Abstract: A vehicle door assembly includes an inner door panel, a pillar panel and a first cushioning pad. The inner door panel has an attachment area, a first edge portion and a second edge portion, with the first edge portion defining hinge attachment locations. The pillar panel is fixedly attached to at least the second edge portion and the attachment area such that the inner door panel and the pillar panel define a hollow B-pillar structure. The pillar panel further includes an offset portion that is spaced apart from a central portion of the attachment area of the inner door panel such that the attachment area and the offset portion define a recessed area therebetween. The first cushioning pad has a main body installed within the recessed area between the offset portion of the pillar panel and the inner door panel.

Abstract: A robot leg (125) comprises an upper link (101) and a lower link (111). The upper link (101) operates nominally in a first vertical plane, for example the sagittal plane, while the lower link (111) operates nominally in a second vertical plane, nominally orthogonal to the first plane, for example the coronal plane. The leg (125) may also comprise a twist joint in the knee, and may comprise four-bar linkages (102a-b, 103a-d, 112a-b, 113a-d), such that the foot (106) stays parallel to the hip (102a). The leg (125) may be used in a robot to allow the construction of a robot capable of three dimensional movement, using a small number of actuators per leg.

Abstract: Robot Leg A robot leg (125) comprises an upper link (101) and a lower link (111). The upper link (101) operates nominally in a first vertical plane, for example the sagittal plane, while the lower link (111) operates nominally in a second vertical plane, nominally orthogonal to the first plane, for example the coronal plane. The leg (125) may also comprise a twist joint in the knee, and may comprise four-bar linkages (102a-b, 103a-d, 112a-b, 113a-d), such that the foot (106) stays parallel to the hip (102a). The leg (125) may be used in a robot to allow the construction of a robot capable of three dimensional movement, using a small number of actuators per leg.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating an RF signal is provided includes a driver configured to generate a timing control for two optical signals. The apparatus further includes at least one optical pulse source configured to generate the two optical signals based on the timing control. In addition, the apparatus includes a photodetector configured to receive the two optical signals as input and further configured to generate an RF signal based on the two optical signals. A method for generating an RF signal is also provided.

Abstract: A tunable photonic channelizer includes an optical signal generator and an optical modulator. The optical modulator receives a first optical signal as an input from the optical signal generator and modulates the first optical signal to create a second optical signal. The tunable photonic channelizer includes an optical filter that is selectively tunable. The optical filter receives the second optical signal, filters the second optical signal, provides a third optical signal as a filtered version of the second optical signal. The tunable photonic channelizer includes a feedback loop between the optical filter and the optical signal generator to provide temperature and/or environmental feedback from the optical filter to the optical signal generator to enable the first optical signal to float in relation to the temperature and/or environmental feedback.

Abstract: A frequency translator, a method, and a machine readable medium for performing frequency signal translations are disclosed. The frequency translator includes a modulator for modulating an optical pulse train with an input RF signal to generate an output optical pulse train having the amplitude information of the input RF signal at a plurality of times corresponding to the optical pulse train. In addition, the frequency translator includes a modulator for modulating the output optical pulse train by a digital cosine function having a desired target frequency to generate a translated optical signal. The frequency translator further includes a photodetector configured to generate an electrical waveform with the translated optical signal having the amplitude information of the input RF signal centered at the desired target frequency.

Abstract: An optical signal processing system is provided that includes a first light modulator for receiving, placing information on a first optical signal, and for producing a second optical signal. The second optical signal includes a desired signal portion and an undesired signal portion. The optical signal processing system includes a second light modulator that tunes a first optical pump signal to a Brillouin frequency that is less than, but corresponding to, a frequency of the undesired signal portion. The optical signal processing system includes a light conductor configured to receive as a first input the second optical signal and as a second input the first optical pump signal tuned to the Brillouin frequency. The optical signal processing system causes the first optical pump signal tuned to the Brillouin frequency to induce a Stimulated Brillouin Scattering effect at the light conductor to attenuate the undesired signal portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating an RF signal is provided includes a driver configured to generate a timing control for two optical signals. The apparatus further includes at least one optical pulse source configured to generate the two optical signals based on the timing control. In addition, the apparatus includes a photodetector configured to receive the two optical signals as input and further configured to generate an RF signal based on the two optical signals. A method for generating an RF signal is also provided.

Abstract: A laser communications system includes a wide-field sensor, configured to detect a first set of laser communications sources within a first field of view, a narrow-field sensor includes a tracking portion and a control portion configured to receive laser communications from a second set of laser communications sources within a second field of view, wherein the first field of view is larger than the second field of view, and wherein the second set of laser communications sources comprises at least a first source and a second source, and a redirection unit coupled to the narrow-field sensor configured to position the second field of view within the first field of view wherein the first receiving element is positioned in response to the first positioning signal for the first receiving element, and the second receiving element is positioned in response to the first positioning signal for the second receiving element.

Abstract: A laser communications system includes a wide-field sensor, configured to detect a first set of laser communications sources within a first field of view, a narrow-field sensor includes a tracking portion and a control portion configured to receive laser communications from a second set of laser communications sources within a second field of view, wherein the first field of view is larger than the second field of view, and wherein the second set of laser communications sources comprises at least a first source and a second source, and a redirection unit coupled to the narrow-field sensor configured to position the second field of view within the first field of view wherein the first receiving element is positioned in response to the first positioning signal for the first receiving element, and the second receiving element is positioned in response to the first positioning signal for the second receiving element.