Abstract:
The present invention relates to devices and methods for measuring vascular deficiency using Doppler ultrasound detection. Embodiments can be used to monitor the condition of surgical tissue flaps or other conditions in which obstruction in the vascular system can impact patient health. The systems can include a Doppler ultrasound probe, a color probe, a temperature probe, and/or other suitable probes to measure blood volume and perfusion status of a tissue region. The systems and methods can be used to monitor flaps after flap transplant surgeries. The systems and methods can automatedly assess tissue condition and alert the patient or medical staff if the condition has fallen below a threshold indicating occlusion of a blood vessel. One or more additional sensors can be integrated into a probe to measure vascular conditions and a metric can be computed based on sensed data.
Abstract:
Geopolymers are one type of aluminosilicate materials formed through the polymerization of silicate and aluminate tetrahedrons. Geopolymer is used as a non-calcium-based stabilizer to mix with sulfate-rich soils. The stabilized soils were exposed to deionized water for 7 days until the volume of soil samples reached constant. Volumetric expansion of the sulfate-rich soil samples stabilized with metakaolin based geopolymer was 7 times lower than those stabilized with lime while the mechanical strength of stabilized soil samples were significantly improved.
Abstract:
Extraction of rare earths from end-of-use machinery having rare earth magnets provides a closed-loop process towards recycling rare earths from comingled devices having embedded magnets such as motors, generators and disk drives. A low temperature process selectively leaches the magnet material from mixed scrap containing shredded fragments of the machinery which includes other metals such as steel and copper. Filtration separates the other metals from the leached, dissolved magnet material, which is precipitated by oxalic acid to form oxalates in powder form, suitable for use in production of new rare earth magnetic material. Leaching acid, such as HCl (hydrochloric acid), is recoverable via pyrohydrolysis, and redirected back to the leaching step for completing the closed-loop aspect.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for controlling immersiveness of head-worn displays. A virtual-reality headset includes at least one panel on the virtual reality headset that is capable of being adjusted to increase or decrease opacity of the panel. A control device in communication with the at least one panel is capable of adjusting the opacity of the at least one panel in response to a command to increase or decrease the opacity of the panel so that a system user's immersiveness in the virtual world displayed by the virtual -reality headset is capable of being automatically controlled while the system user wears the virtual- reality headset.
Abstract:
A modular engineered tissue construct includes a plurality of fused self-assembled, scaffold-free, high-density cell aggregates. At least one cell aggregate includes a plurality of cells and a plurality of biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticles and/or microparticles that are incorporated within the cell aggregates. The nanoparticles and/or microparticles acting as a bulking agent within the cell aggregate to increase the cell aggregate size and/or thickness and improve the mechanical properties of the cell aggregate.
Abstract:
Coding systems may include an object and a taggant linked to the object, the taggant comprising one or more types of phase change nanoparticles, each type of phase change nanoparticles having a phase change temperature different from a phase change temperature of other types of phase change nanoparticles, wherein, when the taggant is thermally scanned, different phase change temperatures result in one or more predefined melting peaks forming a code that represents information particular to the object.
Abstract:
A ski binding device having a plate adapted to engage the ski binding, in which the plate has a heel end and a toe end, and a heel absorption mechanism is adapted to absorb excessive lateral pivoting force from the heel of a ski boot. A restrictor biases the heel into engagement with a heel receptacle. A dual pivot engages the toe end of the plate for permitting both downward movement of the heel end and lateral movement of the heel end out of alignment with the ski. The lateral pivoting force corresponds to release of potentially harmful forces. The restrictor is responsive to upward force from the toe end, as results from disproportionate backweighting of a skier. The restrictor disengages the heel end from the heel receptacle based on a predetermined release force, and permit lateral outward displacement of the heel end upon disengagement of the heel.
Abstract:
A needle steering system and apparatus provides active, semi-autonomous control of needle insertion paths while still enabling a clinician ultimate control over needle insertion. The present teaching describes a method and system for controlling needle path as the needle is inserted by precisely controlling the rotation of the needle as it continuously rotates during insertion. This enables underactuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of the direction and the curvature of the needle from a single rotary actuator. Control of the rotary motion is therefore decoupled from the needle insertion. The rotary motion controls steering effort and direction, while the insertion controls needle depth or insertion speed. In one implementation, the proposed method does not require constant velocity insertion, interleaved insertion and rotation, or known insertion position or speed. The insertion may be provided by a robot or other automated method, may be a manual insertion, or may be teleoperated.
Abstract:
An epidermal electrode operable independently of the ambient environment, such as the presence of water, sweat, or dry conditions, and achieve a suitable impedance with the epidermal surface for transmitting electrical signals indicative of bodily physiological process such as ECG signals for heart monitoring. The hydrophobic surface mountable electrode including a flexible, conductive substrate of PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) with dispersed carbon black and having a substantially planar sensing area adapted for communication with an electrically sensitive surface such as a patient's skin, and a terminal for connection to a monitor circuit, the terminal having electrical continuity with the planar sensing area.