Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system comprising: a hydrogen fuel cell; a fuel storage tank; a regulator coupled to the storage tank and the fuel cell; an electronic auto pilot; a rechargeable battery; a power electronics module for delivering power from the fuel cell to the autopilot and the battery; and a heat exchanger coupled to the fuel cell. The fuel cell is characterized by: a minimum continuous power output of no more than 25 W; a maximum continuous power output of no less than 5000 W; a specific power of at least 200 W/kg based on the mass of the fuel cell and any control electronics, cooling components, air delivery components, and water management components; an ability to operate at least 2 psig of hydrogen at an inlet; and an ability to operate at temperatures up to 90° C.

Abstract: A method for locally annealing and crystallizing a thin film by directing ultrashort optical pulses from an ultrafast laser into the film. The ultrashort pulses can selectively produce an annealed pattern and/or activate dopants on the surface or within the film.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fiber having a sheath including a polymer and a core including a non-cholesteric liquid crystal. The sheath is transparent to visible light. The fiber may an average diameter of no more than 10 microns, and at least 90% of the fiber has a diameter within 20% of the average diameter. The sheath may include a compound capable of photoisomerization that extends into the core. The interference color of the fiber may be reversibly changed by exposure to light or a temperature change.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for the production of HF in an electron-beam generated plasma. A gas containing fluorine, hydrogen, and an inert gas such as argon, e.g., Ar/SF6/H2O or Ar/SF6/NH3 flows into a plasma treatment chamber to produce a low pressure gas in the chamber. An electron beam directed into the gas forms a plasma from the gas, with energy from the electron beam dissociating the F-containing molecules, which react with H-containing gas to produce HF in the plasma. Although the concentration of the gas phase HF in the plasma is a very small fraction of the total gas in the chamber, due to its highly reactive nature, the low concentration of HF produced by the method of the present invention is enough to modify the surfaces of materials, performing the same function as aqueous HF solutions to remove oxygen from an exposed material.

Abstract: A memristive multi-terminal spiking neuron apparatus, comprising a non-volatile memristor, wherein the non-volatile memristor has a resistance ratio between the high-resistance and low-resistance states exceeding 4 decades of magnitude, wherein the non-volatile memristor retains its resistance states for a time period exceeding 1 second, a volatile memristor, wherein the volatile memristor retains its low-resistance state for a time period of less than 10 nanoseconds, and a capacitor, wherein the volatile memristor is in parallel with the capacitor. A method of making a programmable electrical spiking output from a memristive multi-terminal spiking neuron, comprising providing one or more devices wherein each device comprises a non-volatile memristor, a volatile memristor, wherein the volatile memristor is in parallel with the capacitor, providing a first input spiking signal to a neuron device, providing a second input spiking signal, and creating a programmable spiking output signal which changes.

Abstract: A pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) includes a bladder containing, internal to the bladder, the other components of the PAM: at least one valve controlling pneumatic pressure inside the bladder; at least one sensor configured to sense pressure inside the bladder; and at least one signal conditioning device, thereby providing a self-contained, volume-efficient, simple interface for the PAM.

Abstract: A central payload manager device may include a network switch, a central payload manager processing device, a plurality of connecting interfaces, a plurality of sensor processing devices connected to corresponding ones of the connecting interfaces and to the network switch, a cell modem or radio link connected to one or more of the connecting interfaces and to the network switch, a data storage device connected to the processing device, wherein the data storage device is configured to receive and store infoimation from the plurality of sensor processing devices and from the cell modem or radio link via the network switch and the central payload manager processing device; and an iridium modern connecting to the central payload manager processing device and to a corresponding one of the connecting interfaces, wherein the iridium modem is configured to receive and transmit the stored information from the data storage device to an iridium antenna.

Abstract: Physical-layer authentication based on the channel response over a wireless medium are described. In a first authentication scheme, a count is kept of how many significant multipath taps remain empty or occupied from one channel estimate to the next for authentication purposes. In a second authentication scheme, which does not require an alternative means of initial authentication, the presence of a multipath component based on a reported position of a transmitter and the side knowledge of planar reflectors in the environment may be leveraged for authentication purposes.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns electrically conducting poly(pyrazoles). The concept of oligomerizing and polymerizing substituted aminopyrazole derivatives combined with a monomer activation procedure involving base-mediated conversion of the protonated pyrazole ring nitrogen to amine salt was developed. This disclosure concerns the specific chemistries needed for the synthesis of a pyrazole monomer used in the polymer synthesis. The procedure used for blending the novel polypyrazoles with other compounds needed for construction of solar cells for testing was developed. This disclosure concerns the concept of using these types of heteroatom-rich, electron-deficient oligomers or polymers as n-dopable or p-dopable electron acceptors in photovoltaic cells. This disclosure concerns synthesizing the starting monomer compounds and polypyrazoles.

Abstract: An optically-monitored and/or optically-controlled electronic device is described. The device includes at least one of a semiconductor transistor or a semiconductor diode. An optical detector is configured to detect light emitted by the at least one of the semiconductor transistor or the semiconductor diode during operation. A signal processor is configured to communicate with the optical detector to receive information regarding the light detected. The signal processor is further configured to provide information concerning at least one of an electrical current flowing in, a temperature of, or a condition of the at least one of the semiconductor transistor or the semiconductor diode during operation.

Abstract: Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.

Abstract: An electro-optical liquid crystal cell comprising a first substrate, a first layer of indium tin oxide (ITO) on the first substrate, a first layer of WSe2 on the first layer of ITO on the first substrate, and a layer of liquid crystal on the first layer of WSe2 on the first layer of ITO on the first substrate. Furthermore, the electro-optical liquid crystal cell can comprise a second layer of WSe2, a second layer of ITO, and a second substrate. This WSe2 cell exhibits the required electro-optic effect needed for a liquid crystal display. This WSe2 cell exhibits high optical transmission.

Abstract: A method for non-invasively imaging plasma parameters has been invented. Crossed dipole pairs are used to differentiate changes in the measured complex self- and mutual impedances due to plasma density and magnetic field. Measurements of the complex self-impedance and mutual impedance between pairs of antennas over a wide range of frequencies provide spatial information to create an image of the plasma density and magnetic field. The spectral information is acquired simultaneously using a Gaussian monopulse as the driver signal.

Abstract: A nanoparticle (NP)-peptide conjugate provides efficient steric hindrance/blockage of cellular membrane potassium (K+) channels to mediate depolarization of cellular membrane potential.

Abstract: A fuel cell membrane electrode assembly having: a proton exchange membrane, an anode catalyst coating on one side of the membrane, and a cathode catalyst coating on the other side of the membrane. The cathode catalyst coating has at least two carbon catalyst layers, with a low porosity layer adjacent to a high porosity layer. The high porosity layers have a volume fraction that is higher than the volume fraction of the low porosity layers.

Abstract: A liquid crystal (LC) beam steerer includes a waveguide apparatus with a waveguide having a high-index core in contact with a variable-index liquid crystal (LC) cladding, wherein a voltage applied to the LC cladding is effective to steer a beam of light passing through the high-index core. Measuring the bulk birefringence and/or the capacitance characteristics of the LC can facilitate beam steering.

Abstract: A system for mechanical testing a specimen includes a 3D printed mechanical testing fixture; a linear actuator having an axis of movement; a controller configured to control the linear actuator; two cameras; a data-acquisition system configured to acquire data from the linear actuator, the controller, and the two cameras; and the specimen. The specimen is marked in two locations with tracking markers to provide indication to the data acquisition system via at least one camera of movement and change in length of the specimen. The fixture includes force-sensing beams extending perpendicular to the axis of force.

Abstract: An interpenetrating network (IPN) polymer membrane material includes a soft polyurethane interspersed with a crosslinked conducting polymer. The material can be reversibly “switched” between its oxidized and reduced states by the application of a small voltage, ˜1 to 4 volts, thus modulating its diffusivity.

Abstract: Peptides that form adhesive bonds, even in aqueous and/or saline environments, are disclosed. When aggregated, the peptides may be used in methods for producing hydrogels and/or adhesive materials. Synthetic peptide analogs are provided that are designed based on protein sequences found in barnacle adhesive, and may optionally be augmented with chemistry from other organisms that secrete proteins that adhere to substrates. The peptides may be used, for example, in biomedical and aqueous applications. Methods of using the aggregated peptides as adhesives are also provided.

Abstract: This disclosure teaches methods for making high-temperature superconducting striated tape combinations and the product high-temperature superconducting striated tape combinations. This disclosure describes an efficient and scalable method for aligning and bonding two superimposed high-temperature superconducting (HTS) filamentary tapes to form a single integrated tape structure. This invention aligns a bottom and top HTS tape with a thin intervening insulator layer with microscopic precision, and electrically connects the two sets of tape filaments with each other. The insulating layer also reinforces adhesion of the top and bottom tapes, mitigating mechanical stress at the electrical connections. The ability of this method to precisely align separate tapes to form a single tape structure makes it compatible with a reel-to-reel production process.