Abstract: There is disclosed an aircraft for intercepting an airborne target, the aircraft comprising: a frame; a plurality of lines of a first type, each attached to the frame at a first end, and free at the other end; and a plurality of lines of a second, different, type, each attached to the frame at a first end, and free at the other end.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for a delay compensated analog beam forming network. A transceiver implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes an array of circuit elements. Each of the circuit elements includes an analog frequency converter to up-convert an analog signal to radio frequency (RF) for transmission and to down-convert an RF signal to an analog signal for reception. The circuit element also includes an analog beam weighting circuit configured to apply a beam weight to both of the analog signals to form a beam for transmission and reception. The circuit element further includes an analog delay element configured to impart a time delay to the analog signals. The time delay is based on the position of the circuit element in the array and is selected to compensate for propagation delay of the analog signals along the electrical path that couples the circuit elements of the array, reducing beam squint.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for x-ray onset detection for an intraoral dental sensor. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes calculating a plurality of superpixel values for each of a plurality of rows of detector pixels of a sensor. Each of the superpixel values is based on a sum of pixel values of a set of pixels associated with the superpixel value, the set of pixels selected from the detection row of a current frame of the sensor. The method also includes calculating a difference between each of the superpixel values and a corresponding stored superpixel value generated from a previous sensor frame and determining if the differences exceed a superpixel threshold value. The method further includes incrementing a hit counter in response to the determination and generating a detection signal if the hit counter exceeds a hit count threshold, otherwise proceeding to process the next detection row.

Abstract: A laser weapon countermeasure device is described. The laser weapon countermeasure device comprises a sealed capsule having a filler disposed therein. The filler comprises either: a reflective particulate metal; or a precursor for a reflective metal or reflective metal alloy. The capsule is configured to burst in air such that the filler disperses into an aerosol. A countermeasure launcher and a vehicle comprising a countermeasure launcher are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a display device including an optically transparent display screen for displaying images to a user; a sensor configured to track a viewing direction and/or a viewing position of the user; a detector configured to determine a location of a target viewable by the user through the display screen; and a controller configured to control the display device to display an image on the display screen at screen coordinates corresponding with the viewable target, using the tracked viewing direction and/or the tracked viewing position of the user and the determined location of the target.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed electronics module includes a core IC installed on a substrate. A collar surrounds the core IC and is sealed to the substrate and to a lid, forming a sealed chamber. A heat spreader bonded to an internal surface of the lid extends downward into proximal thermal contact with the core IC. A thin layer of TIM can be applied between the heat spreader and core IC. The heat spreader does not overlap any tall components that extend above the core IC, and can extend over regions adjacent to the core IC. Tall components can be limited to a periphery of the chamber, and/or the heat spreader can include openings that surround central tall components. The heat spreader can be soldered or welded to the lid over an entire upper surface of the heat spreader. X-ray and/or CSAM scanning can detect heat spreader bonding flaws.

Abstract: Techniques to dynamically adjust the corner frequency of a high-pass filter in response to a time-domain amplitude value of an output signal, thereby preserving accuracy while promptly recovering the signal's baseline value. A system can be configured to filter frequency-domain values of an input signal based on a filtering characteristic. The filtering characteristic can be set dynamically in response to a time-domain value of an amplitude of an output signal. The filtering characteristic can comprise a corner frequency, and the system can include a high-pass filter configured to filter out frequency components at frequencies lower than the corner frequency. The system is configured to dynamically change the corner frequency from a first value to a second value, in response to the time-domain value of the amplitude crossing a threshold value. The system may dynamically change the corner frequency within a time interval after the crossing.

Abstract: There is provided an arming apparatus for a store, the apparatus comprising: a first attachment system and a second attachment system; a linking connector coupled with the first attachment system and the second attachment system; and an arming clip; wherein each of the first attachment system and the second attachment system comprises: a first frangible connector coupled with the arming unit and the linking connector; and a second frangible connector comprising a first end coupled with the linking connector and a second end comprising a clip, the second end being configured to pass through a lug of said store and then couple to the second frangible connector.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an active vibration control system comprising: an electromagnetic actuator and a control element, the electromagnetic actuator being operable to apply a force on a base structure to which the active vibration control system is attachable such that vibrations of the base structure are actively controllable by the application of said force, wherein the electromagnetic actuator and control element are relatively moveable such that the active vibration control system has at least two modes of vibration, and wherein movement of the electromagnetic actuator causes movement of at least a part of the control element.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an active vibration control system comprising: a driving mechanism and a control mechanism comprising an electromagnetic actuator, the driving mechanism being operable to apply a force on a base structure to which the active vibration control system is attachable such that vibrations of the base structure are actively controllable by the application of said force, wherein the driving mechanism and control mechanism are relatively moveable such that the active vibration control system has at least two modes of vibration, and wherein movement of the driving mechanism causes movement of at least a part of the control mechanism.

Abstract: There is provided an arming apparatus for a store, the apparatus comprising: a first attachment system and a second attachment system; a linking connector coupled with the first attachment system and the second attachment system; and an arming clip; wherein each of the first attachment system and the second attachment system comprises: a first frangible connector coupled with the arming unit and the linking connector; and a second frangible connector coupled with the linking connector and the store. The linking connector is coupled to the first attachment system via a first coupling arrangement and is coupled to the second attachment system via a second coupling arrangement, wherein the first coupling arrangement and the second coupling arrangement are different. Each of the first coupling arrangement and the second coupling arrangement are manually secure.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an active vibration control system comprising: an electromagnetic actuator; a magnetic element; and a solenoid, the electromagnetic actuator being operable to apply a force on a base structure to which the active vibration control system is attachable such that vibrations of the base structure are actively controllable by the application of said force, wherein the electromagnetic actuator is operable to cause movement of the magnetic element through the solenoid and the solenoid is operable to apply a force on the magnetic element.

Abstract: A modular wearable optics device including: at least one wearable support element; one or more active optical elements adapted in use to display an image to a user; one of a plurality of bridging elements selected to position or orientate the one or more active optical elements in a predetermined location based on one or more anthropometric characteristics of the user.

Abstract: The system and method for cooling a laser using a split liquid cooled heat exchanger. The temperature of coolant entering the system is applied to a portion of the system most in need of lower temperatures and a second heat exchanger uses the outflow from the first heat exchanger to cool a remaining portion of the system that has a tolerance for higher temperatures. The laser cooling system is compact, e.g., less than 45 cubic inches and can handle thermal loads of about 800 W.

Abstract: Techniques and architectures are disclosed for a system capable of creating large changes in buoyancy that can be incorporated into underwater vehicles, embodiments of the system utilizing edge-welded, metal bellows disposed within a pressure vessel to balance a pressure differential across the bellows while using the bellows to displace fluid and thereby alter the buoyancy of a vehicle on which the system is disposed.

Abstract: An energy management system (EMS) for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft may have one of a plurality of propulsion systems such as a parallel hybrid electric propulsion system, a parallel turbo electric propulsion system, an electric propulsion system, a turbo electric propulsion system and a turbo hybrid electric propulsion system. The EMS comprises redundant control paths for controlling safety critical operation. Each redundant control path is configured to independently determine whether to electrically isolate a line replaceable unit (LRU) from a high voltage DC link (HVDC link) based on status information from the LRU. The isolation is based on the independent determination. The HVDC link is used for propulsion. The number of the redundant control paths and components may be depending on the type of the propulsion system.

Abstract: A method to autonomously taxi an aircraft is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a processing means, a route intended for the aircraft 310. Obtaining, by the processing means, a route line based on the route 320. Determining, by the processing means, at least one route feature along the route line 330. Determining, by the processing means, a deviation of a nosewheel of the aircraft from the route line based on a current position of the aircraft provided by the aircraft global navigation satellite system (GNSS) 340. Outputting, by the processing means, an adjustment of an angle of the nosewheel to correct the deviation from the route based on the deviation of the nosewheel 350. Outputting, by the processing means, an adjustment of the speed of the aircraft based on a current position on the route line and a proximity to the at least one determined route feature 360.

Abstract: The disclosed method enables efficient registration and correction of random vertical and horizontal offsets of a plurality of images of a feature to enable combination thereof with maximum noise suppression. The method includes obtaining image cross correlations and estimating correlation peaks. If a correlation peak cannot be uniquely determined for a given correlation, all candidates are retained. An improved robust weighted regression is applied thereto to obtain estimates of the image shifts. Dimensional symmetry is exploited to remove redundancy from the weighted normal equation, and computational requirements are further reduced by analytically determining the coefficients matrix and the inhomogeneous matrix, thereby circumventing conventional computations. Solution of the resulting consistent, full rank, linear system requires only matrix inversion. For N images, the present method thereby increases computation speed and reduces storage by approximately N2.

Abstract: A switch assembly and a method of effecting a battery to initiate. The switch assembly includes a support that is adapted to operably engage with a battery. The switch assembly also include a slide operably engaged with the support and moveable in a first direction relative to the support between a primed position and a released position. The switch assembly also includes a cover operably engaged with the support and enclosing the slide. The switch assembly also includes a firing pin mechanism operably engaged with the support, the slide, and the cover and moveable in a second direction relative to the slide and the support. In the switch assembly, the second direction of the firing pin mechanism is different than the first direction of the slide.

Abstract: This invention relates to a improvements relating to munitions, specifically to coating small arms ammunition with decoppering agents, as a replacement in lead free ammunition. There is a method of manufacturing a coated metallic projectile for a rifled barrel, comprising; providing a metallic projectile cup with a coating of a decoppering agent located thereon, to provide a coated metallic projectile cup; causing the coated metallic projectile cup to be drawn through a plurality of dies to form a drawn coated metallic projectile.