Abstract: A functional component for a vehicle is formed from at least one temperature-sensitive material and/or has at least one temperature-sensitive material, which is designed in such a way that, at at least a predefined limit temperature, an optically perceptible property for representing a temperature information, which describes the temperature of at least a part of the functional component, can be modified.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for correcting finite floating-point numerical simulation and optimization. Defining a loss function within a simulation space composed of a plurality of voxels each having an initial degree of freedom, the simulation space encompassing one or more interfaces of the component; defining an initial structure for the one or more interfaces in the simulation space; calculating, using a computer system with a finite floating-point precision, values for an electromagnetic field at each voxel using a finite-difference time domain solver to solve Maxwell's equations; and determining, for each voxel, whether to increase a respective numerical precision of respective values representing behavior of the electromagnetic field at the voxel above a threshold precision by the computer system and, in response, assigning one or more additional degrees of freedom to the voxel.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for designing a multimodal photonic component. In one aspect, a method includes defining a loss function within a simulation space including multiple voxels and encompassing features of the multimodal photonic component. The loss function corresponds to a target output mode profile for an input mode profile, where the target output mode profile includes a relationship between a set of operating conditions and one or more supported modes of the multimodal photonic component at a particular operative wavelength. The initial structure is defined for one or more features, where at least some of the voxels corresponding to features have a dimension smaller than a smallest operative wavelength of the multimodal photonic component, and values for structural parameters for the features are determined so that a loss according to the loss function is within a threshold loss.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for designing a dispersive optical component includes: (i) defining a loss function within a simulation space composed of multiple voxels, the simulation space encompassing optical interfaces of the component, the loss function corresponding to a target dispersion profile for the component including a relationship between a scattering angle and a wavelength of an incident electromagnetic field for different operative wavelengths; (ii) defining an initial structure for the optical interfaces, at least some of the voxels corresponding to each optical interface having a dimension smaller than a smallest operative wavelength of the component; and (iii) determining, using a computer system, a structure for each optical interface using a finite-difference time domain solver to solve Maxwell's equations so that a loss determined according to the loss function is above a specified threshold.

Abstract: Methods for designing a mode-selective optical device including one or more optical interfaces defining an optical cavity include: defining a loss function within a simulation space encompassing the optical device, the loss function corresponding to an electromagnetic field having an operative wavelength within the optical device resulting from an interaction between an input electromagnetic field at the operative wavelength and the one or more optical interfaces of the optical device; defining an initial structure for each of the one or more optical interfaces, each initial structure being defined using a plurality of voxels; determining values for at least one structural parameter and/or at least one functional parameter of the one or more optical interfaces by solving Maxwell's equations; and defining a final structure of the one or more optical interfaces based on the values for the one or more structural and/or functional parameters.

Abstract: A lighting device includes lens which delimits the inner region of the lighting device and is configured so that light exits outwards from the inner region. The lighting device includes one or more light sources in the inner region to emit a first light radiation in a first wavelength range, the lens being non-transparent to the first light radiation. The inner region also includes one or more elements, each of which contains a photoluminescent phosphor, the element(s) being arranged to be illuminated by the first light radiation. The photoluminescent phosphor is configured to emit a second light radiation in a second wavelength range, based on the first light radiation illuminating the element(s), the second light radiation at least partly exiting through the lens which is transparent to at least a part of the second light radiation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for designing a hybrid neural network comprising at least one physical neural network component and at least one digital neural network component. A loss function is defined within a design space composed of a plurality of voxels, the design space encompassing one or more physical structures of the at least one physical neural network component and one or more architectural features of the digital neural network. Values are determined for at least one functional parameter for the one or more physical structures, and the at least one architectural parameter for the one or more architectural features, using a domain solver to solve Maxwell's equations so that a loss determined according to the loss function is within a threshold loss. Final structures are defined for the at least one physical neural network component and the digital neural network component based on the values.

Abstract: A method that includes: providing a substrate including a layer of a crystalline material having a first surface; and exposing the first surface to an environment under conditions sufficient to cause epitaxial growth of a layer of a deposition material on the first surface, wherein exposing the first surface to the environment includes illuminating the substrate with light at a first wavelength while causing the epitaxial growth of the layer of the deposition material. The first surface includes one or more discrete growth sites at which an epitaxial growth rate of the quantum confined nanostructure material is larger than areas of the first surface away from the growth sites by an amount sufficient so that the deposition material forms a quantum confined nanostructure at each of the one or more discrete growth sites.

Abstract: An example method may include receiving, from a client computing device, an indication of a target drop-off spot for an object within a first virtual model of a first region of a delivery destination. A second virtual model of a second region of the delivery destination may be determined based on sensor data received from one or more sensors on a delivery vehicle. A mapping may be determined between physical features represented in the first virtual model and physical features represented in the second virtual model to determine an overlapping region between the first and second virtual models. A position of the target drop-off spot within the second virtual model may be determined based on the overlapping region. Based on the position of the target drop-off spot within the second virtual model, the delivery vehicle may be navigated to the target drop-off spot to drop off the object.

Abstract: A method produces a vehicle replacement part for a first vehicle component of a connecting system, which is fixed to a second vehicle component via a detachable clip connection. The first vehicle component has a male fixing element, and the second vehicle component has a female fixing element. To connect the first vehicle component to the second vehicle component, the male fixing element is plugged into the female fixing element and is latched. The production method of the vehicle replacement part provides an unfinished part, which is dimensioned to produce the vehicle replacement part. Then, the unfinished part is reshaped in accordance with the geometry of the first vehicle component. Male fixing elements are then provided and, in the last step, the male fixing elements are joined to the reshaped unfinished part.

Abstract: An MMS includes a substrate, an element movable with respect to the substrate and a frame structure. A first pair of springs is arranged between the substrate and the frame structure along a first spring direction. A second pair of springs is arranged between the movable element and the frame structure along a second spring direction. The frame structure is configured to generate tensile stress in the second pair of springs at tensile stress acting in the first pair of springs.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification generally relates to modular vehicles including separable pod and base units. In some implementations, a computing system installed in a vehicle base identifies a vehicle pod that is detachably connected to a chassis on the vehicle base. In response to identifying that the vehicle pod is detachably connected to the chassis on the vehicle base, a communications link can be established between the computing system installed in the vehicle base and a computing system installed in the vehicle pod. Based on information obtained through the communications link, the computing system installed in the vehicle base can determine a particular configuration of the vehicle pod that is detachably connected to the chassis. The computing system can then verify that the vehicle base can safely transport the vehicle pod while the vehicle pod is detachably connected.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for designing an image processing device includes defining a loss function within a simulation space composed of a plurality of voxels; defining an initial structure for one or more physical features of a metasurface and one or more architectural features of a neural network in the simulation space; determining, using a computer system, values for at least one structural parameter, and/or at least one functional parameter for the one or more physical features and at least one architectural parameter for the one or more architectural features, using a numerical solver to solve Maxwell's equations so that a loss determined according to the loss function is within a threshold loss; defining a final structure of the metasurface based on the values for the one or more structural parameters; and defining a final structure of the neural network based on the values for the at least one architectural parameter.

Abstract: A suction head for sucking off a liquid containing organic components comprises an inner surface defining a main channel of the suction head. The main channel extends along a main axis of the suction head towards a suction connection of the suction head. Further, the suction head comprises suction holes entering into the suction head and feeding through the inner surface into the main channel, and flow-guiding devices. The flow guiding devices are configured for imparting a rotational component about the main axis on a flow of the liquid through the main channel, when the flow of the liquid which gets into the suction head through the suction holes is brought about by a negative pressure in the suction connection.

Abstract: A computing system may obtain, for each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles located within a location area, navigation data that indicates a travel route for the vehicle. Based on the navigation data for the plurality of vehicles, the computing system determines a subset of the plurality of vehicles that are within a threshold distance of each other and have respective travel routes that at least partially overlap. The computing system selects, based on a set of selection parameters, two or more vehicles among the subset of vehicles to form a platoon of vehicles that travel in a coordinated arrangement in proximity to each other during at least a portion of the respective travel routes of the selected vehicles. The computing system can direct the selected vehicles to form the platoon of vehicles.

Abstract: A method for checking an incoming message. In the method, based on the message authentication code, an authentication of the useful data is performed by a hardware security module and the hardware security module is subjected to a function check.

Abstract: A method that includes: providing a substrate including a layer of a crystalline material having a first surface; and exposing the first surface to an environment under conditions sufficient to cause epitaxial growth of a layer of a deposition material on the first surface, wherein exposing the first surface to the environment includes illuminating the substrate with light at a first wavelength while causing the epitaxial growth of the layer of the deposition material. The first surface includes one or more discrete growth sites at which an epitaxial growth rate of the quantum confined nanostructure material is larger than areas of the first surface away from the growth sites by an amount sufficient so that the deposition material forms a quantum confined nanostructure at each of the one or more discrete growth sites.

Abstract: For the purpose of simplified production of a motor vehicle seat which can be used in a versatile manner, with a seat part, a backrest and a headrest, the seat part and/or the backrest and/or the headrest have or has a number of chambers which are produced additively from an elastic material, particularly preferably silicone and/or a polyurethane, and which are in each case designed to be filled at least temporarily with a fluid.

Abstract: An example method may include receiving, from a client computing device, an indication of a target drop-off spot for an object within a first virtual model of a first region of a delivery destination. A second virtual model of a second region of the delivery destination may be determined based on sensor data received from one or more sensors on a delivery vehicle. A mapping may be determined between physical features represented in the first virtual model and physical features represented in the second virtual model to determine an overlapping region between the first and second virtual models. A position of the target drop-off spot within the second virtual model may be determined based on the overlapping region. Based on the position of the target drop-off spot within the second virtual model, the delivery vehicle may be navigated to the target drop-off spot to drop off the object.

Abstract: In a microelectromechanical component according to the invention, at least one microelectromechanical element (5), electrical contacting elements (3) and an insulation layer (2.2) and thereon a sacrificial layer (2.1) formed with silicon dioxide are formed on a surface of a CMOS circuit substrate (1) and the microelectromechanical element (5) is arranged freely movably in at least a degree of freedom. At the outer edge of the microelectromechanical component, extending radially around all the elements of the CMOS circuit, a gas- and/or fluid-tight closed layer (4) which is resistant to hydrofluoric acid and is formed with silicon, germanium or aluminum oxide is formed on the surface of the CMOS circuit substrate (1).