Award Data

Tools for engineering of complex, embedded, high-performing real-time systems comprise a critical technology area. 21st Century Systems, Inc. proposes to design and eventually (in Phases II and III) develop and commercialize an environment tool-suite that will perform systems synthesis for such systems. The environment will include a system component manager, a system description language, and a ...

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Two approaches are proposed to attack the problems of fixturing process. First, a novel hardware holding system, Dexterous Vise, is proposed. Functionally, a single Dexterous Vise is capable of revealing four faces of the clamped workpiece to the cutting tool without re-fixturing, which actually increases one degree of freedom to the machine tool. A pair of Dexterous Vises, the "Dual-Vise", ena ...

Herein, ACX proposes to develop compact, low cost, integrated smart packs for vibration reduction. Each package would include actuators and sensors, drive and signal conditioning electronics as well as simple controllers to yield a self standing solution to vibration problems. The electronics module would be low cost and compact. The pack would run off of standard available power supplies and w ...

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Automated Cynamics Corporations (ADC) proposes to exploit its knowledge of automated in-situ consolidation of thermoplastic carbon fiber unidirectional tape to reduce the high scrap rate currently experienced in the in the fabrication of thermoset (epoxy) carbon fiber sabots. The current production process requires several steps which result in material loss (scrap) of approximately 60-70%. App ...

Eight years of developing fiber placement technologies at Automated Dynamics Corporation (ADC) has resulted in robust manufacturing process for commercial and applications. In-situ consolidation technologies have been adapted for sporting good products, down hole piping, and industrial rolls and shafts. High performance thermoplastics such as PEEK, Nylon and PPS have been the candidate mat ...

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A novel coating technology is proposed for increased wear and improved li fe and reliability of commutator bars in electrical sliding devices found in manned and unmanned underwater vehlilles. Diamond-Like Nanocomposite (DLN) coatings represent a famil Of thiWrfilms that bxhibit unique combinations of technologically interesting properties including high adhesion to virtually any substrate (inclu ...

Exploiting the many analogies between biological neurons and the cells within a spreadsheet application, we have succeeded in constructing independtly functioning, self-trained neural network cascades that are capable of (1) forming models of their spreadsheet environment, (2) manipulating data, (3) identifying anomalous information or noise, (4) locomotion, and (5) control over extern ...