Abstract: A kickboard training device is provided. The kickboard may include an upper surface, a lower surface, and front, rear, left, and right edges bounding the upper and lower surfaces. The kickboard may include opposing wing portions positioned across a longitudinal centerline extending between the front and rear edges. The kickboard may include one or more surface elements associated with at least one of the upper and lower surfaces. The one or more surface elements may be arranged to define a flotation characteristic of the kickboard. The one or more surface elements may include at least one of a channel defined in at least the upper surface, a plurality of grooves defined in at least the lower surface, and one or more ailerons coupled to the kickboard.

Abstract: A swim paddle training device is provided. The swim paddle may include opposing upper and lower sides or surfaces; front, rear, left, and right edges extending between or bounding the upper and lower sides; and a plurality of surface features arranged to facilitate proper movement of the swim paddle during swim training. The plurality of surface features may create areas of varying buoyancy to affect the orientation of the swim paddle during swim training, such as promoting a forward, downward, and inward pathway or rotation of the swim paddle during use. The plurality of surface features may include a plurality of grooves defined within at least the lower surface of the swim paddle.

Abstract: A resin composition capable of achieving a higher plating property. The resin composition comprises, relative to 100 parts by weight of a resin component comprising 30 to 100% by weight of a polycarbonate resin and 70% by weight or less of a styrene-based resin, 10 to 100 parts by weight of a glass fiber having an average fiber length of 200 ?m or less and 2 to 20 parts by weight of a laser direct structuring additive.

Abstract: A printing system is provided. The printing system includes a medium of fabric; and a printing apparatus for performing printing of a design represented by a target color which is preset on the medium by an inkjet method. The printing apparatus includes an inkjet head for discharging an ink droplet of a target color ink which is an ink that is adjusted to present the target color on the medium. The design is formed by a plurality of patterns. Each of the plurality of patterns is drawn with the target color ink of only one color used in the inkjet head, and the inkjet head discharges the ink droplet to the plurality of patterns at a constant concentration which is preset for each of a plurality of target colors. The medium allows the ink not absorbed by the medium to reach a back surface of the medium.

Abstract: A coil spring for use in a cavity, such as in a groove of a pin, a housing, or both. The cavity can also be part of a seal assembly. The coil spring can have a longitudinal component positioned within the plurality of interconnected coils that runs along the spring coil axis in order to increase rigidity of the coil spring. The longitudinal component applies a load against the coil spring and/or provides restriction against the coil spring taking a shape or size different than that of the coil spring retaining groove.

Abstract: A variable-pulse-shape pulsed-power accelerator is driven by a large number of independent LC drive circuits. Each LC circuit drives one or more coaxial transmission lines that deliver the circuit's output power to several water-insulated radial transmission lines that are connected in parallel at small radius by a water-insulated post-hole convolute. The accelerator can be impedance matched throughout. The coaxial transmission lines are sufficiently long to transit-time isolate the LC drive circuits from the water-insulated transmission lines, which allows each LC drive circuit to be operated without being affected by the other circuits. This enables the creation of any power pulse that can be mathematically described as a time-shifted linear combination of the pulses of the individual LC drive circuits. Therefore, the output power of the convolute can provide a variable pulse shape to a load that can be used for magnetically driven, quasi-isentropic compression experiments and other applications.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for measuring the spatially variable relative dielectric permittivity of materials along a linear or otherwise configured sensor element, and more specifically the spatial variability of soil moisture in one dimension as inferred from the dielectric profile of the soil matrix surrounding a linear sensor element. Various methods provided herein combine advances in the processing of time domain reflectometry data with innovations in physical sensing apparatuses. These advancements enable high temporal (and thus spatial) resolution of electrical reflectance continuously along an insulated waveguide that is permanently emplaced in contact with adjacent soils. The spatially resolved reflectance is directly related to impedance changes along the waveguide that are dominated by electrical permittivity contrast due to variations in soil moisture. Various methods described herein are thus able to monitor soil moisture in profile with high spatial resolution.

Abstract: Pool boiling systems, cooling systems configured to cool one or more heat generating portions of a vehicle, and methods of maintaining a functional orientation of a pool boiling unit are disclosed. A pool boiling system may include the pool boiling unit and a stabilizing unit coupled to the pool boiling unit. The stabilizing unit maintains the pool boiling unit in a functional orientation across a plurality of operating orientations of the pool boiling system.

Abstract: A fuel door status indicating system for a pressurized fuel system is provided. The status indicating system includes pressure sensing means configured to measure a pressure in the fuel system, a controller operatively connected to the pressure sensing means and configured to compare a measured fuel-system pressure with a predetermined pressure, and a display operatively connected to the controller and configured to provide an indication as to whether the fuel door may be opened. The controller is configured to control operation of the display to provide the indication responsive to the comparison of the measured pressure with the predetermined pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lateral via to provide an electrical connection to a buried conductor. In one instance, the buried conductor is a through via that extends along a first dimension, and the lateral via extends along a second dimension that is generally orthogonal to the first dimension. In another instance, the second dimension is oblique to the first dimension. Components having such lateral vias, as well as methods for creating such lateral vias are described herein.

Abstract: Provided is a resin composition for LSD, having a good flame retardancy, as well as keeping high levels of mechanical strength and platability. The resin composition for laser direct structuring, the resin composition containing: relative to 100 parts by weight of a resin component which contains 65 to 100% by weight of a polycarbonate resin and 35 to 0% by weight of a styrene-based resin, 5 to 40 parts by weight of a glass fiber having a value of average fiber length/average fiber diameter of 10 or smaller; 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of an elastomer; 5 to 10 parts by weight of a laser direct structuring additive containing antimony and tin; 10 to 30 parts by weight of a phosphorus-containing flame retardant; and, 0.1 to 1 part by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a side member that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A rocker support extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is spaced outboard of the side member in the vehicle lateral direction. A C-pillar assembly is coupled to and extends upward from the rocker support. A floor cross member extends in a vehicle lateral direction that is connected to the side member. A pillar assembly to floor cross member reinforcement gusset links the C-pillar assembly and the floor cross member.

Abstract: A door handle assembly configured for installation in a motor vehicle door may include a housing accommodating an actuator mechanism, a grip assembly activating the actuator mechanism, wherein the actuator mechanism includes a plurality of levers juxtaposed to each other and pivotably positioned in the housing, and the plurality of levers having a first lever and a second lever, wherein the first lever and the second lever may be positioned to be in contact with a grip lever during a normal working condition and during a side impact condition of the vehicle, thereby exerting a holding force on the grip lever, and wherein after experiencing the side impact, the first lever may be configured to rotate about a pivot and the second lever continues exerting the holding force on the grip lever.

Abstract: A computing system for a vehicle includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing system, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to determine required driver behaviors, determine a persistent sound indicative of the required driver behaviors, and generate a notification including the sound.

Abstract: An ego-vehicle for displaying a behavior of a target object in a spatio-temporal manner may include one or more processors. One or more memory modules are communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. A display is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. One or more sensors are communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. Machine readable instructions are stored in the one or more memory modules and cause the one or more processors to display on the display an object indicator associated with a position of a target object relative to the ego-vehicle, wherein the object indicator depicts a spatio-temporal patterning indicating the behavior of the target object.

Abstract: A shutter valve for regulating pressure and controlling fluid flow comprising an actuator ring having a plurality of gear teeth, the gear teeth driven by a mating gear or other means. A plurality of obturator pin bosses, each pin boss affixed within an inside circumference of the actuator ring, the pin boss further comprising a hinge pin aperture. The shutter valve further comprises three or more obturator elements, each obturator element defining a petal shape structure including a tongue and groove feature along at least a portion of an outside circumference thereof, and wherein each obturator element is hingedly coupled to a hinge pin aperture of an obturator pin boss. A hook element is located at an apex of said petal shape structure of each obturator element. The shutter value further includes a housing defining a cavity or holding the actuator ring and the three or more obturator elements.

Abstract: A relief well injection spool for use in killing a well has a body with a pair of inlets opening to a bore on an interior of the body, a ram body cooperative with the bore of the body so as to selectively open and close the bore, an upper connector affixed to the body and adapted to connect the body to a lower end of a blowout preventer, and a wellhead connector affixed to a lower end of the body. Each of the pair of inlets has a valve cooperative therewith. The upper connector opens to the bore of the body. The wellhead connector is adapted to connect to a relief well wellhead. The wellhead connector also opens to the bore of the body. A floating vessel can be provided so as to deliver a kill fluid into at least one of the pair of inlets.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of silicic acid to transform biological materials, including cellular architecture into inorganic materials to provide biocomposites (nanomaterials) with stabilized structure and function. In the present invention, there has been discovered a means to stabilize the structure and function of biological materials, including cells, biomolecules, peptides, proteins (especially including enzymes), lipids, lipid vesicles, polysaccharides, cytoskeletal filaments, tissue and organs with silicic acid such that these materials may be used as biocomposites. In many instances, these materials retain their original biological activity and may be used in harsh conditions which would otherwise destroy the integrity of the biological material. In certain instances, these biomaterials may be storage stable for long periods of time and reconstituted after storage to return the biological material back to its original form.

Abstract: Systems and methods for state based test case generation for software validation are disclosed. One embodiment includes determining a first input and a first input type for a program block of vehicle software for creating a test case, wherein the first input type includes a state based input, determining permutations of values for the first input, based on the first input type, and running the test case with the state based input, wherein running the test case comprises applying the permutations of values for the first input to the program block. Some embodiments include determining, by a test computing device, whether the test case meets a predetermined level of modified condition/decision coverage (MC/DC) and providing an indication of whether the test case meets the predetermined level of MC/DC.

Abstract: A heat transfer fluid can be used as part of a multi-phase adsorption environment to allow for improved separations of gas components using a solid adsorbent. The heat transfer fluid can reduce or minimize the temperature increase of the solid adsorbent that occurs during an adsorption cycle. Reducing or minimizing such a temperature increase can enhance the working capacity for an adsorbent and/or enable the use of adsorbents that are not practical for commercial scale adsorption using conventional adsorption methods. The multi-phase adsorption environment can correspond to a trickle bed environment, a slurry environment, or another convenient environment where at least a partial liquid phase of a heat transfer fluid is present during gas adsorption by a solid adsorbent.