Abstract: Systems and apparatuses are disclosed for a hydrophone using a nitrogen vacancy center diamond magnetic sensor.

Abstract: Systems and methods of pulse-echo imaging using stabilized symmetric pulses are described. The systems and methods are based on the development of a class of symmetric, i.e., two sided, functions that can be designed and utilized as stabilized pulses. Stabilized pulses are pulses having stable inverse filters, and have previously only been established for asymmetric functions. The systems and methods described herein can be used for super-resolution pulse-echo imaging, for example super-resolution ultrasound imaging.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transmitter. The ultrasonic transmitter includes a first enclosure, a second enclosure, a piezoelectric transducer, a first piston, and a second piston. The first enclosure has an opening for directing an output of the ultrasonic transmitter in a first direction and a wall opposite the opening. The second enclosure has a first opening aligned in the first direction and a second opening opposite the first opening. The second enclosure is positioned in the first enclosure with the second opening directed toward the wall. The piezoelectric transducer is positioned in the second enclosure and movable relative to the first enclosure. When an ultrasonic electric signal is applied to the piezoelectric transducer, the piezoelectric transducer expands and contracts pulsing the first and second pistons to produce ultrasonic sound waves from the first and second openings which combine and our output by the ultrasonic transmitter.

Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a castable sonar device that may include a housing. The housing may include a buoyant component and a sonar transducer element configured to produce compressed high intensity radar pulse (CHIRP) sonar. The housing may include a wireless data communication module for communicating with one or more wireless computing devices enabled to display sonar images.

Abstract: To evaluate the resolution of individual sonar images in field conditions without specific targets, a statistical sampling of the imagery is taken and analyzed. Large quantities of resolution measurements are made on point-objects identified in the imagery. The measurements are compared to improve fidelity and generate statistically significant results. The image is broken into segments for analysis to identify variation in resolution across the image. The mean value of point-target resolution per segment can be determined for the imagery. A segment with an insufficient number of measurements required to determine a statistically significant value for resolution is rejected. The image resolution can be determined as the mean or median value of the segment measurements for the entire image.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a beam receiving circuit and a back-end circuit. The beam receiving circuit receives a plurality of digitized echo signals. The back-end circuit is coupled to the beam receiving circuit for outputting a plurality of compressed delay timing parameters corresponding to a plurality of channels to the beam receiving circuit. The beam receiving circuit decompresses the compressed delay timing parameters into a plurality of delay timing parameters, and processes the digitized echo signals into an ultrasound beamforming value according to the delay timing parameters corresponding to the channels. The back-end circuit synthesizes an ultrasound image according to the ultrasound beamforming value outputted from the beam receiving circuit.

Abstract: It is provided a method, an apparatus, and a system for processing a numerical value in sending information using sound waves. The method mainly includes: generating intermediate values from the numerical value which is to be converted into a short link, wherein a number of the intermediate values is equal to a number of characters included in the short link, the numerical value and the short link have a relationship as 10.^(M?1)<X.^N; obtaining characters each corresponding to a respective one of the intermediate values from a preset mapping table between the intermediate values and the characters; joining together the characters to obtain the short link; and transmitting the obtained short link using sound waves. Therefore, the application range of sending information using sound waves can be extended, and the usage of sending information using sound waves can be enhanced.

Abstract: An ultrasound scanning method includes the steps of emitting N sets of ultrasound signals onto a target from N different angles and receiving the N sets of ultrasound signals reflected and/or scattered by the target; converting the N sets of ultrasound signals into N ultrasound input images; performing a binarization algorithm for the N ultrasound input images to obtain N binarized images; performing a comparison process on the N binarized images to determine whether a noise exists in at least one of the N binarized images; when the noise exists in an i-th binarized image of the N binarized images, removing the noise from an i-th ultrasound input image corresponding to the i-th binarized image; and compounding the N ultrasound input images into an ultrasound output image.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting motion and calculating distance to a moving object by a sensor device. The sensor device includes: a transducer device configured to transmit a first signal and receive a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises a reflection from a moving object; a motion processing unit configured to receive and process data corresponding to the second signal, and, based on the processing corresponding to the second signal, the transducer device is configured to transmit a third signal and receive a reflected fourth signal; and the distance processing unit is configured to process the data corresponding to the fourth signal to determine a distance between the sensor device and the moving object, wherein the distance processing unit is turned off when the motion processing unit is processing data and vice versa.

Abstract: A method and a system (400) for detection and position determination of chips (100), which transmit ultrasound signals in a room. The system (400) comprises electronic identification chips (100), which are attached to objects that have to be monitored. Each chip (100) is equipped with a transmitter (179) and a receiver (180). The signals are received by a plurality of detector units (290), which are connected to a detector base unit (200) that registers and interprets the signals transmitted form the identification chips (100). Detector base units (200) located in different rooms are interconnected in a network (215) and transmit processed information to one or more central units (410) for further interpretation and sorting. The special feature of the invention is that line interference is substantially removed, and it is possible to determine position even though the identification chips (100) are in motion.

Abstract: A global localization apparatus, medium, and method, with the global localization method including selecting one from a plurality of samples and shifting the selected sample according to a movement of a robot, generating a new sample within a predetermined range of the shifted sample, determining either the shifted sample or the new sample as a next sample at a next time step according to a predetermined condition for the shifted sample and the next sample, repeating for all the samples, and estimating a next position of the robot according to positions of the next samples when the number of next samples is equal to or larger than the maximum number of samples.

Abstract: An electronic surface tunneling acoustic detector or microphone with very high sensitivity is disclosed. A tunneling tip is mounted on a rigid perforated suspension plate, along with control electrodes, which are used to move a conductive membrane suspended above the suspension plate into closer or farther proximity with the tunneling tip. An electrical potential between the control electrodes and membrane, causing the membrane to bend towards the electrodes, and hence the tip, due to electrostatic attraction. As the membrane is pulled toward the tunneling tip, at some point a tunneling current begins to flow in the tunneling tip. The control voltage is subsequently adjusted to achieve a steady-state tunneling current in the tip. As the membrane responds to differential acoustic pressure variations, it moves and therefore upsets the adjusts the control voltage to return the membrane to the steady-state condition.

Abstract: An object producing an acoustic wave is located and identified by passive detection of the acoustic wave. The acoustic wave is defined by different sensors in an array having a plurality of passive acoustic detectors. The sensors produce signals in response to the detection of the acoustic wave. A wavelet derived from an acoustic wave of a known form with which each of the at least three signals correlates, is determined. Time difference of arrival measurements between the at least three signals using correlation intensity with the wavelet is used to performed acoustic reciprocity from each of the different detectors. The result of the acoustic reciprocity is a hemisphere centered around each of the different sensors. The hemispheres produced by the acoustic reciprocity are examiner to determine an intersection point of at least three hemispheres. The size of the hemispheres is increased according to the velocity of the acoustic wave and pre-determined intervals until an intersection point is found.

Abstract: A passive acoustic sensor that may be employed to detect sounds emanating from under the surface of a body of water. The sensor uses optics to determine vibration on the surface of a water body to detect sound pressure waves from underwater sound sources. The sensor is deployed above the surface and has no direct interaction with anything under the surface that may be emanating sounds. This allows the invention to operate without interfering with potential sound sources as well as allows for numerous deployment methods.

Abstract: A system and related method for the detection of low power broadband signal sources in a high noise environment. The system uses multiple collinear arrays of sensors to receive data signals. The sensor-to-sensor spacing within the arrays is greater than one-half the wavelength of the center frequency associated with the broadband spectrum of interest. The signals are processed using nonlinear spectral estimation to remove periodic signals from the data signals to obtain broadband data. A cross correlation matrix is formed from the broadband data. Nonlinear spectral estimation is applied to the cross correlation matrix to determine the angular direction of the low power broadband signal sources with respect to the arrays.

Abstract: An acoustic tracking system that uses an array of microphones to determine the location of an acoustical source. Several points in space are determined to be potential locations of an acoustical source. Beamforming parameters for the array of microphones are determined at each potential location. The beamforming parameters are applied to the sound received by the microphone array for all of the potential locations and data is gathered for each beam. The most likely location is then determined by comparing the data from each beam. Once the location is determined, a camera is directed toward this source.

Abstract: A method for preventing the discovery of military aircraft and missiles by enemy and infrared detectors. The method involves applying a coating of a ferrite containing glass composition to the surfaces of those metal or ceramic substrates that are susceptible to detection through their radar or infrared signature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sonar beamforming systems and methods, using a forward-looking sonar having transmit and receive transducer arrays with a beamforming device and at least one side-looking sonar having dynamically range-focused beams. The forward-looking sonar provides for obstacle avoidance and undersea survey. The systems include one-dimensional transmit and receive transducer arrays with beamforming electronics, a computing controller such as, for example, a personal computer host controller. The arrays and beamforming electronics can be packaged in a hermetically sealed housing unit and mounted in Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV). The side-looking sonar system includes for example, 32-element, one-dimensional arrays that are mounted on either side of the UUVs. Further, a downward looking Bathymetric sonar may be mounted on the underside of the vehicle for high-resolution mapping.

Abstract: An inspection system and method are disclosed. The inspection system is configured to inspect a projection unit having multiple optical subsystems. The optical subsystems are configured to project an image during a lithography step. The inspection system provides self calibration by measuring both a test mask and the aerial image of the test mask with the same detector assembly. The inspection system is also capable of measuring multiple fields simultaneously using multiple detectors and 6 axis interferometry to accurately determine the position of each detector. Additionally, the inspection system is capable of measuring the distance between the test mask and the detector assembly with an indirect path around the projection unit which normally blocks the direct path.

Abstract: This Interactive/Inoperable ID Card is a personal Bio related Positive Identification Credential System (PICS), which due to its nature could only be activated by the individual to whom it was originally issued. The PICS prior to use, would be activated by more than one of the individual's Bio characteristics, (i.e., Breath, perspiration, fingerprint, IR Imaging, DNA, etc.), which would be pre-stored in the PICS Memory for matching identification. The PICS would then be activated for a given length of time so that its Transponder could receive and respond to queries by an RF Reader with specific information stored in the card/memory. The information obtained by the RF Reader would be matched with the computer record which could respond instantly with a positive, personalized clearance, (or rejection), of the carrier. The PICS is positively personal, non-transferable and is subject to being disabled by the RF Reader if the Computer is programed to eliminate that particular card.