Abstract: Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for transmitting a request for one or more identities of a transportation vehicle unit for transporting a first end user; receiving the one or more identities of the transportation vehicle unit for transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit currently en route to or is currently transporting a second end user and having been identified based, at least in part, on a determination that the transportation vehicle unit is able to accommodate transport of the first end user while transporting the second end user; and directing the identified transportation vehicle unit to rendezvous with the first end user in order to transport the first end user. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a mineral from a liquid including a housing and a fluid having a mineral bearing particle and contained within the housing. The apparatus further includes a generator configured to apply a radio-frequency electromagnetic field to the mineral bearing particle. The field produces a temperature increase within a portion of the mineral bearing particle and the mineral bearing particle transfers heat into the fluid, the heated fluid imposing motion-inducing forces on the particle.

Abstract: A system for actively resisting touch-induced motion includes a touchscreen device and a processing circuit. The touchscreen device includes one or more sensors configured to generate motion data based on a motion of a touchscreen display of the touchscreen device, where the motion is induced by a touch on the display. The touchscreen device further includes one or more motion control devices configured to apply a force to the display. The processing circuit is configured to determine, based on the motion data, a force to counteract the motion. The processing circuit is further configured to cause the motion control devices to apply a force to the display to counteract the motion of the display.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system and a method. A system includes a controllable electrochemical cell configured to output electric power. The controllable cell includes an electrolyte and a first working electrode configured to transfer electrons to or from the electrolyte. The controllable cell includes a second working electrode configured to transfer electrons to or from the electrolyte. The controllable cell includes a gating electrode spaced-apart from the second working electrode. The gating electrode is configured, if biased relative to the second working electrode, to modify an electric charge, field, or potential in the space between the electrolyte and the second working electrode. The controllable cell includes a control circuit coupled to the gating electrode of the controllable cell and configured to apply a biasing signal responsive to an electrical property of an external electrical load coupled to the controllable cell.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a physiological parameter of a subject through interrogation of an eye of the subject with an optical signal are described. Interrogation is performed unobtrusively. The physiological parameter is determined from a signal sensed from the eye of a subject when the eye of the subject is properly aligned with regard to an interrogation signal source and/or response signal sensor.

Abstract: A lightweight transport vessel transports compressed natural gas underwater without needing to liquefy the gas for transport.

Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed herein for preventing or treating ventilator associated pneumonia in a mammalian subject. The device includes an endotracheal tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and one or more closed cell layers in contact with the exterior surface and circumferentially surrounding one or more longitudinal portion of the endotracheal tube, wherein the closed cell layer is flexibly shaped to reversibly form a seal in a trachea of a mammalian subject.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described relating to detecting an indication of a person within a specified proximity to at least one mobile device; and presenting an indication of location of the at least one mobile device at least partially based on the indication of the person within the specified proximity. Additionally, systems and methods are described relating to means for detecting an indication of a person within a specified proximity to at least one mobile device; and means for presenting an indication of location of the at least one mobile device at least partially based on the indication of the person within the specified proximity.

Abstract: A penalty allocation system includes a processing circuit configured to receive first data from a first player-worn sensor regarding a first player involved in an impact, receive second data from a second player-worn sensor regarding a second player involved in the impact, identify one of the first player and the second player as an at-fault player in connection with the impact based on the first data and the second data, and determine a penalty for the at-fault player based on the first data and the second data.

Abstract: Provided is a reflective article including a first reflecting material and a second retro reflecting material; where sunlight that is photosynthetically active is at least partially reflected by the article and sunlight that is not photosynthetically active is at least partially retro reflected by the article. Also provided is a method for growing a plant, where the method includes placing the reflective article under, around, or in the proximity of the plant.

Abstract: A method includes applying, by an optical stimulation device, an optical stimulus to an olfactory organ of an animal having a genetically engineered olfactory sensory protein to produce a desired neural response. The genetically engineered olfactory sensory protein has been genetically modified to incorporate a light-responsive element.

Abstract: A germination facility includes a seedling growing system configured to grow a plurality of seedlings; and a seedling sorting device configured to receive spatially variable planting data regarding a planting area for planting the seedlings; receive seedling data regarding the plurality of seedlings; and arrange the plurality of seedlings in a planting container based on the seedling data and on the planting data.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a mobile device continuously and/or automatically scans a user environment for tags containing non-human-readable data. The mobile device may continuously and/or automatically scan the environment for tags without being specifically directed at a particular tag. The mobile device may be adapted to scan for audio tags, radio frequency tags, and/or image tags. The mobile device may be configured to scan for and identify tags within the user environment that satisfy a user preference. The mobile device may perform an action in response to identifying a tag that satisfies a user preference. The mobile device may be configured to scan for a wide variety of tags, including tags in the form of quick response codes, steganographic content, audio watermarks, audio outside of a human audible range, radio frequency identification tags, long wavelength identification tags, near field communication tags, and/or a Memory Spot device.

Abstract: A system for directing a bird away from equipment includes an item of equipment and a detector configured to detect a bird that could be harmed by or that could harm the equipment and to determine the proximity of the bird to the equipment. The system also includes an unmanned aerial vehicle and a pilot system configured to control the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are example embodiments for multi-modality communications. By way of example but not limitation, a local user may interact with a local communication device via a local communication modality for a given communication, and a remote user may interact with a remote communication device via a remote communication modality for the given communication.

Abstract: Methods and system for performing magnetic induction tomography imaging of an object are provided. An apparatus includes an array of unit cells and a control circuit coupled to the array of unit cells. The array of unit cells can generate a first magnetic field using an excitation pattern in the direction of a target object and sense a second magnetic field induced in the target object by the first magnetic field. The control circuit can determine a minimum of the first magnetic field. The minimum may correspond to a higher conductivity region of the target object. The control circuit can adjust the excitation pattern based on the higher conductivity region of the target object.

Abstract: A method for detecting underground natural resources using synthetic aperture radar includes providing a ground-penetrating phase-coherent radar system incorporating a moving platform; sending a plurality of radar signals from a plurality of points along a plurality of paths through an underground volume, the plurality of radar signals producing a plurality of radar returns; collecting the plurality of radar returns along the plurality of paths with the ground-penetrating phase-coherent radar system; coherently processing the plurality of radar returns with a processing circuit to determine a characteristic of a sub-surface feature; retrieving information relating to a reference underground volume from a memory; and identifying a potential sub-surface resource by using the processing circuit to compare the characteristic of the sub-surface feature with the information relating to the reference underground volume.

Abstract: A mobile device vibrational sound system includes a processing circuit configured to activate a selectively vibratable element based on a triggering event, and control operation of a speaker to provide a mitigation sound configured to at least partially cancel a vibrational sound resulting from activation of the vibratable element.

Abstract: A system for fragmenting material includes an energy source, an acoustic transmitter, and a controller. The acoustic transmitter is coupled to the energy source and includes a unit acoustic source configured to emit an acoustic wave through a volume of ground material. The controller is coupled to the acoustic transmitter and is configured to engage the unit acoustic source such that the acoustic wave fractures the volume of ground material at a target location.

Abstract: Described embodiments include an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes an airframe and a rotary wing system coupled with the airframe and configured to aerodynamically lift the vehicle in the air. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a flight controller configured to control a movement of the vehicle while airborne. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a cleansing controller configured to manage a removal of a surface contaminant from a selected portion of a surface of an external object using an airflow generated by the rotary wing system.