Computer vision for real-time orbital operations. Center directors discretionary fund

Machine vision research is examined as it relates to the NASA Space Station program and its associated Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV). Initial operation of OMV for orbital assembly, docking, and servicing are manually controlled from the ground by means of an on board TV camera. These orbital operations may be accomplished autonomously by machine vision techniques which use the TV camera as a sensing device. Classical machine vision techniques are described. An alternate method is developed and described which employs a syntactic pattern recognition scheme. It has the potential for substantial reduction of computing and data storage requirements in comparison to the Two-Dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (2D FFT) image analysis. The method embodies powerful heuristic pattern recognition capability by identifying image shapes such as elongation, symmetry, number of appendages, and the relative length of appendages

Azimuth axis optical alignment system Final report

Azimuth axis optical alignment system to monitor and measure attitude or angular position of remote object about azimuth axis using phase information imposed on returning beam of ligh

Evaluating the effectiveness of physical shape-change for in-pocket mobile device notifications

Audio and vibrotactile output are the standard mechanisms mobile devices use to attract their owner's attention. Yet in busy and noisy environments, or when the user is physically active, these channels sometimes fail. Recent work has explored the use of physical shape-change as an additional method for conveying notifications when the device is in-hand or viewable. However, we do not yet understand the effectiveness of physical shape-change as a method for communicating in-pocket notifications. This paper presents three robustly implemented, mobile-device sized shape-changing devices, and two user studies to evaluate their effectiveness at conveying notifications. The studies reveal that (1) different types and configurations of shape-change convey different levels of urgency and; (2) fast pulsing shape-changing notifications are missed less often and recognised more quickly than the standard slower vibration pulse rates of a mobile device

Flash LIDAR Emulator for HIL Simulation

NASA's Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project is building a system for detecting hazards and automatically landing controlled vehicles safely anywhere on the Moon. The Flash Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) sensor is used to create on-the-fly a 3D map of the unknown terrain for hazard detection. As part of the ALHAT project, a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation testbed was developed to test the data processing, guidance, and navigation algorithms in real-time to prove their feasibility for flight. Replacing the Flash LIDAR camera with an emulator in the testbed provided a cheaper, safer, more feasible way to test the algorithms in a controlled environment. This emulator must have the same hardware interfaces as the LIDAR camera, have the same performance characteristics, and produce images similar in quality to the camera. This presentation describes the issues involved and the techniques used to create a real-time flash LIDAR emulator to support HIL simulation

Late-Stage Chemoenzymatic Installation of Hydroxy-Bearing Allyl Moiety on the Indole Ring of Tryptophan-Containing Peptides

The late-stage functionalization of indole- and tryptophan-containing compounds with reactive moieties facilitates downstream diversification and leads to changes in their biological properties. Here, the synthesis of two hydroxy-bearing allyl pyrophosphates is described. A chemoenzymatic method is demonstrated which uses a promiscuous indole prenyltransferase enzyme to install a dual reactive hydroxy-bearing allyl moiety directly on the indole ring of tryptophan-containing peptides. This is the first report of late-stage indole modifications with this reactive group

Note and Comment

James Barr Ames; Necessity and Effect of a Theory; Subrogation to a Lien for Assessments or Taxes--Construction of the Negotiable Instruments Law; We are the Rights of the Vender of Good Will?; Attachments on Unliquidated Demands; Will a Marriage, Bigamous in Inception, Become Valid After the Death of the Undivorced Spouse

Towards Measuring the Food Quality of Grocery Purchases: An Estimation Model of the Healthy Eating Index-2010 Using only Food Item Counts

AbstractMeasuring the quality of food consumed by individuals or groups in the U.S. is essential to informed public health surveillance efforts and sound nutrition policymaking. For example, the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI) is an ideal metric to assess the food quality of households, but the traditional methods of collecting the data required to calculate the HEI are expensive and burdensome. We evaluated an alternative source: rather than measuring the quality of the foods consumers eat, we want to estimate the quality of the foods consumers buy. To accomplish that we need a way of estimating the HEI based solely on the count of food items. We developed an estimation model of the HEI, using an augmented set of the What We Eat In America (WWEIA) food categories. Then we mapped ∼92,000 grocery food items to it. The model uses an inverse Cumulative Distribution Function sampling technique. Here we describe the model and report reliability metrics based on NHANES data from 2003-2010

Differential and age-dependent expression of hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel isoforms 1-4 suggests evolving roles in the developing rat hippocampus.

Hyperpolarization-activated cation currents (I(h)) are found in several brain regions including thalamus and hippocampus. Important functions of these currents in promoting synchronized network activity and in determining neuronal membrane properties have been progressively recognized, but the molecular underpinnings of these currents are only emerging. I(h) currents are generated by hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels (HCNs). These channel proteins are encoded by at least four HCN genes, that govern the kinetic and functional properties of the resulting channels. Because of the potential impact of I(h)-mediated coordinated neuronal activity on the maturation of the functional hippocampal network, this study focused on determining the expression of the four members of the HCN gene family throughout postnatal hippocampal development at both the regional and single cell level.The results of these experiments demonstrated that HCNs 1, 2 and 4 are differentially expressed in interneuronal and principal cell populations of the rat hippocampal formation. Expression profiles of each HCN isoform evolve during postnatal development, and patterns observed during early postnatal ages differ significantly from those in mature hippocampus. The onset of HCN expression in interneurons of the hippocampus proper precedes that in the dentate gyrus, suggesting that HCN-mediated pacing activity may be generated in hippocampal interneurons prior to those in the hilus. Taken together, these findings indicate an age-dependent spatiotemporal evolution of specific HCN expression in distinct hippocampal cell populations, and suggest that these channels serve differing and evolving functions in the maturation of coordinated hippocampal activity

DesignABILITY: Framework for the Design of Accessible Interactive Tools to Support Teaching to Children with Disabilities

Developing educational tools aimed at children with disabilities is a challenging process for designers and developers because existing methodologies or frameworks do not provide any pedagogical information and/or do not take into account the particular needs of users with some type of impairment. In this study, we propose a framework for the design of tools to support teaching to children with disabilities. The framework provides the necessary stages for the development of tools (hardware-based or software-based) and must be adapted for a specific disability and educational goal. For this study, the framework was adapted to support literacy teaching and contributes to the design of educational/interactive technology for deaf people while making them part of the design process and taking into account their particular needs. The experts' evaluation of the framework shows that it is well structured and may be adapted for other types of disabilities