Abstract: A system for clamping two tubular members together in an end-to-end relationship uses a split ring with a V-shaped outer rim that can engage a clamping surface on each member. The split ring has a relaxed closed state where the ends of the ring are adjacent and the outside diameter of the split ring is less than the minimum inside diameter of the members at their ends. The members are clamped when the split ring is spread into an elastically stretched position where the ring rim is pressed tightly against the interior surfaces of the members. Mechanisms are provided for removing the spreader so the split ring will return to the relaxed state, releasing the clamped members.

Abstract: A staring imaging system inputs a 2D spatial image containing multi-frequency spectral information. This image is encoded in one dimension of the image with a cyclic Hadamarid S-matrix. The resulting image is detecting with a spatial 2D detector; and a computer applies a Hadamard transform to recover the encoded image.

Abstract: A simulated grenade for MILES-type simulations generates a unique RF signal and a unique audio signal. A detector utilizes the time between receipt of the RF signal and the slower-traveling audio signal to determine the distance between the detector and the simulated grenade.

Abstract: A scatterometer utilizes the dead zone resulting from lockup caused by scatter from a sample located in the optical path of a ring laser at a location where counter-rotating pulses cross. The frequency of one pulse relative to the other is varied across the lockup dead zone.

Abstract: A search system and method for controlling multiple agents to optimize an objective using distributed sensing and cooperative control. The search agent can be one or more physical agents, such as a robot, and can be software agents for searching cyberspace. The objective can be: chemical sources, temperature sources, radiation sources, light sources, evaders, trespassers, explosive sources, time dependent sources, time independent sources, function surfaces, maximization points, minimization points, and optimal control of a system such as a communication system, an economy, a crane, and a multi-processor computer.

Abstract: A tamper-indicating fastener has a cylindrical body with threads extending from one end along a portion of the body, and a tamper indicating having a transducer for converting physical properties of the body into electronic data; electronics for recording the electronic data; and means for communicating the recorded information to a remote location from said fastener. The electronics includes a capacitor that varies as a function of force applied by the fastener, and non-volatile memory for recording instances when the capacitance varies, providing an indication of unauthorized access.

Abstract: Latent effects on a system are broken down into components ranging from those far removed in time from the system under study (latent) to those which closely effect changes in the system. Each component is provided with weighted inputs either by a user or from outputs of other components. A non-linear mathematical process known as ‘soft aggregation’ is performed on the inputs to each component to provide information relating to the component. This information is combined in decreasing order of latency to the system to provide a quantifiable measure of an attribute of a system (e.g., safety) or to test hypotheses (e.g., for forensic deduction or decisions about various system design options).

Abstract: A dosimetry method exposes more than one thermoluminescence crystals to radiation without using conventional filters, and reads the energy stored in the crystals by converting the energy to light in a conventional manner, and then filters each crystal output in a different portion of the spectrum generated by the crystals.

Abstract: Movement of a GMTI radar during a coherent processing interval over which a set of radar pulses are processed may cause defocusing of a range-Doppler map in the video signal. This problem may be compensated by varying waveform or sampling parameters of each pulse to compensate for distortions caused by variations in viewing angles from the radar to the target.

Abstract: A set of hybrid least squares multivariate spectral analysis methods in which spectral shapes of components or effects not present in the original calibration step are added in a following prediction or calibration step to improve the accuracy of the estimation of the amount of the original components in the sampled mixture. The hybrid method herein means a combination of an initial calibration step with subsequent analysis by an inverse multivariate analysis method. A spectral shape herein means normally the spectral shape of a non-calibrated chemical component in the sample mixture but can also mean the spectral shapes of other sources of spectral variation, including temperature drift, shifts between spectrometers, spectrometer drift, etc. The shape can be continuous, discontinuous, or even discrete points illustrative of the particular effect.

Abstract: A programmable optical filter for use in multispectral and hyperspectral imaging employing variable gain time delay and integrate arrays. A telescope focuses an image of a scene onto at least one TDI array that is covered by a multispectral filter that passes separate bandwidths of light onto the rows in the TDI array. The variable gain feature of the TDI array allows individual rows of pixels to be attenuated individually. The attenuations are functions of the magnitudes of the positive and negative components of a spectral basis vector. The spectral basis vector is constructed so that its positive elements emphasize the presence of a target and its negative elements emphasize the presence of the constituents of the background of the imaged scene. This system provides for a very efficient determination of the presence of the target, as opposed to the very data intensive data manipulations that are required in conventional hyperspectral imaging systems.

Abstract: A multiple degree of freedom platform assembly formed from a plurality of thin films on a substrate can, when activated, move out of the plane of the substrate without additional manufacturing steps. The platform is connected to the substrate by at least three linkages, each linkage being pivotally connected to the platform and the base. At least two of the base connections are to powered traveling devices that are manufactured at one end of a path and which may be moved to locations along the path to cause the platform to move to predetermined positions. The entire assembly, including hinges, is manufactured as planar structures; preferably by a thin film technology such as MEMS.

Abstract: A system for reducing multi-path reflections from adjacent metal objects which cause distortion in an IFSAR includes a reflective cone extending between the top of the IFSAR and the skin of its aircraft, and a reflective shroud surrounding the IFSAR. Each of these components may be coated with radar absorbing material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of quickly identifying bioaerosols by class, even if the subject bioaerosol has not been previously encountered. The method begins by collecting laser ablation mass spectra from known particles. The spectra are correlated with the known particles, including the species of particle and the classification (e.g., bacteria). The spectra can then be used to train a neural network, for example using genetic algorithm-based training, to recognize each spectra and to recognize characteristics of the classifications. The spectra can also be used in a multivariate patch algorithm. Laser ablation mass specta from unknown particles can be presented as inputs to the trained neural net for identification as to classification. The description below first describes suitable intelligent algorithms and multivariate patch algorithms, then presents an example of the present invention including results.

Abstract: A synthesizer for generating a desired chirp signal has M parallel channels, where M is an integer greater than 1, each channel including a chirp waveform synthesizer generating at an output a portion of a digital representation of the desired chirp signal; and a multiplexer for multiplexing the M outputs to create a digital representation of the desired chirp signal. Preferably, each channel receives input information that is a function of information representing the desired chirp signal.

Abstract: A field test kit for gunshot residue comprises a container having at least compartments separated by a barrier. A surface is tested by wiping it with a swab and placing the swab in a first compartment. The barrier is then breached, permitting reagent in the second compartment to flow onto the swab. The first compartment is transparent, and a color change will be observed if the reagent reacts with gunshot residue.

Abstract: A method of removing RFI from a SAR by comparing two SAR images on a pixel by pixel basis and selecting the pixel with the lower magnitude to form a composite image. One SAR image is the conventional image produced by the SAR. The other image is created from phase-history data which has been filtered to have the frequency bands containing the RFI removed.

Abstract: A process for fabricating coils using a Damascene process uses a curved substrate having a surface extending along and about an axis made of a first material. A groove is formed in the curved surface along and around said axis, and the groove is filled with a second material that is different from the first material to form a coil of second material in said first material. Excess second material is then removed from the surface of the first material, leaving the coil of second material in the groove.

Abstract: This invention is a radar/tag system where pulses from a radar cause a tag (or transponder) to respond to the radar. The radar, along with its conventional pulse transmissions, sends a reference signal to the tag. The tag recovers the reference signal and uses it to shift the center frequency of the received radar pulse to a different frequency. This shift causes the frequencies of the tag response pulses to be disjoint from those of the transmit pulse. In this way, radar clutter can be eliminated from the tag responses. The radar predicts, to within a small Doppler offset, the center frequency of tag response pulses. The radar can create synthetic-aperture-radar-like images and moving-target-indicator-radar-like maps containing the signature of the tag against a background of thermal noise and greatly attenuated radar clutter. The radar can geolocate the tag precisely and accurately (to within better than one meter of error).

Abstract: Method and apparatus suited to convenient field use for heating a porous metallic substrate swiped on the surface of an article possibly bearing residue of contraband or other target chemical substances. The preferred embodiment of the device includes means for holding the swiped substrate between electrodes bearing opposite electrical charges, thereby completing an electrical circuit in which current can flow through the porous metallic substrate. Resistance causes the substrate to heat, thus driving adherent target chemicals, if present, into a space from which they are carried via gas flow into a detector such as a portable IMS for analysis.