Abstract: The present invention relates to a methods and systems for monitoring and/or characterizing multi-component tablets and for monitoring punch and die surfaces and, more particularly, to methods and systems for in-die and out-of-die monitoring and/or characterizing multi-component tablets based on acoustic and vibrational spectroscopy and for detecting and monitoring stiction and tooling material modifications on punch and die surfaces during compaction based on acoustic/ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: A hydrogel material composition includes: (1) an alginate (or other cross-linking polymer) material; (2) an optional ?-hydroxy carboxylate material; and (3) an iron cation material. The hydrogel material composition with or without the ?-hydroxy-carboxylate material may be used in a photolithographic imaging application or a photorelease application within the context of a photoirradiation induced reduction/oxidation reaction of an iron (III) cation material to form an iron (II) cation material.

Abstract: A device and system for coupling light into and out of a photonic integrated circuit. The forked grating coupler device applies a forked grating structure to the design of the diffracting lines in an integrated optics grating coupler to make the device compatible with vortex light beams to or from free space, bulk optics, or special optical fiber that can propagate vortex modes. These diffracting lines, which can be grooves, or ridges, or a photonic metamaterial discontinuity arranged in a continuous or intermittent curve, follow the forked diffraction pattern lobes over a two-dimensional surface. The resulting device can therefore absorb or radiate a vortex beam mode at near-normal incidence to a PIC and transform that vortex mode to a transverse electric (TE) or transverse magnetic (TM) waveguide mode traveling along a slab or strip optical waveguide parallel to the surface of the IC.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining particle size distribution from electrical mobility spectrometry (EMS) measurements in the presence of multiply charged particles. EMS data comprising zeroth order singly-charged particle size distribution information for one or more EMS channels is obtained and fitted using a Gumbel distribution function to obtain a fit function value. The obtained fit function value is used to correct for multiply-charged particle contribution to the received EMS data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treating wood byproducts, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a first quantity of wood byproducts in a first location; and (ii) exposing the first quantity of wood byproducts to ozone at a first concentration for a first time period, wherein the first concentration is configured to decrease the release of carbon monoxide from the first quantity of wood byproducts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a methods and systems for monitoring and/or characterizing multi-component tablets and for monitoring punch and die surfaces and, more particularly, to methods and systems for in-die and out-of-die monitoring and/or characterizing multi-component tablets based on acoustic and vibrational spectroscopy and for detecting and monitoring stiction and tooling material modifications on punch and die surfaces during compaction based on acoustic/ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: A method for localization of a target device within an environment, the method comprising the steps of: (i) receiving, by a target device, a plurality of wireless signals transmitted from one or more anchor devices within the environment; (ii) determining, by a target device, a received signal strength indication for at least some of the received plurality of wireless signals; (iii) estimating, based on the determined received signal strength indications, a distance from the target device to each of the one or more anchor devices from which a wireless signal was received; and (iv) estimating, based on the estimated distances, a location of the target device within the environment.

Abstract: A method for polishing tooth surface which eases removal of a bacterial film later grown on the polished surface. The method includes the steps of providing a providing a toothpaste or slurry comprising a plurality of inorganic abrasive particles smaller than 100 nm in size, the inorganic abrasive particles comprising one or more of silica, ceria, titania, zirconia, silicon nitrite, and silica carbide, wherein the inorganic abrasive particles are sufficiently hard to be abrasive; and polishing a tooth surface with the toothpaste or slurry to attain an ultra-smooth tooth surface which can be easily cleaned.

Abstract: Ultrabright fluorescent silica particles that can take stable temperature measurements, and methods of their manufacture. The particles have encapsulated fluorescent substances, some of which can exhibit altering fluorescent characteristics depending on temperature. The particles function as a thermometer allowing one to measure the temperature of the environment. A ratio of the fluorescent peaks in the fluorescent spectrum of each particle depends on temperature, but is dependent on neither the amount of exciting light nor the size of the particles. Further, the particle size can be confined to the range of 8 nm to 100 ?m.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to fluorescent particles and more specifically to silica-based fluorescent nanoporous particles with physically encapsulated organic dyes. In one aspect of the invention, the nanoporous architecture provides a significant enhancement in fluorescence of the particles brightness compared to free dye. A particular chemical control of the silica matrix prevents the dye molecules from leaking the particles.

Abstract: A wind energy extraction apparatus utilizing a separate surface enclosing the turbine rotor is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention includes a slotted and un-slotted duct of specified geometry enclosing a wind turbine rotor in such a manner as to provide acceleration of the ambient air though the rotor at a velocity above that which an open rotor exposed to the freestream would experience, thereby resulting in an increased amount of energy extraction relative to a comparable open rotor. In one aspect, the wind turbine rotor is positioned in the duct at a location downstream of the smallest cross-sectional area of the duct as this will provide the maximum power output. According to another aspect, the rotor geometry is such as to incorporate the effect of the duct on the incoming wind velocity profile.

Abstract: An electrode of an energy storage device and methods of fabrication are provided which include: pyrolyzing a carbon-containing precursor to form a stabilized-carbonized material; and annealing the stabilized-carbonized material to form a structurally-modified activated carbon material. The structurally-modified activated carbon material includes a tunable pore size distribution and an electrochemically-active surface area. The electrochemically-active surface area of the structurally-modified activated carbon material is greater than a surface area of graphene having at least one layer, the surface area of the graphene having at least one layer being about 2630 m2 g?1.

Abstract: A miniature electrical-mobility aerosol spectrometer comprising a 3D-printed body comprising: (i) a single inlet section configured to receive particles to be evaluated by the spectrometer; (ii) an electrostatic precipitator section coupled to the electrostatic precipitator section; (iii) a classifier section, wherein the electrostatic precipitator section is coupled to the classifier section; and (iv) an outlet, wherein the classifier section is coupled to the outlet; a high voltage classifier plate positioned within the classifier section; and a classifier component positioned within the classifier section opposite the high voltage classifier plate, wherein the classifier component comprises sensing circuitry configured to detect particles in the classifier section, and wherein the classifier section comprises a two-sided printed circuit board, wherein the two-sided printed circuit board comprises the sensing circuitry, and wherein a first side of the two-sided printed circuit board comprises a plurality of

Abstract: A device for additive manufacturing of an object. The device includes: a first probe configured to form the object; and a work-hardening second probe, where the work-hardening second probe is an ultrasonic probe, and further where the second probe is configured to emit ultrasonic energy to modify a substructure of the object during manufacture; wherein the first probe is configured to increase a temperature of at least a portion of a first layer of the object facing the first probe, to a first depth; and wherein the second probe is configured to work-harden the at least a portion of the first layer of the object facing the first probe, to a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth.

Abstract: Specific elements of the Urb&GO ecosystem include a battery electric vehicle (BEV) that is convertible between a driveable mode and a stowable mode where the height of the roof area of the vehicle is lowered when the vehicle is stowed. The stowable mode reduces the volume of the BEV allowing for the storage of more vehicles per cubic feet of storage or parking space. The infrastructure for the BEV includes various configurations for charging and storage facilities. The charging facilities may include wind turbines; solar polar of other renewable power. The proposed Urb&GO concept reduces traffic and congestion and eliminates exhaust fumes reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The “Park & Ride” idea can be used to allow people to use Urb&GO Vehicles to commute to the city. Customer and public ownership and leasing study options are possible with this concept.

Abstract: A composite magnetic matrix comprising a porous metal-organic framework (MOF) and a plurality of molecular magnets, where a plurality of pores of the MOF each comprise one of the plurality of molecular magnets, and where the each of the plurality of molecular magnets retains its magnetic properties in the matrix. The molecular magnet may be, for example, a single-molecule magnet or a single-chain magnet. For example, the composite magnetic matrix Mn12Ac@MOF comprises Mn12O12(O2CCH3)16(OH2)4 (Mn12Ac) as the single-molecule magnet and [Al(OH)(SDC)]n (H2SDC=4,4?-stilbenedicarboxylic acid) (CYCU-3) as the porous metal-organic framework.

Abstract: Solid, or highly viscous, organic electrolytes consisting of alkylimidazolium cation with alkyl, PEGylated and fluorinated side chains of different molecular weights were synthesized and characterized (cf. chemical structures in Schemes 1 and 2). The PEGylated/fluorinated imidazolium iodide is a solid organic electrolyte that has a conductivity of about 2×10?5 S/cm at 30° C. The ionic conductivity could be significantly increased (1.11×10?4 S/cm at 30° C. and S/cm at 2.88×10?3 at 90° C.) by blending the PEGylated/fluorinated imidazolium iodide with another solid electrolyte, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (EtMlml). The PEGylated imidazolium iodides synthesized in the present work have conductivities in the range 1.6×10?4 S/cm to 2×10?4 S/cm at 30° C. and viscosities in the range 620 cP to 720 cP at 30° C. The iodide counter ion in the present electrolytes supplies the anion for the I?/I3? redox mediators for DSSCs.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the selective derivatization of a oligohistidine-tagged recombinant protein. A modifying compound comprised of an imidazole reactive group, a linker, and a ligating group is contacted with the recombinant protein, and a cooperative bond forms between the ligating group and the oligohistidine tag in the presence of a metal cation, and a covalent bond forms between the imidazole reactive group and an imidazole ring of the oligohistidine tag followed by the concomitant separation of the imidazole reactive group from the linker. Addition of a metal chelator results in the dissociation of the ligating group and the oligohistidine tag.

Abstract: A device and system for coupling light into and out of a photonic integrated circuit. The forked grating coupler device applies a forked grating structure to the design of the diffracting lines in an integrated optics grating coupler to make the device compatible with vortex light beams to or from free space, bulk optics, or special optical fiber that can propagate vortex modes. These diffracting lines, which can be grooves, or ridges, or a photonic metamaterial discontinuity arranged in a continuous or intermittent curve, follow the forked diffraction pattern lobes over a two-dimensional surface. The resulting device can therefore absorb or radiate a vortex beam mode at near-normal incidence to a PIC and transform that vortex mode to a transverse electric (TE) or transverse magnetic (TM) waveguide mode traveling along a slab or strip optical waveguide parallel to the surface of the IC.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method including hardware and software, which allows collecting and analyzing of data to obtain information about mechanical properties of soft materials. This allows surface mapping of viscoelastic properties in a high-resolution and fast manner. It also allows finding the degree of nonlinearity of the material response of the sample during the measurements. The apparatus can be used as a stand-alone device, or an add-on to either the existing atomic force microscope or nanoindenter device.