Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a perovskite of A2BX4, where A includes an R-form of a chiral molecule of at least one of and/or an S-form of the chiral molecule, B includes a cation, X includes an anion, R1 includes a first carbon chain having between 2 and 5 carbon atoms, R2 includes at least one of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a carboxylic acid group, an alkoxy group, and/or a second carbon chain, and R3 includes a third carbon chain.

Abstract: A liner having two cavities to hold paint is configured for positioning within an interior cavity of a container to an engaged position therein. While in the engaged position, the liner opening is held centered or coaxial to the opening of the container whereby the user can rotate the liner to reposition the two cavities for easier access thereto.

Abstract: The invention is directed to controlling a hydraulic actuation system having at least one degree of freedom, a prime mover, at least one actuation module and a controller, with each actuation module including: an over-center variable displacement pump having a power input connection configured to power the pump from the prime mover and a displacement varying input for varying the displacement of the pump; a displacement varying actuator configured to modulate the displacement varying input of the pump; an output actuator in direct communication with the pump, the output actuator configured to drive a corresponding degree of freedom; and at least one sensor establishing a feedback measurement that represents a force or motion of the output actuator. Based on a value of each feedback measurement, the force or motion of the output actuator is regulated by controlling the prime mover and the displacement actuator for the output actuator.

Abstract: A calibration track to use for pedometer calibration can be automatically selected based on detecting sustained locomotion activity and an ability to obtain and maintain a reliable location fix over a calibration period. Calibration tracks can be generated, rated for quality, and used to compute calibration parameters to convert accelerometer data to stride length and/or distance traveled. Quality of a calibration can be assessed, and old and new calibration parameter sets can be combined based on quality weights assigned to each. Calibration parameters can be separately maintained for different locomotion activities and/or different on-body locations of the pedometers. Pedometer devices can also cooperatively calibrate each other.

Abstract: A calibration track to use for pedometer calibration can be automatically selected based on detecting sustained locomotion activity and an ability to obtain and maintain a reliable location fix over a calibration period. Calibration tracks can be generated, rated for quality, and used to compute calibration parameters to convert accelerometer data to stride length and/or distance traveled. Quality of a calibration can be assessed, and old and new calibration parameter sets can be combined based on quality weights assigned to each. Calibration parameters can be separately maintained for different locomotion activities and/or different on-body locations of the pedometers. Pedometer devices can also cooperatively calibrate each other.

Abstract: The invention is directed to controlling a hydraulic actuation system having at least one degree of freedom, a prime mover, at least one actuation module and a controller, with each actuation module including: an over-center variable displacement pump having a power input connection configured to power the pump from the prime mover and a displacement varying input for varying the displacement of the pump; a displacement varying actuator configured to modulate the displacement varying input of the pump; an output actuator in direct communication with the pump, the output actuator configured to drive a corresponding degree of freedom; and at least one sensor establishing a feedback measurement that represents a force or motion of the output actuator. Based on a value of each feedback measurement, the force or motion of the output actuator is regulated by controlling the prime mover and the displacement actuator for the output actuator.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for ordered execution of actions in a game environment is disclosed. An indication of a first object having been targeted in the game environment may be received whereby the object is assigned a first target slot. An indication of a second object having been targeted in the game environment may then be received, this second targeted object being assigned a second target slot. An action is then executed in the game environment with respect to each of the targeted objects in response to a command from an input device. The execution of the action with respect to each of the targeted objects may occur in accordance with an order defined by the target slots.

Abstract: A video game player can easily target and attack one or more enemies in a video game environment. The player may quickly designate an enemy on a display screen as a target and associate the enemy with a controller button on a video game controller. When the game player actuates the controller button, a player character initiates an attack on the targeted enemy that is assigned or associated with the button. The character initiates the attack on the enemy regardless of whether the character is facing toward the enemy or away from the enemy. If multiple enemies are present and multiple controller buttons are available, the player can choose which enemy will be targeted and associated with a controller button. This allows the player flexibility in choosing which enemies to attack. The player can also associate additional enemies with different buttons on a controller. The player can then initiate successive attacks on the additional enemies by actuating the buttons associated with the enemies.

Abstract: Autonomous systems require efficient run-time performance. In agents optimized for performance, control structures and domain knowledge are often intertwined, providing efficient execution but brittle knowledge bases that scale poorly. Combining ontology representations and agents optimized for performance can capitalize the strengths of individual approaches and reduce individual weaknesses. Automatic translators are to convert ontological representations, hand-coded procedures for ontological inference, and explanation-based learning to cache inference.

Abstract: A computer system and method where a user is authenticated to both an authentication server and to a client machine, but no link between the client machine and authentication server is needed. Login information is provided from the client machine to the technician machine in an encrypted format using a public key so that the technician machine cannot access the login information. The technician machine communicates the encrypted login information to an authentication server, which decrypts the login information using a private key and provides the decrypted login information to the technician machine if the technician machine can authenticate itself to the authentication server. The invention is particularly useful in enabling field service technicians to access client computer systems from remote locations such as field offices, hotel rooms, airports and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for authorized remote access to a target system. The apparatus, system, and method include a security module and an authorization module that cooperate to authenticate a remote user using three passwords. The apparatus, system, and method selectively generate an encrypted key in response to a first password. The authorization module decrypts the encrypted key and determines a third password in response to authenticating a second password and identifying a remote user within an authorized user list. The third password is then used to gain secure, traceable, and in certain embodiments, restricted remote access to a target system.

Abstract: Dimeric inhibin concentration can be used in the determination of the risk of a women carrying an unborn child affected by chromosomal abnormalities, e.g. Downs Syndrome. A method for antenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities is carried out by measuring body fluid taken from a pregnant woman for the level of at least one marker or precursor or metabolite of the marker together with the gestational age of the woman are compared with reference values taken from women carrying fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities and/or women carrying normal fetuses, using dimeric inhibin as a marker. A second marker is the free beta subunit of human chorion gonadotropin. An apparatus for carrying out the method described comprises a computer with a means for comparing the values described.