Abstract: A multi-channel photonic demultiplexer includes an input region to receive a multi-channel optical signal including four distinct wavelength channels, four output regions, each adapted to receive a corresponding one of the four distinct wavelength channels demultiplexed from the multi-channel optical signal, and a dispersive region optically disposed between the input region and the four output regions. The dispersive region includes a first material and a second material inhomogeneously interspersed to form a plurality of interfaces that each correspond to a change in refractive index of the dispersive region and collectively structure the dispersive region to optically separate each of the four distinct wavelength channels from the multi-channel optical signal and respectively guide each of the four distinct wavelength channels to the corresponding one of the four output regions.

Abstract: A method for energy generation includes receiving, at a carbon negative energy generation system, input including calcium oxide and water and reacting, within a reaction chamber of the carbon negative energy generation system, the calcium oxide and water to release energy and generate calcium hydroxide. The method further includes directing, by the carbon negative energy generation system, the released energy to facilitate propulsion or onboard electricity generation and dispensing, by the carbon negative energy generation system, the calcium hydroxide into the ocean to sequester atmospheric CO2.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing structural parameters of a physical device is described. The method includes receiving an initial description of the physical device that describes structural parameters of the physical device within a simulated environment. The method further includes performing an operational simulation of the physical device in response to an excitation source, performing an adjoint simulation by backpropagating a placeholder metric through a simulated environment to determine a loss gradient, updating the loss gradient based, at least in part, on a loss metric determined from the operational simulation. Additionally, the method further comprises computing a structural gradient corresponding to an influence of changes in the structural parameters on the loss metric and generating a revised description of the physical device by updating the structural parameters based on the structural gradient to reduce the loss metric.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating personalized exosuits. In some implementations, sensor data indicating a three-dimensional shape of stretchable template garment while the template garment is worn by a person and has been stretched to align with the person's anatomy is obtained. The template garment can include indicators corresponding to positions for components of an exosuit, and can correspond to an exosuit design. The sensor data is analyzed to determine locations of the indicators of the template garment. A personalized exosuit design is generated for the person by adjusting a computer model for the exosuit design to locate components of the exosuit at regions corresponding to the identified locations of the indicators of the template garment. The personalized exosuit design is provided to one or more manufacturing devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for estimating the shape, size, and mass of fish are described. A pair of stereo cameras may be utilized to obtain right and left images of fish in a defined area. The right and left images may be processed, enhanced, and combined. Object detection may be used to detect and track a fish in images. A pose estimator may be used to determine key points and features of the detected fish. Based on the key points, a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the fish is generated that provides an estimate of the size and shape of the fish. A regression model or neural network model can be applied to the 3-D model to determine a likely weight of the fish.

Abstract: Example implementations may relate to a robotic system configured to provide feedback. In particular, the robotic system may determine a model of an environment in which the robotic system is operating. Based on this model, the robotic system may then determine one or more of a state or intended operation of the robotic system. Then, based one or more of the state or the intended operation, the robotic system may select one of one or more of the following to represent one or more of the state or the intended operation: visual feedback, auditory feedback, and one or more movements. Based on the selection, the robotic system may then engage in one or more of the visual feedback, the auditory feedback, and the one or more movements.

Abstract: Methods and systems for depth sensing are provided. A system includes a first and second optical sensor each including a first plurality of photodetectors configured to capture visible light interspersed with a second plurality of photodetectors configured to capture infrared light within a particular infrared band. The system also includes a computing device configured to (i) identify first corresponding features of the environment between a first visible light image captured by the first optical sensor and a second visible light image captured by the second optical sensor; (ii) identify second corresponding features of the environment between a first infrared light image captured by the first optical sensor and a second infrared light image captured by the second optical sensor; and (iii) determine a depth estimate for at least one surface in the environment based on the first corresponding features and the second corresponding features.

Abstract: A communication device is provided that estimates one or more disturbance values associated with one or more components of the communication device, and adjusts the communication device to change a received power of the output signal. The communication device includes a transmitter having a seed laser configured to provide an amount of bandwidth for an output signal, an Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) configured to increase an amplitude of the output signal, and a single mode variable optical attenuator (SMVOA) configured to decrease the amplitude of the output signal.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing structural parameters of an electromagnetic device is described that includes performing operations. The operations include performing a time-forward simulation of a field response in a simulated environment describing the electromagnetic device and extracting decomposition components from the field response to compute a loss value. The operations further include backpropagating the loss value backwards in time using the decomposition components to determine an influence of changes in the structural parameters of the electromagnetic device on the loss value. The operations further include generating a revised description of the electromagnetic device by updating the structural parameters to reduce the loss value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable storage devices, for enhanced object discrimination by robots are described. In some implementations, a robot obtains image data from a camera of the robot, where the image data indicates a detected object. The robot classifies the object as having a particular object type based on the image data. The robot evaluates a current state of the object that includes a predetermined set of object state characteristics. The robot determines that a software application of the robot has indicated (i) an object type and (ii) one or more object state criteria that satisfy the current state of the detected object. The robot provides to the software application data indicating detection of the object and a position of the object.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for performing convolutional computations using an optical system. In some aspects computations for a neural network are performed in a digital domain using electronic circuitry, the neural network including a convolutional layer. Input data for the convolutional layer of the neural network is obtained, and a convolution or correlation computation on the input data in an analog domain using an optical correlator module is performed to generate an optical correlator module output. Based on the optical correlator module output, data is processed through additional layers of the neural network in the digital domain using the electronic circuitry.

Abstract: Embodiments of techniques for inverse design of physical devices are described herein, in the context of generating designs for photonic integrated circuits (including a multi-channel photonic demultiplexer). In some embodiments, an initial design of the physical device is received, and a plurality of sets of operating conditions for fabrication of the physical device are determined. In some embodiments, the performance of the physical device as fabricated under the sets of operating conditions is simulated, and a total performance loss value is backpropagated to determine a gradient to be used to update the initial design. In some embodiments, instead of simulating fabrication of the physical device under the sets of operating conditions, a robustness loss is determined and combined with the performance loss to determine the gradient.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving a mapping of a property that includes a three-dimensional representation of the property, receiving observations of the property that each depict a portion of the property, providing the mapping and the observations to an object mapping engine, receiving an object mapping of the property, wherein the object mapping includes a plurality of object labels that each identify an object that was recognized from the observations and a location of the object within the three-dimensional representation that corresponds to a physical location of the object in the property, and obtaining a semantic mapping of the property that identifies semantic zones of the property with respect to the three-dimensional representation, wherein the semantic mapping is generated based on an output that results from a semantic mapping model processing the object mapping.

Abstract: A two-channel photonic demultiplexer includes an input region to receive a multi-channel optical signal, two output regions, each adapted to receive a corresponding one of two distinct wavelength channels demultiplexed from the multi-channel optical signal, and a dispersive region including a first material and a second material inhomogeneously interspersed to form a plurality of interfaces that collectively structure the dispersive region to optically separate each of the two distinct wavelength channels from the multi-channel optical signal and respectively guide the first distinct wavelength channel to a first output region and the second distinct wavelength channel to the second output region when the input region receives the multi-channel optical signal. At least one of the first material or the second material is structured within the dispersive region to be schematically reproducible by a feature shape with a pre-determined width.

Abstract: Example embodiments are directed to systems and methods for denying power to unauthorized power loads within a spherical waveguide bounded by the Earth's surface. One or more eigenmodes of the Earth-ionosphere waveguide may be computed based on a mathematical model incorporating electrical properties of the terrestrial surface and plasma physics of the ionosphere. A phased array of wave guide couplers, each including an array of electrically-connected waveguide-coupling elements, may be configured at different geographic locations for coupling to the one or more eigenmodes and generating standing waves in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. Power loads may be detected via power reflections, and power nodes and nulls of the standing waves may be steered with respect to specified locations by adjusting relative phases and/or amplitudes of the waveguide couplers. Locations of power loads may be triangulating reflections. Power nulls of the standing waves may be steered to locations of unauthorized power loads.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, of training a global policy neural network. One of the methods includes initializing an instance of the robotic task for multiple local workers, generating a trajectory of state-action pairs by selecting actions to be performed by the robotic agent while performing the instance of the robotic task, optimizing a local policy controller on the trajectory, generating an optimized trajectory using the optimized local controller, and storing the optimized trajectory in a replay memory associated with the local worker. The method includes sampling, for multiple global workers, an optimized trajectory from one of one or more replay memories associated with the global worker, and training the replica of the global policy neural network maintained by the global worker on the sampled optimized trajectory to determine delta values for the parameters of the global policy neural network.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a spherical vessel, where the spherical vessel further includes a wall, where the wall is formed from one or more layers of material and a gas, where the gas may be lighter-than-air and is enclosed by the wall.

Abstract: A method for simulating a biochemical environment utilizes a heterogeneous process model, which evaluates both a flux balance analysis and one or more detailed models each on a different but overlapping sets of molecules in the biochemical environment. The heterogeneous process model evaluates the flux balance analysis based on a stoichiometric matrix, a flux vector including initial internal exchange flux values, and an objective function. The heterogeneous process model evaluates the one or more detailed models based on an initial set of molecule concentrations and a plurality of detailed model parameters. The results are then used to update the exchange fluxes and molecules concentrations. The process is repeated thereby integrating the results of the flux balance analysis with the one or more detailed models.