Welcome to your Digital Edition of

NASA Tech Briefs, Motion Control and Automation

Technology and Test & Measurement Tech Briefs
Included in This August Edition:
Motion Control and Test & Measurement
NASA Tech Briefs Automation Technology Tech Briefs
August 2016 www.techbriefs.com Vol. 40 No. 8

August 2016 August 2016

Combination motor/drive
packages from Siemens
Industry are rugged cast-iron
for heavy-duty industrial
applications. See page 55.
Next-Generation Infrared
Technologies for Automotive Testing
Human Spaceflight
Takes a Giant Leap Choosing the Right Hardware for
Testing in Harsh Environments
Glasses-Free 3D for
Pilots and Gamers Precise Measurements on Earth
Enable Further Exploration in Space
Non-Scanning 3D
Imaging Laser System Advanced Dosimeters Require
Thorough Small-Part Inspection
Motion Control and
Automation Technology

n
m/motio
efs.co
echbri
www.t Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

Click Here Click Here Click Here

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August 2016 www.techbriefs.com Vol. 40 No. 8

Human Spaceflight
Takes a Giant Leap
Glasses-Free 3D for
Pilots and Gamers

Non-Scanning 3D
Imaging Laser System

Motion Control and

Automation Technology

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 August 2016 Vol. 40 No. 8

Contents
Features
8 Products of Tomorrow 12
12 Human Spaceflight Takes a Giant Leap
64 NASA Spinoff: Glasses-Free 3D

Solutions
20 Technology Focus: Imaging
20 3D Imaging Laser System
20 Smart Image Enhancement Process
21 Compact Thermal Neutron Imaging System Using Axisymmetric
Focusing Mirrors
22 High-Speed Edge-Detecting Circuit for Use with Linear
24
Image Sensor
22 Two- and Three-Dimensional Near Infrared Subcutaneous
Structure Imager Using Adaptive Nonlinear Video Processing
23 Methods of Real-Time Image Enhancement of Flash LIDAR Data
and Navigating a Vehicle Using Flash LIDAR Data
24 Spatially Aberrated Spectral Filtering for High-Performance
Spectral Imaging
25 A Common-Mode Digital Holographic Microscope 59
26 Electrical/Electronics
26 High Field Superconducting Magnets
26 Distributed Diagnostics and Prognostics
Departments
28 Lens-Coupled Dielectric Waveguides
6 UpFront
29 Sampling and Control Circuit Board for an Inertial
Measurement Unit 10 Whos Who at NASA
30 Efficient Radiation Shielding Through Direct Metal Laser 62 NASAs Technology Transfer Program
Sintering 63 Advertisers Index
32 Materials & Coatings
32 Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked
Structure New for Design Engineers
33 Catalytic Oxidation of Organic Contaminants at 58 Product Focus: Mechanical Components
Reduced Pressure
59 New Products/Software
33 Approach for Achieving Flame Retardancy While Retaining
Physical Properties in a Compatible Polymer Matrix
34 Metal/Fiber Laminate and Fabrication Using a Porous
Metal/Fiber Preform Special Supplement
36 Manufacturing & Prototyping August 2016

36 Tension Stiffened and Tendon Actuated Manipulator Test & Measurement Tech Briefs
Selected editions only.
Next-Generation Infrared

37 Lattice Structures Coating Concept for Efficient Thermal Linking

Technologies for Automotive Testing

Choosing the Right Hardware for

Testing in Harsh Environments

Precise Measurements on Earth

Beds
Enable Further Exploration in Space

Advanced Dosimeters Require

Thorough Small-Part Inspection

38 A Statistically Based Approach to Broadband Liner Design and

Assessment
38 Connection and Repair Techniques for Capillary Tubing in Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

Restrictive Areas and Gas Chromatography Applications

(Solutions continued on page 4)

2 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

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 MATLAB SPEAKS
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 Contents

40
40
Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Self-Latching Piezocomposite Actuator
Product of the Month
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
40 Active Response Gravity Offload and Method (North Kingstown, RI) introduced the
41 Fluid Harmonic Absorber BLAZE 600M non-contact optical 3D scanner.

42 Variable-Aperture Reciprocating Reed Valve

42 Passive, Integrated, Sublimator-Driven Coldplate
43 Strat-X
58
44 Hydraulic Pressure Distribution System
46 Information Technology & Software
On the cover
46 Improved Digital Map Rendering Method
NASA is developing the next generation of spacesuit
47 Interactive Diagnostic Modeling Evaluator technologies that will enable deep space exploration. The
48 High-Fidelity 3D Electromagnetic (E&M) Propagation Z-2 suit is a technology demonstrator designed for maxi-
mum astronaut productivity on a planetary surface
Modeling Tools
exploring, collecting samples, and maneuvering in and
49 Motion Control and Automation Technology out of habitats and rovers. The suit can withstand long-
duration missions in the harsh environments found on
50 Balancing Motor Control, Radiation-Tolerance, and Power Mars. Find out more about NASAs new era of human
Consumption in Space Applications spaceflight in the article on page 12.
53 Flexibility of LVIT Technology in Factory Automation Applications (Image courtesy of NASA)

54 New Products

This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration. Neither Associated Business Publications Co., Ltd. nor the
United States Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the information contained
in this document, or warrants that such use will be free from privately owned rights.
Permissions: Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use
of specific clients, is granted by Associated Business Publications, provided that the flat fee of $3.00 per copy
be paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center (222 Rose Wood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923). For those
organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by CCC, a separate system of payment has been
arranged. The fee code for users of the Transactional Reporting Service is: ISSN 0145-319X194 $3.00+ .00

The U.S. Government does not endorse any commercial product, process, or activity identified in this publication.

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 UP
FRONT
Editors Choice
A high-resolution, real-time, non-scan-
ning 3D imaging laser system uses a sim-
ple lens system to simultaneously gener-
ate a 1D or 2D topographic profile of an
object, surface, or landscape. The system
has applications in remote sensing such
as LiDAR mapping, and in machine
vision and robotic vision. Find out more
on page 20.
Look Up and Spot the Station
Watch the International Space
Station pass overhead from several
thousand worldwide locations. It is the
third brightest object in the sky, and
easy to spot if you know when to look
up. NASAs Spot the Station site at
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov also
highlights views from the ISS taken by
its crew.
Next Month in NTB
The September issue of NASA Tech
Briefs will include a special feature high-
lighting NASAs advancements in power
technology, not only for spacecraft, but
for down-to-Earth applications as well.
Connect with NTB
facebook.com/NASATechBriefs
6 www.techbriefs.com
Intro
Linda Bell
Editorial Director
A Solar System Internet
NASA has taken a major step toward creating a Solar System Internet by establish-
ing operational Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) service on the
International Space Station (ISS). The DTN service will help automate and improve
data availability for space station experi-
menters, and will result in more efficient
bandwidth utilization and more data return.
DTN works by providing a reliable and
automatic store and forward data network
that stores partial bundles of data in nodes
along a communication path until the parts
can be forwarded or retransmitted, then re-
bundled at the final destination either to
ground stations on Earth, robotic spacecraft
in deep space, or, one day, humans living on other planets. This differs from tra-
ditional Internet protocols that require all nodes in the transmission path to be
available during the same time frame for successful data transmission.
Aboard ISS, DTN was added to the Telescience Resource Kit (TReK), a software
suite used by researchers to transmit and receive data between operations centers
and their payloads aboard station.
This first use of the service as an operational capability on a space mission marks
the beginning of the space station as a node in the evolving Solar System Internet.
In addition to use in space, DTN can benefit environments where communica-
tions are unreliable, such as disaster response areas.
Visit https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/aes/index.html
Prizes Awarded in Sample Return Robot Challenge
Five teams took home prize
money after completing Level
1 of NASAs Sample Return
Robot Challenge at Worcester
Polytechnic Institute in Mas-
sachusetts. Part of the agencys
Centennial Challenges prize
program, the contest featured
18 teams of citizen inventors.
Each winning team was award-
ed $5,000 for their success,
and has earned a shot at Level Erica Tiberia is the sole member of a team that was one
2 of the competition, which of five to qualify for the next level of competition. (NASA)
will take place Sept. 2-5. The
challenge has a total prize purse of $1.5 million.
The objective of the challenge is to encourage innovations in autonomous naviga-
tion and robotics technologies. Teams must design robots that can autonomously
locate, collect, and return samples to the starting point. For Level 1, each robot had to
return two known samples within 30 minutes without human control or the aid of
Earth-based technologies. For Level 2, they must locate up to 10 unknown samples that
vary in size, shape, and difficulty.
Visit www.nasa.gov/robot or http://challenge.wpi.edu
linkedin.com/company/tech-briefs-media twitter.com/NASATechBriefs
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
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 The technologies NASA develops dont just blast off
into space. They also improve our lives here on Earth.
Life-saving search-and-rescue tools, implantable med-
ical devices, advances in commercial aircraft safety,
increased accuracy in weather forecasting, and the
miniature cameras in our cellphones are just some of
the examples of NASA-developed technology used in
products today.
This column presents technologies that have appli-

Products of
cations in commercial areas, possibly creating the
products of tomorrow. If you are interested in licensing
the technologies described here, use the contact infor-
mation provided. To learn about more available tech-

Tomorrow
nologies, visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at
http://technology.nasa.gov.

Robotic Inspection Smart Image

System for Deep Sea
Structures
Johnson Space Center
designed a robotic inspection system for surveying
deep sea structures such as oil platform storage
cells/tanks and pipelines in order to determine the
volume of material remaining inside, interrogate struc-
ture integrity, and display real-time video and sonar.
The device is able to move through interconnected
pipes, even making 90 degree turns with minimal
power. This device could significantly reduce the cost
of inspecting, and in the future, provide sampling of
the structure contents. The technology is an all-in-one
inspection device that includes cameras, sonar, and
motion sensing instruments with hardware and soft-
ware components.
Contact: Michelle P. Lewis
E-mail: jsc-techtran@mail.nasa.gov
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/MSC-TOPS-70
Enhancement
Langley Research Center
developed an automatic meas-
urement and control method
for smart image enhancement. Pilots, doctors, and pho-
tographers will benefit from this innovation that offers
a new approach to image processing, resulting in
improved medical imaging and nighttime photogra-
phy. The technology consists of a set of comprehensive
methods that perform well across a wide range of con-
ditions encountered in arbitrary images, including vari-
ations in lighting, scene characteristics, and atmospher-
ic (or underwater) turbidity variations. It was developed
to provide new capabilities for exceeding pilot visual
performance by clarifying turbid, low-light-level, and
extremely hazy images automatically for pilot view on
heads-up or heads-down display during critical flight
maneuvers. (See page 20 for additional details.)
Contact: Langley Technology Gateway
E-mail: LARC-DL-technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/LAR-TOPS-61

High Field Superconducting Magnets

This superconducting magnet is configured to prevent a voltage excursion across the
superconducting wire during quench of the superconducting magnet. The thermally con-
ductive potting material and the superconducting wire provide a path for dissipation of
heat. The magnet is small and lightweight, and capable of achieving high magnetic field
strengths at low currents. It can be cooled down rapidly without risk of damaging the wiring, can be ramped
up and down in field at very high rates, generates a minimum amount of hysteresis heat, and has minimized
heat load upon a cryogenic system from the leads because less current is required to generate a given mag-
netic field. (See page 26 for additional details.)

Contact: Goddard Strategic Partnerships Office

E-mail: techtransfer@gsfc.nasa.gov
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/GSC-TOPS-5

8 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

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 Whos Who
at NASA
Stevan Spremo, Project Manager, NTB: What are the parts of COTSAT-1?
COTSAT-1, Ames Research
Spremo: The parts of the COTSAT-1 system include solar
Center, Moffett Field, CA
arrays; an avionics bus can, which is a pressurized volume;

S tevan Spremo is the project manager

of COTSAT-1, or Cost Optimized Test
of Spacecraft Avionics and Technologies.
The ongoing development project aims
to build a fully functional spacecraft for
$500,000 in parts and $2 million labor. The prototype is the
first of what could be a series of rapidly produced, low-cost
flight vehicles.
NASA Tech Briefs: What is COTSAT-1?
Stevan Spremo: The COTSAT-1 architecture allows for a
lower-cost, more serviceable spacecraft that can be reconfig-
ured in a rapid prototype environment. We have unique
ways to take it apart, put it back together, and iterate on
the design. Many other spacecraft are very customized, one-
off systems that you cant really access and reconfigure
that much.
electrical power management system; PC104 computer; com-
munications systems; and a guidance navigation and control
system (including reaction wheels, torque coils, star trackers,
and inertial measurement unit). There is room to add a
propulsion system in future generations.
NTB: What makes the spacecraft modular?
Spremo: Modularity is present in all subsystems, including the
software. The Linux-based platform was coded in modules that
can be added and deleted from the system with ease, without
impacting the overall development.
Hardware modularity is present from how the solar array struc-
ture is assembled, to how the avionics are accessed and serviced.
Accessing the avionics is designed to be more like servicing an air-
craft engine a timeline of hours rather than traditional
approaches of assembling and dissembling a spacecraft, which
could take days to months of coordinated effort.
There is a standard approach for access-
ing all hardware in the system. Quick-dis-
connect cabling and clamps allow the avion-
ics tray to be slipped out in one craning lift
or horizontal slide. The internal avionics
tray is layered in three tiers, enabling a fast
swap of internal subcomponents if neces-
sary. An entire power system swap could

DS-5 Development Studio happen in minutes. It is possible to assemble

and disassemble the entire space vehicle sys-
tem in a single day if all subsystem assem-
blies are available at the same time.
Embedded C/C++ software development
NTB: What is most exciting about this
on ARM-based SoCs technology?

Devices from 20+ leading Spremo: There are thousands of ideas

semiconductor vendors about what we want to observe in space.
X R lon X5 os

Z 1 a So 6

Maybe a scientist could not get a payload on-

nx /A V nd
n

yn n C
sa Cy i.M xy
ili Z e a

1
ne ra le g E

orbit due to cost limitations before, but now

q dT
Re lte sca un
A ee ms

there is a lower-cost platform. For lower-

Fr Sa

s c

Optimizing C++ Earth orbit, you might start changing the

Compiler
community that you serve, and allow for
JTAG debug and more discovery and innovation by increas-
CoreSight trace
ing access to space with lower-cost alterna-
Linux and tives. This approach is certainly a new path-
RTOS awareness
way to the advancement of our understand-
Streamline ing of the universe, and can give us new
Performance Analysis tools to improve life on Earth.
Ofcial development tool by ARM
To learn more about COTSAT-1, read a full
Developer.arm.com/ds-5/tb transcript, or listen to a downloadable podcast,
visit www.techbriefs.com/podcast.

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 Human Spaceflight Takes a Giant Leap

N
ASA is developing the capabili- four-hour flight that tested many of the space destinations such as an asteroid
ties needed to send humans to systems most critical to safety. The test and eventually Mars. Exploration
an asteroid by 2025, and to Mars evaluated launch and high-speed re- Mission-1(EM-1) will be the first mission
in the 2030s. While robotic entry systems such as avionics, attitude to integrate Orion and the Space
explorers have studied Mars for more control, parachutes, and the heat shield. Launch System. SLS offers the highest-
than 40 years, NASAs path for the In the future, Orion will launch on the ever payload mass, volume capability,
human exploration of Mars begins in low SLS heavy-lift rocket. More powerful and energy to speed missions through
Earth orbit aboard the International than any rocket ever built, SLS will be space. In 2015, NASA completed the
Space Station (ISS). Astronauts on the capable of sending humans to deep- critical design review for SLS a first
ISS are proving many of the technologies
and communications systems needed for
human missions to deep space, including
Mars. The ISS also advances understand-
ing of how the body changes in space,
and how to protect astronaut health.
Astronauts aboard the Orion space-
craft will explore an asteroid in the
2020s, returning to Earth with samples.
This experience in human spaceflight
beyond low Earth orbit will help NASA
test new systems and capabilities, such as
Solar Electric Propulsion, which will be
necessary to send cargo as part of
human missions to Mars. Beginning in
2018, the Space Launch System (SLS)
rocket will enable these proving
ground missions to test new capabili-
ties. Human missions to Mars will rely on
Orion and an evolved version of SLS
that will be the most powerful launch
vehicle ever flown.

Orion and SLS

For the first time in a generation,
NASA is building a new human space-
craft that will usher in a new era of space
exploration. Orion will take astronauts
farther than ever before. The Orion
spacecraft, which will carry up to four
astronauts, is the safest, most advanced
spacecraft ever built, and will be flexible
and capable enough to take humans to a
variety of destinations. Orion will serve
as the exploration vehicle that will carry
the crew to space, provide emergency
abort capability, sustain the crew during
space travel, and provide safe re-entry
from deep-space return velocities. It will
incorporate advances in propulsion,
communications, life support, structural
design, navigation, and power, drawing
from the extensive spaceflight experi-
ence of NASA and its industry partners.
On December 5, 2014, Orion
Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at Kennedy Space Center, technicians
launched atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket install a back shell tile panel onto the Orion crew module, and check the fit next to the middle
from Cape Canaveral on a two-orbit, back shell tile panel in preparation for Exploration Flight Test-1. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)

12 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

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Human Spaceflights Giant Leap
for a NASA exploration-class vehicle in
almost 40 years and continues to
move forward with production of the
launch vehicle.
Orions first flight atop the SLS will not
have humans aboard, but will pave the
way for future missions with astronauts.
Ultimately, it will help NASA prepare for
missions to the Red Planet. During this
flight, currently designated Exploration
Mission-1, the spacecraft will travel thou-
sands of miles beyond the Moon over the
course of a three-week mission. Orion will
stay in space longer than any ship for
astronauts has done without docking to a
space station, and return home faster and
hotter than ever before.
Orion awaits the U.S. Navys USS Anchorage after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. Orion
launched into space on a two-orbit, 4.5-hour test flight. (U.S. Navy)
A full-scale test version of the booster for the Space Launch System fired up for the second of two
qualification ground tests. The first test was successfully completed in March 2015. When complet-
ed, two five-segment boosters and four RS-25 main engines will power the worlds most powerful
rocket, with the Orion spacecraft atop. (Orbital ATK)
14
Intro
This is a mission that truly will do
what hasnt been done and learn what
isnt known, said Mike Sarafin, EM-1
mission manager at NASA Headquarters
in Washington. It will blaze a trail that
people will follow on the next Orion
flight, pushing the edges of the envelope
to prepare for that mission.
Commercial Crew Program
NASAs Commercial Crew Program
(CCP) is an innovative partnership to
help the aerospace industry in the
United States develop space transporta-
tion systems that can safely launch
humans to low Earth orbit, and poten-
tially astronauts to the International
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
Space Station. Returning the capability
to launch astronauts from American soil
brings tremendous satisfaction for the
team working toward this goal.
This was the first time NASA asked
industry to take the lead in designing,
building, and operating a space system
that would carry astronauts. NASA
offered its expertise in human space-
flight and wrote out the top-level
requirements for safety and other con-
siderations to prepare for flight tests.
NASA will certify the vehicles for flight
tests and finally operational missions.
The companies apply their own knowl-
edge and skills in designing, manufac-
turing, and running the systems.
Ultimately, NASA will buy the flights as a
service from the companies.
This is a new way of doing business,
a new era in spaceflight, and when its
all said and done, the Commercial
Crew Programs legacy will be bringing
human spaceflight launches back to
the US, said Kelvin Manning, who was
involved in the early planning days of
the commercial crew effort, and is now
associate director of Kennedy Space
Center. Thats a big deal, and our
teams are making it happen.
The commercial crew model tied
together experts across the agencys
field centers to establish requirements
and approval methods through four pro-
gressively more complex development
contracts. Human spaceflight has never
been easy, and consequently, developing
a new space transportation system con-
tinues to be a complex process,
Manning explained.
Eight companies played different
parts in the CCP program as Space Act
Agreements began with broad con-
cepts and subsystems that evolved into
completed systems, spacecraft, and
launch vehicles that could meet the
stringent demands of NASAs human-
rating process. For example, space-
craft had to have built-in launch
escape systems, and rockets built to
fire satellites into orbit had to have
room for myriad sensors that could
report health factors in split-second
intervals, all for costs much lower than
previous development efforts for such
spacecraft.
A precursor effort, known as
Commercial Crew Development or
CCDev, was started in 2010 with five
industry partners. But, the Commercial
Crew Program was formally established
in 2011. It took a total of five develop-
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
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Human Spaceflights Giant Leap
The upper and lower domes of the Starliner structural test article are joined inside the Commercial
Crew and Cargo Processing Facility. (Boeing)
ment and later certification phases to
get to the point in September 2014
when NASA selected Boeing and
SpaceX to build systems capable of car-
rying up to four astronauts plus time-
critical cargo to the station. The Boeing
CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew
Dragon were chosen to begin manufac-
turing for flight tests and prepare for
crew rotation missions.
Its really exciting to see SpaceX and
Boeing with hardware in flow for
their first crew rotation missions, said
Kathy Lueders, manager of NASAs
16
Intro
Commercial Crew Program. It is impor-
tant to have at least two healthy and
robust capabilities from U.S. companies
to deliver crew and critical scientific
experiments from American soil to the
space station throughout its lifespan.
According to Manning, One of the
biggest paradigm shifts for NASA in
commercial crew is developing new
human space transportation systems
under a fixed-price model. This has
never been done before for a program
of this magnitude, moreover with two
partners in parallel.
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is being pre-
pared for a test to simulate an emergency
abort from the launch pad. The ability to
escape from a launch or pad emergency and
safely carry the crew out of harms way is a cru-
cial element for NASAs next generation of
crew spacecraft. (SpaceX)
Each phase helped companies refine
their systems as development advanced.
Major systems such as avionics, para-
chutes, and launch escape systems
came first, then designs for complete
rockets and spacecraft, then to the mis-
sion control systems the companies
would use to oversee missions from the
ground. Each phase also expanded the
review scope and expertise needed for
CCP staff that would certify that the
requirements were met.
As Boeing and SpaceX progress
toward flight tests and operational mis-
sions for the Starliner and Crew Dragon,
the space station team is anticipating the
added research a larger crew will enable
on the orbiting laboratory.
The new spacecraft will enable space
station to operate at its full capacity for
research, said Josie Burnett, who served
as the deputy of the office that became
the Commercial Crew Program, and is
now director of Exploration Research
and Technology programs at Kennedy.
The limiting factor for station research
is crew time its not cargo space or
anything else.
The stations full complement would
increase by one from six residents to
seven allowing another 40 hours a
week for science on the station, meaning
the crews current research time allot-
ment would double. That means double
the amount of science that benefits peo-
ple on Earth, as well as research to address
the challenges of long-duration, deep-
space missions on the journey to Mars.
The programs effect also is helping
Kennedy evolve as a spaceport tailored
to industry needs for a variety of rockets
and spacecraft, rather than a single mis-
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
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Human Spaceflights Giant Leap

Commercial Crew Program, and a great

source of pride for the entire SpaceX
team, said Gwynne Shotwell, President
and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX.
When Crew Dragon takes NASA astro-
nauts to the space station in 2017, they
will be riding in one of the safest, most
reliable spacecraft ever flown. Were
honored to be developing this capability
for NASA and our country.
Determination of which company will
fly its mission to the station first will be
made at a later time. The contracts call
for orders to take place prior to certifica-
tion to support the lead time necessary
for missions in late 2017, provided the
contractors meet readiness conditions.

The Path to Flight

Hundreds of engineers and techni-
cians with NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX
Astronauts Suni Williams and Eric Boe evaluate part-task trainers for Boeings CST-100 Starliner at have ramped up to complete the final
the companys St. Louis facility. (NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis) designs, manufacturing, and testing as
they continue the vital, but meticulous
work to prepare to launch astronauts to
the International Space Station. Halfway
through 2016, the two companies are
testing systems in more demanding,
flight-like environments.
We knew 2016 would be a critical
year as Boeing and SpaceX build qualifi-
cation and flight hardware, and test the
integrated systems to ensure the rockets
and spacecraft function as designed,
said Lueders. Their careful design,
analysis, and early prototype testing dur-
ing the last several years has put us on
the right course, and now we are excited
to see flight hardware coming together.
The companies are excited, too, but we
know there are many steps ahead to suc-
cessfully and safely complete these flight
tests and begin operational missions to
the International Space Station.
According to John Mulholland, Vice
A look through the open hatch of the Dragon V2 reveals the layout and interior of the seven-crew
capacity spacecraft. The control panel wings down and locks in launch position after the crew is President and Program Manager of
seated in their places. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis) Boeings Commercial Programs, Our
spacecraft design is in firm configura-
sion. The benefit was not required, but a SpaceXs crew transportation system, tion, teams are conducting about one
reflection of the unique possibilities at including the Crew Dragon spacecraft component qualification test per week,
Kennedy, Manning said. Our assets and and Falcon 9 rocket, has advanced and Starliner crew and service modules
the availability of an experienced work- through several development and certi- are coming together in Florida. Its an
force made a strong business case to fication phases. The company recently exciting time to be a part of American
come here, Manning said. As a result, performed a critical design review, human spaceflight, and were looking
with Boeing transforming Orbiter which demonstrated that the trans- forward to our first flight in 2017.
Processing Facility-3 into the manufac- portation system has reached a suffi- The systems that will go into each
turing facility for the Starliner, and cient level of design maturity to work spacecraft such as avionics, flight
SpaceX modifying Launch Complex toward fabrication, assembly, integra- computers, life support, communica-
39A for Falcon rockets and Crew tion, and test activities. tions, and numerous others are being
Dragons, they are key components in The authority to proceed with tested individually and in complex net-
the creation of Kennedys multi-user Dragons first operational crew mission works to make sure they do not interfere
spaceport concept. is a significant milestone in the with each other.

18 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

 A pool at NASAs Langley Research
Center in Virginia was the site for simu-
lated contingency water landings for
Boeings Starliner. The testing enabled
Boeing and NASA engineers to evaluate
the capsules six perimeter airbags and
uprighting capabilities. Starliner mis-
sions will normally land on land, so the
same Starliner mockup will be dropped
at another Langley facility to qualify the
vehicle for land landings.
SpaceX has begun a campaign of
parachute tests in which weight simula-
tors with Crew Dragon parachutes and
connectors are dropped from airplanes
to determine their deployment behav-
ior. Engineers use the results to feed
computer models that can evaluate dif-
ferent deployment conditions, and indi-
cate whether the hardware will work as
designed in a host of flight conditions,
including aborts.
State-of-the-Art Training
NASA has selected experienced astro-
nauts Robert Behnken, Eric Boe,
Douglas Hurley, and Sunita Williams to
work closely with The Boeing Company
and SpaceX to develop their crew and
SpaceX Crew Dragon to ISS.
Williams and Boe tried out a new gen-
eration of training simulators at the
Boeing facility in St. Louis to prepare
them for launch, flight, and returns
aboard the Starliner spacecraft. The part-
task trainers, each large enough for one
person at the controls and programmed
to run through all the phases of a mis-
sion, are part of a suite of cloud-based
and hands-on trainers that Boeing has
built to prepare astronauts and mission
controllers. The trainers will be shipped
to Johnson Space Center in Houston so
astronauts can use them daily to practice
numerous situations from normal opera-
tions to unlikely emergencies.
These simulators have touchscreen
displays, which means they are more ver-
satile than previous spacecraft trainers,
said Williams. We can run multiple sim-
ulations by just changing software and
then put that same software into a big-
ger crew simulator, which we will use to
train the whole crew for a spaceflight.
When wired into the extensive Boeing
and NASA networks, the simulators will
interact with launch and mission con-
trollers to run rehearsals that are critical
to preparing a crew to successfully fly a
mission and recover from unforeseen
events. Simulators will be built to cover
all the aspects of spaceflight, from
boarding the spacecraft at the launch
pad, to safely climbing out at the end of
the mission. Just as it was for the flight
portions of mission preparation, the
goal is to prevent the astronauts from
being surprised.
RESOURCES
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/
commercial/crew/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/content/journey-
to-mars-overview
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/
systems/sls/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/
systems/orion/index.html
http://www.boeing.com/space/crew-
space-transportation-100-vehicle
http://www.spacex.com/crew-dragon
WATCH ON TECH BRIEFS TV
The first flight engine test for the Space
Launch System
www.techbriefs.com/tv/SLS-test
Orions first trip to space
www.techbriefs.com/tv/Orion_test
NASA astronauts prepare for future
human flights
www.techbriefs.com/tv/astronauts
Simulators offer a glimpse of future
flight
www.techbriefs.com/tv/simulators

Suiting Up for the Future

NASA is developing the next generation of suit technologies that stand long-duration missions in the harsh environments found on
will enable deep-space exploration by incorporating advancements Mars. Adjustable shoulder and waist sizing features maximize the
such as regenerable carbon dioxide removal systems and water range of crewmember sizes who can fit into any single suit.
evaporation systems that more efficiently provide crewmembers Learn more at http://www.nasa.gov/suitup.
with core necessities such as breathing air and temperature regula- See how NASA engineers develop spacesuits: www.techbriefs.com/tv/
tion. Mobility and fit of a pressurized suit are extremely important spacesuits.
in keeping astronauts productive, so NASA is focusing
on spacesuit designs to help crews work more efficient-
ly and safely during spacewalks.
The PXS suit is a technology demonstrator focused
on improving suit fit and performance while minimizing
the amount of equipment required for long-duration
missions to low Earth orbit and beyond. The PXS incor-
porates sizing features that could one day be 3D printed
on-orbit, in transit, or on Mars to achieve a customized
fit for any crewmember, or change the orientation of
bearings to optimize EVA mobility for different mission
phases.
The Z2 suit is a technology demonstrator for a plane-
tary surface suit; the suit is designed for maximum astro-
naut productivity on a planetary surface exploring,
collecting samples, and maneuvering in and out of habi-
NASA is evaluating pressurizable spacesuits for missions to a variety of exploration desti-
tats and rovers. The Z2 uses advanced composites to nations. The EMU (operational spacesuit on ISS) is pictured on the left, the PXS (advanced
achieve a lightweight, high-durability suit that can with- prototype) is in the middle, and the Z2 (advanced prototype) is on the right. (NASA)

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 www.techbriefs.com 19

Intro Cov ToC + A

Technology Focus: Imaging
3D Imaging Laser System
The system achieves high-resolution, real-time, three-dimensional imaging using an
innovative single lens system.
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

N ASAs Goddard Space Flight Center

has developed a non-scanning, 3D
imaging laser system that uses a simple
lens system to simultaneously generate a
one-dimensional or two-dimensional
array of optical (light) spots to illumi-
nate an object, surface, or image to gen-
erate a topographic profile.
The system includes a microlens array
configured in combination with a spherical
lens to generate a uniform array for a two-
dimensional detector, an optical receiver,
and a pulsed laser as the transmitter light
source. The pulsed laser travels to and
from the light source and the object. A frac-
tion of the light is imaged using the optical
detector, and a threshold detector is used to
determine the time of day when the pulse
arrived at the detector (using picosecond
to nanosecond precision). Distance infor-
mation can be determined for each pixel in
the array, which can then be displayed to
form a three-dimensional image.
Real-time three-dimensional images
are produced with the system at televi-
sion frame rates (30 frames per second)
or higher. Alternate embodiments of this
innovation include the use of a light emit-
ting diode in place of a pulsed laser, and/or
a macrolens array in place of a microlens.
This system boasts a simple design; it
does not require scanning or moving
parts to produce high-resolution images.
In addition, using a microlens to generate
an array of equal intensity and the physi-
cal separation of spots in the object plane
improve efficiency and reduce crosstalk
between pixels. Potential applications
include remote sensing (i.e., LiDAR map-
ping), machine vision, and robotic vision.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact the
Strategic Partnerships Office at techtransfer@
gsfc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
sions. Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
GSC-TOPS-34.

Smart Image Enhancement Process

Applications include improving pilot vision, real-time digital enhancement of videos, medical
imaging, and thermal and night vision for surveillance systems.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

N ASAs Langley Research Center

researchers have developed an auto-
matic measurement and control method
innovation brings the technique of
active measurement and control to bear
upon the basic problem of enhancing
degree of enhancement needed based
on automated image analysis.
The foundation of the processing
for smart image enhancement. Pilots, the digital image by defining absolute scheme is the flow of digital images
doctors, and photographers will benefit measures of visual contrast, lightness, through a feedback loop whose stages
from this innovation that offers a new and sharpness. This is accomplished by include visual measurement computa-
approach to image processing. Initial automatically applying the type and tion and servo-controlled enhancement
advantages will be seen in improved med-
ical imaging and nighttime photography.
Standard image enhancement software is
unable to improve poor quality condi-
tions such as low light, poor clarity, and
fog-like conditions. The technology con-
sists of a set of comprehensive methods
that performs well across a wide range of
conditions encountered in arbitrary
images. Conditions include large varia-
tions in lighting, scene characteristics,
and atmospheric (or underwater) turbid-
ity variations. NASA is seeking market
insights on commercialization of this new
technology, and welcomes interest from
potential producers, users, and licensees.
The innovation improves upon the
performance of passive automatic
enhancement of digital images. The An aerial photo before (left) and after (right) smart image enhancement.

20 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

effect. The cycle is repeated until the
servo achieves acceptable scores for the
visual measures, or reaches a decision
that it has enhanced as much as is possi-
ble or advantageous. The servo-control
will bypass images that it determines
need no enhancement.
The system determines experimental-
ly how much absolute degrees of sharp-
ening can be applied before encounter-
ing detrimental sharpening artifacts.
The latter decisions are stop decisions
that are controlled by further contrast or
Compact Thermal Neutron Imaging System Using
Axisymmetric Focusing Mirrors
This technology uses grazing incidence reflective optics to produce focused beams of
neutrons from commercially available sources.
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
N ASAs Marshall Space Flight Center
has developed novel neutron graz-
ing incidence optics for use with small-
scale portable neutron generators. The
technology was developed to enable the
use of commercially available neutron
generators for applications requiring
high flux densities, including high-per-
formance imaging and analysis. Nested
grazing incidence mirror optics, with
high collection efficiency, are used to
produce divergent, parallel, or conver-
gent neutron beams. Ray tracing simula-
tions of the system (with source-object
separation of 10 m for 5 meV neutrons)
show nearly an order of magnitude neu-
tron flux increase on a 1-mm-diameter
object. The technology is a result of joint
development efforts between NASA and
1. CNC Machine, 2. Chemical clean and
mandrel formation activation & electroless
from AL bar nickel (EN) plate
6. Ultrasonic clean and 7. Deposit multilayers
passivation to remove on mandrel
surface contaminants
The optics are made by electroforming a nickel alloy shell over a CNC formed and polished mandrel
to create a deformation-free surface.
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
light enhancement, producing unac-
ceptable levels of saturation, signal clip-
ping, and sharpness.
The invention was developed to pro-
vide completely new capabilities for
exceeding pilot visual performance by
clarifying turbid, low-light-level, and
extremely hazy images automatically for
pilot view on heads-up or heads-down
display during critical flight maneuvers.
Other possible applications include
expanded enhancement capabilities in
photography, improved automobile driv-
MIT researchers seeking to maximize
neutron flux from diffuse sources for
imaging and testing applications.
Conventional neutron beam experi-
ments demand high fluxes that can only
be obtained at research facilities
equipped with a reactor source and neu-
tron optics. However, access to these
facilities is limited. The NASA technolo-
gy uses grazing incidence reflective
optics to produce focused beams of neu-
trons from compact commercially avail-
able sources, resulting in higher flux
concentrations. Neutrons are doubly
reflected off of a parabolic and hyper-
bolic mirror at a sufficiently small angle,
creating neutron beams that are conver-
gent, divergent, or parallel. Neutron
flux can be increased by concentrically
3. Precision diamond 4. Polish & 5. Metrology
turning to 20, 1/3m superpolish to on mandrel
figure accuracy 3-4 rms finish
8. Electroform Ni/Co 9. Separate optic
shell onto mandrel from mandrel in
cold water bath
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
er visibility, real-time digital enhance-
ment of videos, medical imaging, ther-
mal and night vision for surveillance sys-
tems, and enhanced vision and targeting
for military pilots.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please
contact The Technology Gateway at
LARC-DL-technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov
to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this
link for more information: http://
technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
LAR-TOPS-61.
nesting mirrors with the same focal
length and curvature, resulting in a con-
vergence of multiple neutron beams at a
single focal point. The improved flux
from the compact source may be used
for non-destructive testing, imaging, and
materials analysis.
The grazing incidence neutron optic
mirrors are fabricated using an electro-
formed nickel replication technique
developed by NASA and the Harvard-
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (see
figure). A machined aluminum mandrel
is super-polished to a surface roughness of
3-4 angstroms root mean square and plat-
ed with layers of highly reflective nickel-
cobalt alloy. Residual stresses that can
cause mirror warping are eliminated by
periodically reversing the anode and cath-
ode polarity of the electroplating system,
resulting in a deformation-free surface.
The fabrication process has been used to
produce 0.5-meter and 1.0-meter lenses.
Potential applications include nonde-
structive inspection for jet engine tur-
bine blades, fuel cells, archaeological
artifacts, and weld inspections; and ana-
lytical techniques for small angle neutron
scattering (SANS), time-of-flight spec-
troscopy, convergent beam crystallogra-
phy, and inelastic scattering instruments.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact
Sammy A. Nabors at sammy.nabors@
nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
MFS-TOPS-40.
21
 Imaging
High-Speed Edge-Detecting Circuit for Use with Linear
Image Sensor
Applications include supersonic jets, manufacturing, lane line tracking for vehicle control,
bar code scanners, and digital photography.
John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
A new smart camera developed at
NASAs Glenn Research Center has
the ability to process and transmit valu-
able edge location data for the images
that it captures at a rate of over 900
frames per second. The camera was
designed to operate as a component in an
inlet shock detection system for superson-
ic jets. A supersonic jet cannot function
properly unless the airflow entering the
machine is compressed and slowed to sub-
sonic speed in the inlet before it reaches
the engine. When supersonic air is com-
pressed, it forms shock waves that can
destroy the turbofan and surrounding
components unless they are pinpointed
and adjusted. This smart camera uses an
edge detection signal processing circuit to
determine the exact location of shock
waves, and sends the location information
via an onboard microcontroller or exter-
nal digital interface. This highly customiz-
able cameras ability to quickly identify
precise location data makes it ideal for a
variety of other applications where high-
speed edge detection is needed.
In order for the camera to detect invisi-
ble air shocks in an aircraft engines intake,
a fine sheet of laser light is first projected
through the airflow. The light is refracted
in the densest part of the airflow (the loca-
Two- and Three-Dimensional Near-Infrared Subcutaneous
Structure Imager Using Adaptive Nonlinear Video
Processing
The battery-powered system uses off-the-shelf near-infrared technology that is not affected
by melanin content, and can also operate in dark environments.
John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
S cientists at NASAs Glenn Research
Center have successfully developed a
novel subcutaneous structure imager for
locating veins in challenging patient
populations, such as juvenile, elderly,
dark-skinned, or obese patients. Spurred
initially by the needs of pediatric sickle-
cell anemia patients in Africa, Glenns
groundbreaking system includes a cam-
22
Intro
The laser sheet technique shown here is similar
to the one used to illuminate air shocks for this
technology.
tion of the shock), which creates a dark spot
that shows up as a dip or negative peak in
the pixel intensity profile of the image. The
smart camera uses this information to iden-
tify a negative going edge and a positive
going edge, which is expressed as numeric
pixel values within the linear array. Data is
output from the circuit as an analog signal
or digitally by an onboard microcontroller
using a parallel digital bus or a serial inter-
face such as the controller area network
(CAN bus), Ethernet, RS-232/485, or USB.
era-processor-display apparatus and
uses an innovative image-processing
method to provide two- or three-dimen-
sional, high-contrast visualization of
veins or other vasculature structures. In
addition to assisting practitioners to
find veins in challenging populations,
this system can also help novice health-
care workers locate veins for procedures
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
Unlike conventional edge detection sys-
tems, which rely on both a high-speed
camera and a bulky computer or digital
signal processor, this innovation uses an
analog technique to process images. Its
simple, sleek design consists of three basic
parts: a linear image sensor, an analog sig-
nal-processing circuit, and a digital cir-
cuit. The result is a smaller, more reliable
technology with increased processing
frame rates. The design can easily be tai-
lored to the end use, and can be reconfig-
ured to respond to positive and/or nega-
tive going edges. Furthermore, the thresh-
old sensitivity can be varied and algorith-
mically set, making it well suited for a
number of other terrestrial applications
from transportation to manufacturing.
Potential applications for this technolo-
gy include supersonic jets, manufacturing
(assembly lines, part placement, and posi-
tion monitoring), lane line tracking for
vehicle control, bar code scanners, and
digital photography.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please
contact the Technology Transfer Office at
ttp@grc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
sions. Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
LEW-TOPS-35.
such as needle insertion or excision.
Compared to other state-of-the-art solu-
tions, the imager is inexpensive, com-
pact, and very portable, so it can be
used in remote third-world areas, emer-
gency response situations, or military
battlefields.
Current subcutaneous vessel imagers
use large, multiple, and often separate
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
assemblies with complicated optics to
image subcutaneous structures as two-
dimensional maps on a wide monitor, or
as maps extracted by a computer and
focused onto the skin by a video projec-
tion. The scattering of infrared light that
takes place during this process produces
images that are shadowy and distorted.
By contrast, Glenns innovative approach
offers a relatively compact and inexpen-
sive alternative to the conventional
setup, while also producing clearer
images that can be rendered in either
two or three dimensions. Glenns device
uses off-the-shelf near-infrared technolo-
gy that is not affected by melanin con-
tent, and can also operate in dark envi-
ronments. In addition, its a battery-pow-
ered system that does not require an
external power supply, so the imager can
be used in emergency or other non-hos-
pital environments.
In Glenns novel subcutaneous imag-
er, a camera is configured to generate a
video frame. A processor is connected
to the camera, and receives the signal
for the video frame and adjusts the
thresholds for darkness and whiteness.
The result is that the vein (or other sub-
cutaneous structure) will show very
dark, while other surrounding features
Methods of Real-Time Image Enhancement of Flash LIDAR
Data and Navigating a Vehicle Using Flash LIDAR Data
Applications include robotic ground vehicle collision avoidance, topographical/terrain
mapping, and automotive adaptive cruise control.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
N ASAs Langley Research Center has
developed 3D imaging technologies
(Flash LIDAR) for real-time terrain map-
ping and synthetic vision-based naviga-
tion. To take advantage of the informa-
tion inherent in a sequence of 3D images
acquired at video rates, NASA Langley
has also developed an embedded image-
processing algorithm that can simultane-
ously correct, enhance, and derive rela-
tive motion by processing this image
sequence into a high-resolution 3D syn-
thetic image. Traditional scanning
LIDAR techniques generate an image
frame by raster scanning an image one
laser pulse per pixel at a time, whereas
Flash LIDAR acquires an image much
like an ordinary camera, generating an
image using a single laser pulse. The ben-
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
Glenns innovative image-processing method
can provide two- or three-dimensional, high-
contrast visualization of veins and other vascu-
lar structures.
(which would register as gray) become
closer to white due to the heightened
contrast between thresholds. With no
interval of complex algorithms
required, the image is presented in real
time on a display, yielding immediate
results. Glenns advanced technology
also allows the operator to achieve
increased depth perception through
efits of the Flash LIDAR technique and
the corresponding image-to-image pro-
cessing enable autonomous vision-based
guidance and control for robotic systems.
-5
Y coordinate, m
0 -0.5
5 5
-10 -5 0 5
X coordinate, m
The original (left) and enhanced resolution Flash LIDAR images.
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
the synchronization of a pair of imag-
ing devices. Additionally, the use of a
virtual-reality headset affords a three-
dimensional view of the field, thereby
improving the visualization of veins. In
short, Glenns researchers have pro-
duced an inexpensive, lightweight,
high-utility device for locating and
identifying subcutaneous structures in
patients.
This technology can be used in bio-
medical applications to facilitate vein
access for challenging patient popula-
tions, in emergency situations, aboard
aircraft, and in areas with fewer skilled
practitioners; in diagnostics applications
to diagnose conditions currently tested
with ultrasound techniques, such as
stenosis of leg veins, or for pre-screening
to determine whether a costly MRI is
needed; and in screening applications to
provide rapid, non-invasive initial screen-
ing for sub-surface lesions such as can-
cers and venous malformations.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please con-
tact the Technology Transfer Office at
ttp@grc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
sions. Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
LEW-TOPS-82.
The current algorithm offers up to eight
times image resolution enhancement, as
well as a 6-degree-of-freedom state vector
of motion in the image frame.
0.5 0.5
-5
0 0
Y coordinate, m
Elevation, m
Elevation, m
0 -0.5
-1 -1
-1.5 -1.5
10 -10 -5 0 5 10
X coordinate, m
23
 Imaging
This suite of technologies includes a
method, algorithms, and computer
processing techniques to provide for
image photometric correction and res-
olution enhancement at video rates (30
frames per second). This 3D (2D spatial
and range) resolution enhancement
uses the spatial and range information
contained in each image frame, in con-
junction with a sequence of overlapping
or persistent images, to simultaneously
enhance the spatial resolution and
range and photometric accuracies. In
Spatially Aberrated Spectral Filtering for High-
Performance Spectral Imaging
This innovation has application in the biomedical research, semiconductor, and
analysis/characterization fields.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
H igh-performance thermal imagers
like Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) on
the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
and the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Ex-
periment on the Lunar Reconnaissance
Orbiter (LRO) currently use a three-mir-
ror anastigmat (TMA) optical design to
image remote targets. A TMA telescope is
built with three curved mirrors, enabling
it to minimize all three main optical aber-
rations: spherical aberration, coma, and
astigmatism. This is primarily used to
enable wide fields of view, much larger
than possible with telescopes with just
one or two curved surfaces.
The Korsch annular field three-mirror
anastigmat (AFTMA) telescope is an
expansion of the standard TMA. This
TMA offers a wide, diffraction-limited
field of view (FOV) suitable for space-
based survey missions. The advantages
of this configuration include superior
stray light baffling (distinct exit pupil)
and the wide range of available focal
lengths from geometrically similar con-
figurations. Within the acceptable limits
of geometric blur (0.1 arcsec), Korsch
was remarkably able to correct four aber-
rations (spherical aberration, coma,
astigmatism, and field curvature) with
three curved mirrors. Elimination of
field curvature allows a flat focal surface
and greatly reduced mechanical com-
plexity in a telescope focal plane.
The precise location of the optical/ther-
mal filter is typically in a diverging, con-
verging, collimated, or focused beam. In
current thermal imager designs, the spec-
24
Intro
other words, the technologies allow for
generating an elevation (3D) map of a
targeted area (e.g., terrain) with much
enhanced resolution by blending con-
secutive camera image frames. The
degree of image resolution enhance-
ment increases with the number of
acquired frames.
Possible applications include preci-
sion safe spacecraft landing, automatic
spacecraft rendezvous and docking, au-
tonomous rover and robot guidance and
control, on-orbit inspection and servic-
tral filter is placed at the detection plane,
on top of the detector. The fast optical
beam from the TMA (F/2) incident on
the filter surface leads to thermal transient
phenomena, and the necessary baffling
between the filter and the detector limits
the minimum size of the pixels that can be
accommodated. This innovation enables
the use of the next generation of smaller
pixels by adding an intermediate focus to
the AFTMA telescope to accommodate a
spectral filter assembly.
In particular, the innovation lies in
how the system is optimized to create a
spatial and spectral transformation
plane that creates optimized wavefront
aberration correction at the focal
plane, while simultaneously optimizing
a purposely aberrated intermediate
focus plane to match the filter geome-
try, and keeping the optical-system as
compact as possible for deep-space
applications. Filters are placed along
the z axis such that the energy is spread
A representative spectral filter design. Non-
sequential ray trace at the filter assembly
shows power transmission (as rays) shaped in
the form of curvature with respect to the aber-
rated field angle.
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
ing, robotic ground vehicle collision
avoidance and mobility operations, top-
ographical/terrain mapping, and auto-
motive collision avoidance, adaptive
cruise control, and situational awareness.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please
contact The Technology Gateway at
LARC-DL-technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov
to initiate licensing discussions. Follow
this link for more information: http://
technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
LAR-TOPS-168.
out over a stretched x axis and narrow y
direction (sagittal plane). Aberrations
are thus exploited along the focused
beam path (waist) to transfer power
from field angles while not compromis-
ing ultimate spatial resolution quality at
the detection plane. The novelty of this
is that spatial aberrations are specifical-
ly encoded in the optical stream to
exploit the specific filter shape. An
optimization routine is used to arrive at
a solution that is not optimal based on
the usual metrics at the intermediate
plane. The solution is optimal at the
detection plane based on a wavefront
error metric while optimal at the inter-
mediate plane based on a spatial-spec-
tral filter geometrical metric. This met-
ric allows the power to be transferred
and spectrally filtered while maintain-
ing the same high-performance wave-
front aberration at the detector plane.
In addition, the differential magnifi-
cation at the intermediate plane (F/4)
compared to the focal plane (F/2) that
is built into the design allows: (1) the
use of 2 times larger physical filters, (2)
reduced thermal transients thanks to a
20 times smaller range of incident
angles on the filter block, and (3) a sim-
pler baffle design separated from the
focal plane. This allows the power to be
transferred through the filter without
crosstalk between spatially independent
focused elements. The focused beam is
thus optimized at the detector plane
with zero overlap from the spatially
aberrated filter beam.
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
 This innovative design is an ultra-com-
pact, high-performance, spectral filter
imaging system for earth and space sci-
ence specifically developed for the next-
generation MCS/DIVINER thermopile
imager. The design has minimized tran-
sient thermal phenomena, a 2 times
larger filter assembly, and high-perfor-
mance imaging at the detector array
compatible with ever smaller pixels.
A Common-Mode Digital Holographic
Microscope
This instrument has no moving parts and allows scientists to
image in 3D and in real time.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
D igital holography is a fast-growing
field in optics, recently spurred by
the advent of large-format digital cam-
eras and high-speed computers. This
method provides a time-series of volu-
metric information about a sample, but
the instrument itself has no moving
parts. It does not compromise perform-
ance such as image quality and spatial
resolution. However, these systems are
typically implemented as optical interfer-
ometers with two separate beam paths:
one is the reference beam and the other
is the science beam. Interferometers are
sensitive instruments that are subject to
misalignment, and they will have signifi-
cantly reduced performance in the pres-
ence of mechanical vibrations.
This novel design is an optical system
where many of the optics for the science
and reference arms are common. This
simply means the beams propagate
along adjacent paths through many of
the same optical elements. The result is
a system that is simple, compact, and
insensitive to mechanical misalignment
and vibration. This system is also
enclosed, which mitigates against both
dust and dirt, as well as stray light.
This design consists of a single-mode
fiber collimated light source to provide
Source Sample
Collimator Spec.
Light
Source
Ref.
The optics between the science and reference arms propagate along adjacent beam paths through
most of the same optical elements.
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
This work was done by William R. Johnson,
Matthew E. Kenyon, and Emily C. Brageot for
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA is
seeking partners to further develop this tech-
nology through joint cooperative research
and development. For more information
about this technology and to explore opportu-
nities, please contact Dan Broderick at
Daniel.F.Broderick@jpl.nasa.gov. NPO-49552
colorSENSOR LT
High resolution
True color sensors
illumination for both the science and
reference arms, a pair of small micro-
scope objectives located side-by-side, a
relay lens centered between the two
objectives, and a focal plane sensor
where the optical intensity of the inter-
FIBER OPTICS
fered beams is measured. Precision glass fiber optics
Compared to a canonical, Mach-
Zehnder interferometer, this design Small spot size
removes two beamsplitters, thus saving
light; the beam paths propagate along
adjacent paths (making the system
insensitive to opto-mechanical distur-
bances); the system is lightweight, com-
pact, enclosed, and robust for field
deployment; it uses fewer components
and is easy to assemble; and it is intrinsi-
cally coherent, which means for most
optical sources the science and reference
colorCONTROL
beams will combine interferometrically.
This work was done by J. Kent Wallace,
ACS 7000
Kurt M. Liewer, Christian A. Lindensmith, High Speed
Eugene Serabyn, Stephanie Rider, and
Emilio Graff of Caltech for NASAs Jet
Spectrophotometer
Propulsion Laboratory. NASA is seeking Up to 2000Hz
partners to further develop this technology
through joint cooperative research and
development. For more information about
this technology and to explore opportunities,
please contact Dan Broderick at
Daniel.F.Broderick@jpl.nasa.gov. NPO-49636
Sensor
Objective Relay Lens
CCD
www.micro-epsilon.com
MICRO-EPSILON
Raleigh, NC 27617 / USA
Phone +1/919 787 9707
me-usa@micro-epsilon.com
www.techbriefs.com Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-713
Cov ToC + A
Electrical/Electronics
High Field Superconducting Magnets
Applications include MRI machines, mass spectrometers, and particle accelerators.
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
T his superconducting magnet devel-
oped at NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center comprises a superconducting wire
wound in adjacent turns about a mandrel
to form the superconducting magnet; a
thermally conductive potting material
A modified coil winding machine for small-diameter wire being used to enable higher packing den-
sities for the superconducting magnets.
Distributed Diagnostics and Prognostics
The distributed health management architecture is comprised of a network of smart sensor
devices.
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
N ASA has developed a method that
prevents total system failure during
emergencies, allowing parts of the sys-
tem to continue to function, and mak-
ing overall system recovery faster. A het-
erogeneous set of system components
monitored by a varied suite of sensors
and a health monitoring framework has
been developed with the power and flex-
ibility to adapt to different diagnostic
and prognostic needs. Current state-of-
the-art monitoring and health manage-
ment systems are mostly centralized in
nature, where all the processing is
reliant on a single processor. This
requires information to be sent and
processed in one location. With increas-
26
Intro
configured to fill interstices between the
adjacent turns; and a voltage limiting
device disposed across each end of the
superconducting wire, and is configured
to prevent a voltage excursion across the
superconducting wire during quench of
es in the volume of sensor data as well as
the need for associated processing, tradi-
tional centralized systems tend to be
somewhat ungainly; in particular, when
faced with multi-tasking of computation-
ally heavy algorithms. The distributed
architecture is more efficient, allows for
considerable flexibility in number and
location of sensors placed, scales up
well, and is more robust to sensor or
processor failure.
The distributed health management
architecture is comprised of a network of
smart sensor devices. These devices mon-
itor the health of various subsystems or
modules. They perform diagnostics
operations and trigger prognostics oper-
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
the superconducting magnet. The ther-
mally conductive potting material and
the superconducting wire provide a path
for dissipation of heat.
The magnet has a very high field-to-cur-
rent ratio of 1.1 Tesla/Ampere, is small
and lightweight and capable of achieving
high magnetic field strengths at low cur-
rents, can be cooled down rapidly without
risk of damaging the wiring, can be
ramped up and down in field at very high
rates, generates a minimum amount of
hysteresis heat, and has minimized heat
load upon a cryogenic system from the
leads because less current is required to
generate a given magnetic field.
Applications include MRI machines,
mass spectrometers, and particle accel-
erators.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact the
Strategic Partnerships Office at techtransfer@
gsfc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
sions. Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
GSC-TOPS-5.
ation based on user-defined thresholds
and rules. Both the diagnostic and prog-
nostic tasks are formulated as a particle-
filtering problem for state estimation
and remaining life estimation, which also
allows the explicit representation and
management of uncertainties (but other
suitable algorithms can also be used).
The sensor devices, called computing
elements (CEs), consist of a sensor, or set
of sensors, and a communication device
(i.e., a wireless transceiver) beside an
embedded processing element. The CEs
can run both a diagnostic and prognostic
operating mode. The diagnostic mode is
the default mode where a CE monitors a
given subsystem or component through
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
 Harsh
H h con
ntamina
i nts outside
ide
can get into every
nook an
nd cranny inside.

          
    
Yo
oull enhan
nce product performance and protect your warranties as we
ell. When you work with Dym
max, you also get:

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Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-714

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Electrical/Electronics
CE
Base
Station
CE
CE
An overview of distributed prognostics system architecture.
Lens-Coupled Dielectric Waveguides
Small, lightweight, low-power interconnect solution with improved reliability and reduced
packaging complexity.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
N ASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory has
developed a low-loss dielectric wave-
guide that provides a simple, versatile,
and flexible transmission medium.
Dielectric waveguides long, solid
pieces of dielectric that confine electro-
magnetic waves offer high bandwidth
and low transmission loss compared to
conventional metallic waveguides.
Despite these advantages, practical use
of these waveguides has been limited
because a large fraction of signal power
is lost at the state-of-the-art intercon-
nects joining conventional metallic
waveguides and dielectric waveguides.
JPLs interconnect solution uses lens
coupling to reduce these losses by a fac-
tor of 10 or more, yielding a reliable,
cost-effective alternative to conventional
waveguides.
Conventional interconnects consist of
tapering the extremities of the dielec-
tric waveguide that are inserted directly
in the metallic waveguides, using a long
waveguide transition to reduce coupling
loss (radiation at the dielectric-metallic
interface). With JPLs novel intercon-
nect solution, a lens couples the power
28
Intro
Central
Server CE
CE
CE
CE
Dielectric
lens Dielectric waveguide
Metallic
waveguide
A lens on each end of the interconnect couples the power from the metallic waveguide to the
dielectric waveguide.
from the metallic waveguide to the
dielectric waveguide. This lens can be
fabricated inexpensively from the same
dielectric material as the dielectric
waveguide. The ellipsoid geometry of
the lens is designed to maximize the
coupled power into the dielectric wave-
guide, resulting in only a small fraction
of the coupled power radiating at the
interface (14 to 20 dB). A small stepped
impedance at the input of the lens and
inserted in the waveguide provides a
better matching impedance network at
the discontinuity. Unlike conventional
interconnects, the lens-coupled dielec-
tric waveguide does not depend on
physics contact; this improves reliability,
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
a low-weight diagnostic algorithm. If a
CE detects a critical condition during
monitoring, it raises a flag. Depending
on availability of resources, a networked
local cluster of CEs is then formed that
carries out prognostics and fault mitiga-
tion by efficient distribution of the tasks.
The CEs are expected not to suspend
their previous tasks in the prognostic
mode. When the prognostics task is com-
pleted, and after appropriate actions
have been taken, all CEs return to their
original default configuration.
This technology has potential appli-
cations in prognostic health manage-
ment, commercial aerospace and air-
craft, mechanical systems, and process
industries.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please con-
tact the Technology Partnerships Office at
ARC-TechTransfer@mail.nasa.gov to initiate
licensing discussions. Follow this link for more
information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
patent/TB2016/TOP2-216.
Dielectric
lens
0
-2.73
-5.45
-8.18
-10.9
-13.6
-16.4
-19.1
-21.8
-24.5
Metallic -27.3
waveguide -30
reduces packaging complexity, and
allows for added vibration/stress immu-
nity.
Potential uses include data transmis-
sion media in applications where low
transmission/coupling losses are criti-
cal, and data links with added vibra-
tion/stress immunity like those used in
communication links between modules
on spacecraft, landers, and rovers.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact
Mark W. Homer at Mark.W.Homer@
jpl.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
NPO-TOPS-46.
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Sampling and Control Circuit Board for an Inertial
Measurement Unit
John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

S cientists at NASAs Glenn Re -

search Center have developed a
circuit board that serves as a control
industrial automation, and instru-
mentation and measurement.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
ttp@grc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
sions. Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
and sampling interface to an inertial commercialize this technology. Please con- LEW-TOPS-67.
measurement unit (IMU). The circuit tact the Technology Transfer Office at
board provides sampling and commu-
nication abilities that allow the IMU
to be sampled at precise intervals.
The data is minimally processed
onboard and returned to a separate M E A S U R E M E N T C O M P U T I N G
processor for inclusion in an overall
system. The circuit board allows the
normal overhead associated with IMU Wide Selection of Ethernet Devices
data collection to be performed out-
side of the system processor, freeing for Remote Monitoring and Control
up time to run intensive algorithms in
parallel. This Glenn technology con- Easy to Use Easy to Integrate Easy to Support
sists of the circuit schematic, board
layout, and microcontroller firmware
for the IMU sampling and control cir- Multifunction DAQ
cuit board. E-1608 - Only $499
For fast platform dynamics, it is nec- Eight 16-bit analog inputs
essary to sample the IMU at quick 250 kS/s sample rate
intervals in order to fulfill the Nyquist
2 analog outputs
sampling theorem requirements. This
can be difficult in cases where low size, 8 digital I/O, 1 counter
weight, and power are required, since a NEW
primary processor may already be satu-
rated running the navigation algo-
Thermocouple Input Digital I/O
rithm or other system functions. E-TC - Only $ 479 E-DIO24 - Only $289
Glenns novel circuit board was 8 thermocouple inputs 24-channel digital I/O
designed to handle the sampling 24-bit resolution 24 mA high-drive capability
process (involving frequent interrupt
4 S/s per channel sample rate Digital output alarm
requests) in parallel, while delivering
the resulting data to a buffered com- 8 digital I/O One 32-bit event counter
munication port for inclusion in the
navigation algorithm on an as-available
basis. The circuit operates using a uni- DAQ Companion Software
versal serial bus (USB) or Bluetooth DAQami 3.0 - Only $49
interface. A control command is sent Easy-to-use interface
to the circuit from a separate processor
Acquire and generate data from
or computer that instructs the circuit
analog, digital, and counter signals
how to sample data. Then, a one-pulse-
per-second signal is sent to trigger the Export acquired data to a .csv file
circuit to perform automatic data col- Try DAQami free for 30 Days
lection from the IMU sensor.
Various navigation sensors can be Ethernet devices also include comprehensive drivers and support
synchronized very closely in time. In for C++, C#, Visual Basic, DASYLab, and NI LabVIEW
addition, the board does not require
maintenance unless a component is mccdaq.com/ethernet
damaged. This is an early-stage technol-
ogy requiring additional development.
Glenn welcomes co-development
Contact us
opportunities. 1.800.234.4232
Potential applications include navi- 2016 Measurement Computing Corporation, 10 Commerce Way, Norton, MA 02766 info@mccdaq.com
gation, robotics, process control and

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-715 29

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Electrical/Electronics
Efficient Radiation Shielding Through Direct Metal Laser
Sintering
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
F unctional and parametric degrada-
tion of microcircuits due to total ion-
izing dose (TID) often poses serious
obstacles to deployment of critical state-
of-the-art (SOTA) technologies in
NASA missions. Moreover, because
device dielectrics in which such degra-
dation occurs vary from one fabrication
lot to the next, these effects must be re-
evaluated on a lot-by-lot basis. Often,
the most effective mitigation against
TID degradation is the addition of radi-
ation shielding to the electronics box.
Unfortunately, shielding materials can
add significant amounts of mass to a sys-
tem, particularly when vulnerable parts
require shielding over 4 steradians.
One method for reducing mass is to
apply spot shielding located only on the
critical components that require it.
Reduced box- and/or spacecraft-level
shielding will necessitate more complex
spot shielding to protect the compo-
30 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-716
Intro
nent from the omnidirectional radia-
tion environment.
It is important to consider collateral
shielding provided by neighboring com-
ponents or larger objects within the
spacecraft in order to minimize the
shield footprint. Such patterned design
complexities involve painstaking fabrica-
tion and installation, and the shielding
effectiveness must be verified with three-
dimensional ray-trace analysis. Small
package sizes make component-level
shielding fabrication even more chal-
lenging. Three-dimensional (3D) print-
ing technology offers promising break-
throughs in the design and deployment
of radiation shielding optimized to the
capability of the component, the mis-
sion radiation environment, and the
shielding already provided by the com-
ponents surroundings. However, in
order for that potential to be realized, a
thorough understanding of radiation
Cov ToC + A
transport through the shielding materi-
als is essential so that the most efficient
shielding design can be developed and
turned into a CAD model for input to
the 3D printer. This work leverages exist-
ing particle transport codes to develop
tools for constructing such CAD models.
The NOVICE transport code is well
suited to this task as a result of its modu-
lar nature, efficiency, and flexibility.
Using knowledge of the external space
radiation environments and existing
electronics box-level defined radiation
environments, such as those for the
Magnetospheric Multiscale mission
(MMS), a method was developed for
constructing patterned-shield CAD mod-
els for use with direct metal laser sinter-
ing (DMLS) 3D printing technology.
This work introduces state-of-the-art
electronics, increasing performance
while decreasing hardware complexity,
volume, and power. Mass is saved by
enabling use of lightweight spacecraft
structural materials and making up the
difference in shielding with spot shield-
ing located only on critical components
that require it. Moreover, it does so effi-
ciently by capitalizing on previous DMLS
capability analyses, expanding applica-
tions of this promising technology. It
also reduces the infusion risk of new
electronics technology.
Although every mission would likely
benefit from the development of this
capability, the greatest benefits would
accrue for long-duration missions; mis-
sions in harsh radiation environments
such as the radiation belts of Earth,
Jupiter, and Saturn; and small-satellite
development initiatives such as NASAs
Edison Small Satellite Demonstration
Program, since small satellites provide
little shielding against the space radia-
tion environment.
This work was done by Jean-Marie
Lauenstein, Steven Kenyon, Raymond
Ladbury, Michael Xapsos, Jonathan Pellish,
and Donald Hawkins of Goddard Space
Flight Center. NASA is seeking partners to
further develop this technology through joint
cooperative research and development. For
more information about this technology and
to explore opportunities, please contact Scott
Leonardi at Robert.S.Leonardi@nasa.gov.
GSC-16962-1
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
 25 2 7 O C T 2 0 1 6, A L P E X P O , G R E N O B L E , F R A N C E

SEMICON Europa 2016:

New Opportunities in a Mature Industry Environment
S E M I C O N E u r o p a e n a b l e s c o m p a n i e s to r e a c h n e w a u d i e n c e s a n d b u s i n e s s p a r t n e r s a c r o s s t h e
Europ ea n micro ele c tronic s in d ustr y a n d f rom a ro un d th e world . Con n e c t to th e conve rs ations .
Con nec t to opp or tunities . Con nec t to new business .

Key Focus Areas /Topics at SEMICON Europa 2016

SEMICONDUCTOR EXECUTIVE AND MARKET
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20th Fab Management Forum
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decisions
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Processes Session Cluster Activities
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CXO Luncheon
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of visitors represent
2016FLEX EUROPE engineering job
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PACK AGING AND TEST Flexible Electrical Components
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semicone
europa.org Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-717

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Materials & Coatings
Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked
Structure
Applications for the strong, flexible material include thermal insulation and lightweight
sandwich structures.
John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

N ASA-developed polyimide aero-

gels are 500 times stronger than
conventional silica aerogels. The
innovative aerogels represent a revo-
lutionary advance over fragile silica
aerogels because they are highly flex-
ible and foldable in thin film form.
As a thin film, they can be used to
insulate industrial pipelines, automo-
tive shields, and temporary housing
structures, and can be used within
protective clothing such as firefight-
ing jackets, space suits, and parkas. As
a thicker part, they can be easily
molded to a shape, or sanded and
machined to provide insulation as
well as mechanical support. No other
aerogel possesses the compressive
and tensile strength of the NASA
innovation while still retaining its
ability to be flexibly folded to con-
tour to whatever shape is needed.
Aerogels are highly porous, low-
density solids with extremely small
pore sizes, making them superior
insulators. However, the most studied
silica aerogels are fragile. NASAs
Glenn Research Center synthesized
polyimide aerogels by cross-linking The polyimide aerogels are highly flexible and foldable in thin film form.
through an aromatic triamine or
polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, ture-resistant. The thermal conductivity Potential applications include ther-
and chemically imidizing at room tem- is 2 to 10 times improved performance mal insulation for refrigeration, hous-
perature. The resulting product is a over polymer foams in ambient condi- ing, industrial pipelines, automotive,
cross-linked polyimide aerogel that tion, and up to 30 times improved per- and medical supplies; lightweight sand-
retains the positive characteristics and formance in vacuum conditions. wich structures to reduce the weight of
strength of polyimide materials, and The cross-linked aerogels can be fabri- automobiles and aircraft; low dielectric
adds the beneficial properties of aero- cated or machined into thick net shape materials for antennas (aircraft, cell
gels without the brittle and fragile parts, which are strong and stiff, or cast phones, satellites, etc.); filtration media
nature of silica aerogels. as thin flexible films with good tensile for air and water purification and gas
Current silica aerogels on the market properties. Extremely customizable, the separation; and flexible, thin insulation
are available in particulate form or as a innovation can be formed into whatever for protective clothing, space suits, and
composite blanket. These aerogels are configuration is required (e.g., wrapped temporary shelters.
fragile and shed dust particles in use. around a pipe, sewn into protective NASA is actively seeking licensees to
The cross-linked polyimide aerogels clothing, or molded into a panel to act commercialize this technology. Please con-
have much better mechanical properties as a heat shield in a car) so it has an tact the Technology Transfer Office at
than silica aerogels and do not shed dust advantage over other aerogels that exist ttp@grc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
particles. They have low thermal con- in block form and must be modified or sions. Follow this link for more information:
ductivity, are heat-resistant up to 200 to chemically altered to function as a form- http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
300 C for long-term use, and are mois- fitting insulation. TOP3-411.

32 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

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Catalytic Oxidation of
Organic Contaminants at
Reduced Pressure
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

T he current technology for catalytic oxidation of aqueous

organic contaminants at elevated temperature and pressure
works well at operating conditions of 265 F and 70 psia with
effluent TOCs (total organic carbon) of less than 0.5 ppm.
However, it does not perform well at the reduced temperature,
i.e., sub-water-boiling temperature (200 F), and the reduced
pressure such as ambient pressure (14.7 psia) as indicated by
the effluent TOCs approximately the same as feed TOC.
There are two factors that may lead to the reduced organic
oxidation rate. One is the decreased oxygen solubility by
more than 6 times at the reduced pressure, and the other
factor is decreased catalytic activity at reduced temperature.
The reduced oxygen solubility in the aqueous solution will
have a negative impact on the oxygen diffusion rate into the
catalysts inside pores, where the oxidation reaction occurs.
Therefore, a catalyst structure that facilitates mass transfer of
oxygen reactant or oxidation products inside pores will
enhance an overall organic oxidation rate.
A new bimodal catalyst pore structure was developed to
increase the organic oxidation rate. The bimodal pore structure
includes micropores in 1-10 nm and macropores of l00-1000 nm.
The macropores provide rapid mass transfer of oxygen reactant
into the interstices that lead to the micropores where the reaction
takes place, and also provide quick diffusion of oxidation prod-
ucts outwards of the micropores. It is expected that by implement-
ing the bimodal pore structure, the internal effectiveness factor
(ratio of actual reaction rate/reaction rate when entire interior
surface is exposed to the external surface conditions) can be dra-
matically improved as the active reaction sites will be made acces-
sible to oxygen reactant, and more reaction products will be
removed efficiently from the catalyst sites. The Gold Standard
This work was done by Ping Yu and Tim Nalette of Hamilton
Sundstrand Corp. for Marshall Space Flight Center. NASA is seeking When it comes to critical applications,
partners to further develop this technology through joint cooperative
research and development. For more information about this technol- ultra-high reliability is the only option.
ogy and to explore opportunities, please contact Ronald C. Darty at Learn more about our precision,
Ronald.C.Darty@nasa.gov. MFS-33315-1
high-quality gold solder materials at:

Approach for Achieving Flame indium.com/solders/gold

Retardancy While Retaining
Physical Properties in a
Compatible Polymer Matrix
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida
VERY made in America
since 1934
N ASAs Kennedy Space Center (KSC) seeks to license its
Advanced Fire Retardant Materials to industry. KSCs
scientists have developed processes and know-how to impart
fire retardancy to common polymers such as nylons, poly-
esters, and acrylics. NASA developed this technology for use

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-718 33

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 Materials & Coatings
ISOTROPIC
Silver Conductive in personnel protective systems for launch pad personnel
Silicone Adhesive engaged in hazardous materials (HAZMAT) operations.
The invention provides polymer blends containing polyhy-
MasterSil 973S-LO droxyamide and one or more flammable polymers. The
polymer blends are flame-retardant and have improved
Features excellent durability and heat stability compared to the flammable
electrical conductivity polymer portion of the blends.
Meets NASA low Since polymers typically burn readily, the ability to render a
outgassing requirements polymer flame-retardant without sacrificing its physical prop-
Highly flexible system erties is critical to its intended application. KSCs new fire-
retardant polymers are formed using conventional polymer
Resists high temperatures processing techniques to introduce a special additive at con-
Cures well in deep centrations ranging from 5% to 8%. Flammability tests
and wide sections showed that the resulting polymer exhibited an increased lim-
ited oxygen index over the unmodified polymers. The
unmodified polymers burned 15 times longer than these new
materials with flame-retardant additives. In addition, KSCs
materials were found to be self-extinguishing, and the thermal
stability of the modified polymers was determined to be signif-
icantly higher than the virgin material using ASTM E-1612,
ASTM E-698, and TA 125 standards.
Toxic gas inhalation is a leading cause of death in residential
building fires, so its also important that any polymer additives
do not produce toxins when burned. If a fire does start, KSCs
fire-retardant additives have known combustion products that
have little to no risk of producing supertoxicants that could be
Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA +1.201.343.8983 main@masterbond.com harmful if inhaled. This is an important safety benefit of this
www.masterbond.com technology.
This technology has potential uses in textiles, protective gar-
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-719
ments, the aerospace industry (specifically fabrics and panels
used in airplanes), construction (e.g., plastic deck compo-
I N D U S T R I A L | T R A N S P O R T | E N V I R O N M E N TAL | AG R I C U LT U R AL nents), electronics, and wire and cabling.
SAFETY | INSTITUTIONAL | ENERGY
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology.
Please contact Jeffrey Kohler at Jeffrey.A.Kohler@nasa.gov to initiate
licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information: http://
technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/KSC-TOPS-32.

Introducing the ResponseONE

Weather Transmitter, a high- Metal/Fiber Laminate and
performance, high-value instrument
WKDWDFFXUDWHO\PHDVXUHVYHNH\ Fabrication Using a Porous
meteorological variables:

Wind speed
Metal/Fiber Preform
Wind direction This technology can be used in aeronautics,
Temperature pressure vessels and storage tanks, ballistic
Relative humidity protection, automotive structures, and
Barometric pressure
composite doors and windows.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

N ASAs Langley Research Center has developed a new

technique to enable the preparation of metal/compos-
ite hybrid laminates, also known as fiber metal laminates
(FML), by depositing metal directly onto fabric using a plas-
ma deposition process. FMLs provide a useful combination
of structural and functional properties for both aerospace
and non-aerospace applications. Currently, FMLs are pre-
WWW.YOUNGUSA.COM | 231.946.3980 pared in a compression process utilizing a press or autoclave
with metallic layers (foils) sandwiched between layers of
DESIGNED &
PRECISION METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS BUILT IN USA
glass or graphite prepreg (preimpregnated fibers with a
matrix resin). The NASA process deposits the metal on the

34 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-720 NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A


The NASA plasma process deposits metal particles that
are heated as they travel axially at low velocity
through an inert gas plasma.
fiber via plasma deposition. The poros-
ity of the coated fabric allows for resin
infusion.
NASAs plasma-deposition process
provides the ability to tailor various
properties while designing functional
parts by selecting specific materials and
processing parameters to meet the end
goal. Specifically, the plasma process
deposits metal particles that are heated
as they travel axially at low velocity
through an inert gas plasma. The accel-
erated powder particles become molten,
strike the substrate fabric (uniaxial,
biaxial, and multiaxial), and rapidly
solidify, imparting very little heat to the
substrate while forming a metal-to-fiber
bond, as well as a metal-to-metal bond.
The resulting metal-coated fabric is
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
porous, so the polymer matrix can
pass through the product precur-
sor during the infusion process.
The amount of metal deposited
can be controlled, as can the num-
ber of fabric plies that are ultimate-
ly stacked to produce the preform
for the polymer matrix infusion
process.
A variety of infusion processes
13485 A
can be utilized to prepare the ISO S9
FML, including resin transfer 0 1 1 00
90
molding (RTM), resin film infu-
O
IS
sion (RFI), and vacuum-assisted
resin transfer molding (VARTM).
The tailorable aspect of the
process allows for specific product
design. By varying the combina-
tion of metal particle, fiber, fabric
type, metal layer thickness, fabric
direction, number of layers, poly-
mer matrix resin, infusion process,
and cure conditions, the charac-
teristics of the final part can meet Laser machining
the needs of various applications.
Metal deposition directly onto
fabric eliminates the need for sep-
arate foils, and provides better perfection
interlayer bonding. A variety of
fabrics and metal alloys (e.g., alu-
minum, titanium, copper, glass
in stainless
fabric, carbon fabric, epoxy, and Eagle has the skills
polyimide) can be used to meet
application requirements. The and the technology
process can be tailored using its required to produce
flexibility in terms of resin path-
ways (size, pattern) and finished all of your custom
parts (thickness, texture, perme- exotic metal parts.
ability, single or multi-sided, etc.).
Final laminate products can vary Let us help !
in terms of stacking sequences,
number of plies, metal/composite
ratios, and fabric preform types.
This technology can be used in a
number of applications. In aeronautics
and aerospace systems, it can be used
for embedded lightning strike protec-
tion for aircraft, fuselage skins, leading-
edge wings, floors and liners, pressure
bulkheads, landing gear doors, flap
skins, and blast-resistant cargo contain-
ers. It can also be used for pressure ves-
sels and storage tanks, ballistic protec-
tion, automotive structures, and com- Eagle Stainless
posite doors and windows. Tube & Fabrication, Inc.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com- Franklin, Massachusetts
mercialize this technology. Please contact
The Technology Gateway at LARC-DL-
technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov to initi- Phone (800) 528-8650
ate licensing discussions. Follow this link for www.eagletube.com
more information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
patent/TB2016/LAR-TOPS-99.
www.techbriefs.com Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-721
Cov ToC + A
Manufacturing & Prototyping
Tension Stiffened and Tendon Actuated Manipulator
This configuration offers mechanical advantage and improved efficiency over existing arms
that use weighty gearboxes and motors.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

N ASAs Langley Research Cen-

ter is developing a robotic arm
with lightweight joints that provide
a wide range of motion. The envi-
sioned design provides users with a
long reach and numerous degrees
of freedom. The arm, ideal for use
in aquatic environments or for
manipulation of light terrestrial
loads, consists of articulating
booms connected by antagonistic
cable tension elements. The arm
elements are structurally efficient
and lightweight, and support com-
pact packaging. The inherent
mechanical advantage provided by
the tendon articulation allows the
use of small, efficient motor sys-
tems. The manipulator can be
scaled over a large range from 10
m (load-bearing arm) to over 1000
m (submersible or float-supported
arm). Current efforts are focusing
on a 15-m prototype and a 300-m
subsystem to test the unique robot-
ic architecture. NASA is seeking
partners to assist with the develop- NASAs compact, long-reach robotic arm can be scaled over a large range from 10 m (load-bearing arm)
ment of its concept system for spe- to over 1000 m (submersible or float-supported arm).
cific applications.
The lightweight and hyper-dexterous dexterity. A prototype model of the joint bound applications include ship-to-har-
nature of the NASA-developed robotic is being fabricated, and range-of-motion bor, harbor-to-ship, or ship-to-ship dock-
arm is enabled by its tendon-articulated tests are forthcoming. Required motor ing; retractable covers and awnings;
joints. Manipulator joints are actuated and controller architecture, sensors, camera booms for filming operations;
by capstans or winches located along the hardware, and software systems are under oil spill containment on water; floating
boom. This configuration offers signifi- development. barrier deployment and maneuvering;
cant mechanical advantage and im- The arm provides a long reach for and subsea cable inspection and place-
proved efficiency over existing arms that remote inspection or manipulation in ment. The space applications include
use weighty gearboxes and motors. The inhospitable environments. It requires long-reach grappling, manipulation,
arm joints have very high structural effi- minimal storage space when packaged and capture, and mining of asteroids; space-
ciency and significantly reduce manipu- can be easily transported. The design can craft berthing operations; satellite serv-
lator mass while achieving a high level of be tailored for applications of varying icing and repair operations; astronaut
joint stiffness. To further reduce weight reach, dexterity, or environmental require- positioning; and in-space assembly and
while maintaining strength, stiff truss ments, and it has the capability to actively construction.
structures replace tubular links or change component geometry during oper- NASA is actively seeking licensees to
booms between joints. ation (e.g., extending or relocating links commercialize this technology. Please
NASA has developed an algorithm to and spreader arms, etc.). An updated drive contact The Technology Gateway at
scale the arm based on tip load, reach, system is capable of reducing motor LARC-DL-technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov
and tip deflection inputs for any given torques by an order-of-magnitude com- to initiate licensing discussions. Follow
application. The design can be extended pared to the first-generation system. this link for more information: http://
by the addition of articulating joints and This technology has potential applica- technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
degrees of freedom for improved arm tion on Earth and in space. The Earth- LAR-TOPS-41.

36 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

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Lattice Structures Coating Concept for Efficient Thermal
Linking Beds
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

C onventional air revitalization tech-

nology for removal of CO2, mois-
ture, and trace organic contaminants
tures can also be produced using other
fabrication methods, such as Electron
Beam Melting (EBM); however, for
better dimensional control. Coating
the sorbent materials directly on the
surface of the metal strands allows bet-
usually involves a packed bed of sorbent some metals such as aluminum (desir- ter surface-to-sorbent contact and less
pellets that can be regenerated using a able due to its high thermal conductivi- resistance for a more efficient heat
concept similar to that of pressure swing ty), the laser sintering method offers transfer from the adsorbing chambers
adsorption (PSA). Additional heat
input for thermal regeneration is pre-
ferred during the adsorption-desorp-
tion process to increase the regenera-
tion efficiency. Typically, a pair of adsor-
ber modules consisting of the same sor-
bent material with identical loading
capacity is placed in parallel and work
in tandem, where one module adsorbs
the contaminants from the process air
while the other is in regeneration
mode. The two adsorber modules have
separate housings and may be placed in
separate locations.
Recently, the concept of an efficient
thermally-linked bed for removing
moisture or CO2 from air was devel-
oped via collaboration between
Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
and Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI).
In this process, two or more repeating
chambers (or modules) are tailored so
the adsorbing chamber/module and
the regenerating chamber/module
were located adjacent to each other.
The amount of heat released by the
adsorbing chamber was then used to
provide the heat required by the adja-
cent desorbing/regenerating chamber,
providing a self-sustaining adsorption-
desorption system, maintaining mini-
mal temperature changes within the
bed, and eliminating the need for an
external heat source. This concept can
lead to improved reliability and
process efficiency over typical two-mod-
ule packed beds of sorbent pellets.
In order to optimize the benefit of
highly conductive metal strands for effi-
cient heat transfer within the thermally-
linked chambers, an effective coating
technique was developed by PCI that
enables application of sorbent materi-
als directly on the lattice structures with
high sorbent loading, good adhesion,
high uniformity, and long-term durabil-
ity. The lattice structures for the coat-
ing development were fabricated by
MSFC via a laser sintering method and
were supplied to PCI. The lattice struc-

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-722 37

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Manufacturing &
Prototyping
to the regenerating chambers. A lower
thermal resistance results in higher
heat flux between the two adjacent
chambers.
Direct contact of the sorbent with the
heat transfer media is especially advan-
tageous during vacuum desorption,
since in this case, the usually dominant
convective heat transfer mode is not
active. Other heat transfer modes are
A Statistically Based Approach to Broadband Liner Design
and Assessment
The current method targets the entire broadband frequency spectrum simultaneously.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
T he broadband component of fan
noise has grown in relevance with the
utilization of increased bypass ratio and
advanced fan designs. Thus, while the
attenuation of fan tones remains para-
mount, the ability to simultaneously
reduce broadband fan noise levels has
become more attractive. Advanced man-
ufacturing techniques have also opened
new possibilities for the implementation
of broadband liner concepts. This inno-
vation is an integrated method for the
design and evaluation of novel broad-
band acoustic liner concepts for com-
plex engine configurations.
An acoustic duct propagation and radi-
ation code is used to predict optimum
impedance spectra over operating condi-
tions of interest. In the absence of fan
source information, a statistical represen-
tation is used that allows for the genera-
tion of 95% confidence intervals for the
predicted metric. The cost function for
this impedance optimization is based on
in-duct, near-field, and/or far-field results.
Given the optimum impedance spec-
tra, acoustic liner modeling tools are
used to identify geometric liner parame-
Connection and Repair Techniques for Capillary Tubing in
Restrictive Areas and Gas Chromatography Applications
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida
C apillary columns offer challenges in
gas chromatography (GC) work due
to their small size and fragile nature.
Typical repair techniques to join two
capillary columns require cumbersome
38
Intro
gas conduction and radiation, and con-
duction in the metallic substrate. This
invention creates intimate contact
between the sorbent and the metallic
support substrate to more effectively
transfer the heat released by the adsorb-
ing chambers to the regenerating cham-
bers and thus keeping the temperature
changes minimal within the thermally-
linked beds.
ters (within manufacturing constraints)
necessary to produce impedance spectra
that most closely match those values.
Design selection is based on acceptance
criteria that provide the ability to apply
increased weighting to specific frequen-
cies and/or operating conditions.
Because of the geometric constraints,
the resultant liners provide impedance
values that differ from the optimum val-
ues. Thus, the next step in the process is
to use the design impedance values in
the propagation/radiation code to eval-
uate liner performance. This assessment
may again be based on in-duct, near-
field, and/or far-field results. As with the
design impedance cost function, weight-
ing of specific frequencies/operating
conditions could also be introduced in
this performance metric. If the assess-
ment does not yield acceptable results,
iteration between the liner design and
evaluation stages is possible.
This innovation takes advantage of
advanced manufacturing techniques that
allow acoustic liners to be customized such
that the surface impedance of each indi-
vidual cell is independently controlled.
metal fittings. This solution is not appli-
cable in all situations due to size and
mass limitations. Another repair or joint
technique involves the use of polyimide
glue with a tapered glass union. Without
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
This work was done by Christian Junaedi
of Precision Combustion, Inc. for Marshall
Space Flight Center. NASA is seeking part-
ners to further develop this technology
through joint cooperative research and
development. For more information about
this technology and to explore opportuni-
ties, please contact Ronald C. Darty at
Ronald.C.Darty@nasa.gov. MFS-33192-1
Duct acoustic propagation/radiation and
liner modeling tools are integrated to
design broadband liners to achieve accept-
able sound absorption over a wide fre-
quency range. The ability to use a statisti-
cal source model also provides the added
benefit of generating confidence intervals
for the predicted liner performance.
The current method targets the entire
broadband frequency spectrum simulta-
neously. This is a major advantage over
current liner design approaches that
focus on narrow-band attenuation spec-
tra, and are generally not broadband in
character. For situations in which acoustic
source information is unavailable, the
method also incorporates a statistical
source model providing confidence inter-
vals for the predicted performance.
This work was done by Douglas Nark and
Michael Jones of Langley Research Center.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commer-
cialize this technology. Please contact LaRC-
PatentLicensing@mail.nasa.gov to initiate
licensing discussions. Follow this link for more
information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
patent/LAR-TOPS-185. LAR-18211-1
the bulky glass fitting, this technique is
difficult to perform without plugging
the column; the low-viscosity glue wicks
up the capillary column and fills the
small opening of the joint. Polyimide is
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
also a problem due to its hydrolysis when
trying to analyze water; the polyimide
glue interacts with the water in the sam-
ple and affects the analysis. These solu-
tions dont support a repair of capillary
columns for water analysis in a small gas
chromatograph module.
This innovation describes two method-
ologies to join capillary columns without
the use of a metal fitting. This technique
is particularly applicable when very small
capillaries, dissimilar capillaries, or size
and mass restrictions are present, such as
in MEMS GCs. These instances do not
allow for the use of the typical metal fit-
tings to join columns.
The purpose of this work was to create
techniques for joining capillary columns,
including very small pieces of fused sili-
ca capillary tubing (below 0.25 mm
OD), with minimal size and weight
requirements, that could be performed
in space-restricted areas. It was specifi-
cally applied to the repair of dissimilar
size capillary joints where no commer-
cial union was available to produce a gas-
tight seal due to the small size of one of
the capillaries, sometimes as small as 0.1
mm OD. Two solutions to this problem
were created.
The first technique involves the use
of a product called Dual Shrink, which
typically is used to seal electrical con-
nections by applying heat and encapsu-
lating the connection. The inner layer
(FEP) of Dual Shrink melts and flows
to encapsulate the part while the outer
layer (PTFE) shrinks to form a tight fit
around the fitting. While Dual Shrink
has been used to provide water-tight
seals in electrical applications, it was
shown that with a thorough melt of the
FEP liner, a gas-tight seal could be
achieved. The innovation of using this
material in the confined space of a GC
module requires a localized heat
source that will not damage the sur-
rounding components. This product
normally entails heating the entire
assembly to 625 F using a heat gun or
oven. These heating techniques will
not work in this application due to the
tight spacing of components and the
lower temperature limits of some of
these components.
A modified soldering iron has been
developed for wire repair techniques.
This type of heat application could be
applied to allow the use of Dual Shrink
in the confined spaces of the GC mod-
ule. The tip attached to the soldering
iron had to be modified for use in the
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
GC and so it could closely surround the
Dual Shrink joint during heating. The
tip was also modified to decrease the
clearance required near the joint repair,
allowing for use in the small space. The
soldering iron could be set to a precise
temperature to provide control over the
time required for heating. Two methods
for repair were used. The first method
was to heat the device and clamp it onto
the joint after reaching the desired tem-
perature. The second method was to
apply the device when at room tempera-
ture and heat while in place.
This technique required the capillary
columns to stay stationary during the
heating process. The melt flow of the
FEP could move the columns and cause
the joint to come apart. To alleviate this
problem, vacuum chucks were designed
to hold the small capillary tubes in place
during the repair. These chucks are
adapted from designs used when work-
ing with fiber optic cables. The use of
these chucks is not required for the
repair technique, but it offers additional
stability during the repair process. Precision Metal Stamping
An additional method for capillary (High and Low Volume)
column repair is the use of a highly vis-
cous glue, such as silicone RTV or hot Welded & Mechanical Assemblies
melt glue. These highly viscous glues can Complex CNC Machining
be applied to the joint and do not wick
up the joint as the polyimide glue does Close Tolerance Grinding
during the repair. Initial tests indicate Tooling, Fixtures and Gages
the glue travels 1-2 mm up the joint,
allowing the joint overlap to be mini- Laser Cutting and Welding
mized. This technique does not require Rapid Prototyping
any heat applied to the system for the
repair to take place. As such, it can be Wire EDM
used to join polymer tubes that could
melt if the repair technique reached too
high of a temperature (this would
depend on the specific polymer). The
hot glue melt has a low operational tem-
perature limit so care must be taken
when deciding on repair techniques for
specific applications. The silicone RTV
has a higher temperature limit, and spe-
cific formulations can be used to meet
the temperature requirements of the
application.
This work was done by Dale Lueck and
Janine Captain of Kennedy Space Center;
and Tracy Gibson, Steven Parks, Brian
Larson, and Kyle Weis of ASRC Aerospace.
NASA is seeking partners to further develop
this technology through joint cooperative
research and development. For more
information about this technology and to
explore opportunities, please contact
KSC-DL-TechnologyTransfer@mail.nasa.gov.
KSC-13352
www.techbriefs.com Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-723
Cov ToC + A
Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Self-Latching Piezocomposite Actuator
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
N ASAs Langley Research Center has
developed a self-latching piezocom-
posite actuator. The self-latching nature
of this invention allows for piezo actua-
tors that do not require constant power
draw. Among other applications, the
invention is well suited for use in aerody-
namic control surfaces and engine inlets.
The technology is a self-latching
piezoelectric actuator with power-off,
set-and-hold capability. Integrated into
an aerodynamic control surface or
engine inlet, the self-latching piezocom-
posite actuator may function as a trim
tab, variable camber airfoil, vortex gen-
Active Response Gravity Offload and Method
The technology has commercial possibilities wherever individuals have to interact with heavy
objects within a confined volume.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
T o train astronauts to live and work in
the weightless environment on the
International Space Station, NASA
employs a number of techniques and
facilities that simulate microgravity.
The ARGOS system attaches to a human subject in a gimbal and/or harness through a cable.
40
Intro
erator, or winglet with adjustable shapes.
Deflections could be made in-flight, and
set and maintained (latched) without a
constant power draw. Current piezo
actuators require constant power to con-
trol and manage their electric fields.
The control device leverages the shape
memory behavior (specifically, the rem-
nant stress-strain behavior) to create a
morphing actuator that changes and
holds the new shape with no applied
control signal.
The actuator helps save mass by elimi-
nating the need for some electrical
equipment, and eliminates the need for
Engineers at the NASA Johnson Space
Center (JSC) have developed a new sys-
tem called the Active Response Gravity
Offload System (ARGOS) that provides
a simulated reduced gravity environ-
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
a persistent controlling electrical field. It
is viable with many piezo materials.
Applications for this technology include
aircraft adaptive-camber airfoils, trim tabs,
deformable engine inlets, and adaptive or
adjustable vortex generators. It can also be
used in space optics and reflector systems.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please
contact The Technology Gateway at
LARC-DL-technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov
to initiate licensing discussions. Follow
this link for more information: http://
technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
LAR-TOPS-208.
ment within a confined interior volume
for astronauts to move about and/or
equipment to be moved about as if they
were in a different gravity field. Each
astronaut/item is connected to an over-
head crane system that senses their
actions (walking or jumping, for exam-
ple) and then lifts, moves, and descends
them as if they had performed the
action in a specified reduced gravity.
ARGOS has a simulation range from
full gravity to microgravity. The system
utilizes input/feedback sensors, fast-
response motor controllers, and cus-
tom-developed software algorithms to
provide a constant force offload that
simulates reduced gravity. It can inter-
face with a wide range of subjects,
including humans, robots, and inani-
mate objects.
The ARGOS system attaches to a
human subject in a gimbal and/or har-
ness through a cable. The system then
maintains a constant offload of a portion
of the subjects weight through the cable
to simulate reduced gravity. The system
supports movements in all three dimen-
sions consistent with the selected gravity
level. Front/back and left/right move-
ments are supported via a trolley on an
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
overhead runway and bridge drive sys-
tem, and up/down movements are sup-
ported via a precisely positioned cable.
The system runs at a very high cycle rate,
and constantly receives feedback to
ensure the human subjects safety.
The technology is cost effective
because most of the big ticket compo-
nents are based on commercially avail-
able hoist systems. ARGOS has commer-
cial possibilities wherever individuals
have to interact with heavy objects with-
in a confined volume. Potential applica-
tions include material handling in a
warehouse or industrial facility; physical
ONE SOURCE.
therapy; commercial shipping/trans-
portation of packages, luggage, or other
HIGH QUALITY
heavy objects; moving vans; personal SPRINGS.
hoist systems for home, office, or garage;
assembly and maintenance; and auto-
motive repair.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact
Michelle P. Lewis at jsc-techtran@
mail.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
sions. Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
MSC-TOPS-60.

Fluid Harmonic Absorber

These devices can be used in multistory buildings, towers,
bridges, offshore oil rigs, water tanks, and marine
applications.
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

N ASA Marshall Space Flight Centers

Fluid Structure Coupling (FSC)
technology is a highly efficient and pas-
sive method to control the way fluids
and structures communicate and dictate
the behavior of a system. This technolo-
gy has the demonstrated potential to
mitigate a multitude of different types of
vibration issues, and can be applied any-
where internal or external fluids interact
Unmitigated System Response
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a multistory building, water from a
rooftop tank or swimming pool could be
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An example of vibration mitigation in a harmonic absorber application (top), and an example of
vibration mitigation in a tuned mass damper application (bottom).

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 www.techbriefs.com Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-724

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Mechanical &
Fluid Systems
Harmonic absorber mode: The fluid
can be leveraged to act like a classic har-
monic absorber to control low-frequen-
cy vibrations. This mode leverages
already existing system mass to decouple
a structural resonance from a discrete
frequency-forcing function, or provide a
highly damped dead zone for responses
across a frequency range.
Shell mode: The FSC device can couple
itself into the shell mode and act as an
additional spring in series, making the
entire system appear dynamically softer
and reducing the frequency of the shell
mode. This ability to control the mode
without having to make changes to the pri-
Variable-Aperture Reciprocating Reed Valve
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
N ASAs Marshall Space Flight Center
engineers have developed a new
reed valve for controlling fluid flow back
and forth between two chambers. The
VARR valve provides two-way flow that is
proportional to flow demand. As the
pressure gradient builds on one side, the
reed valve responds by opening an
amount that is proportionate to the gra-
dient, or demand, allowing bidirectional
flow. Some mechanical and fluid systems
that rely on the controlled flow of fluids
between chambers will benefit from the
new design. Compared to current fixed-
orifice devices, VARR may expand the
performance envelope by offering a
more continuous flow response in appli-
cations in which the pressure environ-
ment is constantly changing. Propor-
tional two-way flow can enable a fine-
tuned system response to pressure build-
ing on one side of the valve. In these
changing gradient conditions, the reed
valve is better than fixed-sized orifices,
which are optimized for one flow condi-
Passive, Integrated, Sublimator-Driven Coldplate
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
S pacecraft thermal control systems
typically perform three key functions
heat acquisition, heat transport, and
heat rejection in addition to those of
insulation, heat generation, and heat
storage. In a typical pumped fluid-loop
spacecraft thermal control system, heat
42
Intro
mary structure enables the primary struc-
ture to retain its load-carrying capability.
Tuned mass damper mode: A small
modification to a geometric feature
allows the device to act like an optimized,
classic tuned mass damper, enabling the
primary structure to take on the damp-
ing characteristics of the FSC device.
FSC devices minimize size and weight
because they can leverage existing fluids
in and around the system. They are inex-
pensive, easy to retrofit to existing fluid
systems, less complex because control is
achieved with a single fluid source, and
highly efficient because they achieve
complete control of the phase lag
tion and are likely to over- or under-
restrict flow for all other flow gradients.
The VARR valve has been designed
to provide a variable-size aperture that
proportionately changes in relation to
gas flow demand. When the pressure
delta between two chambers is low, the
effective aperture cross-sectional area
is small, while at high delta pressure,
the effective aperture cross-sectional
area is large. This variable aperture
prevents overly restricted gas flow. Gas
flow through the VARR valve is not one
way. Gas flow can traverse through the
device in a back-and-forth reversing
flow manner, or be used in a single flow
direction manner. The contour shapes
and spacing can be set to create a lin-
ear delta-pressure-versus-flow rate, or
other pressure functions not enabled
by current standard orifices. Also, the
device can be tuned to operate as a
flow meter over an extremely large flow
range as compared to fixed-orifice
meters. As a meter, the device is capa-
is acquired from heat-generating equip-
ment via coldplates, transported via
pumps and cooling lines, and rejected to
space via radiators, evaporators, and/or
sublimators. Combining all three of
these functions into one hardware com-
ponent can provide system mass savings
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
between fluid and structure. The FSC
technology can be used in structural
applications for multistory buildings,
stacks, towers, bridges, and pools for
spent nuclear fuel; in offshore oil rigs
and above-ground storage tanks; in
municipal water tanks/towers; and in
marine applications for multidirectional
stabilization of vessels or platforms.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact
Sammy A. Nabors at sammy.nabors@
nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
MFS-TOPS-2.
ble of matching or exceeding the tur-
bine meter ratio of 150:1 without pos-
sessing the many mechanical failure
modes associated with turbine bear-
ings, blades, and friction.
Potential applications include air con-
ditioning systems; flow control and
exhaust management for two-cycle
engines used in lawn equipment, jet skis,
motorbikes, and snowmobiles; flow-
limiting devices such as variable
flow/variable delta pressure response
flow meters; linearized delta pressure
flow meters; vibration control enhance-
ment for fluid, tuned mass, and hydro-
pneumatic systems; shock absorbers and
transient shock attenuators; burst
diaphragms; and pressure relief valves.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact
Sammy A. Nabors at sammy.nabors@
nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information:
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
MFS-TOPS-65.
by combining multiple pieces of hard-
ware into a single piece, and providing
additional fault tolerance without the
need for redundant hardware.
This invention, the Passive Integrated
Sublimator Driven Coldplate (ISDC-P),
provides cooling to equipment in a man-
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

ner similar to a standard flow-through
coldplate. However, rather than supply-
ing cooling via a pumped cooling loop,
the ISDC-P collects energy via a passive
heat pipe plate that transports waste
heat to a sublimator where the heat is
rejected to a low-pressure environment.
The key to the ISDC-P is the combina-
tion of the coldplate and the sublimator
into one piece of hardware. The thermal
energy from the heat-generating device
can now be rejected directly to space via
sublimation in the ISDC-P.
The ISDC-P has several layers. The
mounting surface consists of an HiK
plate on which heat-generating compo-
nents such as avionics boxes are
attached. This heat is transferred via a
series of longitudinal heat pipes to the
sublimator mounting position. A second
layer of transverse heat pipes distributes
the heat evenly over the sublimator
interface surface to optimize its per-
formance. The sublimator consists of an
interface surface under which is a feed-
water layer, followed by a porous subli-
mator surface. Heat is transferred from
or across the feedwater layer to the sub-
limator surface. The feedwater layer may
contain interstitial material such as
metal foam or fins to enhance heat
transfer across the feedwater layer. The
Strat-X
This innovation is potentially useful for scientific experiments
at the edge of space or autonomous environmental
monitoring in extreme conditions.
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida
E xperiments in space can be expen-
sive and infrequent, but Earths
upper atmosphere is accessible via large
scientific balloons, and can be used to
address many of the same fundamental
questions. Scientific balloons are made
of a thin polyethylene film inflated with
helium, and can carry atmospheric
sampling instruments on a gondola sus-
pended underneath the balloon that
eventually is returned to the surface on
a parachute. For stratospheric flights
between 30 and 40 km above sea level,
balloons typically reach the float alti-
tude 2-3 hours after launch, and travel
in the direction of the prevailing winds.
Autonomous technologies enabling
stratospheric exposure experiments are
lacking. As a result, a standalone enclo-
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
SEAL
porous sublimator surface provides a
substrate on which the feedwater freezes
and subsequently sublimates to space.
The resulting vapor flows out of the
device through an exhaust path. One or and
DELIVER
more ISDC-P units can be supported by
a single set of tanks and valves to initiate
feedwater flow to support one or more
avionics locations.
Due to the benefits for short-duration
missions, this could directly impact the
upper stages of small, medium, and heavy
launch vehicles, including the targeted
Space Launch System (SLS), as well as
boost stages for high-altitude orbits or
other systems requiring peak load ther-
mal management. Many of the planned
technology demonstration missions will
require simple, safe, and reliable plat-
forms in which the ISDC would assist in
reducing the weight and complexity.
This work was done by Jeffery Farmer of
Marshall Space Flight Center, Tom
Leimkuehler and Chad Bower of Paragon
Space Development Corp., and Calin Tarau of
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. NASA is
seeking partners to further develop this tech-
nology through joint cooperative research and Dont Get Caught In a
development. For more information about this Labyrinth of Bad Seals
technology and to explore opportunities,
please contact Ronald C. Darty at
Ronald.C.Darty@nasa.gov. MFS-33226-1
Our Patented Centrifugal
Pressure Seals:
 Keep lubricants in
& contaminants out
 Reduce downtime
 Support horizontal &
vertical applications
 Prevent friction &
overheating with a
non-contact design
sure system was developed that opens and
closes at stratospheric altitudes, exposing
experiments while sampling environmen-
 Create a dynamic
pressurized barrier
tal data inside and outside of the enclo-
sure. Strat-X is a stratospheric exposure  Support extremely
technology that can carry experiments to low-viscosity uids
the edge of space in a completely con-
trolled manner when mounted on large
scientific balloons. It is a fully self-con-
tained system (autonomous avionics,
power, environmental controls, and sen-
sors) that attaches to the exterior of bal-
loon gondolas. Strat-X has removable
panels for hardware integration, and four
A Carlyle Johnson Company
independently rotating skewers that
hold experimental samples. centritecseals.com
Strat-X has a flexible design with remov-
able panels for hardware integration, a
860-643-1531
control board for autonomous operations,
www.techbriefs.com Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-725
Cov ToC + A
 Mechanical &
Fluid Systems

Strat-X has a flexible design with removable panels for hardware integration, a control board for
autonomous operations, and four doors for timed exposures aloft. Four independent skewers can
rotate 180 to expose samples to the outside environment.

and four doors for timed exposures aloft.
The housing of the entire Strat-X system is
composed of an 80/20 (aluminum alloy)
frame and white powder-coated alu-
minum panels. The four independent
skewers can rotate 180 to expose samples
to the outside environment, or enclose
samples and maintain ambient conditions
inside Strat-X. Each cylindrical skewer is
housed in a frame laced with Shuttle
Nomex Felt Reusable Surface Insulation
(FRSI) to shield the samples from light.
Its cube-like shape makes the technol-
ogy easy to mount. Strat-X was built to
operate in a near space environment
(Earths stratosphere), and thus, is a very
durable system capable of running tight-
ly controlled scientific experiments in
an extremely harsh environment.
This work was done by Prital Thakrar,
Anthony Bharrat, David J. Smith, Adam
Dokos, Nicole Dawkins, Teresa Kinney, Leandro
James, Michael Lane, and Bradley Shea of
Kennedy Space Center. NASA is seeking part-
ners to further develop this technology through
joint cooperative research and development.
For more information about this technology
and to explore opportunities, please contact
KSC-DL-TechnologyTransfer@mail.nasa.gov.
KSC-13921

Hydraulic Pressure Distribution

System
This mechanism enhances the performance of mechanically
impeding elements in an on-command operational
exoskeleton.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

H uman operation in space over long

time periods causes bone and mus-
cle deterioration, so there is a need for
countermeasures in the form of physical
exercises consisting of working against
controlled resistivity. Generally, there
are three types of exercise machines that
are used by space crews to maintain their
fitness: the Crew Exercise Vibration
Isolation System (CEVIS), the Treadmill
Vibration Isolation System/Second ISS
Treadmill (TVIS/T2), and the Advanced
Resistive Exercise Device (ARED). These
machines have the limitations of very
large mass (some weigh about a ton),
large operational volumes, cumbersome
design, and the need to compensate the
generated vibrations and large shifting
of the center of mass. They also require
interrupting the astronauts duties to
perform the exercises, as well as requir-
ing periodic costly maintenance. The
disclosed device provides key elements
to enabling the design and operation of
compact exercise machines that over-
come many of the disadvantages of the
current exercise machines found on
space vehicles/stations.

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-726 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Various machines have been developed
to address the need for countermeasures
of bone and muscle deterioration when High Pressure
humans operate over extended time in Fluid Line
space. Even though these machines are in
use, each of them has many limitations
that need to be addressed in an effort to
Piston with
prepare for human missions to distant Motor Pump Virtual Valves
bodies in the solar system.
The need for an exercise exoskeleton
that performs on-demand resistivity by Low Pressure
Hydraulic Virtual
impeding applied forces and torques Actuator Valves
Fluid Line
involves the development of a novel
Electro-Rheological Fluid (ERF)-based The Hydraulic Power Distribution System was inspired by the human bodys heart and blood circu-
device. The resistive elements consist of lation system, where separate high-and low-pressure tubing lines are used.
pistons that are moving inside ERF-filled
cylinders. The piston consists of elec- was inspired by the human bodys heart designed to synchronize the operation
trodes set with very small gaps between and blood circulation system, where sep- of the ERF device with the user perform-
them, and allows the flow of ERF through arate high- and low-pressure tubing lines ance. Also, sensors are used to provide
the piston. The fluid flows through the are used. The flow necessary to actuate feedback to the controller.
piston when the piston is displaced and the ERF-based elements is provided by This work was done by Mircea Badescu,
the electrodes are not energized. mini-pumps and is assisted by a Yoseph Bar-Cohen, and Stewart Sherrit of
Once the electrodes are activated, the hydraulic pressure distribution system. Caltech for NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
electric field between them changes the The resultant force and the velocity of NASA is seeking partners to further develop
viscosity of the ERF fluid and the piston the piston are dependent on the electri- this technology through joint cooperative
resists motion. Moreover, if the electrodes cal field strength and the flow rate of the research and development. For more informa-
are activated and the system provides high pump. The flow rate is regulated by a tion about this technology and to explore
pressure on one side of the piston and low servo amplifier that controls the velocity opportunities, please contact Dan Broderick at
pressure on the other, the piston turns of the pump. The system controller is Daniel.F.Broderick@jpl.nasa.gov. NPO-48461
into a linear or rotary actuator depending
on the specific implementation. Tests of
the operation of ERF against load that Kapton Teflon PEEK FEP/PFA Mylar PET
were done in cooperation with
Northeastern University showed the feasi-
bility of this approach. To enhance the High Performance Films
operation of this mechanism, it is essential
to create a pressure difference between
the two sides of the piston. The disclosed
hydraulic system provides a pressure step-
Kapton:
ping method that addresses this need.
To increase the stiffness/resistance
FN, HN, Cirlex, MT, XC
bandwidth, ranging from free flow to
maximum viscosity, multiple electrodes Teflon PTFE
PEEK
are used to create the piston. In order to
enhance the resistive force that can be Cut to Width
obtained by this mechanism, input and Rolls
output pumping nipples are added to
the cylinder to allow entry of fluid to the
FEP/PFA Sheets
Small to No Minimums
side that needs to have increased pres-
sure, while removing fluids from the
Mylar With/Without
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other side of the piston. In this way, the
actuator turns from a resistive element PET Adhesive Small to Large Runs
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mentation. This use of pumping allows
enhancing the impending force, and 1(800) 461-4161
enabling, with the aid of an actuator, to
augment the user lifting capability with a sales@cshyde.com
force that can be as high as 700 N. The www.cshyde.com
pumping action needs to be controlled
while synchronizing it with the move- Belting Sheeting Die Cutting Laminating Slitting Die-less Knife Cutting
ment on the exoskeleton. This system

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-727 45

Intro Cov ToC + A

Information Technology & Software
Improved Digital Map Rendering Method
Software for aeronautics collision avoidance can be used in aerospace satellites,
automobiles, scientific research, marine charting systems, and medical devices.
Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, California
D ata adaptive algorithms are the criti-
cally enabling technology for auto-
matic collision avoidance system efforts
at NASAs Armstrong Flight Research
Center. These Armstrong-developed
algorithms provide an extensive and
highly efficient encoding process for
global-scale digital terrain maps (DTMs)
along with a real-time decoding process
to locally render map data. Available for
licensing, these terrain-mapping algo-
rithms are designed to be easily integrat-
ed into an aircrafts existing onboard
computing environment, or into an elec-
tronic flight bag (EFB) or mobile device
application. In addition to its use within
next-generation collision avoidance sys-
tems, the software can be adapted for
use in a wide variety of applications,
including aerospace satellites, automo-
biles, scientific research, marine chart-
ing systems, and medical devices.
NASA Armstrong collaborated with
the U.S. Air Force to develop algorithms
The DTM software uses a combination of regular and semi-regular geometric tiling for optimal ren-
dering of a requested map.
46
Intro
that interpret highly encoded large-area
terrain maps with geographically user-
defined error tolerances. A key feature
of the software is its ability to locally
decode and render DTMs in real time
for a high-performance airplane that
may need automatic course correction
due to unexpected and dynamic events.
Armstrong researchers are integrating
the algorithms into a Global Elevation
Data Adaptive Compression System
(GEDACS) software package, which will
enable customized maps from a variety
of data sources.
The DTM software performs its high-
performance encoding and decoding
processes using a unique combination of
regular and semi-regular geometric
tiling for optimal rendering of a request-
ed map. This tiling allows the software to
retain important slope information, and
continuously and accurately represent
the terrain. Maps and decoding logic are
integrated into an aircrafts existing
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
onboard computing environment, and
can operate on a mobile device, an EFB,
or flight-control and avionics computer
systems. Users can adjust the DTM
encoding routines and error tolerances
to suit evolving platform and mission
requirements. Maps can be tailored to
the flight profiles of a wide range of air-
craft, including fighter jets, UAVs, and
general aviation aircraft.
The DTM and GEDACS software
enable the encoding of global digital
terrain data into a file size small enough
to fit onto a tablet or other hand-
held/mobile device for next-generation
ground collision avoidance. With
improved digital terrain data, aircraft
could attain better performance. The
system monitors the ground approach
and an aircrafts ability to maneuver by
predicting several multidirectional
escape trajectories, a feature that will be
particularly advantageous to general avi-
ation aircraft.
Conventional DTM encoding tech-
niques used onboard high-performance
aircraft typically achieve relatively low
encoding process ratios. Also, the decod-
ing process can be computationally com-
plex, making them unsuitable for the
real-time constrained computing envi-
ronments of high-performance aircraft.
Implementation costs are also often pro-
hibitive for general aviation aircraft.
This software achieves its high encoding
process ratio by intelligently interpret-
ing its maps rather than requiring
absolute retention of all data. For exam-
ple, the DTM software notes the perime-
ter and depth of a mining pit but
ignores contours that are irrelevant
based on the particular aircrafts climb
and turn performance, and therefore
does not waste valuable computational
resources. Through this type of intelli-
gent processing, the software eliminates
the need to maintain absolute retention
of all data, and achieves a much higher
encoding process ratio than convention-
al terrain-mapping software. The result-
ing encoding process allows users to
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
store a larger library of DTMs in one place, enabling compre-
hensive map coverage at all times. Additionally, the ability to
selectively tailor resolution enables high-fidelity sections of ter-
rain data to be incorporated seamlessly into a map.
Potential applications include military and civil aeronautics
(collision avoidance, aerial firefighting, crop dusting), UAV
navigation and research, automotive GPS, geographical predi-
cation and planning, marine charting systems, geospatial infor-
mation systems, medical software, Earth science data collec-
tion, and gaming systems.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology.
Please contact the Technology Transfer Office at DFRC-TTO@
mail.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for
more information: http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
DRC-TOPS-8.

Interactive Diagnostic
Modeling Evaluator
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

N ASAs Ames Research Center has developed an interac-

tive diagnostic modeling evaluator (i-DME) tool to aid in
modeling for noise and lag in the data and debugging of sys-
tem models when fault detection, isolation, and recovery
results are incorrect. i-DME is designed to dramatically speed
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-728
up the modeling debugging process. Often what hinders
human-led model developments are 1) the sheer size of play-
back files, 2) the modeling for noise and lag in the data, and
3) debugging the fault/test relationships in the model. To
alleviate these problems, i-DME can automatically play back
very large data sets to find time points of interest where user-
set performance criteria for detection and isolation are violat-
ed. i-DME modifies the diagnostic model through its abstract
representation, diagnostic matrix (D-matrix). The types of
modifications are procedures ranging from modifying 0s and
1s in the D-matrix, adding/removing the rows/columns, or
modifying test/wrapper logic used to determine test results.
This software has the capacity to be applied to any complex
system for navigation or generation of large amounts of com-
plex data to identify, prioritize, and resolve errors in a self-
correcting manner.
The i-DME is a computer-user interactive procedure for
repairing the system model through its abstract representa-
tion, D-matrix, and then translating the changes back to the
system model. The system model is a schematic representa-
tion of faults, tests, and their relationship in terms of nodes
and arcs. D-matrix is derived from the system models propa-
gation paths as the relationships between faults and tests.
When the relation exists between fault and test, it is repre-
sented as 1 in the D-matrix. To repair the D-matrix and wrap-
per/test logic by playing back a sequence of nominal and fail-
ure scenarios (given), the user sets the performance criteria
and accepts/declines the proposed repairs. During D-matrix
repair, the interactive procedure includes conditions ranging
from modifying 0s and 1s in the matrix, adding/removing
the rows (failure sources) and columns (tests), or modifying
test/wrapper logic used to determine test results. The trans-
lation of changes to the system model is done via a process

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-729 47

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Information Technology &
Software
that maps each portion of the D-matrix
model to the corresponding locations
in the system model. Since the mapping
back to the system model is not unique,
more than one candidate system model
repair can be suggested. In addition to
supporting the modification, it pro-
vides a trace for each modification such
High-Fidelity 3D Electromagnetic (E&M) Propagation
Modeling Tools
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
F or a future potential radar sounder
mission to small celestial bodies like
comets and asteroids, it is important to
understand the interaction between
propagating waves and interior geophys-
ical structures. In general, it is not easy
to build a software model capable of
handling relevant dimensions with high
numerical accuracy. Researchers often
rely on a scaled-down model that cannot
fully represent physical phenomena.
The objectives of this work were to
develop three-dimensional (3D) forward
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Intro
that a rational basis for each decision
can be verified.
This software can potentially be used
in industrial applications, consumer
service applications, aerospace, chemi-
cal plant process monitoring, oil and gas
plant operations, and health monitoring
systems.
electro-magnetic (E&M) modeling and
fully coherent back-projection imaging
tools for future potential radar sounder
missions to small primitive solar system
bodies like comets and asteroids. The for-
ward propagation modeling tools are for
accurately describing the propagation of
E&M waves both inside and outside of a
small celestial body, while minimizing
numerical computations and suppressing
numerical errors below 60 dB, com-
pared with the strength of incident waves.
The back-projection imaging tools are for
building 3D interior structures using sim-
ulated radar echoes (3D tomography) as
well as evaluating its performance. The
forward and back-projection tools would
enable understanding of radar echo-
grams (radargrams) from internal reflec-
tions of the incident waves, and derive
geophysical parameters such as internal
dielectric properties and losses at the res-
olution of a wavelength.
The tools achieved high computation-
al efficiency using MATLABs paral-
lelized matrix operations. The 3D tools
consisted of a wrapper and core compu-
tational subroutines. The wrapper
allowed users to construct a 3D comet in
any shape and size as well as specify basic
radar-related parameters such as wave-
length and source (dipole antenna) loca-
tion. The 3D comet model included real
and imaginary permittivity values at a
regularly spaced 3D grid.
The first step of the forward modeling
was to compute the exact electric and
magnetic dipole fields near the source,
and then project them onto the top sur-
face of the simulation domain via an ana-
lytic method. Until this time, there were
no numerical calculations and errors;
everything was analytic. Once the dipole
fields were injected, corresponding 3D
electric and magnetic fields were allowed
to numerically propagate in time while
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
NASA is actively seeking licensees to com-
mercialize this technology. Please contact
the Technology Partnerships Office at
ARC-TechTransfer@mail.nasa.gov to initiate
licensing discussions. Follow this link for more
information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
patent/TB2016/TOP2-245.
satisfying Maxwells equations inside and
outside the comet. Electric and magnetic
fields were all 3D MATLAB matrices,
allowing each field matrix to be updated
simultaneously. At the boundaries of the
simulation domain, Perfectly Matched
Layers (PMLs) were added so that any
E&M fields leaving the simulation
domain were almost entirely absorbed.
The amount of reflected power from the
PMLs was weakened by about 100 dB.
The PMLs were designed to be flexible
enough so that their effectiveness could
be controlled after taking into account
the size of the simulation domain or com-
putational time. This was the most critical
part of the 3D forward modeling work
that was not found in commercial tools.
Once the incident fields were scattered
by the 3D comet body, the resulting waves
propagated outward in all directions. To
collect E&M fields at the sensor location
where the incident fields were originally
generated, a near-field to far-field trans-
form (NFFT) was implemented. This
used the initial field projection layer as a
sensing layer. Any fields detected at the
sensing layer were projected back to the
source via NFFT. This avoided numerical
errors from a long-distance propagation
from the simulation domain to the
source, as well as minimized memory
resource and computational load. By
employing both the analytic source field
projection and the NFFT, numerical sim-
ulations were confined around the comet
body, although the source could be locat-
ed far away 20-100 km.
This work was done by Darmindra
Arumugam and Xiaoqing Wu of Caltech for
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This soft-
ware is available for license through the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, and you may request
a license at: https://download.jpl.nasa.gov/
ops/request/request_introduction.cfm.
NPO-49985
NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
 August 2016

Combination motor/drive
packages from Siemens
Industry are rugged cast-iron
for heavy-duty industrial
applications. See page 55.

/motion
briefs.com
.tech
www

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Balancing Motor Control,
Radiation Tolerance, and Power
Consumption in Space Applications

M odern satellites use motors for

many purposes moving solar
panels for optimum alignment to the
BLDC Axis

Sun; moving reaction wheels to change APB3 Interface

the orientation of the satellite, steer-
ing antennae for telecommunication, PI Init Values
Rate Speed
Limiter Command
ground contact, and radar purposes; Rotor
Rotor Speed Closed Loop
and moving focal planes, mirrors, and Position and Speed
Position Switchover Speed
Open Loop
filters in imaging satellites, to name just Manager
a few examples. Time
v , v , i , i Closed Sequence
FOC Angle Loop Controller
In space applications, the highest reli- Scheduled Pl
Controller for Id, Manager
Iq, and Speed FOC Transformations
ability possible is needed, as repair or va, v3a,
vb, v3b,
Speed PWM A
rework is impractical after a satellite is Pl
Iq-Pl vq,vd Inv. Inv. vc
SVM
v3c PWM 3 Phase
PWM B
Park Clarke Scaling PWM
launched. By controlling motors digital- PWM C
0 Id-Pl
ly, sophisticated fault detection, isola-
tion, and recovery algorithms can be lq, ld ia, ib
Raw ADC SDI
Park Clarke ADC data ADC ADC CS\
implemented to prolong the useful life Scaling Interface ADC SCK
of motors, and therefore maximize the ADC SDO

service life of the satellite. Furthermore,

digital control allows the collection of
telemetry data on motor performance
and subsequent transmission to the
satellite control station on Earth. With
digital control, power-efficient motor
control algorithms can be deployed to
minimize the consumption of power
generated by the satellites solar panels
or stored in its batteries. Resources are
extremely limited in outer space, and
power conservation along with fault pro-
tection should both top the list of prior-
ities of a spacecraft.
Fault Protection: Cosmic
Radiation
Cosmic radiation in space is a well-
documented problem that poses a
threat to the ASICs and FPGAs where
digital control is implemented, and a
corruption of the control data can ren-
der the entire system inoperable.
Dealing with the effects of cosmic radia-
tion on spacecraft is an important and
Block diagram of FOC sensorless implementation to control speed and torque of a BLDC motor.
complex process. Single-event effects, each component of a satellites digital
such as latch-ups and single-event control system is up to industry stan-
upsets, can damage spacecraft electron- dards is just as imperative as the compo-
ics severely and suddenly, while total ion- nents function itself. Implementing a
izing dose (TID) exposure accumulates system that is designed to be more effi-
over time, gradually causing electronic cient and more durable is great, but ulti-
devices to exceed specified limits. Flight- mately ineffective unless it operates reli-
critical and mission-critical systems need ably throughout the entire intended life-
to be designed with components that time of the mission. This is the primary
have well-established and well-docu- purpose of the quality standards adopt-
mented tolerance to radiation effects. ed and implemented by the space indus-
try, and this is why it is important to thor-
Reliability and Qualification oughly test each part in accordance to
Although reliable processes and tech- those standards.
nologies are clear necessities for compo- A component failing in space could
nents in spaceflight applications, they jeopardize the mission of a satellite that
are simply not enough. Reliability cost billions of dollars, decades of effort,
screening on a per-part basis is needed or could even cost a human life, which is
to screen out manufacturing defects and why the qualifications for parts are the
to eliminate early failures, sometimes toughest and the tests require the most
called infant mortalities. Ensuring that scrutiny. In this way, qualification to

50 www.techbriefs.com/motion Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

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Intro Cov ToC + A

Balancing Motor Control

QML criteria provides assurance to satel-

lite operators who are committing $100
million to $1 billion (per satellite) that
the parts they are using have been
assessed by industry experts to be suffi-
ciently reliable for flight-critical and life-
critical space applications. If they are
putting that much money and effort into
their project and risking human lives in
their endeavors, they can take their qual-
ifications as a form of security for their
investment.
However, in order for customers to
put themselves through such strenuous
qualification processes and invest so
much into new forms of digital control,
these systems must provide some clear
advantage. So going back to the original
solution, what exactly does power-effi-
cient digital motor control look like?

Overview of Motor Control

Algorithms
Sensorless field-oriented control
(FOC) theory is one that is commonly
applied in controlling basic permanent
magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs)
and brushless DC motors (BLDCs) using
an FPGA, and is known for its precise,
sensorless control while optimizing the
use of control resources. The FOC sys-
tem is composed of several algorithm
blocks, each providing various control
and feedback monitoring functions.
Digital control systems communicate
with the motors through voltage and
current signals, and these algorithm
blocks are instrumental in translating
the necessary messages. FOC transfor-
mation blocks are there to ensure an
optimum usage of resources: open-loop
management blocks can calculate the
position and speed of the motors, the
rate limiter block programs a smooth
transition as the motor changes speed,
and there are a host of other blocks that
perform a variety of other critical
actions. Additionally, these blocks can
often service multiple functions for fault
detection and reset purposes. The open-
loop management blocks not only track
motor position and speed, but also mon-
itor the back-EMF from the motor,
which can then be communicated to the
rate limiter as motor feedback. The rate
limiter can use this data to force the con-
trol output to zero instantaneously for
an auto-restart if there is an irregularity
in the back-EMF caused by an unknown
exterior braking force, for example.
Motor control kit operating three stepper motors and one BLDC motor.
From facilitating feedback from vari-
ous position and speed sensors to
enabling precise control of motor
speed over a wide range of speeds, and
even detecting stall and overcurrent
conditions, these algorithms employed
in digital motor control structures pro-
vide such a versatile set of functions.
These functions will, in the end,
increase the reliability of satellites, pro-
tecting the motors and saving precious
power. This is the way of the future in
motor control, and some modern, radi-
ation-tolerant FPGAs can successfully
tackle these challenges while having
the added ability of mitigating radia-
tion effects.
Todays Solutions
The latest industry FPGAs are paving
the way into this future, and feature all
of the IP required for sensorless FOC
motor control, with the benefit of hav-
ing radiation-hardened circuitry hard-
wired directly into their architecture.
With more than 100,000 triple-modu-
lar redundant flip-flops, several Mb of
internal storage, radiation-hardened
configuration memory, and an abun-
dance of mathblocks, user I/Os, and
SERDES lanes operating at multiple
Gbps, these solutions are designed to
handle complex tasks in space such as
digital motor control. Development
kits are also readily available on the
market in support of the newest
FPGAs, which allow designers to run
custom tests and interface to a host PC.
Digital motor control is the clear
path to the highest potential reliability
in space application. Its utilization
leads to new levels of conservation of
power, while the added countermea-
sures embedded in the fabric of the
algorithms provide increased protec-
tion for the motors and satellite instru-
ments. But remember it is not enough
to protect the elements under digital
control. Having radiation-tolerant dig-
ital electronics and FPGAs also is need-
ed for a completely reliable spacecraft.
Radiation mitigation in digital space
electronics as well as proper screening
qualifications will ensure that the con-
trol center executing the algorithms is
protected and can be supported by
industry documents.
The operational motor control algo-
rithms of modern FPGAs can meet the
performance requirements of space sys-
tems, while meeting the radiation
requirements of space applications, with
minimum power consumption and max-
imum flexibility.
This article was written by Truman
Tai of Microsemi Corporation, Alisa Viejo,
CA. For more information, visit
http://info.hotims.com/61064-320.

52 www.techbriefs.com/motion Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

Applications
Flexibility of LVIT Technology in Factory Automation
Applications
W hat is a Linear Variable Inductive
Transducer (LVIT) and where are
they used? LVITs, which have been
around for more than 30 years, are rela-
tively low-cost, contactless position sens-
ing devices that utilize eddy currents
developed by an inductor in the surface
of a conductive movable element that is
mechanically coupled to the moving
object whose position is being measured.
The common form of an LVIT uses a
small-diameter inductive probe sur-
rounded by a conductive tube called a
spoiler. Typical LVITs have full ranges
from fractions of an inch to 30 or more
inches. Modern electronics utilizing
microprocessors make possible out-
standing performance, achieving linear-
ity errors of less than 0.15% of full-scale
output (FSO), and temperature coeffi-
cients of 50 ppm/F, along with either
analog or digital outputs. See Figure 1
for a cutaway view.
LVITs are used in many factory
automation applications, including
packaging and material handling equip-
ment, die platen position in plastic
molding machines, roller positioning
and web tension controls in paper mills
or converting facilities, and robotic
spray painting systems. Being contact-
less, the basic measurement mechanism
of an LVIT does not wear out over time
due to rapid cycling or dithering like a
resistive device. LVITs also offer a much
lower installed cost than that of most
other contactless technologies.
While Figure 1 shows a LVIT that is
intended to be attached to the part it is
measuring, LVITs can also be spring
loaded, as shown in Figure 2. The natu-
ral question is: where does one use a
spring-loaded LVIT sensor versus anoth-
er spring-loaded technology such as an
LVDT gage head?
In fact, LVITs can be used in place of
traditional gage heads primarily because
electrically, an LVIT offers the same res-
olution and repeatability, and mechani-
cally, the same outer diameter and an
external mounting thread, but with
about half of the length of the gage
Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016 www.techbriefs.com/motion
Intro
Sensing Element
Precision Ground
Stainless Steel
Probe
Engineering Plastic Non-Corrosive
Rod Eyes
Figure 1. An LVIT intended to be attached to the part it is measuring.
Figure 2. A spring-loaded LVIT.
head. This makes the stroke-to-length
ratio of an LVIT substantially better. And
all of these features come at a markedly
lower cost. Why utilize a 9-inch-long sen-
sor to measure 1 inch of travel when the
same performance can be achieved with
a 4-inch-long LVIT sensor? LVIT-based
gaging applications in factory automa-
tion typically mirror those for traditional
gage heads.
When compared to LVDT pencil
gaging probes, a spring-loaded LVIT
can satisfy many of the same applica-
tions: automotive, medical, and
mil/aero test stands, robotic arms,
part placement, and shop-floor dimen-
sional gaging applications, to name a
few. Pencil probes are typically select-
ed for one of two reasons: resolution
and repeatability, or size. Pencil
probes are smaller (either 8 mm or
0.375" OD) than LVITs and have reso-
lution and repeatability of 4 millionths
of an inch. However, a pencil probe
Cov ToC + A
Microprocessor-Based
Smart Electronics
Radial
Connector
or Cable I/O
High-Performance
Low-Friction
Spoiler Guide
Stainless Steel or
Anodized Aluminum Housing
requires a separate LVDT signal condi-
tioner, making the cost per channel
typically double the cost of an LVIT. If
an application does not require the
specific features of a pencil probe, a
spring-loaded LVIT is a much lower-
cost alternative.
Some factory automation applications
that have been solved by proximity sen-
sors can be better satisfied with LVIT
technology, which offers a proportional
analog output, giving greater control
flexibility than merely an NPN or PNP
TTL switching signal. The spring-loaded
LVIT shown in Figure 2 has an 18-mm
thread on its housing, matching a
thread commonly used by proximity sen-
sor manufacturers. With an LVITs short
body length, the sensor can fit in places
or mountings where there previously
was a proximity probe.
This article was contributed by Alliance Sensors
Group, Moorestown, NJ. For more information,
visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-322.
53
 NEW
Tested,
Proven,
Products
Guaranteed Drive Indexer
Nexen Group (Vadnais Heights, MN) introduced the PRD
Precision Ring Drive indexer, an alternative to direct drive motors
that can start and stop at any incremental position. The motion pro-
file is changed by loading a new servo drive program into the sys-
tem. The unit delivers flexible indexing and rotary positioning in
welding, positioning system, medical product, automotive, aero-
space, and semiconductor applications. The system combines roller pinion system technology
with a bearing and gearhead. The table is supported by a cross-roller bearing rated for loads up
to 1575 kN. It is capable of speeds up to 94 RPM, and can handle peak torque inputs at any time.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-300

Ground Fault Sensors

1
62

NK Technologies (San Jose, CA) offers AGLD Series

t3
s

ground fault sensors that protect machinery and operators

Te

from accidental shocks. The one-piece, solid-core design

allows for installation over wires feeding heavy loads. The
output relay will change state at any point between 5 and
100mA, or 80 and 950mA. A delay can be set to allow down-
stream protection to activate before the sensor, keeping the
main circuit protection hot and equipment energized while smaller faults are cleared. The large
LED display shows the trip point and extra delay in any light condition. Features include electro-
mechanical relay output that provides both normally open and normally closed contacts; com-
patibility with most automation and control systems; external power with a choice of failsafe or
standard operation; a solid-core case with a large sensing window that provides ample space for
multiple conductors; and DIN rail mount for installation.
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Actuator Assemblies
AutomationDirect (Cumming, GA) offers SureMotion
actuator assemblies for X-Y and X-Y-Z positioning systems.
Twin round-shaft slide actuators feature a continuously sup-
ported round rail slide with ball screw actuation. Models are
available with 12" and 24" travel distances, and are designed
for positioning systems and heavy loads. They connect to a
NEMA 23 size motor. Compact slide actuators are self-con-
tained and designed for light loads in harsh or wet condi-
tions in a small package. Fitted with end-of-travel switch mounts, and ready for a NEMA 17
size motor connection, the units also feature a stainless steel lead screw embedded in a hard-
Thousands of cables, coated aluminum shaft to match sliding elements. The slide actuators are available with travel
distances ranging from 6 to 36", and travel speeds up to 20" per second. LAVL series linear
tested for millions of slide actuators are designed to fit NEMA 17 size motors, and are constructed with hard-coated
cycles in the igus aluminum guide shafts and a stainless steel lead screw. They can be mounted horizontally, ver-
tically, or inverted, and are available with travel distances ranging from 6 to 24".
lab. 100% guaranteed For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-302
for up to 36 months
of continuous-ex Electric Linear Actuators
performance. Thomson Industries (Wood Dale, IL) offers Electrak HD
electric linear actuators that enable design engineers to con-
Chainex works... vert hydraulic applications to electric. The actuators boost
power to 10 kN (2250 lbs) with stroke lengths up to 1000 mm
or your money back! (39"). The actuators meet environmental and electronic com-
ponent acceptance tests, including IP69K for harsh environ-
ments. Optional SAE-J1939 CAN bus communication enables
controllability and diagnostics on machines compatible with the SAE-J1939 CAN bus protocol.
Options include low-level switching, end-of-stroke indication output, and a choice of analog or
digital position feedback. The actuators offer speed options up to 75 mm/s (3 in/sec) on some
www.igus.com/chainex models, and operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to + 85 C (- 40 to + 185 F).
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-303

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-732 www.techbriefs.com/motion Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

Motors/Drives
Siemens Industry (Elk Grove Village, IL)
released combination motor/drive packages for
heavy-duty industrial motion control applications
that are power-matched for 480V high-overload
operation through a 20 HP range, with I2T protec-
tion from thermal damage provided as a standard
in both the motor and drive components. The
Siemens Intelligent Operator Panel (IOP) is included for drive start-
up. The SIMOTICS SD100 motors are rugged cast-iron with inverter
duty ratings in a 4:1 speed range for constant torque, and 20:1 speed
range for variable torque. Simotics SD100 units are severe-duty TEFC
motors that meet NEMA Premium efficiency. Communications selec-
tions include RS-485 with USS and Modbus protocols. A Profibus vari-
ant also is offered.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-304
Rod Cylinders
The PREX Series pre-extended rod
cylinders from Clippard Instrument
Laboratory (Cincinnati, OH) is designed
for use in a range of applications, and is
constructed of stainless steel. Bore sizes
range from " up to 2" in a variety of stan-
dard, pre-extended lengths, including fully extended, half-extended,
and semi-extended. The universally compatible cylinders eliminate
the need for the end user to extend their own rod.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-313
Linear and Rotary Stages
PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. (Auburn,
MA) offers Q-Motion multi-axis piezo-
motor stackable linear and rotary stages in
various sizes and motion ranges. High-pre-
cision motion applications benefit from
encoders employed in closed-loop stages, providing resolution from
microns down to 1 nm. Vacuum-compatible stages, UHV, and non-mag-
netic options are also available. Standard stages can be modified, or fully
customized parts are available to meet application requirements. Digital
motion controllers and drivers come with software support, a graphical
user interface, programming examples, and LabVIEW drivers.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-307
Six-Axis Robots
Mitsubishi Electric Automation (Vernon Hills,
IL) introduced RV-F Series 6-axis robots in 35, 50,
and 70 kg payloads for applications that require
high payloads and long reaches, including CNC
machine tending, large-material handling, and
assembly applications. The robots feature long-
reach arms so tasks can be spread farther apart. The
robots can accommodate larger parts and processes
with the ability to extend up to 2050 mm. They pro-
vide seamless integration with the Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation
(MELFA) integrated automation products, and are available in IP40 and
IP67 protection ratings to conform to various application requirements.
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Linear XY Rotary Multi-Axis

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Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-733 55

Intro Cov ToC + A


LINEAR MOTOR PRODUCTS
FIT FOR EVERY APPLICATION
PJPL LINEAR HYBRID
LEAD-SCREW STEPPER
LINEAR SHAFT MOTOR
LINEARSTEP
Nippon Pulses linear servo, stage and stepper
products all have different strengths.
Some are incredibly precise. Some create high-force
movement in a compact package. Some have exceptional
bi-directional accuracy. Some simplify the conversion of
rotary-to-linear movement.
Any of them can be customized to meet your exact
application specifications. All of them will impress you.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
Nippon Pulse
Your Partner in Motion Control
nipponpulse.com | info@nipponpulse.com | 1-540-633-1677
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-734
56 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-735
Intro Cov
NEW
Products
Motion Platform
SCR STAGE Griffin Motion (Apex, NC) introduced
the CXY-BS Series 150-mm Precision XY
Motion Platform for use in microscopy,
inspection, wafer processing, laser marking,
and optical positioning applications. The low-profile,
ball-screw-drive stage features orthogonality of 10 arcsec, and enables
150 mm of precise XY travel with 10 m linear accuracy and 1 m linear
repeatability. Capable of operating in any orientation, the platform can
also attain linear velocities of up to 150 mm/sec. The platform features
an aperture-less frame and an integrated brushless servo motor directly
coupled to zero-backlash, precision-ground ball screws. The platform
also features crossed roller bearings, resolution of 0.1 m, linear SS
scale encoder, optical limit switches, and optional brakes. The platform
measures 12.05 14.10 2.60" with regard to length, width, and height.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-306
Cartesian Robot System
Rollon Corp. (Hackettstown, NJ) offers Motion
Box, a pre-engineered Cartesian robot system
designed to deliver six different motion profiles that
can be set up and running in a couple of hours.
The Motion Box initial system setup is complete
so end users can get parts moving in a reliable and
repeatable manner. The six pre-programmed motion
profiles are: 121212", 161616", 202020", 303020",
404020", and 604020". After defining the available space and
required motion footprint, users check the load and speed require-
ments. Whether the load is 5 or 50 kg, maximum speeds are based on
this variable. Load and speed charts enable users to determine travel
times for x, y, and z axes so that the correct system matches the appli-
cation. Motion Box offers flexible integration options via an Ethernet
connection. The Cartesian robot system can connect to wider automa-
tion setups using EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, TCP/IP, CC-Link, Profibus,
and ProfiNet, as well as company networks and control architectures.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-308
Shaft Voltage Rings
AEGIS PRO Series Rings from Electro
Static Technology (Mechanic Falls, ME)
divert VFD-induced shaft voltages to
ground, protecting large AC and DC
motors from bearing damage. Available
for motor shafts to 30" in diameter, the
rings are designed for high-current appli-
cations such as generators, turbines, and medium-voltage motors.
Embedded in the channel along the inner circumference of the rings,
six rows of conductive microfibers surround the motor shaft, providing
millions of discharge points for harmful shaft currents, and creating
the path of least resistance that diverts the currents away from bearings
to ground.
The rings are available in solid- and split-ring versions. Solid
rings are designed for installation on new or repaired motors prior
to their installation. Split rings come in mating halves that simplify
field installation around the shafts of in-service/coupled motors.
The AEGIS PRO SLR Ring is designed with O-ring barriers that
prevent the ingress of dust, debris, and excessive contamination.
The AEGIS PRO-MR combines a PRO Bearing Protection Ring
with a shaft voltage monitoring ring in a compact unit. It enables
real-time monitoring of shaft voltage levels on motors in remote or
hard-to-access locations.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-309
Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016
ToC + A
 Linear Stages
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions
(Waterbury, CT) released WGS motor-
ized linear stages that can be directly
coupled to size 17 and size 23 step
motors to provide a compact design.
Utilizing a patented bolt-on design, the integrated, motorized stage solu-
tion eliminates previously required couplings. More than 20 lead screw
configurations and multiple motor size and stack options are available.
The motorized linear stage is suited for a variety of applications, includ-
ing blood analyzers, microscopy stages, auto-samplers, industrial x-y
stages, semiconductor inspection equipment, and other custom x, y, or
z stages that require a self-contained guide rail and drive mechanism.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-310
Elastomer Couplings
R+W America (Bensenville, IL)
released SP6 SERVOMAX elastomer
couplings for high-speed spindle appli-
cations. The hubs are capable of han-
dling circumferential speeds of up to 80 m/s, and higher torque levels per
size. The couplings have adjustable positioning of the outer clamping
ring, allowing users to fine tune the location during installation. With a
choice of high-strength aluminum or steel, the couplings are available in
four body sizes with bore diameters ranging from 14 to 55 mm, torque rat-
ings from 60 to 1350 Nm, and standard speed ratings from 18,000 to
28,000 rpm with certified balancing for higher speeds on request.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-311
Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016
Intro Cov ToC
Motion Sensor
Mouser Electronics (Mansfield, TX) offers
the Bosch Sensortec BMF055 9-axis motion
sensor, a System-in-Package (SiP) MEMS sen-
sor. The sensor contains a triaxial 16-bit gyro-
scope, a triaxial 14-bit accelerometer, and a
geomagnetic sensor. The gyroscope is range-switchable from 125 degrees
per second to 2,000 degrees per second. The accelerometer offers accel-
eration ranges from 2g, 4g, 8g, and 16g. The magnetometer has a typ-
ical field range of 1,300T (x-, y-axis), with a field resolution of approxi-
mately 0.3T. The 32-bit ARM Cortex M0+ general-purpose microcon-
troller features 256 kB of flash and 32 kB of SRAM, and interfaces with the
three sensors through a serial peripheral interface (SPI).
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-305
Material Handling Equipment
Verti-Lift (Louisville, KY) offers material handling
equipment including scissor lift tables,
turntables, and tilt tables with virtually any
type of conveyor built in. These include
ball transfer conveyors, gravity roller convey-
ors, and heavy-duty, chain-driven, live roller conveyors (CDLR).
Standard sizes and custom designs are available, with vertical travel of
24 to 60", and capacities from 2,000 to 6,000 pounds. Single or tandem
scissor lifts are available with single, double, or custom widths in floor
or pit mounted designs for assembly line or batch process production
and assembly projects.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-315
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-736 57
+ A
 New on the
MARKET
Product of the Month
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, North Kingstown, RI, introduced the BLAZE 600M non-contact
optical measurement solution. The flexible, manually operated system provides ultra-rapid 3D data acquisi-
tion and actionable data for measurement, inspection, product development, line tuning, and reverse engi-
neering. The scanner performs feature and surface measurements of parts and assemblies in various sizes,
combining high-resolution digital imaging with blue light LED illumination, and does not require surface
treatment of metallic, plastic, and composite parts. The system is not sensitive to industrial and ambient light
sources or indirect daylight. It is designed for operation in high-vibration industrial environments. The all-
in-one system is available in two projection configurations for tasks such as routine dimensional control operations or measurement of work-
pieces with complex features or challenging material types. Operators can also directly switch between surface data acquisition modes.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-120

Product Focus: Mechanical Components

Miniature Connectors Diaphragm Seal

Fischer Connectors, Alpharetta, GA,
introduced the MiniMax 06 ultra-minia-
ture connector that can include up to 12
power and signal contacts in a 10-mm
footprint. The connector also features a
configuration with two signal and two
high-power 1.3-mm contacts for applications needing 10 Amps or
more power. Also available as a pre-cabled solution, it is suited for
handheld or body-worn applications when space is limited.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-100
The Ashcroft DF diaphragm seal from
Ashcroft, Stratford, CT, provides a means
to isolate pressure instruments from harsh
media. The flush flanged design elimi-
nates the use of a lower housing and pre-
vents clogging around the diaphragm. A
raised face or ring joint flange mates directly to six different sized
ASME flange unions. Several choices of diaphragm sizes, wetted
materials, and instrument connections are available.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-103

Self-Clinching Standoff Coin Cell Contacts

Fasteners
PEM self-clinching standoff fasteners
from PennEngineering, Danboro, PA,
enable mounting, spacing, or stacking of
panels, boards, or components in assem-
blies. The fasteners include a range of types and styles designed for
permanent installation into metal sheets as thin as .025". The fasten-
ers can be specified with through-hole or blind threads, unthreaded,
or with closed ends promoting a flush appearance in an assembly.
They are available in a variety of lengths in a choice of materials.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-101
Keystone Electronics, Astoria, NY, intro-
duced SMT enclosure coin cell contacts for
connections in self-contained battery com-
partments. The contacts require minimal
board space while allowing installation and
removal of a coin cell battery within a bat-
tery enclosure. Manufactured from gold-plated stainless steel, the
contacts offer low contact resistance and spring tension that adjusts
to all cell height variations for connectivity of coin cells with diame-
ters from 12 mm and larger, with heights from 1.2 to 7.7 mm.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-104

Connectors Board-Level Connectors

C&K Components, Newton, MA,
announced the Space Splice high-reliabil-
ity connecting solution that is an alterna-
tive to manual splicing. The one-way con-
nectors deliver radiation and temperature
resistance, low residual magnetism, and
low degassing, and are manufactured in accordance with ESA/ESCC
specifications. They accept most popular cable gauges (AWG 20 AWG
30), and employ removable, D*MA crimpable contact technology that
allows for both manual and guiding-tool-assisted insertion.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-102
Amphenol Industrial Products
Group, Sidney, NY, offers Max M12
board-level connectors that mate to a
PCB board with straight or right-angle
solder pins. The connectors can trans-
mit high-speed data in environments
where there is high vibration, mois-
ture, salt, dirt, and debris. The field-installable and repairable con-
nectors are based on IEC 61076-2-101 and SAE J2839, and can be
mated with any standard M12 connector with the same indexing.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-105

The U.S. Government does not endorse any commercial product or service identified in this section.

58 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

Radar Level Transmitter Fabric-Reinforced Silicone
The LVRD10 Series of general-purpose Stockwell Elastomerics,
guided wave radar level transmitters from Philadelphia, PA, offers SNE-
OMEGA Engineering, Stamford, CT, pro- 556-R and SNE-540-R nickel-
vides continuous level measurement with a graphite-filled silicone rub-
4 to 20 mA signal output. They are offered ber with fabric reinforcement
in three probe (rod, coaxial, or cable) con- that can be die cut or water
figurations up to 3 m (9.8') for the rod and jet cut into EMI shielding gas-
coaxial, and 5.5 m (18.0') for the cable kets with narrow cross sections. SNE-556-R is a 65 durometer conduc-
design. The contact liquid level sensor is tive silicone used for EMI and environmental sealing. SNE-540-R is a
intended for low corrosive chemical, waste, oil, or water storage appli- softer version, made in 40 durometer for more conformability. Both
cations in above-grade metal or reinforced concrete tanks, or below- materials are made in 12" and 15" wide continuous rolls in standard
grade tanks of any material. thicknesses of .020" and .032".
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-106 For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-108

Angle Sensor Network Design Software

ASM Sensors, Elmhurst, IL, Gap Wireless, Mississauga, Ontario,
introduced the POSIROT PRAS6 Canada, introduced the iBwave Wi-Fi
non-contact analog angle sensor Suite that provides bundled cloud-
that measures angular displace- connected products to streamline the
ment and position of rotating in-building Wi-Fi network planning
objects from 0-360 using magnetic and design process. The solution pro-
Hall technology. The sensors are vides 3D modeling, prediction calibra-
resistant to shock and vibration, tion, a components database of all
and feature a laser-welded stainless network equipment, and an iBwave viewer for customers to view design
steel 1.4404 housing. The housing withstands aggressive fluids and files and run reports. iBwave Wi-Fi Mobile is a cloud-connected
features sealing capability protection to IP69K. Outputs are avail- mobile app that enables users to survey and design Wi-Fi networks
able in voltage or current. from their tablet.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-107 For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-109

FAST PULSE TEST SOLUTIONS MULTIPHYSICS HEATRON

Avtech offers over 500 standard models of high-speed
pulse generators for R&D and automated factory-
floor testing. Some of our standard models include:
AVR-EB4-B: for reverse-recovery time tests
AV-156F-B: for airbag tests
AVO-9A-B: for laser diode tests
AV-151J-B: for piezoelectric tests
AVOZ-D2-B: for testing of attenuators
AVR-DV1-B: for phototriac dV/dt tests
Pricing, manuals, datasheets:
http://www.avtechpulse.com/
Avtech Electrosystems Ltd
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-737
MODELING AND
SIMULATION
SOFTWARE
COMSOL Multiphysics is an
integrated software environ-
ment for creating physics-based
models and simulation apps.
Add-on products allow the simulation of electrical,
mechanical, fluid flow, and chemical applications.
Interfacing tools enable its integration with major
technical computing and CAD tools. Simulation
experts rely on the COMSOL Server product to
deploy apps to their colleagues and customers world-
wide. https://www.comsol.com/products
COMSOL, Inc.
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-738
HEATERS DELIVER
PRECISION
PERFORMANCE
Heatron brings 40 years of
engineering experience to
each heater and circuit we
make. With specialized technologies for aerospace
applications, Heatron custom heaters are right for
most manned and unmanned aircraft applications.
We offer US-located manufacturing, in-house
assembly, and comprehensive supply chain support
to keep projects on schedule. ISO 9001:2008.
www.techbriefs.com/heatron201608
Heatron
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-739

NASA LOW SWISS MADE 10- USED

OUTGASSING
SILVER
CONDUCTIVE
EPOXY
Master Bond EP3HTS-LO is a single component
electrically conductive epoxy for demanding bond-
ing, sealing and coating applications. This system
passes ASTM E595 tests for NASA low outgassing,
making it well suited for use in the aerospace, elec-
tronic, microelectronic and optical industries.
http://www.masterbond.com/tds/ep3hts-lo
PORT GIGABIT LABORATORY
SWITCH WITH 2 EQUIPMENT
SFP+ 10GBIT PhotoMachining, Inc.
PORTS is a contract laser man-
ufacturer and custom
MPLs new fanless MAXBES systems builder. We spe-
10-port switch comes with 8x RJ45 1Gbit and 2x SFP+ cialize in laser micro-
10GBit interfaces. The switch is available in a rugged machining using lasers from the far IR through the
fanless housing, IP67 MIL housing, or as Open UV. In addition, we sell used, refurbished, and like
Frame solution. The manageable MAXBES supports new laboratory equipment including lasers, optics,
standards like EN50155, MIL-STD-810, etc., and can optical hardware, electronics, microscopes, etc.
be operated at -20C to +60C (optionally up to Contact sales@photomachining.com, or phone 603-
+70C). http://www.mpl.ch/t2871.html 882-9944. www.photomachining.com

Master Bond
MPL AG Switzerland PhotoMachining, Inc.
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-740 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-741 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-742

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016 www.techbriefs.com 59

Intro Cov ToC + A

Upcoming...

Webinars
Thermal Management: Heat Pipes, HiK
Plates, and Vapor Chambers Selection and
Modeling
Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 2:00 pm ET
Heat pipes, high conductivity (HiK) plates, and vapor chambers are two-phase technologies that are often considered for electronics cool-
ing. When properly engineered for power and mission duration, all of these devices provide passive, reliable cooling.
This Webinar will provide engineers with an understanding of the fundamental parameters for all three devices, including operating principles,
thermal performance, thermal conductivity, weight, and cost.

Speakers:
Pete Ritt Devin Pellicone This 30-minute Webinar includes:
VP, Sales and Marketing Lead Engineer, Special Products Live Q&A session
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. Application Demo
Access to archived event on demand

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar365

Rapid Manufacturing: Not Just for Prototypes

Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at 2:00 pm ET

Prototyping processes such as 3D printing, CNC machining, and forms of injection molding have been known to produce great prototypes in
low quantities. The perception of these processes (known as Rapid Manufacturing) is that they are only valuable for prototyping. In this Webinar,
we will discuss 3D printing and low-volume injection molding, and how rapid manufacturing is changing the landscape of traditional manufacturing.

Speaker:
Tony Holtz This 30-minute Webinar includes:
Technical Specialist Live Q&A session
Proto Labs Application Demo
Access to archived event on demand

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar366

Compact Vibration Damper

Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at 2:00 pm ET
Structural vibrations frequently need to be damped to prevent damage to a structure. NASA Langley Research Center has developed
a compact tuned damper that reduces vibration occurring at a fixed frequency. In this Webinar, learn how the NASA damper design
allows the slider mass to achieve 2x-3x greater range of motion than that found in conventional devices.
Speaker:
Thomas Ivanco This 60-minute Webinar includes:
Research Aerospace Engineer Live Q&A session
NASA Langley Application Demo
Access to archived event on demand

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar367

Intro Cov ToC + A

Available On Demand!
Aerospace Fuel System Modeling
On-Demand Webinar Series
This series takes you through the process of modeling a typical passenger aircraft. We begin with creating a simple 1-D model in
Flowmaster, looking at the placement and functions of components, then we go on to add complexities such as controls and then fuel
venting and inerting systems, until we reach part 4 where we look at characterizing 3D components to import into our original
Flowmaster model.

Speaker:
Arlie Nuetzel
Application Engineer,
Mechanical Analysis
Mentor Graphics

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/mentorgraphics11

3D Printed Rapid Tools for Injection Molding

Learn how 3D printed molds can cut turnaround time for your injection molded (IM) prototypes. We discuss when 3D printed molds
are a best fit, material selection and customer stories, as well as process limitations and tips for successful molding.
Speaker:
Nadav Sella This 60-minute Webinar includes:
Solutions Sales Manager Live Q&A session
Stratasys Application Demo
Access to archived event on demand

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar315

Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE)

and DO-178C A Path and Methodology to
Airworthy, Cost-Effective Aviation Software
Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) is an initiative to establish a technical and business ecosystem to enable open
software architectures, software portability and reuse, and quicker software integrations.
In this Webinar, guest speaker Kirk Avery, the FACE Technical Working Group Chair from Lockheed Martin, discuss the requirements
and goals of the FACE Technical Standard.

Speakers:
Shan Bhattacharya Kirk Avery This 60-minute Webinar includes:
Business Development Manager Chief Software Architect and Fellow Live Q&A session
LDRA Lockheed Martin Application Demo
Access to archived event on demand

Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar325

Intro Cov ToC + A

 NASAs Technology www.techbriefs.com
Transfer Program
Publisher ........................................................Joseph T. Pramberger
Editorial Director............................................................Linda L. Bell
Editor, Photonics & Imaging Technology.................Bruce A. Bennett
NASAs R&D efforts produce a robust supply of promising technologies with applications in many indus- Associate Editor ..............................................................Billy Hurley
tries. A key mechanism in identifying commercial applications for this technology is NASAs national net- Managing Editor, Tech Briefs TV ..................................Kendra Smith
work of laboratories and business support entities. The network includes ten NASA field centers, and Production Editor .........................................................Lisa Maliniak
a full tie-in with the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer. To explore technology Technical Writer..........................................................Nick Lukianoff
Production Manager.................................................Adam Santiago
transfer, development, and collaboration opportunities with NASA, visit technology.nasa.gov. Assistant Production Manager..................................Kevin Coltrinari
Creative Director ...........................................................Lois Erlacher
Senior Designer......................................................Ayinde Frederick
NASAs Technology Sources Marketing Director.................................................Debora Rothwell
Marketing Communications Manager ..........................Monica Bond
Digital Marketing Coordinator .................................Kaitlyn Sommer
Audience Development Director .........................Marilyn Samuelsen
Ames Research Center Kennedy Space Center Audience Development Coordinator ...........................Stacey Nelson
Selected technological strengths: Information Selected technological strengths: Fluids and Subscription Changes/Cancellations...............ntb@kmpsgroup.com
Technology; Biotechnology; Nanotechnology; Fluid Systems; Materials Evaluation; Process
Aerospace Operations Systems; Rotorcraft; Engineering; Command, Control, and Monitor NASA tech briefs are provided by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration, Innovative Partnerships Program:
Thermal Protection Systems. Systems; Range Systems; Environmental
Administrator ...................................................Charles F. Bolden, Jr.
David Morse Engineering and Management.
Chief Technologist ....................................................David W. Miller
(650) 604-4724 David R. Makufka Technology Transfer Program Executive ....................Daniel Lockney
david.r.morse@nasa.gov (321) 867-6227
david.r.makufka@nasa.gov TECH BRIEFS MEDIA GROUP, AN SAE INTERNATIONAL COMPANY
Armstrong Flight Research Center 261 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016
Selected technological strengths: Langley Research Center (212) 490-3999 FAX (646) 829-0800
Selected technological strengths: Chief Executive Officer...................................Domenic A. Mucchetti
Aerodynamics; Aeronautics Flight Testing; Executive Vice-President...........................................Luke Schnirring
Aeropropulsion; Flight Systems; Thermal Aerodynamics; Flight Systems; Materials; Technology Director .................................................Oliver Rockwell
Testing; Integrated Systems Test and Structures; Sensors; Measurements; Systems Administrator.................................................Vlad Gladoun
Validation. Information Sciences. Web Developer ............................................................Karina Carter
Laura Fobel Kathy Dezern Digital Media Manager..............................................Peter Bonavita
Digital Media Assistant Manager .................................Anel Guerrero
(661) 276-3967 (757) 864-5704
Digital Media Assistants................................ Peter Weiland, Howard Ng,
laura.j.fobel@nasa.gov kathy.a.dezern@nasa.gov Md Jaliluzzaman
Digital Media Audience Coordinator .............................Jamil Barrett
Glenn Research Center Marshall Space Flight Center Credit/Collection ..........................................................Felecia Lahey
Accounting/Human Resources Manager.......................Sylvia Bonilla
Selected technological strengths: Selected technological strengths: Materials;
Office Manager .......................................................Alfredo Vasquez
Aeropropulsion; Communications; Energy Manufacturing; Nondestructive Evaluation; Receptionist.................................................Elizabeth Brache-Torres
Technology; High-Temperature Materials Biotechnology; Space Propulsion; Controls
Research. and Dynamics; Structures; Microgravity TECH BRIEFS ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Kimberly A. Dalgleish-Miller Processing. MA, NH, ME, VT, RI, Eastern Canada ...............................Ed Marecki
(216) 433-8047 Terry L. Taylor ...........................................................................Tatiana Marshall

kimberly.a.dalgleish@nasa.gov (256) 544-5916 .................................................................................(401) 351-0274

Goddard Space Flight Center
Selected technological strengths: Earth and
Planetary Science Missions; LIDAR; Cryogenic
Systems; Tracking; Telemetry; Remote
Sensing; Command.
terry.taylor@nasa.gov
Stennis Space Center
Selected technological strengths: Propulsion
Systems; Test/Monitoring; Remote Sensing;
Nonintrusive Instrumentation.
CT ............................................................................Stan Greenfield
..............................................................................(203) 938-2418
NJ, PA, DE.....................................................................John Murray
................................................................................ (973) 409-4685
Southeast, TX .............................................................Ray Tompkins
.................................................................................(281) 313-1004
NY, OH.......................................................................Ryan Beckman

Nona Cheeks Duane Armstrong .................................................................................(973) 409-4687

(301) 286-5810 (228) 688-2180 MI, IN, WI ..........................................................................Chris Kennedy

.........................................................................(847) 498-4520 ext. 3008
nona.k.cheeks@nasa.gov curtis.d.armstrong@nasa.gov
MN, ND, SD, IL, KY, MO, KS, IA, NE, Central Canada................Bob Casey
................................................................................ (847) 223-5225
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Northwest, N. Calif., Western Canada...........................Craig Pitcher
Selected technological strengths: Near/Deep- NASA HEADQUARTERS (408) 778-0300
CO, UT, MT, WY, ID, NM ..................................................Tim Powers
Space Mission Engineering; Microspacecraft;
Space Communications; Information Systems; Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer .................................................................................(973) 409-4762
Program Executive S. Calif., AZ, NV .................................................................Tom Boris
Remote Sensing; Robotics. ................................................................................ (949) 715-7779
Dan Broderick (202) 358-2037 Europe Central & Eastern .......................................Sven Anacker
(818) 354-1314 daniel.p.lockney@nasa.gov ..............................................................................49-202-27169-11
daniel.f.broderick@jpl.nasa.gov Joseph Heeg
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & 49-621-841-5702
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Europe Western .........................................................Chris Shaw
Johnson Space Center ...............................................................................44-1270-522130
Selected technological strengths: Artificial Programs
886-4-2329-7318
Intelligence and Human Computer Interface; Rich Leshner, Program Executive Integrated Media Consultants....................................Patrick Harvey
Life Sciences; Human Space Flight Operations; (202) 358-4920 ................................................................................ (973) 409-4686
Avionics; Sensors; Communications. rleshner@nasa.gov Angelo Danza
John E. James .................................................................................(973) 874-0271
Scott Williams
(281) 483-3809 .................................................................................(973) 545-2464
john.e.james@nasa.gov Rick Rosenberg
.................................................................................(973) 545-2565
Todd Holtz
.................................................................................(973) 545-2566
Reprints ....................................................................Rhonda Brown
........................................................................(866) 879-9144, x194

62 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

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 For free product literature, enter advertisers reader service

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numbers at www.techbriefs.com/rs, or visit the Web site listed
beneath their ad in this issue.
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Index Reader Service

Web site www.techbriefs.com

Reader Service
Company Number Page Company Number Page

AllMotion, Inc. ................................................726 ..........................44 Nippon Pulse America, Inc. ..............................734 ..........................56

Andantex USA Inc. ..........................................736 ..........................57 Omnetics Connector Corporation ....................716 ..........................30

ARM Ltd. ........................................................708 ..........................10 PhotoMachining, Inc. ......................................742 ..........................59

AutomationDirect ............................................709 ..........................11 Proto Labs, Inc.................................................707 ............................9

Avtech Electrosystems Ltd. ..............................737 ..........................59 R.M. Young Company ......................................720 ..........................34

C-Flex Bearing Co., Inc. ....................................735 ..........................56 SAE International ............................................743 ....................COV III

Centritec Seals - A Carlyle Johnson Company....725 ..........................43 Seastrom Mfg. ................................................729 ..........................47

Century Spring - MW Industries ......................724 ..........................41 SEMICON Europa ............................................717 ..........................31

COMSOL, Inc. ............................................710, 738 ..........13, 59 Stanford Research Systems, Inc. ......................711 ..........................15

CS Hyde Company ..........................................727 ..........................45 TDK-Lambda Americas Inc. ..............................704 ............................4

Digi-Key Electronics....................................701........COV I, COV II Thomas Industrial Network Inc.........................712 ..........................17

Dymax Corporation..........................................705, 714 ..............5, 27 WinSystems Inc. ..............................................731 ..........................51

Dynatect Manufacturing, Inc. ....................722 ........................37

Test & Measurement Tech Briefs Ad Index
Eagle Stainless Tube ........................................721 ..........................35
Acromag ......................................................748 ..........................7
Griffin Motion ................................................733 ..........................55
Data Physics Corporation ..............................803 ..........................9
Heatron, Inc. ..................................................739 ..........................59
HBM, Inc. ................................................750................COV IV
igus, Inc. ........................................................732 ..........................54
Kaman Precision Products..............................749 ........................13
Imagineering, Inc. ......................................702 ..........................1
Morehouse Instrument Company ..................746 ..........................1
Indium Corporation ........................................718 ..........................33
Pickering Interfaces ......................................745 ..................COV II
Keysight Technologies ......................................706 ............................7
Tech Briefs TV ..............................................................................15
Lyons Tool & Die Co. ........................................723 ..........................39
The L.S. Starrett Company ............................747 ..........................3
Master Bond Inc. ......................719, 730, 740 ............34, 48, 59

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs: 2

MathWorks......................................................703 ............................3
Measurement Computing Corporation ....715 ........................29
Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GmbH....................713 ..........................25
MPL ................................................................741 ..........................59
National Instruments ......................................744 ....................COV IV
Newcomb Spring Corporation..........................728 ..........................47
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Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016. The copyright information does not include the (U.S.
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Intro Cov ToC + A

 Spinoff is NASAs annual publication featuring
successfully commercialized NASA technology. This
commercialization has contributed to the development

SPINOFF
of products and services in the fields of health and
medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety,
computer technology, and environmental resources.

Modified Monitor Provides Glasses-Free 3D for Pilots and

Gamers
NASA technology enables monitors that switch between 2D and 3D imaging.

W hen flying the increasingly

crowded skies, pilots need to
have an arsenal of information: alti-
lution is DTIs latest advancement, and
could be key to helping pilots. In the
earlier iterations of the monitor, there
tude, airspeed, fuel level, distance to were limits to the technology that pre-
their destination, and the location of vented a pilot from having the kind of
other planes in the sky. All of this infor- full immersion needed when attempt-
mation is presented in a series of two- ing to use 3D displays. Earlier iterations
dimensional instruments, panels, and of the technology couldnt be consid-
readouts, meaning the pilot has to ered for installation in airplanes
mentally assemble the information and because the images did not have the
translate that into the 3D world to bet- ability to move with the viewer.
ter understand the relationship among This NASA flight simulator, which will test the DTI 2D/3D Through Small Business Innovation
switchable display before it becomes available for use in
air, ground, and traffic. NASA has long commercial airliners, shows how the displays might be Research (SBIR) contracts, DTI has
been interested in making it as easy as positioned. been working on monitors that can
possible for pilots and astronauts to switch between 2D and 3D imaging.
have the best information available to By modifying the backlighting system
ensure safe flights, knowing that in any LCD monitor and incorporat-
humans are imperfect creatures. ing a forward-facing camera targeting
Kyle Ellis is an aerospace research the eyes of the person looking at the
engineer in the Crew Systems and monitor, the display follows the move-
Aviation Operations Branch at ment and position of the viewer in real
Langley Research Center, and spends time without compromising resolu-
a good deal of time analyzing pilot tion or depth of field. The 3D capabil-
feedback to determine which tools ity without glasses, thanks to eye-track-
and alarms best capture pilots atten- ing technology, should help NASA
tion during flight. Well look at their ensure pilots have all the information
eye tracking and their brain activity to The 2D/3D display could be used in space someday, pro- they need to navigate increasingly
see what the state of the pilot current- viding better and more detailed information to help busy airports.
ly is, he explained. Lets say they spacecraft dock on the International Space Station. Games built to be played or viewed
havent looked at the airspeed indica- in 3D rely on glasses, or players must
tor in the last five minutes, and the auto- tain space, also known as a head box. remain in a sweet spot to get the full
throttle has been disconnected and the This is similar to what is traditionally effect, but DTI has eliminated both those
plane starts bleeding off speed. The required for 3D monitors, and is easier constraints. Players can walk around, and
plane is always monitoring whats going for fighter pilots to maintain for the the monitor will track them and keep the
on, but it also makes the assumption that duration of their short flights because 3D at their eyes. There is no loss of resolu-
the pilot knows whats going on as well. theyre strapped into place and dont tion or brightness, no restriction in head
Alarms and flashing lights are used to move around much. Commercial avia- movement, and it works for two players.
draw the pilots attention when some- tion pilots move quite a bit more, and DTIs latest display, sold commercially
things amiss, but if it were possible to would often fall outside a head box, as the DTI Mission Critical 2D/3D moni-
monitor what kind of alert worked best, making 3D displays non-viable in com- tor, has also been met with enthusiasm
new tools could be developed to further mercial operations. from 3D animators. Finally, there has
boost pilots awareness of their condi- NASA has been working with Rochester, been interest from car manufacturers as
tions and better ensure safe travel. We NY-based Dimension Technologies Inc. well, which could lead to 2D/3D displays
can do a traditional blink, like we do for (DTI) to develop a 3D monitor that would as part of the center console, driver
a warning, or we can do a 3D blink; have not only provide a vivid image, but could instrument cluster, and backseat enter-
it pop out of the screen at them, Ellis track the pilots eye movements, all with- tainment packages.
said. Fighter pilots have head-up displays out requiring glasses. The ability to track Visit http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2016/
that require the head to be within a cer- and follow movement without losing reso- cg_7.html

64 www.techbriefs.com NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

 SAE DIGITAL LIBRARY
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Intro Cov ToC + A

 SMART DEVICES REQUIRE

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Intro Cov ToC + A

 August 2016

Next-Generation Infrared
Technologies for Automotive Testing

Choosing the Right Hardware for

Testing in Harsh Environments

Precise Measurements on Earth

Enable Further Exploration in Space

Advanced Dosimeters Require

Thorough Small-Part Inspection

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-745

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Test & Measurement Tech Briefs

Contents
FEATURES ON THE COVER
2 Precise Measurements on Earth Enable Further Exploration
in Space Research and development on brake rotors, tires,
5 Next-Generation Infrared Technologies Solve High-Speed and internal combustion engines are just a few of
Automotive Testing Challenges the areas that truly benefit from high-speed, high-
8 Choosing the Right Hardware for Testing in Harsh sensitivity thermal testing. But traditional forms
Environments of contact temperature measurement, such as
thermocouples, are not practical for moving
11 Creating Advanced Dosimeters Requires Thorough
objects. Next-generation infrared camera tech-
Inspection of Small Components
nologies may offer a solution. These cameras can accurately meas-
ure temperature and thermally characterize a product, such as the
TECH BRIEFS engine shown here, to identify the exact moment a problem begins.
12 In-Flight Pitot-Static Calibration Find out more in the article on page 5.
12 Real-Time Radiation Monitoring Using Nanotechnology (Image courtesy of FLIR Systems)
13 External Diagnostic Method to Detect Electrical Charging in
Complex Ion Trapping Systems
14 Sonar Inspection Robot System
14 Modules for Inspection, Qualification, and Verification of
Pressure Vessels

DEPARTMENTS
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can help companies keep their measurement process in
control, and meet ISO/IEC 17025 technical requirements for
measurement assurance processes.

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Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-746 1

Intro Cov ToC + A


Precise Measurements on Earth
Enable Further Exploration in Space
easurement is the first step
M to success. If you cant meas-
ure something accurately, it
cant be understood or
improved. That is especially true for the
spacecraft rockets and engines designed
to operate under extreme temperatures
and pressures at liftoff, or space stations
the size of a six-bedroom house that
must support people living and working
in space for years.
NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, AL, understands the
importance of measurement accuracy.
The center specializes in hardware test-
ing of systems for the Space Launch
System the most powerful launch
vehicle ever built that will carry
humans to deep space and ultimately
on a journey to Mars as well as other
spacecraft.
Researchers at the Metrology and
Calibration Laboratory (MCL) at
Marshall make sure every instrument
that takes measurements during tests
for the International Space Station
(ISS), the Space Launch System (SLS),
or other NASA programs is accurate.
About 96 percent of Marshalls meas-
urement and test equipment is cali-
2 www.techbriefs.com
Intro
brated through the lab in support of
center operations, research and devel-
opment, manufacturing, and testing
for NASA projects.
For hardware to work successfully in
space, it has to be tested on Earth
sometimes in harsh environments, said
Gary Kennedy, technical representative
for the Marshall Metrology and
Calibration program. That means the
success of the hardware in space can be
traced back to our laboratory and the
accurate data made during a test.
Equipment that takes quantitative
measurements is being used to test crit-
ical elements of the SLS and the ISS.
Hardware such as the liquid oxygen
tank, liquid hydrogen tank, thermal
protection system, and the intertank for
the SLS are calibrated at the MCL prior
to testing, and will be evaluated after
testing for comparison. This same
calibration process is used to manufac-
ture and test the life support systems
on the space station, such as the
Environmental Control and Life Sup-
port System, which provides air and
water for the station crew.
Marshalls laboratory is responsible
for ensuring that measurement and test
Cov ToC + A
Metrology technician Joey
Longino stands on the top of
a 25-foot high, 750,000-
pound Gilmore machine to
connect power prior to start-
ing a calibration process.
(NASA/MSFC/Ryan Connelly)
equipment used by its customers are cal-
ibrated accurately and have traceable
measurements to a national metrologi-
cal institute. A Consensus Standard, or
an Intrinsic Standard, makes certain that
the type of measurement made at
Marshall will be the same measurement
made at another NASA center.
The MCL continually works with
Marshall and other NASA customers to
develop the most technically advanced
measurement concepts and processes to
successfully accomplish NASA objec-
tives. Its personnel calibrate all types of
measurement and test equipment, from
specialized equipment for research and
development, to common equipment
for everyday operations and manufactur-
ing. These capabilities include mechani-
cal, electrical, pressure, force, and flow,
along with other disciplines in 15 areas
to perform more than 1,500 different
types of calibration processes. For sever-
al of these unique and critical calibra-
tion processes, the lab has the only
known capability in NASA, and in some
cases, the only capability in the country.
NASA and Department of Defense
Services branches conduct calibrations
to ensure research and operations work
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
safely and correctly. Calibrations are cell and antenna structure that would be satellites. Schneider said that at any
only as good as the measurements and stowed for launch and deployed in orbit given time, as much as half their testing
data collected, explained Kirk Foster, to provide power and communication is for commercial customers. The Space
manager of the MCL. Without proper for small satellites without the need for Environmental Effects team also tests
and accurate measurements, none of solar tracking systems. metals and materials used on the
NASAs missions could be successfully The NASA space environment expert- International Space Station.
accomplished. ise is used by the Department of Defense This is a one-stop shop for a whole
and other federal agencies; the suite of research, Schneider explained.
Simulating the Solar and Space Smithsonian Astrophysical Laboratory There is a wide, wide array of test capa-
Environment and other research organizations; and bilities here within a five-block radius.
Inside Building 4605 at Marshall is the for commercial aerospace interests, such Many of the materials, instruments,
High Intensity Solar Environment Test as makers of communications or other components, and spacecraft being test-
system (HISET), the only place on Earth
where spacecraft systems and materials
can simultaneously be subjected to the
vacuum, temperatures, solar photons,
and electrons and protons of solar winds
like they will encounter in space. Introducing L3 Series Software
Space doesnt just throw one thing at Reduce Costs. Improve Efciency.
Red
you at a time and let you deal with it,
said Todd Schneider, a physicist in the
Environmental Effects Branch of
Marshalls Materials and Processes
Laboratory. Space throws heat, it
Material Testing Made Easy
throws cold, it throws radiation, UV, Create tensile, compressive, shear, exural,
plasma and more, all at one time. And cyclic and creep tests on everything from
there are synergistic effects. metals to elastomers using international testing
Schneider is the principal investigator standards. Perform your test setups with
for HISET, which was created in part to condence, precision, accuracy and repeatability
test components of a Solar Wind Electrons on frames with load capacities up to 50kN.
Alphas and Protons sensor package for Manage your results with comprehensive data
acquisition and reporting. Analyze your results
NASAs Solar Probe Plus. That mission,
including stress, strain, elastic modulus, yield
planned for launch in 2018, will send a
strength and more.
spacecraft closer to the Sun than ever
before within about 3.9 million miles.
The instrument payload must endure heat Call 1-888-674-7443 to arrange a personal L3
of about 2,500 F, as well as streams of demonstration.
charged particles and blasts of radiation as
it sends information back to Earth.
Researchers can place a test object
inside the 4-by-8-foot, cryogenically
cooled vacuum chamber, seal it, and then
focus carefully controlled sunlight and
charged particles on an object as though
it were in orbit around Earth, Mercury, or
Mars; as though it were traveling near the
edge of the solar system; or nearing the
blazing corona of the Sun.
Our team is all about simulating the
space environment on the ground, Who simplies complex measurement?
Schneider said. He works among NASA
experts in ultraviolet, visible, and
infrared radiation; charged particles; the
dust of lunar and other extraterrestrial
environments such as Mars; the impact Watch the Video!
of micrometeoroids and orbital debris http://starrett.co/29PxBIM

everything that astronauts or equipment

will encounter traveling in space.
HISETs unique capabilities are being
used for materials testing for the www.starrett.com Innovation Rules
Lightweight Integrated Solar Array and
Transceiver (LISA-T), a thin-film solar

Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-747 3

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Precise Measurements

A turbopump is complex because it has

turbines that spin fast to drive the pump,
which supplies fuel to the engine. During
the full power test, the turbines generated
600 horsepower and the fuel pump oper-
ated at more than 36,000 revolutions per
minute, delivering 600 gallons of semi-
cryogenic liquid methane per minute
enough to fuel an engine producing over
22,500 pounds of thrust. Three other tests
were completed at lower power levels.
Hydrogen turbopump component test-
ing and testing with a liquid oxygen/liq-
uid hydrogen breadboard engine were
completed in 2015. These tests, along
with manufacturing and testing of injec-
tors and other rocket engine parts, are
paving the way for advancements in 3D
printing of complex rocket engines, and
more efficient production of future space-
craft including methane-powered landers.
Todd Schneider adjusts the light hitting a sample inside the HISET system chamber. Three pressurized
xenon arc lamps in polished reflectors, at the right of the chamber behind a smoked gray polycarbon- Methane propulsion and additive
ate shield, can beam simulated sunlight through ports in HISETs door. (NASA/MSFC/Emmett Given) manufacturing are key technologies for
the future of exploration including
NASAs journey to Mars, said Graham
Nelson, a Marshall propulsion engineer
who helped with the testing. Were
excited to complete testing that advances
both these technologies at the same
time, and improves the capabilities of
future missions.
Testing ensures 3D printed parts oper-
ate successfully under conditions similar
to those in landers, ascent vehicles, and
other space vehicles. Test data are avail-
able to American companies working to
drive down the cost of using this new
manufacturing process to build parts
that meet aerospace standards. All data
on materials characterization and per-
formance are compiled in NASAs
Materials and Processes Technical
Information System (MAPTIS), which is
available to approved users.

NASA is studying several concepts for Mars landers for human spaceflight missions. In this artists RESOURCES
concept, fuel tanks are filled with liquid methane and liquid oxygen, and engine nozzles. Marshall is
testing turbopumps that work well with liquid methane propellant. (NASA) NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
www.nasa.gov/marshall
ed are fragile to begin with, he said, and spacecraft to Mars. This is one of the
become more so as they are subjected to most complex rocket parts NASA has Watch a video of the rocket fuel pump
the radiation, temperatures, and other ever tested with liquid methane, a pro- being tested.
conditions of simulated space. The less pellant that would work well for fueling www.techbriefs.com/tv/fuel-pump
travel required for rounds of testing, the Mars landers and other spacecraft, said LISA-T Project
better for high-fidelity results, schedules, Mary Beth Koelbl, manager of the www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/
and budgets. Propulsions Systems Department at small_spacecraft/lisa-t.html
Marshall. Additive manufacturing, or
Rocket Fuel Pump Tests Pave 3D printing, made it possible to quickly Solar Probe Project
the Way to Mars design, build, and test two turbopumps http://solarprobe.jhuapl.edu
NASA Marshall was the site for testing with identical designs that worked well MAPTIS Test Data Program
a 3D printed rocket engine turbopump with both liquid methane and liquid http://maptis.nasa.gov
with liquid methane that could power hydrogen propellant.

4 www.techbriefs.com Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Next-Generation Infrared
Technologies Solve High-Speed
Automotive Testing Challenges
Higher-speed IR cameras can improve design phase testing.
roduct research and develop-
P ment on internal combustion
engines, brake rotors, tires, and
high-speed airbags are just a few
of the areas that truly benefit from high-
speed, high-sensitivity thermal charac-
terization testing. Unfortunately, tradi-
tional forms of contact temperature
measurement such as thermocouples
are not practical to mount on moving
objects, and non-contact forms of tem-
perature measurement such as spot guns
and even current infrared (IR) cam-
eras are simply not fast enough to
stop motion on these high-speed targets
in order to take accurate temperature
measurements.
Without the appropriate tools for ade-
quate thermal measurement and testing,
automotive design engineers can lose
time and efficiency, and risk missing
defects that lead to dangerous products
and expensive recalls. For example, US
automakers recently recalled millions of
cars, SUVs, and trucks due to faulty
airbags with problems ranging from
micro-cracks in passenger activation sys-
tems, to defective inflators. These flawed
systems are not only dangerous to driv-
ers, but also harmful to the bottom line
for manufacturers who face lawsuits,
fines, and loss of public confidence.
Next-generation IR camera technolo-
gies may offer engineers a solution.
Still images captured from data streamed during airbag deployment.
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
These cameras incorporate 640 512-
pixel high-resolution detectors that can
capture images at a rate of 1000 frames
per second. Additionally, newer detector
materials, such as strained layer superlat-
tice (SLS), offer wide temperature
ranges with a combination of great uni-
formity and quantum efficiency beyond
that of earlier MCT and QWIP detector
materials. These new technologies, plus
the ability to synchronize and trigger
remotely, give engineers and technicians
the tools they need to address the diffi-
culties of high-speed automotive testing.
The High-Speed Challenge
Measuring temperature on objects
that are moving fast is challenging.
Traditional forms of temperature meas-
urement such as thermocouples are not
practical for systems in motion. Non-con-
tact forms of temperature measurement
such as spot pyrometers lack the fast
response rates necessary to take accurate
readings on fast-moving objects or to
thermally characterize a high-speed tar-
get accurately. Infrared cameras with
uncooled microbolometer detectors are
also unable to measure temperature
accurately at extremely high speeds.
These cameras have long exposure times
that cause blurring in the thermal image.
In order to visualize and take accurate
temperature readings on extremely fast
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
moving targets, you need a cooled thermal
camera with a short exposure time and fast
frame rate. Lets explore both detector
types to better understand the benefits
and drawbacks of each as they relate to
high-speed thermal measurement.
Thermal vs. Quantum Detectors
The difference between thermal and
quantum detectors comes down to how
the sensor translates infrared radiation
into data. Thermal detectors such as
uncooled microbolometers react to inci-
dent radiant energy. Infrared radiation
heats the pixels and creates a change in
temperature that is reflected in a change
in resistance. The benefits of uncooled
microbolometer cameras include dura-
bility, portability, and low price. However,
the drawbacks include slow frame rates
around 60 frames per second and
slow response times (time constant).
Because of this, uncooled microbolome-
ters cant produce a crisp, stop-motion
image of a fast-moving object. Instead,
the slow frame rate and response time
lead to blurring in the image and ulti-
mately inaccurate temperature readings.
Slow frame rates also prevent these cam-
eras from accurately characterizing
objects that heat up quickly.
In comparison, quantum detectors
made of indium antimonide (InSb), indi-
um gallium arsenide (InGaAs), or SLS
5
 Next-Generation Infrared Technologies

are photovoltaic. The detectors

crystalline structures absorb
photons that elevate their elec-
trons to a higher energy state;
this changes the conductivity of
the material. Cooling these
detectors makes them very sen-
sitive to infrared radiation, with
some able to detect tempera-
ture differences of less than 18
mK or .018 C. Quantum detec-
tors also react quickly to temper-
ature changes, with a time con-
stant on the microsecond time
scale, rather than multiple mil-
liseconds. This combination of
short exposure times and high
frame rates makes quantum
detectors ideal for stopping
motion on high-speed targets
for accurate temperature meas-
urement, as well as proper char-
acterization of how thermal
temperatures rise over time on
fast-heating targets. These cam-
eras are generally more expen-
sive and typically larger than (Left) 60-Hz recording with a 2-ms integration time, and (right) 60-Hz recording with a 12-ms integration time.
uncooled microbolometer cam-
eras factors some research teams may camera converts digital counts into radi- When a camera system is running on
need to take into consideration. ance values used for the temperature an internal clock, the detectors inte-
readings on your target. Hotter targets gration start point and data output are
Fast Frame Rates are Not emit more radiant infrared energy, thus set by the clock. You could miss some
Enough more photons, while colder targets emit of or the entire event if it doesnt hap-
As mentioned briefly before, the abil- fewer photons. The challenge becomes pen to correspond exactly with the
ity to record hundreds or thousands of how to accurately measure temperature integration period. A separate trigger-
frames per second is only part of what is on colder targets at fast frame rates, ing system can help you better syn-
required to stop motion. Another ele- because fast frame rates require shorter chronize recordings by strictly control-
ment of the equation is integration integration times. ling the integration start time and the
time, or how long the camera collects Compounding the issue is the fact frame rate. Uncooled microbolometer
data for each of those frames. that older detectors with previous- detector cameras do not offer this
Integration time is analogous to shut- generation Read Out Integrating capability because they have thermal
ter speed in a digital camera. If the shut- Circuits (ROIC) were nonlinear at resistive elements that cannot be exter-
ter stays open too long, any motion in low well fills. This caused the non-uni- nally controlled. This is another rea-
the image it captures will appear formity correction to break down, son why a photon counting detector
blurred. In the same way, IR cameras resulting in poor imagery and ques- camera is essential for high-speed ther-
with long integration times will record tionable temperature measurement mal testing.
blurred motion. A bouncing ball, for accuracy. With the next-generation
example, will look like a comet, with a ROIC designs, detectors offer linearity High Sensitivity is Key
trail of motion behind it. to low well fill, allowing for accurate A significant advantage of cooled IR
The number of analog-to-digital con- measurements at high speeds (short cameras is sensitivity. The cooled cam-
verters, or channels, a camera has, plus integration times) on colder targets. eras can detect subtle temperature
the ability to process pixels at high This is why it is critical for high- changes as little as 0.02 C.
speed, are also important. High-speed speed IR cameras to have a next-gener- Typically, uncooled cameras have a
IR cameras typically have a minimum of ation ROIC with linear response to sensitivity of around 0.03 C. While a
16 channels and have processing speeds low well fill. .01 C difference may appear small, it
or pixel clock rates of at least 200 represents a 30% improvement in sen-
MP/ sec. Most low-performance cam- Getting the Timing Right sitivity. The cooled camera not only
eras have four channels and run at pixel Another factor to consider is the produces less digital noise, but the
clock rates below 50 MP/sec. cameras ability to synchronize and image it produces is also more finely
The temperature of your target can trigger to external events, such as syn- detailed. The ability to detect such
have an impact on integration speed chronizing to a rotating brake disc or subtle temperature changes helps you
and, ultimately, the digital count. The the ignition of a combustion engine. better detect small hot spots.

6 www.techbriefs.com Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

Longwave IR Advantages
The one advantage to uncooled
microbolometer cameras is they detect
longwave infrared (LWIR) in the
7.5-14 m spectral range. More pho-
tons pass through the longwave band
than shortwave or midwave, meaning it
would take less time for a quantum
detector to collect enough photons to
create a charge. Specifically, a black-
body at 30 C emits nearly 10 times
more photons in the 8-9 m range
than in the midwave 4-5 m range.
Typically, quantum detectors operate
in the short to midwave infrared.
However, detectors made from SLS
detect longwave infrared in the
7.5-9.5 m spectral range. Because
there are more photons to detect, SLS
detectors have extremely short integra-
tion times up to 12 times faster than
InSb detectors. They are more effi-
cient than other quantum detectors at
converting photons to electrons, and
offer more thermal contrast when
imaging cold targets. The advantages
of LWIR SLS detectors are much wider
temperature ranges and much shorter
exposition times, which can help if
your target heats up across a wide
band of temperatures or is moving spa-
tially very fast.
Brake rotor testing using a high-speed thermal
camera at 1000 fps (top), and at 60 fps (bottom).
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
Success Equals Safety allow researchers to accurately track
By including thermal imaging dur- temperature shifts over time on high-
ing the design and testing phases of speed applications. These cameras will
automotive engineering, research and also provide crisply detailed stop-
development teams can more readily motion frames, so researchers can
identify weak points and improve over- accurately measure temperature and
all product performance and safety. thermally characterize their products
But the type of camera and its features in order to identify the exact moment
can have an impact on imaging suc- a problem begins.
cess. Choosing a cooled thermal cam- This article was contributed by FLIR Systems,
era with the highest speed, sensitivity, Wilsonville, OR. For more information, visit
and integration times available will http://info.hotims.com/61064-421.
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Cov ToC + A
 Choosing the Right Hardware
for Testing in Harsh Environments
esting in rugged applications
T often includes testing in extreme
temperature ranges, which can
add constraints to hardware.
Cold-start engine testing, for example,
uses a test cell that can drop to -40 C
and requires continuous data acquisi-
tion such as temperature, pressure, and
other various measurements. Placing
hardware that is not built to withstand
this range into harsh environments can
cause components within the hardware
to work incorrectly and result in incor-
rect data or damage to the hardware.
Your hardware can withstand these
extreme temperature ranges in two
ways. First, you can create an external
casing for your hardware. Depending on
which side of the extreme temperature
range you are using your hardware, you
need to implement heating or cooling
elements in the enclosure to keep your
components at an operating tempera-
ture. You might also want to consider
using shielding from the environment
and evaluating the color of the enclo-
sure to reflect heat. With all of the con-
siderations for designing an enclosure, it
can be an expensive and time-consum-
ing process.
A test cell is used to perform various tests on
engines, including those in extreme tempera-
tures.
8 www.techbriefs.com
Intro
Alternatively, you can select hardware
built for withstanding extreme tempera-
ture conditions. These enclosures are
put through extensive thermal tests and
validation to ensure the components
selected operate within their specifica-
tions. This testing also allows the hard-
ware to comply with the international
standards for operating within a temper-
ature range.
Shock and Vibration
Another typical consideration when
developing a rugged application would
be the shock and vibration specifica-
tions for your test, and building your
setup to withstand it. Applications
ranging from monitoring the main
gear box of a bucket-wheel excavator
power transmission system, to taking
analog and digital measurements
inside a Formula SAE racecar require
consideration of the vibration and
shock values induced on the testing
A vibration test uses the CompactDAQ mixed-measurement modular platform from National
Instruments.
Cov ToC + A
hardware. If your hardware is placed
within a demanding environment
where high vibration or shock values
occur and it cannot handle these val-
ues, this could damage your hardware
components and cause expensive
repair or replacement.
When designing a test setup for a
rugged environment, there are again a
couple of options to compare. You
could design an enclosure for vibration
to allow the components within the
hardware to operate within their given
vibration and shock specifications.
One approach would be to build within
the enclosure a way to isolate the hard-
ware from the vibration occurring with-
in the environment. This could be dif-
ficult and require a lot of testing to
ensure your hardware is operating
properly within the vibration or shock
values seen by the environment.
Alternatively, you could select hard-
ware built to withstand these specifica-
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
tions. There are several ways to design
hardware to withstand effects of vibra-
tion. For example, you can design an
internal vibration isolation for the
internal components so that they can
operate within their specifications.
Hardware is available that withstands
shock and vibration levels up to 50 g in
shock and 5 g in vibration values. After
the hardware has been designed, it is
recommended that the hardware be
mounted to a rigid surface to fully meet
all international standards and certify
the product to be used in these rugged
vibration and shock specifications.
Environmental Certifications
Although temperature range
and shock and vibration specifica-
tions are crucial to address when
developing a rugged application,
it is also important to consider the
environment in which you are
conducting these tests. This is
especially true if this environment
is a hazardous location with poten-
tially explosive gas or vapor pres-
ent during abnormal operating
conditions. Examples of haz-
ardous locations include chemical fac-
tories or refineries. When developing a
test setup for an application in these
hazardous locations, it is an important
part of the process to have the correct
certifications for your setup.
The certifications for operating in
hazardous locations, depending on
where you are regionally, are the UL
Hazardous Locations or the European
Union Hazardous Locations certifica-
tions. Both certify products for use in
hazardous locations where explosive
atmospheres may be present. The UL
This pipeline test requires a hazardous location certification.
certification comes in degrees of class-
es and divisions. The classes indicate
the type of hazardous location, and
the divisions indicate the conditions.
The classes offered are from Class 1 to
Class 3, with the locations ranging
from gas or vapor to dust, all the way
to dust, fibers, and flyings in a poten-
tially explosive atmosphere, respective-
ly. There are two divisions: Division 1 is
for material in normal operating con-
ditions, and Division 2 is for material
under abnormal conditions.
Typically, you need to run the entire
test setup through all of the cer-
tification tests to ensure it is
compliant to be used in these
harsh locations. Testing all of the
hardware can be an expensive
and intensive process, but is
required for operating in these
types of environments.
Another certification common
for rugged applications is Lloyds
Register Type Approval. This cer-
tification is an assessment by a
third party attesting to a prod-
ucts conformity with national
and international standards, and

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Intro Cov ToC + A

 Harsh Environment Testing
Engine test cells are another example of applications that often require rugged hardware with a small
footprint.
verification of the manufacturers
production quality system. Type
Approval applies to products for use in
marine and offshore applications,
industrial plants and processes, and
the information technology sector. In
addition to ensuring the product
meets appropriate safety standards for
a marine environment, Type Approval
ensures that the products perform-
ance is maintained in marine environ-
mental conditions.
10
Intro
To obtain this certification, your hard-
ware must go through an entire process
laid out by the third party assessing the
hardware. First, the third-party group
must review all design of the hardware to
ensure it complies with specific specifica-
tions and codes. Then, they must witness
inspection and testing and have those
sent in for further review and validation.
If everything is approved, then the hard-
ware is validated and authorized to use
the Lloyds Register Type Approval mark.
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
Form Factors
When deciding on hardware for a
rugged application, the overall form
factor is a big consideration. The test
systems footprint is significant when
deciding what hardware to use in
demanding environments, such as on
an offshore oil rig or in the middle of
a desert. If the material the hardware
is built out of cannot withstand the
harsh environments and needs an
enclosure for protection, this could
drastically increase the systems foot-
print. If the enclosure needed to pro-
tect the hardware has too large a foot-
print, this can limit where you can con-
duct tests. For more distributed and
remote applications, you want to mini-
mize the size of the hardware.
In addition, consider how the hard-
ware cools itself. Hardware can cool in
many ways; the main two are passive and
active cooling. Hardware that passively
cools can be more rugged because there
are no moving parts. If your hardware
needs moving parts such as fans to cool
properly when testing, this could limit
where you can conduct tests. With an
actively cooled device, there are energy-
consuming mechanical components to
consider for other rugged considera-
tions, such as the temperature range it
can operate in or the shock and vibra-
tion specifications it can withstand dur-
ing operation.
Hardware Built for Ruggedness
There are several ways to design and
build your system to withstand the
external factors affecting for applica-
tions in rugged and demanding envi-
ronments. A few of the items to investi-
gate include temperature range in the
environment, shock and vibration
specifications that your hardware
needs to withstand, any environmental
certifications required, and the type of
form factor and features needed for
the overall system. When building a
system to endure these factors, you can
save time and frustration by using
hardware that is already built for
ruggedness instead of performing tests
to make sure the system complies with
the environmental certifications, or
that it operates properly inside the
enclosure built for the hardware.
This article was written by Tommy Glicker,
Product Marketing Manager DAQ &
Embedded, for National Instruments,
Austin, TX. For more information, visit
http://info.hotims.com/61064-422.
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
 APPLICATION BRIEFS
Creating Advanced Dosimeters Requires Thorough Inspection
of Small Components
R ecent advancements in space tech-
nology have resulted in space explo-
ration becoming a rapidly growing field,
and the desire for human space explo-
ration is drastically increasing. Previous
manned missions include flights to low
Earth orbit (LEO), such as to the
International Space Station (ISS); how-
ever, upcoming flights are planned to go
beyond LEO, such as to asteroids and
eventually Mars. A major consideration
in such missions is that the space envi-
ronment is significantly different from
that of Earth, especially with respect to
the radiation environment. This drastic
difference results in concerns regarding
radiation dose.
Space radiation is distinct from nat-
urally occurring forms of radiation on
Earth, and significant health risks are
associated with long-term exposure,
including cancer, cataracts, central
nervous system damage, acute radia-
tion sickness, and hereditary effects.
Consequently, the fulfillment of the
intended exploration goals of each
mission must be carefully managed
without exceeding an acceptable level
of risk from exposure to space radia-
tion. Therefore, there exists a need for
radiation detection systems that are
able to classify and characterize the
radiological hazards present.
The NEUtron DOSimetry & Explor-
ation (NEUDOSE) mission concept
grew out of the need to develop
advanced radiation dosimeters that
lower the risk of deep space missions by
providing superior radiation exposure
monitoring. The mission goals are to
develop a Charged & Neutral Particle
Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter
(CNP-TEPC) that allows for the discrim-
ination of dose from charged and neu-
tral particles, and map the contribution
to in vivo doses from charged and neu-
tral particles in LEO. McMaster
University in Ontario, Canada, one of
the worlds foremost institutions on
health effects from radiation exposure,
addressed this challenge.
The project is led by Dr. Andrei
Hanu, who is currently working at
NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center
in Greenbelt, MD. A team of under-
graduate students from the university
is designing, fabricating, and planning
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
The McMaster University students will launch the
small satellite into low Earth orbit to study the
effects of ionizing radiation on the human body.
to launch a small satellite, or CubeSat,
into low Earth orbit in order to study
the effects of ionizing radiation on the
human body. The team includes med-
ical physics, electrical engineering,
computer engineering, mechanical
engineering, mechatronics engineer-
ing, and engineering physics students.
For the project to be successful, it is
important that each component is
thoroughly inspected to ensure accu-
racy and functionality. The Mantis
Elite-Cam stereo microscope, manu-
factured by Vision Engineering (New
Milford, CT), has been chosen for this
task. Mantis Elite-Cam bridges the gap
between the microscope and the
bench magnifier, and with eyepiece-
less technology, users can inspect accu-
rately for longer periods. This means
students dont suffer from the neck
ache or fatigue usually associated with
using a traditional microscope.
The Mantis Elite-Cam stereo microscope will be
used to inspect the PCBs and other small com-
ponents of the satellite.
www.techbriefs.com
Cov ToC + A
The Charged & Neutral Particle Tissue
Equivalent Proportional Counter (CNP-TEPC)
radiation detector being developed by
McMaster University.
The Mantis Elite-Cam will primarily
be used to inspect the PCBs and other
small components of the satellite
found on the main instrument of the
payload and the Tissue Equivalent
Proportional Counter (TEPC), a
device that measures the amount of
harmful radiation for astronauts in low
Earth orbit. The outer layer of
NEUDOSEs CNP-TEPC radiation
detector is made from a plastic scintil-
lator material. When charged particles
in space interact with this hemispheri-
cal detector, light is emitted. By col-
lecting this light, it is possible to deter-
mine that the radiation passing
through the detector is a charge carri-
er. This is the first step in how the
CNP-TEPC can distinguish charged
particles from neutral radiation.
The Mantis Elite-Cam will also be
used during the building of the main
onboard computer and the satellites
communications device. The integrated
camera of the Mantis Elite-CAM will
allow the students to capture images
from inspection, aid in reflow soldering,
and use the device as a teaching tool.
The secondary use of the Mantis
Elite-CAM will be for all other quality
assurance; for example, the inspection
of the solar panels, the flywheels (which
control the orientation of the satellite),
and the structure itself. The satellite
measures only 10 x 10 x 30 cm, and is
filled with equipment and technology.
For more information, visit http://
info.hotims.com/61064-423.
11
 TECH BRIEFS
In-Flight Pitot-Static Calibration
This precise yet time- and cost-effective method is based on GPS technology using output
error optimization.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
ASAs Langley Research Center has
N developed a new method for calibrat-
ing pitot-static air data systems used in air-
craft. Pitot-static systems are pressure-
based instruments that measure the air-
crafts airspeed. These systems must be
calibrated in flight to minimize potential
error. Current methods including
trailing cone, tower fly-by, and pacer air-
plane are time- and cost-intensive,
requiring extensive flight time per cali-
bration. NASAs method can reduce this
calibration time by up to an order of mag-
nitude, cutting a significant fraction of
Air flow
Total Pressure
Static
pressure
Pitot-static
probe
GPS
Atmospheric
sensors
Differential
pressure
transducer
The output-error method for measuring airspeed error in air-data systems.
Real-Time Radiation Monitoring Using Nanotechnology
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
ASA has patented a unique chemi-
N cal sensor array leveraging nano-
structures for monitoring the concentra-
tion of chemical species or gas mole-
cules that is not damaged when exposed
to protons and other high-energy parti-
cles over time. The nanotechnology-
enabled chemical sensor array uses sin-
gle walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs),
metal catalyst-doped SWCNTs, and poly-
mer-coated SWCNTs as the sensing
media between a pair of interdigitated
electrodes (IDE). By measuring the con-
12
the cost. In addition, NASAs calibration
method enables near-real-time monitor-
ing of error in airspeed measurements,
which can be used to alert pilots when air-
speed instruments are inaccurate or fail-
ing. Because of this feature, the technolo-
gy also has applications in the health
usage and monitoring (HUMS) industry.
Flight test engineers can be trained to use
this method proficiently in 12 days with-
out costly specialized hardware.
The method for pitot-static calibration
is a novel application of modern system
identification methods for in-flight air-
Algorithm
Update
Parameter Output-Error
Estimates Optimization
Measured
Ground
Speed
Pressure
Error Compare
Model
Atmospheric
Conditions
Calibration With
Statistical Boundaries
Analog to digital
conversion Measured Impact Pressure
ductivity change of the SWCNT device,
the concentration of the chemical
species or gas molecules can be meas-
ured. These sensors have high sensitivity,
low power requirements, and are robust
and have a low manufacturing cost com-
pared to other commercial chemical
sensors for detection of trace amount of
chemicals in gasses and liquids.
Carbon nanotube chemical sensors
are suitable for sensing different ana-
lytes. Such sensors can be configured in
the form of an array to comprehensively
www.techbriefs.com
Intro Cov ToC + A
speed calibration. True airspeed is calcu-
lated using measurements from a global
positioning system (GPS) by vector sum-
ming ground speed and estimated wind
speed. This value is used to estimate actual
impact pressure, which is compared with
the impact pressure measured by the flight
instrumentation for a range of airspeeds.
The difference between these values is the
error in impact pressure measurements.
The optimization process calculates a
mathematical model of the pressure error
as a function of calibrated airspeed and an
estimate of the wind speed and direction.
A statistically based maximum likelihood
method known as output-error is used to
estimate the parameters describing the
pressure error model and the wind vector
values. This method can work with any air-
plane with a digital flight data system.
The technology can be used in aero-
space applications replacing current
legacy pitot-static calibration methods,
and in aerospace health usage and mon-
itoring systems measuring error in air-
speed instruments in near-real-time to
improve air safety.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please
contact The Technology Gateway at
LARC-DL-technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov
to initiate licensing discussions. Follow
this link for more information: http://
technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
LAR-TOPS-89.
and cost-effectively monitor multiple
analytes. A 32-sensor array on a silicon
chip was tested under proton exposure
at two energy levels, with three different
fluences. The result of the proton irradi-
ation experiment indicates that this
SWCNT device is sensitive to proton
exposure at different levels, and it recov-
ers upon turning off the incident radia-
tion. Carbon nanotube-based sensors
are particularly suitable and promising
for chemical and radiation detection,
because the technology can be used to
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
fabricate gas or liquid chemical sensors
that have extremely low power require-
ments and are versatile and ultra-minia-
ture in size, with added cost benefits.
Low-power carbon nanotube sensors
facilitate distributed or wireless gas sens-
ing, leading to efficient multi-point
measurements and to greater conven-
ience and flexibility in performing meas-
urements in space as well as on Earth.
External Diagnostic Method to Detect Electrical Charging in
Complex Ion Trapping Systems
This procedure is implemented without breaking the vacuum and/or disassembling the system.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
lectron-ionized atom trapping tech-
E nology is widely used in mass spec-
trometry and atomic clocks. The com-
plexity of the trapping configuration
operating in an ultra-high vacuum sys-
tem is driven by demands for ultimate
sensitivity, performance, and funda-
mental science. Consequently, external
diagnosis, maintenance, and design
verification and validation without
opening the vacuum and disassembling
the system become increasingly diffi-
cult. In these ion trapping configura-
tions, electrical charging of non-metal-
lic materials or opening connections
are a hard-to-detect problem, yet can
easily compromise the intended trap-
ping potential. More specifically, the
JPL Linear Ion Trap Standards (LITS)
will benefit from a non-invasive solu-
tion for system verification/validation,
diagnosis, maintenance, and trou-
bleshooting.
The LITS have drawn a variety of
attention in space and ground time-
keeping applications, where stability
and reliability are highly valued. The
methodology provides an external
diagnostic procedure for the ion trap-
ping system without breaking the vac-
uum and/or disassembling the sys-
tem, which are time-consuming and
risky. The procedure may also be
applied to other electron-ionized
atomic trapping systems that have
similar requirements.
The basic idea of the diagnosis is
electron beam (E-beam) deflection
measurement. The E-beam designed
to ionize atoms, and the ion-trapping
electrodes, are used as electrical
charging sensors to map out the func-
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
Intro
The technology offers tunable sensing the nuclear industry, industrial and civil
properties through manipulation of nano- applications, defense applications, med-
structured materials for selectivity, and ical/biomedical designs, and spacecraft.
gives reliable sensor performance from NASA is actively seeking licensees to
chip to chip. It has the capability to put commercialize this technology. Please con-
built-in intelligence onto the sensor chip. tact the Technology Partnerships Office at
The sensor arrays low power con- ARC-TechTransfer@mail.nasa.gov to initiate
sumption makes it ideal for wireless licensing discussions. Follow this link for
monitoring. This sensor technology can more information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
be used in the petrochemical industry, patent/TB2016/TOP2-236.
tionality of the ion trap. By varying a generated by the filament are acceler-
DC voltage applied on some of the
electrodes and detecting charged volt-
ated by high voltage. To deflect the E-
beam, different levels of DC or AC
age on the others, deflection of the voltage are added on the electrodes of
electron beam can be analyzed to the interested trapping region, where-
detect possible electrical charging. as the electrodes in other trapping
The E-beam initial direction is along regions are grounded except for spe-
the axis of the traps for efficient ion- cially chosen electrodes for charged
ization and ion loading. The electrons voltage detection.
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Cov ToC + A
 TECH BRIEFS

The methodology is the first systemat-
ic diagnostic use for the complex ion
trapping configuration in LITS. It can
be used as an external system check for
trapped ion frequency standards, which
are now in the process of industrializa-
tion. Similar schemes can also be
applied to electron beam ionized atom
trapping systems such as mass spectrom-
eters, quantum manipulation, and com-
putation systems based on ion trapping
technology.
This work was done by Lin Yi, Eric A.
Burt, and Robert L. Tjoelker of Caltech for
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA is
seeking partners to further develop this tech-
nology through joint cooperative research
and development. For more information
about this technology and to explore oppor-
tunities, please contact Dan Broderick at
Daniel.F.Broderick@jpl.nasa.gov. NPO-49460

Sonar Inspection Robot System

The system surveys interior volume, interrogates structure integrity, and displays real-time
video and sonar.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
ASAs Johnson Space Center innova-
N tors have designed a Robotic
Inspection System that is capable of sur-
veying deep sea structures such as oil plat-
form storage cells/tanks and pipelines in
order to determine the volume of material
remaining inside, interrogate structure
integrity, and display real-time video and
sonar. This inspection device and method
could significantly reduce the cost of
inspecting, and in the future, provide sam-
pling of the structure contents. The tech-
nology is an all-in-one inspection device
that includes cameras, sonar, and motion-
sensing instruments with hardware and
software components. This NASA-devel-
oped technology is available for licensing.
Generally, oil platforms are comprised
of pipelines and/or subsea storage cells. The robotic inspection device prototype that was used for testing.
These storage cells not only provide a sta-
ble base for the platform, but also provide turns with minimal power. The Robotic Potential applications include use in
intermediate storage and separation capa- Inspection System is able to display 3- sub-sea oil and gas platform structures,
bility for oil. Surveying these structures to dimensional range data from 2-dimen- deep sea exploration, and pipelines at
examine the contents is often required sional information. This inspection least partially containing a fluid.
when the platforms are being decommis- method and device could significantly NASA is actively seeking licensees to
sioned. The Robotic Inspection System reduce the cost of decommissioning cells. commercialize this technology. Please con-
provides a device and method for imaging The device has the capability to map inte- tact Michelle P. Lewis at jsc-techtran@
the inside of the cells, which includes rior volume, interrogate integrity of cell mail.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discus-
hardware and software components. The fill lines, display real-time video and sonar, sions. Follow this link for more information:
device is able to move through intercon- and with future development, possibly http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
nected pipes, even making 90-degree sample sediment or oil. MSC-TOPS-70.

Modules for Inspection, Qualification, and Verification of

Pressure Vessels
This automated, modular, standardized system features interchangeable probes.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
fter decades of composite over- on spacecraft, reducing overall perform- liner, causing the liner to fail, resulting in
A wrapped pressure vessel (COPV)
development, manufacturing variance is
ance. When liners are used in COPVs, they
need to be carefully screened before wrap-
a massive leakage of the liner and subse-
quent mission loss.
still high, and has necessitated higher safe- ping. These flaws can go undetected and To address these concerns, modular
ty factors and additional mass to be flown later grow through the thickness of the manufacturer-grade pressure vessel non-

14 www.techbriefs.com Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016

Intro Cov ToC + A

 Whats On
destructive evaluation (NDE) scanners were designed and pro-
duced. This automated scanning system is designed to be mod- TEST & MEASUREMENT CHANNEL
ular, and currently includes interior and exterior profilometry
probes for mapping and measuring dimensions, and produc-
ing boroscope-like images. A developmental system has been Sponsored by
produced to refine laser profilometry probes and scan tech-
niques in a laboratory setting.
The laboratory unit is capable of providing interior and Featured Sponsor Video:
exterior profilometry and eddy current scans of 6.5 22 in. Digital Video Comparator
(17 56 cm) COPVs commonly used aboard the
The HDV500 Digital Video Comparator
International Space Station (ISS). A manufacturing-grade inte-
offers the best features of a large horizontal
rior profilometry demonstration unit was developed to support
optical comparator and a vision metrology
the development and qualification of 16.7 30.5 in. (42 77
system.The heart of the system centers on
cm), 20-gallon (75 L), Type IV COPVs that will supply ISS
with cryogenic oxygen and nitrogen as part of the Nitrogen a uniquely designed interchangeable lens
Oxygen Recharge System (NORS). These highly sensitive NDE mounting system coupled to a hi-resolution
systems have been demonstrated capable of measuring simulat- color digital video camera.
ed composite disbonds as thin as 0.01 in. (0.03 cm) thick near www.techbriefs.com/tv/HDV500
the liner, weld irregularities, and ripples resulting from inade-
quate wrapping processes, and collect data that can be used to Breakthrough Sensor Spots
refine models. Insight into the behavior of pressure vessels Hidden Damage Aboard Ships
through historical measurement data was referenced to identi-
A 3D printable strain sensor developed
fy inadequate wrapping processes in one case (high internal
by University of Michigan engineers could
pressure) that resulted in a COPV that grew after it was
wrapped, counter to previous observations. Laser intensity
provide the U.S. Navy with a more
maps surface reflection strength, and have been demonstrated accurate way to assess damage to their
capable of producing images identifying 0.003 0.125 in. vessels. The device detects tiny flexing
(0.008 0.32 cm) cracks, foreign objects and debris (FOD), movements in metal movements that
metal discoloration, and other features related to surface fin- can alert crews to damage before cracks
ish quality. can be seen by the naked eye.
This modular system features standardized, interchangeable www.techbriefs.com/tv/ship-sensor
probes. The external laser profilometry probe simultaneously
measures the interior radius and surface reflectivity of pressure A Helping Hand for
vessels. An exterior eddy current probe assesses cracks in 3D-Printed Prosthetic
metallic pressure vessels from the outside in; an interior eddy
current probe assesses cracks in metallic pressure vessels from
Hand Makers
the inside out. Makers of 3D-printed prosthetic hands
A graphical user interface provides an intuitive view of flaws may come to rely on a printed palm
with sensitivity enhanced well above visual detection limits. developed at Rice University. The new
Laser profilometry scans are traceable to a NIST-qualified stan- testing suite validates how well 3D-printed
dard, and provide radial measurements with 0.001 in. hands transfer force from the wearer
(0.003 cm) precision. Laser intensity maps taken during pro- typically a child born without a fully
filometry scans provide images similar to boroscopes mapped formed hand to the prosthetic intended
to a precise and user-defined coordinate axis. to help pick up and manipulate small
This work was done by Regor L. Saulsberry, Charles Nichols, Daniel objects.
Wentzel, Ralph Lucero, Kyle Carver, and Paul Spencer of NASA White www.techbriefs.com/tv/test-hand
Sands Test Facility; James Doyle and Mike Brinkman of Laser
Techniques Company, LLC; and Russell Wincheski of Langley
Research Center for Johnson Space Center. NASA is seeking partners to
Blur-Canceling Roll Camera
further develop this technology through joint cooperative research for Robotics Testing
and development. For more information about this technology and to Researchers from Ishikawa Watanabe
explore opportunities, please contact jsc-techtran@mail.nasa.gov. Laboratory in Tokyo have developed an
MSC-25533/4/5/6/7/8-1 optical high-speed image rotation controller
and a high-speed roll camera that is able to
Read More Test & Measurement Tech Briefs Online: cancel the rotational motion blur of a
rotating target.This allows for measurement
Flight Test System for Accurately Predicting Flutter
and inspection of rotary bodies, such as
www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/24933
wheels, fans, engines, and gears.
Rangefinder for Measuring Volume of Cryogenic or Caustic www.techbriefs.com/tv/
Turbulent Fluids robotics-testing
www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/24837

Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016 www.techbriefs.tv

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 NEW PRODUCTS

Measurement Terminal Bit Error Rate Tester

The EL3751 EtherCAT Keysight Technologies (Santa Rosa, CA) introduced the M8040A
terminal from Beckhoff bit error rate tester (BERT) for testing PAM-4 and NRZ devices that
Automation (Savage, operate up to 64 GBaud. Engineers in validation labs and R&D who
MN) provides measure- characterize receivers on the physical layer for the next generation
ment as part of a standard of data center interconnects
I/O system. It acquires can use the device for test
data at 10,000 samples setups and repeatable results.
per second and provides The pattern generator mod-
measurement accuracy of ule provides built-in de-
0.01% for most inter- emphasis, jitter injection,
faces at 25 C, and 24-bit resolution. Parameterization options are and an optional second chan-
available for the analog input, which supports measurement functions nel. Users can select PAM-4
U, I, R, DMS (strain gauge), and RTD. Optionally, measured data can and NRZ in the user inter-
be transmitted to higher-level automation devices with oversampling. face, eliminating the need
The integrated distributed clocks ensure synchronized sampling across for external combiners,
the EtherCAT system. Available measurements include voltage, cur- cabling, and de-skew to pro-
rent, resistance, electrical resistance, RTD, strain gauge/load cell, and vide PAM-4 signals. For best
potentiometer. signal quality, remote heads
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-400 reduce the distance to the device under test.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-402
Digital Measurement
Siemens (Munich, Germany) offers Friction Tester
Flender Gearlog digital measurement tech- Paul N. Gardner Co. (Pompano
nology for gears that captures values relating Beach, FL) offers a compact
to rotational speed, torque, temperature, CFT friction tester that
and vibration using special sensors that provides detailed infor-
record important physical variables. The aim mation of the slip charac-
is to compare operational load spectra with teristics of packaging
the fatigue strength of individual gear unit material. Surface slip is a
components over time to match up the gear key factor when printing,
unit and the working machine for the long erecting, or filling packaging
term. The system adds up these readings in materials on an automatic
parallel with machine capacity utilization. line. The CFT measures both
The measurement results are logged, saved, static and dynamic coefficients of
and digitally depicted in compressed form. friction. A sample of 2.5
2.5" with a weight acting over the entire
Operators are able to visualize the results at any time or read them surface area is moved over another sample at a given speed. Static
out in the form of a dataset. The measurements enable conclusions and dynamic coefficients of friction (COF) are automatically calcu-
to be drawn about the applied load and loading capacity of gears, lated and displayed on-screen. Features include graphical represen-
and can be used to identify possible sources of damage, capacity tation of forces during test, and pre-loaded ISO/ASTM/TAPPI
reserves, and overloading in the measured gear. test methods.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-401 For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-404

Handheld Meter Signal Analyzer

The OMEGA HHTP21 hand- The MS2840A signal analyzer from Anritsu (Richardson, TX) fea-
held particulate, humidity, and tem- tures frequency coverage of 9 kHz to 44.5 GHz and close-in SSB
perature meter from OMEGA phase noise performance. Frequency coverage can be extended to
Engineering (Stamford, CT) meas- the millimeter wave
ures fine and coarse particle pollu- (mmWave) range.
tion from many different sources. The analyzer can
Features include fine particulate conduct wideband
matter (PM2.5) measurement, and narrowband
health index (0 to 9) detection and measurements on
alarm, PM2.5 time weighted average next-generation
reading, data hold and max/min 4G/5G designs,
with time stamp function, six-color LED indication air quality at micro wave and
good/moderate/poor, and preset warning point of buzzer alarm, LED, mmWave wireless
and alarm output. The meter monitors particulate pollution in burning backhaul, 79 GHz band automobile radar, satellite communica-
plants, petrochemical facilities, thermal power plants, restaurants, hospi- tions, and VHF/UHF Private Mobile Radio (PMR). The units oscil-
tals, mining facilities, metal refineries, and commercial and public build- lator achieves phase noise performance of 123 dBc/Hz at 1 GHz
ings. measurement frequency, and 10 kHz offset frequency.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-403 For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-405

16 www.techbriefs.com Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016

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Oscilloscopes Gas Volume Measurement
Teledyne LeCroy (Chestnut Emdyne (Houston, TX) announced the Gasometer, an automat-
Ridge, NY) introduced the ed positive displacement gas volume measuring instrument with 0.1
WaveRunner 8000 oscillo- cc precision. A dual piston design offers unlimited total volume col-
scopes with bandwidths from lection with data logger out-
500 MHz to 4 GHz, and the put of volume count via a
MAUI with OneTouch user serial port. Features include
interface. Options include dig- RTD collection chamber tem-
ital filtering, spectrum analy- perature reporting output,
sis, and device and switching rates from near zero to tens
power supply analysis. The cus- of liters/hour, ultra-low (0.3
tomization option enables user- in. water column) head pres-
defined parameters and math functions. MAUI with OneTouch sure sensitivity, and a temper-
enables all common operations with a single touch of the display, as ature-controlled heated col-
well as drag-and-drop actions to copy and set up channels, math lection chamber (optional).
functions, and measurement parameters. The oscilloscopes have 16 The instrument is made from gas-resistant 316 stainless and hard-
digital lines that can be used for trigger, decode, and measurements anodized materials.
for analyzing timing irregularities or for general-purpose debug of For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-408
digital designs.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-406 Flow Detector
The Flow Detect 2000 from BinMaster (Lincoln, NE) uses
High-Voltage Probes microwave Doppler technology to communicate flow or no-flow sta-
Cal Test Electronics (Yorba Linda, CA) tus. It features North American
introduced Elditest high-voltage Class II, Division 1 Groups E, F, &
differential probes for measure- G and ATEX Zone 21 hazardous
ments between two voltage location approvals. The non-intru-
points where neither sive instrument is appropriate for
point is referenced to solids, granules, pellets, meals, and
ground. The probes offer powdered materials. The detector
input voltage of 800 V, can be used as a control to mini-
7.5 kV, or 15 kV for both mize or prevent the hazard of
differential and common cross-contamination by detecting
mode voltage, depending whether material is still flowing.
on the probe chosen. Compatible with oscilloscopes from all major The detector houses the sensing
manufacturers, the probes are suited for use where high sensitivity element, power and output con-
and dynamic range are needed. Features include two attenuation nections, and user adjustment con-
settings, compliance with IEC 61010-031 safety standard, and power trols in a single NEMA 4X enclosure. The unit is non-intrusive and
and over-range indicators. does not come into contact with the flow stream. A single analog
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-407 relay output communicates flow or no-flow status to a PLC.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-410
Digital Multimeter
National Instruments Arbitrary/Function Signal Generators
(Austin, TX) introduced Global Specialties (Yorba Linda, CA) introduced the SFG-20X
the NI PXIe-4081 7- Series single-channel function/arbitrary waveform generators that
digit digital multimeter are capable of generating either a 5-MHz sine wave (SFG-205) or a
(DMM), a PXI Express 10-MHz sine wave (SFG-210). Both feature color displays, user-friend-
DMM that features 15- ly controls, and
ppm accuracy for DC numeric keypads.
voltage measurements In addition, they
up to two years after cal- feature non-volatile
ibration. It is capable of memory to create,
voltage measurements store, and recall
from nanovolts to one arbitrary waveforms
kilovolt, and resistance of up to 16,000
measurements from micro-ohms to giga-ohms. A solid-state current points with 14-bit
shunt configuration offers eight DC current ranges from 1 A to 3 vertical resolution.
A, and six AC rms current ranges from 100 A to 3 A. The DMM Other features include 46 predefined arbitrary waveforms for output,
occupies a single 3U PXI slot, and delivers 17 DMM channels in a a USB interface on the rear panel, 125 MSa/s sample rate, 5 standard
single PXI chassis occupying 4U of rack space. The isolated digitiz- output waveforms, store/recall of up to 10 instrument settings, 14-bit
er mode can acquire DC-coupled waveforms in all voltage and cur- vertical resolution, 3.5" TFT-LCD color display, and EasyWave arbi-
rent ranges with a 1.8 MS/s maximum sample rate. trary waveform editing software.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-409 For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/61064-411

Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016 www.techbriefs.com 17

Intro Cov ToC + A

Never Lose Testing Data Again
Genesis High Speed* for Extensive Shock
and Vibration Testing

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DAQ hardware for shock and vibration with integrated IEPE and charge conditioning

Up to 100 MS/s per channel in transient mode; Up to 10 MS/s per channel in continuous mode

Software for data acquisition, analysis, automated batch processing and report generation

Calculation of Shock Response Spectrum (SRS), Extreme Response Spectrum (ERS) and Fatigue
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The Nicolet brand is owned by Thermo Fisher Scientic Inc. Corporation. Gould is a brand of Gould Electronics GmbH.

HBM Test and Measurement  +1 800-578-4260  info@usa.hbm.com  www.hbm.com

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/61064-750

Intro Cov ToC + A