Abstract: For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats. The gap filler is installed by pushing down the gap filler into the gap between slats.

Abstract: A smoker for imparting a flavor to a beverage is described. The smoker includes a support configured and dimensioned to be supported atop a lip or rim of a beverage glass, the support including a through-bore defined therethrough. A plug is provided, configured and dimensioned to be retained within the through-bore. The plug includes a recess defined within an interior of the plug and at least one outlet defined within the at least one plug side wall whereby an interior of the recess is placed in fluid communication with an exterior of the plug. Methods for use of the described smoker for imparting a flavor to a beverage are described.

Abstract: A system for applying a first coating composition and a second coating composition is provided herein. The system includes an atomizing applicator and a high transfer efficiency applicator defining a nozzle orifice. The system further includes a substrate assembly comprising a metal-containing substrate and a plastic-containing substrate. The metal-containing substrate is coupled to the plastic-containing substrate. The atomizing applicator is configured to apply the first coating composition to the metal-containing substrate. The high transfer efficiency applicator is configured to expel the second coating composition through the second nozzle orifice to the plastic-containing substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aerosol delivery device for use with removable and replaceable cartridges. The device includes a holder defining a proximal end and a distal end and a receiving chamber configured to receive the removable cartridge including an ignitable heat source. The holder defines a first aerosol passageway extending therethrough. The device includes a mouthpiece coupled to the holder and defining a second aerosol passageway extending therethrough and a pair of static ignitor contacts disposed proximate the receiving chamber and oriented to contact the ignitable heat source when the removable cartridge is secured within the receiving chamber. The device may include an access door movably coupled to the holder and configured to provide access to the receiving chamber in an open configuration and secure the cartridge for ignition when in a closed configuration.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an aerosol delivery device for use with a removable and replaceable cartridge and including actuatable ignitor contacts. The device includes a holder defining a receiving chamber configured to receive the cartridge, the cartridge comprising an ignitable heat source and a substrate portion comprising an aerosol precursor composition. The device further includes a first aerosol passageway, a mouthpiece defining a second aerosol passageway, and a power source disposed therein. The actuatable ignitor contacts are configured to engage with the ignitable heat source when the removable cartridge is secured within the receiving chamber and are movable between a first position spaced apart from the ignitable heat source and a second position contacting the ignitable heat source. The device may also include a dual-purpose actuator assembly coupled to the holder and configured to ignite the ignitable heat source and eject the removable cartridge.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aerosol delivery device for use with removable and replaceable cartridges that may be loaded into and ejected from the devices in different orientations and via different access points. The device includes a holder defining a proximal end and a distal end and a receiving chamber configured to receive the removable cartridge. The holder defines a first aerosol passageway extending therethrough. The device may include a mouthpiece coupled to the holder and defining a second aerosol passageway extending therethrough. The device may further include an access point (e.g., a door) movably coupled to the holder. In an open configuration, the access point provides access to the receiving chamber for loading the removable cartridge therein and, in a closed configuration, fluidly couples the receiving chamber with the first aerosol passageway.

Abstract: Disclosed are aerosol delivery devices for use with a removable and replaceable cartridge, where the device includes an improved mouthpiece, such as one that is removable or customizable. The device includes a holder defining a receiving chamber configured to receive a removable cartridge comprising an ignitable heat source and a substrate portion that includes a substrate material having an aerosol precursor composition configured to form an aerosol upon application of heat thereto and a first aerosol passageway and a mouthpiece with a first end and a longitudinally opposed second end defining a second aerosol passageway, where the first end is configured to engage with a user's mouth and the second end is coupleable to the proximal end of the holder. The mouthpiece can be removed for cleaning and then reattached for continued use or, in some cases, a different mouthpiece may be attached to customize the user's experience.

Abstract: An exemplary supporting audio element for a furniture item may include a control circuit positioned within a body portion, a supporting leg, and a loudspeaker. The supporting audio element may be mounted to a furniture item, for supporting the furniture item, and configured for one or more of, without limitation, communicating with an external audio device, playing audio, controlling a function of the furniture item, voice recognition, and voice control. An exemplary supporting audio element may include a microphone connected to a phonetic recognition module, for receiving and recognizing voice commands and relaying the voice commands to the control circuit for controlling a function of the supporting audio leg and the furniture item. A furniture item may include an exemplary supporting audio element for incorporating the features thereof.

Abstract: A method for certified control of a self-driving ego vehicle is described. The method includes analyzing a safety situation of the self-driving ego vehicle to determine a proposed vehicle control action using a main controller of the self-driving ego vehicle. The method also includes presenting, by the main controller, the proposed vehicle control action to an interlock controller, including a certificate of the proposed vehicle control action. The method further includes checking a safety certification evidence from the certificate by the interlock controller using a predefined safety argument to verify the safety certification evidence of the certificate. The method also includes directing, by a low-level controller, the self-driving ego vehicle to perform a certified vehicle control action.

Abstract: An exemplary supporting audio element for a furniture item may include a control circuit positioned within a body portion, a supporting leg, and a loudspeaker. The supporting audio element may be mounted to a furniture item, for supporting the furniture item, and configured for one or more of, without limitation, communicating with an external audio device, playing audio, controlling a function of the furniture item, voice recognition, and voice control. An exemplary supporting audio element may include a microphone connected to a phonetic recognition module, for receiving and recognizing voice commands and relaying the voice commands to the control circuit for controlling a function of the supporting audio leg and the furniture item. A furniture item may include an exemplary supporting audio element for incorporating the features thereof.

Abstract: For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats. The gap filler is installed by pushing down the gap filler into the gap between slats.

Abstract: An object recognition determination produced by a perception system from data received from a ranging sensor system can be verified. A certificate can be produced that includes data for points of readings from the ranging sensor system. The points can have been segmented, by the perception system, into point sets that correspond to objects in an environment of a cyber-physical system. The certificate can also include lists of pairs of points in a point set and a velocity of the point set. A test of information in the certificate can be performed. Based on a result of the test: a rectification can be made to the perception system or the ranging sensor system or a communication can be transmitted to a control signal production module configured to produce, in response to the communication, a control signal to be transmitted to an actuator system configured to control the cyber-physical system.

Abstract: For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats. The gap filler is installed by pushing down the gap filler into the gap between slats.

Abstract: For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats. The gap filler is installed by pushing down the gap filler into the gap between slats.

Abstract: A trusted blockchain oracle observes events extrinsic to a blockchain to yield an indication of the extrinsic event suitable for submission to a decentralized application on a blockchain. The trusted blockchain oracle signs the indications of the extrinsic events to yield a signed blockchain record. The trusted blockchain oracle publishes a feed of the signed blockchain records or otherwise distributes the signed blockchain records to potential users of the decentralized application at low computational cost. Users who wish to submit a signed blockchain record to the decentralized application may form and broadcast their own transactions including the signed blockchain record and bear the costs of confirming the transaction to the blockchain. The trusted blockchain oracle is thus relieved of the costs of confirming extrinsic events online and may provide a much larger amount of extrinsic event indications than would otherwise be possible.

Abstract: For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats.

Abstract: A building management system and method that determines space utilization in a building. The building management system comprises room utilization sensors, such as occupancy sensors, a gateway that gathers raw occupancy data records from the occupancy sensors, and at least one processor. Each raw occupancy data record comprises an occupancy state associated with a timestamp. The processor is configured for normalizing the raw occupancy data records into normalized occupancy data records each comprising a time segment and an occupancy state indicating whether for a given time segment a room is occupied. The processor is further configured for structuring the normalized occupancy data records by associating each normalized occupancy data record with a space node corresponding to a room in the building from where the raw occupancy data record was collected and associating each space node with a set of tags, each tag defining a single state from a plurality of states.

Abstract: A method for certified control of a self-driving ego vehicle is described. The method includes analyzing a safety situation of the self-driving ego vehicle to determine a proposed vehicle control action using a main controller of the self-driving ego vehicle. The method also includes presenting, by the main controller, the proposed vehicle control action to an interlock controller, including a certificate of the proposed vehicle control action. The method further includes checking a safety certification evidence from the certificate by the interlock controller using a predefined safety argument to verify the safety certification evidence of the certificate. The method also includes directing, by a low-level controller, the self-driving ego vehicle to perform a certified vehicle control action.

Abstract: System and method for scheduling a meeting room includes accepting information defining a meeting type, which is associated with at least one preset resources. The method further includes displaying at least one preset parameter based on the meeting type including email address of attendees, receiving preset information from the at least one displayed preset parameter, automatically identifying and reserving a first room that is associated with a maximum capacity number by communicating with a scheduling server the availability of the at least one preset resources based on the received preset information, notifying the organizer of the first room, detecting a number of attendees physically presence in the first room during an attendance time period by utilizing at least one sensor, and sending at least one command to control at least one of the associated preset resources in response to a start time and end time.

Abstract: An exemplary supporting audio element for a furniture item may include a control circuit positioned within a body portion, a supporting leg, and a loudspeaker. The supporting audio element may be mounted to a furniture item, for supporting the furniture item, and configured for one or more of, without limitation, communicating with an external audio device, playing audio, controlling a function of the furniture item, voice recognition, and voice control. An exemplary supporting audio element may include a microphone connected to a phonetic recognition module, for receiving and recognizing voice commands and relaying the voice commands to the control circuit for controlling a function of the supporting audio leg and the furniture item. A furniture item may include an exemplary supporting audio element for incorporating the features thereof.