Patents Assigned to NASA
  • Patent number: 10908303
    Abstract: A neutron spectrometer is provided to distinguish neutron capture events from other types of radiation in order to measure the energy associated with neutrons in a mixed radiation environment. The neutron spectrometer can include a neutron detector to capture neutrons and a controller to determine the energy associated with the captured neutrons. The neutron detector can include scintillating glass fibers embedded in a plastic scintillator. A photomultiplier tube can be positioned on each end of the detector to detect light pulses generated by both the scintillating glass fibers and the plastic scintillator. A controller can analyze the detected light pulses to determine when a neutron is captured and the energy associated with the neutron capture event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, for and on behalf of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, NASA
    Inventors: Evgeny N. Kuznetsov, Jeffrey A. Apple, Brian F. Gibson, John W. Watts, Mark Joseph Christl
  • Patent number: 8753947
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus, such as a lighting device having light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a power generating device having photovoltaic diodes. The exemplary method includes depositing a first conductive medium within a plurality of channels of a base to form a plurality of first conductors; depositing within the plurality of channels a plurality of semiconductor substrate particles suspended in a carrier medium; forming an ohmic contact between each semiconductor substrate particle and a first conductor; converting the semiconductor substrate particles into a plurality of semiconductor diodes; depositing a second conductive medium to form a plurality of second conductors coupled to the plurality of semiconductor diodes; and depositing or attaching a plurality of lenses suspended in a first polymer over the plurality of diodes. In various embodiments, the depositing, forming, coupling and converting steps are performed by or through a printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignees: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc, NASA
    Inventors: William Johnstone Ray, Mark David Lowenthal, Neil O. Shotton, Richard A. Blanchard, Mark Allan Lewandowski, Kirk A. Fuller, Donald Odell Frazier
  • Publication number: 20110157600
    Abstract: An optical telescope system, method of actively, adaptively providing optical control to an array of articulated mirrors in a sparse aperture in the optical telescope system and a computer program product therefor. Array apertures are selected sequentially for imaging. Each aperture is temporally modulating at a unique/different frequency and, simultaneously, focal plane images are detected for each array aperture with known and separable temporal dependencies. The images are processed for the current set of said focal plane images to detect an image wavefront. The feeding back wavefront errors are fed back to aperture actuators for controlling the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicants: NASA
    Inventor: Richard G. Lyon
  • Publication number: 20100178680
    Abstract: A rotatable perfused time varying electromagnetic force bioreactor with a rotatable perfusable culture chamber and a time varying electromagnetic force source operatively connected to the rotatable perfusable culture chamber. In use, the rotatable perfused time varying electromagnetic force bioreactor supplies a time varying electromagnetic force to the rotatable perfusable culture chamber of the rotatable perfused time varying electromagnetic force bioreactor to expand cells contained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicants: REGENETECH, INC., NASA
    Inventors: Thomas J. Goodwin, Clayton R. Parker
  • Publication number: 20090101557
    Abstract: A device for producing medical grade water in spacecrafts has a heat exchange unit which initially heats a water supply before being channeled to a membrane filter module which separates the water supply into liquid retentate and purified gaseous permeate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: NASA
    Inventor: Chung-Yi A. Tsai
  • Patent number: 6312763
    Abstract: A barrier layer for a silicon containing substrate which inhibits the formation of gaseous species of silicon when exposed to a high temperature aqueous environment comprises a yttrium silicate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignees: United Technologies Corporation, General Electric Co., NASA
    Inventors: Harry Edwin Eaton, Jr., William Patrick Allen, Nathan S. Jacobson, Kang N. Lee, Elizabeth J. Opila, James L. Smialek, Hongyu Wang, Peter Joel Meschter, Krishan Lal Luthra
  • Patent number: 6296942
    Abstract: A barrier layer for a silicon containing substrate which inhibits the formation of gaseous species of silicon when exposed to a high temperature aqueous environment comprises a calcium alumino silicate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignees: General Electric Company, United Technologies Corporation, NASA
    Inventors: Harry Edwin Eaton, Jr., William Patrick Allen, Robert Alden Miller, Nathan S. Jacobson, James L. Smialek, Elizabeth J. Opila, Kang N. Lee, Bangalore A. Nagaraj, Hongyu Wang, Peter Joel Meschter, Krishan Lal Luthra
  • Patent number: 6296941
    Abstract: A barrier layer for a silicon containing substrate which inhibits the formation of gaseous species of silicon when exposed to a high temperature aqueous environment comprises a yttrium silicate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignees: General Electric Company, United Technologies Corporation, NASA
    Inventors: Harry Edwin Eaton, Jr., William Patrick Allen, Nathan S. Jacobson, Kang N. Lee, Elizabeth J. Opila, James L. Smialek, Hongyu Wang, Peter Joel Meschter, Krishan Lal Luthra