Abstract: Methods of generating a three dimensional representation of an object in a reference plane from a depth map including distances from a reference point to pixels in an image of the object taken from a reference point. Weights are assigned to respective voxels in a three dimensional grid along rays extending from the reference point through the pixels in the image based on the distances in the depth map from the reference point to the respective pixels, and a height map including an array of height values in the reference plane is formed based on the assigned weights. An n-layer height map may be constructed by generating a probabilistic occupancy grid for the voxels and forming an n-dimensional height map comprising an array of layer height values in the reference plane based on the probabilistic occupancy grid.

Abstract: Simulation systems and methods may enable virtual imaging. A data processing unit may receive data from a calibration unit indicating a position and/or orientation of a position and orientation sensor relative to a physical model. The data processing unit may also receive data from the position and orientation sensor indicating a position and/or orientation of the physical model. The data processing unit may generate a virtual image using the data from the position and orientation sensor and the data from the calibration unit. The data processing unit may render the virtual image to a display.

Abstract: Provided are dies having a first section for orienting material being pressed through the die and a second section for shaping the oriented material into a desired form. In an embodiment, the surface area for shaping the oriented material into a desired form is limited. Also provided are polymer articles and processes for making the same. In an embodiment, the processes employ the dies.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a display layer and an image separation layer. The image separation layer is adapted to separate a displayed image on the display layer into a first image for a left eye of an observer and into a second image for a right eye of an observer. This renders the image display apparatus autostereoscopic. In order to improve the appearance of the displayed image, the apparatus is adapted to activate the display layer and the image separation layer substantially only within a given two-dimensional silhouette and to remain substantially transparent outside of the silhouette. In other aspects, the apparatus may be adapted to dynamically adjust an observation angle between the first image and the second image by controlling the distance between the display layer and the image separation layer by an actuator. The apparatus may be mounted on a robotic unit.

Abstract: A system for arm therapy comprises a first drive (M2) that can be fixedly connected to an element (10) determining the position of a user (19) and rotationally driving, about a first axis (A2), a part (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, M1, 26) of the arm therapy system which can be connected to an upper arm module (26, M3, M4). The driven part of the arm therapy system comprises a second drive (M1) adapted to rotationally drive said upper arm module (26, M3, M4) about a second axis (A1), wherein said second axis (A1) is oriented orthogonal to the first axis (A2). The system can provide a statically determined exoskeleton with correct anatomical axes and misaligned technical axes.

Abstract: Simulation systems and methods may enable virtual imaging. A data processing unit may receive data from a calibration unit indicating a position and/or orientation of a position and orientation sensor relative to a physical model. The data processing unit may also receive data from the position and orientation sensor indicating a position and/or orientation of the physical model. The data processing unit may generate a virtual image using the data from the position and orientation sensor and the data from the calibration unit. The data processing unit may render the virtual image to a display.

Abstract: Biomaterials containing a three-dimensional polymeric network formed from the reaction of a composition containing at least a first synthetic precursor molecule having n nucleophilic groups and a second precursor molecule having m electrophilic groups wherein the sum of n+m is at least five and wherein the sum of the weights of the first and second precursor molecules is in a range from about 8 to about 16% b weight of the composition, preferably from about 10 to about 15%, more preferably from about 12 to about 14.5% by weight of the composition. In one embodiment, the first and second precursor molecules are polyethylene glycols functionalized with nucleophilic and electrophilic groups, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the nucleophilic groups are amino and/or thiol groups and the electrophilic groups are conjugated, unsaturated groups.

Abstract: Shaking patterns and/or environmental information associated with real-world handheld devices may form a basis for enabling authentication and/or effectuating events in a virtual environment. The handheld devices may include toys and/or other object that can be used to play. The handheld devices may be associated with the virtual environment in that individual handheld devices may share an appearance and/or theme with an avatar, a virtual object, and/or other element within the virtual environment. Shaking a pair of handheld devices together may facilitate authentication of the handheld devices with respect to the virtual environment and/or effectuate one or more events within the virtual environment. By way of non-limiting example, two avatars may dance together or become friends in the virtual environment responsive to two corresponding handheld devices being shaken together.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for determining the state, state changes, and/or condition changes of a potted plant and for indicating the determined state of said object to the owner or user thereof, wherein the system and method locally determine at least one physical and/or chemical parameter on top of on the side of or in the immediate vicinity of the plant (1) to be monitored by means of preferably several sensors or sensing elements (3). Said physical and/or chemical parameter is processed into a coded digital parameter signal and transmitted wirelessly, optionally by means of intermediate stages, to a central processor, which determines a statement about the state of the plant (1) from said coded digital parameter signal and other digital as an optical and/or acoustic indication of the current or prognosticated state of the plant/object (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for the remote plasma surface treatment of substrate particles at atmospheric pressure. The invention is motivated by the urge to overcome major drawbacks of particle treatment in low pressure plasmas and in-situ particle treatment at atmospheric pressure. The former requires complex and mostly expensive vacuum installations and vacuum locks usually prohibiting continuous processing. Independent of the system pressure, in-situ plasma treatment causes particle charging and therefore undesirable interaction with the electric field of the discharge, which is seen to contribute to the process of reactor clogging. Additionally, the filamentary discharges modes of atmospheric pressure plasmas are inflicted with inhomogeneous surface treatment. Furthermore, short radical lifetimes at elevated pressures complicate a remote plasma treatment approach as widely used in low pressure applications.

Abstract: Described is a method for the production of metal salts, wherein the cationic metal is preferably selected from Group I to IV metals and mixtures thereof and the anionic group is selected from phosphates, silicates, sulfates, carbonates, hydroxides, fluorides and mixtures thereof, and wherein said method comprises forming a mixture of at least one metal source that is a metal carboxylate with a mean carbon value per carboxylate group of at least 3 and at least one anion source into droplets and oxiding said droplets in a high temperature environment, preferably a flame. This method is especially suited for the production of calcium phosphate biomaterials such as hydroxyapatite (HAp,Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP,Ca3(PO4)2) that exhibit excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity and therefore are widely used for reparation of bony or periodontal defects, coating of metallic implants and bone space fillers.

Abstract: A learning unit 4 generates a function table indicating the relationship between the class number and position information of an object and the probability of appearance of the object for each small area image pattern of a code book, calculates a sharing matrix indicating the commonality of a feature amount between the classes, makes a tree diagram in which the classes with a similar feature amount are clustered, and calculates the weight of each node in the tree diagram for each small area image pattern. The recognition processing unit 7 compares image data captured by a camera 2 with the code book, selects the closest small area image pattern among a plurality of small area image patterns, extracts the class related to the node with the smallest weight among the nodes with a weight equal to or greater than a threshold value for the selected small area image pattern, and votes the position information of the small area image pattern for the class, thereby recognizing the object.

Abstract: A method of recombinantly producing a non-bovine pre-prochymosin, prochymosin or chymosin derived from ruminant species including deer species, buffalo species, antelope species, giraffe species, ovine species and caprine species; Camefidae species such as Came/us dromedarius; porcine species; or Equ;dae species. The recombinant enzymes are used in milk coagulating compositions in cheese manufacturing based on cow's milk and milk from any animal species which are used in cheese manufacturing including camel's milk.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a computer-implemented method for tracking an object in a sequence of multi-view input video images comprising the steps of acquiring a model of the object, tracking the object in the multi-view input video image sequence, and using the model.

Abstract: The invention relates to scaffolds for artificial heart valves and vascular structures comprising a biocompatible block copolymer. A method and means for producing said scaffold are also provided.

Abstract: A method of recombinantly producing a non-bovine pre-prochymosin, prochymosin or chymosin derived from ruminant species including deer species, buffalo species, antelope species, giraffe species, ovine species and caprine species; Camelidae species such as Camelus dromedarius; porcine species; or Equidae species. The recombinant enzymes are used in milk coagulating compositions in cheese manufacturing based on cow's milk and milk from any animal species which are used in cheese manufacturing including camel's milk.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the determination of an MRM or SRM assay for a protein of interest, a peptide of interest, or a group of proteins/peptides of interest or a whole proteome. It essentially includes the following steps: (1) a list of proteins of interest is selected and for each member at least one or a list of candidate proteotypic peptides is derived (2) this at least one peptide is synthesized/generated essentially without subsequent purification; (3) this at least one unpurified peptide is analyzed by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) preferably coupled to liquid chromatography (LC-SRM) or analogous techniques; (4) validation and/or optimisation of the corresponding assay of the at least one peptide with determination of the SRM coordinates for a peptide/protein of interest and/or of a regulator of interest is achieved.

Abstract: A process for continuous or quasi-continuous purification of a multi-component mixture (F) by means of individual chromatographic columns through which the mixture is fed by means of at least one solvent(s). The multi-component mixture (F) at least comprises light impurities (A), an intermediate product (B) to be purified and heavy impurities (C), and the columns are grouped into at least four sections (?,?,?,?). After or within a switch time (t*) the last column from the first section (?) is moved to the first position of the second section (?), the last column of the second section (?) is moved to the first position of the third section (?), the last column of the third section (?) is moved to the first position of the fourth section (?) and the last column of the fourth section (?) is moved to become the first column of the first section (?).

Abstract: Simulation systems and methods may enable virtual imaging. A data processing unit may receive data from a calibration unit indicating a position and/or orientation of a position and orientation sensor relative to a physical model. The data processing unit may also receive data from the position and orientation sensor indicating a position and/or orientation of the physical model. The data processing unit may generate a virtual image using the data from the position and orientation sensor and the data from the calibration unit. The data processing unit may render the virtual image to a display.

Abstract: A sample support plate (100) for a variety of possible applications, including MALDI mass spectrometry, is disclosed. A plurality of spatially separated sample recipient sites (101) are arranged on the surface of a substrate. The recipient sites are mutually separated by areas having a different wettability than the recipient sites. They are arranged in a plurality of rows consisting of a plurality of recipient sites whose centers are regularly spaced along a first direction with a predetermined periodicity (D1), the rows being regularly spaced along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with a predetermined centerline distance (D2). Each recipient site has a maximum lateral dimension that is preferably smaller than the diameter of a beam spot (104) of a desorption laser beam (103).