Abstract: A method of making a porous three-dimensional graphene mesh includes combining a graphene-containing material and a polymer having a plurality of hydroxyl groups in an alcohol solvent to form a mixture, adding a salt to the mixture, heating the mixture to form a gel, and washing the gel with water to remove the salt from the gel, leaving behind stable pores to form a scaffold. A three-dimensional porous graphene mesh includes a graphene-containing material and a polymer. The polymer is crosslinked with the graphene-containing material such that the Young's Modulus of the mesh is at least about 5 GPa.

Abstract: The present subject matter provides various technical solutions to technical problems facing UAV detection and mitigation. Information received from UAV detection sensors may be analyzed or matched against known UAV characteristics. The analysis or matching may be used to identify the UAV, analyze the UAV characteristics or navigational behavior, and classify the UAV behavior and the UAV itself. The UAV may be classified as either compliant, ignorant (e.g., unintentional) and noncompliant, or purposeful (e.g., intentional) and noncompliant. The UAV classification may be improved by using UAV characteristic analysis performed by an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm using specific UAV classifiers. A UAV mitigation command or mitigation response may be generated based on the UAV characteristic analysis combined with a UAV safety risk assessment. The mitigation command may cause nondestructive interference, destruction, capture, or another UAV mitigation response.

Abstract: A method includes contacting a coal feedstock with an acidic solution to form residual coal and a leachate. The method further includes separating the residual coal from the leachate where the leachate contains rare earth elements and where the residual coal has preserved organic content and reduced inorganic content. Another method includes contacting a coal feedstock with a basic solution to form residual coal and a leachate. The method further includes separating the residual coal from the leachate where the leachate contains rare earth elements.

Abstract: A neural network including a set of input nodes may consume a respective stream of time-series data recorded during a flight of a flying aircraft, each stream of time-series data representing measurements of a respective flight parameter captured by a sensor at various time-steps of the flight. A training circuit set may train the neural network to predict a future measurement of the flight parameter. Training the neural network may include comparing a predictive value from the neural network to a measured value of a flight parameter and modifying structural components of the neural network to bring the predictive value closer to the measured value. A parameter acquisition circuit set may acquire time-series data of a flight parameter. A prediction circuit set may apply the time-series data to the trained neural network to predict the next measurement for the flight parameter in the time-series data.

Abstract: A system and method is described for improving situational awareness, fatigue management, and navigation via tactile feedback to vehicle operators, such as via a piezoelectric device. The tactile feedback may be provided to a vehicle operator in response to data gathered from external, headset integrated or aircraft integrated navigation sensors, such as may be used to identify navigational deviations outside of pre-established tolerances. The tactile feedback may be provided to a vehicle operator in response to physiological operator metric gathering and processing. One or more physiological sensors may be included on an operator headset, and may be either proximate to or separated from the tactile feedback device. As data is provided to the operator of a vehicle, equivalent data may be provided to a third party (e.g. a control center, dispatch, mission control, or similar). The data may be used to determine alertness levels remotely and intervene as necessary.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body providing structural support and defining a fuselage perimeter and including a plurality of bands, a plurality of antennas integrated into the plurality of bands, and a transceiver operatively connected to each of the plurality of antennas. The transceiver is configured to power selected sub-sets of the plurality of antennas to generate a directional antenna beam.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods performing secure communications in an energy delivery system. Energy delivery systems may include phasor measurement units (PMU), phasor data concentrators (PDC) along with power generation, transmission and consumption equipment. The PMU and PDC may communicate in a grid network over secured wired or wireless communication protocols. Embodiments may include utilizing spread spectrum communication between PMU devices and PDC devices to sustain energy delivery functionality during a communications attack. Communications security may include a cryptographic key management scheme for secure PMU and PDC communication and identification. Embodiments may include clustering of PMU and PDC data for analysis and real-time presentation to grid operators. Embodiments may include clustering of PMU devices in a hexagonal geometry to provide for frequency reuse among devices with directional antenna.

Abstract: Various embodiments for analyzing flight data using predictive models are described herein. In various embodiments, a quadratic least squares model is applied to a matrix of time-series flight parameter data for a flight, thereby deriving a mathematical signature for each flight parameter of each flight in a set of data including a plurality of sensor readings corresponding to time-series flight parameters of a plurality of flights. The derived mathematical signatures are aggregated into a dataset. A similarity between each pair of flights within the plurality of flights is measured by calculating a distance metric between the mathematical signatures of each pair of flights within the dataset, and the measured similarities are combined with the dataset. A machine-learning algorithm is applied to the dataset, thereby identifying, without predefined thresholds, clusters of outliers within the dataset by using a unified distance matrix.

Abstract: An elongate, preferably rigid housing having a frusto-conical shape and a method for using the same. The large diameter end of the housing is generally adapted to be contacted with the lid of a container to ensure optimal sealing, while that portion of the frusto-conical housing having a small diameter is adapted to, either directly or indirectly, receive forces. The large diameter end is preferably at least partially hollow, and further comprises an inner member adapted to be contacted with smaller lids. Optionally, the small diameter end may be further characterized by a projection extending about the longitudinal axis of the device. For example, the projection may be cylindrical or frusto-conical. The small diameter end may further be characterized by having a recessed portion adapted to receive a tool, such as a conventional paint can opener.

Abstract: A method for use with a packet communication network includes receiving a plurality of packets at a sink node, calculating a one-way sink packet inter-arrival time between a first packet and a second packet received by the sink node according to a local sink clock time, calculating a one-way source packet inter-arrival time between the first packet and the second packet received by the sink node according to a local source clock time encapsulated in the first and second packets, estimating a ratio of clock skew between the source node and the sink node as a function of the one-way sink packet inter-arrival time and the one-way source packet inter-arrival time, and performing a calibration action in the network as a function of the ratio of clock skew between nodes.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle system includes a flight system configured to generate propulsive force and lift, a protective framework, and an attachment mechanism secured to the protective framework and configured to selectively attach to a structure to provide stable perching of the aerial vehicle system. The attachment mechanism is an electro-permanent magnet device or a talon-like grip. The flight system is at least partially enclosed by the protective framework.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include attitude determination and control system (ADCS) and associated methods. Systems for determining attitude may be used by various vehicle types, such as to determine the vehicle's attitude relative to an external point of reference. The ADCS may be used for passive or active stabilization of spin on multiple axes. The ADCS uses an incorporated autonomous control algorithm to characterize the effects of actuation of the system components and simultaneously trains its response to attitude actuators. This characterization generates and updates a movement model, where the movement model is used to indicate or predict the effect of one or more attitude actuators given vehicle state information.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a plurality of capacitors each forming a portion of a vehicle structure, and a parallel electrical link between a pair of the plurality of capacitors, such that the pair of capacitors act as an aggregate capacitor.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include an approach to performing quality assessment for 3-D printed objects during the printing process, for collecting data regarding 3-D printed objects, and for capturing data to make a digital model of an object. This approach uses sensor data (e.g., digital imagery) to characterize printing progress or to detect 3-D printing defects that would otherwise result in printing incomplete objects, such as premature printing job termination, dry printing, over/under application, movement of the filament, and other defects. Sensor data capturing can also be used as part of a destructive scanning process to perform post-printing object assessment or to collect data on a real-world object to facilitate creation of a digital model. These systems and methods may leverage the discrete nature of a pixel provided through digital imagery to be assessed with limited computational resources in a non-recursive manner.

Abstract: A method for forming a graphene quantum dot product includes adding an organic starting material to a vessel and heating the organic starting material to a temperature within 20° C. of the organic starting material's boiling temperature for a time no longer than ten minutes to form graphene quantum dots. A method for sensing a graphene quantum dot includes forming a graphene quantum dot, exciting the graphene quantum dot with light having a first wavelength, measuring light emitted by the excited graphene quantum dot at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. A graphene quantum dot includes carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms where the nitrogen atoms are present within the graphene quantum dot at a level between 6.0% and 11.0% of a level of carbon atoms present in the graphene quantum dot.

Abstract: A method for quantifying metallothionein protein isomers is described herein. Such metallothionein isomer protein quantification is useful for detecting and monitoring disease. As illustrated herein, protein quantification is a more accurate measure of metallothionein induction than is mRNA quantification.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle system includes a flight system configured to generate propulsive force and lift, a protective framework, and an attachment mechanism secured to the protective framework and configured to selectively attach to a structure to provide stable perching of the aerial vehicle system. The attachment mechanism is an electro-permanent magnet device or a talon-like grip. The flight system is at least partially enclosed by the protective framework.

Abstract: A method for making a low-alkali fly ash cement includes forming a mixture of class C fly ash and an aqueous solution and forming low-alkali fly ash cement from the mixture. The aqueous solution has an alkali at a molar concentration between about 0.002 M and about 2 M. A low-alkali fly ash cement includes class C fly ash and an alkali activating agent. The low-alkali fly ash cement contains between about 3×10?4 wt % alkali activating agent and about 2 wt % alkali activating agent. A method for making fly ash cement includes forming a mixture of class C fly ash and water, wet pressing the mixture and forming fly ash cement from the mixture by curing the mixture at a temperature between about 60° C. and about 90° C.

Abstract: A method for producing aromatic compounds from fatty acid oils including heating a fatty acid oil to a temperature between about 100° C. to about 800° C. at a pressure between about vacuum conditions and about 200 psia for a time sufficient to crack the oil and produce a cracked fatty acid oil; removing undesired materials, unreacted oil, heavy ends, and light ends from the cracked fatty acid oil; heating the resulting purified cracked fatty acid oil to a temperature between about 100° C. to about 800° C. at a pressure between about vacuum conditions and about 200 psia for a time sufficient to reform alkenes and alkanes in the cracked fatty acid oil into aromatic compounds and produce a reformed fatty acid oil; and extracting components from the reformed fatty acid oil to produce a mixture of chemical products containing between 5% and 90% aromatic compounds by weight.

Abstract: An antigenic composition comprising an antigen and an effective adjuvant, the adjuvant comprising isolated or recombinant YscF, a YscF fragment, truncated YscF (trYscF), or homologs thereof. A method of inducing an enhanced immune response comprising administering an antigen and an effective adjuvant comprising isolated or recombinant YscF, a YscF fragment, trYscF, or homologs thereof. An antigenic composition produced by a process comprising providing a host cell with an expression vector containing a nucleotide sequence encoding YscF, a YscF fragment, trYscF, or YscF homolog capable of acting as an adjuvant; expressing the nucleotide sequence in the host cell to produce the protein; and mixing the collected protein with a suitable excipient.