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Abstract

Wikipedia on Dr. Stanley Earl Woodard by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow

Best known for his innovation in creating the Sans EC (Sans means without, EC means electrical connections) sensor, this new technology can be pragmatically compared to the many uses made of Henrietta Lacks “immortal cells.” Thus, the importance of this invention by Dr. Stanley Earl Woodard Senior Scientist in the Structural Dynamic Branch at Langley NASA. Born in Indianapolis, March 27, 1960, and working over 25 years at NASA, this highly awarded mechanical engineer has over 22 patients and over 80 technical publications. March 18, 2011, marks his passing at home in Hampton, Virginia, leaving the world with his visionary insights which will enable future automation designs to improve our lives in ways we have not yet begun to realize. His inventions can be found in many industries including health care, nuclear, aerospace, textiles, automotive & space.

Early Life

Son of Charity Thomas and Charles Thomas, Dr. Woodard attended Broad Ripple concentrating on science and math. Of note is that famed anchorman David Letterman graduated from this high school. Because of Dr. Woodard’s invention of the SANS EC sensor which has such wide practical applications for measuring fuel levels in aviation, in the auto industry, in medicine, in assessing aircraft safety and landing, in icing detection, in security, and in proposed inflatable habitats for Mars, etc., his name should be added to the list of distinguished graduates under the Wikipedia for Broad Ripple High School. In interviews with his widow, Marie Booker Woodard, she noted his first love was the arts (Personal interview, July 6, 2023). Encouraged by his older brother Jeffrey; he became more focused on the sciences in school. He later achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. A close friend, Andralis Mitchell (Monie), his high school friend spoke highly of him. Footnote2

Education

Dr. Woodard earned the B.S. in engineering from Purdue University in 1983, the Masters in Engineering from Howard University in 1985 and the Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University in 1995.

Early Years at NASA

Various scientists at NASA spoke highly of his work. First, Dr. Lucas Horta, retired former supervisor of Dr. Woodard in a telephone interview explained how the SANs EC sensor worked in measuring aircraft fuel levels (Personal telephone interviews July 12 and July 28, 2023).3Footnote Moreover, retired colleague Kenneth L. Dudley, met Dr. Woodard early in Woodard’s career and became convinced of the “true remarkableness of his open-circuit resonant sensor… and became his technology disciple vowing to apply his skills in electromagnetics to help Dr. Woodard carry forward his Sans EC technology Framework” (Personal email November 2, 2023).4FootnoteJay Ely who presently works at Langley NASA remembers Dr. Woodard being intrigued—mesmerized by Dr. Woodard’s demonstration of Sans EC sensor showing how it could measure levels of hydraulic fluid in an hydraulic actuator used for landing gear (Personal phone interview October 19, 2023).5Footnote One of his devoted postdoctoral students Dr. Chuantong (Leon) Wang worked with Dr. Woodard from 2008-2011 and spoke by phone of November 7, 2023 of the brilliance of his invention and went on to co-write numerous papers and co-invent numerous aspects of using sensors which were published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Sensors.6Footnote Perhaps Dr. George Szatkowski offered the most comprehensive names of scientists who worked with Dr. Woodard such as Dr. Tom Jones, Dr. Keith Woodson, Dr. Neal Coffy, Bryant Douglass Taylor, Dr. Clayton Turner, along with reminding me to contact Drs. Dudley, Wang, and Bryant Douglass Taylor (Personal emails and telephone interviews). 7Footnote

Invention Years

In a personal interview with his widow, Marie Booker Woodard shared that the idea of a sensor without an electrical connection came as she said to “Stan in a dream.” (Personal interview July 6, 2023). 8Footnote Having worked with Dr. Woodard for many years on aircraft projects including landing gear, and helping him build circuits and refine them, Bryant Douglass Taylor, explained how Dr. Woodard came up with the name for his sensor, explaining how he helped with the electronics and design of it. (Personal telephone interview February 27, 2024)9.Footnote He explained how convenient this invention was since it did not need wires and a battery to make physical measurements. Dr. George N. Szatkowski kindly explained in phone conversations and e-mails that” Sans EC sensors are electromagnetic resonators. The mechanical analogy would be a mechanical bell. If you strike the bell with a hammer, it will produce a sound wave at the bell’s resonant frequency. If you immerse the bell in water the sound frequency will change. The Sans EC sensor will change its resonant frequency when the environment around the sensor changes (temperature, humidity, physical changes in the materials adjacent to the sensor, etc. “(He credits Dr. Ken Dudley with this analogy.) (Personal interview and telephone November 2, 2023).10Footnote

Dr. Woodard in a well-orchestrated NASA video demonstrated his SANs EC sensor. (NASA video 2006)11. Footnote Moreover, a video on this sensor and its impact was narrated by Dr. Kenneth Dudley (NASA video December 11, 2013).12Footnote Also, a video on the sensor was narrated by Dr. Szatkowski (NASA video October 15, 2015).13Footnote The general response to his invention was often referred to as a “brilliant invention by a brilliant mind.” Through over 80 publications, Dr. Woodard described the mechanism of his sensor and its ubiquitous applicability. This led to his acquiring 22 patents on different aspects of his sensor leading us to congratulate him on demonstrating the very essence of what outstanding engineers do: apply their knowledge to really help humankind—not in theory put actual application! From all his intense work with the SANs EC and such a positive response from science and research and development at NASA and in industry albeit I have never heard smiling, gregarious Dr. Woodard say this, I think his career accomplishments attest to it: “Alone we are a solitary violin, a lonely flute, a trumpet singing in the dark. Together we are a symphony” (Slocumb, The Violin Conspiracy 155)14Footnote

One must not forget that retired scientist Dr. Kenneth Dudley asserts he had been introduced to Dr. Woodard’s early displays of the application of his SANs EC as far back as the early 2000’s, espousing his belief that “he [Dr. Woodard] was a remarkable genius able to see things others could not” (Personal email November 2, 2023).15Footnote And if one reads the many technical reports on NASA Technical Reports Server, one will see reports on research with the SANs EC sensor presented at local, regional, national and international conferences first starting with Dr. Woodard’s pontificating its significance at a conference in 2011.16Footnote Later on conference presentations on the value of SANS EC sensor and continued research using it continue to be presented long after his passing as seen in Drs. Kenneth Dudley, George S. Szatkowski, Chauntong Wang, Laura Smith, Larry Ticatch, Jay Ely, et. al conference presentations done from March 27, 2011, on up 2021(NASA Technical Reports Server)17Footnote

Indications of Dr. Woodard’s Sans EC sensor’s impact are also seen in various other publications such as Dr. Kenneth Dudley’s interview in NASA Tech Briefs: Engineering Solutions for Design and Manufacturing, the Maritime Journal, ThoughtCo and other online sources as far as India. Dr. Woodard reminds us of the “robust, multifunctional” nature of his sensor. As mentioned before his sensor not only is valuable in assessing lightning damage, but also food conditions, evaluating healing stages in a wound without taking off the bandage, detecting flammable and combustion gas detection in the oil and gas industry, monitoring refrigeration leaks, and monitoring hazardous leak detection. Mary Bellis in an updated article July 17, 2017 mentions just how valuable this sensor is: imagine using it in measuring the hydraulic level of landing gear--cutting measuring time from five hours to one second.18Footnote

When one peruses the above, there is mention of the spiral shape of the sensor. Albeit the scientists mentioned so far have not noted the African symbolism of the spiral, it is there. Dr. Woodard’s spiral shape of his sensor harkens back to the spiritual repetition of life and its endless connectiveness—echoed in the seemingly endless applications of it! Of note in the early 1960’s is that Spiral was chosen to be the name of first group of black artists including Romare Bearden and Hale Woodruff, et. al to choose community issues as its focus.19(FOOTNOTE)

Patents on His Inventions

Electrical engineer Bryant Douglass Taylor who said Dr. Woodard called him (Douglass), commended Dr. Woodard on being “very good at writing patents” (Personal telephone interview February 27, 2024).20Footnote One sees his expertise in the following information supplied to me by a current worker at NASA.

Julie Byrd-Williams, a NASA manager, supplied many of 22 distinguished patents spawning from Dr. Woodard’s SANSEC invention which are listed below at https: /patents.justia.com/inventor932915stanley-e-woodard. However, they are listed in a more succinct 21

1. “Wireless Electrical Devise Using Open-Circuit Elements Having No Electrical Connections,” Woodard, and Taylor US. Patent No. 12/569984, Sept 30, 2009 (Afterwards abbreviated PN

2. “Magnetic Field Response Sensor for Conductive Media,” Woodard and Taylor PN 7759932, July 20, 2010.

3. “Wireless Chemical Sensor and Sensing Method for Use Therewith,” Woodard, Oglesby, Taylor PN 1222/463475, May 11, 2009

4. “Wireless Chemical Sensor and Sensing Method for Use Therewith,” Woodard, Oglesby, Taylor, Shams PN 12/463481, May 11, 2009.

5. “Wireless Damage Location Sensing System,” Woodard, Taylor PN 12/253422, Oct. 17, 2008.

6. “Wireless Sensing System of Non-Invasive Monitoring of Attributes of contents in A Container,” Woodard PN 12/015626, Jan. 17,2008.

7. “Method of Calibrating A Fluid-Level Measurement System,” Woodard, Taylor PN 7,711,509, May 4, 2010.

8. “Wireless Tamper Detection Sensor and Sensing System,” Woodard, Taylor PN 11/864012, Sept. 28, 2007.

9. “Wireless System and Method for Collecting Rotating System Data,” Woodard, Taylor PN 11/856807, Sept. 18, 2007.

10.” Wireless Sensing Using Open-Circuit Electrically Conductive Spiral-Trace Sensor,” Woodard, Taylor PN 11/671089, Feb. 5, 2007.

11. “Damage Detection /Location System Providing Thermal Protection, “Woodard, Jones, Taylor, Shams PN 7,683,797, March 23, 2010.

12.” Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition system,” Woodard, Taylor PN 7,159,774, Sept. 15,2009.

13. “System and Method for Wirelessly Determining Fluid Volume,” Woodard, Taylor PN 7,159,774, Jan. 9, 2007.

14. “Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition System, “Woodard, Taylor PN 7,159,774, Jan. 9, 2007.

15. “Wireless Fluid Level Measuring System,” Woodard, Taylor PN 7,255,004, Aug. 14, 2007.

16. “System and Method for Detecting Cracks and Their Location. Woodard, Shams PN 7,232,832, June 19, 2007.

17. “Flexible Framework for Capacitive Sensing, “Woodard, Taylor PN 7,047,807, May 23, 2006.

18. “Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition System” Woodard, Taylor, Shams, Fox, Bryant, R.G. PN 7,086, 593, Aug. 8, 2006.

19.” Magnetic Field Response Sensor for Conductive Media,” Woodard, Taylor PN 7,075,295, July 11, 2006.

20. “Tributary Analysis Monitoring System, “Woodard, Coffey, Taylor, Woodman PN 6,879,893, April 12, 2005.

21.” Piezoelectric Transducer for Vibrational Alert and Sound in a Personal Communication Device,” Woodard, Fox, Bryant, R.G., PN 7,019621, March 28, 2006. OF NOTE IS THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST PATENT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY US GOVERNMENT OF THE MILLENNIUM APPLICATION DATE-JAN. 2, 2001.

22.” Piezoelectric Vibrational and Acoustic Alert For A Personal Communication Device,” Woodard, Hellbaum, Daugherty, Scholtz, Little, Fox, Denhardt, Jang, Balein PN 6,259, 188, July 10, 2001.

Love of Art

In personal interviews and telephone interviews with his widow, Marie Booker Woodard, she asserted “Stan, also attended art camps when he was in school. I still have some of his portfolios from high school.” (Personal interview July 21, 2023)22Footnote She also mentioned his turning the sensor into jewelry. CEO Roger Smith of Sierra Turbines who uses the SansEC sensor in his Silicon Valley industry mentioned that he knew of one employee who had earrings patterned after the sensor. (Personal telephone interview February 8, 2024)23Footnote Furthermore, he also showed his acumen with pottery and glassware—even making the brick pathway from recycled bricks that led to his home in Hampton, Virginia. Being the mechanical engineering genius that he was, he still had time for hobbies: backpacking, biking, kayaking, sculpturing, parasailing, regaling, mountain climbing, sailing, and photography.

Major Publications

Having come to NASA in 1987, Dr. Woodard has over 80 publications on such diverse subjects as spacecraft in-flight dynamics, nuclear physics, piezo-acoustic systems, measurement systems, and spacecraft design methods. Amid this productivity, he has served as Associate Editor of the Journal of Sensors.

Awards

This prolific aerospace scientist-- selected to be in the US. Astronaut Corp in 1995-- has won two awards tantamount to the Oscars in science: two R&D Awards. One was won in 2006 for the Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition System; the other was won in 2008 for his SANSEC Sensing Geometric Patterns. Before then, in 1996 he was U.S. Black Engineer of the Year. In 2008 he was awarded a NASA Exceptional Service Award. Of note is that in 2005 he led the team that won the Richard T. Whitcomb Aerospace Technology Transfer Award. Of note is that Bryant Douglass Taylor, a 44-year veteran of Langley NASA, accompanied Dr. Woodard to Canada, Orlando and Chicago being there with him as he received some of the aforementioned awards. (Personal telephone interview February 27, 2024).24Footnote

Legacy

Dr. Woodard’s sensor has everlasting potential which carries an endless potential legacy as seen in many applications some of which is its ability to detect debris damage in aircraft and in space habitats, etc. We must remember the creative adage his wife and he attached to its power: “it can take a licking and keep on ticking!” Moreover, a cogent attesting to its legacy of practicality is seen in how it is used in private industry such as Sierra Turbines located in Silicon Valley and started in 2015 (Personal email from Roger Smith February 21, 2024).25Footnote Headed by CEO Roger Smith, this company provides a link to a very useful webinar outlining and creatively dramatizing the development of this company giving special attention to the use of Dr. Woodard’s sensor. CEO Smith mentioned how using this sensor eliminated countless wires and also could be tailored to many possibilities.26 Footnote Embedded in the webinar is a video of Dr. Woodard explaining and demonstrating his invention. To call him one of the knights—the wizards that played a role “at the Round Table’ in sustaining this company as it was able to connect with other companies funded by the Department of Defense in furthering hybrid electronics and engine technology. (March 26, 2024, private phone interview).27Footnote

Surprisingly Dr. George Szatkowski[SGN(D1] in a private phone conversation said he believed Dr. Woodard had a drawer of shame where he shelved his sensor designs that did not prove successful.28Footnote But like astronaut Mike Massimino who wrote about dealing with failure as a scientist, Dr. Woodard must have used the 30 second rule too. Lament it for 30 seconds and get on with your work. By going against the basic tenets of electrical systems, he developed an electromagnetic measurement that heralded a new era like the development of the jet engine. He has indeed carried on the legacy of the black gaming inventor Otis Boykin who had 26 patents! His development of a sensor without an electric connection to measure anything from electrical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical indeed has done what his fellow colleague Dr. Chauntang Wang fulfilled one his biggest dreams in life: to engineer and create something that truly impacted humankind. Indeed, his was a brilliant invention by a brilliant creative man29Footnote

Recently on June 29, 2024, his name was mentioned to a Houston NASA scientist in Luanda, Angola. Immediately after being told about Dr. Woodard’s 22 inventions and that NASA was about to use his sensor in developing inflatable habitats for renovating the International Space Station, the scientist immediately googled Dr. Woodard and stood gob smacked by the impact of his Sans EC sensor! 30Footnote

From monitoring ice and snow on Jupiter to applying sensing skins for planetary exploration vehicles, his invention has an everlasting impact on the health of humankind and the health of space exploration.

Of final note is that recently September 25, 2024, through an email from CEO Roger Smith of Sierra Turbines shared his new Space Act agreement with NASA to explore how Dr. Woodard’s SansEC sensor could be used to assess the health of inflatable habitats. 31Footnote As aforementioned his company has been using Dr. Woodard’s sensor to measure health of the turbine engines.

References

Woodard, Marie (July 6, 2023). Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.
Mitchell, Andralis (September 16, 2023). Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.
Horta, Lucas Dr. (July 12, July 28, 2023). Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith.

4. Dudley,Dr. Kenneth. “Info on Dr. Stanley Woodard to Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow”. November 14, 2023

5. Ely, Jay(October 19, 2023). Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

6.Wang, Dr. Chuantong(November 27, 2023) Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow

7. Szatkowski, Dr. George (LARC-D320) “People to Consult About Dr. Woodard to Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith.” November 1, 2023

8.Woodard, Marie. (July 29, 2023. Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

9.Taylor, Bryant Douglass (April 18, 2024). Personal Interview by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

10. Szatkowski,Dr. George (November2, 2023) Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

11. Woodard,Dr. Stanley. https://ioscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-0233/21/7/05201; https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37295916600;https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/ocument/4178739.

12.Dudley, Dr. Kenneth, Wang, Chuantong; Szatkowski, George. “Open Circuit Rsonant (SansEC) Sensor for Composite Damage Detection and Diagnosis in Aircraft Lightning Environments.” Conference Paper, June. 2012 ResearchGate.

13. Szatkowski, Dr. George,et. al. “Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensor Technology for Lightning Mitigation and Damage Detection and Diagnosis for composite Aircraft Applications.” NASA Technical Reports Server, November 1, 2014.

14. Slocumb, Brendan. The Violin Conspiracy. (New York: Anchor Books 2022.

15. Dudley,Dr. Kenneth (November 2, 2023). “Dr. Woodard to Dr. Bristow.”

16.Woodard, Dr. Stanley. “SanEC Sensing Technology—A New Tool for Designing Space Systems and Components,” March 5, 2011, NASA Technical Reports Server. Report Number IEEE Paper 1434.

17. Dudley,Drs. Kenneth; Szatkowski, George; Wang, Chauntong; Ely, Jay; et. al, Conference Presentations from March 27, 2011, on up to 2021 NASA Technical Reports Server.

18. Bellis, Mary. https://www.thoughtco.com/african-american July 17, 2017.

19. Taylor, Bryant Douglass (February 27, 2024) Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

20./patents.justia.com/inventor932915stanley-e-woodard

21.Woodard, Marie (July 21, 2023). Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

22. Smith, Roger (February 8, 2024) Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

23.Taylor, Bryant Douglass (February 27, 2024) Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

24. Smith, Roger (February 21, 2024, https://www.sierraturbins.com Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

25.Smith, Roger (February 9, 2024) https:///www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax)qFXT-E.

26. Szatkowski, Dr. George (LARC-D320) (February 10, 2024) Interviewed by Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow.

27.Wang, Chauntang. “Patent Clarification “to Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristow. December 3, 2023

28. “Woodard’s SanEC Sensor Used with Inflatable Habitats.” https://youtu.be?ZnQDPBIUzQ.

29. Smith, Roger. “SpaceAct Agreement.” https://www.nasa.gov/partnerships/how-to-partner/

https://www.com/watch?v+WDhrM6dsGJA.

[SGN(D1]Ken Dudley told me this. When visiting his lab Ken said Stand showed him is closet of failed designs. He lovingly referred to it as his draw of shame indicating the exhaustive effort he pursued in finally achieving success.