Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing and installing electrical wire connector clamps that may be inserted into knockout holes from the inside of an electrical box or panel, that are capable of holding multiple wires or cables, that may be run through the connector before it is slotted into the hole, and that use only a minimal amount of interior space of the electrical box or panel. Embodiments of the present invention include semi-cylindrical units that may be folded together around one or more wires for secure engagement with the wires and with a knockout hole of an electrical box or panel. Embodiments may be used in new construction, and to replace existing connector clamps in an electrical box or panel from the inside without damaging the walls surrounding the box or panel, in order to securely hold wires in an electrical box or panel, add new wire(s), hold multiple wires, and/or increase available space inside the box or panel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polyol composition comprising: (a) at least one monomeric polyol comprising three or more hydroxyl groups; (b) at least one higher polyol comprising three or more hydroxyl groups; and (c) at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound; wherein the at least one higher polyol comprises residues of either or both of the at least one monomeric polyol and the polyhydroxylated aromatic compound linked by one or more carbonate groups, oxygen ether groups, or a combination thereof, and wherein the polyol composition has a viscosity of less than 5000 cps at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The at least one monomeric polyol and at least one higher polyol may have any structures affording polyol compositions and polyurethane compositions having the requisite physical characteristics in terms of polyol composition viscosity and polyurethane heat resistance, strength and flexural modulus.

Abstract: Examples are directed toward systems and methods relating to security screening. For example, a screening system includes a sensor array to sense a gravitational field caused by an item, and a conveyor to convey the item through sensing positions for scanning by the sensor array. A controller acquires weight measurement information from sensor elements, and gravitational measurement information from the sensor array. The conveyor incrementally advances the item through additional sensing positions to acquire weight measurement information and gravitational measurement information. The controller performs tomographic reconstruction to generate a tomographic image of the item, using a generated weight map as a static weight input vector and using a generated mass map as a static mass input vector for the tomographic reconstruction.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for providing interactive notification panels to a user. A bot apparatus receives a notification from an application program and transforms the notification into one or more interactive notification panels configured to receive user inputs and/or to provide an output to at least one user input. Based on at least one user input, the bot apparatus transmits data to the application program, which causes the application program to perform one or more actions.

Abstract: A visuotactile sensor, comprising: a deformable membrane; and an imaging train, the deformable membrane allowing at least partial transmission of light therethrough and onto the imaging train such that the imaging train collects light reflected through the membrane by an object on the opposite side of the membrane or contacting the membrane, and the imaging train further configured to collect light indicative of a deformation of the membrane by the object. A method, comprising: with an imaging train, collecting (a) a first light reflected through a deformable membrane by an object proximate to or contacting the deformable membrane and (b) a second light indicative of a deformation of the deformable membrane; and relating the at least one of the first light and the second light to an estimated position of the object, an estimated motion of the object, and an estimated deformation experienced by the membrane.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing scalable replication of object positions in virtual simulations are described herein. A computing device may determine a current position of an entity in a virtual simulation. The computing device may determine, based on the current position, a time derivative of the current position of the entity. The computing device may query a dictionary for the time derivative to obtain a particular index identifying a time derivative value that corresponds to the time derivative of the current position of the entity. The dictionary may comprise one or more time derivative value pairs associated with time derivatives of one or more previous positions of the entity. When the time derivative of the current position of the entity is in the dictionary, the computing device may encode the particular index. Further, the computing device may send the particular index to a client device.

Abstract: The handle includes first and second spaced sets of prongs. Each of the prong sets has a first prong and a second prong spaced from the first prong a distance sufficient to receive the cookware rim therebetween. The prongs in each of the prong sets diverge as the prongs progress away from the cookware body. A locking mechanism is situated between the prong sets for engaging the cookware rim to removably secure the handle to the cookware. The locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded pin adapted to be received in an opening in the cookware rim. The pin is situated on the unattached end of a leaf spring prong extending from the body of the handle. The pin has an inclined surface which facilitates the insertion of the pin into the opening in the cookware rim to lock the handle to the cookware. The handle is formed of a single piece of material and may be sold in combination with the cookware or separately.

Abstract: A method for communicating with a passenger making a journey in a vehicle is provided, the vehicle having a broadcast system for transmitting information to one or more passengers, the passenger having and operating a Portable Electronic Device (PED), the PED operable to receive information from the broadcast system of the vehicle and to display information content to the passenger; the method comprising transmitting information to the PED of one or more passengers within the vehicle; wherein the PED displays information content derived from the information transmitted to the PED. A communication system for performing the method and a vehicle comprising the communication system are also provided.

Abstract: In an aspect a modular field manipulation apparatus is presented. A modular field manipulation apparatus includes a central field manipulation device. A central field manipulation device includes a first surface having a first field polarity. A central field manipulation device includes a second surface positioned opposite a first surface. A second surface includes a second field polarity. A modular field manipulation apparatus includes a plurality of interconnecting components. Each interconnecting component of a plurality of interconnecting components includes at least a contacting member. At least a contacting member engages with at least a first surface of a central field manipulation device.

Abstract: A soft actuator, comprising: a deformable member having a base stiffness; one or more electroadhesive (EA) clutches, the one or more EA clutches being in mechanical communication with the deformable member, and the one or more EA clutches being configured to, when actuated, give rise to a region of relative stiffness within the actuator that is greater than the base stiffness. A method, comprising: in a soft actuator, actuating one or more EA clutches in mechanical communication with a deformable member having a base stiffness, the actuating being performed so as to give rise to one or more regions of relative stiffness within the soft actuator that is greater than the base stiffness; and effecting a bending force within the deformable member such that the deformable member attains a shape, the shape at least partially defined by the actuated one or more EA clutches.

Abstract: Configuration devices in a module. In some embodiments a radio-frequency module includes a serial bus including a first serial data line and a second serial data line. The radio-frequency module also includes a control component coupled to the serial bus and the first switch, the control component configured to determine whether first data is detected on the first serial data line, determine whether second data is detected on the second serial data line, and decode a command based on the first data and second data when the first data is detected on the first serial data line and when the second data is detected on the second serial data line.

Abstract: A method of identifying extant proteins, including (a) inputting to a computer processor: (i) a plurality of empirical binding profiles, individual empirical binding profiles including empirical binding outcomes for binding of an extant protein to a plurality of different affinity reagents, (ii) a plurality of candidate outcome profiles, individual candidate outcome profiles including binding outcomes for binding of a candidate protein to the plurality of different affinity reagents, and (iii) a plurality of pseudo outcome profiles, individual pseudo outcome profiles including a rearrangement of a candidate outcome profile; (b) performing a process in the computer processor to identify extant proteins based on the empirical binding profiles of the extant proteins and the plurality of candidate outcome profiles; and (c) performing a process in the computer processor to determine a false discovery statistic for the extant proteins based on the plurality of pseudo outcome profiles.

Abstract: Examples are directed toward systems and methods relating to security screening. For example, a screening system includes a sensor array to sense a gravitational field caused by an item, and a conveyor to convey the item through sensing positions for scanning by the sensor array. A controller acquires weight measurement information from sensor elements, and gravitational measurement information from the sensor array. The conveyor incrementally advances the item through additional sensing positions to acquire weight measurement information and gravitational measurement information. The controller performs tomographic reconstruction to generate a tomographic image of the item, using a generated weight map as a static weight input vector and using a generated mass map as a static mass input vector for the tomographic reconstruction.

Abstract: A system for providing networked access to media signals, the system comprising at least one virtual media card configured to interface with at least one application that produces and/or consumes media signals, and/or at least one media interface configured to interface with at least one physical media card that produces and/or consumes media signals. The system may also comprise a network interface configured to enable the system to exchange media signals with other devices on a common network, and a reference clock configured to provide a common clock signal to the at least one virtual media card, the at least one media interface, and the common network. An advertisement and discovery module configured to identify when the at least one application is started and/or stopped and when the at least one media card is attached and/or detached from the system may also be provided.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for the computation of sparse, (?, ?)-differentially private (DP) histograms in the two-server model of secure multi-party computation (MPC). Example protocols enable two semi-honest non-colluding servers to compute histograms over the data held by multiple users, while only learning a private view of the data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise determining signal information relating to a first network device such as an access point. The signal information may be associated with signal characteristics such as a radio frequency signal strength over a communication channel. An attenuation value for one or more receiving paths of the first network device may be determined using the signal information. The one or more receiving paths of the first network device may be attenuated based on the determined attenuation value. A transmission power of the first network device may be configured based on the determined attenuation value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1243zf), the process comprising: (a) fluorinating CCl3CH2CH2Cl (250fb) to produce a reaction product comprising CF3CH2CH2Cl (253fb) in the liquid phase in a first reactor, using HF as the fluorinating agent; and (b) (i) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in the vapour phase in the present of a catalyst in a second reactor; or (b)(ii) dehydrohalogenating 253fb to produce 1243zf in a second reactor, wherein the reaction product comprising 253fb produced in step (a) has subjected to one or more purification steps before step (b). The present invention also provides an azeotropic or near-azeotropic composition comprising HF and 253fb.

Abstract: In an aspect a modular field manipulation apparatus is presented. A modular field manipulation apparatus includes a central field manipulation device. A central field manipulation device includes a first surface having a first field polarity. A central field manipulation device includes a second surface positioned opposite a first surface. A second surface includes a second field polarity. A modular field manipulation apparatus includes a plurality of interconnecting components. Each interconnecting component of a plurality of interconnecting components includes at least a contacting member. At least a contacting member engages with at least a first surface of a central field manipulation device.

Abstract: A domain manager configured to manage and/or configure an audio-video (AV) system but not directly participate in networked media transmission or clock synchronization. The domain manager may include a database; an endpoint manager configured to communicate with the database, the endpoint manager being configured to setup and maintain secure connections to and from media devices and controllers; and at least one management module configured to communicate with the database and provide services to the media devices and controllers. In embodiments, the at least one management module may include at least one of a manager for managing credentials and grouping devices into domains, a device directory for managing device registrations and lookup, and an access controller for managing and/or evaluating access control policy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise determining signal information relating to a first network device such as an access point. The signal information may be associated with signal characteristics such as a radio frequency signal strength over a communication channel. An attenuation value for one or more receiving paths of the first network device may be determined using the signal information. The one or more receiving paths of the first network device may be attenuated based on the determined attenuation value. A transmission power of the first network device may be configured based on the determined attenuation value.