Abstract: An AC-to-AC converter includes input terminals, pairs of output terminals, a plurality of bridge arms, and a control unit. The bridge arms are connected in parallel to the input terminals and comprise a respective bridge arm for each pair of output terminals and a common bridge arm. Each bridge arm comprises a pair of switches and a node between the switches. Each pair of output terminals comprises a first output terminal connected to the node of the respective bridge arm, and a second output terminal connected to the node of the common bridge arm. The switches have a plurality of configurations for selectively connecting the output terminals to the input terminals in one of a plurality of arrangements. The control unit is operable to control the switches to apply an alternating output voltage to the output terminals. Over each half-cycle of the input voltage, the switches transition between different configurations.

Abstract: A hairstyling device is provided. The hairstyling device includes a heatable hair contact member having a hair-contactable surface, the hair contact member being operable to apply heat to a tress of hair via the hair-contactable surface by movement of the hair contact member along the tress of hair between a first end of the tress and a second end of the tress. The hairstyling device includes sensor equipment configured to generate sensor output indicative of current use of the hairstyling device. The hairstyling device includes a controller configured to receive the sensor output from the sensor equipment, determine, based on the sensor output, that the hair contact member is at the first end of the tress or the second end of the tress, and control the hairstyling device to perform an action based on the determining.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hair care applianceincluding: a housing having a first end and a second end and a fluid inlet which extends around the housing and is proximate the first end of the housing, a fluid outlet, a fluid flow path extending within the housing between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The fluid inlet is provided with a filtering system including a removable portion and a fixed portion. The removable portion includes a first part and a second part which are separable and wherein the first part can only be secured to the housing when the second part is attached to the first part. The first part may be a sleeve capable of sliding over the second part. The second part may include a tubular portion and base portion extending radially out from the tubular portion at one end of the tubular portion.

Abstract: There is provided a photocatalytic reactor including a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber includes a first set of fins, a second set of fins, a photo-catalyst disposed upon at least one face of each fin, and a light source arranged to illuminate at least a portion of the photo-catalyst disposed on each fin. Each of the first set of fins is arranged such that a line extending from a base of the fin through a tip of the fin is directed to a first convergence point, and each of the second set of fins is arranged such that a line extending from a base of the fin through a tip of the fin is directed to a second convergence point. The first convergence point is different to the second convergence point, and both the first convergence point and the second convergence point are offset relative to a position of the light source.

Abstract: A brushless motor has a stator assembly, and a frame within which the stator assembly is housed. The stator assembly has a plurality of stator core sub-assemblies, each having a stator core, a bobbin attached to the stator core, and a winding wound about the bobbin. Each bobbin has a connection portion for connecting to an adjacent bobbin in the stator assembly, and the frame is overmoulded to the stator assembly.

Abstract: A haircare appliance having an air inlet, an air outlet, and an airflow generator for generating an airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet and an attachment for a haircare appliance, the attachment including an air inlet, an air outlet. A curved surface adjacent to and downstream of the air outlet. The haircare appliance or the attachment has a curved surface adjacent to and downstream of the air outlet. The haircare appliance or the attachment is configured such that airflow exiting the air outlet generates a first force to attract hair toward the curved surface, and a second force to push hair away from the curved surface.

Abstract: There is provided a photocatalytic reactor including reaction chamber arranged to receive an airflow including one or more airborne contaminants. The reaction chamber includes a first inner surface, a second inner surface, a photo-catalyst for photocatalytic degradation of one or more of the contaminants disposed upon both the first inner surface and the second inner surface, and a light source arranged to illuminate at least a portion of the photo-catalyst disposed on the first inner surface and the second inner surface. The first inner surface and the second inner surface have distinct parabolic arc-shaped profiles and the profile of the first inner surface is a mirror image of the profile of the second inner surface. The first inner surface and the second inner surface may be consecutive.

Abstract: A self-mixing interferometer configured to monitor particulate material within a monitored region of space comprising a laser cavity assembly (1A) and an optical assembly (1B) configured to bathe the monitored region with laser light of the interferometer possessing wavefronts having different directions at different respective locations within the monitored region. A laser monitoring unit (1C) is configured to acquire an interferometric signal generated by the interferometer in response to light returned to the laser cavity assembly from said wavefronts by said particulate material. A processing module (1D) is configured to determine a property of the particulate material within the monitored region according to changes in the frequency of a waveform within at least a part of the interferometric signal.

Abstract: An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus includes a body, a drive system carried by the body, and a cleaning assembly disposed at a front of the body. The cleaning assembly includes a housing defining a suction chamber and a suction channel extending from the suction chamber to a suction channel opening provided in a first side surface of the cleaning assembly, and a side suction nozzle mounted to an extension and retraction assembly that is arranged to allow the side suction nozzle to be moved between an extended position. The side suction nozzle includes a first resilient blade and a second resilient blade, the first resilient blade being arranged such that a surface of the first resilient blade is substantially forward facing and the second resilient blade being arranged such that a surface of the second resilient blade is substantially downward facing.

Abstract: An oral treatment device includes an inertial measurement unit, IMU, operable to output signals dependent on movement of the oral treatment device. The oral treatment device includes a controller configured to receive signals from the IMU indicating movement of the oral treatment device relative to the oral cavity, and process the received signals using a trained classification algorithm to obtain classification data, the classification algorithm being configured to determine whether the oral treatment device is being moved according to a predetermined movement type. The controller is configured to control the oral treatment device to perform an action using the classification data.

Abstract: A method of reducing noise in a device configured to generate an air flow. The device includes an air flow duct arranged to convey a flow of air, a gas-filled cavity disposed beside the air flow duct, and a wall separating the air flow duct and the cavity. The wall includes at least one aperture. The method includes optimising an acoustic property for an acoustic resistive screen that is to be held in tension over the aperture, by: determining geometric properties of the cavity, the aperture and the air flow duct; determining, based on the geometric properties, a noise reduction for the device for each of a series of values for the acoustic property of the screen; and comparing the respective noise reductions for the series of values to determine an optimised value of the series.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for providing feedback to a user input. The method includes obtaining data representing a scene model derived from scene data representing a scene in real space; obtaining data representing a user input identifying a first portion of the scene in real space; estimating, based on the user input data, a first position within the scene model corresponding to the first portion of the scene; determining control information for controlling a light source to direct light at or near a second position in real space corresponding to the first position within the scene model; and outputting the control information to control a light source, thereby to provide for feedback to the user input. The method may be implemented by a robot.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner, the cleaner head being configured to apply suction to a horizontal surface to be cleaned by the vacuum cleaner. The cleaner head includes: first and second agitator elements each being mounted for rotation about a respective axis. Each agitator element includes a first, free end and a second end, each agitator element has a shape which tapers towards the first end in a direction along the axis of rotation, the first and second agitator elements are cantilevered from opposing sides of a hub portion of the cleaner head at their respective second ends, and each agitator element is arranged such that when the cleaner head is applying suction to the horizontal surface, the position of the axis at the first end of the element is closer to the surface than the position of the axis at the second end of the element.