Abstract: Good femtosecond fiber laser performance is achieved by producing picosecond Raman shifted pulses of sufficient intensity to undergo self-phase modulation (SPM), thus causing the pulses to advantageously spread spectrally, which then makes it possible to temporally compress the pulses with an optical compressor to produce femtosecond pulses with high peak power.

Abstract: A radiofrequency (RF) source for use in testing radiofrequency interference (RFI) stresses has an RF transmitter emitting an electromagnetic field corresponding to at least one frequency, power, and state-of-polarization (SOP). Drives rotate the transmitter to emit, in a temporally continuous fashion, RF power and RF state of polarization from the RF transmitter in, respectively, every direction and every SOP orientation within an RF reflective structure in order to effectively characterize RFI stresses on said equipment to be tested.

Abstract: The invention relates to a two-wheeler stand and also to a method for assembling the same, which two-wheeler stand is configured to support a two-wheeler parked in or on the two-wheeler stand and which comprises a base element provided with a positioning element at the upper side thereof, which positioning element defines a wheel supporting surface, a carrying element which extends upward from the base element, a support element carried by the carrying element above the wheel supporting surface, which support element supports a two-wheeler parked in the two-wheeler stand in use. The invention is characterized in that the base element is made up at least of an upper wall, a lower wall, and a circumferential wall which connects the upper wall and the lower wall, wherein the upper wall, the lower wall and the circumferential wall enclose a chamber, and wherein a filling hole is provided in the base element, so that the chamber can be filled with a medium through the filling hole.

Abstract: There is provided a system for remote pumping of a Raman fiber amplifier comprising a pump laser located remotely from the Raman fiber amplifier and a laserhead and one or more optical fibers to optically couple the high power pump light from the remote pump laser to the Raman fiber amplifier where a seed laser light is amplified wherein the pump laser for producing a high power laser light of a predetermined pump wavelength comprises a first fiber laser emitting light at the predetermined pump wavelength and one (second) or two (third) laser emitting light at a wavelength lower than the predetermined pump wavelength and multiplexed with light from the first laser into an optical fiber providing Raman gain at the predetermined pump wavelength to convert the second (and optionally also the third) laser light to light at the predetermined pump wavelength.

Abstract: There is described a passive variable emittance device comprising: a substrate having a receiving surface adapted to reflect radiations having a given wavelength; an intermediary layer deposited on the receiving surface of the substrate and being substantially transparent to the radiations having the given wavelength; and a thermochromic layer deposited on top of the intermediary layer, the thermochromic layer being substantially transparent to the radiations having the given wavelength for a first temperature below a given transition temperature, and presenting both reflection and absorption for the radiations for a second temperature above the given transition temperature, a total optical thickness for the intermediary and thermochromic layers being substantially equal to one quarter of the given wavelength so that radiations reflected by the thermochromic layer at the second temperature destructively interfere with radiations transmitted by the thermochromic and intermediary layers and reflected by the sub

Abstract: A self-healing material comprises a matrix embedded with micro-pockets of a healing-agent releasable by a crack in the matrix. The healing-agent is able to bond to the matrix to repair the crack. The healing-agent is contained in microcapsules. A corresponding catalyst for the healing-agent is embedded in the matrix and contained in a plurality of microcapsules as an emulsion. The emulsion comprises an oil, a perfluorated solvent, a hydrophobic ionic liquid, or mixtures thereof. A method of manufacturing the self-healing material comprises the steps of identifying an operational temperature range of the material, providing at least one substance as the healing-agent, which substance remaining substantially in a liquid state within the operational temperature range, identifying an operational evaporation rate of the healing-agent and providing the substance with a curing time according to the evaporation rate.

Abstract: A new transmission link configuration with remote Er post- and pre-amplifiers where pump power is shared between a pair of fibers carrying traffic in opposite directions is proposed. A budget increase of >4 dB is demonstrated.

Abstract: A replaceable instrument mechanism for a haptic device comprises a coupler having a coupler body adapted to be connected to an output end of the haptic device. A force transmission mechanism is connected to the coupler body, has a movable connector displaceable along one degree-of-freedom with respect to the coupler body, and is connected to a force feedback system of the haptic device so as to receive force feedback from the haptic device and impart the force feedback to the movable connector. An instrument has an instrument body having a connector end releasably secured to the second end of the coupler body so as to be displaceable with the coupler. A handle portion is manually actuatable in one degree-of-freedom with respect to the instrument body to simulate an operation performed with the instrument.

Abstract: The emittance value is a measure of an amount of energy expelled from a given surface area relative to a black-body reference. Depending on the specific coating a change in the emittance value is actively or passively effected. There are known active variable emittance thermal control coatings. However, such coatings are actually panels housing a mixture of both high and low emissivity materials that are electrically manipulated to control the emittance value of the panel. These “coatings” are classified as either electrochromic or electrophorectic. Both electrochromic and electrophorectic coatings require an applied voltage to cause a change in the emittance value of the coating. By contrast, aspects of the present invention do not include active variable emittance thermal control coatings. Aspects of the present invention do include passive variable emittance thermal control coatings and materials.

Abstract: The emittance value is a measure of an amount of energy expelled from a given surface area relative to a black-body reference. Depending on the specific coating a change in the emittance value is actively or passively effected. There are known active variable emittance thermal control coatings. However, such coatings are actually panels housing a mixture of both high and low emissivity materials that are electrically manipulated to control the emittance value of the panel. These “coatings” are classified as either electrochromic or electrophorectic. Both electrochromic and electrophorectic coatings require an applied voltage to cause a change in the emittance value of the coating. By contrast, aspects of the present invention do not include active variable emittance thermal control coatings. Aspects of the present invention do include passive variable emittance thermal control coatings and materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying cell-specific proteins comprising the following steps: a) determining cell-specific protein combination patterns of n cells; b) comparing the protein combination patterns of healthy and pathologically or physiologically modified cells of one cell type or comparing the protein combination patterns of cells of a different cell type affected by the same disease; c1) subtracting the coincident parts of the protein combination patterns of healthy and pathologically or physiologically modified cells of one cell type compared in step b) and determining a cell-specific protein resulting therefrom; or c2) subtracting the non-coincident parts of the protein combination patterns of cells of a different cell type affected by the same disease compared in step b) and determining a cell-specific protein resulting therefrom; and d) identifying the resulting cell-specific protein in terms of molecules and spatial structure.

Abstract: The emittance value is a measure of an amount of energy expelled from a given surface area relative to a black-body reference. Depending on the specific coating a change in the emittance value is actively or passively effected. There are known active variable emittance thermal control coatings. However, such coatings are actually panels housing a mixture of both high and low emissivity materials that are electrically manipulated to control the emittance value of the panel. These “coatings” are classified as either electrochromic or electrophorectic. Both electrochromic and electrophorectic coatings require an applied voltage to cause a change in the emittance value of the coating. By contrast, aspects of the present invention do not include active variable emittance thermal control coatings. Aspects of the present invention do include passive variable emittance thermal control coatings and materials.

Abstract: A method for pumping remote optically-pumped fiber amplifiers (ROPAs) in fiber-optic telecommunication systems is disclosed which uses cascaded Raman amplification to increase the maximum amount of pump power that can be delivered to the ROPA. According to the prior art, high power at the ROPA pump wavelength, ?p, is launched directly into the fiber and the maximum launch power is limited by the onset of pump depletion by Raman noise and oscillations due to the high Raman gain at ˜(?p+100) nm. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, a ‘primary’ pump source of wavelength shorter than ?p is launched into the delivery fiber along with two or more significantly lower-power ‘seed’ sources, among which is included one at ?p. The wavelength and power of the seed source(s) are chosen such that, when combined with the high-power primary source, a series, n, where n?2, of Raman conversions within the fiber ultimately leads to the development of high power at ?p.

Abstract: A new transmission link configuration with remote Er post- and pre-amplifiers where pump power is shared between a pair of fibers carrying traffic in opposite directions is proposed. A budget increase of >4 dB is demonstrated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the automatic analysis of microscope images of biological objects such as, for example, fluorescence images of cells, comprising: a) at least two microscope images are taken from a sample; b) a positive training set is determined from image excerpts; c) a negative training set is determined from a sequence of image excerpts; d) characteristic features of a training set are assigned to classification values; e) classification values of a sequence of images are automatically determined by means of the assignment determined in d); f) the position of biological objects is recognized by comparing the classification value with a threshold value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-contact determination of liquid concentrations such as the content of water, oil, dye, paint, fuel, glue, etc., in a moving or stationary mass of production such as wood, paper, powders, fabrics, sand, bricks, concrete, plants, and the like, or in other liquids such as oil spills in water, is provided. The method comprises measuring the passive emissivity of a substance, using an imaging radiometer. It has been found that an emissivity image may be used to quantify the liquid content in a substance. The invented method allows for non-contact, rapid and continuous in-line measurements.

Abstract: An infrared spectrometer is described wherein a detector array is optically coupled to a slab waveguide structure. A focal plane is provided outside of the output face of the slab waveguide structure and the detector array is mounted onto the slab waveguide structure at a fixed distance from the output face on the output focal plane.

Abstract: A distal mechanism for providing three degrees of freedom for a rotating handle. Three stages provide a serial mechanical linkage between a handle and a platform, which may itself be moveable in three degrees of freedom. Each stage has an axis of rotation, and the three axes intersect. The first stage is mounted to the platform in such a way as to provide rotation about the first stage axis. The first stage carries the second, allowing the second stage to rotate about its axis. The second stage carries the third stage, allowing the third stage to rotate about its axis. The third stage is fixed to the handle, and the third stage axis passes along the length of the handle. Each stage has a sensor to measure its rotation, and a tendon means of transferring torque from a remote motor to torque about the rotation axis of the respective stage. The sensors have two limited angle ranges of measurement, about 110 degrees wide and on opposite sides of the rotation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides exhibiting antibiotic, and anti-viral and anti-cancer effects. In particular, the invention relates to modified T4 lysozyme, polypeptides comprising fragments of T4 lysozyme and to the production and use thereof. The fields of application for this invention are wide-ranging, and include, for example, human and veterinary uses, resistance cultivation in plants and prevention of bacterial and/or fungal-mediated food spoilage.

Abstract: A pumping scheme for distributed Raman amplification (DRA) in optical fiber telecommunication systems is disclosed in which pump energy at the wavelength(s) required for DRA of the transmitted optical signal(s) is developed within the transmission fiber through a series, n, where n≧1, of Raman conversions. In preferred embodiments, a ‘primary’ pump source of wavelength shorter than the ultimately desired pump wavelength(s) is launched into the fiber along with one or more significantly lower-power secondary ‘seed’ sources. The wavelength and power of the secondary source(s) are chosen such that, when combined with the high-power primary source, Raman conversions within the fiber ultimately lead to the development of high power at the desired pump wavelength(s).