Abstract: An ion detector for secondary ion mass spectrometer, the detector having an electron emission plate coupled to a first electrical potential and configured to emit electrons upon incidence on ions; a scintillator coupled to a second electrical potential, different from the first electrical potential, the scintillator having a front side facing the electron emission plate and a backside, the scintillator configured to emit photons from the backside upon incidence of electrons on the front side; a lightguide coupled to the backside of the scintillator and confining flow of photons emitted from the backside of the scintillator; and a solid-state photomultiplier coupled to the light guide and having an output configured to output electrical signal corresponding to incidence of photons from the lightguide. A SIMS system includes a plurality of such detectors movable arranged over the focal plane of a mass analyzer.

Abstract: Methods and systems of displaying a first string of characters and a second string of characters on an electronic display in a manner to reduce interference between the first and second strings, where a layout of displayed content is preserved, the method including steps of receiving a first string of characters, receiving a second string of characters, identifying a first character in the first string that interferes with a second character in the second string, receiving a modified character corresponding to the first character, rendering the first string and the second string for display, and displaying the first string and the second string on an electronic display. In some embodiments, airspace scaling or deemphasis is used to generate modified characters.

Abstract: A gearbox may include a drive spindle and several interconnected gear clusters arranged in a housing. A first of the gear clusters is coaxially fastened to the spindle, and has an outboard gear and an inboard gear. The first gear cluster drives a belt to operate one or more of the other gear clusters, and the inboard gear is physically divided into a plurality of segments. A shifting system for the gearbox includes an actuator configured to urge the segments of the inboard gear of the first gear cluster into and out of the plane of the belt, such that a gear ratio of the gearbox is changeable without displacing the belt out of the plane.

Abstract: A downhole valve position sensing system includes a magnetic material that is shiftable by an actuation member of a downhole valve to a plurality of positions along a downhole valve from a first position of the plurality of positions along the downhole valve. The downhole valve position sensing system also includes a sensor assembly that is mechanically coupled to the downhole valve and comprising a magnetic sensor that is configured to detect a magnetic signal generated by the magnetic material at a set of positions of the plurality of positions along the downhole valve.

Abstract: Pre-treating a waste polyester material with dichloromethane (DCM) produces a purified polyester for reuse. The purified polyester can be recycled via any chemical or mechanical recycling process. Where the waste polyester material includes non-polyester contaminants, the DCM-treated polyester material produces a slurry that includes the DCM, a solid component that includes a polyester monomer product for reuse, and a waste liquid component where the non-polyester contaminants can be filtered from the top of the liquid component.

Abstract: A waste polyester material is prepared for recycling by dissolving the material in a solution comprising hexafluoroisopropyl (HFIPA) and a chlorinated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluene or xylene, to form a dissolved polyester sample. The dissolved polyester may be prepared for recycling by evaporation, spray drying, and/or precipitation, which produces a purified solid polyester product. The dissolution solution, which is separated from the purified solid polyester product, is also recycled through distillation with purification.

Abstract: A method includes illuminating a drop with a pulse of light from a light source. A duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds. The method also includes capturing an image, video, or both of the drop. The method also includes detecting the drop in the image, the video, or both. The method also includes characterizing the drop after the drop is detected. Characterizing the drop includes determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for thermal management in data storage devices are provided. One such data storage device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM), at least one ambient temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient temperature of the data storage device, at least one component temperature sensor configured to detect one or more component temperatures of one or more components of the data storage device, and a processor coupled to the NVM, the at least one ambient temperature sensor, and the at least one component temperature sensor. The processor is configured to determine a composite temperature of the data storage device based on the one or more component temperatures and the ambient temperature. The processor is further configured to determine whether the composite temperature exceeds a threshold and perform a thermal management operation if the composite temperature exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A first closed lane segment file including a first lane change histogram and a lane closure start point associated with a closed lane segment of a first lane of a road is received from a lane change data aggregation system at a lane change management system. The first lane change histogram includes a distribution of a plurality of lane change points received from vehicles that previously engaged in a lane change from the first lane to a second lane of the road in response to the closed lane segment. A lane change control point is determined based on the first lane change histogram at the lane change management system. A command is issued from the lane change management system to an ADS of the autonomous vehicle to initiate a lane change from the first lane to the second lane at the lane change control point.

Abstract: Polyester-free magnetic and/or metallic components are obtained from a multicomponent polyester device by reacting the multicomponent polyester device with an amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same and an alcohol solvent. The reaction recovers (i) the polyester-free magnetic and/or metallic components as solid inert by-products of the reaction, (ii) the amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same for reuse, (iii) unreacted alcohol for reuse, and (iv) a polyester monomer product. Where the multicomponent device includes a non-polyester material, such as polystyrene, the polystyrene is fully recovered from the reaction. Where the multicomponent polyester device includes recording media, the reaction process sanitizes the inert byproducts of the recording media, thus scrubbing any personal data from the reacted recording media.

Abstract: A snag point cover for an industrial manufacturing robot, the snag point cover including: a body adapted to be disposed about a protrusion extending from an external surface of an industrial manufacturing robot, wherein the body is adapted to form an external transition surface between the protrusion and the external surface of the industrial manufacturing robot thereby preventing a dresspack from becoming snagged on the protrusion when the industrial manufacturing robot is articulated. The snag point cover body is adapted to surround and cover one or more protrusions. The snag point cover body may be elongated or arcuate in shape and defines an internal cavity that conforms to the one or more protrusions. This allows external structures such as wiring harnesses and conduits to slide over these protrusions without becoming snagged or pinched during complex motion.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a high speed turbine and a high speed compressor connected by a high speed shaft to define a high speed spool. A low speed turbine and a low speed compressor are connected by a low speed shaft to define a low speed spool. A high speed tower shaft is driven by the high speed spool and a low speed tower shaft is driven by the low speed spool. The low speed tower shaft drives a low speed input gear in an accessory drive differential. The high speed tower shaft drives a high speed input gear in the accessory drive differential. One of the high speed input gear and the low speed input gear increases an output speed of an output gear, and the other decreases an output speed of the output gear. The output gear drives at least one accessory for the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: Polyester-free cotton is obtained from a fabric and/or fibers containing polyester and cotton by reacting the fabric and/or fibers with an amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same and an alcohol solvent. The reaction, which may be run in batches or as a continuous flow process, recovers (i) polyester-free cotton as a solid inert by-product of the reaction, (ii) the amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same for reuse, (iii) a polyester monomer product, and (iv) unreacted alcohol. The reaction works on any polyester-cotton fabric and/or fibers, including those that have at least one additional material, such as polyethers polyolefins, polyurethanes, nylon, rayon, acetate, viscose, modal, acrylic, wool, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A laparoscopic surgical apparatus for performing a surgical procedure through a single incision in a patient's body includes a gross positioning arm supported on a moveable platform, the gross positioner including a head; at least one articulated tool positioning apparatus coupled via a tool controller to an underside of the head, the articulated tool positioning apparatus being configured to receive a tool for performing surgical operations, the tool controller being actuated by the head to cause movements of the articulated tool positioning apparatus for performing surgical operations; and wherein the gross positioner is configured to permit the head to be positioned to facilitate insertion of the articulated tool positioning apparatus through the incision into the patient's body.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a fuel cell includes: a flexible substrate including a first fuel-tolerant material; a fitting on the flexible substrate, the fitting including first openings extending through an outer portion of the fitting; a primer coating on the outer portion of the fitting, the primer coating including a second fuel-tolerant material; first yarns strung through the first openings of the fitting, the first yarns stitched into the flexible substrate; and an encapsulant encapsulating the first yarns, the primer coating, and the outer portion of the fitting, the encapsulant disposed on the flexible substrate, the encapsulant including a third fuel-tolerant material, the third fuel-tolerant material chemically bonded to the second fuel-tolerant material and the first fuel-tolerant material.

Abstract: There is disclosed a compound Formula I In Formula I: Z is CR4R5, C?CR4R5, SiR4R5, GeR4R5, NR4a, PR4a, P(O)R4a, O, S, SO, SO2, Se; SeO, SeO2, Te, TeO, or TeO2; R1 - R3 are the same or different at each occurrence and are D, aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, amino, silyl, germyl, deuterated aryl, deuterated heteroaryl, deuterated alkyl, deuterated amino, deuterated silyl, or deuterated germyl, where two groups selected from R1, R2, and R3 can be joined together to form a fused ring; R4 - R5 are the same or different at each occurrence and are H, D, aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, amino, silyl, germyl, deuterated aryl, deuterated heteroaryl, deuterated alkyl, deuterated amino, deuterated silyl, or deuterated germyl; R4a is alkyl, silyl, germyl, aryl, or a deuterated analog thereof; a is an integer from 0-4; b and c are the same or different and are an integer from 0-3.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for characterizing fluids in a subterranean formation traversed by a borehole, where NMR data is measured by a downhole NMR tool that is conveyed in the borehole that traverses the formation. The NMR data is processed to derive T1-T2 maps at different depths of the formation. The T1-T2 maps at different depths of the formation can be processed to generate a cluster map of different fluids that are present in the formation, wherein the cluster map is a two-dimensional array of grid points in the T1-T2 domain with each grid point being assigned or classified to a specific fluid. The cluster map of different fluids that are present in the formation can be used to characterize properties of the formation, such as fluid volumes for the different fluids at one or a number of depths.

Abstract: A method for shifting a segmented gear may include rotating a gear cluster including a first gear and a coaxial second gear using a power transfer mechanism (e.g., a belt or a chain). The power transfer mechanism defines a plane and is wrapped partially around the first gear. and wherein the first gear has a plurality of gear segments independently movable (e.g., pivotable or translatable) into and out of the plane. A plurality of radially transitionable sliders are rotated in tandem with the first gear, and each of the sliders is operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the gear segments of the first gear. In sequence, each segment of the first gear is moved out of the plane of the power transfer mechanism by urging the slider in a radial direction using a segment actuator, such that the power transfer mechanism wraps at least partially around the second gear.

Abstract: A method includes capturing a video of a plurality of drops being jetted through a nozzle of a printer. The method also includes measuring a signal proximate to the nozzle based at least partially upon the video. The method also includes determining one or more metrics that characterize a behavior of the drops based at least partially upon the signal.

Abstract: A method of cooling a vane of a turbine is provided. The turbine includes an airfoil, an outer shroud disposed at an outer radial end of the airfoil and an inner shroud, the airfoil including a plurality of air channels extending along the radial direction of the turbine, the air channels comprising a first air channel and a second air channel. A cooling air is caused to flow inside the first air channel to cool the first air channel, then cool one of the outer shroud and the inner shroud. A cooling air is caused to flow inside the second air channel to cool the second air channel, then cool the other one of the outer shroud and the inner shroud.