Innovation: Potential energy source for in-flight “refueling” by collecting water from the air while flying, then using sunlight to convert the water to hydrogen and oxygen, then electricity
“…The artificial leaf shows particular promise as an inexpensive source of electricity…About the shape of a poker card but thinner, the device is fashioned from silicon, electronics and catalysts, substances that accelerate chemical reactions that otherwise would not occur, or would run slowly. Placed in a single gallon of water in a bright sunlight, the device could produce enough electricity to supply a house in a developing country with electricity for a day…by splitting water into its two components, hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen gases would be stored in a fuel cell, which uses those two materials to produce electricity…It is made of inexpensive materials that are widely available, works under simple conditions and is highly stable. In laboratory studies, he showed that an artificial leaf prototype could operate continuously for at least 45 hours without a drop in activity. The key to this breakthrough is Nocera's recent discovery of several powerful new, inexpensive catalysts, made of nickel and cobalt, that are capable of efficiently splitting water into its two components, hydrogen and oxygen, under simple conditions…Nocera's leaf is about 10 times more efficient at carrying out photosynthesis than a natural leaf…he is optimistic that he can boost the efficiency of the artificial leaf much higher in the future…”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110327191042.htm
Innovation: new fly-by-wire control system for rotary-wing aircraft improves safety in poor visibility situations, e.g. brownouts and whiteouts by letting pilot concentrate on most critical flight control parameters
“…NRC Aerospace…developed a unique and revolutionary technology for fly-by-wire aircraft, which will allow pilots to operate complex aircraft with a single pilot command interface acting as an independent controller of multiple input modes, simultaneously…NRC's novel technique blends rotorcraft control response types so that the frequency of the pilot's input determines the control response type applied. With this approach, a pilot making slow/deliberate inputs, for example, those typically used in poor visual conditions, commands the aircraft via Translational Rate Control (TRC). Whereas a pilot using rapid control inputs, of the type more common in well-cued environments, channels the control input to attitude and rate command control systems. This control structure allows for the stability of a TRC system to be coupled with the performance of a rate command system without requiring discrete mode switching by the pilot…This new technology works by simplifying the aircraft control system so that in critical moments pilots can focus on flying rather than trying to manage a difficult control system with multiple discrete modes. Rotorcraft require both the ability to maneuver aggressively and provide a stable platform. Pilots switch from quick aggressive inputs to slow deliberate inputs depending primarily on their ability to gain information through their visual external cueing. When there is a degraded visual environment such as "brownout" in sandy conditions, or ''whiteout'' in the case of snow, higher levels of stability augmentation are desirable. These higher levels reduce the pilot's workload by automatically balancing and counterbalancing the controls that stabilize the aircraft, but it also reduces the pilot's ability to aggressively maneuver the aircraft. When visual cues are good, pilots can select lower levels of stability augmentation so that they can be more aggressive and precise in their handling. NRC Aerospace's new control system architecture consolidates both of these augmentation systems…so that pilots no longer need to manually select to transition between these different response modes…Significantly delayed transitions can result in damaged aircraft. For aircraft that operate in bad weather conditions or in combat operations, this technology could prove extremely useful. The single response mode provides both the stability of high augmentation responses, and the maneuverability of minimal stability augmentation, where possible…”
http://www.verticalmag.com/control/news/templates/?z=0&a=16269
*****
