Abstract: There is a Rogallo wing having an aerodynamic sheet having a leading end and a trailing edge. The trailing edge is curved to form a sheet of increasing concavity away from the leading edge. At least two folded edges extend between the leading end and the trailing edge are on opposed sides of the aerodynamic sheet, the two folded edges comprising integral ribs. A wind energy extraction apparatus comprises one or more concentrator wings that react with a flow of wind to induce a drop in static air pressure that is then used to drive one or more impellers and one or more power converters. The one or more concentrator wings are Rogallo wings.

Abstract: There is a Rogallo wing having an aerodynamic sheet having a leading end and a trailing edge. The trailing edge is curved to form a sheet of increasing concavity away from the leading edge. At least two folded edges extend between the leading end and the trailing edge are on opposed sides of the aerodynamic sheet, the two folded edges comprising integral ribs. A wind energy extraction apparatus comprises one or more concentrator wings that react with a flow of wind to induce a drop in static air pressure that is then used to drive one or more impellers and one or more power converters. The one or more concentrator wings are Rogallo wings.

Abstract: A habitat friendly, wind energy system is disclosed for safely extracting usable energy from wind. Included are one or more concentrator wings that convert the dynamic pressure of wind into relatively lower static pressure and thereby induces a vacuum that draws wind into an area defined by the concentrator wings. The airflow regulation minimizes or prevents the stalling of, or the generation of a turbulent flow of wind over or between concentrator wings. Further included are multiple impellors, at least one power converter, a riser supporting these component pieces, all positioned within the area defined by the concentrator wings. Accordingly, one or more flow regulators are positioned to assist in promoting laminar flow across or between the concentrator wings and to reduce the dynamic pressure of wind on the riser to thereby increase efficiency of the system.

Abstract: A habitat friendly, pressure conversion, wind energy extraction system is disclosed for safely extracting usable energy from wind. The system includes one or more shrouds or concentrator wings that convert the dynamic pressure of wind into relatively lower static pressure and thereby induces a vacuum that draws wind into a turbine centralized within the shrouds or concentrator wings. As such, the turbine impellor blades may be significantly smaller than the large diameter rotor blades of current popular designs and may be enclosed within the shrouds or concentrator wings that present themselves as highly visible objects and as such are easily avoided by birds in flight. The novel system in particular includes a device and method of airflow regulation than minimizes or prevents the stalling, or the generation of a turbulent flow of wind over or between the shrouds or concentrator wings.

Abstract: A stereoscopic rangefinder is disclosed for determining the distance of a target object by measuring the angle of parallax of light scattered by the target. The rangefinder includes two arrays of photosensitive elements upon each of which a distinct target image is projected. A measurement of the pixel displacement between the two target images is used in measuring the angle of parallax. A novel computational scheme is included in the rangefinder wherein it is self-correcting with regard to mechanical shock and thermal influences such that a user need only "point and shoot." Further, the rangefinder is insensitive to target image blur and is embodied as a hand held rangefinding binocular having no moving parts.

Abstract: A device to precisely determine the angle of parallax formed by a target object of interest and first and second entrances (30, 30') for the purpose of rangefinding for example. The device having photodetectors (46) for sensing the separation of first and second channel target scene images (68, 68') and for sensing the separation of first and second channel reference marker images (66, 66') and having electronic circuitry (76) and processor (78), wherein by comparison of these separations, may calculate an accurate angle of parallax of the target object of interest and provide the resultant information to the user via a display (80). The device includes a spatial referencing system (14) and therein, the device may automatically account for small misalignments of optical elements which may occur during normal use and in certain embodiments of the device may allow the user to isolate the target object of interest from other objects which may appear in the field of view.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an electro-optical rangefinding-type apparatus which uses electronic sensors to detect the position and orientation of the apparatus relative to a fixed point. Data from the sensors is relayed to a microprocessor which can calculate parameters such as range, horizontal distance and angle, vertical distance and angle, relative speed and magnetic bearing of a target objective, which are then displayed. A preferred embodiment of the invention is convertible between the functions of a stereoscopic binocular and a coincidence-type range-finder and means are provided for converting the apparatus to and from the binocular and rangefinding modes.