Abstract: The present invention relates to a toy including a carriage (12), a pair of wheels (14), a sliding part (16) mobile along the carriage between extended and retracted positions, a spring stressed between the carriage and the sliding part, and means adapted to i) to progressively store a mechanical energy in the spring by displacement of the sliding part towards the retracted position, and ii) to release the thus-stored energy. The sliding part includes an end (32) supporting a jaw (34) and a pad (36). The carriage includes a protruding part (24) supporting another jaw (28) and another pad (30). The carriage may be oriented relative to the ground between several functionally distinct stable positions, with a default position where the toy rests in stable equilibrium on the two wheels and the pad (36), and a pulling/grasping position where the toy rests in stable equilibrium on the two wheels and the other pad (30) and where the second jaws is movable parallel to the ground, further or closer to the first jaw.

Abstract: Each propulsion unit of the drone comprises a propeller (20) and a rotary-cage synchronous electric motor whose stator is connected to the drone body. The propulsion unit in of the gearless type, the rotor of the motor being rotationally integral with the propeller hub (24). The rotor is integral with an upper flange (56) extending in a radial plane with respect to the axis of rotation. Reversible means are provided for the fast coupling of the propeller to the rotor, implementing studs (62) with an enlarged head (66) formed on the flange, which cooperate with homologous curvilinear buttonholes (32) formed on the hub. The switching from the decoupled position to the locked position is operated by relative rotation of the propeller hub with respect to the flange by a fraction of a turn, in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the motor.

Abstract: This method comprises steps of: a) partitioning (10, 16) the spectrum of the noisy signal into a HF part and a LF part; b) operating denoising processes in a differentiated manner for each of the two parts of the spectrum with, for the HF part, a denoising by prediction of the useful signal from one sensor to the other between sensors of a first sub-array (R1), by means of a first adaptive algorithm estimator (14), and, for the LF part, a denoising by prediction of the noise from one sensor to the other between sensors of a second sub-array (R2), by means of a second adaptive algorithm estimator (18); c) reconstructing the spectrum by combining together (22) the signals delivered after denoising of the two parts of the spectrum, respectively; and d) selectively reducing the noise (24) by an Optimized Modified Log-Spectral Amplitude gain, OM-LSA, process.

Abstract: A camera (10) produces a sequence of images (12) processed by a point of interest search algorithm (14) that is parameterizable with a detection threshold (?) such that the number (N) of points of interest detected in the image varies as a function of the threshold level. The characteristic giving the number (N) of detected points of interest as a function of the threshold (?) is modelled by a square root decreasing exponential function, which is dynamically parameterizable with values linked to the image to be analyzed. The method comprises the steps of: a) determining (18) values of parameterization of the decreasing exponential function for the current image; b) predicting (18), for this current image, an optimum value of the threshold by using the modelled characteristic, parameterized with the values determined at step a); and c) applying (14), for at least one later image, the point of interest search algorithm with the optimum threshold value (?) computed at step b).

Abstract: An electrowetting optical device including a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, the liquids being non miscible, and a dielectric enclosure on which both fluids are in contact and form a triple interface. The non-conductive liquid includes from 0.0001 weight percent to 1 about weight percent of a surface adsorbing agent. The surface adsorbing agent is an amphiphilic molecule having a solubility in water lower than 0.1 about weight percent at 25° C.

Abstract: The method comprises the determination of an observation vector that comprises only electrical measurements of the voltage (Umes) at the loudspeaker terminals and of the current (i) passing through the loudspeaker, and a state vector (X) whose components comprise: values of linear parameters of the loudspeaker response such as the electrical (Re) and mechanical (Req) resistance, and polynomial coefficients of nonlinear parameters such as the force factor (BI), the equivalent stiffness (Keq) and the electrical inductance (Le). The voltage and current measurements are applied to an estimator with a predictive filter of the extended Kalman filter incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the loudspeaker. This filter operates a prediction of the state vector (X) and readjusts this prediction by calculation of an estimate (Uest) of the voltage based on the state vector and on the measured current and comparison of this estimate with the measurement (Umes) of the voltage.

Abstract: An electrowetting optical device having a non-aqueous conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, the liquids being non-miscible, and a dielectric enclosure on which both liquids are in contact and form a triple interface. The non-aqueous conductive liquid includes a non-ionic polar organic solvent, and at least 2 weight % of a first compound, where the first compound is non-aqueous and is either ionic or non-ionic. If the first compound is non-ionic, the first compound is more polar than the solvent, the polarity of the non-ionic first compound being measured by Hansen parameters, a sum of the Hansen parameter for polarity (?p) and of the Hansen parameter for hydrogen bonding (?h) being higher than the sum of the corresponding Hansen parameters of the non-ionic polar organic solvent, and the non-aqueous conductive liquid having an ionic second compound.

Abstract: An electrowetting optical device is provided comprising a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, the liquids being non miscible, having different refractive indices and forming an interface, wherein the conductive liquid comprises from 5% by weight of a fluorinated salt, based the total weight of the conductive liquid. An apparatus comprising said electrowetting optical device is described as well.

Abstract: A remote control unit carries control keys and possesses in its back face a battery housing with central and peripheral power supply contacts, and also with signal transmission contacts. An active support carries a portion in relief suitable for penetrating into the housing of the unit to take the place of the power supply battery. Two power supply terminals are connected to a power supply line and arranged so as to bear against the respective power supply contacts of the unit when the portion in relief is inserted and locked in the housing of the unit, with the same applying for signal transmission terminals that are arranged on the portion in relief in positions that correspond to the transmission contacts of the unit.

Abstract: A method for interactive adjustment of a parameter of a continuously variable optical lens involving having a subject view an eye chart through a variable lens frame comprising at least one continuously variable optical lens, applying a modulation to a selected parameter of said continuously variable optical lens around an average value, and tuning said average value by minimizing the flickering visible to the subject and due to the modulation.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: a) converting the digital audio signal (PCM) into a voltage signal (VE); b) first lowshelf filtering of fixed gain (G2); c) calculating a value of excursion (x) of the loudspeaker; d) comparing the excursion with a maximum value and calculating a first gain of possible attenuation (G3); e) second lowshelf filtering of gain (G4+G3) taking into account the first gain of possible attenuation; g) comparing with the maximum saturation or clipping voltage (vMAX) and calculating a second gain of possible attenuation (G5); h) third lowshelf filtering gain (G6+G3+G5) taking into account the first and/or second gains of possible attenuation; i) comparing with the maximum saturation or clipping voltage (vMAX) and applying a gain of possible overall attenuation (G7); j) optionally compensating for the nonlinearities of the loudspeaker response; and k) reversely converting the signal (Vs) into a digital audio signal (S) without dimension, for later amplification.

Abstract: The equipment comprises a digital processor implementing an operating system requiring a previous boot before the equipment is in an operational state. A start module is operable, when the device is initially in a power-off state, for: producing a triggering signal upon detection (32) of a vibration by a sensor incorporated in the equipment, and activating (34) the processing means so as to initiate the boot of the operating system, but without activating the lighting means of a front display of the equipment, and finally activating these lighting means upon reception (36) of a vehicle start signal.

Abstract: The drone comprises altitude determination means (134), with an estimator (152) combining the measures of an ultrasound telemetry sensor (154) and of a barometric sensor (156) to deliver an absolute altitude value of the drone in a terrestrial system. The estimator comprises a predictive filter (152) incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the drone making it possible to predict the altitude based on the motor commands (158) and to periodically readjust this prediction as a function of the signals delivered by the telemetry sensor (154) and the barometric sensor (156). Validation means analyze the reflected echoes and possibly modify the parameters of the estimator and/or allow or invalidate the signals of the telemetry sensor. The echo analysis also makes it possible to deduce the presence and the configuration of an obstacle within the operating range of the telemetry sensor, to apply if need be a suitable corrective action.

Abstract: The appliance includes a touch screen and wireless data transmission implementation for communicating with the drone. Drone piloting commands are activated by fingers contacting and/or moving over locations of corresponding piloting symbols displayed on the screen. The method proceeds by: detecting finger contact at an arbitrary contact point in at least one predefined zone of the screen on which piloting symbols are not already displayed; displaying a piloting icon on the screen at the contact point, the piloting icon including a movable icon displayed at a position that tracks any movement of the finger contact point over the screen from an initial position to an offset position; detecting the movement of the movable icon; on detecting the movement, analyzing the direction and/or the amplitude of the movement relative to the initial position; and activating a piloting command as a function of the result of the analysis.

Abstract: The headset comprises two earpieces each having a transducer for playing back the sound of an audio signal and received in an acoustic cavity defined by a shell having an ear-surrounding cushion. The active noise control comprises, in parallel, a feedforward bandpass filter receiving the signal from an external microphone, a feedback bandpass filter receiving as input an error signal delivered by an internal microphone, and a stabilizer bandpass filter locally increasing the phase of the transfer function of the feedback filter in an instability zone, in particular a waterbed effect zone around 1 kHz. A summing circuit delivers a weighting linear combination of the signal delivered by these filters together with the audio signal to be played back. Control is non-adaptive, with the parameters of the filters being static.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises: a case (100), in particular a case that can be integrated into a motor vehicle dashboard; a front panel element (200), removably mounted on the case; and means for the reversible assembly and fixation of the front panel element to the case. Such means include: at a first end of the front panel element and of the case, a dismountable magnetic hinge comprising a first pair of magnetic elements (124, 224), arranged on the case and on the front panel element, respectively, opposite to each other and in mutual attraction; and at an opposed, second end of the front panel element and of the case, means for locking the front panel element to the case, comprising a lock (212) and a second pair of magnetic elements (126, 226), arranged on the case and on the front panel element, respectively, opposite to each other and in mutual repulsion.

Abstract: The method comprises steps of: a) forming a starting set of microstructures of n points of interest, each defined by a tuple of order n, with n?1; b) determining, for each tuple, associated structured visual characteristics, based on local gradient and/or movement descriptors of the points of interest; and c) iteratively searching for and selecting the most discriminant tuples. Step c) operates by: c1) applying to the set of tuples an algorithm of the Multi-Kernel Learning MKL type; c2) extracting a sub-set of tuples producing the highest relevancy scores; c3) aggregating to these tuples an additional tuple to obtain a new set of tuples of higher order; c4) determining structured visual characteristics associated to each aggregated tuple; c5) selecting a new sub-set of most discriminant tuples; and c6) reiterating steps c1) to c5) up to a maximal order N.

Abstract: The method comprises steps of: a) for each point of interest of each image, calculating a local gradient descriptor and a local movement descriptor; b) forming microstructures of n points of interest, each defined by a tuple of order n, with n?1; c) determining, for each tuple of a vector of structured visual characteristics (d0 . . . d3 . . . ) based on the local descriptors; d) for each tuple, mapping this vector by a classification algorithm selecting a single codeword among a set of codewords forming a codebook (CB); e) generating an ordered time series of the codewords (a0 . . . a3 . . . ) for the successive images of the video sequence; and f) measuring, by means of a function of the String Kernel type, the similarity of the time series of codewords with another time series of codewords coming from another speaker.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: digitizing sound signals picked up simultaneously by two microphones (N, M); executing a short-term Fourier transform on the signals (xn(t), xm(t)) picked up on the two channels so as to produce a succession of frames in a series of frequency bands; applying an algorithm for calculating a speech-presence confidence index on each channel, in particular a probability a speech that is present; selecting one of the two microphones by applying a decision rule to the successive frames of each of the channels, which rule is a function both of a channel selection criterion and of a speech-presence confidence index; and implementing speech processing on the sound signal picked up by the one microphone that is selected.