Abstract: Methods for the synthesis of a polyoxometalate compounds include heating a metal precursor in the presence of an organic salt. The polyoxometalate compounds produced herein display high photoluminescence quantum yields and photoluminescence maximums in the blue and/or violet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: Quantum dot semiconductor nanoparticle compositions that incorporate ions such as zinc, aluminum, calcium, or magnesium into the quantum dot core have been found to be more stable to Ostwald ripening. A core-shell quantum dot may have a core of a semiconductor material that includes indium, magnesium, and phosphorus ions. Ions such as zinc, calcium, and/or aluminum may be included in addition to, or in place of, magnesium. The core may further include other ions, such as selenium, and/or sulfur. The core may be coated with one (or more) shells of semiconductor material. Example shell semiconductor materials include semiconductors containing zinc, sulfur, selenium, iron and/or oxygen ions.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for recommending podcasts. In an embodiment, the system detects a podcast request, and responsively determines whether a profile of the user indicates consumption by the user of podcasts. Responsive to determining that the profile does not indicate consumption by the user of podcasts, the system determines music preferences of the user based on data of the profile, and generates a podcast seed based on the music preferences. The system selects a podcast recommendation based on the podcast seed, and provides the podcast recommendation to the user. The system receives a selection of the podcast recommendation by the user, and responsively plays back a podcast corresponding to the podcast recommendation.

Abstract: Quantum dot semiconductor nanoparticle compositions that incorporate ions such as zinc, aluminum, calcium, or magnesium into the quantum dot core have been found to be more stable to Ostwald ripening. A core-shell quantum dot may have a core of a semiconductor material that includes indium, magnesium, and phosphorus ions. Ions such as zinc, calcium, and/or aluminum may be included in addition to, or in place of, magnesium. The core may further include other ions, such as selenium, and/or sulfur. The core may be coated with one (or more) shells of semiconductor material. Example shell semiconductor materials include semiconductors containing zinc, sulfur, selenium, iron and/or oxygen ions.

Abstract: Certain dithio-compounds have been found to be superior capping ligands for quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles. Example dithio-ligands include dithiocarbamate ligands. These strongly binding ligands are capable of coordinating to both positive and negative atoms on the surface of the nanoparticle. The ligands are bi-dentate and thus their approach to the QD surface is not as sterically hindered as is the approach of mono-dentate ligands. These ligands can therefore completely saturate the QD surface.

Abstract: Data processing can be managed in a distributed computing environment (DCE). In one example, the DCE can receive a sequence of computing operations to be consecutively executed in the DCE. For each computing operation in the sequence, the DCE can receive input data for the computing operation, partition the input data into subsets, and determine whether the computing operation is linear or non-linear. The DCE can then apply different processing techniques to the subsets depending on whether the computing operation is linear or non-linear.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking object location and orientation in VR environments include: fixed position ultra-wideband transceivers transmitting within a physical space and receiving reflections of those transmissions; mobile objects located within the physical space, at least one of the mobile objects including one or more light-reflective tracking markers that reflect the ultra-wideband transmissions of the transceivers; one or more cameras mounted to at least one of the mobile objects, each camera including a wireless communication module; a processor in communication with the transceivers and the wireless communication modules of the cameras; and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: calculate the position of each mobile object using the reflections received by the transceivers in combination with the information received from the one or more cameras mounted to each mobile object.

Abstract: Systems and methods of assisting users in collision avoidance in a virtual reality environment include tracking a location, speed, and direction of movement of first and second users in a physical environment; based on the tracked location, speed, and direction of each of the users, calculating a collision probability between the first user and the second user in the physical environment; comparing a threshold collision probability to the calculated collision probability; and when the calculated collision probability exceeds the threshold collision probability and the first user avatar visible to the second user and the second user avatar visible to the first user do not visually suggest to each of the first user and the second user a representation of the probability of collision in the physical environment, a collision alert is triggered.

Abstract: A scalable method for the manufacture of narrow, bright, monodisperse, photo-luminescent quantum dots prepared in the presence of a Group II-VI molecular seeding cluster fabricated in situ from a zinc salt and a thiol or selenol compound. Exemplary quantum dots have a core containing indium, phosphorus, zinc and either sulfur or selenium.

Abstract: Adhesive bleed-through of substrates and build-up of adhesive on process equipment can be reduced or even fully eliminated by increasing the running temperature of circumferential rolls (e.g., nip rollers or idlers) used to compress and adhesively bond the substrates of a laminate structure together, as opposed to the usual cooling of the nip rollers. This method is particularly beneficial when using polyolefin-based hot melt adhesives to form laminates with permeable substrates, such as low basis weight nonwovens, for use in disposable absorbent articles. The method can be used to make a range of laminated structures, such as bi-laminates and tri-laminates.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets comprises heating a bulk material in a solvent. The process is scalable and can be used to produce solution-processable 2D nanosheets with uniform properties in large volumes.

Abstract: A hot melt adhesive using polypropylene impact copolymers that is particularly well suited for elastic attachment and stretch films in diaper structures. The hot melt adhesive composition is a blend of about 2.5% to about 30%, by weight, of a polypropylene impact copolymer; about 2.5% to about 30%, by weight, of an olefin based elastomer; about 10% to about 70%, by weight, of a tackifying resin having a softening point of at least about 80° C. and up to about 140° C.; about 0% to about 60%, by weight, of a plasticizer; and about 0.1% to about 5% of a stabilizer or antioxidant.

Abstract: A battery assembly includes a plurality of battery cells each including a cell tab and a bus bar connected to the cell tabs of adjacent battery cells. The bus bar including a pair of 180 degree bend regions that each define a channel for receiving a respective cell tab and a cut-out region defining an opening having opposing edge portions that allows direct access to the cell tab within the cut-out region. A weld line connects the cell tab to at least one of the opposing edge portions within the cut-out region.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprises a plurality of quantum dots and a metal thiol polymer that acts to stabilize the quantum dots. In certain embodiments, the metal thiol polymer is a zinc thiol polymer. The zinc thiol polymer may be a zinc alkanethiolate. The zinc alkanethiolate may be zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT). A composition comprising a plurality of quantum dots and a metal thiol polymer may be formulated with one or more additional polymers as a quantum dot-containing bead or as a quantum dot-containing composite material—e.g., a multilayer film.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprises a plurality of quantum dots and a metal thiol polymer that acts to stabilize the quantum dots. In certain embodiments, the metal thiol polymer is a zinc thiol polymer. The zinc thiol polymer may be a zinc alkanethiolate. The zinc alkanethiolate may be zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT). A composition comprising a plurality of quantum dots and a metal thiol polymer may be formulated with one or more additional polymers as a quantum dot-containing bead or as a quantum dot-containing composite material—e.g., a multilayer film.

Abstract: A battery assembly includes a plurality of battery cells each including a cell tab and a bus bar connected to the cell tabs of adjacent battery cells. The bus bar including a pair of 180 degree bend regions that each define a channel for receiving a respective cell tab and a cut-out region defining an opening having opposing edge portions that allows direct access to the cell tab within the cut-out region. A weld line connects the cell tab to at least one of the opposing edge portions within the cut-out region.

Abstract: A method of synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) nanoflakes comprises the cutting of prefabricated nanoparticles. The method allows high control over the shape, size and composition of the 2D nanoflakes, and can be used to produce material with uniform properties in large quantities. Van der Waals heterostructure devices are prepared by fabricating nanoparticles, chemically cutting the nanoparticles to form nanoflakes, dispersing the nanoflakes in a solvent to form an ink, and depositing the ink to form a thin film.

Abstract: A method for generating an interactive 2D projection of a 3D model includes steps of applying hierarchical defect data to the 3D model of a multi-part object, generating heatmap data based at least in part on the hierarchical defect data, and overlaying the heatmap data on the 3D model. The method also includes steps of extracting data corresponding to the 3D model and including the heatmap data after the overlaying step, and creating the interactive 2D projection based on the extracted data.

Abstract: A method of synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) nanoparticles comprises combining a first nanoparticle precursor and a second nanoparticle precursor in one or more solvents to form a solution, followed by heating the solution to a first temperature for a first time period, then subsequently heating the solution to a second temperature for a second time period, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature, to effect the conversion of the nanoparticle precursors into 2D nanoparticles. In one embodiment, the first nanoparticle precursor is a metal-amine complex and the second nanoparticle precursor is a slow-releasing chalcogen source.