Abstract: Hypergolic liquid or gel fuel mixtures utilized in bipropellant propulsion systems are disclosed as replacements for fuels containing toxic mono-methylhydrazine. The fuel mixtures include one or more amine azides mixed with one or more tertiary diamine, tri-amine or tetra-amine compounds. The fuel mixtures include N,N,N?,N?-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) mixed with 2-N,N-dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ), TMEDA mixed with tris(2-azidoethyl)amine (TAEA), and TMEDA mixed with one or more cyclic amine azides. Each hypergolic fuel mixture provides a reduced ignition delay for combining with an oxidant in fuel propellant systems. The fuel mixtures have advantages in reduced ignition delay times compared to ignition delay times for each unmixed component, providing a synergistic effect which was not predictable from review of each component's composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to starch foam microparticles having a porous structure, and which typically have a diameter of less than or equal to about 50 microns. The present invention also relates to novel uses for the starch foam microparticles in beekeeping and in the pharmaceutical, plastics and fragrance industries.

Abstract: A single dielectric barrier aerodynamic plasma actuator apparatus based on the dielectric barrier discharge phenomenon is disclosed and suggested for application to aerodynamic uses for drag reduction, stall elimination and airfoil efficiency improvement. In the plasma actuator apparatus non-uniform in time and space, partially ionized gasses are generated by one or more electrode pairs each having one electrically encapsulated electrode and one air stream exposed electrode and energization by a high-voltage alternating current waveform. The influence of electrical waveform variation, electrode polarity, electrode size and electrode shape on the achieved plasma are considered along with theoretical verification of achieved results. Light output, generated thrust, ionizing current waveform and magnitude and other variables are considered. Misconceptions prevailing in the present day plasma generation art are addressed and are believed-to-be corrected.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process for smoothing and compression of data having an ordered list of points including a first point, a second point and a third point, each of the points being on the perimeter of a polygon. The method includes determining whether the triangle defined by line segments joining the first, second, and third points has a point of significance in its interior; and if no point of significance is present in the region, removing the second point of the ordered list of points.

Abstract: A composite thermal protection structure, for applications such as atmospheric re-entry vehicles, that can withstand temperatures as high as 3600° F. The structure includes an exposed surface cap having a specially formulated coating, an insulator base adjacent to the cap with another specially formulated coating, and one or more pins that extend from the cap through the insulator base to tie the cap and base together, through ceramic bonding and mechanical attachment. The cap and insulator base have corresponding depressions and projections that mate and allow for differences in thermal expansion of the cap and base.

Abstract: A low-VOC (volatile organic compound) and/or low-toxicity coating formulation, including at least one non-halogenated solvent including terpene(s) or terpenoid(s), and at least one polymer including conducting polymers, electroactive polymers and/or conjugated polymers, wherein the polymers and non-halogenated solvent(s) are in non-aqueous form. In other embodiments, coating formulations, includes about 0.01% wt. to about 99.9% wt. of at least one non-halogenated solvent including a terpene or terpenoid, about 0.01% wt. to about 90% wt. of at least one polymer including conducting polymers, conjugated polymers, and electroactive polymers, and about 0.001% wt to about 90% wt. of at least one surfactant, wherein the polymers, solvents, and surfactants are in non-aqueous form.

Abstract: A field data collection and relay station is equipped to receive sensor data from locations in a region. The station has directional antennas that are focused to transmit and receive energy in and from unique directions. The station establishes a wireless network in which the sensor data is formatted and distributed to one or more of the directional antennas. As a result, the sensor data is wirelessly transmitted in at least one unique direction.

Abstract: A filtered cathodic-arc plasma source of lower plasma losses and higher output plasma current to input current efficiency is disclosed. Plasma filtering is accomplished in a right angle bend magnetic filter arranged to include the effects of at least three added magnetic coils located at the right angle bend of the filter path. These magnetic coils and other filter attributes, including an array of transverse fins and a magnetic cusp trap in the filter path, achieve desirable magnetic flux paths, lower plasma collision losses and reduced undesired particle output from the plasma filter. Multiple cathode sources, multiple plasma output ports, Larmour radius influence, equipotential magnetic flux lines and electron/ion interaction considerations are also included in the plasma source. Application of the plasma source to film coating processes is included.

Abstract: A low-VOC (volatile organic compound) and/or low-toxicity coating formulation, including at least one non-halogenated organic solvent including any terpene or terpenoid, and at least one conducting polymer, electroactive polymer and/or conjugated polymer. In another embodiment, the present invention includes a low-VOC (volatile organic compound) and/or low-toxicity coating formulation, including about 0.001% wt. to about 99.9% wt. of at least one non-halogenated organic solvent including a terpene or terpenoid, about 0.01% wt. to about 90% wt. of at least one conducting polymer, and about 0.001% wt to about 90% wt. of at least one surfactant.

Abstract: An image analysis and enhancement system is provided with an image processor, imaging metrics, an image storage depository, and a reconfigurable sensor device that can be present at the same location. A remote reconfigurable sensor device is connected to the image processor via a communication link. Both the reconfigurable sensor device and the remote reconfigurable sensor device are equipped with selectable optical elements and imaging elements that are selected in a desired combination and orientation to capture desired image frames from a target scene or object. The selectable optical and imaging elements are provided with actuating devices to move and translate the selected optical and imaging elements into a desired orientation with one another, so that a desired imaging technique can be employed to obtain an enhanced image. The system is applicable to industrial, medical and military use.

Abstract: This invention relates to the compositions and processes for preparing 2,3,3?,4?-tetramethylbenzophenone and asymmetrical dianhydrides such as 2,3,3?,4? benzophenone dianhydride (a-BTDA), and 3,4?-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (a-6FDA). a-BTDA is prepared by Suzuki coupling with catalysts from a mixed anhydride of 3,4-dimethylbenzoic acid and 2,3-dimethylbenzoic acid with a respective 2,3-dimethylphenylboronic acid and 3,4-dimethyl phenylboronic acid to form 2,3,3?,4?-tetramethylbenzophenone which is oxidized to 2,3,3?,4?-benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid followed by cyclodehydration to obtain a-BTDA. The a-6FDA was prepared by nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of 2,3,3?,4?-tetramethylbenzophenone with trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane to form 3,4?-(trifluoromethylmethanol) bis(o-xylene) which is converted to 3,4?-(hexafluoroisopropylidene-bis(o-xylene). The 3,4?-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)-bis(o-xylene) is oxidized to the corresponding tetraacid followed by cyclodehydration to yield a-6FDA.

Abstract: A novel single wideband retroreflector is disclosed that eliminates the need for a local oscillator and a local transmitter. The wideband retroreflector of the present invention comprises an antenna, a circulator, and a mixer. An externally produced continuous wave radio wave transmission within the microwave-millimeter wave frequency band is modulated with a wideband signal with a minimum operating instantaneous bandwidth of 5 KHz-500 MHz and retransmitted as a modulated waveform by the antenna.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an Inductive Monitoring System (IMS), its software implementations, hardware embodiments and applications. Training data is received, typically nominal system data acquired from sensors in normally operating systems or from detailed system simulations. The training data is formed into vectors that are used to generate a knowledge database having clusters of nominal operating regions therein. IMS monitors a system's performance or health by comparing cluster parameters in the knowledge database with incoming sensor data from a monitored-system formed into vectors. Nominal performance is concluded when a monitored-system vector is determined to lie within a nominal operating region cluster or lies sufficiently close to a such a cluster as determined by a threshold value and a distance metric. Some embodiments of IMS include cluster indexing and retrieval methods that increase the execution speed of IMS.

Abstract: One embodiment is a microprobe. An example of the microprobe comprises a housing having an aperture. This example of the microprobe also comprises an ISFET attached to the housing. The ISFET may have a gate located proximate the aperture. This example of the microprobe further comprises a reference electrode attached to the housing proximate the aperture. Another embodiment is a microsensor system. Another embodiment is a method for measuring a characteristic of tissue. Yet another condition embodiment is a method for monitoring tissue pH.

Abstract: The present invention provides vacuolar-type (H+)-ATPase-inhibiting compounds, compositions thereof, and methods of using them to treat or prevent a condition treatable by the inhibition of a vacuolar-type (H+)-ATPase. The composition of the present invention comprises a compound of the present invention and a carrier. The method of the present invention includes administering a vacuolar-type (H+)-ATPase inhibiting-effective amount of a compound of the present invention.

Abstract: A method of transmitting data includes synchronizing a system clock with a real time clock. Digital data is collected from multiple sources at a system clock time. A sample counter provides a count for each system clock time. The digital data for each source is associated with the count. A data cell is composed from the digital data associated with at least one count and a source identifier. A data frame is created from the data cells from every source. A cell frame is created from a plurality of data frames, and a time frame is composed from a plurality of cell frames. A heads-up cell including the count is transmitted before the time frame. A time/count cell including the count and the real time is transmitted with the associated time frame.

Abstract: A measurement system including a staging unit including a substrate having piezoelectric properties and a conductive electrode formed on the substrate, the conductive electrode including an area adapted to receive a sample, and an oscillator coupled to the conductive electrode. A method including in a tissue sample having a mass of less than about one microgram and that exerts a high osmotic pressure, calculating an osmotic pressure value for the tissue sample from a plurality of measurements of changes in the mass due to swelling.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing cones and pillars on polymethylmethacralate (PMMA) optical fibers for glucose monitoring. The method, in one embodiment, consists of using electron beam evaporation to deposit a non-contiguous thin film of aluminum on the distal ends of the PMMA fibers. The partial coverage of aluminum on the fibers is randomly, but rather uniformly distributed across the end of the optical fibers. After the aluminum deposition, the ends of the fibers are then exposed to hyperthermal atomic oxygen, which oxidizes the areas that are not protected by aluminum. The resulting PMMA fibers have a greatly increased surface area and the cones or pillars are sufficiently close together that the cellular components in blood are excluded from passing into the valleys between the cones and pillars. The optical fibers are then coated with appropriated surface chemistry so that they can optically sense the glucose level in the blood sample than that with conventional glucose monitoring.

Abstract: A firing adapter for a combination gas and recoil operated weapon includes a blank firing barrel attached to the weapon; a piston having a barrel end and an anchor end, the barrel end being reciprocably disposed in the blank firing barrel and the anchor end being fixed to a non-recoil surface; and a gas port formed in the blank firing barrel wherein in a rest position of the weapon, the barrel end of the piston closes the gas port, and in a recoil position of the weapon, the barrel end of the piston opens the gas port.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bond integrity tool, which includes a shoulder housing, a collar shaft, and an end cap. The collar shaft has a neck portion and a mouth portion. The neck portion is disposed within the shoulder housing, and the mouth portion is able to grip a test piece. The end cap communicates with the neck portion, such that when the end cap is initiated the end cap applies force on the shoulder housing, which in turn applies force on the collar shaft, which grips the test piece such that the bond integrity between the test piece and a surface may be tested.