Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques to manufacture inter-layer vias are described. In some examples, a manufacturing process for a via to one or more metal lines within an integrated circuit may not include forming a metal pad for the via. For example, the manufacturing process may include forming a layer of dielectric material over a set of metal lines. The manufacturing process may further include forming a cavity through the dielectric layer (e.g., using an etching procedure), exposing the upper surfaces and sidewalls of one or more metal lines of the set. Subsequently, the via may be formed by depositing a conductive material within the cavity. In some cases, the conductive material may be deposited to contact the sidewalls of the one or more metal lines. Such an assembly may establish electrical connection to other electrical components of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: An oral care implement used for treatment of a user's oral cavity. The oral care implement may include a body having a longitudinal axis, a first hard plastic component, and a second hard plastic component. The first hard plastic component may have a front surface having a perimeter portion and a central portion that is surrounded by the perimeter portion, the central portion being recessed relative to the perimeter portion. The second hard plastic component may be positioned on the central portion of the first hard plastic component and surrounded by the perimeter portion of the first hard plastic component. The second hard plastic component may have an outer surface with a plurality of grooves that are elongated in a direction of the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A movable camera travels along an inspection path for optically inspecting an inspection surface of an object for defect detection. In planning the inspection path, a set of viewpoints on the inspection surface is generated. Each viewpoint is associated with a patch, which is a largest area of the inspection surface within a field of view (FOV) of the camera when the camera is located over the viewpoint for capturing an image of FOV. An effective region of the patch is advantageously predicted by a neural network according to a three-dimensional geometric characterization of the patch such that the predicted effective region is valid for defect detection based on the captured image. A valid area is one whose corresponding area on the captured image is not blurred and is neither underexposed nor overexposed. The inspection path is determined according to respective effective regions associated with the set of viewpoints.

Abstract: A hearing-aid audio control method and system are disclosed. The method includes the steps of obtaining a hearing compensation curve of a hearing-impaired person in advance; receiving and obtaining an original audio signal; using the hearing compensation curve to perform power compensation on a corresponding frequency band of the original audio signal to obtain a hearing-aid audio signal; outputting the hearing-aid audio signal and/or using the hearing-aid audio signal to drive operation of an audio system. The method can use the hearing compensation curve of the hearing-impaired person to perform power compensation on the corresponding frequency band of the original audio signal to obtain the hearing-aid audio signal. By adjusting the volume of the corresponding audio frequency bands, the hearing-impaired can hear the sound clearly, without continuous hearing loss due to excessive volume adjustment and without disturbing other people.

Abstract: A toothbrush handle includes a support structure formed of clarified polypropylene and a body formed of thermoplastic elastomer disposed on the support structure. The support structure includes a web having a thickness in a first direction orthogonal to an axis of the toothbrush handle of less than 2 millimeters and at least one rib depending from the web and having a thickness in a second direction, orthogonal to the axis and angled relative to the first direction, of less than about 2 millimeters. The body at least partially covers the web and the at least one rib. The handle has a light transmissivity of greater than 40% through a portion of the handle at which the body covers the web and the at least one rib.

Abstract: An toothbrush having a handle and a head. The handle may include a first component and a second component covering at least a portion of the first component. The first and second components may be chemically compatible. The first and second components may both comprise a hard polyolefin. The first and second components may have different transparencies. In one aspect, the first component may be opaque and the second component may be transparent or semi-transparent. In some aspects, the handle may also include a third component comprising a thermoplastic elastomer. Furthermore, there may be at least one projection extending outwardly from an outer surface of the first component.

Abstract: A turbine operable to convey a flow of exhaust gas along a central axis includes a strut having a flow portion positioned within the flow of exhaust gas and a strut cover having a length and positioned to surround the flow portion of the strut, the strut cover including a leading-edge portion, a mid-chord portion, and a trailing-edge portion. The mid-chord portion has a uniform cross-section, and the trailing-edge portion has a trailing-edge center positioned such that the mid-chord portion and the trailing-edge portion define a master chord plane. The leading-edge portion defines a leading-edge nose, and the leading-edge portion is twisted with respect to the master chord plane and the leading-edge nose along the length defines a curve that is not coincident with the master chord plane.

Abstract: A turbine stage includes a first airfoil and a second airfoil extending respectively from a first platform and a second platform that form an endwall for a flow passage. The endwall has a nominal surface that is axisymmetric about an axis of the turbine stage. The endwall further includes at least one contoured region that is non-axisymmetric with respect to the axis. The at least one contoured region extends from the first platform to the second platform across a platform splitline. The global maximum variation in elevation ?EW of the endwall is at least 3% of an axial chord length L of the airfoils on the endwall. The maximum variation in elevation ?MF at the mate facea of the platforms lies in the range 15-60% ?EW.

Abstract: A turbine operable to produce a flow of exhaust gas along a central axis includes a strut having a flow portion positioned within the flow of exhaust gas and a strut cover having a length and positioned to surround the flow portion of the strut, the strut cover including a leading-edge portion, a mid-chord portion, and a trailing-edge portion. The mid-chord portion has a uniform cross-section, and the trailing-edge portion has a trailing-edge center positioned such that the mid-chord portion and the trailing-edge portion define a master chord plane. The leading-edge portion defines a leading-edge nose, and the leading-edge portion is twisted with respect to the master chord plane and the leading-edge nose along the length defines a curve that is not coincident with the master chord plane.

Abstract: A turbine stage includes an array of airfoils spaced apart circumferentially to define a flow passage therebetween for channeling a working medium. The airfoils extend radially outward from an inner endwall located at a hub side thereof. The inner endwall is inclined at an angle to an engine axis such that the flow passage is divergent from an upstream side to a downstream side. The inner endwall is non-axisymmetric about the engine axis, having a mid-passage bulge located between circumferentially adjacent first and second airfoils. The bulge has a peak at a position between 20-60% CaxID and at a position between 30-70% pitchID.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed describing an adaptive approach for image bracket selection and fusion, e.g., to generate low noise and high dynamic range (HDR) images in a wide variety of capturing conditions. An incoming image stream may be obtained from an image capture device, wherein the incoming image stream comprises a variety of differently-exposed captures, e.g., EV0 images, EV? images, EV+ images, long exposure (or synthetic long exposure) images, EV0/EV? image pairs, etc., which are received according to a particular pattern. When a capture request is received, a set of rules and/or a decision tree may be used to evaluate one or more capture conditions associated with the images from the incoming image stream and determine which two or more images to select for a fusion operation. A noise reduction process may optionally be performed on the selected images before (or after) the registration and fusion operations.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first gate dielectric and a second gate dielectric over a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region, respectively, depositing a lanthanum-containing layer including a first portion and a second portion overlapping the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric, respectively, and depositing a hard mask including a first portion and a second portion overlapping the first portion and the second portion of the lanthanum-containing layer, respectively. The hard mask is free from both of titanium and tantalum. The method further includes forming a patterned etching mask to cover the first portion of the hard mask, with the second portion of the hard mask being exposed, removing the second portion of the hard mask and the second portion of the lanthanum-containing layer, and performing an anneal to drive lanthanum in the first portion of the lanthanum-containing layer into the first gate dielectric.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first gate dielectric and a second gate dielectric over a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region, respectively, depositing a lanthanum-containing layer including a first portion and a second portion overlapping the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric, respectively, and depositing a hard mask including a first portion and a second portion overlapping the first portion and the second portion of the lanthanum-containing layer, respectively. The hard mask is free from both of titanium and tantalum. The method further includes forming a patterned etching mask to cover the first portion of the hard mask, with the second portion of the hard mask being exposed, removing the second portion of the hard mask and the second portion of the lanthanum-containing layer, and performing an anneal to drive lanthanum in the first portion of the lanthanum-containing layer into the first gate dielectric.

Abstract: A blade (10) for a turbine engine that includes an internal cooling system (56) formed from at least one cavity (58) positioned within a generally elongated airfoil (12). A squealer tip (36) and at least one densified oxide dispersion strengthened layer (38) extend radially from a radially outer tip cap (70) of the blade (10), the tip cap (70) having a tip cap upper surface (50).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting possible living body contact at an electrical contact surface is disclosed, comprising sending a non-hazardous probing signal to the contact surface, detecting an electrical response from the contact surface in response to the electrical probing signal, and determining whether a captured responsive signal has characteristics of an expected responsive pulse, and to output a positive output signal indicative of possible living body to mitigate risks of electrical shock.

Abstract: An oral care implement (100) includes an elastomeric component and a method of forming the same. In one embodiment, the oral care implement (100) includes a handle (120) and a head (110). The elastomeric component is positioned on at least one of the handle (120) and the head (110). The elastomeric component includes a body, a plurality of the first particles (202), and a plurality of the second particles (203). The body comprises a transparent or translucent elastomeric material. The pluralities of first and second particles are embedded in the body of the elastomeric component. The plurality of first particles (202) includes a first color and the plurality of second particles (203) includes a second color. The elastomeric component may form a tissue cleanser (140) on a rear surface of the head, an elastomeric tooth cleaning element (150) on a front surface of the head, and/or a grip (121) on the handle (120).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting possible living body contact at an electrical contact surface is disclosed, comprising sending a non-hazardous probing signal to the contact surface, detecting an electrical response from the contact surface in response to the electrical probing signal, and determining whether a captured responsive signal has characteristics of an expected responsive pulse, and to output a positive output signal indicative of possible living body to mitigate risks of electrical shock.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an electrical apparatus, the load monitoring apparatus comprising a controller which is configured to capture and process voltage and current data of an electrical apparatus, which is electrically connected with a power supply, to obtain electrical parameters of the electrical apparatus, to store the electrical parameters as measured electrical parameters, to compare the measured electrical parameters with a set of pre-stored electrical parameters, to determine whether the measured electrical parameters match with the stored electrical parameters, and to operate a power switch to turn off power supply to the electrical parameters if the measured electrical parameters do not match with the stored electrical parameters.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and computer-readable media describing an adaptive approach for image selection, fusion, and noise reduction, e.g., to generate low noise and high dynamic range (HDR) images with improved motion freezing in a variety of capturing conditions. An incoming image stream may be obtained from an image capture device, wherein the image stream comprises a variety of differently-exposed captures, e.g., EV0 images, EV? images, EV+ images. When a capture request is received, a set of rules may be used to evaluate one or more capture conditions associated with the images from the incoming image stream and determine which two or more images to select for a fusion operation. The fusion operation may be designed to adaptively fuse the selected images, e.g., in a fashion that is determined to be optimal from a noise variance minimization standpoint. A fusion-adaptive noise reduction process may further be performed on the resultant fused image.

Abstract: Embodiments of this application relate to the field of communications technologies, and disclose a dynamic scheduling method, an apparatus, and a system, so as to reduce information exchange costs and calculation complexity of data scheduling and route allocation. The method includes: receiving, by a scheduling platform, first VOQ length information of each aggregation switch in each timeslot; aggregating all the received first VOQ length information, to obtain global VOQ length information, where the global VOQ length information includes a total quantity of data packets that need to be sent from each of M pods to other pods than the pod; determining a transmission matching scheme based on the global VOQ length information; and sending corresponding matching result information to each aggregation switch according to the transmission matching scheme, so that each aggregation switch sends a data packet according to the transmission matching scheme.