California Institute of Technology

The Supporting Organization for the Georgia O'keeffe Museum

Other

University of Texas System

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Texas Heart Institute

Chromologic LLC

The Supporting Organization for the Georgia O'keefe Museum

Gregory H Bearman

Dale Paul Kronkright

Robert Chave

Michael L Eastwood

James T Willerson

S Ward Casscells

Daniel W Wilson

Adrian Ponce

William R Johnson

Timothy N Krabach

Charles Lee Curtis

Scott E Fraser

Russell D Lansford

Naresh Menon

Dmitri A Kossakovski

Alex Padilla

Patricia Witt

Thomas D Chrien

Leonard Nelson

David Cohen

According to some embodiments, a vibration-isolating system comprises a case, one or more environmental buffers, a platform suspended within the case by a plurality of wire rope isolators, a crumple zone beneath the platform and configured with one or more shock-absorbing structures, and a container assembly configured on the platform. The container assembly is operable to protect a payload comprising a flexible panel. The container assembly comprises a back panel positioned behind the flexible panel and offset by a first substantially airtight compartment, a front panel positioned in front of the flexible panel and offset by a second substantially airtight compartment, and a stiffener panel positioned in front of the front panel and offset by a third substantially airtight compartment.

Isolation system for transporting and storing fragile objects

According to certain embodiments, a vibration-isolating system comprises a platform adapted to carry one or more loads and an adjustable load-positioning system. The platform is suspended within a support structure by a plurality of isolators. The isolators are tuned to impede vibrations in a pre-determined frequency range for a payload having a pre-determined mass. The adjustable load-positioning system is adapted to facilitate positioning the one or more loads such that the payload having the pre-determined mass is centered at the center of gravity of the platform.

System for transporting fragile objects

Described herein are methods and apparatus for assays of bacterial spores. In particular, methods and apparatus for lateral flow immunoassay for bacterial spore detection and quantification, live/dead assay for bacterial spores, lifetime-gated measurements of bacterial spores and imaging bacterial spores using an active pixel sensor, and unattended monitoring of bacterial spores in the air are described.

Methods and apparatus for assays of bacterial spores

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus that involves improved characterization of an object based on its surface roughness and other unique features without having to necessarily define a fixed and predetermined region of interest. In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a method for characterizing an object based on a pattern of the object's surface roughness. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a unique image of a feature on the surface of the object, converting the image obtained into certain electrical signals and processing the electrical signals so they are associated with the object and thereby provide a characterization of the object that is used to generate a unique identifying signature for the object.

Characterization of a physical object based on its surface roughness

According to certain embodiments, a vibration-isolating case comprises a resilient, plastic-composite walled case and vibration-damping footing located at the bottom side of the case. Each vibration-damping footing comprises a mounting plate, cushions, and a damping system. The mounting plate has a flat surface and side surfaces extending from the flat surface to form a channel-shaped structure. The flat surface is positioned proximate a bottom outer surface of the case and couples to at least one brace within the case. The cushions are positioned within the channel-shaped structure such that the side surfaces of the mounting plate protect at least a top portion of each cushion. The damping system is positioned between the cushions and comprises a tray containing a quantity of inelastic particulate. A mechanical path exists between the vibration-damping footing and a platform mounted within the case.

Vibration-isolating and impact-absorbing case comprising vibration-damping footing

According to certain embodiments, a container assembly for protecting a flexible panel comprises a back panel positioned behind the flexible panel and offset by a first substantially airtight compartment, a front panel positioned in front of the flexible panel and offset by a second substantially airtight compartment, and a stiffener panel positioned in front of the front panel and offset by a third substantially airtight compartment. The front, back, and stiffener panels each comprise one or more rigid materials. Each rigid material has higher natural frequency and lower excursion properties than the flexible panel. The container assembly is tuned using fixed, gas-piston principles to impart the higher natural frequency and lower excursion properties of the rigid materials to the flexible panel such that the natural frequency of the flexible panel increases and the extent to which the flexible panel experiences excursions greater than 350 microns is reduced.

Container assembly for transporting a flexible panel

A sample of unknown bacterial spores is added to a test strip. The sample of unknown bacterial spores is drawn to a first sample region on the test strip by capillary action. Species-specific antibodies are bound to the sample when the unknown bacterial spores match the species-specific antibodies, otherwise the sample is left unbound. DPA is released from the bacterial spores in the bound sample. The terbium ions are combined with the DPA to form a Tb-DPA complex. The combined terbium ions and DPA are excited to generate a luminescence characteristic of the combined terbium ions and DPA to detect the bacterial spores. A live/dead assay is performed by a release of the DPA for live spores and a release of DPA for all spores. The detection concentrations are compared to determine the fraction of live spores. Lifetime-gated measurements of bacterial spores to eliminate any fluorescence background from organic chromophores comprise labeling the bacterial spore contents with a long-lifetime lumophore and detecting the luminescence after a waiting period. Unattended monitoring of bacterial spores in the air comprises the steps of collecting bacterial spores carried in the air and repeatedly performing the Tb-DPA detection steps above. The invention is also apparatus for performing the various methods disclosed above.

Methods and apparatus and assays of bacterial spores

Computed tomography imaging spectrometers ('CTISs') employing a single lens are provided. The CTISs may be either transmissive or reflective, and the single lens is either configured to transmit and receive uncollimated light (in transmissive systems), or is configured to reflect and receive uncollimated light (in reflective systems). An exemplary transmissive CTIS includes a focal plane array detector, a single lens configured to transmit and receive uncollimated light, a two-dimensional grating, and a field stop aperture. An exemplary reflective CTIS includes a focal plane array detector, a single mirror configured to reflect and receive uncollimated light, a two-dimensional grating, and a field stop aperture.

Single-lens computed tomography imaging spectrometer and method of capturing spatial and spectral information

Computed tomography imaging spectrometers ('CTIS's) having color focal plane array detectors are provided. The color FPA detector may comprise a digital color camera including a digital image sensor, such as a Foveon X3&#xae; digital image sensor or a Bayer color filter mosaic. In another embodiment, the CTIS includes a pattern imposed either directly on the object scene being imaged or at the field stop aperture. The use of a color FPA detector and the pattern improves the accuracy of the captured spatial and spectral information.

Color camera computed tomography imaging spectrometer for improved spatial-spectral image accuracy

Computed tomography imaging spectrometers ('CTIS's) having patterns for imposing spatial structure are provided. The pattern may be imposed either directly on the object scene being imaged or at the field stop aperture. The use of the pattern improves the accuracy of the captured spatial and spectral information.

Spatial image modulation to improve performance of computed tomography imaging spectrometer

Optical time domain reflectometry caused by absorption of a volatile or analyte into the fiber optic cladding is used an optical nose. The fiber optics () are covered with a gas permeable film () which is patterned to leave millimeter wide gas permeable notches (-). The notches contain a sensing polymer that responds to different gases by expanding or contracting.

Method and apparatus for distributed sensing of volatiles using a long period fiber grating sensor with modulated plastic coating for environmental monitoring

A biosensor embodying the invention includes a sensing volume having an array of pores sized for immobilizing a first biological entity tending to bind to a second biological entity in such a manner as to change an index of refraction of the sensing volume. The biosensor further includes a ring interferometer, one volumetric section of the ring interferometer being the sensing volume, a laser for supplying light to the ring interferometer, and a photodetector for receiving light from the interferometer.

Ring-interferometric sol-gel bio-sensor

A method of detecting vulnerable arterial plaque formed on the vessel wall in vivo is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining an image of the arterial plaque, measuring the temperature of the arterial plaque, and determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature compared to the temperature of at least one adjacent vessel wall site. The method may include determining whether the plaque exhibits an elevated temperature of between 0.4 to 4&#xb0; C. above at least one adjacent vessel wall site.

Method of detecting vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque

A system and method for monitoring cellular activity in a cellular specimen. According to one embodiment, a plurality of excitable markers are applied to the specimen. A multi-photon laser microscope is provided to excite a region of the specimen and cause fluorescence to be radiated from the region. The radiating fluorescence is processed by a spectral analyzer to separate the fluorescence into respective wavelength bands. The respective bands of fluorescence are then collected by an array of detectors, with each detector receiving a corresponding one of the wavelength bands.

Growing community of inventors

Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Gregory H Bearman