Abstract: A method for producing a modified sawdust sorbent. The method involves sulfonating sawdust with sulfuric acid and oxidizing the sulfonated sawdust with hydrogen peroxide. The method yields a modified sawdust sorbent containing sulfonated and oxidized cellulose. The modified sawdust sorbent has a higher surface area, higher organic dye adsorption capacity, and more rapid organic dye adsorption rate than unmodified sawdust. Also disclosed is a method of using the modified sawdust sorbent for organic dye removal from water.

Abstract: A method for producing a modified sawdust sorbent. The method involves sulfonating sawdust with sulfuric acid and oxidizing the sulfonated sawdust with hydrogen peroxide. The method yields a modified sawdust sorbent containing sulfonated and oxidized cellulose. The modified sawdust sorbent has a higher surface area, higher organic dye adsorption capacity, and more rapid organic dye adsorption rate than unmodified sawdust. Also disclosed is a method of using the modified sawdust sorbent for organic dye removal from water.

Abstract: A communications device includes a uniform linear array of M antennas and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) having pipelined stages in which execution of overlapping instructions estimate a direction of arrival of RF signals from multiple sources. A preprocessing stage of the FPGA includes at least one configurable logic block configured to apply forward/backward averaging spatial smoothing to a signal space matrix extracted from a covariance matrix in the preprocessing stage. The FPGA further includes at least one configurable logic block configured to compute the direction of arrival angle for the RF signals using a least squares method.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A flexible pavement structure comprises a surface layer, a base layer, a sub-base layer, and a subgrade layer. Herein, the surface layer is adjacent to and above the base layer, and the sub-base layer is adjacent to and above the subgrade layer. The flexible pavement structure further comprises a layered system composed of first, second, and third materials different from each other, and is disposed as an interface layer between the base layer and the sub-base layer. The first material is a geotextile fabric selected from a group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene, providing ground stabilization or reinforcement properties. The second material is a waterproof heat insulation material selected from a group consisting of cross-linked polyethylene foam and laminated aluminum foil, providing waterproofing or impermeability properties. The third material is a glass foamed insulation material.

Abstract: The system includes a robot multi-jet system having a spray section, a drier section, and a catalyst section. The drier section includes a warm air blower, the catalyst section includes a photocatalyst tank, and the spray section includes a plurality of jet extensions. A first jet extension connected to the photocatalyst tank sprays a uniform layer of a photocatalyst through a first set of jets, and a second jet extension that is mechanically connected to the drier section and in fluid communication with the warm air blower is configured to spray a gas onto an inner surface of the glass tube with a second set of jets. Both the drier section and the catalyst section are mounted on wheels to move the system on the inner surface of the glass tube. A motor is electrically connected to a battery mounted within the robot and mounted to the wheels.

Abstract: A secure system for control of at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), includes a cloud service and a ground control station. The cloud service includes a cloud-based management service having processing circuitry configured to control communications between the cloud service, the ground control station and the at least one UAV, and control and monitor the at least one UAV by way of a corresponding at least one UAV client device. The UAV client device receives messages from the at least one UAV, sends commands to the at least one UAV, verifies the sender of each of the received messages, creates a new block for each received message and sent commands as new transactions, including performs a consensus algorithm for the new block, determines a consensus to validate the new block, and updates a blockchain with the validated new block.

Abstract: A method for producing modified sawdust sorbent that includes sulfonating sawdust with sulfuric acid and oxidizing the sulfonated sawdust with hydrogen peroxide. The method yields modified sawdust sorbent containing sulfonated and oxidized cellulose. The modified sawdust sorbent has a higher surface area, higher organic dye adsorption capacity, and more rapid organic dye adsorption rate than unmodified sawdust. A method of using the modified sawdust sorbent for organic dye removal from water includes contacting dye contaminated water with the modified sawdust sorbent and forming a dye-impregnated sorbent and decontaminated water.

Abstract: A Internet protocol-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management system and method is disclosed that includes UAVs including a communication chip, a user computer, a cloud-based service for performing a virtual UAV. The method includes storing a plurality of pre-planned missions, controlling communication between the UAV and the user computer, mapping the UAV to the virtual UAV, assigning a mission to include multiple waypoints, and allocating the task at the multiple waypoints. Dynamic mission planning of the assigned mission is performed to generate planned paths for performing the task. Operation of the UAV is controlled by way of the corresponding virtual UAV including receiving messages and commands for the mission from the user computer, sending control commands to the UAV, receiving data signals from the UAV, and transmitting location and status of performance of the task for the UAV. The cloud-based service performs image processing using the received data signals.

Abstract: A cutting insert of a substantially horizontal cylindrical segment shape may include top and bottom surfaces having a circular segment shape. The cutting insert may include a convex side and a flat side. The cutting insert may include a top cutting edge which is formed where the convex side and the top surface meet, and a bottom cutting edge which is formed where the convex side and the bottom surface meet. The cutting insert may include a hole extending from the convex side towards the flat side. The hole may be positioned at a center of a surface of the flat side.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing computer security analysis are described. In some implementations, a system providing computer security analysis comprises one or more processors coupled to a non-transitory computer readable storage having software instructions stored thereon configured to cause the one or more processors to: perform a Markov Decision Process (MDP) as part of a cyber-attack mechanism and a Discrete Time Markov Chain (DTMC) process as part of a cyber-defense mechanism, preferably, the cyber-attack and cyber-defense system is modeled as MDP whereas the security analyst SA is modeled as DTMC; synchronize the cyber-attack mechanism with the cyber-defense mechanism through an attack-defense synchronization action; and synchronize an update action, wherein the attack-defense synchronization action includes initiating the DTMC process, and wherein the synchronization of the update action results from one or more actions taken by the DTMC process.

Abstract: A method of producing medically applicable nanostructured titanium with improved mechanical properties includes performing an equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) and subsequently performing a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). By performing the ECAP processing on a titanium sample, an ultrafine grained structure is obtained. The ultrafine grained structure may improve the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of pure titanium. When the SMAT processing is performed on the ultrafine grained structure, a nanostructured surface may be obtained. The SMAT processing may be used to enhance the strength of pure titanium to be used in medically applicable implants.

Abstract: A fever-causing disease outbreak detection system for an early warning of the outbreak of an infectious disease. The system uses an array of infrared detectors to measure the temperatures of individuals in a population. The measured temperatures are used to create a measured population temperature distribution. A central control unit generates a predicted population temperature distribution using environmental data such as local atmospheric conditions and compares the predicted population temperature distribution to the measured population temperature distribution. If an outbreak is detected, an alert is issued.

Abstract: A device, method, and system for converting printed Braille dots to speech. A Braille image of the printed Braille dots is captured by a digital camera mounted on a 3D ring case. Data processing and one or more image recognition operations are performed by a microprocessor to match the Braille image to a textural character corresponding to the Braille image. The textural character is converted to an audio waveform. The audio waveform is transmitted to a speaker. The speaker generates a sound representative of a spoken word corresponding to the textural character.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A process to fabricate ultra-fine grain metal hollow object, comprising: inserting an annealed hollow prototype in an Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) die, providing a flexible elastic polyurethane mandrel to fill the central hollow space, optionally (if needed) provide polyurethane support to fill the spaces between the outer boundary of the prototype and the inner surface of the ECAP channel and to exert sufficient pressure to complete the ECAP process. The process is designed to improve thermal conductance and mechanical properties of hollow metal parts and is especially applicable to achieving the maximal heat conductance and tensile strength of titanium piping, construction tubing, and cylindrical reactors.

Abstract: A method of forming a polyolefin-perovskite nanomaterial composite which contains oriented electrically and thermally conductive pathways. The method involves milling a polyolefin with particles of a perovskite nanomaterial, molding to forma composite plate, and subjecting the composite plate to an AC voltage. The AC voltage forms oriented electrically and thermally conductive pathways by partial dielectric breakdown of the composite. The presence of the oriented electrically and thermally conductive pathways gives the polyolefin-perovskite nanomaterial electrical and thermal conductivity and dielectric permittivity higher than the polyolefin alone.

Abstract: A solar distillation system for producing a distillate and providing cooling for a structure or appliance, and a method of using the system to produce a distillate and cool a structure or appliance. The system includes a distillate cooling coil, a secondary cooling coil, an expansion valve which is capable of controlling an amount of a coolant that flows through each of the coils. The system also includes a compressor, a plurality of sensors including a temperature sensor and a distillate flow sensor, and a controller which receives input from the sensors and controls the activity of the compressor and expansion valve. The system is capable of producing distillate at night in the absence of solar radiation.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to perform a search and rescue mission according to a Layered Search and Rescue (LSAR) methodology using a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) communicatively connected to a remote server. The LSAR methodology can involve receiving data corresponding to a center of an area corresponding to an adverse/disaster event potentially having survivors at unknown locations; dividing the area into a set of numbered box-shaped layers within the area; calculating a thickness of the box-shaped layers based on a total number of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; exclusively assigning one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to each box-shaped layer; and controlling the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to perform the search and rescue mission by selectively switching one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles between a searcher mode and a rescuer mode.