Abstract: Some embodiments provide surface mount devices that include a first electrode comprising a chip carrier part, a second electrode disposed proximate to the chip carrier part, and a casing encasing a portion of the first and second electrodes. The first electrode can extend from the chip carrier part toward a perimeter of the casing, and the second electrode can extend away from the chip carrier part and projects outside of the casing. In extending away from the chip carrier part the first electrode divides into a plurality of leads separated by an aperture that join into a single first joined lead portion with a first width before projecting outside of the casing and maintains the first width outside of the casing. The second electrode can attain a second width prior to projecting outside of the casing and maintains the second width outside the casing.

Abstract: A method for designing a prosthetic device includes acquiring a three-dimensional image of an anatomical surface. A rules script for automatically performing a plurality of image processing rules using a script interpreter is executed. For each particular rule of the plurality of rules, one or more anatomical features that are relevant to the particular rule using a surface shaping engine are determined, the one or more determined anatomical features are automatically segmented from the acquired three-dimensional image using a feature detector, and the particular image processing rule is performed on the acquired three-dimensional image based on the automatically segmented anatomical features using a CAD tool. A prosthetic device design is produced based on the three-dimensional image upon which the rules of the plurality of image processing rules have been performed.

Abstract: A wavelength selective switch (WSS) with hitless switching. The WSS includes the fiber collimator array, the focusing lens, collimating lens, diffraction grating, focusing lens, and attenuation reflection unit array. Each attenuation reflection unit has an interconnected transmission-type MEMS attenuator and a one-dimension MEMS reflector. The transmission-type MEMS attenuator is positioned in the front of the one-dimension MEMS reflector. The central axis of the transmission-type MEMS attenuator aligns and coincides with that of the one-dimension MEMS reflector, with the two central axes being glued together. The WSS of the present invention effectively utilizes the combination of a one-dimension reflector array and a transmission-type optical attenuator chip. With the use of one-dimension reflector array, instead of the known two-dimension reflector array, the complexity of design and manufacture is greatly reduced, thereby reducing the production costs of the switch.

Abstract: Fuel-powered actuators are described wherein actuation is a consequence of electrochemical processes, chemical processes, or combinations thereof. These fuel-powered actuators include artificial muscles and actuators in which actuation is non-mechanical. The actuators range from large actuators to microscopic and nanoscale devices.

Abstract: A method of designing hearing aid molds is disclosed whereby two shapes corresponding to graphical images of ear impressions are registered with each other to facilitate joint processing of the hearing aid design. In a first embodiment, a first graphical representation of a first ear impression is received and a feature, such as the aperture of the ear impression, is identified on that graphical model. A first vector is generated that represents the orientation and shape of that first feature. The three-dimensional translation and rotation of that first vector are determined that are necessary to align the first vector with a second vector representing the orientation and a shape of a feature, once again such as the aperture, of a second ear impression. In another embodiment, this alignment is then refined by minimizing the sum of the distances between points on the first and second graphical representations.

Abstract: A method for operating a non-volatile flash memory with a write protection mechanism is provided. The method comprises the steps as follow. A command is issued. When the command is a safeguard information modification command, only when the safeguard information modification command matches the specific combination of the plurality of modification instructions, a safeguard information is allowed to be modified. When the command is a flash memory data modification command, only when both the status register protection information and the safeguard information indicate that the memory block/sector is not under write-protection, the memory block/sector is allowed to be modified according to the flash memory data modification command.

Abstract: A wavelength selective switch (WSS) with hitless switching. The WSS includes the fiber collimator array, the focusing lens, collimating lens, diffraction grating, focusing lens, and attenuation reflection unit array. Each attenuation reflection unit has an interconnected transmission-type MEMS attenuator and a one-dimension MEMS reflector. The transmission-type MEMS attenuator is positioned in the front of the one-dimension MEMS reflector. The central axis of the transmission-type MEMS attenuator aligns and coincides with that of the one-dimension MEMS reflector, with the two central axes being glued together. The WSS of the present invention effectively utilizes the combination of a one-dimension reflector array and a transmission-type optical attenuator chip. With the use of one-dimension reflector array, instead of the known two-dimension reflector array, the complexity of design and manufacture is greatly reduced, thereby reducing the production costs of the switch.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles are Janus particles, where each particle includes a first component and second component that are exposed to the surface of the particle. Also, disclosed are methods and systems for making a composition of nanoparticles. Finally, a method of treating a mammal by administering a composition of nanoparticles is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the simplification of a mesh surface is disclosed that preserves the original geometry of the shape of the surface and, at the same time, reduces undesirable triangle geometries. In one embodiment, a mesh simplification process first determines whether an edge swap operation should be performed as a function of a threshold criteria. Such a threshold may be a function of the span angles and cross angles associated with an edge or, alternatively, may be a predetermined span angle size threshold. In another embodiment, the decision as to whether to contract an edge is made by comparing the size of at least one span angle with a span angle threshold and by comparing the sizes of incident angles associated with the edge to an incident angle threshold.

Abstract: A method for determining a degree of similarity between ear canal models includes receiving a first mesh model representing an inner surface of a first ear. A set of points is sampled within the first mesh model. Each of the sampled set of points is matched to a corresponding point of a second mesh model representing an inner surface of a second ear. A shape distance between the first mesh model and the second mesh model is calculated based on the matched sets of points. A determination of the degree of similarity between the inner surface of the first ear and the inner surface of the second ear is provided based on the calculated shape distance.

Abstract: A method for designing a prosthetic device includes acquiring a three-dimensional image of an anatomical surface. A rules script for automatically performing a plurality of image processing rules using a script interpreter is executed. For each particular rule of the plurality of rules, one or more anatomical features that are relevant to the particular rule using a surface shaping engine are determined, the one or more determined anatomical features are automatically segmented from the acquired three-dimensional image using a feature detector, and the particular image processing rule is performed on the acquired three-dimensional image based on the automatically segmented anatomical features using a CAD tool. A prosthetic device design is produced based on the three-dimensional image upon which the rules of the plurality of image processing rules have been performed.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide surface mount devices and/or systems. In some embodiments, the surface mount devices comprise a casing with a recess in a second surface; a first lead element partially encased by the casing comprising a coupling portion extending interior to the casing generally in a first direction and a chipset portion extending from the first coupling portion at a first acute angle and through an area exposed by the recess; a second lead element partially encased by the casing comprising a second coupling portion extending interior to the casing in a second direction substantially parallel to the first direction and a head portion extending from the second coupling portion at a second acute angle and partially terminating interior to the area exposed by the recess; and the chipset portion comprises a first indentation and a second indentation both extending into the area exposed through the recess.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide surface mount devices that include a first electrode comprising a chip carrier part, a second electrode disposed proximate to the chip carrier part, and a casing encasing a portion of the first and second electrodes. The first electrode can extend from the chip carrier part toward a perimeter of the casing, and the second electrode can extend away from the chip carrier part and projects outside of the casing. In extending away from the chip carrier part the first electrode divides into a plurality of leads separated by an aperture that join into a single first joined lead portion with a first width before projecting outside of the casing and maintains the first width outside of the casing. The second electrode can attain a second width prior to projecting outside of the casing and maintains the second width outside the casing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rounding a sharp edge of a model of an object is disclosed whereby a ball is propagated in a desired direction along the edge to be smoothed. The position of the ball at each point in its propagation is noted and, as a result, a virtual tunnel through which the ball passed may be constructed. Points on the sides of the surface of the object in proximity to the sharp edge are then projected onto the virtual tunnel by connecting with a line each point in proximity to the sharp edge to the center of the tunnel. New projected points are created at each position on the surface of the tunnel where the lines intersect that surface. The original points along the sharp edge are then hidden or deleted and the points along the virtual tunnel are connected via well-known surface reconstruction methods. In this way, a sharp edge of a triangle mesh model are advantageously smoothed.

Abstract: This invention provides two soluble polypeptides which comprise a portion of CD4 comprising all HIV gp120-binding epitopes present on intact CD4, wherein the polypeptide has a cysteine substitution at a residue which, in intact CD4, interfaces with HIV gp120. This invention also provides a method for making a derivatized soluble polypeptide and a method for obtaining a structural model useful in the design of an agent for inhibiting CD4 binding to HIV gp120.

Abstract: Fuel-powered actuators are described wherein actuation is a consequence of electrochemical processes, chemical processes, or combinations thereof. These fuel-powered actuators include artificial muscles and actuators in which actuation is non-mechanical. The actuators range from large actuators to microscopic and nanoscale devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides various embodiments for apparatuses, systems, and methods of manufacturing surface mountable devices. Some embodiments provide surface mount devices comprising a casing with a first and second surface and at least one lateral side surface. A recess is formed in the first surface and extends into the casing. A plurality of leads is partially encased by the casing, and one or more electronic devices are coupled with at least one of the plurality of leads and are at least partially exposed through the recess. A heat sink may be included for heat dissipation.

Abstract: An exemplary metallic frame (60) is formed by forging and precise machining of a workpiece. The forging process is performed before the precise machining process, a hardness of the frame is larger than that of the workpiece and a surface roughness Ra of the frame reaches about 6.4 microns. The present invention further provides a method of making the frame. The method includes as follows: feeding workpiece process (12) for providing a workpiece (20); forging process (14), the workpiece be forged to form a preform (40); and precise machining process (18), the preform be precisely machined to form a frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rounding a sharp edge of a model of an object is disclosed whereby a ball is propagated in a desired direction along the edge to be smoothed. The position of the ball at each point in its propagation is noted and, as a result, a virtual tunnel through which the ball passed may be constructed. Points on the sides of the surface of the object in proximity to the sharp edge are then projected onto the virtual tunnel by connecting with a line each point in proximity to the sharp edge to the center of the tunnel. New projected points are created at each position on the surface of the tunnel where the lines intersect that surface. The original points along the sharp edge are then hidden or deleted and the points along the virtual tunnel are connected via well-known surface reconstruction methods. In this way, a sharp edge of a triangle mesh model are advantageously smoothed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the simplification of a mesh surface is disclosed that preserves the original geometry of the shape of the surface and, at the same time, reduces undesirable triangle geometries. In one embodiment, a mesh simplification process first determines whether an edge swap operation should be performed as a function of a threshold criteria. Such a threshold may be a function of the span angles and cross angles associated with an edge or, alternatively, may be a predetermined span angle size threshold. In another embodiment, the decision as to whether to contract an edge is made by comparing the size of at least one span angle with a span angle threshold and by comparing the sizes of incident angles associated with the edge to an incident angle threshold.