Abstract: A control system for an in-flight engine restart system of a rotorcraft includes an engine control unit that controls and detects status of an engine. The control system also includes a flight control computer that communicates with the engine control unit, an engine operation control system, and a pilot interface including pilot controls. The engine operation control system includes a processor that initiates a health check of the in-flight engine restart system to determine an in-flight engine restart system status. The engine operation control system processes engine mode of operation commands to establish an engine mode of operation, and delivers commands to aspects of the in-flight engine restart system including the engine control unit based on processing of the engine mode of operation commands. The engine operation control system reports the in-flight engine restart system status and results of the engine mode of operation commands to the flight control computer.

Abstract: A corrosion management method is provided and includes storing an asset fleet at a location, generating a corrosion rate stressor by reference to models for any component of an asset of the asset fleet corresponding to the location and storage practice of the asset, predicting an accumulated corrosion stressor severity from the generated corrosion rate stressor, measuring an actual corrosion rate stressor at the location and revising the models in accordance with a difference between the predicted accumulated corrosion stressor severity and the measured actual corrosion rate stressor.

Abstract: An integrated inspection system including at least one surface defining an enclosed space, at least one camera mounted in the enclosed space, and an interrogator device operatively coupled to the at least one camera. The interrogator device provides power to and receives images from the camera.

Abstract: A fluid condition monitoring device includes a sensing assembly including a sensor and a transducer, the sensor to sense a property of the fluid and the transducer to apply a test signal to the fluid and receive a return signal from the fluid; a control assembly coupled to the sensing assembly, the control assembly including a controller and an input/output interface, the controller interfacing with the transducer to generate fluid condition information in response to the return signal; and an interface assembly coupled to the control assembly, the interface assembly including a connection to the input/output interface to transmit the fluid condition information to an external system.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting, quantifying, and characterizing corrosion and degradation of an article, includes receiving signals indicative of a stack of images of a surface of the article; determining depth and nature of features in the stack of images; generating a surface model of the article in response to the determination of the depth and the nature of features; determining features of interest from the surface model; comparing the features of interest with predetermined information on the article; and characterizing the article as corroded or degraded in response to the comparisons of the features of interest.

Abstract: A corrosion management method is provided and includes storing an asset fleet at a location, generating a corrosion rate stressor by reference to models for any component of an asset of the asset fleet corresponding to the location and storage practice of the asset, predicting an accumulated corrosion stressor severity from the generated corrosion rate stressor, measuring an actual corrosion rate stressor at the location and revising the models in accordance with a difference between the predicted accumulated corrosion stressor severity and the measured actual corrosion rate stressor.

Abstract: A control system for an in-flight engine restart system of a rotorcraft includes an engine control unit that controls and detects status of an engine. The control system also includes a flight control computer that communicates with the engine control unit, an engine operation control system, and a pilot interface including pilot controls. The engine operation control system includes a processor that initiates a health check of the in-flight engine restart system to determine an in-flight engine restart system status. The engine operation control system processes engine mode of operation commands to establish an engine mode of operation, and delivers commands to aspects of the in-flight engine restart system including the engine control unit based on processing of the engine mode of operation commands. The engine operation control system reports the in-flight engine restart system status and results of the engine mode of operation commands to the flight control computer.

Abstract: A system for strain gage calibration includes a data acquisition system operable to receive sensor inputs from a force sensor as a force input and a strain gage as a strain output. The strain gage detects a strain measurement of a structure under test in response to an excitation force applied by an excitation device, and the force sensor detects the excitation force. The system also includes a data processing system operable to perform calibration feature extraction of a plurality of calibration features from time and frequency domain responses of the force input and the strain output, and to determine a calibration factor of the strain gage based on a correlation of the calibration features to reference calibration features. The force input and the strain output are preprocessed before the calibration feature extraction to filter noise, remove outlying data, and temporally align the force input and the strain output.

Abstract: A fluid condition monitoring device includes a sensing assembly including a sensor and a transducer, the sensor to sense a property of the fluid and the transducer to apply a test signal to the fluid and receive a return signal from the fluid; a control assembly coupled to the sensing assembly, the control assembly including a controller and an input/output interface, the controller interfacing with the transducer to generate fluid condition information in response to the return signal; and an interface assembly coupled to the control assembly, the interface assembly including a connection to the input/output interface to transmit the fluid condition information to an external system.

Abstract: An integrated inspection system including at least one surface defining an enclosed space, at least one camera mounted in the enclosed space, and an interrogator device operatively coupled to the at least one camera. The interrogator device provides power to and receives images from the camera.

Abstract: A measuring system is provided that includes a turbine engine thrust estimator that computes “virtual measurements” of dynamic engine thrust and other parameters of interest from test cell data in a very short amount of time. The measuring system ‘tunes’ a user's engine model, in a numerical propulsion system simulation, by optimizing system biases and health parameters to match the sensor outputs of a set of steady state data points across the operating range. The tuned model is then utilized by the measuring system to create a constant gain extended Kalman filter that is added directly within a code of the numerical propulsion system simulation. Results, including thrust, from the numerical propulsion system simulation with Kalman filter are then presented as ‘actual’ corrected data.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting, quantifying, and characterizing corrosion and degradation of an article, includes receiving signals indicative of a stack of images of a surface of the article; determining depth and nature of features in the stack of images; generating a surface model of the article in response to the determination of the depth and the nature of features; determining features of interest from the surface model; comparing the features of interest with predetermined information on the article; and characterizing the article as corroded or degraded in response to the comparisons of the features of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus for assessment of a fluid system includes a debris monitor to receive a first flow of a fluid, the debris monitor to determine wear debris information in the first flow of the fluid; and a fluid condition monitor to receive a second flow of the fluid, the fluid condition monitor being configured to determine fluid condition information in the second flow of the fluid.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a stabilizing device comprises a rotating base, a torso support, and leverage handles. In one embodiment, the rotating base comprises a plurality of radially outward extending legs with wheels or casters, to enable the stabilizing device to be easily rotated and moved. In another embodiment, the rotating base is a shaft with a rotating means, such as ball bearings. The height of the shaft may further be adjustable using known methods, such as a hydraulic cylinder or equivalent means.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an elderly assistance apparatus comprises a frame, wheels, and a lever mechanism. The lever is comprised of caregiver leverage handles, patient lifts, and a fulcrum. In another embodiment the elderly assistance apparatus may comprise patient stabilizers. In one embodiment, the stabilizers are mounted crutches.

Abstract: A method for translating a text based command into a multimedia format is provided. The method includes providing a the text based command to a network, converting the text based command to a URL request, providing the text based command to a text based program, translating a text based output into XML, and translating the text based XML into HTML via an XSL stylesheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring gas concentrations in combustor applications is provided, wherein the apparatus is a gas sensor having a plurality of electrodes cooperating with a single electrolyte cell for detecting the presence and concentration of gaseous components of a flue gas. A voltage is generated based on the flow of ions caused by differing gas concentrations as detected by electrodes across the electrolyte. The change in voltage is correlated and is used to determine the concentration of detected gases, such as combustible gases, nitric oxides, carbon monoxide, etc., contained in the flue gas. The combustor operation may then be optimized to enhance efficiency and minimize undesired gas concentrations in the flue gas in a desired fashion. A calibration gas may be introduced to calibrate the apparatus and a reference gas may be provided to an electrode as a basis for correlating the concentrations of the gases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring gas concentrations in combustor applications is provided, wherein the apparatus is a gas sensor having a plurality of electrodes cooperating with a single electrolyte cell for detecting the presence and concentration of gaseous components of a flue gas. A voltage is generated based on the flow of ions caused by differing gas concentrations as detected by electrodes across the electrolyte. The change in voltage is correlated and is used to determine the concentration of detected gases, such as combustible gases, nitric oxides, carbon monoxide, etc., contained in the flue gas. The combustor operation may then be optimized to enhance efficiency and minimize undesired gas concentrations in the flue gas in a desired fashion. A calibration gas may be introduced to calibrate the apparatus and a reference gas may be provided to an electrode as a basis for correlating the concentrations of the gases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and measuring gas concentrations in combustor applications is provided, wherein the apparatus is a gas sensor having a plurality of electrodes cooperating with a single electrolyte cell for detecting the presence and concentration of gaseous components of a flue gas. A voltage is generated based on the flow of ions caused by differing gas concentrations as detected by electrodes across the electrolyte. The change in voltage is correlated and is used to determine the concentration of detected gases, such as combustible gases, nitric oxides, carbon monoxide, etc., contained in the flue gas. The combustor operation may then be optimized to enhance efficiency and minimize undesired gas concentrations in the flue gas in a desired fashion. A calibration gas may be introduced to calibrate the apparatus and a reference gas may be provided to an electrode as a basis for correlating the concentrations of the gases.

Abstract: An improved method for dehydration and concentration of an aqueous solution containing an organic compound is disclosed. The solution is evaporated to produce a gaseous mixture comprising an organic compound vapor and a water vapor. The water vapor is selectively removed from the gaseous mixture by permeation through an aromatic polyimide gas separation membrane while the gaseous mixture being kept in contact with a surface on one side of the gas separation membrane at a temperature of 70.degree. C. or higher to obtain a gaseous mixture comprising the organic compound vapor and a reduced amount of a water vapor.