Abstract: Embodiments herein are generally directed to a system and process for manufacturing temperature measurement devices for use in semiconductor and display manufacturing. A bifurcated thermocouple substrate is provided and includes a primary substrate with a substrate aperture, a secondary substrate disposed within the substrate aperture, and a thermocouple disposed within a thermocouple aperture of the secondary substrate.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for biomethanation and removing carbon dioxide from the methane comprises (a) a primary anaerobic digester adapted and arranged to generate a biogas mixture comprising methane and carbon dioxide from organic materials; (b) an electrochemical reactor adapted and arranged to capture carbon dioxide from the biogas as bicarbonate and to generate hydrogen by electrolytic water slitting, and (c) a biomethanation reactor adapted and arranged to convert the bicarbonate and hydrogen from the electrochemical reactor to methane. The electrochemical reactor also acidifies a saline process stream from the biomethanation reactor and returns the acidified process stream back into the biomethanation reactor for pH control in the biomethanation process.

Abstract: A method for identifying a cause of a machine operating anomaly including creating a reduced order model (ROMs) for a digital twin model of a selected machine type and feeding current data from a deployed machine into the ROM. The method can include comparing a current output from the selected ROM with a measured output from the current data and determining that an operating anomaly exists when the difference between the current output and the measured output exceeds a selected anomaly threshold.

Abstract: Algorithms for continuous BP monitoring using the load cell ballistocardiogram and the finger/toe photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals. This disclosure includes two different approaches; (1) a conventional pulse transit time-based model and (2) a U-Net-based model to predict BP from ballistocardiogram and PPG signals. In pulse transit time-based models, the pulse transit time was acquired through signal processing and linear regression was performed on its inverse to estimate BP. In the U-Net-based model, the source signals (ballistocardiogram and PPG) were translated to BP waveforms from which the BP values were estimated after calibration.

Abstract: A membrane-wafer assembly comprises a core resin-wafer (RW) having a first ionexchange surface comprising a thin anionic ionomer layer (AIL) bonded thereto, and a second ion exchange surface comprising a thin cationic ionomer layer (CIL) bonded thereto; wherein the resin-wafer comprises cation exchange resin beads and anion exchange resin beads bound together with a polymeric elastomer. A resin-wafer electrodeionization apparatus comprising a plurality of the membrane-wafer assemblies, and a method of preparing the membrane-wafer assembly also are described.

Abstract: A method for identifying a cause of a machine operating anomaly including creating a reduced order model (ROMs) for a digital twin model of a selected machine type and feeding current data from a deployed machine into the ROM. The method can include comparing a current output from the selected ROM with a measured output from the current data and determining that an operating anomaly exists when the difference between the current output and the measured output exceeds a selected anomaly threshold.

Abstract: A resin-wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) apparatus for purifying water for coffee brewing comprises a cathode; an anode; and multiple porous solid resin wafer exchange units arranged in a stack between the cathode and the anode, and an air distributor adapted and arranged to aerate the water to be purified. Each unit comprises a monovalent cation exchange membrane (CEM), an anion exchange membrane (AEM), and an ion exchange resin wafer between the CEM and the AEM, which is in contact with, and in fluid flow connection with the CEM and AEM. Each resin wafer comprises a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin. The units are oriented with the CEM facing the cathode and the AEM facing the anode, with space between the units defining ion concentrate chambers. Bipolar ion exchange membranes separate the anode and cathode from their nearest resin wafer exchange units.

Abstract: A power connection assembly for an appliance includes a receptacle that has an inner wall. The inner wall defines a cavity. A channel is defined by the inner wall and is in communication with the cavity. A power cord is configured to be at least partially received by the cavity of the receptacle. A cap is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position and is configured to at least partially encase the power cord. A protrusion extends radially from the cap. A switch is positioned proximate the channel and is operable between an open position and a closed position. The protrusion is received by the channel and is configured to move the switch to the closed position.

Abstract: A system for biological methane production and removing carbon dioxide from the methane comprises (a) a primary anaerobic digester adapted and arranged to generate a gaseous mixture comprising methane and carbon dioxide from organic materials; (b) an electrochemical reactor comprising at least one reactor cell including an anode spaced from a cathode by a porous ion exchange resin wafer with a cation exchange membrane between the anode and the resin wafer and a bipolar ion exchange membrane between the cathode and the resin wafer; the electrochemical reactor being adapted and arranged to capture gaseous carbon dioxide within the resin wafer as aqueous bicarbonate, and to electrochemically generate hydrogen gas at the cathode; and (c) a hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis bioreactor adapted and arranged to convert the bicarbonate and hydrogen from the electrochemical reactor to methane. An electrochemical reactor and a method for producing methane with reduced carbon dioxide content also are described.

Abstract: A system for generating sterile water is provided, including: a liquid holding container having thereon a container outlet; a filtration device including therein a low-pressure-differential pathogen filtration portion, wherein the filtration device has a filtration inlet and a filtration outlet; and a gas tube; wherein the container outlet is connected to the filtration inlet; wherein the filtration inlet has a gas hole with one end connected to the gas hole and the other end having a buoy; wherein the sterile water is substantially pathogen-free.

Abstract: An aspect of providing job assignment optimization includes creating a feature vector from features extracted from a new job request. Each of the features is associated with a constraint on minimum requirements with respect to a level of experience of a potential candidate. An aspect further includes creating a feature vector for each employee that includes skills attributed to the employee and instances that each of the skills have been completed, searching feature vectors generated from the employee database for the minimum requirements indicated in the new job request feature vector, searching the feature vectors of the database for the minimum requirements indicated by constraints associated with the new job request, modeling aggregate utility of past experience of employees as a weighted sum of applied utility functions, and generating a score indicating a difference between a potential post assignment and a pre-assignment utility. An aspect also includes outputting qualified candidates.

Abstract: A method for estimating damage of a component of an internal combustion engine includes receiving a fuel rate signal indicative of a fuel rate of the internal combustion engine and estimating a temperature value of the component of the internal combustion engine based on at least the received fuel rate signal. The method also includes estimating an incremental amount of damage of the component of the internal combustion engine based on the estimated temperature value of the component of the internal combustion engine, updating a cumulative amount of damage of the component of the internal combustion engine based on the estimated incremental amount of damage, and outputting a notification based on at least the cumulative amount of damage of the component of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A resin-wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) apparatus for purifying water for coffee brewing comprises a cathode; an anode; and multiple porous solid resin wafer exchange units arranged in a stack between the cathode and the anode, and an air distributor adapted and arranged to aerate the water to be purified. Each unit comprises a monovalent cation exchange membrane (CEM), an anion exchange membrane (AEM), and an ion exchange resin wafer between the CEM and the AEM, which is in contact with, and in fluid flow connection with the CEM and AEM. Each resin wafer comprises a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin. The units are oriented with the CEM facing the cathode and the AEM facing the anode, with space between the units defining ion concentrate chambers. Bipolar ion exchange membranes separate the anode and cathode from their nearest resin wafer exchange units.

Abstract: A power connection assembly for an appliance includes a receptacle that has an inner wall. The inner wall defines a cavity. A channel is defined by the inner wall and is in communication with the cavity. A power cord is configured to be at least partially received by the cavity of the receptacle. A cap is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position and is configured to at least partially encase the power cord. A protrusion extends radially from the cap. A switch is positioned proximate the channel and is operable between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: An embossed porous membrane wipe and/or a method of making and/or using such embossed microporous membrane wipe. The preferred embossed microporous membrane wipe includes a microporous membrane embossed alone or with a polypropylene nonwoven. The nonwoven may be a spunbond, meltblown, and/or electrospun nonwoven. The microporous membrane may include a biaxially oriented microporous membrane. The biaxially oriented microporous membrane may be made from one or more block copolymers of polyethylene and/or polypropylene. A method of using such an embossed microporous membrane, composite or laminate wipe for skin oil blotting is also provided.

Abstract: A power connection assembly for an appliance includes a receptacle that has an inner wall. The inner wall defines a cavity. A channel is defined by the inner wall and is in communication with the cavity. A power cord is configured to be at least partially received by the cavity of the receptacle. A cap is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position and is configured to at least partially encase the power cord. A protrusion extends radially from the cap. A switch is positioned proximate the channel and is operable between an open position and a closed position. The protrusion is received by the channel and is configured to move the switch to the closed position.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for initiating a response action based at least in part on a human imperceptible signal. An emitting device may emit a human imperceptible signal. The signal may be received by a receiving device. The receiving device may analyze the signal to obtain digital information contained therein. The receiving device may then initiate a response action based at least in part on the digital information. Further, the emitting device may dynamically modify the human imperceptible signal based on a change to a characteristic in an environment into which the human imperceptible signal is emitted.

Abstract: A failure detection device is disclosed. The failure detection device may receive operations data related to operations of a set of parts of a machine. The failure detection device may process the operations data using a condition-based processing technique. The condition-based processing technique may be associated with mapping initial values of data elements of the operations data to binary values based on satisfaction of a first set of conditions by the initial values. The failure detection device may detect a presence of a possible issue with the operations of the set of parts based on a second set of conditions, associated with the binary values and the initial values, being satisfied during a time period. The failure detection device may perform, after detecting the presence of the possible issue, a set of actions related to addressing the possible issue.

Abstract: A failure detection device is disclosed. The failure detection device may receive operations data related to operations of a set of parts of a machine. The failure detection device may process the operations data using a condition-based processing technique. The condition-based processing technique may be associated with mapping initial values of data elements of the operations data to binary values based on satisfaction of a first set of conditions by the initial values. The failure detection device may detect a presence of a possible issue with the operations of the set of parts based on a second set of conditions, associated with the binary values and the initial values, being satisfied during a time period. The failure detection device may perform, after detecting the presence of the possible issue, a set of actions related to addressing the possible issue.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a first semiconductor material is vaporized to generate a vapor phase condensate. The vapor phase condensate is allowed to form nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are annealed to yield nanoparticles or cores. The cores are overcoated by introducing a solution containing second semiconductor material precursors in a coordinating solvent into a suspension of cores at a desired elevated temperature and mixing for a period of time sufficient to cause diffusion of the shell into the core. The diffusion of the shell into the core causes the quantum dots to exhibit a broadened optical emission. The produced quantum dots may be incorporated into a quantum dot based radiation source.