Abstract: A frame with an outer silicon layer and a manufacturing method of forming the silicone layer on the outer part of frame are disclosed. The manufacturing method includes a forming step, a combining step and a removing step. First, a pair of mold with a forming space is formed with a silicone carrier including an effective combination region and an ineffective region. An emplacing space is next formed in the effective combination region and a frame is put into the emplacing space. Before putting in the frame, either the outer part of frame or the emplacing space is coated with a silicone coating, and then the effective combination region is combined on the outer part of frame by a secondary sulfurization. Finally, the effective combination region is removed from the ineffective region to form a silicone layer, made of the effective combination region, on the outer part of frame.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a flow field plate, a catalyst layer, and a gas diffusion layer (GDL). The flow field plate has at least one channel and at least one land. Each of the at least one channel being positioned between two adjacent lands. The GDL is positioned between the flow field plate and the catalyst layer. The catalyst layer has a first region aligned with the at least one channel and a second region aligned with the at least one land. The first region has a first composition, a first carbon material, and a first carbon ratio of an amount of the first composition to the first carbon material. The second region has a second composition, a second carbon material, and a second carbon ratio of an amount of the second composition to the second carbon material. The first carbon ratio is different than the second carbon ratio.

Abstract: A catalyst support material for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The catalyst support material includes a metal material of an at least partially oxidized form of TiNb3O6 reactive with H3O+, HF and/or SO3? to form reaction products in which the metal material of the at least partially oxidized form of TiNb3O6 accounts for a stable molar percentage of the reaction products.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a cathode including a cathode active material; an anode including silicon, conductive carbon, lithium metal, sodium metal, magnesium metal, sulfur, or a combination of any two or more thereof; a separator; and an electrolyte including a lithium sulfonylimide salt, an asymmetric fluorinated glycol ether, and optionally an electrolyte additive, an aprotic gel polymer, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: Set forth herein are pellets, thin films, and monoliths of lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes having engineered surfaces. These engineered surfaces have a list of advantageous properties including, but not limited to, low surface area resistance, high Li+ ion conductivity, low tendency for lithium dendrites to form within or thereupon when the electrolytes are used in an electrochemical cell. Other advantages include voltage stability and long cycle life when used in electrochemical cells as a separator or a membrane between the positive and negative electrodes. Also set forth herein are methods of making these electrolytes including, but not limited to, methods of annealing these electrolytes under controlled atmosphere conditions. Set forth herein, additionally, are methods of using these electrolytes in electrochemical cells and devices. The instant disclosure further includes electrochemical cells which incorporate the lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes set forth herein.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a flow field plate having at least one channel and at least one land, where each of the at least one channel is positioned between two adjacent lands. The fuel cell further includes a gas diffusion layer (GDL) positioned between the flow field plate and a catalyst layer, where the catalyst layer has a first region aligned with the at least one channel and a second region aligned with the at least one land. The first region may have a first catalyst material supported by a first catalyst support region, and the second region may have a second catalyst material supported by a second catalyst support region.

Abstract: Set forth herein are processes for making lithium-stuffed garnet oxides (e.g., Li7La3Zr2O12, also known as LLZO) that have passivated surfaces comprising a fluorinate and/or an oxyfluorinate species. These surfaces resist the formation of oxides, carbonates, hydroxides, peroxides, and organics that spontaneously form on LLZO surfaces under ambient conditions. Also set forth herein are new materials made by these processes.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the reliability of a sealing structure in a multi-failure mode based on an Adaboost algorithm. The Adaboost algorithm is adopted to carry out a classification iterative training on the seal ring failure related data of a small sample until a classification error of set classifier meets a precision requirement; then the failure probability of the sealing structure is calculated under the fluctuation condition of related parameters by adopting the important sampling method, and further the reliability of the sealing structure is evaluated in the multi-failure mode. The present invention solves the problems of long time consumption and complex calculation process of reliability evaluation in multi-failure mode of the complex structure.

Abstract: Various aspects include a wearable audio device having active noise reduction (ANR). In some cases, an ANR system for a wearable audio device includes: a fixed filter that receives a signal from a feedback microphone and outputs a noise reduction signal, where the fixed filter is configured to provide ANR with a nominal loop gain; and a tunable filter that outputs an adjusted noise reduction signal by modulating the nominal loop gain in response to low frequency noise being detected in the noise reduction signal, where modulating the nominal loop gain includes reducing low frequency ANR performance.

Abstract: This invention relates to a robust optimal design method for photovoltaic cells. Firstly, the deterministic optimal model is established, which is solved by Monte Carlo method to obtain the maximum output power value of optimization objective and its corresponding design variable value, and then the design variable value obtained from deterministic optimization is deemed as the initial point of the mean value of the robust optimal design variable. Later, the robust optimal model is solved by Monte Carlo method in order to obtain the mean value of design variable, and then appropriate materials and manufacturing techniques are selected for corresponding photovoltaic components according to the design variable obtained, so as to achieve the robust optimal design of photovoltaic cells. In fact, this invention improves the output stability and reliability of photovoltaic cells.

Abstract: A dimensional fluid mapping system. An internal fluid device having one or more internal cavities configured to contain a fluid is disclosed. The one or more internal cavities have one or more internal features. The internal fluid device has a first side and a second side opposing the first side. A heating device is configured to apply heat to the first side when driven with a multifrequency excitation signal including first and second frequencies. A thermal measuring device is configured to record thermal signals emitted from the second side. A controller is configured to receive the thermal signals from the thermal measuring device and to generate a dimensional thermal map of one or more internal features of one or more internal cavities and/or an internal fluid distribution of the fluid contained in the one or more internal cavities in response to the thermal signals.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earbud includes a housing and a first feedforward microphone disposed in the housing. A first sound inlet opening extends through the housing and is configured to conduct external sound to the first feedforward microphone. The first sound inlet opening is configured to sit within a concha cavum of a user's ear and faces toward an auricle of the user's ear when the earbud is worn.

Abstract: Fuel cell alloy bipolar plates. The alloys may be used as a coating or bulk material. The alloys and metallic glasses may be particularly suitable for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells because of they may exhibit reduced weights and/or better corrosion resistance. The alloys may include any of the following AlxCuyTiz, AlxFeyNiz, AlxMnyNiz, AlxNiyTiz, CuxFeyTiz, CuxNiyTiz, AlxFeySiz, AlxMnySiz, AlxNiySiz, NixSiyTiz, and CxFeySiz. The alloys or metallic glass may be doped with various dopants to improve glass forming ability, mechanical strength, ductility, electrical or thermal conductivities, hydrophobicity, and/or corrosion resistance.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides hearing assistance devices and methods of generating a resonance within hearing assistance devices that use moving coil drivers, e.g., electro-dynamic coil drivers. As small moving coil drivers are typically inefficient within the voice band of frequencies, e.g., above 1 kHz, the hearing assistance devices described herein utilize the resonance of a mass within the hearing assistance device and a compliance of air within the housing of the hearing assistance device or within portions of the acoustic driver housing to aid in amplification of select frequencies within the voice band of human speech, e.g., between 2.5 kHz and 6 kHz. By using the assistance of the resonance created, the moving coil driver utilized does not need to operate as efficiently within the range of resonance frequencies.

Abstract: Set forth herein are processes for making lithium-stuffed garnet oxides (e.g., Li7La3Zr2O12, also known as LLZO) that have passivated surfaces comprising a fluorinate and/or an oxyfluorinate species. These surfaces resist the formation of oxides, carbonates, hydroxides, peroxides, and organics that spontaneously form on LLZO surfaces under ambient conditions. Also set forth herein are new materials made by these processes.

Abstract: The instant disclosure sets forth multiphase lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes having secondary phase inclusions, wherein these secondary phase inclusions are material(s) which is/are not a cubic phase lithium-stuffed garnet but which is/are entrapped or enclosed within a lithium-stuffed garnet. When the secondary phase inclusions described herein are included in a lithium-stuffed garnet at 30-0.1 volume %, the inclusions stabilize the multiphase matrix and allow for improved sintering of the lithium-stuffed garnet. The electrolytes described herein, which include lithium-stuffed garnet with secondary phase inclusions, have an improved sinterability and density compared to phase pure cubic lithium-stuffed garnet having the formula Li7La3Zr2O12.

Abstract: Set forth herein are pellets, thin films, and monoliths of lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes having engineered surfaces. These engineered surfaces have a list of advantageous properties including, but not limited to, low surface area resistance, high Li+ ion conductivity, low tendency for lithium dendrites to form within or thereupon when the electrolytes are used in an electrochemical cell. Other advantages include voltage stability and long cycle life when used in electrochemical cells as a separator or a membrane between the positive and negative electrodes. Also set forth herein are methods of making these electrolytes including, but not limited to, methods of annealing these electrolytes under controlled atmosphere conditions. Set forth herein, additionally, are methods of using these electrolytes in electrochemical cells and devices. The instant disclosure further includes electrochemical cells which incorporate the lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes set forth herein.

Abstract: Various aspects include a wearable audio device having active noise reduction (ANR), where the ANR device includes: a feedback microphone; an electroacoustic transducer; and a feedback compensator configured to output a noise reduction signal to the electroacoustic transducer in response to a feedback signal from the feedback microphone, wherein the feedback compensator includes a tunable filter that modulates a loop gain in response to an adverse low frequency event being detected in the noise reduction signal outputted from the tunable filter, wherein the tunable filter is configured to maintain a substantially similar loop gain shape near a low frequency cross-over as the low frequency cross-over changes during loop gain modulation.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earbud and method. The earbud includes a housing comprising an outlet portion that defines a sound outlet, wherein the outlet portion is configured to be located in or proximate the external auditory meatus of a user's ear, a first feedforward microphone configured to develop a first input signal, and a first sound inlet opening in the housing and configured to conduct external sound to be sensed by the first feedforward microphone, wherein the first sound inlet opening is proximate the outlet portion.

Abstract: An active noise reduction earbud and method. The earbud includes a housing comprising an outlet portion that defines a sound outlet, wherein the outlet portion is configured to be located in or proximate the external auditory meatus of a user's ear, a first feedforward microphone configured to develop a first input signal, and a first sound inlet opening in the housing and configured to conduct external sound to be sensed by the first feedforward microphone, wherein the first sound inlet opening is proximate the outlet portion.