Abstract: An actuator may include a stator supporting a magnet; a stationary pole; and a bobbin supporting a winding of a coil, the bobbin being coaxial with the stator and stationary pole, and positioned inside the magnet and outside the stationary pole. A gap may be provided between the bobbin and the stationary pole. A beam steering mechanism may include a mirror; a frame; a pivot anchor fixed to the frame and connected to the mirror; and an actuator. An output end of the actuator may be connected to the rear surface. A beam steering mechanism may alternatively include a flexure; a mirror attached to the flexure; a frame; supports fixed to the frame and the flexure; a pivot anchor fixed to the frame and connected to the mirror or the flexure; and an actuator. An output end of the actuator may be connected to the flexure.

Abstract: A single hand controller including a front surface and a back surface, with a first and second side surface there between and an upper surface and bottom surface. The upper surface includes a joystick, and the front surface has a proportional plunger and one or more switches. The controller is grasped by placing a user's finger tips on the front surface, with user's index finger operating the proportional plunger and remaining fingers operating the switches. The thenar eminence group of muscles of the user's hand rests against the back surface, whereby the user's thumb is disposed so as to operate the joystick.

Abstract: An actuator may include a stator, a pole; a bobbin; and windings provided around an exterior surface of the bobbin. The stator may include a stator body; and a plurality of magnets circumferentially arranged around an inner surface of the stator body. The stator, the pole, and the bobbin may be coaxial. An outer diameter of the pole may be smaller than an inner diameter of the bobbin such that the bobbin is movable in an axial direction over an exterior surface of the pole. An outer diameter of the bobbin may be smaller than an inner diameter of the stator such that the bobbin is movable in an axial direction inside the plurality of magnets circumferentially arranged around the inner surface of the stator body.

Abstract: A laser marking system for marking a predetermined pattern on a workpiece may include a first light source structured to emit first light at a first wavelength; a second light source structured to emit second light at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength and selected to mark a marking surface of the workpiece; beam shaping optics structured to adjust a focal length of the second light; beam steering optics structured to aim the first laser light and the second laser light; a controller configured to control the first light source to emit the first light at the marking surface of the workpiece and control the beam steering optics to aim the second light so as to mark the marking surface of the workpiece and create the first predetermined pattern; and a camera structured to detect first light reflected from the marking surface and record an image.

Abstract: A bidirectional sphere prover is used to check the accuracy of a custody transfer meter when fluids, such as crude oil or gasoline are bought and sold. The bidirectional sphere prover of the present invention uses a straight calibrated section of pipe between the detection switches, the straight calibrated section of pipe being free of welds, flanges and elbows.

Abstract: A portable operator control unit (OCU) includes a main portion disposed between handle portions extending from the main portion; the main portion has a front side, an opposing back side, and a top surface. The OCU includes a plurality of display devices including a primary display disposed on the front side of the main portion, and a secondary display movable with respect to the main portion. The secondary display is viewable by the operator along with the primary display while the secondary display is in use, and is stowed out of the operator's view while the secondary display is not in use.

Abstract: A device (15) for measuring the level of a fluid (24) in a container (17) comprising a frame assembly having a first arm (18) and a second arm (19), the first and second arms configured to move from a first folded position (20) to a second expanded position (21), a probe element (22) supported between the first arm and the second arm, the probe element having a sensing portion (34, 35) between the arms when the arms are in the second expanded position, the sensing portion configured to have a length (25) in contact with the fluid, an electrical circuit (26, 29) connected to the probe element, the probe element and the circuit forming a capacitor having a capacitance which is a function of the length of the probe that is in contact with the fluid, and the circuit configured to produce an output signal as a function of the capacitance.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle or mechanism includes a portable displacement controller which permits a non-technical user to achieve effective control of the vehicle or mechanism, by moving the portable displacement controller intuitively with little learning effort. A first sensing device, attached to the displacement controller, detects the user's controlling motion. A second sensing device, attached to the object being controlled, detects motion thereof. An interface device receives signals from the sensing devices, processes those signals to determine relative motion of the controlling motion and the object's motion and outputs a control signal in accordance with the processed signals. The sensing devices each detect motion in six degrees of freedom; the sensing devices each include a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, and a three-axis magnetometer. In specific embodiments, the accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers include micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices.

Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid level monitoring system includes an ultrasonic transducer unit that is externally mountable to a tank. An ultrasonic emitter may generate an ultrasonic beam and receive an echo of the ultrasonic beam off a liquid surface inside a tank. An acoustic lens is coupled to the ultrasonic emitter to shape the ultrasonic beam to compensate for lensing effects of the tank wall. An acoustic coupler may be disposed between the acoustic lens and the tank wall to improve the acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic emitter and the tank wall. The system determines a time-of-flight between generating the ultrasonic beam and receiving the echo. Using the time-of-flight and geometry of a tank, the system may calculate the liquid volume inside the tank. The time-of-flight may be transmitted via a satellite data link or a local data link. The local data link may further be used to configure and maintain the system.

Abstract: A control device comprises a base portion and a handle portion extending from the base portion. The handle portion is movable from side to side relative to the base portion in an X direction, and forward and backward relative to the base portion in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction. The handle portion is also configured to twist relative to the base portion. A magnetoresistive sensor is located in the handle portion. The magnetoresistive sensor is configured to provide an output signal indicative of a twist angle of the handle portion relative to the base portion. At least one sensor is disposed in the base portion for detecting a position of the handle portion in the X and Y directions.

Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid level monitoring system includes an ultrasonic transducer unit that is mountable to a tank. The unit has an emitter to generate an ultrasonic beam passing through the wall of the tank. The emitter further receives an echo of the ultrasonic beam off a liquid surface. An acoustic lens is disposed between the emitter and the tank wall to receive and shape the ultrasonic beam to compensate for lensing effects of the tank wall.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for monitoring a condition of a material are disclosed. In particular, the example apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture emit a first acoustic signal into a wall of the tubular member having a first temperature value and obtain a first propagation time associated with the first acoustic signal. In addition, a second acoustic signal is emitted into the wall having a second temperature value and a second propagation time associated with the second ultrasonic acoustic signal is obtained. The second temperature value is determined based on the first temperature value and the first and second propagation times.

Abstract: A bidirectional sphere prover is used to check the accuracy of a custody transfer meter when fluids, such as crude oil or gasoline are bought and sold. The bidirectional sphere prover of the present invention uses a straight calibrated section of pipe between the detection switches, the straight calibrated section of pipe being free of welds, flanges and elbows.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for monitoring a condition of a cavity surface of an elongated member having a cavity therein. In particular, the example apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture emit a first ultrasonic signal that propagates from a first surface of an elongated member having a cavity therein toward a second surface of the cavity having a first temperature value. First and second echoes associated with the first ultrasonic signal are then obtained. At least one of the first and second echoes is associated with a recess in the second surface. A condition of the second surface is monitored by determining a second temperature value of the second surface based on the first and second echoes and the first temperature value.

Abstract: A handheld controller allows a human operator to control various aspects of a vehicle's operation. The operator's fingers are used to manipulate various devices (e.g., buttons, switches, joysticks, levers, triggers, trackballs and the like) disposed on the handheld controller to control aspects of the vehicle's operation associated with these devices. The handheld controller may provide control signals to the vehicle by a cable, or by a wireless connection. The handheld controller allows the operator to freely move about the vehicle's compartment or to move outside the compartment, while still being able to control the various aspects of vehicle operation. Furthermore, the handheld controller allows the operator to control the various aspects of vehicle operation from a location away from potentially hazardous surfaces within the compartment, which helps to prevent the operator from contacting these surfaces in the event that the vehicle is struck by an object (e.g., enemy artillery, another vehicle, etc.

Abstract: A reconfigurable control for a combat vehicle such as a tank, personnel carrier, or aircraft, is presented. The control includes a grip, a base and a seal. The grip has a lower surface and a chamber. The grip includes a first electrical connector and a key located within the chamber. The base has an upper surface and a shaft. The base includes a second electrical connector and a keyway. In an installed position, the shaft is located within the chamber such that the grip's lower surface and the base's upper surface are substantially coplanar, the first connector electrically engages the second connector, the key mechanically engages the keyway, and the seal facilitates a compression fit between the grip and the base for sealing the chamber such that at least one of contaminants are prevented from entering the chamber and noise vibration rattle is eliminated.

Abstract: An improved position indicating device is presented. The position indicating device includes a housing having a sealed compartment and an opened compartment. A trackball is located in the opened compartment. A plurality of drive tube assemblies are also located in the opened compartment for supporting a periphery of the trackball. In one embodiment, the plurality of drive tubes include an X-axis drive tube and a Y-axis drive tube. The X-axis drive tube and the Y-axis drive tube each have a sealed magnet assembly affixed thereto. The drive tube assemblies and sealed magnetic assemblies generate a north-to-south pole magnetic field angle as the drive tube rotate. The sealed compartment includes an X-axis angle sensor, an X-axis signal conditioner, a Y-axis magnetic angle sensor, and a Y-axis signal conditioner. The angle sensors and signal conditioners sense and measure the north-to-south pole magnetic field angle generated by the rotating drive assemblies and sealed magnetic assemblies.

Abstract: A non-contact gauging system and method profiles a workpiece to accurately determine cylindrical surface profiles. The system includes a sensor head for performing reflected light measurements. The sensor head couples to a sensor arm that is movable in longitudinal, lateral, and transverse directions. A computer controls operation of the sensor head and arm to perform various proximity measurements of the workpiece. Proximity measurements are made along at least three parallel, lateral tracks that extend along a longitudinal length of the workpiece surface. The sensor head takes proximity measurements as it is moved continuously along each lateral track. The computer determines the diameters of the workpiece along the longitudinal length based on the proximity measurements and generates a profile.