Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for improving the quality of audio for use in a biometric. A biometric system may use machine learning to determine whether audio or a portion of the audio should be used as a biometric for a user. A sample of the user's voice may be used to generate a voice signature of the user. Portions of the audio that do not meet a similarity threshold when compared with the voice signature may be removed from the audio. Additionally or alternatively, interfering noises may be detected and removed from the audio to improve the quality of a voice biometric generated from the audio.

Abstract: A heater system for a non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a heater element and a fuse element. The heater element has a heating region, a first terminal and a second terminal. The fuse element is electrically connected between the first terminal and the second terminal in parallel with the heater element. The fuse element has a region configured to induce a localized hot spot to cause the fuse element to open circuit in response to power applied between the first terminal and the second terminal.

Abstract: An exoskeleton device is disclosed. The exoskeleton device comprises a Bowden cable, a shank portion comprising a strut, and a foot portion coupled to the shank portion by a rotational joint. The foot portion comprises a heel lever and a pulley attached to the heel lever, wherein the strut of the shank portion is configured to redirect the Bowden cable toward the pulley, wherein the pulley is configured to redirect the Bowden cable back toward the shank portion, and wherein the Bowden cable is configured to generate torque by pulling the pulley. The exoskeleton device further comprises a midsole, wherein the midsole is releasably coupled to the lever, and wherein the midsole is configured to transmit force to a foot of a user.

Abstract: An ophthalmic laser surgical system has a built-in imaging sensor for measuring laser focal spot size. An objective lens focuses the laser beam to a focal spot near a reflective surface, scans the focal spot in the depth direction, and focuses light reflected by the reflective surface to form a back-reflected light. A two-dimensional imaging sensor receives a sample of the back-reflected light to generate images of the back-reflected light. During the depth scan, the image contains a well-focused light spot when the laser focal spot is located at a fixed offset distance before the reflective surface, but the light spot in the images is otherwise defocused. The images generated during the scan are analyzed to find the smallest light spot size among the images. The laser focal spot size is then calculated from the smallest light spot size using a magnification factor which is a system constant.

Abstract: The present application discloses an accessory for items of sporting equipment. Implementations may provide an accessory comprising a structure configured to be affixed to a first end of an item of sporting equipment meant to be swung or rotated, such as a baseball bat, lacrosse stick, or tennis racquet. The addition of the accessory results in movement of the center of mass of the sporting item. Implementations may be varied in weight and dimension such that the center of mass of the sporting item is moved to a location optimal for the demands of the sport and individual athletes' needs. Implementations may also provide for modifiable weight or dimension of the accessory.

Abstract: A modular staging system and method includes an overhead hoist grid for lifting staging modules providing for a vast variety of combinations of the truss components for making many different kinds and shapes. This design is flexible, scalable and can be reconfigured in an accelerated manner resulting is substantial cost savings for a production.

Abstract: An aerosol generating material is disclosed containing a reconstituted cannabis material. The reconstituted material can contain extracted cannabis fibers in combination with web building fibers, such as softwood fibers. The reconstituted cannabis material is capable of generating an aerosol, such as a smoke, that can have a conventional cannabis taste with reduced amounts of irritants and harsh components. In one embodiment, the reconstituted cannabis material is formed from plants that are low in cannabinoids, such as THC. Cannabinoids, such as THC and/or CBD, can then be topically applied to the reconstituted plant material for not only controlling the amount of cannabinoids contained in an aerosol generated by the material but also for producing consistent and uniform deliveries.

Abstract: A sequence of images and a vehicle location associated with each of the images is received at a traffic light ROI management system. At least one traffic light is detected in each image. A ECS traffic light ROI is defined for each image. The ECS traffic light ROI encloses the detected traffic lights. A visual feature template is generated for each image. The visual feature template is based on the ECS traffic light ROI for the image. Each visual feature template is mapped to the vehicle location associated with the image to a HD map. The HD map is transmitted to an autonomous vehicle to enable the autonomous vehicle to identify a real-time traffic light ROI in a real-time image based on a match between a first visual feature template and real-time visual features of the real-time image at the vehicle location associated with the first visual feature template.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for predicting a repair project are disclosed. The repair project may be a roof repair. Various data inputs may be received and analyzed to determine the likelihood of obtaining a repair job. The repair job may be associated with a lead score. The lead score may indicate a likelihood of obtaining the repair job. Repair jobs with lead scores over a threshold may be pursued to obtain the repair job. Materials may be automatically ordered to preempt obtaining the repair job. Workers for carrying out the repair job may be automatically determined and scheduled.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to determining if sensitive data has been exposed externally. In some embodiments, a system for determining if sensitive data has been exposed externally comprises an external database including a plurality of external repositories, an internal database including a plurality of internal repositories, an internal catalog including search candidates, and a control circuit configured to receive hash search results based on a hash search query to the external database, determine which repositories in the subject group of repositories includes an expression, generate a notification, and transmit the notification.

Abstract: RFID devices for use in electronic surveillance article (“EAS”) systems may be differently configured, resulting in different performance at the operating frequency or range of frequencies of an EAS system. The performance of differently configured RFID devices may be converged or rendered substantially similar by testing the performance of such RFID devices in a range of frequencies. At least one of the RFID devices is reconfigured to converge the performance of the RFID devices in the range of frequencies if the performance of the RFID devices is not sufficiently similar. This may include changing the configuration of an antenna, an RFID chip, and/or a non-functional component of an RFID device and/or the location in which an RFID device is associated to an article. Differently configured RFID devices may all be manufactured from the same initial configuration, with different RFID devices being differently processed before incorporation in an EAS system.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a blockchain comprising instructions for decompressing and reassembling media content stored at a storage system in the system, wherein a first block of the blockchain comprises data describing a compression scheme performed on a plurality of media packages associated with the media content, and wherein a second block of the blockchain comprises data regarding reassembly and rendering of the media packages to generate a render of the media content, decompressing media packages associated with the media content based on the data describing the compression scheme carried in the first block of the blockchain, reassembling the media packages to generate the render of the media content based on the data regarding reassembly and rendering of the media packages carried in the second block of the blockchain.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides soluble interferon receptors. The methods of the disclosure can be used to treat or prevent a condition associated with an abnormal immune response.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a handle for a personal care implement includes molding from a fiber-reinforced material, preferably by injection-molding, a core-connector unit having a core structure and a connector for attaching and detaching a head to and from the handle, and molding, preferably by injection-molding, a polymeric material onto the core structure to form a component that at last partially covers the core structure.

Abstract: Implementations of a semiconductor substrate may include a wafer including a first side and a second side; and a support structure coupled to the wafer at a desired location on the first side, the second side, or both the first side and the second side. The support structure may include an organic compound.

Abstract: A consumer product cabinet is disclosed. The consumer product cabinet may be a speaker cabinet. The cabinet may include a plurality of planar side surfaces. Each planar side surface may be attached to adjacent planar side surfaces at a predefined angle along a planar side surface height. The predefined angle may be 90 degrees. The cabinet may further include a plurality of support members. Each support member may be disposed at an intersection of the adjacent planar side surfaces. Further, each support member may be configured to generate recesses along the planar side surface height. Furthermore, the cabinet may include a plurality of replaceable exterior panels configured to removably attach to the plurality of planar side surfaces via the recesses. A recess depth may be equal or equivalent to a replaceable exterior panel thickness.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for implementing a unitary quantum gate on one or more qubits. In one aspect, a method includes the actions designing a control pulse for the unitary quantum gate, comprising: defining a universal quantum control cost function, wherein the control cost function comprises a qubit leakage penalty term representing i) coherent qubit leakage, and ii) incoherent qubit leakage across all frequency components during a time dependent Hamiltonian evolution that realizes the unitary quantum gate; adjusting parameters of the time dependent Hamiltonian evolution to vary a control cost according to the control cost function such that leakage errors are reduced; generating the control pulse using the adjusted parameters; and applying the control pulse to the one or more qubits to implement the unitary quantum gate.