Automated tracking of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus)

The electronic, physical, biological and environmental factors involved in the automated remote tracking of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus) are identified. The current status of the manatee as an endangered species is provided. Brief descriptions of existing tracking and position locating systems are presented to identify the state of the art in these fields. An analysis of energy media is conducted to identify those with the highest probability of success for this application. Logistic questions such as the means of attachment and position of any equipment to be placed on the manatee are also investigated. Power sources and manateeborne electronics encapsulation techniques are studied and the results of a compter generated DF network analysis are summarized

Technology applications

A summary of NASA Technology Utilization programs for the period of 1 December 1971 through 31 May 1972 is presented. An abbreviated description of the overall Technology Utilization Applications Program is provided as a background for the specific applications examples. Subjects discussed are in the broad headings of: (1) cancer, (2) cardiovascular disease, (2) medical instrumentation, (4) urinary system disorders, (5) rehabilitation medicine, (6) air and water pollution, (7) housing and urban construction, (8) fire safety, (9) law enforcement and criminalistics, (10) transportation, and (11) mine safety

MEMS Technology for Biomedical Imaging Applications

Biomedical imaging is the key technique and process to create informative images of the human body or other organic structures for clinical purposes or medical science. Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology has demonstrated enormous potential in biomedical imaging applications due to its outstanding advantages of, for instance, miniaturization, high speed, higher resolution, and convenience of batch fabrication. There are many advancements and breakthroughs developing in the academic community, and there are a few challenges raised accordingly upon the designs, structures, fabrication, integration, and applications of MEMS for all kinds of biomedical imaging. This Special Issue aims to collate and showcase research papers, short commutations, perspectives, and insightful review articles from esteemed colleagues that demonstrate: (1) original works on the topic of MEMS components or devices based on various kinds of mechanisms for biomedical imaging; and (2) new developments and potentials of applying MEMS technology of any kind in biomedical imaging. The objective of this special session is to provide insightful information regarding the technological advancements for the researchers in the community

22 GHz vastaanottimen prototyyppi jatkuva-vertailu polarimetriaan

Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects that emit radio waves. As radio waves can penetrate dust, radio astronomy can study things that can't be seen in visible light. Radio astronomy studies the Sun, planets, gas and dust clouds of the Milky Way, pulsars, radio galaxies, quasars and cosmic background radiation. Polarimetry has been a quite recent addition to radio astronomy. Polarimetry studies the polarization of light and other transverse waves. The applications are present in a variety fields of astrophysics ranging from solar physics to cosmology. Polarimetry can be used to study for example the strength and orientation of magnetic fields in the space between planets in the Solar system and other planetary systems. It has given us insight into physical processes occurring in systems that range from our own solar system to high-redshift galaxies. The goal of this thesis was to build a prototype receiver for continuous comparison polarimetry. This prototype would be used as a testing device for the back-end planned for the Metsähovi's continuous comparison receiver. With this prototype receiver, one hopes to find and solve the possible problems that the final receiver might have, and also to ease with the adaptation of the new back-end. In addition to building a prototype receiver, the importance of polarization in radio astronomy was presented. Although a working prototype could not be achieved during this thesis an insight into the designing process was given. Designing, manufacturing and debugging of different components of the receiver was shown and future plans for the prototype was presented. Quite lossy 180-degree hybrids were produced. To proceed with the back-end testing new amplifier cards and a working back-end module should be acquired. Furthermore, the orthomode transducers of the prototype also need further testing to ensure their validity.Polarimetria on melko uusi lisäys radioastronomiaan. Polarimetria tutkii polarisoitunutta valoa ja muita aaltomuotoja. Sen sovelluskohteita löytyy useilta eri astrofysiikan alueilta, aurinkotutkimuksesta aina kosmologiaan. Polarimetrian avulla pystytään tutkimaan esimerkiksi Aurinkokunnan ja muiden planeettakuntien magneettikenttien voimakkuuksia ja niiden suuntia. Nämä tutkimukset ovat valaisseet tietämystämme eri fyysisistä prosesseista, joita tapahtuu Aurinkokunnassamme kuin myös kaukaisissa galakseissa. Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena on valmistaa vastaanottimen prototyyppi jatkuva-vertailu polariametriaan. Tätä prototyyppiä olisi tarkoitus käyttää Metsähovin uuden jatkuva-vertailu vastaanottimen taustajärjestelmän testaamiseen. Tavoitteena on löytää ja ratkaista mahdolliset ongelmat, joita uudessa vastaanottimessa havaitaan. Lisäksi prototyyppi helpottaa uuden taustajärjestelmän käyttöönotossa. Diplomityö esittelee myös kuinka tärkeäksi osaksi polarisaatio on noussut radioastronomiassa. Vaikka toimivaa vastaanottimen prototyyppiä ei tämän diplomityön aikana onnistuttu valmistamaan, itse suunnittelutyön prosessia havainnollistettiin onnistuneesti. Prototyypin eri osien suunnittelu, valmistus ja testaus esiteltiin sekä projektin tulevaisuuden näkymät kerrottiin. Melko häviöllinen 180-asteen hybridi valmistettiin. Jotta taustajärjestelmää päästäisiin koestamaan, tulisi ensin hankkia toimivat vahvistinkortit sekä uusi vastaanottimen takapää. Lisäksi prototyypin polarisaation haaroitin vaatii tarkempia kokeita sen toimivuuden varmistamiseksi

River flow monitoring: LS-PIV technique, an image-based method to assess discharge

The measurement of the river discharge within a natural ort artificial channel is still one of the most challenging tasks for hydrologists and the scientific community. Although discharge is a physical quantity that theoretically can be measured with very high accuracy, since the volume of water flows in a well-defined domain, there are numerous critical issues in obtaining a reliable value. Discharge cannot be measured directly, so its value is obtained by coupling a measurement of a quantity related to the volume of flowing water and the area of a channel cross-section. Direct measurements of current velocity are made, traditionally with instruments such as current meters. Although measurements with current meters are sufficiently accurate and even if there are universally recognized standards for the current application of such instruments, they are often unusable under specific flow conditions. In flood conditions, for example, due to the need for personnel to dive into the watercourse, it is impossible to ensure adequate safety conditions to operators for carrying out flow measures. Critical issue arising from the use of current meters has been partially addressed thanks to technological development and the adoption of acoustic sensors. In particular, with the advent of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs), flow measurements can take place without personnel having direct contact with the flow, performing measurements either from the bridge or from the banks. This made it possible to extend the available range of discharge measurements. However, the flood conditions of a watercourse also limit the technology of ADCPs. The introduction of the instrument into the current with high velocities and turbulence would put the instrument itself at serious risk, making it vulnerable and exposed to damage. In the most critical case, the instrument could be torn away by the turbulent current. On the other hand, considering smaller discharges, both current meters and ADCPs are technologically limited in their measurement as there are no adequate water levels for the use of the devices. The difficulty in obtaining information on the lowest and highest values of discharge has important implications on how to define the relationships linking flows to water levels. The stage-discharge relationship is one of the tools through which it is possible to monitor the flow in a specific section of a watercourse. Through this curve, a discharge value can be obtained from knowing the water stage. Curves are site-specific and must be continuously updated to account for changes in geometry that the sections for which they are defined may experience over time. They are determined by making simultaneous discharge and stage measurements. Since instruments such as current meters and ADCPs are traditionally used, stage-discharge curves suffer from instrumental limitations. So, rating curves are usually obtained by interpolation of field-measured data and by extrapolate them for the highest and the lowest discharge values, with a consequent reduction in accuracy. This thesis aims to identify a valid alternative to traditional flow measurements and to show the advantages of using new methods of monitoring to support traditional techniques, or to replace them. Optical techniques represent the best solution for overcoming the difficulties arising from the adoption of a traditional approach to flow measurement. Among these, the most widely used techniques are the Large-Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LS-PIV) and the Large-Scale Particle Tracking Velocimetry. They are able to estimate the surface velocity fields by processing images representing a moving tracer, suitably dispersed on the liquid surface. By coupling velocity data obtained from optical techniques with geometry of a cross-section, a discharge value can easily be calculated. In this thesis, the study of the LS-PIV technique was deepened, analysing the performance of the technique, and studying the physical and environmental parameters and factors on which the optical results depend. As the LS-PIV technique is relatively new, there are no recognized standards available for the proper application of the technique. A preliminary numerical analysis was conducted to identify the factors on which the technique is significantly dependent. The results of these analyses enabled the development of specific guidelines through which the LS-PIV technique could subsequently be applied in open field during flow measurement campaigns in Sicily. In this way it was possible to observe experimentally the criticalities involved in applying the technique on real cases. These measurement campaigns provided the opportunity to carry out analyses on field case studies and structure an automatic procedure for optimising the LS-PIV technique. In all case studies it was possible to observe how the turbulence phenomenon is a worsening factor in the output results of the LS-PIV technique. A final numerical analysis was therefore performed to understand the influence of turbulence factor on the performance of the technique. The results obtained represent an important step for future development of the topic

NASA Tech Briefs Index, 1977, volume 2, numbers 1-4

Announcements of new technology derived from the research and development activities of NASA are presented. Abstracts, and indexes for subject, personal author, originating center, and Tech Brief number are presented for 1977

Index to 1981 NASA Tech Briefs, volume 6, numbers 1-4

Short announcements of new technology derived from the R&D activities of NASA are presented. These briefs emphasize information considered likely to be transferrable across industrial, regional, or disciplinary lines and are issued to encourage commercial application. This index for 1981 Tech Briefs contains abstracts and four indexes: subject, personal author, originating center, and Tech Brief Number. The following areas are covered: electronic components and circuits, electronic systems, physical sciences, materials, life sciences, mechanics, machinery, fabrication technology, and mathematics and information sciences

Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE), phase A

A rationale to determine which structural experiments are sufficient to verify the design of structures employing Controlled Structures Technology was derived. A survey of proposed NASA missions was undertaken to identify candidate test articles for use in the Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE). The survey revealed that potential test articles could be classified into one of three roles: development, demonstration, and qualification, depending on the maturity of the technology and the mission the structure must fulfill. A set of criteria was derived that allowed determination of which role a potential test article must fulfill. A review of the capabilities and limitations of the STS middeck was conducted. A reference design for the MACE test article was presented. Computing requirements for running typical closed-loop controllers was determined, and various computer configurations were studied. The various components required to manufacture the structure were identified. A management plan was established for the remainder of the program experiment development, flight and ground systems development, and integration to the carrier. Procedures for configuration control, fiscal control, and safety, reliabilty, and quality assurance were developed

Industrial flow measurement

This thesis discusses the intrinsic worth of a published work, ‘Industrial Flow Measurement’ (Appendix A), a handbook written and revised by the author over a period of 30 years. The author first discusses the need to measure flow and then moves on to the raison d’être of the handbook before looking at a brief history of flow measurement. Although not claiming that any single attribute of the handbook is unique, the author nonetheless postulates that because it incorporates several distinctive features, at a number of different levels, these agents combine to make it one-of-a- kind. The author moves on to an overview of existing flow metering technologies discussed within the handbook. Finally, he looks at what he considers is a major gap in the collected body of knowledge – the field of multiphase and water-cut metering and provides a justification, not only for its inclusion in the future but for future investigation