Abstract: Cap arrangements for per-well fluidics and gas exchange for microplate, microtiter, and microarray technologies are presented for use with cell cultures or other applications. In example implementations, each individual well within in a conventional or specialized microplate can be fully or partially isolated with capping or other arrangements which can include conduits for controlled introduction, removal, and/or exchange of fluids and/or gases. Conduit networks can include small controllable valves that operate under software control, and micro-scale pumps can also be included. Conduit interconnections can include one or more of controllable-valve distribution buses, next-neighbor interconnections, and other active or passive interconnection topologies.

Abstract: Per-well imaging arrangements for microplate, microtiter, and microarray technologies are presented. In example implementations, each individual well within in a conventional or specialized microplate can be fully or partially isolated with capping or other arrangements which can include conduits for controlled introduction, removal, and/or exchange of fluids and/or gases. Conduit networks can include small controllable valves that operate under software control, and micro-scale pumps can also be included. Conduit interconnections can include one or more of controllable-valve distribution buses, next-neighbor interconnections, and other active or passive interconnection topologies. Cap arrangements can include or provide one or more sensors of various types, including but not limited to selective gas sensors, chemical sensors, temperature sensors, pH sensors, biosensors, immunosensors, molecular-imprint sensors, optical sensors, fluorescence sensors, bioFETS, etc.

Abstract: Expanded cell culture incubator arrangements for interfacing and supporting advanced microplate, microarray, and microtiter technologies comprising per-well fluidics, gas exchange, electronic sensors, and imaging features are presented. In example implementations, each individual well of a conventional or specialized microplate can be fully or partially isolated with capping or other arrangements. Specialized microplate and/or capping arrangements can include conduits for controlled introduction, removal, and/or exchange of fluids and/or gases. Conduit networks can include small controllable valves that operate under software control, and micro-scale pumps can also be included. Conduit interconnections can include one or more of controllable-valve distribution buses, next-neighbor interconnections, and other active or passive interconnection topologies.

Abstract: A system for a spatial-gesture user interface employing grammatical rules at various levels. Various distinct subset of the gestemes can be concatenated in space and time to construct a distinct gestures. Real-time spatial-gesture information measured by a spatial-gesture user interface is processed to at least a recognized sequence of specific gestemes and that the sequence of gestemes that the user's execution a gesture has been completed. The specific gesture rendered by the user is recognized according to the sequence of gestemes. Many additional features are then provided from this foundation, including gesture grammars, structured-meaning gesture-lexicon, imposed interpretations, context, and the use of gesture-rendering prosody. The invention can be used to provide very general spatial-gesture grammar user interface for touchscreens, high dimensional touch pad (hdtp), free-space camera, and other user interfaces.

Abstract: This invention relates to sensor arrangements and signal processing architectures for touch-based user interfaces comprising multiple sensor types and other arrangements so as to create user interface output signals responsive to the touch of at least one human finger. Sensor types and other arrangements can include capacitive tactile sensor arrays, optical tactile sensor arrays, proximity sensor arrays, pressure sensor arrays, and video cameras.

Abstract: Arrangements for incremental deployment of stand-alone and hierarchical adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements for use in information technology and other heat-producing equipment are disclosed. The arrangements provide for individual cooling and energy harvesting subsystems, each of which can operate in isolation and be interconnected with additional subsystems in peer and hierarchical relationships. Each subsystem comprises at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator, a control system, and electronics controlled to selectively configure the thermoelectric device in at least in a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and in a thermoelectric generation operating mode. The thermoelectric device can incorporate quantum-process and quantum-well materials for higher heat transfer and thermoelectric generation efficiencies.

Abstract: Multichannel data sonification arrangements for providing parallel perceptual channels for representing complex numerical data to a user seeking to identify correlations within the data are presented. In an implementation, several varying data quantities are represented by time-varying sound and presented to a user to observe both variations and correlations among sonic events or trends. The data sonification can include multiple data-modulated sound timbre classes, for example each separately rendered within a stereo sound field. The sound timbre classes can be arranged to convey a sonic metaphor.

Abstract: A cylindrical optical tomography system includes a light emitting array having a plurality of light emitting elements, a cylindrical sample holding element, and a light sensing array including a plurality of light sensing elements, wherein the light sensing array is configured to sense light emitted from the light emitting array which has passed through the sample holding module.

Abstract: Continuing a sequence of lensless light-field imaging camera patents beginning 1999, the present invention adds light-use efficiency, predictive-model design, distance-parameterized interpolation, computational efficiency, arbitrary shaped surface-of-focus, angular diversity/redundancy, distributed image sensing, plasmon surface propagation, and other fundamentally enabling features. Embodiments can be fabricated entirely by printing, transparent/semi-transparent, layered, of arbitrary size/curvature, flexible/bendable, emit light, focus and self-illuminate at zero-separation distance between (planar or curved) sensing and observed surfaces, robust against damage/occulation, implement color sensing without use of filters or diffraction, overlay on provided surfaces, provided color and enhanced multi-wavelength color sensing, wavelength-selective imaging of near-infrared/near-ultraviolet, and comprise many other fundamentally enabling features.

Abstract: Arrangements for per-well fluidics, gas exchange, and electronic sensors for microplate, microtiter, and microarray technologies are presented. In example implementations, each individual well within in a conventional or specialized microplate can be fully or partially isolated with capping or other arrangements which can include conduits for controlled introduction, removal, and/or exchange of fluids and/or gases. Conduit networks can include small controllable valves that operate under software control, and micro-scale pumps can also be included. Conduit interconnections can include one or more of controllable-valve distribution buses, next-neighbor interconnections, and other active or passive interconnection topologies. Cap arrangements can include or provide one or more sensors of various types, including but not limited to selective gas sensors, chemical sensors, temperature sensors, pH sensors, biosensors, immunosensors, molecular-imprint sensors, optical sensors, fluorescence sensors, bioFETS, etc.

Abstract: A computer numerical processing method for encoding and decoding audio information for use in conjunction with human hearing is described. The method comprises approximating an eigenfunction equation representing a model of human hearing, calculating the approximation to each of a plurality of eigenfunctions from at least one aspect of the eigenfunction equation, and storing the approximation to each of a plurality of eigenfunctions for use in encoding and decoding. The approximation to each of a plurality of eigenfunctions represents a perception-oriented basis functions for mathematically representing audio information in a Hilbert-space representation of an audio signal space. The model of human hearing can include a bandpass operation with a bandwidth having the frequency range of human hearing and a time-limiting operation approximating the time duration correlation window of human hearing.

Abstract: This invention provides a signal processing and signal synthesis technique from a family of signal processing and signal synthesis techniques designed to readily interwork or be used individually in creating new forms of rich musical timbres. A real-time controllable mix of a plurality of multiple output frequency-reduced signals and the cross-products of these signals provides rich animated harmonically partitioned spectra. Mixing parameters may be recalled from stored program control or modulated in real-time by arbitrary control signals, including envelope generators, low-frequency oscillators, and those derived from an original input signal, and specifically including the amplitude of an original input signal. The real-time controllable mix may have multiple outputs and be subjected to further signal processing and multiple-channel amplification.

Abstract: A hypermedia object associated with an application, displayed on a display screen, and responsive to information is disclosed. The information is provided by a user interface input device having two-dimensional pointing functions and at least one additional user-adjustable input for entering values from a range of more than two possible values. The hypermedia object includes a first visual representation of the hypermedia object for display in a first region of a display screen, an associated responsive area in a second region of the display for in activating the hypermedia object, and a procedure for allowing a user to activate the hypermedia object from a user-initiated action enacted on the user interface input device. Activating the hypermedia object enables the entry of at least one additional user-adjustable input value for use by the associated application.

Abstract: A customizable electronic musical instrument includes a mounting frame for securing a plurality of user-installable electronic musical modules of various types including a type for generating at least one control signal responsive to user operation, a type for generating audio signals, responsive to a control signal. The instrument can transmit outgoing audio electrical signals to an external system and can include internal sound amplification. The instrument includes one or more types of controller elements such as a keyboard, touchpad, strumpad, impact sensor, slider control, expression wheel, joystick, ribbon controller, button, switch, pressure sensor, multiple-position selector, knob potentiometer, and further comprises at least one music synthesizer element. Control and audio signals may be routed among modules by a switch or bus. Audio signals can be mixed by a multichannel audio mixer and/or processed responsive to at least one control signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to sensor arrangements and signal processing architectures for touch-based user interfaces comprising multiple sensor types and other arrangements so as to create user interface output signals responsive to the touch of at least one human finger. Sensor types and other arrangements can include capacitive tactile sensor arrays, optical tactile sensor arrays, proximity sensor arrays, pressure sensor arrays, and video cameras.

Abstract: A modular laboratory-style computer-controlled system for multistep chemical processing for use in laboratory automation or chemical production is disclosed. The system comprised a plurality of interconnectable electrically-powered controllable chemical process modules having chemical input and output ports and at least one communications interface. Interconnections among the chemical process modules include both chemical flow interconnections for the transport of chemical materials and network interconnections for the transport of communications signals. The controllable chemical process modules have distinct network addresses and are controlled by an algorithm executed by the data processor. In some implementations chemical flow interconnections are software controllable. In some implementations the system further comprises feedback control. In some implementations some chemical process modules comprise sensors responsive to sense physical quantities.

Abstract: Light-sensor array systems for capturing multiple-color images and light-fields using array of wavelength-selective optoelectronic elements (rather than wider-range photosensors prefaced with visible-band wavelength-selective optical elements such as color selective filters) as light-field or image sensors are presented. The light-sensor array can be one or more of transparent, bendable, and implemented on a curved surface. In some embodiments, the wavelength-selective light-sensing opto-electronic elements are arranged in a stacked array. In some embodiments, more than three wavelength-selective ranges can be employed in each light-sensing pixel. The invention can be used to implement one or more of a lensless imaging light-field camera, tactile gesture user interface, and/or proximate gesture user interface. In some embodiments, the light-sensor array system can be configured to emit light of one or more colors, and thus can additionally serve as an image display.

Abstract: A system for adaptive cooling and energy harvesting comprising at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator, a hierarchical multiple-level control system, and electronics controlled by the control system and connected to the thermoelectric device. The electronics selectively configure the thermoelectric device in at least in a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and in a thermoelectric generation operating mode. The thermoelectric device can incorporate quantum-process and quantum-well materials for higher heat transfer and thermoelectric generation efficiencies. The invention provides for thermoelectric devices to additionally operate in temperature sensing mode. The hierarchical control system can comprise a plurality of control system, each of which can operate in isolation and can be interconnected with additional subsystems associated with other hierarchical levels.

Abstract: A hypermedia object associated with an application, displayed on a display screen, and responsive to information is disclosed. The information is provided by a user interface input device having two-dimensional pointing functions and at least one additional user-adjustable input for entering values from a range of more than two possible values. The hypermedia object includes a first visual representation of the hypermedia object for display in a first region of a display screen, an associated responsive area in a second region of the display for in activating the hypermedia object, and a procedure for allowing a user to activate the hypermedia object from a user-initiated action enacted on the user interface input device. Activating the hypermedia object enables the entry of at least one additional user-adjustable input value for use by the associated application.

Abstract: This invention relates to sensor arrangements and signal processing architectures for touch-based user interfaces comprising multiple sensor types and other arrangements so as to create user interface output signals responsive to the touch of at least one human finger. Sensor types and other arrangements can include capacitive tactile sensor arrays, optical tactile sensor arrays, proximity sensor arrays, pressure sensor arrays, and video cameras. At least one software algorithm comprises at least one of a functional partition (wherein some user interface output signals are derived only from a pre-specified sensor), decision-based selection (wherein some user interface output signals are selectively derived from a selected sensor), or sensor-fusing (wherein user interface output signals are obtained from threshold testing, conditional testing, vector quantization, algorithms employing parameterized calculations, algorithms employing compensation calculations and operations, artificial neural networks, etc.