Abstract: A system including sensors and a controller for cooperative escape zone detection for a group of vehicles are provided. The sensors obtain driving condition information indicating driving environments and vehicle conditions for the group of vehicles. For each vehicle, the controller determines, based on the driving environment of the vehicle, one or more distances associated with the vehicle that are between the vehicle and one or more obstacles that surround the vehicle and determines an escape zone status for the vehicle based on the one or more distances and the driving environment and the vehicle condition of the vehicle. When the escape zone status of one in the group of vehicles fails to satisfy a pre-defined condition, the controller sends one or more control signals to one or more vehicles in the group of vehicles to create an additional escape zone for the one in the group of vehicles.

Abstract: An artificial muscle assembly includes initiating actuators and an artificial muscle. The artificial muscle includes a housing including an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region. The electrode pair includes a first electrode and a second electrode fixed to respective first and second surfaces of the housing. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a central opening defining the expandable fluid region. The electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs a dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region. Each initiating actuator is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state applies a force against the electrode region of the artificial muscle.

Abstract: A hybrid actuation device includes an artificial muscle, a first plate coupled to a second plate, and a shape memory alloy wire. The artificial muscle includes a housing, a first electrode and a second electrode, and a dielectric fluid. The housing includes a first film layer, a second film layer, an electrode region, and an expandable fluid region. The first electrode and the second electrode are each disposed in the electrode region of the housing. The dielectric fluid is disposed within the housing. The first plate and the second plate are positioned within the housing, the first plate positioned between the first film layer and the first electrode, and the second plate positioned between the second film layer and the second electrode. The shape memory alloy wire extends from the first plate to the second plate and through the dielectric fluid.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a bi-functional thermal cooling system. The bi-functional thermal cooling system includes a first body, a second body, and a third body. The second body has a first plurality of Weyl semimetal nanostructures. The second body is spaced apart from the first body. The third body has a second plurality of Weyl semimetal nanostructures. The third body is spaced apart from the second body. The second body and the third body are each configured to independently rotate with respect to the first body to change an optical property of the first plurality of Weyl semimetal nanostructures of the second body and an optical property of the second plurality of Weyl semimetal nanostructures of the third body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are power electronics assemblies which include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of conductive layers and a cold plate contacting the PCB. The cold plate includes a manifold constructed from an electrically insulating material and including a first cavity and a second cavity. The cold plate further includes a first heat sink positioned in the first cavity and thermally coupled to the plurality of conductive layers. The cold plate further includes a second heat sink positioned in the second cavity and thermally coupled to the plurality of conductive layers.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate a tunable heat transfer system. The tunable heat transfer system includes a controller, a first body, and a second body. The first body is communicatively coupled to the controller. The second body is communicatively coupled to the controller and spaced apart from the first body. The second body has a plurality of semimetal layers and a dielectric portion positioned between each of the plurality of semimetal layers. Each of the dielectric portions has a thickness to define a gap between each the plurality of semimetal layers in an expanded state and permitting each of the plurality of semimetal layers to abut each other in a contracted state. The controller is configured to change a near-field radiative heat transfer between the first body and the second body by changing the thickness of each of the dielectric portions between the expanded state and the contracted state.

Abstract: An artificial muscle assembly includes an electronic device and a power supply. The electronic device includes a flexible terminal having a contact surface. The power supply includes a rigid power supply connector electrically coupled to the terminal of the electronic device. The power supply connector having a contact surface. A spacer provided between and in contact with the contact surface of the terminal and the contact surface of the power supply connector. The spacer is physically compliant and electrically conductive.

Abstract: A method is provided including receiving a planned route of a vehicle and a request to download content from a cloud server, the planned route traveling through an area covered by a plurality of edge servers, determining a state comprising possible connections between the vehicle and each of the plurality of edge servers at a plurality of time steps during the planned route, inputting the state to a trained model, the model being trained to output an action comprising a partition of the content across the plurality of edge servers that minimizes latency of transmission of the content from the cloud server to the vehicle via the plurality of edge servers, based on the state, and partitioning the content across the plurality of edge servers based on the action out by the trained mode.

Abstract: A telepresence robot is provided including a controller. The controller is programmed to, after establishing a remote connection with a remote user, monitor movement of a tracked individual, detect when the tracked individual has entered an office space, and upon determination that the tracked individual has entered the office space, identify the office space and transfer a connection with the remote user from the telepresence robot to a device in the office space.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to computing positions for manufacturing elements of an antenna array using randomization and gradient operations that suppress side-lobe power. In one embodiment, a method includes computing positions for elements on an antenna array within a placement area using randomization that accounts for varying quantities of the elements according to a distance constraint and a side-lobe power. The method also includes adjusting the placement area according to a location associated with one of the elements. The method also includes optimizing, in response to the elements satisfying criteria after predetermined iterations, the positions for a physical layout of the antenna array using a gradient operation according to the side-lobe power.

Abstract: A catalyst for direct decomposition removal of NOx from an exhaust gas stream to N2 and O2, the catalyst comprising a dual dispersed supported metal oxide material, which comprises MOx—CuOx dispersed on a CO3O4 spinel oxide support, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ce, Mg, Tb, and Gd. The dual dispersed supported metal oxide catalysts have good activity and selectivity for N2.

Abstract: A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle, the steering wheel assembly including a steering wheel frame and a tactile notification device coupled to the steering wheel frame. The tactile notification device includes a mounting frame, a first set of disks arranged around and coupled to the first mounting frame, and an actuator operatively coupled to the first set of disks. The actuator is configured to rotate the set of disks.

Abstract: A device is provided for use with an external server and a GPS network configured to provide geodetic location data. The external server being configured to provide current time data and sunset time data. The device includes: a display device configured to display a map and a modified map; a memory; and a processor configured to execute instructions stored on the memory to cause the device to: receive the geodetic location data and obtain the geodetic location; receive the current time data and obtain the current time; receive the sunset time data and obtain the sunset time; determine a driving range-area based on the sunset time, the current time, and the geodetic location; and instruct the display device to display the modified map, wherein the modified map includes a modified driving-range area based on the geodetic location, the current time and the sunset time.

Abstract: Liftgate assemblies with accessory hooks are disclosed. A liftgate assembly includes a door assembly movable in a vehicle vertical direction to an open position. The door assembly includes an interior surface panel, at least one hook disposed on the interior surface panel, and a controller communicatively coupled to the door assembly. The controller is configured to determine a presence of an item suspended from the hook when the door assembly is in the open position, transmit an alert, and prevent the door assembly from closing.

Abstract: A power electronics module includes a heat sink structurally configured to dissipate thermal energy, an electrically-insulating layer directly contacting the heat sink, a conductive substrate positioned on and in direct contact with the electrically-insulating layer, a power electronics device positioned on and in direct contact with the conductive substrate, a printed circuit board layer that at least partially encapsulates the conductive substrate and the power electronics device, and a driver circuit component positioned on a surface of the printed circuit board layer.

Abstract: A head mounted display apparatus includes a display unit having an optical member, one or more elastically deformable position adjustment members operable to flexibly mount the optical member, and one or more light sources. The optical member has a reflective surface to direct rendered visual content towards an eye of a user. The elastically deformable position adjustment member(s) are moveable between a contracted state and an expanded state to adjust a spatial orientation of the optical member in a manner that adjusts a spatial orientation of the rendered visual content relative to the eye of the user. The elastically deformable position adjustment member(s) has one or more photochromatic regions that are moveable in response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light emitted by the light sources.

Abstract: A vehicle, a vehicle fuel reactant leak detection system, a computer program product, and a computer implemented method of detecting leakage of a fuel reactant from a vehicle. The vehicle includes one or more fuel cell modules, a fuel supply source to supply a fuel reactant to the one or more fuel cell modules via a high-pressure fuel supply line, a fuel supply valve configured to open and close fuel reactant flow through the high-pressure fuel supply line, and a computing device, operatively connected to the fuel supply source. The computing device includes one or more processors caused to conduct, in response to a detection as sensor data of pressure in the high-pressure fuel supply line when the vehicle engine is in a non-operating state, fuel pressure analysis of the sensor data, and detect, based on the fuel pressure analysis, leakage of the fuel reactant at the fuel supply valve.

Abstract: A light apparatus includes an optical member, composed of an elastically deformable material, having a reflective surface to reflect light. The optical member moveable between a first state in which the reflective surface has a first structural shape, and a plurality of second states in which the reflective surface has a second structural shape different than the first structural shape. Elastically deformable position adjustment members are operable to move the optical member between the first state and the plurality of second states. The elastically deformable position adjustment members have one or more photochromatic regions that are moveable in response to exposure to UV light. Light sources are operable to selectively emit illuminating UV light in a direction that contacts the one or more photochromatic regions to thereby adjust an orientation of the optical member in a manner which changes a direction of light reflected by the optical member.

Abstract: A passive thermal regulation system includes a substrate and a coating. The coating is positioned to encapsulate at least a portion of the substrate. The coating includes a first hydrogel layer and a second hydrogel layer. The first hydrogel layer has a plurality of carbon materials configured to absorb a solar radiation. The second hydrogel layer includes a hydrogel that is different from the first hydrogel layer. The coating, at a first temperature, causes the passive thermal regulation system to passively switch from a solar reflective state to solar absorber state to permit the plurality of carbon materials to absorb the solar radiation. At a second temperature, the coating causes the system to passively switch from the solar absorber state to the solar reflective state where the hydrogel of the second hydrogel layer inhibits the solar radiation from absorption. The second temperature is greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly that includes a cold plate assembly and one or more power device assemblies. The cold plate assembly has a manifold having a heat sink cavity in a first surface and a heat sink that includes one or more substrate cavities. The heat sink is positioned in the heat sink cavity. The one or more power device assemblies are positioned within the one or more substrate cavities. Each power device assembly includes an S-cell, a power device, and a direct bonded metal substrate bonded to the S-Cell. The S-cell includes a base layer constructed at least of graphite or a graphite-composite, a conductive layer at least partially surrounding the base layer, and a power device cavity. The power device is positioned in the power device cavity and is electrically coupled to the conductive layer.