Abstract: An optical magnification system comprises two Pancharatnam lenses, and provides a first magnification for left-hand circularly polarized light and a second magnification different from the first magnification for right-hand circularly polarized light. An optical magnification system comprises two lenses, each having different focal lengths for left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized light, respectively, and configured to provide a first magnification for left-handed circularly polarized light and a second magnification different from the first magnification for right-handed circularly polarized light.

Abstract: A bistable liquid crystal spatial light modulating (SLM) device (SLM) device utilizes the homeotropic and bubble domain texture change of a cholesteric liquid crystal that is responsive to external stimuli, such as electric voltage, light and pressure. The SLM device is configured to be switched between the two stable textures of the bubble domain texture or the fingerprint texture. In addition, the SLM device may be switched between transparent and light-scattering states by the application of an electric field, light irradiation or physical/mechanical pressure. The light transmission state and the light-scattering states of the present invention are also stable in time at zero voltage, and are reversible upon the application of an external field at a different voltage, frequency or wavelength of light.

Abstract: A bistable liquid crystal spatial light modulating (SLM) device (SLM) device utilizes the homeotropic and bubble domain texture change of a cholesteric liquid crystal that is responsive to external stimuli, such as electric voltage, light and pressure. The SLM device is configured to be switched between the two stable textures of the bubble domain texture or the fingerprint texture. In addition, the SLM device may be switched between transparent and light-scattering states by the application of an electric field, light irradiation or physical/mechanical pressure. The light transmission state and the light-scattering states of the present invention are also stable in time at zero voltage, and are reversible upon the application of an external field at a different voltage, frequency or wavelength of light.

Abstract: An encapsulated polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (EPSCT) light shutter is formed from a cholesteric liquid crystal and monomer that is encapsulated into micron sized, polymer-coated droplets by either an emulsification or phase separation process. The polymer-coated droplets are disposed between transparent electrodes, where they are irradiated by ultra-violet (UV) light to polymerize the monomer.

Abstract: A method for computing patient-specific hemodynamics. The method includes receiving three dimensional imaging data of a patent, extracting anatomical data from the three dimensional imaging data, calculating velocity and pressure fields corresponding to the extracted anatomical data, and calculating displacement and velocity of extracted solid particles corresponding to the anatomical data. The anatomical data comprises an anatomical boundary.

Abstract: Controlled biodegradable smart responsive scaffold (SRS) materials enhance attachment and viability of cells, i.e. actively guiding their expansion, proliferation and in some cases differentiation, while increasing their biomechanical functionality is an important key issue for tissue regeneration. Chemically build-in functionality in these biodegradable SRS materials is achieved by varying structural functionalization with biocompatible liquid crystal motifs and general polymer composition allowing for regulation and alteration of tensile strength, surface ordering, bioadhesion and biodegradability, bulk liquid crystal phase behavior, porosity, and cell response to external stimuli. Liquid crystal modification of such polymeric scaffolds is an ideal tool to induce macroscopic ordering events through external stimuli.

Abstract: A system for use in rehabilitation of a target patient is provided. The system includes at least two bicycle devices for use by the target patient and a second operator other than the target patient. The at least two bicycle devices each include pedals. At least one of the pedals may have at least one sensor mounted thereon for monitoring operation of the first bicycle device and the target's condition. A servomotor is coupled to the pedals for providing gear-like resistance or pedal assistance for the at least two bicycle devices. A controller is programmed to electrically couple the at least two bicycle devices to each other.

Abstract: A liquid crystal cell includes substrates defining a gap and electrodes having one of (i) an in-plane geometry generating an electric field parallel with the substrates and (ii) a top-down geometry generating an electric field across the gap between the two spaced apart substrates. A liquid crystal material disposed in the gap between the substrates comprises a chiral nematic material formed by a mixture of: 1-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4?-yl)-6-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4?-yloxy)hexane (CB6OCB) or ?,?-bis(4,4-cyanobiphenyl)nonane (CB9CB) dimeric liquid crystal material; at least one additional dimeric liquid crystal material; and a chiral dopant.

Abstract: A diffraction grating comprises a liquid crystal (LC) cell configured to apply an electric field through a cholesteric LC material that induces the cholesteric LC material into a heliconical state with an oblique helicoid director. The applied electric field produces diffracted light from the cholesteric LC material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet. The axis of the heliconical state is in the plane of the liquid crystal cell or perpendicular to the plane, depending on the application. A color tuning device operates with a similar heliconical state liquid crystal material but with the heliconical director axis oriented perpendicular to the plane of the cell. A power generator varies the strength of the applied electric field to adjust the wavelength of light reflected from the cholesteric liquid crystal material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detection of an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface include the production of circular polarized light. A system 100 for detecting an amphiphile at a liquid crystal interface comprises a source of white collimated light. A circular polarizer is included for circularly polarizing incoming white light. Polarized white light passes through to an LC grid including a suspended LC film and a solution in contact with the LC grid at a surface. A spectrophotometer optically detects the presence of an amphiphile at the surface by determining a change in birefringence exhibited by the suspended LC film. A method for detecting amphiphiles at a liquid crystal water interface comprises shining collimated white light on an LC cell including an LC film, polarizing the white light with a circular polarizer, adding an amphiphile to a solution in contact with the LC film, and optically detecting the presence of the amphiphile by measuring a change in birefringence exhibited by the LC film.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, apparatus, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a process, method, and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, generating a gradient in an index of refraction of a material.

Abstract: Electro-optical devices utilizing alternative transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers, such as aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) and gallium zinc oxide (GZO), and indium composites, are able to replace traditional indium-tin-oxide (ITO) TCOs. As a result, the electro-optical devices of the embodiments of the present invention are able to achieve high operating performance, including: high light transmittance, fast response times and low applied voltages, which are comparable to those of electro-optical devices using (ITO) coated substrates, while also being low-cost.

Abstract: A frequency controlled electro-optical device includes a substrate having transparent conductive control sections patterned thereon to selectively control the optical state of an electro-optical layer. Each of the control sections are partially electrically isolated from each other by crack lines, which allows for electrical communication between adjacent/proximate control sections to occur. As such, an electrical control signal applied directly to one control section forms an electric field in that control section, and also induces an electrical field in adjacent control sections that are not in direct receipt of the control signal. Therefore, the number of electrical connections required for coupling to a driving circuit to operate the device is minimized, thereby allowing the device to be fabricated with reduced complexity and cost.

Abstract: A method of patterning a combined layer of an electrically-conductive film, such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO), that is disposed on a flexible substrate includes bending the combined layer about a radius of curvature. The combined layer is initially bent in a first direction so that the electrically-conducive film is distal to the radius of curvature, so as to form initial dielectric lines in the electrically-conductive film. The combined layer is then bent in another direction so that the electrically-conductive film is proximate to the radius of curvature to further enhance the dielectric performance of the initial dielectric lines. The dielectric lines electrically isolate a portion of the electrically-conductive film that is disposed therebetween, to form an electrically conductive electrode.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, apparatus, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a process, method, and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, generating a gradient in an index of refraction of a material.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a fiber mat comprising polymer fibers with ferroelectric particles embedded in the polymer fibers. The ferroelectric particles are oriented to generate a net polarization in the fiber mat. The ferroelectric particles may comprise barium titanate particles. The polymer fibers may comprise polylactic acid (PLA) fibers. The piezoelectric device may further include substrates sandwiching the fiber mat, and the fiber mat may be formed by electrospinning polymer fibers containing ferroelectric particles onto one of the substrates. The piezoelectric device may be a piezoelectric actuator configured to receive an input voltage applied across the fiber mat and to output a mechanical displacement in response to the voltage, or the piezoelectric device may be configured to output a voltage in response to a mechanical force applied to the fiber mat.

Abstract: An optical modulator includes a liquid crystal cell containing liquid crystal material having liquid crystal molecules oriented along a quiescent director direction in the unbiased state, and a voltage source configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal material wherein the direction of the applied electric field does not cause the quiescent director direction to change. An optical source is arranged to transmit light through or reflect light off the liquid crystal cell with the light passing through the liquid crystal material at an angle effective to undergo phase retardation in response to the voltage source applying the electric field. The liquid crystal material may have negative dielectric anisotropy, and the voltage source configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal material whose electric field vector is transverse to the quiescent director direction.

Abstract: An encapsulated polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (EPSCT) light shutter is formed from a cholesteric liquid crystal and monomer that is encapsulated into micron sized, polymer-coated droplets by either an emulsification or phase separation process. The polymer-coated droplets are disposed between transparent electrodes, where they are irradiated by ultra-violet (UV) light to polymerize the monomer.

Abstract: A surface polymer-assisted vertically aligned (SPA-VA) liquid crystal (LC) cell has a surface alignment layer of surface localized polymer nano spikes capable of controlling the pretilt angle of liquid crystal molecules and ensuring fast switching characteristics. The deposition of the polymer nanospikes as a part of the alignment layer is achieved by polymerizing a small amount of a reactive monomer in vertically aligned liquid crystal with or without an applied voltage. Due to the alignment of liquid crystal molecules by the surface alignment layers, the polymerized polymer acts as an internal surface to modify and control the field-induced reorientation of the liquid crystal molecules. The SPA-VA LC cell realizes a stable alignment and the considerable advantage of the formation of polymer spikes via UV irradiation on both substrates of the cell. Furthermore, the switch-off of a SPA-VA is fast due to the enhanced surface anchoring strength by the surface-localized polymer nano spikes.

Abstract: A system for use in rehabilitation of a target patient is provided. The system includes at least two bicycle devices for use by the target patient and a second operator other than the target patient. The at least two bicycle devices each include pedals. At least one of the pedals may have at least one sensor mounted thereon for monitoring operation of the first bicycle device and the target's condition. A servomotor is coupled to the pedals for providing gear-like resistance or pedal assistance for the at least two bicycle devices. A controller is programmed to electrically couple the at least two bicycle devices to each other.