Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for assisting a visually-impaired user is provided. The method includes determining, based upon an input from at least one sensor, a body position or posture of a user. The method also compares, using a processor, the determined body position to a plurality of body positions or postures to identify whether the determined body position or posture is acceptable. The method further includes providing a feedback signal indicating a change in body position or posture to assist the visually impaired user.

Abstract: An oil separation device of the having a separation chamber configured to separate micron particles of oil from crankcase gas is provided. The separation chamber has passage having a first end and a second end, the second end has a diameter smaller than the first end. The second end is spaced apart from a bottom wall of a chamber. Crankcase gas is drawn along the passage in the same direction as oil falling along the inner wall of the passage. Crankcase gas exits the second end in a path different than oil falling from the second end. The oil separating device may further include a dividing wall having through-holes and a blocking wall disposed above the through-holes so as to facilitate the removal of oil from crankcase gas.

Abstract: Vehicle headlight leveling methods and systems provide occupants of a vehicle the ability to manually adjust headlight level in an efficient and intuitive manner. In some embodiments, a user may supply a current vehicle loading condition to an input such as a vehicle information or entertainment system. The system may determine a headlight level setting based on the received loading condition using an in-vehicle processor and/or memory. A signal indicative of the headlight level setting may be sent to a headlight leveling device to change the orientation of the vehicle headlight in relation to the body of the vehicle. Some embodiments may prompt a user to input a vehicle loading condition if the vehicle recognizes changed vehicle characteristics.

Abstract: Disclosed are a graphene-ceramic hybrid coating layer formed from a graphene-ceramic hybrid sol solution including graphene (RGO: reduced graphene oxide) and a ceramic sol, wherein the graphene content in the graphene-ceramic hybrid coating layer is about 0.001 wt % to about 1.8 wt % based on the total weight of the graphene-ceramic hybrid coating layer, and a method for preparing the same.

Abstract: An aiming device including a thermoelectric module, a light source and a sight element. The thermoelectric module generates electricity from a thermal gradient, produced from a user's body heat that is transferred to the module. The electricity powers the light source. The light source illuminates a sight element of a projectile shooting device to enhance visibility of the sight element in a variety of ambient lighting conditions, optionally in low light conditions. The aiming device can be mounted to a projectile shooting device. With the aiming device, a user can selectively illuminate a sight element of a projectile shooting device, with the user's own body heat, to assist aiming the projectile shooting device during a shooting activity. The projectile shooting device can be any type of archery bow and/or firearm. Related methods are also provided.

Abstract: An assembly for converting motion comprises a first rotatable arm; a second rotatable arm; a third arm pivotably connected to the second arm; a fourth arm pivotably connected to the second arm; a fifth arm; a first connecting arm extending between the first arm and the third arm, pivotably connected to first arm and the third arm; a second connecting arm extending between the first and second arms, pivotably connected to the first arm and to the second arm; a third connecting arm extending between the first and fourth arms and the fourth and fifth arms, pivotably connected to the first arm, pivotably connected to the fourth arm, and pivotably connected to the fifth arm; and a fourth connecting arm pivotably connected to each of the fourth and fifth arms; the fifth arm pivotably connected to the third connecting arm and mounted to an object to be moved.

Abstract: An automated driving system and methods are disclosed. The automated driving system includes a perception system disposed on an autonomous vehicle. The automated driving system can detect, using the perception system, a neighboring vehicle proximate to an intersection, identify two or more potential paths through the intersection for the neighboring vehicle, determine a path priority for each of the two or more potential paths, and determine a path priority for a planned path through the intersection for the autonomous vehicle. If the path priority of at least one of the potential paths is higher than the path priority of the planned path, the automated driving system can send a command to one or more vehicle systems configured to allow the neighboring vehicle to proceed through the intersection before the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A tilting inversion exerciser includes a supporting stand having a primary frame and an auxiliary frame, the primary frame includes two posts, two barrels on the posts, two shafts attached to the barrels, a carrier attached to the shafts for supporting a supporting table, and an actuator is coupled between one of the shafts and one of the posts and includes a release valve for releasing the actuator when the release valve is depressed and actuated, and for locking the actuator when the release valve is released. The user may easily actuate the release valve to release and to lock the actuator without applying much force or energy to rotate the carrier and the supporting table relative to the supporting stand.

Abstract: Bumpers and vehicles that include bumpers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a bumper includes a bumper beam assembly, the bumper beam assembly including a beam, the beam including a front side that is oriented to face forward in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a bumper extension portion that is coupled to the beam and positioned at an outboard end of the bumper beam assembly, the bumper extension portion including a front side that is oriented face forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a top side that is oriented transverse to the front side, and a bottom side that is oriented transverse to the front side, and a reinforcement bracket that is coupled to the bumper extension portion, where the reinforcement bracket includes a front side that extends across the front side of the bumper extension portion.

Abstract: The effect of air resistance acting on ink drops discharged from nozzles of an ink-jet head is appropriately controlled, for example, by means of a method suitable for a breathable medium, such as a cloth and the like. In this way, for example, high-resolution printing, printing with a great gap distance, and the like is properly implemented.

Abstract: A bumper beam assembly includes a bumper reinforcement beam that connects to right and left side members of a vehicle at a rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a respective bumper beam connecting location and that extend rearward therefrom in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A spacer member is connected to the rear face outboard of the bumper beam connecting location. The spacer member includes a front wall, a rear wall, an inboard wall and an outboard wall, the inboard and outboard walls extend between the front wall and rear wall in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front wall is connected to the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a connecting portion. The front wall includes a chamfer wall portion outboard of the connecting portion that is separated from the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam providing a space between the chamfer wall portion and the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam.

Abstract: A three-way catalytic material that reduces NOx in an oxidizing atmosphere and a process for reducing NOx in an oxidizing atmosphere. The material is a mixed metal oxide catalyst and can be made from a doped barium cerate matrix with a chemical formula of BaAyDzCe(1-y-z)O3-?, where A is a precious metal or a combination of two or more precious metals and D is at least one transition metal. The coefficient y has a value between 0.0 and 0.20, inclusive, and the coefficient z has a value between 0.0 and 0.20, inclusive, and ? has a value between 0.00 and 0.20, inclusive.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and/or methods are provided to substantially reduce warping of a reinforced polymer. For example, by pre-stressing a glass component proportional to the difference between coefficients of linear expansions of glass and polymers, warping may be reduced when the resulting glass-polymer compound is cooled.

Abstract: A system for dynamically sealing an opening through which at least one pipe, cable or duct extends via a conduit sleeve which is fittingly and sealingly fixed to the circumference of the opening or which corresponds to the opening. The system comprises at least an elastically deformable plug which is fittingly and sealingly insertable in the conduit sleeve. The plug has two ends, an outer side and an inner side. Each end has dimensions that allow for fitting of that end in the conduit sleeve. The outer side comprises a number of outer ribs having tops spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of the plug for realizing annular contact surfaces between the plug and an inner circumferential wall of the conduit sleeve. The inner side comprises a number of inner ribs having tops spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the plug for realizing annular contact surfaces between the plug and the at least one pipe, cable or duct.

Abstract: Vehicles having gravity biased gate members utilized to laterally constrain a load are disclosed. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes one or more wheels that allow movement of the vehicle from one location to another location, a frame mounted to the one or more wheels, a load bearing deck supported by the frame, the load bearing deck having a support surface for supporting a load thereon, and a gravity biased gate member rotatably coupled at the load bearing deck at an axis of rotation. The gravity biased gate member includes a bottom portion below the axis of rotation that is heavier than a top portion above the axis of rotation such that a center of mass of the gravity biased gate member is offset from the axis of rotation, biasing the gravity biased gate member into an extended configuration.

Abstract: A three-dimensional laser scanner instrument for acquiring three-dimensional geometric data of a scene (1) comprises an illumination system (3) for generating a light beam (2) and for scanning an illumination point of said light beam (2) through said scene (1), a light detection system (6-9) comprising at least one light detector (8), said light detection system being arranged to receive light from said scene (1), and an optical system (4) for imaging light scattered in or reflected from said scene (1) onto said light detection system (6-9).

Abstract: Disclosed are a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) gas-to-liquid (GTL) apparatus for producing unitary synthetic crude oil and an FT GTL method for producing unitary synthetic crude oil. The FT GTL apparatus for producing unitary synthetic crude oil of the present invention is an FT GTL apparatus for producing unitary synthetic crude oil from floating production, storage, and off-loading (FPSO), and characterized by comprising: a gas injection stabilization unit for performing stabilization on the produced natural gas to generate a natural gas condensate; and a modification unit for modifying the natural gas, which has been treated in the gas injection stabilization unit, to produce a synthetic crude oil product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a multimedia audio inserter removes the left and right audio channel data from a multimedia signal, for example an HDMI® signal and replaces it with an alternate audio signal, which may be the center channel audio signal provided by a digital surround sound receiver. In exemplary applications, the resulting, modified multimedia signal may be provided to a digital television that is part of a surround sound system, enabling the television to play the center channel signal through its speakers. Optionally, the multimedia audio inserter may provide a copy of the multimedia signal at a multimedia feedthrough output. In exemplary applications, the multimedia feedthrough output may be used to play left and right channel audio, present in the HDMI® signal, through dedicated left and right speakers.

Abstract: A dendritic polymer, a dendritic polymer monomer, and a hyperbranched copolymer are described. The dendritic polymer monomer has a structure denoted by Z?-(Q)n-Y, wherein Z? represents a structure denoted by the following formula (a) and/or formula (b), Q represents a dendritic constitutional repeating unit of the dendritic polymer monomer, n represents the generation number of the dendritic polymer monomer, and is an integer within a range of 2-6, Y represents a group that contains SO3? and COO?, R14-R16 can be identical to or different from each other, and are H or C1-C5 alkyl respectively. The monomer can be used as a copolymerizable monomer for preparing a hyperbranched polymer applicable to oil fields, the obtained hyperbranched polymer can be used as an inhibiting filtrate reducer for drilling fluid, flocculating agent, encapsulating agent, heat-resistant and salinity-resistant polymer flooding agent, and thickening agent for fracturing liquid, etc.

Abstract: To provide a preferable container-connecting fitting with which it is possible to anchor a container using a cable such as a rope, a belt, and a wire and to prevent the cable from being disengaged from the container when the cable is used at any angle. A connecting fitting 10 is, at a part thereof, fitted into a non-circular hole 2 in a container 1, and is connected to a cable 3. The container-connecting fitting 10 has a shaft part 11 to be inserted into the hole 2. One end side of the shaft part 11 is provided with a first flange 12 which can pass through the hole 2 only when positioned at a specific angle about the center line of the shaft part 11, and the other side of the shaft part 11 is provided with a second flange 13 that is too large to pass through the hole 2.