Abstract: Photovoltaic devices having transparent contact layers are described herein.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar stem or stem/handlebar assembly has an inclined linear travel approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. This inclined path mimics a rider's natural arm inclination and pitching moment. 45 degrees is nearly ideal for most dropped bar road bicycles but different style bicycles may have an ideal angle between 30 and 60 degrees.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar stem or stem/handlebar assembly has an inclined linear travel approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. This inclined path mimics a rider's natural arm inclination and pitching moment. 45 degrees is nearly ideal for most dropped bar road bicycles but different style bicycles may have an ideal angle between 30 and 60 degrees.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar stem or stem/handlebar assembly has an inclined linear travel approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. This inclined path mimics a rider's natural arm inclination and pitching moment. 45 degrees is nearly ideal for most dropped bar road bicycles but different style bicycles may have an ideal angle between 30 and 60 degrees.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump pet water fountain is provided which includes a bowl defined by a peripheral wall extending upwardly from a floor. The bowl is configured to hold water. The housing divides the basin into a drinking basin and an interior basin. The housing includes an upright sidewall extending from a floor and a cap. The housing also defines an elevated water reservoir with a spout. A rotating cone is positioned within the housing and driven by a motor. The cone has a water inlet and a top opening adjacent the cone top opening. During operation, the rotation of the cone forces water to climb the interior surface of the cone through centrifugal force, where the water is deposited within the reservoir and returned to the drinking basin through the spout.

Abstract: An apparatus is described that comprises a microphone array and a plurality of transducers. The microphone array and the plurality of transducers are communicatively coupled with at least one processor. The apparatus includes the microphone array for receiving at least one signal. Each transducer of the plurality of transducers is configured to deliver a correction signal along a transducer beam spread axis, wherein the plurality of transducers is positioned on the apparatus for providing a combined transducer beam spread coverage in the horizontal plane. One or more applications running on the at least one processor use information of the at least one signal to detect a sound event. The detecting the sound event includes selecting transducers from the plurality of transducers and instructing the selected transducers to deliver a correction signal.

Abstract: An apparatus is described that comprises a microphone array and a plurality of transducers. The microphone array and the plurality of transducers are communicatively coupled with at least one processor. The apparatus includes the microphone array for receiving at least one signal. Each transducer of the plurality of transducers is configured to deliver a correction signal along a transducer beam spread axis, wherein the plurality of transducers is positioned on the apparatus for providing a combined transducer beam spread coverage in the horizontal plane. One or more applications running on the at least one processor use information of the at least one signal to detect a sound event. The detecting the sound event includes selecting transducers from the plurality of transducers and instructing the selected transducers to deliver a correction signal.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar stem or stem/handlebar assembly has an inclined linear travel approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. This inclined path mimics a rider's natural arm inclination and pitching moment. 45 degrees is nearly ideal for most dropped bar road bicycles but different style bicycles may have an ideal angle between 30 and 60 degrees.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar stem or stem/handlebar assembly has an inclined linear travel approximately 45 degrees from horizontal. This inclined path mimics a rider's natural arm inclination and pitching moment. 45 degrees is nearly ideal for most dropped bar road bicycles but different style bicycles may have an ideal angle between 30 and 60 degrees.

Abstract: An apparatus is described that comprises a microphone array and a plurality of transducers. The microphone array and the plurality of transducers are communicatively coupled with at least one processor. The apparatus includes the microphone array for receiving at least one signal. Each transducer of the plurality of transducers is configured to deliver a correction signal along a transducer beam spread axis, wherein the plurality of transducers is positioned on the apparatus for providing a combined transducer beam spread coverage in the horizontal plane. One or more applications running on the at least one processor use information of the at least one signal to detect a sound event. The detecting the sound event includes selecting transducers from the plurality of transducers and instructing the selected transducers to deliver a correction signal.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump pet water fountain is provided which includes a bowl defined by a peripheral wall extending upwardly from a floor. The bowl is configured to hold water. The housing divides the basin into a drinking basin and an interior basin. The housing includes an upright sidewall extending from a floor and a cap. The housing also defines an elevated water reservoir with a spout. A rotating cone is positioned within the housing and driven by a motor. The cone has a water inlet and a top opening adjacent the cone top opening. During operation, the rotation of the cone forces water to climb the interior surface of the cone through centrifugal force, where the water is deposited within the reservoir and returned to the drinking basin through the spout.

Abstract: Systems and methods configured to create contour maps of geospatial variables based on hydrometeorological data associated with the variable are described herein. The systems and methods advantageously use simultaneous multi-event universal kriging for spatio-temporal data exploration, analysis and interpolation with the objective of creating a series of related maps, where each map corresponds to a specific sampling event, but wherein some features exhibit spatial relationships persisting over time. In one particular example, water level maps are prepared using the methods, which has the flexibility to allow the conditioning of trend coefficients based on any arbitrary subsets of sample data, and thereby provides a physically based and deterministic rather than wholly-stochastic basis for depicting hydrometeorological data correlations in space and time.

Abstract: Systems and methods configured to create contour maps of geospatial variables based on hydrometeorological data associated with the variable are described herein. The systems and methods advantageously use simultaneous multi-event universal kriging for spatio-temporal data exploration, analysis and interpolation with the objective of creating a series of related maps, where each map corresponds to a specific sampling event, but wherein some features exhibit spatial relationships persisting over time. In one particular example, water level maps are prepared using the methods, which has the flexibility to allow the conditioning of trend coefficients based on any arbitrary subsets of sample data, and thereby provides a physically based and deterministic rather than wholly-stochastic basis for depicting hydrometeorological data correlations in space and time.

Abstract: Methods and systems optimize travel costs both on and off a sequence of one or more networks used to represent travel, communication, or transport of anything within a spatial medium. Such systems and methods can develop a data structure for optimizing travel costs for a region having an embedded network. The data structure includes a grid representation of the region having an array of cells covering the region, an optimal-cost grid dataset containing optimal costs for travel between an initial location in the region and cells in the grid, a hybrid grid-network dataset representing travel costs within the network, within the grid, and between the network and the grid, and back-links among elements of the hybrid grid-network dataset, reflecting optimal travel routes originating at the initial location. Methods and systems also include querying the datasets of the data structure to generate a route with an optimal travel cost from the initial location to a query point.

Abstract: Brackets for use in securing portable locking storage boxes and other items are disclosed herein, along with systems that include such brackets. According to one embodiment, a bracket for use in securing a portable locking item includes a pair of proximal portions, an outwardly-extending distal portion between the proximal portions, and a pair of transition portions. Each proximal portion has an interaction face and at least one aperture for passing a fastener therethrough. The proximal portion interaction faces are generally parallel and coplanar with one another. The distal portion has a pair of sidewalls spaced apart from one another. A respective transition portion is between each proximal portion and the distal portion, and each transition portion has an interaction face extending at an angle from a respective proximal portion interaction face to a respective distal portion sidewall.

Abstract: A functional block for assembly includes at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one magnetic region attached to the element. A wafer includes a host substrate comprising a number of elements. The wafer further includes a patterned magnetic film attached to the elements and comprising a number of magnetic regions. The magnetic regions are attached to respective ones of the elements. A method of manufacture includes forming a number of magnetic regions on a host substrate having an array of elements. The forming step provides at least one of the magnetic regions for a respective group comprising at least one of the elements.

Abstract: An article for assembly includes a substrate, at least one receptor site disposed on the substrate and a patterned magnetic film. The patterned magnetic film includes at least one magnetic region, each magnetic region being disposed within one of the receptor sites. The patterned magnetic film comprises a material with a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. An assembly includes at least one functional block comprising at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one region. The assembly further includes an article comprising a substrate, at least one receptor site disposed on the substrate and at least one receptor configured to generate a magnetic field gradient for attracting the region. The receptor is positioned at the receptor site.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a container with a removable cap, and the container includes a seal for freshness or tamper-resistance. The cap is manufactured with an integral seal cutter that is rotated to aid in removing the seal and accessing the container contents.

Abstract: A nanowire structure and device for use in large area electronics and methods of making the same is provided. The nanowire structure includes a nanowire defining an axis, where the nanowire includes a first end and a second end. The first end is axially spaced from the second end. Further, the nanowire structure includes magnetic segments that are coupled to the first and second ends of the nanowire.

Abstract: A membrane structure is provided. The membrane structure includes a polymer layer having a plurality of pores; and a ceramic layer disposed on the polymer layer. The ceramic layer has a plurality of substantially unconnected pores. Each of the substantially unconnected pores is in fluid communication with at least one of the pores of the polymer layer. A method of manufacturing a membrane structure is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a polymer layer having a plurality of pores; and disposing a ceramic layer on the polymer layer. Disposing a ceramic layer includes depositing a metal layer on the polymer layer; and anodizing the metal layer to convert the metal layer into a porous layer. At least one of the depositing step and the anodizing step is performed as a continuous process. Alternatively, at least one of the depositing and the anodizing step is performed as a batch process.