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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
Automation Technology
NASA Tech Briefs

August 2016
www.techbriefs.com
Test & Measurement

Tech Briefs
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

n
motio
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Intro
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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
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August 2016 Vol. 40 No. 8
Contents
Features
8
12
Products of Tomorrow
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

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
26
Electrical/Electronics
26
High Field Superconducting Magnets
26
Distributed Diagnostics and Prognostics
28
Lens-Coupled Dielectric Waveguides
29
Sampling and Control Circuit Board for an Inertial

Measurement Unit
30
24
59
Departments
6
Efficient Radiation Shielding Through Direct Metal Laser

Sintering
UpFront
10
Whos Who at NASA
62
NASAs Technology Transfer Program
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

Reduced Pressure
58
Product Focus: Mechanical Components
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
36
Manufacturing & Prototyping
36
Tension Stiffened and Tendon Actuated Manipulator
37
Special Supplement
August 2016
Test & Measurement Tech Briefs

Lattice Structures Coating Concept for Efficient Thermal Linking

Beds
38
A Statistically Based Approach to Broadband Liner Design and

Assessment
38
Connection and Repair Techniques for Capillary Tubing in

Restrictive Areas and Gas Chromatography Applications

Selected editions only.

(Solutions continued on page 4)
www.techbriefs.com
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NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016
MATLAB SPEAKS
WIRELESS
DESIGN
You can simulate, prototype,
and verify wireless systems
right in MATLAB. Learn how
todays MATLAB supports RF,
LTE, WLAN and 5G development
and SDR hardware.
2016 The MathWorks, Inc
mathworks.com/wireless
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Contents
Product of the Month
40
Mechanical & Fluid Systems
40
Self-Latching Piezocomposite Actuator
40
Active Response Gravity Offload and Method
41
Fluid Harmonic Absorber
42
Variable-Aperture Reciprocating Reed Valve
42
Passive, Integrated, Sublimator-Driven Coldplate
43
Strat-X
44
Hydraulic Pressure Distribution System
46
Information Technology & Software
46
Improved Digital Map Rendering Method
47
Interactive Diagnostic Modeling Evaluator
48
High-Fidelity 3D Electromagnetic (E&M) Propagation

Modeling Tools
49
Motion Control and Automation Technology
50
Balancing Motor Control, Radiation-Tolerance, and Power

Consumption in Space Applications
NASA is developing the next generation of spacesuit

technologies that will enable deep space exploration. The
Z-2 suit is a technology demonstrator designed for maximum astronaut productivity on a planetary surface
exploring, collecting samples, and maneuvering in and
out of habitats and rovers. The suit can withstand longduration missions in the harsh environments found on
Mars. Find out more about NASAs new era of human
spaceflight in the article on page 12.
53
Flexibility of LVIT Technology in Factory Automation Applications
(Image courtesy of NASA)
54
New Products
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence

(North Kingstown, RI) introduced the
BLAZE 600M non-contact optical 3D scanner.
58
On the cover
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
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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
Linda Bell
Editorial Director
A Solar System Internet
A high-resolution, real-time, non-scanning 3D imaging laser system uses a simple lens system to simultaneously generate 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.
NASA has taken a major step toward creating a Solar System Internet by establishing 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 experimenters, 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 rebundled 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 traditional 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 communications are unreliable, such as disaster response areas.
Visit https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/aes/index.html
Prizes Awarded in Sample Return Robot Challenge
Next Month in NTB

The September issue of NASA Tech
Briefs will include a special feature highlighting NASAs advancements in power
technology, not only for spacecraft, but
for down-to-Earth applications as well.
Five teams took home prize

money after completing Level
1 of NASAs Sample Return
Robot Challenge at Worcester
Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. Part of the agencys
Centennial Challenges prize
program, the contest featured
18 teams of citizen inventors.
Each winning team was awarded $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 navigation 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
Connect with NTB

linkedin.com/company/tech-briefs-media
facebook.com/NASATechBriefs
6
twitter.com/NASATechBriefs
www.techbriefs.com
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Keysight Trueform outperforms DDS.

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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 medical 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 applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the
products of tomorrow. If you are interested in licensing
the technologies described here, use the contact information provided. To learn about more available technologies, visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at
http://technology.nasa.gov.
Products of
Tomorrow
Robotic Inspection
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 structure 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 software components.
Contact: Michelle P. Lewis
E-mail: jsc-techtran@mail.nasa.gov
http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/MSC-TOPS-70
Smart Image
Enhancement
Langley Research Center

developed an automatic measurement and control method
for smart image enhancement. Pilots, doctors, and photographers will benefit from this innovation that offers
a new approach to image processing, resulting in
improved medical imaging and nighttime photography. The technology consists of a set of comprehensive
methods that perform well across a wide range of conditions encountered in arbitrary images, including variations in lighting, scene characteristics, and atmospheric (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
This superconducting magnet is configured to prevent a voltage excursion across the

superconducting wire during quench of the superconducting magnet. The thermally conductive 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 magnetic 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
www.techbriefs.com
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Whos Who
at NASA
Stevan Spremo, Project Manager,
COTSAT-1, Ames Research
Center, Moffett Field, CA
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 reconfigured 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, oneoff systems that you cant really access and reconfigure
that much.
NTB: What are the parts of COTSAT-1?

Spremo: The parts of the COTSAT-1 system include solar
arrays; an avionics bus can, which is a pressurized volume;
electrical power management system; PC104 computer; communications 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 structure is assembled, to how the avionics are accessed and serviced.
Accessing the avionics is designed to be more like servicing an aircraft 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 accessing all hardware in the system. Quick-disconnect cabling and clamps allow the avionics 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 necessary. An entire power system swap could
happen in minutes. It is possible to assemble
and disassemble the entire space vehicle system in a single day if all subsystem assemblies are available at the same time.
DS-5 Development Studio

Embedded C/C++ software development
on ARM-based SoCs
NTB: What is most exciting about this

technology?
Spremo: There are thousands of ideas
about what we want to observe in space.
Maybe a scientist could not get a payload onorbit due to cost limitations before, but now
there is a lower-cost platform. For lowerEarth orbit, you might start changing the
community that you serve, and allow for
more discovery and innovation by increasing access to space with lower-cost alternatives. This approach is certainly a new pathway to the advancement of our understanding of the universe, and can give us new
tools to improve life on Earth.
To learn more about COTSAT-1, read a full
transcript, or listen to a downloadable podcast,
visit www.techbriefs.com/podcast.
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Human Spaceflight Takes a Giant Leap
ASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to

an asteroid by 2025, and to Mars
in the 2030s. While robotic
explorers have studied Mars for more
than 40 years, NASAs path for the
human exploration of Mars begins in low
Earth orbit aboard the International
Space Station (ISS). Astronauts on the
ISS are proving many of the technologies
and communications systems needed for
human missions to deep space, including
Mars. The ISS also advances understanding of how the body changes in space,
and how to protect astronaut health.
Astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft 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 capabilities. Human missions to Mars will rely on
Orion and an evolved version of SLS
that will be the most powerful launch
vehicle ever flown.
four-hour flight that tested many of the

systems most critical to safety. The test
evaluated launch and high-speed reentry systems such as avionics, attitude
control, parachutes, and the heat shield.
In the future, Orion will launch on the
SLS heavy-lift rocket. More powerful
than any rocket ever built, SLS will be
capable of sending humans to deep-
space destinations such as an asteroid

and eventually Mars. Exploration
Mission-1(EM-1) will be the first mission
to integrate Orion and the Space
Launch System. SLS offers the highestever payload mass, volume capability,
and energy to speed missions through
space. In 2015, NASA completed the
critical design review for SLS a first
Orion and SLS

For the first time in a generation,
NASA is building a new human spacecraft 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 experience of NASA and its industry partners.
On December 5, 2014, Orion
launched atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket
from Cape Canaveral on a two-orbit,
Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at Kennedy Space Center, technicians
install a back shell tile panel onto the Orion crew module, and check the fit next to the middle
back shell tile panel in preparation for Exploration Flight Test-1. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)
12
www.techbriefs.com
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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 thousands 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.
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 transportation systems that can safely launch
humans to low Earth orbit, and potentially astronauts to the International
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 completed, 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
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 spaceflight and wrote out the top-level
requirements for safety and other considerations to prepare for flight tests.
NASA will certify the vehicles for flight
tests and finally operational missions.
The companies apply their own knowledge and skills in designing, manufacturing, 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 progressively more complex development
contracts. Human spaceflight has never
been easy, and consequently, developing
a new space transportation system continues to be a complex process,
Manning explained.
Eight companies played different
parts in the CCP program as Space Act
Agreements began with broad concepts and subsystems that evolved into
completed systems, spacecraft, and
launch vehicles that could meet the
stringent demands of NASAs humanrating process. For example, spacecraft 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-
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A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is being prepared 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 crucial element for NASAs next generation of
crew spacecraft. (SpaceX)
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 carrying up to four astronauts plus timecritical cargo to the station. The Boeing
CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew
Dragon were chosen to begin manufacturing 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
Commercial Crew Program. It is important 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.
16
Each phase helped companies refine

their systems as development advanced.
Major systems such as avionics, parachutes, and launch escape systems
came first, then designs for complete
rockets and spacecraft, then to the mission 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 missions 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 allotment would double. That means double
the amount of science that benefits people on Earth, as well as research to address
the challenges of long-duration, deepspace 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-
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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 astronauts 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 certification to support the lead time necessary
for missions in late 2017, provided the
contractors meet readiness conditions.
The Path to Flight
Astronauts Suni Williams and Eric Boe evaluate part-task trainers for Boeings CST-100 Starliner at
the companys St. Louis facility. (NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis)
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
seated in their places. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)
sion. The benefit was not required, but a

reflection of the unique possibilities at
Kennedy, Manning said. Our assets and
the availability of an experienced workforce made a strong business case to
come here, Manning said. As a result,
with Boeing transforming Orbiter
Processing Facility-3 into the manufacturing facility for the Starliner, and
SpaceX modifying Launch Complex
39A for Falcon rockets and Crew
Dragons, they are key components in
the creation of Kennedys multi-user
spaceport concept.
SpaceXs crew transportation system,

including the Crew Dragon spacecraft
and Falcon 9 rocket, has advanced
through several development and certification phases. The company recently
performed a critical design review,
which demonstrated that the transportation system has reached a sufficient level of design maturity to work
toward fabrication, assembly, integration, and test activities.
The authority to proceed with
Dragons first operational crew mission
is a significant milestone in the
18
Hundreds of engineers and technicians with NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX

have ramped up to complete the final
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 qualification 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 during 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 successfully and safely complete these flight
tests and begin operational missions to
the International Space Station.
According to John Mulholland, Vice
President and Program Manager of
Boeings Commercial Programs, Our
spacecraft design is in firm configuration, teams are conducting about one
component qualification test per week,
and Starliner crew and service modules
are coming together in Florida. Its an
exciting time to be a part of American
human spaceflight, and were looking
forward to our first flight in 2017.
The systems that will go into each
spacecraft such as avionics, flight
computers, life support, communications, and numerous others are being
tested individually and in complex networks to make sure they do not interfere
with each other.
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A pool at NASAs Langley Research

Center in Virginia was the site for simulated contingency water landings for
Boeings Starliner. The testing enabled
Boeing and NASA engineers to evaluate
the capsules six perimeter airbags and
uprighting capabilities. Starliner missions 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 simulators with Crew Dragon parachutes and
connectors are dropped from airplanes
to determine their deployment behavior. Engineers use the results to feed
computer models that can evaluate different deployment conditions, and indicate whether the hardware will work as
designed in a host of flight conditions,
including aborts.
State-of-the-Art Training
NASA has selected experienced astronauts 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 generation of training simulators at the
Boeing facility in St. Louis to prepare
them for launch, flight, and returns
aboard the Starliner spacecraft. The parttask trainers, each large enough for one
person at the controls and programmed
to run through all the phases of a mission, 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 operations to unlikely emergencies.
These simulators have touchscreen
displays, which means they are more versatile than previous spacecraft trainers,
said Williams. We can run multiple simulations by just changing software and
then put that same software into a bigger 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 controllers 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/journeyto-mars-overview
systems/sls/index.html
systems/orion/index.html
http://www.boeing.com/space/crewspace-transportation-100-vehicle
http://www.spacex.com/crew-dragon
WATCH ON TECH BRIEFS TV

The first flight engine test for the Space
Launch System
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Orions first trip to space
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NASA astronauts prepare for future
human flights
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Simulators offer a glimpse of future
flight
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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 regulaSee 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 efficiently 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 incorporates 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 planetary surface suit; the suit is designed for maximum astronaut productivity on a planetary surface exploring,
collecting samples, and maneuvering in and out of habiNASA is evaluating pressurizable spacesuits for missions to a variety of exploration destitats 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)
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19
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
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 illuminate an object, surface, or image to generate a topographic profile.
The system includes a microlens array
configured in combination with a spherical
lens to generate a uniform array for a twodimensional 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 fraction 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 information 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 television frame rates (30 frames per second)
or higher. Alternate embodiments of this
innovation include the use of a light emitting 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 physical separation of spots in the object plane
improve efficiency and reduce crosstalk
between pixels. Potential applications
include remote sensing (i.e., LiDAR mapping), machine vision, and robotic vision.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact the
Strategic Partnerships Office at techtransfer@
gsfc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions. 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
ASAs Langley Research Center

researchers have developed an automatic measurement and control method
for smart image enhancement. Pilots,
doctors, and photographers will benefit
from this innovation that offers a new
approach to image processing. Initial
advantages will be seen in improved medical imaging and nighttime photography.
Standard image enhancement software is
unable to improve poor quality conditions such as low light, poor clarity, and
fog-like conditions. The technology consists of a set of comprehensive methods
that performs well across a wide range of
conditions encountered in arbitrary
images. Conditions include large variations in lighting, scene characteristics,
and atmospheric (or underwater) turbidity 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
innovation brings the technique of

active measurement and control to bear
upon the basic problem of enhancing
the digital image by defining absolute
measures of visual contrast, lightness,
and sharpness. This is accomplished by
automatically applying the type and
degree of enhancement needed based

on automated image analysis.
The foundation of the processing
scheme is the flow of digital images
through a feedback loop whose stages
include visual measurement computation and servo-controlled enhancement
An aerial photo before (left) and after (right) smart image enhancement.
20
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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 possible or advantageous. The servo-control
will bypass images that it determines
need no enhancement.
The system determines experimentally how much absolute degrees of sharpening can be applied before encountering detrimental sharpening artifacts.
The latter decisions are stop decisions
that are controlled by further contrast or
light enhancement, producing unacceptable levels of saturation, signal clipping, and sharpness.
The invention was developed to provide 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-
er visibility, real-time digital enhancement of videos, medical imaging, thermal and night vision for surveillance systems, 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.
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
ASAs Marshall Space Flight Center

has developed novel neutron grazing incidence optics for use with smallscale portable neutron generators. The
technology was developed to enable the
use of commercially available neutron
generators for applications requiring
high flux densities, including high-performance imaging and analysis. Nested
grazing incidence mirror optics, with
high collection efficiency, are used to
produce divergent, parallel, or convergent neutron beams. Ray tracing simulations of the system (with source-object
separation of 10 m for 5 meV neutrons)
show nearly an order of magnitude neutron 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

passivation to remove
surface contaminants
MIT researchers seeking to maximize

neutron flux from diffuse sources for
imaging and testing applications.
Conventional neutron beam experiments demand high fluxes that can only
be obtained at research facilities
equipped with a reactor source and neutron optics. However, access to these
facilities is limited. The NASA technology uses grazing incidence reflective
optics to produce focused beams of neutrons from compact commercially available sources, resulting in higher flux
concentrations. Neutrons are doubly
reflected off of a parabolic and hyperbolic mirror at a sufficiently small angle,
creating neutron beams that are convergent, divergent, or parallel. Neutron
flux can be increased by concentrically
3. Precision diamond
turning to 20, 1/3m
figure accuracy
7. Deposit multilayers
on mandrel
4. Polish &
5. Metrology
superpolish to on mandrel
3-4 rms finish
8. Electroform Ni/Co
shell onto mandrel
9. Separate optic
from mandrel in
cold water bath
The optics are made by electroforming a nickel alloy shell over a CNC formed and polished mandrel
to create a deformation-free surface.
nesting mirrors with the same focal

length and curvature, resulting in a convergence 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 electroformed nickel replication technique
developed by NASA and the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics (see
figure). A machined aluminum mandrel
is super-polished to a surface roughness of
3-4 angstroms root mean square and plated with layers of highly reflective nickelcobalt alloy. Residual stresses that can
cause mirror warping are eliminated by
periodically reversing the anode and cathode 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 nondestructive inspection for jet engine turbine blades, fuel cells, archaeological
artifacts, and weld inspections; and analytical techniques for small angle neutron
scattering (SANS), time-of-flight spectroscopy, convergent beam crystallography, and inelastic scattering instruments.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact
Sammy A. Nabors at sammy.nabors@
nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information:
MFS-TOPS-40.
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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
new smart camera developed at

NASAs Glenn Research Center has
the ability to process and transmit valuable 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 supersonic jets. A supersonic jet cannot function
properly unless the airflow entering the
machine is compressed and slowed to subsonic speed in the inlet before it reaches
the engine. When supersonic air is compressed, 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 external digital interface. This highly customizable cameras ability to quickly identify
precise location data makes it ideal for a
variety of other applications where highspeed edge detection is needed.
In order for the camera to detect invisible 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-
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 identify 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 interface such as the controller area network
(CAN bus), Ethernet, RS-232/485, or USB.
Unlike conventional edge detection systems, 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 signal-processing circuit, and a digital circuit. The result is a smaller, more reliable
technology with increased processing
frame rates. The design can easily be tailored to the end use, and can be reconfigured to respond to positive and/or negative going edges. Furthermore, the threshold sensitivity can be varied and algorithmically set, making it well suited for a
number of other terrestrial applications
from transportation to manufacturing.
Potential applications for this technology include supersonic jets, manufacturing
(assembly lines, part placement, and position monitoring), lane line tracking for
vehicle control, bar code scanners, and
digital photography.
contact the Technology Transfer Office at
ttp@grc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information:
LEW-TOPS-35.
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.
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 sicklecell anemia patients in Africa, Glenns
groundbreaking system includes a cam-
era-processor-display apparatus and

uses an innovative image-processing
method to provide two- or three-dimensional, 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 healthcare workers locate veins for procedures
22
such as needle insertion or excision.

Compared to other state-of-the-art solutions, the imager is inexpensive, compact, and very portable, so it can be
used in remote third-world areas, emergency response situations, or military
battlefields.
Current subcutaneous vessel imagers
use large, multiple, and often separate
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assemblies with complicated optics to

image subcutaneous structures as twodimensional maps on a wide monitor, or
as maps extracted by a computer and
focused onto the skin by a video projection. 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 inexpensive 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 technology that is not affected by melanin content, and can also operate in dark environments. In addition, its a battery-powered system that does not require an
external power supply, so the imager can
be used in emergency or other non-hospital environments.
In Glenns novel subcutaneous imager, 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 subcutaneous structure) will show very
dark, while other surrounding features
Glenns innovative image-processing method

can provide two- or three-dimensional, highcontrast visualization of veins and other vascular 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
the synchronization of a pair of imaging devices. Additionally, the use of a

virtual-reality headset affords a threedimensional view of the field, thereby
improving the visualization of veins. In
short, Glenns researchers have produced an inexpensive, lightweight,
high-utility device for locating and
identifying subcutaneous structures in
patients.
This technology can be used in biomedical applications to facilitate vein
access for challenging patient populations, 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 screening for sub-surface lesions such as cancers and venous malformations.
commercialize this technology. Please contact the Technology Transfer Office at
LEW-TOPS-82.
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.
efits of the Flash LIDAR technique and
the corresponding image-to-image processing enable autonomous vision-based
guidance and control for robotic systems.
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
-1
5
-5
-1.5
10
Y coordinate, m
-0.5
-10
-5
0
-0.5
-1
5
-10
-5
X coordinate, m
10
-1.5
X coordinate, m
The original (left) and enhanced resolution Flash LIDAR images.
www.techbriefs.com
Intro
Elevation, m
-5
0.5
Elevation, m
ASAs Langley Research Center has

developed 3D imaging technologies
(Flash LIDAR) for real-time terrain mapping and synthetic vision-based navigation. To take advantage of the information inherent in a sequence of 3D images
acquired at video rates, NASA Langley
has also developed an embedded imageprocessing algorithm that can simultaneously correct, enhance, and derive relative motion by processing this image
sequence into a high-resolution 3D synthetic 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-
Y coordinate, m
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23
Imaging
This suite of technologies includes a
method, algorithms, and computer
processing techniques to provide for
image photometric correction and resolution 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 conjunction with a sequence of overlapping
or persistent images, to simultaneously
enhance the spatial resolution and
range and photometric accuracies. In
other words, the technologies allow for

generating an elevation (3D) map of a
targeted area (e.g., terrain) with much
enhanced resolution by blending consecutive camera image frames. The
degree of image resolution enhancement increases with the number of
acquired frames.
Possible applications include precision safe spacecraft landing, automatic
spacecraft rendezvous and docking, autonomous rover and robot guidance and
control, on-orbit inspection and servic-
ing, robotic ground vehicle collision

avoidance and mobility operations, topographical/terrain mapping, and automotive collision avoidance, adaptive
cruise control, and situational awareness.
to initiate licensing discussions. Follow
this link for more information: http://
LAR-TOPS-168.
Spatially Aberrated Spectral Filtering for HighPerformance Spectral Imaging

This innovation has application in the biomedical research, semiconductor, and
analysis/characterization fields.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
igh-performance thermal imagers

like Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) on
the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
and the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment on the Lunar Reconnaissance
Orbiter (LRO) currently use a three-mirror 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 aberrations: 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 spacebased 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 configurations. Within the acceptable limits
of geometric blur (0.1 arcsec), Korsch
was remarkably able to correct four aberrations (spherical aberration, coma,
astigmatism, and field curvature) with
three curved mirrors. Elimination of
field curvature allows a flat focal surface
and greatly reduced mechanical complexity in a telescope focal plane.
The precise location of the optical/thermal filter is typically in a diverging, converging, collimated, or focused beam. In
current thermal imager designs, the spec-
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 geometry, 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. Nonsequential ray trace at the filter assembly
shows power transmission (as rays) shaped in
the form of curvature with respect to the aberrated field angle.
24
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 compromising ultimate spatial resolution quality at
the detection plane. The novelty of this
is that spatial aberrations are specifically 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 intermediate plane based on a spatial-spectral filter geometrical metric. This metric allows the power to be transferred
and spectrally filtered while maintaining the same high-performance wavefront aberration at the detector plane.
In addition, the differential magnification 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 simpler 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.
www.techbriefs.com
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This innovative design is an ultra-compact, high-performance, spectral filter

imaging system for earth and space science specifically developed for the nextgeneration MCS/DIVINER thermopile
imager. The design has minimized transient thermal phenomena, a 2 times
larger filter assembly, and high-performance imaging at the detector array
compatible with ever smaller pixels.
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 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-49552
colorSENSOR LT
High resolution
True color sensors
A Common-Mode Digital Holographic

Microscope
This instrument has no moving parts and allows scientists to
image in 3D and in real time.
igital holography is a fast-growing

field in optics, recently spurred by
the advent of large-format digital cameras and high-speed computers. This
method provides a time-series of volumetric information about a sample, but
the instrument itself has no moving
parts. It does not compromise performance such as image quality and spatial
resolution. However, these systems are
typically implemented as optical interferometers 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 significantly reduced performance in the presence 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
Sample
Source
Light
Source
illumination for both the science and

reference arms, a pair of small microscope objectives located side-by-side, a
relay lens centered between the two
objectives, and a focal plane sensor
where the optical intensity of the interfered beams is measured.
Compared to a canonical, MachZehnder interferometer, this design
removes two beamsplitters, thus saving
light; the beam paths propagate along
adjacent paths (making the system
insensitive to opto-mechanical disturbances); the system is lightweight, compact, enclosed, and robust for field
deployment; it uses fewer components
and is easy to assemble; and it is intrinsically coherent, which means for most
optical sources the science and reference
beams will combine interferometrically.
This work was done by J. Kent Wallace,
Kurt M. Liewer, Christian A. Lindensmith,
Eugene Serabyn, Stephanie Rider, and
Emilio Graff of Caltech for NASAs Jet
Propulsion Laboratory. 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 Dan Broderick at
Collimator
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The optics between the science and reference arms propagate along adjacent beam paths through
most of the same optical elements.
www.techbriefs.com
Intro
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Applications include MRI machines, mass spectrometers, and particle accelerators.
his superconducting magnet developed 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
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
A modified coil winding machine for small-diameter wire being used to enable higher packing densities for the superconducting magnets.
the superconducting magnet. The thermally conductive potting material and

the superconducting wire provide a path
for dissipation of heat.
The magnet has a very high field-to-current ratio of 1.1 Tesla/Ampere, is small
and lightweight and capable of achieving
high magnetic field strengths at low currents, 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 accelerators.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact the
Strategic Partnerships Office at techtransfer@
gsfc.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information:
GSC-TOPS-5.
Distributed Diagnostics and Prognostics

The distributed health management architecture is comprised of a network of smart sensor
devices.
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
ASA has developed a method that

prevents total system failure during
emergencies, allowing parts of the system to continue to function, and making overall system recovery faster. A heterogeneous set of system components
monitored by a varied suite of sensors
and a health monitoring framework has
been developed with the power and flexibility to adapt to different diagnostic
and prognostic needs. Current state-ofthe-art monitoring and health management 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-
es in the volume of sensor data as well as

the need for associated processing, traditional centralized systems tend to be
somewhat ungainly; in particular, when
faced with multi-tasking of computationally 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 monitor the health of various subsystems or
modules. They perform diagnostics
operations and trigger prognostics oper-
26
ation based on user-defined thresholds

and rules. Both the diagnostic and prognostic tasks are formulated as a particlefiltering 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
www.techbriefs.com
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Harsh
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Central
Server
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 mitigation 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 completed, and after appropriate actions
have been taken, all CEs return to their
original default configuration.
This technology has potential applications in prognostic health management, commercial aerospace and aircraft, mechanical systems, and process
industries.
commercialize 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/TOP2-216.
CE
CE
Base
Station
CE
CE
CE
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.
ASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory has

developed a low-loss dielectric waveguide that provides a simple, versatile,
and flexible transmission medium.
Dielectric waveguides long, solid
pieces of dielectric that confine electromagnetic 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 interconnects joining conventional metallic
waveguides and dielectric waveguides.
JPLs interconnect solution uses lens
coupling to reduce these losses by a factor of 10 or more, yielding a reliable,
cost-effective alternative to conventional
waveguides.
Conventional interconnects consist of
tapering the extremities of the dielectric 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 interconnect solution, a lens couples the power
Dielectric
lens
Dielectric waveguide
0
-2.73
-5.45
-8.18
-10.9
-13.6
-16.4
-19.1
-21.8
Metallic
waveguide
Metallic
waveguide
-24.5
-27.3
-30
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 waveguide, 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 dielectric waveguide does not depend on
physics contact; this improves reliability,
28
reduces packaging complexity, and

allows for added vibration/stress immunity.
Potential uses include data transmission media in applications where low
transmission/coupling losses are critical, and data links with added vibration/stress immunity like those used in
communication links between modules
on spacecraft, landers, and rovers.
Mark W. Homer at Mark.W.Homer@
jpl.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions.
NPO-TOPS-46.
www.techbriefs.com
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Sampling and Control Circuit Board for an Inertial

Measurement Unit
cientists at NASAs Glenn Re search Center have developed a

circuit board that serves as a control
and sampling interface to an inertial
measurement unit (IMU). The circuit
board provides sampling and communication abilities that allow the IMU
to be sampled at precise intervals.
The data is minimally processed
onboard and returned to a separate
processor for inclusion in an overall
system. The circuit board allows the
normal overhead associated with IMU
data collection to be performed outside of the system processor, freeing
up time to run intensive algorithms in
parallel. This Glenn technology consists of the circuit schematic, board
layout, and microcontroller firmware
for the IMU sampling and control circuit board.
For fast platform dynamics, it is necessary to sample the IMU at quick
intervals in order to fulfill the Nyquist
sampling theorem requirements. This
can be difficult in cases where low size,
weight, and power are required, since a
primary processor may already be saturated running the navigation algorithm or other system functions.
Glenns novel circuit board was
designed to handle the sampling
process (involving frequent interrupt
requests) in parallel, while delivering
the resulting data to a buffered communication port for inclusion in the
navigation algorithm on an as-available
basis. The circuit operates using a universal serial bus (USB) or Bluetooth
interface. A control command is sent
to the circuit from a separate processor
or computer that instructs the circuit
how to sample data. Then, a one-pulseper-second signal is sent to trigger the
circuit to perform automatic data collection from the IMU sensor.
Various navigation sensors can be
synchronized very closely in time. In
addition, the board does not require
maintenance unless a component is
damaged. This is an early-stage technology requiring additional development.
Glenn welcomes co-development
opportunities.
Potential applications include navigation, robotics, process control and
industrial automation, and instrumentation and measurement.

commercialize this technology. Please contact the Technology Transfer Office at
LEW-TOPS-67.
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29
Efficient Radiation Shielding Through Direct Metal Laser

Sintering
unctional and parametric degradation of microcircuits due to total ionizing dose (TID) often poses serious
obstacles to deployment of critical stateof-the-art (SOTA) technologies in
NASA missions. Moreover, because
device dielectrics in which such degradation occurs vary from one fabrication
lot to the next, these effects must be reevaluated on a lot-by-lot basis. Often,
the most effective mitigation against
TID degradation is the addition of radiation shielding to the electronics box.
Unfortunately, shielding materials can
add significant amounts of mass to a system, 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-
transport through the shielding materials 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 existing 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 modular 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 models for use with direct metal laser sintering (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 shielding located only on critical components
that require it. Moreover, it does so efficiently by capitalizing on previous DMLS
capability analyses, expanding applications 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; missions 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 radiation 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
30
nent from the omnidirectional radiation environment.

It is important to consider collateral
shielding provided by neighboring components or larger objects within the
spacecraft in order to minimize the
shield footprint. Such patterned design
complexities involve painstaking fabrication and installation, and the shielding
effectiveness must be verified with threedimensional ray-trace analysis. Small
package sizes make component-level
shielding fabrication even more challenging. Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology offers promising breakthroughs in the design and deployment
of radiation shielding optimized to the
capability of the component, the mission radiation environment, and the
shielding already provided by the components surroundings. However, in
order for that potential to be realized, a
thorough understanding of radiation
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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
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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

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jboutant @ semi . org
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Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked
Structure
Applications for the strong, flexible material include thermal insulation and lightweight
sandwich structures.
ASA-developed polyimide aerogels are 500 times stronger than

conventional silica aerogels. The
innovative aerogels represent a revolutionary advance over fragile silica
aerogels because they are highly flexible and foldable in thin film form.
As a thin film, they can be used to
insulate industrial pipelines, automotive shields, and temporary housing
structures, and can be used within
protective clothing such as firefighting 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 contour to whatever shape is needed.
Aerogels are highly porous, lowdensity 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 therand chemically imidizing at room temis 2 to 10 times improved performance
mal insulation for refrigeration, housperature. The resulting product is a
over polymer foams in ambient condiing, industrial pipelines, automotive,
cross-linked polyimide aerogel that
tion, and up to 30 times improved perand medical supplies; lightweight sandretains 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 fabriautomobiles and aircraft; low dielectric
adds the beneficial properties of aerocated 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
The cross-linked polyimide aerogels
clothing, or molded into a panel to act
commercialize this technology. Please conhave 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 discusparticles. They have low thermal conin 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 formhttp://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
300 C for long-term use, and are moisfitting insulation.
TOP3-411.
32
www.techbriefs.com
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Catalytic Oxidation of
Organic Contaminants at
Reduced Pressure
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 products outwards of the micropores. It is expected that by implementing 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 dramatically improved as the active reaction sites will be made accessible to oxygen reactant, and more reaction products will be
removed efficiently from the catalyst sites.
This work was done by Ping Yu and Tim Nalette of Hamilton
Sundstrand Corp. for Marshall 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 Ronald C. Darty at
Ronald.C.Darty@nasa.gov. MFS-33315-1
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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, polyesters, and acrylics. NASA developed this technology for use
Intro
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33
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www.masterbond.com
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
SAFETY | INSTITUTIONAL | ENERGY
Introducing the ResponseONE

Weather Transmitter, a highperformance, high-value instrument
WKDWDFFXUDWHO\PHDVXUHVYHNH\
meteorological variables:
in personnel protective systems for launch pad personnel

engaged in hazardous materials (HAZMAT) operations.
The invention provides polymer blends containing polyhydroxyamide and one or more flammable polymers. The
polymer blends are flame-retardant and have improved
durability and heat stability compared to the flammable
polymer portion of the blends.
Since polymers typically burn readily, the ability to render a
polymer flame-retardant without sacrificing its physical properties is critical to its intended application. KSCs new fireretardant polymers are formed using conventional polymer
processing techniques to introduce a special additive at concentrations ranging from 5% to 8%. Flammability tests
showed that the resulting polymer exhibited an increased limited 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 significantly 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
harmful if inhaled. This is an important safety benefit of this
technology.
This technology has potential uses in textiles, protective garments, the aerospace industry (specifically fabrics and panels
used in airplanes), construction (e.g., plastic deck components), electronics, and wire and cabling.
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.
Metal/Fiber Laminate and

Fabrication Using a Porous
Metal/Fiber Preform
Wind speed
Wind direction
Temperature
Relative humidity
Barometric pressure
This technology can be used in aeronautics,

pressure vessels and storage tanks, ballistic
protection, automotive structures, and
composite doors and windows.
N
WWW.YOUNGUSA.COM | 231.946.3980
PRECISION METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS
34
DESIGNED &
BUILT IN USA
ASAs Langley Research Center has developed a new

technique to enable the preparation of metal/composite hybrid laminates, also known as fiber metal laminates
(FML), by depositing metal directly onto fabric using a plasma deposition process. FMLs provide a useful combination
of structural and functional properties for both aerospace
and non-aerospace applications. Currently, FMLs are prepared in a compression process utilizing a press or autoclave
with metallic layers (foils) sandwiched between layers of
glass or graphite prepreg (preimpregnated fibers with a
matrix resin). The NASA process deposits the metal on the
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0
90
ISO
13485 A
S9
1
00
IS
porous, so the polymer matrix can

pass through the product precursor during the infusion process.
The amount of metal deposited
can be controlled, as can the number of fabric plies that are ultimately stacked to produce the preform
for the polymer matrix infusion
process.
A variety of infusion processes
can be utilized to prepare the
FML, including resin transfer
molding (RTM), resin film infusion (RFI), and vacuum-assisted
resin transfer molding (VARTM).
The tailorable aspect of the
process allows for specific product
design. By varying the combination of metal particle, fiber, fabric
type, metal layer thickness, fabric
direction, number of layers, polymer matrix resin, infusion process,
and cure conditions, the characteristics of the final part can meet
the needs of various applications.
Metal deposition directly onto
fabric eliminates the need for separate foils, and provides better
interlayer bonding. A variety of
fabrics and metal alloys (e.g., aluminum, titanium, copper, glass
fabric, carbon fabric, epoxy, and
polyimide) can be used to meet
application requirements. The
process can be tailored using its
flexibility in terms of resin pathways (size, pattern) and finished
parts (thickness, texture, permeability, single or multi-sided, etc.).
Final laminate products can vary
The NASA plasma process deposits metal particles that
in terms of stacking sequences,
are heated as they travel axially at low velocity
through an inert gas plasma.
number of plies, metal/composite
ratios, and fabric preform types.
fiber via plasma deposition. The porosThis technology can be used in a
ity of the coated fabric allows for resin
number of applications. In aeronautics
infusion.
and aerospace systems, it can be used
NASAs plasma-deposition process
for embedded lightning strike protecprovides the ability to tailor various
tion for aircraft, fuselage skins, leadingproperties while designing functional
edge wings, floors and liners, pressure
parts by selecting specific materials and
bulkheads, landing gear doors, flap
processing parameters to meet the end
skins, and blast-resistant cargo containgoal. Specifically, the plasma process
ers. It can also be used for pressure vesdeposits metal particles that are heated
sels and storage tanks, ballistic protecas they travel axially at low velocity
tion, automotive structures, and comthrough an inert gas plasma. The accelposite doors and windows.
erated powder particles become molten,
NASA is actively seeking licensees to comstrike the substrate fabric (uniaxial,
mercialize this technology. Please contact
biaxial, and multiaxial), and rapidly
The Technology Gateway at LARC-DLsolidify, imparting very little heat to the
technologygateway@mail.nasa.gov to initisubstrate while forming a metal-to-fiber
ate licensing discussions. Follow this link for
bond, as well as a metal-to-metal bond.
more information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
The resulting metal-coated fabric is
patent/TB2016/LAR-TOPS-99.
Laser machining
perfection
in stainless
Eagle has the skills
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Eagle Stainless
Tube & Fabrication, Inc.

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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.
ASAs Langley Research Center is developing a robotic arm

with lightweight joints that provide
a wide range of motion. The envisioned 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 compact packaging. The inherent
mechanical advantage provided by
the tendon articulation allows the
use of small, efficient motor systems. 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 robotic 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-harnature of the NASA-developed robotic
is being fabricated, and range-of-motion
bor, harbor-to-ship, or ship-to-ship dockarm 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 signifidevelopment.
barrier deployment and maneuvering;
cant mechanical advantage and imThe arm provides a long reach for
and subsea cable inspection and placeproved 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 effiminimal storage space when packaged and
capture, and mining of asteroids; spaceciency and significantly reduce manipucan be easily transported. The design can
craft berthing operations; satellite servlator 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 requirepositioning; 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 operNASA is actively seeking licensees to
booms between joints.
ation (e.g., extending or relocating links
NASA has developed an algorithm to
and spreader arms, etc.). An updated drive
scale the arm based on tip load, reach,
system is capable of reducing motor
and tip deflection inputs for any given
torques by an order-of-magnitude comto initiate licensing discussions. Follow
application. The design can be extended
pared to the first-generation system.
by the addition of articulating joints and
This technology has potential applicatechnology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/
degrees of freedom for improved arm
tion on Earth and in space. The EarthLAR-TOPS-41.
36
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Lattice Structures Coating Concept for Efficient Thermal

Linking Beds
onventional air revitalization technology for removal of CO2, moisture, and trace organic contaminants
usually involves a packed bed of sorbent
pellets that can be regenerated using a
concept similar to that of pressure swing
adsorption (PSA). Additional heat
input for thermal regeneration is preferred during the adsorption-desorption process to increase the regeneration efficiency. Typically, a pair of adsorber modules consisting of the same sorbent 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 developed 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 adjacent desorbing/regenerating chamber,
providing a self-sustaining adsorptiondesorption system, maintaining minimal 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-module packed beds of sorbent pellets.
In order to optimize the benefit of
highly conductive metal strands for efficient heat transfer within the thermallylinked chambers, an effective coating
technique was developed by PCI that
enables application of sorbent materials directly on the lattice structures with
high sorbent loading, good adhesion,
high uniformity, and long-term durability. The lattice structures for the coating development were fabricated by
MSFC via a laser sintering method and
were supplied to PCI. The lattice struc-
tures can also be produced using other

fabrication methods, such as Electron
Beam Melting (EBM); however, for
some metals such as aluminum (desirable due to its high thermal conductivity), the laser sintering method offers
better dimensional control. Coating

the sorbent materials directly on the
surface of the metal strands allows better surface-to-sorbent contact and less
resistance for a more efficient heat
transfer from the adsorbing chambers
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37
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 advantageous during vacuum desorption,
since in this case, the usually dominant
convective heat transfer mode is not
active. Other heat transfer modes are
gas conduction and radiation, and conduction 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 adsorbing chambers to the regenerating chambers and thus keeping the temperature
changes minimal within the thermallylinked beds.
This work was done by Christian Junaedi

of Precision Combustion, Inc. for Marshall
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 Ronald C. Darty at
A Statistically Based Approach to Broadband Liner Design

and Assessment
The current method targets the entire broadband frequency spectrum simultaneously.
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 paramount, the ability to simultaneously
reduce broadband fan noise levels has
become more attractive. Advanced manufacturing techniques have also opened
new possibilities for the implementation
of broadband liner concepts. This innovation is an integrated method for the
design and evaluation of novel broadband acoustic liner concepts for complex engine configurations.
An acoustic duct propagation and radiation code is used to predict optimum
impedance spectra over operating conditions of interest. In the absence of fan
source information, a statistical representation is used that allows for the generation 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 spectra, acoustic liner modeling tools are
used to identify geometric liner parame-
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 frequencies and/or operating conditions.
Because of the geometric constraints,
the resultant liners provide impedance
values that differ from the optimum values. Thus, the next step in the process is
to use the design impedance values in
the propagation/radiation code to evaluate liner performance. This assessment
may again be based on in-duct, nearfield, and/or far-field results. As with the
design impedance cost function, weighting of specific frequencies/operating
conditions could also be introduced in
this performance metric. If the assessment 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 individual cell is independently controlled.
Duct acoustic propagation/radiation and

liner modeling tools are integrated to
design broadband liners to achieve acceptable sound absorption over a wide frequency range. The ability to use a statistical 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 simultaneously. This is a major advantage over
current liner design approaches that
focus on narrow-band attenuation spectra, 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 intervals for the predicted performance.
This work was done by Douglas Nark and
Michael Jones of Langley Research Center.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact LaRCPatentLicensing@mail.nasa.gov to initiate
patent/LAR-TOPS-185. LAR-18211-1
Connection and Repair Techniques for Capillary Tubing in

Restrictive Areas and Gas Chromatography Applications
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
metal fittings. This solution is not applicable 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
38
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
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also a problem due to its hydrolysis when

trying to analyze water; the polyimide
glue interacts with the water in the sample and affects the analysis. These solutions dont support a repair of capillary
columns for water analysis in a small gas
chromatograph module.
This innovation describes two methodologies 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 fittings to join columns.
The purpose of this work was to create
techniques for joining capillary columns,
including very small pieces of fused silica capillary tubing (below 0.25 mm
OD), with minimal size and weight
requirements, that could be performed
in space-restricted areas. It was specifically applied to the repair of dissimilar
size capillary joints where no commercial union was available to produce a gastight 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 connections by applying heat and encapsulating 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 surrounding 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 module. The tip attached to the soldering
iron had to be modified for use in the
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 temperature. The second method was to
apply the device when at room temperature 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 working 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.
An additional method for capillary
column repair is the use of a highly viscous glue, such as silicone RTV or hot
melt glue. These highly viscous glues can
be applied to the joint and do not wick
up the joint as the polyimide glue does
during the repair. Initial tests indicate
the glue travels 1-2 mm up the joint,
allowing the joint overlap to be minimized. This technique does not require
any heat applied to the system for the
repair to take place. As such, it can be
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 temperature limit so care must be taken
when deciding on repair techniques for
specific applications. The silicone RTV
has a higher temperature limit, and specific 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
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Precision Metal Stamping

(High and Low Volume)
Welded & Mechanical Assemblies
Complex CNC Machining
Close Tolerance Grinding
Tooling, Fixtures and Gages
Laser Cutting and Welding
Rapid Prototyping
Wire EDM
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Self-Latching Piezocomposite Actuator

developed a self-latching piezocomposite actuator. The self-latching nature
of this invention allows for piezo actuators that do not require constant power
draw. Among other applications, the
invention is well suited for use in aerodynamic 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 piezocomposite actuator may function as a trim
tab, variable camber airfoil, vortex gen-
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 control and manage their electric fields.
The control device leverages the shape
memory behavior (specifically, the remnant 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 eliminating the need for some electrical
equipment, and eliminates the need for
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.
LAR-TOPS-208.
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
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.
Engineers at the NASA Johnson Space

Center (JSC) have developed a new system called the Active Response Gravity
Offload System (ARGOS) that provides
a simulated reduced gravity environ-
The ARGOS system attaches to a human subject in a gimbal and/or harness through a cable.
40
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 overhead crane system that senses their
actions (walking or jumping, for example) 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, fastresponse motor controllers, and custom-developed software algorithms to
provide a constant force offload that
simulates reduced gravity. It can interface with a wide range of subjects,
including humans, robots, and inanimate objects.
The ARGOS system attaches to a
human subject in a gimbal and/or harness 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 dimensions consistent with the selected gravity
level. Front/back and left/right movements are supported via a trolley on an
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overhead runway and bridge drive system, and up/down movements are supported 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 components are based on commercially available hoist systems. ARGOS has commercial possibilities wherever individuals
have to interact with heavy objects within a confined volume. Potential applications include material handling in a
ONE SOURCE.
HIGH QUALITY
SPRINGS.
warehouse or industrial facility; physical

therapy; commercial shipping/transportation of packages, luggage, or other
heavy objects; moving vans; personal
hoist systems for home, office, or garage;
assembly and maintenance; and automotive repair.
Michelle P. Lewis at jsc-techtran@
mail.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information:
MSC-TOPS-60.
Fluid Harmonic Absorber

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

Fluid Structure Coupling (FSC)
technology is a highly efficient and passive method to control the way fluids
and structures communicate and dictate
the behavior of a system. This technology has the demonstrated potential to
mitigate a multitude of different types of
vibration issues, and can be applied anywhere internal or external fluids interact
with physical structures. For example, in

a multistory building, water from a
rooftop tank or swimming pool could be
used to mitigate seismic or wind-induced
vibration by simply adding an FSC
device that controls the way the building
engages the water.
FSC is a passive technology that can
operate in different modes to control
vibration.
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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).
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Mechanical &
Fluid Systems
Harmonic absorber mode: The fluid
can be leveraged to act like a classic harmonic absorber to control low-frequency 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-
mary structure enables the primary structure 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 damping characteristics of the FSC device.
FSC devices minimize size and weight
because they can leverage existing fluids
in and around the system. They are inexpensive, 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
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.
MFS-TOPS-2.
Variable-Aperture Reciprocating Reed Valve

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 gradient, 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 fixedorifice devices, VARR may expand the
performance envelope by offering a
more continuous flow response in applications in which the pressure environment is constantly changing. Proportional two-way flow can enable a finetuned system response to pressure building 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-
tion and are likely to over- or underrestrict 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 linear 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-
ble of matching or exceeding the turbine meter ratio of 150:1 without possessing the many mechanical failure
modes associated with turbine bearings, blades, and friction.
Potential applications include air conditioning systems; flow control and
exhaust management for two-cycle
engines used in lawn equipment, jet skis,
motorbikes, and snowmobiles; flowlimiting devices such as variable
flow/variable delta pressure response
flow meters; linearized delta pressure
flow meters; vibration control enhancement for fluid, tuned mass, and hydropneumatic systems; shock absorbers and
transient shock attenuators; burst
diaphragms; and pressure relief valves.
MFS-TOPS-65.
Passive, Integrated, Sublimator-Driven Coldplate

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
is acquired from heat-generating equipment 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 component can provide system mass savings
42
by combining multiple pieces of hardware 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-
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Intro
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ner similar to a standard flow-through

coldplate. However, rather than supplying 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 combination 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 components 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 performance. The sublimator consists of an
interface surface under which is a feedwater layer, followed by a porous sublimator surface. Heat is transferred from
or across the feedwater layer to the sublimator surface. The feedwater layer may
contain interstitial material such as
metal foam or fins to enhance heat
transfer across the feedwater layer. The
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
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 thermal management. Many of the planned
technology demonstration missions will
require simple, safe, and reliable platforms 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 technology through joint cooperative research and
development. For more information about this
technology and to explore opportunities,
please contact Ronald C. Darty at
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Strat-X
This innovation is potentially useful for scientific experiments
at the edge of space or autonomous environmental
monitoring in extreme conditions.
xperiments in space can be expensive 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 suspended 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 altitude 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-
sure system was developed that opens and

closes at stratospheric altitudes, exposing
experiments while sampling environmental data inside and outside of the enclosure. Strat-X is a stratospheric exposure
technology that can carry experiments to
the edge of space in a completely controlled manner when mounted on large
scientific balloons. It is a fully self-contained system (autonomous avionics,
power, environmental controls, and sensors) that attaches to the exterior of balloon gondolas. Strat-X has removable
panels for hardware integration, and four
independently rotating skewers that
hold experimental samples.
Strat-X has a flexible design with removable panels for hardware integration, a
control board for autonomous operations,
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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 aluminum 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 technology 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 tightly 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 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-13921
Hydraulic Pressure Distribution

System
This mechanism enhances the performance of mechanically
impeding elements in an on-command operational
exoskeleton.
uman operation in space over long

time periods causes bone and muscle 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
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Intro
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 requiring periodic costly maintenance. The
disclosed device provides key elements
to enabling the design and operation of
compact exercise machines that overcome many of the disadvantages of the
current exercise machines found on
space vehicles/stations.
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Various machines have been developed

to address the need for countermeasures
of bone and muscle deterioration when
humans operate over extended time in
space. Even though these machines are in
use, each of them has many limitations
that need to be addressed in an effort to
prepare for human missions to distant
bodies in the solar system.
The need for an exercise exoskeleton
that performs on-demand resistivity by
impeding applied forces and torques
involves the development of a novel
Electro-Rheological Fluid (ERF)-based
device. The resistive elements consist of
pistons that are moving inside ERF-filled
cylinders. The piston consists of electrodes set with very small gaps between
them, and allows the flow of ERF through
the piston. The fluid flows through the
piston when the piston is displaced and
the electrodes are not energized.
Once the electrodes are activated, the
electric field between them changes the
viscosity of the ERF fluid and the piston
resists motion. Moreover, if the electrodes
are activated and the system provides high
pressure on one side of the piston and low
pressure on the other, the piston turns
into a linear or rotary actuator depending
on the specific implementation. Tests of
the operation of ERF against load that
were done in cooperation with
Northeastern University showed the feasibility of this approach. To enhance the
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 stepping method that addresses this need.
To increase the stiffness/resistance
bandwidth, ranging from free flow to
maximum viscosity, multiple electrodes
are used to create the piston. In order to
enhance the resistive force that can be
obtained by this mechanism, input and
output pumping nipples are added to
the cylinder to allow entry of fluid to the
side that needs to have increased pressure, while removing fluids from the
other side of the piston. In this way, the
actuator turns from a resistive element
into an active element, creating linear or
rotary motion, depending on the implementation. This use of pumping allows
enhancing the impending force, and
enabling, with the aid of an actuator, to
augment the user lifting capability with a
force that can be as high as 700 N. The
pumping action needs to be controlled
while synchronizing it with the movement on the exoskeleton. This system
High Pressure
Fluid Line
Motor
Piston with
Virtual Valves
Pump
Low Pressure
Fluid Line
Hydraulic
Actuator
Virtual
Valves
The Hydraulic Power Distribution System was inspired by the human bodys heart and blood circulation system, where separate high-and low-pressure tubing lines are used.
was inspired by the human bodys heart

and blood circulation system, where separate high- and low-pressure tubing lines
are used. The flow necessary to actuate
the ERF-based elements is provided by
mini-pumps and is assisted by a
hydraulic pressure distribution system.
The resultant force and the velocity of
the piston are dependent on the electrical field strength and the flow rate of the
pump. The flow rate is regulated by a
servo amplifier that controls the velocity
of the pump. The system controller is
designed to synchronize the operation

of the ERF device with the user performance. Also, sensors are used to provide
feedback to the controller.
This work was done by Mircea Badescu,
Yoseph Bar-Cohen, and Stewart Sherrit of
Caltech for NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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 Dan Broderick at
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45
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
ata adaptive algorithms are the critically enabling technology for automatic 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 algorithms are designed to be easily integrated into an aircrafts existing onboard
computing environment, or into an electronic flight bag (EFB) or mobile device
application. In addition to its use within
next-generation collision avoidance systems, the software can be adapted for
use in a wide variety of applications,
including aerospace satellites, automobiles, scientific research, marine charting systems, and medical devices.
NASA Armstrong collaborated with
the U.S. Air Force to develop algorithms
that interpret highly encoded large-area

terrain maps with geographically userdefined 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 highperformance encoding and decoding
processes using a unique combination of
regular and semi-regular geometric
tiling for optimal rendering of a requested 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
The DTM software uses a combination of regular and semi-regular geometric tiling for optimal rendering of a requested map.
46
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 aircraft, 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 handheld/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 aviation aircraft.
Conventional DTM encoding techniques used onboard high-performance
aircraft typically achieve relatively low
encoding process ratios. Also, the decoding process can be computationally complex, making them unsuitable for the
real-time constrained computing environments of high-performance aircraft.
Implementation costs are also often prohibitive for general aviation aircraft.
This software achieves its high encoding
process ratio by intelligently interpreting its maps rather than requiring
absolute retention of all data. For example, the DTM software notes the perimeter 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 intelligent processing, the software eliminates
the need to maintain absolute retention
of all data, and achieves a much higher
encoding process ratio than conventional terrain-mapping software. The resulting encoding process allows users to
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store a larger library of DTMs in one place, enabling comprehensive map coverage at all times. Additionally, the ability to
selectively tailor resolution enables high-fidelity sections of terrain 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 predication and planning, marine charting systems, geospatial information systems, medical software, Earth science data collection, 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
ASAs Ames Research Center has developed an interactive diagnostic modeling evaluator (i-DME) tool to aid in
modeling for noise and lag in the data and debugging of system models when fault detection, isolation, and recovery
results are incorrect. i-DME is designed to dramatically speed
up the modeling debugging process. Often what hinders
human-led model developments are 1) the sheer size of playback 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 userset performance criteria for detection and isolation are violated. 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 complex data to identify, prioritize, and resolve errors in a selfcorrecting manner.
The i-DME is a computer-user interactive procedure for
repairing the system model through its abstract representation, D-matrix, and then translating the changes back to the
system model. The system model is a schematic representation of faults, tests, and their relationship in terms of nodes
and arcs. D-matrix is derived from the system models propagation paths as the relationships between faults and tests.
When the relation exists between fault and test, it is represented as 1 in the D-matrix. To repair the D-matrix and wrapper/test logic by playing back a sequence of nominal and failure 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 translation of changes to the system model is done via a process
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47
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 provides a trace for each modification such
that a rational basis for each decision

can be verified.
This software can potentially be used
in industrial applications, consumer
service applications, aerospace, chemical plant process monitoring, oil and gas
plant operations, and health monitoring
systems.

the Technology Partnerships Office at
High-Fidelity 3D Electromagnetic (E&M) Propagation

Modeling Tools
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 geophysical 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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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 forward 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, compared with the strength of incident waves.
The back-projection imaging tools are for
building 3D interior structures using simulated radar echoes (3D tomography) as
well as evaluating its performance. The
forward and back-projection tools would
enable understanding of radar echograms (radargrams) from internal reflections of the incident waves, and derive
geophysical parameters such as internal
dielectric properties and losses at the resolution of a wavelength.
The tools achieved high computational efficiency using MATLABs parallelized matrix operations. The 3D tools
consisted of a wrapper and core computational 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 wavelength and source (dipole antenna) location. 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 surface of the simulation domain via an analytic 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
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Intro
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 computational 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 transform (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 simulations were confined around the comet
body, although the source could be located far away 20-100 km.
This work was done by Darmindra
Arumugam and Xiaoqing Wu of Caltech for
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This software 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
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August 2016
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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
Sun; moving reaction wheels to change
the orientation of the satellite, steering antennae for telecommunication,
ground contact, and radar purposes;
and moving focal planes, mirrors, and
filters in imaging satellites, to name just
a few examples.
In space applications, the highest reliability possible is needed, as repair or
rework is impractical after a satellite is
launched. By controlling motors digitally, sophisticated fault detection, isolation, and recovery algorithms can be
implemented to prolong the useful life
of motors, and therefore maximize the
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 protection should both top the list of priorities of a spacecraft.
BLDC Axis
APB3 Interface
Rotor Speed
Position and Speed
v , v , i , i
Time
Scheduled Pl
Controller for Id,
Iq, and Speed
Speed
Pl
0
Iq-Pl
Rotor
Position
Inv.
Park
Inv.
Clarke
Park
Clarke
va,
Closed Sequence
Controller
Loop
Manager
v3a,
v3b,
vb,
vc
v3c
SVM
3 Phase
PWM
PWM
Scaling
PWM A
PWM B
PWM C
Id-Pl
lq, ld
ia, ib
ADC
Scaling
Raw
data
ADC
Interface
ADC SDI
ADC CS\
ADC SCK
ADC SDO
Block diagram of FOC sensorless implementation to control speed and torque of a BLDC motor.
complex process. Single-event effects,

such as latch-ups and single-event
upsets, can damage spacecraft electronics severely and suddenly, while total ionizing dose (TID) exposure accumulates
over time, gradually causing electronic
devices to exceed specified limits. Flightcritical and mission-critical systems need
to be designed with components that
have well-established and well-documented tolerance to radiation effects.
Fault Protection: Cosmic

Radiation
Reliability and Qualification
Cosmic radiation in space is a welldocumented problem that poses a

threat to the ASICs and FPGAs where
digital control is implemented, and a
corruption of the control data can render the entire system inoperable.
Dealing with the effects of cosmic radiation on spacecraft is an important and
Although reliable processes and technologies are clear necessities for components in spaceflight applications, they
are simply not enough. Reliability
screening on a per-part basis is needed
to screen out manufacturing defects and
to eliminate early failures, sometimes
called infant mortalities. Ensuring that
50
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Intro
Closed Loop
Switchover Speed
Open Loop
Manager
FOC Angle
FOC Transformations
vq,vd
Speed
Command
Rate
Limiter
PI Init Values
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each component of a satellites digital

control system is up to industry standards is just as imperative as the components function itself. Implementing a
system that is designed to be more efficient and more durable is great, but ultimately ineffective unless it operates reliably throughout the entire intended lifetime of the mission. This is the primary
purpose of the quality standards adopted and implemented by the space industry, and this is why it is important to thoroughly test each part in accordance to
those standards.
A component failing in space could
jeopardize the mission of a satellite that
cost billions of dollars, decades of effort,
or could even cost a human life, which is
why the qualifications for parts are the
toughest and the tests require the most
scrutiny. In this way, qualification to
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Balancing Motor Control
QML criteria provides assurance to satellite 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 sufficiently reliable for flight-critical and lifecritical 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 qualifications 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-efficient 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 system 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 transformation 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 openloop management blocks not only track
motor position and speed, but also monitor 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 control 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 various 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 provide such a versatile set of functions.
These functions will, in the end,
increase the reliability of satellites, protecting the motors and saving precious
power. This is the way of the future in
motor control, and some modern, radiation-tolerant FPGAs can successfully
tackle these challenges while having
the added ability of mitigating radiation 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 having radiation-hardened circuitry hardwired directly into their architecture.
With more than 100,000 triple-modular redundant flip-flops, several Mb of
internal storage, radiation-hardened
configuration memory, and an abundance 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
52
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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 countermeasures embedded in the fabric of the
algorithms provide increased protection for the motors and satellite instruments. But remember it is not enough
to protect the elements under digital
control. Having radiation-tolerant digital electronics and FPGAs also is needed for a completely reliable spacecraft.
Radiation mitigation in digital space
electronics as well as proper screening
qualifications will ensure that the control center executing the algorithms is
protected and can be supported by
industry documents.
The operational motor control algorithms of modern FPGAs can meet the
performance requirements of space systems, while meeting the radiation
requirements of space applications, with
minimum power consumption and maximum flexibility.
This article was written by Truman
Tai of Microsemi Corporation, Alisa Viejo,
CA. For more information, visit
http://info.hotims.com/61064-320.
Applications
Flexibility of LVIT Technology in Factory Automation
Applications
hat is a Linear Variable Inductive
W
Transducer (LVIT) and where are
they used? LVITs, which have been
around for more than 30 years, are relatively low-cost, contactless position sensing 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 surrounded 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 outstanding performance, achieving linearity errors of less than 0.15% of full-scale
output (FSO), and temperature coefficients 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 equipment, 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 contactless, 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 natural question is: where does one use a
spring-loaded LVIT sensor versus another 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 resolution and repeatability, and mechanically, the same outer diameter and an
external mounting thread, but with
about half of the length of the gage
Microprocessor-Based
Smart Electronics
Sensing Element
Precision Ground
Stainless Steel
Probe
Radial
Connector
or Cable I/O
High-Performance
Low-Friction
Spoiler Guide
Stainless Steel or
Anodized Aluminum Housing
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 sensor 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 automation typically mirror those for traditional
gage heads.
When compared to LVDT pencil
gaging probes, a spring-loaded LVIT
can satisfy many of the same applications: automotive, medical, and
mil/aero test stands, robotic arms,
part placement, and shop-floor dimensional gaging applications, to name a
few. Pencil probes are typically selected 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 resolution and repeatability of 4 millionths
of an inch. However, a pencil probe
requires a separate LVDT signal conditioner, 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 lowercost alternative.
Some factory automation applications
that have been solved by proximity sensors 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 sensor 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.
Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016 www.techbriefs.com/motion
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53
NEW
Tested,
Proven,
Guaranteed
Products
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 profile is changed by loading a new servo drive program into the system. The unit delivers flexible indexing and rotary positioning in
welding, positioning system, medical product, automotive, aerospace, 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
62
Ground Fault Sensors
Te
s
t3
NK Technologies (San Jose, CA) offers AGLD Series

ground fault sensors that protect machinery and operators
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 downstream 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 electromechanical relay output that provides both normally open and normally closed contacts; compatibility 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.
Actuator Assemblies
Thousands of cables,
tested for millions of
cycles in the igus
lab. 100% guaranteed
for up to 36 months
of continuous-ex
performance.
Chainex works...
or your money back!
www.igus.com/chainex
AutomationDirect (Cumming, GA) offers SureMotion

actuator assemblies for X-Y and X-Y-Z positioning systems.
Twin round-shaft slide actuators feature a continuously supported 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-contained and designed for light loads in harsh or wet conditions 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 hardcoated 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
slide actuators are designed to fit NEMA 17 size motors, and are constructed with hard-coated
aluminum guide shafts and a stainless steel lead screw. They can be mounted horizontally, vertically, or inverted, and are available with travel distances ranging from 6 to 24".
Electric Linear Actuators

Thomson Industries (Wood Dale, IL) offers Electrak HD
electric linear actuators that enable design engineers to convert hydraulic applications to electric. The actuators boost
power to 10 kN (2250 lbs) with stroke lengths up to 1000 mm
(39"). The actuators meet environmental and electronic component acceptance tests, including IP69K for harsh environments. 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
models, and operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to + 85 C (- 40 to + 185 F).
www.techbriefs.com/motion Motion Control and Automation Technology, August 2016
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Motors/Drives
Linear and Rotary Stages
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 protection from thermal damage provided as a standard
in both the motor and drive components. The
Siemens Intelligent Operator Panel (IOP) is included for drive startup. 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 selections include RS-485 with USS and Modbus protocols. A Profibus variant also is offered.
PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. (Auburn,

MA) offers Q-Motion multi-axis piezomotor stackable linear and rotary stages in
various sizes and motion ranges. High-precision motion applications benefit from
encoders employed in closed-loop stages, providing resolution from
microns down to 1 nm. Vacuum-compatible stages, UHV, and non-magnetic 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.
Six-Axis Robots
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 standard, 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.
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 longreach 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 provide 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.
Rod Cylinders
Linear
Stages
XY
Stages
Rotary
Stages
Multi-Axis
Precision Stages
TM
PRECISION POSITIONING SYSTEMS

Griffin Motion is your source for micron/submicron accuracy in modular and application-specific
motion systems for linear, XY, rotary and vertical lift stages; as well as multi-axis, custom and
semi-custom solutions for your most demanding precision motion applications.
Put pure precision into your application with Griffin Motion.
W W W. G R I F F I N M OT I O N . C O M 8 6 6 . 9 0 6 . 2 7 0 9
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55
NEW
Products
LINEAR MOTOR PRODUCTS
FIT FOR EVERY APPLICATION

Motion Platform
PJPL LINEAR HYBRID
LEAD-SCREW STEPPER
LINEAR SHAFT MOTOR
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.
SCR STAGE
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.
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 requirements. 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 application. Motion Box offers flexible integration options via an Ethernet
connection. The Cartesian robot system can connect to wider automation setups using EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, TCP/IP, CC-Link, Profibus,
and ProfiNet, as well as company networks and control architectures.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
Nippon Pulse
Your Partner in Motion Control
nipponpulse.com | info@nipponpulse.com | 1-540-633-1677
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 applications 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.
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Linear Stages
Motion Sensor
Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions

(Waterbury, CT) released WGS motorized 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 solution 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, including 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.
Mouser Electronics (Mansfield, TX) offers

the Bosch Sensortec BMF055 9-axis motion
sensor, a System-in-Package (SiP) MEMS sensor. The sensor contains a triaxial 16-bit gyroscope, 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 acceleration ranges from 2g, 4g, 8g, and 16g. The magnetometer has a typical field range of 1,300T (x-, y-axis), with a field resolution of approximately 0.3T. The 32-bit ARM Cortex M0+ general-purpose microcontroller features 256 kB of flash and 32 kB of SRAM, and interfaces with the
three sensors through a serial peripheral interface (SPI).
Elastomer Couplings
Material Handling Equipment
R+W America (Bensenville, IL)

released SP6 SERVOMAX elastomer
couplings for high-speed spindle applications. The hubs are capable of handling 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 ratings from 60 to 1350 Nm, and standard speed ratings from 18,000 to
28,000 rpm with certified balancing for higher speeds on request.
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 conveyors, 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.
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57
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 acquisition and actionable data for measurement, inspection, product development, line tuning, and reverse engineering. 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 allin-one system is available in two projection configurations for tasks such as routine dimensional control operations or measurement of workpieces with complex features or challenging material types. Operators can also directly switch between surface data acquisition modes.
Product Focus: Mechanical Components

Miniature Connectors
Diaphragm Seal
Fischer Connectors, Alpharetta, GA,

introduced the MiniMax 06 ultra-miniature 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.
The Ashcroft DF diaphragm seal from

Ashcroft, Stratford, CT, provides a means
to isolate pressure instruments from harsh
media. The flush flanged design eliminates the use of a lower housing and prevents 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.
Self-Clinching Standoff
Fasteners
Coin Cell Contacts
PEM self-clinching standoff fasteners

from PennEngineering, Danboro, PA,
enable mounting, spacing, or stacking of
panels, boards, or components in assemblies. The fasteners include a range of types and styles designed for
permanent installation into metal sheets as thin as .025". The fasteners 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.
Keystone Electronics, Astoria, NY, introduced SMT enclosure coin cell contacts for
connections in self-contained battery compartments. The contacts require minimal
board space while allowing installation and
removal of a coin cell battery within a battery 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 diameters from 12 mm and larger, with heights from 1.2 to 7.7 mm.
Connectors
Board-Level Connectors
C&K Components, Newton, MA,

announced the Space Splice high-reliability connecting solution that is an alternative to manual splicing. The one-way connectors 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.
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 transmit high-speed data in environments
where there is high vibration, moisture, salt, dirt, and debris. The field-installable and repairable connectors are based on IEC 61076-2-101 and SAE J2839, and can be
mated with any standard M12 connector with the same indexing.
The U.S. Government does not endorse any commercial product or service identified in this section.
58
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Radar Level Transmitter
Fabric-Reinforced Silicone
The LVRD10 Series of general-purpose

guided wave radar level transmitters from
OMEGA Engineering, Stamford, CT, provides continuous level measurement with a
4 to 20 mA signal output. They are offered
in three probe (rod, coaxial, or cable) configurations up to 3 m (9.8') for the rod and
coaxial, and 5.5 m (18.0') for the cable
design. The contact liquid level sensor is
intended for low corrosive chemical, waste, oil, or water storage applications in above-grade metal or reinforced concrete tanks, or belowgrade tanks of any material.
Stockwell
Elastomerics,
Philadelphia, PA, offers SNE556-R and SNE-540-R nickelgraphite-filled silicone rubber with fabric reinforcement
that can be die cut or water
jet cut into EMI shielding gaskets with narrow cross sections. SNE-556-R is a 65 durometer conductive silicone used for EMI and environmental sealing. SNE-540-R is a
softer version, made in 40 durometer for more conformability. Both
materials are made in 12" and 15" wide continuous rolls in standard
thicknesses of .020" and .032".
Angle Sensor
Network Design Software
ASM Sensors, Elmhurst, IL,

introduced the POSIROT PRAS6
non-contact analog angle sensor
that measures angular displacement and position of rotating
objects from 0-360 using magnetic
Hall technology. The sensors are
resistant to shock and vibration,
and feature a laser-welded stainless
steel 1.4404 housing. The housing withstands aggressive fluids and
features sealing capability protection to IP69K. Outputs are available in voltage or current.
Gap Wireless, Mississauga, Ontario,

Canada, introduced the iBwave Wi-Fi
Suite that provides bundled cloudconnected products to streamline the
in-building Wi-Fi network planning
and design process. The solution provides 3D modeling, prediction calibration, a components database of all
network equipment, and an iBwave viewer for customers to view design
files and run reports. iBwave Wi-Fi Mobile is a cloud-connected
mobile app that enables users to survey and design Wi-Fi networks
from their tablet.
FAST PULSE TEST SOLUTIONS
MULTIPHYSICS
MODELING AND
SIMULATION
SOFTWARE
Avtech offers over 500 standard models of high-speed

pulse generators for R&D and automated factoryfloor 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/
COMSOL Multiphysics is an
integrated software environment 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 worldwide. https://www.comsol.com/products
COMSOL, Inc.
Master Bond EP3HTS-LO is a single component

electrically conductive epoxy for demanding bonding, sealing and coating applications. This system
passes ASTM E595 tests for NASA low outgassing,
making it well suited for use in the aerospace, electronic, microelectronic and optical industries.
http://www.masterbond.com/tds/ep3hts-lo
SWISS MADE 10PORT GIGABIT

SWITCH WITH 2
SFP+ 10GBIT
PORTS
USED
LABORATORY
EQUIPMENT
MPLs new fanless MAXBES

10-port switch comes with 8x RJ45 1Gbit and 2x SFP+
10GBit interfaces. The switch is available in a rugged
fanless housing, IP67 MIL housing, or as Open
Frame solution. The manageable MAXBES supports
standards like EN50155, MIL-STD-810, etc., and can
be operated at -20C to +60C (optionally up to
+70C). http://www.mpl.ch/t2871.html
PhotoMachining, Inc.
is a contract laser manufacturer and custom
systems builder. We specialize in laser micromachining using lasers from the far IR through the
UV. In addition, we sell used, refurbished, and like
new laboratory equipment including lasers, optics,
optical hardware, electronics, microscopes, etc.
Contact sales@photomachining.com, or phone 603882-9944. www.photomachining.com
MPL AG Switzerland
PhotoMachining, Inc.
Master Bond
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
Avtech Electrosystems Ltd

NASA LOW
OUTGASSING
SILVER
CONDUCTIVE
EPOXY
HEATRON
HEATERS DELIVER
PRECISION
PERFORMANCE
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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 cooling. 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
VP, Sales and Marketing
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.
Devin Pellicone
Lead Engineer, Special Products
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.
This 30-minute Webinar includes:

Live Q&A session
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:
Live Q&A session
Application Demo
Tony Holtz
Technical Specialist
Proto Labs
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:
Live Q&A session
Application Demo
Thomas Ivanco
Research Aerospace Engineer
NASA Langley
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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:
Live Q&A session
Application Demo
Nadav Sella
Solutions Sales Manager
Stratasys
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
Business Development Manager
LDRA
Kirk Avery
Chief Software Architect and Fellow
Lockheed Martin

Live Q&A session
Application Demo
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NASAs Technology
Transfer Program
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NASAs R&D efforts produce a robust supply of promising technologies with applications in many industries. A key mechanism in identifying commercial applications for this technology is NASAs national network of laboratories and business support entities. The network includes ten NASA field centers, and
a full tie-in with the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer. To explore technology
transfer, development, and collaboration opportunities with NASA, visit technology.nasa.gov.
NASAs Technology Sources

Ames Research Center
Selected technological strengths: Information
Technology; Biotechnology; Nanotechnology;
Aerospace Operations Systems; Rotorcraft;
Thermal Protection Systems.
David Morse
(650) 604-4724
david.r.morse@nasa.gov
Kennedy Space Center

Selected technological strengths: Fluids and
Fluid Systems; Materials Evaluation; Process
Engineering; Command, Control, and Monitor
Systems; Range Systems; Environmental
Engineering and Management.
David R. Makufka
(321) 867-6227
david.r.makufka@nasa.gov
Armstrong Flight Research Center

Selected technological strengths:
Aerodynamics; Aeronautics Flight Testing;
Aeropropulsion; Flight Systems; Thermal
Testing; Integrated Systems Test and
Validation.
Laura Fobel
(661) 276-3967
laura.j.fobel@nasa.gov
Langley Research Center

Aerodynamics; Flight Systems; Materials;
Structures; Sensors; Measurements;
Information Sciences.
Kathy Dezern
(757) 864-5704
kathy.a.dezern@nasa.gov
Glenn Research Center

Aeropropulsion; Communications; Energy
Technology; High-Temperature Materials
Research.
Kimberly A. Dalgleish-Miller
(216) 433-8047
kimberly.a.dalgleish@nasa.gov
Marshall Space Flight Center

Selected technological strengths: Materials;
Manufacturing; Nondestructive Evaluation;
Biotechnology; Space Propulsion; Controls
and Dynamics; Structures; Microgravity
Processing.
Terry L. Taylor
(256) 544-5916
terry.taylor@nasa.gov
Goddard Space Flight Center

Selected technological strengths: Earth and
Planetary Science Missions; LIDAR; Cryogenic
Systems; Tracking; Telemetry; Remote
Sensing; Command.
Nona Cheeks
(301) 286-5810
nona.k.cheeks@nasa.gov
Stennis Space Center

Selected technological strengths: Propulsion
Systems; Test/Monitoring; Remote Sensing;
Nonintrusive Instrumentation.
Duane Armstrong
(228) 688-2180
curtis.d.armstrong@nasa.gov
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Selected technological strengths: Near/DeepSpace Mission Engineering; Microspacecraft;
Space Communications; Information Systems;
Remote Sensing; Robotics.
Dan Broderick
(818) 354-1314
daniel.f.broderick@jpl.nasa.gov
Johnson Space Center
Selected technological strengths: Artificial
Intelligence and Human Computer Interface;
Life Sciences; Human Space Flight Operations;
Avionics; Sensors; Communications.
John E. James
(281) 483-3809
john.e.james@nasa.gov
NASA HEADQUARTERS
Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer
Program Executive
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daniel.p.lockney@nasa.gov
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Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
Programs
Rich Leshner, Program Executive
(202) 358-4920
rleshner@nasa.gov
62
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Index
Reader Service
Number
Company
For free product literature, enter advertisers reader service

numbers at www.techbriefs.com/rs, or visit the Web site listed
beneath their ad in this issue.
Advertisers listed in bold-face type have banner ads on the NASA Tech Briefs
Web site www.techbriefs.com
Page
Reader Service
Number
Company
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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63
SPINOFF
Spinoff is NASAs annual publication featuring

successfully commercialized NASA technology. This
commercialization has contributed to the development
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.
hen flying the increasingly

lution is DTIs latest advancement, and
crowded skies, pilots need to
could be key to helping pilots. In the
have an arsenal of information: altiearlier iterations of the monitor, there
tude, airspeed, fuel level, distance to
were limits to the technology that pretheir destination, and the location of
vented a pilot from having the kind of
other planes in the sky. All of this inforfull immersion needed when attemptmation is presented in a series of twoing to use 3D displays. Earlier iterations
dimensional instruments, panels, and
of the technology couldnt be considreadouts, 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 betability 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 incorporathumans 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 moveAviation Operations Branch at
ment and position of the viewer in real
Langley Research Center, and spends
time without compromising resolua good deal of time analyzing pilot
tion or depth of field. The 3D capabilfeedback to determine which tools
ity without glasses, thanks to eye-trackand alarms best capture pilots attening 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 indicain 3D rely on glasses, or players must
tor in the last five minutes, and the autotain 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 resoluthe 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 aviamovement, and it works for two players.
draw the pilots attention when sometion 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 monimonitor what kind of alert worked best,
making 3D displays non-viable in comtor, 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 condiNASA 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 enterit pop out of the screen at them, Ellis
track the pilots eye movements, all withtainment 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 cerand follow movement without losing resocg_7.html
64
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August 2016
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Test & Measurement Tech Briefs
Contents
FEATURES
ON THE COVER
Precise Measurements on Earth Enable Further Exploration

in Space
Next-Generation Infrared Technologies Solve High-Speed

Automotive Testing Challenges
Choosing the Right Hardware for Testing in Harsh

Environments
11
Creating Advanced Dosimeters Requires Thorough

Inspection of Small Components
TECH BRIEFS
12
In-Flight Pitot-Static Calibration
12
Real-Time Radiation Monitoring Using Nanotechnology
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
Research and development on brake rotors, tires,

and internal combustion engines are just a few of
the areas that truly benefit from high-speed, highsensitivity thermal testing. But traditional forms
of contact temperature measurement, such as
thermocouples, are not practical for moving
objects. Next-generation infrared camera technologies may offer a solution. These cameras can accurately measure temperature and thermally characterize a product, such as the
engine shown here, to identify the exact moment a problem begins.
Find out more in the article on page 5.
(Image courtesy of FLIR Systems)
DEPARTMENTS
16
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system is essential to limiting risk, and keeping the
bottom line intact. A good force measurement system
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control, and meet ISO/IEC 17025 technical requirements for
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Test & Measurement Tech Briefs, August 2016
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Metrology technician Joey

Longino stands on the top of
a 25-foot high, 750,000pound Gilmore machine to
connect power prior to starting a calibration process.
(NASA/MSFC/Ryan Connelly)

easurement is the first step
to success. If you cant measure 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 testing 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 measurement and test equipment is cali-
brated through the lab in support of

center operations, research and development, 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 critical 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 manufacture and test the life support systems
on the space station, such as the
Environmental Control and Life Support System, which provides air and
water for the station crew.
Marshalls laboratory is responsible
for ensuring that measurement and test
equipment used by its customers are calibrated accurately and have traceable
measurements to a national metrological 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 objectives. Its personnel calibrate all types of
measurement and test equipment, from
specialized equipment for research and
development, to common equipment
for everyday operations and manufacturing. These capabilities include mechanical, electrical, pressure, force, and flow,
along with other disciplines in 15 areas
to perform more than 1,500 different
types of calibration processes. For several of these unique and critical calibration 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
www.techbriefs.com
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safely and correctly. Calibrations are

only as good as the measurements and
data collected, explained Kirk Foster,
manager of the MCL. Without proper
and accurate measurements, none of
NASAs missions could be successfully
accomplished.
Simulating the Solar and Space

Environment
Inside Building 4605 at Marshall is the
High Intensity Solar Environment 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.
Space doesnt just throw one thing at
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
throws cold, it throws radiation, UV,
plasma and more, all at one time. And
there are synergistic effects.
Schneider is the principal investigator
for HISET, which was created in part to
test components of a Solar Wind Electrons
Alphas and Protons sensor package for
NASAs Solar Probe Plus. That mission,
planned for launch in 2018, will send a
spacecraft closer to the Sun than ever
before within about 3.9 million miles.
The instrument payload must endure heat
of about 2,500 F, as well as streams of
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,
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
of micrometeoroids and orbital debris
everything that astronauts or equipment
will encounter traveling in space.
HISETs unique capabilities are being
used for materials testing for the
Lightweight Integrated Solar Array and
Transceiver (LISA-T), a thin-film solar
cell and antenna structure that would be

stowed for launch and deployed in orbit
to provide power and communication
for small satellites without the need for
solar tracking systems.
The NASA space environment expertise is used by the Department of Defense
and other federal agencies; the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Laboratory
and other research organizations; and
for commercial aerospace interests, such
as makers of communications or other
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satellites. Schneider said that at any

given time, as much as half their testing
is for commercial customers. The Space
Environmental Effects team also tests
metals and materials used on the
International Space Station.
This is a one-stop shop for a whole
suite of research, Schneider explained.
There is a wide, wide array of test capabilities here within a five-block radius.
Many of the materials, instruments,
components, and spacecraft being test-
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Precise Measurements
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 polycarbonate shield, can beam simulated sunlight through ports in HISETs door. (NASA/MSFC/Emmett Given)
NASA is studying several concepts for Mars landers for human spaceflight missions. In this artists
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)
ed are fragile to begin with, he said, and

become more so as they are subjected to
the radiation, temperatures, and other
conditions of simulated space. The less
travel required for rounds of testing, the
better for high-fidelity results, schedules,
and budgets.
Rocket Fuel Pump Tests Pave

the Way to Mars
NASA Marshall was the site for testing
a 3D printed rocket engine turbopump
with liquid methane that could power
spacecraft to Mars. This is one of the

most complex rocket parts NASA has
ever tested with liquid methane, a propellant that would work well for fueling
Mars landers and other spacecraft, said
Mary Beth Koelbl, manager of the
Propulsions Systems Department at
Marshall. Additive manufacturing, or
3D printing, made it possible to quickly
design, build, and test two turbopumps
with identical designs that worked well
with both liquid methane and liquid
hydrogen propellant.
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Intro
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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 operated at more than 36,000 revolutions per
minute, delivering 600 gallons of semicryogenic 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 testing and testing with a liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen breadboard engine were
completed in 2015. These tests, along
with manufacturing and testing of injectors and other rocket engine parts, are
paving the way for advancements in 3D
printing of complex rocket engines, and
more efficient production of future spacecraft including methane-powered landers.
Methane propulsion and additive
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 operate successfully under conditions similar
to those in landers, ascent vehicles, and
other space vehicles. Test data are available 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 performance are compiled in NASAs
Materials and Processes Technical
Information System (MAPTIS), which is
available to approved users.
RESOURCES
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
www.nasa.gov/marshall
Watch a video of the rocket fuel pump
being tested.
www.techbriefs.com/tv/fuel-pump
LISA-T Project
www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/
small_spacecraft/lisa-t.html
Solar Probe Project
http://solarprobe.jhuapl.edu
MAPTIS Test Data Program
http://maptis.nasa.gov
Technologies Solve High-Speed
Automotive Testing Challenges
Higher-speed IR cameras can improve design phase testing.
roduct research and development on internal combustion
engines, brake rotors, tires, and
high-speed airbags are just a few
of the areas that truly benefit from highspeed, high-sensitivity thermal characterization testing. Unfortunately, traditional forms of contact temperature
measurement such as thermocouples
are not practical to mount on moving
objects, and non-contact forms of temperature measurement such as spot guns
and even current infrared (IR) cameras 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 adequate 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 systems, to defective inflators. These flawed
systems are not only dangerous to drivers, but also harmful to the bottom line
for manufacturers who face lawsuits,
fines, and loss of public confidence.
Next-generation IR camera technologies may offer engineers a solution.
These cameras incorporate 640 512pixel high-resolution detectors that can

capture images at a rate of 1000 frames
per second. Additionally, newer detector
materials, such as strained layer superlattice (SLS), offer wide temperature
ranges with a combination of great uniformity 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 difficulties of high-speed automotive testing.
The High-Speed Challenge

Measuring temperature on objects
that are moving fast is challenging.
Traditional forms of temperature measurement such as thermocouples are not
practical for systems in motion. Non-contact 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 target 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
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 incident 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 durability, 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 microbolometers 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 ultimately inaccurate temperature readings.
Slow frame rates also prevent these cameras from accurately characterizing
objects that heat up quickly.
In comparison, quantum detectors
made of indium antimonide (InSb), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), or SLS
Still images captured from data streamed during airbag deployment.
Intro
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Next-Generation Infrared Technologies

are photovoltaic. The detectors
crystalline structures absorb
photons that elevate their electrons to a higher energy state;
this changes the conductivity of
the material. Cooling these
detectors makes them very sensitive to infrared radiation, with
some able to detect temperature differences of less than 18
mK or .018 C. Quantum detectors also react quickly to temperature changes, with a time constant on the microsecond time
scale, rather than multiple milliseconds. This combination of
short exposure times and high
frame rates makes quantum
detectors ideal for stopping
motion on high-speed targets
for accurate temperature measurement, as well as proper characterization of how thermal
temperatures rise over time on
fast-heating targets. These cameras are generally more expensive 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 camWhen a camera system is running on
camera converts digital counts into radieras factors some research teams may
an internal clock, the detectors inteance values used for the temperature
need to take into consideration.
gration start point and data output are
readings on your target. Hotter targets
Fast Frame Rates are Not
set by the clock. You could miss some
emit more radiant infrared energy, thus
Enough
of or the entire event if it doesnt hapmore photons, while colder targets emit
As mentioned briefly before, the abilpen to correspond exactly with the
fewer photons. The challenge becomes
ity to record hundreds or thousands of
integration period. A separate triggerhow to accurately measure temperature
frames per second is only part of what is
ing system can help you better synon colder targets at fast frame rates,
required to stop motion. Another elechronize recordings by strictly controlbecause fast frame rates require shorter
ment of the equation is integration
ling the integration start time and the
integration times.
time, or how long the camera collects
frame rate. Uncooled microbolometer
Compounding the issue is the fact
data for each of those frames.
detector cameras do not offer this
that older detectors with previousIntegration time is analogous to shutcapability because they have thermal
generation Read Out Integrating
ter speed in a digital camera. If the shutresistive elements that cannot be exterCircuits (ROIC) were nonlinear at
ter stays open too long, any motion in
nally controlled. This is another realow well fills. This caused the non-unithe image it captures will appear
son why a photon counting detector
formity correction to break down,
blurred. In the same way, IR cameras
camera is essential for high-speed therresulting in poor imagery and queswith long integration times will record
mal testing.
tionable temperature measurement
blurred motion. A bouncing ball, for
accuracy. With the next-generation
High Sensitivity is Key
example, will look like a comet, with a
ROIC designs, detectors offer linearity
A significant advantage of cooled IR
trail of motion behind it.
to low well fill, allowing for accurate
cameras is sensitivity. The cooled camThe number of analog-to-digital conmeasurements at high speeds (short
eras can detect subtle temperature
verters, or channels, a camera has, plus
integration times) on colder targets.
changes as little as 0.02 C.
the ability to process pixels at high
This is why it is critical for highTypically, uncooled cameras have a
speed, are also important. High-speed
speed IR cameras to have a next-genersensitivity of around 0.03 C. While a
IR cameras typically have a minimum of
ation ROIC with linear response to
.01 C difference may appear small, it
16 channels and have processing speeds
low well fill.
represents a 30% improvement in sen or pixel clock rates of at least 200
Getting the Timing Right
sitivity. The cooled camera not only
MP/ sec. Most low-performance camAnother factor to consider is the
produces less digital noise, but the
eras have four channels and run at pixel
cameras ability to synchronize and
image it produces is also more finely
clock rates below 50 MP/sec.
trigger to external events, such as syndetailed. The ability to detect such
The temperature of your target can
chronizing to a rotating brake disc or
subtle temperature changes helps you
have an impact on integration speed
the ignition of a combustion engine.
better detect small hot spots.
and, ultimately, the digital count. The
6
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Intro
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Longwave IR Advantages
Success Equals Safety
The one advantage to uncooled

microbolometer cameras is they detect
longwave infrared (LWIR) in the
7.5-14 m spectral range. More photons 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 blackbody 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 integration times up to 12 times faster than
InSb detectors. They are more efficient 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 spatially very fast.
By including thermal imaging during the design and testing phases of

automotive engineering, research and
development teams can more readily
identify weak points and improve overall product performance and safety.
But the type of camera and its features
can have an impact on imaging success. Choosing a cooled thermal camera with the highest speed, sensitivity,
and integration times available will
allow researchers to accurately track

temperature shifts over time on highspeed applications. These cameras will
also provide crisply detailed stopmotion frames, so researchers can
accurately measure temperature and
thermally characterize their products
in order to identify the exact moment
a problem begins.
This article was contributed by FLIR Systems,
Wilsonville, OR. For more information, visit
Innovative Signal Conditioning

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Brake rotor testing using a high-speed thermal
camera at 1000 fps (top), and at 60 fps (bottom).
Intro
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Choosing the Right Hardware
for Testing in Harsh Environments

esting in rugged applications
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 acquisition 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 incorrect 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 temperature. You might also want to consider
using shielding from the environment
and evaluating the color of the enclosure to reflect heat. With all of the considerations for designing an enclosure, it
can be an expensive and time-consuming process.
A test cell is used to perform various tests on

engines, including those in extreme temperatures.
Alternatively, you can select hardware

built for withstanding extreme temperature conditions. These enclosures are
put through extensive thermal tests and
validation to ensure the components
selected operate within their specifications. This testing also allows the hardware to comply with the international
standards for operating within a temperature range.
Shock and Vibration

Another typical consideration when
developing a rugged application would
be the shock and vibration specifications 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.
www.techbriefs.com
Intro
hardware. If your hardware is placed

within a demanding environment
where high vibration or shock values
occur and it cannot handle these values, 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 hardware from the vibration occurring within the environment. This could be difficult 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 hardware built to withstand these specifica-
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tions. There are several ways to design

hardware to withstand effects of vibration. 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 specifications 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 potentially explosive gas or vapor present during abnormal operating
conditions. Examples of haz-
ardous locations include chemical factories 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 certifications. Both certify products for use in
hazardous locations where explosive
atmospheres may be present. The UL
certification comes in degrees of classes 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 potentially explosive atmosphere, respectively. There are two divisions: Division 1 is
for material in normal operating conditions, and Division 2 is for material
under abnormal conditions.
Typically, you need to run the entire
test setup through all of the certification 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 certification is an assessment by a
third party attesting to a products conformity with national
This pipeline test requires a hazardous location certification.
and international standards, and
Integrated Vibration Control and Analysis

in a Compact Package
The New Data Physics
Abacus 901 Vibration Controller.
The release of the controller software for
SignalCalc Test Suite adds affordable, high
performance vibration control to the Data
Physics 900 Series hardware platform. The
SignalCalc Test Suite provides a seamless
environment for simultaneous vibration
control and signal analysis. The new
SignalCalc 900 Series software has a unique
ability to add signal analysis measurements
to a vibration control test. Signal analysis
measurements are immediately available,
removing the delay of waiting for post
processing of recorded data.
Random Vibration Control Sine Vibration Control Shock Vibration Control

General FFT Analysis Data Acquisition and Recording Structural Analysis
Data Physics Corporation

2480 N. 1st Street, Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95131 dataphysics.com
Intro
A member of the
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Harsh Environment Testing

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 footprint. If the enclosure needed to protect the hardware has too large a footprint, this can limit where you can conduct tests. For more distributed and
remote applications, you want to minimize the size of the hardware.
In addition, consider how the hardware 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 energyconsuming mechanical components to
consider for other rugged considerations, such as the temperature range it
can operate in or the shock and vibration specifications it can withstand during operation.
Hardware Built for Ruggedness
To obtain this certification, your hardware 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 specifications 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 hardware is validated and authorized to use
the Lloyds Register Type Approval mark.
There are several ways to design and

build your system to withstand the
external factors affecting for applications in rugged and demanding environments. A few of the items to investigate 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
www.techbriefs.com
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 performance is maintained in marine environmental conditions.
10
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APPLICATION BRIEFS
Creating Advanced Dosimeters Requires Thorough Inspection

of Small Components
ecent advancements in space technology have resulted in space exploration becoming a rapidly growing field,
and the desire for human space exploration is drastically increasing. Previous
manned missions include flights to low
Earth orbit (LEO), such as to the
International Space Station (ISS); however, 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 environment 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 naturally occurring forms of radiation on
Earth, and significant health risks are
associated with long-term exposure,
including cancer, cataracts, central
nervous system damage, acute radiation 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 radiation. Therefore, there exists a need for
radiation detection systems that are
able to classify and characterize the
radiological hazards present.
The NEUtron DOSimetry & Exploration (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 discrimination of dose from charged and neutral particles, and map the contribution
to in vivo doses from charged and neutral 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 undergraduate students from the university
is designing, fabricating, and planning
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 medical physics, electrical engineering,
computer engineering, mechanical
engineering, mechatronics engineering, and engineering physics students.
For the project to be successful, it is
important that each component is
thoroughly inspected to ensure accuracy and functionality. The Mantis
Elite-Cam stereo microscope, manufactured 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 eyepieceless technology, users can inspect accurately 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 components of the satellite.
Intro
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 scintillator material. When charged particles
in space interact with this hemispherical detector, light is emitted. By collecting this light, it is possible to determine that the radiation passing
through the detector is a charge carrier. 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.
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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.
developed a new method for calibrating pitot-static air data systems used in aircraft. Pitot-static systems are pressurebased instruments that measure the aircrafts airspeed. These systems must be
calibrated in flight to minimize potential
error. Current methods including
trailing cone, tower fly-by, and pacer airplane are time- and cost-intensive,
requiring extensive flight time per calibration. NASAs method can reduce this
calibration time by up to an order of magnitude, cutting a significant fraction of
the cost. In addition, NASAs calibration

method enables near-real-time monitoring of error in airspeed measurements,
which can be used to alert pilots when airspeed instruments are inaccurate or failing. Because of this feature, the technology 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 without costly specialized hardware.
The method for pitot-static calibration
is a novel application of modern system
identification methods for in-flight air-
Air flow
Total Pressure
Algorithm
Static
pressure
Measured
Ground
Speed
Pitot-static
probe
GPS
Atmospheric
sensors
Differential
pressure
transducer
Update
Parameter
Estimates
Output-Error
Optimization
Pressure
Error
Model
Compare
Atmospheric
Conditions
Calibration With
Statistical Boundaries
Analog to digital
conversion
Measured Impact Pressure
The output-error method for measuring airspeed error in air-data systems.
speed calibration. True airspeed is calculated using measurements from a global

positioning system (GPS) by vector summing 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 airplane with a digital flight data system.
The technology can be used in aerospace applications replacing current
legacy pitot-static calibration methods,
and in aerospace health usage and monitoring systems measuring error in airspeed instruments in near-real-time to
improve air safety.
LAR-TOPS-89.
Real-Time Radiation Monitoring Using Nanotechnology

ASA has patented a unique chemical sensor array leveraging nanostructures for monitoring the concentration of chemical species or gas molecules that is not damaged when exposed
to protons and other high-energy particles over time. The nanotechnologyenabled chemical sensor array uses single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs),
metal catalyst-doped SWCNTs, and polymer-coated SWCNTs as the sensing
media between a pair of interdigitated
electrodes (IDE). By measuring the con-
ductivity change of the SWCNT device,

the concentration of the chemical
species or gas molecules can be measured. These sensors have high sensitivity,
low power requirements, and are robust
and have a low manufacturing cost compared 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 analytes. Such sensors can be configured in
the form of an array to comprehensively
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 irradiation experiment indicates that this
SWCNT device is sensitive to proton
exposure at different levels, and it recovers upon turning off the incident radiation. Carbon nanotube-based sensors
are particularly suitable and promising
for chemical and radiation detection,
because the technology can be used to
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12
Intro
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fabricate gas or liquid chemical sensors

that have extremely low power requirements and are versatile and ultra-miniature in size, with added cost benefits.
Low-power carbon nanotube sensors
facilitate distributed or wireless gas sensing, leading to efficient multi-point
measurements and to greater convenience and flexibility in performing measurements in space as well as on Earth.
The technology offers tunable sensing

properties through manipulation of nanostructured materials for selectivity, and
gives reliable sensor performance from
chip to chip. It has the capability to put
built-in intelligence onto the sensor chip.
The sensor arrays low power consumption makes it ideal for wireless
monitoring. This sensor technology can
be used in the petrochemical industry,
the nuclear industry, industrial and civil

applications, defense applications, medical/biomedical designs, and spacecraft.
commercialize this technology. Please contact the Technology Partnerships Office at
licensing discussions. Follow this link for
more information: http://technology.nasa.gov/
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.
lectron-ionized atom trapping technology is widely used in mass spectrometry and atomic clocks. The complexity of the trapping configuration
operating in an ultra-high vacuum system is driven by demands for ultimate
sensitivity, performance, and fundamental science. Consequently, external
diagnosis, maintenance, and design
verification and validation without
opening the vacuum and disassembling
the system become increasingly difficult. In these ion trapping configurations, electrical charging of non-metallic materials or opening connections
are a hard-to-detect problem, yet can
easily compromise the intended trapping potential. More specifically, the
JPL Linear Ion Trap Standards (LITS)
will benefit from a non-invasive solution for system verification/validation,
diagnosis, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
The LITS have drawn a variety of
attention in space and ground timekeeping applications, where stability
and reliability are highly valued. The
methodology provides an external
diagnostic procedure for the ion trapping system without breaking the vacuum and/or disassembling the system, 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-
tionality of the ion trap. By varying a

DC voltage applied on some of the
electrodes and detecting charged voltage on the others, deflection of the
electron beam can be analyzed to
detect possible electrical charging.
The E-beam initial direction is along
the axis of the traps for efficient ionization and ion loading. The electrons
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generated by the filament are accelerated by high voltage. To deflect the Ebeam, different levels of DC or AC
voltage are added on the electrodes of
the interested trapping region, whereas the electrodes in other trapping
regions are grounded except for specially chosen electrodes for charged
voltage detection.
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TECH BRIEFS
The methodology is the first systematic 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 industrialization. Similar schemes can also be
applied to electron beam ionized atom

trapping systems such as mass spectrometers, quantum manipulation, and computation 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 technology through joint cooperative research
and development. For more information
about this technology and to explore opportunities, please contact Dan Broderick at
Sonar Inspection Robot System

The system surveys interior volume, interrogates structure integrity, and displays real-time
video and sonar.
ASAs Johnson Space Center innovators have designed a Robotic
Inspection System that is capable of surveying deep sea structures such as oil platform 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 sampling of the structure contents. The technology is an all-in-one inspection device
that includes cameras, sonar, and motionsensing instruments with hardware and
software components. This NASA-developed technology is available for licensing.
Generally, oil platforms are comprised
of pipelines and/or subsea storage cells.
These storage cells not only provide a stable base for the platform, but also provide
intermediate storage and separation capability for oil. Surveying these structures to
examine the contents is often required
when the platforms are being decommissioned. The Robotic Inspection System
provides a device and method for imaging
the inside of the cells, which includes
hardware and software components. The
device is able to move through interconnected pipes, even making 90-degree
The robotic inspection device prototype that was used for testing.
turns with minimal power. The Robotic

Inspection System is able to display 3dimensional range data from 2-dimensional information. This inspection
method and device could significantly
reduce the cost of decommissioning cells.
The device has the capability to map interior volume, interrogate integrity of cell
fill lines, display real-time video and sonar,
and with future development, possibly
sample sediment or oil.
Potential applications include use in

sub-sea oil and gas platform structures,
deep sea exploration, and pipelines at
least partially containing a fluid.
commercialize this technology. Please contact Michelle P. Lewis at jsc-techtran@
mail.nasa.gov to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information:
MSC-TOPS-70.
Modules for Inspection, Qualification, and Verification of

Pressure Vessels
This automated, modular, standardized system features interchangeable probes.
fter decades of composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV)
development, manufacturing variance is
still high, and has necessitated higher safety factors and additional mass to be flown
on spacecraft, reducing overall performance. When liners are used in COPVs, they
need to be carefully screened before wrapping. These flaws can go undetected and
later grow through the thickness of the
liner, causing the liner to fail, resulting in

a massive leakage of the liner and subsequent mission loss.
To address these concerns, modular
manufacturer-grade pressure vessel non-
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14
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Whats On
destructive evaluation (NDE) scanners were designed and produced. This automated scanning system is designed to be modular, and currently includes interior and exterior profilometry
probes for mapping and measuring dimensions, and producing boroscope-like images. A developmental system has been
produced to refine laser profilometry probes and scan techniques in a laboratory setting.
The laboratory unit is capable of providing interior and
exterior profilometry and eddy current scans of 6.5 22 in.
(17 56 cm) COPVs commonly used aboard the
International Space Station (ISS). A manufacturing-grade interior profilometry demonstration unit was developed to support
the development and qualification of 16.7 30.5 in. (42 77
cm), 20-gallon (75 L), Type IV COPVs that will supply ISS
with cryogenic oxygen and nitrogen as part of the Nitrogen
Oxygen Recharge System (NORS). These highly sensitive NDE
systems have been demonstrated capable of measuring simulated composite disbonds as thin as 0.01 in. (0.03 cm) thick near
the liner, weld irregularities, and ripples resulting from inadequate wrapping processes, and collect data that can be used to
refine models. Insight into the behavior of pressure vessels
through historical measurement data was referenced to identify inadequate wrapping processes in one case (high internal
pressure) that resulted in a COPV that grew after it was
wrapped, counter to previous observations. Laser intensity
maps surface reflection strength, and have been demonstrated
capable of producing images identifying 0.003 0.125 in.
(0.008 0.32 cm) cracks, foreign objects and debris (FOD),
metal discoloration, and other features related to surface finish quality.
This modular system features standardized, interchangeable
probes. The external laser profilometry probe simultaneously
measures the interior radius and surface reflectivity of pressure
vessels. An exterior eddy current probe assesses cracks in
metallic pressure vessels from the outside in; an interior eddy
current probe assesses cracks in metallic pressure vessels from
the inside out.
A graphical user interface provides an intuitive view of flaws
with sensitivity enhanced well above visual detection limits.
Laser profilometry scans are traceable to a NIST-qualified standard, and provide radial measurements with 0.001 in.
(0.003 cm) precision. Laser intensity maps taken during profilometry scans provide images similar to boroscopes mapped
to a precise and user-defined coordinate axis.
This work was done by Regor L. Saulsberry, Charles Nichols, Daniel
Wentzel, Ralph Lucero, Kyle Carver, and Paul Spencer of NASA White
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
further develop this technology through joint cooperative research
and development. For more information about this technology and to
explore opportunities, please contact jsc-techtran@mail.nasa.gov.
MSC-25533/4/5/6/7/8-1
TEST & MEASUREMENT CHANNEL
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color digital video camera.
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Breakthrough Sensor Spots

Hidden Damage Aboard Ships
A 3D printable strain sensor developed
by University of Michigan engineers could
provide the U.S. Navy with a more
accurate way to assess damage to their
vessels. The device detects tiny flexing
movements in metal movements that
can alert crews to damage before cracks
can be seen by the naked eye.
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3D-Printed Prosthetic
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Makers of 3D-printed prosthetic hands
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developed at Rice University. The new
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typically a child born without a fully
formed hand to the prosthetic intended
to help pick up and manipulate small
objects.
www.techbriefs.com/tv/test-hand
Blur-Canceling Roll Camera

for Robotics Testing
Researchers from Ishikawa Watanabe
Laboratory in Tokyo have developed an
optical high-speed image rotation controller
and a high-speed roll camera that is able to
cancel the rotational motion blur of a
rotating target.This allows for measurement
and inspection of rotary bodies, such as
wheels, fans, engines, and gears.
Read More Test & Measurement Tech Briefs Online:

Flight Test System for Accurately Predicting Flutter
www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/24933
Rangefinder for Measuring Volume of Cryogenic or Caustic
Turbulent Fluids
www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/24837
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robotics-testing
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Intro
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NEW PRODUCTS
Measurement Terminal
Bit Error Rate Tester
The EL3751 EtherCAT

terminal from Beckhoff
Automation
(Savage,
MN) provides measurement as part of a standard
I/O system. It acquires
data at 10,000 samples
per second and provides
measurement accuracy of
0.01% for most interfaces at 25 C, and 24-bit resolution. Parameterization options are
available for the analog input, which supports measurement functions
U, I, R, DMS (strain gauge), and RTD. Optionally, measured data can
be transmitted to higher-level automation devices with oversampling.
The integrated distributed clocks ensure synchronized sampling across
the EtherCAT system. Available measurements include voltage, current, resistance, electrical resistance, RTD, strain gauge/load cell, and
potentiometer.
Keysight Technologies (Santa Rosa, CA) introduced the M8040A

bit error rate tester (BERT) for testing PAM-4 and NRZ devices that
operate up to 64 GBaud. Engineers in validation labs and R&D who
characterize receivers on the physical layer for the next generation
of data center interconnects
can use the device for test
setups and repeatable results.
The pattern generator module provides built-in deemphasis, jitter injection,
and an optional second channel. Users can select PAM-4
and NRZ in the user interface, eliminating the need
for external combiners,
cabling, and de-skew to provide PAM-4 signals. For best
signal quality, remote heads
reduce the distance to the device under test.
Digital Measurement
Siemens (Munich, Germany) offers
Flender Gearlog digital measurement technology for gears that captures values relating
to rotational speed, torque, temperature,
and vibration using special sensors that
record important physical variables. The aim
is to compare operational load spectra with
the fatigue strength of individual gear unit
components over time to match up the gear
unit and the working machine for the long
term. The system adds up these readings in
parallel with machine capacity utilization.
The measurement results are logged, saved,
and digitally depicted in compressed form.
Operators are able to visualize the results at any time or read them
out in the form of a dataset. The measurements enable conclusions
to be drawn about the applied load and loading capacity of gears,
and can be used to identify possible sources of damage, capacity
reserves, and overloading in the measured gear.
Friction Tester
Paul N. Gardner Co. (Pompano
Beach, FL) offers a compact
CFT friction tester that
provides detailed information of the slip characteristics of packaging
material. Surface slip is a
key factor when printing,
erecting, or filling packaging
materials on an automatic
line. The CFT measures both
static and dynamic coefficients of
friction. A sample of 2.5 2.5" with a weight acting over the entire
surface area is moved over another sample at a given speed. Static
and dynamic coefficients of friction (COF) are automatically calculated and displayed on-screen. Features include graphical representation of forces during test, and pre-loaded ISO/ASTM/TAPPI
test methods.
Handheld Meter
Signal Analyzer
The OMEGA HHTP21 handheld particulate, humidity, and temperature meter from OMEGA
Engineering (Stamford, CT) measures fine and coarse particle pollution from many different sources.
Features include fine particulate
matter (PM2.5) measurement,
health index (0 to 9) detection and
alarm, PM2.5 time weighted average
reading, data hold and max/min
with time stamp function, six-color LED indication air quality at
good/moderate/poor, and preset warning point of buzzer alarm, LED,
and alarm output. The meter monitors particulate pollution in burning
plants, petrochemical facilities, thermal power plants, restaurants, hospitals, mining facilities, metal refineries, and commercial and public buildings.
The MS2840A signal analyzer from Anritsu (Richardson, TX) features frequency coverage of 9 kHz to 44.5 GHz and close-in SSB
phase noise performance. Frequency coverage can be extended to
the millimeter wave
(mmWave) range.
The analyzer can
conduct wideband
and narrowband
measurements on
next-generation
4G/5G designs,
micro wave
and
mmWave wireless
backhaul, 79 GHz band automobile radar, satellite communications, and VHF/UHF Private Mobile Radio (PMR). The units oscillator achieves phase noise performance of 123 dBc/Hz at 1 GHz
measurement frequency, and 10 kHz offset frequency.
16
www.techbriefs.com
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Oscilloscopes
Gas Volume Measurement
Teledyne LeCroy (Chestnut

Ridge, NY) introduced the
WaveRunner 8000 oscilloscopes with bandwidths from
500 MHz to 4 GHz, and the
MAUI with OneTouch user
interface. Options include digital filtering, spectrum analysis, and device and switching
power supply analysis. The customization option enables userdefined parameters and math functions. MAUI with OneTouch
enables all common operations with a single touch of the display, as
well as drag-and-drop actions to copy and set up channels, math
functions, and measurement parameters. The oscilloscopes have 16
digital lines that can be used for trigger, decode, and measurements
for analyzing timing irregularities or for general-purpose debug of
digital designs.
Emdyne (Houston, TX) announced the Gasometer, an automated positive displacement gas volume measuring instrument with 0.1
cc precision. A dual piston design offers unlimited total volume collection with data logger output of volume count via a
serial port. Features include
RTD collection chamber temperature reporting output,
rates from near zero to tens
of liters/hour, ultra-low (0.3
in. water column) head pressure sensitivity, and a temperature-controlled heated collection chamber (optional).
The instrument is made from gas-resistant 316 stainless and hardanodized materials.
Flow Detector
High-Voltage Probes
Cal Test Electronics (Yorba Linda, CA)
introduced Elditest high-voltage
differential probes for measurements between two voltage
points where neither
point is referenced to
ground. The probes offer
input voltage of 800 V,
7.5 kV, or 15 kV for both
differential and common
mode voltage, depending
on the probe chosen. Compatible with oscilloscopes from all major
manufacturers, the probes are suited for use where high sensitivity
and dynamic range are needed. Features include two attenuation
settings, compliance with IEC 61010-031 safety standard, and power
and over-range indicators.
The Flow Detect 2000 from BinMaster (Lincoln, NE) uses

microwave Doppler technology to communicate flow or no-flow status. It features North American
Class II, Division 1 Groups E, F, &
G and ATEX Zone 21 hazardous
location approvals. The non-intrusive instrument is appropriate for
solids, granules, pellets, meals, and
powdered materials. The detector
can be used as a control to minimize or prevent the hazard of
cross-contamination by detecting
whether material is still flowing.
The detector houses the sensing
element, power and output connections, and user adjustment controls in a single NEMA 4X enclosure. The unit is non-intrusive and
does not come into contact with the flow stream. A single analog
relay output communicates flow or no-flow status to a PLC.
Digital Multimeter
National Instruments
(Austin, TX) introduced
the NI PXIe-4081 7digit digital multimeter
(DMM), a PXI Express
DMM that features 15ppm accuracy for DC
voltage measurements
up to two years after calibration. It is capable of
voltage measurements
from nanovolts to one
kilovolt, and resistance
measurements from micro-ohms to giga-ohms. A solid-state current
shunt configuration offers eight DC current ranges from 1 A to 3
A, and six AC rms current ranges from 100 A to 3 A. The DMM
occupies a single 3U PXI slot, and delivers 17 DMM channels in a
single PXI chassis occupying 4U of rack space. The isolated digitizer mode can acquire DC-coupled waveforms in all voltage and current ranges with a 1.8 MS/s maximum sample rate.
Arbitrary/Function Signal Generators

Global Specialties (Yorba Linda, CA) introduced the SFG-20X
Series single-channel function/arbitrary waveform generators that
are capable of generating either a 5-MHz sine wave (SFG-205) or a
10-MHz sine wave (SFG-210). Both feature color displays, user-friendly controls, and
numeric keypads.
In addition, they
feature non-volatile
memory to create,
store, and recall
arbitrary waveforms
of up to 16,000
points with 14-bit
vertical resolution.
Other features include 46 predefined arbitrary waveforms for output,
a USB interface on the rear panel, 125 MSa/s sample rate, 5 standard
output waveforms, store/recall of up to 10 instrument settings, 14-bit
vertical resolution, 3.5" TFT-LCD color display, and EasyWave arbitrary waveform editing software.
Intro
www.techbriefs.com
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17
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Intro
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Welcome to your Digital Edition of

NASA Tech Briefs, Motion Control and Automation

NASA Tech Briefs

Test & Measurement

Choosing the Right Hardware for

Precise Measurements on Earth

Advanced Dosimeters Require

Motion Control and

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

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August 2016 Vol. 40 No. 8

Human Spaceflight Takes a Giant Leap

NASA Spinoff: Glasses-Free 3D

Technology Focus: Imaging

3D Imaging Laser System

Smart Image Enhancement Process

Compact Thermal Neutron Imaging System Using Axisymmetric

High-Speed Edge-Detecting Circuit for Use with Linear

Two- and Three-Dimensional Near Infrared Subcutaneous

Methods of Real-Time Image Enhancement of Flash LIDAR Data

Spatially Aberrated Spectral Filtering for High-Performance

A Common-Mode Digital Holographic Microscope

High Field Superconducting Magnets

Distributed Diagnostics and Prognostics

Lens-Coupled Dielectric Waveguides

Sampling and Control Circuit Board for an Inertial

Efficient Radiation Shielding Through Direct Metal Laser

Whos Who at NASA

NASAs Technology Transfer Program

Materials & Coatings

Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked

New for Design Engineers

Catalytic Oxidation of Organic Contaminants at

Product Focus: Mechanical Components

Approach for Achieving Flame Retardancy While Retaining

Metal/Fiber Laminate and Fabrication Using a Porous

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Tension Stiffened and Tendon Actuated Manipulator

Test & Measurement Tech Briefs

Lattice Structures Coating Concept for Efficient Thermal Linking

A Statistically Based Approach to Broadband Liner Design and

Connection and Repair Techniques for Capillary Tubing in

Choosing the Right Hardware for

Selected editions only.

Precise Measurements on Earth

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

(Solutions continued on page 4)

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2016

2016 The MathWorks, Inc

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Mechanical & Fluid Systems

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