Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for injecting a medicine, especially a highly viscous medicine. Conventional methods and apparatus for injecting viscous medicines suffers suffer from a variety of problems such as excessive force during the initial needle insertion and initial injection. In an inventive method, during the initial phase of the injection, energy is stored in a torsion spring that is subsequently released during a later stage of the injection. The present invention also provides for an improved autoinjector; especially via the use of a combination compression and torsion spring that powers the injection through controlling force applied to a plunger via a screw flange or nut having pins that ride in a prescribed path down the length of the autoinjector.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing thermocouples having a first thermoelement wire comprises a molybdenum-lanthanum based material and a second thermoelement wire comprises a phosphorus-doped niobium, may involve exposing a first thermoelement wire and a second thermoelement wire to a temperature in a range extending from about 50° C. to about 60° C. above an intended operational temperature of the first and second thermoelement wires and until a rate of change of a normalized voltage output of the first thermoelement wire and the second thermoelement wire is about 0.001 normalized Volts per hour or less.

Abstract: Imaging systems and associated methods are described. According to one aspect, an imaging system includes an antenna array having transmit and receive antennas, the transmit antennas emit electromagnetic energy from a plurality of different positions about a target imaging volume and the receive antennas receive reflections of the electromagnetic energy at the different positions, a transceiver configured to control the emission of the electromagnetic energy and to generate radar data that is indicative of the reflections of the electromagnetic energy received via the receive antennas; and processing circuitry configured to focus the radar data to provide first focused data in a first dimension, to focus the radar data in a second dimension to provide second focused data, and use the second focused data to focus the radar data in a third dimension to provide third focused data comprising an image of the target imaging volume.

Abstract: A method of producing succinic acid from a biomass. The method comprises adding citric acid to a biomass comprising microalgae to form an acidified microalgae composition. The acidified microalgae biomass composition is stored under anaerobic conditions without inoculating the acidified microalgae composition with bacteria formulated to produce succinic acid. A coproduct comprising succinic acid is produced. Other methods of producing succinic acid from a biomass are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrolyte composition comprising a solution comprising an active salt; and a solvent portion that comprises a first solvent and a second solvent, wherein the first solvent is a hydrofluorocarbon compound having a structure of CxHyFz, wherein x is from 4 to 10, y is from 1 to 10, z is from 5 to 20, and the z:y ratio is from 2:1 to 10:1.

Abstract: Systems and methods for classifying and sorting of dark colored and/or black-colored plastic materials utilizing a vision system or one or more sensor systems implemented with one or more medium wavelength infrared cameras whereby the captured image data is process within a machine learning system in order to identify or classify each of the materials, which may then be sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification.

Abstract: A method for producing a diglycolamide molecule having the formula: wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from alkyl groups (R) and acyl groups (C(O)R) in which the alkyl groups (R) contain 1-30 carbon atoms and optionally contain an ether or thioether linkage between carbon atoms, and R5 and R6 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms; and one or both pairs of R1 and R2 are optionally interconnected to form a ring; the method comprising: combining a diglycolic acid molecule (A) and a secondary amine (B) to form a salt intermediate (C), and heating the salt intermediate (C) to a temperature of 100° C. to 300° C.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for tapping serial communications and transforming the serial data into a format appropriate for routable networks are significant for purposes of security and troubleshooting, especially in critical infrastructure networks. Communication taps should be completely passive such that any failure would not interrupt the serial communications. Furthermore, automatic determination of unspecified serial protocol frames allow general implementation across various networks, or across devices within a single network, without the need to customize for each implementation.

Abstract: A crosslinked polymeric composition comprising A, B, C, D, and E units having the following structures, respectively: and wherein dashed bonds represent optional bonds; the asterisks (*) in C units represent covalent bond connection points with asterisks in A units and E units; the asterisks (*) in D units represent covalent bond connection points with asterisks in B units and E units; wherein a portion of E units are bound to C units, a portion of E units are bound to D units, and a portion of E units are bound to both C and D units; and the composition contains a multiplicity of A, B, C, D, and E units. Also described is a method for producing the crosslinked polymeric composition by reacting epoxy-containing molecules (A molecules), isocyanate-containing molecules (B molecules), and disulfide-containing molecules (C molecules).

Abstract: Riveted assemblies are provided that can include a substrate extending between two ends to define opposing substrate surfaces having a first opening extending between the opposing substrate surfaces; a metal-comprising substrate extending between two ends to define opposing metal-comprising substrate surfaces having a second opening extending between the opposing metal-comprising substrate surfaces. The riveted assemblies can further provide that the first and second openings complement one another when the substrate and metal-comprising substrate are engaged; and a rivet shaft extends through the openings and engages the substrate with the rivet head and the metal-comprising substrate with the rivet stop head, at least a portion of the stop head being mixed with, and forming a metallurgical bond with the metal-comprising substrate. Assemblies are provided that can include a rivet stop head mixed with, and metallurgically bonded with a metal-comprising substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

Abstract: In an approach to non-destructive inspection of IC devices, one or more images of a Device Under Test (DUT) are received from one or more imaging devices. Observed features are detected in the one or more images and producing a first synthetic representation of a part design of the DUT that includes the observed features. The presence of one or more first unobserved features are inferred, where the one or more first unobserved features are inferred using a mapping and inference model (MIM). The one or more first unobserved features are added to the first synthetic representation of the part design of the DUT.

Abstract: Rechargeable batteries include a NiyFe1-y cathode where 0?y?1, an anode comprising a current collector, a porous separator positioned between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte comprising MAlX4, wherein M is Na, Li, K, or a combination thereof, and X is Cl, Br, I, or a combination thereof, and wherein the electrolyte is a solid at temperatures less than 50° C. The batteries are temperature activated. The electrolyte temperature is increased above its melting point while charging and reduced below the melting point for energy storage, such as seasonal energy storage. The electrolyte temperature is increased above the melting point again to discharge the battery.

Abstract: A device is described in which the shape of a resistive heater material is configured to provide rapid and strong heating of a small area. The resistive heating material is heated unevenly while efficiently using power.

Abstract: Methods for synthesizing single crystalline Ni-rich cathode materials are disclosed. The Ni-rich cathode material may have a formula LiNixMnyMzCol1-x-y-zO2, where M represents one or more dopant metals, x?0.6, 0.01?y<0.2, 0?z?0.05, and x+y+z?1.0. The methods are cost-effective, and include methods for solid-state, molten-salt, and flash-sintering syntheses.

Abstract: Double-walled containment cells are described as may be used for storage, transport, and examination of a sample held within the cell by use of optical analysis techniques. A double-walled containment cell can include multiple types of windows that can be located as desired on the containment cells and thereby provide for optical access to a sample for multiple optical analysis techniques. Disclosed containment cells can be sized and designed for use with existing optical analysis systems, e.g., laser ablation, X-ray diffraction, spectral analysis (e.g., Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, etc.), imaging analysis, etc.

Abstract: A thermally reflective membrane apparatus comprises a housing structure, and a thermally reflective membrane contained within the housing structure. The thermally reflective membrane comprises a semipermeable structure, and a porous, thermally reflective structure physically contacting the semipermeable structure. The porous, thermally reflective structure comprises discrete thermally reflective particles, and a binder material coupling the discrete thermally reflective particles to one another and the semipermeable structure. A fluid treatment system and method of treating a fluid are also described.

Abstract: Firearm discharge location systems and methods are described. According to one aspect, a firearm discharge location system includes a plurality of microphones spaced from one another, timing circuitry configured to generate a plurality of asynchronous timing references, wherein data capture operations with respect to the microphones of a first pair are synchronized with one another using a first of the timing references and data capture operations with respect to the microphones of a second pair are synchronized with one another using a second of the timing references, and processing circuitry configured to use outputs of the first and second pairs of the microphones to identify a location of a firearm discharge.

Abstract: Methods for separating Ra from Pb, Bi, and Th are provided, the methods can include: providing a first mixture comprising Ra, Pb, Bi, and/or Th; providing a system that can include: a first vessel housing a first media; a second vessel in fluid communication with the first vessel, the second vessel housing a second media; and a third vessel in fluid communication with the second vessel, the third vessel housing a third media; and exposing the first mixture to the first media within the first vessel then, through the fluid communication, exposing the first remainder to the second media in the second vessel, then, through fluid communication, exposing the next remainder to the third media in the third vessel, the exposing separating the Th and Bi from the Ra and Pb, and the Ra from the Pb. Methods for separating Ra from being associated with a media are also provided. The methods can include: exposing the Ra and media to a chelating agent to form a mixture comprising the Ra complexed with the chelating agent.