Abstract: A local agent of a multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) system is disclosed, the local agent comprising a MARL network comprising at least one local hidden layer responsive to a plurality of local observations. A transmitter is configured to transmit an output of the local hidden layer to at least one remote agent, and a receiver is configured to receive an output of a remote hidden layer from the at least one remote agent. A combiner module is configured to combine the local hidden layer output with the remote hidden layer output to generate a combined hidden layer output, wherein the MARL network is configured to process the combined hidden layer output to generate at least one action value for the local agent.

Abstract: A sensor cluster is disclosed comprising a first plurality of side surfaces of a first N-hedron structure, and a second plurality of side surfaces of a second N-hedron structure. A first plurality of a first type of sensor are mounted on the first plurality of side surfaces, and a second plurality of a second type of sensor are mounted on the second plurality of side surfaces. N is greater than three and the first plurality of side surfaces are interleaved with the second plurality of side surfaces.

Abstract: Some variations provide an additively manufactured article comprising a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is a solid region or a porous region, wherein the second region has a pore size larger than the first-region pore size, and wherein the first-region average permeability is lower than the second-region average permeability. Some variations provide a co-sintering method of making an architected material with regions having different permeabilities, in which different additive-manufacturing process parameters are applied to distinct regions of the structure. Other variations provide a wall-pinning method of making an architected material with regions having different permeabilities, in which additive-manufacturing process parameters are selected to sinter pinned feedstock powder between solid walls. Engineered structures with controlled permeability, integrated manifolds, and arbitrary geometries are disclosed, without the requirement of complex manufacturing.

Abstract: A corner bracket comprising a volume of matter having n pairs of parallel faces, where n is an integer larger than 2; each face of each pair of parallel faces comprising an opening; the openings in the faces of each pair of parallel faces being joined by a cylindrical recess having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the faces joined by the cylindrical recess; the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical recesses being arranged such that the cylindrical recesses do not intersect each other. The number n can be 3 and the volume of matter can be a cube.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for processing low frequency signals. A communications system comprising a low frequency receiver, a denoiser, and a signal extractor. The low frequency receiver receives low frequency signals in which a communications signal is expected. The denoiser is in communication with the low frequency receiver. The denoiser denoises the low frequency signals received from the low frequency receiver. The denoising results in a generation of denoised signals. The signal extractor in communication with the denoiser. The signal extractor extracts the communications signal from the denoised signal.

Abstract: A computer system is disclosed for processing a sensor signal comprising a signal component and a noise component. A signal shifter is configured to generate a shifted version of the sensor signal, and a blind source separator (BSS) module is configured to process the sensor signal and the shifted version of the sensor signal to generate a signal output representing the signal component of the sensor signal.

Abstract: Some variations provide a polyoxalamide polymer comprising: one or more first segments containing at least one repeat unit that includes (i) a branched, aliphatic hydrocarbon species and (ii) first amide groups at internal ends of the repeat unit, wherein the first amide groups are part of oxalamide groups; one or more polymer end groups containing second amide groups that are each covalently bonded directly to one of the first amide groups, wherein the second amide groups are also part of the oxalamide groups, and wherein the oxalamide groups contain —N—C(?O)—C(—O)—N-sequences; and a reacted form of one or more multifunctional amine chain extenders or crosslinkers with an amine functionality of 3 or greater. The polyoxalamide polymer may be present in a lens, a window, a coating, or a film, for example. The polyoxalamide polymer may have UV transparency, visual transparency, NIR transparency, MWIR transparency, and/or LWIR transparency.

Abstract: A computer system is disclosed for processing industrial Boolean satisfiability (SAT) problems. A computer implemented SAT image encoder is configured to encode a runtime industrial SAT problem into a pixelated problem image comprising a plurality of rows, wherein the runtime industrial SAT problem comprises a plurality of clauses and each row of the pixelated problem image represents a corresponding one of the clauses. A computer implemented clause embedding module is configured to encode each row of the pixelated problem image into a corresponding vector, and a computer implemented vector encoder is configured to encode the vectors into an output indicating whether the runtime industrial SAT problem is satisfiable or unsatisfiable.

Abstract: Some variations provide an anisotropic thermally conductive polymer composition comprising a plurality of polarizable, thermotropic main-chain liquid-crystal polymer molecules with crystalline domains. The liquid-crystal polymer molecules are in a nematic phase or a smectic phase, and at least 80% of the crystalline domains are aligned along a crystal axis. A method of making an anisotropic thermally conductive polymer composition comprises: synthesizing or obtaining a polymer containing polarizable domains; heating the polymer to form a polymer melt; cooling the polymer melt to form a thermotropic liquid-crystal polymer; exposing the thermotropic liquid-crystal polymer to an electrical field, thereby aligning the polarizable domains along a crystal axis; and recovering the thermotropic liquid-crystal polymer as an anisotropic thermally conductive polymer composition.

Abstract: Some variations provide a method of making an additively manufactured single-crystal metallic component, comprising: providing a feedstock comprising a first metal or metal alloy; providing a build plate comprising a single crystal of a second metal or metal alloy; exposing the feedstock to an energy source for melting the feedstock, generating a melt layer on the build plate; and solidifying the melt layer, generating a solid layer (on the build plate) of a metal component. The solid layer is also a single crystal of the first metal or metal alloy. The method may be repeated many times to build the part. Some variations provide a single-crystal metallic component comprising a plurality of solid layers in an additive-manufacturing build direction, wherein the plurality of solid layers forms a single crystal of a metal or metal alloy with a continuous crystallographic texture. The crystal orientation may vary along the additive-manufacturing build direction.

Abstract: Some variations provide an optic (such as an optical lens or an optical window) comprising at least 1 wt % of a polyoxalamide, wherein the optic is characterized by at least 40% average transmission of infrared radiation, and wherein the polyoxalamide comprises: first segments containing at least one repeat unit that includes (i) a branched, aliphatic hydrocarbon species and (ii) first amide groups at internal ends of the repeat unit, wherein the first amide groups are part of oxalamide groups; polymer end groups containing second amide groups that are each covalently bonded directly to one of the first amide groups, wherein the second amide groups are also part of the oxalamide groups, and wherein the oxalamide groups contain —N—C(?O)—C(?O)—N— sequences; and a reacted form of multifunctional amine chain extenders or crosslinkers with an amine functionality of 3 or greater. Methods of making and using the optic are described.

Abstract: This invention provides resin formulations which may be used for 3D printing and pyrolyzing to produce a ceramic matrix composite. The resin formulations contain a solid-phase filler, to provide high thermal stability and mechanical strength (e.g., fracture toughness) in the final ceramic material. The invention provides direct, free-form 3D printing of a preceramic polymer loaded with a solid-phase filler, followed by converting the preceramic polymer to a 3D-printed ceramic matrix composite with potentially complex 3D shapes or in the form of large parts. Other variations provide active solid-phase functional additives as solid-phase fillers, to perform or enhance at least one chemical, physical, mechanical, or electrical function within the ceramic structure as it is being formed as well as in the final structure. Solid-phase functional additives actively improve the final ceramic structure through one or more changes actively induced by the additives during pyrolysis or other thermal treatment.

Abstract: Presented is a lateral fin static induction transistor including a semi conductive substrate, source and drain regions extending from an optional buffer layer of same or varied thickness supported by the semi conductive substrate, a semi conductive channel electrically coupling the source region to the drain region of the transistor, a portion of the semi conductive channel being a fin and having a face covered by a gated structure, thereby defining a gated channel within the semi conductive channel, the semi conductive channel further including a drift region electrically coupling the gated channel to the drain region of the transistor.

Abstract: Some variations provide a metal-alloy biphasic system containing a first metal M1 and a second metal M2, wherein a second metal phase has a melting temperature lower than that of a first metal phase, and wherein the metal-alloy biphasic system has a hierarchical microstructure containing a second length scale that is at least one order of magnitude smaller than a first length scale. Some variations provide a metal-alloy biphasic system containing a first metal M1 and a second metal M2, wherein a second metal phase has a melting temperature lower than that of a first metal phase, and wherein the first metal phase forms a continuous network. Other variations provide a metal-alloy biphasic powder containing at least a first metal and a second metal, wherein the solubility of first metal in second metal is less than 5%. Methods of making and using the powders and biphasic system are disclosed.

Abstract: A transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) transistor includes a substrate, an n-type two-dimensional (2D) TMD layer, a metal source electrode, a metal drain electrode, and a gate dielectric. The substrate has a top portion that is an insulating layer, and the n-type 2D TMD layer is on the insulating layer. The metal source electrode, the metal drain electrode, and the gate dielectric are on the n-type 2D TMD layer. The metal gate electrode is on top of the gate dielectric and is between the metal source electrode and the metal drain electrode.

Abstract: Some variations provide a method of tailoring the surface of a soft magnet, comprising: depositing an austenite-phase-stabilizing donor material on one or more first surface regions of a ferromagnetic receiver material; not depositing the austenite-phase-stabilizing donor material on one or more second surface regions of the ferromagnetic receiver material; laser melting the austenite-phase-stabilizing donor material into the first surface regions; and solidifying the molten austenite-phase-stabilizing donor material within the first surface regions, thereby selectively alloying the ferromagnetic receiver material in the first surface regions. Laser ablation may be utilized instead of laser melting. The first surface regions have a significantly higher magnetic permeability, following the selective alloying of the donor material, compared to the second surface regions. Soft magnets with surface-tailored magnetic permeability are provided by this technology, which is demonstrated using several examples.

Abstract: This invention provides methods for fabricating a hard or soft magnet with tailorable magnetic and crystallographic orientations. Methods are disclosed to individually tailor three-dimensional voxels for selected crystallographic orientations and, independently, selected magnetic orientations with location specificity throughout a magnet.

Abstract: Some variations provide an oligomer composition comprising: polarizable first thermotropic liquid-crystal oligomer molecules (preferably urethanes or ureas) containing first triggerable reactive end groups, wherein the first triggerable reactive end groups are selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, isocyanate, blocked isocyanate, acrylate, epoxide, amine, vinyl, ester, thiol, conjugated diene, substituted alkene, furan, maleimide, anthracene, and combinations thereof, and wherein the polarizable first thermotropic liquid-crystal oligomer molecules are characterized by a weight-average molecular weight from about 200 g/mol to about 10,000 g/mol; optionally, a plurality of polarizable second thermotropic liquid-crystal oligomer molecules containing second triggerable reactive end groups, wherein the second triggerable reactive end groups are capable of reacting with the first triggerable reactive end groups; and optionally, a reactive coupling agent capable of reacting with the first triggerable reacti

Abstract: A method of controlling the thickness of a layer of material applied to a surface, where the surface has one or more bodies of another material disposed therein, the another material being significantly harder than the first mentioned material, the one or more bodies of another material being disposed on the surface before the layer of material is applied to the surface, the layer of material when applied to the surface having a sufficient thickness to cover the one or more bodies of the another material, the layer of material then being mechanically reduced in thickness, such as by polishing, to expose at least a portion of the one or more bodies of the another material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying object classification includes comparing detected object-components with trained component-based descriptors and similarity measures to generate object classification verification data. The object classification verification data represents object classification confidence or misclassification errors to weight uncertainty for perception-based decision making. A sequence of similarity measures associated with a current frame and prior frames within a reference observation time constraint are compared to a reference temporal similarity measure boundary to generate the object classification verification data.