Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming vascular-like channels involves liquid-in-liquid 3D printing utilizing two polymer solutions used as a printing ink and a matrix. Anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) is one of the polymer solutions and acts as the matrix material. Chitosan is the other polymer solution and acts as the printing ink. The chitosan printing ink is extruded through a print nozzle of a 3D printer onto the APAM matrix which covers the bottom of a petri dish while the nozzle is moved in a desired pattern for the channels. The chitosan and APAM polymer complexes self-assemble on the ink-matrix interface, locking chitosan polymers inside the matrix before they can spread and causing the formation of soft elastic membranous walls. The chitosan ink and APAM matrix can be removed after the polymer complex self-assembly. The printed chamber with membranous walls allows for liquid infusion to work as fluidic channels.

Abstract: A biokinetic energy collection apparatus and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes: a counter weight, configured to oscillate with a movement of a wearer, to convert a mechanical energy generated by the movement into kinetic energy of the counter weight; a rotating frame, mechanically coupled to the counter weight, and configured to receive the kinetic energy from the counter weight; a planetary gear train, mechanically coupled to the rotating frame, to rotate as the rotating frame moves; and a stator assembly and a rotor assembly, coupled to each other, where the stator assembly includes a coil, the rotor assembly includes a rotor and a third permanent magnet located on the rotor, and the rotor is mechanically coupled to the planetary gear train and receives the kinetic energy from the planetary gear train, to cause the third permanent magnet to rotate with the rotor.

Abstract: A method for learning-based point cloud geometry compression includes: given a source point cloud, regressing an aligned mesh that is driven by a set of parameters from a deformable template mesh, quantizing the set of parameters into a parameter bitstream, generating an aligned point cloud from the quantized parameters by mesh manipulation and mesh-to-point-cloud conversion, extracting features from both the source point cloud and the aligned point cloud based on sparse tensors including coordinates and features, the coordinates being encoded into a coordinate bitstream, warping the features of the aligned point cloud onto the coordinates of the source point cloud, obtaining residual features through feature subtraction, processing the residual features using an entropy model into a residual feature bitstream, and obtaining a reconstructed point cloud by processing the parameter bitstream, the coordinate bitstream and the residual feature bitstream.

Abstract: This invention provides parasitic millirobots that can effectively adapt to an unstructured environment and coherently interact with diverse objects in order to fulfil various application needs. Particularly, a minimalist millirobot construction strategy by splashing composited agglutinate magnetic spray (M-spray) is adopted, which is capable of self-turning multifarious milli-/centi-objects into parasitic millirobots on-demand. Through taking full advantage of the objects' inherent structure and a covered thin drivable film, the M-spray demonstrates superior handling (from 1-D to 3-D structures) and loading capabilities (up to thousand-fold and hundred-fold of its volume and weight, respectively) while with neglectable size increment (as low as 1%) to target.

Abstract: An ammonium acetate selected from the group of pentylammonium acetate, phenylethylammonium acetate, 2-([1,1?-biphenyl]-4-yl) ethan-1-amine acetate, butanammonium acetate, hexylammonium acetate, octylammonium acetate, phenylbutanammonium acetate, and any combination thereof, is used to modify a perovskite layer in a perovskite solar cell. A perovskite solar cell includes a perovskite layer and an interface modification layer that is in contact with the perovskite layer and includes at least one ammonium acetate provided herein. A method of preparing the inverted perovskite solar cell.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a stretchable and flexible sweat-activated graphene-coated Ni foam-based Mg—O2 battery capable of powering an intelligent and flexible electronics for health monitoring purposes with different biosensors.

Abstract: A wearable haptic modulation device for real-time simulation of texture properties of a material surface in mixed reality environments is provided. Particularly, it includes a U-shaped pneumatic actuator surrounds a user's fingertip, a finger-housing support creating a space for fingertip containment, a resonant actuator on the finger-housing support generating vibrotactile feedback to enhance perceived roughness on touched physical surfaces, and a pneumatic control system generating pneumatic actuation to reduce the perceived roughness on touched physical surface. Notably, the U-shaped pneumatic actuator allows direct contact of the user's fingerpad with the touched physical surface.

Abstract: A droplet gripper for a polarizable droplet including a top plate formed of magnetically responsive material and movable in a defined sequence in response to a regionalized electromagnetic field. The gripper further has electret sheets downwardly depending from the top plate. The electret sheets are separated from each other and are chargeable to the same polarities so as to capture the droplet between them due to electret-induced polarization on droplet (EPD). The gripper may be included in a Multiphysics droplet robotic system for automatically manipulating and moving a liquid droplet. The system includes a programmable control matrix that generates a movable regionalized electromagnetic field through coils so as to engage the magnetic material on the top plate and move the EPD gripper and a captured polarizable drop in the defined sequence along a specific path as well as to achieve other microfluidic operations according to a control matrix program.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transparent electrode made of a polymer matrix having semi-embedded therein a sintered silver nanowire composite comprising silver nanowires and metal oxide nanoparticles.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for assessing the likelihood of effectiveness of aspirin-based chemoprotection against colorectal cancer among individuals as well as methods for improving aspirin-based chemoprotection against colorectal cancer. Kits useful for such methods are also provided.

Abstract: Vibration suppression handle structures for high-vibration handheld machines (e.g., jackhammers) are provided that offer improved vibration suppression. The handle structures of examples include two handles that are rotatably connected to X-shaped structures for vibration suppression. For instance, one side of each of the first and second handles is rotatably connected to one of the X-shaped structures, and the other side of each of the first and second handles is rotatably connected to the second X-shaped structure. The X-shaped structures of examples are adjustable in size and stiffness and thus can be adapted for different sized or shaped handheld machines. Jackhammers are further provided that include the vibration suppression handle structures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vented individual negative pressure enclosure system for extracting potentially contaminated air from an individual. The system includes an adjustable assemblable and disassemblable frame structure configured to surround a bed, chair, or toilet. A vapor-impermeable sheet extends over the frame structure. An air purification system communicates with a plurality of extraction vents positioned on or in the frame structure. The air purification system may be a water-filtration-based air purification system including a particle growth tube for increasing the size of aerosol droplets to facilitate capture. The air purification system includes a pump and HEPA filter and, optionally, a UV sterilizer.

Abstract: An energy generation device Including: a surface for supporting movement of a work material, and an energy converter. The surface is operable to induce movement of the work material relative to the surface. The energy converter is arranged to generate electrical energy based on the induced movement of the work material relative to the surface.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a chemical composition containing an aromatic polymer, including the steps of: providing an anodic region and a cathodic region; providing an arene precursor; providing an electrochemical potential between the anodic region and the cathodic region; reacting the arene precursor via the electrochemical potential to form the composition, which further includes the step of conducting a cathodic reaction. A chemical composition containing an aromatic polymer prepared according to the method.

Abstract: A method for preparing three-dimensional perovskite nanopixels of a digital display is provided. The method includes steps of preparing precursor ink by mixing methylammonium halide and lead halide and adding them into another mixture, adding the precursor ink into a nanopipette, placing the nanopipette with the precursor ink above a silicon substrate and apart from the silicon substrate by a certain distance, configuring the nanopipette to come into contact with the Si substrate such that a portion of the precursor ink having an interface surface of a shape of a meniscus is formed between the nanopipette and the silicon substrate, performing rapid evaporation of the portion of the precursor ink to facilitate crystallization of perovskite, moving the nanopipette upwardly at a constant speed such that the crystallization of perovskite proceeds upwardly, and terminating the crystallization of perovskite to generate a freestanding nanopixel for emitting light.

Abstract: A composite material comprising a substrate body having a mesoporous structure defined by a network of interconnected fibers; and a thermochromic material including a hydrogel complex filling the mesoporous network, the hydrogel complex including a first polymer being a thermoresponsive hydrogel; wherein the thermochromic material undergoes an increase or a decrease of transparency in response to an external temperature exceeding or falling below a critical transition temperature of the thermochromic material, thereby changing an overall transparency of the composite material. A method of preparing the composite material of some embodiments of the present invention. Use of the composite material of some of the embodiments of the present invention for forming an article. Also a window unit including the composite material of some of the embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: A precursor is made of a polymer or the polymer and a high-temperature material. The polymer includes at least one of silicone material, cellulose, hydrogel, and acrylic acid ammonium salt polymer. The silicone material is silicone rubber, and the high-temperature material includes one of ceramics, glass, metal, diamond, and high-temperature composite material.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to methods and systems for classifying leukocytes using artificial intelligence called AIRFIHA (artificial-intelligence enabled reagent-free imaging hematology analyzer) that can accurately classify subpopulations of leukocytes in a label-free manner. AIRFIHA can not only subtype lymphocytes into B and T cell but is capable of sorting different types of T cells subtypes. AIRFIHA is realized through training a two-step neural network using label-free images of separated leukocytes acquired from a custom-built quantitative phase microscope. Owing to its easy operation, low cost, and strong discerning capability of complex leukocyte subpopulations, AIRFIHA is clinically translatable and can also be deployed in resource-limited settings.

Abstract: Predictions of current and/or future neurocognitive decline (NCD) can be based on functional neuroimaging data (e.g., fMRI data) and a machine-learning classifier model. Functional neuroimaging data is obtained while the subject performs a naturalistic language-processing task, such as watching a movie clip, and processed to extract a quantitative feature set. A classifier model is trained using machine learning techniques to predict a subject's NCD status based on the quantitative feature set.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cable network planning method comprising: modelling the prespecified topology as a Steiner tree including a plurality of terminal nodes representing a plurality of cable landing stations (CLSs) to be installed respectively in a plurality of destination regions connected by the cable network, a plurality of Steiner nodes presenting a plurality of branching units (BUs) to be installed in the cable network, and a plurality of edges connecting the terminal nodes and Steiner nodes; constructing a directed acyclic graph (DAG); finding a Steiner minimal tree (SMT) by applying a DAG-Least-Cost-System algorithm; returning coordinates of Steiner nodes, terminal nodes of the SMT as locations of the BUs and the CLSs. The provided method enables inclusion of costs of the Steiner nodes by taking account of Steiner nodes with degree in excess of three such that more flexible BU branching structures and CLS locations alternatives can be considered.