Abstract: Unattended beverage dispensers configured to dispense one or more beverages after authenticating a customer and associating the customer with a customer account. An unattended beverage dispenser may include a user interface with a biometric sensor configured to identify a biometric characteristic of a customer. A controller associated with the unattended beverage dispenser may authenticate a customer based on a biometric characteristic and associate the authenticated customer with a customer account. After authenticating a customer, the controller may allow beverage dispensing from the unattended beverage dispenser in accordance with a beverage dispensing rule associated with the customer's account.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.

Abstract: A method of removing nuclear contamination from a surface comprising applying a DC-biased AC waveform in an electro-pickling process using nitric acid as the electrolyte.

Abstract: An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. At least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode can include a treated carbon material, where the treated carbon material includes a reduction in a number of hydrogen-containing functional groups, nitrogen-containing functional groups and/or oxygen-containing functional groups.

Abstract: A gear pump for low speed transfers of viscous liquid slurries promotes growth of suspended particles, such as sugar crystals, by avoiding crushing of the particles. The pump includes a rotor gear in mesh with an eccentrically mounted idler gear supported on a boss of a pump head that includes a crescent seal extending into an opening resulting from the eccentricity of the idler gear relative to the rotor gear. The idler gear contains a radially extending land on each tooth profile, symmetrically oriented on adjacently spaced pairs of teeth. The lands, configured to minimize crushing of crystals passing through the pump, engage mating rotor teeth for sealing between inlet and outlet ports of the pump. To promote crystal growth, the lands cover only 10% to 30% of profile surface area of each tooth. To minimize gear tooth wear, the lands are axially staggered between successive adjacent pairs of teeth.

Abstract: An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte in ionic contact with the electrodes and the separator. At least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode can be made of a carbon based layer having a mesoporosity and/or a microporosity optimized for ionic mobility therewithin.

Abstract: Dynamic lumbar spine stabilization device implementations and methods are disclosed, which allow for dynamic fixation of both anterior and posterior vertebral columns simultaneously through the articulation of pairs of curved, overlapping rails for partial flexion and extension or up to full normal flexion and extension while stabilizing at least two vertebrae of the lumbar spine.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for automated emergency arterial cannulation. The device comprises a hand-held automated emergency arterial sheath placement device having a body with a handle and an actuator, and an arterial sheath placement head at the distal end of the handle body configured for placement against the patient's skin. The arterial sheath placement head includes an arterial sheath insertion device configured to advance an arterial needle, guide wire, and arterial sheath into a patient's artery upon sequential operation of the actuator. The arterial sheath placement head also includes a non-invasive artery locator configured to locate an artery into which the arterial sheath is intended to be placed. The arterial sheath placement head also preferably includes a Doppler gel and antiseptic needle, a local anesthetic needle, and a scalpel, all of which are likewise configured to advance from the upper body portion upon sequential operation of the actuator.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for mitigating fluid loss or leakage from a fluid pump with a rotating shaft driving a pumping mechanism. A one-piece, combined packing gland-bushing component can have an internal seal that allows for use of lubricants at higher pressures. Further, the combined packing gland-bushing component can be configured with a removal component that allows for easier removal of the packing gland-bushing component from a pump shaft, and shaft packing box.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an electrode film mixture can have a first source including a polymer dispersion comprising a liquid and a polymer, a second source including a second component of the electrode film mixture, and a fluidized bed coating apparatus including a first inlet configured to receive from the first source the dispersion, and a second inlet configured to receive from the second source the second component.

Abstract: Presented are a spout assembly, bottle and a method of forming. An exemplary spout assembly includes a tubular spout, the cylindrical spout having an endless wall defining a passage, the endless wall having a top open edge fluidly connecting the passage, a bottom open edge fluidly connecting the hollow passage, and at least three vertical ribs extending inwardly from the endless wall within the passage. The spout assembly further includes a tilted trough extending from the bottom open edge circumscribing the tubular spout, the trough having at least one opening located such that fluid flow is directed toward the at least one opening. The spout assembly still further includes a cylindrical side wall extending from the tilted trough.

Abstract: An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. At least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode can include a treated carbon material, where the treated carbon material includes a reduction in a number of hydrogen-containing functional groups, nitrogen-containing functional groups and/or oxygen-containing functional groups.

Abstract: An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. The capacitor may also include a protective coating disposed on an inner surface of the housing for the ultracapacitor.

Abstract: An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. The capacitor may also include an electrolyte in ionic contact with the electrodes and the separator, the electrolyte having acetonitrile and a quaternary ammonium salt with a molarity of less than one.

Abstract: An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. At least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode can include a treated carbon material, where the treated carbon material includes a reduction in a number of hydrogen-containing functional groups, nitrogen-containing functional groups and/or oxygen-containing functional groups.

Abstract: Disclosed is an atlantoaxial joint replacement device and method that allows up to full normal axial rotation while stabilizing C1-C2 vertebrae. The device includes a rail member curved in a circular path with a path of curvature oriented in an axial plane. The rail member includes a track body having a non-circular cross-sectional shape. A rider member is slidingly coupled to the rail member and includes a body defining a through slot that receives there through the rail member. The through slot has a non-circular cross-sectional shape compatible to the non-circular cross-sectional shape of the track body of the rail member.

Abstract: Tools and techniques assist developers with the detection of memory leaks by using correlation of data type memory usage trends. In particular, investigations of memory leaks can be prioritized without always resorting to the use of bulky and performance-degrading memory dumps, by using these tools and techniques to identify leaky correlated data types. Data about a program's memory usage is processed to identify memory usage trends over time for respective data types, and the trends are searched for significant correlations. Correlated trends (and hence their corresponding data types) are grouped. Memory usage analysis information is displayed for grouped data types, such as the names of the most rapidly leaking data types, the names of correlated data types, leak rates, and leak amounts in terms of memory size and/or data object counts. Memory usage data may also be correlated with processing load requests to indicate which requests have associated memory leaks.

Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.

Abstract: Techniques are provided to enable the registration of an embedded device with a wireless network, such as a Wi-Fi network. An established client of the wireless network formulates one or more data packets having an unencrypted multicast address, where at least a portion of the multicast address is unnecessary for transmission of the data packets over the wireless network. The established client inserts network configuration information in the unused portion of the multicast address and transmits the data packets over wireless network. The network configuration information can include a network identification (SSID) and network password. Any access point that receives the multicast packets will retransmit multiple times per standard protocol, allowing the embedded device to receive the original transmission from the client device or the retransmissions.

Abstract: Tools and techniques assist developers with the detection of memory leaks by using correlation of data type memory usage trends. In particular, investigations of memory leaks can be prioritized without always resorting to the use of bulky and performance-degrading memory dumps, by using these tools and techniques to identify leaky correlated data types. Data about a program's memory usage is processed to identify memory usage trends over time for respective data types, and the trends are searched for significant correlations. Correlated trends (and hence their corresponding data types) are grouped. Memory usage analysis information is displayed for grouped data types, such as the names of the most rapidly leaking data types, the names of correlated data types, leak rates, and leak amounts in terms of memory size and/or data object counts. Memory usage data may also be correlated with processing load requests to indicate which requests have associated memory leaks.