THE TRUSTEES OF THE STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160115535 | Gel-Tethering for Integrated Oligonucleotide Amplification and Real-Time Detection - A device for detecting biospecific oligonucleotides includes a plurality of microgel spots, each of which is functionalized with molecular beacon probes and amplification primers tethered thereto. Each of the respective probes is arranged to bind to an antisense counterpart of one type of biospecific oligonucleotide. The various microgels may each be functionalized for a different oligonucleotide. In a system that incorporates the aforesaid device, the device is in contact with a solution that includes a system of molecules that cooperated with the tethered probes and primers to capture, amplify, and detect the antisense counterparts of one or more biospecific oligonucleotides. In one such system, the enzymes and primers are arranged to implement a NASBA amplification process operating on the biospecific oligonucleotides. | 04-28-2016 |
20160114873 | VESSEL DISABLEMENT SYSTEM - A system designed as a benign disablement weapon for use against sailboats and a method for using the system. The system may be easily deployed to stop sailboats by disabling the propeller. The system uses a buoyant component that floats covertly on the water surface and to which many entanglement lines are attached. Upon the targeted boat passing over the system, the buoyant interface catches on the keel of the vessel. The buoyant interface then drags the entanglement lines with the vessel which puts the lines in position to catch on the propeller, causing the vessel to become disabled. The system may be modified for use in disabling motor craft. | 04-28-2016 |
20160067210 | USE OF RHODAMINE DYES TO REDUCE ALVEOLAR SURFACE TENSION - Rhodamine dye is delivered to regions of a lung having heterogeneous alveolar flooding by alveolar liquid, thereby lowering the surface tension of the alveolar liquid so as to lessen ventilation injury directly and, by promoting equitable redistribution of the alveolar liquid among the alveoli of the lung, indirectly. The rhodamine dye is delivered with an albumin and/or an exogenous surfactant. Exemplary rhodamine dyes include sulforhodamine B and rhodamine WT. | 03-10-2016 |
20160016802 | GRANULES OF GRAPHENE OXIDE BY SPRAY DRYING - Granules of graphene oxide may be produced from a dispersion of nanoscale graphene oxide sheets by a spray drying method. Such granules have a three-dimensional corrugated morphology. The complexity of the corrugations, and the s size distribution of the granules can be varied through selection of the spray-drying equipment used, and variation of the composition of the dispersion and the spray-drying parameters. Structural modifiers may be included in the graphene oxide dispersion to control the ultimate morphology of the granules. The granules of graphene oxide may be thermally reduced at a moderate temperature of 220° C. to increase the granules' electrical conductivity. The reduced granules may be used to fabricate electrodes for supercapacitors. The power and energy density of such an electrode material is comparable to those of conventional/commercial activated carbon-based electrodes. | 01-21-2016 |
20150368585 | RECIPROCATING BIOMASS CONVERSION SCHEME - A method for converting a biomass to a bio-oil includes providing a four-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, at least one piston, and a crankshaft coupled to each of the at least one piston. The method also includes coupling a power source to the crankshaft in a manner such that the power source drives rotation of the crankshaft. The method also includes injecting a first mixture including a biomass and a non-oxidizing compression gas into one of the cylinders. The method also includes compressing and heating the first mixture during a compression stroke of the pistons. The compression and heating of the first mixture pyrolizes the biomass to produce a second mixture including a bio-oil and the compression gas. The method also includes decompressing and cooling the second mixture during an expansion stroke of the pistons. The decompression and cooling of the second mixture quenches secondary pyrolysis. | 12-24-2015 |
20150337489 | Creation of patterns in fibrous matrices using localized dissolution printing - A method for fabricating a patterned fibrous matrix includes providing a printer adapted to use an etching solvent as an ink; providing to the printer a fibrous matrix to use as a printing medium; providing to the printer a pattern for printing on the fibrous matrix; printing by the printer the pattern on the fibrous matrix; and receiving from the printer the patterned fibrous matrix with the pattern etched thereon. | 11-26-2015 |
20150333598 | VIBRATIONAL ENERGY HARVESTING FOR STRUCTURAL HEALTH INSTRUMENTATION - A system includes a vibrational energy harvesting device adapted to receive vibrational energy and convert the vibrational energy to electrical energy. The system also includes a computing device having an electrical connection to the vibrational energy harvesting device. The system also includes a sensor having an electrical connection and a data connection to the computing device. The system also includes a transmitter having an electrical connection and a data connection to the computing device. When the computing device receives the electrical energy from the vibrational energy harvesting device, the computing device is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor via the data connection between the computing device and the sensor and operate the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the sensor data. | 11-19-2015 |
20150323520 | DIAGNOSIS OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANT ACUTE REJECTION - A method for identifying a kidney condition of a patient includes receiving a urine sample from a patient. The patient provides the urine sample a predetermined amount of time after having been administered a dose of a sugar alcohol. The method also includes determining whether the sugar alcohol is present in the urine sample. The method also includes identifying a kidney condition of the patient, if the sugar alcohol is present in the urine sample. | 11-12-2015 |
20150254566 | AUTOMATED DETECTION OF DECEPTION IN SHORT AND MULTILINGUAL ELECTRONIC MESSAGES - A method and apparatus for automatically identifying harmful electronic messages, such as those presented in emails, on Craigslist or on Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites, features methodology for discriminating unwanted garbage communications (spam) and unwanted deceptive messages (scam) from wanted, truthful communications based upon patterns discernable from samples of each type of electronic communication. Methods are proposed that enable discrimination of wanted from unwanted communications in short electronic messages, such as on Twitter and for multilingual application. | 09-10-2015 |
20150247452 | Planetary Crank Gear Design for Internal Combustion Engines - A gearset including an internal ring gear; a first pinion gear disposed within the internal ring gear and having teeth meshing with teeth of the internal ring gear; a disc having a central axis collinear with a central axis of the internal ring gear and a slot along a portion of a diameter of a first side thereof; a first pinion shaft having a first end, a second end, and an offset driving lug extending from the second end, the first pinion shaft extending through a hole of the first pinion gear, the offset driving lug of the first pinion shaft engaging with a first end of the slot; a second pinion gear disposed with the internal ring gear and having teeth meshing with teeth of the internal ring gear, the teeth of the second pinion gear not meshing with the teeth of the first pinion gear; a second pinion shaft having a first end, a second end, and an offset driving lug extending from the second end, the second pinion shaft extending through a hole of the second pinion gear, the offset driving lug of the second pinion shaft engaging with a second end of the slot. | 09-03-2015 |
20150235073 | FLEXIBLE PART-BASED REPRESENTATION FOR REAL-WORLD FACE RECOGNITION APPARATUS AND METHODS - An automated face recognition apparatus and method employing a programmed computer that computes a fixed dimensional numerical signature from either a single face image or a set/track of face images of a human subject. The numerical signature may be compared to a similar numerical signature derived from another image to acertain the identity of the person depicted in the compared images. The numerical signature is invariant to visual variations induced by pose, illumination, and face expression changes, which can subsequently be used for face verification, identification, and detection, using real-world photos and videos. The face recognition system utilizes a probabilistic elastic part model, and achieves accuracy on several real-world face recognition benchmark datasets. | 08-20-2015 |
20150129502 | GRAPHENE OXIDE-MODIFIED MATERIALS FOR WATER TREATMENT - A graphene oxide adsorbent for removing dissolved substances from water or other liquids comprises a substrate having a coating layer of graphene oxide. The dissolved substances may be dissolved heavy metals, radioactive compounds, or other organic and inorganic substances. The substrates may be particulate substrates. The substrates may be adsorbents. The graphene oxide adsorbents can be beneficially used in filters and batch reactors, among other devices, for water treatment and for environmental remediation. In some embodiments, graphene oxide alone may be used as the graphene oxide adsorbent, | 05-14-2015 |
20150110846 | BIPHASIC OSTEOCHONDRAL SCAFFOLD FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE - An osteochondral scaffold has a chondrogenic spiral scaffold in one end of an outer shell made of sintered microspheres, and an osteogenic spiral scaffold in the other end of the outer shell. Each spiral scaffold has nanofibers of a composition selected to promote attachment and proliferation of the desired types of cells. The nanofibers for the chondrogenic spiral scaffold have a different composition than the nanofibers for the osteogenic spiral scaffold. The nanofibers of each spiral scaffold are aligned to orient the attached cells so as to recreate the structure of the native tissue. | 04-23-2015 |
20150086993 | MICROFLUIDIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL OSTEOCYTE NETWORK RECONSTRUCTED WITH MICROBEADS AS SCAFFOLD - A bed of microbeads is used as a foundation for reconstructing a three-dimensional osteocyte network by culturing osteocytes within the bed. The osteocytes are cultured such that they form a network among the microbeads that is capable of simulating the osteocyte network of natural bone. The osteocytes are cultured in a microfluidic device adapted for the purpose. | 03-26-2015 |
20150064605 | IN-MEMBRANE MICRO FUEL CELL - An in-membrane micro fuel cell comprises an electrically-insulating membrane that is permissive to the flow of cations, such as protons, and a pair of electrodes deposited on channels formed in the membrane. The channels are arranged as conduits for fluids, and define a membrane ridge between the channels. The electrodes are porous and include catalysts for promoting the liberation of a proton and an electron from a chemical species and/or or the recombination of a proton and an electron with a chemical specie. The fuel cell may be provided a biosensor, an electrochemical sensor, a microfluidic device, or other microscale devices fabricated in the fuel cell membrane. | 03-05-2015 |
20150047382 | FULLY REGENERATIVE LIQUID DESICCANT SYSTEM FOR RESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS - An air dehumidification system includes a modified packed column air stripper for contacting humid air with a liquid desiccant. The dehumidification system also includes a solar distiller for regenerating the liquid desiccant through evaporation of water. The liquid desiccant may be a salt solution, more specifically, an aqueous solution of calcium chloride. The dehumidification system may also include an evaporative cooler for cooling dehumidified air exiting the air stripper. Condensate from the solar distiller may be directed to the evaporative cooler. | 02-19-2015 |
20150045207 | CLAY-CONTAINING THIN FILMS AS CARRIERS OF ABSORBED MOLECULES - A film for the retention and controlled release of organic or inorganic molecules consists essentially of a phyllosilicate clay and a organic polyanion. The film may be a built-up layered film of alternating layers of the clay and the polyanion. Organic or inorganic molecules are absorbed into the film from solution, and released in response to changes in the film's environment. The film may be built up using layer-by-layer (LbL) methods, or deposited on a substrate from a mixture of the clay and polyanion. Articles may be coated with the film by the same methods. The film is useful for the controlled release of antibiotics in response to infections, and also retains antibiotics such that bacteria may be killed by direct contact with the film. | 02-12-2015 |
20140379009 | IMPLANTABLE NERVE CONDUIT HAVING A POLYMER FIBER SPIRAL GUIDANCE CHANNEL - A nerve guidance conduit includes a spiral structured porous sheet decorated with channels on its surface and electrospun nanofibers in a parallel alignment with the channels and an outer tubular structure including randomly-oriented nanofibers. Such a structure provides augmented surface areas for providing directional guidance and augmented surfaces for enhancing and peripheral nerve regeneration. The structure also has the mechanical and nutrient transport requirements required over long regeneration periods. To prepare a nerve guidance conduit, porous polymer sheet is prepared by a solvent casting method while using a template of thin rods to form parallel channels on a surface of the sheet. Aligned nanofibers are deposited on the sheet parallel to the channels. The polymer sheet is then wound to form a spiral structure. A dense layer of randomly-oriented nanofibers may be deposited on the outside of the spiral. | 12-25-2014 |
20140334065 | INKJET-PRINTED FLEXIBLE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FROM GRAPHENE OXIDE - An electrical component includes an inkjet-printed graphene electrode. Graphene oxide flakes are deposited on a substrate in a graphene oxide ink using an inkjet printer. The deposited graphene oxide is thermally reduced to graphene. The electrical properties of the electrode are comparable to those of electrodes made using activated carbon, carbon nanotubes or graphene made by other methods. The electrical properties of the graphene electrodes may be tailored by adding nanoparticles of other materials to the ink to serve as conductivity enhancers, spacers, or to confer pseudocapacitance. Inkjet-printing can be used to make graphene electrodes of a desired thickness in preselected patterns. Inkjet printing can be used to make highly-transparent graphene electrodes. Inkjet-printed graphene electrodes may be used to fabricate double-layer capacitors that store energy by nanoscale charge separation at the electrode-electrolyte interface (i.e., “supercapacitors”). | 11-13-2014 |
20140321028 | INKJET-PRINTED FLEXIBLE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FROM GRAPHENE OXIDE - An electrical component includes an inkjet-printed graphene electrode. Graphene oxide flakes are deposited on a substrate in a graphene oxide ink using an inkjet printer. The deposited graphene oxide is thermally reduced to graphene. The electrical properties of the electrode are comparable to those of electrodes made using activated carbon, carbon nanotubes or graphene made by other methods. The electrical properties of the graphene electrodes may be tailored by adding nanoparticles of other materials to the ink to serve as conductivity enhancers, spacers, or to confer pseudocapacitance. Inkjet-printing can be used to make graphene electrodes of a desired thickness in preselected patterns. Inkjet printing can be used to make highly-transparent graphene electrodes. Inkjet-printed graphene electrodes may be used to fabricate double-layer capacitors that store energy by nanoscale charge separation at the electrode-electrolyte interface (i.e., “supercapacitors”). | 10-30-2014 |
20140231002 | HIGH-THROUGHPUT GRAPHENE PRINTING AND SELECTIVE TRANSFER USING A LOCALIZED LASER HEATING TECHNIQUE - A method of high-throughput printing and selective transfer of graphene onto a substrate includes the steps of: providing a thermal release tape having graphene adhered thereto; placing a substrate onto the graphene; pressing the thermal tape and the graphene against the substrate at a uniformly-distributed pressure; heating localized portions of the thermal tape and graphene using a localized heat source, thereby diminishing the adhesive properties of the thermal release tape in the localized portions and transferring graphene from said localized portions to the substrate; and separating the thermal release tape from the substrate. The method may include the further step of moving the localized heat source to selected positions on the thermal release tape during the heating step, thereby forming a pattern of heated portions. The method may use a laser beam as the localized heat source, movement of the laser beam being performed by a computer-controlled deflectable mirror. | 08-21-2014 |
20140207248 | HIERARCHICAL MULTISCALE FIBROUS SCAFFOLD VIA 3-D ELECTROSTATIC DEPOSITION PROTOTYPING AND CONVENTIONAL ELECTROSPINNING - A hierarchical multiscale fibrous scaffold comprises multiple patterned layers of microfibers with one or more layers of nanofibers interleaved therebetween. In a method for making such scaffolds, electrodeposition or near-field electrospinning is used to deposit patterned layers of microfibers in a stack. Conventional electrospinning is used to deposit nanofibers on the layers of microfibers. The method may be used to tune the mechanical properties of the scaffold, facilitated by microfibers, and the biological features of the scaffold, facilitated by nanofibers. Scaffolds produced by such a process may have highly biomimetic architectures, and allow rapid cellular infiltration and sustainable cell growth for multiple tissue types. | 07-24-2014 |
20140205971 | MODIFICATION OF ROOT FORM DENTAL IMPLANTS FOR ACCELERATED TISSUE REGENERATION - An endosseous dental implant for guided regeneration of gingival tissue onto the implant and method of producing the same is prepared by coating a region of the implant with biocompatible, random or aligned microfibers or nanofibers to which gingival epithelial and connective tissue cells may become attached. The fibers may be degradable or nondegradable. The extracellular matrix of new connective tissue forms and connects to the implant surface, guided by the nanofibers or microfibers. The coated implant prevents bacterial biofilm formation, which can cause detrimental resorption of crestal bone and lead to implant failure. The implant surface supports improved tissue bonding and provides a cost-effective approach to coating the dental implant surface with biomimetic fibers to enhance gingival or other tissue regeneration directly onto the implant surface. | 07-24-2014 |
20140192656 | Method And Apparatus For Dynamic Spectrum Access - Methods and apparatus are provided for the efficient use of cognitive radios in the performance of dynamic spectrum access. This includes spectrum sensing algorithms, adaptive optimized sensing of parameters based on changing radio environments, and identifying vacant channels. Protocols for switching communication links to different channels, and synchronizing communicating nodes in order to maintain reliable connectively while maximizing spectrum usage are also provided. | 07-10-2014 |
20140018704 | TRI-AXIAL ELECTRO-GONIOMETER FOR SPINAL MOTION, ASSOCIATED SYSTEM AND METHODS - A goniometer has three potentiometers with axes of rotation that intersect at a point for measuring angular range of motion of an anatomy, such as of the spine or jointed appendages. The intersecting axes facilitate calculation of angle based on potentiometer output and allow the rotations on each of the three axes to be measured independently and simultaneously without mechanical or electrical cross talk. The angular measurements may be recorded on a computer for analysis and playback and may be continuously captured over a range of motion. The captured data may be compared to samples from the same person or others to aid in assessment of function. | 01-16-2014 |
20130143230 | MICROFLUIDIC-BASED CELL-CULTURING PLATFORM AND METHOD - A microfluidic-based platform with cultured three-dimensional tissues simulates major human physiological systems for rapid evaluation of individual drugs prior to clinical testing or for personalized medical applications. The platform integrates the circulatory and lymphatic systems in a physiologically correct manner. The physiological systems may be simulated in the platform by microfluidic tissue culture devices which accommodate various tissues and provide integrated microvascular and lymphatic systems. Biomimetic nanofiber meshes or microfiber structures may be used to provide the cells with a physiologically relevant substrate. Each device may have an on-board detection system utilizing optical fiber bundles for microarray multiplexing of biomarkers, label-free SERS measurement of drugs, and microendoscopic confocal imaging of cells and tissues. | 06-06-2013 |
20130138428 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING DECEPTION IN HUMAN COMMUNICATIONS EXPRESSED IN DIGITAL FORM - An apparatus and method for determining whether text is deceptive has a computer programmed with software that automatically analyzes text in digital form by at least one of statistical analysis of psycho-linguistic cues, IP geo-location, gender analysis, authorship analysis, and analysis to detect coded/camouflaged messages. The computer has truth data against which the text message can be compared and a graphical user interface. The computer may be connectable to the Internet and may obtain the text automatically. Speech-to-text software may be used to convert verbal messages to text for analysis. The system may be made available on a webpage, web service, on a computer or by a wireless device. The text may be emails, website content, tweets. In one embodiment, the system detects coded messages (FIG. | 05-30-2013 |
20130092167 | REDUCING VENTILATOR-INDUCED LUNG INJURY - Methods are provided for protecting against ventilation-induced lung injury both directly, by lowering surface tension, and indirectly, by promoting equitable liquid distribution in pulmonary alveolar edema, in which liquid- and air-filled alveoli are normally interspersed. Since a pressure barrier is responsible for trapping liquid in discrete edematous alveoli and the magnitude of the barrier is proportional to surface tension at the air-liquid interface, the present invention provides various means for promoting equitable redistribution of edema liquid amongst alveoli to help protect the lung during ventilation, including: i) use of an additive that lowers surface tension; ii) use of active, accelerated deflation during mechanical ventilation; and iii) high frequency (>50 Hz) vibration of the lung. | 04-18-2013 |
20130088720 | OPTICAL GYROSCOPE - A microfabricated optical gyroscope that utilizes a linear array of micron scale optical ring resonators closely spaced to allow evanescent coupling of electromagnetic fields in adjacent resonators. Within each resonator, the optical Sagnac effect produces a phase difference between clockwise and counterclockwise propagating light that is proportional to the inertial rotation rate perpendicular to the plane of the resonator. The disclosure enhances the overall sensitivity to rotations by varying the strengths of the evanescent coupling between resonators and/or the circumferences of the resonators. The size and coupling strengths control the optical interference between resonators. By using periodically alternating coupling strengths and/or linearly chirped resonator circumferences, the gyroscope transmission has extremely narrow transmission resonances with slopes, corresponding to the responsivity to inertial rotations, that are large enough to yield shot noise limited sensitivities sufficient for inertial navigation in a device size less the 1 mm | 04-11-2013 |
20130054187 | ADAPTIVE MECHANISM CONTROL AND SCANNER POSITIONING FOR IMPROVED THREE-DIMENSIONAL LASER SCANNING - A method of adaptively positioning a scanner [ | 02-28-2013 |
20130053542 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING GAS-PHASE METAL ANIONS - Monatomic metal anions are generated in the gas phase by collision-induced dissociation of the anions [ | 02-28-2013 |
20130046531 | PSYCHO-LINGUISTIC STATISTICAL DECEPTION DETECTION FROM TEXT CONTENT - An apparatus and method for determining whether a text is deceptive may comprise analyzing a body of textual content known to be one of text containing true content and text containing deceptive content; identifying psycho-linguistic cues that are indicative of a text being deceptive; statistically analyzing, via a computing device, a given text based upon the psycho-linguistic cues to determine if the text is deceptive. The apparatus and method may further comprise weighting the psycho-linguistic cues and statistically analyzing based on the weighted psycho-linguistic cues. The statistically analyzing step may be performed using one of a cue matching analysis, a weighted cue matching analysis, a Markov chain analysis, and a sequential probability ratio testing binary hypothesis analysis. The psycho-linguistic cues may be separated into categories, including increasing trend cues and decreasing trend cues and analyzed according to presence in a category from within the categories. | 02-21-2013 |
20100067687 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING DATA INTEGRITY FOR BLOCK-ENCRYPTION ALGORITHMS - A method is disclosed for modifying an iterated block cipher by controlling the operations and transformations that cause diffusion. In one embodiment which is applicable to any iterated block cipher ( | 03-18-2010 |