Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving computer authentication processes using vocal confidence processing. A request for access to an account may be received. An authentication question may be provided to a user. Voice data indicating one or more vocal utterances by the user in response to the authentication question may be received. The voice data may be processed, and a first confidence score that indicates a degree of confidence of the user when answering the authentication question may be determined. An overall confidence score may be modified based on the first confidence score. Based on determining that the overall confidence score satisfies a threshold, data preventing the authentication question from being used in future authentication processes may be stored. The data may be removed when a time period expires.

Abstract: An optical fiber for use in distributed vibration sensing has perturbations along its length. The perturbations may be applied externally to a mode field diameter of the optical fiber. Alternatively, the perturbations may be applied through the use of fusion splicing of fiber lengths that form the optical fiber.

Abstract: An air launch apparatus includes a frame, a grip, and a plurality of sidewalls and also includes a hollow substantially cylindrical barrel having a central longitudinal axis. The air launch apparatus further includes a piston disposed substantially concentric with the barrel. The piston is configured to move longitudinally along the outer surface of the barrel in directions parallel to the longitudinal axis. The air launch apparatus also includes a nut that is configured to engage the piston as a front block carrying the nut is drawn rearward toward a user, and to hold the piston stationary relative to the front block while so engaged. A plunger, fixedly connected to the piston, is configured to move with the piston. Movement of the piston and plunger, forward during cocking draws air into a volume within an air chamber of the air launch apparatus. The plunger, together with the piston, is driven rearward (toward the user) during firing of the air launch apparatus.

Abstract: A structure is provided having a floor, and a canopy made from a flexible, substantially air-impermeable material and having a tubular rib. The canopy has an air inlet port by which the interior of the tubular rib can be connected to a source of compressed air, and is movable by the supply of compressed air from a collapsed state in which the tubular rib is deflated to an inflated state in which the tubular rib is inflated and supports the canopy in such a way that the canopy encloses an interior space above the floor and forms a roof and side walls of the structure. The floor has three substantially rigid floor panels which may be arranged together to form a substantially planar floor, or connected together to form the base and sides of a container in which the canopy can be stored when in the collapsed state.

Abstract: A method for producing an olefin product, including the steps of converting a hydrocarbon feedstock to an unsaturated hydrocarbon stream through a steam cracking process in an olefins production plant; combusting hydrogen to provide at least some of the heating duty to the steam cracking process, wherein the hydrogen has a carbon intensity less than about 1.0 kg CO2e/kg H2, wherein the hydrogen is produced using a hydrogen production process; providing at least some of the required energy for the hydrogen production process from a biomass power plant; and processing the unsaturated hydrocarbon stream to recover the olefin product. The olefin product may comprise ethylene having a well-to-gate carbon intensity less than about 0.6 kg CO2e/kg C2H4, or may comprise propylene having a well-to-gate carbon intensity less than about 0.6 kg CO2e/kg C3H6.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimization-based travel itinerary planning utilizing a multiattribute travel booking platform are described herein. The system has a database, a scheduler, a parser, and a processor. The database stores a travel lexicon having attribute names, a travel taxonomy having look-up tables, and user preferences for a user related to travel attributes. The scheduler instantiates the travel attributes in terms of the travel lexicon and indexes them, searches for feasible travel itineraries, and transmits an optimal travel itinerary. The parser parses the travel-related query and ascertains a relevant attribute set, which produces attribute values. The processor receives a travel-related query from a user device, receives the user preferences from the database, ranks and weights the attribute values, associates values to the feasible travel itineraries, scores the feasible travel itineraries, and selects the optimal travel itinerary.

Abstract: An illustrative method includes determining that a total amount of read traffic and write traffic processed by a storage system during a time period exceeds a threshold; determining a first compressibility metric associated with the write traffic; determining a second compressibility metric associated with the read traffic; determining, based on a comparison of the first compressibility metric with the second compressibility metric, that the write traffic is less compressible than the read traffic; determining, based on the total amount of read traffic and write traffic exceeding the threshold and on the write traffic being less compressible than the read traffic, that the storage system is possibly being targeted by a security threat; and modifying, in response to the determining that the storage system is possibly being targeted by the security threat, a data protection parameter set for one or more recovery datasets generated by the storage system.

Abstract: A system for treating cardiac arrhythmias comprising a generator including: a sensing circuitry configured to evaluate one or more identified signals representative of electrical activity of the heart and detect an arrhythmia, a control circuitry that is configured to control delivery of a therapy in response to the detected arrhythmia, the therapy including a first stage of electrical pulses delivered via at least a first electrode, wherein the first set of electrical pulses is configured to destabilize and/or terminate a reentry associated with the arrhythmia, and a first lead coupled to the generator, wherein the first lead includes the first electrode. The therapy further includes a second stage of electrical pulses delivered via the first electrode and/or a second electrode, wherein the second stage of pulses is configured to terminate the reentry; and an inter-stage delay separating the first and second stages of electrical pulses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sulfonylureas and sulfonylthioureas comprising a monocyclic imidazolyl group of formula (I): wherein Q is selected from O or S, R1 is an imidazolyl group, wherein the imidazolyl group is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more monovalent substituents, and R2 is a cyclic group substituted at the ?-position, wherein R2 may optionally be further substituted. The present invention further relates to salts, solvates and prodrugs of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to the use of such compounds in the treatment and prevention of medical disorders and diseases, most especially by the inhibition of NLRP3.

Abstract: An adjustable tensioning device capable of providing and holding high tensions needed for medical devices, prosthetics, and orthotics.

Abstract: Suture anchors and methods for use are provided. A suture anchor can include an elongate body configured to be implanted in bone. The elongate body can have a distal and a proximal end, and at least one bone-engaging feature arranged on an outer surface. At least a portion of the elongate body can be attached to a soft tissue structure in need of being reattached to bone. The elongate body can have a delivery configuration that is different than a deployed configuration, and a change in the configuration of the elongate body can be effected by the application of at least two substantially opposed forces to the elongate body.

Abstract: An weapon sight system includes a weapon sight having body with an optical element that is configured to superimpose a reticle that is visible through the optical element. The weapon sight includes a controller in electronic communication with and configured to control a light source. The light source may include an LED for generating a reticle image on the optical element at a plurality of different brightness conditions. The light source may include an array of LEDs for generating multiple different reticle images on the optical element. The weapon sight includes a Hall effect sensor in electronic communication with the controller to adjust user-selectable settings including reticle brightness or reticle image. The weapon sight system includes a magnetic input device for providing an input to the Hall effect sensor of the weapon sight.

Abstract: Aspects discussed herein may relate to techniques for authenticating a user using transaction-based authentication questions. The transaction-based authentication questions may be provided to the user. The user may provide audible responses to the transaction-based authentication questions that may be captured by a smart device, such as an always on listening device. Authentication of the user may be based on voice analysis of the audible responses to the transaction-based authentication questions and/or based on the answers to the transaction-based authentication questions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sulfonylureas and sulfonylthioureas of formula (I) comprising a 5-membered heteroaryl ring attached to the sulfonyl group, wherein the heteroaryl ring is di-substituted at the 3- and 4-positions relative to the point of attachment of the sulfonyl group, and wherein the group attached to the terminal nitrogen atom of the urea group is either a 1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydro-s-indacen-4-yl group substituted at the 8-position, or a heteroaryl group substituted at the alpha and alpha? positions. The present invention further relates to salts, solvates and prodrugs of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to the use of such compounds in the treatment and prevention of medical disorders and diseases, most especially by NLRP3 inhibition.

Abstract: A RF generator includes a first RF power source configured to output a first RF output signal to a first electrode of a load. The RF generator includes a first sensor for detecting a first parameter of the first RF output signal and determining a first characteristic of a plasma in the load. A second RF power source outputs a second RF output signal to a second electrode. A second sensor detects a second parameter of the second RF output signal and determines a second characteristic of a plasma in the load. A RF power controller receives the first characteristic and the second characteristic and generates a first control signal and a second control signal. The first control signal adjusts the first RF output signal, and the second control signal adjusts the second RF output signal.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for generating multi-view interactive digital media representations in a virtual reality environment. According to particular embodiments, a plurality of images is fused into a first content model and a first context model, both of which include multi-view interactive digital media representations of objects. Next, a virtual reality environment is generated using the first content model and the first context model. The virtual reality environment includes a first layer and a second layer. The user can navigate through and within the virtual reality environment to switch between multiple viewpoints of the content model via corresponding physical movements. The first layer includes the first content model and the second layer includes a second content model and wherein selection of the first layer provides access to the second layer with the second content model.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) as GPR65 modulators for the treatment of a proliferative disorder, such as e.g. cancer, an immune disorder, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CORD) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Preferred compounds are e.g. N-(Pyridin-2-yl)-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5,8-epiminocyclohepta[c]pyridine-10-carboxamide derivatives and similar compounds, such as e.g.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and/or device with a miniaturized impedance sensor. The method, system, apparatus, and/or device may include a substrate with locally non-flexible regions interconnected by a flexible material and a miniaturized impedance sensor disposed on the substrate. The miniaturized impedance sensor may include: an array of electrical contacts; an array of miniaturized electrodes disposed on the array of electrical contacts; and an interstitial filler disposed within the array of miniaturized electrodes. The locally non-flexible regions may correspond to subsets of the array of miniaturized electrodes. The locally non-flexible regions may retain shape as the flexible material changes shape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (1): wherein Q is selected from O or S; R1 is a 5-membered nitrogen-containing heteroaryl group substituted with R6 and optionally further substituted; R2 is an alpha, alpha?-substituted cyclic group which may optionally be further substituted; R3 and R4 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, —OH, —NH2, —CN, —R5, —OR5, —NHR5 or —N(R5)2; or R3 and R4 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached may form a 3 to 7 membered saturated or unsaturated, optionally substituted cyclic group; R5 is independently an optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl group; and R6 is any group comprising a nitrogen atom. The present invention further relates to salts, solvates and prodrugs of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to the use of such compounds in the treatment and prevention of medical disorders and diseases, most especially by the inhibition of NLRP3.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and/or device with interdigitated miniaturized electrodes. The method, system, apparatus, and/or device may include: a band configured to extend at least partially around a body part of a user, the body part including a dermal layer; a user interface coupled to the band; a processing device coupled to the band; a miniaturized impedance sensor integrated into the band and positioned in the band to be pressed against the dermal layer, the miniaturized impedance sensor comprising a row of interdigitated miniaturized electrodes alternating between a miniaturized electrode of a first set of miniaturized electrodes and another miniaturized electrode of a second set of miniaturized electrodes; and an electrical circuit embedded in the band interconnecting the user interface, the processing device, or the miniaturized impedance sensor.