Abstract: Vacuum cleaning devices include foldable wands to provide a storage configuration and/or facilitate use. A vacuum cleaning device includes a wand having a first end coupled to a vacuum unit and a second end coupled to a vacuum head or surface cleaning head. The wand defines an air passage allowing air to pass from the surface cleaning head to the vacuum unit and includes a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand. The wand also includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head, thereby providing a storage configuration.

Abstract: The present technology is generally directed to providing beds of coking material to charge a coking oven. In various embodiments, a quantity of first particulate material, having a first particulate size and bulk density, is combined with a second particulate material, having a second particulate size and bulk density, to define a multi-modal bed of coking material. The multi-modal bed of coking material exhibits an optimized bulk density that is greater than an ideal bulk density predicted by a linear combination of the bulk densities of the individual materials.

Abstract: Disclosed herein includes a system, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for applying an expression to an avatar. In one aspect, a class of an expression of a face can be determined according to a set of attributes indicating states of portions of the face. In one aspect, a set of blendshapes with respective weights corresponding to the expression of the face can be determined according to the class of the expression of the face. In one aspect, the set of blendshapes with respective weights can be provided as an input to train a machine learning model. In one aspect, the machine learning model can be configured, via training, to generate an output set of blendshapes with respective weights, according to an input image. An image of an avatar may be rendered according to the output set of blendshapes with respective weights.

Abstract: A MEMS microphone system comprises a transducer die having a pierce-less diaphragm and a motion sensor suspended from the diaphragm. The system further comprises a housing and the diaphragm divided a volume inside the housing into a front volume and a back volume. The motion sensor suspended from the diaphragm is located in the back volume having a gas pressure that is substantially equal or lower than an ambient pressure.

Abstract: A water container with an ozone diffuser is an apparatus that is used to diffuse ozone gas into water that is either flowing through the apparatus or is retained by the apparatus. The apparatus includes an aeration chamber, an ozone generator coupler, a distribution hub, a plurality of porous tubes, and a degassing unit. The ozone generator coupler allows the apparatus to connect with a pressurized supply of ozone gas. The aeration chamber is used to retain the water that is currently being aerated by the ozone gas. The distribution hub receives the ozone gas from the ozone generator coupler and distributes the ozone gas amongst the porous tubes. The ozone gas is then evenly inserted from the porous tubes into the water retained by the aeration chamber. The degassing unit is used to neutralize the excess ozone before exhausting the excess ozone into the apparatus's surroundings.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving a command for controlling a robot, the command referencing an object, receiving sensor data for a portion of an environment of the robot, identifying, from the sensor data, a gesture of a human that indicates a spatial region located outside of the portion of the environment described by the sensor data, searching map data for the object, determining, based at least on searching the map data for the object referenced in the command, that the object referenced in the command is present in the spatial region, and in response to determining that the object referenced in the command is present in the spatial region, controlling the robot to perform an action with respect to the object referenced in the command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring characteristics of an electronic visual display are disclosed herein. A method configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology for measuring an electronic visual display can include, for example, analyzing a region of interest (“ROI”) in an image taken of at least a portion of the electronic visual display. The method determines a center and bounds of the ROI that are, in general, floating point values rather than whole pixel locations. The method then samples whole imaging device pixels and/or fractional imaging device pixels within the bounds of the ROI and determines whether the pixels and/or fractional pixels fall within, outside, or partially within the ROI. Depending on the position of the pixels and/or fractional pixels relative to the ROI, the pixels and/or fractional pixels can be weighted and/or summed to determine an overall image characteristic for the ROI.

Abstract: A method for fusion of live ultrasound imagery with computed tomography (CT) scan images or magnetic resonance images, the method comprising steps of acquiring a series of CT scan images or magnetic resonance images, acquiring a series of ultrasound images, applying a manual registration process on a computing device to register each of the CT scan images or magnetic resonance images with corresponding ultrasound images, and displaying on a display associated with the computing device the live ultrasound imagery and corresponding CT scan images or magnetic resonance images.

Abstract: Systems and methods for altering the character of data originating from a Virtual Private Network (VPN) are provided. First data is received from the VPN by a first network interface. The first data comprises a first plurality of packets. A message is generated by combining the first plurality of packets. Second data is generated by segmenting the message into a second plurality of packets. A third plurality of packets in the second plurality of packets is equal to the network maximum transfer unit allowed by the Internet and the last packet in the second plurality of packets is less than the network maximum transfer unit allowed by the Internet. The second data is forwarded to the second network interface. The second network interface sends the data to a web server.

Abstract: A first alternating stack of first insulating layers and first sacrificial material layers with first stepped surfaces is formed over a substrate. A first retro-stepped dielectric material portion is formed on the first stepped surfaces. A second alternating stack of second insulating layers and second sacrificial material layers with second stepped surfaces is formed over the first alternating stack. A second retro-stepped dielectric material portion is formed on the second stepped surfaces. A first conductive via structure is formed through the second retro-stepped dielectric material portion, a bottommost insulating layer of the second alternating stack, and the first retro-stepped dielectric material portion. The sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating tags with items. The methods comprise: dynamically determining a length of each metal thread to be incorporated into or trace to be disposed on a item to optimize tag performance in view of dielectric and tuning properties of the item. In the metal thread scenarios, the methods also involve: creating a metal thread having the length that was dynamically determined; and sewing the metal thread into the item being produced to form an antenna for a first tag. In the trace scenarios, the methods also involve forming the trace on the item being produced to form an antenna for a first tag. Next, at least a communications enabled device is attached to the item so as to form an electrical coupling or connection between the communications enabled device and the at least one antenna.

Abstract: A wellhead includes a wellhead body and a locking end coupled to the wellhead body. The locking end includes an exterior surface with an exterior locking profile. The exterior locking profile includes an exterior groove formed between exterior stab and load flanks on the exterior surface. The locking end also includes an interior surface having an interior locking profile. The interior locking profile includes an interior groove formed between interior stab and load flanks on the interior surface. At least one of the exterior groove or the interior groove is a relief groove that undercuts at least one of the respective stab or load flank. The relief groove corresponds to a portion of the contour of an ellipse intersecting at least a portion of the respective stab or load flank, and an axis of the ellipse is at a tilted angle with respect to an axis of the wellhead.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for learning fuel injector error for cylinder groups during a deceleration fuel shut-off (DFSO), where all cylinders of an engine are deactivated, sequentially firing each cylinder of a cylinder group, each cylinder fueled via consecutive first and second fuel pulses of differing fuel pulse width from an injector. Based on a lambda deviation between the first and second pulses, a fuel error for the injector and an air-fuel ratio imbalance for each cylinder is learned. Alternatively or additionally, a difference in crankshaft acceleration between the first and second pulses relative to the expected deviation may be used to learn torque error, and adjust fuel injector error and air-ratio imbalance for each cylinder.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for narrow waveband laser diodes are described. The conventional coating on the output facet of a laser diode is replaced with a notch filter coating that is reflective of wavelengths within a narrow waveband around the nominal output wavelength of the laser diode and transmissive of other wavelengths. The notch filter coating ensures the laser diode will lase at the nominal wavelength and not lase for wavelengths outside of the narrow waveband. The notch-filtered laser diode provides a narrow waveband output that is matched to the playback wavelength of at least one hologram in a transparent combiner of a wearable heads-up display, and thereby reduces or eliminates display aberrations that can result from wavelength sensitivity of the playback properties of the hologram.

Abstract: A control circuit for a programmable power supply is provided. It comprises a reference generation circuit generating a voltage-reference signal and a current-reference signal for regulating an output voltage and an output current of the power supply. A feedback circuit detects the output voltage and the output current for generating a feedback signal in accordance with the voltage-reference signal and the current-reference signal. A switching controller generates a switching signal coupled to switch a transformer for generating the output voltage and the output current in accordance with the feedback signal. A micro-controller controls the reference generation circuit. The micro-controller, the reference generation circuit, and the feedback circuit are equipped in the secondary side of the transformer. The switching controller is equipped in the primary side of the transformer. The control circuit can achieve good performance for the programmable power supply.

Abstract: A powertrain for a vehicle includes an electric machine coupled with a first inverter, a traction battery and a second inverter. The traction battery is coupled between a neutral terminal of the electric machine and a negative terminal of the first inverter. The second inverter is coupled in parallel with the first inverter with respect to a direct current (DC) bus, and configured to drive a second electric machine.

Abstract: A protective case for an electronic device may have two layers: an inner cushion cover that surrounds a portion of the electronic device, and an outer rigid shell that surround part of the cushion cover. The outer shell has side walls that engage and hold the cushion cover on the electronic device. The cushion cover has reduced thickness portions so that the side walls are embedded in the cushion cover and provide a protective case having a substantially smooth exterior. The cushion cover is capable of absorbing shocks from impacts on the rigid outer shell. Coring on the inner portion of the cushion cover provides additional softness and the ability of the cushion cover to absorb shocks while using a higher density material, which is able to conform to the electronic device.

Abstract: A hybrid fiber cord includes a first yarn and a second yarn. The first yarn has a first ply length, a first twist number, and a first elongation at break. The second yarn has a second length greater than the first length, a second twist number, and a second elongation at break that is less than the first elongation at break. The first yarn and the second yarn have the same cord twist. The hybrid fiber cord has a third elongation at break that is greater than the second elongation at break.

Abstract: A protective film has a soluble polyimide polymer base layer and an exterior layer directly containing the base layer exterior surface. The base layer is less than 12 microns thick, and is at least 2 meters long. The exterior layer includes at least one of a fluorinated polymer, a dielectric layer, one or more metallic layers, a metalloid layer, or a plurality of dielectric layers where each dielectric layer has a dielectric layer thickness that varies no more than 3%. The exterior layer or the as layer can also include additives, as desired.

Abstract: A part of a gasket that conducts electricity across the otherwise nonconducting gasket. Versions of the insert provide an electrical connection when installed even if the parts sealed by the gasket deflect, and do not deform under compression due to their resilient nature. The gaskets can be used in pipe joints, among other uses, resulting in a pipe joint that conducts electricity between the pipe spigot and the socket of a pipe or fixture even if a deflection event occurs.