Abstract: A method for mitigating effects of a shipment time delay of intermediate products and materials in a manufacturing process comprises, in a training phase, obtaining historical supplier data of the intermediate products and materials, obtaining process parameters of the manufacturing process that are observable for the manufacturing process, and obtaining external data that are independent from the manufacturing process. The method applies a machine learning algorithm to generate a model for predicting a time delay risk in the manufacturing process based on the historical supplier data, the process parameters of the manufacturing process and the external data, and records the generated model in a database.

Abstract: A shredding arrangement for shredding material to be shredded, such as household waste, industrial waste, plastics, wood, paper and/or biomass, comprising a shredding device, which is arranged on a machine frame, and a supply device having at least one infeed roller drivable to rotate using an associated drive device for supplying the material to be shredded to the shredding device. The shredding arrangement is distinguished in that the infeed roller is configured to accommodate the associated drive device, and the drive device has an electric motor, gearing, and a flexible coupling.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method obtains a dataset including design data samples, each sample representing a design variation of the physical object and including design features, each design feature included in a description space. The method determines concept candidates from the obtained dataset based on at least a feature value similarity of the design features, each concept candidate including a data sample group, for generating concept candidate configurations. The method calculates a metric for said configurations which defines a quality of the generated configurations and evaluates the design features of different description spaces, and evaluates said configurations based on the calculated metric to generate concepts. One or more representative data sample for each concept is determined based on at least one criterion. The determined representative data samples are output. A design process for the physical object based on the output representative data samples for each concept is performed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for optimizing a design of a physical object comprises: obtaining a data representation of the design of the physical object, including a plurality of elements, determining plural element clusters comprising a plurality of elements and estimating a cost model for the physical object. The method determines derivatives of the cost model with respect to a material density of each cluster. At least one analytical derivative of a performance metric for each element is computed. The design is optimized by iteratively performing: varying the material density of at least one element based on the analytical derivative and the estimated derivatives of the cost model, estimating the cost using the cost model based on the data representation with varied material density. The method generates and outputs a signal comprising the optimized data representation in case a termination criterion has been met.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating an appealing visual based on an original visual captured by a vehicle mounted camera are provided. A semantic image content and its arrangement in the original visual is computed; an optimization process is performed that improves an appeal of the original visual by making it more similar to a set of predetermined traits. The optimization process may include adding information to the original visual to generate an enhanced visual by adapting content from further visuals, and adapting iteratively a geometric parameter set of the enhanced visual to generate a certain perspective or morphing to improve an arrangement of semantics in the enhanced visual. The optimized parameter set may be applied to the enhanced visual. Post-processing may be conducted after applying the optimized parameter set using a set of templates to generate a final visual that may be output for immediate or later use.

Abstract: The invention regards a method for reproducing visual and/or audio data synchronously by a group of devices, as well as a system for realizing such method. According to the invention first, a spatial location of each of the devices of the group is determined. Then, the visual and/or audio content is partitioned into content parts, each part dedicated to be reproduced by one device of the group respectively, based on the spatial location of the device. The dedicated portions are transmitted to their associated devices together with a time stamp, and the group of devices reproduces commonly and synchronously the transmitted portions.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture for facilitating task execution using a drone are disclosed. An example method includes accessing a result of a task performed by a task executor. The result includes one or more images of a task objective captured by the task executor. The result is validated based on a task definition provided by a task issuer. In response to the validation of the result indicating that the result complies with the task definition, the result is provided to the task issuer, and a reward is issued to the task executor.

Abstract: A compact AGM lead acid battery is disclosed. The battery has a container and one or more electrically connected cells in the container. The electrically connected cells are formed by a plurality of positive plates and plurality of negative plates, wherein an absorbent glass mat is interleaved between positive and negative plates. Electrolyte is provided within the container. The lead acid battery has an improved battery performance per volume and less lead weight than a conventional AGM lead acid battery or EFB lead acid battery.

Abstract: Herein is disclosed an unmanned aerial vehicle navigation system including one or more cameras configured to detect user image data; and one or more processors configured to determine from the user image data a user eye orientation; select according to a selection criterion a navigation behavior based on the user eye orientation; and determine a navigation instruction to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel in accordance with the navigation behavior.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating an appealing visual based on an original visual captured by a vehicle mounted camera are provided. A semantic image content and its arrangement in the original visual is computed; an optimization process is performed that improves an appeal of the original visual by making it more similar to a set of predetermined traits. The optimization process may include adding information to the original visual to generate an enhanced visual by adapting content from further visuals, and adapting iteratively a geometric parameter set of the enhanced visual to generate a certain perspective or morphing to improve an arrangement of semantics in the enhanced visual. The optimized parameter set may be applied to the enhanced visual. Post-processing may be conducted after applying the optimized parameter set using a set of templates to generate a final visual that may be output for immediate or later use.

Abstract: The invention regards a method for reproducing visual and/or audio data synchronously by a group of devices, as well as a system for realizing such method. According to the invention first, a spatial location of each of the devices of the group is determined. Then, the visual and/or audio content is partitioned into content parts, each part dedicated to be reproduced by one device of the group respectively, based on the spatial location of the device. The dedicated portions are transmitted to their associated devices together with a time stamp, and the group of devices reproduces commonly and synchronously the transmitted portions.

Abstract: According to various aspects, an unmanned aerial vehicle may be described, the unmanned aerial vehicle including: one or more sensors configured to gather thermal information associated with a vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle; one or more processors configured to determine at least one control information based on the thermal information and to control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the at least one control information.

Abstract: According to various aspects, a vehicle may include: one or more receivers, wherein the one or more receivers receive an animal tracking signal comprising animal attribute data from an animal tracking device configured to store animal attribute data; one or more processers, where in the processors are configured to process the animal attribute data to determine if an animal will be in the path of the vehicle and control the vehicle based on the determination that the animal will be in the path of the vehicle, and to further control the vehicle based on the animal attribute data and/or an animal behavior based on the animal attribute data.

Abstract: According to various aspects, an unmanned aerial vehicle may be described, the unmanned aerial vehicle including: one or more sensors configured to gather thermal information associated with a vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle; one or more processors configured to determine at least one control information based on the thermal information and to control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the at least one control information.

Abstract: Herein is disclosed an unmanned aerial vehicle navigation system including one or more cameras configured to detect user image data; and one or more processors configured to determine from the user image data a user eye orientation; select according to a selection criterion a navigation behavior based on the user eye orientation; and determine a navigation instruction to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel in accordance with the navigation behavior.

Abstract: An improved method for optimizing a design, based on direct manipulations of the object points of a design. In addition, the number and modifications of control points is kept as minimal as possible while the targeted movement of object points is realized and the automatic adaptation and generation of a set of control points for deformations which allows the movement of object points to desired positions. One aspect of the invention is to generate the transformation function f which is optimized to be able to realize desired changes of object parameters by means of control point variations. This optimization can be realized in a way that the mapping between the original coordinate system of the design and the spline coordinate system is not changed, so that no additional “freezing” process (the generation of the mapping between the coordinate systems) is necessary.

Abstract: A method for modifying an object design using a computer comprises the steps of: selecting a first sub-design of the object design comprising a first free form deformation geometry and a first free deformation control volume that is variable and adaptive; choosing a second sub-design comprising a second free form deformation geometry; and replacing the first geometry with the second geometry.

Abstract: An improved optimization of a design, based on direct manipulations of the object points of a design where the number and modifications of control points is kept as minimal as possible while the targeted movement of object points is realized.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for representation of designs using a basic design which is then modified by a transformation function. In free form deformation techniques the transformation function is defined by a spline function which transforms the space in which the design is defined into a second space where the new modified design is defined. During the design process the parameters of the spline function determine the parameters of the transformation function. While using Evolution Strategies, parameters of the spline function also determine the parameters the optimization algorithm works in. In order to adapt the transformation function optimally to the given problem and the necessary modification a mutation operator is proposed which allows introduction and deletion of control points. Instead of the standard mutation operator in evolution strategies this mutation operator works on the representation of the problem/design.

Abstract: A method for modifying an object design using a computer comprises the steps of: selecting a first sub-design of the object design comprising a first free form deformation geometry and a first free deformation control volume that is variable and adaptive; choosing a second sub-design comprising a second free form deformation geometry; and replacing the first geometry with the second geometry.