Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a mechanical actuator based on a fiber optic platform. A material that is configured to be activated by light is incorporated into an optical fiber that serves as both an actuator and a power delivery network. This platform is adaptable to different materials, types of motions, and length scales and allows for precise delivery of photons to the material.

Abstract: A method for generating ultrawideband pulsed microwave signals from optical field ionization of a gas with an ultrashort laser pulse, where the amplitude and frequency of the signals can be controlled via the characteristics of the laser pulse and/or the gas. The center frequency of the spectrum of the microwave signal can be controlled by changing the laser pulse energy. The amplitude of the microwave signal can be controlled by changing the wavelength of the laser pulses. The amplitude and frequency of the microwave signal can be tuned by controlling the pressure of the gas medium. The location at which the microwave signal is generated can be controlled by controlling the location at which the laser pulse creates a plasma. Interference among microwave signals resulting from multiple laser-produced plasmas can be used to construct an ultrawideband microwave signal having a predetermined amplitude and frequency.

Abstract: A biomarker signal amplifier amplifies chemical analyte binding and includes: a surface strand disposed on an analysis substrate and including an exchange region; a particle strand hybridized to the surface strand in an absence of a chemical analyte that preferentially hybridizes to the exchange region as compared with the particle strand, and the particle strand is dissociated from the surface strand when the surface strand is in a presence of the chemical analyte; and a reporter particle attached to the particle strand and disposed proximate to the analysis substrate when the particle strand is hybridized to the surface strand in absence of the chemical analyte and that changes the electrical potential of the analysis substrate depending on whether the particle strand is hybridized to the surface strand.

Abstract: A method of making chalcogenide based polymeric materials and converting those materials into optical fiber preforms and polymeric optical fibers. The preforms and fibers comprise chalcogenide elements and crosslinking moieties. These fibers can be used as optical waveguides at infrared wavelengths where other polymer fibers do not operate. The optical waveguides are ideally suitable for applications requiring the transmission of low-power infrared light, but may also be useful for transmitting high-power light at visible or infrared wavelengths.

Abstract: An example is directed to a mooring apparatus for mooring a vessel via a mooring buoy to an anchor under weather conditions from a light weather condition up to a preset maximum weather condition. A single-bouncer mooring apparatus includes a bouncer connected via an anchor line to the anchor having an anchor weight, the bouncer having a bouncer weight; and a catenary section line connected between the mooring buoy and the bouncer, the catenary section line having a catenary section length and a catenary section weight. The bouncer weight, the catenary section length, and the catenary section weight are selected to place the bouncer just touching the bottom of the body of water in the preset maximum weather condition for the vessel having the vessel length and the vessel weight. A multiple-bouncer mooring apparatus includes two or more bouncers connected in series via respective catenary section lines to the mooring buoy.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed towards a device and method relating to heating a sample. For example, a device includes a housing to support a sample including a trace of an explosive. A power supply is coupled to the housing to provide power to a heating element coupled to the housing. The heating element is configured to heat the sample to generate a vapor of at least one ingredient of the trace.

Abstract: Embodiments herein report compositions, uses and manufacturing of dengue virus constructs and live attenuated dengue viruses. Some embodiments concern a composition that includes, but is not limited to, a tetravalent dengue virus composition. In certain embodiments, compositions can include constructs of one or more serotypes of dengue virus, such as dengue-1 (DEN-1) virus, dengue-2 (DEN-2) virus, dengue-3 (DEN-3) or dengue-4 (DEN-4) virus constructs. In other embodiments, constructs disclosed herein can be combined in a composition to generate a vaccine against more one or more dengue virus constructs that may or may not be subsequently passaged in mammalian cells.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed towards a simulant and method relating to producing a simulant. For example, a simulant of a textured target threat includes a background material associated with a background attenuation, and a texture component(s) dispersed in the background material and associated with a component attenuation and a component characteristic. The component characteristic prevents the component attenuation of the texture component from being homogeneously dispersed throughout the background attenuation of the background material, to cause the simulant to mimic an aspect(s) of an X-ray signature of the textured target threat.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for performing temperature-dependent measurements of a magnetic nanoparticle sample. The system includes high frequency coils and sample temperature tunable assembly to determine the specific relaxation process for magnetic nanoparticle sample using both time and frequency domain techniques. During the temperature-dependent measurements of a magnetic nanoparticle sample, system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention resolve the nanoparticle dynamics using a temperature-tunable dual mode, AC susceptibility and magnetic relaxometry, to cover a broad range of frequencies and time scales. Other operational modes of the invention can drive the nanoparticles with arbitrary waveforms (sinusoidal, sum of sinusoids, or repeated pulses) to elicit and measure tailored response behavior from the magnetic nanoparticle sample.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for foreign object debris monitoring in an environment with a dynamic debris field, such as an environment for operating an aircraft. The debris monitoring technique includes generating a light beam and dispersing it to create a virtual witness plate, which is a two-dimensional sheet of light that covers a detection area. The technique also include detecting scattered light from the virtual witness plate caused by debris passing through it. A debris event may be generated based on the scattered light, indicating the presence of debris in the detection area.

Abstract: A photonic Rydberg atom radio frequency receiver includes: an integrated photonic chip; an atomic vapor cell; and a receiver member including: a photonic emitter; probe light reflectors disposed on the atomic vapor cell; and coupling light reflectors disposed on the atomic vapor cell such that the pair of coupling light reflectors is optically opposed across the interior vapor space and receives and reflects the coupling laser light so that the coupling laser light is reflected between the coupling light reflectors multiple times in the interior vapor space of the atomic vapor cell.

Abstract: A system and method for securely exchanging information between a server and an endpoint. A firewall and switch may administer connections between the endpoint and the server. The network interface of the server may send and receive information through the firewall and switch. A program task in the sever may set the network interface to be in an “on state” for a predetermined amount of time on a specific date thereby creating an active time transfer window that the network interface can receive communications from the endpoint.

Abstract: Examples are directed toward anticounterfeit markings printed on a substrate. The substrate has a front side and a back side and is printed with front side markings on the front side and back side markings on the back side. The front side markings and the back side markings have dimensions in a micrometer range. The front side when viewed with reflected light comprises first portions of a plurality of characters. The back side when viewed with reflected light comprises second portions of the plurality of characters. The first portions and the second portions are printed, when viewed with transmitted light, to show the plurality of characters as whole characters having dimensions in the micrometer range, as a transmitted light security feature.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of performing light detection and ranging (LIDAR). According to some embodiments, a first data packet is generated, transmitted, and/or received to initiate transmission of a primary light signal to a remote target, and a first timestamp associated with the first data packet is generated. A second data packet is generated, received, and/or transmitted indicating reception of a reflected light signal, wherein the reflected light signal is a reflection of the primary light signal from the remote target. A second timestamp associated with the second data packet is generated, and a distance to the remote target is determined based on the first and second timestamps. Related LIDAR systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for securely exchanging information between a server and an endpoint. A firewall and switch may administer connections between the endpoint and the server. The network interface of the server may send and receive information through the firewall and switch. A program task in the sever may set the network interface to be in an “on state” for a predetermined amount of time on a specific date thereby creating an active time transfer window that the network interface can receive communications from the endpoint.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a porous substrate having silver and optionally silver oxide and a silver sulfide coating. Also disclosed herein is a battery having a cathode, an anode, and a separator between the cathode and the anode. The cathode includes a substrate having silver and optionally silver oxide and a silver sulfide coating. Also disclosed herein is a method of submerging a substrate having silver and optionally silver oxide in a solution of elemental sulfur in dimethyl sulfoxide to form silver sulfide on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the generation and use of session keys supporting secure communications between a client and server device are disclosed. The client hashes each of a series of passwords a first number of times. The hashed passwords are sent to a server. The server applies the hashed password to an array of PUF devices, and receives an initial response bitstream which is stored. The client later hashes each of the series of passwords a second number of times, which is less than the first number, and these are sent to the server. The server continues to hash the second message digest, generate PUF responses, and compare the result to the initially stored responses. For each password, the number of hashes necessary to achieve a match is a partial session key. Latency is improved by an array of separately addressable PUFs, each producing a partial session key.

Abstract: A method of inducing expression of aquaporin-4 by providing a bioconjugate having a quantum dot bound to human erythropoietin and contacting human astrocytes with the bioconjugate, which induces expression of aquaporin-4. A composition having a bioconjugate having a quantum dot bound to human erythropoietin. A method of providing a quantum dot and forming a bioconjugate by depositing human erythropoietin onto the surface of the quantum dot.

Abstract: A system and method for securely exchanging information between a server and an endpoint. A firewall and switch may administer connections between the endpoint and the server. The network interface of the server may send and receive information through the firewall and switch. A program task in the sever may set the network interface to be in an “on state” for a predetermined amount of time on a specific date thereby creating an active time transfer window that the network interface can receive communications from the endpoint.

Abstract: A hybrid capillary and mechanically pumped loop heat pipe (HLHP) includes a fluid loop having an evaporator thermally coupled to a heat load, a condenser thermally coupled to a heat sink, a reservoir, and one or more magnetically levitating pumps configured to pump fluid through the loop thereby improving heat transport capacity and system stability.