Abstract: An adapter for use with a tattoo machine is disclosed. The adapter may enable a tattoo machine configured with a wireless battery pack to switch to a wired configuration by removing the wireless battery pack and replacing it with the adapter. One end of the adapter may be affixed to a portion of the tattoo machine so that the adapter may deliver power to the componentry of the tattoo machine to facilitate the operation of the tattoo machine. The other end of the adapter may include a connector for enabling connection of the adapter to a power supply or power source so that power may be delivered from the power supply or power source through the adapter and to the tattoo machine. When the tattoo machine is powered, the motor of the tattoo machine may reciprocate a needle included in a needle cartridge affixed to the tattoo machine.

Abstract: An embodiment includes a system comprising: a polymer substrate including a plurality of voids; and a plurality of metal pins; wherein a first pin, included within the plurality of metal pins, includes: (a)(i) first and second arms that couple to each other by way of an arcuate member, (a)(ii) a middle portion including a middle diameter, a proximal portion including a proximal diameter, and a distal portion including a distal diameter; wherein (b)(i) the middle portion is between the proximal and distal portions, (b)(ii) the middle diameter is less than the proximal and distal diameters, and (b)(iii) the proximal portion, but not the distal portion, is included within one of the plurality of voids. Other embodiments are described herein.

Abstract: An embodiment includes a system comprising: a polymer substrate including a plurality of voids; and a plurality of metal pins; wherein a first pin, included within the plurality of metal pins, includes: (a)(i) first and second arms that couple to each other by way of an arcuate member, (a)(ii) a middle portion including a middle diameter, a proximal portion including a proximal diameter, and a distal portion including a distal diameter; wherein (b)(i) the middle portion is between the proximal and distal portions, (b)(ii) the middle diameter is less than the proximal and distal diameters, and (b)(iii) the proximal portion, but not the distal portion, is included within one of the plurality of voids. Other embodiments are described herein.

Abstract: A variety of nanostructures are provided having a metal nanowire having a plurality of faces extending along a length of the nanowire, and a plurality of semiconductor nanorods forming two or more nanorod arrays, wherein each of the nanorod arrays is attached to a different surface of the nanowire. For example, in some embodiments, the nanostructure is a silver nanowire having a pentagonal cross section and five faces extending along the length of the nanowire, and metal oxide nanorods forming five nanorod arrays extending along each of the five faces of the silver nanowire. The nanostructures can demonstrate high temperature coefficients of resistance, and can be used in a variety of bolometric materials. In some embodiments, bolometric materials are provided including a plurality of the nanostructures deposited onto a surface of a substrate. Methods of making the nanostructures and bolometers are also provided.

Abstract: A variety of nanostructures are provided having a metal nanowire having a plurality of faces extending along a length of the nanowire, and a plurality of semiconductor nanorods forming two or more nanorod arrays, wherein each of the nanorod arrays is attached to a different surface of the nanowire. For example, in some embodiments, the nanostructure is a silver nanowire having a pentagonal cross section and five faces extending along the length of the nanowire, and metal oxide nanorods forming five nanorod arrays extending along each of the five faces of the silver nanowire. The nanostructures can demonstrate high temperature coefficients of resistance, and can be used in a variety of bolometric materials. In some embodiments, bolometric materials are provided including a plurality of the nanostructures deposited onto a surface of a substrate. Methods of making the nanostructures and bolometers are also provided.

Abstract: A portable amusement apparatus is provided comprising a portable ice cooler including a support member acting as a lid and having an upper surface and a lower surface; a receiving portion located adjacent with respect to said upper surface for receiving game pieces and playing a game in a game playing portion; and an engaging portion located adjacent with respect to said lower surface to mate with an upper surface of the portable cooler. An adapting structure is also disclosed to easily adapt the support member to mate with a different sized portable cooler.

Abstract: An all-optical modulator for modulating the output power of a high-power optical pump source is disclosed. More particularly, with the optical modulator of the invention, the output power of a CW fiber laser is modulated by a low-power laser, such as a diode laser. The modulator comprises two optical couplers which are preferably wavelength-selective and interconnected by a nonlinear single mode optical fiber with a high Raman gain. A laser system comprising a high-power pump laser, a fast signal laser with a suitable modulation depth and the optical modulator of the invention can advantageously employed in materials processing and graphics arts printing applications.

Abstract: An interferometric procedure, such as electronic speckle pattern interferometry, involves generating two signals representing the point-by-point variations in intensity of respective patterns of electromagnetic radiation resulting from the interference of first and second beams of such radiation derived from a coherent source, with at least the first beam from each pattern being scattered, before interference with its respective second beam, from a common object surface, and with a corresponding pair of the beams, one for each pattern, having a predetermined relative phase difference of other than a multiple of .pi.; and determining from the two signals values for a datum phase of the radiation at the object surface. Preferably, as a preliminary to this last determination. DC components are removed from the two signals. Conveniently, to simplify the determination, the phase difference is an odd multiple of .pi./4 or .pi./2.