Abstract: An unmanned vehicle capable of tunneling into soft materials, such as sand, comprises a hollow, bullet-shaped forward outer body with a first drive screw thread integrated into its exterior, a hollow cylindrical rear outer body with a second drive screw thread integrated into its exterior but threaded in the opposed direction of the first drive screw thread, and an inner body that is rotatably coupled to the inside of the forward and rear outer bodies via mechanical gears, and including directional control fins mounted on a housing at the rear end of the inner body.

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle capable of tunneling into soft materials, such as sand, comprises a hollow, bullet-shaped forward outer body with a first drive screw thread integrated into its exterior, a hollow cylindrical rear outer body with a second drive screw thread integrated into its exterior but threaded in the opposed direction of the first drive screw thread, and an inner body that is rotatably coupled to the inside of the forward and rear outer bodies via mechanical gears, and including directional control fins mounted on a housing at the rear end of the inner body.

Abstract: The system described herein employs electronic technology to improve the ability to dispense liquid from a container. The container can be programmed to dispense a specific amount of liquid, at a specific time. It can be voice-activated and connected to other electrical components such as a laptop or alarm system. The system may be used in laboratory equipment, medicine bottles, and food processors, although alternate methods may also be used.

Abstract: A system for dispensing liquid comprising a container body having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end being closed and the top end configured to open and close, the top end having an electrical controller and a nozzle member, the nozzle member configured to sit on top of the electrical controller, and the bottom end having a charge circuit and an air valve; the electrical controller comprising at least one of a speaker, a button, a display, a battery, a radio frequency transceiver, and a pumper, wherein the electrical controller is configured to connect to a network and wherein the pumper is configured to dispense liquid from the container body out through the nozzle member.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) label and an RFID data retrieval device which may be used to aid the visually impaired identify the medicines they take. RFID label includes a memory chip, energy harvesting circuit, and a loop antenna, with the memory chip containing information about the medicine. RFID data retrieval device contains a device controller chip, a wireless transceiver, a switch, a loop antenna, a memory chip, a proximity sensor, an audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC), an audio amplifier, an audio speaker, and also a pair of opposing temporal side members connected to a device controller chip retaining member via hinge. This device controller retaining member contains a recessed for the nose of the visually impaired person. The invention may also include an inductive charging device made up of an inductive charge coil, a power converter, a regulator, a charge controller, and an external power supply, allowing for wireless charging.

Abstract: A system and method may include energizing one or more of a plurality of electromagnets contained within and fixedly distributed about a first region of a structure and de-energizing other of the electromagnets to attract a substance contained and movable within a second region of the structure to the energized electromagnets and change the center of gravity of the structure. The structure may be disposed on a surface or within a liquid, where energizing and de-energizing of the electromagnets causes the structure to move about the surface or within the liquid in a desired fashion. The substance may be a magnetic or magnetizable substance. Energizing and de-energizing the electromagnets may be performed by a controller responsive to a signal received from a sensor or transceiver.

Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of vehicles can include at least one communications bus and a plurality of RFID detection tags that can be fixed to the communications bus equidistant from each other to define a plurality of RFID regions. Each vehicle within an RFID region can further include an RFID reader for receiving information from, and transmitting information to, the RFID tags. As the vehicle enters the RFID region for a particular RFID tag, the position of the vehicle (within the RFID region) can be communicated to the communications bus. A traffic control unit can be connected to the communications bus, and monitor can be in communication with a plurality of remotely controlled traffic control assets, such as stop signs, yield signs, traffic cones. After receiving position information on the vehicle, the monitor can selectively activate the traffic devices remotely to control vehicle traffic flow.

Abstract: A rolling device configured to adhere to and roll over a ferrous surface comprising: a structure, a controller, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a plurality of electromagnets. The structure has inner and outer surfaces and a closed-shape cross section. The electromagnets are mounted to the inner surface and distributed over a periphery of the structure. The controller is operatively coupled to each of the electromagnets. The IMU is mounted within the structure and operatively coupled to provide inertial measurements to the controller. The controller is configured to cause the structure to roll over the ferrous surface in a desired direction by selectively energizing individual electromagnets while de-energizing other electromagnets.

Abstract: A wireless data and energy transfer system includes transmitting and receiving devices. The transmitting device includes a transmitting device controller and an RF transceiver, a proximity sensor, and a memory module each connected to the transmitting device controller, and a transmitting antenna connected to the RF transceiver and having a diagonal dimension, D. The receiving device includes a receiving device controller, an RF memory module connected to the receiving device controller, and a memory antenna connected to the RF memory module. The transmitting device controller is configured to simultaneously transfer data from the memory module to the RF memory module and RF energy from the transmitting antenna to the memory antenna when the proximity sensor senses the receiving device within a distance less than or equal to the distance D from the transmitting device.

Abstract: A data transfer device comprising: a body; a tip coupled to the body, wherein the tip has a dielectric constant value suitable for interacting with a capacitive touch screen of a separate device; a control unit mounted to the body; and an electronic switch mounted to the body and operatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the switch is disposed to connect the tip to a ground source when the switch is in a closed configuration and to break the connection between the tip and the ground source when the switch is in an open configuration.

Abstract: A traffic control system can include a remote control station and a plurality of traffic control assets. Each asset is networked to the control station with a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver and an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU can receive commands from the control station. In response, ECU can activate a light, or an audio device that is located on the traffic control asset. To move and position the traffic control asset can include at least two wheels and a corresponding motor for each wheel, which can be operated by the ECU to maneuver the traffic control asset according to the user's needs. The traffic asset can be a stop sign or a traffic cone. In some instances, the traffic control asset can have a flat configuration, for convenient storage and a deployed configuration, which can be established from the control station.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of fluid chambers uniformly distributed about and in fluidic connection with a fluid reservoir, each fluid chamber having a valve and pressure sensor adjacent thereto, the valve configured to allow fluid flow between the fluid reservoir and the fluid chamber and the pressure sensor configured to determine the amount of fluid within the respective fluid chamber; means, adjacent to the fluid reservoir, for pumping fluid between the fluid reservoir and each of the fluid chambers; and a controller configured to control the means for pumping fluid and the valves using data from the pressure sensors. The means for pumping fluid, the valves, the pressure sensors, and the controller are contained within an inner housing and the plurality of fluid chambers are contained within an outer housing, which may be spherical in shape, and are external to the inner housing.