Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel, non-rotating tomographic imaging system, including a multi-source x-ray imaging module which includes multiple x-ray sources within a vacuum manifold, each equipped with a non-thermionic cathode which can reduce image scan time (and hence, motion artifacts), or delivered radiation dose, through under-sampled acquisition sequences, and without adding additional sources. The non-thermionic nature of the cathode enables rapid on/off switching of x-rays without concern as to the thermal mass or the thermal time-constant of the cathode. The modules can be flexibly interconnected to each other to allow configuration as part of a distributed ring of sources, or in other x-ray imaging geometries. Modularity provides the present invention an advantage in making it easier to debug and repair a distributed-source imaging system, such as a computed tomographic (CT) system.

Abstract: A method of fabricating (printing) parts utilizing flexible filaments includes anchoring a portion of a flexible filament to a substrate. A length of flexible filament is extended over the substrate while the flexible filament is in tension to thereby avoid buckling of the flexible filament. The flexible filament may comprise a thermoplastic material and fibers or other reinforcing materials whereby composite 3D parts can be fabricated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a solution path overlay interface to transmit a solution path are described. The disclosed technology includes receiving vehicle data and external data from a vehicle. The vehicle data includes a vehicle location and a vehicle destination, and the external data includes a location and a movement path for each of a plurality of external objects. A solution path is determined between the vehicle location and the vehicle destination, wherein the solution path does not intersect with the plurality of external objects. A solution path overlay interface is generated that includes the vehicle traveling the solution path and at least some of the plurality of external objects. The solution path overlay interface is outputted for display that is configured to receive a command from an operator which results in an updated solution path that is transmitted to the vehicle for execution.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide for microfabrication of devices, such as semiconductors, thermoelectric devices, etc. Various embodiments may include a method for fabricating a device, such as a semiconductor (e.g., a silicon (Si)-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), etc.), thermoelectric device, etc., using a mask. In some embodiments, the mask may be configured to allow molecules in a deposition plume to pass through one or more holes in the mask. In some embodiments, molecules in a deposition plume may pass around the mask. Various embodiments may provide thermoelectric devices having metallic junctions. Various embodiments may provide thermoelectric devices having metallic junctions rather than junctions formed from semiconductors.

Abstract: A method of detecting defects in a composite structure includes applying heat to a surface of a composite structure. Thermographic images or frames captured by a moving camera may be utilized to form temporally aligned images that include temperature data (pixels) from a plurality of frames, wherein the (pixels) comprise data captured at a simple (uniform) time delay from the time at which heat was applied. The temporally aligned thermographic data for the surface region may include variations due to differences in thermal transients caused by defects in the composite structure. The variations in the thermographic data may be utilized to detect one or more defects in the composite structure.

Abstract: Some aspects relate to methods of forming an epitaxial layer. In some examples, the methods include ejecting atoms from a molten metal sputtering material onto a heated crystalline substrate and growing a single epitaxial layer on the substrate from the ejected atoms, where the atoms are ejected with sufficient energy that the grown epitaxial layer has at least a partial rhombohedral lattice, and wherein the crystalline substrate is heated to a temperature of about 600 degrees Celsius or less, or about 500 degrees or less. Other aspects relate to materials, such as a material including a single epitaxial layer on top of a crystalline substrate, the layer including one or more semiconductor materials and having at least a partial rhombohedral lattice, or a substantially rhombohedral lattice.

Abstract: A deformable closure mechanism for an aperture that may include an aperture seal that has a seal seat between an internal support structure and an external support structure. A barrier structure may be configured to resealably close the aperture, and have a central membrane and a barrier sealed that is inflatable in order to engage the barrier structure with the aperture seal.

Abstract: A system and method of warning and planning failure responses using an automated failure response system including, providing an electro-mechanical system having mechanical and electrical components and providing a failure response system for diagnosing failures of the components. The failure response system then determines effects of said failures on carrying out system activities using the failure response system, quantifies a severity for each failure diagnosed by the failure response system, and identifies repairs for each component failure. The failure response system also prioritizes each failure of a component based on severity and then recommends which repairs should be prioritized as most urgent to keep the electro-mechanical system operational based upon the severity of the associated failures and the effects of their corresponding failure.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for creating a multiple alloy composite structure by forming a three-dimensional arrangement of a first alloy composition in which the three-dimensional arrangement has a substantially open and continuous porosity. The three-dimensional arrangement of the first alloy composition is infused with at least a second alloy composition, where the second alloy composition comprises a shape memory alloy. The three-dimensional arrangement is consolidated into a fully dense solid structure, and the original shape of the second alloy composition is set for reversible transformation. Strain is applied to the fully dense solid structure, which is treated with heat so that the shape memory alloy composition becomes memory activated to recover the original shape. An interwoven composite of the first alloy composition and the memory-activated second alloy composition is thereby formed in the multiple alloy composite structure.

Abstract: An inflatable pressure structure includes an airtight flexible membrane having collapsed and inflated configurations. The inflatable pressure structure includes an elongated pressure-assisted seal that is configured to selectively seal an opening in the airtight flexible membrane. The pressure-assisted seal includes first and second seal components that sealingly engage one another and prevent escape of gas from inside the airtight flexible membrane. The airtight flexible membrane, when inflated, generates a force transverse to the pressure-assisted seal tending to pull the first and second seal components apart. Pressurized gas inside the airtight flexible membrane causes the first and second seal components to more securely engage one another whereby a force transverse to the pressure-assisted seal does not disengage the first and second seal components.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide for the creation of holey graphene meshes (HGMs) and composite articles including HGMs. Various embodiments provide solvent-free methods for creating arrays of holes on holey graphene-based articles formed from dry compression (such as films, discs, pellets), thereby resulting in a HGM. In further embodiments, a HGM can used as part of a composite, such as by: 1) embedding a HGM into another matrix material such as carbon, polymer, metals, metal oxides, etc; and/or (2) the HGM serving as a matrix by filling the holes of the HGM or functionalizing the HGM body with another one or more materials. In various embodiments, HGM can also be made as a composite itself by creating holes on dry-compressed articles pre-embedded with one or more other materials.

Abstract: Gas is introduced into molten metal during an additive metal fabrication process and/or during a metal fusion process. The gas may comprise a process gas that flows through a tubular feed wire. The amount of process gas introduced can be controlled to vary the composition and/or material properties of metal deposits formed from a molten metal. Material properties such as yield strength, hardness, and fracture toughness can be increased or decreased in specific regions to provide material property gradients that closely correspond to expected requirements of components fabricated utilizing additive and/or fusion processes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method and system for crater detection in planetary data based on marked point processes (MPP), effective for various object detection tasks in Earth observation, and for planetary image registration. The resulting spatial features are exploited for registration, together with fitness functions based on the MPP energy, on the mean directed Hausdorff distance, and on the mutual information. Two different methods—one based on birth-death processes and region-of-interest analysis, and the other based on graph cuts and decimated wavelets—are included within the present framework. Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the present invention in terms of crater detection performance and sub-pixel registration accuracy.

Abstract: A laminate has a composite coating on a substrate. The substrate is a polymeric substrate with a surface resistivity of 4×102 to 1×108?/?; or a textured substrate with surface features which are 100 nm to 10 microns high. The composite coating comprising a tie layer of a nickel-chromium alloy; a layer of a reflective metal; a layer of aluminum oxide; a layer of silicon oxide; and optionally a layer of indium tin oxide. The laminate has a solar absorbance at a wavelength of 0.25 microns to 2.5 microns of between 0.07 and 0.7; and the laminate has an IR emittance of 0.1 to 0.8. Solar absorbance and IR emittance of the laminate may be independently to control the ratio of solar absorbance to IR emittance. Solar absorbance may be adjusted by changing the surface resistance or degree of texturing on the substrate. IR emittance may be adjusted by changing oxide film thickness.

Abstract: This system combines 3D printing technology with artificially modified cells for production of nonliving biomaterials. A 3D printer deposits a 3D array of bioengineered cells in the shape of a selected product. The cells are programmed to produce biomaterials in regulated amounts. The cell array deposits biomaterials onto a substrate. The cells and substrate are then removed, leaving a finished, nonliving product with microscale structure and precision.

Abstract: A rigid radiation reflector is fabricated from a powdered material transparent to light in a wavelength band extending from approximately 0.2 micrometers to at least 8 micrometers. The powdered material is dispersed in a liquid wherein the powdered material is at least 95% insoluble in the liquid. The resulting mixture is molded under pressure at room temperature and then sintered to generate a porous solid. The porous solid is cooled to room temperature. A surface of the porous solid is then coated with a light-reflecting metal.

Abstract: A laser spectrometer includes a tunable laser assembly, a periodically-poled nonlinear optical crystal, with parallel polished input and output end faces, and a mechanism for controlling an entrance location of a pump input beam of the tunable laser on the input end face of the periodically-poled nonlinear optical crystal, such that the pump input beam traverses different grating periods of the periodically-poled nonlinear optical crystal.

Abstract: A microheater performs a self measurement of its own temperature. The microheater has an electrically resistive element which generates heat when a voltage has been applied across the resistive element. The resistive element has an electrical conductivity that is a function of its temperature. A measurement device is positioned within the microheater body and is configured to measure conductivity of the resistive element. An electronic processor, that may be incorporated into the microheater, controls brief interruption of the heating voltage and application of a lower voltage for measuring conductivity. The lower voltage is insufficient to increase the heat output of the microheater, and is applied for too short of a period to allow excessive cooling of the microheater. A microprocessor receives and processes the data obtained from measuring conductivity.

Abstract: A radiation hardened, digital to analog converter includes first and second serial communication circuits, a common bus interface configured to connect the first and second serial communication circuits to first and second digital serial communication buses, respectively, and a digital to analog converter circuit, where the first and second serial communication circuits are configured to receive data over the first and second digital serial communication buses, respectively, for use by the digital to analog converter circuit.

Abstract: Coating-less nonplanar ring oscillator lasers are disclosed. Such lasers may eliminate the need for thin-film optical coatings from a laser cavity, solving the problem of optical damage to the coatings, and thus, providing a longer useful lifetime for the laser for space or terrestrial applications. Such lasers may be compact, ultra-stable, and highly reliable, enabling a low phase noise, single frequency laser in a compact package. Such lasers may be used in CW and/or in pulse mode.