Abstract: A power beaming system delivers electric power in laser light from a first location to a remote second location. The laser light has a high energy intensity level defining a hazardous illumination area and a low energy intensity level defining a safe illumination area. The system includes guard circuitry emitter(s) and corresponding detector(s). The guard circuitry forms a detection area about the hazardous illumination area to detect objects in proximity to the hazardous illumination area. A controller directs the guard and power beam circuitry according to sequentially activated safety modes to operate at a low energy intensity level, to scan in a defined pattern, to adjust operation of the detector(s), and to set guard circuitry parameters based on a time value, an object detection value, or a change to the delivered electric power. An output coupled to the controller and power beam circuitry controllably permits or prevents operation at the high energy intensity level.

Abstract: An electromagnetic energy receiving device includes an energy conversion component and an opto-mechanical coupling. The opto-mechanical coupling is arranged to receive a fiber-based conduit. The energy conversion component includes at least one internal surface having an arced profile of radius R, and the internal surface has a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) assemblies arranged thereon such that each one of the plurality of PV assemblies is shingled upon at least one adjacent PV assembly.

Abstract: An electromagnetic energy transmitting device includes a processing unit, a light-detecting sensor coupled to the processing unit, and a high-flux electromagnetic energy transmitter. An electromagnetic energy receiver arranged to convert received light into electricity. A first fiber-based conduit couples the high-flux electromagnetic energy transmitter to the electromagnetic energy receiver. The first fiber-based conduit is arranged to pass high-flux light from the high-flux electromagnetic energy transmitter to the electromagnetic energy receiver. A second fiber-based conduit couples the electromagnetic energy receiver to the light-detecting sensor. The second fiber-based conduit is arranged to pass at least some light from the electromagnetic energy receiver to the light-detecting sensor, wherein the processing unit is arranged to control an output of the high-flux light from the high-flux source based on a control signal from the light-detecting sensor.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards a multi-stage wireless power transmission system that includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The transmitting unit transmits a power beam to the receiving unit, which converts the power beam into local electrical power and provides it to a personal electronic device without a corded connection between the receiving unit and a mains power supply. The transmitting unit includes a light-based transmitter to generate and transmit a power beam towards the receiving unit. The receiving unit includes a receiver to receive at least a portion of the power beam and to convert the received power beam into local electrical power. The receiving unit also includes a power output unit to provide the received local power to a personal electronic device when the personal electronic device, which is separable from the receiving unit, is electrically coupled to the power output unit.

Abstract: A system to detect obstacles includes a power beam transmission circuit, a power beam reception circuit arranged to receive a power beam from the power beam transmission circuit, an emitter module, and a detector module arranged to distinguish between a first characteristic and a second characteristic. The emitter module includes a first emitter arranged to emit a first signal having the first characteristic, the first signal emitted in proximity to the power beam, and a second emitter arranged to emit a second signal having the second characteristic, the second characteristic different from the first characteristic, the second signal emitted in proximity to the first signal. The detector module includes a first detector arranged to respond to the first signal emitted by the first emitter, wherein the detector module is arranged to determine when an obstacle is in or near a line-of-sight transmission path between the first emitter and the first detector.

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 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 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.