Abstract: A method of interrogating sensors of SAW type, which allows notably the gathering of physical measurements of parameters carried out by SAW sensors, the method for gathering the measurement of an SAW sensor comprising a first step of generating and emitting an electromagnetic signal corresponding to the dilated time-reversal of a dilation coefficient k, of an impulse response signature which is characteristic of the SAW sensor, a second step of gathering a signal received as echo originating from the SAW sensor, a third step of determining a maximum of cross-correlation of the signal received as echo during the second step, the first step being applied with a set of values of the dilation coefficient k in a determined domain, the measurement of a physical parameter then being determined by the dilation coefficient k for which the power or the amplitude of the signal gathered as echo is a maximum.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and fabrication methods are provided for sensing devices. An exemplary sensing device includes a first sensing arrangement to measure a first property and provide one or more measured values for the first property, a second sensing arrangement to measure a second property, a storage element coupled to the second sensing arrangement to maintain a stored value for the second property measured by the second sensing arrangement, and a control system coupled to the first sensing arrangement and the storage element to determine one or more calibrated measurement values for the first property using the one or more measured values for the first property from the first sensing arrangement and the stored value for the second property.

Abstract: Techniques include receiving a design of an integrated computational element (ICE), the ICE design including specification of a substrate and a plurality of layers, their respective target thicknesses and complex refractive indices, complex refractive indices of adjacent layers being different from each other, and a notional ICE fabricated in accordance with the ICE design being related to a characteristic of a sample; forming at least some of the plurality of layers of the ICE in accordance with the ICE design; performing at least two different types of in-situ measurements; predicting, using results of the at least two different types of in situ measurements, performance of the ICE relative to the ICE design; and adjusting the forming of the layers remaining to be formed, at least in part, by updating the ICE design based on the predicted performance.

Abstract: A method for simulating friction stir welding is provided. The method may include restraining first and second parts in a fixture. The method may also include axially forcing a non-rotating friction stir welding tool against a joint between the parts. Thereafter one or more resultant parameters may be measured, such as displacement of the first part, the second parts, and/or the fixture. The resultant parameters may also include the force applied to the first part, the second parts, and/or the fixture. Thereby, movement of the parts and fixture that may occur during friction stir welding may be simulated without actually completing a welding operation. A related system and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: A device for determining a density of a fluid including a mechanical resonator, a driver/receiver unit arranged to provide an actuation to the mechanical resonator, sense a response of the mechanical resonator to the actuation, and provide an output signal representing the response; and an evaluation unit. The evaluation unit of the device is arranged to determine an oscillation distribution from the output signal, determine a resonance frequency estimate from the oscillation distribution, and determine the density of the fluid based upon the resonance frequency estimate. The device enables a more accurate determination of the fluid density for fluids including immiscible components (thus forming a heterogeneous mixture), like a water-oil emulsion, or a fluid with occluded gas.

Abstract: A cloud computing method for geosteering during directional drilling of a wellbore. The method includes a cloud processor, cloud data storage, and client devices in communication with the cloud processor through a network. The cloud processor receives data from directional drilling equipment and presents that data to users in an executive dashboard. Users can send data and/or commands to the directional drilling equipment. The executive dashboard can present: a portion of interest in a stratigraphic cross section for user identification of: the drill bit in the stratigraphic cross section, formations in the stratigraphic cross section, and other formation data. The method can be used to: identify a projected path for the drill bit, import data, compute wellbore profiles and stratigraphic cross sections, plot actual drilling paths, overlay the actual drilling path onto the projected path, and present control buttons to the user.

Abstract: In known automatic analyzers for detecting an abnormality by approximating reaction process data using a function, accuracy of detecting a reaction abnormality is degraded because of poor approximation accuracy depending on test items. Data processing means stores the absorbance and time of day at which the absorbance is measured as time-series data. Letting x denote absorbance, t denote time, and * denote a symbol representing multiplication, we have a function x=a0+a1*exp(?k1*t)+a2*exp(?k2*t). Values of parameters a0, a1, a2, ai, k1, and k2 are calculated so that a difference between the absorbance at the measured time calculated using the above expression and the time-series data is minimal, and presence of an abnormality is determined based on the parameter values.

Abstract: A method for use in a computerized storage system comprising one or more replaceable units, for managing testing of one or more replacement units, where the storage system is automatically placed in a testing mode in response to a given unit being replaced and if testing fails the storage system automatically fails back to a service mode.

Abstract: A method for use in a computerized storage system comprising one or more replaceable units, for managing testing of one or more replacement units, where the storage system is automatically placed in a testing mode in response to a given unit being replaced and if testing fails the storage system automatically fails back to a service mode.

Abstract: A method of processing, by a processor of a computer, positron emission tomography (PET) information obtained from a PET detector, including the steps of obtaining a singles event list that includes a plurality of single event entries, each entry corresponding to a single event detected by the PET detector and including a timestamp, energy information, and crystal position information; and determining, based on the timestamp and the crystal position information of each entry and a predetermined coincidence time period, all event pairs within the plurality of single event entries, each event pair consisting of two single events whose respective timestamps differ by less than the predetermined coincidence time period, wherein the determining step determines that an event pair exists when at least two, but no more than k, single events are found within a given time window, wherein k is an integer value greater than or equal to two.

Abstract: A method for determining a photovoltaic (PV) current from each of a plurality of PV elements arranged in a differential network is provided. The differential network is controlled with a plurality of control signals, where the differential network includes a plurality of inductors, and each control signal has a duty cycle. A plurality of controller parameters is received from the plurality of differential controllers. The PV current for each of the plurality of PV elements is calculated from the plurality of inductor currents and the duty cycle for each control signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of a nanotip sensor for detecting and identifying chemical or biological particulates in a sample are disclosed. The nanotip sensor may include a plurality of nanotips, each with a cathode, an anode, and a gap between the cathode and the anode. An adsorbed particulate from the sample may bridge the gap between the cathode and the anode, forming an electrical circuit. A conductive spectrum of the particulates in the sample that are adsorbed onto the nanotips of the sensor may be determined, and by comparing the conductive spectrum of the sample with conductive spectrums of known particulates, one or more specific particulates contained in the sample may be detected and identified. Techniques to augment the specificity of the sensor and to clean the sensor for re-use are disclosed. Embodiments of systems and methods that use the nanotip sensor to detect chemical and biological particulates are disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a system and method of collision measurement for a vehicle. According to one embodiment, a plurality of photonic crystals configured to produce a color change state are distributed on an area of the vehicle. Furthermore, a location tag is also positioned on the vehicle for providing mapping data relating to the location of the photonic crystals along said vehicle. Upon receiving external crash impact, a measurement of force is computed based on the color change state of at least one photonic crystal caused by the crash impact.

Abstract: An apparatus and method improve the accuracy of measurements taken with a capacitance-type sensor. In addition to the sensor the apparatus comprises a measurement circuit and a microprocessor. One of the sensor or a calibration capacitor with a known and fixed capacitance is connectable to the measurement circuit by a switch that has its position controlled by the microprocessor. The microprocessor sends measurement signals to the measurement circuit and receives data therefrom. According to the disclosed method, the measurement circuit is programmed to determine an error between measured calibration data and the known capacitance and to use this error to calculate a correction value, which it applies to the measured sensor data to calculate corrected sensor measurements.

Abstract: Activity sensing in the home has a variety of important applications, including healthcare, entertainment, home automation, energy monitoring and post-occupancy research studies. Many existing systems for detecting occupant activity require large numbers of sensors, invasive vision systems, or extensive installation procedures. Disclosed is an approach that uses a single plug-in sensor to detect a variety of electrical events throughout the home. This sensor detects the electrical noise on residential power lines created by the abrupt switching of electrical devices and the noise created by certain devices while in operation. Machine learning techniques are used to recognize electrically noisy events such as turning on or off a particular light switch, a television set, or an electric stove. The system has been tested to evaluate system performance over time and in different types of houses. Results indicate that various electrical events can be learned and classified with accuracies ranging from 85-90%.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment includes a method for determining a time to recharge a rechargeable battery system including providing impedance data over a frequency range, said impedance data characterizing the operation of a rechargeable battery within a selected time window; analyzing said impedance data for predetermined behavior of said impedance data indicating an approaching state of discharge of said battery; and, determining from said predetermined behavior of said impedance data whether a recharge of said rechargeable battery is indicated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and a method involve receiving a raw signal collected by a sensor that pertains to a temporal trend, creating a reference signal of a known amplitude and frequency, adding the reference signal to the raw signal to form a modulated signal, decomposing the modulated signal to obtain a decomposed signal, and conducting time-frequency analysis on the decomposed signal to detect abnormal patterns.

Abstract: Systems and methods for lap timing and counting in athletic events are disclosed. The systems and methods do not require the athlete to wear a counter/timer, a transmitter, a reflector or another kind of marker. A portable computing device with a sensor, such as a tablet computer with a camera, is positioned in an appropriate location. Data from the sensor is transformed into a time series of data, and one or more learned statistics are calculated in real time as benchmark ambient conditions. The learned statistics are essentially continuously updated and data that indicates irrelevant volatility is excluded. A detection threshold is determined and essentially continuously updated based on the learned statistics, and lap completion is determined based on the threshold. Times, lap counts, and other data are displayed on the portable device in real time.

Abstract: The vehicle evaluation method and vehicle evaluation apparatus can appropriately and quantitatively evaluate the sense of lateral oscillation of a vehicle. The method and apparatus measure muscle activity waveforms of a pair of left and right muscles in at least one type of skeletal muscle involved in maintaining a posture of a head of an occupant of the vehicle driven under predetermined driving conditions, calculate an amount of simultaneous activity that expresses characteristics of the muscle activity waveforms and evaluate a sense of lateral oscillation of the vehicle based on the amount of simultaneous activity.

Abstract: A monitoring device for a control valve on a railcar comprises a microcontroller that includes a memory component, along with a voltage sensor that is in electrical communication with one or more solenoids associated with the control valve. When a selected solenoid is actuated, the voltage sensor reads a voltage and communicates the voltage to the microcontroller, with the microcontroller storing the voltage and other pertinent data in the memory component.