Abstract: A micropump includes: a pumping chamber, between a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate bonded to each other; an inlet valve, having an inlet shutter element between an inlet passage and the pumping chamber; an outlet valve, having an outlet shutter element between the pumping chamber and an outlet passage; a first recess for housing the inlet shutter element when the inlet valve is in the open configuration, the first recess and the pumping chamber being fluidly coupled; a second recess for housing the outlet shutter element when the outlet valve is in the open configuration, the second recess and the pumping chamber being fluidly decoupled.

Abstract: Adducts are described, obtainable from the reaction product of a secondary amine and a diketone, with carbon allotropes in which the carbon is sp2 hybridized, such as graphene, graphite, fullerene, carbon nanotubes and the like, and an inorganic oxide-hy-droxide. A process for preparing said adducts is also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy cable comprising a cable core comprising an electric conductor and a crosslinked electrically insulating layer, wherein the cable core further comprises a microporous material having a bimodal pore volume distribution with a first peak of the distribution having a maximum at a pore diameter value within the range 5.5-6.5 ? and a second peak of the distribution having a maximum at a pore diameter value within the range 7.5-8.5 ?, the maximum values of the first and the second peak corresponding to an incremental pore volume of at least 4×10?3 cm3/g. The present invention also relates to a method for extracting methane crosslinking by-products from a crosslinked electrically insulating layer of an energy cable.

Abstract: A synaptic circuit performing spike-timing dependent plasticity STDP interposed between a pre-synaptic neuron and a post-synapse neuron includes a memristor having a variable resistance value configured to receive a first signal from the pre-synaptic neuron. The circuit has an intermediate unit connected in series with the memristor for receiving a second signal from the pre-synaptic neuron and provides an output signal to the post-synaptic neuron. The intermediate unit receives a retroaction signal generated from the post-synaptic neuron and the memristor modifies the resistance value based on a delay between two at least partially overlapped input pulses, a spike event of the first signal and a pulse of the retroaction signal, in order to induct a potentiated state STP or a depressed state STD at the memristor. An electronic neuromorphic system having synaptic circuits and a method of performing spike timing dependent plasticity STDP by a synaptic circuit are also provided.

Abstract: A control valve for a fluid flow includes: a valve body that defines an inlet and an outlet for the fluid, an obstructer inserted in the valve body, and an actuator system configured for reversibly translating the obstructer between a first position, in which the obstructer allows the passage of the fluid between the inlet and the outlet, and a second position, in which the obstructer prevents the passage of the fluid between the inlet and the outlet; the control valve further includes a turbine rotor housed inside the valve body, wherein the rotor includes a plurality of blades and is configured for continuously rotating under the action of the fluid flowing between the inlet and the outlet, the rotor rotating about an axis of rotation substantially aligned with the direction of translation of the obstructer.

Abstract: A flexible panel includes: a plurality of first blades made of semi-rigid material, of rectangular shape, having a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides; a pair of textile membranes which connect each pair of said first blades along said long sides; each of the plurality of first blades include at least one second blade, of quadrilateral shape, connected in a folding manner to one of the short sides, along a line of contact between one of the plurality of first blades and the at least one second blade; when the panel opens it creates vertical tubular hollow areas laterally delimited by the plurality of first blades and by the one pair of textile membranes which joins them.

Abstract: The present invention regards a solid master elastomeric composition (masterbatch, MB) comprising silicate fibres with needle-shaped morphology of nanometric size, characterised by high fibre content and uniformity, a process advantageous for the preparation thereof and its use in manufacturing tyres for vehicles. Advantageously the present elastomeric composition allows minimising the drawbacks associated with the handling of the powdery fibres in the manufacturing of compounds for tyres, without altering the final performances thereof.

Abstract: An optical fibre comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a core surrounded by a cladding; a primary coating surrounding the optical waveguide; and a coating, surrounding the primary coating, comprising a polymer material obtained by radiation curing a polymerizable composition, the polymer material having a degree of crystallinity of at most 12. The coating of the optical fiber according to the present invention exhibits enhanced resistance upon exposure to high temperature, preferably a temperature over 250° C., while endowed with required features such as protective capability, elasticity, adhesion to underlying layer and simple manufacturing.

Abstract: An optical fibre comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a glass core surrounded by a glass cladding; a primary coating surrounding the optical waveguide; a secondary coating, surrounding the primary coating, comprising a cured polymer material obtained by curing a curable coating composition comprising: (a) a polyester obtained by esterification of a reactant A selected from carboxylic acids, triglycerides, and mixtures thereof, having a C16-C24 aliphatic chain comprising at least two double bonds spaced by one carbon atom at most, with a reactant B selected from polyols having at least 3 hydroxyl groups, the polyols being thermally stable up to 300° C.; (b) an aromatic glycidyl epoxy resin; (c) an aliphatic polyether hardener containing from 8 to 64 hydroxy groups and/or from 2 to 4 epoxy groups; and (d) a secondary amine compound as curing agent. Preferably, the step of curing is a thermal curing, preferably up to 300° C.

Abstract: A power supply system can include an electrical battery for supplying electrical load using pulse discharge; and a control unit to control the electrical battery to pulse discharge by periodically switching between a discharge state of the electrical battery, when the electrical battery is connected to the electrical load, and a rest state of the electrical battery when the electrical battery is disconnected from the electrical load. During the pulse discharge, the control unit can control a power source for supplying an injection current to the electrical battery during a rest period when the electrical battery is in the rest state. The control unit can further determine the voltage of the electrical battery during the rest state, and when the voltage does not meet a threshold value increase the duration of the rest period, until said threshold value is reached. Other systems, methods and apparatuses are described.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a light emission portion for emitting light; a light receiving portion for receiving measurement light that is emitted by the light emission portion and reflected by a measurement object, the light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having at least one light receiving portion and outputting a light reception signal that depends on the measurement light incident on the pixel; a discrimination portion for discriminating whether the pixel receives measurement light; a pixel output control portion for selectively outputting the light reception signal of each pixel individually, depending on the determination result of the discrimination portion; and an evaluation portion for receiving the light reception signals output by the pixel output control portion and outputting a distance signal that is indicative of a distance between the measuring device and the measurement object based on these light reception signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tyre for vehicle wheels comprising at least one structural element comprising a cross-linked elastomeric material obtained by cross-linking a cross-linkable elastomeric composition comprising carbon nanotubes, wherein said carbon nanotubes are obtained with an iron oxides and/or aluminium oxides based catalyst substantially free of Co, Ni and Mo.

Abstract: Adducts are described formed between pyrrole derivatives of formula (I) an carbon allotropes in which the carbon is sp2 hybridized, such as for example carbon nanotubes, graphene or nanographites, carbon black. The pyrrole derivatives bear substituents on the nitrogen atom suitable for improving the physicochemical characteristics of said allotropes. A process for preparing said adducts is also described. The adducts are formed with a pyrrole of formula (I) wherein X is selected from the group consisting of: The other substituents are as defined in the claims.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a light emission portion configured to emit light; a light receiving portion configured to receive measurement light that is emitted by the light emission portion and reflected by the measurement object, the light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels configured to output light reception signals that depend on the received measurement light; a plurality of determination portions configured to receive the light reception signals and to determine characteristic values from the received light reception signals, and an evaluation portion that is connected to the plurality of determination portions, the evaluation portion being configured to calculate a distance from the characteristic values determined by the determination portions. Each of the plurality of determination portions is configured to receive the light reception signals only from a plurality of non-adjacent pixels.

Abstract: A tyre for wheels of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, is described. The tyre has a tread with at least one copolymer of (iso-styrene/trans-butadiene): diene-terminated copolymers. The tread has less sensitivity to the effects of temperature, with less weakness, better consistancy of performances, and improved characteristics in terms of grip and/or resistance to laceration.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for the treatment or prevention of a neurological disease or disorder of the central nervous system (e.g., a storage disorder, lysosomal storage disorder, neurodegenerative disease, etc.) by reconstitution of brain myeloid cell and microglia upon transplantation of hematopoietic cells enriched in microglia reconstitution potential. The invention also provides compositions and methods for ablating and reconstituting microglia.

Abstract: In a preamplifier (amplifier) for the radiation detector, an interconnection layer connected to the bonding pad forms one electrode of a feedback capacitor. Since there is no wiring for connecting the bonding pad and capacitor, a parasitic capacitance caused by the wiring will not be generated. Moreover, the capacitor is arranged below the bonding pad with a conductive layer serving as the other electrode, so that the feedback capacitance of the capacitor is included in the parasitic capacitance between the interconnection layer and the substrate. Compared to the conventional case, an amount of capacitance corresponding to the parasitic capacitance caused by wiring and the feedback capacitance for the capacitor is reduced from the input capacitance. Thus, the input capacitance for the amplifying circuit is reduced.

Abstract: A delay locked loop includes a control loop receiving reference and feedback clock signals, and generating biasing voltages therefrom. A delay chain receives the reference clock signal and generates N successively delayed versions thereof, each at a successive tap thereof. The Nth delayed version is the feedback clock signal. The control loop has a phase detector asserting an up signal when a phase of the feedback clock signal lags that of the reference clock signal, asserting a down signal when the phase of the feedback clock signal leads that of the reference clock signal. A digital filtering block compares a number of assertions of the up signal during the period of the reference clock signal to those of the down signal, and asserts an up or down command signal based thereupon. A biasing voltage generation circuit receives the up and down command signals and generates the biasing voltages therefrom.

Abstract: An integrated optofluidic device to illuminate, along an irradiation direction, a fluidic sample containing an object to be analysed, the device comprising: a substrate comprising an entry surface and being made of a material transparent to a light beam incident through the entry surface along the irradiation direction; a microfluidic channel formed in the substrate and having a channel portion intercepting the irradiation direction and extending along a longitudinal axis transverse to the irradiation direction, the microfluidic channel comprising a first flow inlet port for loading a fluidic sample therein, and an elongated lens cavity for an optofluidic cylindrical lens, the cavity being formed in the substrate and being arranged along the beam irradiation direction between the entry surface and the microfluidic channel, wherein the lens cavity is in fluid communication with a lens inlet port for loading a lens fluid.

Abstract: In a preamplifier (amplifier) for the radiation detector, an interconnection layer connected to the bonding pad forms one electrode of a feedback capacitor. Since there is no wiring for connecting the bonding pad and capacitor, a parasitic capacitance caused by the wiring will not be generated. Moreover, the capacitor is arranged below the bonding pad with a conductive layer serving as the other electrode, so that the feedback capacitance of the capacitor is included in the parasitic capacitance between the interconnection layer and the substrate. Compared to the conventional case, an amount of capacitance corresponding to the parasitic capacitance caused by wiring and the feedback capacitance for the capacitor is reduced from the input capacitance. Thus, the input capacitance for the amplifying circuit is reduced.