Abstract: A method of automating emulations is provided. The method comprising collecting publicly available network data over a predefined time interval, wherein the collected network data might comprise structured and unstructured data. Any unstructured data is converted into structured data. The original and converted structured data is stored in a database and compared to known network vulnerabilities. An emulated network is created according to the collected network data and the comparison of the structured data with known vulnerabilities. Virtual machines are created to run on the emulated network. Director programs and guest actor programs are run on the virtual machines, wherein the actor programs imitate real user behavior on the emulated network. The director programs deliver task commands to the guest actor programs to imitate real user behavior. The imitated behavior is presented to a user via an interface.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-tunable optical ring resonator is described herein. The ring resonator includes a resonator ring and a tuner ring, along with one or more springs. The springs may be internal or external, i.e., either within or outside the areal footprint of the resonator ring and the tuner ring. The one or more springs are configured to displace the tuner ring from the resonator ring by a desired gap based upon a desired resonant wavelength of the resonator ring. Tuning is implemented by applying a voltage to the ring resonator, with motion of the tuner ring causing a corresponding change in the effective index of the resonator ring. As the ring resonator is essentially a capacitive device, it draws very little power once tuning is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to architected stamps having beneficial printing properties. In particular, negative Poisson ratio structures and/or porous reservoirs can be employed to control fluid dynamics and to provide metered ink transfer.

Abstract: Lanthanide oxides and mixed lanthanide oxides can be produced using furnace or microwave assisted solid-state synthesis. The use of Ln-tri(methylsilyl)amide-based precursors yields spherical nanoparticles. The formation of spherical shaped nanoparticles is likely due to the preferential single-step decomposition of the Ln-TMS as well as the low activation energy to overcome decomposition. Reaction temperature, initial metal ion ratio, and reaction dwell time can be used to control the final nanoparticle size. The method enables solvent-free, high-yield synthesis of morphology-controlled lanthanide oxides.

Abstract: A computing system obtains test data for a particle source. The test data was generated by the particle source when the particle source was caused to emit particles. The test data comprises a first set of measurements of a first type and a second set of measurements of a second type. The computing system applies a data agnostic predictive model to the test data. The data agnostic predictive model is generated without a parametric analysis of variables of the first type and variables of the second type. The data agnostic predictive model outputs, based upon the test data, a value that is indicative of whether or not the test data is abnormal. Based upon the value, the computing system outputs an indication that the particle source was operating sub-optimally when emitting the particles.

Abstract: An alignment device for a ducted fuel injection system comprising a mounting block removably attachable to a duct of the ducted fuel injection system. The mounting block can include a passageway extending therethrough. The passageway can align with the duct when the mounting block is attached to the duct. The alignment device further comprises an imaging device configured to capture an image viewing through the duct toward an outlet of a fuel injector. A portion of the imaging device can extend in the passageway. The alignment device additionally comprises a centering structure configured to align a portion of the imaging device with a central axis of the duct. The image captured by the imaging device can be configured for use aligning a position of an outlet of a fuel injector with respect to a position of the duct.

Abstract: Steam cracking of ethane, a non-catalytic thermochemical process, remains the dominant means of ethylene production. The severe reaction conditions and energy expenditure involved in this process incentivize the search for alternative reaction pathways and reactor designs which maximize ethylene yield while minimizing cost and energy input. According to the present invention, ethylene yields as high as 68% were obtained with a quartz open tube reactor without the use of a catalyst or a cofed stream of oxidizing agents. The open tube reactor design promotes simplicity, low cost, and negligible coke formation. Reactor designs can be optimized to improve the conversion of ethane to ethylene via non-oxidative dehydrogenation, an approach which shows promise for decentralized production of ethylene from natural gas deposits.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a WEC controller that uses a self-tuning proportional-integral control law prescribing motor torques to maximize electrical power generation and automatically tune the controller to maximize power absorption. In an embodiment, the controller may be part of any resonant WEC system. The control law relies upon an identified model of device intrinsic impedance to generate a frequency-domain estimate of the wave-induced excitation force and measurements of device velocities. The control law was tested in irregular sea-states that evolved over hours (a rapid, but realistic time-scale) and that changed instantly (an unrealistic scenario to evaluate controller response).

Abstract: A rarefied piezometric uptake apparatus and method for measuring gaseous uptake for large solid samples with little or no sample preparation. Past systems and methods require extensive sample preparation. The method includes providing a rarefied piezometric uptake apparatus having a dosing chamber and uptake chamber in an improved selective fluid communication. The apparatus and method improve the measurement of gaseous uptake into solid samples resulting in improved prediction of gas migration through solid samples such as geologic formations.

Abstract: A low cost, rapid, flexible radiation detector uses inorganic metal halide precursors and dyes that respond to self-quenching hybrid scintillation. Remote, high-contrast, laser sensing can be used to determine when exposure of the detector to radiation occurs (even temporally).

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified proppants and methods of using the modified proppants that use metal ligand tracers to characterize subterranean fluid flow. The metal and ligands are best chosen to be a strongly-coordinating, chelating ligand with a functional group for the chosen flow environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing operations by network interface cards in a network of computers. A network interface card is configured to receive a message and to interpret the message to identify a primitive operation to be performed. The primitive operation is one of a plurality of primitive operations that are performed to perform an operation. The primitive operation is performed by the network interface card and a trigger signal is generated in response to performing the primitive operation. The trigger signal is interpreted to identify a triggered message. The triggered message identifies a next one of the plurality of primitive operations to be performed. The triggered message is transmitted back to the network interface card or to another network interface card in the network for processing.

Abstract: Nanocomposite anticorrosion coating can be achieved by depositing alternating, multilayers of a cross-linkable polymer and dispersed and aligned inorganic platelets followed by cross-linking of the cross-linkable polymer. The cross-linkable polymer can be an externally cross-linkable polymer that is cross-linked by diffusing a cross-linking agent into the deposited multilayer coating. Alternately, the cross-linkable polymer can be a functionalized cross-linkable polymer that is cross-linked by self-curing, thermal heat curing, or light (e.g., UV) following deposition of the multilayer coating.

Abstract: A radiation detector includes a photodetector and a scintillator coupled thereto. The scintillator is formed of a scintillator material comprising an organic glass scintillator (OGS) material and at least one of a polymer additive or a plasticizer additive. The scintillator emits light when radiation is received at the scintillator, and the light is received by the photodetector. The radiation detector can further include a frame that has an interior cavity that holds the scintillator in position with respect to the photodetector, such that the light emitted by the scintillator is transmitted to the photodetector. The scintillator can be formed by casting amorphous scintillator material in the interior cavity of the frame. The frame can then be coupled to the photodetector to form the radiation detector.

Abstract: An article that includes a fluorescent composition having at least one of a fluorescent sensor compound and organic reporter molecules encapsulated in a microsphere structure. When encapsulated, the fluorescent sensor compound and the organic reporter molecules are distributed in a liquid organic matrix. When non-encapsulated, the remaining one of the fluorescent sensor compound and the organic reporter molecules reside in the matrix. In response to a force applied to the composition sufficient to break at least a portion of the microsphere structure, the fluorescent sensor compound and the organic reporter molecules are transformed into a non-reversible fluorescent state exhibiting a quantum yield greater than 0.2. The fluorescent state is objectively visually verifiable without physically contacting the composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of conducting cholinesterase inhibition assays. In one instance, the assays can be configured to determine the presence of inactivated and activated cholinesterases. Also described herein are microfluidic devices and systems for conducting such assays.

Abstract: A programmable delay device that provides delays of more than 100 ns over a broad bandwidth is disclosed. The device includes an input stage that employs M sampling switched capacitor elements such that each sampling switched capacitor element samples at a rate of only 1/M of the fundamental sampling rate. The device includes a programmable delay stage with M programmable switched capacitor banks, each programmable switched capacitor bank having N delay switched capacitor storage elements. Thus, the programmable delay stage includes a total of M×N delay switched capacitor storage elements, thereby reducing the sampling rate by a factor of M×N. This reduced sampling rate permits much smaller sampling switches, resulting in reduced leakage current and enabling far longer programmable delay times. Lastly, the device includes an output reconstruction stage that reconstructs a delayed version of the input RF signal by combining signals from the programmable delay stage.

Abstract: An explosive device is described herein, wherein the explosive device includes a substrate that has a surface, wherein surface energy of a portion of the surface of the substrate has been modified in a vacuum chamber from a first surface energy to a second surface energy. The explosive device additionally includes explosive material that has been deposited on the surface of the substrate in the vacuum chamber by way of physical vapor deposition (PVD), wherein the explosive material is deposited on the portion of the surface of the substrate subsequent to the surface energy of the portion of the surface of the substrate being modified from the first surface energy to the second surface energy.

Abstract: A novel lithium battery cathode, a lithium ion battery using the same and processes and preparation thereof are disclosed. The battery cathode is formed by force spinning. Fiber spinning allows for the formation of core-shell materials using material chemistries that would be incompatible with prior spinning techniques. A fiber spinning apparatus for forming a coated fiber and a method of forming a coated fiber are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods that transfer heat directly from hot particles to a cold fluid, such as sCO2, by bringing the hot particles and cold fluid into direct contact at the operating pressure of the cold fluid. These systems and methods can both stand-off large pressure differentials while allowing particles to pass through and limiting cold fluid leakage either continuously or through a batch process.