Abstract: Provided herein is a string shooting device having a string capable of generating lift when propelled from the string shooting device and a guide to readily attach and detach the string from the string shooting device. A string shooting device described herein includes: a body; a housing attached to the body; a pair of wheels, where at least one of the pair of wheels is a driven wheel; and a string, where the string includes a surface texture configured to increase air friction in response to the string being propelled through the air by the pair of wheels. The string of an example embodiment defines an axis along which the string extends, and where the string includes a plurality of fibers extending away from the axis.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a customer's location at a business and provide notification to a company representative upon arrival of the customer at the business location. Real-time location determinations for the customer and customer location tracking can be provided. One or more wireless beacons communicate with the customer's electronic device. The beacons provide the system with real-time data about the customer's whereabouts, allowing for the confirmation and tracking of the customer at the location. A first non-limiting example of use, include a company that provides food and beverage allowing the customer to place an order for food and beverages on their electronic device and having the order delivered to the person at their current location as determined by the system. Another non-limiting example includes a company using the notification system to have assigned staff members notified of the customer's arrival.

Abstract: A system for packaging one or more items includes an order arrangement station where the one or more items can be arranged into a stack with a desired configuration. A dimensioning mechanism determines the outer dimensions of the stack and a converting assembly creates a box template that when erected forms a box that is custom sized to the dimensions of the stack. A crowder assembly holds and maintains the stack in the desired configuration while the box template is at least partially folded around the stack. The box template is secured around the stack in the form of a box.

Abstract: A system for capturing hardware telemetry includes a hardware component encoded with hardware logic for emitting a telemetry stream into memory of a computing device. The system further includes a hardware component driver stored in the memory that is configured to parse the telemetry stream, populate telemetry structures defined within a telemetry event schema based on values parsed from the telemetry stream, and generate a telemetry record including the populated telemetry structures.

Abstract: An enhanced robust input protocol for secure multi-party computation (MPC) via pseudorandom secret sharing is provided. With this enhanced protocol, the servers that participate in MPC can generate and send a single random sharing [R] to a client with k inputs (rather than a separate random sharing per input), and the client can derive k pseudorandom sharings from [R] without any further server interactions.

Abstract: An optical element includes a first boundary layer and a second boundary layer. A solution is disposed between the first boundary layer and the second boundary layer. The solution includes liquid crystals co-mingled with oblong photochromic dye molecules. The photochromic dye molecules are matched to the liquid crystals to offset a decrease in absorption of the photochromic dye molecules in response to a temperature increase of the photochromic dye molecules.

Abstract: A method includes receiving trace data representing access information about files stored in a large-scale distributed storage system, identifying file access patterns based on the trace data, receiving metadata information associated with the files stored in the large-scale distributed storage system, and generating a preferred storage parameter for each file based on the received metadata information and the identified file access patterns. The method also includes receiving, file reliability or accessibility information of a new file, determining whether the received file reliability or accessibility information of the new file matches information of a file group of the files in the large-scale distributed storage system, and when the file reliability or accessibility information of the new file matches the information of the file group, storing the new file in the large-scale distributed storage system using the preferred storage parameter associated with the file group.

Abstract: In some examples, matrix based bot implementation may include obtaining, for a plurality of bots that are used to respond to a query, a matrix that includes entries including a plurality of scenarios, a plurality of questions corresponding to the plurality of scenarios, and a plurality of responses. Each response may correspond to a specified question. A plurality of scripts may be generated based on an analysis of the matrix. Each script may include at least one question followed by at least one response, and further followed by at least one scenario. For each script, a closest pre-existing script may be identified based on a comparison of the script to pre-existing scripts. For each script, a modification to the matrix may be generated based on a difference in the script from the closest pre-existing script. The bots may be utilized to respond to the query based on the modified matrix.

Abstract: A molten fuel reactor includes a reactor core having substantially a right-circular cylinder shape with a longitudinal axis. At least one inlet is configured to channel fuel salt into the reactor core. At least one outlet is configured to channel fuel salt out of the reactor core, and the inlet and outlet at least partially define a flow loop of fuel salt with respect to the reactor core. An orifice ring plate is disposed within the reactor core and proximate the at least one inlet. The orifice ring plate is configured to condition a flow of fuel salt entering the reactor core from the at least one inlet. The orifice ring plate extends circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and has a height defined in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The orifice ring plate includes a plurality of apertures configured to allow the flow of fuel salt therethrough.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system may transmit a first set of user interface (UI) data indicating a UI having a first interaction element. The system may receive interaction data indicating a user interaction with the first interaction element. The system may determine one or more suggestions to provide based on one or more factors related to account information associated with a user account. The system may transmit a second set of UI data associated with a UI element and that may indicate a first portion, extending downward from a top of a display of the user device, that may include one or more second interaction elements corresponding to the suggestions, and a second portion extending upward from a bottom of the display and including a virtual keyboard. An intermediate portion of the UI may be exposed through a gap between the first and second portions of the UI element.

Abstract: In one aspect, an oxygenated hierarchically porous carbon (an “O-HPC”) is provided, the O-HPC comprising: a hierarchically porous carbon (an “HPC”), the HPC comprising a surface, the surface comprising: (A) first order pores having an average diameter of between about 1 ?m and about 10 ?m; and (B) walls separating the first order pores, the walls comprising: (1) second order pores having a peak diameter between about 7 nm and about 130 nm; and (2) third order pores having an average diameter of less than about 4 nm, wherein at least a portion of the HPC surface has been subjected to O2 plasma to oxygenate and induce a negative charge to the surface. In one aspect, the O-HPC further comprises metal nanoparticles dispersed within the first, second, and third order pores. Methods for making and using the metal nanoparticle-impregnated O-HPCs are also provided.

Abstract: A beehive assembly has a column of hive bodies which are releasably connected to a vertical metal spine. Upper and lower metal pivot members extend between the spine and a post mounted to the ground. The upper pivot members extend away from the post and include a removable handle. Depressing the handle causes the column of hive bodies to ascend into an operating position where the bee colony within the hive bodies is elevated above the ground. Raising the handle brings the hive column to a lowered position for access by a beekeeper. A latch or latches are disposed to secure the pivot members with respect to the post at desired elevations. Springs extending between the post and the spine assist the beekeeper when raising or lowering the hive and cushion the lowering.

Abstract: A protection circuit for use with an electronic DSL component having a tip connection and a ring connection, the protection circuit including: a first unidirectional transient-voltage-suppression (TVS) diode, having a negative TVS breakdown voltage BDV and diode forward voltage DV clamp, connected between Vcc and the tip connection of the DSL component; a second unidirectional TVS diode, having a diode forward voltage DV, connected between the tip connection of the DSL component and a negative ground clamp node; a third unidirectional TVS diode, having a negative TVS breakdown voltage BDV and diode forward voltage DV clamp, connected between Vcc and the ring connection of the DSL component; and a fourth unidirectional TVS diode, having a diode forward voltage DV, connected between the ring connection of the DSL component and the negative ground clamp node.

Abstract: An analytical toilet comprising a bowl adapted to receive excreta; a channel in fluid communication with the bowl for extracting a sample of excreta from the bowl; an imaging section in the channel, comprising a transparent window; and a movable wall capable of moving between a first and a second position; wherein the channel is open when the movable wall is in a first position; and wherein the channel is nearly closed when the movable wall is in a second position; a first actuator adapted to move the movable wall between its first and second position; an imaging sensor positioned to image the contents of the channel at the point of the movable wall through the transparent window is disclosed.

Abstract: A device detects that a user device is accessing a media stream that enables the user device to display, via a user interface, media content associated with a subject. The device receives a search query associated with the user device and the media stream, and determines, based on the search query, that a user associated with the user device has a threshold level of interest in a feature of the subject. The device receives feature information associated with the feature based on determining that the user has the threshold level of interest, and receives feature content data that is associated with feature content that includes the feature information. The device causes the feature content to be embedded into the media stream to cause the user device to display the feature content in relation to the feature when the feature is displayed in the media content via the user interface.

Abstract: An electrical computer system processing architecture for providing an indication of activity in the electrical computer system, the electrical computer system processing architecture comprising a plurality of client computers connected to at least one server by a computer network. Each of the client computers is configured to provide requests to the at least one server. The or each server comprises a store for storing requests provided by the plurality of client computers. The or each server is configured to match complementary requests from the plurality of client computers stored in the store. Following the matching of complementary requests, the or each server counts unmatched requests corresponding to one or other of the complementary requests in the store, and outputs the counted number of unmatched requests to provide the indication of activity in the computer system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the invention relate to cleaning a portion of a beverage line of a beverage distribution system based upon a signal received from a remote source. An administrative (also referred to as “admin”) system can manage a cleaning system from a remote location in which a remote signal can drive a cleaning system and at least one or more electric valves within the beverage distribution system. A controller component (local to the beverage distribution system) can receive the remote signal from the admin system, wherein a cleaning system (e.g., via a cleaning line) or a dispensing system (e.g., via a hose) can be selected to enable a cleaning mode or a dispensing mode.

Abstract: A system and method for assembling a plurality of components into an assembly is provided. The system includes an assembling robot and an adhesive dispensing robot. The assembling robot is configured to attach a first sub-assembly to a second sub-assembly. The first sub-assembly includes at least one of the plurality of components, and the second sub-assembly includes remaining ones of the plurality of components. The adhesive dispensing robot is configured to apply an adhesive between the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly, after the first sub-assembly is attached to the second sub-assembly, to bond the first sub-assembly to the second sub-assembly.