Abstract: A method of electroplating an object includes providing a electroplating bath solution with one or more anodes therein, disposing an object to be electroplated in the bath, and passing a complex current waveform between the anode nodes and the object. The waveform is a cyclic alternating type having two portions, a positive triangular shaped portion including one or more spikes and a negative portion. The method further includes vibrating the object and/or agitating the bath solution.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the lateral yarn density distribution of a yarn uses selected X-ray radiation. Radiation absorption is determined in a number of narrow planes across the yarn and in two or more rotational orientations. The measuring takes place without any damage to or physical interference with the yarn.

Abstract: Amphiphilic latex nanoparticles comprise a core and shell, The core contains hydrophobic vinylic grafted copolymer and hydrophobic vinylic homopolymer, and the shell to which the hydrophobic vinylic polymer is grafted is a hydrophilic, nitrogen-containing polymer. Typically the particles are made by a process which involves generating radicals on the nitrogen atoms of said hydrophilic polymer, and then initiating free-radical polymerisation of said vinylic monomer, hydrophobic vinylic polymer separating to form latexes of highly monodispersed core-shell particles with the hydrophobic polymer as the core and said hydrophilic polymer as the shell.

Abstract: In-organic fillers are modified by in-situ co-polymerization of vinyl siloxane and another vinyl monomer. Vinyl siloxane couples with the filler by Si—O bonds. The remaining vinyl groups on the surface of the treated fillers then co-polymerize with the other vinyl monomer. The modified in-organic fillers treated by the in-situ co-polymerization are subsequently used to fill the polymer matrix. Tensile and impact strength of filler-reinforced polymer composites are improved remarkably.

Abstract: An electrochemical machining process gives a workpiece such as a honeycomb panel a 3-dimensional profile form having a varying cross-section perpendicular to an axis of the profile form. In the process an electrode is maintained in a constant position relative to the axis and the surface of the profile form is exposed differentially to the action of the electrode in the axial direction to vary the amount of material removal and so vary the cross-section.

Abstract: Forming graft copolymers in water using labeling of water soluble polymers with photoinitiators. Water soluble polymers can form environmentally responsive hydrophobically stimulated cages. The cages, which contain initiating radicals after irradiation, may be “opened” or “closed” by changes in environmental conditions. When the cage is closed, the radicals are trapped inside and thus do not cause substantial polymerization of water soluble monomers in the same solution. When the cage is closed, the radicals escape and cause polymerization. In another variation, hydrogels and graft copolymers are formed by covalently linking phototoinitiator groups to water soluble polymers that do not form cages. Thus, monomers may form grafts to the polymer, allowing formation of physical hydrogels.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the lateral yarn density distribution of a yarn uses selected radiation in the X-ray spectrum wavelength. Radiation absorption is determined in a number of narrow planes across the yarn and in two or more rotational orientations. The measuring takes place without any damage to or physical interference with the yarn.

Abstract: A thermal manikin has a closed perforated rigid frame covered by a breathable fabric extending over the frame and forming arms and legs. Water passages and a pump inside the manikin direct water around the manikin to simulate natural blood flow. The manikin is provided with a controller and sensor for measuring conditions inside and outside the manikin that enables simultaneous determination of Clo (thermal resistance of clothing placed on the manikin) and Im (the permeability index of the clothing).

Abstract: Gallium nitride and its related alloys have attracted much attention due to their important optoelectronic applications in blue to UV range as well as in the area of high-temperature electronics. Due to significant mismatches in the lattice constants and coefficients of thermal expansion between the GaN material and the sapphire substrate, GaN films typically exhibit large defect concentration and residual strain. In the present invention, a 20 nm thick low-temperature buffer layer is first grown on the sapphire substrate at preferably 500° C. This is followed by the growth of an intermediate-temperature GaN buffer layer (ITBL) at preferably 690° C. Finally, the epitaxial GaN layer is grown on top of the ITBL at preferably 750° C. It is found that the film quality is significantly affected by the use of an ITBL.

Abstract: Helping users to track the contents (e.g., files) stored on various types of storage media without requiring the user to insert the storage media into a read device of a machine, such as a floppy drive of a personal computer, and/or helping users to locate desired content (e.g., a file) without having to insert numerous storage media into a read device of a machine. The contents of a given storage medium may be determined by associating a machine-readable label with each machine-readable medium, and the contents thereof. When a user wants to know the contents of the machine-readable medium, they merely need to have another device (e.g., a Palm Pilot provided with a bar code scanner) read the label. The device may include a database synchronized with a database managed by the machine which is used to write content to, and/or read content from, the machine-readable medium.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for electrolessly depositing and electrodepositing a CoMoP barrier coating onto copper or copper alloys to prevent copper diffusion when forming gold layers on articles such as watch bracelets, watch cases, imitation jewellery, spectacle frames, and metal buttons.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for electrolessly depositing and electrodepositing CoWP barrier coating onto copper or copper alloys to prevent copper diffusion when forming layers on articles such as watch bracelets, watch cases, imitation jewelry, spectacle frames and metal buttons.

Abstract: High density and contrast range photographic grids for a moiré body scanner are made by a method including forming an image on a high density technical grade film, providing a recommended commercial developer chemical for said high density technical grade film, preparing a modified developer liquid from said recommended commercial developer chemical by increasing the pH and the contrast of developer reducing agent, and developing a black and white image using said modified developer liquid. The modified developer liquid also finds other applications.

Abstract: A pipeline-based matching scheduling approach for input-buffered switches relaxes the timing constraint for arbitration with matching schemes, such as CRRD and CMSD. In the new approach, arbitration may operate in a pipelined manner. Each sub-scheduler is allowed to take more than one time slot for its matching. Every time slot, one of them provides a matching result(s). The sub-scheduler can use a matching scheme such as CRRD and CMSD.

Abstract: A single fabric testing apparatus is capable of measuring mechanical and thermal characteristic of a specimen previously carried out in separate testing apparatus. The single apparatus is provided with a plurality of mechanical and temperature sensors and a heatable top plate 10. In use, a ram 9 moves the top plate 10 vertical downwards to press a fabric specimen against a bottom plate 14. The plate 14 is surrounded by a fixed upstanding peripheral skirt 15 against which an outer periphery of the specimen is bent to enable shearing and bending characteristics to be measured. The bottom plate 14 is biassed upwards by a spring 16 which is compressed until the top plate is arrested by a fixed frame member 18. Further downward movement of the ram enables compressibility of the specimen to be determined. A rotatable section 11 of the top plate 10 can be turned by a stepping motor 13 to determine the surface friction characteristics of the specimen.

Abstract: Moisture management indexes are determined for a textile sandwiched between two plates. Electrical conductors arranged in concentric opposing pairs are used to measure changes in electrical resistance of the fabric. A quantity of water (or other chosen liquid) is poured down a guide pipe and changes of resistance measured against time. From this data, specific indexes are determined, in a repeatable fashion, and used for determining moisture management characteristics of the fabric.

Abstract: A portable ultrasound palpation device for measuring the Young's modulus and the thickness of a soft tissue layer includes a hand-holdable palpation probe having an ultrasonic transceiver connected in series with a load cell. During a test, the probe is placed on the tissue surface with a bony substratum. As the operator manually loads and unloads the probe on the tissue surface, a program embedded in a microprocessor module continuously causes the ultrasound emitter to emit ultrasound pulses into the soft tissue. The ultrasound echo signal reflected from the bony interface is received and its flight time is used by the program to calculate the original thickness and the deformation of the soft tissue. The corresponding load applied to the tissue is continuously recorded by the load cell, its driver, and amplifier module, and the data collection module.

Abstract: A novel recombinant Bacillus bacterial strain is constructed by genetic engineering which has high productivity of alpha-amylase. The Bacillus strain comprising an alpha-amylase gene inserted in the Bacillus chromosome under transcriptional control of a phage promoter. An efficient process for the rapid production of large amounts of alpha-amylase is also disclosed.

Abstract: A hierarchical arbitration method in which requests are grouped, using a logical OR operation for example, and provided to higher levels of the hierarchy. Then, grant signals from higher levels of the hierarchy are either propagated down through each level of the hierarchy where they are used to modify, using a logical AND operation for example, grant signals. Alternatively, grant signals from all higher levels of the hierarchy may be provided to a leaf layer of the hierarchy where they are all used to modify, using a logical AND operation for example, grant signals.

Abstract: Forming graft copolymers in water using labeling of water soluble polymers with photoinitiators. The water soluble polymers can form environmentally responsive hydrophobically stimulated cages, which respond to pH, salt concentration, and/or the addition of water miscible solvents to the aqueous solutions. When the cage is “closed,” irradiation leads to radicals that cannot escape from the cage and therefore don't cause substantial polymerization of water soluble monomers in the same solution. When the cage is open via change of pH, salt concentration and/or solvent composition, the photochemically produced free radicals become exposed and cause polymerization. Under certain conditions, only graft copolymers will be formed. These graft copolymers can form a physical hydrogel in which the crosslinks are reversible. Consequently, the gel and sol states are likewise reversible.