Abstract: A liquid crystal optical device that includes a first substrate layer that is substantially flat and a second substrate layer that is substantially flat and parallel to the first substrate layer. The liquid crystal optical device further includes a layer of cholesteric liquid crystal disposed between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer, where the layer of cholesteric liquid crystal is arranged in domains, each domain having a helical axis, wherein the helical axes of the domains have a plurality of orientations relative to an orientation of the first and second substrate layers, and where a wavefront of a light wave having a wavelength within a range of wavelengths changes after reflecting from the layer of cholesteric liquid crystal.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates generally to the use of thermally induced self-assembly of surfactants, such as poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) or 4-octylphenol polyethoxylate, to vary the transparency or opacity of a composition containing the same. The compositions of the present subject matter can be used in smart window technologies.

Abstract: Provided herein are a luminogen compound of formula (I) including a AIE luminophore moiety conjugated with a maleimide moiety and a use of the same for detecting thiol groups in biomolecules. Also provided is a dye molecule, a biosensor or a bioprobe comprising the luminogen compound of formula (I) in use for detecting thiol groups in biomolecules. The detection method of the present subject matter not only has high thio-selectivity and sensitivity, but also is rapid, convenient and handy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices for detecting the presence or absence of a target molecule or substance, compounds which may be employed in such devices and methods of using such compounds. In some embodiments, the compounds are conjugated polyenes.

Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode display which can display independent images on both sides is described. This display can be driven with passive matrix or active matrix schemes. The invention combines a unique stacked organic diode structure and special driving schemes involving time-sequential reversed fields.

Abstract: A method of producing spatially varying pretilt angles across a liquid crystal cell coats a substrate with a polyimide alignment layer and a layer of photoalignment material on top of the polyimide layer. An applied beam with variable light dosage spatial or temporal profiles is then used to achieve a corresponding pretilt angle distribution.

Abstract: Compounds originally isolated from marine fungi are useful as antifouling (antibacterial and/or anti-larval settlement) agents. The compounds are 3-chloro-2,5-dihydroxy benzyl alcohol, cyclo-(Pro-Phe),3-methyl-N-(2-phenylethyl) butanamide, and succinic acid. The compounds are non-toxic or low-toxic. They can be used alone or in combination, as active ingredients for making environment-friendly antifouling formulations/coatings.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting residual poison in human body are provided. Using the disclosed HPLC-Chip-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS and/or HPLC-MS/MS method to detect the residual poison, the method of the present invention mainly includes sample preparation, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The method of the present invention has advantages of low sample size, high specificity, low detection limit, high sensitivity, low cost, high accuracy and stability, etc.

Abstract: The described method and system provide an efficient routing of data packets protocol in an event-driven and delay-constrained WSN (wireless sensor network) that optimizes the sleep/wake schedule of nodes to maximize the lifetime of the WSM, subject to a constraint on the source-to-sink delay. Online forwarding techniques may be used to transfer data reports from monitoring nodes to the sink. A delay-constrained and energy-efficient routing protocol (DCEER) for asynchronous WSNs may be used to maximize the lifetime of the WSN while remaining within the maximum allowable delay requirements. With DCEER, each node may maintain the historical cost of forwarding a packet from itself to the sink as its virtual coordinate, and packets are forwarded in the direction of descending coordinates. The cost-based coordinates may change dynamically with a time-varying channel or topology.

Abstract: The subject specification comprises a cognitive relay communications management (CRCM) component associated with a primary communication system, wherein the CRCM component controls relaying at least a portion of transmitted communications from a secondary source device (SSD) transmitting data to a secondary destination device (SDD) associated with a secondary communication system, in accordance with a specified relay protocol, such as a buffered decode-and-forward protocol. The CRCM component identifies when the secondary relay station (SRS) is not transmitting on the relay-destination (R-D) link and the source-relay link is not blocked, and, in such instance, allows transmission of a packet from the SSD to the SRS. The SRS forwards the packet to the SDD when the CRCM component identifies when the R-D link is not blocked. The SRS and/or SSD remove the packet from their respective queues when an acknowledgement message(s) is received from the SDD and/or SRS, respectively.

Abstract: We propose methods for generating a halftone image, in which each pixel takes one of two tone values. The generated image contains hidden data, which is present at data storage pixels chosen using a pseudo-random number generator. In a first case, the data is hidden within an existing halftone image by reversing the tone value at certain of the data storage pixels, and at pixels neighbouring the data storage pixels. In a second case, the halftone image is generated from a grey-scale image, and data is hidden during this conversion process.

Abstract: We present an invention on the synthesis of elastic, bio-compatible functional microstructures wherein the designed electrical functionalities are achieved by mixing conducting nano to micro-particles with PDMS gels. The methodology for constructing planar and three-dimensional microstructures by soft-lithographic technique is presented. Applications such as electrodes, conducting strips, two and three-dimensional microstructures for electrical wiring connections, micro heaters, micro heater arrays, flexible thermochromic displays, and applications for microfluidic devices are demonstrated, all with demonstrated elastic flexibility and fall-proof characteristics while maintaining their functionalities. Results obtained are very promising for the utilization of such composites in future micro-fabrications, especially for the bio-chips and microfluidic devices.

Abstract: A catalytic material which includes a metal oxide catalyst anchored to a nano-sized metal oxide crystal as support and functions well at low temperatures. The catalytic material may optionally include another metal oxide as a promoter deposited on the surface of the support to modify the properties of the metal oxide catalyst and/or the properties of the support. The catalyst may be vanadium oxide, tungsten oxide, manganese oxide, chromium oxide or molybdenum oxide; the support may be TiO2, SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, or WO3; and the promoter may be vanadium oxide, tungsten oxide, manganese oxide, chromium oxide or molybdenum oxide. The present invention also provides a method of producing the catalytic materials, which is useful in removing ammonia and other nitrogen containing contaminants.

Abstract: Cooperative sensing scheduling and parameter designs are described, which can achieve improvements in energy efficiency in cognitive radio networks, for example. In addition, the disclosed subject matter describes an objective or reward function or policy related to energy efficiency and considerations such as channel assignments sensing time that can maximize the objective function. The disclosed details enable various refinements and modifications according to system design and tradeoff considerations.

Abstract: An electroconductive bonding material is formed as a Modified Electrically Conductive Adhesive (MECA), and consists of a resin matrix and a modified conductive filler. The resin matrix if formed by providing a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin-based polymer resin. The conductive filler is a metal filler material suitable for use as conductive filler for the resin matrix. The metal filler is modified by applying a material selected from one of halogens, pseudohalogens or their precursors.

Abstract: A TiO2—SiO2 aerogel and TiO2—SiO2 aerogel monolith with a regular and predeterminable shape and an ordered mesoporosity and a method of making the aerogel and aerogel monolith, using surfactants in preparing the SiO2 sol before mixing with TiO2 sol. The aerogel obtained by this method has a specific surface area greater than 400 m2/g and a pore volume larger than 0.5 cc/g.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor includes a source and a drain that have each been replaced with a metal by a heat-treatment at a temperature within the range of 250° C. and 500° C.

Abstract: A frequency compensation method for voltage-mode switching regulators is disclosed. A lowpass filter and a bandpass filter are employed in the two signal paths into the dual inputs of PWM comparators. In one embodiment, two zeros are generated to compensate for the L-C output filter poles. Stable operation, low output voltage ripple and fast load transient response are achieved; while the power consumption of error amplifier and the area for implementing on-chip passive components are greatly reduced.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for optimizing a use, by a secondary terminal, of an idle wireless communication channel that is associated with a primary terminal are presented herein. A mapping component can receive: information including an indication that a communication channel assigned to a wireless device is idle; and one or more requests, from respective other wireless devices, to transmit information via the communication channel. Further, an allocation component can compute power allocations of the one or more requests; and grant a request of the one or more requests based on the power allocations. The allocation component can further be configured to iteratively compute a power allocation of the power allocations based on a bandwidth allocation of the bandwidth allocations; and iteratively compute a bandwidth allocation of the bandwidth allocations based on a power allocation of the power allocations.

Abstract: The presently described subject matter is directed to a water-soluble conjugated polyene compound and the derivatives thereof that exhibit aggregation induced emission, as well as any water dispersible, fluorescent, polymeric microparticles, nanoparticles, and/or pharmaceutical composition comprising the water-soluble conjugated polyene compound and/or the derivatives thereof. Also provided are methods of making and using the compound, derivatives and particles of the presently described subject matter. The presently described water-soluble conjugated polyene compound are useful as bioprobes for the detection of biomacromolecules, in the manufacture of sensors, in monitoring and retarding formation of amyloid protein fibril in vitro and in vivo, and in developing anti-cancer drugs.