Abstract: The invention discloses a forward osmosis (FO) membrane containing silica nanoparticles having high permeate water flux and its manufacturing method. The FO membrane containing a plurality of silica nanoparticles comprises a substrate layer made of polysulfone and a polyamide layer disposed on the substrate layer. In the course of manufacturing the polyamide layer on the substrate layer by interfacial polymerization, the plurality of silica nanoparticles with different properties is added into the polyamide layer to obtain the FO membrane containing silica nanoparticles having high permeability and solute selectivity.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus for privacy protection includes a housing arranged to hold a second device, a local communication device at least partially supported by the housing, and a controller, where the apparatus is associated with a radio frequency (RF) power detector. The RF power detector monitors energy emitted from one or more antennas of the second device in response to determining that the second device indicates that the second device has transitioned from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation. The apparatus further establishes a communication channel between the apparatus and the second device, and obtains, through the communication channel, a communication status of the second device. The apparatus can then report compromise of the second device upon determining that a discrepancy between the communication status and the energy emission.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a receiving apparatus and a transmitting apparatus. The transmitting apparatus includes a transmitting processing unit, configured to determine a wireless transmission channel on a first frequency band when in a first mode; a transmitting antenna unit, configured to transmit information of the wireless transmission channel and a channel state information of the wireless transmission channel on a second frequency band when in the first mode of the transmitting apparatus; and a wireless sensing unit, configured to perform a wireless sensing on the wireless transmission channel when in a second mode of the transmitting apparatus.

Abstract: A model building system, a quality prediction system, and a quality management system using the same are provided. The quality management system includes the quality prediction system, a measurement device, and a quality inspection device. The quality prediction system includes the model building system and a model application device. The model building system includes a data transformation device and a model training device. The data transformation device transforms raw measured data, including measurement properties of products, to sets of cluster data and multi-dimensional metadata corresponding to the measurement properties. The model training device creates a prediction model according to the cluster data, the quality inspection results, and the multi-dimensional metadata corresponding to a portion of the products, and then modifies structural parameters of the prediction model according to the raw measured data and the quality inspection results corresponding to the other portion of the products.

Abstract: An electrode and a lithium-ion battery employing the electrode are provided. The electrode includes an active layer, a conductive layer, and a non-conductive layer. The conductive layer is disposed on the top surface of the active layer. The conductive layer includes a first porous film and a conductive lithiophilic material, and the conductive lithiophilic material is within the first porous film and covers the inner surface of the first porous film. The non-conductive layer includes a second porous film and a non-conductive lithiophilic material, and the non-conductive lithiophilic material is within the second porous film and covers the inner surface of the second porous film. The conductive layer is disposed between the active layer and the non-conductive layer. The binding energy (?G) of the lithiophilic material with lithium is less than or equal to ?2.6 eV.

Abstract: A thermal plastic polyurethane with a stress more than 2.5 MPa, its preparing formulation and making process are disclosed. In particular, the thermal plastic polyurethane with a stress more than 2.5 MPa is prepared from a formulation comprises a polycarbonate derivative and a chain extender.

Abstract: An organic-inorganic hybrid material is disclosure. The organic inorganic hybrid material contains 5˜50 wt % of inorganic compounds and has a characteristic peak at 1050±50 cm?1 in FTIR spectrum. Furthermore, the invention also provides a fabricating process of the organic-inorganic hybrid material as well as its starting material “isocyanates”. In particular, the isocyanates are prepared from carbonate containing compounds and amines.

Abstract: A thermoset epoxy resin, its preparing composition and making process are disclosed. In particular, the thermoset epoxy resin is glycidyl ether of diphenolic bis-carbamate and formed by curing a one component epoxy composition and has a general structure as shown in formula (1).

Abstract: A Fast Non-Maximum Suppression (NMS) Algorithm post-processing for object detection includes getting original data output from a deep learning model inference output, the original data including a plurality of bounding boxes, pre-emptively filtering out at least one bounding box of the plurality of bounding boxes from further consideration when applying the algorithm, the at least one bounding box filtered out according to a predetermined criteria, processing data, using sigmoid functions or exponential functions, from bounding boxes of the plurality of bounding boxes not filtered out to generate processed bounding boxes, calculating final scores of the processed bounding boxes, and choosing a processed bounding boxes utilizing the final scores.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus for privacy protection is provided. The apparatus includes a housing arranged to hold a second device; one or more sensors, at least partially supported by the housing, operable to continuously collect biometric data of a user; an authentication neural network, operable to extract from the biometric data a plurality feature vectors associated with a plurality of identifiable scores; and a decision unit, coupled to the authentication neural network, operable to generate an authentication score as a function of the plurality of identifiability scores and the plurality of feature vectors, determine whether or not the authentication score satisfies an authentication threshold, and gate electronic access to the second device base on whether or not the authentication score satisfies the authentication threshold.

Abstract: A negative electrode and a lithium ion battery employing the same are provided. The negative electrode includes an active layer and a composite layer disposed on the active layer. The composite layer includes a lithiophilic nanoparticle, a metal nanoparticle and a binder. The binding energy (?E) of the lithiophilic nanoparticle with lithium is less than or equal to ?2.5 eV. The metal nanoparticle has a standard Gibbs free energy of reaction (?rG) less than 0. The weight ratio of the lithiophilic nanoparticle to the metal nanoparticle is from 1:1 to 8:1, and the amount of binder is from 10 wt % to 25 wt %, based on the total weight of the lithiophilic nanoparticle and the metal nanoparticle.

Abstract: A brewing machine includes a liquid source, a dispensing outlet, and a motion device for moving the dispensing outlet according to at least one brewing pattern. The motion device includes a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism, the first transmission mechanism moves the second transmission mechanism to allow the second transmission mechanism to have a first motion trajectory, the second transmission mechanism moves the dispensing outlet to allow the dispensing outlet to have a second motion trajectory, and the first motion trajectory and the second motion trajectory have a substantially same shape.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus performing a method including: receiving, from an apparatus including a housing arranged to hold a personal communication device used by a user, a notification indicating a first authentication score of the user is below a first pre-determined threshold, providing a challenge to the personal communication device. In some embodiments, the challenge is selected based on one or more sensor data obtained by at least one of the apparatus or the personal communication device. In some embodiments, the method includes calculating a second authentication score based on a response to the challenge, and causing the apparatus, to gate electronic access to the personal communication device based on whether the second authentication score is above a second pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus for privacy protection is provided. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a first device including a receiver configured to receive audio signals, a memory configured to store one or more criteria, and a processor configured to process the received audio signals based on the stored criteria in the memory. The apparatus further includes a second device in communication with the first device, wherein the first device, upon detecting one or more audio sound patterns, is configured to send a notification to the second device.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus for privacy protection includes a housing arranged to hold a personal communication device. The apparatus further includes a remote communication device and a local communication device at least partially supported by the housing, where the remote communication device is operable to provide a remote communication channel between the apparatus and a remote device and the local communication device is operable to provide a local communication channel to the personal communication device. The apparatus additionally includes a security management controller operable to: (a) extract data from communication messages received via the remote communication channel; (b) scan the extracted data in order to identify a first type of extracted data; and (c) send the first type of extracted data to the personal communication device through the local communication channel.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a secure modular apparatus providing a first platform for secure platform integration includes communication device(s) and a key store for storing encryption keys. The apparatus additionally includes a crypto engine operable to use the encryption keys for cryptographic operations. The apparatus also includes a controller and a housing arranged to at least partially support the communication device(s), the key store, the crypto engine, and the controller. The controller, via the communication device(s), exchanges encrypted messages prepared or processed by the crypto engine with a second platform provided by a personal communication device, where the second platform is distinct from the first platform and has a plurality of layers including at least one layer between a hardware layer and high level layers, and the encrypted messages control one or more of a hardware unit in the hardware layer and a component in the high level layers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a channel layer and an active layer over a substrate; forming a doped epitaxial layer over the active layer; patterning the doped epitaxial layer, the active layer, and the channel layer to form a fin structure comprising a doped epitaxial fin portion, an active fin portion below the doped epitaxial fin portion, and a channel fin portion below the active fin portion; removing the doped epitaxial fin portion; and forming a gate electrode at least partially extending along a sidewall of the fin structure to form a Schottky barrier between the gate electrode and the fin structure after removing the doped epitaxial fin portion.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus (e.g., a first device) for secure execution of software is provided. The apparatus includes a housing arranged to hold a second device. The apparatus includes a memory configured to store a set of instructions of an application, a local communications device, and a processor. The apparatus is configured to execute the application and transmit a first set of data via the local communication device to be processed by the second device. The apparatus may receive, input data from the second device, interpret the input data using the set of instructions of the application, and transmit a second set of data via the local communication device to be processed by the second device, the second set of data may reflect an updated active state of the application.

Abstract: A silane-modified polyphenylene ether resin and a preparation method thereof are provided. A polyphenylene ether resin having hydroxyl groups at both ends is reacted with a silane having at least one alkoxy group and at least one vinyl group at the end, so as to obtain the silane-modified polyphenylene ether resin with a vinyl group at the end.

Abstract: A linear actuator (1) with a buffering mechanism includes an actuator main body (10), a quick release mechanism (30) and a buffering member (50). The actuator main body (10) includes a housing base (11), an outer tube (14) connected to the housing base (11) and an extendable tube (15) penetrating into the outer tube (14). The quick release mechanism (30) is installed on the actuator main body (10). The buffering member (50) is arranged at one side of the outer tube (14). One end of the buffering member (50) is connected to the outer tube (14) or the housing base (11), and another end of the buffering member (50) is connected to the extendable tube (15). Accordingly, the impact force generated during the rapid retraction of the extendable tube can be reduced.