Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electronic module including a circuit including a transmitting part and a receiving part physically separated from the transmitting part. The electronic module also includes an element isolated from the circuit and configured to block electrical interference between the transmitting part and the receiving part.

Abstract: An appendage pressurization device includes an appendage strap and one or more artificial muscles communicatively coupled to a controller. Each artificial muscle includes a housing having an electrode region, an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing. The electrode pair includes a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing, wherein the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state. Actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region. A pressure sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the pressure sensor outputs a current pressure value to the controller and actuation of the electrode pair is based on the current pressure value.

Abstract: Methods and systems may provide for technology to detect an unbalanced degradation among a plurality of fuel cells in an automotive system and apply an unbalanced control across the plurality of fuel cells based on the unbalanced degradation. In one example, the unbalanced control balances the degradation among the plurality of fuel cells.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, and a second piston reciprocatingly disposed in a second cylinder. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of at least one of the first piston and the second piston. A combustion chamber may be fluidly coupled with the first cylinder and the second cylinder. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber. The intake valve may be generally centrally disposed relative to the first cylinder and the second cylinder. An exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. An ignition source may be at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Novel polymers are depolymerizable by metathesis of a cleavable unit. As an example, a series of linear and crosslinked polyurethanes were prepared that can be selectively depolymerized under mild conditions. Two unique polyols were synthesized bearing unsaturated units in a configuration designed to favor ring-closing metathesis to five- and six-membered cycloalkenes. These polyols were co-polymerized with toluene diisocyanate to generate linear polyurethanes and trifunctional hexamethylene- and diphenylmethane-based isocyanates to generate crosslinked polyurethanes. The polyol design is such that the ring-closing metathesis reaction cleaves the backbone of the polymer chain. Upon exposure to dilute solutions of Grubbs' catalyst under ambient conditions, the polyurethanes were rapidly depolymerized to low molecular weight, soluble products bearing vinyl and cycloalkene functionalities. These functionalities enabled further re-polymerization by traditional strategies for polymerization of double bonds.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for a flangeless air filter configured to be mounted onto a flat surface within an air intake system of an internal combustion engine. The flangeless air filter is comprised of a cone-shaped filter medium, retained between a base and a cap, that is fabricated to remove contaminants and particulate matter from an intake airstream. The base includes a pliable seal that forms an airtight connection between the flangeless air filter and the flat surface of the air intake system. A mounting bracket and fasteners may be used to attach the base to the flat surface, compressing the seal there between. In some embodiments, the mounting bracket may be incorporated into, and made a part of the base. A cap is disposed on a top of the flangeless air filter and configured to direct the intake airstream around the cap and toward the filter medium.

Abstract: A method of controlling the movements of at least one controllable door of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle component. A control device and a sensor arrangement are assigned to the door, and the door has a controllable motion influencing device. A motion of a door wing of the door can be controlled and influenced by way of the motion influencing device in between a closed position and an open position. The sensor arrangement includes a distance sensor in the movable door wing that captures distance data during the motion, and obtains from the distance data captured with the distance sensor in different angular positions, the position of at least one object in the surrounding area of the door wing, by way of triangulation.

Abstract: A parison tube former utilizes a radial compression heater to heat a very specific portion of a preform tube for stretching. The heater has a plurality of compression dies that form a central cavity for receiving the preform tube. The working surfaces of the compression dies close down onto the outer surface of the preform tube to heat the tube via conduction, which more accurately and precisely heats the preform tube. A first stretched portion of the preform tube is produced by stretching the preform tube after heating. A second portion of the preform tube is then located within the central cavity and is also heated by the radial compression heater and stretched to produce a second stretched portion of the preform tube and an unexpanded portion of the preform tube, or balloon portion of the parison tube.

Abstract: Based on a model and an identity of an operator of a vehicle, a setting for a cruise control to maintain a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle can be determined. The model can be based on historical distances maintained by the operator. The model can also be based on information about an environment in which the vehicle is operating or information about a state of the operator. The identity can be received from an interface configured to receive information associated with the identity, a cloud computing platform, or a biometric system configured to determine the identity. The cruise control can be caused to operate according to the setting. A rate of energy consumption by the vehicle when the vehicle is controlled by the cruise control can be less than the rate of energy consumption when the vehicle lacks being controlled by the cruise control.

Abstract: A battery cell comprising a composite water-responsive safety layer and/or composite water- and pH-responsive safety layer to protect against tissue damage and/or electrolysis, when the battery cell is exposed to aqueous solution or tissue, is provided. The composite water-responsive safety layer and/or composite water- and pH-responsive safety layer is adapted to change from a non-electronically conducting state to an electronically conducting state.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems of making a high quality isoparaffinic base stock which include contacting an adsorbent material with a hydrocarbon feedstock and a solvent and separating at least some of the one or more high VI components from the hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a first fraction base stock having a first fraction base stock viscosity index. The adsorbent material is desorbed with a second solvent to produce a second fraction base stock having a second fraction base stock viscosity index. In these methods, the first fraction base stock viscosity index is less than the hydrocarbon feedstock viscosity index and the second fraction base stock viscosity index is greater than the hydrocarbon feedstock viscosity index.

Abstract: Curatives and their resulting thermosets and other crosslinked polymers can reduce thermal expansion mismatch between an encapsulant and objects that are encapsulated. This can be accomplished by incorporating a negative CTE moiety into the thermoset resin or polymer backbone. The negative CTE moiety can be a thermal contractile unit that shrinks as a result of thermally induced conversion from a twist-boat to chair or cis/trans isomerization upon heating. Beyond CTE matching, other potential uses for these crosslinked polymers and thermosets include passive energy generation, energy absorption at high strain rates, mechanophores, actuators, and piezoelectric applications.

Abstract: Compositions based on effluents and/or products from FCC processing of a high saturate content, low heteroatom content feedstock are provided. By processing a high saturate content, low heteroatom content feed under various types of FCC conditions, a variety of compositions with unexpected compositional features and/or unexpected properties can be formed. The unexpected compositional features and/or unexpected properties can correspond to features and/or properties associated with one or more of the total effluent, a naphtha boiling range portion of effluent, a distillate or light cycle oil boiling range portion of the effluent, and/or a bottoms portion of the effluent.

Abstract: Autonomous wireless sensors in subsurface environments can be charged while present in the subsurface environment to allow the sensors to measure and wirelessly transmit measurements. The sensors rely upon a contrast agent to provide a power flow path to the sensors.

Abstract: An ice-shaping device includes a base having an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a first ice molding cavity while the outside surface defines a channel. The ice-shaping device includes a cover having an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface defines a second ice molding cavity that cooperates with the first ice molding cavity. The cover includes a protrusion on the inside surface that cooperates with the channel. The cover is movable with respect to the base. When in a closed position, the base is located within an interior space of the cover defined by the inside surface of the cover. As the cover is moved from an open position to the closed position, the protrusion cooperates with the channel providing a physical interference to inhibit rotation of the cover with respect to the base.

Abstract: A thermal management system to cool one or more battery packs of a battery system may include a heat pipe arrangement that includes a plurality of heat pipes, having a planar configuration, in thermal contact with the one or more battery packs to draw heat therefrom, and a heat sink arrangement that includes a plurality of heat sinks, in thermal contact with two or more edges of the heat pipe arrangement, to dissipate heat away from the heat pipe arrangement.

Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for filling an LPG tank equipped with a spit valve and a fill assembly, the method comprising providing an indication of a level in the LPG tank upon detection of a filling vehicle in a vicinity of the LPG tank, the filling vehicle having a filling hose; initiating a filling of the LPG tank once the filling hose is connected to the fill assembly of the LPG tank; determining when a current level reaches a given level in the LPG tank and stopping the providing of the LPG to the LPG tank once the current level reaches the given level in the LPG tank.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices/kits and methods for reducing, treating, preventing or eliminating post-operative adhesions in an intervention/target site within a body of a subject. The method comprises the steps of: introducing an applicator, configured for applying an anti-adhesive composition, into an intervention/target site within a body of a subject; applying the anti-adhesive composition onto the intervention/target site; and extracting the applicator from the body of the subject, wherein the method is performed during or following an interventional procedure.

Abstract: A beam-column joint structure is provided. The beam-column joint structure comprises: a hollow rectangular steel frame consisting of a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall and a plurality of H-beams, each of the H-beams being fixedly attached to an outer surface of at least some of these sidewalls. Some of the H-beams may be eccentric with respect to the sidewalls to which they are attached.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic device that includes a waveguide, a plurality of transceiving portions over the waveguide, and a cavity between the waveguide and the transceiving portions and connecting the waveguide with the transceiving portions. The cavity is configured for resonating of an electromagnetic wave from the waveguide or the transceiving portions.