Abstract: A system for driving a piezoelectric load includes a direct current (DC) voltage source and a bi-directional DC-to-DC converter having a primary side coupled to the DC voltage source and a secondary side and comprising a control input configured to receive a first control signal configured to control conversion of a first voltage on the primary side of the bi-directional DC-to-DC converter to a second voltage on the secondary side of the bi-directional DC-to-DC converter. The driver system also includes a capacitor coupled to the secondary side of the bi-directional DC-to-DC converter and configured to remove a DC offset of the second voltage and includes a reactive load having a first terminal coupled to the capacitor and a second terminal coupled to the secondary side of the bi-directional DC-to-DC converter.

Abstract: Micro-organisms, including fungi, viruses and bacteria such as Mycobacteria and/or fragments of micro-organisms such as cell wall components present in an aqueous liquid are captured to a solid surface by adding to the liquid a sufficient quantity of a water soluble polymer in the presence of the solid surface to displace the micro-organisms and/or fragments from the liquid to the solid surface. The surface may be provided by a bead. The water soluble polymer may be polyethyleneglycol or polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises detecting, by a hardware accelerator, that a value has been written to a first location of a memory, the first location identified by a first address. The method further includes adding the value to an accumulated value stored in an accumulator register of the hardware accelerator and storing the result in the accumulator register. The method further includes comparing the value to a maximum value stored in a first register of the hardware accelerator and overwriting the maximum value with the value if the value is greater than the maximum value. The method also includes comparing the value to a minimum value stored in a second register of the hardware accelerator and overwriting the minimum value with the value if the value is less than the minimum value.

Abstract: An inflatable rocket assembly is an apparatus that improves upon existing rocket shaped balloons. The apparatus is provided in a particular arrangement that enables said inflatable rocket assembly to traverse a fluid, in a particular manner, upon being thrown by human capable means. The inflatable rocket assembly is able to provide amusement and function as a teaching tool to a user through a plurality of interactions. The apparatus utilizes the combination of an inflatable body coupled with a plurality of front fins and a plurality of tail fins in order to achieve a particular flight characteristic while traversing through a fluid. The particular component arrangement allows the inflatable rocket assembly to be thrown through the air, achieving distances of 30? feet o more while requiring very little effort from the user. Furthermore, the inflatable rocket assembly is provided in manner that permits it to be easily inflated and deflated.

Abstract: A method for making a magnetic component is provided. The method comprises providing a core with one or more ridges protruding from one or more surfaces of the core, depositing one or more electrically conductive materials on the core, and removing at least a portion of the one or more ridges to form one or more continuous conductors wound around the core. Each of the one or more continuous conductors defines at least one insulating gap. Further, a magnetic component and methods for making the magnetic component are also presented.

Abstract: An overhead LED light fixture including a base member with a vertical sleeve secured to the top of the base member for alignment with a pass-through opening. The fixture has a driver-tray assembly with a bottom member engageable with the base member at the pass-through opening, a vertical driver-support structure extending upwardly therefrom, at least one driver secured to the support structure, and the driver-tray assembly is slideably received within the vertical sleeve. When used as a canopy light, the driver-tray assembly is removable from below the canopy to facilitate servicing, upgrading or replacing of components.

Abstract: A driver system comprises a direct current (DC) voltage source and a first bi-directional DC-to-DC converter having a primary side coupled to the DC voltage source and a secondary side and configured to convert a first voltage on the primary side to a second voltage on the secondary. The driver system also comprises a second bi-directional DC-to-DC converter having a primary side coupled to the DC voltage source and a secondary side coupled to the secondary side of the first bi-directional DC-to-DC converter and configured to convert the first voltage on the primary side to a third voltage on the secondary. The first and second bi-directional DC-to-DC converters are capable of boosting the first voltage, and the second control signal is a complement of the first control signal. A voltage difference between the second and third voltages comprises an output voltage that comprises an amplification of the first control signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for the detection and mapping of radiation, the device comprising a polymeric core (18) located within an external shell material (1), wherein the polymeric core comprises a plurality of stacked polymeric sheets comprising at least one radiation sensitive component which is sensitive to said radiation emitted by said radioactive materials and the external sheath comprises a collimation sheath (1). Preferably, the polymeric core comprises a cubic, cylindrical, spherical or truncated spherical shape which is encased within the external shell. The external shell is preferably comprised of a metal, most preferably tungsten.

Abstract: Micro-organisms, including fungi, viruses and bacteria such as Mycobacteria and/or fragments of micro-organisms such as cell wall components present in an aqueous liquid are captured to a solid surface by adding to the liquid a sufficient quantity of a water soluble polymer in the presence of the solid surface to displace the micro-organisms and/or fragments from the liquid to the solid surface. The surface may be provided by a bead. The water soluble polymer may be polyethyleneglycol or polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Abstract: A vertically disposed HID lamp fixture for growing plants, which includes a housing having an interior, an exterior, a top hole, and a lower lip defining a light opening towards the plants, further including an inlet duct and outlet duct for the forced air cooling embodiment, a socket tower having an upper flange and a lower flange, the upper flange affixed around the perimeter of the top hole securing the socket tower to the housing, a reflector having an aperture, the lower flange affixed around the perimeter of the aperture suspends the reflector within the housing such that an isolation chamber is formed between the exterior side of the reflector and the interior of the housing, a HID lamp removably engages within said socket tower longitudinally extending substantially downward and through said aperture vertically disposed above said light opening sealed by a compressively held glass sheet.

Abstract: A drug delivery apparatus comprising: a drug delivery device for selectively delivering drug-laden air or air not laden with the drug; a sensor for monitoring the breathing pattern of a patient; a controller arranged to control the drug delivery device to deliver drug-laden air in pulses which begin when the patient is monitored by the sensor to begin inhalation, the pulses having a duration which is adjusted by the controller on the basis of the monitored breathing pattern of the patient; a feedback indicator which indicates to a patient whether the monitored breathing pattern is effective for inhaling drug-laden air or not a dose calculator which calculates the dose delivered to the patient; and an indicator which indicates to the patient when a desired dose has been delivered, whereby the apparatus is configured to deliver the full amount of the desired dose in at least 80% of treatments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a touch sensor comprising a touch-sensitive area, and a touch-sensor controller coupled to the touch sensor. The touch-sensor controller is operable when executed to: select one or more regions associated with a stylus within the touch-sensitive area, and scan one or more electrodes within each region.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving sensor data from one or more sensors in or on a stylus, the stylus including one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for wirelessly transmitting signals to a device through a touch sensor of the device. The method includes generating a carrier signal and modulating the carrier signal to communicate the sensor data and wirelessly transmitting from the stylus to the device the carrier signal as modulated through the touch sensor of the device.

Abstract: A light source (101) is provided which comprises (a) a housing element (107); (b) a heat sink (109); (c) a first flow channel element (111) which, alone or in combination with said housing element, creates (i) a first set of flow paths (221) for the flow of fluid in a first direction through the light source, and (ii) a second set of flow paths (223) for the flow of fluid in a second direction through the light source; (d) a set of synthetic jet actuators (143, 145) having at least one member and being in fluidic communication with said first set of flow paths; and (e) a set of LEDs (113) containing at least one member and being in thermal contact with said heat sink.

Abstract: Electric actuators having internal load apparatus are described herein. An example electric actuator having an internal load apparatus described herein includes a housing defining a cavity to receive a drive system and a drive shaft operatively coupled to the drive system. Rotation of the drive system in a first rotational direction causes the drive shaft to move in a first rectilinear direction and rotation of the drive system in a second rotational direction causes the drive shaft to move in a second rectilinear direction opposite the first rectilinear direction. A biasing element is operatively coupled to the drive system such that least a portion of the drive system moves axially toward the biasing element to deflect the biasing element when the drive shaft reaches an end of stroke position to provide a load to the drive shaft when electric power to the electric actuator is removed.

Abstract: A thermal management system is provided which comprises (a) a synthetic jet actuator; and (b) a frame having at least one element therein which pressingly engages said synthetic jet actuator.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for the detection and mapping of radiation, the device comprising a polymeric core located within an external shell material, wherein the polymeric core comprises at least one radiation sensitive component and the external sheath comprises a collimation sheath. Preferably, the polymeric core comprises a spherical core which is encased within the external shell. The external shell is preferably comprised of a metal, most preferably lead or tungsten.

Abstract: A method of treatment for the prevention or therapy of a protein aggregation disease includes the administration in combination of a first active medicament and a second active medicament, wherein the first active medicament is active to impede aggregation of amyloid protein and the second active medicament is active to disaggregate previously formed aggregates of amyloid protein.

Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) energy system includes a pulsed bus defined by a non-zero average value voltage that is proportional to a rectified utility grid AC supply voltage. The PV energy system also includes a plurality of PV modules, each PV module including a bucking circuit configured to convert a corresponding PV voltage into a pulsing current, wherein the pulsating bus is configured to sum the pulsing currents produced via the plurality of PV modules such that a resultant pulsing current is injected into the pulsating bus in phase with the non-zero average value voltage. A current unfolding circuit is configured to control the amount of AC current injected into the utility grid in response to the resultant pulsing current.