Abstract: A dual side view display includes a waveguide with an inside transparent layer and an outside transparent layer spaced apart from and parallel to the inside transparent layer, and a plurality of inside view liquid crystal (LC) pixels and a plurality of outside view LC pixels disposed within the waveguide. The plurality of outside view LC pixels are disposed within the waveguide parallel to and in-plane with the plurality of inside view LC pixels. The plurality of inside LC pixels includes a plurality of outside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of inside view LC pixels from propagating through the outside transparent layer. Also, the plurality of outside view LC pixels includes a plurality of inside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of outside view LC pixels from propagating through the inside transparent layer.

Abstract: A dual side view display includes a waveguide with an inside transparent layer and an outside transparent layer spaced apart from and parallel to the inside transparent layer, and a plurality of inside view liquid crystal (LC) pixels and a plurality of outside view LC pixels disposed within the waveguide. The plurality of outside view LC pixels are disposed within the waveguide parallel to and in-plane with the plurality of inside view LC pixels. The plurality of inside LC pixels includes a plurality of outside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of inside view LC pixels from propagating through the outside transparent layer. Also, the plurality of outside view LC pixels includes a plurality of inside blocking layers configured to block light scattered in the plurality of outside view LC pixels from propagating through the inside transparent layer.

Abstract: The disclosure discusses chiral dopants for liquid-crystalline materials. Chiral dopants can be bioreachable compounds, i.e. compounds produced from microbes through fermentation. Chiral dopants can also include bioreachable materials that are further modified by chemical synthetic steps. Chiral dopants as discussed herein can include biomolecules such as glycyrrhetinic acid (1), S-naringenin (2), shikimic acid (3), alpha-phellandrene (4), betulin (5), malic acid (6), valencene (7), or nootkatone (8), and any stereoisomers or chemically modified derivatives thereof. The disclosure further shows optical properties of such compounds in a liquid-crystalline material.

Abstract: An ionic liquid crystal elastomer composition includes a liquid crystal elastomer; and an ionic liquid.

Abstract: A multifunctional manifold for use with electrochemical devices having a spiral cross-section, such as spiral solid-oxide fuel cells, includes an interface that is configured to be placed in operative communication with such devices. The interface includes a fuel interface section and an oxidant interface section that are each configured as spirals. The spiral interface sections also include channels that are configured to be placed in operative communication with corresponding spiral channels of the electrochemical device to deliver operating gases, such as fuel gas and oxidant gas, thereto. In addition to delivering operating gases to the fuel cells, the multifunctional manifold is also configured to act as an electrical current collector and a heat exchanger.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a weapon or tool head that has an appearance that mimics chipped stone weapon- or tool heads used in prehistory and history. The weapon or tool head has an outer body portion having the desired “ancient” appearance and a hard insert is provided with at least one sharp edge exposed for use, the latter providing modern performance characteristics to the weapon or tool.

Abstract: A multifunctional manifold for use with electrochemical devices having a spiral cross-section, such as spiral solid-oxide fuel cells, includes an interface that is configured to be placed in operative communication with such devices. The interface includes a fuel interface section and an oxidant interface section that are each configured as spirals. The spiral interface sections also include channels that are configured to be placed in operative communication with corresponding spiral channels of the electrochemical device to deliver operating gases, such as fuel gas and oxidant gas, thereto. In addition to delivering operating gases to the fuel cells, the multifunctional manifold is also configured to act as an electrical current collector and a heat exchanger.

Abstract: Sintering is an important issue in creating crystalline metal oxides with high porosity and surface area, especially in the case of high-temperature materials such as metal aluminates. Herein we report a rationally designed synthesis of metal aluminates that diminishes the surface area loss due to sintering. Metal aluminate (e.g. MeAl2O4or MeAlO3?Me=Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, La, or Ce; or mixture thereof) supported on ?-Al2O3 with ultralarge mesopores (up to 30 nm) was synthesized through microwave-assisted peptization of boehmite nanoparticles and their self-assembly in the presence of a triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123) and metal nitrates, followed by co-condensation and thermal treatment. The resulting materials showed the surface area up to about 410 m2·g?1, porosity up to about 2.5 cm3·g?1, and very good thermal stability. The observed enhancement in their thermomechanical resistance is associated with the faster formation of the metal aluminate phases.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, apparatus, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a process, method, and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, generating a gradient in an index of refraction of a material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is configured such that a composite layer thereof is transparent to incident light in one voltage condition (e.g., in the absence of an applied voltage) and scatters incident light out of the display in another voltage condition (e.g., when a voltage is applied). The liquid crystal display does not need polarizers or color filters.

Abstract: A method for aligning molecular orientations of liquid crystals and/or polymeric materials into spatially variant patterns uses metamasks. When non-polarized or circularly polarized light is transmitted through or reflected by the metamasks, spatially varied polarization direction and intensity patterns of light can be generated. By projecting the optical patterns of the metamasks onto substrates coated with photoalignment materials, spatially variant molecular orientations encoded in the polarization and intensity patterns are induced in the photoalignment materials, and transfer into the liquid crystals. Possible designs for the metamask use nanostructures of metallic materials (e.g., rectangular nanocuboids of metallic materials arrayed on a transparent substrate).

Abstract: A method for treating a skin wound of a subject is described. The method includes contacting the skin wound with a therapeutically effective amount of a wound healing composition comprising glycoprotein nonmelanoma clone B (GPNMB) protein, an active peptide fragment thereof, a GPNMB analog, a GPNMB potentiating agent, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, apparatus, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a process, method, and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, generating a gradient in an index of refraction of a material.

Abstract: Optical phase control elements are based on the Pancharatnam phase. Tunable liquid crystal devices containing the optical phase control elements may include a liquid crystal cell between a pair of substrates, a first plurality of electrodes, and a second plurality of electrodes. Each individual phase control element is defined by one electrode from the first plurality and one electrode from the second plurality.

Abstract: Fibers are clad with a responsive liquid crystal material and a polymer. The clad fibers may be useful for advanced textiles and wearable sensors.

Abstract: A lasing device includes an active layer comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal material and a laser dye, and a liquid crystal cell including spaced apart substrates defining a cell gap in which the active layer is disposed. The substrates include electrodes arranged to bias the active layer into an oblique helicoidal (ChOH) state. At least one substrate of the liquid crystal cell is optically transparent for a lasing wavelength range of the device.

Abstract: A fast flexoelectro-optic switching device containing bimesogen-doped and polymer-stabilized vertical standing helix (PSVSH) in a cholesteric liquid crystal. The PSVSH device exhibits a response time of less than 0.7 millisecond, high contrast and negligible hysteresis which is suitable for applications including blur-free displays, field-sequential color displays and active optical elements.

Abstract: Compositions targeting sperm calcineurin may be used as topical and reversible contraceptives. The compositions may include calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus (e.g. FK506) and/or Cyclosporin A. The compositions may be gels, creams, or lotion-based formulations and may be used reversibly and locally for both males and females.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring normal and shear stress at a surface. The apparatus includes a substrate; and a plurality of sensing units on the substrate. Each sensing unit includes a mechanical transducer having a receiving surface and a sensing surface; and a plurality of normal force sensors between the sensing surface and the substrate.

Abstract: A testing device for tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) includes a housing within which the tubular SOFC is mounted. The housing includes suitable inlets and outlets to allow a fuel gas, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as air or oxygen, to interact with the anode and cathode of the tubular SOFC. In addition, the housing is formed of suitable material for placement in a heating device, such as a tubular furnace or a miniature tubular heater. A temperature sensor and computing device may monitor the temperature of the tubular SOFC in order to control the operation of the tubular heating device. In addition, the device provides electrical current collectors for coupling to the anode and cathode of the SOFC, which may be removable and reusable.