Briefs: Electronics & Computers
An effort to develop large-aperture, wide-angle-scanning reflectarray antennas for microwave radar and communication systems is underway. In an antenna of this type as envisioned,...
Briefs: Information Technology
A set of extensions of the Satellite Orbit Analysis Program (SOAP) enables simultaneous and/or sequential presentation of information from multiple sources. SOAP is used in the aerospace community as a means of collaborative visualization and analysis of data on planned spacecraft missions. The following...
Application Briefs: Electronics & Computers
SGI® Altix® ICE systemSilicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI)Sunnyvale, CA800-800-7441www.sgi.com
SGI has supplied NASA's Advanced Supercomputing facility at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain...
Application Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Space dosimeter card Space Micro Inc. San Diego, CA 858-332-0700 www.spacemicro.com
Space Micro’s space dosimeter card has been successfully integrated at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD) into the Living with a Star (LWS), Space Environments Testbed (SET)...
Briefs: Software
A computer program for the detection of present and prediction of future discrete states of a complex, real-time engineering system utilizes a combination of symbolic processing and numerical model-based reasoning. One of the biggest weaknesses of a purely symbolic approach is that it enables...
NASA Tech Needs
As NASA embarks upon deep-space human exploration, the next-generation extravehicular activity (EVA) radio will be a pivotal technology and an integral part of lunar surface systems success. It facilitates surface operations, enables crew mobility, and supports point to multi-point...
Briefs: Software
XCALIBR (XML Capability Analysis LIBRary) is a set of Extensible Markup Language (XML) database and spreadsheet-based analysis software tools designed to assist in technology-return-on-investment analysis and optimization of technology portfolios pertaining to outer- space missions. XCALIBR...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
An alternative scheme has been conceived for packaging of silicon- based back-illuminated, back- side-thinned complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) and charge-coupled-device...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Two diamond-machining methods have been developed as part of an effort to design and fabricate an off-axis, biconic ellipsoidal, concave aluminum mirror for an infrared spectrometer at the Kitt Peak National Observatory. Beyond this initial application, the methods can be expected to enable...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
An investigational method of improving the performance of a fuel cell that contains a polymer-electrolyte membrane (PEM) is based on the concept of roughening the surface of the PEM, prior...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Lightweight composites of RP46 polyimide and glass fibers have been found to be useful as extraordinarily fire-resistant electrical-insulation materials. RP46 is a polyimide of the...
Briefs: Materials
Inflatable/deployable structures are under consideration for applications as varied as expansion modules for the International Space Station to destinations for space tourism to habitats for the lunar surface. Monitoring and maintaining the integrity of the physical structure is...
Briefs: Materials
Ceramic strain gauges in which the strain-sensitive electrically conductive strips made from nanocomposites of noble metal and indium tin oxide (ITO) are being developed for use in gas turbine...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Standard penetrator sampling systems were designed in order to allow for sampling via penetrators to produce a full set of sample acquisitions including volatile liquids, fine powders, and solid fragments. A gravity harpoon sampler has been designed with a removable tip and a quick...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
The B-pillar is an important load-carrying component of any automobile body. It is a primary support structure for the roof, and is typically a thin-walled, spot-welded, closed-section...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that includes representations of effects of unsteady cavitation and associated dynamic loads has been developed to increase the accuracy of simulations of the performances of turbopumps. Although the model was originally intended to serve as a...
Briefs: Medical
A continuous-flow system utilizes microwave heating to sterilize water and to thermally inactivate endotoxins produced in the sterilization process. The system is designed for use in...
Briefs: Medical
A method of discriminating between spore-forming and non-spore-forming bacteria is based on a combination of simultaneous sporulation-specific and non-sporulation-specific quantitative...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
It has been proposed to modify the basic structure of an nBn infrared photodetector so that a plain electron-donor-type (n-type) semiconductor contact layer would be replaced by a graded...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
A concept for an ultra-broad-band optical parametric amplifier or oscillator has emerged as a by-product of a theoretical study in fundamental quantum optics. The study was originally...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Accelerometer systems that would combine the best features of both conventional (e.g., mechanical) accelerometers and atom interferometer accelerometers (AIAs) have been proposed. These...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
In a proposed method of sensing small quantities of molecules of interest, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy would be further enhanced by means of intermolecular or...
Briefs: Information Technology
Equations for computing tight bounds on error rates for coded pulse-position modulation (PPM) on a Poisson channel at high signal-to-noise ratio have been derived. These equations and...
Briefs: Information Technology
A multi-agent software/hardware architecture, inspired by the multicellular nature of living organisms, has been proposed as the basis of design of a robust, reliable, persistent...
Briefs: Information Technology
A Pointing Covariance Analysis Tool (PCAT) has been developed for evaluating the expected performance of the pointing control system for NASA’s Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). The SIM pointing control system is very complex, consisting of multiple feedback and feedforward loops, and...
Techs for License
Advanced Solid State Lighting (SSL) is a technology that enables the use of LED lights in cost-sensitive applications where cooling of the LED is needed. One limitation that has hindered LED light designs in commercial applications is the cooling of the LEDs when used in the...
Techs for License
These patented 125-kHz RFID tags and readers enable tag information to be read and written through metal so that tags can be hermetically sealed inside metal parts such as surgical instruments, construction forms, weapons, and similar devices that must withstand harsh...
Tech Needs
A company is seeking topically applied products and/or chemical technologies to eliminate or suppress pain sensation associated with epilation of undesired hair from skin. Pain elimination or suppression should be quick (<5 minutes) upon application on skin, and the effect should be temporary...
Tech Needs
A company seeks existing materials that can be utilized in applications for a safety glove. This material must be cutresistant, flexible, and withstand oily, wet, muddy conditions. The material covering the top of the hand and fingers must be extremely flexible and designed to protect the hand and digits from being...