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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

SU-E-CAMPUS-T-01: Automation of the Winston-Lutz Test for Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Purpose: To optimize clinical efficiency and shorten patient wait time by minimizing the time and effort required to perform the Winston-Lutz test before stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) through automation of the delivery, analysis, and documentation of results. Methods: The radiation fields of the Winston-Lutz (WL) test were created in a “machine-QA patient” saved in ARIA for use before SRS cases. Images of the BRW target ball placed at mechanical isocenter are captured with the portal imager for each of four, 2cm×2cm, MLC-shaped beams. When the WL plan is delivered and closed, this event is detected by in-house software called EventNet which automates subsequent processes with the aid of the ARIA web services. Images are automatically retrieved from the ARIA database and analyzed to determine the offset of the target ball from radiation isocenter. The results are posted to a website and a composite summary image of the results is pushed back into ImageBrowser for review and authenticated documentation. Results: The total time to perform the test was reduced from 20-25 minutes to less than 4 minutes. The results were found to be more accurate and consistent than the previous method which used radiochromic film. The images were also analyzed with DoseLab for comparison. The difference between the film and automated WL results in the X and Y direction and the radius were (−0.17 +/− 0.28) mm, (0.21 +/− 0.20) mm and (−0.14 +/− 0.27) mm, respectively. The difference between the DoseLab and automated WL results were (−0.05 +/− 0.06) mm, (−0.01 +/− 0.02) mm and (0.01 +/− 0.07) mm, respectively. Conclusions: This process reduced patient wait times by 15–20 minutes making the treatment machine available to treat another patient. Accuracy and consistency of results were improved over the previous method and were comparable to other commercial solutions. Access to the ARIA web services is made possible through an Eclipse co-development agreement with Varian Medical Systems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2013

Applications of Automation Methods for Nonlinear Fracture Test Analysis

As fracture mechanics material testing evolves, the governing test standards continue to be refined to better reflect the latest understanding of the physics of the fracture processes involved. The traditional format of ASTM fracture testing standards, utilizing equations expressed directly in the text of the standard to assess the experimental result, is self-limiting in the complexity that can be reasonably captured. The use of automated analysis techniques to draw upon a rich, detailed solution database for assessing fracture mechanics tests provides a foundation for a new approach to testing standards that enables routine users to obtain highly reliable assessments of tests involving complex, non-linear fracture behavior. Herein, the case for automating the analysis of tests of surface cracks in tension in the elastic-plastic regime is utilized as an example of how such a database can be generated and implemented for use in the ASTM standards framework. The presented approach forms a bridge between the equation-based fracture testing standards of today and the next generation of standards solving complex problems through analysis automation.

Allen, Phillip A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Spinoff 2010

Topics covered include: Burnishing Techniques Strengthen Hip Implants; Signal Processing Methods Monitor Cranial Pressure; Ultraviolet-Blocking Lenses Protect, Enhance Vision; Hyperspectral Systems Increase Imaging Capabilities; Programs Model the Future of Air Traffic Management; Tail Rotor Airfoils Stabilize Helicopters, Reduce Noise; Personal Aircraft Point to the Future of Transportation; Ducted Fan Designs Lead to Potential New Vehicles; Winglets Save Billions of Dollars in Fuel Costs; Sensor Systems Collect Critical Aerodynamics Data; Coatings Extend Life of Engines and Infrastructure; Radiometers Optimize Local Weather Prediction; Energy-Efficient Systems Eliminate Icing Danger for UAVs; Rocket-Powered Parachutes Rescue Entire Planes; Technologies Advance UAVs for Science, Military; Inflatable Antennas Support Emergency Communication; Smart Sensors Assess Structural Health; Hand-Held Devices Detect Explosives and Chemical Agents; Terahertz Tools Advance Imaging for Security, Industry; LED Systems Target Plant Growth; Aerogels Insulate Against Extreme Temperatures; Image Sensors Enhance Camera Technologies; Lightweight Material Patches Allow for Quick Repairs; Nanomaterials Transform Hairstyling Tools; Do-It-Yourself Additives Recharge Auto Air Conditioning; Systems Analyze Water Quality in Real Time; Compact Radiometers Expand Climate Knowledge; Energy Servers Deliver Clean, Affordable Power; Solutions Remediate Contaminated Groundwater; Bacteria Provide Cleanup of Oil Spills, Wastewater; Reflective Coatings Protect People and Animals; Innovative Techniques Simplify Vibration Analysis; Modeling Tools Predict Flow in Fluid Dynamics; Verification Tools Secure Online Shopping, Banking; Toolsets Maintain Health of Complex Systems; Framework Resources Multiply Computing Power; Tools Automate Spacecraft Testing, Operation; GPS Software Packages Deliver Positioning Solutions; Solid-State Recorders Enhance Scientific Data Collection; Computer Models Simulate Fine Particle Dispersion; Composite Sandwich Technologies Lighten Components; Cameras Reveal Elements in the Short Wave Infrared; Deformable Mirrors Correct Optical Distortions; Stitching Techniques Advance Optics Manufacturing; Compact, Robust Chips Integrate Optical Functions; Fuel Cell Stations Automate Processes, Catalyst Testing; Onboard Systems Record Unique Videos of Space Missions; Space Research Results Purify Semiconductor Materials; and Toolkits Control Motion of Complex Robotics.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1989

National remote computational flight research facility

The extension of the NASA Ames-Dryden remotely augmented vehicle (RAV) facility to accommodate flight testing of a hypersonic aircraft utilizing the continental United States as a test range is investigated. The development and demonstration of an automated flight test management system (ATMS) that uses expert system technology for flight test planning, scheduling, and execution is documented.

Rediess, Herman A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Design, development, test, and evaluation of an automated analytical electrophoresis apparatus

An Automated Analytical Electrophoresis Apparatus (AAEA) was designed, developed, assembled, and preliminarily tested. The AAEA was demonstrated to be a feasible apparatus for automatically acquiring, displaying, and storing (and eventually analyzing) electrophoresis mobility data from living blood cells. The apparatus and the operation of its major assemblies are described in detail.

Bartels, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The Center-TRACON Automation System: Simulation and field testing

A new concept for air traffic management in the terminal area, implemented as the Center-TRACON Automation System, has been under development at NASA Ames in a cooperative program with the FAA since 1991. The development has been strongly influenced by concurrent simulation and field site evaluations. The role of simulation and field activities in the development process will be discussed. Results of recent simulation and field tests will be presented.

Denery, Dallas G.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Recent advances in small-scale mechanical property measurement by nanoindentation

Since its initial development in the early 1980’s [1], nanoindentation has matured into one of the premier testing techniques for measuring mechanical properties at the micrometer and sub-micrometer scales and has emerged as a critical tool that has helped to shape the nanotechnology revolution. At the heart of the technique are testing systems with simple but precise force actuators and displacement measuring devices that record the force–displacement record as a diamond indenter, usually the form of a pyramid or a sphere, is pressed into and withdrawn from a small region in the surface of a material of interest. The nano-scale force–displacement data, which can be obtained with a spatial resolution as small as a few nanometers, contains a wealth of information about the local mechanical properties [2], [3] and [4]. This enables the mechanical characterization of very thin films, like those used in the semiconductor, magnetic storage, and hard coatings industries, as well as very small precipitates, particles and second phases, many of which may not exist in bulk form and cannot be characterized by traditional mechanical testing methods. Here, computer automation of nanoindentation testing systems now routinely provides for complete two-dimensional mapping of properties over regions stretching from sub-micron to millimeters in scale.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1980

Effectiveness of spacecraft testing programs

The need for testing under simulated mission operational conditions is discussed and the results of such tests are reviewed from the point of view of the user. A brief overview of the usal test sequences for high reliability long life spacecraft is presented and the effectiveness of the testing program is analyzed in terms of the defects which are discovered by such tests. The need for automation, innovative mechanical test procedures, and design for testability is discussed.

Krausz, A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Configuring the Orion Guidance, Navigation, and Control Flight Software for Automated Sequencing

The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle is being designed with greater automation capabilities than any other crewed spacecraft in NASA s history. The Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) flight software architecture is designed to provide a flexible and evolvable framework that accommodates increasing levels of automation over time. Within the GN&C flight software, a data-driven approach is used to configure software. This approach allows data reconfiguration and updates to automated sequences without requiring recompilation of the software. Because of the great dependency of the automation and the flight software on the configuration data, the data management is a vital component of the processes for software certification, mission design, and flight operations. To enable the automated sequencing and data configuration of the GN&C subsystem on Orion, a desktop database configuration tool has been developed. The database tool allows the specification of the GN&C activity sequences, the automated transitions in the software, and the corresponding parameter reconfigurations. These aspects of the GN&C automation on Orion are all coordinated via data management, and the database tool provides the ability to test the automation capabilities during the development of the GN&C software. In addition to providing the infrastructure to manage the GN&C automation, the database tool has been designed with capabilities to import and export artifacts for simulation analysis and documentation purposes. Furthermore, the database configuration tool, currently used to manage simulation data, is envisioned to evolve into a mission planning tool for generating and testing GN&C software sequences and configurations. A key enabler of the GN&C automation design, the database tool allows both the creation and maintenance of the data artifacts, as well as serving the critical role of helping to manage, visualize, and understand the data-driven parameters both during software development and throughout the life of the Orion project.

Odegard, Ryan G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Development of microcomputer-based mental acuity tests for repeated-measures studies

The purpose of this report is to detail the development of the Automated Performance Test System (APTS), a computer battery of mental acuity tests that can be used to assess human performance in the presence of toxic elements and environmental stressors. There were four objectives in the development of APTS. First, the technical requirements for developing APTS followed the tenets of the classical theory of mental tests which requires that tests meet set criteria like stability and reliability (the lack of which constitutes insensitivity). To be employed in the study of the exotic conditions of protracted space flight, a battery with multiple parallel forms is required. The second criteria was for the battery to have factorial multidimensionality and the third was for the battery to be sensitive to factors known to compromise performance. A fourth objective was for the tests to converge on the abilities entailed in mission specialist tasks. A series of studies is reported in which candidate APTS tests were subjected to an examination of their psychometric properties for repeated-measures testing. From this work, tests were selected that possessed the requisite metric properties of stability, reliability, and factor richness. In addition, studies are reported which demonstrate the predictive validity of the tests to holistic measures of intelligence.

Kennedy, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) advanced automation project

The objective of the environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) Advanced Automation Project is to influence the design of the initial and evolutionary Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP) ECLSS toward a man-made closed environment in which minimal flight and ground manpower is needed. Another objective includes capturing ECLSS design and development knowledge future missions. Our approach has been to (1) analyze the SSFP ECLSS, (2) envision as our goal a fully automated evolutionary environmental control system - an augmentation of the baseline, and (3) document the advanced software systems, hooks, and scars which will be necessary to achieve this goal. From this analysis, prototype software is being developed, and will be tested using air and water recovery simulations and hardware subsystems. In addition, the advanced software is being designed, developed, and tested using automation software management plan and lifecycle tools. Automated knowledge acquisition, engineering, verification and testing tools are being used to develop the software. In this way, we can capture ECLSS development knowledge for future use develop more robust and complex software, provide feedback to the knowledge based system tool community, and ensure proper visibility of our efforts.

Dewberry, Brandon S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Role of automation in the ACRV operations

The Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) will provide the Space Station Freedom with contingency means of return to earth (1) of one disabled crew member during medical emergencies, (2) of all crew members in case of accidents or failures of SSF systems, and (3) in case of interruption of the Space Shuttle flights. A wide range of vehicle configurations and system approaches are currently under study. The Program requirements focus on minimizing life cycle costs by ensuring simple operations, built-in reliability and maintainability. The ACRV philosophy of embedded operations is based on maximum use of existing facilities, resources and processes, while minimizing the interfaces and impacts to the Space Shuttle and Freedom programs. A preliminary integrated operations concept based on this philosophy and covering the ground, flight, mission support, and landing and recovery operations has been produced. To implement the ACRV operations concept, the underlying approach has been to rely on vehicle autonomy and automation, to the extent possible. Candidate functions and processes which may benefit from current or near-term automation and robotics technologies are identified. These include, but are not limited to, built-in automated ground tests and checkouts; use of the Freedom and the Orbiter remote manipulator systems, for ACRV berthing; automated passive monitoring and performance trend analysis, and periodic active checkouts during dormant periods. The major ACRV operations concept issues as they relate to the use of automation are discussed.

Sepahban, S. F.↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-E-T-48: Automated Quality Assurance for XML Controlled Linacs

Purpose: To automate routine imaging QA procedures so that complying with TG 142 and TG 179 can be efficient and reliable. Methods: Two QA tests for a True Beam Linac were automatized. A Winston Lutz test as described by Lutz et al{sup 1} using the Winston Lutz test kit from BrainLab, Germany and a CBCT Image Quality test as described in TG 179 using the EMMA phantom, Siemens Medical Physics, Germany were performed in our True Beam. For each QA procedure tested, a 3 step paradigm was used. First, the data was automatically acquired using True Beam Developer Mode and XML scripting. Second, the data acquired in the first step was automatically processed using in-home grown Matlab GUIs. Third, Machine Learning algorithms were used to automatically classify the processed data and reports generated. Results: The Winston Luzt test could be performed by an experienced medical physicist in 29.0 ± 8.0 min. The same test, if automated using our paradigm, could be performed in 3.0 ± 0.1 min. In the same lieu, time could be substantially saved for image quality tests. In this case, the amount of time saved will depend on the phantoms used and the initial localization method. Additionally, machine learning algorithms could automatically identify the roots of the problems if any and possibly help reduce machine down time. Conclusion: Modern linear accelerators are equipped with advanced 2D and 3D imaging that are used for patient alignment substantially improving IGRT protocols. However, this extra complexity exponentially increases the number of QA tests needed. Using the new paradigm described above, not only bare minimum but best practice QA programs could be implemented with the same manpower. This work is supported by Varian, Palo Alto, CA.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2014

Verification and Validation of the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT)

This paper describes the processes and results of Verification and Validation (V&V) efforts for the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT). We describe the test program and environments, the tools used for independent test data, and comparison results. The V&V effort produced approximately 13,000 test scripts that are run as part of the nightly buildtest process. In addition, we created approximately 3000 automated GUI tests that are run every two weeks. Presenting all test results are beyond the scope of a single paper. Here we present high-level test results in most areas, and detailed test results for key areas. The final product of the V&V effort presented in this paper was GMAT version R2013a, the first Gold release of the software with completely updated documentation and greatly improved quality. Release R2013a was the staging release for flight qualification performed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) ultimately resulting in GMAT version R2013b.

GMAT↗
NASA NTRS1990

Automation of Space Station module power management and distribution system

Viewgraphs on automation of space station module (SSM) power management and distribution (PMAD) system are presented. Topics covered include: reasons for power system automation; SSM/PMAD approach to automation; SSM/PMAD test bed; SSM/PMAD topology; functional partitioning; SSM/PMAD control; rack level autonomy; FRAMES AI system; and future technology needs for power system automation.

Bechtel, Robert↗
DOE OSTI2016

A controlled statistical study to assess measurement variability as a function of test object position and configuration for automated surveillance in a multicenter longitudinal COPD study (SPIROMICS)

Purpose: A test object (phantom) is an important tool to evaluate comparability and stability of CT scanners used in multicenter and longitudinal studies. However, there are many sources of error that can interfere with the test object-derived quantitative measurements. Here the authors investigated three major possible sources of operator error in the use of a test object employed to assess pulmonary density-related as well as airway-related metrics. Methods: Two kinds of experiments were carried out to assess measurement variability caused by imperfect scanning status. The first one consisted of three experiments. A COPDGene test object was scanned using a dual source multidetector computed tomographic scanner (Siemens Somatom Flash) with the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) inspiration protocol (120 kV, 110 mAs, pitch = 1, slice thickness = 0.75 mm, slice spacing = 0.5 mm) to evaluate the effects of tilt angle, water bottle offset, and air bubble size. After analysis of these results, a guideline was reached in order to achieve more reliable results for this test object. Next the authors applied the above findings to 2272 test object scans collected over 4 years as part of the SPIROMICS study. The authors compared changes of the data consistency before and after excluding the scans that failed to pass the guideline. Results: This study established the following limits for the test object: tilt index ≤0.3, water bottle offset limits of [−6.6 mm, 7.4 mm], and no air bubble within the water bottle, where tilt index is a measure incorporating two tilt angles around x- and y-axis. With 95% confidence, the density measurement variation for all five interested materials in the test object (acrylic, water, lung, inside air, and outside air) resulting from all three error sources can be limited to ±0.9 HU (summed in quadrature), when all the requirements are satisfied. The authors applied these criteria to 2272 SPIROMICS scans and demonstrated a significant reduction in measurement variation associated with the test object. Conclusions: Three operator errors were identified which significantly affected the usability of the acquired scan images of the test object used for monitoring scanner stability in a multicenter study. The authors’ results demonstrated that at the time of test object scan receipt at a radiology core laboratory, quality control procedures should include an assessment of tilt index, water bottle offset, and air bubble size within the water bottle. Application of this methodology to 2272 SPIROMICS scans indicated that their findings were not limited to the scanner make and model used for the initial test but was generalizable to both Siemens and GE scanners which comprise the scanner types used within the SPIROMICS study.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗