Abstract: The disclosure relates to optical sensing for both near and far field imaging at different speeds. In particular, disclosed herein is a novel adaptive, high speed optical digital Sensor Chip Assembly (SCA) that can be used in a variety of sensing applications. Specifically disclosed is an optical sensor, referred to herein as the “Oceanit Digital Sensor,” which comprises a SCA. This SCA includes a focal plane array (FPA) connected, or “hybridized,” to a digital read out integrated circuit (DROIC) through various micro-connections, thereby resulting in a multi-layered assembly. The FPA is a light sensitive layer that converts incoming photons of light to electronic charges, which the DROIC then collects, processes, and converts into a digital output stream. The DROIC includes a matching array of charge-to-voltage integrating amplifiers, as well as other circuits, to support the conversion of the light received on the FPA into a representative data stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and methods for the intelligent fuzzing of cyber-physical systems, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for such fuzzing. In at least one embodiment, a method is disclosed for intelligent fuzzing, which includes the steps of (1) characterizing “normal” behavior of the cyber-physical system being tested, which may include, for example, utilization of a causal model to analyze causal relationships between various messages sent to and/or from the system being tested, (2) identifying dependency relationships between these various messages and/or generating a dependency graph for the messages, and (3) fuzzing an incoming message from the system under test. The fuzzing process may include querying the causal model to determine if the message is contained within the model. Fuzzing may further include altering the message's contents by, for instance, randomly manipulating particular message fields and/or replacing letters with other letters.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to methods, devices, and systems for the acquisition of high-resolution, low-latency imagery over a large area of interest. Specifically, at least one embodiment of the invention includes a wide field optical sensor having a turret, base, and camera. The camera further includes a focal plane array (FPA) with pixels arranged in rows and columns. Additionally, the turret may include a motion controller and a fold mirror with its own motion controller that enables the fold mirror to oscillate (i.e., rotate back and forth) about an axis. The wide field optical sensor may also have at least three modes of operation: (1) a “search mode,” which continuously acquires high-resolution images over some field of regard, (2) a “stare mode,” which acquires images of the same, fixed region, and (3) an “agile mode,” which alternates between the aforementioned two modes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are thermally conductive materials, including, for instance, thermally conductive tubing, thermally conductive devices and/or systems (e.g., apparel, backpacks, and the like), and applications thereof. In at least one embodiment, a thermally conductive material is disclosed that is made from one or more base polymers and one or more additives that increase the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive material relative to the one or more base polymers. In additional embodiments, a cooling vest and a cooling backpack are disclosed, both of which are wearable by human users to keep their body temperature below a certain value. The vest and/or the backpack may include tubing through which coolant flows. The tubing is placed within the fabric and is arranged so that it contacts the user's skin.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for cooling and/or thermoregulation are disclosed, including thermoregulatory apparel. Such thermoregulatory apparel includes a cooling vest for human users to reduce their body temperature and/or to keep their body temperature below a certain value. The cooling vest may include a plurality of tubing arranged within the four-way stretch fabric used for the vest. Coolant flows through this tubing, which is arranged so that it contacts a user's skin while the user is wearing the vest. The composition and arrangement of the tubing can be matched with the type of fabric so that both the tubing and the fabric stretch in similar ways, ensuring that the tubing stays in contact with the user's skin. Also disclosed is a cartridge with a phase change material that is configured to refresh or recharge the cooling ability of the coolant when the coolant is passed through the phase change material.

Abstract: A surface modification method involves oxidizing a surface of a material and etching the surface, and repeating the oxidizing and etching one or more times until desired nanostructures are created in the surface. The desired nanostructures make the nanostructured surface superhydrophilic. Hydrophilic properties of the surface may be further developed by application of hydrophilic material, and by application of functionalized micro/nanoparticles to the hydrophilic material. Substitution of hydrophobic material for the hydrophilic material creates a superhydrophobic surface. Further addition of an omniphobic coating to the functionalized micro/nanoparticles creates a durable omniphobic surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to nanostructured hybrid polymer composite membranes and methods for producing same. Specifically, the invention relates to nanofiber membranes produced through various methods, including electrospinning of at least one polymer into a non-woven nanofiber structure. The disclosed nanofiber membranes may also be compressed to further provide unique physical, chemical, and thermal properties that make such membranes suitable for a range of specific applications, including, but not limited to, use as nanostructured separators in lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for laser-based communications are disclosed. At least one embodiment relates to laser-mediated underwater communications, in which one or more laser signals transmit encoded information from a transmitter to a receiver. Additionally, an underwater transmitter node sends information to an underwater receiver node using one or more lasers. At least an additional embodiment relates to laser-based communications that may be used to send information across a variety of media (e.g., air, water, etc.). Specifically, a first and a second communications system each sends a laser beam to the other. Each communications system further includes a position sensitive detector (PSD) that obtains positioning and/or steering information of an incoming laser beam and ensures that the positions of both the outgoing laser beam and the incoming laser beam match.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to systems, materials, and methods for ore tracking. In particular, the invention relates to metamaterial RFID tags that are chip-free and comprise RF metamaterials to produce unique spectral features when illuminated with microwave radiation. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, each of the metamaterial RFID tags includes one or more tag units that have a particular spectral response representing a one-bit code. As a result, each tag may comprise a specific code that is “assembled” from a plurality of tag units in a modular fashion. One or more embodiments of the present invention further includes a blast-tolerant package for one or more of the metamaterial RFID tags that enables such tags to survive blasting, crushing, and/or other forces inherent in mine operations.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to systems and methods for preparing and producing a custom-fitted face mask, including, as non-limiting examples, a CPAP nasal mask and a CPAP full face mask. At least one embodiment of the invention utilizes infrared (IR) lasers, such as, for example, those found on smartphone cameras, in order to generate a 3D point cloud model of an individual's face. This point cloud model is then used to produce a custom face mask cushion, which is used to customize a generic face mask to conform to the user's specific facial geometry.

Abstract: A sound attenuation material includes a plurality of particles, each having a core and an elastic or compliant coating around the core, and a matrix surrounding the plurality of particles, the matrix being less dense than the core. A method of manufacturing sound attenuating materials includes adding an elastic or compliant coating to core particles and drying and/or curing the coating, mixing the coated core particles into a matrix material, and pouring the mixture into a mold. The core particles are denser than the matrix material.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to anatomically conforming apparatuses, and the creation, design, and fitting of such apparatuses. In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates to masks that require a conformal fit to a user's face, including, but not limited to, respirator and breathing masks, oxygen masks for both civil and military pilots, ventilation masks used in hazardous environments, and the like. One or more methods for clustering facial scans to design a finite set of mass-producible masks is also described, such that each individual in a given population can be assigned at least one mask in the set of masks that is anatomically conforming to that individual's specific facial geometry. Also described are one or more methods for fitting a face mask to a specific individual based on a 3-D scan of that individual's face.

Abstract: Methods, products, and systems for monitoring and improving pipeline infrastructure are disclosed. At least one embodiment of the invention comprises a smart-sensing coating, which is applied to one or more interior surfaces of a pipe or pipeline. The coating may comprise a dual-purpose metamaterial, which itself may comprise a plurality of acoustically active and tunable particles that may be embedded in a low-friction, corrosion-resistant, omniphobic polymer matrix. The particles may comprise a multi-layered assembly with a high-density material core, elastic matrix filler, and a stiff outer shell. The particles may further be specifically engineered to form an acoustic band gap at a chosen ultrasound frequency. At this chosen frequency, the particles are very nearly acoustically opaque, preventing the transmission of any and all sound. As such, the position and distribution of the particles inside the pipelines can be clearly distinguished.

Abstract: The present invention relates to thermally conductive materials, including, for instance, thermally conductive tubing and thermally conductive apparel, and applications thereof. In particular, the invention relates to thermally conductive tubing that can used in thermoregulatory apparel, such as, for example, cooling garments and cooling vests. In at least one embodiment, the present invention includes a thermally conductive material made from one or more base polymers and one or more additives that increase the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive material relative to the one or more base polymers. The base polymer may include, for example, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and the additive may include, for example, graphite fibers. The thermally conductive material may also include, for instance, a secondary polymer, such as ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and/or a plasticizer, such as bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA).

Abstract: Deployable smart acoustic resonance particles have dense cores, compliant matrixes surrounding the cores and stiff outer shells surrounding the matrixes. The particles have mechanical stress sensitivities that provide unique band gap shifts when compressed. Groups of similar particles with similar stress sensitivities and similar band gap shifts are added at different times to hydraulic fluids, as circulated through wells with the fluid and pushed into fractures. A plural, sonic monopole well logging tool is lowered into the well to determine locations and depth of fractures and local pressures by distinct resonance of individual groups.

Abstract: Electroless underwater metal plating of a surface of fixed or floating structure is accomplished by transferring to the surface metal ions from a metal precursor in a solid or semisolid electrolyte that is pressed against and moved over a submerged surface. Metal ions from a metal salt blended in the solid or semisolid material plate the underwater substrate.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for underwater communications are disclosed. In particular, the present invention relates to laser-mediated underwater communications, in which one or more laser signals transmit encoded information from a transmitter to a receiver. Accordingly, at least one embodiment of the invention includes an underwater transmitter node that sends information to an underwater receiver node using one or more lasers. The one or more lasers may be focused on to the underwater receiver node using a lens, telescope, or the like. The one or more lasers may additionally have a wavelength in the blue-green portion of the visible spectrum, including specifically, for instance, 450 nm, thereby enabling the one or more lasers to transmit effectively underwater. In additional embodiments of the invention, the information transmitted between the underwater transmitter node and the underwater receiver node is an encoded digital transmission.

Abstract: Reduced noise abrasive blasting assemblies and systems are described. The new assemblies and systems are comprised of standard blast hose, accelerator hose, couplings and nozzle. The improved abrasive blasting system maintains abrasive particle velocity while decreasing the exit gas velocity and consequently decreasing sound production. This is accomplished through an acceleration section with reduced inner diameter and sufficient length to provide the necessary abrasive particle velocity. The new system maintains the productivity and efficiency of conventional abrasive blasting systems but with greatly reduced acoustic noise production and reduces operator fatigue due to the lower weight of the carried portion of the system.

Abstract: Frequency imaging of different areas or object in an image is created by a visible light, infrared or other cameras taking multiple sequential images is disclosed. The images are recorded and stacked. Pixels that vary in the images yield time varying data on a pixel by pixel basis. The time varying data is processed to extract pixel by pixel signal spectrum or another similar signal metric. Frequency at each pixel is displayed and distinguished, such as by recoloring the pixels based on spectral power rather than intensity contrast.

Abstract: An optically transparent radar absorbing material has alternating layers of optically transparent conductive material with layers of even thickness of optically transparent material having a homogenous dielectric constant. The even thickness is one quarter of the wavelength of a targeted electromagnetic energy.