Abstract: There is provided a system and method for monitoring of fractured wells and conventional wells to detect leaks. The method comprises interrogating a plurality of resonant tags using a modulated RF signal transmitted from an interrogator, wherein the plurality of resonant tags are dispersed within a channel.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an RF disturbance detection system is provided that includes: an RF interrogator configured to transmit an RF interrogation signal; and a plurality of RF transceiver modules configured to respond to the RF interrogation signal by transmitting unique RF response signals, wherein the RF interrogator is further configured to periodically interrogate the RF transceiver modules to detect the power of the corresponding response signals so as to detect any changes in the response signal powers over time.

Abstract: The housing of a portable radar unit includes features for providing positioning of auxiliary handles between a first position and a second position, in which: the first position places the auxiliary handles in a position to act as handgrips in conjunction with integral handles and the second position places the auxiliary handles at an angle to the integral handles, so that the radar unit can be held with one hand and supported by a forearm of the same hand. Rotation of each auxiliary handle about a pivot moves the auxiliary handle between the first position and the second position; and a friction mechanism resists the rotation so that the auxiliary handle tends to stay in position until purposefully moved. The housing also includes internal space for housing a radar antenna, a reflector, and a mechanism for adjusting distance between the reflector and the antenna for tuning performance of the antenna.

Abstract: A system includes: a planar antenna array that includes a plurality of right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) antennas and left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) antennas in a planar surface or in layers, in which each antenna element includes a spiral plate; a feed network connecting a signal to each of the antennas; and amplifiers dispersed in the feed network configured to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the signal.

Abstract: A variety of resonant tags are disclosed that are sized to be approximately the same size as proppants. The resonant tags have a resonant frequency that changes in response to pressure and temperature changes.

Abstract: An energy harvesting and storage system includes an array of piezoelectric electrodes, in which the piezoelectric electrodes generate electrical energy from mechanical displacements of the piezoelectric electrodes; and an array of capacitor electrodes disposed in proximity to the piezoelectric electrodes, in which the array of capacitor electrodes stores a portion of the energy generated by the piezoelectric electrodes. An energy system includes a substrate including an array of micro-post electrodes connected to a cathode layer of the substrate; an isolation material covering the array of micro-post electrodes; and an anode layer including electrodes filling the remaining region between the isolation material-covered micro-post electrodes, in which the anode layer, electrodes, isolation material, micro-post electrodes, and substrate are monolithically coupled.

Abstract: A surveillance system includes a multi-propeller aircraft having a main propeller and a plurality of wing unit propellers; a housing that houses the main propeller and the wing unit propellers; an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system; a control system for controlling flight of the multi-propeller aircraft from a remote location; and a telemetry system for providing information from the ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system to the remote location. A method includes: remotely controlling flight of the aircraft using a main propeller and a plurality of wing unit propellers with airflow from the main propeller to the wing unit propellers for lift and propulsion; operating an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system from the aircraft; and transmitting information from the UWB radar imaging system to a display at a location remote from the aircraft.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for relocatable repeaters for wireless communication links to locations that may present accessibility problems using, for example, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). An sUAS implemented as an easy-to-operate, small vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft with hovering capability for holding station position may provide an extended range, highly secure, high data rate, repeater system for extending the range of point-to-point wireless communication links (also referred to as “crosslinks”) in which repeater locations are easily relocatable with very fast set-up and relocating times. A repeater system using beam forming and power combining techniques enables a very high gain antenna array with very narrow beam width and superb pointing accuracy. The aircraft includes a control system enabling three-dimensional pointing and sustaining directivity of the beam independently of flight path of the aircraft.

Abstract: An energy harvesting and storage system includes an array of piezoelectric electrodes, in which the piezoelectric electrodes generate electrical energy from mechanical displacements of the piezoelectric electrodes; and an array of capacitor electrodes disposed in proximity to the piezoelectric electrodes, in which the array of capacitor electrodes stores a portion of the energy generated by the piezoelectric electrodes. An energy system includes a substrate including an array of micro-post electrodes connected to a cathode layer of the substrate; an isolation material covering the array of micro-post electrodes; and an anode layer including electrodes filling the remaining region between the isolation material-covered micro-post electrodes, in which the anode layer, electrodes, isolation material, micro-post electrodes, and substrate are monolithically coupled.

Abstract: An energy harvesting and storage system includes an array of piezoelectric electrodes, in which the piezoelectric electrodes generate electrical energy from mechanical displacements of the piezoelectric electrodes; and an array of capacitor electrodes disposed in proximity to the piezoelectric electrodes, in which the array of capacitor electrodes stores a portion of the energy generated by the piezoelectric electrodes. An energy system includes a substrate including an array of micro-post electrodes connected to a cathode layer of the substrate; an isolation material covering the array of micro-post electrodes; and an anode layer including electrodes filling the remaining region between the isolation material-covered micro-post electrodes, in which the anode layer, electrodes, isolation material, micro-post electrodes, and substrate are monolithically coupled.

Abstract: An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication system is adapted for radar ranging and imaging. A radar system includes an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) radio communications transmitter configured to transmit information bits using one or more payload symbols in a transmitted signal; and a receiver configured to: construct the payload symbols from the information bits provided by the transmitter; receive the payload symbols in the transmitted signal reflected from a target; apply a matched filter to the received payload symbols using the constructed payload symbols as a template; and process a magnitude response at an output of the matched filter for estimating location and imaging of the target.

Abstract: A system includes a multi-system approach to detecting concealed weapons and person borne improvised explosive devices (PBIED). A first and second radar system operate at different center frequencies to provide, respectively, isolation of a target of interest from clutter and fine detail information on the target, such as whether the target is a living person, whether a concealed object may be present, material composition of the object, and shape, size, and position of the target relative to the system. Circular polarized radar beam may be used to distinguish a suspect object from within a crowd of people. Radar image of the object may be overlaid on visual image of a person carrying the object. Radar tracking of the object is coordinated with visual tracking of the target provided by a camera system, with visual display and tracking of the target overlaid with the radar information.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of radar units configured to provide scan data to a network; a signal processing and imaging module connected to the network and configured to receive the scan data, identify a target, and determine a type of the target based on a radar profile of the target; and a display unit in communication with the signal processing and imaging module and configured to provide a tracking display of the target position and type. A method includes scanning an inhabitable area using a plurality of radar detector units to produce scan data; processing the scan data to construct a digitized representation of a target in the inhabitable area; using recovered information of the target to differentiate between a live person, an animal or an object as the target type; and displaying the target type and position on an image display.

Abstract: A tunneling accelerometer includes a proof mass that moves laterally with respect to a cap wafer. Either the proof mass or the cap wafer includes a plurality of tunneling tips such that the remaining one of proof mass and the cap wafer includes a corresponding plurality of counter electrodes. The tunneling current flowing between the tunneling tips and the counter electrodes will thus vary as the proof mass laterally displaces in response to an applied acceleration.

Abstract: An array of paired V-band sensors is provided to act as a virtual fence to detect human intrusion. Each sensor includes a rotating circuit board that includes an antenna array. The sensor pivots the circuit board with regard to a weight base to align with an opposing sensor. By alternatively transmitting and receiving with regard to the opposing sensor, a V-band bistatic radar system is enabled that detects human intrusion between the opposing sensors.

Abstract: An energy harvesting and storage system includes an array of piezoelectric electrodes, in which the piezoelectric electrodes generate electrical energy from mechanical displacements of the piezoelectric electrodes; and an array of capacitor electrodes disposed in proximity to the piezoelectric electrodes, in which the array of capacitor electrodes stores a portion of the energy generated by the piezoelectric electrodes. An energy system includes a substrate including an array of micro-post electrodes connected to a cathode layer of the substrate; an isolation material covering the array of micro-post electrodes; and an anode layer including electrodes filling the remaining region between the isolation material-covered micro-post electrodes, in which the anode layer, electrodes, isolation material, micro-post electrodes, and substrate are monolithically coupled.

Abstract: An energy harvesting and storage system includes an array of piezoelectric electrodes, in which the piezoelectric electrodes generate electrical energy from mechanical displacements of the piezoelectric electrodes; and an array of capacitor electrodes disposed in proximity to the piezoelectric electrodes, in which the array of capacitor electrodes stores a portion of the energy generated by the piezoelectric electrodes. An energy system includes a substrate including an array of micro-post electrodes connected to a cathode layer of the substrate; an isolation material covering the array of micro-post electrodes; and an anode layer including electrodes filling the remaining region between the isolation material-covered micro-post electrodes, in which the anode layer, electrodes, isolation material, micro-post electrodes, and substrate are monolithically coupled.

Abstract: Systems and methods include up-converting a UWB frequency pulse from a UWB radar unit to a V band frequency pulse; transmitting the V band frequency pulse via an active array antenna; receiving a V band echo pulse via the active array antenna; down-converting the V band echo pulse from the active array antenna to a UWB pulse; and feeding the UWB pulse to the UWB radar unit for processing by the UWB radar unit. A V band antenna system includes: an antenna board that defines an antenna plane being the plane of the board and comprising a plurality of antenna elements; a mother board providing a corporate combining feed to the antenna board; and a power management board to which the antenna board and mother board are mounted perpendicularly to the antenna plane, wherein the antenna elements provide a beam forming antenna for ultra wide band pulses at V band frequencies.

Abstract: A system includes: a radar scanner disposed to scan the interior of a container; an interrogator in communication with the scanner; and a processing system in communication with the interrogator, in which the processing system displays information about the interior of the container. A method includes: mounting a radar scanner antenna to a container so as to scan the interior of the container; connecting a coupler to the scanner so that the scanner communicates scanning data via the coupler to the exterior of the container. Another method includes: coupling an interrogator and radar processing system to a scanner mounted on a container; and processing radar scan data from the interior of the container. Another method includes: linking a radar processing system via a communications link to an interrogator that is coupled to a scanner mounted on a container; and processing radar scan data from the interior of the container.

Abstract: A wireless communications system includes a first multiplexer distribution network fed by a radio frequency input; a plurality of multi-stage power amplifiers fed by the first multiplexer distribution network, wherein each one of the multi-stage power amplifiers includes: a pre-distortion linearizer fed from the first distribution network; a first combiner receiving input from the pre-distortion linearizer; a second combiner; a plurality of power amplifier cells fed by the first combiner and feeding the second combiner; and a second multiplexer distribution network, wherein the second multiplexer distribution network is fed by the second combiner and feeds a radio frequency output.