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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Developmental Testing of Habitability and Human Factors Tools and Methods During Neemo 15

Currently, no established methods exist to collect real-time human factors and habitability data while crewmembers are living aboard the International Space Station (ISS), traveling aboard other space vehicles, or living in remote habitats. Currently, human factors and habitability data regarding space vehicles and habitats are acquired at the end of missions during postflight crew debriefs. These debriefs occur weeks or often longer after events have occurred, which forces a significant reliance on incomplete human memory, which is imperfect. Without a means to collect real-time data, small issues may have a cumulative effect and continue to cause crew frustration and inefficiencies. Without timely and appropriate reporting methodologies, issues may be repeated or lost. TOOL DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION: As part of a directed research project (DRP) aiming to develop and validate tools and methods for collecting near real-time human factors and habitability data, a preliminary set of tools and methods was developed. These tools and methods were evaluated during the NASA Extreme Environments Mission Operations (NEEMO) 15 mission in October 2011. Two versions of a software tool were used to collect observational data from NEEMO crewmembers that also used targeted strategies for using video cameras to collect observations. Space habitability observation reporting tool (SHORT) was created based on a tool previously developed by NASA to capture human factors and habitability issues during spaceflight. SHORT uses a web-based interface that allows users to enter a text description of any observations they wish to report and assign a priority level if changes are needed. In addition to the web-based format, a mobile Apple (iOS) format was implemented, referred to as iSHORT. iSHORT allows users to provide text, audio, photograph, and video data to report observations. iSHORT can be deployed on an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad; for NEEMO 15, the app was provided on an iPad2.

Thaxton, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Mobile Multi-System Overview

At the time of this reporting, there are 2,589 rich mobile devices used at JPL, including 1,550 iPhones and 968 Blackberrys. Considering a total JPL population of 5,961 employees, mobile applications have a total addressable market of 43 percent of the employees at JPL, and that number is rising. While it was found that no existing desktop tools can realistically be replaced by a mobile application, there is certainly a need to improve access to these desktop tools. When an alarm occurs and an engineer is away from his desk, a convenient means of accessing relevant data can save an engineer a great deal of time and improve his job efficiency. To identify which data is relevant, an engineer benefits from a succinct overview of the data housed in 13+ tools. This need can be well met by a single, rich, mobile application that provides access to desired data across tools in the ops infrastructure.

Witoff, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Improving Situational Awareness for First Responders via Mobile Computing

This project looks to improve first responder situational awareness using tools and techniques of mobile computing. The prototype system combines wireless communication, real-time location determination, digital imaging, and three-dimensional graphics. Responder locations are tracked in an outdoor environment via GPS and uploaded to a central server via GPRS or an 802.11 network. Responders can also wirelessly share digital images and text reports, both with other responders and with the incident commander. A pre-built three dimensional graphics model of a particular emergency scene is used to visualize responder and report locations. Responders have a choice of information end points, ranging from programmable cellular phones to tablet computers. The system also employs location-aware computing to make responders aware of particular hazards as they approach them. The prototype was developed in conjunction with the NASA Ames Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team and has undergone field testing during responder exercise at NASA Ames.

Betts, Bradley J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Technology Integration (2022 Annual Progress Report)

VTO's Technology Integration Program supports a broad technology portfolio that includes alternative fuels, energy efficient mobility systems and technologies, and other efficient advanced technologies that can reduce transportation energy costs for businesses and consumers. The program provides objective, unbiased data and real-world lessons learned to inform future research needs and support local decision making. It also includes projects to disseminate data, information, and insight, as well as online tools and technology assistance to cities and regions working to implement alternative fuels and energy efficient mobility technologies and systems.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Real-Sim Interface: Enabling Multi-resolution Simulation and X-in-the-Loop Development for Connected and Automated Vehicles

We report connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) can bring safety, mobility, and energy benefits to transportation systems. Ideally, CAV applications would be fully evaluated and validated prior to real-world implementation. However, many technical challenges in both software and hardware hinder the process. To comprehensively evaluate all aspects of CAV applications, an integrated evaluation environment is needed with various simulation tools from different domains. In the current literature, there lacks a well-developed interface to enable multi-resolution simulation of vehicle, traffic, virtual environment, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation. In this work, a modular and flexible interface is developed to enable multi-resolution vehicle and traffic co-simulation for CAV applications. This interface is built upon Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL’s) Real-Sim approach, can support various simulation tools and real-time X-in-the-loop (XIL) simulations, and is based on network communication protocols. The network communication delays are analyzed for simultaneous connection of up to 20 simulators. Then, two example applications are studied to demonstrate the potential usage of the Real-Sim interface: (1) a centralized merging scenario where the dynamics of two ego vehicles are emulated with detailed vehicle and powertrain dynamics models and (2) a signal-controller-in-the-loop (SCIL) evaluation where one intersection of the simulated traffic scenario is controlled by a physical signal controller. This Real-Sim interface is a tool that allows researchers to bring real, tangible hardware and software into simulated environments to comprehensively evaluate and support a wide variety of CAV applications.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of a Structure for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) High Charge Capacity Array of Traps

Enhancing the sensitivity of low abundance ions in a complex mixture without sacrificing experiment throughput is highly desirable. This work demonstrates a way to greatly improve the sensitivity of ion mobility (IM) selected ions by accumulating them in an array of high-capacity ion traps located inside a novel structures for lossless ion manipulations ion mobility spectrometer (SLIM-IMS) module. The array of ion traps used in this work consisted of seven independently controllable traps. Each trap was 386 mm long and possessed a charge capacity of ~4.5×10 8 charges, with a linear range extending to ~2.5×10 8 charges. Each ion trap could be used to extract a peak (or ions over a mobility range) from an ion mobility separation based on arrival time. Ions could be stored without losses for long times (>100 s) and then released all at once or one trap at a time. It was possible to accumulate large ion populations by extracting and storing ions over repeated IM separations. We report enrichment of up to seven individual ion distributions could be performed using the seven independently controllable ion traps. Additionally, the ion trapping process effectively compressed ion populations into narrow peaks, which provides a greatly improved basis for subsequent ion manipulations. The array of high charge-capacity ion traps provides a flexible addition to SLIM and a powerful tool for IMS-MS applications requiring high sensitivity.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2015

Spherical Coordinate Systems for Streamlining Suited Mobility Analysis

Introduction: When describing human motion, biomechanists generally report joint angles in terms of Euler angle rotation sequences. However, there are known limitations in using this method to describe complex motions such as the shoulder joint during a baseball pitch. Euler angle notation uses a series of three rotations about an axis where each rotation is dependent upon the preceding rotation. As such, the Euler angles need to be regarded as a set to get accurate angle information. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to visualize and understand these complex motion representations. It has been shown that using a spherical coordinate system allows Anthropometry and Biomechanics Facility (ABF) personnel to increase their ability to transmit important human mobility data to engineers, in a format that is readily understandable and directly translatable to their design efforts. Objectives: The goal of this project was to use innovative analysis and visualization techniques to aid in the examination and comprehension of complex motions. Methods: This project consisted of a series of small sub‐projects, meant to validate and verify a new method before it was implemented in the ABF's data analysis practices. A mechanical test rig was built and tracked in 3D using an optical motion capture system. Its position and orientation were reported in both Euler and spherical reference systems. In the second phase of the project, the ABF estimated the error inherent in a spherical coordinate system, and evaluated how this error would vary within the reference frame. This stage also involved expanding a kinematic model of the shoulder to include the rest of the joints of the body. The third stage of the project involved creating visualization methods to assist in interpreting motion in a spherical frame. These visualization methods will be incorporated in a tool to evaluate a database of suited mobility data, which is currently in development. Results: Initial results demonstrated that a spherical coordinate system is helpful in describing and visualizing the motion of a space suit. The system is particularly useful in describing the motion of the shoulder, where multiple degrees of freedom can lead to very complex motion paths.

Benson, Elizabeth↗
DOE OSTI2020

Asymmetric dimerization of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA facilitates substrate recognition

Abstract Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) are enzymes that convert adenosine to inosine in duplex RNA, a modification that exhibits a multitude of effects on RNA structure and function. Recent studies have identified ADAR1 as a potential cancer therapeutic target. ADARs are also important in the development of directed RNA editing therapeutics. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism of the ADAR reaction will advance efforts to develop ADAR inhibitors and new tools for directed RNA editing. Here we report the X-ray crystal structure of a fragment of human ADAR2 comprising its deaminase domain and double stranded RNA binding domain 2 (dsRBD2) bound to an RNA duplex as an asymmetric homodimer. We identified a highly conserved ADAR dimerization interface and validated the importance of these sequence elements on dimer formation via gel mobility shift assays and size exclusion chromatography. We also show that mutation in the dimerization interface inhibits editing in an RNA substrate-dependent manner for both ADAR1 and ADAR2.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2024

Computing Proximity to Threat Along Uncertain Trajectory to Support Urban Air Mobility

Many airspace threats affect the selection of a flight route, such as terrain, physical obstacles, adverse weather, and special-use airspace, among others. Threat avoidance during Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Low Altitude Mobility (LAM) flights is especially challenging due to their lower cruising altitudes. These operations may be exposed to buildings, towers, trees, terrain undulations, etc., along much of their flight route. Moreover, these low-altitude flights in urban environments are expected to encounter very busy airspace, increasing the workload associated with threat avoidance. The Proximity to Threat (PtT) function aims to support onboard or remote pilots by computing the risk from geospatial threats in the airspace along an aircraft’s flight path. The threats are both static entities and dynamic airspace restrictions that have been modeled and stored in geo-referenced mapping databases. The flight path may be specified by waypoints, airways, or similar discrete route elements or by a time series of closely spaced position and altitude points. Flight path uncertainty can also be taken into account by assuming both the position and altitude to be sampled from two normal distributions, each being specified by a mean and variance. PtT uses this additional information to verify that the flight path remains clear of threats along a wider path or if a position is reached earlier or later than anticipated, assuring the pilot or operator that there will be an available safety margin even if the aircraft deviates due to one or more occurrences of unexpected wind gusts, mechanical failures, airspeed changes, collision avoidance maneuvers, etc. The client can specify an uncertainty confidence level to bound the set of trajectories evaluated for threats so that the confidence level corresponds to the client’s risk tolerance under the expected conditions. PtT can be used as a pre-flight planning tool to determine a safe route through known threats and in-flight to avoid emerging or changing threats. In this report, we present the PtT function, discuss how the trajectory uncertainty is incorporated into the PtT function, and describe the use of this PtT function in a representative scenario.

urban air mobility↗
NASA NTRS2012

NASA GSFC Space Weather Center - Innovative Space Weather Dissemination: Web-Interfaces, Mobile Applications, and More

The NASA GSFC Space Weather Center (http://swc.gsfc.nasa.gov) is committed to providing forecasts, alerts, research, and educational support to address NASA's space weather needs - in addition to the needs of the general space weather community. We provide a host of services including spacecraft anomaly resolution, historical impact analysis, real-time monitoring and forecasting, custom space weather alerts and products, weekly summaries and reports, and most recently - video casts. There are many challenges in providing accurate descriptions of past, present, and expected space weather events - and the Space Weather Center at NASA GSFC employs several innovative solutions to provide access to a comprehensive collection of both observational data, as well as space weather model/simulation data. We'll describe the challenges we've faced with managing hundreds of data streams, running models in real-time, data storage, and data dissemination. We'll also highlight several systems and tools that are utilized by the Space Weather Center in our daily operations, all of which are available to the general community as well. These systems and services include a web-based application called the Integrated Space Weather Analysis System (iSWA http://iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov), two mobile space weather applications for both IOS and Android devices, an external API for web-service style access to data, google earth compatible data products, and a downloadable client-based visualization tool.

Maddox, Marlo↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Usability Evaluation of Fleet Management Interface for High Density Vertiplex Environments

To meet the rising demand for an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) (i.e. urban and rural unmanned aircraft systems) ecosystem, the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) is hosting a series of simulations and flight tests under the High Density Vertiplex sub-project (HDV) to prototype and study the effectiveness AAM capabilities under various operational contexts. HDV aims to develop an integrated automation architecture to support terminal area flight operations. The HDV simulations and flight tests address safety, integration, and operational challenges, while integrated systems and software demonstrate design readiness, robustness, and interoperability. During the initial HDV simulation in 2021, a prototype traffic management tool developed by NASA called the Fleet Management Interface (FMI) was tested. FMI was designed to introduce an advanced level of human-automation interaction to aid both Ground Control Station Operators (GCSOs) and Fleet Managers (FMs) in remotely managing flights under their ownership. In a human-in-the-loop simulation, a usability study was conducted with the FMI to identify optimal approaches for displaying information to human operators using subjective measures of usability, workload, situation awareness, risk, and trust, along with qualitative feedback. This study consisted of task analysis in which GCSO and FM subjects used an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) environment to develop and execute a plan for two different traffic scenarios of remotely controlled vehicles. In each scenario, a remotely controlled vehicle completed a takeoff, active flight, and landing sequence while simulated traffic flew in the background at a rate of 20 operations per hour. In the first scenario, the controlled vehicle flew a nominal route with takeoff and landing at the same vertiport. In the second scenario, the controlled vehicle started on the nominal route, then diverted to an unplanned location mid-flight. Results showed that self- reported performance, usability, trust, and situation awareness ratings of FMI were moderately to strongly high. There were small differences between scenarios, with Scenario 2 being perceived as more unstable, complex, variable, risky, and potentially harmful than Scenario 1. Furthermore, participants described improvements that could be made to create a better user experience. For example, users suggested customizable interfaces to accommodate information display preferences, and the ability to review routes before assigning them. The results from this study will inform future development of the FMI with the end goal of creating a reference automation tool for airspace management procedures in AAM. The FMI could serve to reduce dependency on traditional air navigation services through increased automation in high density vertiplex environments.

Fleet manager↗
DOE OSTI2021

Algorithms and file structures to enhance software workflows for ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS): CRADA 410 (Final Report)

This document is the final report for CRADA 410 (Project No. 72496). The purpose of this project was supporting customizations of algorithms and raw data file structures to enhance software workflows for liquid chromatography (LC), mass spectrometry (MS) and ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS)-based metabolite characterization. PNNL worked with Agilent to evaluate and improve the integration of ion mobility into existing MS data analysis methods of Agilent software tools. The project augmented PNNL’s capabilities to analyze complex omics samples. These capabilities are directly beneficial to DOE and PNNL efforts to characterize and analyze compounds in microbial and plant communities. The project assisted Agilent in further developing improved instrument-software solutions combining ion mobility with mass spectrometry for widespread applications in life sciences and other fields.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Energy Justice: Key Concepts and Metrics Relevant to EERE Transportation Projects

This report includes definitions of energy justice and equity within the framework of transportation technologies and deployment, discusses tenets of energy justice aimed to foster equity in energy and transportation projects, and provides a systematic approach to move equity and justice from theory to practice. The report also includes a focused overview of tools that may be relevant to addressing equity in EERE transportation projects (e.g., those that may help prioritize underrepresented groups or areas of intervention).

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrating the Mobility Energy Productivity Metric into the CDOT Statewide Model

The Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric measures the quality of mobility at a specific location and can be used to evaluate how changes to transportation systems impact the mobility of that location over time, such as through infrastructure investments. The objective of this study is to demonstrate integration of the MEP metric into CDOT's transportation planning process by leveraging data from their statewide travel demand model. We evaluate the MEP metric in 2015 as well as 2030 baselines and projected impacts in 2030 for two different regions in Colorado under multiple scenarios across multiple modes (driving, walking, biking, and transit). It was found that increasing development (increasing population density, jobs, and opportunities) had a significant impact on MEP, independent of any specific alternatives. For drive mode, there was a trade- off of increasing congestion on the road network and increasing job and opportunity access. Impacts to bike, walk, and transit MEP were also demonstrated in both regions. This report shows how MEP can be used as a tool to support evaluating the impacts of various transportation projects across the state. With projections of significant growth across the state of Colorado, access to the increasing opportunities and jobs will be important to understand through the context of energy efficiency. MEP could support future project evaluation and decision-making by enabling the unique and important dimension of energy- efficient accessibility of a transportation system.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

A User-Facing Metric to Quantify the Quality of Mobility (CRADA Final Report)

The leading urban mobility data analytics firm StreetLight Data, Inc. partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to explore a commercial version of the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric. The commercialization effort was aimed to expand the adoption of the metric to key stakeholders in the urban planning space. Research comprised industry analysis, stakeholder feedback and conducting transportation practitioner focus groups. StreetLight concluded that commercialization of MEP is not feasible in the current market because users need a dynamic MEP tool that enables scenario planning. It should be able to calculate a MEP score dynamically (near instantaneous) when different inputs are changed.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Technology Integration 2023 Annual Progress Report

This document summarizes the progress of VTO Technology Integration projects supported during the fiscal year 2023. VTO's Technology Integration Program supports a broad technology portfolio that includes alternative fuels, energy efficient mobility systems and technologies, and other efficient advanced technologies that can reduce transportation energy costs for businesses and consumers. The program provides objective, unbiased data and real-world lessons learned to inform future research needs and support local decision making. It also includes projects to disseminate data, information, and insight, as well as online tools and technology assistance to cities and regions working to implement alternative fuels and energy efficient mobility technologies and systems.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Cell Utilized Partitioning Model as a Predictive Tool for Optimizing Counter-Current Chromatography Processes

Counter-current chromatography (CCC) is capable of unique elution modes that isolate analytes using the movement of the stationary phase in addition to moving the mobile phase. These modes include elution-extrusion CCC (EECCC) and dual-mode CCC (DM CCC) that are not possible in traditional solid-liquid chromatography systems. Although EECCC and DM CCC are widely used to recover highly retained components, to our knowledge, optimizing the elution process in these modes with predictive models has not been reported. To address this gap, we developed a predictive model for CCC dubbed the Cell Utilized Partitioning (CUP) model. The CUP model accurately predicts the effluents of multicomponent separations in EECCC and DM CCC modes when compared to experimental data. Furthermore, CUP model simulations were extended to investigate the influence of operating and intrinsic parameters on the yield and productivity, and to compare the separation performances of EECCC and DM CCC in various conditions. The results demonstrate that low distribution constants, usually a KD less than 1, and a selectivity > 1.3, under specific flowrate ranges, increase both productivity and yield. From these results, generalized optimization and scaleup guidelines are proposed that can apply to research settings and to industrial processes to maximize preparative CCC performance.

BIOMASS FUELS,INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND AN↗
NASA NTRS1989

On principles, methods and recent advances in studies towards a GPS-based control system for geodesy and geodynamics

Although Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) are becoming increasingly important tools for geodynamic studies, their future role may well be fulfilled by using alternative techniques such as those utilizing the signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS, without the full implementation of the system, already offers a favorable combination of cost and accuracy and has consistently demonstrated the capability to provide high precision densification control in the regional and local areas of the VLBI and SLR networks. This report reviews VLBI and SLR vis-a-vis GPS and outlines the capabilities and limitations of each technique and how their complementary application can be of benefit to geodetic and geodynamic operations. It demonstrates, albeit with a limited data set, that dual-frequency GPS observations and interferometric type analysis techniques make possible the modelling of the GPS orbits for several days with an accuracy of a few meters. The use of VLBI or SLR sites as fiducial stations together with refinements in the orbit determination procedures can greatly reduce the systematic errors in the GPS satellite orbits used to compute the positions of non-fiducial locations. In general, repeatability and comparison with VLBI of the GPS determined locations are of the order of between 2 parts in 10 to the 7th power and 5 parts in 10 to the 8th power for baseline lengths less than 2000 km. This report is mainly a synthesis of problems, assumptions, methods and recent advances in the studies towards the establishment of a GPS-based system for geodesy and geodynamics and is one phase in the continuing effort for the development of such a system. To some, including the author, it seems reasonable to expect within the next few years that more evidence will show GPS to be as a powerful and reliable a tool as mobile VLBI and SLR are today, but largely more economical.

Delikaraoglou, Demitris↗