The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

James J Troy

Gary E Georgeson

Scott Wesley Lea

Daniel James Wright

Karl Edward Nelson

Gregory James Sweers

Christopher Esposito

Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter

William Paul Motzer

Barry Allen Fetzer

Vladimir Karakusevic

James C Kennedy

Charles Michael Richards

Charles A Erignac

Paul Murray

Nathan Rylan Smith

Steven Craig Venema

Nikoli Prazak

Kevin Puterbaugh

Walter J Jarecki

Steven Ray Walton

Paul Stanley Rutherford

Michael C Hutchinson

Branko Sarh

Jeong-Beom Ihn

William Joseph Tapia

Jeffrey M Hansen

Alireza Shapoury

Jeffry J Garvey

Michael Patrick Sciarra

William Eric Ward

Marc Rollo Matsen

John Lyle Vian

Jeffrey Reyner Kollgaard

Stephen G Moore

Emad William Saad

Hien T Bui

Dragos Dorin Margineantu

Michael J Duncan

Ali Reza Mansouri

Karl Einar Nelson

Stefan Richard Bieniawski

Martin L Freet

Gregory John Clark

Donald Duane Palmer, Jr

Jerry A James

David J Finton

John Robert Linn

Samuel R Goertz

William McGarry

Daniel J Wright

Steven Malarkey

Katherine I Meza

John Carney Gass

Michael L Callaghan

Armando Xavier Membrila

Peter J Hellenbrand

Phillip R Riste

Daniel M Simunovic

Jeremiah Kent Scott

James Philip Parsons

Robert Brandt

Jonathan Patrick How

Mark L Little

Bruce Lydell Nelson

Khaled Abdel-Motagaly

Ronald Carl Provine

Matthew W Smith

Ronald E VonWahlde

Richard C Krotzer

Paul E R Pigg

Brett M Bethke

Kurt Forsyth Webster

Burke R Magee, Ii

John C Gass

Gary Georgeson

Richard H Wojcik

Shankar N Swamy

William J Brown

Todd J Sleeman

Jeffery A Bus

Aaron A Dost

David Michael Roni

Susan H Young

Bruce L Nelson

William E Ward

Nathanael T Georgeson

Charles T Coccia

Daniel M De Oliveira

Hannah G Gillespie

James E Wilder

James E Fadenrecht

Andrei V Arevalo

Robert S Van Den Berg

Katherine L Varela

Nicholas Gholdoian

Stafford Cary

Nathan P Renaud

Paul E Pigg

Mario J Valenti

End effectors and systems may capture, release, and/or create a mating engagement between the end effector and a target object, such as in capture and launch applications, grasping applications, or pick-and-place applications. The end effectors are tolerant of positional and rotational misalignment of the target object, and may include a plurality of roller wheels, one or more of which is arranged in a non-parallel plane with respect to one or more other roller wheels. Control devices enable operation of these and other end effectors in a portable, self-contained system that a single operator can use in a hand-held or wearable form factor. The control devices may include a drive system for power transfer, manual and automatic leveling or angular positioning mechanisms, and/or operator-mounting features. Related methods may involve capture and release, pick-and-place, and/or grasping operations performed with the disclosed control device and one or more end effectors coupled thereto.

Control devices for end effectors with multi-axis roller wheels, systems including the same, and related methods

The system includes a drive vehicle configured to attach to the platform at a pivot point and to move the platform relative to the target object. One or more distance sensors are positioned to sense the target object, and one or more rotation angle sensors acquire an angular position of the drive vehicle relative to the platform. A processing circuit is configured to calculate one or more distances between the platform and the target object based on inputs from the one or more distance sensors. The processing circuit receives a command to move the drive vehicle in one or more forward, reverse, or rotational directions. The processing circuit allows motion in one or more directions in which the platform will not contact the target object and prevents motion in one or more directions that would cause the platform to contact the target object.

Motion lockout for platform mover system

Systems and methods for tracking the location of a non-destructive inspection (NDI) scanner using scan data converted into images of a target object. Scan images are formed by aggregating successive scan strips acquired using one or two one-dimensional sensor arrays. An image processor computes a change in location of the NDI scanner relative to a previous location based on the respective positions of common features in partially overlapping scan images. The performance of the NDI scanner tracking system is enhanced by: (1) using depth and intensity filtering of the scan image data to differentiate features for improved landmark identification during real-time motion control; and (2) applying a loop-closure technique using scan image data to correct for drift in computed location. The enhancements are used to improve localization, which enables better motion control and coordinate accuracy for NDI scan data.

Enhanced vehicle navigation using non-destructive inspection one-dimensional sensor arrays

Methods and apparatus for UAV-enabled marking of surfaces during manufacture, inspection, or repair of limited-access structures and objects. A UAV is equipped with a marking module that is configured to apply marking patterns (e.g., alignment features) of known dimensions to surfaces. The marking module may include a 2-D plotter that enables free-form drawing capability. The marking process may involve depositing material on the surface. The marking material may be either permanent or removable. A 'clean-up' module may be attached to the UAV platform instead of the marking module, and may include solvents and oscillating or vibrating pads to remove the marks via scrubbing. The clean-up module can also be used for initial surface preparation.

Methods for marking surfaces using unmanned aerial vehicles

An apparatus may include: a support base; and two or more roller wheels, each adjustable in orientation, position, or orientation and position, mounted on the support base and configured to engage with an object in a passive locking configuration. The apparatus may be further configured to disengage from the object in the passive locking configuration. The apparatus may be further configured to lock the object to the apparatus in an active locking configuration. Orientations, positions, or the orientations and positions of the at least two of the two or more roller wheels may be adjustable.

Apparatuses configured to allow real-time adjustments of locking dimensions

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for inspecting an aircraft. A computer system receives captured data associated with a flight path flown by an unmanned aircraft system to acquire the captured data for the aircraft. The computer system compares the captured data with reference data for the aircraft to form a comparison. The computer system determines whether the captured data is within a set of tolerances for valid captured data using a result of the comparison. Prior to detecting anomalies for the aircraft using the captured data, the computer system determines a set of corrective actions in response to the captured data being outside of the set of tolerances for the valid captured data in which the set of corrective actions is performed.

Automated method and system for aircraft inspection with data validation

A method includes obtaining, at an unmanned aerial vehicle, a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle. The flight plan is based on an aircraft type of an aircraft to be inspected. The method also includes coordinating, with a control device onboard the aircraft, an operation of a particular device of the aircraft based on the flight plan such that a state of the particular device changes when a particular sensor of the one or more sensors is located (i.e., positioned and oriented) to perform a sensing operation on the particular exterior light. The method further includes performing the sensing operation on the particular device using the particular sensor. The method also includes determining a functionality metric associated with the particular device based on the sensing operation.

Lighting system inspection using an unmanned aerial vehicle

A system and method for detecting an anomaly of an optically transparent or translucent object are disclosed. The system and method include a light source configured to emit light, a light transmission element having a textured surface, and an optical couplant configured to be disposed between the light transmission element and the object. At least a portion of the light emitted by the light source is configured to pass into the light transmission element through the textured surface and pass into the object through the optical couplant. At least a portion of the light that passes into the object internally reflects within the object and impinges on the anomaly to provide an illumination that indicates the location of the anomaly.

Systems and methods for detecting anomalies in objects

Methods and devices that determine a position on the ground of a laser that emits a laser beam that strikes an aircraft. The process includes determining a strike position from a camera that is located on the aircraft. A relative direction vector of the laser beam is computed with respect to the camera. The relative direction vector is converted into a global coordinate direction vector. The position on the ground of the laser is determined based on a point where the global coordinate direction vector intersects with the ground representation.

Laser strike origin determination for an aircraft

An apparatus for retaining a fastener is described. The apparatus includes a base, including a first aperture including a central axis; and a sidewall extending outward from the base and surrounding the central axis, where the sidewall is configured to hold on to a socket; an arm extending outward from the base, including a biasing mechanism connecting a first end of the arm to the base, where the biasing mechanism configured to relieve stress between the base and the arm when the arm is actuated; and a lip disposed at a second end of the arm, where the second end is at an opposite end of the arm than the first end, and where the lip is configured to retain the fastener or a wrenching element of the fastener; and a finger flange configured to actuate the arm, where the finger flange is attached to the arm.

Fastener collar retainer

A method for wirelessly coupling respective transducers of an automated motion platform and a sub-surface sensor node through a skin of a limited-access structure for the purpose of wireless power and data transfer. Coordinates of an as-designed position of the transducer of the sensor node in a local coordinate system of the limited-access structure are retrieved from a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium. Then coordinates of a target position on an external surface of the skin of the limited-access structure are estimated. The target position is calculated to be aligned with the as-designed position of the transducer of the sensor node. The motion platform is moved under computer control so that the transducer onboard the motion platform moves toward the target position. Movement ceases when the transducer onboard the motion platform is at the target position. Then wave energy is transferred between the aligned transducers.

Methods for through-structure power and data transfer between mobile robots and sensor nodes

An equirectangular image of a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment is generated in a computer-automated fashion. In one example, a 3D virtual position of a virtual camera in a 3D virtual environment is specified. For each of a plurality of different yaw angles rotated about an axis extending through the 3D virtual position, the virtual camera is used to acquire an image strip of pixels parallel to the axis of rotation. Image strips of pixels of the 3D environment acquired at the different yaw angles are assembled to form an equirectangular image of the 3D virtual environment from the specified 3D virtual position.

Generating equirectangular imagery of a 3D virtual environment

A computer-automated separation rules compliance method is disclosed. Separation rules that establish separation distance requirements between objects in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment are defined. Sample locations associated with at least some of the objects in the 3D virtual environment are specified. One or more of proximity and/or collision analysis is performed on the sample locations to determine separation distances between the objects. The determined separation distances are compared to the separation distance requirements. Objects in the 3D virtual environment that violate the separation rules based on said comparing are identified.

Computer-automated separation rules compliance analysis

A method includes obtaining, at an unmanned aerial vehicle, a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle. The flight plan is based on an aircraft type of an aircraft to be inspected. The method also includes coordinating, with a lighting control device onboard the aircraft, activation of a particular exterior light of the aircraft based on the flight plan such that the particular exterior light activates or deactivates when a particular sensor of the one or more sensors is located (i.e., positioned and oriented) to perform a sensing operation on the particular exterior light. The method further includes performing the sensing operation on the particular exterior light using the particular sensor. The method also includes determining a functionality metric associated with the particular exterior light based on the sensing operation.

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Issaquah, WA, United States of America

James J Troy