Abstract: A steam trap may include a processor, an electronic water sensor configured to determine a presence of condensate water in the steam trap and transmit data regarding the presence of the condensate water to the processor, and an electronically actuatable valve configured to be driven by signals from the processor. The processor may be configured to determine a removal rate of condensate water being removed from the steam trap.

Abstract: A steam trap may include a valve configured to release condensate water from a steam system, wherein the valve includes a movable component that is configured to move during actuation of the valve; a position indicator physically coupled to the movable component; a position sensor configured to read a position of the position indicator; and a processor communicatively coupled to the position sensor and configured to transmit data regarding the position of the position indicator via a network interface.

Abstract: A detection system may include a vessel configured to contain one or more substances, a transmitting antenna disposed within the vessel, a receiving antenna disposed within the vessel, and a control system. The control system may be configured to: transmit first radio-frequency (RF) energy into the vessel via the transmitting antenna; receive second RF energy from the vessel via the receiving antenna; and based on a comparison of the first RF energy and the second RF energy, determine a presence of a particular substance within the vessel.

Abstract: In some implementations, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: detecting, by a processor, an interaction with an element of a user interface (UI); identifying, by the processor, a plurality of element properties responsive to the interaction, the plurality of element properties corresponding to the element and at least one ancestor element of the element; generating, by the processor, an identifier of the element based on the plurality of element properties; generating, by the processor, an exploration configuration file including the identifier; and transmitting, by the processor, the exploration configuration file to a processing platform.

Abstract: A process for the corrosion protection of metals such as magnesium, aluminium or titanium, where at least two steps are used, including both plasma electrolytic oxidation and chemical passivation. The combination of these two processing steps enhances the corrosion resistance performance of the surface beyond the capability of either of the steps in isolation, providing a more robust protection system. This process may be used as a corrosion protective coating in its own right, or as a protection-enhancing pre-treatment for top-coats such as powder coat or e-coat. When used without an additional top-coat, the treated parts can still retain electrical continuity with and adjoining metal parts. Advantages include reduced cost and higher productivity than traditional plasma-electrolytic oxidation systems, improved corrosion protection, greater coating robustness and electrical continuity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for producing corrosion and erosion-resistant mixed oxide coatings on a metal substrate, as well as a mixed oxide coating itself. A surface of the substrate metal is oxidized and converted into a first coating compound comprising a primary oxide of that metal by a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process. One or more secondary oxide compounds comprising oxides of secondary elements not present in conventional alloys of the substrate metals at significant (>2 wt %) levels are added to the first oxide coating. The source of the secondary element(s) is at least one of: i) a soluble salt of the secondary element(s) in the electrolyte; ii) an enrichment of the surface of the substrate metal with secondary element(s) prior to PEO processing; and iii) a suspension of the secondary element(s) or oxide(s) of the secondary element(s) applied to the oxide of the metal after this has been formed by the PEO process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photocatalyst and a method of manufacturing a photocatalyst. More specifically, the present invention relates to a high surface area TiO 2 photocatalyst formed by electrolytic discharge oxidation (EDO) of a substrate comprising titanium. A flexible high surface area photocatalyst architecture comprising a compliant, cohesive, well-adhered and highly porous surface layer of the anatase phase of titanium dioxide is provided. The highly porous surface layer of the anatase phase of titanium dioxide is formed in a single step by the electrolytic oxidation of a titanium surface on a permeable, flexible, and electrically conductive substrate sponge structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photocatalyst and a method of manufacturing a photocatalyst. More specifically, the present invention relates to a high surface area TiO 2 photocatalyst formed by electrolytic discharge oxidation (EDO) of a substrate comprising titanium. A flexible high surface area photocatalyst architecture comprising a compliant, cohesive, well-adhered and highly porous surface layer of the anatase phase of titanium dioxide is provided. The highly porous surface layer of the anatase phase of titanium dioxide is formed in a single step by the electrolytic oxidation of a titanium surface on a permeable, flexible, and electrically conductive substrate sponge structure.

Abstract: An example embodiment involves a method for adjusting an operating parameter of a node in an optical network which comprises a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of: measuring at the node a value of at least one characteristic associated with the operating parameter of the node; distributing the value of the characteristic to all of the other nodes in the network; receiving at the node the value of the characteristic for all of the other nodes in the network; deriving at the node optical impairment data for each link of the network based on the received values of the characteristic for all of the nodes; calculating at the node the preferred value of the operating parameter for each node based on the derived optical impairment data; and adjusting the operating parameter of the node based on the calculated preferred value for the node.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for producing corrosion and erosion-resistant mixed oxide coatings on a metal substrate, as well as a mixed oxide coating itself. A surface of the substrate metal is oxidised and converted into a first coating compound comprising a primary oxide of that metal by a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process. One or more secondary oxide compounds comprising oxides of secondary elements not present in conventional alloys of the substrate metals at significant (>2 wt %) levels are added to the first oxide coating. The source of the secondary element(s) is at least one of: i) a soluble salt of the secondary element(s) in the electrolyte; ii) an enrichment of the surface of the substrate metal with secondary element(s) prior to PEO processing; and iii) a suspension of the secondary element(s) or oxide(s) of the secondary element(s) applied to the oxide of the metal after this has been formed by the PEO process.

Abstract: A method of optimizing one or more parameters in a process for considering a DNA containing sample using a method of modeling and a method of modeling itself are provided. The method of modeling the process for considering a DNA containing sample uses a graphical model. The model seeks to provide one or more optimized parameters for the consideration process. The methods aim to consider the whole process, for instance, the number of cells required for the process and/or the extraction efficiency and/or the sub-sample volume relative to the sample volume and/or the amplification efficiency and/or the optimum number of amplification cycles and/or the effect of degradation on the amount of amplifiable DNA in the sample.

Abstract: A process for the corrosion protection of metals such as magnesium, aluminium or titanium, where at least two steps are used, including both plasma electrolytic oxidation and chemical passivation. The combination of these two processing steps enhances the corrosion resistance performance of the surface beyond the capability of either of the steps in isolation, providing a more robust protection system. This process may be used as a corrosion protective coating in its own right, or as a protection-enhancing pre-treatment for top-coats such as powder coat or e-coat. When used without an additional top-coat, the treated parts can still retain electrical continuity with and adjoining metal parts. Advantages include reduced cost and higher productivity than traditional plasma-electrolytic oxidation systems, improved corrosion protection, greater coating robustness and electrical continuity.

Abstract: A method of investigation a sample is provided, the sample being a mixture of DNA arising from more than one source. The method includes analysing the sample to obtain a genotype for the DNA present in the sample and assigning a prior probability distribution to the genotype. The likelihood function is considered and a posterior probability distribution for the genotype is established. In this way a probabilistic assessment of the genotype of the major or minor contributor to the sample can be obtained. This is beneficial over prior methods which use a deterministic method, and so involve the use of rule based methods.

Abstract: Methods for establishing the genotype of a DNA sample, and methods for investigating the potential sources of a DNA sample arising from a plurality of source, are provided, the methods being based on a method including: analysing the sample to produce a data profile for the sample for a locus; proposing a suggested genotype; generating a first stage profile for the locus for the suggested genotype; adjusting the first stage profile to account for one or more factors to give a simulation profile; and comparing the data profile and the simulation profile to provide an indication of the likelihood of the data profile given the suggested genotype. The methods in effect make adjustments to take the first stage profile, potentially through one or more intervening profiles, to the simulation profile, the simulation profile being an anticipation of the data profile which would be expected to occur for that suggested genotype in practice.

Abstract: A method of optimizing one or more parameters in a process for considering a DNA containing sample using a method of modeling and a method of modeling itself are provided. The method of modeling the process for considering a DNA containing sample uses a graphical model. The model seeks to provide one or more optimized parameters for the consideration process. The methods aim to consider the whole process, for instance, the number of cells required for the process and/or the extraction efficiency and/or the sub-sample volume relative to the sample volume and/or the amplification efficiency and/or the optimum number of amplification cycles and/or the effect of degradation on the amount of amplifiable DNA in the sample.

Abstract: A method of analysing DNA samples from mixed sources includes i) obtaining an observed result relating to a value set for a characteristic of the DNA; ii) randomly selecting a selected value set for that DNA characteristic and generating an expected result from that selected value set; iii) comparing the observed result and the expected result and quantifying the difference there between. The method also includes iv) considering the selected value set to be the optimal match; v) randomly selecting a different selected value set and generating another expected result from that selected value set; vi) comparing the observed result with the another expected result and quantifying the difference there between; vii) replacing the existing optimal value set with the different selected value set of step v) if a criteria is met. The method further includes viii) repeating steps v), vi) and vii) at least 10 times; ix) the last optimal match being taken to be the optimal match for the value set for the DNA.

Abstract: A method of investigation a sample is provided, the sample being a mixture of DNA arising from more than one source. The method includes analysing the sample to obtain a genotype for the DNA present in the sample and assigning a prior probability distribution to the genotype. The likelihood function is considered and a posterior probability distribution for the genotype is established. In this way a probabilistic assessment of the genotype of the major or minor contributor to the sample can be obtained. This is beneficial over prior methods which use a deterministic method, and so involve the use of rule based methods.

Abstract: A system calls elevator cars using a wireless network of nodes. A mobile node at an unknown location broadcasts a request packet. The request packet includes an identification of the mobile node and an elevator call command. One or more fixed nodes at known locations measure a signal strength of the received request packet and determine a known location of the mobile node based on the signal strength and the known locations of the fixed nodes, and call an elevator car according to the known location of the mobile node and the elevator call command.

Abstract: Methods for establishing the genotype of a DNA sample, and methods for investigating the potential sources of a DNA sample arising from a plurality of source, are provided, the methods being based on a method including: analysing the sample to produce a data profile for the sample for a locus; proposing a suggested genotype; generating a first stage profile for the locus for the suggested genotype; adjusting the first stage profile to account for one or more factors to give a simulation profile; and comparing the data profile and the simulation profile to provide an indication of the likelihood of the data profile given the suggested genotype. The methods in effect make adjustments to take the first stage profile, potentially through one or more intervening profiles, to the simulation profile, the simulation profile being an anticipation of the data profile which would be expected to occur for that suggested genotype in practice.