Abstract: A computer that includes a processor and a memory can determine a final trajectory for a vehicle by determining a candidate trajectory of a first object based on a detected second object. The candidate trajectory can be input to a reachable polyhedral marching processor to determine dynamic occupancy polyhedrals based on a shape of the candidate trajectory. A reachable tube can be determined based on combining the dynamic occupancy polyhedrals and the final trajectory can be determined based on the reachable tube avoiding the detected second object.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in various embodiments, discloses hydrothermal methods, hydrothermally modified materials and dried hydrothermally modified materials. Certain dried hydrothermally modified materials can readily releases ionic species such as alkali metal ions (K+, Na+), silicate salts, and alkaline earth metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+). Some dried hydrothermally modified materials can readily release aluminum ions and/or silicon, such as in the form of soluble silicates. Such processes and materials are useful, for example in economically preparing potassium releasing fertilizers.

Abstract: A method of real time magnetic localization comprising: providing an artificial neural network field model that is calibrated and optimized for a predetermined magnet; receiving signals from one or more magnetic sensors; and solving the location of the magnet using the model based on the signals.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and computational tools based, at least in part, on computer simulations that identify hot-spot amino acid residues and binding-region amino acid residues of a protein.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and computational tools based, at least in part, on computer simulations that identify hot-spot amino acid residues and binding-region amino acid residues of a protein.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides techniques and apparatus for optical characterization of photonic devices and/or circuits. By way of example, the techniques can be used to identify damaged devices in photonic integrated circuits. In some embodiments, thermal imaging is employed as a diagnostic tool for characterizing the devices/circuits under investigation. For example, in one embodiment, integrated cascaded semiconductor amplifiers can be characterized using amplified spontaneous emission from one amplifier as a thermal modulation input to another amplifier. A thermoreflectance image of the second amplifier can reveal flaws, if present. Further, in some embodiments, thermal imaging in conjunction with a total energy model can be employed to characterize the elements of photonic circuits optically and/or to map the optical power distribution throughout the circuits.

Abstract: Terahertz quantum cascade (QC) devices are disclosed that can operate, e.g., in a range of about 1 THz to about 10 THz. In some embodiments, QC lasers are disclosed in which an optical element (e.g., a lens) is coupled to an output facet of the laser's active region to enhance coupling of the lasing radiation from the active region to an external environment. In other embodiments, terahertz amplifier and tunable terahertz QC lasers are disclosed.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides techniques and apparatus for optical characterization of photonic devices and/or circuits. By way of example, the techniques can be used to identify damaged devices in photonic integrated circuits. In some embodiments, thermal imaging is employed as a diagnostic tool for characterizing the devices/circuits under investigation. For example, in one embodiment, integrated cascaded semiconductor amplifiers can be characterized using amplified spontaneous emission from one amplifier as a thermal modulation input to another amplifier. A thermoreflectance image of the second amplifier can reveal flaws, if present. Further, in some embodiments, thermal imaging in conjunction with a total energy model can be employed to characterize the elements of photonic circuits optically and/or to map the optical power distribution throughout the circuits.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to nanocomposite thermoelectric materials that exhibit enhanced thermoelectric properties. The nanocomposite materials include two or more components, with at least one of the components forming nano-sized structures within the composite material. The components are chosen such that thermal conductivity of the composite is decreased without substantially diminishing the composite's electrical conductivity. Suitable component materials exhibit similar electronic band structures. For example, a band-edge gap between at least one of a conduction band or a valence band of one component material and a corresponding band of the other component material at interfaces between the components can be less than about 5kBT, wherein kB is the Boltzman constant and T is an average temperature of said nanocomposite composition.

Abstract: Thermoelectric materials with high figures of merit, ZT values, are disclosed. In many instances, such materials include nano-sized domains (e.g., nanocrystalline), which are hypothesized to help increase the ZT value of the material (e.g., by increasing phonon scattering due to interfaces at grain boundaries or grain/inclusion boundaries). The ZT value of such materials can be greater than about 1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 2 and even higher. Such materials can be manufactured from a thermoelectric starting material by generating nanoparticles therefrom, or mechanically alloyed nanoparticles from elements which can be subsequently consolidated (e.g., via direct current induced hot press) into a new bulk material. Non-limiting examples of starting materials include bismuth, lead, and/or silicon-based materials, which can be alloyed, elemental, and/or doped. Various compositions and methods relating to aspects of nanostructured thermoelectric materials (e.g., modulation doping) are further disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides multistage thermoelectric coolers and methods for their fabrication. For example, in one aspect, a multistage thermoelectric cooler is disclosed that includes at least two cooling stages, each of which comprises a p-type leg portion and an n-type leg portion coupled to form a p-n junction. The p-n junctions of the two stages are thermally and electrically coupled such that at least a portion of a current flowing, during operation of the device, through one stage is coupled to the other. Further, at least one of the p- or n-type leg portions of one stage forms a unitary structure with a corresponding p- or n-type leg portion of the other stage.

Abstract: An animal selected for lacking heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase-1 activity is provided. This animal exhibits characteristics associated with myxomatous valvular disease and is useful for identifying agents which prevent, delay or treat myxomatous valvular disease. Methods of diagnosing myxomatous valvular disease are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for patient-specific seizure onset detection. In one embodiment, at least one EEG waveform of the patient is recorded, and at least one epoch (sample) of the waveform is extracted. The waveform sample is decomposed into one or more subband signals via a wavelet decomposition of the waveform sample, and one or more feature vectors are computed based on the subband signals. A seizure onset can then be identified based on classification of the feature vectors to a seizure or a non-seizure class by comparing the feature vectors with a decision measure previously computed for that patient. The decision measure can be derived based on reference seizure and non-seizure EEG waveforms of the patient. In another aspect, similar methodology is employed for automatic detection of alpha waves. In other aspects, the invention provides diagnostic and imaging systems that incorporate the above seizure-onset and alpha-wave detection methodology.