Abstract: A low-noise multi-propeller system includes at least two propellers, each propeller including at least two blades. The propellers rotate in a first direction and define an angular phase relative to one another. A drive system corotates the propellers at substantially equal rotational rates in the first direction. The propellers are substantially phase-locked at a predefined relative phase offset that reduces the overall sound power of the fundamental tone at a blade passage frequency.

Abstract: A Field Programmable Gate Array (“FPGA”) transmitter reliability directly drives an optical modulator. Each time the FPGA is powered up, the transmitters are aligned using optical feedback for coarse and fine alignments. The fine alignment may be executed using a built-in transmitter phase interpolator Parts-Per-Million (“PPM”) controller.

Abstract: An extended reanalysis ensemble service includes a loader services application program interface configured to receive data parameters for a set of automated multisource data provisioning operations, provide climate source data from one or more disparate climate data collections specified in the data parameters to conversion utilities for transforming the climate source data into flat, serialized block compressed sequence files, and load the sequence files to a distributed file system of the extended reanalysis ensemble service, and a reanalysis ensemble service application program interface configured to receive operational parameters for the set of automated multisource data provisioning operations, convert the operational parameters to one or more methods recognized by a service interface of the extended reanalysis ensemble service to be converted to analytical operations executed by the extended reanalysis ensemble service, and provide results of the one or more analytical operations executed by the exten

Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging device that includes a gating element which receives incident photons and releases pulsed electrons; a single microchannel-plate (MCP) which receives the pulsed electrons and amplifies the pulsed electrons as an amplified pulsed electron flux; a collection element which receives the amplified pulsed electron flux; a high-pass filter; and a gated integrator; wherein the high-pass filter element receives the amplified pulsed electron flux from the collection element and alternate current (AC) couples the amplified pulsed electron flux as a charge pulse to the gated integrator; and wherein the gating element and the gated integrator are time-synchronized to allow charge-integration only while the AC-coupled charge pulse is unipolar. A feedback loop can provide an auto-gating function. The imaging device can be used in night vision goggles or a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A method and system for ultrasonic testing of adhesion within a sample, which provides ultrasonic bursts of different frequencies to the sample and maintains a predetermined phase difference between echoes returned from the sample and representative reference signals of the bursts supplied to the sample until a spectrum of the phase differences versus frequency is obtained and from which properties of the adhesion at an interface reflecting the echoes are derivable.

Abstract: An analog digital converter that does not require a dedicated reference voltage, can digitize a rail-rail input signal and provide house-keeping functions to a ROIC or other IC. The RHADR system may operate without support from a main electronics board, which would only have to supply a power supply voltage to, and read the outputs from, the chip. This is achieved with (1) a Pivoting Successive Approximation Register ADC (PSAR ADC) and (2) radiation hard by design (RHBD) techniques.

Abstract: A lithium battery comprises cathode active material comprising particles of a transition metal oxide, each particle coated in an ion-conducting material that has an electrochemical stability window against lithium of at least 2.2 V, a lowest electrochemical stability being less than 2.0 V and a highest electrochemical stability being greater than 4.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to imaging an environment and providing velocity characteristics of one or more objects in the imaged environment. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, objects in a local environment are scanned with laser light, and reflections of the scanned laser light from the objects are received and processed to generate a 3D image of the local environment. Distance and velocity of each object is provided or detected based on a frequency delay and frequency shift of one or more reflections of the scanned laser light from the object. For instance, the 3D image may provide relative position of an object and indicate velocity of the object, which may be ascertained based on a frequency shift.

Abstract: A reanalysis ensemble service includes a plurality of conversion utilities, each conversion utility configured to convert a specific one of a plurality of disparate climate data collections from different sources to common format files that are temporally and spatially registered, where the disparate climate data collections include reanalysis data sets and forward processing data products, a data analytics platform for storing and operating on the different sourced common format files, a service interface for mapping service requests to analytic operations performed on the different sourced common format files by the data analytics platform, and a services library that dynamically creates data objects from one or more of the different sourced common format files in response to the analytic operations, and delivers the data objects to the service interface.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure is an imaging system including an optical sensor defining an optical axis. The system further includes a light source. The system may include an optical beam splitter, and may also include an optional diffusing lens that may be configured to diffuse and/or collimate light from the light source and direct light exiting the diffusing lens to the optical beam splitter. The optical beam splitter is configured to direct light from the light source along the optical axis of the optical sensor.

Abstract: A high-fidelity, multi-point, full-mission sonic-boom propagation tool that includes functionality to handle aircraft trajectories and maneuvers, as well as, all relevant noise metrics at multiple points along the supersonic mission. This allows efficient computation of sonic-boom loudness across the entire supersonic mission to allow pilots and aircraft operators to plan the aircraft flight path to manage the sonic boom footprint.

Abstract: A photonic, integrated circuit chip can have a frequency comb laser configured to generate a plurality of wavelengths, a plurality of modulators, one respective modulator for each wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths, the plurality of modulators being aligned in series with each of the plurality of modulators being tuned to a respective one of the wavelengths of the plurality of wavelengths, a connector configured to convey a drive signal for each modulator of the plurality of modulators, a semiconductor optical amplifier configured to receive light exiting from the plurality of modulators, and a chip having present thereon the frequency comb laser, the plurality of modulators, and the semiconductor optical amplifier. The plurality of modulators can be configured to produce a single beam of time-interleaved, multiple-wavelength output laser light. A mobile system, such as a satellite, can also have the photonic, integrated circuit chip as a component thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments may provide a radiation hardened low-power data acquisition system-on-chip (SOC) suitable for space flight. The various embodiments may provide the radiation hardened low-power data acquisition SOC having a radiation hardened semiconductor die, a radiation hardened multiplexer integrated on the radiation hardened semiconductor die and configured to receive a plurality of analog signals and selectively output an analog signal of the plurality of analog signals, at least one radiation hardened analog to digital converted integrated on the radiation hardened semiconductor die and configured to convert the analog signal to a digital signal, and a radiation hardened serial communication interface integrated on the radiation hardened semiconductor die and configured to output the digital signal.

Abstract: A system for use in an aircraft or other system in an ambient airflow includes a body defining a cavity having an opening exposed to ambient airflow, with a cavity interface defined by body structure surrounding the opening. The cavity interface includes a cavity floor opposite the cavity opening, a leading edge facing away from the ambient airflow, a trailing edge facing the airflow, and a rear wall extending between the trailing edge and the cavity floor. A panel of sound-absorbing material is attached to and covers substantially all of the surface area of the rear wall of the cavity, and minimizes emanation of a predetermined range of audible sound frequencies from the cavity. The system may include an elongated serrated element connected to body and extending along the leading edge and arranged flush with the leading edge.

Abstract: A reflective paint's liquid mixture includes 42.4-71.3 weight percent of a liquid solvent, 14.4-28.3 weight percent of a binder fully dissolved in the liquid solvent, and 13.8-29.3 weight percent of light scattering particles that are insoluble in the liquid solvent and are of a size ranging from 100 nanometers to 200 nanometers. The binder is selected from potassium bromide, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bromide, cesium chloride, and rubidium chloride. The light scattering particles are selected from hafnium oxide and yttrium oxide. The reflective paint is particularly useful as a surface coating for a variety of structures that must support cryogenic temperatures. It can be used in any application to act as a broadband reflector of the Sun's radiation in the wavelength band from approximately 0.21 microns to 9 microns and beyond.

Abstract: A clock source includes a comparator having a positive comparator input, a negative comparator input, a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) PMOS bias input, a PTAT NMOS bias input, and a comparator output, a resonator element, series and feedback resistors and other passive components coupled between the comparator output and the negative comparator input to generate a signal with approximately constant gain and frequency at the comparator output, and a PTAT bias circuit coupled to the comparator's PTAT PMOS and NMOS bias inputs, and configured to drive the PTAT PMOS bias input and the PTAT NMOS bias input to maintain approximately constant gain and frequency over the operating temperature range of the clock source.

Abstract: An apparatus for remote support of autonomous operation of a vehicle includes a processor that is configured to perform a method including receiving, from a vehicle traversing a driving route from a start point to an end point at a destination, an assistance request signal identifying an inability of the vehicle at the destination to reach the end point, generating a first map display including a representation of a geographical area and the vehicle within the geographical area, receiving, from the vehicle, sensor data from one or more sensing devices of the vehicle, generating a remote support interface including the first map display and the sensor data, and transmitting instruction data to the vehicle that includes an alternative end point at the destination responsive to an input signal provided to the remote support interface.

Abstract: A microshutter array can have a frame, a plurality of linear microshutter elements, and a plurality of electrodes. The frame defines a plurality of openings and each opening is defined by a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall opposing and parallel to the first sidewall, and a fourth sidewall. Each opening includes a light-transmissive portion configured to span an area. The plurality of linear microshutter elements are configured to extend across at least a part of the area. Each linear microshutter element can have a blade extending in a length direction across and blocking the light-transmissive portion. Each linear microshutter element can have a neck extending from the blade, and at least one torsion bar connected to the neck and connected to sidewalls of the frame.

Abstract: A passive insulating tank support structure includes a first interface ring mounted to a first tank, a first support ring surrounding and spaced apart from the first interface ring, a second interface ring mounted to a second tank, a plurality of first struts coupling the first and second interface rings, a plurality of second struts coupling the first support ring and second interface ring, a plurality of third struts coupling the first support ring and a first heat source, a third interface ring mounted to the second tank, and a plurality of fourth struts coupling the third interface ring and a second heat source.

Abstract: A dynamics management system for a structure includes a line whose first end is coupled to a first location within a structure. A tension resistance device is coupled to a second location within the structure. The tension resistance device generates a first force when a tension force is applied thereto and generates a lesser second force when the tension force is not applied thereto. The second end of the line is coupled to the tension resistance device wherein the first force is applied to the line when it is in tension and the second force is applied to the line when it is not in tension. The line traverses at least one Z-shaped path within and in a plane of the structure. The line is coupled to the structure at each inflection point of the Z-shaped path(s) for supporting movement of the line there along.