Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of controlling speed of an ego vehicle in a vehicle platoon is provided. Cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) commands based on at least one of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication control received from a preceding vehicle and a feedback control based on a sensor output of a long-range sensor of the ego vehicle are provided to a speed controller. In response to detecting an occluded state, a minimum spacing value and a minimum relative velocity value between the ego vehicle and the preceding vehicle are determined based on information received before the detection of the occluded state; a safety speed based on the minimum spacing value and the minimum relative velocity value is determined; and an occluded adaptive cruise control command is provided to the speed controller to maintain a speed of the ego vehicle that is less than or equal to the safety speed.

Abstract: A channel crawler has a carriage, a stabilizing mechanism, and a deployment mechanism. The carriage has wheels configured to engage surfaces that define a channel through which the carriage is configured to move. The stabilizing mechanism is configured to extend from the carriage and engage a non-horizontal surface of the channel in a manner restricting unintended movement of the carriage in one or more directions. The deployment mechanism is configured to fit within the carriage when retracted, and selectively deploy an operational device from a stowed position within the carriage to a deployed position outside the channel for performing an operation in relation to at least one of structure and hardware proximate the channel.

Abstract: A method and a handling system for imparting a desired longitudinal conformation into a longitudinal component are presented. The handling system comprises a rigid frame and a plurality of handling headers movably connected to the rigid frame. The plurality of handling headers is configured to grip a longitudinal component, lift the longitudinal component, and cooperatively move to impart the desired longitudinal conformation into the longitudinal component.

Abstract: A movable carriage configured to wrap a material sheet around a longitudinal component is presented. The movable carriage comprises a frame defining a center plane and an operating volume; side wheels within the operating volume configured to guide the material sheet against sides of a portion of the longitudinal component, when disposed within the operating volume and aligned with the center plane, as the movable carriage moves parallel to the center plane, the side wheels arranged as one or more opposing pairs about the center plane; and top wheels within the operating volume configured to guide the material sheet against the top of the portion of the longitudinal component as the movable carriage moves parallel to the center plane, the top wheels arranged as one or more opposing pairs about the center plane.

Abstract: A manufacturing system and method for determining and optimizing shaping locations and shaping inputs and shaping a component using the shaping locations and shaping inputs includes steps of: determining shaping locations on the component for application of shaping inputs that change an as-built shape of the component toward a target shape of the component and determining the shaping inputs to be applied to the component at the shaping locations to change the as-built shape of the component toward the target shape of the component; applying the shaping inputs to the component at the shaping locations on the component; and changing the as-built shape of the component to within a predetermined tolerance of the target shape.

Abstract: A channel crawler has a carriage, a stabilizing mechanism, and a deployment mechanism. The carriage has wheels configured to engage surfaces that define a channel through which the carriage is configured to move. The stabilizing mechanism is configured to extend from the carriage and engage a non-horizontal surface of the channel in a manner restricting unintended movement of the carriage in one or more directions. The deployment mechanism is configured to fit within the carriage when retracted, and selectively deploy an operational device from a stowed position within the carriage to a deployed position outside the channel for performing an operation in relation to at least one of structure and hardware proximate the channel.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of controlling speed of an ego vehicle in a vehicle platoon is provided. Cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) commands based on at least one of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication control received from a preceding vehicle and a feedback control based on a sensor output of a long-range sensor of the ego vehicle are provided to a speed controller. In response to detecting an occluded state, a minimum spacing value and a minimum relative velocity value between the ego vehicle and the preceding vehicle are determined based on information received before the detection of the occluded state; a safety speed based on the minimum spacing value and the minimum relative velocity value is determined; and an occluded adaptive cruise control command is provided to the speed controller to maintain a speed of the ego vehicle that is less than or equal to the safety speed.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanical avatar assembly for use in a confined space in a structure. The mechanical avatar assembly includes a rail assembly for attachment to an access opening to the confined space. The rail assembly includes two or more rail segments coupled together to form an elongated base having a rail and a gear rack extending along a length of the elongated base. The rail assembly further includes a carriage portion coupled to the rail, and movable relative to the rail, and a drive assembly coupled to the carriage portion and to the gear rack, to move the carriage portion along the rail. The mechanical avatar assembly further includes an articulating avatar arm coupled to, and movable via, the carriage portion. The mechanical avatar assembly further includes an image capturing device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a backed cross-ply prepreg comprises cutting, using a cutting machine, a first continuous length of a unidirectional prepreg into first prepreg segments, each having an opposing pair of segment cut edges that are non-parallel to a lengthwise direction of the unidirectional prepreg. The method also includes picking up, using a pick-and-place system, the first prepreg segments off of the cutting machine, and placing the first prepreg segments in end-to-end relation onto a conveyor belt of an adhesion machine, and in an orientation such that the segment cut edges are generally parallel to a lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt. The method also includes feeding, using the conveyor belt, the first prepreg segments to an adhesion station of the adhesion machine, and adhering, using the adhesion station, the first prepreg segments to a continuous length of a backing material.

Abstract: A bonding system includes a heating element, an actuator, an infrared camera, a pressure sensor and/or a displacement sensor, one or more processors. and a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors. cause the bonding system to perform functions including providing a first control signal to a heating element. thereby heating a workpiece with electromagnetic radiation having one or more oscillation frequencies within a range of 1 MHz to 2.00 MHZ. and providing a second control signal to an actuator. thereby applying a pressure to the workpiece via the actuator. The functions also include detecting a temperature of the workpiece. the pressure applied to the workpiece. and/or a displacement of the actuator, and adjusting the first control signal and/or the second control signal based on the temperature of the workpiece. the pressure applied to the workpiece, or the displacement of the actuator.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a backed cross-ply prepreg comprises cutting, using a cutting machine, a first continuous length of a unidirectional prepreg into first prepreg segments, each having an opposing pair of segment cut edges that are non-parallel to a lengthwise direction of the unidirectional prepreg. The method also includes picking up, using a pick-and-place system, the first prepreg segments off of the cutting machine, and placing the first prepreg segments in end-to-end relation onto a conveyor belt of an adhesion machine, and in an orientation such that the segment cut edges are generally parallel to a lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt. The method also includes feeding, using the conveyor belt, the first prepreg segments to an adhesion station of the adhesion machine, and adhering, using the adhesion station, the first prepreg segments to a continuous length of a backing material.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a cutting machine, an adhesion machine, and a pick-and-place system. The cutting machine sequentially cuts a continuous length of a unidirectional prepreg into prepreg segments. Each prepreg segment has an opposing pair of segment cut edges that are non-parallel to a lengthwise direction of the unidirectional prepreg. The adhesion machine has a conveyor belt and an adhesion station. The pick-and-place system sequentially picks up the prepreg segments from the cutting machine, and places the prepreg segments in end-to-end relation on the conveyor belt, and in an orientation such that the segment cut edges are generally parallel to a lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt feeds the prepreg segments to the adhesion station. The adhesion station adheres the prepreg segments to a continuous length of a backing material, thereby resulting in a continuous length of a backed cross-ply prepreg.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a cutting machine, an adhesion machine, and a pick-and-place system. The cutting machine sequentially cuts a continuous length of a unidirectional prepreg into prepreg segments. Each prepreg segment has an opposing pair of segment cut edges that are non-parallel to a lengthwise direction of the unidirectional prepreg. The adhesion machine has a conveyor belt and an adhesion station. The pick-and-place system sequentially picks up the prepreg segments from the cutting machine, and places the prepreg segments in end-to-end relation on the conveyor belt, and in an orientation such that the segment cut edges are generally parallel to a lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt feeds the prepreg segments to the adhesion station. The adhesion station adheres the prepreg segments to a continuous length of a backing material, thereby resulting in a continuous length of a backed cross-ply prepreg.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanical avatar assembly for use in a confined space in a structure. The mechanical avatar assembly includes a rail assembly for attachment to an access opening to the confined space. The rail assembly includes two or more rail segments coupled together to form an elongated base having a rail and a gear rack extending along a length of the elongated base. The rail assembly further includes a carriage portion coupled to the rail, and movable relative to the rail, and a drive assembly coupled to the carriage portion and to the gear rack, to move the carriage portion along the rail. The mechanical avatar assembly further includes an articulating avatar arm coupled to, and movable via, the carriage portion. The mechanical avatar assembly further includes an image capturing device.

Abstract: The behavior of automated agents, such as autonomous vehicles, drones, and the like, can be improved by control systems and methods that implement a combination of neighbor following behavior, or neighbor-averaged information transfer, with delayed self-reinforcement by utilizing time-delayed movement data to modify course corrections of each automated agent. Disclosed herein are systems and methods by which a follower agent, or a multiple follower agents in formation with a plurality of automated agents, can be controlled by generating course correction data for each follower agent based on the movement of neighboring agents in formation, and augmenting the course correction data based on time-delayed movement data of the follower agent.

Abstract: The behavior of automated agents, such as autonomous vehicles, drones, and the like, can be improved by control systems and methods that implement a combination of neighbor following behavior, or neighbor-averaged information transfer, with delayed self-reinforcement by utilizing time-delayed movement data to modify course corrections of each automated agent. Disclosed herein are systems and methods by which a follower agent, or a multiple follower agents in formation with a plurality of automated agents, can be controlled by generating course correction data for each follower agent based on the movement of neighboring agents in formation, and augmenting the course correction data based on time-delayed movement data of the follower agent.

Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods for bonding composite structures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for repairing the composite structures can include disposing an inner temperature sensor array proximate to an embedded heater, and an outer temperature sensor array away from the embedded heater. Heat transfer across a repair stack can be calculated or estimated based on the outputs of the temperature sensor arrays. In some embodiments, a target power of the embedded heater can be optimized based on the on the outputs of the temperature sensor arrays. In some embodiments, the embedded heater can be segmented into heater elements for improved temperature control of a film adhesive. In some embodiments, carbon fibers in the heater elements can be patterned differently to, at least in part, control electrical resistance of the heater elements.

Abstract: A device comprises: one or more cantilevered biomimetic cilia, and a liquid disposed among the one or more biomimetic cilia, wherein individual biomimetic cilia are at least partially submerged in the liquid, and wherein the biomimetic cilia are arranged for excitation into resonance, such as for mixing and pumping via the resonant behavior of the excited cilia.

Abstract: A method useful to change a system's output from one value to another within a prescribed time-interval in an optimal manner using optimization criteria such as minimal time (e.g., to increase throughput) or minimal energy (e.g., to reduce heat dissipation and reduce induced vibrations). Optimal design of maneuvers (such as fast seek and scanning) that rapidly change the output from one value to another, arise in flexible structure applications, including rapidly positioning the end-point of large-scale space manipulators, positioning of read/write heads of disk-drive servo systems, which are relatively medium-scale flexible structures, and nano-scale positioning and manipulation using relatively small-scale piezo actuators. Maintaining a position of an element constant outside of the transition time-interval is critical in many applications.

Abstract: A method useful to change a system's output from one value to another within a prescribed time-interval in an optimal manner using optimization criteria such as minimal time (e.g., to increase throughput) or minimal energy (e.g., to reduce heat dissipation and reduce induced vibrations). Optimal design of maneuvers (such as fast seek and scanning) that rapidly change the output from one value to another, arise in flexible structure applications, including rapidly positioning the end-point of large-scale space manipulators, positioning of read/write heads of disk-drive servo systems, which are relatively medium-scale flexible structures, and nano-scale positioning and manipulation using relatively small-scale piezo actuators. Maintaining a position of an element constant outside of the transition time-interval is critical in many applications.