Abstract: The systems and methods provided herein are directed to a surgical retractor which is optimized for production by additive manufacturing systems in situations where external medical supplies are interrupted or unavailable.

Abstract: A method of peritoneal removal of electrolytes and inflammatory mediators. The method begins with infusing a treatment solution into the peritoneal cavity of a patient by way of a catheter. The treatment solution is drained from the peritoneal cavity by way of the catheter. During the draining, the treatment solution is filtered for removing electrolytes and inflammatory mediators.

Abstract: A method of applying a separator ink onto a dried electrode of a lithium ion battery. The method includes preparing a separator ink suspension, applying the separator ink suspension onto the dried electrode, and drying the applied separator ink suspension.

Abstract: A waveguide flange adapter includes a plate; an aperture positioned through the plate; and a plurality of holes arranged in a pattern in the plate and around the aperture. The plate is configured to operatively connect a first waveguide to a second waveguide such that the first waveguide and the second waveguide have a different pattern of holes on the waveguide flanges to one another. The pattern of the plurality of holes may be configured to align with connecting holes in each of the first waveguide and the second waveguide. At least some of the plurality of holes may extend through an entire thickness of the plate. The plate may include electrically-conductive material. The size and shape of the aperture may be complementary to a size and shape of each of the first waveguide and the second waveguide. At least some of the plurality of holes may be tapped or untapped.

Abstract: A non-contact method for detecting and distinguishing a human and an animal based on IR-UWB bio-radar signals includes: step 1, transmitting a radar pulse to a target by a transmitting antenna of an IR-UWB bio-radar; and obtaining, by a receiving antenna of the IR-UWB bio-radar, a radar echo signal E(n,m) generated from the radar pulse reflected on the target; step 2: performing signal preprocessing on the radar echo signal E(n,m) obtained in step 1, to obtain a first energy signal E6(l); step 3: removing a direct wave from E6(l) obtained in step 2 to obtain a second energy signal E7(l), and obtaining a maximum amplitude E7max of E7(l) and a position lmax corresponding to the maximum amplitude in a slow time direction; step 4: calculating a peak-to-background ratio VEtoB of E7(l), calculating an average correlation coefficient rm, and determining a type of the target through a target detection and distinction rule.

Abstract: Several examples of a dual remote control and crew-served weapon station are described herein that uniquely provide different operating modes, any one of which can be quickly and efficiently selected based on outputs from various system sensors (e.g., switches and buttons). For example, a first operating mode is a mode in which the weapon is remotely steered and fired (e.g., remote controlled). A second operating mode is a mode in which a weapon cradle is stabilized by a gimbal and the weapon is aimed and fired by a local operator (e.g., crew-served stabilized). A third operating mode is a mode in which the cradle is manually steered and the weapon is fired by the local operator (e.g., full manual).

Abstract: A digital speckle pattern interferometer (DSPI) is provided for long-range measurement of displacement of materials within a hazardous environments. A test arm of a portion of coherent beam from a laser is aimed at a selected angle to traverse a distance to a test surface. An input collimator has a lens wide enough to receive a reflected beam from the test surface and is focused at a corresponding distance. The reflected beam is combined with a reference beam split from the coherent radiation onto a camera for measuring displacement of the test surface based on an electronic speckle pattern interferometer (ESPI).

Abstract: A material testing system that uses at least one hydraulic grip is improved with cable clips that are attachable to a respective lateral side of each hydraulic grip wedge. Each cable clip has another end that extends to engage a cable(s) extending from a corresponding wedge retention spring hole. The cable(s) enable manual extension of a wedge retention spring for engagement and disengagement from the hydraulic grip wedge. The cable clip maintains the cable in a noninterfering position during operational use of the material testing system.

Abstract: A method of detecting and identifying pathogens in a sample comprising a plurality of genetic sequences. A plurality of electronic sequence reads corresponding to the plurality of genetic sequences is received and sampled to form a sample set. The sample set is iteratively and electronically compared to a plurality of pathogen sequences to create a detection group, which populates a putative genome data structure. A distance score is measured between each electronic sequence read of the sampled set to each pathogen sequence of the putative genome data structure. A hit score is calculated by comparing the distance score to a threshold value. A plurality of clusters of the electronic sequence reads of the sample set is formed to maximize the cluster hit score and to minimize a difference in distance scores of the cluster. A respective taxonomic group assigned to electronic reads of the sample set after clustering is displayed.

Abstract: An apparatus for air dropping equipment and supplies from an aircraft is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a canister having a rotor system configured to slow the descent at a predetermined altitude to a desired landing speed via auto-rotation and/or with motor assist. The rotor system is configured to prevent the container from spinning about its longitudinal axis during the descent.

Abstract: A morphing airfoil includes a dynamic flexible skin system that is capable of carrying high level aerodynamic (or fluid) pressure loads over a structural surface. The structural surface can morph and bend in response to control inputs to change a lift force without separate movable control surfaces. A plurality of standoff mounts are attached to an inner surface of anisotropic skin. The standoff mounts include through apertures for receiving a flexible stringer. The anisotropic skin is attached to underlying structure through the flexible stringers. The flexible stringers interface with actuated position control ribs and passive compliant support ribs. A control system causes the underlying support structure to move to a desired location which in turn causes the skin to bend and/or flex without exceeding a stress threshold and thus vary the lift and drag distributions along a span of the airfoil without separate control surfaces.

Abstract: A composite material for dissipating the kinetic energy of an impacting object includes a strike face oriented to receive the impacting object and a protected face oriented to be proximate a user or a protected item. A first portion includes at least a first woven fabric layer and at least a Non-Newtonian Fluid (NNF) sheet. The first portion is disposed adjacent the strike face. A second portion includes at least a second woven fiber layer, and the second portion is disposed adjacent the protected face.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for making macromolecular networks, macromolecular networks made by such processes, and methods of using such macromolecular networks. Such process employs a low amount of amine compound as a reaction accelerant. The rates of chemical reaction are thereby easily controlled over several orders of magnitude, permitting efficient catalysis and control of reaction conditions needed to produce thermochemically stable macromolecular networks.

Abstract: An integrated imaging display system is provided. The integrated imaging display system includes: a light source, a converging lens, an illumination microlens array, and a projection microlens array, where illumination microlens units in the illumination microlens array and projection microlens units in the projection microlens array are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence, and the converging lens converts all light emitted by the light source into parallel light and then irradiates the parallel light to the illumination microlens array; a sub-image is provided on a side of each of the illumination microlens units close to the projection microlens unit; all light emitted by each of the illumination microlens units is irradiated on a corresponding projection microlens unit after passing through the sub-image, and the projection microlens array displays an image of the sub-image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of improving a mass spectrometer, a module for improving a mass spectrometer and an improved mass spectrometer. The aforementioned method employs a calibration correction module that calibrates the mass spectrometer so timely, more precise and accurate data can be obtained. In particular, real time, accurate mass determinations of low analyte quantity samples can be obtained.

Abstract: A mouth guard senses impact forces and determines if the forces exceed an impact threshold. If so, the mouth guard notifies the user of the risk for injury by haptic feedback, vibratory feedback, and/or audible feedback. The mouth guard system may also remotely communicate the status of risk and the potential injury. The mouth guard uses a local memory device to store impact thresholds based on personal biometric information obtained from the user and compares the sensed forces relative to those threshold values. The mouth guard and its electrical components on the printed circuit board are custom manufactured for the user such that the mouth guard provides a comfortable and reliable fit, while ensuring exceptional performance.

Abstract: An active attestation apparatus verifies at runtime the integrity of untrusted machine code of an embedded system residing in a memory device while it is being run/used with while slowing the processing time less than other methods. The apparatus uses an integrated circuit chip containing a microcontroller and a reprogrammable logic device, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), to implement software attestation at runtime and in less time than is typically possible with comparable attestation approaches, while not requiring any halt of the processor in the microcontroller. The reprogrammable logic device includes functionality to load an encrypted version of its configuration and operating code, perform a checksum computation, and communicate with a verifier. The checksum algorithm is preferably time optimized to execute computations in the reprogrammable logic device in the minimum possible time.

Abstract: A system and method of an automated agent to automatically implement loan activities includes a data collection circuit structured to receive data related to at least one of a plurality of parties to a loan; a smart contract circuit structured to create a smart lending contract for the loan; and an automated agent circuit structured to automatically perform a loan-related action in response to the received data, wherein the loan-related action is a change in an interest rate for the loan, and wherein the smart contract circuit is further structured to update the smart lending contract with the changed interest rate.

Abstract: Optical phase control elements are based on the Pancharatnam phase. Tunable liquid crystal devices containing the optical phase control elements may include a liquid crystal cell between a pair of substrates, a first plurality of electrodes, and a second plurality of electrodes. Each individual phase control element is defined by one electrode from the first plurality and one electrode from the second plurality.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to shape memory films that are tri-functionally crosslinked and that comprise multiple, non-terminal, phenylethynyl moieties. In addition, the present invention relates methods of fabricating such films. Due to the improved properties of such SMPS, the SMP designer can program in to the SMP mechanical property enhancements that make the SMP suitable, among other things, for advanced sensors, high temperature actuators, responder matrix materials and heat responsive packaging.