Abstract: A waveform capture device (WCD) is a flexible measurement system capable of recording complex digital signals on trillionth-of-a-second (ps) time scales. The WCD may be implemented via modular code on an off-the-shelf field-programmable gate-array (FPGA), and incorporates both time-to-digital converter (TDC) and digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) functionality. The device captures a waveform by taking snapshots of a signal as it propagates down an ultra-fast transmission line known as a carry chain (CC). It may be calibrated via a dynamic phase-shifting (DPS) method that requires substantially less data and resources than conventional techniques.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems implementing physically unclonable functions (PUFs). An example method includes: inputting a first challenge bit string into a first PUF; capturing a first response bit string from the first PUF; inputting a second challenge bit string into a second PUF; capturing a second response bit string from the second PUF; performing a hash operation on the first response bit string and the second response bit string, the hash operation generating a hashed-response bit string; and storing the first and second challenge bit strings and the hashed-response bit string in a first database.

Abstract: Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for generating a unique fingerprint are described herein. For example, an example integrated circuit (IC) chip includes a physically unclonable function (PUF) and an auxiliary circuit. The PUF is a hybrid Boolean network. Additionally, the auxiliary circuit is configured to receive a transient response enable signal.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a topology for reservoir computing comprises optimizing a plurality of reservoir computer (RC) hyperparameters to generate a topology, and creating a reservoir as a network of interacting nodes with the topology. Optimizing the RC hyperparameters uses a Bayesian technique. The RC hyperparameters comprise: ?, which sets a characteristic time scale of the reservoir, ?, which determines a probability a node is connected to a reservoir input, ?in, which sets a scale of input weights, k, a recurrent in-degree of the network, and ?r, a spectral radius of the network.

Abstract: A waveform capture device (WCD) is a flexible measurement system capable of recording complex digital signals on trillionth-of-a-second (ps) time scales. The WCD may be implemented via modular code on an off-the-shelf field-programmable gate-array (FPGA), and incorporates both time-to-digital converter (TDC) and digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) functionality. The device captures a waveform by taking snapshots of a signal as it propagates down an ultra-fast transmission line known as a carry chain (CC). It may be calibrated via a dynamic phase-shifting (DPS) method that requires substantially less data and resources than conventional techniques.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for generating a unique fingerprint are described herein. For example, an example integrated circuit (IC) chip includes a physically unclonable function (PUF) and an auxiliary circuit. The PUF is a hybrid Boolean network. Additionally, the auxiliary circuit is configured to receive a transient response enable signal.

Abstract: Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Abstract: A technique is provided for control of a nonlinear dynamical system to an arbitrary trajectory. The technique does not require any knowledge of the dynamical system, and thus is completely model-free. When applied to a chaotic system, it is capable of stabilizing unstable periodic orbits (UPOs) and unstable steady states (USSs), controlling orbits that require non-vanishing control signal, synchronization to other chaotic systems, and so on. It is based on a type of recurrent neural network (RNN) known as a reservoir computer (RC), which, as shown, is capable of directly learning how to control an unknown system. Precise control to a desired trajectory is obtained by iteratively adding layers to the controller, forming a deep recurrent neural network.

Abstract: Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Abstract: Reservoir computing systems and methods provide rapid processing speed by the reservoir and by the output layer. A hardware implementation of reservoir computing is based on an autonomous, time-delay, Boolean network realized on a readily-available platform known as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). This approach allows for a seamless coupling of the reservoir to the output layer due to the spatially simple nature of the reservoir state and because matrix multiplication of a Boolean vector can be realized with compact Boolean logic. Embodiments may be used to predict the behavior of a chaotic dynamical system.

Abstract: Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Abstract: Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Abstract: Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Abstract: Bedding material for livestock or Hydromulch for soil treatment is produced by extruding straw mixed with bio-char through a conventional cubing system. The cubing process generates friction in turn changing the properties of the straw making the straw particles highly absorbent while binding the bio-char and any dust into the mixture. The mixture can be used for bedding where the bio-char acts as an absorbent. The mixture can also be used in soil remediation by spreading over the soil in dry or Hydromulch where the bio-char acts to filter contaminants and can act as a binder for an fertilizer admixed into the mixture for seeding.

Abstract: Bedding material for livestock is produced by extruding straw through a conventional cubing system rather than a conventional pellet mill. The cubing process generates friction in turn changing the properties of the straw making the straw particles highly absorbent. The cubing process allows for greater particle size in the finished product as compared to pellets produce in a conventional pellet mill. The process involves the following: shredding the straw to proper size, cubing the straw into cubes and flakes, cooling, storing and packaging. The cubing process requires 40% less energy based on throughput of finished product, thus making the material more affordable to larger farming operations. Some other properties include a higher bulk density than large conventional bales or wood shavings, less dust when applying, a pasteurized product, easier to handle and spread compared to straw bales, wood shavings and sawdust.

Abstract: Bedding material for livestock is produced by extruding straw through a conventional cubing system rather than a conventional pellet mill. The cubing process generates friction in turn changing the properties of the straw making the straw particles highly absorbent. The cubing process allows for greater particle size in the finished product as compared to pellets produce in a conventional pellet mill. The process involves the following: shredding the straw to proper size, cubing the straw into cubes and flakes, cooling, storing and packaging. The cubing process requires 40% less energy based on throughput of finished product, thus making the material more affordable to larger farming operations.

Abstract: A camshaft phaser system includes an oil control spool valve having two opposing springs to center the spool at a rest position to lock the phaser rotor by blocking supply/vent to both the C1 and C2 chambers, obviating a conventional locking pin mechanism. A double-acting solenoid actuator moves the spool to first and second positions, supplying or venting C1 and C2, respectively. The rotor may be locked hydraulically at any position between full advance and full retard. A system for monitoring the rotational positions of the crankshaft and camshaft includes magnets disposed on opposite sides of the shaft axis. A magnetic sensing element senses the rotational direction of the magnetic field for each position of the shaft. An engine control module uses the position signal and an algorithm to lock the rotor at a desired position.

Abstract: Building or construction members are provided which include wooden girders or beams which form a framework onto which is molded a concrete plate or slab. A connection is formed between the beams and the concrete slab at least one sheet metal strip (4) having on one edge clips in the form of indentations (5) provided with teeth (6) and on the other edge with bent portions (9) constituting a flanged edge. On the flank of the sheet there are stamped portions (7) forming projections and cut portions (8) forming openings issuing onto the edge on which is formed the flanged edge (9). The indentations (5) provided with the teeth (6) are anchored in the beam (1), while the openings are permitting the passage and retaining of metal fittings (3). The flanged edges (9), the stamped portions (7) and the enlargements (8) participate in the anchoring of the metal sheet (4) in the concrete slab (2).