Abstract: The methods and systems described herein provide a cell culture platform with an array of tissue modeling environments and dynamic control of fluid flow. The cell culture platform includes an array of wells that are fluidically coupled by microchannel structures. The dynamically controlled flow of fluid interacts with cells grown within the microchannels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleansing blood are disclosed herein. The methods include acoustically separating target particles from elements of whole blood. The whole blood and capture particles are flowed through a microfluidic separation channel formed in a thermoplastic. At least one bulk acoustic transducer is attached to the microfluidic separation channel. A standing acoustic wave, imparted on the channel and its contents by the bulk acoustic transducer, drives the formed elements of the blood and target particles to specific aggregation axes.

Abstract: A hardware system is configured for, and a method of, generating detail-rich gradient-based disparity maps in real-time using an automated gradient-based disparity map classification process that is scalable, can be used under different environment conditions with little to no restrictions, and whose level of precision can be adjusted in a scalable manner. Highly accurate cross-spectral stereo matching methods may be used for search and rescue operations and work at day time and night time using current and past visual and full infrared imaging to generate, classify, and identify scenes in real-time with minimum constraints. Such system and methods may be used to improve operations of existing search and rescue equipment.

Abstract: A compressive/transform imager comprising a lens array positioned above input ports for collecting light into the input ports, waveguides routing the light from the input port to waveguide mixing regions (e.g. multi-mode interference couplers), and detectors for receiving outputs of the waveguide mixing regions.

Abstract: A system and method operate on a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first device has a control system and a cryptographic communications module. The second device has a key generator, a user interface, and a cryptographic communications module. The second device generates a single-mission cryptographic key that is securely programmed into the first device, and the first device is deployed to a remote location. The user interface receives a command for controlling the first device. The second device encrypts the command according to the cryptographic key, and transmits the encrypted command to the first device. The first device authenticates the command, decrypts it, and passes the decrypted command to the control system. The first device may be actively guided ordnance, and the second device may be a control element for controlling the actively guided ordnance. The key may be automatically obfuscated upon mission completion or termination.

Abstract: An ensemble of motion sensors is tested under known conditions to automatically ascertain instrument biases, which are modeled as autoregressive-moving-average (ARMA) processes in order to construct a Kalman filter. The calibration includes motion profiles, temperature profiles and vibration profiles that are operationally significant, i.e., designed by means of covariance analysis or other means to maximize, or at least improve, the observability of the calibration model's structure and coefficients relevant to the prospective application of each sensor.

Abstract: A composition for use in extending a molecular chain includes a carrier group and a payload group. The carrier group comprising a signaling group and a blocking group. A first bond bonds the payload group to the carrier group and a second bond bonds the signaling group to the blocking group. The first and second bonds are selectively cleavable such that the first bond is cleavable without cleaving the second bond. The payload group is to be attached to the molecular chain, while the blocking group is to block further attachments to the molecular chain once the payload group has been attached. The signaling group comprises a photon emitter that emits a signature photon in response to interrogation by an interrogatory photon. The carrier group transitions from a loaded state to an empty state upon cleavage of the first covalent bond.

Abstract: A probabilistic landmark navigation system is arranged to obtain from one or more image sensors one or more terrain images of a target terrain to be traversed by a vehicle. The terrain images are characterized by multiple individually non-distinctive terrain features without distinctively identifiable landmark features. The non-distinctive terrain features in the one or more terrain images are compared to map database information to make a non-temporal probabilistic determination of absolute location coordinates to associate with the non-distinctive terrain features. Then a navigation path is determined for the vehicle across the target terrain based on the absolute location coordinates.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, at an autonomous vehicle, reported data regarding an object in proximity to the autonomous vehicle. The data is collected by a collecting device external to the autonomous vehicle, and is relayed to the autonomous vehicle via a server. The reported data includes a current location, type, or predicted location of the object. The method further includes determining whether the reported data of the object matches an object in an object list determined by on-board sensors of the autonomous vehicle. If the determination finds a found object in the object list, the method correlates the reported data of the object to the found object in the object list. Otherwise, the method adds the reported data of the object to an object list of objects detected by sensor from on-board sensors of the autonomous vehicle. In embodiments, the collecting device is a mobile device.

Abstract: A hardware system is configured for, and a method of, generating detail-rich gradient-based disparity maps in real-time using an automated gradient-based disparity map classification process that is scalable, can be used under different environment conditions with little to no restrictions, and whose level of precision can be adjusted in a scalable manner. Highly accurate cross-spectral stereo matching methods may be used for search and rescue operations and work at day time and night time using current and past visual and full infrared imaging to generate, classify, and identify scenes in real-time with minimum constraints. Such system and methods may be used to improve operations of existing search and rescue equipment.

Abstract: An electrostatic motor includes a cylindrical rotor and a stator. Electrodes are disposed on an inside cylindrical surface of the stator. Electrets and/or electrically conductive electrodes are disposed on the cylindrical rotor and a dielectric fluid fills space between the rotor and the stator to prevent discharge of the electrets. A mask is used to charge portions of an electret cylinder or other curved surface.

Abstract: A monostatic optical system adaptable for use as a circulator in a LiDAR system wherein the monostatic optical system includes a photonic integrated circuit and a first light detector. The photonic integrated circuit includes a nonlinear optical device. For example, the device may be a ring resonator or a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Transmitted light pulses are of sufficient power to alter the optical characteristics of the nonlinear optical device, whereas received reflected light is of low power thereby traveling on a different path to the first light detector. A feedback monitor and tuner may be included to tune the optical characteristics of the nonlinear optical device.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and method for microfluidic separation. More particularly, the disclosure describes a system and method for the purification of a fluid by the removal of undesired particles. The device includes microfluidic separation channels that include multiple outlets. The device also includes isolation slots positioned between each of the microfluidic separation channels. The device's base includes multiple acoustic transducers which in some implementations are configured to protrude into the isolation slots. The acoustic transducers are configured to generate aggregation axes within the separation channels, which are used to separate out undesired particles.

Abstract: The invention provides method of fabricating a scaffold comprising a fluidic network, including the steps of: (a) generating an initial vascular layer for enclosing the chamber and providing fluid to the cells, the initial vascular layer having a network of channels for fluid; (b) translating the initial vascular layer into a model for fluid dynamics analysis; (c) analyzing the initial vascular layer based on desired parameters selected from the group consisting of a characteristic of a specific fluid, an input pressure, an output pressure, an overall flow rate and combinations thereof to determine sheer stress and velocity within the network of channels; (d) measuring the sheer stress and the velocity and comparing the obtained values to predetermined values; (e) determining if either of the shear stress or the velocity are greater than or less than the predetermined values, and (f) optionally modifying the initial vascular layer and repeating steps (b)-(e).

Abstract: A reservoir provided in a hard-point fixture is pre-loaded with a curable adhesive, where the reservoir is protected from the curing radiation. The fixture is placed on a target surface and the adhesive is extruded from the reservoir into a space between the fixture and the target surface. An irradiating device to cure the adhesive is provided in the fixture and activated to couple the fixture to the surface. Once the curing process is complete, the fixture is released from the placement system leaving the fixture affixed to the target surface.

Abstract: A communication system for a hypersonic vehicle uses a distributed antenna system, an impedance matching circuit that provides impedance matching between a transmitter and/or receiver and the selected one or more antennas of the distributed antennas system and a surrounding plasma sheath, near-field probes to determine impedance of the plasma sheath adjacent to each of the probes and thus predict behavior of the respective antennas near the probes, and a control system that selectively connects a transmitter and/or receiver to one or more of the antennas based upon the antennas that are seeing the most favorable transmission or reception characteristics and controlling the impedance matching is to provide impedance matching for the selected antennas.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus automatically determine a location, such as of an aircraft or spacecraft, by matching images of terrain below the craft, as captured by a camera, radar, etc. in the craft, with known or predicted terrain landmark data stored in an electronic data store. A star tracker measures attitude of the camera. An additional navigation aiding sensor provides additional navigational data. Optionally, a rangefinder measures altitude of the camera above the terrain. A navigation filter uses the attitude, the additional navigational data, and optionally the altitude, to resolve attitude, and optionally altitude, ambiguities and thereby avoid location solution errors common in prior art terrain matching navigation systems.

Abstract: A light steeling system and method for diffractive steering of electromagnetic radiation such as visible light is disclosed. Embodiments of the light steering system include leaky-mode SAW modulators as light modulator devices. The SAW modulators preferably include reflective diffractive gratings. The gratings are mounted to/patterned upon an exit face that opposes an exit surface of the SAW modulator, in one example. Steering of light signals emitted from the SAW modulators in these systems can be accomplished by varying wavelength of light signals introduced to the SAW modulators, and/or by varying frequency of RF drive signals applied to the SAW modulators. In addition, light field generators that incorporate SAW modulators of the proposed light steering system within displays of the light field generators are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques are described for metadata processing that can be used to encode an arbitrary number of security policies for code running on a processor. Metadata may be added to every word in the system and a metadata processing unit nay be used that works in parallel with data flow to enforce an arbitrary set of policies. In one aspect, the metadata may be characterized as unbounded and software programmable to be applicable to a wide range of metadata processing policies. Techniques and policies have a wide range of uses including, for example, safety, security, and synchronization. Additionally, described are aspects and techniques in connection with metadata processing in an embodiment based on the RISC-V architecture.

Abstract: The invention provides microfluidic devices, methods for imaging cells, and methods for preparing such microfluidic devices. The microfluidic devices are contemplated to provide advantages for use in imaging of cells and subcellular compartments in an environment that mimics in vivo conditions. The microfluidic devices can used with a microscope equipped with an oil emersion objective lens.