Abstract: Systems and methods that measure material deformation by measuring a tracer gas that has been added to or is present in an engineered material that is subsequently released from the material, measured, and correlated to a change in a property of the material upon a stress/strain being applied to the engineered material.

Abstract: Monochromatic photosensitive devices (MPDs) having series connected photosensitive diode cell arrays in two configurations are disclosed. The MPDs employ a protection diode to bypass either one or multiple photosensitive diodes in each photosensitive diode cell should a photosensitive diode fail as an open circuit or become blocked from the monochromatic light. The protection diode is vertically (epitaxial growth direction) integrated with a photosensitive diode layer structure during epitaxial growth, thereby permitting monolithic fabrication of the one or multiple photosensitive diode cells. The bulk of the one or multiple photosensitive diodes are formed of a material having a bandgap corresponding to the wavelength of the monochromatic light, while the protection diodes are formed of a material having a bandgap greater than the wavelength of the monochromatic light. The monochromatic light passes through the protection diode before being absorbed by the one or multiple photosensitive diodes.

Abstract: A system and method for designing a physical system using a genetic algorithm includes building a plurality of data structures necessary to build, heal, and verify a plurality of dependency chains; ensuring that multiple dependencies in a respective one of the plurality of dependency chains are represented correctly; removing any dependencies that will be trivially satisfied at random; in response to determining that one or more dependencies is consistent with another dependency, considering one or more combinations of dependencies; and building configurations that satisfy the dependencies and combinations of dependencies by associating the dependencies and combinations of dependencies with selected technology options and recursively specifying and/or revising additional technology options that are consistent with the dependencies or combinations of dependencies, until a configuration is fully specified.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the state of one or both of an electrical conductor or an associated system utilizing a non-invasive sensor and a magnetostrictive response from the current of the electrical conductor. The method includes providing a sensor assembly including a magnetostrictive resonator sensor and a signal detector. A state of one or both of the electrical conductor or the associated system is determined with the fault detector in response to a first frequency profile and a second frequency profile obtained with the magnetostrictive resonator sensor. A fault monitoring system utilizing a magnetostrictive resonator sensor is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vertical tunneling field-effect transistor and a method for its manufacture are provided. According to methods herein disclosed, oppositely doped source and drain regions are formed, and an APAM delta layer is formed in the surface of the transistor substrate, beneath a metal gate, in electrical contact with, e.g., the source region. A dielectric layer intervenes between the substrate surface and the metal gate. An epitaxial cap layer directly over the APAM layer forms a dielectric layer interface with a dielectric layer, which is located between the epitaxial cap layer and the metal gate. A vertical channel is defined for tunneling between the APAM delta layer and an induced conduction channel adjacent to the dielectric layer interface that is formed in operation, and that is in electrical contact with, e.g., the drain region.

Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a soft magnetic composite synthesized via spark plasma sintering with both high saturation magnetic polarization and high electrical resistivity for efficient soft magnetic cores. CoFe powder particles coated with an insulating layer of Al2O3 were used as feedstock material to improve the electrical resistivity while retaining high saturation magnetic polarization. By maintaining a continuous non-magnetic Al2O3 phase throughout the material, both a high saturation magnetic polarization, above 1.5 T, and high electrical resistivity, above 100 ??·m, were achieved. Through microstructural characterization of samples consolidated at various temperatures, the role of microstructural evolution on the magnetic and electronic properties of the composite was elucidated.

Abstract: A colorimetric radiation detector and a method for detecting radiation is disclosed. The colorimetric radiation detector also includes a metal oxyhalide that reaches an excited state on exposure to x-ray or ultraviolet radiation. The detector also includes a dye or where the metal oxyhalide is a bismuth oxyhalide, such as a bismuth oxychloride. The dye may include a redox reactive dye. The redox reactive dye may include Rhodamine B. The dye undergoes a permanent color change by reacting with the metal oxyhalide when the metal oxyhalide is exposed to x-ray or ultraviolet radiation. The dye may include a fluorescent dye, such as a fluorescein dye, such as 6-carboxy fluorescein or 5-carboxy fluorescein. The solvent may include a Lewis base solvent. The Lewis base solvent may include water or an alcohol. A method for evaluating a photoprotective topical lotion is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods and tools that measure ionic concentrations and downhole enthalpy of a flowing geothermal fluid in real-time at high-temperature and pressure. The systems, methods and tools include measuring the concentration of selected naturally occurring ions found in the liquid phase of the geothermal fluid throughout the wellbore using novel electrochemical sensor technologies. The change in liquid-phase ion concentration will be used to calculate the proportion of liquid to steam and allow for accurate enthalpy measurements. The techniques and technologies described here can be applied to any application of electrochemical sensing in extreme environments.

Abstract: Refractory-reinforced multiphase high entropy alloys (RHEAs) advantageously providing high strength and fracture toughness in an as-AM deposited condition and other conditions are described.

Abstract: Digital image segmentation is provided. The method comprises training a neural network for image segmentation with a labeled training dataset from a first domain, wherein a subset of nodes in the neural net are dropped out during training. The neural network receives image data from a second, different domain. A vector of N values that sum to 1 is calculated for each image element, wherein each value represents an image segmentation class. A label is assigned to each image element according to the class with the highest value in the vector. Multiple inferences are performed with active dropout layers for each image element, and an uncertainty value is generated for each image element. Uncertainty is resolved according to expected characteristics. The label of any image element with an uncertainty above a threshold is replaced with a new label corresponding to a segmentation class based on domain knowledge.

Abstract: A test fixture facilitates non-destructive testing of a protective mask. The test fixture includes a mock facial structure, a clamping form that makes a seal around at least part of the facial structure, and can employ the retaining straps of the protective mask to a make a seal around at least part of the facial structure. In use, the protective mask is tested in situ on the facial structure. In some examples, the clamping form has a negative contour of the mock facial structure or of the outer surface of a protective mask that is to be tested. The testing can include repetitive testing of the fit, structural components (e.g., ultrasonic welds and straps), and the degradation of materials as a function of donning/doffing or environmental factors (e.g., temperature and humidity).

Abstract: Described herein are technologies related to generation of a summary of a function in binary code for review by an analyst. A first sequence to sequence model is configured to receive binary code (or a derivative thereof) and translate the binary code to an intermediate representation of the binary code, wherein the intermediate representation approximates source code for the binary code. A second sequence to sequence model is configured to receive the intermediate representation of the binary code and translate the intermediate representation to a human-readable summary of the binary code.

Abstract: A fluid flow control device comprising an insert body having a first portion with a first permeability and second portion with a second permeability that is different from the first permeability. The insert body can be shaped for sealing insertion into a fluid flow structure for fluid flow therethrough. The first portion and the second portion can be arranged in the insert body to cause uniform fluid flow velocity of fluid in the fluid flow structure at an exit of the insert body when the fluid passes through the first portion and the second portion when the insert body is placed inside the fluid flow structure.

Abstract: A magnetic electrical latch assembly for sensing an electrical contact has a housing for supporting a magnetic electrical contact. The housing has an annular cavity and a cylinder disposed within the cavity. A magnetic electrical contact is attached at one end to the cylinder. The cylinder is movable axially within the cavity. The magnetic electrical contact has an electrical connection to a first conductive wire. The magnetic electrical contact is arranged to couple with an opposing contact pad to create an electrical connection between an external conductor path and the first conductive wire. Also, a magnetic electrical contact sensor system has a hollow enclosure with a detachable access panel. A meandering conductor path cover a portion of the access panel. The conductor path terminates on a contact pad. A magnetic electrical latch assembly has a housing for supporting the magnetic electrical contact within the enclosure.

Abstract: A tubular wave energy converter configured to remain afloat near the surface of a wave field and trap a water column oscillating asymmetrically to the wave field in which the converter is located. Water column oscillations create a pressure flux providing motive power for a generator. The converter, generator and a powered payload making up an autonomous wave powered device are packaged to fit within and be deployed by a torpedo launcher. The autonomous device may be deployed above or beneath the surface. Device buoyant characteristics are configured to maintain the device afloat and self-righting toward an upright oriented for operation in the wave field.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensing device having a large proof mass with interlocking tabs is disclosed. The interlocking tabs limit motion of the proof mass when subjected to large inertial forces. The interlocking tabs are formed around the periphery of the proof mass and interact with corresponding interlocking tabs formed in a frame to which the proof mass is tethered. The motion of the proof mass is limited by the interlocking tabs, which are formed during MEMS fabrication of the inertial sensing device rather than as part of the packaging process. With a large proof mass, the inertial sensing device can provide high sensitivity in low inertial force environments while the interlocking tabs protect the device when subjected to high inertial forces.

Abstract: A calibration method for an x-ray computerized tomography system and a method of tomographic reconstruction are provided. The calibration method includes steps of measuring at least one point spread function (PSF) at each of a plurality of points, compressing each PSF, and in one or more storing operations, storing the compressed PSFs in a computer-accessible storage medium. The PSF measurements are made in a grid of calibration points in a field of view (FOV) of the system. In the measuring step, an absorber is positioned at each of the calibration points, and an x-ray projection is taken at least once at each of those absorber positions. In the method of tomographic image reconstruction, projection data from an x-ray tomographic projection system are input to an iterative image reconstruction algorithm.

Abstract: The present invention provides for novel protic ionic liquids (PIL) or phosphate-based ionic liquid (PBIL) useful for lignocellulosic processing described herein. The novel protic ionic liquids are capable of pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass over a wide range of pH.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of enhancing the surface properties of soft alloys by using a high energy beam. In particular embodiments, the methods can also allow for beam-based welding of such soft alloys to another metal component.

Abstract: A method for modeling light transport through a scattering medium prior to being incident on a detector and a corresponding system is disclosed. The method determines the effects of scattering and absorption caused by particles as a function of the density, size, and refractive index of the particles, as well as the wavelength of the light source. Based on the determined scattering and absorption coefficients, the signal incident on the detector may be calculated. The calculation may also be inverted such that based upon the detected signal, an object may be detected, and its location in the scattering medium may be estimated.