Abstract: A full-face shaft tunnel boring machine system includes a tunnel boring machine cutterhead device for tunneling downwards in a shaft; a full-hydraulic formwork device for supporting and walling in a wellbore; and an upper muck-discharge system for vertically conveying rock mucks generated by tunneling. The tunnel boring machine cutterhead device comprises a vertical guide frame, a cutter-expanded boring head and an advanced cutterhead that are fixedly connected in a vertical order from top to bottom so as to form an integrated structure. The vertical guide frame is a hollow cylindrical structure and driven to rotate around an axis of the vertical guide frame by a power mechanism, and an outer wall of the vertical guide frame is provided with multiple sets of first guide rollers.

Abstract: Aquatic tracking makes use of acoustics, rather than other signals that do not travel as well in water. Tracking devices are used to monitor species of fish and other aquatic animals to monitor how their populations and movements are in nature, and how or whether those populations and movements are affected by, for example, hydroelectric dams and other manmade structures and phenomena. Often, the trackers inserted in aquatic animals adversely affect the animals and can lead to mortality or changed behaviors. New solutions that decrease the size and weight of such tracking devices are disclosed herein, enabling better tracking of aquatic animals that is less likely to cause adverse effects to those populations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring organisms within an aquatic environment are described. According to one aspect, an injectable acoustic transmission device includes a body configured to be injected inside of an organism, a transducer within the body and configured to convert a plurality of electrical signals into a plurality of data transmissions which are transmitted externally of the body and the organism, a plurality of circuit components within the body and configured to use electrical energy from a power source to generate the electrical signals which are provided to the transducer, and wherein the transducer defines an internal volume and at least one of the circuit components is provided within the internal volume of the transducer.

Abstract: A SAW sensor is optimized for detection of refrigerant leakage in a refrigerant system or other gases, vapors, explosives or chemicals of interest. The SAW sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate; an interdigitated transducer deposited on the piezoelectric substrate, the interdigitated transducer having an input portion that receives input surface acoustic waves and an output portion that emits output surface acoustic waves; and a refrigerant sensor film located between the input portion and the output portion of the interdigitated transducer, the refrigerant sensor film including a sorbent material that is selected for preferential adsorption of a target refrigerant over atmospheric gases. Adsorption of the target refrigerant by the sorbent material results in a frequency shift of a frequency of the output surface acoustic waves relative to a frequency of the input surface acoustic waves.

Abstract: A molten-state suspended ellipsoidal droplet image processing algorithm is based on dual-camera vision. The algorithm includes acquiring images of a standard sphere by means of two cameras, and calculating the actual size corresponding to each individual pixel of the two standard sphere images; synchronously acquiring two images of a droplet by using the two cameras at a specified included angle; establishing an ellipsoidal quadric surface equation for the droplet, respectively detecting edge contour lines of the two images, and establishing elliptical contour line equations for the edge contour lines; introducing a specified included angle, and constructing an equation set according to relationships between parameters of the two elliptical contour line equations and the ellipsoidal quadric surface equation; solving the equation set to obtain the length of each semi-axis of the droplet; and calculating the volume of the droplet according to the length of each semi-axis.

Abstract: Organism monitoring systems and devices and associated monitoring methods are described. According to one aspect, an organism monitoring device configured to be associated with an organism to be monitored includes a housing, a battery coupled with the housing, wherein the battery is configured to store electrical energy, a transmitter coupled with the housing and the battery, wherein the transmitter is configured to emit a wireless signal externally of the organism monitoring device and the organism being monitored, sensor circuitry coupled with the housing and the battery, wherein the sensor circuitry is configured to monitor an environment of the organism monitoring device, and control circuitry coupled with the housing, the sensor circuitry and the battery, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust an operation of the organism monitoring device as a result of monitoring of the environment of the organism monitoring device by the sensor circuitry.

Abstract: A SAW sensor is optimized for detection of refrigerant leakage in a refrigerant system or other gases, vapors, explosives or chemicals of interest. The SAW sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate; an interdigitated transducer deposited on the piezoelectric substrate, the interdigitated transducer having an input portion that receives input surface acoustic waves and an output portion that emits output surface acoustic waves; and a refrigerant sensor film located between the input portion and the output portion of the interdigitated transducer, the refrigerant sensor film including a sorbent material that is selected for preferential adsorption of a target refrigerant over atmospheric gases. Adsorption of the target refrigerant by the sorbent material results in a frequency shift of a frequency of the output surface acoustic waves relative to a frequency of the input surface acoustic waves.

Abstract: Organism monitoring devices and organism monitoring methods are described. According to one aspect, an organism monitoring device includes a housing configured to be physically associated with an organism to be monitored, an antenna, signal generation circuitry comprising an oscillator configured to generate an oscillation signal, and an output node configured to output the oscillation signal, impedance matching circuitry coupled with the housing, the antenna and the signal generation circuitry, and wherein the impedance matching circuitry is configured to match an impedance of the signal generation circuitry and an impedance of the antenna, and wherein the impedance matching circuitry is further configured to receive the oscillation signal and to provide the oscillation signal to the antenna, and wherein the antenna is configured to emit a wireless signal externally of the organism monitoring device as a result of the provision of the oscillation signal to the input of the antenna.

Abstract: Methods for attaching a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to an animal are provided. The methods can include providing an RF transmitter and providing an injection device having a needle of gauge of 9 or smaller; providing the RF transmitter into the injection device; and providing the RF transmitter through the 9 gauge or smaller needle and into the animal.

Abstract: Aquatic organism tracking devices, systems and associated methods are described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring surface tension based on an axisymmetric droplet contour curve. The method comprises: photographing a suspended droplet image, and extracting a droplet contour curve; selecting a measurement point on the droplet contour curve; and calculating the surface tension of a liquid using the following formula ? = ?? ? ? gV + P ? ? ? ? ? R 2 2 ? ? ? ? R ? ? sin ? ( ? ) , wherein ? is the surface tension of the liquid, ?? is the density difference between the liquid and the atmosphere, g is the local gravitational acceleration, P is the pressure at the cross section of the droplet cut from a horizontal plane of the measurement point, R is the radius of a circular surface formed by cutting the droplet, ? is the inclination angle between the tangent line of the measurement point on the droplet and the horizontal plane, and V is the droplet volume at the lower part of the cross section of the droplet.

Abstract: Animal transmitters are provided that can include: a transducer configured to transmit a signal; process circuitry coupled to the transducer; and an energy harvesting element coupled to the process circuitry. Animals having a transmitter coupled thereto are also provided with the transmitter including an energy harvesting element in operational alignment with the animal's musculoskeletal system. Methods for transmitting the location of an animal are also provided with the methods including: coupling a transmitter powered by an energy harvesting element to the animal; and monitoring the transmissions of the transmitter.

Abstract: Animal transmitters are provided that can include: a transducer configured to transmit a signal; process circuitry coupled to the transducer; and an energy harvesting element coupled to the process circuitry. Animals having a transmitter coupled thereto are also provided with the transmitter including an energy harvesting element in operational alignment with the animal's musculoskeletal system. Methods for transmitting the location of an animal are also provided with the methods including: coupling a transmitter powered by an energy harvesting element to the animal; and monitoring the transmissions of the transmitter.

Abstract: Methods for attaching a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to an animal are provided. The methods can include providing an RF transmitter and providing an injection device having a needle of gauge of 9 or smaller; providing the RF transmitter into the injection device; and providing the RF transmitter through the 9 gauge or smaller needle and into the animal.

Abstract: Methods for attaching a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to an animal are provided. The methods can include providing an RF transmitter and providing an injection device having a needle of gauge of 9 or smaller; providing the RF transmitter into the injection device; and providing the RF transmitter through the 9 gauge or smaller needle and into the animal.

Abstract: Aquatic organism monitoring devices and aquatic organism monitoring methods are described. According to one aspect, a monitoring device includes a housing configured to be physically associated with an aquatic organism, environmental circuitry configured to generate a first output indicative of at least one environmental parameter of an environment of the organism, behavioral circuitry coupled with the housing and configured to generate a second output indicative of at least one behavioral parameter of the organism, physiological circuitry coupled with the housing and configured to generate a third output indicative of at least one physiological parameter of the organism, and a transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic signal externally of the housing, and wherein the acoustic signal includes information regarding one or more of the at least one environmental parameter, the at least one behavioral parameter, and the at least one physiological parameter.

Abstract: Aquatic organism tracking devices, systems and associated methods are described.

Abstract: A new acoustic tag and process are disclosed for identifying and tracking underwater hosts in up to three dimensions. The acoustic tag has an operation lifetime up to a year or longer at a pulse rate interval of about 15 seconds. The acoustic tag has a signal detection range up to at least about 500 meters that enhances detection probability.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring organisms within an aquatic environment are described. According to one aspect, an injectable acoustic transmission device includes a body configured to be injected inside of an organism, a transducer within the body and configured to convert a plurality of electrical signals into a plurality of data transmissions which are transmitted externally of the body and the organism, a plurality of circuit components within the body and configured to use electrical energy from a power source to generate the electrical signals which are provided to the transducer, and wherein the transducer defines an internal volume and at least one of the circuit components is provided within the internal volume of the transducer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring organisms within an aquatic environment are described. According to one aspect, an injectable acoustic transmission device includes a body configured to be injected inside of an organism, a transducer within the body and configured to convert a plurality of electrical signals into a plurality of data transmissions which are transmitted externally of the body and the organism, a plurality of circuit components within the body and configured to use electrical energy from a power source to generate the electrical signals which are provided to the transducer, and wherein the transducer defines an internal volume and at least one of the circuit components is provided within the internal volume of the transducer.