Abstract: A waveguide fabrication method including the steps of providing a substrate including at least one waveguide recess structure and a stress release recess structure for receiving a waveguide material, and depositing the waveguide material onto the substrate and into both the waveguide recess structure and the stress release recess structure.

Abstract: A device for managing light pulses for measuring the reaction of a sample exposed to a first light pulse, the measurement being performed by analysis of a signal emitted by the sample subjected to a second light pulse, shifted with respect to the first pulse by a determined interval of time, the device including two optical detectors for detecting the pulses of two light beams emitted by two pulsed laser sources, respectively, each beam emitting pulses with respective repetition frequencies that are different, arbitrary and stable over a determined period in the direction of the sample; the detectors being connected to a computer for determining the interval of time between two pulses coming from the first and the second beam, respectively, and constituting the first and second pulses; the computer being connected to an analyzer for measuring the reaction of the sample having as input parameter the interval of time between the two pulses, where the computer uses an algorithm making use of the stability of

Abstract: The present invention concerns a magnet-assisted ball drive. The drive comprises a ball and a drive element in contact with the ball. The drive element is arranged to be rotated around its axis of rotation to drive the ball. The ball and the drive element each comprise magnetic material such that at least one of the ball and the drive element comprises a magnet to generate a magnetic pulling force to pull the ball and the drive element against each other.

Abstract: A preferred frequency is identified, being usable to stimulate a neurological target within a mammalian body using at least one microelectrode positioned at or near the target. To establish efficient and effective stimulation, an impedance analyzer is provided for measuring electrical impedance values indicative of a microelectrode-tissue interface across a range of different frequencies. A preferred one of the measured electrical impedance values is identified as being closest to a pure resistance. The neurological target can then be stimulated at or near the frequency associated with the preferred impedance value (peak resistance frequency), thereby promoting desirable traits, such as optimum charge transfer, minimum signal distortion, increased stimulation efficiency, and prevention of microelectrode corrosion. The peak resistance frequency can be used to determine an preferred pulse shape.

Abstract: 2-homopiperazine-1-yl-4H-1,3-bensothiazine-4-one derivatives of formula (I) are provided. They are useful in the treatment of bacterial infections, in particular tuberculosis, buruli ulcer and leprosy. A process for the preparation of 2-(homo)piperazine 1,3-benzothiazine-4-one hydrochlorides is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic device, particularly a device including a flexible and/or low-cost substrate and/or carbon nanotubes, and also relates to electronic devices produced using said method.

Abstract: A compound having the following formula: which can also be embedded into a conjugated oligomeric of polymeric backbone, is proposed for optical and electro optical applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of benzimidazole sulfide derivatives and prodrugs thereof in the treatment and/or prevention of tuberculosis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multilayer composite material comprising: a base layer a metallic layer consisting of an insulating matrix phase and of a metallic particles phase, said metallic particles being distributed in the insulating matrix, wherein a volume fraction ? being the ratio between the volume of metallic particles and the volume of the metallic layer corresponds to a critical volume fraction ?*+??, with 0<???5%, the critical volume fraction ?* being the volume fraction for which an increase of conductivity of the metallic layer as a function of the volume fraction ? has a maximum value.

Abstract: An implantable device for the electrical and/or pharmaceutical stimulation of the central nervous system, especially the spinal cord, is suggested. The device comprises a conformable substrate which is primarily composed of a flexible and stretchable polymer, and a plurality of flexible electrodes and conductive leads embedded in the conformable substrate. Not only the substrate, but also the leads are stretchable. The substrate may consist of PDMS, and the leads may consist of a conductive PDMS, in particular, PDMS with an electrically conductive filler material, and may optionally be metal-coated. The device defines a multi-electrode array which may be employed for neurostimulation in the epidural or subdural space of an animal or human.

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: The present invention describes methods and apparatuses for creating superposition shape images by superposed base and revealing layers of lenslet gratings. The superposition shape images form a message recognizable by a human observer or by an image acquisition and computing device such as a smartphone. The superposition shape images may be created by different superposition techniques ranging from 1D moiré, 2D moiré and level-line moiré superposition techniques to lenticular image and phase shift superposition techniques. Moiré superposition techniques enable creating superposition shape images at different apparent depth levels. Applications comprise the protection of documents and valuable articles against counterfeits, the creation of eye-catching advertisements as well as the decoration of buildings and exhibitions.

Abstract: The disclosed invention describes a new apparatus performing a new data acquisition for quantitative refractive index tomography. It is based on a linear scanning of the specimen, opposed to the classical approaches based on rotations of either the sample or the illumination beam, which are based on the illumination with plane waves, which orientation is successively modified in order to acquire angular information. On the contrary, the inventive apparatus and method rely on a specially shaped illumination, which provides straightforwardly an angular distribution in the illumination of the specimen. The specimen can thus be linearly scanned in the object plane in order to acquire the data set enabling tomographic reconstruction, where the different positions directly possess the information on various angles for the incoming wave vectors.

Abstract: A variable stiffness device, including a core including a low melting point alloy, an encapsulation surrounding the core, the encapsulation made of an elastic material and sealing the core, and a heating device arranged around the encapsulation, configured to heat the core, wherein the elastic material of the encapsulation is subject to a tensile stress in a direction along a longitudinal extension of the thread-like variable stiffness device.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a sample comprising highly polarized nuclear spins is proposed, comprising at least the following steps: a) provision of molecules with 1,2-dione structural units and/or molecules with 2,5-diene-1,4-dione structural units in the solid state; b) generation of radicals from these molecules by photo induced electron transfer by a first electromagnetic irradiation in the visible or ultraviolet frequency range in the solid state; c) dynamic nuclear polarization in the presence of a magnetic field in the solid state by applying a second electromagnetic irradiation with a frequency adapted to transfer spin polarization from the electrons to the nuclear spins leading to a highly polarized state thereof. Furthermore uses of correspondingly prepared samples for NMR, MRS and MRI experiments are proposed.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for analyzing reflected light of an object. First a light angle distribution for a point of the object is determined. Then a plenoptic projector is controlled to illuminate the point of the object with the determined light angle distribution. Then the reflected light intensity of the point of the object is measured and the measured reflected light is analyzed in dependence of the determined light angle distribution.

Abstract: An article made of an alloy of the general formula Pt1-a-bMa(B1-xMdx)b in which i) M stands for one or a mixture of metallic element(s) of the group Zr, Ti, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Pd, Ag, Al; ii) Md stands for one or a mixture of several metalloids of the group Si, P, C, S, As, Ge; iii) a is smaller than 0.2; iv) b is comprised between 0.2 and 0.5; v) x is comprised between 0 and 0.8; vi) the overall P content, if present, is less than 10 atomic percent the proportions of the elements forming the alloy having been selected to confer a hardness of at least 400 HV, a melting point below 1000° C. and improved processibility to the alloy.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrical conductor includes: depositing a solid metal conductive layer or film on a substrate 30; depositing a liquid metal on the solid layer; and allowing the liquid metal and the solid layer 40 to alloy by diffusion of the liquid metal into the solid layer or film so as to form a solid conductive layer or film of the alloy; as well as allowing the liquid metal to further infiltrate the alloy so as to form percolating paths and/or droplets of the liquid metal in the the solid conductive layer or film, thus forming a biphasic conductive layer.

Abstract: A novel mechanical system, based on a new cable driven mechanical transmission, able to provide sufficient dexterity, stiffness, speed, precision and payload capacity to actuate multi-DOF micro-manipulators. Besides the possibility of being used in several articulated surgical instruments and robotic systems for surgery or other applications involving remote manipulation, it enables the design of a novel fully mechanical surgical instrument, which offer the advantages of conventional laparoscopy (low cost, tactile feedback, high payload capacity) combined with the advantages of single port surgery (single incision, scarless surgery, navigation through several quadrants of the abdominal cavity) and robotic surgery (greater degrees of freedom, short learning curve, high stiffness, high precision, increased intuition).

Abstract: According to one aspect, the invention relates to a device (100) for remote polarimetric characterization of a sample (S). It comprises a source (10) for emitting at least one incident light wave at at least one first wavelength (?E); a monomode optical fiber (30) in which the incident light wave is intended to propagate; a polarization state generator (PSG) arranged on the proximal side of the optical fiber; a reflector (40) intended to be arranged on the distal side of the optical fiber; a polarization state analyzer (PSA) arranged on the proximal side of the optical fiber and allowing, for each probe state of the incident wave generated by the polarization state generator, the polarization of the light wave obtained after propagation of the incident wave in the optical fiber (30), reflection from the distal side of the optical fiber and reverse propagation in the optical fiber (30), to be analyzed.