Abstract: Described herein is a system, methods, processes and nutrient-rich products-by-process, which are generated by the conversion of winery derivatives into nutrient-rich products in an ecological manner. Integration of this system into a winery assists the winery to manage its previously-considered waste nutrient-rich products in an ecological manner, which can also optionally provide them with a novel revenue stream. The system, methods, and processes are used to convert winemaking derivatives into bioactive nutrient-rich products comprising antioxidants and other bioactive molecules that reside within the marc and lees. These nutrient-rich products can be used as natural flavour, texture and color enhancers, in addition to nutritional ingredients to fortify processed foods and consumer recipes. They can also be used as health supplements and in the cosmetic industry.

Abstract: A method for seismic loss assessment including receiving by a computer system computer-readable input data regarding a seismic hazard and building conditions, generating by the computer system one or more mitigation options and for each of the mitigation options, configuring the computer system to: determine a structural response, determine damage states from the structural response, determine an outcome of each of the damage states; and, output a representation of each of the outcomes for each of the damage states. The output is used in a seismic risk mitigation plan and/or design for one or more building structures.

Abstract: A fluid-management system for selectively draining fluid from a body cavity includes a valve assembly and a tube for carrying fluid from a body cavity of a person to the valve assembly. The valve assembly is configured to be positioned external to the person's body and comprises (i) an inlet, (ii) an outlet, (iii) one or more one-way valves positioned between the inlet and outlet that are each configured to open and close based on fluctuations in pressure between the person's body cavity and the one-way valve, and (iv) an adjustable outlet lock configured to selectively prevent fluid movement through the outlet.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments of control devices capable of simultaneously measuring six degrees of freedom and electronic systems comprising the control devices. In some embodiments, the control devices are useful for controlling and/or directing movement of vehicles and virtual entities through operation of the control device with a computer processor, computer interface and, optionally a display.

Abstract: An automatic pump-based fluid management system, as described herein, comprises an intercostal pump that is, generally, a resiliently flexible bulb having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is attached to a first tube that extends from the intercostal pump to a first area of a patient's body, for example, the patient's pleural cavity. The outlet is connected to a second tube that extends from the intercostal pump to a second area of a patient's body, for example, the patient's peritoneal cavity. In use, the intercostal pump is placed between a first rib and a second rib in a patient. The intercostal pump operates by being successively compressed and decompressed between the first and second ribs as the patient breaths.

Abstract: The system comprises one or more transportable bioreactors configured with the ability to conduct aerobic fermentation of fruit biomass. This system integrates three functionalities: transportation regulations, fermentation requirements and food safety/quality control requirements. The transportation design features of the system render the bioreactors transportable to a fruit processing facility, wherein they can be filled with fruit biomass. The transportable bioreactor and processes take into account the requirements of the bioreactor functionalities of the system, given the particular deployment specifications of the system tailored for a certain environment and fruit biomass. Moreover, the design of this system conforms to the minimal requirements for the food safety and quality regulations of the jurisdictions in which the ultimate products will be directly and/or indirectly sold (e.g., as a foodstuff, health supplement, and/or a food ingredient).

Abstract: A method for detecting boxes includes receiving a plurality of image frame pairs for an area of interest including at least one target box. Each image frame pair includes a monocular image frame and a respective depth image frame. For each image frame pair, the method includes determining corners for a rectangle associated with the at least one target box within the respective monocular image frame. Based on the determined corners, the method includes the following: performing edge detection and determining faces within the respective monocular image frame; and extracting planes corresponding to the at least one target box from the respective depth image frame. The method includes matching the determined faces to the extracted planes and generating a box estimation based on the determined corners, the performed edge detection, and the matched faces of the at least one target box.

Abstract: A method for negotiating stairs includes receiving image data about a robot maneuvering in an environment with stairs. Here, the robot includes two or more legs. Prior to the robot traversing the stairs, for each stair, the method further includes determining a corresponding step region based on the received image data. The step region identifies a safe placement area on a corresponding stair for a distal end of a corresponding swing leg of the robot. Also prior to the robot traversing the stairs, the method includes shifting a weight distribution of the robot towards a front portion of the robot. When the robot traverses the stairs, the method further includes, for each stair, moving the distal end of the corresponding swing leg of the robot to a target step location where the target step location is within the corresponding step region of the stair.

Abstract: A flexible card may include a stacked dynamic magnetic stripe communications device having multiple layers, such as a magnetic emulator, a magnet, and a shield. A shield may form a non-flexible layer within the stack and may bend, but the shield may not be able to stretch or compress. Flexible layers may surround and adhere to the shield such that when the card is flexed, the flexible layers may stretch and compress with the movement of the shield.

Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus includes an information acquiring section; a determining section that determines whether a special road terrain exists; and a speed control section that controls a speed of the subject vehicle. The speed control section is further configured to: when the special road terrain exists but a preceding vehicle does not exist, increase or decrease the speed of the subject vehicle with respect to a pre-set vehicle speed in the energy efficiency zone such that the energy efficiency is improved; and when the special road terrain and a preceding vehicle exists and the speed of the subject vehicle is planned to increase in the energy efficiency zone, control the speed of the subject vehicle in an inter-vehicle distance maintenance zone such that the subject vehicle has an inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle longer than a pre-set inter-vehicle distance.

Abstract: Disclosed are cartridge components, cartridges, systems, and methods for isolating analytes from biological samples. In various aspects, the cartridge components, cartridges, systems, and methods may allow for a rapid procedure that requires a minimal amount of material from complex fluids.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of producing cell lines with stable expression of a transgene by removal of CpG motifs. In further methods, there are provided methods for cell lines with stable expression of a transgene by driving expression by novel promoters or by tagging endogenous genes.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to intelligent grippers with individual cup control are disclosed. One aspect of the disclosure provides a method of determining grip quality between a robotic gripper and an object. The method comprises applying a vacuum to two or more cup assemblies of the robotic gripper in contact with the object, moving the object with the robotic gripper after applying the vacuum to the two or more cup assemblies, and determining, using at least one pressure sensor associated with each of the two or more cup assemblies, a grip quality between the robotic gripper and the object.

Abstract: Physical cards may be presented to a mobile device to establish a contactless communication channel between the physical card and the mobile device. Information communicated by the physical card may be received, stored, and used by the mobile device to generate a mobile wallet of virtual cards. Each virtual card in a mobile wallet may, for example, look just like its physical counterpart card and may provide equivalent functionality as its physical counterpart card when selected for use by the mobile device. Virtual cards may be sorted within the mobile wallet based on card category (e.g., payment, identification, or gift card category), card attributes (associations with other virtual cards), card variables (e.g., credit limit or credit available), and user attributes and variables (e.g., the user's current location). Information related to a virtual card (e.g., receipts) may be viewed from a display of the mobile device.

Abstract: A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to act as a magnetic stripe read-head detector and a data transmitter. A multiple layer flexible PCB may be fabricated to include multiple magnetic emulators. An emulator may include a coil that includes magnetic, ferromagnetic, or ferromagnetic, material in the coil's interior. Coils may be associated with zones. As a read-head is detected to move from zone-to-zone, coils may be activated to transmit information in those zones.

Abstract: The present invention provides delivery systems for positioning a gastrointestinal implant in a patient, for example, for treatment of a metabolic disease. Also provided are methods for assembling the delivery systems, methods of positioning a gastrointestinal implant, and methods of treatment of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity, and related comorbidities thereof.

Abstract: A facet joint replacement system includes a facet joint replacement device including an enclosing body and an articulating body. The enclosing body includes an interior surface defining an inner cavity of the enclosing body. The interior surface includes a first articulating surface and a projection extending inwardly relative to a surrounding area of the interior surface. The articulating body is positioned within the inner cavity of the enclosing body and is configured to move within the enclosing body. The articulating body includes a second articulating surface and a recess extending inwardly relative to a surrounding area of the articulating body and aligned with the projection of the interior surface of the enclosing body so as to allow movement of the projection along the recess of the enclosing body while constraining rotational motion of the articulating body within the enclosing body.

Abstract: A dynamic planning controller receives a maneuver for a robot and a current state of the robot and transforms the maneuver and the current state of the robot into a nonlinear optimization problem. The nonlinear optimization problem is configured to optimize an unknown force and an unknown position vector. At a first time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a first linear optimization problem and determines a first solution to the first linear optimization problem using quadratic programming. At a second time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a second linear optimization problem based on the first solution at the first time instance and determines a second solution to the second linear optimization problem based on the first solution using the quadratic programming. The controller also generates a joint command to control motion of the robot during the maneuver based on the second solution.

Abstract: An example robot includes: a motor disposed at a joint configured to control motion of a member of the robot; a transmission including an input member coupled to and configured to rotate with the motor, an intermediate member, and an output member, where the intermediate member is fixed such that as the input member rotates, the output member rotates therewith at a different speed; a pad frictionally coupled to a side surface of the output member of the transmission and coupled to the member of the robot; and a spring configured to apply an axial preload on the pad, wherein the axial preload defines a torque limit that, when exceeded by a torque load on the member of the robot, the output member of the transmission slips relative to the pad.

Abstract: A robot includes a mobile base, a turntable rotatably coupled to the mobile base, a robotic arm operatively coupled to the turntable, and at least one directional sensor. An orientation of the at least one directional sensor is independently controllable. A method of controlling a robotic arm includes controlling a state of a mobile base and controlling a state of a robotic arm coupled to the mobile base, based, at least in part, on the state of the mobile base.