Abstract: In present invention, various embodiments provide a photothermotropic composite film. The composite film comprises a matrix and one or more nanostructures comprising a metal oxide semiconductor which is configured to convert radiant energy to thermal energy. The matrix has a property which is changeable based on the thermal energy received by the matrix from the metal oxide semiconductor. In a preferred embodiment, hybridization of the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel and antimony-tin oxide (ATO) is provided as the composite film. In this film, the ATO absorbs at near-infrared (NIR) region and acts as nanoheater to induce the optical switching of the hydrogel. The behaviour of this composite film can be used as a new generation of autonomous passive smart windows for climate-adaptable solar modulation.

Abstract: The invention relates to non-woven protein fibers and to methods for forming and producing the same. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a method of processing a protein comprising dissolving a protein in a solution, optionally removing any insoluble materials from the solution, and spraying the solution under an applied pressure. In other embodiments, the protein can be derived from a range of sources, including but not limited to arthropod silks, animal keratin (e.g. hair and wool), tissue elastin, collagen, resilin, and plant protein. In certain embodiments, the methods of the invention are an alternative to electrospinning methods known in the art.

Abstract: A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes receiving, by a processor of the UAV, a plurality of images captured by an imaging device coupled to the UAV, identifying, by the processor, a target in at least one image of the plurality of images, determining, by the processor, whether the target is a stationary target or a moving target based on analyzing the plurality of images, and automatically effecting, by the processor, movement of the UAV based on determining the target is the stationary target or the moving target.

Abstract: A method for implementing obstacle avoidance of a movable object within an environment is provided. The method includes determining whether the movable object is going to collide with one or more obstacles based on a predicted movement of the movable object along a motion path. The motion path is incrementally adjusted in at least one direction in response to the movable object being determined to collide with the one or more obstacles. For each incremental angle in the at least one direction, whether the movable object is going to collide with the one or more obstacles is determined.

Abstract: A piezoelectronic device with novel force amplification includes a first electrode; a piezoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode; a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer; an insulator disposed on the second electrode; a piezoresistive layer disposed on the insulator; a third electrode disposed on the insulator; a fourth electrode disposed on the insulator; a semi-rigid housing surrounding the layers and the electrodes; wherein the semi-rigid housing is in contact with the first, third, and fourth electrodes and the piezoresistive layer; wherein the semi-rigid housing includes a void. The third and fourth electrodes are on the same plane and separated from each other in the transverse direction by a distance.

Abstract: A method for constructing an advanced crack stop structure is described. An interconnection structure is formed comprised of a plurality of levels. Each level has an interconnect structure section and a crack stop section. In a first level of the interconnection structure, a high modulus layer is formed in the crack stop recess but not the interconnect recess and a barrier layer and a conductive metal layer is formed in both the interconnection recess and the crack stop recess of the first level. In a second level of the interconnection structure and the crack stop structure, a second high modulus layer is formed in the crack stop recess but not the interconnect recess and a barrier layer and a conductive metal layer is formed in both the interconnection recess and the crack stop recess of the second level. The barrier layers and high modulus layers are deposited in different steps.

Abstract: Provided is a multifunctional high-frequency electric knife, comprising processing portion, sheath portion, and operating portion. The processing portion is provided with an electrode and a clip component; the electrode is provided with a hollow tubular portion; the electrode can be pushed out or retracted relative to far end of the sheath portion; the clip component can be pushed out or retracted relative to far end of the sheath portion; the sheath portion is disposed at near end of the processing portion and comprises a hollow pull rod and a spring tube; and the operating part is located at near end of the sheath portion and comprises a high-frequency joint connected to the electrode by wire, a component driving, by operating line, the electrode to move, a member driving the hollow pull rod to move, and a liquid inlet allowing liquid to flow to the hollow tubular portion of the electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antibacterial cryogel, its preparation method, and its use for disinfecting water. The invention further relates to an antibacterial porous hydrogel.

Abstract: One embodiment includes identifying a common file associated with a first software container deployed on a host; adding a single copy of the common file to a common file pool maintained by the host, removing the common file from the first container and replacing it with a pointer to the copy of the common file in the shared file pool, and removing the common file from the first container and replacing it with a pointer to the copy of the common file in the shared file pool; identifying at least one unique file associated with the first container; and moving the unique file to the common file pool maintained by the host and removing the unique file from the first container and replacing it with a pointer to the copy of the unique file in the shared file pool.

Abstract: A chip package structure, including a substrate, multiple chips and multiple discrete devices that are packaged on an upper surface of the substrate, and a heat dissipation apparatus, where the heat dissipation apparatus includes an insulation layer and a thermally conductive layer that are laminated. The insulation layer completely encloses and adheres to outer surfaces of the multiple chips, outer surfaces of the multiple discrete devices, and the upper surface of the substrate and configured to conduct heat generated by the multiple chips and the multiple discrete devices to the thermally conductive layer and the substrate such that the heat generated by the multiple chips and the multiple discrete devices dissipated using the thermally conductive layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A production line for recycling and processing waste materials of steel rolling, the production line including: an electromagnetic hoisting equipment; a conveying platform; a clamping-and-feeding device; a segmentation shear; a swing conveyor device; a pushing device; a rolling-type shearing machine; a chain-type conveyor track; a material guiding device; two shredding-type shearing machines; and a scrap collection device. The electromagnetic hoisting equipment is connected to the conveying platform, and is configured to hoist waste materials of steel rolling to the conveying platform; the conveying platform is connected to the clamping-and-feeding device, and is configured to convey the waste materials to the clamping-and-feeding device; the segmentation shear cooperates with the clamping-and-feeding device and is configured to segment the waste materials of steel rolling into steel plates; the pushing device is configured to push the steel plates to the rolling-type shearing machine.

Abstract: A method of fabricating ultra-thin chips is provided. The method includes patterning circuit elements onto a substrate such that sections of the substrate are exposed and etching trenches into the sections of the substrate to define pedestals respectively associated with a corresponding circuit element. The method further includes depositing stressor layer material onto the circuit elements and applying handling tape to the stressor layer material. In addition, the method includes at least one of weakening the substrate in a plane defined by base corners of the pedestals and initiating substrate cracking at the base corners of the pedestals to encourage spalling of the pedestals off the substrate.

Abstract: A gimbal servo control method includes obtaining a predicted flight trajectory of an aircraft within a preset time period from a current time, and adjusting an attitude of a gimbal carried by the aircraft according a predicted velocity direction of the aircraft at a point of the predicted flight trajectory.

Abstract: A method for determining a target direction for a movable object includes providing an image on a computer-implemented display, obtaining a position of a selected point on the image in response to a user selecting the point on the image, and determining the target direction based on the position of the selected point on the image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle within an environment are provided. In one aspect, a system comprises one or more sensors carried on the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured to receive sensor data of the environment and one or more processors. The one or more processors may be individually or collectively configured to: determine, based on the sensor data, an environmental complexity factor representative of an obstacle density for the environment; determine, based on the environmental complexity factor, one or more operating rules for the unmanned aerial vehicle; receive a signal indicating a desired movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the one or more operating rules.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes an active area of the IC structure insulator positioned over a substrate. The active area includes an interconnection structure comprised of a first plurality of levels. Each of the interconnect structure levels including an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, a barrier layer disposed over the ILD and a conductor metal layer over the barrier layer. The structure also includes a crack stop area which includes a crack stop structure having a second plurality of levels. The interconnect and crack stop structures have an equal number of levels. A third plurality of the crack stop structure levels include a high modulus layer unique to the respective crack stop structure level as compared to the corresponding interconnect structure level.

Abstract: A method for creating an integrated circuit (IC) structure includes an active area of the IC structure insulator positioned over a substrate. The active area includes an interconnection structure comprised of a plurality of levels, each of the interconnect structure levels including an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, a barrier layer disposed over the ILD and a conductor metal layer over the barrier layer. The IC structure also includes a crack stop area which includes a crack stop structure having an equal plurality of levels as the interconnect structure. Each of the crack stop structure levels includes at least one of the layers of the interconnection structure at a same level. At least one crack stop structure level also includes a high modulus layer unique to the crack stop structure level as compared to the corresponding interconnect structure level. In another aspect of the invention, a method for producing the structure is described.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes an active area of the IC structure insulator positioned over a substrate. The active area includes an interconnection structure comprised of a plurality of levels, each of the interconnect structure levels including an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, a barrier layer disposed over the ILD and a conductor metal layer over the barrier layer. The IC structure also includes a crack stop area which includes a crack stop structure having an equal plurality of levels as the interconnect structure. Each of the crack stop structure levels includes at least one of the layers of the interconnection structure at a same level. At least one crack stop structure level also includes a high modulus layer unique to the crack stop structure level as compared to the corresponding interconnect structure level.

Abstract: A card edge connector includes a longitudinal insulating housing including two long walls and a bottom wall connecting with the long wall and defining a card slot in a longitudinal direction among the long walls and the bottom wall, two rows of contact arranged in the long walls respectively. Each contact includes a retaining portion, a spring portion extending from the retaining portion and leg portion extending from the retaining portion and out of the insulating housing. The spring portions define contacting portions projecting into the card slot. Each contact is formed by directly punching out from a metal plate, the retaining portions define an outer edge and inner edge interfered with the insulating housing and two opposite plane faces connecting with the outer and inner edge and disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A method of generating a flight path includes obtaining an image and a curve, the curve being plotted on the image. The method also includes generating the flight path based on the image and the curve, the flight path being configured for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to fly along the flight path.