Abstract: A visualizer is provided. The visualizer includes a camera lens capturing an image of an object; an image sensing element generating a signal in response to the image of the object; an analog-to-digital converter converting the signal into a digital signal; a transmitting terminal electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter and transmitting the digital signal through the low voltage differential signal technology; and a receiving terminal receiving the digital signal.

Abstract: A sensing unit comprises a chemical sensing element and a transducer operatively associated therewith, wherein the chemical sensing element comprises at least one receptor for receiving a molecule of an analyte. An array of chemical sensing units is also provided, together with a chemical sensor system and a method of detecting and identifying the analyte.

Abstract: A sensor array for sensing at least one of chemical moieties and biological moieties is provided. The sensor array comprises a plurality of working electrodes electrically associated with a reference electrode, each working electrode in combination with the reference electrode forming a transducer. Each working electrode is provided with a coating of a sensing element comprised of an ionizable moiety and a functional group sensitive to one of the chemical and/or biological moieties.

Abstract: Classes of molecules are disclosed which can, for example, be used in molecular switches. The classes of molecules include at least three segments—an electronic donor (“D”), a switchable bridge (“B”), and an electronic acceptor (“A”)—chemically connected and linearly arranged (e.g., D-B-A). The electronic donor can be an aromatic ring system with at least one electron donating group covalently attached; an aromatic ring system with an electron withdrawing group covalently attached is usually employed as the electronic acceptor; and the switchable bridge can be a pi system that can be switched on or off using an external electric field.

Abstract: The invention described herein includes a molecular switch, comprising: a donor subunit; an acceptor subunit; and an aromatic bridging subunit comprising one or more bridging groups for bonding the donor subunit to the aromatic bridging subunit and for bonding the acceptor subunit to the aromatic bridging subunit wherein the aromatic bridging subunit is conformable in a manner effective for polarizing and de-polarizing the molecular switch at a low electric field voltage.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods for manufacturing complex, anisotropic materials with desirable properties for information storage, processing, and display. Certain of these methods involve employing a magnetic field during manufacture to induce desired orientations of precursors, subunits, and/or molecular subassemblies. The applied magnetic field steers the precursors, subunits, and/or molecular subassemblies into desirable orientations while the precursors, subunits, and/or molecular subassemblies are assembled or self-assemble into a complex, anisotropic material. One embodiment of the present invention is a class of new, complex, well-ordered, network-like materials that include a ferromagnetic-material-based framework in which organic and/or organometallic compounds are organized.

Abstract: A method includes chemically bonding a polymeric material to a self-assembled molecular film that is chemically bonded to a surface of a substrate. The self-assembled molecular film includes one or more defect sites and a plurality of active device molecules, each of the plurality of active device molecules including a molecular switching moiety having a self-assembling connecting group at one end of the moiety and a linking group at an opposed end of the moiety. The polymeric material chemically bonds to at least some of the linking groups of the plurality of active device molecules, causing the formation of the self-assembled molecular layer covering the plurality of active device molecules and the defect site(s).

Abstract: A molecule for Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition of a molecular layer. The molecule includes at least one switching moiety, a hydrophilicity-modifiable connecting group attached to one end of the moiety, and a hydrophilicity-non-modifiable connecting group attached to the other end of the moiety. The hydrophilicity-modifiable connecting group is transformable to a temporary end group upon adjustment in pH of the aqueous environment containing the molecule. The temporary end group is more hydrophilic than the hydrophilicity-modifiable connecting group and the hydrophilicity-non-modifiable connecting group. The difference in hydrophilicity between the temporary end group and the hydrophilicity-non-modifiable connecting group causes formation of a substantially well-oriented, uniform LB film at a water/solvent and/or water/air interface.

Abstract: A method of attaching a molecular layer to a substrate includes attaching a temporary protecting group(s) to a molecule having a molecular switching moiety with first and second connecting groups attached to opposed ends thereof. The temporary protecting group(s) is attached to the first and/or second connecting group so as to cause the opposed ends of the switching moiety to exhibit a difference in hydrophilicity such that one of the ends remains at at least one of a water/solvent interface and a water/air interface, and the other end remains in air during a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) process. An LB film is formed on the interface. The temporary protecting group(s) is removed. The substrate is passed through the LB film to form the molecular layer chemically bonded on the substrate. The difference in hydrophilicity between the opposed ends causes formation of a substantially well-oriented, uniform LB film at the interface.

Abstract: A molecular layer includes a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film of a molecule connected to a plurality of active device molecules, the molecule having a moiety with first and second connecting groups at opposed ends of the moiety. Each of the plurality of active device molecules includes a switching moiety, a self-assembling connecting group at one end of the switching moiety, and a linking group at an opposed end of the moiety. One or more defect site(s) exist between the plurality of active device molecules. A respective number of the first connecting groups of the LB film are connected to the plurality of active device molecules via at least some of the linking groups such that the LB film covers the plurality of active device molecules and the one or more defect site(s).

Abstract: Ceramic pigment-based, chemically-modified porous coatings can be used for enhancing image permanence of ink-jet image printing. Specifically, a porous coated media sheet, comprising a media substrate, having a porous coating coated thereon comprising a modified ceramic pigment including a fixer group and a stabilizer group, each covalently attached to the ceramic pigment is disclosed. Additionally, a method and system for preparing permanent ink-jet images is also provided.

Abstract: Method for employing optical state-change organic polymer films as information-storage layers in optoelectronic, high-density memories, and high-density optoelectronic memories produced by the method. In certain embodiments, the optical state-change organic polymer films can be manufactured to exhibit two different, stable optical states, one transparent, and one light-absorbing and/or light-reflecting, that can be locally, stably, and reversibly induced by application of an electrical field. In various embodiments, information is digitally encoded in an information-storage layer as bits, the value of each bit represented by the optical state of an area of the information-storage layer corresponding to the bit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for a rewritable disk memory using an electro-optical molecular recording layer. In the manner of nanotechnology, each molecule is an individual multi-position switch having at least two distinct optical characteristic states. Localized electrical field injection is used to switch each molecule to one of at least two bistable position states such that each is representative of a storable data bit.

Abstract: An optical sensor is provided, comprising (a) a silicon nanowire of finite length having an electrical contact pad at each end thereof; and (b) a plurality of self-assembled molecules on a surface of the silicon nanowire, the molecules serving to modulate electrical conductivity of the silicon nanowire by either a reversible change in dipole moment of the molecules or by a reversible molecule-assisted electron/energy transfer from the molecules onto the silicon nanowire. Further, a method of making the optical sensor is provided. The concept of molecular self-assembly is applied in attaching functional molecules onto silicon nanowire surfaces, and the requirement of molecule modification (hydroxy group in molecules) is minimal from the point view of synthetic difficulty and compatibility. Self-assembly will produce well-ordered ultra-thin films with strong chemical bonding on a surface that cannot be easily achieved by other conventional methods.

Abstract: Fuse-type and antifuse-type semiconducting-organic-polymer-film-based memory elements for use in memory devices are disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention employ a number of different techniques to alter the electrical conductance or, equivalently, the resistance, of organic-polymer-film memory elements in order to produce detectable memory-state changes in the memory elements. The techniques involve altering the electronic properties of the organic polymers by application of heat or electric fields, often in combination with additional chemical compounds, to either increase or decrease the resistance of the organic polymers.

Abstract: A self-assembled molecular color switch is formed on a substrate and comprises coupled coaxial rotors and non-coaxial stators, with each rotor rotatably connected to two stators, to form molecular planes wherein all rotors at rest are parallel to the substrate and orthogonal to an electric field. The color switch employs a novel chemistry for producing a molecular film having a field switchable color. More particularly, it is a chemistry that provides for relatively thick self-assembled molecular layers collectively having print-like optical density. Further, a means for bi-stable color switching is provided.

Abstract: A particle display device having a monolayer of a bistable polarizable molecule on either side of a gap filled with a liquid containing suspended particles. The monolayers and the liquid filled gap are disposed between patterned electrodes that are used to apply an electric field across the layers of the gap, thus influencing the orientation or the distribution of the suspended particles. The optical transmission or reflectance of the gap is dependent upon the applied electric field. The polarizable monolayers respond to the applied electric field by assuming one of two stable polarized states. The field provided by the dipoles of the molecules in the monolayer remains after the external field is removed, thereby sustaining the electric field influence on the suspended particles of the display device.

Abstract: A particle display device having a monolayer of a bistable polarizable molecule on either side of a gap filled with a liquid containing suspended particles. The monolayers and the liquid filled gap are disposed between patterned electrodes that are used to apply an electric field across the layers of the gap, thus influencing the orientation or the distribution of the suspended particles. The optical transmission or reflectance of the gap is dependent upon the applied electric field. The polarizable monolayers respond to the applied electric field by assuming one of two stable polarized states. The field provided by the dipoles of the molecules in the monolayer remains after the external field is removed, thereby sustaining the electric field influence on the suspended particles of the display device.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method of proofreading text in a computer system includes receiving text from a user into a text editing module. At least a portion of the text is converted to an audio signal upon the detection of an indicator, the indicator defining a boundary in the text by either being embodied therein or comprising delays in receiving text. The audio signal is played through a speaker to the user to provide feedback.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method of proofreading text in a computer system includes receiving text from a user into a text editing module. At least a portion of the text is converted to an audio signal. The audio signal is played through a speaker to the user to provide feedback.