Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for thermal-to-electric conversion involving relatively hot and cold juxtaposed surfaces separated by a small vacuum gap wherein the cold surface provides an array of single charge carrier converter elements along the surface and the hot surface transfers excitation energy to the opposing cold surface across the gap through Coulomb electrostatic coupling interaction.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a support and a radioactive source on the support. The radioactive source includes nuclei. An excitation element is coupled to the support. Upon activation of the excitation element, radiation emission from the radioactive source is reduced. The excitation element includes a vibration source. Excitation is transferred from nuclei of the radioactive source to nuclei of the support. The excitation transfer occurs in bulk from multiple nuclei of the radioactive source. The excitation transfer causes emissions from the support.

Abstract: Various methods for sensing and/or heating that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some methods, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change or to pass a current for heating.

Abstract: A method of excitation transfer to a radioactive source is provided, the radioactive source having a natural radioactive decay rate. The method includes: energizing a stimulatory device coupled to a radioactive source, thereby exciting the radioactive source to decay at an enhanced rate that is higher than the natural radioactive decay rate. An excitation transfer apparatus includes: a support element; a radioactive source mounted on the support element, the radioactive source having a natural radioactive decay rate; a stimulatory device coupled to the support element; and a driver operatively connected to the stimulatory device to energize the stimulatory device, wherein upon energization, the stimulatory device excites the radioactive source which thereby decays at an enhanced rate that is higher than the natural radioactive decay rate.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes a method of generating a collimated electromagnetic emission. The method includes producing an excitation in a sample of multiple particles by vibrationally stimulating the sample thereby transitioning each particle of at least a quantity of the multiple particles from a lower first energy state to a higher second energy state. The method also includes generating a collimated electromagnetic emission by de-excitation of at least a portion of the quantity of the multiple particles. A related apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a driver for generating oscillations; and a medium comprising arranged nuclei configured to oscillate at one or more oscillating frequencies when the medium is driven by the driver, wherein nuclear electromagnetic quanta are down-converted to vibrational quanta; or vibrational quanta are up-converted to nuclear quanta; or nuclear excitation is transferred to other nuclei in the medium; or nuclear excitation is subdivided and transferred to other nuclei in the medium (thereby exciting them); or a combination of the above due to interaction between vibrational energy of the oscillating nuclei and the oscillating nuclei.

Abstract: Various sensors and arrays of sensors that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some arrangements, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change.

Abstract: A vehicle may be configured to determine a characteristic of a software program operating on the vehicle. The characteristic may be provided to an insurer, and the insurer may determine a property of an insurance policy based on the characteristic. The characteristic may be, for example, a feature, a setting, and/or a version of the software program. The insurer may indicate to a vehicle operator and/or owner how changing the characteristic may affect the property of the insurance policy. The insurance policy may be formalized and agreed to by the insurer and/or the insured. The vehicle may also or instead save pre-collision status data, such adjustable parameters, internal variables, dynamic decisions, and/or identification of a software program, when a collision is detected. The pre-collision status data may be used to diagnose problems with the software program, determine fault, and/or determine future properties of insurance policies.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a support and a radioactive source on the support. The radioactive source includes nuclei. An excitation element is coupled to the support. Upon activation of the excitation element, radiation emission from the radioactive source is reduced. The excitation element includes a vibration source. Excitation is transferred from nuclei of the radioactive source to nuclei of the support. The excitation transfer occurs in bulk from multiple nuclei of the radioactive source. The excitation transfer causes emissions from the support.

Abstract: An excitation transfer in a nuclear state is energetically induced. The excitation transfer may be induced by heating a structure to which a nuclear species is mechanically coupled. The heating may be applied as a triangular heat pulse. The heating may generate a stress effect in the structure. The stress effect may produce vibratory phonons. The excitation transfer may include up-conversion. The excitation transfer may include radioactive decay. The decay rate of a radioactive species may be increased to a rate higher than the natural half-life of the radioactive species. Energy may be harnessed from decay of the radioactive species. A decay product having industrial or medical use may be rapidly produced. The decay rate of the radioactive species may be lowered to reduce emissions for safe storage or transportation.

Abstract: Various heaters and arrays of heaters that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In various arrangements, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to pass a current for heating.

Abstract: Various sensors and arrays of sensors that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some arrangements, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change.

Abstract: A vehicle may be configured to determine a characteristic of a software program operating on the vehicle. The characteristic may be provided to an insurer, and the insurer may determine a property of an insurance policy based on the characteristic. The characteristic may be, for example, a feature, a setting, and/or a version of the software program. The insurer may indicate to a vehicle operator and/or owner how changing the characteristic may affect the property of the insurance policy. The insurance policy may be formalized and agreed to by the insurer and/or the insured. The vehicle may also or instead save pre-collision status data, such adjustable parameters, internal variables, dynamic decisions, and/or identification of a software program, when a collision is detected. The pre-collision status data may be used to diagnose problems with the software program, determine fault, and/or determine future properties of insurance policies.

Abstract: A system may produce images including narrow-bandwidth colors. One or more sets of the narrow-bandwidth colors may be selected to be interpreted as substantially a same color by a user. The system may include a light source configured to produce the narrow-bandwidth colors, and/or narrow-passband filters may create narrow-bandwidth colors from light emitted by broad-spectrum light sources or color sources. Spatial and/or time multiplexing may be used to create separate narrow-bandwidth colors interpreted as substantially a same color by the user. For example, the light source and/or the narrow-passband filter elements may be adjustable and may alternate between emission of two or more narrow-bandwidth colors. A viewing device may include filters allowing the user to selectively filter the narrow-bandwidth colors. The user may filter the narrow-bandwidth colors to separate a stereoscopic image pair, to view a user-specific image, to view desired content obfuscated by an obfuscating image, and/or the like.

Abstract: A system may produce images including narrow-bandwidth colors. One or more sets of the narrow-bandwidth colors may be selected to be interpreted as substantially a same color by a user. The system may include a light source configured to produce the narrow-bandwidth colors, and/or narrow-passband filters may create narrow-bandwidth colors from light emitted by broad-spectrum light sources or color sources. Spatial and/or time multiplexing may be used to create separate narrow-bandwidth colors interpreted as substantially a same color by the user. The light source and/or the narrow-passband filter elements may be adjustable and may alternate between emission of two or more narrow-bandwidth colors. A viewing device may include filters configured to selectively filter the narrow-bandwidth colors. The user may filter the narrow-bandwidth colors to separate a stereoscopic image pair, to view an image specific to a user, to view desired content obfuscated by an obfuscating image, and/or the like.

Abstract: Various sensors and arrays of sensors that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some arrangements, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change.

Abstract: Systems and methods for self-testing archival memory devices are described. The memory device includes a data storage component capable of being coded with data. The memory device further includes a read-write mechanism configured to read, write, and delete data stored on the data storage component. The memory device includes a read-write controller configured to control the read-write mechanism based on input received through a device interface of the memory device, wherein the device interface of the memory device is configured to connect to an external computing device. The memory device further includes a diagnostic controller configured to perform a test on at least one of the data stored on the data storage component, the data storage component, and the read-write mechanism. The memory device includes a power source configured to provide operational power to the diagnostic controller when the memory device is not connected to an external power source.

Abstract: Systems and methods for self-testing archival memory devices are described. The memory device includes a data storage component capable of being coded with data. The memory device further includes a read-write mechanism configured to read, write, and delete data stored on the data storage component. The memory device includes a read-write controller configured to control the read-write mechanism based on input received through a device interface of the memory device, wherein the device interface of the memory device is configured to connect to an external computing device. The memory device further includes a diagnostic controller configured to perform a test on at least one of the data stored on the data storage component, the data storage component, and the read-write mechanism. The memory device includes a power source configured to provide operational power to the diagnostic controller when the memory device is not connected to an external power source.

Abstract: A method may include automatically remotely identifying at least one characteristic of an individual via facial recognition; and providing a display for the individual, the display having a content at least partially based on the identified at least one characteristic of the individual. A system may include a facial recognition module configured for automatically remotely identifying at least one characteristic of an individual via facial recognition; and a display module coupled with the facial recognition module, the display module configured for providing a display for the individual, the display having a content at least partially based on the identified at least one characteristic of the individual.

Abstract: A method for providing an environmental impact rating for a solar cell includes acquiring power generation data and thermal exchange data regarding the solar cell using a data acquisition device, transmitting the power generation data and the thermal exchange data to a controller, and generating the environmental impact rating based on the power generation data and the thermal exchange data using the controller, wherein the environmental impact rating provides an indication of an environmental impact of using the solar cell.