Abstract: Tungsten carbide drill bits for removing material from alloys and other hard materials are disclosed. A conventional drill bit is modified by removing material from the forward portion of the bit to increase the radius of the cutting edge. The drill bit is then coated with a nanostructured diamond film using a chemical vapor deposition process.

Abstract: A permanent magnet is fabricated such that it has a magnetically hard core surrounded by a thin magnetically soft shell. The magnetically hard core provides a relatively high intrinsic coercivity (Hci), and the magnetically soft shell provides a relatively high magnetic flux density (B). Due to magnetic exchange coupling between the core and shell, a relatively high maximum energy product (BH)max is achievable over a wide temperature range, including temperatures above 150° C. Further, such effects can be achieved without using rare-earth metals or precious metals helping to keep the manufacturing costs of the magnet low. To allow sufficient exchange magnetic coupling between the core and shell, the width of the shell is less than about 40 nanometers, and the overall dimensions are controlled such that the width of the shell is less than two times the Bloch domain wall thickness of the core.

Abstract: A system for eye movement and pupil size change matching for user authentication includes an ocular sensor that is configured to sense eyes of a user and collect data indicative of the user's eye movement and pupil size changes. When a user's eyes are detected, the logic analyzes data collected by the ocular sensor in order to determine whether the sensed data match data extracted from a template defined by the eye movement and pupil size changes of an authorized user. If so, the user is authenticated and is permitted to access at least one restricted resource. As an example, the user may be permitted to access an application or sensitive data stored on a computer system or to access a restricted area, such as a room of a building.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining whether and/or when a patient is taking his or her medication and, when appropriate, providing reminders and/or alerts to the patient to improve adherence to a medication regimen. In some embodiments, a medication container is provided that includes a capacitance sensor for sensing the contents of the medication container (e.g., pill count or quantity of liquid medication). The capacitance sensor may include interleaved or interdigitated electrodes oriented vertically, horizontally, or angularly (e.g., diagonally) relative to an axis of the medication container. Reminders and/or alerts to the patient may be triggered based at least in part on the contents of the medication container, when a cap of the container was last opened and/or closed, the location of the medication container, and/or the container's surroundings.

Abstract: A power converter having components enclosed by legs of a first inductor is described. The first inductor is fabricated on the top surface of a substrate along the perimeter of the substrate. A second inductor is fabricated on the bottom surface of the substrate and mirrors the first inductor. Electromagnetic cancellation is provided when the current flow in the second inductor is opposite of the current flow in the first inductor.

Abstract: A permanent magnet is fabricated such that it has a magnetically hard core surrounded by a thin magnetically soft shell. The magnetically hard core provides a relatively high intrinsic coercivity (Hci), and the magnetically soft shell provides a relatively high magnetic flux density (B). Due to magnetic exchange coupling between the core and shell, a relatively high maximum energy product (BH)max is achievable over a wide temperature range, including temperatures above 150° C. Further, such effects can be achieved without using rare-earth metals or precious metals helping to keep the manufacturing costs of the magnet low. To allow sufficient exchange magnetic coupling between the core and shell, the width of the shell is less than about 40 nanometers, and the overall dimensions are controlled such that the width of the shell is less than two times the Bloch domain wall thickness of the core.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining whether and/or when a patient is taking his or her medication and, when appropriate, providing reminders and/or alerts to the patient to improve adherence to a medication regimen. In some embodiments, a medication container is provided that includes a capacitance sensor for sensing the contents of the medication container (e.g., pill count or quantity of liquid medication). The capacitance sensor may include interleaved or interdigitated electrodes oriented vertically, horizontally, or angularly (e.g., diagonally) relative to an axis of the medication container. Reminders and/or alerts to the patient may be triggered based at least in part on the contents of the medication container, when a cap of the container was last opened and/or closed, the location of the medication container, and/or the container's surroundings.

Abstract: A permanent magnet is fabricated such that it has a magnetically hard core surrounded by a thin magnetically soft shell. The magnetically hard core provides a relatively high intrinsic coercivity (Hci), and the magnetically soft shell provides a relatively high magnetic flux density (B). Due to magnetic exchange coupling between the core and shell, a relatively high maximum energy product (BH)max is achievable over a wide temperature range, including temperatures above 150° C. Further, such effects can be achieved without using rare-earth metals or precious metals helping to keep the manufacturing costs of the magnet low. To allow sufficient exchange magnetic coupling between the core and shell, the width of the shell is less than about 40 nanometers, and the overall dimensions are controlled such that the width of the shell is less than two times the Bloch domain wall thickness of the core.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of spacecraft in orbit around the earth for collecting energy from the Sun in space, using stimulated emission to configure that energy as well defined states of the optical field and delivering that energy efficiently throughout the region of space surrounding Earth.

Abstract: A power conversion system has a power converter configured to receive an input voltage signal, convert the input voltage to an output voltage signal, and provide the output voltage signal to a load and a closed loop compensator configured to receive the output voltage signal and a reference voltage signal, the closed loop compensator configured to transmit an error signal indicative of a difference between the output voltage signal and the reference voltage signal. The power conversion system further has a pulse with modulator configured to receive the error signal and modulate a control signal with the error signal to control the output voltage signal, the pulse width modulator configured to transmit the control signal to the power converter and logic configured to receive the error signal and control the closed loop compensator based upon the error signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to metal or dielectric nanostructures of the subwavelength scale within the grating lines of optical diffraction gratings. The nanostructures have surface plasmon resonances or non-plasmon optical resonances. A linear photodetector array is used to capture the resonance spectra from one of the diffraction orders. The combined nanostructure super-grating and photodetector array eliminates the use of external optical spectrometers for measuring surface plasmon or optical resonance frequency shift caused by the presence of chemical and biological agents. The nanostructure super-gratings can be used for building integrated surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrometers. The nanostructures within the diffraction grating lines enhance Raman scattering signal light while the diffraction grating pattern of the nanostructures diffracts Raman scattering light to different directions of propagation according to their wavelengths.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally pertain to passive cooling systems and methods for electronics. An exemplary passive cooling system for electronics has a circuit package and dielectric liquid. The circuit package has a cover positioned over a circuit element coupled to a substrate. The cover is attached to the substrate and creates a water-tight seal around the circuit element. The circuit package further has a porous media. The dielectric liquid directly contacts the circuit element, and heat from the circuit element is transferred to the dielectric liquid. As the liquid reaches its boiling point, vapor from the liquid is passed through the porous media for further cooling.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining whether and/or when a patient is taking his or her medication and, when appropriate, providing reminders and/or alerts to the patient to improve adherence to a medication regimen. In some embodiments, a medication container is provided that includes a capacitance sensor for sensing the contents of the medication container (e.g., pill count or quantity of liquid medication). The capacitance sensor may include interleaved or interdigitated electrodes oriented vertically, horizontally, or angularly (e.g., diagonally) relative to an axis of the medication container. Reminders and/or alerts to the patient may be triggered based at least in part on the contents of the medication container, when a cap of the container was last opened and/or closed, the location of the medication container, and/or the container's surroundings.

Abstract: A through-the-earth (TTE) communication system has a transmitter that uses an electromagnetic antenna to propagate a magnetic communication signal through the earth. The antenna comprises a coil that is wrapped a core of magnetic material. The transmitter converts voice into a pulsed direct current (DC) signal that is applied to the coil of the antenna. The antenna transforms the pulsed DC signal into a pulsed DC magnetic field that propagates through the earth, and the DC magnetic field may pass through soil, water, or other substances within the earth. A receiver at the earth's surface or other location senses the pulsed magnetic field and converts the sensed magnetic energy into a voice signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally pertain to systems and methods for localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensing. A system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an optical fiber having a metallic dot array on a tip of the optical fiber, a light source coupled to the optical fiber via a light coupler, and a spectrometer coupled to the optical fiber via the coupler. The light source is configured to transmit light within a range of wavelengths along the optical fiber. When the light reaches the dot array, the light excites surface plasmons of the dot array and causes the surface plasmons of the dots to resonate. The dots are chemically functionalized to have a specific affinity for a particular substance, and the resonance frequency of the dots changes when the substance is present thereby changing an absorption peak of the light.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for enhancing the thermal stability of ionic compounds including ionic liquids, by immobilization on porous solid support materials having a pore diameter of between about 20-200 ?, wherein the solid support does not have a pore size of 90 ?.

Abstract: A weather forecasting system has weather forecasting logic that receives raw image data from a satellite. The raw image data has values indicative of light and radiance data from the Earth as measured by the satellite, and the weather forecasting logic processes such data to identify cumulus clouds within the satellite images. For each identified cumulus cloud, the weather forecasting logic applies interest field tests to determine a score indicating the likelihood of the cumulus cloud forming precipitation and/or lightning in the future within a certain time period. Based on such scores, the weather forecasting logic predicts in which geographic regions the identified cumulus clouds will produce precipitation and/or lighting within during the time period. Such predictions may then be used to provide a weather map thereby providing users with a graphical illustration of the areas predicted to be affected by precipitation within the time period.

Abstract: A fiber optic directional sensor has a substantially hemispherical dome surface and a substantially flat surface. The sensor is formed from a plurality of optical fibers fused to one another, and each optical fiber extends from the dome surface to the flat surface. One end of each optical fiber is substantially perpendicular to the sensor's dome surface, and the opposite end of the fiber is substantially perpendicular to the sensor's flat surface such that an end face of the fiber is substantially tangent to the dome surface, and another end face of the fiber is substantially tangent to the flat surface. Using the sensor, light from projectiles, such as missiles, bullets, and other weaponry, can be detected, and the locations of the projectiles can be determined.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device are described. The magnetic junction includes a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The free layer has a magnetic anisotropy, at least a portion of which is a biaxial anisotropy. The magnetic junction is configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining whether and/or when a patient is taking his or her medication and, when appropriate, providing reminders and/or alerts to the patient to improve adherence to a medication regimen. In some embodiments, a medication container is provided that includes a capacitance sensor for sensing the contents of the medication container (e.g., pill count or quantity of liquid medication). The capacitance sensor may include interleaved or interdigitated electrodes oriented vertically, horizontally, or angularly (e.g., diagonally) relative to an axis of the medication container. Reminders and/or alerts to the patient may be triggered based at least in part on the contents of the medication container, when a cap of the container was last opened and/or closed, the location of the medication container, and/or the container's surroundings.