Abstract: Apparatus and method for optimizing different amounts of output products derived from an initial biomass material. The method includes obtaining economic data of costs and availability of raw materials and resources, and prices that would be paid for output products derived, performing calculations to determine an optimum amount of each of the output products; and controlling processes that generate the output products. In some embodiments, the processes convert initial biomass materials into intermediate and output products, an economic engine that obtains economic data relating to costs of initial materials and prices that would be paid for output products derived from the raw materials, and performs calculations to determine an optimum amount of each of the output products, and valves that are controlled by the economic engine to route variable amounts of the initial biomass materials to the processes to obtain a mix of output products that provides an optimum profit.

Abstract: Apparatus and method that includes amplifiers for transceiver antenna elements, and more specifically to power amplifying an RF (radio frequency) signal using a distributed power amplifier having electronic devices (such as field-effect transistors) that are thermally and/or mechanically connected to each one of a plurality of antenna elements (also called coil elements) to form a hybrid coil-amplifier (e.g., for use in a magnetic-resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy machine), and that is optionally adjusted from a remote location, optionally including remotely adjusting its gains, electrical resistances, inductances, and/or capacitances (which controls the magnitude, phase, frequency, spatial profile, and temporal profile of the RF signal)—and, in some embodiments, the components are compatible with, and function in, high fields (such as a magnetic field of up to and exceeding one tesla or even ten tesla or more and/or an electric field of many thousands of volts per meter).

Abstract: A progressive series of five new coils is described. The first coil solves problems of transmit-field inefficiency and inhomogeneity for heart and body imaging, with a close-fitting, 16-channel TEM conformal array design with efficient shield-capacitance decoupling. The second coil progresses directly from the first with automatic tuning and matching, an innovation of huge importance for multi-channel transmit coils. The third coil combines the second, auto-tuned multi-channel transmitter with a 32-channel receiver for best transmit-efficiency, control, receive-sensitivity and parallel-imaging performance. The final two coils extend the innovative technology of the first three coils to multi-nuclear (31P-1H) designs to make practical human-cardiac imaging and spectroscopy possible for the first time at 7 T.

Abstract: A plurality of linear current elements are configured about a specimen to be imaged. A current in each current element is controlled independent of a current in other current elements to select a gradient and to provide radio frequency shimming. Each current element is driven by a separate channel of a transmitter and connected to a separate channel of a multi-channel receiver. The impedance, and therefore, the current, in each current element is controlled mechanically or electrically.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus in embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features: (a) a coil having at least two sections, (b) the at least two sections having a resonant circuit, (c) the at least two sections being wirelessly coupled or decoupled, (d) the at least two sections being separable, (e) several openings allowing a subject to see and be accessed through the coil, (f) at least one cushioned head restraint, and (g) a subject input/output device providing visual data from in front and behind of the coil respectively; wherein the input/output device is selected from the group consisting of mirrors, prisms, video monitors, LCD devices, and optical motion trackers.

Abstract: An electromagnetic shield for an NMR radio frequency coil designed to resonate at a selected Larmor frequency. The shield includes an electrically conductive layer surrounding the coil. This electrically conductive layer has a thickness substantially the same as one skin depth at the selected Larmor frequency. As such, the conductive layer efficiently conducts radio frequency currents at the selected Larmor frequency thereby conducting and containing the radio frequency coils at the selected Larmor frequency within the coil. Simultaneously, an electrically conductive layer, due to its thinness, very inefficiently conducts eddy currents of the type induced by the lower frequency DC gradient current switching transients the gradients are utilized to magnetically localize an image slice or volume.

Abstract: A cavity resonator is disclosed for use in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) systems. The resonator has a housing defining a cavity having a selected length and cross-sectional shape. A layer of electrically conductive material is provided around at least a portion of the housing enclosing a dielectric material (air, gasses, teflon, etc.) and the cavity is energized at a Larmor radio frequency useful for NMR systems. The cavity, i.e. a volume enclosed by conductive walls, furthermore, is dimensioned to resonate at the selected radio frequency to thereby generate an alternating magnetic field through the cavity. An opening in the housing is adapted to be placed adjacent an object to be analyzed.