Abstract: Receiving and storage of energy, and particularly a particle solar receiver for solar thermal power generation. The particle solar receiver includes: a feeding bin temporarily storing endothermic particles to be heated, and a multi-stage plate heat absorbing channel allowing the particles to flow along a predetermined path by gravity, where the multi-stage plate heat absorbing channel includes a plurality of plate-type structures which forms a changing flow direction of the particles flowing between adjacent plate-type structures. The particle solar receiver can achieve the endothermic particle heating function with a simple structure, i.e., the function of converting the solar power into thermal energy at a high-temperature level.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices and systems for treating dry eye syndrome by recording and analyzing video of the anterior eye surface through the use of an illuminator device operating with a computer running a software application. The illuminator includes a projector for projecting a simplified Placido ring pattern onto the eye, and an eye cup for aligning the illuminator with the eye. Some embodiments of the illuminator include an onboard camera while other embodiments use the camera system included with a mobile computer such as a smartphone. Also disclosed are methods to use an illuminator and a software application running on a computer to record videos of the anterior eye surface, to perform digital image processing on the videos, and to use the processed images to determine one or more dry eye-related parameters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a disinfection device of door handle being rotational and transpositional, the composition is as follows: a plurality of door handles are provided, which are respectively in the states of “to be used”, “in disinfection”, “in disinfection post-treatment” and/or “in ready”; and the door handle transposition shaft is driven by the rotary driving device of door handle transposition shaft to rotate counterclockwise, thus to complete synchronous rotation of the door handles and realize transposition operation. The use, disinfection and disinfection post-treatment of the door handles of the present invention are carried out synchronously, which can meet the requirements of immediate use of the door handles and safety to the users; the transposition of the door handles is implemented by the pure mechanical driving device; the door handles automatically rotates for transposition after a door opening and closing, therefore “disinfection after each use” is realized.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for controlling reactive power of a wind turbine, and a wind farm are provided. An exemplary method includes: obtaining operation data of single wind turbines in a wind turbine group at the current time point; determining the total maximum capacitive reactive capacity and total minimum inductive reactive capacity, satisfying a safety constraint condition at the next time point, of the wind turbine group; calculating a deviation value of a wind turbine group reactive instruction at the current time point; and updating the wind turbine group reactive instruction on the basis of the acquired, determined, and calculated data so as to perform reactive power control.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to diagnostic imaging of a retina of a patient with diabetic retinopathy. A processor retrieves a first image of the retina captured at a first point in time and a second image of the retina captured at a second point in time after the first point in time. The processor aligns the first image to the second image to reduce an offset between non-pathologic retina features in the first image and the second image and obtains image objects related to diabetic retinopathy in the first image and the second image. The processor then calculates a numerical pathology score indicative of a progression of the diabetic retinopathy by calculating a degree of change of the image objects related to diabetic retinopathy between the aligned first and second images and finally, creates an output representing the calculated numerical pathology score.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for recommending an e-book. A processor may collect reader data related to a plurality of e-books from a plurality of user devices. The processor may determine an interest score for each section of a plurality of sections of each e-book. The processor may identify a set of sections from the plurality of sections that meet a predetermined interest score threshold. The processor may analyze the set of sections to determine a sentimental score for each section. The processor may generate a scoring matrix using the interest score and the sentimental score for each section of each e-book. The processor may compare scoring matrices of each e-book of the plurality of e-books. The processor may identify two or more e-books having similar scoring matrices. The processor may provide a recommendation to a user based on the identified two or more e-books.

Abstract: A reactive power control method, a reactive power control device, and a reactive power control system are provided. The device includes: a communication interface, configured to receive a reactive power requirement command; an input interface, configured to acquire an electrical quantity parameter of a preset control point; a strategy calculation module, configured to calculate a target reactive power value meeting the reactive power requirement command based on the electrical quantity parameter, and allocate reactive power to be provided by a regulatable reactive device based on the target reactive power value; and an output interface, configured to send a command for providing the allocated reactive power to the regulatable reactive device.

Abstract: A reactive power control method, a reactive power control device, and a reactive power control system are provided. The device includes: a communication interface, configured to receive a reactive power requirement command; an input interface, configured to acquire an electrical quantity parameter of a preset control point; a strategy calculation module, configured to calculate a target reactive power value meeting the reactive power requirement command based on the electrical quantity parameter, and allocate reactive power to be provided by a regulatable reactive device based on the target reactive power value; and an output interface, configured to send a command for providing the allocated reactive power to the regulatable reactive device.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for recommending an e-book. A processor may collect reader data related to a plurality of e-books from a plurality of user devices. The processor may determine an interest score for each section of a plurality of sections of each e-book. The processor may identify a set of sections from the plurality of sections that meet a predetermined interest score threshold. The processor may analyze the set of sections to determine a sentimental score for each section. The processor may generate a scoring matrix using the interest score and the sentimental score for each section of each e-book. The processor may compare scoring matrices of each e-book of the plurality of e-books. The processor may identify two or more e-books having similar scoring matrices. The processor may provide a recommendation to a user based on the identified two or more e-books.

Abstract: A system for use in remote medical diagnosis of a biological subject, the system including one or more electronic processing devices that receive image data indicative of at least one image of part of the subject's eye from a client device via a communications network, review subject data indicative of at least one subject attribute, select at least one analysis process using results of the review of the subject data, use the analysis process to quantify at least one feature in the image data and generate an indicator value indicative of the quantified at least one feature, the indicator value being used in the assessment of a condition status of at least one condition.

Abstract: A method for controlling a redundant robot arm includes the steps of selecting an application for performing a robotic process on a workpiece with the arm and defining at least one constraint on motion of the arm. Then an instruction set is generated based upon the selected application representing a path for a robot tool attached to the arm by operating the arm in one of a teaching mode and a programmed mode to perform the robotic process on the workpiece and movement of the arm is controlled during the robotic process. A constraint algorithm is generated to maintain a predetermined point on the arm to at least one of be on, be near and avoid a specified constraint in a robot envelope during movement of the arm, and a singularity algorithm is generated to avoid a singularity encountered during the movement of the arm.

Abstract: A system for use in remote medical diagnosis of a biological subject, the system including one or more electronic processing devices that receive image data indicative of at least one image of part of the subject's eye from a client device via a communications network, review subject data indicative of at least one subject attribute, select at least one analysis process using results of the review of the subject data, use the analysis process to quantify at least one feature in the image data and generate an indicator value indicative of the quantified at least one feature, the indicator value being used in the assessment of a condition status of at least one condition.

Abstract: Painting robots processing a part moving on a conveyor are synchronized by creating for each of the robots a master sequence of computer program instructions for a collision-free movement of robots along associated master sequence paths relative to the moving part, each of the master sequence paths including positions of the associated robot and the conveyor at pre-defined synchronization points, and running each of the master sequences on a controller connected to the associated robot to move the associated robot and comparing a current path of the associated robot and the conveyor against the master sequence path. The method further includes operating the controllers to adjust the current paths based on the comparison between the master sequence path and the current path, and operating the controllers to request a conveyor motion hold as necessary to facilitate synchronization between movement of the robots and the conveyor.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling avoiding collisions and deadlocks in a workcell containing multiple robots automatically determines the potential deadlock conditions and identifies a way to avoid these conditions. Deadlock conditions are eliminated by determining the deadlock-free motion statements prior to execution of the motions that have potential deadlock conditions. This determination of deadlock-free motion statements can be done offline, outside normal execution, or it can be done during normal production execution. If there is sufficient CPU processing time available, the determination during normal production execution provides the most flexibility to respond to dynamic conditions such as changes in I/O timing or the timing of external events or sequences. For minimal CPU impact the determination is done offline where many permutations of programming sequences can be analyzed and an optimized sequence of execution may be found.

Abstract: Painting robots processing a part moving on a conveyor are synchronized by creating for each of the robots a master sequence of computer program instructions for a collision-free movement of robots along associated master sequence paths relative to the moving part, each of the master sequence paths including positions of the associated robot and the conveyor at pre-defined synchronization points, and running each of the master sequences on a controller connected to the associated robot to move the associated robot and comparing a current path of the associated robot and the conveyor against the master sequence path. The method further includes operating the controllers to adjust the current paths based on the comparison between the master sequence path and the current path, and operating the controllers to request a conveyor motion hold as necessary to facilitate synchronization between movement of the robots and the conveyor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a redundant robot arm includes the steps of selecting an application for performing a robotic process on a workpiece with the arm and defining at least one constraint on motion of the arm. Then an instruction set is generated based upon the selected application representing a path for a robot tool attached to the arm by operating the arm in one of a teaching mode and a programmed mode to perform the robotic process on the workpiece and movement of the arm is controlled during the robotic process. A constraint algorithm is generated to maintain a predetermined point on the arm to at least one of be on, be near and avoid a specified constraint in a robot envelope during movement of the arm, and a singularity algorithm is generated to avoid a singularity encountered during the movement of the arm.

Abstract: An anorectal probe system comprising; an anorectal probe assembly having an insertion end for insertion into a patient's rectum, said probe assembly including a transducer at or adjacent to the insertion end for collecting ultrasound data; a mounting in rotational engagement with said probe assembly at a point distal from the insertion end; said mounting pivotally coupled to the probe assembly at a point intermediate the insertion end and rotational engagement point; wherein on application of a moment about said pivotal coupling, said mounting and probe assembly are arranged to permit selective pivotal movement of the probe assembly about the coupling.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling avoiding collisions and deadlocks in a workcell containing multiple robots automatically determines the potential deadlock conditions and identifies a way to avoid these conditions. Deadlock conditions are eliminated by determining the deadlock-free motion statements prior to execution of the motions that have potential deadlock conditions. This determination of deadlock-free motion statements can be done offline, outside normal execution, or it can be done during normal production execution. If there is sufficient CPU processing time available, the determination during normal production execution provides the most flexibility to respond to dynamic conditions such as changes in I/O timing or the timing of external events or sequences. For minimal CPU impact the determination is done offline where many permutations of programming sequences can be analyzed and an optimized sequence of execution may be found.

Abstract: A method of controlling a robot (32) includes the steps of selecting an initial configuration from at least one of a first, second, and third sets to position a TCP at a starting point (44) along a path (33) and selecting a final configuration different than the initial configuration to position the TCP at an ending point (46). Next, the TCP moves from the starting point (44) while maintaining the initial configuration, approaches the singularity between a first point (48) and a second point (50), and selects one of the axes in response to reaching the first point (48). The angle for the selected axis is interpolated from the first point (48) to the second point (50). After the interpolation, the angles about the remaining axes are determined and positions the arms in the final configuration when the TCP reaches the second point (50) and moves to the ending point (46) while maintaining the final configuration.