The development of the tandem mirror concept for the confinement of thermonuclear plasmas is dependent on being able to establish and maintain the proper axial and radial potential profiles throughout the system. much of the present experimental efforts in tandem mirror research are directed towards… More

Current carrying conducting fluids are known to be susceptible to a number of mhd instability modes. this type of instability is expected to occur in liquid metal current collectors, which can cause serious disruption to their operations. the mechanisms that drives the instability are well… More

The development of an electromagnetic compression projectile accelerator that can meet the requirements for application as kinetic energy weapon is proposed. the principal virtue of the proposed concept, in addition to simplicity and high efficiency typical of electromagnetic launcher concepts… More

Electric conductivity and excess carrier lifetime are two ofthe most important parameters that determine the performanceof semiconductor materials for application as photodetectors. the ability to obtain non-destructive, high resolution measurements of these characteristics is oneof the basic… More

To achieve precise shaping of density profiles in fusion reactors with pellet fueling, injection velocities of up to 10 km/sec may be required for pellets of a few milligrams in mass. present pellet injectors based on the pneumatic gun or centrifuge principles are capable of attaining velocities of… More

Diamond-like films are expected to share properties of real diamonds for many industrial applications. some of the properties of interest are extreme hardness, low friction, high thermal conductivity and electrical resistance, tolerance for high temperature and radiation, resistance to chemical… More

A simple technique based on diffraction of electromagnetic waves for measuring distances from cm to km range using optical and microwave frequencies is described. the technique compliments conventional radar in having sensitivity at close range and is ideal for application to robotic vision for… More

Materials, both conductors and insulators, capable of withstanding the very hostile plasma conditions found in an electromagnetic launcher is currently one of the weak links for the development of such systems. one of the best substances known for insulators is diamonds. we have recently been able… More

To design military delivery systems of minimum radar cross sections (rcs) and radar systems capable of detecting minimum rcs objects, there is the need for an efficient algorithm that can accurately calculate the perturbation to the wave field caused by objects of arbitrary shape. a method of… More

In the analysis of plasma phenomena, detailed knowledge of the parameters including local electron densities provides the key to understanding the behavior and influence of plasmas in experiments. one technique to gain this information which has achieved central importance is laser thomson… More

The steady state or long pulse operation of tokamak reactors require fueling of the high temperature plasma by pellet injection. improved performance can be realized if the density profile is highly peaked in the center. to achieve such precise shaping of the density profile, injection velocities up… More

In a wide variety of applications, the detection of extremely low levels of light is necessary. certain, present day systems used by the u.s. army incorporate high speed pin silicon detectors. for example, these detectors form the heart of some laser ranging systems and are invaluable because of… More

Advances in electronic device technology have led to increased packing densities while power consumption has dropped. in general, this trend is beneficial to avionics and space applications except that a new failure mode has accompanied this miniaturization. in high energy particle enviroments, such… More

The objective of this project is the detailed design and prototype development of an innovative probe for making real time topographic maps of the vibratory pattern of the tympanic membrane. the design of the probe includes the use of single mode fibers to provide the object and reference beams, a… More

As electronics become smaller through miniaturization, the ability to fly electronic packages over large distances is becoming more limited by the lack of generators designed to operate in the low power, high rpm range. in response to this problem, a program to develop a voltage multiplied homopolar… More

The ability to accurately and instantaneously detect supersonic projectiles is tantamount to an efficient weapons testing and/or training program. currently, there is no commercially available detection system which satisfies the army's requirements for ballistics. a program to develop a high… More

The development of an analog optical data link capable of transmitting rf signals of a miniature sensor to remote detection and recording systems is proposed. the system is based on a specific miniature diode-laser, a pigtail single-mode filter optic cable and a photodiode/amplifier receiver. the… More

For the accurate analysis of wind-tunnel modeling, it is necessary to have precise measurements of the pressure profiles over the model surface to understand the effects of short-scale-length turbulence. a durable transducer array capable of spatially resolved, real-time pressure measurements will… More

The synthesis of diamond at low pressure by plasma assisted vapor deposition process has opened up the prospect for the realization of diamond based electronic devices with superior performance and high temperature and radiation tolerance capabilities. such applications require the diamond film to… More

The long-term goal of the research is to develop a design for innovative imaging instrumentation called the ultrathin angioscope for atherectomy applications. this imaging device is specially designed to be utilized by current atherectomy instrumentation in order to provide high resolution,… More

The long-term goal of the research is to develop a new interferometric laryngoscope for both reseach and clinical applications. in particular, an innovative fiber optic arrangemeent will provide spatially resolved speckle interferograms for quantitative measurement of the vibratory cycle of the… More

In a wide variety of military missions, the detection and imaging of extremely low levels of light is necessary. present day systems incorporate high density charge coupled devices (ccd) with pixel sizes as small as 9 x 9 microns. for example, these detectors form the heart of some laser… More

For the accurate analysis of hypersonic flows in wind tunnels, it is necessary to have precise measurements of the flow profiles to better understand the effects of short scale length turbulence. Current methods are lacking in time response, durability and reproducibility. The development of a… More

Heteroepitaxy of single crystal diamond films at low pressure by energy assisted chemical vapor deposition for electronic device applications is a goal that remains unrealized after more than a decade of efforts world wide. a fundamental problem is the lack of control on nucleation in the… More

The development of an analog optical link capable of transmitting measured currents and voltages from anechoic chambers to remote control and data acquisition systems is proposed. The system is based on integrated optical modulator (IOM) coupled to a cw 1.3 mm diode laser and to a high frequency PIN… More

The development of a compact, accurate and reliable laser beam discrimination device is proposed. The concept is based on a novel and improved Electron-Trapping (ET) material developed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), capable of discriminating between NIR, Far-IR, and UV laser sources… More

Microsensors and actuators based on microelectromechanical (MEM) technology are still in the early development stage with some components, such as accelerometers, now commercially available. Microactuators are still mostly experimental. An excellent application for microsensors is a vibration… More

In order to best take advantage of digital video, one must have the capability to perform real-time digital signal processing on the video bitstream. This includes compression, wihch can greatly reduce the storage media or bandwidth needed to support digital video. A PC-based card design is proposed… More

Hybrid diesel/electric propulsion system can offer greater flexibility in the design and operation of the system to achieve significant fuel saving. Such systems have been in extensive use for land and ship propulsion. With advances in many enabling technology, the feasibility of extending this… More

Advanced composites are widespread in structural components of automotive and aircraft designs due to their exceptional mechanical properties. In the specific application of Navy aircrafts, graphite-epoxy composites are being used primarily due to ther high strength and low weight. Due to the… More

Mobile battlefield power support systems in use today are excessively noisy, have thermal management problems, and produce unhealthy exhaust emissions. These characteristics present serious logistic limitations in terms of the labor intensive effort required to achieve covertness and healthy,… More

The development of a EEPROM tester capable of unattended batch testing for reliability analysis is proposed. The proposed test bed is capable of operating under the test conditions required for accelerated aging such as high temperature and high cycling rates. The tester is also capable of… More

Particle beams are commonly used for plasma diagnostics to obtain time and spatially resolved measurements of density, temperature, and space charge potential. an important application is in controlled fusion research where fluctuations in these quantitites are known to have an important effect on… More

Tactical power generator sets for producing MIL-STD frequencies are limited in terms of mobility, deployability, and performance flexibility due to their size/weight and rigid architectures. the conventional approach to generating 60 Hz, 120 VAC is particularly limited due to the constraints on… More

Microsensors and actuators based on microelectromechanical (MEM) technology are still in the early development stage with some components, such as accelerometers, now available commercially. Microactuators are still mostly experimental. An excellent application for microsensors and actuators is in… More

41017 November 19, 1996 InterScience, Inc. Diagnostics which provide high spatially and temporally resolved measurements are essential in assessing the performance of present day experiments in controlled nuclear fusion research. Several of these… More

Recent developments in laser radar focal plane arrays have opened the possibility for flood illuminated, single shot imaging. However, increased sensitivity and extension to IR wavelengths have become essential for the next generation systems. We propose to combine our expertise in image… More

One of the continuing needs in military and civilian law enforcement operations is area and perimeter surveillance. Even with the aid of advanced sensors, such functions are still manpower intensive and prone to oversight due to sheer boredom when there is no activity over extended periods of time.… More

The use of image intensifiers in night vision systems provides significant advantages for military missions. Extremely sensitive detectors are currently in use which enable the user to operate effectively in starlight conditions. These advantages, however, can be mitigated by bright sources within… More

Real-time video enhancement can be accomplished in two areas. First, optics and optical systems can readily be applied to the incoming image. The nature of this solution is such that the results occur in real-time. Secondly, if the video is to be digitized, a variety of hardware and software… More

Real-time video enhancement can be accomplished in two areas. First, optics and optical systems can readily be applied to the incoming image. The nature of this solution is such that the results occur in real-time. Secondly, if the video is to be digitized, a variety of hardware and software… More

Since its invention, the video camera has been a valuable diagnostic tool for a wide variety of military, scientific and industrial applications. Recently with the advent of digital video and the growth associated with mass media and teleconferencing, the opportunity exists to take advantage of an… More

The objective of this SBIR proposal is to develop a digitally tunable diode laser capable of fast switching over a predefined set of spectral lines of desired wavelengths. An important application for such a laser is in optical spectroscopy for chemical sensing where the availability of several… More

"The development of a transportable waste management suitable for rapid deployment is proposed. The system shall be based on the optimum integration of a commercial wastewater treatment system with a state-of-the-art plasma pyrolysis system. Because ofthe very high temperature generated by the… More

"The oxygen deficient, semiconductor phases of YbaCuO (YBCO) thin films have been shown to be a promising material for IR without cryogenics sensing because of its high sensitivity and relative ease of preparation that make the deposition process compatiblewith CMOS integration. Therefore, the… More

All endoscopic applications would benefit from a significant increase in available field of view though major modification to the endoscope. Under the Phase I effort, InterScience Inc. has successfully demonstrated the application of its patented 360-degree/forward view imaging technology to small… More

All endoscopic applications would benefit from a significant increase in available field of view though major modification to the endoscope. Under the Phase I effort, InterScience Inc. has successfully demonstrated the application of its patented 360-degree/forward view imaging technology to small… More

This proposal addresses

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As the popularity of refractive surgery increases, so does the need for an accurate evaluation tool for glare assessment in both the pre- and post-surgical patient. There are several glare disability testing instruments currently available, however, these… More

MOUT operations require advanced sensors to employ situation assessment in complex urban terrains through remote or UGV/UAV mounted imaging. Envisioned is an optical technology that provides a maximum field of view to a single image plane that can be implemented with visible, near-infrared, or… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) As the popularity of refractive surgery increases, so does the need for an accurate evaluation tool for glare assessment in both the pre- and post-surgical patient. Current glare testing instrumentation does not accurately recreate physiologic conditions in the… More

Free space optical communication systems offer many advantages over radio frequency (RF) systems in satellite communication. However, it is much harder to point, and acquisition from the other distant space terminals is more difficult. The pointing mechanism would require high speed, high precision… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Increased development and use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) procedures demand improvements in endoscopic imaging to provide a more comprehensive view of the operating field. Current trends in enhancing endoscopic imaging are toward stereoscopic viewing and… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary/Abstract The proposed fast track effort is aimed at integrating InterScience's C-View imaging technology, capable of providing an uninhibited 240 degree vertical and 360 degree panoramic field of view to a single image plane, with… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Endoscopic visualization is of primary importance for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) procedures and various clinical diagnoses. However, a known limitation of current endoscopic imaging technology for some procedures and applications is the limited field of… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary/Abstract The proposed fast track effort is aimed at integrating InterScience's C-View imaging technology, capable of providing an uninhibited 240 degree vertical and 360 degree panoramic field of view to a single image plane, with… More

The development of a compact, handheld portable biometric system is proposed. The effort shall significantly leverage on-going efforts to develop a multimodal biometric device as a commercial product, while incorporating current and anticipated state-of-the-art technologies to meet Navy's specific… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Endoscopic visualization is of primary importance for minimally invasive procedures. However, known limitations of current endoscopic imaging technology include the limited field-of-view, and unsatisfactory specificity and sensitivity. InterScience hereby… More

The objective of this Phase II project is to implement the design for a portable multimodal biometric device design developed under the Phase I effort with further refinements for insertion into the Navy"s Identity Dominance System (IDS) program. The implementation has been designed to meet all… More

The currently fielded AN/AVS-9 night vision goggles (NVG) for use by air crew with a 40degrees Field of View (FOV) creates the so-call soda straw-effect that significantly hinders situational awareness desired for many types of missions. This FOV restriction limit has been identified as a causal… More