Abstract: Method and system for sample preparation includes positioning an extraneous specimen close to a target specimen in a vacuum chamber, directing a charged particle beam towards the extraneous specimen while flowing a precursor gas in the vacuum chamber, and depositing or etching on one or more surfaces of the target specimen with the assist of the precursor gas.

Abstract: Various methods of making low-tortuosity electrodes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the low-tortuosity electrodes have a tortuosity of less than 2.0 or 1.4 and include battery-active material and solid electrolyte with the solid electrolyte having channels therein that are vertically aligned. A solid-state lithium-ion battery electrode is also disclosed.

Abstract: Quorum-based access control management may be implemented. Quorum controls may be created for determining whether to perform or deny access control operations to perform privileged tasks. When an access control operation is received, approval of the operation may be requested from members for the quorum control. If a policy for the quorum control is satisfied by approval responses, then approval to perform the access control operation may be provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively heating or cooling a food product includes a housing including a shell and a thermally-conductive liner coupled to the shell. The shell defines a housing cavity, and the thermally-conductive liner defines a receptacle. The apparatus also includes a removable tray and a plurality of thermoelectric heating/cooling devices disposed within the housing cavity. The removable tray is sized and shaped to be received within the receptacle such that the removable tray is coupled in thermal communication with the thermally-conductive liner. Each of the thermoelectric heating/cooling devices is selectively operable in a heating mode and a cooling mode and is coupled in thermal communication with the thermally-conductive liner such that the liner draws heat away from the removable tray when the thermoelectric devices are operated in the cooling mode, and the liner transfers heat to the removable tray when the thermoelectric devices are operated in the heating mode.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein, inter alia, receive telematics data collected over a period of time, wherein the telematics data is indicative of operation of a vehicle by a potential renter during the period of time; identify, upon analyzing the telematics data, driving behavior(s) of the renter during the period of time; determine, for each driving behavior, a corresponding state of an environment of the vehicle when the driving behavior occurred; determine renter eligibility value(s) for the renter based on the driving behavior(s) and the corresponding state of an environment of the vehicle; compare the renter eligibility value(s) to user preference value(s) of a profile of a vehicle owner, wherein the user preference value(s) define one or more criteria for vehicle renters with whom the vehicle can be shared; and cause an indication of the vehicle associated with the profile to be displayed only if the renter satisfies the criteria.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe apparatuses, optical systems, and methods for utilizing a dynamically reconfigurable optical transmitter. A laser array outputs a plurality of laser signals (which may further be modulated based on electrical signals), each of the plurality of laser signals having a wavelength, wherein the wavelength of each of the plurality of laser signals is tunable based on other electrical signals. An optical router receives the plurality of (modulated) laser signals at input ports and outputs the plurality of received (modulated) laser signals to one or more output ports based on the tuned wavelength of each of the plurality of received laser signals. This reconfigurable transmitter enables dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple destinations via the tuning of the laser wavelengths.

Abstract: A surgical guide includes a first guide arm extending from a first end to a second end on a first longitudinal axis. The first guide arm defines a first plurality of openings sized and configured to receive a first guide element therethrough. A second guide arm extends from a first end to a second end on a second longitudinal axis. The second guide arm defines a second plurality of openings sized and configured to receive a second guide element therethrough. A pivot element couples the first end of the first guide arm to the first end of the second guide arm such that an angular distance between the first guide arm and the second guide arm can be adjusted in a first plane.

Abstract: A collapsible container having a base, an upper frame, and a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to side edges of the upper frame. Each of the side walls including an upper panel hingeably connected to a lower panel. The lower panel is hingeably connected to the base. A pair of opposed end walls are pivotably connected to end edges of the upper frame. The end walls are pivotable between an upright position extending from the upper frame to the base between the side walls and a retracted position within the upper frame. A lid is pivotably secured to the upper frame. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A media system comprises one or more non-wearable playback devices, a gateway device, and a wearable playback device. The one or more non-wearable playback devices are configured to receive media content and to play the media content in synchrony with one another. The gateway device is commutatively coupled with at least one of the non-wearable playback devices and is configured to receive the media content. The wearable playback device comprises a microphone and a transducer and is commutatively coupled to the gateway device. The wearable playback device is configured to receive the media content and to simultaneously play ambient audio received via the microphone and the media content via the transducer while the one or more non-wearable playback devices play the media content.

Abstract: An extraction cleaner system includes a housing with a fluid delivery pathway and a fluid recovery pathway. A suction source is disposed within the housing and is fluidly connected to the fluid recovery pathway. The suction source is configured to create a fluid pressure vacuum. A liquid source is carried by the housing and is fluidly connected to the fluid delivery pathway. The liquid source is configured to contain and dispense a liquid. A suction nozzle is fluidly connected to the fluid recovery pathway upstream from the suction source. The suction nozzle is configured to draw therethrough the liquid dispensed from the liquid source. The suction nozzle defines a pad compartment located within the fluid recovery pathway and an absorbent pad is removably stored inside the pad compartment.

Abstract: An apparatus for extended horizon scheduling that includes a time-sequence interpretation circuit, a target interpretation circuit, a horizon target analysis circuit, and a promotive action provisioning circuit. The time-sequence interpretation circuit interprets time-sequence data, the target interpretation circuit interprets target data, and the time-sequence trend analysis circuit extracts a trend from the time-sequence data. The horizon target analysis circuit: determines whether the extracted trend furthers or impedes a target defined, in part, by the target data, and responsive to a determination that the extracted trend impedes the target, generates a promotive action command value structured to trigger an adjustment to the time-sequence data. The adjustment is structured to mitigate the extracted trend from impeding the target. The promotive action provisioning circuit transmits the promotive action command value.

Abstract: Networks, methods, and apparatus to ensure schedule conformance are described. An example apparatus may include a schedule interpretation circuit to interpret schedule data, and a warden circuit to generate scores for the schedule data with respect to schedule properties. The warden circuit retrieves baseline values corresponding to schedule properties and determines whether the schedule data is out of alignment with the baseline value for any of the schedule properties. If so, a corrective action circuit generates a corrective action command value to trigger an adjustment to the schedule data to effect a change to a schedule property that is out of alignment. A corrective action provisioning circuit transmits the corrective action command value.

Abstract: An apparatus for timekeeping and scheduling is disclosed. The apparatus includes a user surveyor circuit structured to interpret user data and an embedding generator circuit structured to determine user embeddings based at least in part on the user data. The apparatus further includes an artificial intelligence circuit structured to generate a model based at least in part on the user embeddings. Further, the apparatus has a scheduling circuit structured to generate time sequence data via the model. The generated time sequence data is transmitted via a time sequence provisioning circuit.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for enabling workers to compete for currently upcoming shifts are described. In an example, an apparatus may include a schedule display circuit to display a customized view of upcoming shifts where the customization is based on the identify of a worker, their skills/properties and shift requirements. All the workers may have a common employer. A bidding interface circuit may enable the workers to bid on upcoming shifts shown in their customized view. A bid evaluation circuit may evaluate the submitted bids, determine a quality of each bid and determine a winning bid for each shift. A shift allocation circuit then assigns upcoming shifts to workers based on the winning bid.

Abstract: A method, including: generating a plurality of initial schedules for an agglomerate network, including a first number of schedules, and determining a threshold number of schedules, including: evaluating the plurality of initial schedules to select a first schedule, identifying a first place number of the first schedule, if the first place number is greater than or equal to a first threshold number, the first threshold number being within two of the threshold number: increasing the threshold number of schedules to a second threshold number, greater than the first threshold number, and generating a second plurality of schedules equal to the second threshold number, evaluating the second plurality of schedules to select a second schedule, identifying a second place number of the second schedule, and if the second place number is ‘1’ or ‘2’, decreasing the threshold number of schedules to a third threshold number, less than the first threshold number.

Abstract: An apparatus including a historic schedule interpretation circuit structured to: interpret historical schedule data; and extract difficult schedule features from the historical schedule data; an incentive determination circuit structured to identify incentives compatible with the difficult schedule features; a schedule experimentation circuit structured to: receive schedule modification parameters; and generate, based at least in part on the schedule modification parameters, a set of experimental schedules each with different incentives of the set of incentives.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for adjusting a time sequence in response to a predicted or detected austere event. The apparatus and method include a time sequence interpretation circuit to interpret time sequence data and provide it to a mitigation circuit. The mitigation circuit processes the interpreted time sequence data along with austere event data to determine if an austere event is occurring or is likely to occur. Upon detection of an austere event, the mitigation circuit generates a mitigation action command value structured to trigger a change to the time sequence sufficient to mitigate the effect of the austere event on the time sequence. In certain aspects, the apparatus and method further include an external event interpretation circuit and an austere event detection circuit which monitor external event data to generate austere event data. In certain aspects, the austere event detection circuit and the mitigation circuit include machine learning elements.

Abstract: In embodiments, an apparatus includes a user data interpretation circuit structured to interpret user data corresponding to a first user; a bootstrap circuit structured to: match the first user to a second user via querying one or more databases based at least in part on the user data; retrieve historical time sequence data associated with the second user via querying the one or more databases; extract a time sequence trend from the historical time sequence data; identify a portion of the historical time sequence data corresponding to the extracted time sequence trend; and generate, based at least in part on the identified portion, time sequence data corresponding to the first user; and a time sequence data provisioning circuit structured to transmit the time sequence data.

Abstract: Embodiments of the current disclosure provide for an apparatus for sequence mimicking. The apparatus includes a historic sequence interpretation circuit, a mimicking circuit, and a sequence data provisioning circuit. The historic sequence interpretation circuit is structured to interpret historical sequence data corresponding to a sequence designed, in part, by an entity. The mimicking circuit is structured to: extract a sequence trend from the historical sequence data; identify a portion of the historical sequence data corresponding to the extracted sequence trend; and generate sequence data based at least in part on the identified portion. The sequence data provisioning circuit is structured to transmit the sequence data.

Abstract: A high voltage electric switch includes contacts with graphite carbon electrode forming the arc gap. In addition, the carbon contacts are located in a chamber containing at least 60% carbon dioxide (CO2) as a dielectric gas to achieve improved arc interrupting performance. In conventional switches, the metallic contacts introduce metallic vapors into the arc plasma that inhibits the ability of the dielectric gas to interrupt high voltage, high current arcs. As the element carbon is inherently present in CO2 gas, the addition of vapors from the carbon electrodes into the dielectric gas does not significantly interfere with the dielectric arc-interrupting performance of the CO2 dielectric gas.