Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to protective garments and systems that include a protective garment for protecting one or more body regions of an individual wearing the protective garment.

Abstract: Configurations of molten fuel salt reactors are described that utilize neutron-reflecting coolants or a combination of primary salt coolants and secondary neutron-reflecting coolants. Further configurations are described that circulate liquid neutron-reflecting material around an reactor core to control the neutronics of the reactor. Furthermore, configurations which use the circulating neutron-reflecting material to actively cool the containment vessel are also described.

Abstract: A method for facilitating physiological data acquisition includes scheduling a medical appointment between a patient and a medical provider. The medical appointment is to be conducted at a medical provider location on an appointment date. The method also includes selecting a medical device configured to acquire physiological data regarding the patient. The method further includes sending, to a fulfillment system, a request to provide the medical device to a patient location prior to the appointment date. The patient location is remote from the medical provider location.

Abstract: A system and associated methods of operation for regulating an environmental variable (such as ambient room temperature) within a target zone. The system includes an occupancy sensor configured to monitor the target zone and determine a number of inhabitants present within the zone. The occupancy sensor generates an occupancy signal communicating the number of detected inhabitants to an environmental control system. Upon receiving the occupancy signal, the environmental control system regulates an environmental variable within the zone based on the number of inhabitants present in the zone.

Abstract: A molten salt reactor includes a nuclear reactor core for sustaining a nuclear fission reaction fueled by a molten fuel salt. A molten fuel salt control system removes a volume of the molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core to maintain a reactivity parameter within a range of nominal reactivity. The molten fuel salt control system includes a molten fuel salt exchange system that fluidically couples to the nuclear reactor core and exchanges a volume of the molten fuel salt with a volume of a feed material containing a mixture of a selected fertile material and a carrier salt. The molten fuel salt control system can include a volumetric displacement control system having one or more volumetric displacement bodies insertable into the nuclear reactor core. Each volumetric displacement body can remove a volume of molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core, such as via a spill-over system.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor includes a passive reactivity control nuclear fuel device located in a nuclear reactor core. The passive reactivity control nuclear fuel device includes a multiple-walled fuel chamber having an outer wall chamber and an inner wall chamber contained within the outer wall chamber. The inner wall chamber is positioned within the outer wall chamber to hold nuclear fuel in a molten fuel state within a high neutron importance region. The inner wall chamber allows at least a portion of the nuclear fuel to move in a molten fuel state to a lower neutron importance region while the molten nuclear fuel remains within the inner wall chamber as the temperature of the nuclear fuel satisfies a negative reactivity feedback expansion temperature condition. A duct contains the multiple-walled fuel chamber and flows a heat conducting fluid through the duct and in thermal communication with the outer wall chamber.

Abstract: A fuel element has a ratio of area of fissionable nuclear fuel in a cross-section of the tubular fuel element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to total area of the interior volume in the cross-section of the tubular fuel element that varies with position along the longitudinal axis. The ratio can vary with position along the longitudinal axis between a minimum of 0.30 and a maximum of 1.0. Increasing the ratio above and below the peak burn-up location associated with conventional systems reduces the peak burn-up and flattens and shifts the burn-up distribution, which is preferably Gaussian. The longitudinal variation can be implemented in fuel assemblies using fuel bodies, such as pellets, rods or annuli, or fuel in the form of metal sponge and meaningfully increases efficiency of fuel utilization.

Abstract: A system for detecting a type of stroke includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive heart data regarding a heart rhythm of a patient and physiological data regarding a physiological characteristic of the patient. The heart data is indicative of an occurrence of atrial fibrillation and the physiological data is indicative of an occurrence of a stroke. The processing circuit is further configured to determine a likelihood that the stroke was an embolic stroke based on the heart data and to provide an output including an indication of the likelihood that the stroke was an embolic stroke.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor includes a passive reactivity control nuclear fuel device located in a nuclear reactor core. The passive reactivity control nuclear fuel device includes a multiple-walled fuel chamber having an outer wall chamber and an inner wall chamber contained within the outer wall chamber. The inner wall chamber is positioned within the outer wall chamber to hold nuclear fuel in a molten fuel state within a high neutron importance region. The inner wall chamber allows at least a portion of the nuclear fuel to move in a molten fuel state to a lower neutron importance region while the molten nuclear fuel remains within the inner wall chamber as the temperature of the nuclear fuel satisfies a negative reactivity feedback expansion temperature condition. A duct contains the multiple-walled fuel chamber and flows a heat conducting fluid through the duct and in thermal communication with the outer wall chamber.

Abstract: Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for control of transmission to a target device with communicating with one or more sensors in an ad-hoc sensor network may implement operations including, but not limited to: generating electrical power from at least one ambient source via at least one structurally integrated electromagnetic transducer; powering at least one transmitter via the electrical power to wirelessly transmit one or more sensor operation activation signals to one or more sensors; and at least one of powering one or more sensing operations of one or more sensors via the electrical power or charging one or more power storage devices electrically coupled to the one or more sensors via the electrical power.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a garment system including a flexible compression garment, at least one sensor, and at least one therapeutic stimulation delivery device operable responsive to sensing feedback from the at least one sensor, effective to provide therapeutic radiation to a body part of a subject. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to methods of using such garment systems.

Abstract: A molten salt reactor includes a nuclear reactor core for sustaining a nuclear fission reaction fueled by a molten fuel salt. A molten fuel salt control system removes a volume of the molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core to maintain a reactivity parameter within a range of nominal reactivity. The molten fuel salt control system includes a molten fuel salt exchange system that fluidically couples to the nuclear reactor core and exchanges a volume of the molten fuel salt with a volume of a feed material containing a mixture of a selected fertile material and a carrier salt. The molten fuel salt control system can include a volumetric displacement control system having one or more volumetric displacement bodies insertable into the nuclear reactor core. Each volumetric displacement body can remove a volume of molten fuel salt from the nuclear reactor core, such as via a spill-over system.

Abstract: A fuel element has a ratio of area of fissionable nuclear fuel in a cross-section of the tubular fuel element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to total area of the interior volume in the cross-section of the tubular fuel element that varies with position along the longitudinal axis. The ratio can vary with position along the longitudinal axis between a minimum of 0.30 and a maximum of 1.0. Increasing the ratio above and below the peak burn-up location associated with conventional systems reduces the peak burn-up and flattens and shifts the burn-up distribution, which is preferably Gaussian. The longitudinal variation can be implemented in fuel assemblies using fuel bodies, such as pellets, rods or annuli, or fuel in the form of metal sponge and meaningfully increases efficiency of fuel utilization.

Abstract: Systems and methods for competency training and use authorization for dispensing an agent are described, which include: an agent-dispensing device configured to dispense one or more agents to a user, and including a controllable agent-dispensing mechanism and a receiver configured to receive a signal and to activate or deactivate a locking mechanism coupled to the controllable agent-dispensing mechanism; a computing device having a display and a user interface; and a web-based interactive tool accessible on the computing device, the web-based interactive tool including a training module to provide training to the user in proper use of the agent-dispensing device, a verification module to verify a competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device, and an activation module responsive to the verification module and operable to provide an activation signal to deactivate the locking mechanism to allow dispensing of the one or more agents after verifying the competency of the user.

Abstract: A control assembly for a nuclear reactor having a pump includes a duct having an inner volume and defining a coolant flow path, a plug fixed to the duct, a rod disposed within the inner volume and having a rod end that is configured to engage a neutron modifying material, a first piston disposed within the inner volume, slidably coupled to the duct, and coupled to the rod, and a biasing member coupled to the rod and the first piston. The biasing member is positioned to apply a biasing force that repositions the first piston, the rod, and the neutron modifying material in response to a loss of pump flow without scram condition.

Abstract: A hands-free intercom may include a user-tracking sensor, a directional microphone, a directional sound emitter, a display device, and/or a communication interface. The user-tracking sensor may determine a location of a user so the directional microphone can measure vocal emissions by the user and the directional sound emitter can deliver audio to the user. The hands-free intercom may provide privacy to the user. The hands-free intercom may prevent an eavesdropper from hearing the user's vocal emissions, for example, by canceling the vocal emissions at the eavesdropper's ear. The directional sound emitter may deliver out-of-phase sound to cancel the vocal emissions. The hands-free intercom may also, or instead, cancel ambient noise at the user's ear. The hands-free intercom may measure or predict a filtration of the sound to be canceled and compensate for the filtration when canceling the sound.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems for automatically protecting an individual from injuries using one or more sensors, one or more rigid members, and one or more inflatable members associated therewith, and methods of using the same.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a building having one or more microphones coupled to a telephone includes a detector configured to detect a triggering event within the building and transmit an activating signal when the triggering event is detected, and a control module configured to receive the activating signal from the detector. The control module is programmed to activate at least one of the one or more microphones to monitor sound when the activating signal is received.

Abstract: A sensing and warning system includes a sensor configured to generate data regarding at least one of a user or an object, a warning device configured to be positioned on the user, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the data from the sensor, determine a command based on the data, and transmit the command to the warning device prior to an impact between the user and the object. The warning device is configured to implement the command to provide a warning to the user in an attempt to (i) prevent the impact or (ii) reduce a magnitude of the impact between the user and the object.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to intraocular lens systems includes at least one intraocular lens device and methods of using the same. The at least one intraocular lens device includes one or more photodetectors and an intraocular lens exhibiting a modifiable focal length. The one or more photodetectors are configured to detect light that is used to determine a presence of the object or the apparent object distance. The focal length of the intraocular lens can be modified depending on the determined presence of the object or the apparent object distance.