Abstract: A self-diagnosing sensor system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a bumper with fascia material. The sensor system includes an elongated, deflectable cable disposed in the bumper generally adjacent to the fascia material. A tensioning and sensing unit is coupled to each end of the cable and fixed to the vehicle. Each unit includes a tension sensor electrically connected with an ECU of the vehicle such that the ECU receives signals from the tension sensors regarding tension in the cable, indicative of 1) whether the bumper has been impacted based on deflection of the cable from a sensing position, or 2) whether damage to the cable or a tensioning and sensing unit has occurred.

Abstract: A method for identifying the contour of a vehicle based on measurement data from an environment sensor system is disclosed. The measurement data includes a set of spatial points of an object detected by the environment sensor system. The method includes: producing an envelope in the form of a polygonal chain around the object based on the set of spatial points; reducing the set of spatial points; removing spatial points from the polygonal chain that are irrelevant to identifying the contour of the vehicle and determining spatial points of the polygonal chain that are relevant to identifying the contour of the vehicle; classifying one or more edges as belonging to a front and a side of the vehicle on the basis of the reduced set of spatial points.

Abstract: A self-diagnosing sensor system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a bumper with fascia material. The sensor system includes an elongated, deflectable cable disposed in the bumper generally adjacent to the fascia material. A tensioning and sensing unit is coupled to each end of the cable and fixed to the vehicle. Each unit includes a tension sensor electrically connected with an ECU of the vehicle such that the ECU receives signals from the tension sensors regarding tension in the cable, indicative of 1) whether the bumper has been impacted based on deflection of the cable from a sensing position, or 2) whether damage to the cable or a tensioning and sensing unit has occurred.

Abstract: A high power extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beam is produced. An electron beam is injected in a compact electron storage ring configured for emission of free-electron laser (FEL) radiation. The electron beam is passed through a magnetic undulator on each of a plurality of successive revolutions of the electron beam around the compact electron storage ring. The electron beam is induced to microbunch and radiate coherently while passing through the magnetic undulator. A portion of the free-electron laser radiation at an extreme ultraviolet wavelength produced by an interaction of the electron beam through the magnetic undulator is outputted.

Abstract: A high power extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beam is produced. An electron beam is injected in a compact electron storage ring configured for emission of free-electron laser (FEL) radiation. The electron beam is passed through a magnetic undulator on each of a plurality of successive revolutions of the electron beam around the compact electron storage ring. The electron beam is induced to microbunch and radiate coherently while passing through the magnetic undulator. A portion of the free-electron laser radiation at an extreme ultraviolet wavelength produced by an interaction of the electron beam through the magnetic undulator is outputted.

Abstract: A high power extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beam is produced. An electron beam is injected in a compact electron storage ring configured for emission of free-electron laser (FEL) radiation. The electron beam is passed through a magnetic undulator on each of a plurality of successive revolutions of the electron beam around the compact electron storage ring. The electron beam is induced to microbunch and radiate coherently while passing through the magnetic undulator. A portion of the free-electron laser radiation at an extreme ultraviolet wavelength produced by an interaction of the electron beam through the magnetic undulator is outputted.

Abstract: A correlative evaluation of a sample (104) using a combined x-ray computed tomography (CT) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) system and the method for analyzing a sample (104) using x-ray CT and XRF is disclosed. The CT/XRF system (10) includes an x-ray CT subsystem (100) for acquisition of volume information and a confocal XRF subsystem (102) for characterization of elemental composition information. Geometrical calibration is carried out between the XRF subsystem (102) and the X-ray CT subsystem (100) such that a region of interest defined during X-ray CT acquisition can be retrieved by the XRF subsystem (102) for a subsequent XRF acquisition. The system (10) combines the sub-micrometer spatial resolution 3-D imaging capability of x-ray CT with the elemental composition analysis of confocal XRF to provide 3-D elemental composition analysis of a sample (104) with ppm level sensitivity.

Abstract: A compound x-ray lens and method of fabricating these lenses are disclosed. These compound lenses use multiple zone plate stacking to achieve a pitch frequency increase for the resulting combined zone plate. The compound equivalent zone plate includes a first zone plate having an initial pitch frequency stacked onto a second zone plate to form an equivalent compound zone plate. The equivalent zone plate has a pitch frequency that is at least twice the initial pitch frequency. Also, in one example, the equivalent zone plate has a mark-to-space ratio of 1:1.

Abstract: A correlative evaluation of a sample using an x-ray computed tomography (CT) x-ray fluorescence (XRF) system and the method for analyzing a sample using x-ray CT and XRF is disclosed. The CT/XRF system includes an x-ray CT subsystem for acquisition of volume information and a confocal XRF subsystem for acquisition of elemental composition information. The CT/XRF system also includes a controller for managing the acquisitions by the x-ray CT subsystem and confocal XRF subsystem. Combining sub-micrometer spatial resolution 3-D imaging with elemental composition analysis in 3-D with ppm level sensitivity is important to elemental identification of precious metal grains in crushed and ground ores and floatation tailings in the mining industry.

Abstract: A method and system for three dimensional crystallographic grain orientation mapping illuminates a polycrystalline sample with a broadband x-ray beam derived from a laboratory x-ray source, detects, on one or more x-ray detectors, diffracted beams from the sample, and processes data from said diffracted beams with the sample in different rotation positions to generate three dimensional reconstructions of grain orientation, position, and/or 3-D volume. A specific, cone beam, geometry leverages the fact that for a point x-ray source with a divergent beam on reflection of an extended crystal grain diffracts x-rays such that they are focused in the diffraction plane direction.

Abstract: A system and method for improving efficiency of zone plates fabricated by conformal layer coatings is disclosed. In embodiments, the inventive conformal layer coating zone plates provide increased zone widths from one times a deposited conformal layer coating thickness up to and including two times the conformal layer coating thickness. By designing a template that increases a mark-to-space ratio of the annular rings of the template, coating sidewalls of the annular rings with an conformal layer coating to form the zones, and then substantially filling annular channels defined by the annular rings with the conformal layer coating to form wider zones, significant efficiency increases can be achieved over conventional conformal layer coating zone plates, especially for innermost zones.

Abstract: An X-ray diffraction method of mapping grain structures in a polycrystalline material sample, where an X-ray detector detects substantially line-shaped segments from beams diffracted from at least some of the grains. A processing device analyzes values received from the X-ray detector and identifies at least the position and the length of the line-shaped segments. The line-shaped segments are paired as originating from diffractions from the same grain and the positions of the paired line-shaped segments are used in determining the crystallographic grain position of this grain within in the polycrystalline material sample. The length of the paired line-shaped segments is used in determining a width of this grain.

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting an imminent rollover of a vehicle. The method comprises taking a series of images of the surroundings of the vehicle, in particular of the road ahead, with a camera; determining and tracking point features in the series of images; eliminating point features which are located on objects that move relative to the stationary surroundings of the vehicle; and computing at least one parameter of the rotational movement of the camera (roll, pitch and/or yaw rate) taking into account the remaining point features.

Abstract: A method and system for three dimensional crystallographic grain orientation mapping illuminates a polycrystalline sample with a broadband x-ray beam derived from a laboratory x-ray source, detects, on one or more x-ray detectors, diffracted beams from the sample, and processes data from said diffracted beams with the sample in different rotation positions to generate three dimensional reconstructions of grain orientation, position, and/or 3-D volume. A specific, cone beam, geometry leverages the fact that for a point x-ray source with a divergent beam on reflection of an extended crystal grain diffracts x-rays such that they are focused in the diffraction plane direction.

Abstract: A correlative evaluation of a sample (104) using a combined x-ray computed tomography (CT) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) system and the method for analyzing a sample (104) using x-ray CT and XRF is disclosed. The CT/XRF system (10) includes an x-ray CT subsystem (100) for acquisition of volume information and a confocal XRF subsystem (102) for characterization of elemental composition information. Geometrical calibration is carried out between the XRF subsystem (102) and the X-ray CT subsystem (100) such that a region of interest defined during X-ray CT acquisition can be retrieved by the XRF subsystem (102) for a subsequent XRF acquisition. The system (10) combines the sub-micrometer spatial resolution 3-D imaging capability of x-ray CT with the elemental composition analysis of confocal XRF to provide 3-D elemental composition analysis of a sample (104) with ppm level sensitivity.

Abstract: A method and system for three dimensional crystallographic grain orientation mapping illuminates a polycrystalline sample with a broadband x-ray beam derived from a laboratory x-ray source, detects, on one or more x-ray detectors, diffracted beams from the sample, and processes data from said diffracted beams with the sample in different rotation positions to generate three dimensional reconstructions of grain orientation, position, and/or 3-D volume. A specific, cone beam, geometry leverages the fact that for a point x-ray source with a divergent beam on reflection of an extended crystal grain diffracts x-rays such that they are focused in the diffraction plane direction.

Abstract: A modified phase shifting mask is used to improve performance over traditional Zernike phase contrast imaging. The configurations can lead to an improved imaging methodology potentially with reduced artifacts and more than one order of magnitude gain in photon efficiency, in some examples. Moreover, it can be used to yield a direct representation of the sample's phase contrast information without the need for additional specialized post-acquisition image analysis. The approach can be applied to both wide-field and scanning configurations by using a phase mask including a pattern of phase elements and an illumination mask, having a pattern of holes, for example, that corresponds to a pattern of the phase mask.

Abstract: A method and a device for triggering an emergency call in a vehicle equipped with an airbag. The device can be retrofitted in a vehicle equipped with an airbag to provide an emergency system which, in the event of an airbag being triggered, sends an emergency call (Ecall) to a suitable emergency call center in order to initiate auxiliary measures as may be necessary.

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting an imminent rollover of a vehicle. The method comprises taking a series of images of the surroundings of the vehicle, in particular of the road ahead, with a camera; determining and tracking point features in the series of images; eliminating point features which are located on objects that move relative to the stationary surroundings of the vehicle; and computing at least one parameter of the rotational movement of the camera (roll, pitch and/or yaw rate) taking into account the remaining point features.

Abstract: A method for determining a criterion of the severity of an accident by means of an acceleration signal and a solid-borne sound signal. The signal edge direction of the absolute value of the acceleration signal is detected. If the signal edge of the absolute value of the acceleration signal drops, the solid-borne sound signal which occurs in the process is evaluated. The solid-borne sound signal may be integrated and the criterion of the severity of the accident is derived therefrom. This criterion of the severity of the accident can be used directly, or as a function of criteria, to trigger the protection devices.