Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for the deployment and retrieval of child UAVs from a V-TOL UAV Mothership. The Mothership may be piloted from a base station to one or more destination locations. At the destination location, one or more child UAVs may be deployed from a cargo bay module. The child UAVs perform tasks or complete a mission before coordinating their retrieval with the V-TOL UAV Mothership. The Mothership may plan an intercept course to retrieve the child UAVs in mid-flight or coordinate a hovering type retrieval with the child UAVs. The child UAVs are retrieved through an actuated frontal opening which provides access to the cargo bay without having to navigate through turbulence created beneath the hovering Mothership by the vertical thrust rotors.

Abstract: A device for modulation of light (16) having a wavelength, comprising: a first substrate (10) with a first face (81) and a second opposite face (82), and comprising a first electrode (11); a second substrate (20) adjacent to the second face (82) and defining a gap between the first and second substrate (10, 20), the second substrate (20) comprising a second electrode (21); a responsive liquid crystal layer (15) disposed in the gap, wherein the responsive liquid crystal layer (15) has a flexoelectro-optic chiral nematic phase, and is birefringent with an optic axis that tilts in response to an applied electric field between the first and second electrode (11, 21); and a mirror adjacent to the second substrate (20), the mirror configured to reflect incident circular polarised light while preserving its handedness.

Abstract: An animal control unit comprising: a housing comprising at least two electrodes and an electronics module configured to controllably deliver an electrical stimulus to an animal wearing the animal control unit via said at least two electrodes, wherein the housing is shaped such that it rests on the upper side of the animal's neck when in use; a collar to which the housing is attached, the collar being configured for fitment around a neck of the animal to moveably retain the housing in a first position; and a biasing means configured to provide a self-righting force such that the housing is biased towards the first position during movement, and wherein at least one of said electrodes is a strip electrode comprising a strip portion shaped to rest along a natural contour of the animal's neck.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer dispersed liquid crystal, PDLC, film, the method comprising: forming a region of liquid polymer (206) on a substrate (212); depositing one or more liquid crystal, LC, formulations (214) into the liquid polymer; and thereafter curing (234) the liquid polymer (206) to thereby induce phase separation between the polymer (206) and the liquid crystal formulations (214), resulting in PDLC pixels (236) which are phase separated from the surrounding, cured polymer—thereby producing a PDLC film.

Abstract: A modular VTOL drone aircraft can include a primary processor, a plurality of propellers, one or more line replacement modules (“LRMs”) and one or more line replacement units (“LRUs”). LRMs can include a fuselage, a center wing, two booms, two outer wings, two vertical tails, a horizontal tail, and/or an engine. LRUs can include an avionics module, a radio communications assembly, a sensor package assembly, an ISR assembly, and/or a deployable payload assembly. Each LRM and LRU can be self-contained and removably attached to the remainder of the VTOL drone. Each LRM can be readily interchanged with another similar LRM, which can be of a different size. LRM interfaces can include a blind mate electric connector and/or a floating connector.

Abstract: A VTOL drone aircraft can include a rechargeable battery, a primary processor, lift propellers, an internal combustion engine with a thrust propeller, a generator, and a power regulation controller. The generator can receive power from the internal combustion engine and deliver electrical power to the rechargeable battery, the lift propellers, or both. The power regulation controller can regulate dynamically power delivery from the internal combustion engine to the thrust propeller and the generator, and from the generator to the rechargeable battery based upon changing conditions during flight. The power regulation controller can prevent operation of the generator when peak power is needed from the internal combustion engine for the thrust propeller. The power regulation controller can also control a clutch coupled to the thrust propeller to regulate the delivery of power to the thrust propeller when the internal combustion engine is active.

Abstract: A dual use UAV or “drone” can include a battery and primary processor located at a fuselage, as well as two separate modular units removably coupled to the fuselage and in communication with the primary processor. The two separate modular units can interact with each other to provide an enhanced operation while the drone is in flight. One modular unit can be an ISR unit having a video camera, and the other modular unit can be a cargo unit. The enhanced operation can involve the ISR unit using its video camera to identify a delivery location for a cargo pod of the cargo unit. Alternative modular units can include a secondary ISR unit, a cargo fuel pod unit, or a robotic arm assembly. Standardized interfaces coupled to the fuselage can enable the ready removal of one modular unit and installation of another one.

Abstract: A device for modulation of light (16) having a wavelength, comprising: a first substrate (10) with a first face (81) and a second opposite face (82), and comprising a first electrode (11); a second substrate (20) adjacent to the second face (82) and defining a gap between the first and second substrate (10, 20), the second substrate (20) comprising a second electrode (21); a responsive liquid crystal layer (15) disposed in the gap, wherein the responsive liquid crystal layer (15) has a flexoelectro-optic chiral nematic phase, and is birefringent with an optic axis that tilts in response to an applied electric field between the first and second electrode (11, 21); and a minor adjacent to the second substrate (20), the minor configured to reflect incident circular polarised light while preserving its handedness.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure describe systems and methods that leverage machine learning to automate the process of creating music and effects mixes from original sound mixes including domestic dialogue. In some implementations, a method includes: receiving a sound mix including human dialogue; extracting metadata from the sound mix, where the extracted metadata categorizes the sound mix; extracting content feature data from the sound mix, the extracted content feature data including an identification of the human dialogue and instances or times the human dialogue occurs within the sound mix; automatically calculating, with a trained model, content feature data of a music and effects (M&E) sound mix using at least the extracted metadata and the extracted content feature data of the sound mix; and deriving the M&E sound mix using at least the calculated content feature data.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for authenticating a product. The method comprises: receiving a verification code associated with the product; applying an electric field to a liquid crystal device (100) located in or on the product, the liquid crystal device (100) comprising: a first substrate (105); a second substrate (110) spaced apart from the first substrate (105); a liquid crystal composition (115) located between the first substrate (105) and the second substrate (110); wherein the liquid crystal composition (115) comprises one or more regions (120) of polymerised liquid crystal composition; and a first electrode (125) and a second electrode (130) configured to apply the electric field; comparing a display output by the liquid crystal device (100) in response to the application of the electric field to the verification code associated with the product; wherein, if the display output by the liquid crystal device (100) matches the verification code associated with the product, the product is authenticated.

Abstract: A system for providing an internet-based search mechanism to enable an anonymous user to search for a resource provider. The system comprises a user device adapted to host an internet-based portal such that a user can submit an anonymous request for information relating directly to a resource. A secure server adapted to host a database containing resource provider information, to communicate with the user device via a communications network and to alert at least a first resource provider is also provided. The secure server is also adapted to initiate an anonymous communication channel between at least the first resource provider and the user via the internet-based portal and the communications network. A method for carrying out such a search is also disclosed.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure describe systems and methods that leverage machine learning to automate the process of creating music and effects mixes from original sound mixes including domestic dialogue. In some implementations, a method includes: receiving a sound mix including human dialogue; extracting metadata from the sound mix, where the extracted metadata categorizes the sound mix; extracting content feature data from the sound mix, the extracted content feature data including an identification of the human dialogue and instances or times the human dialogue occurs within the sound mix; automatically calculating, with a trained model, content feature data of a music and effects (M&E) sound mix using at least the extracted metadata and the extracted content feature data of the sound mix; and deriving the M&E sound mix using at least the calculated content feature data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing drilling operations in earth formations. The systems and methods include drilling a borehole within the earth formation, receiving data acquired within the borehole in the earth formation, analyzing the data to locate a plurality of data structures formed by the data, the plurality of data structures including a first structure at a first location and a second structure at a second location, projecting the first structure as a first geological projection intersecting the first location, and projecting the second structure as a second geological projection intersecting the second location, classifying the first geological projection and the second geological projection based on a hierarchy of geological feature types to generate a hierarchical classification, and adjusting one or more of the first geological projection and the second geological projection based on the hierarchical classification.

Abstract: An aircraft can include a fuselage, a plurality of booms extending from the fuselage, and a plurality of rotors coupled to the fuselage via the plurality of booms. The plurality of rotors can comprise at least a pair of rotors arranged on each of the first side and the second side of the fuselage. Each pair of rotors can include a fore rotor and an aft rotor, and each rotor can be configured to tilt its corresponding axis of rotation. The fore rotor can be spaced from the fuselage by a fore distance and the aft rotor can be spaced from the fuselage by an aft distance different than the fore distance, where the fore and aft distances can be selected such that the circular rotor paths of the fore and aft rotors partially overlap along the spanwise direction.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problems described above by presenting an improved mounting plate for vehicle bike racks allowing the user to directly mount a vehicle license plate to the mounting plate such that the license plate is visible and not obstructed by the bikes positioned on the vehicle bike rack. The mounting plate for vehicle bike racks includes a rigid body having a flat mounting surface, a plurality of holes positioned on the flat mounting surface, a pair of rotatable arms and a pair of connection members configured to attach to a vehicle bike rack.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing, a ducted fan and a controller. The wing and the ducted fan are coupled to the fuselage. The controller is operable to control the aircraft in a vertical flight mode, a horizontal flight mode, and transition the aircraft from the vertical flight mode to the horizontal flight mode.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure describe systems and methods that leverage machine learning to automate the process of creating various versions of sound mixes using an original sound mix as a starting point. In implementations, a system for automated versioning of sound mixes may include: (i) a component to extract metadata categorizing/identifying the input sound mix; (ii) a component to extract audio features of the input sound mix; (iii) a component that uses a machine learning model to compare the extracted audio features of the input sound mix with extracted audio features of previously analyzed sound mixes to calculate audio features of a target sound mix; and (iv) a component to perform signal processing to derive the target sound mix given the calculated audio features.

Abstract: An electrosurgical forceps instrument in which an energy conveying structure for efficiently transferring electromagnetic energy (e.g. microwave energy and/or radiofrequency energy) from a coaxial cable to electrodes on the forceps jaws is incorporated into a compact jaw opening structure. The jaw opening structure may be dimensioned to be suitable for insertion down the instrument channel of a endoscope or other scoping device. Alternatively, the device may be configured as a laparoscopic device or be used in open procedures. The instrument may be used as a tool to perform new minimally invasive surgical techniques such as Natural Orifice Transluminal Endosurgery (NOTES) or the like.