Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and controlling an aquatic environment thus regulating the aquatic environment and maximizing the stability of the aquatic ecosystem. This system uses sensor and data fusion algorithms to perform system anomaly analysis and predictive failure diagnostics based on the output of sensors associated with the aquatic environment control devices. Based on the system anomaly analysis and/or predictive failure diagnostics, the system may continuously adjust the system parameters to maintain an efficient and stable aquatic environment, alert local or remote monitors of failed or impending failure of control devices. In addition, the system may present the system anomaly analysis and predictive failure diagnostics information at a local or remote location to enable the monitor to address any problems presented in situ.

Abstract: Each of a number of resonator masses is split into two separate lobes or masses joined together by a short flexure. The short flexure allows the separate lobes or masses to rotate slightly as they resonate so as to substantially relieve longitudinal stresses in certain resonator structures.

Abstract: An inspection system based upon an enclosed conveyance such as a van, capable of road travel, for inspecting persons or objects. The conveyance is characterized by an enclosing body, or skin. A source of penetrating radiation and a spatial modulator for forming the penetrating radiation into a beam, both contained entirely within the body of the enclosed conveyance, irradiate the person or object with a time-variable scanning profile. A detector module generates a scatter signal based on the scatter of penetrating radiation. A proximity sensor may be employed to generate a relative motion signal based on a relative disposition of the conveyance and the inspected object. An image is formed of the contents of the object based in part on the scatter signal and the relative motion signal. A detector, which may be separate or part of the scatter detector module, may exhibit sensitivity to decay products of radioactive material.

Abstract: A high quality speech synthesizer in various embodiments concatenates speech waveforms referenced by a large speech database. Speech quality is further improved by speech unit selection and concatenation smoothing.

Abstract: A steering wheel workstation support is provided for mounting a laptop computer. The steering wheel workstation support contains a support portion with a lip, a hook arrangement, and a standoff member integrally formed from a single piece of material. The support portion lip secures the laptop base. The hook arrangement attaches the workstation support to the steering wheel. The standoff member, located on the back of the support portion, causes the lower end of the support portion to be displaced from a lower part of the steering wheel so as to present the laptop keyboard and display at ergonomically desirable angles. In addition, the workstation support may be placed on a horizontal surface so as to present the laptop display to viewers.

Abstract: A disposable cassette for mixing an intravenous drug in a vial to a patient includes a liquid inlet for connection to a liquid supply, a first vial spike, a second vial spike and a chamber. The chamber, the first and second vial spikes, and the liquid inlet are in fluid communication with each other. A valve mechanism may be actuated to control flow between the chamber, the vial receptacles and the liquid inlet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatically training or modifying one or more models of acoustic units in a speech recognition system. Acoustic models are modified based on information about a particular application with which the speech recognizer is used, including speech segment alignment data for at least one correct alignment and at least one wrong alignment. The correct alignment correctly represents a phrase that the speaker uttered. The wrong alignment represents a phrase that the speech recognition system recognized that is incorrect. The segment alignment data is compared by segment to identify competing segments and those that induced the recognition error. When an erroneous segment is identified, acoustic models of the phoneme in the correct alignment are modified by moving their mean values closer to the segment's acoustic features.

Abstract: A line interface performs echo cancellation without the use of a hybrid filter network and includes a transmit path having a line driver, a single matching network terminating the line, and a single transformer. The transformer uses split windings on both the primary side and the secondary (line) side. Each half of the primary side is tapped to obtain a turns ratio of N1:N2, while each half of the secondary side of the transformer has N windings. The single matching impedance is coupled in parallel between the first winding and the second winding on each half of the primary side. Either the voltage across the matching impedance or the voltage across the receive terminals is bootstrapped to the receive signal through multiple negative feedbacks. The transfer function of the line driver is shaped as a first-order high-pass filter (HPF) to reject any out-of-band noise and distortion components.

Abstract: A transporter for transporting a load over a surface. The transporter includes a support platform for supporting the load. The support platform is characterized by a fore-aft axis, a lateral axis, and an orientation with respect to the surface, the orientation referred to as an attitude. At least one ground-contacting element is flexibly coupled to the support platform in such a manner that the attitude of the support platform is capable of variation. One or more ground-contacting elements are driven by a motorized drive arrangement. A sensor module generates a signal characterizing the attitude of the support platform. Based on the attitude, a controller commands the motorized drive arrangement.

Abstract: A method of activating at least two electrodes in a multichannel electrode array uses channel specific sampling sequences. More particularly, a channel specific sampling sequence is defined for each electrode, the sequence having a particular duration, pulse amplitude distribution, and number of pulses. A weighting factor is applied to the channel specific sampling sequence. Each electrode in the multichannel electrode array is then simultaneously activated using sign-correlated pulses. The sign-correlated pulses are based on parameters of spatial channel interaction reflecting geometric overlapping of electrical fields from each electrode, wherein calculating the amplitudes of the sign-correlated pulses includes compensating for geometric overlapping of electrical fields from each electrode. Furthermore, the sign-correlated pulses are based on each electrode's weighted channel specific sampling sequence.

Abstract: A method for providing an end-stop for a slider on a resealable thermoplastic bag is provided. The resealable thermoplastic bag includes a profile track having a first side panel and a second side panel. A clip having first and second legs is made to straddle the profile track such that the first leg of the clip being proximate to the first side panel and the second leg of the clip being proximate to the second side panel. One of the legs has an inward-facing protrusion for engaging a corresponding recess on the panel proximate thereto, such that the clip resists vertical motion on the profile track. The other of the legs of the clip is sealed to the panel proximate thereto.

Abstract: A light conversion apparatus has a germanium-based photodiode, and a polysilicon-based receiving electrode for receiving light to be converted by the photodiode. The receiving electrode is coupled with the photodiode and permits the received light to substantially pass through it to the photodiode. The photodiode is capable of converting the received light into an electrical signal.

Abstract: Resonator structures include a plurality of resonator masses interconnected by a plurality of levers so as to resonate in anti-phase with one another. The levers include a plurality of lever fingers interdigitated with corresponding fixed fingers affixed to an underlying substrate for at least one of driving movement of the levers and sensing movement of the levers relative to the fixed fingers.

Abstract: Described is a control unit including a recognition result receiver able to receive a recognition result, a recognition result association unit having associations of results with recognition engines, and a recognition engine activator able to activate the recognition engine associated with the recognition result. Also described is a device including a microphone, an analog to digital converter able to convert input received by the microphone, a first speech recognition engine adapted to perform a first type of recognition on an output of the analog to digital converter, and a second recognition engine adapted to perform a second type of recognition on the output.

Abstract: The invention provides a variety of tools and techniques for adding depth information to photographic images, and for editing and manipulating images that include depth information. The tools for working with such images include tools for “painting” in a depth channel, for using geometric primitives and other three-dimensional shapes to define depth in a two-dimensional image, and tools for “clone brushing” portions of an image with depth information while taking the depth information and lighting into account when copying from one portion of the image to another. The tools also include relighting tools that separate illumination information from texture information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the collaborative design, construction, and maintenance of fluid processing plants are provided. A collaborative commerce application may provide project management utilities, visualization utilities, dynamic pricing utilities, material procurement utilities, and certification utilities. These features may be integrated seamlessly into the collaborative commerce application. Communication among project team members in the design and construction of fluid processing plants may be made more efficient by providing automatic notifications via the collaborative commerce application. Version control may be used to ensure project team members are working with the latest designs and revisions. Access controls and other security features may be used to prevent confidential data from being disseminated unnecessarily.

Abstract: A circuit for a high speed digital multiplexer has an active load circuit connected to an output of the digital multiplexer. The active load circuit loads the multiplexer output with a transimpedance stage with low input resistance to reduce the RC time constant at the multiplexer output. The active load circuit may be based on two active devices connected to the multiplexer output so as to form a differential cascode circuit.

Abstract: A method for isolating and quantifying impairments of a subject's gaze stabilization system is provided. A subject's static visual acuity is measured to arrive at an assessment. The subject's visual acuity is then measured when the subject's head is moving and a display object is fixed to arrive at a first dynamic measurement. The subject's visual acuity is also measured when the subject's head is fixed and the display object is moving to arrive at a second dynamic measurement. The assessment and the first and second dynamic measurements are then used to determine an impairment of the subject's gaze stabilization system.

Abstract: A method of producing an electronic device electrically and mechanically couples an integrated circuit to a leadframe to produce an intermediate assembly. At least a portion of the intermediate assembly then is encapsulated with a molten encapsulating material. After it is encapsulated, the method permits the molten encapsulating material to substantially solidify. A method of detecting the orientation of a sensor as mounted to an external object also is disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for power generation through liquid piston internal combustion engine. The liquid piston internal combustion engine of the invention utilizes a novel, synergetic combination of internal combustion and steam piston engines within the framework of one and the same system. The engine may comprise a plurality of cylinders, each having a liquid piston.