Abstract: One example method involves rotating a housing of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device about a first axis. The housing includes a first optical window and a second optical window. The method also involves transmitting a first plurality of light pulses through the first optical window to obtain a first scan of a field-of-view (FOV) of the LIDAR device. The method also involves transmitting a second plurality of light pulses through the second optical window to obtain a second scan of the FOV. The method also involves identifying, based on the first scan and the second scan, a portion of the FOV that is at least partially occluded by an occlusion.

Abstract: A cleaning device and method of cleaning are provided. The cleaning device includes a power source and a pump in selective electrical communication with the power source. A storage container is provided. A valve assembly is disposed in the storage container and in fluid communication with the pump, the valve assembly being configured to selectively flow cleaning fluid from a first portion and a second portion of the storage container. A cleaning element having a spray nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump.

Abstract: A trench drain includes a trench, a grating seat and a grating hingedly connected to the trench. The trench has a base wall with peripheral side walls extending upwardly therefrom and an outwardly-extending peripheral flange. The grating seat is configured to receive the grating. The peripheral side walls of the trench have a pair of opposing elongated slots formed therein and the grating has a pair of posts on opposing ends thereof. Each of the pair of posts on the grating are received in a respective one of the pair of opposing elongated slots of the trench to establish an axis of rotation.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for performing directional beamforming according to an anticipated position may include accessing environment data indicating a sound source within an environment. The device may include various audio hardware components configured to generate steerable audio beams. The method may also include identifying the location of the sound source within the environment based on the accessed environment data, and then steering the audio beams of the device to the identified location of the sound source within the environment. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A first merchant node on a semi-private blockchain virtual currency exchange system is exclusively capable of creating first virtual currency units. Unaffiliated merchant node(s) are exclusively capable of creating other merchant-specific virtual currency units in the system, while customer computing devices are incapable of creating virtual currency units. The first merchant node creates and issues first virtual currency units to a first customer account associated with a first customer computing device. Upon receiving a transaction request for exchanging first virtual currency unit(s) for a second currency type between the first customer account and another customer account, the first merchant node validates the first transaction request, and creates and sends a first transaction receipt to unaffiliated merchant node(s).

Abstract: A composite body includes a bound mixture, a resin and a coating. The bound mixture includes a binder and a plurality of particles. The resin fully infiltrates the bound mixture such that the resin fully infiltrates an entire thickness of the bound mixture. The composite body is formed by combining a plurality of particles with a binder to form a bound mixture and infiltrating the bound mixture with a resin to a depth such that substantially an entire thickness of the bound mixture contains the resin. The coating defines an outer layer of the composite body.

Abstract: Disclosed are examples of managing devices through secondary communication channels. In some examples, a management component detects an impediment with a data communication channel for a device. The data communication channel can be a primary communication channel through which the device communicates with a management service. The management component detects an event associated with the device to report to the management service. The management component generates a message specifying the event, and the management component transmits the message to the management service through the secondary communication channel.

Abstract: Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. A catalyst composition is provided that includes a catalyst compound supported to form a supported catalyst system, the catalyst compound including: where each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and X are as discussed herein.

Abstract: A method of on-line diagnostic and prognostic assessment of an autonomous vehicle perception system includes detecting, via a sensor, a physical parameter of an object external to the vehicle. The method also includes communicating data representing the physical parameter via the sensor to an electronic controller. The method additionally includes comparing the data from the sensor to data representing the physical parameter generated by a geo-source model. The method also includes comparing results generated by a perception software during analysis of the data from the sensor to labels representing the physical parameter from the geo-source model. Furthermore, the method includes generating a prognostic assessment of a ground truth for the physical parameter of the object using the comparisons of the sensor data to the geo-source model data and of the software results to the geo-source model labels. A system for on-line assessment of the vehicle perception system is also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments are provided herein for modifying a virtual scene based on eye-tracking. A computing device coupled to a HMD can provide a virtual scene for display on the HMD. The computing device can receive sensor data from a set of eye-tracking sensors coupled to the HMD. Based on the received sensor data, the computing device can determine a set of focal regions of the displayed virtual scene, including a perifoveal region of the displayed virtual scene. A portion of the virtual scene can then be modified based, in part, on a determination that the portion is outside of the determined perifoveal region.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for conducting conference calls using doppler-based, i.e., reverberation-based techniques. The embodiments comprise a call device performing operations to join a call session hosted on a session server; receive sensor data comprising an audio signal from a first microphone and location information associated with the first microphone; determine a reverberation parameter associated with the location information; generate a first processed audio signal based on the audio signal and the reverberation parameter; and transmit the first processed audio signal to the session server. The session server may perform operations to receive a respective processed audio signal; determine a sound quality parameter of the respective processed audio signal; generate a balanced audio signal based on the sound quality parameter and the received processed audio signal; and transmit the balanced audio signal to a remote call device belonging to a second party.

Abstract: A suppressor assembly can include an external can having first and second ends. A muzzle brake can be positioned along the first end and configured to be coupled to a firearm. The assembly can include a first expansion chamber and a second expansion chamber disposed within the tubular body with a portion of the muzzle brake extending through the first and second expansion chambers. The muzzle brake can include a first muzzle chamber fluidicly coupled to the first expansion chamber and a second muzzle chamber fluidicly coupled to the second expansion chamber. Multiple baffles can be positioned within the external can between the first expansion chamber and the second end of the external can, including first and second baffle sets that each include a first baffle and a second baffle. The assembly can also include an endcap coupled to the second end of the external can.

Abstract: A system and method for consolidating used nuclear fuel rods using tools operably suspendable in a recess containing the used nuclear fuel rods. The systems and methods safely consolidate the used nuclear fuel rods in containers.

Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The liquid storage portion includes one or more flexible walls and is configured to change at least one of the shape and the size of the liquid storage portion upon a change of the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion. The cartridge includes a sensor configured to detect data of a physical property. The data relates to at least one of a corresponding shape and a corresponding size of the liquid storage portion so that the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion is determinable from the measured data.

Abstract: An entry device that is attachable to a door that pivots relative to a door frame to separate an outer area from an inner area is disclosed. The device has a compartment made of a flexible material having a first side and a second side. The flexible material has a front surface that faces the outer area and a back surface that extends into the inner area. At least one first attachment point is disposed along the first side that attaches the compartment to the door and at least one second attachment point is disposed along the second side that attaches the compartment to the door frame. According to the present invention, upon opening of the door, the compartment is configured to allow partial entry of an object to the inner area and prevent full entry by a person from the outer area.

Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to virtual machines. In one example of the technology, data associated with a virtual machine configuration request is received. A first virtual machine to be reconfigured is provided. The first virtual machine is booted. The first virtual machine is a system virtual machine, the first virtual machine is re-provisioned into be reconfigured in accordance with the virtual machine configuration request without rebooting the first virtual machine.

Abstract: An EM driver for accelerating an object may be configured as an EM rifle for accelerating, rotating to spin-stabilize, and releasing a projectile. A core includes a stator coil, forward and reverse coils, a railed shaft, and a transfer shaft. The stator coil generates a first EM field, and the forward and reverse coils generate second and third EM fields which interact with the first EM field to accelerate the armature in forward and reverse directions, respectively. The railed shaft is elongated along a central axis through the armature and includes multiple rails arranged helically around a central shaft. The armature remains in contact with the rails during acceleration so as to impart a turning motion. The transfer shaft is physically coupled with and projects forwardly from the armature and transfers to the projectile the acceleration and the turning motion of the armature in the forward direction.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for monitoring contextual and performance information of a device for anticipatorily sending update information to the device. An interface component can receive, from the client, contextual information indicating an operating environment of the client and performance information that is associated with one or more operations being performed by the client based on the operating environment, and send, based on correlation information, update information to the client. Further, a service component can to infer a relationship between the contextual information and the performance information to obtain the correlation information. In other embodiments, a client can populate a cache with portion(s) of the contextual information to obtain cached information, and send at least a portion of the cached information to a system including one or more aspects of the service component.

Abstract: Example techniques that mitigate against memory hole shorts during an erase operation for memory cells in a string include an example method in which, during an erase operation, erase pulses are applied to the word lines of the memory string and terminated at different times based. In some instances, the erase pulses applied to the word lines of the memory string are terminated based on the temperature of the memory cells of the memory string. In further implementations, the erase pulses applied to the word lines of the memory string are boosted for different times depending on the location of the word line along the memory string during the erase operation.

Abstract: In some variations, the invention provides a curable adhesive formulation comprising a curable liquid precursor capable of frontal polymerization, wherein the liquid precursor comprises a monomer and a polymerization catalyst, and frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors in contact with, or contained within, the liquid precursor. The susceptors may include conducting and/or magnetic solid particles capable of induction heating in the presence of a remotely applied electromagnetic field. Other variations provide a polymer-curing system comprising a curable liquid precursor, frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors, and an apparatus configured to remotely produce an alternating electromagnetic field in line-of-sight with the susceptors (but not necessarily in line-of-sight with the liquid precursor), thereby generating induction heating to initiate the frontal polymerization. The susceptors may be about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % of the curable formulation.