Abstract: An article of apparel for providing shelter to one or more people during a storm or other severe weather event is provided. In one embodiment, the article of apparel includes a cape. The article of apparel also includes at least one fastening mechanism. The at least one fastening mechanism including a pair of wrist cuffs configured to secure the article of apparel to a wearer. The article of apparel further including at least one securement mechanism. The at least one securement mechanism including a pair of arm straps. The pair of arm straps include a closure system configured to interlock the arm straps together in a locked configuration to secure the wearer to a stationary object.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to one or more safety mechanisms of a rechargeable battery for light electric vehicles. The rechargeable battery may include a housing containing a battery management system and at least one battery cell, and a communication system communicatively coupled to the battery management system, where the communication system wirelessly communicates information received from the battery management system to a device external to the rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery may include a housing formed of a first clamshell member and a second clamshell member. The rechargeable battery may include a first protrusion portion extending from an interior surface of the first clamshell member and a second protrusion portion extending from the interior surface of the second clamshell member toward the first protrusion portion such that the first and second protrusion portions physically contact one another when a force is applied to an external surface of the housing.

Abstract: A safety mechanism of a rechargeable battery for light electric vehicles. The rechargeable battery may include a housing containing a battery management system and at least one battery cell, and a communication system communicatively coupled to the battery management system, to communicate information received from the battery management system to a device external to the rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery may include a housing formed of a first clamshell member and a second clamshell member. The rechargeable battery may include a first protrusion portion extending from an interior surface of the first clamshell member and a second protrusion portion extending from the interior surface of the second clamshell member toward the first protrusion portion such that the first and second protrusion portions physically contact one another when a force is applied to an external surface of the housing.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery kiosk can dynamically alter a charging rate of one or more rechargeable batteries housed within the rechargeable battery kiosk to increase a probability that the rechargeable battery kiosk has an ample supply of fully charged, or mostly fully charged, rechargeable batteries based on an anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for dynamically determining an accurate location of a light electric vehicle. For example, if a light electric vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a location for which an accurate location determination is needed or required, a light electric vehicle management system may update the determined location of the light electric vehicle with a location correction factor that is based, at least in part, on a reference location provided by a stationary reference point.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery kiosk can dynamically alter a charging rate of one or more rechargeable batteries housed within the rechargeable battery kiosk to increase a probability that the rechargeable battery kiosk has an ample supply of fully charged, or mostly fully charged, rechargeable batteries based on an anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery kiosk can dynamically alter a charging rate of one or more rechargeable batteries housed within the rechargeable battery kiosk to increase a probability that the rechargeable battery kiosk has an ample supply of fully charged, or mostly fully charged, rechargeable batteries based on an anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for determining an optimal gear ratio for a light electric vehicle. The optimal gear ratio may be based on an anticipated or current route of an individual riding the light electric vehicle, riding habits of the individual and/or on maintenance status information associated with the light electric vehicle. When the optimal gear ratio is determined, the system provides an indication of the optimal gear ratio to the light electric vehicle.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for detecting, identifying and addressing a maintenance event for light electric vehicles. The maintenance event may be detected based on rider profile information, riding parameter information and light electric vehicle information. If a maintenance event is detected, a light electric vehicle management system may determine an action that addresses the maintenance event and provide instructions regarding the action to the light electric vehicle and/or one or more individuals that are trained or otherwise certified to address the maintenance event.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for detecting, identifying and addressing a maintenance event for light electric vehicles. The maintenance event may be detected based on rider profile information, riding parameter information and light electric vehicle information. If a maintenance event is detected, a light electric vehicle management system may determine an action that addresses the maintenance event and provide instructions regarding the action to the light electric vehicle and/or one or more individuals that are trained or otherwise certified to address the maintenance event.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes how to determine a range offering for a light electric vehicle. The range offering may be based on riding habits of an individual that provides a reservation or use request to ride the light electric vehicle and on information associated with the light electric vehicle. The range offering may be used to determine whether a light electric vehicle can or should be used by an individual to transport the individual from an origin to a destination.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for dynamically determining an accurate location of a light electric vehicle. For example, if a light electric vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a location for which an accurate location determination is needed or required, a light electric vehicle management system may update the determined location of the light electric vehicle with a location correction factor that is based, at least in part, on a reference location provided by a stationary reference point.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for determining an optimal gear ratio for a light electric vehicle. The optimal gear ratio may be based on an anticipated or current route of an individual riding the light electric vehicle, riding habits of the individual and/or on maintenance status information associated with the light electric vehicle. When the optimal gear ratio is determined, the system provides an indication of the optimal gear ratio to the light electric vehicle.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to one or more safety mechanisms of a rechargeable battery for light electric vehicles. The rechargeable battery may include a housing containing a battery management system and at least one battery cell, and a communication system communicatively coupled to the battery management system, where the communication system wirelessly communicates information received from the battery management system to a device external to the rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery may include a housing formed of a first clamshell member and a second clamshell member. The rechargeable battery may include a first protrusion portion extending from an interior surface of the first clamshell member and a second protrusion portion extending from the interior surface of the second clamshell member toward the first protrusion portion such that the first and second protrusion portions physically contact one another when a force is applied to an external surface of the housing.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery kiosk can dynamically alter a charging rate of one or more rechargeable batteries housed within the rechargeable battery kiosk to increase a probability that the rechargeable battery kiosk has an ample supply of fully charged, or mostly fully charged, rechargeable batteries based on an anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk.

Abstract: A process is defined for the continuous steam pretreatment and fractionation of low lignin lignocellulosic biomass to produce a concentrated cellulose solid stream that is sensitive to enzymatic hydrolysis. Valuable chemicals are recovered by fractionating the liquid and vapor stream composed of hydrolysis and degradation products of the hemicellulose. Cellulosic derived glucose is produced for fermentation to biofuels. A xylo-oligosaccharides rich liquids fraction is recovered that can be converted to value added products including ethanol.

Abstract: A process is defined for the continuous steam pretreatment and fractionation of bagasse to produce a concentrated cellulose solid stream that is sensitive to enzymatic hydrolysis. Valuable chemicals are recovered by fractionating the liquid and vapor stream composed of hydrolysis and degradation products of the hemicellulose. Cellulosic derived glucose is produced for fermentation to biofuels. A hemicellulose concentrate is recovered that can be converted to value added products including ethanol.

Abstract: A method for optimization of a fed batch hydrolysis process wherein the hydrolysis time is minimized by controlling the feed addition volume and/or batch addition frequency of the prehydrolysate and optionally also the enzyme feed. The increase over time in hydrolysate consistency and volume and/or concentration of sugars released in the reactor, so that the enzymatic hydrolysis is controlled, significantly reduces the impact of cellulase feedback inhibition, especially for enzyme contents lower than 1%. The overall time to reach conversion of the total prehydrolysate feed is reduced significantly where the batch addition frequency is equal to one batch each time 70% to 90%, preferably 80%, conversion of the previous batch is reached in the reaction mixture. At an enzyme load of 0.3% in the reaction mixture, the optimum frequency each time 80% conversion was reached was found to be one batch every 80 to 105 minutes.

Abstract: A continuous process for the recovery of ethanol from hemicellulose and cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass. Yield of fermentable sugars can be maximized by continuous operation of the pre-treatment system and careful selection of pretreatment conditions including the addition of only small amounts of dilute mineral acid and low pressure. With this approach, the xylose component that is mainly present in its unfermentable oligomeric form in known pre-hydrolysis Kraft processes can be recovered more efficiently and as a monomer that can be fermented by xylose fermenting yeasts and bacteria. Due to the use of only dilute acids, there is a very low loss of glucose and xylose hence very low production of toxic chemicals (e.g. HMF, furfural) in the pretreatment step. The resulting overall fermentation efficiency of both hexose and pentose sugars is 90% of the theoretical maximum.

Abstract: A process is defined for the continuous steam pretreatment and fractionation of low lignin lignocellulosic biomass to produce a concentrated cellulose solid stream that is sensitive to enzymatic hydrolysis. Valuable chemicals are recovered by fractionating the liquid and vapor stream composed of hydrolysis and degradation products of the hemicellulose. Cellulosic derived glucose is produced for fermentation to biofuels. A xylo-oligosaccharides rich liquids fraction is recovered that can be converted to value added products including ethanol.