Patents Assigned to The Massachusetts Institute Technology
  • Patent number: 10035706
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the formation of nanostructures, including carbon-based nanostructures, are generally described. In certain embodiments, substrate configurations and associated methods are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Stephen A. Steiner, III, Brian L. Wardle, Richard Li
  • Patent number: 10037477
    Abstract: Described embodiments detect changes in a scene over time using first and second images of the scene. A non-coherent intensity change detector detects large-scale changes between the first image and the second image and generates a large-scale change value for pairs of corresponding pixel locations in the first and second images. If the large-scale change value for a given pair of pixel locations reaches a threshold, a coherent change detector is used to detect small-scale changes between the first and second images. A small-scale change value is generated for the given pairs of pixel locations in the images. A composite change value is generated by combining the large-scale change value and the small-scale change value for each pixel pair. The change thresholds are used to determine whether a change in the scene has occurred over the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Miriam Cha, Rhonda D. Phillips, Patrick J. Wolfe, Christ D. Richmond
  • Patent number: 10035871
    Abstract: Among other things, the present disclosure provides compositions and methods for an elastomeric cross-linked polyester material. Such an elastomeric cross-linked polyester material, in some embodiments, comprises a plurality of polymeric units of the general formula (-A-B—)p, wherein p is an integer greater than 1; and a plurality of urethane cross-links each of which covalently links two polymeric units to one another, which two linked polymeric unit each had at least one free hydroxyl or amino group prior to formation of the crosslink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc., Biocant-Center of Innovation and Biotechnology
    Inventors: Robert S. Langer, Jeffrey M. Karp, Maria Jose Maio Nunes-Pereira, Ben Ouyang, Lino Da Silva Ferreira, Debanjan Sarkar
  • Patent number: 10036833
    Abstract: A superhydrophilic coating on a substrate can be antireflective and antifogging. The coating can remain antireflective and antifogging for extended periods. The coating can include oppositely charge inorganic nanoparticles, and can be substantially free of an organic polymer. The coating can be made mechanically robust by a hydrothermal calcination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Zekeriyya Gemici, Michael F. Rubner, Robert E. Cohen
  • Publication number: 20180206586
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to energy-harvesting articles of footwear, and associated components and methods. In some embodiments, an energy-harvesting article of footwear comprises a compressible bladder, a pneumatic motor fluidically connected to the compressible bladder, and an electric generator operatively coupled to the pneumatic motor. In some embodiments, energy is harvested by compressing a compressible bladder and flowing fluid from the compressible bladder through a pneumatic motor to generate power. Certain embodiments relate to pneumatic motor designs, and/or to methods of flowing fluid input through pneumatic motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Haluk Akay, Ruize Xu, Kelsey Seto, Sang-Gook Kim
  • Publication number: 20180212275
    Abstract: A class of sulfonimide salts for solid-state electrolytes can be synthesized based on successive SNAr reactions of fluorinated phenyl sulfonimides: Fluorinated Aryl Sulfonimide Tags (FAST). The chemical and electrochemical oxidative stability of these FAST salts as well as other properties like solubility, Lewis basicity, and conductivity can be tuned by introducing different numbers and types of nucleophilic functional groups to the FAST salt scaffold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicants: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeremiah Allen Johnson, Yang Shao-Horn, Robinson Anandakathir, Mao Chen, Shuting Feng, Livia Giordano, Mingjun Huang, Wenxu Zhang
  • Patent number: 10032615
    Abstract: Systems and methods for single cell culture and analysis by microscopy and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry are disclosed. The systems and methods isolate a plurality of cells in a plurality of wells such that a predetermined number of the plurality of wells contain one and only one cell. The plurality of wells allow for optical interrogation of the cells and subsequent matrix assisted laser desorption ionizing of molecules within the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignees: The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Nathalie Y. R. Agar, J. Christopher Love, Denis Loginov
  • Patent number: 10028697
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and techniques for a motion capture system and a three-dimensional (3D) tracking system used to record body position and/or movements/motions and using the data to measure skin strain (a strain field) all along the body while a joint is in motion (dynamic) as well as in a fixed position (static). The data and technique can be used to quantify strains, calculate 3D contours, and derive patterns believed to reveal skin's properties during natural motions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Dava J. Newman, Ashley M. Mateus
  • Patent number: 10030320
    Abstract: The invention relates to anti-sigma factors (“anti-sigmas”) that bind to sigma factors and block activation of transcription. Anti-sigmas and their cognate sigma factors provide a highly effective mechanism for regulating gene expression in genetic circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Virgil A. Rhodius, Christopher Voigt, Carol A. Gross
  • Patent number: 10028669
    Abstract: In illustrative implementations of this invention, a photoplethysmographic device measures variations of light that is reflected from, or transmitted through, human skin. In some implementations, the device includes a camera that takes the measurements remotely. In others, the device touches the skin during the measurements. The device includes a camera or other light sensor, which includes at least orange, green and cyan color channels. In some cases, such as a contact device, the device includes three or more colors of active light sources, including at least orange, green and cyan light sources. A computer analyzes the sensor data, in order to estimate a cardiac blood volume pulse wave. For each cardiac pulse, a computer detects the systolic peak and diastolic inflection of the wave, by calculating a second derivative of the wave. From the estimated wave, a computer estimates heart rate, heart rate variability and respiration rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel McDuff, Rosalind Picard, Sarah Gontarek
  • Patent number: 10030312
    Abstract: Power pulsing, such as current pulsing, is used to control the structures of metals and alloys electrodeposited in non-aqueous electrolytes. Using waveforms containing different types of pulses: cathodic, off-time and anodic, internal microstructure, such as grain size, phase composition, phase domain size, phase arrangement or distribution and surface morphologies of the as-deposited alloys can be tailored. Additionally, these alloys exhibit superior macroscopic mechanical properties, such as strength, hardness, ductility and density. Waveform shape methods can produce aluminum alloys that are comparably hard (about 5 GPa and as ductile (about 13% elongation at fracture) as steel yet nearly as light as aluminum; or, stated differently, harder than aluminum alloys, yet lighter than steel, at a similar ductility. Al—Mn alloys have been made with such strength to weight ratios. Additional properties can be controlled, using the shape of the current waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Shiyun Ruan, Christopher A. Schuh
  • Patent number: 10028958
    Abstract: Methods, compounds and kits relating to treating cancer, reducing kinase inhibitor or resistance, and reducing or preventing diminished ectodomain shedding are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Miles Aaron Miller, Madeleine Oudin, Aaron Samuel Meyer, Frank B. Gertler, Linda G. Griffith, Douglas A. Lauffenburger
  • Patent number: 10033034
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to lithium-sulfur batteries exhibiting a high capacity, high cycle life with low production cost and improved safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Junjie Niu, Akihiro Kushima, Chao Wang, Ju Li
  • Patent number: 10028661
    Abstract: Buffered body return receiver configurations are described. An amplifier for a receiver can be connected to two electrodes such that one of the two electrodes is connected to a non-inverting input of the amplifier and a second of the two electrodes is a driven node by being connected to both the inverting input of the amplifier and the output of the amplifier. The amplifier may be connected as a fully differential amplifier, a single-ended differential amplifier, a buffer, or an amplifier with a gain greater than 1, while still enabling improved channel gains with reduced power consumption at the transmitter from the signal source. The buffered body return receiver is suitable for scenarios in which a signal source is electrically independent of the power supply of the receiver's amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Grant S. Anderson, Charles G. Sodini
  • Patent number: 10030253
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing long DNA constructs from oligonucleotide precursors directly within a microfluidic device uses several oligonucleotides at once. A precursor mix containing at least two oligonucleotide precursors with at least partial base complementarity is introduced into an input of a microfluidic chip and at least one cycle of at least one gene synthesis protocol is applied to fabricate a DNA construct containing the sequence of at least two oligonucleotide precursors. A method for the synthesis of a modified DNA construct includes electroporating at least one oligonucleotide encoding for at least one point mutation and having homology with at least one DNA region of a target cell into the target cell and incorporating the oligonucleotide into the target cell DNA through the action of recombination protein beta or a recombination protein beta functional homolog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David Kong, Peter A. Carr, Joseph M. Jacobson
  • Publication number: 20180205020
    Abstract: In one aspect, compositions comprising emissive compounds including polycyclic aromatic groups are provided. In some embodiments, the emissive compounds may include various moieties having desirable physical and electronic properties. In some embodiments, the compositions may be useful for use in, for example, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), chemical sensors, organic photovoltaics, and other devices. An advantageous feature of some embodiments described herein is the ability to tune the electronic properties of the compositions in order to suit a particular application. For example, compositions comprising emissive compounds described herein may exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and may be useful as emissive chromophores in e.g., OLED devices. In other cases, the compositions may exhibit high-lying triplet states and may be able to trap various triplet emitters, for use as e.g., host materials for OLED devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Hiroyuki Tsujimoto, Georgios Markopoulos, Dong-Gwang Ha, Marc A. Baldo
  • Patent number: 10027399
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for -based, delay-efficient data transmission for broadcasting a single file is presented. A file (f) comprised of K packets to be broadcast to a plurality of receivers is determined. A plurality of packets (Pk) of the file are selected for transmission during a timeslot (t). Next, a linear combination of the selected packets (P[t]) are produced, the linear combination of packets are selected at random within the file. The linear combination of selected packets is then transmitted to a plurality of receivers over unreliable channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Muriel Medard, Atilla Eryilmaz, Asuman Ozdaglar
  • Patent number: 10024723
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting electromagnetic radiation within a target frequency range is provided. The apparatus includes a substrate and one or more resonator structures disposed on the substrate. The substrate can be a dielectric or semiconductor material. Each of the one or more resonator structures has at least one dimension that is less than the wavelength of target electromagnetic radiation within the target frequency range, and each of the resonator structures includes at least two conductive structures separated by a spacing. Charge carriers are induced in the substrate near the spacing when the resonator structures are exposed to the target electromagnetic radiation. A measure of the change in conductivity of the substrate due to the induced charge carriers provides an indication of the presence of the target electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harold Y. Hwang, Mengkun Liu, Richard D. Averitt, Keith A. Nelson, Aaron Sternbach, Kebin Fan
  • Patent number: 10022542
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure features systems for providing auditory signals to a subject. The systems include a sensor front-end circuit configured to be connected to an acoustic sensor and to convert analog signals received from the acoustic sensor to digital electric signals. The systems further include a sound processor circuit configured to be connected to the sensor front-end circuit and receive the electric signals provided by the sensor front end circuit. The sound processor includes multiple filters that spectrally decompose the received electrical signals into multiple spectral channels during operation of the system. The multiple spectral channels include at least a low frequency channel and a high frequency channel and the sound processor circuit is configured to operate the low frequency channel at a sample rate lower than a sample rate of the high frequency channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignees: Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Marcus Yip, Anantha Chandrakasan, Konstantina Stankovic
  • Patent number: 10024860
    Abstract: Proteomic methods for identifying cancer related proteins and related products and kits are provided. The cancer specific proteins are extracellular matrix proteins that are associated with various aspects of cancer. Panels or signature sets of proteins useful in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancers as well as monitoring therapeutic progress in a cancer patient are provided herein along with methods for their detection and for their use in targeting imaging and/or therapeutic agents to the tumors via binding to the specified proteins. The proteins were identified using proteomics analyzes of tissue samples taken from cancer patients. In certain aspects the proteins are particularly useful in colon cancer patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The General Hospital Corporation, The Broad Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard O. Hynes, Alexandra Naba, Karl Clauser, Steven A. Carr, Kenneth Tanabe