Abstract: Concentric shapes (e.g., discs and rings), are nested and displaced from a central plate. The discs are individually positioned by means of mechanical or electro-mechanical actuators such that the over-all result approximates a spherical surface reflector antenna having an adjustable radius of curvature, with the radii of curvature being equivalent to the focal length of the antenna. Another innovation includes reducing the dimensional positioning of the various discs by a modulo of the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna, thus reducing the throw accommodation of the actuators to only one wavelength. Each of the discs and the central plate are designed to have substantially the same area, as a nominal configuration. The accuracy of the approximation is improved as the number of discs is increased; however, very acceptable performance is obtained with as few as ten discs when compared to a perfect spherical surface.

Abstract: An implantable high voltage electrode includes a shaft having a first end and a second end and an ellipsoid tip disposed at the first end. A terminal is disposed at the second end and the terminal in in electrical communication with the ellipsoid tip. At least a first forward facing barb and at least a first aft facing barb disposed on an exterior face of the shaft. The at least first forward facing bard and the at least first aft facing barb are configured to limit movement of the electrode when implanted in biological tissue.

Abstract: Chemiluminescent materials are provided that include an encapsulated oxalate-containing composition that includes a core portion and a polymeric coating, a peroxide source, and a fluorescent dye. The core portion includes an oxalate; a polymerizable component composition that polymerizes upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation; a photosensitizer; and an ultraviolet screening agent. The polymeric coating layer surrounding the core portion comprises a polymer derived from the polymerizable component composition. A fluorescent dye may be intermixed in the oxalate-containing composition, intermixed with the peroxide source, present in the chemiluminescent material as a separate dye layer or particle, or present within another component of the chemiluminescent material. A method for making the chemiluminescent material is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for efficient, precise and accurate measurement of the frequency, amplitude, and phase of a single input tone frequency and/or multiple separable input tone frequencies. Tone separability can be achieved by proper selection of the parameter N, the sample length of the DFT/FFT. Application of the invention includes but is not limited to test and measurement, tone interference removal, and communications systems, where precise and accurate measurement of tonal parameters is needed.

Abstract: 11-mercaptoundecyl trimethylammonium bromide gold nanorod (MTAB-GNR) coated with tannic acid (TA), useful for biological cellular imaging. A method of synthesizing tannic acid-coated 11-mercaptoundecyl trimethylammonium bromide gold nanorods (MTAB-TA GNRs) comprising presenting 11-mercaptoundecyl trimethylammonium bromide gold nanorods (MTAB-GNRs) in solution; functionalizing the MTAB-GNRs with tannic acid (TA) added to the MTAB-GNRs, the tannic acid configured to form a coating around the MTAB-GNRs forming MTAB-TA GNRs. The functionalizing step may further comprise adding a sodium chloride solution to the MTAB-TA GNR solution, and/or adding a MOPS buffer to the solution of tannic acid with MTAB-GNRs, and the tannic acid MTAB-GNR solution may be vortexed after each step.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing silica nanoparticles. The method includes hydrolyzing a silica precursor to form a plurality of monomers, each monomer of the plurality comprising a microwave reactive silicon species. The plurality of monomers is irradiated by an energy source configured to generate microwave frequency energy. Irradiation cases the plurality of monomers polymerize into a silica nanoparticle.

Abstract: A dual-phase interferometric method and device for charge modulation mapping in integrated circuits provides significant improvement in signal to noise ratio over conventional detection configurations. The method and device can be used for failure analysis and testing of advanced technology IC chips for which high sensitivity in modulation mapping is required.

Abstract: A compliant hinge for deployable membrane-like structures and other applications is provided. The compliant hinge generally includes a flexible intermediate portion having one or more enclosed contours connected by inner longitudinal segments along a longitudinal axis of symmetry. The enclosed contours are resiliently deformable in response to an in-plane load, including tension and shear forces. The compliant hinge allows for rotation, bending, and extension, and can interconnect rigid panels in tensioned precision structures and other applications.

Abstract: A layered perovskite structure comprising a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a layer of a perovskite film on the upper surface. A passivating layer may be applied to the upper surface of the substrate to which the perovskite film is attached. The passivating layer comprises at least one a chalcogenide-containing species with the general chemical formula (E3E4)N(E1E2)N?C?X where any one of E1, E2, E3 and E4 is independently selected from C1-C15 organic substituents comprising from 0 to 15 heteroatoms or hydrogen, and X is S, Se or Te, thiourea, thioacetamide, selenoacetamide, selenourea, H2S, H2Se, H2Te, or LXH wherein L is a Cn organic substituent comprising heteroatoms and X?S, Se, or Te. The substrate comprises PEDOT:PSS, and may further comprise a layered glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS structure. A passivating layer is applied to the PEDOT:PSS layer, and a top electrode may be applied over the perovskite film.

Abstract: A device for measuring axial load on a thrust bearing in an engine having an shaft inside a fixed structure comprises: stability platform in contact with the fixed structure and prevented from motion in an axial direction; at least one load tab adjacent to and supported by the stability platform, the at least one load tab oriented perpendicularly to the axial direction, each load tab having a free end opposite the end supported by the stability platform, the free end adjacent the shaft; and deflection sensor attached to the at least one load tab and responsive to the axial load, wherein the axial load is applied to the free end of the at least one load tab. An offset body may be attached between the at least one load tab and the stabilizing body, and plurality of load tabs may be arranged symmetrically on the stability platform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented for guiding a store, represented by a dynamic system having transitory nonlinear characteristics, between release from a platform and an activation of a mission autopilot along an optimal path. A nominal reference trajectory is determined that optimizes a desired performance index for the dynamic system using optimal control theory. A feedback control system is implemented that optimizes an original performance index to second order in a presence of disturbances along the optimal path using neighboring optimal control. The feedback control system converges to a linear time invariant regulator approaching the desired operating condition along the optimal path. Finally, control of the store is transitioned to the mission autopilot.

Abstract: A method and system for assessing a threat level associated with a distress signal. The method may include linking a first communication device on a client side communication system with a second communication device on a provider side communication system over a communications network. The method may include transmitting a distress signal from the first communication device to the second communication device, and mapping, via the provider side communication system, a geographic origin of the distress signal. The method may also include transmitting an audio signal in a one-way communication link from the first communication device to the second communication device, and attributing a threat level associated with any of an audio level, a frequency, and a duration of the transmitted audio signal via the provider side communication system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fast, robust and efficient BA pipeline (SfM) for wide area motion imagery (WAMI). The invention can, without applying direct outliers filtering (e.g. RANSAC) or re-estimation of the camera parameters (e.g. essential matrix estimation) efficiently refine noisy camera parameters in very short amounts of time. The method is highly robust owing to its adaptivity with the persistency factor of each track. The present invention highly suitable for sequential aerial imagery, particularly for WAMI, where camera parameters are available from onboard sensors.

Abstract: A method of making a quasi-phase-matching (QPM) structure comprising the steps of: applying a pattern to a substrate to define a plurality of growth regions and a plurality of voids; growing in a growth chamber a crystalline inorganic material on only the growth regions in the pattern, the crystalline inorganic material having a first polarity; applying an electric field within the growth chamber containing the patterned substrate with the crystalline inorganic material, wherein the electric field reaches throughout the growth chamber; and growing a crystalline organic material having a second polarity in the voids formed in the inorganic material under the influence of the electric field to influence the magnitude and the direction of the second polarity of the crystalline organic material, wherein the second polarity of the crystalline organic material is influenced to be different from the first polarity of the crystalline inorganic material in magnitude and/or direction.

Abstract: Fully connected uplink and downlink fully connected relay network systems using pseudo-noise spreading and despreading sequences subjected to maximizing the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio. The relay network systems comprise one or more transmitting units, relays, and receiving units connected via a communication network. The transmitting units, relays, and receiving units each may include a computer for performing the methods and steps described herein and transceivers for transmitting and/or receiving signals. The computer encodes and/or decodes communication signals via optimum adaptive PN sequences found by employing Cholesky decompositions and singular value decompositions (SVD). The PN sequences employ channel state information (CSI) to more effectively and more securely computing the optimal sequences.

Abstract: An attachment device for installation onto a support, includes a pair of oppositely facing and laterally offset hooks rotatably mounted so as to be oppositely facing and laterally offset from one another; a stop defined on one of the hooks and located so that the other one of the hooks is prevented from rotating past the stop by contact with the stop; and a biasing member operatively associated with the pair of hooks for urging the hooks to rotate toward one another, and the stop limits rotation of the hooks to maintain the hooks relative to one another to define a yieldable guide that facilitates installation of the attachment device onto the support.

Abstract: A mobile three-dimensional sensor configuration is provided with a first sensor of a second type mounted proximate to the first sensor of a first type. A second sensor of the second type is mounted proximate to a second sensor of the first type. The first and second sensors are coupled to a first platform operable to vary the azimuth and elevation of the first and second sensors of the first and second types. The first and second platforms are mounted on a translational drive configured to independently translate the first and second platforms with respect to one another. A controller is configured to receive images sensors of and further configured to create a pair fused images of the first sensors of the first and second type and the second sensors of the first and second type. The controller is still further configured to display the pair of fused images.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for computer network security based on Free-Space Optical Interconnections (FSOI) for board-to-board information transmission. The addition of a controllable, interlocked shutter system creates air-gapped isolation of the boards, allowing for increased obfuscation, and enhanced security.

Abstract: An emulator for modeling a network of K transmitters, L receivers, and M multipath components using a product distribution modeling system. The emulator determines for each of MLK paths defined between the transmitters and receivers respective delay, loss, and fading components. The fading component (e.g., attenuation-based, multipath, or both) is determined by calculating a weight value of a time-varying random variable type for each input impulse associated with the K transmitters and for each output impulse associated with the L receivers (including multipath). The modeling subsystem determines a signal propagation value for a modeled communication channel among the MLK paths by combining the delay component, the loss component, and the respective weight values of the input and output impulses associated with the modeled communication channel. The testing subsystem uses the signal propagation value to emulate the modeled communication channel using one or more computer processors.

Abstract: New diamine monomers bearing sulfone terminated pendant groups, as well as methods for making the same, are provided. The diamine monomers are useful toward making polyamide, polyimide, and poly(amide-imide) polymers and copolymers, which possess hygromorphic properties and demonstrate humidity driven motility.