Abstract: A method of making a single crystal comprises heating a material comprising magnetic anisotropy to a temperature T sufficient to form a melt of the material. A magnetic field of at least about 1 Tesla is applied to the melt at the temperature T, where a magnetic free energy difference ?Gm between different crystallographic axes is greater than a thermal energy kT. While applying the magnetic field, the melt is cooled at a rate of about 30° C./min or higher, and the melt solidifies to form a single crystal of the material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing gait analysis of a subject are provided. A method includes obtaining a plurality of measurement sets for a subject, each of the plurality of measurement sets including inertial measurements obtained from a sensor device associated with a different one of a plurality of segments of the subject and calculating a sensor orientation for the sensor device associated with each of the plurality of segments based at least on a portion of a corresponding one the plurality of measurement sets. The method also includes computing an estimate of a segment orientation for each of the plurality of segments based on a data fusion process applied at each of the plurality of segments, where the data fusion process includes combining at least a one of the plurality measurement sets and the corresponding sensor orientation to estimate the segment orientation.

Abstract: Valve implant systems positionable within a flow passage, the systems having an inlet, an outlet, and a remotely activatable valve between the inlet and outlet, with the valves being operable to provide intermittent occlusion of the flow path. A remote field is applied to provide thermal or magnetic activation of the valves.

Abstract: A method of controlling stoichiometry in a multicomponent material includes providing a solid sample comprising N elements and having a first composition in a main chamber, which is connected to at most N?1 reservoirs. Each of the reservoirs is configured to contain a vapor comprising one of the N elements, where N?2. The solid sample is heated to a first temperature in the main chamber, and each of the reservoirs is heated to a first reservoir temperature (T1, T2 . . . TN-1) sufficient to achieve a predetermined vapor pressure of the vapor contained therein. The reservoirs are placed in gaseous communication with the main chamber, and thermodynamic equilibrium is achieved between the vapor from each of the reservoirs and the solid sample in the main chamber. Consequently, a stoichiometry of the solid sample is changed to arrive at a second composition thereof.

Abstract: Valve implant systems positionable within a flow passage, the systems having an inlet, an outlet, and a remotely activatable valve between the inlet and outlet, with the valves being operable to provide intermittent occlusion of the flow path. A remote field is applied to provide thermal or magnetic activation of the valves.

Abstract: A device for providing in vivo diagnostics of loads, wear, and infection in orthopedic implants having at least one load sensor associated with the implant, at least one temperature sensor associated with the implant, at least one vibration sensor associated with the implant, and at least one signal processing device operatively coupled with the sensors. The signal processing device is operable to receive the output signal from the sensors and transmit a signal corresponding with the output signal.