Abstract: Integrated circuit (1) comprising: an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), a plurality of read-out circuits, each SPADs being coupled to one read-out circuit, wherein at least some of the read-out circuits comprise time-to-digital converters (TDC) and/or a digital asynchronous counter, wherein a plurality of SPADs are coupled to one single read-out circuit. The read-out circuit may comprise a transformer for decoupling the SPAD from other parts of said read-out circuit.

Abstract: Instruction Set Extensions (ISEs) can be used effectively to accelerate the performance of embedded processors. The critical, and difficult task of ISE selection is often performed manually by designers. A few automatic methods for ISE generation have shown good capabilities, but are still limited in the handling of memory accesses, and so they fail to directly address the memory wall problem. We present here the first ISE identification technique that can automatically identify state-holding Application-specific Functional Units (AFUs) comprehensively, thus being able to eliminate a large portion of memory traffic from cache and main memory. Our cycle-accurate results obtained by the SimpleScalar simulator show that the identified AFUs with architecturally visible storage gain significantly more than previous techniques, and achieve an average speedup of 2.8× over pure software execution.

Abstract: The invention relates to substrates for O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferases (AGT) of formula R1-A-X—CH2—R3—R4-L1, wherein A is a group recognized by AGT as a substrate, X is oxygen or sulfur, R1 is a group —R2-L2 or a group R5, R2 and R4 are, independently of each other, a linker, R3 is an aromatic or a heteroaromatic group, or an optionally substituted unsaturated alkyl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclyl group with the double bond connected to CH2, R5 is arylmethyl or heteroarylmethyl or an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or heterocyclyl group, L1 is a label, a plurality of same or different labels, a bond connecting R4 to A forming a cyclic substrate, or a further group —R3—CH2—X-A-R1, and L2 is a label or a plurality of same or different labels. The invention further relates to methods of transferring a label from these substrates to O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferases (AGT) and AGT fusion proteins.

Abstract: A method to detect at a GNSS receiver whether the received GNSS signals and navigation messages are the product of an attack. If there is evidence, as provided by the method described here, that the received signals and messages originate from adversarial devices, then receiver equipped with an instantiation of the method notifies the user or the computing platform that integrates the GNSS receiver that the calculated via the GNSS functionality position and time correction are not trustworthy. In other words, our method enables any GNSS receiver, for example, GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo, or any other GNSS system, to detect if the received navigation messages are the legitimate ones (from the satellites) or not (e.g., from attacker devices that generate fake messages that overwrite the legitimate messages). Based on this detection, neither the user and nor any application running in the computing platform is misled to utilize erroneous position information.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for encoding and decoding information. In one aspect, methods of encoding information in an encoder include the actions of receiving a signal representing information using a collection of discrete digits, converting, by an encoder, the received signal into a time-based code, and outputting the time-based code. The time-based code is divided into time intervals. Each of the time intervals of the time-based code corresponds to a digit in the received signal. Each digit of a first state of the received signal is expressed as a event occurring at a first time within the corresponding time interval of the time-based code. Each digit of a second state of the received signal is expressed as a event occurring at a second time within the corresponding time intervals of the time-based code, the first time is distinguishable from the second time.

Abstract: A metal article containing at least 10% interconnected porosity is produced by using a preform. To make the preform, an organic binder, a wetting agent and a granular material are mixed to obtain a mouldable paste that combines 10 vol. pct. or more of the granular material, this material dissolving easily in a liquid solvent. The paste is shaped into an aerated preform, thus creating an open pore space to be infiltrated by the metal or alloy. The wetting agent is evaporated and the preform is baked to a temperature sufficient to degrade the binder and create a network of interconnected open porosity in the preform. Then, the open pore space is filled with the liquid metal or alloy. All or part of the baked preform can be easily leached by a liquid solvent through the network of fine pores.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and its associated apparatus to retrieve the amplitude and, especially, the phase of nonlinear electromagnetic waves. The application field of the present invention is optical imaging. A sample is probed by coherent electromagnetic radiation, and by a nonlinear interaction such as harmonic generation a nonlinear object wave is emitted. A nonlinear reference wave is generated by interaction of the same nature with the coherent electromagnetic radiation, and an interference between the nonlinear object wave and the nonlinear reference wave is sensed by a detector array. As an example, the technique makes possible real-time nanometric localization and tracking of nonlinear field emitters, such as, but not limited to, nanoparticles.

Abstract: A reinforcing element (10) for structural concrete construction comprising a rod-shaped bar (11) having a cross-sectional enlargement on at least one end thereof. The rod shaped member (11) comprises an elbow portion (12) on said at least one end being embedded in a protection block (15), thereby forming said enlargement. The method for producing the reinforcing element and the corresponding reinforced structural concrete construction are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for fabricating a vertical transistor structure. On a substrate (10), is a first conductive layer (11), providing the source or drain electrode function, and an upper conductive layer (17), providing the drain or source electrode function. The production of a membrane includes a stack of porous layers including a first insulating layer (20), a second conductive layer (12), providing the gate electrode function, and an upper insulating layer (13?) on the surface of the substrate covered with the first conductive layer (11) providing the drain or source electrode function. The porous layers having substantially stacked pores. The production of filaments made of a semiconductor material is inside some of the stacked pores of the porous layers. The production of the upper conductive layer provides the source or drain electrode function on the surface of the stack of porous layers filled with filaments made of semiconductor material.

Abstract: A microfluidic circuit comprising microchannels (24, 26) containing different fluids (F1, F2), with a laser beam being focused at (32) on an interface (30) between the fluids so as to form a pump, a valve, or a mixer, for example.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide in a catalytic reaction from formic acid, said reaction being conducted in an aqueous solution over a wide temperature range and already at room temperature (25° C.). The reaction is advantageous because it can be tuned to take place at very high rates, up to about 90 liter H2/minute/liter reactor volume. The gas produced is free of carbon monoxide. The method of the present invention is particularly suitable for providing hydrogen for a motor, fuel cell or chemical synthesis.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is provided an interactive device comprising a display, a camera, an image analyzing means, said interactive device comprising means to acquire an image with the camera, the analyzing means detecting at least a human face on the acquired image and displaying on the display at least a pattern where the human face was detected wherein the interactive device further comprises means to determine a halo region extending at least around the pattern and means to add into the halo region at least one interactive zone related to a command, means to detect movement onto the interactive zone and means to execute the command by said device.

Abstract: The present invention enables creating authenticable multi-ink luminescent continuous tone color halftone images offering means of verifying their authenticity. The invented luminescent color halftone image synthesizing techniques enable increasing the attractiveness and aesthetics of color images. The invention relies on daylight luminescent inks, color prediction models for daylight luminescent halftones, color gamuts of luminescent and non-luminescent inks, color separation into luminescent and non-luminescent ink layers, mapping of input gamuts into a luminescent target gamuts by gamut reduction and/or expansion strategies, and luminescent color halftone image generation. The basic authentication is performed by examining the excitation trace image of the synthesized luminescent color halftone image under an illuminant active within its excitation wavelength range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrolytes comprising tetracyanoborate and an organic cation as components of electrolytes in electrochemical and/or optoelectronic devices, in particular solar cells. This ionic liquid has low viscosity and can be used as electrolyte in the absence of a solvent. Importantly, the ionic liquid remains stable in solar cells even after prolonged thermal stress at 80° C. for 1000 hours. Photovoltaic conversion efficiency remained stable and keeping more than 90% of the initial value.

Abstract: In an array R of field-effect transistors for detecting analytes, each transistor of the array comprises a gate G, a semiconductor nanotube or nanowire element NT connected at one end to a source electrode S and at another end to a drain electrode D, in order to form, at each end, a junction J1, J2 with the channel. At least transistors FET1,1, FET1,2 of the array are differentiated by a different conducting material (m1, m2) of the source electrode S and/or drain electrode D.

Abstract: An autonomous sensing unit and system that includes a set of sensors, a conditioning means for deriving information from the sensors, display means for displaying the information to an operator, and a means for recording the kinematic parameters of a body segment, and a method for using the system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to optoelectronic and/or electrochemical devices comprising an organic charge transporting material which is liquid at a temperature of ?180° C. In particular in dye-sensitised solar cells, quantum efficiency higher than with prior art solid organic hole-transporters is reported. The melting point of a large quantity of organic charge transporting materials may be adjusted to a desired value by selecting suitable substituents. Accordingly, general advantages of the liquid state may be associated with the properties of organic charge transporting materials.

Abstract: Novel chemical compounds of the general formula K+A?, in which K+ is a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring having 1-3 hetereo atoms, which can be independently N, S, or O; with the proviso that at least one of the hetereo atoms must be a quaternized nitrogen atom having a —R?CN substituent, wherein R? is alkyl (C1 to C12); the heterocyclic ring having up to 4 or 5 substituents independently chosen from the moieties: (i) H; (ii) halogen or (iii) alkyl (C1 to C12), which is unsubstituted or partially or fully substituted by further groups, preferably F, Cl, N(CnF(2n+1?x)Hx)2, O(CnF(2n+1?x)Hx), SO2(CnF(2n+1?x)Hx)2 or CnF(2n+1?x)Hx where 1<n<6 and 0<x<13; and (iv) a phenyl ring which is unsubstituted or partially or fully substituted by further groups, preferably F, Cl, N(CnF(2n+1?x)Hx)2, O(CnF(2n+1?x)Hx), SO2(CnF(2n+1?x)Hx)2 or CnF(2n+1?x)Hx where 1<n<6 and 0<x?13; and A? is any anion that provides a salt with a low melting point, below about 100° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified surfaces. The surfaces comprise an inorganic material on which a phosphinic acid derivative is adsorbed. The phosphinic acid thus turns out to be a new anchoring group useful for surface derivatisation. The invention has many applications for photoelectric conversion devices, batteries, capacitors, electrochromic displays, chemical sensors, biological sensors, light emitting diodes, electrodes, semiconductors, separation membranes, selective adsorbents, adsorbents for HPLC, catalysts, implants, nanoparticles, antiadhesives, and anticorrosion coatings, for example.

Abstract: A new method of creating fluorescent color images visible under UV light is proposed, which relies on fluorescent colorants obtained by superposing fluorescent ink dots, on juxtaposed halftoning, and on mapping the gamut of the image to be reproduced into the gamut of the fluorescent colorants. The resulting color images are invisible under daylight and have, under UV light, a high resemblance with the original images. Applications comprises the protection of security documents and valuable articles, as well as publicity, fashion and night life, where fluorescent images viewed in the dark under UV illumination have a strongly appealing effect.