Abstract: To form a layer separating two volumes of aqueous solution, there is used an apparatus comprising elements defining a chamber, the elements including a body of non-conductive material having formed therein at least one recess opening into the chamber, the recess containing an electrode. A pre-treatment coating of a hydrophobic fluid is applied to the body across the recess. Aqueous solution, having amphiphilic molecules added thereto, is flowed across the body to cover the recess so that aqueous solution is introduced into the recess from the chamber and a layer of the amphiphilic molecules forms across the recess separating a volume of aqueous solution introduced into the recess from the remaining volume of aqueous solution.

Abstract: A method for administrating a certificate of deposit (CD) includes receiving an option agreement entered into by a user with a financial institution. The option agreement defines one or more predetermined events enabling disposition of funds of a CD prior to the CD's maturity date. The option agreement has a fee associated therewith. The received option agreement and one or more services provided to the user by the financial institution are analyzed by a processor to determine said user's eligibility for disposition of CD funds prior to the maturity date based on an occurrence of the one or more predetermined events specified by the option agreement. The occurrence of the one or more predetermined events is verified, using the processor. A recommendation is provided to the user to dispose the CD funds in response to verifying the occurrence of the one or more predetermined events.

Abstract: A drug delivery system is disclosed that includes a drug delivery device having a reservoir, a delivery cannula having a proximal end in fluid communication with the reservoir and a distal end to be received within a patient, and one or more controllable elements. The drug delivery system may further include one or more sensors coupled to the drug delivery device, and a controller coupled to the one or more sensors and the one or more controllable elements. The controller may be configured to use the one or more sensors to determine a condition or an operational state of the drug delivery device. Furthermore, the controller may be configured to control the controllable element based on the condition or the operational state of the drug delivery device and/or identity information stored in a memory onboard the device. A method for use with a drug delivery device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vacuum cell provides for electric field control within an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) for cold-neutral-atom quantum computing and other quantum applications. Electrode assemblies extend through vacuum cell walls. Prior to cell assembly, contacts are bonded to respective locations on the ambient-facing surfaces of the walls. Trenches are formed in the vacuum-facing surfaces of walls and via holes are formed, extending from trenches through the wall and into the contacts. Plating conductive material into the trenches and via holes forms the electrodes and vias. The electrodes are contained by the trenches and do not extend beyond the trenches so as to avoid interfering with the bonding of components to the vacuum-facing surfaces of the walls. The vias extend into the contacts to ensure good electrical contact. An electric-field controller applies electric potentials to the electrodes (via the contacts) to control electric fields within the vacuum.

Abstract: The salt sampling system may be utilized to collect molten fuel salt samples from a molten salt reactor. The salt sampling system keeps the fuel salt isolated from the environment outside the molten salt reactor system, until the salt sampling system is utilized to collect the salt sample. The salt sampling system may utilize one or more isolation components to position a collection assembly within the reactor system to collect the salt sample, and upon removing the collection assembly from the reactor system, closing the one or more isolation components so that the reactor system is once again isolated. The salt sampling system may additionally utilize a purge gas system and a vacuum system to remove unwanted contaminants from the components in fluid connection within salt sampling system prior to inserting the collection assembly into the molten salt reactor system.

Abstract: Techniques for steering overlay network traffic along specific paths through an underlay network. The techniques may include determining a path through an underlay network that is optimized for sending a packet from a first node of an overlay network to a second node of the overlay network. The techniques may also include determining a destination address for sending the packet along the path from the first node to the second node, the destination address including a micro segment identifier (uSID) corresponding with an underlay node that is disposed along the path through the underlay network and trailing bits representing a portion of an address that corresponds with the second node. The techniques may also include causing the packet to be modified to include the destination address such that the packet is sent from the first node to the second node along the path.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermal interface material detection includes a heat dissipating device stack up that includes a heat dissipating device, a thermal interface material, a heat generating component, and a printed circuit board. The heat dissipating device is disposed on the thermal interface material, the thermal interface material is disposed on the heat generating component, and the heat generating component is disposed on the printed circuit board. A channel in a body of the heat dissipating device includes an embedded conductive probe, where a first end of the embedded conductive probe leads to a lower surface of the body of the heat dissipating device and a second end of the embedded conductive probe leads to an upper surface of the body of the heat dissipating device.

Abstract: A data storage system for use in a high radiation environment includes an array of storage drives. Each storage drive includes a non-radiation-hardened drive controller, a non-radiation-hardened, non-volatile, storage medium, and a non-radiation-hardened volatile memory. The system includes a radiation-hardened storage controller coupled to the array. The radiation-hardened storage controller provides failure-resistant data redundancy among the storage drives of the array and provides host access to the array.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for treating a magnesium or a magnesium alloy substrate comprising: a first pretreatment composition comprising a fluorometallic acid and free fluoride in an amount of 10 ppm to 500 ppm based on total weight of the first pretreatment composition and having a pH of 1.0 to 4.0; and a second pretreatment composition comprising a lanthanide series metal, the second pretreatment composition being substantially free of peroxide. Also disclosed are methods of treating a magnesium or magnesium alloy substrate. Treated magnesium and magnesium alloy substrates also are disclosed.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case chassis includes a first insulated panel and a second insulated panel. The first insulated panel has a first foam layer bounded by a first pair of thermally conductive sheets. The first insulated panel forms a first wall of the refrigerated display case chassis. The second insulated panel has a second foam layer bounded by a second pair of thermally conductive sheets. The second insulated panel forms a second wall of the refrigerated display case chassis. The second insulated panel mates with the first insulated panel to form a thermally insulated joint where, in cross-section, one sheet of the first pair of thermally conductive sheets terminates at a surface of the second foam layer. The thermally conductive sheets have a greater thermal conductivity than the first or second foam layers.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly comprising: a structural pin defining a first bore having a longitudinal insertion axis; a cap for covering the bore, the cap comprising: a base portion; a head portion; a body portion positioned between the base portion and the head portion; and a bolt which extends between the head portion and the base portion and comprises a threaded portion so that engagement of either the head portion or the base portion with the threaded portion moves either the head portion or the base portion relative to the other, the body being formed of an elastically deformable material such that upon tightening of the bolt, the base portion moves towards the head portion and the elastically deformable material moves radially outwards such that a contact surface of the elastically deformable material engages with an inner surface of the first bore in order to retain the cap.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sealing composition for treating a metal substrate comprising: a polyolefin component; and a colloidal layered silicate. Also disclosed is a system for treating a metal substrate comprising: a cleaner composition; and/or a pretreatment composition for treating at least a portion of the substrate, the pretreatment composition comprising a Group IVB metal; and a sealing composition for treating at least a portion of the substrate treated with the cleaner composition and/or the pretreated composition, the sealing composition comprising a polyolefin component. Also disclosed is a method of treating a substrate comprising contacting at least a portion of a surface of the substrate with any of the compositions disclosed herein or any of the systems disclosed herein.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a standardized voice user interface (VUI) that enables voice to voice natural language understanding (NLU) processing are described. The standardized VUI may be added to speechlets to enable a customer to interact with a business via server(s) using NLU processing. For example, a first user may initiate a first voice interaction using NLU processing with the server(s) and the system may initiate a second voice interaction using NLU processing between the server(s) and a second user. This enables a customer to initiate a transaction (e.g., request information, place an order, make a reservation, etc.) with the business using the speechlet. Thus, the business may use the speechlet to offer services without requiring additional infrastructure or complicated programming to implement.

Abstract: A data center cooling system, including a support structure having a lower portion and an upper portion, one or more fans supported by the support structure at a height that is equal to or greater than a height of the electronics cabinets, and a heat exchanger having one or more cooling coils supported at the upper portion of the support structure. In some embodiments, the cooling coils can be supported by the upper portion of the support structure so as to be above the top of and/or over one or more of the electronics cabinets. The fans can be configured to draw air from the one or two rows of electronics cabinets and to cause the air to be passed through the heat exchanger to cool the warmer air from the electronics cabinets.

Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, a user input device is provided. The user-input device may include non-contact magnetic, capacitive, or inductive components for translating movements of a joystick into angular positions. Magnets attached to axial shafts of a joystick assembly may cause changes in voltage in magnetometers on a PCB when the axial shafts are rotated, which may be translated into angular positions of the joystick. Conductors attached to axial shafts of a joystick assembly may cause changes in capacitive charge in capacitors on a PCB when the axial shafts are rotated, which may be translated into angular positions of the joystick. Anisotropic magnetically permeable material and/or excitation components attached to axial shafts of a joystick assembly may cause changes in inductance in inductors on a PCB when the axial shafts are rotated, which may be translated into angular positions of the joystick.

Abstract: Some fluid coupling devices described herein are configured for use in fluid systems. For example, some embodiments described in this document are single-use, aseptic fluid coupling devices that can be coupled to create a sterile flow path therethrough. Some such aseptic couplings are genderless couplings such that two identical aseptic couplings can be coupled together and then latched to form a robust connection between the aseptic couplings.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for allowing parents to view and track smart phone activities of their children can include one or more child software modules. The module can be installed on each child's smart phone. The module can access and extract data from or about more than one of the smart phone's other software applications, including at least two of the following: a texting application, a social media application, an image application that facilitates transmission or reception of images, and a web browser application. The module can further send the extracted data to an analysis server. The module can also monitor location data. Moreover, the system can include an analysis server that can identify potentially harmful language, images, and websites. Further, the system can include a parent portal. The parent portal can receive results from the analysis server.

Abstract: A distributed data storage system can be configured with a host connected to a first device and an initialization module that performs a default initialization procedure on the first device in response to detecting the first device has an unknown manufacturing origin. Conducting the default initialization procedure may allow the first device to service data access requests from the host. In response to the connection of a second device to the host and initialization module, a manufacturing origin of the second device is identified with the initialization module before the initialization module customizes the default initialization procedure to a custom procedure that is executed to allow the second device to satisfy a background operation prescribed by the initialization module.

Abstract: An instrument panel includes a frame defining an opening, a plurality of cards, and an HMI. The cards have a front face, a rear face, one or more circuits, and a data interface on the rear face in communication with the circuits. The cards include one or more first cards and one or more second cards. The first cards front face have a vertical dimension approximately equal to a vertical dimension of the opening. The second cards have a body, a nose projecting from the body defining the second cards front face, and a recess between the nose and body. The HMI includes a front face received within the opening. The first cards are positioned with the front face visible within the opening. The second cards are positioned with the nose visible within the opening and a depth of the HMI received within the recess.

Abstract: A method of managing a wireless communication between a plurality of accessory devices and a host device includes, at the host device, establishing a data connection with a plurality of accessory devices, obtaining a radio ID for each accessory device of the plurality of accessory devices, grouping the plurality of accessory devices into at least one OFDMA device and at least one non-OFDMA device based at least partially on the radio IDs, sending a trigger signal to the at least one OFDMA device; and after receiving a first response signal from the at least one OFDMA device in response to the trigger signal, receiving a second response signal from the at least one non-OFDMA device.