Abstract: In an embodiment, a garment, such as a smart pull-up, includes at least one outer section and a midsection attached to the outer section. The midsection includes a first antimicrobial membrane patch layer configured to contact a wearer's body, a second antimicrobial membrane patch layer disposed adjacent to the first antimicrobial patch layer, and an air gap disposed between the first patch and second antimicrobial patch layers. The first and second antimicrobial patch layers each are formed from respective balanced warp big tows and fill tows in a plain-weave pattern, and each layer include copper filaments disposed in a plurality of the tows, each of the copper filaments including at least Cu+/Cu+++ ions. Such a smart pull-up may be suitable for either adult who cannot use the toilet, or child, or healthy adult and, therefore, may urinate and defecate himself/herself.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package ready for assembly includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first under-bump-metallurgy (UBM) layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive pillar disposed on the first UBM layer; and a second conductive pillar disposed on the first conductive pillar. A material of the first conductive pillar is different from a material of the second conductive pillar, and the material of the second conductive pillar includes an antioxidant.

Abstract: Various technologies pertaining to modeling patterns of activity observed in remote sensing images using geospatial-temporal graphs are described herein. Graphs are constructed by representing objects in remote sensing images as nodes, and connecting nodes with undirected edges representing either distance or adjacency relationships between objects and directed edges representing changes in time. Activity patterns may be discerned from the graphs by coding nodes representing persistent objects like buildings differently from nodes representing ephemeral objects like vehicles, and examining the geospatial-temporal relationships of ephemeral nodes within the graph.

Abstract: A cable (10) includes a cable body (11) that is formed from a plurality of wires (14) that are integrally bundled; and a pair of sockets (12) to which both end portions of the cable body (11) is separately affixed; at least one of the plurality of wires (14) being a fiber-containing wire (16), which is formed by an optical fiber (17) that extends in a cable length direction (D) and that is protected by a protective tube (18); wherein the optical fiber (17) protrudes from the protective tube (18), in the cable length direction, further outside than the socket (12); and each of the pair of sockets (12) is provided with a spool (30) that removably holds the optical fiber (17) and imparts an initial tensile strain to the optical fiber (17).

Abstract: A method to produce thin film solar cells in superstrate or substrate configuration is an efficient way to minimize the loss due to absorption in CdS layer and to eliminate the CdCl2 activation treatment step. This is achieved by applying a sacrificial metal-halide layer between the CdS-layer and the CdTe-layer of the solar cells.

Abstract: A piston unit of a working cylinder has first and second coupling partners. The first coupling partner is a piston. The second coupling partner is a piston rod. The piston rod is inserted axially into the piston. Each of the coupling partners has an annular groove, the groove of the piston rod is an external groove, the groove of the piston is an internal groove. The grooves of the coupling partners lie opposite one another. The unit has a spring-loaded coupling ring. The coupling ring, when deformed in a tensioning direction, is fully accommodated by the groove of one coupling partner and which, when deformed in a release direction, engages in the grooves of both coupling partners. The engagement of the coupling ring in the grooves produces a form-locking connection between the partners. The piston rod is oversized in relation to the piston and provides an additional frictional connection.

Abstract: A power system includes power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer. The system also includes gate driver circuitry that operates the first switch and the second switch. Power transfer in a normal operating mode from a primary side to secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled by operating the first switch. The system can recover voltage from the secondary side to the primary side by reversing a direction of power transfer when a voltage on the primary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is less than an operating voltage of the gate driver circuitry. The system can resume the normal operating mode when the voltage on the primary is greater than the operating voltage of the gate driver circuitry.

Abstract: A system for maximizing the measured efficiency of an HVAC&R system including two pressure sensors, two temperature sensors, a flow sensor, a power voltage sensor, a power current sensor, and a controller. Each pressure sensor may be adapted to measure different refrigerant pressures and generate respective pressure signals. Each temperature sensor may be adapted to measure different refrigerant temperatures and generate respective temperature signals. The flow sensor may be adapted to measure a refrigerant flow rate and to generate a flow signal. The power voltage sensor may be configured to measure an electrical voltage input and generate a power voltage signal. The power current sensor configured to measure an electrical current input and to generate a power current signal. The controller may be adapted to receive the signals, calculate a measured efficiency, and output a first voltage output signal having a value dependent upon the measured efficiency.

Abstract: Device for laying up a composite product with fibrous rovings made from glass, carbon, aramid and other similar filaments, designed especially for production of composite reinforcements or supporting elements such as the reinforcement of tailgates of personal vehicles, consists of individual unwinding spools (2) of fibrous rovings (21) rotatably arranged around the composite product (1). The unwinding spools (2) are installed on the set of the rotary disc rings (3) which are mounted on a common fixed ring frame (4) and equipped with independent drives (5) with pre-programmed control of direction and speed of their rotation wherein the composite product (1) is during the laying up procedure alternately fixed to individual carrier grippers (8) of at least one program-controlled manipulator (9). In each rotary disc ring (3) as well as in fixed ring frame (4) at least one lateral passage (6) is created for entry and exit of the composite product (1) between the unwinding spools (2).

Abstract: A method for crushing a metal dross block and/or metal extension uses a cable saw to at least tartly cut the metal dross block and/or metal extension.

Abstract: Vehicle seat adjustment systems including cameras are disclosed. The vehicle seat adjustment system includes a camera configured to capture a seat arrangement of a front seat of a vehicle and one or more seats behind the front seat, a screen, communicatively coupled to the camera, configured to display the seat arrangement captured by the camera, an input device configured to receive an input from a user for adjusting positions of the one or more seats, an actuator communicatively coupled to the input device and configured to adjust positions of the one or more seats, and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera, the screen, the input device and the actuator. The controller receives the input from the input device and instruct the actuator to adjust the positions of the one or more seats based on the input from the user.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that causes inkjet heads to discharge ink regardless of whether a moving direction of a carriage with respect to a recording medium is either direction in a main scanning direction indicated with an arrow has ink discharging ranges by the inkjet heads that discharge inks of primary colors and ink discharging ranges by the other inkjet heads that discharge inks of secondary colors, the ink discharging ranges being arranged so as not to overlap in the main scanning direction, and allows only one of the inkjet heads to discharge ink and allows only one of the other inkjet heads to discharge ink with respect to a same position in the recording medium.

Abstract: Seal assembly designs for extreme temperatures that include material and structural designs to counteract sealing component shrinkage or expansion caused by thermal expansion or contraction. Provisions can be included to increase sealing stress along the outer seal lip of the seal assembly for low temperature applications where shrinkage can be an issue and to increase sealing stress along the inner seal lip of the seal assembly for high temperature applications where expansion can be an issue.

Abstract: A power electronics assembly that includes a first cooling chip fluidly coupled to a second cooling chip. The first cooling chip and the second cooling chip each include a cooling chip fluid inlet, a cooling chip fluid outlet, and one or more cooling chip fluid channels extending between and fluidly coupled to the cooling chip fluid inlet and the cooling chip fluid outlet. The power electronics assembly also includes a semiconductor device positioned between and thermally coupled to the first cooling chip and the second cooling chip and a thermo-electric generator positioned between and thermally coupled to the semiconductor device and one of the first cooling chip or the second cooling chip.

Abstract: A solar heat collector with high heat collection effect is provided. The solar heat collector includes a first heat collection pipe and a second heat collection pipe. The first heat collection pipe receives reflected light from a single-axial tracking solar type reflective mirror group to collect heat. The second heat collection pipe receives reflected light from the single-axial tracking solar type reflective mirror group and dual-axial tracking solar type reflective mirror groups to collect heat. The second heat collection pipe has an amount of heat collection per unit area larger than the first heat collection pipe. Therefore, compared with the use of only the first heat collection pipe, this ensures obtaining larger energy.

Abstract: An adjustable depth magnetic device comprises a switchable magnet, switchable magnet carrier, or switchable magnet integrated into a carrier, constrained by and locked into position by a receiver that is separate from or integrated into an object or fixture. The adjustable depth magnetic device may be affixed to or integrated into an object for the purpose of constraining said object to a ferrous target; or the adjustable depth magnetic device may be affixed to or integrated into a fixture to facilitate manufacturing, production, and/or assembly operations.

Abstract: A telecentric lens comprises a front optical group (20) defining a front optical axis (k), at least a first rear optical group (40), defining a rear optical axis (k?), and at least one lens aperture (30) positioned between the front optical group 20 and a respective rear optical group. Between the front optical group (20) and the lens aperture (30) are inserted at least two reflective or semi-reflective elements arranged in such a way that at least a part of the rays coming from the front optical group undergoes at least one double reflection before reaching the rear optical group (40).

Abstract: A printer that performs printing on a medium by an inkjet scheme includes an inkjet head, for ejecting droplets of an ink containing a solvent to be evaporated to fix the ink on the medium; and an ultraviolet light source that irradiates the ink with an ultraviolet light. The ink contains a colorant, the solvent, an exothermic polymerizable substance, and a polymerization initiator. The colorant develops a color of the ink. The exothermic polymerizable substance causes a polymerization reaction to generate heat. The polymerization initiator starts the polymerization reaction of the exothermic polymerizable substance in response to irradiation with ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light source irradiates the ink adhered to the medium with ultraviolet light to make the exothermic polymerizable substance cause the polymerization reaction. Thus, the solvent in the ink is evaporated by the heat generated by the polymerization reaction to fix the ink on the medium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a smart ladder. The smart ladder may be A-frame type of ladders, such as A-frame ladders and A-frame platform ladders. The smart ladder includes right and left outrigger leg units which are swiveled coupled to the right and left sides of the ladder to provide side support. The ladder includes brace units facilitate in folding and unfolding of the ladder as well as the outrigger legs. An electronic system, which includes a sensor network, a processor and a warning system, is provided. The sensor network senses side inclination angle of the ladder and side force on the outriggers and predict potential hazards from exceeding load and angle thresholds. This enhances safe operation of the ladder and avoids injuries to the user and others in the vicinity.

Abstract: A portable plant instrument freezing and bursting prevention device using a non-directional serial connector includes a main body portion, a plurality of heat wire portions, each of the plurality of heat wire portions comprising a male connector having a cylindrical shape, a heat wire having resistance, and a female connector having a cylindrical shape and having a hollow portion with both ends open, which are sequentially coupled to one another, and an end cap inserted into the female connector at an end of the plurality of heat wire portions to short-circuit the female connector, in which the male connector of one of the plurality of heat wire portions is inserted into the female connector of another one of the plurality of heat wire portions, and thus the plurality of heat wire portions are serially connected to one another.