Search

Most magnetic therapy research and resulting devices have centered around pulsed unidirectional bioelectric systems. The technology available here for licensing utilizes a square-wave time-varying electrical current, which generates an electromagnetic field, via a wound coil incorporated into a sleeve and encircles the affected appendage. An external and commercially available time-varying compact electrical generator connects to the wound coil within the sleeve and is powered by a 9-volt battery. Prior industry attempts to use electromagnetic therapy on mammalian tissue have historically applied higher than necessary levels of electromagnetism, typically at 50 gauss or more. Researchers found that by inducing a Fourier-curve, time-varying electromagnetic wave at levels within 0.05 0.5 gauss for a pre-determined time-period, was optimum to achieve successful mammalian tissue regeneration. It is theorized that magnetic fields can alter the flow of positively charged calcium ions that interact with the muscles around small blood vessels causing them to relax. This effect in turn, causes constricted blood vessels to dilate, and dilated blood vessels to constrict. Depending upon the type of injury, enhanced tissue repair may occur through the suppression of inflammation, or the increase in blood flow.

This NASA invention utilizes a simple waveguide-based measurement system to determine the complex dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability of arbitrary-shaped planetary rock samples. The system operates at L-band frequencies (~1 GHz) and can be extended to P- and S-bands for broader applications. The approach involves placing an arbitrarily-shaped sample inside an open-ended waveguide excited by a coaxial probe, measuring the scattering parameters, and extracting dielectric and magnetic properties through computational modeling and optimization techniques. A key aspect of this system is its ability to handle non-uniform and irregularly shaped rock samples, enabling the measurement of real-world planetary materials without requiring extensive sample preparation. The methodology includes calibration in an anechoic chamber, computational modeling, and iterative refinement of measured vs. simulated scattering parameters to extract the material properties. Future advancements will involve expanding measurements to different frequency bands, refining computational models using artificial intelligence, and automatically rotating samples within the waveguide to obtain multiple directional measurements (enhancing precision while reducing test time). This NASA innovation has been successfully applied to two Martian meteorite samples, yielding values of dielectric permittivity and permeability relevant for Mars radar applications. The system will further be leveraged to build an expansive database of the dielectric properties of planetary soils and rocks to improve radar-based mapping (e.g., subsurface mapping) missions. The invention could also be applied for the non-destructive screening of a variety of samples using radio waves, including biological samples for medical purposes, additive manufacturing feedstock or finished parts, and mining-related rock samples to test for impurities or resources of interest. This NASA invention is at technology readiness level (TRL) 5 (component and/or breadboard validation in relevant environment) and is available for patent licensing.

<i>Technologies for Safe Workspace Control of Humanoid Robots:</i> Safety is critical in scenarios where humans (e.g., factory workers or astronauts) are working in proximity to, or interacting with, R2. Methods for applying workspace limitations in velocity-controlled robotic mechanisms (U.S. Patent No. 8,676,382) and force or impedance-controlled robots (U.S. Patent No. 8,483,877) help to ensure such safety. <i>Autonomous Control Systems for Humanoid Robotics:</i> A multiple priority operation space impedance control system (U.S. Patent No. 8,170,718) provides arm control, including programmable Cartesian stiffness. An interactive robot control architecture (U.S. Patent Nos. 8,364,314, and 8,260,460, and 8,706,299), including a simple GUI, provides an interactive development and work environment that integrates sensor data and feedback generated by R2. An additional system selects and controls appropriate manipulators to perform grasping operations (U.S. Patent No. 8,483,882). <i>Humanoid Robotic Health Management System:</i> A diagnostics, prognostics, and health management system for human robotics (U.S. Patent No. 8,369,992) operates at all hardware and software levels of the robotic system, enabling system-wide observability, controllability, maintainability, scalability, and extensibility. <i>Electromagnetic Motor Braking:</i> Electromagnetic fail-safe brakes (U.S. Patent No. 8,067,909) allow for selective, reliable braking of robotic motors (e.g., brushless DC motors) to ensure safe and effective operation. <i>Highly Durable Connector Pin:</i> To address the high failure rate of connectors in robotic systems with flexible members, a highly durable connector pin (U.S. Patent No. 8,033,876) was developed. The pin increases durability of connectors that are frequently flexed – a condition that causes deformation and compromises connectivity.