Abstract: A heater with positive thermal coefficient of resistance (PTC) elements is disclosed, which includes a substrate and a first and second electrodes spaced apart a predetermined distance from one another and disposed on the substrate, a plurality of conductive strips alternatingly i) extending from the first electrode towards the second electrode terminating by forming an air gap with the second electrode, and ii) from the second electrode towards the first electrode terminating by forming an air gap with the first electrode, one or more resistive elements disposed on each of said alternating conductive strips, thereby making electrical connectivity with a neighboring alternating conductive strip, and a voltage source coupled with both the first and second electrodes, whereby selective voltage of the voltage source determines temperature of the heater.

Abstract: A system for non-invasive urinary activity monitoring may include a sticker that attaches to a urine bag. The sticker may include a metal layer shaped as an antenna. A device may cause a network analyzer to send a signal in a direction of the urine bag. The device may detect a shift in a resonant frequency of the antenna. The device may measure, based on the change in resonant frequency, an amount of fluid in the container. The device may measure, based on a change in the resonant peak amplitude, the conductivity of the fluid in the container.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a novel method for lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) by utilizing plasmonic enhancement strategy. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a plasmonic enhanced lateral flow sensor (pLFS) concept by introducing a liposome-based amplification of the colorimetric signals on the lateral flow platform for ultrasensitive detection of pathogens.

Abstract: A method of operating a multi-coil magnetic resonance imaging system is disclosed which includes a controller performing a simulation using a predefined tissue model, determining output values of a variable of interest (VOI) associated with operation of two or more coils of an MRI system based on the simulation, comparing the simulated output values of the VOI to an a priori target values of the VOI, if the simulated output values of the VOI are outside of a predetermined envelope about the a priori target values of the VOI, then performing an optimization, wherein the optimization includes iteratively adjusting the circuit values until the simulated output values of the VOI are within the predetermined envelope about the a priori target values of the VOI thereby establishing VOI optimized values, and loading the established VOI optimized values and operating the magnetic resonance imaging system on the tissue to be imaged.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a novel spherical agglomeration method for proteins, and protein particles made by the spherical agglomeration method. By using continuous oscillatory baffled crystallizer, the method of the present disclosure is capable of maintain the biologically activities and providing protein particles with an average particle size between 1-500 ?m.

Abstract: A system and methods for heating and cooling are provided. The system may include an energy collector and an adaptive panel connected to the energy collector. The adaptive panel may a radiative cooling layer configured to dissipate heat from the energy collector. The radiative cooling layer may further include a thermo-responsive polymer configured to adjust transparency depending on temperature. The system may include a solar heating layer configured to absorb solar irradiation that passes through the radiative cooling layer and transfer heat to the energy collector.

Abstract: The throttleable solid propellant system includes a substantially solid propellant, a shape-altering structure, and an actuation source. The shape-altering structure is at least partially disposed within the substantially solid propellant. The actuation source is to be coupled to the shape-altering structure. The actuation source is to be configured to actuate the shape-altering structure between a first position and a second position. Transitioning the shape-altering structure between the first position and the second position may crack and/or deform the substantially solid propellant. Cracking and/or deforming the substantially solid propellant may increase the burning surface area of the propellant, thereby altering the thrust produced from the throttleable solid propellant system.

Abstract: Expression cassettes, plant cells, plant seeds, plants, and methods for modulating lipid content of seeds and growth of such plants. The expression cassette comprises a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid segment encoding a polypeptide for MYBS2, bHLH093, ATHB25, DiV2, CESTA1, TGA4, SPL12, or AGL18, or a combination of two, three, four, five, six, seven or all thereof.

Abstract: The casing treatment system includes a compressor having an injection port, an extraction portion, a recirculation channel. It is also contemplated for the casing treatment system to include a plurality of injection ports, a plurality of extraction ports, and/or a plurality of recirculation channels. The casing treatment system is based on using the differences in the flow field at peak efficiency and near stall to “turn on” the recirculation at near stall operation to extend the stall margin, and to “turn off” the recirculation at peak efficiency operation to minimize impact to efficiency.

Abstract: A robotic system navigates a terrain adjacent one or more agricultural crops. The system includes a movable body operable to navigate the ground terrain, a tracking camera configured to generate visual-inertial odometry (VIO) data, a first LiDAR sensor configured to capture a first set of LiDAR data, a second LiDAR sensor configured to capture a second set of LiDAR data, and a controller. The controller is configured to generate terrain navigation instructions utilizing a Monte Carlo Localization algorithm, wherein the Monte Carlo Localization algorithm includes the VIO data from the tracking camera and the first set of LiDAR data.

Abstract: Various implementations of a smart battery management system are provided. An example method includes identifying sensor data of a cell in a battery system; predicting, based on the sensor data, a failure event of the cell; and preventing the failure event by activating a control circuit connected to the cell.

Abstract: A method of optimizing coil designs in a three-phase dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) system is disclosed which includes A) providing a plurality of variables associated with coil designs along with valid ranges for each variable, B) providing a plurality of constant parameters associated with the DWPT system, C) establishing a physical candidate design that has been optimized based on the variables that maximizes a magnetic coupling factor k based on a sequence-coupling factor ?, D) determining an objective function of a multi-objective optimization, E) iteratively generating, evaluating, and selecting a set of candidate designs until a converged non-dominated set of solutions is determined for the magnetic coupling factor k and the sequence coupling factor ?, and F) outputting a finalized design based on the last set of candidate designs resulting from (E).

Abstract: A frequency agile tunable self-injection locking laser system being formed by a laser device coupled to at least one optical resonator and method and controller therefor are disclosed. A diode current and an optical resonator are controllable. A self-injection locking range is selected and the self-injection locking range corresponds an optical feedback phase for back-reflected light from the optical resonator into the laser device. A diode current is set and a maximum tuning range of the actuation voltage in which self-injection locking is maintained is determined. The laser system is operated with actuation voltages in a range depending on the determined tuning range.

Abstract: A combustion method is disclosed, which includes the steps of mixing fuel and an oxidizer into a mixture, wherein fuel originates from a fuel manifold and the oxidizer originates from an oxidizer manifold, and combusting the mixture in a combustion chamber, the fuel manifold, the oxidizer manifold, and the combustion chamber forming parts of an injector assembly wherein each of the fuel and oxidizer manifolds communicates with the combustion chamber via a plurality of dedicated radially disposed Tesla valves around the combustion chamber each via a corresponding port with only one Tesla valve between the fuel manifold and the corresponding port on the combustion chamber and with only one Tesla valve between the oxidizer manifold and the corresponding port on the combustion chamber, wherein the plurality of Tesla valves substantially eliminate reverse flow of exhaust gases from the combustion chamber back to the fuel manifold or the oxidizer manifold.

Abstract: A method of verifying authenticity of a speculative control-flow instruction is disclosed which includes receiving a new speculative source-destination pair (PAIR), checking the PAIR against one or more memory tables each having memory source-destination pairs associated with previous combinations of source-destination pairs that have successfully cleared as non-speculative source-destination pairs, if the PAIR exists in the one or more memory tables, fetching the instruction associated with the destination, if the PAIR does not exist in the one or more memory tables i) waiting until speculation of the source has cleared as being non-speculative or one or more program counter clock cycles later, ii) updating the one or more memory tables, wherein the updating is associated with inclusion of the PAIR as a new authentic pair, and iii) fetching the non-speculative destination, and if the speculation of the source does not clear as non-speculative, then the source is nullified.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically deactivating engine cylinders of an engine equipped with a cylinder deactivation system, where the system and method control torsional vibration in the engine while deactivating cylinders using a computer programed with a desired firing density and a controlled range of engine vibration frequencies. The computer dynamically determines a cylinder firing pattern that provides the desired firing density while optimizing a cost function norm in the controlled range of engine vibration frequencies. The cylinder deactivation system in the engine is then controlled using the determined cylinder firing pattern.

Abstract: A method of measuring ultra-low concentration of a target analyte in a host fluid includes placing a droplet by a micropipette having an ejection tip, positioned by a micro-positioner, configured to position the ejection tip atop a first electrode in electrochemical contact with an electrolyte disposed in a first vessel, iteratively applying a potential to the first electrode and measure electrical current between the first electrode and a second electrode in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte, obtaining current vs. voltage curves for each voltameter iteration, identifying redox or oxidation peaks for each voltameter iteration, determining initial target analyte concentration based on the identified redox or oxidation peaks.

Abstract: A system for integrating a plurality of biosensor devices includes one or more communication interfaces adapted to communicate with each of the plurality of biosensor devices connected to a subject, and a processor executing software on a non-transitory memory to: establish a communication link with each of the plurality of biosensor devices, receive biodata from each of the plurality of biosensor devices through the one or more communication interfaces at a sampling rate, assign a timestamp to the received biodata such that the received data from the plurality of biosensor devices are synchronized, receive environmental data via one or more environmental sensors, store received biodata along with the assigned timestamp into a database and the environmental data, analyze stored data along with the assigned timestamp to predict an evoked response to one or more stimuli and the environmental data and provide a feedback based on the analysis.

Abstract: An electrochromic structure is disclosed, which includes a first transparent non-conductive (GLASS-I) layer, a first transparent conductor (CONDUCTOR-I) layer coupled to the GLASS-I layer, an ion storage layer coupled to the CONDUCTOR-I layer, an electrolyte layer coupled to the ion storage layer, an electrochromic layer coupled to the electrolyte layer, a second transparent conductor (CONDUCTOR-II) layer coupled to the electrochromic layer, and a second transparent non-conductive (GLASS-II) layer coupled to the CONDUCTOR-II layer, wherein the electrochromic layer includes perovskite nickelates thin films formed on a transparent conductive film substrate and which has crystalline grains of the size of about 5 nm to about 200 nm resulting in intergranular porosity of about 5% to about 25%.

Abstract: A method of creating a polymer surface with surface structures is disclosed. The method includes creating a mold, forming a metal sheet into the molds, creating a surface structure on a surface of the metal sheet by exposing the surface to laser pulses, and bringing a curable polymer to be in contact with the surface of the metal sheet containing the surface structure, curing the curable polymer, and separating the cured polymer from the metal sheet, resulting in a polymer surface containing the surface structure. The polymer surfaces with the surface structures can be hydrophobic or superhydrophobic depending on the micro and nano features contained by the surface structures.