Abstract: An apparatus and method for automating credit-eligibility determination (such as tax credits) of scientific or research projects are provided. The apparatus includes a general purpose computing device that is operable to determine a set of weightings to be applied to responses that are received for a predefined set of questions. The determination is made, in part, by having the apparatus compare the responses to a project already known to be eligible for scientific or research credits. Once the weightings are determined, a final questionnaire is generated that has the weightings associated with corresponding questions. The final questionnaire can be used to assess credit-eligibility of future scientific or research projects.

Abstract: An active polarization control system, which provided two dimensional optical waveguide birefringence modulation, provides polarization control in systems such as fiber optic rotation sensors and coherent fiber optic communications systems without the necessity of using costly polarization preserving fiber. In a rotation sensor, the signal output from the sensing loop is used to form feedback signals for correcting polarization state errors. The feedback signals are used to provide the corrective voltage applied to two banks of orthogonally modulated birefringence transducers situated inside the rotation sensing loop. In a coherent fiber optic communications system orthogonal modulation of two banks of birefringence transducers situated in either the communications or local oscillator signal arms at the receiver provides the required feedback signals for polarization control.