Abstract: This application describes an automated driving system and methods. The automated driving system includes a perception system disposed on an autonomous vehicle. The automated driving system can detect, using the perception system, information for an environment proximate to the autonomous vehicle. The information for the environment includes current behavior of an object of interest and traffic density information. The automated driving system can also determine a classifier for the environment based on a prediction of future behavior of the object of interest. Based on the classifier, the automated driving system can identify a transition between vehicle states, the vehicle states being associated with a planned action for the autonomous vehicle. The automated driving system can also send a command to one or more vehicle systems to control the autonomous vehicle to execute the planned action according to the transition.

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with an ink jet head in which a nozzle for discharging an ink droplet toward a print medium is formed, a light emitting section that emits light for detecting the flying ink droplet that was discharged from the nozzle, and a light receiving section that receives the light emitted by the light emitting section are provided; detects the ink droplet in a case where an amount of the light received by the light receiving section among the light emitted by the light emitting section is equal to or less than a predetermined amount; and determines that a nozzle is defective (S167) in a case where the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle based on print data in the printing by the ink jet head is not detected at a scheduled timing of passing through a detection region (YES in S163 and YES in S164).

Abstract: A resin mold includes a resin layer having a depressions and protrusions pattern formed in the surface thereof, and a release layer including a mold release agent and formed of uniform thickness on at least the depressions and protrusions pattern of the aforementioned resin layer. The aforementioned resin layer has a solvent soluble resin, and an additive that has bleeding ability with respect to the solvent soluble resin, has a substituent group capable of coupling with the aforementioned mold release agent, and has a substituent group having compatibility with the aforementioned solvent soluble resin. The aforementioned additive is localized in the vicinity of the aforementioned resin layer surface. The group of the additive capable of coupling with the mold release agent condenses with the aforementioned mold release agent so that the aforementioned resin layer and release layer are bonded together.

Abstract: A scroll-type compressor for a CO2 vehicle air conditioning system, having a movable displacement spiral which is rotatably connected to an eccentric bearing and which engages into a counterpart spiral such that, between the windings of the displacement spiral and of the counterpart spiral, there are formed chambers which travel radially inward in order to compress the refrigerant and discharge the refrigerant into a pressure chamber, wherein the displacement spiral is arranged on the suction side and the counterpart spiral is arranged on the high-pressure side. The scroll-type compressor is wherein the eccentric bearing is arranged in the displacement chamber between the displacement spiral and the counterpart spiral and has a bearing bushing which is formed integrally with the displacement spiral and the base of which is in alignment with the face side of the windings of the displacement spiral.

Abstract: Methods and systems of determining a location of a target object on a surface are disclosed. A method may include positioning a robotic arm proximate to the target object, moving the robotic arm at a trajectory such that the robotic arm contacts the target object and pushes the target object across the surface into a target area bound by known dimensional coordinates, moving a robotic hand coupled to the robotic arm along a vector that corresponds to one of the known dimensional coordinates such that the robotic hand contacts the target object in the target area, and grasping the target object with the robotic hand.

Abstract: There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from a gaseous by-products generated in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction, the method comprising a pressurizing step in which the gaseous by-products are pressurized, a cooling step in which the pressurized gaseous by-products are pressurized to liquefy hydrocarbon compounds in the gaseous by-products, and a separating step in which the hydrocarbon compounds liquefied in the cooling step are separated from the remaining gaseous by-products.

Abstract: A shading correction of removing a plurality of shading factors is performed. A scanner device performs a shading correction in a manner such that a low-pass filter circuit (14) extracts a broad waveform change component caused by a temperature characteristic and a temporal change in light source or sensor sensitivity as shading factors, a phase/amplitude synchronizing circuit (15) extracts a phase shift of a cycle pattern of a lens array, a first multiplying circuit (16) synthesizes the waveforms of the extracted factors so as to form a correction-purpose image signal waveform, and the correction-purpose image signal waveform is divided from an image signal waveform subjected to a dark level correction (offset).

Abstract: A knuckle-jointed lance (KJL) segment with an exterior protective system (EPS), comprising an elongated hollow body and at least one protective rod. The body has a generally trapezoidal profile, when viewed in elevation, and is open at both ends. At least one elongate recess is provided in the exterior surface of the body. Each recess follows a predetermined pathway within the exterior surface. At least one consumable protective rod is received into each elongate recess.

Abstract: To provide a work transfer apparatus which can transfer works at high speed with controlling respectively the posture of the right and left of works. The work transfer apparatus includes an arm moving back and forth between machines in order to transfer work(s), a crossbar coupled to the arm, and a pair of right and left work holding devices provided at the left and right sides of the crossbar and tilt drive devices being provided on the arm, respectively controlling the work holding devices to rotate around an axis of a longitudinal direction of the crossbar.

Abstract: Anisotropic thermal energy guiding shells and methods for fabricating thermal energy guiding shells are provided. An anisotropic thermal energy guiding shell includes an interior volume defined within the anisotropic thermal energy guiding shell, a plurality of thermally conductive fibers, and at least one component attachment region. The plurality of thermally conductive fibers are arranged to guide thermal energy received by the anisotropic thermal energy guiding shell non-uniformly relative to the at least one component attachment region according to a thermal energy management objective. A method for fabricating a thermal energy guiding shell includes forming a composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers, impregnating the composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers with a resin, curing the impregnated composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers, and forming the impregnated composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers into the thermal energy guiding shell.

Abstract: A force moment sensor for sensing forces and moments in a system through which forces and moments are transferred from an input member to an output member is disclosed. It includes a housing, an inner tube, a load plate, a plurality of elongate connectors and a plurality of dynamic deflection measuring devices. The housing has a base portion and an outer tube portion generally orthogonal to the base portion. The inner tube, a poled piezoceramic element, is operably connected to the base portion and spaced inwardly of the outer tube. The load plate is attached to the inner tube, spaced from the base portion and spaced from the outer tube. The plurality of elongate connectors are connected between the load plate and the outer tube portion. The plurality of dynamic deflection measuring devices are attached to the load plate for measuring dynamic flexible deflections of the load plate.

Abstract: There is provided a method that achieves ground reinforcement, a rise of ground surface level, and ground surface flattening, and so forth even on ground free of a building construction on it or soft ground. The method involves: determination of the degree of consolidation at a grout injection depth position; prediction of a permeation radius at which grout will permeate first on the basis of the degree of consolidation and the amount of grout for single-shot injection; setting of a plurality of grout injection points so as to be spaced apart by an adjacent distance greater than twice the permeation radius; starting of time-spaced injections at each grout injection point; and formation of a solidified portion during the first injection and formation of an enlarged solidified portion during the second injection.

Abstract: A fluid pressure cylinder and a clamp device that, when an output member arrives at a prescribed position such as, in particular, an advance limit position or a retraction limit position, are capable of detecting the position of the output member on the basis of change of air pressure as, due to an opening/closing valve mechanism, the communication state of an air passage within the clamp main body is changed over together with the operation of the output member.

Abstract: Examples of the invention include methods and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting power to a vehicle using electromagnetic radiation. An example apparatus includes a transmitter coil associated with a first metamaterial lens, and a receiver coil associated with a second metamaterial lens, the receiver coil being located within the vehicle. The metamaterial lenses each have a negative magnetic permeability, and are separated by a lens spacing including an air gap. The first and second metamaterial lenses (and the lens spacing) act cooperatively to focus the electromagnetic radiation from the transmitter coil on the receiver coil.

Abstract: A method for regulating an electromagnetic (“EM”) telemetry signal sent from downhole to surface includes determining a value of a controlled parameter of the EM telemetry signal, comparing the value of the controlled parameter to a configuration value, and adjusting the value of the controlled parameter in a first direction towards the configuration value while monitoring a feedback parameter of the EM telemetry signal when the value of the controlled parameter and the configuration value differ. The controlled parameter is one of transmission voltage and transmission current, and the feedback parameter is the other of transmission voltage and transmission current.

Abstract: A machine for decorating products, including an area for printing products and an area for supporting products arranged beneath said printing area, including a moveable frame to which the support area and the printing area are integrally joined, the support area including a first conveyor, directly positioned of the printing area, and a second conveyor positioned beneath the first conveyor.

Abstract: A poultry stunning apparatus and method, the apparatus including an electrical control module configured to apply a DC current to the poultry at a voltage sufficient to stun the poultry and to apply AC current to the stunned poultry at a voltage and for a period of time sufficient to immobilize and relax the muscles of the stunned poultry, while at the same time avoiding or minimizing damage to the poultry tissue. In the method, DC voltage/current is applied for initial stunning, followed by an AC voltage/current to immobilize poultry and to further relax the muscles of the stunned poultry, such that the poultry does not exhibit involuntary motions, while at the same time avoiding or minimizing damage to the poultry tissue.

Abstract: An icemaker control circuit may include an icemaker module and a DC motor. The icemaker module may include a control board that receives an AC power signal directly from an AC source that is external to the icemaker control circuit. The module may also include self-contained electronics and controls that allows icemaker operation without a need to interface to any signals other than AC power signal. The DC motor is provided for moving an output drive and is controlled by a DC output of the control circuit of the icemaker module in response to applying the AC signal to the icemaker module.

Abstract: A shaped article successfully decorated as desired and a manufacturing method for the shaped article are provided. The shaped article is manufactured by multilayer lamination technique, in which a colored layer, a first transparent layer, and a light reflective layer are formed in this order from an outer-layer side toward an inner side of the shaped article.

Abstract: Vehicles and vehicle systems including locking devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a front wheel, a steering rack assembly that includes a rack coupled to the front wheel, where the rack extends in a vehicle lateral direction and is translatable with respect to a unibody of the vehicle in the vehicle lateral direction, and a locking device coupled to the steering rack assembly, where the locking device includes a deactivated configuration that allows translation of the rack and an activated configuration that restricts translation of the rack.