Abstract: Structures for an optical power splitter and methods of forming a structure for an optical power splitter. A first waveguide core provides an input port, and second and third waveguide cores provide respective output ports. A non-linear waveguide taper is coupled to the first waveguide core at a first interface and is coupled to the second and third waveguide cores at a second interface. The non-linear waveguide taper includes a first curved section having a first width dimension that increases with increasing longitudinal distance from the first interface. The non-linear waveguide taper includes a second curved section having a second width dimension that increases with increasing longitudinal distance from the second interface. The first and second curved sections join at a longitudinal location at which the first and second width dimensions are each equal to a maximum width of the non-linear waveguide taper.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for preparing carbon nanostructure sheets are provided. The apparatuses may include a casting body including a substrate configured to move along a first direction, a slurry reservoir configured to contain a slurry, a dispenser connected to the slurry reservoir and configured to dispense the slurry onto a surface of the substrate and a doctoring member that extends in a second direction traversing the first direction and that is positioned above the surface of the substrate. The slurry may include carbon nanostructures, and/or one or more functional materials. The doctoring member may be spaced apart from the surface of the substrate by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A driver circuit includes digital inputs, such as a first digital input and a second digital input. The digital inputs receive voltages at either a digital high-voltage or a digital low-voltage. The driver circuit has a clock input, an analog output, a first differential pair of transistors connected to the analog output, second differential pairs of transistors connected to the analog output, and voltage limiters connected to the clock input and the second differential pairs of transistors. The voltage limiters supply different voltages to the second differential pairs of transistors, which results in the second differential pairs of transistors providing analog signals to the analog output that are at different voltage steps at, and between, the digital high-voltage and the digital low-voltage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring an animal include receiving a plurality of biological parameters of the animal from a plurality of biological sensors, receiving location parameters of the animal from at least one location sensor, receiving weather parameters corresponding to ambient weather conditions proximate the animal from at least one ambient weather sensor, and comparing at least one of the parameters generated by the sensors with data representing at least one signature corresponding to the animal to determine if there is an irregular parameter. In response to an irregular reading/parameter being identified, then determining if the identified irregular parameter is related to a health condition of the animal and if the identified irregular parameter is not related to the health condition of the animal, then determining if the identified irregular parameter is related to an illegal activity.

Abstract: Apparatuses for gasifying glycerol using solar energy, system including the apparatuses, and methods of using the apparatuses are provided. The apparatuses may include a concentrated solar dish comprising an opening and a gasifying reactor comprising a chamber. An entrance of the chamber may be aligned to the opening. The apparatuses may also include a thermal insulator disposed on outer surfaces of the concentrated solar dish and the gasifying reactor and a pipe in the thermal insulator. The pipe may be configured to deliver glycerol into the chamber of the gasifying reactor in the form of atomized mist. The glycerol may be delivered to a portion of the chamber adjacent the opening.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to an ultrasonic transducer interface system for use within portable 2-D ultrasonic imagers and includes an on-chip adaptive beamformer and Charge-Redistribution TX (CR-TX) to provide a drive strength of up to 500 pF/channel at 5 MHz (or 10 nF at 250 kHz) while reducing the TX drive power by at least 30% compared to other ultrasonic transducer TX drivers. The ultrasonic transducer interface system can be implemented in a single chip via, for example, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process.

Abstract: Structures for an optical coupler and methods of fabricating a structure for an optical coupler. A first waveguide core has a first tapered section and a second waveguide core has a second tapered section positioned adjacent to the first tapered section. The first tapered section has a first shape determined by a first non-linear function, and the second tapered section has a second shape determined by a second non-linear function.

Abstract: A simple spray coating process can be utilized to create epoxy/HNT nanocomposites with vertically aligned nanotubes. Important mechanical properties such as modulus and hardness values can be optimized and enhanced by controlling the level of nanotube dispersion during processing and the final orientation of the nanotubes. Thus, a technologically relevant processing scheme can be used to fabricate HNT nanocomposites with a high level of control over nanotube alignment and the resulting mechanical properties.

Abstract: Embodiments include a fiber optic probe comprising an optical fiber, and a sensor component attached to the optical fiber, the sensor component including an asymmetric microlens array imprinted on a stimuli-responsive hydrogel. Embodiments further include a method of fabricating a fiber optic probe comprising depositing a stimuli-responsive hydrogel precursor solution on a substrate mold, the substrate mold including a concave asymmetric microlens array; contacting an end of an optical fiber with the stimuli-responsive hydrogel precursor solution deposited on the substrate mold; and exposing the end of the optical fiber and the stimuli-responsive hydrogel precursor solution to light to form a stimuli-responsive hydrogel sensor imprinted with a convex asymmetric microlens array and attached to the end of the optical fiber. Embodiments further include systems comprising the fiber optic probes.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a data block begins with segmenting the data block into a number of data sub-blocks. Each data sub-block where a number of high bits is greater than a number of low bits is then inverted. The data sub-blocks are then grouped into sets of data sub-blocks. For each set of data sub blocks, a number of pulses indicative of a number of high bits in each one of the data sub-blocks in the set is transmitted, there is a delay, and a number of pulses indicative of each high bit in each data sub-block of the set of data sub-blocks is transmitted followed by a delay. Finally, a number of pulses indicative of which ones of the data sub-blocks were inverted is transmitted.

Abstract: A method includes the steps of providing a number of force consolidators between an object and a surface, providing a number of force sensors, each in a different one of the force consolidators, measuring an output of the force sensors, and processing the output of the force sensors to determine a total force exerted between the object and the surface. The force consolidators are each configured to reduce a portion of a surface area of the object into a consolidated surface area such that forces exerted on the portion of the surface area are concentrated in the consolidated surface area. By using the force consolidators along with the force sensors, the total force exerted by the object on the surface may be easily measured using off-the-shelf force sensor technologies.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of using one or more memristors as a radiation sensor are enabled. A memristor can be attractive as a sensor due to its passive low power characteristics. Medical and environment monitoring are contemplated use cases. Sensing radiation as part of a security system (at an airport for example) and screening food for radiation exposure are also possible uses. The memristor as a radiation sensor may possibly provide an inexpensive and easy alternative to personal thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). Memristor devices with high current and low power operation may be attached with wearable plastic substrates. An example device includes two metal strips with a 50 ?m thick layer of TiO2 memristor material. The device may be made large relative to traditional memristors which are nanometers in scale but its increased thickness can significantly increase the probability of radiation interaction with the memristor material.

Abstract: A driver circuit includes digital inputs, such as a first digital input and a second digital input. The digital inputs receive voltages at either a digital high-voltage or a digital low-voltage. The driver circuit has a clock input, an analog output, a first differential pair of transistors connected to the analog output, second differential pairs of transistors connected to the analog output, and voltage limiters connected to the clock input and the second differential pairs of transistors. The voltage limiters supply different voltages to the second differential pairs of transistors, which results in the second differential pairs of transistors providing analog signals to the analog output that are at different voltage steps at, and between, the digital high-voltage and the digital low-voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to skin care compositions comprising an ethanol extract obtained from the leaves and/or stems of Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and/or Tetraena sp. cf. mandavillei. In addition, the invention relates to methods for treating a skin condition, reducing the risk of developing a skin condition, for treating wounds, for reducing and/or delaying the effects of aging of skin, and/or for treating and/or reducing inflammation of skin by administration of skin care compositions of the invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to rib waveguide structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a waveguide structure comprising one or more bends, an input end and an output end; and grating structures which are positioned adjacent to the one or more bends of the waveguide structure.

Abstract: An electrocardiogram (ECG) processor is disclosed. The ECG processor includes ECG sampling circuitry configured in a first mode to acquire a continuous ECG sample set from an ECG signal by digitally sampling the ECG signal at a Nyquist rate for a first predetermined number of heartbeats and in a second mode to acquire a non-continuous ECG sample set from the ECG signal for a second predetermined number of heartbeats by digitally sampling active regions of the ECG signal that contain a PQRST complex and not from silent regions between adjacent PQRST complexes. The ECG processor also includes processing circuitry configured to determine from the continuous ECG sample set relative locations of the active regions and provide the relative locations of the active regions to the ECG sampling circuitry for sampling the ECG signal in the second mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for removing salts from a liquid are described. A first liquid containing at least one salt is mixed with magnetic composite particles. A subsequent separation of the particles from the liquid is achieved using an electromagnetic source.

Abstract: This invention relates to end-to-end transparent clocks and methods of estimating skew in end-to-end transparent clocks. Embodiments of the invention relate to techniques for estimating clock skew between a free-running clock in a transparent clock and a master clock, in particular by using the timing information embedded in timing messages passing through the transparent clock. Further embodiments of the invention set out uses of these estimates to modify the residence times computed by the transparent clock and a synchronization network including such transparent clocks.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the flow rate of the wet gas using real-time THz imaging and for determining the flow rate of solid contaminants in oil and gas pipelines using real-time Tera Hertz (THz) imaging is disclosed. A THz imaging device for real-time multiphase flow measurement comprises a THz imaging subsystem having a THz source and an imaging capturing a captured image. Wherein the imaging having at least a two dimensional array of pixels, wherein the multiphase flow may comprise at least one of oil, water, gas and solid contaminants. Further, a method for real-time measurement of a wet gas flow of a gas is disclosed. The flow of gas comprising at least one of a fluid phase or solid contaminants in the gas flow. The method comprises at least the steps of using a THz subsystem on the gas flow to acquire a captured image and further processing the captured image to determine the flow rate of the flow of gas.

Abstract: Structures for a waveguide crossing and methods of fabricating a structure for a waveguide crossing. A waveguide crossing includes a central section and an arm positioned between a waveguide core and the central section. The arm and the waveguide core are aligned along a longitudinal axis. The arm is coupled to the waveguide core at a first interface, and the arm is coupled to a portion of the central section at a second interface. The arm has a first width at the first interface, a second width at the second interface, and a third width between the first interface and the second interface. The third width is greater than either the first width or the second width.