Abstract: The invention pertains to a force transmitting device (100) for a transmission (200), particularly of a motorcycle, with a shift assist system, featuring a shift input shaft (30) with a shift lever connection (20) for receiving a shifting motion of a shift lever (300) and a transmission connection (40) for transmitting the shifting motion to a gear shifting gate (110) of the transmission (100), wherein the shift input shaft (30) features an energy accumulator (32) for the intermediate storage of at least part of the shifting force such that the relative motion between the shift lever connection (20) and the transmission connection (40) can be realized by changing the shifting force stored in the energy accumulator (32), and wherein the shift input shaft (30) features a sensor device (60) for detecting the relative motion between the shift lever connection (20) and the transmission connection (40).

Abstract: A system of bonded substrates may include a first substrate, a second substrate, and a bonding layer. The first substrate may include a bonding surface, wherein a geometry of the bonding surface of the first substrate includes a plurality of microchannels. The second substrate may include a complementary bonding surface. The bonding layer may be positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the bonding layer may fill the microchannels of the first substrate and may contact substantially the entire bonding surface of the first substrate. The bonding layer may include a metal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to vision-assist devices and methods. In one embodiment, a vision-assist device includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and one or more sensing devices communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and operable to sense an environment. Machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules cause the one or more processors to: receive environmental information from the one or more sensing devices; and generate a thermal feedback signal regarding a subset of the environmental information acquired by the one or more sensing devices. One or more heating elements are communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and produce thermal feedback in response to receipt of the thermal feedback signal. The thermal feedback is indicative of the subset of environmental information.

Abstract: Equipment (10) for excavating solid surfaces S such as for example made of asphalt or cement or similar solid material, in particular for obtaining or excavating trenches in said solid surfaces, said equipment (10) comprising working or excavating means (16) rotatably supported by a main frame (11), and a setting frame (30) which defines at least one contact portion (33) substantially flat and adapted to be put into contact with a corresponding portion of the surface S to be worked on, wherein the position of said setting frame (30) with respect to said main supporting frame (11) may be set so as to set the working depth K of said working means (16); wherein the said setting frame (30) is rotatably not constrained to said main supporting frame (11) in such a way that the setting frame, regardless of the particular working conditions, always perfectly lies on the surface to be worked on S.

Abstract: A weighing apparatus includes a first weighing device including a weighing platform and a second weighing device including a weighing platform located adjacent the first weighing platform. A small end fixture assembly is supported on the weighing platform of the first weighing device that supports a small end of a connecting rod thereon at a location spaced above the weighing platform of the first weighing device. A large end fixture assembly is supported on the weighing platform of the second weighing device that supports a large end of the connecting rod thereon at a location spaced above the weighing platform of the second weighing device.

Abstract: A protective sleeve is deployable within an oil/gas well to protect a device installed in the well such as a safety valve, for example. The sleeve includes a pressure equalizing dart and an overpressure protection piston. The sleeve also serves to isolate an installed device from harmful substances such as acids and other corrosive fluids.

Abstract: Systems and methods for directing a vision-impaired user to a vehicle are disclosed. One embodiment of a system includes a vision-assist apparatus that includes an output device for communicating data that is perceptible by a vision-impaired user and a computing device that is coupled to the output device. The computing device may include a processor and memory that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the vision-assist apparatus to receive an indication that the vehicle has arrived at a predetermined location, receive, from the vehicle computing device, a specific real-time position of the vehicle in the predetermined location, and determine a route to direct the vision-impaired user to the specific real-time position. In some embodiments, the logic further causes the vision-assist apparatus to provide instructions to traverse the route to the specific real-time position for output by the output device.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules configured to output power to electrical loads based on load demands. The system also includes control circuitry configured to control an amount of power transferred from each of the energy modules to the at least one load based on received sensor data from the energy modules, detect failure of at least one source cell of the energy modules based on the received sensor data from the energy modules, and control a voltage supplied by the energy modules to the at least one load within a predetermined operating band when the failure is detected.

Abstract: Vision-assist systems and methods include use of processor(s) and a communicatively coupled feedback device and environmental sensing device upon which generated feedback is based. Machine readable instructions stored on a memory module cause the system to perform the following when executed by the processor(s): record a first metric corresponding to a level of reliance by a user on the feedback device at a first time; record a second metric corresponding to the level of reliance by the user on the feedback device at a second time after the first time; and record an awarded amount of reliance points when the second metric is less than the first metric, indicative of a decrease on a reliance by the user on the vision-assist system. The awarded amount of reliance points corresponds to a percentage by which the second metric decreases compared to the first metric.

Abstract: A device pairing method relates to steps of transmitting authentication information to a second device from a first device via a physical connecting line. First, a connectivity interface on the second device is electrically connected to an authentication connectivity interface on the first device via a connecting line; second, the first device in the mode of the virtual authentication disk is electrically connected to the second device; third, authentication information in the virtual authentication disk is accessed by an application program of the second device; fourth, an electrical connection between the second device and the first device is disabled with the connecting line removed; finally, the first device is accessed by the application program of the second device when the authentication information is transmitted to a network interface on the first device through some wireless networks of the second device.

Abstract: Apparatuses for coupling a semiconductor device to a cooling system, methods of coupling a semiconductor device to a cooling system, and systems incorporating the apparatuses are disclosed. An apparatus includes a first frame member coupled to the cooling system, a second frame member coupled via one or more fasteners to the first frame member, and a spring assembly disposed between the first frame member and the second frame member. The semiconductor device is disposed between the spring assembly and the second frame member.

Abstract: Diffuse optical tomography systems and methods are described herein. In a general embodiment, the diffuse optical tomography system comprises a plurality of sensor heads, the plurality of sensor heads comprising respective optical emitter systems and respective sensor systems. A sensor head in the plurality of sensors heads is caused to act as an illuminator, such that its optical emitter system transmits a transillumination beam towards a portion of a sample. Other sensor heads in the plurality of sensor heads act as observers, detecting portions of the transillumination beam that radiate from the sample in the fields of view of the respective sensory systems of the other sensor heads. Thus, sensor heads in the plurality of sensors heads generate sensor data in parallel.

Abstract: An ionizing radiation detector or scintillator system includes a scintillating material comprising an organic crystalline compound selected to generate photons in response to the passage of ionizing radiation. The organic compound has a crystalline symmetry of higher order than monoclinic, for example an orthorhombic, trigonal, tetragonal, hexagonal, or cubic symmetry. A photodetector is optically coupled to the scintillating material, and configured to generate electronic signals having pulse shapes based on the photons generated in the scintillating material. A discriminator is coupled to the photon detector, and configured to discriminate between neutrons and gamma rays in the ionizing radiation based on the pulse shapes of the output signals.

Abstract: A measurement-while-drilling (MWD) telemetry system comprises a downhole MWD telemetry tool comprising a mud pulse (MP) telemetry unit and an electromagnetic (EM) telemetry unit. The MWD telemetry tool can be configured to transmit data in an EM-only telemetry mode using only the EM telemetry unit, in an MP-only mode using only the MP telemetry unit, or in a concurrent telemetry mode using both the EM and MP telemetry units concurrently. When transmitting data in the concurrent telemetry mode, the telemetry tool can be configured to transmit in a concurrent confirmation mode wherein the same telemetry data is transmitted by each of the EM and MP telemetry units, or in a concurrent shared mode wherein some of the telemetry data is transmitted by the EM telemetry unit, and the rest of the telemetry data is transmitted by the MP telemetry unit. The telemetry tool can be programmed to change its operating telemetry mode in response to a downlink command sent by an operator at surface.

Abstract: In embodiments, an aqueous solution containing lixiviants and/or other chemicals and/or reagents may be delivered into the well through one or more conduits or pipes. The chemicals in the aqueous solution may further be mixed together and/or with other ingredients. The solution may thereafter be screened and delivered by being pumped to pressures required for delivery of the solution from a perforated well, deep into a heap leach pad to leach, re-leach, and/or rinse extracted components of interest, such as metals for recovery. The delivery method may open or stimulate new fluid pathways or channels by lifting and mobilizing materials in the heap, thereby creating new channels, and allowing fluid to travel substantially horizontally through the heap to interface with inventory metal for recovery. The system may include a mobile platform assembled near or at the vicinity of the injection well.

Abstract: A method for production of titanium carbide nanoparticles, the method having: a step for supplying titanium powder or titanium oxide powder into a thermal plasma flame; and a step for producing titanium carbide nanoparticles by supplying a reactive gas as a cooling gas and as a source of carbon at the downstream end of the thermal plasma flame. By varying the supplied quantity of the reactive gas, the oxygen concentration of the produced titanium carbide nanoparticles is varied. Therefore, for example, titanium carbide nanoparticles having different volume resistivity values can be produced.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having a plurality of nanoparticle inclusions. The process includes determining a material composition to be investigated for the nanocomposite thermoelectric material, the material composition including a conductive bulk material and a nanoparticle material. In addition, a range of surface roughness values for the insulating nanoparticle material that can be obtained using current state of the art manufacturing techniques is determined. Thereafter, a plurality of Seebeck coefficients, electrical resistivity values, thermal conductivity values and figure of merit values as a function of the range of nanoparticle material surface roughness values is calculated. Based on these calculated values, a nanocomposite thermoelectric material composition or ranges of compositions is/are selected and manufactured.

Abstract: Embodiments of a crush box are described. One embodiment of the crush box includes a first sidewall that is coupled to a vehicle and a second sidewall that is coupled to the vehicle, where the first sidewall and the second sidewall include similarly pre-bent portions that cause the first sidewall and the second sidewall to bend outward upon receipt of a force. In some embodiments, the first sidewall and the second sidewall include a plurality of tabs that couple the first sidewall and the second sidewall to a top wall that bends inward upon receipt of the force.

Abstract: An integrated modular attachment system for releasably attaching an object to a garment. The garment may include one or more loops. The object includes a base member, a foldable flap attached to the base member, a first wing member extending from a first side of the base member and a second wing member extending from a second side of the base member. To secure the object to the garment, the foldable flap is arranged in downward position and inserted through at least one of the loops of the garment. The first wing member is folded into a position which overlaps a portion of the foldable flap and is removably secured to the foldable flap. The second wing member is then folded over to overlap the first wing member and is removably secured to at least the first wing member.

Abstract: The invention in this application aims to provide a multipolar fusible link in which its lateral width can decrease while its entire height does not increase. A multipolar fusible link (100) includes: an input terminal (110); a bus bar (120) through which an electric current input from the input terminal (110) flows; and a plurality of terminals (140) connected to the bus bar (120) via fusible sections (130). By changing a shape of a lower edge (122) of the bus bar (120) to which the fusible sections (130) are connected, a width between the lower edge (122) and an upper edge (121) positioned opposite the lower edge (122) is changed in accordance with the fusible sections (130) connected to the lower edge (122). In addition, shapes of the fusible sections (130) connected to the lower edge (122) are changed so that their lateral widths decrease.