Abstract: Secure auditability of monitoring processing using public ledgers that are particularly useful for monitoring surveillance orders, whereby an overseeing enforcer (“E”) checks if law enforcement agencies and companies are respectively over-requesting or over-sharing user data beyond what is permitted by the surveillance order, in a privacy-preserving way, such that E does not know the real identities of the users being surveilled, nor does E get to read the users' unencrypted data. Embodiments of the present invention also have inbuilt checks and balances to require unsealing of surveillance orders at the appropriate times, thus enabling accounting of the surveillance operation to verify that lawful procedures were followed, protecting users from government overreach, and helping law enforcement agencies and companies demonstrate that they followed the rule of law.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a substance comprising a direct analysis in real time apparatus; a neutral excluder; a mass spectrometer; and a vessel in. The apparatus may also comprise a separator, a gas, an alcohol, a filter, and a pump. The apparatus may also comprise electrodes in communication with the direct analysis in real time apparatus and the neutral excluder. A method for detecting a substance comprising contacting the substance with a direct analysis in real time apparatus ion stream; forming an ion and a neutral particle; flowing the ion and the neutral particle into a neutral excluder; contacting the ion and the neutral particle with a gas; and flowing the ion into a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for efficient and authorized rewriting of records already written to a blockchain. Mutable transactions will make a fraction of all blockchain transactions, but will be a necessity to meet the needs of privacy regulations, for example the General Data Protection Regulation. Embodiments of the present invention provide an efficient framework for transaction-level blockchain rewrites that is fine-grained and supports revocation. Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel revocable chameleon hash with ephemeral trapdoor method and/or system, a novel revocable fast attribute-based encryption method and/or system, and a dynamic group signature method and/or system.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for enhancing capacity of piles and/or anchors, which can include any type of piles and/or anchors, including but not limited to micropiles and soil nail, by disposing a tube or casing into the earth and then laterally expanding at least a portion of the casing, in plastic deformation, using an expansion member such that an enlarged area is formed in the casing. The casing can then optionally be left in place and filled with a filler material and/or can optionally be forcibly pulled out of the ground, thus compacting and thereby densifying the surrounding soil, and the thusly formed enlarged hole can be filled with a filler material and used as an anchor and/or pile. Optionally, in one embodiment, existing piles and/or anchors can be re-used by lowering an expansion member into them and creating one or more laterally expanded areas.

Abstract: A composition for producing hydrogen and degrading polymers. The composition comprises a semiconductor and individual metal atoms/clusters attached to the semiconductor. A method for producing hydrogen. The method comprises pretreating a polymer, contacting polymer with composition for producing hydrogen exposing the composition for producing hydrogen to radiation, degrading the polymer, and releasing hydrogen. The radiation may be solar radiation. Pretreatment of the polymer may comprise contact with an acid, a base, and/or ethanol. The pretreatment may occur in the absence of light.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a substance comprising a direct analysis in real time apparatus; a neutral excluder; a mass spectrometer; and a vessel in. The apparatus may also comprise a separator, a gas, an alcohol, a filter, and a pump. The apparatus may also comprise electrodes in communication with the direct analysis in real time apparatus and the neutral excluder. A method for detecting a substance comprising contacting the substance with a direct analysis in real time apparatus ion stream; forming an ion and a neutral particle; flowing the ion and the neutral particle into a neutral excluder; contacting the ion and the neutral particle with a gas; and flowing the ion into a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an augmentative alternative communication (“AAC”) apparatus which presents a user with selection options of words and/or phrases that can be audibly transmitted to others. The AAC apparatus can optionally include one or more bio-feedback sensors which enable the audible transmissions to be adapted based on the sensed bio data. Such adaptations can include prosodic changes in the transmitted words and/or phrases. Optionally, the selection options that are presented to the user can be adaptively updated and presented to the user based on sensed surroundings of the AAC apparatus.

Abstract: A method for in situ production of antimicrobial filtration membranes that uses self-assembly of surfactants such as block copolymers as a template. The mesophase structure (for example hexagonal or lamellar) can be determined, and membrane pore size can be controlled in the nanometer range, by changing the block copolymer and the amounts of the components such as the block copolymer, aqueous solution, monomer, crosslinker, and initiator. The monomer phase cures in the template and there is no need for organic solvents and coagulation bath or other post-modification. As-synthesized membranes were found to have pore sizes with a narrow size distribution in the range of 3-4 nm with a molecular weight cutoff of 1500 g/mol and displayed both excellent fouling resistance and high permeance of water, vastly outperforming a conventional NIPS UF membrane. The monomer can comprise a quaternary ammonium group so that the membrane is antibacterial.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a substance comprising a direct analysis in real time apparatus; a neutral excluder; a mass spectrometer; and a vessel in. The apparatus may also comprise a separator, a gas, an alcohol, a filter, and a pump. The apparatus may also comprise electrodes in communication with the direct analysis in real time apparatus and the neutral excluder. A method for detecting a substance comprising contacting the substance with a direct analysis in real time apparatus ion stream; forming an ion and a neutral particle; flowing the ion and the neutral particle into a neutral excluder; contacting the ion and the neutral particle with a gas; and flowing the ion into a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A modified version of the min-sum algorithm (“MSA”) which can lower the error floor performance of quantized LDPC decoders. A threshold attenuated min-sum algorithm (“TAMSA”) and/or threshold offset min-sum algorithm (“TOMSA”), which selectively attenuates or offsets a check node log-likelihood ratio (“LLR”) if the check node receives any variable node LLR with magnitude below a predetermined threshold, while allowing a check node LLR to reach the maximum quantizer level if all the variable node LLRs received by the check node have magnitude greater than the threshold. Embodiments of the present invention can provide desirable results even without knowledge of the location, type, or multiplicity of such objects and can be implemented with only a minor modification to existing decoder hardware.

Abstract: A material that can be formed into a porous prosthetic sleeve liner that provides particularly useful benefits for prosthetics. The material is breathable and sweat-absorbing, thus minimizing skin morbidity when used as a prosthetic liner. The material can include hydrophilic-lined continuous pores within a hydrophobic polymer, wherein the hydrophilic lining is crosslinked together with the hydrophobic polymer via non-degradable covalent interactions using chain crosslinkers.

Abstract: A DC bus is connected to a PV array, a battery or both, to power a grid connected inverter load on the bus. A system and method is described for controlling current flow on a DC bus regardless of the type of inverter. A converter receives a DC battery voltage. A switching module controls current flow through the converter. A current generator generates a reference current in response to a reference voltage. A comparator connected at the output of the current generator compares the reference current with a battery current and outputs a signal to a controller. The controller generates a reference value. A PWM generator modulates the switch module to control current flow and energy flow between the DC bus and the battery. The current from the DC bus to the inverter is controlled to allow proper grid-connected operation regardless of inverter type.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a substance comprising a direct analysis in real time apparatus; a neutral excluder; a mass spectrometer; and a vessel in. The apparatus may also comprise a separator, a gas, an alcohol, a filter, and a pump. The apparatus may also comprise electrodes in communication with the direct analysis in real time apparatus and the neutral excluder. A method for detecting a substance comprising contacting the substance with a direct analysis in real time apparatus ion stream; forming an ion and a neutral particle; flowing the ion and the neutral particle into a neutral excluder; contacting the ion and the neutral particle with a gas; and flowing the ion into a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a substance comprising a direct analysis in real time apparatus; a neutral excluder; a mass spectrometer; and a vessel in. The apparatus may also comprise a separator, a gas, an alcohol, a filter, and a pump. The apparatus may also comprise electrodes in communication with the direct analysis in real time apparatus and the neutral excluder. A method for detecting a substance comprising contacting the substance with a direct analysis in real time apparatus ion stream; forming an ion and a neutral particle; flowing the ion and the neutral particle into a neutral excluder; contacting the ion and the neutral particle with a gas; and flowing the ion into a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: An expanding anchor and/or pile system wherein an outer shell of the pile/anchor is split lengthwise into at least two pieces and can be placed or driven into a hole in the earth in a retracted state and can subsequently be expanded such that the two or more pieces are forced outwardly—away from one another, thus causing them to exert a lateral force against the sides of the hole and thereby resulting in greater axial load carrying capacity in tension or compression of the anchor/pile.

Abstract: A method for in situ production of antimicrobial filtration membranes that uses self-assembly of surfactants such as block copolymers as a template. The mesophase structure (for example hexagonal or lamellar) can be determined, and membrane pore size can be controlled in the nanometer range, by changing the block copolymer and the amounts of the components such as the block copolymer, aqueous solution, monomer, crosslinker, and initiator. The monomer phase cures in the template and there is no need for organic solvents and coagulation bath or other post-modification. As-synthesized membranes were found to have pore sizes with a narrow size distribution in the range of 3-4 nm with a molecular weight cutoff of 1500 g/mol and displayed both excellent fouling resistance and high permeance of water, vastly outperforming a conventional NIPS UF membrane. The monomer can comprise a quaternary ammonium group so that the membrane is antibacterial.

Abstract: Separation columns and methods for PFAS removal from water resources. Each column comprises perforated trays, level-controlled gates and air spargers placed on the top of each tray. Air bubbles of optimum size injected on the surface of each tray rise to the top of each tray, separating PFAS, thus creating a PFAS-enriched foam at the top. The amount of air or other gas injected at each stage of the column is optimally determined to increase the gas-water contact time and decrease enriched foam production. The foam is collected from the surface and undergoes a simple low-pressure evaporation process to break the bubbles. Multi-stage air injection using a sparger or distributer to inject air or other gas bubbles in each tray produces higher turbulence on each tray and more fresh and small bubbles of controlled size along the column height, thus enhancing contaminant removal and reducing operating costs.

Abstract: A method for in situ production of antimicrobial filtration membranes that uses self-assembly of surfactants such as block copolymers as a template. The mesophase structure (for example hexagonal or lamellar) can be determined, and membrane pore size can be controlled in the nanometer range, by changing the block copolymer and the amounts of the components such as the block copolymer, aqueous solution, monomer, crosslinker, and initiator. The monomer phase cures in the template and there is no need for organic solvents and coagulation bath or other post-modification. As-synthesized membranes were found to have pore sizes with a narrow size distribution in the range of 3-4 nm with a molecular weight cutoff of 1500 g/mol and displayed both excellent fouling resistance and high permeance of water, vastly outperforming a conventional NIPS UF membrane. The monomer can comprise a quaternary ammonium group so that the membrane is antibacterial.

Abstract: Secure auditability of monitoring processing using public ledgers that are particularly useful for monitoring surveillance orders, whereby an overseeing enforcer (“E”) checks if law enforcement agencies and companies are respectively over-requesting or over-sharing user data beyond what is permitted by the surveillance order, in a privacy-preserving way, such that E does not know the real identities of the users being surveilled, nor does E get to read the users' unencrypted data. Embodiments of the present invention also have inbuilt checks and balances to require unsealing of surveillance orders at the appropriate times, thus enabling accounting of the surveillance operation to verify that lawful procedures were followed, protecting users from government overreach, and helping law enforcement agencies and companies demonstrate that they followed the rule of law.

Abstract: A hardware efficient implementation of a threshold modified attenuated min-sum algorithm (TAMSA”) and a threshold modified offset min-sum algorithm (“TOMSA”) that improve the performance of a low density parity-check (“LDPC”) decoder by reducing the bit error rate (“BER”) compared to the conventional attenuated min-sum algorithm (“AMSA”), offset min-sum algorithm (“OMSA”), and the min-sum algorithm (“MSA”). Embodiments of the present invention preferably use circuit optimization techniques, including a parallel computing structure and lookup tables, and a field-programmable gate array (“FPGA”) or application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”) implementation.