Abstract: A motorized home storage system can be mounted to any type of ceiling for storing items off the ground. The motorized home storage system is designed to make use of unused ceiling space, allowing homeowners to store their items overhead and out of the way and create additional storage in homes. The system is designed for large and heavy items that can be easily stored due to the two tube motors. Tube motors can allow a storage platform to be lowered for easy access, loading, and unloading. Additionally, tube motors can allow the storage platform to be raised to the ceiling in order to be completely out of the way and off the ground. The system can include legs attached to the platform which can unsnap to turn the platform into a table.

Abstract: A method for determining a voice command shortcut includes receiving a first voice command providing instructions for performing a particular task and a second voice command providing additional instructions for performing the same task. The voice command shortcut may be used in place of the first and second voice commands, which are typically submitted in response to system prompts. The availability of a voice command shortcut is determined based on the first and second voice commands. If a voice command shortcut is available, an audible and/or visual notification may be provided to inform the user of the available voice command shortcut.

Abstract: A wearable neck device for providing environmental awareness to a user, the wearable neck device includes a flexible tube. A first stereo pair of cameras is encased in a left portion of the flexible tube and a second stereo pair of cameras is encased in a right portion of the flexible tube. A vibration motor within the flexible tube provides haptic and audio feedback to the user. A processor in the flexible tube recognizes objects from the first stereo pair of cameras and the second stereo pair of cameras. The vibration motor provides haptic and audio feedback of the items or points of interest to the user.

Abstract: A vacuum drilling system and methods is provided that may utilize both a through tool coolant supply as well as a central vacuum extraction system. The system may include a cutting head provided on a hollow tube and a vacuum source to apply vacuum pressure to the area of the cutting head via one or more chip inlets arranged proximate to the cutting head. Sealed coolant containment channels supply coolant to the area of the cutting head.

Abstract: The detection of the switching state of a stop switch at a switch terminal of an ignition device for an internal combustion engine is provided, in which an ignition pulse for controlling an electronic ignition switch is generated and a first power storage device is discharged via an ignition coil and during this discharge a voltage signal having negative and positive voltage half waves is generated, which is used for synchronizing a sampling, representing the switch state of the stop switch, particularly its closed position, of a voltage value at the switch terminal.

Abstract: Constraint-based methods for determining orientations of material physical properties using an isoparametric shape function are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of defining an orientation of an material physical property includes defining nonlinear and/or discontinuous design constraints of design values in a geometric domain associated with one or more physical attributes of the material physical property, and translating the nonlinear and/or discontinuous design constraints into continuous, first order design constraints of the design values by applying an isoparametric shape function. The method further includes performing a topology optimization using the continuous, first order design constraints of the design values, and reverse-translating results of the topology optimization back into the geometric domain using the isoparametric shape function. The results of the topology optimization in the geometric domain are indicative of the orientation of the material physical property.

Abstract: An airbag apparatus for a vehicle including an airbag stored in a folded state in a portion of a vehicle body and an inflator that provides a gas for inflating the airbag. The airbag including a main chamber and a delay chamber. The main chamber operable to be inflated earlier than the delay chamber. The delay chamber including an opening through which the gas passes from the main chamber to the delay chamber; and the delay chamber further including a weakened portion having less strength than the opening.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a seed layer, a first patterned metal layer, a dielectric layer and a second metal layer. The seed layer is disposed on a surface of the substrate. The first patterned metal layer is disposed on the seed layer and has a first thickness. The first patterned metal layer includes a first part and a second part. The dielectric layer is disposed on the first part of the first patterned metal layer. The second metal layer is disposed on the dielectric layer and has a second thickness, where the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. The first part of the first patterned metal layer, the dielectric layer and the second metal layer form a capacitor. The first part of the first patterned metal layer is a lower electrode of the capacitor, and the second part of the first patterned metal layer is an inductor.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine configured to generate power and noise. The vehicle includes a transmission configured to operate in a first gear corresponding to a first gear ratio and a second gear corresponding to a second gear ratio. The second gear ratio is less than the first gear ratio. The vehicle also includes a noise reduction device coupled to the engine and configured to operate in a first state to reduce the noise of the engine to a first volume and a second state to reduce the noise of the engine to a second volume that is greater than the first volume. The vehicle also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the engine, the transmission and the noise reduction device and configured to control the noise reduction device to switch to the second state when the transmission shifts from the second gear to the first gear.

Abstract: A valve (61) for enabling release of pressurized steam from a pressure vessel has a displaceable closure member (67) which is maintained in its closed disposition by exposure to the pressure of the steam within the pressure vessel. The closure member (67) is displaced between its closed disposition and an open disposition by a double-acting actuator (69), suitably an air-driven piston/cylinder device, the closure member (67) being preferably mounted at one axial end of a spindle (68) extending between the closure member (67) and the actuator (69). The closure member (67) is suitably mounted for substantially metal-to-metal contact with a valve seat portion (63), without interposition of any sealing element, preferably for substantially vertical displacement between its closed and dispositions.

Abstract: A substrate structure is provided. The substrate structure includes a number of traces, a substrate core, a number of first metal tiles, a number of second metal tiles, a number of first electrically-functioning circuits, and a number of second electrically-functioning circuits. The substrate core has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The traces, the first metal tiles, and the first electrically-functioning circuits are disposed on the first surface and add up to a first metal structure proportion, and the second metal tiles and the second electrically-functioning circuits are disposed on the second surface and add up to a second metal structure proportion. The difference between the first metal structure proportion and the second metal structure proportion is within 15%.

Abstract: A computer-readable map format and methods of constructing the map format are disclosed. The map format includes location information for a plurality of background objects. At least one of the background objects is a seasonal background object and the location information associated with the seasonal background object is identified during a season in which an obscuration level associated with the seasonal background object is at a minimum. The obscuration level can be based on the amount that the seasonal background object is obscured or based on the amount of obscuration caused by the seasonal background object.

Abstract: A method of autonomous driving includes generating, with a 3D sensor, 3D points representing objects in the environment surrounding a vehicle. The method further includes, with a computing device, identifying, from the 3D points, a temporal series of clusters of 3D points representing the same object in the environment surrounding the vehicle as a track, identifying cluster-based classifiers for the object based on identified local features for the clusters in the track, identifying track-based classifiers for the object based on identified global features for the track, combining the cluster-based classifiers and the track-based classifiers to classify the object, with the cluster-based classifiers being weighted based on an amount of information on the clusters from which they are identified, and with the weight increasing with increasing amounts of information, and driving the vehicle along a route based on the object's classification.

Abstract: A video sharing method for automatic video recording and for sharing recorded videos, comprising: registering specialized equipment and users; accepting and storing video files and music files; building searchable databases of uploaded video and music files; accepting user requests; selecting a music file; playing video files accompanied with the selected music file; and soliciting and accepting user feedback. A system plays video files at a user's request accompanied with music clips if desired.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first distillation apparatus for obtaining a fraction enriched in C8+ aromatics; a second distillation apparatus for obtaining a fraction enriched in C8 aromatics; an adsorption separation apparatus for obtaining an extract containing para-xylene and a raffinate containing xylene isomers; a third distillation apparatus for obtaining a fraction enriched in para-xylene; and a fourth distillation apparatus for obtaining a fraction enriched in xylene isomers. The second distillation apparatus includes a high-pressure part including a rectifying section; a low-pressure part including a stripping section; a line for directing overhead vapor of the low-pressure part to a column bottom of the high-pressure part; a line for directing a column bottom liquid of the high-pressure part to a column top of the low-pressure part; and a heat exchange structure for transferring heat from the rectifying section to the stripping section.

Abstract: A Powder feeding system for feeding powder in a feed tank via a valve for powder downstream of the feed tank and through a powder delivery pipe, the Powder feeding system including: a powder fluidizing portion provided in the feed tank and configured to introduce fluidizing gas for fluidizing the powder; and a powder refluidizing portion provided between the powder fluidizing portion and the valve for powder and configured to introduce refluidizing gas for refluidizing the powder.

Abstract: Electronic assemblies for thermoelectric generation are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electronic assembly includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a conductive plane and a plurality of thermal guide traces position on the first surface of the substrate. The conductive plane includes a plurality of arms radially extending from a central region. The plurality of thermal guide traces surrounds the conductive plane, and is shaped and positioned to guide heat flux present on or within the substrate toward the central region of the conductive plane. The electronic assembly may also include a thermoelectric generator device thermally coupled to the central region of the conductive plane, and a plurality of heat generating devices coupled to the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for calculating a desired trajectory for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle is located at a position on a road bounded by two road edges, wherein the road edges are known at least in a region around the position of the vehicle. A spring-mass model is introduced, wherein the spring-mass model is used for calculating the desired trajectory, wherein the positions of the point masses are calculated for a rest state of the spring-mass model, and the calculated positions of the point masses are used as data points for the calculation of a curve connecting the point masses, whereby the curve represents the desired trajectory.

Abstract: A gap sub has electrically-conductive parts held together by electrical insulators which engage in channels formed in the parts. The electrical insulators hold the parts in a spaced-apart electrically-insulated relationship. In some embodiments, the electrical insulators are removable to allow separation of the parts. An insulating oil or other fluid may fill the gap.