Abstract: Systems and methods capable of providing adaptive and responsive accompaniment to music with fixed chord progressions, such as jazz and pop, are provided. A system can include one or more sound-capturing devices, a signal analyzer to analyze captured sound signals, and an electronic sound-producing component that produces electronic sounds as an accompaniment.

Abstract: Novel and advantageous systems and methods for performing X-ray imaging by using an X-ray source with source grating functionality incorporated therein are provided. An electron beam can be electromagnetically manipulated such that the X-ray source emits radiation in a pattern that is the same as if the radiation had already passed through a source grating.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and assemblies for cooling an electronic component are disclosed. A heat sink assembly includes first and second substrates. The first substrate is in thermal contact with the electronic component. A primary channel is formed in the second surface of the first substrate. The primary channel is configured to direct cooling fluid for cooling the electronic component. An array of primary cooling fluid fins is positioned within the primary channel. The array of primary cooling fluid fins includes upstream solid fins and downstream open fins each having an upstream opening and downstream sidewalls. The secondary channel is formed within the second surface of the second substrate and is configured to direct partially heated cooling fluid away from the electronic component. An array of secondary cooling fluid fins is positioned within the secondary channel downstream. An enclosing layer seals the secondary channel.

Abstract: A local concentrator apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an array of photovoltaic cells arranged along an elongated strip, and one or more optical elements. The one or more optical elements are arranged to direct and optically concentrate sunlight onto the photovoltaic cells such that position that the directed sunlight impinges onto the strip follows a path moving along the strip without the optical elements tracking the sun as the sun traverses the sky during the day.

Abstract: A system and method of providing error tolerant memory access operations on a memory device. A method is disclosed including: providing location information of weak memory cells, wherein the location information includes addresses grouped into tiered sets, wherein each tiered set includes addresses having a number of weak memory cells; receiving a target address for a memory read operation; reading data from a virtual repair memory if the target address belongs to a first tiered set of addresses having a number of weak memory cells exceeding a threshold; and if the target address does not belong the first tiered set of addresses, reading data from the memory device and alternatively performing (a) an error correction and error detection (ECED) operation and (b) a target address look up operation, at different settings, until an error free result is obtained.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for K-edge based interior tomography image processing. The apparatus efficiently performs tomography image reconstruction by acquiring different material images using an energy-selective detector, such as a photon counting detector.

Abstract: A method for forming and operating a multi-terminal power system, includes: connecting multiple sending terminals to a network of a power system; and local control of each sending terminal to behave as a constant-power source such that both output voltage and output current of the sending terminal may simultaneously vary in response to changing external circuit conditions while maintaining constant a product of the output voltage and the output current of the sending terminal. At least one sending terminal may include a capacitive output converter having a capacitor connected between two output terminals and a controlled current source connected in parallel to the capacitor, or an inductive output converter having an inductor connected to an output terminal and a controlled voltage source connected in series with the inductor.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for determining chirality of a cell. The method includes culturing a cell on a base layer having a cell growth material. The method includes forming a top layer on the base layer after the cell has attached to the base layer, the top layer having a cell growth material. The base layer and the top layer form a graded 3D substrate. The intrinsic bias of the cell is determined from the directionality of spontaneous cell rotation.

Abstract: A multi-terminal DC power system includes: a DC network connecting together multiple terminals. Each terminal is represented by one of: a voltage source converter having a capacitor at an interface to the DC network, wherein a difference between a converter-side current and a network-side current charges the capacitor, and a current source converter having an inductor at an interface to the DC network, wherein a difference between a converter-side voltage and a network-side voltage drives current through the inductor. A local controller for each terminal directly controls the converter-side current of each voltage source controller and the converter-side voltage of each current source converter, independent of the terminals, leaving network-side currents and voltages to be determined by the network, resulting in simplified terminal control and avoidance of the need for high-speed communication among all terminals at all times.

Abstract: 8-Substituted-2,6-methano-3-benzazocines of general structure I in which A is —CH2—OH, —CH2NH2, —NHSO2CH3, and Y is O, S or NOH are useful as analgesics, anti-diarrheal agents, anticonvulsants, antitussives and anti-addiction medications. 8-Carboxamides, thiocarboxamides, hydroxyamidines and formamides are preferred.

Abstract: In steady-state voltage stability analysis, as load increases toward a maximum, conventional Newton-Raphson power flow Jacobian matrix becomes increasingly ill-conditioned so power flow fails to converge before reaching maximum loading. A method to directly eliminate this singularity reformulates the power flow problem by introducing an AQ bus with specified bus angle and reactive power consumption of a load bus. For steady-state voltage stability analysis, the angle separation between the swing bus and AQ bus can be varied to control power transfer to the load, rather than specifying the load power itself. For an AQ bus, the power flow formulation is only made up of a reactive power equation, thus reducing the size of the Jacobian matrix by one. This reduced Jacobian matrix is nonsingular at the critical voltage point, eliminating a major difficulty in voltage stability analysis for power system operations.

Abstract: Methods for facilitating fabricating semiconductor structures are provided which include: providing a multilayer structure including a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer including a dopant and having an increased conductivity; selectively increasing, using electrochemical processing, porosity of the semiconductor layer, at least in part, the selectively increasing porosity utilizing the increased conductivity of the semiconductor layer; and removing, at least in part, the semiconductor layer with the selectively increased porosity from the multilayer structure. By way of example, the selectively increasing porosity may include selectively, anodically oxidizing, at least in part, the semiconductor layer of the multilayer structure.

Abstract: A therapeutic environmental light and image system and related methods are provided. A controller controls a lighting system and one or more images displayed on a display monitor to create a virtual window in a patient recovery room that simulates characteristics of a real window. Optionally, circadian full-spectrum light cycling is delivered via a prescriptively-selected circadian light cycle, which may or may not be configured based on the images provided on the display monitor. Additionally, ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source may be dosed to the patient to favorably impact biologic functions and other health aspects of the patient, to facilitate patient recovery.

Abstract: A smart lighting system and method that estimates occupancy using perturbation-modulated light and distributed non-imaging color sensors. A system is disclosed that includes a plurality of non-imaging color sensors; a plurality of color controllable lights; a system that perturbs the color controllable lights within a space; a system that collects resulting color information from the non-imaging color sensors, and builds a light transport model based on collected color information; a system that estimates an occupancy pattern or distribution within a space; and an adjustment module that adjusts the color controllable lights based on the light transport model and a predefined control strategy.

Abstract: Flash light-generating methods and systems are provided, which, in one aspect, include: obtaining one or more measurements of existing light on or around an illumination target; ascertaining a desired color attribute(s) for a combined light to be provided on the illumination target, the combined light including the existing light and a flash light to be generated; determining a flash light spectral power distribution of illumination which achieves a combined light spectral power distribution of illumination on the illumination target having the desired color attribute(s), the determining using, in part, the measurement(s) of existing light, and the desired color attribute(s) for the combined light; and generating the flash light with the determined flash light spectral power distribution of illumination to provide the combined light on the illumination target having the combined light spectral power distribution of illumination with the desired color attribute(s).

Abstract: Methods of making cathodes for lithium-sulfur batteries are disclosed, in addition to cathodes and batteries containing the cathodes. A method of making a cathode is disclosed which includes extracting lignosulfonate from brown liquor, pyrolyzing the lignosulfonate, carbonizing the pyrolyzed lignosulfonate to form a carbon-sulfur compound, and forming the carbon-sulfur compound into a cathode. A cathode for a lithium-sulfur battery is disclosed which includes pyrolized lignosulfonate recovered from brown liquor, and carbon. The pyrolized lignosulfonate and carbon are suspended in a matrix having a substantially homogenous distribution of sulfur. A battery is disclosed in which an anode including an electrolye, lithium, is provided along with a membrane separate and a carbon comprising a carbon-sulfur compound derived from lignosulfonates.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to protein extraction and, more generally, to bone protein extraction methods that do not require demineralization. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method comprising: mixing a bone sample and a quantity of an extraction buffer comprising: ammonium phosphate dibasic; or ammonium phosphate dibasic and ammonium bicarbonate; or ammonium phosphate dibasic, ammonium bicarbonate, and guanidine HCl; or sodium phosphate dibasic and sodium bicarbonate; or sodium phosphate dibasic, sodium bicarbonate, and guanidine HCl; or potassium phosphate dibasic and potassium bicarbonate; or potassium phosphate dibasic, potassium bicarbonate, and guanidine HCl; and incubating the bone sample/extraction buffer mixture.

Abstract: Methods and systems of using X-ray radiation to irradiate X-ray sensitive biomolecules to allow for specific control over the behavior of cells via the X-ray irradiation are provided. The systems and methods are influenced by the field of optogenetics, which uses visible light instead of X-ray radiation. X-ray stimulation penetrates both bone and soft tissue with very little attenuation and can be performed without any physical contact with the sample. Image reconstruction methods using deep learning are also provided. A deep learning algorithm can be used to obtain a reconstructed image from raw data obtained via medical imaging, either with or without first performing a conventional algorithm.

Abstract: The present invention includes vinyl ether functional oligomers and methods for their preparation, the method including alternating free radical copolymerization of a dialkyl maleate or dialkyl fumerate monomer with a multifunctional vinyl ether monomer in the presence of a solvent with a high chain transfer constant. Also within the scope of the invention are uses for the vinyl ether functional oligomers compositions of this invention, including radiation curable coatings, adhesives, printing inks and composites.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating radiation-detecting structures are presented. The methods include, for instance: fabricating a radiation-detecting structure, the fabricating including: providing a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a plurality of cavities extending into the semiconductor substrate from a surface thereof; and electrophoretically depositing radiation-detecting particles of a radiation-detecting material into the plurality of cavities extending into the semiconductor substrate, where the electrophoretically depositing fills the plurality of cavities with the radiation-detecting particles. In one embodiment, the providing can include electrochemically etching the semiconductor substrate to form the plurality of cavities extending into the semiconductor substrate.