Abstract: The present invention provides a flow-gate design that utilizes chemo-responsive colloidal particles to control the flow rate therethrough. The flow-gate operates by changing the compactness of the colloidal particles, which changes in response to changes in pH or ionic strength in the flow medium or the surrounding environment. The design also allows the flow-gate as a size-discriminating filter. The ability to control the flow rate in response to changes in the flow medium or the environment makes the presently provided flow-gate useful for a variety of applications, including those that require automatic control of the flow rate, and automatic irrigation.

Abstract: A battery may include a first electrode, a second electrode, an electrolyte, and at least one acoustic device configured to generate acoustic streaming during a charging and/or a discharging of the battery. The charging of the battery may trigger cations from the first electrode to travel through the electrolyte and deposit on the second electrode while the discharging of the battery may trigger cations from the second electrode to travel through the electrolyte and deposit on the first electrode. The acoustic streaming may drive a mixing and/or a turbulent flow of the electrolyte, which may increase a charge rate and/or a discharge rate of the battery by increasing diffusion rate of cations and/or anions. The mixing and/or the turbulent flow may further prevent a formation of dendrites on the first electrode and/or the second electrode by at least homogenizing a distribution of the cations and/or anions in the electrolyte.

Abstract: A food placement device comprising an eating area and one or more advertising areas or flaps. The dimensions of the eating area correspond to those of a tray to be used in conjunction with the placement device. The advertising flaps are foldable with respect to the eating area.