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Engineering: General

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New, easy-to-use web-based software tools give novice users the power of a webmaster NCSA has developed a software suite that allows novices to edit and manage content directly on a website and corporations to maximize the efficiency of both the... Read More NCSA has developed a software suite that allows novices to edit and manage content directly on a website and corporations to maximize the efficiency of both the users in their organization and of their content management system. This comprehensive software solution is ideal for individuals, small businesses and large corporations alike, since it provides any worker with the power to easily create, update, organize, and modify content.Thus families and small businesses, including home-based businesses, gain the ability to set up and maintain a web presence, and large corporations free up the time of their IT personnel to focus on other more difficult and time consuming technology issues. Editable Web Browser (EWB) EWB allows highly simplified, real-time creation and editing of Web pages by authorized users. Rather than relying on a webmaster to make changes or post content, authorized users can now create and maintain a website or particular web pages themselves.Tasks such as adding new pages, correcting typos, and updating time sensitive information can be performed in the Web-browser environment with which they are already familiar. Documents are edited on the user's machine and transferred to the Web server, but to the user, EWB appears to make changes instantly on the Web server. EWB also can be used to create Web pages from scratch, providing a friendly interface for users who are not tech savvy. Online Document Sharing/Collaboration Ideal for small companies, clubs, and other organizations, allowing them to publish to the World Wide Web via a single mouse click. Users can intuitively create remote shared files with an integrated multilevel security system to enable online collaboration. If desired, these shared files can be made easily accessable via a Web browser or by using a Windows or Unix client. Online Database Creation and Management Users with little or no database knowledge can create Web-accessible databases and easily populate and search them. Users can select the field types-text, numbers, dates, images, etc.- naming them and easily uploading the relevant content. Most currently available Web-based database creation tools require the user to design and manage both the database and a set of HTML pages for accessing that database. This software provides a database with built-in Web support, allowing one-click creation of search and browse pages. Conversely, the user can choose to create their own HTML code by hand or by using the Editable Web Browser as an advanced option for presenting the database. Digital Multimedia Management Create "albums" containing digital multimedia files (digital multimedia files containing photos, video, audio, etc.) and publish electronic galleries and scrapbooks on the Web quickly and easily. This software provides Web based scrapbooks, allowing users to interactively place content such as images and text with absolute positioning. These capabilities are further expanded by allowing users to make audio and freehand drawing annotations. Content Management System (CMS) with Variable Predicate Targeting Unlike static Web pages with permanent content, a CMS creates template-based Web pages, temporarily importing content (e.g., articles, product information) from a database into the template fields. This CMS is a unique design that provides a flexible environment for the rapid creation and deployment of database-driven Web sites. Novel user-developed applications can be easily incorporated into a working site that already contains the necessary supporting systems by use of simple plug-ins. A key element of this CMS is its "variable predicate content targeting system." Targeting involves changing how information is delivered according to time, the device being used to access the Web page(e.g., cell phone, personal digital assistant[PDA]), specifics about the person viewing the page, or other arbitrary criteria. This targeting system uses several novel techniques to provide an extremely flexible system that is considerably more powerful than existing systems, but in a much simpler and more user friendly form.
Active Interactive Genetic Algorithms for Reducing User Fatigue and Boosting Evaluation Consistency in Search-Based Domain Interactive genetic algorithms (iGAs) depend on the evaluations or decisions provided by a user. The reliability of those evaluations is key for the successful... Read More Interactive genetic algorithms (iGAs) depend on the evaluations or decisions provided by a user. The reliability of those evaluations is key for the successful application of iGAs. However, even moderately-sized problems my require thousands of evaluations that are sometimes between rather similar solutions which can lead to frustration and inconsistent evaluations. This invention provides a scheme for actively combating user fatigue and inconsistency in iGAs. The efficiency gained from using an interactive procedure by requiring fewer evaluations is lost if the user is unable to provide consistent evaluations. This invention leads to the creation of active iGAs (aiGAs) which include steps of learning from human-computer interaction that actively guide the search-based interaction process. The innovation includes an evaluation-relaxation scheme that actively combats user fatigue and inconsistency by addressing two important issues: Lack of computable fitness Lack of a systematic method for modeling user-decision process Active iGAs optimize a synthetic fitness to obtain educated guesses of the user preferences and thereby reduce the number of user evaluations required. Three important components enable this invention to combat user fatigue and inconsistency. Partial Ordering: Qualitative decisions made by the user about relative solution quality are used to generate partial ordering of solutions Induced Complete Order: Concepts of non-domination and domination count from multi-objective evolutionary algorithms to induce a complete order of the solutions in the population based on their partial ordering Surrogate Function: Induced order is used to assign ranks to the solutions and use them Applications This technology provides the ability to solve difficult problems such as data management, engineering design and optimization, and time and resource allocation in large-scale businesses and organizations, more quickly, reliably, and accurately.
Janus Particle Application A printable product including a substrate including fibers. The substrate has a first side and a second side. At least one of the first side and the second side of the... Read More A printable product including a substrate including fibers. The substrate has a first side and a second side. At least one of the first side and the second side of the substrate includes a surface layer that does not substantially contain inorganic particles and forms an outermost surface layer of the substrate, which surface layer includes hemicellulose. A method for manufacturing a printable product and to a surface treating agent for treating a substrate including fibers. This is a potential application for the method to synthesize Janus particles. To learn more about this method, click here.
Quantum Nanopore Structure The invention provides a quantum well active region for an optoelectronic device. The quantum well active region includes barrier layers of high bandgap material.... Read More The invention provides a quantum well active region for an optoelectronic device. The quantum well active region includes barrier layers of high bandgap material. A quantum well of low bandgap material is between the barrier layers. Three-dimensional high bandgap barriers are in the quantum well. A preferred semiconductor laser of the invention includes a quantum well active region of the invention. Cladding layers are around the quantum well active region, as well as a waveguide structure.
Patterning Methods for Stretchable Structures Described herein are processing techniques for fabrication of stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices using laser ablation patterning methods. The laser... Read More Described herein are processing techniques for fabrication of stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices using laser ablation patterning methods. The laser ablation patterning methods allow for efficient manufacture of large area (e.g., up to 1 mm.sup.2 or greater or 1 m.sup.2 or greater) stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices, for example manufacturing methods permitting a reduced number of steps. The techniques further provide for improved heterogeneous integration of components within an electronic device, for example components having improved alignment and/or relative positioning within an electronic device. Also described are flexible and/or stretchable electronic devices, such as interconnects, sensors and actuators.
Self-Assessing Mechanochromic Materials Polymer materials are ubiquitous in everyday life and are used in various applications (medical, automobile, electronics, structural, etc.). These materials... Read More Polymer materials are ubiquitous in everyday life and are used in various applications (medical, automobile, electronics, structural, etc.). These materials experience stress through normal use, which can lead to damage and failure of the product. Having the ability to detect damage and locate areas under high stress in situ is essential to eliminating failure of the material. Our invention incorporates a chemical into the polymer backbone that signals an area under stress by causing a visible color change in the material. This invention will allow for damage detection via a color change of the material and thus early repair before failure, ultimately extending the lifetime of the product. For this invention, the chemical incorporated into the polymer backbone is a stress-responsive spiropyran mechanophore. One spiropyran molecule is placed in the center of the polymer backbone and undergoes a structural change in response to stress. This change causes a visible color change of the polymer material. There are several advantages to this method of stress/damage detection. The damage sensing mechanophore is chemically incorporated into the polymer backbone and hence is distributed evenly throughout the material. Since the spiropyran is chemically incorporated, no extra processing steps are required post-polymerization and the mechanophore cannot be eliminated by everyday wear. Finally, damage can be detected visually without removing parts or using expensive detection equipment such as UV of x-ray monitors.
Visual Indication of Mechanical Damage Using Microcapsule Systems A self-indicating material system may include a solid polymer matrix having a first color, a first plurality of capsules in the matrix, and a plurality of... Read More A self-indicating material system may include a solid polymer matrix having a first color, a first plurality of capsules in the matrix, and a plurality of particles in the matrix. The first plurality of capsules includes a first reactant, and the plurality of particles includes a second reactant, which forms a product when in contact with the first reactant. When a crack forms in the polymer matrix, at least a portion of the first plurality of capsules is ruptured, the first and second reactants form the product in the matrix, and the portion of the polymer matrix containing the product has a second color different from the first color. A self-indicating material system may include a solid polymer matrix, a plurality of capsules in the matrix, and an activator in the matrix, where the polymer matrix includes a first polymer and has a first color, the plurality of capsules includes a polymerizer, and the activator is an activator for the polymerizer. When a crack forms in the polymer matrix, at least a portion of the plurality of capsules is ruptured, the polymerizer and the activator form a second polymer in the crack, and the second polymer has a second color different from the first color.
Dual-Electrode Field-injection Electrohydrodynamic Spraying System An electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus includes a liquid inlet and a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, where the spray nozzle has an... Read More An electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus includes a liquid inlet and a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, where the spray nozzle has an opening downstream of the liquid inlet. An inner electrode is situated at least partially inside the spray nozzle. An outer electrode is situated external to the spray nozzle and within about 100 mm of the opening of the nozzle. The electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus can be combined with a substrate to form an electrohydrodynamic spray system. The electrohydrodynamic spray apparatus or system can be used to form nanostructures such as nanodrops, nanoparticles and thin films.
The Role of the Cochlear Processing in Human Speech Recognition This technology details five different methods of manipulating speech sounds to identify how they are processed, and measures the listener response to altered... Read More This technology details five different methods of manipulating speech sounds to identify how they are processed, and measures the listener response to altered speech sound, truncated speech sound, added noise, altered intelligibility, and morphed sounds. These methods allow for identification of the unique feature of each speech sound (e.g. time of onset and frequency).
Improvements for electically assisted chemical oxygen-iodine laser In one embodiment of the present invention an oxygen iodine laser includes a gas mixing section. Ground state oxygen and a carrier gas are introduced into the... Read More In one embodiment of the present invention an oxygen iodine laser includes a gas mixing section. Ground state oxygen and a carrier gas are introduced into the first gas mixing section, sometimes separately. The laser includes a discharge region to generate at least said excited oxygen from the flow of the first gas mixing section. A sensitizer gas having a lower ionization threshold than ground state oxygen is also introduced into the first gas mixing section, such that electrons are more easily produced in the electrical generator. The laser system includes introducing a source of iodine into the excited singlet delta oxygen flow to generate a laser-active gas. In another embodiment a conditioner is placed into the gas mixing section to help mix the flow and/or introduce one or more of the aforementioned gases.

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