Abstract: A system and method for additive manufacturing are provided. The system includes a structure defining a chamber for manufacturing parts via additive manufacturing. A powder metal applicator is configured to deposit layers of powder metal material to build a part on a build platform. A laser source is configured to direct one or more laser beams onto each layer of powder metal material to fuse the powder metal material, wherein metal condensate is created by the laser beam(s) contacting the powder metal material. An element spaced apart from the layers of powder material has a temperature different than the chamber temperature, so that the element is configured to attract or repel the metal condensate by virtue of the temperature differential between the element and the chamber. The method includes using the element having the different temperature to attract or repel the metal condensate within the chamber.

Abstract: A method for battery capacity estimation is provided. The method includes monitoring a sensor, collecting a plurality of data points including a voltage-based state of charge value and an integrated current value, defining within the data points a first data set collected during a first time period and a second data set collected during a second time period, determining an integrated current error related to the second data set, comparing the integrated current error related to the second data set to a threshold integrated current error. When the error related to the second data set exceeds the threshold, the method further includes resetting the second data set based upon an integrated current value from the first time period. The method further includes combining the data sets to create a combined data set and determining a voltage slope capacity estimate as a change in integrated current versus voltage-based state of charge.

Abstract: A high Q whispering gallery mode resonator with ion-implanted voids is described. A resonator device includes a resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material. The resonator disk includes a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, and a side structure between the top surface and the bottom surface. The side structure includes an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, where a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves. The whispering gallery mode resonator disk includes voids localized at a particular depth from the top surface. At least one of the voids localized at the particular depth from the top surface is located at an outer extremity towards the perimeter of the resonator disk. The resonator device can further include a first electrode on the top surface and a second electrode on the bottom surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a header for a vehicle upper body structure. The header includes an elongated body extending between a first side and a second side. The elongated body includes a polymer and a plurality of fibers. The elongated body includes a front end and a back end. The front end is configured to be coupled to a windshield. The back end is configured to be coupled to a roof. At least a portion of the elongated body has a transparency of greater than or equal to about 4%.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a roof for a vehicle upper body structure. The roof includes a body extending between a first side and a second side, and extending between a front end and a back end. The front end is configured to be coupled to a header. The body includes a polymer and a plurality of fibers. At least a portion of the body has a transparency of greater than or equal to about 4%.

Abstract: A driver command predictor includes a controller, multiple sensors, and a command prediction unit. The controller is configured to command an adjustment of multiple motion vectors of a vehicle relative to a roadway in response to multiple actual driver commands and multiple future driver commands. The actual driver commands are received at a current time. The future driver commands are received at multiple update times. The update times range from the current time to a future time. The sensors are configured to generate sensor data that determines multiple actual states of the vehicle in response to the motion vectors as commanded. The command prediction unit is configured to generate the future driver commands at the update times in response to a driver model. The driver model operates on the actual driver commands and the actual states to predict the future driver commands at the update times.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses of a welding system are disclosed and include a first stage of a scanning device for scanning weld parts to generate a three-dimensional (3D) profile of a weld target wherein the 3D profile captures matching imperfections of a meeting together of the set of weld parts when performing the weld operation; and the second stage of a monitoring device to monitor the weld operation and to generate a data of high-resolution measurements of the weld operation; wherein the first stage further includes the monitoring device determining a weld schedule based on the 3D profile, and to adjust the weld schedule while the weld operation progresses to adapt to predicted distortion based on the 3D profile and to sensed distortion; wherein the second stage further includes a plurality of sensors to sense a set of components associated with the weld operation to generate high-resolution data of measurements.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing product samples to users in autonomous vehicles, thereby allowing businesses to advertise their products via the rideshare platform. A physical advertising platform is provided leveraging existing rideshare and delivery infrastructure to allow businesses to advertise their products by providing samples in rideshare vehicles and/or with rideshare vehicle deliveries. Consumers have the opportunity to try new products from local businesses that they may otherwise not be exposed to. In some implementations, a rideshare application interface can allow users to see what new local product samples are available. In some examples, a user can select one or more product samples to try.

Abstract: A stator assembly for an electric machine includes stator teeth connected to a stator yoke to form a stator core. Adjacent teeth define a stator slot. Stator windings are disposed within the slot. A molding material fills the slot around the windings, providing a desired thermoelectrical performance level at different slot regions, including electrical insulation, thermal conductivity, and/or electrostatic shielding levels. A method insulates the stator assembly by inserting a molding tool(s) into the slot to define a void volume, filling the void volume with the dielectric molding material, and curing the dielectric molding material to form a slot liner layer adjacent to the tooth walls. A slot opening between adjacent teeth is filled with an electrically-conductive resin to form an electrostatic shielding layer. An electrical system includes an AC voltage bus connected to a power inverter module and to the electric machine having the above-described stator assembly.

Abstract: Presented are stacked electrode designs for electrochemical devices, methods for making/using such electrochemical devices, and lithium-class cylindrical and prismatic battery cells with stacked electrode architectures. An electrochemical device employs multiple first (e.g., anode) electrodes and multiple second (e.g., cathode) electrodes, each of which includes an active (anode/cathode) electrode material borne by an electrode body and a flexible tab projecting from the electrode body. Multiple electrically insulating separators are interleaved between and stacked along a central stack axis with the electrodes to define an electrode stack. A first electrically conductive current collector fully or partially surrounds the electrode stack and interference fits with the electrode tabs of the first electrodes to electrically connect thereto.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using augmented reality technology to provide on-site service center personnel with enhanced safety. In particular, augmented reality technology can be used to display autonomous vehicle driving paths to service center personnel. Additionally, systems and methods are provided for using augmented reality technology to improve efficiency of autonomous vehicle service centers and operating facilities. For example, augmented reality technology can be used to communicate services for respective autonomous vehicles to service center personnel. Augmented reality technology can be presented to users via augmented reality glasses.

Abstract: A system for self-discharge prognostics for vehicle battery cells with an internal short circuit includes a plurality of battery cells and a voltage sensor providing open-circuit voltage data over time for each battery cell. The system further includes a computerized prognostic controller operating programming to monitor the open-circuit voltage data over time for each of the plurality of battery cells and evaluate a voltage drop rate through a time window for each of the plurality of battery cells based upon the open-circuit voltage data. The controller further identifies one of the plurality of battery cells to include the internal short circuit based upon the voltage drop rate and signals an alert based upon the one of the plurality of battery cells including the internal short circuit.

Abstract: A method for providing a situational awareness interface for an occupant of an automated vehicle is provided. The method includes: generating a vehicle route graphic that displays a street level map of an area that includes a current location of the vehicle and an intended destination of the vehicle along with a visual depiction of a planned route and one or more alternate routes for the vehicle; determining a probability of requiring assistance or interaction and an estimated time of arrival for each of the planned route and the one or more alternate routes; providing a visual indication of the probability of requiring assistance or interaction and the estimated time of arrival for each of the planned route and the one or more alternate routes on the vehicle route graphic; and signaling a display device to display the vehicle route graphic.

Abstract: Vehicles and related systems and methods are provided for round-robin air purging of disengaged clutches. One method involves obtaining a plurality of weighting factors associated with respective ones of a plurality of clutches of a vehicle transmission, obtaining an exhaustion time associated with each respective clutch, determining a respective priority metric associated with the each respective clutch based at least in part on the exhaustion time associated with the respective clutch and the respective weighting factor associated with the respective clutch, determining a highest priority clutch of the plurality of clutches based at least in part on the respective priority metrics associated with the respective clutches of the plurality of clutches, and operating one or more valves in accordance with a pulse command to pulse the highest priority clutch with a commanded pressure for a commanded period of time.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for preserving dynamic range in images. In some aspects, a process can include steps for receiving, at an autonomous vehicle system, image data from an image sensor, generating, by the autonomous vehicle system, a high dynamic range (HDR) output by performing HDR processing on the image data from the image sensor, generating, by the autonomous vehicle system, a least significant bit (LSB) output by performing LSB processing on the image data from the image sensor, and generating, by the autonomous vehicle system, an 8-bit output by performing a buffer process on the HDR output and the LSB output of the image sensor.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle system is provided that includes a sensor, a memory, and a processor. The sensor is configured to at least facilitate obtaining vehicle data pertaining to one or more conditions of the vehicle. The memory is configured to at least facilitate storing historical data pertaining to a user's operation of the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the sensor and the memory, and is configured to at least facilitate: (i) generating one or more predictions of one or more needs for the user, using the vehicle data and the historical data as inputs for a machine learning model; and (ii) providing instructions to implement a vehicle action that accomplishes the one or more needs for the user based on the generated predictions via the machine learning model.

Abstract: Methods and systems involve obtaining information from one or more sources to determine a real-time context. A method includes determining a situational awareness score indicating a level of vigilance required based on the real-time context, obtaining images of eyes of a driver to detect a gaze pattern of the driver, determining a relevant attention score indicating a level of engagement of the driver in the real-time context based on a match between the gaze pattern of the driver and the real-time context, and obtaining images of the driver to detect behavior of the driver. A driver readiness score is determined and indicates a level of readiness of the driver to resume driving the vehicle based on the behavior of the driver. An off-road glance time is obtained based on using the situational awareness score, the relevant attention score, and the driver readiness score.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a lice-treating gel composition. In some embodiments, the composition includes piperonyl butoxide with a concentration from about 0.5 to 5 wt/wt %, pyrethrum with a concentration from about 0.1 to 1 wt/wt %, citronella with a concentration from about 0.1 to 1 wt/wt %, lemongrass oil with a concentration from about 0.01 to 0.5 wt/wt %, and tea tree oil with a concentration from about 0.01 to 0.5 wt/wt %. In an additional embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a lice-treating gel composition including piperonyl butoxide with a concentration of about 3.889 wt/wt %, pyrethrins with a concentration of about 0.6 wt/wt %, citronella with a concentration of about 0.66 wt/wt %, lemongrass oil with a concentration of about 0.14 wt/wt %, and tea tree oil with a concentration of about 0.1 wt/wt %.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for focal length validation may include receiving, by a computing system, initial image data for an optical target from a camera. The method may also include determining a distortion parameter associated with the camera, based on the initial image data. The method may also include receiving, by the computing system, a first image of the optical target, wherein the first image is associated with a first position of the camera. The method may also include receiving, by the computing system, a second image of the optical target, wherein the second image is associated with a second position of the camera. The method may also include determining an estimated displacement between the first position of the camera and the second position of the camera based on the first image and the second image. The method may further include determining a focal length based on the estimated displacement and a measured displacement of the camera between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for detecting an object. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for receiving three-dimensional (3D) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data of the object at a first time, generating a first point cloud based on the 3D LiDAR data at the first time, receiving 3D LiDAR data of the object at a second time, generating a second point cloud based on the 3D LiDAR data at the second time, aggregating the first point cloud and the second point cloud to form an aggregated point cloud, and placing a bounding box around the aggregated point cloud. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.