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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 55 records · Page 3

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2001

Electron tunneling infrared sensor module with integrated control circuitry

In an integrated electron tunneling sensor, an automatic tunneling control circuit varies a high voltage bias applied to the sensor deflection electrode in response to changes in sensor output to maintain the proper gap between the sensor tip and membrane. The control circuit ensures stable tunneling activity in the presence of large signals and other disturbances to the sensor. Output signals from the module may be derived from the amplified sensor output. The integrated sensor module is particularly well adapted for use in blood glucose measurement and monitoring system.

Boyadzhyan-Sevak, Vardkes V.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Determination of Aerothermal Environment and Ablator Material Response Using Inverse Methods

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) was protected during entry into the Martian atmosphere by a thermal protection system that used NASA’s Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA). The heat shield of the probe was instrumented with the Mars Entry Descent and Landing Instrument (MEDLI) suite of sensors. MEDLI Integrated Sensor Plugs (MISP) included thermocouples that measured in-depth temperatures at various locations on the heatshield. The flight data has been used as a benchmark for validating ablation codes within NASA. This work seeks to refine the estimate of the material properties for the MSL heat shield and the aerothermal environment during Mars entry using estimation methods in DAKOTA on the temperature data obtained from MEDLI.

Thornton, John M.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Insect-Inspired Optical-Flow Navigation Sensors

Integrated circuits that exploit optical flow to sense motions of computer mice on or near surfaces ( optical mouse chips ) are used as navigation sensors in a class of small flying robots now undergoing development for potential use in such applications as exploration, search, and surveillance. The basic principles of these robots were described briefly in Insect-Inspired Flight Control for Small Flying Robots (NPO-30545), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 1 (January 2005), page 61. To recapitulate from the cited prior article: The concept of optical flow can be defined, loosely, as the use of texture in images as a source of motion cues. The flight-control and navigation systems of these robots are inspired largely by the designs and functions of the vision systems and brains of insects, which have been demonstrated to utilize optical flow (as detected by their eyes and brains) resulting from their own motions in the environment. Optical flow has been shown to be very effective as a means of avoiding obstacles and controlling speeds and altitudes in robotic navigation. Prior systems used in experiments on navigating by means of optical flow have involved the use of panoramic optics, high-resolution image sensors, and programmable imagedata- processing computers.

Thakoor, Sarita↗

NASA NTRS2007

Secure, Autonomous, Intelligent Controller for Integrating Distributed Sensor Webs

This paper describes the infrastructure and protocols necessary to enable near-real-time commanding, access to space-based assets, and the secure interoperation between sensor webs owned and controlled by various entities. Select terrestrial and aeronautics-base sensor webs will be used to demonstrate time-critical interoperability between integrated, intelligent sensor webs both terrestrial and between terrestrial and space-based assets. For this work, a Secure, Autonomous, Intelligent Controller and knowledge generation unit is implemented using Virtual Mission Operation Center technology.

Ivancic, William D.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Integrated Tactile Sensor for Robots

Proposed large-scale integrated (LSI) circuit gives robots, partshandling machines, and remote-control devices sense of touch. LSI circuits, placed on contact surfaces of manipulators combine functions of transduction, computing and communicating. Beneath layer of pressure sensitive rubber, resistivity of which changes with pressure, electrodes furnish pressuredependent signal to computation elements. Electrodes and computation elements contained in silicon integrated-circuit wafer.

Raibert, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Wireless SAW Sensors Having Integrated Antennas

A wireless surface acoustic wave sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate, a surface acoustic wave device formed on the substrate, and an antenna formed on the substrate. In some embodiments, the antenna is formed on the surface of the substrate using one or more of photolithography, thin film processing, thick film processing, plating, and printing.

Gallagher, Mark↗

NASA NTRS2018

Enabling Experimental Evolution: Multi-Parameter Sensor System Integration into a Culture/Stressor Biofluidics System

Experimental evolution (EE) exposes microbial communities to ecological stressors, simulating dynamics up to near-extinction events. Combined with comparative sequencing and other molecular tools, such data can inform the genetic and other biological mechanisms underlying extremophile adaptation, and other observed effects. Automating this type of experiment using biofluidics can mitigate many traditional obstacles, including delays in assay results and environment adjustment and the need for many replicates. A first-generation device for automating EE procedures, the Automated Adaptive Directed Evolution Chamber (AADEC), was developed at NASA Ames. UV-C radiation was the stressor, an LED-photodiode array measured optical density, magnetic agitation and peristaltic pump systems ensured nutrient availability, and Arduino microcontrollers provided control. Escherichia coli in LB kanamycin media was used for testing and performance verification. A manual laboratory procedure with timed exposure to UV-C was performed to typify tolerance acquisition. Approximately a 106 factor increase in survival ratio was recorded over multiple iterations. Currently, a second-generation device is being developed integrating more real-time sensors: redox potential (ORP), indicating available/consumed metabolic energy; dissolved oxygen (DO), indicating aerobic/anaerobic growth; pH, indicating metabolic products; and electrical conductivity (EC), another indicator of metabolic products. The EC sensor system was constructed and calibrated in-house and matched commercial sensors in the required range. A Raspberry Pi computer automated the electrical system, allowing real-time data acquisition. The fluidics card was made of CNC-milled polycarbonate for biocompatibility. Each sensor parameter can also be used as a selection pressure alone or in combination with others to create extreme microbial environments. As a proof of concept, this work demonstrated sensor operation in one pair of growth-sensor chambers. It can be expanded to a multi-chamber system to enable inter-culture comparisons and multi-population studies. The prior Arduino system will be ported to the RPi system. Future stressors to be added include thermal, reactive oxygen species, and varying nutrient availability.

Govinda Raj, Chinmayee↗

NASA NTRS2008

Intelligent Sensors for Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM)

IEEE 1451 Smart Sensors contribute to a number of ISHM goals including cost reduction achieved through: a) Improved configuration management (TEDS); and b) Plug-and-play re-configuration. Intelligent Sensors are adaptation of Smart Sensors to include ISHM algorithms; this offers further benefits: a) Sensor validation. b) Confidence assessment of measurement, and c) Distributed ISHM processing. Space-qualified intelligent sensors are possible a) Size, mass, power constraints. b) Bus structure/protocol.

Schmalzel, John L.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Integrated inertial stellar attitude sensor

An integrated inertial stellar attitude sensor for an aerospace vehicle includes a star camera system, a gyroscope system, a controller system for synchronously integrating an output of said star camera system and an output of said gyroscope system into a stream of data, and a flight computer responsive to said stream of data for determining from the star camera system output and the gyroscope system output the attitude of the aerospace vehicle.

Brady, Tye M.↗

NASA NTRS1971

A research on integrated-circuit sensors for gas chromatography

Fabrication of a miniature gas chromatograph column using integrated circuit technology was studied and found to be feasible. A bonding problem of forming a strong, gas tight seal between two wafers of silicon has prevented the completion of the column design. Continuing research using tin or a chromium-gold bond promises to overcome the problems of using the proposed gold-eutectic bond. Specifications for the miniature gas chromatograph column are: a spiral capillary column of semi-circular cross section, 30 micron radius, and a total length of 6.9 meters etched into a silicon structure 50 mm in diameter and 0.625 mm thick.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2001

Position Sensor with Integrated Signal-Conditioning Electronics on a Printed Wiring Board

A position sensor, such as a rotary position sensor, includes the signal-conditioning electronics in the housing. The signal-conditioning electronics are disposed on a printed wiring board, which is assembled with another printed wiring board including the sensor windings to provide a sub-assembly. A mu-metal shield is interposed between the printed wiring boards to prevent magnetic interference. The sub-assembly is disposed in the sensor housing adjacent to an inductor board which turns on a shaft. The inductor board emanates an internally or externally generated excitation signal that induces a signal in the sensor windings. The induced signal represents the rotary position of the inductor board relative to the sensor winding board.

Alhorn, Dean C.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Integrated temperature sensor

Proposed temperature-sensor/failure-detection system utilizes liquid-filled sensors attached as matrix to monitored surface. Fluid passages are integral part of monitored surface or are small-diameter tubing in good thermal contact with monitored surface. System offers significant advantages over discrete sensors in terms of simplicity, reliability, cost, ease of installation, maintainability, and weight.

Herring, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Hall-Effect Current Sensors For Integrated Circuits

Built-in devices measure direct or alternating currents. Hall-effect sensors placed near constriction in conductor strip. Differential configuration reduces effects of stray magnetic fields, nonlinearities, and changes in temperature. Preliminary design studies and experiments with macroscopic commercial Hall-effect sensors conducted to assess feasibility, limitations, and need for further research and development of this concept. Potential applications include programmable power supplies and protective circuitry.

Rippel, Wally E.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Monolithic Integrated Radiation Sensor Using Stimulated Luminescence From Alumina

The project goal was to design and test a monolithic integrated device for radiation sensing, using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from Al2O3:C. The device would consist of GaN/InGaN-based components epitaxially grown on each side of a A12O3:C substrate. Radiation energy stored in the substrate would be stimulated by visible emission from a GaN light-emitting diode (LED) grown on one side of the device, and the OSL emission from the substrate (in the blue region of the spectrum) would be detected by the InGaN pi-n diode grown on the other side of the substrate. The primary application of the device would be in space radiation environments. Thus, two major research thrusts were launched during this project. Firstly, research at Oklahoma State University (Dr. Stephen W.S. McKeever and Dr. E.G. Yukihara) concentrated on characterization of the OSL properties of Al2O3:C in radiation fields typical of those experienced in low-Earth orbit. Secondly, research at the University of Washington (Co-Is, Dr. T.G. Stoebe and Dr. T. Chen) focused of device development and GaN/InGaN epitaxial growth. While progress in each line of research has been substantial, the ultimate goal (that of producing a working prototype device) has not yet been reached. We detail the research progress and identify outstanding issues in this paper.

McKeever, S. W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Accuracy of quantum sensors measuring yield photon flux and photosynthetic photon flux

Photosynthesis is fundamentally driven by photon flux rather than energy flux, but not all absorbed photons yield equal amounts of photosynthesis. Thus, two measures of photosynthetically active radiation have emerged: photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), which values all photons from 400 to 700 nm equally, and yield photon flux (YPF), which weights photons in the range from 360 to 760 nm according to plant photosynthetic response. We selected seven common radiation sources and measured YPF and PPF from each source with a spectroradiometer. We then compared these measurements with measurements from three quantum sensors designed to measure YPF, and from six quantum sensors designed to measure PPF. There were few differences among sensors within a group (usually <5%), but YPF values from sensors were consistently lower (3% to 20%) than YPF values calculated from spectroradiometric measurements. Quantum sensor measurements of PPF also were consistently lower than PPF values calculated from spectroradiometric measurements, but the differences were <7% for all sources, except red-light-emitting diodes. The sensors were most accurate for broad-band sources and least accurate for narrow-band sources. According to spectroradiometric measurements, YPF sensors were significantly less accurate (>9% difference) than PPF sensors under metal halide, high-pressure sodium, and low-pressure sodium lamps. Both sensor types were inaccurate (>18% error) under red-light-emitting diodes. Because both YPF and PPF sensors are imperfect integrators, and because spectroradiometers can measure photosynthetically active radiation much more accurately, researchers should consider developing calibration factors from spectroradiometric data for some specific radiation sources to improve the accuracy of integrating sensors.

NASA Center KSC↗

NASA NTRS2000

An Integrated MEMS Sensor Cluster System for Aerospace Applications

Efforts to reduce viscous drag on airfoils could results in a considerable saving for the operation of flight vehicles including those of space transportation. This reduction of viscous drag effort requires measurement and active control of boundary layer flow property on an airfoil. Measurement of viscous drag of the boundary layer flow over an airfoil with minimal flow disturbance is achievable with newly developed MEMS sensor clusters. These sensor clusters provide information that can be used to actively control actuators to obtain desired flow properties or design a vehicle to satisfy particular boundary layer flow criteria. A series of MEMS sensor clusters has been developed with a data acquisition and control module for local measurements of shear stress, pressure, and temperature on an airfoil. The sensor cluster consists of two shear stress sensors, two pressure sensors, and two temperature sensors on a surface area of 1.24 mm x 1.86 mm. Each sensor is 300 microns square and is placed on a flexible polyimide sheet. The shear stress sensor is a polysilicon hot-film resistor, which is insulated by a vacuum cavity of 200 x 200 x 2 microns. The pressure sensors are silicon piezoresistive type, and the temperature sensors are also hot film polysilicon resistors. The total size of the cluster including sensors and electrical leads is 1 Omm x 1 Omm x 0.1 mm. A typical sensitivity of shear stress sensor is 150 mV/Pascal, the pressure sensors are an absolute type with a measurement range from 9 to 36 psia with 0.8mV/V/psi sensitivity, and the temperature sensors have a measurement resolution of 0.1 degree C. The sensor clusters are interfaced to a data acquisition and control module that consists of two custom ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and a micro-controller. The data acquisition and control module transfers data to a host PC that configures and controls a total of three sensor clusters. Functionality of the entire system has been tested in the laboratory, and preliminary test results are presented.

Kahng, Seun↗

NASA NTRS2003

Team Oriented Robotic Exploration Task on Scorpion and K9 Platforms

This final report describes the achievements that have been made in the project over the complete period of performance. The technical progress highlights the different areas of work in terms of Progress in Mechatronics, Sensor integration, Software Development. User Interfaces, Behavior Development and Experimental Results and System Testing. The different areas are: Mechatronics, Sensor integration, Software development, Experimental results and Basic System Testing, Behaviors Development and Advanced System Testing, User Interface and Wireless Communication.

Kirchner, Frank↗

DOE OSTI2026

Wildfire-Power Grid Interactions: Feedback, Impacts, Monitoring, Modeling, and Mitigation Strategies

Wildfires are increasingly interacting with electric power systems through a two-way hazard chain: fires damage grid assets and trigger cascading outages, while grid faults can ignite new fires under hot, dry, and windy conditions. This review synthesizes the state of knowledge across five domains: (i) physical impacts of flames, heat, and smoke on lines, towers, insulators, and substations; (ii) power-infrastructure-initiated ignitions via conductor clash, high-impedance faults, and corona discharge; (iii) widespread blackouts and disproportionate societal impacts; (iv) multi-scale monitoring spanning laboratory tests, in-situ and grid-integrated sensors, and Earth observation; (v) coupled modeling that links fire behavior with grid operations; and (vi) technological and strategic mitigation pathways spanning prevention, response, and recovery. We integrate these domains into a novel 'feedback-aware' socio-technical framework. Through a longitudinal analysis (2005-2025) of global incidents, we identify that while vegetation contact remains the most frequent ignition source, aging infrastructure failure has emerged as a critical driver of catastrophic 'mega-fires'. We further identify persistent gaps, including limited interoperability of high-frequency grid and environmental data, scarce real-time data assimilation, and under-developed equity metrics for outage management. We conclude by outlining a research agenda to (1) deploy interoperable sensing architectures, (2) advance feedback-coupled fire-grid simulations, and (3) evaluate mitigation portfolios through techno-economic and fairness lenses. Recognizing wildfire-grid interactions as coupled socio-technical systems is essential for protecting infrastructure and communities and for ensuring reliable, sustainable electricity in a changing world.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗