Adt0515 PDF

May 2015
Welcome to
your Digital Edition of
Aerospace & Defense
Technology
May 2015
SPECIAL ISSUE
Unmanned Vehicle &
Robotics Technology
Deploying Next-Generation UAS Platforms with 3U VPX
UGVs On the Cutting Edge of Thermal Management
Controlling the Seas A New Concept in
Autonomous Surface/Underwater Vehicles
Connectivity in Robotic Systems
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defen
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Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs
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May 2015
SPECIAL ISSUE
Unmanned Vehicle &
Robotics Technology
Controlling the Seas A New Concept in
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Aerospace & Defense Technology
Contents
FEATURES ________________________________________
DEPARTMENTS ___________________________________
6
6
Unmanned Aerial Systems

40
44
12
12
Unmanned Ground Vehicles

ON THE COVER ___________________________________
18
18
Unmanned Surface/Underwater Vehicles

Controlling the Seas Introducing a New Concept in
26
26
Robotics
Application Briefs
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30 Tech Briefs
30 Infrared Stereo Calibration for Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Navigation
31 Simultaneous Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting
for a Multifunctional UAV Spar
33 Development and Evaluation of the Stingray Amphibious
Maritime Unmanned Ground Vehicle
36 Pushbroom Stereo for High-Speed UAV Navigation in
Cluttered Environments
38 Modeling and Simulation of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Power System
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S T R ATA S Y S DIREC T.C OM
1 - 8 8 8 - 3 11 -1 0 17
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Deploying Next-Generation UAS

Platforms with 3U VPX
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions has supplied Northrop Grumman with the dual Integrated Mission Management Computer (IMMC) subsystems used as the redundant flight control processors aboard the Global Hawk UAS since the programs inception in 2000.
ore powerful. Lighter.

Cooler. These are the key
criteria for the design of
Line Replaceable Units
(LRUs) in next-generation Unmanned
Aerial System (UAS) platforms, which
continue to grow in importance to military organizations worldwide. The
ability of these platforms to provide
persistent surveillance of targets while
eliminating the need to put warfighters in harms way makes them indispensable assets to commanders. The effectiveness of these platforms in the
field is governed by their sensor payload and their processing systems.
Next-generation UAS designs, such as
the Navys Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D),
require high levels of processing power
for multiple onboard sensors, and all
that power must be delivered in a
lighter, cooler configuration that minimizes the size, weight and power
(SWaP) envelope of onboard electronics subsystems.
Unfortunately, designing LRUs that
meet next-generation UAS program requirements is a challenge. Commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) single board computers (SBCs) are available that provide
key functionality for everything from feature recognition and video surveillance,
to target identification and tracking. But
not all SBCs are ideal for LRUs destined
for new UAS platforms. Most do not have
the processing power required. Some that
do have the processing power require too
The compact 2-slot rugged 3U MPMC-9321 mission

computer supports up to 2 single board computers
or one SBC and one mezzanine card carrier board.
(Curtiss-Wright)
much real estate in available chassis configurations, while others may offer the
right mix of processing power and compact size, but cannot be cooled properly
to meet rugged operational requirements.
LRUs built on open architecture 3U VPX
form factor modules offer the optimal
balance of size, weight and power for a
variety of UAS applications.
More Functionality in Less Space

Whatever the configuration of the
sensor payload, the key to the effectiveness of a UAS once it is deployed is how
long it can remain in the air collecting,
processing and delivering sensor information to operators and commanders.
If the payload is too large and too
heavy, it will have an impact on fuel
consumption and how long the UAS
can stay in the air. Therefore, the more
information processing that can be ac-
www.aerodefensetech.com
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complished with smaller, more compact

and more capable SBCs, the more valuable the LRU is to a system integrator
and, ultimately, to the commander and
operator in the field.
New LRUs configured with SBCs built
on the 3U VPX open standard offer a
number of benefits. Compared to systems built on the 6U VME or even 6U
VPX standards, LRUs configured with
3U VPX cards offer more processing
power in a smaller form factor. As a result, system integrators need fewer cards
and fewer LRUs in the same system to
deliver the same functionality of a 6Ubased subsystem. For example, 6U VPX
designs that may have previously required two LRUs can now be built with
one LRU, thereby cutting size, weight
and power allocations by as much as 50
percent.
Beyond functionality, 3U VPX SBCs
are also a more cost effective option.
With fewer SBCs needed to deliver the
required functionality, development
and build costs are lower. Once deployed, the open standard architecture
makes life cycle maintenance and management easier, and makes tech insertion a less costly operation.
Pre-Validated Reference Design

Architectures
Despite the benefits, leveraging the
3U VPX SBCs for next-generation UAS
platforms can be difficult.
One of the biggest challenges that system integrators face is ensuring COTSAerospace & Defense Technology, May 2015
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UAV Technology
based SBCs will work as intended in a

specific LRU design configuration. Like
all COTS-based solutions, 3U VPX COTS
SBCs are designed and built by COTS solution providers to perform a specific
function, such as network routing,
switching, or graphics processing. The
manufacturer rarely knows how their
board will ultimately be used in a LRU,
and integrators can use the board to provide its function in a variety of LRUs destined for a variety of platforms. Often,
the same board can be used in multiple
LRUs to enable different applications.
To speed time to deployment of their
COTS-based LRU subsystem in next-generation UAS platforms, system integrators
can opt to leverage pre-validated 3U VPX
SBC architecture-based reference designs.
Curtiss-Wright's MPMC-9351 rugged 3U 5-slot system is an example of an LRU designed to reduce
space, weight, power and cost for UAS subsystems.
(Curtiss-Wright)
once integrated into a LRU with the

other COTS modules that comprise the
particular subsystem. Although COTS
manufacturers will test a board to ensure it performs its intended function,
testing for capabilities beyond the basic
function is not a requirement and is
usually undefined.
Exacerbating the testing challenge is
the fact that COTS SBCs are not usually
delivered with system integration support tools that will speed the integration process. As a result, integrators
must focus significant time and effort
on developing and executing test software and processes.
To minimize the cost and time associated with testing and integration of any
COTS SBC into a UAS platform, integrators should opt for 3U VPX SBCs from
suppliers who offer solutions that enable testing of:
The hardware: for specific performance parameters;
Test Processes and Tools

Regardless of the design approach, all
3U VPX SBCs must be tested to ensure
they deliver the required functionality
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UAV Technology
The software: to ensure it provides the

proper commands to the LRU for a
specific function;
Both hardware and software: to ensure that they operate together to
provide reliable, predictable results
every time.
Ultimately, although next-generation

UAS applications can best be addressed
using rugged, high performance, size,
weight and power (SWaP)-optimized
processing systems built with open ar-
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chitecture 3U VPX modules, system integrators should choose the shortest

route to deployment. Some COTS component manufacturers provide that
path with a complete pre-validated subsystem solution approach that offers
the pre-packaged boards and test support tools integrators need to reduce
program risks and development cycles
with new 3U VPX designs. The COTS
board and subsystem vendor knows the
components they produce best. Therefore, they are better able to select and
package the right COTS components
that will work together in an LRU to deliver the required functionality with the
optimal balance of size, weight and
power for a variety of UAS applications.
This makes it easier to design advanced
LRUs for next-generation UAS platforms
that can carry multiple onboard sensors, stay in the field longer, and process
more information faster.
Examples of pre-validated rugged,
SWaP-optimized VPX systems are provided by Curtiss-Wrights family of open
architecture Pre-Qualified Multi-Platform
Mission Computer (MPMC) Subsystems.
These fully integrated mission computers
are certified to meet the demanding MILSTD-810, MIL-STD-461 and RTCA/DO160 military and aviation environmental
engineering standards. They eliminate
the need for customers to undertake their
own time-consuming, costly, and riskfraught process of building new systems
from the ground up in order to meet demanding performance requirements. Prevalidated systems can save customers
tens of thousands of dollars and multiple
weeks (typically 8-12 weeks) of development time that would otherwise be required to meet MIL-STD-810/MIL-STD461/ RTCA/DO-160 testing requirements.
They also save significant amounts of
time before environmental testing even
begins, because the lead-time to delivery
of the first testable system can shrink
from the typical 10 months-to-2 years
frequently seen for a customers internal
hardware development phase, to a matter
of several months.
This article was written by Jacob Sealander, Chief Architect, Integrated Systems,
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions (Ashburn, VA). For more information, visit
http://info.hotims.com/55589-500.
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UGVs On the Cutting Edge of

Thermal Management
hermal management of unmanned ground vehicles

(UGVs) is more complex than
other electronic equipment because they have to operate in harsh environments such as humid tropical rainforests or sandy deserts where moisture
as well as dust and sand can compromise the reliability of the control electronics. Regular open enclosures are certainly not an option; instead they need
sealed and ruggedized enclosures to also
withstand hard shocks and vibrations.
Thus certain cooling methods are either out of the question or only possible
with limitations. For example, in general liquid cooling it is possible to transport heat away from the component
and cool it at another location with a
larger surface and a better convection
into the environment. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) have the advantage of a good coolant flow of either
air or water. UGVs in hot desert environments drive over hot sand with the
sun shining on their top sidenot the
best conditions for any cooling systems.
Efficient cooling methods range from
the basic principles of heat transfer to
some more costly and more complex
physics that can be simulated using
computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
software. There are three basic cooling
mechanisms: conduction, convection,
and radiation. Two other methods can
be considered too but are more of a hybrid or model more complex physics:
advection and phase transition.
Advection is the movement of heat
from one point to another, such as
heated water run to a heat exchanger,
and requires a velocity that is usually
Figure 1. The boiling curve shows qualitatively the dependency of the heat flux on the temperature
T on a logarithmic scale. The graph is split in the various regions of the boiling states IV and their
transition points AE.
12
Intro
provided with the help of a water

pump. But it works on the same basic
principles, to conduct the heat into the
fluid and back out of it.
Phase transition is actually a very efficient method that even our body applies
when we get hot, either from the envi-
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UGV Technology
ronment or if under high load in a workout at a gym. Our body starts to perspire
and the sweat evaporates, and this creates a cooling effect from the energy
taken to evaporate the sweat. UGVs
cant sweat, but there are methods applied in various applications where the
phase change can be used to cool or control the temperature of a component.
For example, phase-change material
(PCM) is used in modern electric vehicles (EVs) that reduce the critical temperature with the help of this buffering
effect. Of course, phase-change materials only work for a certain time and
range. We all know that water when
melting stays at exactly the freezing
temperature and doesnt get hotter until
the ice is molten but, after that, the
temperature increases again. This is the
same principle for phase-change material, but instead of water, some gels are
used that are solid up to a certain temperature where they keep the temperature constantup to the point where
the gel is molten and then increases also
in temperature. This technology applies
mostly as a peak load buffer.
Another phase change is the boiling
of the coolant (Figure 1). This requires a
special coolant or mixture to meet a certain boiling range or temperature that
suits the desired maximum design temperature of the component. The boiling
effect is a sensitive state because as the
coolant temperature reaches the transition from single-phase convection to
partial nucleate, boiling the coolant will
start to form small bubbles that then detach from the surface and rise up. The
bubble doesnt transport the heat, rather
its the coolant flow that is generated
near the wall from the bubble detaching
and moving away from the wall. The
further the temperature increases, the
stronger the boiling gets until it reaches
a point where the slope of the increasing
heat flux decreases again.
From this point on, we are in the fully
developed nucleate boiling range. This
ranges up to the maximum heat flux
where it then flips and the heat flux decreases again. We would not want to get
over that point because suddenly the
heat flux decreases again as the temperature increases and thats not good for
the cooling of our device. The zone
Figure 2. An example of an Azonix rugged embedded computer.
above the critical heat flux is the transition boiling zone which then enters the
film boiling; however that zone is in
even higher temperature ranges. This
method is used in modern cars internal
combustion engine water jackets that
cool the cylinder block and head.
The third phase-change method that
can be used for cooling is evaporation, as
we mentioned already. Now, I said that
evaporation is something our UGVs cannot use as many living creatures do, but
then, humans are creative. We find ways
to use this effect even for machines. The
application of spray cooling is exactly
what most resembles the sweating of a
human. In spray cooling, the coolant is
sprayed with a nozzle onto the hot surface that wets the surface which is then
evaporated and cooled down, until it
changes phase back to liquid (again else-
Case Study
The following example illustrates the
types of challenges faced when designing
electronic equipment for the types of environments that UGVs operate in. Engineers at Azonix, a division of Crane Co.,
used the Mentor Graphics FloEFD
computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
thermal simulation software when designing the Terra embedded computer.
The Terra computer is designed to be
completely sealed from the extreme (or
harsh) elements and for use in very hot
Figure 3. The CFD thermal simulation shows the air temperature distribution (left), and the velocity magnitude and field in the Azonix model (right).
14
Intro
where in the cooling loop). This cooling

cycle is similar to regular liquid cooling
but with a phase change. This type of
phase change is already applied in
some electronics cooling applications. In some ways, it is similar to
a heat pipe, where the coolant
evaporates at the hot end and condenses at the cold end. As the coolant
either flows back because of gravity or
when a wick is used, the coolant is
sucked back as a result of the capillary
effect.
So besides the basic principles of fans
and conduction and natural convection, higher more complex cooling
methods find increased interest in applications that were not used even several years ago. Advanced cooling is
needed with the increased heat generated by complex military designs where
cooling is often not that simple, especially when harsh environments prohibit certain mechanisms, making them
operate less effectively.
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UGV Technology
environments (Figure 2). The simulations enabled them to reduce the number of thermal prototypes they had to
make from 12 to 1.
The engineers used their CAD geometry with the CFD software and defined
the heat dissipation sources, material
properties, and the ambient temperature

outside the enclosure at the products
design limit of 60 C. They then defined
the goals and performed thermal simulation. The CFD software analyzed the
CAD model, automatically identified
fluid and solid regions, and defined the
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These changes substantially reduced

the surface temperatures on the dissipating components, though still not
enough to meet the thermal requirements. They then optimized the design
of the heatsink. After roughly six iterations, in each case changing the spacing
and height of the fins, the heatsink was
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This is just one example of engineers
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challenges in military and aerospace applications.
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entire flow space without interaction

and without adding extra objects to the
CAD model. The software generated
simulation results in roughly five minutes. The results revealed that temperatures on the surfaces of key components
exceeded the allowable limit of 90 C.
The conduction paths from the heat
dissipating components to the heatsink
and heatsink geometry were the primary design parameters that offered an
opportunity to improve thermal performance. The cross-section of the heat
spreader was increased and changed
from aluminum to copper. Gap-type
thermal interface material was inserted
at the interfaces between the components and the heat spreader. The thermal interface material was modeled as a
contact resistance, reducing the number
of cells, rather than conduction
through material.
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Controlling
the Seas
Introducing a
New Concept in
Autonomous
Surface/Underwater
Vehicles
he boundary between the sea

and sky is an important place to
be. Its the critical connecting
layer for commercial and military information exchange between the
undersea world to aerial, space and shore.
Being present at this boundary between
sea and sky, with cost-effective endurance
in challenging conditions, requires the
use of autonomous surface vehicles.
Designing long duration autonomous
surface vehicles requires access to inexpensive, low-power computing; a persistent source of power; and durable mechanical engineering. The volume
markets created by cellular telephones
and video gaming has totally transformed the economics of computing.
Coupled with creative mechanical designs that harness energy from the ocean
for vehicle propulsion, and new genera-
tions of solar cells for electricity, the pervasive application of Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) is more practical.
New advancements in communications,
and sensor technologies are also enabling developments in ASV and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)
while paving the way for increased coverage, rapid information delivery, increased safety and, lower cost.
Tying these all together is what Liquid
Robotics has done with their Wave
Glider. Theyve developed the worlds
first wave and solar powered autonomous surface vehicle that provides
sustainable ocean operations and makes
it possible for real time data collection
and information for commercial missions such as conducting seismic surveys, environmental and water quality
monitoring for oil & gas companies;
measuring weather conditions and climate change; and tracking great white
sharks. Leveraging these commercial
technologies, Wave Gliders are used in
defense missions for Anti-Submarine
Warfare (ASW); Intelligence, Surveillance
and Reconnaissance (ISR); and security
of national resources in Marine Protected
Areas (MPAs), marine sanctuaries, and
Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Each
one of these operations requires a persistent, 247, monitoring and surveillance
presence that is not economically or operationally feasible with manned assets.
Designing an autonomous vehicle like
the Wave Glider, poses a mixture of complex technological challenges such as
persistence, scale, reliability, and cost, to
name a few. Add to this the challenge of
operating a floating computer center
with sophisticated communications and
sensors in salt water, during hurricanes,
and at sea for a year at a time.
So how do you provide seafloor to
space surveillance across the vast, hazardous oceans? What challenges and
technological advancements make the
deployment of fleets of networked
ASVs/AUVs, interoperating with manned
systems, a reality in the maritime theater?
Creative Mechanical Design

Persistence at sea requires solving the
energy re-supply challenge. A technique
to harvest energy from wave motion
was the key insight that made long duration missions possible. This basically
gives the vehicle unending thrust for
free. The vehicle can endure severe
conditions through a combination of
How a Wave Gliders unique propulsion system works.
18
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UUV Technology
mechanical design and sophisticated

materials. This gives it the ability to
maintain presence for many months at
a time, where most other autonomous
vehicles are limited to hours or days.
The Wave Glider is the only surface vessel that does not retreat when a hurricane approaches
The Wave Glider generates thrust by
being built in two parts: one part floats
on the surface and the second part is
below the surface where it is calm. It
looks roughly like a surfboard that is covered in solar cells and antennas. It is
connected by an umbilical cord to a submersed component that is a rack of
wings and a rudder. As the float moves
up and down in the surface waves, the
wing rack, which is down where the sea
is calm, moves up and down too. But its
wings are mounted on hinges in such a
way that the vertical oscillation is converted into forward thrust. While the
Wave Glider picks up free forward thrust
from the waves, it gets free electrical energy from solar panels stored in batteries
and distributed through a sophisticated
power subsystem. There are no fuels of
any kind on the vessel. No emissions are
produced. (To see a video explaining
how the Wave Glider works, go to
www.techbriefs.com/tv/Wave-Glider)
The selection of materials for a vessel
that has to survive salt water and hurri-
canes for extended periods required significant engineering work. The hull is
primarily made of composites. Titanium is used for many components, as is
carefully selected grades of stainless
steel. All of the external electrical connections are designed to be wet-mateable. The umbilical between the floating and submersed halves of the vehicle
is particularly sophisticated not only
are there strength members that have to
survive significant shock loads, the electrical wires that are embedded in the
umbilical need to maintain continuous
connectivity through arbitrary flexing
and shocks. Even the paint is involved
in durability through the reduction in
bio-fouling.
A testament to this innovative engineering design is proven through the
success and experience with long distance missions such as the journey of
multiple Wave Gliders across the Pacific
ocean from San Francisco, CA to Bundaberg, Australia. This scientific initiative, named PacX (Pacific Crossing),
spanned approximately 400 days while
traveling through a Category 5 Typhoon and overcoming the East Australian Current before arriving in Australia. This achievement was awarded
the Guinness World Record for the
longest distance traveled by an unmanned, autonomous surface vehicle.
Compute Capability vs. Power

Consumption
This is an issue that is being helped by
the cellular phone and tablet industry.
ARM-based multicore CPU chips from
vendors such as NVIDIA and Qualcomm
can scale available compute resources
based on workload, thus reducing power
consumption to minimal levels. This
type of dynamic CPU technology can be
utilized to run basic vehicle navigation
on minimal CPU power, but allow the
CPU to scale up when data needs to be
transformed into information to reduce
communications overhead or on-demand onboard computational analysis.
The concept of having the ASVs control
application adjust the number of online
CPU cores and maximum CPU frequency to limit power consumption is a
viable solution today.
Open Software Operating

Environment
A Wave Glider Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) awaiting deployment.
The ASV and/or AUVs operating environment is becoming more sophisticated in order to satisfy increasing mission complexities. In the past, one
might elect to use a real-time operating
system (or develop one from scratch)
and custom application. However,
today there are more options including
Linux and Java, both of which offer a
rich set of capabilities, security, and reliability. The use of readily available
open software platforms, tools, and languages aid the development of applications and sensor integration. Additionally, utilizing Linux and Java eases the
task of finding qualified engineering resources, as the talent pool is larger and
more current.
The ability for the autonomous vehicles to easily adapt to specific mission requirements drives the need for flexibility in the operating environment that
can be custom tailored without major
modification. A pluggable architecture
allows new network interfaces, sensors,
and navigation methods to be developed while leaving the core of the operating environment intact. Pluggable
components tend to be smaller in size,
which makes on-mission modifications
possible without the need to recover and
service the ASV/AUV. One of the special
features of the plugin facilities in Java is
20
Intro
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UUV Technology
ware was written to fake the existence

of a compass using the onboard GPS,
and this was uploaded over a satellite
link, saving the mission.
Autonomy
mission changes.
When an autonomous vehicle is on a mission lasting months, far away from human assistance, software updates to fix recently
discovered bugs or adapt to failures can
help dramatically. For example, on a recent mission a Wave Gliders compass
failed because it got too close to the
North Magnetic Pole. Specialized soft-
Today's missions require autonomy,

not only at the single vehicle level, but
also vehicle-to-vehicle. Imagine 100 to
500 vehicles working together as a set to
collect data and/or to cover large swaths
of the ocean. With good onboard autonomy, humans can concentrate on
the strategic mission of the fleet, rather
than the moment-by-moment tactics of
each individual vessel.
How do we keep autonomous vehicles out of harms way? Today's ocean
going vessels employ devices such as
Automatic Identification System (AIS)
to transmit current location allowing
other vessels to receive this information. Radar and acoustic information
can be fused in the systems situation
The SHARC (Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft) is a special version of the Wave Glider designed
for the defense industry.
that it allows for dynamically loading

new software on-the-fly in the midst of a
mission, while protecting the integrity
of the core system software from bugs in
plugins. Liquid Robotics Regulus, the
control software on the Wave Glider,
makes extensive use of these facilities.
These dynamic & flexible software
environments arent just for adapting to
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Intro
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UUV Technology
awareness where AIS is not available.

Autonomous navigation can be very
complex and require solutions that
enter into the territory of artificial intelligence. One of the big advantages of
using Java is that it spans the wide
range of use cases demanded from an
autonomous vehicle it works well all

the way from artificial intelligence
through sophisticated networking
down to device drivers.
Behaviors can be much more complex, fusing many kinds of sensors. For
example, chemical sensors and cameras
Interoperability
maxon DC motor
Precise, efficient, durable.
As unmanned systems become more

pervasive, interoperability between
manned and unmanned systems is a
critical capability. A fleet of AUVs does
not necessarily have to be homogeneous. It should be an interconnected
collection of ASVs, UAVs, and manned
surface vehicles using the best of breed
in each area. The utilization of standardized software interfaces make communications and integration of heterogeneous
systems
much
more
cost-effective and offer reduced power
consumption, increased reliability, and
mission agility.
Imagine a fleet of ASVs monitoring
an area of ocean, searching for targets
of interest and then sending target location, target type, pictures, and video
of the target back to shore for analysis
as they are acquired. Now add the ability for ASVs to coordinate with unmanned and manned assets to collect,
analyze, and report a more complete,
real time situational awareness to command headquarters.
And lets not forget that stealth capabilities are sometimes necessary when
patrolling for hostile or illegal activities.
A small, mobile ASV with a low profile,
acoustically silent and with a small surface footprint can be extremely difficult
to spot in the ocean whereas a 120-foot
patrol boat is not. The SHARC (Sensor
Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft, the
Wave Glider brand for the defense market) with low observability, navy blue
color and lack of thermal or acoustic signatures is well suited for maritime patrol
maxon drives on Mars.
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24
can be integrated to follow the edge of

an oil slick.
Perhaps even more complex than autonomous navigation is autonomous vehicle health management. A persistent
autonomous vehicle has to take care of
itself. It has to detect failures, report
them, fail-over when redundant systems
are available, and sometimes, even attempt to recover the function of the device. Its remarkable how often power
cycling revives an ailing sensor or sweeping a rudder back-and-forth can clean
obstructions from bio-fouling. Handling
these issues is a significant part of the
Regulus operating software.
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UUV Technology
and detection. And when it comes to

risk, the ASV is expendable as it has no
onboard crew and is lower cost.
As the design and use of ASVs/AUVs
advances, the industry must drive forward with open standards to reduce the
complexities of software development
across multiple interoperating platforms. The use of standard operating
systems and development languages is a
move in the proper direction to foster
more inter-company cooperation.
Sensor Technology
ASVs and AUVs require smaller, lower
power sensors to achieve long mission
durations. There are many good sensors
available now, but some have too high a
cost in power consumption and space.
Not many radar units will fit in the
palm of your hand and only draw one
watt of power. Further advancement in
the miniaturization of sensors is still
needed. Advancements in sensor technology coupled to implementation of
standards based operating environment
with open APIs is needed to propel sensor integration and application development for ASVs/AUVs.
Inter-Vehicle Communications
A mixture of communications devices
is required to manage telemetry, command, and inter-vehicle communications. Global satellite coverage is attractive but comes at a high cost and can be
bandwidth limited. Cellular communications is fast and available close to
shore in some areas. Multiple communication channels are required to serve
the needs of autonomous vehicles.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Wave Glider is its flexibility in
accepting a wide variety of communications technologies such as Iridium,
BGAN, Wi-Fi and cellular, and automatic
switching from one device to another as
circumstances change. For example,
when a Wave Glider is close to shore it
automatically switches from expensive
and slow satellite communication to
faster and cheaper cellular communication. As with the other electronics and
sensor payloads, these are protected
from the harsh environments by being
placed inside watertight compartments
with wet-mateable connectors leading
Small, unobtrusive, and capable of collecting and

communicating large amounts of data inconspicuously, the Wave Glider ASV could have numerous
defense applications.
to antennas on one of the masts.

There are hybrid solutions that employ several communication techniques
at once: acoustic to communicate to
subsurface assets, radios to aircraft and
satellites, and cellular telephones to
shore. By doing this, Wave Gliders can
function as bridges that connect the sea
floor to the shore or to aerial assets.
Welded & Mechanical Assemblies

Complex CNC Machining
Navigation for Subsurface Vessels
Close Tolerance Grinding
Safe vehicle navigation is another

challenge. Vehicles on the surface can
use GPS to determine position, but for
underwater vehicles, other methods
such as a magnetic compass and/or Attitude and Heading Reference System
(AHRS), are all that are available. But
these dead-reckoning techniques are
notoriously error-prone. By coupling
with a persistent surface vessel carrying
an acoustic modem and underwater position sensor, underwater assets can be
given a firm frame of reference and
communication path.
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Conclusion:
The boundary between the sea and
the sky is an important place to be. By
employing modern technologies,
ocean-going autonomous vehicles like
the Wave Glider can provide critical information exchange from subsea to
space, adding an important extension
to modern national security operations.
This article was written by Dr. James
Gosling, Chief Software Architect, and Mr.
John Weeks, Distinguished Member of the
Technical Staff, Liquid Robotics, Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA). For more information, visit
http://info.hotims.com/55589-502.
Intro
Precision Metal Stamping

(High and Low Volume)
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This small selection of terrestrial

robots illustrates the different
configurations and missions
designers must take into
consideration when specifying
connectors. (David Vergun)
Connectivity in
Robotic Systems
hile many think of unmanned aerial vehicles

(UAVs) or space probes
and planet rovers when
they think of unmanned systems, the
field of robotics covers every environment known to man: sea, ground, air,
and space. Beyond UAVs, unmanned
underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs) have
begun to capture headlines, primarily
in the role of security and defense.
Likewise, terrestrial unmanned ground
vehicles (UGVs) are now gaining their
share of the limelight. The U.S. Navy is
even experimenting with a humanoid
robot (SAFFiR) to help fight shipboard
fires as a first responder.
Each of these unmanned systems is

meant to operate in an environment
and ecosystem where a machine can either augment or replace a human. Reasons include safety, environmental concerns, technological superiority, or
costs. Sending an unmanned vehicle
can be less dangerous and less expensive than sending a human. Application requirements drive the technology
of the electromechanical building
blocks used to create the robot, and
these solutions can range from the
mundane to the extreme. There are remarkable technological and economic
paradigms associated with each mission
that lead engineers to select specific
connectivity solutions.
UAVs SwaP and Bandwidth
Figure 1. For weight-savings embedded computing, MULTIGIG RT 2 connectors use a design that minimizes
weight while supporting high-speed data rates. (TE Connectivity)
Whether shoulder launched or carrier

launched, UAVs are all about SWaP (size,
weight, and power) and bandwidth.
Lightweight construction, including
connectivity solutions, is paramount to
enable maximum payload, range, and
time on station. While high-speed signal
processing is important in surveillance
and similar applications, communication bandwidth is more conveniently
handled in UAVs than in other unmanned vehicles. Most UAVs use lightweight datalinks and typically have an
unobstructed environment to converse
real time with receiving stations.
As a result of their environment,
UAVs benefit from lightweight, high-capacity power distribution equipment.
Cables and harnessing components
have become lighter over the years.
Cross-linked insulation and jacketing
materials allow significantly thinner
wall thicknesses, saving both space and
weight. Since every gram counts, TE
Connectivity (TE) recently introduced
lightweight heat-shrink boots that are
up to 20 percent lighter than the parts
they can replace. In many instances,
fiber optic connectivity has been implemented as the exemplification of low
weight, high bandwidth and EMI immunity.
Local processing of images and signals intelligence allows the UAV to sift
and prioritize data to be transmitted to
the receiving station. With sophisticated processing comes the need for
high-speed embedded computing. TEs
VITA 46 VPX standard MULTIGIG RT 2-R
backplane connector (Figure 1) is suit-
26
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Hes Creating the Future
Rick Harrington, team

member and Vice
President of Engineering
for RTC Electronics, Inc.
Rick Harrington, team member and Vice President of Engineering for RTC Electronics, Inc. (formerly College Park
Industries), was the Electronics Category Winner in the 2011 and the 2013 Create the Future Design Contest.
The iPECS (Intelligent Prosthetic Endo-Skeletal Component System) provides researchers with a tool to
accurately measure human locomotion or gait parameters on users of lower limb prostheses. IPECS
measures 3-axis forces and moments in a lower limb prosthetic user.
Exposure from being a category winner legitimized iPECS as a viable and valuable measurement tool for
prosthetic research. The 2011 win gave an immediate boost to engineering and management, says Tom Grey,
president of RTC Electronics. Winning in 2013 has opened our marketing and sales options, and we are expecting
a record year of sales. No longer can potential customers say I never heard of iPECS.
Will you be next?
THE
Your future starts here:

www.createthefuturecontest.com
S P O N S O R E D
Intro
DESIGN CONTEST 2015

C A T E G O R Y
S P O N S O R S
B Y
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P R I Z E
S P O N S O R
Robotics Technology
able for this role. The open architecture VPX connector is modular and
scalable for application flexibility,
and has been demonstrated in excess
of 10 Gb/s for excellent functional
density. UAV designers are also benefiting from advances in composite
and selective metallization to create
integrated composite enclosures and
antennas.
UUVs Challenging the Naval

Environment
The naval environment brings

unique challenges, particularly in
terms of withstanding the undersea
pressures, operating in a flooded environment, and protecting against
salt-induced corrosion. Electronics
are often housed in containment
vessels or line-replaceable units
(LRUs). Subject to the effects of hyFigure 2. 10G Ethernet is supported in a rugged format by
the CeeLok FAS-X connector. (TE Connectivity)
drodynamics, UUVs that are exUGVs Rugged and Cost Driven
pected to operate at any significant
UGV design has traditionally
forward speed most often have mintargeted lower costs as a high priimal frontal cross-section or are torority. Reasons include the potenpedo shaped and space is very much
tially high number of units proat a premium. The need for underduced, the less challenging nature
water performance as well as space
of the ground environment, and
and weight-saving higher densities
the fact that UGVs are often conare often in conflict.
sidered expendable. Nevertheless,
Given the resulting packaging
UGVs are expected to be rugged
challenges, small-form-factor, rugged
and perform when needed, driving
connectors, such as the dry-mate
designers to tread a fine line beSEACON MINI-CON connectors,
tween cost and performance.
work well in the UUV environment.
UGVs range from small, inexMINI-CON connectors were develpensive rovers that might have a
Figure 3. SEACON MINI-CON connectors provide a high-dencamera or other sensor to high-ca- sity dry-mate interconnection that can withstand 16,000 psi. oped as a small-diameter, high-density, high-pressure system, available
pability, multifunction systems. (TE Connectivity)
in 13 shell sizes and up to 203 conGiven the wide range of these plattacts. The standard connector withforms, connectivity solutions range
nism is very robust and enables quick
stands 16,000 psi, although higher presfrom commercial, industrial or autoand positive coupling. An anti-vibration
motive connectors to mil-spec consure versions are available.
triple-start threaded coupling option is
nectors. In each instance, connectivWet-mate connectors tend to be
also available, as well as various mountity solutions must be appropriately
larger since they need both pressure baling options and rear accessory features.
ancing and a mechanism to seal the unengineered to suit the application.
Based on Mil-DTL-38999, Wildcat
mated connector contacts. They also
At one end are relatively basic, low
38999 connectors are available in four
need generous lead-in to allow proper
cost, potentially expendable systems.
housing sizes with between 11 and 64
mating of connector halves robotically
Vehicles like Humvees and trucks to
contacts and offer almost double the
by a UUV in an underwater environsupport logistics are being designed to
contact density of traditional 38999
ment. While wet-mate connectors have
operate in either a manned or unconnectors. The triple start coupling
long been used in subsea petroleum
manned mode. They can use weatherthread provides robust and high-reliaproduction, they may also find use in
resistant automotive connectors, IP67
bility engagement to help withstand senaval applications such as an underwainput/output connectors, and military
vere shock and vibration, and the conter docking system for UUVs.
or military-style circular connectors.
nectors are fully sealed, a vital feature
There remains a need to create auMIL-DTL-38999 connectors and their
for all-weather operation or potential
tonomous underwater vehicles. The
close relatives remain one of the most
submersion during a mission.
remotely operated vehicles used in oil
popular choices for rugged interconnect.
Beyond ruggedness and high density,
and gas applications are controlled
Beyond a full mil-qualified connector, a
many sensor systems found on undirectly through a long umbilical
great variety of connectors use the familmanned systems demand bandwidth.
cable for power, control, and data.
iar 38999 shell as the basic form factor.
TEs CeeLok FAS-X connector (Figure 2)
Power lines and fiber optic cables in
The new generation of military-style
supports 10 Gb/s Ethernet in a 38999
the umbilical cable provide adequate
COTS circular connectors are ideal for
shellaccommodating a single Etherpower and bandwidth. However, the
UGVs. For example, TEs Wildcat Micro
net channel in a size 11 shell or four
range, freedom and stealth of tethand 38999 connectors are based on milichannels in a size 25 shell. One advanered remotely operated vehicles
tary circular connector design practice.
tage of 38999-derived connectors is that
(ROVs) can be problematic in defense
With between 3 and 9 contacts, the
they can use the same, readily available
applications.
Wildcat Micro bayonet latching mechabackshells and other accessories.
28
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Robotics Technology
Untethered autonomous operation

can create its own set of issues, including means of communication and
power supply. A vehicle underwater
does not have the same convenient
wireless communication capabilities
of a UAV or UGV. Water does not
transmit RF signals well. While
acoustic communications or low-frequency towed antennas allow some
degree of communications, they are
not efficient for higher data payloads.
A common use for acoustic signals is
simply to tell the UUV to surface to
send or receive communications. Once
surfaced, the UUV has clear communication capabilities either with nearby
vessels or with satellites.
As a consequence of the communications issues, many UUVs do not perform intense on-board signal processing. Unlike the heavy signal processing
performed by a UAV to obtain high-resolution photos and video, a UUVs
needs tend to be more humble. If the

embedded computer is well protected
from water and pressure, its operating
environment is relatively benignwithout the shock and vibration that UAVs
and UGVs experience. COTS embedded
computing systems will provide the required processing power mechanical
and environmental robustness required.
Sealed connectors are required between
the protected environment and the rest
of the UUV.
Power supply on UUVs is typically by
battery. The latest in battery technology, as well as efficient power distribution and low power consumption systems are vital to range and mission
success. Minimizing SWaP is a common
theme in unmanned system design.
The Unmanned World

As sensor, software and processing
technologies evolve, so will the effectiveness and presence of unmanned ro-
botic systems. One thing that is not

going to change is the environmental
challenges facing robotic systems. Each
environment sea, land, air and space
poses its own hurdles and has a profound effect on the unmanned systems
design. These challenges range from
the most basic, for example, material selection, to the highest level, such as the
level of autonomy required. Similarly,
the role of connectivity and range of solutions available to the designer is affected by the unmanned systems environment. As interconnect science
merges form and function, the role of
connectivity will continue to rise in importance in the future of unmanned
system design.
This article was written by Gregory Powers, Market Development Manager, Global
Aerospace, Defense and Marine, TE Connectivity (Berwyn, PA). For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/55589503.
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Tech Briefs
Infrared Stereo Calibration for Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Navigation
This method enables detection and classification of obstacles for avoidance and path planning.
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California
any challenges still persist in the

area of autonomous (and even
semi-autonomous) vehicle navigation
for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).
One challenge is in detecting and classifying obstacles for avoidance and path
planning. The use of laser-based sensors,
such as lidar, has become quite common
for assisting in such a task; however, lidar
systems may be too expensive for certain
applications, and are active, not passive
sensors, so they may not be desirable in
some missions. Lidar is adversely affected
by smoke, dust, fog, and rain. Therefore,
the use of passive camera sensors, such as
typical color and infrared (IR) cameras,
has become an important research topic
in UGV navigation.
One of the greatest challenges of
using a stereo pair of color and/or IR
cameras is to accurately determine the
extrinsic calibration parameters between the cameras. For color cameras,
this has historically been solved using a
checkerboard pattern of black and
white squares. This does not necessarily
work out-of-the-box for IR stereo cameras, due to thermal radiation required
for high- and low-intensity pixels in an

IR sensor. For instance, on a cold and
cloudy day, there will be very little difference registered in an IR sensor between the black and white squares on a
piece of paper. Therefore, more care and
preparation is required in order to calibrate stereo IR cameras.
The first challenge is the calibration
board itself. Unlike the calibration pattern for color stereo cameras, which
can utilize simple black and white
checkerboard patterns for highly accurate calibration, the calibration pattern
for two IR stereo cameras must be carefully selected, designed, and/or manufactured.
The second challenge was the calibration pattern itself. Starting with the
classic black and white checkerboard
pattern, the dynamic range between the
white and black squares was not sufficient for the calibration routine to detect the pattern. Even when the size of
the calibration board was increased, the
detection algorithm was unsuccessful.
The successful methodology used to
calibrate the IR stereo cameras incorporated a calibration board made from dibond, a lightweight, rigid, and durable
aluminum composite material. The pattern printed onto the boards was a 3 x 5
pattern of asymmetric circles with a 17cm diameter with a spacing of 17 cm between the circles. By using this large
asymmetric circle pattern on a warm

day with little to no wind (with the
board left in direct sunlight), the detection results improved dramatically. Additionally, simple pre-processing techniques were used to increase the
accuracy of IR stereo calibration.
In the first method, a median blur filter was applied to each IR image with a
window of 5 pixels. For the second
method, a thresholding function was
used to truncate the pixel values above
an intensity of 50. The third method
combines the first two methods.
For experiments with the color cameras
in the system, checkerboard patterns,
symmetric circle patterns, and asymmetric circle patterns were all successfully
used in the calibration routine. For experiments with the IR stereo cameras, only
the asymmetric circle patterns were successfully used in calibrating the cameras.
To evaluate the stereo calibration results numerically, OpenCV was used to
calculate the stereo re-projection error
for each of the calibration patterns used
for both the color stereo cameras and the
IR stereo cameras.
This work was done by Josh Harguess of
the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center
Pacific and Shawn Strange of Leidos. For
more information, download the Technical Support Package (free white paper)
at www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp under
the Sensors category. SPAWAR-0002
(a)
(b)
(a) The TORC ByWire XGV unmanned vehicle, and (b) mounted camera sensors.
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Tech Briefs
Simultaneous Vibration Suppression and Energy

Harvesting for a Multifunctional UAV Spar
Results show how long a UAV must fly before enough energy is harvested to be able to suppress a wind gust.
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
he goal of this work was to investigate using harvested energy to directly control the vibration response of
flexible aerospace systems. Small, lightweight, flexible Micro Air Vehicles
(MAVs) operate near flutter, providing
both harvesting opportunities and vibration suppression requirements. The
possibility that ambient energy might
be harnessed and recycled to provide
energy to mitigate the vibrations
through various control laws was investigated. The goal was to integrate harvesting, storage, control, and computation into one multifunctional structure,
and illustrate its benefits.
The first task was to discover ways to

minimize control effort for vibration
suppression. Basic control laws were
tuned to achieve the same performance. The required amount of energy in
each case was calculated and compared. A saturation function was instituted over the top of each controller to
limit the amount of energy called for in
the early part of the control law. These
bang-bang, or saturation, controllers
clearly used the least amount of energy
to produce the same performance. As
much as two-thirds of the required energy can be saved by using a saturation
control. This reduction makes running
Intro
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a control law off of harvested energy

possible.
In implementing these control laws, it
was discovered that the high voltages
commanded by the control laws result in
the piezoelectric coupling coefficient
being non-constant. An adaptive control
law had to be implemented to account
for the change in coupling coefficient as
the control voltage demand increased.
The next task was to integrate harvesting and storage into the same package with a control actuator and a control law (i.e. the circuitry) embedded in
a multifunctional composite structure.
The goal was to integrate all of these
31
Tech Briefs
components in order to provide a multifunctional system capable of the following functions:

1. Energy harvesting
2. Sensing
3. Energy storage
4. Vibration suppression using active
control
5. Embedded computing (providing energy management and control laws)
6. Structural integrity
This was all fabricated, modeled, and
tested. Before proceeding, the harvesting,
sensing, and control authority of several
different types of piezoelectric material
were considered, in order to choose the
best components for each task. Macro
fiber composites form the best control actuation devices, and monolithic piezoceramic forms the best sensing and harvesting device. These results were validated
with extensive experiments.
The concept of a multifunctional

composite beam was applied to a problem prevalent in UAVs: they tend to be
light and travel near their flutter speed,
which means that they are susceptible
to instabilities caused by gusts. While
the UAV is in normal flight, its wing vibrates. The multifunctional wing spar
would transfer the wing vibration into
electrical energy and store it in the embedded battery. When the UAV hits a
gust, the sensor function of the multifunctional spar would then see the increased strain and turn on the active
control system embedded in the PCB
part of the spar. The resulting feedback
control law would then quiet the gust
response and keep the vibration suppressed during the period of the gust.
Laboratory results show great agreement with the theoretical models and
numerical simulations.
The experimental validation of the multifunctional structure capable of performing harvesting and control
based on harvested energy.
Two different controllers are used. A

positive position feedback controller
(basically a second order filter) and the
reduced energy controller illustrate
that the settling time is about the
same, while the energy consumed is
much less.
With validation of the model, simulations were used to predict how the system would behave as a gust suppression
system for a small UAV. The gust and
clear sky condition (the condition of vibration induced during normal flight)
were simulated using the Dryden PSD
signal for both clear sky and gust. The
simulations were fed into the model of
the multifunctional wing spar. The response of the wing to a gust shows a
large tip deflection. The response of the
wing tip with the controller turned on
and the gust as input shows substantial
vibration reduction.
Other results that spun off of the proposed research include a MEMs-based
energy-harvesting device, the use of
nonlinearity to improve the amount of
energy captured by improving the mechanical efficiency, and a look at harvesting impacts. The main contribution
here is to show that closed-loop control
can be accomplished with harvested
energy.
This work was done by Daniel J. Inman
and Pablo Tarazaga of Virginia Tech for the
Air Force Office of Scientific Research. For
more information, download the Technical Support Package (free white
paper) at www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp
under the Aerospace category. AFOSR0008
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32
PI USAUS
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&3-&ASTPIEZO
BEAMSTEERING
Tech Briefs
Development and Evaluation of the Stingray Amphibious

Maritime Unmanned Ground Vehicle
This small tactical robot can be deployed ahead of the team to provide enhanced situational awareness in
boarding, breaching, and clearing operations.
SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California
very year, the U.S. Navy and Marine

Corps conduct thousands of Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOs) to
enforce embargoes, intercept contraband, prevent drug and human smuggling, and fight piracy. These operations
are usually conducted by Visit, Board,
Search, and Seizure (VBSS) teams using
rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) or
helicopters. Key performance parameters were developed for a portable,
throwable robot that can best support
their missions. This robot can be used
for advanced reconnaissance as the
team is about to board a target vessel, to
assist in compartment clearing, and for

inspection of flooded compartments
and bilges.
Subsequent user tests and demonstrations have revealed that its applicability
is much wider than originally thought.
The same characteristics critical to VBSS
operations also make the system a useful tool for land-based tactical operations, especially for missions involving
streams and culverts.
Design guidelines for a VBSS tactical
robot were converted to explicit performance thresholds and objectives that
required considerable research and de-
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velopment. Two prototype systems,

each consisting of an operator control
unit (OCU) and two amphibious
Stingray robots, were developed. The
areas that were the most challenging in
the design of these robots include:
1. Weight threshold
2. Maximum volumetric envelope
3. Flotation in seawater
4. Mobility in water
5. Traction on wet, oily surfaces
6. Impact resistance
The maximum weight ceiling of 1.8
kg, when coupled to the other performance requirements, was a major chal-
33
Tech Briefs
Figure 1. The Stingray prototype wearing a high-visibility Sling Flotation Device

(SFD). The SFD is similar to a personal flotation device in color (fluorescent
yellow) and material (closed-cell foam).
lenge. The resulting design was a woven carbon-fiber monolithic chassis coupled to aircraft-grade aluminum sides and
hardware, woven carbon-fiber wheels and internal brackets,
and closed-cell foam for flotation purposes.
The 4500-cm 3 maximum volumetric envelope for the
Stingray was determined by the requirement to fit in a Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) pouch. It
had repercussions in terms of the wheelbase, width, and
wheel diameter for the UGV, given that the wheels are the
most prominent physical features of the robot. For practical
purposes, the wheel diameter was dictated by the requirement
to be able to cross a 5-cm-tall obstacle (i.e. the wheel diameter
had to be approximately 10 cm to allow the wheel to climb
over the 5-cm obstacle), and the width was mandated by the
dimensions of the largest non-modifiable electronic component, which was the battery pack. As a result, the only free dimension was the overall length, which was set at 10 inches to
provide an adequate amount of air inside the sealed UGV
chassis for flotation, as well as to provide extra stability and
better obstacle-climbing capabilities.
The Stingray had to float when immersed in seawater, both
for recovery options and for operational reasons (capability of
crossing standing water). Therefore, a passive, positively
buoyant robot design was selected to accomplish both objectives. Instead of driving on the floor of a flooded space, the
robot became a hybrid vehicle that can drive on the water surface as well as on land.
In order to achieve the desired results, the design team used
a two-pronged approach where the UGV itself would be as
buoyant as possible through the integration of custom-designed floats in the wheels, and the maximization of the internal volume of the UGV chassis (without sacrificing ground
clearance), coupled with the custom development of a highvisibility Sling Flotation Device (SFD ) that would be wrapped
around the UGV when an in-water operating environment
34
Intro
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Tech Briefs
key requirements for the Stingray. Finite

element analysis (FEA) was performed
on all components and on the overall
system, with safety factors always in excess of 10, which allowed the system to
pass both the threshold and objective
requirements once built.
This work was done by Hoa G. Nguyen

of SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific and
Cino Robin Castelli of Macro USA Corp.
For more information, download the
Technical Support Package (free white
paper) under the Manufacturing &
Prototyping category. SPAWAR-0003
Figure 2. The micro-knobby paddle wheels performed the best overall, and were chosen as the
final Stingray tread design.
was expected, but would not impede

ground operation. The SFD would be
similar to a personal flotation device in
color (fluorescent yellow) and material
(closed-cell foam), with openings to accommodate the camera and the multipurpose high-intensity LEDs. Initial calculations showed that the system would
have a density of 0.85 in saltwater,
yielding a positive buoyancy of approximately 15%.
Once the UGV design had achieved
the required goals of weight and
buoyancy, the next challenge was to
design a system that would be capable of mobility in the water. The original wheel design was a good starting
point since the horizontal deep
treads, initially designed mainly for
traction and impact absorbance, had
shown the ability to perform as rudimentary paddle wheels.
The requirement for Stingray traction
specified that the UGV should be able
to achieve sufficient traction on wet,
oily metal surfaces up to sea states 5
(rough). To determine the performance
of the Stingray in the operational environment, a test rig was created where a
steel surface was left bare on one side
and painted on the other (to simulate
both scenarios) and wetted with oily
water (to simulate conditions often
found on a ship deck). The tread that
performed the best overall was a microknobby design, which was chosen as
the final Stingray tread design and implemented in the prototype units.
The capability of surviving 5-meter
(threshold) and 10-meter (objective)
drops onto a steel deck was one of the
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35
CONNECTORS
FOR HARSH
ENVIRONMENTS
Tech Briefs
Pushbroom Stereo for HighSpeed UAV Navigation in

Cluttered Environments
The high-frame-rate stereo detection system
requires no external sensing.
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Company
nmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) rely on an external motioncapture apparatus that gives the vehicles almost perfect state
information at high rates. Major challenges in gathering sensing
data necessary for flight are the limited payload, computation,
and battery life of the vehicles. Lightweight cameras are a good
solution, but require computationally efficient machine vision
algorithms that can run within the limits of these vehicles.
A novel method for stereo vision computation was developed
that is dramatically faster than the state of the art. The method
performs a subset of the processing traditionally required for
stereo vision, but is able to recover obstacles in real time at 120
frames per second (fps) on a conventional CPU. The system is
lightweight and accurate enough to run in real time on aircraft,
allowing for true, self-contained obstacle detection.
A standard block-matching stereo system produces depth
estimates by finding pixel-block matches between two images.
Given a pixel block in the left image, for example, the system
will search through the epipolar line to find the best match.
The position of the match relative to its coordinate on the left
image, or the disparity, allows the user to compute the 3D position of the object in that pixel block.
One can think of a standard block-matching stereo vision
system as a search through depth. As one searches along the
epipolar line for a pixel group that matches the candidate
block, the space of distance away from the cameras is explored.
For example, given a pixel block in a left image, one might start
searching through the right image with a large disparity, corresponding to an object close to the cameras. As one decreases
disparity, pixel blocks that correspond to objects further and
further away are examined until reaching zero disparity, where
the stereo base distance is insignificant compared to the distance away and
the obtstacles location can no
longer be determined.
The algorithm is
called pushbroom
stereo because the
detection region is
pushed forward,
sweeping up obstacles like a broom
By detecting at a single depth (dark blue) and inteon a floor (and
grating the aircrafts odometry and past detections
similar to pushb(lighter blue), a full map of obstacles in front of the
vehicle can be built quickly.
room LIDAR sys-
Intro
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Tech Briefs
tems). This is distinct from a pushbroom

camera, which is a one-dimensional
array of pixels arranged perpendicular to
the cameras motion. These cameras are
often found on satellites and can be used
for stereo vision.
The system requires relatively accurate odometry over short time horizons.
This requirement is not particularly
onerous because long-term accuracy is
not required like many map-making algorithms. In this case, the odometry is
only used until the aircraft catches up
to its detection horizon, which on
many platforms is 5-10 meters away. On
aircraft, a wind-corrected airspeed measurement is sufficient.
A design and parameters were chosen
to cause sparse detections with few false
positives. For obstacle avoidance, not
every point on an obstacle needs to be
seen, but a false positive might cause
the aircraft to take unnecessary risks to
avoid a phantom obstacle.
To test the full system with an integrated state-estimator, the platform was
flown close to obstacles on three different flights, with control inputs, sensor
data, camera images, and onboard stereo
Aircraft hardware in the field. A small catapult is

used for consistent launches near obstacles.
processing results recorded. During each

flight, points on every obstacle were
recorded in real time. The state estimate
was robust enough to provide online estimation of how the location of the obstacles evolved relative to the aircraft.
While these flights were manually piloted, the system could autonomously
avoid the obstacles with these data.
Metrics demonstrate that the pushbroom stereo system sacrificies a limited
amount of performance for a substantial reduction in computational cost,
and thus a gain in speed. Finally, all
data used identical threshold, scoring,
and camera calibration parameters.
This work was done by Andrew J. Barry
and Russ Tedrake of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For more information, download the Technical Support
Package (free white paper) at
www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp under
the Information Technology & Software category. MIT-0004
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Intro
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Tech Briefs
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These models can be used to plan missions or

roughly estimate power system operation for an
unmanned ground vehicle.
Army RDECOM-TARDEC, Warren, Michigan
obotic vehicles such as unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs)

have multiple sources of power, including batteries, fuel cells,
combustion engines, ultracapacitors, and solar cells to allow for
extended periods of operation. Fuel-based power sources have a
higher specific energy than batteries, which is why most current
automobiles are gasoline-powered. Batteries have many other advantages in terms of low noise profile, easy replacement, and direct energy conversion. Solar charging allows for harvesting of
natural resources to increase total energy reserves. Mission duration may be maximized using a combination of power systems.
To effectively integrate multiple power system components, a
modeling framework was developed to simulate and plan operation of UGV power systems. First, each component is individually
modeled using either empirical or theoretical techniques. These
models consider power component states such as time of operation, state of charge, and temperature. For a given mission, the
power demand is estimated and the power system models are
combined to compute total energy use. As a part of the model, energy losses due to the operation of power system components are
accounted for. Losses include resistive heating in batteries, and
startup or shutdown power demands. In addition to full, nonlinear models for the UGV power system, a simplification process
was demonstrated that can be used to reduce the models to linear
dynamics. These simplified models can be used to plan missions
or roughly estimate power system operation for a desired mission.
The fuel cell used in this work can only be turned on or off,
with no variation in the power produced when on, and requires several minutes and nontrivial power input to transition between on and off. These limitations on the fuel cell
lead naturally to the proposed hybrid systems framework.
The power system model consists of the 200W fuel cell and
a Li-ion battery. The fuel cell is fueled by commercial propane
canisters and consists of a 200W solid oxide fuel cell, a fuel reformer, and a DC/DC converter. The propane gas is first desulfurized and then reformed via partial oxidation into a hydrogen-rich fuel stream to feed the fuel cell. The fuel cell was
designed to be integrated with existing batteries on small
UGVs such as the TALON robot. This combined power system
significantly increases the possible mission duration, especially under low-power loads such as persistent stare missions.
One of the challenges of integrating this power source is to develop an optimal duty cycle for using the fuel cell to recharge the
batteries. The fuel cell was connected to a TALON battery pack
with a moderate state-of-charge (SOC) and issued a startup command. The current draw from the batteries was logged every 10
seconds until the fuel cell completed the startup procedure and
38
Modeling and Simulation of

an Unmanned Ground
Vehicle Power System
Intro
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Tech Briefs
began charging the batteries. Likewise,

the fuel cell was then issued a shutdown
command, and the current draw was
logged every 10 seconds until the fuel cell
shut down. Power and energy values were
calculated using the average voltage of the
battery back (35 Volts) throughout the
tests. The fuel cell consumed approximately 6.5 Watt-hours over 16 minutes to
start up, and approximately 5.3 Watthours over 18 minutes to shut down.
To determine the power requirements
for the mission, a simulation model was
used for the UGV operating in a known
environment. This model includes
motor models and track-terrain interaction models. From this model, one can
simulate the desired mission and obtain
the power demand over time for a given
mission. The driving loads can be decomposed into resistance due to terrain
and changes in kinetic energy.
To provide appropriate torque inputs to
the terrain model, a motor model was ob-
tained experimentally by testing iRobot

Packbot motors. The model takes in the
current shaft speed and the power being
delivered to the motors, and calculates
the torque output. Together with a simple
rigid body model of the UGV, one can
simulate the UGV completing a mission
and record the power used. In addition to
variable power demands due to locomotion, electronic components onboard require power for operation. It is assumed
that these loads are known and constant
over the entire mission.
Studying a simple fuel cell/battery hybrid, this framework can be used to evaluate the performance of different control laws for desired criteria. In
particular, energy losses of the entire
power system and thermal response of
the battery for an extended UGV mission were investigated. Future work includes using this combined model to
plan and optimize energy efficiency for
a mission. These models can be vali-
The fuel cell connected to a TALON robot battery pack.
dated by running physical experiments

with a UGV carrying a fuel cell and batteries running the controllers described.
This work was done by Jack Hartner of
Army RDECOM-TARDEC; and John Broderick, Dawn Tilbury, and Ella Atlkins of
the University of Michigan. For more information, download the Technical
Support Package (free white paper) at
www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp under
the Information Technology & Software category. ARL-0176
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Intro
39
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Application Briefs
Anti-Hacking Software for UAVs

Galois
Portland, OR
503-626-6616
http://galois.com
o address growing evidence that commercial Unmanned

Aerial Vehicles (UAV), automobiles and other vehicles are
vulnerable to hacking and sophisticated cyber security attacks,
Galois developed and successfully demonstrated what has been
called the worlds most secure UAV software. Galois, a company that specializes in protecting information, devices, networks, and vehicles, recently conducted a successful demonstration for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agencys High-Assurance Cyber Military Systems (HACMS) program. Galois is part of a team that produced provably correct
and secure software that runs on commercial UAVs.
For a February 2015 CBS 60 Minutes segment profiling the
U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),
Galois demonstrated an exploit that allows an attacker to
completely take over a commercial, off-the-shelf UAV in
flight. Galois then showed the same UAV running its high-assurance UAV software that is guaranteed to be invulnerable to
large classes of attack. The technology addresses the same se-
During the HACMS demonstration, red lights indicate that an unprotected

drone is being hacked. A similar drone, with Galois software installed, could not
be hacked.
curity vulnerabilities in many systems, including modern automobiles and the Internet of Things (IoT).
As unmanned drones particularly those used for civilian
and commercial purposes grow in number and usage, current
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Intro
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Application Briefs
software vulnerabilities pose a national security risk, said Kathleen Fisher, former DARPA HACMS program manager. Galois
demonstration offers evidence that software built the right way
dramatically reduces vulnerabilities, not just for drones, but for
cars, information systems and the Internet itself.
For the DARPA HACMS program, Galois demonstrated its
ability to prevent both UAV drone hacking and automobile
hacking. Galois secure UAV software provides an alternative
to currently available software thats open to remote takeover
and other vulnerabilities. One of the tests Galois performed
was having its software evaluated by independent, world-class
penetration testing teams that were unable to gain remote access to the vehicle. The software has also been demonstrated
to prevent the types of wireless automotive control system attacks exposed in a February 2015 report released by Senator
Edward J. Markey (D-Mas) called Tracking & Hacking: Security & Privacy Gaps Put American Drivers at Risk.
The message for organizations building connected vehicles, systems and products is that vulnerabilities are not a foregone conclusion if secure and reliable software is designed
into their products up front, said Rob Wiltbank, CEO, Galois.
The same way an automaker would not design a vehicle by
trial and error, you cant develop a secure system on the fly, as
the product is being released. Systems can be made correct by
design, which presents an opportunity for organizations to
dramatically reduce the hacking threat.
In the HACMS program, Galois is part of a team led by
Rockwell Collins, and also includes University of Minnesota,
National ICT Australia, and Boeing.
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Unmanned Naval Helicopter

Northrop Grumman Corporation
Redondo Beach, CA
310-812-4321
www.northropgrumman.com
he U.S. Navy has been conducting ship-board flight testing of the first operational MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned
helicopter delivered by the Northrop Grumman Corporation.
After more than a year of land-based testing conducted at
Point Mugu, California, the MQ-8C took its first flight off the
deck of the guided-missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham
(DDG 109), off the coast of Virginia in mid-December last
year. It marked the first time an unmanned helicopter had
ever operated from the deck of a U.S. Navy destroyer. All told,
the new Fire Scout made 22 takeoffs and precision landings
during its first sea trials, all while being controlled from the
ships ground control station. According to George Vardoulakis, Northrop Grummans vice president for medium
range tactical systems, the test program will run throughout
the summer of 2015 and if all goes well, the aircraft should be
operational by the end of the year.
The MQ-8C is an upgraded version of the MQ-8B Fire Scout,
which has logged more than 14,000 flight hours and 5,300
Intro
Cov
ToC
41
Product Spotlight
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Application Briefs
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sorties while being deployed on the Navys frigates and littoral combat ships. The
MQ-8C, which is based on the FAA-certified Bell 407 commercial helicopter, features
a larger airframe than the MQ-8B and it can fly twice as long and carry three times
more intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance payloads. Powered by a RollsRoyce 250-C47E engine with dual channel full authority digital engine control, the
MQ-8C has a top speed of 135 knots, a maximum ceiling of 16,000 feet, an internal
payload capacity of 500 lbs., a maximum sling load of 2,650 lbs., maximum endurance of 12 hrs., and a maximum range of 1,227 nautical miles.
Northrop Grumman is under contract with the Navy to build a total of 19 MQ-8C
Fire Scout helicopters, including two for testing purposes. All told, the Navy hopes to
acquire 70 units.
UAV Circuit Boards

Sunstone Circuits
Mulino, OR
503-829-9108
www.sunstone.com
iki Szmuk is an aerospace engineer with big ideas for building better unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs). As a doctoral student from the Controls Lab for Distributed
and Uncertain Systems (C-DUS) of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas (UT) in Austin, Szmuk specializes in the engineering of small, sophisticated UAVs.
Szmuk and the rest of the C-DUS research group, who are advised by Dr.
Maruthi Akella, focus on addressing fundamental engineering problems in nonlinear dynamical systems, measurements, and control. This includes the coordinated operation of distributed multi-vehicle swarms. Consequently, the C-DUS research group employs UAVs in demonstrating various control and estimation
algorithms that it develops.
These crafts are not easy to build. Weighing only a few pounds, UAVs must
travel long distances, reliably collecting and processing data along the way. In
order to meet the always evolving needs of the UAV industry, Szmuk recognized
the need to develop PCB design skills. Without them, it would be difficult to costeffectively improve functionality of his departments drones and get in front of industry expansion.
42
Intro
Cov
ToC
Application Briefs
Szmuk first reached out to Sunstone as an undergrad at UT.

I was working on a UAV with a two and a half pound autopilot system, said Szmuk. The vehicles overall size is a function
of the payload it must carry and it took a twenty-five to thirty
pound UAV just to accommodate the oversized autopilot.
That was simply too big for what we needed this plane to
do, said Szmuk.
Issues with size compound quickly when building a UAV.
If the autopilot is too big, that impacts the wing area and
fuselage size. The result is an oversized craft with less functionality and a higher cost. The cumbersome, original UAV
design was done component by component, thus the oversized end product. Szmuk took it upon himself to look at the
bigger picture.
Szmuk called Sunstone, looking not just for someone to
manufacture boards but for a way to design them himself.
With their help, he designed his first PCBa small board that
routed the planes wiring in a more organized and efficient
way. The board helped reduce the size of the autopilot and enabled other refinements such as the replacement of a baseballsize sensor with a small chip. As the autopilot design evolved,
the system shrank from its original weight of over two pounds
down to just thirteen grams. As a result, the next version of
the craft weighed just 20% of its predecessor.
Szmuk continues to develop smaller, higher performance

UAVs. Using PCB123 and Sunstone, he has made increasingly
complex circuits to trim bulk and increase capabilities. A
project funded through NASA required Szmuk to demonstrate novel guidance algorithms and build his smallest UAV
to that point. These algorithms were geared towards improving the autonomy of unmanned climate science missions in
the Arctic.
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Cov
ToC
Ad Index
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joseph T. Pramberger
Editorial Director TBMG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Linda L. Bell
Editorial Director SAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kevin Jost
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bruce A. Bennett
Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jean L. Broge
Managing Editor, Tech Briefs TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kendra Smith
Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Billy Hurley
Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Gehm
Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Adam Santiago
Assistant Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kevin Coltrinari
Creative Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lois Erlacher
Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bernadette Torres
Global Field Sales Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marcie L. Hineman
Marketing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Debora Rothwell
Marketing Communications Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Monica Bond
Digital Marketing Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kaitlyn Sommer
Audience Development Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marilyn Samuelsen
Audience Development Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stacey Nelson
Subscription Changes/Cancellations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .nasa@omeda.com
TECH BRIEFS MEDIA GROUP, AN SAE INTERNATIONAL COMPANY
261 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016
(212) 490-3999 FAX (212) 986-7864
Chief Executive Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Domenic A. Mucchetti
Executive Vice-President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Luke Schnirring
Technology Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oliver Rockwell
Systems Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vlad Gladoun
Web Developer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Karina Carter
Digital Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peter Bonavita
Digital Media Assistants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keith McKellar, Peter Weiland, Anel Guerrero
Digital Media Audience Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jamil Barrett
Credit/Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felecia Lahey
Accounting/Human Resources Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sylvia Bonilla
Accounting Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Martha Saunders
Office Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alfredo Vasquez
Receptionist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elizabeth Brache-Torres
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
MA, NH, ME, VT, RI, Eastern Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ed Marecki
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tatiana Marshall
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(401) 351-0274
CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stan Greenfield
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(203) 938-2418
NJ, PA, DE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Murray
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (973) 409-4685
Southeast, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ray Tompkins
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(281) 313-1004
NY, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Beckman
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(973) 409-4687
MI, IN, WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Kennedy
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(847) 498-4520 ext. 3008
MN, ND, SD, IL, KY, MO, KS, IA, NE, Central Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bob Casey
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(847) 223-5225
Northwest, N. Calif., Western Canada
Craig Pitcher
(408) 778-0300
CO, UT, MT, WY, ID, NM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tim Powers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(973) 409-4762
S. Calif., AZ, NV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tom Boris
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (949) 715-7779S.
Europe Central & Eastern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sven Anacker
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49-202-27169-11
Europe Western . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Shaw
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44-1270-522130
Hong Kong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike Hay
852-2369-8788 ext. 11
China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marco Chang
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86-21-6289-5533 ext.101
Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Howard Lu
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .886-4-2329-7318
Integrated Media Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patrick Harvey
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (973) 409-4686
Angelo Danza
(973) 874-0271
Scott Williams
(973) 545-2464
Rick Rosenberg
(973) 545-2565
Todd Holtz
(973) 545-2566
Corporate Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Terri Stange
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (847) 304-8151
Reprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jill Kaletha
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(866) 879-9144, x168
For free product literature, enter advertisers reader service numbers at www.techbriefs.com/rs, or visit the Web site beneath their
ad in this issue.
Reader Service
Number
Company
Page
Abbott Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831 . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Aero Tec Laboratories Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .856 . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Aurora Bearing Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .846 . . . . . . . . . . . .38
C.R. Onsrud, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .829 . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Cobham Semiconductor Solutions .818, 852 . . . . .COV II, 42
Coilcraft CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .821 . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
COMSOL, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .853, 858 . . . .42, COV IV
Cornell Dubilier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .835 . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Crane Aerospace & Electronics . . . . . . . .820 . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Create The Future Design Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
CST of America, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .857 . . . . . . . .COV III
DARcorporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .838 . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Dawn VME Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .843 . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Designatronics Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .830 . . . . . . . . . . . .16
EMCO High Voltage Corporation . . . . . . .851 . . . . . . . . . . . .41
EPIX, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .854 . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Gage Bilt Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .834 . . . . . . . . . . . .22
HARTING, Inc. of North America . . . . . . .839 . . . . . . . . . . . .29
John Evans' Sons, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .842 . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Lemo USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .844 . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Lumenera Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .833 . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Lyons Tool & Die Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .837 . . . . . . . . . . . .25
M.S. Kennedy Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . .824 . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Master Bond Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .847, 855 . . . . . . . .38, 42
Maxon Precision Motors, Inc. . . . . . . . . . .836 . . . . . . . . . . . .24
MPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .850 . . . . . . . . . . . .41
New England Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .849 . . . . . . . . . . . .31
OFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .832 . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Photonis USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .841 . . . . . . . . . . . .33
PI (Physik Instrumente) LP . . . . . . . . . . . .840 . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Positronic Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .825 . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Proto Labs, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .827 . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
PTI Engineered Plastics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .819 . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Remcom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .828 . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Renishaw Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .845 . . . . . . . . . . . .37
RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc. . . . . . .823 . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
SAE International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859 . . . . . . . . . . .40
Specialty Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . .848 . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Stratasys Direct Manufacturing . . . . . . . .822 . . . . . . . . . .4, 5
W.L. Gore & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .826 . . . . . . . . . . . .10
44
Intro
Cov
ToC
Make the Connection

Find the simple way through complex
EM systems with CST STUDIO SUITE
Components dont exist in electromagnetic
isolation. They inuence their neighbors
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Choose CST STUDIO SUITE
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CST COMPUTER SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY | www.cst.com | info@cst.com

Intro
Cov
ToC
FROM MODEL
TO APP
How do you create the best design

and share your simulation expertise?
through powerful computational tools.
with simulation apps that can be easily shared.
comsol.com/release/5.1
PRODUCT SUITE
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Copyright 2015 COMSOL. COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics, Capture the Concept, COMSOL Desktop, COMSOL Server, and LiveLink are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are
not aliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by those trademark owners. For a list of such trademark owners, see www.comsol.com/trademarks.
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