Abstract: An optical modulator includes a modulation region, an input port, an output port, and a modulation actuator. The modulation region includes an inhomogeneous arrangement of two or more different materials having different refractive indexes to structure the modulation region to manipulate one or more optical properties of an optical carrier wave in response to a modulation bias. The input port is optically coupled to the modulation region to inject the optical carrier wave into the modulation region. The modulation actuator is disposed proximate to the modulation region and adapted to apply the modulation bias to the modulation region to generate a modulated wave. The modulation bias adjusts at least one of the different refractive indexes of the inhomogeneous arrangement to provide variable control of the one or more optical properties of the optical carrier wave. The output port is optically coupled to the modulation region to receive the modulated wave.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a mineralogy of a portion of a drainage basin include identifying topography data associated with a drainage basin comprising at least one body of water; identifying weather data associated with the drainage basin; identifying first sensor data associated with a first water sensor installed in the drainage basin; identifying second sensor data associated with a second water sensor that is located downstream of the first water sensor in the drainage basin; providing the first sensor data, second sensor data, topography data, and weather data as input to a machine learning algorithm; and determining, by the machine learning algorithm, a mineralogy of a portion of the drainage basin.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a closed loop aptamer development system that leverages in vitro experiments and in silico computation and artificial intelligence-based techniques to iteratively improve a process for identifying binders that can bind a molecular target. Particularly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to obtaining, using an experimental assay, experimental data for a set of aptamers. The experimental data includes multiple pairs of data, each pair of data having: (i) an aptamer sequence for an aptamer from a set of aptamers, and (ii) a measurement for the characteristic of the aptamer with respect to a given target. A reward model is fine-tuned, using the experimental data, to predict a function-approximation metric for the characteristic of each aptamer in the set of aptamers. A decoder model is fine-tuned for generating novel aptamer sequences based on the function-approximation metric generated by the reward model for the novel aptamer sequences.

Abstract: In some embodiments, techniques for creating a design for a physical device are provided. A computing system receives an initial design of the physical device. Performance of the physical device is simulated using the initial design. A performance loss value is determined for the physical device based on the simulated performance at a target wavelength and one or more delta wavelengths. The performance loss value is backpropagated to determine a gradient corresponding to an influence of changes in the initial design on the total performance loss value. The initial design of the physical device is revised based at least in part on the gradient.

Abstract: Photonic devices, photonic integrated circuits, optical elements, and techniques of making and using the same are described. A photonic device includes an input region adapted to receive an optical signal including a multiplexed channel characterized by a distinct wavelength, a dispersive region optically coupled with the input region to receive the optical signal, the dispersive region including a plurality of sub-regions defined by an inhomogeneous arrangement of a first material and a second material, and a plurality of output regions optically coupled with the input region via the dispersive region. The plurality of sub-regions can include an input channel section, an in-coupler section, a parallel channel section, an out-coupler section, and an output channel section. The plurality of sub-regions together can configure the photonic device to demultiplex the optical signal and to isolate the multiplexed channel at a first output region of the plurality of output regions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method executed by one or more processors includes receiving interconnection data for a proposed interconnection to a power grid; accessing a power grid model including a topological representation of the power grid, electrical specifications of grid components, and empirical operation characteristics; and generating, using the interconnection data for the proposed interconnection to the power grid, and the power grid model, simulated power grid data. The simulated power grid data is based on simulating operation of the power grid with the proposed interconnection coupled to a location of the power grid identified by the interconnection data during a simulated time period. The simulated power grid data includes a plurality of different temporal and spatially dependent characteristics of the power grid. The method includes evaluating, using one or more metrics, the simulated power grid data; and outputting evaluation results of the one or more metrics.

Abstract: Techniques for providing carbon dioxide include generating thermal energy, an exhaust fluid, and electrical power from a power plant; providing the exhaust fluid and the generated electrical power to an exhaust fluid scrubbing system to separate components of the exhaust fluid; capturing heat from a source of heat of an industrial process in a heating fluid; transferring the heat of the industrial process captured in the heating fluid to a carbon dioxide source material of a direct air capture (DAC) system; providing the generated electrical power from the power plant to the DAC system; providing the thermal energy from the power plant to the DAC system; and separating, with the transferred portion of the heat of the industrial process and the provided thermal energy, carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source material of the DAC system.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a collimating lens system includes transmitting, using an optical transmitter, a beam out of an optical fiber and through a collimating lens of the collimating lens system. The beam is reflected off a perfect flat mirror positioned at an output of the collimating lens and back towards the collimating lens, and received, via the collimating lens, at a power meter connected to the optical fiber. The method also includes adjusting a position of a tip of the optical fiber proximal to the collimating lens while tracking a power reading using the power meter, selecting a calibration position of the optical fiber corresponding to a highest power reading, and securing the optical fiber relative to the collimating lens using the calibration position.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for predicting locations of utility assets. One of the methods includes receiving an input image of an area in a first geographical region; generating, from the input image and using a generative adversarial network, a corresponding reference image; and generating, by an object detection model and from the reference image, an output that identifies respective locations of one or more utility assets with reference to the input image.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving a request for a damage propensity score for a parcel, receiving imaging data for the parcel, wherein the imaging data comprises street-view imaging data of the parcel, extracting, by a machine-learned model including multiple classifiers, characteristics of vulnerability features for the parcel from the imaging data, determining, by the machine-learned model and from the characteristics of the vulnerability features, a damage propensity score for the parcel, and providing a representation of the damage propensity score for display.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for creating a design for a physical device is provided. A computing system receives a design specification. The computing system generates a proposed design based on the design specification. The computing system determines a vector of loss values based on the proposed design. The computing system determines a scalar loss value based on a distance between the vector of loss values and a volume representing desired characteristics of the physical device. The computing system updates the proposed design based on the scalar loss value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for improved image segmentation using hyperspectral imaging. In some implementations, a system obtains image data of a hyperspectral image, the image data comprising image data for each of multiple wavelength bands. The system accesses stored segmentation profile data for a particular object type that indicates a predetermined subset of the wavelength bands designated for segmenting different region types for images of an object of the particular object type. The system segments the image data into multiple regions using the predetermined subset of the wavelength bands specified in the stored segmentation profile data to segment the different region types. The system provides output data indicating the multiple regions and the respective region types of the multiple regions.

Abstract: An optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip includes a plurality of array elements, a plurality of phase shifters, a plurality of combiners, and an edge coupler configured to couple to a single mode waveguide. The plurality of phase shifters includes a layer of phase shifters that has a phase shifter connected to each array element in the plurality of array elements. The plurality of combiners is configured to connect the plurality of phase shifters to the edge coupler. The plurality of combiners includes a first combiner that has a first output that is connected to a second combiner or the edge coupler, and a second output of the first combiner is connected to a photodetector. An in-phase light portion at the first combiner is output through the first output, and an out-of-phase light portion at the first combiner is output through the second output.

Abstract: A photonic device is provided. The photonic device may include an input region and a dispersive region optically coupled with the input region. The dispersive region may include a first material and a second material anisotropically distributed to form a plurality of interfaces that each correspond to a change in a refractive index of the dispersive region. The plurality of interfaces may collectively structure the dispersive region to generate an output optical signal from an input optical signal. The photonic device may also include an output region, optically coupled with the dispersive region. The plurality of interfaces may form a material interface pattern in the dispersive region that is characterized by a defect distribution to introduce one or more spectral artifacts into the output optical signal that collectively define a unique spectral signature of the photonic device.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a system and method for generating images and location data of a subsurface object using existing infrastructure as a source. Many infrastructure objects (e.g., pipes, cables, conduits, wells, foundation structures) are constructed of rigid materials and have a known shape and location. Additionally these infrastructure objects can have exposed portions that are above or near the surface and readily accessible. A signal generator can be affixed to the exposed portion of the infrastructure object, which induces acoustic energy, or vibrations in the object. The object with affixed signal generator can then be used as a source in performing a subsurface imaging of subsurface objects, which are not exposed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for an infrared and visible imaging system. In some implementations, Image data from a visible-light camera is obtained. A position of a device is determined based at least in part on the image data from the visible-light camera. An infrared camera is positioned so that the device is in a field of view of the infrared camera, with the field of view of the infrared camera being narrower than the field of view of the visible-light camera. Infrared image data from the infrared camera that includes regions representing the device is obtained. Infrared image data from the infrared camera that represents the device is recorded. Position data is also recorded that indicates the location and pose of the infrared camera when the infrared image data is acquired by the infrared camera.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for creating a fabricable segmented design for a physical device is provided. A computing system receives a design specification. The computing system generates a proposed segmented design based on the design specification. The computing system determines two or more loss values based on the proposed segmented design. The computing system combines the two or more loss values to create a combined loss value. The computing system creates an updated design specification using the combined loss value. The generating, determining, combining, and creating actions are repeated until a fabricable segmented design is generated.

Abstract: Techniques for providing carbon dioxide include generating thermal energy, an exhaust fluid, and electrical power from a power plant; providing the exhaust fluid and the generated electrical power to an exhaust fluid scrubbing system to separate components of the exhaust fluid; capturing heat from a source of heat of an industrial process in a heating fluid; transferring the heat of the industrial process captured in the heating fluid to a carbon dioxide source material of a direct air capture (DAC) system; providing the generated electrical power from the power plant to the DAC system; providing the thermal energy from the power plant to the DAC system; and separating, with the transferred portion of the heat of the industrial process and the provided thermal energy, carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source material of the DAC system.

Abstract: A system includes a transmitter configured to output an optical signal. The transmitter includes a seed laser, an optical array including a plurality of array elements, and a plurality of phase shifters in a multi-layer arrangement. The multi-layer arrangement includes a plurality of layers between the seed laser and the optical array, wherein a first layer of the plurality of layers transmits light to a second layer of the plurality of layers. The first layer has fewer phase shifters than the second layer. The multi-layer arrangement also includes a plurality of branches wherein each branch includes a phase shifter from each of the plurality of layers connected in series between the seed laser and one of the plurality of array elements. Each phase shifter is configured to shift the optical signal incrementally to amass a total phase shift for each of the plurality of array elements.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using machine learning models for plant biotechnology. One of the methods includes obtaining a network input comprising an image depicting a plurality of plant cells or regions of plant tissue; processing the network input using a machine learning model to obtain an identification of one or more particular biotechnologically-modifiable plant cells or one or more particular biotechnologically-modifiable regions of the plant tissue; excising or delineating the one or more identified plant cells or the one or more identified regions of the plant tissue; and delivering exogenous material to the excised or delineated plant cells or regions of plant tissue.