Abstract: A 3D-printed reflective optic providing very high specific stiffness through the utilization of a hollow shelled design, with closed back, filled with high-stiffness internal volumetric space-filling open-cell lattice structures. High-stiffness, structurally-integrated, sacrificial structures are also included for the purposes of reduction or elimination of tooling during post-processing operations.

Abstract: A video processing system (100) comprises at least one controller (102) configured to receive a plurality of video data from a respective plurality of video data sources (106, 208). The system can assign one of a plurality of hierarchical display layers to each of the plurality of video data, and generate an output video for display, the output video comprising at least a portion of each of the plurality of video data layered according to the assigned hierarchical display layers. The plurality of hierarchical display layers is based on a respective plurality of safety/security levels defined in a safety/security standard.

Abstract: A method and a system for inductively programming a fuze including at least one target coil arranged in a projectile by a fuze setter including at least one setter coil, the method including i) conveying at least one of a projectile or a fuze setter by an actuator to bring the at least one target coil and the at least one setter coil in an inductive coupling position, ii) programming the fuze by transferring predetermined fuzing data from the at least one setter coil to the at least one target coil, iii) optionally transferring fuzing data from the at least one target coil to the at least one setter coil to confirm correct programming of the fuze has been performed, and iv) retracting at least one of the fuze setter or projectile from the inductive coupling position when the transfer of fuzing data has been completed.

Abstract: A method for charging a battery includes coupling an electrical device in a circuit between the battery and an electrical power source. The electrical device having on and off states that are mechanically different. The method includes charging the battery by setting the electrical device to the on state, measuring current flowing through contacts of the electrical device while in the on state, determining current as a function of time flowing through the contacts of the electrical device, using the current as a function of time as a variable in a thermal model based on heating of the contacts and cooling of the contacts, determining by the thermal model a predicted temperature of the contacts based on the current as a function of time and the heating and cooling of the contacts and controlling the on and off state of the electrical device based on the predicted temperature.

Abstract: A door assembly for a payload bay (10) having an opening (12), the door assembly comprising at least one door (20, 220). The at least one door comprises: a panel section (22, 222) having a first end (24, 224) and a second end (26, 226); and a first mounting member (30, 230) arranged orthogonally to the panel section at the first end and having a first engagement feature (31, 231) having a rotational axis (18, 218) about which the panel section is arranged to rotate. The engagement feature is arranged to engage with a first fixing member (16, 216) on one side of the payload bay to rotatably couple the panel section to the payload bay. The at least one door is arranged to translate between a closed configuration, in which the panel section is arranged in the same plane as the opening, and an open configuration, in which the panel section is arranged at at least 90 degrees to the plane of the opening, by rotating about the rotational axis.

Abstract: A tightly coupled dipole array is an egg-crate configuration defined by a plurality of electrically connected antenna unit cells. At least one of the unit cells utilizes a short or conductive element that shorts the common mode resonance. Shorting the common mode resonance in an intentional manner removes instances of the common mode resonance. To achieve the shorting of the common mode resonance, a conductive element is connected with one of the dipole arms and connected to the outer conductor of the feed or a ground plane. This creates a grounding loop that pushes the resonance out of the band of interest.

Abstract: A wideband chaotic waveform that is rateless in that it may be modulated at virtually any rate and has a minimum of features introduced into the waveform. Further, the waveform provided may be operated below a signal to noise ratio wall to further enhance the LPD and LPE aspects, thereof. Additionally, the present disclosure may provide a mix of coherent and non-coherent processing techniques applied to signal samples to efficiently achieve coarse synchronization with a waveform that is faster, more efficient and more accurate than using time domain signal correlators alone.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for phase coherent frequency synthesis. An embodiment includes a first phase accumulator to accumulate a frequency control word (FCW) at a clocked rate to produce a first digital phase signal representing phase data corresponding to phase points on a first sinusoidal waveform. The embodiment also includes a second phase accumulator to produce an incrementing reference count at the clocked rate and multiply it by the FCW to produce a second digital phase signal representing phase data corresponding to phase points on a second sinusoidal waveform. The multiplication is performed in response to change in the FCW. The embodiment further includes a multiplexer to select between the first and second digital phase signals based on completion of the multiplication. The embodiment also includes a phase-to-amplitude converter to generate digital amplitude data corresponding to the phase points on a sinusoidal waveform associated with the selected digital phase signal.

Abstract: A laser transmission apparatus utilizing multiple laser beams and beam paths with a diverger lens to provide an illumination pattern that can compensate for lateral movement of the platform during shearography is provided. Further, this optical setup requires no moving parts and does not reduce power of the laser beams as they move through the individual components thereof. From the perspective of the surface being scanned or inspected, the present disclosure may provide two laser images of a single surface that appear to be identical despite the fact that they were taken from two different spatial positions of the moving platform.

Abstract: Techniques for reducing a likelihood of detection of an imaging system by another imaging system are provided. For example, the techniques may include controlling read-out such that the timings between frames of an image are non-uniform. For example, a processor may be configured to generate a plurality of frame synchronization signals from a main clock and transmit the plurality of frame synchronization signals to readout circuitry. Each frame synchronization signal is an instruction to start the biasing and reading for a respective frame. The plurality of frame synchronization signals may be generated such that a timing between pulse biasing the same thermal sensor is not uniform. The techniques may also include controlling the read-out such that the timings between lines within a frame are non-uniform which also results in the timing between pulse biasing of the same thermal sensor not being uniform.

Abstract: The scintillation detector assembly 10 comprises a first scintillation detector 11A of a set SSD of scintillation detectors 11, comprising a first scintillator 12A of a set SS of scintillators 12 and a first light sensor 13A of a set SLS of respective light sensors 13 optically coupled thereto, arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation and output a first signal; a first radiation source 14A of a set SRS of radiation sources 14, configured to emit first gamma radiation G1 of a first set SG of gamma radiation G, having a first reference energy RE1 of a set SRE of respective first reference energies RE; and a controller 15 configured to control a gain of the first scintillation detector 11A based, at least in part, on the first gamma radiation, having the first reference energy, detected by the first scintillation detector 11A.

Abstract: A system and method of cognitive radio control to allow for low probability of detection and/or low probability of exploitation communications in a contested or hostile environment. The cognitive radio system of the present disclosure can reason over policy constraints and real-time data to make dynamic changes to mission parameters in real-time.

Abstract: The system and method of a steering a moving object using a control plate-based control actuation system on the moving object. The control plate-based control actuation system having a control plate with at least four fin linkages for connecting at least four fins to the control plate; and three actuators configured to move the control plate to produce movement in two or more of the at least four fins. The system produces roll, pitch, and yaw moments for the moving object using three actuators acting on the control plate and thus moving two or more of the at least four fins all with no loss of performance as compared to systems with four actuators.

Abstract: The system and method for super resolution processing at long standoff distances in real-time. The system collects a series of image frames and estimated the shift, rotation, and zoom parameters between each of the image frames. A matrix is generated and then an inversion is applied to the matrix to produce a super resolution image of an area of interest while mitigating the effect of any bad pixels on image quality. In some cases, the area of interest is user-defined and in some cases image chips are provided by tracking software. A fast steering mirror can be used to steer and/or dither the focal plane array.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an aircraft comprising: a fuselage; and a payload module coupled to the fuselage, the payload module comprising one or more data storage devices. The payload module is configured to be decoupled from the fuselage during flight upon receipt of a de-coupling input.

Abstract: A modular launching device for launching of projectiles with a propellant charge is provided where the projectile is arranged such that a detonator is arranged at a projectile body in the launching device and assembled together with at least one propellant charge in the launching device. A method of assembling projectiles in a launching device by using modules is also provided.

Abstract: A data link (101) for a MIMO communication system (100) comprises a first transceiver device (106A) comprising a body (109A) having a transducer mounting surface near or at which is mounted a plurality of first transducers (107A-107D) configured to, in use, receive and convert a plurality of electrical waveforms to a respective plurality of acoustic signals. A first bonding layer (120A) bonds a barrier mounting surface of the body of the first transceiver device to a barrier (103). The data link further comprises a second transceiver device (106B) comprising a body (109B) and a plurality of second transducers (107?A-107?D) configured to receive and convert the plurality of acoustic signals transmitted through the barrier to a respective plurality of electrical waveforms. A second bonding layer (120B) bonds a barrier mounting surface of the body of the second transceiver to the barrier.

Abstract: A method of forming a metal component from metal powder which includes exposing the metal powder to an inert gas; consolidating the metal powder into a solid metal; followed by exposing the solid metal to a hot isostatic pressing process to form a metal component, wherein the hot isostatic pressing process has one initial compression cycle followed by at least one decompression and recompression cycle.

Abstract: A method is provided for correlating signals. The method includes receiving a plurality of data vectors representing a plurality of signals. The method further includes determining, for each of the data vectors, a first set of correlation coefficients, where each of the correlation coefficients in the first set is based on a direct cross-correlation between each of the data vectors. The method further includes calculating an average of the first set of correlation coefficients, and determining, for each of the data vectors, a second set of correlation coefficients, where each of the correlation coefficients in the second set are based on an indirect cross-correlation between each of the data vectors and the average of the first set of correlation coefficients. The method further includes detecting a correlation between at least two of the data vectors based on the second set of correlation coefficients.

Abstract: A suspension strut for a vehicle comprises: a first connector for connecting to a first point on the vehicle; a second connector for connecting to a second point on the vehicle; and a damper assembly adapted to provide a damping force as fluid flows through the damper assembly during relative compression between the first point and the second point, wherein the damper assembly comprises a side wall and a damper aperture in the side wall, wherein the damper aperture is open throughout operation of the strut to allow fluid to flow through the damper assembly.