Abstract: A broad-band millimeter wave imaging system with improved thermal resolution as compared to prior art devices. The system is useful for producing images of metal and non-metal objects such as guns, knives and explosives hidden under clothing. A cylindrical antenna focuses millimeter wave radiation from a substantially one dimensional section of a target region onto a linear array of radiation collectors. Radiation collected at each collector is amplified to produce a set of amplified millimeter wave signals and the amplified signals pass through focusing delay lines to a millimeter wave lens. Millimeter wave signals are collected at the output of the lens and the collected signals are monitored by an array of detectors. The combined effects of the delay lines and the lens produce a focus of the amplified millimeter wave radiation emitted and reflected from the one dimensional section of the target region.

Abstract: An active pixel sensor for producing images from electron-hole producing radiation includes a crystalline semiconductor substrate having an array of electrically conductive diffusion regions, an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer formed over the crystalline semiconductor substrate and comprising an array of contact electrodes, and an interconnect structure formed over the ILD layer, wherein the interconnect structure includes at least one layer comprising an array of conductive vias. An array of patterned metal pads is formed over the interconnect structure and are electrically connected to an array of charge collecting pixel electrodes. A radiation absorbing structure includes a photoconductive N-I-B-P photodiode layer formed over the interconnect structure, and a surface electrode layer establishes an electrical field across the radiation absorbing structure and between the surface electrode layer and each of the array of charge collecting pixel electrodes.

Abstract: A device for inspecting microscopic objects. A plurality of LEDS is arranged in an array underneath a lens. Some of the LEDS are lighted and some of the LEDS are unlighted. A computer is in control of the LED array. The computer turns on selected LEDS from the array to form the lighted LEDS. Also, the computer turns off selected LEDS from the array to form the unlighted LEDS. The lighted LEDS form a pattern of lighted LEDS underneath the lens. In a preferred embodiment, the lens is connected to a computer controlled camera and the microscopic objects are microscopic crystals.

Abstract: A process and laser system for in vitro and in vivo pain research, pain clinical testing and pain management. In preferred embodiments of the present invention a diode laser operating at a 980 nm wavelength is used to produce warmth, tickling, itching, touch, burning, hot pain or pin-prick pain. The device and methods can be used for stimulation of a single nerve fiber, groups of nerve fibers, nerve fibers of single type only as well as more the one type of nerve fibers simultaneously. The present invention is especially useful for research of human/animal sensitivity, pain management, drug investigation and testing, and psychophysiology/electrophysiology studies. The device and methods permit non-contact, reproducible and controlled tests that avoid risk of skin damage. Applicant an his fellow workers have shown that tests with human subjects with the process and laser of the present invention correlate perfectly with laboratory tests with nerve fibers of rats.

Abstract: A quantum well thermoelectric module providing very high conversion of heat energy in to electrical energy. In prefered embodiments the module provides electric power for monitoring, measuring or detecting any of a variety of things (such as temperature, smoke, other pollution, flow, fluid level and vibration) and a transmitter for transmitting information measured or detected. In a preferred embodiment wireless monitor systems are utilized to monitor conditions at various locations aboard a ship and to wirelessly transmit information about those conditions to a central location. Preferably, a finned unit is provided to efficiently transfer heat from a module surface to the environment. A preferred quantum well choice is p type B9C/B4C and n-type Si/SiGe legs. Another preferred choice is n-doped Si/SiGe for the n-legs and p-doped Si/SiGe for the p-legs.

Abstract: A MEMS mirror array in which the MEMS mirrors are driven in two axes by vertical comb drive actuators. Tortional elements with conductive comb fingers are utilized to provide the two axis actuation. A MEMS mirror control system supplies electrical voltage potentials between inside pivoting support frame conductive comb fingers and mirror frame conductive comb fingers and supplies electrical voltage potentials between MEMS mirror array support frame conductive comb fingers and outside pivoting support frame conductive comb fingers. In preferred embodiments two MEMS mirror arrays are utilized to provide beam direction in a cross connect switch.

Abstract: A millimeter wave portal imaging system for the detection of concealed weapons, explosives and other contraband items. A preferred millimeter wave imaging system includes a number (such as 64) of millimeter wave detection units each including a frequency scanning antenna and associated electronics. The units are mounted in four posts (16 per post) of a portal structure. Each unit collects frequency dependent beams of millimeter wave radiation from a narrow one-dimensional field of view. The collected radiation from each unit is amplified at the collected frequencies and the amplified signals are separated into frequency dependent bins with a tapped-delay beam-former. These bins are then sampled to produce a one-dimensional image of the antenna field of view. A two dimensional image of a portion of a person passing through the portal is obtained by moving the person (or having the person move) across the field of view of each of the frequency scanning antennas.

Abstract: An adjustable focus lens system with at least two lens units and a mechanism to adjust the position of at least one of the two lens units relative to the other in a direction generally perpendicular to a viewing direction. The first of the two lens units has a specially designed surface and the second of the two lens units has a surface that is substantially complementary to the surface of the first lens unit. In preferred embodiments a first adjustable focus lens system with two lens units is mounted in a frame along with a second similar adjustable focus lens system to provide a pair of eyeglasses with adjustable focus.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing device. The liquid dispensing device has a tray for holding a liquid at a relatively constant level. A syringe is used for drawing fluid from the tray. A liquid container containing a liquid is positioned upside-down in the tray such that the opening of the liquid container defines a vertical position that is slightly below the liquid level in the tray. Atmospheric pressure on the liquid in the tray and a vacuum inside the liquid container prevents liquid from draining from the container until the fluid level in the tray drops to a level approximately equal to the vertical position of the opening. The positioning of the syringe for drawing fluid is simplified by reason of the fact that the level of fluid in the tray is maintained at an approximately constant level despite withdrawal of quantities of fluid from the tray.

Abstract: A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between a storage rack and an automated machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The automated machine has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates.

Abstract: An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles.

Abstract: An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. A preferred embodiment uses three telescopes with each of the three telescopes rigidly mounted with respect to each other and rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Telescope optics focuses, onto the pixel array of a sensor, H-band or K-band light from stars in the field of view of each telescope. The system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to cataloged infrared star charts.

Abstract: A super-lattice thermoelectric device. The device is comprised of p-legs and n-legs, each leg being comprised of a large number of very thin alternating layers of two materials with differing electron band gaps. The n-legs in the device are comprised of alternating layers of Si and SiC. The p-legs are comprised of alternating layers of B4C and B9C. In preferred embodiments the layers are about 100 angstroms thick. Thermoelectric modules made according to the present invention are useful for both cooling applications as well as electric power generation. This preferred embodiment is a thermoelectric 10×10 egg crate type module about 6 cm×6 cm×0.76 cm designed to produce 70 Watts with a temperature difference of 300 degrees C. with a module efficiency of about 30 percent. The module has 98 active thermoelectric legs, with each leg having more than 3 million super-lattice layers.

Abstract: A lens unit with two lens elements each having special surfaces such that an adjustment of the position of one of the two lens elements relative to the other in a direction generally perpendicular to a viewing direction changes the focusing power of the lens unit. In preferred embodiments two lens units are mounted in a frame to provide eyeglasses with adjustable focus. Several frame designs are described. In preferred embodiments two lens units, each lens unit having two lens elements are mounted in a frame to provide eyeglasses with adjustable focus. Several designs are described. Some designs provide for movement side to side movement of the lens elements relative to each other. In other designs the relative motion is up and down. A simple technique is a thumbscrew adjustment that is operated by the wearer. Another design is based on finger force against a friction force. In some preferred embodiments separate frames holding the lens elements pivot about pivot points on the earpiece of a support frame.

Abstract: Adjustable focus eyeglasses with two lens units, each lens unit having two lens elements. The eyeglasses are focused by adjusting the position of at least one of the two lens elements relative to the other in a direction generally perpendicular to a viewing direction. The relative motion can be linear or pivotal about a pivot location outside the lenses.

Abstract: A personal exercise device having a body mounted shaft housing for mounting a shaft at a position near the rear portion of a user's waist. A shaft is confined within the shaft housing. Two leg mounts are attached to each of two legs of the user near the user's knees. Each of two torque arms are attached pivotally at one end to one of the leg mounts and also attached pivotally at the other end to the shaft. A torque adjustment device is also included and is for adjusting the torque required to produce pivot motion of the torque arms about the shaft. Also, a preferred embodiment includes two handles are connected to the body mounted housing unit via two flexible cords. The user preferably gains cardiovascular training utilizing the device while walking or running and gains additional resistance training by appropriately adjusting the torque and pulling the handles.

Abstract: A microcrystalline germanium image sensor array. The array includes a number of pixel circuits fabricated in or on a substrate. Each pixel circuit comprises a charge collecting electrode for collecting electrical charges and a readout means for reading out the charges collected by the charge collecting electrode. A photodiode layer of charge generating material located above the pixel circuits convert electromagnetic radiation into electrical charges. This photodiode layer includes microcrystalline germanium and defines at least an n-layer, and i-layer and a p-layer. The sensor array also includes and a surface electrode in the form of a grid or thin transparent layer located above the layer of charge generating material. The sensor is especially useful for imaging in visible and near infrared spectral regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and provides imaging with starlight illumination.

Abstract: A frame shuttered CMOS image sensor with simultaneous array readout. An array of CMOS pixels are printed on a silicon substrate. Within each pixel is a light sensitive region comprising a photo sensitive diode for converting photons into electrical charge and at least three transistors to permit reading of reset electrical charges and collected electrical charges and for re-setting the photosensitive diode. The sensor includes an array of signal and re-set readout capacitors located on the substrate but outside of the pixel array. Metal conductors printed in said substrate connect each pixel in said pixel array with a signal capacitor and a re-set capacitor in array of signal and re-set readout capacitors. Transistor switches printed in said substrate but outside of said pixel array are used to isolate the signal and re-set capacitors from each other and from the pixels.

Abstract: A concealed weapons and contraband detection system combining metal detection equipment with millimeter wave imaging equipment. The preferred millimeter wave imaging equipment includes at least one millimeter wave frequency scanning antenna for collecting frequency dependent beams of millimeter wave radiation from a narrow one-dimensional field of view. The collected radiation is amplified at the collected frequencies and the amplified signals are separated into frequency dependent bins with a tapped-delay beam-former. These bins are then sampled to produce a one-dimensional image of the antenna field of view. A two dimensional image of a target may be obtained by moving the target across the field of view of the scanning antenna or by moving the antenna in order to scan its line of focus over the target. In preferred embodiments the millimeter wave imager is combined with an active eddy current type metal detector to provide a hybrid system providing important advantages over prior art security systems.

Abstract: A hand-held portable modular spectrometer unit. The unit includes a detachable head containing a light source and optical components for detecting spectral information from light reflected from or transmitted through a target and a processor for converting the detected spectral information into digital information. The unit also includes a plug-in rechargeable power supply and a control module for controlling the components in the measurement head. The controller includes a computer processor for analyzing the digital information produced by the measurement head and a display monitor for displaying spectral information produced by the control unit. In preferred embodiments several measuring heads are available. Each of these measurement heads includes a spectrometer.