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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 sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Dual-RNA-sequencing to elucidate the interactions between sorghum and Colletotrichum sublineola

In warm and humid regions, the productivity of sorghum is significantly limited by the fungal hemibiotrophic pathogen Colletotrichum sublineola , the causal agent of anthracnose, a problematic disease of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) that can result in grain and biomass yield losses of up to 50%. Despite available genomic resources of both the host and fungal pathogen, the molecular basis of sorghum− C. sublineola interactions are poorly understood. By employing a dual-RNA sequencing approach, the molecular crosstalk between sorghum and C. sublineola can be elucidated. In this study, we examined the transcriptomes of four resistant sorghum accessions from the sorghum association panel (SAP) at varying time points post-infection with C. sublineola . Approximately 0.3% and 93% of the reads mapped to the genomes of C. sublineola and Sorghum bicolor , respectively. Expression profiling of in vitro versus in planta C. sublineola at 1-, 3-, and 5-days post-infection (dpi) indicated that genes encoding secreted candidate effectors, carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), and membrane transporters increased in expression during the transition from the biotrophic to the necrotrophic phase (3 dpi). The hallmark of the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity in sorghum includes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phytoalexins. The majority of effector candidates secreted by C. sublineola were predicted to be localized in the host apoplast, where they could interfere with the PAMP-triggered immunity response, specifically in the host ROS signaling pathway. The genes encoding critical molecular factors influencing pathogenicity identified in this study are a useful resource for subsequent genetic experiments aimed at validating their contributions to pathogen virulence. This comprehensive study not only provides a better understanding of the biology of C. sublineola but also supports the long-term goal of developing resistant sorghum cultivars.

Vela, Saddie↗
DOE OSTI2026

Future foundries: A convergent manufacturing platform

This article introduces the Future Foundries platform developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a first-generation research system designed to demonstrate convergent manufacturing. Convergent manufacturing brings together additive, subtractive, and transformative processes in a digitally interconnected environment to enable end-to-end production workflows. By linking traditionally discrete steps, convergent platforms accelerate production, improve repeatability, and support high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. The Future Foundries platform exemplifies this vision in practice by combining four modular, vendor-agnostic process cells that include robotic WAAM, induction heating, optical metrology, and machining, coordinated through an automated pallet handler and a ROS 2-based digital thread. This architecture provides the flexibility and scalability needed for agile production in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises and for field deployable manufacturing. Two case studies illustrate the platform’s capabilities. The first presents an integrated workflow for fabricating, transforming, and repairing critical replacement components, showing how consolidated thermal, additive, inspection, and machining operations reduce manual part handling and streamline process flow. The second case study highlights coordinated multi-part production enabled by automated pallet logistics and multi-cell scheduling. Together, these examples showcase convergent manufacturing as a practical and scalable strategy for strengthening domestic casting and forging capacity, improving supply-chain resilience, and enabling rapid, adaptable production of mission-critical components.

Convergent manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2025

Discovery of Proteoforms Associated With Alzheimer's Disease Through Quantitative Top-Down Proteomics

The complex nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its heterogenous clinical presentation has prompted numerous large-scale - omic analyses aimed at providing a global understanding of the pathophysiological processes involved. AD involves isoforms, proteolytic products, and posttranslationally modified proteins such as amyloid beta (Aβ) and microtubule-associated protein tau. Top-down proteomics directly measures these species and thus, offers a comprehensive view of pathologically relevant proteoforms that are difficult to analyze using traditional proteomic techniques. Here, we broadly explored associations between proteoforms and clinicopathological traits of AD by deploying a quantitative top-down proteomics approach across frontal cortex of 103 subjects selected from the ROS and MAP cohorts. The approach identified 1213 proteins and 11,782 proteoforms, of which 154 proteoforms had at least one significant association with a clinicopathological phenotype. One important finding included identifying Aβ C-terminal truncation state as the key property for differential association between amyloid plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Furthermore, various N-terminally truncated forms of Aβ had noticeably stronger association with amyloid plaques and global cognitive function. Additionally, we discovered six VGF neuropeptides that were positively associated with cognitive function independent of pathological burden. The database of brain cortex proteoforms provides a valuable context for functional characterization of the proteins involved in AD and other late-onset brain pathologies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Online task-space motion control for positioner-coordinated multi-robot manufacturing systems

Incorporating multiple robotic manipulators into large-scale manufacturing systems enhances production efficiency and expands manufacturing capabilities beyond those of single-robot systems. Workpiece positioners in robotic manufacturing have demonstrated significant benefits for process optimization, but coordination strategies for multi-robot systems with shared positioners have received limited attention. This work presents a task-space coordinated trajectory-tracking control framework for multi-robot manufacturing systems, in which robots coordinate their motions within a shared, dynamic workpiece positioning frame. A workpiece positioner actively adjusts the pose of the manufactured component to enable greater operational concurrency and improve overall production efficiency. The proposed motion-coordination scheme employs a distributed and scalable architecture, supporting coordination across heterogeneous multi-robot systems. Two optimization methodologies are introduced to manage kinematic redundancies and maintain continuous, near-optimal operation throughout the manufacturing process. The first strategy exploits a task-space dimensionality reduction to achieve locally optimal configurations by leveraging symmetry-axis rotations of the tool. The second strategy utilizes the workpiece positioner to drive the coordinated robots toward stable and kinematically favorable configurations. For both optimization strategies, multiple objectives are defined to improve key performance metrics, including manipulability, configuration consistency, proximity to mechanical limits, and motion efficiency. Addressing a key limitation of existing coordination approaches, the framework is designed around online setpoint modification, allowing coordinated robots to respond effectively to in-situ process feedback. The proposed control framework is validated using the Robot Operating System (ROS) middleware on a combination of physical and simulated multi-robot system hardware.

Arbogast, Alex [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000154740723)↗
DOE OSTI2025

How volatile isoprenoids improve plant thermotolerance

Volatile isoprenoids mainly include isoprene and monoterpenes, which improve the thermotolerance of the emitting plant by lowering reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, preserving chloroplast membrane ultrastructure, maintaining photosynthesis and primary metabolism, inducing heat shock proteins, and preserving growth and development. Recent data showed that isoprenoids can act as signaling molecules to improve plant thermotolerance by altering related gene expression through Ca 2+ -mediated signaling pathways. Here, to promote further understanding of isoprenoid-mediated thermotolerance mechanisms, we review current understanding of isoprenoid-induced plant thermotolerance, along with new findings describing the corresponding underlying mechanisms and putative signaling pathways. This information is beneficial for the potential utilization of isoprenoids for enhancing crop tolerance to global warming either by enhancing the emission of isoprenoids or by using isoprenoid-inspired anti-high temperature agents.

Ca2+ signal↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dissolved Oxygen Redox as the Source of Hydrogen Peroxide and Hydroxyl Radical in Sonicated Emulsive Water Microdroplets

Sonicated emulsive water microdroplets (SEWMs) accelerate and enable a variety of catalyst-free chemical transformations. However, significant unanswered questions remain regarding the chemical intermediates they form and their possible redox origin. In this study, we identified dissolved O 2 as the primary originator of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as OH• and H 2 O 2. We uncovered the role of dissolved O 2 redox by using a combination of microelectrochemical methods to detect H 2 O 2 , isotopic methods to identify the source of H 2 O 2 , and a combination of electron spin resonance and the DMPO spin trap to detect radicals such as OH•. Notably, we found that H 2 O 2 production is correlated with O 2 content via a reduction pathway enabled by a sufficiently large reducing power that can additionally generate H 2 and even perform Pb electroless deposition on Au and Cu metal substrates. Building on our findings, continuous O 2 bubbling of SEWMs showed accumulation of H 2 O 2 up to ∼88 mM in the aqueous phase within 1 h of sonication, demonstrating the scale-up promise of this method. Distinct to sonochemistry of a single phase, this study advances our understanding of the confluence of redox and chemical reaction mechanisms within SEWMs as a biphasic system. This insight paves the way for improving their reaction kinetics, yield, and selectivity, positioning these attractive redox microreactors as alternatives to traditional electrolyzers.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Entire expressed peripheral blood transcriptome in pediatric severe malarial anemia

Abstract This study on severe malarial anemia (SMA: Hb < 6.0 g/dL), a leading global cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, compares the entire expressed whole blood host transcriptome between Kenyan children (3-48 mos.) with non-SMA (Hb ≥ 6.0 g/dL, n = 39) and SMA ( n = 18). Differential expression analyses reveal 1403 up-regulated and 279 down-regulated transcripts in SMA, signifying impairments in host inflammasome activation, cell death, and innate immune and cellular stress responses. Immune cell profiling shows decreased memory responses, antigen presentation, and immediate pathogen clearance, suggesting an immature/improperly regulated immune response in SMA. Module repertoire analysis of blood-specific gene signatures identifies up-regulation of erythroid genes, enhanced neutrophil activation, and impaired inflammatory responses in SMA. Enrichment analyses converge on disruptions in cellular homeostasis and regulatory pathways for the ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy, and heme metabolism. Pathway analyses highlight activation in response to hypoxic conditions [Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF)−1 target and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) signaling] as a central theme in SMA. These signaling pathways are also top-ranking in protein abundance measures and a Ugandan SMA cohort with available transcriptomic data. Targeted RNA-Seq validation shows strong concordance with our entire expressed transcriptome data. These findings identify key molecular themes in SMA pathogenesis, offering potential targets for new malaria therapies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

The role of Tyr34 in proton coupled electron transfer and product inhibition of manganese superoxide dismutase

Human manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) plays a crucial role in controlling levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by converting superoxide (O$^{•–}_{2}$) to molecular oxygen (O 2 ) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) with proton-coupled electron transfers (PCETs). A key catalytic residue, Tyr34, determines the activity of human MnSOD and also becomes post-translationally inactivated by nitration in various diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Tyr34 has an unusual pK a due to its proximity to the Mn metal and undergoes cyclic deprotonation and protonation events to promote the electron transfers of MnSOD. Neutron diffraction, X-ray spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry calculations in oxidized, reduced and product inhibited enzymatic states shed light on the role of Tyr34 in MnSOD catalysis. The data identify the contributions of Tyr34 in MnSOD activity that support mitochondrial function and give a thorough characterization of how a single tyrosine modulates PCET catalysis. Product inhibition occurs by an associative displacement mechanism.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

405 nm violet-blue light inactivates hepatitis C cell culture virus (HCVcc) in ex vivo human platelet concentrates and plasma

Abstract Added safety measures coupled with the development and use of pathogen reduction technologies (PRT) significantly reduces the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) from blood products. Current approved PRTs utilize chemical and/or UV-light based inactivation methods. While the effectiveness of these PRTs in reducing pathogens are well documented, these can cause tolerable yet unintended consequences on the quality and efficacy of the transfusion products. As an alternative to UV-based approaches, we have previously demonstrated that 405 nm violet-blue light exposure successfully inactivates a variety of pathogens, including bacteria, parasites, and viruses, in both platelet concentrates (PCs) and plasma. Herein, we show that 405 nm light treatment effectively inactivates hepatitis C cell culture virus (HCVcc) by up to ~ 3.8 log10 in small volumes of a variety of matrices, such as cell culture media, PBS, plasma, and PCs with 27 J/cm 2 of light exposure, and total inactivation of HCVcc after 162 J/cm 2 light exposure. Furthermore, we demonstrate that carry-over of media supplemented with fetal bovine serum enhances the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), providing mechanistic insights to 405 nm light-mediated viral inactivation. Overall, 405 nm light successfully inactivates HCVcc, further strengthening this method as a novel PRT for platelets and plasma.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Entropy is an important design principle in the photosystem II supercomplex

Photosystem II (PSII) can achieve near-unity quantum efficiency of light harvesting in ideal conditions and can dissipate excess light energy as heat to prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light stress. Understanding how this pigment–protein complex accomplishes these opposing goals is a topic of great interest that has so far been explored primarily through the lens of the system energetics. Despite PSII’s known flat energy landscape, a thorough consideration of the entropic effects on energy transfer in PSII is lacking. In this work, we aim to discern the free energetic design principles underlying the PSII energy transfer network. To accomplish this goal, we employ a structure-based rate matrix and compute the free energy terms in time following a specific initial excitation to discern how entropy and enthalpy drive ensemble system dynamics. We find that the interplay between the entropy and enthalpy components differ among each protein subunit, which allows each subunit to fulfill a unique role in the energy transfer network. This individuality ensures that PSII can accomplish efficient energy trapping in the reaction center (RC), effective nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) in the periphery, and robust energy trapping in the other-monomer RC if the same-monomer RC is closed. We also show that entropy, in particular, is a dynamically tunable feature of the PSII free energy landscape accomplished through regulation of LHCII binding. These findings help rationalize natural photosynthesis and provide design principles for more efficient solar energy harvesting technologies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Variation in Flooding Tolerance in Populus deltoides ‘D-124’ and P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides Hybrid ‘52–225’

Flooding poses a substantial challenge to plant survival and productivity, particularly in riparian genus like Populus. This study examines the physiological, morphological, metabolic, and molecular responses of Populus deltoides ‘D-124’ and P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides hybrid clone ‘52–225’ under control and inundated conditions to identify differences in flooding tolerance. Under flooding conditions, physiological and cellular stress was more pronounced in P. deltoides ‘D-124’ than in the hybrid clone ‘52–225,’ as evidenced by lower transpiration (E), photosynthesis (A), and chlorophyll content. In contrast, ‘52–225’ showed reduced ROS accumulation suggesting better cellular function under stress. Morphologically, ‘52–225’ produced more shoot-born roots, which likely enhance oxygen transport and metabolic activity during flooding. Metabolite profiling revealed both overlapping and distinct patterns of sugar and amino acid accumulation between genotypes. Gene expression analysis revealed that flooding-responsive genes, including ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE 1 and HYPOXIA RESPONSIVE ERF 2, were activated in both genotypes, with a more pronounced response noted in ‘52–225.’ These findings extend our understanding of flooding tolerance mechanisms in Populus by connecting physiological traits, stress responses, and genetic regulation. This research contributes to the development of more flooding-resilient poplar varieties, with potential applications in breeding and restoration programs for flooding-prone environments.

Flooding stress↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhancement of reactive oxygen species production by ultra-short electron pulses

The development of laser-driven accelerators-on-chip has provided an opportunity to miniaturize devices for electron radiotherapy delivery. Laser-driven accelerators produce highly time-compressed electron pulses, on the 100 fs to 1 ps scale. This delivers electrons at high peak power yet low average beam current compared with conventional delivery devices, which generate pulses of approximately 3 µs. The biophysical effects of this time structure, however, are unclear. Here, we use a Monte Carlo simulation approach to explore the effects of the electron beam time structure on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in water. Our results show a power law increase in the generation of hydroxyl ions per deposited electron with decreasing pulse length over the pulse length range of 10 µs to 100 fs. Similar trends were observed for hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, hydroperoxyl, hydronium and solvated electrons. In practical terms, this indicates a fourfold increase in the efficiency of free radical production for sub-picosecond pulses, relative to that of conventional microsecond pulses, for the same number of deposited electrons.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Time‐series multi‐omics analysis of micronutrient stress in Sorghum bicolor reveals iron and zinc crosstalk and regulatory network conservation

Micronutrient stress impacts growth, biomass production, and grain yield in crops. Multi-omics studies are valuable resources in identifying genes for functional studies and trait improvement, such as accumulation of Fe or Zn under deficient or excess conditions for bioenergy or grain agriculture. We conducted transcriptomics and ionomics analyses on Sorghum bicolor BTx623, grown under Fe and Zn limited and excess conditions over a 21-day period. To identify early and late transcriptional response in roots and leaves, 180 RNAseq libraries were sequenced for differential expression and co-expression network analyses. Fe and Zn accumulation was measured using ICP-MS at each time point, and a fluorometer was used to estimate chlorophyll content in leaves. Among the four treatments, Fe limitation and Zn excess resulted in the largest phenotypic effects and transcriptional response in roots and leaves. Several of the reduction (Strategy I) and chelation (Strategy II) strategy genes that improve bioavailability of Fe and Zn in plant roots often used by non-grass and grass species, respectively, were differentially expressed. Gene regulatory network (GRN) analysis of roots revealed enrichment of genes from Fe limiting and Zn excess which strongly connect to homologues of SbFIT, SbPYE, and SbBTS as hub genes. The GRN for leaf responses showed homologues of SbPYE and SbBTS as hubs connecting genes for chloroplast biosynthesis, Fe-S cluster assembly, photosynthesis, and ROS scavenging. Expression analyses suggest sorghum uses Strategy II genes for Fe and Zn uptake, as expected, but can also utilize Strategy I genes, which may be advantageous in variable moisture environments. We found strong overlap between Fe and Zn responsive GRNs, indicative of micronutrient crosstalk. We also found conservation of root and leaf GRNs, and known homologous genes suggest strong constraints on homeostasis networks in plants. These data will provide a resource for functional genetics to enhance micronutrient transport in sorghum, and opportunities to conduct further comparative GRN analysis across diverse crops species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

γ-Aminobutyric acid modulates terpene biosynthesis through the ATG8a-mediated pathway

Terpenes play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. The biosynthesis of terpenes is influenced by abiotic stress factors, such as drought, temperature, or light. Here, however, the molecular network underlying how terpenes are regulated in response to environmental stimuli remains largely unknown. Here, we identified the autophagy protein SgATG8a as a key mediator of GABA-regulated terpene production and drought tolerance in Sindora glabra. SgATG8a, evolutionarily related to the animal GABA receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) subfamily, localizes in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Exogenous GABA treatment not only increased the expression level of terpene synthase genes (SgTPSs) but also led to enhanced accumulation of six main terpene components in Sindora glabra. In addition, GABA alleviated the photosynthesis damage and enhanced leaf biomass under drought conditions. Consistently, overexpression of SgATG8a in Arabidopsis increased terpene synthase gene (SgTPS) expression, leading to the enhanced production of four major terpenes and improved the tolerance of transgenic plants to drought stress by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems. Moreover, the transcription factors SgWRKY13 and SgERF4 were identified as interacting partners of SgATG8a, activating SgTPS3 expression. Lectin receptor-like kinase (LecRK1) is involved in the GABA-mediated pathway by interacting with the SgWRKY13/SgERF4-SgATG8a proteins, and the LecRK1-SgWRKY13/SgERF4 phosphorylation module fine-tunes the transcription of the downstream SgTPS3 gene. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel role for GABA in regulating terpene biosynthesis and drought tolerance, providing insights into the molecular mechanism underlying GABA-mediated terpene production.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

MODAQ 2.0 (Modular Ocean Data AcQuisition System v2.0) [SWR-24-138]

MODAQ 2.0 is the continuation of the Modular Ocean/Offshore Data AcQuisition system which offers new benefits of being based on generally available hardware and open-source development tools. The MODAQ 2.0 project is the amalgamation of ROS packages, tools, and guidance for developing data acquisition and control applications for marine energy devices using a ROS2 based architecture. The MODAQ 2.0 Reference Design includes several packages that are targeted for the marine energy sector and allow most developers with a basic background in programming to spin up a high-quality DAQ and control system. It is comprised of multiple software repositories which can be found at the MODAQ2 GitHub Organization: https://github.com/NREL-MODAQ2

Nichols, Casey↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transcript profiling of plastid ferrochelatase two mutants reveals that chloroplast singlet oxygen signals lead to global changes in RNA profiles and are mediated by Plant U-Box 4

Abstract Background In response to environmental stresses, chloroplasts generate reactive oxygen species, including singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), an excited state of oxygen that regulates chloroplast-to-nucleus (retrograde) signaling, chloroplast turnover, and programmed cell death (PCD). Yet, the central signaling mechanisms and downstream responses remain poorly understood. TheArabidopsis thaliana plastid ferrochelatase two(fc2) mutant conditionally accumulates 1 O 2 , and Plant U-Box 4 (PUB4), a cytoplasmic E3 ubiquitin ligase, is involved in propagating 1 O 2 signals for chloroplast turnover and cellular degradation. Thus, thefc2andfc2 pub4mutants are useful genetic tools to elucidate these signaling pathways. Previous studies have focused on the role of 1 O 2 in promoting cellular degradation infc2mutants, but its impact on retrograde signaling from mature chloroplasts (the major site of 1 O 2 production) is poorly understood. Results To gain mechanistic insights into 1 O 2 signaling pathways, we compared transcriptomes of adult wt,fc2, andfc2 pub4plants. The accumulation of 1 O 2 infc2plants broadly repressed genes involved in chloroplast function and photosynthesis, while inducing genes and transcription factors involved in abiotic and biotic stress, the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA), microautophagy, and senescence. Elevated JA and SA levels were observed in 1 O 2 -stressedfc2plants.pub4reversed most of this 1 O 2 -induced gene expression and reduced the JA content infc2plants. Thepub4mutation also blocked JA-induced senescence pathways in the dark. However, fc2 pub4 plantsmaintained constitutively elevated levels of SA even in the absence of bulk 1 O 2 accumulation. Conclusions Together, this work demonstrates that infc2plants, 1 O 2 leads to a robust retrograde signal that may protect cells by downregulating photosynthesis and ROS production while simultaneously mounting a stress response involving SA and JA. The induction of microautophagy and senescence pathways indicate that 1 O 2 -induced cellular degradation is a genetic response to this stress, and the bulk of this transcriptional response is modulated by the PUB4 protein. However, the effect ofpub4on hormone synthesis and signaling is complex and indicates that an intricate interplay of SA and JA are involved in promoting stress responses and programmed cell death during photo-oxidative damage.

Plant Sciences↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mid-IR UAV-based sensing platform with deep learning to Identify and Quantify Gaseous Emission in Gas Flares

This report details the development and evaluation of a Mid-Infrared (Mid-IR) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based sensing platform integrated with deep learning algorithms for the identification and quantification of gaseous emissions in gas flares. The project, spearheaded by Omega Optics, Inc., aimed to address environmental monitoring challenges by leveraging advanced photonic technologies and autonomous UAV operations. The research focused on designing, optimizing, and fabricating photonic crystal waveguides and grating couplers to enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of gas detection. A comprehensive drone-based system was developed, featuring a miniaturized sensor, GPS module, and microcontroller communication network for real-time gas concentration monitoring. The system's adaptive sampling algorithm, implemented using the Robot Operating System (ROS), enables autonomous detection and localization of gas emission sources. Preliminary results demonstrate the platform's capability to detect and monitor gas emissions with high precision, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Future work will expand upon this foundation by introducing 3D wind model-based learning for dynamic environmental conditions and further enhancing the user interface and data processing algorithms to support broader environmental monitoring applications. Overall, this project represents a significant step forward in UAV-based environmental sensing technologies, offering robust solutions for detecting and mitigating the impacts of gaseous emissions on public health and safety.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

300_underground robot (final research report)

Recent advancements in mobile robotics have displayed impressive capabilities in traversing and accessing areas that are inaccessible to humans either due to the characteristics of the environment or potential hazards. Furthermore, these advancements within the field of mobile robotics, more specifically uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs), give the ability to potentially survey, observe, and map these inaccessible areas for humans. However, one of the most challenging areas to implement this technology is underground environments. The main challenge with implementing this technology in underground environments is the dependence on either GPS or RF communication for UGVs to navigate properly. Therefore, in order to properly demonstrate the mapping capabilities of the UGV this challenge must be resolved. The overall goal of this study is to demonstrate the mapping capabilities of a UGV while addressing this challenge and documenting the implementation and testing phase of the robot. The proposed solution to this challenge is to implement a SLAM algorithm onto the main computational device of the UGV utilizing the Robot Operating System (ROS). The algorithm is the open-source software package Slam Toolbox developed by Steve Macenski. Furthermore, the sllidar_ros2 package from Slamtec will be used to gather the lidar data from an A3M1 2D lidar. A separate program will be created to gather odometry information for our UGV robot. All of these software packages will run together in a Docker environment. Through working on this project I have developed a better understanding of the world of robotics/autonomous systems, especially with applications such as navigation and mapping. Furthermore, through this project, I have been given exposure to how research is conducted within a DOE lab setting. As robotics/autonomous systems become more advanced it's important to pursue more avenues of research such as this project as it will ensure the development of our capabilities.

42 ENGINEERING↗