Abstract: A method for aircraft brake wear optimization includes processes by which the actual instantaneous temperature of brakes can be determined during taxi braking operations. The invention is particularly applicable to carbon disc brakes in aircraft. In the system, the energy absorbed by the carbon disc brakes during taxiing operation is calculated and a conversion made from energy absorbed to disc temperature is made. The system uses less than a full complement of brakes during taxiing such that the brakes actually employed during taxiing are at elevated temperatures, which are characterized by improved brake wear. The system provides substantially instantaneous thermal information, in contrast to the prior art relying upon thermal measurements rather than energy calculations.

Abstract: A method for enhancing vision of an eye includes a laser delivery system having a laser beam for ablating corneal material from the cornea of the eye. Measurements are made to determine an optical path difference between a plane wave and a wavefront emanating from the retina of the eye for a location at a surface of the cornea. An optical correction is provided to the laser delivery system for the location based on the optical path difference and refractive indices of media through which the wavefront passes. The optical correction includes dividing the optical path difference by a difference between an index of refraction of corneal material and an index of refraction of air. The laser beam is directed to the location on the surface of the cornea and corneal material ablated at the location in response to the optical correction to cause the wavefront to approximate the shape of the plane wave at that location.

Abstract: A method for enhancing vision of an eye includes a laser delivery system having a laser beam for ablating corneal material from the cornea of the eye. Measurements are made to determine an optical path difference between a plane wave and a wavefront emanating from the retina of the eye for a location at a surface of the cornea. An optical correction is provided to the laser delivery system for the location based on the optical path difference and refractive indices of media through which the wavefront passes. The optical correction includes dividing the optical path difference by a difference between an index of refraction of corneal material and an index of refraction of air. The laser beam is directed to the location on the surface of the cornea and corneal material ablated at the location in response to the optical correction to cause the wavefront to approximate the shape of the plane wave at that location.