Abstract: An LED backlight driving circuit based on low-potential-end switch control and a backlight driving method are provided. The LED backlight driving circuit includes a plurality of LED strings, a channel control switch device, a constant current module, a channel switching control module, a signal control unit, and an SPI interface unit. Each of the LED strings has a high-potential-end directly connected to an LED driving voltage VLED and a low-potential-end connected to one channel control switch device and one constant current module, and a plurality of channel control switch devices in each group of LED strings are connected to one channel switching control module; and the channel switching control module is used to control the on-state duty cycle of the LED strings in the group.

Abstract: Provided are optical devices and systems fabricated, at least in part, via printing-based assembly and integration of device components. In specific embodiments the present invention provides light emitting systems, light collecting systems, light sensing systems and photovoltaic systems comprising printable semiconductor elements, including large area, high performance macroelectronic devices. Optical systems of the present invention comprise semiconductor elements assembled, organized and/or integrated with other device components via printing techniques that exhibit performance characteristics and functionality comparable to single crystalline semiconductor based devices fabricated using conventional high temperature processing methods. Optical systems of the present invention have device geometries and configurations, such as form factors, component densities, and component positions, accessed by printing that provide a range of useful device functionalities.

Abstract: A smart mattress and adaptive actuation systems for a flexible fabric are disclosed. The mattress can include a flexible fabric associated with a sleeping or resting structure configured to engage a user arranged in a prone, semi-prone, or sitting position. An actuation assembly can be configured to manipulate the sleeping or resting structure. In one example, the actuation assembly includes a plurality of size-changing components, and the sleeping or resting structure can be responsive to sizes of the size-changing components. The actuation assemblies can be included in a sealable sleeping or resting structure, which can alter at least a vibration, a light, a sound, or a composition and pressure of a gaseous environment of a user.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributed physical parameter measurements of the surrounding environment is disclosed. The apparatus can include a waveguide with an elongated body configured with three gratings along the body where each of the three gratings is configured to fully or partially reflect an acoustic wave on the waveguide at a different frequency than the other gratings of the three gratings. Further, each of the three gratings can comprise discontinuities in the grating configured to reflect one or more frequencies of acoustic waves, and each of the discontinuities for each of the three gratings has an internal geometry configured according to fractions of an acoustic wave's frequency and corresponding wavelength.

Abstract: A detection system for an x-ray microscopy system utilizes high bandgap, direct conversion x-ray detection materials. The signal of the x-ray projection is recorded in a spatial light modulator such as a liquid crystal (LC) light valve. The light valve is then read-out by a polarized light optical microscope. This configuration will mitigate the loss of light in the optical system over the current scintillator-optical microscope-camera detection systems.

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.

Abstract: A floor vent assembly with slots for airflow having a structure and interaction between an air vent and a slider with an actuator extending through the air vent to permit manual sliding of the slider in the floor vent assembly to selectively open/restrict the air vent for airflow. The floor vent assembly may also have an internal structural plate with corresponding slots. The user simply manually moves the actuator and thus the slider within the floor vent assembly where respective slots align or are offset to allow or restrict the flow of air through the floor vent assembly.

Abstract: An optical sensor including an array of photodiodes having a first and a second photodiode, each having an optical active region and a peripheral region. The sensor further includes a metal layer having a plurality of metal wires located in the peripheral regions of the first and second photodiodes, wherein the first photodiode is connected to a first subset of metal wires of the plurality of metal wires and wherein the second photodiode is connected to a second, different subset of metal wires of the plurality of metal wires.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a deep learning/AI-based product surface quality inspection system which is accurate and reliable in product quality inspection which is a core task in an injection process among various manufacturing fields. The system can provide, to a user, better performance than non-defective/defective manufactured product classification methodology which is an existing commonly used method through a method and a system considering characteristics of a factory environment and an actual product production process for all pipelines of product quality inspection by using only a non-defective manufactured product image unlike most injection process surface inspection AIs developed to date.

Abstract: Embodiments of an electric heater apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electric heater apparatus includes: (a) a first thermally conductive layer comprising an electrically insulating material; (b) one or more electrically conductive heating elements disposed in one or more grooves arranged on the top side of the first thermally conductive layer; and (c) a second thermally conductive layer disposed on the top side of the first thermally conductive layer over the one or more heating elements. The one or more heating elements include one or more refractory hard metals doped with at least one of carbon, nitrogen, aluminum, yttrium, or oxygen. The doped one or more refractory hard metals include a temperature insensitive electrical resistance over operational temperatures ranging from ambient temperature to about 850° C. as compared to undoped refractory hard metals. The one or more heating elements are independently controllable to provide one or more heating zones.

Abstract: A fuel grain for a rocket, the fuel grain having a plurality of layers of fuel grain material, each layer comprising a plurality of concentric circular structures of different diameter fused together to form a central opening therein, wherein the fuel grain material comprises an ignitable substance. The plurality of layers are stacked and joined securely to form a cylindrical fuel grain with the central opening of each one of the plurality of layers aligned to form a combustion unit extending axially through the fuel grain and bounded by a combustion surface, and wherein the fuel grain is configured to permit mixing of heterogenous materials to enhance thrust performance.

Abstract: A photonic coupler includes an input coupling section, an output coupling section, and a multimode interference (MMI) waveguide section. The input coupling section is adapted to receive an input optical signal along an input waveguide channel. The output coupling section is adapted to output a pair of output optical signals along output waveguide channels. The output optical signals having output optical powers split from the input optical signal. The MMI waveguide section is optically coupled between the input and output coupling sections. Notched waveguide sections may each be disposed between the MMI waveguide section and a corresponding one of the input or output coupling sections and/or the MMI waveguide section may include curvilinear sidewalls.

Abstract: A method of forming an oxide layer in an in-situ steam generation (ISSG) process, including providing a silicon substrate in a rapid thermal process (RTP) chamber and injecting a gas mixture into the RTP chamber. The method further includes heating a surface of the silicon substrate to a reaction temperature, so that the gas mixture reacts close to the surface to form steam and thereby oxidize the silicon substrate to form the oxide layer on the surface, and wherein the gas mixture comprises hydrogen (H2), oxygen (O2) and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for controlling an electrical system using setpoints. Some embodiments include control methods that monitor an adjusted net power associated with the electrical system and adjust the setpoint based on a comparison of the adjusted demand to the setpoint. If the adjusted demand has not exceeded the demand setpoint, the setpoint is reduced. If the adjusted demand has exceeded the demand setpoint, the setpoint is increased.

Abstract: A hybrid pulse-width-modulation pixel includes a light controller responsive to a variable power signal specifying different powers and a pixel controller. The pixel controller is operable receive a pixel luminance signal comprising multiple bits specifying a desired light-controller luminance, generate the variable power signal in response to the pixel luminance signal, and drive the light controller to emit light at different luminances in response to the variable power signal for different time periods. The pixel controller is operable to provide the variable power signal at a constant first power for a first time period and provide the variable power signal at a constant second power different from the constant first power for a second time period.

Abstract: Proposed is a dual emission LED chip that emits light to the upper and lower sides of a PN junction, wherein the duel emission LED chip uses the electroluminescent effect of the PN junction including a P layer and an N layer provided below the P layer, and characterized in that the dual emission LED chip emits light in the upward direction of the P layer and the downward direction of the N layer. The dual emission chip can be applied as a single chip to a field requiring dual emission, thereby enabling miniaturization of applied equipment, and increases power efficiency, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. In addition, as the dual emission LED chip can be manufactured through a batch process, a separate packaging process is not required.

Abstract: The dynamic complexity and the operational risk inherent in a system are defined and incorporated into a mathematical model of the system. The mathematical model is emulated to predict the states of instability that can occur within the operation of the system. Dynamic complexity of a service is demonstrated where there is an observed effect where the cause can be multiple and seemingly inter-related effects of a many-to-one or many-to-many relationship. Having assessed the dynamic complexity efficiency and the operational risk index of a service (e.g., a business, process or information technology), these indexes can be employed to emulate all attributes of a service, thereby determining how a service responds in multiple states of operation, the states where the dynamic complexity of a service can occur, optimal dynamic complexity efficiency of a service, and the singularities wherein a service becomes unstable.