Abstract: A silicone rubber diaphragm pump utilizing a pair of MEMS Parylene check valves and a miniature solenoid plunger and actuator is comprised of a spacer sandwiched by a silicone rubber diaphragm on one side and a check valve support on the other. The check valves in the check valve support form the inlet and outlet to a pumping chamber defined between the check valve support and silicone rubber diaphragm. The pumping action has been demonstrated by driving the silicone diaphragm with the plunger using the solenoid type actuator to generate over and under pressures in the chamber. This forces the pumped medium into and out of the chamber, thus allowing the medium to be transported. Tubing or connectors affixed to the inlet and outlet ports of the check valve support structure allow for external fluidic access. The pump works with both gas and liquid.

Abstract: The activity of intracellular chemical reactions of molecules is measured by the use of fluorescently labeled substrate molecules that undergo a change in electrophoretic mobility upon chemical reaction such as that catalyzed by an enzyme. Specificity is achieved by using labeled substrate molecules that can be acted upon only by specific enzymes. Thus the activity of a specific enzyme or class of enzymes can be determined. Measurements are made with the intracellular presence of such substrate molecules, at some time of interest, typically after exposure of the cell to a stimulus that activates a particular enzymatic pathway. To ensure accuracy, measurements must be made in a timely manner so as to minimize chemical reactions occurring subsequent to the time of interest. Fast controllable laser lysis is used to obtain the contents of a single cell into which reporter substrate molecules have been introduced.

Abstract: An additive to a flame reaction is provided which forms noncorrosive deposits on cooler metal surfaces which are more stable than Na2SO4 or K2SO4. The additive preferentially combines with the sodium or potassium, and sulfates of these will not be formed. By adding tungsten, tungsten salts or tungsten percursors to the flame, a complex sodium tungstate is produced on the surface of the cooler metal object in a dense form and corrosion is inhibited. The level of tungsten preferably present at an atomic concentration is equal to 1.5 to 2 times that of the sodium in the specific flame environment and possibly a little higher for potassium. The nature of the fuel and possible alkali reduction schemes will control the quantity and mixing method of the additive. The additive may be directly mixed into the fuel or injected into the burned gas regions of the combustion, Ta and Nb also appear as possible substitutes for W in the invention.

Abstract: The unified constant-frequency integration (UCI) control method of the invention is based on one-cycle control. It employs an integrator with reset as its core component along with a few logic and linear components to control the pulse width of a three-phase rectifier, active power filter, or grid-connected inverter so that the three phase current draw from, or the current output to, the utility line is sinusoidal. The UCI control employs constant switching frequency and operates in continuous conduction mode (CCM) that is desirable for industrial applications.

Abstract: The invention reduces recovery time in a receiving coil or antenna of an RFID reader by generating a reference voltage that then clamps the node on which the desired signal is monitored. The coil is coupled to parallel channels. One channel has a recovery time or capacitance very much less than the other parallel channel. The two channels have a monitored node which are clamped together or at least close together by means of a Schottky diode. The monitored nodes of both channels are coupled to the inputs of a differential amplifier. The output of the amplifier is the conditioned received signal from the coil used in the reader as the sensed signals from the RFID tags.

Abstract: A two dimensional periodic pattern of capacitive and inductive elements defined in the surface of a metal sheet are provided by a plurality of conductive patches each connected to a conductive back plane sheet between which an insulating dielectric is disposed. The elements acts to suppress surface currents in the surface defined by them. In particular, the array forms a ground plane mesh for use in combination with an antenna. The performance of a ground plane mesh is characterized by a frequency band within which no substantial surface currents are able to propagate along the ground plane mesh. Use of such a ground plane in aircraft or other metallic vehicles thereby prevents radiation from the antenna from propagating along the metallic skin of the aircraft or vehicle. This eliminates surface currents between the antenna and the ground plane thereby reducing power loss and unwanted coupling between neighboring antennae.

Abstract: An switching converter (APF) is a device that is connected in parallel to and cancels the reactive and harmonic currents from a group of nonlinear loads so that the resulting total current drawn from the ac source is sinusoidal. What is provided is an unified constant-frequency integration (UCI) APF control method based on one-cycle control. This method employs an integrator to control the pulse width of an ac-dc converter so that its current draw is precisely opposite to the reactive and harmonic current draw of the nonlinear loads. In contrast to previously proposed methods, there is no need to generate a current reference for the control of the converter current, thus no need for a multiplier, and no need to sense the ac line voltage, the APF current, or the nonlinear load current. Only one current sensor and one voltage sensor are used to sense the ac source current and the dc capacitor voltage.

Abstract: A micropump fabricated in a planar substrate is provided with a valving chamber which is communicated to a pumping chamber. The valving chamber has an inlet and outlet port. Both the valving chamber and pumping chamber have a liquid, electrically conductive piston disposed therein, which liquid piston is nonmiscible with the pumped working fluid and nonreactive with the substrate in which the chambers are formed. The valving piston is magnetohydrodynamically driven to selectively close either the inlet port or the outlet port. The pumping piston is magnetohydrodynamically driven to pull or push the working fluid through one of the inlet or outlet ports, through the valving chamber, into the pumping chamber, back out of the pumping chamber and through the other one of the inlet or outlet ports after activation of the valving piston. Both direct current and inductive magnetohydrodynamic drives are contemplated.

Abstract: Blue icing can be prevented by an apparatus inside an aircraft. A sump is provided which has a removable screen cover disposed over an open-top container. The sump is placed underneath the aircraft's service valve, between the service valve and service door, to collect leaked aircraft lavatory fluid. A level sensor switch placed on an interior wall of the container senses the level of the fluid in the sump and activates a pump inside the sump when the fluid reaches a predetermined level. A recirculation loop has a recirculation hose in circuit with a one-way valve. The activated pump pumps the fluid through the recirculation loop. The recirculation loop leads to a three-port fluid return fitting, allowing the pumped fluid to return to the lavatory fluid reservoir. The fluid return fitting connects to the recirculation hose, lavatory fluid reservoir and to a vent hose equilibrating the pressure within the reservoir with the ambient pressure of the aircraft's interior.

Abstract: Overload protection is provided to the tuned receiving front end circuitry of an RFID tag by selectively detuning the tuned receiving front end in response to sensed voltage overload generated across the tuned receiving front end by a high field. The tuned receiving front end is or is modeled as a tuned parallel inductor and capacitor tank circuit. A parallel capacitance is added to the tank circuit by means of a control transistor which is controlled by a voltage sensing circuit. The voltage sensing circuit senses the voltage being applied across the tank circuit and turns on the control transistor to a degree to sufficiently detune the tank circuit so that the operating voltage across the tank circuit remains at or below a desired operating value or safe limit regardless of the value of the field in which the RFID tag is placed.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for simultaneously transmitting biomedical signals and human voice over a telephone. The invention is also a telephone line adapted to receive communication from the receiving unit at a second end of the line while simultaneously transmitting biomedical signals and human voice from the first end. The apparatus comprises a sensor, a cable, and a transmitter device. The sensor comprises electrodes attached to a pad with a wire connected to each electrode. The cable groups the wires into a single unit and leads them to the transmitter device. The transmitter device comprises a converter and a acoustic. In operation, the sensor takes biomedical signals in the form of electronic data. The data is conveyed via the wires where it reaches the converter. The converter converts the biomedical electronic data into acoustic signal which is emitted by the acoustic in circuit with the converter. The acoustic signals are translatable back to biomedical signals by the receiving unit.