Abstract: Apparatus and methods to mitigate climate change by capturing and sequestering greenhouse gasses (GHGs) previously emitted, adapting to the adverse effects of climate change, and reducing GHGs in the production of goods. The invention produces products containing carbon extracted from a Solution containing carbonates and/or carbonate reactants through manipulation of solution components, temperature, pressure, magnetic fields, electric charge, pH, turbulence, solution flow rate, and time in an additive or hybrid additive and formative manufacturing process. Embodiments consist of mechanisms to: deliver a Solution to an accumulation area, expose the solution to synergistic stimulation, and remove supernatant liquid.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for fabricating a metal-insulator-metal capacitor within an interconnect structure (e.g., back-end-of-line interconnect structure) to provide capacitive decoupling between positive and negative power supply voltage lines of a power distribution network. Various via contact configurations including interlevel via contacts and truncated via contacts are utilized to connect the metal-insulator-metal capacitor electrodes to power supply voltage lines of the power distribution network to provide an array of high-density, low resistance via contact connections at various locations across the capacitor electrodes to reduce the resistance of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor and, thus, enhance the transient response time and increase the cutoff frequency of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for fabricating a metal-insulator-metal capacitor within an interconnect structure (e.g., back-end-of-line interconnect structure) to provide capacitive decoupling between positive and negative power supply voltage lines of a power distribution network. Various via contact configurations including interlevel via contacts and truncated via contacts are utilized to connect the metal-insulator-metal capacitor electrodes to power supply voltage lines of the power distribution network to provide an array of high-density, low resistance via contact connections at various locations across the capacitor electrodes to reduce the resistance of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor and, thus, enhance the transient response time and increase the cutoff frequency of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor.

Abstract: A wall-mountable interactive device for displaying messages with photos and personalized information is provided. The large size of the display of the interactive device as well as the prominently presented colored buttons facilitates in providing living assistance to individuals in need of assisted living yet live independently. Each colored button provides straight forward functionality for the individual to communicate with a remote caregiver by way of wireless local area networking.

Abstract: A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) compatible photovoltaic powered cathodic protection (CP) probe can measure voltage potential of subsea structures. In an embodiment, the CP's meter is integrated and able to send CP data topside. The CP meter's compact display module also houses the telemetry board to send CP readings, via an ROV serial, topside. The CP probe does not require a battery and can be used standalone or connected through an ROV to topside logging and display. Further, the CP probe can monitor a plurality of CP voltages and other conditions such as an electrical field gradient.

Abstract: A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) compatible photovoltaic powered cathodic protection (CP) probe can measure voltage potential of subsea structures. In an embodiment, the CP's meter is integrated and able to send CP data topside. The CP meter's compact display module also houses the telemetry board to send CP readings, via an ROV serial, topside. The CP probe does not require a battery and can be used standalone or connected through an ROV to topside logging and display. Further, the CP probe can monitor a plurality of CP voltages and other conditions such as an electrical field gradient.

Abstract: Automated alerts for medical indicators are provided. Electronic medical records may be stored in memory and monitored. Each electronic medical record may include data regarding a patient and may be updated to reflect current status of the patient. A plurality of alert rules may be provided, each of which identify a set of indicators regarding an elevated risk of death. The monitored electronic medical records and associated updates may be evaluated in light of the applicable alert rules for the patient. It may be determined that one of the electronic medical records matches one of the alert rules. In response, a real-time alert is sent to one or more individuals designated for the patient whose electronic medical record is determined to match one of the alert rules. The real-time alert may be associated with a report indicating the alert rule and associated set of indicators that were the basis for the alert.

Abstract: Light-source treatment devices such as dermatological or cosmetic devices include a skin contacting surface layer that is antimicrobial. The antimicrobial skin contacting surface layer enhances the cleanliness of the device and helps reduce infection and contamination risks associated with use of the devices, particularly where the treatment of multiple individuals occurs. The antimicrobial layer may be titanium dioxide.

Abstract: Light-source treatment devices such as dermatological or cosmetic devices include a skin contacting surface layer that is antimicrobial. The antimicrobial skin contacting surface layer enhances the cleanliness of the device and helps reduce infection and contamination risks associated with use of the devices, particularly where the treatment of multiple individuals occurs. The antimicrobial layer may be titanium dioxide.

Abstract: A self-contained, hand-held device for providing radiation-based dermatological treatments includes a device body configured to be handheld by a user; a laser device supported in the device body, the laser device including a laser beam source configured to emit laser radiation; an application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session; and electronics configured to control the laser beam source to emit laser radiation toward the skin to provide a dermatological treatment; wherein the device includes no optics downstream of the laser source.

Abstract: A self-contained, hand-held device for providing fractional treatment to the skin includes a device body configured to be handheld by a user; a radiation source supported in the device body, the radiation source including a single beam source configured to emit a single energy beam; an application end configured to be manually moved across the skin during a treatment session; and electronics configured to pulse the single beam source to emit a sequence of pulsed energy beams to the skin while the application end is manually moved across the skin, thereby generating an array of treatment spots on the skin, wherein adjacent treatment spots generated on the skin are spaced apart from each other by areas of non-treated skin between the adjacent treatment spots, thereby providing a fractional treatment. Each pulsed energy beam emitted by the beam source has the same, fixed propagation path with respect to the device body.

Abstract: A self-contained, hand-held device for delivering fractional radiation-based treatment to the skin includes a device body configured to be handheld by a user; a radiation source supported in the device body, the radiation source including a beam source configured to generate an energy beam; an application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session; and electronics configured to control the radiation source during the treatment session such that the beam source emits a sequence of pulsed energy beams to the skin to generate an array of treatment spots on the skin, wherein adjacent treatment spots generated on the skin are spaced apart from each other by areas of non-treated skin between the adjacent treatment spots. Each energy beam emitted by the pulsed beam source has the same, fixed propagation path with respect to the device body.

Abstract: Design structure embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes active circuitry on a substrate, a bond pad carried by the substrate, and a shielding structure disposed between the substrate and the bond pad. The shielding structure includes a plurality of electrically characterized devices configured to reduce noise transmission from the active circuitry to the bond pad.

Abstract: Design structure embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design. The design structure includes active circuitry on a substrate, a bond pad carried by the substrate, and a shielding structure disposed between the substrate and the bond pad. The shielding structure includes a plurality of electrically characterized devices configured to reduce noise transmission from the active circuitry to the bond pad.

Abstract: Semiconductor device structures and methods for shielding a bond pad from electrical noise generated by active circuitry of an integrated circuit carried on a substrate. The structure includes electrically characterized devices placed in a pre-determined arrangement under the bond pad. The pre-determined arrangement of the electrically characterized devices provides for a consistent high frequency environment under the bond pad, which simplifies modeling of the bond pad by a circuit designer.

Abstract: A system and method for filtering various targets (such as ground vehicles, stationary objects, and aircraft) from display on a display screen within the cockpit of an “Own Ship” aircraft. The system and method withhold from display any non-exempt targets that have an altitude that is either: (1) greater than an upper-threshold altitude; or (2) less than a lower-threshold altitude. The upper-threshold altitude and the lower-threshold altitude may be set to user-specified, customized values as desired to accommodate current flying conditions. In addition, the system and method may also be configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes, each of which features a different upper threshold altitude/lower threshold altitude combination. The system and method are preferably configured to reset certain threshold altitudes to pre-defined default altitudes in response to the aircraft landing.

Abstract: Methods and a system are described for communication and information management. The methods create and manage multi-factor multi-level reputations, detect and manage fraudulent and manipulative behavior, permit management of information and communications, quantify qualitative information, and derive derivative uses (such as prediction and targeted advertising) from multi-factor reputations, data and behavior. The system described is hierarchical with progressive information and communication management capabilities as reputations increase. The structure of the system is designed to assist reputation calculations.

Abstract: A dermatologic hair-regrowth-inhibiting apparatus is disclosed which is cordless and sufficiently compact as to be hand-held. A self-contained housing is configured for gripping by a person's hand for cordless manipulation in a hair-regrowth-inhibiting procedure. A light source and electrical circuit are contained within the housing. The circuit includes one or more batteries for energizing the light source to produce output light pulses. A light path within the housing includes an aperture through which eye-safe light pulses are propagated out of the housing having properties sufficient for at least temporary hair-regrowth inhibition. A diffuser is disposed along the light path to reduce the integrated radiance to an eye-safe level.

Abstract: A backside contact structure and method of fabricating the structure. The method includes: forming a dielectric isolation in a substrate, the substrate having a frontside and an opposing backside; forming a first dielectric layer on the frontside of the substrate; forming a trench in the first dielectric layer, the trench aligned over and within a perimeter of the dielectric isolation and extending to the dielectric isolation; extending the trench formed in the first dielectric layer through the dielectric isolation and into the substrate to a depth less than a thickness of the substrate; filling the trench and co-planarizing a top surface of the trench with a top surface of the first dielectric layer to form an electrically conductive through via; and thinning the substrate from a backside of the substrate to expose the through via.

Abstract: The present invention provides multiple test structures for performing reliability and qualification tests on MEMS switch devices. A Test structure for contact and gap characteristic measurements is employed having a serpentine layout simulates rows of upper and lower actuation electrodes. A cascaded switch chain test is used to monitor process defects with large sample sizes. A ring oscillator is used to measure switch speed and switch lifetime. A resistor ladder test structure is configured having each resistor in series with a switch to be tested, and having each switch-resistor pair electrically connected in parallel. Serial/parallel test structures are proposed with MEMS switches working in tandem with switches of established technology. A shift register is used to monitor the open and close state of the MEMS switches. Pull-in voltage, drop-out voltage, activation leakage current, and switch lifetime measurements are performed using the shift register.