Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying medical disorders in one or more subjects are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, sound is transmitted toward a subject and at least a portion of the sound reflected by the subject and is acquired as echo data. The acquired echo data is used to generate a motion waveform having a plurality of peaks detected therein. At least a portion of the plurality of peaks may be indicative of movement of the subject. One or more medical disorders in the subject can be identified based on, for example, time durations and/or amplitude changes between peaks detected in the motion waveform.

Abstract: Examples of systems and methods are described for detecting heart beats of a subject. The systems and methods may be based on motion of the subject due to cardiac activity, and may operate without contact with the subject. Example systems may provide an interrogation signal to the subject. Reflected signals from the subject are incident on a microphone array. The reflected signals may be processed and beamformed using a set of beamforming weights. The beamforming weights may be selected in a manner to reduce components of the reflected signals due to breathing motion of the subject while increasing the relative contribution of the reflected signals due to cardiac activity. The beamformed signal may provide a waveform indicative of heart beats. Inter-beat intervals, heart rates, and/or other health metrics may be calculated based on the waveform.

Abstract: An aerial robot system may include an aerial robot having an airframe, a piezo actuator, a wing connected to the piezo actuator, and a photovoltaic cell. The system may further include a laser source configured to emit a laser beam oriented toward the photovoltaic cell for conversion by the photovoltaic cell into electrical energy. The aerial robot may further include a boost converter connected to the photovoltaic cell and configured to raise a voltage level of the electrical energy, and a signal generator connected to the boost converter and configured to generate an alternating signal. The piezo actuator is connected to the signal generator to move according to the alternating signal to cause the wing to move in a flapping motion to generate aerodynamic force that moves the robot. Methods for manufacturing aerial robots and corresponding electronics are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying medical disorders in one or more subjects are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, sound is transmitted toward a subject and at least a portion of the sound reflected by the subject and is acquired as echo data. The acquired echo data is used to generate a motion waveform having a plurality of peaks detected therein. At least a portion of the plurality of peaks may be indicative of movement of the subject. One or more medical disorders in the subject can be identified based on, for example, time durations and/or amplitude changes between peaks detected in the motion waveform.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods directed to contactless motion tracking. In operation, a speaker may provide an acoustic signal to, for example, a subject. A microphone array may receive a reflected acoustic signal, where the received reflected signal is responsive to the acoustic signal reflecting off the subject. A computing device may extraction motion data of the subject based on the received reflected acoustic signal. Various motion data extraction methods are described herein. The motion data may include respiration motion, coarse movement motion, respiration rate, and the like. Using the extracted motion data, the processor may identify at least one health condition and/or sleep anomaly corresponding to the subject. In some examples, beamforming is implemented to aid in contactless motion tracking.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating acoustic-based localization and motion tracking in the presence of multipath, wherein, in operation, acoustic signals are transmitted from a speaker to a microphone array, a processor coupled to the microphone array calculates the 1 D distance between a microphone and/or each microphones of the microphone array and the speaker of a user device by first filtering out multipath signals with large time-of-arrival values relative to the time-of-arrival value of the direct path signal, then extracting out the phase value of the residual multipath signals and direct path signal, using the calculated 1 D distances, the processor may then calculate the intersection of the 1 D distances to determine the 3D location of the speaker to enable sub-millimeter accuracy of 1 D distance between a microphone of a microphone array and a speaker of a user device to enable smaller separation between the microphones of the microphone array.

Abstract: Examples of systems and methods described herein may classify agonal breathing in audio signals produced by a user using a trained neural network. Examples may include a smart device that may request medical assistance if an agonal breathing event is classified.

Abstract: Examples described herein include systems, devices, and methods for backscattering carrier signals in accordance with pixel values of an image and/or video. Signals having a property proportionate to pixel values may be converted into a pulse-containing waveform having pulses whose widths and/or duty cycles are determined based on the pixel values. Backscatter transmitters may backscatter a carrier signal in accordance with the pulse-containing waveform to provide the pixel values to a receiver. In this manner, video transmission at low power and/or battery-free operation may be provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for wirelessly transmitting power across a room or space are disclosed herein. One such system is comprised of a power receiving element positioned to receive wireless power transfer, comprised of a power receiving cell and a retroreflector positioned proximate the power receiving cell, and a power transmission element configured to wirelessly transmit power towards the power receiving element. The power transmission element includes an optical power transmitter configured to emit a first laser beam with a first power density towards the receiving cell, a guard beam emitter positioned proximate the optical power transmitter and configured to emit a second laser beam with a second power density towards the retroreflectors, a light detector positioned proximate the guard beam emitter and configured to detect light reflected by the retroreflectors, and an interlock system configured to interrupt power transmission when a decrease in light incident from the retroreflectors is detected.

Abstract: Examples of systems and methods described herein may estimate a state of the ear canal of a patient utilizing a smart phone by characterizing acoustic waveforms reflected off the patient's eardrum. Examples may include an acoustic focusing apparatus that may be connected to a smart phone to provide acoustic signals to and receive reflected signals from an ear canal.

Abstract: An respirator}? failure detection system and associated devices and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, one or more transducers of a mobile device emit acoustic energy toward a subject and acquire a corresponding reflected signal. In some embodiments, the system analyzes the reflected signal to determine a distance between the subject and the mobile device. The system extracts motion data of the subject from the reflected signal. Based at least in part on the extracted motion data, the system identifies gross motor motion of the subject and/or determines one or more breathing parameters of the subject. In some embodiments, the system uses the breathing parameters to determine whether the subject is currently in need of rescue intervention. When the subject is currently in need of rescue intervention, the system can solicit help from emergency services, contact an emergency contact specified by the subject, and/or administer an antidote.

Abstract: Examples described herein include systems, devices, and methods for backscattering carrier signals in accordance with pixel values of an image and/or video. Signals having a property proportionate to pixel values may be converted into a pulse-containing waveform having pulses whose widths and/or duty cycles are determined based on the pixel values. Backscatter transmitters may backscatter a carrier signal in accordance with the pulse-containing waveform to provide the pixel values to a receiver. In this manner, video transmission at low power and/or battery-free operation may be provided.

Abstract: Examples described herein include devices and systems utilizing backscatter communication to generate transmissions in accordance with wireless communication protocols. Examples are described including single sideband operation, generation of a carrier wave using Bluetooth, downlink communication to a backscatter device, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: An aerial robot system may include an aerial robot having an airframe, a piezo actuator, a wing connected to the piezo actuator, and a photovoltaic cell. The system may further include a laser source configured to emit a laser beam oriented toward the photovoltaic cell for conversion by the photovoltaic cell into electrical energy. The aerial robot may further include a boost converter connected to the photovoltaic cell and configured to raise a voltage level of the electrical energy, and a signal generator connected to the boost converter and configured to generate an alternating signal. The piezo actuator is connected to the signal generator to move according to the alternating signal to cause the wing to move in a flapping motion to generate aerodynamic force that moves the robot. Methods for manufacturing aerial robots and corresponding electronics are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Examples described herein include devices and systems utilizing backscatter communication to directly generate transmissions in accordance with wireless communication protocols that can be decoded existing devices. Examples include devices that generate 802.11b transmissions using backscatter communication. Examples of network stacks are described which may facilitate backscatter devices to coexist with other devices (e.g. in the ISM band), without incurring, or reducing a need for, the power consumption or carrier sense and medium access control operations.

Abstract: Examples of backscatter systems, device, and techniques are described herein. Example backscatter devices may utilize CSS modulation to provide backscatter signals including CSS signals (e.g., LoRa packets). Utilizing CSS modulation may advantageously allow for backscatter communication over wide areas. Examples of backscatter devices described herein may toggle the impedance of the backscatter device between multiple (e.g., eight) impedances to reduce and/or eliminate higher order harmonic components in the backscatter signal (e.g., third and fifth harmonic components).

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying medical disorders in one or more subjects are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, sound is transmitted toward a subject and at least a portion of the sound reflected by the subject and is acquired as echo data. The acquired echo data is used to generate a motion waveform having a plurality of peaks detected therein. At least a portion of the plurality of peaks may be indicative of movement of the subject. One or more medical disorders in the subject can be identified based on, for example, time durations and/or amplitude changes between peaks detected in the motion waveform.

Abstract: Examples described herein include devices and systems utilizing backscatter communication to directly generate transmissions in accordance with wireless communication protocols that can be decoded existing devices. Examples include devices that generate 802.11b transmissions using backscatter communication. Examples of network stacks are described which may facilitate backscatter devices to coexist with other devices (e.g. in the ISM band), without incurring, or reducing a need for, the power consumption or carrier sense and medium access control operations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for wirelessly transmitting power across a room or space are disclosed herein. One such system is comprised of a power receiving element positioned to receive wireless power transfer, comprised of a power receiving cell and a retroreflector positioned proximate the power receiving cell, and a power transmission element configured to wirelessly transmit power towards the power receiving element. The power transmission element includes an optical power transmitter configured to emit a first laser beam with a first power density towards the receiving cell, a guard beam emitter positioned proximate the optical power transmitter and configured to emit a second laser beam with a second power density towards the retroreflectors, a light detector positioned proximate the guard beam emitter and configured to detect light reflected by the retroreflectors, and an interlock system configured to interrupt power transmission when a decrease in light incident from the retroreflectors is detected.

Abstract: Examples described herein include backscatter devices which may transmit orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals. Techniques for complex analog backscatter are described. Examples of impedance circuitry are described which may be used to provide real and imaginary components of impedance in accordance with inphase and quadrature bits.