Abstract: A device for producing electricity. The device includes a substrate having spaced apart first and second surfaces and doped a first dopant type, first semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first substrate surface and doped the first dopant type, and second semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first semiconductor material layers and doped a second dopant type. A first contact is in electrical contact with the second substrate surface or in electrical contact with one of the first semiconductor material layers. A beta particle source emits beta particles that penetrate into the semiconductor material layers; the beta particle source is proximate the uppermost layer of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. A second contact is in electrical contact with one of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. In one embodiment, bi-polar contacts (the first and second contacts) are co-located on each major face of the device.

Abstract: An example radio frequency (RF) positioning node system calculates a respective distance between an uncommissioned RF positioning node to each of neighboring commissioned RF positioning nodes based on a respective received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurement. Based on the calculated respective distance to each of the neighboring commissioned RF positioning nodes and a set of commissioned location coordinates of each of the neighboring commissioned RF positioning nodes, the RF positioning node system estimates a set of uncommissioned location coordinates of the uncommissioned RF positioning node.

Abstract: A device for producing electricity. The device includes a substrate having spaced apart first and second surfaces and doped a first dopant type, first semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first substrate surface and doped the first dopant type, and second semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first semiconductor material layers and doped a second dopant type. A first contact is in electrical contact with the second substrate surface or in electrical contact with one of the first semiconductor material layers. A beta particle source emits beta particles that penetrate into the semiconductor material layers; the beta particle source is proximate the uppermost layer of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. A second contact is in electrical contact with one of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. In one embodiment, bi-polar contacts (the first and second contacts) are co-located on each major face of the device.

Abstract: A device for producing electricity. The device includes a substrate having spaced apart first and second surfaces and doped a first dopant type, first semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first substrate surface and doped the first dopant type, and second semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first semiconductor material layers and doped a second dopant type. A first contact is in electrical contact with the second substrate surface or in electrical contact with one of the first semiconductor material layers. A beta particle source emits beta particles that penetrate into the semiconductor material layers; the beta particle source is proximate the uppermost layer of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. A second contact is in electrical contact with one of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. In one embodiment, bi-polar contacts (the first and second contacts) are co-located on each major face of the device.

Abstract: A rectal injection device and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the device includes: (1) a body having a handle, (2) a suction system associated with the body, (3) a trigger associated with the handle, (4) a pod coupled to the body via a neck and (5) multiple suction ports associated with the pod, each of the multiple suction ports configured to receive a ligation band thereabout, the suction system configured to provide a suction to the multiple suction ports to draw tissue thereinto, the pod configured to deploy the ligation bands upon activation of the trigger.

Abstract: An example radio frequency (RF) positioning node system calculates a respective distance between an uncommissioned RF positioning node to each of neighboring commissioned RF positioning nodes based on a respective received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurement. Based on the calculated respective distance to each of the neighboring commissioned RF positioning nodes and a set of commissioned location coordinates of each of the neighboring commissioned RF positioning nodes, the RF positioning node system estimates a set of uncommissioned location coordinates of the uncommissioned RF positioning node.

Abstract: A device for producing electricity. The device includes a substrate having spaced apart first and second surfaces and doped a first dopant type, first semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first substrate surface and doped the first dopant type, and second semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first semiconductor material layers and doped a second dopant type. A first contact is in electrical contact with the second substrate surface or in electrical contact with one of the first semiconductor material layers. A beta particle source emits beta particles that penetrate into the semiconductor material layers; the beta particle source is proximate the uppermost layer of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. A second contact is in electrical contact with one of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. In one embodiment, bi-polar contacts (the first and second contacts) are co-located on each major face of the device.

Abstract: An example luminaire-based positioning system calculates a respective distance between an uncommissioned luminaire to each of neighboring commissioned luminaires based on a respective received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurement. Based on the calculated respective distance to each of the neighboring commissioned luminaires and a set of commissioned location coordinates of each of the neighboring commissioned luminaires, luminaire-based positioning system estimates a set of uncommissioned location coordinates of the uncommissioned luminaire. The luminaire-based positioning system determines a best fit assignment of the set of uncommissioned location coordinates of uncommissioned luminaires in an uncommissioned luminaire list to the set of commissioned location coordinates of non-operational commissioned luminaires in a non-operational luminaire list.

Abstract: A device for producing electricity. The device includes a substrate having spaced apart first and second surfaces and doped a first dopant type, first semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first substrate surface and doped the first dopant type, and second semiconductor material layers disposed atop the first semiconductor material layers and doped a second dopant type. A first contact is in electrical contact with the second substrate surface or in electrical contact with one of the first semiconductor material layers. A beta particle source emits beta particles that penetrate into the semiconductor material layers; the beta particle source is proximate the uppermost layer of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. A second contact is in electrical contact with one of the second plurality of semiconductor material layers. In one embodiment, bi-polar contacts (the first and second contacts) are co-located on each major face of the device.

Abstract: A rectal injection device and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the device includes: (1) a body having a handle, (2) a suction system associated with the body, (3) a trigger associated with the handle, (4) a pod coupled to the body via a neck and (5) multiple suction ports associated with the pod, each of the multiple suction ports configured to receive a ligation band thereabout, the suction system configured to provide a suction to the multiple suction ports to draw tissue thereinto, the pod configured to deploy the ligation bands upon activation of the trigger.

Abstract: Examples of a system and a method for asset tracking are provided. The system includes wireless communication nodes in a space that receive a basic message including an asset tracking tag identifier and a basic message sequence number transmitted by an asset tracking tag. The wireless communication nodes measure a received basic message signal attribute, and transmit a node asset message including the asset tracking tag identifier, the basic message sequence number, a node identifier, and the measured signal attribute of the received basic message to an edge gateway. The edge gateway may receive the transmitted node asset message transmitted by each of some number of the wireless communication nodes and rank respective node identifiers extracted from the received node asset messages based the measured signal attribute. The edge gateway forwards an aggregated message to a fog gateway for obtaining an estimate of the location of the asset tracking tag.

Abstract: An example luminaire-based positioning system calculates a respective distance between an uncommissioned luminaire to each of neighboring commissioned luminaires based on a respective received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurement. Based on the calculated respective distance to each of the neighboring commissioned luminaires and a set of commissioned location coordinates of each of the neighboring commissioned luminaires, luminaire-based positioning system estimates a set of uncommissioned location coordinates of the uncommissioned luminaire. The luminaire-based positioning system determines a best fit assignment of the set of uncommissioned location coordinates of uncommissioned luminaires in an uncommissioned luminaire list to the set of commissioned location coordinates of non-operational commissioned luminaires in a non-operational luminaire list.

Abstract: Radio frequency-enabled nodes, in an example asset tracking system, receive a basic message including an asset tracking tag identifier from an asset tag. The nodes measure a signal attribute of the received message; and each receiving node transmits a node asset message including the asset tag identifier, a respective node identifier, and the measured signal attribute. Edge gateways each receive one or more node asset messages transmitted by some number of the radio frequency-enabled nodes and rank respective node identifiers based on the measured signal attribute. Each edge gateway forwards an aggregated message to a fog gateway, which parses data from the aggregated messages to form a node identifier tuple identifying at least three nodes near the asset tag. Ordered identifiers from the tuple and known locations of the identified nearby nodes can then be processed to estimate of the location of the asset tag.

Abstract: A system includes radio frequency (RF) communication devices, for example, in luminaires, located in a service area offering a location determination service, and a portable device used in commissioning the communication devices. The communication devices transmit a primary location determination system's RF signals for receipt by the portable device. The portable device determines its location using a secondary system. The RF communication devices' transmitted RF signals include an identifier. A received signal strength indication (RSSI) of each signal received by the portable device is measured, and stored with an estimate of the portable device's corresponding location. The portable device is moved to another location to measure RSSI of RF signals. When the number of measurements or number of locations is sufficient, the locations of each of the respective luminaires or communication devices may be determined using the RSSI values and the portable device's estimated indiscriminate location.

Abstract: A rectal injection device and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the device includes: (1) a body having a handle, (2) a suction system associated with the body, (3) a trigger associated with the handle, (4) a pod coupled to the body via a neck and (5) multiple suction ports associated with the pod, each of the multiple suction ports configured to receive a ligation band thereabout, the suction system configured to provide a suction to the multiple suction ports to draw tissue thereinto, the pod configured to deploy the ligation bands upon activation of the trigger.

Abstract: A betavoltaic power source. The power source comprises a source of beta particles and a plurality of regions each for collecting the beta particles and for generating electron hole pairs responsive to the beta particle flux. A first set of the plurality of regions is disposed proximate a first surface of the source and a second set of the plurality of regions is disposed proximate a second surface. The first and second surface in opposing relation. A secondary power source is charged by a current developed by the electron hole pairs.

Abstract: Radio frequency-enabled nodes, in an example asset tracking system, receive a basic message including an asset tracking tag identifier from an asset tag. The nodes measure a signal attribute of the received message; and each receiving node transmits a node asset message including the asset tag identifier, a respective node identifier, and the measured signal attribute. Edge gateways each receive one or more node asset messages transmitted by some number of the radio frequency-enabled nodes and rank respective node identifiers based on the measured signal attribute. Each edge gateway forwards an aggregated message to a fog gateway, which parses data from the aggregated messages to form a node identifier tuple identifying at least three nodes near the asset tag. Ordered identifiers from the tuple and known locations of the identified nearby nodes can then be processed to estimate of the location of the asset tag.

Abstract: Examples of a system and a method for asset tracking are provided. The system includes wireless communication nodes in a space that receive a basic message including an asset tracking tag identifier and a basic message sequence number transmitted by an asset tracking tag. The wireless communication nodes measure a received basic message signal attribute, and transmit a node asset message including the asset tracking tag identifier, the basic message sequence number, a node identifier, and the measured signal attribute of the received basic message to an edge gateway. The edge gateway may receive the transmitted node asset message transmitted by each of some number of the wireless communication nodes and rank respective node identifiers extracted from the received node asset messages based the measured signal attribute. The edge gateway forwards an aggregated message to a fog gateway for obtaining an estimate of the location of the asset tracking tag.

Abstract: A system includes radio frequency (RF) communication devices, for example, in luminaires, located in a service area offering a location determination service, and a portable device used in commissioning the communication devices. The communication devices transmit a primary location determination system's RF signals for receipt by the portable device. The portable device determines its location using a secondary system. The RF communication devices' transmitted RF signals include an identifier. A received signal strength indication (RSSI) of each signal received by the portable device is measured, and stored with an estimate of the portable device's corresponding location. The portable device is moved to another location to measure RSSI of RF signals. When the number of measurements or number of locations is sufficient, the locations of each of the respective luminaires or communication devices may be determined using the RSSI values and the portable device's estimated indiscriminate location.

Abstract: Examples of a system and a method for asset tracking are provided. The system includes wireless communication nodes in a space that receive a basic message including an asset tracking tag identifier and a basic message sequence number transmitted by an asset tracking tag. The wireless communication nodes measure a received basic message signal attribute, and transmit a node asset message including the asset tracking tag identifier, the basic message sequence number, a node identifier, and the measured signal attribute of the received basic message to an edge gateway. The edge gateway may receive the transmitted node asset message transmitted by each of some number of the wireless communication nodes and rank respective node identifiers extracted from the received node asset messages based the measured signal attribute. The edge gateway forwards an aggregated message to a fog gateway for obtaining an estimate of the location of the asset tracking tag.