Abstract: An acoustic sensor detects binding of a nucleic acid analyte in an impure liquid sample by measurement of the energy of the acoustic wave resulting from the binding of the nucleic acid target to the sensor surface. The analysis may be preceded by carrying out a nucleic acid amplification procedure in situ on a crude or impure biological sample and the analysis is tolerant of the presence of reagents or by-products of the amplification procedure, and also materials present from the initial biological sample.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for performing a real-time colorimetric nucleic acid amplification assay wherein the heating of the liquid sample comprised in a reaction tube is carried out by bringing the bottom of the tube in thermal contact with a heating element. The real-time monitoring of the content of the reaction tube is carried out visually through the side wall of the tube, preferably by using a camera.

Abstract: Method and devices using lasers to reduce reflection of transparent solids in the optical spectrum, coatings and devices employing transparent solids are disclosed. The lasers are used to shape surfaces of the transparent solid materials by raising the temperature of the material to around the melting temperature, and thereby generate desired target nanostructure two-dimensional antireflection flection pattern arrays on the surfaces. The laser fluence value, wavelength, repetition rate, pulse duraction and number of consecutive laser pulses per focus spot are selected, and a desired focus spot distribution on the surface of the transparent solid material is identified. The transparent solid material is relatively translated to generate the desired nanostructure two-dimensional pattern array.

Abstract: (“AEW”) are disclosed herein. The apparatuses, methods and systems provide a computational framework for choosing and applying the most appropriate model in different regions of a heterogeneous area on a voxel-by-voxel basis. The apparatuses, methods and systems also configure an intravoxel-incoherent-motion (IVIM) model for estimating water diffusivity and microcirculation of blood in the capillary network from DW-MRI low b-value data. In one implementation, the method uses a small number of b-values (at least 3 in the b-value range of 0-300 s/mm2, increasing the upper bound of the low b-value range by one b-value in the absence of DW-MRI signal at 300 s/mm2 and is able to synthetically generate DW-MRI data corresponding at higher b-values using the derived IVIM equation. The method also accounts for estimating non-Gaussian diffusion parameter Kapp.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of heteroepitaxial growth enabling the successful growth of thin films of GaN and III-nitride semiconductor heterostructures of (0001) orientation with III metal-face polarity on diamond substrates being either polycrystalline or single crystal with various crystallographic orientations. The method uses a thin AlN nucleation layer on the diamond substrate with thickness equal or less than 5 nm, grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) using a nitrogen plasma source. The invention enables the development of very high power metal-face III-nitride devices, such as High Electron Mobility Transistors, on single crystal or polycrystalline diamond substrates. The method is also applicable for other element IV substrates with diamond crystal structure.

Abstract: An acoustic sensor detects binding of a nucleic acid analyte in an impure liquid sample by measurement of the energy of the acoustic wave resulting from the binding of the nucleic acid target to the sensor surface. The analysis may be preceded by carrying out a nucleic acid amplification procedure in situ on a crude or impure biological sample and the analysis is tolerant of the presence of reagents or by-products of the amplification procedure, and also materials present from the initial biological sample.

Abstract: A processor-implemented method for direction-of-arrival estimation. The method includes: receiving a plurality of input signals at a sensor array, each sensor having an angle estimator and a cross-spectra term; transforming the input signal from each of the plurality of sensors to the time-frequency domain using a short-time Fourier transform; constructing a Perpendicular Cross-Spectra Difference (PCSD) for each of the plurality of angle estimators associated with each sensor for each frequency bin and time index; calculating an auxiliary observation for each of the angle estimators; and determining an impinging angle for each of the angle estimators based on the auxiliary observation.

Abstract: A sensitive assay for an analyte employing an acoustic wave sensor. A label which has a higher dissipative capacity than the analyte is adhered to the sensing surface of an acoustic wave sensor through the analyte such that the body of the label is spaced apart from and anchored to the surface of the acoustic wave sensor by a distance of 15 to 250 nm. The change in the energy losses of the acoustic wave when the label binds to the sensing surface is used to measure the presence or amount of the label. A substantial improvement in the detection limit of the label is obtained. The analyte may for example be a nucleic acid and the label may for example comprise liposomes.

Abstract: A processor-implemented method for spatial sound characterization is described. In one implementation, each of a plurality of source signals detected by a plurality of sensing devices, is segmented into a plurality of time frames. For each time frame, time-frequency transform of the source signals is derived, an estimated number of sources and at least one estimated direction of arrival corresponding to each of the source signals is obtained. Further, source signals are extracted by spatial separation based at least on the estimated directions of arrival and the estimated number of sources, and separated source signals are processed to yield a reference signal and side information.

Abstract: APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ESTIMATING WATER DIFFUSIVITY AND MICROCIRCULATION OF BLOOD USING DW-MRI DATA (“AEW”) are disclosed herein. The apparatuses, methods and systems provide a computational framework for choosing and applying the most appropriate model in different regions of a heterogeneous area on a voxel-by-voxel basis. The apparatuses, methods and systems also configure an intravoxel-incoherent-motion (IVIM) model for estimating water diffusivity and microcirculation of blood in the capillary network from DW-MRI low b-value data. In one implementation, the method uses a small number of b-values (at least 3 in the b-value range of 0-300 s/mm2, increasing the upper bound of the low b-value range by one b-value in the absence of DW-MRI signal at 300 s/mm2 and is able to synthetically generate DW-MRI data corresponding at higher b-values using the derived IVIM equation. The method also accounts for estimating non-Gaussian diffusion parameter Kapp.

Abstract: A processor-implemented method for regulating the flow rate of data packets in a network, including defining a global constant representing a regularly repeating time period common among flow sources in the network; transmitting current flow rate information from each of the flow sources, and for each flow, to the links traversed by each flow, exactly once during a current period; categorizing each of the flows passing through the links on the network into a category for the current period for each link by comparing the current flow rate information to a previously determined fair-share flow rate for the link; counting, in each link, the flows per category for the current period; determining a current fair-share flow rate for the current period in each link using the results of the categorizing and counting; and providing control instructions to each of the flow sources to regulate the rate of each flow.

Abstract: The ARS offers tracking, estimation of position, orientation and full articulation of the human body from marker-less visual observations obtained by a camera, for example an RGBD camera. An ARS may provide hypotheses of the 3D configuration of body parts or the entire body from a single depth frame. The ARS may also propagates estimations of the 3D configuration of body parts and the body by mapping or comparing data from the previous frame and the current frame. The ARS may further compare the estimations and the hypotheses to provide a solution for the current frame. An ARS may select, merge, refine, and/or otherwise combine data from the estimations and the hypotheses to provide a final estimation corresponding to the 3D skeletal data and may apply the final estimation data to capture parameters associated with a moving or still body.

Abstract: The GESTURE RECOGNITION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HUMAN-MACHINE INTERACTION (“GRA”) discloses vision-based gesture recognition. GRA can be implemented in any application involving tracking, detection and/or recognition of gestures or motion in general. Disclosed methods and systems consider a gestural vocabulary of a predefined number of user specified static and/or dynamic hand gestures that are mapped with a database to convey messages. In one implementation, the disclosed systems and methods support gesture recognition by detecting and tracking body parts, such as arms, hands and fingers, and by performing spatio-temporal segmentation and recognition of the set of predefined gestures, based on data acquired by an RGBD sensor. In one implementation, a model of the hand is employed to detect hand and finger candidates.

Abstract: A storage system for organizing and maintaining metadata in a distributed network. The system includes: a network; a plurality of distributed nodes configured to communicate through the network; a plurality of block devices configured to communicate with the plurality of distributed nodes through the network; and a management server configured to communicate with each of the plurality of distributed nodes and block devices and further configured to arbitrarily associate metadata and data to any of the plurality of distributed nodes such that a global copy of the metadata does not exist in one or more fixed locations known to all distributed nodes.

Abstract: A processor-implemented method for spatial sound localization and isolation is described. The method includes segmenting, via a processor, each of a plurality of source signals detected by a plurality of sensors, into a plurality of time frames. For each time frame, the method further includes obtaining, via a processor, a plurality of direction of arrival (DOA) estimates from the plurality of sensors, discretizing an area of interest into a plurality of grid points, calculating, via the processor, DOA at each of grid points, comparing, via the processor, the DOA estimates with the computed DOAs. If the number of sources is more than 1, the method includes obtaining via the processor, a plurality of combinations of DOA estimates, from amongst the plurality of combinations, estimating, via the processor, one or more initial candidate locations corresponding to each of the combinations, selecting location of the sources from amongst the initial candidate locations.

Abstract: A method for storage input/output (I/O) path configuration in a system that includes at least one storage device in network communication with at least one computer processor; the method comprising providing in the I/O path into at least: (a) a block-based kernel-level filesystem, (b) an I/O cache module controlling an I/O cache implemented on a first computer readable medium, (c) a journaling module, and (d) a storage cache module controlling a storage cache implemented on a second computer readable medium, the second computer readable medium having a lower read/write speed than the first computer readable medium. Furthermore, the steps of translating by the filesystem, based on computer executable instructions executed by the at least one processor, a file I/O request made by an application executed by the at least one computer processor into a block I/O request and fulfilling by the at least one processor the block I/O request from one of the I/O cache and the storage cache complete the I/O operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of investigating the conformation of biomolecules or changes in the conformation of biomolecules as a result of an interaction, in which biomolecules from a sample of biomolecules are adhered discretely to the sensing surface of an acoustic wave sensor operating in a liquid, and a conformation parameter which is related to the conformation of the biomolecules from the said sample which are adhered discretely to the sensing surface, but substantially independent of the resulting change in mass loading of the sensing surface, is calculated from the resulting change in the output signals of the acoustic wave sensor. The conformation parameter may the acoustic ratio or a parameter which is directly related to the acoustic ratio.

Abstract: A method of production of photocatalytic material to be used under UV and visible light. The photocatalyst is obtained by precipitating titanium dioxide on a sol of manganese dioxide. The method includes providing a mixture of a) hydrated manganese dioxide sol, b) titanium solution and c) NH3 solution, and, the processing of the above. The photocatalyst produced with the method of the invention includes titanium and manganese with the atomic ratio Mn:Ti varying between 0.01:100 and 33:100. The manganese acts both as a dopant and as a photosensitizer. The photocatalyst is active under both UV and visible light and is able to decompose organic and inorganic pollutants. In general the photocatalyst can be used as obtained or embedded in a matrix (e.g. concrete, cement, mortar, stucco, paint etc) or immobilized on or in a solid surface/body. The photocatalyst can be further used for air or water de-pollution.

Abstract: A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to receive a specification of a combinational logic circuit. The specification of the combinational logic circuit is converted to a Single-Rail un-encoded circuit and a Dual-Rail encoded circuit, which periodically encodes a null value, a first valid state and a second valid state on two wires. A logic operation of the Single-Rail un-encoded circuit transpires during processing of a null value by the Dual-Rail encoded circuit.

Abstract: A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to construct a delay element to replicate the timing of critical gates and paths within a segment of an asynchronous circuit. The rise and fall delay mismatch of the delay element is minimized without obeying timing constraints. The position of each output of the delay element is determined to include a globally shared node within the segment and a non-shared local node in the segment.