University of Vermont and State Agricultural College

Dryver R Huston

Brian Esser

James O Plumpton

Tian Xia

Wolfgang Sauter

Dylan Burns

Peter A Sonntag

Patrick Chang Dong Lee

Bernard R Tolmie

Ting Tan

Dan Orfeo

Self-stressing engineered composites that include a matrix containing self-stressing reinforcement that is activated by an activator that causes, in situ, the self-stressing reinforcement to transfer at least some of its pre-stress into portions of the matrix adjacent the self-stressing reinforcement. In some embodiments, the activator can be of a self-activating, an internal activating, and/or an external activating type. In some embodiments, the self-stressing reinforcement includes an active component that holds and transfers pre-stress to a matrix and a releasing component that causes the active component to transfer its pre-stress to the matrix. In some embodiments, the self-stressing reinforcement is initially unstressed and becomes stressed upon activation. Various engineered composites, self-stressing reinforcement, and applications of self-stressing engineered composites are disclosed.

Self-stressing engineered composite materials, methods of self-stressing engineered composite materials, and self-stressing reinforcement for same

An improved Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system is provided. The system advantageously employs full waveform digitization of a returning signal to significantly reduce the number of launch signals and allowing the amount of radiation emitted to stay within the limit set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), while producing a robust information detection signal. In addition, intermittent large latent-duty-cycle sampling employs a less expensive digitizer typically used in prior art GPRs. The system is scalable at low-cost to accommodate multi-antenna multi-static testing for subsurface tomographic imaging.

Wideband ground penetrating radar system and method

A vibrating magnetic antenna for generating reversable magnetic dipoles is provided. Soft magnetic materials are used to project the magnetic field as the magnet moves linearly between soft magnetic stators arranged in a 'Y' configuration. The soft magnetic stators include a nickel-iron alloy, having high magnetic permeability. Also provided is a magnetic coupling circuit for upshifting the frequency of the magnetic field.

Vibrating magnet antenna

A magnetic on-off robotic attachment device (MOORAD) () is used to make a number of systems, such as a mobile apparatus ('), a belt mechanism () and a sensor device (). The MOORAD allows the respective system to be removably magnetically attached to a ferromagnetic structure/object (A-B,A&#x2032;-B&#x2032;,). Each MOORAD generally includes a dipole magnet (A-B,) movable relative to first and second ferromagnetic portions (A-D,) that are separated by corresponding magnetically insulating portions (A-C,) so as to change that MOORAD between off and on states.

Systems comprising a mechanically actuated magnetic on-off attachment device

A thermoelectric device () that includes at least one thermoelectric couple () that contains a thermoelectric junction () between two dissimilar materials (P, N) that allow exploitation of either the Seebeck effect or Peltier effect of the junction. The thermoelectric couple includes two thermoelements () that extend between the hot side () and cold side () of the device. Each thermoelement has a thermally insulating region () that insulates the hot side from the cold side and an electrical energy storage device () that stores electrical energy. When operating in a Seebeck mode, each storage device may be periodically discharged by harvesting circuitry () so as to harvest the energy stored therein. When operating in a Peltier mode, each storage device may be periodically charged by charging circuitry () so as to induce a temperature change at the thermoelectric junction.

Thermoelectric device having an energy storage device located between its hot and cold sides

Self-healing cable apparatus and methods disclosed. The self-healing cable has a central core surrounded by an adaptive cover that can extend over the entire length of the self-healing cable or just one or more portions of the self-healing cable. The adaptive cover includes an axially and/or radially compressible-expandable (C/E) foam layer that maintains its properties over a wide range of environmental conditions. A tape layer surrounds the C/E layer and is applied so that it surrounds and axially and/or radially compresses the C/E layer. When the self-healing cable is subjected to a damaging force that causes a breach in the outer jacket and the tape layer, the corresponding localized axially and/or radially compressed portion of the C/E foam layer expands into the breach to form a corresponding localized self-healed region. The self-healing cable is manufacturable with present-day commercial self-healing cable manufacturing tools.

Self-healing cable for extreme environments

A system () for damping vibrations of a vibratory structure (). The damping system includes an active damper (), a vibration sensor (A'-C&#x2032;), and a controller () for controlling the active damper in a manner that damps vibration of the vibratory structure. In some embodiments, the active damper comprises an active mass (A&#x2032;-C&#x2032;,A&#x2033;-C&#x2033;) and an actuator () for controlling the movement of the active mass. In other embodiments, the active damper comprises a flexural damper ().

Active vibration damping system

Self-healing cable apparatus and methods are disclosed. The cable has a central core surrounded by an adaptive cover that can extend over the entire length of the cable or just one or more portions of the cable. The adaptive cover includes a protective layer having an initial damage resistance, and a reactive layer. When the cable is subjected to a localized damaging force, the reactive layer responds by creating a corresponding localized self-healed region. The self-healed region provides the cable with enhanced damage resistance as compared to the cable's initial damage resistance. Embodiments of the invention utilize conventional epoxies or foaming materials in the reactive layer that are released to form the self-healed region when the damaging force reaches the reactive layer.

Self-healing cable apparatus and methods

A bulge testing system () for testing the material properties of a thin film window () using a Michelson interferometer () that generates an interference pattern () having fringes () and nodes () that move as the thin film window is inflated or deflated. The bulge testing system includes a fringe counting module (), an analysis module () and an output module (). The fringe counting module allows a user to interactively select from an image of the interference pattern one or more sampling regions () in which the user interface will count fringes. The analysis module allows a user to interactively change the location of maxima/minima indicators () in the event that noise in the image causes the analysis module to incorrectly determine the locations of the fringes and nodes. The output module automatically calculates material properties and provides test results to an output file and/or a results window ().

System and method for automated fringe counting using image information

A bulge tester ( ) for determining residual stresses, and mechanical, thermal and other properties of a thin film ( ) of material. The bulge tester includes a chuck ( ) that supports the substrate ( ) on which the film is deposited by stiction rather than through the use of mounting waxes, adhesives and mechanical clamping. The stiction inducing media ( ) may be viscous grease, a flexible sheet of material such as a rubber, an elastomer, both or other materials. Bulge testing performed using the stiction-based chuck involves inducing stiction between the base ( ) of the chuck and substrate of at least at least 1 kPascal (0.69 lb/in ), as determined using a corner peel test. The pressurized fluid is delivered to the film to be tested, and materials properties of the film are determined as a function of pressure of the fluid and deflection of the film.

Growing community of inventors

S. Burlington, VT, United States of America

Dryver R Huston