Abstract: Induction heating facilitated coating systems and processes for pipes overcome corrosion and erosion of the pipes at extreme temperatures and pressures in applications including oil and gas downhole tubulars and pipelines as well as processing facilities. Being based on vitreous fused inorganic compounds, the present invention achieves very high corrosion resistance at remarkably modest cost. Attractive economics and immunity to chlorides and moisture permeation at extreme concentrations and temperatures also make it well suited to desalination plants and potable water piping applications. Due to its extreme temperature resistance, it also is very well suited for geothermal wells. Additionally, due to its characteristic smooth durable surface, the present invention is ideally suited for applications involving the opposite of corrosion, namely scaling problems, such as fouling in sewage systems and scale buildup in heavy oil wells.

Abstract: A comparator includes a first-stage circuit, a second-stage circuit, a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit. The first-stage circuit includes a first input circuit and a second input circuit. The first switching circuit is configured to control the conduction of the first input circuit, and the second switching circuit is configured to control the conduction of the second input circuit. The first input circuit is configured to generate a first differential signal in a sampling phase when being switched on. The second input circuit is configured to generate a second differential signal in a sampling phase when being switched on. The second-stage circuit is configured to amplify and latch the first differential signal or the second differential signal in a regeneration phase to output a comparison signal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive stack/structure comprising (a) etching through a second magnetic region to (i) provide sidewalls of the second magnetic region and (ii) expose a surface of a dielectric layer, (b) depositing a first encapsulation layer on the sidewalls of the second magnetic region and over a surface of the dielectric layer, (c) thereafter: (i) etching the first encapsulation layer which is disposed over the dielectric layer using a first etch process, and (ii) etching re-deposited material using a second etch process, wherein, after such etching, a portion of the first encapsulation layer remains on the sidewalls of the second magnetic region, (d) etching (i) through the dielectric layer to form a tunnel barrier and provide sidewalls thereof and (ii) etching the first magnetic region to provide sidewalls thereof, and (e) depositing a second encapsulation layer on the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier and first magnetic region.

Abstract: MEMS devices include a suspended element connected to a fixed part of a substrate by one or more flexures, wherein the one or more flexures are configured to permit movement of the suspended element relative to a fixed part of the substrate. An actuator coupled to the suspended element and a damping structure coupled to the suspended element extends into a gap between the suspended element and the fixed part of the substrate. One or more fluid confinement structures are configured to permit movement of the damping structure within a limited portion of the gap and to confine a viscoelastic fluid to the limited portion of the gap.

Abstract: Disclosed invention comprises innovations in the fabrication process and the associated design methodology for producing refined prestressed concrete elements/components. The innovations disclosed are fabrication using multiple stages, the use of ultra high strength materials for only critical subcomponents, utilizing thinner sections made of ultra high strength materials, and a unique method of inducing and controlling camber. The embodiments of this invention enable the accelerated construction of concrete structures that are both durable and cost effective. This disclosure demonstrates the significant improvements to the prior art in the areas of durability, constructability, and cost reduction for prestressed concrete components. The embodiments presented in this disclosure are for bridge superstructure applications.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for a system in which liquid carbon dioxide, or a mixture of liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide, is converted to solid carbon dioxide by exiting an orifice at a sufficient pressure drop, e.g., for delivery of carbon dioxide to a concrete mixture in a mixer.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a master chip controller and a slave chip processor and memory including a plurality of memory locations are provided which allow for simplified processing of descriptors associated with host commands in the slave chip based on an adaptive context metadata message from the master chip. When the controller receives a host command, the controller in the master chip provides to the processor in the slave chip a descriptor associated with a host command, an instruction to store the descriptor in the one of the memory locations, and the adaptive context metadata message mapping a type of the descriptor to the one of the memory locations. The processor may then process the descriptor stored in the one of the memory locations based on the message, for example, by refraining from identifying certain information indicated in the descriptor. Reduced latency in command execution may thereby result.

Abstract: Apparatus, media, methods, and systems are disclosed for improved data relocation based on read-level voltages. A data storage system may include a non-volatile memory device including a source region and a destination region. The destination region may include a first destination block and a second destination block. A controller may read first data in the source region using a first read-level voltage, and read second data in the source region using a second read-level voltage. The controller may associate, based on the first and second read-level voltages, each of the first data and the second data with a respective one of the first and the second destination blocks. The controller may cause each of the first and second data to be stored in the associated one of the first and second destination blocks.

Abstract: Provided is a microbial fuel cell including a cathode and an anode, wherein the cathode includes a waterproof gas diffusion layer including a siloxane and a catalyst layer including a binder, wherein a surface of the gas diffusion layer opposite the catalyst layer contacts air, and the anode includes electrogenic bacteria. Also provided is a method for making a microbial fuel cell, including fabricating a cathode, wherein fabricating includes disposing a siloxane solution onto a surface of a substrate, wherein the siloxane solution includes a siloxane and a solvent, drying the siloxane solution to form a waterproof gas diffusion layer, and placing the gas diffusion layer on a catalyst layer including a binder, and facing an anode with the cathode whereby the gas diffusion layer faces away from the anode and contacts air.

Abstract: Techniques for joining nodes and subcomponents are presented herein. An additively manufactured first node or subcomponent has a groove. An additively manufactured second node or subcomponent has a tongue configured to extend into and mate with the groove to form a tongue-and-groove connection between the first and second node or subcomponent. In some aspects, the tongue-groove connection may extend substantially around a periphery of the node or subcomponent. In other aspects, a first subcomponent having a fluid pipe interface may be coupled via a tongue-groove connection to a second subcomponent having a fluid pipe interface, thereby enabling fluid to flow between subcomponents of the resulting integrated component.

Abstract: A storage device is provided that applies pulsed biasing during power-up or read recovery. The storage device includes a memory and a controller. The memory includes a block having a word line and cells coupled to the word line. The controller applies a voltage pulse to the word line during power-up or in response to a read error. The voltage pulse may include an amplitude and a pulse width that are each a function of a number of P/E cycles of the block. The controller may also perform pulsed biasing during both power-up and read recovery by applying one or more first voltage pulses to the word line during power-up and one or more second voltage pulses to the word line in response to a read error. As a result, lower bit error rates due to wider Vt margins may occur and system power may be saved over constant biasing.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods directed to carbonation of a cement mix during mixing. The carbonation may be in a stationary mixer or a transportable mixer, such as a drum of a ready-mix truck.

Abstract: Provided are a Fail Bit (FB) repair solution determination method and device, which are applied to a chip including multiple subdomains. The chip further includes Redundancy (RD) circuits, and the RD circuits are configured to repair FBs in the subdomains. The method includes that: after one or more available RD circuits are determined for a target FB presently to be repaired in a subdomain, a reliability value of each available RD circuit is acquired from an RD circuit reliability list, the RD circuit reliability list including reliability values of multiple RD circuits, and a repair solution for the target FB in the subdomain is determined according to the reliability value of the available RD circuit. The reliability value of the RD circuit is obtained by performing big data analysis on relationships between generated FBs and RD circuits where NFBs are located in the RD circuits.

Abstract: Devices and techniques are generally described for class-agnostic object detection. In some examples, a first frame of image data comprising a first plurality of pixels may be received. First class-agnostic feature data representing the first plurality of pixels may be generated. A first object detection component may be used to determine that the first plurality of pixels corresponds to an arbitrary object represented in the first frame of image data based at least in part on the first class-agnostic feature data. Class-agnostic data indicating that the first plurality of pixels in the first frame of image data corresponds to the arbitrary object may be generated.

Abstract: Embodiments disclose a capacitor array structure and a method for fabricating a capacitor array structure. The method includes: after forming a first capacitor hole, providing a bonded wafer including a second substrate, a second supporting layer and a second sacrificial layer stacked in sequence, and bonding the bonded wafer to a stacked structure, wherein a surface of the second sacrificial layer away from the second supporting layer is a bonding surface; forming a second capacitor hole, the second capacitor hole penetrating into the bonded wafer at least along a thickness direction to expose the first capacitor hole, such that the first capacitor hole is connected with the second capacitor hole.

Abstract: The system may include a setup app that is configured to locate, track and/or analyze activities of living beings in an environment. The system may be configured for determining a temperature of an object in a space, based on infrared (IR) energy data of IR energy from the object, determining location coordinates of the object in the space, comparing the location coordinates of the object to location coordinates of a fixture and determining that the object is a human being, in response to the temperature of the object being within a range, and in response to the location coordinates of the object being distinct from the location coordinates of the fixture.

Abstract: Plasma systems for depositing biomolecules, pharmaceutical agents, and other therapeutic active agents onto surfaces are described. The systems may include a plasma device having one or more electrodes, a gas supply inlet, a plasma outlet exposed to ambient pressure, and an ignition system operatively connected to the electrodes for providing a non-thermal equilibrium plasma within the plasma chamber. A particulate delivery system may be used to introduce the active agent(s) as a dry powder into or downstream of the plasma, and to deposit the plasma-treated active agent(s) to produce a coating on a surface. The coating may retain the activity of the active agent(s).

Abstract: Individual nodes of a plurality of nodes can be fixed to the architectural structure and associated with a different segment of a plurality of segments of a first model of an architectural structure. Positional data associated with the nodes can be received. A structural change to the architectural structure can be estimated based on a comparison of positional data associated with the nodes. A second model representing the architectural structure as modified by the structural change can be generated. The second model can be generated based on (i) the first model and (ii) the estimated change to the architectural structure.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and related technologies for account access monitoring are described. In certain aspects, a login request associated with a device can be analyzed and a score determined. The score and a threshold can be used to determine whether to initiate an action.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically updating biometric data for a user by preferably retaining an ongoing digital collection of images/biometric captures/IOT (“Internet of Things”) captures taken over the life of the user. Changes in appearance of the user due to age, health, facial hair, hair color, hair length and many other evolutionary changes are automatically captured and contribute to the learning set. Accordingly, the system itself gets smarter and faster with every subsequent authentication. In one non-limiting embodiment, a target of the most recent 500 captures are retained, and tuning may suggest a greater number of captures should or could be used. Preferably, with each new capture the oldest capture in the ongoing digital collection is automatically deleted by the system.