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At least 1,801 records · Page 100

Slope-aspect color shading for parametric surfaces

The invention is a method for generating an image of a parametric surface, such as the compass direction toward which each surface element of terrain faces, commonly called the slope-aspect azimuth of the surface element. The method maximizes color contrast to permit easy discrimination of the magnitude, ranges, intervals or classes of a surface parameter while making it easy for the user to visualize the form of the surface, such as a landscape. The four pole colors of the opponent process color theory are utilized to represent intervals or classes at 90 degree angles. The color perceived as having maximum measured luminance is selected to portray the color having an azimuth of an assumed light source and the color showing minimum measured luminance portrays the diametrically opposite azimuth. The 90 degree intermediate azimuths are portrayed by unique colors of intermediate measured luminance, such as red and green. Colors between these four pole colors are used which are perceived as mixtures or combinations of their bounding colors and are arranged progressively between their bounding colors to have perceived proportional mixtures of the bounding colors which are proportional to the interval's angular distance from its bounding colors.

Moellering, Harold J.↗

NASA Tech Briefs, July 2005

Thin-Film Resistance Heat-Flux Sensors Circuit Indicates that Voice-Recording Disks are Nearly Full Optical Sensing of Combustion Instabilities in Gas Turbines Topics include: Crane-Load Contact Sensor; Hexagonal and Pentagonal Fractal Multiband Antennas; Multifunctional Logic Gate Controlled by Temperature; Multifunctional Logic Gate Controlled by Supply Voltage; Power Divider for Waveforms Rich in Harmonics; SCB Quantum Computers Using iSWAP and 1-Qubit Rotations; CSAM Metrology Software Tool; Update on Rover Sequencing and Visualization Program; Selecting Data from a Star Catalog; Rotating Desk for Collaboration by Two Computer Programmers; Variable-Pressure Washer; Magnetically Attached Multifunction Maintenance Rover; Improvements in Fabrication of Sand/Binder Cores for Casting; Solid Freeform Fabrication of Composite-Material Objects; Efficient Computational Model of Hysteresis; Gauges for Highly Precise Metrology of a Compound Mirror; Improved Electrolytic Hydrogen Peroxide Generator; High-Power Fiber Lasers Using Photonic Band Gap Materials; Ontology-Driven Information Integration; Quantifying Traversability of Terrain for a Mobile Robot; More About Arc-Welding Process for Making Carbon Nanotubes; Controlling Laser Spot Size in Outer Space; or Software-Reconfigurable Processors for Spacecraft.

Source record↗

Improving Sim-to-Real Transfer in Vision-Based Robot Navigation Via Instance-Level GAN-Based Data Augmentation

Achieving robust vision-based robotic tasks requires large amounts of data, which are often difficult to obtain in real-world scenarios. Simulators and synthetic data offer a cost-effective alternative, but the visual gap between simulation and reality hinders the performance of models when deployed in real-world environments. In this paper, we present a data augmentation pipeline that integrates a foundation model (Segment Anything Model) with an unsupervised image-to-image translation model (CycleGAN) for instance-level domain transfer from simulation to reality. This pipeline enables the generation of realistic labeled data from synthetic images for training supervised machine learning models in vision-based navigation tasks. We evaluate our approach on real-world data for ego-vehicle pose estimation, a critical autonomous navigation task involving the prediction of cross-track position and heading angle relative to road center line markings. The results of our tests show that our GAN-based data augmentation pipeline significantly outperforms models trained solely on simulation data or on data processed with standard image augmentation methods for sim-to-real transfer, enhancing model robustness and generalizability in real-world scenarios. Our method provides a scalable and flexible data augmentation tool for leveraging large synthetic datasets to enhance vision-based robotic navigation tasks.

artificial intelligence↗

Flow structures of the cross-flow over a five-layer helically coiled steam generator geometry

The helically-coiled heat exchanger (HCSG) offers advantages over straight tubes such as compactness in geometry, increased heat transfer coefficients, and capability to absorb thermal expansion. In this study, the time-resolved velocity field data of shell-side crossflow over a five-layer helically coiled steam generator geometry was obtained using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) between adjacent rods in four regions with up to 5000 frames per second (5 kHz) at approximately Re u = 3600. The slant rod bundle created different flow patterns in different regions. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) revealed high-energy-mode flow structures. Due to the confined flow channel geometry, the large flow structures were not advected resulting in no strong POD mode paring. Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) visualized the characteristics of flow fluctuation in time and frequency domain simultaneously, which ranged in Strouhal number, S u , between 0.03 and 1.17. In the wake regions of the rods, flows changed in both pattern and magnitude over time. Once a pattern formed, it continued for relatively shorter than straight tube arrays, before changing the pattern again. The histograms of the POD time coefficients presented this multimodal flow characteristics. The current study focuses more on whole flow field analyses in the selected regions rather than local point-wise analyses. Finally, this study revealed that various Strouhal numbers can exist in the helically coiled heat exchanger geometry, which was not observed in straight tube arrays. In particular, Strouhal numbers smaller than 0.1 do not seem to be caused by vortex shedding but seem to be the result of the combination of complex geometry and possible multimodal trends. Based on the current observation, further works would involve intensive instantaneous point-wise analyses on the interactions between important locations such as separation points, stagnation points, shear layers, etc.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Heuristic algorithms for design of integrated monitoring of geologic carbon storage sites

Designs for Risk Evaluation and Management (DREAM) is a tool developed under the National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) to enhance geologic carbon storage safety and efficiency. Using potential leakage scenarios generated externally by the users preferred history-matching approach, DREAM constructs ideal combinations of sensor locations in the right place at the right time to detect as many leaks as possible, detect them as early as possible, and minimize cost. This user-friendly tool, developed in Java, features a window-based GUI for input and a 3D visualization tool for viewing the domain space and optimized monitoring plans. DREAM's latest version accommodates real-world usage by allowing for joint optimization of wellbore point sensor placements and surface geophysics survey geometries, and by using more efficient multi-objective optimization algorithms. We show an example where, these two improvements combined allow us to support containment assurance and go from detecting 80–90 % of the potential CO 2 leakage to +99.7 %, a step-change improvement that can make the deciding difference in whether a site is suitable for geologic carbon storage. Though developed for geologic carbon storage, this tool would be equally applicable in many surface or offshore environmental monitoring projects.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Networks and interfaces as catalysts for polymer materials innovation

Autonomous experimental systems offer a compelling glimpse into a future where closed-loop, iterative cycles—performed by machines and guided by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)—play a foundational role in materials research and development. This perspective draws attention to the roles of networks and interfaces—of and between humans and machines—for the purpose of generating knowledge and accelerating innovation. Polymers, a class of materials with massive global impact, present a unique opportunity for the application of informatics and automation to pressing societal challenges. To develop these networks and interfaces in polymer science, the Community Resource for Innovation in Polymer Technology (CRIPT)—a polymer data ecosystem based on novel polymer data model, representation, search, and visualization technologies—is introduced. The ongoing co-design efforts engage stakeholders in industry, academia, and government to uncover rapidly actionable, high-impact opportunities to build networks, bridge interfaces, and catalyze innovation in polymer technology.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Operando neutron imaging-guided gradient design of Li-ion solid conductor for high-mass-loading cathodes

High-mass-loading cathodes are crucial for achieving high energy density in all-solid-state batteries from the lab scale to industry. However, as mass-loading increases, electrochemical performance is significantly compromised due to sluggish kinetics. In this work, operando neutron imaging is deployed on a high-mass-loading NMC 811 cathode of 33 mg/cm 2 (5.0 mAh/cm 2 ) and directly visualizes the lithiation prioritization of the cathode active material (CAM) from the solid electrolyte membrane side to the current collector side. In addition to the tortuosity, another key limitation on ion transfer in the cathode arises from the mismatch between the uniform distribution of the solid electrolyte (catholyte) in the conventional composite cathode and the non-uniform Li + flux generated by the faradaic reaction of CAMs. Therefore, we engineer a gradient in the catholyte concentration to match the Li + flux distribution as a means of eliminating the ion transfer obstacle. This approach demonstrates enhanced rate performance, even with high-mass-loading cathodes. A LiCoO 2 composite cathode with 100 mg/cm 2 high-mass-loading exhibits an areal capacity of 10.4 mAh/cm 2 at a current density of 2.25 mA/cm 2 . This work provides insight into the ion-transport limitation in thick cathodes and demonstrates an effective gradient design to overcome the kinetic barrier and achieve high battery performance.

Batteries↗

Atomic dynamics of gas-dependent oxide reducibility

Understanding oxide reduction is critical for advancing metal production, catalysis and energy technologies. Although carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ) are widely used reductants, the mechanisms by which they work are often presumed to be similar, both involving lattice oxygen removal. However, because of growing interest in replacing CO with H 2 to lower CO 2 emissions, distinguishing gas-specific reduction pathways is critical. Yet, capturing these atomic-scale processes under reactive gas and high-temperature conditions remains challenging. Here we use environmental transmission electron microscopy, which is capable of real-time, atomic-resolution imaging of gas–solid redox reactions to directly visualize the gas-dependent oxide reduction dynamics in NiO. We show that CO drives surface nucleation and the growth of metallic Ni islands, leading to self-limiting surface metallization. Conversely, H 2 activates a coupled surface-to-bulk transformation, where protons from dissociated H 2 infiltrate the oxide lattice to promote the inward migration of surface-generated oxygen vacancies and enabling bulk metallization. By contrast, oxygen vacancies formed by CO remain confined near the surface, where they rapidly form a metallic Ni layer that inhibits further reduction. Furthermore, these results reveal distinct atomistic pathways for CO and H 2 and provide insights that may guide metallurgical processes and catalyst design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The ANI-1ccx and ANI-1x data sets, coupled-cluster and density functional theory properties for molecules

Abstract Maximum diversification of data is a central theme in building generalized and accurate machine learning (ML) models. In chemistry, ML has been used to develop models for predicting molecular properties, for example quantum mechanics (QM) calculated potential energy surfaces and atomic charge models. The ANI-1x and ANI-1ccx ML-based general-purpose potentials for organic molecules were developed through active learning; an automated data diversification process. Here, we describe the ANI-1x and ANI-1ccx data sets. To demonstrate data diversity, we visualize it with a dimensionality reduction scheme, and contrast against existing data sets. The ANI-1x data set contains multiple QM properties from 5 M density functional theory calculations, while the ANI-1ccx data set contains 500 k data points obtained with an accurate CCSD(T)/CBS extrapolation. Approximately 14 million CPU core-hours were expended to generate this data. Multiple QM calculated properties for the chemical elements C, H, N, and O are provided: energies, atomic forces, multipole moments, atomic charges, etc. We provide this data to the community to aid research and development of ML models for chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Accuracy Enhancement of Nuclear Power Plant Simulators Utilizing High Accuracy Simulation Predictions

More recently, reactor core simulators for core designs associated with commercial nuclear power plants that utilize what is believed to be higher fidelity models have been developed. Features such as neutronics models that utilize transport equation solvers with fine spatial meshes and many energy-groups, thermal-hydraulic models that utilize sub-channel solvers with fine spatial mesh and capable of treating a wide range of fluid conditions, and fuel-coolant chemistry interaction models capable of treating CRUD deposition are to be found in these higher fidelity core simulators. These reactor core simulators require access to higher performance computers, characterized by many processors, cores and large memory. So associated with utilization of these simulators is access to high performance computers and ability to accommodate in one’s workflow longer execution times. By contrast, currently used core simulators by the nuclear industry can execute on engineering workstations and have execution times of seconds to minutes. The desirability for having short execution times is not only desired for support of time critical tasks but supports the mental process of decision making by engineers. The goal of the work reported upon here has the objective of retaining the fidelity of higher fidelity models while retaining the ability to utilize engineering workstations. Beyond the core simulator goal, additional goals of this work include incorporating the just described core simulator capability into a Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) simulator, and to incorporate the resulting capability into an environment supportive of design and operational decision making associated with nuclear power stations. The model selected for the core neutronics model is the NESTLE code, for the core thermal-hydraulic model is the CTF code utilizing coarse mesh, and for the NSSS model is the RELAP5-3D code. WSC’s proprietary 3KEYMASTERTM platform is being used to provide software coupling, user interface, visualization, and reporting. The NESTLE core neutronics simulator was first integrated with the CTF core thermal-hydraulic simulator using CTF developed communication commands which are also used for CTF to communicate with RELAP5-3D under WSC’s proprietary 3KEYMASTERTM platform. To assure NESTLE prediction consistency with higher fidelity core neutronic simulators, buffer codes have been created to automatically generate from output files written by the VERA core simulator the NESTLE nodal neutronic parameter’ library, geometry, and pin-power reconstruction input files, thereby avoiding a number of challenges associated with utilizing lattice physics codes and providing consistency with VERA predictions. To treat absorber rod effects a multi-set library is utilized, where a set refers to a specific absorber rod fully inserted pattern. A coarse spatial mesh CTF model was developed with features added that support using CTF as envisioned in the engineering quality simulator. A hybrid meshing approach was implemented to allow for automated construction of models with mixed levels of refinement. Specifically, a core model could resolve some assemblies at a nodal level (4 subchannels per assembly) and others at a pin-resolution (one subchannel per coolant subchannel in the assembly). The intention is that this will allow for better resolution of limiting conditions such as DNBR and PCT, which are based on local rod and subchannel conditions. Further development was done of features that enhance the capabilities for the envisioned engineering quality simulator that has been developed, but now for RELAP-3D. The RELAP5-3D code development includes ability to model more than 999 components and the addition of the cross-channels turbulence mixing model and the void drift model that are implemented in CTF, aiming to achieve closer prediction agreement of the two codes for transient simulations, specifically, more accurate matches of the overall mass, momentum, and energy exchanges of both the liquid and gas phases between the neighboring core assemblies. Graphics were also developed for the Instructor Station for this project under WSC’s proprietary 3KEYMASTERTM platform to facilitate design and operational decision making.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants – Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity: May 2025

This presentation at EPRI's annual Generation Sector Meeting during the Advanced Generation and Carbon Capture and Storage session provides an overview of the recently published Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants – Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity dated May 2025. It further connects viewers with the recently released tool/dashboard, an interactive tool that allows users to manipulate six key study parameters simultaneously for each case and visualize the impact on three metrics: 1) levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), 2) cost of CO2 captured (CCC), and 3) cost of CO2 avoided (CCA).

baseline study↗

Hierarchical resource analysis for land use planning through remote sensing

A hierarchical resource analysis was applied to remote sensing data to provide maps at Planning Levels I and III (Anderson et al., U.S. Geological Survey Circular 671) for Meade County, S. Dak. Level I land use and general soil maps were prepared by visual interpretation of imagery from a false color composite of Landsat MSS bands 4, 5, and 7 and single bands (5 and 7). A modified Level III land use map was prepared for the Black Hills area from RB-57 photography enlarged to a scale of 1:24,000. Level III land use data were used together with computer-generated interpretive soil maps to analyze relationships between developed and developing areas and soil criteria.

Byrnes, B. H.↗

Platform motion for fighter simulations

The reported investigation is concerned with aspects of 'realistic' cue generation and evaluation. 'Realistic' cues are defined to mean cues that are representative of an aircraft, that are of sufficient magnitude to be sensed, that are in the proper direction arriving at the proper time, and yet that are within the presentation capabilities of the washout/synergistic platform system. Attention is given to the aircraft mathematical model, computer implementation, cockpit hardware, visual display, the motion system, vertical acceleration, longitudinal acceleration and pitch rate, and lateral acceleration and roll rate. The motion cues for fighter aircraft produced by Langley nonlinear adaptive washout/synergistic motion base system are found to be unacceptable in the roll axis representation. However, a method for producing potentially realistic roll cues is identified.

Parrish, R. V.↗

Stereo imaging with spaceborne radars

Stereo viewing is a valuable tool in photointerpretation and is used for the quantitative reconstruction of the three dimensional shape of a topographical surface. Stereo viewing refers to a visual perception of space by presenting an overlapping image pair to an observer so that a three dimensional model is formed in the brain. Some of the observer's function is performed by machine correlation of the overlapping images - so called automated stereo correlation. The direct perception of space with two eyes is often called natural binocular vision; techniques of generating three dimensional models of the surface from two sets of monocular image measurements is the topic of stereology.

Leberl, F.↗

Smoke Generator For Studies Of Vortices In Flight

Smoke-generating system used to identify vortex-core and vortex-core-breakdown locations in flights. Housed in forebody of airplane, includes multiple pyrotechnic smoke cartridges fired simultaneously or in sequence. Firing of cartridges controlled from cockpit, and smoke produced ducted to desired locations on or near surface of aircraft. Useful for other aerodynamic flight research in which necessary to visualize local flows. Nonaerospace applications include research in reduction of aerodynamic drag on vehicles and reduction of turbulence related to structures or other obstacles.

Richwine, David M.↗

Optical-to-Tactile Translator

An optical-to-tactile translator provides an aid for the visually impaired by translating a near-field scene to a tactile signal corresponding to said near-field scene. An optical sensor using a plurality of active pixel sensors (APS) converts the optical image within the near-field scene to a digital signal. The digital signal is then processed by a microprocessor and a simple shape signal is generated based on the digital signal. The shape signal is then communicated to a tactile transmitter where the shape signal is converted into a tactile signal using a series of contacts. The shape signal may be an outline of the significant shapes determined in the near-field scene, or the shape signal may comprise a simple symbolic representation of common items encountered repeatedly. The user is thus made aware of the unseen near-field scene, including potential obstacles and dangers, through a series of tactile contacts. In a preferred embodiment, a range determining device such as those commonly found on auto-focusing cameras is included to limit the distance that the optical sensor interprets the near-field scene.

Langevin, Maurice L.↗

Software for Allocating Resources in the Deep Space Network

TIGRAS 2.0 is a computer program designed to satisfy a need for improved means for analyzing the tracking demands of interplanetary space-flight missions upon the set of ground antenna resources of the Deep Space Network (DSN) and for allocating those resources. Written in Microsoft Visual C++, TIGRAS 2.0 provides a single rich graphical analysis environment for use by diverse DSN personnel, by connecting to various data sources (relational databases or files) based on the stages of the analyses being performed. Notable among the algorithms implemented by TIGRAS 2.0 are a DSN antenna-load-forecasting algorithm and a conflict-aware DSN schedule-generating algorithm. Computers running TIGRAS 2.0 can also be connected using SOAP/XML to a Web services server that provides analysis services via the World Wide Web. TIGRAS 2.0 supports multiple windows and multiple panes in each window for users to view and use information, all in the same environment, to eliminate repeated switching among various application programs and Web pages. TIGRAS 2.0 enables the use of multiple windows for various requirements, trajectory-based time intervals during which spacecraft are viewable, ground resources, forecasts, and schedules. Each window includes a time navigation pane, a selection pane, a graphical display pane, a list pane, and a statistics pane.

Wang, Yeou-Fang↗

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