Patents

[Image: Visual Generation/istockphoto]

Supernal—the Advanced Air Mobility company of Hyundai Motor Group—has received a newly granted patent (USPTO #12420922) for systems and methods supporting vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The patent, invented by Dallas-based William Kyle Heironimus, describes a craft with tilting proprotors and lift surfaces that transition between vertical and horizontal flight, improving efficiency and stability for electric air mobility. [Image: Supernal AY-24 exterior render, 2024]

Researchers at UT Dallas used an enzyme called TdT to create unique genetic "fingerprints" inside living cells—a breakthrough in biosecurity that could help biotech companies verify cell identity and prevent counterfeiting. The technique, published in Advanced Science, increases randomness in DNA repair to generate one-of-a-kind markers. This cropped image shows a key step—Pol X’s role in the process. [Source: Figure 1, TdT (1D) PUF/Advanced Science]

Textron has received a newly granted patent for a cloaking system that makes aircraft blend into their surroundings. The technology (USPTO #12366432) uses onboard cameras to detect nearby colors during flight and activates electroluminescent paint to match, allowing the aircraft to dynamically fade into its environment. The patent was invented by Adam S. Menard of Aledo and is assigned to Textron Innovations Inc. of Providence. [Composite illustration: Sources, USPTO Patent #12366432, Fig. 1; DI Studio]