Award Data

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PULSED MID-IR LASER IN THE 3.5 TO 4.1 MICROMETER ATMOSPHERIC TRANSMISSION WINDOW. SUCH SPECTRAL SOURCE IS RELEVANT TO A VARIETY OF TACTICAL APPLICATIONS. THE DF CHEMICAL LASER HAS BEEN THE CHOICE, BUT SUFFERS FROM WASTE FUEL MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS. NO OTHER EFFICIENT DIRECT LASING SOURCE IS AVAILABLE. TO OBTAIN SUCH A SOURCE, WE PROPOSE THE USE O ...

Active Control eXperts, Inc. (ACX) proposes to apply its expertise in actuator and control system design to high force, high bandwidth machine tool position control applications. ACX proposes to develop novel hybrid linear actuators which can operate at high loads (greater than 1000 lbs.) at high bandwidths (in excess of 200 Hz), and at high displacements (0.018 inches). This innovative solid-stat ...

Unsteady buffet forces excite the vertical tails of aircraft flying at high angles of attack and cause excessive stress and vibration in the tail structure. This results in increased fatigue which ultimately reduces aircraft life. It has been shown by ACX that distributed piezoceramics can significantly reduce the buffet loads on the tail structure of an F/A-18. ACX proposes to develop a simila ...

Herein ACX proposes a damage detection system based on ACX's QuickPack+ technology to combine piezoelectric actuators and sensors in a robust, easily mounted transducer package. The QuickPack encapsulates a piezoceramic with insulating flex circuit material and a simple connector. The transducer package will be bonded via a low-melting-point thermoplastic adhesive to ensure removability. The t ...

ACX proposes an innovative new process for the manufacture of smart structures using a High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process. This simple, multi-step process will be capable of depositing electroded piezoceramic coatings. The coatings will be poled while still hot, reducing poling times and voltages while increasing poling efficiency. Process times will be extremely short. The pr ...

ACX proposes to develop durable and reliable conformal geometry actuator packages. These packages will have the ability to operate as linear actuators for motion control applications as well as to conform to structures with curved surfaces for applications requiring induced strain actuation. These packages provide a protective skin offering electrical isolation, and provide a means for integration ...

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Active Devices proposes an innovation for energy harvesting using piezoelectric based approaches to extract energy from mechanical vibrations. This innovation consists of a piezoelectric element for energy transduction, rectifier circuits for extraction, and storage devices to store power for use by other devices. Ideal models predict that a 1" x1" x.010" piezoelectric wafer undergoing moderate ...

LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT CANNOT BE DETECTED BY STANDARD RADAR BECAUSE OF INTERFERENCE FROM CLUTTER. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A COHERENT LASER RADAR SYSTEM APPROACH, CONSISTING OF 2 KM SPACED LASER RADAR SITES THAT SCAN THE SKY IN ELEVATION ANGLE, WHICH CAN DETECT AIRCRAFT BETWEEN THE HORIZON AND 300 METER ALTITUDE. EACH SITE WILL BE BATTERY POWERED AND INTERCONNECTED BY A FIBEROPTIC LOCAL AREA NETWORK T ...

Uses of the central visual field, or foveal scotoma, due to accidental exposure to laser light or macular disease can cause serious impairments in visually aided performance. Foveal scotomas also interfere with normal control of eye reations and saccades. Feasibility is tested for using electronic image shifting from scotomatous foveal retina to intact peripheral retina, as a con\mpensation for ce ...