Abstract: A water-based drilling fluid containing high molecular weight crosslinked polyacrylic acid as viscosifying agent exhibits stability at well temperatures in excess of 150° C. The drilling fluid may further contain a lubricant, weighting agent and/or a wetting agent as well as laponite clay. The aqueous based drilling fluid exhibits a coefficient of friction which is substantially close to the coefficient of friction of oil based drilling muds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to wheelchair improvements and, in particular, to a wheelchair including a monocoque structural skin according to one aspect, and a suspension assembly according to another aspect.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for collecting and stabilizing biological samples, and more particularly, for collecting and stabilizing blood or other bodily fluids from a user's fingertip, earlobe, heel or other locations. The present invention also relates to sample collection devices that simplify the process for mixing the biological samples with an additive or additives, provide for efficient storage and safe transport of the samples, and provide for easy access to the samples for subsequent processing.

Abstract: An event visualization system. The system uses a digital video capture array. The array is synchronized into a composited video feed file. The composited video feed file has a number of unit perspective video files. Each unit perspective video file has a coordinate location, a unit frame height, and a unit frame width. The unit perspective video files can be played simultaneously for individual display in a digital event player. The digital event player is operated on a client.

Abstract: Methods and graphical user interfaces are provided for generating alarm notifications. For each of a plurality of patients, an alarm hotspot may be detected in near-real time. An alarm hotspot is detected using indications of alarms issued by devices that monitor a patient in a hospital setting. Once detected, the alarm hotspot is analyzed, in near-real time, so as to identify that one or more interventions are available for performance by a clinician. An action may include a clinician changing a lead, tuning a monitor limit, undertaking an intervention that addresses a physiological or non-physiological aspect of the patient that triggered an alarm, or a combination thereof. Then, alarm hotspot information and the identified action are communicated to a clinician in near-real time using an easily consumable notification.

Abstract: Systems and techniques relating to passive meniscus stabilization during shutdown for ink jet printing systems are described. A described system includes a tank to store ink; a print head including a nozzle plate defining nozzles, the print head coupled with the tank to supply ink to the nozzles; an active pressure control system coupled with the tank and the print head, the active pressure control system maintaining a pressure level in the print head during an operational state of the printing system; and a passive pressure control system coupled with the print head to hydrostatically moderate the pressure level in the print head during a shutdown state of the printing system.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage medium are provided for providing closed loop alert management. An alert related to a patient is communicated to a first tier via a messaging application. The first tier comprises one or more clinicians assigned to care for the patient. Upon receiving a response from a clinician in the first tier, an indication the clinician has responded to the alert is communicated to the first tier. Upon receiving no response from a clinician in the first tier, the alert may be communicated to other devices associated with the clinicians in the first tier or to a subsequent tier comprising one or more other clinicians.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for tracking a toolstring at subsea depths. One system includes a remote operated vehicle (ROV), a wireless transmitter arranged on the toolstring and configured to transmit one or more wireless signals, a wireless receiver configured to perceive the one or more wireless signals, whereby the ROV is able to locate a position of the toolstring in the oceanic environment.

Abstract: A protective canopy is intended for use over existing structures undergoing roofing replacement or repairs, for the protection of workers from direct sunlight and inclement weather. An upper surface is comprised of a weatherproof tarpaulin. The tarpaulin is anchored along edge portions to the ground surface using guy lines, and supported by a plurality of adjustable poles which are positioned upon the roof surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a combined steering and brake control system for vehicles and, in particular, to a mechanically combined steering and brake control system for use in safely controlling a vehicle configured for drivers with limited body movement, such as drivers having use of only one or no limbs. The invention further relates to a steering control system including a variable radius crank which enables the driver to select an appropriate crank radius. The invention further relates to a vehicle incorporating one or a combination of the control systems.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for collecting and stabilizing biological samples, and more particularly, for collecting and stabilizing blood or other bodily fluids from a user's fingertip, earlobe, heel or other locations. The present invention also relates to sample collection devices that simplify the process for mixing the biological samples with an additive or additives, provide for efficient storage and safe transport of the samples, and provide for easy access to the samples for subsequent processing.

Abstract: In steady-state voltage stability analysis, as load increases toward a maximum, conventional Newton-Raphson power flow Jacobian matrix becomes increasingly ill-conditioned so power flow fails to converge before reaching maximum loading. A method to directly eliminate this singularity reformulates the power flow problem by introducing an AQ bus with specified bus angle and reactive power consumption of a load bus. For steady-state voltage stability analysis, the angle separation between the swing bus and AQ bus can be varied to control power transfer to the load, rather than specifying the load power itself. For an AQ bus, the power flow formulation is only made up of a reactive power equation, thus reducing the size of the Jacobian matrix by one. This reduced Jacobian matrix is nonsingular at the critical voltage point, eliminating a major difficulty in voltage stability analysis for power system operations.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for tracking a toolstring at subsea depths. One system includes a remote operated vehicle (ROV), a wireless transmitter arranged on the toolstring and configured to transmit one or more wireless signals, a wireless receiver configured to perceive the one or more wireless signals, whereby the ROV is able to locate a position of the toolstring in the oceanic environment.

Abstract: A flow distribution system for a multi-phase fluid stream includes an inlet for receiving a multi-phase fluid stream from an inlet pipe, a plurality of outlets each for delivering a portion of the multi-phase fluid stream to a respective outlet pipe, and a hollow housing forming an inner chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and the plurality of outlets, where the housing has a central longitudinal axis. The inner chamber includes a first chamber portion adjacent to the inlet and a second chamber portion adjacent to the plurality of outlets, and the first chamber portion has a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the second chamber portion. A non-planar flow diverter is positioned within the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to wheelchair improvements and, in particular, to a wheelchair including a monocoque structural skin according to one aspect, and a suspension assembly according to another aspect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a combined steering and brake control system for vehicles and, in particular, to a mechanically combined steering and brake control system for use in safely controlling a vehicle configured for drivers with limited body movement, such as drivers having use of only one or no limbs. The invention further relates to a steering control system including a variable radius crank which enables the driver to select an appropriate crank radius. The invention further relates to a vehicle incorporating one or a combination of the control systems.

Abstract: A water-based drilling fluid containing high molecular weight crosslinked polyacrylic acid as viscosifying agent exhibits stability at well temperatures in excess of 150° C. The drilling fluid may further contain a lubricant, weighting agent and/or a wetting agent as well as laponite clay. The aqueous based drilling fluid exhibits a coefficient of friction which is substantially close to the coefficient of friction of oil based drilling muds.