Abstract: A system and methods for monitoring an impact of geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs) or an E3 component of electromagnetic pulses (EMP-E3), involving a transducer generating a transduced signal in response to a magnetic field of a current carrying element of a transmission line. The transduced signal reflects harmonic characteristics of the current carrying element, and is amplified and filtered, then digitally converted. Excessive impact is detected when a threshold condition is met with respect to a total harmonic distortion (THD) and/or a change in THD. The THD can be calculated from amplitudes of harmonic components of interest. The amplitudes can be calculated in various ways, including Fourier transforming the digital signal to locate peaks in the resulting spectral lines, or using a phase sensitive detection algorithm in which the digital signal is multiplied by a phase swept reference signal and then integrated.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns methods for making a composition comprising a light metal and an intermetallic comprising the light metal and a light rare earth element. The composition also may include a plurality of nanoparticles comprising an oxide of the light metal. The method includes directly reducing a light rare earth element precursor compound in a melt of the light metal, thereby forming the light rare earth element and nanoparticles of the light metal oxide.

Abstract: A method for indirect additive manufacturing of an object constructed of boron carbide, silicon carbide, and free silicon, comprising: (i) producing a porous preform constructed of boron carbide and silicon carbide by an indirect ceramic additive manufacturing (ICAM) process in which particles of a powder mixture become bonded together with an organic binder, wherein the powder mixture comprises: a) boron carbide particles, and b) silicon carbide particles, wherein at least 80 vol % of the silicon carbide particles are larger than the boron carbide particles; and wherein the boron carbide and silicon carbide particles are each included in an amount of 40-60 wt. % of the powder mixture, provided that the foregoing amounts sum to at least 95 wt. %; (ii) subjecting the porous preform to a temperature of 500-900° C. to volatilize the organic binder; and (iii) infiltrating molten silicon into pores of the porous preform to produce the object.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for scheduling tasks in a heterogeneous computing environment. Coarse scheduling of a received task-set is performed centrally, with tasks dispatched to respective processing resources including one or more accelerators. At each accelerator, sub-tasks of a received task are identified, scheduled, and executed. Data-transfer and computation sub-tasks can be pipelined. The accelerator operates using small tiles of local data, which are transferred to or from a large shared reservoir of main memory. Sub-task scheduling can be customized to each accelerator; coarse task scheduling can work on larger tasks; both can be efficient. Simulations demonstrate large improvements in makespan and/or circuit area. Disclosed technologies are scalable and can be implemented in varying combinations of hard-wired or software modules. These technologies are widely applicable to high-performance computing, image classification, media processing, wireless coding, encryption, and other fields.

Abstract: A cathode and a battery providing the cathode is provided. The cathode comprises a lithium metal oxide. The lithium metal oxide comprises nickel, aluminum, and iron. The lithium metal oxide is substantially free of cobalt. The battery comprises an anode, the cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte.

Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger has elongated shell having first and second opposing ends and an open interior. A core divides the open interior of the shell into first and second enclosed portions. The shell has first and second tube fluid openings at opposing ends. End plates divide the first and second enclosed portions into manifold portions and enclosed shell chamber portions. Tubes extend from the end plates, through the enclosed shell chambers to the core. Shell fluid openings are at sides of the elongated shell, a first fluid opening communicating with the first shell chamber, and a second fluid opening communicating with the second shell chamber. The shell has a long axis, and the end plates are angled relative to the long axis. The tubes are polygonal with rounded corners and straight sides. The heat exchanger can be used for both evaporation and condensation processes.

Abstract: A method of performing time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry on a sample includes the step of directing a beam of primary ions to the sample, and stimulating the migration of ions within the sample while the beam of primary ions is directed at the sample. The stimulation of the ions is cycled between a stimulation state and a lower stimulation state. Secondary ions emitted from the sample by the beam of primary ions are collected in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry is then performed on the secondary ions. A system for performing time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry on a sample is also disclosed.

Abstract: A handheld biometric imaging device having an array of cameras configured to simultaneously capture face, iris and fingerprint biometrics of a subject. The device includes a plurality of visible-light cameras and a plurality of infrared-light cameras capable of being triggered simultaneously to obtain a plurality of images from which a 3D image of the light field can be constructed. The device includes a plurality of visible-light illuminators and a plurality of infrared-light illuminators that allow images of a subject to be captured under different lighting profiles. The device may include an onboard control system that is capable of reconstructing a face region, an iris region and a fingerprint region from the 3D light-field image, and then extract a corresponding face template, an iris template, and a fingerprint template from the respective reconstructed regions.

Abstract: A method for rapid manufacturing of three dimensional discontinuous fiber preforms is provided. The method includes the deposition of a polymeric material containing fibers on a surface to form a tailored charge for compression molding. The reinforced polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or a reactive polymer with viscosity low enough to allow flow through an orifice during deposition, yet high enough zero shear viscosity to retain the approximate shape of the deposited charge. The material can be deposited in a predetermined pattern to induce the desired mechanical properties through alignment of the fibers. This deposition can be performed in a single layer or in multiple layers. The alignment is achieved passively by shear alignment of the fibers or actively through fiber orientation control or mixing. The fibers can be of the desired material, length, and morphology, including short and long filaments.

Abstract: A method for preparing metal/metal interpenetrating phase composites is provided. The method includes forming a preform using additive manufacturing. The preform defines a materially continuous three-dimensional open-cell mesh structure. The preform includes a first metal having a melting point. The method further includes pre-heating the preform to a first temperature less than the melting point of the first metal. The method includes infiltrating the preform with a second metal in liquid form. The second metal has a melting point lower than the melting point of the first metal. The method also includes allowing the second metal to cool and form a solid matrix. The solid matrix defines a continuous material network.

Abstract: A method for producing a carbon nanotube-metal composite in which carbon nanotubes are layered on a metal substrate, the method comprising: (i) depositing a liquid, in which carbon nanotubes are suspended, onto said metal substrate; (ii) during or after step (i), subjecting said liquid to a shearing force sufficient to spatially confine the liquid to induce at least partial alignment of said carbon nanotubes on said metal substrate; and (iii) removing said liquid to produce said carbon nanotube-metal composite; wherein, after step (iii), the lengthwise dimensions of said carbon nanotubes are adhered to and oriented parallel with said metal surface, and said carbon nanotubes are at least partially aligned with each other. In some embodiments, the liquid is deposited in the form of droplets, and the droplets are subjected to a shearing force to cause them to elongate, which induces at least partial alignment of the carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a genetically-modified bacterium from the genus Pseudomonas that comprises an exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enoyl-CoA reductase and an exogenous nucleic acid encoding an acyl-CoA reductase that produces medium chain length alcohols. The disclosure further provides methods for producing medium chain alcohols using such genetically-modified bacterium. This disclosure provides a renewable, bio-based production platform for valuable mcl-alcohols that have a wide range of industrial applications. Current production of mcl-alcohols typically occurs through the hydrogenation of plant oils and waxes. This process leads to issues of deforestation and is largely unsustainable. Utilizing waste lignin streams as the carbon source provides a more sustainable feedstock that can be generated from plant waste like corn stover. Along with this, the use of lignin avoids competition with food resources as traditional starch and sugar feedstocks.

Abstract: A lithium extraction composite comprising: (i) a porous support and (ii) particles of a lithium-selective sorbent material coated on at least one surface of the support, wherein the support has a planar membrane, fiber (or rod), or tubular shape. A method for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition is also described, the method comprising (a) flowing the aqueous source solution through a first zone or over a first surface of the lithium extraction composite to result in selective lithium intercalation in the lithium-selective sorbent material in the first zone or first surface; and (b) simultaneously recovering lithium salt extracted in step (a) from said lithium-selective sorbent material by flowing an aqueous stripping solution through a second zone or over a second surface of the lithium extraction composite in which lithium ions from the first zone or first surface diffuse.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing circular queues are disclosed. A pointer designates an index position of a particular queue element and contains an additional pointer state, whereby two pointer values (split indexes) can designate the same index position. Front and rear pointers are respectively managed by dequeue and enqueue logic. The front pointer state and rear pointer state distinguish full and empty queue states when both pointers designate the same index position. Asynchronous dequeue and enqueue operations are supported, no lock is required, no queue entry is wasted. Hardware and software embodiments for numerous applications are disclosed.

Abstract: One or more virtual supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) controllers are provided. The virtual SCADA controller(s) may be deployed upon a detection of a failure of a physical SCADA controller. An on-site module may detect failure including a security breach which causes the physical SCADA controller to be disconnected from a network and the virtual SCADA controller(s) to take over control. The virtual SCADA controller(s) may be on-site or off-site.

Abstract: Techniques for generating full-spatial resolution, full spectral resolution image(s) from a 3D spectral-data cube for any spectral value within a given spectral range are provided without requiring the acquisition of all full-spatial resolution, full spectral resolution data by an instrument. The 3D spectral-data cube is generated from a limited number of full-spatial resolution, sparse spectral resolution data and a sparse-spatial resolution, full-spectral resolution data of the same area of the sample. The use of the 3D spectral-data cube reduces the data acquisition time.

Abstract: A composition useful for producing a superomniphobic coating on a substrate, the composition comprising a colloidal suspension of a fluorinated siloxane in a non-silicon-containing fluorinated solvent. In some embodiments, the composition further comprises particles of a hydrophobized metal oxide, e.g., silicon oxide, wherein the hydrophobized metal oxide may be fluorinated. In some embodiments, the composition further comprises a non-silicon-containing fluorinated polymer. The invention is also directed to methods for making the above composition. The invention is also directed to methods for using the above-described composition for rendering a substrate superomniphobic.

Abstract: A system for sampling a sample material includes a probe which can have an outer probe housing with an open end. A liquid supply conduit within the housing has an outlet positioned to deliver liquid to the open end of the housing. The liquid supply conduit can be connectable to a liquid supply for delivering liquid at a first volumetric flow rate to the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust conduit within the housing is provided for removing liquid from the open end of the housing. A liquid exhaust system can be provided for removing liquid from the liquid exhaust conduit at a second volumetric flow rate. A droplet dispenser can dispense drops of a sample or a sample-containing solvent into the open end of the housing. A sensor and a processor can be provided to monitor and maintain a liquid dome present at the open end.

Abstract: Methods described herein, in some embodiments, permit extraction of particle structural and/or surface charge data from gradient induced particle motion in channels. In one aspect, a method of manipulating particle motion comprises introducing a fluid into a channel, the fluid comprising particles, and driving particle accumulation to a preselected location in the channel by setting advective velocity of the fluid to offset diffusiophoretic mobility of the particles at the preselected location.