Abstract: Method and system for executing a one-time program comprising at least one instruction operating on at least one input value (a, b) and returning at least one output value (O), wherein each instruction of the one-time program is encoded onto a state of an elementary quantum system, comprising: encoding the at least one input value (a, b) onto a quantum gate according to a pre-defined input-encoding scheme; applying the quantum gate to the at least one elementary quantum system; making a measurement of a resulting state of the at least one elementary quantum system after the quantum gate; and determining the at least one output value from a result of the measurement.

Abstract: There is provided a textile including a strain sensing portion integrally knitted therein and including groups of courses of yarn, each group including a first course of conductive yarn, a second course of dielectric yarn, and a third course of conductive yarn, each course including a plurality of knitted loops. The second course is arranged in between the first and third courses and configured to have a higher elasticity than the first and third courses such that when the strain sensing portion is at a relaxed state, corresponding knitted loops of the first and third courses are caused by a corresponding knitted loop of the second course to contact each other, and when the strain sensing portion is at a stretched state, corresponding knitted loops of the first and third courses are caused by a corresponding knitted loop of the second course to be not in contact with each other.

Abstract: There is provided a holographic optical element including: a hologram portion including a plurality of groups of unit regions, each group of unit regions of the hologram portion being configured to produce a respective holographic image under a respective light illumination having a respective predetermined wavelength; and a colour filter portion formed on the hologram portion, the colour filter portion including a plurality of groups of unit regions, each group of unit regions of the colour filter portion being arranged on a corresponding group of the plurality of groups of unit regions of the hologram portion, whereby the plurality of groups of unit regions of the colour filter portion is spatially arranged to form a predetermined colour image. There is also provided a method of forming the holographic optical element. There is further provided an article having optical security incorporated therein.

Abstract: Platforms and mechanisms for multi-source data management are provided. In accordance with one aspect, a knowledge mining engine comprising an on-line knowledge mining component supporting multi-dimensional queries for on-line knowledge mining of multi-source data and an off-line knowledge mining component for running knowledge mining procedures for off-line knowledge mining of the multi-source data. The multi-source data management platform/mechanism may also include an adaptive data collector to collect data actively and passively, a data analysis cascade to cleanse and analyse the multi-source data concurrently and separately, a data integration cascade to consolidate and integrate the multi-source data according to multiple data integration dimensions, a centralized data repository implementing RESTful APIs for data CRUD operations and storing multi-source data generated in the platform, and a data sharing portal to share data and mined knowledge to users and up-layer applications.

Abstract: An aircraft including: a pair of wings rotatably coupled to opposing lateral sides of the fuselage and being rotatable relative to each other; a pair of servo motors, each connected to a corresponding wing and configured to rotate the corresponding wing in two rotational directions; a pair of thrust motors, each of which mounted on a corresponding wing; and a flight controller connected to the servo motors and to the thrust motors, and configured to control each servo motor and each thrust motor, such that the aircraft can be selectively operated in a cruising mode, such that the pair of wings are in a non-permanent-rotation-state about a yawing axis which extends at least substantially through the center of gravity, and a monocopter mode, in which the pair of thrust motors provide thrust in opposite directions so that the pair of wings are in a permanent-rotation-state about the yawing axis.

Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a permanent magnet system, the method including: determining one or more types of geometrical parameters for forming an array of magnet ring pairs including a first subarray of first magnet rings and a second subarray of second magnet rings spaced apart from the first subarray of the first magnet rings along a longitudinal axis; and forming the array of magnet ring pairs based on the determined one or more types of geometrical parameters, whereby the above-mentioned determining one or more types of geometrical parameters for forming the array of magnet ring pairs is based on a genetic algorithm. There is also provided a corresponding permanent magnet system, such as formed by the method.

Abstract: There is provided a carbon capture mixed matrix membrane comprising: a polymeric support layer; and a carbon dioxide capture layer in contact with the polymeric support layer, the carbon dioxide capture layer comprising solid porous material with at least one carbon dioxide adsorption site, wherein the polymeric support layer comprises spatially ordered uniform sized pores. The polymeric support layer may be patterned by micro-molding, nanoimprinting, mold-based lithography or other suitable lithographic process. The carbon dioxide capture layer may comprise amine-functionalised material, metal-organic frameworks such as zeolite imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF-8) or copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Cu-BTC) which may or may not be amine modified. There is also provided a membrane module comprising at least one carbon capture mixed matrix membrane and a method of forming the carbon capture mixed matrix membrane.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a carbon-based boron removal medium with hydroxyl group and amine group, and in particular, to a method for forming the carbon-based boron removal medium. In various embodiments, nitrogen-doped (“N-doped”) graphene oxide is synthesized by a simple two-step process: (1) oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide, and (2) nitrogen-doping (“N-doping”) the graphene oxide to form the amine group. The resultant N-doped graphene oxide can efficiently remove boron from aqueous solutions. The invention also generally relates to a boron sensing medium and its use in conductometric measurement techniques to detect and measure the amount of boron present in aqueous solutions.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, there is provided a robot including: a spherical shell; a cart in the spherical shell, the cart including a plurality of wheels rotatable to move the cart along an inner surface of the spherical shell; a sensor coupled to the cart, the sensor configured to provide an inertial measurement of the cart; a motion encoder configured to measure an angular velocity of each wheel of the plurality of wheels; and a localizer configured to determine a location of the robot, based on the angular velocities of the plurality of wheels and the inertial measurement of the cart.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic levitator. The magnetic levitator comprises a first portion having a first arrangement of a plurality of permanent magnets, and the first arrangement has first and second circumferences. The magnetic levitator also comprises a second portion having a second arrangement of a plurality of permanent magnets, and the second arrangement has a third circumference. The first and second arrangements are rotationally symmetrical, and the first circumference is larger than the third circumference. In use, one of the portions is magnetically levitated by the other one of the portions, and the second circumference is arranged substantially aligned to the third circumference.

Abstract: Method and system for executing a one-time program comprising at least one instruction operating on at least one input value (a, b) and returning at least one output value (O), wherein each instruction of the one-time program is encoded onto a state of an elementary quantum system, comprising: encoding the at least one input value (a, b) onto a quantum gate according to a pre-defined input-encoding scheme; applying the quantum gate to the at least one elementary quantum system; making a measurement of a resulting state of the at least one elementary quantum system after the quantum gate; and determining the at least one output value from a result of the measurement.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention relates to a carbon-based boron removal medium with hydroxyl groups and amine group, and in particular, to a method for forming the carbon-based boron removal medium. In a specific embodiment, nitrogen-doped (“N-doped”) graphene oxide is synthesized by a simple two-step process: (1) oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide, and (2) nitrogen-doping (“N-doping”) the graphene oxide to form the amine group. The resultant N-doped graphene oxide can efficiently remove boron from aqueous solutions. In another embodiment, a method of sensing or detecting the presence of boron in an aqueous solution by using a boron sensing medium comprises at least two hydroxyl groups and at least one pyridinic nitrogen or pyrrolic nitrogen or quaternary nitrogen (i.e. pyridoxine, in particular vitamin B6).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for timing related tasks in IoT systems, for example, in relation to synchronisation of clocks and timestamping. It is desirable that the method and system is able to withstand external tampering in a manner which does not jeopardise the accuracy and integrity of time related tasks in the IoT systems.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a vehicle may be provided. The vehicle may include: a sensor configured to sense a marking, wherein the marking is at least substantially not visible to the human eye under a natural lighting condition; and a localization circuit configured to determine a location of the vehicle based on the sensing of the sensor.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method to enable passive, real-time monitoring of an existing wireless network. It classifies and identifies threats and/or devices that are communicating using the infrastructure and data traffic patterns of the participating devices. The monitoring information is provided in a manner so as to provide appropriate insights for technical support and home users.

Abstract: A method for analyzing an image of a lesion on the skin of a subject including (a) identifying the lesion in the image by differentiating the lesion from the skin; (b) segmenting the image; and (c) selecting a feature of the image and comparing the selected feature to a library of predetermined parameters of the feature. The feature of the lesion belongs to any one selected from the group: color, border, asymmetry and texture of the image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide users with a system and method for managing resources. The method and system allow end users to participate in the trading of resources which enables lowering of costs for the end users. Furthermore, the method and system also enable utilisation of resources in a manner which can optimise a load (for example, electrical) for the resource supply. It should be appreciated that the resources can relate to, for example, water, fossil fuels, energy supplies and the like.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for timing related tasks in IoT systems, for example, in relation to synchronisation of clocks and timestamping. It is desirable that the method and system is able to withstand external tampering in a manner which does not jeopardise the accuracy and integrity of time related tasks in the IoT systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for reducing data bandwidth between a cloud server and a thin client. The method comprises: rendering a base layer image or video stream at the thin client, transmitting an enhancement layer image or video stream from the cloud server to the thin client, displaying a composite layer image or video stream on the thin client, the composite layer being based on the base layer and the enhancement layer.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a verification method may be provided. The verification method may include: determining a plurality of objects, each object having a property; displaying a representation of each object of the plurality of objects; receiving from a user an input indicating a sequence of the plurality of objects; determining a sequence of the properties of the plurality of objects; and comparing the Determine a plurality of objects, each object having a input with the sequence of the properties of the objects.