Abstract: A dust collector includes a container defining an interior volume and an opening. A scraper is positioned within the interior volume of the container, and an edge of the scraper is positioned adjacent an inner surface of the container. A collection motor is coupled to the container and is operable to rotate the container about an axis of rotation between at least a first orientation and a second orientation. The container is positioned and oriented for collecting dust within the interior volume of the container via the opening of the container in the first orientation. The container is positioned and oriented for discharging dust from the interior volume of the container via the opening of the container in the second orientation. A trough is disposed below the container. The trough is positioned for receipt of the dust from the interior volume of the container when the container is in the second orientation.

Abstract: A deployable platform is disposed at a side of the hull of a marine vessel and is movable between a raised position in which the platform is substantially vertically oriented, and a first lowered position in which the platform is in a horizontal orientation. Further, at least a portion of the platform can be lowered to a second lower position that is below the first lowered position. In the second lowered position the platform will normally be submerged when the vessel is afloat in water. In the raised position the platform forms a portion of the side of the hull and acts to exclude water from entering the vessel.

Abstract: A deployable platform is disposed at a side of the hull of a marine vessel and is movable between a raised position in which the platform is substantially vertically oriented, and a first lowered position in which the platform is in a horizontal orientation. Further, at least a portion of the platform can be lowered to a second lower position that is below the first lowered position. In the second lowered position the platform will normally be submerged when the vessel is afloat in water. In the raised position the platform forms a portion of the side of the hull and acts to exclude water from entering the vessel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of photonic crystals implanted into polymers to create durable, flexible structures that can respond to a series of external stimuli for sensing applications. Also disclosed are method embodiments of fabricating such photonic crystals.

Abstract: Method, systems, and techniques for determining the age of an underground space are provided. In some embodiments, determining the age of an underground space comprises taking soil samples from a plurality of surface locations within a second underground space, analyzing the soil samples from the plurality of surface locations to determine an amount of a chemical compound for each soil sample, and determining an age of the second underground space using one or more relationships based on amounts of the chemical compound measured in a plurality of soil samples taken over a period of time in a first underground space and a baseline amount of the chemical compound at one or more locations remote from both the first underground space and the second underground space.

Abstract: Method, systems, and techniques for determining the age of an underground space are provided. In some embodiments, determining the age of an underground space comprises taking soil samples from a plurality of surface locations within a second underground space, analyzing the soil samples from the plurality of surface locations to determine an amount of a chemical compound for each soil sample, and determining an age of the second underground space using one or more relationships based on amounts of the chemical compound measured in a plurality of soil samples taken over a period of time in a first underground space and a baseline amount of the chemical compound at one or more locations remote from both the first underground space and the second underground space.

Abstract: Method, systems, and techniques for determining the age of an underground space are provided. In some embodiments, determining the age of an underground space comprises taking soil samples from a plurality of surface locations within a second underground space, analyzing the soil samples from the plurality of surface locations to determine an amount of a chemical compound for each soil sample, and determining an age of the second underground space using one or more relationships based on amounts of the chemical compound measured in a plurality of soil samples taken over a period of time in a first underground space and a baseline amount of the chemical compound at one or more locations remote from both the first underground space and the second underground space.

Abstract: Method, systems, and techniques for determining the age of an underground space are provided. In some embodiments, determining the age of an underground space comprises taking soil samples from a plurality of surface locations within a second underground space, analyzing the soil samples from the plurality of surface locations to determine an amount of a chemical compound for each soil sample, and determining an age of the second underground space using one or more relationships based on amounts of the chemical compound measured in a plurality of soil samples taken over a period of time in a first underground space and a baseline amount of the chemical compound at one or more locations remote from both the first underground space and the second underground space.

Abstract: An AC circuit breaker panel includes a housing having a front side, a bus bar positioned in the housing, and one or more terminal blocks positioned in the housing. The housing has brackets adapted for mounting the AC circuit breaker panel to an equipment rack in a telecommunications equipment cabinet. The front side of the housing defines a plurality of openings for mounting a plurality of circuit breakers. The AC circuit breaker panel further includes a first circuit breaker mounted in one of the plurality of openings and wired to the bus bar, and a second circuit breaker mounted in one of the plurality of openings and wired to the bus bar and one of the terminal blocks. Further, a telecommunications equipment cabinet includes an equipment rack and one of the various AC circuit breaker panels disclosed herein.

Abstract: In an integrated circuit, capacitively coupled interference (digital-switching or analog cross-talk) is prevented by constructing shielded coaxial conductors for the analog signals. The coaxial configuration comprises a primary conductor for the analog signal surrounded by a secondary conductor that is electrically isolated from the primary one and that is connected to a clean power bus such as GND or Vdd. The outer secondary conductor shunts the digital noise energy to the power bus, preventing it from injecting noise into the analog primary conductor. A similar coaxial configuration is provided with a bootstrap follower to reduce the effects of parasitic capacitance for high-speed and small analog signals.

Abstract: A device for use in an intermediate station of a radio-relay communications system comprises a package consisting of a trunk switch, a multiplexer, and a demultiplexer. The switch (48) has three TDM inputs, one of which is connected to the output of the multiplexer, and three TDM outputs one of which is connected to the input of the demultiplexer. The switch is non-blocking and is adapted to switch any input TDM channel to any selected output TDM channel, to enable, for example, a signal received in an incoming channel from an adjacent radio station to be selectively retransmitted to radio station or directed to one of the user terminals at the radio station.