47543results about "Pumps" patented technology

A system and method for processor-based security is provided, for on-chip security and trusted computing services for software applications. A processor is provided having a processor core, a cache memory, a plurality of registers for storing at least one hash value and at least one encryption key, a memory interface, and at least one on-chip instruction for creating a secure memory area in a memory external to the processor, and a hypervisor program executed by the processor. The hypervisor program instructs the processor to execute the at least one on-chip instruction to create a secure memory area for a software area for a software module, and the processor encrypts data written to, and decrypts data read from, the external memory using the at least one encryption key and the verifying data read from the external memory using the at least one hash value. Secure module interactions are provided, as well as the generation of a power-on key which can be used to protect memory in the event of a re-boot event. Lightweight, run-time attestation reports are generated which include selected information about software modules executed by the processors, for use in determining whether the processor is trusted to provide secure services.

An article is described, including an inner surface which can be exposed to a first fluid; an inlet; and an outer surface spaced from the inner surface, which can be exposed to a hotter second fluid. The article further includes at least one row or other pattern of passage holes. Each passage hole includes an inlet bore extending through the substrate from the inlet at the inner surface to a passage hole-exit proximate to the outer surface, with the inlet bore terminating in a chevron outlet adjacent the hole-exit. The chevron outlet includes a pair of wing troughs having a common surface region between them. The common surface region includes a valley which is adjacent the hole-exit; and a plateau adjacent the valley. The article can be an airfoil. Related methods for preparing the passage holes are also described.

The present invention provides a bar-code driven, completely automated, microplate-based analyzer system for performing chemical, biochemical or biological assays. The analyzer is a modular, bench-top instrument that compactly integrates subsystems for sample dispensing, liquid handling, microplate transport, thermal incubation, vortexing, solid phase separation and optical reading. An internal processor is included for automating the instrument, and a user interface to facilitate communication with the operator via a touch-sensitive liquid-crystal display (LCD), and communicating with a remote network via multiple protocols. The analyzer includes firmware resident within the processing system and the user interface allows the operator to select pre-defined assay batch protocols and the user interface is configured in such as way so as to restrict an operator from programming the firmware.

The invention is related to methods and apparatus that manipulate droplets in a microfluidic environment. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention manipulate droplets by controlling the electro-wetting characteristics of a surface with light, thereby inducing a gradient in the surface tension of a droplet. The gradient in the surface tension propels the droplet by capillary force. A variety of operations, such as transporting, joining, cutting, and creating can be performed. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention obviate the need to create a relatively large and complex control electrode array. A plurality of photoconductive cells or a layer of a photoconductive material selectively couples an electrode carrying an electrical bias to otherwise floating conductive cells in response to a beam of light. The electrical bias applied to the conductive cell generates a localized electric field, which can change the contact angle of the droplet, thereby permitting the droplet to be propelled.

A device for addressing an electrode array of 2ⁿ lines of an electro-fluidic device, each line having N electrodes (n≦N). The device includes, on each line, n selection electrodes, all of the line selection electrodes being connected to 2n line selection conductors, 2ⁿ⁻¹ line selection electrodes of 2ⁿ⁻¹ lines being connected to each line selection conductor, and selection devices for selecting one or more line selection conductors.

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with an infusion medium, including a pump device, are supported by the disposable housing portion for disposal after the prescribed use, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir and a drive device and drive linkage.

Systems and methods are disclosed for controlling and diagnosing the health of a motorized system. The systems may comprise a diagnostics system and a controller, wherein the diagnostics system employs a neural network, an expert system, and/or a data fusion component in order to assess the health of the motorized system according to one or more attributes associated therewith. The controller may operate the motorized system in accordance with a setpoint and/or a diagnostics signal from the diagnostics system. Also disclosed are methodologies for controlling and diagnosing the health of a motorized system, comprising operating a motor in the motorized system in a controlled fashion, and diagnosing the health of the motorized system according to a measured attribute associated with the motorized system, wherein the motor may be operated according to a setpoint and/or the diagnostics signal.

The invention relates to a method for detecting analytes and to a device for carrying out the method, for use for analysis or diagnosis in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular genetics, food chemistry, biotechnology, the environment and medicine. Marker particles (5) with different electrical properties or a different relative permeability to those of the measuring solution (3) surrounding them are used to detect the analytes (8). The marker particles (5) either bond specifically to the analytes (8) or to a base (2) in competition with the analyte. The analytes (8) are detected by the changes in an electrical field or an electrical current generated by electrodes (2) or in an electrical voltage applied to an electrode or in a magnetic field, said changes being caused by marker particles which have bonded with the analytes or by marker particles which have instead bonded to the base in an electrical field.

The invention provides systems, including apparatus, methods, and kits, for the microfluidic manipulation and/or detection of particles, such as cells and/or beads. The invention provides systems, including apparatus, methods, and kits, for the microfluidic manipulation and/or analysis of particles, such as cells, viruses, organelles, beads, and/or vesicles. The invention also provides microfluidic mechanisms for carrying out these manipulations and analyses. These mechanisms may enable controlled input, movement/positioning, retention/localization, treatment, measurement, release, and/or output of particles. Furthermore, these mechanisms may be combined in any suitable order and/or employed for any suitable number of times within a system. Accordingly, these combinations may allow particles to be sorted, cultured, mixed, treated, and/or assayed, among others, as single particles, mixed groups of particles, arrays of particles, heterogeneous particle sets, and/or homogeneous particle sets, among others, in series and/or in parallel. In addition, these combinations may enable microfluidic systems to be reused. Furthermore, these combinations may allow the response of particles to treatment to be measured on a shorter time scale than was previously possible. Therefore, systems of the invention may allow a broad range of cell and particle assays, such as drug screens, cell characterizations, research studies, and/or clinical analyses, among others, to be scaled down to microfluidic size. Such scaled-down assays may use less sample and reagent, may be less labor intensive, and/or may be more informative than comparable macrofluidic assays.

A chemical analysis apparatus is equipped with analysis sections having openings, means for supplying samples or reagents from the openings, means for combining and mixing samples with reagents to obtain droplets as liquids to be measured, and means for measuring the physical properties of the liquids to be measured during reaction or after completion of reaction. Furthermore, plate members are provided facing each other in analysis sections and a plurality of electrodes are provided on the plate member faces that face each other. Voltage is applied from the plurality of electrodes to the droplets of the samples and the reagents.

A method for detecting ice on a wind turbine having a rotor and one or more rotor blades each having blade roots includes monitoring meteorological conditions relating to icing conditions and monitoring one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation that vary in accordance with at least one of the mass of the one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between the rotor blades. The method also includes using the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists, determining whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; and signaling an icing-related blade mass anomaly when a blade mass anomaly is determined to exist and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing.

Apparatus and Methods are provided for a microfabricated fluorescence activated cell sorter based on an optical switch for rapid, active control of cell routing through a microfluidic channel network. This sorter enables low-stress, highly efficient sorting of populations of small numbers of cells (i.e., 1000-100,000 cells). The invention includes packaging of the microfluidic channel network in a self-contained plastic cartridge that enables microfluidic channel network to macro-scale instrument interconnect, in a sterile, disposable format.

Provided is a liquid transfer device which controls electrically liquid position. The surface of the liquid transfer device is provided with unevenness in order to solve a problem of having a large number of electrodes for controlling voltage. The number of electrodes for controlling voltage can be halved by utilization of restoring force of liquid to a spherical shape by surface tension, in addition to electrical force.

A wind turbine for generating electrical power from wind energy includes a turbine rotor mounted for rotation in wind, and having multiple blades for converting energy in the wind into rotational energy. A generator is coupled with said turbine rotor such that said turbine rotor drives said generator. The generator has a stationary air core armature that is located in a magnetic airgap between two generator rotor portions. The generator rotor portions have circumferential arrays of multiple alternating polarity permanent magnets attached to ferromagnetic back irons such that the permanent magnets drive magnetic flux back and forth between each rotor portion and through the stationary air core armature. The stationary air core armature has multiple phase windings of multiple individually insulated strand conductor wire that is wound with two separate portions including an active length portion and an end turn portion. The end turn portion is located outside the magnetic airgap and traverses predominately circumferentially, and the active length portion is located in the magnetic airgap and traverses predominately non-circumferentially and perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic airgap. The end turn portion has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of said active length portion in the direction of said magnetic airgap. AC voltage is induced in the multiple phase windings as the turbine rotor rotates.

A reverse flow pump comprising two concentric passageways and an interior compartment having cut out portions in communication with a pump passageway for the directional flow of fluid relative to the pump, and a rotor positioned within the interior compartment for reversing the directional flow of fluid through a region in communication with another pump passageway. A reverse flow pump and cannula system is further provided comprising an inner cannula adjoining a pump passageway, and an outer conduit adjoining another pump passageway for the reverse flow of fluid relative to the pump. A method of transporting fluid between body cavities is also provided comprising the steps of selecting a reverse flow pump and cannula system, forming an opening in a body passageway, positioning the outer conduit through the opening, inserting the inner cannula into the outer conduit so that the distal openings of the inner cannula and the outer conduit are positioned in separated portions of the body, connecting the inlet and the outlet passageways of the pump to the proximal ends of the inner cannula and the outer conduit, and activating the pump to transport fluid between the separated portions of the body.

Methods and Apparatuses for deicing a wind turbine blade are described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary process includes detecting an icy condition on a wind turbine blade and causing at least a portion of the wind turbine blade to vibrate, causing the ice built up on the wind turbine blade to break off.

A turbine engine provides a spool supporting a turbine. The spool is arranged in a core nacelle and includes a thrust bearing. A fan is arranged upstream from the core nacelle and is coupled to the spool. A fan nacelle surrounds the fan and core nacelle and provides a bypass flow path that includes a fan nozzle exit area. A flow control device is adapted to effectively change the fan nozzle exit area. A controller is programmed to monitor the thrust bearing and command the flow control device in response to an undesired load on the thrust bearing. Effectively changing the fan nozzle exit area with the flow control device actively manages the bearing thrust load to desired levels.