Abstract: A functional optical coherent imaging (fOCI) platform includes at least one active camera unit (ACU) having a coherent and/or a partially coherent light source, and means for spectral filtering and imaging a selected body area of interest; an image processing unit (IPU) for pre-processing data received from an ACU; at least one stimulation unit (STU) transmitting a stimulation to a subject; at least one body function reference measurement unit (BFMU); a central clock and processing unit (CCU), with interconnections to the ACU, the IPU, the STU, for collecting pre-processed data from the IPU, stimuli from the STU body function reference data from the BFMU in a synchronized manner; a post-processing unit (statistical analysis unit, SAU); and an operator interface (HOD.

Abstract: An add-on device for use in combination with a stereotactic apparatus is herein disclosed, the device including a stereotactic adapter, an optical support comprising lenses and a display support adapted to accommodate a virtual reality display. The stereotactic adapter can adapt to different commercial models of stereotactic systems, and is particularly intended for implementing a method for conducting cognitive and/or behavioral tests in subjects during neurosurgery, wherein a virtual reality stimulus is provided to said subject during awake phases of neurosurgery.

Abstract: A mechanical teleoperated device for remote manipulation includes a slave unit having a number of slave links interconnected by a plurality of slave joints; an end-effector connected to the slave unit; a master unit having a corresponding number of master links interconnected by a plurality of master joints; and a handle connected to a distal end of the master unit. The device further includes first device arranged to kinematically connect the slave unit with the master unit, second device arranged to kinematically connect the end-effector with the handle, and a mechanical constraint device configured to ensure that one master link of the master unit is guided along its longitudinal axis so that the corresponding slave link of the slave unit always translates along a virtual axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guided master link in the vicinity of the remote manipulation when the mechanical teleoperated device is operated.

Abstract: An ocular drainage system is provided for treating diseases that produce elevated intraocular pressures, such as glaucoma, wherein the system includes an implantable device and an external control unit, the implantable device includes a non-invasively adjustable valve featuring at least one deformable tube and a disk rotatably mounted within a housing, such that rotation of the disk using the external control unit causes the disk to apply a selected amount of compression to the deformable tube, thereby adjusting the fluidic resistance of the deformable tube and regulating the intraocular pressure.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an object including the steps of forming layers by adding successive layers of material to form the object by selective laser melting (SLM), and inducing plastic deformation and residual stress into solidified material of at least one of the successive layers of material to improve mechanical properties and a fatigue resistance of the object, wherein the plastic deformation and the residual stress are induced by a laser.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for treating diseases that produce elevated intraocular pressures, such as glaucoma, wherein the device operates on the principles of a Starling resistor, and includes a housing, a deformable structure and a spring mounted within a housing, such that the spring applies a substantially constant spring force over a predetermined working range on the deformable structure to thereby self-regulate flow of fluid through the deformable structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices, systems and methods exploiting capacitive means for monitoring and analysing teeth-related parameters in a subject, such as the dental occlusion profile and/or the load/force applied upon clenching. The device comprises a body such as a bite fork or bite splint, capacitive sensor(s) incorporated within a soft substrate reversibly deformable once bitten by a subject and a micro-controller unit. The teeth contact points and forces applied upon occlusion are measured via the sensors, delivered to and re-elaborated by the micro-controller unit and possibly sent and visualized in a graphical/numerical fashion on e.g. a display screen.

Abstract: We disclose a method for synthesizing by computer an artwork where 2D and 3D contents are integrated within a same composition. Such an artwork creates plausible effects for the viewers by showing a different relationship between 2D and 3D at each viewing angle. Methods are proposed for ensuring the continuity between the 2D and the 3D parts in terms of mesh geometry and reflected colors. The user selects from a given scene a region of interest (ROI) to be reproduced in 3D. A flat rendering grid is created that matches the topology and tesselation of the ROI. The ROI is attached to the rendering grid. To enhance the continuity between the 2D and the 3D parts of a scene object, the 2D part of the object can be represented as bas-relief. Designers can create 2D-3D sculpture paintings for decoration, exhibitions, and homes.

Abstract: A mechanical isotropic harmonic oscillator including a two rotational degrees of freedom linkage supporting an orbiting mass with respect to a fixed base with at least one spring element having isotropic and linear restoring force properties, such that a high degree of spring stiffness and reduced mass isotropy provides for reduced sensitivity to linear and angular accelerations.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article comprising a substrate having at least one major surface coated with a layer A of a material obtained by ion beam assisted vacuum deposition of at least one titanium oxide and of at least one organosilicate compound B, said material having a refractive index at 550 nm higher than or equal to 1.8, an extinction coefficient k at 550 nm lower than or equal to 0.02, and an H:E ratio higher than or equal to 0.046, where H and E designate the hardness of the material and the elastic coefficient of the material, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell comprising a heterojunction photoelectric device comprising, a front electrode layer, a back electrode layer comprising a metallic contact layer, a light-absorbing silicon layer arranged between said front electrode and said back electrode layers and a doped silicon-based layer arranged between said light-absorbing silicon layer and said back electrode layer, characterized in that said heterojunction photoelectric device further comprises a wide band gap material layer having an electronic band gap greater than 1.4 eV, said wide band gap material layer being applied on a surface of the light-absorbing silicon layer between said light-absorbing silicon layer and said doped silicon-based layer. The present heterojunction layer or stack of layers is compatible with thermal annealing and firing processes at T above 600° C.

Abstract: Data storage and retrieval systems, methods, and computer-readable media utilize a cryptographically verifiable data structure that facilitates verification of a transaction in a decentralized peer-to-peer environment using multi-hop backwards and forwards links. Backward links are cryptographic hashes of past records. Forward links are cryptographic signatures of future records that are added retroactively to records once the target block has been appended to the data structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to titanium oxide aerogels, in particular to titanium oxide binary or ternary (e.g. titanium oxide-carbon) aerogel monoliths possessing ordered meso- and macroporosity. The porous scaffold can be made with or without addition of binders and/or surfactants. The aerogel obtained by this method has a specific surface area greater than 60 m2/g and porosity larger than 60%. The surface area ranges from 60 to 300 m2/g. The porosity can reach as high as 99.6%. The size of the titanium oxide crystals are between 5 nm and 100 nm. The aerogel contains 100% titanium oxide. The composite (binary or ternary) aerogel can be prepared by adding at least 10% carbon in the form of (carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon microfibers, exfoliated graphene, cellulose fibers, polymer fibers, metallic and metal oxide nano and microfibers etc.). The aerogel can be prepared with a predeterminable shape. It can be shaped in a mold having a shape of a cylinder, cube, sheet or sphere.

Abstract: Method for handling at least one first microdrop and at least one second microdrop in a microfluidic system including a capillary trap that has a first trapping zone and a second trapping zone, the method including steps consisting of: (i) trapping the first microdrop in the first trapping zone, and (ii) trapping the second microdrop in the second trapping zone, the first and the second trapping zone being arranged such that the first and the second microdrops are in contact with each other, the first and the second trapping zones being adapted such that the trapping forces returned to one of the microdrops are different.

Abstract: A method for training a feature detector of an image processing device, including the steps of detecting features in the image to generate a score map, computing a center of mass on the score map to generate a location, extracting a patch from the image at the location by a first spatial transformer, estimating an orientation of the patch, rotating the patch in accordance with the patch orientation with a second spatial transformer, and describing the rotated patch to create a description vector.

Abstract: A powder metal composition for high wear and temperature applications is made by atomizing a melted iron based alloy including 3.0 to 7.0 wt. % carbon; 10.0 to 25.0 wt. % chromium; 1.0 to 5.0 wt. % tungsten; 3.5 to 7.0 wt. % vanadium; 1.0 to 5.0 wt. % molybdenum; not greater than 0.5 wt. % oxygen; and at least 40.0 wt. % iron. The high carbon content reduces the solubility of oxygen in the melt and thus lowers the oxygen content to a level below which would cause the carbide-forming elements to oxidize during atomization. The powder metal composition includes metal carbides in an amount of at least 15 vol. %. The microhardness of the powder metal composition increases with increasing amounts of carbon and is typically about 800 to 1,500 Hv50.

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: We disclose a method for synthesizing by computer an artwork where 2D and 3D contents are integrated within a same composition. Such an artwork creates plausible effects for the viewers by showing a different relationship between 2D and 3D at each viewing angle. Methods are proposed for ensuring the continuity between the 2D and the 3D parts in terms of mesh geometry and reflected colors. The user selects from a given scene a region of interest (ROI) to be reproduced in 3D. A flat rendering grid is created that matches the topology and tesselation of the ROI. The ROI is attached to the rendering grid. To enhance the continuity between the 2D and the 3D parts of a scene object, the 2D part of the object can be represented as bas-relief. Designers can create 2D-3D sculpture paintings for decoration, exhibitions, and homes.

Abstract: An organic-inorganic perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 nanowire showing a length-width aspect ratio from 5-400 up to 109 and a width-height ratio of 1-100 up to 1-10000. Further, the invention is embodied as a process for making the nanowire wherein at least a polar aprotic solvents is used, the polar aprotic solvent being at least one from the list comprising DMF, DMSO, and DMAc solvents.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a plurality of molecules with cryogenic vibrational spectroscopy including the steps of providing a packet of molecules in a ionized form, injecting the packet into an ion mobility section, spatially separating the ions of the packet into subpackets according to their collisional cross section (CCS), recompressing the subpackets, by removing an empty space between them, loading the ions into a cryogenic ion trap by keeping subpackets with different collisional cross section in a respective separate compartment, cooling the ions in collisions with a buffer gas, tagging the ions by attaching a messenger molecule, sending a pulse to the trap to excite vibrations of the cold, trapped, and messenger-tagged ions, and separately ejecting ion subpacket from the trap into an extraction region of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and measuring the number of remaining messenger-tagged ions and untagged ions for each subpacket.