Abstract: A method of covering a surface of a building, the method comprising spraying an expandable foam material onto the surface and allowing the foam material to solidify whereby to form a covering of the surface and a robotic vehicle configured to carry out the method.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of processing depth data and image data from a robotic device having a camera and a depth measurement device mounted to a chassis of the robotic device to generate a data set representative of a three-dimensional map of an environment in which the robotic device is located. The camera is arranged to generate image data relating to the environment. The depth measurement device is arranged to generate depth data relating to the environment. The method comprises generating image data and depth data at a first location of the robotic device in the environment, whereby to generate a first data set comprising a plurality of data points. The method further comprises moving the robotic device to at least a second location in the environment. The method further comprises generating image data and depth data at the second location, whereby to generate a second data set comprising a plurality of data points.

Abstract: A mechanical bioreactor for transferring vibrations to cell cultures for the purpose of stimulating various biological processes across a relatively large (relative to the amplitude of the vibrations) sample receiving surface. This bioreactor allows multiple samples to receive identical stimulation, which may enable the process to be significantly scaled up. The invention may be particularly applicable to nanoscale vibration amplitudes, where it is non-trivial to design a device that performs this function, because many materials exhibit natural deformation on a scale that would mask or inhibit transfer of nanoscale vibration energy.

Abstract: A system and method and system for receiving communications signals coded at transmission in a frequency hopping waveform includes a sensor that receives acoustic data. A detector joined to the sensor receives the data and separates signals from background noise. Logic determines when the signal ends. Clusters of signals are processed and grouped into combinations of symbols. A computer translates these symbols into messages using a codebook. When multiple possibilities exist, the message is selected from the codebook that maximizes a similarity score. Additional logic is provided to handle situations where unwanted signals are mixed into an otherwise valid symbol sequence, to find the best subset of signals forming a valid message. Selected messages are provided as output to users. In further details, the detector filters the acoustic data and transforms it to the frequency domain. A power spectrum is calculated for detecting signals in specific frequency bands.

Abstract: A method of covering a surface of a building, the method comprising spraying an expandable foam material onto the surface and allowing the foam material to solidify whereby to form a covering of the surface and a robotic vehicle configured to carry out the method.

Abstract: A high performance solid-state heading sensor for underwater towed arrays is taught that combines high quality MEMS sensor components with data processing filters to resolve performance limitations present in prior art heading sensors. The heading sensor employs rate gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers and a customized Kalman filter formulation implemented on a micro-controller to improve performance in determining the roll, pitch and heading of a towed array.

Abstract: A process for the fabrication of shallow p.sup.+ and n.sup.+ doped layers suitable for the sources and drains of submicron CMOS transistors comprises applying a layer of polysilicon (1) over a gate oxide layer (2) which is surrounded by a field oxide isolation layer (3) located on a suitable substrate (4) and applying a resist layer (5) to the polysilicon layer in a selected region of the polysilicon layer overlying the gate oxide to define a gate electrode. Selective ion implantation then takes place to form the source and drain regions (6, 7), the implementation extending through the oxide layer to a limited extent except in the region masked by the resist layer. The polysilicon layer and resist layer are then etched away to leave a gate electrode (8) extending from the oxide layer (2) and the source and drain regions are then activated and difussed to .about.0.1 .mu.m junction depth.