Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electron transport layer for a perovskite solar cell, which is tin oxide (SnO2-x, 0<x<1) comprising oxygen vacancies, wherein the oxygen vacancies are passivated by oxidized black phosphorus quantum dots (O-BPs), and a perovskite solar cell including the same. The electron transport layer for a perovskite solar cell of the present disclosure can prevent phase transition to a structure having semiconductor properties not suitable for solar cells, such as ?-FAPbI3 or PbI2, due to the occurrence of iodine interstitials (Ii) in the perovskite structure caused by deficiency of oxygen atoms in SnO2-x at the interface, by passivating the oxygen vacancies with oxidized black phosphorus quantum dots (O-BPs) containing multiple P?O bonds.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of operating a single slope analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which includes receiving an input signal from a sensor or a ramp signal from a ramp generator according to a state of a switch and sampling the received input or ramp signal, comparing, by a comparator, whether the sampled ramp signal is present in a predetermined input range in a state in which the ramp generator maintains an off state and outputting the comparison result, generating, by a logic part, a flag signal indicating a high or low according to the comparison result by the comparator and providing the flag signal to the ramp generator, and sampling, by the ramp generator, a reference voltage of the comparator according to the flag signal based on an off or on state.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique for synthesizing chiral magnetic nanocoils using an electrodeposition technique, which can be used to fabricate magnetic nanosensors capable of generating an electric field by strongly reacting to an external magnetic field, such as Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction at the nanoscale, depending on the coil shape of the nanostructure. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of synthesizing a chiral magnetic nanocoil may include generating a primary particle composed of metal ions by applying an external electric field, binding a chiral molecule to a surface of the generated primary particle, and controlling an assembly direction of a next primary particle by the bound chiral molecule.

Abstract: A power conversion apparatus capable of simultaneously discharging swap batteries even while reducing the number of power circuits includes a secondary converter configured to convert alternating current (AC) power into direct current (DC) power, a main battery connected to the secondary converter to receive the DC power, a replaceable swap battery block connected to the secondary converter configured for simultaneous discharge with the main battery, a switching circuit configured to turn on or off electrical connection between the replaceable swap battery block and the secondary converter, and a bypass circuit configured to turn on or off electrical connection between the swap battery block and the main battery.

Abstract: Provided is a photographing apparatus including an image capturing unit including a first light source, an object lens, and a first light detector, a surface detecting unit including a second light source, the object lens, and a second light detector, a processor configured to obtain a strong reflection signal area where a reflection signal is strong in an oblique plane image obtained from the second light detector, and obtain a relative position relationship between a region of interest and a focal plane of the object lens, and an actuator configured to adjust the region of interest to be in focus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cell measurement device and method in which retroreflective particles are introduced to measure cells, and thus, an optical signal is obtained without fixing of life activity of cells and performing a separate staining process. An example of the use of retroreflection-based cytometry is evaluation of cell migration. The cells capture the retroreflective particles during cell migration or growth, and migrate in a state that the particles are captured in the cell or bind to the cells. The migrated cells are observed in a form of bright dots inside the cells under irradiation of white light as a non-spectroscopic light source to the cells in the retroreflective optical system. The number of bright spots is counted, and thus, the number of cells and the presence thereof thus can be easily measured based on an image.

Abstract: There are proposed a method and system for information theory-based questioning for a goal-oriented dialog system. An information theory-based question provision system includes an approximate answer generation unit configured to generate an approximate answer by approximating the generation of an answer to a question by an answer module constituting a part of the goal-oriented dialog system; an intention inference unit configured to infer an intention value, which is the degree of proximity of the question to a goal, based on the answer of the answer module, and a question provision unit configured to provide a question to the answer module based on the intention value.

Abstract: A system to search in a low visibility environment comprising: an infrared (IR) sensor and a radar unit to receive measurements in a first field of view; a microphone to receive audio measurements in a second field of view; processing circuitry to determine presence of an animal and/or human in the first field of view using a first machine learning engine trained based upon the IR image measurements and/or using a second machine learning engine trained based upon the radar image measurements; determine presence of an animal and/or human in the second field of view using a third machine learning engine trained based upon the audio measurements; providing a first digital transmission indicating whether a human and/or animal is detected within the first field of view; and providing a second digital signal indicating whether a human and/or animal is detected within the second field of view.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to powder spreading and an apparatus therefor. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus having a flexible core and a shell on a surface of the core is used to displace powder in a powder bed. The shell has a low coefficient of friction, for example on the order of 0.10, and may operate to conduct static electricity away from the powder. The shell may be engaged with the powder to displace the powder and form a uniform powder layer having a planer upper surface, as the core is advanced across the powder bed.

Abstract: Methods of hydromethylation of alkenes and ketones, including methods that use Tebbe's reagent. The methods may include contacting Cp2Ti(?-Cl)(?-CH2)AlMe2 and an alkene or a ketone to produce an intermediate product that may include a titanacyclobutane. The intermediate product may be contacted with an acid to produce a methylated product.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multiblock copolypeptide having stimulus responsivity and surface adhesiveness. The multiblock copolypeptide of the present disclosure, which is composed of an elastin-based polypeptide and a mussel foot protein, can form self-assembled core-shell structures and hydrogels exhibiting reversible change in response to temperature stimulation and can be used usefully for biomedical applications due to remarkably superior surface adhesiveness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for fabricating vertical homogenous and heterogeneous two-dimensional structures, the fabricated vertical two-dimensional structures, and methods of using the same. The methods demonstrated herein produce structures that are free standing and electrically isolated.

Abstract: Various examples are provided for power amplifiers for coil array systems, which include load-independent Class E power amplifiers. In one example, a wireless charging system includes a three-dimensional (3D) coil array; and control circuitry configured to adjust a magnetic field generated by the 3D coil array, the control circuitry comprising a switching structure coupled to transmitting (TX) coils of the 3D coil array via independent matching networks. The independent matching networks can be LCL-matching networks.

Abstract: A hard coating composition includes a norbornene-based compound represented by a Chemical Formula 1 and a polymer including at least one of an epoxy-based resin, a polyurethane-based resin, or an acrylic resin.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spirally heating submarine pipeline including: a conduit which transports a high temperature high pressure fluid from a submarine oil well; and a heating unit disposed in a spiral structure inside based on an outer circumferential surface of the conduit. The heating unit includes an electric heating wire that is installed along the spiral structure to generate heat; a heat insulator that is installed in the form of fully surrounding the electric heating wire and preserves the generated heat; and a heat insulating cap for isolating the heat insulator from the conduit or the heat insulating layer and is provided so as to increase the temperature of the flow in the pipe to prevent the production of a pipe flow interfering material when the fluid is transported in the conduit.

Abstract: Methods of accurately determining DNA barcodes using a cylindrical nanopore system. The methods include steps of leveraging the average velocity of a double-stranded DNA segment passing through a single cylindrical nanopore that is measured through repeated scanning to accurately determine protein tag locations on the double-stranded DNA segment. As such, the methods provide for the accurate calculation of a barcode for the double-stranded DNA segment based on protein tag locations without underestimation or overestimate issues. The underlying concept and the methods are equally applicable to other multi-nanopore systems which use the dwell time and time of flight velocities to measure the barcodes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and compositions comprising atropine and a polymer in a gel formulation for decreasing saliva production and treating sialorrhea.

Abstract: A question answering method that is performed by a question answering apparatus includes: receiving a data set including video content and question-answer pairs; generating input time-series sequences from the video content of the input data set and also generating a question-answer time-series sequence from the question-answer pair of the input data set; calculating weights by associating the input time-series sequence with the question-answer time-series sequence and also calculating first result values by performing operations on the calculated weights and the input time-series sequences; calculating second result values by paying attention to portions of the input time-series sequences that are directly related to characters appearing in questions and answers; and calculating third result values by concatenating the time-series sequences, the first result values, the second result values, and Boolean flags and selecting a final answer based on the third result values.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a robot. A robot according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body having a set volume: and a driving module provided in the left region and the right region of the body, respectively, and rotatably connected to the body by a rotation shaft, wherein the driving module comprises: a rotating member connected to the rotating shaft; a first driving part extending from one side of the rotating member slantwise by a first inclination angle with respect to the rotating shaft in a direction away from the rotating shaft; and a second driving part extending from the one side of the rotating member slantwise by a second inclination angle with respect to the rotating shaft in the direction away from the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A method of supervising a complex system includes acquiring and storing failures data and repair resources information regarding the complex system, identifying failure networks and structures of the complex system. Failure types associated with the failure networks of the complex system are determined. The method includes generating a plurality of failure prevention and repair (FPR) sequences, wherein each FPR is associated with the failure networks and the failure types. The generated FPR sequences are analyzed to select a set of FPR sequences and associated repair resources. The method further comprises applying the selected one of the plurality of failure prevention and repair sequences to the complex system, thereby managing the complex system.