1993. 6. Naval Ships Technical Manual, S9086-SY-STM-0O0, Chapeter 551 1st Rev. I November 1987. Compressed Air Plants and Systems, para 551-4.2.21. 7

Endogenous excitatory drive to the respiratory system in rapid eye movement sleep in cats.

PubMed

Orem, J; Lovering, A T; Dunin-Barkowski, W; Vidruk, E H

2000-09-01

A putative endogenous excitatory drive to the respiratory system in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep may explain many characteristics of breathing in that state, e.g. its irregularity and variable ventilatory responses to chemical stimuli. This drive is hypothetical, and determinations of its existence and character are complicated by control of the respiratory system by the oscillator and its feedback mechanisms. In the present study, endogenous drive was studied during apnoea caused by mechanical hyperventilation. We reasoned that if there was a REM-dependent drive to the respiratory system, then respiratory activity should emerge out of the background apnoea as a manifestation of the drive. Diaphragmatic muscle or medullary respiratory neuronal activity was studied in five intact, unanaesthetized adult cats who were either mechanically hyperventilated or breathed spontaneously in more than 100 REM sleep periods. Diaphragmatic activity emerged out of a background apnoea caused by mechanical hyperventilation an average of 34 s after the onset of REM sleep. Emergent activity occurred in 60 % of 10 s epochs in REM sleep and the amount of activity per unit time averaged approximately 40 % of eupnoeic activity. The activity occurred in episodes and was poorly related to pontogeniculo-occipital waves. At low CO2 levels, this activity was non-rhythmic. At higher CO2 levels (less than 0.5 % below eupnoeic end-tidal percentage CO2 levels in non-REM (NREM) sleep), activity became rhythmic. Medullary respiratory neurons were recorded in one of the five animals. Nineteen of twenty-seven medullary respiratory neurons were excited in REM sleep during apnoea. Excited neurons included inspiratory, expiratory and phase-spanning neurons. Excitation began about 43 s after the onset of REM sleep. Activity increased from an average of 6 impulses s-1 in NREM sleep to 15.5 impulses s-1 in REM sleep. Neuronal activity was non-rhythmic at low CO2 levels and became rhythmic when levels were less than 0.5 % below eupnoeic end-tidal levels in NREM sleep. The level of CO2 at which rhythmic neuronal activity developed corresponded to eupnoeic end-tidal CO2 levels in REM sleep. These results demonstrate an endogenous excitatory drive to the respiratory system in REM sleep and account for rapid and irregular breathing and the lower set-point to CO2 in that state.

Detailed design and first tests of the application software for the instrument control unit of Euclid-NISP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ligori, S.; Corcione, L.; Capobianco, V.; Bonino, D.; Sirri, G.; Fornari, F.; Giacomini, F.; Patrizii, L.; Valenziano, L.; Travaglini, R.; Colodro, C.; Bortoletto, F.; Bonoli, C.; Chiarusi, T.; Margiotta, A.; Mauri, N.; Pasqualini, L.; Spurio, M.; Tenti, M.; Dal Corso, F.; Dusini, S.; Laudisio, F.; Sirignano, C.; Stanco, L.; Ventura, S.; Auricchio, N.; Balestra, A.; Franceschi, E.; Morgante, G.; Trifoglio, M.; Medinaceli, E.; Guizzo, G. P.; Debei, S.; Stephen, J. B.

2016-07-01

In this paper we describe the detailed design of the application software (ASW) of the instrument control unit (ICU) of NISP, the Near-Infrared Spectro-Photometer of the Euclid mission. This software is based on a real-time operating system (RTEMS) and will interface with all the subunits of NISP, as well as the command and data management unit (CDMU) of the spacecraft for telecommand and housekeeping management. We briefly review the main requirements driving the design and the architecture of the software that is approaching the Critical Design Review level. The interaction with the data processing unit (DPU), which is the intelligent subunit controlling the detector system, is described in detail, as well as the concept for the implementation of the failure detection, isolation and recovery (FDIR) algorithms. The first version of the software is under development on a Breadboard model produced by AIRBUS/CRISA. We describe the results of the tests and the main performances and budgets.

Career Oriented Mathematics, Student's Manual. [Includes Owning an Automobile and Driving as a Career; Retail Sales; Measurement; and Area-Perimeter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahaffey, Michael L.; McKillip, William D.

This volume includes student manuals for four units in the Career Oriented Mathematics Program, which was developed to improve computational abilities and attitudes of secondary students by presenting the material in a job-relevant context. The units are titled: (1) Owning an Automobile and Driving as a Career, (2) Retail Sales, (3) Measurement,…

Leveraging Big Data Analysis Techniques for U.S. Vocational Vehicle Drive Cycle Characterization, Segmentation, and Development

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

Duran, Adam W; Phillips, Caleb T; Perr-Sauer, Jordan

Under a collaborative interagency agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) performed a series of in-depth analyses to characterize on-road driving behavior including distributions of vehicle speed, idle time, accelerations and decelerations, and other driving metrics of medium- and heavy-duty vocational vehicles operating within the United States. As part of this effort, NREL researchers segmented U.S. medium- and heavy-duty vocational vehicle driving characteristics into three distinct operating groups or clusters using real-world drive cycle data collected at 1 Hz and stored in NREL's Fleet DNA database. Themore » Fleet DNA database contains millions of miles of historical drive cycle data captured from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles operating across the United States. The data encompass existing DOE activities as well as contributions from valued industry stakeholder participants. For this project, data captured from 913 unique vehicles comprising 16,250 days of operation were drawn from the Fleet DNA database and examined. The Fleet DNA data used as a source for this analysis has been collected from a total of 30 unique fleets/data providers operating across 22 unique geographic locations spread across the United States. This includes locations with topographies ranging from the foothills of Denver, Colorado, to the flats of Miami, Florida. This paper includes the results of the statistical analysis performed by NREL and a discussion and detailed summary of the development of the vocational drive cycle weights and representative transient drive cycles for testing and simulation. Additional discussion of known limitations and potential future work is also included.« less

Teen driving behaviors in a rural southern state.

PubMed

Irons, Elizabeth; Nichols, Michele; King, William D; Crew, Marie; Monroe, Kathy

2014-12-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Alabama ranks fourth in the United States for teen crash fatalities. We sought to describe risky driving behaviors among teens in the rural areas of the state's most populous county. A questionnaire was adapted from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Each of the schools in Jefferson County, Alabama, participated in 2009 and 2010. Surveys were anonymous and data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet. Inclusion criteria were age 15 years and older. A total of 1399 surveys met inclusion criteria. A total of 52% of respondents were boys; 64% were white, 29% were African American, and 3% were Hispanic. Respondents were 15 (38%), 16 (36%), 17 (21%), and 18 (5%) years old. When asked about behaviors during driving in the last 30 days, 41% reported texting and 11% reported driving after drinking. Teens reported being a passenger in a car with the driver texting (67%) or after the driver had been drinking (27%) in the last 30 days. Overall, 58% reported not wearing a seatbelt; 13% reported driving after using drugs; 60% reported routinely exceeding the speed limit; 80% reported having discussed safe driving with a parent, but only 16% with their doctor; 25% had signed a safe driving contract; and 63% had taken a driving class. Many risky behaviors were identified for both teen drivers and passengers. A concerning number of teens are not receiving safe driving educational messages from parents, doctors, or driver's education classes. Some interventions have been instituted; however, more outreach efforts should be made to focus on strengthening driving laws and educating parents and teens.

Ionomer-Membrane Water Processing Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacCallum, Taber K. (Inventor); Kelsey, Laura (Inventor)

2016-01-01

This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion(TradeMark) over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.

Ionomer-Membrane Water Processing Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacCallum, Taber K. (Inventor); Kelsey, Laura (Inventor)

2016-01-01

This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion(Registered Trademark), over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.

Ionomer-Membrane Water Processing Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacCallum, Taber K. (Inventor); Kelsey, Laura Katrina (Inventor)

2017-01-01

This disclosure provides water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods for recovering water from wastewater such as urine. The water processing apparatuses, systems, and methods can utilize membrane technology for extracting purified water in a single step. A containment unit can include an ionomer membrane, such as Nafion.RTM., over a hydrophobic microporous membrane, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The containment unit can be filled with wastewater, and the hydrophobic microporous membrane can be impermeable to liquids and solids of the wastewater but permeable to gases and vapors of the wastewater, and the ionomer membrane can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to one or more contaminants of the gases and vapors. The containment unit can be exposed to a dry purge gas to maintain a water vapor partial pressure differential to drive permeation of the water vapor, and the water vapor can be collected and processed into potable water.

Associations between motor unit action potential parameters and surface EMG features.

PubMed

Del Vecchio, Alessandro; Negro, Francesco; Felici, Francesco; Farina, Dario

2017-10-01

The surface interference EMG signal provides some information on the neural drive to muscles. However, the association between neural drive to muscle and muscle activation has long been debated with controversial indications due to the unavailability of motor unit population data. In this study, we clarify the potential and limitations of interference EMG analysis to infer motor unit recruitment strategies with an experimental investigation of several concurrently active motor units and of the associated features of the surface EMG. For this purpose, we recorded high-density surface EMG signals during linearly increasing force contractions of the tibialis anterior muscle, up to 70% of maximal force. The recruitment threshold (RT), conduction velocity (MUCV), median frequency (MDF MU ), and amplitude (RMS MU ) of action potentials of 587 motor units from 13 individuals were assessed and associated with features of the interference EMG. MUCV was positively associated with RT ( R 2 = 0.64 ± 0.14), whereas MDF MU and RMS MU showed a weaker relation with RT ( R 2 = 0.11 ± 0.11 and 0.39 ± 0.24, respectively). Moreover, the changes in average conduction velocity estimated from the interference EMG predicted well the changes in MUCV ( R 2 = 0.71), with a strong association to ankle dorsiflexion force ( R 2 = 0.81 ± 0.12). Conversely, both the average EMG MDF and RMS were poorly associated with motor unit recruitment. These results clarify the limitations of EMG spectral and amplitude analysis in inferring the neural strategies of muscle control and indicate that, conversely, the average conduction velocity could provide relevant information on these strategies. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The surface EMG provides information on the neural drive to muscles. However, the associations between EMG features and neural drive have been long debated due to unavailability of motor unit population data. Here, by using novel highly accurate decomposition of the EMG, we related motor unit population behavior to a wide range of voluntary forces. The results fully clarify the potential and limitation of the surface EMG to provide estimates of the neural drive to muscles. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

A regeneration indicator for Forest Inventory and Analysis: history, sampling, estimation, analytics, and potential use in the midwest and northeast United States

Treesearch

William H. McWilliams; James A. Westfall; Patrick H. Brose; Daniel C. Dey; Mark Hatfield; Katherine Johnson; Kenneth M. Laustsen; Shawn L. Lehman; Randall S. Morin; Mark D. Nelson; Todd E. Ristau; Alejandro A. Royo; Susan L. Stout; Thomas Willard; Christopher W. Woodall

2015-01-01

The density and composition of regeneration drives future forest character for forests in need of replacement. Forested ecosystems face numerous regeneration stressors including invasive plants, insects and diseases, herbivory, lack of management, and climate change. As stands that make up these systems age, it is imperative to track the viability of forest...

37. VIEW OF SIX GAP ROTARY RECTIFIER FOR MAINTAINING CORONA ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

37. VIEW OF SIX GAP ROTARY RECTIFIER FOR MAINTAINING CORONA DISCHARGE IN THE COTTRELL ELECTROSTATIC GENERATORS. THE SYSTEM WAS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING 88,000 VOLTS TO THE ELECTRODES WITHIN THE PRECIPITATOR CHAMBER THE UNIT WAS LOCATED TO THE REAR OF BOILER 904 IN AN ENCLOSED ROOM. - New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Cos Cob Power Plant, Sound Shore Drive, Greenwich, Fairfield County, CT

Can Progress in Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities Be Resumed?

PubMed Central

Fell, James C.; Beirness, Douglas J.; Voas, Robert B.; Smith, Gordon S; Jonah, Brian; Maxwell, Jane Carlisle; Price, Jana; Hedlund, James

2016-01-01

Objective Despite successes in the 1980s and early 1990s, progress in reducing impaired driving fatalities in the United States has stagnated in recent years. Since 1997, the percentage of drivers involved in fatal crashes with illegal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels has remained at approximately 20% to 22%. Many experts believe that public complacency, competing social and public health issues, and the lack of political fortitude have all contributed to this stagnation. The number of alcohol-related crashes, injuries, and fatalities is still unacceptable, and most are preventable. The public needs to be aware that the problem presented by drinking drivers has not been solved. Political leaders need guidance on which measures will affect the problem, and stakeholders need to be motivated once again to implement effective strategies. Methods The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Transportation Research Board (TRB) Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Transportation Committee (ANB50) sponsored a workshop held at the NAS facility in Woods Hole, MA, on August 24–25, 2015, to discuss the lack of progress in reducing impaired driving and to make recommendations for future progress. A total of 26 experts in research and policy related to alcohol-impaired driving participated in the workshop. The workshop began by examining the static situation in the rate of alcohol-impaired driving fatal crashes to determine what factors may be inhibiting further progress. The workshop then discussed eight effective strategies that have not been fully implemented in the United States. Workshop participants (16 of the 26) rated their top three strategies. Results Three strategies received the most support: Impose administrative sanctions for drivers with BACs = .05 to .08 g/dL.Require alcohol ignition interlocks for all alcohol-impaired driving offenders.Increase the frequency of sobriety checkpoints, including enacting legislation to allow them in the 11 states that currently prohibit them. Five other important strategies included the following: (a) increase alcohol taxes to raise the price and reduce alcohol consumption; (b) re-engage the public and raise the priority of impaired driving; (c) lower the illegal per se BAC limit to .05 for a criminal offense; (d) develop and implement in-vehicle alcohol detection systems; and (e) expand the use of screening and brief interventions in medical facilities. Conclusions Each of these strategies is proven to be effective, yet all are substantially underutilized. Each is used in some jurisdictions in the United States or Canada, but none is used extensively. Any one of the three strategies implemented on a widespread basis would decrease impaired driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Based on the research, all three together would have a substantial impact on the problem. PMID:26980557

Can progress in reducing alcohol-impaired driving fatalities be resumed? Results of a workshop sponsored by the Transportation Research Board, Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Transportation Committee (ANB50).

PubMed

Fell, James C; Beirness, Douglas J; Voas, Robert B; Smith, Gordon S; Jonah, Brian; Maxwell, Jane Carlisle; Price, Jana; Hedlund, James

2016-11-16

Despite successes in the 1980s and early 1990s, progress in reducing impaired driving fatalities in the United States has stagnated in recent years. Since 1997, the percentage of drivers involved in fatal crashes with illegal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels has remained at approximately 20 to 22%. Many experts believe that public complacency, competing social and public health issues, and the lack of political fortitude have all contributed to this stagnation. The number of alcohol-related crashes, injuries, and fatalities is still unacceptable, and most are preventable. The public needs to be aware that the problem presented by drinking drivers has not been solved. Political leaders need guidance on which measures will affect the problem, and stakeholders need to be motivated once again to implement effective strategies. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Transportation Research Board (TRB), Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Transportation Committee (ANB50) sponsored a workshop held at the NAS facility in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on August 24-25, 2015, to discuss the lack of progress in reducing impaired driving and to make recommendations for future progress. A total of 26 experts in research and policy related to alcohol-impaired driving participated in the workshop. The workshop began by examining the static situation in the rate of alcohol-impaired driving fatal crashes to determine what factors may be inhibiting further progress. The workshop then discussed 8 effective strategies that have not been fully implemented in the United States. Workshop participants (16 of the 26) rated their top 3 strategies. 3 strategies received the most support: 1. Impose administrative sanctions for drivers with BACs = 0.05 to 0.08 g/dL. 2. Require alcohol ignition interlocks for all alcohol-impaired driving offenders. 3. Increase the frequency of sobriety checkpoints, including enacting legislation to allow them in the 11 states that currently prohibit them. 5 other important strategies included the following: (1) increase alcohol taxes to raise the price and reduce alcohol consumption; (2) reengage the public and raise the priority of impaired driving; (3) lower the illegal per se BAC limit to 0.05 for a criminal offense; (4) develop and implement in-vehicle alcohol detection systems; and (5) expand the use of screening and brief interventions in medical facilities. Each of these strategies is proven to be effective, yet all are substantially underutilized. Each is used in some jurisdictions in the United States or Canada, but none is used extensively. Any one of the 3 strategies implemented on a widespread basis would decrease impaired driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Based on the research, all 3 together would have a substantial impact on the problem.

Vital signs: drinking and driving among high school students aged ≥16 years - United States, 1991-2011.

PubMed

2012-10-05

Although every state prohibits persons aged <21 years from driving with any measurable amount of blood alcohol, many young persons still drink and drive. Additionally, fatal crash data indicate that most teen drivers with positive (>0.00%) blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) who are involved in fatal crashes have BACs ≥0.08%, the level designated as illegal for adult drivers. CDC analyzed data from the 1991-2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) to describe the trend in prevalence of drinking and driving (defined as driving one or more times when they had been drinking alcohol during the 30 days before the survey) among U.S. high school students aged ≥16 years. The 2011 national YRBS data were used to describe selected subgroup differences in drinking and driving, and 2011 state YRBSs data were used to describe drinking and driving prevalence in 41 states. During 1991-2011, the national prevalence of self-reported drinking and driving among high school students aged ≥16 years declined by 54%, from 22.3% to 10.3%. In 2011, 84.6% of students who drove after drinking also binge drank. Drinking and driving prevalence varied threefold across 41 states, from 4.6% in Utah to 14.5% in North Dakota; higher prevalences were clustered among states in the upper Midwest and along the Gulf Coast. Although substantial progress has been made during the past 2 decades to reduce drinking and driving among teens, in 2011, one in 10 students aged ≥16 years reported driving after drinking during the past 30 days. Most students who drove after drinking alcohol also binge drank. Effective interventions to reduce drinking and driving among teens include enforcement of minimum legal drinking age laws, zero tolerance laws (i.e., no alcohol consumption allowed before driving for persons aged <21 years), and graduated driver licensing systems.

Microactuators as driving units for microbotic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehr, Heinz; Abel, S.; Doepper, J.; Ehrfeld, Wolfgang; Hagemann, B.; Kaemper, Klaus P.; Michel, Frank; Schulz, Ch.; Theurigen, C.

1996-12-01

The trend towards the integration of a multitude of functions in e.g. data end-, medical- and communication systems pushes the miniaturization of actuators for linear or rotational motions. Technical advantages of these devices are their low energy consumption, their potential for high precision positioning and their low inertial masses, which allow e.g. huge rotational frequencies. Appreciable forces and torques as well as appropriate mechanical interfaces to integrate these drive units into complete systems are necessary prerequisites for robotic applications, but rarely found up to now. Most of these difficulties arise due to the application of monolithic fabrication techniques, leading to structures of essentially planar nature and severe material restrictions. It turned out that only hybrid concepts and the assembly of components made from the most appropriate material open the chance to build up microactuators which are well suited for microrobotic systems. The contribution starts with a short description of the LIGA technique, which constitutes the major 3-D microfabrication method for the production of individual actuator components with structural heights of up to several millimeters made from a variety of function adapted materials. The assembling of these components results in microactuators with typical dimensions in the millimeter range. Examples are powerful electromagnetic micromotors, delivering torques much larger than one (mu) Nm and high rotational speeds which may be converted by use of LIGA fabricated gear-wheels to furthermore increase the torque. Huge forces are obtained in addition by use of microfabricated fluidic systems. Although small in size, the actuators still offer good handling opportunities and interfacing facilities to build up more complicated robotic systems.

Combined refrigeration system with a liquid pre-cooling heat exchanger

DOEpatents

Gaul, Christopher J.

2003-07-01

A compressor-pump unit for use in a vapor-compression refrigeration system is provided. The compressor-pump unit comprises a driving device including a rotatable shaft. A compressor is coupled with a first portion of the shaft for compressing gaseous refrigerant within the vapor-compression refrigeration system. A liquid pump is coupled with a second portion of the shaft for receiving liquid refrigerant having a first pressure and for discharging the received liquid refrigerant at a second pressure with the second pressure being higher than the first pressure by a predetermined amount such that the discharged liquid refrigerant is subcooled. A pre-cooling circuit is connected to the liquid pump with the pre-cooling circuit being exposed to the gaseous refrigerant whereby the gaseous refrigerant absorbs heat from the liquid refrigerant, prior to the liquid refrigerant entering the liquid pump.

The Impact of a Hospital Based Educational Program on Adolescent Attitudes toward Drinking and Driving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dearing, Beverly; And Others

1991-01-01

Adolescents (n=351) who participated in High Risk Adolescent Trauma Prevention Program toured hospital shock trauma unit. Pretest-posttest findings revealed marked changes in participants' attitudes toward driving after drinking, riding with someone who had been drinking, and preventing friend from drinking and driving. Attitude changes were still…

Teens and distracted driving : texting, talking and other uses of the cell phone behind the wheel

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-11-16

This study investigated cell phone use and texting while driving, by teenage drivers, in the United States. It found that one third of 16-17 year old teenagers who text do so while driving. 50% of 16-17 year old teenagers have spoken on cell phones w...

49 CFR 533.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... by a manufacturer whose principal place of business is in the United States. 4-wheel drive, general utility vehicle means a 4-wheel drive, general purpose automobile capable of off-highway operation that...

Child Passengers Killed in Reckless and Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Crashes

PubMed Central

Kelley-Baker, Tara; Romano, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Introduction About 20 years ago, concern was raised about the dangers children face when driven by drinking drivers in the United States. During the last decade, the pace of research on this topic subsided. Yet in 2010, every day three children younger than age 15 were killed, and 469 were injured in motor-vehicle crashes. Method The aim of this effort is to describe the status of the problem in the United States and suggest lines of research. From the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), we selected crashes in which a driver aged 21 or older was driving at least one child younger than age 15. We identified crashes that occurred at different times of the day in which the driver was speeding, ran a red light, or was alcohol positive. We described the drivers’ demographics and examined how they relate to the different crash types. Results We found that, although driving a child seems to protect against the studied forms of risky driving, such protection varies sharply depending upon the drivers’ and children’s demographics and the crash type. There is no clear reason to explain the drivers’ decision to endanger the children they drive. The percent of children killed in speeding-related and red-light running motor-vehicle crashes has remained relatively stable during the last decade. Future research must (a) examine the effectiveness of current child endangerment laws; (b) examine crashes other than fatal; and (c) be more targeted, looking at specific drivers’ age and gender, specific children’s ages, the time of the crash, and the type of crash. PMID:24529098

Electrohydraulic linear actuator with two stepping motors controlled by overshoot-free algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milecki, Andrzej; Ortmann, Jarosław

2017-11-01

The paper describes electrohydraulic spool valves with stepping motors used as electromechanical transducers. A new concept of a proportional valve in which two stepping motors are working differentially is introduced. Such valve changes the fluid flow proportionally to the sum or difference of the motors' steps numbers. The valve design and principle of its operation is described. Theoretical equations and simulation models are proposed for all elements of the drive, i.e., the stepping motor units, hydraulic valve and cylinder. The main features of the valve and drive operation are described; some specific problem areas covering the nature of stepping motors and their differential work in the valve are also considered. The whole servo drive non-linear model is proposed and used further for simulation investigations. The initial simulation investigations of the drive with a new valve have shown that there is a significant overshoot in the drive step response, which is not allowed in positioning process. Therefore additional effort is spent to reduce the overshoot and in consequence reduce the settling time. A special predictive algorithm is proposed to this end. Then the proposed control method is tested and further improved in simulations. Further on, the model is implemented in reality and the whole servo drive system is tested. The investigation results presented in this paper, are showing an overshoot-free positioning process which enables high positioning accuracy.

An analysis of mobile whole blood collection labor efficiency.

PubMed

Rose, William N; Dayton, Paula J; Raife, Thomas J

2011-07-01

Labor efficiency is desirable in mobile blood collection. There are few published data on labor efficiency. The variability in the labor efficiency of mobile whole blood collections was analyzed. We determined to improve our labor efficiency using lean manufacturing principles. Workflow changes in mobile collections were implemented with the goal of minimizing labor expenditures. To measure success, data on labor efficiency measured by units/hour/full-time equivalent (FTE) were collected. The labor efficiency in a 6-month period before the implementation of changes, and in months 1 to 6 and 7 to 12 after implementation was analyzed and compared. Labor efficiency in the 6-month period preceding implementation was 1.06 ± 0.4 units collected/hour/FTE. In months 1 to 6, labor efficiency declined slightly to 0.92 ± 0.4 units collected/hour/FTE (p = 0.016 vs. preimplementation). In months 7 to 12, the mean labor efficiency returned to preimplementation levels of 1.09 ±0.4 units collected/hour/FTE. Regression analysis correlating labor efficiency with total units collected per drive revealed a strong correlation (R(2) = 0.48 for the aggregate data from all three periods), indicating that nearly half of labor efficiency was associated with drive size. The lean-based changes in workflow were subjectively favored by employees and donors. The labor efficiency of our mobile whole blood drives is strongly influenced by size. Larger drives are more efficient, with diminishing returns above 40 units collected. Lean-based workflow changes were positively received by employees and donors. © 2011 American Association of Blood Banks.

On an efficient and effective intelligent transportation system (ITS) safety and traffic efficiency application with corresponding driver behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekedebe, Nnanna; Yu, Wei; Lu, Chao

2015-06-01

Driver distraction could result in safety compromises attributable to distractions from in-vehicle equipment usage [1]. The effective design of driver-vehicle interfaces (DVIs) and other human-machine interfaces (HMIs) together with their usability, and accessibility while driving become important [2]. Driving distractions can be classified as: visual distractions (any activity that takes your eyes away from the road), cognitive distraction (any activity that takes your mind away from the course of driving), and manual distractions (any activity that takes your hands away from the steering wheel [2]). Besides, multitasking during driving is a distractive activity that can increase the risks of vehicular accidents. To study the driver's behaviors on the safety of transportation system, using an in-vehicle driver notification application, we examined the effects of increasing driver distraction levels on the evaluation metrics of traffic efficiency and safety by using two types of driver models: young drivers (ages 16-25 years) and middle-age drivers (ages 30-45 years). Our evaluation data demonstrates that as a drivers distraction level is increased, less heed is given to change route directives from the in-vehicle on-board unit (OBU) using textual, visual, audio, and haptic notifications. Interestingly, middle-age drivers proved more effective/resilient in mitigating the negative effects of driver distraction over young drivers [2].

Field Study of Performance, Comfort, and Sizing of Two Variable-Speed Heat Pumps Installed in a Single 2-Story Residence

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

Munk, Jeffrey D; Odukomaiya, Adewale O; Gehl, Anthony C

2014-01-01

With the recent advancements in the application of variable-speed (VS) compressors to residential HVAC systems, opportunities are now available to size heat pumps (HPs) to more effectively meet heating and cooling loads in many of the climate zones in the US with limited use of inefficient resistance heat. This is in contrast to sizing guidance for traditional single-speed HPs that limits the ability to oversize with regard to cooling loads, because of risks of poor dehumidification during the cooling season and increased cycling losses. VS-drive HPs can often run at 30-40% of their rated cooling capacity to reduce cycling losses,more » and can adjust fan speed to provide better indoor humidity control. Detailed air-side performance data was collected on two VS-drive heat pumps installed in a single unoccupied research house in Knoxville, TN, a mixed-humid climate. One system provided space conditioning for the upstairs, while the other unit provided space conditioning for the downstairs. Occupancy was simulated by operating the lights, shower, appliances, other plug loads, etc. to simulate the sensible and latent loads imposed on the building space by internal electric loads and human occupants according to the Building America Research Benchmark (2008). The seasonal efficiency and energy use of the units are calculated. Annual energy use is compared to that of the single speed minimum efficiency HPs tested in the same house previously. Sizing of the units relative to the measured building load and manual J design load calculations is examined. The impact of the unit sizing with regards to indoor comfort is also evaluated.« less

Highway vehicle electric drive in the United States : 2009 status and issues.

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

Santini, D. J.; Energy Systems

2011-02-16

The status of electric drive technology in the United States as of early 2010 is documented. Rapidly evolving electric drive technologies discussed include hybrid electric vehicles, multiple types of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. Recent trends for hybrids are quantified. Various plug-in vehicles entering the market in the near term are examined. The technical and economic requirements for electric drive to more broadly succeed in a wider range of highway vehicle applications are described, and implications for the most promising new markets are provided. Federal and selected state government policy measures promoting and preparing for electric drivemore » are discussed. Taking these into account, judgment on areas where increased Clean Cities funds might be most productively focused over the next five years are provided. In closing, the request by Clean Cities for opinion on the broad range of research needs providing near-term support to electric drive is fulfilled.« less

Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). Performance Verification Report: AMSU-A1 Antenna Drive Subsystem, PN 1331720-2, S/N 106

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luu, D.

1999-01-01

This is the Performance Verification Report, AMSU-A1 Antenna Drive Subsystem, P/N 1331720-2, S/N 106, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). The antenna drive subsystem of the METSAT AMSU-A1, S/N 106, P/N 1331720-2, completed acceptance testing per A-ES Test Procedure AE-26002/lD. The test included: Scan Motion and Jitter, Pulse Load Bus Peak Current and Rise Time, Resolver Reading and Position Error, Gain/ Phase Margin, and Operational Gain Margin. The drive motors and electronic circuitry were also tested at the component level. The drive motor test includes: Starting Torque Test, Motor Commutation Test, Resolver Operation/ No-Load Speed Test, and Random Vibration. The electronic circuitry was tested at the Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) level of production; each test exercised all circuit functions. The transistor assembly was tested during the W3 cable assembly (1356941-1) test.

Science of driving.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-08-01

The Science of Driving project focused on developing a collaborative relationship to develop curriculum units for middle school and high school students to engage them in exciting real-world scenarios. This effort involved faculty, staff, and student...

Trip generation at special sites.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-01-01

Seven-day volume counts were made at fast-food restaurants with drive-thru service, convenience markets, condominiums, drive-in banks, high-rise apartments, planned unit developments, mobile home parks, day-care centers, churches, suburban motels, an...

Wireless energizing system for an automated implantable sensor.

PubMed

Swain, Biswaranjan; Nayak, Praveen P; Kar, Durga P; Bhuyan, Satyanarayan; Mishra, Laxmi P

2016-07-01

The wireless drive of an automated implantable electronic sensor has been explored for health monitoring applications. The proposed system comprises of an automated biomedical sensing system which is energized through resonant inductive coupling. The implantable sensor unit is able to monitor the body temperature parameter and sends back the corresponding telemetry data wirelessly to the data recoding unit. It has been observed that the wireless power delivery system is capable of energizing the automated biomedical implantable electronic sensor placed over a distance of 3 cm from the power transmitter with an energy transfer efficiency of 26% at the operating resonant frequency of 562 kHz. This proposed method ensures real-time monitoring of different human body temperatures around the clock. The monitored temperature data have been compared with a calibrated temperature measurement system to ascertain the accuracy of the proposed system. The investigated technique can also be useful for monitoring other body parameters such as blood pressure, bladder pressure, and physiological signals of the patient in vivo using various implantable sensors.

VERDEX: A virtual environment demonstrator for remote driving applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Robert J.

1991-01-01

One of the key areas of the National Advanced Robotics Centre's enabling technologies research program is that of the human system interface, phase 1 of which started in July 1989 and is currently addressing the potential of virtual environments to permit intuitive and natural interactions between a human operator and a remote robotic vehicle. The aim of the first 12 months of this program (to September, 1990) is to develop a virtual human-interface demonstrator for use later as a test bed for human factors experimentation. This presentation will describe the current state of development of the test bed, and will outline some human factors issues and problems for more general discussion. In brief, the virtual telepresence system for remote driving has been designed to take the following form. The human operator will be provided with a helmet-mounted stereo display assembly, facilities for speech recognition and synthesis (using the Marconi Macrospeak system), and a VPL DataGlove Model 2 unit. The vehicle to be used for the purposes of remote driving is a Cybermotion Navmaster K2A system, which will be equipped with a stereo camera and microphone pair, mounted on a motorized high-speed pan-and-tilt head incorporating a closed-loop laser ranging sensor for camera convergence control (currently under contractual development). It will be possible to relay information to and from the vehicle and sensory system via an umbilical or RF link. The aim is to develop an interactive audio-visual display system capable of presenting combined stereo TV pictures and virtual graphics windows, the latter featuring control representations appropriate for vehicle driving and interaction using a graphical 'hand,' slaved to the flex and tracking sensors of the DataGlove and an additional helmet-mounted Polhemus IsoTrack sensor. Developments planned for the virtual environment test bed include transfer of operator control between remote driving and remote manipulation, dexterous end effector integration, virtual force and tactile sensing (also the focus of a current ARRL contract, initially employing a 14-pneumatic bladder glove attachment), and sensor-driven world modeling for total virtual environment generation and operator-assistance in remote scene interrogation.

Virtual-reality-based system for controlled study of cataplexy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustine, Kurt E.; Cameron, Bruce M.; Camp, Jon J.; Krahn, Lois E.; Robb, Richard A.

2002-05-01

Cataplexy is a sudden loss of voluntary muscle control experienced by narcolepsy patients. It is usually triggered by strong, spontaneous emotions and is more common in times of stress. The Sleep Disorders Unit and the Biomedical Imaging Resource at Mayo Clinic are developing interactive display technology for reliably inducing cataplexy during clinical monitoring. The project is referred to as the Cataplexy/Narcolepsy Activation Program, or CatNAP. We have developed an automobile driving simulation that introduces humorous, surprising, and stress-inducing events and objects as the patient attempts to navigate a vehicle through a virtual town. The patient wears a head-mounted display and controls the vehicle via a driving simulator steering wheel and pedal cluster. As the patient attempts to drive through the town, various objects, sounds or conditions occur that distract, startle, frustrate or amuse. These responses may trigger a cataplectic episode, which can then be clinically evaluated. We believe CatNAP is a novel and innovative example of the effective application of virtual reality technology to study an important clinical problem that has resisted previous approaches. An evaluation phase with volunteer patients previously diagnosed with cataplexy has been completed. The prototype system is being prepared for a full clinical study.

Feasibility study of a discrete bearing/roller drive rotary joint for the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenthal, S. H.; Schuller, F. T.

1986-01-01

The most critical mechanism on board the proposed space station is the continously rotating joint which must accurately align the solar power units with the sun during earth orbit. The feasibility of a multiple, discrete bearing supported joint driven by a self-loading, pinch drive actuator was investigated for this application. This concept appears to offer greater protection against catastrophic jamming, less sensitivity to adverse thermal gradients, greater accessibility to inorbit servicing or replacement and greater adaptability to very large (5 m) truss members than to more conventional continuous support bearing/gear reducer joints. Analytical trade studies performed herein establish that a discrete cam roller bearing support system having eight hangers around a continuous ring would provide sufficient radial and bending stiffness to prevent any degradation in the fundamental frequencies of the solar wing structure. Furthermore, it appears that the pinch roller drive mechanism can be readily sized to meet or exceed system performance and service life requirements. Wear life estimates based on experimental data for a steel roller coated with an advanced polyimide film show a continuous service life more than two orders of magnitude greater than required for this application.

Present-day deformation across the Basin and Range Province, western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thatcher, W.; Foulger, G.R.; Julian, B.R.; Svarc, J.; Quilty, E.; Bawden, G.W.

1999-01-01

The distribution of deformation within the Basin and Range province was determined from 1992, 1996, and 1998 surveys of a dense, 800-kilometer- aperture, Global Positioning System network, Internal deformation generally follows the pattern of Holocene fault distribution and is concentrated near the western extremity of the province, with lesser amounts focused near the eastern boundary. Little net deformation occurs across the central 500 kilometers of the network in western Utah and eastern Nevada. Concentration of deformation adjacent to the rigid Sierra Nevada block indicates that external plate-driving forces play an important role in driving deformation, modulating the extensional stress field generated by internal buoyancy forces that are due to lateral density gradients and topography near the province boundaries.

Optimal design of active EMC filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chand, B.; Kut, T.; Dickmann, S.

2013-07-01

A recent trend in automotive industry is adding electrical drive systems to conventional drives. The electrification allows an expansion of energy sources and provides great opportunities for environmental friendly mobility. The electrical powertrain and its components can also cause disturbances which couple into nearby electronic control units and communication cables. Therefore the communication can be degraded or even permanently disrupted. To minimize these interferences, different approaches are possible. One possibility is to use EMC filters. However, the diversity of filters is very large and the determination of an appropriate filter for each application is time-consuming. Therefore, the filter design is determined by using a simulation tool including an effective optimization algorithm. This method leads to improvements in terms of weight, volume and cost.

Safe disposal of cytotoxic waste: an evaluation of an air-tight system.

PubMed

Craig, Gemma; Wadey, Charlotte

2017-09-07

A 3-month evaluation was undertaken at the Kent Oncology Centre's chemotherapy day unit (CDU) to trial an air-tight sealing disposal system for cytotoxic waste management. Research has identified the potential risk to staff who handle waste products that are hazardous to health. Staff safety was a driving force behind a trial of a new way of working. This article provides an overview of the evaluation of the Pactosafe system in one clinical area, examining reviews by oncology healthcare workers, the practicalities in the clinical setting, training, cost effectiveness and the environmental benefits.

Effect of DGPS failures on dynamic positioning of mobile drilling units in the North Sea.

PubMed

Chen, Haibo; Moan, Torgeir; Verhoeven, Harry

2009-11-01

Basic features of differential global positioning system (DGPS), and its operational configuration on dynamically positioned (DP) mobile offshore drilling units in the North Sea are described. Generic failure modes of DGPS are discussed, and a critical DGPS failure which has the potential to cause drive-off for mobile drilling units is identified. It is the simultaneous erroneous position data from two DGPS's. Barrier method is used to analyze this critical DGPS failure. Barrier elements to prevent this failure are identified. Deficiencies of each barrier element are revealed based on the incidents and operational experiences in the North Sea. Recommendations to strengthen these barrier elements, i.e. to prevent erroneous position data from DGPS, are proposed. These recommendations contribute to the safety of DP operations of mobile offshore drilling units.

Distracted driving: a neglected epidemic.

PubMed

Dildy, Dale W

2012-10-01

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated nearly 6,000 distracted driver fatalities and 515,000 injuries in the United States alone. Distracted driving is a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed. Software is available to disable cell phone usage while driving, but using the advanced technology may require legislation along with a renewed sense of driver responsibility.

Diagnostics of Technical Condition of Gear Units of Belt Conveyors for the Aggregate of Methods of Nondestructive Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzin, Evgeny G.; Gerike, Boris L.; Drozdenko, Yuriy V.; Lupiy, Michael G.; Grigoryeva, Natalya V.

2017-10-01

The article reviews the issues of complex use of methods of technical diagnostics of gearboxes for belt conveyors, with the aim of creating an effective system of maintenance. The article is showing the results of the evaluation of the technical condition of the drives of belt conveyors based on vibration monitoring and thermal parameters, and analysis of lubricating oil.

A Hybrid Neuromechanical Ambulatory Assist System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

provide real- time closed-loop control using brace mounted sensors to deliver the stimulation needed to stand up and walk while coordinating exoskeletal...target PC during real- time implementation. The muscle stimulator unit delivered the NES to target paralyzed muscles to drive limb motion. The activity...manual adjustment of thresholds used in the GED and stimulation pattern lengths (Figure 26b). The time for a right or left step could be decreased

Air Liquide's pulse tube cryocooler systems for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trollier, T.; Tanchon, J.; Rey, J. C.; Ravex, A.; Buquet, J.

2009-05-01

Thanks to important development efforts completed internally and with the European Space Agency (ESA) funding, Air Liquide Advanced Technology Division (AL/DTA) is now in position to propose two Pulse Tube cooler systems in the 40-80K temperature range for coming Earth Observation missions such as Meteosat Third Generation (MTG), SIFTI, etc... The Miniature Pulse Tube Cooler (MPTC) is lifting up to 2.47W@80K with 50W maximal compressor input power and 10°C rejection temperature. The weight is 2.8 kg. The Large Pulse Tube Cooler (LPTC) is providing 2.3W@50K for 160W input power and 10°C rejection temperature. This product is weighing 5.1 kg. The two pulse tube coolers thermo-mechanical units are qualified against environmental constraints as per ESA ECSS-E-30. They are both using dual opposed pistons flexure bearing compressor with moving magnet linear motors in order to ensure very high lifetime. The associated Cooler Drive Electronics is also an important aspect specifically regarding the active control of the cooler thermo-mechanical unit during the launch phase and the active reduction of the vibrations induced by the compressor (partly supported by the French Agency CNES). This paper details the presentation of the two Pulse Tube Coolers together with the Cooler Drive Electronics aspects.

Air liquide's space pulse tube cryocooler systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trollier, T.; Tanchon, J.; Buquet, J.; Ravex, A.

2017-11-01

Thanks to important development efforts completed with ESA funding, Air Liquide Advanced Technology Division (AL/DTA), is now in position to propose two Pulse Tube cooler systems in the 40-80K temperature range for coming Earth Observation missions such as Meteosat Third Generation (MTG), SIFTI, etc… The Miniature Pulse Tube Cooler (MPTC) is lifting up to 2.47W@80K with 50W compressor input power and 10°C rejection temperature. The weight is 2.8 kg. The Large Pulse Tube Cooler (LPTC) is providing 2.3W@50K for 160W input power and 10°C rejection temperature. This product is weighing 5.1 kg. The two pulse tube coolers thermo-mechanical units are qualified against environmental constraints as per ECSS-E-30. They are both using dual opposed pistons flexure bearing compressor with moving magnet linear motors in order to ensure very high lifetime. The associated Cooler Drive Electronics is also an important aspect specifically regarding the active control of the cooler thermo-mechanical unit during the launch phase and the active reduction of the vibrations induced by the compressor (partly supported by the French Agency CNES). This paper details the presentation of the two Pulse Tube Coolers together with the Cooler Drive Electronics aspects.

EG&G Florida, Inc., KSC base operations contractor Launch Readiness Assessment System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geaslen, W. D.

1988-01-01

A computerized Launch Readiness Assessment System (LRAS) which compares 'current status' of readiness against the 'required status' of readiness for the Space Shuttle. The five subsystems of the LRAS are examined in detail. The LRAS Plan specifies the overall system requirements, procedures, and reports. The LRAS Manager drives the operation of the LRAS system. The Responding Units (RU) maintain support plans and procedures which specify the detail requirements for each mission or milestone. The Master Data Tables contain the milestone, responsible RU relationships, and requirements assessment categories. The LRAS Status System serves as the launch readiness assessment reporting system. The relationships between these subsystems are displayed in diagrams.

Infrared Detector System with Controlled Thermal Conductance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, Thomas J. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A thermal infrared detector system includes a heat sink, a support member, a connection support member connecting the support member to the heat sink and including a heater unit is reviewed. An infrared detector element is mounted on the support member and a temperature signal representative of the infrared energy contacting the support member can then be derived by comparing the temperature of the support member and the heat sink. The temperature signal from a support member and a temperature signal from the connection support member can then be used to drive a heater unit mounted on the connection support member to thereby control the thermal conductance of the support member. Thus, the thermal conductance can be controlled so that it can be actively increased or decreased as desired.

Variable-Reluctance Motor For Electric Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, Jeffrey H.

1987-01-01

Report describes research on variable-reluctance electric-motor drive for eventual use in electric-vehicle propulsion. Primary design and performance criteria were torque and power output per unit mass of motor, cost, and drive efficiency. For each criterion, optimized drive design developed, and designs unified to yield single electric-vehicle drive. Scaled-down motor performed as expected. Prototype of paraplegic lift operated by toggle switch and joystick. Lift plugs into household electrical outlet for recharging when not in use.

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

Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane; Reichhardt, Charles

Ratchet effects can arise for single or collectively interacting Brownian particles on an asymmetric substrate when a net dc transport is produced by an externally applied ac driving force or by periodically flashing the substrate. Recently, a new class of active ratchet systems that do not require the application of external driving has been realized through the use of active matter; they are self-propelled units that can be biological or nonbiological in nature. When active materials such as swimming bacteria interact with an asymmetric substrate, a net dc directed motion can arise even without external driving, opening a wealth ofmore » possibilities such as sorting, cargo transport, or micromachine construction. We review the current status of active matter ratchets for swimming bacteria, cells, active colloids, and swarming models, focusing on the role of particle-substrate interactions. Here, we describe ratchet reversals produced by collective effects and the use of active ratchets to transport passive particles. We discuss future directions including deformable substrates or particles, the role of different swimming modes, varied particle–particle interactions, and nondissipative effects.« less

Recruitment of rat diaphragm motor units across motor behaviors with different levels of diaphragm activation.

PubMed

Seven, Yasin B; Mantilla, Carlos B; Sieck, Gary C

2014-12-01

Phrenic motor neurons are recruited across a range of motor behaviors to generate varying levels of diaphragm muscle (DIAm) force. We hypothesized that DIAm motor units are recruited in a fixed order across a range of motor behaviors of varying force levels, consistent with the Henneman Size Principle. Single motor unit action potentials and compound DIAm EMG activities were recorded in anesthetized, neurally intact rats across different motor behaviors, i.e., eupnea, hypoxia-hypercapnia (10% O2 and 5% CO2), deep breaths, sustained airway occlusion, and sneezing. Central drive [estimated by root-mean-squared (RMS) EMG value 75 ms after the onset of EMG activity (RMS75)], recruitment delay, and onset discharge frequencies were similar during eupnea and hypoxia-hypercapnia. Compared with eupnea, central drive increased (∼25%) during deep breaths, and motor units were recruited ∼12 ms earlier (P < 0.01). During airway occlusion, central drive was ∼3 times greater, motor units were recruited ∼30 ms earlier (P < 0.01), and motor unit onset discharge frequencies were significantly higher (P < 0.01). Recruitment order of motor unit pairs observed during eupnea was maintained for 98%, 87%, and 84% of the same pairs recorded during hypoxia-hypercapnia, deep breaths, and airway occlusion, respectively. Reversals in motor unit recruitment order were observed primarily if motor unit pairs were recruited <20 ms apart. These results are consistent with DIAm motor unit recruitment order being determined primarily by the intrinsic size-dependent electrophysiological properties of phrenic motor neurons. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Recruitment of rat diaphragm motor units across motor behaviors with different levels of diaphragm activation

PubMed Central

Seven, Yasin B.; Mantilla, Carlos B.

2014-01-01

Phrenic motor neurons are recruited across a range of motor behaviors to generate varying levels of diaphragm muscle (DIAm) force. We hypothesized that DIAm motor units are recruited in a fixed order across a range of motor behaviors of varying force levels, consistent with the Henneman Size Principle. Single motor unit action potentials and compound DIAm EMG activities were recorded in anesthetized, neurally intact rats across different motor behaviors, i.e., eupnea, hypoxia-hypercapnia (10% O2 and 5% CO2), deep breaths, sustained airway occlusion, and sneezing. Central drive [estimated by root-mean-squared (RMS) EMG value 75 ms after the onset of EMG activity (RMS75)], recruitment delay, and onset discharge frequencies were similar during eupnea and hypoxia-hypercapnia. Compared with eupnea, central drive increased (∼25%) during deep breaths, and motor units were recruited ∼12 ms earlier (P < 0.01). During airway occlusion, central drive was ∼3 times greater, motor units were recruited ∼30 ms earlier (P < 0.01), and motor unit onset discharge frequencies were significantly higher (P < 0.01). Recruitment order of motor unit pairs observed during eupnea was maintained for 98%, 87%, and 84% of the same pairs recorded during hypoxia-hypercapnia, deep breaths, and airway occlusion, respectively. Reversals in motor unit recruitment order were observed primarily if motor unit pairs were recruited <20 ms apart. These results are consistent with DIAm motor unit recruitment order being determined primarily by the intrinsic size-dependent electrophysiological properties of phrenic motor neurons. PMID:25257864

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-12-01

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m-3) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard `infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics.

PubMed

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-12-11

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m(-3)) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard 'infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things.

Phase I Development of Neutral Beam Injector Solid-State Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prager, James; Ziemba, Timothy; Miller, Kenneth E.; Slobodov, Ilia; Anderson, Seth

2017-10-01

Neutral beam injection (NBI) is an important tool for plasma heating, current drive and a diagnostic at fusion science experiments around the United States, including tokamaks, validation platform experiments, and privately funded fusion concepts. Currently, there are no vendors in the United States for NBI power systems. Eagle Harbor Technologies (EHT), Inc. is developing a new power system for NBI that takes advantage of the latest developments in solid-state switching. EHT has developed a resonant converter that can be scaled to the power levels required for NBI at small-scale validation platform experiments like the Lithium Tokamak Experiment. This power system can be used to modulate the NBI voltages over the course of a plasma shot, which can lead to improved control over the plasma. EHT will present initial modeling used to design this system as well as experimental data showing operation at 15 kV and 40 A for 10 ms into a test load. With support of DOE SBIR.

Advanced Motor Control Test Facility for NASA GRC Flywheel Energy Storage System Technology Development Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Barbara H.; Kascak, Peter E.; Hofmann, Heath; Mackin, Michael; Santiago, Walter; Jansen, Ralph

2001-01-01

This paper describes the flywheel test facility developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center with particular emphasis on the motor drive components and control. A four-pole permanent magnet synchronous machine, suspended on magnetic bearings, is controlled with a field orientation algorithm. A discussion of the estimation of the rotor position and speed from a "once around signal" is given. The elimination of small dc currents by using a concurrent stationary frame current regulator is discussed and demonstrated. Initial experimental results are presented showing the successful operation and control of the unit at speeds up to 20,000 rpm.

Quantitative attribution of major driving forces on soil organic carbon dynamics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, Yiping; Liu, Shuguang; Tan, Zhengxi

2015-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) storage plays a major role in the global carbon cycle and is affected by many factors including land use/management changes (e.g., biofuel production-oriented changes). However, the contributions of various factors to SOC changes are not well understood and quantified. This study was designed to investigate the impacts of changing farming practices, initial SOC levels, and biological enhancement of grain production on SOC dynamics and to attribute the relative contributions of major driving forces (CO2 enrichment and farming practices) using a fractional factorial modeling design. The case study at a crop site in Iowa in the United States demonstrated that the traditional corn-soybean (CS) rotation could still accumulate SOC over this century (from 4.2 to 6.8 kg C/m2) under the current condition; whereas the continuous-corn (CC) system might have a higher SOC sequestration potential than CS. In either case, however, residue removal could reduce the sink potential substantially. Long-term simulation results also suggested that the equilibrium SOC level may vary greatly (∼5.7 to ∼11 kg C/m2) depending on cropping systems and management practices, and projected growth enhancement could make the magnitudes higher (∼7.8 to ∼13 kg C/m2). Importantly, the factorial design analysis indicated that residue management had the most significant impact (contributing 49.4%) on SOC changes, followed by CO2 Enrichment (37%), Tillage (6.2%), the combination of CO2Enrichment-Residue removal (5.8%), and Fertilization (1.6%). In brief, this study is valuable for understanding the major forces driving SOC dynamics of agroecosystems and informative for decision-makers when seeking the enhancement of SOC sequestration potential and sustainability of biofuel production, especially in the Corn Belt region of the United States.

Alcohol- and Drug-Involved Driving in the United States: Methodology for the 2007 National Roadside Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacey, John H.; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Voas, Robert B.; Romano, Eduardo; Furr-Holden, C. Debra; Torres, Pedro; Berning, Amy

2011-01-01

This article describes the methodology used in the 2007 U.S. National Roadside Survey to estimate the prevalence of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving and alcohol- and drug-involved driving. This study involved randomly stopping drivers at 300 locations across the 48 continental U.S. states at sites selected through a stratified random sampling…

Uber and Metropolitan Traffic Fatalities in the United States.

PubMed

Brazil, Noli; Kirk, David S

2016-08-01

Uber and similar rideshare services are rapidly dispersing in cities across the United States and beyond. Given the convenience and low cost, Uber has been characterized as a potential countermeasure for reducing the estimated 121 million episodes of drunk driving and the 10,000 resulting traffic fatalities that occur annually in the United States. We exploited differences in the timing of the deployment of Uber in US metropolitan counties from 2005 to 2014 to test the association between the availability of Uber's rideshare services and total, drunk driving-related, and weekend- and holiday-specific traffic fatalities in the 100 most populated metropolitan areas in the United States using negative binomial and Poisson regression models. We found that the deployment of Uber services in a given metropolitan county had no association with the number of subsequent traffic fatalities, whether measured in aggregate or specific to drunk-driving fatalities or fatalities during weekends and holidays. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Vastus Lateralis Motor Unit Firing Rate Is Higher in Women With Patellofemoral Pain.

PubMed

Gallina, Alessio; Hunt, Michael A; Hodges, Paul W; Garland, S Jayne

2018-05-01

To compare neural drive, determined from motor unit firing rate, in the vastus medialis and lateralis in women with and without patellofemoral pain. Cross-sectional study. University research laboratory. Women (N=56) 19 to 35 years of age, including 36 with patellofemoral pain and 20 controls. Not applicable. Participants sustained an isometric knee extension contraction at 10% of their maximal voluntary effort for 70 seconds. Motor units (N=414) were identified using high-density surface electromyography. Average firing rate was calculated between 5 and 35 seconds after recruitment for each motor unit. Initial firing rate was the inverse of the first 3 motor unit interspike intervals. In control participants, vastus medialis motor units discharged at higher rates than vastus lateralis motor units (P=.001). This was not observed in women with patellofemoral pain (P=.78) because of a higher discharge rate of vastus lateralis compared with control participants (P=.002). No between-group differences were observed for vastus medialis (P=.93). Similar results were obtained for the initial motor unit firing rate. These findings suggest that women with patellofemoral pain have a higher neural drive to vastus lateralis but not vastus medialis, which may be a contributor of the altered patellar kinematics observed in some studies. The different neural drive may be an adaptation to patellofemoral pain, possibly to compensate for decreased quadriceps force production, or a precursor of patellofemoral pain. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydromechanical transmission with hydrodynamic drive

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr., deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1979-01-01

This transmission has a first planetary gear assembly having first input means connected to an input shaft, first output means, and first reaction means, and a second planetary gear assembly having second input means connected to the first input means, second output means, and second reaction means connected directly to the first reaction means by a reaction shaft. First clutch means, when engaged, connect the first output means to an output shaft in a high driving range. A hydrodynamic drive is used; for example, a torque converter, which may or may not have a stationary case, has a pump connected to the second output means, a stator grounded by an overrunning clutch to the case, and a turbine connected to an output member, and may be used in a starting phase. Alternatively, a fluid coupling or other type of hydrodynamic drive may be used. Second clutch means, when engaged, for connecting the output member to the output shaft in a low driving range. A variable-displacement hydraulic unit is mechanically connected to the input shaft, and a fixed-displacement hydraulic unit is mechanically connected to the reaction shaft. The hydraulic units are hydraulically connected together so that when one operates as a pump the other acts as a motor, and vice versa. Both clutch means are connected to the output shaft through a forward-reverse shift arrangement. It is possible to lock out the torque converter after the starting phase is over.

Hydromechanical transmission with two planetary assemblies that are clutchable to both the input and output shafts

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr., deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1979-01-01

A power transmission having two planetary assemblies, each having its own carrier and its own planet, sun, and ring gears. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the two sun gears, which are connected together. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gears. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output shaft through the first ring gear in a hydrostatic mode, the first ring gear being rigidly connected to the output shaft. The input shaft also is clutchable to either the carrier or the ring gear of the second planetary assembly. The output shaft is also clutchable to the carrier of the second planetary assembly when the input is clutched to the ring gear of the second planetary assembly, and is clutchable to the ring gear of the second planetary assembly when the input is clutched to the carrier thereof.

Biomass Production System (BPS) plant growth unit.

PubMed

Morrow, R C; Crabb, T M

2000-01-01

The Biomass Production System (BPS) was developed under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program to meet science, biotechnology and commercial plant growth needs in the Space Station era. The BPS is equivalent in size to a double middeck locker, but uses its own custom enclosure with a slide out structure to which internal components mount. The BPS contains four internal growth chambers, each with a growing volume of more than 4 liters. Each of the growth chambers has active nutrient delivery, and independent control of temperature, humidity, lighting, and CO2 set-points. Temperature control is achieved using a thermoelectric heat exchanger system. Humidity control is achieved using a heat exchanger with a porous interface which can both humidify and dehumidify. The control software utilizes fuzzy logic for nonlinear, coupled temperature and humidity control. The fluorescent lighting system can be dimmed to provide a range of light levels. CO2 levels are controlled by injecting pure CO2 to the system based on input from an infrared gas analyzer. The unit currently does not scrub CO2, but has been designed to accept scrubber cartridges. In addition to providing environmental control, a number of features are included to facilitate science. The BPS chambers are sealed to allow CO2 and water vapor exchange measurements. The plant chambers can be removed to allow manipulation or sampling of specimens, and each chamber has gas/fluid sample ports. A video camera is provided for each chamber, and frame-grabs and complete environmental data for all science and hardware system sensors are stored on an internal hard drive. Data files can also be transferred to 3.5-inch disks using the front panel disk drive.

Biomass Production System (BPS) Plant Growth Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrow, R. C.; Crabb, T. M.

The Biomass Production System (BPS) was developed under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program to meet science, biotechnology and commercial plant growth needs in the Space Station era. The BPS is equivalent in size to a double middeck locker, but uses it's own custom enclosure with a slide out structure to which internal components mount. The BPS contains four internal growth chambers, each with a growing volume of more than 4 liters. Each of the growth chambers has active nutrient delivery, and independent control of temperature, humidity, lighting, and CO2 set-points. Temperature control is achieved using a thermoelectric heat exchanger system. Humidity control is achieved using a heat exchanger with a porous interface which can both humidify and dehumidify. The control software utilizes fuzzy logic for nonlinear, coupled temperature and humidity control. The fluorescent lighting system can be dimmed to provide a range of light levels. CO2 levels are controlled by injecting pure CO2 to the system based on input from an infrared gas analyzer. The unit currently does not scrub CO2, but has been designed to accept scrubber cartridges. In addition to providing environmental control, a number of features are included to facilitate science. The BPS chambers are sealed to allow CO2 and water vapor exchange measurements. The plant chambers can be removed to allow manipulation or sampling of specimens, and each chamber has gas/fluid sample ports. A video camera is provided for each chamber, and frame-grabs and complete environmental data for all science and hardware system sensors are stored on an internal hard drive. Data files can also be transferred to 3.5-inch disks using the front panel disk drive

Examining New Mexico's comprehensive impaired driving program : traffic tech.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-01

For many years, New Mexico had one of the highest rates of : alcohol-related driving fatalities in the United States. In 2004, : the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration entered : into a cooperative agreement with the New Mexico Department ...

77 FR 14506 - Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-12

... Manager, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843) 571-4366... directed to the South Atlantic Council office (4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC...

Integrated Heat Switch/Oxide Sorption Compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bard, Steven

1989-01-01

Thermally-driven, nonmechanical compressor uses container filled with compressed praseodymium cerium oxide powder (PrCeOx) to provide high-pressure flow of oxygen gas for driving closed-cycle Joule-Thomson-expansion refrigeration unit. Integrated heat switch/oxide sorption compressor has no moving parts except check valves, which control flow of oxygen gas between compressor and closed-cycle Joule-Thomson refrigeration system. Oxygen expelled from sorbent at high pressure by evacuating heat-switch gap and turning on heater.

European Scientific Notes. Volume 37, Number 4,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-30

information through the system. Conventional screening of cytologi - V P.ftnost., P... l,,, S."". cal material is done manually using --... _ smears or other...simple single commands in the high level remotely located, cable drive units and Microvision language. Components are a vertical axis ball -screw...specially built compressed air , Jr. cannon . The cannon has a bore of 150 mm (fitted with sleeves for smaller mis- siles), and impact velocities up to

Enhancing the Use of Vehicle Alcohol Interlocks With Emerging Technology.

PubMed

Voas, Robert B

2014-01-01

Among the earliest applications of health technologies to a safety program was the development of blood alcohol content (BAC) tests for use in impaired-driving enforcement. This led to the development of miniature, highly accurate devices that officers could carry in their pockets. A natural extension of this technology was the vehicle alcohol interlock, which is used to reduce recidivism among drivers convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) by requiring them to install the devices (which will not allow someone with a positive BAC to drive) on their vehicles. While on the vehicle, interlocks have been shown to reduce recidivism by two-thirds. Use of these devices has been growing at the rate of 10 to 15 percent a year, and there currently are more than 300,000 units in use. This expansion in the application of interlocks has benefited from the integration of other emerging technologies into interlock systems. Such technologies include data systems that record both driver actions and vehicle responses, miniature cameras and face recognition to identify the user, Wi-Fi systems to provide rapid reporting on offender performance and any attempt to circumvent the device, GPS tracking of the vehicle, and more rapid means for monitoring the integrity of the interlock system. This article describes how these health technologies are being applied in interlock programs and the outlook for new technologies and new court sanctioning programs that may influence the growth in the use of interlocks in the future.

High-rep-rate Thomson scattering for LHD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

den Hartog, D. J.; Borchardt, M. T.; Holly, D. J.; Schmitz, O.; Yasuhara, R.; Yamada, I.; Funaba, H.; Osakabe, M.; Morisaki, T.

2017-10-01

A high-rep-rate pulse-burst laser system is being built for the LHD Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic. This laser will have two operating scenarios, a fast-burst sequence of 15 kHz rep rate for at least 15 ms, and a slow-burst sequence of 1 kHz for at least 50 ms. There will be substantial flexibility in burst sequences for tailoring to experimental requirements. This new laser system will operate alongside the existing lasers in the LHD TS diagnostic, and will use the same beamline. This increase in temporal resolution capability complements the high spatial resolution (144 points) of the LHD TS diagnostic, providing unique measurement capability unmatched on any other fusion experiment. The new pulse-burst laser is a straightforward application of technology developed at UW-Madison, consisting of a Nd:YAG laser head with modular flashlamp drive units and a customized control system. Variable pulse-width drive of the flashlamps is accomplished by IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) switching of electrolytic capacitor banks. Direct control of the laser Pockels cell drive enables optimal pulse energy extraction, producing >1.5 J q-switched pulses with 20 ns FWHM. Burst operation of this laser system will be used to capture fast time evolution of the electron temperature and density profiles during events such as ELMs, RMP perturbations, and various MHD modes. This work is supported by the U. S. Department of Energy and the National Institute for Fusion Science (Japan).

Leadership-organizational culture relationship in nursing units of acute care hospitals.

PubMed

Casida, Jesus; Pinto-Zipp, Genevieve

2008-01-01

The phenomena of leadership and organizational culture (OC) has been defined as the driving forces in the success or failure of an organization. Today, nurse managers must demonstrate leadership behaviors or styles that are appropriate for the constantly changing, complex, and turbulent health care delivery system. In this study, researchers explored the relationship between nurse managers' leadership styles and OC of nursing units within an acute care hospital that had achieved excellent organizational performance as demonstrated by a consistent increase in patient satisfaction ratings. The data from this study support that transformational and transactional contingent reward leaderships as nurse manager leadership styles that are associated with nursing unit OC that have the ability to balance the dynamics of flexibility and stability within their nursing units and are essential for maintaining organizational effectiveness. It is essential for first-line nursing leaders to acquire knowledge and skills on organizational cultural competence.

KSC-04PD-2157

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers maneuver the giant sprocket (left) and attached gear (right) into position on the Crawler- Transporter. The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

Echidna Mark II: one giant leap for 'tilting spine' fibre positioning technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, James; Dalton, Gavin

2016-07-01

The Australian Astronomical Observatory's 'tilting spine' fibre positioning technology has been redeveloped to provide superior performance in a smaller package. The new design offers demonstrated closed-loop positioning errors of <2.8 μm RMS in only five moves ( 10 s excluding metrology overheads) and an improved capacity for open-loop tracking during observations. Tilt-induced throughput losses have been halved by lengthening spines while maintaining excellent accuracy. New low-voltage multilayer piezo actuator technology has reduced a spine's peak drive amplitude from 150V to <10V, simplifying the control electronics design, reducing the system's overall size, and improving modularity. Every spine is now a truly independent unit with a dedicated drive circuit and no restrictions on the timing or direction of fibre motion.

Contributions a l'etude et a l'application industrielle de la machine asynchrone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouhrouche, Mohand-Ameziane

The work presented in this thesis, done in the Electrical Drives Laboratory of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, deals with the industrial applications of a three-phase induction machine (electrical drives and electricity generation). This thesis, characterized by its multidisciplinary content, has two major parts. The first one deals with the on-line and off-line parametric identification of the induction machine model necessary to achieve accurate vector control strategy. The second part, which is a resume of a research work sponsored by Hydro-Quebec, deals with the application of an induction machine in Asynchronous Non Utility Generators units (ANUG). As it is shown in the following, major scientific contributions are made in both two parts. In the first part of our research work, we propose a new speed sensorless vector control strategy for an induction machine, which is adaptive to the rotor resistance variations. The proposed control strategy is based on the Extended Kalman Filter approach and a decoupling controller which takes into account the rotor resistance variations. The consideration of coupled electrical and mechanical modes leads to a fifth order nonlinear model of the induction machine. The load torque is taken as a function of the rotor angular speed. The Extended Kalman Filter, based on the process's nonlinear (bilinear) model, estimate simultaneously the rotor resistance, angular speed and the flux vector from the startup to the steady state equilibrium point. The machine-converter-control system is implemented in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment and the obtained results confirm the robustness of the proposed scheme. As in the electrical drives erea, the induction machine is now widely used by small to medium power Non Utility Generator units (NUG) to produce electricity. In Quebec, these NUGs units are integrated into the Hydro-Quebec 25 kV distribution system via transformer which exhibit nonlinear characteristics. We have shown by using the ElectroMagnetic Program (EMTP) that, in some islanding scenarios, i.e. that the NUG unit is disconnected from the power grid, in addition to frequency variations, appearence of high an abnormal overvoltages, ferroresonance should occur. As a consequence, normal protective devices could fail to securely operate, which could cause serious damages to the equipment and the maintenance staff. This result, established for the first time , can be useful to improve the reliability of the NUGs units and is considered important by the power engineering community. This has led to a publication in the John Wiley & Sons Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering which will be available in February 1999 ( http://www.engr.wisc.edu/ ece/ece).

Breakeven Prices for Photovoltaics on Supermarkets in the United States

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

Ong, S.; Clark, N.; Denholm, P.

The photovoltaic (PV) breakeven price is the PV system price at which the cost of PV-generated electricity equals the cost of electricity purchased from the grid. This point is also called 'grid parity' and can be expressed as dollars per watt ($/W) of installed PV system capacity. Achieving the PV breakeven price depends on many factors, including the solar resource, local electricity prices, customer load profile, PV incentives, and financing. In the United States, where these factors vary substantially across regions, breakeven prices vary substantially across regions as well. In this study, we estimate current and future breakeven prices formore » PV systems installed on supermarkets in the United States. We also evaluate key drivers of current and future commercial PV breakeven prices by region. The results suggest that breakeven prices for PV systems installed on supermarkets vary significantly across the United States. Non-technical factors -- including electricity rates, rate structures, incentives, and the availability of system financing -- drive break-even prices more than technical factors like solar resource or system orientation. In 2020 (where we assume higher electricity prices and lower PV incentives), under base-case assumptions, we estimate that about 17% of supermarkets will be in utility territories where breakeven conditions exist at a PV system price of $3/W; this increases to 79% at $1.25/W (the DOE SunShot Initiative's commercial PV price target for 2020). These percentages increase to 26% and 91%, respectively, when rate structures favorable to PV are used.« less

Research of subdivision driving technology for brushless DC motors in optical fiber positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kan, Yi; Gu, Yonggang; Zhu, Ye; Zhai, Chao

2016-07-01

In fiber spectroscopic telescopes, optical fiber positioning units are used to position thousands of fibers on the focal plane quickly and precisely. Stepper motors are used in existing units, however, it has some inherent deficiencies, such as serious heating and low efficiency. In this work, the universally adopted subdivision driving technology for stepper motors is transplanted to brushless DC motors. It keeps the advantages of stepper motors such as high positioning accuracy and resolution, while overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above. Thus, this research mainly focuses on develop a novel subdivision driving technology for brushless DC motor. By the proving of experiments of online debug and subdivision speed and position, the proposed brushless DC motor subdivision technology can achieve the expected functions.

Analysis of West Virginia's graduated driver licensing program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-12-01

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 15-20 years old in the United States. Top safety concerns involving teen drivers include; safety belt use, impaired driving, and distracted driving. Rules tha...

An analysis of West Virginia's graduated driver licensing program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-12-01

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 15-20 years old in the United States. Top safety concerns involving teen drivers include; safety belt use, impaired driving, and distracted driving. Rules tha...

Social and economic impacts of driving cessation in the United States

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-05-31

This presentation explores the complex interrelationships among health, economics, and driving cessations in the older adult population. While there is a significant body of literature for each of these areas there is not an established methodology t...

Message from the media : drinking and driving in newspapers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-07-05

This report presents major findings on newspaper coverage of the drinking and driving issue from September, 1983, through August, 1984 in the United States. A content analysis of 300 articles drawn from a larger sample of over 1700 articles gathered ...

Some mechanistic requirements for major transitions

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Major transitions in nature and human society are accompanied by a substantial change towards higher complexity in the core of the evolving system. New features are established, novel hierarchies emerge, new regulatory mechanisms are required and so on. An obvious way to achieve higher complexity is integration of autonomous elements into new organized systems whereby the previously independent units give up their autonomy at least in part. In this contribution, we reconsider the more than 40 years old hypercycle model and analyse it by the tools of stochastic chemical kinetics. An open system is implemented in the form of a flow reactor. The formation of new dynamically organized units through integration of competitors is identified with transcritical bifurcations. In the stochastic model, the fully organized state is quasi-stationary whereas the unorganized state corresponds to a population with natural selection. The stability of the organized state depends strongly on the number of individual subspecies, n, that have to be integrated: two and three classes of individuals, and , readily form quasi-stationary states. The four-membered deterministic dynamical system, , is stable but in the stochastic approach self-enhancing fluctuations drive it into extinction. In systems with five and more classes of individuals, , the state of cooperation is unstable and the solutions of the deterministic ODEs exhibit large amplitude oscillations. In the stochastic system self-enhancing fluctuations lead to extinction as observed with . Interestingly, cooperative systems in nature are commonly two-membered as shown by numerous examples of binary symbiosis. A few cases of symbiosis of three partners, called three-way symbiosis, have been found and were analysed within the past decade. Four-way symbiosis is rather rare but was reported to occur in fungus-growing ants. The model reported here can be used to illustrate the interplay between competition and cooperation whereby we obtain a hint on the role that resources play in major transitions. Abundance of resources seems to be an indispensable prerequisite of radical innovation that apparently needs substantial investments. Economists often claim that scarcity is driving innovation. Our model sheds some light on this apparent contradiction. In a nutshell, the answer is: scarcity drives optimization and increase in efficiency but abundance is required for radical novelty and the development of new features. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The major synthetic evolutionary transitions’. PMID:27431517

Driver Education, English-Spanish. Learning Achievement Packages. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rendon, Rene

This text contains three suggested driver education curriculum units and is intended for use in a bilingual education setting. Each unit is in Spanish and English. The three units are: (1) "Procedures in Driving," (2) "Car Maintenance," and (3) "Tires." Each unit contains information for the teacher, explanations and…

Design of a Compact Actuation and Control System for Flexible Medical Robots.

PubMed

Morimoto, Tania K; Hawkes, Elliot Wright; Okamura, Allison M

2017-07-01

Flexible medical robots can improve surgical procedures by decreasing invasiveness and increasing accessibility within the body. Using preoperative images, these robots can be designed to optimize a procedure for a particular patient. To minimize invasiveness and maximize biocompatibility, the actuation units of flexible medical robots should be placed fully outside the patient's body. In this letter, we present a novel, compact, lightweight, modular actuation, and control system for driving a class of these flexible robots, known as concentric tube robots. A key feature of the design is the use of three-dimensional printed waffle gears to enable compact control of two degrees of freedom within each module. We measure the precision and accuracy of a single actuation module and demonstrate the ability of an integrated set of three actuation modules to control six degrees of freedom. The integrated system drives a three-tube concentric tube robot to reach a final tip position that is on average less than 2 mm from a given target. In addition, we show a handheld manifestation of the device and present its potential applications.

Solid-state transformer-based new traction drive system and control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Jianghua; Shang, Jing; Zhang, Zhixue; Liu, Huadong; Huang, Zihao

2017-11-01

A new type of traction drive system consisting of solid-state traction transformer (SSTT), inverter unit, auxiliary inverter, traction motor and other key components is built in order to suit the demand of developing the next-generation electric traction system which will be efficient and lightweight, with high power density. For the purpose of reducing system volume and weight and improving efficiency and grid-side power quality, an efficient SSTT optimized topology combining high-voltage cascaded rectifiers with high-power high-frequency LLC resonant converter is proposed. On this basis, an integrated control strategy built upon synchronous rotating reference frame is presented to achieve unified control over fundamental active, reactive and harmonic components. The carrier-interleaving phase shift modulation strategy is proposed to improve the harmonic performance of cascaded rectifiers. In view of the secondary pulsating existing in a single-phase system, the mathematical model of secondary power transfer is built, and the mechanism of pulsating voltage resulting in beat frequency of LLC resonant converter is revealed, so as to design optimum matching of system parameters. Simulation and experimental results have verified that the traction system and control scheme mentioned in this paper are reasonable and superior and that they meet the future application requirements for rail transit.

Note: Compact and light displacement sensor for a precision measurement system in large motion

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

Lee, Sang Heon, E-mail: shlee@andong.ac.kr

We developed a compact and light displacement sensor applicable to systems that require wide range motions of its sensing device. The proposed sensor utilized the optical pickup unit of the optical disk drive, which has been used applied to atomic force microscopy (AFM) because of its compactness and lightness as well as its high performance. We modified the structure of optical pickup unit and made the compact sensor driver attachable to a probe head of AFM to make large rotation. The feasibilities of the developed sensor for a general probe-moving measurement device and for probe-rotating AFM were verified. Moreover, amore » simple and precise measurement of alignment between centers of rotator and probe tip in probe-rotation AFM was experimentally demonstrated using the developed sensor.« less

Control rod drive hydraulic system

DOEpatents

Ose, Richard A.

1992-01-01

A hydraulic system for a control rod drive (CRD) includes a variable output-pressure CR pump operable in a charging mode for providing pressurized fluid at a charging pressure, and in a normal mode for providing the pressurized fluid at a purge pressure, less than the charging pressure. Charging and purge lines are disposed in parallel flow between the CRD pump and the CRD. A hydraulic control unit is disposed in flow communication in the charging line and includes a scram accumulator. An isolation valve is provided in the charging line between the CRD pump and the scram accumulator. A controller is operatively connected to the CRD pump and the isolation valve and is effective for opening the isolation valve and operating the CRD pump in a charging mode for charging the scram accumulator, and closing the isolation valve and operating the CRD pump in a normal mode for providing to the CRD through the purge line the pressurized fluid at a purge pressure lower than the charging pressure.

Development of the pump protection system against cavitation on the basis of the stator current signature analysis of drive electric motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kipervasser, M. V.; Gerasimuk, A. V.; Simakov, V. P.

2018-05-01

In the present paper a new registration method of such inadmissible phenomenon as cavitation in the operating mode of centrifugal pump is offered. Influence of cavitation and extent of its development on the value of mechanical power consumed by the pump from the electric motor is studied. On the basis of design formulas the joint mathematical model of centrifugal pumping unit with the synchronous motor is created. In the model the phenomena accompanying the work of a pumping installation in the cavitation mode are considered. Mathematical modeling of the pump operation in the considered emergency operation is carried out. The chart of stator current of the electric motor, depending on the degree of cavitation development of is received. On the basis of the analysis of the obtained data the conclusion on the possibility of registration of cavitation by the current of drive electric motor is made and the functional diagram of the developed protection system is offered, its operation principle is described.

Variable-camber systems integration and operational performance of the AFTI/F-111 mission adaptive wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, John W.; Lock, Wilton P.; Payne, Gordon A.

1992-01-01

The advanced fighter technology integration, the AFTI/F-111 aircraft, is a preproduction F-111A testbed research airplane that was fitted with a smooth variable-camber mission adaptive wing. The camber was positioned and controlled by flexing the upper skins through rotary actuators and linkages driven by power drive units. The wing camber and control system are described. The measured servoactuator frequency responses are presented along with analytical predictions derived from the integrated characteristics of the control elements. A mission adaptive wing system chronology is used to illustrate and assess the reliability and dependability of the servoactuator system during 1524 hours of ground tests and 145 hours of flight testing.

Assessing drivers' response during automated driver support system failures with non-driving tasks.

PubMed

Shen, Sijun; Neyens, David M

2017-06-01

With the increase in automated driver support systems, drivers are shifting from operating their vehicles to supervising their automation. As a result, it is important to understand how drivers interact with these automated systems and evaluate their effect on driver responses to safety critical events. This study aimed to identify how drivers responded when experiencing a safety critical event in automated vehicles while also engaged in non-driving tasks. In total 48 participants were included in this driving simulator study with two levels of automated driving: (a) driving with no automation and (b) driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane keeping (LK) systems engaged; and also two levels of a non-driving task (a) watching a movie or (b) no non-driving task. In addition to driving performance measures, non-driving task performance and the mean glance duration for the non-driving task were compared between the two levels of automated driving. Drivers using the automated systems responded worse than those manually driving in terms of reaction time, lane departure duration, and maximum steering wheel angle to an induced lane departure event. These results also found that non-driving tasks further impaired driver responses to a safety critical event in the automated system condition. In the automated driving condition, driver responses to the safety critical events were slower, especially when engaged in a non-driving task. Traditional driver performance variables may not necessarily effectively and accurately evaluate driver responses to events when supervising autonomous vehicle systems. Thus, it is important to develop and use appropriate variables to quantify drivers' performance under these conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

73. INTERIOR VIEW OF MACHINE SHOP LOOKING EAST, NOTE THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

73. INTERIOR VIEW OF MACHINE SHOP LOOKING EAST, NOTE THE MAIN DRIVE SHAFT ON THE CEILING AND DRIVE BELTS TO THE MACHINERY. MAY 8, 1919. - United States Nitrate Plant No. 2, Reservation Road, Muscle Shoals, Muscle Shoals, Colbert County, AL

Evaluation of a Smartphone Platform as a Wireless Interface Between Tongue Drive System and Electric-Powered Wheelchairs

PubMed Central

Kim, Jeonghee; Huo, Xueliang; Minocha, Julia; Holbrook, Jaimee; Laumann, Anne; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2013-01-01

Tongue drive system (TDS) is a new wireless assistive technology (AT) for the mobility impaired population. It provides users with the ability to drive powered wheelchairs (PWC) and access computers using their unconstrained tongue motion. Migration of the TDS processing unit and user interface platform from a bulky personal computer to a smartphone (iPhone) has significantly facilitated its usage by turning it into a true wireless and wearable AT. After implementation of the necessary interfacing hardware and software to allow the smartphone to act as a bridge between the TDS and PWC, the wheelchair navigation performance and associated learning was evaluated in nine able-bodied subjects in five sessions over a 5-week period. Subjects wore magnetic tongue studs over the duration of the study and drove the PWC in an obstacle course with their tongue using three different navigation strategies; namely unlatched, latched, and semiproportional. Qualitative aspects of using the TDS–iPhone–PWC interface were also evaluated via a five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Subjects showed more than 20% improvement in the overall completion time between the first and second sessions, and maintained a modest improvement of ~9% per session over the following three sessions. PMID:22531737

Wireless energizing system for an automated implantable sensor

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

Swain, Biswaranjan; Nayak, Praveen P.; Kar, Durga P.

The wireless drive of an automated implantable electronic sensor has been explored for health monitoring applications. The proposed system comprises of an automated biomedical sensing system which is energized through resonant inductive coupling. The implantable sensor unit is able to monitor the body temperature parameter and sends back the corresponding telemetry data wirelessly to the data recoding unit. It has been observed that the wireless power delivery system is capable of energizing the automated biomedical implantable electronic sensor placed over a distance of 3 cm from the power transmitter with an energy transfer efficiency of 26% at the operating resonantmore » frequency of 562 kHz. This proposed method ensures real-time monitoring of different human body temperatures around the clock. The monitored temperature data have been compared with a calibrated temperature measurement system to ascertain the accuracy of the proposed system. The investigated technique can also be useful for monitoring other body parameters such as blood pressure, bladder pressure, and physiological signals of the patient in vivo using various implantable sensors.« less

Improving Motor and Drive System Performance – A Sourcebook for Industry

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

None

This sourcebook outlines opportunities to improve motor and drive systems performance. The sourcebook is divided into four main sections: (1) Motor and Drive System Basics: Summarizes important terms, relationships, and system design considerations relating to motor and drive systems. (2) Performance Opportunity Road Map: Details the key components of well-functioning motor and drive systems and opportunities for energy performance opportunities. (3) Motor System Economics: Offers recommendations on how to propose improvement projects based on corporate priorities, efficiency gains, and financial payback periods. (4) Where to Find Help: Provides a directory of organizations associated with motors and drives, as well asmore » resources for additional information, tools, software, videos, and training opportunities.« less

Technology of welding aluminum alloys-IV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ginez, R.; Lewis, J. R.; Millett, A. U.; Saenger, K. A.; Skelly, J. K.; Standiford, V. E.; Whiteman, J. O.

1978-01-01

Skate-weld carriage and track assembly were developed for controlled fusion welding on compound-curvature surfaces. Unlike fixed-position carriage used for vertical, horizontal, and circumferential welding, carriage has suspension system that permits angular positioning of weld head on carriage. It also has carriage-and-drive track mechanism capable of traveling over compound curvatures. Carriage is designed with universal mounting platform so that slim tools, weld heads, or X-ray units can be interchanged without need for realinement.

Eliminating NVA Requirements & Improving the Inspection System

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-27

Wg ISPR Blood Pgm QA JTAC Stan/Eval Formal Joint Comm AAAHC SCI Security Pgm Review Pathologists WII Ed & Dev Inter vent. Servi ces FDA Pubs...his/her tour  Balanced mix of scheduled & no-notice inspections  Units will be inspected for Readiness and Compliance every 24 months  Readiness...a whole  IG Team Chiefs drive team effectiveness, are the most visible direct representatives of MAJCOM CCs & should be selected by CIP or a board

50. VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST AT A MOTORGENERATOR SET LOCATED UNDER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

50. VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST AT A MOTOR-GENERATOR SET LOCATED UNDER CONTROL ROOM. THREE 450 kva., 2500 VOLT, 60 CYCLE MOTOR-GENERATOR UNITS PROVIDED POWER FOR THE RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEM. 25 CYCLE POWER WAS PROVIDED TO THE MOTOR (LEFT BACKGROUND). THE MOTOR TURNED THE GENERATOR (CENTER FOREGROUND) WHICH PRODUCED 60 CYCLE POWER TO OPERATE LIGHTS AND SIGNALING DEVICES. - New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Cos Cob Power Plant, Sound Shore Drive, Greenwich, Fairfield County, CT

Computer simulation of on-orbit manned maneuvering unit operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuart, G. M.; Garcia, K. D.

1986-01-01

Simulation of spacecraft on-orbit operations is discussed in reference to Martin Marietta's Space Operations Simulation laboratory's use of computer software models to drive a six-degree-of-freedom moving base carriage and two target gimbal systems. In particular, key simulation issues and related computer software models associated with providing real-time, man-in-the-loop simulations of the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) are addressed with special attention given to how effectively these models and motion systems simulate the MMU's actual on-orbit operations. The weightless effects of the space environment require the development of entirely new devices for locomotion. Since the access to space is very limited, it is necessary to design, build, and test these new devices within the physical constraints of earth using simulators. The simulation method that is discussed here is the technique of using computer software models to drive a Moving Base Carriage (MBC) that is capable of providing simultaneous six-degree-of-freedom motions. This method, utilized at Martin Marietta's Space Operations Simulation (SOS) laboratory, provides the ability to simulate the operation of manned spacecraft, provides the pilot with proper three-dimensional visual cues, and allows training of on-orbit operations. The purpose here is to discuss significant MMU simulation issues, the related models that were developed in response to these issues and how effectively these models simulate the MMU's actual on-orbiter operations.

Development of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Control System for the Traction Purpose of the Gauge Changing Train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, Keiichiro; Hata, Hiroshi; Yuki, Kazuaki; Naganuma, Katsunori; Matsuoka, Koichi; Hasebe, Toshio

This paper is aimed at providing the designing method of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) control system for the high-speed and the single-phase AC powered Gauge Changing Train (GCT). The state-of-the-art electrical motive unit is equipped with downsized direct drive type PMSMs for the simplified gauge changeable truck. Due to the feeding the AC single phase power, we propose a beat-less control for PMSMs. We verify the development results of designing procedures by the experimental results of operation on a high-speed test line in Colorado, USA.

Hardware system of X-wave generator with simple driving pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xu; Li, Yaqin; Xiao, Feng; Ding, Mingyue; Yuchi, Ming

2013-03-01

The limited diffraction beams such as X-wave have the properties of larger depth of field. Thus, it has the potential to generate ultra-high frame rate ultrasound images. However, in practice, the real-time generation of X-wave ultrasonic field requires complex and high-cost system, especially the precise and specific voltage time distribution part for the excitation of each distinct array element. In order to simplify the hardware realization of X-wave, based on the previous works, X-wave excitation signals were decomposed and expressed as the superposition of a group of simple driving pulses, such as rectangular and triangular waves. The hardware system for the X-wave generator was also designed. The generator consists of a computer for communication with the circuit, universal serial bus (USB) based micro-controller unit (MCU) for data transmission, field programmable gate array (FPGA) based Direct Digital Synthesizer(DDS), 12-bit digital-to-analog (D/A) converter and a two stage amplifier.The hardware simulation results show that the designed system can generate the waveforms at different radius approximating the theoretical X-wave excitations with a maximum error of 0.49% triggered by the quantification of amplitude data.

Experimental study of a fuel cell power train for road transport application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbo, P.; Corcione, F. E.; Migliardini, F.; Veneri, O.

The development of fuel cell electric vehicles requires the on-board integration of fuel cell systems and electric energy storage devices, with an appropriate energy management system. The optimization of performance and efficiency needs an experimental analysis of the power train, which has to be effected in both stationary and transient conditions (including standard driving cycles). In this paper experimental results concerning the performance of a fuel cell power train are reported and discussed. In particular characterization results for a small sized fuel cell system (FCS), based on a 2.5 kW PEM stack, alone and coupled to an electric propulsion chain of 3.7 kW are presented and discussed. The control unit of the FCS allowed the main stack operative parameters (stoichiometric ratio, hydrogen and air pressure, temperature) to be varied and regulated in order to obtain optimized polarization and efficiency curves. Experimental runs effected on the power train during standard driving cycles have allowed the performance and efficiency of the individual components (fuel cell stack and auxiliaries, dc-dc converter, traction batteries, electric engine) to be evaluated, evidencing the role of output current and voltage of the dc-dc converter in directing the energy flows within the propulsion system.

Rapid Evolution of a Coadapted Gene Complex: Evidence from the Segregation Distorter (Sd) System of Meiotic Drive in Drosophila Melanogaster

PubMed Central

Palopoli, M. F.; Wu, C. I.

1996-01-01

Segregation Distorter (SD) is a system of meiotic drive found in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Males heterozygous for an SD second chromosome and a normal homologue (SD(+)) produce predominantly SD-bearing sperm. The coadapted gene complex responsible for this transmission advantage spans the second chromosome centromere, consisting of three major and several minor interacting loci. To investigate the evolutionary history of this system, we surveyed levels of polymorphism and divergence at six genes that together encompass this pericentromeric region and span seven map units. Interestingly, there was no discernible divergence between SD and SD(+) chromosomes for any of these molecular markers. Furthermore, SD chromosomes harbored much less polymorphism than did SD(+) chromosomes. The results suggest that the SD system evolved recently, swept to appreciable frequencies worldwide, and carried with it the entire second chromosome centromeric region (roughly 10% of the genome). Despite its well-documented genetic complexity, this coadapted system appears to have evolved on a time scale that is much shorter than can be gauged using nucleotide substitution data. Finally, the large genomic region hitchhiking with SD indicates that a multilocus, epistatically selected system could affect the levels of DNA polymorphism observed in regions of reduced recombination. PMID:8844155

Mortality and pulmonary mechanics in relation to respiratory system and transpulmonary driving pressures in ARDS.

PubMed

Baedorf Kassis, Elias; Loring, Stephen H; Talmor, Daniel

2016-08-01

The driving pressure of the respiratory system has been shown to strongly correlate with mortality in a recent large retrospective ARDSnet study. Respiratory system driving pressure [plateau pressure-positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)] does not account for variable chest wall compliance. Esophageal manometry can be utilized to determine transpulmonary driving pressure. We have examined the relationships between respiratory system and transpulmonary driving pressure, pulmonary mechanics and 28-day mortality. Fifty-six patients from a previous study were analyzed to compare PEEP titration to maintain positive transpulmonary end-expiratory pressure to a control protocol. Respiratory system and transpulmonary driving pressures and pulmonary mechanics were examined at baseline, 5 min and 24 h. Analysis of variance and linear regression were used to compare 28 day survivors versus non-survivors and the intervention group versus the control group, respectively. At baseline and 5 min there was no difference in respiratory system or transpulmonary driving pressure. By 24 h, survivors had lower respiratory system and transpulmonary driving pressures. Similarly, by 24 h the intervention group had lower transpulmonary driving pressure. This decrease was explained by improved elastance and increased PEEP. The results suggest that utilizing PEEP titration to target positive transpulmonary pressure via esophageal manometry causes both improved elastance and driving pressures. Treatment strategies leading to decreased respiratory system and transpulmonary driving pressure at 24 h may be associated with improved 28 day mortality. Studies to clarify the role of respiratory system and transpulmonary driving pressures as a prognosticator and bedside ventilator target are warranted.

The use of a driving simulator to determine how time pressures impact driver aggressiveness.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-01

Speeding greatly contributes to traffic safety with approximately a third of fatal crashes in the United States being speeding-related. Previous research has identified being late as a primary cause of speeding. In this driving simulator study, a vir...

Evaluation of youth peer-to-peer impaired driving programs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-08-01

Author's abstract: More than 16,000 high schools in the United States have youth peer-to-peer groups that encourage students to refrain from drinking, drinking and driving, and riding in a vehicle with a drinking driver. While each of these groups is...

Alcohol and highway safety : a special report on race/ethnicity and impaired driving : traffic tech.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-11-01

The report examined in this edition of "Traffic Tech" reviews the state of knowledge of alcohol-impaired : driving among major racial and ethnic groups : living in the United States. Although it primarily focuses : on the relationship between impaire...

Adolescence, Attention Allocation, and Driving Safety

PubMed Central

Romer, Daniel; Lee, Yi-Ching; McDonald, Catherine C.; Winston, Flaura K.

2014-01-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading source of morbidity and mortality in adolescents in the United States and the developed world. Inadequate allocation of attention to the driving task and to driving hazards are important sources of adolescent crashes. We review major explanations for these attention failures with particular focus on the roles that brain immaturity and lack of driving experience play in causing attention problems. The review suggests that the potential for overcoming inexperience and immaturity with training to improve attention to both the driving task and hazards is substantial. Nevertheless, there are large individual differences in both attentional abilities and risky driving tendencies that pose challenges to novice driver policies. Research that can provide evidence-based direction for such policies is urgently needed. PMID:24759442

Design of inductive sensors for tongue control system for computers and assistive devices.

PubMed

Lontis, Eugen R; Struijk, Lotte N S A

2010-07-01

The paper introduces a novel design of air-core inductive sensors in printed circuit board (PCB) technology for a tongue control system. The tongue control system provides a quadriplegic person with a keyboard and a joystick type of mouse for interaction with a computer or for control of an assistive device. Activation of inductive sensors was performed with a cylindrical, soft ferromagnetic material (activation unit). Comparative analysis of inductive sensors in PCB technology with existing hand-made inductive sensors was performed with respect to inductance, resistance, and sensitivity to activation when the activation unit was placed in the center of the sensor. Optimisation of the activation unit was performed in a finite element model. PCBs with air-core inductive sensors were manufactured in a 10 layers, 100 microm and 120 microm line width technology. These sensors provided quality signals that could drive the electronics of the hand-made sensors. Furthermore, changing the geometry of the sensors allowed generation of variable signals correlated with the 2D movement of the activation unit at the sensors' surface. PCB technology for inductive sensors allows flexibility in design, automation of production and ease of possible integration with supplying electronics. The basic switch function of the inductive sensor can be extended to two-dimensional movement detection for pointing devices.

The Visual Representation and Acquisition of Driving Knowledge for Autonomous Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhaoxia; Jiang, Qing; Li, Ping; Song, LiangTu; Wang, Rujing; Yu, Biao; Mei, Tao

2017-09-01

In this paper, the driving knowledge base of autonomous vehicle is designed. Based on the driving knowledge modeling system, the driving knowledge of autonomous vehicle is visually acquired, managed, stored, and maintenanced, which has vital significance for creating the development platform of intelligent decision-making systems of automatic driving expert systems for autonomous vehicle.

Rotor and bearing system for a turbomachine

DOEpatents

Lubell, Daniel; Weissert, Dennis

2006-09-26

A rotor and bearing system for a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes a drive shaft, an impeller positioned on the drive shaft, and a turbine positioned on the drive shaft proximate to the impeller. The bearing system comprises one gas journal bearing supporting the drive shaft between the impeller and the turbine. The area between the impeller and the turbine is an area of increased heat along the drive shaft in comparison to other locations along the drive shaft. The section of the drive shaft positioned between impeller and the turbine is also a section of the drive shaft that experiences increased stressed and load in the turbomachine. The inventive bearing machine system positions only one radial bearing in this area of increased stress and load.

Alcohol-control public service announcements (PSAs) and drunk-driving fatal accidents in the United States, 1996-2010.

PubMed

Niederdeppe, Jeff; Avery, Rosemary; Miller, Emily N

2017-06-01

Widespread concern regarding the detrimental effects of excessive alcohol consumption (especially by minors) and associated social problems (particularly drunk driving) continues to exist among policymakers, law enforcement officers, and the general public. Alcohol consumption is a leading contributor to death from injuries, which itself is one of the main causes of death for people under 21years of age in the United States. This study examines the relationship between the volume and timing of alcohol-control public service announcements (PSAs) and rates of drunk-driving fatal accidents in the U.S. We estimate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to predict rates of drunk-driving fatal accidents by state and month as a function of the volume of alcohol-control PSAs aired during the previous 8months. Models include controls for state anti-drunk-driving laws and regulations, state demographic characteristics, state taxes on alcohol, calendar year, and seasonality. Results indicate that higher volumes of anti-drunk driving PSAs airing in the preceding 2 to 3months are associated, albeit modest in magnitude, with reduced rates of drunk-driving fatal accidents. The regression coefficients are largest for adults (relative to underage drunk drivers) and when the PSAs air during prime time (relative to daytime or nighttime). We conclude that PSAs could play an important contributing role in reducing drunk-driving fatal accidents, although levels of exposure and potential effects likely remain modest due to reliance on donated air time. Well-funded anti-drunk driving campaigns could achieve higher levels of exposure and have a larger impact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and simulation of the direct drive servo system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Changzhi; Liu, Zhao; Song, Libin; Yi, Qiang; Chen, Ken; Zhang, Zhenchao

2010-07-01

As direct drive technology is finding their way into telescope drive designs for its many advantages, it would push to more reliable and cheaper solutions for future telescope complex motion system. However, the telescope drive system based on the direct drive technology is one high integrated electromechanical system, which one complex electromechanical design method is adopted to improve the efficiency, reliability and quality of the system during the design and manufacture circle. The telescope is one ultra-exact, ultra-speed, high precision and huge inertial instrument, which the direct torque motor adopted by the telescope drive system is different from traditional motor. This paper explores the design process and some simulation results are discussed.

Discharge properties of upper airway motor units during wakefulness and sleep.

PubMed

Trinder, John; Jordan, Amy S; Nicholas, Christian L

2014-01-01

Upper airway muscle motoneurons, as assessed at the level of the motor unit, have a range of different discharge patterns, varying as to whether their activity is modulated in phase with the respiratory cycle, are predominantly inspiratory or expiratory, or are phasic as opposed to tonic. Two fundamental questions raised by this observation are: how are synaptic inputs from premotor neurons distributed over motoneurons to achieve these different discharge patterns; and how do different discharge patterns contribute to muscle function? We and others have studied the behavior of genioglossus (GG) and tensor palatini (TP) single motor units at transitions from wakefulness to sleep (sleep onset), from sleep to wakefulness (arousal from sleep), and during hypercapnia. Results indicate that decreases or increases in GG and TP muscle activity occur as a consequence of derecruitment or recruitment, respectively, of phasic and tonic inspiratory-modulated motoneurons, with only minor changes in rate coding. Further, sleep-wake state and chemical inputs to this "inspiratory system" appear to be mediated through the respiratory pattern generator. In contrast, phasic and tonic expiratory units and units with a purely tonic pattern, the "tonic system," are largely unaffected by sleep-wake state, and are only weakly influenced by chemical stimuli and the respiratory cycle. We speculate that the "inspiratory system" produces gross changes in upper airway muscle activity in response to changes in respiratory drive, while the "tonic system" fine tunes airway configuration with activity in this system being determined by local mechanical conditions. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Costs of Alcohol-Involved Crashes, United States, 2010

PubMed Central

Zaloshnja, Eduard; Miller, Ted R.; Blincoe, Lawrence J.

2013-01-01

This paper estimates total and unit costs of alcohol-involved crashes in the U.S. in 2010. With methods from earlier studies, we estimated costs per crash survivor by MAIS, body part, and fracture/dislocation involvement. We multiplied them times 2010 crash incidence estimates from NHTSA data sets, with adjustments for underreporting of crashes and their alcohol involvement. The unit costs are lifetime costs discounted at 3%. To develop medical costs, we combined 2008 Health Care Utilization Program national data for hospitalizations and ED visits of crash survivors with prior estimates of post-discharge costs. Productivity losses drew on Current Population Survey and American Time Use Survey data. Quality of life losses came from a 2011 AAAM paper and property damage from insurance data. We built a hybrid incidence file comprised of 2008–2010 and 1984–86 NHTSA crash surveillance data, weighted with 2010 General Estimates System weights. Fatality data came from the 2010 FARS. An estimated 12% of 2010 crashes but only 0.9% of miles driven were alcohol-involved (BAC > .05). Alcohol-involved crashes cost an estimated $125 billion. That is 22.5% of the societal cost of all crashes. Alcohol-attributable crashes accounted for an estimated 22.5% of US auto liability insurance payments. Alcohol-involved crashes cost $0.86 per drink. Above the US BAC limit of .08, crash costs were $8.37 per mile driven; 1 in 788 trips resulted in a crash and 1 in 1,016 trips in an arrest. Unit costs for crash survivors by severity are higher for impaired driving than for other crashes. That suggests national aggregate impaired driving cost estimates in other countries are substantial underestimates if they are based on all-crash unit costs. PMID:24406941

14 CFR 27.923 - Rotor drive system and control mechanism tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... purpose of this paragraph, an affected power input includes all parts of the rotor drive system which can... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Rotor drive system and control mechanism... TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Powerplant Rotor Drive System § 27...

14 CFR 27.923 - Rotor drive system and control mechanism tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... purpose of this paragraph, an affected power input includes all parts of the rotor drive system which can... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Rotor drive system and control mechanism... TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Powerplant Rotor Drive System § 27...

Using an automated speed, steering, and gap control system and a collision warning system when driving in clear visibility and in fog

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-04-01

The effect on driving performance of using a speed, steering, and gap control system (SSGCS) and a collision warning system (CWS) was assessed in an experiment conducted in the Iowa Driving Simulator. Driving performance data were obtained from 52 dr...

14 CFR 27.923 - Rotor drive system and control mechanism tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Rotor drive system and control mechanism....923 Rotor drive system and control mechanism tests. (a) Each part tested as prescribed in this section... affect test results may be conducted. (b) Each rotor drive system and control mechanism must be tested...

14 CFR 27.923 - Rotor drive system and control mechanism tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Rotor drive system and control mechanism....923 Rotor drive system and control mechanism tests. (a) Each part tested as prescribed in this section... affect test results may be conducted. (b) Each rotor drive system and control mechanism must be tested...

The Development of Vocational Vehicle Drive Cycles and Segmentation

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

Duran, Adam W.; Phillips, Caleb T.; Konan, Arnaud M.

Under a collaborative interagency agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) performed a series of in-depth analyses to characterize the on-road driving behavior including distributions of vehicle speed, idle time, accelerations and decelerations, and other driving metrics of medium- and heavy-duty vocational vehicles operating within the United States. As part of this effort, NREL researchers segmented U.S. medium- and heavy-duty vocational vehicle driving characteristics into three distinct operating groups or clusters using real world drive cycle data collected at 1 Hz and stored in NREL's Fleet DNAmore » database. The Fleet DNA database contains millions of miles of historical real-world drive cycle data captured from medium- and heavy vehicles operating across the United States. The data encompass data from existing DOE activities as well as contributions from valued industry stakeholder participants. For this project, data captured from 913 unique vehicles comprising 16,250 days of operation were drawn from the Fleet DNA database and examined. The Fleet DNA data used as a source for this analysis has been collected from a total of 30 unique fleets/data providers operating across 22 unique geographic locations spread across the United States. This includes locations with topology ranging from the foothills of Denver, Colorado, to the flats of Miami, Florida. The range of fleets, geographic locations, and total number of vehicles analyzed ensures results that include the influence of these factors. While no analysis will be perfect without unlimited resources and data, it is the researchers understanding that the Fleet DNA database is the largest and most thorough publicly accessible vocational vehicle usage database currently in operation. This report includes an introduction to the Fleet DNA database and the data contained within, a presentation of the results of the statistical analysis performed by NREL, review of the logistic model developed to predict cluster membership, and a discussion and detailed summary of the development of the vocational drive cycle weights and representative transient drive cycles for testing and simulation. Additional discussion of known limitations and potential future work are also included in the report content.« less

Advancing eco-driving strategies for drivers and automated vehicles traveling within intersection vicinities : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

Vehicle emissions occupy a considerable share of emission inventories in the United States. One of the approaches taken to minimize vehicle emissions is eco-driving. Supported by advanced ITS technologies, it is available to provide the real-time eco...

Innovative Escapement-Based Mechanism for Micro-Antenna Boom Deployment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tokarz, Marta; Grygorczuk, Jerzy; Jarzynka, Stanislaw; Gut, Henryk

2014-01-01

This paper presents the prototype of a tubular boom antenna developed for the Polish BRITE-PL satellite by the Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK PAN). What is unique about our work is that we developed an original type of the tubular boom antenna deployment mechanism that can be used widely as a basic solution for compact electrical antennas, booms deploying sensitive instruments, ultra-light planetary manipulators etc. The invented electromagnetic driving unit provides a dual complementary action - it adds extra energy to the driving spring, making the system more reliable, and at the same time it moderates the deployment speed acting as a kind of damper. That distinguishing feature predetermines the mechanism to be applied wherever the dynamic nature of a spring drive introducing dangerous vibrations and inducing severe local stress in the structure needs to be mitigated. Moreover, the paper reveals a product unique in Europe - a miniature beryllium bronze tubular boom free of geometry and strain defects, which is essential for stiffness and fatigue resistance. Both the deployment mechanism and the technology of tubular boom manufacturing are protected by patent rights.

Activation properties of trigeminal motoneurons in participants with and without bruxism

PubMed Central

D'Amico, Jessica M.; Yavuz, Ş. Utku; Saraçoğlu, Ahmet; Atiş, Elif Sibel; Türker, Kemal S.

2013-01-01

In animals, sodium- and calcium-mediated persistent inward currents (PICs), which produce long-lasting periods of depolarization under conditions of low synaptic drive, can be activated in trigeminal motoneurons following the application of the monoamine serotonin. Here we examined if PICs are activated in human trigeminal motoneurons during voluntary contractions and under physiological levels of monoaminergic drive (e.g., serotonin and norepinephrine) using a paired motor unit analysis technique. We also examined if PICs activated during voluntary contractions are larger in participants who demonstrate involuntary chewing during sleep (bruxism), which is accompanied by periods of high monoaminergic drive. In control participants, during a slowly increasing and then decreasing isometric contraction, the firing rate of an earlier-recruited masseter motor unit, which served as a measure of synaptic input to a later-recruited test unit, was consistently lower during derecruitment of the test unit compared with at recruitment (ΔF = 4.6 ± 1.5 imp/s). The ΔF, therefore, is a measure of the reduction in synaptic input needed to counteract the depolarization from the PIC to provide an indirect estimate of PIC amplitude. The range of ΔF values measured in the bruxer participants during similar voluntary contractions was the same as in controls, suggesting that abnormally high levels of monoaminergic drive are not continually present in the absence of involuntary motor activity. We also observed a consistent “onion skin effect” during the moderately sized contractions (<20% of maximal), whereby the firing rate of higher threshold motor units discharged at slower rates (by 4–7 imp/s) compared with motor units with relatively lower thresholds. The presence of lower firing rates in the more fatigue-prone, higher threshold trigeminal motoneurons, in addition to the activation of PICs, likely facilitates the activation of the masseter muscle during motor activities such as eating, nonnutritive chewing, clenching, and yawning. PMID:24068753

U.S. Veterans Hospital, Jefferson Barracks, Spinal Cord Injury Unit and ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

U.S. Veterans Hospital, Jefferson Barracks, Spinal Cord Injury Unit and Tuberculosis Neuropsychiatric Building, VA Medical Center, Jefferson Barracks Division 1 Jefferson Barracks Drive, Saint Louis, Independent City, MO

Interior view of northeast unit master bedroom, looking into sleeping ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Interior view of northeast unit master bedroom, looking into sleeping porch, facing northeast - MacDill Air Force Base, Double Non-Commissioned Officers' Quarters, 7418 Hanger Loop Drive, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Computer Tensor Codes to Design the War Drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maccone, C.

To address problems in Breakthrough Propulsion Physics (BPP) and design the Warp Drive one needs sheer computing capabilities. This is because General Relativity (GR) and Quantum Field Theory (QFT) are so mathematically sophisticated that the amount of analytical calculations is prohibitive and one can hardly do all of them by hand. In this paper we make a comparative review of the main tensor calculus capabilities of the three most advanced and commercially available “symbolic manipulator” codes. We also point out that currently one faces such a variety of different conventions in tensor calculus that it is difficult or impossible to compare results obtained by different scholars in GR and QFT. Mathematical physicists, experimental physicists and engineers have each their own way of customizing tensors, especially by using different metric signatures, different metric determinant signs, different definitions of the basic Riemann and Ricci tensors, and by adopting different systems of physical units. This chaos greatly hampers progress toward the design of the Warp Drive. It is thus suggested that NASA would be a suitable organization to establish standards in symbolic tensor calculus and anyone working in BPP should adopt these standards. Alternatively other institutions, like CERN in Europe, might consider the challenge of starting the preliminary implementation of a Universal Tensor Code to design the Warp Drive.

KSC-04PD-2140

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. A worker watches as the giant-sized gear (left side) and sprocket (right side) is moved. It will be installed on a Crawler-Tranporter (CT). The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

KSC-04PD-2142

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers maneuver the giant-sized sprocket (left side) and gear (right side) for installation on the Crawler-Transporter behind it. The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

KSC-04PD-2155

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers get ready to install the giant-sized sprocket (left side) and gear (right side) on the Crawler-Transporter at left. The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

KSC-04PD-2143

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers get ready to install the giant-sized sprocket (left side) and gear (right side) on the Crawler-Transporter behind it.The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

Mechanical-thermal noise in drive-mode of a silicon micro-gyroscope.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Wang, Shourong; Li, Hongsheng; Zhou, Bailing

2009-01-01

A new closed-loop drive scheme which decouples the phase and the gain of the closed-loop driving system was designed in a Silicon Micro-Gyroscope (SMG). We deduce the system model of closed-loop driving and use stochastic averaging to obtain an approximate "slow" system that clarifies the effect of thermal noise. The effects of mechanical-thermal noise on the driving performance of the SMG, including the noise spectral density of the driving amplitude and frequency, are derived. By calculating and comparing the noise amplitude due to thermal noise both in the opened-loop driving and in the closed-loop driving, we find that the closed-loop driving does not reduce the RMS noise amplitude. We observe that the RMS noise frequency can be reduced by increasing the quality factor and the drive amplitude in the closed-loop driving system. The experiment and simulation validate the feasibility of closed-loop driving and confirm the validity of the averaged equation and its stablility criterion. The experiment and simulation results indicate the electrical noise of closed-loop driving circuitry is bigger than the mechanical-thermal noise and as the driving mass decreases, the mechanical-thermal noise may get bigger than the electrical noise of the closed-loop driving circuitry.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics

PubMed Central

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-01-01

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m−3) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard ‘infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things. PMID:26656252

Perceived driving safety and estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) the morning after drinking amongst young Australians attending a music festival: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Fernando, Mario; Buckland, Johanna; Melwani, Prashina; Tent, Vanessa; Preston, Philip; Pit, Sabrina Winona

2018-06-20

Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes remain a significant and costly public health issue globally. Particularly young people are over-represented in these incidents. This study set out to explore the factors that influence individuals' perceptions of their safety to drive, and the factors related to a change in intention to drive. Four hundred nine young people aged 18-40 attending an Australian multi-day music festival completed a survey measuring demographics, alcohol use, amount of sleep obtained the previous night, intention to drive, number of passengers, perceived safety to drive, estimated BAC (measured in g/210 L) and change in intention to drive following a BAC measurement via breathalysers. Statistical analyses involved univariate tests of association and multivariate logistic regression. Only one in five participants felt they were completely safe to drive. Males self-rated as less safe to drive than females. Multivariate analyses showed that licence class, sleep hours, units of alcohol consumed in the past 24 h and estimated BAC had statistically significant associations with driving safety perception. Participants who slept for greater than seven hours the previous night were three times more likely to feel safe to drive than those who had less than five hours of sleep (OR 3.05 (95% CI 1.25, 7.45)). Forty-one percent of participants changed their intended time of driving after having their BAC measured with a breathalyser. There was a statistically significant association between changing the intention to drive to a later time with an increase in each extra passenger in a participant's vehicle (OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.02, 2.30)). Whilst concerning behaviours relating to high-risk alcohol consumption were found, the study uncovered promising findings about young peoples' perceptions of their safety to drive, and their propensity to change their driving intention. The strong correlation between hours of sleep, estimated BAC, units of alcohol consumed and license class with perception of driving safety suggests an increased awareness among young people and promotion of these factors may potentially improve actual driver safety. The influence of number of passengers on intention to drive later is another important consideration for future road safety research or promotion.

Plasma Interactions with High Voltage Solar Arrays for a Direct Drive Hall Effect Thruster System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, T.; Horvater, M. A.; Vaughn, J.; Carruth, M. R.; Jongeward, G. A.; Mikellides, I. G.

2003-01-01

The Environmental Effects Group of NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is conducting research into the effects of plasma interaction with high voltage solar arrays. These high voltage solar arrays are being developed for a direct drive Hall Effect Thruster propulsion system. A direct drive system configuration will reduce power system mass by eliminating a conventional power-processing unit. The Environmental Effects Group has configured two large vacuum chambers to test different high-voltage array concepts in a plasma environment. Three types of solar arrays have so far been tested, an International Space Station (ISS) planar array, a Tecstar planar array, and a Tecstar solar concentrator array. The plasma environment was generated using a hollow cathode plasma source, which yielded densities between 10(exp 6) - 10(exp 7) per cubic centimeter and electron temperatures of 0.5-1 eV. Each array was positioned in this plasma and biased in the -500 to + 500 volt range. The current collection was monitored continuously. In addition, the characteristics of arcing, snap over, and other features, were recorded. Analysis of the array performance indicates a time dependence associated with the current collection as well as a tendency for "conditioning" over a large number of runs. Mitigation strategies, to reduce parasitic current collection, as well as arcing, include changing cover-glass geometry and layout as well as shielding the solar cell edges. High voltage performance data for each of the solar array types tested will be presented. In addition, data will be provided to indicate the effectiveness of the mitigation techniques.

Spin-Valve and Spin-Tunneling Devices: Read Heads, MRAMs, Field Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitas, P. P.

Hard disk magnetic data storage is increasing at a steady state in terms of units sold, with 144 million drives sold in 1998 (107 million for desktops, 18 million for portables, and 19 million for enterprise drives), corresponding to a total business of 34 billion US [1]. The growing need for storage coming from new PC operating systems, INTERNET applications, and a foreseen explosion of applications connected to consumer electronics (digital TV, video, digital cameras, GPS systems, etc.), keep the magnetics community actively looking for new solutions, concerning media, heads, tribology, and system electronics. Current state of the art disk drives (January 2000), using dual inductive-write, magnetoresistive-read (MR) integrated heads reach areal densities of 15 to 23 bit/μm2, capable of putting a full 20 GB in one platter (a 2 hour film occupies 10 GB). Densities beyond 80 bit/μm2 have already been demonstrated in the laboratory (Fujitsu 87 bit/μm2-Intermag 2000, Hitachi 81 bit/μm2, Read-Rite 78 bit/μ m2, Seagate 70 bit/μ m2 - all the last three demos done in the first 6 months of 2000, with IBM having demonstrated 56 bit/μ m2 already at the end of 1999). At densities near 60 bit/μm2, the linear bit size is sim 43 nm, and the width of the written tracks is sim 0.23 μm. Areal density in commercial drives is increasing steadily at a rate of nearly 100% per year [1], and consumer products above 60 bit/μm2 are expected by 2002. These remarkable achievements are only possible by a stream of technological innovations, in media [2], write heads [3], read heads [4], and system electronics [5]. In this chapter, recent advances on spin valve materials and spin valve sensor architectures, low resistance tunnel junctions and tunnel junction head architectures will be addressed.

Novel Straight Road Driving Control of Power Assisted Wheelchair Based on Disturbance Estimation of Right and Left Wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, Hirokazu; Sugimoto, Takeaki; Tadakuma, Susumu

This paper describes a novel straight road driving control scheme of power assisted wheelchair. Power assisted wheelchair which assists the driving force by electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly people and disabled people. The straight driving can be prevented by the road conditions such as branches, grass and carpets because the right and left wheels drive independently. This paper proposes a straight road driving control system based on the disturbance torque estimation. The proposed system estimates the difference of the driving torque by disturbance torque observer and compensates to one side of the wheels. Some practical driving experiments on various road conditions show the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

Propulsion simulation test technique for V/STOL configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, R. O.; Smith, S. C.; Bustie, J. B.

1983-01-01

Ames Research Center is developing the technology for turbine-powered jet engine simulators so that airframe/propulsion system interactions on V/STOL fighter aircraft and other highly integrated configurations can be studied. This paper describes the status of the compact multimission aircraft propulsion simulator (CMAPS) technology. Three CMAPS units have accumulated a total of 340 hr during approximately 1-1/2 yr of static and wind-tunnel testing. A wind-tunnel test of a twin-engine CMAPS-equipped close-coupled canard-wing V/STOL model configuration with nonaxisymmetric nozzles was recently completed. During this test approximately 140 total hours were logged on two CMAPS units, indicating that the rotating machinery is reliable and that the CMAPS and associated control system provide a usable test tool. However, additional development is required to correct a drive manifold O-ring problem that limits the engine-pressure-ratio (EPR) to approximately 3.5.

SBLOCA outside containment at Browns Ferry Unit One. Volume 2. Iodine, cesium, and noble gas distribution and release

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

Wichner, R.P.; Weber, C.F.; Wright, A.L.

1983-09-01

This is the second volume of a two-part study regarding the response of Browns Ferry Unit 1 to a postulated break in the scram discharge volume of the control rod drive hydraulic system immediately following a scram. The material in this second volume pertains to the second aspect of the study, the resultant transport of fission products from their original locations in the fuel to a series of repositories within the primary system, the primary and secondary containment structures, and ultimately the release of a small portion to the environment. Transport models are developed for the noble gases krypton andmore » xenon and for iodine and cesium to describe the release of these fission products from the overheated fuel and their subsequent movement under the conditions predicted to exist in the various repositories during the course of the accident.« less

Near-inertial Wave Studies using Historical Mooring Records and a High-Resolution General Circulation Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Mooring Records and a High- Resolution General Circulation Model Harper Simmons School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences 903 Koyukuk Drive Fairbanks AK...oceanographic community has been to develop a global internal wave prediction system analogous to those already in place for surface waves. Early steps have...AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) School of Fisheries and Ocean

Analysis of Military Organizational Effectiveness (AMORE) User’s Handbook.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

Army TRADOC Systems Analysis Activity WSMR, NM, AT4-TDA (Mr. Billingsley) I t Contract No: DAAD07-82-C-0072 ($99,700 Non -Competitively Awarded...Army position, policy, or decision, unless so designated by other official documentation." S C I ENC E AP P L I CAT I ONS, I N C. 1710 Goodridge...WORK UNIT NUMBERS Science Applications Inc- ,o; -- ACN: 70612 1710 Goodridge DriveI, . McLean. Virginia 771Q1S 11. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12

Multi-actuators vehicle collision avoidance system - Experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, Umar Zakir Abdul; Zakuan, Fakhrul Razi Ahmad; Akmal Zulkepli, Khairul; Zulfaqar Azmi, Muhammad; Zamzuri, Hairi; Rahman, Mohd Azizi Abdul; Aizzat Zakaria, Muhammad

2018-04-01

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) of the United States of America in their reports has mentioned that a significant amount of the road mishaps would be preventable if more automated active safety applications are adopted into the vehicle. This includes the incorporation of collision avoidance system. The autonomous intervention by the active steering and braking systems in the hazardous scenario can aid the driver in mitigating the collisions. In this work, a real-time platform of a multi-actuators vehicle collision avoidance system is developed. It is a continuous research scheme to develop a fully autonomous vehicle in Malaysia. The vehicle is a modular platform which can be utilized for different research purposes and is denominated as Intelligent Drive Project (iDrive). The vehicle collision avoidance proposed design is validated in a controlled environment, where the coupled longitudinal and lateral motion control system is expected to provide desired braking and steering actuation in the occurrence of a frontal static obstacle. Results indicate the ability of the platform to yield multi-actuators collision avoidance navigation in the hazardous scenario, thus avoiding the obstacle. The findings of this work are beneficial for the development of a more complex and nonlinear real-time collision avoidance work in the future.

Toward the Structural Transformation of Schools: Innovations in Staffing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coggshall, Jane; Lasagna, Molly; Laine, Sabrina

2009-01-01

The troubled economy is driving school organizations to become more efficient and driving the business community to demand that schools produce graduates with different sets of skills. States are finally uniting around common student learning standards as the student population grows more diverse. And the new administration is pouring an…

Anatomy of a bearing torque problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, Damon D.

1987-01-01

In the early 1970s, an antenna despin drive was developed for MBB solar science satellite HELIOS. A problem with high bearing drag torque that was encountered on the two flight models of this drive, after successful tests were completed on twelve bearings, an engineering model, and the qualification unit is discussed.

75 FR 65017 - Ocean Transportation Intermediary License Revocations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-21

...: 6701 Moravia Park Drive, Unit B, Baltimore, MD 21237. Date Revoked: September 17, 2010. Reason: Failed.... License Number: 018717N. Name: IFE Global Logistics Inc. Address: 100 North Hill Drive, 16, Brisbane, CA... Logistics Inc. Address: 1001 Nicholas Blvd., A, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. Date Revoked: September 10...

Model Curriculum for Commercial Driving Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Safety Center.

Eight units of study, each divided into three or four episodes, make up this Illinois driver's education curriculum for commercial schools. Each unit contains behavioral objectives for the unit and for the individual episodes, each of which is broken down into sub-objectives with corresponding content information or tasks to be performed. The…

One Bedroom Units: Floor Plan, South Elevation (As Built), North ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

One Bedroom Units: Floor Plan, South Elevation (As Built), North Elevation (As Built), Section A-A (As Built), Section AA (Existing) - Aluminum City Terrace, East Hill Drive, New Kensington, Westmoreland County, PA

Alcohol-impaired driving and its consequences in the United States: the past 25 years.

PubMed

Williams, Allan F

2006-01-01

Progress in dealing with the alcohol-impaired driving problem in the United States during the past 25 years is addressed. Trends in various measures of the problem were tracked and a thorough review of the relevant literature conducted. In the 1980s and continuing into the early 1990s, major decreases occurred in alcohol-impaired driving and its consequences. The contribution of alcohol to fatal crashes dropped by 35-40% during this period. Two primary reasons for the decline appear to be the emergence of citizen activist groups that mobilized public support and attention to the problem, and the proliferation of effective laws. Since about 1995 the alcohol-impaired driving problem has stabilized at a reduced but still quite high level. Highway safety organizations and citizen activist groups have continued to highlight the problem, but its status as a social issue has diminished. We basically know what the primary target groups are, and we know measures that would work to reduce the problem if implemented more fully. We know that political leadership, state task forces, and media advocacy are important ingredients in addressing the problem. It is likely that a resurgence in citizen activism will be necessary to foster these elements and refocus the nation on the unfinished battle against alcohol-impaired driving. Alcohol-impaired driving is still a major problem that needs continuing attention.

Compound synchronization of four memristor chaotic oscillator systems and secure communication.

PubMed

Sun, Junwei; Shen, Yi; Yin, Quan; Xu, Chengjie

2013-03-01

In this paper, a novel kind of compound synchronization among four chaotic systems is investigated, where the drive systems have been conceptually divided into two categories: scaling drive systems and base drive systems. Firstly, a sufficient condition is obtained to ensure compound synchronization among four memristor chaotic oscillator systems based on the adaptive technique. Secondly, a secure communication scheme via adaptive compound synchronization of four memristor chaotic oscillator systems is presented. The corresponding theoretical proofs and numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the proposed control technique. The unpredictability of scaling drive systems can additionally enhance the security of communication. The transmitted signals can be split into several parts loaded in the drive systems to improve the reliability of communication.

Driving behaviors in early stage dementia: a study using in-vehicle technology.

PubMed

Eby, David W; Silverstein, Nina M; Molnar, Lisa J; LeBlanc, David; Adler, Geri

2012-11-01

According to the Alzheimer's Association (2011), (1) in 8 people age 65 and older, and about one-half of people age 85 and older, have Alzheimer's disease in the United States (US). There is evidence that drivers with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are at an increased risk for unsafe driving. Recent advances in sensor, computer, and telecommunication technologies provide a method for automatically collecting detailed, objective information about the driving performance of drivers, including those with early stage dementia. The objective of this project was to use in-vehicle technology to describe a set of driving behaviors that may be common in individuals with early stage dementia (i.e., a diagnosis of memory loss) and compare these behaviors to a group of drivers without cognitive impairment. Seventeen drivers with a diagnosis of early stage dementia, who had completed a comprehensive driving assessment and were cleared to drive, participated in the study. Participants had their vehicles instrumented with a suite of sensors and a data acquisition system, and drove 1-2 months as they would under normal circumstances. Data from the in-vehicle instrumentation were reduced and analyzed, using a set of algorithms/heuristics developed by the research team. Data from the early stage dementia group were compared to similar data from an existing dataset of 26 older drivers without dementia. The early stage dementia group was found to have significantly restricted driving space relative to the comparison group. At the same time, the early stage dementia group (which had been previously cleared by an occupational therapist as safe to drive) drove as safely as the comparison group. Few safety-related behavioral errors were found for either group. Wayfinding problems were rare among both groups, but the early stage dementia group was significantly more likely to get lost. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of single-dose Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng on driving performance.

PubMed

LaSala, Gregory S; McKeever, Rita G; Patel, Urvi; Okaneku, Jolene; Vearrier, David; Greenberg, Michael I

2015-02-01

Panax ginseng and Gingko biloba are commonly used herbal supplements in the United States that have been reported to increase alertness and cognitive function. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of these specific herbals on driving performance. 30 volunteers were tested using the STISIM3® Driving Simulator (Systems Technology Inc., Hawthorne, CA, USA) in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The subjects were randomized into 3 groups of 10 subjects per group. After 10-min of simulated driving, subjects received either ginseng (1200 mg), Gingko (240 mg), or placebo administered orally. The test herbals and placebo were randomized and administered by a research assistant outside of the study to maintain blinding. One hour following administration of the herbals or placebo, the subjects completed an additional 10-min of simulated driving. Standard driving parameters were studied including reaction time, standard deviation of lateral positioning, and divided attention. Data collected for the divided attention parameter included time to response and number of correct responses. The data was analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Kruskal-Wallis test using SPSS 22 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). There was no difference in reaction time or standard deviation of lateral positioning for both the ginseng and Ginkgo arms. For the divided attention parameter, the response time in the Ginkgo arm decreased from 2.9 to 2.5 s. The ginseng arm also decreased from 3.2 to 2.4 s. None of these values were statistically significant when between group differences were analyzed. The data suggests there was no statistically significant difference between ginseng, Ginkgo or placebo on driving performance. We postulate this is due to the relatively small numbers in our study. Further study with a larger sample size may be needed in order to elucidate more fully the effects of Ginkgo and ginseng on driving ability.

Higher Crash and Near-Crash Rates in Teenaged Drivers With Lower Cortisol Response

PubMed Central

Ouimet, Marie Claude; Brown, Thomas G.; Guo, Feng; Klauer, Sheila G.; Simons-Morton, Bruce G.; Fang, Youjia; Lee, Suzanne E.; Gianoulakis, Christina; Dingus, Thomas A.

2014-01-01

IMPORTANCE Road traffic crashes are one of the leading causes of injury and death among teenagers worldwide. Better understanding of the individual pathways to driving risk may lead to better-targeted intervention in this vulnerable group. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between cortisol, a neurobiological marker of stress regulation linked to risky behavior, and driving risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Naturalistic Teenage Driving Study was designed to continuously monitor the driving behavior of teenagers by instrumenting vehicles with kinematic sensors, cameras, and a global positioning system. During 2006–2008, a community sample of 42 newly licensed 16-year-old volunteer participants in the United States was recruited and driving behavior monitored. It was hypothesized in teenagers that higher cortisol response to stress is associated with (1) lower crash and near-crash (CNC) rates during their first 18 months of licensure and (2) faster reduction in CNC rates over time. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Participants’ cortisol response during a stress-inducing task was assessed at baseline, followed by measurement of their involvement in CNCs and driving exposure during their first 18 months of licensure. Mixed-effect Poisson longitudinal regression models were used to examine the association between baseline cortisol response and CNC rates during the follow-up period. RESULTS Participants with a higher baseline cortisol response had lower CNC rates during the follow-up period (exponential of the regression coefficient, 0.93; 95%CI, 0.88–0.98) and faster decrease in CNC rates over time (exponential of the regression coefficient, 0.98; 95%, CI, 0.96–0.99). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Cortisol is a neurobiological marker associated with teenaged-driving risk. As in other problem-behavior fields, identification of an objective marker of teenaged-driving risk promises the development of more personalized intervention approaches. PMID:24710522

Multi-channel automotive night vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Gang; Wang, Li-jun; Zhang, Yi

2013-09-01

A four-channel automotive night vision system is designed and developed .It is consist of the four active near-infrared cameras and an Mulit-channel image processing display unit,cameras were placed in the automobile front, left, right and rear of the system .The system uses near-infrared laser light source，the laser light beam is collimated, the light source contains a thermoelectric cooler (TEC),It can be synchronized with the camera focusing, also has an automatic light intensity adjustment, and thus can ensure the image quality. The principle of composition of the system is description in detail,on this basis, beam collimation,the LD driving and LD temperature control of near-infrared laser light source,four-channel image processing display are discussed.The system can be used in driver assistance, car BLIS, car parking assist system and car alarm system in day and night.

Model structure of the stream salmonid simulator (S3)—A dynamic model for simulating growth, movement, and survival of juvenile salmonids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, Russell W.; Plumb, John M.; Jones, Edward C.; Som, Nicholas A.; Hetrick, Nicholas J.; Hardy, Thomas B.

2018-04-06

Fisheries and water managers often use population models to aid in understanding the effect of alternative water management or restoration actions on anadromous fish populations. We developed the Stream Salmonid Simulator (S3) to help resource managers evaluate the effect of management alternatives on juvenile salmonid populations. S3 is a deterministic stage-structured population model that tracks daily growth, movement, and survival of juvenile salmon. A key theme of the model is that river flow affects habitat availability and capacity, which in turn drives density dependent population dynamics. To explicitly link population dynamics to habitat quality and quantity, the river environment is constructed as a one-dimensional series of linked habitat units, each of which has an associated daily time series of discharge, water temperature, and usable habitat area or carrying capacity. The physical characteristics of each habitat unit and the number of fish occupying each unit, in turn, drive survival and growth within each habitat unit and movement of fish among habitat units.The purpose of this report is to outline the underlying general structure of the S3 model that is common among different applications of the model. We have developed applications of the S3 model for juvenile fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the lower Klamath River. Thus, this report is a companion to current application of the S3 model to the Trinity River (in review). The general S3 model structure provides a biological and physical framework for the salmonid freshwater life cycle. This framework captures important demographics of juvenile salmonids aimed at translating management alternatives into simulated population responses. Although the S3 model is built on this common framework, the model has been constructed to allow much flexibility in application of the model to specific river systems. The ability for practitioners to include system-specific information for the physical stream structure, survival, growth, and movement processes ensures that simulations provide results that are relevant to the questions asked about the population under study.

Visual function and fitness to drive.

PubMed

Kotecha, Aachal; Spratt, Alexander; Viswanathan, Ananth

2008-01-01

Driving is recognized to be a visually intensive task and accordingly there is a legal minimum standard of vision required for all motorists. The purpose of this paper is to review the current United Kingdom (UK) visual requirements for driving and discuss the evidence base behind these legal rules. The role of newer, alternative tests of visual function that may be better indicators of driving safety will also be considered. Finally, the implications of ageing on driving ability are discussed. A search of Medline and PubMed databases was performed using the following keywords: driving, vision, visual function, fitness to drive and ageing. In addition, papers from the Department of Transport website and UK Royal College of Ophthalmologists guidelines were studied. Current UK visual standards for driving are based upon historical concepts, but recent advances in technology have brought about more sophisticated methods for assessing the status of the binocular visual field and examining visual attention. These tests appear to be better predictors of driving performance. Further work is required to establish whether these newer tests should be incorporated in the current UK visual standards when examining an individual's fitness to drive.

The welfare state, pensions, privatization: the case of Social Security in the United States.

PubMed

Du Boff, R B

1997-01-01

In all high-income nations, the welfare state is under challenge, with particular concern voiced about the burden of retirement pensions on the public fisc and on younger workers. The strongest drive against social insurance is taking place in the United States, which has less of it than other nations and appears to be in the best position to meet future entitlement claims. In this article, the author examines the liabilities that the U.S. Social Security system is likely to incur over the next 35 years and finds that there is little danger that the system will fall into insolvency. Privatizing Social Security is not necessary to assure the integrity of future pension benefits. Furthermore, the cost-benefit ratio of privatization appears to be unfavorable, as borne out by the mandatory private pension plan in effect in Chile. Some wealthy nations will face greater demographic strains than the United States, but all need to retain the welfare state as a foundation for future changes in the world of work.

Center for Corporate Climate Leadership Building Internal Support in Supply Chain Management

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Organizations build support for addressing GHG emissions by developing key allies in business units, leveraging one business unit to drive change across the organization, and securing executive support while communicating resource needs.

An Evaluation of Relative Damage to the Powertrain System in Tracked Vehicles

PubMed Central

Lee, Sang-Ho; Lee, Jeong-Hwan; Goo, Sang-Hwa; Cho, Yong-Cheol; Cho, Ho-Young

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to improve the reliability of the endurance test for the powertrain system of military tracked vehicles. The measurement system that measures the driving duty applied to the powertrain system caused by mobility on roads consists of eight analog channels and two pulse channels, including the propeller shaft output torques for the left and right sides. The data obtained from this measurement system can be used to introduce a new technology that produces the output torque of a torque converter and that can be applied to analyze the revolution counting for the endurance and road mobility in the front unit and represent the relative fatigue damages analysis technique and its results according to the driven roads through a cumulative fatigue method. PMID:22573990

A compact multi-trap optical tweezer system based on CD-ROM technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMenamin, T.; Lee, W. M.

2017-08-01

We implemented an integrated time sharing multiple optical trapping system through the synchronisation of high speed voice coil scanning lens and laser pulsing. The integration is achieved by using commonly available optical pickup unit (OPU) that exists inside optical drives. Scanning frequencies of up to 2 kHz were showed to achieve arbitrary distribution of optical traps within the one-dimensional scan range of the voice coil motor. The functions of the system were demonstrated by the imaging and trapping of 1 μm particles and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The new device circumvents existing bulky laser scanning systems (4f lens systems) with an integrated laser and lens steering platform that can be integrated on a variety of microscopy platforms (confocal, lightsheet, darkfield).

Applying design principles to fusion reactor configurations for propulsion in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Scott A.; Deveny, Marc E.; Schulze, Norman R.

1993-01-01

The application of fusion power to space propulsion requires rethinking the engineering-design solution to controlled-fusion energy. Whereas the unit cost of electricity (COE) drives the engineering-design solution for utility-based fusion reactor configurations; initial mass to low earth orbit (IMLEO), specific jet power (kW(thrust)/kg(engine)), and reusability drive the engineering-design solution for successful application of fusion power to space propulsion. We applied three design principles (DP's) to adapt and optimize three candidate-terrestrial-fusion-reactor configurations for propulsion in space. The three design principles are: provide maximum direct access to space for waste radiation, operate components as passive radiators to minimize cooling-system mass, and optimize the plasma fuel, fuel mix, and temperature for best specific jet power. The three candidate terrestrial fusion reactor configurations are: the thermal barrier tandem mirror (TBTM), field reversed mirror (FRM), and levitated dipole field (LDF). The resulting three candidate space fusion propulsion systems have their IMLEO minimized and their specific jet power and reusability maximized. We performed a preliminary rating of these configurations and concluded that the leading engineering-design solution to space fusion propulsion is a modified TBTM that we call the Mirror Fusion Propulsion System (MFPS).

Development of a COTS Mass Storage Unit for the Space Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liggin, Karl; Clark, Porter

1999-01-01

The technology to develop a Mass Storage Unit (MSU) using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hard drives is an on-going challenge to meet the Space Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE) program requirements. A conceptual view of SPARCLE's laser collecting atmospheric data from the shuttle is shown in Figure 1. The determination to develop this technology required several in depth studies before an actual COTS hard drive was selected to continue this effort. Continuing the development of the MSU can, and will, serve future NASA programs that require larger data storage and more on-board processing.

The Athena X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajot, F.; Barret, D.; Lam-Trong, T.; den Herder, J.-W.; Piro, L.; Cappi, M.; Huovelin, J.; Kelley, R.; Mas-Hesse, J. M.; Mitsuda, K.; Paltani, S.; Rauw, G.; Rozanska, A.; Wilms, J.; Barbera, M.; Douchin, F.; Geoffray, H.; den Hartog, R.; Kilbourne, C.; Le Du, M.; Macculi, C.; Mesnager, J.-M.; Peille, P.

2018-04-01

The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) of the Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (Athena) large-scale mission of ESA will provide spatially resolved high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy from 0.2 to 12 keV, with 5^' ' } pixels over a field of view of 5 arc minute equivalent diameter and a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV (FWHM) up to 7 keV. The core scientific objectives of Athena drive the main performance parameters of the X-IFU. We present the current reference configuration of the X-IFU, and the key issues driving the design of the instrument.

Actuator development for the Instrument Pointing System (IPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suttner, K.

1984-01-01

The mechanisms of the instrument pointing system (IPS) are described. Particular emphasis is placed on the actuators which are necessary for operating the IPS. The actuators are described as follows: (1) two linear actuators that clamp the gimbals down during ascent and descent; (2) two linear actuators that attach the payload to the IPS during the mission, and release it into the payload clamps; (3) one rotational actuator that opens and closes the payload clamps; and (4) three identical drive units that represent the three orthogonal gimbal axes and are the prime movers for pointing. Design features, manufacturing problems, test performance, and results are presented.

Design review and analysis for a Pratt and Whitney fluid-film bearing and seal testing rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, Dara W.

1994-01-01

A design review has been completed for a Pratt and Whitney (P&W)-designed fluid-film bearing and annular-seal test rig to be manufactured and installed at George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Issues covered in this study include: (1) the capacity requirements of the drive unit; (2) the capacity and configuration of the static loading system; (3) the capacity and configuration of the dynamic excitation system; (4) the capacity, configuration, and rotordynamic stability of a test bearing, support bearings, and shaft; and (5) the characteristics and configuration of the measurement transducers and data channels.

Line-of-sight pointing accuracy/stability analysis and computer simulation for small spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Algrain, Marcelo C.; Powers, Richard M.

1996-06-01

This paper presents a case study where a comprehensive computer simulation is developed to determine the driving factors contributing to spacecraft pointing accuracy and stability. The simulation is implemented using XMATH/SystemBuild software from Integrated Systems, Inc. The paper is written in a tutorial manner and models for major system components are described. Among them are spacecraft bus, attitude controller, reaction wheel assembly, star-tracker unit, inertial reference unit, and gyro drift estimators (Kalman filter). THe predicted spacecraft performance is analyzed for a variety of input commands and system disturbances. The primary deterministic inputs are desired attitude angles and rate setpoints. The stochastic inputs include random torque disturbances acting on the spacecraft, random gyro bias noise, gyro random walk, and star-tracker noise. These inputs are varied over a wide range to determine their effects on pointing accuracy and stability. The results are presented in the form of trade-off curves designed to facilitate the proper selection of subsystems so that overall spacecraft pointing accuracy and stability requirements are met.

TMAP - A Versatile Mobile Robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Joel A.; Simmons, Richard K.

1989-03-01

TMAP, the Teleoperated Mobile All-purpose Platform, provides the Army with a low cost, light weight, flexibly designed, modularly expandable platform for support of maneuver forces and light infantry units. The highly mobile, four wheel drive, diesel-hydraulic platform is controllable at distances of up to 4km from a portable operator control unit using either fiber optic or RF control links. The Martin Marietta TMAP system is based on a hierarchical task decomposition Real-time Control System architecture that readily supports interchange of mission packages and provides the capability for simple incorporation of supervisory control concepts leading to increased system autonomy and resulting force multiplication. TMAP has been designed to support a variety of missions including target designation, anti-armor, anti-air, countermine, and reconnaissance/surveillance. As a target designation system TMAP will provide the soldier with increased survivability and effectiveness by providing substantial combat standoff, and the firepower effectiveness of several manual designator operators. Force-on-force analysis of simulated TMAP engagements indicate that TMAP should provide significant force multiplication for the Army in Air-Land Battle 2000.

What drives political commitment for nutrition? A review and framework synthesis to inform the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition.

PubMed

Baker, Phillip; Hawkes, Corinna; Wingrove, Kate; Demaio, Alessandro Rhyl; Parkhurst, Justin; Thow, Anne Marie; Walls, Helen

2018-01-01

Generating country-level political commitment will be critical to driving forward action throughout the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025). In this review of the empirical nutrition policy literature, we ask: what factors generate, sustain and constrain political commitment for nutrition, how and under what circumstances? Our aim is to inform strategic 'commitment-building' actions. We adopted a framework synthesis method and realist review protocol. An initial framework was derived from relevant theory and then populated with empirical evidence to test and modify it. Five steps were undertaken: initial theoretical framework development; search for relevant empirical literature; study selection and quality appraisal; data extraction, analysis and synthesis and framework modification. 75 studies were included. We identified 18 factors that drive commitment, organised into five categories: actors; institutions; political and societal contexts; knowledge, evidence and framing; and, capacities and resources. Irrespective of country-context, effective nutrition actor networks, strong leadership, civil society mobilisation, supportive political administrations, societal change and focusing events, cohesive and resonant framing, and robust data systems and available evidence were commitment drivers. Low-income and middle-income country studies also frequently reported international actors, empowered institutions, vertical coordination and capacities and resources. In upper-middle-income and high-income country studies, private sector interference frequently undermined commitment. Political commitment is not something that simply exists or emerges accidentally; it can be created and strengthened over time through strategic action. Successfully generating commitment will likely require a core set of actions with some context-dependent adaptations. Ultimately, it will necessitate strategic actions by cohesive, resourced and strongly led nutrition actor networks that are responsive to the multifactorial, multilevel and dynamic political systems in which they operate and attempt to influence. Accelerating the formation and effectiveness of such networks over the Nutrition Decade should be a core task for all actors involved.

Prospects of development of land driverless trucks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakhmutov, S.; Saykin, A.; Endachev, D.; Evgrafov, V.; Shagurin, A.; Kulikov, I.; Fedoseev, K.

2018-02-01

The paper is dedicated to the problem of creation and efficient use of driverless trucks. It also contains general analysis of foreign experience and development trends. The concept of FSUE “NAMI” for development of a platoon of driverless trucks for cargo transportation between specialized terminals on public roads is provided. A road train with virtual couplings where the lead vehicle has a driver and the rest are driverless is proposed as a base for the driverless platoon. The platoon is formed by such road trains, which ensures extended functional features, including the possibility to form platoons of road trains from different logistics centers and with different destinations, quick reforming of the platoon in the logistics centers, possibility to split the platoon when driving on public roads, higher precision of control over the platoon during driving, etc. It is also shown that in order to improve the efficiency of cargo transportation, driverless cargo platforms (trucks) shall be designed without a cabin. The paper also considers the ways to reduce the price of driverless trucks by creating a special road infrastructure, which will allow transfer of the most expensive subsystems of driverless vehicles to such infrastructure. Upon that, the following subsystems will remain within the driverless chassis: navigation, communication, chassis control and ADAS. It is noted that creation of such infrastructure will require high investments, therefore, gradual implementation of such systems is seen as rational. It is shown that the most appropriate area for these purposes is transregional cargo transportation. It is noted that the economic reasons for implementation of the proposed concept are as follows: significant reduction of the number of drivers; significant simplification of the driverless platform control system and reduction of the price of subsystems; no need for the driver’s cabin within the driverless platform; fuel economy when driving within a platoon. Power unit options for driverless cargo platforms are investigated and the reasons for selection of a particular power unit are given.

What drives political commitment for nutrition? A review and framework synthesis to inform the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition

PubMed Central

Baker, Phillip; Hawkes, Corinna; Wingrove, Kate; Parkhurst, Justin; Thow, Anne Marie; Walls, Helen

2018-01-01

Introduction Generating country-level political commitment will be critical to driving forward action throughout the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016–2025). In this review of the empirical nutrition policy literature, we ask: what factors generate, sustain and constrain political commitment for nutrition, how and under what circumstances? Our aim is to inform strategic ‘commitment-building’ actions. Method We adopted a framework synthesis method and realist review protocol. An initial framework was derived from relevant theory and then populated with empirical evidence to test and modify it. Five steps were undertaken: initial theoretical framework development; search for relevant empirical literature; study selection and quality appraisal; data extraction, analysis and synthesis and framework modification. Results 75 studies were included. We identified 18 factors that drive commitment, organised into five categories: actors; institutions; political and societal contexts; knowledge, evidence and framing; and, capacities and resources. Irrespective of country-context, effective nutrition actor networks, strong leadership, civil society mobilisation, supportive political administrations, societal change and focusing events, cohesive and resonant framing, and robust data systems and available evidence were commitment drivers. Low-income and middle-income country studies also frequently reported international actors, empowered institutions, vertical coordination and capacities and resources. In upper-middle-income and high-income country studies, private sector interference frequently undermined commitment. Conclusion Political commitment is not something that simply exists or emerges accidentally; it can be created and strengthened over time through strategic action. Successfully generating commitment will likely require a core set of actions with some context-dependent adaptations. Ultimately, it will necessitate strategic actions by cohesive, resourced and strongly led nutrition actor networks that are responsive to the multifactorial, multilevel and dynamic political systems in which they operate and attempt to influence. Accelerating the formation and effectiveness of such networks over the Nutrition Decade should be a core task for all actors involved. PMID:29527338

High Productivity Aluminum Manufacturing

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

D. J. Spinella Alcoa Inc. Alcoa Technical Center 100 Technical Drive Alcoa Center, PA 15069 July 2013 CNST Base Task Order...Myers, Kirit Shah, D. J. Spinella 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Alcoa , Inc...8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 100 Technical Drive Alcoa Center, PA 15069 9

University Research Funding: The United States Is Behind and Falling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, Robert D.; Stewart, Luke A.

2011-01-01

Research and development drives innovation and innovation drives long-run economic growth, creating jobs and improving living standards in the process. University-based research is of particular importance to innovation, as the early-stage research that is typically performed at universities serves to expand the knowledge pool from which the…

Parameters of loop-controlled magnetic rheology drive for segmented large mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deulin, Eugeni A.; Mikhailov, Valeri P.; Eliseev, Oleg N.; Sytchev, Victor V.

2000-07-01

The design, parameters and the amplitude-frequency analysis of the new magnetic rheology (MR) drive are presented. The combination of hydrostatic carrier, MR hydraulic loop control, elastic thin wall seal joined in a single unit ensures small positioning error nm and small time of response T

EXPOSED BEAM AND VINYL VENTED SOFFIT MATERIAL IN THE CARPORT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

EXPOSED BEAM AND VINYL VENTED SOFFIT MATERIAL IN THE CARPORT ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE UNIT - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, U-Shaped Two-Bedroom Single-Family Type 6, Birch Circle, Elm Drive, Elm Circle, and Date Drive, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Native American Commercial Driving Training and Technical Assistance Act. Hearing before the Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Second Session, on S. 1344, To Provide Training and Technical Assistance to Native Americans Who Are Interested in Commercial Vehicle Driving Careers (July 24, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

A Senate committe hearing received testimony on the proposed "Native American Commercial Driving Training and Technical Assistance Act" (Senate Bill 1344). The Act cites the high unemployment and economic distress among Native Americans, the federal government's obligation to assist Indian tribes with economic development, the high…

Influence of driving cycles on unit emissions from passenger cars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joumard, R.; André, M.; Vidon, R.; Tassel, P.; Pruvost, C.

Small samples of petrol engine or diesel cars, equipped with or without catalysts, were tested over 36 driving cycles divided into four categories - standard cycles and three sets of cycles more representative of real-world driving conditions. The tests addressed standard gaseous pollutants and fuel consumption and also less frequently measured pollutant such as CH 4. In the first part of this paper we examine cold emissions in order to assess the duration of the cold start impact and the representativity of the cold ECE15 cycle. Then unit emissions are compared over the four driving cycle families. As compared to representative cycles, the standardised cycles underestimate hot emissions by almost 50% for petrol engine cars and 30% for diesel vehicles. Conversely, the results obtained for the three representative cycle families are in relatively close agreement with each other - within approximately 10%. However, the cinematic properties of the three families differ. Finally, we demonstrate that weighting all emission data equally, not taking into account the weight of each cycle in overall traffic, introduces significant biases, particularly when plotting emission vs. average speed curves.

Pollutant emissions from vehicles with regenerating after-treatment systems in regulatory and real-world driving cycles.

PubMed

Alvarez, Robert; Weilenmann, Martin; Novak, Philippe

2008-07-15

Regenerating exhaust after-treatment systems are increasingly employed in passenger cars in order to comply with regulatory emission standards. These systems include pollutant storage units that occasionally have to be regenerated. The regeneration strategy applied, the resultant emission levels and their share of the emission level during normal operation mode are key issues in determining realistic overall emission factors for these cars. In order to investigate these topics, test series with four cars featuring different types of such after-treatment systems were carried out. The emission performance in legislative and real-world cycles was monitored as well as at constant speeds. The extra emissions determined during regeneration stages are presented together with the methodology applied to calculate their impact on overall emissions. It can be concluded that exhaust after-treatment systems with storage units cause substantial overall extra emissions during regeneration mode and can appreciably affect the emission factors of cars equipped with such systems, depending on the frequency of regenerations. Considering that the fleet appearance of vehicles equipped with such after-treatment systems will increase due to the evolution of statutory pollutant emission levels, extra emissions originating from regenerations of pollutant storage units consequently need to be taken into account for fleet emission inventories. Accurately quantifying these extra emissions is achieved by either conducting sufficient repetitions of emission measurements with an individual car or by considerably increasing the size of the sample of cars with comparable after-treatment systems.

Instrumentation and test methods of an automated radiated susceptibility system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, M. W.; Deere, J.

1983-09-01

The instrumentation and test methods of an automated electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) system for performing radiated susceptibility tests from 14 kHz to 1000 MHz is described. Particular emphasis is given to the effectiveness of the system in the evaluation of electronic circuits for susceptibility to RF radiation. The system consists of a centralized data acquisition/control unit which interfaces with the equipment under test (EUT), the RF isolated field probes, and RF amplifier ALC output; four broadband linear RF amplifiers; and a frequency synthesizer with drive level increments in steps of 0.1 dB. Centralized control of the susceptibility test system is provided by a desktop computer. It is found that the system can reduce the execution time of RF susceptibility tests by as much as 70 percent. A block diagram of the system is provided.

Some mechanistic requirements for major transitions.

PubMed

Schuster, Peter

2016-08-19

Major transitions in nature and human society are accompanied by a substantial change towards higher complexity in the core of the evolving system. New features are established, novel hierarchies emerge, new regulatory mechanisms are required and so on. An obvious way to achieve higher complexity is integration of autonomous elements into new organized systems whereby the previously independent units give up their autonomy at least in part. In this contribution, we reconsider the more than 40 years old hypercycle model and analyse it by the tools of stochastic chemical kinetics. An open system is implemented in the form of a flow reactor. The formation of new dynamically organized units through integration of competitors is identified with transcritical bifurcations. In the stochastic model, the fully organized state is quasi-stationary whereas the unorganized state corresponds to a population with natural selection. The stability of the organized state depends strongly on the number of individual subspecies, n, that have to be integrated: two and three classes of individuals, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], readily form quasi-stationary states. The four-membered deterministic dynamical system, [Formula: see text], is stable but in the stochastic approach self-enhancing fluctuations drive it into extinction. In systems with five and more classes of individuals, [Formula: see text], the state of cooperation is unstable and the solutions of the deterministic ODEs exhibit large amplitude oscillations. In the stochastic system self-enhancing fluctuations lead to extinction as observed with [Formula: see text] Interestingly, cooperative systems in nature are commonly two-membered as shown by numerous examples of binary symbiosis. A few cases of symbiosis of three partners, called three-way symbiosis, have been found and were analysed within the past decade. Four-way symbiosis is rather rare but was reported to occur in fungus-growing ants. The model reported here can be used to illustrate the interplay between competition and cooperation whereby we obtain a hint on the role that resources play in major transitions. Abundance of resources seems to be an indispensable prerequisite of radical innovation that apparently needs substantial investments. Economists often claim that scarcity is driving innovation. Our model sheds some light on this apparent contradiction. In a nutshell, the answer is: scarcity drives optimization and increase in efficiency but abundance is required for radical novelty and the development of new features.This article is part of the themed issue 'The major synthetic evolutionary transitions'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Decoupling control of steering and driving system for in-wheel-motor-drive electric vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Han; Zhao, Wanzhong

2018-02-01

To improve the maneuverability and stability of in-wheel-motor-drive electric vehicle, a control strategy based on nonlinear decoupling control method is proposed in this paper, realizing the coordinated control of the steering and driving system. At first, the nonlinear models of the in-wheel-motor-drive electric vehicle and its sub-system are constructed. Then the inverse system decoupling theory is applied to decompose the nonlinear system into several independent subsystems, which makes it possible to realize the coordinated control of each subsystem. Next, the μ-Synthesis theory is applied to eliminate the influence of model uncertainty, improving the stability, robustness and tracking performance of in-wheel-motor-drive electric vehicle. Simulation and experiment results and numerical analyses, based on the electric vehicle actuated by in-wheel-motors, prove that the proposed control method is effective to accomplish the decoupling control of the steering and driving system in both simulation and real practice.

Adolescence, attention allocation, and driving safety.

PubMed

Romer, Daniel; Lee, Yi-Ching; McDonald, Catherine C; Winston, Flaura K

2014-05-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading source of morbidity and mortality in adolescents in the United States and the developed world. Inadequate allocation of attention to the driving task and to driving hazards are important sources of adolescent crashes. We review major explanations for these attention failures with particular focus on the roles that brain immaturity and lack of driving experience play in causing attention problems. The review suggests that the potential for overcoming inexperience and immaturity with training to improve attention to both the driving task and hazards is substantial. Nevertheless, there are large individual differences in both attentional abilities and risky driving tendencies that pose challenges to novice driver policies. Research that can provide evidence-based direction for such policies is urgently needed. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

College students' prevalence and perceptions of text messaging while driving.

PubMed

Harrison, Marissa A

2011-07-01

By analyzing self-reports from sample of 91 college students from the United States who are frequent drivers, the present study examined the prevalence of text messaging (or "texting") while driving and the incidence of recklessness and consequences that accompany this behavior. Analyses revealed that 91% of participants reported having used text messaging while driving, with many reporting doing so with passengers, including children, riding in their vehicles. Further, a substantial number of participants reported driving dangerously above the speed limit and drifting into other traffic lanes while texting, and many reported "sexting" and arguing via text messages while driving. However, these young drivers agreed that texting while driving is dangerous and should be illegal. These results and the limitations to the present study are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

State all-driver distracted driving laws and high school students'  texting while driving behavior.

PubMed

Qiao, Nan; Bell, Teresa Maria

2016-01-01

Texting while driving is highly prevalent among adolescents and young adults in the United States. Texting while driving can significantly increase the risk of road crashes and is associated with other risky driving behaviors. Most states have enacted distracted driving laws to prohibit texting while driving. This study examines effects of different all-driver distracted driving laws on texting while driving among high school students. High school student data were extracted from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Distracted driving law information was collected from the National Conference of State Legislatures. The final sample included 6,168 high school students above the restricted driving age in their states and with access to a vehicle. Logistic regression was applied to estimate odds ratios of laws on texting while driving. All-driver text messaging bans with primary enforcement were associated with a significant reduction in odds of texting while driving among high school students (odds ratio = 0.703; 95% confidence interval, 0.513-0.964), whereas all-driver phone use bans with primary enforcement did not have a significant association with texting while driving (odds ratio = 0.846; 95% confidence interval, 0.501-1.429). The findings indicate that all-driver distracted driving laws that specifically target texting while driving as opposed to all types of phone use are effective in reducing the behavior among high school students.

Generalized speed and cost rate in transitionless quantum driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhen-Yu; You, Wen-Long; Dong, Yu-Li; Zhang, Chengjie; Yang, W. L.

2018-03-01

Transitionless quantum driving, also known as counterdiabatic driving, is a unique shortcut technique to adiabaticity, enabling a fast-forward evolution to the same target quantum states as those in the adiabatic case. However, as nothing is free, the fast evolution is obtained at the cost of stronger driving fields. Here, given the system initially gets prepared in equilibrium states, we construct relations between the dynamical evolution speed and the cost rate of transitionless quantum driving in two scenarios: one that preserves the transitionless evolution for a single energy eigenstate (individual driving), and the other that maintains all energy eigenstates evolving transitionlessly (collective driving). Remarkably, we find that individual driving may cost as much as collective driving, in contrast to the common belief that individual driving is more economical than collective driving in multilevel systems. We then present a potentially practical proposal to demonstrate the above phenomena in a three-level Landau-Zener model using the electronic spin system of a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond.

An efficient supersonic wind tunnel drive system for Mach 2.5 flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Stephen W. D.; Laub, James A.; King, Lyndell S.

1991-01-01

A novel efficient drive system has been developed which provides for the continuous operation of a pitot Mach 2.5 wind tunnel at compression ratios down to 0.625:1. The drive system does not require an overpressure to start, and no hysteresis has been observed. The general design of the proof-of-concept wind tunnel using the new drive system and its modifications are described.

Novel Low Cost, High Reliability Wind Turbine Drivetrain

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

Chobot, Anthony; Das, Debarshi; Mayer, Tyler

2012-09-13

Clipper Windpower, in collaboration with United Technologies Research Center, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, developed a low-cost, deflection-compliant, reliable, and serviceable chain drive speed increaser. This chain and sprocket drivetrain design offers significant breakthroughs in the areas of cost and serviceability and addresses the key challenges of current geared and direct-drive systems. The use of gearboxes has proven to be challenging; the large torques and bending loads associated with use in large multi-MW wind applications have generally limited demonstrated lifetime to 8-10 years [1]. The large cost of gearbox replacement and the required use of large,more » expensive cranes can result in gearbox replacement costs on the order of $1M, representing a significant impact to overall cost of energy (COE). Direct-drive machines eliminate the gearbox, thereby targeting increased reliability and reduced life-cycle cost. However, the slow rotational speeds require very large and costly generators, which also typically have an undesirable dependence on expensive rare-earth magnet materials and large structural penalties for precise air gap control. The cost of rare-earth materials has increased 20X in the last 8 years representing a key risk to ever realizing the promised cost of energy reductions from direct-drive generators. A common challenge to both geared and direct drive architectures is a limited ability to manage input shaft deflections. The proposed Clipper drivetrain is deflection-compliant, insulating later drivetrain stages and generators from off-axis loads. The system is modular, allowing for all key parts to be removed and replaced without the use of a high capacity crane. Finally, the technology modularity allows for scalability and many possible drivetrain topologies. These benefits enable reductions in drivetrain capital cost by 10.0%, levelized replacement and O&M costs by 26.7%, and overall cost of energy by 10.2%. This design was achieved by: (1) performing an extensive optimization study that deter-mined the preliminary cost for all practical chain drive topologies to ensure the most competitive configuration; (2) conducting detailed analysis of chain dynamics, contact stresses, and wear and efficiency characteristics over the chain's life to ensure accurate physics-based predictions of chain performance; and (3) developing a final product design, including reliability analysis, chain replacement procedures, and bearing and sprocket analysis. Definition of this final product configuration was used to develop refined cost of energy estimates. Finally, key system risks for the chain drive were defined and a comprehensive risk reduction plan was created for execution in Phase 2.« less

46 CFR 64.89 - Cargo pump unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... with the product to be pumped. (d) A diesel engine that is used to drive a cargo pump must have a spark...) The cargo pump power unit must be— (1) Diesel; (2) Hydraulic; (3) Pneumatic; or (4) Electric. (c) The...

46 CFR 64.89 - Cargo pump unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... with the product to be pumped. (d) A diesel engine that is used to drive a cargo pump must have a spark...) The cargo pump power unit must be— (1) Diesel; (2) Hydraulic; (3) Pneumatic; or (4) Electric. (c) The...

46 CFR 64.89 - Cargo pump unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... with the product to be pumped. (d) A diesel engine that is used to drive a cargo pump must have a spark...) The cargo pump power unit must be— (1) Diesel; (2) Hydraulic; (3) Pneumatic; or (4) Electric. (c) The...

46 CFR 64.89 - Cargo pump unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... with the product to be pumped. (d) A diesel engine that is used to drive a cargo pump must have a spark...) The cargo pump power unit must be— (1) Diesel; (2) Hydraulic; (3) Pneumatic; or (4) Electric. (c) The...

Factors associated with automobile accidents and survival.

PubMed

Kim, Hong Sok; Kim, Hyung Jin; Son, Bongsoo

2006-09-01

This paper develops an econometric model for vehicles' inherent mortality rate and estimates the probability of accidents and survival in the United States. Logistic regression model is used to estimate probability of survival, and censored regression model is used to estimate probability of accidents. The estimation results indicated that the probability of accident and survival are influenced by the physical characteristics of the vehicles involved in the accident, and by the characteristics of the driver and the occupants. Using restrain system and riding in heavy vehicle increased the survival rate. Middle-aged drivers are less susceptible to involve in an accident, and surprisingly, female drivers are more likely to have an accident than male drivers. Riding in powerful vehicles (high horsepower) and driving late night increase the probability of accident. Overall, the driving behavior and characteristics of vehicle does matter and affects the probabilities of having a fatal accident for different types of vehicles.

Drivers of the US CO2 emissions 1997–2013

PubMed Central

Feng, Kuishuang; Davis, Steven J.; Sun, Laixiang; Hubacek, Klaus

2015-01-01

Fossil fuel CO2 emissions in the United States decreased by ∼11% between 2007 and 2013, from 6,023 to 5,377 Mt. This decline has been widely attributed to a shift from the use of coal to natural gas in US electricity production. However, the factors driving the decline have not been quantitatively evaluated; the role of natural gas in the decline therefore remains speculative. Here we analyse the factors affecting US emissions from 1997 to 2013. Before 2007, rising emissions were primarily driven by economic growth. After 2007, decreasing emissions were largely a result of economic recession with changes in fuel mix (for example, substitution of natural gas for coal) playing a comparatively minor role. Energy–climate policies may, therefore, be necessary to lock-in the recent emissions reductions and drive further decarbonization of the energy system as the US economy recovers and grows. PMID:26197104

A data acquisition and storage system for the ion auxiliary propulsion system cyclic thruster test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamley, John A.

1989-01-01

A nine-track tape drive interfaced to a standard personal computer was used to transport data from a remote test site to the NASA Lewis mainframe computer for analysis. The Cyclic Ground Test of the Ion Auxiliary Propulsion System (IAPS), which successfully achieved its goal of 2557 cycles and 7057 hr of thrusting beam on time generated several megabytes of test data over many months of continuous testing. A flight-like controller and power supply were used to control the thruster and acquire data. Thruster data was converted to RS232 format and transmitted to a personal computer, which stored the raw digital data on the nine-track tape. The tape format was such that with minor modifications, mainframe flight data analysis software could be used to analyze the Cyclic Ground Test data. The personal computer also converted the digital data to engineering units and displayed real time thruster parameters. Hardcopy data was printed at a rate dependent on thruster operating conditions. The tape drive provided a convenient means to transport the data to the mainframe for analysis, and avoided a development effort for new data analysis software for the Cyclic test. This paper describes the data system, interfacing and software requirements.

Nitrosamines and Nitramines in Amine-Based Carbon Dioxide Capture Systems: Fundamentals, Engineering Implications, and Knowledge Gaps.

PubMed

Yu, Kun; Mitch, William A; Dai, Ning

2017-10-17

Amine-based absorption is the primary contender for postcombustion CO 2 capture from fossil fuel-fired power plants. However, significant concerns have arisen regarding the formation and emission of toxic nitrosamine and nitramine byproducts from amine-based systems. This paper reviews the current knowledge regarding these byproducts in CO 2 capture systems. In the absorber, flue gas NO x drives nitrosamine and nitramine formation after its dissolution into the amine solvent. The reaction mechanisms are reviewed based on CO 2 capture literature as well as biological and atmospheric chemistry studies. In the desorber, nitrosamines are formed under high temperatures by amines reacting with nitrite (a hydrolysis product of NO x ), but they can also thermally decompose following pseudo-first order kinetics. The effects of amine structure, primarily amine order, on nitrosamine formation and the corresponding mechanisms are discussed. Washwater units, although intended to control emissions from the absorber, can contribute to additional nitrosamine formation when accumulated amines react with residual NO x . Nitramines are much less studied than nitrosamines in CO 2 capture systems. Mitigation strategies based on the reaction mechanisms in each unit of the CO 2 capture systems are reviewed. Lastly, we highlight research needs in clarifying reaction mechanisms, developing analytical methods for both liquid and gas phases, and integrating different units to quantitatively predict the accumulation and emission of nitrosamines and nitramines.

Dynamic analysis and vibration testing of CFRP drive-line system used in heavy-duty machine tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Mo; Gui, Lin; Hu, Yefa; Ding, Guoping; Song, Chunsheng

2018-03-01

Low critical rotary speed and large vibration in the metal drive-line system of heavy-duty machine tool affect the machining precision seriously. Replacing metal drive-line with the CFRP drive-line can effectively solve this problem. Based on the composite laminated theory and the transfer matrix method (TMM), this paper puts forward a modified TMM to analyze dynamic characteristics of CFRP drive-line system. With this modified TMM, the CFRP drive-line of a heavy vertical miller is analyzed. And the finite element modal analysis model of the shafting is established. The results of the modified TMM and finite element analysis (FEA) show that the modified TMM can effectively predict the critical rotary speed of CFRP drive-line. And the critical rotary speed of CFRP drive-line is 20% higher than that of the original metal drive-line. Then, the vibration of the CFRP and the metal drive-line were tested. The test results show that application of the CFRP drive shaft in the drive-line can effectively reduce the vibration of the heavy-duty machine tool.

Drunk driving warning system (DDWS). Volume 1, System concept and description

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-11-01

The Drunk Driving Warning System (DDWS) is a vehicle-mounted device for testing driver impairment and activating alarms. The driver must pass a steering competency test in order to drive the car in a normal manner. The emergency flasher system operat...

Modernisation Issues of Diesel-Electric Shunting Locomotive Power Units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoimoja, Hardi; Jalakas, Tanel; Rosin, Argo; Rassylkin, Anton

2010-01-01

The research concentrates on the modernisation issues of inefficient diesel-electric shunting locomotives, produced in the former Soviet Union. The existing diesel-generator unit, serving as an onboard power plant can be replaced by hybridised units, with an energy storage unit acting as a peaking power source for dynamic modes. By integrating an energy storage unit into the power plant, the locomotive traction drive becomes hybridised, consuming less fuel during transients and idling.

32 CFR 634.46 - Point system procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Records and the Traffic Point System... traffic points or the suspension or revocation of driving privileges on the person's driving record... or driving privileges suspended or revoked when the report of action taken indicates that neither...

32 CFR 634.46 - Point system procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Records and the Traffic Point System... traffic points or the suspension or revocation of driving privileges on the person's driving record... or driving privileges suspended or revoked when the report of action taken indicates that neither...

32 CFR 634.46 - Point system procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Records and the Traffic Point System... traffic points or the suspension or revocation of driving privileges on the person's driving record... or driving privileges suspended or revoked when the report of action taken indicates that neither...

The application of multilayer elastic beam in MEMS safe and arming system

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

Li, Guozhong, E-mail: liguozhong-bit@bit.edu.cn; Shi, Gengchen; Sui, Li

In this paper, a new approach for a multilayer elastic beam to provide a driving force and driving distance for a MEMS safe and arming system is presented. In particular this is applied where a monolayer elastic beam cannot provide adequate driving force and driving distance at the same time in limited space. Compared with thicker elastic beams, the bilayer elastic beam can provide twice the driving force of a monolayer beam to guarantee the MEMS safe and arming systems work reliably without decreasing the driving distance. In this paper, the theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and experimental verification of themore » multilayer elastic beam is presented. The numerical simulation and experimental results show that the bilayer elastic provides 1.8–2 times the driving force of a monolayer, and a method that improves driving force without reducing the driving distance.« less

Transverse tripolar spinal cord stimulation: results of an international multicenter study.

PubMed

Oakley, John C; Espinosa, Francisco; Bothe, Hans; McKean, John; Allen, Peter; Burchiel, Kim; Quartey, Gilbert; Spincemaille, Geert; Nuttin, Bart; Gielen, Frans; King, Gary; Holsheimer, Jan

2006-07-01

Experienced neurosurgeons at eight spinal cord stimulation centers in the United States, Canada, and Europe participated in a study from 1997 to 2000 investigating the safety, performance, and efficacy of a Transverse Tripolar Stimulation (TTS) system invented at the University of Twente, the Netherlands. This device was proposed to improve the ability of spinal cord stimulation to adequately overlap paresthesia to perceived areas of pain. Fifty-six patients with chronic, intractable neuropathic pain of the trunk and/or limbs more than three months' duration (average 105 months) were enrolled with follow-up periods at 4, 12, 26, and 52 weeks. All patients had a new paddle-type lead implanted with four electrodes, three of them aligned in a row perpendicular to the cord. Fifteen of these patients did not undergo permanent implantation. Of the 41 patients internalized, 20 patients chose conventional programming using an implanted pulse generator to drive four electrodes, while 21 patients chose a tripole stimulation system, which used radiofrequency power and signal transmission and an implanted dual-channel receiver to drive three electrodes using simultaneous pulses of independently variable amplitude. On average, the visual analog scale scores dropped more for patients with TTS systems (32%) than for conventional polarity systems (16%). Conventional polarity systems were using higher frequencies on average, while usage range was similar. Most impressive was the well-controlled "steering" of the paresthesias according to the dermatomal topography of the dorsal columns when using the TTS-balanced pulse driver. The most common complication was lead migration. While the transverse stimulation system produced acceptable outcomes for overall pain relief, an analysis of individual pain patterns suggests that it behaves like spinal cord stimulation in general with the best control of extremity neuropathic pain. This transverse tripole lead and driving system introduced the concept of electrical field steering by selective recruitment of axonal nerve fiber tracts in the dorsal columns.

Trust in smart systems: sharing driving goals and giving information to increase trustworthiness and acceptability of smart systems in cars.

PubMed

Verberne, Frank M F; Ham, Jaap; Midden, Cees J H

2012-10-01

We examine whether trust in smart systems is generated analogously to trust in humans and whether the automation level of smart systems affects trustworthiness and acceptability of those systems. Trust is an important factor when considering acceptability of automation technology. As shared goals lead to social trust, and intelligent machines tend to be treated like humans, the authors expected that shared driving goals would also lead to increased trustworthiness and acceptability of adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems. In an experiment, participants (N = 57) were presented with descriptions of three ACCs with different automation levels that were described as systems that either shared their driving goals or did not. Trustworthiness and acceptability of all the ACCs were measured. ACCs sharing the driving goals of the user were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs not sharing the driving goals of the user. Furthermore, ACCs that took over driving tasks while providing information were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs that took over driving tasks without providing information. Trustworthiness mediated the effects of both driving goals and automation level on acceptability of ACCs. As when trusting other humans, trusting smart systems depends on those systems sharing the user's goals. Furthermore, based on their description, smart systems that take over tasks are judged more trustworthy and acceptable when they also provide information. For optimal acceptability of smart systems, goals of the user should be shared by the smart systems, and smart systems should provide information to their user.

Comparative Analysis Of River Conservation In The United States And South Africa

EPA Science Inventory

Both the United States and South Africa are recognized for their strong and innovative approaches to the conservation of river ecosystems. These national programs possess similar driving legislation and ecoregional classification schemes supported by comprehensive monitoring prog...

Motorists in four countries highlight differences among drinking-driving laws

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-11

A recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study surveyed more than 2,000 motorists in Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and United States. Motorists in Canada and Australia report being stopped and checked for alcohol far more frequently than ...

The reality of teenage driving: the results of a driving educational experience for teens in the juvenile court system.

PubMed

Manno, Mariann; Maranda, Louise; Rook, Allison; Hirschfeld, Ryan; Hirsh, Michael

2012-10-01

In the United States, one third of all deaths in teens are a result of motor vehicle crashes, accounting for 6,000 deaths annually. Injury Free Coalition for Kids-Worcester in collaboration with Worcester Juvenile Court has developed an interactive program for first-time teenaged driving offenders, Reality Intensive Driver Education (Teen RIDE). This full-day program at the trauma center provides a realistic exposure to the consequences of risky driving behaviors. This article examined the driving offense recidivism rates for Teen RIDE participants versus a comparison group (CG). The intervention group (IG) consists of teenagers between 13 years and 17 years who have been arrested for the first time for a serious driving offense and are sentenced by a Worcester Juvenile Court Judge or Magistrate to the Teen RIDE program. They are required to attend the program as a condition of probation, so attendance is mandatory. Each participant in the IG completed the program and was tracked for driving reoffenses for 6 months after completion of the course. The CG consists of also first-time driving offenders. The CG was matched with the IG with respect to age (13-17 years), sex, and offense type. Springfield, Massachusetts, serves as the site for recruitment of the CG, since it is demographically similar to Worcester but 60 mi away. Students in the CG had no exposure to this program. Each CG member was also tracked for 6 months after arrest. The recidivism rate for Teen RIDE participants 6 months after the course is 6% with 0% reoffending more than once. The CG has a recidivism rate of 56% 6 months after the arrest and 14% have more than one reoffense. The CG is 13.062 (4.296-39.713) times more likely to reoffend, and this is significant (p < 0.001). The Teen RIDE program provides an impactful exposure of the consequences of risky driving behaviors to teenaged participants. In addition, Teen RIDE participants are significantly less likely to reoffend after completion of the course. Therapeutic study, level III.

Linear-drive cryocoolers for the Department of Defense standard advanced dewar assembly (SADA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tate, Garin S.

2005-05-01

The Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA) is the critical module in the Department of Defense (DoD) standardization of scanning second-generation thermal imaging systems. The DoD has established a family of SADAs to fulfill a range of performance requirements for various platforms. The SADA consists of the Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA), Dewar, Command & Control Electronics (C&CE), and the cryogenic cooler, and is used in platforms such as the Apache helicopter, the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank, the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, and the Javelin Command Launch Unit (CLU). In support of the family of SADAs, the DoD defined a complementary family of tactical linear drive cryocoolers. The Stirling cycle linear drive cryocoolers are utilized to cool the Infrared Focal Plane Arrays (IRFPAs) in the SADAs. These coolers are required to have low input power, a quick cool-down time, low vibration output, low audible noise, and a higher reliability than currently fielded rotary coolers. These coolers must also operate in a military environment with its inherent high vibration level and temperature extremes. This paper will (1) outline the characteristics of each cryocooler, (2) present the status and results of qualification tests, (3) present the status of production efforts, and (4) present the status of efforts to increase linear drive cooler reliability.

Designing low cost LED display for the billboard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Yi-Jian; Uang, Chii-Maw; Wang, Ping-Chieh; Ho, Zu-Sheng

2011-10-01

With quickly advance of the computer, microelectronics and photonics technologies, LED display panel becomes a new electronic advertising media. It can be used to show any information whatever characters or graphics. Most LED display panels are built of many Light-Emitting Diodes arranged in a matrix form. The display has many advantages such as low power, low cost, long life and high definition. Because the display panel is asked to show rich color, the LED display panel's driving system becomes very complex. The design methodology of LED display panel's driver becomes more and more important to meet the market requirements. Cost is always the most important issue in public market domain. In this paper, we report a design methodology of LED display panel's driver based on the microprocessor control unit (MCU) system and LED display controller IC, HT1632C, to control three colors, RGB, color LED display panel and the modular panel size is 24*16 in matrix form. The HT1632C is a memory mapping LED display controller, it can be used on many applications, such as digital clock, thermometer, counter, voltmeter or other instrumentation readouts. Three pieces of HT1632C are used to drive a 24*16 RGB LED display panel, in our design case. Each HT163C chip is used to control one of the R, G and B color. As the drive mode is driven in DC mode, the RGB display panel can create and totally of seven colors under the control of MCU. The MCU generates the control signal to drive HT1632C. In this study, the software design methodology is adopted with dynamic display principle. When the scan frequency is 60Hz, LED display panel will get the clear picture and be able to display seven colors.

Fuzzy Inference Based Obstacle Avoidance Control of Electric Powered Wheelchair Considering Driving Risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiso, Atsushi; Murakami, Hiroki; Seki, Hirokazu

This paper describes a novel obstacle avoidance control scheme of electric powered wheelchairs for realizing the safe driving in various environments. The “electric powered wheelchair” which generates the driving force by electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly people and disabled people; however, the driving performance must be further improved because the number of driving accidents caused by elderly operator's narrow sight and joystick operation errors is increasing. This paper proposes a novel obstacle avoidance control scheme based on fuzzy algorithm to prevent driving accidents. The proposed control system determines the driving direction by fuzzy algorithm based on the information of the joystick operation and distance to obstacles measured by ultrasonic sensors. Fuzzy rules to determine the driving direction are designed surely to avoid passers-by and walls considering the human's intent and driving environments. Some driving experiments on the practical situations show the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

Implementation and Impact of an Automated Group Monitoring and Feedback System to Promote Hand Hygiene Among Health Care Personnel

PubMed Central

Conway, Laurie J.; Riley, Linda; Saiman, Lisa; Cohen, Bevin; Alper, Paul; Larson, Elaine L.

2015-01-01

Article-at-a-Glance Background Despite substantial evidence to support the effectiveness of hand hygiene for preventing health care–associated infections, hand hygiene practice is often inadequate. Hand hygiene product dispensers that can electronically capture hand hygiene events have the potential to improve hand hygiene performance. A study on an automated group monitoring and feedback system was implemented from January 2012 through March 2013 at a 140-bed community hospital. Methods An electronic system that monitors the use of sanitizer and soap but does not identify individual health care personnel was used to calculate hand hygiene events per patient-hour for each of eight inpatient units and hand hygiene events per patient-visit for the six outpatient units. Hand hygiene was monitored but feedback was not provided during a six-month baseline period and three-month rollout period. During the rollout, focus groups were conducted to determine preferences for feedback frequency and format. During the six-month intervention period, graphical reports were e-mailed monthly to all managers and administrators, and focus groups were repeated. Results After the feedback began, hand hygiene increased on average by 0.17 events/patient-hour in inpatient units (interquartile range = 0.14, p = .008). In outpatient units, hand hygiene performance did not change significantly. A variety of challenges were encountered, including obtaining accurate census and staffing data, engendering confidence in the system, disseminating information in the reports, and using the data to drive improvement. Conclusions Feedback via an automated system was associated with improved hand hygiene performance in the short term. PMID:25252389

Implementation and impact of an automated group monitoring and feedback system to promote hand hygiene among health care personnel.

PubMed

Conway, Laurie J; Riley, Linda; Saiman, Lisa; Cohen, Bevin; Alper, Paul; Larson, Elaine L

2014-09-01

Despite substantial evidence to support the effectiveness of hand hygiene for preventing health care-associated infections, hand hygiene practice is often inadequate. Hand hygiene product dispensers that can electronically capture hand hygiene events have the potential to improve hand hygiene performance. A study on an automated group monitoring and feedback system was implemented from January 2012 through March 2013 at a 140-bed community hospital. An electronic system that monitors the use of sanitizer and soap but does not identify individual health care personnel was used to calculate hand hygiene events per patient-hour for each of eight inpatient units and hand hygiene events per patient-visit for the six outpatient units. Hand hygiene was monitored but feedback was not provided during a six-month baseline period and three-month rollout period. During the rollout, focus groups were conducted to determine preferences for feedback frequency and format. During the six-month intervention period, graphical reports were e-mailed monthly to all managers and administrators, and focus groups were repeated. After the feedback began, hand hygiene increased on average by 0.17 events/patient-hour in inpatient units (interquartile range = 0.14, p = .008). In outpatient units, hand hygiene performance did not change significantly. A variety of challenges were encountered, including obtaining accurate census and staffing data, engendering confidence in the system, disseminating information in the reports, and using the data to drive improvement. Feedback via an automated system was associated with improved hand hygiene performance in the short-term.

Immunological thresholds in neurological gene therapy: highly efficient elimination of transduced cells might be related to the specific formation of immunological synapses between T cells and virus-infected brain cells

PubMed Central

Barcia, Carlos; Gerdes, Christian; Xiong, Wei-Dong; Thomas, Clare E.; Liu, Chunyan; Kroeger, Kurt M.; Castro, Maria G.; Lowenstein, Pedro R.

2007-01-01

First-generation adenovirus can be engineered with powerful promoters to drive expression of therapeutic transgenes. Numerous clinical trials for glioblastoma multiforme using first generation adenoviral vectors have either been performed or are ongoing, including an ongoing, Phase III, multicenter trial in Europe and Israel (Ark Therapeutics, Inc.). Although in the absence of anti-adenovirus immune responses expression in the brain lasts 6–18 months, systemic infection with adenovirus induces immune responses that inhibit dramatically therapeutic transgene expression from first generation adenoviral vectors, thus, potentially compromising therapeutic efficacy. Here, we show evidence of an immunization threshold for the dose that generates an immune response strong enough to eliminate transgene expression from the CNS. For the systemic immunization to eliminate transgene expression from the brain, ≥1 × 107 infectious units (iu) of adenovirus need to be used as immunogen. Furthermore, this immune response eliminates >90% of transgene expression from 1 × 107–1 × 10³ iu of vector injected into the striatum 60 days earlier. Importantly, elimination of transgene expression is independent of the nature of the promoter that drives transgene expression and is accompanied by brain infiltration of CD8+ T cells and macrophages. In conclusion, once the threshold for systemic immunization (i.e. 1 × 107 iu) is crossed, the immune response eliminates transgene expression by >90% even from brains that receive as little as 1000 iu of adenoviral vectors, independently of the type of promoter that drives expression. PMID:18084640

Competing in an International Era: Preparing the Workforce for the Global Economy. In Depth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harmon, Robert, Ed.

2000-01-01

During the past decade, countries in Asia, Latin America, and Central Europe have been experiencing a number of converging factors that drive economic growth, propelling them toward greater economic competitiveness with the economies of the United States (U.S.), Japan, and Western Europe. A major driving force behind this global economic growth is…

From Passengers to Drivers: Parent Perceptions about How Adolescents Learn to Drive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirman, Jessica H.; Kay, Joseph

2012-01-01

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for adolescents in most developed countries. In some countries including the United States, parents play a critical role in teaching adolescents to drive; however, little is known about what parents believe to be necessary in developing safe, skilled drivers, including the kind of instruction…

Pursuing the Human Side of Driving. A Senior Grade Level Driver Education Refresher Course Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, David L.; Sorte, Bruce M.

Designed for high school seniors, this supplemental traffic safety program serves as a catalyst for discussion and learning in the area of affective education and safe and responsible driving. The guide is comprised of seven instructional units: (1) Orientation; (2) Communication Skills; (3) Skillful Decision Maker and Why; (4) Recognizing…

Construction and temporal behaviour study of multi RLC intense light pulses for dermatological applications.

PubMed

Hamoudi, Walid K; Ismail, Raid A; Shakir, Hussein A

2017-10-01

Driving a flash lamp in an intense pulsed light system requires a high-voltage DC power supply, capacitive energy storage and a flash lamp triggering unit. Single, double, triple and quadruple-mesh discharge and triggering circuits were constructed to provide intense light pulses of variable energy and time durations. The system was treated as [Formula: see text] circuit in some cases and [Formula: see text] circuit in others with a light pulse profile following the temporal behaviour of the exciting current pulse. Distributing the energy delivered to one lamp onto a number of LC meshes permitted longer current pulses, and consequently increased the light pulse length. Positive results were obtained when using the system to treat skin wrinkles.

Synthetically engineered Medea gene drive system in the worldwide crop pest Drosophila suzukii

PubMed Central

Buchman, Anna; Marshall, John M.; Ostrovski, Dennis; Yang, Ting; Akbari, Omar S.

2018-01-01

Synthetic gene drive systems possess enormous potential to replace, alter, or suppress wild populations of significant disease vectors and crop pests; however, their utility in diverse populations remains to be demonstrated. Here, we report the creation of a synthetic Medea gene drive system in a major worldwide crop pest, Drosophila suzukii. We demonstrate that this drive system, based on an engineered maternal “toxin” coupled with a linked embryonic “antidote,” is capable of biasing Mendelian inheritance rates with up to 100% efficiency. However, we find that drive resistance, resulting from naturally occurring genetic variation and associated fitness costs, can be selected for and hinder the spread of such a drive. Despite this, our results suggest that this gene drive could maintain itself at high frequencies in a wild population and spread to fixation if either its fitness costs or toxin resistance were reduced, providing a clear path forward for developing future such systems in this pest. PMID:29666236

A Spatiotemporal-Chaos-Based Cryptosystem Taking Advantage of Both Synchronous and Self-Synchronizing Schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lü, Hua-Ping; Wang, Shi-Hong; Li, Xiao-Wen; Tang, Guo-Ning; Kuang, Jin-Yu; Ye, Wei-Ping; Hu, Gang

2004-06-01

Two-dimensional one-way coupled map lattices are used for cryptography where multiple space units produce chaotic outputs in parallel. One of the outputs plays the role of driving for synchronization of the decryption system while the others perform the function of information encoding. With this separation of functions the receiver can establish a self-checking and self-correction mechanism, and enjoys the advantages of both synchronous and self-synchronizing schemes. A comparison between the present system with the system of advanced encryption standard (AES) is presented in the aspect of channel noise influence. Numerical investigations show that our system is much stronger than AES against channel noise perturbations, and thus can be better used for secure communications with large channel noise.

Modeling and Positioning of a PZT Precision Drive System.

PubMed

Liu, Che; Guo, Yanling

2017-11-08

The fact that piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) precision drive systems in 3D printing are faced with nonlinear problems with respect to positioning, such as hysteresis and creep, has had an extremely negative impact on the precision of laser focusing systems. To eliminate the impact of PZT nonlinearity during precision drive movement, mathematical modeling and theoretical analyses of each module comprising the system were carried out in this study, a micro-displacement measurement circuit based on Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) is constructed, followed by the establishment of system closed-loop control and creep control models. An XL-80 laser interferometer (Renishaw, Wotton-under-Edge, UK) was used to measure the performance of the precision drive system, showing that system modeling and control algorithms were correct, with the requirements for precision positioning of the drive system satisfied.

Modeling and Positioning of a PZT Precision Drive System

PubMed Central

Liu, Che; Guo, Yanling

2017-01-01

The fact that piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) precision drive systems in 3D printing are faced with nonlinear problems with respect to positioning, such as hysteresis and creep, has had an extremely negative impact on the precision of laser focusing systems. To eliminate the impact of PZT nonlinearity during precision drive movement, mathematical modeling and theoretical analyses of each module comprising the system were carried out in this study, a micro-displacement measurement circuit based on Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) is constructed, followed by the establishment of system closed-loop control and creep control models. An XL-80 laser interferometer (Renishaw, Wotton-under-Edge, UK) was used to measure the performance of the precision drive system, showing that system modeling and control algorithms were correct, with the requirements for precision positioning of the drive system satisfied. PMID:29117140

Force control compensation method with variable load stiffness and damping of the hydraulic drive unit force control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xiangdong; Ba, Kaixian; Yu, Bin; Cao, Yuan; Zhu, Qixin; Zhao, Hualong

2016-05-01

Each joint of hydraulic drive quadruped robot is driven by the hydraulic drive unit (HDU), and the contacting between the robot foot end and the ground is complex and variable, which increases the difficulty of force control inevitably. In the recent years, although many scholars researched some control methods such as disturbance rejection control, parameter self-adaptive control, impedance control and so on, to improve the force control performance of HDU, the robustness of the force control still needs improving. Therefore, how to simulate the complex and variable load characteristics of the environment structure and how to ensure HDU having excellent force control performance with the complex and variable load characteristics are key issues to be solved in this paper. The force control system mathematic model of HDU is established by the mechanism modeling method, and the theoretical models of a novel force control compensation method and a load characteristics simulation method under different environment structures are derived, considering the dynamic characteristics of the load stiffness and the load damping under different environment structures. Then, simulation effects of the variable load stiffness and load damping under the step and sinusoidal load force are analyzed experimentally on the HDU force control performance test platform, which provides the foundation for the force control compensation experiment research. In addition, the optimized PID control parameters are designed to make the HDU have better force control performance with suitable load stiffness and load damping, under which the force control compensation method is introduced, and the robustness of the force control system with several constant load characteristics and the variable load characteristics respectively are comparatively analyzed by experiment. The research results indicate that if the load characteristics are known, the force control compensation method presented in this paper has positive compensation effects on the load characteristics variation, i.e., this method decreases the effects of the load characteristics variation on the force control performance and enhances the force control system robustness with the constant PID parameters, thereby, the online PID parameters tuning control method which is complex needs not be adopted. All the above research provides theoretical and experimental foundation for the force control method of the quadruped robot joints with high robustness.

Social and Spatial Networks: Kinship Distance and Dwelling Unit Proximity in Rural Thailand

PubMed Central

Verdery, Ashton M.; Entwisle, Barbara; Faust, Katherine; Rindfuss, Ronald R.

2013-01-01

We address a long hypothesized relationship between the proximity of individuals' dwelling units and their kinship association. Better understanding this relationship is important because of its implications for contact and association among members of a society. In this paper, we use a unique dataset from Nang Rong, Thailand which contains dwelling unit locations (GPS) and saturated kinship networks of all individuals living in 51 agricultural villages. After presenting arguments for a relationship between individuals’ dwelling unit locations and their kinship relations as well as the particulars of our case study, we introduce the data and describe our analytic approach. We analyze how kinship - considered as both a system linking collections of individuals in an extended kinship network and as dyadic links between pairs of individuals -patterns the proximity of dwelling units in rural villages. The results show that in general, extended kin live closer to one another than do unrelated individuals. Further, the degree of relatedness between kin correlates with the distance between their dwelling units. Close kin are more likely to co-reside, a fact which drives much of the relationship between kinship relatedness and dwelling unit proximity within villages. There is nevertheless suggestive evidence of a relationship between kinship association and dwelling unit proximity among kin who do not live together. PMID:23956489

Efficient implementation of arbitrary quantum state engineering in four-state system by counterdiabatic driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Song-Bai; Chen, Ye-Hong; Wu, Qi-Cheng; Shi, Zhi-Cheng; Huang, Bi-Hua; Song, Jie; Xia, Yan

2018-07-01

A scheme is proposed to implement quantum state engineering (QSE) in a four-state system via counterdiabatic driving. In the scheme, single- and multi-mode driving methods are used respectively to drive the system to a target state at a predefined time. It is found that a fast QSE can be realized by utilizing simply designed pulses. In addition, a beneficial discussion on the energy consumption between the single- and multi-mode driving protocols shows that the multi-mode driving method seems to have a wider range of applications than the single-mode driving method with respect to different parameters. Finally, the scheme is also helpful for implementing the generalization QSE in high-dimensional systems via the concept of a dressed state. Therefore, the scheme can be implemented with the present experimental technology, which is useful in quantum information processing.

Estimation of Longitudinal Force and Sideslip Angle for Intelligent Four-Wheel Independent Drive Electric Vehicles by Observer Iteration and Information Fusion.

PubMed

Chen, Te; Chen, Long; Xu, Xing; Cai, Yingfeng; Jiang, Haobin; Sun, Xiaoqiang

2018-04-20

Exact estimation of longitudinal force and sideslip angle is important for lateral stability and path-following control of four-wheel independent driven electric vehicle. This paper presents an effective method for longitudinal force and sideslip angle estimation by observer iteration and information fusion for four-wheel independent drive electric vehicles. The electric driving wheel model is introduced into the vehicle modeling process and used for longitudinal force estimation, the longitudinal force reconstruction equation is obtained via model decoupling, the a Luenberger observer and high-order sliding mode observer are united for longitudinal force observer design, and the Kalman filter is applied to restrain the influence of noise. Via the estimated longitudinal force, an estimation strategy is then proposed based on observer iteration and information fusion, in which the Luenberger observer is applied to achieve the transcendental estimation utilizing less sensor measurements, the extended Kalman filter is used for a posteriori estimation with higher accuracy, and a fuzzy weight controller is used to enhance the adaptive ability of observer system. Simulations and experiments are carried out, and the effectiveness of proposed estimation method is verified.

Estimation of Longitudinal Force and Sideslip Angle for Intelligent Four-Wheel Independent Drive Electric Vehicles by Observer Iteration and Information Fusion

PubMed Central

Chen, Long; Xu, Xing; Cai, Yingfeng; Jiang, Haobin; Sun, Xiaoqiang

2018-01-01

Exact estimation of longitudinal force and sideslip angle is important for lateral stability and path-following control of four-wheel independent driven electric vehicle. This paper presents an effective method for longitudinal force and sideslip angle estimation by observer iteration and information fusion for four-wheel independent drive electric vehicles. The electric driving wheel model is introduced into the vehicle modeling process and used for longitudinal force estimation, the longitudinal force reconstruction equation is obtained via model decoupling, the a Luenberger observer and high-order sliding mode observer are united for longitudinal force observer design, and the Kalman filter is applied to restrain the influence of noise. Via the estimated longitudinal force, an estimation strategy is then proposed based on observer iteration and information fusion, in which the Luenberger observer is applied to achieve the transcendental estimation utilizing less sensor measurements, the extended Kalman filter is used for a posteriori estimation with higher accuracy, and a fuzzy weight controller is used to enhance the adaptive ability of observer system. Simulations and experiments are carried out, and the effectiveness of proposed estimation method is verified. PMID:29677124

Development of a solar array drive mechanism for micro-satellite platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galatis, Giorgos; Guo, Jian; Buursink, Jeroen

2017-10-01

Photovoltaic solar array (PVSA) systems are the most widely used method for spacecraft power generation. However, in many satellite missions, the optimum orientation of the PVSA system is not always compatible with that of the payload orientation. Many methods, have been examined in the past to overcome this problem. Up to date, the most widely used active method for large costly satellites is the Solar Array Drive Mechanism (SADM). The SADM serves as the interface between the satellite body and the PVSA subsystem, enabling the decoupling of their spatial orientation. Nonetheless, there exists a research and development gap for such systems regarding low cost micro-satellites. During the literature study of this paper, individual orbital parameters of various micro-satellites have been extracted and compared to the rotational freedom of the corresponding SADMs used. The findings demonstrated that the implemented SADMs are over designed. It is therefore concluded that these components are not tailored made for each spacecraft mission individually, but rather, exhibit a generic design to full fill a majority of mission profiles and requirements. Motivated by the above analysis, the cardinal objective of the current research is to develop a low cost mechanism that will be precisely tailored for the use of a low Earth orbit (LEO) micro-satellite platform orbiting in altitudes of 500 - 1000km . The design of the mechanism may vary from the existing miniaturized SADMs. For example, the preliminary analysis of the current research suggests, that the conventional use of the slip ring system as the electronic transfer unit can be replaced by a seMI Orientation Unit (MIOU). Systems engineering tools for concept generation and selection have been used. In addition, simulation and mathematical modelling have been implemented on component and system level, to accurately predict the behaviour of the system under various modes of operation. The production and system testing of the prototype has taken place and it has verified that the development of such a system, will aid the power generation of the solar arrays, while having a positive impact on the cost reduction of such satellites.

A portable hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) device for automotive diagnostic control systems.

PubMed

Palladino, A; Fiengo, G; Lanzo, D

2012-01-01

In-vehicle driving tests for evaluating the performance and diagnostic functionalities of engine control systems are often time consuming, expensive, and not reproducible. Using a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation approach, new control strategies and diagnostic functions on a controller area network (CAN) line can be easily tested in real time, in order to reduce the effort and the cost of the testing phase. Nowadays, spark ignition engines are controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU) with a large number of embedded sensors and actuators. In order to meet the rising demand of lower emissions and fuel consumption, an increasing number of control functions are added into such a unit. This work aims at presenting a portable electronic environment system, suited for HIL simulations, in order to test the engine control software and the diagnostic functionality on a CAN line, respectively, through non-regression and diagnostic tests. The performances of the proposed electronic device, called a micro hardware-in-the-loop system, are presented through the testing of the engine management system software of a 1.6 l Fiat gasoline engine with variable valve actuation for the ECU development version. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Solar Sail Propulsion within NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Les; Swartzlander, Grover A.; Artusio-Glimpse, Alexandra

2013-01-01

Solar Sail Propulsion (SSP) is a high-priority new technology within The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and several potential future space missions have been identified that will require SSP. Small and mid-sized technology demonstration missions using solar sails have flown or will soon fly in space. Multiple mission concept studies have been performed to determine the system level SSP requirements for their implementation and, subsequently, to drive the content of relevant technology programs. The status of SSP technology and potential future mission implementation within the United States (US) will be described.

KSC-2012-1011

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a printable poster with NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) logo. CCP is leading NASA's effort of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station by investing in the design and development of the aerospace industry's crew transportation systems. The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industry’s own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

KSC-2012-1010

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a printable poster with NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) logo. CCP is leading NASA's effort of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station by investing in the design and development of the aerospace industry's crew transportation systems. The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industry’s own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Large-Scale Calculations for Material Sciences Using Accelerators to Improve Time- and Energy-to-Solution

DOE PAGES

Eisenbach, Markus

2017-01-01

A major impediment to deploying next-generation high-performance computational systems is the required electrical power, often measured in units of megawatts. The solution to this problem is driving the introduction of novel machine architectures, such as those employing many-core processors and specialized accelerators. In this article, we describe the use of a hybrid accelerated architecture to achieve both reduced time to solution and the associated reduction in the electrical cost for a state-of-the-art materials science computation.

Urban search mobile platform modeling in hindered access conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barankova, I. I.; Mikhailova, U. V.; Kalugina, O. B.; Barankov, V. V.

2018-05-01

The article explores the control system simulation and the design of the experimental model of the rescue robot mobile platform. The functional interface, a structural functional diagram of the mobile platform control unit, and a functional control scheme for the mobile platform of secure robot were modeled. The task of design a mobile platform for urban searching in hindered access conditions is realized through the use of a mechanical basis with a chassis and crawler drive, a warning device, human heat sensors and a microcontroller based on Arduino platforms.

Simulation framework for intelligent transportation systems

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

Ewing, T.; Doss, E.; Hanebutte, U.

1996-10-01

A simulation framework has been developed for a large-scale, comprehensive, scaleable simulation of an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). The simulator is designed for running on parallel computers and distributed (networked) computer systems, but can run on standalone workstations for smaller simulations. The simulator currently models instrumented smart vehicles with in-vehicle navigation units capable of optimal route planning and Traffic Management Centers (TMC). The TMC has probe vehicle tracking capabilities (display position and attributes of instrumented vehicles), and can provide two-way interaction with traffic to provide advisories and link times. Both the in-vehicle navigation module and the TMC feature detailed graphicalmore » user interfaces to support human-factors studies. Realistic modeling of variations of the posted driving speed are based on human factors studies that take into consideration weather, road conditions, driver personality and behavior, and vehicle type. The prototype has been developed on a distributed system of networked UNIX computers but is designed to run on parallel computers, such as ANL`s IBM SP-2, for large-scale problems. A novel feature of the approach is that vehicles are represented by autonomous computer processes which exchange messages with other processes. The vehicles have a behavior model which governs route selection and driving behavior, and can react to external traffic events much like real vehicles. With this approach, the simulation is scaleable to take advantage of emerging massively parallel processor (MPP) systems.« less

Matrix light and pixel light: optical system architecture and requirements to the light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinger, Benno; Timinger, Andreas L.

2015-09-01

Modern Automotive headlamps enable improved functionality for more driving comfort and safety. Matrix or Pixel light headlamps are not restricted to either pure low beam functionality or pure high beam. Light in direction of oncoming traffic is selectively switched of, potential hazard can be marked via an isolated beam and the illumination on the road can even follow a bend. The optical architectures that enable these advanced functionalities are diverse. Electromechanical shutters and lens units moved by electric motors were the first ways to realize these systems. Switching multiple LED light sources is a more elegant and mechanically robust solution. While many basic functionalities can already be realized with a limited number of LEDs, an increasing number of pixels will lead to more driving comfort and better visibility. The required optical system needs not only to generate a desired beam distribution with a high angular dynamic, but also needs to guarantee minimal stray light and cross talk between the different pixels. The direct projection of the LED array via a lens is a simple but not very efficient optical system. We discuss different optical elements for pre-collimating the light with minimal cross talk and improved contrast between neighboring pixels. Depending on the selected optical system, we derive the basic light source requirements: luminance, surface area, contrast, flux and color homogeneity.

An explosively driven high-power microwave pulsed power system.

PubMed

Elsayed, M A; Neuber, A A; Dickens, J C; Walter, J W; Kristiansen, M; Altgilbers, L L

2012-02-01

The increased popularity of high power microwave systems and the various sources to drive them is the motivation behind the work to be presented. A stand-alone, self-contained explosively driven high power microwave pulsed power system has been designed, built, and tested at Texas Tech University's Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics. The system integrates four different sub-units that are composed of a battery driven prime power source utilizing capacitive energy storage, a dual stage helical flux compression generator as the main energy amplification device, an integrated power conditioning system with inductive energy storage including a fast opening electro-explosive switch, and a triode reflex geometry virtual cathode oscillator as the microwave radiating source. This system has displayed a measured electrical source power level of over 5 GW and peak radiated microwaves of about 200 MW. It is contained within a 15 cm diameter housing and measures 2 m in length, giving a housing volume of slightly less than 39 l. The system and its sub-components have been extensively studied, both as integrated and individual units, to further expand on components behavior and operation physics. This report will serve as a detailed design overview of each of the four subcomponents and provide detailed analysis of the overall system performance and benchmarks.

An explosively driven high-power microwave pulsed power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsayed, M. A.; Neuber, A. A.; Dickens, J. C.; Walter, J. W.; Kristiansen, M.; Altgilbers, L. L.

2012-02-01

The increased popularity of high power microwave systems and the various sources to drive them is the motivation behind the work to be presented. A stand-alone, self-contained explosively driven high power microwave pulsed power system has been designed, built, and tested at Texas Tech University's Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics. The system integrates four different sub-units that are composed of a battery driven prime power source utilizing capacitive energy storage, a dual stage helical flux compression generator as the main energy amplification device, an integrated power conditioning system with inductive energy storage including a fast opening electro-explosive switch, and a triode reflex geometry virtual cathode oscillator as the microwave radiating source. This system has displayed a measured electrical source power level of over 5 GW and peak radiated microwaves of about 200 MW. It is contained within a 15 cm diameter housing and measures 2 m in length, giving a housing volume of slightly less than 39 l. The system and its sub-components have been extensively studied, both as integrated and individual units, to further expand on components behavior and operation physics. This report will serve as a detailed design overview of each of the four subcomponents and provide detailed analysis of the overall system performance and benchmarks.

75 FR 16483 - Ocean Transportation Intermediary License Applicants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

..., President Counterpoint Logistics LLC, 444 Donaldson Street, Highland Park, NJ 08904, Officer: Robby Lee..., Director (Qualifying Individual), S. Oxley, President Seapassion Logistics Inc., 12403 Slauson Avenue, Unit..., President United Sunfine Logistics, Inc., 20539 Walnut Drive, Suite F, Walnut, CA 91789, Officers: Andy Kung...

[The operation of the health program SICALIDAD: the role of managers in primary care and hospitals].

PubMed

Granados-Cosme, José Arturo; Tetelboin-Henrion, Carolina; Torres-Cruz, César; Pineda-Pérez, Dayana; Villa-Contreras, Blanca Margarita

2011-01-01

To characterize the role of quality managers in health care units and health districts, identifying the constraints they experience in their performance. An interview guide and a questionnaire were carried out and were applied to quality managers in nine states as well as in Mexico City´s Health Services, in a Reference Federal Hospital and in a National Institute of Health. These instruments were analyzed using SPSS and Atlas.ti software. The activities done by the managers depend on the organizational level of services, which can be a care unit or the health jurisdiction. For each of these, we identified different order constraints that affect the performance of the role of management in the strategies to improve the quality of the services for population without social insurance, which together make up the government program called Integrated Quality Health System. Jurisdictional managers are the link between care units and state authorities in the management of information, while the medical units' managers drive operational strategies to improve the quality. Although the health program is implemented with the personal and infrastructure of the health system, it requires a greater institutionalization and strengthening of its structure and integration, as well as greater human and material resources.

Practice Safe Driving.

PubMed

2017-07-01

More than 30,000 people die in motor vehicle collisions each year in the United States. Distracted, drowsy, and drunk driving cause most motor vehicle collision injuries and deaths. An editorial published in the October 2016 issue of JOSPT identified the global need for effective strategies to reduce, if not eliminate, preventable injuries, including whiplash-associated disorders and deaths from distracted driving. This is a call to action for everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(7):449. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0506.

Improved Speed Control System for the 87,000 HP Wind Tunnel Drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becks, Edward A.; Bencic, Timothy J.; Blumenthal, Philip Z.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the design, installation, and integrated systems tests for a new drive motor speed control system which was part of a recent rehab project for the NASA Lewis 8x6 Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The tunnel drive consists of three mechanically-coupled 29,000 HP wound rotor induction motors driving an axial flow compressor. Liquid rheostats are used to vary the impedance of the rotor circuits, thus varying the speed of the drive system. The new design utilizes a distributed digital control system with a dual touch screen CRT operator console to provide alarm monitoring, logging, and trending. The liquid rheostats are driven by brushtype servomotor systems with magnetostrictive linear displacement transducers used for position feedback. The new system achieved all goals for speed variations with load, motor load balance, and control of total power.

Improved speed control system for the 87,000 HP wind tunnel drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becks, Edward A.; Bencic, Timothy J.; Blumenthal, Philip Z.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the design, installation, and integrated systems tests for a new drive motor speed control system which was part of a recent rehab project for the NASA Lewis 8x6 Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The tunnel drive consists of three mechanically-coupled 29,000 HP wound rotor induction motors driving an axial flow compressor. Liquid rheostats are used to vary the impedance of the rotor circuits, thus varying the speed of the drive system. The new design utilizes a distributed digital control system with a dual touch screen CRT operator console to provide alarm monitoring, logging, and trending. The liquid rheostats are driven by brushtype servomotor systems with magnetostrictive linear displacement transducers used for position feedback. The new system achieved all goals for speed variations with load, motor load balance, and control of total power.

Goddard Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies, Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kobler, Ben (Editor); Hariharan, P. C. (Editor)

1993-01-01

Copies of nearly all of the technical papers and viewgraphs presented at the Goddard Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies held in Sep. 1992 are included. The conference served as an informational exchange forum for topics primarily relating to the ingestion and management of massive amounts of data and the attendant problems (data ingestion rates now approach the order of terabytes per day). Discussion topics include the IEEE Mass Storage System Reference Model, data archiving standards, high-performance storage devices, magnetic and magneto-optic storage systems, magnetic and optical recording technologies, high-performance helical scan recording systems, and low end helical scan tape drives. Additional topics addressed the evolution of the identifiable unit for processing purposes as data ingestion rates increase dramatically, and the present state of the art in mass storage technology.

Development of components for IFOG-based inertial measurement units using polymer waveguide fabrication technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashley, P. R.; Temmen, M. G.; Diffey, W. M.; Sanghadasa, M.; Bramson, M. D.

2007-10-01

Active and passive polymer materials have been successfully used in the development of highly accurate, compact and low cost guided-wave components: an optical transceiver and a phase modulator, for inertial measurement units (IMUs) based on the interferometric fibre optic gyroscope (IFOG) technology for precision guidance in navigation systems. High performance and low noise transceivers with high optical power and good spectral quality were fabricated using a silicon-bench architecture. Low loss phase modulators with low halfwave drive voltage (Vπ) have been fabricated with a backscatter compensated design using polarizing waveguides consisting of CLD- and FTC-type high performance electro-optic (E-O) chromophores. Gyro bias stability of less than 0.02° h-1 has been demonstrated with these guided-wave components.

KSC-2012-1012

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a printable poster of the aerospace companies NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) entered into Space Act Agreements with during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) activities in 2011 in order to mature the design and development of crew transportation systems with the overall goal of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station. CCDev2 companies are Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Blue Origin, The Boeing Co., Excalibur Almaz Inc., Sierra Nevada Corp., Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), and United Launch Alliance (ULA). The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industry’s own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

KSC-2012-1009

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a printable banner of the aerospace companies NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) entered into Space Act Agreements with during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) activities in 2011 in order to mature the design and development of crew transportation systems with the overall goal of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station. CCDev2 companies are Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Blue Origin, The Boeing Co., Excalibur Almaz Inc., Sierra Nevada Corp., Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), and United Launch Alliance (ULA). The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industry’s own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

An advanced pitch change mechanism incorporating a hybrid traction drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, B. M.; Loewenthal, S. H.; Sargisson, D. F.; White, G.

1984-01-01

A design of a propeller pitch control mechanism is described that meets the demanding requirements of a high-power, advanced turboprop. In this application, blade twisting moment torque can be comparable to that of the main reduction gearbox output: precise pitch control, reliability and compactness are all at a premium. A key element in the design is a compact, high-ratio hybrid traction drive which offers low torque ripple and high torsional stiffness. The traction drive couples a high speed electric motor/alternator unit to a ball screw that actuates the blade control links. The technical merits of this arrangement and the performance characteristics of the traction drive are discussed.

3D vision system assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pezzaniti, J. Larry; Edmondson, Richard; Vaden, Justin; Hyatt, Bryan; Chenault, David B.; Kingston, David; Geulen, Vanilynmae; Newell, Scott; Pettijohn, Brad

2009-02-01

In this paper, we report on the development of a 3D vision system consisting of a flat panel stereoscopic display and auto-converging stereo camera and an assessment of the system's use for robotic driving, manipulation, and surveillance operations. The 3D vision system was integrated onto a Talon Robot and Operator Control Unit (OCU) such that direct comparisons of the performance of a number of test subjects using 2D and 3D vision systems were possible. A number of representative scenarios were developed to determine which tasks benefited most from the added depth perception and to understand when the 3D vision system hindered understanding of the scene. Two tests were conducted at Fort Leonard Wood, MO with noncommissioned officers ranked Staff Sergeant and Sergeant First Class. The scenarios; the test planning, approach and protocols; the data analysis; and the resulting performance assessment of the 3D vision system are reported.

Design of a robotic vehicle with self-contained intelligent wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulson, Eric A.; Jacob, John S.; Gunderson, Robert W.; Abbott, Ben A.

1998-08-01

The Center for Intelligent Systems has developed a small robotic vehicle named the Advanced Rover Chassis 3 (ARC 3) with six identical intelligent wheel units attached to a payload via a passive linkage suspension system. All wheels are steerable, so the ARC 3 can move in any direction while rotating at any rate allowed by the terrain and motors. Each intelligent wheel unit contains a drive motor, steering motor, batteries, and computer. All wheel units are identical, so manufacturing, programing, and spare replacement are greatly simplified. The intelligent wheel concept would allow the number and placement of wheels on the vehicle to be changed with no changes to the control system, except to list the position of all the wheels relative to the vehicle center. The task of controlling the ARC 3 is distributed between one master computer and the wheel computers. Tasks such as controlling the steering motors and calculating the speed of each wheel relative to the vehicle speed in a corner are dependent on the location of a wheel relative to the vehicle center and ar processed by the wheel computers. Conflicts between the wheels are eliminated by computing the vehicle velocity control in the master computer. Various approaches to this distributed control problem, and various low level control methods, have been explored.

NICOLAU: compact unit for photometric characterization of automotive lighting from near-field measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royo, Santiago; Arranz, Maria J.; Arasa, Josep; Cattoen, Michel; Bosch, Thierry

2005-02-01

The present works depicts a measurement technique intended to enhance the characterization procedures of the photometric emissions of automotive headlamps, with potential applications to any light source emission, either automotive or non-automotive. A CCD array with a precisely characterized optical system is used for sampling the luminance field of the headlamp just a few centimetres in front of it, by combining deflectometric techniques (yielding the direction of the light beams) and photometric techniques (yielding the energy travelling in each direction). The CCD array scans the measurement plane using a self-developed mechanical unit and electronics, and then image-processing techniques are used for obtaining the photometric behaviour of the headlamp in any given plane, in particular in the plane and positions required by current normative, but also on the road, on traffic signs, etc. An overview of the construction of the system, of the considered principle of measurement, and of the main calibrations performed on the unit is presented. First results concerning relative measurements are presented compared both to reference data from a photometric tunnel and from a plane placed 5m away from the source. Preliminary results for the absolute photometric calibration of the system are also presented for different illumination beams of different headlamps (driving and passing beam).

[Impact of driving cessation on daily transportation utility in elderly people with cognitive decline: a survey of patients in the memory clinic of an urban university hospital].

PubMed

Kawano, Naoko; Makino, Taeko; Suzuki, Yusuke; Umegaki, Hiroyuki

2009-09-01

In the present study our goal was to explore the impact of driving cessation on daily transportation utility in older people with cognitive decline. A total of 101 older persons participated in our survey of responding of a questionnaire about driving and other methods for traveling, administered at the memory clinic of the geriatric outpatient unit of Nagoya University Hospital. Of this total, 48 (47.5%) still had driving licenses, 16 (15.8%) had licenses that had expired, and 37 (36.6%) had no driving experience. The majority of license holders (77.1%) were active drivers, and we found that license holders tend to utilize public transport loss than older people without driving experience. Furthermore, among those who had ceased driving, there was a contrast in daily transportation utility between those with dementia and those without dementia, with the former accessing public transport less frequently. When clinicians advise drivers with dementia to cease driving, these patients need special attention to assist them in providing alternative ways of transportation.

Do root hydraulic properties change during the early vegetative stage of plant development in barley (Hordeum vulgare)?

PubMed Central

Suku, Shimi; Knipfer, Thorsten; Fricke, Wieland

2014-01-01

Background and Aims As annual crops develop, transpirational water loss increases substantially. This increase has to be matched by an increase in water uptake through the root system. The aim of this study was to assess the contributions of changes in intrinsic root hydraulic conductivity (Lp, water uptake per unit root surface area, driving force and time), driving force and root surface area to developmental increases in root water uptake. Methods Hydroponically grown barley plants were analysed during four windows of their vegetative stage of development, when they were 9–13, 14–18, 19–23 and 24–28 d old. Hydraulic conductivity was determined for individual roots (Lp) and for entire root systems (Lpr). Osmotic Lp of individual seminal and adventitious roots and osmotic Lpr of the root system were determined in exudation experiments. Hydrostatic Lp of individual roots was determined by root pressure probe analyses, and hydrostatic Lpr of the root system was derived from analyses of transpiring plants. Key Results Although osmotic and hydrostatic Lp and Lpr values increased initially during development and were correlated positively with plant transpiration rate, their overall developmental increases (about 2-fold) were small compared with increases in transpirational water loss and root surface area (about 10- to 40-fold). The water potential gradient driving water uptake in transpiring plants more than doubled during development, and potentially contributed to the increases in plant water flow. Osmotic Lpr of entire root systems and hydrostatic Lpr of transpiring plants were similar, suggesting that the main radial transport path in roots was the cell-to-cell path at all developmental stages. Conclusions Increase in the surface area of root system, and not changes in intrinsic root hydraulic properties, is the main means through which barley plants grown hydroponically sustain an increase in transpirational water loss during their vegetative development. PMID:24287810

Do root hydraulic properties change during the early vegetative stage of plant development in barley (Hordeum vulgare)?

PubMed

Suku, Shimi; Knipfer, Thorsten; Fricke, Wieland

2014-02-01

As annual crops develop, transpirational water loss increases substantially. This increase has to be matched by an increase in water uptake through the root system. The aim of this study was to assess the contributions of changes in intrinsic root hydraulic conductivity (Lp, water uptake per unit root surface area, driving force and time), driving force and root surface area to developmental increases in root water uptake. Hydroponically grown barley plants were analysed during four windows of their vegetative stage of development, when they were 9-13, 14-18, 19-23 and 24-28 d old. Hydraulic conductivity was determined for individual roots (Lp) and for entire root systems (Lp(r)). Osmotic Lp of individual seminal and adventitious roots and osmotic Lp(r) of the root system were determined in exudation experiments. Hydrostatic Lp of individual roots was determined by root pressure probe analyses, and hydrostatic Lp(r) of the root system was derived from analyses of transpiring plants. Although osmotic and hydrostatic Lp and Lp(r) values increased initially during development and were correlated positively with plant transpiration rate, their overall developmental increases (about 2-fold) were small compared with increases in transpirational water loss and root surface area (about 10- to 40-fold). The water potential gradient driving water uptake in transpiring plants more than doubled during development, and potentially contributed to the increases in plant water flow. Osmotic Lp(r) of entire root systems and hydrostatic Lp(r) of transpiring plants were similar, suggesting that the main radial transport path in roots was the cell-to-cell path at all developmental stages. Increase in the surface area of root system, and not changes in intrinsic root hydraulic properties, is the main means through which barley plants grown hydroponically sustain an increase in transpirational water loss during their vegetative development.

Sex Differences in the Effects of Marijuana on Simulated Driving Performance†

PubMed Central

Anderson, Beth M.; Rizzo, Matthew; Block, Robert I.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; O'Leary, Daniel S.

2011-01-01

In the United States, one in six teenagers has driven under the influence of marijuana. Driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol is equally prevalent, despite the fact that marijuana use is less common than alcohol use. Much of the research examining the effects of marijuana on driving performance was conducted in the 1970s and led to equivocal findings. During that time, few studies included women and driving simulators were rudimentary. Further, the potency of marijuana commonly used recreationally has increased. This study examined sex differences in the acute effects of marijuana on driving performance using a realistic, validated driving simulator. Eighty-five subjects (n = 50 males, 35 females) participated in this between-subjects, double-blind, placebo controlled study. In addition to an uneventful, baseline segment of driving, participants were challenged with collision avoidance and distracted driving scenarios. Under the influence of marijuana, participants decreased their speed and failed to show expected practice effects during a distracted drive. No differences were found during the baseline driving segment or collision avoidance scenarios. No differences attributable to sex were observed. This study enhances the current literature by identifying distracted driving and the integration of prior experience as particularly problematic under the influence of marijuana. PMID:20464803

Batu Pahat Driving Cycle for Light Duty Gasoline Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainul Abidin, Zainul Ameerul Ikhsan B.; Faisal Hushim, Mohd; Ahmad, Osman Bin

2017-08-01

Driving cycle is a series of data points that represents the vehicle speed versus time. Transient driving cycles involve many changes such as frequent speed changes during typical on-road driving condition [2]. Model driving cycles involve protracted periods at constant speeds. The Batu Pahat Driving Cycle (BPDC) developed to represent the driving pattern of people in a district of Batu Pahat. Based on this driving cycle, it will be a reference to other researchers to study about the gases emission release and fuel consumption by the vehicle on the dynamometer or automotive simulation based on this driving cycle. Existing driving cycles used such as the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the Federal Test Procedure (FTP-72/75, and Japan 10-15 Mode Cycle is not appropriate for Batu Pahat district because of different road conditions, driving habits and environmental of developed driving cycle countries are not same [2][14]. Batu Pahat drive cycle was developed for low-capacity gasoline engine under 150 cc and operating on urban roads, rural roads and road around Universiti Tun Hussein Onn. The importance of these driving cycle as the reference for other research to measure and do automotive simulation regarding fuel consumption and gas emission release from the motorcycle for these three type of driving cycle area. Another use for driving cycles is in vehicle simulations [3]. More specifically, they are used in propulsion system simulations to predict the performance of internal combustion engines, transmissions, electric drive systems, batteries, fuel cell systems, and similar components [18]. Data collection methods used in this study is the use of Global Positioning System (GPS). The results obtained are not similar to each other due to differences in congestion on data taken. From the driving cycle graph obtained, such as the average velocity, maximum velocity, the duration and Positive Acceleration Kinetic Energy (PKE) can be determined. In addition, the best driving cycle sample can be determined from the sum of error calculated. The least sum of error means the best driving cycle

32 CFR 634.46 - Point system procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Records and the Traffic Point System § 634.46 Point system procedures. (a) Reports of moving traffic violations recorded on DD Form 1408 or... traffic points or the suspension or revocation of driving privileges on the person's driving record...

32 CFR 634.46 - Point system procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Driving Records and the Traffic Point System § 634.46 Point system procedures. (a) Reports of moving traffic violations recorded on DD Form 1408 or... traffic points or the suspension or revocation of driving privileges on the person's driving record...

Fifteen Years of Operation at NASA's National Transonic Facility with the World's Largest Adjustable Speed Drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sydnor, George H.; Bhatia, Ram; Krattiger, Hansueli; Mylius, Justus; Schafer, D.

2012-01-01

In September 1995, a project was initiated to replace the existing drive line at NASA's most unique transonic wind tunnel, the National Transonic Facility (NTF), with a single 101 MW synchronous motor driven by a Load Commutated Inverter (LCI). This Adjustable Speed Drive (ASD) system also included a custom four-winding transformer, harmonic filter, exciter, switch gear, control system, and feeder cable. The complete system requirements and design details have previously been presented and published [1], as well as the commissioning and acceptance test results [2]. The NTF was returned to service in December 1997 with the new drive system powering the fan. Today, this installation still represents the world s largest horizontal single motor/drive combination. This paper describes some significant events that occurred with the drive system during the first 15 years of service. These noteworthy issues are analyzed and root causes presented. Improvements that have substantially increased the long term viability of the system are given.

Improving homogeneity by dynamic speed limit systems.

PubMed

van Nes, Nicole; Brandenburg, Stefan; Twisk, Divera

2010-05-01

Homogeneity of driving speeds is an important variable in determining road safety; more homogeneous driving speeds increase road safety. This study investigates the effect of introducing dynamic speed limit systems on homogeneity of driving speeds. A total of 46 subjects twice drove a route along 12 road sections in a driving simulator. The speed limit system (static-dynamic), the sophistication of the dynamic speed limit system (basic roadside, advanced roadside, and advanced in-car) and the situational condition (dangerous-non-dangerous) were varied. The homogeneity of driving speed, the rated credibility of the posted speed limit and the acceptance of the different dynamic speed limit systems were assessed. The results show that the homogeneity of individual speeds, defined as the variation in driving speed for an individual subject along a particular road section, was higher with the dynamic speed limit system than with the static speed limit system. The more sophisticated dynamic speed limit system tested within this study led to higher homogeneity than the less sophisticated systems. The acceptance of the dynamic speed limit systems used in this study was positive, they were perceived as quite useful and rather satisfactory. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decomposition of the drivers of the U.S. hospital spending growth, 2001–2009

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background United States health care spending rose rapidly in the 2000s, after a period of temporary slowdown in the 1990s. However, the description of the overall trend and the understanding of the underlying drivers of this trend are very limited. This study investigates how well historical hospital cost/revenue drivers explain the recent hospital spending trend in the 2000s, and how important each of these drivers is. Methods We used aggregated time series data to describe the trend in total hospital spending, price, and quantity between 2001 and 2009. We used the Oaxaca-Blinder method to investigate the relative importance of major hospital cost/spending drivers (derived from the literature) in explaining the change in hospital spending patterns between 2001 and 2007. We assembled data from Medicare Cost Reports, American Hospital Association annual surveys, Prospective Payment System (PPS) Impact Files, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) Medicare claims data, InterStudy reports, National Health Expenditure data, and Area Resource Files. Results Aggregated time series trends show that high hospital spending between 2001 and 2009 appears to be driven by higher payment per unit of hospital output, not by increased utilization. Results using the Oaxaca-Blinder regression decomposition method indicate that changes in historically important spending drivers explain a limited 30% of unit-payment growth, but a higher 60% of utilization growth. Hospital staffing and labor-related costs, casemix, and demographics are the most important drivers of higher hospital revenue, utilization, and unit-payment. Technology is associated with lower utilization, higher unit payment, and limited increases in total revenue. Market competition, primarily because of increased managed care concentration, moderates total revenue growth by driving lower unit payment. Conclusions Much of the rapidly rising hospital spending growth in the 2000s in the United States is driven by factors not commonly known or well measured. Future studies need to explore new factors and dynamics that drive longer-term hospital spending growth in recent years, particularly through the channel of higher prices. PMID:24886580

Cognitive Load Measurement in a Virtual Reality-based Driving System for Autism Intervention

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lian; Wade, Joshua; Bian, Dayi; Fan, Jing; Swanson, Amy; Weitlauf, Amy; Warren, Zachary; Sarkar, Nilanjan

2016-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with enormous individual and social cost. In this paper, a novel virtual reality (VR)-based driving system was introduced to teach driving skills to adolescents with ASD. This driving system is capable of gathering eye gaze, electroencephalography, and peripheral physiology data in addition to driving performance data. The objective of this paper is to fuse multimodal information to measure cognitive load during driving such that driving tasks can be individualized for optimal skill learning. Individualization of ASD intervention is an important criterion due to the spectrum nature of the disorder. Twenty adolescents with ASD participated in our study and the data collected were used for systematic feature extraction and classification of cognitive loads based on five well-known machine learning methods. Subsequently, three information fusion schemes—feature level fusion, decision level fusion and hybrid level fusion—were explored. Results indicate that multimodal information fusion can be used to measure cognitive load with high accuracy. Such a mechanism is essential since it will allow individualization of driving skill training based on cognitive load, which will facilitate acceptance of this driving system for clinical use and eventual commercialization. PMID:28966730

Cognitive Load Measurement in a Virtual Reality-based Driving System for Autism Intervention.

PubMed

Zhang, Lian; Wade, Joshua; Bian, Dayi; Fan, Jing; Swanson, Amy; Weitlauf, Amy; Warren, Zachary; Sarkar, Nilanjan

2017-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with enormous individual and social cost. In this paper, a novel virtual reality (VR)-based driving system was introduced to teach driving skills to adolescents with ASD. This driving system is capable of gathering eye gaze, electroencephalography, and peripheral physiology data in addition to driving performance data. The objective of this paper is to fuse multimodal information to measure cognitive load during driving such that driving tasks can be individualized for optimal skill learning. Individualization of ASD intervention is an important criterion due to the spectrum nature of the disorder. Twenty adolescents with ASD participated in our study and the data collected were used for systematic feature extraction and classification of cognitive loads based on five well-known machine learning methods. Subsequently, three information fusion schemes-feature level fusion, decision level fusion and hybrid level fusion-were explored. Results indicate that multimodal information fusion can be used to measure cognitive load with high accuracy. Such a mechanism is essential since it will allow individualization of driving skill training based on cognitive load, which will facilitate acceptance of this driving system for clinical use and eventual commercialization.

Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). Performance Verification Report: METSAT AMSU-A2 Antenna Drive Subsystem, P/N 1331200-2, S/N 106

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higgins, T.

1998-01-01

An antenna drive subsystem test was performed on the METSAT AMSU-A2 S/N 106 instrument. The objective of the test was to demonstrate compliance with applicable paragraphs of AMSU-A specifications S480-80. Tests were conducted at both the subassembly and instrument level.

A Summary of Closed Brayton Cycle Development Activities at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee S.

2009-01-01

NASA has been involved in the development of Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) power conversion technology since the 1960's. CBC systems can be coupled to reactor, isotope, or solar heat sources and offer the potential for high efficiency, long life, and scalability to high power. In the 1960's and 1970's, NASA and industry developed the 10 kW Brayton Rotating Unit (BRU) and the 2 kW mini-BRU demonstrating technical feasibility and performance, In the 1980's, a 25 kW CBC Solar Dynamic (SD) power system option was developed for Space Station Freedom and the technology was demonstrated in the 1990's as part of the 2 kW SO Ground Test Demonstration (GTD). Since the early 2000's, NASA has been pursuing CBC technology for space reactor applications. Before it was cancelled, the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (HMO) mission was considering a 100 kWclass CBC system coupled to a gas-cooled fission reactor. Currently, CBC technology is being explored for Fission Surface Power (FSP) systems to provide base power on the moon and Mars. These recent activities have resulted in several CBC-related technology development projects including a 50 kW Alternator Test Unit, a 20 kW Dual Brayton Test Loop, a 2 kW Direct Drive Gas Brayton Test Loop, and a 12 kW FSP Power Conversion Unit design.

Alcohol drinking, mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes, and alcohol metabolic genotypes in drunk drivers.

PubMed

Pavanello, Sofia; Snenghi, Rossella; Nalesso, Alessandro; Sartore, Daniela; Ferrara, Santo Davide; Montisci, Massimo

2012-02-01

Regular and irregular abuse of alcohol are global health priorities associated with diseases at multiple sites, including cancer. Mechanisms of diseases induced by alcohol are closely related to its metabolism. Among conventional markers of alcohol abuse, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of erythrocytes is prognostic of alcohol-related cancer and its predictivity increases when combined with functional polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1B [rs1229984] and ADH1C [rs698]) and the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2 [rs671]). Whether these genetic variants can influence abuse in alcohol drinking and MCV has never been examined in drunk-driving traffic offenders. We examined 149 drunk drivers, diagnosed as alcohol abusers according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and enrolled in a probation program, and 257 social drinkers (controls), all Caucasian males. Alcohol intake was assessed according to self-reported drink-units/d and MCV unadjusted and adjusted for age, smoking, and body mass index. Multivariable models were used to compute MCV adjusted means. Genotype analyses were performed by PCR on DNA from blood. The adjusted MCV mean was higher in drunk-driving abusers than in controls (92 vs. 91fL; P<.0001) and increased with the number of drink-units/d in both abusers and controls (P-trend=.0316 and .0089) already at intermediate quantities (0-1 vs. 2-4 drink-units/d: P=.054 and .024). Carriers of the common ADH1B*1/*1 (rs1229984) genotype were more likely to be drunk-driving abusers (P=.008), reported higher drink-units/d (P=.0126), and had larger MCV (P=.035). The rs698 ADH1C and rs671 ALDH2 polymorphisms were not associated with MCV. ADH1B*1/*1 polymorphism is significantly associated with being a drunk-driving abuser, higher alcohol drinking, and MCV enlargement. This suggests that drunk drivers with augmented MCV modulated by the alcohol metabolic ADH1B*1/*1 genotype may be at higher risk of driving incapability and of alcohol-related cancer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Signal processing and control challenges for smart vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hui; Braun, Simon G.

2017-03-01

Smart phones have changed not only the mobile phone market but also our society during the past few years. Could the next potential intelligent device may be the vehicle? Judging by the visibility, in all media, of the numerous attempts to develop autonomous vehicles, this is certainly one of the logical outcomes. Smart vehicles would be equipped with an advanced operating system such that the vehicles could communicate with others, optimize the operation to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, enhance safety, or even become self-driving. These combined new features of vehicles require instrumentation and hardware developments, fast signal processing/fusion, decision making and online optimization. Meanwhile, the inevitable increasing system complexity would certainly challenges the control unit design.

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON REGIONAL AIR QUALITY OVER THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation summarizes recent results produced in support of the assessment of climate change impacts on ozone and particulate matter over the continental United States. Preliminary findings of climate scenario, meteorologically-drive emissions and air quality simulation a...

Ambulatory Healthcare Utilization in the United States: A System Dynamics Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diaz, Rafael; Behr, Joshua G.; Tulpule, Mandar

2011-01-01

Ambulatory health care needs within the United States are served by a wide range of hospitals, clinics, and private practices. The Emergency Department (ED) functions as an important point of supply for ambulatory healthcare services. Growth in our aging populations as well as changes stemming from broader healthcare reform are expected to continue trend in congestion and increasing demand for ED services. While congestion is, in part, a manifestation of unmatched demand, the state of the alignment between the demand for, and supply of, emergency department services affects quality of care and profitability. The central focus of this research is to provide an explanation of the salient factors at play within the dynamic demand-supply tensions within which ambulatory care is provided within an Emergency Department. A System Dynamics (SO) simulation model is used to capture the complexities among the intricate balance and conditional effects at play within the demand-supply emergency department environment. Conceptual clarification of the forces driving the elements within the system , quantifying these elements, and empirically capturing the interaction among these elements provides actionable knowledge for operational and strategic decision-making.

Epilepsy and driving: an international perspective. Joint Commission on Drivers' Licensing of the International Bureau for Epilepsy and the International League Against Epilepsy.

PubMed

Fisher, R S; Parsonage, M; Beaussart, M; Bladin, P; Masland, R; Sonnen, A E; Rémillard, G

1994-01-01

Individuals with a history of seizures may be granted driving privileges if the risks of future seizure while driving are relatively low. Different nations have defined these risks in a wide variety of ways. Some countries, e.g., Japan, Greece, Brazil, India, and Russia, preclude driving after a single seizure. Other countries, such as Canada and the United States, allow driving < or = 3 months after certain types of seizures. A Joint Commission of the International Bureau for Epilepsy/International League Against Epilepsy has summarized regulations in several countries. From a consideration of medical literature and existing practices, a series of proposed guidelines for driving and epilepsy is recommended. In general, these guidelines suggest use of a seizure-free interval, generally 1-2 years but less in particular instances, to determine fitness to drive. Required physician reporting is discouraged, but physicians should report patients whom they believe pose a danger to themselves and to public safety. Individualized consideration should be given to special circumstances that may modify a general driving prohibition. Education and information programs are necessary for medical and regulatory authorities to develop a rational approach to driving and epilepsy worldwide.

Reconfigurable Drive Current System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C. (Inventor); Dutton, Kenneth R. (Inventor); Howard, David E. (Inventor); Smith, Dennis A. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A reconfigurable drive current system includes drive stages, each of which includes a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor in a totem pole configuration. A current monitor is coupled to an output of each drive stage. Input channels are provided to receive input signals. A processor is coupled to the input channels and to each current monitor for generating at least one drive signal using at least one of the input signals and current measured by at least one of the current monitors. A pulse width modulation generator is coupled to the processor and each drive stage for varying the drive signals as a function of time prior to being supplied to at least one of the drive stages.

Trade-off study and computer simulation for assessing spacecraft pointing accuracy and stability capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Algrain, Marcelo C.; Powers, Richard M.

1997-05-01

A case study, written in a tutorial manner, is presented where a comprehensive computer simulation is developed to determine the driving factors contributing to spacecraft pointing accuracy and stability. Models for major system components are described. Among them are spacecraft bus, attitude controller, reaction wheel assembly, star-tracker unit, inertial reference unit, and gyro drift estimators (Kalman filter). The predicted spacecraft performance is analyzed for a variety of input commands and system disturbances. The primary deterministic inputs are the desired attitude angles and rate set points. The stochastic inputs include random torque disturbances acting on the spacecraft, random gyro bias noise, gyro random walk, and star-tracker noise. These inputs are varied over a wide range to determine their effects on pointing accuracy and stability. The results are presented in the form of trade- off curves designed to facilitate the proper selection of subsystems so that overall spacecraft pointing accuracy and stability requirements are met.

Dynamical origin of complex motor patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, L. M.; Alliende, J. A.; Mindlin, G. B.

2010-11-01

Behavior emerges as the nervous system generates motor patterns in charge of driving a peripheral biomechanical device. For several cases in the animal kingdom, it has been identified that the motor patterns used in order to accomplish a diversity of tasks are the different solutions of a simple, low dimensional nonlinear dynamical system. Yet, motor patterns emerge from the interaction of an enormous number of individual dynamical units. In this work, we study the dynamics of the average activity of a large set of coupled excitable units which are periodically forced. We show that low dimensional, yet non trivial dynamics emerges. As a case study, we analyze the air sac pressure patterns used by domestic canaries during song, which consists of a succession of repetitions of different syllable types. We show that the pressure patterns used to generate different syllables can be approximated by the solutions of the investigated model. In this way, we are capable of integrating different description scales of our problem.

Empathizing-systemizing cognitive styles: Effects of sex and academic degree

PubMed Central

Kaganovskiy, Leon; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2018-01-01

This study tests if the drives to empathize (E) and systemize (S), measured by the Systemizing Quotient-Revised (SQ-R) and Empathy Quotient (EQ), show effects of sex and academic degree. The responses of 419 students from the Humanities and the Physical Sciences were analyzed in terms of the E-S theory predictions. Results confirm that there is an interaction between sex, degree and the drive to empathize relative to systemize. Female students in the Humanities on average had a stronger drive to empathize than to systemize in comparison to males in the Humanities. Male students in the Sciences on average had a stronger drive to systemize than to empathize in comparison to females in the Sciences. Finally, students in the sciences on average had a stronger drive to systemize more than to empathize, irrespective of their sex. The reverse is true for students in the Humanities. These results strongly replicate earlier findings. PMID:29579056

Current Research Activities in Drive System Technology in Support of the NASA Rotorcraft Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handschuh, Robert F.; Zakrajsek, James J.

2006-01-01

Drive system technology is a key area for improving rotorcraft performance, noise/vibration reduction, and reducing operational and manufacturing costs. An overview of current research areas that support the NASA Rotorcraft Program will be provided. Work in drive system technology is mainly focused within three research areas: advanced components, thermal behavior/emergency lubrication system operation, and diagnostics/prognostics (also known as Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS)). Current research activities in each of these activities will be presented. Also, an overview of the conceptual drive system requirements and possible arrangements for the Heavy Lift Rotorcraft program will be reviewed.

Distracted driving: prevalence, problems, and prevention.

PubMed

Overton, Tiffany L; Rives, Terry E; Hecht, Carrie; Shafi, Shahid; Gandhi, Rajesh R

2015-01-01

While the number of motor vehicle crashes has declined over the years, crashes resulting from distracted driving are increasing in the United States resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The national public seems to be aware of the dangers associated with using technology while driving, but continues to engage in this dangerous behaviour, and may be unaware of or underestimate the impact of cell phone use on their own driving performance. Problems associated with distracted driving are not limited to novice or teenage drivers; multifaceted universal prevention efforts aimed at impacting large segments of the population may have the greatest impact. Legislation limiting drivers' cell phone use has had little impact, possibly due to low regulation and enforcement. Behaviour change programmes, improved vehicle safety, and public awareness campaigns have been developed as potential preventive efforts to reduce accidents caused by distracted drivers.

Powertrain system for a hybrid electric vehicle

DOEpatents

Reed, Jr., Richard G.; Boberg, Evan S.; Lawrie, Robert E.; Castaing, Francois J.

1999-08-31

A hybrid electric powertrain system is provided including an electric motor/generator drivingly engaged with the drive shaft of a transmission. The electric is utilized for synchronizing the rotation of the drive shaft with the driven shaft during gear shift operations. In addition, a mild hybrid concept is provided which utilizes a smaller electric motor than typical hybrid powertrain systems. Because the electric motor is drivingly engaged with the drive shaft of the transmission, the electric motor/generator is driven at high speed even when the vehicle speed is low so that the electric motor/generator provides more efficient regeneration.

Powertrain system for a hybrid electric vehicle

DOEpatents

Reed, R.G. Jr.; Boberg, E.S.; Lawrie, R.E.; Castaing, F.J.

1999-08-31

A hybrid electric powertrain system is provided including an electric motor/generator drivingly engaged with the drive shaft of a transmission. The electric is utilized for synchronizing the rotation of the drive shaft with the driven shaft during gear shift operations. In addition, a mild hybrid concept is provided which utilizes a smaller electric motor than typical hybrid powertrain systems. Because the electric motor is drivingly engaged with the drive shaft of the transmission, the electric motor/generator is driven at high speed even when the vehicle speed is low so that the electric motor/generator provides more efficient regeneration. 34 figs.

Hand on the wheel, mind on the mobile: an analysis of social factors contributing to texting while driving.

PubMed

Seiler, Steven J

2015-02-01

In an era defined by social technology, mobile phones provide constant connection to others. However, they also present a very dangerous situation when people choose to use their mobile phones while driving. In particular, exchanging text messages while driving has resulted in numerous accidents and fatalities. The purpose of this study is to examine social factors that lead people to text while driving. Specifically, using a multivariate logistic regression analysis of data from a 2010 survey by the Pew Research Center, variables for general mobile talk, driving while talking on a mobile, using the Internet on a mobile, sexting, and various motivations for texting were examined to determine factors that increase the likelihood of texting while driving. The findings suggest that people engage in mobile multiplexing (i.e., communication using two or more media on the mobile) while driving. Additionally, exchanging text messages in public, and consequently texting while driving, has become normalized. Furthermore, people are socialized into such behaviors through observing others texting while driving and using a mobile recklessly while driving. Finally, a number of motivations for texting were found to increase the likelihood of texting while driving significantly. Ultimately, the author contends that texting while driving has become a cultural artifact in the United States, which conflicts with driver safety as well as laws prohibiting texting while driving. The findings of this study could inform future awareness campaigns and technology developers to help establish a safer driving environment within the multitasking culture.

Transforming administrative data into real-time information in the Department of Surgery.

PubMed

Beaulieu, Peter A; Higgins, John H; Dacey, Lawrence J; Nugent, William C; DeFoe, Gordon R; Likosky, Donald S

2010-10-01

Cardiothoracic surgical programmes face increasingly more complex procedures performed on evermore challenging patients. Public and private stakeholders are demanding these programmes report process-level and clinical outcomes as a mechanism for enabling quality assurance and informed clinical decision-making. Increasingly these measures are being tied to reimbursement and institutional accreditation. The authors developed a system for linking administrative and clinical registries, in real-time, to track performance in satisfying the needs of the patients and stakeholders, as well as helping to drive continuous quality improvement. A relational surgical database was developed to link prospectively collected clinical data to administrative data sources at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Institutional performance was displayed over time using process control charts, and compared with both internal and regional benchmarks. Quarterly reports have been generated and automated for five surgical cohorts. Data are displayed externally on our dedicated website, and internally in the cardiothoracic surgical office suites, operating room theatre and nursing units. Monthly discussions are held with the clinical staff and have resulted in the development of quality-improvement projects. The delivery of clinical care in isolation of data and information is no longer prudent or acceptable. The present study suggests that an automated and real-time computer system may provide rich sources of data that may be used to drive improvements in the quality of care. Current and future work will be focused on identifying opportunities to integrate these data into the fabric of the delivery of care to drive process improvement.

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

Wang, Shi-bing, E-mail: wang-shibing@dlut.edu.cn, E-mail: wangxy@dlut.edu.cn; Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024; Wang, Xing-yuan, E-mail: wang-shibing@dlut.edu.cn, E-mail: wangxy@dlut.edu.cn

With comprehensive consideration of generalized synchronization, combination synchronization and adaptive control, this paper investigates a novel adaptive generalized combination complex synchronization (AGCCS) scheme for different real and complex nonlinear systems with unknown parameters. On the basis of Lyapunov stability theory and adaptive control, an AGCCS controller and parameter update laws are derived to achieve synchronization and parameter identification of two real drive systems and a complex response system, as well as two complex drive systems and a real response system. Two simulation examples, namely, ACGCS for chaotic real Lorenz and Chen systems driving a hyperchaotic complex Lü system, and hyperchaoticmore » complex Lorenz and Chen systems driving a real chaotic Lü system, are presented to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed scheme.« less

Propulsion Electric Grid Simulator (PEGS) for Future Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Benjamin B.; Morrison, Carlos; Dever, Timothy; Brown, Gerald V.

2014-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center, in collaboration with the aerospace industry and academia, has begun the development of technology for a future hybrid-wing body electric airplane with a turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) system. It is essential to design a subscale system to emulate the TeDP power grid, which would enable rapid analysis and demonstration of the proof-of-concept of the TeDP electrical system. This paper describes how small electrical machines with their controllers can emulate all the components in a TeDP power train. The whole system model in Matlab/Simulink was first developed and tested in simulation, and the simulation results showed that system dynamic characteristics could be implemented by using the closed-loop control of the electric motor drive systems. Then we designed a subscale experimental system to emulate the entire power system from the turbine engine to the propulsive fans. Firstly, we built a system to emulate a gas turbine engine driving a generator, consisting of two permanent magnet (PM) motors with brushless motor drives, coupled by a shaft. We programmed the first motor and its drive to mimic the speed-torque characteristic of the gas turbine engine, while the second motor and drive act as a generator and produce a torque load on the first motor. Secondly, we built another system of two PM motors and drives to emulate a motor driving a propulsive fan. We programmed the first motor and drive to emulate a wound-rotor synchronous motor. The propulsive fan was emulated by implementing fan maps and flight conditions into the fourth motor and drive, which produce a torque load on the driving motor. The stator of each PM motor is designed to travel axially to change the coupling between rotor and stator. This feature allows the PM motor to more closely emulate a wound-rotor synchronous machine. These techniques can convert the plain motor system into a unique TeDP power grid emulator that enables real-time simulation performance using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL).

A single cell penetration system by ultrasonic driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhaoying; Xiao, Mingfei; Yang, Xing; Wu, Ting

2008-12-01

The researches of single cell's control and operation are the hotspots in whole world. Among the various technologies, the transmission of ectogenic genetic materials between cell membrane is very significant. Imitating the Chinese traditional acupuncture therapy, a new ultrasonic resonance driving method, is imported to drive a cell's penetration probe. A set of the single cell penetration system was established to perform this function. This system includes four subsystems: driving part, micromanipulation part, observation and measurement part, and actuation part. Some fish egg experiments indicate that this system is workable and effective.

Atomic Scale Control of Competing Electronic Phases in Ultrathin Correlated Oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Kyle

2015-03-01

Ultrathin epitaxial thin films offer a number of unique advantages for engineering the electronic properties of correlated transition metal oxides. For example, atomically thin films can be synthesized to artificially confine electrons in two dimensions. Furthermore, using a substrate with a mismatched lattice constant can impose large biaxial strains of larger than 3% (Δa / a), much larger than can achieved in bulk single crystals. Since these dimensionally confined or strained systems may necessarily be less than a few unit cells thick, investigating their properties and electronic structure can be particularly challenging. We employ a combination of reactive oxide molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) to investigate how dimensional confinement and epitaxial strain can be used to manipulate electronic properties and structure in correlated transition metal oxide thin films. We describe some of our recent work manipulating and studying the electronic structure of ultrathin LaNiO3 through a thickness-driven metal-insulator transition between three and two unit cells (Nature Nanotechnology 9, 443, 2014), where coherent Fermi liquid-like quasiparticles are suppressed at the metal-insulator transition observed in transport. We also will describe some recent unpublished work using epitaxial strain to drive a Lifshitz transition in atomically thin films of the spin-triplet ruthenate superconductor Sr2RuO4, where we also can dramatically alter the quasiparticle scattering rates and drive the system towards non-Fermi liquid behavior near the critical point (B. Burganov, C. Adamo, in preparation). Funding provided by the Office of Naval Research and Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Virtual groundwater transfers from overexploited aquifers in the United States

PubMed Central

Marston, Landon; Konar, Megan; Cai, Ximing; Troy, Tara J.

2015-01-01

The High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems within the United States are currently being overexploited for irrigation water supplies. The unsustainable use of groundwater resources in all three aquifer systems intensified from 2000 to 2008, making it imperative that we understand the consumptive processes and forces of demand that are driving their depletion. To this end, we quantify and track agricultural virtual groundwater transfers from these overexploited aquifer systems to their final destination. Specifically, we determine which US metropolitan areas, US states, and international export destinations are currently the largest consumers of these critical aquifers. We draw upon US government data on agricultural production, irrigation, and domestic food flows, as well as modeled estimates of agricultural virtual water contents to quantify domestic transfers. Additionally, we use US port-level trade data to trace international exports from these aquifers. In 2007, virtual groundwater transfers from the High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems totaled 17.93 km3, 9.18 km3, and 6.81 km3, respectively, which is comparable to the capacity of Lake Mead (35.7 km3), the largest surface reservoir in the United States. The vast majority (91%) of virtual groundwater transfers remains within the United States. Importantly, the cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers are critical to US food security (contributing 18.5% to domestic cereal supply). Notably, Japan relies upon cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers for 9.2% of its domestic cereal supply. These results highlight the need to understand the teleconnections between distant food demands and local agricultural water use. PMID:26124137

Virtual groundwater transfers from overexploited aquifers in the United States.

PubMed

Marston, Landon; Konar, Megan; Cai, Ximing; Troy, Tara J

2015-07-14

The High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems within the United States are currently being overexploited for irrigation water supplies. The unsustainable use of groundwater resources in all three aquifer systems intensified from 2000 to 2008, making it imperative that we understand the consumptive processes and forces of demand that are driving their depletion. To this end, we quantify and track agricultural virtual groundwater transfers from these overexploited aquifer systems to their final destination. Specifically, we determine which US metropolitan areas, US states, and international export destinations are currently the largest consumers of these critical aquifers. We draw upon US government data on agricultural production, irrigation, and domestic food flows, as well as modeled estimates of agricultural virtual water contents to quantify domestic transfers. Additionally, we use US port-level trade data to trace international exports from these aquifers. In 2007, virtual groundwater transfers from the High Plains, Mississippi Embayment, and Central Valley aquifer systems totaled 17.93 km(3), 9.18 km(3), and 6.81 km(3), respectively, which is comparable to the capacity of Lake Mead (35.7 km(3)), the largest surface reservoir in the United States. The vast majority (91%) of virtual groundwater transfers remains within the United States. Importantly, the cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers are critical to US food security (contributing 18.5% to domestic cereal supply). Notably, Japan relies upon cereals produced by these overexploited aquifers for 9.2% of its domestic cereal supply. These results highlight the need to understand the teleconnections between distant food demands and local agricultural water use.