Abstract: An artificial muscle including a housing, an electrode pair positioned in an electrode region of the housing, the electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode each including a pair of tapered tab portions and a bridge portion, the tapered tab portions each having a first end proximate to the expandable fluid region and an opposite second end proximate the electrode region, each of the second ends tapering in a direction opposite the expandable fluid region, the pair of tapered tab portions extending parallel to one another to define a gap portion between the pair of tapered tab portions, the bridge portion interconnecting the pair of tapered tab portions, and a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, wherein the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into an expandable fluid region of the housing.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for aspiration and mechanical thrombectomy. In some embodiments, a thrombectomy device for removing a thrombus from a vessel can include a handle assembly, a vacuum source, an aspiration catheter with an expandable distal portion, and a flexible shaft configured to rotate within the aspiration catheter.

Abstract: A capacitance measurement circuit for determining complex electric currents in a multi-channel capacitive sensing device includes a first sensing circuit for selectively connecting one of a plurality of sense electrodes to a common sense node and for connecting a corresponding guard electrode of the sense electrode to a common guard node, and at least a second sensing circuit. A measurement signal voltage source provides an alternating measurement voltage to the common guard node in a remotely controllable manner. A diagnostic signal voltage source provides an alternating diagnostic voltage to the common guard node in a remotely controllable manner. A current measurement circuit is connected with a signal input port to the common sense node and with a reference input port to the output port of the measurement signal voltage source.

Abstract: There is provided a method of estimating flowrate in a pipeline based on acoustic behaviour of the pipe. First acoustic data is measured from the pipeline. A flowrate of the fluid in the pipeline is then estimated. The estimation is based on the first acoustic data and based on a correlation established between second acoustic data and corresponding flowrate data from an experimental pipeline. The correlation is established by a machine learning process (which may include the use of an artificial neural network, such as an autoencoder). The second acoustic data and corresponding flowrate data are used as inputs to the machine learning process.

Abstract: A flexural wave absorption system may include a pair of resonators disposed on the structure and separated from each other by a separation distance. The pair of resonators are arranged on the structure in a direction substantially similar to the direction of the flexural wave acting on the structure. As to the separation distance, this distance may be approximately one-quarter of the wavelength of the flexural wave acting on the structure.

Abstract: An AC electric motor drive system includes a power supply transformer connected to an AC power supply and insulating an AC power supply side and a load side; an AC electric motor; a power converter which converts AC voltage outputted from the power supply transformer to output AC voltage, and which outputs the output AC voltage to the AC electric motor; and a capacitive component having one end connected to the load side of the power supply transformer, and another end grounded.

Abstract: A reinforced concrete composite beam structure based on precast concrete beam-slab integrated units include rib beams and rebar cages; stirrups in the rib beams are closed stirrups; upper parts of the closed stirrups in each rib beam are extended from the rib beam and taken as connecting rings; the rebar cages are disposed on upper parts of two connected rib beams; the connecting rings are lapped with beam surface closed stirrups to form the reinforced concrete composite beam structure with the rib beams after casting concrete. Its construction method includes: installing the precast concrete beam-slab integrated units; hoisting the rebar cages on the rib beams to tie two corresponding connecting rings with the corresponding beam surface closed stirrup in a staggered and overlapped manner; and casting concrete to submerge the rebar cages. A form of the closed stirrups is proposed when rib width of the rib beams is small.

Abstract: Disclosed are an anti-collision system and method for an aircraft and an aircraft including the anti-collision system. The anti-collision system includes: a sensor data processing unit configured to process data received from a plurality of sensors to detect objects around the aircraft, and output a result about detected objects; a safeguarding box building unit configured to generate, based on an aircraft geometry database, a three-dimensional safeguarding box for the aircraft; and a risk assessment unit configured to calculate relative distances between detected objects and the aircraft, and determine whether there is a collision risk between the aircraft and an object, among the detected objects, located in the safeguarding box or to be entering into the safeguarding box, wherein the system is configured to output an alarm or a warning when there is the collision risk.

Abstract: A conveyor belt cleaning assembly includes a first rail member, a second rail member, and a locking mechanism for removably securing the first rail member to the second rail member. The first rail member includes a first base wall, a first leg extending from a first end of the first base wall, a second leg extending from an opposite second end of the first base wall, a first bottom retaining wall, and a first side retaining wall defining a first inner taper portion extending inwardly toward the second leg. The second rail member includes a second base wall, an inner wall, an opposite outer wall, a second bottom retaining wall, and a second side retaining wall defining a second inner taper portion extending inwardly toward the inner wall. The second inner taper portion is a mirror image of the first inner taper portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods to monitor communication ports. In one embodiment, a system may include a first interface to connect to a first host device and a second interface to connect to a second host device. The first interface and the second interface may include a plurality of channels to enable communication between the first host device and the second host device. Control logic may monitor a power channel between the first host device and the second host device and a communication channel between the first host device and the second host device. The control logic may detect an interruption of at least one of the power channel or the communication channel. In response to the interruption, the control logic may disable communication between the first host device and the second host device.

Abstract: A rotor for an electric motor includes a shaft having a central portion supporting a laminated core of an electrical sheet material. The central portion is also composed of an electrical sheet material. The ends of the rotor shaft may be formed from a different material than the material of the central portion, and may be connected to the central portion by a force-fitting interference fit and/or a knurled interference fit. An electric motor having such a rotor and a method for producing a such a rotor are provided.

Abstract: A radiation-hardened (rad-hard) computing system can include a rad-hard processor, a second processor, and a memory operably coupled to the rad-hard processor. The rad-hard processor can cause the second processor to execute compute-intensive tasks that can be performed more quickly or with fewer computing resources by the second processor than the rad-hard processor. The rad-hard processor can selectively cause the second processor to execute a compute-intensive task based upon determining that the second processor is in a normal operating state. The rad-hard processor can further evaluate computing results generate by the second processor to determine whether such computing results meet an applicable acceptability condition. The rad-hard processor can employ a computing result that meets an applicable acceptability condition in further computing operations.

Abstract: A device for casting electrode grids for producing lead acid batteries in a continuous casting process. The device includes a casting wheel and a casting shoe which rests on an outer circumference of the casting wheel. Liquid lead exiting the casting shoe flows into a concave mold of the casting wheel surface and is removable as a solidified lead strip. The casting shoe is made up of two or more zones, at least a first hot zone with a temperature above the melting point of lead and a second, thermally separated zone with a temperature below the melting point of lead. Cooling the lead strip from two sides (the wheel side and the shoe side) avoids columnar crystal formation and increases the casting speed to 40 meter per minute and above. Thermal isolation of the lead feeding tube avoids re-flowing of lead to a lead pot, reducing PbO formation.

Abstract: An electrode for a solid-state lithium battery is provided. The electrode has a current collector and an electrode active layer of lithium metal or lithium metal alloy on the current collector. A surface layer of a homogeneous nano-alloy particle composition containing nanoparticles of an element M or nanoparticles of a lithium alloy of an element M, wherein M is at least one element selected from elements of Groups 2 and 8-16 is present on the active layer. Solid-state batteries containing the electrode are provided.

Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a gas separation membrane comprising substituted polyacetylene where a substituent group is combined to a double-bonded carbon atom in the backbone chain of the substituted polyacetylene and a sensing element configured to detect gas permeated through the gas separation membrane.

Abstract: A lower receiver that may be right hand or left hand configurable is provided. The lower receiver includes a static ejector that can be easily configured for right hand or left hand positions within the same lower receiver and a magazine button assembly having a left magazine button and a right magazine button that are operatively coupled together so that either magazine button can be pushed to release the magazine. This allows the gun builder to use this one lower receiver to build a right or left handed rifle.

Abstract: A brake device for a drivable part, in particular for use for a vehicle flap, in particular in an automobile, includes a drivable load device (11) which can be radially brought into contact with a disc (90) of the drivable part, with a first holding position and a second release position. At least one brake element rests against the periphery (92) of the disc (90) in a frictional manner in the holding position and secures the disc (90) from rotating using a specifiable force. In the release position, the at least one brake element is arranged at a distance from the periphery of the disc (90) and allows a free run of the disc (90), and the load device (11) can be adjusted between the holding position and the release position, preferably by a motor (12).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to algae cultivation including the integration of liners for large-scale open algal biomass to facilitate algae facility commercial scale-up operations. Liners include those having a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion comprising a second thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are different. Liners also include those having a first portion having a first thickness, a second portion comprising a second thickness, and a third portion comprising a third thickness, wherein the first thickness, the second thickness, and the third thickness are different.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving efficiency in a substrate processing process by adjusting a flow rate and residence time of gas and a plasma density according to process conditions. The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is advantageous in that it can enhance efficiency in the substrate processing process by decreasing the flow rate and increasing residence time of gas and the plasma density in the process of supplying the gas through the shape forming of the gas injection module including the first and second injection plates.