Abstract: Provided are apparatus and methods for transmission of a signal in a safe and secure fashion. Embodiments include apparatus and methods that surround a signal beam(s) of interest with outer beams/signals to protect the inner signal. The outer beams construct a conduit like tunnel through which the signal beam(s) travels inside of for transmission to a receiving device. These outer beams further offer safety and security to the signal beam(s) of interest by cutting the signal source if these outer beams are broken. The outer beams can also modify the atmosphere around the signal beam(s) to an ideal, predetermined atmosphere to maximize signal propagation and minimize signal noise and loss.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of treating or preventing a bacterial disease or infection, antibacterial compositions, and antibacterial surfaces, including an isolated polypeptide comprising an enzymatically active domain (EAD) of a Bacillus bacteriophage endolysin.

Abstract: Heterostructures include a layer of a two-dimensional material placed on a multiferroic layer. An ordered array of differing polarization domains in the multiferroic layer produces corresponding domains having differing properties in the two-dimensional material. When the multiferroic layer is ferroelectric, the ferroelectric polarization domains in the layer produce local electric fields that penetrate the two-dimensional material. The local electric fields modulate the charge carriers and carrier density on a nanometer length scale, resulting in the formation of lateral p-n or p-i-n junctions, and variations thereof appropriate for device functions.

Abstract: A supported heterogeneous catalyst material for catalyzing the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction for the selective formation of CO using an alkali metal-doped molybdenum carbide on a gamma alumina support (A-Mo2C/?-Al2O3, A=K, Na, Li). The A-Mo2C/?-Al2O3 catalyst is synthesized by co-impregnation of molybdemun and alkali metal precursors onto a ?-Al2O3 support. It is then carburized to form the A-Mo2C/?-Al2O3.

Abstract: A digital adaptive optics encoder module includes an input mounting flange, a collimating lens, a bandpass filter, digital adaptive optic elements, refocusing lens, an output mounting flange, and a housing. The input mounting flange is capable of attaching to a telescope. The collimating lens is capable of expanding light from a target to fill a plurality of primary apertures. The bandpass filter has a bandwidth ranging from about 40 nm to about 100 nm. The digital adaptive optic elements include the plurality of primary apertures, an optical spreader, a focusing optic, and a detector. The refocusing lens is capable of refocusing an output from the digital adaptive optic elements onto a sensor plane. The output mounting flange is capable of attaching to an output connection. The housing encloses all of the interior components of the digital adaptive optics encoder module.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a release system for delaying application of chemical reagents in a lateral-flow immunoassay. A chemistry release fiber comprising a permeable membrane and a chemical release agent is used to delay chemical reagent delivery to the indicator of a lateral-flow immunoassay. Also disclosed is the related method of delaying application of chemical reagents in a lateral-flow immunoassay.

Abstract: A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is provided to receive a coherent input photon in an initial pointer state for producing a continuously variable “faux qubit” in a magic state. The MZI apparatus includes first and second ports, first and second beam-splitters, first and second mirrors, and a modular interaction operator. The emitter produces an input coherent photon in an initial pointer state along an emission direction. The first and second ports are respectively disposed parallel and perpendicular to the emission direction. The first and second beam-splitters are disposed respectively collinearly with the emission direction and between the first and second ports parallel to and offset from the emission direction. The first and second mirrors are disposed respectively offset from and collinearly with the emission direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system for receiving electromagnetic radiation (EMR) signals from a plurality of sources or directions. A communication system comprises a transmission section surrounding an antenna section. The transmission section can be made of concentric layers of lens elements, mirror elements, or refraction medium. The layers allow incoming EMR to be directed to the antenna section through reflection or refraction. The antenna section can be made of a plurality of antenna elements such that each antenna element detects incoming EMR signals from different angles of origin even when the signals are received simultaneously.

Abstract: A solid state circuit breaker that may include a metal oxide varistor (MOV) that is connected in series to a thyristor, the MOV to clamp voltage of current flowing through the solid state circuit breaker; the thyristor including a gate to control flow of the current to the MOV along a first path to the MOV; a breakover diode to activate at a target voltage level to allow the current to flow to the MOV along a second path; and a Zener diode to close the gate and allow current to flow along the first path in response to the current on the second path.

Abstract: A containment apparatus for collecting electrolyte from a battery relief vent is provided. The containment apparatus includes a body comprising a reservoir, a relief vent aperture, an internal baffle, and an upper vent aperture; a push-on connection that attaches the relief vent aperture to the battery relief vent; and a viewing window on an external side of the body. The containment apparatus attaches to a pressure relief vent on a battery to capture droplets of electrolyte that are released from the battery relief vent. Liquid electrolytes travel through the relief vent aperture and into the reservoir, and vaporized electrolyte condenses on the baffle and falls into the reservoir as droplets or travels past the baffle and is directed through the upper vent aperture via the walls. The device prevents electrolytes from accumulating on the outside of the battery and associated hardware within the vicinity of the battery.

Abstract: Methods, and systems, for Multiagent Pathfinding for Non Dynamic Programming Problems, including a CE method which provides for sampling from a complex probability distribution that is not necessarily known in a closed form. The applications of this method include rare-event simulation, variance reduction for estimation problems, and stochastic optimization. The method iteratively searches for a probability distribution that is “close” to the intended distribution, where the closeness of distributions is measured using the Kullback-Liebler (KL) divergence between the distributions. At each step, the method generates samples according to a current candidate distribution from the family. Next, it uses those current candidate distribution samples to move the distribution toward a new candidate distribution that is closer in the sense of KL divergence to the target distribution.

Abstract: A microcapacitor array for providing artificial muscles is described. The microcapacitor array includes a dielectric body with electrode chambers, positive electrodes in positive electrode chambers, the positive electrodes being connected by a first set of channels in the dielectric frame; negative electrodes in negative electrode chambers, the negative electrodes being connected by a second set of channels in the dielectric frame. The first and second set of channels are arranged so that application of a voltage differential between the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes generates an attractive force between each set of adjacent positive and negative electrodes.

Abstract: A nanoparticle (NP)-peptide conjugate provides efficient steric hindrance/blockage of cellular membrane potassium (K+) channels to mediate depolarization of cellular membrane potential.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system that can to capture, retain, and release a small UAV/drone. Exemplary embodiments include a plurality of capture mechanisms each include a capture arm coupled to an actuator. The capture mechanism can include two pivot points, one of which can move along a track or groove, to allow the capture arm to extend and retract while maintaining a small combined circumference during UAV landing while still being able to extend to engage with a retention ring on the UAV.

Abstract: A radial cutting cavity container includes a housing that defines a chamber for a shaped explosive charge. The housing is configured to allow a user to pack explosives therein. An airtight cavity is attached to the housing. The airtight cavity defines a standoff distance for the shaped explosive charge and has a concave surface adapted to form an explosive cutting jet. A liner is located between the housing and the airtight cavity. A support stand is attached to the container to allow the container to be mounted on a surface for creating a radial cut normal to the surface.

Abstract: Provided is a Fall Arrest Staple that includes a slanted base with a flat welding surface and an integral ring section extending from the base that is constructed from aluminum with a maximum internal radii that is capable of accepting a small carabineer. The staple can be welded to an aluminum pole, such as a 4?OD×0.25? mast that is found on a ship. Advantages provided by the staple include the ability of welding in a perpendicular orientation to a ship deck (in the direction of a fall), welding to a curved aluminum backing plate, and the use of the staple with a curved backing plate that can be welded directly to a ship mast.

Abstract: Smart sensors apparatus for detecting environmental conditions. The smart sticker apparatus includes a radio frequency identification tag comprising a chip and a loop antenna, the loop antenna being configured to transmit sensor information to an external reader, a plurality of sensors configured to provide environmental data, each of the sensors further comprising a substrate having a proximal side and a distal side, wherein the proximal side of the substrate is mounted to the chip, a conductive ink trace disposed on the distal side of the substrate, and a resin fully enveloping the radio frequency identification tag and partially enveloping the distal side of the substrate.

Abstract: A reinforcement-learning based queue-management method for undersea networks. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method to shape traffic in a dynamic network, comprising measuring network states, classifying each of a plurality of packets into one of a plurality of traffic types based on quality-of-service requirements, defining a decision epoch interval, determining a policy with a plurality of neural networks and with a deep reinforcement learning agent that maximizes entropy-regularized long-term reward and produces a plurality of weighted fair-queuing weights based on an observation of the state of the queues at the decision epoch intervals, and using the policy to allocate predefined portions of the available transmission bandwidth across the plurality of traffic types by defining each type with a WFQ weight.

Abstract: A bipolar nanocomposite semiconductor (BNS) material in which electrons and holes are separately transported throughout the BNS volume via an interpenetrating plurality of networks, where some of the networks have one conductivity type and others have the opposite conductivity type. The interpenetrating networks can include one or more multiple nanocrystalline structures, metal and dielectric networks and are intimately connected to enable band-like transport of both electrons and holes throughout the material.

Abstract: A bipolar nanocomposite semiconductor (BNS) material in which electrons and holes are separately transported throughout the BNS volume via an interpenetrating plurality of networks, where some of the networks have one conductivity type and others have the opposite conductivity type. The interpenetrating networks can include one or more multiple nanocrystalline structures, metal and dielectric networks and are intimately connected to enable band-like transport of both electrons and holes throughout the material.