Abstract: Continuous microfluidic dilatometry devices and methods are provided for activity monitoring with ultra-high sensitivity. Corner flow in capillary channels is used to detect the resistance change in microfluidic circuits filled with ionic liquids. The conversion of mechanical input (e.g. strain) to an intermediary domain, namely liquid displacement, allows a large enhancement in sensor performance. Embodiments are suitable for tracking skin deformations that occur as a result of human movements.

Abstract: Methods and systems for provable, auditable and secure software updates for resource-constrained IoT devices are provided via a security framework and a protocol for owner-controlled software updates for IoT devices through blockchain.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for video processing are provided. The method includes that a decoding terminal receives a plurality of coded video frames coded using one or more generative adversarial networks (GANs), receives network parameters related to the one or more GANs, and decodes the plurality of coded video frames using GANs based on the network parameters. Further, the one or more GANs respectively implement one or more video coding functions including reference-frame coding, motion-compensated frame prediction, and residue-frame coding.

Abstract: Methods and systems for provable, auditable and secure software updates for resource-constrained IoT devices are provided via a security framework and a protocol for owner-controlled software updates for IoT devices through blockchain.

Abstract: A class-specific neural network for video compressed sensing and methods for training and testing the class-specific neural network are provided. The class-specific neural network includes a Gaussian-mixture model (GMM) and a plurality of encoders, where the GMM classifies video frame blocks with a plurality of clusters and assigns the video frame blocks to the plurality of clusters. Further, the plurality of encoders receive the video frame blocks and generate a plurality of compressed-sensed frame block vectors, where the plurality of encoders correspond to the plurality of clusters.

Abstract: A method for detecting moving objects in video frames, an apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium thereof are provided. The method includes that: an encoder in a 3-dimenional (3D) separable convolutional neural network with multi-input multi-output (3DS_MM) receives a first input including multiple video frames, where the encoder includes a plurality of encoder layers including 3D separable convolutional neural network (CNN) layers; the encoder generates a first encoder output; and a decoder in the 3DS_MM receives the first encoder output and generates a first output including multiple first binary masks related to the first input, where the decoder includes a plurality of decoder layers comprising 3D separable transposed CNN layers.

Abstract: A 3D printed biocompatible drug delivery device is provided having a fluid delivery channel distinguishing three segments and a receiving chamber with an array of microneedles. The three segments of the delivery channel are stagnation zones before a drug is extruded and whereby an inverted funnel provides an increasing extrusion surface servicing the drug to the array of microneedles. The design of the device with its flow-related components circumvents the challenge of colloidal stability associated with multi-phase formulations leading to nozzle blockage. Qualitative screening cytotoxicity tests pre and post-extrusion through the drug delivery device using mammalian cells rule out cytotoxicity and outline equivalent viability to control treatments. The biocompatibility results suggest that the fluid delivery design, the photoresin selected as well as the fabrication and sterilization may be extended over a range of regenerative medicine and drug delivery applications.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for performing intra coding predictions. An intra-coding process applied to pixels in a frame of media is determined. The intra-coding process is determined whether to corresponding to at least one of most probable modes. In response to determining the intra-coding process does not correspond to the at least one of the most probable modes, four angular prediction modes are extracted from a list of prediction modes. A set of candidates based on the four angular prediction modes are determined. A pre-defined order of the set of candidates is determined, wherein each candidate mode of the set of candidate modes is included in a ranked order and signaled with a particular fixed length coding, and wherein a length of the particular fixed length coding increases based on the pre-defined order of the set of candidate modes.

Abstract: Vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSVG) can both load protein cargo onto exosomes and increase their delivery ability via a pseudotyping mechanism. By fusing a set of fluorescent and luminescent reporters with VSVG, we show the successful targeting and incorporation of VSVG fusions into exosomes by gene transfection and fluorescence tracking. VSVG pseudotyping of exosomes does not affect the size or distributions of the exosomes, and both the full-length VSVG and the VSVG without the ectodomain integrate into the exosomal membrane, suggesting that the ectodomain is not required for protein loading. Finally, exosomes pseudotyped with full-length VSVG are internalized by multiple-recipient cell types to a greater degree compared to exosomes loaded with VSVG without the ectodomain, confirming a role of the ectodomain in cell tropism.

Abstract: A diagnostic analysis method and system is provided for identifying a microorganism from a genome sequence. Partially or fully assembled microbial genomes or short reads from whole-genome sequencing of microbial genomes are processed into a 4 MB Boolean array while preserving 1% of the genomic information in a way that allows for rapid comparison of a query genome to a large reference database. This represents a critical savings in storage space and speed by which large reference libraries can be queried.

Abstract: Engineered exosomes for the delivery of bioactive cargo are provided. The exosomes incorporate a tetraspanin transmembrane anchoring scaffold onto the membrane of the exosome. The tetraspanin transmembrane anchoring scaffold has a C-terminal attachment site in the inner-vesicle space of the exosome, a N-terminal attachment site in the inner-vesicle space or the outer-vesicle space, and/or a loop attachment site in the outer-vesicle space. Peptides can be attached to the different attachments sites in any form or combination. Tetrapanins naturally anchor on the exosome membrane, are biocompatible, and allow for robust loading and delivery of bioactive cargos in mammalian system.

Abstract: System and method embodiments for image coding are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method in a data processing system for image encoding includes determining a sparsity constraint according to a dimension of an input image signal. The method also includes iteratively determining a plurality of approximations to the input image signal. Each iteration provides an approximation of the input image signal. Each approximation includes a set of dictionary element indices and coefficients. The dictionary is an over-complete dictionary. Iterations of the determining step are terminated when a number of iterations is equal to the sparsity constraint. The method also includes selecting one of the plurality of approximations according to a minimum rate-distortion cost. The method also includes determining an encoded image signal according to non-zero coefficients and corresponding indices for each non-zero coefficient in the selected approximation.

Abstract: An optical probe having a controlled viewing angle lens tip is provided that includes an elastomer lumen, where the elastomer lumen includes internal dividers disposed to separate the elastomer lumen into a plurality of channels, a lens that is sealably attached to a distal end of the elastomer lumen, where each channel is disposed to operate as an independent hydraulic channel, where an angle of the lens relative to a central axis of the elastomer lumen is positioned according to a state of pressure in each independent hydraulic channel, and a hydraulic generator, where the hydraulic generator is disposed to pressurize each hydraulic channel to a defined state as set by a computer input from a to computer.

Abstract: Smart hot water heater control can be improved by departing from the conventional approach of monitoring hot water demand at a single point (i.e., the water heater output). Instead, hot water demand is monitored at each location in the building where hot water is used. With this approach, the controller can provide hot water at a temperature suitable for the intended use, e.g., warm water for a bath or shower, and much hotter water for a dishwasher. This advantageously avoids inefficiency due to mixing hot and cold water at a tap to provide temperature control.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-robot gradient-based adaptive navigation are provided.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for achieving improved View Synthesis Distortion (VSD) calculation and more accurate distortion estimation of encoded video frames. An embodiment method includes obtaining a depth map value for a video frame and determining a weighting factor for depth distortion in accordance with the depth map value. The weighting factor maps a pixel range of the depth map value to an output function having higher values for closer image objects and lower values for farther image objects. The VSD for the video frame is then calculated as a function of absolute horizontal texture gradients weighted by a depth distortion value and the weighting factor determined in accordance with the depth map value.

Abstract: This work provides an affordable approach for detecting environmental contaminants (e.g., arsenic in groundwater). Electro-chemical analysis of a sample is performed using a disposable three-electrode sensor that can be connected to an electrochemical analyzer (which is not disposable). The disposable sensor has a sample chamber to admit a liquid sample. The sensor includes a substrate disposed within the sample chamber that includes at least one conditioning reagent to condition the sample for electrochemical analysis. Analysis results can be displayed via a mobile device application.

Abstract: A wearable reminder device is provided using two different types of gestures obtained from two different types of sensors. The device outputs audio to a user but does not have a display, a keypad, or speech recognition software, therewith significantly reducing size, storage requirements and power consumption. Hence the device is suitable for use by the blind, persons with a speech impediment, visually impaired persons, and others who are unable to read small fonts.

Abstract: A video codec configured to receive a current block and a plurality of neighboring pixels, wherein the current block comprises a first partition and a second partition, select one or more reference pixels from the plurality of neighboring pixels, and predict a plurality of pixels located in the second partition based on the reference pixels.

Abstract: A method for coding a coding unit that is coded with a single sample value is provided. The method selects a coding pattern from at least two predetermined coding patterns, each of which includes a plurality of boundary neighboring samples of the coding unit that have been reconstructed, and decodes the coding unit according to a value of at least one of the plurality of boundary neighboring samples of the selected coding pattern that is available.