Abstract: A system and methodology for launching, flying and perching on a cylindrically curved surface in an environment without human intervention. The system and methodology include an environment awareness sensor device suite having a depth camera arranged to capture and output image data and 3D point cloud data of a field of view; an asset targeting unit arranged to set an asset as a destination location for a landing; a trajectory path determiner arranged to calculate a trajectory path to the destination location; a flight controller arranged to launch and fly the autonomous aerial vehicle to the destination location according to the trajectory path; a situational status determiner arranged to, in real-time, predict a location of an object with respect to the autonomous aerial vehicle based on 3D point cloud data for the object, determine the object is the asset based on a confidence score and autonomously land on the asset.

Abstract: A magnetic crawler configured to navigate on and inspect a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface is provided. The crawler includes a chassis, a controller configured to control the crawler, a probe configured to inspect the cylindrical surface under the control of the controller, and only three articulated magnetic wheels configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface. The wheels include two drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by two articulation joints and configured to drive the crawler in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating the two drive wheels independently about respective drive axes of rotation by respective drive motors under the control of the controller; and a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the two drive wheels.

Abstract: A method for investigating well integrity, the method including pumping a magnetic fluid into an annulus of the well; magnetizing with a magnet the magnetic fluid while in the annulus of the well; moving a magnetic sensing probe through a casing of the well and recording a magnetic field generated by the magnetic fluid; and processing the recorded magnetic field to determine a distribution of magnetic particles into the magnetic fluid in the annulus.

Abstract: An energy converting device includes a base, which is fixed; a methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr3) material having a first end fixedly attached to the base and a second end free to move; and an actuator block attached to the second end of the MAPbBr3 material. The actuator block moves relative to the base when the MAPbBr3 material is exposed to light.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for using laser ablation to manufacture nanoparticles. An example method includes steps of generating, by a laser beam generator, a laser beam, splitting, by a set of beam splitters, the laser beam into a plurality of derivative laser beams, and directing each derivative laser beam towards a plurality of targets. In this example method, the plurality of targets are submerged in corresponding synthesis solvents within corresponding synthesis chambers. Moreover, interaction of each derivative laser beam with its corresponding target releases nanoparticles into the corresponding synthesis solvent to create a nanoparticle solution including both the corresponding synthesis solvent and the released nanoparticles.

Abstract: A plastic optical fiber communication system includes a light source that emits a first signal having a first wavelength in a visible light spectrum, the first signal being encoded with information at a high data-rate of 0.1 to 10 Gbit/s; a pump laser system that emits a pump laser light having a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength; a perovskite-doped optical fiber excited by the pump laser light to generate an amplified spontaneous emission spectrum that encompasses the first wavelength so as to receive and amplify the first signal for generating an amplified output signal having the first wavelength; and a photodetector optically coupled to the perovskite-doped optical fiber, and configured to receive the amplified output signal at the high data-rate of 0.1 to 10 Gbit/s. The amplified output signal is encoded with the information.

Abstract: A combined vapor and/or gas concentration sensor and switch includes a resonating structure, a first alternating current, AC, voltage source coupled to a drive electrode, the first AC voltage source providing the resonating structure with a first voltage having an amplitude causing a first vibration mode of the resonating structure to exhibit a pull-in band and having a first frequency response adjacent to the pull-in band, where the first frequency response is nonlinear, a second AC voltage source coupled to the drive electrode and providing a second voltage having a frequency so that a second frequency response of the resonant structure, adjacent to a third vibration mode, is linear, and a read-out circuit coupled configured to determine a vapor and/or gas concentration based on a difference between (1) the frequency of the second voltage and (2) a frequency obtained by the read-out circuit from the resonating structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a white light illumination system using InGaN-based orange nanowires (NWs) LED, in conjunction with a blue LD for high speed optical wireless communications. By changing the relative intensities of an ultrabroad linewidth orange LED and narrow-linewidth blue LD components, a hybrid LED/LD device achieves correlated color temperature (CCT) ranging from 3000 K to above 6000 K with color rendering index (CRI) values reaching 83.1. Orange-emitting NWs LED are utilized as an active-phosphor, while a blue LD was used for both color mixing and optical wireless communications.

Abstract: A passband filter includes a first and second microelectromechanical resonator system, each including a resonating beam, a drive electrode, and a sense electrode. An AC input signal is coupled to the drive electrode of the first and second microelectromechanical resonator system. A differential-to-single ended amplifier has a first input and second input respectively coupled to the sense electrodes of the first and second microelectromechanical resonator systems. An output of the differential-to-single ended amplifier is an output of the passband filter that provides a bandpass filtered signal of the AC input signal. A DC bias signal is coupled to the resonating beams of the first and second microelectromechanical resonator systems.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a method of compound removal from a fluid. The method includes contacting one or more metal organic framework (MOF) compositions with a fluid and sorbing one or more compounds, such as CO2, H2S and condensable hydrocarbons. One or more of CO2, H2S and condensable hydrocarbons can be sorbed simultaneously or in series. The metal organic framework can be an M-soc-MOF.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are modified zeolites and methods for making modified zeolites. In one or more embodiments disclosed herein, a modified zeolite may include a microporous framework including a plurality of micropores having diameters of less than or equal to 2 nm. The microporous framework may include at least silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. The modified zeolite may further include organometallic moieties each bonded to bridging oxygen atoms. The organometallic moieties may include a platinum atom. The platinum atom may be bonded to a bridging oxygen atom, and the bridging oxygen atom may bridge the platinum atom of the organometallic moiety and a silicon atom of the microporous framework.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a substrate and a body including plural layers. The body has an inner body and an outer body, and the body is formed on top of the substrate. A nanotube trench is formed vertically in the body and extends to the substrate. A nanotube structure is formed in the nanotube trench. The nanotube trench divides the body into the inner body and the outer body and the nanotube structure is mechanically separated from the inner body and the outer body by a tunnel oxide layer, a charge trapping layer, and a blocking oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for image reconstruction from plural copies, the method including receiving a series of measured projections pi of a target object h and associated background; iteratively reconstructing images hi(k) of the target object and images gi(k) of the background of the target object for each member i of the series of the measured projections pi over plural iterations k; and generating a final image of the target object h, based on the reconstructed images hi, when a set condition is met. The index i describes how many elements are in the series of projections pi, and iteration k indicates how many times the reconstruction of the image target is performed.

Abstract: A method for tracking moving particles in a fluid. The method includes illuminating the moving particles with an illumination sequence of patterns generated by a light projector; measuring with a single camera light intensities reflected by the moving particles; calculating, based on the measured light intensity, digital coordinates (x?, y?, z?) of the moving particles; determining a mapping function f that maps the digital coordinates (x?, y?, z?) of the moving particles to physical coordinates (x, y, z) of the moving particles; and calculating the physical coordinates (x, y, z) of the moving particles based on the mapping function f. The illumination sequence of patterns is generated with a single wavelength, and light emitted by the projector is perpendicular to light received by the single camera.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods relating to luminescent structures.

Abstract: A robotic vehicle for traversing surfaces comprises a chassis having a plurality of wheels mounted thereto. Two magnetic drive wheels are spaced apart in a lateral direction and rotate about a rotational axis while a stabilizing wheel is provided in front of or behind the two drive wheels. The drive wheels are configured to be driven independently, thereby driving and steering the vehicle along the surface. The vehicle also includes a sensor probe assembly that is supported by the chassis and configured to take measurements of the surface being traversed. In accordance with a salient aspect, the vehicle includes a probe normalization mechanism that is configured to determine the surface curvature and adjust the orientation of the probe transducer as a function of the curvature of the surface, thereby maintaining the probe at the preferred inspection angle irrespective of changes in the surface curvature with vehicle movement.

Abstract: A method for transmitting information across a water-air interface with a ultraviolet (UV) beam, the method including emitting the UV beam in a first medium, with a first optical wireless communication device; measuring a scintillation index of the UV beam in a second medium, different from the first medium, at a second optical wireless communication device; selecting, based on a value of the scintillation index, a modulation scheme for the UV beam; and modulating the UV beam with the selected modulation scheme. The UV beam has a wavelength in a range of 100 to 400 nm.

Abstract: A flexible three-dimensional electronic device includes a polymer layer having a first side and a second side that is opposite of the first side. A first flexible substrate carrying a first electronic component is arranged on the first side of the polymer layer. A second flexible substrate carries a second electronic component. The second flexible substrate is a flexible silicon substrate arranged on the second side of the polymer layer. An electrically conductive via passes through the polymer layer to electrically connect the first and second electronic components.

Abstract: Described are epigenetic biomarkers of breast cancer and their use in breast cancer screening and diagnosing, or to provide disease prognosis in a subject. The epigenetic biomarkers include methylatable regions (MRs), which may be at least one segment from nucleic acid sequences represented in Table 1. Described are also methods of detecting the methylation level of MRs in the subject, the methylation score (mSCORE) of the subject, and using these values to evaluate a breast cancer risk in a subject, or diagnose a subject with breast cancer. Also described are methods of determining a risk of recurrence and disease prognosis in a subject undergoing or having undergone a treatment for breast cancer.

Abstract: Anti-viral compounds with low cytotoxicity are identified from screening of products found in Red Sea sponges, including the sponge Stylissa carteri. The identified compounds can be brominated pyrrole-2-aminoimidazole alkaloids and derivatives thereof. Specific examples of identified compounds include oroidin, hymenialdisine, and debromohymenialdisine, as well as derivatives thereof. The compounds also can be useful scaffolds or pharmacores for further chemical modification and derivatization. Selected compounds, particularly oroidin, show selective anti-viral HIV-1 activity coupled with reduced cytotoxicity. The compounds can function as HIV reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, and molecular modeling can be used to confirm inhibition.