Abstract: A power beaming system includes a power beam transmitter arranged to transmit the power beam, and a power beam receiver arranged to receive the power beam from the power beam transmitter. A power beam transmission source is arranged to generate a laser light beam for transmission by the power beam transmitter from a first location toward a remote second location. A beam-shaping element shapes the laser light beam, at least one diffusion element uniformly distributes light of the shaped laser light beam, and a projection element illuminates a power beam receiving element of predetermined shape with the shaped laser light beam. At the power beam receiver, a diffusion surface diffuses a portion the power beam specularly reflected from the power beam receiver.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards a safety system that can be used with a high-flux power beam, such as in wireless power transmission. The system includes a transmitter that generates and transmits a power beam and a receiver that receives the power beam. A plurality of sensors is configured to independently detect if an object is near, impeding, or about to impede (i.e., impinging) the power beam. Each of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect the object at different distances between the transmitter and the receiver. A controller triggers the transmitter to stop generating the power beam when any one or more of the plurality of sensors detects the object or a combination of the plurality of sensors detects the object. The controller triggers the transmitter to re-generate and transmit the power beam when each of the plurality of sensors fails to detect the object.

Abstract: A power beaming system includes a power beam transmission unit (102) to generate and transmit a high-flux power beam (106) toward a receiving unit (108) at a remote location. The receiving unit includes a photovoltaic array (128) having a defined perimeter shape, and the power beam transmission unit includes at least one vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array (150), which has a plurality of VCSEL emitters (152). The power beam transmission unit also includes a projection lens apparatus (126) and a control system. The control system which comprises a controller (136C) is arranged to control a light output of the VCSEL array (150), which includes controllably enabling a selected portion of the plurality of VCSEL emitters corresponding to the defined perimeter shape of the photovoltaic array, and controllably diffusing light with a diffuser (130) from the VCSEL array to uniformly illuminate a projection surface of the projection lens apparatus.

Abstract: A power beaming system includes a power beam reception unit and a power beam transmission unit. The power beam reception unit includes a power conversion array, such as a photovoltaic array, arranged to capture at least a portion of a power beam, and a power supply circuit arranged to convert flux from the captured portion of the power beam to electric power. The power beam transmission unit includes a power beam transmitter circuit to transmit a low-flux search beam during a first time window, and further arranged to transmit a high-flux power beam during a second time window. The power beam transmission unit also includes a location detection circuit arranged to identify a location of the reception unit based on the power beam transmitter circuit transmitting the low-flux search beam during the first time window.

Abstract: A system for tracking airborne organisms includes an imager, a backlight source (such as a retroreflective surface) in view of the imager, and a processor configured to analyze one or more images captured by the processor to identify a biological property of an organism.

Abstract: A system for tracking airborne organisms includes an imager, a backlight source (such as a retroreflective surface) in view of the imager, and a processor configured to analyze one or more images captured by the processor to identify a biological property of an organism.

Abstract: A beam power source transmits a signal indicating power availability, receives a request for power in response, and beams power in response to the request.

Abstract: A thermal insulator includes a plurality of layers. At least some of the layers include phononic crystals having a phononic bandgap, wherein heat transporting phonons within a selected range of frequencies are substantially blocked by each phononic crystal layer. The plurality of layers thermally isolate a first region from a second region, wherein the first region is at one end of the plurality of layers and the second region is at the other end of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: A traceable cement mixture includes a volume of cementitious material, a plurality of taggants disposed within the volume of cementitious material according to a taggant mix ratio that is specified based on a quality of the cementitious material, and a volume of an additional material mixed with the volume of cementitious material according an additional material mix ratio.

Abstract: An aerial platform receives power in the form of light, for example laser light, transmitted via an optical fiber from a remote optical power source. The platform comprises a receiver which converts at least a portion of the light to a different form of power, for example electric power. The platform also comprises a propulsion element which consumes the different form of power to generate propulsive thrust. Supplying power to the aerial platform from a remote source enables the platform to remain aloft longer than a battery or fuel tank carried by the platform would allow. Transmitting the power in the form of light is preferable in many cases to transmitting electric power, because electrical conductors are generally heavier than optical fibers, and are hazardous in the presence of lightning or a high-voltage power line.

Abstract: A traceable cement mixture includes a volume of cementitious material and a taggant disposed within the volume of cementitious material. The taggant includes data relating to a characteristic of the volume of cementitious material.

Abstract: A projectile includes a component that is highly reflective and configured to reveal the projectile's trajectory when the projectile is fired from a gun and electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the projectile. With the reflective component, one can more easily limit the visibility of the projectile to areas from where the projectile was fired because the reflective component is passive, not active. As the projectile moves down range, the areas behind the projectile are typically where a shooter and/or spotter for the shooter are located, not where an enemy combatant is located. Thus, the trajectory of the projectile is revealed to the people who can use the information to adjust their fire, and remains hidden from the people who could use the information to locate the shooter.

Abstract: A commercially available vehicle is modified by coupling a beamed-power transmission system to the vehicle's frame. The beamed-power transmission system is arranged to deliver beamed power to a remote device such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (i.e., UAV or drone). The cooling system of the vehicle is used to cool portions of the beamed-power transmission system. An aiming system aims a power beam produced by the beamed-power transmitter toward the remote device, and a stability system coupled to both the vehicle frame and the beamed-power transmission system maintains three-dimensional constancy of the power beam even when the vehicle frame is in motion. The commercially available vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a gas-electric hybrid vehicle, or the like having a power source that includes batteries, a fuel-cells, or a generator.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the operation of a device traveling in a body tube tree, including sensing parameters from possible directions of travel and selecting the direction of travel based on the sensed parameters, implemented with a control system located partially or fully on the lumen traveling device. Various actions can be performed by the device for, e.g., medical or therapeutic purposes. Machine-readable media including instructions for performing the methods are also described.

Abstract: A storage system for storing hydrogen and providing controlled release of hydrogen gas includes a container having an outer wall defining an interior. The interior is configured to contain liquid lithium hydride, and a portion of the outer wall includes a thermally insulating layer. The storage system also includes a temperature control system configured to maintain the interior at a temperature such that the lithium hydride decomposes to produce hydrogen gas at a substantially equilibrium state.

Abstract: A storage system for storing hydrogen and providing controlled release of hydrogen gas includes a container having an outer wall defining an interior. The interior is configured to contain liquid lithium hydride, and a portion of the outer wall includes a thermally insulating layer. The storage system also includes a temperature control system configured to maintain the interior at a temperature such that the lithium hydride decomposes to produce hydrogen gas at a substantially equilibrium state.

Abstract: Methods of controlling the operation of a device traveling in a body tube tree, including sensing parameters from possible directions of travel and selecting the direction of travel based on the sensed parameters, implemented with a control system located partially or fully on the lumen traveling device. Various actions can be performed by the device for, e.g., medical or therapeutic purposes. Machine-readable media including instructions for performing the methods are also described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a storage container includes a container structure defining at least one storage chamber. The container structure includes multi-layer insulation (MLI) composite material having at least one thermally-reflective layer. The at least one thermally-reflective layer includes bandgap material that is transmissive to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A projectile includes a component that is highly reflective and configured to reveal the projectile's trajectory when the projectile is fired from a gun and electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the projectile. With the reflective component, one can more easily limit the visibility of the projectile to areas from where the projectile was fired because the reflective component is passive, not active. As the projectile moves down range, the areas behind the projectile are typically where a shooter and/or spotter for the shooter are located, not where an enemy combatant is located. Thus, the trajectory of the projectile is revealed to the people who can use the information to adjust their fire, and remains hidden from the people who could use the information to locate the shooter.

Abstract: A thermal insulator includes a plurality of layers. At least some of the layers include phononic crystals having a phononic bandgap, wherein heat transporting phonons within a selected range of frequencies are substantially blocked by each phononic crystal layer. The plurality of layers thermally isolate a first region from a second region, wherein the first region is at one end of the plurality of layers and the second region is at the other end of the plurality of layers.