Abstract: Systems and methods for noninvasively determining the function capacity of the kidney are provided. In the methods, first contrast agent is injected into the vasculature of a subject. The contrast agent is to be bound with functioning glomeruli of the kidney of the subject. Then, the kidney is imaged with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to acquire MRI images of the kidney. In the images, signal magnitudes or phases of voxels of regions bound with the contrast agent are different from signal magnitudes or phases of voxels of regions not bound with the contrast agent. Afterwards, the function capacity of the kidney is determined using the MRI images. Lastly, a report of the function capacity of the kidney is generated.

Abstract: A proportional control valve system and a method for operating the same is provided. The system includes a proportional control valve (PCV), an electric motor, a worm gear drive, and a programmable drive. The proportional control valve has a sealing structure that is positionable in a closed position, a fully open position, and a plurality of partially open positions there between. The worm gear drive is in driving communication with the sealing structure of the proportional control valve. The programmable drive is operable to control the positioning of the sealing structure within the proportional control valve.

Abstract: A method for aligning a layer of photopolymers includes projecting light onto a rotating optical element and asymmetrically focusing the light transmitted through the rotating optical element onto a layer of photopolymers. The asymmetrically focused light is swept across different regions of the layer of photopolymers while a direction of polarization in the light is varied due to the rotation of the first optical element, producing a pattern of orientations for the layer of photopolymers. The method can be incorporated in a raster-scanning process to produce an alignment pattern in a layer of photopolymers with a large surface area, and is faster and provides improved precision and/or uniformity of the alignment pattern compared to currently available methods. An apparatus for aligning the layer of photopolymers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A grilling plate is configured for cooking sausage links or other meat products. The grilling plate includes a plate body and a first and second handle extending from opposite sides of the plate body. One or more link slots are formed in the plate body and the link slot(s) have a curved profile. Additionally, each of the link slot(s) have one or more corresponding drainage openings positioned therein that extend through the plate body.

Abstract: A choke valve is provided that includes a valve body, a plurality of seats, and a gate. The valve body has an inlet port and an outlet port. The plurality of seats is in communication with the valve body, where each seat has a fluid flow configuration, and the fluid flow configuration for each seat is different from the fluid flow configuration of each of the other seats within the plurality of seats. The gate is linearly translatable along a gate axis. The valve body is configured so that so that one of the plurality of seats at a time is selectively positionable in an engagement position aligned with the gate axis.

Abstract: A device for analyzing the material composition of a sample via plasma spectrum analysis includes a laser assembly configured to emit a beam for plasma spectrum analysis, an optical assembly configured to direct the beam towards a sample for plasma spectrum analysis of the sample and collect a reflected light reflected by the sample. The optical assembly includes a long-wave pass optical filter arrangement which is configured to pass a first portion of the reflected light reflected by the sample and reflect a second portion of the reflected light reflected by the sample to a spectrometer.

Abstract: A venting device of a structure is provided that includes elongate first and second panel sections. The elongate first panel section includes a top panel portion and a base panel portion located opposite the top panel portion. The elongate second panel section includes a top panel portion and a base panel portion located opposite the top panel portion. A bottom surface of the base panel portion of the elongate first panel section faces a top surface of the top panel portion of the elongate second panel section. A polyurethane reactive (PUR) adhesive is located between the bottom surface of the base panel portion of the elongate first panel section and the top surface of the top panel portion of the elongate second panel section which holds the bottom surface of the base panel portion of the elongate first panel section and the top surface of the top panel portion of the elongate second panel section together.

Abstract: A compound contour vacuum track, and an automated fastening machine using the track, for automation of final assembly inside an aircraft fuselage. The track is mounted at an angle to a surface, such as an inside surface of the fuselage, wherein the surface has one or more holes through which fasteners are inserted. The automated fastening machine is mounted on the track to traverse the track while performing fastening functions and steps. The automated fastening machine includes a carriage, arm, and end effector, wherein the arm is mounted on the carriage and the end effector is mounted on the arm. The carriage is attached to the track for positioning the arm and end effector, the arm is attached to the carriage for positioning the end effector, and the end effector is attached to the arm for installing the fasteners into the holes of the surface.

Abstract: A compound contour vacuum track, and an automated fastening machine using the track, for automation of final assembly inside an aircraft fuselage. The track is mounted at an angle to a surface, such as an inside surface of the fuselage, wherein the surface has one or more holes through which fasteners are inserted. The automated fastening machine is mounted on the track to traverse the track while performing fastening functions and steps. The automated fastening machine includes a carriage, arm, and end effector, wherein the arm is mounted on the carriage and the end effector is mounted on the arm. The carriage is attached to the track for positioning the arm and end effector, the arm is attached to the carriage for positioning the end effector, and the end effector is attached to the arm for installing the fasteners into the holes of the surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for steering the eye box or exit pupil of a near-eye display device based on a location of the pupil of a user's eye. The near-eye display system includes an image projector, a deflector, and a relay optical subsystem. The image projector is configured to form an image of a computer-generated image on an image plane. The deflector is located at or near the image plane and is configurable based on a location of a pupil of a user's eye to deflect incident light from the image to a corresponding direction. The relay optical subsystem relays the image deflected by the deflector to an exit pupil of the near-eye display system, where the location of the exit pupil at least partially overlaps with the location of the pupil of the user's eye.

Abstract: A waveguide display includes a source assembly, an output waveguide, and a controller. The source assembly includes a light source and an optics system. The light source includes source elements arranged in a 1D or 2D array that emit image light that is temporally incoherent and spatially coherent. In some embodiments, the light source includes an array of superluminous LEDs, an array of laser diodes, an array of resonant cavity LEDs, or some combination thereof. The optics system includes a scanning assembly that scans the image light to particular locations based on scanning instructions. The output waveguide receives the scanned image light from the scanning assembly and outputs an expanded image light. The controller generates the scanning instructions and provides the scanning instructions to the light source.

Abstract: A Pancharatnam Berry Phase (PBP) liquid crystal structure for adjusting or focusing light of a plurality of color channels emitted by a display of a head-mounted display (HMD) comprises a plurality of PBP active elements. Each PBP active element of the structure is configured to act as a half waveplate for light of a corresponding color channel, such that light of the corresponding color channel is adjusted by a predetermined amount. In addition, each PBP active element acts as a one waveplate for light of the remaining color channels, such that light of the remaining color channels passes through the PBP active element substantially unaffected. As such, the PBP structure is able to adjust incident light of the plurality of color channels uniformly in an apochromatic fashion.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

Abstract: A well drilling system is provided that includes a choke manifold and a controller. The choke manifold includes at least one choke valve. The choke valve is actuable between fully open and closed choke positions. The choke valve has a Cv value for each choke position. The controller is in communication with the choke valve and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions relate Cv values to choke positions for the choke valve. The instructions when executed cause the controller to: a) determine a difference in pressure (?P); b) input or determine a density value; c) input or determine a Q value; d) determine a first Cv value using the ?P, the density value, and the Q value; and e) actuate the choke valve to a first choke position associated with the first Cv value.

Abstract: A security system can use video analytics and/or other input parameters to identify a theft event. Optionally, the security system can take remedial action in response. For example, the security system can use video analytics to determine that a person has reached into a shelf multiple times at a rate above a threshold, which can indicate that a thief is quickly removing items from the shelf. The security system can also use video analytics to determine that a person has reached into a shelf via a sweeping action, which can indicate that a thief is gathering and removing a large quantity of items from the shelf in one motion. In response, the security system can alert security personnel, cause a speaker to output an audible message in the target area, flag portions of the video relating to the theft event, activate or ready other sensors or systems, and/or the like.

Abstract: An eye-tracker for determining a position of the pupil of an eye includes a detector and an optical element. The optical element is configured to receive first light reflected off the eye and reflectively diffract a portion of the first light that has a first polarization toward the detector. The optical element is also configured to transmit second light. The second light includes a second portion of the first light that has a second polarization that is different from the first polarization. A head-mounted display device that includes a display system and the eye-tracker is also disclosed. A method for determining the location of a pupil of an eye is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, compositions, reagents, systems, and kits to prepare materials with viscoelastic properties that respond to irradiation with light. Various embodiments show that bio-mspired histidine:transition metal ion complexes allow precise and tunable control over the viscoelastic properties of polymer networks containing these types of crosslinks pre and post-irradiation. These materials have the potential to aid biomedical materials scientists in the development of materials with specific stress-relaxing or energy-dissipating properties.

Abstract: A Pancharatnam Berry Phase (PBP) color corrected structure is presented that comprises a plurality of switchable gratings and a plurality of PBP active elements. Each switchable grating has an inactive mode when reflects light of a specific color channel, of a set of color channels, and transmits light of other color channels in the set of color channels, wherein the specific color channel is different for each of the plurality of switchable gratings, and to have an active mode to transmit light that is inclusive of the set of color channels. The PBP active elements receive light output from at least one of the plurality of switchable gratings. Each of the PBP active elements is configured to adjust light of a different color channel of the set of color channels by a same amount to output light corrected for chromatic aberration for the set of color channels.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

Abstract: Methods for quantifying pupil swim are disclosed in order to compensate for the same. A target image, in one embodiment, is displayed on a display of a head mounted display (HMD). Images of the target image are captured from a plurality of positions relative to an optical axis of an optics block of the HMD at an exit pupil of the HMD. The target image includes features and differences between observed locations of the features and their expected locations absent the optics block are determined. From these differences, a wavefront of the optics block is reconstructed and distortion corrections for the optics block are generated using the wavefront. The distortion corrections, when applied to a virtual scene, add pre-distortion that is canceled by the optical imperfections of the optics block as light of the virtual scene with the pre-distortion passes through the optics block.