Abstract: An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for recording seismic signals during a marine seismic survey. The AUV includes a body having a base and sides; a propulsion system for guiding the AUV to a final target on the ocean bottom; a pump-jet connected to an inlet and plural base outlets, wherein the plural base outlets are distributed on the base; a processor connected to the pump-jet and configured to activate the pump-jet when the base in on the ocean bottom; and a seismic sensor configured to record seismic signals. The pump-jet has a first low speed so that water jets expelled at the plural base outlets fluidize the ocean bottom underneath the base and buries the AUV.

Abstract: Arbitrary wave loads are detected and reconstructed by a sensor system based on an inverse mechanism of continuous structure responses. A sensor system comprising a sensing component configured with a sandwich-structured beam of composite materials can generate the structural responses as a moving wave propagates across the beam. In one example, an Arnoldi-Tikhonov algorithm coupled with generalized cross-validation technique can be utilized to determine a regularization parameter that is utilized to compensate for the presence of noise in the wave load and/or the highly ill-posed problems of the inverse matrix that is utilized for wave reconstruction. Further, the Tikhonov algorithm can be utilized to reconstruct wave loads (e.g., at different location on the beam and/or different times) based on the structural response parameters and the regularization parameter. As an example, an image of the determined wave load values can be rendered in three dimensions (3-D) versus time and location.

Abstract: The current application discloses methods and systems for generating mechanical tube waves in fluid filled boreholes penetrating subterranean formations. In one embodiment, the system of the current application comprises an energy storage chamber; a fast operating valve connected to the energy storage chamber; a pipe connected to the valve and extending to the liquid-filled borehole; wherein the energy storage chamber contains a first pressure that is substantially different from a second pressure in the pipe so that a fast operation of the valve generates a tube wave in the pipe.

Abstract: A system uses range and Doppler velocity measurements from a lidar subsystem and images from a video subsystem to estimate a six degree-of-freedom trajectory of a target. The video subsystem and the lidar subsystem may be aligned with one another by mapping the measurements of various facial features obtained by each of the subsystems to one another.

Abstract: A lightweight, low volume, high performance LADAR sensor incorporating 3-D focal plane arrays is adapted specifically for terrain mapping. The present invention generates, at high speed, 3-D topographical, water surface, floating object, bathymetric, biological gas cloud, poison gas cloud, or smoke stack emission mapping data. The 3-D focal planes are used in a variety of physical configurations which provide advantages over prior art terrain mapping LADAR sensors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying an unidentified sound source in a 3-dimensional sensor array calculates a position vector for each of a plurality of sensors in the array. A time Fourier transform is computed based on time samples from each of the sensors. A spatial Fourier transform is computed for the results of the time Fourier transform and in part on the position vectors calculated. All three dimensional components of the wavenumber of the received signal, kx, ky and kz are explicitly calculated to generate spatial frequency information in all three dimensions. Direction of arrival of the received sound signal is determined in all three spatial directions providing unambiguous target localization and acoustic signature characterization.

Abstract: A sensor structure includes a substrate having a main extension plane, a first seismic mass and a second seismic mass, the first and the second seismic masses being deflectable relative to the substrate along a direction of deflection essentially perpendicular to the main extension plane. The first and second seismic masses are coupled together via a rigid coupling rocker pivotable around a rocker axis parallel to the main extension plane. The first seismic mass is suspended from the substrate with the aid of a first suspension spring, and an essentially rigid first coupling bar is situated between the first suspension spring and the first seismic mass.

Abstract: A technique includes determining at least one parameter that characterizes a seismic survey in which multiple interfering seismic sources are fired and seismic sensors sense energy that is produced by the seismic sources. The determination of the parameter(s) includes optimizing the seismic survey for separation of the sensed energy according to the seismic sources.

Abstract: A measuring system for determining a distance between a sensor device and a measured object, wherein the sensor device comprises a light source for generating an illumination light beam and a detector for detecting a portion of the illumination light beam reflected on the surface of the measured object and wherein the measured object is designed so it is transparent at least for a wavelength range of the visible light, is designed and further developed under consideration of the most reliable distance measurement possible in all types of measuring situations, that the illumination light beam has a wavelength in the violet or ultraviolet range and that the measured object is designed in such a way that the illumination light beam is diffusely reflected on the surface of the measured object. In addition, a corresponding measuring system is specified for measuring measured objects that are essentially impermeable to light.

Abstract: A system for three-dimensional hyperspectral imaging includes an illumination source configured to illuminate a target object; a dispersive element configured to spectrally separate light received from the target object into different colors; and a light detection and ranging focal plane array (FPA) configured to receive the light from the dispersive element, configured to acquire spatial information regarding the target object in one dimension in the plane of the FPA, configured to acquire spectral information in a second dimension in the plane of the FPA, wherein the second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension, and configured to obtain information regarding the distance from the FPA to the target object by obtaining times of flight of at least two wavelengths, thereby imaging the target object in three dimensions and acquiring spectral information on at least one 3D point.

Abstract: An ultrasound receiving method is provided. N return-wave signals corresponding to N channels are respectively stored in N set of shift register arrays. Each set includes a delay filter unit and M shift registers. A delay controller is utilized to assign a set of coefficients to the delay filter unit to perform an interpolation operation on data of the M shift registers to obtain an output value. The delay controller is utilized to decide delay time of each channel according to a delay table, and accordingly to control a time multiplexer to switch and output the N output values in order. A multiplier is utilized to multiply the output value received from the time multiplexer by a weighted value corresponding to the channel to obtain a corrected value. An accumulator is utilized to accumulate the N corrected values to obtain an image value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pulse laser device, and more particularly, to a pulse laser device which can be operated in a burst mode, in which the output of a low-output laser generator is adjusted so as to enable the uniform control of the profile of the peak output of a final output optical pulse train, and in a variable burst mode, in which the profile of the final output optical pulse train can be controlled into an arbitrary waveform.

Abstract: Computing device, computer instructions and method for denoising marine seismic data recorded with first and second seismic sensors. The method includes receiving first seismic data recorded with the first sensor in a time-space domain; receiving second seismic data recorded with the second sensor in the time-space domain, wherein the first and second seismic data are recorded at the same locations underwater; calculating with a processor models of the first and second seismic data in a transform domain that is different from the time-space domain; performing a wavefield separation using the first and second datasets in the transform domain; determining a noise in the transform domain corresponding to the second seismic data based on the wavefield separation; reverse transforming the noise from the transform domain into the time-space domain; and denoising the second seismic data by subtracting the noise in the time-space domain from the second seismic data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasonic sonotrode with a main sonotrode body and a sealing area arranged on one side of the main sonotrode body. The main sonotrode body has two through-slits extending in or through the main sonotrode body respectively along a slit axis. These through-slits intersect in such a way that a through-channel through the main sonotrode body is formed from the one through-slit into the other through-slit. This creates a slit portion that is formed both by the one through-slit and the other through-slit. Provided in this main sonotrode body is a processing channel, which extends along a processing channel axis from a side area of the main sonotrode body up to the through-channel and is arranged substantially symmetrically about the processing channel axis.

Abstract: An acoustic logging tool is provided with a first acoustic source that generates an acoustic signal primarily directed into the formation, the acoustic signal including a noise signal carried axially along the tool, a second acoustic source adapted to generate a noise canceling signal along the tool that actively and significantly cancels the noise signal, and a plurality of acoustic sensors axially spaced from each other along the tool and spaced from the first acoustic source and the second acoustic source. The acoustic sensors receive and record indications of pressure signals resulting from the acoustic signal and the noise canceling signal. The pressure signal indications may be processed in order to generate information regarding the formation.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to time-of-flight (TOF) systems, and methods for use therewith, that substantially reduce interference that the TOF system may cause to at least one other system that is configured to wirelessly receive and respond to IR light signals. Some such embodiments involve emitting IR light having a low frequency (LF) power envelope that is shaped to substantially reduce frequency content within at least one frequency range known to be used by at least one other system that may be in close proximity to the TOF system. Such embodiments can also involve detecting at least a portion of the emitted RF modulated IR light that has reflected off one or more objects. A TOF system can produce depth images in dependence on results of the detecting, as well as update an application in dependence on the depth images.

Abstract: A time of flight camera device comprises an light source for illuminating an environment including an object with light of a first wavelength; an image sensor for measuring time the light has taken to travel from the light source to the object and back; optics for gathering reflected light from the object and imaging the environment onto the image sensor; driver electronics for controlling the light source with a high speed signal at a clock frequency; and a controller for calculating the distance between the object and the illumination unit. To minimize power consumption and resulting heat dissipation requirements, the light source/driver electronics are operated at their resonant frequency. Ideally, the driver electronics includes a reactance adjuster for changing a resonant frequency of the illumination unit and driver electronics system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for automatic target recognition. A hypothesis about a target's classification, position and orientation relative to a LADAR sensor that generates range image data of a scene including the target is simulated and a synthetic range image is generated. The range image and synthetic range image are then electronically processed to determine whether the hypothesized model and position and orientation are correct. If the score is sufficiently high then the hypothesis is declared correct, otherwise a new hypothesis is formed according to a search strategy.

Abstract: A time of flight (TOF) based camera system includes an illumination module that illuminates only portion of the sensor's field of view that translates to a given region of the pixels of the imaging sensor. The acquired data of the pixel region is processed and/or readout, typically. After the exposure time of the first pixel region is completed, a second pixel region is illuminated and the second pixel region is processed. This procedure can be repeated a couple of times up to a few hundred even thousand times until the entire pixel array is readout and possibly read-out a number of times. The full depth image is then reconstructed based on the results from the different pixel region acquisitions. This system can be used to reduce stray light. Compared to state-of-the-art TOF camera, the presented method and device show improvements in background light stability and a reduction in multiple reflections.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring a distance, the apparatus including a light transmitter including a light source configured to emit a light, and a collimator lens configured to emit a light by converting the light emitted from the light source to a collimation light, and a light receiver including a first mirror configured to reflect the collimation light emitted from the collimator lens to an object, a lens configured to concentrate a light reflected or dispersed from the object to a spot, and a photo-detector configured to form a spot concentrated with light on the lens, wherein an optical axis of the light source matches a rotation shaft of the photo-detector, the light transmitter is fixed and the light receiver rotates about the optical axis of the light source.