Abstract: An optical proximity sensor system to detect a distance to a target object is provided. The optical proximity sensor system includes a laser that generates an emitted optical beam at a linear polarization and an optical cavity system that includes an optical cavity defined by a distance between the laser and the target object. The target object reflects the emitted optical beam to generate a reflected optical beam. A partially reflective mirror diverts a portion of the emitted optical beam and/or the reflected optical beam. A photodetector receives the diverted optical beam and generates a proximity signal that has a frequency that is indicative of the distance to the target object based on the diverted portion of the at least one of the emitted optical beam and the reflected optical beam. A proximity processor calculates the distance to the target object based on the frequency of the proximity signal.

Abstract: One example includes an instrument system. The system includes instrument components at least partially disposed in an evacuated chamber within an instrument housing. The system also includes a barrier that is configured to seal the evacuated chamber. The barrier includes a plurality of instrument electrodes that are electrically coupled to the instrument components and extending through the barrier. The system further includes a diffusion block formed of a non-diffusive material and coupled to the instrument housing to seal an evacuated cavity within the instrument housing between the barrier and the diffusion block.

Abstract: One example includes an instrument system. The system includes instrument components at least partially disposed in an evacuated chamber within an instrument housing. The system also includes a barrier that is configured to seal the evacuated chamber. The barrier includes a plurality of instrument electrodes that are electrically coupled to the instrument components and extending through the barrier. The system further includes a diffusion block formed of a non-diffusive material and coupled to the instrument housing to seal an evacuated cavity within the instrument housing between the barrier and the diffusion block.

Abstract: One example includes an inertial navigation system (INS). The INS includes a navigation controller configured to generate inertial data associated with motion of a vehicle based on at least one navigation sensor configured on the vehicle and based on magnetic anomaly data. The INS also includes a magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system comprising a plurality of magnetometers distributed in a respective plurality of locations on the vehicle. The magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system can be configured to generate the magnetic anomaly data based on magnetic field measurements of a fixed magnetic anomaly at each of the plurality of magnetometers.

Abstract: One embodiment describes an imaging system. The system includes a first imaging system configured to provide first signals to a target area and to receive first response signals. The system also includes a second imaging system configured to provide second signals to the target area and to receive second response signals. The first and second signals can have separate frequency bands. The system further includes a processor configured to correct the first response signals based on the second response signals, and to generate an image based on the corrected first response signals.

Abstract: One example includes an inertial navigation system (INS). The INS includes a navigation controller configured to generate inertial data associated with motion of a vehicle based on at least one navigation sensor configured on the vehicle and based on magnetic anomaly data. The INS also includes a magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system comprising a plurality of magnetometers distributed in a respective plurality of locations on the vehicle. The magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system can be configured to generate the magnetic anomaly data based on magnetic field measurements of a fixed magnetic anomaly at each of the plurality of magnetometers.

Abstract: A detection system includes a polarization analyzer that generates one or more null detection values if an object is sensed in a received millimeter wave (MMW) brightness temperature data set. The polarization analyzer analyzes a polarization parameter in the received MMW brightness temperature data set to generate the one or more null detection values. An object detector detects if the object is present based on a comparison of the one or more null detection values to a predetermined threshold. A singular value decomposition (SVD) unit is enabled by the object detector to decompose the MMW brightness temperature data set into a plurality of image layers. Each image layer includes at least one feature of a scene. An identification unit analyzes the plurality of image layers from the SVD unit to determine a shape or a location of the object from the scene.

Abstract: One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization. The system also includes an optical cavity system. The optical cavity system includes a mirror that is coupled to an accelerometer housing via a spring and is configured to reflect the optical beam. The optical cavity system also includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the optical beam and the reflected optical beam and to generate an acceleration signal that is indicative of motion of the mirror resulting from an external acceleration acting upon the accelerometer housing. The system further includes an acceleration processor configured to calculate a magnitude of the external acceleration based on the acceleration signal.

Abstract: One embodiment describes an imaging system. The system includes a first imaging system configured to provide first signals to a target area and to receive first response signals. The system also includes a second imaging system configured to provide second signals to the target area and to receive second response signals. The first and second signals can have separate frequency bands. The system further includes a processor configured to correct the first response signals based on the second response signals, and to generate an image based on the corrected first response signals.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a material detection system. The system includes a sensor system configured to collect radiation from a region of interest. The collected radiation can include a plurality of frequency bands. The system also includes a processing unit configured to detect a material of interest. The material of interest can be a concealed dielectric material, and the processing unit can be configured to decompose the collected radiation into natural resonance signals to analyze the natural resonance signals to detect an anomaly corresponding to the concealed dielectric material based on wave characteristics of the natural resonance signals. The processing unit could also include processing layers associated with the plurality of frequency bands for detecting and identifying the material of interest based on wave characteristics associated with each of the plurality of frequency bands of the collected radiation.

Abstract: A detection system includes a polarization analyzer that generates one or more null detection values if an object is sensed in a received millimeter wave (MMW) brightness temperature data set. The polarization analyzer analyzes a polarization parameter in the received MMW brightness temperature data set to generate the one or more null detection values. An object detector detects if the object is present based on a comparison of the one or more null detection values to a predetermined threshold. A singular value decomposition (SVD) unit is enabled by the object detector to decompose the MMW brightness temperature data set into a plurality of image layers. Each image layer includes at least one feature of a scene. An identification unit analyzes the plurality of image layers from the SVD unit to determine a shape or a location of the object from the scene.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a material detection and/or identification system. The system includes an electromagnetic (EM) sensor system configured to collect EM radiation from a region of interest. The collected EM radiation could comprise orthogonally-polarized EM radiation. The system also includes a processing unit configured to detect and identify a material of interest in the region of interest. As an example, the processing unit could measure reflectivity data associated with a material of interest based on the collected EM radiation and calculate a refractive index of a material of interest based on the measured reflectivity data, such that the material of interest is identified based on the refractive index. The processing unit can also be configured to calculate a surface roughness associated with the material, such that the refractive index can be calculated based on the surface roughness associated with the material.

Abstract: One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization. The system also includes an optical cavity system. The optical cavity system includes a minor that is coupled to an accelerometer housing via a spring and is configured to reflect the optical beam. The optical cavity system also includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the optical beam and the reflected optical beam and to generate an acceleration signal that is indicative of motion of the mirror resulting from an external acceleration acting upon the accelerometer housing. The system further includes an acceleration processor configured to calculate a magnitude of the external acceleration based on the acceleration signal.

Abstract: A sensor system uses ground emitters to illuminate a projectile in flight with a polarized RF beam. By monitoring the polarization modulation of RF signals received from antenna elements mounted on the projectile, both angular orientation and angular rate signals can be derived and used in the inertial solution in place of the gyroscope. Depending on the spacing and positional accuracies of the RF ground emitters, position information of the projectile may also be derived, which eliminates the need for accelerometers. When RF signals of ground emitter/s are blocked from the guided projectile, the sensor deploys another plurality of RF antennas mounted on the projectile nose to determine position and velocity vectors and orientation of incoming targets.

Abstract: A sensor system uses ground emitters to illuminate a projectile in flight with a polarized RF beam. By monitoring the polarization modulation of RF signals received from antenna elements mounted on the projectile, both angular orientation and angular rate signals can be derived and used in the inertial solution in place of the gyroscope. Depending on the spacing and positional accuracies of the RF ground emitters, position information of the projectile may also be derived, which eliminates the need for accelerometers. When RF signals of ground emitter/s are blocked from the guided projectile, the sensor deploys another plurality of RF antennas mounted on the projectile nose to determine position and velocity vectors and orientation of incoming targets.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a material detection and/or identification system. The system includes an electromagnetic (EM) sensor system configured to collect EM radiation from a region of interest. The collected EM radiation could comprise orthogonally-polarized EM radiation. The system also includes a processing unit configured to detect and identify a material of interest in the region of interest. As an example, the processing unit could measure reflectivity data associated with a material of interest based on the collected EM radiation and calculate a refractive index of a material of interest based on the measured reflectivity data, such that the material of interest is identified based on the refractive index. The processing unit can also be configured to calculate a surface roughness associated with the material, such that the refractive index can be calculated based on the surface roughness associated with the material.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a material detection system. The system includes a sensor system configured to collect radiation from a region of interest. The collected radiation can include a plurality of frequency bands. The system also includes a processing unit configured to detect a material of interest. The material of interest can be a concealed dielectric material, and the processing unit can be configured to decompose the collected radiation into natural resonance signals to analyze the natural resonance signals to detect an anomaly corresponding to the concealed dielectric material based on wave characteristics of the natural resonance signals. The processing unit could also include processing layers associated with the plurality of frequency bands for detecting and identifying the material of interest based on wave characteristics associated with each of the plurality of frequency bands of the collected radiation.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a system for measuring at least one thermal property of a material. The system includes a thermal source configured to generate an incident thermal wave that propagates through a medium and is provided onto the material at an incident angle. The system also includes a thermal detector that is configured to receive a reflected thermal wave corresponding to the incident thermal wave reflected from the material at a reflection angle that is approximately equal to the incident angle. The system further includes a controller configured to control a magnitude of the incident angle to ascertain a thermal Brewster angle of the material and to calculate the at least one thermal property of the material based on the thermal Brewster angle.

Abstract: A self-calibrating laser accelerometer system that continuously removes bias errors from acceleration measurements under dynamic operating conditions has a frame with a pair of essentially identical mass modulated accelerometers positioned within the frame. Each accelerometer includes a proof mass mounted to the sensing element frame by a flexure suspension. The proof mass is arranged to rotate about an output axis in response to acceleration of the sensing element frame along an input axis. The first proof mass includes a secondary mass that is movable between a first stable position on a first side of the output axis and a second stable position on a second side of the output axis to provide mass modulation of the first proof mass and to provide a selectively reversible polarity to the input axis and to provide self-calibration of bias.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a system for measuring at least one thermal property of a material. The system includes a thermal source configured to generate an incident thermal wave that propagates through a medium and is provided onto the material at an incident angle. The system also includes a thermal detector that is configured to receive a reflected thermal wave corresponding to the incident thermal wave reflected from the material at a reflection angle that is approximately equal to the incident angle. The system further includes a controller configured to control a magnitude of the incident angle to ascertain a thermal Brewster angle of the material and to calculate the at least one thermal property of the material based on the thermal Brewster angle.