Abstract: The present invention relates to a robotic system useful to unload an object/person from its weight. The robotic system is useful in locomotor rehabilitation programs and allows the manipulation of forces in a three-dimensional space with far lower actuator requirements and a much higher precision than prior-art systems. The apparatus combines passive and active elements to minimize actuation requirements while still keeping inertia to a minimum and control precision to a maximum. It requires minimal actuators and at the same time has a low inertia.

Abstract: An article includes: a transparent substrate having a primary surface; and a protective film disposed on the primary surface, such that each of the substrate and the protective film have an optical transmittance of 20% or more in the visible spectrum, and such that the protective film includes at least one of: (1) a hardness of greater than 13 GPa, as measured by a Berkovich nanoindenter, or (2) an effective fracture toughness (Kc) of greater than 2.5 MPa·m1/2, as measured by indentation fracture at a depth of greater than 1 ?m.

Abstract: The subject matter of the present invention is a microfluidic process for treating and analysing a solution containing a biological material, comprising a step of introducing the solution into microchannels of a microfluidic circuit (1), a step of forming drops of this solution, under the effect of modifications of the surface tension of the solution, a step of moving the drops to one or more drop storage zones(s) (130), under the effect of modifications of the surface tension of the drops, a step of treating the drops and a step of analysing the drops.

Abstract: A device for electroadhesion and conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy, for example electrostatic actuation, is provided, including a soft polymeric dielectric support having at least two sets of overlapping electrodes patterned respectively on the upper surface and bottom surface of the polymeric support, the electrodes of the two sets can be electrically activated through a power supply for providing voltage change suitable for electroadhesion, electrostatic actuation or both at the same time.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion thruster, comprising: a chamber, a reservoir, comprising a solid propellant (PS), housed in the chamber and comprising a conductive jacket provided with an orifice; means for forming an ion-electron plasma in the chamber, which means are able to sublime the solid propellant in the reservoir, then to generate said plasma in the chamber from the sublimed propellant coming from the reservoir through the orifice; a means for extracting and accelerating the ions and electrons of the plasma out of the chamber, which means comprises at least two grids at one end (E) of the chamber; a radiofrequency AC voltage source for generating a radiofrequency signal comprised between the plasma frequencies of the ions and of the electrons, arranged in series with a capacitor and connected, by one of its outputs and via this capacitor, to one of the grids, with the other grid being connected to the other output of said voltage source; said means for extracting and accelerating and said voltage

Abstract: There is described a method for delivering exogenous biomolecules into an eye. The method generally has the steps of injecting, into a region of the eye, a mixture having a plurality of exogenous biomolecules and a plurality of plasmonic structures, the plasmonic structures having a plasmonic resonance wavelength, the plasmonic structures adjoining membranes of target cells in said region due to said injecting; and irradiating said region of said eye with a laser beam having a wavelength being offset to said plasmonic resonance wavelength, said irradiating causing the plasmonic structures to form pores in said membranes of said target cells, allowing at least some of the exogenous biomolecules to be delivered into the target cells via said pores.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a A device for puncturing an object, in particular a bodily vein, comprising: a body defining an inner cavity with at least one opening and a perforating needle extending in the cavity and being movable in the cavity between a resting position and an active position where the needle extends at least partially through the opening outside the cavity, and actuating means arranged to move the needle between the resting and active positions. The actuating means comprises a tuneable multistable driving mechanism comprising at least a multistable element having a determined switching load, the multistable element being fixedly arranged between the needle and an inner wall of the cavity, and an actuator for transmitting energy to move the needle between the resting and active positions when the energy reaches the switching load.

Abstract: A device (100) is provided for treating diseases that produce elevated intraocular pressures, such as glaucoma, wherein the device (100) includes a housing shell (101) defining a cavity (107) between a first end (102) and a second end (104) of the housing shell (101), and an elastic membrane (110) disposed within the cavity (107) to divide the cavity (107) into a fluidic channel (106) that permits a flow of fluid from the first end (102) to the second (104) end and a sealed cavity (112). The elastic membrane (110) deforms to change the volume of the sealed cavity (107) responsive to pressure fluctuations between the first and second ends (102, 104), thereby varying the fluidic resistance of the flow of fluid through the fluidic channel (106).

Abstract: A method of analyzing molecules, comprising: generating ions from a sample of molecules; cooling the generated ions below ambient temperature; fragmenting at least some of the cooled ions by irradiating the ions with light at a plurality of different wavelengths (?) within one or more predetermined spectral intervals; recording a fragment mass spectrum of the fragmented ions comprising a detected signal (I) versus m/z over a predetermined range of m/z values for each of the plurality of different wavelengths (?), thereby recording a two-dimensional dependency of the detected signal (I) on m/z and irradiation wavelength (?); and determining from the recorded two-dimensional dependency an identity of at least one of the generated ions and/or relative abundances of different generated ions and thereby determining an identity of at least of one of the molecules and/or relative abundances of different molecules in the sample.

Abstract: A method for generating ultrashort pulses includes directing a master beam having ultrashort pulses and at least one slave beam through an optical gate material. The intensity of the slave beam upstream of the optical gate material is lower than that of the master beam upstream of the optical gate material. The optical gate material and the pulses of the master beam are chosen to induce a Kerr effect when the master beam passes through the optical gate material, the Kerr effect producing a modulation of the phase of the slave beam in association with pulses of the master beam when the slave beam passes through the optical gate material. The modulation of the phase of the slave beam is transformed into a modulation of the amplitude thereof using a complementary optical device to generate a slave beam downstream of the optical gate material having ultrashort pulses.

Abstract: A real-time diagnosis aid method including: (a) providing a decision-support system for autonomous medical diagnosis to a user of a medical system, the system comprising a display module and software modules embodied on a computer readable medium; (b) generating on the display module an ordered list of diagnostic clues to look at by the user according to the diagnostic clues already filled in as absent or present, the ordered list being based on the relevance of looking at respective diagnostic clues to quickly lead to a diagnosis by the user; (c) receiving from the user, information on presence or absence of one or more diagnosis clues listed in the ordered list; and (d) processing the received information to update the ordered list and provide on the display module an indication of the probability of each possible diagnosis.

Abstract: Provided herein is a composition for use as a hardening regulator, e.g. hardening accelerator or hardening retarder, for building materials, as well as methods for producing thereof. The composition is characterized by a biphasic nature in which solid calcium silicate nanoparticles are dispersed in an aqueous solution comprising inorganic water soluble iron, and possibly zinc, silicate and calcium, species. Additional components such as inorganic ions and silica nanoparticles can be present. Depending on the relative ratio of each component, the composition can be used either for retarding or for accelerating the hardening process of a building material such as cement or concretes. The so-obtained building material further shows an enhanced strength upon compressive forces applied thereon.

Abstract: An acquisition device includes a wall and a transducer constituted by a body on which electrodes are fastened spaced apart from one another. An electrical impedance of the transducer is variable as a function of deformation of the transducer. When looking in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the wall, at least two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are spaced apart from each other. The transducer is incorporated under the surface of the wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to heterodimeric inactivatable chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and their use for treatment.

Abstract: Using a transformation based at least in part on a non-simple orthogonal or unitary matrix, data may be transmitted over a data bus in a manner that is resilient to one or more types of signal noise, that does not require a common reference at the transmission and acquisition points, and/or that has a pin-efficiency that is greater than 50% and may approach that of single-ended signaling. Such transformations may be implemented in hardware in an efficient manner. Hybrid transformers that apply such transformations to selected subsets of signals to be transmitted may be used to adapt to various signal set sizes and/or transmission environment properties including noise and physical space requirements of given transmission environments.

Abstract: The present disclosure refers to systems for electrical neurostimulation of a spinal cord of a subject in need of nervous system function support. In one example, a system comprises a signal processing device configured to receive signals from the subject and operate signal-processing algorithms to elaborate stimulation parameter settings; one or more multi-electrode arrays suitable to cover a portion of the spinal cord of the subject; and an Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) configured to receive the stimulation parameter settings from the signal processing device and simultaneously deliver independent current or voltage pulses to the one or more multiple electrode arrays, wherein the independent current or voltage pulses provide multipolar spatiotemporal stimulation of spinal circuits and/or dorsal roots. Such system advantageously enables effective control of nervous system functions in the subject by stimulating the spinal cord, such as the dorsal roots of the spinal cord, with spatiotemporal selectivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates, for example, to a semiconductor structure containing multiple parallel channels in which several parallel conductive channels are formed within the semiconductor structure. Electric contact or electrostatic control over all these channels is done by three-dimensional electrode structures. The multiple channel structure with three-dimensional electrodes can be applied to semiconductors devices such as field effect transistors, diodes, and other similar electronic or quantum-effect devices. This structure is practical for materials where multiple parallel conduction channels can be formed, such as in III-V semiconductors. Ill-Nitride semiconductors with such structures are described which can lead to increased power density, reduced on-resistance and improved device performance, in addition to reducing dynamic on-resistance, and improving the stability of their threshold voltage and reliability.

Abstract: A method of displaying an image on a see-through display comprises: obtaining a first electro-magnetic radiation matrix of radiation intensity values of an object; dividing the first matrix into a second matrix representing a first subset of the radiation intensity values, and a third matrix representing a second subset of the radiation intensity values; generating a first histogram for the second matrix; equalizing the first histogram to obtain an equalised second histogram; generating a first grayscale image representing the first subset of the radiation intensity values; colouring the first grayscale image with a first colourmap to obtain a first colour image; generating a second grayscale image representing the second subset of the radiation intensity values; colouring the second grayscale image with a second colourmap to obtain a second colour image; combining the first colour image and the second colour image; and displaying the combined colour image on the see-through display.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing monomers via depolymerisation from lignocellulose-containing biomass.

Abstract: An implantable device for intrafascicular stimulation and/or sensing of a peripheral nerve, including a blocking element adapted for wrapping a nerve, comprising an access point and an exit point, and an electrode adapted to traverse the blocking element via the access point and the exit point having a distal end, a proximal end and an elongated body in between, the electrode being electrically isolated from the surrounding environment except that for an active site. In another aspect, the invention features a system comprising the implantable device of the invention operably coupled with an external device such an electrostimulator and/or a sensing device for sensing and recording electrical nerve signals.