Index to nasa tech briefs, issue number 2

Annotated bibliography on technological innovations in NASA space program

Objekt-Manipulation und Steuerung der Greifkraft durch Verwendung von Taktilen Sensoren

This dissertation describes a new type of tactile sensor and an improved version of the dynamic tactile sensing approach that can provide a regularly updated and accurate estimate of minimum applied forces for use in the control of gripper manipulation. The pre-slip sensing algorithm is proposed and implemented into two-finger robot gripper. An algorithm that can discriminate between types of contact surface and recognize objects at the contact stage is also proposed. A technique for recognizing objects using tactile sensor arrays, and a method based on the quadric surface parameter for classifying grasped objects is described. Tactile arrays can recognize surface types on contact, making it possible for a tactile system to recognize translation, rotation, and scaling of an object independently.Diese Dissertation beschreibt eine neue Art von taktilen Sensoren und einen verbesserten Ansatz zur dynamischen Erfassung von taktilen daten, der in regelmäßigen Zeitabständen eine genaue Bewertung der minimalen Greifkraft liefert, die zur Steuerung des Greifers nötig ist. Ein Berechnungsverfahren zur Voraussage des Schlupfs, das in einen Zwei-Finger-Greifarm eines Roboters eingebaut wurde, wird vorgestellt. Auch ein Algorithmus zur Unterscheidung von verschiedenen Oberflächenarten und zur Erkennung von Objektformen bei der Berührung wird vorgestellt. Ein Verfahren zur Objekterkennung mit Hilfe einer Matrix aus taktilen Sensoren und eine Methode zur Klassifikation ergriffener Objekte, basierend auf den Daten einer rechteckigen Oberfläche, werden beschrieben. Mit Hilfe dieser Matrix können unter schiedliche Arten von Oberflächen bei Berührung erkannt werden, was es für das Tastsystem möglich macht, Verschiebung, Drehung und Größe eines Objektes unabhängig voneinander zu erkennen

Investigation of the processes required for the automation of stitchmarking in shoe manufacture

This thesis describes a novel approach to the high speed automatic stitchmarking of shoe upper components by integrating an electrographic printer with a shape recognition system. A critical review of recognition system parameters selects the currently known shape parameters which are most suitable for use in a high speed recognition system with the large number of different shoe components found in a typical shoe factory. These are compared with the parameters actually used in the previously developed recognition system to be used for stitchmarking. A discussion of printing technologies suitable for marking shoe materials with computer generated patterns follows. It is concluded that an electrographic printer has the best combination of characteristics. There follows a description of experiments demonstrating xerography on shoe upper materials, and the design of a system integrating a low-cost laser printer to the recognition system which proved the concept of continuous automatic stitchmarking. With this performing satisfactorily, the system was converted to use a high speed printer requiring the use of an advanced graphics processor for handling the data transformations and interfacing with the printer. Modifications to the printer for operation with shoe materials are described, together with the need for a special toner. A full description of the resulting stitchmarking system is given, followed by details of analyses of its performance. Individual chapters are devoted to the accuracy, recognition efficiency, and the timing of the system. A potential bottleneck in determining the orientation of certain difficult shapes is identified, and faster methods for dealing with these are specially investigated. This concludes that the best approach is to optimise the present method and accelerate the calculations by using a more advanced microprocessor. A discussion of the general running of the machine includes details of problems which occurred with the modified printer mechanism and how these were overcome. Finally, suggestions are made for incorporation in an improved system capable of handling larger shapes with a tenfold speed increase

Experimentally determined external heat transfer coefficient of a turbine airfoil design at varying incidence angles

Predicting and measuring external heat transfer coefficients of hot gas path turbine components are important tools for gas turbine designers. Inlet temperatures often exceed the melting temperature of the materials used in such components, requiring protective measures such as thermal barrier coatings or film-cooling to prevent component failure. The external heat transfer coefficients can be used to design for the thermal loading that will ultimately lead to such failures. Modern engine designers use computational codes to predict the conditions of the hot gas components during engine operation. Before these codes can be relied upon as accurate, they must first be verified with experimental measurements. However, measuring the heat transfer coefficients can be a difficult process, especially on an actual engine component, due to the extreme temperatures and inaccessibility. As such, low speed, low temperature wind tunnels are often used to simulate a scaled version of turbine components to collect experimental data to assist in validating computational codes. This thesis details the construction of scaled up turbine airfoils to collect such data. It also provides data covering the generation of turbulence using an array of vertical rods upstream of a linear cascade in a low speed wind tunnel at off-normal incidence flow angles.Mechanical Engineerin

感度調整可能な3軸マルチモーダルスキンセンサーモジュールの開発

早大学位記番号:新8538早稲田大

Active haptic exploration for 3D shape reconstruction.

by Fung Wai Keung.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-151).Acknowledgements --- p.viiiAbstract --- p.1Chapter 1 --- Overview --- p.3Chapter 1.1 --- Tactile Sensing in Human and Robot --- p.4Chapter 1.1.1 --- Human Hands and Robotic Hands --- p.4Chapter 1.1.2 --- Mechanoreceptors in skin and Tactile Sensor Arrays --- p.7Chapter 1.2 --- Motivation --- p.12Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives --- p.13Chapter 1.4 --- Related Work --- p.14Chapter 1.4.1 --- Using Vision Alone --- p.15Chapter 1.4.2 --- Integration of Vision and Touch --- p.15Chapter 1.4.3 --- Using Touch Sensing Alone --- p.17Chapter 1.4.3.1 --- Ronald S. Fearing's Work --- p.18Chapter 1.4.3.2 --- Peter K. Allen's Work --- p.22Chapter 1.5 --- Outline --- p.26Chapter 2 --- Geometric Models --- p.27Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.27Chapter 2.2 --- Superquadrics --- p.27Chapter 2.2.1 --- 2D Superquadrics --- p.27Chapter 2.2.2 --- 3D Superquadrics --- p.29Chapter 2.3 --- Model Recovery of Superquadric Models --- p.31Chapter 2.3.1 --- Problem Formulation --- p.31Chapter 2.3.2 --- Least Squares Optimization --- p.33Chapter 2.4 --- Free-Form Deformations --- p.34Chapter 2.4.1 --- Bernstein Basis --- p.36Chapter 2.4.2 --- B-Spline Basis --- p.38Chapter 2.5 --- Other Geometric Models --- p.41Chapter 2.5.1 --- Generalized Cylinders --- p.41Chapter 2.5.2 --- Hyperquadrics --- p.42Chapter 2.5.3 --- Polyhedral Models --- p.44Chapter 2.5.4 --- Function Representation --- p.45Chapter 3 --- Sensing Strategy --- p.54Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.54Chapter 3.2 --- Sensing Algorithm --- p.55Chapter 3.2.1 --- Assumption of objects --- p.55Chapter 3.2.2 --- Haptic Exploration Procedures --- p.56Chapter 3.3 --- Contour Tracing --- p.58Chapter 3.4 --- Tactile Sensor Data Preprocessing --- p.59Chapter 3.4.1 --- Data Transformation and Sensor Calibration --- p.60Chapter 3.4.2 --- Noise Filtering --- p.61Chapter 3.5 --- Curvature Determination --- p.64Chapter 3.6 --- Step Size Determination --- p.73Chapter 4 --- 3D Shape Reconstruction --- p.80Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.80Chapter 4.2 --- Correspondence Problem --- p.81Chapter 4.2.1 --- Affine Invariance Property of B-splines --- p.84Chapter 4.2.2 --- Point Inversion Problem --- p.87Chapter 4.3 --- Parameter Triple Interpolation --- p.91Chapter 4.4 --- 3D Object Shape Reconstruction --- p.94Chapter 4.4.1 --- Heuristic Approach --- p.94Chapter 4.4.2 --- Closed Contour Recovery --- p.97Chapter 4.4.3 --- Control Lattice Recovery --- p.102Chapter 5 --- Implementation --- p.105Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.105Chapter 5.2 --- Implementation Tool - MATLAB --- p.105Chapter 5.2.1 --- Optimization Toolbox --- p.107Chapter 5.2.2 --- Splines Toolbox --- p.108Chapter 5.3 --- Geometric Model Implementation --- p.109Chapter 5.3.1 --- FFD Examples --- p.111Chapter 5.4 --- Shape Reconstruction Implementation --- p.112Chapter 5.5 --- 3D Model Reconstruction Examples --- p.120Chapter 5.5.1 --- Example 1 --- p.120Chapter 5.5.2 --- Example 2 --- p.121Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.128Chapter 6.1 --- Future Work --- p.129Appendix --- p.133Bibliography --- p.14

Cumulative Index to NASA Tech Briefs, 1963 - 1966

Cumulative index of NASA Tech Briefs dealing with electrical and electronic, physical science and energy sources, materials and chemistry, life science, and mechanical innovation

Three-dimensional contact patch strain measurement inside rolling off-Road tyres

The forces generated in the tyre contact-patch are important for vehicle dynamics analysis. The tyre contact patch is not directly visible due to the terrain. Measuring the strain in the contact patch region may give insight into the forces generated by the tyre as it deforms. Strain measurement in the contact patch is often limited to discrete points, using strain gauges or other techniques which limits data capture to once per revolution. In this study stereovision cameras are used to capture unique features in the pattern painted on the tyres inner surface. An in-tyre mechanically stabilized camera system allows the contact patch to be captured continuously and the stereovision cameras allow for full field measurement of the tyre inner surface. In post processing the features are tracked and triangulated to form point-clouds for each time step. Point-clouds are compared to determine the strain of common points in two directions. The system is applied to an agricultural tyre with large tread-blocks. The wheel is instrumented to measure pressure and forces. The tyre is tested statically in a series of tyre tests where the lateral, longitudinal and vertical displacement is controlled. The strain measured in the tyre contact patch region is compared to the forces measured at the wheel centre. It is noticed that as the measured forces increases so too does the magnitudes of the strains. Unique patterns are found in the contact patch strain for each test type. These patterns could be used to identify the type of forces experienced by the wheel while the strain magnitude could give an indication of the magnitude of the forces. Future work could allow for strain measurement in the contact patch as the tyre rolls over deformable terrain where displacement is not easily controlled.Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2019.Mechanical and Aeronautical EngineeringMEngUnrestricte

Experimental Investigation of Transition over a NACA 0018 Airfoil at a Low Reynolds Number

Shear layer development over a NACA 0018 airfoil at a chord Reynolds number of 100,000 was investigated experimentally. The effects of experimental setup and analysis tools on the results were also examined. The sensitivity of linear stability predictions for measured separated shear layer velocity profiles to both the analysis approach and experimental data scatter was evaluated. Analysis approaches that are relatively insensitive to experimental data scatter were identified. Stability predictions were shown to be more sensitive to the analysis approach than to experimental data scatter, with differences in the predicted maximum disturbance growth rate and corresponding frequency of approximately 35% between approaches. A parametric study on the effects of experimental setup on low Reynolds number airfoil experiments was completed. It was found that measured lift forces and vortex shedding frequencies were affected by the end plate configuration. It was concluded that the ratio of end plate spacing to projected model height should be at least seven, consistent with the guideline for circular cylinders. Measurements before and after test section wall streamlining revealed errors in lift coefficients due to blockage as high as 9% and errors in the wake vortex shedding frequency of 3.5%. Shear layer development over the model was investigated in detail. Flow visualization images linked an observed asymmetry in wake velocity profiles to pronounced vortex roll-up below the wake centerline. Linear stability predictions based on the mean hot-wire profiles were found to agree with measured disturbance growth rates, wave numbers, and streamwise velocity fluctuation profiles. Embedded surface pressure sensors were shown to provide reasonable estimates of disturbance growth rate, wave number, and convection speed for conditions at which a separation bubble formed on the airfoil surface. Convection speeds of between 30 and 50% of the edge velocity were measured, consistent with phase speed estimates from linear stability theory