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.

Abstract: A hair styling appliance has first and second arms coupled together for reciprocal movement towards and away from each other, and arranged to receive hair within a region between each other. A plenum is disposed within at least one of the first arm and the second arm, the plenum including an air inlet for receiving airflow from a fan unit and an air outlet for emitting airflow towards hair within the region. A heater is disposed adjacent the air outlet for heating the airflow before it is emitted, wherein the heater includes a heating element that extends repeatedly across a heating region.

Abstract: A method for generating a set of cleanable perimeter segments of an area to be cleaned by a robotic cleaner. Each cleanable perimeter segment defines a path to be followed by the robotic cleaner around an edge of the area to be cleaned. The method includes receiving an occupancy grid map of the area to be cleaned; generating a contiguous accessible area grid map of the area to be cleaned based on the occupancy grid map; determining an outer boundary of each contiguous inaccessible region in the occupancy grid map; and generating the set of cleanable perimeter segments by extracting the outer boundary of each contiguous inaccessible region as a separate perimeter segment. Each perimeter segment includes a plurality of sequential grid elements defining the path to be followed by the robotic cleaner around an edge of the area to be cleaned.

Abstract: A robot gripper including: a base section; a first finger connected to the base section by a base section joint and n phalanxes; a second finger connected to the base section by a base section joint and n+m phalanxes, each phalanx of the second finger being connected to an adjacent phalanx by a phalanx joint and the first and second fingers being opposable to one other; wherein n and m are positive integers.