Abstract: A self-propelled device is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope includes a cantilever structure; and a metallization layer on the cantilever structure. The cantilever structure and the metallization layer expand and contract at equivalent rates upon thermal loading. The cantilever structure and the metallization layer may include matching coefficient of thermal expansion levels. The cantilever structure may include SiN. The metallization layer may include 50 nm of Ti. The metallization layer may include 50 nm of Cr. The metallization layer may include 5 nm of Ti and 45 nm of Ge. The cantilever structure may include no thermally-induced deflections.

Abstract: Non-invasive electroencephalogram (EEG)-based methods for detecting a spreading depolarization secondary to a brain injury in a patient who exhibits high-amplitude delta activity in at least one channel of a scalp EEG of an injured brain hemisphere of the patient include (a) recording a baseline scalp EEG pattern in the patient at a channel exhibiting high amplitude delta activity; (b) recording a continuous scalp EEG pattern in the patient across a time frame at the at least one channel; and (c) detecting a spreading depolarization during the time frame by observing at least one feature indicative of a spreading depolarization in the continuous scalp EEG recording pattern relative to the baseline scalp EEG pattern at the at least one channel. Scalp EEG recordings are time-compressed prior to analysis. Methods of treating brain-injured patients and triaging brain-injured patients apply the non-invasive EEG methods.

Abstract: A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and automated systems for real-time detection of spreading depolarizations in a brain injured patient, based an algorithm of (a) providing a reference data base of spreading depolarization waveform templates generated from EEG recordings of confirmed spreading depolarizations (SD) in a reference brain-injured patient cohort; (b) recording an EEG of the brain injured patient to generate recorded EEG waveforms; (c) detecting a slow potential change present in a recorded EEG waveform by applying a power spectral density estimate to the recorded waveform; (d) comparing a detected SPC to a reference database of SD waveform template to identify a candidate SD; and (e) rejecting a candidate SD as a false positive based on overall signal power and amplitude analysis and identifying a non-rejected candidate SD as a detected SD.

Abstract: A self-propelled device can include at least a wireless interface, a housing, a propulsion mechanism, and a camera. Using the camera, the self-propelled device can generate a video feed and transmit the video feed to a controller device via the wireless interface. The self-propelled device can receive an input from the controller device indicating an object or location in the video feed. In response to the input, the self-propelled device can initiate an autonomous mode to autonomously operate the propulsion mechanism to propel the self-propelled device towards the object or location indicated in the video feed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using a laser to form and release an element of an actuator. The method comprising forming an actuator from sheet stock using a laser, where the actuator is three dimensional; and releasing an element of the actuator from the sheet stock using the laser.

Abstract: A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system.

Abstract: A self-propelled device is disclosed that includes a center of mass drive system. The self-propelled device includes a substantially cylindrical body and wheels, with each wheel having a diameter substantially equivalent to the body. The self-propelled device may further include an internal drive system with a center of mass below a rotational axis of the wheels. Operation and maneuvering of the self-propelled device may be performed via active displacement of the center of mass.

Abstract: A passive thermal oscillator combines a thermoelectric device and a passive analog electrical circuit to produce a time-oscillating temperature difference. The oscillator makes use of a temperature difference imposed across a thermoelectric device to produce a Seebeck voltage to periodically trigger electrical current to pass through a switch. The periodic electrical current causes periodic Peltier cooling producing a time-oscillating temperature difference across the thermoelectric device. There is no requirement for additional external energy input because the thermal energy generates a voltage that is used as the driving force. The operation is purely passive. So long as there is a temperature difference across the thermoelectric device, then the passive thermal oscillator oscillates. The passive thermal oscillator can integrate multiple energy conversion device technologies to operate cooperatively.

Abstract: A self-propelled device is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.

Abstract: A passive thermal oscillator combines a thermoelectric device and a passive analog electrical circuit to produce a time-oscillating temperature difference. The oscillator makes use of a temperature difference imposed across a thermoelectric device to produce a Seebeck voltage to periodically trigger electrical current to pass through a switch. The periodic electrical current causes periodic Peltier cooling producing a time-oscillating temperature difference across the thermoelectric device. There is no requirement for additional external energy input because the thermal energy generates a voltage that is used as the driving force. The operation is purely passive. So long as there is a temperature difference across the thermoelectric device, then the passive thermal oscillator oscillates. The passive thermal oscillator can integrate multiple energy conversion device technologies to operate cooperatively.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to robot perception extensibility. In certain aspects, a robot maintains perception data that represents its understanding of its surroundings. The perception data relates to a variety of objects and comprises information generated by a variety of components, such as sensors and software processes. In order to extend the perception capabilities of the robot, an extensibility interface is provided, which enables an extensibility device to annotate objects and to provide new objects to the robot based on the additional perception data generated by the extensibility device. As a result of incorporating the objects from the extensibility device into the perception data of the robot, the additional perception data of the extensibility device is available to software executing on the robot without requiring the additional effort typically necessary to extend the capabilities of such a device.

Abstract: A self-propelled device is disclosed that includes a center of mass drive system. The self-propelled device includes a substantially cylindrical body and wheels, with each wheel having a diameter substantially equivalent to the body. The self-propelled device may further include an internal drive system with a center of mass below a rotational axis of the wheels. Operation and maneuvering of the self-propelled device may be performed via active displacement of the center of mass.

Abstract: A self-propelled device can include at least a wireless interface, a housing, a propulsion mechanism, and a camera. Using the camera, the self-propelled device can generate a video feed and transmit the video feed to a controller device via the wireless interface. The self-propelled device can receive an input from the controller device indicating an object or location in the video feed. In response to the input, the self-propelled device can initiate an autonomous mode to autonomously operate the propulsion mechanism to propel the self-propelled device towards the object or location indicated in the video feed.