Abstract: A robot includes a trunk portion frame (functioning as a “base portion”), a head portion frame (functioning as a “first movable portion”) supported by the trunk portion frame, a flexible outer skin provided in such a way as to come into contact with the head portion frame and cover the trunk portion frame, and a pair of arm portions (functioning as a “second movable portion”), provided in contact with the outer skin, whose relative displacement with respect to the trunk portion frame changes in accompaniment to a displacement of the outer skin that accords with an operation of the head portion frame.

Abstract: In some embodiments, techniques for creating fabricable segmented designs for physical devices are provided. A proposed segmented design is determined based on a design specification. The proposed segmented design includes a plurality of segments that each includes an indication of a material for the segment. The proposed segmented design also includes lattice members and lattice voids. A size of the lattice members and a size of the lattice voids are greater than a size of the segments and are greater than or equal to at least one of a minimum feature width and a minimum feature spacing of a fabrication system Performance of the proposed segmented design is simulated. One or more lattice members and lattice voids are chosen to change to improve the performance of the proposed segmented design.

Abstract: A method for acquiring a 3D image of a sample structure includes acquiring a first raw 2D set of 2D images of a sample structure at a limited number of raw sample planes; calculating a 3D image of the sample structure represented by a 3D volumetric image data set; and extracting a measurement parameter from the 3D volumetric image data set. A further number of interleaving 2D image acquisitions are recorded at a further number of interleaved sample planes which do not coincide with previous acquisition sample planes. The steps “calculating,” “extracting” and “assigning” are repeated for the further interleaving 2D set until convergence or a maximum number of 2D image acquisitions is recorded. A projection system used for such method comprises a projection light source, a rotatable sample structure holder and a spatially resolving detector. Such method can also be used to acquire virtual tomographic images of a sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides peptoid polymers and salts thereof that comprise hydrophobic and polar peptoid monomers and are capable of reducing or inhibiting the formation of ice crystals at sub 0° C. temperatures. Also provided are peptoid-peptide hybrids and salts thereof comprising the peptoid polymers provided herein. The peptoid polymers, peptoid-peptide hybrids, and salts thereof provided herein are useful for making cryoprotectant solutions. The peptoid polymers, peptoid-peptide hybrids, salts thereof, and cryoprotectant solutions provided herein are useful for making antifreeze solutions, frozen food products, and cosmetic care products. Also provided herein are methods for preserving a tissue, an organ, a cell, or a biological macromolecule using the compositions described herein.

Abstract: A card core includes a body defining a cutout and a discontinuity. The cutout includes an opening in the body defined by an edge and the discontinuity includes a channel defined by the body extending from an outer surface of the body to the cutout. The cutout is sized and configured to define a gap between an element positioned in the cutout and the edge to electromagnetically isolate the element from the body.

Abstract: Some techniques relate to projecting aptamer representations into an embedding space and clustering the representations. A cluster-specific binding metric can be defined for each cluster based on aptamer-specific binding metrics of aptamers associated with the cluster. A subset of the clusters can be selected based on the cluster-specific binding metrics. Identifications of aptamers assigned to the subset of clusters can then be output.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional latent space (defined by an Encoder model) corresponds to projections of sequences of aptamers. An architecture of the Encoder model, a hyperparameter of the Encoder model, or a characteristic of a training data set used to train the Encoder model was selected using an assessment of an encoding-efficiency of the Encoder model that is based on: a predicted extents to which representations in an embedding space are indicative of specific aptamer sequences to which a probability distribution of the embedding space differs from a probability distribution of a source space that represents individual base-pairs; generating projections in the latent space using representations of aptamers and the Encoder model; identifying one or more candidate aptamers for the particular target using the projections and the Decoder model; and outputting an identification of the one or more candidate aptamers.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method including the steps of providing a metal component having a top surface, and providing a passivation layer over the metal component such that an outer layer of the passivation layer is substantially planar and does not extend below the top surface of the metal component.

Abstract: Ease of connecting to a robot in a charging station is increased. A charging station includes a base having an upper face up on which a wheel rides, and a power supply terminal to be connected to a charging terminal of a robot. The upper face of the base is such that a target position is set in a far side region, while a reference entrance line that connects an entrance side specific position and the target position is set, and the upper face of the base includes an inverted face of a three-dimensional curved form that provides an entering wheel with a gravitational component that acts toward the reference entrance line side. The power supply terminal is connected to the charging terminal in a state wherein the wheel has arrived at the target position.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a covert message over a network from an origin device to a destination device includes using selection a plurality of network paths, network channels, and network tunnels to signal to the destination device symbols. Sequences of the symbols are interpreted by the destination device as values in an n-base number system. The values are decoded by the destination device to obtain the covert message. Some preferred implementations use a binary number system and some use a hexadecimal number system. Some utilize network path selection and incorporate network watermarks, by which the network path that was selected for each received packet is determined. Network paths preferably are differentiated from one another by redirects that are storage servers in an overlay network. Network communications can be opened between the origin device and destination device for continuously communicating packets without signaling symbols when no covert message is being transmitted.

Abstract: A semiconductor contact structure including a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) between a first and a second semiconductor layer and a silicon implant extending into at least a part of the first semiconductor layer and into at least a part of the second semiconductor layer and connected to the 2DEG along an interface between the 2DEG and the silicon implant, wherein the interface has a nonlinear shape. The structure further includes a contact connected to the 2DEG via the silicon implant.

Abstract: A method of making a fuel grain for use in a rocket motor, the method comprising blending a first energetic nanoscale metallic compound and a second compound suitable to form a feedstock material for use in an additive manufacturing apparatus, the additive manufacturing apparatus operatively connected to a computing system, that provides additive manufacturing printing instructions to the additive manufacturing apparatus, permitting construction of an autonomously designed and optimized rocket fuel grain section; wherein the stochastic deposition simulation-assisted fuel grain geometries further comprise a plurality of agglutinated layers of solidified fuel grain compound, each layer of the plurality of layers comprising a plurality of blended and radially displaced beads of different radii, said radial displacement optionally optimized via competitive simulation programs, and wherein the system continuously mixes constituent materials in an inline/static mixer, with viscosity controlled via particle size var

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first active component region (20) and a second active region (22) extending flat along a first lateral direction (L1) and a second lateral direction (L2) deviating from said first lateral direction. The semiconductor device may include a trench isolation structure (10, 10?) that electrically isolates the first active component region (20) from the second active region (22) along the first lateral direction (L1) and comprises at least one electrically conductive sidewall (14, 14?, 14?); said trench isolation structure (10) having a continuously extending insulating trench isolation base wall (30) and a plurality of spaced apart trench isolation portions (32a, 32b) with electrically conductive sidewall portions (14a, 14b) therebetween. The plurality of trench isolation portions (32a, 32b) and the electrically conductive sidewall portions (14a, 14b) are spaced (a, b) from the base wall (30).

Abstract: There is presented a screening system and a corresponding method for screening an item. The screening system includes a detection apparatus (100), a rotatable platform (310) to receive the item, and a mechanical arrangement (320, 330). The detection apparatus has an emitter portion to generate a primary beam of ionising radiation and a detector portion to detect an absorption signal and at least one of a diffraction signal and a scattering signal. The mechanical arrangement is adapted to translate the detection apparatus along a translation axis to scan the item with the primary beam. The screening system may be used for identifying restricted or illicit substances that may be present in some luggage or in mail.

Abstract: A printed structure comprises a device comprising device electrical contacts disposed on a common side of the device and a substrate non-native to the device comprising substrate electrical contacts disposed on a surface of the substrate. At least one of the substrate electrical contacts has a rounded shape. The device electrical contacts are in physical and electrical contact with corresponding substrate electrical contacts. The substrate electrical contacts can comprise a polymer core coated with a patterned contact electrical conductor on a surface of the polymer core. A method of making polymer cores comprising patterning a polymer on the substrate and reflowing the patterned polymer to form one or more rounded shapes of the polymer and coating and then patterning the one or more rounded shapes with a conductive material.

Abstract: An interpolated flat-panel display comprises a display substrate, pixel controllers disposed in a controller array over the display substrate, and pixels disposed in a pixel array over the display substrate. Each pixel controller is connected to one or more control lines and is operable to output pixel information. Each pixel is operable to emit light in response to pixel information received from a pixel controller. The pixel array is larger than the controller array, each pixel is connected to at least one pixel controller, and at least some pixels are interpolated pixels connected to at least two pixel controllers and are operable to emit light in response to pixel information received from the at least two pixel controllers.

Abstract: An electrical conductor structure comprises a substrate and an electrical conductor disposed on or in the substrate. The electrical conductor comprises a first layer and a second layer disposed on a side of the first layer opposite the substrate. The first layer comprises a first electrical conductor that forms a non-conductive layer on a surface of the first electrical conductor when exposed to air and the second layer comprising a second electrical conductor that does not form a non-conductive layer on a surface of the second electrical conductor when exposed to air. A component comprises a connection post that is electrically connected to the second layer and the electrical conductor. The first and second layers can be inorganic. The first layer can comprise a metal such as aluminum and the second layer can comprise an electrically conductive metal oxide such as indium tin oxide.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for governing phenotypic outcomes in plants. One method includes obtaining a model input comprising time series data, wherein the time series data comprises, for each previous time point of one or more previous time points, at least one of i) first multi-omics data corresponding to a plant at the previous time point, or ii) phenotypic data corresponding to the plant at the previous time point; and processing the model input using a machine learning model to obtain a model output that comprises, for each future time point of one or more of future time points, a prediction of at least one of i) a phenotype of the plant at the future time point, or ii) second multi-omics data corresponding to the plant at the future time point.

Abstract: An illumination device for a spectral optical measurement device includes arranged with respect to an optical axis of the illumination device which, during a measurement operation, extends along a normal to a center point of an area of a sample to be illuminated. One or more segments of a mirror in a shape of a ring are centered on the optical axis. The mirror has an internal reflective surface arranged such that, during the measurement operation, the internal reflective surface receives light emitted from the light source and reflects the light over the area of the sample to be illuminated. The internal reflective surface has a freeform shape in a cross-section through the internal reflective surface in a plane parallel to the optical axis (for example in which the optical axis lies), and, in a cross-section of the mirror in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the internal reflective surface is represented by a straight line.

Abstract: Methods described herein include receiving data from flowing a plurality of aptamers over a sample of tumor cells randomly affixed to a surface of a microfluidic device. The tumor cells may include one or more unknown tumor subtypes of cells. The plurality of aptamers may include a plurality of aptamer families. Each aptamer family of the plurality of aptamer families may be determined to bind to at least one possible subtype of the tumor cells. The data may include a measure of binding affinity of each aptamer family to the tumor cells. The method may include analyzing the measure of the binding affinity of each aptamer family to the tumor cells. The analyzing may include classifying the binding affinity. The method may also include determining one or more aptamer families that characterize the one or more unknown tumor subtypes of cells based on the classifying.