Distributed Road Assessment System
N. Reginald Beer, David W. Paglieroni
U.S. Patent 8,681,036 B2
March 25, 2014
This distributed road assessment system detects damage on or below the surface of a paved structure or pavement. The system includes road assessment pods and a server. Each pod has a ground-penetrating radar antenna array and a detection system and is mounted on a vehicle. As the vehicle travels down a road, the system detects damage as return signals and transmits information about each occurrence to the road assessment server, which maintains a database of information on the detected occurrences of road damage. When the server receives information on newly detected occurrences of road damage for a portion of a road, it determines which new occurrences correspond to which previously detected occurrences of road damage.
Device for Detection and Identification of Carbon- and Nitrogen-Containing Materials
Alexander Ivanovich Karev, Valery Georgievich Raevsky, Leonid Zavenovich Dzhilavyan, Valery Dmitrievich Laptev, Nikolay Ivanovich Pakhomov, Vasily Ivanovich Shvedunov, Vladimir Ivanovich Rykalin, Louis Joseph Brothers, Larry K. Wilhide
U.S. Patent 8,681,939 B2
March 25, 2014
This device detects and identifies carbon- and nitrogen-containing materials through the process of photonuclear detection. The device may comprise a racetrack microtron, a breaking target, and a water-filled Cherenkov radiation counter.
Method and System for Edge Cladding of Laser Gain Media
Andrew James Bayramian, John Allyn Caird, Kathleen Irene Schaffers
U.S. Patent 8,682,125 B2
March 25, 2014
A gain medium to amplify light at a gain wavelength with reduced transverse amplified spontaneous emission includes an input surface with an opposing output surface. A central region in the gain medium includes a gain material and extends between the input surface and the output surface along a longitudinal optical axis of the medium. An edge-cladding region surrounds the central region and extends between the input surface and the output surface along the longitudinal optical axis of the medium. The edge-cladding region includes the gain material and a dopant that absorbs light at the gain wavelength.
Shape Memory System with Integrated Actuation Using Embedded Particles
Patrick R. Buckley, Duncan J. Maitland
U.S. Patent 8,685,000 B2
April 1, 2014
This shape-memory system consists of a shape-memory material body with embedded magnetic pieces for integrated actuation. The system apparatus can be actuated to perform an activity on a subject by first using a device to position a shape-memory material body in a subject. This shape-memory material body is formed into a specific primary shape, reformed into a secondary stable shape, and controllably actuated with the magnetic pieces to recover the specific primary shape and perform the activity on the subject.
Mechanically Robust, Electrically Conductive Ultralow-Density Carbon Nanotube–Based Aerogels
Marcus A. Worsley, Theodore F. Baumann, Joe H. Satcher, Jr.
U.S. Patent 8,685,287 B2
April 1, 2014
In this method of making a mechanically robust, electrically conductive, ultralow-density carbon nanotube–based aerogel, nanotubes are first dispersed in an aqueous media or other media to form a suspension. Reactants and a catalyst are then added to the suspension, creating a reaction mixture. The mixture is cured to form a wet gel, and the wet gel is dried to produce a dry gel. The dry gel is pyrolyzed to produce the carbon nanotube–based aerogel. The aerogel is made of a porous carbon material that is 5 to 95 percent by weight carbon nanotubes and 5 to 95 percent carbon binder.
Multi-Pass Amplifier Architecture for High Power Laser Systems
Kenneth R. Manes, Mary L. Spaeth, Alvin C. Erlandson
U.S. Patent 8,687,270 B2
April 1, 2014
This main amplifier system includes a first reflector that receives input light through a first aperture and directs the input light along an optical path. The input light is characterized by a first polarization. The system also includes a first polarizer that reflects light characterized by the first polarization state. The system further includes a first and second set of amplifier modules. Each set of modules includes an entrance window, a quarter wave plate, numerous amplifier slablets arrayed substantially parallel to each other, and an exit window. A set of mirrors reflects the light exiting the first set of amplifier modules onto the second set of amplifier modules. A second polarizer reflects light characterized by a second polarization state.