Abstract: A system having a networking device, a plurality of processing devices, and one or more unmanned devices, wherein each unmanned device couples to a corresponding one of the processing devices, wherein each unmanned device comprises one or more operational components. The system having a controller device configured to control at least one of the one or more unmanned devices via the networking device and the corresponding one of the processing devices, the controller device comprising one of the processing devices, wherein the controlled at least one unmanned device is configurable via the corresponding processing device in a control operating mode or in a robot operating mode, the control operating mode enabling the associated unmanned device to perform commands received from the controller device via the corresponding processing device, and the robot operating mode enabling the unmanned device to receive programmable instructions from the controller device via the corresponding processing device.

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 process for synthesizing Cu2-xS/PbS core/shell nanocrystals. Pb-oleate is mixed with 1-octadecene and heated to 60° C. Cu2-xS core solution and bis(trimethylsilyl)sulfide stock solution are added and the mixture is stirred at 60° C. for 6 minutes to form the PbS shell around the Cu2-xS nanocrystal cores. The flask is cooled and acetonitrile and toluene is added and the mixture is centrifuged to precipitate and remove the Cu2-xS/PbS core/shell nanocrystals from the reaction mixture. The reaction also produces homogeneously nucleated PbS nanocrystals, which are removed from the Cu2-xS/PbS core/shell reaction mixture via size-selective precipitation. By tailoring the amounts of Pb-oleate and bis(trimethylsilyl)sulfide stock solution in the reaction vessel, while maintaining their molar ratio of 1.5:1 and the number of Cu2-xS cores in the reaction, Cu2-xS/PbS core/shell nanocrystals having a predetermined shell thickness of PbS, and thus a predetermined level of chemical stability, can be obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a conductive ink composition and a manufacturing method thereof. The composition includes about 50 to about 99 wt % copper nanoparticles and about 1 to about 50 wt % tin. Copper nanoparticles are atomized and suspended in a tin bath, wherein the copper nanoparticles are evenly dispersed within the bath through sonification. The composition is cooled, extracted, and formed into a filament for use as a conductive ink. The ink has a resistivity of about 46.2×E?9 ?*m to about 742.5×E?9 ?*m. Once in filament form, the tin-copper mix will be viable for material extrusion, thus allowing for a lower cost, electrically conductive traces to be used in additive manufacturing.

Abstract: Semiconductor laser architectures that provide weak index guiding of interband cascade lasers (ICLs) processed on a native III-V substrate and of ICLs grown on GaAs or integrated on GaAs by heterogeneous bonding. Weak index guiding of a ridge waveguide semiconductor laser can enhance the stability of lasing in the fundamental lateral mode, so as to allow a wider ridge to maintain stable single-lateral-mode operation.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include at least one modular container that can be assembled to emulate a desired atmosphere. Each container includes apertures on opposing ends of the container to allow EMR to enter and exit the container. Each container can include temperature control systems, humidity control systems, fan arrays to emulate wind/turbulence, and a plurality of sensors to measure the current conditions within the container, all of which can be installed within the container's walls.

Abstract: A method of making an Al—B4C composite with Mg addition comprising providing a first mixture of B4C, Al and Mg powder, producing a powder mixture, adding Mg to the powder mixture, forming pellets, creating a composite, annealing the composite, and forming an Al—Mg—B4C composite. An Al—B4C composite with Mg addition comprising Al, Mg comprising 4 wt. %, and B4C comprising 8 wt. %. An Al—B4C composite with Mg addition made from the steps comprising providing a first mixture of B4C, Al and Mg powder, producing a powder mixture, adding Mg to the powder mixture, forming pellets, creating a composite, annealing the composite, and forming an Al—Mg—B4C composite.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices having conductive floating gates superimposed on and/or embedded within a conducting channel for managing electromagnetic radiation in the device. The conductive floating gates can comprise a one- or two-dimensional array of asymmetric structures superimposed on and/or embedded within the conducting channel. The conductive floating gates can comprise Nb2N, Ta2N, TaNx, NbNx, WNx, or MoNx or any transition metal nitride compound. The device can include a plurality of conductive floating gates on a rear surface of a barrier layer, wherein each of the conductive floating gates might be separately biased for individual tuning. Antennas for capturing or emitting THz or sub-THz radiation could be attached to the device contacts. Terahertz or infrared radiation could be manipulated by driving a current through the conducting channel into a plasmonic boom regime. Additional manipulation of the electromagnetic radiation could be achieved by having antennas with an appropriate phase angle shift.

Abstract: Methods for sampling the particulates and substances emitted from a test sample when the surface of the sample is ablated. The disclosed sampling chamber and methods avoids the need for clean rooms and other expensive testing apparatus and can be used to test a variety of materials in accordance with standard measurement procedures. Use of the testing chamber and methods assists with safety and risk evaluation in applications such as painting and removal of coatings.

Abstract: Provided is a frangible munitions device optimized for a dome and cylinder that yields fragments having shapes corresponding to a predetermined embossment pattern upon explosive rupture. The embossment pattern includes a first set of inner regular hexagonal embossments formed into the dome and cylinder that are aligned with the axis of the cylinder, and a second set of outer pre-deformed hexagonal shapes that distort to produce regular hexagonal shapes after drawing into the cylinder wall. The second set of shapes are separated by sharp transition regions. The shapes are embossed in a repeated pattern around the hollow cylinder and the dome top. The dome yields a plurality of fragments having shapes corresponding to the first set of inner regular hexagonal embossments upon explosive rupture, while the cylinder yields a plurality of fragments having shapes corresponding to the second set of outer pre-deformed hexagonal embossments upon explosive rupture.

Abstract: A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The main body of the vehicle is a spherical body.

Abstract: A system for augmenting 360-degree aspect monostatic radar cross section of an aircraft. The system may comprise a pair of pods mountable on opposing wing tips of an aircraft and each having a pod housing with an elongate body tapering forwardly to a nose and rearwardly to a tail. Each pod may comprise a forward SDL disposed within the nose, a rear SDL disposed within the tail, and a pair of mid-body SDLs disposed within a mid-section of the pod housing. The SDLs may be arranged within the pods to reflect radiation and provide coverage around the aircraft over a region of about 360 azimuth degrees. Each SDL may comprise radar absorbing material located on an interior reflective surface, and portions of the elongate bodies may be constructed of radome material. The SDLs may be Luneburg lens having diameters of at least approximately 8-inches.

Abstract: Provided is a method of breaking down an oxide formed on a tin whisker using a current-limited voltage. A circuit is formed on a region of interest with a pair of probes and a substrate. A first sweep breaks down the oxide formed on the tin whisker and includes a current limiting to prevent the whisker from fusing open. A second sweep is performed at lower voltages that will not produce sufficient current to fuse the whisker open. The electrical resistance of the tin whisker is measured after breaking down the oxide. The inventive method allows for direct measurement of the resistance of metallic whiskers, does not require extrapolation from ideal electrical properties of bulk materials, allows for testing resistance in a variety of environments, and allows for measurement of time dependent variables, such as how long it takes for the oxide to reform in various environments.

Abstract: A dock shock absorption device includes a frame and one or more energy dissipative elements. The frame is attached to a dock with the frame enclosing a pylon. The one or more energy dissipative elements attach to the frame and are equal to or less than 1 inch from the pylon.

Abstract: Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.

Abstract: A system with flexible communication interconnections includes devices and a layer-one switch interconnecting disjoint pairings of communication interfaces. The devices each have at least one communication interface. The layer-one switch has ports, each coupled to a respective one of the communication interfaces, which include the communication interface of each of the devices. For every pairing of a first and different second one of the ports within the disjoint pairings, the layer-one switch is configurable to interconnect bidirectional communications between the respective communication interface for the first port and the respective communication interface for the second port.

Abstract: A stamping apparatus is provided for producing an ammunition tray from metal sheet template with interleaving parallel cutouts in conjunction with a shop press. The apparatus includes upper and lower tray dies, upper and lower binders, and a pair of bolsters. Each die has opposite external and internal sides. The external side has a depression pocket. The internal side has a die impression to shape the template. Each binder has a cavity. The tray dies are disposed between the binders. The bolsters are disposed for engaging the shop press to apply compressive force. Each bolster correspondingly inserts through the cavity and into the depression pocket. The template is disposed between lower and upper internal sides of respective the dies. The shop press applies compression to the bolsters for stamping the template by the dies into the ammunition tray.

Abstract: Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.

Abstract: Lipase activity can be detected with a biosensor that includes a quantum dot adhered to a construct having a lipase-cleavable ester to attach a fluorophore acceptor configured as a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) acceptor to the QD when the construct is bound thereto. Cleavage of the ester by a lipase results in a measurable reduction in FRET. In further embodiments, the cleavable ester can be used to detect esterase activity, or the ester could be replaced with a glycosidic linkage to detect glycoside activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for calculating measurement uncertainty and determining measurement decision risk. Measurement uncertainty is calculated based on a plurality of error contributors. Measurement decision risk is evaluated using the measurement uncertainty, and mitigation strategies are applied to lower the probability of false acceptance and the probability of false rejection.