Abstract: A novel set of serrated-planform lifting surfaces produce unexpectedly high lift coefficients at moderate to high angles-of-attack. Each serration, or tooth, is designed to shed a vortex. The interaction of the vortices greatly enhances the lifting capability over an extremely large operating range. Variations of the invention use serrated-planform lifting surfaces in planes different than that of a primary lifting surface. In an alternate embodiment, the individual teeth are controllably retractable and deployable to provide for active control of the vortex system and hence lift coefficient. Differential lift on multiple serrated-planform lifting surfaces provides an means for vehicle control. The important aerodynamic advantages of the serrated-planform lifting surfaces are not limited to aircraft applications but can be used to establish desirable performance characteristics for missiles, land vehicles, and/or watercraft.

Abstract: A digital mammography device uses a mosaic of electronic digital imaging arrays to scan an x-ray image. The mosaic of arrays is repositioned several times to expose different portions of the image, until the entire image is scanned. The data generated by the arrays during each exposure is stored in a computer. After the final exposure, the computer combines data of the several partial images to produce a composite of the original x-ray image. An aperture plate is used to reduce scatter and the overall exposure of the patient to x-rays.

Abstract: A simultaneous luminescence pressure and temperature mapping system is developed including improved dye application techniques for surface temperature and pressure measurements from 5 torr to 1000 torr with possible upgrade to from 0.5 torr to several atmospheres with improved camera resolution. Adsorbed perylene dye on slip-cast silica is pressure (oxygen) sensitive and reusable to relatively high temperatures (.about.150.degree. C.). Adsorbed luminescence has an approximately linear color shift with temperature, which can be used for independent temperature mapping and brightness pressure calibration with temperature.

Abstract: This invention improves upon a method for molding structural parts from preform material. Preform material to be used for the part is provided. A silicone rubber composition containing entrained air voids is prepared. The silicone rubber and preform material assembly is situated within a rigid mold cavity used to shape the preform material to the desired shape. The entire assembly is heated in a standard heating device so that the thermal expansion of the silicone rubber exerts the pressure necessary to force the preform material into contact with the mold container. The introduction of discrete air voids into the silicone rubber allows for accurately controlled pressure application on the preform material at the cure temperature.

Abstract: A method for forming a carbon composite valve for internal combustion engines.

Abstract: A method of forming a hot film sensor directly on a model is provided. A polyimide solution is sprayed onto the model. The model so sprayed is then heated in air. The steps of spraying and heating are repeated until a polyimide film of desired thickness is achieved on the model. The model with the polyimide film thereon is then thoroughly dried in air. One or more hot film sensors and corresponding electrical conducting leads are then applied directly onto the polyimide film.

Abstract: A strain sensor uses optical fibers including strain insensitive portions and a strain sensitive portion. The optical fibers form a sensitive arm of an optical phase locked loop (OPLL). The use of the OPLL allows for multimode optical fiber to be used in a strain insensitive configuration. Only strain information for the strain sensitive portion is monitored rather than the integrated strain measurements commonly made with optical fiber sensors.

Abstract: A method for forming a sensor includes providing a first and a second film and bonding an internal connection tab therebetween. The internal connection tab is positioned between the inner surfaces of the first and second films. Then a conductive adhesive is applied to either the tab or to the inner film surfaces such that the inner surfaces of the films and the tab are electrically connected. Finally, the films are pressed together to bond the films together with the internal connection tab inbetween.

Abstract: A stand-alone, crash-energy absorbing structure and fabrication method are provided. A plurality of adjoining rigid cells are each constructed of resin-cured fiber reinforcement and are arranged in a geometric configuration. The geometric configuration of cells is integrated by means of continuous fibers wrapped thereabout in order to maintain the cells in the geometric configuration. The cured part results in a net shape, stable structure that can function on its own with no additional reinforcement and can withstand combined loading while crushing in a desired direction.

Abstract: A method and system are provided to detect defects in a material. Waves of known frequency(ies) are mixed at an interaction zone in the material. As a result, at least one of a difference wave and a sum wave are generated in the interaction zone. The difference wave occurs at a difference frequency and the sum wave occurs at a sum frequency. The amplitude of at least one nonlinear signal based on the sum and/or difference waves is then measured. The nonlinear signal is defined as the amplitude of one of the difference wave and sum wave relative to the product of the amplitude of the surface waves. The amplitude of the nonlinear signal is an indication of defects (e.g., dislocation dipole density) in the interaction zone.

Abstract: In an LED a large portion of the light produced is lost due to total internal reflection at the air-semiconductor interface. A reverse taper of the semiconductor is used to change the angle at which light strikes the interface so that a greater portion of the light is transmitted.

Abstract: A method for ultrasonic imaging of interior structures and flaws in a test specimen with a smooth or irregular contact surfaces, in which an ultrasonic transducer is coupled acoustically to the contact surface via a plurality of ultrasonic wave guides with equal delay times. The wave guides are thin and bendable, so they adapt to variations in the distance between the transducer and different parts of the contact surface by bending more or less. All parts of the irregular contact surface accordingly receive sound waves that are in phase, even when the contact surface is irregular, so a coherent sound wave is infused in the test specimen. The wave guides can be arranged in the form of an ultrasonic brush, with a flat head for coupling to a flat transducer, and free bristles that can be pressed against the test specimen. By bevelling the bristle ends at a suitable angle, shear mode waves can be infused into the test specimen from a longitudinal mode transducer.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for wire splicing using an explosive joining process. The apparatus consists of a prebend, U-shaped strap of metal that slides over prepositioned wires. A standoff means separates the wires from the strap before joining. An adhesive means holds two ribbon explosives in position centered over the U-shaped strap. A detonating means connects to the ribbon explosives. The process involves spreading strands of each wire to be joined into a flat plane. The process then requires alternating each strand in alignment to form a mesh-like arrangement with an overlapped area. The strap slides over the strands of the wires, and the standoff means is positioned between the two surfaces. The detonating means then initiates the ribbon explosives that drive the strap to accomplish a high velocity, angular collision between the mating surfaces. This collision creates surface melts and collision bonding resulting in electron-sharing linkups.

Abstract: A method for forming ferroelectric wafers is provided. A prestress layer is placed on the desired mold. A ferroelectric wafer is placed on top of the prestress layer. The layers are heated and then cooled, causing the ferroelectric wafer to become prestressed. The prestress layer may include reinforcing material and the ferroelectric wafer may include electrodes or electrode layers may be placed on either side of the ferroelectric layer. Wafers produced using this method have greatly improved output motion.

Abstract: Non-invasive measuring devices responsive to changes in a patient's intracranial pressure (ICP) can be accurately calibrated for monitoring purposes by providing known changes in ICP by non-invasive methods, such as placing the patient on a tilting bed and calculating a change in ICP from the tilt angle and the length of the patient's cerebrospinal column, or by placing a pressurized skull cap on the patient and measuring the inflation pressure. Absolute values for the patient's pressure-volume index (PVI) and the steady state ICP can then be determined by inducing two known changes in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid while recording the corresponding changes in ICP by means of the calibrated measuring device. The two pairs of data for pressure change and volume change are entered into an equation developed from an equation describing the relationship between ICP and cerebrospinal fluid volume. PVI and steady state ICP are then determined by solving the equation.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use in determining surface conductivity of a flat or shaped conductive material at microwave frequencies. A plate has an electrically conductive surface with first and second holes passing through the plate. An electrically conductive material under test (MUT) is maintained in a spaced apart relationship with the electrically conductive surface of the plate by one or more non-conductive spacers. A first coupling loop is electrically shielded within the first hole while a second coupling loop is electrically shielded within the second hole. A dielectric resonator element is positioned between the first and second coupling loops, while also being positioned closer to the MUT than the electrically conductive surface of the plate. Microwave energy at an operating frequency f is supplied from a signal source to the first coupling loop while microwave energy received at the second coupling loop is measured.

Abstract: A forward-swept, low-noise rotor blade includes an inboard section, an aft-swept section and a forward-swept outboard section. The rotor blade reduces the noise of rotorcraft, including both standard helicopters and advanced systems such as tiltrotors. The primary noise reduction feature is the forward sweep of the planform over a large portion of the outer blade radius. The rotor blade also includes an aft-swept section. The purpose of the aft-swept region is to provide a partial balance to pitching moments produced by the outboard forward-swept portion of the blade. The rotor blade has a constant chord width; or has a chord width which decreases linearly along the entire blade span; or combines constant and decreasing chord widths, wherein the blade is of constant chord width from the blade root to a certain location on the rotor blade, then decreases linearly to the blade tip thereafter. The noise source showing maximum noise reduction is blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise.

Abstract: A laminated composite material with improved interlaminar strength and damage tolerance having short rods distributed evenly throughout the composite material perpendicular to the laminae. Each rod is shorter than the thickness of the finished laminate, but several times as long as the thickness of each lamina. The laminate is made by inserting short rods in layers of prepreg material, and then stacking and curing prepreg material with rods inserted therethrough.

Abstract: A method of forming a shock-free supersonic elliptic nozzle, in which the nozzle to be designed is divided into three sections, a circular-to-elliptic section which begins at a circular nozzle inlet, an elliptic subsonic section downstream from the circular-to-elliptic section and a supersonic section downstream from the elliptic subsonic section. The maximum and minimum radii for each axial point in the circular-to-elliptic section and the elliptic subsonic section are then separately determined, the maximum and minimum radii being the radii for the widest part of an elliptic cross-section and the narrowest part of the elliptic cross-section, respectively. The maximum and minimum radii for each axial point in the supersonic section are determined based on the Method of Characteristics, Then, each of the three sections are based on the maximum and minimum radii for each axial point in the section. The resulting nozzle is acoustically superior.

Abstract: A capacitor having two substantially parallel conductive faces is acoustically coupled to a conductive sample end such that the sample face is one end of the capacitor. A non-contacting dielectric may serve as a spacer between the two conductive plates. The formed capacitor is connected to an LC oscillator circuit such as a Hartley oscillator circuit producing an output frequency which is a function of the capacitor spacing. This capacitance oscillates as the sample end coating is oscillated by an acoustic wave generated in the sample by a transmitting transducer. The electrical output can serve as an absolute indicator of acoustic wave displacement.