Browse Topic: Lasers
ABSTRACT A new integrated testing system for the validation of stochastic vehicle-snow interaction models is presented in this paper. The testing system consists of an instrumented test vehicle, vehicle-mounted laser profilometer and a snow micropenetrometer. The test vehicle is equipped on each tire with a set of 6-axis wheel transducers, and a GPS-based data logger tracks vehicle motion. Data is also simultaneously acquired from the sensors from the test vehicle’s Electronic Stability Program. The test vehicle provides measurements that include three forces and moments at each wheel center, vehicle body slip angle, speed, acceleration, yaw rate, roll, and pitch. The profilometer has a 3-D scanning laser and an Inertial Measurement Unit to compensate for vehicle motion. Depth of snow cover, profile of snow surface and wheel sinkage can be obtained from the profilometer. The snow micropenetrometer measures the strength of the snow cover before and after vehicle traversal. Preliminary
Lasers are essential tools for observing, detecting, and measuring things in the natural world that we can’t see with the naked eye. But the ability to perform these tasks is often restricted by the need to use expensive and large instruments
In physical chemistry, time-resolved spectroscopy is the study of dynamic processes in materials or chemical compounds. Within this field, various techniques including transient absorption spectroscopy are used to study the mechanistic and kinetic details of chemical processes that occur within just a few picoseconds to a femtosecond — the equivalent of one millionth of one billionth of a second
Researchers worldwide are currently working on the next evolution of communication networks, called “beyond 5G” or 6G networks. To enable the near-instantaneous communication needed for applications like augmented reality or the remote control of surgical robots, ultra-high data speeds will be needed on wireless channels. In a study published recently in IEICE Electronics Express, researchers from Osaka University and IMRA AMERICA have found a way to increase these data speeds by reducing the noise in the system through lasers
Today, advancements in industrial laser cleaning automation show great promise in boosting productivity and safety when rust and contaminant removal or surface preparation is required for higher volumes of components and equipment
Space lasers are transforming the world. Not the far-off future of science fiction, but the universe of how data and communications flow today - everywhere from deep space missions to countless applications here on earth, including consumer internet services, military operations, and banking transactions. Lasers can transmit vast amounts of data over great distances at the speed of light, 100 times faster than previously possible in space. The narrowness of the light beams makes laser communication remarkably efficient. The highly focused light is aimed at the receiver, resulting in minimal beam divergence and signal loss and allowing for reduced power consumption
Riding aboard NASA's Psyche spacecraft, the agency's Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration continues to break records. While the asteroid-bound spacecraft doesn't rely on optical communications to send data, the new technology has proven that it's up to the task. After interfacing with the Psyche's radio frequency transmitter, the laser communications demo sent a copy of engineering data from over 140 million miles (226 million kilometers) away, 1. times the distance between Earth and the Sun. This achievement provides a glimpse into how spacecraft could use optical communications in the future, enabling higher-data-rate communications of complex scientific information as well as high-definition imagery and video in support of humanity's next giant leap: sending humans to Mars
Riding aboard NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, the agency’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration continues to break records. While the asteroid-bound spacecraft doesn’t rely on optical communications to send data, the new technology has proven that it’s up to the task. After interfacing with the Psyche’s radio frequency transmitter, the laser communications demo sent a copy of engineering data from over 140 million miles (226 million kilometers) away, 1½ times the distance between Earth and the Sun
The photochemical etching (PCE) process is distinguished by its capacity to fabricate metal parts with unparalleled accuracy. This process sidesteps the typical stresses and deformations linked to conventional metal-working, like stamping or laser cutting, which can compromise material integrity. Such fidelity is crucial in the manufacture of components for thermal management systems, where material integrity and component precision are non-negotiable for ensuring effective heat creation or dissipation. PCE’s ability to craft parts with smooth, burr-free edges and exact dimensions means heat management components work more effectively, bolstering the reliability and extending the service life of micro electronic devices
Testing aircraft antennas is challenging since optimal tests are made after antenna installation. Aircraft are often taken to anechoic antenna test facilities which create long lead times, transportation hassle, and very high costs. Portable alternatives exist but often have compromised testing fidelity. Innovators at the NASA Glenn Research Center have developed the PLGRM system, which allows an installed antenna to be characterized in an aircraft hangar. All PLGRM components can be packed onto pallets, shipped, and easily operated
Optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers test optical fibers and components to characterize the spectral response of optical components. OPO lasers are common in sophisticated test and measurement applications such as mass spectrometry, photoacoustic imaging, and spectroscopy. Now, these tunable pulsed lasers are being used to facilitate a range of tests at different wavelengths to qualify and quantify the performance of optical components such as fiber optic strands, filters, lenses, and coated mirrors
The process of manufacturing high-quality and reliable balloon catheters is critical to a number of advanced medical treatments for patients including balloon angioplasty, stent and drug delivery, transcatheter aortic valve implantation, atherectomy, renal denervation, and laser balloon angioplasty. These minimally invasive procedures have vastly improved quality of life, increased patient safety, decreased recovery times, and lowered treatment costs for patients around the globe
From monitoring concentrations of greenhouse gases to detecting COVID in breath, laser systems known as frequency combs can identify specific molecules as simple as carbon dioxide and as complex as monoclonal antibodies, with unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity. Amazing as they are, however, frequency combs have been limited in how fast they can capture a high-speed process such as hypersonic propulsion or the folding of proteins into their final three-dimensional shapes
Any plan for the long-term exploration or habitation of the Moon and Mars will almost certainly entail the use of multiple habitats, vehicles and remotely located equipment, all of which will require power sources
OPO lasers test optical fibers and components to characterize the spectral response of optical components, which can provide a competitive advantage in the optics industry
Laser beams can be used to precisely measure an object’s position or velocity. Normally, however, a clear, unobstructed view of this object is required — and this prerequisite is not always satisfied. In biomedicine, for example, structures are examined that are embedded in an irregular, complicated environment. There, the laser beam is deflected, scattered, and refracted, often making it impossible to obtain useful data from the measurement
A team of University of Otago researchers and physicists have demonstrated a new form of antenna, developed with a small glass bulb containing an atomic vapor. The bulb was wired with laser beams and could therefore be placed far from any receiver electronics. Dr. Susi Otto, from the Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, led the field testing of the portable atomic radio frequency sensor. Such sensors, that are enabled by atoms in a so-called Rydberg state, can provide superior performance over current antenna technologies as they are highly sensitive, have broad tunability, and small physical size, making them attractive for use in defense and communications
Teleo announced that Florida-based Tomahawk Construction will become the first customer to deploy its autonomous capabilities on an active jobsite. Starting in December, Tomahawk Construction's articulated dump trucks will use autonomous functions to move material to build a residential community in Naples, Florida. Teleo also announced deals with eight new construction customers, including Ajax Paving Industries in Florida. The new customers have placed orders for 42 machines to be retrofitted with Teleo's autonomous and remote-operated technology. In addition, the tech company expanded its global dealer partner network to include Ozark Laser, Murphy Tractor and Position Partners. The expanded network covers an additional seven states across the U.S. Midwest and in Australia
A team of University of Otago researchers and physicists have demonstrated a new form of antenna, developed with a small glass bulb containing an atomic vapor. The bulb was wired with laser beams and could therefore be placed far from any receiver electronics
While many artificial materials have advanced properties, they have a long way to go to combine the versatility and functionality of living materials that can adapt to their situation. Now, researchers from Imperial College London and University College London have demonstrated the first spontaneously self-organizing laser device, which can reconfigure when conditions change
Researchers from MIT Lincoln Laboratory and their collaborators at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Ultrasound Research and Translation (CURT) have developed a new medical imaging device: the Noncontact Laser Ultrasound (NCLUS). This laser-based ultrasound system provides images of interior body features such as organs, fat, muscle, tendons, and blood vessels. The system also measures bone strength and may have the potential to track disease stages over time
Self-driving cars, like the human drivers that preceded them, need to see what’s around them to avoid obstacles and drive safely
Mass spectrometry (MS), which is used to identify molecules within a sample by measuring the mass-to-charge ratio of ions, is employed across many fields of study, including biology, chemistry, physics, and clinical medicine. As the technology continues to evolve, so will the applications that can benefit from this important tool
Heavy heat load is one of the bottlenecks restricting the highly intensive marine engine development. Reducing wall heat loss contributes to this target. The wall heat transfer is mainly influenced by flame-wall interaction (FWI). In this paper, a wall temperature distribution measurement system is developed based on the Laser-Induced Phosphorescence (LIP). The effects of the coating thickness and the laser fluence on LIP are studied to clarify the accuracy of wall temperature measurement based on LIP and the one-dimensional wall temperature distribution. In addition, a conjugate heat transfer model of FWI was established based on CONVERGE to simulate the FWI and the accompanying heat transfer process. The simulation is compared with the experimental wall temperature results and demonstrates the effectiveness of the conjugate heat transfer model. The influence of the initial velocity, the impinging distance and the wall roughness on the wall heat transfer are studied. The effective way
A set of power measurements as a function of controlled nanopositioner movement of a planar film arrangement in a standing wave field is presented as a means to obtain the thicknesses and the dielectric constants to a precision dictated by noise in an exciting laser beam and the positioning and detector process, all of which can be refined with averaging. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN The broad need for determining the optical properties of thin films in a multitude of applications is usually served by ellipsometry. Practical application of ellipsometry generally requires prior constraints, typically in the form of a frequency-dependent model. To provide for a suitable solution of the inverse problem, where film parameters are determined from a set of optical measurements. We present motion in structured illumination as a means to obtain additional information and hence avoid the need for a material response model. Using this approach, inversion for multiple parameters at each
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Moussa N’Gom has devised a method to make communications between satellites and the ground more effective — regardless of the weather. N’Gom and his team used ultrafast, femtosecond lasers to cut through the clouds and rain that commonly cause losses in free-space optical communication (FSO
In an application first, the physics of why the sky is blue is used to measure gas flows without obstructive sensors. A longstanding industry partnership between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Pratt & Whitney has resulted in a new laser-optical technology that aims to revolutionize in-flight thrust measurement
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