Abstract: The present invention is a device for measuring the surface energy of a material. The device includes a pulling mechanism and a clamp. A film, including an adhesive side, is attached to a surface to be measured. The film is clamped to surface energy measuring device. The device is placed flush on the surface. A pulling mechanism is pulled until a triangular piece of film tears and is removed from the surface. The device is then lifted off of the surface and a measurement is made at the pre-calibrated marking nearest the tip of the triangle torn into film.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus in the detection of a scent to locate the damage and its extent and to aid in the repair manually or self-repair.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and integrated circuit (IC) based biosensor capable of sensing or detecting various ionic molecules and macromelecules (DNA, RNA or protein). The MEMS based biosensor utilizes a hybridization and enzyme amplification scheme and an electrochemical detection scheme for sensitivity improvement and system miniaturization. The biosensor or biosensors are incorporated on a single substrate. Preferably, the biosensor system includes at least two electrodes. The electrodes includes a working electrode, a reference electrode and a counter (auxiliary) electrode. The biosensor or biosensors also provide an apparatus and method for confinement of reagent and/or solution in the biosensor or biosensors using surface tension at small scale. The confinement system provides controlled contacts between the reagent(s) and/or solution(s) with the components (i.e., electrodes) of the biosensor or biosensors using controllable surface properties and surface tension forces.

Abstract: A supplemental fluid adjustable depth air sparging system which is used to remediate contaminants from groundwater within the soil. An adjustable depth air injection point injects compressed air mixed with a chemical oxidizer or nutrient into saturated or groundwater regions of the soil's subsurface to remove contaminants including chlorinated solvents from the soil's subsurface.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method to initiate a detonation utilizing an impact switch. A nose assembly is mounted upon a missile or other kind of explosive device. Within the nose assembly conductive elements are separated from one another. The conductive elements are electrically connected to a fuze within the weapon. Upon an impact, the conducting elements within the assembly are forced together thereby completing a circuit in the fuze and initiating a detonation. A method of initiating a detonation utilizes an impact switch within which forcing conducting elements together initiates a detonation.

Abstract: The present invention can be generally described as a backplane test device that provides the possible flexibility of being operationally resident on a standard card form factor, and thereby, potentially able to provide a testing capability that does not require the use of hardware or software not residing on the card form factor. Moveover, since the test device may be operationally inserted into a backplane, the present invention may be effectively used in a variety of environments including, but not limited to, those constrained by space considerations, and/or to those that are subject to vibrations due to their operational nature. This may provide a technician with greater flexibility, and could possibly allow a backplane to be tested, and possibly repaired, while the platform is operational.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly picric acid explosive comprising, providing a nitromalondialdehyde, providing a dinitroketone, reacting the nitromalondialdehydes with the dinitroketone to produce a mixture, and subjecting the mixture to a cyclodehydrative mechanism to produce environmentally friendly picric acid explosive. Embodiments of the present invention include the picric acid explosive produced by the methods of described above.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the diagnosis of pathological turbulent arterial lood flow in a patient includes energy wave detectors for sensing at a plurality of spaced positions on the patient forces generated by turbulent arterial blood flow. The detectors generate a plurality of space time signals that are arranged in a vectorized data structure. A processor converts the vectorized data structures into an output that indicates the form of the waves propagated from the site of the turbulent arterial blood flow, the location and spatial configuration of that site.

Abstract: A compact metal bellows preferably for converting pressure changes into lar motion, has alternating inner and outer welds accomplished by a laser weld technique. An inner weld fixture is provided for deflecting a portion of the bellows away from the very small beam spot of the laser weld process. The compact metallic bellows of the present invention is particularly adapted for fitting into a small space and taking advantage of its equal free length and solid length to provide a spring force equal the sum of the spring force of each of the several metallic diaphragms.

Abstract: A process for forming low resistance ohmic contacts on indium phosphide (InP) avoids the usual problem of high temperature annealing. The method comprises passing a current between two contacts of a suitably chosen metallic conductor that is doped so as to be the same conductivity type as the underlining semiconductor. Passage of the current causes the contacts to combine with the semiconductor via field assisted thermal diffusion.

Abstract: An electrical connector employs a pin and socket mechanism enclosed by a tact force device. The contact force device has a uniqueness so that after insertion of the pin in the socket with the device at a very low temperature is completed, the device is allowed to return to ambient temperature. The separation force of the pin and socket mechanism is much greater than the insertion force. The contact force device uses nitinol and takes advantage of its transformation temperature in shifting from austenite phase to martensite phase and vice-versa.

Abstract: This invention involves an improved technique for the modulation of waste in an actively controlled compact waste incinerator afterburner. This improved technique utilizes acoustic driving to affect indirect modulation of waste flow velocities. The waste surrogate gases are modulated indirectly by periodic entrainment created by the roll-up of the main air vortex as well as indirect acoustic excitation of secondary air injection. One of the main advantages of this new configuration is the acoustic drivers used to phase inject the waste into the vortex for proper combustion are not in direct contact with the hot waste and therefore can be less expensive and more durable over the long term.