Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cyclic peptide polymer. R1, R2, and R3 are organic groups. Each R4 is a covalent bond, methylene, ethylene, n-propylene, or n-butylene. Each X is —NH—, —O—, or —O—CO—. The values m and n are nonnegative integers having a sum of at least 1. The value p is an integer greater than 1. The cyclic peptide polymer may be made by providing a first cyclic peptide monomer having a protecting group on the X group, covalently binding the —CO—OH group of the first cyclic peptide monomer to a solid support having a carboxylic acid-reactive group, converting the protecting group to —XH, reacting the —XH group with the —CO—OH group of an additional cyclic peptide monomer, optionally repeating the converting and reacting steps with further additional cyclic peptide monomers, and cleaving the cyclic peptide polymer from the solid support.

Abstract: Corrosion detection systems and methods can include at least one fiber optic cable embedded in a material having at least two layers. Two of the layers can define an interface, and the fiber optic cable can be embedded at the interface. Each fiber optic cable can have a plurality of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG's) formed therein at predetermined intervals. Each FBG can have a preselected geometry that can only allow a predetermined light wavelength to pass therethrough. A light source for inputting light and a photodetector can be connected to opposite exposed ends of the fiber optic cable. As corrosion occurs near an FBG, it experiences mechanical strain, which can further cause a slightly different wavelength to pass through the fiber optic cable. The change in in wavelength can be detected by the photodiode as being indicate of corrosion occurring at the site near the FBG.

Abstract: A torch device includes a case connected to a first cap at a first end of the case, and a second cap at the second end. The first cap closes the first end. The second cap leaves an opening in the second end. A nozzle is connected to the second end. A first section is located in proximity of the nozzle inside the case. The first section contains a thermite material. A second section is located in proximity of the first section inside the case. The second section contains an ignitable composition. A third section is located in proximity of the second section inside the case. The third section contains the ignitable composition. A fourth section is located in proximity of the second section inside the case. The third and fourth sections are separated by an insulating tube. The fourth section contains an oxidizer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical vapor-sensor bag with an integrated sensor array to verify the presence of specific chemical vapors inside a sealed bag. In an exemplary embodiment, a device can be sealed within a vapor-sensor bag to allow the device to be transported to and tested for contaminants at the point of use by an end user of the device. In another exemplary embodiment, a device can be coupled to a gas port on a vapor-sensor bag to allow gas within the device to be tested for contaminants. In another exemplary embodiment, gas from a device can be streamed through vapor-sensor bag by coupling the device to a first gas port on a vapor-sensor bag and allowing gas to exit the bag through a second gas port.

Abstract: A method and system for redundancy management of an individual blade controller rotor system is provided. The blade controller rotor system has a control computer in a stationary frame and multiple blade controllers in a rotary frame. Each of the blade controllers corresponds to a blade of a rotor system. A slip ring interfaces the stationary frame and the rotary frame. Data is transferred, via the slip ring, between each blade controller and the control computer. Each blade controller accepts and transmits information, including historical blade positions, from the other blade controllers. Each blade controller can determine a valid position for its blade based on a historical position of another blade.

Abstract: A dual-polarized tapered slot antenna (TSA) comprising: a dielectric bracket; a first pair of conductive blades mounted to the dielectric bracket so as to define a first tapered slot between edges of the conductive blades of the first pair thereby forming a horizontally-polarized TSA; a second pair of conductive blades mounted in the dielectric bracket orthogonal to the first pair so as to define a second tapered slot between edges of the conductive blades of the second pair thereby forming a vertically-polarized TSA; and wherein at least part of each of the slot-defining edges of the conductive blades has a thickness that is non-tapered and stepwise-reduced from the thickness of a remainder of the corresponding blade.

Abstract: A lightweight armor system providing blast protection and ballistic protection against small arms fire, suitable for use in helmets, personnel or vehicle protection, and other armor systems. A hard substrate is coated on the front surface with a thin elastomeric polymer layer, in which hollow ceramic or metal spheres are encapsulated. The coating layer having a thin elastomeric polymer layer with encapsulated metal or ceramic hollow spheres can be stand-alone blast protection, or can be added to an underlying structure. The glass transition temperature of the polymer is preferably between negative fifty Celsius and zero Celsius.

Abstract: The invention relates to a smart card that includes an integrated keypad made with a piezoelectric material. A user can press the keypad to generate an electrical signal. A sequence of signals corresponding to a user's personal identification number can be sent to an integrated circuit chip or otherwise compared against a stored PIN to determine if the user has entered the correct PIN.

Abstract: An elegant process for the synthesis of 2-nitratoethyl acrylate is a single reactive step. A 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate having only one hydroxyl group is nitrated in a 1:1 volumetric mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid therein forming 2-nitratoethyl acrylate. The 2-nitratoethyl acrylate is minimally soluble in a quenched cold acid water mixture, which enables relatively easy isolation of about 96% purity 2-nitratoethyl acrylate at a yield of about 85%.

Abstract: An inventive neutron detector includes an n-type GaN wafer and a photomultiplier, which are optically coupled with each other. The n-type GaN wafer is irradiated with neutrons from a neutron source, such as including a particle accelerator and a beryllium target. Scintillation of the n-type GaN resulting from the neutron irradiation is amplified by the photomultiplier and is analyzed using a data acquisition system.

Abstract: Semantically equivalent variants of a computer program are generated by applying randomly selected transforms to the computer program. Unit tests are performed on the variants of the computer program to detect a defect in the computer program.

Abstract: Exemplary practice of the present invention provides a magnetostrictive actuator characterized by linear force output and uniform magnetic biasing. A center bias magnet drives flux through series magnetostrictive bars in opposite directions while surrounding drive coils apply flux in the same direction through the bars. The net response is substantially linear with respect to the drive coil current. A second parallel set of magnetostrictive bars completes the flux path and adds to the actuator output force. Flux leakage between the parallel bars is compensated by a ferromagnetic shunt or by a tapered magnet providing uniform flux density down the length of the magnetostrictive bars. The closed flux path allows magnetic shielding of the entire actuator, if desired.

Abstract: A floating device having active stabilization and a method for actively stabilizing a floating device employs a floating device that operates underwater and which may be tethered to the floor of the body of water. The floating device having active stabilization includes an internal sensor assembly which measures angular velocity and generates a real time output corresponding to a measured angular velocity and a counter-rotation assembly which generates in real time mechanical energy in the form of rotation in response to the real time output of the sensor assembly that causes a counter-rotation torque on the device body that opposes the measured angular velocity. The counter-rotation torque may be imparted by accelerating a flywheel as a reaction wheel in the opposite direction of the desired counter-rotation torque, thereby achieving stability of the device body in the form of minimizing rotation.

Abstract: A system is provided for use with a volume of metal particles suspended in electroplating solution. The system includes: a positional tip operable to have a positive electrical bias; a dispenser operable to dispense at least one of the metal particles and the electroplating solution; a metal base depositing system operable to deposit a metal base; a controller operable to control the positional tip to move and to control the dispenser to dispense the at least one of the metal particles and the electroplating solution; and a voltage controller operable to provide the positive electrical bias to the positional tip and to provide a negative electrical bias to the metal base so as to electroplate metal onto the metal base from the particles suspended in the electroplating solution and so as to three-dimensionally print a metal shape.

Abstract: Actions may be automatically determined by a machine learning system using transformational randomization. A situation set and an action sequence associated with contexts of a computer-implemented application may be obtained. Left-hand side (LHS) equivalence transformations and right-hand side (RHS) equivalence transformations are obtained based on a set of a plurality of rules for the application. LHS randomizations are obtained based on combining the plurality of LHS equivalence transformations. RHS randomizations are obtained based on combining the plurality of RHS equivalence transformations. A randomized context is obtained based on the LHS randomizations, and an action sequence is determined based on the context randomization. A randomized action sequence is obtained based on the RHS randomizations. A valid action is determined based on a probability value of a randomized rule associated with the randomized action sequence.

Abstract: Systems and methods for growth of silicon carbide over a layer comprising graphene and/or hexagonal boron nitride, and related articles, are generally described. In some embodiments, a SiC film is fabricated over a layer comprising graphene and/or hexagonal boron nitride, which in turn is disposed over a substrate. The layer and/or the substrate may be lattice-matched with the SiC film to reduce defect density in the SiC film. The fabricated SiC film may then be removed from the substrate via, for example, a stressor attached to the SiC film. In certain cases, the layer serves as a reusable platform for growing SiC films and also serves a release layer that allows fast, precise, and repeatable release at the layer surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for autonomous airborne vehicle control using a millimeter-wave (MMW) radar. Embodiments of the present disclosure enable a MMW radar system to support an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in accomplishing missions involving interacting with peers. In an embodiment, a MMW radar module of a UAV in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure enables the UAV to take a measurement (e.g., regarding the location of another UAV) using the MMW radar, classify a return (e.g., a MMW radar return), determine whether the detected object is a peer, and update the vehicle velocity accordingly.

Abstract: An explosive bolt is provided for securing a brace in tension. The bolt includes a bar, a pair of explosives, a pair of detonators and a pair of anchors. The bar has opposing longitudinal ends and an outer thickness. Opposing bores extend inwardly from the longitudinal ends to corresponding depth ends. First and second notches reduce the thickness proximate to the corresponding depth ends. A center rod separates the notches from each other. Each explosive correspondingly inserts into a corresponding bore to a corresponding depth end. Each detonator correspondingly inserts into the corresponding bore. Each anchor secures the bar to the brace. In further embodiments, the longitudinal ends include helical male threads, and the anchors are nuts having helical female threads.

Abstract: The present invention provides for synthesizing high optical quality multicomponent chalcogenide glasses without refractive index perturbations due to striae, phase separation or crystal formation using a two-zone furnace and multiple fining steps. The top and bottom zones are initially heated to the same temperature, and then a temperature gradient is created between the top zone and the bottom zone. The fining and cooling phase is divided into multiple steps with multiple temperature holds.

Abstract: A method for non-invasively imaging plasma parameters has been invented. Crossed dipole pairs are used to differentiate changes in the measured complex self- and mutual impedances due to plasma density and magnetic field. Measurements of the complex self-impedance and mutual impedance between pairs of antennas over a wide range of frequencies provide spatial information to create an image of the plasma density and magnetic field. The spectral information is acquired simultaneously using a Gaussian monopulse as the driver signal.