Abstract: A system and method for a liquid electrolyte used in secondary electrochemical cells having at least one electrode including a TMCCC material, the liquid electrolyte enabling an increased lifetime while allowing for fast discharge to extremely high depth of discharge. The addition of dinitriles to liquid electrolytes in electrochemical cells in which energy storage is achieved by ion intercalation in transition metal cyanide coordination compounds (TMCCC) has the advantage of increasing device lifetime by inhibiting common chemical and electrochemical degradation mechanisms.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle that is equipped with image capture devices can use information gathered from the image capture devices to plan a future three-dimensional (3D) trajectory through a physical environment. To this end, a technique is described for image-space based motion planning. In an embodiment, a planned 3D trajectory is projected into an image-space of an image captured by the autonomous vehicle. The planned 3D trajectory is then optimized according to a cost function derived from information (e.g., depth estimates) in the captured image. The cost function associates higher cost values with identified regions of the captured image that are associated with areas of the physical environment into which travel is risky or otherwise undesirable. The autonomous vehicle is thereby encouraged to avoid these areas while satisfying other motion planning objectives.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle that is equipped with image capture devices can use information gathered from the image capture devices to plan a future three-dimensional (3D) trajectory through a physical environment. To this end, a technique is described for image-space based motion planning. In an embodiment, a planned 3D trajectory is projected into an image-space of an image captured by the autonomous vehicle. The planned 3D trajectory is then optimized according to a cost function derived from information (e.g., depth estimates) in the captured image. The cost function associates higher cost values with identified regions of the captured image that are associated with areas of the physical environment into which travel is risky or otherwise undesirable. The autonomous vehicle is thereby encouraged to avoid these areas while satisfying other motion planning objectives.

Abstract: A technique is introduced for autonomous landing by an aerial vehicle. In some embodiments, the introduced technique includes processing a sensor data such as images captured by onboard cameras to generate a ground map comprising multiple cells. A suitable footprint, comprising a subset of the multiple cells in the ground map that satisfy one or more landing criteria, is selected and control commands are generated to cause the aerial vehicle to autonomously land on an area corresponding to the footprint. In some embodiments, the introduced technique involves a geometric smart landing process to select a relatively flat area on the ground for landing. In some embodiments, the introduced technique involves a semantic smart landing process where semantic information regarding detected objects is incorporated into the ground map.

Abstract: The present invention relates to acquiring reference scan data for X-ray phase-contrast imaging and/or X-ray dark-field imaging. Therefore an X-ray detector (26) is arranged opposite an X-ray source (12) across an examination region (30) with a grating arrangement (18) arranged between the X-ray source (12) and the X-ray detector (26). During an imaging operation without an object in the examination region (30) the grating arrangement (18) is moved in a scanning motion to a number of different positions (a) relative to the X-ray detector (26) whilst the X-ray detector (26) remains stationary relative to the examination region (30) such that in the scanning motion a series of fringe patterns is detected by the X-ray detector (26). The scanning motion is repeated for a different series of fringe patterns. This allows acquiring reference scan data required for calibration of an X-ray imaging device (10??) with less scanning motions.

Abstract: In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may control a position of a first camera to cause the first camera to capture a first image of a target. The UAV may receive a plurality of second images from a plurality of second cameras, the plurality of second cameras positioned on the UAV for providing a plurality of different fields of view in a plurality of different directions around the UAV, the first camera having a longer focal length than the second cameras. The UAV may combine at least some of the plurality of second images to generate a composite image corresponding to the first image and having a wider-angle field of view than the first image. The UAV may send the first image and the composite image to a computing device.

Abstract: A system controlling plant growth conditions in hydroponic growing systems, the system for controlling plant growth conditions comprising: at least one detector for measuring at least one property of a plant growth substrate or environmental condition; first and second data processing means; data storage means and the or each detector being arranged to measure a property or properties of a plant growth substrate or environmental condition and to transmit a detector identifier and the measured property or properties over a communications link to the first data processing means; the first data processing means being arranged to: hold in a memory predefined growth data including irrigation data, environmental data, plant data, harvest data, crop data and/or climate data defining a relationship between: plural values for one or more of temperature, pH level, water content, nutrient content, oxygen content of the substrate, air temperature, humidity and light level, climate conditions, plant parameters, harvest an

Abstract: A method of a virtual X-ray colonoscopy includes scanning (204) a dark-field contrast (144) insufflated colon lumen (140) with an X-ray scanner (110) configured for dark-field-contrast, which generates dark-field-contrasted projection data and attenuation projection data. The dark-field-contrasted projection data and the attenuation projection data are reconstructed (206) into one or more dark-field-contrasted images (148).

Abstract: A heterostructure includes a substrate exhibiting a piezoelectric effect, and a magnetostrictive film supported by the substrate. The magnetostrictive film includes an iron-gallium alloy. The iron-gallium alloy has a gallium composition greater than 20%.

Abstract: A system, method, and articles of manufacture for a surface-modified transition metal cyanide coordination compound (TMCCC) composition, an improved electrode including the composition, and a manufacturing method for the composition represented by AxMnyMkj[Mnm(CN)(6)]z.(Vac)(1?Z).n(CH3OH) wherein A includes one or more alkali metals; and each dopant M may include at least one independently selected alkaline earth metal, a post-transition metal, or a transition metal having an average valence j; including one or more Mn(CN)6 complexes each including an Mn atom; wherein (Vac) identifies a Mn(CN)6 vacancy; wherein each particular Mn(CN)6 complex includes the Mn atom bonded to a plurality of cyanide groups; and wherein CH3OH identifies methyl alcohol; and further including one or more crystal structures of the TMCCC composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a CT imaging system as well as a method for CT imaging is provided. For CT imaging, in practice a scout scan and a main scan of a human subject may be performed. It has been found that a detector signal, provided by a detector which detects the X-ray radiation during the scout scan, may be used on the one hand for determining a respective scout image and on the other hand to determine the bone mineral density of the human subject. Although the scout scan is usually primarily performed for determining the scout image, it is of advantage, if the detector used for detecting the X-ray radiation during the scout scan is formed and/or configured to detect X-ray radiation of a first energy spectrum and to detect X-ray radiation of a different, second energy spectrum. In this case, the detector can provide more precise information about the scout region of the human subject and resulting therefrom in a more precise determination of the bone mineral density.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus with an interferometer (IF) and an X-ray detector (D). A footprint of the X-ray detector (D) is larger than a footprint of the interferometer (IF). The interferometer is moved in scan motion across the detector (D) whilst the detector (D) remains stationary. Preferably the detector is a 2D full field detector.

Abstract: A system can include a housing that defines an interior space; a shaft disposed at least in part in the interior space of the housing where the shaft includes a longitudinal axis, a curved surface and an end surface; a submersible electric motor operatively coupled to the shaft where the submersible electric motor includes a cable connector; two proximity sensors where each of the proximity sensors includes a sensor aperture disposed in the interior space of the housing; and circuitry operatively coupled to the proximity sensors that determines position values of the shaft with respect to time based at least in part on output of the proximity sensors.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for identifying fraudulent accounts associated with an electronic payment service. In some implementations, a computing device may retrieve a data set including a number of attributes for each of a multitude of accounts, and may construct a plurality of different graphs each based on a unique set of the attributes. Each graph may include a plurality of nodes linked together by a multitude of edges, where each node identifies a corresponding account and each edge indicates one or more of the corresponding attributes that are common to a pair of accounts. The computing device may determine a likelihood of each graph correctly identifying fraudulent accounts by analyzing groups of nodes connected to each other by corresponding groups of edges using historical account data, and may select the graph having the greatest determined likelihood to predict whether any of the accounts is fraudulent.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and systems of DNA synthesis including providing an encoding unit comprising an enzyme, a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and a nanopore, providing a lipid bilayer having on opposite sides a cis and a trans reservoir each having a different buffer composition, wherein the nanopore is within the lipid bilayer and the enzyme and the ssDNA are in the cis reservoir, providing an electrode over the lipid bilayer wherein the electrode can modulate voltage across the lipid bilayer, wherein the enzyme catalyzes DNA synthesis in response to the voltage.

Abstract: A system, method, and articles of manufacture for a surface-modified transition metal cyanide coordination compound (TMCCC) composition, an improved electrode including the composition, and a manufacturing method for the composition represented by AxMnyMkj[Mnm(CN)(6)]z.(Vac)(1?Z).n(CH3OH) wherein A includes one or more alkali metals; and each dopant M may include at least one independently selected alkaline earth metal, a post-transition metal, or a transition metal having an average valence j; including one or more Mn(CN)6 complexes each including an Mn atom; wherein (Vac) identifies a Mn(CN)6 vacancy; wherein each particular Mn(CN)6 complex includes the Mn atom bonded to a plurality of cyanide groups; and wherein CH3OH identifies methyl alcohol; and further including one or more crystal structures of the TMCCC composition.