A method for creating a lumenized gel structure is described. The method comprises introducing a first liquid comprising a gel precursor solution into a microfluidic network, the microfluidic network comprising a capillary pressure barrier at a position generally defining a boundary between first and second regions of the microfluidic network; allowing the first liquid to enter the first region of the microfluidic network and align itself along the capillary pressure barrier, thereby forming a liquid-air meniscus of the first liquid at the boundary between the first and second regions of the microfluidic network; forming a lumen through the first liquid by contacting the first liquid with a second liquid, wherein the second liquid has a viscosity which is lower than the viscosity of the first liquid; and allowing or causing the first liquid to gelate to form a gel structure comprising a lumen therethrough. Also described is an apparatus comprising a gel with a lumen extending therethrough, and uses of the apparatus and the lumenized gel structure in assays.

A method of making a vascular phantom based on imaging data of vasculature of a subject. A mold having a core and a shell is constructed based on the imaging data. A liquid precursor is introduced into the mold and is cured. The mold is removed, leaving a model of the vasculature of the subject. A plaque component is fabricated by making a plaque mold and introducing liquid precursors containing T1 and T2 modifiers to mimic the T1 and T2 of portions of the plaque. The plaque components are attached to the vasculature using adhesive.

A method of manufacturing a porous part includes controlled freeze casting of a slurry. After freezing, a solvent in the slurry is removed by sublimation and the remaining material is sintered to form the porous part. Spatial and temporal control of thermal conditions at the boundary and inside of the mold can be controlled to create parts with controlled porosity, including size, distribution, and directionality of the pores. Porous parts with near-net-shape from ceramics, metals, polymers and other materials and their combinations can be created.

A moisture-tight, re-sealable container is disclosed having a lid and body. The lid and body have a non-round seal that is substantially moisture tight when the lid is seated on the body, admitting less than 1000 micrograms per day of water to a package. A reinforcement stiffens or reinforces at least a portion of the seal against inward deflection along an axis defined by the minor diameter when the lid is seated on the body. Optionally the reinforcement is at least one spline subdividing the reservoir. A method of making dispensers for objects of varying length to customize particular dispensers to dispense such objects of a particular length is also disclosed.

A wind deflector for a vehicle roof having a displaceable cover element. The wind deflector can have an unfoldable deflector element made of a flat flexible material and whose lower edge portion can be fastened to a vehicle-mounted base via a lower edge strip and whose upper edge portion is fastened to a pivotable deploying bow via an upper edge strip. The lower edge strip and the vehicle-mounted base and/or the upper edge strip and the deploying bow can form a respective fastening system. The fastening system may have a fixing rib on one side and an arrangement of tabs attached to the fixing rib on the other side, the arrangement of tabs being formed by locking tabs and support tabs alternating along the fixing rib, the locking tabs and the support tabs being in contact with the fixing rib on sides facing away from each other.

A lens comprises an internal cavity structure formed by dissolution of a soluble insert material. The internal soluble material may dissolve through a body of a lens such as a contact lens in order to form the cavity within the contact lens. The cavity within the lens can be shaped in many ways, and corresponds to the shape of the dissolved material, such that many internal cavity shapes can be readily fabricated within the contact lens. The insert can be placed in a mold with a pre-polymer material, and the pre-polymer material cured with the insert placed in the mold to form the lens body. The polymerized polymer may comprise a low expansion polymer in order to inhibit expansion of the lens when hydrated. The polymer may comprise a hydrogel when hydrated. The soft contact lens material comprises a sufficient amount of cross-linking to provide structure to the lens and shape the cavity.

A device, system, and method for creating a molded crayon body are provided. In embodiments, the device includes a receiving and positioning device having a channel for receiving a wax stick. The channel may be configured to receive and position a wax stick for melting by a melting component. The device may further include a positioning and/or adjustment component that raises and lowers a mold plate with respect to a front surface of the melting component. In some embodiments, the melting component includes a nozzle having a nozzle tip configured to transfer melted portions of the wax stick from the nozzle of the melting component to a mold on a mold plate. The mold component may also include a chilling mechanism for cooling a completed, molded crayon body.

Embodiments of wearable electronic devices, components thereof, and related systems and techniques are disclosed herein. For example, a wearable electronic device may include a wearable support structure having a first surface and a second surface; a first electrode located at the first surface, wherein, when the wearable electronic device is worn by a user on a portion of the user's body, the first electrode is arranged to contact the users skin in the portion of the users body; a second electrode located at the second surface, wherein, when the wearable electronic device is worn by a user on the portion of the users body, the second electrode is arranged to not contact the users skin in the portion of the users body; and a resistance switch having first and second input terminals coupled to the first and second electrodes, respectively. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

There is provided a method of manufacturing a sealing element, the method having the steps of providing a mold comprising a molding cavity in the shape of the sealing element, the mold having inner walls and outer walls, placing a ring-shaped separator concentrically in the mold, pouring a first elastomer having a first hardness into a center of the separator, and pouring a second elastomer having a second hardness that is different from the first hardness between the separator and the inner walls of the mold.

Method of producing a body (1) for bar feeders, wherein it comprises a first molding step (A) carried out with the aid of a first molding material (M1) in a mold (20) jointly with an overmolding step (B) of a countermold (50), the shape of the mold (20) and/or the shape impressions of the countermold being conceived to achieve in an integral way at least one structural and/or functional element of the said bar feeder.