Briefs: Electronics & Computers
As the highest resolution seismic system available, the automated seafloor classification system (ASCS) can remotely and accurately map sediment properties for many seafloor applications. The...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Compact analog/digital electronic data processors of a novel type are based on the concept of the optimization cellular neural network (OCNN) and are implemented in very-large-scale...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Electrochromic devices change color and light transmissivity upon application of an electric charge. As such they should prove valuable as "smart" windows that can reduce air-conditioning costs...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A proposed focal-plane array (FPA) of quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) would exhibit peak response at two wavelengths. Heretofore, single-focal-plane arrays of photodetectors optimized for...
Briefs: Materials
Designing metal-matrix composites into actual components requires both experimental and analytical characterization of the behavior of these composites. This report describes mathematical modeling and experimental characterization of the elastoplastic behaviors of composite materials made...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
A rapid prototyping process enables the incorporation of continuous fiber reinforcement into a cast metal-matrix composite. In one older process, cast metal-matrix composites are made by introducing fibers or particles into molten or partially solidified metals, then casting the resulting slurries...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
There has been some success in continuing efforts to increase the service lifetimes of the guide rolls in hot-roll-slitter machines in the steel industry. In these machines, hardened knives are used...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Kinetic rate data are needed to design all chemical processes. Specifically, they are needed to determine such things as ignition delay times, combustion times, and explosion limits...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Cross-diffraction gratings have been proposed to provide optical coupling to quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) in focal-plane arrays (FPAs). The cross-grating coupling scheme is...
Briefs: Software
The Integrated Particulate Composite Analyzer (ICAN/PART) computer program is a modified version of the Integrated Composite Analyzer (ICAN) program (LEW-15592/LEW-15832), which was developed to conduct analyses of the micromechanics of fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composite materials....
Briefs: Software
WWWorkflow is a language-driven, data-base-mediated, web-based process mediation system. WWWorkflow leverages on intranet applications and existing information infrastructure services, making it possible to add workflow management features to preexisting information management systems, without the need for...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
The paper entitled "Potential Commercial Applications From Combustion and Fire Research in Space" reviews the status of potential commercial applications derived from research on combustion in microgravity environments encountered in orbiting spacecraft. Such research...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) systems have been used for a number of years in field and laboratory applications. The normal LDV system consists of a two-color, four-beam...
Briefs: Materials
Experiments have shown that nonreactive ion-beam sputtering can be used to deposit a transparent film of aluminum oxide on a polycarbonate, silicon, or fused-silica substrate....
Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Inexpensive, high-performance, optically coupled temperature and strain gauges based on a combination of advanced optoelectronic and microelectromechanical concepts have been proposed. The sensors would contain vibrating beams with submillimeter dimensions, made primarily of silicon by...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Weightless Environment Training Facility Inertial Training Spheres (WETFITSs) are proposed neutrally buoyant training tools that would be used in NASA's Weightless Environment Training...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Passivation by coating with OCG285 (or equivalent) polyimide at critical steps of fabrication has been found to enhance the quality of tapered edges in high-critical-temperature...
Briefs: Software
The Virtual Reality Mars Atlas User Interface (VR-MAUI) provides an atlaslike interface for access to Mars data. This access is provided via the World Wide Web, using JAVA. Within VR-MAUI, images are organized as maps. These maps provide a natural coordinate system, which...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A newly developed instrument, designed at Marshall Space Flight Center, uses the resistance to alternating current running through a device to measure the variances in...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Chemical surface treatments during fabrication have been proposed to reduce surface leakage currents in focal-plane arrays (FPAs) of quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs). For reasons explained below, if most or all of the surface leakage currents could be eliminated by such treatments,...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A video imaging and image-data-processing system for use in dermatological examinations acquires and processes images of patients' skins. The system processes a current image of a selected area of a patient's skin along with an image of the same area acquired previously, generating a...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) designed, constructed, and delivered a prototype passive imaging pyrometer capable of accurately measuring and controlling the temperature distribution across a specified surface. The device was originally designed, under a NASA SBIR contract (solicitation year 1985) monitored by Jet...
Briefs: Materials
PS300 is a self-lubricating solid coating material for use in sliding contacts at temperatures up to 800°C. PS300 is a composite of metal-bonded chromium oxide with barium...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
An integrated thin-film device has been designed to constitute the sensory element of a miniature instrument for measuring the concentration of an atomic or molecular species that exhibits fluorescence...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A technique for applying controlled test pressures to curved surfaces is based on a principle similar to that of a compartmented pilot's or astronaut's pressure suit. The technique involves the use of airbags that accommodate geometric complexity in both the surface under test...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A report presents information compiled from a search of the literature on failure modes of mechanical systems. The report was written to provide a reference base for the application of first-order reliability methods to mechanical systems in the development of a system-level design methodology. In...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A diagnostic signal-analysis technique, called the Phase Synchronized Enhancement Method (PSEM), has been developed. This method allows NASA engineers to retrieve any unique defect...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
A friction stir weld (FSW) system for welding and weld repair can be used on the manufacturing floor, as well as in the laboratory environment. This FSW system can be used in a wide variety...
Briefs: Information Technology
A software interface between scientific data formats (SDF's) and wide-area data-base search-engine software has been developed to provide seamless access to data used in support of NASA projects. Most SDF's are known or understood by only a select audience. These SDF's are also only searchable...