Abstract: A system for scanning a subject is provided, the system comprising: a transmitter operable to emit a train of pulses comprising a plurality of ultra-wide band (UWB) radio-wave pulses; and a receiver operable to receive reflected radio-wave pulses corresponding to each pulse of the plurality of pulses emitted by the transmitter, the receiver operable to: detect a reflected pulse for the first pulse of the plurality of pulses a time period T1 seconds after the first pulse P1 has been emitted; and thereafter to detect a reflected pulse for each subsequent emitted pulse Pm, where m is the number of the pulse, a time period Tm seconds after the pulse Pm has been emitted, where Tm is longer than the time period Tm-1for the preceding pulse Pm-1; and a control unit comprising a processor operable to receive data from the receiver relating to the reflected pulses detected.

Abstract: A system and method to dispense and monitor a consumable. The system includes a vial configured to transmit at least one characteristic of contents within the vial to a remote location, unlock itself to enable a user to access and remove the contents in response to receipt of an unlock command, and to receive an ingestion confirmation signal when the contents are exposed to body fluids. The method includes determining whether to authorize dispensing of the contents to a patient from the vial, authorizing the dispensing of the contents from the vial, observing, by a clinician over a video conference, dispensing and consumption of the contents by the patient, receiving confirmation from an ingestion sensor that the patient consumed the contents.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manipulating polarizable dielectric particles. The method includes positioning a liquid containing the particles above a surface of a piezoelectric material (2). The method also includes inducing a shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave in the piezoelectric material (2), thereby to form a time-varying non-uniform evanescent electric field extending into the liquid. The method further includes using the time-varying non-uniform evanescent electric field to apply a force to at least some of the particles (50, 52) by dielectrophoresis.

Abstract: A THz quantum cascade laser is used to investigate a target by directing a first beam of laser radiation from the laser at the target to thereby produce a second beam of laser radiation by interaction of the first beam with the target. Self-mixing of the first and second beams occurs within the laser and causes variations in a signal such as the operating voltage of the laser. An operating parameter of the laser that affects the interaction of the first beam with, the target is varied. The operating voltage is monitored and processed to determine phase and amplitude changes associated with material properties of the target. Consequently in one embodiment the invention provides for processing the variations in the signal to produce various images of the target.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of detecting a structural change in a molecule that is attached to a surface that is electrically conductive, wherein the method includes monitoring the phase of the electrochemical impedance at the surface, and wherein a change in the phase indicates a change in the structure of the molecule. The disclosure also relates to arrays and methods for making arrays having molecules, such as polypeptides, attached to electrically conductive surfaces, such as electrodes.

Abstract: A THz quantum cascade laser is used to investigate a target by directing a first beam of laser radiation from the laser at the target to thereby produce a second beam of laser radiation by interaction of the first beam with the target. Self-mixing of the first and second beams occurs within the laser and causes variations in a signal such as the operating voltage of the laser. An operating parameter of the laser that affects the interaction of the first beam with, the target is varied. The operating voltage is monitored and processed to determine phase and amplitude changes associated with material properties of the target. Consequently in one embodiment the invention provides for processing the variations in the signal to produce various images of the target.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manipulating polarizable dielectric particles. The method includes positioning a liquid containing the particles above a surface of a piezoelectric material (2). The method also includes inducing a shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave in the piezoelectric material (2), thereby to form a time-varying non-uniform evanescent electric field extending into the liquid. The method further includes using the time-varying non-uniform evanescent electric field to apply a force to at least some of the particles (50, 52) by dielectrophoresis.

Abstract: A method of generating radiation comprises: manufacturing a structure comprising a substrate supporting a layer of InGaAs, InGaAsP, or InGaAlAs material doped with a dopant, said manufacturing comprising growing said layer such that said dopant is incorporated in said layer during growth of the layer; illuminating a portion of a surface of the structure with radiation having photon energies greater than or equal to a band gap of the doped InGaAs, InGaAsP, or InGaAlAs material so as to create electron-hole pairs in the layer of doped material; and accelerating the electrons and holes of said pairs with an electric field so as to generate radiation. In certain embodiments the dopant is Fe. Corresponding radiation detecting apparatus, spectroscopy systems, and antennas are described.

Abstract: A method of generating radiation comprises: manufacturing a structure comprising a substrate supporting a layer of InGaAs, InGaAsP, or InGaAlAs material doped with a dopant, said manufacturing comprising growing said layer such that said dopant is incorporated in said layer during growth of the layer; illuminating a portion of a surface of the structure with radiation having photon energies greater than or equal to a band gap of the doped InGaAs, InGaAsP, or InGaAlAs material so as to create electron-hole pairs in the layer of doped material; and accelerating the electrons and holes of said pairs with an electric field so as to generate radiation. In certain embodiments the dopant is Fe. Corresponding radiation detecting apparatus, spectroscopy systems, and antennas are described.

Abstract: A method for measuring an absorption characteristic of a sample comprises: providing a microstrip waveguide comprising a ground plane, an elongate conductive strip having a first end and a second end, and a dielectric substrate separating the ground plane from the elongate strip such that the strip extends from its first end to its second end in a plane substantially parallel to the ground plane; emitting electromagnetic radiation from a first intermediate position along the microstrip waveguide, said first intermediate position being a position between the first and second ends of the strip, such that said radiation propagates along the waveguide in a direction towards the second end; positioning a sample at a position external to the microstrip waveguide and between the first intermediate position and a second intermediate position along the microstrip waveguide, the second intermediate position being a position between the first intermediate position and the second end, such that at least a portion of the

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming coatings of at least two different coating molecules on at least two electrodes, the method comprising: (a) providing an array of at least two individually-addressable electrodes, (b) allowing a layer of a masking molecule to adsorb onto all electrodes, (c) inducing electrochemical desorption of the masking molecule from at least one but not all electrodes to expose a first set of exposed electrodes, (d) allowing a first coating molecule to adsorb onto the first set of exposed electrodes, (e) exposing all electrodes to a masking molecule to allow adsorption of the masking molecule onto all electrodes, (f) inducing electrochemical desorption of masking molecule from a second set of electrodes to expose a second set of exposed electrodes, (g) allowing a second coating molecule to adsorb onto the second set of exposed electrodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting a structural change in a molecule, said molecule being attached to a surface, said surface being electrically conductive, wherein the phase of the electrochemical impedance at said surface is monitored, and wherein a change in the phase in the electrochemical impedance at said surface indicates a change in the structure of said molecule. The invention further relates to methods for making arrays having molecules such as, polypeptides attached to electrically conductive surfaces such as electrodes, and to arrays.

Abstract: A process encodes video or image data. The process includes estimating forms of a plurality of functions and estimating a best quality value for producing encoded frames with sizes that satisfy one or more constraints. Each function relates encoded size to encoded quality for an associated frame. Each frame has data for one or more images. The constraints are associated with transmission line bandwidth or receiver buffer size. The estimating a best quality value is based in part on the functions. The process also includes transmitting frames encoded with approximately the best quality value to a transmission line.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser comprises an active region (12) which, in response to a pumping energy applied thereto, can produce a stimulated emission of radiation with a central wavelength (?) in the far infrared region, and a confinement region (16, 18, 22) suitable for confining the radiation in the active region (12), and comprising at least one interface (16a, 16b, 22a) between adjacent layers that is capable of supporting surface plasmon modes generated by an interaction of the interface with the radiation. The confinement region (16, 18, 22) comprises a wave-guide layer (16) which is delimited on opposite sides by a first interface and by a second interface (16a, 16b).

Abstract: A semiconductor laser comprises an active region (12) which, in response to a pumping energy applied thereto, can produce a stimulated emission of radiation with a central wavelength (?) in the far infrared region, and a confinement region (16, 18, 22) suitable for confining the radiation in the active region (12), and comprising at least one interface (16a, 16b, 22a) between adjacent layers that is capable of supporting surface plasmon modes generated by an interaction of the interface with the radiation. The confinement region (16, 18, 22) comprises a wave-guide layer (16) which is delimited on opposite sides by a first interface and by a second interface (16a, 16b).

Abstract: A representative data storage medium includes: a substrate; and a plurality of elongate, carrier molecules anchored to the substrate. Each carrier molecule carries one or more luminescent groups and is alterable between a readable conformation in which the luminescent groups carried by the molecule are able to emit radiation and an inactive conformation in which the luminescent groups carried by the molecule are inhibited from emitting radiation. A writer to and reader of the data storage medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: Correcting deinterlaced video by determining whether the deinterlaced video has comb artifact areas, and correcting the comb artifact areas. The detection of comb artifacts includes comparing the differences in pixel values between adjacent rows with the differences in pixel values of alternate rows. The detection includes calculating comb artifact factors based on the differences, and comparing the median value for a group of pixels with a threshold to determine if there is an comb artifact at the pixel.

Abstract: An optical device for efficient radiation emission having a modulation region with phase matching means (1) for enhancing the phase matching between two different frequency signals propagating in the optical modulation region (1) in response to illumination by at least one incident beam (7, 8), the phase matching means (1), having a spatial variation in its refractive index (5) along the path of the incident radiation beam (7, 8). The device may be configured as a radiation source comprising a frequency conversion member (C2) for emitting a beam of radiation (553) in response to irradiation by one or more input beams (507), the emitted beam (553) having a frequency different to that of the one or more input beams (507), the one or more input beams (507) all being produced within a lasing cavity (defined by M3, M4, M5, M6 and output coupler (523)) and said frequency conversion member (C2) being located within said lasing cavity. The invention also extends to an imaging system using the radiation source.